Teen girls will love it! "Destination Unknown" by Amy Clipston

about the book....

It's senior year, and Whitney Richards is tired of the constant pressures to be perfect. When she gets a D in Calculus, her mother immediately hires a tutor, worried Whitney won't get into the 'right' college---her alma mater---with imperfect grades. Her tutor, Taylor, is a quiet, mysterious boy who is unlike anyone Whitney has met before. But Taylor's rougher upbringing has her mother and friends discouraging any type of relationship. 

Tired of having to play a part for everyone else, Whitney quits the cheerleading squad that once defined her social identity, and begins spending more time with Taylor. Her mom and friends worry Whitney is making a huge mistake, and even Taylor begins to show concern for some of her choices. But for the first time, Whitney is in the driver's seat of her life. Will she be able to find her identity---and God's plan for her life---before she throws everything away?

my review....

Teen girls are going to love getting their hands on a copy of "Destination Unknown", the latest release from popular author Amy Clipston. The novel moves at a brisk pace, featuring a character who struggles with everyday things that all girls will be able to relate to. Mother-teen conflict, bullying, prejudice, uncertainty about the future - this book has a little bit of everything, and as such there is plenty of drama to hold a reader's interest from beginning to end. Some of the introspection that Whitney experienced at times seemed a tad mature for a girl her age to actually be thinking, but then never having been a teen girl myself it is entirely possible that female youths truly have such deep thoughts and insight into their own behaviour! I really enjoyed how Whitney spends time praying in the story, working through her confusions and struggles with God at her side. Whitney's stand for what is right is absolutely admirable, and I liked that she isn't perfect, but struggles with lying and the consequences that follow. By the end of the book I couldn't help but feel like cheering for Whitney as she is faithful to what God expects of her, and also owns up to her mistakes. As such, there are important life truths contained in this story, resulting in a book that will not only entertain girls on the cusp of adulthood, but have them thinking about their own actions as well.

I strongly recommend this book for teen girls, and award it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

A review copy was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

 about the author....

Amy Clipston has been writing for as long as she can remember. Her fiction writing "career" began in elementary school when she and a close friend wrote and shared silly stories. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan College and is a member of the Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Romance Writers of America. She is the author of the bestselling Kauffman Amish Bakery series with Zondervan, which is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. An advocate for organ and blood donation, Amy donated a kidney in 2011 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Through her donation, her husband received a second kidney transplant. Amy and her husband matched another couple and swapped kidneys with them. Amy's memoir, A Gift of Love, will be available in early 2014. She hopes her story inspires others to become organ and blood donors. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, mother, and four spoiled rotten cats. You can find her on the web at www.AmyClipston.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks.

Find out more about the book on the publisher website:   http://www.zondervan.com/destination-unknown.html