NEW RECRUIT by Jill Williamson

I was really excited to get a chance to read Jill Williamson new book.  She is the author of one of the best trilogies out there, the award winning "Blood of Kings" trilogy and also the thought provoking book "Replication."  I love the way that she writes and how she brings the characters to life in here stories.  This book is no exception and is the first in a four book series.

The book is about a teenager named Spencer who lives with his grandma and loves to play basketball.  When given the choice between going to military school or joining a Secret Missionary Spy league he joing the later even though his beliefs are not his own.  The Mission League is going on a mission trip to Russia during the summer and Spencer goes jus t to avoid military school and to get closer to a few of the girls who are also going. 

While in Russia he tries to help the local homeless with the rest of the group but stumbles on some mysterious things that he can't seem to stay out of the middle of. 

This is an awesome book and I love the topics that it deals with. I can see myself in Spencers shoes and what how he chooses to deal with the situations around him.  I love how Jill show that God can use us  in situations to draw us to him.  Spencer may not believe in God but God definetly believes in Spencer and using him and those around him.  I love the whole Missionary League and wish that I could sign up.

Thanks to Jill Williamson for providing a copy of the book to read and share my thought on.  I look forward to the rest of the books in this series and the other books that Jill has planned coming out.  Another great book from the folks at Marcher Lord Press.

You can purchase the paperback from Marcher Lord Press:  

http://www.marcherlordpress.com/bookstore/just-weird/the-new-recruit-by-jill-williamson/

Heres the link for the Amazon Kindle version:

http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Recruit-Mission-ebook/dp/B0097ADIGW/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1347914667&sr=8-10&keywords=new+recruit

B&N Nook:  

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-new-recruit-jill-williamson/1112808619?ean=2940015445329

Kobo:

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-New-Recruit/book-HLTfw5TKTk-546eEKkPlrA/page1.html?s=giS868h8wEyx899OlNVp_g&r=1

October Baby

This is a review of the book October Baby which is a novelization of the movie.  I havent had a chance to see the movie yet(but definetly will) so I will not try to compare the two.  I have read All of Eric Wilsons previous works so am very familiar with his writings and would highly recommend them.  I also love the back stories that he adds to his other novelizations it just does so much more for the story.  The only problem is if you read the book first then see the movie you wonder where the backstory is. 

The book follows a young girl who is doing a play in college and on the opening night when she gets up to perform she has a seizure.  Her parents take her to a doctor to discuss what is going on and at this point reveal that she was adopted after a failed abortion.  She then begins a journey in search of who she is and where she came from.

Eric Wilson does a great job of bringing this story to life.  The way he goes into details and descibes things helps bring the story to life.  The characters in the story are brilliantly written and devoleped in such a way that really makes you relate to them and what is going on in their lives.  You cant help but feel their hurt, their pain, and their joy as they go through their journey in the book.  I couldnt stop reading it.  The last 10-20% of the story was so moving and so vivid.  I found myself crying tears of sorrow and then tears of joy the next moment.  This is the first book in a long time that has moved me in such a way( I'm not the crying type usually).  The story and the way it was brought to life really touched me.  I dont know if it had to do with being a parent, being a person that has struggled with feeling alone,  or also struggling with conceiving a child.  IT was probably a combination of all.  I highly recommend this book which comes out in September and cant wait to go see the movie as well.  A very moving story that will bring you to tears(both of joy and sorrow)