If We Survive by Andrew Klavan

They came on a mission of mercy, but now they’re in a fight for their lives.

High schooler Will Peterson and three friends journeyed to Central America to help rebuild a school. In a poor, secluded mountain village, they won the hearts of the local people with their energy and kindness.

But in one sudden moment, everything went horribly wrong. A revolution swept the country. Now, guns and terror are everywhere—and Americans are being targeted as the first to die.

Will and his friends have got to get out fast. But streets full of killers . . . hills patrolled by armies . . . and a jungle rife with danger stand between them and the border. Their one hope of escape lies with a veteran warrior who has lost his faith and may betray them at any moment. Their one dream is to reach freedom and safety and home.

If they can just survive.

If We Survive by Andrew Klavan was an exciting and suspenseful novel that filled with action, some romance, and mystery. The plot line flowed well and moved at a quick and exciting pace. There was a good mix of action, suspense, and a little romance as well. There were several surprising occurrences and unexpected twists that kept me glued to the pages. The story was told from the perspective of Will Peterson, and all the events were displayed along with his thoughts and feelings.

The characters of If We Survive were interesting and somewhat realistic. I liked how Palmer was initially viewed as a wicked, uncaring man but as the book progressed his true colors were revealed and his character began to improve. All of the characters were very different and each had their own unique flaws and weaknesses. However, as the story continued the characters each discovered their strengths and became heroes as they all contributed to their escape from danger. All of the characters experienced growth and development throughout the novel, and I really enjoyed watching their changes.

There some aspects of this novel that I did not like. I was not too enthusiastic about how Christianity and God were portrayed by some of the characters. I thought that some of the comments they made were untrue, and I felt let down by how the book concluded and what Will thought about God. I did appreciate the honesty that was portrayed about the harm can occur when governments intervene with other countries before they know all the facts.

Overall, I thought If We Survive was very exciting, suspenseful, and interesting and that the characters were realistic and developed over the course of the novel.

I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review from Booksneeze.com and Thomas Nelson Publishers.