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Jill Williamson

Jill Williamson

has 64 followers and is following 67 people

Jill Williamson is a writer and editor of young adult novels. An avid reader, she started Novel Teen Book Reviews to help teens find great books to read. Jill also runs an online Web site and critique group for teen writers at www.teenageauthor.com where she enjoys helping new writers develop their skill. She and her husband have worked with... more »
  • OR, USA
  • member since August 29, 2008

Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 290 reviews
  • Girl Talk: 180 Q&A (for Life's Ups, Downs, and In-Betweens)
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Girl Talk is a 200-plus-page, glossy, full-color book filled with questions from teen girls. Nicole O’Dell and her daughters Natalie and Emily answer each questions with wisdom and grace. This is a great book for a girl to read on her own, for sisters or friends to read together, or for mom and daughter to read a little each day as discussion starters for some great topics.

    Some of my favorite questions asked for advice in regards to:
    -When your friend is babysitting your siblings and bringing her boyfriend along but your parents don’t know.
    -Whether or not the bible old-fashioned and out of touch with today.
    -Dating a boy to teach him more about God.
    -Why I still feel guilty when I know God has forgiven me.
    -A boy texting me when he knows I’m not allowed to text him.
    -What do do for your overseas military dad to let him know you’re proud of him.
    -How to fit in and still be modest.
    -Whether it’s fair for parents to know all your passwords for email and Facebook.

    The questions in this book were selected from actual questions they authors have received on their popular advice blog that you can find through the Nicole O’Dell website. Check out the blog to get an idea of how this book works. This is a great book to encourage and challenge a teen in their faith.
    ”

    Jill Williamson wrote this review 13 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Halflings
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Some strange things are happening to Nikki Youngblood. She’s been chased by ugly dogs and followed by some really cute guys. And she’s not sure why. The next thing she knows, all three guys enroll in her school and are in all her classes! How weird is that? But the more she learns about Mace, Raven, and Vine, the more she learns about why those weird things were happening to her. One thing is certain: life will never be the same!

    Whoo! Now this was a fun read—and a quick one too. (I love quick reads.) Heather Burch has crafted an intriguing storyworld with her Halflings (half angel/half humans) and their history. I was drawn in from page one and couldn’t wait to see how this story would turn out. Luckily I knew in advance what I was in for. This is the first book in a trilogy. So I knew there would be a bit of a cliffhanger headed my way as to the overall mystery. No matter. It was still a fun, romantic read. I have no guesses as to which angel boy Nikki might choose—or if she even will! But I can’t wait to read the next two books. I hope it won’t be too long of a wait because I am hooked on Halfings!
    ”

    Jill Williamson wrote this review Saturday, January 14, 2012. ( reply | permalink )
  • One Step Away
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Review by Jill Williamson
    Bret and Sarah Vreeland have been targeted by the accuser. And this won’t be like last time, with Job. Instead of a time of many trials, the accuser wants to shower the Vreelands with blessings in hopes of ruining them. The Almighty One agrees to the test.

    Bret and Sarah barely scrape by, but they are good people, faithful servants, and loving parents. Bret works hard and is a strong leader for his family, both spiritually and financially. He budgets everything. Sarah works hard to supplement Bret’s income, but she is tired and haunted by “What ifs?” from the past, from a rich fiancé who was killed before they were wed. She loves her husband but can’t help but wonder how life may have been different had Alex lived.

    What a clever idea for a book! I loved this story, yet it frustrated me at the same time, knowing it was all a scheme from “the accuser.” What was even more interesting than the premise was the execution. I loved the mystery of who was the mastermind (the human one) behind all this. And I did not see the end coming. Very well done, Mr. Wilson! Can’t wait to read your next book.
    ”

    Jill Williamson wrote this review Saturday, December 3, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Rooms
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Review by Jill Williamson

    Successful young businessman Micah Taylor inherits an ocean-side home from a great uncle he never knew. Suspecting a prank, Micah drives from Seattle to Cannon Beach to check the place out. A pretty woman named Sarah gives him more motivation to visit his new home each weekend.

    But strange things start happening in the rooms of the home, reminding Micah of past memories both pleasant and haunting. A local mechanic tells Micah that the house is spiritual. But it’s more than that. It’s part of him.

    This is such a clever story idea. Rubart weaves the story layer upon layer, building a foundation that—when it all comes together—is astounding. I enjoyed the book very much. Highly recommended.
    ”

    Jill Williamson wrote this review Saturday, December 3, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Race Against Time: A Novel
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Zoya witnesses a murder while out with her sled dog team. She tries to flee but gets shot in the process. She is left feeling angry at God for allowing so many bad things to happen to her and her friends. Her mother, Anesia, is at her wits’ end, trying to take care of her daughter and keep her kennel running snoothly. She hires a new man named Sean to help out with the dogs but doesn’t have time to deal with the feelings he stirs up within her. The bad guys come after Zoya again, and Sean vows to protect them. But Sean is hiding something too, and Anesia doesn’t know who to trust.

    Another excellent suspense novel from the mother-daughter writing team Kimberly and Kayla Woodhouse. We got to spend some time with Jenna, Andie, and Cole, too, which was nice, because I missed them. This story has a mystery of its own that is connected to events in book one, but goes further. I couldn’t put it down. Very well done.
    ”

    Jill Williamson wrote this review Saturday, December 3, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Driven
    • Rated 5 stars

    “When a reporter harasses a member of Robyn’s prayer team, Robyn speaks up—and makes a terrible enemy. Not the reporter, though. A demon, sent by his master to stop Robin’s prayer group at all costs. Robyn knows nothing of this, of course. She goes about her regular routine and agrees to appear on the news, to have a second interview with the reporter who is offended by prayer. But Robyn and her friends are now under demonic attack, and Robyn must figure out what God wants her to do.

    Good book! The way the demons and angels were characters reminded me of Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness. All the characters were true to life and engaging. I found the idea of the spiritual attack interesting to ponder. I hope that there will be a second book soon. Recommended for teens.
    ”

    Jill Williamson wrote this review Saturday, December 3, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Forbidden
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Rom, an obedient member of society, becomes an instant outlaw when he comes to possess a vial of blood and ancient letter, given to him by an old man his father knew. In a society devoid of all emotion by fear, Rom is scared of being killed. He flees to his friend, Avra, but she is afraid as well. Rom replays the words of the old man over and over in his mind, and seeing no other way, drinks a portion of blood from the vial. And becomes human again, fully feeling all things. Avra takes some blood as well, as do three others, until the blood is gone. This is enough to spread a kernel of truth, that life in Byzantium is not the way it was meant to be, which is enough to start a rebellion.

    Liked it! The storyworld and history were well-thought out and unique. The plot was engaging with plenty of mystery revealed in bits to keep me guessing. There were some shocking surprises and I look forward to discovering how those are worked out. I enjoyed Rom’s character and Feyn too. The bad guy has a lot of sensual, violence in his point of view scenes, so that is a caution for younger readers. Dekker and Lee have crafted a wonderful start to this series. I can’t wait to read more of this tale.
    ”

    Jill Williamson wrote this review Saturday, December 3, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Perfectly Invisible: A Universally Misunderstood Novel
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Daisy Crispin is almost done with high school. Then she will finally be able to get away from her controlling parents and chase her college dreams. But the loss of her job throws a kink into her perfect plans. She’ll never raise enough money for college without a job. And why is her sort-of boyfriend completely ignoring her? Does he like another girl? It had better not be her best friend, because that would be so wrong. As Daisy struggles to figure out how to achieve everything she’s always wanted, she starts to wonder if all she ever wanted is all she thought it would be.

    I’m so glad Kristin Billerbeck wrote a sequel to Perfectly Dateless! The characters in that book were wonderful, and now we get to spend more time with them. This book was fun, filled with one misunderstanding after another, lots of teenage angst, and lots of laughs. I loved how Daisy grew over the course of this book. These were two great books, and would make a wonderful gift for any teenage girl who loves to read.
    ”

    Jill Williamson wrote this review Saturday, December 3, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • No Safe Haven
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Andie and her mother, Jenna, are flying home from a doctor’s appointment in Anchorage when the pilot sabotages their small plane. They crash on Sultana, a mountain that is part of the Denali National Park. Stranded with a winter storm on its way, only one man can keep them alive, the mysterious last-minute passenger, Cole. With hidden secrets and killers trying to track them down, no one really trusts anyone. Yet they must trust each other if they are going to survive.

    This was an engaging story told from several points of view, including that of Andie, Jenna’s teenage daughter. Andie’s point of view was written by Kayla Woodhouse, a teenage author and daughter of Kimberly. What a fun thing to write a book with a family member like that. They did an excellent job. I thoroughly enjoyed the suspense as Jenna, Andie, and Cole fought to stay alive despite the way the bad guys and nature kept coming at them. And there is an interesting mystery woven into this tale as well. Very well done. Can’t wait to read book two!
    ”

    Jill Williamson wrote this review Saturday, December 3, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Departures
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Now Boarding at Gate 10- a Christy Miller novella
    Having just graduated high school, Christy goes back to Wisconsin with her family to visit relatives. There she reunites with Matthew, a boy she once had a huge crush on. Now that Todd is gone, could Christy start over with someone like Matthew? What if someone else was interested long before Christy came to visit?

    In the Event of a Water Landing- a Sierra Jensen novella
    Sierra heads off to a lake in Montana for a vacation with her friend Jana and Jana’s family. Excited to have lots of fun, Sierra is frustrated with Jana’s new boy-crazy demeanor. Will the whole trip be nothing but one big fight? And is Jana right? Should Sierra grow up and start looking for a boyfriend too?


    What sweet stories. It was nice to visit Christy again. She is a wonderful character, and Robin Jones Gunn always weaves such wonderful stories. How fun to have the chance to read two stories that weren’t included in the new collections. I’ve read all Christy’s books except the college years, but this was the first Sierra-only book I’ve read. I liked her very much and must start reading the Sierra Jensen collection soon. I’ve you’ve never read these, I highly recommend Robin Jones Gunn’s books. They are a must read for any teenage girl, and for the nostalgic adult too.
    ”

    Jill Williamson wrote this review Saturday, December 3, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
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Displaying 1-10 of 290 reviews

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