If We Survive by Andrew Klavan

What do you do when a mission trip suddenly leaves you caught in the middle of a revolution?
Will Peterson is part of a mission team that has traveled to Costa Verde to rebuild the wall of a school. It's been a great trip-until a revolution breaks out just before they board their plane to go home.
But then it becomes a desperate race to escape: from a firing squad, from savage animals in the depths of the jungle, from prison cells and revolutionaries with machine guns.
One of the girls is showing Will amazing things about what it means to be truly fearless. And one of the guys has the makings of a real hero. None of them will go home the same. If they only survive.

I read this book because it was nominated for the Cybils YA Fiction award. Will, the main character, has gone to Costa Verde with a group of missionaries to do some volunteer work rebuilding a local school. On his last day there, a revolution breaks out and their lives are put in danger.

As far a christian fiction goes, I get leery about the message-y aspects it can sometimes have. Not so with this book. The fact that Will believes in God is just another aspect of his character, and this is done very well. There is nothing preachy or miracle-y in the story, which is refreshing. Instead, the story takes on a 'the lord helps those who help themselves' philosophy.

There is a lot of action, and the pacing kept me on the edge of my seat. I found Will to be a wonderfully real character, with realistic flaws, temperament, and ideas. The other characters were just as interesting, with their own issues and philosophies. There isn't as much growth as I wanted, and some of the events and incidents were a little predictable, but I didn't mind. This story is fun and full of adventure.