Young girl struggles with her Amish upbringing and how it conflicts with her ideas of self. Her chance at Rumspringa is rudely interrupted by an Apocalypse on The Outside that is threatening to taint them all.I forgot how much I loved horror. I gorged on it as a child through middle school. This is a good old fashioned vampire book. The vampires that tear through people without mercy and without humanity. It was a bit gorey if you're sensitive to that. I find macabre fascinating. The darkness is fast approaching when the Elders take the decision that just as no-one is allowed in nor is anyone allowed out.To applaud this, the first Young Adult novel by Laura Bickle, simply wouldn't be enough, I want to shout about it from the rooftops. Not quite what I was expecting. I had thought the main emphasis of the book would be the supernatural/dystopian instead of which I was delighted to find the story concentrated just as much on the 'Plain' folk, The Hallowed Ones of the title.A story of vampires, real vampires of the kind that fear daylight and garlic as opposed to the 'cute and cuddly' variety that seem to feature in so many recent books of this genre. A tale of faith, of one young woman's struggle with what she has been taught and what she believes is right, its been a while since I devoured a book of this length (311 pages) in one sitting.Wonderfully crafted. As well as being set in a Amish community which for me always makes for interesting reading the story has fascinating characters (both main and secondary), a rather sweet romance and just the right amount of suspense (at times I actually found myself holding my breath) and blood and guts (as I said these are real vampires) to make it compelling and not just for those into the whole vampire/apocalyptic thing either.Part one in a series. I can only imagine where the author intends to go with the sequel (The Outside) but its definitely a book I'll be buying to find out.Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper.
What do You think about Hallowed Ones (2012)?
I honestly could not put this book down. It was just so amazing. I loved it so much.
—brooke
