Book Review: "The Hallowed Ones" by Laura Bickle

The Hallowed Ones review
Author: Laura Bickle
5 out of 5 stars

Book Info: Genre: Dystopian Thriller Reading Level: Young Adult Book Available: Book available in paperback and ebook format on 9/25/12

Disclosure: I received a free paperback ARC in exchange for an honest review from the Amazon Vine program.

Synopsis: Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages turning.

My Thoughts: I’ve been interested in the Amish and their way of life ever since I read a most interesting romantic suspense novel a few years back that featured the Amish. There is a great deal of misconception out there about the Amish way of life, and I was very interested to see if this book would be more along those lines, or more realistic, like the other book I read. Based upon my admittedly limited knowledge of the Amish, I believe this book stays fairly close to their belief system.

I think that, if I had been raised in that lifestyle, I would have been like Katie. I was never one for blindly obeying anyway, much to my parents’ chagrin, so I could really relate to her. I found the whole story very well-done, with the building sense of horror, without knowing exactly what happened, only seeing the aftermath. It was a unique and interesting way of writing an end-of-world scenario, and I quite enjoyed it. I’d also like to point out that the idea of a temple to Bast in a strip mall amused the heck out of me.

I think the ending has left it open for a sequel, so I’ll be watching to see if another book is released in this series. I think any fans of YA dystopia/horror should enjoy this book, so be sure to keep your eyes open for it when it is released later this month.