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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
This could have been the usual vampire story since it has all the usual "what a vampire can do/is" trappings of the genre. It isn't because it involves the Amish who are separated from the outside world in their own community as the vampire outbreak destroys the world.
Katie is a rebellious young woman who is looking forward to her Rumspringa so she can get a taste of the world outside her community. Unfortunately, the world goes to heck outside and her Amish community is alerted to this fact by a military helicopter crashing into the field within the Amish community's boundaries. Katie is first on seen and saw the pilot get dragged back into the crashed helicopter by the thing with red glowing eyes. The Elders of the community start their spin control to cover up what may be happening outside the community in the world of the Englishers (outsiders). Katie knows something is going on, something evil, and sneaking out to the nearby town confirms this. She ends up secretly bringing an hurt Englisher into the Amish community as things start to threaten the people within it. Old, ancient, things of legend, vampires.
These vampires do not sparkle, they are not human-like except for their appearances, they move very unhuman-like, and they destroy what they eat. they are a threat, they are creepy, and they are scary. It is a perfect contrast to the Amish community which is quite peaceful. The story-line amps up at a steady pace and the end of the book leaves room for a sequel which I hope is something that happens because I want to know what happens with Katie in the vampire infested world of the book.
Katie is a rebellious young woman who is looking forward to her Rumspringa so she can get a taste of the world outside her community. Unfortunately, the world goes to heck outside and her Amish community is alerted to this fact by a military helicopter crashing into the field within the Amish community's boundaries. Katie is first on seen and saw the pilot get dragged back into the crashed helicopter by the thing with red glowing eyes. The Elders of the community start their spin control to cover up what may be happening outside the community in the world of the Englishers (outsiders). Katie knows something is going on, something evil, and sneaking out to the nearby town confirms this. She ends up secretly bringing an hurt Englisher into the Amish community as things start to threaten the people within it. Old, ancient, things of legend, vampires.
These vampires do not sparkle, they are not human-like except for their appearances, they move very unhuman-like, and they destroy what they eat. they are a threat, they are creepy, and they are scary. It is a perfect contrast to the Amish community which is quite peaceful. The story-line amps up at a steady pace and the end of the book leaves room for a sequel which I hope is something that happens because I want to know what happens with Katie in the vampire infested world of the book.
Ich hätte mir ein bisschen mehr erhofft und konnte Katies Entscheidungen teilweise nicht nachvollziehen, aber an und für sich fand ich die Idee echt gut. Sobald mein nächstes Audible Guthaben da ist, werde ich gleich den zweiten Teil der Duologie hören.
dark
medium-paced
This was a cool concept. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a vampire apocalypse story that takes place in Amish Country. I loved the world-building, and the uneasiness I felt while reading this (especially the gory bits!).
I wasn’t super big on the love triangle subplot, it felt like I was reading one of my grandma’s Amish romance novels most of the time, it just seemed to take up most of the book. I also thought the characters were a bit flat, but I’m hoping they’ll get fleshed out more in the second book.
I was dying to get my hands on the Hallowed Ones and patiently waited for it to be released in eBook format since I set a goal to only buy eBooks in 2012. I even entered contests to win it! Grrr! I was so thrilled when I saw it on B&N and consumed this on Halloween Day. What a perfect read for All Souls Day. Bickle’s novel blends the Amish world with the vampire world in this post-apocalyptic novel and I loved every minute of it. The first in the Hallowed Ones series this offered up some horror, fascinating characters and set the stage for things to come.
The tale begins when we meet Katie, a young Amish girl on the verge of Rumspringa. She is daydreaming about her adventure when a helicopter crashes into the cornfields. As she calls for help and attempts to save those inside, she sees the pilot pulled back into the cockpit by a thing with glowing red eyes. When the outside world fails to send help and two Amish boys fail to return home at the end of the work day, the small settlement realizes something is dreadfully wrong. Unsure what has happened, the Elders order the gates closed. No one goes in or out. Katie finds a injured young man by the fence and the tale that unfolded kept me riveted.
The plot was fantastic, but Katie made the tale come to life. I really adored this bright, young woman with a weakness for coca-cola and comic magazines. Her world is turned upside down, yet she hungers for truth and despite fear of God, the Elders and her family her own moral compass steers her. She struggles with Gelassenheit (God’s will) and at times does things to save her people despite the fear of being banished. Alex, the young injured man was interesting, and I am looking forward to getting to know him more. Ginger, an English woman, separated from her family and trapped on the farm was a strong, silent presence. She helped remind us how truly different the Plain folk were from the outside world. Elijah, the young Amish man she is intended for had me wavering in my feelings for him. I loved the Hexenmeister and found both him and his role fascinating. The two love interests in Katie’s life were very different and each represented a different path. The romance was sweet and felt genuine.
The world-building was dark and horrifying. From the first few pages I was enthralled and could not put this book down. While there are no new elements, Bickle cleverly weaved the Amish, religion and vampires into a tale that I will not soon forget. I liked her straightforward writing style, and grasp of the characters. The suspense was constant as she slowly revealed revelations as the tale demanded them. The tale ends on a cliffhanger. The tale felt finished, but the ending did pose questions and left a few unanswered. What will happen to Katie and her friends? What is happening outside? How did the vampires come to be? I simply cannot wait to read the Outside book two in this series.
Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
The tale begins when we meet Katie, a young Amish girl on the verge of Rumspringa. She is daydreaming about her adventure when a helicopter crashes into the cornfields. As she calls for help and attempts to save those inside, she sees the pilot pulled back into the cockpit by a thing with glowing red eyes. When the outside world fails to send help and two Amish boys fail to return home at the end of the work day, the small settlement realizes something is dreadfully wrong. Unsure what has happened, the Elders order the gates closed. No one goes in or out. Katie finds a injured young man by the fence and the tale that unfolded kept me riveted.
The plot was fantastic, but Katie made the tale come to life. I really adored this bright, young woman with a weakness for coca-cola and comic magazines. Her world is turned upside down, yet she hungers for truth and despite fear of God, the Elders and her family her own moral compass steers her. She struggles with Gelassenheit (God’s will) and at times does things to save her people despite the fear of being banished. Alex, the young injured man was interesting, and I am looking forward to getting to know him more. Ginger, an English woman, separated from her family and trapped on the farm was a strong, silent presence. She helped remind us how truly different the Plain folk were from the outside world. Elijah, the young Amish man she is intended for had me wavering in my feelings for him. I loved the Hexenmeister and found both him and his role fascinating. The two love interests in Katie’s life were very different and each represented a different path. The romance was sweet and felt genuine.
The world-building was dark and horrifying. From the first few pages I was enthralled and could not put this book down. While there are no new elements, Bickle cleverly weaved the Amish, religion and vampires into a tale that I will not soon forget. I liked her straightforward writing style, and grasp of the characters. The suspense was constant as she slowly revealed revelations as the tale demanded them. The tale ends on a cliffhanger. The tale felt finished, but the ending did pose questions and left a few unanswered. What will happen to Katie and her friends? What is happening outside? How did the vampires come to be? I simply cannot wait to read the Outside book two in this series.
Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
*Note: there are general spoilers about a certain element of this book's premise. If you want to be remain completely in the dark about The Hallowed Ones, do not read any further!
My reaction: I found the first half to be quite slow-moving, so I ended up reading this one on and off for about a week. It was definitely a bit of a push sometimes, but eventually — about three-quarters of the way through — I was pretty gripped by it.
For those of you who don't like violence/horror, a warning right off the bat: there is definitely a horror aspect to this book. I can't really talk about The Hallowed Ones without mentioning the vampires, so I hope that isn't considered a massive spoiler. Certain scenes were really, really gruesome — as in blood, guts, and severed body parts. It wasn't pretty, particularly as I am one of those readers who doesn't usually like gross, gory stuff. I fully admit I am squeamish.
I actually thought these graphic depictions were a little over-the-top, especially in a particular scene (). It just seemed like they were being used for shock value or dramatic effect. Plus, it doesn't exactly make sense given the nature of the threat ()
I really liked seeing Katie grow in this book, and throw off the complacency she has at the beginning. Right from the start she claims that she always questions things, and frankly I found it annoying that she was constantly telling the reader that, like it was being thrust on us: "root for this girl because she doesn't always obey the rules!" But I enjoyed actually watching her follow these claims up with actions, as she starts to take charge of her life and step out of the boundaries. As the story progresses she becomes more extreme about it; at the beginning she makes small transgressions and questions things a little, but she really ups her assertiveness and defiance of the Elders towards the end. I think Alex helps to bring that out in her. And while it's sort of dangerous in one way, I think it's more dangerous for her to sit around on her hands and not do anything, because there are vampires wreaking havoc and no one else (except Alex and the Hexenmeister) is paying attention!
I didn't see the twist of the vampires' identities coming at all, but it definitely made sense. However, I thought the "climactic" sense wasn't all that climactic, having been overshadowed by what happened earlier (). It wasn't particularly scary and the vanquishing of evil was accomplished rather easily. It just seemed a little too perfect that almost everyone got to pitch in somehow. I also thought the story needed more denouement — it ends suddenly just pages after the climactic-scene-that-wasn't-really.
Best aspect: the relationship that develops between Alex and Katie. There's a definite spark and attraction that gives a slightly sexy element to their romance. He becomes quite protective of her and I thought his nickname for her was adorable. I much preferred Alex to Elijah as a boyfriend for Katie...well, and just generally as a character, too. I was okay with Elijah at the beginning, but he became infuriating later on as he turned more and more conservative and controlling. Alex isn't perfect either, but I understood and respected his values a lot more because he hadn't been raised in such a closed-minded way.
If I could change something... I'd demonstrate more clearly the "rules" of the paranormal side of things — like how the vampires operate, how the sickness spreads, how the medical connects to the spiritual... Sometimes I was fine with the presence of the vampires in the story, but other times it just seemed incongruous/out of context for the Amish community setting and the social issues being discussed. It's a bit of a weird mix.
I also thought the writing style could be improved somewhat, by varying the sentence structure and quickening the pacing. There are some scenes where there's a lot of either ruminating — Katie can ruminate with the best of them on everything from philosophical and religious issues to more personal struggles — or info dumps. The latter are usually put into the guise of conversations, but basically they're just pages and pages of new information related to the world-building. Katie explains things about Amish culture periodically, and it comes off a little obvious, like the author is trying to jam in a bunch of facts. I also struggled a bit with the narration style — despite the fact that it's first-person POV, Katie has a rather distant way of narrating, and sometimes it feels like she is describing herself in third-person.
If you haven't read it: and you enjoy (or at the very least, don't mind) icky, gory scenes, and you're interested in seeing Amish culture and vampirism collide, this book is probably right up your alley. If you're looking for tons of fast-paced action, though, you'll probably be disappointed.
If you have read it: are you looking forward to book two? What are your predictions? I'm a little wary about the potential for a series; certainly we could use some more explanations about the vampires, but there's a danger of repetitive plot points. I suspect that after a while, one vampire attack could start to seem very much like any other.
Just one more thing I want to mention: in certain scenes the writing was quite evocative and atmospheric, giving off the necessary creepy vibe. Case in point: what happens when Katie relentlessly pursues her desire to get a Coke. I totally had the "this is a bad idea, Katie, don't do it" feeling, but of course, she does anyway...
Final verdict: 3.5 shooting stars. The Hallowed Ones was not really my usual style, and while I liked some aspects of it, others I had issues with. Personally, there was a little too much gore for me, but I did enjoy some of the characterization and I am left wondering what happens next...so I'm sort of torn about whether or not to continue with the series.
Note: there is a significant amount of violent and gruesome content, so I would definitely not recommend this one for younger readers.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
My reaction: I found the first half to be quite slow-moving, so I ended up reading this one on and off for about a week. It was definitely a bit of a push sometimes, but eventually — about three-quarters of the way through — I was pretty gripped by it.
For those of you who don't like violence/horror, a warning right off the bat: there is definitely a horror aspect to this book. I can't really talk about The Hallowed Ones without mentioning the vampires, so I hope that isn't considered a massive spoiler. Certain scenes were really, really gruesome — as in blood, guts, and severed body parts. It wasn't pretty, particularly as I am one of those readers who doesn't usually like gross, gory stuff. I fully admit I am squeamish.
I actually thought these graphic depictions were a little over-the-top, especially in a particular scene (
Spoiler
when they discover all the dead bodies in the houseSpoiler
I'm not really sure why the vampires go to such lengths to mutilate the bodies. You'd think they'd be draining them dry, not spilling their blood all over the place...I really liked seeing Katie grow in this book, and throw off the complacency she has at the beginning. Right from the start she claims that she always questions things, and frankly I found it annoying that she was constantly telling the reader that, like it was being thrust on us: "root for this girl because she doesn't always obey the rules!" But I enjoyed actually watching her follow these claims up with actions, as she starts to take charge of her life and step out of the boundaries. As the story progresses she becomes more extreme about it; at the beginning she makes small transgressions and questions things a little, but she really ups her assertiveness and defiance of the Elders towards the end. I think Alex helps to bring that out in her. And while it's sort of dangerous in one way, I think it's more dangerous for her to sit around on her hands and not do anything, because there are vampires wreaking havoc and no one else (except Alex and the Hexenmeister) is paying attention!
I didn't see the twist of the vampires' identities coming at all, but it definitely made sense. However, I thought the "climactic" sense wasn't all that climactic, having been overshadowed by what happened earlier (
Spoiler
: again, the macabre scene of horrors at the houseSpoiler
She's leaving and we don't even get to see how her family feels about that?Best aspect: the relationship that develops between Alex and Katie. There's a definite spark and attraction that gives a slightly sexy element to their romance. He becomes quite protective of her and I thought his nickname for her was adorable. I much preferred Alex to Elijah as a boyfriend for Katie...well, and just generally as a character, too. I was okay with Elijah at the beginning, but he became infuriating later on as he turned more and more conservative and controlling. Alex isn't perfect either, but I understood and respected his values a lot more because he hadn't been raised in such a closed-minded way.
If I could change something... I'd demonstrate more clearly the "rules" of the paranormal side of things — like how the vampires operate, how the sickness spreads, how the medical connects to the spiritual... Sometimes I was fine with the presence of the vampires in the story, but other times it just seemed incongruous/out of context for the Amish community setting and the social issues being discussed. It's a bit of a weird mix.
I also thought the writing style could be improved somewhat, by varying the sentence structure and quickening the pacing. There are some scenes where there's a lot of either ruminating — Katie can ruminate with the best of them on everything from philosophical and religious issues to more personal struggles — or info dumps. The latter are usually put into the guise of conversations, but basically they're just pages and pages of new information related to the world-building. Katie explains things about Amish culture periodically, and it comes off a little obvious, like the author is trying to jam in a bunch of facts. I also struggled a bit with the narration style — despite the fact that it's first-person POV, Katie has a rather distant way of narrating, and sometimes it feels like she is describing herself in third-person.
If you haven't read it: and you enjoy (or at the very least, don't mind) icky, gory scenes, and you're interested in seeing Amish culture and vampirism collide, this book is probably right up your alley. If you're looking for tons of fast-paced action, though, you'll probably be disappointed.
If you have read it: are you looking forward to book two? What are your predictions? I'm a little wary about the potential for a series; certainly we could use some more explanations about the vampires, but there's a danger of repetitive plot points. I suspect that after a while, one vampire attack could start to seem very much like any other.
Just one more thing I want to mention: in certain scenes the writing was quite evocative and atmospheric, giving off the necessary creepy vibe. Case in point: what happens when Katie relentlessly pursues her desire to get a Coke. I totally had the "this is a bad idea, Katie, don't do it" feeling, but of course, she does anyway...
Final verdict: 3.5 shooting stars. The Hallowed Ones was not really my usual style, and while I liked some aspects of it, others I had issues with. Personally, there was a little too much gore for me, but I did enjoy some of the characterization and I am left wondering what happens next...so I'm sort of torn about whether or not to continue with the series.
Note: there is a significant amount of violent and gruesome content, so I would definitely not recommend this one for younger readers.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This was an interesting take on the apocalyptic horror genre. For the most part, I really liked the Amish angle — it made for a believably isolated community, and the protagonist's struggle with her faith makes for some compelling character moments. I will say, though, the extreme naiveté and isolation seemed just a bit overplayed in places; most Amish communities that I'm aware of have no problem with people using the library, for example, and there was some remark early on about Katie reading forbidden books about dinosaurs and...planets? I mean, yeah, a lot of Amish are young-earth creationists, but they don't deny the existence of planets. (Then again, how much realism we're going for here seems open to debate, given the prominence of the Hexenmeister to the plot, since hex signs are an aspect of specifically non-Amish Pennsylvania Dutch culture; the oddity is touched on in the book, but only very lightly. So maybe this is just supposed to be a weird Amish community.)
Overall, the plot was interesting and tense, with what seemed to me a surprising amount of edge for YA horror. If you can't stomach gore, consider this your content warning, as it gets rather graphic at times, although it doesn't stray into cheesy or exploitative territory. The story is fairly self-contained, but does leave plenty of room for the sequel. Overall, a solid horror offering with good characters and a unique hook — I'll definitely be interested to see where the sequel goes.
Overall, the plot was interesting and tense, with what seemed to me a surprising amount of edge for YA horror. If you can't stomach gore, consider this your content warning, as it gets rather graphic at times, although it doesn't stray into cheesy or exploitative territory. The story is fairly self-contained, but does leave plenty of room for the sequel. Overall, a solid horror offering with good characters and a unique hook — I'll definitely be interested to see where the sequel goes.
I flew through this! The apocalypse concept isn't new or exciting here, but the Amish angle is fresh and really interesting and I really cared about the characters. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!
I really quite enjoyed this? I don’t think I’ll continue the series because I kinda just liked this as a stand-alone, but I definitely enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
This is an excellent book for those who like apocalyptic type stories, dark and intriguing.
I have always loved stories about the Amish people. I’ve read more than I can think of, but I’ve never seen an Amish thriller before, and that is definitely how I would categorize this book.
Katie is a girl on the verge of adulthood who Longs for her rumspringa, the season of life when the Amish are allowed to go to the Outside and taste the world before they decide to commit their lives to their people and their God. But before she can experience life Outside, something terrible happens. The world ends. A suspected biological weapon has been released that turns people into vampire-like, bloodthirsty and violent creatures. Luckily for the Amish, the creatures cannot come on holy ground. Or so they think...bum bummm buhhhhhhhh.
I have always loved stories about the Amish people. I’ve read more than I can think of, but I’ve never seen an Amish thriller before, and that is definitely how I would categorize this book.
Katie is a girl on the verge of adulthood who Longs for her rumspringa, the season of life when the Amish are allowed to go to the Outside and taste the world before they decide to commit their lives to their people and their God. But before she can experience life Outside, something terrible happens. The world ends. A suspected biological weapon has been released that turns people into vampire-like, bloodthirsty and violent creatures. Luckily for the Amish, the creatures cannot come on holy ground. Or so they think...bum bummm buhhhhhhhh.