Blog Tour – The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle

Title – The Hallowed Ones (The Hallowed Ones #1)
Author – Laura Bickle
Genre – Paranormal YA
Pages – 311
Publisher – Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Source – Blog Tour Copy

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.

This novel was one that didn’t grab me straight away when it first come out… it never screamed and me to buy it but when there was a blog tour, I just couldn’t help myself and I’m glad I did. It is one story that has a very different take on the vampire YA novels out there and one you shouldn’t miss.

In Katie’s part of the society she is part of the Amish culture where she is focusing on her time of Rumspringa, a part of life that the all teenage folk look forward to and make a choice of their own life. Its a time to visit and be a part of the Plain, the outside world. But something apocalyptic had occurred  strandng Katie in her home village, little does she know that unspeakable monsters roam the Earth. Alex a fallen citizen is near death on the skirts of the village and is in danger and even though its against all customs, Katie helps him. Little does she know the the growing danger is living and is on the verge of their very household. 

Little did I know about the Amish culture and ways, which made this a very hard storyline to connect with. Rather than pronouncing it Ar-mish, I kept on saying A-mish, resulting in my total lack of non-existent knowledge of the culture. But as the book went on, I found it rather educational that there is various settlements across Northern America of such a culture and it really did fascinate me. However, some religious and historical elements of the plot-line were a little out of my depth leaving me with some unresolved questions. What I loved the most about this book, was the originality of the paranormal. The blood-sucking carnivorous animals that will always roam in the dark and are petrified of the holy symbols in life will the most effective persona of vampires aside from the more modern aspect of “sparkly”.  

Katie as the main protag, is a sazzy, strong and confident young adult turning into a very wise and cautious young lady. She may have her dangerous side when she get over her head but she also conceive a vulnerable side to her closer feelings. What I really liked about her character was her strength and ability to uphold her own law and to be her own person. Nobody stops her or confronts her, she does what she pleases whether its right for the society. Constantly she is told on to hold her tongue or her opinions from the Bishop, which infuriates me when he is blind of the situations unravelling in his village.

“Just a little levity. Though . . . not every guy gets to go play firebug with a wizard and Bonnet the Vampire Slayer.”

The secondary characters were equally interesting and compelling as the story unfolded. Alex the love interest, that Laura integrates within Katie’s life making it  not the only focus of the novel but equally explored throughout. Ginger is another character that I particular liked, an Plain lady accustoming with the Amish culture brings a sense of humour and reality to Katie’s life as well as your own. Then there is Elijah, the best friend and young romance that dwindles becomes one of the most infuriating characters you will come across.. I won’t tell you because that would be spoiling it! 

His fingers meshed in mine. I nodded wordlessly and moved away, pulling against his grip. But he didn’t let go. He reeled me back in as if I were a fish. With a startled gasp, I stumbled and landed against his chest. A flicker of amusement glittered in his eyes. He kissed me on my forehead, whispered against my skin. “Be careful Bonnet.”

Overall, I thought Laura devised a very equally compelling, suspending novel that will set you on the edge of your seat. Each turning page you uncover something new and unique from other novels you have read before. I was reluctant at first to read this but I’m glad and took the chance. I’m eagerly awaiting the second novel in the series… The Outsider coming September 2013. 

An Interview with Laura Bickle

Thank you for joining me on my blog today, Laura.

1. What influenced you to create a novel based on the Amish Culture?
I live not too far from a large Amish settlement. When I was a child, my parents would take me to visit, and I was fascinated by a world very different than the one I lived in. I’d see Amish girls my age over the fence and wonder what their lives were like.

Some of that curiosity lingered, and I always wanted to revisit it in a story. It popped back into my head when I was writing about a catastrophic contagion. Considering all the incredible self-sufficiency they apply in their everyday lives, it seemed to me that the Amish would be uniquely well-equipped to survive a large-scale disaster.

2. How did you build such a historical and religiously creative plot line? Did you find it challenging?
Thank you! There was a good deal of research involved. In addition to visiting the Amish settlement near where I live, I also did a good deal of reading…there are a lot of great books out there that look at the Plain way of life from a sociological perspective. National Geographic has also done a number of very good documentaries about the Amish.