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bookdevouringmisfit's review
5.0
My Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
One word: WOW
Two weeks after I read this book and the emotions I felt are still reeling in.
How? How do I - with my limited literary skills - write a review that will justify the awesomeness of this book?
Fine. I'll just leave it be. Don't wanna ruin it by writing something that won't even uphold this book's brilliance.
One word: WOW
Two weeks after I read this book and the emotions I felt are still reeling in.
How? How do I - with my limited literary skills - write a review that will justify the awesomeness of this book?
Fine. I'll just leave it be. Don't wanna ruin it by writing something that won't even uphold this book's brilliance.
halynah's review
5.0
That was offbeat, for sure. If you are tired of traditional dystopias - try this one. Great protagonists, unusual plot and a perfect pacing make the book a worthy reading experience. Highly recommended!
rookeatsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Child death, Death of parent, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
mehsi's review
5.0
Edit: 31st August 2018: Read this one in my vacation, and WOWWWWWW. I just adore it so much. Just as much as I did back in 2012 (has it really been almost 6 years?). It was creepy, scary, and amazing. Finally a book about vampires taking over the world. I would like to know how it all started though. I loved reading about the Amish way of living, and I loved the MC. She was just too awesome. All in all, I can't wait to re-read this one again one day.
This was an awesome book. I loved the combination of Vampires + Amish.
Though I don't know much about the Amish, I felt like they gave a good portrayal of how life goes there.
The vampires where really scary, and I know I had a few nights with less sleep. :(
As soon as book 2 gets a paperback I will be pre-ordering it, and I can wait to read it. :)
This was an awesome book. I loved the combination of Vampires + Amish.
Though I don't know much about the Amish, I felt like they gave a good portrayal of how life goes there.
The vampires where really scary, and I know I had a few nights with less sleep. :(
As soon as book 2 gets a paperback I will be pre-ordering it, and I can wait to read it. :)
celjla212's review
4.0
Katie and Elijah are members of the Amish community, and preparing to soon go on their Rumspringa (sort of like a mini-break that lets you decide if you want to become a lifelong member of the Amish). Katie dreams of the life Outside, but soon her hopes of leaving are dashed. A helicopter crashes in the cornfields. Everyone is put on quarantine. For all intents and purposes, the end of days has occurred.
But for some reason, Katie and the rest of her community are left untouched. That doesn't mean the terrors Outside aren't lurking and waiting for their chance to strike, though. And when Katie saves an Outsider on the brink of death, her world's just beginning to change in ways she never could have imagined.
I must say, this was my first ever book that involved the Amish. It's not something I would have normally picked out, but the chance to learn about a new facet of society intrigued me. The supernatural elements intertwined with the religious ones in a truly unique way.
Katie is a very cool main character. Though her upbringing requires her to unfailingly obey a strict set of rules, there's something in her that rails against following blindly. Her rebellious spirit does not fit in with that of the rest of the community, and before long she learns that everything she's known her entire life is being challenged.
While some might classify this is a vampire book, it's not, really. I mean vampires are an integral part of the story, but for the most part, they're a background threat. Ironically, the place where Katie should feel the most safe is the place she begins to fear. To me, this book was more about questioning authority and the natural processes that go along with coming of age (although in an extremely unusual situation).
A couple of things that bothered me: firstly, the book took a little while to get rolling, in my opinion. I was never bored with it, but after the initial helicopter crash I was waiting for SOME action to happen. The vampires don't even make an appearance until near the mid-point of the book. But make no mistake, these are not the romanticized creatures in some other stories. They are ruthless killers, and there's blood and gore aplenty left in their wake.
Secondly, I thought the romance moved a bit too quickly. I also found it a bit predictable, what Katie decided to do towards the end. I knew it would only lead to something bad for her....but maybe it will turn out well in the end.
Obviously this is a series, and I'll be very excited to read the next installment!
But for some reason, Katie and the rest of her community are left untouched. That doesn't mean the terrors Outside aren't lurking and waiting for their chance to strike, though. And when Katie saves an Outsider on the brink of death, her world's just beginning to change in ways she never could have imagined.
I must say, this was my first ever book that involved the Amish. It's not something I would have normally picked out, but the chance to learn about a new facet of society intrigued me. The supernatural elements intertwined with the religious ones in a truly unique way.
Katie is a very cool main character. Though her upbringing requires her to unfailingly obey a strict set of rules, there's something in her that rails against following blindly. Her rebellious spirit does not fit in with that of the rest of the community, and before long she learns that everything she's known her entire life is being challenged.
While some might classify this is a vampire book, it's not, really. I mean vampires are an integral part of the story, but for the most part, they're a background threat. Ironically, the place where Katie should feel the most safe is the place she begins to fear. To me, this book was more about questioning authority and the natural processes that go along with coming of age (although in an extremely unusual situation).
A couple of things that bothered me: firstly, the book took a little while to get rolling, in my opinion. I was never bored with it, but after the initial helicopter crash I was waiting for SOME action to happen. The vampires don't even make an appearance until near the mid-point of the book. But make no mistake, these are not the romanticized creatures in some other stories. They are ruthless killers, and there's blood and gore aplenty left in their wake.
Secondly, I thought the romance moved a bit too quickly. I also found it a bit predictable, what Katie decided to do towards the end. I knew it would only lead to something bad for her....but maybe it will turn out well in the end.
Obviously this is a series, and I'll be very excited to read the next installment!
colleenrm's review
5.0
I absolutely LOVED this book! Dealt with supernatural and the idea of believing what you think is right over listening to what you have been told. Great action and idea! Would love to see this in a movie!
bookishmadness's review
5.0
What it's about: An Amish community that is protected from the "Outside" and the contagion of illness that is spreading fast, causing the infected to turn into vampire-like monsters. Katie is an Amish girl looking forward to her Rumspringa - the time that she gets to experience the outside world. She is looking forward to seeing movies, wearing jeans and drinking as much Coca-Cola as she likes. However things on the outside are starting to look a bit pear-shaped and there are monsters coming out of the closets. What's worse, is the Elders don't believe the stories and assure that everyone is safe. But Katie knows better.
What I thought: To be perfectly honest, when I heard about this one, I wasn't one hundred percent sold on the synopsis, but curiosity won out and I had to read it - and I am so glad that I did. This book absolutely blew me away! I know I have been saying that a lot about many books, but this one really did. I didn't have overly high expectations to begin with and of course, they were completely blown out of the water. Laura Bickle has taken this small Amish world and shaken it up with a Dystopian twist. When I first read that these monsters were supposed to be 'vampires', all I could think of was a whole bunch of Edward Cullen's running around draining people, but it is NOTHING like that. The amazing descriptions that Bickle gives, not only of the monsters and the danger that lies on the Outside, but also of the Amish community really paint a vivid picture for the reader. While this story might not be exactly original, the Amish twist definitely gives the 'vampire' story a refreshing and interesting boost.
The good: The fact that Bickle has made this so realistic, really adds something to the story.
The bad: When I think of something bad, I'll let you know.
Rating: 5 bookstacks
What I thought: To be perfectly honest, when I heard about this one, I wasn't one hundred percent sold on the synopsis, but curiosity won out and I had to read it - and I am so glad that I did. This book absolutely blew me away! I know I have been saying that a lot about many books, but this one really did. I didn't have overly high expectations to begin with and of course, they were completely blown out of the water. Laura Bickle has taken this small Amish world and shaken it up with a Dystopian twist. When I first read that these monsters were supposed to be 'vampires', all I could think of was a whole bunch of Edward Cullen's running around draining people, but it is NOTHING like that. The amazing descriptions that Bickle gives, not only of the monsters and the danger that lies on the Outside, but also of the Amish community really paint a vivid picture for the reader. While this story might not be exactly original, the Amish twist definitely gives the 'vampire' story a refreshing and interesting boost.
The good: The fact that Bickle has made this so realistic, really adds something to the story.
The bad: When I think of something bad, I'll let you know.
Rating: 5 bookstacks
lsparrow's review
4.0
So many things that I am drawn to in fiction - young adult fiction + vampires+ insular religious community.