SECRET KEEPER

With joy, I received another book of Amish Fiction from Bethany House.  This one is THE SECRET KEEPER by Beverly Lewis, the third book in her
Return to Hickory Hollow series.   I always enjoy Beverly Lewis’s
books, so this one was a treat, and I look forward to discussing it
with my mother once she reads it.

Of course, as with any book, there were good and bad points.  For one
thing, Beverly Lewis never describes things well.  I love how she
captures the Amish lifestyle, but I can’t picture the people or places
– I’ve even vacationed at Bird-in-Hand, one of the main locations.
Beverly Lewis also uses a lot of telling sentences, rather than
showing what’s occurring.

THE SECRET KEEPER involves Jenny Burns wanting to become Amish.  My
favorite part of the book was that topic.  Most of the Amish novels
involve a young Amish woman falling in love with a young Amish man.
Sure, that was involved, but the main focus was how Jenny adapted to a
new lifestyle.

Another great aspect was that Katie Lapp returned, first introduced in
THE SHUNNING.  Jenny stays with Katie’s parents while she strives to
prove her worth to the Bishop and be welcomed into the faith.  I
recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the trilogy about Katie Lapp, and
for anyone interested in the Amish ways.