107 books
—
85 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Hallowed Ones (The Hallowed Ones, #1)” as Want to Read:
The Hallowed Ones
(The Hallowed Ones #1)
by
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
...more
Get A Copy
Paperback, 311 pages
Published
September 25th 2012
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
The Hallowed Ones,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
Camdyn Heikkinen
No. There is a romance, but it is between two humans ;)
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of The Hallowed Ones (The Hallowed Ones, #1)

"Plain folk are taught that evil is spiritual. The absence of God."
Mrs. Parsall bit back a sob. "Well it seems as if God's left the building, and we're left to our own devices."

4.5 stars. When I first saw that there was a book featuring both Amish and Vampires, I'm pretty sure that I had a GTFO reaction, but in a good way.
I mean, it's a book about the Amish.
I was a fast hooker.
Well, at least, that's what my mother said about my crochet skills.
And Vampires. The Scary Kind. ...more

When I first started reading this book I was struck by a moronic genius idea. Remembering all the sheer terror fun I had as a teenager staying up late and watching scary movies I decided to try to bring back that youthful stupidity excitement and prove to myself how dumb tough I still am. You see, I decided to only read this book at night.
Gah. I was totally right, I’m such aweakling bad ass. This was definitely NOT me after the very first night of attempting my stupid fucking plan.

The next mo ...more
Gah. I was totally right, I’m such a

The next mo ...more

Creepy! I was not expecting to be wigged out with this book. That does not happen very often. Especially for a 'young adult' book! This has just enough edge and I think the more innocent, naive Amish aspect plays heavily into that. And I loved the freshness of that.
Kate is a young Amish woman who was ready to branch out and see the world with her friend Elijah. She is so very excited for her Rumspringa and dreams of going to the movies, fun clothes, etc. But the world is rapidly changing in ways ...more
Kate is a young Amish woman who was ready to branch out and see the world with her friend Elijah. She is so very excited for her Rumspringa and dreams of going to the movies, fun clothes, etc. But the world is rapidly changing in ways ...more

Jul 11, 2012
Wendy Darling
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
hmh,
september,
pn-vampires,
2012-favorites,
young-adult,
2012-publication,
deliciously-creepy,
read-2012,
mature-ya
Strong 4 stars. Vampires among the Amish--plus tips on birthing puppies!

Don't read this if you expect/need a lot of sex in your books.
Don't read this if you have trouble reading about people's faith (even if their faith is forgotten or challenged and isn't preachy, just informative and compelling).
DO NOT read this if you hate to be scared and you can't handle a little gore.
A little gore? If you're okay with spider vampire people with red eyes, crawling slowly down the walls preparing to rip your head off so only a bloody vertebrae remains, then you'll be okay.
I've h ...more
Don't read this if you have trouble reading about people's faith (even if their faith is forgotten or challenged and isn't preachy, just informative and compelling).
DO NOT read this if you hate to be scared and you can't handle a little gore.
A little gore? If you're okay with spider vampire people with red eyes, crawling slowly down the walls preparing to rip your head off so only a bloody vertebrae remains, then you'll be okay.
I've h ...more

Mar 08, 2013
Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
amish,
apocalypse,
ya,
religious-spiritual,
horror,
high-school,
vampires,
dystopian,
action
Interesting book with a storyline one doesn't encounter too often. The heroine is a spirited Amish girl about to go off on her Rumspringa trip with her childhood friend Elijah, a boy she might one day marry. Their little community is isolated, obviously, but they do have contact with the outside world including a woman who visits fairly regularly. Suddenly, strange things start happening, a plane crashes, and the outside world doesn't respond. When several members of the community who has been v
...more

The novel showed promise through the beginning. An Amish Story meeting non-sparkly vamps meets a coming of age story. Promise.
I enjoyed the expectations things going very wrong, and waited with baited breath. The immersion in Amish society was a pleasant diversion and I really didn't have any problems with the many references to godliness. It was what it was.
And then I became a bit annoyed with the rather one-dimensional reactions of the Bishop. The whole Amish became a caricature of itself inst ...more
I enjoyed the expectations things going very wrong, and waited with baited breath. The immersion in Amish society was a pleasant diversion and I really didn't have any problems with the many references to godliness. It was what it was.
And then I became a bit annoyed with the rather one-dimensional reactions of the Bishop. The whole Amish became a caricature of itself inst ...more



I absolutely loved this book! I haven't felt a really good connection to anyone in a while, and not because I haven't read some good books recently (The 5th Wave, and Not a Drop to Drink come to mind), but even with those two I didn't get that instant pull I want. You know what I mean.
The story is about an Amish girl named Katie who witnesses the zombie apocalypse. Wait don't go!! Hear me out first. Now, I know you might be thinking that yet another zombie book isn't going to be special ...more

4.5 Stars
I was wowed by this story. Who would have thought the mix of Amish people, end-of-the-world, and vampires would make a bloody brilliant story?!! I was riveted, scared and on the edge of my seat in parts!
Katie is an Amish girl preparing for her Rumspringa, and she can hardly wait. Rumspringa literally means “running around,” and it’s a time when the Amish youth travel to the Outside and have a glimpse of life outside the walls of their community. That way, when they get baptized and com ...more
I was wowed by this story. Who would have thought the mix of Amish people, end-of-the-world, and vampires would make a bloody brilliant story?!! I was riveted, scared and on the edge of my seat in parts!
Katie is an Amish girl preparing for her Rumspringa, and she can hardly wait. Rumspringa literally means “running around,” and it’s a time when the Amish youth travel to the Outside and have a glimpse of life outside the walls of their community. That way, when they get baptized and com ...more

"Faith is one thing. Survival is another."
Have you ever read an Amish vampire bio-terrorism spiritual crisis end of the world YA horror drama? Are you looking for one?
Look no further! The Hallowed Ones is here for you!
Y'all I'll be honest; the beginning of this left me lukewarm. I wanted a little less talk, a little more action. I fretted over which direction the story would go. I shouldn't have worried. Soon there was action aplenty, along with some pretty spectacular talk. My enjoyment of ...more
Have you ever read an Amish vampire bio-terrorism spiritual crisis end of the world YA horror drama? Are you looking for one?
Look no further! The Hallowed Ones is here for you!
Y'all I'll be honest; the beginning of this left me lukewarm. I wanted a little less talk, a little more action. I fretted over which direction the story would go. I shouldn't have worried. Soon there was action aplenty, along with some pretty spectacular talk. My enjoyment of ...more

Whoa! Who knew a story set in an Amish community could be so spine-chillingly gory! The Hallowed Ones is for every post-apocalyptic fan out there. It offers originality in its setting and a freakish paranormal aspect. It offered a lot more than I expected.
Katie is about to get her first taste of the outside world when all of a sudden that world gets dark and creepy. First there's a helicopter crash where Katie glimpses at something quite eerie. Then she finds the town desolate and empty when sh ...more
Katie is about to get her first taste of the outside world when all of a sudden that world gets dark and creepy. First there's a helicopter crash where Katie glimpses at something quite eerie. Then she finds the town desolate and empty when sh ...more

The Hallowed Ones was one of those novels I remained skeptical about until I was a good half-way through the book. It had come recommended to me by all my most trust bloggers, so of course, I knew it had to be good, but I was still skeptical. You see, my mom went through a phase where she was enamored with the Amish culture and lifestyle and as such, we'd have novels with Amish women on the front cover and I'd often find her watching movies featuring men with long beards making butter. As her da
...more

“For me, that was love. Tangible. Love was what was in front of me, not a distant fantasy.”
That's why you literally threw yourself in the arms of a man you'd met barely a week before, I guess?
This book will not be easy to review. I'll probably touch a bunch of thorny issues, therefore I state beforehand that in anything I'll say is not in any way implied any kind of judgement on my part. On the other hand, I will probably express some of my personal (personal, people. If you don't know what this ...more
That's why you literally threw yourself in the arms of a man you'd met barely a week before, I guess?
This book will not be easy to review. I'll probably touch a bunch of thorny issues, therefore I state beforehand that in anything I'll say is not in any way implied any kind of judgement on my part. On the other hand, I will probably express some of my personal (personal, people. If you don't know what this ...more

Three weeks before Katie is due for her Rumspringa, when Amish youth go Outside and taste the real world, news filters into their isolated community that strange things are happening Outside. When a young man is found injured near the border of their property, the elders decide to leave him to die, fearing he may be a carrier of a contagion that's affecting the outside population. But Katie's never been too fond of following the rules, so she hides him in a barn and cares for him.
Alexander Green ...more

To read a guest blog post by this author and more reviews like this check out: Laura Bickle's Guest Blog Post @ Badass
It is unusual to read to read a different take on two of the most popular genres — vampires and the apocalypse. But that is exactly what the Hallowed Ones is — a completely different telling of vampires and the end of the world. I am partial to survival stories, whether they are non fiction, written by Laura Ingalls or a modern apocalyptic tale. And having glutted myself on u ...more
It is unusual to read to read a different take on two of the most popular genres — vampires and the apocalypse. But that is exactly what the Hallowed Ones is — a completely different telling of vampires and the end of the world. I am partial to survival stories, whether they are non fiction, written by Laura Ingalls or a modern apocalyptic tale. And having glutted myself on u ...more

I wonder how someone who hasn't been around the fictional block a few times would read the beginning of this novel. I wonder if someone who hasn't seen a few horror movies (okay, in my case, mostly commercials for horror movies) and read a few scary books (and who didn't take in the synopsis of this book) would see the first couple of chapters.
Me? I can apply Mary Richards's quote to my relationship with horror: "I'm an experienced woman. I've been around... Well, all right, I might not've been ...more
Me? I can apply Mary Richards's quote to my relationship with horror: "I'm an experienced woman. I've been around... Well, all right, I might not've been ...more

4.5 stars
My experience with Laura Bickle was with two of her adult stories (I didn't read those under the names of Alayna Williams though). I loved those and was a bit bummed when she didn't continue. Then I stumbled into this title (thank you GR!) and I thought the blurb was fresh and intriguing. Amish. Vampires. Horror? Yep, I was sold.
I loved it!! This was the kind of urban fantasy story that I enjoyed -- something refreshing; where the heroine wasn't portrayed as too strong she became unrela ...more
My experience with Laura Bickle was with two of her adult stories (I didn't read those under the names of Alayna Williams though). I loved those and was a bit bummed when she didn't continue. Then I stumbled into this title (thank you GR!) and I thought the blurb was fresh and intriguing. Amish. Vampires. Horror? Yep, I was sold.
I loved it!! This was the kind of urban fantasy story that I enjoyed -- something refreshing; where the heroine wasn't portrayed as too strong she became unrela ...more

I decided to DNF. I was expecting the Amish portion of the story to be more accurate to their faith and beliefs. It's really bothering me and I don't want to continue.
...more

Growing up in an Amish community, Katie is looking forward to Rumspringa for a real taste of the Outside world. Her and childhood friend Elijah have everything planned out that they want to do before going back to the Plain community to give up their childhood ways and get married. But a series of strange events send Katie's life into an uncontrolled spiral. Strange things are happening, people are disappearing, and Katie must decide if she should trust herself and do what is right or listen to
...more

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A dark and intense read about the Amish, vampires and the end of the known world.
Opening Sentence: After the end of the Outside world, the Plain folk survived.
The Review:
Amish, vampires and the end of the known world? This was one premise that had me intrigued when I read the synopsis. Katie is a young Amish woman. She has about a month to go until she goes on Rumspringa. Katie has saved up money and even knows the first few adventures that s ...more
Quick & Dirty: A dark and intense read about the Amish, vampires and the end of the known world.
Opening Sentence: After the end of the Outside world, the Plain folk survived.
The Review:
Amish, vampires and the end of the known world? This was one premise that had me intrigued when I read the synopsis. Katie is a young Amish woman. She has about a month to go until she goes on Rumspringa. Katie has saved up money and even knows the first few adventures that s ...more

It’s not all that often that I pick up a book based solely on a single word. I read the synopsis, I lapse into a rather heated argument with my inner self about it’s possible worth and then I make a decision. This was not the case with Laura Bickle’s “The Hallowed Ones.”
The word that hooked me? AMISH.
“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. R ...more
The word that hooked me? AMISH.
“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. R ...more

You guys. I had DOUBTS about The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle. Amish people and vampires? *snort* Sounds like a half-baked plot for a cheesy porno. But…I wasn’t even that far into the story before hopping onto gchat to talk to April (who was also reading it). We were both like “Whoa! This doesn’t suck after all!” I know that sounds like faint praise, but it isn’t. Because guys? This book was good.
So, when The Hallowed Ones begins, we meet Katie. She is looking forward to her upcoming Rumspringa ...more
So, when The Hallowed Ones begins, we meet Katie. She is looking forward to her upcoming Rumspringa ...more

I read The Hallowed Ones for one reason: I was promised Amish vampires. I did indeed get Amish vampires but I also got a well written story, a great female protagonist, a great male protagonist, a good look into how the Amish live, classic vampires, gore, and a whole lot of suspense.
I don’t have much knowledge about the Plain Folk and their way of life but the good amount of information this novel contains seems very accurate. I at first thought that book would be a bit overly preachy but I foun ...more
I don’t have much knowledge about the Plain Folk and their way of life but the good amount of information this novel contains seems very accurate. I at first thought that book would be a bit overly preachy but I foun ...more

3.5 stars rounded up. This was quite good. The Amish community made this pretty interesting, but I am a fantasy lover and felt there wasn't enough of the whole Vampire storyline, which was well done. I've seen a crime novel recently set in Amish country and I may well read it now my interest is sparked. For this to have been truly successful by my standards, the vampires needed to be more central to the story. I understand this is the first book in a 2 book story so presumably there will be more
...more

This one had so much potential. Why? It's a post-apocalyptic novel involving the Amish and vampires! How could that not be great?
Unfortunately, it fell really flat for me. While I appreciated the attempt at world-building, I thought it took up far too much of the book. The book either needed to be longer (to include more action), or some of the everyday Amish stuff needed to be cut back. After reading this, I feel disappointed. It seemed that there was so much build-up and not enough payoff. The ...more
Unfortunately, it fell really flat for me. While I appreciated the attempt at world-building, I thought it took up far too much of the book. The book either needed to be longer (to include more action), or some of the everyday Amish stuff needed to be cut back. After reading this, I feel disappointed. It seemed that there was so much build-up and not enough payoff. The ...more

This was something different, definitely not your normal paranormal.
It was a darker version of the end of the world, where demons don't look cute, devils don't walk around with gorgeous hair pining for snarky, well manicured girls.
Katie is an Amish girl a few weeks shy away from her Rumspringa, a time for young men and women to leave the Amish community and have a taste of the real world. The experience of the two lifestyles is vital for it will provide enough insight in the character of a per ...more
It was a darker version of the end of the world, where demons don't look cute, devils don't walk around with gorgeous hair pining for snarky, well manicured girls.
Katie is an Amish girl a few weeks shy away from her Rumspringa, a time for young men and women to leave the Amish community and have a taste of the real world. The experience of the two lifestyles is vital for it will provide enough insight in the character of a per ...more

Simply put, this book is amazing! As a true lover of horror and the like, I think I love the end of the world, dystopian zombie/vampire tales the most. It has been done many times...probably not much better than Matheson's I AM LEGEND, but let me tell you...THE HALLOWED ONES ranks pretty high, in my opinion. What made it so good was introducing the phenomenon from the Amish community's point of view. Bickle has done a terrific job introducing the reader to the Amish world and then illustrating h
...more

I stopped reading at page 139 because I couldn't take it anymore. When this book wasn't being boring, and focusing on the minutia of the main characters day (I mean every tiny detail) it was pointing out all the faults of Amish people. I get it already! They are deeply religious and have a lot of rules. Blah! Blah! Blah!
...more
...more

Updated with full review:
This book had me extremely freaked out at several points during the story, and I could not put it down. Well, I did have to put it down once, because everyone else had wandered off to bed, it was dark, and I was FREAKED OUT. I just could not sit in the living room by myself and continue to read, damn my easily frightened heart. So I carefully marked my place, set the book down, and waddled off to bed, already counting down the hours until I would be home from work and ab ...more

The first half or so of the book is really, really strong. Setting an end-of-the-world story in an Amish community is an interesting choice, and the part of the book that focuses on how a relatively isolated community would react is by far the best part. I particularly liked how long it took for the full story of what was happening to actually reach them. But that doesn't last. At a certain point, nearly everybody but the main character becomes a caricature. The Bishop and the Elders become ever
...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Willmar Public Li...: The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle & The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks | 2 | 4 | May 14, 2015 05:26PM | |
YA Buddy Readers'...: The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle---> Starting March 2nd 2014 | 35 | 24 | Mar 12, 2014 03:17AM | |
Did You Want a Book 2? | 7 | 34 | Nov 10, 2013 10:33AM | |
SA Book & Challen...: The Hallowed Ones Read Along | 7 | 10 | Jan 16, 2013 09:17AM |
Laura Bickle grew up in rural Ohio, reading entirely too many comic books out loud to her favorite Wonder Woman doll. After graduating with an MA in Sociology – Criminology from Ohio State University and an MLIS in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she patrolled the stacks at the public library and worked with data systems in criminal justice. She now dreams up stories ab
...more
Other books in the series
The Hallowed Ones
(2 books)
Related Articles
Whether you love the horror genre or just tiptoe into it ahead of Halloween, we have book picks for every level of scared you want to...
453 likes · 281 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Men are essentially useless for the difficult things in life. For births and deaths, one clearheaded woman is more useful than a half-dozen men.”
—
12 likes
“I was a hypocrite. When the roof came down, it was going to fall on me first.”
—
11 likes
More quotes…