Customer Reviews

The Secret (Seasons of Grace, Book 1)

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

Beverly Lewis has forged a splendid career with her realistic depictions of modern day Amish life in America. This latest is the first in her Seasons of Grace series. Grace is a young, unmarried Amish woman living with her parents in Pennsylvania Dutch country. She has a part time job in a health food store which exposes her to non-Amish life.

This book is about a family secret that is troubling her mother and that her father is pretending does not exist. As readers learn about Grace's aspirations in life we are immersed in the deeply religious and very human world of the Amish. There's a romantic echo in these gentle pages. It is no surprise that Lewis has a huge following these days. It's delightful stuff!

I am taking out the book mark at page 265. I just cannot continue. Nothing pleasant has happened so far in the entire more than two hundred and fifty pages minus one paragraph. Many things are going on, yet every single one is depressing with no reprieve. I have read a handful of reviews so far that love the story and the presentation of the Amish lives through the novel. This book for me just is not happening.

In the past, I have read several titles by Beverly Lewis and loved them. This one is just dull and bland and I cannot continue it. There are too many dozens of books to be read. I spent three days and more pages and effort than I should have. Some already have, and some will love this book, but I do not and I do not recommend it. It could turn around, but you need some relief in the hours of depression and pain and this so far has not had it.

Beverly Lewis is, by far, my favorite author of "Amish books", or "Bonnet Books" as Time magazine labeled them in a recent article. I have read every one she's written. Once I pick up one of her books, I have trouble putting it down. I love her characters, her depiction of Amish life, and her style of writing. Not so with this book. I had trouble reading this one. I actually find it hard to believe Mrs. Lewis wrote this book. It is nothing like any of her previous works. I was never comfortable with these characters, nor with the way they treat each other. They are very different from her usual characters; they even speak differently. Normally I finish Mrs. Lewis' books in two or three sittings. I devour her books and find it hard to wait for the next one. It took me two WEEKS and much determination to finish this one - and I did only because it's Beverly Lewis. Now I will pass it on to my mom as I've done with all the others. She loves them as much as I do and often finishes these books in one sitting! I'm anxious to know what she will think of this latest one. I hope Mrs. Lewis' upcoming books will be better than The Secret.

This is the first book by Beverly Lewis that I have read. While I enjoyed parts of the story, it is not fair to call it a book. A book should be able to stand alone. This one clearly cannot. She didn't even attempt a conclusion. It is just the end of a chapter, leaving the story/book incomplete. There wasn't any resolution, just lots of loose threads. One of my English professors said a loose thread or two can be overlooked in a great piece of literature, but never in anything less.(And very rarely will you find any in great literature!) I cannot imagine purchasing two more books on the hope that she may tie off those threads and finish what should have been one book.

There's a difference between a series of books (many of the same characters, different stories) and a serial -- a book that's published in chapters. This book had so many unresolved plot lines at the end that it was like reading a chapter in a magazine where you have to wait until next month to find out what happens next. That widespread lack of resolution in the plot lines kept me from giving this book four stars.

Additionally, I thought the pace was a bit slow -- you could have edited 30-40 pages out easily, and should have. Too much time is spent describing characters' brooding thoughts -- and there's a lot of brooding in this book -- when thoughts are best expressed by actions and, to a lesser extent, dialogue.

One plot line involves an Amish family, in which Grace is the central character. There's a secret in the family that's making Grace's mother very unhappy -- so unhappy that she takes to wandering around the countryside at night. Her unhappiness is bothering everyone in the family. Grace is being courted by a young man, so there's a plot line involving that, as well.

Another plot line involves Heather, a non-Amish young woman (an Englischer) who comes to stay as a boarder with an Amish family for the summer. It's never clear how she got the money to do that, since she's a student. It also doesn't adequately explain adequately how or why she would choose to work on her thesis (on her laptop) in a house without electricity. Having several batteries is not only very expensive, but you have to take the laptop and wait for many hours to get them all recharged. Then there's Heather's serious illness -- she has a rather unbelievable response to that, as well.

I'll probably give up and buy the next book in the series to find out what happens with all those plotlines (don't expect resolution of any plot lines in this book), but it's annoying -- but I guess it sells books.

This book seemed to drag. It also seemed to have a very weak plot compared to the other titles she has written. I'm glad that when I snagged this title for my Kindle I didn't pay the full price. I don't plan on paying for the others. I will go back to the other books she has written.

I read this because I like Amish books for a light, quick read, so long as I get them free or cheap. This one was free.

Frankly, it's a boring read, but it doesn't have to be. This book has potential, but it is too slow-moving, and by the time I realised there would be no resolution (ending) to the story in this book, I wwas almost done. I refuse to purchase the remaining two books to finish the story, as really this should have been one good novel, rather than a boring series.

The subject matter is good, though perhaps misplaced in an Amish community ... I don't know enough to say. It did not ring true to me and even though you know by the end of the book where it is going, the modern Heather is more an annoyance in this first book of the series than an addition to it.

Just not very convincing or enticing.

Okay, I fell for it................a free book! It was interesting, it was free. Often, it dragged on and I thought, "Okay, could we get on with the story here?" Since it was free, I purchased part 2, "The Missing". I didn't realize that it was a 3 part series. Things moved along a little better but even in part 2 there are those incredibly slow and obvious parts that make you wonder why the author just doesn't tell the story. Then you get to the end of the book and once again not to the end of the story. Yes, I am purchasing part 3. I won't be purchasing any more 3 part series from this author. If the 3 books had been combined into 1 it would be a fantastic story. Oh, I feel, what was it, "schnerfoodled". My free Kindle book is pretty expensive. I could have bought one true book from a different author for half the price of buying three to get a whole story out of Beverly Lewis. Too bad, she seems pretty talented. Maybe her publisher's will take note and allow her to complete a story in on book. If you want to pay premium dollar for a single story that drags through 3 books, go for it..........otherwise, go with a different author until Ms. Lewis works through this phase.

While I enjoy the daily lives which are shown in the book, it was obvious from the beginning that this book is just the set up to the series. Nothing was settled. I enjoy characters who continue in books/series, but in my opinion, each book should stand alone.

I have read all of Beverly Lewis Amish books I believe. this one was not as good. there was nothing enlighting in it very depressing and the end was left just to wide open. I would recommend anyone that is a fan of Beverly lewis to read it but be advised it is somewhat different.