A Summer Secret: My Review

A Summer Secret (The Mysteries of Middlefield Series) is a YA Amish novel.  Thirteen-year-old Mary Beth is the sister to three brothers and has started to seek privacy and refuge in a nearby abandoned barn--even though she has been told not to go in there.  One day her twin brother follows her, and they discover that someone else is living there.  These two kids have to decided between doing what their parents tell them and doing what they believe to be right/good.  They explain some of the differences between Amish and "Yankee" society to an outsider and come to realize how lucky they are.

As a  YA book it was a quick easy read.  While the ending was somewhat predictable in the context of the story, in real life I think it would be unlikely.  Of course everything wraps up neatly and everyone lives happily ever after.  It's not a bad book; it just isn't exceptionally good.  If you are looking for Amish fiction about teens, you'll like this one; if you are looking for YA fiction that will make you think or that will bring you outside your comfort zone, or expand your horizons, this isn't it, unless you are completely new to Amish fiction.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers for providing a complimentary review copy of the book as part of their BookSneeze program.  I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.  You can learn more about the book at Thomas Nelson's product page.