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With tongue firmly in cheek and genuine Amish-made stakes at hand, Jael the vampire slayer is ready to kick some serious bloodsucker butt. Seriously.
Move over Buffy – there’s a new slayer in town! Raised in the desert of Nevada, and destined for the Minnesota Loon Lake Amish Community, Jael Shetler is the Chosen One.
Trained by her uncle and father in twenty-one different forms of hand-to-hand combat – she also throws a knife with the speed of a bullet, and is accurate to within two centimeters of a cold, dead heart with her crossbow – she is a bloodsucker’s worst nightmare.
Her parents, forced to leave their plain and simple upbringing to escape the clutches of the new Bishop – an ancient and powerful vampire with plans to use the Amish Community as his own personal Jamba Juice – raise and train their daughter to continue the fight begun thousands of years earlier by another Jael, and to fulfill the prophecy in the Book of the Shunned.
Soon Jael is turning sweet sixteen and then … all hell will break loose.
Move over Buffy – there’s a new slayer in town! Raised in the desert of Nevada, and destined for the Minnesota Loon Lake Amish Community, Jael Shetler is the Chosen One.
Trained by her uncle and father in twenty-one different forms of hand-to-hand combat – she also throws a knife with the speed of a bullet, and is accurate to within two centimeters of a cold, dead heart with her crossbow – she is a bloodsucker’s worst nightmare.
Her parents, forced to leave their plain and simple upbringing to escape the clutches of the new Bishop – an ancient and powerful vampire with plans to use the Amish Community as his own personal Jamba Juice – raise and train their daughter to continue the fight begun thousands of years earlier by another Jael, and to fulfill the prophecy in the Book of the Shunned.
Soon Jael is turning sweet sixteen and then … all hell will break loose.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 13, 2013
43 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Ellen Brink
25 books120 followersBarbara is a multi-published author of mystery, suspense, and young adult. Her Fredrickson Winery Novels have been on the best-seller lists multiple times, and her Christian thriller, Split Sense, won the Grace Award in 2012. Again in 2016, she won the Grace Award with the 2nd book of her Double Barrel Mysteries, Much Ado About Murder.
Barbara grew up on a small farm in Washington State, but now lives in the mean "burbs" of Minnesota with her husband and their pups. With their adult kids now pushed out of the nest and encouraged to fly, she spends much time reading, writing, collecting books, riding motorcycles, and keeping one step ahead of AARP. She also really likes black licorice.
Barbara grew up on a small farm in Washington State, but now lives in the mean "burbs" of Minnesota with her husband and their pups. With their adult kids now pushed out of the nest and encouraged to fly, she spends much time reading, writing, collecting books, riding motorcycles, and keeping one step ahead of AARP. She also really likes black licorice.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 9, 2017
My first book by this author, and the first book in this series.
This was both something of a random pick-up and random decision to read. At some point in October I noticed the book, and that it was free. No, I don’t normally pick up every free book I spot. This one just caught my eye. A Buffy the Slayer type book (not that I've actually ever read a Buffy prose novel, though I've read a bunch of graphic novels). Took me about two months, but I finally got around to reading.
Jael Shetler has spent her life moving around with her very paranoid family. Living mostly in deserts and the like. She’s been trained by her father, tossing stakes at scarecrows, training in martial arts, etc. She was never exactly told why.
Book opens with the mother, Miriam, knitting on a porch. The father, whose name escapes me at the moment (Jacob? I know it’s not Seth, because that’s the uncle; wait, no, Jacob's the mother's brother), comes out and asks why Miriam is out there, in the heat. They talk. Before they get too far in their conversation, daughter Jael wanders up and demands to know if she is an alien. She’s not allowed to do anything – go to after school events, have people come over to spend the night, etc. Father responds, to the alien question, with a yes.
I’m not sure why he said yes. Maybe I need to know more about the Amish to figure that one out. But, whatever, Father says that yes, they are aliens. Amish aliens. And she, Jael, is the chosen one. There’s some back and forth and it takes some time, and book pages, and days, before the story gets told about what exactly Jael is, and what that means.
Jael is named after Jael from the bible. The woman in the Book of Judges who killed Sisera. With a tent peg.
Judges 4:20:
20: He said to her, "Stand in the doorway of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes and inquires of you, and says, 'Is there anyone here?' that you shall say, 'No.'"
21: But Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg and seized a hammer in her hand, and went secretly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died.
22: And behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said to him, "Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking." And he entered with her, and behold Sisera was lying dead with the tent peg in his temple.
I distracted myself with a quote. From the bible not from the Chosen. Right, so, Jael is the chosen one, who will lead her people (or free her people) from the demons (vampires) currently holding them hostage. Her people being those of the Minnesota Loon Lake Amish Community.
There are some similarities and differences between Buffy and Jael. Jael’s parents raise and train her (Buffy's parents are separated); she’s under strict rules – which include not being able to do any after school activities, or much away from home beyond going to school (Buffy's always wandering around, going to bars and the like, despite being basically the same age, that always confused me, hanging out at a bar, at around 16-18). There’s a ‘council’ like in Buffy, but they are dead before the start of this book. Um. Buffy lives in California, and Jael lives in Nevada. By ‘chosen one’, they mean ‘by God’. Religion plays a part in this book (though not a heavy handed part). I do not recall religion playing much of a part in Buffy’s stories (except occasionally). ‘Pain/cramps’ play a part, but not the same type of pain as it did in Buffy. I forget now how menstruation played its part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie (vampire detector?), but it was vaguely gross – and gladly dropped from the tv series (or not continued/followed up/whatever). Personally, I’d prefer a few light references to God to whatever that menstruation stuff was about.
This was an interesting enough diverting read. Not the best thing I’ve ever read. Not the worst. It’s the first in a trilogy, and while I liked this one well enough, I’ll probably not . . . at least not immediately, read the rest of the books. The book ends with her having more stuff to do, but it isn’t a cliff-hanger per se – this is a solid book in and of itself.
This is somewhere around a 3.5 star book. Well, something between 3.35 and 3.65.
Dec 10 2015
This was both something of a random pick-up and random decision to read. At some point in October I noticed the book, and that it was free. No, I don’t normally pick up every free book I spot. This one just caught my eye. A Buffy the Slayer type book (not that I've actually ever read a Buffy prose novel, though I've read a bunch of graphic novels). Took me about two months, but I finally got around to reading.
Jael Shetler has spent her life moving around with her very paranoid family. Living mostly in deserts and the like. She’s been trained by her father, tossing stakes at scarecrows, training in martial arts, etc. She was never exactly told why.
Book opens with the mother, Miriam, knitting on a porch. The father, whose name escapes me at the moment (Jacob? I know it’s not Seth, because that’s the uncle; wait, no, Jacob's the mother's brother), comes out and asks why Miriam is out there, in the heat. They talk. Before they get too far in their conversation, daughter Jael wanders up and demands to know if she is an alien. She’s not allowed to do anything – go to after school events, have people come over to spend the night, etc. Father responds, to the alien question, with a yes.
I’m not sure why he said yes. Maybe I need to know more about the Amish to figure that one out. But, whatever, Father says that yes, they are aliens. Amish aliens. And she, Jael, is the chosen one. There’s some back and forth and it takes some time, and book pages, and days, before the story gets told about what exactly Jael is, and what that means.
Jael is named after Jael from the bible. The woman in the Book of Judges who killed Sisera. With a tent peg.
Judges 4:20:
20: He said to her, "Stand in the doorway of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes and inquires of you, and says, 'Is there anyone here?' that you shall say, 'No.'"
21: But Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg and seized a hammer in her hand, and went secretly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died.
22: And behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said to him, "Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking." And he entered with her, and behold Sisera was lying dead with the tent peg in his temple.
I distracted myself with a quote. From the bible not from the Chosen. Right, so, Jael is the chosen one, who will lead her people (or free her people) from the demons (vampires) currently holding them hostage. Her people being those of the Minnesota Loon Lake Amish Community.
There are some similarities and differences between Buffy and Jael. Jael’s parents raise and train her (Buffy's parents are separated); she’s under strict rules – which include not being able to do any after school activities, or much away from home beyond going to school (Buffy's always wandering around, going to bars and the like, despite being basically the same age, that always confused me, hanging out at a bar, at around 16-18). There’s a ‘council’ like in Buffy, but they are dead before the start of this book. Um. Buffy lives in California, and Jael lives in Nevada. By ‘chosen one’, they mean ‘by God’. Religion plays a part in this book (though not a heavy handed part). I do not recall religion playing much of a part in Buffy’s stories (except occasionally). ‘Pain/cramps’ play a part, but not the same type of pain as it did in Buffy. I forget now how menstruation played its part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie (vampire detector?), but it was vaguely gross – and gladly dropped from the tv series (or not continued/followed up/whatever). Personally, I’d prefer a few light references to God to whatever that menstruation stuff was about.
This was an interesting enough diverting read. Not the best thing I’ve ever read. Not the worst. It’s the first in a trilogy, and while I liked this one well enough, I’ll probably not . . . at least not immediately, read the rest of the books. The book ends with her having more stuff to do, but it isn’t a cliff-hanger per se – this is a solid book in and of itself.
This is somewhere around a 3.5 star book. Well, something between 3.35 and 3.65.
Dec 10 2015
July 21, 2014
This good writing style gave an easy flow to this story which charts the unexpected life of its protagonist within the unlikely Amish community.
Although an unusual environment, its characters were realistic and gave depth to the plot.
I don't give spoilers, but will say that this story is worth a look.
Although an unusual environment, its characters were realistic and gave depth to the plot.
I don't give spoilers, but will say that this story is worth a look.
November 6, 2012
I love the cover art for this book. I just knew it was going to be a fun read, and it was! I mean, Amish blood sucking vampires, now you know that’s going to be fun!
Jael is The Chosen One. She is descended from a long line of slayers. It’s her duty to save the Loon Lake Amish Community, which has been infiltrated by Bishop and his pack of vampires. He wants her dead before her 16th birthday, when she’ll come into her full slayer abilities.
Her parents, Miriam and Jesse, were forced to leave Minnesota when Miriam discovered she was pregnant. They knew she was carrying the next Chosen One and have been running ever since. Always moving, staying isolated, never in one place too long.
Jael never understood why they lived so far away from everyone, why she was never allowed to have friends over.
Jesse, Jael’s father, has trained her in martial arts and slaying with stakes for as long as she can remember. It’s only recently that she even knew she was Amish and The Chosen.
With the help of her uncle Seth, Jael goes on her first hunt.
“Well don’t just sit there….. We have vamps to stake.”
A slow smile turned up his lips and he climbed out too.
Her dad had fashioned her a leather tool belt with enough loops to hold six stakes, two on each side and two in the back. She slipped it on around her waist and filled every loop with a pointy, curved stake. Inside the top of each of her boots she slipped a four-inch blade. She picked up the crossbow. It this isn’t enough firepower……
Could you picture her doing this in a long dress, apron and prayer cap. That would be a hindrance for sure! Luckily her parents don’t make her wear traditional Amish garb.
A quirky thing about The Chosen. They are all born with six toes on one foot. Jael’s parents had hers removed as an infant to disguise who she was. When the vamps are near, her phantom toe gives her a painful warning. This comes in useful.
Brianna is Jael’s best friend and couldn’t be more different.
If lives were fairy tales, Brianna would reign supreme as a Walt Disney princess, while Jael would live in the darker Grimm Brother’s version where survival meant slaying dragons on a daily basis.
There are rumors going around at school that Jael lives in a commune and is a sister wife. Brianna has seen her bruises and believes she is being abused. A time will come when Jael will have to tell her the truth. But not yet.
Shadow is the “bad boy” personified. The one all mothers warn their daughters about, with a piercing gaze, lanky good looks and a mouth full of sarcasm. He has an unusual effect on Jael. Not a romantic one, instead his proximity makes her nauseous. It appears there is more to Shadow than meets the eye.
Then there’s Bruno, a huge wolf hound and loyal companion of Jael’s. They seem to have a special connection. She can get him to do some really fun tricks. He’s also a great deterrent considering he’s the size of a small horse.
Jael’s 16th birthday is coming soon and the vampires are searching high and low for her. Thet need her dead before she comes into her full slayer abilities, while Jael has no clue what the powers will be. She is going to need all the help she can get if she’s going to be ready to go after Bishop and his bloodsuckers.
I really like Jael. Barbara was able to make her a typical teen, with everyday worries and baggage, and also with a secret life as a vampire slayer, and made it believeable and really fun.
The bloodsuckers are nasty, Jael is double tough, her family is fiercely devoted and her friends are loyal.
There are some tender moments in this story and a whole lot of humor. You’d expect that with the title Amish Bloodsuckers! It’s all in good fun, but there is some serious slaying too! Jael didn’t go through all of that training for nothing. I felt some Buffy and Little Red Riding Hood in this story.
Chosen is well written, fast-paced and easy to follow. I like how Barbara was able to keep it simple with so much going on. It could have been complicated, but she feeds you the story in bites that are easy to chew. I’m hungry for more.
Jael is The Chosen One. She is descended from a long line of slayers. It’s her duty to save the Loon Lake Amish Community, which has been infiltrated by Bishop and his pack of vampires. He wants her dead before her 16th birthday, when she’ll come into her full slayer abilities.
Her parents, Miriam and Jesse, were forced to leave Minnesota when Miriam discovered she was pregnant. They knew she was carrying the next Chosen One and have been running ever since. Always moving, staying isolated, never in one place too long.
Jael never understood why they lived so far away from everyone, why she was never allowed to have friends over.
Jesse, Jael’s father, has trained her in martial arts and slaying with stakes for as long as she can remember. It’s only recently that she even knew she was Amish and The Chosen.
With the help of her uncle Seth, Jael goes on her first hunt.
“Well don’t just sit there….. We have vamps to stake.”
A slow smile turned up his lips and he climbed out too.
Her dad had fashioned her a leather tool belt with enough loops to hold six stakes, two on each side and two in the back. She slipped it on around her waist and filled every loop with a pointy, curved stake. Inside the top of each of her boots she slipped a four-inch blade. She picked up the crossbow. It this isn’t enough firepower……
Could you picture her doing this in a long dress, apron and prayer cap. That would be a hindrance for sure! Luckily her parents don’t make her wear traditional Amish garb.
A quirky thing about The Chosen. They are all born with six toes on one foot. Jael’s parents had hers removed as an infant to disguise who she was. When the vamps are near, her phantom toe gives her a painful warning. This comes in useful.
Brianna is Jael’s best friend and couldn’t be more different.
If lives were fairy tales, Brianna would reign supreme as a Walt Disney princess, while Jael would live in the darker Grimm Brother’s version where survival meant slaying dragons on a daily basis.
There are rumors going around at school that Jael lives in a commune and is a sister wife. Brianna has seen her bruises and believes she is being abused. A time will come when Jael will have to tell her the truth. But not yet.
Shadow is the “bad boy” personified. The one all mothers warn their daughters about, with a piercing gaze, lanky good looks and a mouth full of sarcasm. He has an unusual effect on Jael. Not a romantic one, instead his proximity makes her nauseous. It appears there is more to Shadow than meets the eye.
Then there’s Bruno, a huge wolf hound and loyal companion of Jael’s. They seem to have a special connection. She can get him to do some really fun tricks. He’s also a great deterrent considering he’s the size of a small horse.
Jael’s 16th birthday is coming soon and the vampires are searching high and low for her. Thet need her dead before she comes into her full slayer abilities, while Jael has no clue what the powers will be. She is going to need all the help she can get if she’s going to be ready to go after Bishop and his bloodsuckers.
I really like Jael. Barbara was able to make her a typical teen, with everyday worries and baggage, and also with a secret life as a vampire slayer, and made it believeable and really fun.
The bloodsuckers are nasty, Jael is double tough, her family is fiercely devoted and her friends are loyal.
There are some tender moments in this story and a whole lot of humor. You’d expect that with the title Amish Bloodsuckers! It’s all in good fun, but there is some serious slaying too! Jael didn’t go through all of that training for nothing. I felt some Buffy and Little Red Riding Hood in this story.
Chosen is well written, fast-paced and easy to follow. I like how Barbara was able to keep it simple with so much going on. It could have been complicated, but she feeds you the story in bites that are easy to chew. I’m hungry for more.
May 5, 2013
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. Jael Shetler is about to celebrate her sixteenth birthday. Her father has spent years training her in martial arts for this very day. You see, Jael is the Chosen One; the one that will slay vampires and bring order to her parents hometown, Loon Lake in Minnesota. Unfortunately, she had no idea until 3 weeks prior.
Brianna is Jael’s best friend and polar opposite. She’s accepted all of Jael’s quirks and ignores the bizarre rumors that go around about Jael. She has no clue her best friend is a vampire slayer, will she even believe her when the truth comes out?
Shadow is the really cute high school bad boy. He helps Jael when the school rumors cause a group of boys to want to do harm to Jael. He’s also a tracker, can Jael trust him or will he set her up?
This was a fun page turning read. I loved the tie in to Jael in the bible; it went perfectly with the heroine Jael in this book. The premise reminded me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There’s a lot of action and adventure, as they seem to find vampires everywhere they went! If you like Buffy, you’ll love this book. I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!
Brianna is Jael’s best friend and polar opposite. She’s accepted all of Jael’s quirks and ignores the bizarre rumors that go around about Jael. She has no clue her best friend is a vampire slayer, will she even believe her when the truth comes out?
Shadow is the really cute high school bad boy. He helps Jael when the school rumors cause a group of boys to want to do harm to Jael. He’s also a tracker, can Jael trust him or will he set her up?
This was a fun page turning read. I loved the tie in to Jael in the bible; it went perfectly with the heroine Jael in this book. The premise reminded me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There’s a lot of action and adventure, as they seem to find vampires everywhere they went! If you like Buffy, you’ll love this book. I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!
December 3, 2012
I could not resist this Amish/vampire genre mash-up. Teenage Jael is the “Chosen One”, born to slay the vampires that have infiltrated an Amish community in Minnesota that was the home of her parents. As befits a vampire slayer, Jael is named after a heroine of the Old Testament who killed an enemy of God’s chosen people by driving a tent stake through his head.
In order to protect Jael until she develops her full powers her family has been on the run since before she was born, but now that she is about to turn 16 it’s time for her to step up to her God-given responsibilities. Jael has had to live life as an outsider, unable to attend school functions like football games and having to spend hours a day practicing martial arts with her father, but with the help of her best friend Bree Jael is pushing at those boundaries. Bree doesn’t know the truth about Jael, but somehow Shad, a Native American tracker who is also a student at their school, does. Shad is a good looking loner, but it is Bree who is interested in him, not Jael. Jael takes her preordained mission seriously but she has a humorous edge to her outlook, which adds to the fun of reading the book.
In order to protect Jael until she develops her full powers her family has been on the run since before she was born, but now that she is about to turn 16 it’s time for her to step up to her God-given responsibilities. Jael has had to live life as an outsider, unable to attend school functions like football games and having to spend hours a day practicing martial arts with her father, but with the help of her best friend Bree Jael is pushing at those boundaries. Bree doesn’t know the truth about Jael, but somehow Shad, a Native American tracker who is also a student at their school, does. Shad is a good looking loner, but it is Bree who is interested in him, not Jael. Jael takes her preordained mission seriously but she has a humorous edge to her outlook, which adds to the fun of reading the book.
April 3, 2015
The first book in my Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy was great fun to write. There is a lot of humor, a little angst, and a small group of friends tightening ranks as they realize what they're up against. Jael is a teenager just trying to fit in when her parents drop this whole "you are chosen" thing into her lap. She didn't even know she was Amish, and now this?? Whether you are a vampire fiction fan or not, you will find adventure, laughs, and good clean fun in Sunburn, Nevada as Jael trains to pursue her destiny as the Chosen one. Well, there may be a few messy vampire slayings along the way...
December 7, 2012
Let's be clear about this upfront - for the most part I'm not a fan of vampires. Other than the really old Dracula and Dark Shadows, they just aren't my thing.
But, being a Barbara Ellen Brink fan, I decided to give this series a try. The result: I love her vampire slayer Jael!
Chosen introduces us to this teen heroine whose calling is clear and dangerous and ancient.
I will be sharing this series with my great niece who is almost 11.
But, being a Barbara Ellen Brink fan, I decided to give this series a try. The result: I love her vampire slayer Jael!
Chosen introduces us to this teen heroine whose calling is clear and dangerous and ancient.
I will be sharing this series with my great niece who is almost 11.
October 27, 2012
I admire Barbara Brink. She writes in many genres, while the rest of us struggle to perfect ONE. Her "Amish Bloodsucker Trilogy" is YA fiction at its best. This one has it all: vampires, religion, and just enough Pop Culture to give the book pizazz. Fun!
October 23, 2018
How did this book get so many 5 star reviews? I basically cringed while reading every page of this book. I am a huge fan of Amish stories and also of vampires. This was a strange let down. I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters. I wanted a love story and got kind of a weird friendship...? I don’t even know. Also, why was it never explained to Jael what she really had to do? I kept reading with the hope that EVENTUALLY we would all get a detailed history or explanation of what being the Chosen was all about. Spoiler: Never happens.
And when Jael finds out about vampires and a brief explanation of why they’re outcasts, why in the world does she just go along with it? Anyone? Beuller? Anyone in their right mind would have more questions before willingly heading out to hunt vampires.
All this being said, I finished this book quickly and I kept reading it for reasons unknown to me. I must have liked it somewhat to have actually finished it. But I won’t be reading the rest of the series.
And when Jael finds out about vampires and a brief explanation of why they’re outcasts, why in the world does she just go along with it? Anyone? Beuller? Anyone in their right mind would have more questions before willingly heading out to hunt vampires.
All this being said, I finished this book quickly and I kept reading it for reasons unknown to me. I must have liked it somewhat to have actually finished it. But I won’t be reading the rest of the series.
May 4, 2017
This was an ok book. It was pretty good for a first novel. However there was not as much of the Amish element as I had hopped. Perhaps the next book will be better since I think this one mostly set up the story. It was still worth reading without a lot of Amish elements.
July 14, 2014
Buffy Meets the Amish!
I was immediately drawn in by this book's title and the parallels to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (a show I loved in its heyday)--a teenage girl finding out that she's the Chosen One who can stop the vampires and the spread of darkness, all while dealing with normal teenage angst like whether the guy she's crushing on likes her back. This book didn't disappoint. It had a strong, tough heroine who struggled between her calling and the desire to just be a normal girl, it had butt-kicking action scenes, and it had the kind of quotable lines we got when Buffy was at her snarky best. My favorite was: "This is Jael, the Chosen One. Need to schedule a staking? Press 1. Decapitation? Press 2. Complete eradication? Press your luck by messing with my friends." It had a thread of wry humor that ran throughout the book and nicely balanced out the drama and suspense that kept me reading late into the night. Things like "She'd rather smell a rotting corpse on a warm night than solve math problems," had me laughing and reminded me that, despite being the Chosen One, Jael was just an ordinary girl.
I loved so many things about this book--the humor woven throughout was a big one, but I also loved the genuine relationships between the characters. The characterization and dialogue were great, coaxing me into forgetting I was reading a book and drawing me into the action and the interaction between Jael and those around her. I was a little surprised when the book started off showing her parents' point of view and wasn't sure if I'd like that, but soon the author drew me into the story and I saw why it was necessary and came to love Jael's family and look forward to seeing more of them. I really liked the fact that Jael had a good relationship with her parents and how that was juxtaposed with the somewhat rocky relationship with her uncle, who obviously cared about her even if he was sometimes a jerk about it. And I always enjoyed the scenes between Jael and her best friend, Bree, and the mystery guy, Shadow.
Some really interesting twists on mythology here. I loved the idea of a "slayer tracker" and the idea that there were people out there who could literally sniff out the slayer for the vamps. The idea of the connection the trackers had to wolves was also cool and I hope we'll see more of that in following books. I also really liked the introduction of the Amish into the mix, though we didn't get too much of that in this book. I wish the author had given us more of the backstory and how the Amish fit into everything--was the vamp takeover of their community a recent thing? Why choose them? How did it all go down? Did any of the other Amish communities try to help them out or get taken over themselves? Stuff like that. I expect we'll get more of that once Jael makes it to Minnesota and the Amish community there. And I thought it was absolutely brilliant of the author to tie in Jael from the Bible and the story of her killing the evil Sisera with a stake to the idea of her descendants being vampire slayers. Pure genius!
So, with all that said, why didn't I rate this five stars? A couple of reasons. The biggest being that I hate to cry and there was an unexpected twist (no, I'm not going to spoil it for you) that completely broke my heart. By that point, I was so engrossed in the story and had been drawn into the lives of the characters so much that I had no defense against this heartbreaking turn of events. Of course, that's also a mark of good storytelling, when the author can get you so deeply drawn into the characters' world, but yeah, I hate to cry. And the other reason is that I don't like cliffhangers and the book does end on a big one. I wanted my happy ending, darn it! So, I'd advise you to do what I did: don't start reading till you have the entire trilogy or the omnibus edition and can just keep reading, so that way you don't have to be stuck with a cliffhanger. Because trust me, you WILL want to read the next book. Immediately.
In closing, I will say that the book was also wonderfully written with fantastic descriptions. Here's another favorite: "Clumps of boulders dotted the landscape as though God had broken off a handful of mountain, crushed it in his palms and set them into neat little piles." I also loved how the characters wrestled with living out the principles they believed in even when it required sacrifice. It felt like a wise book, though never preachy. "Faith is never plain or simple, despite the life we came from and once knew. It's a daily ritual of taking self and sacrificing it on the alter of obedience - trusting that the Creator knows what we need more than we do." It was suspenseful and had several twists I didn't see coming. It was also a smart book--several innovative plans or ideas played out that I was impressed by. All in all, a clean, entertaining, and suspenseful story that would be a great read for folks of any age (but if you're sensitive like me, and take your fiction way too seriously, keep a tissue handy).
I was immediately drawn in by this book's title and the parallels to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (a show I loved in its heyday)--a teenage girl finding out that she's the Chosen One who can stop the vampires and the spread of darkness, all while dealing with normal teenage angst like whether the guy she's crushing on likes her back. This book didn't disappoint. It had a strong, tough heroine who struggled between her calling and the desire to just be a normal girl, it had butt-kicking action scenes, and it had the kind of quotable lines we got when Buffy was at her snarky best. My favorite was: "This is Jael, the Chosen One. Need to schedule a staking? Press 1. Decapitation? Press 2. Complete eradication? Press your luck by messing with my friends." It had a thread of wry humor that ran throughout the book and nicely balanced out the drama and suspense that kept me reading late into the night. Things like "She'd rather smell a rotting corpse on a warm night than solve math problems," had me laughing and reminded me that, despite being the Chosen One, Jael was just an ordinary girl.
I loved so many things about this book--the humor woven throughout was a big one, but I also loved the genuine relationships between the characters. The characterization and dialogue were great, coaxing me into forgetting I was reading a book and drawing me into the action and the interaction between Jael and those around her. I was a little surprised when the book started off showing her parents' point of view and wasn't sure if I'd like that, but soon the author drew me into the story and I saw why it was necessary and came to love Jael's family and look forward to seeing more of them. I really liked the fact that Jael had a good relationship with her parents and how that was juxtaposed with the somewhat rocky relationship with her uncle, who obviously cared about her even if he was sometimes a jerk about it. And I always enjoyed the scenes between Jael and her best friend, Bree, and the mystery guy, Shadow.
Some really interesting twists on mythology here. I loved the idea of a "slayer tracker" and the idea that there were people out there who could literally sniff out the slayer for the vamps. The idea of the connection the trackers had to wolves was also cool and I hope we'll see more of that in following books. I also really liked the introduction of the Amish into the mix, though we didn't get too much of that in this book. I wish the author had given us more of the backstory and how the Amish fit into everything--was the vamp takeover of their community a recent thing? Why choose them? How did it all go down? Did any of the other Amish communities try to help them out or get taken over themselves? Stuff like that. I expect we'll get more of that once Jael makes it to Minnesota and the Amish community there. And I thought it was absolutely brilliant of the author to tie in Jael from the Bible and the story of her killing the evil Sisera with a stake to the idea of her descendants being vampire slayers. Pure genius!
So, with all that said, why didn't I rate this five stars? A couple of reasons. The biggest being that I hate to cry and there was an unexpected twist (no, I'm not going to spoil it for you) that completely broke my heart. By that point, I was so engrossed in the story and had been drawn into the lives of the characters so much that I had no defense against this heartbreaking turn of events. Of course, that's also a mark of good storytelling, when the author can get you so deeply drawn into the characters' world, but yeah, I hate to cry. And the other reason is that I don't like cliffhangers and the book does end on a big one. I wanted my happy ending, darn it! So, I'd advise you to do what I did: don't start reading till you have the entire trilogy or the omnibus edition and can just keep reading, so that way you don't have to be stuck with a cliffhanger. Because trust me, you WILL want to read the next book. Immediately.
In closing, I will say that the book was also wonderfully written with fantastic descriptions. Here's another favorite: "Clumps of boulders dotted the landscape as though God had broken off a handful of mountain, crushed it in his palms and set them into neat little piles." I also loved how the characters wrestled with living out the principles they believed in even when it required sacrifice. It felt like a wise book, though never preachy. "Faith is never plain or simple, despite the life we came from and once knew. It's a daily ritual of taking self and sacrificing it on the alter of obedience - trusting that the Creator knows what we need more than we do." It was suspenseful and had several twists I didn't see coming. It was also a smart book--several innovative plans or ideas played out that I was impressed by. All in all, a clean, entertaining, and suspenseful story that would be a great read for folks of any age (but if you're sensitive like me, and take your fiction way too seriously, keep a tissue handy).
April 24, 2015
This is an unusual book to classify. I love that indie publishing allows for these unique books that don’t really fit into a comfortable niche, ones that publishers often reject for that very reason, no matter how well written the story might be. This one warrants a place on the virtual shelves.
Jael, named for the Old Testament slayer of Sisera, is a normal fifteen-year-old girl. At least, she wishes she was normal. But coming from an unsocial family living 30 miles into the dessert, she’s often teased about hiding out in a commune with lots of sister-wives. And none of the other girls she knows train three hours a night in martial arts. But one of her classmates, an Indian named Shadow with unusual skills, knows what she is. He learns before she does, and he puts out an alert that she’s been found. For Jael, though she doesn’t know it yet, was born to slay vampires.
I don’t normally read vampire novels, but Amish bloodsuckers? I had to find out. And the combination is certainly unusual. Jael’s parents have fled from an Amish community where bloodsuckers have taken over positions of authority.
I like that vampires are portrayed as evil. And I liked the unobtrusive statements of faith worked in a quiet odd moments. “Faith is never plain or simple, despite the life we came from and once knew. It’s a daily ritual of taking self and sacrificing it on the alter of obedience—trusting that the Creator knows what we need more than we do.” Good thoughts, though I’ve never seen them combined with slaying vampires before. It made me laugh, but it actually works in the story.
Despite Jael’s Amish background, the book isn’t really about religion. It’s about kicking vampire butt. And it was a pretty entertaining read. And pretty innocent. Not gory, but high action, no language, with a mild romantic element, though date rape is mentioned. However, one question did sort of bother me though the whole book. What’s the connection between the vampires and the Amish? True, they aren’t particular about their victims, but I never understood the reason they take over the Amish community and nowhere else. Because the Chosen One comes from the Amish line, I assume? If it gave a solid reason, I missed it.
Chosen is unique, clean, and appropriate for age 14+. I dare you to read it and not purchase the next one.
Jael, named for the Old Testament slayer of Sisera, is a normal fifteen-year-old girl. At least, she wishes she was normal. But coming from an unsocial family living 30 miles into the dessert, she’s often teased about hiding out in a commune with lots of sister-wives. And none of the other girls she knows train three hours a night in martial arts. But one of her classmates, an Indian named Shadow with unusual skills, knows what she is. He learns before she does, and he puts out an alert that she’s been found. For Jael, though she doesn’t know it yet, was born to slay vampires.
I don’t normally read vampire novels, but Amish bloodsuckers? I had to find out. And the combination is certainly unusual. Jael’s parents have fled from an Amish community where bloodsuckers have taken over positions of authority.
I like that vampires are portrayed as evil. And I liked the unobtrusive statements of faith worked in a quiet odd moments. “Faith is never plain or simple, despite the life we came from and once knew. It’s a daily ritual of taking self and sacrificing it on the alter of obedience—trusting that the Creator knows what we need more than we do.” Good thoughts, though I’ve never seen them combined with slaying vampires before. It made me laugh, but it actually works in the story.
Despite Jael’s Amish background, the book isn’t really about religion. It’s about kicking vampire butt. And it was a pretty entertaining read. And pretty innocent. Not gory, but high action, no language, with a mild romantic element, though date rape is mentioned. However, one question did sort of bother me though the whole book. What’s the connection between the vampires and the Amish? True, they aren’t particular about their victims, but I never understood the reason they take over the Amish community and nowhere else. Because the Chosen One comes from the Amish line, I assume? If it gave a solid reason, I missed it.
Chosen is unique, clean, and appropriate for age 14+. I dare you to read it and not purchase the next one.
May 24, 2014
At first glimpse the premise of a gathering of undead vampires living off of a quiet and unsuspecting community away from the constructs of modern life intrigued me. The books are all well written with an active plot line that never left me waiting for what happens next. The story unfolded very naturally and the characters were human and familiar. I was a little nervous about how the character element would be presented before I began reading the books. I was curious how the author would make two very foreign groups, the Amish and the Vampires relate-able and approachable to readers like myself who have always been surrounded by a technological and fully alive selection of people to interact with. Brink pulled off the character element with style and grace. The protagonist, Jael was as vulnerable as any teenager would be, yet she found her inner strength and was able to preserver against forces and situations that placed her in a difficult situation at a very young age. Her peers were diverse and endearing. Her interactions with Amish world(out of her comfort zone) were refreshing. The Amish themselves, who are stigmatized in today’s world were painted with a brush of humanity that made them recognizable and believable despite their cultural differences from the world the main character was accustomed to.
All of that aside, these books were action packed reads that filled the promise for edge of your seat slaying action while remaining true to a moral and a clean portrayal of the life of a young woman. I also enjoyed the biblical elements that were skillfully woven in as an integral parts of the story line. They are a great choice for a fun summer (or any season) read!
All of that aside, these books were action packed reads that filled the promise for edge of your seat slaying action while remaining true to a moral and a clean portrayal of the life of a young woman. I also enjoyed the biblical elements that were skillfully woven in as an integral parts of the story line. They are a great choice for a fun summer (or any season) read!
November 20, 2014
Being a teenager is easier than being a slayer.
I usually avoid vampire novels but this one seemed intriguing. I quickly discovered that it's more than a vampire novel. If Buffy the Vampire Slayer was Amish, she'd be the heroine, Jael. Raised by parents who ran from the dark secret of their Amish community in Minnesota, Jael studied martial arts and hid from view as she grew up. She longed to go to school and fit in with the other kids, go to dances and enjoy parties. Now that she's turning sixteen, she's coming into her full power and will become the target of dangerous vampires.
I loved dialog like: "Instead of a sweet sixteen party and a possible first kiss, I get a big sendoff to kill vamps?" Imagine the struggles of fitting in at school when you've got killer skills and a good reason to use them! When my own daughter was a teenager, I enjoyed watching Buffy slay vampires while we safely ate a bowl of popcorn. Now I've found a well-written novel that takes the vampire slayer theme into a new direction. Jael learns quickly that being a teenager is easier than being a slayer. Recommended to all Buffy fans.
I usually avoid vampire novels but this one seemed intriguing. I quickly discovered that it's more than a vampire novel. If Buffy the Vampire Slayer was Amish, she'd be the heroine, Jael. Raised by parents who ran from the dark secret of their Amish community in Minnesota, Jael studied martial arts and hid from view as she grew up. She longed to go to school and fit in with the other kids, go to dances and enjoy parties. Now that she's turning sixteen, she's coming into her full power and will become the target of dangerous vampires.
I loved dialog like: "Instead of a sweet sixteen party and a possible first kiss, I get a big sendoff to kill vamps?" Imagine the struggles of fitting in at school when you've got killer skills and a good reason to use them! When my own daughter was a teenager, I enjoyed watching Buffy slay vampires while we safely ate a bowl of popcorn. Now I've found a well-written novel that takes the vampire slayer theme into a new direction. Jael learns quickly that being a teenager is easier than being a slayer. Recommended to all Buffy fans.
Read
October 8, 2015"I wish there had been a lot more Amish and Amish culture to compare/contrast/clash with the standard high-school-student-finds-out-she's-special story line. Jael's family doesn't live in an Amish community but in rural Nevada. There's talk about the Amish once her parents 'fess up about what's going on. But we don't see any for quite a while. And then they're just bad guys in funny clothes. They also drive a truck and use a cell phone, which isn't what I was expecting from a book with "Amish" in the title. Of course, if you can accept that they're vampires, trucks and phones shouldn't be such a stretch. Additionally, though, I kept wondering where the father and uncle, having been brought up in an Amish world, got their knowledge of fighting, since the Amish are said to follow a policy of non-resistance to conflict.
The Amish world-building was on the weak side for me."
Excerpt from Original Content
The Amish world-building was on the weak side for me."
Excerpt from Original Content
March 29, 2015
It sounds like it would be awesome, Buffy meets the Amish. Amish vampires in general would be prime specimens considering they are already extremely strong, vampire strength would be spectacular in them. I was sadly disappointed. The book is entertaining, but almost a complete knock off of Buffy. Buffy is even referenced in the book. I am not an expert on Amish, far from it, but I have lived near a community and interacted enough to know little mannerisms, this book has like no Amish presence at all except for the way the Amish vampires dress. Obviously, Jael and her parents have left the community and don't have to live the lifestyle but they don't even act as if they were previously Amish. Which is why it is a big surprise that she comes from an Amish line of slayers. In theory, Buffy vs. Amish Vamps is a great idea it is poorly executed in this book.
December 2, 2016
Well....how could I resist snagging this book for free when I had the chance? Boy oh boy am I glad I did!!!
Let me state quite boldly here, I do NOT read very many YA books, this one I had heard a lot about and I was intrigued. I was definitely not disappointed!!
Loved the story, characters, the fact that this author took a small verse from the Old Testament and spun it into an memorable story full of AV's (read the book to figure it out.), God and the love of family.
Jael is one of the Chosen, known by being born with a sixth toe to signal when danger was near. Book one is about how she is trained as well as the usual struggles of being a teenager all while being loved by her family....just read this book!! You will be entertained!
Let me state quite boldly here, I do NOT read very many YA books, this one I had heard a lot about and I was intrigued. I was definitely not disappointed!!
Loved the story, characters, the fact that this author took a small verse from the Old Testament and spun it into an memorable story full of AV's (read the book to figure it out.), God and the love of family.
Jael is one of the Chosen, known by being born with a sixth toe to signal when danger was near. Book one is about how she is trained as well as the usual struggles of being a teenager all while being loved by her family....just read this book!! You will be entertained!
August 2, 2014
I was excited by the idea of mashing up Amish living with vampires. I should have realized it would not be what I had hoped for. It was pretty tame as books go. Silly characters that you cannot relate to and definitely feel no pull to either really like or really hate them. I was saddened by that - I mean who doesn't love a horrible evil character to hate and loathe? Jael (the main character) could have been better developed I feel. She lacked depth in my opinion. Perhaps all of my issues with this tale which was rather predictable will be eliminated in book 2 but I am truly unsure if I will continue on in this series.
January 11, 2015
I can't help myself but almost at every turn of the Page I the think Buffy the Vampire slayer and Characters from the Twighlight saga with a touch of Scooby Doo!!! After reading book one the only originality I can find is that it is based on and around the Amish. Having said that..... I just started reading part 2 and will read part 3. Because dispite all of the above I am enjoying the story immensely....and that's why I have given it 4 stars
December 12, 2014
With such a bizarre concept, I was hoping this might be funny tongue-in-cheek. It did have a sense of humor, but it was not the satire I was hoping for. I gave it three stars for solid writing, standard plot and character elements. It didn't grab me, though, in the first two chapters, so I've moved on to books that do.
December 6, 2014
The story is good, but the characters feel extremely under-developed and I feel it lacks a real plot. To be completely honest, it actually feels like a bad Buffy fanfic with all the names and places changed. It could have been so much better if it wasn't trying so hard to be Buffy, but that's just my opinion...
March 8, 2017
Such a fun book. Refreshing to read about killing vampires rather than making out with them - and not too gory either. A YA book I could recommend without hesitation. I am excited to read the next one.
November 21, 2014
Am a teen you likes good books
I read a lot but not many books are good this one was good she should have not end the book the way she did but if you are a teen that just can't find the best books read this one
I read a lot but not many books are good this one was good she should have not end the book the way she did but if you are a teen that just can't find the best books read this one
August 26, 2014
AV
AV
More than the cover, which didn't do much for me.. the description was good. This was a fresh perspective on a vampire.
AV
More than the cover, which didn't do much for me.. the description was good. This was a fresh perspective on a vampire.
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