County Teens

The Shakeress by Kimberley Heuston has both an interesting plot and characters you can relate to. This story would definitely appeal to anyone who has ever wondered how other teens see God, or what life was like for a young woman in the society of 1800’s America.

The basic plot — Naomi’s parents and youngest brother die in a fire and, after a stint with unwelcoming relatives, she and her remaining three siblings end up in a Shaker community. After four years there, Naomi decides it’s time to leave, and heads to Vermont to start a medical practice. There she meets and falls in love with a nice young man. The conclusion, however, is not what you might expect as Naomi undergoes a transformation of faith near the end of the story.

I really loved the way that Naomi had to use her own faith in God to make her way through the tough decisions she needed to make. It shows the reader an interesting perspective on how one young woman tries to live her life under God the best way she knows how. She has to try a few different approaches, but ultimately she finds her path.

This book could easily have been preachy, but it wasn’t. The plot and narrative is such that you can read the book and appreciate the action. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is still an interesting and enjoyable read.

Alice’s family is religious. As in, no TV, no dancing, no buying groceries at full price because it’s a sin, religious. They’re part of a harsh, judgemental church that believes all illness is possession and that no one is good enough.  When Alice starts to hear voices – scary voices – that tell her that people are following her and watching her – she knows the church won’t help. But when they find out anyway, they accuse her of being infested with demons. She runs away but not before being institutionalized in a place where she thinks they drug her, follow her and posion her. She escapes and finds herself in the streets. Can she find safety and a forgiving God before it’s too late?