A Simply Enchanted Life

The Reckoning by Beverly Lewis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


‘The Reckoning’ concludes The Heritage of Lancaster County Trilogy, following ‘The Shunning’ and ‘The Confession’. I was very pleased with how this series was wrapped up after my slight disappointment in Katherine in book two. I wasn't disappointed in the writing but in the character herself as I tend to develop a relationship with the books I lose myself in.


‘The Reckoning’ starts out with a look into Katherine's life as the Mistress of the Mayfield Manor and her continual struggle to fit in, even in the society she thought she so wanted. There's just something missing in life for Miss Katherine and she has yet to put her finger on what that is. Partly due to Daniel, her old love that she had thought was dead, has shown back up in her life, claiming he is still in love with her and always has been. However, Katherine has herself a new beau, the aristocratic artist named Justin Wirth. Katherine's romance with Justin was frustrating for me to read. I didn't trust him or his intentions and I felt that he didn't have Katherine's best interests in his heart.

Meanwhile, life in Hickory Hollow, Katherine's old Amish community,has continued to go on. Mary's romance with the Bishop has blossomed and she has settled in as his wife and a mama to his children. Rebecca seems to slowly be recovering from the immense loss she endured with losing Katie to the English world. Annie is coming to terms with her brother Daniel's betrayal and sadness over his shunning. Ella Mae, perhaps my favorite character in this book, has suffered a stroke and is nearing the end of her life. It is Ella who holds the key to Katherine's salvation and in finding her true purpose in life. Not as the fancy and worldly "Katherine" but as the sweet and humble "Katie Girl".

I was thrilled with the conclusion to this story. I just never saw Katie returning completely to her Amish roots, I was actually happy that she didn't. But I also am glad that she didn't choose to stay and live out her life as an extravagant rich lady. I would have never been able to accept her as anything else but "Plain". It was truly the best compromise for her. A fantastic series and I look forward to reading more by Beverly Lewis.


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The Confession by Beverly Lewis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



‘The Confession’ is book two in the The Heritage of Lancaster County trilogy by Beverly Lewis. In The Shunning we met Katie Lapp, 22 year old Amish girl who feels as if she doesn't fit in. Upon learning that she was adopted she is less content to continue living her plain life. She ends up leaving the Amish Bishop at the altar, an act that ultimately leads to her shunning.

In ‘The Confession’ we see Katie, who now calls herself Katherine as she tries to find her birth mother and embraces the English way of life. I'm going to admit, I was fairly frustrated with "Katherine" in this book. She was all too willing to completely forget a mother and father who loved and raised her in her desperate attempt to find the woman who gave her up at birth. It's nice that her mother turned out to be a decent lady but I was very frustrated, nonetheless that Rebecca Lapp, the adoptive mother, has been cast aside with certain ingratitude.

Overall I did enjoy the book. I am enjoying seeing a side to Amish culture that many other fiction writers of the genre will steer clear of. By learning more about their belief system and culture, I feel as if I have a better insight into their personal lives and their faith. She's very accurate in her descriptions which I find fascinating. For example, I found it interesting to learn that the Amish Ladies of Lancaster County do not use buttons. Why I find this fascinating is beyond me, but for the reader who enjoys learning authentic facts about the Amish and Mennonite, Beverly Lewis does an exceptionally accurate account of their culture, lifestyles and beliefs. I'm giving this book 4 of 5 stars simply because of the frustration I felt with "Katherine" and her obvious disregard for her adoptive mother. I sincerely hope that this issue resolves itself satisfactorily in the third book, ‘The Reckoning’.



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The Shunning by Beverly Lewis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



‘The Shunning’ is book one in The Heritage of Lancaster County
trilogy by Beverly Lewis and is inspired by the true story of the
Author's grandmother who left her plain community.

Katie Lapp is a 22 year old Amish girl who has lost her first love,
Daniel, in a tragic boating accident. Katie doesn't fit in; she's
unhappy with her plain life and feels drawn to a "fancy" way of life.
However, she's already made her vows to the faith and is set to marry
the local widowed bishop and become a mama to his children, more-so
out of duty to being an upstanding member of her society instead of
marrying for love. She feels trapped but is determined to go through
with things and become a good Amish woman.

When Katie finds a satin baby garment in the attic she begins to
question herself about her love for fancy things and her love for
music. This puts her in a bad place with her parents, and with the
bishop she is set to marry. Eventually her rebellion leads to her
shunning. The shunning is a practice that is observed by Old Order
Amish and some Mennonite churches. In a society that is very social,
the shunning is particularly painful for the individuals who must
endure it. The entire community is forbidden to speak to or have any
contact with the Shunned. The Amish call the act of shunning- Meidung,
which translates from German, avoidance.

The book wraps up with Katie leaving her plain community and leaves us
with a surprising cliffhanger which I am sure will be explored in the
next installment, The Confession. Unlike other authors, who shy from
addressing issues of shunning or religious practices of the Amish,
Beverly Lewis writes about these issues and gives a realistic view of
what the Amish believe and not just a look at their lifestyle.



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