The truth may set you free—but it might also land you in some uncomfortably hot water.
Over the years, Micah Knight has exchanged many letters—and many secrets—with her longtime Amish pen pal, Zach. But Micah's kept quiet on the biggest secret of all—the fact that despite her name, she's a girl.
Now Micah finally has the chance to meet her pen pal face-to-face. She wants nothing more than to experience life on Zach's Amish farm, but she's more than a little anxious. Will he be angry at her for deceiving him all these years? And will she risk losing his friendship to find something more?
Trading Secrets is a pretty unique entry in the YA scene, combining teen drama with the Amish lifestyle. Micah's trip to "Amishland" (as her best friend calls it) provides some humorous and touching moments, but I thought the book really took off upon Micah's return home. Zach's confusion about his own future as he contemplated leaving the Amish seemed especially realistic to me, and I appreciated that author Melody Carlson didn't romanticize the Amish life, but she didn't condemn it, either.
A few things did stretch credulity, such as the events surrounding Micah's arrival at the farm and Zach's education. I also wondered what parent would allow his daughter to board a bus and travel alone to stay with a male pen pal—even an Amish one.
Those criticisms aside, Trading Secrets is an enjoyable and clean YA novel, and I think many teen girls will really like it. 3 stars.
Buy the book.
Read my review of Carlson's Shattered.
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than two hundred books, including the Dating Games series, the Life at Kingston High series, Double Take, A Simple Song, and My Amish Boyfriend. She has received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for her many books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series and Finding Alice. Melody and her husband live in Oregon. Learn more at www.melodycarlson.com.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell through the Revell Reads program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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