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Home by Eleni McKnight!
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Knowledge is a dangerous commodity in the Home commune, the last beacon of civilization against the fallen outside world. As Suzannah Commons begins to secretly read forbidden books, she jeopardizes her future for the forbidden love of the boy who supplies her new, dangerous habit, Silas Maars, and his family. Will her new-found knowledge be her destruction?
Suzannah is in training with the rest of the unmarried teenage girls in the Handmaiden House and Home’s laundry to become a bride when she accidentally comes upon a naked boy in one of the family quarters, Silas Maars. To see a naked man before marriage is an unforgivable sin in Home and a challenge to her precious status as a virgin, her only aspect of worth. This compromise to her purity would earn her an automatic exile in the Hard Labor Camp, a death sentence until the commune leader, Parson, sentences her to the punishment of serving Silas and his unusual family as a housekeeper. As she works for the Maars family and is isolated from the rest of the commune’s population, she discovers the frightening, threatening outside world is not as dangerous as she has been led to believe. The Maars family reveals to her that Deacon controls the population of Home by keeping them all ignorant, denying them education and books so he can teach his own twisted, corrupt, self-serving version of religion from the pulpit. As she learns the truth and begins to fall into a star-crossed love with Silas, her fate as a childbride to one of the lecherous Elders or a worker in the hard labor camp is drawing nigh.
Published: WordCrafts Press, LLC.
Publication Date: November 22, 2016
Available for Purchase:
AMAZON
I sat up and spotted something else. More stars hanging over a large, long desk. Is this more medicine? Did they leave a second package? I pulled the fabric out and beneath it was a light-colored box. It was more medicine. I was sure of it. Feeling proud to have discovered this second package, I decided to open it.
My eyes flew open wide. Instead of medicine there were more of those beautiful heart-shaped cookies. I picked one up. It felt soft and fresh. I broke it apart and popped a piece into my mouth. I literally melted in my mouth, the sweet taste making me feel like I was floating. I moaned softly.
“Suzannah? Where are you?”
“Here,” I answered.
Silas appeared in the empty doorway. “Did you find something?”
“Yes,” I said, holding out the box for him to see.
“And you’re planning on keeping them all for yourself?” Silas asked. I saw him grin in the moonlight.
“Maybe,” I grinned back. “I just ate one.”
“I won’t tell if you won’t,” Silas said, “But you have to give me one.”
“Here,” I reached the box toward him, but he didn’t take it.
“Put it in my mouth for me,” he said. “My hands are dirty.”
“And mine aren’t?”
He opened his mouth and I realized he was serious. This was not like when Morris commanded me to feed him. This was something…different. This was…exciting. I broke off a piece of the pastry, and held it out to him, placing it on his tongue. His lips closed around my fingers. I jumped back and pulled my hand away. It felt like lightning had shot through my fingers, up my arm and straight down into my abdomen, setting my nerves on fire. I tingled from head to toe.
“Silas!” I giggled. “You can’t do that.”
But why can’t he do that? I liked it. I liked the feeling of his lips on my skin. Was this what a kiss felt like? Kissing was forbidden except for married people. I imagined Silas kissing me and a fire exploded in the base of my stomach, an unfamiliar and exciting feeling that made my heart race. I realized I wanted him to kiss me; to kiss me full on the mouth.
***My Personal Review***
I loved the movie the Handmaiden's Tale and this book kind of reminded me of that because it is about a new settlement where there is a Supreme Being and everyone must be completely pure. A little twist in there is the zombie apocalypse happening right outside their walls, which was unexpected. One day Suzannah, the main character, accidentally stumbles upon a naked boy getting out of the shower - a complete mistake as he was not supposed to be there - but it doesn't matter to the Elders. They punish Suzannah for several days to force her to regain her purity. Although she repents and feels regret for what happened, she is forgiven by the boy she saw and a few others ... however most people see her as an impure "whore" now like one of the workers. But the good Dr Maars and his wife Goody Maars are happy to take her in and show her the ropes. But then Suzannah starts to find out more about the women and what they have been and done in the past. She begins to see that there just might be more out there than what she has and now has to decide whether to live her life as is or start fighting back. And how she can get out with the undead scratching at their very walls that protect them. I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a great read, something that is a new concept and was interesting to see how it all turned out. Very much recommend this! Definitely give it 5 stars!
Eleni McKnight is a Murfreesboro, Tennessee native and graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a degree in Theatre with an emphasis in Literature. This left her with a wild passion for creating costumes and doing make-up in her freetime, along with her intense passion for reading from her childhood. She started writing at age eight when she had read all the Baby-Sitter's Club books she had brought along for a road trip at age nine, and wanted something new to read. It's never quite left her over the years.
These days, you can usually find her working backstage or costuming in local community theatres, reading a book, walking/exercising, at a concert, drinking a craft beer with friends, knitting, embroidering, or taking a dance class.
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