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Customer Reviews for Thomas Nelson A Summer Secret - eBook
Thomas Nelson A Summer Secret - eBook
Sharing a house with six high-spirited brothers isn't easy for soon-to-be eighth-grader Mary Beth Mullet. Looking for some much-needed peace and quiet, she escapes to a neighbor's abandoned barn---but finds more than she bargained for. Someone is living there---somebody who needs help. What should Mary Beth do? Ages 8 to 12.
Average Customer Rating:
(24 Reviews) 24
Rating Snapshot (24 reviews)
5 stars
11
4 stars
12
3 stars
0
2 stars
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3 out of 3100%customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for A Summer Secret - eBook
Review 1 for A Summer Secret - eBook
Overall Rating:
WONDERFUL!!!!
Date:April 25, 2011
Bucky Beavers
Location:WV
Age:Under 18
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
LOVE, LOVE, this book!!! I read it once and then over again! I totally love it! If u like Amish books I think u should get this one. :)
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Review 2 for A Summer Secret - eBook
Overall Rating:
My 10 y.o. daughter inhaled this title & book two
Date:April 7, 2011
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
This Amish title is intended for the Y.A. audience; however, my 10 y.o. daughter inhaled this book and book two. Here's what she says: A Summer Secret is about Mary Beth Mullet, a 13 y.o. with a twin brother and two younger brothers. Mary Beth had a special place in an old barn she was forbidden to go to by her parents. This barn has holes and rotting wood and is just a mess, but it's the only place Mary Beth can have time by herself. One day when she goes into her special place, she sees that one of the corners of her journal is dog-eared. She gets suspicious that one of her brothers has been reading it. A Summer Secret is very detailed. It goes back and forth between Mary Beth's perspective and the mystery person's perspective. There's a little mystery that Mary Beth has to solve. The person looks horrible but won't tell Mary Beth anything. I enjoyed this book very much and will read more by this author.
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Review 3 for A Summer Secret - eBook
Overall Rating:
Awesome!
Date:February 4, 2011
AbbyJoy13
Location:Arkansas
Age:Under 18
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
I loved this book!!!!!!!
I am 13 years old,and I really enjoy reading Kathleen Fuller's books!!!!!!
I am 13 years old,and I really enjoy reading Kathleen Fuller's books!!!!!!
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Review 4 for A Summer Secret - eBook
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Date:August 27, 2010
First of all this is not targeted as an adult book but I enjoyed it. I do not understand some of the criticisms. This is a work of fiction; a story. It is not saying that all foster home are bad; just this one. The truth of the matter is that many foster homes are bad and they are only in it for the money. That is not the point here though. This is just a work of fiction targeted at "tweens". It somewhat reminds me of the old Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys mysteries. The person who commented that she had 5 younger brothers is wrong. She had a twin brother and 3 younger brothers (including the baby). Anyway, to the person who felt it was teaching children to be disobedient to parents I again say this is a work of fiction. It is not a book on instruction for raising children. We are all born with the same human nature and yes, Amish children disobey their parents too. This book does teach lessons on what happens when children go off on their own to try to fix things. Lighten up people. I think it was a good book and did exactly what the author intended; provide an entertaining work of fiction.
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Review 5 for A Summer Secret - eBook
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Date:August 18, 2010
This book was really written for younger people than myself however I enjoy reading about the Amish and that is the reason I purchased the book. It tells about the generosity of the Amish and how they are so willing to share whatever they have with the less fortunate. Also how much the young people care about others as well as what they may do or not do to disappoint their parents. I just admire the Amish so much because of the respect the young people show their elders and how very important all of the family are to each other. Something we all can learn from. I love shopping on CBD!!!
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Review 6 for A Summer Secret - eBook
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Date:July 27, 2010
Book Lover
The Mysteries of Middlefield- Book 1A Summer Secret By Kathleen FullerThis book intrigued me, because I know the area that it is set in. Mary Beth and Johnny are the main characters, a 13- year-old Amish girl and her twin brother. Young Mary Beth found an old, abandoned barn to be her refuge- but she couldnt let her parents know about it, because it wasnt considered to be safe. Then one day, she realizes that she isnt the only one who uses the barn- but who is this mysterious person? Will she ever find out? And is it her brother Johnny who is reading her secret diary? Or is it the stranger? Over all, I would recommend this book, especially for preteens. It gives a picture into the lives and culture of an Amish family without being overly dramatized and sensationalized. It teaches values that are useful for anyone, not just the Amish. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255.
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Review 7 for A Summer Secret - eBook
Overall Rating:
Date:July 27, 2010
This story is about Mary Beth who lives with her family in an Amish community. Mary Beth is somewhat of a free spirit. She likes to mysteries and solving them. Adventure is her game. She wants to do right and please her parents, but her adventurous spirit sometimes gets in the way.What we liked about this book was the suspense the author keeps the reader in.What we didn't like was that it had to end.The author had our attention all through the book. It was well thought out and plotted. Thumbs up for Mysteries of Middlefield book #1: A Summer Secret.A copy of this book was provided by by Thomas Nelson Publishing company for this review.
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Review 8 for A Summer Secret - eBook
Overall Rating:
Date:July 20, 2010
Debbie Epperson
Sharing a house with six high-spirited brothers isn't easy for soon-to-be eighth-grader Mary Beth Mullet. Looking for some much-needed peace and quiet, she escapes to a neighbor's abandoned barn---but finds more than she bargained for. Someone is living there---somebody who needs help. What should Mary Beth do? I have read a lot of Amish books for Adults. This one is the first one I have read that is for teens. It was a GREAT book by Kathleen Fuller. She is one of the best Amish writers around. Mary Beth is so frustrated having all brothers around her, that she finds a secret hiding place which she thought was only hers, until she notices things go missing. Then, she discovers that she is not alone. When she discovers who is invading her space, she becomes a very caring person. I believe anyone from age 10 and up would enjoy it.
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Review 9 for A Summer Secret - eBook
Overall Rating:
Date:July 11, 2010
LYnn Hughes
Kathleen Fuller doesn't disappoint her readers. "A Summer Secret" gets your attention from the very beginning.This would be a great book for both the younger set as well as us older folks. Young Mary Beth has all she can handle at home. You see she is the only girl with 6 brothers and another baby on the way. She has found somewhere to go and be by herself only to find that someone else has the same idea. She and her twin befriend this person. They minister to him with kindness, love, food, clean clothes and friendship.They tell him that God loves and cares what happens to him.There are several turns and twists that keep you interested until the end. You don't know what will happen next. I personally won't give away the rest of the story. You will have to read it yourself. I can't wait until the next book comes out. Have a great time reading about the Amish in true to life situations.
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Review 10 for A Summer Secret - eBook
Overall Rating:
Date:June 16, 2010
A Summer Secret, written by Kathleen Fuller, is set in Amish Country, in Middlefield , Ohio. Mary Beth is Amish, as are her family, friends and those in the surrounding community. The Amish are Christians and believe in Gods word. Because she is the only girl who has three brothers, Mary Beth craves privacy. She finds some in an abandoned barn, close to the familys property. However, her father has forbidden her to enter the barn; he says the barns not safe as its about to fall down. She doesnt want to disobey her father, but the need to be by herself is so great at times she sneaks out to the barn anyway. To make herself comfortable, she has taken a blanket from the house, and occasionally she sneaks out some food to eat. She also has two pads of paper in her secret hideout that she uses for both sketching and as a diary. She has never shared her drawings with anyone and she considers the things she writes in her diary to be extremely private and personal.When she discovers that someone has been reading her diary and eating her snacks, she first suspects her brother. Johnny followed her and now knows the secret of her hideout, but he says he didnt eat her food. The two of them learn that someone else is using the barn as a hide-out. They must then decide whether to keep it a secret or ask others for help. What I Like: This is a modern-day story about people in the Amish community. Their life-style is much different from that of most of us, so its good for kids (and adults!) to learn about how other people live. A Glossary of Amish Terms is included in the beginning of the book, defining some words that are used throughout the text.Also, this story teaches good lessons about the problem of disobeying parents and about honesty.What I Dislike: Nothing.Christian Children's Book Review
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Review 11 for A Summer Secret - eBook
Overall Rating:
Date:June 16, 2010
Kim
Every girl needs a secret hideaway, and Mary Beth is no different, especially since she shares her home with three brothers. In an effort to get away from their boyish pranks and irresponsibility, she is thrilled when she finds a place to hide from all the chaos: an abandoned bard in the field neighboring her family's home. It is dilapidated, not to mention her parents have forbidden her to go there, but she can't resist having a place to be alone.She thinks the barn is her secret, until she starts finding clues that someone else has been there. She knows her secret is no longer safe and solving the mystery leads to something very unexpected.While this book was written for a younger audience, I still enjoyed reading it. I have always been drawn to the Amish genre, so I truly expected to like this book. I did find that it didn't seem to explore the Amish way of life as much as some of the books I have read, though some of their customs were explained in simple ways. There were some good lessons taught in this book dealing with obeying, honesty, and caring for your fellow man. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys this genre of book.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255
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Review 12 for A Summer Secret - eBook
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Date:June 10, 2010
sandra
A Summer Secret by Kathleen Fuller is book one in the "Mysteries of Middlefield" series. The book takes place in an Amish community. The main characters are thirteen year old twins, Johnny and Mary Beth Mullet. Mary Beth is looking for some privacy away from her "annoying" brothers, and ends up spending time in an abandoned barn that her parents had told her to stay away from. As the story unfolds, Mary Beth realizes that she is not the only one that is spending time in the old barn. She and Johnny discover that a teenage boy, Sawyer, has made his temporary home in the barn. They learn that Sawyer is a run-away "yankee" who has experienced much pain and sadness in his life. The twins try to befriend Sawyer and help him out. After several months of keeping their friendship with Sawyer a secret from their parents, something terrible happens and their secret is out. What will happen to Johnny and Mary Beth when their parents find out that they have been keeping a secret from them all this time? And more importantly, what will become of Sawyer now that he's been found out? I don't usually read young adult fiction, but I did enjoy this book. The author keeps the story interesting and "real". The only thing that I didn't particularly care for was that central to the story-line was the disobedience and deceitfulness of the children. Although, in the end the author did try to point out the importance of obedience and truthfulness, I felt like the story almost condoned these actions for the good that came out of it. All in all, though, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it. Would make a great way to open up the topic of obedience and truthfulness with our children! This book was provided to me at no cost from Thomas Nelson publishers in exchange for my personal review.
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Review 13 for A Summer Secret - eBook
Overall Rating:
Date:May 31, 2010
Danielle Decker
A Summer Secret by Kathleen Fuller is a great book for young readers. This is a mystery that is set in Middlefield Amish country. The main character of the story is a 13 year old girl named Mary Beth Mullet. She is the oldest of 4 children, the rest all boys. She years for freedom from taking care of all her responsibilities and privacy from her brothers. I really like that the book was Christian based, but as a Christian parent, could actually wish for stronger points to be made about the love of God. It was not the theme through the book. I would like to see Christian books for young readers that focus on God, not just a story line. I did like that the book seemed to be written true to the Middlefield Amish nature and from what I read and researched myself afterwards portrayed Amish life to be a realistic novel. I am not an expert on the Amish, so I can not say that for sure. The book was written well enough and I enjoyed the story enough that I want to read the second book to this mystery series. This will also be a book that I leave on my homeschooling shelf for my children to read when they are older. The views in this book review are my own and not influenced by anybody or anything. I did receive this book for free from BookSneeze.com and was provided by Thomas Nelson books but I am not obligated to review this book in any positive or negative light, only my own opinion. I am not being compensated for my book review at all besides being able to keep this book.
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Review 14 for A Summer Secret - eBook
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Date:May 26, 2010
cleffairy
Thomas Nelson Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book as part of their bloggers book review program.A Summer Secret was written about a young girl named Mary Beth who has a twin bother and five younger brothers. As most older sisters, she has her fair share of responsibilities, chores and babysitting.It seems like a huge burden to carry but with finances a problem, everyone in Mary Beth's family do their fair share of work. Mary Beth gets tired of the boys being disgusting and obnoxious, making messes, invading her private space and their constant irresponsibility. Tired of all the nonsense, Mary Beth seeks to find a place of her own. A place for privacy where she can record in her journal and have some serenity. She decides to find a refuge in an old abandoned barn in a neighbouring field which her parents have declared off limits. But then again, she desperately needs a place to call her own. It will be her secret.There is only one problem. She is not the only person who is claiming the barn as their own. Her secret has been discovered and now she may be in grave danger.From a reader and an author's point of view, I think the storyline does not progress fast enough for the reader to get excited with the book. I nearly put the book down after a few chapters, and the so-called mystery in the book, is not quite a mystery after all. It's rather predictable for me, and I wouldn't really suggest the book to young readers. It will make the targeted audience scream with dissatisfaction, as the book is rather preachy and too wordy. The characters are not quite dynamic, and it's quite a bore.I would definitely not recommend this book to young readers.This book makes me think of Rapunzel all locked up in the tower by the evil godmother. This book, is trying to somewhat justify the godmother's action.
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Review 15 for A Summer Secret - eBook
Overall Rating:
Date:May 24, 2010
I recently received a free book from Thomas Nelson publishers, in exchange for writing a review. The name of the book is 'A Summer Secret' by Kathleen Fuller, and it is book 1 in The Mysteries of Middlefield series. Thirteen-year-old Mary Beth is overwhelmed with all her brothers and chores in her Amish family. She finds refuge in an old, abandoned barn that she has been forbidden by her parents to go into. She enjoys her quiet journal and drawing time here, without being bugged by her pesky brothers. She soon discovers someone else is also using her special place, and sets out to figure out this mystery. I enjoyed the book, although it was meant for a younger audience such as tweens/teens, who could really relate to Mary Beth. I particularly enjoy Amish fiction, and this one was right up there with others I've read that have done well at giving a true look into this lifestyle. The characters were lively, and I really felt like I knew them. The only disappointment with this book was that it wasn't very suspenseful-I could guess what the ending would be. It was still a good, light read.
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Review 16 for A Summer Secret - eBook
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Date:May 24, 2010
I LOVE Amish books and this series is going to be great if they are all like book 1! A Summer Secret is a juvenile book in the age range of ages 8-12. Froggi asked if she could read it and I think she will really enjoy it, so hopefully this summer she will pick it up and read it. This book is a easy book to read for the age group it is set in, and I think they will enjoy it. Are you looking for a good christian series for your young girls to start reading and maybe collecting the whole series of books this would be a great series to collect and read. You won't go wrong with The Mysteries of Middlefield series, even you'll enjoy the books.thank you thomas nelson for allowing me to review this book
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Review 17 for A Summer Secret - eBook
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Date:May 23, 2010
Sandy
I recently received "A Summer Secret" by Kathleen Fuller from BookSneeze. While it is a juvenile fiction book (and I, unfortunately, stopped being a juvenile a long time ago!), I enjoyed reading this book. It shares the story of Mary Beth, an Amish girl from Ohio who experiences the joys and frustrations of being the oldest - and only - girl in a household of boys. Mary Beth has an overwhelming need to be alone without being disturbed by her family. She disobeys her parents and meets a stranger. This stranger teaches her lessons about being grateful for what she has. "A Summer Secret" did a wonderful job of making the characters human and it would be appealing to either a teen boy or girl. My only disappointment with this book is the portrayal of the foster care system. I've been a foster mother for 24 years. There are people who do foster care for the wrong reasons and who do not care for the children placed in their homes. However, my family does foster care as a ministry and sacrifices time, funds and energy to ensure the children placed in our care are treated like our own children. It would be a refreshing change to see the foster care system portrayed in a positive light! That being said, it was an excellent book that gave interesting insight to the Amish lifestyle.I received this book from Thomas Nelson as a part of the bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in compliance with the Federal Trade Commision's guidelines.
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Review 18 for A Summer Secret - eBook
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Date:May 21, 2010
A thirteen-year-old Amish girl finds solace in an abandoned barnone she was forbidden to go to. When someone seems to be tampering with the things she leaves there, she finds more trouble than that which her three brothers create at home. But her summer secret might just bring some positive changes to her life.A Summer Secret is an enjoyable summer read! I think children around middle-school age might especially enjoy it, although some might find it a bit long unless theyre avid readers. But even though Im older than the target age, I was still intrigued by the story, even if some parts werent as exciting to read.At first, the fact that the main mystery was a secret that the protagonist kept from others (except for her twin brother) worried me. But never fear! As long as this book is read through to the end, good moral lessons will be found. I appreciated the way the story turned out, and overall I think the target age will have found a series to follow!*Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!*
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Review 19 for A Summer Secret - eBook
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Date:May 20, 2010
Martha
This is the first book of new series Mysteries of Middlefield, written by Kathleen Fuller, an author of Amish novels. With more of a young adult approach here, Fuller does well in appealing to both young people - girls and boys - and adults who want to lose themselves in a tale of a simpler way of life. Female readers in particular can identify with the plight of Mary Beth, 13, as she seeks her own special place away from the demands of chores and family responsibility. Yet Mary Beth's chosen place is an old barn that she has forbidden to go to. She is startled to find someone else has been visiting - her first clue is a button she finds lying in the hay, which, as she notes, is not used by the Amish (they use pins to fashion their clothes). It's details like these that will help captivate readers of any age as they learn about another culture. Whether or not you are currently a fan of Amish literature, you may be surprised to find out how much you enjoy the book. My only criticism is that the mystery itself was not very suspenseful - but I enjoyed the book's attention to detail and cultural insight so much that I hardly cared. Good, clean fun for all ages!Just a note: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson publishers in exchange for an honest review, and I was not required to write a positive review.
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Review 20 for A Summer Secret - eBook
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Date:May 18, 2010
This is the first book that I have read by Kathleen Fuller. I love children's books but haven't read juvenile fiction simply because I teach younger children. I chose this book because of the mystery and the cover was very appealing. This is one of the best and well written books that I have read. Mary Beth is a thirteen year old Amish girl with three energetic brothers. Being a young teenager with growing pains is part of Mary Beth's story. Mary Beth has a sweet, loving spirit and wants to be obedient to her parents but she also wants to help a runaway boy find his way which sometimes goes against her parents rules. An excellent book on obeying because our parents know what is best for us. This was an exciting story that has twists and turns and learning about the Amish way of life. An excellent book for tweens, teens and adults, too! A definite 5 star read! Looking forward to Book 2 in the Middlefield Series, The Secrets Beneath. Coming this fall!*I reviewed this book for Thomas Nelson Publishing (BookSneeze)*
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