Gaslight by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and Sara Shepard

(Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

Stories about cults are fascinating. The psychology behind these horrifying sects that brainwash people is both terrifying and captivating to read about. So, of course I was interested in getting my hands on a copy of Gaslight by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and Sara Shepard. How could I not be? Especially when I saw the book's cover. Oh, my! I loved the pink and black. And those characters - that head! Talk about making a bold statement with that cover! Love it! Plus, a friend of mine loves the Pretty Little Liars series, which Shepard wrote, so I knew that I would be in for a treat with this book. As for the story itself, here's what it's about: (summary from Goodreads)

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Sara Shepard and Sundance Award-winning filmmaker and podcast creator Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Gaslight is a tense thriller that dredges the inner workings of cults, the susceptibility of young minds, and the fragility of both friendship and marriage.

Rebecca is living a peaceful life in Nevada with her husband, Tom, and their two young children. Her past is in the past and she does a good job of keeping it there, until her old friend, Danny, shows up on the doorstep one morning, throwing her sweet family life into turmoil. Danny is nothing but a reminder of what Rebecca fled all those years ago, and all the secrets she’s keeping from Tom. She tries her hardest to manage the situation and figure out what Danny wants, but all Rebecca seems to find are layers upon layers of deception.

That deception has a lot to do with ISB, the cult Danny has been part of for ten years; a group of spiritual seekers living deep in the woods, cut off from their families and friends, led by a charismatic leader who’s a master at manipulation and mind control. Is Danny here because she’s trying to break free from the cult? Or is she on a recruiting mission? It’s hard for Rebecca to know when Danny’s telling the truth and when she’s lying, but one thing’s for her presence might just blow up Rebecca’s life. As she scrambles to figure out Danny’s intentions, Rebecca begins to lose sight of the people she loves most—and the danger closing in on them all.

What do you think? Sounds great, right? I know that I wanted to find out what Danny was really up to and whether or not Rebecca would survive her past. Plus, I knew that we'd delve into Rebecca's life with the cult, ISB. I wanted to find out how she was able to escape ISB and start over. I wanted to know if Danny would disrupt and ruin Rebecca's new life. I wanted to find out what would happen to them in the end. Yep, I was hooked right from that book's cover - who wouldn't be, right? And let me just, whoa! What a story! It was riveting right from the start. I could not, would not put the book down for anything! I had to keep reading. I had to know what would happen next. I even found myself thinking about the book's title, the image on the cover, and the way the story played out long after I put the book down. Gaslight is just a great story. 

I would happily recommend Gaslight to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - you won't want to miss out on this one! Make sure to grab a copy ASAP! 

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book!

Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult: A Memoir by Michelle Dowd

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

A moving, heartbreaking, and inspiring true story of the author’s escape from an apocalyptic cult—and the deep understanding of the natural world that helped her find freedom. 
 
My family prepared me for the end of the world, but I know how to survive on what the earth yields. 
 
Michelle Dowd grew up on a mountain in the Angeles National Forest, born into an ultra-religious cult—the Field, as members called it—run by her grandfather, who believed that his chosen followers must prepare themselves to survive doomsday. Bound by the group’s patriarchal rules and literal interpretation of the Bible, Michelle and her siblings lived a life of deprivation, isolated from Outsiders and starved for both love and food. She was forced to learn the skills necessary to battle hunger, thirst, and cold; she learned to trust animals more than humans; and most important, she learned how to survive by foraging for what she needed. And as Michelle got older, she realized she had the strength to break free. Focus on what will sustain, not satiate you, she would tell herself. Use everything. Waste nothing. Get to know the intricacies of the land like the intricacies of your body. And so she did.

With haunting and stark language, and illustrations of edible plants and their uses opening each chapter, Forager is a fierce and empowering coming-of-age story and a timely meditation on the ways in which harnessing nature’s gifts can lead to our freedom.

my thoughts:

Wow! What a fascinating read. Michelle Dowd's memoir about growing up in The Field doomsday cult is personal, eye-opening, and thoughtful. She starts each chapter with an edible plant and how to use it, which related to the education she received from The Field. Nature was integral to her survival within the cult and as a means for her to find the courage to leave it. Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult is a slow-burn chock full of memories about Michelle's relationship with her mother, the lack of love she was shown, the lessons she received on how to be a survivalist, and the various abuses she endured. It is an emotional and introspective book. 

I found myself caught up in Michelle's recollections and thinking about her life and how young she was at the time.  Her life was so cut off from the rest of the world and the loneliness she must have felt, especially when she began questioning it all. And, the way nature impacted her life - learning to live off the land, the dangers and beauties of nature, and the vastness of it all. She's a strong woman who experienced so much so young and was able to find a way out of a living nightmare. Talk about the epitome of brave. 

I would definitely recommend, Forager, to anyone and everyone - you are going to fall in deep with this book. Make sure to get your hands on a copy ASAP!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!