Wow, this book is the kind of story that sticks with you for a long time. I read this in July, and it has continued to be a story that I think about! It’s emotional, heartbreaking, and surprising. It’s a page-turner, and you won’t be able to put it down!
After a fire breaks out on her family’s compound, Avery and her brother Cole escape. When they are captured by the police they learn that they were in a family who was part of a cult. As Avery tries to come to terms with who she is and who her family was, we watch her emotional, heartbreaking, and revealing discoveries.
This was written with such impactful choices, I found myself completely invested in the characters. I loved learning about Avery. About her life in the cult and how she navigates the world outside of that compound. This book ripped my heart out a bit, and I fully expect it to hurt you a bit too. The story is so well-written, and it grabs at all those emotions.
This is the author’s debut book, and I fully intend to read what comes next! The writing was captivating, moving, and fantastic! I highly recommend this to readers who are looking for character driven stories with a mystery aspect!
Where to Find This Book:
Amazon ~ Kindle ~ Goodreads
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An emotionally wrought debut novel perfect for book clubs about a girl who escapes from a cult after a deadly fire destroys her family’s compound, only to be haunted by That Night as she tries to build a new life for herself.
A fire. Her escape. And the realization her entire life has been a lie.
When nineteen-year-old Avery awakens to flames consuming her family’s remote compound, she knows it’s her only chance to escape her father’s grueling survival training, bizarre rules, and gruesome punishments. She and her brother Cole flee the grounds for the first time in their lives, suddenly homeless in a world they know nothing about. After months of hiding out, they are arrested for shoplifting and a shocking discovery is made—Avery and Cole were kidnapped fifteen years earlier, stolen by cult leaders they knew as Mom and Dad.
Cole is immediately returned to his birth family, leaving Avery alone and desperate. She is uncertain if her “parents” survived the fire and is terrified to find out. The loss of Cole and the trauma of her former life threaten to undo her, but when the police investigation reveals there may be more survivors, Avery must uncover the truth about the fire to truly be free.
Suspenseful, emotionally charged, and deeply thought-provoking, After We Were Stolen delves into the idea of family—those we’re born into and those we make—resilience, and the lengths a cult survivor will go to finally be free of her painful past. Brooke Beyfuss’s powerful debut novel sparkles with heart, grit, and extraordinary characters who will stay with you long after the last page.
Just the Facts:
After We Were Stolen by Brooke Beyfuss
Genre: General Fiction / Mystery
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Pub Date: July 19, 2022
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.
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