The Liar's Daughter by Megan Cooley Peterson

The Liar's Daughter by Megan Cooley Peterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Narrated by Melissa Moran, this book about a girl involved in a cult was mesmerizing as the narrator, Piper age 17, alternates between BEFORE and AFTER telling of her life that she loves in the cult with Father and Mother and her many brothers and sisters and friends, Caspian and Luke (?). The author reeled me in with Piper's love of father and mother in BEFORE and it is as time goes on and others question father and mother that the reader sees how indoctrinated Piper has become. It is AFTER when the compound is invaded by the authorities and Piper is now in a home with a woman, child and dog, that things roll out of control for Piper as she stops eating, sleeping, bathing and plots escape all the while talking to a therapist, making friends with the girl next door. The Authors Note was so important to read, this is a book teens will enjoy as a story and cautionary tale that can and does happen.

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The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh boy, this was such a tough, but amazingly awesome read! One of the honor books for The Morris Award, I am reading this as part of The 2016 Hub Challenge. I could not put it down. Minnow Bly has a normal life until her father becomes enamored of The Prophet, Kevin, and her family becomes a part of The Community Cult that takes off for the wilderness and indoctrination begins-listen to the Prophet and do whatever he says. But the book does not begin with this; Minnow is in juvie, and Dr. Wilson, a forensic psychologist is trying to find out what happened the night The Community caught fire. As the reader wades into Minnow's life, we see she is inquisitive and her many questions are hated by those in the cult, especially The Prophet. Her father is a right hand man to the Prophet; he has 4-5 wives and 20 some children. Her mother is distant, bearing many children, and not stable at all. Minnow is very protective of her younger sister, Constance. As life continues in the cult, Minnow begins to see/understand the craziness and her growing friendship with an outsider (Rymanite), Jude, also adds another dimension to the tumult in confined Minnow's life. Author Stephanie Oakes does a superb job of blending Minnow's life in The Community, in prison and with Jude, creating a kalidescope of torture, hurt, and eventual release toward rediscovery. A must read!

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