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After We Were Stolen
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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. 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.
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FTC Disclosure: I received a free review copy of this book from the author and/or publisher and wrote this review voluntarily. The opinions expressed are entirely my own and is in no way affiliated with the author or publisher. |
After We Were Stolen is a story of family, trauma, loss, hope, and resilience. It’s the type of book that will grip your emotions and linger long after you finish. The author does an excellent job creating an emotionally charged plot with well-developed characters and the kind of suspense that will keep you glued. It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel!
Growing up in fear and isolation among the cult family home, Avery and her siblings are taught that the outside world is just as dangerous as it is destructive, and spend their days training for their own survival.
After a fire breaks out at the compound, and presumed to be the only ones to escape, Avery and her brother, Cole, flee beyond the perimeter walls and stumble upon a world much different than their own. Unsure of their future and haunted by their past, they attempt to pick up the pieces of their now shattered lives.
The book’s content contains some heavy topics that can be difficult for some readers – which the author thoughtfully discloses in the beginning of the book. Some of them include: child abuse (physical and emotional), references to sexual assault, stillbirth, suicide, kidnapping, and traumatic death.
This is an excellent debut from Brooke Beyfuss and is set to release on July 19, 2022, and highly recommend to cult/mystery/thriller fans.
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About Brooke Beyfuss
BROOKE BEYFUSS is a freelance writer who lives in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey with her husband, daughter, and far, far too many pets. She graduated from Rutgers University with a BA in psychology and comparative literature, despite failing pre-calculus three times in a row. As a freelance writer, her audiences have run the gamut from holistic healers to adult entertainers. After We Were Stolen is her first novel.
