YA Fanatic

Wow. I certainly haven't read anything quite like this. The blurb says fans of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson will love The Sacred Lies of Willow Bly. But they really aren't alike, at all. Accept for in the sense that its a dark story. 

Minnow Bly grew up in the community under the Pastor. She has known nothing else all her life accept that they must do what the Pastor says because the Pastor works under the name of God. Then Willow meets Jude, a boy outside the community. And now, she's in a jail cell, the Pastor is dead and she's a witness or even a suspect. Only Minnow know's the truth of what really happened. 

We start off knowing very little of what Minnow's life was like in the community. Just that she has no hand's, something terrible happened and that she escaped. Little by little we learn more. I think that's what makes this one such a page turner. The author does a compelling job of keeping you want more. 

I was a bit disappointed with the ending, that would be my only negative thoughts on this one. But as a whole, the story is very powerful. It certainly isn't a book for everyone but man, is it one to remember.