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The Liar's Daughter
by
Piper was raised in a cult.
She just doesn't know it.
Seventeen-year-old Piper knows that Father is a Prophet. Infallible. The chosen one.
She would do anything for Father. That's why she takes care of all her little sisters. That's why she runs end-of-the-world drills. That's why she never asks questions. Because Father knows best.
Until the day he doesn't. Until t ...more
She just doesn't know it.
Seventeen-year-old Piper knows that Father is a Prophet. Infallible. The chosen one.
She would do anything for Father. That's why she takes care of all her little sisters. That's why she runs end-of-the-world drills. That's why she never asks questions. Because Father knows best.
Until the day he doesn't. Until t ...more
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Avery Nakata
This takes place in modern times, probably in the 2010s.
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Jul 24, 2019
Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell
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There's a video on YouTube called "Mind Control Made Easy" which is about the psychology of cult leaders. It's clearly low budget, but very well done in spite of that. I have never been 100% sure whether it was intended to be satirical/comedic or not, because while it is funny at times, that humor is rooted in a very dark truth: no matter how ridiculous what they are saying is, these tactics have worked before by real cult leaders.
I rea ...more
5 SPECTACULAR STARS
Piper doesn’t realize she’s living in a cult. When she and the other children are rescued, she longs to return to Mother and Father.
Told in Before and After sections, Piper’s last days in the cult and her first days afterward tell the story of THE LIAR’S DAUGHTER. Megan Cooley Peterson hooked me from the first chapter and I immediately invested in Piper’s story. She was such a resilient young woman and my heart broke for the brainwashing she endured. I wanted to jump into the ...more
Piper doesn’t realize she’s living in a cult. When she and the other children are rescued, she longs to return to Mother and Father.
Told in Before and After sections, Piper’s last days in the cult and her first days afterward tell the story of THE LIAR’S DAUGHTER. Megan Cooley Peterson hooked me from the first chapter and I immediately invested in Piper’s story. She was such a resilient young woman and my heart broke for the brainwashing she endured. I wanted to jump into the ...more
Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the publisher, Holiday House Publishing, Inc., via Edelweiss+ for an honest review.
“The window is no more than two feet wide and maybe half a foot tall. I can't squeeze through it. It's meant to let in sunlight, not hope.”
This is the story of a girls path to self-discovery.
The weaving of lies into truth.
The voices that are battered into ones brain so a person ceases to think for themselves.
It is the story of a life lost, a life gained, and the art of ...more
“The window is no more than two feet wide and maybe half a foot tall. I can't squeeze through it. It's meant to let in sunlight, not hope.”
This is the story of a girls path to self-discovery.
The weaving of lies into truth.
The voices that are battered into ones brain so a person ceases to think for themselves.
It is the story of a life lost, a life gained, and the art of ...more
Piper knows her father is the Chosen One. He is a Prophet that is hoping to protect the people from the Government, from the poisonous food, from the radiation of cell phones. Living with the other children far from the community, Piper helps manage the other children and run end-of-the-world drills, preparing herself and the others for the day when they will be called upon. Only, that day doesn't come and Piper's father might not be telling the truth, because the Government has broken apart the
...more
This is yet another book about a teen girl who suddenly discovers that she's been living in a cult and everything she thought she knew was wrong.
I did like the way the author told the story - we have two timelines here: basically in cult and after cult.
Unfortunately, there was nothing else really new about this. Don't go over the fence. The outside world is evil. Hey, kidnapping!
Some what should have shocked our girl when she got out didn't, but hey everyone uses cell phones.
I don't know. I just ...more
I did like the way the author told the story - we have two timelines here: basically in cult and after cult.
Unfortunately, there was nothing else really new about this. Don't go over the fence. The outside world is evil. Hey, kidnapping!
Some what should have shocked our girl when she got out didn't, but hey everyone uses cell phones.
I don't know. I just ...more
What a glorious sucker punch of a book!
THE DETAILS●●●
● REALISTIC FICTION
● TWO TIMELINES --SAME POV (BEFORE & AFTER)
● A RAW, ENTRANCING LOOK AT LIFE IN A CULT
● BEFORE: FROM THE BRAINWASHING TO THE ABUSE
● AFTER: ADJUSTING TO NORMAL LIFE
● LENGTH OF AUDIO - 7 HOURS, 7 MINUTES
● I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY
MY THOUGHTS●●●
You can tell that this book is well researched...it felt so realistic. An absolute triumph of a story. At the end of the book, there is an afterward where the author explains why she wrote this story and how s ...more
● REALISTIC FICTION
● TWO TIMELINES --SAME POV (BEFORE & AFTER)
● A RAW, ENTRANCING LOOK AT LIFE IN A CULT
● BEFORE: FROM THE BRAINWASHING TO THE ABUSE
● AFTER: ADJUSTING TO NORMAL LIFE
● LENGTH OF AUDIO - 7 HOURS, 7 MINUTES
● I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY
MY THOUGHTS●●●
You can tell that this book is well researched...it felt so realistic. An absolute triumph of a story. At the end of the book, there is an afterward where the author explains why she wrote this story and how s ...more
After the government swoops in and steals Piper from her family, a cult led by her charismatic and hypocritical father, she fights all that the “others” are now trying to teach her, determined to prove her loyalty to the man who has shaped all of her beliefs.
I think the author did a great job examining the effects of brainwashing through this story. While the surface story IS that Piper grew up in a cult, there is so much more to it than that. It’s a novel about figuring out who you are after h ...more
I think the author did a great job examining the effects of brainwashing through this story. While the surface story IS that Piper grew up in a cult, there is so much more to it than that. It’s a novel about figuring out who you are after h ...more
Somewhere between a 3.5-4 stars!
I really enjoyed this book. It was unlike anything I’ve read before and felt like a realistic portrayal of what it’s like to grow up in a cult (since the author experienced a similar situation in their youth). The dual timelines kept me interested as the questions arose and were answered, the puzzle forming piece by piece. Not sure if the ending was meant to be a twist, but either way I saw it coming which would be disappointing if the intention was to surprise.
I really enjoyed this book. It was unlike anything I’ve read before and felt like a realistic portrayal of what it’s like to grow up in a cult (since the author experienced a similar situation in their youth). The dual timelines kept me interested as the questions arose and were answered, the puzzle forming piece by piece. Not sure if the ending was meant to be a twist, but either way I saw it coming which would be disappointing if the intention was to surprise.
I picked this up on a whim, but it was better then I expected it to be and I thought a very honest and realistic portrayal of what a things would be like for someone in that type of situation.
4.25/5 stars!
“The Community is truth.
The Community is loyalty.
The Community will keep you safe.”
This book contains: initiations, strawberries, appointments, pizza, pink caps, swimming lessons, small bathroom windows, hunger, brainwashing, lies and the chosen one.
For a mystery, it was a pleasant surprise! I only read another book about cults before, and I definitely prefer this one. I flew through this book because I was hooked from the first chapter! It follows a seventeen year old girl named Pi ...more
“The Community is truth.
The Community is loyalty.
The Community will keep you safe.”
This book contains: initiations, strawberries, appointments, pizza, pink caps, swimming lessons, small bathroom windows, hunger, brainwashing, lies and the chosen one.
For a mystery, it was a pleasant surprise! I only read another book about cults before, and I definitely prefer this one. I flew through this book because I was hooked from the first chapter! It follows a seventeen year old girl named Pi ...more
This one has me a bit torn. THE LIAR’S DAUGHTER is well-written and well-researched, and the only indication that this is YA fiction is the chapter font and the age of the protagonist. I’d guess it’s a highly accurate depiction of the deprogramming and adjustment that takes place after leaving a cult, but the most dominant emotion I felt while reading this book was frustration.
The chapters alternate between “Before” and “After.” The former covers Piper’s life leading up to her extraction from t ...more
The chapters alternate between “Before” and “After.” The former covers Piper’s life leading up to her extraction from t ...more
“Now I question everything. If something doesn't feel right, I trust my gut. I ask questions. I dig deeper. Most importantly, I respect beliefs different from my own.”
...more
...more
It’s been a while since I finished a book in one sitting. My concentration span is usually extremely short but this book held it and held it well. Great concept that was well written - although a few plot questions were left unanswered (for me). Overall would recommend!
Reading the blurb of this book piqued my interest since I have always had an interest in cults and how people get brainwashed and sucked into that lifestyle.
This book is told in before cult and after cult point of views which I really enjoyed. My heart broke for Piper because she was pretty much ripped from the only family and lifestyle she has known and is now being told her whole life was a lie. I don’t blame her for lashing out throughout this story at all. I did feel sorry for her mother an ...more
This book is told in before cult and after cult point of views which I really enjoyed. My heart broke for Piper because she was pretty much ripped from the only family and lifestyle she has known and is now being told her whole life was a lie. I don’t blame her for lashing out throughout this story at all. I did feel sorry for her mother an ...more
If I'm perfectly honest, I kind of picked this up on a whim, because it was available on Audible Stories and I had never read a book about this subject matter.
It felt well researched with regards to some of the emotional trauma and as a result the storytelling felt really raw. The audio narrator also did a great job of expressing all of the emotions and I really enjoyed listening to this. 4🌟 ...more
It felt well researched with regards to some of the emotional trauma and as a result the storytelling felt really raw. The audio narrator also did a great job of expressing all of the emotions and I really enjoyed listening to this. 4🌟 ...more
Cults have always morbidly fascinated me. Now, I shall go and search the twenty dangerous cults in the world just because sleep is unnecessary to the wicked-
Piper was raised in a cult. She just doesn't know it.
Piper knows Father is a Prophet, the chosen one, infallible. Like everyone in the community, she would do anything for him. That's why she never asks questions. Father knows best.
Until one day the government raids the compound, seperates Piper from her siblings, Mother, the Aunts, the community, from Caspian, the boy she loves and from Thomas, the one she was to marry.
Now she has to live outside, with a woman holding her hostage while claimi ...more
Piper knows Father is a Prophet, the chosen one, infallible. Like everyone in the community, she would do anything for him. That's why she never asks questions. Father knows best.
Until one day the government raids the compound, seperates Piper from her siblings, Mother, the Aunts, the community, from Caspian, the boy she loves and from Thomas, the one she was to marry.
Now she has to live outside, with a woman holding her hostage while claimi ...more
Wow, this was really good!
I didn't expect anything from this book when I started. I just used the Audible free trial to listen to an audiobook, something I'd never done before. I had to get used to it at first, listening to a book being very different from reading one, but damn it was enjoyable. I listened to the last 4 (out of 7) hours of audiobook today, in 2 sittings (on my free day)! The story was gripping, a mild psychological thriller about a girl who's living in a cult but doesn't know it ...more
I didn't expect anything from this book when I started. I just used the Audible free trial to listen to an audiobook, something I'd never done before. I had to get used to it at first, listening to a book being very different from reading one, but damn it was enjoyable. I listened to the last 4 (out of 7) hours of audiobook today, in 2 sittings (on my free day)! The story was gripping, a mild psychological thriller about a girl who's living in a cult but doesn't know it ...more
I listened to the audiobook. It was perfectly performed. I experienced the passion, confusion, and realisation with the character. A good introduction to books focusing on characters involved in a cult. A good adolescent friendly introduction to this real life issue.
This was nothing like anything I've ever read before, and I loved it! A very enjoyable read!
...more
I received an Advanced Readers Copy from the publisher.
This book was hard to put down. I finished in two days, even though they were days filled with commitments. I have read several non-fiction books by people raised in cults (weird, I know), and this fiction book is a good complement. It does not focus much on the cult itself or its beliefs, but more on the experience of one girl in the community. Despite a few misgivings, she is very dedicated to the community and wants to return once she is ...more
This book was hard to put down. I finished in two days, even though they were days filled with commitments. I have read several non-fiction books by people raised in cults (weird, I know), and this fiction book is a good complement. It does not focus much on the cult itself or its beliefs, but more on the experience of one girl in the community. Despite a few misgivings, she is very dedicated to the community and wants to return once she is ...more
4.5 stars, rounding up to 5
Piper is the most lifelike character I've read about in quite a while. She has such layered emotions, doubts, and fears. It's hard to read about what she goes through, but that's what captivated me as a reader.
I like how the book is divided into sections, Before and After, and alternates chapters from each. At the beginning, I found myself really wanting to read just the "before" chapters, but by the end I was looking forward to the "after" ones the most. It felt like ...more
Piper is the most lifelike character I've read about in quite a while. She has such layered emotions, doubts, and fears. It's hard to read about what she goes through, but that's what captivated me as a reader.
I like how the book is divided into sections, Before and After, and alternates chapters from each. At the beginning, I found myself really wanting to read just the "before" chapters, but by the end I was looking forward to the "after" ones the most. It felt like ...more
So. Freaking. Good
I feel like this would have been more surprising if the blurb on the cover, and the summary on the dust cover, didn't give the major plot points away.
...more
Really engrossing story alternating between past and present so you can pick up the pieces the same way the narrator does.
Really interesting book especially with the info in the authors note! Really interesting book and characters like just wild lol
I found this rather entertaining despite the cringey teen talk and cliches and I thought the characters were surprisingly well developed.
(Deleted my review accidentally - I'm so annoyed. Doh!) 3.5 stars, rounded down
I'm sort of fascinated by cults but... isn't everyone on some level? There's something about taking things to the extreme... Cults can be horrific but there's something strangely fascinating about the idea of blind faith that you can't look away - almost like a train crash!
This book was an interesting read - made more interesting when I found out that Megan Cooley Peterson and her family had actually been in a cult as ...more
I'm sort of fascinated by cults but... isn't everyone on some level? There's something about taking things to the extreme... Cults can be horrific but there's something strangely fascinating about the idea of blind faith that you can't look away - almost like a train crash!
This book was an interesting read - made more interesting when I found out that Megan Cooley Peterson and her family had actually been in a cult as ...more
My first cult/compound story and I think it sparked an interest.
I feel so bad for Piper/Jessica, even from the beginning. I can understand her need to be loyal to Curtis/her father. She was brainwashed from such a young age that she didn't know any better. And the things they were taught was pretty shocking, even though they shouldn't have been. I've heard of these cults for years. Leaders (here Curtis/father) usually have multiple partners and act like they are the only one with answers. Otherw ...more
I feel so bad for Piper/Jessica, even from the beginning. I can understand her need to be loyal to Curtis/her father. She was brainwashed from such a young age that she didn't know any better. And the things they were taught was pretty shocking, even though they shouldn't have been. I've heard of these cults for years. Leaders (here Curtis/father) usually have multiple partners and act like they are the only one with answers. Otherw ...more
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“Now I question everything. If something doesn't feel right, I trust my gut. I ask questions. I dig deeper. Most importantly, I respect beliefs different from my own.”
—
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“But was loving him worth the pain of losing him?"
"Absolutely. we gave Ralphie a wonderful life filled with lots of love, and he gave us unconditional love back.”
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"Absolutely. we gave Ralphie a wonderful life filled with lots of love, and he gave us unconditional love back.”
