I received a copy of this via NetGalley.

I can’t really say this was an “enjoyable” read, but it was riveting and believable. It’s obvious that the author did some research because for the first time ever I had some real understanding of how a person could be sucked into a situation like this and not be able to see the truth in the greater lie. Throughout most of the book I just wanted to give Moonbeam a hug and tell her it was going to be ok. But would that have just been another lie? I both loved and hated the way he ended this book. It stayed true to the story but as a lover of any and all HEAs this was frustrating for me because although it was a fictional story there was no “fictional HEA” to it....this ending was as real and true as it probably was for any of those children who survived Waco.

Intense story about survival of life in a cult told in alternating times "before the fire" and "after the fire." This well written story follows the life of Moonbeam as she is raised in the cult and life outside of it while at a facility receiving therapy. It was fascinating to experience her inner dialogue throughout the book as she makes important decisions regarding her place in the cult, who to trust, who to fear. Overall, it is an excellent read.

Oh man this book.
I cant yall you have frustrating father John's character was. Like pull my hair out frustrating.

Not because he's a bad character. But because of how good of a bad guy he was written.

This story was sort of reminiscent of something like hunger games or divergent, meets the handmaid's tale.

And I loved it!

The twists and turns that constantly happened had me on my toes. And I found it such a. Good read

I had no idea what this book was about but I enjoyed it. Will be posting a longer review on my blog soon.

Will Hill’s AFTER THE FIRE is a raw and telling look into the power of manipulation, brainwashing of the innocents and the aftermath of “freedom.”I was immediately sold on reading this book the second I found out that it was about a cult. There is something so mysterious about a cult that really draws me in. We have a local cult its always made me wonder why would you, who would, all those things so I had to read it

Wow. I requested After the Fire because hi, how can you not want to read a YA Waco inspired book? In many ways it's a very internal book, with Moonbeam dealing with the emotional impact and PTSD and guilt and grief, and then you've got the flashbacks to the compound that just feel like a ticking time bomb.

It was an interesting read with mystery that drew the reader in. I might read more from this author.

A pretty solid cult story. Retrospectives can be difficult to pull off, given that the very nature of this sort of plot takes us out of the moment. We get the whole story with commentary. We hear rather than feel what MOonbeam experienced. The envents are engrossing, though, even with the emotional distance.

What a thrilling fiction read! It was tough to put down! 17 year-old Moonbeam narrowly survives a fire fight at the Base where she has lived as one of the Faithful under Father John’s Legion. Her progress as she works her way through her trauma and survival is inspiring and intense. A great read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.

Wow! This book was nothing like I thought it would be, but in a good way!

I haven’t read any books about religious cults, but I have watched a few tv programs. And this book seemed to be very close to a lot of the crazy happenings in these cults. It was interesting in seeing Moonbeams life through her eyes. She was very smart and stood up for her brothers and sisters when it became necessary. I really enjoyed her character in the book, even going through what she had, she seemed to have a stable point of view on the world.

I find these types of books very interesting. It’s crazy to when you think these types of things happen in real life.

I would definitely recommend this book, it was well written and h I storyline was very interesting.

Moonbeam survived the fire along with her brothers and sisters. The book goes back and forth between Before the Fire and After the Fire while being interviewed with investigators. They are not suppose to talk to outsiders but Moonbeam reveals life within their community openly. However, she still holds one huge secret until the very end.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a little predictable but I didn't care. I was interested through the entire book and never got bored. Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of After the Fire.

The story was very gripping and the characters are very poignant and real. The look at the inner workings of a cult was fascinating!

This story was so moving, compelling, and just plain heartbreaking. Moonbeam is a seventeen year old girl that has escaped from a life within a hyper religious compound. The book follows her as she tells her story to her new psychiatrist and tries to deal with life after the fire. Moonbeam is an incredibly intelligent and sarcastic character that was easy to fall in love with. She is just so strong despite everything she’s been through and I loved how protective she is of the other children that escaped the compound with her. She is also very guarded and reveals information about her life slowly and methodically, saving a few secrets that she vows never to tell anyone.

I literally could not put this book down and flew through it. It truly is just incredibly compelling. The entire time I was reminded of the siege of the Branch of Davidian in Waco, Texas. Upon completing the story, I saw that the author was inspired by this story and wanted to explore it from the victims point of view. I thought it was very respectfully and well done and would absolutely recommend this book!

Rating: 5 stars, I’d give it 6 if I could
Review by: Taylor
After The Fire is truly an amazing piece of art. Moonbeam is such an amazingly unique character. Her voice captivated me from the beginning and held me at ransom until the very end.

After The Fire is one of the most thought provoking books I’ve read in my 26 years of life. The struggle Moonbeam goes through with her beliefs of right and wrong are something that a lot of people would be able to relate to. Maybe not that extreme, but still definitely relatable.

When you hear about stories like this in real life, most peoples first reaction is that they can’t believe someone would live like that. People can’t fathom letting themselves be treated that way. But a belief in faith and wanting it to be true above all else can bring many to their knees when controlled by hate filled beings.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be taken on a journey down a girls path to truth and freedom. It’s amazing and worth the read for sure.
After the Fire https://www.amazon.com/dp/1492669792/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GeigCbS8MTW4C

This novel is told in alternating timelines between a traumatic past and a troubling present that often overlap. Moonbeam's story of survival is not one that I'm used to reading, in the depths of the healing process. Moonbeam's story is one of survival and one with coming to terms of the lies that trapped her inside a religious cult she herself believed in. Hill does a wonderful job in keeping you tied to the story, bringing forth questions that are answered with even more questions. Experience the world of a religious cult, and the minds of youths that have been molded by a snake's tongue. Growth is hard, but even the most troubled children are capable of change.

I had absolutely no clue what I was getting into when I began reading "After The Fire" by Will Hill. I was delightfully impressed. "After the Fire" weaves a tale between past and present, before the fire and after the fire.It was a fast paced thriller that shows a realistic side to cults. At times, it was hard to continue but that's part of the rawness of the story being told. I would highly recommend this beautifully written book. 4 stars.

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This was one of my favorite reads this year! I have always been intrigued with cults and radical religions, they make me wonder how you can get sucked into them and this book does such a great job giving you answers from the perspective of Moonbeam. Moonbean isn't born into the Lord's Legion but grow up in it because of her father's decision.

The story alternates between the "before", living on the compound and the "after" once in the hospital after the fire breaks out. You come to really care for Moonbeam and all the characters affected by being under the thumb of Father John. Some characters you are going to despise and some you will adore especially as the story builds.

Anyone that has been intrigued by The Branch davidians, Heaven's Gate, The People Temple and even Leah Remini's Scientology and the Aftermath I think will thoroughly "After the Fire."

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC

Okay, I'm going to be honest and say I didn't want to read this at first. I got a little overexcited on Netgalley and started requesting everything and somehow ended up with a copy of this. This isn't the type of plot I usually go for and I went into it super reluctant.

But honestly? I was so SO wrong. It took me awhile to get into it (like 20%), but once I did I was hooked. Like I read the rest in two days once I passed that point.

I absolutely fell in love with Moonbeam and was left in awe of her strength and resilience. I cried when she cried and smiled when she smiled.

This wasn't an easy read, but it was a great one and I recommend it highly.

If, like me, you’re fascinated by stories about cults, this book will be just what you’ve been searching for. It explores what happens to people after they leave a cult environment—in this case, unwillingly. I love that the book looks at all sides of the life that Moonbeam (the MC) led while she was a member. There were horrors, but she has fond memories of some aspects of her early life too. And I loved seeing the world from her perspective and understanding why she thought some of the things that happened to her were normal or acceptable (when they definitely weren’t). As the story progresses, she has to come to terms with how her belief systems were twisted and what that means for her moving forward. There are also some really interesting mysteries woven in about what actually happened at the compound that we learn through flashbacks. My one and only complaint was that the book felt a little longer than it needed to be. Sometimes the sections between revelations felt a bit dragged out. But I still really enjoyed the journey.

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

This book is for young adult, but I would not say for young teens. It's a very serious, frightening aspect of how sometimes people lose their ways, by being followers or subverted leaders.

Oh, this book is very intense! This is the story of a survivor from a cult, the Lord's Legion. The leader, Father John, prepared everyone for the day when the evil Government, the Servants of the Serpent will come, when The End Times arrives.

The survivor who tells us the story is Moonbeam, a teenage girl. Understandably she is confused and from the beginning we know she has secrets that she will never tell.

She's in a facility, Doctor Hernandez is a psychologist who wants to help her. The beginning of the book there's a question, at least to me, about what is exactly happening here. I mean here Moonbeam has been taught these things about being locked away by the government and sure enough she is now that the Base has fallen, after the fire.

It's an incredible story that Moonbeam tells. It's heartbreaking. And honestly amazing for a teenager that had been denied access to the Outside for so many years. Denied a real education and so much.

From the beginning this book reminded me of the real life cult that ended in a major disaster, a big raid and shoot-out by the government and a fire, much like the book. This was the Branch Davidians cult and the Waco Siege. It also reminded me of Jim Jones leading the Peoples Temple, and the horrendous disaster that happened in Guyana. Two very real stories of leaders controlling people under the guise of religion.