This was an excellent book. I loved the cult aspect and it drew me into the book very easily. I love the quickness of the story. You did not have to wait to see what was going to happen next!

DNF. Unfortunately, this was a book I started multiple times but could just not get into. I appreciate having the opportunity to read this book, it was just not a good fit for me as a reader. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted review copy.

ARC audiobook provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“After We Were Stolen” is narrated by nineteen-year-old Avery, a girl unknowingly raised in a cult. The story begins by telling Avery’s story of growing up in the cult, greatly sheltered and deeply fearful of the outside world. Not knowing of anything beyond the borders of her family’s compound, Avery and her family prepare and train for the inevitable end of the world. Until one night: the night of the fire. Avery awakens to the sounds of shouts and flames. Barely escaping the compound before it is fully destroyed, Avery finds her brother, Cole, who has also made it out in time. As outsiders converge on the compound in an effort to quell the flames and look for survivors, Avery and Cole flee, beginning a three-month journey through a foreign world.

One day their new life in the shadows comes to a crashing halt as they are arrested for shoplifting. Terrified and clutching to each other, their worlds are shattered as their fingerprints identify them as missing children who were kidnapped fifteen years earlier. The parents who raised them were not who they seemed, and the duo are left reeling from the news. Cole, who is a minor, is returned to his birth family, torn away from Avery, who is left alone, confused, and desperate for answers. The place she knew as home wasn’t as it seemed. The people she knew as her family were strangers who raised her in a world of fear and pain. The fire, which destroyed so much, has left Avery free to start a new life in a world that wasn’t what she was raised to believe. Until Avery finds out there may be other survivors. Survivors who may come for her.

The description of this book piqued my interest, but the book itself blew me away. This brilliant debut novel is a well-written story of survival and heartache. The characters are brought to life, and their emotional journey takes the reader along for the ride. The author expertly painted the picture of the horrors of growing up in a cult, as well as the fear both before and after the characters’ escape. The story was believable, the plot engaging, and the main characters likeable. The result is a book that pulled me and didn’t let me go. I was dying to know what would happen, but at the same time, I never wanted it to end.

My copy of this book was an audiobook, so I want to touch on the narrator. I wholeheartedly believe she did an excellent job. Her voices, both male and female, were on point. Her narration appropriately draws the listener in, allowing for an immersive experience. I was quite impressed.

Overall, this book was absolutely amazing. The story was far more engaging than the description let on. It is a beautiful story of heartache and survival. I believe that both adult and young adult readers would enjoy this book. This debut novel definitely hit the mark, and I look forward to more works from this author. I will definitely be picking up a copy of this book, and I highly recommend you do the same!

After We Were Stolen was a very impressive debut novel by Brooke Beyfuss. I listened to the audiobook that was performed flawlessly by Jesse Vilinsky. After We Were Stolen was both riveting and compelling. I was immediately drawn into the well constructed plot. It was easy to connect with the well developed characters. All of my emotions were put into high gear as I listened to this audiobook. Although After We Were Stolen was a story about a cult, it was not your typical cult story at all.

Avery and her brother Cole lived with their parents and eight brothers and sisters on the Clovelite Compound. The Compound had been owned by Avery’s grandfather and upon his death was transferred to her father. It was located in a very remote area and functioned without the help or influence of the outside world. Avery’s father believed that the end of the world was coming and that they, all his little soldiers, had to learn how to survive. One night, Avery had awoken to the smell of smoke and distant flames of fire. Avery could not open the door of the room she had been sleeping in. Someone had locked it from the outside. Panicked, Avery escaped through the window of her room. Somehow, she found Cole. He had been hurt but the two of them knew they needed to flee. When they saw big red trucks and lots of cars arrive on their property they knew they had to run. Avery believed that Cole and herself were the only survivors. They gathered Avery’s tent and took whatever canned food she had in it and fled. Avery and Cole ran through the forest. They walked for days and days until they finally reached a town. With no money and nowhere to stay Avery and Cole became homeless. They found shelter wherever they could and began stealing food whenever they could. One day, Avery and Cole were caught stealing and were arrested. Their knowledge of the “outside world” was so limited they had difficulty answering the questions the officer who had arrested them was asking them. While in custody, both Avery’s and Cole’s fingerprints were taken. When the officer ran their fingerprints through the national data base some very disturbing and shocking facts were discovered. Both Avery and Cole had been abducted many years ago from their birth parents. The only life and family they had known on the compound was a complete lie. What would happen to them now? What would their life be like outside the compound? Would they be able to navigate what awaited them?

I was hooked right from the start and found it hard to pull myself away from this compelling audiobook. All my emotions were triggered as I listened to this audiobook. I felt anger, sadness, desperation, shock and tense, suspenseful moments. Brooke Beyfuss proved to be a wonderful storyteller. I look forward to seeing what she writes next. She is definitely on my radar now. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media LLC for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. After We Were Stolen was published on July 19, 2022.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for providing me with a copy of the audio for this book in exchange for an honest review.

An incredible debut novel, and an author I would definitely read from again!
After We Were Stolen us perfect for anyone who enjoys cults, apocalyptic prepper stories, and a creepy atmosphere. The story was incredible and kept me hooked from the first chapter.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was not at all what I was expecting. However, it was a good book. I was expecting more of a thriller. The synopsis lead me to believe that. It wasn't a thriller at all. It was a character study/family drama. I liked the characters, especially Avery (Celeste) and Toby. He was a great addition. This story really delves into what leaving a cult and rebuilding your life means.

I was saddened by Cole's (Noah's) fate. I wanted more for him and his relationship with Avery. There seemed like too much love between them for it to go the way it did. I was hoping for a different ending, and I didn't feel that the big "twist" was believable. It may have been more believable if this book was written in the third person and not the first person.

All in all it was a good story. I'd give it 3.5 stars. The audio was great. I loved the narrator. She really brought the characters to life and added a lot of depth to the story. I would recommend this to people who like dramas.

I enjoy reading both fiction and nonfiction about cults. Is a cult book enthusiast a thing? If so, that’s me.

I enjoyed this enough and would give it a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 out of 5 stars. It was definitely a different twist and focus on typical cult stories about a girl and her cult brother trying to find their way in a society they’ve never known after a fire destroys their compound and kills most of their cult family. They escape, only to find they were abducted as children into the cult and there was at least one other survivor who knows the truth about what happened with the fire.

The description made it sound a little more interesting than it actually was. I just felt like there wasn’t much of a plot. I thought based on the description that there would be more searching for others that escaped from the cult and more secrets and excitement. The last half hour was probably where the most of that was.

I think the audiobook version would have been even better with multiple narrators instead of just one trying make multiple different voices.

Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and the author for an advance listener’s copy in exchange for an honest review!

A very well written tragic story of children with no identity. What they go through and how they process events is paramount to who Avery and Cole become. The story will evoke strong emotions in the reader. It is heartbreaking and frustrating. I found myself leaning over the steering wheel in my car to make sure I heard every word. The story is fantastic and highly recommended. It is not a light, happy subject but will draw the reader in from the beginning. The characters are multi-faceted and complex. They don’t think and react as the reader may expect but everything is consistent with the upbringing they endured. The narration was perfect. A definite must-read.


I received an ARC from Dreamscape Media through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

I want to thank the publishers and Netgally for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m pretty sure this is a debut novel and if it is I’m blown away! This is my favorite book for July by far. This book is very deep and has the following triggers: child abuse, loss of family member, sexual assault, and kidnapping.

I’m this book we follow Avery as she tries to figure out what exactly happened the night her family died in a fire and how to navigate life after.

Other then that I feel like there’s not much to say as this book will be much better if you go in blind.

This book is perfect for those who like cult stories with mystery and a little bit of a psychological thriller.

This is such a powerful story - but absolutely not an easy read. Avery and Cole grew up in a cult, secluded from the world. When they got out they had to deal with a world they didn't understand, the remnants of their brainwashing and the death of their "family". It turns out they were both abducted as children, and 16 year old Cole is returned to the birth family, that are now completely alien to him. they are molding him back in to their family with pharmaceuticals, and keep the teenagers apart. Avery no longer have a birth family, and is adrift in this new reality. She is trying to come to terms with the abuse she suffered in her life, and remember what happened on that fateful night she and Cole escaped.
I felt uneasy and angry while I read this story, but was never tempted to put it away.
A very powerful debut. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Trigger warning for child abuse, r@pe, violence: 19 year old Avery grew up in a cult compound, she was told her whole life she was a chosen one. Her parents made her and her siblings fear life of the outside world. A fire kills her parents and all her siblings except Cole. The two of them afraid to ask for help flee as the fire trucks roll in, they live in the woods for months until they’re arrested for shoplifting, it’s then in the custody of the police and DCF that their lives truly take a turn; Avery and Cole they’re not siblings, they were abducted as babies, it’s from their Avery must learn to confront her past, and the fears of her future. I was chosen to listen to the audiobook for an honest review. The narrating was excellent to the point it moved me to tears multiple times. I gave this book 5 stars. Thank you @netgalley. #audiobook #cult #violence #selfdiscovery

This book was a whirlwind of psychological emotions and situations. The book starts out in a seemingly serene family compound where everyone has been taught basic survival skills and are self-sufficient. As the story progresses, you realize that it is more of a family cult where members cannot leave. One of the older children, Avery, starts to question the lifestyle of her family and what it stands for after she is chosen to be raped in order to add more children to the family. When Avery awakens one night to a terrible fire, she and her brother Cole are able to escape the compound and leave for the ‘real world’ for the first time in their lives. Avery soon realizes they are not prepared for that and they soon find themselves homeless and stealing to survive. This eventually leads them to be arrested for shoplifting where they learn yet another horrifying thing…they were both kidnapped as children! Brook Beyfuss is a wonderful storyteller and really allows you to connect with the children as they face each new situation. Jesse Vilinskey does an amazing job narrating. She can relay all of the feeling of Avery and the other characters in each chapter so the reader can really relate to them.

Wow. Grim. Unflinching. Heartbreaking. Dark, very, very dark. This was Avery's story. It grabbed me right away from the beginning and never let go. From her life living with her twisted survivalist parents, to her escape, to her life after, your heart will break for her. I'd call this a slow burn thriller. I'd give it four stars, but due to the disturbing nature of the story, the plot left me depressed and bothered.

The audiobook was very well done. The narrator did a great job.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of After We Were Stolen by Brooke Beyfuss.

Avery and Cole are a brother and sister who are deeply devoted to each other in a family that doesn't have much love. Unbeknownst to them, their family is a cult, and a doomsday one at that, with their punitive and cruel father at the head. So when a fire hits their home, Avery and Cole take it as a chance to flee, despite not knowing a thing about the outside world.

But what they find is not only unbelievable to them, but devastating. They were never siblings to begin with, but stolen from their families as young children. So now these two must come to terms with their new lives, while uncovering what really happened to start the fire when they were being held captive.

I give this a solid three at far as a cult novel goes. The author did a GREAT job painting a bleak picture of a terrifying cult leader. I could feel that fear in my bones. But where I got lost was during a lot of stuff that happened once they reached the outside world, especially when Avery was in the home. It got a bit muddy after that, and I lost some interest. But still an interesting read.

A deep, dark psychological thrill ride looking in on a cult. But, there is more to the story than that of a cult, it is a story of survival and of finding oneself without losing who you are. It’s a thinker of a story, and it isn’t a light read. There are heavy topics of abuse that could cause triggers. Phenomenal story and writing - can’t wait to hear what others think on this one! Thanks to NetGalley for the early read. It’s a sure hit!

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is listed as an adult read, but I felt that it read more as a Young Adult novel.

The story was very dark and detailed. It's the sort of story that really happens, so I feel like readers will be invested in it. There was a twist at the end, but I saw it coming. I enjoyed reading it, but I wasn't completely blown away by it.

The narrator was very emotive, sometime too much so, but she didn't distinct voice for each characters to help paint the picture

The book sucked me in right from the beginning. I could not believe what they all were going through while living there and once they left. I was sad about her brother but happy with how it ended with new beginnings for them.

This book is about a sister and brother who escape their family’s survivalist compound during a fire. I find cults very interesting, so this book was an interesting listen for me. The kids escaped during a fire, but how did the fire start? Did anyone else make it out alive? How did the family end up living the way they did? I definitely enjoyed many aspects of this story, especially the psychological parts. I wish I delved more into the psychology behind survivalists, but the story was more about after the escape and the main character processing the trauma for her childhood. Slowly she begins to piece together the story, finding nothing was as she thought.

Okay wow! What a great debut novel! This is such a well thought out plot with such quality writing!

Avery and Cole escape from life in a cult after a devastating fire rips through their commune. They are on their own for months until they are caught shoplifting and the police inform them they were kidnapped as children. Cole returns to his well-off family and Avery is sent to a womens shelter where she has to learn to navigate a new world in which she is not accustomed to.

This is not a fast-paced thriller with twists and turns but a chilling story of loss, love, resilience and starting over. There are disturbing moments which give us a peak into the traumatic lives of our characters and pulls us to root for their healing and success.

The pace of the novel was well done for the most part but I did find the ending too abrupt and left me wanting more. After everything Avery had been through I was hoping to end on a slightly brighter note but maybe this ending is more realistic for everything she’s had to endure.

Avery and Cole grew up in a cult outside of a town in Kansas she already had it rough but when she was consign to a man from town so she could get pregnant that was more than she could take. Her closest sibling is Cole when she tells him she can’t take it anymore he wants to help but doesn’t know what to do but that night a fire mysteriously starts in due to the overpowering amount of weapons and artillery causes the compound to explode thankfully Avery and Cole have thankfully found her self in the tent she was forced to live in away from the compound. This is win they make it to the nearest town and eventually get caught for shoplifting and the big reveal happens. This came so close to being a great book, but sadly missed the mark. I found it emotionally manipulating and is it to drive the point home it was totally overdone. But one thing no one can be that hyper emotional for that long and they just kept re- playing it. also there were things that didn’t jive with Avery for example she almost had an emotional breakdown due to the streamline nature of the neighborhood but as soon as she walked in to the interrogation room she knew that the kind social worker was African-American and that her ponytail with fake hair. I found that totally unbelievable that’s not the only instance but you get the drift. I know other people seem to love this book but sadly I did not. I do like books by this author and have even logged a few but this was not one of them. I was given this book by net galley and the publisher but I am leaving this review totally voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and I dictate my reviews but all opinions are definitely my own.