*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"They find you when you are weak."

Whew! If, like me, you are obsessed with cult documentaries, movies and books, or you love a nail biting escalating tension filled thriller, then Gaslight by the incomparable writing duo of Miles Joris Peyrafitte and Sara Shepard is a must experience.

Rebecca "Bex" has a happy suburban life with her loyal hubby and two young sons. Then a knock on the door begins a trip of nightmare memories and truths that were better left untold.

On the other side of the door is Bex's best friend Danny who she hasn't seen in years since she ran away from the ISB cult. She always meant to come back for Danny but the lies her new life is built on made it feel impossible.

Danny says she needs help and Bex wants to believe her but all the fears, the dangers from the cult leader Ben, leave her with one goal. Get Danny away from her family, especially her oldest son. The one she was pregnant with when she escaped Ben.

Voice actress Julia Atwood has just the right inflections of young Bex and Danny looking to be loved and prime for the gaslighting perfected by Ben.

The authors got it perfect on how these con people get into people's heads:
G is gradual distortion of truth
A is avoiding responsibility and shifting blame
S is sowing doubt
L is lying and manipulating the truth
I is invalidating what you feel and experienced
G is getting you to question your logic and thinking
H is hiding true intentions and maybe more
T is twisting reality to suit the narrative

Sounds a lot like politics. This thriller shows that cults fulfill a need to belong, to be loved, a cry for help. Gaslight is a fun thriller but an even scarier look at those who take advantage of our weaker moments.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much netgalley and Blackstone Publishing Audio for the audiobook.

The narrator did an amazing job telling this story.
I love a good cult story and this brought just that. It shows how the leader brainwashes and manipulates the members into doing everything he wants.
Rebecca escaped the cult and is living a normal life being married and having children. Until a person from her past shows up at her doorstep and her life gets turned upside down.

**3.5 stars**

This was a pretty straightforward novel about a cult, specifically what happens when an escaped member and a current member who have a lot of history with each other reunite under suspicious circumstances.

I feel like because I have read a decent amount of Shepherd’s other books, I was expecting a little bit more wow at the end which I did not get. The story DOES have a climax, it’s just not as twisty as Shepherd’s other works, and that’s okay (plus it was also written by Joris-Peyrafitte, so it makes sense that this book would be a little different). I really enjoyed this still! The less crazy ending just made it seem more realistic, which I throughly appreciated.

If you want a fast-moving and well written cult novel that is still decently realistic, I would 100% recommend!

For the most part I really enjoyed this--the story was compelling and hard to put down. At the same time, it was predictable. Another reviewer called this a "basic cult story" and I was like "how is that possible?" but it totally was. At times I definitely spotted inspiration from the Twin Flames documentary. It's like the authors watched every cult documentary and listened to every cult podcast and then whipped this up.

Some things felt very "super easy, barely an inconvenience" to the point where it wasn't believable. Both Rebecca and Danny changed their minds so quickly that it didn't seem realistic. Ben was almost cartoonishly evil with almost no nuance or evidence of the charm that made people fall into his cult. Similarly, Rebecca and Danny don't have much depth to them. One is former cult girlie with parents who don't care about her and one is still in cult girlie with a mom who loves her but she grew up poor.

I'm glad Roscoe was saved, of course, but damn he was an annoying kid LOL.

Entertaining and enjoyable, just not the most gripping, surprising, deepest, or realistic piece of fiction I've ever read.

Every once in a while, I love losing a weekend to a thriller, and Gaslight was the perfect fall weekend read. With perfect pacing, escalating tension, and plot twists that kept me on edge, the audiobook of Gaslight was just what I needed. This book has it all: a cult, a commune, misogyny, family and friendship drama, and strong, courageous characters.

Many, many thanks to Blackstone audio and NetGalley for a free copy for review!

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for an audio copy of this book.

Maybe it's just me and my fascination with anything cult-like, but I really enjoyed this book. At one point, I really didn't know which way things were going to go and it's scary to think that this happens SO much and so many don't even know it.
I really enjoyed this read, the narration was very well done as well.

Gaslight was a very interesting cult thriller. I enjoyed how the story was told through dual timelines, with Rebecca reconnecting with Danny present-day as well as flashbacks to their childhoods and how they came to be involved in the cult. It's an engaging one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Julia Atwood narrates this and does a fantastic job.

Rebecca, Tom, and their two children are enjoying life in Carson City, Nevada when her past appears in the form of her old friend, Danny, who is a reminder of all the secrets she is keeping from her husband. Turns out that Danny (and Rebecca) have been a part of ISB, Infinite Spiritual Being, a cult. The cult lives in the woods, cut off from society and are led by a master manipulator. Is Danny trying to break with the group or does he have something else in mind?

This book was just ok to me. I wanted a lot more from it, more character development, more depth, maybe less action. So while it was interesting, it left me unsatisfied. I didn't really care about the characters or fully believe them. The cult leader was sufficiently creepy, and you kind of wondered why people would follow him, but I don’t have much else. This one was okay.

Look how beautiful this cover is! There is something about books with bright pink covers - especially when the genre is thriller, like this book, instead of the more likely romance pink cover.
Do you like reading about cults? I am intrigued by cults, especially lately, and I could not stop Gaslight once I started it. I switched between reading a physical #gifted copy and listening to the audio. Thanks to Blackstone and Bibliolifestyle for the physical copy, and to NetGalley for the ALC, too. While the story took a little while to really develop and get going, I felt the payoff was worth the slow start. If you like reading about cults, I think you will like this one too. I recommend both the book and the audiobook.

Gaslight is an absolutely wild ride through the inner workings of a cult organization that feels eerily familiar to the Mother God Cult, that was a documentary this year... The suspense is masterfully woven throughout the narrative, keeping you on the edge of your seat.

What truly captivated me were the characters. I found myself completely invested in their journeys and the complex relationships they navigated within this chilling environment. Each twist and turn had me both anxious and excited to see where the story would lead next.

Also go into this book blind! I promise you will not regret it!

This audiobook was a really great one!!! I loved the narrator and if I would have had the time I totally could have seen myself listening to this all in one sitting (but in saying that, it took two 😂). I was able to comfortably listen to it at 2.5x and it was a wonderful listening experience!

As for the book’s actual substance it was a great story! It was fully of imperfect and flawed main characters that you felt and only wanted the best for and hated that they were in certain situations that you’d hate for anyone you know or love to be in.

If you’re looking for a TLDR:

GASLIGHT is for readers that like:
✨Cults
✨Commune Storylines
✨Imperfect Flawed Characters with Detailed Backstories
✨Manipulation
✨Fast-Paced Reads
✨Lightly Suspenseful/Thrilling Reads
✨Unputdownable Reads
✨Dual Timelines

4.5⭐️

Special thanks to Blackstone Pub-Audiobooks for the review ALC

Thanks to Blackstone Audio and NetGalley for the digital audiobook. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

First off, loved the narrator, Julia Atwood. I thought she gave the source material an extra something that made the story fly as I listened to it. More suspense than thriller, this book still had me engaged throughout.

I know little about cults other than some of the bigger ones in the past, and not so recent past. Jim Jones, David Koresh, the cult one of the Smallville television stars got involved with (NXIVM), and on the one hand, it’s fascinating, yet on the other, it’s horrifying. The study into how people get pulled in by charlatans is brought forth with this fictional telling of the story of Rebecca and Danny, two friends who end up joining a cult. Rebecca got out early enough and has successfully left that part of her life behind, but she’s always looking behind her, afraid they will catch up to her.

I think maybe the title is a little misleading, because while there is some gaslighting in the book, there are much more sinister things going on. I’m glad I listened to it, and would recommend it in this day and age, when following cult leaders is becoming more normalized.

⛽️Book Spotlight⛽️
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Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @blackstonepublishing  for the advanced copy of Gas Light! This sounds like a fantastic cult book 🤓. It released on Tuesday so grab it where books are sold today! This sounds super unique and right up my alley 😍 the creeper the book, the better for me !
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Summary- Rebecca is living a peaceful life in Nevada with her husband, Tom, and their two young children. Her past is in the past and she does a good job of keeping it there, until her old friend, Danny, shows up on the doorstep one morning, throwing her sweet family life into turmoil. Danny is nothing but a reminder of what Rebecca fled all those years ago, and all the secrets she's keeping from Tom. She tries her hardest to manage the situation and figure out what Danny wants, but all Rebecca seems to find are layers upon layers of deception.
That deception has a lot to do with ISB, the cult Danny has been part of for ten years; a group of spiritual seekers living deep in the woods, cut off from their families and friends, led by a charismatic leader who's a master at manipulation and mind control. Is Danny here because she's trying to break free from the cult? Or is she on a recruiting mission? It's hard for Rebecca to know when Danny's telling the truth and when she's lying, but one thing's for sure: her presence might just blow up Rebecca's life. As she scrambles to figure out Danny's intentions, Rebecca begins to lose sight of the people she loves most--and the danger closing in on them all.
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QOTD- what are you up to this weekend !?
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#gaslight #gaslightthriller #gaslightbook #milesjorispeyrafitte #sarashepard #bibliolifestyle

@blackstonepublishing is keeping me well-stocked with great audiobooks via @netgalley and this was an almost perfect #matchthesky book cover for this mornings sunrise!

GASLIGHT by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte & Sara Shepard, is read by Julia Atwood, and is out now! (Happy Pub Week!)

This is a suspenseful listen that goes into the world of cults. It is fascinating to me see how our innate need to be part of community, have purpose, and to be chosen (or heard, or understood) can be manipulated to such degrees.

The dual timeline from different perspectives provided a great way to reveal this layered story. Current day Rebecca is living a great life when Danny, her former best friend arrives on her doorstep looking frazzled. This unwanted blast from the past threatens everything Rebecca has worked for, but is Danny needing help to escape as well? I was on the edge of my proverbial seat through this while the author's explored the way these girls got caught up in the first place, which were very different routes, yet similar needs.

I had no idea what would happen through this story until those final words were given. It could have gone multiple ways, and I enjoyed the path it did take.

The audio was a great way to absorb this suspense. I was riveted. 4.5 stars

Rebecca has escaped a cult and is living a new life with her husband Tom and their two children, until her old friend Danny shows up at her door. Tom doesn't know anything of Rebecca's past with the cult, the things she did, or what exactly she's hiding from. What does Danny want? Has she left the cult too after all these years?

I was sucked in right away by the thought processes of Rebecca, the story of her past, and why/how she left the cult. The alternating thoughts of Tom and Danny were also captivating. The way people can be gradually manipulated into joining a cult fascinates me as much as it horrifies me. In that respect, GASLIGHT had my full attention with the process of how the two women, Rebecca and Danny ended up a part of the cult, ISB.

Where things got a little blurry for me, is that many details of how ISB worked reminded me of the real cult, NXIVM. I suppose there are certain aspects that are the same for ALL cults since there's a distinct way they operate. That being said, I enjoyed this! Despite the similarities, it also differs in many ways, but with a common theme of power and control. It's heartbreaking to be in the thoughts of a person whose identity is so broken down, they are lost without being told what to do.

Julie Atwood did a phenomenal job of narrating the different characters and all their conflicting emotions. At times the inner thoughts of Danny and Rebecca made me cringe, as did the perspective of Ben, the cult leader. I read this fairly quickly since it had an intense sense of foreboding and impending doom, it was hard to put down. Since this IS fiction...things definitely take a dark turn and the ending is in many ways much more satisfying than what happened with NXIVM!
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Thank you Blackstone Publishing for the gifted copies. All opinions are mine.
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Potential spoiler content warnings below.


































⚠️Content warnings: language, gaslighting, manipulation, OCD, false imprisonment, violence, Mention of: drug addiction

A fictional book about a cult? *SIGN ME UP!* (for the book, not the cult, lol)

When Rebecca's friend from her past, Danny, shows up unexpectedly at her door after years of Rebecca setting up her new life, past secrets start coming to light - and BOY do those secrets make your jaw drop!

Recommend listening to this book as an audiobook - kept me entertained from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a very good book. I find cults so interesting and so that’s what drew me to this book in the first place. Give it a try.

We have a very strong 4 🌟 thriller here!

This book kept me in suspense and intrigued from page one—I mean, we’re talking about the inner workings of a CULT here.

I loved the dual timeline, where we gradually learned more about Bex’s and Danny’s past. I was mostly more interested in their past than in what was happening in the present, but both timelines kept me invested.

The slow reveal of all the secrets, the brainwashing, the gaslighting, the action, and the character development all contributed to an amazingly suspenseful thriller.

My only negatives were the unnecessary side stories (at least, they felt unnecessary to me)—I didn’t really care for Danny’s mom or Rebecca’s husband.

I can’t recommend the audiobook enough—it was so well done!

Thank you, NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing, for this audiobook ARC! All opinions are my own.

I'm fascinated by cults. I think it's because I just can't fathom how someone can be so brainwashed to think the things they're doing are okay (but here we are living in MAGA world so I guess it's not that far-fetched).

I liked how this story was told - how it slowly laid down the pieces of present day and past day in the cult. It made for an eerie story and I appreciated that. The creepiest thing was how deep Becks (sorry if I'm spelling it wrong - I listened to the audiobook) got in to the point that she was fully complicit in sexual assault and branding. From the outside, that's a clear violation of a person's body. And yet, in the cult, they were taught that it was a test and a way to free yourself. Craziness.

It amazes me that most cults seem to have some element of bizarre sexuality to them and this cult was no different. The only thing I didn't like is that we never got a full explanation for Ben's behavior/intentions regarding the women after pregnancy. I wanted to know what his endgame was and that just seemed kind of left up to interpretation.

This story is for people like me who find cults so interesting and want some fictionalized inner workings and drama. It's a good time.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.
With an expected 5 hours left of listening to this, I just couldn’t do it. I don’t like these characters yet and I really don’t care about their pasts or what happens next. The bits we learned about the cult so far aren’t interesting.
I was going to give up closer to the 15% mark but I thought maybe it would get better with a little more time. It didn’t.



3 stars given in order to submit my feedback