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

Gaslight had some interesting moments. It was an honest look at the way cults abuse their members. It was fairly horrific. Yet, I didn't think any of the characters were filled in. They were the outlines of characters. No one trusts anyone. With good reason. But I didn't feel that I as the reader got to know them on more than a surface basis. For a book of its length, that was disappointing.

“Gaslight” by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and Sara Shepard is a chilling psychological thriller that plunges readers into the world of a sinister cult. Drawing on Shepard's expertise in creating suspense and Joris-Peyrafitte's evocative narrative style, the novel expertly explores the complexities of manipulation, power, and belief.

The story’s protagonist finds themselves ensnared in the grips of a creepy cult that operates under the guise of spiritual enlightenment, but sinister motivations quickly bubble beneath the surface. The tension escalates steadily as the protagonist wrestles with questions of trust, loyalty, and reality. The claustrophobic atmosphere of the cult, with its charismatic yet eerie leader, casts a haunting spell over the novel.

What really sets “Gaslight” apart is its ability to create a deep sense of unease while masterfully building suspense. The narrative weaves together the protagonist’s backstory and the present-day horror, offering a glimpse into the psychology of those who are drawn into such dangerous groups. Shepard and Joris-Peyrafitte do a commendable job of portraying the manipulation techniques that cults employ, which adds an authentic touch, though at times it feels a bit predictable.

The character development is solid, and while some of the twists are foreseeable, the compelling writing and disturbing cult dynamics keep readers hooked. Those who enjoy dark, atmospheric thrillers centered on cults will appreciate “Gaslight”, as it dives deep into the psychological impact of such environments without veering into sensationalism.

Overall, “Gaslight” is a thought-provoking and unnerving read, though a few more unpredictable twists could have elevated it even further. Fans of psychological thrillers, especially those with an interest in cult dynamics, will find this book a satisfying and unsettling journey.

Gaslight by Sara Shepard and Miles Joris-Peyrafitte offers an intriguing premise: a woman’s seemingly idyllic life is disrupted by the reappearance of a former friend with ties to a dangerous cult. Unfortunately, the execution falls short of its potential.

Rebecca, living peacefully with her family in Carson City, Nevada, is thrown into turmoil when her old friend Danny shows up. Danny’s involvement in the Infinite Spiritual Being (ISB) cult and her life at its secluded compound in Bend, Oregon raises questions about Rebecca’s past and the secrets she’s hiding. As Rebecca tries to navigate Danny’s intentions and protect her loved ones, she finds herself caught in a web of deception and danger.

I was excited to dive into Gaslight by Sara Shepard and Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, given the premise and the promise of a taut psychological thriller playing out in the small space of Rebecca's home. Danny's sudden appearance creates a delicious amount of tension, especially since the reader does not know what her intentions are. I enjoyed much of the first third of the novel as the premise unfolded.

However, this novel fell short of my expectations and struggles with character depth and pacing. The characters feel one-dimensional, and the plot often feels predictable or implausible. (Your OB has Saturday appointments and you managed to get one? Totally unbelievable.) The dual timeline narrative interrupts the tension of Danny's unexpected visit, and some chapters and details were unnecessary to the plot.

The audiobook narration is competent and does not detract from the story.

Ultimately, Gaslight is a missed opportunity. While the premise is promising, the execution leaves much to be desired. If you're looking for a gripping psychological thriller, I recommend exploring other options.

This review will be posted to Goodreads on September 14, 2024.

GASLIGHT
Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and Sara Shepard

They meet at the perfect time. It feels like destiny.

He tells her she’s missing something. And she can feel the lack in her bones. He tells her he is the answer to all her unanswered questions. And she can feel it in the conversations left unsaid on the tip of her tongue. He tells her to come and be with him. And she feels the pull deep within the recesses of her being.

There are things about her that he knows that she hasn’t realized yet. There are parts of her she hasn’t found, and he seems to have the map. All it will require is to give herself fully. And it feels like she has been waiting a lifetime for this one simple request.

This is not a love story, and it never will be to anyone but her. She will spend an eternity undoing what he has done, unwinding all that he has wound, spiraling into her new self. But first, she has something to take care of.

Sara Shepard is well-versed in how to tell a story. She is a very successful author, and I knew picking this up that I would be in good hands. I was curious how she would be at telling this story.

I thought it was fantastic. And I look forward to seeing it expressed on the small screen. And I believe it will. If you’re a fan of Ashley Winstead’s THE LAST HOUSEWIFE, this should be on your radar and at the top of your fall TBR.

Thanks to Netgalley, Libro.fm, and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for the advanced copies in exchange for feedback!

GASLIGHT…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved how not so straight forward Gaslight was; when I thought I had it figured out it would zip and zoom and I'd be back to wondering how it would turn out. I really loved the narration and definitely felt it gave the story a heightened sense of suspense.

Thank you Blackstone Audio for the gifted ALC.

Gaslight by Sara Shepard and Miles Joris-Peyrafitte is a book about cults, secrets, gaslighting and a lot more. Told from multiple points of view, it’s mainly the story of Rebecca, who is now living with her husband and children after having left her past behind (even if it still gives her nightmares). But then her past comes out of her nightmares and catches up to her reality when an old friend Danny comes to her house one morning. Danny has been a part of a cult for 10 years and it's upto Rebecca to figure out whether she is there to get help or on put her family in danger. Everyone is keeping secrets and slowly they get revealed. It’s fast paced and well written. But it’s not a typical thriller and is more fiction. If you are someone who is interested in true crime or cults, you can definitely check it out.

Gaslight

A cult classic, the book starts with a podcaster who feels threatened by his past sharing his story with followers in an attempt to go viral and unveil the secrets of a cult still functioning in society.

Perspectives include Rebecca, who escaped the cult and is trying to lead a normal life with her husband, Tom, and her child. We also hear from Tom - who is clueless about Rebecca’s past, though he suspects something traumatic has occurred. A few chapters are from Ben’s perspective, the cult leader and mothers of daughters that left to join the cult.

Danny was also in the cult and reappears in Rebecca’s life. Danny shows up pregnant with obvious signs of still being controlled by ISB. Ben is the leader of ISB. The book goes back and forth between past and present and how these people were manipulated and then try to return to society and find success in life.

This book gave an intense look into the methods of control used by cults and how victims recover, or don’t, because of their treatment.

Similar to When She Returned and a recent release - Only The Guilty Survive. I did the audiobook and that was excellent! They did a great job with audio changes between narration, podcasting, etc. sometimes it was unclear narrator right away each chapter, would’ve appreciated a character call out. That may be audiobook specific though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Out on September 17!