This audiobook version will provide more background and context if you listened to the Gaslight podcast. This story of two friends and their relationship with a cult leader makes it clear how easy it can be to "fall into a cult." Rebecca and Danny (high school friends) both found themselves involved in a cult ran by a creepy older man. But soon their perception changes, and he's not so creepy---he becomes their salvation. Narrated by Julia Atwood--the pacing and tone are perfect. This is a tale that keeps the reader wanting more. I thoroughly enjoyed this title and subject.

It’s not often that I finish a book and RUN to leave a review! Wow! This book was everything needed for a perfect cult classic! And I mean that in more ways than one!

Gaslight is a crazy ride inside a cult organization very similar to one that made headlines not that long ago. The intrigue, the suspense, the love that I felt for these characters is so real! I don’t want to give any more information, go in blind and clear your schedule for the entire day. I absolutely HATE that I finished this book … I would give my first born child (no pun intended) to be able to read this again for the first time.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ALC.

I will read or watch anything if the subject matter is based on Cults so this was a no brainer for me. The whole concept is so intriguing for me. Saying that I finished this a few days ago and I’m not sure I’ll remember it in another few days. It had great potential but it was missing something. For me the storyline was all over the place, dragged a lot and really when I think about it there was nothing overly suspenseful or exciting when it came to twists or surprises. The narrator did a good job and did hold my attention. It was just ok.

Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to listen to and review #Gaslight

Not perfect, but worth a listen and I quite liked it.

Full review: Thank you to authors Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and Sara Shepard, publishers Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for an advance audiobook copy of GASLIGHT. Read by Julia Atwood. All views are mine.

...[She] looks her old friend up and down. She looks the same, in a lot of ways. That wavy,  golden blonde hair, lots of freckles, the pointy chin people always said gave her a Reese Witherspoon vibe. There are differences too. Danny has always Bern petite, but now she seems withered. Her legs in her skinny jeans look emaciated.  Her sweater swallows her whole. ...Her skin is almost gray, and her fingernails are blue....

One of my favorite things about GASLIGHT is that it accurately depicts the horrifying tactics cults use to control their members. A great deal of this story's tension comes from mistrust and distrust.

The characters can't and don't trust one another, and as a result experience harm right and left. Similarly, the reader can't trust any of the characters or narrators, even though they must witness them being published for their own distrust. The reader becomes a part of the viscious cycle playing out on the page. This form is quite compelling and made for riveting reading for me.

Beyond that, GASLIGHT also contains solid use of fictional elements: well drawn characters, interesting subplots, solid minimalist prose, smart and efficient setting and description.

I was initially attracted to this book, not because of Joris-Peyrafitte's podcast and true crime expertise, but because I wanted to see how an award-winning documentarian and a solid writer tackle the fiction monster. I especially wanted to experience the audiobook and know how they handled such a wonderful media mashup. I thought I would find something special, and I did. This is a great audiobook! I suspect it might be better on audibook than book book, but I'll never know!

I recommend GASLIGHT to fans of audiobooks, true crime, cult books, unreliable narrator, and unlikely friendship stories.

Reading Notes:

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. This is a really good, solid cult-astic horror book. So if you're into the cult stuff, there's going to be something for you here.

2. I was completely riveted by the development of Rebecca "Becs" and Danielle "Danny." At one point, the shape of their relationship, past and present, completely subsumes the plot. This works well here, considering this book is about trust, in as much as there *is none* where cults are concerned. Once I invested in these two, I was all-in on the story.

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. This is really convoluted, but I guess what was I expecting from a book called GASLIGHT? Speaking of that, I guess I wish actual gaslighting played a more dominant role in the story. When it shows up, it's great, I just want more of it!

2. Not a fan of Atwood, the narrator. Her tone completely lacks inflection and I'm having trouble engaging with the story. I'm working too hard to pick up what she's saying and expressing, trying to interpret from her flatness what is important.

3. Some of the material repeats itself often. Some of it might be the author laying the plot, like foreshadowing and such.

Rating: 👶🏻👶🏻👶🏻👶🏻 /5 male descendants
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: Aug 29 '24
Format: Audiobook, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🪄 cult stories
🔪 true crime
👭🏽 friend drama
🦨 unlikely friends
🗣 unreliable narrators
🎧 audiobooks

4.5 stars rounded up.

I listened to the audio version of Gaslight and thoroughly enjoyed it. I found that the overall topic of a cult, a cult leader and the arc of joining/leaving a cult was really very interesting. Following Rebecca and her fear, once removed from the ISB cult, was probably the low part of the story. It didn't make sense to me why she didn't share this information with her husband, once she felt like it was safe to do so. (At least the basic parts of it.) This clouded the overall part of her individual story.

However, the introduction of Danny into the story made the overall plot more exciting and the relationships more interesting, as well. In addition, the details and descriptions were excellent. I always noticed the small pieces of information provided and how they served to set the scene, overall.

As a whole, the book was a very enjoyable read/listen. Not overly creepy or suspenseful but interesting and enjoyable, for sure.

Advance reader copy provided by Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

I’m kind of obsessed with Miles Joris-Peyrafitte’s 2016 movie As You Are, so I was really excited when I saw that he had co-written this novel. While the plots are completely different, I feel like there is some thematic crossover with what I enjoyed so much from his movie. Messy characters, complicated friendships, and explorations of tragedy are present in both stories. Gaslight follows two women, Rebecca and Danny, both as they join a cult right out of high school and then years later after Rebecca has left and Danny shows up out of the blue.

I thought this was a really compelling book. It’s not so much a mystery or fast-paced thriller, it’s way more focused on the internal lives of the women and how they were brainwashed within the cult. It’s interesting to see the story in the present day and how Rebecca is able to realize the harmful ways that the cult is treating Danny while Danny is still trusting of the organization and the leader. While the majority of the book is focused on the evolution of the characters, there are a few action-packed scenes that add a lot of suspense to the story.

There were some parts of the book where I wanted more from the side characters or more of a look into the online chatter about the cult. The women and their friendship felt really fleshed out, but some other parts of the story were a tiny bit lacking for me.

But overall I had a great time with this book. I’d definitely recommend it for people who enjoy character focused explorations into cults and complicated friendships.

Gaslight is an interesting read with a viewpoint told from the victims of a cult. The author did a great job at expressing the confusion between two ladies who were victims of a cult.

This was a great thriller and a must for fans of cults & true crime.

I loved the narrator which is always the make or break for me with audiobooks, this was the perfect book to listen to.

This was a thrilling & gripping book that hit on very tough & hard topics & a real eye opener into how easily people can be manipulated particularly those who are vulnerable.

I would highly recommend.

GASLIGHT

Holy cow check trigger warnings on this one, but it’s so good!

I am so intrigued by cults and this was just as dark and thrilling as I thought it would be.

Rebecca has a seemingly perfect life with a wonderful husband and two beautiful boys, until her past comes knocking on her front door

Rebecca and Danny were high school friends. Rebecca convinces her friend to start seeing her incredible life guide to discuss her issues at home and school. This leads both girls into a horrible and twisted cult leader’s grip.

I was hanging on to the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading this book. However, the ending left me wanting more.

Trigger warnings- cults, torture, kidnapping, SA

I am sincerely thankful to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Not a great cult book... I felt like half of it was missing or something the plot just wasn't there for me. It wasn't as thrilling or scary as the description seemed.

I hate to write a negative review—so I won’t. Let’s just say that the first 90% of this book was excellent, clearly well-researched, thoughtfully written. The last bit felt…less so. The narrator did a great job.

I love a good cult book, and Gaslight kept me on my toes. I honestly had no idea what Dani was going to do; turn on Bex or leave the cult. I wanted a bit more of a concrete ending but I am happy with the story.

Audiobook with a fabulous narrator

Gaslight is a fire burning steadily...crackling and expanding and finally exploding when the story twists are revealed.

Rebecca (Bex) will do anything to keep her past secret from her husband Tom. The young family is quietly living in Nevada when an old friend comes to her door. Slowly but surely we learn about a Scientology-esque cult and the life Rebecca fully participated in and then fled. Why she fled and what happens next is shocking. Joris-Peyrafitte and Sheperd do an excellent job of humanizing all of the characters and building plenty of tense moments. I loved this duplicitous cult story and you will too!
#Julia Atwood #blackstonepublishing #audiobooks #gaslight #milesjorispeyrafitte #sarasheperd

Gaslight - Sara Shepard & Miles Joris-Peyrafitte REVIEW 📖

Thank you to @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for providing me with an Audible version of this novel.

After reading several dense books, I was looking for something a bit easier to dive into, and this book was exactly what I needed. It offers a fascinating exploration of the inner workings of cults, shedding light on the vulnerability of young minds and the delicate nature of both friendships and marriages.

One of the standout aspects of the novel was the detailed depiction of the cult itself. The author did a remarkable job of immersing the reader in the daily routines, the induction process, and the manipulative techniques employed by the cult leader to brainwash and retain his followers. The depth of insight into these dynamics added a compelling layer to the story.

The narrative unfolds through multiple points of view and shifts between past and present timelines, which provided a well-rounded perspective on the characters and their experiences. However, I did find the repetition of certain events through different characters' perspectives a bit unusual. It didn’t detract significantly from the story but did feel slightly off at times.

Despite this minor flaw, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the characters evolve throughout the novel. Their growth and changing personalities kept me engaged from start to finish. While it may not be a perfect book, it certainly held my attention and kept me eager to see how it would all unfold.

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a gripping page-turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's an engrossing read that provides both entertainment and insight into the dark allure of cults.

This pulled me in right away. I liked the mix of perspectives and the way it alternates between past and present. I didn't re-read the synopsis before starting, which made the beginning even more riveting as I tried to figure out what was happening. But around 20%, I guessed a major reveal so then the game was to see if I was right. I was. There were some additional twists, but I was always a few steps ahead in figuring them out. My overall enjoyability of a thriller is greater when I am genuinely surprised and don't see everything coming.

This book has a lot of similarities to real-life cult stories that have been in the media in recent years.
  
Ratings
Quality of Writing 3/5
Pacing 4/5
Plot Development 3/5
Character Development 3/5
Narration 4/5
Overall Enjoyability 3/5

What is it about? Cults!! Who doesn’t love to hear about the wild and crazy leader of a cult and how they get people to become brainwashed and manipulated to follow their rules. This book was especially awesome because it really delved deep into the nitty gritty day in and day out of a cult. How it gathered its’ members and how the leader used manipulation and control to get his followers to do pretty much ANYTHING for him.

The characters: Rebecca - a woman who escaped the cult and has attempted to form a normal life for herself by getting married, having children, and staying off the grid. Danny - a girl who joined the cult in her most impressionable years (teens) and is in love with the cult leader. Tom - Rebecca’s husband, who knows nothing about Rebecca’s past. Ben-the leader of ISB - who claims a spiritual approach to life by defying victimhood which is a “portal to the divine.” He is the master of manipulation. He is devious and preys on weak young females and even some males.

How I felt about it? Cults are fascinating to me. Perhaps because I can’t fathom how a person can allow themself to be controlled by another human. What I loved about this book was its’ believability and the way it described the actual inner workings of the cult. Most books seem to shy away from this aspect and just hint around at what happens but this book was vivid and detailed and I loved every page. 5 ⭐️ read for me.

Thank you @NetGalley and @Blackstone publishing for an audible version of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

“Gaslight,” co-authored by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and Sara Shepard, is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the dark and manipulative world of cults, the fragility of human relationships, and the haunting power of the past. 

The story centers on Rebecca, who has built a peaceful life in Nevada with her husband, Tom, and their two young children. Her seemingly idyllic existence is shattered when Danny, an old friend from her past, knocks on her door; rapidly sending Rebecca's life into rapid free-fall.

As Rebecca grapples with Danny’s intentions (whether she is seeking escape or attempting to pull Rebecca back into a life of complete control) she finds herself entangled in a web of deception and danger. 

Julia Atwood’s narration is a standout feature of this audiobook. Her ability to convey the emotional depth and psychological complexity of the characters adds a layer of intensity to the story, communicating Rebecca's fear, betrayal, and ultimately clarity, perfectly.

Joris-Peyrafitte and Shepard’s writing is taut and evocative, perfectly suited to the audiobook format. Their prose is both descriptive and suspenseful, creating a vivid and immersive listening experience.

“Gaslight” is a timely (politically, in the US) exploration of psychological manipulation and control and the personal battles individuals face when confronting their past. 

“Gaslight” is a masterfully crafted thriller that combines the talents of Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and Sara Shepard with Julia Atwood’s exceptional narration.

5 stars from this enthusiastic reviewer; there wasn't anything about this audiobook I DIDN'T enjoy, the tension builds slowly to a fever pitch, as the intelligence, might (and ultimately pure brutal strength and will) of a cult leader and one of his "minions" ultimately culminates in a match between the two for... everything.

I wanted to try out a cult mystery/thriller book and safe to say it’s not my style. The book although was really interesting and the audiobook was a fun read. I was very wrong with some of my theories for this book 🙃 but that first chapter was an amazing entrance into the book that I binged the rest of it!

This was unexpectedly really good! I'd looked through the reviews before starting it and was worried, just hoping I'd get through enough to write a review at least. That was definitely not a worry I should've had. I listened to the audiobook in three large chunks, the first night was 5 straight hours. It was so hard to stop it!

The story follows 2 ladies, Danny and Rebecca, shifting between their third person points of view, also shifting between past and present day. After high school, the girls had joined a group, ISB, a cult really, headed by a obviously controlling but charmistic man, Ben. At some point, Rebecca leaves, gets married to Tom and has kids. Everything is going well for Rebecca and Tom until Danny shows up on their doorstep one day. All the secrets about her former life Rebecca never told Tom, suddenly come out. And Danny has new secrets for Rebecca.

The characters are all very intense and complex, but in a good way. They're not exhausting or annoying in their intensity. It's hard to figure out who you should like or dislike, everyone making some harsh decisions sometimes. I don't normally listen to fiction audiobooks, I have a hard time following the story, but had no issues with this one. The story flowed well, even going back to the past parts to fill things in. And all the story was filled in so nicely, I didn't feel like anything was left unresolved. The narrator was great and I listened at 1.5x speed and thoroughly enjoyed the whole reading. I love cult stories and this was exactly that, major NXIVM vibes with this one too.

If you're a fan of cult stories, thrillers, or even friendships turned bad (think Pretty Little Liars), give this one a try. I'm not sure why some of the reviews weren't great, but I'm glad I tried it for myself. Sara Shepard's voice came through, her art of secrets and twists was definitely there.

Rebecca has built a nice life for herself with husband Tom and their two young children. The last thing she needs is for a friend from her distinctly problematic past showing up and putting all of that into jeopardy.

But that is exactly what happens when Danny, who has been actively involved with the cult that Rebecca is trying to put behind her, shows up on her doorstep.

And what does Danny want anyway? To draw Rebecca back in? Whatever it is, it is likely to put her marriage at risk, since Tom must not find out about the secrets Rebecca has been keeping from him...

This is a gripping story that provides additional insight into the ever-fascinating world of cults and what draws people to them, keeps them and enraptured and drives some away. It gets 3.5 stars.