Amy Christine Parker

Seventeen-year-old Lyla feels ambivalent when the charismatic leader of her isolated suburban community is told that the end of the world is near and when it arrives they must all be ready to defend themselves against the unchosen.

Gated

A fast-paced, nerve-fraying contemporary thriller that questions loyalties and twists truths. Appearances can be deceiving. Lyla Hamilton is a loyal member of the Community. Her family was happy to be chosen by Pioneer to join such an lovely gated neighborhood. Here, life seems perfect. But after meeting Cody, an outsider boy, Lyla starts questioning Pioneer, her friends, her family--everything. And if there's one thing not allowed in the Community, it's doubt. As Pioneer cleverly manipulates his flock toward disaster, the real question is: Will Lyla follow her heart or follow Pioneer over the edge? From the outside looking in, it's hard to understand why anyone would join a cult. But Gated tells the story from the inside looking out, and from behind the gates things are not quite so simple. Amy Christine Parker's beautiful writing creates a chilling, utterly unique YA story. Perfect for fans of creepy thrillers and contemporary fiction alike. "A tense psychological thriller that will leave you gasping for breath as you race to the very last page." --Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten HelloGiggles.com, August 3, 2013: "When I found out that there was a YA book about cults, of course I had to read it. As it turns out, Amy Christine Parker’s Gated is an awesome, creepy book that reminds me of my favorite cult films while still being surprising." Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2013: "Parker doesn’t pull punches, indicating a level of brutality that will appropriately disturb even as it successfully conveys Lyla’s complete entrapment in the Community. Compelling and not that distant from real-world cults that have ended in tragedy." Publishers Weekly, June 10, 2013: "Parker skillfully explores the mindset and inner workings of an apocalyptic cult, steadily building toward the inevitable moment of truth...As for the apocalypse itself, Parker keeps things suitably ambiguous, resulting in a complex, intriguing tale rooted in real-world events." School Library Journal, October 2013: "This well-plotted tale will allow readers a glimpse into the possible world of a doomsday cult...The language is accessible, making it a good choice for reluctant readers. After the last page is turned, the question will linger: 'Could I ever be deceived like this?'" Examiner.com "A well-rounded and thorough look into cults while still remaining entertaining throughout. I look forward to reading more of Parker's works in the future."

Lacy W

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tw: pedophilia (light but it's present), intentions of mass suicide, mentions of bombings (the 9/11 terrorist attacks are talked about), kidnapping, child marriage intended

One particular book genre that I have been meaning to read more is cult books. I do enjoy learning about cults and how they came to be. I’m especially interested in reading about what made someone/a group of people join a cult. It’s interesting to me to see how seemingly rational people can get swept up in whatever their leader tells me. That part just floors me. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book although it was slightly predictable. I knew what was most likely going to happen due to the way it was set up. But I found I didn’t mind the predictability. In a weird way, it was almost refreshing. The author clearly took a lot of inspiration from Jim Jones and Jonestown but I found that I didn’t mind that. Jonestown was a fascinating cult that I would like to learn more about. 

Layla was a likeable main character. Although her indecisiveness bothered me at times, I understood why. People in cults; their minds are brainwashed. Reasoning isn’t always there. Layla demonstrated that perfectly. It helped that the book was written in first person. We really go to be in her mind and truly experience everything. 

I must put out a warning for some borderline pedophilia. The leader, Pioneer, takes a rather gross shine to Layla. He has a special nickname for her and watches her a lot. He also forces, not child marriages per see but he pairs the children up with an Intended, which is someone they are to marry one day. It’s gross and it was uncomfortable to read at times. 

Overall, while the book had its fault with being predictable, which I honestly do not count as a fault, it was still an excellent book. Layla is a great MC and you’ll enjoy being in her mind. The book is fast paced and I guarantee you’ll read it in one sitting. I highly recommend this book.

Kristen

I've always been interested in cults. The more I dig into the psychology and structure of it, the more terrifying they become. How quick we are to believe lies if they're what we want to hear. Or even if they're not what we want to hear, but they ignite fear and anger in us. 

Lyla's parents chose for her to have the life in the community, under Pioneer's lead, and she never got to make the decision for herself. That's my biggest problem with cults. Parents make the decision to join, parents decide they don't want to make their own decisions anymore, parents decide to be sheep led to the slaughter. But their children don't get to make a decision. Their children have to follow, and they're given hundreds of consequences in case they decide to *GASP* make their own decisions and leave the cult. The kids are the most abused victims. They were denied an actual education and an actual understanding of the hows and the whys, and are there and follow out of fear for themselves or their families or their immortal souls or afterlife. If they begin to question the world that has been constructed in the cult, they're met with punishment and anger instead of answers. Which is exactly what happened to Lyla.

How could someone believe with no proof? How could someone hear that one man is a "prophet" and not question who he is or why he thinks so? In the book, Pioneer specifically preyed on weak victims, people who had been hurt by the world, people he knew would believe him quickly and easily, would follow him without question, if he said what they wanted to hear and made the right promises. And isn't that how people who crave power do it? They lie and manipulate, and before long, people think they have no choice. They believe they owe their leader so much. 

I think my favorite thing about this book was how BELIEVABLE it all was. From the way the community lived, to preparing for the "end", to Pioneer and Lyla's friends and family. Everything was so believable. Even Lyla's interest in Cody, the outsider boy, was understandable. She didn't really want to be part of the community, that was clear from the first chapter. She was there because she knew she couldn't leave, because she had no other choice, but her heart wasn't in it completely. Part of her believed Pioneer, of course, because he had been built up as her savior for so many years. But part of her questioned their lives, and knew she couldn't question Pioneer, and on some level thought it was wrong that she wasn't allowed to question. Then Cody comes into her life, and she knows she shouldn't like him, but she does. He's the taste of the outside world she didn't know she always wanted, and it's not enough. She can't make it be enough, and she finds herself craving him because she craves the world outside the community. 

So the conflict she feels is like nothing I've ever personally felt before, and I found that the author conveyed this splendidly. Lyla was annoying with how she kept going back and forth, but then, wouldn't anyone feel that way? I have such a hard time putting myself in Lyla's shoes, but I think I would have been the same way. On the one side is her family and all her friends, everything she's ever known. On the other is a boy she doesn't really know, but wants to, and a whole world. Her struggle was very well crafted, and I found myself rooting for Lyla the whole way through.

Honestly, I think the book was fantastic. The beginning was sort of slow and drawn out, but I understood why about halfway through. You can't really feel for Lyla without that beginning. The author wouldn't have been able to ensnare the readers to understand Lyla's conflict without that drawn-out, boring section that detailed her everyday life, Pioneer, her parents' struggle prior to the community, and her friends' influence on her.

I just finished listening to this book a half hour ago, and my heart is still pounding. That is a sign of a good book, in my opinion.

Jessica Nottingham

If you've followed my reviews for any length of time, you'll know I have a strange obsession with books based on cults. There's something about the thorough brainwashing these people experience that fascinates me. Amy Christine Parker weaves a chilling story. A story about what happens to the children who are raised in this community, and what it looks like from the outside. I'm not going to lie, I absolutely couldn't get enough.

The reason behind Lyla's move to the cult was what first blew me away about Gated. Despite all the other books I've read on this subject, I've never actually seen how the parents were swayed to join. In this case, we see that Pioneer is cold and calculated in his timing. He sees Lyla's mother at an emotionally crippling moment, and takes advantage of it. It intrigued me, the way that Pioneer makes it seem that he is"saving" the people he converts. With such slick and charismatic ways, it was no surprise to me that people chose to follow him.

It's true that the beginning of this book moves a little slowly. However it does so in order to explore the inner workings of the whole community. Lyla's world seems quiet and simple at first. If it wasn't for the constant reminder that the end of the world is coming, it's easy to assume they are just a group of people who want to live off the grid. I was so immersed in the way that this community functioned as a whole, and I can honestly say I was never bored. If you feel the pace is slow at the beginning, please keep reading! The second half picks up considerably. By the time I reached the end, I could have read another entire book.

I could gush on about the romance aspect, and about the way that friendships are portrayed, but I'll end here. If you have an interest in cult mentality, this will be a book you'll enjoy. Go into Gated with an open mind, and keep reading on! This ended up being one of my favorites, and I'm honestly hoping for more.

Lisa ✩ @lifeinlit

3.5 stars!

I was rather surprised by this story, in a good way. The thought of cults and people living in such isolation usually makes me cringe. Since I do my best to avoid all reviews and the synopsis of a story prior to reading it, I was left with a blank slate on which to really judge this story, without any outside influence.

Lyla and her family live in a small community, completely isolated from the outside world. The leader of their community, Pioneer, insists that the world is going to end in the very near future. Under his control, they all believe that they will survive, as the chosen ones, as long as they are ready. They create a silo where they will all cluster when the time comes. Lyla, having been raised since birth in this environment, doesn’t know any different. Her and her entire family and circle of friends spend their days prepping for the end of the world, except for quick runs to the store which are completed as expeditiously as possible.

Though I didn’t love the characters, I did find myself relating to them at times. Especially Lila as she began questioning things, which brought about her desire to get out of this community. I also enjoyed Cody. He was super sweet and sincere, and really added a lot to the story. The other characters… well, I just really didn’t care for them. Some even made me angry, such as Lila’s mom. After her daughter (Lila’s sister) was taken, she became a complete mess. Though we didn’t get a look into her before the tragedy of her daughter’s taking, the fact that she completely shut down as a parent with no regard for Lila really bothered me.

The story started off a bit slow, which I guess can be expected with this type of story. The beginning revolved around this community’s background and lifestyle. The second half though really kept me interested, becoming much more intense and gripping. And the ending was wonderful. It left me completely satisfied.

The fact that others have classified this as a dystopia doesn’t really make sense to me. I wouldn’t call it that at all. It’s more of a psychological thriller. If you have a fascination with cults, as I know many people do, and are looking for a fast-paced thriller, I would definitely recommend this book. Oh, and it has a great cover too. :)

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