I requested this ARC after seeing that it was loosely based on a cult working out of a Hobby Lobby-style christian craft store and was stoked to read and give my review.
Ruth is trapped. She’s stuck in her small, religious hometown of Kill Devil, Kentucky, stuck in the closet, and stuck living paycheck to paycheck. After her manager finds out that she lives with her girlfriend, Ruth is fired from her job as a cashier at New Creations—a craft store owned by the church that dominates life in the town.In an act of revenge, Ruth attempts to shoplift some yarn but is caught red-handed by a New Creations cashier. Instead of calling the police, the employees lock her in the store—and attack her. When Ruth is forced to stab out one of their eyes with a knitting needle, she realizes she’s facing far bigger trouble than a simple shoplifting charge. As Ruth fights for her life, she plunges deeper into the tangled web of the New Creationists, who are hiding a terrible secret that threatens not only her, but the entire town.This relentless horror novel will have you on the edge of your seat as it hurtles towards a breathtaking conclusion. Will Ruth escape? Or will the shocking secret at the heart of the cult die with her?
I love cult horror and this one, which is very obviously directed at the real cult horrors of evangelical Christians in the US (and Hobby Lobby, let’s just say it) was so much fun. Like a horror b-movie full of high tension, snark, and fantastic death scenes. As a fan of B grade horror, this was right up my alley.
Wonderful representation not only of sapphic characters (yay Bi rep) but also diabetes, an invisible disability that here was shown definitely affects folks especially in a survival situation.
Ruth’s character arc, from someone who is scared and without personhood to a badass taking down a cult and loving her girlfriend, was inspiring.
As someone who is queer, disabled, and grew up in an evangelical church in Kentucky, this book hit home so hard. I feel like I know these characters, the good and the bad. Thank you Jenny Kiefer for writing it.