The Cresswell Plot, by Eliza Wass

Summary: Castella Cresswell lives in a world that is different from those she goes to school with – her father is abusive to her and her 5 siblings, and they are encouraged to believe that he is a prophet of God. When she meets a boy that talks to her as if she’s a “normal” person, Castella becomes confused about what she should believe about herself, God, and her family.

My Thoughts: I’ve seen plenty of mediocre reviews for this book, and I’m not sure why. The writing was engaging, and I cared (and worried) for the characters. There was enough suspense to keep me interested all the way through. And the plot was, on the whole, believable. I believe that families like this are rare, but they exist. And what’s more believable is the way the rest of the town ignored the obvious abuse that was going on in the Cresswell household. Overall, I thought this was a good book, and I would suggest it to people who like teen realism.