Trade Paperback. About The Book. About The Author. Photograph c Bobby Quillard. Michele Dominguez Greene. Product Details. Awards and Honors. Resources and Downloads. Get a FREE ebook by joining our mailing list today! By clicking 'Sign me up' I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the privacy policy and terms of use. Must redeem within 90 days. See full terms and conditions and this month's choices. You may also like: Thriller and Mystery Staff Picks. Thank you for signing up, fellow book lover!
It's also very educational, so it's a great way to learn about polygamy while being intrigued by such a gripping book. And if you haven't read those two, add them to your list along with Keep Sweet! Aug 28, laaaaames rated it liked it. I'm glad I read this hugely spaced apart from The Chosen One because there are a lot of unintentional, I'm sure overlaps.
Ultimately they cover a lot of the same ground, and while I think The Chosen One is the superior book - and the one to read if you only want to read one book about a girl in a Polygamist Mormon sect, if your choices are limited that way - there is some ground covered in Keep Sweet I appreciated.
Really loved the Mrs. Norton storyline, and appreciated that Dominguez Greene le I'm glad I read this hugely spaced apart from The Chosen One because there are a lot of unintentional, I'm sure overlaps. Norton storyline, and appreciated that Dominguez Greene let Alva really suffer, didn't magically save her from the realities of cult life. I do agree with the reviewers who said her voice wasn't necessarily as consistent as it could have been. Her fears about the outside world seemed to pretty abruptly disappear once she considered becoming a part of it.
Also it's always a tough thing when within the book is EXACTLY when someone begins really examining problematic components of their culture. Also, let's be honest - sometimes, especially when you're younger and more self-centered, until something bad is a possibility FOR YOU it doesn't seem as bad. Three stars because I gave The Chosen One four. Oct 30, Jackie rated it really liked it Shelves: ya-fiction , survival , coming-of-age , abuse , polygamy.
She lives with her mother, Maureen and father Eldon Ray, and all the sister wives of Eldon. As she approaches her inevitable marriage to a member of the community, she sees her world crumble and fall apart with the decree that she will not be marrying her childhood friend, Joseph John. Instead she will marry Wade, a wicked, abusive man nearly 35 years her senior. She starts to question this lifestyle and fate, and begins to plan her escape, enlisting the help of another woman who was brutally beaten by Wade.
Together they plot, save, and gather in silence the things she will need to make it on her own in order to get far enough away from the fundamentalist communities. Only in this way, will she be able to enlist aid from authorities who will protect her from this abuse. Keep Sweet is a gruesome, creepy, nightmarish story of life inside one of these righteous sects.
How much of the story is based on fact is hard to determine, yet if any one of these scenarios paint a truthful picture, it will be enough to turn one's stomach. The abuse and violence administered to these children is unthinkable. Dec 30, Greta is Erikasbuddy rated it it was amazing. Keep Sweet No impure thoughts, do as you are told, give into the hand of man to quench his desires.
I was raised in a different way This book gives you a glimpse into the life of a 14 year old FLDS girl who lives on a compound in Utah with her father and his seven sister-wives and his something children. Most girls her age are already married off Keep Sweet Most girls her age are already married off but Alva has yet to start her cycle which will mark her entrance into womanhood because she can bear children. Joseph John is an eighteen year old boy who has fallen in love with Alva.
He has had dreams of the two being together for many years. All that is standing in his way for asking the prophet's permission to wed her is the start of her cycle. This is a very interesting book. I feel more informed with their way of life but pity the poor girls that have to endure it. It would make for a great Lifetime tv movie. View all 6 comments. Oct 24, Maggie61 rated it really liked it Shelves: read This is a pretty quick read, but one that is hard to read in some parts.
Although this book is fiction, the sad thing is that the events are really going on for the people who live in these places and this is not fiction for them. It was really hard to read Alva's beating and even more so her wedding night. It is so hard to believe that people actually live that way and think it's okay to have those kind of rules and that multiple wives and children will secure their place in heaven. The idea of This is a pretty quick read, but one that is hard to read in some parts.
The idea of a mother being okay with her 14 year old daughter being married off to someone much older and in many cases violent in horrifying. Even if the mother is raised that way, how can a mother be okay with their daughters being married off, or sons being expelled and beaten for minor offenses. I have read a couple of books on this topic and am shocked at their beliefs and shocked that this goes on and no one stops it.
Recommend this read to anyone, but not a happy book by any means. Jan 25, Colleen rated it it was amazing. I found this young adult novel about life in a polygamist cult to be an incredibly compelling read.
Alva Jane is the oldest daughter of a favored wife, and has enjoyed her childhood on the compound, oblivious to the darker tones that underpin her life. She is looking foward to marrying a young man in her community until one innocent stolen kiss shatters all their dreams. Married off to a violent abusive older husband, Alva Jane is forced to take a new look at her life and the lives of those arou I found this young adult novel about life in a polygamist cult to be an incredibly compelling read.
Married off to a violent abusive older husband, Alva Jane is forced to take a new look at her life and the lives of those around her.
Alva Jane reads as a complete and believable character with a strong narrative voice. I read this book through in one sitting, unable to walk away from Alva Jane and her suffering. An excellent novel, this book does deal realistically with the darkness of child marriage and so includes sex scenes that may be disturbing to some readers. A highly recommended read. Dec 04, Z rated it really liked it. Unlike other recent YA fiction releases about polygamy, this book went all the way.
It wasn't just set in a mysterious polygamous religious community, it was set in the FLDS church. It also went all the way in terms of marrying the main character off and making her escape quite difficult though it seemed to me that that fizzled a little in the end, but maybe in a realistic way. Quite good, and very well done. I would have liked to see more questioning of Alva Jane's faith--coming to terms with Unlike other recent YA fiction releases about polygamy, this book went all the way.
I would have liked to see more questioning of Alva Jane's faith--coming to terms with what she's told to believe versus what she actually believes--but then that's what I always want to see. Jan 11, Kait rated it really liked it. Oh my gosh!! How does this book only have reviews?!? This book is all kinds of awesome!! The main character is very sheltered and we get to explore with her the realization that her way of life is a lie.
It's so heartbreakingly good. I loved alva for her strength and perseverance! Whenever she got knocked down she plotted more, she hit harder and she got back up. She didn't wallow in self pity.
She just wanted to right the wrongs against her. This young woman is a true literary heroine! No M Oh my gosh!! No Mary Sue here! I hope more people read this! It's absolutely wonderful and heartbreaking!! Jan 29, Sabrina Rutter rated it it was amazing Shelves: ya-fiction , favorites. What an incredible story! This book should be made into a movie! The author put together a fictional FLDS group, and using actual events she has heard about created this amazing story!
If this is a topic of interest to you then you don't want to pass this book by. View 2 comments. Apr 13, Jo rated it it was ok Shelves: young-adult. Social content - high school. Jan 19, Valentina rated it really liked it Shelves: favorites. Something startling and suprising. May 26, Brooklyn rated it it was ok. Not the best of this kind of book I've read.
Aug 24, Lynette Lark rated it really liked it. Where in the Bible does it say that women are subservient? Jun 25, Melody rated it it was amazing Shelves: heroine-smart-cookie , emotional-wreck-hit-me-in-the-feels , hero-nice-kind-boy-next-door , mel-s-all-time-favorites , non-romance-fiction-books , survival-of-the-fittest , arranged-convenient-forced-marriage , heroine-popped-her-cherry , heroine-sassy-as-sin , beautiful-prose-mel-swoons.
One by one, her world topples as she faces starling truths about everyone and everything she knows. As Alva encounters each obstacle that tests her faith, she begins to realize how unstable her religion is. It deals with topics such as underage brides, patriarchy, non-consent, domestic violence, and religious brainwashing.
In the FLDS community, girls are raised for marriage to breed as many children as they can, and men must take at least three wives to bring them all to salvation. This is one of those books that I wished had a sequel! It closes affirmatively, but I want to see what happens next. What has become of her and those Alva knew?
The writing and literary devices are solid with minimal grammatical errors, the dialogue and emotions are digestible and tangible, tension and conflict are omnipresent, and the heroine is a reliable narrator with an arc. On top of that, the story and plot are enjoyable!
Would I re-read this series: Yes. Would I read future books by this author: Yes. Oct 01, Samantha rated it really liked it. The book to me was weird at first, I couldn't really get hooked on it, even though I was only through the first two chapters when I felt that way. I actually almost wanted to stop reading it, but I continued to just because I was curious 1. I actually almost wanted to stop reading it, but I continued to just because I was curious, after the first couple of chapters, it really can grasp your attention and make you want to read more.
It's the type of book if you don't read it a lot then it's not that interesting, but once you start to read it you never want to put it back down. Over all it was a good book, but I absolutely hated the ending. It was a good ending, but it was the type of ending that made you long for me, which is what you want out of a book, but with this book I longed for more so much it just angered me.
Overall it was a tremendously good book. Dec 09, Alyssa rated it really liked it. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I found this novel very enlightening towards others beliefs and ways of life. This novel was very informative and enjoyable to read. I was able to learn how different one's life can be and the struggles they conquered, coming from a hard, strict lifestyle; which was portrayed well through the main character Alva Jane Merrill.
I believe the message the narrator is trying to illustrate is that although you may be brought up with different ideas and beliefs; your age, knowledge, and curiosity may c I found this novel very enlightening towards others beliefs and ways of life. I believe the message the narrator is trying to illustrate is that although you may be brought up with different ideas and beliefs; your age, knowledge, and curiosity may cause you to question your morals and faith and lead you towards a different path of life.
Which is exactly what Alva Jane did. I believe the author wants women to recognize their strengths and be able to overcome such issues no matter how impossible they may seem, and know that it can be done. Mar 29, Caroline Gohn rated it liked it. This book was a very interesting look into another type of lifestyle for me. In modern days, we hear a lot about these types of communities but never have an inside look.
A young girl has a crush on someone about her age, but instead has to marry someone much older and has to make a plan to escape. Also, throughout the book the pacing was very off.
Some scenes the author would spend too long on, dragging each little detail out, and other scenes like when she finally escaped with Marianne were very vague. Nov 01, Alex rated it really liked it. No matter how many books about polygamist compounds I read, I continue to be both horrified and fascinated by them. My big complaint is about the ending, though. I just have so many unanswered questions! Jan 19, Brigid rated it liked it. This book was an amazing book! It was adventure filled and was a book i could not put down.
I found this book to be very interesting because of how different things used to be compared to how they are now. This book was very interesting because Alva Jane is 14 years old and already has a husband who is old, her father also has 7 wives one of which is Alva's age.
This is interesting because Alva did not get to chose her husband, the boy she was going to marry was banned from seeing her after her This book was an amazing book! This is interesting because Alva did not get to chose her husband, the boy she was going to marry was banned from seeing her after her dad found out.
In pine ridge the person you marry is determined by the prophet not by the man, and the amount of children and wives you have determines how likely you are of going to heaven. I would recommend this book to anyone thirteen and up because anyone younger won't understand this. I really liked this book and highly recommend this. Nov 04, Nancy rated it really liked it Shelves: young-adult. Alva Jane is fourteen and a devout believer of her FLDS life, as her mother is her father's favorite of six wives later seven , and she has it easier than many of her other siblings.
But her hopes are dashed when due to jealousy within the compound she is assigned to become the sixth wife of a violent fifty-year-old man. The book doesn't shy away from happens to her after she is forced to marry and how he ra Alva Jane is fourteen and a devout believer of her FLDS life, as her mother is her father's favorite of six wives later seven , and she has it easier than many of her other siblings.
The book doesn't shy away from happens to her after she is forced to marry and how he rapes her. The power of her escape is somewhat deflated when we find out what happens soon afterward to the compound. Dec 04, Gracie Epperson rated it really liked it. This was such a good book I couldn't put it down.
It hurt my heart that this girl was only 14 years old, I'm 14 years old and can't imagine this happening to me. A forced marriage, abuse, rape, and so much more that went wrong. It's not like she knew any better at first, but that was what she grew up knowing and learning. I'm just glad her eyes were open and she saw what an awful lying, stealing, cult they were all in. But what I find the saddest is that stuff like this actually happens to kids This was such a good book I couldn't put it down.
But what I find the saddest is that stuff like this actually happens to kids younger than me in the Mormon society. May 10, Khrystyna rated it really liked it Shelves: books-i-own. This book was well written.
I would highly recommend it. I couldn't believe how brain washed some of these poor children were with that horrible religion. Many countries today still have young forced marriages. It's just horrible. I love the way the book turned out. Wish there was more to the ending and such but it was still great. The main character really learned a lot facing these horrible things in her life.
It's a very good book and a quick read. Sep 16, Jacquellyn rated it really liked it. This has to be one of the most disturbing books I've ever read. I cannot believe this lifestyle is happening in America. It literally sickened me. I've never had such a horrible reaction to a book. Just an overwhelming sadness and disgust. Maybe this is what people me by books giving "triggers.
I just know that I wanted to finish it quickly and be done with it. Anyway, the writing was great. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one ». Readers also enjoyed. Young Adult. Realistic Fiction. It's the time of year for soups, sautees, and stories!
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