Bonnie (LoveNE) - , reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on + 40 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
A fabulous and often eerie look inside the cult experience.An in-depth look into the minds of one family who raised their children in a world of incest and abuse in the name of God. It was fascinating to see one parent find the truth while another continues to deny it. This book will change you!
Kim J. reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
great story about 3 sisters who lived in a cult where sexual abuse was encouraged...it's about their experiences of how they survived then escaped a cult that has claimed the lives and innocence of thousands of its members. very disturbing at times.
Sabrina (glassbutterfly) - reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on + 101 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This is one of the most shocking stories I have read about survivors of a religous cult. The things these three sisters went through (not to mention thousands of other young children) is horrible. Most disturbing is the fact that to this day this religous group still exists and no one was brought to justice for molesting all those children in the name of God.
LaVonne W. (Grnemae) - , reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on + 451 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This was hard book to read due to the subject matter. It is so important that people who have left these types of cults continue to tell their stories.
What this cult did not only to the adults but especially to the children in the name of religion is criminal. The brainwashing and emotional turmoil that they are subjected to is horrific. Children taken from their parents at very young ages and given to "foster parents" and subjected to abuse that most of us would find hard to understand. As a result attachments issues with and to biological parents and siblings were created. Attachments to biological family seemed to be discouraged leaving children with no sense of belonging. Within the cult children were used as the workers for entire communes. Children severely beaten for doing things that are normal for children like an occasional bed wetting accident. And most appalling children used for sex, even small infants. Sex among both adults and children in this cult was encouraged and even commanded. Men, women and children moved from country to country to stay ahead of the law. Children given to one foster family and then to another and used in most cases as work and sex slaves.
I am glad that all three of these woman had to courage to leave this cult and most importantly to tell the world about it. One of the authors Kristina had the courage at a very young age to testify in open court about the abuse she suffered and that she saw other children were subjected to while she lived in the communes.
A book worth taking the time to read.
What this cult did not only to the adults but especially to the children in the name of religion is criminal. The brainwashing and emotional turmoil that they are subjected to is horrific. Children taken from their parents at very young ages and given to "foster parents" and subjected to abuse that most of us would find hard to understand. As a result attachments issues with and to biological parents and siblings were created. Attachments to biological family seemed to be discouraged leaving children with no sense of belonging. Within the cult children were used as the workers for entire communes. Children severely beaten for doing things that are normal for children like an occasional bed wetting accident. And most appalling children used for sex, even small infants. Sex among both adults and children in this cult was encouraged and even commanded. Men, women and children moved from country to country to stay ahead of the law. Children given to one foster family and then to another and used in most cases as work and sex slaves.
I am glad that all three of these woman had to courage to leave this cult and most importantly to tell the world about it. One of the authors Kristina had the courage at a very young age to testify in open court about the abuse she suffered and that she saw other children were subjected to while she lived in the communes.
A book worth taking the time to read.
Marta J. (booksnob) reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on + 412 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I confess to having a morbid fascination with this cult after having seen the documentary about them (referred to at one point in this book). This book is written in chapters by three sisters who detail their horrific lives within the Children of God. Their teachings and practices are a mixture of rampant sex, including incest and pedophilia, and martial law. It is no wonder that so many ex-members have committed suicide.
Prepare to be disgusted.
Prepare to be disgusted.
Karla B. reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on + 29 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This book goes into great detail about the sad lives of not only the sisters but also the remaining family members and also so many innocent children. The brainwashing is something that is just horrid and the lives these children were forced to live is unthinkable.
To go through all they went through, and are still going through...to come out of the life they were forced to live and write about it is something that is very hard to do, but with the hope that others will read their story and be able to get help. I have no words to describe the life these sisters had to live and now that they are grown, educated, have children of their own and lives that seem to be rewarding for them. This is a must read book.
There are many "cults" out there that are hush, hush, as the one that they were forced to live in and with and this book opens not only the eyes of those that are living this but also others that can lend a helping hand and make a difference in someone's life.
To the Sisters: You are an inspiration to so many that feel trapped and are being forced to live lives similar to the one you had. Thank you for a book that can not only help but can give them a glimmer of hope that they to can make it. I commend you all for having the strength and courage to tell your story no matter what others thought, feel, or say was not true, seen, or thought not to be wrong.
I would recommend your book to any and all who would want something to read in hopes that they too would be willing to open their hearts and hands to help others through and to better a life for the ones that can break free and make it! You are all amazing.
Thank you, from my heart to yours.
To go through all they went through, and are still going through...to come out of the life they were forced to live and write about it is something that is very hard to do, but with the hope that others will read their story and be able to get help. I have no words to describe the life these sisters had to live and now that they are grown, educated, have children of their own and lives that seem to be rewarding for them. This is a must read book.
There are many "cults" out there that are hush, hush, as the one that they were forced to live in and with and this book opens not only the eyes of those that are living this but also others that can lend a helping hand and make a difference in someone's life.
To the Sisters: You are an inspiration to so many that feel trapped and are being forced to live lives similar to the one you had. Thank you for a book that can not only help but can give them a glimmer of hope that they to can make it. I commend you all for having the strength and courage to tell your story no matter what others thought, feel, or say was not true, seen, or thought not to be wrong.
I would recommend your book to any and all who would want something to read in hopes that they too would be willing to open their hearts and hands to help others through and to better a life for the ones that can break free and make it! You are all amazing.
Thank you, from my heart to yours.
Sindee W. (s-wooley) reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I liked the book though at some points it was slow moving. The the topic was very disturbing and heartbreaking to imagine these 3 as well as thousands of children and young women enduring such abuse. I find it alarming that the group the girls were involved with still exists today.
Nancy J. (nancy2008) reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on + 19 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A very graphic and detailed story of the lives of three sisters growing up in a secretive cult - everything from sexual abuse to mind control to beatings. The families were torn apart and the children continually moved from one commune to another in many different countries. The scary thing is that this cult and others like it still exist. I highly recommend this book.
Perla A. (La-Estudiante) reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
It was insightful to hear the story about cult life from three different perspectives. However, initially I struggled to read it because of how scattered each sister told her story. The chapters were broken up based on who was telling a part of their life. Sometimes, one chapter would drag on and go off on tangents which became confusing. Not good when you are reading a book. Other times, there were a lot of typos or grammatical errors. Poor editing job. But for some reason, the chapters were better written towards the end. Because I didn't feel that engaged most of the time, it took me a long time to finish, especially when it dragged. This book had so much more potential because I was really intrigued by they story, but I just didn't like the writing style, and I ended up a bit disappointed.
Tammy M. (way2strssdout) reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on
Helpful Score: 1
This book was good. It took awhile to get into it, but once I did, then I did not want to put it down. I never realized that cults were so active in today's society.
Charlene (ATraveler) - , reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on + 193 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I don't read a lot of true stories but this one was good. The title is deceptive . . . I continued to the very end thinking one of the girls was going to try to rescue another; in reality they all go to leave the 'Family' on their own volition. It is amazing how group think and psychological control can be so powerful. These girls were second generation in the cult -- their for knew no other way than what they were taught. Worth the time to read and become more aware of these kinds of groups functioning in our society.
Sherry G. (Shervivor) - , reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on + 97 more book reviews
This book began at a good pace; it was interesting, graphic and at times horrific. Prior to this book I had not heard of the Children of God cult. It was interesting to read about the experiences of three young girls that were raised in this cult of pedophilia. The stories they share are shocking and sad. As the story progresses and the girls grow up the book becomes a bit slow and frustrating. Overall I enjoyed the book, but honestly I mostly enjoyed the sensationalism of the vagrant acts of pedophilia.
Kathy G. reviewed Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed on + 329 more book reviews
What a disturbing book. It was a good story but sad that people can be lead around by others and convinced of things that are not only destructive but so damaging. The poor children had to suffer for lack of their parents seeing what was going on and standing up for them...