We tend to associate cults with religion gone extremely wrong. A number of YA novels have featured protagonists trying to escape from isolated extremist religious communities, usually under the dictatorship of a charismatic minister, featuring harsh discipline, deprivation, and cruelty. But in You Belong To Me Hayley Krischer shows that they can exist in more secular organizations.
"Girls like me don't get invitations to Deep events. Girls like me aren't supposed to be interested in beauty serums, namaste hands, mindfulness apps, crystal water bottles, and the expensive white lace dresses that everyone wears who is adjacent to wellness guru Deena Patterson. Especially not me, Frances Bean Ellis, the teacher's daughter."
Bean (as her friends call her) is quite unlikely to be recruited by the multimillion-dollar beauty and wellness company run by Deena and daughter Julia. She's way less wealthy than her elite private school peers--a teacher's daughter on scholarship. She's a member of a Victorian goth group. She describes the Femme (Deep branch for teenager girls) bunch as "Girls with huge smiles on their faces, looking like someone vacuumed the brains out of their skulls."
But Bean has a crush on Julia. So when she gets a fancy invitation to a Femme event she accepts despite her friends' and mom's misgivings. And she's quickly enchanted by the luxurious ambiance and the sense of community. Not to mention the message.
"I've never heard someone speak like this before. There've been motivational speakers at school, and sure, I've seen people online preaching on how to live a clean life. But Deena's so passionate, so understanding...And of course, she's right. I'm in charge of myself. Thats what I want. To be in charge of myself."
Bean becomes more and more involved with Femme, the Deep organization, and Julia and more alienated from her former besties, especially when they start writing an expose on Deep and Femme for their school paper. She resents her mother's questions.
But even she is deeply troubled and not sure what to do when she sees one of the Femme girls dead in the hot tub of the Deep spa.
What evil lurks in the hearts of Deena and her minions? Betcha you want to find out.
On a purrrsonal note, I'm back from a romantic weekend getaway with Eugene at camp. The weather again was a tease. It 🌧 Ed Saturday and then cleared up 🌞 Sunday when we left for home. I got in some good reading. And we watched a really funny movie before bed.
A great big shout out goes out to the love ❤️ 😍 💖 ❣️ 💕 💘 of my life, Eugene of course.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
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