I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review


We meet Rachel, who, frustrated by the efforts of the police that have gone nowhere, takes the search for her older sister, Leah, missing for thirteen days, into her own hands.

An odd pastor of the odd church connects Leah with an older man, who seems pious and anxious to help Rachel. They drive around the city, and try to question friends who may know something. One clique of young women only say “It’s God’s plan.”

Interspersed among the pages of Rachel’s adventures, is a YouTube video counting views which increase by the hundreds. By the end of the novel, these pieces of the puzzle amount to nearly 2 million views.

a fast pace, page turning, cant go to bed until you finish the book.

so good, a must read

Even though the book is promoted as a teenager / young adult genre, I still tried it, and was pleasantly surprised. It was a great read that grabbed me from the start and I just had to finish the book as soon as possible. Great read!

Couldn't t get into this book. Didn't like the writing

Rachel is at the door of the Salvation Day church. Rachel had met Ashley Newman a few days ago and Genna and some of the other girls. As the girls were to leave the church Rachel pulls open the door and you can tell Ashley and the others had hope to avoid Rachel. Ashley told Rachel she had told her the group was closed to visitors. Ashley also states that as soon as she accepts God’s plan for her sister Leah , the sooner she will find peace. Then Rachel saw some hair in one of the girl’s bible and she claimed it was some of her three year old brother’s first haircut all her family had went. But the girl kept her eyes closed as if hiding something. Leah’s hair had been the same color as the hair in the girl's’ bible. Ashleys’ group was called “ The Sisters Of The Cross”. Rachel’s parents had emptied their savings account and took out a personal loan to offer twenty five thousand dollars as a reward to find Leah. Rachel’s father hadn’t left the house in a couple of weeks and her mother only did a horrific cry all the time. Rachel had to get out of the house and try to find Leah herself. The church was the last place Leah had been seen. Leah was eighteen, a college student who was failing. With Leah there was always something but she was the life of the party. Rachel sees Pastor James praying with a man. After awhile Pastor James comes to Rachel and offers to introduce her to Tim who knows everything that goes on in the church. Tim is having a bad day but was still willing to talk to Rachel. Today was the anniversary of Tim's’ brothers death and Tim blamed himself for Andrew’s death. Leah had been gone thirteen days now. Leah had been going to class and the next day she was gone. Salvation Day church was known to attract the most radical Christians and didn’t seem to have anyone over the age of thirty in the church which included Pastor James. Tim offers to take Rachel around looking for Leah.
This was a pretty good book. It was a little longer then I felt it had to be but it had everything it needed to make the story a good one. I can understand why Tim and the others in Tim’s small group felt the only way they could be free from the darkness and pain they felt. I loved how Rachel would not give up on her sister Leah no matter what and how she actively pursued looking for her sister. Even though mason was a butt in the end he was there for Leah and did help Rachel when she really needed him to. This story had a good plot and I liked the characters for the most part.I loved the ins and outs of the story and i recommend.

Thank you to Lakewater Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for review!

I went into this book fairly blind, knowing only that it involved a missing girl and a church. While I didn't know exactly what to expect from The Life Group, I certainly wasn't expecting a book that provided some serious thrills and chills from start to finish.

Rachel has been visiting the church where her missing sister, Leah, was last seen every day since she vanished. The radical church is a sure place to find some clues, Rachel just doesn't know where to look. When the pastor introduces Rachel to a devout member of the church named Tim, he agrees to spend the day helping her search for her missing sister. Rachel is holding out hope that today will be the day she finds answers, or is reunited with Leah, but can't even begin to think that this is the day that will change everything.

I spent a large portion of this book on the edge of my seat, suspecting everyone that Rachel came into contact with. This is very much a who-dun-it book that keeps you guessing from the very first page. The incredibly creepy opening sets the tone for the whole book and takes the idea of a thriller to an entirely new level. You're kept guessing and suspecting and wondering just what happened to this girl, and discovering that the truth is so much more awful than you could have guessed is a tough pill to swallow, metaphorically. Your mind can make a thousand guesses and the reveal is like getting the air knocked out of you. It was definitely something I was not expecting, and I found myself shocked and my jaw on the floor while reading the end. The Life Group pulls no punches and is incredibly raw and real in the most beautiful way. It's heartbreaking, shocking, and unlike anything in the YA genre.

Rachel was such a brave and bold character. She took numerous chances throughout the book in her search to find her sister, and I was amazed at how different she was. She's not your typical female main character, not by a long shot. She's loud and opinionated, strong in both her mind and body, as well as incredibly brave. Rachel never apologizes for being the way that she is, and I loved that about her. It's apparent that while the two sisters don't always get along, Leah means everything to Rachel, and you can see that in the actions and decisions that Rachel makes while she's out with Tim. She does things that she never thought she would do and even realizes that herself at one point. Being out with Tim, a complete stranger, and having the ability to confront people regarding Leah's disappearance really seems to bring out the best in Rachel. By the end, with everything that happens in her journey, you can't help but feel for her. I found myself wanting to give her a hug and, when the book was over, find out more about what happens afterwards. She's just a fantastically written, incredibly relatable and lovable character that you'll find yourself drawn into her story from start to finish.

The writing of this story was so easy to fall into and get lost in. There is an incredibly suspenseful atmosphere that is present on every page and you're never quite sure what's around the next corner. You end up suspecting everyone from the helpful church boy to the sketchy ex-boyfriend but you're never really sure why you're suspecting anyone. I loved feeling creeped out and almost like I was a detective trying to put together the clues that Rachel and Tim found. The dialogue between all of the characters was fantastically written and they all fit together very well. Also, the feeling that the church gave off was so eerie and foreboding and it really felt like it could be a character all on its own. There were so many things that were done right with this book and they all came together to create this thrilling, suspenseful, and quite possibly heartbreaking novel.

The Life Group is a fantastic debut that shouldn't be missed. If you're a fan of thrillers with fantastic characters and a plot that will have you flipping pages as fast as possible, then definitely pick this one up- you won't be disappointed!

I really liked this until about halfway through. It had lots of suspense; but then the main character figures that the kind-hearted guy who has been helping her to find her sister knows more than she thinks, and instead of running home (where cops are already waiting and her father is already worried sick about her), she takes off after him to be a hero or something. For me, after that, the book went downhill. My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for a copy of this book.