The Girls in the Cabin by Caleb Stephens

Overview

Finished- 11/10/24   Platform- Kindle Unlimited

This book was addicting from the start. From the horrible things Clara went thing as a kid, to the nail-biting survival the father went through to save his two kids, you will not be able to put this book down. 

Chris and his two daughters, Kayla and Emma, take a camping trip to reconnect after their mother dies from cancer. Everything was going when, all things considered, until Emma disappears. A thorough search of the nearby woods by Chris and Kayla results in finding Emma pinned down by a boulder. Her lower leg is crushed. Out in the middle of the wilderness, Chris must try to figure out how to save his kids as an incoming storm starts to blanket the area with snow. Just as he thinks all hope is lost, they stumble upon a cabin. Probably the greatest thing he has ever seen, a chance to save his kids from freezing to death, and chance to get Emma the medical attention she desperately needs. The thing is, they don't realize the horror that lives in the cabin. 

His abuse is a slow kind of poison, the proverbial frog-in-the-pot kind where you don't know you're boiling until it's too late. 

Clara lives in the cabin along with her son, Billy and they are far from what meets the eye. Will they save the broken and frozen family that shows up at their door one night? 

STOP HERE AND READ THE BOOK IF YOU'D LIKE. THE NEXT PART CONTAINS SPOILERS, OR BE A LITTLE REBEL LIKE I KNOW YOU ARE AND READ ON.

****SPOILERS****

Clara having DID was a blow I was not expecting. I fully thought Sydney was another person, but she comes out when Clara is experiencing high amounts of stress.  I can understand why Clara broke. her father incessantly raping her all throughout her childhood. Sydney was her only escape. Chris and his family were just unfortunate enough to show up on her doorstep that night. Her taking the family captive with intent to keep them as her family, only stems from the abuse she endured in her childhood. The things the family went through at the hands of Clara/Sydney were gut-wrenching, like acid dropped into Chris's eye. But it all pales to everything Billy went though, trying to understand what was going on with his Momma. In the end Chris, his kids, and Billy manage to escape. I love that it ended with the family visiting Billy in the home, but I wish it went more in-depth with how Clara/Sydney handled everything. I feel like another chapter for her would've helped the ending.  I give this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars!