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Natalie R. Collins
Publisher: St Martin's Press
ISBN: 0312334281
288 Pages
$23.95

    From the time she was a very young girl, Allison Jensen found herself the unwilling victim of the restrictive society of the Church of Latter Day Saints, also known as Mormons. Women have very little freedom and almost no power under the policies of the Church, which gives men the authority to control their family for ‘time and all eternity.’
   After her best friend disappears when she is only six, Allison fights to free herself from the bonds of Church and family by moving away and rebelling against her religious teachings. But when a brutal rape forces her face-to-face with the very worst of her past, Allison must confront the Mormon leaders who unwittingly allowed the destruction of her family by covering up for a sexual predator.
   From the first pages of this book, it’s obvious that Natalie Collins’ writing style has matured considerably since her debut in Sisterwife. The narration is stronger, and her use of the first person gives us a clearer understanding of the emotions Allison is experiencing. Even with these small improvements, Collins keeps firm to her policy of throwing the reader headfirst into the action and not letting up for a single moment.
   Allison’s story is one that we are hearing more and more often. The power that her father wields over her family is at once heartbreaking and terrifying, and leads to some of the most tragic events of her young life. It’s easy to want to believe that this is pure fiction, but the majority of the information in Wives and Sisters is chillingly true. Collins’ descriptions of the LDS church are clear enough for ‘nonmembers’ to understand but still allow the rites and traditions of the faith to retain some of their mystery.
   This is a book that I would and will unflinchingly give my highest recommendation to all my friends. I literally had trouble putting it down, even finding myself running late for work because I wanted to read just one more page! Natalie R. Collins is definitely an author to keep an eye on, because she is headed straight for the top!