The Cellar by Natasha Preston

I like to believe I am at least 90% dead inside, but while reading The Cellar the amount of times I cried confirmed, I am not. Filled with heart stopping suspense and soul gripping sadness this novel had a depth I was not expecting from a YA title. What I thought would be a creepy story about a stolen girl turned into a heart wrenching tale of Stockholm syndrome and a mother's worst fear.

A regular night out with friends turns into a garish nightmare for 16 year old Summer when she's kidnapped just blocks from her home. Taken by a man demanding to be called Clover, she is thrust into a cellar made up into a full on apartment with three other girls. Her named is immediately changed to Lily and we learn all the girls have been renamed to mimic beautiful flora, Rose, Poppy and Violet. Clover has collected his perfect family that he will gladly kill to protect, even if that means destroying a flower and replacing her with a new one. Under the guise that he is cleansing the world of filth, we learn that Clover is a deranged man that was broken by his mother at a young age and spent his life trying to make her proud by killing "whores" who ruin perfectly good families. As Summer slowly begins to fade into Lily over a course of time, begrudgingly sliding into her role to accept the horrors she must face on a daily basis. With one girl hopelessly in love with her capture, another praying for escape but too fearful to try and the last so desperately reckless, Lily begins to lose hope. As the chapters jump between Clover, Summer and her beloved boyfriend Lewis, we learn no one on the outside has given up a single shred of hope. Day in and day out Lewis and her family tirelessly hunt for her, tracking any clue no matter how futile. Until a gut decision turns Lewis in the right direction, you are kept on the edge of your seat fearing Clover is too clever to be figured out.

A truly terrifying tale for any young girl, parent, lover or sibling The Cellar opens our eyes to the madness that could be behind any corner. Though I would've loved even more insight to Clover's life with his Mommie Dearest, his villainous character had so many well developed sides and emotions, he was able to strike fear with any mercurial stare. You will grow to love the lowers you watch wither in their tomb and pray for their safety and happy ending. Any heavy suspense or thriller fan will definitely love his novel as much as I did.