Devil In Ohio by Daria Polatin

Published: November 2017 by Fiewel and Friends

A strange, damaged girl lives with a family after escaping a cult in this debut YA suspense/thriller that was inspired by true events.

When fifteen-year-old Jules Mathis comes home from school to find a strange girl, her mother explains that Mae is one of her patients at the hospital and will be staying with their family for a few days. But shortly after, Mae is wearing Jules’ clothes, sleeping in her bedroom, edging her out of her position on the school paper, and kissing Jules’s crush. Then things get weird.

Jules walks in on a half-dressed Mae, she’s startled to see a pentagram carved into her back. Soon white roses start turning up on the front porch, a rabid dog bites one of Jules’ sisters, and Jules’ parents, who never fight, start arguing behind closed doors.

Jules pieces clues together and discovers that Mae may be a survivor of the strange cult that has taken over a nearby town. And they will stop at nothing to get Mae back.

This book was crazy!

Polatin weaves a seamless storyline that is so fantastical it is in fact believable. The world has some crazy people and Polatin shines the spotlight on a crazed cult in this YA horror.

Mae is such a dynamic character. She is filled with faults and flaws, this is why she is so endearing. She enters the world of our lovely protagonist and spins it upside down. Mae is anything but a helpless victim. When we first meet her we assume she will be the stereotypical damsel in distress.

As the story progresses and we learn more about her background, we stop to wonder – is she really a victim?

This book has some epic twists and turns! To fully dissect this story would be spoiler-central. So, take my advice – read it. 😀

I’ve always been fascinated and frightened by the idea of cults. The cult depicted in this story is so very real and terrifying. Polatin crafts a perfect, imperfect world.

I hope to visit these characters again.