Eden West by Pete Hautman

Eden West by Pete Hautman
Published by Candlewick Press on April 14, 2015

Summary: "Twelve square miles of paradise, surrounded by an eight-foot-high chain-link fence: this is Nodd, the land of the Grace. It is all Jacob knows. Beyond the fence lies the World, a wicked, terrible place, doomed to destruction. Only the Grace will be spared.

But something is rotten in paradise. A wolf invades Nodd, slaughtering the Grace's sheep. A new boy arrives from outside, and his scorn and disdain threaten to tarnish Jacob's contentment. Then, while patrolling the borders of Nodd, Jacob meets Lynna, a girl who tempts him to sample forbidden Worldly pleasures.

Jacob’s faith, his devotion, and his grip on reality are tested as his feelings for Lynna blossom into something greater and the End Days grow ever closer."  --From Goodreads

This book is really well done.  I like how it talks about the cult aspects of things, but also doesn't condemn them either.  People make choices (like Jacob's parents) and then others have to live with them.  This also goes in reverse as well, because Jacob makes a choice at the end of the book that everyone will have to live with.  

While the author doesn't come out and explicitly say it, there does seem to be some allegations of abuse within the cult.  I like how Hautman deals with the investigation by the outside world.

Overall, if you like realistic fiction that has to do with some religion or cults, you'll like this book.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy from my local library.