A Lot Like Dreaming

I was honestly expecting a lot more from this. Maybe it's because I've watched and read a lot of articles and documentaries about cults and religious groups that I was expecting a lot more. Especially from Lyla, I was hoping that over time, her character would change, not already be changing. Amy Christine Parker does a fine job pushing the limits, showing readers what the inside of a cult might look like but I felt like she could have pushed it more and made it more...darker? Sinister? Sadistic? Something like that.Getting into the book is a bit tough, everything feels very stiff and boring. I couldn't relate or feel anything for the characters nor did it grab my attention like I wanted it to. The romance in gated feels very contrived and unrealistic to me with how everything ends up, almost like a happily ever love story. It also has an insta-love type of feeling to it and I don't like insta-love at all. I wish there was more information about Pioneer and his tactics, what's wrong with him and how he became this way because he changes and there isn't enough information to leave me feeling satisfied about it.Nonetheless, I love Pioneer's character. He's scary and well-developed, going from sweet and trusting to something else in such a short span of time. The pacing is also very well done, most of the novel didn't feel rushed or too slow and the suspense builds up to make a gruesome ending. As far as endings go, Amy Parker does bring her game and gives readers something insane to read about, it's gory, confusing, and definitely dark. I love it. I had to close the book a few times just to get a hold of myself!Gated is not a bad book, it just falls short of my expectations around a topic so serious like this one. But I know that a lot of people will like this book because of the genre that it's in and to have an insight of how easy it is for some people to take advantage of others when they're most vulnerable and will believe just about anything.