It's the year 2018 and the United States is at war with The Alliance. There are no longer shopping malls everywhere and curfews abound to keep people safe. The United States is no longer the way it was in the past. Children grow up knowing nothing but destruction and danger. So when Louisa's parents are offered the chance to send her to the Country Manor School, they jump at it. It's a very expensive school for the children of wealthy parents. As Louisa's parents are both doctors, she's a shoe in. They also take on the responsibility of getting Louisa's best friend, Maddie, into the school.

Everyone is very excited until they reach their destination hours away from their home in Chicago. Once they disembark from the buses, they're forced to hand over all of their electronic devices. All cellphones, laptops, notebooks and anything else that puts them in touch with the outside world is taken away. Not only that, the electronic ID bracelets that everyone is required to wear are removed.

At first, Louisa is excited to be at the Country Manor School, but slowly, things start to seem odd. The subjects they study don't seem to make sense. There's also no television or radio at the school as well as limited electricity. It's the first overnight survival trip in the forest that starts the ringing of very loud alarm bells for Louisa. When Maddie is taken away and another friend, Evelyn, seems to have suddenly vanished, Louisa stumbles onto the secret of Country Manor School and she knows they have to escape as fast as they can.

BEHIND THE GATES is the first book in the TOMORROW GIRLS series by Eva Gray. It's written for ages as young as 10 years old; however, I quickly got caught up in the story of these girls. The plot tugs you along with it until you can't help but care about these girls and worry over what their fate will be. This is a great book all around, but seems to be one that even those children that don't enjoy reading will eagerly gobble up!