3.75 stars ( )

Celia Aaron is pretty much evil. That's all I have to say. I am pretty sure that when she writes a book, she not only sets out to do terrible things to her character, she wants to figure out how she can traumatize her readers as well. Not that I won't keep reading her books, because I really like the brand of trauma that she inflicts on me. It leaves me gagging for more. I mean, I have to have it.

Prophet picks up after the last one left off. Delilah is being tortured in horrible ways and is being drugged. Adam has told her to be strong and not to break, but between the torture and the drugs, it's hard to keep her mind her own.

Meanwhile, Adam is trying to figure out what to do about Delilah. He knows that something awful is happening, he just doesn't know what. It isn't helping him with his rage and virulent hatred of his father.

There are so many things happening in this book. Celia Aaron wants to mindfuck us, and she does it so very, very well. We are never on balance from this book, from the very beginning, Celia sends us spinning like a top and leaves us spinning and tumbling and reeling. I was dizzy. I am going to have to read both books back to back now. I am not sure how I can make it through the time between now and the next book. ( )

You know I like a book when I read it in one sitting, in under 5 hours, and ignore everything else in life, so what does it tell you that I read this one in just 2 hours? Pretty much obsessed with the crazy. The Prophet immediately follows after The Maiden and is book two in The Cloister series. These are not standalones and they should be read in order, so if you haven't read The Maiden yet you need to mosey on over to Amazon, linked here, and get to reading.



"I reluctantly turn and follow him, though I leave far too many broken pieces of myself with Delilah, both us suffering in our own dark abyss."

Readers were left hanging, literally, with a cliffhanger and a sneak peak into The Prophet at the end of The Maiden and it was such a relief to open up the first page of this novel and dive right in. Thank you again, Celia, for NOT making us wait months and months for some answers. Delilah isn't quite as Delilah-y as she once was, her spark is dimmer, her will to fight lessening, while Adam's spark is only growing larger. Delilah has given him hope, and feelings, and his hatred towards his father threatens The Cloister with a wildfire that will burn its lies to the ground. We're given a lot of answers in this novel, like Delilah finally discovering just why the maidens are so important to the Prophet and Adam accepting he'd do anything for the girl who has stolen all his thoughts. I continued to root for Delilah and appreciate her unfiltered thoughts during her POV chapters. Adam, of course, is as handsome, twisted, and sexy as ever. Don't deny it, you love his murderous ways and his penchant for taking Delilah to the edge with a mix of pain and pleasure. Additionally, we're given a glimpse into who Noah really is and the torment he feels as he struggles with his belief of his father and with his brother Adam's plan to take the cult down. Plus, the secondary characters continue to have important roles in the novel and the direction it takes. I won't spoil it for you, but let's just say I am shaken up by some of the things that are revealed to us and I have a lot of thoughts about what is to come.

"I hope you were worth it."

*This is how I picture Miriam when she talks, only blonde*


I loveeeeee anything about cults, so it isn't a big surprise to me that I am enjoying this series, but it is a big surprise to me how accurate the novels have been. The creepiness is on point, the sex side of it is very similar to previous (and current) real cults, and the characters are realistic. I really like Delilah's role in the novel, both as someone trying to uncover the truths and as someone who is falling for the lies that are given to them tied in such pretty bows. The Prophet definitely branches off from the original church-like front and shows us who really is running the show and what is going one behind all the doors of the various buildings. The Sunday morning church scene made me feel like bugs were crawling on me and don't get me started on the preparation the girls went through for their first big reveal with all the important men. It's all about the power and the money for many of the men and the disturbing things they do really get to you physically as you read. Celia makes you feel like you're a part of the dark cult as she continuously ramps up the depravity with each chapter knowing she's got you hooked and unable to walk away, desperate to know what happens next. The Prophet is a stunning, dark novel and a perfect follow up to The Maiden.

"We'd be like this even if we weren't here. I'd be yours no matter where we were."

I'm here for this.


ARC provided. ( )

5 on the edge of my seat stars

Sweet holy titfire. This book/ series. I literally sat with my hand over my mouth while holding my breath 75% of this book. This is like What shocked me the most is the realism. Especially in today's day and age. It doesn't sound that unfathomable. Kudos to the author for this book. I cannot wait until the conclusion. ( )

Blown away. That is all I got on this story. Seriously had to take a day to get my life together so that I could write this review. You want dark, check, you want twisted, check, you want, will leave you a blabbering idiot, check. The pacing in the story is perfection, I stayed up all night reading and I am not sorry for it. The story, and it's twists and turns will keep you wanting more. If you have triggers, this ain't for you, and if you haven't read maiden, go read it first. These are told in dual pov. ( )