ZebadiahThe last time I saw her, she was marked with blood.Excommunicated. Now she’s returned, along with my temptation.Our touch is blasphemous. Perverse. They say she’s tainted, but they will not speak against me. His holy blood is in my veins and my word is truth. I’m the fucking Prophet. Laurel AnnFor twelve years, I fought for my soul in this evil world.Until my God sent him.My oldest … friend. The only boy I ever loved.What we’re doing risks everything, yet we can’t stop. When I sin with him, it’s the purest I’ve ever felt.I lived half my life with the Philistines and I know what they call us. Cult. Freaks. Fanatics.But they’re wrong. We aren’t any of those things.For we are the Anointed.
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Wowza! What did I just read?! This book hooked me from the blurb and I was sucked in without mercy. What a wild story that has you flipping pages at an incredible speed! I loved this book. Cults are always both fascinating and spooky to me all at once. This book was a perfect mixture of romance and darkness. I found myself conflicted at what I was actually rooting for. All I knew was these characters were messed up beyond belief and many of them didn’t deserve the horrors they were put through. I just wanted them to find a reprieve from the heartache and pain. For them to find their happy endings. This was the first book I read by this author and it certainly won’t be the last. I enjoyed it immensely…so much so that I stayed up until 3 am reading it! Definitely recommend this book to the brave readers who delve into darkness and enjoy what they find there! Five Holy Moly Paradise Stars!
What do you think when you see a story on cult survivors? Ever find yourself asking how they get involved or why? What happens when you are born into it & all you know is what they have taught you? Charity did an amazing job on this book. It was dark, intense, devastating & hopeful. I can’t wait to see what the author does next!
This book is different than most you will read. It’s unique in its tale of the girl who adores a boy, spends her days with him and hopes and prays that one day she will be bound to him. But this is no normal village she lives in. The day she bleeds for the first time, is the day her world changes and everything she ever wanted is gone. You see, she lives as one of the anointed, and what she wants is irrelevant. Punished and purified for her transgression s against their God, she is forced to marry the Prophet, the father of the boy she loves. On her wedding night she realises she can’t live with a lifetime of rape and despair so she runs leaving it all behind. 12 years she lives amongst the sinners, struggling to remain pure, until the boy she love, now a man , comes back into her life and her life as torn apart again.
It’s a hard story to read and many will struggle with it. I find it real and gritty, beautiful and harsh. I find it a perfect tale of life and the horrors that lurk behind closed doors, or an entire village.
Definitely a five star read and one of my favorite reads this year.
Anointed by Charity B. is the story of Zebadian and Laurel Ann.
This book starts their story when they are young. Laurel Ann is around 13 years of age and Zeb is around 15 years of age. This deal with them living and dealing with an Cult that Zeb father is the actual Prophet’s son. Zeb and Laurel Ann are very much drawn to each other but age of marriage and who they can marry are issue for them. Although there is more going on with them the is the heart of the story. This book grows with them through the years and their story. This is a book that you won’t be putting down once you start it.
I’ve been waiting anxiously for the release of this book, and let me tell you, it was worth the wait! This book just blew me away… once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. It was so dark and heartbreaking and will wring all the emotions out of you.
Zebadiah and Laurel Ann had a sweet, innocent young love between them. They fell in love young, and then were torn apart, and everything changed. That love never died though. Despite some of the horrible punishments they faced, they still held out hope for each other. But can young love survive in a world where women are only valued for one thing? Can it stand the test of time and distance? This was a brutal world they were born into, and some of the things that happen in the book are hard to read about. Your heart will break for both of them. You’ll feel anger and hate and hope and love. It’s an incredible ride! I already know that this is a book I will read again! I just hated to see it end.
This book was absolutely amazing if you love the dark twisted stories. Charity B does not disappoint! My heart broke for these young lovers who met as children & were true friends first. I cannot imagine living a certain life and then one day, you are forced to live alone in a strange world as a child. Our couple eventually find each other again, and there is no denying their love and attraction. Their roller coaster ride through hell and back makes the story even more gut-wrenching! Absolutely LOVED this book, would love to read more about them in the “real world”!
~Truth and purity, Amen~
Many abhorrent things have been done in the name of religion. It has been the catalyst for so many nefarious purposes and Charity B plunges right into this structure to bring us yet another 5*star read. Anointed is a cleverly crafted novel and an enthralling story; the heartbreak genuine, the research brilliant. Hats off to the author, she has just secured a position in my list of favorites!
The ‘Anointed’ follow a doctrine believed to be created by their god, the great Zaaron, in order to be granted eternal life upon the Paradise Star. As within many cults, the faith of the followers will be twisted and tested in order to fulfill The Prophet’s narcissistic objectives. Two young followers, Laurel-Ann and Zebediah have their faith as well as their love tested in this wickedly sanctimonious tale.
As expected, Anointed delivers darker themes, torture, tragedy and murder! It is socially deviant with generous helpings of lies, manipulation and control. I cannot recommend this book enough.
Scorchingly Sinister and Irresistibly Addictive!!!
5* Sanctified Stars
4.5 stars
“The world outside the protection of the Anointed Land is full of evil and sinners.”
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided to read this book. This is my first book by Charity B., and the blurb and cover were just too enticing to pass. I have read books about cults/sects before, and I am just drawn to the whole dark and taboo sides of those type of stories. Because these cults are somewhat unknown to us, the author can pretty much do anything with the story, and go as dark and crazy as she wants. What I love most about these type of stories is the unpredictability and the plot twists. I just love not being able to anticipate what will happen next, it keeps me on the edge of my seat. I am very impressed by Charity’s writing/world-building skills. Anointed felt like a complete story, and I just loved how everything progressed, even though there were many messed up dark things happening. This book had me on an emotional roller coaster, and I just couldn’t contain my tears a couple of times.
“When I’m with him this way, I don’t feel like myself. I become another person, in another life, one that’s free to love. I know this is a sin, but…I want to sin with him.”
Less than half of the book is focusing on the characters when they are in their teens (13/15 years old), and this shows us the friendship between Zebadiah and Laurel Ann. I think this part of the story was important to get a feel of how everything worked in the cult and how the relationships were. It also helps the reader connect with the characters. When Laurel Ann is excommunicated, she feels like her life is over. She doesn’t want to live with sinners, however after twelve years she finds a balance between her beliefs and living in the normal world. Zeb goes from a nice boy to a hardened prophet, and Laurel Ann isn’t the same girl either. I absolutely loved the organic character development in this book, it felt very real. This is a complex but easy to follow story, and the only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars was because I felt like the last part of the story was a bit rushed. Anointed is a great read for my fellow Dark Romance lovers. If you love a story with plot twists and a lot of crazy things happening, then I highly recommend you to read this book. I can’t wait to read this author’s other books.
4.5 Stars
Well if there is one thing in a book that will suck me in immediately, it’s when a book is centered around a cult. I absolutely love reading about them. When my friend Gizel Alvarez told me, I needed to read this one, my heart fluttered when I saw what it was about. Thank You Gizel for the great recommendation!
It’s truly amazing how people in cults truly believe their Prophet. The words, actions, beliefs that the Prophet spews. The innocent who are raised believing there is no other way of living.
This is Laurel Ann and Zebadiah’s story. One of their time living in the Anointed Land.
It’s not a pretty story. It’s a story of how two young children born and raised in this community survive.
I was totally engrossed in this book! Although at times, a bit slow moving, I still couldn’t put it down. Great job Charity B!
#BookBistroBlogApproved
Oh my goodness, I loved this book! Incredible world building and excellent storyline! I never imagined this would be my kind of book but yet again this author shows her amazing talent and sucked me in!
To me, this whole book was a journey – a long, painful, tumultuous journey of two innocent and loving souls, Laurel Ann and Zebadiah. They lived their lives locked into a diabolically controlling, individuality crushing religious cult ruled by a domineering, egotistical Prophet with blood lines that trace back to their “God”. These two young people, as well as others in the flock, are searching for redemption through obedience to the strict mandates of their faith and the acceptance of ALL the Prophet’s mandates. Failure to comply incurs harsh and unyielding punishment, and the promise of eternal damnation.
Wow! This book was penetrating, powerful and intense. I have never read a story involving a religious sect immersed in such tyrannical teachings. It was quite an eye-opener. This story clearly showed me what an all-encompassing, mind-altering experience an extremely stringent religion can have on its believers. When I think about how many people might actually endure a variation of this lifestyle today, it scares the xxxx out of me.
Thank goodness there is a HEA, but Laurel Ann and Zebadiah go through hell before they find it. Thank you Charity Bailey for one of the most exciting, enthralling, exploding stories I have ever read.
Laurel Ann is one of the faithful – she follows the laws handed down by the prophet – she wants to be one of the chosen, until the moment she has no choice.
Zebadiah will someday be the prophet – the man chosen to lead his people – He will follow in his father’s footsteps – until he can’t
This is a raw and unapologetic take on the cult world – This looks, in a fictional form, at the emotional, physical and psychological aspects of what happens inside the walls of religion. There is no reprieve from the darkness, from the pain of the cleansing, no softening of the truth. There is, however, woven within the gloom – Love and where you find Love you find Hope and Strength
This is a fiery and emotional read that felt so real – I warn you to be prepared for a book hangover – you will experience bouts of anger and disbelief sprinkled with moments of heartbreak all culminating in that final moment of uplifting joy -I felt as though I was there- I cried silent tears for Laurel, quietly encouraging her to hold on . I found myself submerged in anger and denial with Zeb. So many pivotal moments surrounded this cast of outstanding characters. I truly hope we get a second and maybe third book (hint hint) I want to know more – each of the characters is so intense
I’ve read several fictional books about cults over the years and Anointed by Charity B. is by far the BEST one I’ve read yet. The way she captured the mindset and emotions of these cult members was riveting, and although extreme, was very believable. Clearly, she had done her research thoroughly because she knew exactly what she was talking about and exactly how to deliver it. I’m seriously impressed and in awe with how well written and how in-depth her knowledge was on the archaic practices and beliefs of hardcore religious cults and how she brought this fictional world she created to fruition. I’m sure this wasn’t an easy book to write with the psychological aspects of the sensitive topics in it, but Charity B. absolutely crushed it.
I was pulled into this story from the very first page as the author painted a vivid and disturbing picture of the complex world of the cult of Zaaron where the Anointed are led by a prophet who rules with fear and the lines between good and evil are blurred, while following childhood friends Laurel Ann and Zebadiah from their teenage years to adulthood.
The brainwashed beliefs that these people held were a Level 10 on the crazy scale.
Example A:
“The world outside the protection of the Anointed Land is full of evil and sinners. They pray to their science and technology instead of to Zaaron. The Devil resides inside of them and their trinkets, numbing their sense of morality and humanity. They are driven by violence, greed, and pride.”
Example B:
“He won’t want this pie either. It’s been put in an electric oven. A pie baked with evil.”
Example C:
“Photographs were created by men who tried to outsmart Zaaron and stop time.”
And don’t get me started on how young they forced their children to marry and start reproducing and the brutality of their soul cleansing punishments. These people were legit brainwashed beyond repair. My heart broke for some of the characters, yet their lack of acceptance was so frustrating. But the author captured the psychology of it all perfectly. It felt like she put me into this story and made me believe it, obviously not the religious aspects these characters believed, but made me understand why they believed what they did.
No matter how screwed up some of the stuff in this book was, I loved it and Charity B. wrote the hell out of it. The characters were richly layered and even though this was a religious cult book where they believe lust is a sin, there were definitely some heated sexy times. This author is extremely talented with her storytelling skills and I’ll definitely be reading more from her in the future.
***4 Stars***
Dark.
Disturbing.
An utterly fascinating.
Yeah, I know. Fascinating probably wasn’t one of the words you’d’ve thought I would use to describe Anointed, but it was fascinating. Even when it made even me fidget uncomfortably. Even when I got frustrated with the characters, though I knew they were only reacting to things based on how they were raised. I couldn’t stop turning the pages.
Zebadian and Laurel Ann were characters that made my eyes hurt, but at the same time I honestly liked. They held their beliefs close the their hearts and stuck to them as closely as possible and I admired their loyalty even when I saw the pitfalls in what they had been raised with. But what got me the most was how inherently good they truly were even after all they experienced. They had a sort of naivete that they came by honestly and I found it quite interesting as they dealt with the differences of their reality and that of the outside world.
As for their journey to their HEA. To say it was a rocky road is an absolute understatement. Dark, disturbing, soul shattering. That is the way I’d describe their journey and yet through all of it, they were always linked. They were always each others in a way that was unbreakable even when breaking was something they couldn’t avoid. In the end, I really liked where they ended up and wouldn’t have minded being privy to what their future held because it was sure to be an interesting adventure.
This is a dark read. Hands down. The triggers are real and even I winced at certain situations that appear in this book, but at the same time it is a commentary on how power can corrupt and how twisted some souls truly are. But that was the draw. To see just how far down the depravity hole one could fall, and let me tell you ~ there are those that never hit bottom. This is my first read by the author and I must give her credit for not pulling any punches here. The writing was engaging and I enjoyed all the feels she pulled out of me with this one. As for the secondary characters, Kaila, Zeke and Benji were my favs of them all. I do have one thing that I wish there had been more of in the end, but I understand why it was done in summary since it would have added many, many more pages to the story that may or may not have been necessary.
I rarely, if ever, give comparisons to other reads I’ve done, but here I think it’s needed to give those an idea of the craycray they will stumbling into should they be considering taking this one on ~ So, this one is on par (and at times even more dark) with Sick Fux by Tillie Cole and The Pretty Little Doll series by Ker Dukey and K Webster. ~ if that is your cup of tea, then have it. If, not, then you take your chances, but you have been warned.
~ Copy provided by IndieSage PR & voluntarily reviewed ~
As the oldest son of the Prophet, Zebadiah Fitch is destined to succeed his father and rule the Anointed Land. Zebadiah has been known to be a loyal friend but situations arise causing him to doubt what he believes to be moral. Rising to the top, Zebadiah has a rare opportunity to regain what he has lost and isn’t about to lose her again.
“You will always be my friend, Laurel Ann. You think getting away with things is difficult in your family? It’s twice as hard in mine. It won’t happen often, but I promise I’ll make sure we get time together without anyone knowing, okay?”
Laurel Ann Henderson is a righteous woman and devout in her beliefs despite being put in a position where she’s tested. Upon living nine years outside of her family home, she learns to adapt to the Philistine style of life, though she remains true to religious teachings. Wanting to be reunited with those she loves seems like impossibility until she is given the ultimate choice.
“I’ve lived each half of my life in opposing worlds. I’m scared for my soul, and honestly, I’m a little scared to go back.”
Told in dual POV and over a time span, Zebadiah and Laurel Ann share a longstanding bond that neither believe could be broken. Though they try to protect each other while leading a moral life, they also feel deep love toward each other and want to be together. Additionally, the chemistry between them is palpable. Knowing what is at stake for each, their decisions lead them down a road where they won’t be able to turn back.
“The line I walk every day is nearly translucent. The spiritual crown lays heavy upon my head, and you can’t comprehend what this is like for me…constantly being torn between righteousness and my own feelings.”
In starting this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect and hadn’t read the blurb but knew it was dark subject matter. So, when it became apparent the setting was a cult compound, I started to have some doubts until they were blown away. What I loved about these characters were the differing dynamics in their family lives and how they equalized such actions with their faith. I had so many warring emotions while reading this story and the theme definitely made me think about the varied dimension these characters offered. I also appreciate the blasphemous boundaries that were pushed by the author, without such, these characters would have felt stagnate in their pursuits and struggles. Of course, those scenes were incredibly erotic as well.
Overall, this story exceeded my expectations in terms of character development and layers of complexity in the plot. With differing perspectives and an engaging narrative, I was completely intrigued and hooked.
Anointed is about faith, obligation and sacrifice. This book will appeal to those who like to push limits in their reading content.
Anointed has been on my TBR for a while and I’m not sure why I was waiting.
This story was intense and so well written. The characters were wonderful and true to who they are. The relationships of these people in the Anointed land were very creative and extremely detailed.
I loved this book!
Oh my Zaaron!
Ooohhhh laawwd! I feel like I need to be baptized, again.
This book was strongly recommended to me by my blog-sisters (is that even a word?) and I am so glad that I finally bumped this book up in my TBR.
For some reason, Reading about cults has always fascinated me. Understanding the power of words these people live by. I guess that could be for any type of conformity that leads their people by faith. Charity hit the mark with her unique telling of this dark and twisted story of a perverse group of people putting their faith and lives in the hands of the Prophet. There has only been one family, the Fitch family to hold this title of the people. Seeing the outcome of any type of disobedience in the Anointed land will make you cringe, but it is so well worth the read.
I’ve already got my order in for 2 more books by this author. Will definitely be one-clicking this author from now on!
oh, my goodness. If you haven’t read this book, you need to. Now. Charity B does such an amazing job of creating this dark, forbidden story.
I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, and in the beginning didn’t know if I could keep going, but was curious. I’m glad I kept going.
This book gives a peak into a cult life, and how believing they can be, if raised that way. There are good and bad, just like anything else, and this one definitely has bad. Everything seems good at first, until decisions are made against spiritual law, and you get a glimpse of how bad they are.
There were some trigger scenes others should be aware of, and a few parts where I literally thought ‘that is messed up’. The dynamic and growth of the characters, flowed for me, even if at times I wanted to smack them. I loved the young innocence of Laurel Ann and Zeb, then torn as events unfold, wondering if they’ll make their way back. It certainly became a page-turner for me, needing to know what would happen.
A dark raw story with intriguing characters that will play with all your emotions throughout the book. Heart wrenching and downright scary in parts. Reading it caused me to be totally appalled what people can be led to believe and accept. This one certainly kept me turning the pages hoping somehow all would turn out well. Included some twists and turns that I didn’t see coming — all in all a well written and well developed plot.