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Cult of Mother
Prepare to be engulfed in a gripping tale of terror and survival in "Cult of Mother." Nick and his fiancée, Izzy, embark on a seemingly innocent camping trip deep within the woods, but when Izzy mysteriously vanishes, their idyllic getaway transforms into a nightmare.
In the heart of the forest, Nick encounters a group of backwoods zealots, devout in their twisted devotion to Mother, a sinister deity. As he searches for Izzy, he is thrust into a world of unspeakable horror. This chilling narrative spares no details, exploring the dark recesses of an unknown religion, where bodies are flayed and unimaginable tortures unfold.
No one is safe from the clutches of Mother's cult—men, women, and even innocent children of a lost village hidden in the unforgiving mountains. Outsiders are not exempt from this malevolent force, and as you turn the pages, you'll discover that obedience to Mother comes at a horrifying cost.
Enter a world of fear and brutality, where Mother reigns supreme, and her demands for sacrifice know no bounds. Brace yourself for a heart-pounding journey into the depths of darkness that you won't soon forget.
In the heart of the forest, Nick encounters a group of backwoods zealots, devout in their twisted devotion to Mother, a sinister deity. As he searches for Izzy, he is thrust into a world of unspeakable horror. This chilling narrative spares no details, exploring the dark recesses of an unknown religion, where bodies are flayed and unimaginable tortures unfold.
No one is safe from the clutches of Mother's cult—men, women, and even innocent children of a lost village hidden in the unforgiving mountains. Outsiders are not exempt from this malevolent force, and as you turn the pages, you'll discover that obedience to Mother comes at a horrifying cost.
Enter a world of fear and brutality, where Mother reigns supreme, and her demands for sacrifice know no bounds. Brace yourself for a heart-pounding journey into the depths of darkness that you won't soon forget.
152 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 12, 2023
12 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 7, 2024
Plot elements were picked up and unceremoniously dropped to never be seen again. The characters behaved like NPCs for some reason and that created a bunch of plot holes. The writing style was really inconsistent and it felt like reading a rough draft more than a finished story.
Point for being really short and having a cool ending.
Point for being really short and having a cool ending.
November 18, 2023
Somehow there's no real plot. The premise had great potential but the story ended up flat lining about halfway through.
January 17, 2024
I felt like this would have Wicker Man vibes. However...Mother would scare the Wicker Man off. This book is AMAZING and I cannot wait to delve more into Naibert's catalog!
November 11, 2023
A quick read for fans of creepy cults (think Hills have eyes and Blair witch). I was left wishing I could know more about the background of this group, as all of their actions seemed to be working towards a common understanding, but one the reader and main character couldn’t seem to understand. The gore and gruesome acts were written in a way that was haunting without being traumatic, so I definitely appreciated the beauty in the writing style!
October 25, 2023
Disturbing but great
Not the usual genre I read, but wow. Definitely dark. Imaginative. Makes me want to avoid the woods and never use a hand drawn map.
Not the usual genre I read, but wow. Definitely dark. Imaginative. Makes me want to avoid the woods and never use a hand drawn map.
November 5, 2023
I got this book for free from the terrify your table event on Halloween. Thank you to the author. The book kept a good pace and I never felt bored. The cult its self was interesting and brutal.
November 13, 2023
Maybe it's just me, but I didn't understand this book. I feel like there was a great build-up until Lily turned on Nick. After that, everything just disintegrated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2024
2.5/5 Stars
When Nick and his girlfriend plan on camping with their friends, they're expecting a week of fun. What they find instead is a strange backwoods cult that offers things only whispered about.
So, I'm a sucker for a good cult book/movie and was keen on diving right into this piece, especially with the cover. That is a freaky-looking sculpture that evokes some Wickerman-style nostalgia. But, this didn't quite deliver for me.
It felt very rushed, driving us from one weird moment to the next without any sense between to absorb what was happening. And the main character didn't really drink in what was happening. The details were too sparse in the showing of what was going on and the descriptions of his feelings were a bit purple prose for my taste.
The writing also got a bit repetitive at times. For instance, the start of the book is the couple finished packing up their gear but then we're taken through the chores of packing up their camping gear. It would have been a better starting place to simply show them packing up their gear, the opening line about them finishing it didn't need to be there at all. This happens quite a bit through the book. We'll have the atmosphere felt heavy and a couple of paragraphs down, it'll be noted that the atmosphere felt heavy again. I found myself starting to count the repetitive words like "determination, connection, grotesque, fear..."
All these things took away from the focus of the story and retargeted the focus on what distracted me from the story. There's a good idea here, kind of a blend of The Wickerman, Midsommar, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre (though the kids also made me think of Children of the Corn), but it needs to be polished a bit.
When Nick and his girlfriend plan on camping with their friends, they're expecting a week of fun. What they find instead is a strange backwoods cult that offers things only whispered about.
So, I'm a sucker for a good cult book/movie and was keen on diving right into this piece, especially with the cover. That is a freaky-looking sculpture that evokes some Wickerman-style nostalgia. But, this didn't quite deliver for me.
It felt very rushed, driving us from one weird moment to the next without any sense between to absorb what was happening. And the main character didn't really drink in what was happening. The details were too sparse in the showing of what was going on and the descriptions of his feelings were a bit purple prose for my taste.
The writing also got a bit repetitive at times. For instance, the start of the book is the couple finished packing up their gear but then we're taken through the chores of packing up their camping gear. It would have been a better starting place to simply show them packing up their gear, the opening line about them finishing it didn't need to be there at all. This happens quite a bit through the book. We'll have the atmosphere felt heavy and a couple of paragraphs down, it'll be noted that the atmosphere felt heavy again. I found myself starting to count the repetitive words like "determination, connection, grotesque, fear..."
All these things took away from the focus of the story and retargeted the focus on what distracted me from the story. There's a good idea here, kind of a blend of The Wickerman, Midsommar, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre (though the kids also made me think of Children of the Corn), but it needs to be polished a bit.
December 25, 2023
Cult Of Mother is a twisted brutal novella which takes place deep in the woods. Part occult horror and part survival horror, things in here will go in some unexpected directions.
When a couple finds themselves lost on a hike, the man is attacked and knocked unconscious. Upon awaking, he is disoriented and in unfamiliar terrain. But he'll soon discover that there are people living out in the deep wood and they have some very ill intentions in mind.
A cult in the middle of the woods who worship a deity called "Mother"? That sounds like a great premise for a horror novel. And it is. But what makes this novella stand out is the unexpected turns it's going to take.
At first glance this cult seems like any other. Dangerous, sure, but nothing to take too seriously. Just escape and call the police, right? Except he can't find his fiance and he's absolutely lost and disoriented.
But this is not just a bunch of rednecks off their rockers drinking too much moonshine. As things get progressively worse and he finds himself as a prisoner, we're going to realise that there's something much more terrifying going on. Something supernatural. And something which wants it's Mother.
This is a gripping and chilling novella that has a lot of twists and turns along the way. And it quickly goes from a standard survival horror story to something much more malevolent.
If you like your books set in the woods with no way out, I highly recommend this novella.
When a couple finds themselves lost on a hike, the man is attacked and knocked unconscious. Upon awaking, he is disoriented and in unfamiliar terrain. But he'll soon discover that there are people living out in the deep wood and they have some very ill intentions in mind.
A cult in the middle of the woods who worship a deity called "Mother"? That sounds like a great premise for a horror novel. And it is. But what makes this novella stand out is the unexpected turns it's going to take.
At first glance this cult seems like any other. Dangerous, sure, but nothing to take too seriously. Just escape and call the police, right? Except he can't find his fiance and he's absolutely lost and disoriented.
But this is not just a bunch of rednecks off their rockers drinking too much moonshine. As things get progressively worse and he finds himself as a prisoner, we're going to realise that there's something much more terrifying going on. Something supernatural. And something which wants it's Mother.
This is a gripping and chilling novella that has a lot of twists and turns along the way. And it quickly goes from a standard survival horror story to something much more malevolent.
If you like your books set in the woods with no way out, I highly recommend this novella.
February 24, 2025
Odd, Quick
I feel like this story could have been something very impressive. Being an Appalachian, I'm not wild about playing into stereotypes, but that's the world for you. I think the myth of Mother could be something well worth exploring to a greater extent. As it stands, I think this story just rushes through things too quickly. There is no real explanation for Izzy's decision, and only a minimal appearance by the apparent mastermind of the whole cult. For that matter, most interaction and dialogue is a little stiff. I feel like the biggest issue I do have is just a lack of anyone's motivation for anything. Things just kind of happen, and the only explanation is "for Mother." I suppose that could stand as an allegory of religion in itself, particularly in the Bible Belt, but nonetheless, I could use a bit more depth.
I feel like this story could have been something very impressive. Being an Appalachian, I'm not wild about playing into stereotypes, but that's the world for you. I think the myth of Mother could be something well worth exploring to a greater extent. As it stands, I think this story just rushes through things too quickly. There is no real explanation for Izzy's decision, and only a minimal appearance by the apparent mastermind of the whole cult. For that matter, most interaction and dialogue is a little stiff. I feel like the biggest issue I do have is just a lack of anyone's motivation for anything. Things just kind of happen, and the only explanation is "for Mother." I suppose that could stand as an allegory of religion in itself, particularly in the Bible Belt, but nonetheless, I could use a bit more depth.
June 29, 2025
2.5 Stars
This novella had some scenes that were incredible.
This novella had some scenes that were incredible.
June 21, 2024
I’ve never read about someone making the worst choices in the world in a horror novel and I watch horror movies as a past time. And I only got 4-ish chapters in and stopped.
How are you going to leave your girl in the woods. Pass out. Get knocked out by some “red neck hillbillies” wake up and try to save a person wrapped in some sort of cloth, run away cause said hillbillies came back and are on the hunt for you and your friends.
THEN FOLLOW A BUNCH OF RANDOM CHILDREN??!?!?!?!? Sir! What is wrong with you? Then you let them lead and push you towards a pit of fire to sacrifice you to some so called “mother??” And you’re confused!?
Couldn’t do it.
How are you going to leave your girl in the woods. Pass out. Get knocked out by some “red neck hillbillies” wake up and try to save a person wrapped in some sort of cloth, run away cause said hillbillies came back and are on the hunt for you and your friends.
THEN FOLLOW A BUNCH OF RANDOM CHILDREN??!?!?!?!? Sir! What is wrong with you? Then you let them lead and push you towards a pit of fire to sacrifice you to some so called “mother??” And you’re confused!?
Couldn’t do it.
October 1, 2024
Cult of Mother
Horror
Danielle Naibert
⭐️⭐️⭐️
• ʀɪᴛᴜᴀʟꜱ • ʙᴇᴛʀᴀʏᴀʟ • ꜱᴀᴄʀɪꜰɪᴄᴇꜱ •
This was quite a weird book 😂. I liked the creepy vibes and how the beliefs of the cult were slowly revealed as Nick stumbled across more and more bizzare scenes.
The pacing was ok but the plot did become repetitive because Nick was just running from one place, to another finding people doing awful things.
I didn't really connect with any character in particular because they weren't developed very much.
The ending was ok but I wasn't really surprised by any of it. It's obvious from the start that Nick was going to be sacrificed as all outsiders were
Horror
Danielle Naibert
⭐️⭐️⭐️
• ʀɪᴛᴜᴀʟꜱ • ʙᴇᴛʀᴀʏᴀʟ • ꜱᴀᴄʀɪꜰɪᴄᴇꜱ •
This was quite a weird book 😂. I liked the creepy vibes and how the beliefs of the cult were slowly revealed as Nick stumbled across more and more bizzare scenes.
The pacing was ok but the plot did become repetitive because Nick was just running from one place, to another finding people doing awful things.
I didn't really connect with any character in particular because they weren't developed very much.
The ending was ok but I wasn't really surprised by any of it. It's obvious from the start that Nick was going to be sacrificed as all outsiders were
December 27, 2023
2.25/5
This is a decently good short horror story about a weird cult in the woods. It goes from one unfortunate event to the next and you'll feel like you can't escape. The writing wasn't the best, but the eeriness and creepiness were felt.
I'd recommend it if you need a quick horror read and if you like weird cults.
This is a decently good short horror story about a weird cult in the woods. It goes from one unfortunate event to the next and you'll feel like you can't escape. The writing wasn't the best, but the eeriness and creepiness were felt.
I'd recommend it if you need a quick horror read and if you like weird cults.
January 21, 2024
A modern take on The Wicker Man
This story feels like the folks from The Wicker Man and the Family from Texas Chainsaw Massacre got together and created a new religion. I felt for the main victim, felt betrayed by another character and was left wondering about th the fate of a few others. It was short enough to be a quick read but it didn't allow for a lot of background details.
This story feels like the folks from The Wicker Man and the Family from Texas Chainsaw Massacre got together and created a new religion. I felt for the main victim, felt betrayed by another character and was left wondering about th the fate of a few others. It was short enough to be a quick read but it didn't allow for a lot of background details.
July 4, 2024
Started out strong. I really thought this was going to be some sort of cultist version of The Hills Have Eyes or Wrong Turn, but I was wrong.
The story was ok, but I couldn’t get past the fact a lot of things were repeated. Either repeated in a new paragraph, or restated in another paragraph. So it felt very repetitive.
The story was ok, but I couldn’t get past the fact a lot of things were repeated. Either repeated in a new paragraph, or restated in another paragraph. So it felt very repetitive.
March 14, 2024
DNF at 30%. The writing is very unpolished, much falling flat in my opinion. A finger got bitten off and it was just a ‘sharp pain’… the character was just shocked it happened. Didn’t scream, nothing. It was like someone had just shoulder bumped him or something. That was just the last straw for me, though I tried powering through, I just couldn’t.
I also didn’t feel that the rest of the MCs responses to things were realistic… pretty much none of it. Why would you be panicked about these crazy men (who you SAW hurt someone you know) but ten minutes later stand there scolding random grubby kids you happened upon in the woods? I just couldn’t, even though I really dug the idea of the story. In all honesty, if you told me an AI wrote this book, I wouldn’t be surprised… things just didn’t make sense in several parts that I did read.
I also didn’t feel that the rest of the MCs responses to things were realistic… pretty much none of it. Why would you be panicked about these crazy men (who you SAW hurt someone you know) but ten minutes later stand there scolding random grubby kids you happened upon in the woods? I just couldn’t, even though I really dug the idea of the story. In all honesty, if you told me an AI wrote this book, I wouldn’t be surprised… things just didn’t make sense in several parts that I did read.
November 23, 2023
The premise of this sounded so good but it just wasn't, for me, and I couldn't wait to find it.
I don't really have thoughts as to why, it just felt like the main character (forgot his name) going from location to location within the forest just to be there to explain horrific things and for no particular reason plot wise. It was just like 'location 1 - look at this horrific thing' moves to location 2 'location 2 - look at this horrific thing' etc... and I didn't think the writing was great either. It felt very stunted at times with immediately took you out of the story.
I don't really have thoughts as to why, it just felt like the main character (forgot his name) going from location to location within the forest just to be there to explain horrific things and for no particular reason plot wise. It was just like 'location 1 - look at this horrific thing' moves to location 2 'location 2 - look at this horrific thing' etc... and I didn't think the writing was great either. It felt very stunted at times with immediately took you out of the story.
January 20, 2024
The premise was cool. If this was edited a few more times it would have been much stronger. It felt like the same thing over and over without much shock value.
March 27, 2024
I liked it but it left me wanting more
September 25, 2024
Honestly, I didn't like it. I also didn't get it. Too many unanswered questions!
The action in book kept me going to the very end but I was left disappointed.
The action in book kept me going to the very end but I was left disappointed.
December 30, 2024
This was a short story. Very weird and disturbing but I could not stop reading. I finished it one sitting.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews