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Atonement
Trigger Warning:
THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. Contained within the pages of this book are scenes that may make some readers uncomfortable. Scenes of sexual instances, both consensual and non consensual, blood, and intense violence are described in detail. Reader discretion is advised. In no way does the author condone such behavior.
There are three.
Each wear the mask of death and each have a reason to kill him. One he already has hidden in a place where no one will ever get to her. In a hell he created himself solely to destroy them.
There were two.
Each with the same face, same mind, same purpose in life. One died at a young age and the other hid the secret for as long as he could. But vengeance is near and there's nowhere to hide.
There is one.
Driven by madness; the evil that lurks within. He knows that the only way to survive those who wish to see him dead is to play the game as they would have it.
Rules were meant to be broken.
Lives were meant to end.
He was meant to be their prey, but the darkness has taken over and the only way to escape the past is to destroy their future.
THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. Contained within the pages of this book are scenes that may make some readers uncomfortable. Scenes of sexual instances, both consensual and non consensual, blood, and intense violence are described in detail. Reader discretion is advised. In no way does the author condone such behavior.
There are three.
Each wear the mask of death and each have a reason to kill him. One he already has hidden in a place where no one will ever get to her. In a hell he created himself solely to destroy them.
There were two.
Each with the same face, same mind, same purpose in life. One died at a young age and the other hid the secret for as long as he could. But vengeance is near and there's nowhere to hide.
There is one.
Driven by madness; the evil that lurks within. He knows that the only way to survive those who wish to see him dead is to play the game as they would have it.
Rules were meant to be broken.
Lives were meant to end.
He was meant to be their prey, but the darkness has taken over and the only way to escape the past is to destroy their future.
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
2 people are currently reading
315 people want to read
About the author
Yolanda Olson
223 books1,887 followersYolanda Olson is a USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author. Born and raised in Bridgeport, CT where she currently resides, she usually spends her time watching her favorite channel, Investigation Discovery.
Occasionally, she takes a break to write books and test the limits of her mind. Also an avid horror movie fan, she likes to incorporate dark elements into the majority of her books.
You can keep in touch with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Occasionally, she takes a break to write books and test the limits of her mind. Also an avid horror movie fan, she likes to incorporate dark elements into the majority of her books.
You can keep in touch with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
July 15, 2016
Moses is a disturbed man. The demons of the past rage in his soul. He needs to silence those voices and he knows just how he's going to do that. Some wooden beams in the shape of a cross. Some nails. Some piano wire. A video recorder. A room painted black.They don't seem to understand that it's mercy he offers.
Sins have been committed and there must be an atonement.
Dark and twisted doesn't even begin to cover it. To read this book is to descend into madness. The rook, the pawn, the queen... Ms. Olson has set out the pieces of a deadly game, here. There are more pieces on the board than the three I just named, but you won't know them until you finish the story. And you will finish the story, because once you start, you can't stop. You have to know.
Does the story have its flaws? Certainly. There's a lot going on that would not get by the police. There's the question of means. Not that any characters' jobs matter much to the story but no one (except one) seems to have one. These are pretty minor; the story is well worth a read. If you want to read something that's going to stay with you for a long time after, Atonement will very likely do that for you (or to you).
Seeing as how some publishers won't even touch this, I suggest you pick it up sooner rather than later.
Sins have been committed and there must be an atonement.
Dark and twisted doesn't even begin to cover it. To read this book is to descend into madness. The rook, the pawn, the queen... Ms. Olson has set out the pieces of a deadly game, here. There are more pieces on the board than the three I just named, but you won't know them until you finish the story. And you will finish the story, because once you start, you can't stop. You have to know.
Does the story have its flaws? Certainly. There's a lot going on that would not get by the police. There's the question of means. Not that any characters' jobs matter much to the story but no one (except one) seems to have one. These are pretty minor; the story is well worth a read. If you want to read something that's going to stay with you for a long time after, Atonement will very likely do that for you (or to you).
Seeing as how some publishers won't even touch this, I suggest you pick it up sooner rather than later.
July 12, 2016
This story is beyond crazy thank the book gods! Moses is damaged in ways the average human mind cannot understand. The trauma he suffered as a child has caused irreparable damage.
This story follows Moses on his bloody rampage of redemption. He seeks truth, acceptance, and reparation for something his mind has concocted and his father has nurtured over the years.
If you're brave enough, follow Moses into the land of psychotic delusions where a deadly game of chess represent players who haven't a clue who the Knight is and why they are chosen as sacrificial pieces.
The twists and turns in this story are off the crazy chart, so pay attention. The devil is in the detail.......
Four stars!
This story follows Moses on his bloody rampage of redemption. He seeks truth, acceptance, and reparation for something his mind has concocted and his father has nurtured over the years.
If you're brave enough, follow Moses into the land of psychotic delusions where a deadly game of chess represent players who haven't a clue who the Knight is and why they are chosen as sacrificial pieces.
The twists and turns in this story are off the crazy chart, so pay attention. The devil is in the detail.......
Four stars!
March 5, 2022
Yolanda has twisted dark web of murder, deceit and suspense in this insane psychological mindscrew of a read and I was glued to my kindle for every single chapter.
I devoured this story in one sitting as Moses set out on his hunt to take the pawn, rook and finally the queen…all the while being watched over by the king. As the bloody events start to unfold, so does the madness and twists only to end with one helluva ending.
Yolanda drew me in and sank her claws as I entered this dark world and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it at all. Her ability to throw surprises that I wasn’t expecting shines brightly within this tale as I got more than just Moses’ POV. I loved how she crafted this, the plot flowing deviously good and made the hair on the back my neck rise. She created a story with a character that was so deeply damaged that I found myself going from being terrified to just heartbroken for him. It’s definitely one that kept me on the edge of my seat, looking over my shoulder and taking second glances at neighbors walking by and that’s what I adore about reading anything by this talented author. With each story, she is able to crawl to that dark place inside your mind and infect you with just the right amount of fear to get your blood pumping - this story is proof.
I devoured this story in one sitting as Moses set out on his hunt to take the pawn, rook and finally the queen…all the while being watched over by the king. As the bloody events start to unfold, so does the madness and twists only to end with one helluva ending.
Yolanda drew me in and sank her claws as I entered this dark world and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it at all. Her ability to throw surprises that I wasn’t expecting shines brightly within this tale as I got more than just Moses’ POV. I loved how she crafted this, the plot flowing deviously good and made the hair on the back my neck rise. She created a story with a character that was so deeply damaged that I found myself going from being terrified to just heartbroken for him. It’s definitely one that kept me on the edge of my seat, looking over my shoulder and taking second glances at neighbors walking by and that’s what I adore about reading anything by this talented author. With each story, she is able to crawl to that dark place inside your mind and infect you with just the right amount of fear to get your blood pumping - this story is proof.
December 11, 2017
The Rook
Welcome to world of Moses. where the hell inside his mind is unleashed upon his unsuspecting victim. Slightly jaded by him, the rook knows something is up, but the moment was too late.
The Pawn
Everything is not as it seems. Disguises come in many forms but as the pawn plays in this game, you'll never guess how this disguise gets wiped cleaned.
The Queen
Oh lovely she may be. The one to unwillingly take the crown and wear it for Moses while he dishes out what's deserved for those who have been deemed to be a part of something fierce.
Pray for the soul.
Pray for the wicked.
Pray before you read this!
Welcome to world of Moses. where the hell inside his mind is unleashed upon his unsuspecting victim. Slightly jaded by him, the rook knows something is up, but the moment was too late.
The Pawn
Everything is not as it seems. Disguises come in many forms but as the pawn plays in this game, you'll never guess how this disguise gets wiped cleaned.
The Queen
Oh lovely she may be. The one to unwillingly take the crown and wear it for Moses while he dishes out what's deserved for those who have been deemed to be a part of something fierce.
Pray for the soul.
Pray for the wicked.
Pray before you read this!
July 15, 2016
I wouldn't necessarily, normally, leave 5 stars for this book.
Let's face it, there are so many points where I kept saying, "I don't know if this is the book for me" and "Wow, when she says she's going to just toss what she can at this and see what works, she was serious".
But I also can't tell you how many times I read the pages and said, "Wow, I didn't see that going there", "And yet, she made it work" and "Well, I didn't see that coming".
Yolanda Olson has such a twisted mind, she can put almost anything together and you come away from the book and reflect of different scenes long after.
This is one of those books. Some of it I keep telling myself not to think about because I might have nightmares.
And then, in the end, you are pulling for this crazy guy, because suddenly you understand, and you want to see him find his way and resolution.
You surprised me, and I'll be thinking about this one for a long time!!!
Let's face it, there are so many points where I kept saying, "I don't know if this is the book for me" and "Wow, when she says she's going to just toss what she can at this and see what works, she was serious".
But I also can't tell you how many times I read the pages and said, "Wow, I didn't see that going there", "And yet, she made it work" and "Well, I didn't see that coming".
Yolanda Olson has such a twisted mind, she can put almost anything together and you come away from the book and reflect of different scenes long after.
This is one of those books. Some of it I keep telling myself not to think about because I might have nightmares.
And then, in the end, you are pulling for this crazy guy, because suddenly you understand, and you want to see him find his way and resolution.
You surprised me, and I'll be thinking about this one for a long time!!!
August 3, 2016
I read this over my lunch break.
It's a quick read because you won't be able to put it down.
Chess is a very intricate game. It's about pieces and placement. About key elements and being able to control the pawns around you. Imagine being a human in a game of chess ruled by the King. You do his dirty work, while he sits back and barks orders. You take the hits, his hands remain clean. What if, on an off chance the Queen see's this and steps in. She see's what the King is doing and speaks to you, the pawn and opens your eyes? Is all hope still lost? Are you too far down the rabbit hole?
While I did enjoy this book, I will admit I couldn't connect with any of the characters. And yes this book is dark and macabre, but I'm not sure why it was banned. I've read worse. Shit I've seen worse on the nightly news. This is a dark, thriller, filled with suspense. It will keep you on your toes. I think this could be GREAT with more character background.
It's a quick read because you won't be able to put it down.
Chess is a very intricate game. It's about pieces and placement. About key elements and being able to control the pawns around you. Imagine being a human in a game of chess ruled by the King. You do his dirty work, while he sits back and barks orders. You take the hits, his hands remain clean. What if, on an off chance the Queen see's this and steps in. She see's what the King is doing and speaks to you, the pawn and opens your eyes? Is all hope still lost? Are you too far down the rabbit hole?
While I did enjoy this book, I will admit I couldn't connect with any of the characters. And yes this book is dark and macabre, but I'm not sure why it was banned. I've read worse. Shit I've seen worse on the nightly news. This is a dark, thriller, filled with suspense. It will keep you on your toes. I think this could be GREAT with more character background.
July 17, 2016
Seriously can Yolanda's books get any darker, and any better. Well let me tell you this one proves that they can.
Enter Moses, and right from the start you can see that he is a very dark man, that has a hell of a lot of demons festering away. His is on the path of revenge and will not rest until he has completed everything he needs to do in order to cleanse himself.
This is a deliciously dark read, and it isn't for the faint hearted. Yolanda has a deviously dark mind and those thoughts she has are put into words.
I loved every minute of this book, there are twists and turns that you really don't see coming. It is a pleasure to be part of Yolanda's beta team.
***Copy received in exchange for an honest and unbiased review***
Enter Moses, and right from the start you can see that he is a very dark man, that has a hell of a lot of demons festering away. His is on the path of revenge and will not rest until he has completed everything he needs to do in order to cleanse himself.
This is a deliciously dark read, and it isn't for the faint hearted. Yolanda has a deviously dark mind and those thoughts she has are put into words.
I loved every minute of this book, there are twists and turns that you really don't see coming. It is a pleasure to be part of Yolanda's beta team.
***Copy received in exchange for an honest and unbiased review***
July 17, 2016
I bought this book cause it had been banned on a few sites . So I was expecting it to be really dark an disturbing . While it was a pretty good story I didn't find it to bad . Not sure why it was banned but for me it was mediocre. I didn't connect with any of the characters and I didn't connect with anything that was done to them . To me this was just a short physiological thriller .
July 14, 2016
As always there are thing to be expected when u read a book from Yolanda... U expect it to be extremely dark and lots of horror...
She did not dissapoint me! I dont think it can get any worse then this!!
With that said.. I loved this story!
She did not dissapoint me! I dont think it can get any worse then this!!
With that said.. I loved this story!
July 23, 2016
My, oh my, oh my.
Amazon for whatever reason, banned the kindle edition. Their loss with this as it was a good read.
Moses had his past drive his present/future actions, and oh how he plays a great game as he takes you on a ride.
Love the story, the characters and twist.
Amazon for whatever reason, banned the kindle edition. Their loss with this as it was a good read.
Moses had his past drive his present/future actions, and oh how he plays a great game as he takes you on a ride.
Love the story, the characters and twist.
July 7, 2017
So, Yolanda Olson has been an author I've personally wanted to read a title of for what feels like forever, but blogging duties hasn't allowed. But having heard so much about her level of dark I had to rectify this. So the most recent book I bought was Atonement and I delved straight in. Boy! What a book to pop my cherry with (yes this got some laughs from the author herself and her reading group!).
Moses...oh jeez, what a twisted bunny this guy is! His madness driven by his childhood, drives him on his quest to seek some kind of evil vengeance in a bid to quieten his mind...well hopefully!
Excerpt:
Three against one weren’t the best odds in the world. Each of them had a chance to kill me, and I only had one chance to kill each of them. I would enjoy what I did though, I was sure of it. I would make sure that their deaths would calm the demons in my head long enough that I might be able to live a normal life when I was done.
The journey was beyond what I expected and as it unraveled my jaw hit the floor frequently, never expecting what each victim brought to his life.
Excerpt:
I struggled against myself..... I would kill the part of me that they loved so much and I would make them love the part that turned their stomachs......
I would make them love the part of me they hated, or they would love none of me at all.
Moses faces some hard truths along the way, but facing them with his thought process and fixation on killing those in his life of chess, a game he played growing up, only made his madness a little more apparent!
Excerpt:
He told me once during one of our games of chess that the rook and the pawn were the most expandable pieces in the game and if I couldn’t get rid of them, if I felt like I was losing the fight, to set their worlds on fire to rid myself of them.
This was a seriously dark, gruesome and twisted tale which left me questioning my own sanity. Exactly what you want from a good dark book! I highly recommend this for those of you who think they haven't reached their darkness level yet!
Final excerpt:
What could possibly happen if the Devil danced with someone of equal evil intentions? I was about to find out.
Moses...oh jeez, what a twisted bunny this guy is! His madness driven by his childhood, drives him on his quest to seek some kind of evil vengeance in a bid to quieten his mind...well hopefully!
Excerpt:
Three against one weren’t the best odds in the world. Each of them had a chance to kill me, and I only had one chance to kill each of them. I would enjoy what I did though, I was sure of it. I would make sure that their deaths would calm the demons in my head long enough that I might be able to live a normal life when I was done.
The journey was beyond what I expected and as it unraveled my jaw hit the floor frequently, never expecting what each victim brought to his life.
Excerpt:
I struggled against myself..... I would kill the part of me that they loved so much and I would make them love the part that turned their stomachs......
I would make them love the part of me they hated, or they would love none of me at all.
Moses faces some hard truths along the way, but facing them with his thought process and fixation on killing those in his life of chess, a game he played growing up, only made his madness a little more apparent!
Excerpt:
He told me once during one of our games of chess that the rook and the pawn were the most expandable pieces in the game and if I couldn’t get rid of them, if I felt like I was losing the fight, to set their worlds on fire to rid myself of them.
This was a seriously dark, gruesome and twisted tale which left me questioning my own sanity. Exactly what you want from a good dark book! I highly recommend this for those of you who think they haven't reached their darkness level yet!
Final excerpt:
What could possibly happen if the Devil danced with someone of equal evil intentions? I was about to find out.
September 11, 2022
Wow
So I defo went into this thinking it was a romance LOL.
Was probs one of the most fucked up books iv read but saying that I really enjoyed it.
Not what I expected, baring it mind it came in a romance banned book box and it's defo not romance but it's captivating and the twists and the end had me shocked as hell. I didn't expect them but made the storyline all that more fucked and addicting. Highly recommend lol.
So I defo went into this thinking it was a romance LOL.
Was probs one of the most fucked up books iv read but saying that I really enjoyed it.
Not what I expected, baring it mind it came in a romance banned book box and it's defo not romance but it's captivating and the twists and the end had me shocked as hell. I didn't expect them but made the storyline all that more fucked and addicting. Highly recommend lol.
July 19, 2016
"And in our last, glorious moments, I would finally be a man of free will again, instead of a man consigned to the darkness that lurked within. Or I would forfeit my life and let the demons swallow me whole."
The Rook, The Pawn and The Queen are part of a game that they were not even aware they have been playing. Unfortunately their roles have already been decided and their fate is one not to be envied. Moses is a troubled soul, lost in a nightmare of vague recollection...whispered to by The King. Insidious words that lingers and take root in already poisoned mind shaping his thoughts and actions causing heinous crimes against those caught up in the game. Moses is a man on the edge of destruction trying desperately to claw his way back the only way he knows how by shedding others blood. Who will win in the end? Who is the most powerful piece on the board?
Atonement is another dance with the devil on your back, wrestling with mental health and the evil of human nature. Twisted and warped the characters are a stark reminder that not everyone is nurtured to be kind but are instead moulded to become weapons that know only death. I love the things that are left unsaid, the uncertainty and ambiguity of the how, why and what happens in the aftermath. The greatest stories ever told leave the audience wondering and hungry for more. The dark imagination of Yolanda Olson has once again captured the tortuous battle of someone struggling with with a traumatic event that has led to ongoing mental health issues. She cleverly weaves the ugly in with tangible human nature that makes the reader connect to the portrayed bad guy, rationalising his actions, making them seem all too acceptable. By the end I wanted to take him in my arms and wrap his blood soaked soul in an understanding hug...how does she do that!?!?! I loved it. Read it, squirm a little and secretly feel proud that you only threw up a little in your mouth as there are vivid scenes of torture but it's ooh so worth it to find out what makes Moses tick!
A five star I love it read.
~*~ Privileged to be part of the beta team. Reviewed on behalf of Obsessed by Books ~*~
The Rook, The Pawn and The Queen are part of a game that they were not even aware they have been playing. Unfortunately their roles have already been decided and their fate is one not to be envied. Moses is a troubled soul, lost in a nightmare of vague recollection...whispered to by The King. Insidious words that lingers and take root in already poisoned mind shaping his thoughts and actions causing heinous crimes against those caught up in the game. Moses is a man on the edge of destruction trying desperately to claw his way back the only way he knows how by shedding others blood. Who will win in the end? Who is the most powerful piece on the board?
Atonement is another dance with the devil on your back, wrestling with mental health and the evil of human nature. Twisted and warped the characters are a stark reminder that not everyone is nurtured to be kind but are instead moulded to become weapons that know only death. I love the things that are left unsaid, the uncertainty and ambiguity of the how, why and what happens in the aftermath. The greatest stories ever told leave the audience wondering and hungry for more. The dark imagination of Yolanda Olson has once again captured the tortuous battle of someone struggling with with a traumatic event that has led to ongoing mental health issues. She cleverly weaves the ugly in with tangible human nature that makes the reader connect to the portrayed bad guy, rationalising his actions, making them seem all too acceptable. By the end I wanted to take him in my arms and wrap his blood soaked soul in an understanding hug...how does she do that!?!?! I loved it. Read it, squirm a little and secretly feel proud that you only threw up a little in your mouth as there are vivid scenes of torture but it's ooh so worth it to find out what makes Moses tick!
A five star I love it read.
~*~ Privileged to be part of the beta team. Reviewed on behalf of Obsessed by Books ~*~
July 31, 2016
In a game of chess there is only one perfect outcome. To be the one that can make the move, check mate. One queen, one king. Who will persevere?
“I didn’t like when she looked at me. It made me nervous; almost as if what I were doing was wrong. Almost as if I didn’t have the right to take my life back from the devils that were trying to keep me in the dark place that I hated so much.”
So gullible. If only our sweet Moses knew earlier. Then again, would he still have done what he did?
From the rook to the pawn and eventually the key players the king and queen. The game that began as a form of redemption quickly turned into a game of lies and deceit.
The only other thing that I will tell you is that you will never ever guess how this book will end and that no one and I mean no one is who they claim to be.
Are you ready to take on the challenge? Are you ready to be screwed over by the wonderful writer that is Yolanda Olson?
I triple dare you! Oh and if you survived let’s have a talk shall we? ;-)
***ARC provided in exchange for an honest review - Scandalous Book Blog***
“I didn’t like when she looked at me. It made me nervous; almost as if what I were doing was wrong. Almost as if I didn’t have the right to take my life back from the devils that were trying to keep me in the dark place that I hated so much.”
So gullible. If only our sweet Moses knew earlier. Then again, would he still have done what he did?
From the rook to the pawn and eventually the key players the king and queen. The game that began as a form of redemption quickly turned into a game of lies and deceit.
The only other thing that I will tell you is that you will never ever guess how this book will end and that no one and I mean no one is who they claim to be.
Are you ready to take on the challenge? Are you ready to be screwed over by the wonderful writer that is Yolanda Olson?
I triple dare you! Oh and if you survived let’s have a talk shall we? ;-)
***ARC provided in exchange for an honest review - Scandalous Book Blog***
July 22, 2016
Moses, Moses, Moses.
I just don't know.
I mean...
My jaw is still on the floor 3 days after finishing it.
Dark, depraved. Cringeworthy. Haunting. Sickeningly beautiful. Sorrowful.
I'm just....
urgh.
Not a story for the light of heart, not a happy ending, not an ounce of joy.
Not much disturbs me. Until the twist just about half through this book, I still wasn't really disturbed but then, wham.
Yolanda got me. I was destroyed. My heart shattered. After it jumped into my mouth that is.
I read this quite quickly but please take your time to take in every word, slowly, methodically. Once you've finished you won't be able to go back. It will be in your mind forever. This book deserves to be loved, deserves to be cherished...deserves to be celebrated as one of those special dark books that got banned.
I just wish it was longer. I wanted more of Moses. Heck, I wanted more of everyone.
I just don't know.
I mean...
My jaw is still on the floor 3 days after finishing it.
Dark, depraved. Cringeworthy. Haunting. Sickeningly beautiful. Sorrowful.
I'm just....
urgh.
Not a story for the light of heart, not a happy ending, not an ounce of joy.
Not much disturbs me. Until the twist just about half through this book, I still wasn't really disturbed but then, wham.
Yolanda got me. I was destroyed. My heart shattered. After it jumped into my mouth that is.
I read this quite quickly but please take your time to take in every word, slowly, methodically. Once you've finished you won't be able to go back. It will be in your mind forever. This book deserves to be loved, deserves to be cherished...deserves to be celebrated as one of those special dark books that got banned.
I just wish it was longer. I wanted more of Moses. Heck, I wanted more of everyone.
July 15, 2016
This is another great book from Yolanda Olson. Talk about a twisted game of chess. Moses has demons and he believes killing certain women will help him exorcize them. Little does he know that it will only end up opening another door to expose a past that's been hidden to him.
This book is like a lesson on how one incident can change the lives of so many people. It will send you on a roller coaster of emotions from queasy to compassion to anger. And just when you think you have it figured out, she throws you for another loop. If you like horror and suspense and have a strong stomach, you will love this book.
This book is like a lesson on how one incident can change the lives of so many people. It will send you on a roller coaster of emotions from queasy to compassion to anger. And just when you think you have it figured out, she throws you for another loop. If you like horror and suspense and have a strong stomach, you will love this book.
July 15, 2016
Another powerful book by Yolanda that will leave you checking under your bed.
This is a game of chess that's twisted and full of horror. Moses is mentally disturbed and caught up in the past, his father is his puppet master. With seeds planted in his mind the endgame will leave you spinning. You don't see twist after twist coming. The story line is extremely dark and may leave you wondering what the hell did I just read?
This is a game of chess that's twisted and full of horror. Moses is mentally disturbed and caught up in the past, his father is his puppet master. With seeds planted in his mind the endgame will leave you spinning. You don't see twist after twist coming. The story line is extremely dark and may leave you wondering what the hell did I just read?
July 18, 2016
Want to play a game??
Again Yolanda knocks another dark thriller out (I would hate to ever get on her bad side), that leaves your jaw on the floor, thinking what if.
The brain is a strange thing, that for some a tragedy can be the thing that flips a switch, that no one be wants to witness. And for that person, they are willing to do anything to stop the demons. A complicated game, Chess, get the queen and win, but not when the king is stronger!!
Again Yolanda knocks another dark thriller out (I would hate to ever get on her bad side), that leaves your jaw on the floor, thinking what if.
The brain is a strange thing, that for some a tragedy can be the thing that flips a switch, that no one be wants to witness. And for that person, they are willing to do anything to stop the demons. A complicated game, Chess, get the queen and win, but not when the king is stronger!!
August 1, 2016
Moses is quite disturbed, and as things progress throughout the story, we learn why. Abused and lied to for years, Moses`s hidden past finally presents itself, but is it too late? And too late for whom? In true Yolanda fashion, this book kept me on the edge of my seat, searching for answers to the very end. Well done!!
July 28, 2016
Review
I love a Great Horror, yet Gripping Book when I read read the first page I was hooked . I couldn't put it down because I had know what Moses was or what he is . The Rook the Pawn the Queen , what did he want with them . Why did he pursue them. I finished this book in hours. Looking forward to Reading more of Yolanda Olson's books .
I love a Great Horror, yet Gripping Book when I read read the first page I was hooked . I couldn't put it down because I had know what Moses was or what he is . The Rook the Pawn the Queen , what did he want with them . Why did he pursue them. I finished this book in hours. Looking forward to Reading more of Yolanda Olson's books .
July 11, 2016
This is Yolanda's best work to date!! Review to come on release day.
July 17, 2016
Yolanda Olson at her best.
Amazing, amazing, amazing! I love a dark, twisted, suspenseful read and Yolanda is the best there is in her genre.
Amazing, amazing, amazing! I love a dark, twisted, suspenseful read and Yolanda is the best there is in her genre.
July 22, 2016
This was a short intense 68 page book of destruction , of horror. It was written well and was good, however be warned it contains some graphic scenes.
September 6, 2016
Loved it!
Yet another amazing book from an amazing author. I think out of all her characters, Moses has been my favorite.
Yet another amazing book from an amazing author. I think out of all her characters, Moses has been my favorite.
March 27, 2025
Dearest Darlings of Darkness,
Moses, Moses, Moses… we need to talk. Now, if you’re sitting there wondering, “Who the fudge is Moses?” first of all, how dare you? Second, he’s one of Yolanda’s beautifully broken souls, and you can find him in Atonement (which, by the way, you should be reading). But fair warning, if a book being banned on some sites makes you clutch your pearls, maybe sit this one out. Shhh...
Now, Moses isn’t just playing chess; he’s orchestrating a whole game of survival. The rook, the pawn, the queen he wants them gone. But the real question is… will you survive? I did, but at what cost? One moment, I was screaming about a creepy Bates Motel situation, the next, I was ranting about the queen and king. And just when I thought I had it figured out? Boom—the gameplay flipped, and I was shooketh.
So, take this as your official sign to read it or don’t. But if you miss out, don’t come crying to me when you realize you fumbled greatness.
Yours in madness,
E
Moses, Moses, Moses… we need to talk. Now, if you’re sitting there wondering, “Who the fudge is Moses?” first of all, how dare you? Second, he’s one of Yolanda’s beautifully broken souls, and you can find him in Atonement (which, by the way, you should be reading). But fair warning, if a book being banned on some sites makes you clutch your pearls, maybe sit this one out. Shhh...
Now, Moses isn’t just playing chess; he’s orchestrating a whole game of survival. The rook, the pawn, the queen he wants them gone. But the real question is… will you survive? I did, but at what cost? One moment, I was screaming about a creepy Bates Motel situation, the next, I was ranting about the queen and king. And just when I thought I had it figured out? Boom—the gameplay flipped, and I was shooketh.
So, take this as your official sign to read it or don’t. But if you miss out, don’t come crying to me when you realize you fumbled greatness.
Yours in madness,
E
August 31, 2022
Anti-hero.
Dark.
Taboo.
Violence.
Non-consent.
Atonement checks all of the above. It's gruesome and twisted, yet unexpected and a page-turner. The trigger warning should definitely be read before picking this banned book out.
Moses goes on a murderous rampage seeking vengeance and redemption. His twisted mind is laser-focused on his plan and the end goal, which he believes will stop the dreams and the voices in his head. Three victims, each compared to a chess piece: the pawn, rook, and the Queen. A brilliant analogy in a deadly game.
You think you know how is move is going to play out, but you really don't. The way the story is told lures you in until the very last page. No happy ending and, despite Moses actions, no real redemption for any character. Deception and mind games at their finest.
Dark.
Taboo.
Violence.
Non-consent.
Atonement checks all of the above. It's gruesome and twisted, yet unexpected and a page-turner. The trigger warning should definitely be read before picking this banned book out.
Moses goes on a murderous rampage seeking vengeance and redemption. His twisted mind is laser-focused on his plan and the end goal, which he believes will stop the dreams and the voices in his head. Three victims, each compared to a chess piece: the pawn, rook, and the Queen. A brilliant analogy in a deadly game.
You think you know how is move is going to play out, but you really don't. The way the story is told lures you in until the very last page. No happy ending and, despite Moses actions, no real redemption for any character. Deception and mind games at their finest.
October 3, 2018
"After all, true evil can masquerade itself as a thing of beauty"
Well she finally did it.. Yolanda Olson made me ugly cry, even if only a little.
Monsters are often made and come in unassuming forms. Moses is one such monster, or is he. Yolanda Olson has created a character that has made me feel more conflicted that anyone before him. I don't know wether to hate, fear, pity, want to maim him, or try to protect and fix him. But one thing is for sure, Moses is so damn broken. And maybe I'm a little bit crazy but I am drawn to his brokenness. Still no matter what I feel towards Moses this book is brilliantly written and the story executed in a way that draws you in and holds you tight until the very end.
Well she finally did it.. Yolanda Olson made me ugly cry, even if only a little.
Monsters are often made and come in unassuming forms. Moses is one such monster, or is he. Yolanda Olson has created a character that has made me feel more conflicted that anyone before him. I don't know wether to hate, fear, pity, want to maim him, or try to protect and fix him. But one thing is for sure, Moses is so damn broken. And maybe I'm a little bit crazy but I am drawn to his brokenness. Still no matter what I feel towards Moses this book is brilliantly written and the story executed in a way that draws you in and holds you tight until the very end.
July 4, 2018
Moses is a man on a mission, what is that mission? Well I’ll let you find out what it is. Let’s just say he’s definitely deranged and possibly a psychopath but he has a reason. Amazon banned this book. I’m not quite sure why. Yes it’s a horror book, but I’ve read way worse and way more graphic books. In fact I’ve read a anthology a couple of months ago that was almost completely a rape book. A very graphic and detailed stories about rape. While stuff horrifying happens in Atonement it’s not graphically detailed. Anywho when Amazon bans a book I make it my duty to read it. Those are usually the good stories. And this was definitely one of the good horror books.
August 7, 2025
This was a short dark horror thriller, which was a little messed up once you got to understand what was happening and who was who. It has a dark chess theme throughout with names and with how things were done.
In the end even though its looks like it going to end a certain way, it ends almost like a happy ending but in a sick twisted way.
This has a lot of TW with blood, gore, torture, and so many more.
Overall it was bad for a short novel and it sure quicken with pace.
In the end even though its looks like it going to end a certain way, it ends almost like a happy ending but in a sick twisted way.
This has a lot of TW with blood, gore, torture, and so many more.
Overall it was bad for a short novel and it sure quicken with pace.
May 26, 2017
Majorly Disturbing , But that's what you get when you read a Yolanda Olson storyline .
This was the most unexpectedly dark & freakish game of chess I have ever heard of , but I was hypnotized by the authors creepy story.
Believe me ,There are twists you won't see coming and they will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up .
This was the most unexpectedly dark & freakish game of chess I have ever heard of , but I was hypnotized by the authors creepy story.
Believe me ,There are twists you won't see coming and they will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up .
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