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The Flock
From J. Todd Scott comes a chillingly engrossing thriller about a cult survivor who must confront the horrors of her past to ensure the safety of the future.
Ten years after a fiery raid kills her family, former cult member Sybilla “Billie” Laure has a completely new identity. She’s settled in rural Colorado with her daughter, hoping for a quieter life. But the world has other plans.
With wildfires raging and birds dropping from the sky, Billie wonders if her cult leader father’s apocalyptic predictions are finally coming true. When an intruder murders her husband and kidnaps her daughter, Billie has no choice but to confront the secrets of her past. But Billie’s journey has other perils, too—namely, a police chief hot on her trail, determined to expose the dangers of the defunct doomsday cult.
To save her daughter, Billie will have to go back to where it all began—to the ruined compound in New Mexico where the real threat is the truth.
Ten years after a fiery raid kills her family, former cult member Sybilla “Billie” Laure has a completely new identity. She’s settled in rural Colorado with her daughter, hoping for a quieter life. But the world has other plans.
With wildfires raging and birds dropping from the sky, Billie wonders if her cult leader father’s apocalyptic predictions are finally coming true. When an intruder murders her husband and kidnaps her daughter, Billie has no choice but to confront the secrets of her past. But Billie’s journey has other perils, too—namely, a police chief hot on her trail, determined to expose the dangers of the defunct doomsday cult.
To save her daughter, Billie will have to go back to where it all began—to the ruined compound in New Mexico where the real threat is the truth.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2022
3975 people are currently reading
6751 people want to read
About the author
J. Todd Scott
12 books346 followersA retired federal law enforcement agent with thirty years of experience, J. Todd Scott was a finalist for the 2024 International Thriller Writers Award for Best Paperback Original and is the critically acclaimed author of six crime, suspense, and thriller novels. He is also a film and TV producer and screenwriter, most recently for the Paramount+ series Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
Find Todd at JTODDSCOTT.COM.
Find Todd at JTODDSCOTT.COM.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
December 17, 2022
[As Elise] does for a few minutes every day since Jornada del Muerto, she thinks about life and death.
She’s learned the Bhutanese are encouraged to think about death five times a day, to contemplate their passing and to accept it; to embrace the fleeting beauty of their mortality.
She’s also read quite a bit about reincarnation, punarjama in Hindi, the transmigration of a soul from one body to another, and resurrection—anastasis—where a soul reawakens in the same body.
Death, in all its forms, is often on her mind. p402
J. Todd Scott's THE FLOCK is a fast moving psychological and apocalyptic thriller about Sarah/Sybilla/Billie, who's trying to track the violent cult she escaped, who abducted her daughter and left her husband in the velvety Colorado snow to bleed to death. With the help of Dallas, a near stranger, whom she thinks of as "dangerous, but gentle," she races across the mountains of western United States and deep into the desert, following a trail of human and avian corpses, closer and closer to the violent confrontation she hopes will save what remains of her family.
I enjoyed THE FLOCK for its relentless pacing; I like a writer who can maintain the intensity without tiring me out--like literary high intensity interval training.
Scott used form in a brilliant way, interspersing chapters of regular narrative with interviews, diary entries, FBI files. Such "anecdotal" or "handwritten" additions worked on a few levels: by offering opportunity for additional perspective and new information, and also adding authenticity to the narrative.
I had trouble following the narrative at times though, due almost strictly to the fact Scott introduced a staggering number of named characters. Not only this, but he gave several of the primary characters (which already outnumbered what I consider the average thriller) two and sometimes *three* different names. Names created an unnecessary challenge for this read.
Rating 3.5 stars
Finished September 2022
Recommended for fans of thrillers, psychological thrillers, apocalyptic thrillers, religious horror, strong female leads, second chance tropes in horror
TW⚠️ religious cult, extreme violence, kidnapping, murder, FBI and law enforcement, violence against children, SA (implied, off page), blood, apocalypse, fire and burning, probably more I'm not thinking of
✔️September Pick 16/18
*Follow my Instagram book blog for all my reviews, challenges, and book lists! www.instagram.com/donasbooks/ *
She’s learned the Bhutanese are encouraged to think about death five times a day, to contemplate their passing and to accept it; to embrace the fleeting beauty of their mortality.
She’s also read quite a bit about reincarnation, punarjama in Hindi, the transmigration of a soul from one body to another, and resurrection—anastasis—where a soul reawakens in the same body.
Death, in all its forms, is often on her mind. p402
J. Todd Scott's THE FLOCK is a fast moving psychological and apocalyptic thriller about Sarah/Sybilla/Billie, who's trying to track the violent cult she escaped, who abducted her daughter and left her husband in the velvety Colorado snow to bleed to death. With the help of Dallas, a near stranger, whom she thinks of as "dangerous, but gentle," she races across the mountains of western United States and deep into the desert, following a trail of human and avian corpses, closer and closer to the violent confrontation she hopes will save what remains of her family.
I enjoyed THE FLOCK for its relentless pacing; I like a writer who can maintain the intensity without tiring me out--like literary high intensity interval training.
Scott used form in a brilliant way, interspersing chapters of regular narrative with interviews, diary entries, FBI files. Such "anecdotal" or "handwritten" additions worked on a few levels: by offering opportunity for additional perspective and new information, and also adding authenticity to the narrative.
I had trouble following the narrative at times though, due almost strictly to the fact Scott introduced a staggering number of named characters. Not only this, but he gave several of the primary characters (which already outnumbered what I consider the average thriller) two and sometimes *three* different names. Names created an unnecessary challenge for this read.
Rating 3.5 stars
Finished September 2022
Recommended for fans of thrillers, psychological thrillers, apocalyptic thrillers, religious horror, strong female leads, second chance tropes in horror
TW⚠️ religious cult, extreme violence, kidnapping, murder, FBI and law enforcement, violence against children, SA (implied, off page), blood, apocalypse, fire and burning, probably more I'm not thinking of
✔️September Pick 16/18
*Follow my Instagram book blog for all my reviews, challenges, and book lists! www.instagram.com/donasbooks/ *
February 10, 2023
Great Read
This is about a cult, it's beliefs, and how easily people in emotional pain or emptiness will grab hold of any belief offering hope. I find this very true when I think about it myself and life experience.
Very well written. I chose this as a Goodreads choice and believe it's a good read for those who are interested in cults and some fantasy.
I need to add this is action packed throughout with lots of excitement.
This is about a cult, it's beliefs, and how easily people in emotional pain or emptiness will grab hold of any belief offering hope. I find this very true when I think about it myself and life experience.
Very well written. I chose this as a Goodreads choice and believe it's a good read for those who are interested in cults and some fantasy.
I need to add this is action packed throughout with lots of excitement.
February 14, 2023
As indicated by the amount of time it took to finish, this book wasn’t for me. The characters had 2, sometimes 3 names and I became very confused about who was doing what. And just not interested enough to figure it out! 🫤
September 20, 2022
3.5 Interesting Concept Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
I got lucky to read this as a Prime Reader, so there was no cost. The initial idea and most of the book held my attention. The downside was there was a lot of extra in the telling.
However, despite the downside, I continued to read and kept my interest. Hard to turn away from a "cult story".
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
I got lucky to read this as a Prime Reader, so there was no cost. The initial idea and most of the book held my attention. The downside was there was a lot of extra in the telling.
However, despite the downside, I continued to read and kept my interest. Hard to turn away from a "cult story".
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
September 11, 2022
This was a highly readable (if at times skimable) Amazon First of the Month free choice. It's well written altho' the author has a tendency to go on too long about some of the philosophical issues raised by the plot; when I read a thriller, I prefer to be thrilled not lectured. That said, it was a good read with a satisfactory ending ... and it was free. Can hardly complain too much. I'd try another of this author's novels.
September 14, 2022
I enjoyed having the setting begin in a small Colorado town a few hours east of where I live (love Colorado-grown books), but other than that didn't really get in the groove with the story. A lot of characters, then those characters had multiple names, then there was so much choppy, jumping around. Half way through, DNF.
October 1, 2022
Another month, another Amazon First Reads review…except this one was not my favorite. 🙈 I’m just going to throw it out there now, I really struggled to get through this book. I was about 50% in and was so close to chuckin it in the fuck it bucket.
This is noted as a thriller, except I really didn’t feel this was the type of thrill I enjoy..maybe a little bit of mystery, but nothing that caught my attention and had me page flipping. Was I missing something? I think part of it was I couldn’t figure out all the religious lingo, the signs…I guess everything.
This book follows the Ark of Lazarus cult, which give me anything cult related, and normally I’m HOOKED…but not this time. I was actually grossed out by some of the lines or scenes in this book, even if it was part of the cult leaders bull crap. IF the book would have followed the mystery and investigation of the murders more, and left a lot of the weird cult chapters out, I think I may have liked it more.
I feel like I have had a lot of negative to say about this book unfortunately, so one positive…I did really like that throughout the book, and to break up the chapters, the author included random interviews, podcast, news articles, etc. It may have actually been the only thing that kept my attention 🙈
2.5 ⭐️’s rounded up to 3⭐️ on GR
This is noted as a thriller, except I really didn’t feel this was the type of thrill I enjoy..maybe a little bit of mystery, but nothing that caught my attention and had me page flipping. Was I missing something? I think part of it was I couldn’t figure out all the religious lingo, the signs…I guess everything.
This book follows the Ark of Lazarus cult, which give me anything cult related, and normally I’m HOOKED…but not this time. I was actually grossed out by some of the lines or scenes in this book, even if it was part of the cult leaders bull crap. IF the book would have followed the mystery and investigation of the murders more, and left a lot of the weird cult chapters out, I think I may have liked it more.
I feel like I have had a lot of negative to say about this book unfortunately, so one positive…I did really like that throughout the book, and to break up the chapters, the author included random interviews, podcast, news articles, etc. It may have actually been the only thing that kept my attention 🙈
2.5 ⭐️’s rounded up to 3⭐️ on GR
October 1, 2022
This book just did not work for me. There were so many characters (many of whom had multiple names) and we didn't spend nearly enough time with any of them for a single emotional moment to hit like it was supposed to. The cult is a huge focus but their beliefs didn't make sense to me in the context of a cult outside of a few buzzwords, and the idea that they've captivated this huge secret cabal of important people is a bit ridiculous. The child character doesn't act like a child or really do anything at all (the characters could just as easily have been chasing after a treasure chest). The first person POV character's motivation is hidden from the reader for way too long. I usually like an ambiguous ending but in my opinion this one is stupid.
September 21, 2022
Prime first reads. 3.5 stars
The premise of this novel was too good to resist when I was given it as a choice for first reads.
The execution is polished and well done. Scott keeps plot moving in interesting ways moving story along through timelines and pov.
You have to pay close attention while reading but overall a good book.
The premise of this novel was too good to resist when I was given it as a choice for first reads.
The execution is polished and well done. Scott keeps plot moving in interesting ways moving story along through timelines and pov.
You have to pay close attention while reading but overall a good book.
December 5, 2022
Ten years previously, Sybilla Laure and her daughter Renata were the only survivors of a cult in the New Mexico desert, following a fire in the compound where they lived, during an F.B.I. raid. Now living under assumed names in Limon, Colorado, Renata is abducted and Sybilla’s husband is murdered and Sybilla sets off in pursuit of the abductors with an unlikely ally. Elise Blue, the Limon Police Chief is initially unaware of Sybilla’s past and assumes she is responsible for her husband’s death and is on the run with her daughter. As the story unfolds Elise takes matters into her own hands and heads off in pursuit of Sybilla, a chase which eventually culminates in a strange showdown in the New Mexico desert.
When I first stared reading this novel, I initially thought I was reading the wrong book, as the opening reads like a supernatural thriller not the usual crime thrillers that I had come to expect from J. Todd Scott. However that ‘supernatural’ element persists throughout the novel but is it unknown elements at work or is it purely coincidences of nature ? The novel follows Sybilla’s pursuit of her daughters abductors and Elise’s investigation into the current crimes but we also learn of Sybilla’s life within ‘The Flock’ via her recollections and also from various other sources. There are contradictions a plenty and it’s up to the reader to draw their own conclusions as to the cults nature and ultimately Sybilla’s complicity in the events that occurred. The story also plays out against a background of a series of ‘natural’ disasters including huge forest fires and storms gathering in the gulf.
This is certainly a different turn in Scott’s writing but I thoroughly enjoyed the new elements that he included in the story, as they certainly got me thinking and also highlighted how these ‘cults’ operate, by preying on people when they are at their most vulnerable.
When I first stared reading this novel, I initially thought I was reading the wrong book, as the opening reads like a supernatural thriller not the usual crime thrillers that I had come to expect from J. Todd Scott. However that ‘supernatural’ element persists throughout the novel but is it unknown elements at work or is it purely coincidences of nature ? The novel follows Sybilla’s pursuit of her daughters abductors and Elise’s investigation into the current crimes but we also learn of Sybilla’s life within ‘The Flock’ via her recollections and also from various other sources. There are contradictions a plenty and it’s up to the reader to draw their own conclusions as to the cults nature and ultimately Sybilla’s complicity in the events that occurred. The story also plays out against a background of a series of ‘natural’ disasters including huge forest fires and storms gathering in the gulf.
This is certainly a different turn in Scott’s writing but I thoroughly enjoyed the new elements that he included in the story, as they certainly got me thinking and also highlighted how these ‘cults’ operate, by preying on people when they are at their most vulnerable.
September 6, 2022
This book represents my first encounter with J. Todd Scott. And what an epic tale it is. The story features numerous main characters. The first is Sybilla "Billie" Laure. Sybilla grew up in a cult named the Ark of Lazarus. The head of the cult, Etan Laure, is about as nice a guy as you'd expect a cult leader to be. He tells his "flock" what to where, when and what to eat, no intimacy is permitted, and of course, he has established multiple levels of ascendance for the faithful to strive for.
Another main character is Limon CO police chief Elise Blue. Elise is one of the cops on the scene of a grisly murder: a man has been shot and stabbed to death, but Elise notices that his grievous wounds did not stop him from pursuing his assailants--and nailing one of them right on the noggin with a toaster--probably because the said assailants also kidnapped his daughter Renata. Chief Blue suspects the man's wife, who is none other than Sybilla Laure under another name, of having done her husband in and made off with their daughter.
Finally there is Renata herself. Everyone else in the book is given dialogue to represent their point of view, except Renata. She communicates with one of her abductors solely through soulful messages emanating from her eyes. Even though most of the adherents to the Ark of Lazarus perished in a fire that followed a raid by the FBI years before, a new cult has sprung from the ashes of the old--the New Lazarians. The New Lazarians plan to commit mass suicide, and they believe that Renata will be the vehicle through which God will resurrect them four days later.
One of Scott's strengths in this novel is that he clearly knows how to make cultists sound real. I have never been seduced by a cult, but Scott makes the members sound authentic. If there's a weakness, I'd say Scott spends too many pages on faith; the nature of it, the rewards of it, the cultish punishment for losing or misusing it, and most pervasive, the search for it among those who are vulnerable due to loss. He makes some important points, but I would have put those points in a scholarly article as opposed to a novel. Oh, and just one more thing: Renata's parentage is called into question toward the very end. Like I have mentioned in previous reviews, I wish that "my mother is not really my mother" stuff had met its end in Psycho II.
For all that, The Flock really is one helluva thriller. As the resolution thunders forward, the characters earnestly question themselves and their beliefs. Their uncertainty regarding the "signs" predicted by Etan Laure will rattle the reader's sense of predictability. The Flock is a terrific thriller all the way around.
Another main character is Limon CO police chief Elise Blue. Elise is one of the cops on the scene of a grisly murder: a man has been shot and stabbed to death, but Elise notices that his grievous wounds did not stop him from pursuing his assailants--and nailing one of them right on the noggin with a toaster--probably because the said assailants also kidnapped his daughter Renata. Chief Blue suspects the man's wife, who is none other than Sybilla Laure under another name, of having done her husband in and made off with their daughter.
Finally there is Renata herself. Everyone else in the book is given dialogue to represent their point of view, except Renata. She communicates with one of her abductors solely through soulful messages emanating from her eyes. Even though most of the adherents to the Ark of Lazarus perished in a fire that followed a raid by the FBI years before, a new cult has sprung from the ashes of the old--the New Lazarians. The New Lazarians plan to commit mass suicide, and they believe that Renata will be the vehicle through which God will resurrect them four days later.
One of Scott's strengths in this novel is that he clearly knows how to make cultists sound real. I have never been seduced by a cult, but Scott makes the members sound authentic. If there's a weakness, I'd say Scott spends too many pages on faith; the nature of it, the rewards of it, the cultish punishment for losing or misusing it, and most pervasive, the search for it among those who are vulnerable due to loss. He makes some important points, but I would have put those points in a scholarly article as opposed to a novel. Oh, and just one more thing: Renata's parentage is called into question toward the very end. Like I have mentioned in previous reviews, I wish that "my mother is not really my mother" stuff had met its end in Psycho II.
For all that, The Flock really is one helluva thriller. As the resolution thunders forward, the characters earnestly question themselves and their beliefs. Their uncertainty regarding the "signs" predicted by Etan Laure will rattle the reader's sense of predictability. The Flock is a terrific thriller all the way around.
December 22, 2023
22.12.23 2.5 stars
Meh. This thriller tried far too hard in my opinion, yet still managed to be somewhat predictable. I was not a fan of that mish mashed ending, which left an annoying amount of questions. Overall the premise was intriguing but underwhelming.
Meh. This thriller tried far too hard in my opinion, yet still managed to be somewhat predictable. I was not a fan of that mish mashed ending, which left an annoying amount of questions. Overall the premise was intriguing but underwhelming.
September 28, 2022
Great concept but…
Ok. So this book took me almost a month to read. Total struggle bus to get through.
First off: This book has been done before. It’s a basic rip-off of Year One - which also has a character named Fallon so that’s annoying.
Second: There are TOO MANY CHARACTERS with multiple names. It’s almost impossible to keep them all straight.
Third: Is this a thriller? Is it fantasy? You never really figure it out. Also Special Agent Malder..really? REALLY? Just close enough to Mulder from X-Files. Ugh. I’m beginning to think maybe I read too many books.
Ok. So this book took me almost a month to read. Total struggle bus to get through.
First off: This book has been done before. It’s a basic rip-off of Year One - which also has a character named Fallon so that’s annoying.
Second: There are TOO MANY CHARACTERS with multiple names. It’s almost impossible to keep them all straight.
Third: Is this a thriller? Is it fantasy? You never really figure it out. Also Special Agent Malder..really? REALLY? Just close enough to Mulder from X-Files. Ugh. I’m beginning to think maybe I read too many books.
September 30, 2022
this book DRAGGED on, and the set up of the chapters was messy and most of the extra chapters like the articles were so unnecessary.
November 26, 2023
Dead birds falling, child kidnapped, cult resurfacing, and death everywhere. That sums up this book.
This was one of those stories I saw absolutely every twist coming and yet still couldn’t wait to finish it. Cults fascinate me and this one didn’t just speak about a cult and it’s ex members but it went in depth of how easy it was to fall into it. Everyone wants to believe in something and once you believe hard enough, it becomes real to you. That’s exactly what happened to all the members that joined the Ark. they believed so foolishly in what they were told their community could do for the world. It was all lies but even Aaron the fbi agent that infiltrated the compound started to believe.
Once the FBI came to their site, the cult members lit everything on fire. They all perished (47 of them) except for Sybilla and her daughter. Her daughter was the one they thought would save the world when the whole time she might not have even been the main cult leaders daughter. I suspected she was Aaron’s from the beginning and they even say she may be. Nothing was confirmed though. Her sister apparently never died and came back to lead all the new believers. Connor never left the cult but was exiled and was desperate for the new beginning. Deb started out as Sybillas therapist but quickly fell into the hole of believing in what the cult preached and she left everything to follow them. It was never confirmed that she perished though….
My favorite character was Dallas. He just wanted to do some good and help a woman find her daughter. He did so so selflessly and even ended up giving his life for the cause.
Such a great dive into the cult world.
This was one of those stories I saw absolutely every twist coming and yet still couldn’t wait to finish it. Cults fascinate me and this one didn’t just speak about a cult and it’s ex members but it went in depth of how easy it was to fall into it. Everyone wants to believe in something and once you believe hard enough, it becomes real to you. That’s exactly what happened to all the members that joined the Ark. they believed so foolishly in what they were told their community could do for the world. It was all lies but even Aaron the fbi agent that infiltrated the compound started to believe.
Once the FBI came to their site, the cult members lit everything on fire. They all perished (47 of them) except for Sybilla and her daughter. Her daughter was the one they thought would save the world when the whole time she might not have even been the main cult leaders daughter. I suspected she was Aaron’s from the beginning and they even say she may be. Nothing was confirmed though. Her sister apparently never died and came back to lead all the new believers. Connor never left the cult but was exiled and was desperate for the new beginning. Deb started out as Sybillas therapist but quickly fell into the hole of believing in what the cult preached and she left everything to follow them. It was never confirmed that she perished though….
My favorite character was Dallas. He just wanted to do some good and help a woman find her daughter. He did so so selflessly and even ended up giving his life for the cause.
Such a great dive into the cult world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2022
A near-future thriller about apocalyptic cultists . . .
I got this book free as an Amazon First Read book, and I really enjoyed it. 10 years ago, A woman and her daughter survived the fiery end of the cult in which they had been raised, in. A raid from the FBI at the cults compound in the New Mexico desert. Now, with climate change spurring wildfires in the West and hurricanes in the Gulf, another deadlly pandemic, and stranger occurrences happening as well (airline flights go missing, flocks of birds fall blinded and dead from the sky), it feels like the cults apocalyptic prophecies are coming true. And the cult may not be gone and forgotten . . . it mixes the worst aspects of real-world phenomena from Heaven's Gate or the Branch Davidians with QAnon and anti-vaxxers and such - scary!). When the survivor's husband is murdered and daughter is kidnapped, she goes hunting to get her daughter back . . .
I got this book free as an Amazon First Read book, and I really enjoyed it. 10 years ago, A woman and her daughter survived the fiery end of the cult in which they had been raised, in. A raid from the FBI at the cults compound in the New Mexico desert. Now, with climate change spurring wildfires in the West and hurricanes in the Gulf, another deadlly pandemic, and stranger occurrences happening as well (airline flights go missing, flocks of birds fall blinded and dead from the sky), it feels like the cults apocalyptic prophecies are coming true. And the cult may not be gone and forgotten . . . it mixes the worst aspects of real-world phenomena from Heaven's Gate or the Branch Davidians with QAnon and anti-vaxxers and such - scary!). When the survivor's husband is murdered and daughter is kidnapped, she goes hunting to get her daughter back . . .
June 10, 2023
Billie survived a raid that killed her family. They were members of a Doomsday cult. Years later Billie is a different person with a new identity and a family of her own. One fateful day her home is invaded, her husband is killed, and her daughter is taken. The past seems to sneak up on Billie and now she had to face it head on. She has to confront her past to save her future. An intriguing thriller, with great characters and an excellent plot. The story drags you in and keeps your attention until the very end.
Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 28, 2023
DNF at about 50 percent.
This book was a strange one for me - well written, but I was bored stuff because I found it challenging to connect with the characters. The description and cover hooked me, but the content didn’t deliver as expected.
This book was a strange one for me - well written, but I was bored stuff because I found it challenging to connect with the characters. The description and cover hooked me, but the content didn’t deliver as expected.
August 16, 2023
While the last few chapters had some interesting twists, I really struggled to get into this book. It initially read almost as a fantasy novel that was very slow moving. There are still a lot of questions I have about the book details that didn’t seem to wrap up, I did enjoy the Colorado references and thought descriptions of the characters was good. I wanted the entire book to be written a little more like the end of the book in terms of speed to development.
September 25, 2022
Another book I couldn’t put down and I wish I was in a book club and could discuss it with people!! This book had so many elements to it and fits into many genres. Thriller, murder, apocalyptic, horror, religious, cults!! It was really well written and so believable! With the world we are living in right now, with all the hate, division, climate change, conspiracy theories, dark web, cults, etc, it felt like this could happen pretty easily. I think it is well worth the read!! It is a real thinker.
November 9, 2022
In theory, this book should be great. The concept had me hooked from the start. However, the message was lost in the execution. I like books that are thought-provoking and up for interpretation, but this book was just murky and convoluted.
Read
November 9, 2022Meh. DNF
June 13, 2023
"An intense and gripping thriller, The Flock takes readers on a heart-pounding journey of a woman forced to confront her dark past. Billie's struggle to protect her daughter amidst natural disasters and a relentless pursuer keeps the pages turning. The author skillfully weaves together themes of cults, conspiracy, and family bonds, creating a suspenseful tale that keeps you guessing until the very end. With its atmospheric setting and well-drawn characters, this book is a must-read for fans of gripping psychological thrillers."
September 17, 2022
DNF ……
October 1, 2022
What in the world was this book? Honestly I’m still not sure how I feel about this one. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it..
Downside: there were SO many characters with different story lines. This book follows a religious cult, so each character had a minimum 2 names, which made my brain feel like:🤪🤪Also, this has nothing to do with the book itself, but I hate birds, and reading this book didn’t help😂
Upside: my man Dallas - loved him and his ride or die mentality😂. I also loved the short chapters!! Made this book a lot easier to get through.
Downside: there were SO many characters with different story lines. This book follows a religious cult, so each character had a minimum 2 names, which made my brain feel like:🤪🤪Also, this has nothing to do with the book itself, but I hate birds, and reading this book didn’t help😂
Upside: my man Dallas - loved him and his ride or die mentality😂. I also loved the short chapters!! Made this book a lot easier to get through.
January 19, 2023
You'll love it or you'll hate it
This is one of those books I wanted to like but I fell into the either you'll love it or you hate it and I just couldn't get into it. I tried but failed
This is one of those books I wanted to like but I fell into the either you'll love it or you hate it and I just couldn't get into it. I tried but failed
July 5, 2024
Very good read about a cult similar to David Koresh’s group in Waco, Texas.
April 20, 2023
Hard work. Overly complicated storyline with some characters having up to four names, confusing matters further. By the end I barely cared what happened to them.
The author seems to love the word immolate and its derivatives which grated somewhat too.
The author seems to love the word immolate and its derivatives which grated somewhat too.
December 14, 2022
Really liked this book - I liked how the author used different formats - podcast transcripts, police interview transcripts, articles, and narration. Cult - end of world - ARK
October 23, 2022
This is a book that I really enjoyed once I got into it, initially a little slow but this was due to me not really connecting with the characters. There are a few characters and it took a while for me to get my head around who they were and what they did or are doing. There are some who have different names in this book as well.
The story is one that has its origins in a cult. Sybilla and her daughter have escaped from the cult that they have known all their lives. Sybilla is seen as a chosen one and her standing within the group increases with the birth of her daughter. When she realises that the cult is not the place to raise a child she looks to leave. She eventually makes this departure and becomes a face known by many as she is photographed walking away from the burning compound with her daughter in her arms.
The story of what happened is gradually realised in small amounts throughout the book, this doe makes for an intriguing read as details are given. It has been a decade since that night and Sybilla has made a new life, she is married but not one for mixing. Then she comes home to find her husband has been murdered and her daughter has been taken. She knows that there is a new branch of the cult and that they will be responsible. Now she needs to find them and her daughter.
This is an intriguing book as the cult deals with end-of-the-world scenarios, and one of the signs is wildfires. As we have been witnessing wildfires around the world it is plausible that people will see this as the end of days especially given the pandemic, floods, climate change and other global events.
While Sybilla is looking for her daughter, there is also the matter of the murder. The local police chief, Elise, is trying to keep on the case, well I should say cases as this isn't the only death. There is the danger that the FBI or CBI (Colorado Bureau of Investigations) could take over.
This is one that was a slow-burner to start, not so much in the action side of it, just in the way it took me quite a while to get into it. Once I got the basics then I seemed to fare a lot better and this then meant the pacing got quicker. I could then focus more on the story from the emotional side of a mother trying to find her daughter and how time is of the essence. There was a reason for the kidnapping and this is based on the date of Ascension according to the cult followers.
The author has done a really good job of showing how a cult can pray on the vulnerable, those who have gone through divorce or bereavement and are alone, those who feel displaced and misunderstood and then manipulate and basically brainwash.
This is a story that I enjoyed because I am aware of what happened in the Waco Siege of 1993, it is easy to imagine some of the scenes that are discussed. There is a lot of information about Waco and it does make for grim reading at times, as does this book. I think it is the sense that vulnerable people are being exploited, manipulated, used and brainwashed by controlling leaders that really angers me. But, I can see how easy it could be achieved.
The story does make you stop and think especially with the things that we are all witnessing on a global scale. This is a mix of a police procedural, crime thriller and psychological thriller that I would happily recommend to readers who prefer a grittier and hard-hitting subject in their reading.
The story is one that has its origins in a cult. Sybilla and her daughter have escaped from the cult that they have known all their lives. Sybilla is seen as a chosen one and her standing within the group increases with the birth of her daughter. When she realises that the cult is not the place to raise a child she looks to leave. She eventually makes this departure and becomes a face known by many as she is photographed walking away from the burning compound with her daughter in her arms.
The story of what happened is gradually realised in small amounts throughout the book, this doe makes for an intriguing read as details are given. It has been a decade since that night and Sybilla has made a new life, she is married but not one for mixing. Then she comes home to find her husband has been murdered and her daughter has been taken. She knows that there is a new branch of the cult and that they will be responsible. Now she needs to find them and her daughter.
This is an intriguing book as the cult deals with end-of-the-world scenarios, and one of the signs is wildfires. As we have been witnessing wildfires around the world it is plausible that people will see this as the end of days especially given the pandemic, floods, climate change and other global events.
While Sybilla is looking for her daughter, there is also the matter of the murder. The local police chief, Elise, is trying to keep on the case, well I should say cases as this isn't the only death. There is the danger that the FBI or CBI (Colorado Bureau of Investigations) could take over.
This is one that was a slow-burner to start, not so much in the action side of it, just in the way it took me quite a while to get into it. Once I got the basics then I seemed to fare a lot better and this then meant the pacing got quicker. I could then focus more on the story from the emotional side of a mother trying to find her daughter and how time is of the essence. There was a reason for the kidnapping and this is based on the date of Ascension according to the cult followers.
The author has done a really good job of showing how a cult can pray on the vulnerable, those who have gone through divorce or bereavement and are alone, those who feel displaced and misunderstood and then manipulate and basically brainwash.
This is a story that I enjoyed because I am aware of what happened in the Waco Siege of 1993, it is easy to imagine some of the scenes that are discussed. There is a lot of information about Waco and it does make for grim reading at times, as does this book. I think it is the sense that vulnerable people are being exploited, manipulated, used and brainwashed by controlling leaders that really angers me. But, I can see how easy it could be achieved.
The story does make you stop and think especially with the things that we are all witnessing on a global scale. This is a mix of a police procedural, crime thriller and psychological thriller that I would happily recommend to readers who prefer a grittier and hard-hitting subject in their reading.
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