This House Is Broken Part 2: An Anti-Religious Cult Sequel

by Dylan Colón

The Church Of Forsaken Angels
are responsible for multiple church shootings and other anti-religious hate crimes in the United States. When their leader, Samuel befriends Evelyn and her children, he immediately seeks to make them a part of his family.

But Evelyn is soon revealed to embody everything Samuel hates. She is an abusive religious fanatic, leaving her children traumatized by her wrath and fearing for their lives. She has no idea that he and his followers are responsible for the shootings they keep hearing about on the news.

Each member of the cult has been harmed by religion and rescued by Samuel in some way. This brings each member to believe in the violent life of crime they chose. The only thing that Evelyn has in common with the cult is believing their madness is for the best.

Are her children better off with Evelyn and her self-righteous rage? Or are they better off with Samuel and his close family of dangerous killers? Who do Evelyn's children become under these crazy circumstances? Does anybody make it out of this alive?...

Genres: Horror

315 pages, Hardcover

Published August 20, 2021

About the author

From failing a grade as the only kid incapable of reading and writing to being a self-published author! I struggled my entire way through school on an IEP and was bullied for how long it took me to grasp things.

I grieved the death of many loved ones. My father was in prison for the majority of my life before passing away in a car accident. I've dealt heavily with suicidal thoughts and depression. My anxiety ate me up inside like my many insecurities. Like most of you guys, I had a handful of traumatic break-ups and a lifetime of betrayal. That isn't the half of it but it doesn't matter. My life is blessed!

I haven't always felt blessed, my life used to make no sense to me. But now it does because readers from all around the world can feel everything. Where do you think my characters and their emotions come from? It doesn't matter what you're reading from me, I promise it's coming from something real. Now I can smile at the opportunity to turn my unfortunate moments into redemptive masterpieces! But so can you!

The darkness is what makes your light noticeable. A loss is what makes your comeback look so victorious! Don't let anyone tell your story for you or cause you to doubt yourself. People have a tendency of projecting their own insecurities onto others. DARE TO DREAM and work relentlessly through faith, belief, inspiration, and passion! -Dylan

Reviews

[Richard Dominguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This House is Broken Part 2 by Dylan Colon an "Anti-Religious Cult Sequel" is a follow up to "This House is Broken".
In part 2 of This House is Broken, the author takes us on a more in-depth journey into the lives of the Singletons, Evelyn and her children. As well as introducing us to The Church of Forsaken Angels, including someone who hides in the shadows known simply as Legion (which brings to mind some horrific story telling).
After the death of her son David (book 1), Evelyn has gone off the deep end and unknowingly is dragging her remaining children down with her. Suddenly appears Samuel with a lending ear and a heart that doesn't judge and while these things about him are true, deeper beneath is a darkness that promises along with his church followers to destroy everything in his path.
In the first book Mr Colon gives us a view into the current life of the Singletons and the consequences of Evelyn's strict beliefs. In this story we see not only the circumstances that have lead this family to it's current situation, but the author does an excellent job of pealing back the layers of all the characters exposing who they are and who they see themselves as.
Another thing Dylan (the author) does beautifully (if that adjective fits) is his ability in detail to visualize the horrific happenings in the story not only making the evil clear, but underlying them with a sense of profound sorrow and loss.
For me the most horrific thing about the story is it's attempt to inform and or remind us that this evil is a very real part of our world and the scariest thing about it all is that most times they/we are blind or ignorant to it even when we are a part of it. The idea that our righteousness or our religious belief can be evil, through misguided dogma or purposeful manipulation is an idea we all shy away from after all who wants to be wrong."Our ends can never, must never justify our means".
At the start of the book the author reveals that part 1 was written around his personal experiences, while part 2 centers around his research into the many aspects associated with the cult mentality. But I found myself wondering if there was more than just research involved in the creation of this story. The characters feel real, they are imbued with the qualities few writers have to make them real, as if they were real to start with.
For those who have not read the first book and as an overview for those who have Mr Colon takes the time (3 pages) to review the first book and it's very well done, but I do recommend you not miss out on the first book.
At the back of the book is an appendix that ordinarily we see at the front of a book, where the author gives thanks and yet in this case it seemed so appropriate to come at the end of the book.
I would be very remiss to not mention Travis Cook (no he's not a character in the book), Mr Cook illustrated the jacket cover and it is a great indication of what the reader will find inside. The colors and the imagery as well as the title melting around the illustration brings a sense of 'I need to know' to the start of this reading experience.
The book in and of itself is a marvelous read, but my advise is that you keep an open mind when you read it. If you are not open to the possibility of being wrong then sadly you will miss the whole point of the book and it's cautionary message. Is there a right way, yes there is and you will find it in yourself, as the story beautifully reveals.
Book 3 will take us (I hope) into finding one of the creators of this litany of horror who calls him/herself Legion (because they are many (?)). I have no idea where the story will go from there but that I will be waiting for it and hungrily devour the story ... that I can promise.
In case I haven't made it clear how incredibly good I found this story (and it's prequel) I ca only say "get it", "read it", "enjoy it" and "learn form it", that's where the author's real skill lies in the writing of this series.

[Joshua Jonah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was sent to me, by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Having enjoyed Colon’s first book, I was happy he sent me the sequel as there is so much going on here and I wanted to really dive in. Unfortunately this one did not live up to the level that the first one did. While it played it safe by taking a more traditional route with horror and cults, it felt like it was missing something beyond that, that the first one had going for it. Having spoken to the author, I was made privy that he changed genre’s with this one, and while that can be done well, it seemed to have ruined the story just a bit. No spoilers here, but some of the characters actions aren’t exactly fluid with how the story should progress (I think I said that right ). So over all, I will be giving this one 2.5 rounded up to 3 out of 5.

Thank you Dylan for the book!

[Sabrina Voerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel picks up right where the first book left off. It dives right back into the thick of it, the damage that has been done to the family too much to fix now. As their lives veer even further off course, they careen into the hands of a vicious cult.
This book felt more fluid, the characters were more developed than in the first one.
What I really enjoyed about this book was that it shows the dangers of extremism on either side. Extremism in any way always leads to horrible things, and this book shows that. Extremist religion is harmful, extremist hatred towards religious folks is also harmful.
The book perpetuates the message of being kind to one another, regardless of who you are and how you were raised.

[Michelle Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could repeat everything that you could read on the back blurb. Or I can tell you to dive into this intense and fantastically crafted story. It is absolutely worth your time. Highly highly recommend…

[Thomas Or Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Powerful Story About Religion, Cults, and Family

The terrified children from This House is Broken are back and life has gotten worse. Mom is even more dangerous than before but now a charismatic cult leader has come into their lives. At first he offers salvation from their mother's abuse. But his intentions are not pure and his sinister machinations will have bloody consequences. I loved reading this novel but it was not an easy or feel good read. At times I had to put it down and pick it back up after a breather. The characters are very real and the horrors they face are devastating. I highly recommend This House is Broken part 2 but I do have to offer up a warning. Colon takes the reader on an emotional journey through a living Hell.

[H. Everend · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the 'This House is Broken' series by Dylan Colon, continuing the story of the Singleton family. Evelyn is still unbalanced and unstable as ever. Her poor children continue to suffer her wrath. Right out of the gate, I wondered if they were going to suffer the same fate as Evelyn's oldest child, David...which is mostly true (but doesn't make certain events in the book later easier). There are a few new characters; the primary one named Samuel. I liked him at first and felt he was a good addition to progress the story. I also liked the cult and their mission. However, there were a couple things that I personally didn't care for in this book. First and foremost, the inclusion of the horror religion author...his parts didn't feel fleshed out enough and seemed a little random. Would have like to seen more about him or taken out entirely. Tied it into this...I wanted to hear more about Evelyn's mom, Scarlett. She seemed to appear only a couple times and would have liked to see more of her. Second, while this was a well written story and made me feel uncomfortable at times (ironically, I mean this positively), it didn't have the same effect on me as the first one did. Finally, some of the deaths in the book felt too forced or could have been done differently. Mind you, I definitely think you need to give both Parts I and II a shot as it is an amazing and unsettling story and do not let my opinion sway you away from it.

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just... A masterpiece

These books came along right when I needed them. They are so well written, gripping, immersive. I felt everything, and it was heartbreaking. But they grounded me as well. A reminder that God has this. Thank you, Dylan. You're one hell of a writer! I've always enjoyed horror and was curious about a religious horror.. I've always been a Christian, but it's always been so difficult to not stray. I'm just not good at the straight and narrow. I ask forgiveness for it all the time. I have bipolar and depression and find it difficult to keep my head straight. My faith has never wavered; I've always known who my God and Savior are.. I just can't seem to keep a personal connection, always forget to pray. I've gotten so bitter over what's been happening to the world, so angry at the evil people allowed to roam free, especially in our government, and my empathy is just... gone. I'm trying to remember that it's all part of a plan and will end well. It's not the people we're fighting against, but the evil that uses them for its destructive gain. To anyone who reads this, pray for me please.

[Joseph Hood · Rating 5 out of 5]

"How ride or die are you for this martyr bullsh*t?"

4.5 out of 5 Stars (rounded up)

This House Is Broken Part 2 is a book I had been looking forward to reading, since the author announced the release of the book on his social media page. After reading the first book nearly a year ago, I fell in love with the twisted characters, traumatic backstories, and compelling religious commentary.

Without giving away too many spoilers: this book is insane. So much happens from beginning to end. And the story is told in a fast paced and detailed manner, with lots of dialogue. The story of the Singletons, and how they become involved in an Anti-Religious cult is one that I will let the author tell you. But I found the cult leader "Samuel" to be charismatic, disturbingly sympathetic, and outright insane!

There were also several side stories involving cult members, and the way that religion harmed them, that I found tragically fascinating. There is a lot of blood, gore, guts, and everything else in this book. That may not be for everybody: but I ate it all up (not literally of course. . but almost).

Perhaps my only real complaint is that throughout the book, there are a handful of paragraphs where several people are talking. These discussions are often limited to one paragraph, despite two or three people having a conversation. I found these bits a little hard to read, in that, I had to stop and re-read parts to figure out who was speaking. - At the same time, I found myself so invested in the story and characters, it didn't really bother me, but it did slow down the pacing at times.

One other minor gripe involves a side character who is an author. Although I liked this story, I struggled to see how it connected to the overall events in "This House is Broken: Part 2" and was left scratching my head a little during these chapters.

Overall, this book is fantastic. I would definitely read it again. And would love to do a back-to-back read of "This House is Broken: Part 1" and "Part 2" to witness the evolution of tragedy, violence, and trauma in Colon's religious masterpiece.

[Chelsee Damas · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You were birthed and raised under oppression; how could you know what freedom is?"

This sequel effortlessly brings the reader right back into the fray from where the first book left off. I personally enjoyed this book a bit more than the first, as the development of characters was intriguing and the dig into cults was very well researched and delivered. I personally enjoyed the antagonists of this story, as their mentality depicted a very real-life horror, beyond plausible. I also loved how the author highlighted the harm that can come from an extremist mindset on both sides of the track. I look forward to book three as I really want to know what happens and hope to learn more about Legion. Curious? I highly suggest you grab yourself a copy and dig in.

[Sonny March · Rating 5 out of 5]

The violent effects of anger and truths that go unexpressed make up the majority of this story. Troubled youths find belonging in the wrong places, and their lives, as well as those of many others, suffer as a result. It's a stark contrast from its prequel, with brutality and unexpected twist.

[Pax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dylan really kicked up the gore for this one. I did not anticipate the characters heading in the directions they went!

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is dark and frightening in the most realistic way. It shows us the danger of extremism in any form and it reminds us that evil is a constant factor in our lives. The scariest thing about realistic horror is the anxious feeling that this could actually happen in real life.

In the first book, I had a hard time with the shifting pace, that's not a problem in part 2. The pace was much better and the story felt more fluidly.

Though there are more twist and more action in this book I enjoyed the first one more. It felt like the first book was written from Colon's personal experiences and for me that shined through in his writing.

The characters and the story lacked emotion in my opinion. I didn't get attached, though Evelyn is still very well-written and one of my favorite characters in both part 1 and part 2.

I feel that Colón has put in a lot of time researching the new characters. The cult members felt more like gang members in my opinion. I understand that this is very subjective but I can only speak for myself. I had a hard time keeping up with the cult members. Sometimes they acted like their age and sometimes they felt much older. From time to time they felt immature, which maybe shouldn't come as a surprise because they are teenagers. I'm still wondering if maybe I wasn't the right audience for this book

I love the writing technique "Show, don't tell", because I love to experience the story through auctions, sensory details and the expression of character's emotions instead of the authors own descriptions. This could be one of the reasons that I didn't get to attached to the characters it's hard for me to feel and to relate if the author describes everything for me.

It's a quick read and it's filled with action. You notice that Colón has put in a lot of effort in researching cults and cults member, I just don't think that I was the right reader for this book. Just because I didn't love this one doesn't mean that you won't.

[Bookishme_lisamarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelyn has been the villain in both the prequel and the first book, This House is Broken. In Part 2, her dark reign continues, but cult leader Samuel, definitely dethrones Evelyn under the guise of someone just trying to protect the Singleton children.

Part 2 finds the Singleton kids finally seeing Evelyn for who she really is instead of excusing her behavior (to a certain extent) because she is their mother. At a crucial point, when she has lost all sense of reality and any kind of motherly love, the children find themselves in a potentially fatal situation. Samuel, master manipulator, arrives to save them from Evelyn's horrific abuse. He takes Evelyn and the children to the home where his cult family lives to deal with her and to try to bring the kids into their little anti-religious family.

While there is some body horror and gore in this book, the real horror is psychological. The darkness of a religious fanatic mother that twists her faith to suit her, the internal pain and struggle of children that have suffered severe mental and physical abuse by an unfit, mentally disturbed mother and the true evil of an extremely anti-religious "family" that wants to make others suffer as much as they feel they have suffered.

As a reader, this book is a lot to process. But it is more than the evil and the pain that gets you thinking. I think this book brings into question what you truly believe and how it affects your daily life. For me, just thinking more about my faith brought me closer to it. Despite the pain in my own life, that faith brought me peace that I haven't felt in a while. And that is the genius behind this author's storytelling. Both sides of the religious debate are presented. And with everything out in the open, without being pushed or pulled in either direction, you are left to make your own decisions about what you believe. It's what makes this book multi-layered, where part of the story is your own.

I gave this book 5 stars.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved book 1 but book 2 is incredible.

For me nothing is more scarier than people!
Dylan Colón manages to create another incredible religious horror.
I love how he is able to get into the minds of these people and then bring them to life on the page in ways that stick with you.

We see a continuation of Evelyn Singleton and her family and how they manage to get involved with an Anti-religious cult.
Evelyn is still blaming demons but it begs the question are they real demons are the kind that are created in our minds.
I love the continuation of mental health mixed with religious fundamentalism but we see grief and what can happen when we are at our most vulnerable and how people can take advantage of that.
Samuel is rather charismatic and knows how to play to Evelyn and the children's grief, I found myself often liking Samuel and hating him all at the same time.
Dylan doesn't hold your hand and throws you right into it with this book, he gets into the mind of troubled youth so well and I know I've said it before but his ability to write characters that stick with you long after the book is closed is something that I love.

I found myself thinking about this book long after I'd finished it, Another book by this author that is scary in the most realistic of ways.

[the_little_bookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝙷𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 2 𝙱𝚢 𝙳𝚢𝚕𝚊𝚗 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚗

The second book in the series by @dylanwriteshorror. Thank you so much for gifting me this copy and being so patient while I took my time with it 🖤

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝙷𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 2 𝙱𝚢 𝙳𝚢𝚕𝚊𝚗 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚗

The first book in the series focuses on a terrible home situation and an abusive hyper religious mother. The second book takes a very drastic turn and focuses rather on the inner workings of an anti religious cult and the types of people they attract. It was clear to see Dylan really put in the work to understand cults and cult leaders.

I loved the new characters introduced in this novel, and the writing improved substantially. It’s clear to see strides of growth in Dylan’s character development and story telling. I am so excited for the 3rd not only to see you how your writing changes but also because the ending to this one was so wild I need to know what happens next.

Content warning: abuse, sexual assault, violence, gore, murder/death.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you thought the first book pulled no punches, This House is Broken 2 takes the chaos, darkness, and emotional weight to an entirely new level. The story picks up with raw intensity, diving even deeper into the twisted lives and crumbling foundations of its characters. What I loved most is how the author doesn’t just rehash the same beats from the first installment—there’s real growth here, more shocking revelations, and a sense that the house itself has become almost a living, breathing character of dread.

The pacing is relentless. Every chapter left me unsettled, wondering who or what would fracture next. There’s a brutal honesty in the way trauma, family dysfunction, and buried secrets are explored. It’s haunting but also strangely addictive—you can’t look away, even when the moments get uncomfortably close to the bone.

[Nancy L. Irick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book!

I loved this book .It has the best way to make every single person believable.This book will either out the fear of God into you. Or it may turn you against Him. Wow just wow!!!!!