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Obedience
A secret life. A forbidden relationship. Who would you betray to find belonging?
Emma spends her school days pretending to be a normal girl, but her life is anything but normal. With rigid expectations and harsh punishments, Leader rules her Family with an iron fist. He requires secrecy. He demands compliance. He refuses to allow Emma the possibility of friends and romance.
When she meets a bright-eyed boy with a flair for rebellion, Emma begins to question her life and loyalties. She starts to fight against Leader's expectations, and the dangerous, secretive life he's grooming her for.
When faced with a choice between freedom and familiarity, will Emma choose a new world of excitement or Leader's demands of Obedience?
Emma spends her school days pretending to be a normal girl, but her life is anything but normal. With rigid expectations and harsh punishments, Leader rules her Family with an iron fist. He requires secrecy. He demands compliance. He refuses to allow Emma the possibility of friends and romance.
When she meets a bright-eyed boy with a flair for rebellion, Emma begins to question her life and loyalties. She starts to fight against Leader's expectations, and the dangerous, secretive life he's grooming her for.
When faced with a choice between freedom and familiarity, will Emma choose a new world of excitement or Leader's demands of Obedience?
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About the author
Nichole M. Willden
4 books25 followersNichole M. Willden is a poet, writer, and author of The Guild series. A survivor of indoctrination and abuse, Nichole has spent decades writing fiction that sizzles with themes of enslavement, hope, and resilience. She is an inspirational new voice in adult fiction. Nichole lives and writes in the Rocky Mountains with her wife, who is helpful to the writing process, and their puppy, Potion, who is delightfully unhelpful.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
August 4, 2022
Absolutely loved this book . It’s not something I would normally read as I’m not a huge fantasy read but I was pleasantly surprised.
There were moments that I had no idea what was going to happen. Which made the experience all the better. The. Characters were amazing. I lovvve Emma and the e Gerry she gives off, highly recommend.
This book does have a cult reference and if that’s something that triggers you please beware.
I thought Nichole did an amazing job here and I will definitely be reading book 2!
There were moments that I had no idea what was going to happen. Which made the experience all the better. The. Characters were amazing. I lovvve Emma and the e Gerry she gives off, highly recommend.
This book does have a cult reference and if that’s something that triggers you please beware.
I thought Nichole did an amazing job here and I will definitely be reading book 2!
August 2, 2022
So I haven't ever written a review before so bear with me, but this book was so good!
It's not my normal type of book and was recommended to me by a friend. I am so glad she recommended it to me and am dying for the second book after that ending!
The beginning was a little slow, but I think that happens in a lot of books because you have to set the story. I can't wait to learn more about The Guild and how it began along with what it's true purpose is.
It was truly an emotional rollercoaster following Emma through her life. My heart raced in certain moments and I wanted to cry in others. I can't wait to follow her story more!
It's not my normal type of book and was recommended to me by a friend. I am so glad she recommended it to me and am dying for the second book after that ending!
The beginning was a little slow, but I think that happens in a lot of books because you have to set the story. I can't wait to learn more about The Guild and how it began along with what it's true purpose is.
It was truly an emotional rollercoaster following Emma through her life. My heart raced in certain moments and I wanted to cry in others. I can't wait to follow her story more!
July 24, 2023
Obedience is an intense thriller. I may have shed a tear or two at a particular point, but I won't share where. I loved it from start to finish, and look forward to book 2!
July 5, 2022
This was an emotionally fun read. I felt for the main character Emma as she struggled with her own emotions. I was drawn into the story and loved the experience of reading this story. I can't wait for more. If you love a little bit of romance, adventure, and emotional connection you will probably love this book.
Trigger warnings before reading the book. If you are a victim of abuse there could be some triggering events in this story.
Trigger warnings before reading the book. If you are a victim of abuse there could be some triggering events in this story.
August 22, 2022
What a wild ride! I had a ton of feelings while reading this and I honestly wasn’t sure if I liked it or not until the last third or so. The excitement and mystery just builds and it went in a different way than I was expecting for sure. Overall a great read!
YA hasn’t been much of my thing lately but this one kept me completely engrossed pretty much the entire time. There were so many wtf moments with The Guild and Leader. I’m still absorbing everything.
One thing I do know for sure is that I’m eagerly awaiting book two. This one definitely leaves you with a cliffhanger.
One last thing, make sure to read the author’s story (you can find it on her page). It’s really interesting to hear her background, and it definitely helped me understand this book a bit better.
🍽🪑🍽🪑🍽🪑🍽🪑🍽🪑🍽
Thank you so much to the author and katieandbreypa for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!! As always, I’m excited to dive into my next K&B read!
YA hasn’t been much of my thing lately but this one kept me completely engrossed pretty much the entire time. There were so many wtf moments with The Guild and Leader. I’m still absorbing everything.
One thing I do know for sure is that I’m eagerly awaiting book two. This one definitely leaves you with a cliffhanger.
One last thing, make sure to read the author’s story (you can find it on her page). It’s really interesting to hear her background, and it definitely helped me understand this book a bit better.
🍽🪑🍽🪑🍽🪑🍽🪑🍽🪑🍽
Thank you so much to the author and katieandbreypa for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!! As always, I’m excited to dive into my next K&B read!
July 16, 2023
Had some great ideas and I liked the premise of the book. It was too slow moving for my taste and too much of the writing was repetitive.
July 11, 2023
Review for Obedience by Nichole M. Willden
5 out of 5 stars 🌟 🤩
Synopsis: A young woman is trapped in a society that is full of secrets and rules. From as early as 4, Emma has been shaped into a follower of the Family. Her only responsibility is to learn, grow, and obey. She has no idea where she came from or who she was before she belonged to the Family and she may never know the truth. The only thing she can do to survive is to obey, but in a world where you're never allowed to be yourself or do anything but serve others, will you obey blindly or will you fight for a way out.
Review: I couldn't find one flaw in this masterpiece. This novel was so well written and beautifully executed. It is third person but in the point of view of the MFC. Normally I find it difficult to connect to third person because I personally can't feel the emotions behind the story; however, this is not the case with this novel. Willden does an amazing job of portraying raw emotions throughout the entire story. I felt every fear, every ounce of sadness. From the beginning of the story I was drawn in by the mystery and the ever ending questions that you truly don't get answer to (yet). The triggers are there for a reason though, I don't have any triggers related to the topics in this book, but I found myself having to take a break because Willden does such a great job of making you feel like you're there. I could vividly see each assault and it hit me harder than I expected.
The characters are well depicted. The MFC is very likeable and presented with a sense of innocence and naiveté that makes you truly feel sorry for her and relate to her struggles. I genuinely found myself pleading that things would go her way for the sake of a HEA.
The author also does well to establish hatred and annoyance with the other characters of the Family, apart from a few "not so evil" souls, but even the ones you thought you could like, you realize you can't because everyone works for the good of the Family. You truly feel as trapped as the FMC throughout the story; which I absolutely loved. I was fully immersed into the world.
The mystery of the Family (the Guild) and the motivations behind the way the structure is run drives you forward hoping to find answers, but we, as the readers, only know as much as the FMC who unfortunately is left out of the loop. Which leads you hoping that the answers will soon be revelead as the series progresses. The ending of the story sets up nicely for part two where the FMC must continue to honor the Guild and learn how to cope with the disasters that happened in book one. I cannot wait to uncover the secrets within and how the Family will move forward.
10/10 will recommend and will defiantly be reading the rest of the series.
5 out of 5 stars 🌟 🤩
Synopsis: A young woman is trapped in a society that is full of secrets and rules. From as early as 4, Emma has been shaped into a follower of the Family. Her only responsibility is to learn, grow, and obey. She has no idea where she came from or who she was before she belonged to the Family and she may never know the truth. The only thing she can do to survive is to obey, but in a world where you're never allowed to be yourself or do anything but serve others, will you obey blindly or will you fight for a way out.
Review: I couldn't find one flaw in this masterpiece. This novel was so well written and beautifully executed. It is third person but in the point of view of the MFC. Normally I find it difficult to connect to third person because I personally can't feel the emotions behind the story; however, this is not the case with this novel. Willden does an amazing job of portraying raw emotions throughout the entire story. I felt every fear, every ounce of sadness. From the beginning of the story I was drawn in by the mystery and the ever ending questions that you truly don't get answer to (yet). The triggers are there for a reason though, I don't have any triggers related to the topics in this book, but I found myself having to take a break because Willden does such a great job of making you feel like you're there. I could vividly see each assault and it hit me harder than I expected.
The characters are well depicted. The MFC is very likeable and presented with a sense of innocence and naiveté that makes you truly feel sorry for her and relate to her struggles. I genuinely found myself pleading that things would go her way for the sake of a HEA.
The author also does well to establish hatred and annoyance with the other characters of the Family, apart from a few "not so evil" souls, but even the ones you thought you could like, you realize you can't because everyone works for the good of the Family. You truly feel as trapped as the FMC throughout the story; which I absolutely loved. I was fully immersed into the world.
The mystery of the Family (the Guild) and the motivations behind the way the structure is run drives you forward hoping to find answers, but we, as the readers, only know as much as the FMC who unfortunately is left out of the loop. Which leads you hoping that the answers will soon be revelead as the series progresses. The ending of the story sets up nicely for part two where the FMC must continue to honor the Guild and learn how to cope with the disasters that happened in book one. I cannot wait to uncover the secrets within and how the Family will move forward.
10/10 will recommend and will defiantly be reading the rest of the series.
July 17, 2022
I read Obedience a few weeks ago, and I’m still thinking about it. It’s not my usual fantasy stuff. The basic idea is this: the main character, Emma, is the twelfth-ranked, lowest-ranked member of The Guild, and her task is Obedience. To everyone else in the house, especially Leader. Being a teenager, she struggles with this, fighting back against the rigid control and consequences of going against her orders.
When she meets someone who encourages her to explore what freedom could be like, the pull of having normal life instead of the highly controlled one she’s living is almost too much to bear.
I really liked Emma, and the world-building around The Guild and its hierarchy was clear and interesting. I found myself picking the book back up when I should have been doing other things, because I needed to know what happened next. The struggle between what Emma wants to do and what her “family” is telling her to do, overlaid with the external struggles of the family that we get hints of here and there, is fascinating. And I love how it all came together at the end for a partly expected, partly unexpected ending.
If you’re at all into YA, and/or you like books about intrigue, danger, or teenage rebellion, check out Obedience. It’s on KU as well as available in hardcover and paperback.
When she meets someone who encourages her to explore what freedom could be like, the pull of having normal life instead of the highly controlled one she’s living is almost too much to bear.
I really liked Emma, and the world-building around The Guild and its hierarchy was clear and interesting. I found myself picking the book back up when I should have been doing other things, because I needed to know what happened next. The struggle between what Emma wants to do and what her “family” is telling her to do, overlaid with the external struggles of the family that we get hints of here and there, is fascinating. And I love how it all came together at the end for a partly expected, partly unexpected ending.
If you’re at all into YA, and/or you like books about intrigue, danger, or teenage rebellion, check out Obedience. It’s on KU as well as available in hardcover and paperback.
July 20, 2023
Rating: 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This story follows a young teen, Emma, who is battling her inner feelings and learning what it means to be apart of her family. Should she be as obedient as her father demands or should she run away to follow her heart? This novel is wonderfully written and definitely kept me on my toes! There is a trigger warning that comes along with this book but Nichole addresses that in her notes she had written and she handles and wrote about the subject very well. The next installment of The Guild series is released in September and I am most excited to continue on in Emma's journey.
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About the book:
Obedience is all Leader asks for...but at what cost?
Emma has spent her life pretending to be a normal girl. However, her life is anything but normal. With his rigid expectations and harsh punishments, Leader rules Emma's family with an iron fist. When she meets Benjamin- a bright-eyed boy with a flair for rebellion- Emma begins to question her life and loyalties. She starts to fight against Leader's expectations, and the dangerous, secret life he's been grooming her for. When faced with a choice between freedom and familiarity, will Emma choose Benjamin's world of excitement or Leader's demands of obedience.
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This story follows a young teen, Emma, who is battling her inner feelings and learning what it means to be apart of her family. Should she be as obedient as her father demands or should she run away to follow her heart? This novel is wonderfully written and definitely kept me on my toes! There is a trigger warning that comes along with this book but Nichole addresses that in her notes she had written and she handles and wrote about the subject very well. The next installment of The Guild series is released in September and I am most excited to continue on in Emma's journey.
-------
About the book:
Obedience is all Leader asks for...but at what cost?
Emma has spent her life pretending to be a normal girl. However, her life is anything but normal. With his rigid expectations and harsh punishments, Leader rules Emma's family with an iron fist. When she meets Benjamin- a bright-eyed boy with a flair for rebellion- Emma begins to question her life and loyalties. She starts to fight against Leader's expectations, and the dangerous, secret life he's been grooming her for. When faced with a choice between freedom and familiarity, will Emma choose Benjamin's world of excitement or Leader's demands of obedience.
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August 8, 2022
Not gonna lie the description of living in Utah brought back so many memories. The t-shirts under the dresses and the big poofy hair had me grinning. I can picture those perfectly. I spent a large portion of my adolescent years in Utah but I was definitely an outsider.
This book is YA so not my typical read but the description got me. I'm a fan of secret society or cult type genres which this is. It was also filled with adventure and surprises. Needless to say the end had me shocked I was not expecting it!
Emma is the main character in this book and it follows her as she's learning who she is and trying to think on her own. I thought she was a well written character. Her emotions and reactions were the norm of a typical moody teen trying to figure out oneself. I did have a hard time with the amount of characters and trying to keep track but I'm sure they have some more useful roles in the next book. This book also had you questioning the motives of everyone. It was a compelling read. I definitely think others should check it out.
This book is YA so not my typical read but the description got me. I'm a fan of secret society or cult type genres which this is. It was also filled with adventure and surprises. Needless to say the end had me shocked I was not expecting it!
Emma is the main character in this book and it follows her as she's learning who she is and trying to think on her own. I thought she was a well written character. Her emotions and reactions were the norm of a typical moody teen trying to figure out oneself. I did have a hard time with the amount of characters and trying to keep track but I'm sure they have some more useful roles in the next book. This book also had you questioning the motives of everyone. It was a compelling read. I definitely think others should check it out.
July 14, 2022
Half review, I'm still reading the book. I'll be honest, this whole fake profile to be a family in the beginning was weird, I'm sure if I read more I would understand it. I would've DNF if I didn't read a few more chapters.
It's sad knowing, Emma does not recall her life before entering the Guild.
"He looked at her for a thoughtful moment. Then he nodded. “That’s better. Real, at least, and self-contained.” He looked back at the road. “And the answer is no. You did not have a family. You were made for the Guild.”
Hiding behind a fake profile to fit a perfect imagine of an Obedient member. She stepped out of line attending a classmate's birthday party, she did not know how to behave or interact w others before this, she met a boy at a business dinner for the Guild. There might be something there, I will add on to my review once I finish this book
It's sad knowing, Emma does not recall her life before entering the Guild.
"He looked at her for a thoughtful moment. Then he nodded. “That’s better. Real, at least, and self-contained.” He looked back at the road. “And the answer is no. You did not have a family. You were made for the Guild.”
Hiding behind a fake profile to fit a perfect imagine of an Obedient member. She stepped out of line attending a classmate's birthday party, she did not know how to behave or interact w others before this, she met a boy at a business dinner for the Guild. There might be something there, I will add on to my review once I finish this book
July 23, 2022
Wow.. this book was surprising in the best ways possible.
Emma is 14 and part of The Guild. As the lowest one on the totem pole, so to speak, she doesn't know much of anything about the Guilds purpose. Her only responsibility is Obedience. Leader is the leader of the Guild and in public she calls him Father. Monique is his second and Emma calls her Mother. It's like a secret agent put together family but we don't know why. Emma being a typical teenager, begins to be disobedient putting the Guild in danger.
I could not put this book down. Emma may be a young character but the book doesn't read young at all. I was so intrigued and just kept wanting more answers. I ended up with more questions but I don't even care. I can't wait to see what the rest of this series has in store. I really really enjoyed this book. So well done.
Emma is 14 and part of The Guild. As the lowest one on the totem pole, so to speak, she doesn't know much of anything about the Guilds purpose. Her only responsibility is Obedience. Leader is the leader of the Guild and in public she calls him Father. Monique is his second and Emma calls her Mother. It's like a secret agent put together family but we don't know why. Emma being a typical teenager, begins to be disobedient putting the Guild in danger.
I could not put this book down. Emma may be a young character but the book doesn't read young at all. I was so intrigued and just kept wanting more answers. I ended up with more questions but I don't even care. I can't wait to see what the rest of this series has in store. I really really enjoyed this book. So well done.
July 14, 2023
TRIGGER WARNINGS. please read the trigger warnings of this book before you read it! It definitely has abuse in the book and possibly some others that were less noticeable to me.
I loved reading this book! It was a change from my normal reads and I enjoyed reading all the twists and turns.
I was immediately engrossed in Emma's life, trying to figure out what the Guild was and how she fit into it. Her emotions and thoughts were portrayed so well, I was sad when she was sad; I was scared when she was scared. I could relate with her growing up super sheltered and wanting more out of life, wanting to fit in. I liked how her perceptions of her life and the people in them changed as the book went on and she understood more and more of what was really happening.
I want to learn so much more about the Guild and everyone else. I can't wait for the next book!
I loved reading this book! It was a change from my normal reads and I enjoyed reading all the twists and turns.
I was immediately engrossed in Emma's life, trying to figure out what the Guild was and how she fit into it. Her emotions and thoughts were portrayed so well, I was sad when she was sad; I was scared when she was scared. I could relate with her growing up super sheltered and wanting more out of life, wanting to fit in. I liked how her perceptions of her life and the people in them changed as the book went on and she understood more and more of what was really happening.
I want to learn so much more about the Guild and everyone else. I can't wait for the next book!
July 30, 2023
This read pulled me in right away with a strong gripping start. The more you read the more your questions are answered. I truly cannot wait for the next book in the series. I still have questions unanswered!
This was medium paced read with a mix of being character and plot driven. I found it to be adventurous, mysterious, dark, emotional and tense. I believe there was a strong character development of the few main characters, however we did not get to know all of the guild members thoroughly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
potential spoilers!!
I am still dying to know where the guild members have all come from. I also want to get to know all of the guild members more. I’m sure this will all come to light as the series progresses.
I enjoyed the growth of Emma’s character and her journey. I am eager to see her take on the 11th members role.
This was medium paced read with a mix of being character and plot driven. I found it to be adventurous, mysterious, dark, emotional and tense. I believe there was a strong character development of the few main characters, however we did not get to know all of the guild members thoroughly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
potential spoilers!!
I am still dying to know where the guild members have all come from. I also want to get to know all of the guild members more. I’m sure this will all come to light as the series progresses.
I enjoyed the growth of Emma’s character and her journey. I am eager to see her take on the 11th members role.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2023
The novel follows Emma, who spends her school days trying to blend in but her life is anything but normal. She is part of The Guild, which has harsh punishments and rules to follow. Emma feels like that she is missing out on a normal teenagers life. She then meets a boy and she starts to realise what she is missing.
I was drawn into the novel from the very first page. Nichole's writing and attention to detail is brilliant. The novel does have some sensitive subjects and triggers but Nichole does have a warning at the beginning of the novel and handles them with care. Obedience -The Guild Book one is the first in the series. It's a really great book that I highly recommend. I look forward to reading the next part in the series.
💖 Thank you to the author, Nichole M. Willden for my copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
I was drawn into the novel from the very first page. Nichole's writing and attention to detail is brilliant. The novel does have some sensitive subjects and triggers but Nichole does have a warning at the beginning of the novel and handles them with care. Obedience -The Guild Book one is the first in the series. It's a really great book that I highly recommend. I look forward to reading the next part in the series.
💖 Thank you to the author, Nichole M. Willden for my copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
October 7, 2023
*Trigger Warning* This book does contain physical and psychological violence throught the book.
Obedience left me on the edge of seat the entire time. The twists and turns left you wanting more and more. I was sorry to see it end but am excited for book 2. The ending left my jaw on the floor. Emma was a beautifully written character that developed extremely well. I'm interested to see how she develops more along the series. And I was pleasantly surprised to see how Scott grew too. His character arc was amazingly well written and gave so many needed answers. I can see myself rereading this book multiple times.
Emma is a 13/14 year old girl who wants to be a regular girl but finds it incredibly difficult when her "father" is willing to make her obey him at every twist and turn. Will Emma learn to obey or will she let her want to be a regular girl win?
Obedience left me on the edge of seat the entire time. The twists and turns left you wanting more and more. I was sorry to see it end but am excited for book 2. The ending left my jaw on the floor. Emma was a beautifully written character that developed extremely well. I'm interested to see how she develops more along the series. And I was pleasantly surprised to see how Scott grew too. His character arc was amazingly well written and gave so many needed answers. I can see myself rereading this book multiple times.
Emma is a 13/14 year old girl who wants to be a regular girl but finds it incredibly difficult when her "father" is willing to make her obey him at every twist and turn. Will Emma learn to obey or will she let her want to be a regular girl win?
July 16, 2022
📖: Obedience
✍🏻: Nichole Wilden
Genre: Fiction
Ratings: 4/5⭐
I would warn you for a few TWs but except that it's a very smooth read.
"If he says he loves you, run away."
Obedience is a word but here in this book, it is an emotion of a 13-year-old girl Emma. Her life has been a roller coaster ride from the beginning, she's had rules to obey and follow what Leader and Monique have asked her to do. She's never got to socialize or have friends because of all the moving but in Salt Lake City, Utah it's different than it has ever been. She has Cara and Brinley with her and most importantly Benjamin who pretends to be a completely different person than he is in reality. I do recommend this book to you if you're not easily triggered.
✍🏻: Nichole Wilden
Genre: Fiction
Ratings: 4/5⭐
I would warn you for a few TWs but except that it's a very smooth read.
"If he says he loves you, run away."
Obedience is a word but here in this book, it is an emotion of a 13-year-old girl Emma. Her life has been a roller coaster ride from the beginning, she's had rules to obey and follow what Leader and Monique have asked her to do. She's never got to socialize or have friends because of all the moving but in Salt Lake City, Utah it's different than it has ever been. She has Cara and Brinley with her and most importantly Benjamin who pretends to be a completely different person than he is in reality. I do recommend this book to you if you're not easily triggered.
July 17, 2022
What is great about this book is that it captures the minds of young adult readers as well as adult readers. It is pitched perfectly to both.
The story is told from Emma’s perspective, a 13 year old and the youngest of the Guild family. All Emma wants is an ordinary life with ordinary friends and a boyfriend, however her life is far from ordinary. The decisions and actions taken in this novel feel real and relatable which makes it a thrilling read.
This seems like it could be a great series and definitely one I think young adults will thoroughly enjoy. I would recommend this to friends of mine who are English teachers, so that they could encourage their students to read it.
Rating 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The story is told from Emma’s perspective, a 13 year old and the youngest of the Guild family. All Emma wants is an ordinary life with ordinary friends and a boyfriend, however her life is far from ordinary. The decisions and actions taken in this novel feel real and relatable which makes it a thrilling read.
This seems like it could be a great series and definitely one I think young adults will thoroughly enjoy. I would recommend this to friends of mine who are English teachers, so that they could encourage their students to read it.
Rating 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 21, 2022
I just loved this book. This has been the best read for me this month. There are very few books that grabs your attention from the first page itself and it was one of them. I loved every bit of it. It was mysterious and kept me hooked till the last page. I was curious to know at every point why does Emma or anyone else had to do what is being told and what was the purpose of this guild. It was a story between Emma's obedience to her disobedience. A story of authority, manipulation, following orders and rules with a hidden agenda of the guild. I could feel all emotions along with Emma be it helplessness, frustration, anger or happiness. The ending made me more curious about the next part. Eagerly waiting for it.
August 3, 2022
📚Book Review📚
Title: Obedience
Author: Nicole M. Willden
Rating:4⭐
TW: Unhealthy Relationships, abuse, and cults
This book was a quick read for me even though it was over 400 pages and the chapters were long. It was a complete roller coaster the whole time and even looking at the cover gives me goosebumps. Throughout the book, there was this struggle for Emma about not being "obedient enough". There is a distinct difference between what Emma wants and what her family is telling her to. The whole thing gives me 'Keep Sweet and Pray" vibes. I liked how the book shows just how much our family determines our norms but it is up to us to break intergenerational trauma. It also shows how hard it is to stop the cycle.
Title: Obedience
Author: Nicole M. Willden
Rating:4⭐
TW: Unhealthy Relationships, abuse, and cults
This book was a quick read for me even though it was over 400 pages and the chapters were long. It was a complete roller coaster the whole time and even looking at the cover gives me goosebumps. Throughout the book, there was this struggle for Emma about not being "obedient enough". There is a distinct difference between what Emma wants and what her family is telling her to. The whole thing gives me 'Keep Sweet and Pray" vibes. I liked how the book shows just how much our family determines our norms but it is up to us to break intergenerational trauma. It also shows how hard it is to stop the cycle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2023
I thought I knew what I was going into, but I did not. At all. This story follows Emma, a young teenager in a cult. She faces circumstances that are unpleasant and uncomfortable. She also has no idea about this family or role she is a part of. Because of this, neither do we. We only know what Emma knows. And what she knows is that she has no freedom of self of choice. She is it the master of her story. Until she meets someone who makes her want to change that. We know her role is obedience. But how just how obedient is up to her.
The story is ever evolving and changing. It is fast paced and draws you in. It leaves you wanting all the answers that Emma wants, and compels you to continue the series.
The story is ever evolving and changing. It is fast paced and draws you in. It leaves you wanting all the answers that Emma wants, and compels you to continue the series.
July 21, 2022
"Your entire existence is to serve the Guild. And if that doesn't suit you...
...I can take care of you quickly and cleanly."
I loved this. *End of review*
No but seriously, there is very little downside to this book for me. It made me feel all the emotions, and for the first time in a very long time, I even teared up a couple of times.
The story follows 13-year-old Emma, and that was my first surprise. I didn't expect her to be so young, yet not feel young at all due to her upbringing. But that was one of the most difficult parts of the book; there's always that part of you that knows a 13 year old is limited to what she can do to better her life. And god, I just felt for her - forgotten, punished, watched. How can you not be upset for her? My heart just breaks for her Obedience.
I also loved the development of her relationship with Benjamin. Despite the age gap, it all felt very natural.
There are a couple of minor mistakes - a wrong word, incorrect character name, click and tone when hanging up on mobiles, flipping phones shut. But all super easy things to overlook.
So yep, loved this book. Can't wait for book 2.
July 21, 2022
Wow! This was a very pleasant surprise. Absolutely loved this book.
Emma, our FMC, is a member of "the Family" or "the Guild". What does that mean exactly? We don't know, and neither does she! As number 12, her only job is to obey Leader and the rest of the Guild members. However, when she meets a boy, she begins to push back as she realizes there has to be more to life.
This book is full of suspense, which I loved. There was a great twist near the end that I did not see coming! And the characters were all really well developed. I couldn't put this down - and I need book 2 ASAP! I can't wait to learn more.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
Emma, our FMC, is a member of "the Family" or "the Guild". What does that mean exactly? We don't know, and neither does she! As number 12, her only job is to obey Leader and the rest of the Guild members. However, when she meets a boy, she begins to push back as she realizes there has to be more to life.
This book is full of suspense, which I loved. There was a great twist near the end that I did not see coming! And the characters were all really well developed. I couldn't put this down - and I need book 2 ASAP! I can't wait to learn more.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
July 26, 2022
A very enjoyable book. It was hard to put down the more I read about Emma's struggle to obey and her inherent need to rebel, like every other normal teenager but her added twist of being in what feels like a spy-esq family was intriguing. The world building around the Guild was superb! Everything about it was so clearly laid out from the hierarchy go each individual mission that they had to follow. Following Emma was a treat and tugged at my heart strings as she tried to live a double life. I was really rooting for Emma to somehow rebel in this big showy way. That ending wow! I was not expecting that! I can't wait until the next one!
August 3, 2022
This one missed the mark for me. I was intrigued by Emma’s situation, but I had a hard time connecting with it. There were a lot of characters and a lot of details that the author introduced, and I feel all these elements sort of muddied the plot for me. It was also hard to understand because of all the details given about Emma’s predicament, there are none that actually explain what “The Family” is supposed to be. There are a lot of hints, but what they’re hinting at seems a tad outlandish. Just had a very hard time connecting with it all. But this may be perfect for readers who like a lot of long, drawn-out chapters that are heavy on the minute details. Just sadly not for me.
June 12, 2024
This is a well written, intriguing read where we meet Emma who has been bought up in a cult where the main rule is to obey and do as you are told. With no idea of where she is from before joining the cult Emma finds herself a part of this dark and twisted world until something changes and she starts to second guess the family’s objective. The author has done an incredible job detailing this world and drawing us in with the mystery and suspense, secrets, abuse and lies, indoctrination, and psychological manipulation, that has you on the edge of your seat. A heart pounding, gripping thrilling read.
August 7, 2022
This is a good book with a good story line. I did tend to get sucked in; however, there was something slow about it. It's hard to explain because it def was a good book with a good story line. It just felt slow. I found myself many times saying, "get on with it". BUT, because it did have interesting characters and provoked interest, I still kept reading. Which is why I gave it four stars. If a book can still keep my attention even though I feel like it's taking forever to get on with it, then it's def a good book in my opinion. :)
I was given a copy of this book for my honest review.
I was given a copy of this book for my honest review.
August 15, 2022
This book was not what I was initially expecting. I was thinking it was going to be a little bit more FLDS type of a cult vibe, but as I read, it turned into more of a Mafia vibe. The first 40% (as told by my kindle) seemed very slow moving. Once she starts spending more time with her love interest it picks up a little bit. Overall, I thought the story was good but a lot of interesting things were touched upon, and then quietly and quickly abandoned. If you are the type of reader is easily triggered, please do your research.
September 30, 2022
📖 𝕖𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 📖
· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·
𝙏𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚: 𝘖𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦
𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧: 𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘔. 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
𝙋𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨: 419
𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·
*** Thank you to the author @nicholemwillden and @katieandbreypa for giving me a change to read this book.**
___________💭𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜💭_____________
"𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘪𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶...𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘭𝘺."
This story follows a 13 year old Emma, and that fact alone was such a surprise. I was NOT expecting her to be that young. She seemed so much older, but then I remember she is just 13 and I really felt for her - forgotten, punished, watched. My heart broke for her.
I was so intrigued by this story and I couldn't stop reading. I needed aswers. After finishing it, I have a lot of unaswered quetions but I am so glad I read this book. All of these questions makes me excited for book 2 for sure.
⚠️ 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. ⚠️
· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·
𝙏𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚: 𝘖𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦
𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧: 𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘔. 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
𝙋𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨: 419
𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·
*** Thank you to the author @nicholemwillden and @katieandbreypa for giving me a change to read this book.**
___________💭𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜💭_____________
"𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘪𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶...𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘭𝘺."
This story follows a 13 year old Emma, and that fact alone was such a surprise. I was NOT expecting her to be that young. She seemed so much older, but then I remember she is just 13 and I really felt for her - forgotten, punished, watched. My heart broke for her.
I was so intrigued by this story and I couldn't stop reading. I needed aswers. After finishing it, I have a lot of unaswered quetions but I am so glad I read this book. All of these questions makes me excited for book 2 for sure.
⚠️ 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. ⚠️
August 9, 2022
I was given an advanced copy in exchange for the honest review below.
I really liked the idea behind this novel...a secret group with a young trainee. It gave me a lot of "Hanna" vibes at the start. Willden clearly has big ideas for this story and this is the first book in the series. That needs to be taken into account when reading it. However, I felt like there were a LOT of unanswered questions at the end of this book that I needed to know to feel fully invested in the story. I spent a lot of time very confused about this book.
The story follows Emma, a teenage girl (first question I have is how old is she? She's in high school, but she's thirteen? Is she pretending to be older as part of her role?), who is part of a secret group called the Guild. The Guild does some secret thing that no one can know about, including their youngest trainee, Emma. Her cluelessness extends to the reader. By the end of the book, I had no idea what the Guild did or why they existed? Are they secret assassins? Are they a military group for the government? Do they actually work for the President or was that phone call from the president of something else? Emma is clueless about this as well, but I feel like she should at least know SOMETHING since she's been in the Guild pretty much her whole life. I needed to know what they were working for in order to fully understand why Emma is the way she is and does what she does. Hopefully that will be explained in later books.
Emma is a like-able enough character. Typical teenage girl who wants to defy the authority in her life because she thinks she knows better. Relatable because we've all been there. What wasn't so relatable was the way she, and really every other teenager in the book, speaks. They all say "mother" and "father" and speak very formally. It makes sense for Emma since she's in a weird group/cult, but the other kids in the story didn't sound like kids from Utah (where the story is set).
Leader is a good villain. He is instantly unlikeable. He rules by the mindset of "because I said so." I actually want to know more about him. How did he become this way? He reminded me a bit of "Papa" from "Stranger Things." Mysterious, but you know enough to not like him. Willden did a very good job making sure he was disliked and that the reader takes Emma's side in battles between the two.
Overall, I felt like this was an okay book. I enjoyed reading it, but it isn't something I'm itching to read again right away. I was left with too many questions to feel satisfied with it at the end. Hopefully Willden answers some of the pressing questions in the second book so that we can truly feel for Emma and understand where her story is going. Readers should be aware that there is child abuse in the novel and proceed with caution.
I really liked the idea behind this novel...a secret group with a young trainee. It gave me a lot of "Hanna" vibes at the start. Willden clearly has big ideas for this story and this is the first book in the series. That needs to be taken into account when reading it. However, I felt like there were a LOT of unanswered questions at the end of this book that I needed to know to feel fully invested in the story. I spent a lot of time very confused about this book.
The story follows Emma, a teenage girl (first question I have is how old is she? She's in high school, but she's thirteen? Is she pretending to be older as part of her role?), who is part of a secret group called the Guild. The Guild does some secret thing that no one can know about, including their youngest trainee, Emma. Her cluelessness extends to the reader. By the end of the book, I had no idea what the Guild did or why they existed? Are they secret assassins? Are they a military group for the government? Do they actually work for the President or was that phone call from the president of something else? Emma is clueless about this as well, but I feel like she should at least know SOMETHING since she's been in the Guild pretty much her whole life. I needed to know what they were working for in order to fully understand why Emma is the way she is and does what she does. Hopefully that will be explained in later books.
Emma is a like-able enough character. Typical teenage girl who wants to defy the authority in her life because she thinks she knows better. Relatable because we've all been there. What wasn't so relatable was the way she, and really every other teenager in the book, speaks. They all say "mother" and "father" and speak very formally. It makes sense for Emma since she's in a weird group/cult, but the other kids in the story didn't sound like kids from Utah (where the story is set).
Leader is a good villain. He is instantly unlikeable. He rules by the mindset of "because I said so." I actually want to know more about him. How did he become this way? He reminded me a bit of "Papa" from "Stranger Things." Mysterious, but you know enough to not like him. Willden did a very good job making sure he was disliked and that the reader takes Emma's side in battles between the two.
Overall, I felt like this was an okay book. I enjoyed reading it, but it isn't something I'm itching to read again right away. I was left with too many questions to feel satisfied with it at the end. Hopefully Willden answers some of the pressing questions in the second book so that we can truly feel for Emma and understand where her story is going. Readers should be aware that there is child abuse in the novel and proceed with caution.
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