3.5 stars
It took me a bit of time to get invested in this story; I just couldn't connect to the Matthias character the way I could with Audrey/Prindibin. Through most of his sections in the book, his characterizations felt very stilted and one-dimensional, and the narratives were overly verbose so I kept getting taken out of the story. But Audrey's narrative, where you got to hear about her personal experiences within the cult and her growing disillusionment, was actually quite captivating. Clear, concise writing will always enhance a story and too much verbiage can definitely distract; at certain points I kept finding that places, things, events, etc. were being described with so many rambling adjectives and similes as to make it distracting.

Overall, I found the book's story to be compelling enough to keep my interest despite my dislike of the specific writing style. It was a fairly quick read - I finished in a few days - and it was very informative. Clearly the author is a fount of knowledge about the topic of cults and deprogramming! Ultimately, to me, the book feels like a case of too much exposition getting in the way of a good story.

Thanks to NetGalley, author Barton Allen Stewart, and BooksGoSocial for this digital readers copy. All opinions are my own.

This is the not the standard fare of a woman joining a religious cult and the attempts of her family to free her.
I gave it the following SCORE:
Setting: Present day, various US locales
Characters: Sergeant Matthias Pleasant, recently discharged from the Army, his fiancé, Audrey Crane, her family, two expert cult observers, and various nefarious members of the Church of the Mountain of Radiance cult.
Overview: Audrey is deceptively lured into the cult and the rest of the story involves Matthias, family members, and the experienced cult trackers trying to find her and “rescue” her. Meanwhile, a seemingly ambivalent Audrey has been noticed by the cult leaders and continually vacillates between willingly staying with the church and becoming the leader’s “chosen one” to give birth – or – knowing her the cult’s values are basically wrong and attempting to leave.
Recommendation: I rate this book 3 stars
Extras: The main protagonist, Matthias Pleasant, is exactly that – pleasant, not a strong superhero and a character that mirrors the majority of the book, a tale without growing intensity or action. There were several opportunities for Audrey to simply flee as a member of a public singing group soliciting new members, but, with the devious nature of cults, stays and makes it difficult to understand her and for the story to build suspense, anticipating her resolution.
Thanx to NetGalley and Great Whale Books for the opportunity to provide this candid review.

If you’re into documentaries, cults, slightly obsessed with Scientology or have a general interest in psychology, this book should be added to your TBR list.

Audrey voluntarily goes missing out of her family and fiancé’s life, but Audrey knew exactly where she was going.
Her fiancé, Matthias, is forced into a rescue mission that his years of dedication to the military could have never prepared him for. Although Matthias has the strength and stamina to combat an assailant, an enemy of mind control is next level.
Audrey is slowly being unraveled mentally. There is a thin line between thought and emotion; love and fear.
Journey through the two main character’s endeavors to reunite.
The closer the characters get, the more their stories collide.

Personal Reflections:

Oh Matthias, you are a little bit cringe worthy with your pompous view of your physique. I much preferred Matt interacting with other characters rather than reminiscing on his previous war experience and physical strength.

It is Iinteresting how the author explains the machinery of the cult and then you follow Audrey experiencing the turmoil that was just described. The explanation isn’t forced.

This novel makes you wander what would it be like to lose your perfectly sane and loved one to a cult? What lengths would you go to save them?