Review of THE MAIDEN by Celia Aaron

I joined the Cloister to find the truth.
But I've discovered so much more, and the darkness here is seducing me, pulling me down until all I can think of is him.
Adam Monroe, the Prophet's son, a dark prince to an empire that grows by the day.
He is tasked with keeping me safe from the wolves of the outside world.
But the longer I stay at the Cloister, the more I realize the wolves are already inside and under the Prophet's control.
If Adam discovers the real reason I'm here, he'll bay for my blood with the rest of them.
Until then, I will be Delilah, an obedient servant of the Prophet during the day and Adam's Maiden at night.

Author's Note: If you have a trigger, this book will pull it. The Maiden is the first book of The Cloister Series. The Prophet will release in May, and the conclusion to the series, The Church, will release in June.

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REVIEW

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Maiden was a brilliant introduction to the dark and twisted tale of The Cloister. It was at once scary, thrilling and exciting. I loved it!! The Prophet is just a man, hungry for power; the Spinners are his faithful female worshippers, happily doing his bidding when it comes to the Maidens, and willing to do harm to spread his word; the Protectors were far from being protective, as they were men given the charge of furthering the Prophet’s agenda with the Maidens, and they didn’t do this with tenderness or care; and then there were the Maidens, women believed to be pure and true, as they were groomed in the ways of Heavenly Ministries. Some of the Maidens seemed to believe because they were looking for something to believe in, while others were fooled and woke up to the truth and were desperate to escape.

‘Delilah’ has voluntarily entered the Cloister in order to find answers regarding the death of her sister. From the beginning, it’s more than obvious that she wasn’t truly prepared for what she would find or experience in this cult. But then again, what could you do to get yourself ready for this ish? Isolated, abused, force-fed drugs and the Prophet’s teachings, trained to be an obedient wife, and the loss of freedom are all ways to break the Maidens. Delilah isn’t immune to the strategies utilized by the ‘Spinners’ and such. Her one beacon of hope in what looks like a desolate future is Adam, the Prophet’s son. She was tenacious, careful, suspicious, and on a mission. I admired her but shook my head at her every time she realized that she was in over her head. What did she think would happen? While she can’t help but want to leave, she’s conflicted because leaving would mean not finding the answers she was there for. I couldn’t help but admire her conviction and determination.

Although he was the son of the man who controlled the Cloister, it was pretty clear almost from the start that Adam was a victim as well. I still don’t know the full story, but I can’t wait to learn more. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place - hating the way he was forced to live, under his father’s thumb, while falling for his latest Maiden, Delilah. I loved his perspective, not only for the insight it gave me into his character, but for how it gave me glimpses to the inner workings of the Cloister. Through his eyes, I got to see who the Prophet really was and I’m hoping the deeper this story gets, the more truths that will be revealed through Adam’s eyes.

These characters have intrigued me from the start and I can’t help but root for them to find a way to find happiness together. However, I know the road won’t be easy and that happiness isn’t always guaranteed. This story has definitely captured my attention and kept me entertained. I need book two, The Prophet, NOW!!

*ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review*

Release: 04.03.2018 | Dark Romance | Dual POV - 1st person | Heat: 4 | The Cloister Trilogy #1