Release Blitz + Review: Anointed by Charity B.
Zebadiah
The
last time I saw her, she was marked with blood.
Excommunicated.
Now
she’s returned, along with my temptation.
Our
touch is blasphemous.
Perverse.
They
say she’s tainted, but they will not speak against me.
His
holy blood is in my veins and my word is truth.
I’m
the fucking Prophet.
Laurel Ann
For
twelve years, I fought for my soul in this evil world.
Until
my God sent him.
My
oldest friend. The only boy I ever loved.
What
we’re doing risks everything, yet we can’t stop.
When
I sin with him, it’s the purest I’ve ever felt.
I
lived half my life with the Philistines and I know what they call us.
Cult.
Freaks. Fanatics.
But
they’re wrong. We aren’t any of those things.
For
we are the Anointed.
***This is a full length, standalone
novel containing disturbing scenes and sensitive subject matter that may be
triggering to some readers.
EXCERPT
She breathes
out a soft laugh as I grab her to pull her back down to the bank. Once we touch
the ground, I lean down, and her chest lifts when she wraps her arms around me,
hugging me closer. My hand travels down the right side of her body until
finding the hem of her petticoat. Her legs spread, allowing me to lie between
them and kiss across her face and neck.
“Every night
for as long as I can remember, I thought of this.”
She stills,
and her hands brush over my shoulders to my chest, slowly pushing me away.
“What are we doing, Zebadiah? This is wrong, but it feels…everything just feels
so much…more. I’m not strong enough to say no to you. I need you to stop this.”
I lightly
bite her ear before whispering, “Sorry, Laur. When it comes to this, I’m weaker
than you are.” Alternating between nipping and kissing, I move down her neck as
she sharply inhales and grasps at the ground. “And this feeling is a gift from
Zaaron.” My fingers slide under her bodice strap to tug it over her shoulder,
exposing her pretty, pink nipple. I look up at her, and she’s watching me. I
smile and lick the little nub. “So, fucking enjoy it.” I suck the hardened
flesh into my mouth, and she cries with actual tears.
“Don’t
curse.”
Her hand goes
to the back of my head, pressing me closer as I laugh against her breast. I
slowly trace my fingers across her stomach until reaching the waist of her
bloomers. Flattening my palm against her skin, I slide beneath the fabric. When
I reach the soft hair, my heart pounds, and she jolts, forcing my fingers to
slide against her wetness.
“Prophet!”
Allowing my hand to softly roam, I gently put a finger inside, her body
clamping around it. I slide slowly in and out to let her adjust to the
sensation. As she pushes herself against my hand, I move my finger faster.
“This is…I’ve never felt this before…it’s amazing…” she murmurs, her words
fading under the fog of Zaaron’s presence.
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
"The world outside the
protection of the Anointed Land is full of evil and sinners."
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided to read this book.
This is my first book by Charity B., and the blurb and cover were just too
enticing to pass. I have read books about cults/sects before, and I am just
drawn to the whole dark and taboo sides of those type of stories. Because these
cults are somewhat unknown to us, the author can pretty much do anything with
the story, and go as dark and crazy as she wants. What I love most about these
type of stories is the unpredictability and the plot twists. I just love not
being able to anticipate what will happen next, it keeps me on the edge of my
seat. I am very impressed by Charity's writing/world-building skills. Anointed
felt like a complete story, and I just loved how everything progressed, even
though there were many messed up dark things happening. This book had me on an
emotional roller coaster, and I just couldn't contain my tears a couple of
times.
"When I'm with him this way, I don't feel like myself. I become another
person, in another life, one that's free to love. I know this is a sin, but...I
want to sin with him."
Less than half of the book is focusing on the characters when they are in their
teens (13/15 years old), and this shows us the friendship between Zebadiah and
Laurel Ann. I think this part of the story was important to get a feel of how
everything worked in the cult and how the relationships were. It also helps the
reader connect with the characters. When Laurel Ann is excommunicated, she
feels like her life is over. She doesn't want to live with sinners, however
after twelve years she finds a balance between her beliefs and living in the
normal world. Zeb goes from a nice boy to a hardened prophet, and Laurel Ann
isn't the same girl either. I absolutely loved the organic character
development in this book, it felt very real. This is a complex but easy to
follow story, and the only reason I didn't give this 5 stars was because I felt
like the last part of the story was a bit rushed. Anointed is a great read for
my fellow Dark Romance lovers. If you love a story with plot twists and a lot
of crazy things happening, then I highly recommend you to read this book. I
can't wait to read this author's other books.
Charity B. lives in Wichita Kansas with her
husband and ornery little boy. The Sweet Treats Trilogy was her debut series
and she is constantly preparing for her next release. She has always loved to
read and write, but began her love affair with dark romance when she read C.J.
Robert's The Dark Duet. She has a passion for the disturbing and sexy and wants
nothing more than to give her readers the ultimate book hangover. In her spare
time when she's not chasing her son, she enjoys reading, the occasional TV show
binge, and is deeply inspired by music.
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