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Obedience : The Guild Book One
No one joins a cult on purpose.
Emma doesn’t remember how she got to the Guild. No one will tell her. The only thing her superiors ever say is “Be Obedient.”
Emma is done with Obedience. She wants a friends, a boyfriend, and a family who loves her. But being in the Guild is not a choice. It’s a life sentence.
When Emma begins to rebel against the rules, Leader tightens his hold. The Guilded cage he created crashes down, forcing her to make a stay and obey, or fight to get free of his far-reaching authority.
No one joins a cult on purpose, but getting out requires a strategy.
Emma doesn’t remember how she got to the Guild. No one will tell her. The only thing her superiors ever say is “Be Obedient.”
Emma is done with Obedience. She wants a friends, a boyfriend, and a family who loves her. But being in the Guild is not a choice. It’s a life sentence.
When Emma begins to rebel against the rules, Leader tightens his hold. The Guilded cage he created crashes down, forcing her to make a stay and obey, or fight to get free of his far-reaching authority.
No one joins a cult on purpose, but getting out requires a strategy.
509 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2026
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy
Title: Obedience (The Guild Book One)
By: Adrien Odera
Publisher: Independently Published
Published Date: March 10, 2026
ASIN: B0GMP76Q33
Page Count: 509
Triggers: Cult dynamics, psychological manipulation, coercive control, emotional abuse, isolation
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Skull Dread Rating: ☠️☠️
What Did I Just Walk Into?
Emma lives in a place called the Guild where the motto might as well be “Don’t ask questions, just obey.” No one tells her how she got there. No one explains why the rules exist. They just repeat the same word over and over like it’s a magic spell that keeps the whole system standing. Obedience. Emma grows up believing this is normal life until the smallest cracks begin to appear. A friend here. A possibility there. Suddenly the life she was told was the only one available starts looking a lot like a cage.
Here’s What Slapped:
This book absolutely nails the psychology of indoctrination. Instead of turning the story into a loud cult thriller with dramatic robes and chanting, Adrien Odera focuses on the quiet ways control works. Isolation. Expectations. Punishments disguised as guidance. The Guild feels disturbingly believable because it is built on subtle pressure rather than constant spectacle. Emma is also a strong lead. Watching her slowly question the world she was raised in creates a slow burn tension that keeps the pages turning. Her relationships outside the Guild add warmth and make every small act of rebellion feel huge.
What Could’ve Been Better:
At over 500 pages this is definitely a commitment. Some readers who want constant action might find the pacing deliberate since the story leans heavily into Emma’s internal struggle and emotional journey. But honestly, the slow build is also what makes the psychological tension work.
Perfect for Readers Who Love:
Cult fiction that focuses on psychology rather than shock value
Character driven stories about identity and control
Slow burn tension with emotional depth
Stories about breaking free from systems designed to keep you small
Sum It Up:
Obedience is the kind of story that creeps into your brain and refuses to leave. Watching Emma slowly wake up to the truth about the Guild is equal parts hopeful and heartbreaking, and by the final pages you will absolutely be glaring at the calendar waiting for book two.
Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review 📚
By: Adrien Odera
Publisher: Independently Published
Published Date: March 10, 2026
ASIN: B0GMP76Q33
Page Count: 509
Triggers: Cult dynamics, psychological manipulation, coercive control, emotional abuse, isolation
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Skull Dread Rating: ☠️☠️
What Did I Just Walk Into?
Emma lives in a place called the Guild where the motto might as well be “Don’t ask questions, just obey.” No one tells her how she got there. No one explains why the rules exist. They just repeat the same word over and over like it’s a magic spell that keeps the whole system standing. Obedience. Emma grows up believing this is normal life until the smallest cracks begin to appear. A friend here. A possibility there. Suddenly the life she was told was the only one available starts looking a lot like a cage.
Here’s What Slapped:
This book absolutely nails the psychology of indoctrination. Instead of turning the story into a loud cult thriller with dramatic robes and chanting, Adrien Odera focuses on the quiet ways control works. Isolation. Expectations. Punishments disguised as guidance. The Guild feels disturbingly believable because it is built on subtle pressure rather than constant spectacle. Emma is also a strong lead. Watching her slowly question the world she was raised in creates a slow burn tension that keeps the pages turning. Her relationships outside the Guild add warmth and make every small act of rebellion feel huge.
What Could’ve Been Better:
At over 500 pages this is definitely a commitment. Some readers who want constant action might find the pacing deliberate since the story leans heavily into Emma’s internal struggle and emotional journey. But honestly, the slow build is also what makes the psychological tension work.
Perfect for Readers Who Love:
Cult fiction that focuses on psychology rather than shock value
Character driven stories about identity and control
Slow burn tension with emotional depth
Stories about breaking free from systems designed to keep you small
Sum It Up:
Obedience is the kind of story that creeps into your brain and refuses to leave. Watching Emma slowly wake up to the truth about the Guild is equal parts hopeful and heartbreaking, and by the final pages you will absolutely be glaring at the calendar waiting for book two.
Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review 📚
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Obedience is a tense, introspective, and quietly chilling exploration of life inside a secretive society—one that feels less like a cult thriller and more like an intimate study of indoctrination, identity, and the slow, painful awakening of a young woman who has never been allowed to think for herself. It’s unsettling in the best way: not because of explosive twists, but because of how convincingly it captures the psychology of control.
Emma is a compelling narrator precisely because she doesn’t see herself as trapped. Her world is rules, training, and the relentless pressure to be “obedient,” and the novel excels at showing how normal that feels to her—until the first cracks appear. The arrival of new people in her life, offering glimpses of friendship, affection, and genuine choice, becomes the catalyst for a shift she can’t ignore. Watching her begin to question the Guild’s authority is both hopeful and heartbreaking.
The Guild itself is portrayed with a chilling subtlety. Rather than leaning on sensationalism, the story focuses on the everyday mechanics of control: isolation, expectation, punishment disguised as guidance. The result is a setting that feels disturbingly plausible. The tension builds not through violence, but through the tightening grip of a system that cannot tolerate independence.
The novel’s strength lies in its character‑driven approach. Emma’s internal conflict—her desire for freedom battling her ingrained loyalty—creates a slow-burn suspense that keeps the pages turning. The relationships she forms outside the Guild are tender and fragile, offering warmth in contrast to the cold rigidity of her upbringing. Those moments of connection make her rebellion feel earned, not impulsive.
As the first installment in a series, Obedience lays strong foundations. It raises compelling questions about power, belonging, and the cost of reclaiming one’s identity, while leaving enough unresolved tension to pull readers into the next book.
A thoughtful, atmospheric, and psychologically rich story perfect for readers who enjoy morally complex cult fiction and character arcs shaped by resilience and quiet defiance.
With thanks to Adrien Odera, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Emma is a compelling narrator precisely because she doesn’t see herself as trapped. Her world is rules, training, and the relentless pressure to be “obedient,” and the novel excels at showing how normal that feels to her—until the first cracks appear. The arrival of new people in her life, offering glimpses of friendship, affection, and genuine choice, becomes the catalyst for a shift she can’t ignore. Watching her begin to question the Guild’s authority is both hopeful and heartbreaking.
The Guild itself is portrayed with a chilling subtlety. Rather than leaning on sensationalism, the story focuses on the everyday mechanics of control: isolation, expectation, punishment disguised as guidance. The result is a setting that feels disturbingly plausible. The tension builds not through violence, but through the tightening grip of a system that cannot tolerate independence.
The novel’s strength lies in its character‑driven approach. Emma’s internal conflict—her desire for freedom battling her ingrained loyalty—creates a slow-burn suspense that keeps the pages turning. The relationships she forms outside the Guild are tender and fragile, offering warmth in contrast to the cold rigidity of her upbringing. Those moments of connection make her rebellion feel earned, not impulsive.
As the first installment in a series, Obedience lays strong foundations. It raises compelling questions about power, belonging, and the cost of reclaiming one’s identity, while leaving enough unresolved tension to pull readers into the next book.
A thoughtful, atmospheric, and psychologically rich story perfect for readers who enjoy morally complex cult fiction and character arcs shaped by resilience and quiet defiance.
With thanks to Adrien Odera, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Obedience: The Guild Book One by Adrien Odera hooked me completely from the first few chapters and did not let me go until the very last page (and honestly still hasn't - I am extremely impatient for book 2 in the series to be published). The main character, Emma, was very well-developed and had a strong personality and amazing amount of willpower. The title of the book is absolutely perfect and leads into one of main focuses of the story. Learning to obey is a central theme in Emma's life and is showcased over and over throughout the book.
Emma struggles with the family she has been given and is really trying to find herself throughout the entirety of Obedience. There is so much she does not understand and no one in her life makes this any easier for her. She constantly makes decisions that make me worry about her and how she will get through them intact. Her story is one that everyone should read - but you will definitely want to cry and laugh along with her, without a doubt - so be prepared!
The characters were all full of extremely raw emotions and I found myself feeling everything they felt along with them. Feelings of isolation, humiliation, pain, frustration and a serious struggle to understand the "why's" and "how's" of The Guild were central to the book and kept me on my toes and unable to stop reading. This was the first book in awhile that has caused me to feel so hard and worry about what was going to happen next in a character's life. The story and characters felt so real and the twists and turns did not stop coming.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Adrien Odera for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions in this review are my own.
Emma struggles with the family she has been given and is really trying to find herself throughout the entirety of Obedience. There is so much she does not understand and no one in her life makes this any easier for her. She constantly makes decisions that make me worry about her and how she will get through them intact. Her story is one that everyone should read - but you will definitely want to cry and laugh along with her, without a doubt - so be prepared!
The characters were all full of extremely raw emotions and I found myself feeling everything they felt along with them. Feelings of isolation, humiliation, pain, frustration and a serious struggle to understand the "why's" and "how's" of The Guild were central to the book and kept me on my toes and unable to stop reading. This was the first book in awhile that has caused me to feel so hard and worry about what was going to happen next in a character's life. The story and characters felt so real and the twists and turns did not stop coming.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Adrien Odera for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions in this review are my own.
March 15, 2026
I loved this book and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
Obedience introduces us to the world of Emma Stone, a world where free will and individuality is second to, well, Obedience, and family above all. For most of her life, Emma has had her decisions made for her by Leader and The Guild, from the school she attends to the clothing she wears. As Emma approaches her teenage years, she begins to push back against the Guild's control over her life, and throughout much of the books, receives the painful consequences of pushing back.
After all, why SHOULD'NT Emma be able to make her own choices about who she spends time with, or have the choice if she chooses to date? Why should things that other teenagers take for granted lay so far out of her reach?
Obedience touches upon themes of indoctrinations, cults, and free will, and explores how one girl seeks to gain control over her life. In a society where indoctrination is omnipresent, Obedience certainly gets you thinking...how would I have reacted if I were in Emma's shoes?
I am very curious to see what happens next in the second book in the series!
Obedience introduces us to the world of Emma Stone, a world where free will and individuality is second to, well, Obedience, and family above all. For most of her life, Emma has had her decisions made for her by Leader and The Guild, from the school she attends to the clothing she wears. As Emma approaches her teenage years, she begins to push back against the Guild's control over her life, and throughout much of the books, receives the painful consequences of pushing back.
After all, why SHOULD'NT Emma be able to make her own choices about who she spends time with, or have the choice if she chooses to date? Why should things that other teenagers take for granted lay so far out of her reach?
Obedience touches upon themes of indoctrinations, cults, and free will, and explores how one girl seeks to gain control over her life. In a society where indoctrination is omnipresent, Obedience certainly gets you thinking...how would I have reacted if I were in Emma's shoes?
I am very curious to see what happens next in the second book in the series!
March 10, 2026
The blurb for this one doesn't quite do the story justice.
While the Guild has all the markings of a classic cult—indoctrination, isolation, and a leader who rules through fear—it’s actually something much more complex. It’s a highly controlled secret syndicate that molds elite agents from a very young age. They aren’t just followers to the Leader; they are highly skilled operatives who can shapeshift and fight.
The story follows Emma, the youngest and lowest-ranking member, as she begins to question her role in the group and who her family really is. As she questions her origins, Leader employs increasingly ruthless tactics to enforce the tenet of ‘Obedience.’
The central mystery is haunting: What is the Guild’s true purpose?
I guess I’ll need to read book 2 to find out!
Thank you to NetGalley and Adrien Odera for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
While the Guild has all the markings of a classic cult—indoctrination, isolation, and a leader who rules through fear—it’s actually something much more complex. It’s a highly controlled secret syndicate that molds elite agents from a very young age. They aren’t just followers to the Leader; they are highly skilled operatives who can shapeshift and fight.
The story follows Emma, the youngest and lowest-ranking member, as she begins to question her role in the group and who her family really is. As she questions her origins, Leader employs increasingly ruthless tactics to enforce the tenet of ‘Obedience.’
The central mystery is haunting: What is the Guild’s true purpose?
I guess I’ll need to read book 2 to find out!
Thank you to NetGalley and Adrien Odera for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2026
This is a dark cult story that's the first part of a series. At >500 pages, it's a long haul, but so worth it - the length allows it to be immersive in a way that would be difficult otherwise. Emma is raised in a cult and hasn't questioned her surroundings - until you start to see glimpses into the outside world and she starts to make choices that push the limits of her strict life.
The emotional aspects of this are so strong, and I was riveted throughout. I can't wait to see book 2!
Thank you to NetGalley and Adrien Odera for the copy for review.
The emotional aspects of this are so strong, and I was riveted throughout. I can't wait to see book 2!
Thank you to NetGalley and Adrien Odera for the copy for review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✨ARC Review✨
A chilling psychological thriller about secret societies, cult dynamics, obedience and rebellion.
This will have you questioning everyone and everything as you follow the day to day life in the Family, with a teenager just wanting to live a normal life.
Lots of twists and turns, with a cliff hanger ending!
A chilling psychological thriller about secret societies, cult dynamics, obedience and rebellion.
This will have you questioning everyone and everything as you follow the day to day life in the Family, with a teenager just wanting to live a normal life.
Lots of twists and turns, with a cliff hanger ending!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews