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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Net Galley and Hachette for an ALC! While the narration was fabulously done, I just could not connect to the story and the writing. I was a bit bored during the parts of starting the band as it felt monotonous. The “Antichrist” parts did not feel evil enough for him to be this devilish figure. I did like the religious points made throughout the text, but that was pretty much the only thing that grabbed me. Lastly, I felt the ending was quite rushed and underwhelming.
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lily, the lead singer of the popular band The Shivers, walks into a police station and confesses to murdering her ex boyfriend, the antichrist. The book unravels the story of the band and how they got involved with the antichrist through a series of interviews.
I rated this 3.5 stars. It’s a fun read, but there was nothing that blew me away. I enjoyed the interview format and think it worked well. There were a few sections where I felt like the pacing dragged, but otherwise I enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book to horror readers who enjoy books that are somewhat lighthearted/funny.
I listened to the audiobook and I highly recommend it. There are multiple narrators and I think they all did a great job! I think the choice to have multiple narrators worked really well with the interview format of this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for providing me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an unbiased review.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
I listened to the audio format of this book, and the production was pretty great. Having a full cast always makes a book more immersive and enjoyable, however this one jumped from character to character so frequently and without mention of who was talking I found myself scrambling in the first hour or so to remember which voice was which character. The narrators each had a unique sound, so this very well could just be a me problem. I'm curious how the distinction was made in the print format.
This audiobook reminded me a lot of Fantasticland- with the different voices and the interview style. To be clear the stories aren't remotely similar- just the format which I really love. I think the narrators were fantastic and fit the unique characters personalities.
As for the story- In really enjoyed the different character perspectives and getting different takes on the same story, as well as seeing how the different characters viewed each other. There was a lot of neat dynamics there.
In the beginning I was hooked. This story was wild and unique and I was really interested to see where it was going, but as I reached the climax and last two hours of the story I found myself just really bored. I feel like this one was a slow burn without enough of a payoff. I think I'd have DNFed if I read in print- the narration really carried me through the story.
This audiobook reminded me a lot of Fantasticland- with the different voices and the interview style. To be clear the stories aren't remotely similar- just the format which I really love. I think the narrators were fantastic and fit the unique characters personalities.
As for the story- In really enjoyed the different character perspectives and getting different takes on the same story, as well as seeing how the different characters viewed each other. There was a lot of neat dynamics there.
In the beginning I was hooked. This story was wild and unique and I was really interested to see where it was going, but as I reached the climax and last two hours of the story I found myself just really bored. I feel like this one was a slow burn without enough of a payoff. I think I'd have DNFed if I read in print- the narration really carried me through the story.
challenging
dark
tense
This book really struck a chord with me—pun intended. It’s about forming a band, but it’s so much more than that. The way it explores religion and how faith intertwines with music felt incredibly profound. Music isn’t just something these characters play; it’s almost like their own kind of religion, shaping who they are and how they see the world.
I loved how the story showed the highs and lows of creating something together, and how belief—whether in a higher power or in the music itself—can deeply affect us. It wasn’t preachy or heavy-handed; instead, it felt honest and thoughtful.
If you’ve ever felt music move you in ways words can’t describe, this book will definitely resonate. It made me think about how art and spirituality connect in unexpected ways.
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was nothing like I was expecting, this is not a horror novel. But a slow burn mystery, however it was really good and kept me intrigued till the end.
So here we go, the premise, we follow Lily a religious, sheltered college dropout who accidentally starts a rock band with the antichrist. But he is also really cute and charismatic, so let's roll with it, he can't be such a bad guy overall, right?
The story is compelling and the characters are super interesting and well flesh out, they are all an integral part of the plot and fun to follow around. For the most part this is just contemporary fiction, about the characters forming the band and giving concerts (some weird ones with demons as back up dancers, I must admit that was pretty cool), why the light mystery of who really is the antichrist and if he is really that bad. Around 70% things start to get way more crazy and we do have some spooky and creepy scenes alongside all those campy parts we had till then.
I overall really enjoyed the book and I think it would make for a great campy horror film. I won't say this is an amazing novel, but it's super entertaining and fun so give it a chance, out of the three books I've read so far by the author this one is my favourite. Its expected to be publish on July 1, 2025.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
So here we go, the premise, we follow Lily a religious, sheltered college dropout who accidentally starts a rock band with the antichrist. But he is also really cute and charismatic, so let's roll with it, he can't be such a bad guy overall, right?
The story is compelling and the characters are super interesting and well flesh out, they are all an integral part of the plot and fun to follow around. For the most part this is just contemporary fiction, about the characters forming the band and giving concerts (some weird ones with demons as back up dancers, I must admit that was pretty cool), why the light mystery of who really is the antichrist and if he is really that bad. Around 70% things start to get way more crazy and we do have some spooky and creepy scenes alongside all those campy parts we had till then.
I overall really enjoyed the book and I think it would make for a great campy horror film. I won't say this is an amazing novel, but it's super entertaining and fun so give it a chance, out of the three books I've read so far by the author this one is my favourite. Its expected to be publish on July 1, 2025.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Thank you to NetGalley and Hatchet Audio for this Advanced Listener Copy.
My initial interest in this book was motivated by wanting to see how the cliche rock star getting mixed with something devilish could be reinvented and fresh. Having grown up enjoying the metal and rock scene, I figured this could be a fun nostalgia trip. I ended up disappointed by how cringe this story felt. Unfortunately, I never felt a sense of danger or cared much for the character's wellbeing and was a little confused by how the characters would under-react to extreme situations happening around them. Having said that, the is some good here. The voice narrators did a great job at portraying the goofy characters and expressing emotion. DiLouie is very talented at writing stories with multiple POV's, and weaving between their inner thoughts and interactions between each other. 🎧
My initial interest in this book was motivated by wanting to see how the cliche rock star getting mixed with something devilish could be reinvented and fresh. Having grown up enjoying the metal and rock scene, I figured this could be a fun nostalgia trip. I ended up disappointed by how cringe this story felt. Unfortunately, I never felt a sense of danger or cared much for the character's wellbeing and was a little confused by how the characters would under-react to extreme situations happening around them. Having said that, the is some good here. The voice narrators did a great job at portraying the goofy characters and expressing emotion. DiLouie is very talented at writing stories with multiple POV's, and weaving between their inner thoughts and interactions between each other. 🎧
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A clever and twisty take on horror, romance and doomed relationships with a punk rock playlist.
Audiobook Stats:
⏰: 10 hours and 12 minutes
🎤: Lisa Flanagan, Jesse Valinsky, Alexander Cendese, Pete Simonelli
The full cast narration of this audiobook was one of the highlights of my listening experience. The format with which this was recorded narrated was super interesting and unique and kept me entertained. I really liked the musical additions as well as the interview style format.
Themes:
💫: Toxic relationships
💫: Never giving up
Representation:
🖊️: punk rock scene
🖊️: 1990's early 2000's nostalgia
Tropes:
💗: Teenage dirtbag
💗: Pop culture
🥵: Spice: 🚫
🧟♂️: Gore: 🚫
Potential Triggers: religion framed as sanctuary **check authors website/social media
Short Synopsis:
Lily Lawless has made some questionable decisions in her life, but the worst one of all was dating her ex Drake, who is also the antichrist. Following Lucy and her other bandmates interview style, we learned about the rise, fame and fall of The Shivers. A punk rock band in the late 1990s to early 2000s. A fall that had apocalyptic consequences that lead to Lily confessing to murder.
General Thoughts:
This is a book that is definitely outside of my wheelhouse. While I have read campy horror in the past, it is not something that I naturally gravitate towards. But this one was actually pretty fun and the full cast of narrators and introduction of punk music definitely helped.
There were definitely POVs that I cared about more than others. And there was definite distinction between points of high action and downtime. During the times where the action was more subdued, and the POV weren't as interesting. My mind tended to wander. Which definitely took me out of the story. But when the book was in times of high action, it was absolutely entertaining, and I could not stop paying attention. I just wish it hadn't been as stark of a difference between the two.
The interview style with which this was recorded was super unique for me, and I really enjoyed it. I really liked that type of style where I felt like I was almost listening to a documentary.
The real shining aspect for me was the characters. They all felt super unique and like they had their own agency. They all had their own thoughts, opinions and characters. None of them bled into each other and had their own roles within the story. Lucy Lawless was super interesting and I felt very relatable to her through a good portion of this novel. Everyone has dated somebody shitty, which is super relatable. Granted not all of them ended up being the antichrist. But I can feel that way at times lol
Overall, I would say that this was a super unique interesting premise that didn't completely work for me in all aspects, but was definitely more interesting than it wasn't. I would read something else by this author. I feel like if anything it is an entertaining quick read that breaks up denser books.
Disclaimer: I read this book as a free audiobook via NetGalley and Run For It. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Audiobook Stats:
⏰: 10 hours and 12 minutes
🎤: Lisa Flanagan, Jesse Valinsky, Alexander Cendese, Pete Simonelli
The full cast narration of this audiobook was one of the highlights of my listening experience. The format with which this was recorded narrated was super interesting and unique and kept me entertained. I really liked the musical additions as well as the interview style format.
Themes:
💫: Toxic relationships
💫: Never giving up
Representation:
🖊️: punk rock scene
🖊️: 1990's early 2000's nostalgia
Tropes:
💗: Teenage dirtbag
💗: Pop culture
🥵: Spice: 🚫
🧟♂️: Gore: 🚫
Potential Triggers: religion framed as sanctuary **check authors website/social media
Short Synopsis:
Lily Lawless has made some questionable decisions in her life, but the worst one of all was dating her ex Drake, who is also the antichrist. Following Lucy and her other bandmates interview style, we learned about the rise, fame and fall of The Shivers. A punk rock band in the late 1990s to early 2000s. A fall that had apocalyptic consequences that lead to Lily confessing to murder.
General Thoughts:
This is a book that is definitely outside of my wheelhouse. While I have read campy horror in the past, it is not something that I naturally gravitate towards. But this one was actually pretty fun and the full cast of narrators and introduction of punk music definitely helped.
There were definitely POVs that I cared about more than others. And there was definite distinction between points of high action and downtime. During the times where the action was more subdued, and the POV weren't as interesting. My mind tended to wander. Which definitely took me out of the story. But when the book was in times of high action, it was absolutely entertaining, and I could not stop paying attention. I just wish it hadn't been as stark of a difference between the two.
The interview style with which this was recorded was super unique for me, and I really enjoyed it. I really liked that type of style where I felt like I was almost listening to a documentary.
The real shining aspect for me was the characters. They all felt super unique and like they had their own agency. They all had their own thoughts, opinions and characters. None of them bled into each other and had their own roles within the story. Lucy Lawless was super interesting and I felt very relatable to her through a good portion of this novel. Everyone has dated somebody shitty, which is super relatable. Granted not all of them ended up being the antichrist. But I can feel that way at times lol
Overall, I would say that this was a super unique interesting premise that didn't completely work for me in all aspects, but was definitely more interesting than it wasn't. I would read something else by this author. I feel like if anything it is an entertaining quick read that breaks up denser books.
Disclaimer: I read this book as a free audiobook via NetGalley and Run For It. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.