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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
I was lucky enough to receive an ALC (huge thanks, Hachette Audio!), but it didn’t take long to realize that audio alone wouldn’t cut it for this one. Orbit Books rarely misses for me, and I had that gut feeling this would be a ride worth taking in full. So I paused the audiobook, grabbed a physical copy, and let myself dive into the chaos. No regrets—this was totally the right move.
Told in a style that mimics oral histories and documentary transcripts, My Ex, the Antichrist radiates that raw, untamed energy of a band on the edge of fame, destruction, and something far more apocalyptic. Think Daisy Jones & The Six meets Supernatural by way of a VHS doc you’d find in a church basement—and I mean that in the best way.
Craig DiLouie clearly did his homework, and it shows. He threads together rock history, religious mythology, and the unraveling of a pop-punk band led by the literal Antichrist—yes, really—and somehow makes it work. There’s blood, there’s blasphemy, there’s a band called the Shivers that becomes an underground phenomenon. And at the center of it all? Lily Lawless, a sheltered Catholic college student turned lead guitarist with a front-row seat to the end of the world.
I loved how layered this book is. At face value, it’s the story of a girl and a boy (who might also be the antichrist) starting a band that accidentally triggers the apocalypse. But underneath the pulpy premise is a genuinely smart, weirdly philosophical exploration of power, influence, belief, and music as both salvation and destruction. DiLouie juggles these themes with a surprisingly light touch, even injecting dark humor in moments that sneak up on you. I laughed out loud more than once—even as things got really dark.
And while I was half-expecting something a little more campy or exaggerated—something leaning fully into the absurdity of the premise—what I got instead was a slow-burning, eerie, and atmospheric story with tension that builds across every gig, every interview snippet, and every whispered warning. Each show ramps up the strange and the sinister until you’re holding your breath waiting for the final act.
The structure won’t be for everyone—it’s very cut-and-paste, lots of voices, lots of snippets—but I found it totally immersive. You get interviews from Lily, bandmates, fans, academics, producers—it’s messy and nonlinear in the most satisfying way. Think VH1 Behind the Music if it ended in hellfire.
And the audiobook? A full cast (Lisa Flanagan, Jesse Vilinsky, Alexander Cendese, Pete Simonelli) brings it all to life with perfect, chaotic energy. It’s magnetic—definitely one of those productions that elevates the whole experience.
This one caught me off guard—in the best possible way. Gritty, clever, and unlike anything I’ve read this year. File it under: unexpectedly philosophical horror with guitars, eyeliner, and a front-row seat to the end times.
Told in a style that mimics oral histories and documentary transcripts, My Ex, the Antichrist radiates that raw, untamed energy of a band on the edge of fame, destruction, and something far more apocalyptic. Think Daisy Jones & The Six meets Supernatural by way of a VHS doc you’d find in a church basement—and I mean that in the best way.
Craig DiLouie clearly did his homework, and it shows. He threads together rock history, religious mythology, and the unraveling of a pop-punk band led by the literal Antichrist—yes, really—and somehow makes it work. There’s blood, there’s blasphemy, there’s a band called the Shivers that becomes an underground phenomenon. And at the center of it all? Lily Lawless, a sheltered Catholic college student turned lead guitarist with a front-row seat to the end of the world.
I loved how layered this book is. At face value, it’s the story of a girl and a boy (who might also be the antichrist) starting a band that accidentally triggers the apocalypse. But underneath the pulpy premise is a genuinely smart, weirdly philosophical exploration of power, influence, belief, and music as both salvation and destruction. DiLouie juggles these themes with a surprisingly light touch, even injecting dark humor in moments that sneak up on you. I laughed out loud more than once—even as things got really dark.
And while I was half-expecting something a little more campy or exaggerated—something leaning fully into the absurdity of the premise—what I got instead was a slow-burning, eerie, and atmospheric story with tension that builds across every gig, every interview snippet, and every whispered warning. Each show ramps up the strange and the sinister until you’re holding your breath waiting for the final act.
The structure won’t be for everyone—it’s very cut-and-paste, lots of voices, lots of snippets—but I found it totally immersive. You get interviews from Lily, bandmates, fans, academics, producers—it’s messy and nonlinear in the most satisfying way. Think VH1 Behind the Music if it ended in hellfire.
And the audiobook? A full cast (Lisa Flanagan, Jesse Vilinsky, Alexander Cendese, Pete Simonelli) brings it all to life with perfect, chaotic energy. It’s magnetic—definitely one of those productions that elevates the whole experience.
This one caught me off guard—in the best possible way. Gritty, clever, and unlike anything I’ve read this year. File it under: unexpectedly philosophical horror with guitars, eyeliner, and a front-row seat to the end times.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is a dark exploration of faith, fame, and the end of the world. The story is told through a unique docu-fiction type format. The book unfolds like a documentary. Like you are binge watching a documentary on any streaming platform which combines interviews, footage, transcripts, and personal accounts that make the story feel immersive and real.
What really struck is that it felt like watching a season of American Horror Story, especially the Apocalypse season.
I'm not usually drawn to religious themes in fiction, this book’s rock music vibe had me finishing the story.
Highly recommend if you’re into cult psychology, rock themes, horror, or a fan of AHS.
dark
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
📖 My Ex, the Antichrist
🖋️ Craig DiLouie
🗣️ Lisa Flanagan, Jesse Vilinsky, Alexander Cendese, Pete Simonelli
Published: July 1, 2025
I would like to thank NetGalley, Orbit Books, Hachette Audio, and the author for an advanced copy of the ebook and audiobook. All opinions are my own.
“And like a bird allowed to fly once or twice a week, my spirit would soar over the crowd while I shredded my tunes on stage. I’d belt out song after song in a manic catharsis of joy and freedom and power.”
Read if you like:
🎸 Rock music
🧟♀️ Toxic relationships
☄️ Apocalyptic settings
🫣 Horror
> 4️⃣ POVs
📍Bethlehem, PA USA 🇺🇸
In the late 90s Lily Lawlor meets charming Drake Morgan who has the uncanny ability to know exactly what she wants. Everywhere he goes he inspires devotion or fear. They form a band and their music has strange effects on their audience. When their battle of the bands performance ends in a riot and deaths, Lily suspects that her boyfriend has ungodly powers. Now, in the present day, the band is opening up about their experience in an interview.
I don’t read a lot of horror but I really liked this one. It’s really not that heavy on horror, and wasn’t overly grotesque. I loved the format with the different band members and other accessory characters giving their own stories in an interview style and how everything fit together. The full cast audio made it binge-able. If you’re looking for something different, give this one a try.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m sure many of us have an ex that we have deemed as the devil, but for Lily, there is no exaggeration there. Drake Morgan turns out to be the actual anti-Christ, come to bring the apocalypse.
Most of the book focuses on the beginnings of The Shivers, a punk band, as they work to achieve fame. However, not all is as it seems, as we come to find out Drake’s true identity.
I’ll be honest, this was weird, it was campy, but it was still wholly enjoyable! It’s told through “tell-all” interviews from the band members and other notable people to their story. It’s reminiscent of Daisy Jones and the Six or The Favorites, and it’s a method of storytelling that I really enjoy! It feels very immersive.
I do wish we had a bit more of the anti-Christ shenanigans, as it felt like more of a side plot to the overall story of the band.
I listened to the audio version, and as with other interview-based stories, it truly shines in this format! The cast of narrators all were great, and there was even a couple snippets of a The Shivers song added in!
Overall, recommend if you want some weird, slightly tongue in cheek horror!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC!!
Most of the book focuses on the beginnings of The Shivers, a punk band, as they work to achieve fame. However, not all is as it seems, as we come to find out Drake’s true identity.
I’ll be honest, this was weird, it was campy, but it was still wholly enjoyable! It’s told through “tell-all” interviews from the band members and other notable people to their story. It’s reminiscent of Daisy Jones and the Six or The Favorites, and it’s a method of storytelling that I really enjoy! It feels very immersive.
I do wish we had a bit more of the anti-Christ shenanigans, as it felt like more of a side plot to the overall story of the band.
I listened to the audio version, and as with other interview-based stories, it truly shines in this format! The cast of narrators all were great, and there was even a couple snippets of a The Shivers song added in!
Overall, recommend if you want some weird, slightly tongue in cheek horror!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC!!
I was lucky enough to receive the ebook and the audiobook for this story. I love a good immersive read where I get to follow along.
This story is told in interview style where we hear from different people from the bands accounts of how things started and what happened. I find this perspective very interesting and I was unsure of who I could trust. The narrators did an amazing job of portraying the different personalities with each perspective and I really felt like I was there watching these interviews. The unhinged nature of some of these interviews is amazing. This book was such a surprise and I loved every minute of it. The energy of these characters and narrators is electrifying and I actually googled some of these things to see if they were based on a true story. So good.
This story is told in interview style where we hear from different people from the bands accounts of how things started and what happened. I find this perspective very interesting and I was unsure of who I could trust. The narrators did an amazing job of portraying the different personalities with each perspective and I really felt like I was there watching these interviews. The unhinged nature of some of these interviews is amazing. This book was such a surprise and I loved every minute of it. The energy of these characters and narrators is electrifying and I actually googled some of these things to see if they were based on a true story. So good.
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes