2.5 stars

This one wasn't really *for me" I feel like, less because of the intended audience age and more because of intended audience's level of experience. I'm glad to see others getting so much out of it but unfortunately for me there were a few too many half-baked plot elements & inconsistencies to get past and really delve into and appreciate the good parts within.

The plot itself is a bit of a jumble. On the one hand, I think the setting had a good sense of itself, and the passages in the novel I found myself enjoying the most were the descriptions of the world the characters occupy. While a bit unrealistic and not as fleshed out in its creation as I might've personally preferred, the depictions of 'living' buildings bound to and by the flesh of the people who previously inhabited this world prior to the apocalyptic plague that ended it were unsettling and vivid to great affect. Likewise the monstrous 'graces' were one of the most interesting aspects of the world, being both literal hellish creations but still sympathetic representations of the remnants of humanity, suffering yet unable to save themselves. However the more of this world we are shown, the more questions arise about its original downfall, and the mechanics of its new order. Unfortunately Andrew Joseph White seemed all too ready to breeze past much of the detail work that would make a setting such as this one not only memorable, but rational within its own rules, too.

Beyond the post-apocalyptic setting itself is a plot that feels entirely driven by convenience and the emotions of the MC, Benji, with very little concern for realism beyond the most passing glance. I found many of the climactic scenes to be very difficult to follow, with too much inner-narration and very little sense of scale/physicality to them. Character motivations also end up suffering from this overall lack of consistency, making scenes either feel trite and predictable, or baffling due to a lack of coherent character writing.

More than a lack of cohesion in other departments, though, the biggest misstep in this novel for me was the mishandling of the religious trauma Benji is supposedly grappling with throughout. I admit this is a bit of a subjective read, but I couldn't help feeling as though much of the actual grit of what it would(/is) like to grow up queer in a fundamentalist Christian household (or more aptly in this case, cult) in favor of a more generalized message that anger at one's abusers is always righteous anger. I think that is absolutely a valid stance to take and portray, particularly in the case of Benji, whose abusers literally ended the world in their religious fervor to 'save' it, but this message does come across as not quite thoroughly thought-through or entirely earned, especially with regards to where the story does end up going.

That all being said, there is definitely some notable good under the surface here: rarely have I seen this level of diversity in a fairly limited cast; the flip side for me was that the representation felt a bit shallow (with the exception of the trans representation, which did feel purposeful and obviously pivotal to the story itself) as if the author were checking off a list of a boxes. I'd still rather see representation of this ilk than none at all certainly, but I can't help but feel the smallest bit cheated that none of these side characters are particularly fleshed out, excepting Nick, our main character's pseudo love interest (kind of).

On paper this book sounds amazing and even groundbreaking, and despite my heavy reservations, I'm glad to see a book like this one being published and promoted already fairly heavily prior to its release! More representation will always beat less, but at the end of the day I was more than a bit let down by the actual content within. I suppose some of it could be chalked up to being a bit out of the target demographic for this story, but I still feel as if something really great could have been accomplished here if only a bit more care and attention to detail had been paid in service of this novel's admirable goals.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

When I originally picked up Hell Followed with Us, I didn’t exactly know what to expect. I saw that it was about a trans MC that wanted to wreak havoc on his enemies. It’s an awesome concept, but when diving head into the story, I didn’t realize just how amazing this novel would be!

This story follows Benji, a 16 year old ex-evangelist as he navigates the world now that his only anchor—his father—is dead. With his only direction out of New Nazareth now gone, he feels essentially hopeless until a rag-tag team of queer kids come and take him in. Even as he finds himself in a more accepting group, there are still parts of himself that he’s afraid to show.

I love this story so much because of its beautiful detail. Andrew Joseph White does a beautiful job painting the scene for us and has clever and original wording that helps us explore the world Benji is in. The imagery is rich and easy to imagine, even as the story progresses and the monsters grow more grotesque and harder to explain.

Another reason I love the story is because it hits on so many topics that are very relevant. Far right Christianity, queerness/transness and trying to find your place, and found family. As an ex-Christian, this really hit hard for me because I relate. Of course, we’re lucky to live in a world and time where Christianity isn’t this extreme, but who knows when this time will come? It’s frightening to think.

There were a couple of places where I would ask for a little bit more. As the story progresses, we understand the Angels, Seraph, and the Graces, but maybe a bit more of a basic breakdown at the beginning would’ve helped a bit. This is my only nitpick; if someone without any basic religious knowledge read this, they might be a little lost.

Otherwise, White does a beautiful job telling a story of love, loss, and triumph for those who are often othered and cast aside as undesirable. Thank you for this story, and for allowing me to read it!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4618778566?book_show_action=false

Hell Followed with Us takes place after Armageddon and follows Benji who is slowly being transformed into a Seraph, a weapon for those who destroyed the world. The world and concept are incredibly unique, it takes many aspects of religion, particularly fundamentalist’s and uses them in way that feels realistic, given the world and what exists within it. The characters are teens from the ALC, an LGBTQ+ centre, and therefore, the story includes many characters of all different backgrounds and identities. The inclusion of many queer characters is done well, and it is clear it is written by an author who truly understands and is a part of the community.

From the beginning you are thrown right into the action in this apocalyptic world, and unfortunately I found it very difficult to discern what was happening. It took me awhile to understand really anything, and still by the end I didn’t completely understand the world and everything in it. While that didn’t ruin the book for me, it did make it more confusing than I would’ve liked. An addition of perhaps a map or a section that gives definitions to some of the terms would help. While the addition of lots of characters made it so that many people, particularly those that you do not really ever see represented in media, is great, I did find that there were a few too many characters to keep track of and there were some that I mixed up who was who. Unfortunately, the characters to me didn’t have very unique personalities, which only added to my inability to tell them apart. I found them to be a bit one dimensional, while I understand that the world for them is difficult and everyone is going through a very hard time, I think it would have been nice to see teens being teens more often. Making jokes and having fun despite the circumstances, would’ve added warmth to the cold appearance. Often they seemed overly serious, and in my opinion almost came off as edgy in the way that I was when I was in middle school. They are dealing with a lot of stuff, the current world and older issues, but some lighter moments would’ve helped to carry the story along, and help to make me care more about the characters.

Overall, the story and world is extremely unique and imaginative, but not without its flaws. I do think that many people would really enjoy this, and perhaps, while I still think my criticisms are valid, it might not entirely be the book for me.

This book went off in the best possible way ever. It’s been such a long time since I was as heavily engrossed in a book as I was with this. There’s so much I can say about this, but I’ll focus on a few major points, which kinda get personal but ya know? It’s fine.
It’s shamelessly queer. I don’t think I’ve read another book that has such a big and diverse queer cast. It’s not just with identities either but also walks of life. It shows how the queer experience can be different for everyone, even among those who share similar identities. It’s refreshing. It’s comforting.
Benji’s relationship with being trans is /such/ an important thing to me because there’s so much of how he handles himself that I relate to, things that bring me anxiety when it comes to talking with other trans masc people. It’s a good reminder that there is no one right way to be trans, something that I’ve definitely needed to hear a lot recently.
And Nick. Nick. He’s autistic. He’s an amazing leader. He has a good heart. I loved that boy from the moment he was introduced, but every moment we got of him, especially in the later half of the book, really struck me hard. I could go on and on about all of it, but I won’t. Not here.
This book is messy. It’s angry, and that anger is well deserved. There’s so much love. So much dedication between the characters to each other. All of that—every bit of that angry and love and dedication—drives the story so well. The writing is phenomenal and really gets you stuck in the moment, anxiously reading on for more.

This book felt very original and I praise the author for representing the LGBTQ+ community so lovingly. It was the first time I ever read a book with characters that use neo-pronouns. I think that's amazing. The premise of the book is so intriguing, I was really excited, but unfortunately it was a little underwhelming. I felt like a lot of things were not developed enough (the descriptions were very good, but I didn't feel the same way about the dialogues), or that didn't make sense (like the timeline, I'm thinking of when Benji leaves and when Nick leaves, but still the leadership position, it just didn't add up). Nonetheless, I'm very glad I read it! I'll be looking forward to more of Andrew Joseph White's works!

I want to quickly review this book before it's archived. A longer review will be posted on my blog.
Hell Follows With Us is a gory call to liberation, and I really enjoyed the way it explored the Christian mythos and the more damaging interpretations of Christian mythology in modern American culture as a framework. For me this read a little bit like trans Handmaid's Tale and a little bit like Resident Evil. It is an angry yet certain debut. My only wish is that the author will get a chance to explore another story set in this world that looks towards the hopes of the future, because I think there is a fascinating world to play in here. I'm happy to add another trans masc tale to my recommendations list.

I’m so glad I was able to read an EARC of this, because although my expectations were high this may have managed to surpass them? I can already see this story being one of my favorites of the year, period. I really loved this book in ways that are difficult to put into words so soon after finishing it, but the violence and the passion behind it really ended up cathartic in a beautifully horrific way? (I swear that isn’t word salad!! It makes sense in my brain!!) ANYWAY if this isn’t on your TBR it should be, especially if you’re looking for queer horror with refreshingly flawed characters and tackled themes that are Eerily relevant to The Current Times (with the caveat that you should most definitely consult the trigger warnings beforehand 🕺🕺)

I can't sing the praises of this book enough--a beautiful, horrifying story that I couldn't put down.
Benji is a trans boy who comes from a Christian cult that's taken over the world and committed mass genocide in the name of 'Judgement Day'. From the first page he's running away from them, trying to escape the weapon they've instilled inside his body and stumbles into a community of queer youth trying to survive the end of the world. From there, he must decide who to trust and, ultimately, who he is to become.
God, I loved this book so much.
There's something about reading a book from a queer writer, as a queer reader, about queer stories that I love. The author understands the nuances of the queer community (and struggle, though this story is much more about resilience) which is refreshing and it was honestly delightful to relax into a story thick with well rounded queer characters.
The plot is also quite good, I was kept on my toes about the direction it was going and eagerly read to the end. I enjoyed the writing style as well, for lack of a better word it felt very rhythmic and well paced. The characters were real and fleshed out (both literally and figuratively I suppose). Benji is a great protagonist and I'm glad I decided to read his story. Would recommend this book.

First of all, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC!

I have to admit, my expectations aren't usually high when picking up a YA book. They're those times when I'm looking for something lighter as a break from the heavier aspects of adult fiction. Needless to say, I wasn't expecting that much from this one as well, despite all the praise it gets. Sure, the cover is pretty, but I wasn't sure if the contents would follow.

And boy, was I wrong.

This is everything I was looking for in a fantasy book. Beautiful, engaging prose, badass characters, and rich representation that doesn't feel forced, but an integral part of the world and just who these characters are. It flows beautifully with the setting and adds extra richness to it. Can't wait till the paperback comes out as I'm sure I'll be rereading this one.

I don't usually read horror, but this book was SO GOOD. I actually didn't know the book was mainly horror going into this, I thought it was just dystopian. I know, stupid of me, but my friend had recently told me how amazing it was and for some reason the summary seemed a lot more metaphorical when I read it (although I was already very much on board with the literal monster thing). First of all, let's set some boundaries with this book! This does have a list of trigger warnings in the front (publishers, if you're seeing this, CONTINUE THIS PHENOMENON), but I would say the most prevalent ones involve transphobia, body horror, and vomiting, the last of which I wouldn't normally think of as a trigger, but there's a lot of it!
Let's get into our wonderful cast of characters. One thing I love about this book is how much we get to learn about everyone. Honestly, I barely remember a lot of the ALC members because of how many there were, though. My favorite character was probably Salvador. Xe was so kind and welcoming, but it wasn't like that was xyr only character trait at all. Although suspense is a plot device more than anything, the character work in this book had me on edge constantly. Most of the texts I sent my friend were about how disgusting the body horror was, but the others were about how intrigued I was by everyone. Benji is such a good character because he grapples with desires for protection, revenge, and belonging. There really wasn't a moment where I didn't like him, and as I've mentioned before, I'm not really one for main characters.
I really appreciated the relationships in this book. There are two love interests for Benji, but the main one is very clearly Nick. Benji and Nick's hesitance to be vulnerable with each other and similarities to one another melded perfectly to make great chemistry. However, the two clearly weren't shoved into romance too quickly. There was a lot of communication, and because of many reasons for both of them, Benji and Nick have an emotional connection stronger than any physical one they might have. I also loved seeing the friendships arising from the tragedy in the story. Even amongst characters who disliked each other at the ALC, there was a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect binding them all together.
Lastly, our world-building and plot. My god, this was a doozy. In this world, it's in the mid to late 2000s, definitely past 2038, but before 2100. I think it was around 2054? I didn't really see. Anyways, a religious cult called the Angels engineers a deadly plague turning its victims into mutated monsters reminiscent of a perverse, disturbing version of biblical angels called "Graces". Before Benji leaves, they inject him with a different version called "Seraph" meant to make him into the leader of all Graces and wipe out the rest of the human race. Although I'm not usually one for straight-up dystopian books, I actually did think HFWU wasn't bad at all to keep up with. I wasn't always totally sure what was happening with the Angels, but I found myself enjoying the book (despite just how far outside of my genre it is).
Overall, I think this book /could/ be five stars, it just wasn't for me. It came down to personal preference overall; I don't read horror, but it was a really good horror! I'd definitely recommend this to people who want more LGBTQ+ horror novels with representation of all kinds and incredible characters (with a whole lot of grotesque mutations and vomit).

This was BRILLIANT from the first chapter. Visceral and horrifying and hopeful all at the same time. A queer, trans, angry, festering masterpiece. Truly truly so so so good.

(Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review)

Overall, Hell Followed with Us has excellent queer representation. I also enjoyed the themes of family and religion as those are topics I am extremely interested in. Though there were some pacing issues throughout this book, I still think this was a great debut novel . I am a sucker for the ragtag group on a mission trope and this book certainly delivered. I am beyond excited to see what the author does next!

Listen up, folks! This is the queer-lovin', fantasy-horror book of 2022 that you've been looking for. This book is absolutely amazing and here's why:

1. The worldbuilding is really good! The author doesn't overload us with details, but instead weaves them in and reminds us of little important details when necessary. You can literally this dystopian society and the setting around you with how well the author does.
2. Benji (the MC) is a likeable character. You heard me, a likeable character! Throughout the book, he is fighting off a virus that tears his insides out until he is Seraph – the Godly monster that cult he is a part of worships – and even though he is literally being turned into a monster, he doesn't have a self-deprecating, irritably repetitive monologue. His thoughts are dynamic and human, and it honestly really resonates.
3. The diversity makes my rainbow heart sparkle! Looking for a queer person, someone with neopronouns, a neurodivergent character? Then you've come to the right book! When Benji joins the ALC, we are introduced to a myriad of unique and defining characters. I really like how the author makes note of different characters' emotions towards other members of the LGBT+ community. The scene between Benji and Calvin about the binder was pretty realistic and Benji's thoughts that followed felt so humane. For anyone hoping to learn more about the emotions and feelings of transgender folks, I definitely suggest giving this book a read! Everyone has an amazingly built arc!
4. The Love Interests: Theo I hate you, but... no, I still hate you. He's a terrible person, but you see why. No spoilers here, but the author does really good at slipping in the little details that build amazing characters! Nick is *chef's kiss*! Both characters are well rounded and amazing people to read about!
5. There are so many positive things I could list about the book, but I suggest you read it and discover the amazing held within Hell Followed with Us!

I did take off half a star because I felt the ending was a tad too rushed and a little unexplainable. For example (major spoiler), Theo injecting himself with the mutated virus called Dominion compared to Theo's transformation? Way too fast and unexplainable.

Rating: 4.5/5 (rounded to 5)
Date of publishing: June 7th, 2022
I'd like to thank NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for the free copy of Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I saw "for fans of Gideon the Ninth" and knew I had to read this. However, the similarities between the two books end at the intersection of religious trauma, queer, and gory descriptions.
Do not mistake that for dislike, though! I was captivated from start to finish.
A YA coming-of-age, end-of the-world survival horror book with monsters, angels, and a diverse cast of queer characters including a trans main character, a character who uses neopronouns, a queer Muslim girl, and an autistic boy. What's not to get excited about and love??
It was steeped in a particular brand of nostalgia that only comes from being a queer kid growing up in The Church. There are some pretty gory descriptions and body horror throughout, but I personally feel that the familiarity was the scariest part of the story. It feels like this could (and would) actually happen in the near future. The emotions and actions
My biggest complaint about this book is that it's not being marketed more toward a YA genre. After discussing with a friend, I realized that some people won't understand the lines this book walks in terms of genre. There were a few problematic phrases about hormones that didn't sit well with me. And I, as a 33 year old person, felt uncomfortable with reading about a 16-year-old's sex life, no matter how "fade-to-black" they were.
I feel as though it were marketed less as an end-of-the-world survival horror with a great deal of gore and more of the coming-of-age YA novel with all of those aspects IN it, it will be received more palatably.

DNF AT 70%

Sadly, I won't be finishing this book because, I'm finding it very hard to concentrate on it, even having elements that I love, so let's talk about that!

WHAT I LOVED:
— TRANS REP
— It's a very queer story, like really REALLY QUEER and I'm so here for it.
— Religious white people are the bad guys because they took religion to the extreme and caused the apocalypse ??!!!
— GORE, when starting this book I had no idea it would be this gorey because it was in the YA section, so imagine my surprise when I saw all these violent and gorey things happening.
— I really loved how the author made me feel this sense of dread that yeah, the literal end of the world is near, this religious fascists have brought this upon everyone and are out to kill whoever doesn't follow them. It's so scary and real.


WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
—The pacing, it sometimes felt too slow, like one moment things were happening, everything went smoothly -storywise- and all of a sudden it halted, nothing much happened or it got kinda of boring, i was trying to pull through no matter, but it want enough, i just got so bored out of my mind on some parts.
— The writing, it's actually good but, sometimes it got a bit confusing :(
— I think this two things kinda messed me up, because when I started reading Hell Followed With Us I was actually reading it fast, and then as it progressed I got bored and it became very difficult to keep reading.

Anyways, I'm so happy I got to receive an arc in exchange for an honest opinion, I will probably try to finish it when it comes out because I definitely think this story has so much potential and if this is intended to be a series, so many cool things could be added here.

I grew up Catholic and for a time, I was very connected with my faith and the church. As I got older, I realized that I was different, even if I tried to pretend otherwise. I spent a lot of time hidden and bitter, feeling like I had to stifle who I was to keep peace and avoid being condemned by the safety and community that the church had given me for so long. I ended up feeling like I had to choose between my identity and my religious upbringing, and in the end, I chose my identity. There are plenty of people who can have both; personally, I've never been able to fully reconcile the church's treatment of my LGBTQ+ siblings and distanced myself because of this.

Anyway, I've always wondered what would have been different for me as a teenager if books like this had been more readily available. I'm not a teenager, or even really a young adult anymore, but I still love reading YA fiction because it reminds me what I could have had access to when I needed it most. It makes me hopeful that kids today are seeing themselves in the books and stories that they can pick up in any bookstore or library.

HELL FOLLOWED WITH US was great. The body horror in particular was so gruesome and vivid in a way that I sometimes feel like I struggle to find in a book. I feel like nobody ever pushes it far enough but this was NASTY in a really fun way. The characters in this were compelling, and I felt for Benji. I loved his growth and his reckoning and the climax of this book was incredibly satisfying. I think anyone would like this (assuming they like dystopian horror), but it's obviously going to hit different for gay and trans readers and readers who grew up with religious trauma (or those of us who are both).

The writing in this is engaging and it was super easy to read, so I got it done over a couple days because I couldn't put it down once I'd picked it up. I really enjoyed the variety in the cast, as well. I mentioned that they were compelling, but on top of that they all felt super distinct in their voices and mannerisms, which is sometimes a challenge when there's a decently sized cast. Also, I loved the inclusion of more neutral pronouns other than they/them. One of the major supporting characters uses xe/xem, and another was referred to using ey/eir in passing. Inclusions like this will help to continue the normalization of non-traditional pronouns, which I think will ultimately make it easier for people to understand and adapt to them.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this--I'm looking forward to the author's future endeavors!

Hell Followed With Us is a young adult horror novel centering around a Revelations apocalypse started by a Christian religious cult. Almost everyone on the planet has died, save for members of the cult and a few "non believers" that scavenge about. The main character, Benji, grew up as an instrument of this cult and is known as the Seraph who can bring the Flood upon people. During a raid on the angels, Benji is rescued by a group of "non believer" queer teenagers who hole up in the youth center. Together they try to survive and navigate in the wasteland brought on by Judgment Day.

This book literally starts off by hitting the ground running, and I'll admit that I was very disoriented at first but was so intrigued by the writing that I kept going. I got my bearings after a few chapters. This book is not in my comfort genre at all (horror/apocalypse/gore), but I still really enjoyed it. It has an interesting concept and a great set of characters. It reminded me a lot of the novella Ring Shout by P Djeli Clark!

Rep:
-Trans MC
-Full cast of varying queer characters with intersectional identities
-Autistic MC
-neo pronouns
-horror/gore/violence/apocalypse
-found family

Thank you to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

If you know me, you know my feelings about horror… as in, I generally can’t handle it and often avoid it. Horror movies are a no-go for me as a whole and a high school teacher kind of ruined my experience of reading horror by only giving us Stephen King to read. While this may make some people wish to discredit me, I find King’s writing to be dry and his short stories to be too predictable. Whenever I see questions on social media about what genre you don’t read enough of, I always say horror, but if challenged to explore books in a less-read category… I always pick a nonfiction novel.

With that being said… Hell Followed with Us was one of the most unique and interesting books I have ever read. It is an incredible debut and though it is not without its flaws, it hit me in a way that left me reeling all night. This is not just a one-dimensional “horror” novel designed to freak you out. It achieves what many horror writers try to achieve: actually taking an in-depth look at a real-world horror and creating a truly unsettling story out of it.

“A real world horror?” You may ask.
“How is Christianity a real world horror?” You may challenge me.
But that’s not what I’m saying, really. Christianity as a whole doesn’t have to be a real-world horror. Yet, for some people, the scars left by a religious upbringing run deep. And this book is for them.

White doesn’t sugar coat it. He addresses the trauma that many queer folks face from the religion that swore to love them, no matter what. White takes the facts: the Christianity has caused harm, and addresses the mega-cults that have formed within the religion. We cannot deny these cults exist, as much as some may want to.

As I stated before, Hell Followed with Us is one of the most unique and interesting books I have read in a long time. I don’t think you have to had religious trauma to enjoy this book. I do think that if you have had that trauma, you will see yourself in Benji’s story, to some regard.

The characters in this book were incredibly well-developed. There was a nuance to every single one of them, even our villains of the story. I have met the Theo’s of the world. I have friends with moms like Benji’s (and, thankfully, dads like his as well).

Not only was Hell Followed with Us a beautifully written horror novel and a nuanced look at religious trauma, it was one of the most authentically diverse books I have ever read. Hell Followed with Us is the perfect example of the power at the core of the Own Voices movement. From the trans narrative to the autistic one, each piece of representation was excellently written. There were many identities given recognition on the pages of this book. And that brought my heart joy throughout my reading of the book.

I didn’t expect to have fun reading horror, but I did. I was unsettled, I was moved, I was righteously angry… but I also had fun exploring this post-apocalyptic hellscape that White created.

A final little note: please review the content warnings for this book here on Andrew Joseph White’s website. I will also include the excerpt from the book that outlines the content warnings because, as I’ve stated often, any book that includes the content warnings on its very pages is a book worth loving.

“This book contains depictions of graphic violence, transphobia, domestic and religious abuse, self-injury, and attempted suicide.”

If Judgement day comes… I’ll join the ALC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My childhood book collection was full of dystopia and I love this genre to date. Reading Hell Followed With Us reminded me of exactly why I love reading this genre. This book doesn't shy away from the brutal portrayal of violence and hatred and the immense need for survival, especially post an apocalypse. This was an incredibly heavy book (read trigger warnings before picking this up!!) and I was affected by it, but I did not want to put the book down. For once I was drawn into the story, I was fully immersed.

The writing is beautifully visceral. It makes you think and it makes you feel a whole range of emotions. Another thing to adore about this book is the representation. The main character is trans and nearly all of the cast is queer. The found family aspect of this book made this a definite favourite to read.

Can't wait to read more of Andrew Joseph White's writing!

Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for the eARc!

I was immediately excited for this book upon hearing that it was YA Horror with a trans MC lead and that it deals with religious trauma. But gosh did I not know what I was getting into!

Hell Followed with Us, is a first person pov story of Benji, a 16 year old trans male, who’s running away from home, New Nazareth, a biological research compound at the end of the world run by eco-fascist Christians. This cult is anti-LGBTQIA, anti-diversity and anti-anything that is not in line with the twisted perversion of God and their teaching that they follow. And they’re worse than that too. By creating the biological weapon known only as “The Flood” they wiped out nine billion lives in order to create a more perfect world or some other wildly faithless narrative.

The story starts off in the middle of an escape gone bad, and we’re tossed into this post apocalyptic nightmare. Benji just saw his dad shot dead in front of him and is at the complete mercy of those he was running from, the Angels, a group of men (of course) who violently impose the the “correct way”and go out into the surroundings of their base, New Nazareth to slay heretics.

Benji is caught and is being detained by the angels as they head home, and that’s were we learn more of the stakes of this world, Benji, is immune to “The Flood” due to a prior infection that is remaking him into something much, much worse than an Angel. Good thing Benji, former person, now person cum weapon of mass destruction is saved by a band of teens, and something monstrous, called a grace.

Benji finds his place among a group of LGBTQIA teen survivors and quickly finds his place their in the warmth of being understood. Too bad there’s a ticking time bomb on his life.

The story is one of queer rage, the violence of religious extremism, *cough* dawning of eco-fascist evangelicalism *cough* and how becoming monstrous doesn’t make you a monster.

I loved how gore-y it was, with the body horror, and the found family vibes! Even though it was the end of the world, seeing a diverse group of teens being their authentic self was a very special thing, even if it came with moments in which they hurt each other in their fear or didn’t know what to say.

So excited for this release and I can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction!