DNFed this one. The writing is beautiful, but after reading a more list of content warnings on Goodreads, I think it’s best for me not to read this at this time. Thanks so much to the publisher for the chance to read it, though!

This book was... incredible. I honestly am having a hard time coming up with words to describe the experience of reading it.

I had a hard time getting into it at first because horror (especially body horror) is really not my preferred genre, but I was so fascinated by the concept and story and characters that I pushed through, and finally hit my stride around 15-20% in. The best way I can describe the writing is visceral, and honestly, deeply disturbing. There were times were I found myself gasping or gagging or wincing audibly because of the incredibly vivid and graphic descriptions, but like, in the best possible way.

It is so self-evident that this book was a labour of love and pain. And yet so much of it feels effortless, the story flowing and unfolding in the most natural way. Everything about the world was so rich, so creepily familiar, so alive. The relationships between characters (in particular the ALC and the Vanguard, but also between ALC members) were so interesting and nuanced, and the dialogue really felt like actual conversations. I also appreciated the casual use of neo-pronouns as well as nuanced discussions around gender identity. Although a small part of the book, I think it will be really meaningful for trans readers to see conversations highlighting that hormones (or even things like binding or wearing certain clothes) aren't what makes your gender valid.

I think that it's so important for stories to show queer love and queer joy, but I also think there is so much space for queer rage. Hell Followed with Us is an exemplary example of young queer and trans rage, in an honest and unflinching depiction. This story won't be for everyone, but I'm so, so, so glad I read it. I think it will stick with me for a long time and I will be recommending it to everyone I know.

This story was so perfectly written; great LGBTQ+ representation, the use of religion in a post-apocalyptic era and the trauma that came with it, and the found family was the best. This could easily be the perfect YA horror story except the gore was just too much for me. But putting aside my personal preference towards gore, this book was definitely worth it.

Years after the Angels released "The Flood" virus and destroyed most of humanity in the name of God, Benji escapes their clutches just after being infected with the Seraph strain that will change his body and let him control others changed by The Flood. Benji finds the past LGBTQ+ Center and the survivors there, including Nick. They have to work together to try and use Benji's new situation for good...and make the Angels pay.

This book is phenomenal! It is dark and twisted and Benji is absolutely feral. He is a trans boy who grew up in an extremely religious community and the internalized hate he has to fight in order to survive is incredible. He goes through so much but he absolutely bites back and that's what I love so much.

I also love Nick and the others at the ALC. They are really interesting characters. I wish Nick had more pov chapters because I absolutely loved those parts!

The world building in this is really good if a little fast. I do wish I had a little more of this story because I just loved it so much and wanted to live inside for longer.

The world has been inflicted with a plague called The Flood by religious individuals who wish to cleanse the world of its sins. Benji, a trans man, tries to escape the haven these individuals these people had built, only to be rescued by a group of queer teens trying to survive. As appreciative as Benji is for them saving him, he has to try to live with them while also hiding the fact that he was meant to be the Seraph that would save all of humanity.

As powerful as this book is, the author covers a LOT of deep topics that can make the book extremely difficult to read if you are not in the right mental state. I have been trying to finish this book for a month because I kept jumping out of periods where I thought I was okay to read this book then immediately realized I wasn't. Caution be warned for this novel. Now let's dive into the review.

Hell Followed With Us is FULL of messy characters who aren't perfect in any sense. Almost everyone screws up at some point and has some pretty drastic impacts on the narrative itself and the characters. Benji is absolutely one of those characters, especially since he still loves a character that he really shouldn't. As a result, it leads to a lot of built up tension between characters. I also absolutely loved the tension that builds between Benji and Nick, and although the reasons for such are explained, it still has ramifications that aren't immediately resolved, which I think is super important.

One of the things that I loved about this book is demonstrating a relationship between the queer community and religious beliefs. A lot of the characters that Benji interacts with from the queer community center are from all different backgrounds, some of those even being Muslim or agnostic or even atheist. While the main focus of the story is Benji's relationship with Christianity as they are the main opposition of the cause of the end of the world, the author also takes the chance to explore the more positive relationships between religion and being queer. It gives route to the possibility that you can experience either of these things, it just depends on how exactly you were brought up. While I read it more in a negative light, turning more positive once Benji has the realizations he does, it is still an important duality that I felt was needed.

I was a little jarred from the story at first, just because it opens up in an extremely graphic and grotesque manner. This story is NOT for the weak of heart, because there are a LOT of descriptions that will probably have you gagging. There were times where I found myself skimming over paragraphs I could tell would be more visual so that way I wouldn't be as freaked out. I did miss a bit of important scenes as a result, but I would recommend it if you still wish to read this story and not be as grossed out.

Hell Followed With Us is a powerful story for queer kids about survival and strength in a world that is hateful towards them, and the will it takes to fight back.

I received a copy of this story as an ARC from NetGalley. Any and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Never have I read something quite like this one. This unique YA book is really the most inclusive book I have ever read. Really incredible own-voices ranging from disabilities to the spectrum of genders, LGBTQIA+ representation not just in characters but also in the vocabulary,
A trans teen, Benji, has escaped from an evangelical cult and is found by other queer youths who are hiding out together and fight against this cult that has ended their world.

I went into Hell Followed with Us with super high expectations, and it did not disappoint.

This book is so important for many reasons. All of the religious trauma aspects were so relatable they hurt (coming from someone who literally grew up in a religious cult lol). But it was handled with so much care. The religion itself was never vilified, just the people who used it as an excuse to hurt others. I also really appreciated how certain characters still found comfort in their respective religions. It was very realistic.

Benji is an incredible main character. His trans rage was once again so relatable it hurt. And i love that he's not a perfect character. He is messy and flawed and just trying his best.

And Nick. This is the first time I have ever seen an autistic character not be treated as a joke. He was a leader AND he was respected? That's incredible. This is the autistic representation that we deserve.

While reading this i was sad that younger me didn't get to read books like this, but I am so, so thankful that teens today do.

I've been on the hunt for a dystopian novel to use next time I get assigned an ENG102 class and while there are some good things about this book, it's not it. There were great characters and queer representation, but the gore was way too much for more.

If you like gore and body horror and you want to some great trans rep, then this is probably for you. However, if you're not a fan of gore and body horror, then you might want to steer clear of this one.

I really wanted to like it because of all the hype and because it contains much needed representation, but in the end, this one just wasn't for me.

A riveting story about religious trauma and coming to embrace your identity. I think there were some plot elements that didn't flow as well but overall, an impressive debut.

The copy I got was really hard to read so unfornuetly I had to put it down. I did like the premise of the book and I think it'll be a great read, but just not the arc edition of it. I did really like the begining of it and I felt like it was a good ground job over the overall plot. The character we follow seems interesting and the world with its magic sounded cool.

I was a little hesitant to read this books because religious (trauma) themes as well as horror can be a hit or miss for me but I am really glad I did because I found it was done very well. Excellent depictions of queer anger and queer friendship! 4.5 stars.

Typically I do not enjoy anything to do with gore, if any kind, however this author was able to incorporate in depth descriptions of such while being meaningful to the plot. Typically descriptions are meant for shock factor, but here it was a necessity and showed readers just how far this world was destroyed. This imperfect world mirrored the imperfect characters, ironically perfectly.

I wanted to love this book so much, because the concept it's brilliant.
I adored the used of religion in this one, how the author wanted to shape it as a tool in the midst of post-apocalyptic dark atmospheres. The voice of the author is loud and clear but i didnt' fall in love with the execution. The rhythm wasn't solid, but it just take some time and exercise.
The images were all over the place in some parts of the book but still, i didn't hate them all the time. Some were amazing and brilliant.

There are different Trigger warning that must be taken with caution and thanks for that!

So its a good start, with a good idea that should have been a bit edited and it would turn out very good and solid.

Rating : 4 out of 5
Blurbs :
Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him—the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. Desperately, he searches for a place where the cult can’t get their hands on him, or more importantly, on the bioweapon they infected him with.

But when cornered by monsters born from the destruction, Benji is rescued by a group of teens from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, affectionately known as the ALC. The ALC’s leader, Nick, is gorgeous, autistic, and a deadly shot, and he knows Benji’s darkest secret: the cult’s bioweapon is mutating him into a monster deadly enough to wipe humanity from the earth once and for all.

Still, Nick offers Benji shelter among his ragtag group of queer teens, as long as Benji can control the monster and use its power to defend the ALC. Eager to belong, Benji accepts Nick’s terms…until he discovers the ALC’s mysterious leader has a hidden agenda, and more than a few secrets of his own.

Thoughts : Please prepare yourself before reading this book. Please check out the trigger warnings because this book is grim, obvs, this is a horror book after all. I enjoy this book more than I thought I would be. Horror isn't my usual genre to read but I still can enjoy this book. Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!

Horror isn’t my usual genre, but I devoured this book as if my life depended on it. I actually didn’t read the full synopsis for it; I was drawn by the cover, trans main character, and the horror genre. It is packed with LGBTQ+ representation and features a neurodivergent character as well. The writing is beautifully haunting, and the author excellently portrays the characters' inner turmoil while navigating complex relationships in a dystopian world.

I really don’t want to say more because going in blind was the best experience. All I can say is that I loved every sentence of this book, even the parts that had my blood boiling because they were a preview of humanity at its worst if some of us don’t change our hateful ways. Please check the trigger warnings, as there are many.

A monstrous trans boy trapped in a fascist theocracy sounds like the perfect ya horror and it definitely is PERFECT. Full review will be posted soon.

What an incredible story. I'm not a gore or horror fan - and while this is classified as YA and the characters are the right age, I'm not sure the content really fits this label - but White made it work. These characters are flawed and beautiful and wonderfully human.

The setting is dark and horrifying, but the found family here is one of the best I've ever read. Queer teens versus religious cult fanatics in an epic to-the-death showdown, and the entire world is at stake. It feels very fitting with everything going on in the world these days. We may not be in a post-apocalyptic world [yet], but a few moments in Hell Followed With Us are a prescient warning of what could be in store for humanity.

I love so many of these characters, mostly because none of them are perfect. They each have their moments to shine, and some have more than others, but these teenagers had been through a lot, even before the world ended. I specifically appreciated the wide range of representation, the acceptance, and this community.

Yes, there are a lot of gross parts. Did I mention the gore? But if I can do it, you definitely can. And Hell Followed With Us is totally worth it.

“I am their savior in Angel whites and skin peeling off the bone.”

Hell Followed With Us is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. It catapults you into Benji’s world, which is simultaneously dark and hopeful, a site of both desolation and a firm refusal to accept that all is not lost. The antagonist is an oppressive, fervently religious cult using Armageddon as a means to their ideal end, and Benji is a teenage trans boy who refuses to accept the role and the future they demand of him. In the chapters showing Benji’s POV, his voice is sharp and furious. Despite being filled with monsters, this story sinks its teeth into the real world.

“If grief gets caught in my body like it’s tangled up with burrs, the least I can do is support the people who can actually feel something. The least I can do is help the people who are helping me. That’s what it means to be good.”

The story has both visceral body horror and the found family trope. Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Easily one of the best books I’ve read this year, and easily one of the best books I’ve read in general. This book is gory, full of body horror, religious horror, and definitely has trigger warnings worth looking up before reading, but if you can read this book then I highly recommend it. The most poignant part of the book for me is the tension between Benji and the sources of love and connection in his life. This book beautifully covers the pain of complex, even toxic relationships, couple with moments of real love and connection so deep that you would willingly run head first into danger, fully knowing that the only solution you can provide will never be enough to make a difference, but trying anyway. Despite and in spite of this knowledge. And knowing that doing so will cause you irreparable harm in the pursuit of this futile solution, just in case the odds are inexplicably, and for one time only, in your favor. All just to make it hurt less, or maybe even make your loved one smile a bit.

Thank you to Peachtree Teen and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hell Followed With Us is a dark story among queer characters, ami. The cover is gorgeous and the whole thing lifts you up like you're floating seeing the earth beneath you. The writing was so terrifying but beautiful. I was so soaked in the pages. There are so many elements such as blood and gore.

I had a good and unique journey reading this.