First of all thank you to netgalley and Edward J Cembal for the opportunity to read The monsters in our shadows.

This isn't my typical genre of choice, but the darkness and gory factors of the book kept me hooked.

I loved the undertones of the book representing the darkness of mental health/depression and how it becomes an all encompassing thing over your life until the day it finally eats you up.

I think anyone who has suffered with mental health will really appreciate this book.

This book was a bit of a stretch for me as the horror/sci-fi genre is not typically a favorite. That said, the blurb looked like enough of an interesting take to make it with the effort. To set the stage, we have a ruined apocalyptic landscape with enclaves of humans behind walled communities scrambling to survive. From the shadows, a terrifying creature (aka Shivers) emerges that haunts a specific person for a time until its hunger becomes to much prevent it from literally eating its host and if not “exiled” outside of the protective walls by then, going on a rampage devouring anybody else nearby. While there are some obvious analogies and symbolism from these shadow horrors, my interest was more on the basic story that follows Anthem, the city "Exilist" (aka The Reaper) who was responsible for making sure the afflicted were “escorted” out through the city walls into the deadlands before the Shiver goes nuts. Having a Shiver is always a death sentence … it is only a matter of time.

Anthem has a daughter … and his own Shiver, so the clock is ticking to find the truth. Does the Architect (ruler of the City of Atlas) have the answers? Maybe that is why not a single member of that family has ever been “exiled.” Or maybe the truth is outside the walls in the Deadlands. There is a mystery here (and a dark secret); however, you can’t figure it out on your own, so you are left to the whims each tantalizing encounter that keeps Anthem's apocalyptic "hero's journey" from being completely hopeless. If you enjoyed The Road, this story is probably right up your alley. Truthfully it is the end that makes this any good for me, with the obvious nod to depression and the hope contained therein; however, as mentioned above … this was not for me, so I am rounding my final score up.

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#TheMonstersInOurShadow #NetGalley

Thank you Net Galley & Edward Cembal for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

Dystopian/Horror/ Sci-Fi

I need to preface this review with the fact that this book does have some dark themes, but I can't begin to say how much I loved this. Just the sheer concecpt of this book is *Chef's Kiss* and as someone who struggles with some of the themes in this book, is it very appreciated. This story has nestled into my heart & I won't soon forget it. My only compliant is that as the story starts to ramp up, our main character goes mentally from feeling like the 40(ish) year-old that he is, to almost a 20-25 year old.

I'll definitely be on the lookout for more works from this author in the future

Note to Publisher: I have not yet written my review but need to get this feedback posted.

What I will be saying to my audience is that this book is really different, unique and took me by surprise. I have a hard time finding books I can't get away from and this was definitely one of those rare ones. I wish I had it on audiobook as well so I could continue the story while working and sleeping.

These days you find a lot of similar stories and retellings of classics. This was absolutely one of a kind. I've never read anything like it. The Monsters in our Shadows is extremely well written. I found I could relate to Anthem; He cared a lot about the exiled and was determined to find a way to save everyone. Kept me at the "edge of my seat".

Though unlikely, I wish to one day see this on the big screen or as a series. I've already started asking people to prepare for release. I rarely give 5/5 stars but this book deserves it. I love how clean the book cover is and can't wait to buy multiple copies to share.

Please sign this writer for 5 more books. I'll be waiting.

Cheers.

I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY by this intensely dark horror book! I read it in one day because I couldn't put it down. I was so drawn into the shadows, I couldn't make my way out until the end, pun intended!

I have always loved suspenseful, dark books, and I was surely not disappointed with The Monsters in our Shadows.

You get the suspense of monsters, who want nothing more than to devour your flesh. And you get the suspense of not knowing who has a monster, who doesn't, who can or will survive, and what the heck is going on with these monsters!! My brain was begging for more with each page, and I was on the edge of my seat, darn well screaming in my brain at everything happening.

This book is a long one, and it is thoroughly thought out, the world building is absolutely amazing, and the character development is just as amazing as well.

I highly suggest that if you like dark suspenseful horror books, that you give The Monsters in our Shadows a read!!

I jumped at this book once I saw that it was a post-apocalyptic one and it has been a while since I read a good book in this genre. But man, the writing, I did not like it. It was really hard to get into this new universe. I understood from the beginning that this is not one of the post-apocalyptic books you would usually read, so maybe that's why it didn't work for me.

I was immediately sucked into this world. They leave in the near future where your dying body Is preyed upon by visible monsters you can see. Ahhhh… nightmare fuel. I liked that the care taker of the dead new their was more to life and loss.

4.5/5. This didn’t go where I was expecting after the first few chapters, but that wasn’t a bad thing. Very pleasantly surprised by the ending. Would recommend.

In a world where monsters live in plain sight, salvation is only for those "lucky" enough to be unaffected by them. At it's core MONSTERS is a metaphor for how society still views those who suffer from depression and other mental health crisis.

THE MONSTERS IN OUR SHADOWS is dystopian horror at it's finest.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my #arc!

The world has monsters. The monsters can be seen. The monsters will kill you. The monsters are called Shivers. Anthem feels he has a purpose and maybe it's figuring out how to kill the monsters.

I really enjoyed this book and it's storyline, as Anthem travels from place to place in his small corner of the world. He sees people struggle and sees people trying to survive. It's poignant that he is doing the same while trying to complete his mission. I felt the pull of the connections he makes throughout his journey. This book is part horror and part self-discovery.

Thank you to @netgalley and Edward J. Cembal for allowing me to read and review The Monster in Our Shadows.

This was a dystopian story in the vein of zombie apocalypse, or contagion sci-fi/horror. There is a contained group for people hiding from/keeping at bay the monsters ultimately seeking the demise of human existence.

Reminded me a lot of I am Legend.

The storytelling was slow paced, but engaging.
The writing style was good, but maybe over narrated.

This isn't really my taste in terms of the type of story I typically enjoy, but it was very good for what it was. If you enjoy monster apocalypse stories I'm sure you would enjoy this.

Thank you to Edward J Cembal and netgalley for a copy of this AaRC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me snagged from page one. I’m not typically drawn to the horror genre but for some reason this sang to my soul. And as it turned out it was one I needed to read at a time I didn’t know I needed it. The main characters ability to hold on to his humanity in spite of the nauseating responsibilities and choices he was forced to make had me holding that fragile strand of hope right with him. The dystopian world brought to light what you as a reader expect to see when the world takes a **** and humans are left to embrace their depravity and greed. And it’s not a shocking landscape, we’ve all seen movies or read books showing what would happen when things fall however the way the author turns the landscape into something more leaves you contemplating how our current society deals with its own shivers. Enjoy this read and be prepared to loan this book out to everyone you know.

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got an eGalley of this book through NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: This was a fast-paced post-apocalyptic novel set in a world where humans are hunted by the Shivers they create. This was easy to read and I enjoyed all the action.

This book follows Anthem, a man assigned with escorting people to the Deadlands once their Shivers can't be held in check anymore. The Shivers are shadow monsters that appear to certain people. At some point, people can't control their Shivers and they have to be exiled so that their Shivers don't break free and kill the rest of the town. This is set in a post-apocalyptic world where very little humanity has survived.

The origin of the Shivers was hinted at but never fully explored. I liked what the author was hinting at but it would have been cool to have that concept expanded on and explained a bit more. The world-building here is fairly sketchy as well, we only see a small part of the world and we never get a good explanation of how the apocalypse came to pass.

I did enjoy the secrets of the town of Atlas and there is a ton of tense action in here. The writing was easy to read and the book was hard to put down. I just kept struggling with the "how" and "why" behind the Shivers; as I said above, it's a neat idea but I wish it had been fleshed out more.

As with many post-apocalyptic novels, the ending is fairly open and doesn't resolve everything. However, it fits well with the rest of the story.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. It's a fast-paced, action-packed, post-apocalyptic read with some excellent twists and turns. I do feel like it's a bit rough around the edges. Some of the concepts in here have potential but weren't fleshed out well. It also has that very unfinished feeling that a lot of post-apocalyptic novels tend to have. If you are looking for an action-packed post-apocalyptic novel full of strange monsters, I would recommend this. I will definitely be keeping an eye open to see what Cembal writes next.

If this isn't in your to-be-read pile, it should be.

Nothing beats a great opening scene. This book has a killer introduction to the world. There is an atmosphere of fear that the author grips into our heads. More than once I found myself going "Who is this author?" For a debut, this is stellar.

I saw others mentioning the pacing as being on the slow side. I don't agree. I feel that the pacing adequately relates to what is going on naturally within the story. It sets the tone. I love creepiness and constant danger. Is it really slow if something deadly is always lurking right around the corner? Then once the world opens up to us, the pace quickens with the struggle to survive. It's delightful.

Overall, the book achieved telling the story it was determined to tell and I'd say it's worth checking out.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely loved this book. I am a big horror/sci-fan, and this delivered on every front. I can honestly say that there wasn’t a single thing that I disliked. I loved Anthem’s character development, the world-building, and the creepy atmosphere; I was constantly on the edge of my seat! I would recommend for others to go into this blind to really get the most out of the story! I couldn’t put the book down, and used every amount of free time to get a few chapters in! The plot had constant twists and turns that I never saw coming! This is easily my favorite book of the year so far, and it will take A LOT to knock it down from its pedestal. To the author, Edward J. Cembal, I will be the first to pounce on anything that you write in the future!

The Monsters in Our Shadows
By Edward J Cembal
Publish date: February 28, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Lovecraft Press for an advance copy of The Monsters in Our Shadows in return for my honest review.

I don’t want to give too much away as I definitely recommend going into this one blind.

In a dismal post apocalyptic world lies the walled city of Atlas - the last city standing. Safe from the Deadlands beyond the wall lives a small community, just trying to ignore the monsters hiding in their shadows.

Those who are afflicted with a Shiver, monsters that slowly stalk and terrorize their prey until Anthem, the Exhilist, escorts them to the world beyond. With the thankless job as the town’s grim reaper, Anthem makes it his mission to save his daughter, himself and humanity before his own Shiver gets too hungry.

In a world of formidable creatures, mutilated exiles, and hidden agendas, Cembal puts a fresh new spin on the usual dystopian post apocalyptic zombie plot.
🎉 Exciting news: this is the first time that a book has given me actual nightmares!

“The other side of what you’re going through could be one step away. Take the step. Keep going.”
At the heart of this book runs a thread of hope. When humans begin to lose their humanity, they must face their monsters to acknowledge their reality.
I felt like the author was touching on the idea that when we find ourselves struggling with feelings of anxiety, depression, isolation… all hope is not lost if we confront our feelings and stop hiding them in the shadows.

Read this if you like…

🌌 Atmospheric horror
🧪 Dystopian science fiction
🕷️ Nightmarish creatures
📺 The Walking Dead

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book.

I don't think I was invested in the story enough to want to continue reading until the end. There is something about a 'thriller' with one protagonist that lays out the stakes in such a way that the plot is predictable. There are more complications in "save the world" genres when there are more characters, so I wasn't surprised by anything the character did because I assumed he would eventually win. Maybe the 'lone hero' story is just too linear for me, but I DNF'd this book.

Some slight spoilers ahead!

I am so disappointed in this book. It started off so well! I was loving it! The Shivers were creepy, the whole idea of an exilist who shows up right before the Shiver takes over, who has to manage people's death so the whole town isn't destroyed, was great. Some of those first scenes were so creepy and great and I couldn't wait to read more. Only the more I read the worse it got. Until the end when I was rolling my eyes and super frustrated with our main character. This is not a children's book, but by the end the writing and storyline felt like it was for kids. It was so simplistic and the main character was so annoyingly naive and the whole wide-eyed optimism of saving everyone was too much. Way too much.

This is the story of Anthem and how he tried to find a cure for the Shivers - monsters that hang onto people until they devour them. Only I do not buy that Antham has survived this long. He is sent off into the Deadlands to try and find more drugs to help the people in his city, thought to be the last remaining humans. So he is sent off with someone who surprisingly has survived out there for a long time when everyone thought no one could and...he keeps thinking he knows better than that person. Like...I know how things end up, but if it were me and I had never been out in the Deadlands and the person who has survived keeps telling me what to do and if I don't I die I would probably listen to them. At least until I figure out what is going on. And all the things that happen out there were a lot. Almost cartoonish everything that happens.

By the end Anthem was just so completely unintelligent it was annoying. He kind of was all along, but...it was frustrating. He kept making an argument to the bad guy to try and fix everything, an argument the bad guy kept telling him he was disgusted by and would NEVER allow to happen, and yet Anthem kept at it. No trying a different approach, no figuring something else out since this wasn't working, just the exact same argument again and again. Oh my goodness it felt like it would never end because Anthem couldn't get anything through his head. Like it doesn't matter! You are going to have to figure something else out! He felt like a small child and was just so shocked his simplistic reasoning didn't work after being told again and again and again it would NEVER be that way. And his whole must save every single person thing made me roll my eyes so so so hard. Like you can't get me to believe that people just suddenly all followed him. Especially not after his super simple little speech...cause yeah no. That and Elizabeth surviving...sure. I buy that. She was half dead when he found her and then she just lives after being shot and losing even more blood? Okay. I guess. Whatever. Really the whole last part was not very good. And the ending was...like they didn't solve the big issue! Yes, their lives will be better at least temporarily, but what about the big bad monster? Cause...it is still out there...they didn't really solve anything long term so...

This book started off so promising, but it really went downhill from there. It is unfortunate as it could have been so good, but it was a let down.

A brilliant story of dark times, survival, and the power of family. Follow Anthem as he saves himself, Atlas, and his daughter from the Shivers and the Architect.

3.5

Overview:

😍 Post-apocalyptic
😍 Action-horror
🆗 Save the world adventure
🆗 Creepy town
😍 Ethereal
🆗 Cannibals

The Monsters in our Shadows is an extremely weird, unique horror novel. At a time when post-apocalypse is coming back into fashion a bit, I hope it receives a lot of love!

The world has ended. Shadow monsters called 'Shivers' that attach and slowly devour their hosts have sucked the world dry and humans are living in small, walled-off communities- exiling their Shiver infested. The story focuses on Anthem, an Exilist whose job it is to remove these people from the community. After a chance encounter, he is sent on an important mission to save his colony from certain doom.

This is a weird little book. It is a very easy read and the concept is insanely cool. It can be frustrating because the scope is quite small, and I often found myself wanting to experience more of the world. Anthem is not a very well-defined character, but I think this book is meant to be more about exploring a dark and hostile universe. It is nowhere near as well-written as The Road, but I highly recommend it if you like atmospheric horror with characters that mostly exist to tell a story of humanity in peril in that same vein.

Shivers are absolutely horrifying. Edward J Cembal's ideas are very cool. This is a fun, fast read and absolutely worth it for folks who vibe with this genre.