What. Even. Was. This?!?! I was FULLY un-prepared for the amount of WTF in Maeve Fly.

I LOVE LOVE LOVED her, she was SOOO BAD, BUT OH SOOO GOOD!! My jaw hit the floor numerous times- unexpected turns all over the place I'm pretty sure I have whiplash. I love extreme horror, and I definitely feel that parts of this would absolutely fit in that category which THRILLS ME.

The narration was great and I highly recommend choosing to listen to this gruesome and intense book to get the full experience of Maeve Fly.

WTF did I just read?!?!?! It was soooo good. This felt like an homage to Chuck Palahniuk. Maeve, the granddaughter of Old Hollywood royalty, is a princess in a park that shall not be named. She has a friend named Kate that is trying to work her way to be a full time actress. One day, Maeve just kind of snaps. Is it a snap or is it fulfilling Maeve’s destiny? Whatever it is, it’s bloody and gory. Maeve thinks that she’s a lone wolf. There just might be one other wolf, or fly, to accompany her on her…..adventures….through Los Ángeles.

Move over, Patrick Bateman. There's a new killer roaming the streets of LA, and she's one p***ed off princess. Link to Library Journal review. https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/maeve-fly-2192763

Thank you so CJ Leede, Tor Nightfire, and Netgalley for the advanced listening copy of this!

Meet Maeve: depraved, horror fanatic, damaged, and deranged - oh and she entertains kids! This is an extreme horror full of body, psychological, torture, and sexual content. It's disgusting - but it is disgusting in the best of ways. Leede creates a character that you can't help but be fully captivated by, for better or for worse. Maeve is a good mix of "good for her" and "wtf is wrong with this woman" - and isn't that what we all aspire to be? I mean, really.

I wish this listen had been a little longer, I think there was more to expand upon and the last third of the novel felt a little rushed to me. But it was not enough to take away from my sheer enjoyment. I am a member of the group Books of Horror, and this novel is already been talked about *a lot* but I see more notoriety as it spreads amongst the masses. The cover alone deserves all the accolades. I highly recommend this read to those who are not in the slightest bit squeamish when they partake in their horror.

3.5 stars!

I have to say, the cover initially drew me in, and while I’m a fairly new horror reader, I was excited to read this extreme horror story. It definitely gave me American Psycho vibes, and I enjoyed it!

I listened to the audio format and thought the narration was a good choice.

*many thanks to Publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This was such an interesting one. It ended up not being my favorite style of book. I tend to not love books that are driven so much by the characters thoughts but I did like this one more than I typically do with these kinds of books. There were some scenes that have stuck with me and I generally did like Maeve as a character. I wasn't a huge fan of the romance that takes place in this either. I will continue to read from this author and love this cover!

What if an extreme horror novel was actually smart? It subverts the "what if Patrick Bateman but girl" expectations at every turn. Fascinating setting, addicting characters, inescapable horrors. Just brilliant. RIP to Frozen.

"Maeve Fly" by C.J. Leede is an exhilarating urban fantasy that takes readers on a whirlwind adventure through a world where magic and mayhem collide. Leede's storytelling is fast-paced and brimming with imagination, making it a page-turner from the get-go. The protagonist, Maeve, is a spunky and relatable character who discovers her magical abilities, adding depth to the story. The book's blend of supernatural creatures, secret societies, and elemental magic keeps the plot exciting. While some aspects of the world-building could be more fleshed out, "Maeve Fly" delivers an enjoyable and action-packed read that leaves you eager for more adventures in this fantastical realm.

5 stars!

OMG!
If there was ever a horror romance novel!
This is really kind of in a league of it's own. I absolutely loved different this novel was.
A very fairy tale horror romance. Niche.
A must read if you love campy horror and really not overly romantic at all.
There are some parts of the book that are pretty graphic gory wise, very detailed,, but overall what a well thought out book. I'll definitely have Leade on my must buy author list!

I adored this novel, which is weird to write/say since it is about a sociopathic serial killer. But I don't care. It is fresh and exciting and gruesome in the best ways. Female serial killers are so rarely written about in fiction, and I wish that wasn't the case. CJ Leede's writing is vivid and comedic, and I can't wait to read more! Sosie Bacon's narration was absolutely fantastic, and it really added to the overall reading experience. I hope she narrates a lot more in the future!

"This is my story, and you cannot control it. No more than you can the ever-lower dangle of your sex or the warming of this fat, lazy prison rock floating in the semen-splotched sky.

My name is Maeve Fly.

I work at the happiest place in the world."


What a wild and unusual book. ALSO please look at trigger warnings before you pick this one up, this book is not for the faint of heart!!

Big thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book that made my heart beat out of my chest.

Prepare yourself for a journey into the twisted mind of Maeve Fly, possibly the most unhinged protagonist I've ever read. From its dark humor to its exploration of depravity, this book had me captivated and disgusted in equal measure. I loved it.

The story opens with Maeve, who leads a double life. By day, she blissfully dons the role of a beloved ice princess at the happiest place on Earth, but by night, she bar hops and revels in misanthropy and dreams of violence. In between, she cares for her ailing Grandmother, her hero. Maeve's life takes a sharp turn, however, upon meeting her best friend Kate's brother Gideon- where does love fit in a life like hers?

I was hooked from page one of this book, but it is not for the faint of heart. It was disgusting and amazing and horrible and creative and, just, WOW. I've never been so uncomfortable while reading. I have never in my life read something like this and I know it's one to watch now that it's on shelves.

Maeve Fly is definitely a weird novel. Maeve works at theme park but has dark interests and thoughts. We follow Maeve as she unapologetically embraces her darkness and the violence that comes along with it. Maeve is a strong female protagonist who extremely flawed but the story is intriguing enough to keep pulling you in.

2/5

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this one. I got about 10% in, enjoyed it to that point, but cannot get past the mental block to finish it. I also requested and tried the audiobook, but still could not get into it. It’s a shame, considering the high praise the novel has received, but I think this one just wasn’t for me.

This book had such intense pick me vibes. It really did just not read well. It reads like the author trying to put weirder and weirder sex scenes in regardless of if they make sense while not fully fleshing our the murder. It feels like it has all the bad parts of American Psycho without fixing any of the parts that didn't age well. This has all the sexism wrapped in a faux-feminism package.

I loved the book but I didn't really enjoy the audio book, the narrator's tone was a little flat and I didn't finish it via audio.

Maeve Fly by CJ Leede is one of my favorite reads of 2023! Maeve Fly is unputdownable! I listened to the audiobook in one day. The audio quality was done by MacMillian Audio and it was perfection and the narrator had the perfect cadence for the character.

When I finished the book I was so speechless I needed to sit with my thoughts before I could form a coherent thought. The characters were brilliantly designed and the plot points/sequencing were perfect. Deliciously dark and intriguingly impressive, Maeve Fly will wow you and surprise you and delight you and leave you breathless but it is not for the faint of heart. I can't wait to see what this author does next!

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was a great homage to American Psycho with a twist. I loved the dynamic of the main character and her grandmother. I really enjoyed the premise and the way that Maeve was constructed set against this backdrop of princesses and theme parks. CJ Leede manifests such a twisted yet realistic version of ourselves we never want to see in the mirror, but always knows is lurking. A fantastic and shocking debut from a strong voice in horror. a solid 4.5 stars!

American Horror Story meets Colleen Hoover in C.J. Leede's debut Maeve Fly. Maeve, an LA transplant, is something of an oddball with interests including body horror, and sexual depravity. However, underneath the bizarro fiction façade of this story, there is a love story--albeit an unconventional one. Definitely pick up this unique book if you're looking for something disturbing, gritty, and darkly humorous. The audiobook, read by Sosie Bacon, is a great choice.

Part American Psycho, Part Dexter, Totally Gross. I loved every minute of it. The audiobook version is enthralling. I hung on to every word. Horror at its finest.