Member Reviews

Sometimes, a book is so good I cannon contain my thoughts in a short, organised review. And some other times, a book is so good I am at loss for words. Don't know which case it is now, but one thing is sure: this book was incredible.

Andrew Joseph White's writing is spectacular. In every single one of his novels (and now I can say it: I read them all!), he manages to convey beautiful, heart shattering elements, while writing gory, shocking things that leave their marks. There is no explaining how much I love this writer, for his oh-so particular style, but also the life he infuses in his characters, the realness of it all. I can say with certitude that Hell Followed with us is a novel that should be studied (love the discussions points at the end of the book, brilliant add-on), for its story structure, its writing but above all for its story.

The thing I enjoy the most about this author's story is the way he manages to surprise me at every turn. The structure of his stories is always pretty simple and straight forward, but its content is unbelievably clever and doesn't fail to strike true - every single time. Hell Followed with Us is one of these novels you won't be able to put down, by curiosity, obsession, or simply because it is THIS good. When I reached the end, I felt so empty from leaving these amazing characters (Nick has my heart), but also so... Content, to have finished this story and be able to reflect on it.

The characters left their marks. Deep in my mind. When I wasn't reading, I was thinking about Benji and his horrific fate, about his tenacity and diligence in the face of everything. He is the embodiment of trauma and healing at the same time, and his story truly is an hyperbole of experiences a lot of trans people go through. I think the author did an amazing job writing such a tragic character (because, let's face the truth: Benji is having a crap time in this book) that we do not pity, but support. He might be the strongest, bravest, most no-bullshit character I've read.
Besides Benji, the rest of the characters is equally amazing. From the ALC leader Nick, an autistic late-teenager who goes through his daily life masking and trying to keep it together, to the rest of the group (all queer, all amazing) who welcome Benji like family and made for some of the most touching situations I've read in a horror post-apocalyptic book.

If you don't read this book for the post-apocalyptic vibes, for the gory and horrific details, for the characters or for the hint of romance, then please do so for it's incredible background. The discussion on religion is nuanced, extremely well made (respectful while making a point - extremism can very well destroy the planet) and really sets the tone for the book. You can be religious while not agreeing with things from your religion, you can realise you're atheist after being raised in Faith, you can experience religion differently than others do. Tuning it down, I found a lot of similarities between Benji's experience and mine and it felt refreshing to read of a characters who exposes the wrong doings of extremism in religion, while embracing the fact that it is far from being the only way to have Faith. Brilliant.

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Thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publisher (Daphne Press) for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. #HellFollowedWithUs #NetGalley

This was a very curious book, full of rage, teen drama, questions about faith and identity, but on top of all this, it is absolutely horror. It's been a while since I read a book this disgusting, full of gore, my stomach turned up all the time, but this all works great together! I don't often read horror, nor I am a big fan, however this book was exceptional, it kept the pressure on all the way and although it is a story it will stay with me, I don't think I would reread it. But don't let this deter you, if you are a horror fan, or you like Neon Genesis Evangelion, I wholeheartedly recommend this book!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne Press for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75⭐️

I have no idea how to write a review for this book because it was absolutely wild. Whatever you go into this book thinking it will be, I can guarantee that is not the case. This book is truly unlike anything I've ever read, it's wacky and wild and I mean that as a compliment. This was my first foray into horror, and I'm not too sure how I feel about the genre. I will definitely be returning to read more of Andrew Joseph White's books, but I don't think I'll be exploring the genre much beyond that.

This book reads like a fever dream. It's dark and gritty and incredibly gory (please bear this in mind and approach this book with caution). It was a lot more serious than I was expecting, approaching topics such as religion, religious extremism, cults, genocide, alongside LGBTQ+ issues with such nuance and maturity. This book definitely falls into the upper side of YA literature, and borders on adult I think. I have great respect for the author in how he approached these heavy topics with such respect, and interwove them into this absolutely mad and complex story that was certainly hooking for beginning to end.

I do want to take a moment to discuss the representation in this book. Whilst it's obvious to me that the LGBTQ+ rep is incredibly well done, diverse, and intersectional, and Benji's story of self-discovery/acceptance (alongside becoming a biblically accurate angel, trust me when I say this book is wild), I want to focus on the autism rep, specifically Nick. I am autistic, and I find it so hard to find books that represent me in a positive light, or don't take the approach of trying to 'fix' the autistic character, but Nick was everything I wanted. I felt very seen in his character, and found it so heart-warming to see meltdowns and shutdowns and stimming and going non-verbal (among other aspects) depicted so accurately. The author did not shy away from Nick's autism, did not portray him as someone who needed to be fixed, and instead allowed him to be his true self (even when Nick perhaps didn't want to). It meant a lot for me to see an autistic character so wonderfully depicted, and this has made me excited to read more of Andrew Joseph White's work in the future.

For me, I did find much of this book too confusing. I felt that lots of the worldbuilding - particularly surrounding the Flood, Seraph, the dream-like world that Benji (and other characters??) enter some times - was too under-developed/explained. I spent too much of this book utterly confused and lost with what was happening, particularly in the second half, which unfortunately hindered my enjoyment. Even having finished the book now and looking back, I still do not understand any of it.

Overall, if you asked me to sum up this book, I would find it impossible. This book is a wild, yet dark, ride that I didn't entirely understand, but I had a lot of (albeit confused) fun whilst reading this and would recommend checking it out! Please make sure you know what you're getting into with the content warnings though!!

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Thank you Daphne Press and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hell Followed With Us is a brilliant example of how how LGBTQ MC's can be found in varying genres. This is book is a horror dystopia where religious extremests have taken over to cleanse the earth. This includes turning people into monsters to do their bidding.

I felt really invested in the main character Benji (gay trans masc escaping the religious zealots) and his found family in the ALC gang. His relationship with Nick was well developed, however, I found the side characters a little bland.

As I'd already read The Spirit Bares it's Teeth I was prepared for the level of gore (not my usual thing) so I was able to concentrate more on the storyline.

Overall, it's a pretty solid yes from me.

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Thank you Daphne Press and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After reading and loving The Spirit Bares Its Teeth last year, I knew I HAD to read this book. It was one of my most anticipated reads for this month.

This is such a unique book! It has so many different elements from different genre’s mixed into it and it makes for a really compelling read.

I’m not gonna lie, I expected it to lean more into horror than it did based on what I’d heard, but maybe this is just me once again not being easily scared or horrified? 😅

I loved our main character, Benji. He was so interesting and multi-layered and I was really rooting for him the whole time. For obvious reasons. But I didn’t feel an emotional connection with him, or with any of the characters, if I’m being honest. I felt a slight tug at the found family aspect but that’s about it. I wanted to feel more, to care more.

I was hooked on the plot, but not on the characters, in the end. Still a great read and I do recommend it, especially for fans of body horror.

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This is a very angry book. It's also a very good book. It wouldn't be quite right to say I enjoyed it, considering the subject matter, but it was gripping and well-written.

I'm really looking forward to reading this author's third book (and since I was lucky enough to get approved for an arc of it I won't have to wait long to read it, I just need something lighter as a palate cleanser).

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This was a great read! I enjoyed this so much that I purchased the Waterstones special edition. I really enjoyed the characters and the horror elements were really vivid! The world felt very real even with the more fantastical elements and I found I became invested in the relationships and how the problems were going to be solved throughout the plot! I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys dystopian horror with sci fi mixed in. I would also recommend this to anyone who is maybe new to any of these genres as it's a plot that will have you gripped and its a good way to dabble in the horror and sci fi genres.

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Thank you to Daphne Press and NetGalley for my digital review copy.

This scratched an itch I didn't know I had. It was cathartic and full of rage and it's definitely going to sit with me for a while.

It's a fast paced, dystopian apocalyptic story following Benji as he escapes from the fundamentalist cult that raised him.

This was gloriously graphic and full of some disturbing body horror and the right amount of cathartic rage. Each and every member of ALC was so vivid that I wish I could interact with them.

This is a book I can always see myself recommending if anyone wants horror.

It deals with a lot of heavy content, ranging from gore, suicide, to abuse, so please do check them before you read.

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A powerful, visceral scream of defiance, this body-horror is written with savage beauty. The religious cult that Benji was raised in has brought on the Flood: a plague that warps the bodies of its victims where it does not kill, and the biggest plans of all are for Benji…

His new friends at the LGBTQ+ centre can never know where he escaped from. But will Benji’s ongoing transformation doom or save them?

The author’s exploration of identity and dysphoria and rage and control is skilfully done and the character work is excellent. This is a trans story of hope amidst horror. A debut to watch.

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First up, you need some content warnings before reading this book: transphobia, homophobia, death, body gore, Emetophobia, violence. There are a lot of depictions of fluid and damage to human bodies so if you're squeamish, it might not be the book for you.

This book is a lot. It made me feel uncomfortable, made me cry, made me angry but also made me hope. I found some parts of it difficult to get through for different reasons. Some sections were so graphic that they really made me feel a bit sick. Others seemed to drag a lot and take me out of the action. I ultimately stuck with it because I wanted Benji to get to live his life and had to follow his story through to the end.

I did want more motivation from Benji as I felt like there wasn't much beyond 'he wanted to escape because he's trans and now he wants some sort revenge but he also doesn't because he wants to be good'. I wanted to find out more about him other than just how he felt about Theo, Nick and religion. I also wanted more chapters from other people as they tended to keep the pace up.

I'm struggling with exactly how to rate this book. I want to rate it 4 stars as the representation was mostly great. However, I think the pacing lets it down a bit. I think ultimately it is a 3.5 star book.

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Hell Followed With Us is unapologetically gory, rageful queer horror that made me sit up and pay attention. This may be my first book from Andrew Joseph White, but it certainly will not be my last.

Benji come into my life and stole my heart instantly. He is deeply fractured and flawed, the product of a deeply broken and hateful society that forces monstrosity upon him under the guise of blessing. The religious fanaticism on display here is sickening, especially with that false morality of being righteousness. Your heart breaks for Benji over and over again. That is what makes the bloody hellscape the book delves into at times so precisely cathartic and emotional. The stakes have been so well crafted that you are invested in this and you feel that rage consume you as it does Benji. This is not a book that will shy away from that – it is visceral and messy and deeply human.

Also, it is not a book that backs down in terms of gore. It is wonderfully wicked and wrathful body horror that delves into the apocalyptic days of disaster. Horror should challenge and provoke a reader and White’s anger is incredibly timely. A lot of the messaging in the book is not too far removed from messages seen in wider media and society at the moment – twisted through a dystopian lens of apocalypse and monstrosity beyond our imagination. That fury seeps into your skin while reading. There is also a throughline about not letting it fully consume you though – finding your own balance and peace without forgiveness. I’m glad we strayed from some of the typical ‘being the better person’ themes – marginalised people of all communities deserve to feel their anger and have it be recognised, rather than diminished.

Hell Followed With Us explores queer anger, particularly at a system determined to destroy and deny us. It pulsates with fury and delves deep into the darkness and bloodshed. In short, it is magnificent in its malice.

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"Prepare to Die. His kingdom is near." is a whirlwind of apocalyptic chaos that left me more confused than captivated. Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji escapes a cult that triggered the end of the world, only to discover he's been infected with a bioweapon turning him into a potential monster. Rescued by a group of teens from the Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, led by the enigmatic and secretive Nick, Benji must navigate his new reality while grappling with his transformation.

The book tackles themes of identity, belonging, and survival but often feels overwhelming and convoluted. It might resonate deeply with some readers, but for me, it was a challenging and bewildering read that left more questions than answers. Maybe it's neurodiverseness but something went over my head here.

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I'm not into gore, horror really isn't my thing, and dystopian stories leave me depressed, BUT this book is incredibly gripping and I couldn't put it down!

Benji is a gay trans teen who was raised in a religious cult that brought about the end of the world. Not only that, but he's been infected with the Seraph virus - a strain of the Flood that will eventually transform him into a creature that will cull the rest of humanity. After escaping and linking up with ALC (Acheson LGBTQ+ Centre), he decides to turn his weaponised body against those who abused and denied him...

The atmosphere in this book is super grim, brutal, and deadly. There is a huge amount of death and body horror, and yet it sometimes gives way to moments of childish jokes and friendship which creates a heartbreaking juxtaposition that lingers with you. I really was hooked, and found myself hoping against all hope that everything would be okay for these teenagers.

There are some things that didn't feel fully developed or had me wondering (like what is the Flood exactly, and how did they make it?), and the ending did feel abrupt and ambiguous. I wish there was just a little more of a resolution, but I guess that makes the situation more realistic.

In the end, I was impressed once again by Andrew Joseph White's worldbuilding, exploration of the self, and unique plot. Hell Followed With Us tackles questions of religion, family, dysmorphia, violence, abusive relationships, and more, and it does so with an honesty that bleeds through each page.

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Thank you so much for the ARC. I was really looking forward to this one and had it on my tbr for a while. The concept itself sounded amazing but unfortunately the book fell flat for me. It didn’t grip me and about halfway through I struggled to keep going. The story dragged at times although I did appreciate the multi POV at times to understand the situations fully. perhaps I just wasn’t the right audience.

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This book was an absolute page turner for me! I love reading queer stories and seeing parts of myself and my friends, especially in less used genres like YA horror.

I'm not usually a fan of big casts but I loved all the side characters here, and I especially loved seeing real life queer dynamics reflected in the ALC. There were moments that felt very true to life with how little subgroups form and interact in the larger LGBTQ+ community.

Hell has some vivid body horror and I loved how Benji's transformation tied to his treatment in the church: the things you survive might make you a monster, but you are still you.

I'm very new to the horror genre but if I find more books in the vein of Hell Followed With Us, how could I not become a horror fan?

Thank you Daphne Press for the ARC!

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Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White: A Riveting Dystopian Journey

In "Hell Followed with Us," Andrew Joseph White crafts a harrowing yet captivating tale set in a dystopian future. The novel centers on Benji, a trans teen on the run from a fanatical cult that has unleashed a deadly plague upon the world. The story's backdrop is a world in chaos, filled with monstrous transformations and a society on the brink of collapse.

White's writing is visceral and intense, drawing readers into a world where survival is a constant struggle and trust is a rare commodity. Benji's journey is both physically and emotionally grueling, as he navigates the treacherous landscape while grappling with his own identity and the remnants of his humanity.

The novel excels in its character development, particularly in its portrayal of Benji. His resilience and determination to reclaim his sense of self amidst the turmoil are both inspiring and heartbreaking. The supporting cast, including a group of resistance fighters who become Benji's unlikely allies, adds depth and complexity to the narrative.

White's depiction of a dystopian world is both imaginative and terrifying, with vivid descriptions of the plague's effects and the cult's fanatical zealotry. The novel's pacing is relentless, keeping readers on edge as Benji's fate hangs in the balance.

"Hell Followed with Us" is a thought-provoking exploration of identity, survival, and the human spirit's resilience. Andrew Joseph White has delivered a powerful debut that will resonate with readers long after the final page is turned. It's a must-read for fans of dystopian fiction and anyone seeking a gripping, emotionally charged story.

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First, the premise of this book is amazing — a trans boy flees a religious cult and seeks refuge with a group of LGBTQ+ teens in the midst of the apocalypse. And I’m happy to report it lived up to my expectations.

I really appreciate the growing number of YA authors who don’t talk down to their audience. This is queer horror, not watered down for teens. I’d already read The Spirit Bares Its Teeth which is probably even more horrifying than this so I wasn’t overly surprised at this but it was pleasing all the same. In the same way, the book has a cast full of LGBTQ+ characters who feel organic and realistic. I really appreciate getting multiple different trans characters in a book and having neopronouns being used. Hal Schrieve is another YA author who does this really well.

What’s strongest in this book is the rage. This book pulses with anger and trauma. I just read Chuck Tingle’s Camp Damascus which has similar themes of horror-as-religious-homophobic-trauma, but I think this was much more successful in its execution. Yes, it’s all a metaphor, that’s the point. Being a trans teenager is a special kind of horror; I’m glad there are books like this about it.

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A Unique premise that had alot of potential. However, the execution was not the best. I felt it lacked structure in parts that made the story feel disjointed and a bit lacklustre. The representation of the characters is amazing and the dynamics between them was interesting. I would recommend this despite not loving it in its entirety myself.

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Such a vivid story! Absolutely added to my favourite LGBQTAI+ horror stories well worth the pick up.

Each character has their own fully fleshed personality and no one seems like a tacked on diversity choice, we need so many more stories like these. It truly reaffirms my love for horror and the great representation it gives

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If you like horror and queer stories. This book. Body horror, gore, queerness, survival in the face of extremism and found family. And all the queer rage you could ever hope to see. This phenomenal book will make queer folk feel angry and empowered in the best way possible.

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