A sincere Thank You to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC.

Confession: “Evil in Me” is my first Brom book.

4.75 stars rounded up to 5

This is an 80’s rock n roll object possession story based on a fairly familiar premise with a fascinating ensemble of characters, from Ruby the FMC who is struggling her way through life and her BFF Tina, to the demons Beel and Vutto (my two favorite demons ever), to the villains, a cast of pretty awful and realistic bad guys. The punk rock, adept characterization, and flowing dialogue in this story is 5/5. Brom has created a believable and authentic world, very consistent with the 1980’s, which for me was extremely nostalgic and delightful.

I struggled a time or two in the first 2/3 of this book. The pacing felt off, or maybe as a reader I wasn’t being patient enough to immerse myself into the story. This story is best experience by letting go of all of life’s worries and sinking down in its rich milieu. But then, woooooo-weeweee!!! The last 1/3 of this book took me for quite a ride, thrusting me much more deeply and meaningfully into the characters’ worlds and struggles than I expected (surprisingly) and I loved it. The ending was fantastic. I may have, at one point, swatted away a tear, which isn’t the norm with horror books.

Brom crafts incredible worlds and diverse, believable characters. He’s evidently a gifted writer and ambitious with his plots and conclusions, tying everything together in the end for a satisfying read.

I felt myself vibing, singing along, and I don’t sing.

Evil In Me by Brom was somehow exactly what I thought it would be but managed to really impress me at the same time. It follows Ruby who is currently going court mandated community service and helping take care of an older man when his daughter isn’t home. While she is at his house one day, she discovers that all the creepy stuff he collects may actually have some deeper origins. Ruby ends up on quite the mission and meets a lot of interesting people along the way.

I think from the first few pages, the reader can kind of guess where this story is going to go but it still does some surprising things along the way. I loved Ruby’s character and enjoyed following her around. I loved the way things in the plot progressed. This book has a good amount of gore in it but also a lot of heart and some humor. I also really enjoyed a lot of the side characters, even the “bad” ones because that added extra depth to the story.

This book is really fast paced despite having really long chapters. I found myself flying through it, wanting to know what would happen. I think the big moment of conflict at the very end felt a little rushed. After all the build up, I wanted just a little more.

I think this is going to be a book a lot of people really enjoy. It has a familiar but still unique vibe. It reminded me of watching an older favorite movie and I had a great time.

I just finished "Evil in Me" by Brom, and I'm thoroughly impressed!

This dark and twisted fantasy captivated me from the start. I found myself rooting for the demons (Vutto especially), cheering for Ruby despite her terrible actions, and despising Dick with a passion.

The characters are incredibly well-developed, and I felt connected to almost every one of them. The book masterfully combines multiple perspectives and a compellingly villainous narrative.

This is the first book I've read from Brom, but it definitely won't be the last. I can't recommend it enough for fans of dark fantasy.

Ruby Tucker just wants to get out of town & make it in the Atlanta puck scene. When a fight with her best friend & bandmate makes that impossible, she takes a look at things around her again. She helps her neighbor reorganize his religious artifacts, an ancient evil ring clamps down on her finger. The only way to get it off and get rid of the blood-thirsty demon is to have hundreds of people chanting the spell to free her. Can she battle the evil the ring is a beacon for & get rid of the demon?

I loved it! It has a fun mix of Bill and Ted and Ghostbusters vibes, yet stands out with its own unique style.

I’m familiar with Brom's work, but this book pleasantly surprised me. It was more gory than I anticipated, and I loved every bit of it. From the very first chapter, I was shouting, "Oh, right in the eye!!"

The introduction of numerous characters could have been overwhelming, but it was handled smoothly and was easy to follow. Each character had a distinct personality that really shone through, and I ended up loving every one of them, including the villains, The Goddess, and even Richard. His character was a surprising and enjoyable addition to the story. The development of the main character was particularly satisfying, and I was thrilled to see her growth by the end of the book.

Brom killed it once again!!

Ruby Tucker has had a tough go at life since the death of her father. Her passion and journey to fame through rock and roll comes to a halt when she has a fallout with her best friend/bandmate.
As she attempts to repair her life, she finds a magical ring that suddenly clamps into her finger. Can she get millions of people to chant a spell with her to set her free, using the power of music?

I loved the different characters and how they merged so seamlessly in the story. Brom works magic in developing his characters and making you become invested in them. And the plot was full of action from the beginning to the end, packed with gore, evil, and demon possession.

Thank you Netgalley, Tor Nightfire, and Brom for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a review. I'm so thankful 🥹

Over the past year or so, I’ve become a pretty big fan of Brom’s works. They’re so immersive with complex characters and fantastic plots.

When I saw that Netgalley was looking for readers for the newest Brom book, I jumped on the opportunity and couldn’t wait to start reading.

The book opened with a strong, intriguing chapter, but I don’t know what happened after that because it fell flat for me. It has all the elements of a story I should love with demons, rock music, and 80’s vibes, but I had a hard time getting myself into the story.

I loved the main character, Ruby, but the rest of the characters I couldn’t understand. They made me mad more than anything, and I really struggled to get through this one.

It’s an interesting premise and story. Just not one of my favorite Brom books.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this opportunity.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley. It should be released on or around September 17th.

This was the first book I have read by Brom and was definitely not disappointed. Their writing is phenomenal and the story telling riveting.

We have a demon-possessed ring, a serial killer, a young woman with some mental health issues and a couple of demons thrown about. There is some violence but no real gore. The mental health issues are there along with some family dynamic issues.

Definitely recommend!!!!

this author really knows how to wirte a story. i was hooked from page one and counld'nt put it down. will read more of this author.

I’ve read three books by Brom going into this one and I was pleasantly surprised by how gorey the book was!!! I loved all the characters, especially the older gentleman that turned into a serial unaliver later in life because he is simply bored. 😂

So many layers to this storyline include:
Demonic possession
Graphic violence
Revenge
Rage
Serial killer
Bounty hunter
Friendship
Self empowerment
Mental illness
Abuse
Healing
Etc. (that’s when you can think of anymore but there’s definitely probably some more)

I really enjoyed the balance of humor and darkness. The story kept me interested, even if I sometimes found myself disconnected from Ruby or other characters. Sometimes the language came off a tiny bit corny, but that may just be due to the time frame in which the book is set.

Honestly incredible how Brom can create such rich worlds. Evil In Me felt nothing like Slewfoot, but both were fantastic reads.

I’ll admit from the start I am hit or miss with Brom. I loved Krampus, but I didn’t care for (seemingly) everyone’s favorite Slewfoot. So with that out of the way, take my review for what you will.

I was really looking forward to this one. I’m a sucker for a good cover, and this one is gorgeous. Sadly, the cover was the best part of the book for me. This one just didn’t grab me even though it hits the ground running. That is a welcome change from some of the other Brom books I’ve read, but it just didn’t hold my attention.

I didn’t feel a positive connection to the characters, and I found myself skimming in places. Ruby is downright insufferable in some parts. I did enjoy the nostalgia and the music references.

Overall I didn’t hate it, but it’s definitely not a favorite. I’m still giving it 4 stars, but generously rounded up. I’ll continue to pick up more of Brom’s future writings.

Evil In Me

Brom

Publication Date: September 27


Thanks to Netgalley, Tor Publishing, and Brom for this ARC eBook in exchange for my honest review. 

3.5 / 5
Or 
4 / 5 .... I'm still going back and forth. 
We'll go with 3.75 for now.


Ok, so ...

Full disclosure: I'm new (and late) to Brom's novels, so this was my first one. 

I went into this book totally blind. I saw the cover, and instantly wanted to know what was within. And I was so very pleasantly surprised.

Man, that was one hellishly knarly rollercoaster. And I loved every minute spent within the world of this book. (Well, from a safe distance, of course.). 

Ruby Tucker rocks. She was such an interesting character to follow and get to know.

She's a bad ass. 

All of the characters had very distinct personalities and quirks.

As a lifetime horror lover, this book was a blast to read. 

Fast paced, gory, and tense... There's a lot of rage in this book. 

And it's all so very well written. 

(There's an element that has a much more horrific Lord of the Rings vibe that I loved as well.)

Will be recommending! 

(I just got back from Barnes and Noble where I purchased three of Brom's other novels.... That's how much I loved his writing style, his characterization, the horror elements, the bloody, breathing heart at the center of everything ... 

I'm an instant fan.)

My summary, the things I didn't like, and full spoiler-free review will be posted to my socials on the publication date.

DNF. This one just didn't work for me. I'm a Slewfoot fan and I think I was expecting more of that style.

While I did like Ruby, the other characters didn't work for me and the plot was a bit clunky.

Others will likely love it.

3.5 stars
Evil in Me is set during the Satanic Panic of the 80s. Ruby Tucker, our protagonist, is an aspiring punk musician. When helping her neighbor organize his religious artifacts, she ends up getting possessed by a "demon" enslaved to an ancient ring. The only way to free herself is by getting hundreds of people to chant a spell.

The book was gory and fun. I loved Beel, the being who possesses Ruby. He is actually a very sympathetic character. Ruby, on the other hand, was insufferable for most of the story. She does eventually gain character development but not until the very end which ultimately felt unsatisfying. The story does start off very strong, however. You really care about Ruby in the first quarter of the book because of the way she is treated. The people in her life are so annoyingly self-righteous. Her stepfather, stepbrother, her ex-boyfriend, etc. everyone treated her like she was crazy or dangerous because she is mentally ill. The people in her small town had my blood boiling. The ending just felt sort of anti-climatic. Everything is resolved too conveniently. I wish there had been more growth in the characters and their relationships. The pacing is fast and yet it takes forever for the events in the synopsis to happen. Evil in Me had the potential to be really great. The premise is so interesting and unique but it fell short of my expectations.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Evil In Me is a unique possession story that somehow left me...smiling?
I am having a hard time describing this book because it made me feel such opposing emotions simultaneously.

It's haunting but also charismatic. It's gross but wildly entertaining. There are parts that make you feel icky, but there are also scenes that absolutely warm your heart. And despite the weird circumstances the characters find themselves in, it's incredibly relatable. I LOVED this book.

There is a whole bunch of gory, nasty, evil stuff (the main characters are trying to escape a demonic Lord who eats souls and turns them into worms that live in her belly as enslaved demons for eternity), but at its core, Evil in Me is an empowering tale of friendship and discovering yourself as an adult.

Evil in Me will be in my top 10 for the year.

The vibe reminded me a lot of Grady Hendrix's My Best Friend's Exorcism. And the main character, Ruby, made me think of Holly Gibney from Stephen King's Mr. Mercedes Trilogy, The Outsider, etc.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for an advanced copy!

Brom's books are really something. The illustrations are just amazing just as the story within is compelling. The characters were definitely interesting, and I still think of them weeks after reading this book. There were times at which it dragged and I wanted it to just finish but in the end it was worth it. To avoid giving spoilers, I will just say that the ending is just worth it. A really well written story that feels like exactly like crash-landing. I can see why this can become a big fan favourite!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for providing me with an e-ARC of this book!

Evil in Me is a story about a troubled young woman living in the South, who encounters a ring possessed by a demon which changes the trajectory of her life.

I....had a lot of issues with this book. I did not like how the Jewish characters were written and treated, as it felt very much like they were caricatures. I couldn't connect with the main character until the last 20 percent of the book. And I really felt like the premise of the book from the blurb didn't start to happen until that last 20 percent, which made it feel a bit bait and switchy. There was WAY too much Deus ex machina in the last half of the book, and the sudden flip of the protaganist from EVIL to sweet was MUCH too jarring to be believable. While a fast read, I just...couldn't find much to like beyond poor Vutto, who did not deserve what happened to him.

This was a fun quick read. There were a lot of POVs but they were easy to keep up with and the 80’s atmosphere was great. Cannot wait to see if finished with illustrations

Evil in Me by Brom
Evil in Me
by Brom (Goodreads Author)
15793786
Katie Holder's reviewJul 24, 2024 · edit
it was amazing

Slewfoot by Brom is my all-time favorite witchy book. When I saw NetGalley was offering an arc for Brom's newest horror novel Evil in Me, I jumped at the chance to be one of the first people to get my hands on his book. I can't wait until September 17th so I can get a physical copy of this book to check out the artwork that Brom always has in his novels to represent his story, and of course I need a trophy for my bookshelf. Look at the cover, it's going to look gorgeous sitting next to Slewfoot on my bookshelf (everyone imagines books on their bookshelf, right?).

The scene is set in the 1980's which I absolutely I loved. Ruby Tucker is stuck in a small town; backwoods hell hole and she can't wait to get out of Alabama. The family dynamics around Ruby are weird and toxic. She needs to finish up somethings so she can move on with her life. In the meantime, she is helping to care for an elderly man. Josh is her friend; she actually enjoys him and knows she'll miss him when she leaves. While helping him organize some old religious relics an ancient ring attaches itself to her, and all hell breaks loose...literally.

I was immediately drawn into this book, but then about halfway through I was like wait what happened we kind of lulled in the story, but the ending was absolutely dynamite!

The setting, the characters, and the plot were done exceptionally well. The dialogue was mostly wonderful except towards the middle it seemed forced.

I rate this book 4.75 stars rounded up to 5.

I recommend this book to anyone who's lived in the south in the 1980's, who lived through the punk era, or wished they had.

This was such a fun read thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.