Xan Kaur’s debut novel, When Devils Sing is a YA Southern Gothic novel that pays homage to the deep American South and the communities that are built on the blood, sweat and tears of those without privilege.

Kaur’s story harmonizes great prose with complex plotlines that create an unputdownable gothic experience for the reader.
When Devils Sing follows Neera, Sam, Isaiah and Reid, four teenagers from different backgrounds and walks of life, raised in the same community. When these four characters simultaneously start to see the cracks in the foundation of their community perpetuated by the disappearance of a mutual acquaintance they must work together to solve the mystery and maybe bring down the powers that be along with them.

Kaur’s novel is incredibly nuanced with much needed and appreciated Sikh and Punjabi representation, a heartfelt depiction of the failed American dream, glimpses of South Asian culture and patriarchy as well as sensitive handling of abuse and mental health.

I found myself lost in the pages of When Devils Sing with each character’s motivations keeping me engaged and the twists keeping me enthralled.

Thank you to @macmillianusa & Henry Holt for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review! This title is available now.

#WhenDevilsSing #XanKaur

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Children’s publishing group for this arc.

I am very impressed with Xan Kaur and the story she wrote. This was her debut novel!!! And it killed.

The characters, the storyline, the suspense were all amazing!

This was a 4.5/5 for me. I thought the beginning was a little slow but when it picked up…. I couldn’t put this book down wow

This book was a ride and I enjoyed trying to solve the ending! Definitely wish there was more at the end to get final conclusions and have questions answered but wow wow wow. A knockout book and I think everyone should read! Especially if you like horror and suspense.

**Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group\Henry Holt and Co. for this ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Posted to: NetGalley and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 11 June 2025

4.2 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.

(Okay I know I’m mildly late posting this, I’m so sorry. Life happens and then illness happens, sometimes all at once. Anyways, here is my belated review!)

Wow, okay, I have no idea where to start with this (and I mean that in a terribly good way!) This book hit all the right points for a good southern gothic read. I really loved the atmosphere of it, the story, and I especially loved the lore! Like wow, I’d read a book about Old Carrion and the devils any day, Xan Kaur!! Please, give me ten more of these!

I think having this book lined up after a previously failed ARC was great. It was a nice palate cleanser (except for the T*sla mention.. what’s up with those lately?? That makes 3 books this year! What happened to snobby boys and their rich dad’s Rolls Royce or smth??) It was an overall win for me otherwise though. I enjoyed the writing and the characters a lot, some more than others but all pretty high up on my list. I do think it leans a bit more on the slower-paced side of things early on though. It’s a slow build up that takes time to introduce and further connect the four main characters together. I genuinely love stories like this though, where the plot is building separately and then slowly gets threaded together. Like wow, I love love love how Kaur did this.
The ending wasn’t the same as the beginning though. It felt a little more rushed than the first half. Things were kinda solved a little too easily and the ending is an almost unfinished/unanswered sort of ending? It’s not bad, but it just didn’t have the same sort of slow detailed pacing as the beginning. We have all the parts already, so it just keeps rolling and rolling without really slowing down enough to show how we’re steadily getting to a resolution.

That has to be one of my only complaints, really. Otherwise, I loved this story about a town’s deal with the devil. I loved the lore about the devils too, and how they interact with the characters. It was moody and atmospheric in all the best of ways. Usually, it gets hard to separate characters from each other especially when there’s so many moving pieces, but I think Kaur did an exceptional job with juggling everybody and their pasts and families. There were distinct enough voices for the main crew that made them engaging, and I feel like they truly followed through with how they would’ve reacted (as in their actions did feel connected to what I’d imagine the characters reacting if that makes any sense?) I’d even say that the more minor/background characters also had distinct voices enough too, so they didn’t really blend into each other too much. Even the devils were different, which was an aspect I really loved. They had bits of lore to unravel too, pawns to the story in of themselves which added another element to the book.

Without saying much more that might spoil the plot, the book was amazing. I think the last YA horror novel that had me so entranced like this was an Erin Craig read, so truly I cannot wait to see more from Xan Kaur! If this is only a debut, I can’t even begin to imagine just where her later works will go! If I had the time, I really could’ve just binged this. I wanted to, really! As the pieces start to connect, it’s hard to put it down because you can’t help but want to see what more will be revealed! Despite the weaker ending/events leading to the ending, I still highly recommend this if only for the fact that it’s a good southern gothic!

CONTENT WARNINGS:
Car accident, blood, injury, physically abusive parental figures (abuse on page with not-overly-detailed scenes and lots of allusions to abuse), alcohol, alcoholism, mentions of violence due to inebriation (no on-page details, alluded to), death, fire injury, boiling water injury, murder mention, gore, animal cruelty, animal death, suicide mention (on-page discussion/character’s thoughts of it with minimal details), confinement, kidnapping, drugging

Amazing read! I couldn't put it down! The characters had such cool and interesting backstories it really kept the plot going.

" In Carrion, they have a saying the Devil can be seen coming a mile away."

When Devil's Sing is a southern Gothic mystery told from several POVs. Every thirteen years the small community has several mysterious deaths when the cicadas come out.

The plot moves very fast from the get go. I was worried at first with having so many view shifts but the author handled it so well. There was no confusion on what was happening or anything. I needed to know what was going to happen. I was totally immersed in the story. This is a story of the divide between the rich and poor and what one will do to survive.

I loved the mystery, the setting, and the characters. I'm glad that I saw the author's Tiktok about the book.

Thank you to Net Galley, Xan Kaur, and Macmillan children's Publishing for a eARC for When Devil's Sing.

Really creepy and atmospheric. As someone who lives in Georgia - this is a perfect encapsulation of the small towns that reside here. Characters are fleshed out and you really feel connected as the story goes on.

When Devils Sing is Southern Gothic horror soaked in cicadas, queer rage, and something ancient lurking in the woods.

Every 13 years, the cicadas scream—and so does something way worse. Xan Kaur’s debut delivers vibes so strong you can smell the mildew. It’s got folklore, class warfare, generational trauma, creepy motels, creepy woods, and—most terrifying of all—teen feelings.

The found-family cast is a mess (in the best way), and the horror is more “existential dread crawling up your spine” than “jump scare with a knife.” You’ll be emotionally gutted and mildly afraid to pee at night.

Why not five stars? The middle drags a bit, the lore gets tangled, and some spooky threads just... float off. Like ghostly loose ends. Still, who needs a tidy ending when you’ve got rot, rage, and cosmic dread?

Also, the deluxe edition? STUNNING. This book looks like it could hex your bookshelf in the best way.

Final verdict: 4 stars. Weird, angry, haunting, and queer as hell. Don't read it in the woods. Or during cicada season.

I really loved this book! As intended, this book felt like a love letter to the Deep South. This was a Southern gothic mystery with supernatural elements and a vast array of characters with different backgrounds converging. The characters were great, I loved the setting, and the magical elements felt right at home with the world built.

I thought the writing was decent and the setting cool, though I feel the pacing might have benfitted from fewer POV's. The animal cruelty was a huge turn off for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an atmospheric YA southern mystery with some horror elements that keep you guessing what will happen next. I really enjoyed the premise of the book and was excited to know what will happen next. I was very intrigued in the beginning but as I continued the book I was dragging to read it and had to DNF at 50%.

I feel the book had a geat message against prejudice ion the small town but I couldn't stop myself from feeling something was missing.

As a debut book I think the author did a great job setting the story and will be on her radar for any future books.

five stars and no notes about it.

The characters allowed this novel to feel so vast. And this was like a true gothic thriller. there wasn't something happening after every chapter to make us anxious, but i was on the edge of my seat waiting for the ball to drop on a LOT of different areas. The characters all felt complete and I didn't dislike any of them at all. Their decisions weren't any that I would have made, but I completely understand why they made them after reading the entire book. Like, I wish there was a part two coming that would tell us more about what happened after the book ends because i was READY for the podcast. I also adore the author so much (mutuals on tiktok) and this book is my new personality.

This was an interesting read and I enjoyed how the characters and plot lines were woven together. I do think that the pacing was off, it was very slow and then all of the action at the end felt very rushed.

I first heard about When Devils Sing months ago when I saw Xan Kaur posting about it on TikTok. The way she made it sound so intriguing, I immediately ran to NetGalley and requested it. So thankful to both NetGalley and the publisher, MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group, for allowing me to read this title early. Kaur does a beautiful job of building a setting that is both haunting and dark while telling the story of a small town that is full of so many secrets. The story is very intriguing but builds very slowly so if you are specifically looking for an action-packed story with tons of twists and turns, this might not be for you. Kaur absolutely wanted readers to take notice of the characters and settings as a commentary and see them in a more nuanced way that brought the storytelling to the forefront. Definitely a 4⭐️ read so be sure to pick it up!

When Devils Sing is a southern gothic story that is dark, deliberate, and richly layered, full of haunting imagery and emotional complexity. I was immediately struck by the elegance of the prose; every sentence feels meticulously crafted, steeped in atmosphere and meaning.

What this book does exceptionally well is mood. The setting is dense and immersive, evoking a palpable sense of dread and unease. The narrative unfolds slowly, and while that pacing might not work for every reader, I personally found it effective in building tension. You’re never quite sure what’s real, what’s imagined, or what horrors are waiting just beneath the surface, and that ambiguity is one of the book’s greatest strengths.

The characters are complex, morally gray, and realistically flawed. I appreciated that there were no clear heroes or villains. Everyone is struggling with something beneath the surface, and the supernatural seems to feed off these internal wounds. The relationships between characters are tangled and often fraught, adding emotional stakes to the eerie, slow-building plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The ending was good and I felt like the book overall was really good (especially for a debut novel). I feel like it still needed something, but I can’t quite put my finger on what that would be.

this was such a great southern gothic horror read and I absolutely loved it! it was a little hard to keep up with the 4 different POVs at times. I also wish we could have gotten more back story on Neera’s uncle Ajay since he was discussed SO MUCH.

All in all - great book!

Published by Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and available May 27, 2025, When Devils Sing was super exciting. A Southern Gothic novel about Faustian bargains, local folklore, and true crime podcasting? This is literally everything I love. I was a bit worried because the last demon themed ARC I read was not very good (Below the Grand Hotel) but this was fantastic. A local teen goes missing and four other teens begin investigating. I'm trying to avoid spoilers since it's definitely worth reading, but I can say that the disappearance has to do with the local legend of three devils-- a legend that's integrated into the story very well and actually feels real to the reader. It's nice to see a young adult Southern Gothic horror novel, especially one with a diverse cast and an interesting twist on Faustian bargains and the creepiness inherent in local legend. My one wish is that the book would address how the folklore of the three devils and the cicadas would be affected by traditional Southern Christianity, though I suppose it isn't that important for a YA novel. It's still an amazing book and I'm really impressed and will be recommending it to fans of horror and Southern regional literature.

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
Creepy, atmospheric, and soaked in Southern Gothic dread—When Devils Sing is a chilling, blood-streaked coming-of-age horror that lingers like a scream in the trees.

Xan Kaur’s debut delivers a haunting blend of folklore, class tension, and queer teen rage in a town where every thirteen years the cicadas rise—and so does something ancient and terrifying. With a deluxe edition that’s as stunning as the story is unsettling (those stenciled edges and foil case!), this book is an absolute must-have for horror fans who love their scares with substance.

🕷️ Why it deserves 4 stars:
The atmosphere is immaculate. From the debt-ridden motel to the eerie woods of Carrion, Kaur crafts a setting so vivid you can hear the cicadas and feel the rot under your feet.

The found family dynamic hits hard. Neera, Isaiah, Reid, and Sam are each flawed, hurting, and deeply compelling. Their chemistry—and their individual pain—grounds the horror in something fiercely human.

Deep themes with sharp teeth. Poverty, privilege, generational trauma, identity, and small-town corruption are explored with both nuance and fury. The horror feels earned, not gratuitous.

Urban legend meets cosmic dread. The mythology of the three devils is both folkloric and Lovecraftian, unsettling in ways that creep rather than jump.

🌕 Why it's not quite a perfect five:
The pacing falters briefly. The middle section slows under the weight of exposition, and the lore—while rich—occasionally overcomplicates the plot.

Some threads stay hazy. Not every mystery pays off clearly, which may frustrate readers looking for a tight resolution over open-ended horror.

🩸 Final thoughts:
When Devils Sing is She Is a Haunting meets True Detective with a dash of Stranger Things folk terror—and it’s doing its own thing, too. It’s queer, sharp, angry, and deeply Southern in the best, darkest ways.

Four stars. A stunning debut and a bold voice in horror. You’ll want to keep the lights on… and maybe avoid the woods for a while.

A southern gothic about a missing boy, a small town with dark secrets, and four teens who are right at the center of it. This was a really atmospheric gothic read and while it was really slow it had a really well done atmosphere and vibe to it. I do think it's an enjoyable gothic read for YA readers but it was just too slow for me personally. I do adore gothic books but I kind of wish it had a faster pace. The book has a fairly slow burn and pace and everything finally picks up at the end in a fun kind of horror/gothic twist but it's a slow read until that point.

Release Date: May 27, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

this book was so good omg I felt I could
picture everything that was happening in my head like a movie and I loved all of the characters!!