A compelling southern horror novel. Really interesting and well-done. Felt very atmospheric. Thank you to netgally and the publlishers for a copy of this arc.

When Devils Sing is a magically luscious and atmospheric mystery set in rural Georgia. I haven’t read many books set in the South (except recently, thank you James!!!), and I have to say that the ambience and setting were the shining star in this debut novel. You can feel the love that Kaur feels for her home bleeding through the pages. I felt like I was there, in the humidity, listening to the scream of the cicadas, and immersed in the coolness of the lake.

Another thing I loved was the folklore of the town. The lore of the devils were my favorite part, and each chapter they were in absolutely stole the show. With that said, I really wanted more of them and felt their story ended too abruptly.

For the most part, I liked the cast of ragtag mismatched teens that got together to solve the mystery disappearance of a fellow teen. Neera was definitely my favorite, and I enjoyed her perspectives on feeling like an outsider to her Punjabi culture and what that entailed. But at times, with the multiple POV’s the characters didn’t feel separate enough to warrant so many POV’s, and they started to blur together.

Overall, I was entertained. I love anything to do with the supernatural and occult, and thought this was perfectly creepy without being overly done. But a part of me was left wanting, and noticing a few things that were not wrapped up enough for my liking.

Thank you to Macmillan’s Children’s Publishing Group and Netgalley for giving me access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

A perfect southern horror read. I immediately fell into the story and I loved all the familiar tropes and feelings.

(3.5 stars rounded up)

I loved the premise and setting of this book, but feel like it needed a bit more fleshing out. The characters were interwoven in clever ways and had interesting backstories, but I did not find myself particularly attached to them by the end of the book. It was slow-going at first with quite a bit of exposition, but then wrapped up rather quickly at the end; I would have been interested to read more about how the major events at the end played out and what happened after, but maybe this leaves the door open for a sequel. Overall, I found the book engaging and know I would have really enjoyed it when I was still more in the young adult age range. This author has great potential and I'm interested to see what she does next!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book!

The Southern gothic atmosphere of this book was impeccable. If you loved series like The Raven Boys or tv like True Detective, this has that perfect blend of morally grey characters, culty-vibes, and that Southern-brand of horror. You follow four teens who are unlikely allies but are drawn together by the disappearance of a local teen. They're all sympathetic in their own ways, but also are given depth by the not-always-stellar choices they make. I appreciated the incorporation of commentary on class, wealth, Southern culture, and being part of an immigrant family. I do wish this was going to be a series, because I wanted to know a bit more about the characters and found the beginning a little bit slow, but once the action got going I could not put this down. Such a strong debut in my opinion. Can't wait to see what Xan Kaur does in the future!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy!

When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur has that perfect creepy Southern Gothic vibe—sticky heat, cicadas buzzing, and a town with way too many dark secrets. It follows four teens digging into a local boy’s disappearance, only to find out there’s some seriously old, messed-up evil lurking beneath the surface. The atmosphere is thick and eerie, and the writing pulls you right in. The characters are messy and real, which makes the whole thing hit harder. It’s dark, unsettling, and totally addictive—solid 4/5. Would’ve been a 5 if I didn’t have to sleep with the lights on after.

This story sets up an intriguing premise with its eerie Southern Gothic atmosphere, class tensions, and supernatural undertones. However, despite its potential, the execution seems to falter in a few key areas.

One major issue is the reliance on familiar tropes without fully developing them in a fresh or compelling way. The rich-vs-poor dynamic is well-worn in mystery and horror, but the novel doesn't seem to bring much nuance to it. Neera’s perspective, while sympathetic, sometimes leans into heavy-handed commentary rather than allowing the themes to emerge organically through the story.

The characters, though intriguing in concept, feel more like archetypes than fully realized individuals. Isaiah, the privileged podcaster, and Sam, the hitman’s daughter, seem like they should bring an interesting dynamic to the group, but their interactions often feel surface-level rather than deeply engaging. The relationships between the four teens could have been a strong emotional anchor, but instead, they sometimes feel like plot devices moving from one eerie discovery to the next.

The mystery itself starts strong, with the disappearance of Dawson and the unsettling ties to the town’s history, but the pacing becomes uneven. At times, the plot meanders, getting bogged down in exposition or atmospheric descriptions that don’t always contribute meaningfully to the tension. The supernatural elements, particularly the legend of the three devils, are intriguing but underdeveloped, leaving them feeling more like an aesthetic choice than a deeply integrated part of the narrative.

While the novel successfully builds a haunting setting and explores the sinister nature of wealth and power, it doesn’t quite stick the landing. The resolution lacks the impact that the buildup promises, leaving certain threads feeling unresolved or hastily wrapped up. Overall, while the story has moments of brilliance, it ultimately struggles with execution, making it a frustrating read for those looking for a truly immersive and satisfying mystery.

What a ride. This book is not perfect by any means, and I can't tell if it was written with a sequel in mind or not. It felt complete, but the epilogue didn't do enough to wrap up the story. Regardless, I enjoyed it.

When Devils Sing follows four young adults (all 18 or about to be 18) in the summer of the cicadas. It has an eerie feeling, and you know something is going on, but you don't know what. The pacing is a little off, because it takes a bit to get going, but once things get going they're pretty intense. It's hard to write about without getting into spoiler territory. Definitely succeeds in giving the southern gothic feel it was going for. I kept thinking it was inspired by the SC Murdochs (of murdery mystery fame), because this tale centers around a family that can avoid any trouble through the sheer power of money.

Minor spoilers ahead

There were quite a few relationships that felt important that weren't explored. Like Sam and her dad, or even Sam and her brother. The story begins because of her love for her brother, yet we literally never meet him, We never learn why Dawson and Sam were fighting. These are things I really want to know, because the story had me invested. Definitely room for improvement for a second book from Kaur, but I enjoyed it nonetheless!

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about a town in southern Georgia that is deeply divided between the haves and the have nots. It seems like any other sleepy town except every 13 years a brood of cicadas emerges and, with them, a host of other strange occurrences. Four teens are caught up in the middle of the strange occurrences of this town and must learn the truth of what really goes on in their town.

This book was phenomenal. I didn’t want to put it down. The story was paced so well. Nothing felt rushed and it felt like every word counted. The social commentary was imbedded so well throughout the story. The characters were well developed and the plot was extremely well thought out. I loved the supernatural elements as well as the very real evil we see in the world that created a pretty terrifying combo. If you are looking for quick, creepy, but thought provoking read, this is it.

This is a creepy and fun southern Gothic ya novel. I really enjoyed the characters and the writing, but the creepy southern setting is what really sold it for me.

A stunning horror debut. Kaur wove a multilayered story that balances tragedy and hope on a tight rope.

This book feels like an episode of Supernatural or True Blood—the kind where folklore isn’t just real, it’s knocking at your back door, waiting to be let in. When Devils Sing is a slow-burning, Southern Gothic tale about a town caught between three devils—a crow, a snake, and a cicada—and four friends(using that word loosely here) trying to survive with their souls in tact when one of them goes missing.

The atmosphere is thick with eerie, small-town mysticism, and Xan Kaur does an incredible job of making the supernatural feel like just another part of everyday life. The writing is lush and immersive, and the creeping dread builds beautifully throughout the book. If you’re into slow-burn horror that leans into folklore and vibes-heavy storytelling, you’ll eat this up.

That said, I’m not usually a slow-burn reader (my attention span just isn’t built for it), which is the only reason I’m giving it ⭐⭐⭐⭐ instead of five. But that’s a me thing, not a book thing!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Maximillian Children’s for the ARC!

The setting is incredible. I love a book set in the south. The pace was slow. Too many POVs for me. The ending was abrupt.

This was an enjoyable enough read, although I wouldn't necessarily classify it as horror. There were a couple gross scenes where people or animals are hurt (it's very graphic). It really leans more into personal relationships and the atmosphere of the town. It was well written and I enjoyed the story overall, but I was expecting a more "Needless Things" vibe.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing & Henry Holt & Co (BYR) for this eARC in exchange for my personal opinion and review!
When Devils Sing is a brilliantly written debut novel! If you need something gothic horror/mystery wise to add to your summer TBR- look no further.
This book takes you deep into rural Georgia on a humid sticky summer day, when the cicadas are screaming and the devil comes back every 13 years to collect his dues.
After an almost fatal car accident and a disappearance of a young man, four unlikely friends come together to unravel what is going on within a community that is very tight knit.. and for good reason.
WDS takes us on a wild journey, with twists and turns that had me shocked! The book is a little slow to start and it has a whole lot of tension buildup but there are four POVs and each story weaves an intricate story line to where they all interconnect. So I think where the slowness comes from, is simply trying to track four characters in first person. I absolutely loved these POVs though!
Over all, I enjoyed this book, reading it in just a few sittings. If you took Outerbanks and mixed it with Midsommer or Mexican Gothic, you would find yourself with When Devils Sing!

Watch triggers for animal cruelty - While there’s not a lot there are some scenes that may be triggering to some readers. (If you are an avid horror reader then you should be okay!)

They say
You meet the devil
At the crossroads
Down in Georgia
When there ain’t no options left

This is the tale of the “Three Brothers” repeated throughout the book, but obviously I started singing The Charlie Daniels Band “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” every time it came up.

An interesting debut from a new writer in the young adult, gothic horror genre, “When Devils Sing” centers around a small rural Georgia town where one side is populated by the affluent community of Lake Clearwater and the other houses the downtrodden people of Carrion. While Lake Clearwater’s residents are all wealthy and successful, Carrion folk are struggling to get by. There’s an old tale that the founder of the Lake Clearwater community, William Langley, made a deal with the devil at the crossroads of Carrion to become powerful - but that’s just a tale right?

“When Devils Sing” centers around the disappearance of Dawson Sumter at the beginning of the periodical cicada season - an event that takes place every 13 years and coincides with a massive Cicada Festival on the Lake Clearwater side. Four teens, each connected in some way to Dawson, are brought together to investigate his disappearance and other strange deaths that have occurred in Carrion.

Overall I found this book really enjoyable - while I did start to predict some of the plot twists, I still found the reveals to be enjoyable. I will say the first part of the book has a rather slow build up, while the second half seems like the main characters are rushing to fight against time, but I wasn’t as bothered by this as some other reviewers. There are a few disturbing scenes, including one upsetting moment involving an animal and a rather gross dining experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in return for an honest review. I look forward to seeing what this author does in the future!

4.5 stars - thank you netgalley for the arc! also, spoilers below!

i discovered xan on booktok; she was promoting her new book, when devils sing. the setting of this book is southwest georgia. i am from southeast georgia, and i haven't been home in some time. so this book, although set a couple hours west of my home, was close enough for me to connect.

i really enjoyed the characters in this book and the complex thoughts they had as they made their journey through what was going on.

the atmosphere of this book was dark, yet our characters still looked toward the light as much as was possible. there was also a lot of diversity, which is always appreciated nowadays. and honestly, it's very true how diverse the south is, however is not represented in the media that way. i promise the south is a beautiful place with incredible people... but no one ever really gets to see that. i'm glad this was brought up in our book.

i also enjoyed the prose in this book. it was super easy to read and very relatable. loved it!

some questions i still have

is jonah dead? is russ dead? i need to know who is dead.
is wiley dead?
where is reid and the rest of the people they saved?
did sam get to reconnect with neera even though they both didn't really know what to do with their feelings?


all in all, a good book for the shelves!

Such a fun ride! I really enjoyed reading this book from start to finish. I liked how everyone's story was intertwined and how it was told by different POV's. One of the kids' podcast covered and exposed the town's urban legend filled with murder, mistrust, and family probs down in Georgia. If you're looking for an entertaining, engaging quick read this is it! Read it in two days! Was not very scary for me, and there wasn't much gore for a horror sensitive person lol.

Thank you, Xan Kaur NetGalley, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you publishers for your hard work!

Wow... this book was so amazing! From start to finish, I had the hardest time putting this book down. Is this considered horror? Not to me, but it definitely had me wanting more and more after every page. There are supernatural elements, death, superstition, that sweet Alabama charm, and more. It truly makes you think about things like legends and music. Like, is any of it true, and does it mean anything. The characters are very much likable, and I definitely got attached to them. You can only hope good things for them and want to crush the absolute terrible people involved in the conspiracies in this book. I'm very much into conspiracies, and this was a great read as it revolves around one. The pacing was very decent, and I had no trouble losing interest throughout the book.

People go missing every thirteen years. Oddly enough, this is when the Cicada returns and there is a festival for it in this town. Is this just a coincidence, or is it something far more sinister? A group of unlikely friends come together and dig where they shouldn't uncover secrets and history that should have been left alone. What's to happen now that they know what's really going on at this festival?

I'm a sucker for a book like this. If I didn't have to sleep or take care of my sisters child, I would spend hours reading through this, devouring it a second time. This truly scratched an itch I've been having, and I think a lot of people are going to love it as much as I have.

An incredible mystery turned horror set in the Deep South. The characters have such depth and interesting stories that are slowly revealed to be interconnected in unexpected ways over the course of the book.

What happens when a group of teens are desperate to escape the home town they grew up in? Well chaos ensues and deep decades long secrets are revealed as they try to claw their way out of this hopeless place.

Filled with interesting and unique mythology and lore that is brought to life in a way that can’t be ignored or easily forgotten, both by the characters and the readers.