Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Xan Kaur for the advance listening copy of When Devils Sing. All opinions are my own.

⭐⭐.5

When Devils Sing takes place in the heat of summer in rural Georgia. We follow 4 perspectives as 4 teens are affected by the disappearance of Dawson Sumter and the subsequent mysterious goings-on that come with the reappearance of cicadas every 13 years.

One thing I will say about this book is that the writing is atmospheric, and I think the writing is one of the things that kept me going. Otherwise, I struggled with this story. I hesitate to even label it horror. There were a few scenes, but overall, it just felt like a surface-level mystery. And when it came to the Devils, I expected so much more. They didn't feel menacing or like the tricksters we typically know Devils to be in literature. I feel like if a perspective or 2 had been cut, we could have really dived into the lore of the Devils and how they truly affect the community. I just wanted more from this story. I feel like things wrapped up too simply and without as many consequences as there should have been.

The audiobook narrators of When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur were fantastic. The pacing was slow. I liked the cult stuff. I loved the horror of the cicadas but wanted more and felt that part of the story should have been extended. Rating 3.5 stars. ALC was provided by Macmillan Audio via NetGalley. I received an audiobook listening copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank You Macmillian Audio and Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a perfect gothic southern horror novel that showed the horrors of the rich. I loved the dual POV, the podcast that was woven throughout, and the characters. I really loved that it was clear the author is from the south, and appreciates parts of southern culture while acknowledging the bad aspects of it. Often, I find they make the southern characters stupid, and I hate that, but these kids were smart and clever. I am happy with how it ended, even though it often feels like the justice wasn't really fair.

I will be snagging as shelf trophy of this.

Xan Kaur's smashing debut, WHEN DEVILS SING, is a standout and brilliantly executed! This Southern Gothic horror suspense literary thriller will grab you from page one to the ending set in this chilling Georgia town, where the mystery at its core is far more sinister than these teens could ever imagine!

About...

Set in rural Carrion, GA, a Southwestern Georgia town in the Deep South, featuring the haves and the have-nots. Two divided communities. The poor, impoverished Carrion, where strange deaths and disappearances have haunted residents for generations, and the affluent Lakeside, where the rich keep getting richer and live longer.

The story unfolds after a chilling episode of the Secrets of the South podcast, introducing these two communities and their mysterious deaths and disappearances. The identity of the podcaster is shrouded in secrecy as he delves into the disappearance of Dawson, a local teen, setting the stage for a gripping mystery.

Meet the teens:

SAM: The daughter of Wiley Calhoun (abusive)—right-hand to the powerful Langley family. She is 18 and kicked out of her home, then mixed up in a hit-and-run tragedy with her little brother, who flatlines. There is no hope. Bad luck or something more sinister? Stepping outside of the hospital to take a breather, she meets Jack and makes a deal with the devil to save him.

NEERA: The granddaughter of Punjabi immigrants who are struggling to keep a rundown motel afloat. Her mom is unstable, but it's clear that she plans for Neera to attend college and not end up like her. Neera wants to be a musician, like her uncle Ajay (deceased), and she works at the motel cleaning rooms while holding a second job at the local tavern, where her mom works as a bartender. She overhears someone threatening her grandparents, then a fire breaks out, and she wants to find out what's going on. Additionally, while cleaning Room #4, a significant amount of blood was found.

ISAIAH: The son of a prominent judge and one of the few successful Black men in town. He wants his son to attend Harvard Law School to take over the family business. But you will find Isaiah at his grandparents' farm most of the time, which he loves, and secretly producing his true-crime podcast.

REID: Reid's father runs the town, powerful and wealthy. He has high expectations of his family. They must do as they are told, with high expectations, and ensure the messiness of the family disappears. But Reid has a conscience, and his dad does not. Currently, he is worried about his missing friend Dawson.

These four teens would love nothing more than to escape their environment, whether rich or poor, but first, they must band together to solve the mystery of their friend's disappearance, the fate of all the missing people, and the strange deaths of the past.

Every thirteen years, the cicadas surface, and every thirteen years, people go missing. And now it's happening again. The cicadas are back, and a teen boy named Dawson has disappeared. The closer the teens get to the truth, the more dangerous it becomes.

What is happening?

My thoughts...

WHEN DEVIL SINGS is evil, atmospheric, Gothic, chilling, lyrical, and suspenseful. From the serpents, crows, and cicadas shrieking their deafening screams, with their figurative meanings as treacherous and deceitful as the characters themselves, with mythology and folklore associated with evil, class, and sinister acts.

Kaur's evocative prose and the characters come to life against the backdrop of a town steeped in tradition and haunted by its past.

A bewitchingly foreboding story of sacrifice, privilege, racism, class, family, guilt, and the vengeful ghosts of a haunted past and present. The tale masterfully interweaves mystery and psychological tension, with darkness lurking at every page turn.

The author brilliantly explores the darker aspects of Southern culture, including violence, racism, classism, poverty, and social decay, as well as the complexities of Southern family dynamics and legacies of trauma, abuse, and violence.

With the use of podcasting and social commentary, the Southern Gothic genre often critiques Southern society, highlighting issues of poverty, injustice, and the enduring impact of the past. The author cleverly describes these contrasts vividly with lyrical prose. Incorporating
supernatural elements, adding to the eerie and unsettling atmosphere.

Genre-crossing from the Deep South, Southern Gothic, horror, thriller, YA, thriller, suspense, and literary, the characters are morally ambiguous, blurring the lines between good and evil while exploring the complexities of human nature.

I typically don't read a lot of horror or YA; however, I enjoy Southern fiction and books set in the South, particularly those set in Georgia. I lived in Atlanta for many years and had a client in Columbus, GA (central SW GA), which I found to be a very mysterious and haunted town. When I saw the audiobook narrator lineup, I knew I would love it.

Character-driven, what a great cast of good and evil characters. These teens are driven, determined, and tenacious. I found the two girls to be very courageous and loved how they all joined together to fight against the sins of the past, as well as the satisfying conclusion.

Mind-blowing! An author to watch. She is definitely on my list! An impressive debut. While reading, you may be thinking and singing Charlie Daniels' The Devil Went Down to Georgia and Blake Shelton's God’s Country (but in this case, the Devil did stick around).

Audiobook...

The audiobook, performed by a talented cast including Jennifer Pickens, Landon Woodson, and Michael Crouch, is a stellar production that brings the characters to life with outstanding performances. This engaging and captivating listening experience is highly recommended for all audiobook enthusiasts.

Recs...

For fans of Southern Gothic horror and those who enjoy Emily Carpenter (Gothictown), Laura McHugh, Stephen King, Michael Ferris Smith, Wiley Cash, David Joy, Ron Rash, and S.A. Cosby.

Special thanks to Macmillan Audio, MacAudio2025, via NetGalley, and Google Play for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: May 27, 2025
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This Southern gothic horror was an amazing read! WOW. Such captivating writing and story line. Clear descriptions of all the characters. They are so well developed, and we get to see their struggles and motivations. Such natural horror throughout the book. Nothing feels forced in any of the dark aspects. Fresh style of writing with a great pace throughout. Elements of rich vs poor, urban legends, secrets and lies. Absolutely immersive and shocking twists and turns throughout.

I love when southern gothics deliver on plot *and* vibes.

This was a fantastic debut. It's dark and utterly compelling. Four POVs intersecting the way these do is ambitious, but Kaur pulls it off. The individual storylines are unique and the voices stand out from each other really well. The horror mystery is fascinating and I loved that I never knew where the story was going to end up.

Will definitely be reading more from this author in future!

This was an excellent book! I loved the many threads at play, the blend of folklore and small Southern society. There are so many themes being explored, and it was handled so well, nothing feeling under developed or weighted down by trying to cover several topics. I really loved the way Neera, Reid, Sam, and Isaiah’s stories are all connected and converge and the way the secrets of Clear Water came to light. The interludes with the podcast were especially delightful, especially in the audio. It was a well done narration and I had trouble putting it down. I cannot wait to see what Xan Kaur will write next because this was such a strong debut!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Xan Kaur killed it when it came to building this haunting atmospheric rural horror. The four characters and their interwoven narratives seamlessly flowed together and contributed to the mysterious and eerie feel of the story. They were flawed but really likable!

The only thing is… the pacing was a bit of a miss. I loved the build of the atmosphere but maybe it could have been cut down so the ending wouldn’t have seemed so rushed.

Overall, very solid and great if you like more thriller/mystery horror vs paranormal horror. The deals with the devil felt like an important catalyst but the humans and murder mystery plot were the actual focal point.

3.75/5

WHEN DEVILS SING is a 'horror' story about the residents of two small neighboring Southern Georgia communites, one affluent and one struggling,. The story's protagonists are confronted with questions of what, and to whom, they are willing to sacrifice, in order to gain and/or maintain various types of currency, (status, talent, wealth..).

I quite enjoyed listening to this audiobook, and I was immediately hooked by both the story and the narration.

I don't necessarily agree with it being labeled for Teen/YA, as I think that there is much to be enjoyed here by any reader interested in mystic intrigue, horror or suspense. In fact, I found the style of writing and storytelling to be reminiscent of a Grady Hendrix novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy of this book, My reviews will be posted to my socials on May 26, 2025, (Fable and Goodreads)

I listened to the audiobook of this one and I loved the way the narrators all came together. I thought the story moved a little slowly, but it was a truly creepy story. I loved how it centered around the song about meeting the devil down in Georgia at the crossroad. This story takes place between Carrion and Clearwater two complete opposites. Carrion is a normal enough place except every 13 years when cicadas come (and let’s all agree nothing needed to make those things creepier) and Clearwater home to all the rich and powerful. Legend said that a hundred years ago a Langley ancestor met the devil at the crossroads and gave him his dead wife’s body in exchange for food and water and worldly goods. He leads more families in joining and the town of Clearwater was born. Four unlikely young adults come together to in present day to try to find out what happened to a missing boy name Dawson and what goes around in their small town. This story is creepy and full of the devil and bargains. There are also some gruesome descriptions of animal deaths so be aware of that.

This audiobook was absolutely fantastic. Genuinely so immersive and kept me engaged in a way no other audiobook managed to do, even the dramatized ones. The mini podcast clips spread throughout were such a good idea and worked so well with the story. Oh and gosh the story was fantastic, I definitely had a favourite POV so listen to, but all of the different characters contributed so much to the story. The themes were quite dark but worked very well for a Teen Horror. There were definitely times when the story lagged a bit, but overall a fantastic read and I would highly recommend!!

Southern gothic suspense horror. Multiple POVs tell a totally immersive atmospheric tale. Small town Georgia. Neera's grandfather is in financial ruin. Dawson is missing. Reid's father basically runs the town.  Rich characters, beautiful setting, southern lore, and cicadas. I loved every aspect of this story. The Secrets of the South podcast sprinkles in some information regarding the missing teen and other happenings. What kind of deals will be made with the devil? Social divisions represented by Carrion and Lake Clearwater, social, economic and racial. You can feel the hot heaviness of the southern humidity and the sticky, prickly legs of the returning cicadas.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. The narrators Jennifer Pickens, Landon Woodson, Michael Crouch and Anjali Kunapaneni are superb.

This was a great YA horror novel that takes place in a small town, loosely based on the song The Devil Went Down to Georgia. I loved the podcast episodes placed throughout the book that provided the reader with more lore about the small town and its history. While a little slow at times, I was hooked on the story and was eager to uncover the truth behind what was going on in the town. I really enjoyed the story and its conclusion!

I first recieved the eARC of this and thought it was so-so. But after rereading while listening to the audio, I thought it was fantastic the second time around. There was just something about hearing thr characters in this suspenseful, gothic horror, that just really brought the story to life. The narration was great!

I received an advance copy of the audio book for review. The production was amazing and the story far exceeded my expectations. Would definitely recommend you give this one a chance. While I think the print copy will be beautiful, the way the audio version had multiple narrators and added goodies, you’ll enjoy it!

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted physical copy. I enjoyed this book. The premise was very interesting and I am unsure I would have picked this up normally. I really thought it was easy to read and felt engaged through the entire story. If you like ya horror, I recommend.

I am not sure what about this book did not hold my attention well, but I really struggled to stay engaged. I think maybe the writing style felt a little disjointed and choppy. The premise of the story was interesting and I did enjoy the characters.

I was really interested in this book to start but the more I read the more I lost interest. This narration was really good and the concept was solid but nothing about the actual writing kept my attention. This sort of fell flat.

A small town, middle of no where Georgia community is plagued by devils and mysterious deaths. Every thirteen years when the cicadas come out, people of Carrion, GA go missing, and the people of Lake Clearwater get richer and live longer. Sam and Neera are part of the Carrion community and have experienced loss at the hands of the devils. Three devil brothers roam the lands in southwestern Georgia, one raven, one cicada, and one snake. Sam makes a deal to save her brother, while Neera has known the crow devil for much of her life and seems to be waiting until the right time to sell her soul.

Isiah and Reid are members of the Lake Clearwater community though both have their reasons to question the motives of the people around them. When a boy named Dawson Sumter goes missing, the team of 4 make a mismatched group to try and uncover the truth. Though Dawson was a part of the Carrion community, he had become Reid’s best friend and Isiah is an investigator who wants to know the truth to share on his podcast.

This was such an intense and intriguing story. I was fascinated from the very beginning when Sam made a deal with the devil to save her brother. It’s dark and mysterious with well crafted characters and tension. The cult-like atmosphere which looms overhead and questioning who you can trust is kind of addictive. I could not put down this book and I highly recommend it. It doesn’t even matter it’s a YA because I think anyone could be captivated.

I am absolutely speechless, in the best way possible, that this is Xan Kaur's debut novel. The plot development, her characters voices and motivations, as well as her societal commentary, are flawless.

When Devils Sing is the perfect introductory to horror and gothic fantasy for both teens and adults alike. These elements aren't too heavy handed, yet readers are still left wondering if it's best to be reading this book late at night. I also appreciated that everything isn't wrapped up in a nice, convenient plot point that can be easily explained away in the end.

Jennifer Pickens, Landon Woodson, Michael Crouch, and Anjali Kunapaneni did an absolutely phenomenal job bringing Sam, Isaiah, Reid, and Neera to life. Their inflection and characterization helped in distinguishing the main characters from our side characters, especially in the moments of heavy dialogue. The despair, tension, and confusion of the characters was palpable as each narrator embodied their respective character.

When Devils Sing is a must read for fans of paranormal thrillers and gothic fantasies. The southern mythology woven throughout the story will leave readers wanting more as it feels we are only just scratching the surface of Xan Kaur's imagination and storytelling prowess.