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.

Thank you to the Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audio arc of this book****

I want to start out by saying that if you like the untouchable Murdaugh family and Midsommer being mixed into a Southern Gothic tale this book is for you. I loved the ambiance this book gave. As a fellow back woods southerner, I could picture the one Dollar General, the same old man in the same old hat working the bait shop/gas station for years. I could feel how hot it was and hear those God forsaken cicadas. I felt Xan portrayed the small-town esthetic of the south very well. I also felt the socioeconomic divide that was very well written in this book. I am more of a Samantha than a Reid.

When Devils Sing is a devilishly slow build up to the horror awaiting you at the infamous Clearwater community on the outskirts of Carrion, GA. The story follows 4 unlikely acquaintances, Sam-Neera-Isaiah-Reid, all who are trying to unravel their towns dark history and save another town resident Dawson Sumter. What they will uncover will forever change their lives. Packs with the Devil(s), human sacrifice, a rich cult that feeds off the lower class...are just a few of the things that will draw you into this story. This story isn't just a horror story it is a story of family, loss, mental struggle, physical abuse and redemption

📖 Bookish Thoughts
This had all the ingredients for a solid southern gothic book! An eerie town, generational secrets, and eerie dread. But the execution didn’t quite land for me. The pacing was so slow, and the frequent POV changes made it hard to stay immersed in the story, and I found myself pulled out more than drawn in. I also really didn’t like any of the MCs.

The southern gothic vibe is definitely present, but it wasn’t enough to carry the story for me. I considered DNFing multiple times. That said, I do think there’s an audience for this, especially YA readers who enjoy slow-burn horror.

🖤 What You Can Expect
• YA Southern Gothic
• Small town secrets
• Complicated family dynamics
• Eerie, atmospheric vibes
• Multiple POVs

🗓 Pub Date: May 27, 2025
🎧 Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.


📖 Final Score: 2.5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 3)
🎧 Audio Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

I was really excited to get this audiobook, but to be honest, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. It was a little hard to follow and just lacked that something to keep me really interested.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This was a book with a very cool, creepy premise that sadly just failed on the follow-through. I think young adult readers will enjoy it when venturing into the horror/mystery genre, but more could have been done.

After a local teenager goes missing, his disappearance brings together four other young adults from Carrion and nearby Clearwater as they work through the mystery: Neera, whose family owns the hotel where he disappeared from, Sam, his one time best friend and the estranged daughter of Clearwater's enforcer, Isaiah, who runs a podcast focused on mysteries occurring in the Southern US, and Reed, another friend of the missing and son of the most powerful man in Clearwater and Carrion. Separately and together, they will uncover a conspiracy almost a century in the making involving demons, crossroads deals, and sacrifice all centered around the area's thirteen-year cicada cycle.

Look, the premise of this is cool. It is very much a YA southern gothic, and that gives it a lot of potential. It's a lot of fun watching these four characters follow their own roles and how they eventually come together to solve the mystery surrounding them. It's creepy and a bit graphic and had a lot going for it. Sadly, it just felt like the ending was fumbled; it was wrapped up too quickly and neatly. The overall supernatural aspects of the story were pretty well glossed over, which was really where the book had the most potential! So, great idea, it just needed to be fleshed out a bit more to really shine.

The audiobook narration is absolutely worth a listen if you're going to pick this book up at all - each of the four narrators brings something so unique and amazing to the story.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Audio Review: The audio is the way to go. There is a podcast in this book and it's a full cast audio. Would highly recommend.

Review: This book is a prime example of how YA books can still appeal to an adult audience. I loved this book. We get an interesting cast of characters coming from various different backgrounds and cultures all mixed up in a southern towns horrors. I was a little surprised by some of the horror elements particularly at the end, because it's YA. I would say this leans on the new adult/ older YA age range.

If you have heard of the Murdaugh murder case (there are lots of documentaries about it) this reminded me of it in some ways. I live in a rural southern town and Xan Kaur was able to bring the horrors that sometimes exist to life. There is commentary on so many important things, wealth, religion, sexuality, gender, this book did it all so well.

If you have read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, I think you would enjoy this for reasons I can't quite explain here. This is a story I will surely read again. It was heartbreaking, horrifying, and relatable. The writing, plot, storytelling and pacing were all incredible. I have no complaints and that is rare, especially for YA books read as an adult. I have nothing but praise for this and plan to read it again in the future.

3.5 stars (rounded up to 4)

I really enjoyed the storytelling in this YA horror. The atmosphere was rich and unsettling, with a slow build that turned into a full sprint by the end.

The story centers on four teens in a rural Georgia town who come together to uncover the truth behind a local boy’s disappearance. As they dig deeper, they unravel disturbing truths about their community, a dark legend, and a force far more dangerous than they ever expected.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Publishing, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

3 stars

I loved the premise of this, and I want to really encourage prospective readers to opt for the audiobook when and where available. The multiple narrators bring these characters and their creepy circumstances to life, and they do a good job of differentiating the distinct tones of each section.

While the atmospheric elements and motifs are on point here, I had some challenges with the pacing. I expected and would have loved a brisker pace. I did like how the characters converged but also felt like that should have happened faster and more economically. I additionally expected more of an element of surprise, but I found that I anticipated most of what was coming (including details). Per the genre, I'd have liked some variation in this outcome.

I am definitely interested in reading more from this author and would recommend this to someone looking for a good example of YA horror in a great setting (but who also has a little more patience for the journey than I apparently did).

I am so sorry, but this was so excruciatingly slow. I do not know the point of this book. And it had so much potential!

This is marketed as a modern American gothic and that sounded so cool to me! But this was so disappointing. Nothing happened. It should not take far more than halfway through the book for me to understand the point of the story and what the actual plot is.

This book is supposed to follow a local missing person and investigating what happened to them and all the other spooky happenings around town, but that is not clear up the end of the book. For most of this book, you just see the main characters living their normal lives. The missing person is rarely mentioned.

We get a little bit of an urban legend situation, but even that wasn't really focused on. That could've been so cool! Why wasn't that emphasized more and more at the forefront of this story?? It should've been a spooky time right off the bat, but I was made to wait for it and in a very slow and disappointingly disinteresting way.

Sorry if that was harsh but I think book summaries need to match the actual book so that readers can better manage their expectations.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

'When Devils Sing' is great supernatural thriller. Whether it is the cultist behavior of the locals, or making deals with the Devil, Kaur's beautiful imagery never wavers. The novel centers on four teens looking into the disappearance of another friend, which occurs as a strange brood of cicadas erupts from the ground after lying dormant for 13 years. Friendships and loyalty are tested as the search continues. I enjoyed the ensemble narration and the intermittent podcasts. 5 stars.

Wow, just wow. The very first chapter had me crying! This was a so so good! It's start out with am accident and even the accident had a twist in it. Everything is connected and the audio just added so much life to this book. I think this one beautiful written and I could connect with the characters and their struggle was heartbreaking. I would definitely recommend read this and listening to it! Very good!

But there is so much stuff going on in this book as well. There is so much detailed graphic scenes and death that did turn me away a bit. Sometimes it just felt too detailed. Otherwise it was an intense read.

"The Devil went down to Georgia..."

This novel offers a compelling and immersive reading experience, marked by a strong narrative pull that compensates for some structural choices that may not appeal to every reader. While the use of a podcast as a plot device initially felt contrived, the story’s intensity and momentum quickly overshadowed any reservations.

One of the most striking elements is the personification of devils as animals—a creative and unsettling choice that adds a visceral layer to the horror. For readers familiar with the American South, the evocation of the cicada song carries a particularly haunting resonance. Its use here transforms a familiar sound into something deeply sinister, demonstrating the author's skill in recontextualizing regional details to enhance the atmosphere.

This is a standout entry in the genre of religious horror, and it will likely resonate with readers drawn to stories that explore faith, fear, and the supernatural through a Southern Gothic lens.