This was actually a 3.5, but like...an exciting 3.5 if that makes sense. It's got some issues to fine-tune, but it's unique and interesting enough of a story that I know I'm going to watching out for whatever this author does next.

So, the good: the main characters are really interesting! We have a super diverse group with interesting backstories and connections to the main plot. The story begins with them all only vaguely connected and slowly their pov weaves into one as they all get further entrenched in the main plot. I LOVE when books take this route, and while I have definitely seen it done better, the way it's done here isn't bad at all.

And unfortunately, the bad: let's start off with the end, because that's where my main issue lies. The beginning and middle of the book are paced, in my opinion, pretty well in a way that builds suspense for the finale. When we actually get to that finale, however, the pacing turns into a sprint and it just doesn't feel like good payoff at all. I feel like after finishing I still have so many questions and there are so many side characters whose ultimate fate is kind of just left vaguely up in their air or only semi-mentioned in the epilogue. The story is all an allegory for how rich communities in the south bleed existing poor ones dry which is great, and the book ends with it being up in the air over whether or not they'll receive justice. I don't hate that, but I don't think it was accomplished very well. With everything else, it just felt like another piece that was unfulfilling.

I LOVED the horror concepts in this story, but I feel like they were underutilized. We see the devils interacting with Sam and Neera, but it always feels like it's in a set-up context and not really...horror, if that makes sense. The two devils we see are implied to be more morally grey being trapped into this arrangement by their brother who we...never see! Which is crazy to me! He's killed in the finale, but we never see him, never understand what's going on beyond what we get from the pov of panicked teenagers. It's just very frustrating because the concept is cool and I feel like a lot more could have been achieved from the horror side of things.

3.5⭐️

I have some mixed feelings on this book and wonder if I have read the eARC if it would have gone over a bit better as I love the description. It just didn’t grab me the way I would have liked despite it being very well written.
I rounded it up to a 4⭐️ rating as I think there will be many who like the book.

I consumed the audiobook and when it started I was very very worried as I did not like the voice at all! Thankfully the vocals that were used were only for the first chapter.

This book was multi-POV and MacMillian audio utilized 3 narrators which was great. Jennifer Pickens; Landon Woodson, and Michael Crouch. They all did a wonderful job. I particularly enjoy Michael Crouch as he does such a good job with a teen voice. My hesitance with the book is not with the narration at all. I think it’s just the prose for me would lend itself better for me to use my eye balls instead of my ear holes.

That being said it is fast paced and filled with twists and turns that thriller lovers can eat up! I think I may give this another go after it comes out on May 27,2025


I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from MacMillian Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

This was…meh. The overall descriptions of the setting were really well done and the writing was fine. However, everything else was….meh. I found the pacing to be so incredibly slow. The overall plot felt a bit convoluted because the multi-POV did not work for me. I felt like everyone’s narrative voice felt the same. I wanted this to be grittier and gorier, as well. It was also very easy to figure out the big plot twist and I always get a little frustrated when that happens. The audiobook narration was done really well, though.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Welp, I am definitely going to see cicadas in a very different light as they show up this summer and start screaming! I don't want to accidentally make a deal and owe my soul or some lives to that loud insect though I would say maybe that the book title should be When Devils Scream. :) I really got hooked into the story right at the beginning when Sam bargains with her own devil to save her brother. That one action leads to an unforgettable thirteenth year cicada festival that the rich and powerful throw for more power and mysteriously people disappear. You get a lot about class distinction in this book, though the main characters are a good mix of all walks of life. And luckily the skills they are good at can be used to blow open this awful tradition created many years ago at the crossroads of Carrion.

The characters are definitely not perfect, they make mistakes, have their own problems that sometimes get in the way of looking for the missing people, but it makes them interesting and I was invested in the story as the narrators did a great job in bringing them and the town of Carrion and Clear Water to life. I like the added touch of the drowned town too (those are fascinating to me). And it is interesting to see that the devils in this book are actually not the worst, that humans can be the cruelest of all to their fellow humans. So yeah, it is a dark tale with murders, animal cruelty, abuse, and of course deals with devils. It is a good Southern gothic horror that kept me interested the whole time (though the ending kinda was a bit abrupt). I think it is a good debut and I look forward to seeing what this author can create next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this captivating horror story!

Southern Gothic Horror.
Gives Outer Banks vibes but without the treasure hunt.

The very first chapter had me enthralled.
Vivid story, felt like I was there. The plot was good.

Great narrators!

Really enjoyed the story.

3.75-4⭐️
🎧 ALC ~ Narrated by Jennifer Pickens; Landon Woodson; Michael Crouch, Anjali Kunapaneni


Overall:
This is a great novel, and probably only classified as YA due to the ages of the main characters, but it's generally a great novel for any level.

Slow pace but you got to know the 4 main characters, but there's some intense subject matter. It was a great delve into how five lives were intertwined and adults manipulated the plot.

Making deals with the devil while being manipulated by influential society members... there's one line that's stuck with me the most 'I may know the devil well, but you are much worse' (or something to that effect).


Small things:
+ The narrators for Reed & Neera were inconsistent with the pronunciation of cicada ((might need to check the text (as an ALC I don't have it to check) to see if there's a typo or reason they were sometimes different))

+ The podcast intros were great, but seemingly random, not sure if this book was supposed to have a part 1/part 2/etc and the podcsts were supposed to be the intros, would help the pacing

I loved this! It was atmospheric and the cast of POVs were distinct. Xan Kaur really nailed the setting and the concept of the folklore of three devils in a small southern town. The audiobook in particular was amazing and enhanced the experience through the editing and voice acting from the narrators.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5

When Devils Sing is a chilling, atmospheric YA Southern Gothic with a propulsive plot and compelling characters.

I had a blast with this one. Xan Kaur’s prose was beautiful and delightfully haunting, presenting a gritty, dark, and immersive story. I loved the depth and urban legends infused into the Lake Clearwater setting and the exploration of a deal with the devil. The fantasy and horror aspects were well-written, and the podcast episodes were very entertaining. The characters were well-developed and intriguing, although I sometimes found it difficult to connect to them. The pacing fit the story nicely, although the ending felt a bit rushed. I highly recommend this haunting debut!

This is one of the most entertaining audiobooks I’ve listened to. Jennifer Pickens, Landon Woodson, and Michael Crouch narrated the story beautifully, capturing the depth and darkness of the novel with their accents and emotions. I also thoroughly enjoyed the narration and production of the realistic podcast episodes. I highly recommend this engaging audiobook!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

When the Devil Sings by Xan Kaur is the kind of book that grabs you by the throat, kisses your forehead, and then throws you off a cliff. It’s intense. It’s atmospheric. It’s emotionally a lot. And honestly? I loved almost every second of it.

Plot-wise, it’s not one of those books you casually read before bed. It lingers. There’s trauma, desire, complicated morality, and scenes that made me put my Kindle down just to process. If you’re looking for a feel-good escape, this ain’t it. But if you love messy characters, slow-burning obsession, and that deep ache of a story that doesn’t hold your hand—you’re in for a treat.

Highly recommend if you’re into books that emotionally ruin you in the best way.

Devils down in Georgia?!? I am in on this! More than one devil making deals? I am all the way in! This book was absolutely amazing, and I love rich people behaving badly, getting what is coming to them with a devilish twist! Also, tying in creatures like the cicada, snake, and crow was awesome! I enjoyed that the true horror actually came from the people, and the devils were just there making deals. I am looking forward to more books by Xan Kaur in the future!!!

Four teens try to uncover answers to a disappearance in town, one that leads them to a darker, deeper mystery along the cicada cycle.

When Dawson goes missing, from a room in Neera’s family’s motel, all he leaves behind is blood. She and a small group of unlikely allies team up to find that there is something lurking. Something has been waiting and now it is here… Sam just wants to protect her brother. Isaiah and Reid have different reasons to want the truth. They are involved in other ways, with secrets of their own. I adored them all.

This is a story of the imbalance of power and wealth, and the backs of those whose riches the wealthy was built on. This is a story of supernatural power and sacrifice, and what it takes to break the chains and do what is right. I had such a great time listening to this book. It has a full cast of fabulous narrators to bring this haunting story to life.