A wild and witty ride from start to finish, clever twists with dark humor and some surprisingly heartfelt moments, creating a story that’s both entertaining and memorable. A rock band confronts the literal Antichrist in a battle of the bands. The novel's oral history format provides an engaging structure, capturing the chaotic energy of the music scene and the impending apocalypse.
But the tone is inconsistent, with shifts between absurdity and seriousness that can be jarring.

A fun, unpredictable listen that keeps you hooked until the very end.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Craig DiLouie for the audiobook Arc.

Title: 5/5
Audio: 5/5
Plot: 3/5

The "band in trouble/band gets back together" theme can be hit or miss for me. I always love the villain (usually MMC) because typically they are extremely selfish, narcissistic, vibrant, and a huge red flag. That is definitely the case with this book. I giggled more than I was expecting because I had thought this was a horror book. It is not REALLY horror, although I guess there are horror-adjacent components and creatures and an armageddon-style crescendo (see what I did there). The religious themes came across to me as satire/humorous, but I can see some people feeling that is more of a horror-esque style.

I actually really liked the interview style/multi media presentation. This was WAY better over audio than reading in the physical book. I read tandem for parts, to help me keep up with all of the characters (there are a lot) but I highly recommend listening to this one. It has a full cast of narrators and despite it being a slower story, I actually flew through and finished in one day.

I wanted a litttttle bit more - maybe horror, maybe suspense, maybe supernatural....I can't quite identify what was missing but there wasn't the oomph I was looking for that would make this a "must read" book for me.

I really enjoyed the narration style for this. I think if I would have read this with my eye balls, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much. The characters are well developed but I just didn't quite click with them.

4.5 Stars

I was lucky enough to receive an ALC (huge thanks, Hachette Audio!), but it didn’t take long to realize that audio alone wouldn’t cut it for this one. Orbit Books rarely misses for me, and I had that gut feeling this would be a ride worth taking in full. So I paused the audiobook, grabbed a physical copy, and let myself dive into the chaos. No regrets—this was totally the right move.

Told in a style that mimics oral histories and documentary transcripts, My Ex, the Antichrist radiates that raw, untamed energy of a band on the edge of fame, destruction, and something far more apocalyptic. Think Daisy Jones & The Six meets Supernatural by way of a VHS doc you’d find in a church basement—and I mean that in the best way.

Craig DiLouie clearly did his homework, and it shows. He threads together rock history, religious mythology, and the unraveling of a pop-punk band led by the literal Antichrist—yes, really—and somehow makes it work. There’s blood, there’s blasphemy, there’s a band called the Shivers that becomes an underground phenomenon. And at the center of it all? Lily Lawless, a sheltered Catholic college student turned lead guitarist with a front-row seat to the end of the world.

I loved how layered this book is. At face value, it’s the story of a girl and a boy (who might also be the antichrist) starting a band that accidentally triggers the apocalypse. But underneath the pulpy premise is a genuinely smart, weirdly philosophical exploration of power, influence, belief, and music as both salvation and destruction. DiLouie juggles these themes with a surprisingly light touch, even injecting dark humor in moments that sneak up on you. I laughed out loud more than once—even as things got really dark.

And while I was half-expecting something a little more campy or exaggerated—something leaning fully into the absurdity of the premise—what I got instead was a slow-burning, eerie, and atmospheric story with tension that builds across every gig, every interview snippet, and every whispered warning. Each show ramps up the strange and the sinister until you’re holding your breath waiting for the final act.

The structure won’t be for everyone—it’s very cut-and-paste, lots of voices, lots of snippets—but I found it totally immersive. You get interviews from Lily, bandmates, fans, academics, producers—it’s messy and nonlinear in the most satisfying way. Think VH1 Behind the Music if it ended in hellfire.

And the audiobook? A full cast (Lisa Flanagan, Jesse Vilinsky, Alexander Cendese, Pete Simonelli) brings it all to life with perfect, chaotic energy. It’s magnetic—definitely one of those productions that elevates the whole experience.

This one caught me off guard—in the best possible way. Gritty, clever, and unlike anything I’ve read this year. File it under: unexpectedly philosophical horror with guitars, eyeliner, and a front-row seat to the end times.

While I enjoyed the story at its heart, I feel like the audio was a little too much. Too many VAs involved with a constantly shifting POV. I’m not sure how I would have liked this to be portrayed ideally in audio, but I think it just may not work in this format.

Despite all of my gripes with the audio, I’m planning to pick up a physical or ebook copy of this one to give it a fair chance.

Thank you to the publisher and author for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It had just the right amount of creepy, but at the heart of it all we had an antichrist character that ended up bringing this band of misfits together and made them great. Each character individually was a hot mess, even when they were brought into the band it took a lot of adjusting for everyone. But once they were trauma bonded, they were unstoppable. Which just goes to show you that the moment you trauma bond with your coworkers, there's nothing that can tear you apart... not even the freakin apocalypse.

This was a really good read and definitely one that I recommend.

The best description that I can give for this is that it is like a campy horror version of Daisy Jones and the Six. Kind of an interesting mix of a slower paced romance/horror blend. The audiobook is full cast due to the mixed media aspect of the novel and all of the narrators did a fantastic job giving each character their own voice/personality. It's similar to We Sold Our Souls, but definitely sets itself apart in my opinion. For my own personal preference, the mixed media aspect didn't lend itself well to the slow pace of the story. I enjoy slower paced stories if I can form an emotional connection to at least one of the characters, but I feel like there wasn't enough there for me to connect to Lily. Episode Thirteen is one of my favorite audiobook experiences of all time, so I'm still very excited to read more from this author in the future!

My Ex, the Antichrist is the history of the pop/punk band The Shivers told through each of its members. The audiobook is absolutely worth it - as each member of the band and character have their own voice actor, leading to more character depth and lending a great twist on an oral history.

The main story takes place in the later 90s where the Shivers is headed by Drake Morgan and his girlfriend Lily Lawlor (later Lawless). However, things take a turn when the two break up - and Drake attaches himself to a new band, Universal Priest. As the two bands go to face off in the battle of the bands, larger forces at play make this battle more than one for a record contract.

This was a really great not so scary horror novel - I really enjoyed the format with all of the different perspectives, as well as Lily's battle with the forces behind Drake. I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a novel that'll suck you in and leave you guessing on how weverything is going to work out in the end.

Thanks very much to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

When I requested this audiobook on NetGalley I didn't truly know what to expect, but this story definitely hits my expectations either way.

The way it's told is via interviews with those who are there and it's so interesting to see each perspective on the events that happened. To see the varying feelings everyone had or came away with after experiencing the chaos and opportunity that Drake had brought them. In a way he led them to find their purpose, even though he clearly tried to steer the idea that that purpose was being and doing whatever you want in a way that makes you your worst self.

Lily truly experienced a love that was world shattering in the worst way, but somehow brought her to where she is by the end of the book. It made me wonder if she feels regret for anything, like if she should have continued her schooling and avoided all of that. Honestly, this book left me wondering that about every member of The Shivers.

I enjoyed this and the narrators were great!

The concept was decent but the execution was lacking. It felt like listening to an ID documentary or a youtube deep dive with terrible cinematic fading between interviews. Too many narrators, I couldn't tell you who anyone is by voice except lily

insane audiobook! I loved the story, and the voice actors did an incredible job !!

There were several points in the story where I second-guessed a lot of things, thinking that the story would be like lol joke guys! There is no antichrist, but honesty did not expect to be so good

Lilly and Drake start a band. Drake has a strange unnatural control over the audience which devolves into violence after every performance. They break up and Lilly find herself trying to save the world from her ex, the Antichrist.

Loved the narration and the epistolary style. Told from many points of view, including all the band members, Lilly, Ramona, Malcolm and Eric. Sometimes humorous abs sometimes terrifying, I really enjoyed this. Definitely recommend the audiobook version.

with "my ex, the antichrist", i'm not quite sure what craig dilouie was aiming for. it felt deeply satirical, but there's nothing in the synopsis about the novel being a satire. MEtA felt like the author had recently read "daisy jones and the six" and wanted to make a parody featuring a punk rock band. it was marketed to me as horror, though it didn't feel like a horror story whatsoever. i had to force myself to get through this audiobook arc. normally, i find myself finding parts of my day to turn an audiobook on, but this was not the case with MEtA.

this was my first novel of dilouie's, and i'm hesitant to continue reading his other works. "suffer the children" has been on my TBR for a while, but now if i do ever get to STC, it's gonna be a while.

thank you to netgalley for the audiobook ARC! as always, all opinions are mine and mine alone.

what i liked:
- interview format
- gave me daisy jones and the six vibes, but make it punk rock

what i didn't like:
- didn't really feel like horror
- difficult to differentiate the characters on audio
- worldbuilding was disjointed
- pacing was all over the place

3⭐️ 0🌶️ 3🎧

It’s been a few days since I finished this ALC and I’m still trying to process how I feel about it.

This was the first time I’ve read a book where the entire book was in a interview format. The quick and constant POV changes made the book feel like it was fast paced even when there wasn’t much action going on. But because I was listening to the audiobook it was also a bit disorienting because it didn’t always say whose POV we had switched to and by the time I used context clues to figure it out, we had moved onto a new POV.

I feel like this book didn’t always know what it wanted to be. Sometimes it was a pretty dry rockstar memoir where the band members were talking about their personal struggles and then other times it funny and quirky and then other times it was full on camp horror with nuns wielding rocket launchers and exploding deacons.

Thank you to Hachette for this ALC.

This was a unique story blending horror and rock music and written in interview style. The depiction of band life and the character development was a nice addition to the horror aspect. The plot was intriguing with bits of humor thrown in to lighten up the darker storyline. This one isn’t necessarily terrifying, but it isn’t for the faint of heart either with some of the bloodier scenes. The audiobook has a full cast which I enjoyed.

Thank you so much to Hachette Audio for the audiobook of MY EX, THE ANTICHRIST by Craig DiLouie!

MY EX, THE ANTICHRIST is like DAISY JONES AND THE SIX, if DAISY JONES was filled with demons & our band’s frontman was actually the Antichrist himself.

This book ticks a lot of my boxes: v campy, Satanic Panic, rock & roll and a fun documentary-style reading format. MY EX, THE ANTICHRIST was an anticipated read & it /mostly/ delivered.

It’s safe to say I had a fun time with this one; it was a bit goofy while also diving deep into more serious matters such as toxic relationships & of course, notes on religion. The action scenes in this one are absolutely insane & at times laugh out loud funny.

A majority of this book is reflecting on the past which takes place in the late 90s; this setting is ALWAYS a mood for me.

I adored the development of the friendships within the band; this is mostly seen towards the end where things get wildly out of hand. Plus, I loved watching our main character, Lily, really grow & start to become the badass she is meant to be.

Buuuuut with all of the praise I give this book, there’s something that hindered my experience, and that was unfortunately the audiobook. It’s fully casted which I /love/ but there were times where I’d lose who was talking & find myself a bit confused. I think this experience would have been made better if I had the physical book in front of me while listening.

MY EX, THE ANTICHRIST was definitely a fun, silly time & if you’re looking for more rock horror + something similar to DAISY JONES but made darker than this is for you!

This book is a dark exploration of faith, fame, and the end of the world. The story is told through a unique docu-fiction type format. The book unfolds like a documentary. Like you are binge watching a documentary on any streaming platform which combines interviews, footage, transcripts, and personal accounts that make the story feel immersive and real.
What really struck is that it felt like watching a season of American Horror Story, especially the Apocalypse season.
I'm not usually drawn to religious themes in fiction, this book’s rock music vibe had me finishing the story.
Highly recommend if you’re into cult psychology, rock themes, horror, or a fan of AHS.

Thank for allowing me to review this book!

This was so fun! I managed to finish the audiobook in two days; I honestly couldn’t stop listening to it. It did remind me of We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix, which is one of my favourites. I don’t have much knowledge of the Antichrist because I’m Jewish, and we are still waiting for our messiah.
It’s kind of cool to learn about other religions, though, and what they believe, even if it does sound a bit crazy.

I’m excited to read his other books because this one was amazing! if you haven't read anything by this author yet I recommend you do!

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC.

I just finished listening to this amazing audiobook! The interview-style format really brought the story to life. With a documentary-like approach, we get to hear from multiple perspectives, making it incredibly engaging. I devoured it and can't wait to explore the author's other works.

Synopsis:
1998: Lily Lawlor and Drake Morgan form a punk band. Drake inspires faith in some. Fear in others. Lily is a believer.

1999: A Battle of the Bands ends in a shocking death, and a riot that claims the lives of three teenagers.

2009: At the height of her stardom, Lily walks into a police station and confesses to murder.

Now: The band has refused to talk to the press about the night of the riot, Lily’s confession, or anything else. It’s been over a decade, but Lily has finally agreed to an interview. And the band is following her lead.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!

This book wasn’t what I’d expected it to be, as I thought it was specifically about my ex, and he played no part in the narrative whatsoever.

On a more serious note, it’s clear that Craig Dilouie did his biblical and music history research before joining the ranks of Grady Hendrix and Brom with a devilish campy horror that breaks into the rock and roll scene.

I was anticipating something significantly funnier, though. I thought this was a decent story, and I didn’t completely mind the interview format, but I don’t think I ever laughed. I could feel the ridiculousness of it through and through, but I could also feel a seriousness to it that seemed out of place.

I did find the format choice hindered character depth, and even more notably, relationship depth. I would have liked to have peered into Lily and Drake’s relationship early on, but there is so little development there, leaving me unconvinced regarding anything Lily did say later to criticize the romance.

There were several shocking moments, and I mean truly horrific, which helped amp up the tension of the story. I loved how over-the-top things proved to be at times, but I do feel fairly neutral about the story as a whole. It always had my attention, but it never had any other part of me.

I am immensely grateful to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.