There's nothing better than picking up a book from an author you've read before and falling straight back into their consistent writing style, and after reading other Delilah S. Dawson books, this is how I felt reading House of Idyll.

It's Dawson at her best. Her writing isn't over the top or flowery, and it doesn't need to be. This story was a bit grotesque, a bit absurd but very gripping. It's not a 5 star for me because although I enjoyed the ending, it was really rushed and I would've loved the 200 page build-up to have more than 2 pages of climax. Another chapter to slow down the ending and let us appreciate it in its glory a bit more would've been perfect. If you enjoyed Guillotine, I'm sure you'll like this!

House of Idyll is what happens when rockstar fantasy meets cult horror and asks: what would you trade for fame, and would you even notice until it’s too late? Angelina Yves is down bad—no job, no prospects—when she gets an invite to live rent-free at Black Idyll’s luxury compound. It’s giving "dream come true," until her dreams start literally screaming back.

Dawson builds the tension slowly, with eerie little things: screaming horses at night, guests who vanish without explanation, and lyrics at the end of each chapter that feel more like warnings than poetry. The vibes are immaculate. If you’ve ever fallen too hard for a celebrity crush or spent too much time online, this hits a little too close to home.

I do wish Angelina had slightly more self-preservation early on (girl… the red flags were crimson), and the ending felt a bit rushed. Still, the cult dynamic, the seductive atmosphere, and yes, the actual unicorn made this a standout.

This is perfect for readers who like their horror stylish, a little surreal, and rooted in feminine rage. If Daisy Jones joined Midsommar, this would be the result!

thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! ✨

i read this book in one setting and y’all 😳😳😳😳

i love the way Delilah writes and she creates such an un-comfy world and sense of dread that i absolutely eat upppppp. there was this unsettling tension lurking throughout this story, and i was convinced big twists were going to happen at every page,

quick, dark, creepy, twisty, perfect 🤘

Delilah Dawson is becoming an author that I love to read!
I absolutely loved Bloom and Guillotine which I read earlier in the year. When I got an advanced reader copy of her new book, I jumped on it.

I do think House of Idyll is okay but it’s not as strong or scary as her older books.

I’ll go into what worked and didn’t work below.

PROS:
1. The writing is great in this, and I finished it in record time. The suspense is excellent and I wanted to know what was up with this luxury compound!

2. The song lyrics after each chapter is a great touch. I loved the immersion into the plot that she does with this.

CONS:
1. I think what I struggled the most was the plot. It’s too beautiful and unrealistic.
I needed more strangeness, odd behavior and sketchiness to really get the horror juices going with this cult.

2. The characters are okay, but I struggled with the main character of Angelina the most.
Without going into spoilers, she felt naïve until the ending. When her character does a 180, it’s too much and I didn't buy it.

3. The Black Idyll band members were interesting, but I felt like something was missing on the “rock god image”.
Maybe it’s the whole white clothing bit? White clothes don’t scream rock and roll to me.

Horror is subjective and what scares one person will not necessarily scare another.

At no time in House of Idyll did a feel terror or fear.
I felt a sense of unease and suspense as the book progresses, but I wasn’t horrified, disgusted or reading with the lights on.
I will say that there’s some good moments in the book with decent creepy vibes, but I wished for more.

I’m still glad that I read this one and I’ll always pick up a new book by Delilah Dawson!
I would still recommend this one if you love cult-like settings. Maybe it will unnerve you more than me?!

House of Idyll by Delilah S Dawson

Release date November 11

Angelina an aspiring singer/songwriter is having the worst day ever. She gets fired from both of her jobs and even loses her place to live. Enter a man who takes her to a compound owned by Jesper Idyll her teenage crush and frontman of the band Black Idyll. Angelina decides to take him up on the offer of living at the compound and making her music dreams a reality. But is it to good to be true???

This was a wild ride of a book. I wouldn’t call it horror I would call it a thriller because the crazy stuff doesn’t happen until the book is well over half over. It was basically a girl entering a cult until that point.

I enjoyed Angelina as a character. I kinda wish the author would release a short novella prequel set 10 years before the events in this book.
The ending is so damn good.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for this arc.

I am now a Delilah S Dawson fan for life.

Perfect book no notes. All the stars.

House of Idyll by Delilah S. Dawson follows Angelina, a young musician living in LA barely making ends meet. When she gets fired from both of her jobs at the same time, she doesn’t know how she will make it but then she is whisked away to House of Idyll, a compound owned by a world famous band. It seems like a dream situation, live for free and make art but not everything is as it seems.

I loved this. I’m such a huge fan of this author and I had high expectations and this lived up to it! I love the way this novella was plotted. The slow moving plot built up to a great finale. I do think this book was a bit predictable but in a way that I really enjoyed. There is something about knowing what is going to happen and having no way of stopping it.

I thought the ending of this was great. I know it won’t work for a lot of people but I thought it was the perfect way for this to end.

If you are like me and you love a short horror book that is compulsively readable (I read this in one sitting) that fits the vibe of sex, drugs, and rock n roll with a smidge of cult thrown in, check this one out!

What happens if you can make your own destiny? Sexy cult horror with a splash of corrupted paradise thrown in.
What's really going on at the House of Idyll? Every artist's dreams come true there, or do they? Great for readers who want a little bit of sexiness with their cults.

Delilah S Dawson never fails to take some beautiful setting and make it creepy AF. The super cult-y band was beautiful and welcoming and had so many red flags - our FMC ran towards it like a carnival. What would she have to lose?
For real though - if someone offered me the chance to join a creepy commune, pay no bills, and just create all day, I'd sign up, too.
Thank you to the author, Titan books, and Netgalley for the chance to read this early!

House of Idyll is a novel in which a young singer gets the chance to stay at an artists' retreat run by her favourite band, only to find something sinister lurking underneath. Angelina is a barista in Hollywood, wanting to make it as a singer-songwriter, until she's suddenly plucked away and offered the chance to stay at the compound owned by rock band Black Idyll. There, she can live and work on her music for free, and she even gets to see Jesper Idyll, the band's iconic frontman and her teenage crush. As Angelina stays longer, she notices weird things like spooked horses and mysterious figures, but it is hard to tell where the dream ends and the nightmare begins.

Having read Dawson's Bloom and Guillotine previously and being interested in stories about ideas of rock stars, House of Idyll sounded like a book for me. I particularly enjoyed Guillotine and House of Idyll feels similar to that for a lot of the book, as someone who isn't used to a luxury lifestyle explores a very different world. However, where Guillotine is an 'eat the rich' horror thriller, House of Idyll is more of a rock star drama with some threatening vibes. I was expecting far more horror from this book, but that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy what it was.

Following Angelina's perspective, the narrative is very slow burn, building up her sense of unease and how it clashes with the fact it feels like all of her dreams are coming true. There's a lot of build up, and my main issue with the book is that the ending is incredibly quick and doesn't really conclude a lot of the plot points that came up, other than the reader assuming there's a reason that fits in with the reveal at the ending. In my opinion, there could've been more dread and more meaning to the final twist if we knew a little bit more about why certain things, like character deaths, had needed to happen in the way they did. However, I did like the final twist, and it almost feels like there could be a sequel that might delve further into the darkness.

House of Idyll is a fun, quick-to-read book about secretive rock stars in a weird compound, so even though it was a lot of build up for a very quick conclusion, I enjoyed that build up and the atmosphere it created. It had the trashy rock star vibe that I often want from novels about musicians, and don't always get, so it's perfect if that is what you're looking for, rather than a scary horror story.

This book was SUCH a fun read. If you felt underwhelmed with Grady Hendrix's "We Sold Our Souls,' this book will make up for it.
The plot centers around a place for creative types to come and perfect their craft. It is the brainchild of Jesper Idyll, a superstar in a superband who wants to give back to those who may not have opportunities for success.
I know... sounds just like a cult. Angelina, the FMC, thinks that as well when she is picked up on the street by one of the band members. She is told there are no strings attached, she can stay as long as she wants, and she can come and go from the property. Wear white and create.
Angelina quickly finds herself having a zeitgeist of creativity, and Jesper is there cheering her on, including her in his Inner Circle. But things quickly start to go.....weird. Is the person she seeing at night Jesper, or is it someone (or something) more sinister. Why are people leaving without notice? Where are they going? (Why would they want to leave?) Angelina puts herself in a dangerous position to find out the truth.

I really enjoyed the book. The structure of it is well plotted, the characters are interesting, and she does a great job at pacing the story; I enjoy when the characters and the readers find out things at the same time; to me it feels like a more immersive experience. This is a great read as we transition from summer to fall.

Slow-burn seems to be the word of the summer for horror. This is no different. I LOVED Dawson’s take on a cult, and the slow, creeping sense of dread as you realize that your “something is wrong here” instincts are only growing more and more correct. With an ending that packs a punch, this storyline is worth sacrificing some time to read.

Oh no. This was not good. This did not live up to the hype in my head.
Bloom and Guillotine were so fantastic and I had such high hopes for this.

Angelina is trying to make it out as a singer. After having a really bad day of losing her job and where she is living, is mysteriously made an offer she cannot refuse.

Angelina is stupid. You knew were this was heading right from the beginning. It's a short read and the ending, well it just ended, felt like Dawson just gave up on it. I wanted more of a backstory. This book has been described as a horror and terrifying, I didn't feel either of this. I'm so disappointed it was so flat for me. This needed to be fleshed out more.

Boooooo

i've always wanted to read a book by this author and i'm glad i finally did! even though this book wasn't my favourite, i still had a fun time. this is coming out 9th of september!

the characters were fine, angelina was a bit too naive for my liking though. 😭 girl has no survival instincts unless she's directly threatened lol. i could relate to her regarding major celebrity crush, i think we've all been there. 😂
the band seemed cult-y as hell from the get go and honestly if it's too good to be true, it probably is.

the writing style was fine, it was interesting enough to continue and held that mysterious atmosphere well. it definitely makes you question what's actually happening. the problem was men having erections all the time lol, it always gives me the ick. i don't need that to be unsettled.

i thought i loved reading about rock bands/hollywood celebrities but the only book i actually loved was daisy jones & the six by taylor jenkins reid. this was enjoyable but a bit unrealistic. some parts did get a bit repetitive as well and i wanted something more unhinged to happen. this was quite mild than what i was expecting going into this book.
i wanted to know more about the women in the story and the unicorn aspect itself. i feel like we didn't get enough of that considering that was a huge thing.

i would still recommend reading this, especially people who want to try reading horror. it was a interesting, just not my favourite!

3.5 ⭐

I do like a book about a cult, and this very much seems like one.
It had a lot to like.
The unicorn illustrations, the slightly sinister lyrics.
The whole cult vibe going on.
The feeling of unease that something certainly was off.
The creepy unicorn....

I'd say I enjoyed 90% of this book, but there were times it just felt too much like a teen dream...
The ending too, a bit rushed for my liking
Minor niggles in an otherwise enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed this book. I didn´t know what to expect and the end blowed my mind. Thank you for this ARC. Honestly, everything is good with this book. Congrats!!

I went into this one with zero expectations — and it totally surprised me. Creepy cult vibes? Yes please.

This ended up being my favourite book from Dawson so far! I’m usually really picky with shorter novels because I often want more from them… but this one had me hooked from the start. I flew through it — totally unputdownable.

My only critique? I wish it had been just a little longer to flesh out some of the details. But overall, it was dark, fast-paced, and seriously fun.

If you love unsettling stories with cult energy and quick pacing, this one might be for you.

I will come back to post links once I add to my social media

4 stars
Creepy, dreamy, and totally sucked me in.

House of Idyll is like if Midsommar and Daisy Jones had a spooky baby. A struggling artist gets invited to an exclusive music commune—only to find out it’s less about creativity and more about control. The vibes are lush and eerie, the culty undertones are chef’s kiss, and Jesper Idyll is the kind of charismatic creep you love to hate.

Quick read, unsettling ending, and a perfect blend of art, ambition, and horror. I couldn’t look away.

Thank you NetGalley and Titan books for this arc. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for an arc copy of this book for my review.

This was the first book I've read by Delilah S. Dawson, but I actually purchased Guillotine a few weeks ago and now I'm super excited to read it.

House of Idyll was fast paced, dark, and twisted. I loved the creepy isolated setting, it was really unsettling. I've not read a cult horror before but this was a great place to start! I loved the story, I thought it progressed seamlessly. The writing flowed really well and was easy to read, and the characters were written perfectly.

The only reason I've not rated this the full 5 stars is because I wished it had been a little bit longer, I felt the ending was a little abrupt.

All in all, I'd definitely recommend this book and would say it's worth preordering! House of Idyll publishes on 9th September 2025 🖤

Really enjoyed this book! Love the author's writing style (so descriptive and easy to read, which makes you feel like you're part of the story as it unfolds). This story, (to me) a cautionary tale of "sometimes things are too good to be true" was like reading a fast-paced fever dream. Much like the main character, at times it was difficult to discern what was "real" and what was a "dream". The ending of the story was rather sudden (although I kind of figured that's the direction the story was going). Which wasn't a negative. Instead, the ending lingered and made me think about it, and think about the rest of the book. And think about it some more. Sometimes and abrupt ending can be jarring and a bad thing. This time it totally worked. I love a book that lingers.

A fab read showcasing music and communes! I had a wonderful time reading an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and to the publisher.

This book follows Angelina, down on her luck and desperate to stay living in Los Angeles to pursue her music career. Very quickly in the opening chapters she finds herself homeless and jobless. So when she’s invited to join a creative commune of artists and performers, led by one of her favourite bands, she’s easily convinced to say yes for the free room and board. She’s moved to this beautiful space in nature with yoga and drum circles, everyone wears white all the time and they have their own tiny houses, there’s gifts and nourishing food. However she starts to see things that unnerve her.

This is a horror novel so you can assume things won’t go entirely to plan. However for a moment, I really wanted Angelina to thrive in this community and I was hoping she could continue in her creative flow and inspiration. However, the pay off of the horror elements was well worth it and enhanced by how invested I was in Angelina’s success.

This was beautiful, unnerving, surprising. It’s quite short and usually this leaves me feeling like the book needed more, but actually, the author managed to deliver this story spot on in a shorter page count.

Wildly entertaining! I want to read more from this author!