Thanks to Titan Books and the author for a copy for review.

House of Idyll is a mix of isolation horror and cult horror. Isolation because the main character seemed to be surrounded by like minded individuals, but seemed completely alone. Although House of Idyll claimed not to be a cult, the leader, Jesper, gave definite Manson vibes.

I loved the whole story. Quick and immersive. I found Angelina’s journey from barista to sitting at the cool kids table with her rockstar idol to be delightful, but very ominous. The full moon raves, the drum circles, even hot yoga were magical and unreal.

Although I found Jesper Idyll to be extremely red flag, I still found myself making excuses for him. I liked him. I wanted him to be as magical and kind as he projected himself to be.

I adored Angelina and wanted her to find love, success and support. She was very flawed but very realistic. Oh and there’s unicorns. Scary, depraved unicorns.

For fans of cults, rock horror, isolation horror and fantasy.

Super fast paced and full of unexpected twists.
A super exclusive commune for the brightest talents; musicians, dancers, singers, writers, artists but only those special few are invited.
On what should have been the worst day, losing her job and her place to live, Angelina is offered the chance of a life time. A place to stay, with every need met, sponsored by the members of her favourite band Black Idyll.
But although everything seems perfect on the surface, there’s a deeply unsettling sense of dark forces at work, and when a dead body shows up things get really dark.
This was really good fun, and I did not expect that ending!

3.5⭐️ I loveeee Delilah s Dawsons writing and it was her classic style in this too however the plot didn’t quite hit as hard this time. I wanted it to go further and darker and the ending I felt was a little anti climactic. Doesn’t help it resolved around a famous band and I’m not a big fan of that in books but it was still fun and super quick read !! Read if you love weird cult-esque thriller/horror, was quite gory in parts. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. Due to be published September 9th.

This is Delilah's best yet. I kept trying to figure out what was going on and I was soooooo wrong. I loved every page.

I love Delilah s Dawson so much! This one is a bit different from her past reads but still enjoyed and would recommend.

Delilah Dawson sure can write novellas that pack a PUNCH. I loved Bloom, and this might have even surpassed that?

House of Idyll follows our protagonist, a gal with a dream to make it as a singer/songwriter. Who better to help her on this journey that her childhood hero, Jesper Idyll, lead singer of her favourite band. But as the band members hooks their claws deeper into Angelina, and the drugs kick in harder than ever before, she begins to see more than meets the eye. Is it a cult? Demonic activity? Simply very vivid MDMA??

5/5, I cannot wait to read more from Delilah Dawson, her books are top tier.

I think I will read anything Delilah Dawson writes. This book did not disappoint, cult vibes, and an unhinged rocker fever dream. I read this in a day, it was very good, but I did feel like it ended a bit abruptly. I would have liked a little bit more explanation at the end. Still a great story. Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for this EARC
4 star

My fourth by this author and won’t be my last! This one was so much fun and had me on the edge of my seat. Also one of my favorites by her!

Absolutely another banger from Delilah S. Dawson, there has not been a horror book from her that I’ve read and not enjoyed and House if Idyll is no different! The phrase “good for her” always comes to mind when I’m reading one of her books, sometimes it’s outright female rage, sometimes it’s quietly simmering resentment and in this case it was final girl hell yeah good for her vibes. Loved it.

"From the New York Times bestselling author of Bloom and Guillotine comes a darkly seductive tale of beautiful rock stars, sinister cults, and a magical oasis where dreams come true...for a price.

Angelina Yves is a struggling singer/songwriter offered the chance of a lifetime to join the experimental luxury compound sponsored by the most famous band in the world, Black Idyll. With her every need accommodated, she finally has the time and space to perfect her music. Her muse? Reclusive rock star Jesper Idyll, who lives up to her every high school daydream. But this paradise has a haunted underbelly heralded by screaming horses, mysterious figures in the night, and dreams too twisted to be real. When people start to disappear and Jesper's ex turns up dead and hideously mutilated, Angelina begins to suspect that something malevolent lurks behind the cult that's grown around the band...

A disturbing, decadent and wickedly compelling tale of a Hollywood dream turned nightmare, Delilah S. Dawson's darkly delicious prose will seduce you, tie you up, and never let you go...."

The price is never worth paying. But the price of this book totally is.

This is such an unusual read that I think if it was on the big screen they would have to reincarnate Salvadore Dali to do the dream like sequences that the authors writing portryas.

It is a pacy tale and once I actually got into it I really enjoyed it.

This book isn't for every reader but those who do read will enjoy their reading time..

"Because the world is often ugly, and art can be a spotlight. It exposes what's there, forces it to the surface, makes people look at what they'd rather not see. But even in that ugliness, there is beauty."

Delilah S. Dawson's book is about Angelina Yves. She is a struggling singer/songwriter who is offered the chance of a lifetime to join the experimental luxury compound sponsored by the most famous band in the world, Black Idyll. With all her needs accommodated, she finally has the time and space to perfect her music. Her muse? Reclusive rock star Jesper Idyll, who lives up to her every high school daydream. But all is not what it seems in this paradise. It feels haunted by screaming horses, mysterious figures in the night, and twisted dreams. When people start to disappear and Jesper's ex turns up dead and hideously mutilated, Angelina begins to suspect that something malevolent lurks behind the cult that's grown around the band.

I had read "Bloom" and "Guillotine" by this author both of which I really enjoyed and was excited to see there was a new book coming out.

The premise alone sounded interesting and what this author does well is to write foreboding dread that can be felt intensely. Along with the breadcrumbs as to what is actually happening, the overall atmosphere was well written in creating that tension and mystery.

For me although I enjoy the writing style, the story itself didn't work for me. I wanted to enjoy this book as much as the previous ones but that didn't happen this time round.

3.5⭐️

I absolutely LOVED Bloom and Guillotine by this author so I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into her newest release especially when I found out it was about a cult.

Overall I did really enjoy it. It’s classic Delilah S Dawson, she’s very good at creating that sense of dread throughout her books and this one was no different. However for me it just wasn’t unhinged enough and it just felt a bit tame in comparison to the other two books of hers I loved.

That being said I would still recommend it especially if you are a fan of her previous work.

Thank you so much Titan Books for the netgalley ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this title.

I loved it. Like, 5 stars loved it. The building tension in this story was delectable! This story will have you doubting your instincts right along with the main character. It falls right in line with the excellent storytelling I've come to expect from Delilah S. Dawson. I can't wait to recommend this to everyone.

Delilah S Dawson never disappoints when it comes to body horror and extra campy gore. This book was culty, sexy, fun, and unsettling - a strange mix that somehow works.

The book was a fast-paced read and each chapter was separated by lyrics to Black Idyll’s lyrics (a super cute little addition). I liked the story and was very invested, but I do feel as though I’m left with a lot of unanswered questions. I could have dealt with a rushed ending if only they gave me some answers along the way..

Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a such a fever dream.

The beginning was slow at first, the main character was a bit too naïve in my opinion, but at the same time the story won't progress otherwise.
As soon as the story kicks in, the feelings of unease and concern start. The atmosphere here lingers. It’s beautiful, but it's dark. It offers comfort, but always with an unease at the back of your mind.

House of Idyll is a good, interesting read. You can read it in one sitting, it tackles dark themes and has some freaky moments.

Big thank you to Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this arc!

I didn't expect to read this so quickly and finished it in one sitting! I’ve seen many Delilah S. Dawson books on Instagram, and I was excited to read some of her work. I was thrilled when Titan provided me with the eARC to read. It was a quick and easy read, entertaining yet eerie and sinister. If you love cults, evil demons and rock bands this will be for you.

This book follows Angeline, a singer-songwriter. She's invited to a luxury compound run by Black Idyll, a rock and roll band that she's followed for years… but something isn’t quite right.

I enjoyed this work! I loved the horror imagery, dream sequences, and the bizarre, blurry reality where it’s hard to tell what is real. The ending left me with unanswered questions and what really happened. Felt very rushed to me maybe it could have been a bit longer and explained more to us. I’d still recommend this book!

This book releases September the 9th! Thank you to Titan Books for my ARC.

★★★ ½

I've wanted to read a Delilah S. Dawson story for such a long time, and I'm so glad that House of Idyll allowed me to finally take the plunge. I can absolutely agree with much of her received praise: writing that is lush, rich, and poetic without falling into being pointless or overwrought; characters that feel so real they allow you to suspend your disbelief, even through witnessing things that are not-quite-right over and over; and horror that feels genuinely original and takes the reader for a ride, even if it's built off a trope that's been done countless times before, as most horror has. There's a special uniqueness to her works—one that I can't say I experience often as an avid horror reader—that I can confidently say will make me pick up more of her writing in the future.

I also quite enjoyed the satire aspect of the novel. It felt like all of those Wattpad-esque "sold to One Direction" fanfiction pieces many of us grew up on in the best way possible—but with eerie twists and turns that began to creep in the longer I read, with just enough strangeness to keep me interested and make the snapshots of horror and violence feel that much more jarring.

That said, the ending, though fun, felt decently rushed—more like the climax to a campy, half-done slasher over the horror novel dripping in atmosphere that it is—and a disservice to the environment that the rest of the book had taken its sweet time to build up. Though I think that House of Idyll definitely shines best at the length it's at, I would have loved to see more in regard to the unicorn symbolism surrounding the band, as I feel like there just wasn't quite enough of it for what seemed hinted at in the cover, synopsis, and early chapters. That may just be me, though!

As a note, the Goodreads synopsis and tags (as of 7/24 when this review is written), in my opinion, spoil too much for the reader. I'd personally use that space to discuss Vivian's death that's stated in the first few pages, rather than the one that happens nearly 2/3 through the book.

Overall, a standout work and equal parts entertaining and bizarre. I can say confidently that despite the parts I wish were more fleshed out, I had a great time on this delightfully strange, 250-page ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

House Of Idyll by Delilah S. Dawson was incredibly hard to put down. I devoured it one day!
The story of a girl whisked away to an artists compound by her favourite rock band was definitely an interesting premise and it kept me turning the pages.
My only complaint is that the ending felt a little rushed for me and I didn't love the final reveal.
You can check out my more indepth spoiler free review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJYVTLj0xyk&t=303s

Let me start with the positives. There were elements I enjoyed in this book, mainly how the scene is set when Angelina arrives at the House of Idyll project, the descriptions of the setting, the rules, and daily routines felt like an interesting take on the cult trope, with the little houses, white clothing, group activities, The Well, the lake. I liked the idea of a community of creatives being given the freedom to produce art without worrying about paying the bills.

But, and this is a big but, a lot of the dialogue felt clunky, the lyrics were pretty cringey, and I could not accept that Angelina would go along with everything so far, so fast especially when women are disappearing (Van), being discarded (Maria), or dying (Megan) all over the place.