This is my first TRUE FIVE STAR read of the year! I listened to an advanced copy of the audiobook, which is releasing in May 2026, although the ebook has been out since September - and I am going to literally recommend this to EVERYONE!

I was honestly not sure what to expect when I started the book, but the premise sounded thoroughly original - and it exceeded ALL expectations! The main character is an original demon, the embodiment of the first sin of Pride. Pride leads his demonic siblings in their primary objective - to harvest human souls for their Maker. As the centuries pass, the demons find themselves constantly adapting and evolving in order to better understand and manipulate their human prey - but living amongst the humans takes its own toll. Pride finds himself struggling with his sense of identity and purpose, with his desires, and his increasing feelings of resentment towards Lucifer…

The writing was truly impeccable - intelligent, purposeful, and engaging. Ms. Coursey crafts a beautiful world, giving us glimpses of magic and creatures and cultures that are both familiar and fantastical. You really feel as if this story is woven into the fabric of our own human history, while still feeling fresh and unique. She explores the themes of humanity and self-determination in a way that is thought provoking, but still accessible. This book makes you FEEL side by side with the demons, through every bit of joy and pain (and there is plenty of both.) With this stunning debut novel, I know now that Ms. Coursey will become one of my auto-buy authors, and I am a fan for life.

Now, as I listened to this as an audiobook, I do want to take time to review that format specifically. The narrator, Sami Ro, did a marvelous job bringing all of the demons to life. I particularly loved her characterization of the twins (Greed and Gluttony). The novel has many dialogue heavy chapters, yet there was never any difficulty keeping track of who was who during the scenes. The production value was high, and the audio effects used to give that other worldly/demonic tone to Lucifer (and some of the other characters) was effective without being campy. I highly recommend the audiobook to anyone that wants to experience the book, but may be intimidated by the length of the written versions.

Overall, this novel is officially joining my GOD-TIER fantasy series - right up there with the Wheel of Time and Kushiel’s Legacy series. I literally CANNOT wait for the next book to come out later this year!

I cannot believe this is Kassidy Coursey debut into dark fantasy! This was such a cool representation of the seven deadly sins. They were personified with depth and had such great interactions with another. Sibling rivalry is hell, and in hell too, apparently.
Character development was done so well that I couldn't help but root for a character that I didn't want to like. Lucifer was dark. I mean, like devilishly dark and intense, not like snarky dark sense of humor dark. He made my skin crawl and the voice actors absolutely nailed the presentation of these characters. The familial support and relationships were emotionally wrecking and sweet and provided such a believable amount of dysfunction that I giggled a few times. I don't know how to classify this story because the world building was so plush and vivid that it gave me all the makings of an epic fantasy but there was some instant attraction stuff that was very unique for that genre. Overall, a very unique and well written story but be prepared to fall in love with a demon... or demons.

This was such a unique and surprisingly emotional take on the seven deadly sins. Each sin is personified with real depth, and the sibling dynamics were fantastic. Lucifer in particular was genuinely unsettling, and the audiobook narration by Sami Ro brought every character to life in a way that made the story even richer.

The world‑building is vivid and immersive, blending epic‑fantasy scale with a character‑driven story about identity, purpose, and what it means to evolve. It’s dark, intense, and unexpectedly heartfelt, with moments that made me laugh and others that hit much harder.

Overall, a fresh, well‑written fantasy with incredible narration and a cast of demons you can’t help but get attached to. I’m already excited for the next book.

Wow - this novel has such a unique premise, it was a pleasure to read. Fallen's First is an Adam-and-Eve retelling through the framework of the 7 demons of hell and Lucifer. The story explores the nature of the Seven Deadly sins as if they were individuals and how each others "sins" influence them. It's it a little slow getting started because the demons are newly made and still orienting themselves to their reality and learning language. But once the story gets past the "introduction" chapters (part 1), it comes together faster. It's a slow burn with real pay off.

The audiobook narrator Sami Ro did an excellent job with the many voices of the demons, Lucifer and humans. She has incredible range and a soothing presence.

Bonus: the author has some wonderful artwork made for Saer and Neyu on her Instagram :)

Don’t go into this one thinking it’s another love story. It’s layered with all the emotions and more. I got an ALC and the narrator add another element. Reading this book will change you but listening to it will destroy you in the best possible way. Not sure I’ll ever be the same.

A book that has me craving the next one.


I requested this advanced audiobook as I was intrigued by the description and the cover. The description felt different to what I have been reading lately, so I thought I would give it a go. All I can say is I am glad the past me decided to do this.


The story is about the creation of the seven deadly sins, but the focus is on their evolving characters, each with unique personalities and quirks, who play a huge part in the story. Saer (Pride) is the first of their kind, followed by Neyu (Lust), with whom he has an instant bond. Their Maker (Lucifer) tasks them to travel to the human world to harvest souls to feed the Devil. Throughout the book, you see each character grow. I particularly enjoyed their individual take on things and how they individually viewed hell and the human world. As the reader, you are taken along on the characters' journey as they are torn between doing their master's bidding and surrendering to their own wishes.


The narrator's voice work was fantastic, the voices were consistent, and I could tell each character apart. Some of the names and descriptions would be hard to pronounce if I were reading the book, but the narrator just glided over them without issue. Then there is Lucifer, who is referred to as the master. Sami Ro did a fantastic job on their voice because I was scared when Lucifer first spoke or got angry. There were many characters, and I felt Sami Ro promoted each of them. The narrator was clear, and it was well-paced.


The story itself was very well paced and progressed smoothly, without dragging or rushing. The story allowed me to feel a range of emotions, but none of them was “bored” From the start, I was drawn into this world of hell and humanity.
I constantly wanted to listen to more. I was listening to it on my commute to work, but I found myself putting my headphones in while walking around the shops/housework, just so I could snatch more moments with the characters.


A massive thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley co-op and to Kassidy Coursey for the Audio ARC

Publish Date 19th May 2026

I feel like I just read the Iliad but for the first demons of hell, and I am not mad about it at all. It definitely reads as an almost "founding text" document, but I think that made it easier for me to understand.

Sami Ro put in serious work with this audiobook. She had so many characters and so many emotions to try and catch, and she did it all like it was nothing. She had individual voices for each character. She was great at picking up on each demon's sin and emoting it into her narration. I really liked some of the sound effects that were used, it helped give the audiobook depth that was absolutely necessary. The layered voices for inside thoughts vs single voice for outside thoughts helped distinguish a lot of the dialogue for me. Also, the extra emotion we got through the inside thoughts was top tier.

I went through so many emotions throughout this book. I was cheering, screaming, crying, and mentally throwing hands. Saer has his hands full at, literally, all times. His growth from beginning to end is something I did not see coming. I knew there was going to be some development after the big twist, but I was not expecting him to switch up as much as he did. Also, the world sin tour? Absolute cinema. Seeing how he interacts with all of his siblings helped me understand more why Saer is the way he is. I cannot wait for book 2 so we can wreak hell on, well, hell.

I was given an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to Kassidy Coursey for the ALC!

Fallen's First completely pulled me into its dark, infernal world from the very beginning. Kassidy Coursey took the concept of the Seven Deadly Sins and turned it into something emotional, brutal, and surprisingly intimate. The atmosphere felt so immersive, and even with the larger worldbuilding and lore, the relationships were always the heart of the story for me, especially the tension and emotional connection between Saer and Neyu.

I listened to Fallen’s First as an ALC narrated by Sami Ro and honestly the audiobook made this experience even better for me. Sami Ro really captured the emotion, tension, and darker atmosphere of the story, especially during the heavier emotional moments and all the internal conflict Saer deals with throughout the book.

What I loved most about this book was how layered the characters felt. Nobody is fully good or fully evil, and the story constantly plays in that morally gray space. The relationships, betrayals, loyalty, and emotional tension kept me hooked the entire time. I also really enjoyed the Seven Deadly Sins aspect and how Kassidy Coursey made the world feel dark, dangerous, and immersive without making the lore confusing or overwhelming.

The connection between Saer and Neyu had so much longing and emotional weight behind it that I was fully invested in them from the start. The second half especially had me flying through the audiobook because I needed to know how everything was going to unfold.
Overall this was such a strong dark fantasy debut with emotional stakes, demon lore, betrayal, forbidden feelings, and characters that constantly kept me questioning their motives. And that ending definitely has me wanting the next book immediately.