Dare I say I think I loved this even more than The Spirit Bares Its Teeth? Benji and Nick are everything!

The journey that this book takes you on is stressful and heartbreaking but so hopeful at the same time.

This one took a long time to read. But it was incredibly intricate and I catch myself thinking back on it constantly. One I will reread again and again. I think something new could be gained from this each time. The concept is what drew me into this but the writing is what kept me there. I'm a huge fan.

This was nothing of what I expected yet it was everything and more.
It's definitely not for the faints of heart with the many body horrors, violence and hard situations, but if you have a strong stomach, don't miss the opportunity to read this book. The journey it takes you is not what you think or guess, and it will surprise you at every turn. I was so scared at every page because I didn't trust the story to keep the characters safe. I was worried and I was screaming and then the book was over and it was fantastic. A must read.

OBSESSED! This was so so good. I was blown away. Such an amazing example of queer representation. I loved the main character so much.

This was an absolute fantastic read and I loved it. It was a stunning debut for Andrew Joseph White and I can’t wait to see everything else he comes out with. His second book looks extremely creepy and stunning as well. Within the first, maybe 10? 5 even? percent of reading this book I knew it would be a 5 star read and the author a top author. He had such a way with words that I kept wanting to read.

I love the post-apocalyptic genre. Give me it in any format and with any origin story. Virus, alien apocalypse, ton of natural disasters – I don’t care. Two of my favourite things in this genre is a) people creating communities. Getting together, living in a school or small neighbourhood. These people creating a school for the children. Anyone who has medical experience setting up a “hospital”. Give me all of it. B) the environment taking over man-made structures. Give me grass all over parking lots. Vines and ivy growing all over buildings. I love it.

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This book had both of that in spades and I was here for all of it. The community building here was done by an LGBTQ+ centre – which I thought was excellent. I felt so much for these characters and I was happy to do that. The author did a great job at that and I hope his next book will also feature characters that I love almost immediately.

Benji and Nick were two fantastic characters and were a big reason I didn’t want to stop reading. I loved that we got both of their povs and were able to know them more (than just dialogue). Even if we just had Benji’s pov I would’ve been happy because we got to know Nick through the dialogue and his interactions with Benji.

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The plot was fantastic. The author definitely has a way with words that make you keep reading and keep you invested in the plot. Almost every chapter had me on the edge of my seat and I wanted to know more about the beginning of everything. So if he ever wanted to write a novella… I’d be right there.

The gore was so well-written. Extremely visual in the writing and pulled no punches at all. Extremely descriptive but done amazingly well, which made it all the better to read it. Tying the gore and the post-apocalypse so closely to religion was a great choice. White certainly didn’t hold back but I didn’t mind it at all because I know religion often isn’t kind to those who don’t tick their boxes. This is a dark book and it dealt with very dark themes, specifically church-related but it was done really well.

Wow, this was so good and I'm obsessed. White's writing just sucked me in on the first page and I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read their future works.

Sometimes a book will persist and resist all your preconceptions. This is a book that I took my time and came back to time and time again.

This gory body horror novel had me rooting for everything to turn out well even when I knew their world was way passed that possiblity.

thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for the early copy!! sorry it took me a year to read it but here i am, redeeming myself 😂😇

yeah no, i'm so surprised my soul left my body and then came back screaming.
as someone who grew up in a Christian house and school, i relate SO MUCH to Benji's thoughts about belief. it wasn't until college that i stopped believing and caring about a religion, so reading how Benji was dealing with all of this broke my heart. gosh, the TRANSPHOBIAAAAA, i wanted to murder everyone who even dare to call him a girl 😡 i literally loved every single thing that happened in this book, how Benji found solace and comfort in a lgbt+ group even in a dystopian setting, the characters were amazing and real and i wanted to hug them all the time. nick was my babe, i love him and his resilience so much 😍

SPOILER ALERT and theo can rot in hell, if there is something i've learned this year is to never trust a guy called theo because they will let you down 😑 END OF SPOILER

i can't believe i didn't read this sooner, i really enjoyed this book so much and i really could sense the anger from the author, which made me enjoy it more. now i can't wait to read all the books he comes out with 😎

YA typically isn’t my jam but this one was fantastically done. The premise was unique and not at all what I expected.

Absolutely loved this novel -- a harrowing tale of a young person seeking acceptance for his identity in a cruel, post-apocalyptic world. I've read many LGBTQ+ YA titles, but none compare to this one. Perfect for fans of "The Last of Us," White enraptures the audience with compelling characters and twisted mysteries.

"Hell Followed with Us" by Andrew Joseph White is a chilling and atmospheric horror novel that combines elements of the supernatural with themes of identity, survival, and the resilience of the human spirit. White's storytelling mastery shines as he crafts a tale of terror, camaraderie, and the struggle to confront the unknown. The book's eerie atmosphere and well-developed characters create an immersive reading experience that captivates both LGBTQIAP+ and horror fiction enthusiasts. White skillfully navigates the emotions of fear, bravery, and the complexities of facing both external and internal demons, adding depth to the narrative. "Hell Followed with Us" is a spine-tingling reminder that sometimes the most frightening challenges come from within, and that the bonds forged in the face of adversity can be powerful sources of strength, leaving readers with a sense of unease and fascination as they journey through the dark and haunting tale.

This is a book you want to give your whole attention to, no matter how badly you don’t want to put it down, want to steal glances at every free moment you get, it’s a story you should savor, one with so many layers and details that deserve to be caught. It’s horrifying and hilarious and heartfelt and trust me, you want it when it comes out, I promise

I have mixed feelings about this book. I love the representation it has and the concept as a whole, but it's not really the type of books I like reading. Super recommend for fans of horror and suspense novels though!

I anticipated this would be intense, and my, was I right. A gut-punching dystopian horror tale about trans identity, evangelical Christian fanatics, and abusive relationships, Hell Followed With Us.

Teenage trans boy named Benji is on the run from a cult that wants to use him as a weapon and marry him off. Climate change and an evangelical eco-fascist organisation that released a virus that transforms people into monsters have turned the planet into a dystopian hellscape. Because God has commanded it, the organization has turned to medical experiments with Benji as the successful subject in an effort to control those creatures.

I won't go into more detail about the storyline, but this book is unflinching, intelligent, and real. There is a LOT of body horror and gore, but it uses Benji's transformation to both explore the experience of body dysmorphia and literalize the idea that trans people are monsters. Even though I'm not trans myself, the religious aspect of this really hit home for me because I was forced to go to church with my family for a really long time.

The acceptance of violence, and the blindness to how you are damaging or dehumanizing those you claim to love really hit home in this one.

All in all, this was a fascinating debut, I'm so glad I got to read it and I'm looking forward to reading anything new from this author!

CW/TW : gore, misgendering, transphobia, abusive relationships (romantic and familial), religious drama, violence, torture, death.

Holey. Moley. This book. This freaking book.
Give me all the gore.

"Hell followed with us" is a hauntingly and powerful novel about Benji, a transboy, trying to escape the clutches of New Nazareth and its Angels, a group of soldiers in charge of taking him back. The world is no more, wiped out by the Flood, a plague created by Christian fundamentalists to re-start a new Eden on Earth and to recreate the world in the Glory of God as He Himself imagined it.
While his dad is gruesomely killed in front of him while escaping with his son, Benji is lucky enough to be saved by the Watch, a group of queer teenagers/young adults who survived the Flood, and is taken to the ALC, a safe space for queer people. There he is finally free to be himself. But how can he live as a boy when a monstrous weapon is growing inside of him and will take over not only his body but his whole essence?

This book stuck itself to me as if it was the Flood itself - no joking. I hold my breath from the very first page, reading every single chapter with that kind of horror and expectation that you just cannot be without. The story made me shiver and twisted my guts, making me feel everything all at once. Everything felt so, so real.

A beautiful representation of queer and neurodivergent characters, of the struggle of surviving, of the scars that people and situations leave on us. Wonderful main characters, amazing gray characters and villains (of that sort that you really hate with all your essence), anyone was multifaceted and complex and no one felt flat.
Thank you for this masterpiece.

This was a smart, compelling, and timely YA horror that I think everyone should read. It provides some really thoughtful critique about religious fanaticism and how it dehumanizes others and provides important transgender rep that's need in the YA space. And the horror elements are creepy and unsettling and cool--everything you want in a good horror.

Thank you for the ARC!

I can't put into words how much I love this book, I didn't think something so gorey and violent could be such a comfort read but! it is!!! it instantly became one of my favourites and I cannot wait for more from Andrew Jospeh White

This book was absolutely brilliant and I cannot recommend it enough. From the plot and the writing to the characters and overall themes, I could not put it down.

I feel like a lot of times I request books, and by the time I get to them, I wonder what made me request them in the first place because they are so outside the realm of things I typically enjoy. This book was one of those. I feel like the concept is actually kind of cool, but this book definitely has an audience, and unfortunately that audience wasn't me.

I think the story itself isn't the problem here. It was actually pretty decent concept wise. It was more violent and graphic than I think I was expecting, but I kind of enjoy that type of thing. It was the writing itself that wasn't working for me here. It just felt so detached and a bit young. Again, this is probably a me problem, because years ago this probably would have been my jam, but as it stands now, I definitely prefer more adult type fantasy.

I think it was too heavy on all of the biblical references with no world building or details where more explanation could have definitely benefitted the story. I think the trans rep in the book is super important and I am glad that there are more and more books that feel inclusive. I think that unfortunately many of the characters felt a bit flat and all sort of blended together, but if the author was just here to check a box on diversity, I think that goal was achieved.

To be completely honest, I feel like that was my biggest problem with this book... It just felt like checking boxes and adding things for the sake of having a million different elements and conflicts, but nothing is explained well. It's all just here for the sake of being here, and it feels kind of convoluted and messy at times.