This is a beautiful, lyrical read that I was not expecting from a book classed as horror.

Sonny is a teenager who has recently lost his father and has a rather ambivalent relationship with his mother. In his grief, he has pretty much given up on life. Then he meets the Grim Reaper, who is looking for a replacement for his position... The Reaper is an unorthodox representation of the Death concept – a cigarette addict, junk-food lover and a fan of poetry, he certainly does not sound like an average imagining of Death. However, he has his own tragic background and a very specific reason for seeking a replacement. As he tries to convince Sonny that the boy would be a perfect fit for the position and train him for his grim future, he changes Sonny’s viewpoint on life, grief and relationships.

Reading this book was a unique and lovely experience. Whilst there is a lot of horrifying imagery and terrible events described in detail, it was surprisingly comforting. The text is also interspersed with fragments of poems, which I really liked, as just like this Reaper, I am a fan of poetry.

The ending was a complete surprise; it also did not seem to fit the character of the Reaper as established for the majority of the book. But I don’t know if I would have wanted a different one. I am a bit torn on this point!

I certainly recommend the book, though, it was a great, though-provoking read with beautiful writing!

Very humorous and dark, thoroughly enjoyed this book. Kind of felt like a modern take on Mort by Terry Pratchett. Highly recommend

Sonny has never had a good relationship with his mother, and when his father unexpectedly dies, it doesn’t get any better. Confused as to why his dad died, Sonny has a difficult time living on. When he meets the Grim Reaper, they enjoy spending time together, then Death decides that Sonny must become the next Reaper. The Reaper then trains Sonny into taking his place as Death. As a result, Sonny learns much more about himself.

This was a unique read. The concept of the story was interesting and well done. I enjoyed the classical depictions of death that were also scattered throughout.
This book addresses some difficult themes also, and does it really well.

The ending of the work felt like a Hallmark movie; it was cheesy and wasn’t the best way to end this story, in my opion.

I would recommend this work to anyone who is interested in exploring the personification of Death and the feelings often associated with grief. I enjoyed it overall, but I think maybe it just wasn’t the book for me.

This was a very middle-of-the-road book for me. But I do know people I can recommend this book to that will love and enjoy it.

A great read by this author. I definitely recommend checking this one out!
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this fast paced, horror / fantasy story. C.S. Fritz has a great writing style and a huge imagination you can really get lost in. I read this in 5 days, and I didn't feel like I was rushing - it was just a great ripping horror read.

The story follows a young boy bound to become the next iteration of Death. A coming of age story, we get immersed in the rather sad life of teenage horror movie lover Sonny, who has gone through quite a lot in his years. The author could have made this a YA kind of story but I am very glad he didn't, its aimed at an adult audience despite being about teenagers - its dark, horrific, visually stunning, and macabre, with bright flashes of humour breaking up the weirdness. The giant black moths, the undead beings, the porcelain doppelgänger, the haunted coast of Oregon. I loved all the imagery, the world building and the visual storytelling. I also enjoyed the biblical references, the song lyrics, the philosophical quotes, and the pictures throughout this book. All very well done, and there are some great character illustrations that decorate the end of the book as well, I wish they had been displayed at the start instead.

The characterisation reminded me of Stephen King at times, and the novel is full of twisted people, such as Sonny's mum's saddistic but charming new boyfriend, or the fallen pastor full of regret but also somehow one of the most positive characters in the story, and of course death himself as a playful, funny, compassionate character who really is quite likeable despite his job description.

And maybe becoming death incarnate is the best outcome of this story. You will have to read and see for yourself.

I look forward to reading the next book by C.S. Fritz.


Thank you Netgalley for a copy of the book for an honest review.

This is a philosophical, emotional horror that far exceeded my expectations. The small but mighty book tackles themes of life and death using richly developed characters all grieving in some way. It is a macabre yet touching story that is easily read in one sitting.
Full review on my YouTube channel.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The cover is really cool, this is the first thing that made me want to read it.

This is a deep, messy, and impactful story about life, death, family, abandonment, and self-hatred. It's short but it digs deep into all the big questions.

A compelling examination of life, death, and grief, hitting the careful balance of philosophical and humorous, without becoming too heady an experience. It dances in familiar territory, but has its own sense of flair to keep the experience fresh. It's a unique work with a voice all its own, and a worthy enough journey, especially at its quick pace.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of A Fig for All the Devils by C. S. Fritz in exchange for an honest review. I really liked the idea behind this book, even death dies and will need a replacement, but there is a Robert Heinlein book with the same premise.

DNF @40%

This isn’t really my type of horror I don’t think. It’s very fast paced and has nice, short chapters, so if you’re in the mood for something quick this might be it. It follows 13 year old Sonny after the suicide of his father, and his move to Oregon with his abusive mother. A dark shadow has been following Sonny, literally and figuratively. When out picking mushrooms with his new friend, Jess, the shadow reveals itself as The Reaper and tells Sonny that Death too must die eventually and it is his time, and he would basically like Sonny to become the next Realer.

This was fine, the idea is interesting and there were threads that were compelling. In general, though, the characterization is inconsistent, themes aren't fully realized, and the emotional beats aren't earned.

This was a generally good book about the process of grief and death's role in life. The story centers on a young teen dealing with the recent loss of his father, a recent move, and a job offer from Death himself. There is a nice mix of horror with sentimentality that mostly worked for me. There are a few things that might trigger individuals, chiefly suicide and domestic violence.

The characters who aren't the main teen and Death aren't super developed, but they play their roles and I liked the twists thrown into the preacher's family. This is apparently Fritz's first foray into more mature works and it sometimes shows. There are occasionally odd interactions that feel more young adult than all of the other aspects of the book, but generally they don't detract too much from the story.

Overall this was a short and enjoyable read with both enough horror and heart that I was able to overlook its flaws.

*I received a copy of this book from netgalley *

Thirteen year-old Sonny has just moved to the Oregon Coast with his mother after recently losing his father to suicide. He begins making unexpected new friends: Jess, the preacher's daughter who is also losing a parent, and The Grim Reaper (who is grooming Sonny to be Death’s replacement). In witty, cutting prose, we follow Sonny as he comes to grip with death, figuratively and literally.

Thank you to Netgalley and Albatross Book Co. for a free digital copy of this book.

This is easily one of the sweetest, disgusting, hilarious, and deeply soul-touching stories I’ve read in a long time. “A Fig For All The Devils” couldn’t be more timely for me. I have recently lost 3 parents in the course of two years, and the path to grief recovery is never easy. I’m still struggling, but stories like this tend to help. Fritz tackles the subject of grief in as direct a way as possible in this story. Through Sonny, the main character, we go through the five stages of grief, with the help of Reaper who is quick to deliver a snarky one-liner and a snack. C.S. Fritz manages to make Reaper (aka, Death or The Grim Reaper) one of the most entertaining and endearing characters I have had the pleasure to acquaint myself with.
I can’t help but feel sad by the end of the story, though. It felt great to laugh with Reaper and cheer for and chide Sonny, but in the end we have to work through our own grief. I have a lot of really hard feelings this book brought up for me. I will revisit this when I have had time to digest them and go more in depth. In the meantime, I highly recommend this book, especially if you like absurdist humor such as Christopher Moore or Douglas Adams, but, like, gross. And about death. 5/5

An interesting read on death, finding the meaning of our own lives, and the humor that life has because it ends. Everyone dies, so everyone can read this book and enjoy.

Sonny’s reeling from the unexpected death of his father while his mother is at ends trying to keep their home together. They end up moving to a less than desirable place and they are both miserable, angry, confused and not really talking to one another.
Sonny is then-visited by an strange creature…the same one he saw, but did not speak to the night he attended the coroner viewing of his father.
Seems Death wants to give him his job.
Although a morbid subject and a bit horror…this story is kind of a broken family heals itself . Along with a coming of age story. Well written,, entertaining and ties the ends together well. Art work is pretty neat too.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC.

This is a great read about grief, death, and how to deal.

I would consider this more subtle horror than 'in your face scary,' but that works for this story. I went into this blind, which worked for me since I think if I read the description, I would be expecting something else. With that, I still feel like it was missing something - I just don't know what.


Thanks to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

Read this book! I feel that with the length of this book and the content, it is a great introduction to horror. This book made me laugh, freak out, and I even had a tear at some point. The book has the pace of a fast speed chase. Sonny can not see any point to keep living, especially with his current circumstances. however, the Grim Reaper is not what he expected at all. The lack of a parental figure is quickly filled with this smoking, drinking, and poetry loving entity that is supposed to lead souls to their final resting place. The authenticity that C.S. Fritz brings through his writing sucks the reader into the story as a passenger in this car chase.

Did not know what to expect when deciding to read this book. But, I felt that I was not able to get into it. Which was a bit of a let down considering how many people I know loved the book. As of right now, it is a DNF. But, I would like to pick it up and try again in the future, There was a lot of potential here.

Terrifying, hilarious, and totally addictive! One of my favorite books this year.

A dark and original story about a thirteen-year-old boy with nothing to lose, who decides to trade places with the Grim Reaper. There are so many things I love about this book. The nod to Stephen King when Sonny pulled on his favorite Pet Semetary t-shirt, the haphazard chapter headings, immersive world, and contrast of characters.

My favorite character, without a doubt, is the Grim Reaper. Through the eyes of the thirteen-year-old protagonist, the description of the entity is terrifying. Specifically, during their very first encounter in the woods while Sonny is mushroom picking. However, once the reaper makes a proper introduction, the tone shifts from horror to humor as his individual traits reveal the quirky personality under the dark hooded cloak. With an addiction to junk food, cigarettes, and poetry, he is far from the traditional 'bringer of death' depicted in modern folklore. The story kept me guessing right from the first page, and the prologue was especially disturbing and perfectly placed to set up the rest of the book a thousand years later.

There usually are one, maybe two scenes in a book I'll remember long after finishing. But I loved so many in this one that it's difficult to choose. My favorite scene by far is the first time the reaper is introduced and the book's tone completely shifts once he appears to possess more human qualities. He is the most likable character in the book (in my opinion). All of the scenes in which Sonny must perform a 'task' to become the reaper are incredibly original and descriptive, but of the three he must face, it's the last one I find the most satisfying. He must inhale the death rattle... Another clever scene near the beginning of the book introduces the pastor, whom Sonny befriends and eventually helps to process his own grieving process. It sees him deliver a speech to his congregation, the first time Sonny attends, mentioning that our life paths are not always what we expect them to be.

5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For readers who enjoy dark humor, immersive worlds, and disturbing subject matter. Those who liked Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica and/or This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno will enjoy this book.