Wow! This book is MESSED UP and I liked it.
No kids or animals were harmed in this book. If you wished the series "You" was a little more messed up, then this book is right up your alley.

I first heard about this novel during a livestream where Stephen Graham Jones praised it as one of his favorite books he’d read lately. Obviously with that kind of praise I highlighted, underlined, and circled it on my tbr list — excited about the day the novel would land in my lap.

Enter my dear friend @jorjorbiiinks and a wonderful care package from @tornightfire

I’m going to state up front that I will not be giving this one a score. I don’t know how I could possibly do that. I had such a visceral reaction to this novel, most good, some eh, but Maeve Fly is a book beyond a traditional scoring system. All of the things I didn’t dig were totally because of my own personal hang ups on style and structure, which I’m not about to knock Leede for.

Maeve Fly is the debut novel from the unhinged and unabashedly fucked up mind of @ceejthemoment and oh boy, is it deranged!

Full of violence, sex, gore, more violence, way more sex, and loads more gore, Maeve Fly unleashes a constant barrage of unsettling imagery and scenarios for you to have alllll sorts of confusing primal reactions to.

This is a novel of extreme horror and it will NOT be for everyone. But for the people it is for, you’ll have a hell of a time.

A twisted and darkly funny debut about a deeply disturbed woman. This is like reading a female version of American Psycho. Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

I was deeply submerged in Maeve Fly all weekend— which is a book for anyone that’s a fan of f— up narrators, but especially if you want to watch one unravel.
Unlikable main characters have been a hit lately, though sometimes when I pick up a book, such as Big Swiss, there is something missing for me. A relatability, even though I never intend on going insane myself.
What Maeve Fly succeeds at doing is creating a tender core, or at least the illusion of one, to cushion the very gory blows.
If you want to read about a Halloween-obsessed sociopath, who loves her job as a Disney princess more than anything else…This is the book for you.

Maeve Fly is a love letter to Halloween and old school Hollywood. It’s a whole mood and I’m kind of obsessed with it. By day Maeve is a princess at that happiest theme park on earth, off the clock she haunts dive bars book in hand living her best misanthropic life. But her perfectly crafted world starts to unravel after meeting her best friends brother Gideon. Speaking of that magical theme park Maeve works at, I’m super curious if the author also at one point must have worked for the mouse themselves because the way they describe the parks and park culture is so spot on. The dark humor, the emotion, the tragedy, the killer Halloween track list, I loved everything. It’s also solid horror. When it gets dark it gets really dark, in a fun way. I loved every moment and ordered a physical copy I could highlight and annotate before I was even done reading it, this is a novel I will absolutely revisit again and again. A really killer debut novel, excited for what C.J. Leede will write in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Transcendentally Sinister! CJ Leede debut is a breath-taking choke leaving you gasping at the gruesome detailing web of Maeve, a deuteragonist, in her own right, living a double life in Los Angeles.

Images such as Princesses and beauty have power and we more often can fall under the spell. For some, it may come at a cost, more deeply rooted or satiated than one can comprehend: leaving you alone in solace.

The story was an elegant waltzing with decomposition and gore. Maeve held no personal desire back, and with the aid of Gideon and grandmother, Tallulah (amazing Tori Amos song, btw) she was wrestling with letting her true 'wolf' free.

There is detailed sex, which I am not shy about, and desires were explored and not shamed. Reading it in a book is like unlocking a private bedroom door, peering in at their 'darkside' and let's be real, I enjoyed the view.

C.J's writing was expository, graphic, and the characters were all well developed. Her tantalizing verbiage had me devouring the pages quicker and quicker as I progressed further into the book. CJ is a writer you want to watch.

This book will surrpise you. Sneak Peek for Maeve Fly is a must!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group!

Maeve lives in Hollywood in a mansion with her comatose grandmother and Lester the Cat. She works at a fictional version of Disneyland where she dresses up as the ice princess (Elsa) and works alongside Kate, her only friend in the world. Maeve has some...unusual habits and hobbies. Her perfectly crafted world is thrown for a loop when Kate's brother Gideon shows up in town.

It's pretty obvious from the cover what kind of story this is. The synopsis is less clear. Maeve is a fan of old school Hollywood horror and all things Halloween. The story begins as Fall approaches and reaches its climax on Halloween. But Maeve is no ordinary scary season fan. She is no ordinary person. She has secrets that are at odds with her daytime persona.

This is not the kind of horror that will make you crawl under the covers or jump at every sound and shadow. It's gory, gross, harsh, and ultra violent with a love story thrown in. It's an ugly world Maeve lives in even though she thinks it's quite beautiful. It's Hollywood from the viewpoint of someone who lives there and knows all the dirty secrets and history, from the inside looking in.

The setting was done really well and I somewhat liked the theme park parts. Everything else was too much for me. The story was what I thought it would be and also not. It's hard for me to be inside the mind of someone like Maeve without seeing any point to all of it. It is a short read but it also drags in a few places. This is not the place to stop and linger.

During her first kill, Maeve reaches for a weapon and I knew what it was before it was revealed. After I was done reading I wanted to scrub my eyes and rinse my brain. Maeve Fly, her real name by the way, is not going to be for every horror fan. It wasn't for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read.

Ooooh boy Maeve is one twisted sister. What if a stone cold psychopath also worked as Elsa at DisneyLand? That’s kind of the main gist of Maeve Fly, and we follow her slow untethering as she tries to maintain control in her relationships and the devastating after effects when she loses that control. I’m going to warn everyone upfront, the final third of this book is so brutal. Maeve isn’t a good person, and we follow her POV for the whole book so if you don’t like unlikeable protagonists this won’t be for you. If you’re easily squeamish, also not for you. But I’ve kind of been looking for a more extreme horror lately, and I like to be surprised. And there is definitely some surprising stuff here. It’s a quick read, and if you’re okay with more extreme psychological/physical horror, then I would recommend. Not for the faint of heart!!

My review will be posted on my instagram @boozehoundbookclub closer to the pub date

WOW this sure was a doozy of a book! Had to put it down and read something else a couple of times despite its relatively short length because it was just so intensely disturbing. I wish there had been more story happening within the park, but that's my only criticism. Much like Samantha Kolesnik's Waif, this made me feel like someone was punching my brain and I loved it.

Not what I was expecting. I thought about DNFing all the way through the first 70% of the book. Glad I didn't because I actually really enjoyed the last 30%.

I really don't like first person pov. It makes the character seem boring and narcissistic.

This did not seem like extreme horror to me, but maybe I have just been desensitized by all of the extreme horror that I have read and watched in my life...lol! There just wasn't anything shocking or horrifying about it to me. And most of the things that others are considering "shocking and horrifying" doesn't really happen in real time. It is mentioned in passing after or as a threat before, but the author shied away from the present, from actually doing anything on the page. It all just felt very tedious until that last 30%.

Maeve Fly gripped me from the start, and refused to let go until the bloody end. The fact the Maeve was the exact character she so craved to see in literature was an amazing fourth wall experience for me. I have often lamented the tired trauma plot device to catapult female characters into action, as if female strength only manifest in the wake of male violence. Leede skillfully crafted Maeve to be a shockingly brutal character while somehow making her vulnerable. I found myself rooting for the serial killer, worrying over her well being, and ultimately bereft at the losses she experiences. Despite her psychosis she embodies the human condition; the need to connect and be seen, to find validation and acceptance, to live as your true self. Maeve is the secret desire of all women-to be able to move through the world as a wolf and not as sheep. I found myself revisiting the story in the night, as I lay sleepless, and I think it will be with me for a long time to come. Maeve Fly deserves nothing less than five stars and a place among feminist fiction on every shelf.

This review will post on Instagram on 4/17/2023

This is my new favourite book.

It has unhinged woman, it has revenge, it has romance, it has gory body horror, it has Disney, Halloween... I truly feel like this book was written for me and i'm obsessed.

This story follows Maeve. A "park" princess with icy hair and icy eyes. She's obsessed with Halloween and uses books to cope with life's problems. Her grandmother - who has also been her caregiver for most of her life - was a Hollywood starlet and Maeve worships her and all that she was.

Understanding there was always something a little different about herself - and her grandmother - Maeve works hard to keep her "wolf" hidden. Until she loses her job, loses her best friend and doesn't know how to carry on.

Once she figures it out...people will pay.

btw she figures it out...and people pay...and it's amazing.

I would be Maeve's best friend. I wouldn't get on her bad side...like not even jokingly or by accident...but i'd want her to have my back 100%.

Love this book. Love this character. This was an easy five stars and moved onto the list of favourite books.

Thank you Tor/Nightfire for the opportunity to read and review this digital arc.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am really grateful for the opportunity to review this ARC, but unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. Maeve Fly by CJ Leede is a very, very dark horror book that includes violence and torture. The story revolves around Maeve, who works at a Disney-like theme park as an ice princess. While that is her day job, what she does at night is very different. Sometimes, the world makes Maeve want to go kill someone.

Here is a dark excerpt from the opening chapter:

"You do not need a moral and noble story to do what you want. You do not first need to be a victim to become a monster. Your loved ones need not be taken from you so that you might drink and brutalize and chase the sublime.
...
This is my story, and you cannot control it.
...
My name is Maeve Fly.
I work at the happiest place in the world."

Overall, Maeve Fly is a very dark horror book that will appeal to fans of American Psycho. One highlight of this book is the premise. I like that it is a twisted take on Disney-like costumed princesses. I also enjoyed the comments on the dark side of America, commercialism, and Disney.

I took off 1 star because it was just too dark for me. It includes sex, drug, and violence, which I can handle in moderation, but not in excess. I took off another star because the protagonist is really messed up and unrelatable, which may be why the narration is so confusing. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of horror in general, you can check out this book when it comes out in June.

Many thanks to Tor Nightfire for the advance reading copy of Maeve Fly 🪰💚 As one of my fave books of the year, I recommend grabbing a copy as soon as it releases this June!
Review:
Maeve Fly hooked me from the start. Leede introduces the book’s narrator and sadistic leading lady as she acts as a princess in a Disney theme park. Maeve appeases park goers and families with her unique charisma and talent, which only elevates the disturbing nature of the darkness conveyed throughout the book. As many reviewers have stated, Maeve Fly presents as a gender bent American Psycho. However, Maeve is equal parts Patrick Bateman, American Mary, and May (amongst others). Leede blends these iconic characters and their unsettling desires to make one of the most original killers in the genre today. As a bonus, readers will find some familiar kills that are given a creative twist that sets Maeve Fly apart from the crowd. Enjoy a soundtrack of Halloween classics alongside “murders and executions” with this story of love, loss, and bloodlust.

I was so close to DNFing around the 40% mark because the book was just moving along sooo slowly but I'm glad I hung in there. The last 30% more than made up for it!

In it, we meet Maeve - ice princess at a famous theme park by day, depraved murderer by night. No, seriously. She spends her evenings sexing it up with men she meets in California dive bars, and brutally mutilates people from time to time to satisfy her inner "wolf". It starts with Hilda, the home aid who upsets Maeve when she tries to convince her that it's time to let her very ill and comatose grandmother go. She tricks the woman into following her down to the basement and swings a mace into her skull. Then she meets her work-bestie's brother Gideon and falls into a twisted and violent relationship with him. And it just gets grosser and gorier from there.

File this one under extreme horror - prepare yourself for pipes and mice, curling irons as sex toys, and dangling eyeballs, for starters. This will most defintely not be for everyone. But for those of you who it IS for... I see you.

I finished this book a week ago and I still do not have a definitive response to it. There were aspects I liked but overall I found the main character pretentious, narcissistic and generally uninteresting. I really enjoyed the last 80ish pages but up to that point it didn't really hold my attention. I almost DNF'd but was determined to finish it. I'm glad I did ( this last few pages were really good) but it was a struggle for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!~

4.5/5 stars, rounded up to a 5

"We are what we are, after all. And I am a dead Playboy bunny and I am a fly and I am a wolf, and I am any wise man's worst nightmare."

Character - 9/10
Look, this is one of those books where you say you love the characters and people start giving you strange looks. So, let's just say I think of these characters often lol. Maeve is a face character at "the happiest place on earth", she also has her own dark passenger. Kate, Maeve's best friend, is her face character's little sister. and just as much trouble, if I do say so myself. Tallulah, Maeve's beloved grandmother, is the star of this show. With a presence like Jessica Lange, you know Tallulah was and still is a true badass. Liz, her overbearing boss, could not have been crafted any better. I literally went to school with someone, also named Liz, that is this very exact person. When she was described I literally screamed out loud. Gideon, oh man, Gideon. Definitely my favorite out of this group. I could go on and on about all of them but you'll have to pick this sucker up if you really want to know who they are.

Atmosphere - 7/10
The setting is pretty solid, this takes place in Los Angeles, but we have a few locations in particular that we really spend our time in. Obviously, we get quite a large portion of this book starring "the happiest place on earth" and Leede delivers. I'm not certain if she's worked there herself or not, but I practically felt like I was on the park grounds myself. Gideon's towering mansion, barely furnished, as it is far too big for one person to live in. My favorite part of this house is certainly the "sex dungeon", lovingly crafted. Or perhaps it's the locked room at the end of the hallway, the one you need to use the tiny key for. And last, but certainly not least, Tallulah's house. We learn the interworking of this house more than any location - my favorite either the Halloween decorations or the cellar.

Writing - 10/10
I initially didn't know if I was going to like Leede's writing style. It felt very vulgar and blunt, aggressive and sexual, but then again that's what this book is to a tee. After about 15% I really got comfortable with the style and it really pulls you in. She has a way of writing spicy scenes in a very intoxicating way and when you're least expecting it, a twist that leaves the reader feeling nauseous and uncomfortable. Hahahah, the sex scene on the ice really had me before I turned the page. I really hope this debut isn't the last we hear from CJ Leede.

Plot - 8/10
Maeve Fly definitely parallel's the vibes of American Psycho, but the female perspective really ups the ante here. Maeve is unhinged - raw, a wolf, a fly. Maeve is lonely, save for her beloved grandmother, her best friend Kate, and maybe Kate's hot brother, Gideon. Maeve is living life, doing what she has to to keep herself happy and the wolf from howling. One day, Tallulah's nurse says that it may be time to say her goodbyes and that's when everything changes for Maeve. Watch a downward spiral that you don't want to look at, but like a tragic accident, you can't bring yourself to look away from. Watch her run through her favorite book personas, until she takes it just a little too far and does something she will never be able to undo.

Also experience a wild game of Pretty, Pretty, Princess.

Intrigue - 10/10
The only reason I didn't finish this book in one sitting is because I didn't want it to end. I could barely bring myself to put this one down. I would have it pulled up when I was waiting in long lines, on my lunch breaks, as soon as woke up, truly whenever I could get the chance.

Logic/World-Building - 8/10
Takes place in real life so logic is pretty straight forward on this one. The only thing that is a bit suspicious is how easy it seems to be to get away with murder in LA.

Enjoyment - 10/10
I freaking loved this book. I really wish I could wipe my memory and read it from the beginning again. It made me horny, sick to my stomach, and absolutely devastated. Finishing this left me feeling like I left a part of myself in the pages (or perhaps those were just tears). Being lonely is such a devastating thing to be, both for yourself and especially for those around you.

Overall, I would give this an 8.86/10 or a 4.5/5 stars!

If you like really weird body horror, you're gonna like this. If the thought of Maeve doing exactly as the cover illustrates is not something you think you can stomach, then this is not the book for you lol.

Maeve Fly by CJ Leede is a horror book that begs the question, what would happen is you mixed Elsa with Patrick Bateman? The answer? A gory romp around Anaheim. I saw a few early reviews saying that this book was pretty wild and I am happy to report that it absolutely is and I loved it! It’s also a hard book to recommend because for a certain group of people, this will be a highlight of the year but it’s hard to say if it will appeal to a larger audience.

I loved being in Maeve’s mind through this book. She becomes increasingly unhinged and you just have to be along for the ride. I did enjoy the first 30 percent of this book just getting a feel for the writing style and the characters and then from 30 percent on, the story really takes off. There were paragraphs were I would laugh out loud and then cringe in disgust.

This book is surprisingly thoughtful at times as well. I found myself rooting for Maeve despite the fact that what she was doing wasn’t exactly the right thing. This story is the exact right length for what it wants to do as well. Any longer, and it could have been too gratuitous. It’s hard to go further into detail without possibly spoiling the book and this is one that is best gone into blind if you are okay with a lot of gore and violence. I would say this book really sits right on the line of horror and extreme horror so it could be hard to stomach for some people.

This book will be compared to American Psycho a lot and you definitely get that vibe reading this. Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. This was such a different horror book than a lot of other stuff I have read and I look forward to picking up a physical copy!

Maeve Fly is the story of a princess that is slightly askew. It highlights a strong female character and emphasizes her familial ties. It feels like a feminist American Psycho. However, the story felt slow to build and it struggled to hold my attention at times. It was full of over the top gore and glamor but it had too much of a focus on the gore without enough forward progression at times. I found the gore to be some what gratuitous and highly disturbing in some scenes.

Leede creates a creepy story with Maeve and her inner monkey and wolf. The dichotomy of a Disney Princess and a serial killer existing in one character is intriguing and really plays on the thought of how “normal” a person appears is not always the best judgement of character. Overall, I enjoyed this book but left with more questions after the final page.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I read this based on one of my favorite horror booktokkers recommendations and was pleasantly surprised! I read it in one sitting. It was really well written and the plot really didn't stop til the very last second.