I would like to thank NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for allowing me to read a copy of this book.

Fans of Thrillers and Eldritch Horror should absolutely read this book. It's twisty and different and full of blood and gore. Trigger warning - with lots of mutilation, blood & guts, body horror, entrails, bugs, and carnage, it is not a book for the squeamish or faint-of-heart.

In the magical underbelly of NYC we meet Julie, a-down-and-out woman pushing 30, with a coke and booze habit and a penchant for magic. The story hits the ground running -- with Julie doing an exorcism at a Bachelorette party. Then, in desperate need of money, Julie takes a job helping her ex, Tyler and then all hell breaks loose -- almost literally. Julie summons a guardian angel but accidentally releases an elder god who wants to kill everyone and everything. Chaos and death ensue, with lots of blood, guts, gore, and eternal suffering. We also meet Sarah, Julie's best friend and the embodiment of goodness; but also the victim of domestic abuse. She and Julie are very clearly madly in love, but won't admit it. Special appearances by the Berghest sisters, The Mother Who Eats, and a bunch of other unpleasant horrors

The perspectives of Julie & Sarah's exes (Tyler and Dan) were painful to get through. They were so smug and self-important, and self-righteous it just made me hate them so much. They are terrible excuses for men, let alone human beings. These parts of the book were very difficult to enjoy, and almost made me not want to keep reading. The rest of the book is a blood-soaked story that ends with a slam and a bang.

Carnage. It's all carnage. I will definitely be reading the sequel of this book (Carrion City #2), and recommending it to all my horror-loving friends and Library patrons. I have never read anything like this book before and I love it!

10 out of 10. if you like horror this is the book for you. i can't get this one out of my head. it's amazing. i want the next book in my hands right now. phenomenal. weird. funny. bizarre. i can't wrap my head around what i read to even put it into words.

Okay so after reading this book, I was thinking, why did I take so long to get to it?! Because I absolutely loved it and cannot wait for what comes next! This book was grungy, dark and absolutely kept me interested. This book was fast-paced and I loved the characters, plot, and gore! If you are a fan of horror fantasy, this one’s for you!

I am a huge fan of Khaw's previous books, but for whatever reason, this book just didn't work for me. I felt like there was a lot going on, and I didn't really connect with any of the characters on a meaningful level. Maybe something I can revisit later, but for now, it's not for me.

Didn't get to finish in the time allotted to read, however, what I started was fresh. A unique magical system in a dark, urban setting as opposed to just straight up fantasy was exciting to read through.

Dark. Violent. Fun. Kadrey and Khaw are both great authors on their own, but combining them for this book is just a smart decision. When Julie sets out to boost her own career as a monster hunter in New York, she has no idea just what she's gotten herself into. The gig economy is hard for everyone involved, and adding life-or-death struggles, magic, and pretty intense body horror doesn't help. The Dead Take the A Train is an excellent adventure, and I can't wait to see what happens to Julie next.

This was just the right amount of queer, funny, urban grungy fantasy and creepy to keep me hooked. It felt very timely in a lot of ways because of the discourse around it's always the end of the world late stage capitalist society. I feel like these Dresden Files style fantasy books are not as popular anymore or trendy but this refresh of that kinda world was...refreshing! Would love to see more.

I have really enjoyed Cassandra Khaw's shorter horror works, so I was excited to read a full-length novel collaborative work from her and Richard Kadrey! I really enjoyed this first entry in the series! It was fun and funny while also being gory and horrifying, with New York as a well-used backdrop. The characters were unique and well-developed. The way eldritch horror was woven into office culture was incredible commentary and lots of fun to read. I did get a little confused at points and had to reread, hence why it's a 4 instead of a 5 star, but I will for sure be reading the next book and recommending to readers!

Entertaining, dark, and gory. I loved the NYC setting and the unapologetically sociopathic corporate/eldritch-serving villains. When I say gory, I mean lots of descriptive uncanny viscera, so perhaps not for the squeamish. It had a bit of weird pacing towards the end, which might be in part due to the story only being partially resolved in this book—the authors obviously wanted to draw out the reader’s curiosity for a sequel, but perhaps could have managed it a little more elegantly. Regardless, I’m definitely reading the next one when it comes out!

Good book. There was a lot happening so it was fast paced- I didn’t want to put it down. The main character was very brass- in a good way! Very detailed gore. Overall a good read.

I am including here the link to an interview I did with Richard Kadrey about the book: https://youtube.com/live/zv1Rvg30VlU

Thank you net gallery for the advanced copy of this book. This book was full of gore and ever so squelchy. A good read for Halloween. The end was a little happier than expected.

This book is wild! Kadrey and Khaw create a vivid and absolutely crazy magical/eldritch underbelly in New York City and balance genuinely frightening gore and body horror with the really sweet and warm relationship between Julie and Sarah. The horror is punctuated by the irreverent humor and snark with which Julie sees the world, and with which the other characters contend as they attempt to eke out a living or hold onto their power in this topsy-turvy world.

What a balls-out, no-holds-barred bloody (slightly tentacle-y?) ride! Hopefully the authors don't take offense, but this reminded me of a gayer, more adult (very adult) version of the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. For me, it's not an insult because I love anything paranormal adjacent set in New York City... and this just had that right combo of horror/fantasy/romance that I like. I loved the magic system especially - very street magic.

Only cons is the gratuitous alcohol/drug use - I get addiction/vice, but sometimes it leans a little too heavily into "all fun, no consequences" territory for me. The writing can be slightly on the flowery side - I love the "love letter to language" aspect, but it can meander to get to a point.

Overall, it was totally my style and I can't wait to pick up book 2!

This was an exciting read and one of my favorite books this year. This one was a little outside of my wheelhouse, as I do read sci-fi but don't read a lot of horror. That said, this book was so well-written, the words woven together to make an amazing story that pulled me in from the beginning.

The authors packed a lot into this book, and I felt like I was just flying along as I was reading. This was a book I couldn't put down, and when I did, I was constantly thinking about what was going on in the story and itching to pick it back up.

I absolutely recommend this book, and I look forward to reading more from the authors.

This was a cosmically wild rice with so much grossness and intrigue. Haha. I seriously loved it. If you enjoy cosmic horror with an unhinged, bad ass main character you should read this book. Can’t wait for the next in the series!

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A fun and horrifying dark fantasy that takes on capitalism and the worst parts of NYC. Fast-paced and memorable for both its unexpectedly hilarious moments and terrifying gods and demons that run amok, this book was definitely something new for me as a reader but enjoyable all the same!

Book Summary:

Julie Crews may not be the best at making friends, but she is pretty solid when it comes to chasing off demons and the like. It's a good thing, too, since handling possessions and other magical problems is her job.

It's arguably not the best job in town, given how little she makes. Unfortunately, it's also about to set Julie up for a world of trouble, setting off a chain of events that very well could result in her death – and that's the best-case scenario.

My Review:

I think it's safe to say that we can add this series (Carrion City) to my new favorites list! I loved The Dead Take the A Train, and I can't wait for the next book to drop. Honestly, I'm not all that surprised that I loved this book since I am an avid Cassandra Khaw fan. I know less about Richard Kadrey, but I had a feeling it would be a phenomenal combination.

When I say that Julie Crews is snarky, I mean it. She's the type of badass heroine that doesn't take crap from anyone. Well, there's probably one person she'll listen to. Yes, that's right, we have a bit of a grumpy & sunshine pairing in this book, and I am here for it!

The Dead Take the A Train isn't afraid to get dark – or graphic – but it's also a lot of fun. I was surprised at how often this book made me laugh. Julie's wit is a thing of beauty. All said and done, The Dead Take the A Train is perfect for darker urban fantasy fans or readers looking for something that feels like a Neverwhere.

Highlights:
Urban Fantasy & Horror
Snarky Female Lead
NYC with Monsters
Grumpy & Sunshine
LGBT+

This was just ridiculous fun! Magic, cosmic terror, and all sorts of supernatural crazy. Julie was an amazing main character, and surrounded by the best supporting cast a spell worker could ask for. A bestie who speaks to Them and plays video games, a landlord who is eternal and giving, a bestie who's so much more than just the best friend a girl could
have.
With villains you'll love to hate, creatures you can picture clearly in your mind, and an ending that will leave you reaching for more, it's a solid four star and well worth every page.

A great team up between Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey. It felt a little disjointed at times but it's a great magical thrill ride through NYC.