This was a great homage to American Psycho with a twist. I loved the dynamic of the main character and her grandmother. I really enjoyed the premise and the way that Maeve was constructed set against this backdrop of princesses and theme parks. CJ Leede manifests such a twisted yet realistic version of ourselves we never want to see in the mirror, but always knows is lurking. A fantastic and shocking debut from a strong voice in horror. a solid 4.5 stars!

American Horror Story meets Colleen Hoover in C.J. Leede's debut Maeve Fly. Maeve, an LA transplant, is something of an oddball with interests including body horror, and sexual depravity. However, underneath the bizarro fiction façade of this story, there is a love story--albeit an unconventional one. Definitely pick up this unique book if you're looking for something disturbing, gritty, and darkly humorous. The audiobook, read by Sosie Bacon, is a great choice.

Part American Psycho, Part Dexter, Totally Gross. I loved every minute of it. The audiobook version is enthralling. I hung on to every word. Horror at its finest.

4 stars!

"Maeve Fly" is NOT for the faint of heart or the easily grossed-out. It sees main character Maeve as a female-Patrick Bateman in this disgusting, descriptive, depraved, visceral, vomitous, and vile horror novel by CJ Leede. Good god, I'll never look at the game Pretty Pretty Princess, an egg, or a curling iron the same ever again. While this book is quite slow to start, it sets the stage for a gruesome middle-to-end you won't soon forget. Maeve gets off on debauchery and the gruesome, all of which is juxtaposed with the "happiest place on earth - WINK WINK" where she works as a princess. There's not a whole lot to this book in terms of plot, which makes it seem kind of all over the place, but what it lacks in story and formula it makes up for with its illuminating expositions. CJ Leede's goal is to shock readers, and that she certainly does. I absolutely loved audiobook narrator Sosie Bacon's portrayal of Maeve. She absolutely killed this narration! I think this is one of the most effective, impactful voiceover narrations I have ever heard. She is crazy talented, and I cannot wait to hear more books narrated by her in the future! A must for horror novel fans!

Thank you to NetGalley, CJ Leede, and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Loved the narrator!

Just imagine if Patrick Bateman from American Psycho was played by Elsa from Frozen. That's it. That's what you need to know. This book blew me away. 100% one of my top 5 books of this year, guaranteed. The utter depravity of this book means I will be eagerly awaiting the authors next book. Can she top this? We will find out on the next episode of Olaf's Warm Hugs.

This book comes out TOMORROW! So be sure to snatch a copy and go hide in your closet and devour it.

❄️You do not first need to be a victim to become a monster.❄️

This was a really fun listen. The narrator was excellent and very engaging. My only complaint is that every now and then, towards the end of the audiobook, there was a little bit of background noise in the recording. It did not drown out the narrator, but was definitely noticeable.

Kind of slow to start but once it picked up, Maeve Fly delivered a good dose of extreme gruesome horror. But that being said, it wasn't particularly scary it was just torture porn but not as expertly written as that of lets say, Chuck Palahniuk whom I adore. The pacing could have been better and then maybe the second half of the book would have felt more satisfying. But the characters were fairly flat and it draws some of the interest away.

I definitely understand the comparison to American Psycho, but the reason I was able to push through a sub genre that isn't my usual cup of tea was the apathetic, sarcastic yet vulnerable voice of Maeve. She's deplorable and yet somehow endearing in her childlike joy for her routine, Halloween and her job as a certain ice princess at an unnamed theme park. I've come to learn that I'm not into overly bloody or graphic horror. I enjoy a overall sense of dread and foreboding more than gratuitous gore/splatterpunk aesthetics. The narration of Sosie Bacon was 100% on point for Maeve's character and I loved the homage to Psycho in the reveal at the end. Not a favorite but I'd definitely recommend it to someone else with different tastes.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the review copy (all opinions are true and only mine).

Part ‘Dexter,’ part ‘American Psycho,’ part ‘My Heart is a Chainsaw,’ CJ Leede’s debut is the fun, disturbing modern horror of my dreams. Some scenes— as intended— are so disturbing it’s hard to stop reading. Juxtaposed with sexuality both consensual and violent, the brutality shines even more darkly. And the contrast of the passion with which Maeve views the things and people she’s attached to versus the detachment with which she views violence and those she deems unworthy of her focus creates a protagonist that is somehow both abhorrent and endearing all at once. Throw in some conceptual aspects of examining the nature of legacy and letting go, there’s not much not to love as long as you’re not squeamish.

With ‘Maeve Fly’ and its nonstop graphic nature, Leede has managed to ruin soft boiled eggs for me, and accomplished the closest thing to a hockey romance this reviewer will be reading; all while (spoilers) keeping the Beloved Animal Companion(TM) alive and reasonably well all the way through.

At its heart though, ‘Maeve Fly’ almost feels like a fast paced, compulsively readable love letter to both LA and the misanthropic serial killer corner of horror.

Sosie Bacon’s work as narrator makes ‘Maeve Fly’ even better as an audiobook. Bacon perfectly captures the absolutely unhinged mania, rage, and cold detachment Maeve cycles through.

Huge thanks to Tor, Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, and CJ Leede for the opportunity to enjoy an advanced listen copy of the audio version of this book in exchange for an honest review. Hands down some of the best psychopath/sociopath horror in recent years.

Including post: loveeddddd https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqYzmcyJQim/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

One of the most weirdest and most unique horror stories I've ever read. I loved it but it's definitely not for the faint of heart. It is truly horrifying yet also hilarious and weirdly, deeply romantic. It is also a love letter to LA. There is lots of gore and body horror so keep that in mind. Highly recommend for horror fans, especially those of the "Good for Her" type ie Pearl. PS Maeve has excellent taste in music.

I wasn't able to finish this one.

I do like the idea of it, the juxtaposition of the theme park princess with the monster, there were several quotes that I adored, but I'm just not in the headspace to continue with it right now.

If you love intense, insane, gory horror, and unhinged women, you might like this.

Wow- can't believe how much I ended up enjoying this book. I will say that it started off a little slow and I was kind of half-heartedly listening (audiobook) in the beginning but about 1/2 way to 2/3 of the way through things really picked up and I ended up really getting into this. It's messed up, not going to lie, but I was equally enjoying it and disgusted by some scenes which was actually a very fun dichotomy. The only reason I ended up rating this 4.5 stars instead of 5 was because I am not sure that I liked the ending. At first, I was worried there wouldn't be a resolution when I made it to roughly 90% of the book, but it quickly amped up which ended up being fine. However, I hated Maeve at the end and her final action(s). While I hated the choice, I think that if things had gone alternatively, the book would have felt like it lacked an overall plot so I can also see that it was needed to tie the plot up. So maybe I do like it, I am not sure. I may end up increasing my rating as time goes on. But yes, this book is gross, deviant, absolutely disgusting, intriguing, disturbing, and there are a lot of trigger warnings, but I personally enjoyed it and would recommend it if you don't mind reading messed up stuff. Also, the narrator was phenomenal, and I will definitely listen to more of her audio books. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review an advanced copy of this book.

After finishing Maeve Fly, I loved it so much (a five star read and one of my top three books read this year) I wanted to reread it immediately. Luckily, the audiobook ARC was available--huzzah!--and so I requested it immediately.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the audiobook anywhere near as much.

Maeve's voice and character work well in prose, on the page. Not so much on audio.

This narrator brings a smug, somewhat conceited tone to Maeve's voice that made me roll my eyes. It makes it difficult to take her seriously. When originally reading, I imagined Maeve's voice as somewhat similar to Bateman's; somewhat flat, but with a quiet articulation. Little emotion besides anger. The narrator's take on Maeve does not quite capture the character's misanthropy and detachment from humanity.

Admittedly, capturing Maeve's voice off would be difficult for anyone, but regardless. The direction does not work for me.

Additionally, a minor complaint. The parts in the book where Maeve sings lyrics to real songs were never actually sung or even spoken to the right tempo, which was so distracting and awkward it made me flinch.

There are some parts the narrator did well. I liked the voices she did for the side characters, particularly Tallulah and Gideon. Her acting for Kate's rant at the party was emotional and perfectly captured how I envisioned the dialogue. The narrator is certainly talented, but she just doesn't fit into Maeve's skin, at least not in the way I had heard her.

This audiobook is, unfortunately, one I would specifically suggest people avoid in the interest of them actually enjoying the book.

Rating: 4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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By day Maeve is a Disney princess, but by night she lets her inner impulses loose. I mean come one - who doesn't want to read a story about a "Disney princess by day / psycho by night kind of story" - amiright?
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Maeve Fly is horror at its finest. I really enjoyed this one. Maeve Fly is overly graphic in sex (specifically violent BDSM), and gore. The gore - usually my typical go to, but the overly violent sex - not necessarily my go to, however; this book held my attention right from the start. I was hooked on learning as much as I could about Maeve Fly.  The overly sexual concept makes perfect sense once you finish the story. 
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I was so intrigued by what Maeve was going to do next, about who she was going to hurt next and how. I felt a bunch of different emotions while reading this one. Yes, curious for sure - my interest was very piqued right from the start. Definitely had that stomach lurching feeling and damn near almost vomited form some of the graphics - but hey - that's horror for you. Shockingly though - this one totally shattered my heart in two - wait - a horror - breaking your heart - yes and I wont say more on the matter - you'll just have to read to find out!
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Sosie Bacon blew me out of the water with this performance. It was captivating and had me hooked right from the start! If you’re interested in this one I highly recommend the audio!
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Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I really enjoyed the path that the story took and the journey that I as a reader went on with Maeve. Definitely recommend this one to all of my horror friends! Huge thank you to @netgalley, @cjleede and @macmillinaudio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Despite the comparison to American Psycho I guess I didn't realize how extreme this novel would be. There's sexual sadism, torture, murder, and so on. Not my thing. However, I am objective enough to understand and appreciate a good narrative, character development, and good writing. CJ Leede hits all those targets. So, if extreme horror is your thing, you'll like this book. The narrator, Sosie Bacon (Kevin Bacon's daughter), starred in the horror movie Smile, which she was great in -- same here as the reader of Maeve Fly, which is told in the forst person by the title character.

A disturbing reminder that you do not always know who a person truly is. Maeve Fly lives in her grandmother’s old Hollywood mansion. She’s a well-known amusement park Princess. She has a fun life full of parties, men, and fantasy. Until you really learn what motivates Maeve - torture, death.

Halloween is a common theme throughout the book as Maeve enjoys people exposing their darkest parts. Sometimes shocking, but overall entertaining and twisted, I enjoyed this book’s darkness.

The narrator of the audiobook (Sosie Bacon) has an easily understood voice that provides both an innocence and tension to Maeve.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and author CJ Leede for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Lookie, Maeve Fly has a little bit of something for almost everyone:

☑️ A dark and spicy-sweet hockey romance w/ bite 🦷
☑️ Creative lessons on how to use your styling tools
☑️ Comfy Halloween & gothic horror vibes 👻
☑️ Genius Halloween decorations using what you have hanging around
☑️ Lessons in caring for your elder and their judgy cat even when life is super stressful
☑️ Fun times at the mouse park as Cinderella partakes in villain night
☑️ A little taste for you cannibal types (that cover tells no lies!)
☑️ A how-to on torturing those who’ve done you wrong (and who doesn’t need that today?!)
☑️ An extreme lesson in LISTENING SKILLS, lol

Ok, so maybe it's not for everyone!

Many fellow readers and the pub have done the American Psycho comparison to Maeve Fly and though I’ve never read the book but have owned the thing for decades (ugh, why am I like this?) I did see the movie and it seems a good comparison except Maeve is maybe a little bit more relatable as a person. She has some struggles and she actually seems to genuinely love a person or two and she’s not completely fixated on her appearance and “brands” which almost makes you as the reader want certain events to go another way . . .

Anyhow, this is the story of an actual Disney Princess beloved by kids by day who tamps down her darkest urges and her simmering rage the best way she can by club hopping and doing drugs at night and ruining a life or two online. But alas the day arrives when none of that is enough. She’s under a lot of emotional stress and things start to crack.

At first, I was like what is all the fuss about this book? It isn’t extreme at all. It’s a day-to-day glimpse into the life of a jaded, sarcastic, evil young woman with a fabulous job she loves as maneuvers new and old relationships and jerky co-workers while caring for her dying granny. The extreme creeps in super slowly but once it hits the pages it doesn’t hold back. I loved that but not everyone else will so prepare yourselves because it gets messy, and it gets pitch black.

I listened to the unabridged audiobook (thank you so much Macmillan Audio & Netgalley!) narrated by Sosie Bacon. A narrator can make or break a book for me. Especially a book like this. But Bacon does an amazing job of making Maeve human. Her voice sounds suitably young and also suitably jaded. She’s just trying to live her life and keep her wolf at bay but people can’t stop being assholes. The anger, the frustration, the disdain, the desire, the conflicted feelings she experiences for those she loves- all of that comes through so loud and clear. If you’re into audiobooks, this is an excellent choice.

4 ½ stars bumping up to a 5 because I feel like it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

What can I possibly say about Maeve Fly that hasn’t already been said??

How is this a debut novel?? I’m devoted to CJ Leede and I will now and forever read anything she writes.

Maeve Fly is not for the faint of heart. It’s graphic, violent and unhinged full of pop culture references and Halloween joy. If a character was a truly likable, female Patrick Bateman, it would be Maeve. Like many others, I will not be able to look at a curling iron or eggs the same. The setting of LA was perfect. The side characters were full of depth and intriguing. Maeve’s day job…… fabulous! Her interactions and thoughts are unique. Her relationship with Gideon is somehow scary and beautiful. Who would’ve thought there’d be a romance sprinkled in this book. The ending was so unexpected and tragic at the same time.

The narration was Sosie Bacon really sucked me into the story. Loved it!

If you’re a fan of horror and don’t have triggers, I would highly, highly pick up this book!

So this is one I won’t recommend to the average reader lol It’s gross. It’s depraved. It’s pretty extreme. I didn’t throw up while listening it but I did wince and make gag faces. It’s definitely worth a read.