There were a few things here that I really liked! The general concept of a sort of exorcism buddy adventure between the possessed and the demon doing the possessing is brilliant, and characters are well defined… for most of the book.

However, I felt that the absolute smorgasbord of POVs managed to kill a lot of potential for tension and mystery, and that plot threads were dropped and picked up again seemingly at random, especially in the third act. I had legitimately forgotten who one character was when he showed back up again near the end. It also features a literal character development nap, which felt like such a forced way to resolve Ruby’s arc.

Overall, I think it’s a great concept with solid prose that’s being hurt by its own ambitions. A more focused version of this with more limited POVs and a greater focus on gradual character journeys would have ticked every single box for me, but unfortunately that is not the story that I have in my hands.

This was a pretty fun read.
Up front: The characters and the southern accents are annoying at first. I tried to like the characters-- to root for them, but just didn't like them. Many of them are one dimensional and trashy. (think any Rob Zombie movie). I think this was the major reason I didn't super vibe with this-- it felt less magical than previous Brom works.
There's a coning of age story, lots of demons, lots of music, and a ludicrous amount of 80s nostalgia (homophobic slurs, punk, big hair and all).

The version I read did not include the artwork, unfortunately, that will be in the published book.

For fans of Hellraiser, Evil Dead, Queen of the Damned and The Dead Take the A Train.

I could not put this one down! I absolutely adore coming of age stories. Mix in some actual demons with personal demons and *chef’s kiss*.

Thank you Netgalley, Brom and Tor Publishing Group | Tor Nightfire for the eArc of Evil In Me.

Having read a few of Brom's books in the past, I was looking forward to this one and it did not leave me disappointed. I really enjoy Brom's writing style and I'll be looking forward to the physical copy as his illustrations are amazing!

This narrative takes us into a mix of a demon trying to rein over the earth. Ruby, a young lady who is into great selection of punk music and an ancient artifact in the shape of a ring. Brom has blended these together and drafted a well paced fantasy book with horror elements. Who can resist the age old legend that punk/metal music is linked with worshipping the Devil?

I really loved Ruby, she starts off in the narrative as a naive teen and exits the story as knowledgeable women. I loved how she bonded with various characters along the way as she starts to let her guard down. Brom has a great way of balancing character development and plot pace within his books. This is a bit shorter than the likes of Lost Gods and Slewfoot but it still packs a nice punch.

4.5 stars rounded to 5 for Amazon/Netgalley/Goodreads

I could not put this book down. The story was interesting and I enjoyed the story being told from alrernate perspectives. I hope there will be a sequel at some point

This story was bizarre in the best way! I really enjoyed it and the cast of characters were great. Some were funny, some were ridiculous, some were tragic, and some were surprising favorites. All of them were well-written and this book was just so good! I couldn’t stop until the very end. Great job and I recommend this story!

A terrifying, triumphant treat— the perfect marriage of camp and creeps.

If you enjoy punk rock, lovable monsters, and a splash of humor with your horror, Evil in Me is the book for you! This was my first foray into the dark worlds of Brom, and I fully regret not embarking on this journey sooner—I’ve truly been depriving myself.

Evil in Me is simultaneously incredibly fun and deeply disturbing, and I was totally here for it. As a big fan of punk and new wave, I loved all the references to bands and artists that I personally relate to and adore. Like Ruby, I also felt more alive the first time I heard "Sonic Reducer" as a teenager. Throughout the story, Ruby finds herself hunted by seemingly every horror imaginable, from sadistic primeval lords to serial killers. But thankfully, Ruby's not just anyone! She has the magic of music on her side, weaving incantations through her lyrics and charming crowds with her mesmerizing voice. Will it be enough to free her from her inner demons and save her soul from damnation?

All in all, I couldn't have loved this book more. Evil in Me has securely cinched its spot as one of my favorite releases of the year and deservedly so. Brom's imaginative new spin on the classic themes of demonic possession and exorcism is highly refreshing & thoroughly unique. I would give this one more than five stars if I could!

All of my thanks to Brom, Tor Nightfire, & Netgalley for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley, Brom and Tor Publishing Group | Tor Nightfire for the eArc of Evil In Me.

Having read a few of Brom's books in the past, I was looking forward to this one and it did not leave me disappointed. I really enjoy Brom's writing style and I'll be looking forward to the physical copy as his illustrations are amazing!

This narrative takes us into a mix of a demon trying to rein over the earth. Ruby, a young lady who is into great selection of punk music and an ancient artifact in the shape of a ring. Brom has blended these together and drafted a well paced fantasy book with horror elements. Who can resist the age old legend that punk/metal music is linked with worshipping the Devil?

I really loved Ruby, she starts off in the narrative as a naive teen and exits the story as knowledgeable women. I loved how she bonded with various characters along the way as she starts to let her guard down. Brom has a great way of balancing character development and plot pace within his books. This is a bit shorter than the likes of Lost Gods and Slewfoot but it still packs a nice punch.

4.5 stars rounded to 5 for Amazon/Netgalley/Goodreads

I am an absolute sucker for horror novels with strong music references and so when I heard Brom’s Evil in Me was taking a dive into this most hallowed of waters I jumped at the chance of unpacking my air guitar for just one more solo. Should you be new to selling your soul to the devil for fame and fortune (or a hundred variations of this ancient theme) here are some top tips for further investigation: Scott Leeds’s debut Schrader’s Chord, Grady Hendrix’s We Sold Our soul or Robert McCammon’s non-supernatural The Five which is an ode to taking your guitar on the road. However, my two personal favourites are poles apart, but equally impressive, Leo Darke’s really dumb horror comedy Lucifer Sam, where the late Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious comes back from the dead for one final gig and David Peake’s magnificent Corpse Paint, one of the bleakest and most nihilistic horror novels about music ever written.

Gerald Brom, generally known in the literary world as Brom, is as well known for his work as a gothic fantasy artist and illustrator, role-playing games and comics as he is a novelist. I previously read Slewfoot (2021) and was impressed by this tale of witchcraft, which was backed up by sets of his highly striking illustrations. Evil in Me follows the same blueprint, however, this time we abandon puritanical New England times and head to the early eighties, where there are whispers of the Satanic Panic and the main character is a huge fan of legendary psychobilly punk band The Cramps.

I too am a fan of The Cramps and have fond memories of watching them play at the Aberdeen Music Hall, way back in 1991. Hell, in the front row against the stage, I even briefly held hands with iconic vocalist Lux Interior. Beat that Brom! In one of Evil In Me’s many entertaining scenes aspiring musician Ruby Tucker (who is doing community service at a Christian group) gets into trouble with her boss after teaching her little kids The Cramps classic ‘Garbageman’ instead of traditional gospel music. I enjoyed the many punk, new wave and mix tapes references, which were a nice diversion to the horror, however, non-music fans might not find them so involving.

Throughout the book Ruby makes dumb decision after another, but remains endearing, whilst she tries to escape the trap of her small hometown for Atlanta and finding a way of extracting the cursed and powerful ring which ends up stuck on her finger. The ring belongs to an ancient demon and when Ruby wears the ring it brings her closer to the demon and her minions, which were pretty funny. Even though Evil in Me generally plays it straight, it does have a sense of humour, how could it not when one of the demons ends up playing drums in Ruby’s band!

Evil in Me has a terrific opening hook, jumping back several generations, somebody else has the misfortune of having the ring find their finger. Hallucinating, and under the control of the demon, the poor victim goes on a killing spree before chopping off his own fingers and eventually cutting his own throat. Not to be messed with, the ring provides a gateway to Hell and even though the demons were not scary in the slightest, this was a million miles from the types of demons you might get in Adam Nevill or Ramsey Campbell novel, they were entertaining and easier to root for than some of the human characters, some of which were rather one dimensional.

Ultimately the story was as old as the hills, rock ‘n’ roll really can save your soul. “Can I hear a “HELL YEAH! All the way at the back!” I also enjoyed the fact that by wearing the ring (I’ve read Lord of the Rings too) it acts as a beacon for evil and draws all sorts of nastiness onto her doorstep, including a serial killer. This killer is given a bigger role than he deserved (is scarier than the demons) but added little to the plot until the finish. Throw in a dysfunctional family and some caricature characters and it is no wonder Ruby is running for Atlanta to track down her old bandmate and former best friend.

I dug the way the music scenes came together and would have loved to have been at the gig which is crucial at the end of the story. This scene was very cool and I have been at a thousand gigs at tiny toilet sized venues where Ruby’s band sang to save their very souls. Evil in Me is a neat change of pace from Brom and is satisfyingly different from Slewfoot, which music fans will enjoy, other readers perhaps less so.

This was not for me. The storyline and imagery reminded me of an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That being said, the writing is decent, although I could NOT get over the passages about worms “singing”….they may “squelch” or even “pop”, but “singing” took me right out of the moment. I also found this to be too gory for my tastes. Not a terrible book, but I personally didn’t enjoy it.

Brom's latest offering, "Evil In Me," is a non-stop action that had me reading throughout the day, sneaking a peek in here and there as I was about my chores in the day. Could I wash dishes and read? Peel vegetables and read? Pretend to have a conversation and read? I sure did! :)

The story opens on an insane scene of demonic possession, Jewish mysticism, and graphic violence that nearly peeled my eyeballs. And then, just as quickly, it moves to the daily life of young Ruby, who just wants to move to Atlanta to play punk rock with her best friend, but has to get off probation first. She has one week left. Things quickly morph from bad to worse as Ruby is possessed by a demonic ring, chased by a serial killer, bounty hunted by her mom's Jesus-loving boyfriend, and in general gets into enough trouble that I genuinely felt sorry for her. And the story is set in the 1980s, when most of America thought rock music was Satanic and the moral majority was up everyone's buttholes. I was reminded of the PMRC and Dee Snyder testifying before Congress and my brother's love of the Dead Kennedys and Black Flag during this decade.

This book was great fun and an awesome read. My thanks to Netgalley, Tor Nightfire, and the author for an opportunity to read for an honest review.

Brom is the man. Everything he writes is so smooth and easy to read. This one hits that mark as well! The story follows a girl who is possessed. She tried to get her band together so everyone can sing her “song”, chant her spell and set her free. As with all Brom works, I completely gorged myself. Fantastic, as usual.

Very Unique! I enjoyed this read alot, It had many elements I look for in a good horror! It is dark and intense as well as very messed up!

★🎸🎧⚚⋆｡ °⋆🅴🆅🅸🅻 🅸🅽 🅼🅴
Yes Yes Yes!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Now this is my kinda jam!
I was so thrilled to download this 48-hour pre-release when it hit my email from NetGalley, as it's my first BROM book, and I was not disappointed!

Time is of the essence if Ruby wants to save her life and her soul!

Right out of the gate, a terrible and horrific tragedy, followed by a delve into the depths of Hell to meet some unsavory characters, polished off by a jaunt topside with action that never stops.

I found this to be incredibly well written. I love the FMC and her band of Misfits. Ruby is extremely relatable; she's going through some shit, but deep down, she's strong, kind, and determined to find a way to keep the mistakes of her past from holding her back.

You know the writing is good when you find yourself hating fictional characters as if they were real people. I found myself yelling at the book on more than one occasion, and my notes are very *colorful*.

Needless to say, the villains are fantastic, with just the right amount of Evil. In fact, there are so many different examples of what some would consider Evil, you have to wonder if the damned are truly the worst of them.

There are religious aspects that run throughout the book but are tastefully done as BROM draws content from many here, including Jewish Mysticism, Christianity, and Athiesm. Each lending their own effect to the characters, often shaping their behaviors in an interesting tangle of reactions, showing how people respond differently in the face of true evil, even if that evil is inside of themselves.

I enjoyed all of the extra elements to this story that make it downright fun to read!! A dark enemies to friends relationship, a coming of age story, a demonic presence in the band, a serial killer on the loose, a town of self-righteous do-gooders who get their comeuppance, a tumultuous mother-daughter relationship and on top of it all, a valiant fight to save a soul through the transformative effect of music and the healing power of song.

I'm thoroughly looking forward to purchasing the published copy with the included BROM artwork and special endpapers!!

This is a punk rock roller coater ride straight to hell with an amazing narrative and characters you'll absolutely love. Filled with demons, Jewish mysticism, and a twisted serial killer, this novel begs you to keep reading well into the night.

Ruby is on probation and just wants it to be over, to have her freedom back. But she has anger issues and, soon enough, she's broken her probation and is now wanted.

But that's going to be the least of her worries when she's drawn to a ring. Opening a portal to a viscious demon, another entity posseses her body and mind. But instead of destroying her, this entity wants to be free from it's demonic master. They'll have to find a way to coexist with the help of some friends and strangers or they'll both be in hell before long.

I absolutely loved this book and the author's writing style is bold, visual, and takes no prisoners. It's unlike any traditional "possession" story you've ever read and it's filled with enough dark humor and heart to keep it engaging and fun.

I highly recommend it.

An entertaining read, but missed the mark for me. I absolutely devoured Slewfoot and have been looking forward to reading more from Brom. Unfortunately, I disliked all of the characters. There are some sporadic nice bits of prose, a section in the epilogue really stood out for me; the whole worms thing was great. The esoteric mysticism was also intriguing, there was promise there. Looking forward to the artwork when this is published!

Great premise, but jumped the shark in the 3rd act.

The Hell scenes, oddly, weren't memorable at all. Brom does a better job with Hell in Lost Gods.

However, I would recommend Slewfoot. He has yet to surpass that one in my eyes.

Loved it. Very Bill and Ted, Ghostbusters kind of vibes, but also very much its own thing. A very good egg. Packs a lot into under 300 pages and not a word feels wasted. This is my first book by Brom and look forward to others.

I’m sad to say that this book was a bit of a letdown for me. I haven’t read anything by Brom before but I’ve heard great things about Slewfoot and Krampus, so I had high expectations for this as well. Unfortunately it didn’t live up to those.

The switching perspectives kept breaking up any tension that was building, and honestly I don’t know if we really needed to be in the head of (what seemed like) almost every single character involved in the story.

The dialogue seemed a little forced and unnatural. I think that made the characters hard to connect with because they frequently sounded like some sort of caricature of a punk rocker/serial killer/southerner etc.

I thought the premise of the story was interesting and unique; the description pulled me in and I love the cover art. I’m also personally a fan of endings that leave some questions behind, and I think this book did that perfectly.

Overall the idea was intriguing, and the description made it sound like it would be a perfect campy horror read for a summer day, but I was disappointed by the implementation.

4 stars

I can see this being divisive among Brom fans, however, I loved it. He is a beloved author for a reason, and that is his phenomenal prose and imagination.
I can’t wait to buy this one.