thank you to NetGalley for an ARC.


This book.... like WOW. I read her first book, so going into this one I really didn't know what to expect but, she did not disappoint
This book is just as good as her first book if not better.

16 year old Sophie is coming of age and of course its during a virus outbreak. Her was raised in a small town and Catholic, plus has basically been sheltered her whole life. In this story we follow Sophie and watch her struggle with what she's been taught, and what she finds along the way. Sophie meets all kinds of amazing characters along the way on her journey.

I love first person POV so listening and seeing her thoughts beliefs be challenged, was a journey or twist and turns for me. The book was paced extremely well but, CJ broke my heart with the ending!!!
If you want to feel a ton of emotions, then I highly highly recommend reading this!!!

😷ᴀᴍᴇʀɪᴄᴀɴ ʀᴀᴘᴛᴜʀᴇ😷

This book was 𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘭 - 5⭐️
If you've read Maeve Fly, you may jump into this thinking you're getting the same type of story, but I'm here to tell you now - you are not prepared.

This book follows the life of a heavily indoctrinated and sheltered young girl named Sophie. Sophie is almost 17 and not accustomed to behaving erratically like a typical teenager or having experiences that are considered normal of someone her age. She has spent her entire life in a small town under the constant watch of her strict religious family. She lives her rigid life according to the gospel and does not understand the secular behavior of her classmates or the ever increasing feelings she begins to experience around boys and young men. She sneaks books from the library that she knows her mother won't allow and is oblivious to the changes overcoming her adolescent body. She is also suffering from trauma related to her brother, who has been taken away for sins that her parents can never forgive.

Then comes Sylvia.
Not a person, Sylvia is the name of the pandemic burning its way across the country. Sylvia is brutal, causing what appears to be a flu, but what will eventually develop into a brain altering sickness that leaves victims ravenous for someone to f*ck before they eventually expire. 🤭😦

This book tore my heart out. The characters, even though they're told from a first-person view, burrow under your skin and take up residence. I found myself hoping that they'd all make it through as they traveled together from safe zone to safe zone. I should warn you all now; there is a dog, and he does die. In fact, this part of the book was horrific and left me sobbing at 2AM when I should have been asleep. I wish I'd gone to sleep.

It's such an intense dichotomy, experiencing the prison-like existence of Sophie's religiously structured life for the first 3rd of the book, only to be taken on a ride that proves things could always be worse.

I’ve never read a book like this before. I need to read Maeve Fly by this author asap. I knew this was horror but I wasn’t expecting it. If that makes any sense at all.

It has been a long time since a book so completely exceeded my every hope and expectation. This one is special. Probing questions of faith, guilt, shame, and regret in the brutal way that only horror can, and putting tension into me and pulling emotion out of me on every page.

You want to read this. It will fuck you up but it is so worth it.

American Rapture was another successful CJ Leede book. Two for Two, she is definitely an auto-buy author for me now.
This book is full of religious trauma horror which won't be for everyone and i recommend you check out trigger warning but I enjoyed those parts. There's alot an pandemic which the virus is quite interesting, not what I was expecting and did freak me out.
I think religious horror with a coming-of -age element is my new thing.

Wow! This book really hit the nail on the head! I think this is in my top 3 books so far this year! It was really thought-provoking, liberating, and just so good to read. I am a big fan of apocalyptic stories and this one was really intriguing. I loved the characters, the setting, the religious themes, all of it. Stop reading my review and go read this book because you’ll love it! Easily 5 stars!

This one is for the recovering christians, the ex-fundies, the Catholic girlies.

TW: sexual assault, animal deaths, violence.

Having grown up in fundamentalist christian cult myself, I had a feeling this book might strike a chord with me. And oh boy, did it ever.

While the stream of consciousness narrative style was initially off-putting to me, I’m so glad I stuck with it. By page 4 I had acclimated to the writing style and was so interested in what would unfold.

Our MC, Sophie, is such a championable, tortured lead. Her inner demons, struggles, and revelations felt earnest and heartbreakingly realistic. The cast of supporting characters were excellently realized as well. I adored most of them, but especially Cleo, Ben, and Barghest. The setting, the plot, all of it felt fully fleshed out and frighteningly possible irl. And the ending? The author totally stuck the landing, which almost never happens in the horror genre.

All in all, this is a book I won’t be forgetting anytime soon, and I’m happy to take its characters into my heart.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor/Forge for this arc!

This book was truly a punch to the gut by the end. It was fierce and vicious; it pulled no punches and left me full of hope and heartache.

I was not as excited by Maeve Fly as many others, but I appreciated the writing enough to be excited by this slated release. This went far and beyond any expectations I could've had. Not only does the story skillfully balance many difficult topics (religious and family traumas, hypocrisy, etc), but it does so within the confines of a touching coming-of-age apocalypse story full of sex zombies. What could be better?

The really special part of this book lies in its cast of characters. While Sophie is a layered, imperfect protagonist who is interesting to live within, the secondary characters are each a fully developed and enjoyable person in their own rights. You will love them, you will be frustrated with their human imperfection, and you will grieve for and with them. I LOVE a found family story, and this ragtag bunch of survivors was truly a treat to get to know .

I do want to be clear- this is a GREAT book, but it has some MAJOR trigger warnings that some people may need to avoid. If the gruesome death of an animal is a hard no for you, DO NOT pick up this book. I genuinely had to skip over a few pages because I couldn't handle it.

The author's note at the end was also very special. Be sure not to skip over that bit!

many thanks to tor nightfire and netgalley for sending me an E-ARC!

if you check this out, please, please check any content warnings prior to reading, i fear there are too many to list here.

i was hooked immediately and i couldn't put this down. the writing was impeccable. i didn't know what to expect, and it turned out to be one of the best books i read all year. i laughed, i cried, and i cried and cried some more. it was intense and deeply heartbreaking. i loved every character. sophie's journey, her struggling between her religion and the reality what she's seeing around her and actually feeling inside made for such a compelling story. the mixing of genres and themes was incredibly well done, coming of age, horror, pandemic, zombie apocalypse, i could go on.

an easy 5 stars. perfect for an october release.

Great book. It was a beautiful coming of age story that was insightful and powerful. While not flawless (what is?), it is definitely a book I'd recommend.

The things I loved included the zombie-like destruction and character development.

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC

I have conflicting opinions about American Rapture. In some ways, this was a very unique story. I enjoyed the religious themes quite a bit. I loved reading about Sophie and her sheltered life. I enjoyed what the author had to say about purity culture and the trauma that can happen within religious communities.

Unfortunately, the plot deviated into a standard zombie/viral outbreak story for a big chunk time. There was lots of traveling, hiding, finding supplies, etc... Then it got a little too weird for me for a while. The ending was semi satisfying, but I was still underwhelmed.

**"The Last of Us" meets "American Gods" in CJ Leede’s apocalyptic tour de force, *End of the World Romance*.** This scorching, heart-wrenching novel thrusts readers into a dark, tumultuous future where a relentless virus reshapes society in grotesque ways.

Leede, known for her previous work *Maeve Fly*, delivers a narrative that is both brutal and mesmerizing. In this tale, a virus spreads across America, not only transforming its victims into feral creatures driven by insatiable lust but also unraveling the very fabric of civilization. The result is a grim and chaotic world that bears little resemblance to the America we know.

At the heart of this dystopian nightmare is Sophie, a devout Catholic girl whose quest to find her family through the ravaged Midwest provides a stark, emotional core to the story. As Sophie navigates this hellish landscape, Leede masterfully juxtaposes her personal struggle with the broader societal collapse, exploring themes of faith, survival, and the search for human connection amidst chaos.

Sophie’s journey is as much about confronting the nightmarish external world as it is about wrestling with her internal fears and desires. Her experiences are vividly rendered, with Leede’s prose capturing the visceral horror of the infected and the stark desolation of the post-apocalyptic setting. The novel’s exploration of lust and violence as manifestations of the virus adds a layer of intense psychological and emotional depth, making Sophie’s quest for her family not just a physical journey but a profound existential challenge.

The apocalyptic vision Leede presents is both sweeping and detailed, with echoes of mythic and modern influences. The comparison to *American Gods* is apt, as Leede infuses her narrative with a mythic resonance, creating a world where ancient fears and contemporary horrors collide. The comparison to *The Last of Us* highlights the novel's gritty realism and emotional weight, making it a compelling read for fans of both classic and contemporary dystopian fiction.

**"American Rapture"** is a visceral, immersive experience that combines the elements of epic myth with the raw intensity of apocalyptic horror. Leede’s storytelling prowess shines through, delivering a novel that is both a gripping survival tale and a poignant exploration of human resilience in the face of overwhelming darkness. This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys their apocalyptic fiction with a side of existential dread and raw, unflinching emotion.

American Rapture
by: C.J. Leede
due:10-15-24
Tor Publishing
3.5 stars

Noah and Sophie have been homeschooled at a Catholic Church by ultra conservative parents. Growing up, they became close, depending on each other as they grew and matured. Noah had magazines of shirtless boys in his room that his parents discovered. He was sent away to Sacred Hearts, to be reformed. Sophie's world fell apart without Noah, and she found ways to visit him.
Meanwhile, a flu epidemic is taking over......
This is where the story fell apart for me. I really liked the beginning, it was well done. Then the story seemed to crumble for me. Maybe I missed something.......
Thanks NetGalley for sending this e-book ARC for review.
#netgalley #AmericanRapture

Wow. This was absolutely incredible. I went into it thinking I was in for a silly book, but I laughed, I sobbed…. And sobbed again. As someone who grew up in an extremely religious household, I really related to the main character. Every thought she had was something I had experienced. I wouldn’t have changed anything. This book was perfect.

Appreciation to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for access to this digital ARC in return for an honest review.

I love a good ole apocalypse. I have read/watched the greats of what the genre has to offer. Leede has written something excellent here. The main character as a catholic schoolgirl with little access to the outside world is unique and offers a novel perspective in this world unraveling. The violence is gory, visceral, and just brutal enough to make you *feel* without it being vulgar. Post-COVID, readers can easily picture this twist on fate that haunts our worst nightmares. A virus that mutates people into a fluid spreading, forced sex animal in the most socially repugnant of ways. You feel true horror, heartbreak, and helplessness.

So I am a reader deep in denial that my partner might one day read the books I really enjoy. So I always hold back on giving him any true spoilers if I really like a book. However, this book is so WILD I could not hold back. When I finished this ARC in a single day, could not put it down, I texted my partner at 1am "What the f*ck did I just read?!?" and had to recount every detail to process because Leede truly goes off-hinge. The way she uses words to paint, you are right there with Sophie, seeing through her eyes every brilliantly grotesque detail. You cheer for her and feel anxiety when she is in trouble. The places she ends up are interesting and at times horrific in their own right. Her cast is morally grey and you love them even more for it. You will leave this book feeling bereft, but also -somehow- satisfied.

Some notes I don't know how to naturally throw into this review: The use of c*m without ever uttering the word c*m somehow makes it even more disturbing. I was rereading paragraphs with a dropped jaw. Also, American liberal propaganda is definitely in your face, but I am here for it and can't wait to see them try to ban it.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Tor and CJ Leede for sending me an ARC!
This book is amazing. First of all, I devoured it. I read it in two days. I couldn't put it down. Did I expect it to make me cry? Absolutely not, but it did. American Rapture is horrific, heartbreaking, sweet, chaotic... a bit uncanny given some of the early COVID parallels. It's so many things that I don't even really know how to encapsulate it here.
The whole cast of characters are all very distinct and genuine. And the journey Sophie goes on with her faith during all of this seemed incredibly realistic too. I absolutely cringed through parts of this--and simultaneously cringed and cried through ONE VERY SPECIFIC PART--but in a way that we're definitely supposed to. A good way, if you will.
This book is so well done. Obviously, I'm not going to shut up about it for a while.

I could not believe the amount of heart in a book about a zombie sex virus. This was healing in the best way. A perfect read for those of us with religious trauma. It's a story beautifully told

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC

What in the actual peanut butter and chocolate chip anti-religious zealot fuck did I just read?! 🤣

Religion should be banned if this is our outcome: death by SA. I thought Maeve Fly was fckd up, but this? well at the very least the crazy ways that may have murdered people were borderline cartoonish and "the boys" level gory. This is terrifying because it's realistic. Honestly, vote Kamala/Walz in 2024 so this "virus" isn't our fate. Please 😮‍💨

TW: animal death, r*pe, gore, child death, homophobia, transphobia, racism, religious fascism

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire. This was a wild ride! It was intense, heartbreaking, and infuriating all at once. It kept me on my toes as I never knew what to expect yet I was glued to each page. It was full of heart, violence, and blood. Add in coming of age and you’ve got a wild mix! It was beautiful and horrific and I loved every minute. I love our main character and her journey! So glad I read this and I can’t recommend this enough!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

WOW! What a great book! This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Great writing style! My first by this author but will not be my last!