this was intense. i LOVED maeve fly and this was just a good.
this kept me at the edge of my seat, but also shed a tear or two.

A deadly virus is spreading, and Sophia, raised in an ultra-strict Catholic household, is thrust into chaos. As she navigates this unhinged world, she must: a) stay alive, b) confront her fears, and c) find her twin brother.

The story has a lot going on, but it all works seamlessly. It delves into how the virus affects the infected, the world's reaction, the ways survivors either help or hurt each other, the emotional bonds formed during survival, and the complexities of love in an apocalyptic setting. You’ll root for a diverse group of characters, especially a loyal dog that will steal and break your heart. With CJ Leede at the helm, expect triggers at every turn, a main character who evokes mixed feelings, and vivid, strange backgrounds that bring the story landscape to life.

Thank you very much to Netgalley, Tor Publishing Group, and CJ Leede for giving me an e-pub of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow - truly, this book was nothing like what I expected when I first picked it up. Immediately, I was drawn in by the relatable protagonist, Sophie, a teenage girl struggling with the constraints of her religion. The author created a very vivid picture of Sophie’s life, and I could feel the claustrophobia and restrictiveness of her existence.

What I didn’t expect was for this story to make me so viscerally uncomfortable (I love horror novels and read tons of them, so I’m always impressed when a book achieves this). It’s impossible to read American Rapture and not think of the many connections to the real world, and the way people (especially girls - especially underage girls) move through society as objects for consumption. Sophie’s continued sense of feeling exposed, of wishing to leave her body and be invisible to the eyes of others, is so relatable to anyone who grew up a girl in today’s society.

The author’s choice to make Sophie underage is one I admittedly struggled with, and is the only reason I’ve rated this book four stars instead of five. While I understand why CJ Leede made this choice, the discomfort I felt while reading about this story through the eyes of a teenager at times overshadowed the plot. That being said, this discomfort is likely the point.

As for the story itself, the plot was compelling and truly original. I liked the parallels to the virus in the novel and the COVID-19 pandemic; mainly, the tension between religion and science that’s present throughout this story. I enjoyed the found family aspect of American Rapture, and grew attached to everyone in Sophie’s circle, despite their imperfections. I felt their fear and stress as they navigated their new world.

Overall, American Rapture is deeply upsetting but impossible to put down. It’s an exaggerated picture of today’s society that ultimately isn’t so exaggerated at all. I believe that women especially will find something deeply familiar about the world depicted in these pages, and I applaud CJ Leede for conveying that so expertly.

I recommend American Rapture for horror lovers everywhere - but, please be kind to yourself in the process of reading and be aware of triggers (some of which are listed here): SA and r*pe, homophobia and transphobia, gore, animal cruelty, death, illness.

Sophie is a devout religious daughter growing up in a christian extremest family. After a strange sickness begins working its way through the country Sophie is forced to flee home and head out into a sinful world in order to find her brother. Sophie’s journey is not for the faint of heart and with each trial she faces she begins to question her morals and what it means to be a young girl coming into adulthood.

As I write this review I lay in bed holding my dog sobbing. This book was not what I expected it to be. I expected it to be similar to her previous book Maeve Fly (which I enjoyed) but gave us so much more. This story explores grief, growing up, family, friendships, religious trauma and maturing as a young impressionable girl in today society. This book was thrilling, devastating and horrific. It leaves you with equal parts hope and despair. I loved every minute of it but in all honesty I’ll never forgive C.J. Leede for the turmoil I feel for that dang dog. RIP Burghest.

TW

SA
Religious Trauma
Death of a child
Death of an animal
Homophobia

Catholic Guilt and the End of the World give rise to a heady mix in American Rapture.

The story follows Sophie as she’s given a bite of the apple and descends into the sinful world of knowledge of good and evil.

Perfect for fans of Hell Followed with Us.

One of the best reads of 2024.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for a honest review.

CJ Leede is an interesting author in today's horror landscape. i love her female centric stories with their twists and turns. I particularly loved Maeve Fly and it is still one of my favorite re-reads. American Rapture started off slow, but quickly the plot accelerated and became interesting. However, I struggled to finish the book based upon the situation with the dog. I wish the explanation that was included at the end of the book about those scenes had been at the beginning.

Wow. This was so beautifully done. Heartbreak and happiness and creepy and ugh. What a great apocalyptic book. The zombies were terrifying. I was gripping my seat through those scenes.
And sweet Sophie. What a time to try to find yourself. Ugh my heart.

Please tell me there will be a book 2. I want to continue reading this story

I adored CJ Leede's horror novella, "Maeve Fly" - it was viciously witty, fast-paced, and effectively done. The premise for "American Rapture" was terrifying but interesting - oooh, a riff on zombies that produces sexual violence? - and I was delighted when I received an ARC.

It started out a little slow - not a problem, it helped me learn more about our main character, a sheltered good girl struggling with her blossoming sexuality, and her parents. Once the zombie virus started kicking in, things began moving quickly, and honestly, that's where it started to fall apart for me. Despite the trappings, this book isn't different *enough* from existing zombie media. It's all the same stuff - paranoid, insular groups of people, lots of misogyny cropping up around women, some decent characters who try their best and are nonetheless zombie chow, a cute dog that gets ripped apart because we can't have good things, rumors of "safe places", a hospital-setting that kills its patients wantonly... yeah, I've seen all that before. The only difference between these book and the zombie media you can get anywhere else is that you'll be raped to death rather than just straight up eaten.

This book isn't without its bright spots - it's clearly a labor of love for CJ Leede, who adores this genre. The characters are developed, there's a strong sense of place, it's just very... generic. Which isn't a word I had associated with "Maeve Fly" at all! Perhaps it would have been a little bit more interesting to be if the main character wasn't so very passive, but due to her naivety and general helplessness, she just never really took off from the page for me.

I loved this!
The gore was so good, I personally wish there was more.
The lusty zombies told from the eyes of a catholic girl was really unique and fun.
I wish the church being the villain was more of an underlying theme instead of blaring obvious at the end. Only because I loved the beginning so much I wanted more of that.

American Rapture is a story filled with emotion and heart that paints a disturbing picture of the dangers of blind faith.

I really enjoyed this book but I think I would be remiss to not heavily encourage checking trigger warnings before reading. This is a horror novel, so violence, death, and a healthy dose of gore is expected (and delivered!). The premise of this book is a zombie-esque virus that causes people to lose their impulse control for lust - leading to sexual assault. The plot of the book also heavily revolves around the main character's religious trauma, so if those themes are a trigger for you, be aware going into this book that they are heavily entwined throughout. Additional warning that is a spoiler: (view spoiler - detailed animal death). I will say that the inclusion of all of these serve a purpose and are not flippantly included for shock value.

On to the review!
This book is WILD. Watching the main character attempt to overcome her extremely strict religious upbringing in the midst of a sexually aggressive pandemic is such a unique plot! Her journey was compelling and interesting to follow. It very much reads as the inside of a teenage girl's head/ As an adult it was frustrating at times to experience her thoughts of other people and discovering her sexuality during what is truly the ultimate life or death scenario. But at the same time it made Sophie (the MC) that much more of a realistic and compelling character. As an older ten escaping an oppressively religious upbringing, and having her first real contact with the rest of the world during a pandemic, logically she would be trapped between this teenage awakening and the perils of the dangerous new world around her.

The author does an amazing job of introducing you to new characters and causing you to become attached to them in such a short time- much like Sophie becomes attached to them in such a short time. Over the span of just a few short chapters they become so important, causing the reader to feel Sophie's pain when they're ripped away.

The blurb of this book really tells you all you need to know going in - but especially sums up that "she discovers there are far worse fates than dying a virgin." I'm a sucker for any book that turns a critical lens on religious and blind faith, so this book immediately got points for that, and earned the rest of a full 5 stars through earnest and emotional writing, and a heart-wrenching connection with the reader.

Oh No, this is very cringe. I am so incredibly surprised that a woman wrote such a hyper sexualized story about an underaged girl. It's incredibly cringe.

Can we please stop over-sexualizing underage girls? Thanks.

And zombies that rape people??? WHAT

Why is Tor Nightfire publishing pedo material?

American Rapture follows a young girl, Sophie, as the world ends around her.

The writing style follows a more stream of consciousness style along with some lyricalness thrown in. I really like this style for the book as it encapsulates who Sophie is throughout the book. Confusing moments for her are often written out in a confused manner where its *almost* hard to follow. I love this because it really reflects how Sophie is feeling and thinking. It just gives the first person perspective some more flair.

I do think the writing style for this one will be hit or miss for people. It’s fragmented and choppy but it was the best way for Sophie to tell us what was going on.

The story isn’t necessarily original but i loved the idea of sexuality freedom and religious trauma being explored in the start of an apocalyptic world with a raging horny virus lol i think it worked very well.


The Characters felt realistic and alive. I felt they were all complex and believable and despite not being raised similarly to Sophie, she also felt really relatable. Yes the dog dies, but after reading the authors note to the reader it just made sense and destroyed me even more. Do not skip the authors note at the end.

Overall a really enjoyable and immersible read for me. I wasnt even going to give it 5 stars as I had most of this review written at 80% but that last 20% really sold it for me. It was a perfect book for me in the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I can't remember the last time I was so deeply engrossed in a story that I forgot about my phone and any outward distractions for 4 hours straight, but that's what American Rapture delivered.

I've yet to read Maeve Fly, so this was my first CJ Leede book. Typically, apocalyptic novels fill me with anxiety and leave me sleepless, and while this was no exception, it was one I couldn't put down. The religious trauma and frustration, the perversion of Christianity, the yearning for connection, the found family, the fear of loved ones lost, oh, the list goes on. Everything in this story, you can't help but feel so deeply. Leede's story of a lascivious apocalypse through the eyes of a sixteen year old reached into my chest and tore my heart out. I bit my nails, I teared up, I yearned... no matter what it was, I felt it consumingly, and that's how I know Leede is an amazing story teller. She told the story through Sophie, a teenager girl's words, and elicited in me a magnitude of emotions I hadn't felt since I myself was a teenager.

Cannot recommend enough, and cannot wait to get my hands on a tangible copy.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the chance to read this book prior to publishing. This book will publish Oct 15, 2024.

My favorite line from the book, “No hate like Christian love.”
The main character of the book, Sophie, grows up in strict catholic home. She’s a teenager, and dealing with new feelings and new developments of her body. She has been separated from her twin, who her parents have labeled a sinner for being gay.
Amidst these struggles a plague breaks out. A horny plague, that makes you want to fornicate and then kills you. Her parents fall ill and attack her, she escapes the attack stealing the family car. She sets off to find her brother.
During the journey to find the brother, she makes friends, falls in love, finds herself, becomes injured, loses people she has befriended during this time. In the end, only she and Ben, the guy she falls in love with are left. They set off on the final trek to his family’s land and to the islands where she hopes to at last find her brother.

This is not the first plague story, or horror book I have read this year. Hands down it’s the best one though. I was completely entranced and on edge wanting to know what was going to happen next. The places they stop on the journey, the people lost, I was very invested. I would 100% recommend this story to others who like myself enjoy a good wtf did I just read book. Three words to describe this book- bloody, sick and hopeful.

CJ Leede is without a doubt one of the most promising current authors. If I see her name on something I will simply be picking it up no question. I had read Maeve Fly before reading this ARC to get a feel for her writing style and was blown away. Don’t get it twisted though, as weird as they both are, Maeve and Sophie are two vastly different girls. Sophie is a good girl who knows little outside of her sheltered religious bubble until a brutal apocalypse begins. As she navigates the apocalypse, she is forced to see things outside of her usual restrictive bounds. Through the grief of devastating loss and the internal battle of god fearing guilt, she begins to unlearn what has been ingrained in her for her entire life liberating her into her own true identity. While Sophie’s grand character development seems very wholesome, this book is not for the faint of heart. Some very vividly gruesome scenes in this one so I highly recommend checking trigger warnings if that’s your style. Easily one of my favorite releases of 2024 and I cannot wait for what Leede does next.
Massive thank you to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the e-ARC!

Sophie was raised in a very religious home, her twin brother recently being sent away for an indiscretion that we learn of throughout the story.

We see her trying to fit into her school and find her place in the world, but a virus nicknamed Sylvia has other plans.

It’s a story of a terrible disease that kind of turns people into Sex-crazed zombies, but there’s so much more to the story. Sophie learns about herself, opens her mind to the world, accepts and cares for her new friends, and fights to survive. And of course there’s Barghest.

**spoiler*** as someone who grew up in a religious home what happened to Noah was my biggest fear, it’s really well portrayed here.

I am messed up by the ending, it’s beautiful, tragic and hopefully all at once.

I was surprised that this book had so many different things pulled into one. It includes deadly viruses, religion, violence, promiscuity, etc. somehow this author made it all work! I definitely recommend this book and I am interested in reading more books from this author.

Absolutely devastating in the best way possible. I do not like apocalyptic, dystopian anything and yet I could not get enough of this book. It sucked me in from the beginning. The writing is perfection, it’s a little disturbing, and fairly graphic. I am quickly becoming a huge fan of this author. Like the main character, I also unfortunately was raised in the Midwest and in a religious family, so this hit so so close to home. While it was a little painful, it was ultimately cathartic. It was everything I didn’t know I wanted.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for this (my very first) ARC!

No hate like Christian love.

TWs: Religious trauma, sexual assault, rape, animal death, homophobia, near-incest, minors in sexual situations, sexism, misogyny

American Rapture follows Sophie, a heavily sheltered sixteen-year-old Catholic girl on the search for her brother Noah after a pandemic begins. The virus is like the flu—until it hijacks the infected’s brain and turns off everything but primal lust. Reading the synopsis, it may not be entirely clear if this novel is a religious metaphor for the power of abstinence or not, but make no mistake. This is no Christian manifesto. Everything Sophie believes about the world comes crashing down, and she must navigate this apocalyptic environment while deconstructing her own belief system.

I think the two types of people who may read this will have vastly different yet equally meaningful experiences.

The first camp is readers like me: raised religious, with strict rules and a limited worldview, who may have endured childhood trauma at the hands of the church. This book, for them, might bring back painful memories. It could feel like solidarity with Sophie, with her deconstruction of her parents’ beliefs in real time while they read her intimate thoughts as if they’re their own. They might have been, once upon a time. These readers will recognize the significance of Ben being left-handed, of all the little “cultural” nuances Leede has soaked the prose with.

The other group is the opposite: those who weren’t seriously impacted by Christianity or Abrahamic religious doctrines. These people may have issues getting into Sophie’s narration because of the sheer amount of religion poured into her every word. But, once they do, (I hope) they’ll be able to understand Sophie—and by extension, people like me—and how her thoughts weren’t really her own until she began to question them. How the church indoctrinates so deeply, and how the control is cult-like. I hope they’ll understand how difficult the deconstruction process can be.

There is some…"chemistry" between Sophie and the twenty-four-year-old cop who helps her along the way. Sophie is coming into her own with sexuality and experiencing crushes and romance for the first time, and doesn’t quite grasp how inappropriate it would be for him to pursue a relationship with her. I think she says it best herself, though she doesn’t realize it. She quotes Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights: “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” A line that sounds deeply romantic, as Sophie thinks of the man, but the context from that novel makes it what it is—toxic and codependent (not to mention incestuous). The inclusion of this quote was very clever in my opinion.

The pacing may feel strange to some, but I think it was almost perfect. It’s as if it follows Sophie’s inner deconstruction rather than the virus plot. Those two mostly sync up, but in my interpretation that explains the slow beginnings and fast ending. To me, it seems just as intentional as the choppy style. It’d be easy for a horror writer to lean into shock value, especially with a concept like sex zombies, but everything that happens feels very deliberate and contributional to Sophie’s story despite how shocking some events may be.

There are some very apt commentaries about our current world. The themes it touches on are so important, and I hope this book starts some much needed conversation. If you can stomach the trigger warnings, read with caution, but read indeed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the arc and chance to review this book.

I loved Maeve Fly so when I heard C.J. Leede had a new book releasing, I knew it was an automatic read for me. American Rapture is a bit like The Stand (a contagious deadly virus spreading through the world) meets Carrie (religious trauma and guilt). A deadly virus spreads through the world, shaking up everything that good little sheltered Catholic girl Sophie has ever known and she has to survive the aftermath in order to find her brother. It's an apocalyptic-like, found family, wild ride of a book full of searching - for family, safety, and answers. Highly recommend this one but check trigger warnings.