The biggest thanks to Tor Nightfire for the eARC!  

Brutal, heart-wrenching, deeply honest. In the follow-up to her debut novel, CJ Leede takes a long unflinching gaze into Catholic guilt, the horrors of sheltering, and the end of the world. American Rapture belongs among the ranks of books such as King’s Pet Semetary in terms of its ability to conjure the most visceral dread and induce the deepest sense of horror. It’s the variety that makes you sick to your stomach, not for gory bloodshed (though there’s plenty of that to go around), but for the sheer amount of innate bleakness with few glimmering moments of hope to grasp onto. Sophie’s story is devastating and will bring you to your knees. Still, it is ultimately a story that needs to be told, giving words and feelings to the most intimate feelings which are typically indescribable.   

Attempting to provide a synopsis sans spoilers feels like a treacherous endeavor so I’ll leave you with the basic framework. Sophie, a sixteen-year-old girl, lives in Midwest America and is devoutly Catholic. At the hands of her even more devout parents, much of the secular world is off-limits in a way that feels like extremism yet is rather common in the American landscape. To live is to sin, a lifestyle that produces a near-constant state of guilt for Sophie, a girl who does think for herself but ultimately obeys the laws of her church, school, and family. However, a virus begins to spread, the details of which Sophie is sheltered from. Equipped with little to no information or understanding of the real world, she is quickly thrust into the violent, unthinkable landscape of (what feels like) the world's end.   

From the epigraph, CJ Leede sets the tone for Sophie’s character, a girl indoctrinated by Catholicism for the entirety of her life. The very beginning of the novel depicts the depths of unawareness Sophie has for the workings of the world so far as not understanding her own body. The first few chapters feel as though Leede is tapping into the same horrific religious extremism that King implements with Carrie. There’s no room for wonder or conjecture; Sophie’s world is shaped by the understanding that to be a woman is to sin. It is up to her to prevent the sins of others (particularly men) by covering her body, her beauty, herself. It’s a heartbreaking fact of the Catholic lifestyle that feels like a dramatic flair of fiction but is sadly a very real fact. There’s instant empathy for Sophie maybe because of her naivety, maybe because of her existence which seems to be born of suffering, maybe it’s because I used to be just like her.   

This novel could substantially exist within the realm of horror if you remove the apocalypse. The crisis of self, the reckoning of possible fiction and fact, and the mental purgatory Sophie endures are the deepest psychological horrors. This reckoning she experiences fuels an over-arching atmosphere of existential dread for the entirety of the novel that plunges into the deepest, darkest depths of despair. As I said, this book could thrive without the virus that turns folks into violently lustful beings, but it doesn’t. Adding much fuel to the blazing fire, this virus is any Catholic’s worst nightmare come to life, and the ways in which Sophie must learn of the onset of the pandemic are the kind of horrors that leave your muscles tense, your jaw clenched, and sweat dripping from your brow. And to think things only get worse.   

Words do not exist to impart the levels of dread utilized within the confines of these pages. Yes, the strict religious ideas, censoring of information, and gory violence are more than enough, but Leede doesn’t dare stop there. Extremism, politics, and radicalization are all aspects that are fully explored in their most depraved nature throughout the course of the novel. These are frightening on their own, but Sophie’s unique lack of experience in the world elevates this fear into something else entirely. While she is shown kindness, love, and acceptance along the way, there is so much loss, so much depravity that accelerates Sophie’s character arc into a place in which she must decide the woman she wants to be. Ideas of sexuality, especially in the context of faith, have long been avoided in discussion or danced around delicately. Leede boldly, authentically enters this conversation with grace and emotional beauty that sheds light on so much of what is shoved into the dark.   

“You are a precious thing, you. And you get to do whatever you want. You matter, and you have to live your life as though you matter. Now and always.”  

American Rapture is a novel that will thrust you into an emotional stratosphere, experiencing anger, joy, grief, and utter terror. CJ Leede expertly gives words to complex feelings of angst, guilt, and anguish over sexuality and morality. So much of this novel succinctly details the experience of questioning faith and growing in confidence as a woman, as a human. This is a champion of a novel that will forever mark my heart and soul, a novel that may change the landscape of horror fiction for the better.

American Rapture is already my favorite book of 2024, and will stay there for the rest of the year. I have never been so enthralled by a book where my heart is racing while I'm weeping and needing to know what's next. Everyone can identify with one of the core characters so it really feels personal while reading it. CJ Leede this is a masterpiece.

NetGalley, thank you for the ARC!
I loved this book. I didn't want it to end.
I am putting C.J. Leede up there with Grady Hendrix and Rachel Harrison as far as readability. I couldn't put this book down. And she knows how to make you care about her characters, effortlessly, and quickly. Some of the characters didn't have a ton of time on the page, yet still resonated with me. The found family trope was strong so when there was death, I really felt its impact. I want to say the one that killed me the most, but I'll keep this as spoiler free as possible. But legit crying!
The themes of this book really resonated with me. The struggle to disrobe religious trauma and the deep set lingering guilt. How it's impossible to understand some of the things done in the name of God. I don't need to rehash everything, l'll just say | 100% agree with the views expressed in this book. They are things I have pondered time and time again.
The letter to the reader was also quite moving
The scariest thing about this book is the truth in its pages. This could really happen. It did happen with the aids epidemic, and religious zealots telling the world that it was God's judgement.
Zombies didn't play as big of a role in this as I thought they were going to, but were well done. There wasn't a: much gore as Maeve Fly, but what there is was described in excruciating detail - and well done.
But still check trigger warnings. There are a number of scenes that contend with rape, and while brutal, I think it was handled well, and had a purpose.
I already wanted to go to House on the Rock, but now I think it's a must.
I'm going to be thinking about this book for a long time.

Wow.. yeah this one… this is one of those rare books that come a long once in a blue moon and really make you not only challenge what you’ve believed your whole life through merciless feats it also gives some of the most unapologetic hope I have ever experienced.

At the end of the day this story is about self discovery, and found/finding family and true love in its purest forms. CJ Leede holds up an amazing mirror to Dante’s inferno and asks the reader to look deeper and see what each circle maybe bring and what each of us hold within ourselves to climb our ways out (even if it’s kick and screaming and by the skin of our teeth).

The religious content is HEAVY, the deaths are ROUGH, and the emotional turmoil is GRUELING, but… somehow still… you manage to come out the other side. I hope those who read this book take what they need from it and choose to carry themselves forward in this world like a bird on the wind.

Looking back on when I originally requested this book, I shouldn’t have. I know that now, but at the time I just saw the pretty cover. Beware, readers, that the prettiest and most interesting cover can fool you into reading one of the hardest things I’ve ever read.

Let’s dissect why I have problems with this book — I don’t necessarily. Although it is gratuitously violent or sexual in some parts, it helped the plot. Although it made religious leaders and congregants the villains of the story, it was beneficial for the plot. Although [SPOILER] the dog dies at the end, it was beneficial for the plot. All choices throughout the book were good ones, they just didn’t sit right with me, and that’s why I have to give this book a good rating because of the writing and craft that went into this book, even though it wasn’t meant for me.

I think I disliked this book because I’m Christian. Although the main character’s Catholic upbringing and mine were very different, I identified with her guilt and her grappling with her faith throughout the novel in the wake of a plague changing her entire life. Throughout the book, we see the characters turn on their upbringings because of the events taking place, and that’s the part that I take issue with. Not that it’s not accurate, but I’m afraid that this book will give readers an excuse to turn away from their faith, to say, “this book said God isn’t real, so I guess He’s not.”

“No hate in the world like Christian love.”
📚
Seventeen-year-old Sophie lives a sheltered existence at the mercy of her parents and their religious zealotry. Denied access to television, newspapers, books, rich foods, mirrors, and anything else that could potentially expose her to or educate her about reality, society, her body, or other people, she believes her beauty is dangerous, sinful, and improper and her virginity is the most valuable thing she possesses. Something she must guard at all costs that, once lost, renders her permanently soiled.

Her “education” at St. Mary’s school enforces ignorance, hatred, lies, and fear; this, coupled with twisted familial dynamics and issues, leaves Sophie wracked with rage and trauma. She rebels in small ways but is inescapably plagued by guilt and shame. And when a rapidly-spreading flu mutates into a deadly, lust-inducing virus, civilization quickly morphs into chaos, and Sophie must pass through hell in order to reunite with her family.

American Rapture is a heavy and brutal dystopian tale that examines religion, autonomy, and mortality; anger, empathy, and repression; temptation, choice, and consent; love, worth, and acceptance; and authority, anarchy, and insanity. Atrocities and turmoil abound: this is an adult horror novel, yet the protagonist is a teenager. And while the graphic content and explicit subject matter are clearly geared toward mature audiences, some events are really difficult to handle. Sophie’s internal monologue feels akin to a melting pot or fever dream: innocent, confused, overwhelmed, at times repetitive, and thoroughly believable in that her world has been turned upside down, leaving her vulnerable and bombarding her with extreme iterations of everything from which she was previously insulated, producing awkward, uncomfortable, and, ultimately, lifelike interactions.

The storyline brings a simmering nightmare to life with explosive, relentless realism. It’s unflinching, refusing to sugarcoat the carnage, suffering, and ugliness that accompany pandemics, extremism, hate, and inhumanity. The degree to which plot points mirror current circumstances is deeply unsettling, adding a pulse-pounding, terror-inducing layer of tension and plausibility. The writing is beautiful and engrossing, the hellscape setting made real in a masterful, practically tangible manner. Innumerable scenes are cinematic, visceral, and beyond terrifying, the incendiary narrative capped off with a hauntingly perfect final line. And an added bonus: the closing letter to the reader, which is an intensely moving, highly impactful must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group/Tor Nightfire for sending this forthcoming release for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Sixteen-year-old Sophie has been kept in the dark her whole life. No news, no internet, no cell phones, she knows only what her ultra religious parents tell her. When a pandemic sweeps across the land, she is told she is protected by God.

After her parents die in a horrifying manner, Sophie embarks on a journey to find her brother, who was sent to a faraway school.

As the world collapses, Sophie's eyes are opened to the reality of life, and she must rely on her instincts to survive.

I loved Maeve Fly, and I love this book. CJ Leede can write both the heartwarming and the revolting and create brilliant characters. I will read whatever she comes up with next.

Maeve Fly being one of my favorite reads of 2023, I was amped for CJ Leeds's next work. Okay. I didn’t really enjoy this one. The premise, very very cool. Sex zombies?! Come on, that’s a great concept and having the lead revolve around a Catholic girl, even better. Although, as I got into the story, I found myself really disliking the lead. I’ll admit my personal life experience is much different than the lead and honestly probably the demographic of readers that pick this book up. I see that difference, and I understand why this one wasn’t really for me. I was waiting for the feminine rage that Maeve Fly exploded with and, never really got it. I found the “will they-won’t they” aspect of Sophie and Maro off putting, mainly because she’s a minor. I understand it is a book and things are supposed to work out for the most part, but many times in this story I found myself thinking “well that’s convenient”. I’ll for sure recommend this to my romance loving friends but, if you’re a horror person, like me, I’d advise against it!

Whew, damn. Ok CJ. I'll be back once I get my thoughts in order

Ok, I'm back. I still don't think I can get everything fully out at this time. I have many mental health issues. Most from the way I was raised and my past. Many from just where and how I was raised. I've been working on that since 2018. Trying to figure out myself and why I am this way. I've never felt "triggered" by a book. I feel that for the most part, that's why we read, to experience other's POV and experiences. I feel that you should give books a chance to broaden your horizons. I grew up in the Bible belt of Georgia. I didn't or don't go to church every Sunday. I did go a lot with my grandparents. Even though we weren't "in church" or "catholic", you can still GREATLY feel the themes in any public setting. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I'm just acknowledging that it's a part of everyday life. That being said, a big part of my mental health journey has been to rid myself of shame. Shame is a reoccurring theme I run into. I did not realize AT ALL until I read this book, that it was religion and where I'm from that affected me. That maybe there is something there I need to investigate further. When I say this is a horror novel, I'm saying it reached into the depths of my being and brought out long forgotten trauma. That was scary and so very real. It's also a pandemic story. It's altered to fit the story, but that is an event that I witnessed. I was deeply immersed in it as a pharmacy technician. We lost some family members too. That's scary to relive. I just think this story opened me right up. It put me on display and forced me to acknowledge some things about myself. Last year Leede's book Maeve Fly became one of my favorite books. I didn't know if the book was special or the author or both. I'm here to tell you now, that CJ writes straight from inside my bones. I don't know how she does it. I am forever changed by both stories. I have a new favorite author. For a little back story on myself, I was a virgin until age 17. In a true "after school special" story, I became pregnant. I didn't know anything about anything. I am still learning everyday. My son turned out to be an amazing young man, thanks to the support of some special people. It wasn't my whole family. They weren't supportive through the entire event, but some showed up briefly throughout. I say that to say, I could have easily been this MC. I guess that's why it touched me so. This is a horror book, but if you make it through, there are some amazing revelations. I'd like to add that there is one part of this book that I wasn't prepared for. I would almost deduct a star for it, but in the author's note, CJ explained her reasoning and I forgave her. There are so many great quotes. I'll be back with my kindle to add those. Thanks to Netgalley for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel. This was the best book I have read this year and I am so impressed with the way the author made the reader feel the emotions Sophie was feeling. The author has done a great job at invoking fear in the reader but she's also made the reader feel validated. I cannot recommend this book enough, CJ Leede has knocked it put of the park again. I cannot wait for the world to read this book.

this was SO gripping, actually couldn’t put it down once I started it.
loved the themes it explores and the whole time I read it I was just giddy and knew it would be a 5 star read for me.
I’m a sucker for a coming of age and reading an apocalyptic book for the first time ever or in a while (truly can’t remember the last one I read) hit the spot and reminded me of being 13 and obsessed with the walking dead and the last of us.
what a treat, i feel so lucky to have gotten to read this and get it early.

First I would like to take a second for @netgalley for this opportunity to read and review this novel early.

Damn… this book. I couldn’t put it down. So real and so good and also so heartbreaking all rolled into one novel. This is an amazing follow up for CJ Leede after this banger of Maeve Fly. An instant classic. There were many times in reading this thinking wow how much further can this go and just to have my mind blown even more proving to me this book wasn’t done with me yet. Loved it. Just up banger that’s all I can say with keeping it spoiler free.

“𝙉𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚.”

⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the Advanced Reader Copy!

⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

this was such a fun read! okay, maybe fun is not the right word because the end made me ugly cry, but still. this is my first read by CJ Leede and i will for sure check her other book.

here's a run down of what's going down in this book:

✓ apocalyptic horror
✓ religious trauma
✓ a virus that turns people into h*rny zombies
✓ a bunch of characters that will break your heart

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊
┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ˚✩ ⋆｡˚ ✩
┊ ┊ ┊ ✫
┊ ┊ ︎✧
┊ ┊ ✯
┊ . ˚ ˚✩

MILD SPOILER / TRIGGER WARNING:

it goes without saying that triggering events like r@pe, SA, religious trauma will be present in this book. however i feel the need to warn from a brutal TW, and that is the explicit and violent death of an animal.
it definitely caught me off guard and i know this is a big no-no for a lot of people so read at your own discretion.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, and CJ Leede for the opportunity to read American Rapture in exchange for an honest review. This book was so much more than I expected going into it and it just solidified my love for CJ as an author and a human being.

Sophie is a teenage girl, raised in a strict catholic household. She has a twin brother, Noah. Noah is sent off to a hospital for kids full of “sin,” essentially. Sophie has lived a sheltered life and is homeschooled until she is 16 when she starts going to a catholic school for girls. She faces temptation and sin at every turn and she is riddled with guilt, shame, and fear of what God will think or do to her. She soon discovers that a virus is taking over major cities and everything she thought she knew may not be the truth. She has to face this virus essentially alone until she meets some other survivors along the way, including Ben, the boy from her hometown that she met briefly before the virus took over.

This book is totally different than Maeve Fly but in a good way. My 16 year old self can relate so much to Sophie. Even my adult self can relate to her. My heart broke for Sophie so many times because she had to face a world she didn’t know or understand and then deal with the religious guilt and shame on top of it. But through it all, she was still strong, fierce, and powerful. She kept showing up for the people her own religion would condemn. Ugh, this book was heartfelt and moving and powerful. It was also scary and heartbreaking. I loved everything about this book, maybe even more than I loved Maeve Fly which was one of my favorite books of 2023.

First of all, the cover.. DROOLING! I love this! I haven’t read anything by this author but the cover, the genre and topics included, I had to!

This one is heavy on religion. Which obviously you kind of pick up on that right away. And it stays pretty consistent. One girl that’s been raised how she thought all the world was. Until her eyes are blown open and she sees something isn’t right.

I think I would have enjoyed this a lot more if it wasn’t so lusty. A lustfilled pandemic. You either lust or are taken by lust. And not in a good way. It’s clever, but not my cup of tea I think, I prefer the good ole classic zombie apocalypse. There is still plenty of violence, gore and sadness. Just different.

You might cry.

You’ll totally feel.

Before I begin I want to say a huge thank you to Netgalley for letting me read and review this book early!
Imagine having your coming of age story take place during the apocalypse. That’s exactly what happens to 16 year old Sophie. There’s a virus spreading across midwestern America, and it’s causing people to act on their most base animalistic instincts. Once the Slyvia virus infects you, it’ll give you the normal flu-like symptoms on top of making you unable to control your sexual urges. Basically, it’s the world's deadliest STI. Sophie herself is a good catholic girl who has been sheltered her whole life. She must learn how to survive in this hellscape that Wisconsin had become, while on a journey across the state to find her twin brother Noah. This book was very intense, and is not for the weak of heart. I spent the whole time reading it dying for the answers at the end, and once I got them, I wanted more. Leede does a phenomenal job of creating a terrifying world in which even the slightest touch of another human could sign your death warrant. I loved this book, and would recommend it to fans of apocalyptic fiction and coming of age stories!
American Rapture by CJ Leede comes out on October 15th 2024!

American Rapture tells us the story of good Catholic girl Sophie trying to navigate a hellish world where a virus is spreading across America. This virus is making everyone feral with lust. She is journeying across the Midwest in search of her family. Along the way she meets a ragtag team of people also trying to survive as the world burns around them.

I devoured this book. As someone who grew up in the Midwest in a very sheltered and controlled religious household I saw way too much of my own life reflected back at me. Religion has this way of trapping you in it, even when you know what you’re learning and being fed contradicts itself and seems false it’s a stick trap to escape. And as Sophie tries to navigate this lustful hell she can’t help but view it through her Catholic lens. Eventually, if you’re lucky, those raised religious find their way out and learn to live life on their own terms. It was fascinating to watch Sophie navigate those emotions all while this virus ravages the world around her.

This story is heartfelt, honest, brutal and horrific. Thank you netgalley and Tor Publishing Group. Thank you CJ for your honest writing and for continuing to grow, learn and share your writing with the world. We need more baddies in horror!

American Rapture is out October 15th, but you can preorder your copy today like I did 25% through the book! 🤍

This book was provided as an ARC by Tor Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
American Rapture follows Sophie as she struggles to understand the complexities of the world while attempting to survive the Sylvia epidemic threatening United States
Sophie, and her estranged brother Noah, were both raised in a very strict Christian household with little known information available to them about the world. One night, Sophie's world changes after an incident with her brother, in which he is sent to live elsewhere to rehabilitate his life. Since Noah's departure, Sophie has a strained relationship with her parents and quietly resents them for what they did to Noah. With Noah having been gone for several years, Sophie kept to herself until the titular events of the book begin to take place. Once the events of the book begin, Sophie struggles with themes of guilt and shame that are tied to her religious upbringing. She finds herself contemplating her relationship with God and tests her faith throughout the duration of the book. Along the way, she learns many valuable lessons that begin to change who she is as a person, but also her relationship with her religion.
Overall, this was a five star read from start to finish and I cannot recommend it enough. There is so much more depth to this book than meets the eye and it provides a great commentary on religious pressures faced in society today.

I loved this so much. The action and gore were superb but what I really loved was watching Sophie deconstruct her religious beliefs and blossom into a strong young woman. And sweet Ben, we all need a dear, sweet Ben in our lives. This left me in tears. CJ Leede knocked it out of the park yet again.

American Rapture
By CJ Leede
Pub date: October 2024
Format: digital

Sophie Allen is a sheltered Catholic girl, figuring out the world while a pandemic rages on.

Warnings: sexual assault, religious violence, so much death

This book has earned the highest compliment I have for any book. I will 100% be rereading this in the future. There’s only been a handful of books I’ve reread and this will be one of them.

I had all of the feelings while reading this and cried way too much. I abandon all my other current reads to devour this. I would have left my family to savor this book.

Pick this up if you’re ready for an emotional roller coaster.

CJ Leede is officially on my auto buy list.