ARC REVIEW

4⭐️

A really intriguing and insightful story.

Anthem lives in a dystopian world where half the population are afflicted by monsters which eventually devour them. He is trying to find a cure and the story follows his tumultuous journey.

At first I struggled to get into the book, but it was worth the perseverance. I really enjoyed how thought provoking this story was - especially with the topics of mental health and the precariousness of human civilisation.

Beautifully written & inspiring.

I would recommend a read!

Topics/themes: Dystopian, end of the world, survival, mental health

0/5 🌶️ rating

Favourite quotes:
<potential spoilers>

It seemed that people, if not at their worst, were at their best when facing the end.

What if he told her to walk up to Stacy and punch her in the face? Probably bad parenting …

Who you are is up to you, okay? You can be a princess or a knight, a quiet librarian, or a dragon, or whatever you want. Okay?” He kissed her forehead. “You’re infinite.”

Remember, your best is good enough.

Ignorance is a difficult sanctum to guard when the truth is already inside the walls.

“So, do you really want to die? Or is it you just don’t want to feel like this anymore?” She kept her eyes on him, arresting his entire world. “There’s a difference, you know.”

The other side of what you’re going through could be one step away. Take the step. Keep going.

While humanity had been busy dying, the Earth had continued to live. And it would carry on living once they were all gone.

Maybe it’s okay not to know. Maybe the meaning to life is to give life meaning.

You are tasked with catching the monster but the monster is withing you. A dystopic horror with a thought provoking layer. It kept me on the edge and hook.
A well plotted and chilly story: I loved the world building and the storytelling.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Monsters In Our Shadows has a really cool and unique premise. Cembal does a great job of creating a creepy, unsettling atmosphere that blends horror and dystopia in a way that feels believable. The idea behind the story is solid, and I was excited to see where it would go.

That said, I struggled a bit to stay fully engaged. The characters, especially the main, Anthem, felt a little off to me. There were moments where his reactions just didn’t make sense. For example, when he stumbles upon a guy playing piano in the middle of nowhere—a place where no one should be alive—he just kind of moves past it. That ability to just move on quickly from something that should have rocked his whole world. was hard to buy into, and it made it tough to connect with his journey.

The pacing also threw me off. The first half of the book was pretty slow, and while things did pick up later, the slow start made it hard for me to stay invested. Plus, the overall vibe of the story is really dark and depressing, so with the slower pace, it was tough to care much about what was going to happen.

There were also some parts of the world-building that didn’t quite add up for me. For instance, the idea that showing emotion is a bad thing is mentioned like we’re supposed to just get it, but it’s never really explained. I found myself with a lot of questions about the world that didn’t get answered, which pulled me out of the story.

Still, I want to give credit where it’s due. The book has its strengths, especially in how it sets the mood and explores some pretty deep themes. Even though it didn’t fully click with me, I think it will definitely appeal to readers who are into dark, introspective stories.

In the end, I’m giving this one 3.5 stars, rounded up. It wasn’t a perfect read for me, but there’s a lot of potential in Cembal’s writing, and I’m curious to see where he goes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me a free copy for my honest opinion on this book.

Cembal's writing is seamless and makes for such an enjoyable read.

First, the storyline was fun and scary, the descriptions made me feel like I was there, and the characters were so easy to root for.
We follow an Exihilist in a dystopian future where shadow monsters called Shivers attach to random people and as the Shiver grow more hungry they will eventually devour their host. The Exhilist must help the hosts transition during this phase and ensure the Shiver is not left behind to attach to another host. However, this Exhilist's true mission is to find a cure.

Second, the underlying themes and substance of the storyline was ingenious. It was clear that the Shivers represented grief and depression of its host and the more they ignore the Shiver (or their grief) the fast they will be devoured by it.

The messages throughout the last third of this book spoke to me so deeply and made me feel so seen.
Also this book did a great job of keeping the story moving at a great pace with mini adventures throughout such as the nail biting bit of surviving a canabilist cult.

The Monsters in our Shadows was a unique experience, dystopian and apocalyptic.
Plunged into this horrific time, where Shadows devour their hosts, where humanity has been lost, we follow Anthem, the Exilist, who fights for a better future for his daughter.

What stood out for me was the deeper meaning to these monsters, the Shivers that plagued this world. Or at least, the meaning I found in them.

Anthem was an amazingly written character, real and relatable, strong but flawed, carrying his own demons but still not giving up.

The story started off a bit slow in the beginning, but it definitely grew on me the more I kept reading. For how grotesque and horrific the plot was, I found the writing and the overall vibe to be almost poetic, musical.
More than just having an interesting concept and well done characters, the writing was very atmospheric.

I didn’t expect to be moved by this, but it turned out not only to be a great horror piece, but also quite emotionally compelling. Will definitely have to check out more from this author.

Thank You Edward J. Cembal, The Book Whisperer and NetGalley For This Brilliant Contemplative Shivers Down The Spine Horror Thriller!

"It seems...these monsters gestate and form in our shadows from the weight of some sadness. As far as I can tell, one begets the other, and they both get worse. The deeper the sadness, that depression, the closer the monster. The closer the monster, the deeper the sadness, until … well, until it devours you. They could be some sort of manifestation of depression.”

Choosing a quote was nearly impossible but the above gives insight into how perceptive and important The Monsters In Our Shadows, by phenomenal debut author Edward J. Cembal is to, not only the literary world, but to society's mental health awareness.

As a horror thriller this novel is on the level of The Walking Dead and The Last Of Us. It creates a dystopian world where dark shadowy monsters called Shivers appear and seek out individuals who they follow until they get close enough to devour them.

Luckily, we have single Dad, with the best hero name, Anthem. He's an Exilist. He captures the Shivers and their humans and exiles them from the walled in community. Then his own shadow appears and, with the thought of his baby girl left alone, he becomes a reluctant hero.

It's clear that the Shivers are symbolic of depression, grief, anxiety and fear. It's no accident the cover looks like a Rorschach ink blot test. Each monster's a bit different for everyone. One drug numbed the humans but the monsters never left.

This book works as a father fighting for his daughter's future thriller. But it excels as an allegory to accepting our demons and asking for help to deal with them. The best horror stories are the ones that reflect ourselves back to us, flaws and all, and this author has achieved this goal brilliantly with compelling storytelling.

I received a free copy of the book from #thebookwhisperer via #NetGalley for a fair & honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced e-arc copy of this amazing story!

An absolutely unique and gripping horror story full of symbolism and a page-turning excitement of what will happen next!

The last population on Earth is being hunted by monsters called Shivers. Anthem is an exilist – his job is to assist those infected by the monsters to their “final journey” into death. Anthem believes that there has to be a way to stop these monsters rather than to accept the fate that they will consume their prey entirely and that this same fate will eventually come for everyone. Unfortunately, Anthem is racing against time and his own replacement.
The story incorporates excellent world building with an intense imagery of the post-apocalyptic world that Anthem explores. The characters that he meets are intriguing and fun to read. The plot will keep you reading with short manageable chapter lengths and quick pacing overall.
I would define this as a sci-fi/horror quick read perfect for anyone who wants to start dabbling into those genres. The book also delves into our own struggles, our own darkness, and how if left alone it will stalk us, terrorize us, torture us, create a stigma for us, and ultimately devour us entirely.
I solicited to read this book on my own and loved every page of it!

I really enjoyed this book. Not only the cover, which I am a sucker for a good book cover, but the writing itself was very well done. The book gripped me. I enjoyed Cembal’s style of writing, and I look forward to reading more by him.
Thank you for allowing me to read this book, I appreciate it very much!

Another dystopian horror novel that grew on me the longer I read it. Particularly the world-building and the characters really sold this one for me.

WOW.. This was one scary read. Perfect as we go into the spooky season, I might add. Great writing, fabulous plot. I hope there is more to come from this author. Would make a great movie. Five stars easy.

The Monsters in Our Shadows
Edward J. Cembal

3.75 / 5

We all have a shadow side ...

Ok, so this book was really good.

I found it to be a beautifully written horror story that, for me, was about how our personal demons can easily destroy us while simultaneously affecting those around us ...

And imagine if your internal struggles/mental health/personal demons could be seen by everyone ... and as monstrous physical manifestations to boot ...

This is a truly unique dystopian horror story that's well paced, gory, horrifying, and highly entertaining, but there were elements to the story that left me wanting more and felt slightly hollow.

But I still highly recommend checking out this very interesting, unique novel.

This was a unique dystopian horror novel with a chilling atmosphere. The world building in this was intricate, enabling the reader to visualize every scene as if we were in it ourselves. The protagonist was as intriguing as the plot, and his development was well crafted. This was equal parts haunting and suspenseful. The pacing and conclusion were perfect, and the only complaint I had was that I felt the supporting characters' development could have been stronger. Four stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Book Whisperer, for this ARC.

“Very few wants ever took the place of needs.”

“The Monsters in Our Shadows,” by Edward J. Cembal

This book was really good. I loved how interesting the plot was and the lore; I loved the dystopian/ sci-fi meets gothic/ dirty city underbelly vibes, I loved the idea of shivers being this demonic creature thing that wait to eat you in the end, I liked the weird/grossness of surviving by making crickets into every food, etc. I really really liked the spooky vibe of all the thunder without rain (it’s my favorite visual through the book, very off putting). This entire book with the forced happiness reminded me so much of the videogame “We Happy Few”, which is my favorite indie game. This book was really good overall. Would love to read more books like this one. 4 out of 5 stars, because it started a little slow.

Thank you for the free copy, Netgalley.

The Monsters in Our Shadows by Edward J. Cembal is the kind of dystopian horror novel that I wouldn’t normally read, but I’m glad I did. I found it thought provoking, and something to ponder after reading. The descriptions, tension, and action in this book were clear and kept me turning the pages. This book is a great mixture of - horror, science fiction, and dystopian plots.

The Monsters in Our Shadows is a gripping dystopian horror that plunges readers into a world devoured by the relentless Shivers - shapeless creatures tormenting their hosts before consuming them whole. The crumbling city of Atlas, humanity’s last refuge, teeters on the brink of extinction. Anthem, an Exilist tasked with trapping Shivers, faces his own impending doom.

Pros:
Intriguing Premise: The concept of Shivers and their relentless hunger is both chilling and original.
Emotional Depth: Cembal weaves existential themes seamlessly, leaving a lasting impact.
Engaging Storytelling: The narrative grips you from page one, refusing to let go.

Cons:
Character Development: While Anthem’s struggle is compelling, some secondary characters remain underexplored.
World-Building: The Deadlands beyond Atlas could have been fleshed out further.

The novel occasionally stumbles in character depth and world-building. However, its unique premise and emotional resonance make it a must-read for horror enthusiasts.

I don’t normally read books in the horror genre but this book is on point! The concept, plot and main character is so different from the norm and I am here for it.
I could not stop reading this and read it in a few hours. You know it’s a good book when you are still thinking about the concept of the story a week later.
I instantly fell in love with Anthem and his empathetic personality.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone even if this is not your typical genre!

Imagine a monster that lurks in the shadows and waits to consume you. Thats the premise of this book, Anthem is our exilist who takes care of people when their monster/shiver is ready to attack. This dystopian horror will hve you hooked, the world building is fantastic, you can really feel the hopelessness of the characters situation. This is a unique fast paced read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Edward J. Cembal for an eARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Wow!! What a great read!! I could not put it down and when I did I was thinking about this book. Set in a dystopian/post apocalyptic time in the world with monsters “shivers”. I highly recommend and perfect for spooky season!!!

A future where survivors live on cricket meal for food is the least of their worries. The afflicted are exiled to the badlands with a cheery bon voyage and promises of a better life. One where they can be free and happy. Anthem is employed as The Exilist and it is his job to get that person and their Shiver/monster to the other side before it turns its attention beyond the host.
I wasnt expecting this book to trap me as much as it did. I still get the creeps when I think about the Shiver and how it devoured its host. Apart from the horror side of things the story highlighted how extreme situations bring out the best and worst in people. I loved it and felt the author did a fantastic job to create such a consuming horror tale.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the advance review version of this dystopian horror story .

Ughhhhh this…was so good…I’m speechless…The Shivers encapsulates the crushing weight of mental illness set in an unsettling dystopian world.