Kailee Pedersen’s Sacrificial Animals is a raw and hauntingly poetic novel that confronts the darkest corners of human existence with unflinching honesty. Narrated by the talented Yung-I Chang, the audiobook elevates this intense exploration of trauma, resilience, and morality to a deeply immersive experience.

The story follows characters entangled in a world of despair and redemption, where choices bear heavy consequences and survival often feels like its own form of sacrifice. Pedersen’s prose is visceral, striking a delicate balance between brutal realism and lyrical beauty. Her exploration of complex themes—such as societal neglect, the human-animal connection, and the capacity for forgiveness—is both thought-provoking and deeply affecting.

Chang’s narration is masterful, capturing the raw emotion of Pedersen’s characters with an authenticity that draws listeners in. Her ability to convey vulnerability, anger, and hope enriches the narrative, making the audiobook format particularly impactful.

Sacrificial Animals is not an easy read, but it is an important one. It challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths while offering glimpses of humanity's enduring strength. For those seeking a novel that lingers in the mind long after its final chapter, this is a profound and unforgettable experience. Highly recommended for fans of gritty, emotionally charged literature.

The audiobook of Sacrificial Animals was a gripping and atmospheric experience! The narration brought the story to life, enhancing the tension and depth of the characters. Kailee Pedersen weaves a dark, haunting tale that keeps you hooked from start to finish. Definitely worth a listen for fans of intense, thought-provoking stories!

I was drawn by the premise of this novel, but it was very slow-paced for me and I lost interest throughout the novel. Towards the end, it did pick up in intensity and I wanted to know what would happen. For me, it was a surprising ending. There was so much potential here, but still like what Pedersen tried to flesh out in Sacrificial Animals.

Thank you to the publisher. author, and Net Galley for a copy of this audiobook.

[alc review]
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Sacrificial Animals releases August 20, 2024

To put it bluntly, this was not what I was expecting. I can see what the author was trying to do by mirroring the literal animal sacrifices on the Morrow’s property to Nick’s upbringing as a child and the way he was treated and viewed by his father, but for the most part, I found that the underlying mythology was painfully obvious where it tried to be obscure, and the conflicts were too slow to reveal themselves considering what was given away in the blurb.

Having the audiobook to listen to alongside the physical copy was much appreciated as Pedersen chose the stylistic route of not using quotation marks with dialogue.

I’m curious what the thought process was behind basing this as a literary horror/mystery novel instead of centering it somewhere in the contemporary fantasy genre with horror elements.
I believe this would have had much more potential as a short story split into two parts, rather than utilizing a then/now narrative.

cw: animal death/cruelty, physical abuse, infidelity, racism + racial slurs

This tale of supernatural revenge takes awhile to unpack its elements but climaxes in the Southern Gothic inspired destruction of a family.

The story was beautifully written but I don’t think it was for me. The double timeline was boring and confusing at times. I enjoyed the narration and the thought of this book.

Inspired by Kailee Pedersen's own journey being adopted from Nanning, China in 1996 and growing up on a farm in Nebraska, this rich and atmospheric supernatural horror debut explores an ancient Chinese mythology.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC of this book! I’ve decided to DNF this book at 61% because I don’t like the writing style. The story is too slow. I don’t care about the characters or what’s going on in the story.

Sacrofcoa; Animals were just not for me. It felt way longer and then I got over 50% and sadly just couldn't get myself to read anymore and I have the audiobook. I kept reading over things or chose to watch TV just so as not to read this. If it was much shorter I think I would have enjoyed it. If it sounds like something you would like then give it a try. The narration was done well, and the tone and vibe was good. The story just didn't click with me.

Meet the Morrow family. Carlyle is the patriarch of the clan, a racist man who intimidates and terrorizes his sons, Joshua and Nick. Nick, the youngest of the two, faces a majority of the violence and rage from his father. The family lives together at Stag’s Crossing, a grand estate built on a large parcel of land, but when Joshua falls in love with and decides to marry an Asian woman he is quickly disowned by his father and sent packing. Years later, when Carlyle is knocking on Death’s door, Carlyle allows Joshua and his wife Emilia to return to Stag’s Crossing, but this isn’t the happy family reunion some had been hoping for.

Sacrificial Animals is a supernatural horror novel whose roots can be found in Chinese mythology. It is a novel that explores not only mythology but race and family drama as well. I was intrigued by the premise, but it moved a little too slow. I also feel like there needed to be more of a focus on Emilia. The narrative jumps between timelines, taking the reader on a journey both within the present and to the past, which is a literary device I often enjoy, but I feel like Pedersen was trying to do too much and this would have worked better as a novella.

The audiobook for Sacrificial Animals was well done, however I really began to enjoy the audiobook more at ¾ of the way through the novel because that is when things really started to pick up. The pacing and inflection were good and I was drawn into the novel as much as I could be at various points within the narrative, but being a slow-burn novel I struggled to maintain focus on the audio at times, especially when I did not have the book in my hands.

SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS
Kailee Pedersen

AITA or is it hard to find good horror books to read? It took me all year to find only a handful of reasonable contenders, and this was one of the top ones I read this year.

In SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS we are following Nick. Nick was living his life, that what it was, minding his own business when he receives a letter from his estranged abusive father. He must return home as he has responsibilities and things to do and take care of. It is the last thing he wants to do right now, but it is the only thing that seems like the right thing to do.

The only relationship more complicated than the one between Nick and his father is the one between Nick and his brother Joshua. They lived a long and hard childhood together. They might be the only ones who know the bounds of their father's abusiveness, If not for Emilia, who knows it the most.

What will happen when all three of them return home and are made to live again in the confines of the only hell they have ever known? Only time and SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS will tell. And you’ll have to read it to hear the story yourself.

This was great. I had a good time reading and I did not guess the twist. I love when that happens. This is my first Pedersen, and I hope it won’t be my last.

The writing is fierce and quick, and the character development is strong. The writing and the characters are not my only favorite things about SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS. The storyline, which I’m sure sounds familiar to you is like revisiting an old friend. Except the friend has changed and morphed into something unrecognizable. Something wicked and terrible.

If you’ve been waiting for something to impress you and haunt you, look no further. SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS is it.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies! I loved this on audiobook.

SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one wasn't super for me. It was bogged down a bit by the writing and I felt bored when I expected more thrilling aspects.

Spooky Season 🧛🏻‍♀️ 🕷️ 🔪 ☠️ 👻 ⚰️

Not for me. I don't even think I hated this. It was just boring. Zana peaced out mid-buddy read, but I like to finish ARCs.

You know those stories told in two timelines where one storyline is vastly better than the other? No. Not here. I hate the past. I hate the present. Nick and Joshua grow up with their racist father, Carlyle, in bumfuck nowhere. Interesting spelling of Carlisle. r/tragedeigh?

Joshua marries Emilia, an Asian American woman. Carlyle says no. Joshua, like Zana, peaces tf out. Nick remains, because he's the youngest, and boohoo, oh so sad. Except it's not sad. It's boring.

Things are supposed to take a sinister turn when Carlyle is dying in the present day storyline. He invites Joshua and Emilia back. Nick, like every other white guy, fetishizes his sister in law. The more things are supposed to be scary, the more boring they become. The end.

🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio

This book is difficult for me to review. On one hand I hated it and on the other I loved it. This book is an extremely slow burn. Most of the horror and revelations happen at the very end and this was the part that frustrated me. I felt like not a lot I happened for large chunks of time and I just wanted it to hurry up and start moving along. This really frustrated me and detracted from my overall enjoyment of the novel. Pederson’s prose is beautiful, poetic in style, but ultimately it could not make up for the slow pace.

This book is a family drama filled with trauma and it is dark to say the least. There isn’t much levity to be found but there is a wonderful forbidding atmosphere that is created. I loved the blending of Chinese mythology with midwestern sensibilities and the culture clash that it created. So a mixed bag for me. I will say that the audio was well done and the narration was wonderful and probably helped me stick with the book. Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanaudio for this arc.

SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS by Kailee Pederson. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher, @macmillanaudio for the audio-ARC.

🦊🦊🦊

Nick's old, abusive, curmudgeon of a father has invited him and his older brother Joshua, including his wife, Amelia back to Stagg's Crossing where they grew up. His father Carlisle is dying and though he has barely spoken to his boys for years, he seems to be itching for a reunion. Nick treads lightly assuming a trick or deceit from his father who has played games with them his whole life, when the real deceit has been lurking in the shadow for decades.

🦊🦊🦊

This book was just ok for me. I kept going back and forth as to whether I was enjoying it. I appreciate the sentiment/message of this story but it was REALLY slow and almost too nuanced for me- while I generally enjoy this specific folklore trickster trope, it was not even apparent where the story was going for much of the book. I wanted a little more uncanniness or action but didn't really get that until the last couple of hours of the audiobook.

What starts as an unobtrusive yet sad and dark novel, quickly evolves into a dark horror story that leaves you thinking WTF...

I will say I was surprised starting the novel given the description and inspiration, however, after getting into the book more (and because I happened to read the Fox Woman earlier this year), I quickly realized the myth that inspired the story. I will say though, I certainly had a moment of WTF as I was listening to the novel.

I would recommend to those interested in horror books, or retelling of the specific myth (not to give too much away).

The audio quality was good, and the production enjoyable.

DNF @ 10%. Unfortunately I could not get into this book and at this time have decided to put it aside.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book is visceral, atmospheric, bleak, and full of creeping dread. It is a very slow burn horror novel that deals with themes of generational trauma, child abuse, coming to terms with sexuality, toxic masculinity, and racism.

I thoroughly enjoyed the past/present storylines and the way they came together. I also greatly enjoyed the prose in this book. It was so beautifully written, and these themes were dealt with so masterfully. I think the slower nature of this novel will deter some readers, but I found it perfect for the story that was being told.

The narration of this audiobook was wonderful, and it made me like the story even more.

Publication date: 20 August 2024

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and MacMillan Audio (#MacAudio) for the ARC/ALC!

When Nick left home, he never expected his abusive father to invite him back to their Nebraskan farm. But neither Nick nor his brother, Joshua, who has been disowned for marrying an Asian woman, can ignore their father’s request, as he is dying and hoping to reconcile with his sons. Joshua quickly falls into a routine with their father, while Nick ends up earning special interest from his brother’s wife, Emilia. It doesn’t take long for Nick to wonder if Emilia’s interest is more sinister than heartfelt.

Considered supernatural horror, “Sacrificial Animals” contained everything I love in a horror book! The instant feeling of unease and darkness looming drew me in quickly. I found the use of flashbacks to Nick and Joshua’s childhood to be the perfect way to dig into their past; the use of dual timelines worked very well. I also loved learning more about Chinese mythology, and seeing how the author drew from her own experiences was really cool too. I was fascinated by the character of Emilia, and I felt the pacing always picked up when she was the focal point.

The author also tackled the dark topics of racism, homophobia and childhood trauma in such a respectful way as well. Those topics were all interwoven into the story in such a way that this also read like literary fiction to me. Overall, a deeply atmospheric and spooky read, “Sacrificial Animals” is not one to miss!

This story is out now! This review will be shared to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly )

I did not particularly enjoy this book. I couldn't get into it and I'm not sure what the point of it was.

This was such an interesting debut! I loved the way rural American life, queer identity, familial expectations, horror, and Chinese mythology all intersected. This is a dark and subtly strong debut novel, that is written beautifully and has a story that subverts all expectations. A slow burn that builds in drama and tension until the last page. I will definitely be checking out what this author does next!