First of all, WOW. I co-read this book, listening while reading an eARC, and Moniqua Plante does an amazing job with the narration. I strongly recommend the audiobook version.

American Rapture is told as the recounting of 16 year old Sophie, a very sheltered midwestern girl brought up in an extreme Catholic household and already separated from her twin brother Noah as the story begins. Add in a pandemic, in which a virus mutates into a strain that turns people into sexually violent zombies before eventually killing them, and it becomes an apocalyptic coming of age tale as well as an indictment of religious indoctrination and guilt.

American Rapture is also just a damn good Zombie Apocalypse survival story (one of my favorite tropes) and I flew through it, couldn’t put it down. There is fast paced action with an awesome sense of place (Wisconsin) and a group of characters you come to really care about. I was horrified, grossed out, and it made me cry, but in the end the reader is left with a sense of hope. I loved it!

Obsessed is an understatement. The narrator did such a good job, bringing dread into the bottom of your gut with this apocalyptic story. This one truly terrified me! And the pacing was fantastic. It was quick and straight to the point. Highly recommend.

3.5 / 5 stars, rounded up

Sixteen year-old Sophie Allen has lead a very sheltered life in Wisconsin, and particularly ascetic since the night her twin brother Noah was sent away for possessing contraband magazines. Sophie desperately misses her twin and only gets to speak to him once a week on the phone. Usually during these calls she recounts the plot from whatever library book she has managed to slip past her mother. Her home is cold and loveless and she has no friends at school.

Amidst Sophie's naivete and her awakening sexuality, a plague starts to break out across America. The virus causes manic, violent lust as it tries to spread itself from one host to the next. Alone and frightened, Sophie heads out to find her brother to ensure that he is safe. Along the way she forges a new family and questions what goodness and sin truly mean.

I liked this novel, I thought that there were some awesome horror set pieces and moments. As a woman who was also raised in the Church and taught that sex and sexuality were things of which to be ashamed, I appreciated the conversations that Sophie had with Cleo. So, with the big caveat out of the way that I liked the book a lot, I am going to be picky about the things that I felt could have been done better.

Perhaps since the book is told from Sophie's perspective, I did not have a good sense of the other characters' personalities for much of the book. Helen and Wyatt just kind of existed for several chapters without really providing much value to the story. Sophie's character also could have been given more opportunity for choice. At the beginning of the plague, she chooses to leave home, but then her movements are dictated by Maro for most of the novel. I know her motivation is to find Noah, but I wish that had driven more of the action than it ultimately did.

I alternated between the written text and the audiobook for this novel and found myself disappointed in the narrator's choices. I was reading Sophie as very wide-eyed and innocent. The narrator sounded slightly more world-weary and cynical than I thought was appropriate for the character,

Perhaps my biggest complaint about the novel has nothing to do with the author's work, and was likely completely out of her control. The blurb and cover for this book are a total tonal mismatch for the novel. The comparison to American Gods is limited to the use of House on the Rock as an important set piece. Otherwise, no commonalities between the two novels. The sexually-charged pun on the cover also feels out of place for the tone of the book. Yes! I swear! The violence in this book is never portrayed as sexy, or arousing, or funny. If Grady Hendrix had written this book, then that tagline probably would have been appropriate. But it doesn't fit here. Leede has written a truly terrifying exploration of lust, desire, sexuality, sin, and temptation. Please do her the favor of marketing her book correctly.

This one didn't do it for me. The concept is interesting, but the main character is whiny and has zero survival instincts. In most of the high action scenes, she faints. She's kind of just a rag doll that the other characters are forced to take care of. I think this would have been more interesting from Cleo's point of view, or even Barghest's view to be honest. Definitely did not have the same shock factor as Maeve Fly.

This ain’t your mama’s zombie apocalypse. This ain’t your mama’s coming of age story. This ain’t your mama’s well, anything… Leave it to C.J. Leade to create something absolutely brand new. This is an epic, a young woman’s journey in a strange yet familiar land, an allegory for everything awry in the world today. This is a shockingly Good Read.

This heart-wrenching story packs the perfect emotional punch while being truly horrific. In this epic tale of a virus spreading across America, which turns the infected into lusty lunatics, CJ Leede writes insanely lovable characters into a riveting end-of-the-world story. American Rapture is a unique horror story that will stay with you long after you finish and the audiobook narration is top tier!

Sophie is a 16 year old trying to navigate a world in which a virus is quickly spreading across the U.S. that causes those infected to go out of their minds with lust. That is bad enough but imagine trying to do that when you have spent your entire life completely sheltered. Sophie has been raised by very strict Catholics. She is not allowed a phone, she can only read books that are approved by the church, she cant read the newspaper or go online. She is at an age where her body is changing and other people are starting to notice. She feels an immense guilt and is ashamed most of the time because she is questioning everything. So when the virus envelops her small town she is forced to flee and look for her brother on her own.

This story had me hooked from the very beginning. I had no idea what to expect, this was a literal journey filled with so much raw emotion that it is hard to explain. I cannot remember the last time I had an emotional connection with a horror book as i found myself getting teary through certain parts of the book. The story is brutal, frightening, infuriating, empowering and sad. I loved Leede’s first book, Maeve Fly and I loved this one too. They are completely different stories but are filled with Leede’s signature style. To top it off it takes place in Wisconsin, where I live so that was an added bonus. Sophie travels throughout may of the landmarks and places that are home and a perfect setting for many events in the book! CJ Leede has become one of my favorite authors and I cannot wait to see what is next.

The audiobook was fantastic and the authors note at the end is definitely worth listening to.

5 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

DNF at 33% no rating, because I just met the dog and a quick skim of other reviews to the effect of “tw for horrific dog death” is enough for me to say this is not for me. The building tension had been good so far and Leede shows her characterization chops by very believably getting into the POV of a sheltered, Catholic, sixteen year old. Moniqua Plante’s narration was suitable balanced between innocent and horrifies, but the mixing on the audio was a little quiet and I found myself having to turn my volume up much more than usual. That’s neither Leede’s not Plante’s faults though.

My deepest appreciation to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to an ALC of ‘American Rapture’ in exchange for an honest review, and my deepest apologies for my inability to complete the novel and provide a full review.

This was a great October read. Nice and creepy. Sophie, raised in a strict Catholic home, has to contend with her own sexual awakening amidst a pandemic that turns people into raving lust machines who kill. I love the group she collects as they navigate their new terrifying world. Against this backdrop, Sophie has to question her upbringing as she tries desperately to find her brother (who was kicked out of their home). I also love a book with a good dog character!
The audio narrator does a good job expressing Sophie's confusion and halting awakening.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook for review.

This book was a wild ride. I am not sure what I was expecting but it definitely wasn't that. It was great! Hard to read at times due to the difficult subject matter. But it was so well done and written.

The constant internal shaming started to get a little repetitive towards the end of the book. It was hard to keep in mind it was only a 8 day stretch and a lifetime of religious trauma definitely isn't resolved in that short time. But it still got a tad old by the end of the book.

The tension was there. The suspense was there. The characters were generally likable. I liked the tense relationships between some of the characters. The ending was definitely hard to read. Overall solid novel that evoked a lot of emotion.

While I enjoyed a good amount about this book, the chopping writing style really ruined the overall reading experience for me. I was lucky enough to have both an alc & an arc so I tried switching back and forth to see if I could enjoy one more than the other. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. The audio intensified the choppy writing with constant pauses in what could have been flowing full sentences. The ebook made me want to skim passed it all, but I didn’t want to miss anything so I ultimately listened via audio on a faster speed in hopes it would run the sentence breaks closer together. That didn’t help either. It was very hard for me to stay invested in the story when I disliked the writing style so much.

I also really wish we would have got some time in the beginning of the book with real meaningful moments between Sophie and Noah. Sophie spends so much time searching for him and I felt like I didn’t even know him. I also think I would have preferred if Sophie had been an adult. The topic of religious trauma, sexual liberation, and finding one’s self could have still been done in someone a bit older and, for me, would have been much more interesting and enjoyable to read about.

I did love the apocalyptic setting though! I’m a huge fan of that sub genre and while this didn’t do anything wildly unique, it had good pacing and stressful moments spread throughout. The violence was effective and the sexual element to the virus made it all the more horrifying to read. The first experience Sophie has with the infected really set the bar high and let me know what I was in for! It made me tense for Sophie & the others as I followed them in their journey, which I appreciate and hope for in this type of novel.

In the best possible way, I absolutely hate CJ Leede for writing this book. This story made me feel all the feels. She is quickly becoming my favorite horror writers.

The main character, Sophie, grew up severely sheltered; raised catholic with very little access to the outside world. She has a strained relationship with her parents and her brother had been sent away to a school for “problem children”. She is essentially alone. That is, until a viral epidemic that causes people to act in depraved ways, surges through the country, forcing Sophie to leave home to find her brother and get to safety.

I loved this story. Besides the fact that Leede can make literally anything sound uncomfortably creepy, she also has a talent for exploring multiple interconnected layers of a given topic. American Rapture is an end-of-world plague story, but it focuses on themes of religion, sin, lust, sexual violence, sex education, and homophobia. Using the idea of a virus as a carrier of sin played out pretty well here.

The characters were all great. Sophie could be frustrating at times, but it made her more real. There is a bit of a found family trope that plays out with the people she meets along the way and it’s fun to see how they all interact with each other. But don’t get too attached to anyone because everyone is fair game.

For the audiobook version of this novel, the narrator was Moniqua Plant. The narrator did a fantastic job. The voice was clear and it was easy to understand when dialogue switched characters.

This book left me feeling a bit emotional at multiple points. It also left me feeling sick and stressed out a few times. It does what good horror is supposed to do; it opens up a narrative to discuss topics that many people shy away from.


*Huge thanks to CJ Leede, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced audio version of this book in exchange for honest review.*

As earnest and emphatic as Maeve Fly was cynical and ironic (and I loved Maeve Fly). As someone who grew up in 90s evangelical land, this one seemed written just for me.

This was unbelievably fking good, wow. I didn't know what I was in for (I feel like that's pretty understandable w this premise), but what C.J Leede delivered will stick with me forever. If there was a way to get proof that this truly is her debut novel, I'd ask for it.

About 30% in, I wrote a note for myself that says "already unsure how there's 70% left, what more can even happen?". A LOT. And every turn was accompanied by provocative examinations of our society and it's relationship with/to religion - whether historic or present-day.

After growing up Christian and loosely attending church, it was easy to identify personally with the restrictions and cruelty that can be religion. My favorite part aspect of this novel is that it explores all of the reasons my doubts of religion crept in. The dualities are too many, too polar. You're stuck in a never-ending dichotomy...for what? To deny yourself of a bunch of stuff that would make life way more awesome? Weird flex, but OK. (sorry to my religious friends, ily still but I'm just not on board, myself, for the moment at least) That was clearly a bit of a generalization, but at the core is it really that inaccurate?

With the conversation of growing up around religion, comes the conversation of virginity. The reflection of myself during my foray into sexual desire was uncanny. It really is like an illness, isn't it? A pandemic, lurking around middle schools and junior highs. The waiting, looking out for an uncovered mouth - not to mask - but to smooch! If the histrionics there bothered you, then this may not be the book for you. If I would have taken it too seriously, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much. As cliche as it is, this is a rollercoaster ride of a book. The few lulls mid-way through left time for volleying my own thoughts and regaining some composure, making them more welcome than usual.

Initially, I'd planned on a more intellectual review. With some time to gather my thoughts, I've come to the conclusion that over-intellectualizing beforehand might have dulled some of the spark CK Leede's writing has. Often I didn't even realize I was in the midst of a moral dilemma until it was too late, at which point I'm dyingggg to find out what happens next.

In regards to the audiobook specifically, Moniqua Plante is one of my very favorite narrators, after being introduced to her with All Night Pharmacy. The consistency in quality from start to finish you'll experience here is why. Fair warning though, this is one of those audiobooks that you'll either need to wear headphones for, be cat-like in your pausing reflexes, or be around people you know well enough that they'll believe you when you swear to them that it's not p0rn, "it's for real a mindboggling dystopian thriller, seriously guys!!!"

Come pub day, 10/15/24, I'll be takin my happy azz to whatever indie bookstore near me will have this available! I need a trophy copy!

{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, CJ Leede, publishers Macmillan Audio and Tor Nightfire for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!}

Wow I love this. Love the dog. Love the way our girl meets the young cop. This is crazy and weird and scary. I love it so much! Also it is totally gross.
I am a prude but this wasn't like offensive to me.
It gets better as it goes, which I love so much.

This blending of horror and religious trauma, set in Wisconsin amid a pandemic is not a book that you are going to sit down and binge. It is one that you come back to time and time again, until that feeling of disquiet and unnerve becomes too much. But the intrigue and heart of the story will bring you back.

Be warned, there is lots of bloody horror, religious trauma, sexual assault, and a particularly horrible animal death. But for many, exploring these dark themes through books is a way of acknowledging and working through our traumas. This is the first book that I've ever read where the author's note at the end of the book made me cry.

There were points in the book when I felt the plot was lost and the focus was on the here-and-now horror, without a clear direction of its purpose. In those times, it felt a bit egregious and lost a star for me. It all came together in the end, but I was hoping for a bit more of a finale.

Overall, highly recommend this book to readers who love a bit of bloody gore and dark themes to their horror, especially when it dips its toe into writing that is deeply poignant and challenging.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listener copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A dystopian coming-of-age, anti-Catholic, horror story. Sophie is a sheltered girl from an ultra-religious family with a fractious relationship with her parents. That’s because they sent her twin brother away for “reeducation” after he was found with a gay men’s magazine. Sophie, now on the cusp on turning 17, has bloomed overnight and needs more “suitable” (ie modest and larger) clothing. She notices boys now looking at her and this makes her extremely uncomfortable. Yet, like all 16-year-old girls, she now thinks constantly about her sinful (in her mind) yearnings. That’s when a virus mutates and all of a sudden the infected are having violent sex everywhere: in the streets, on the sidewalks, even in her home as she witnesses her infected parents copulating then turning their lust towards her. She flees for her life (and to protect her virginity and find her twin). The book is about her questioning religious doctrine, learning who to trust, to love, and finding herself. There is a lot of loss and gore, this being a horror story. It’s definitely not for everyone, but the writing is vivid and I enjoyed the descriptions of many familiar places in Wisconsin. I did grow impatient with Sophie always blaming herself for everything bad that happened, but perhaps it stemmed from her church indoctrination and upbringing.
The audiobook narrator has a soft, breathless voice that suits the character although I had to speed it up quite a bit. 3.5 rounded up.
My thanks to the author, publisher, producer, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook for review purposes. Publication date: Oct 14, 2024.

This was another perfect casting for the audiobook. This title needed a voice actor and they delivered. Perfect for the character and situation. Thank you for making this audiobook available.

American Rapture. A raw look into hyper religion and fanaticism, the oversexualization of young girls and women, the overwhelming burden given to us by our parents, religion and society as girls and how sometimes found families are better than the ones we were born into.

A mix of the walking dead with horny zombie-like infected, a coming of age of an extremely sheltered young girl trying her damndest to survive what it feels like the apocalypse and find her family. An extremely well written and narrated novel about found family, unlikely friendships, lots and lots of emotions, the ugly and terrible truth of extreme religion ideologies and the worst, most terrifying thing of all, humans at their darkest.

I just finished the audiobook ARC not even an hour ago and am still trying to find all the words to relay my feelings into a coherent review. But with all of it what's better than the raw truth?

Plain and simple: this book is a must read for this fall, hell for this year even this lifetime.

The long answer: A true rollercoaster of emotions, from beginning to end, all the way to the acknowledgments. It resonated close to my heart, with me being raised in a traditional Catholic Mexican household where your biggest sin was existing as a woman within a man’s world. Can’t look too easy, can’t wear skirts, shorts or even anything remotely showing any kind of cleavage because you're not respecting yourself as a woman, you’re opening yourself to passes, comments and male gaze, you’re inviting them to say and do with you because you’re easy.

This was one of my favorite reads of this year and I hope ya’ll get to enjoy this book once it's out.

I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to hear the Audiobook ARC. Happy reading yall!

Book pub date is 10/15/24 and if you can get the audiobook version, the way Moniqua Plante narrates is seriously the best Audiobook I’ve ever heard.

Religious trauma and horror- is anyone shocked I was interested??? I will say you should know going in that there is a lot of sexual assault in this book (and a pretty horrific animal death). But the main theme is religion and sexuality, so I think it makes sense and is pretty smart. I did appreciate that while the instances of assault or attempted assault are many and awful, the descriptions of what's happening aren't overly graphic. Especially compared to the quite graphic descriptions of other things that you would expect to see in a horror novel.

The main character is Sophie, a Catholic teen girl who has led an extremely sheltered life and lacks access to a lot of information. Meanwhile, a deadly virus is sweeping the nation and it causes people to be uncontrollably sexual in really disturbing ways. And then there are your not-infected creeps who also perpetrate assault. What I think I really smart about this is it literalizes this conservative religious teaching that men "can't control themselves" and places the responsibility for sexual assault on women. In this case, while women can be infected too, only men get red hands as a late symptom. And the infected quite literally cannot control themselves.

This also gets at the danger of lack of education when it comes to sex. Whether because of lack of knowledge or discomfort, Sophie thinks of each penis she sees or encounters as a "thing". Sexuality for her is this blend of guilt, shame, desire, and traumatic responses, which is pretty common for people with religious trauma who grew up in purity culture. Even in a consensual situation, these responses are triggered in what is clearly PTSD. Again, this is a real thing even if it's not coming from such unhinged situations. But I think the fact that the horror is so over the top allows for a bit more distance and comfort with addressing really difficult subject matter. Like incest, religious abuse, and more. The main character may be a teenager, but this is definitely not YA.

I could say a lot more, but I think this is an incredible book, especially if you grew up religious and are deconstructing that. Just be aware that the subject matter is intense. The audio narration is really good too! I received an audio review copy via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.