I… really thought I was going to enjoy *When Devils Sing* more. The writing itself wasn’t the problem. Xan Kaur does a fantastic job creating an eerie setting: a small Southern community overflowing with secrets and traditions. The premise was unique and started off strong, but the story seemed to slowly lose momentum as it progressed. The characters felt superficial and, frankly, forgettable. Ultimately, *When Devils Sing* just wasn't for me. But I’m sure plenty of readers looking for a Souther...

When Devils Sing is an incredibly powerful story, especially considering it's Xan Kaur's debut. The book centers on four teens in the South, each from marginalized backgrounds with varying degrees of privilege. Their lives become intertwined as they strike deals with devils and delve into the mysteries of their community. I was genuinely impressed by Xan Kaur's writing and how skillfully she wove the four main characters' stories together. Even before they directly interact, their lives are intr...

4.5 stars - Thank you Macmillan for the advance copy of "When Devils Sing" in exchange for my honest review and the chance to promote Xan Kaur's new book!

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“In Carrion, they have a saying: The devil can be seen coming from a mile away. That is where our story begins.There’s the devil you know, the devil you don’t, the devil you wish you’d never met.”When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur is a southern gothic mystery that unfolds through multiple perspectives. Every thirteen years mysterious deaths occur in Lake Clearwater. This explores the divide between the elite and poor and what people are willing to sacrifice to get ahead. This story is a tangled web, a...

4.5 stars, rounded up! This was seriously good! *When Devils Sing* is a YA Southern Gothic horror novel that takes its time and focuses on the characters. It's a slow burn, and it never really speeds up, but if you're patient, there's so much to love here. We follow four characters in a small Southern town, divided by class and steeped in folktales about deals with devils. Every thirteen years, cicadas emerge from the earth, and every thirteen years, people disappear. And now, it's starting aga...

Wow! I wholeheartedly loved Xan Kaur's *When Devils Sing*—truly, deeply, completely!I have an addiction to Southern gothic tales steeped in town secrets, power politics, and that eerie tension between poverty and wealth. Add in the ominous rising chorus of cicadas, mysterious disappearances, and incarnated forms of cicada, snake, and crow who appear as three devilish brothers tempting townsfolk into dangerous deals—and I’m all in. This story gripped me with its supernatural intrigue, rich Southe...

When Devils Sing by Xan KaurYA Suspense HorrorNetGalley eARCPub Date: May 27, 2025Macmillan Children's/Henry HoltAges: 14+Dawson Sumter is missing, and Neera might be the last person to have seen him when he arrived at her grandparents' hotel. Dawson left behind a *lot* of blood in the bathroom.Sam made a deal to save her little brother after a horrific car accident. All she had to do was lie, saying she saw Dawson drunk at the lake.Reid and Dawson became fast friends on the golf course, though ...

1.75/5 stars. I'm genuinely sad to say that I really struggled with Xan Kaur's *When Devils Sing*. I'll start by saying that I truly loved the writing itself. The prose was fantastic, as were the setting and the visuals. I appreciated the core concept of *When Devils Sing*, but unfortunately, the book just didn't deliver for me personally. The story started off strong, with a pretty intriguing introduction, but it quickly started to lose steam. I considered DNFing this a handful of times. Not ...

2025 Goodreads Choice Awards (Mai's Version) - Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction🏆 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards | Opening Round Nominees | Readers' Favorite Young Adult FictionANHPI Heritage Month 2025 #8Okay, maybe I don't actually hate horror. Maybe I just hate *white* horror. Same goes for YA. Same goes for a lot of things. I will devour anything Xan Kaur writes next. It's giving Wen-yi vibes.Hello, Punjabi Georgians. It's me, a Vietnamese Texan, greatly enjoying eve...

This book has the pacing of a video game that fired all its writers halfway through, forcing them to rush the ending. Seriously rushed.