C. J. Leede

Maeve Fly

I’m still undecided as to how I feel about this book. I do think the audiobook largely carried it for me. I could see how the book was interacting with its horror-satire inspirations, but I was unsure of what exactly it was trying to say through with those references and ties. 

Elizabeth

Lizeth Esmeralda

this book was a fun ride even though i predicted what would happen at the end i still enjoyed it 

Essence

CW: SA, torture, kidnapping, graphic abuse, moderate sexual description, dead bodies, rough consensual sex, intimate partner violence (not depicted or graphic), drugging, murder, abuse of power, maiming, revenge/retaliation, blood/gore.

It’s so hard to do this concept in a way that I will like it but it must have been the right time and mood and moment for me to read this… (it was, it was literally right after I finished Strip Tees, and I was full of misandrist rage) and a book about a horror obsessed weird girl in Hollywood who gets up to some American Psycho type stuff while being also very D*sney adjacent and working at D*sneyland as a theme park Princess, was just great. I liked how they wrote the weird girl. I liked how she was insecure. I liked how she was uncomfortably and unsettlingly cruel and dark rather than like sexy cruel and dark. And it was a very nice touch that a hockey player was into her because as a teenage weird girl who grew up into a bog hag, I can confirm without question that hockey jocks secretly desperately want to date creepy goth girls. I don’t know if I would have liked this as much of it hit me at a different moment in time but it didn’t. And so I do. It’s not gonna be for everyone so please heed content warnings, it IS very much a horror book. 

Apiecalypse Jen

CW: SA, torture, kidnapping, graphic abuse, moderate sexual description, dead bodies, rough consensual sex, intimate partner violence (not depicted or graphic), drugging, murder, abuse of power, maiming, revenge/retaliation, blood/gore.

It’s so hard to do this concept in a way that I will like it but it must have been the right time and mood and moment for me to read this… (it was, it was literally right after I finished Strip Tees, and I was full of misandrist rage) and a book about a horror obsessed weird girl in Hollywood who gets up to some American Psycho type stuff while being also very D*sney adjacent and working at D*sneyland as a theme park Princess, was just great. I liked how they wrote the weird girl. I liked how she was insecure. I liked how she was uncomfortably and unsettlingly cruel and dark rather than like sexy cruel and dark. And it was a very nice touch that a hockey player was into her because as a teenage weird girl who grew up into a bog hag, I can confirm without question that hockey jocks secretly desperately want to date creepy goth girls. I don’t know if I would have liked this as much of it hit me at a different moment in time but it didn’t. And so I do. It’s not gonna be for everyone so please heed content warnings, it IS very much a horror book. 

I received the audio from NetGalley for review. This was one that I grabbed solely for the cover. After I was approved, I started seeing a lot of reviews, which definitely bumped it for me.

This novel is about Maeve Fly, a not-so specific “ice princess” at a not-so specific “amusement park” in California. She absolutely loves her job, but probably not for the reasons you’d imagine.

I enjoyed the literary voice in this as it’s almost poised as a good-for-her / finding yourself / meets Dexter-y esque inner-monologue type projection. I also liked how as the character becomes more unhinged, so does her crimes, and so does her public projection of herself. Sometimes literally going in public covered in real blood. Some might find that unbelievable, but I thought it nicely highlighted how people’s general perception is just I accept what they see and rationalize it. The police in the story included.

Other than that though, the character is incredibly narcissistic, completely misunderstanding themselves and the perception they present the world with. It’s arrogance in a not enjoyable way. Though the biggest flop for me, the stake in the heart, is the novels incredibly over-sexualized nature. This is something I’ve mentioned in reviews before, but it seems like such a large chunk of modern horror just uses sex and obscure kinks for whatever propellant it can get as shock value. And while again, I certainly find it “horrific” as it is a ‘horror’, that doesn’t mean I think it’s good or find it enjoyable.

The novel is still on the edge of enjoyability for me though for sure, and Sosie Bacon’s narration was fantastic. It’s quick, and that keeps it readable. Personally a 3/5* for me.

C. J. Daley 

I received the audio from NetGalley for review. This was one that I grabbed solely for the cover. After I was approved, I started seeing a lot of reviews, which definitely bumped it for me.

This novel is about Maeve Fly, a not-so specific “ice princess” at a not-so specific “amusement park” in California. She absolutely loves her job, but probably not for the reasons you’d imagine.

I enjoyed the literary voice in this as it’s almost poised as a good-for-her / finding yourself / meets Dexter-y esque inner-monologue type projection. I also liked how as the character becomes more unhinged, so does her crimes, and so does her public projection of herself. Sometimes literally going in public covered in real blood. Some might find that unbelievable, but I thought it nicely highlighted how people’s general perception is just I accept what they see and rationalize it. The police in the story included.

Other than that though, the character is incredibly narcissistic, completely misunderstanding themselves and the perception they present the world with. It’s arrogance in a not enjoyable way. Though the biggest flop for me, the stake in the heart, is the novels incredibly over-sexualized nature. This is something I’ve mentioned in reviews before, but it seems like such a large chunk of modern horror just uses sex and obscure kinks for whatever propellant it can get as shock value. And while again, I certainly find it “horrific” as it is a ‘horror’, that doesn’t mean I think it’s good or find it enjoyable.

The novel is still on the edge of enjoyability for me though for sure, and Sosie Bacon’s narration was fantastic. It’s quick, and that keeps it readable. Personally a 3/5* for me.

Brittany Levely-Connolly

Let me introduce you all to a new friend of mine, Maeve Fly. But before you meet her you need to know a few things. For one, she’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. So beware, she does bite and it’s way worse than her bark. And yes, she may be a princess at Disneyland but let’s be real at the end of the day, she’s got acting and Hollywood in her blood Just because she works at the happiest place on earth does NOT mean she’s nice girl. Actually, it’s probably safest if you don’t meet her in person at all. Instead you should probably just read about her through C.J. Leedes’ new novel Maeve Fly, it’s safest that way and trust me, she’s gonna be someone soon, just you wait , I’m always right!

Thank you C.J. Leede, this is in all honesty, my one of my favourite books I've ever read! Maeve Fly is the feminist monstrous antihero, I never knew that I needed. A far cry from the final girl archetype, Maeve is a clear decent of Pyscho and the 21st century female version of American Psycho's Patrick Bateman with a love of all things horror and halloween. A feminist take on the monstrous-self narrative told entirely through Maeve, and she simply wants to demonstrate in this dark and bloody tale how one can be monstrous without being a victim, esp. as female. I seriously recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of feminist horror, dark horror or american psycho. This is definitely for fans of blood and gore.

I got this book as an advanced reader copy from Tor publishers through Netgalley, and I loved this book so much, I definitely will be getting a hardcover copy for my horror collection when released in June because Leede's dark, and humorous writing style brought Maeve to life and I fell in love. Never have I related to a protagonist so much (not the murdering part), but the last of connections, isolation and feeling as though one is an outcast and alone surrounded by people who just don't understand you, and the social acceptability of provided to men for their behaviour and gender and social expectations narrowly confine what is deemed acceptable for women.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who ever wanted to take a utensil to some else's eye!

Maeve Fly

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