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Edenville
An unsettling, immersive, and wildly entertaining debut novel from an exciting new voice in horror for fans of Paul Tremblay and Stephen Graham Jones.
After publishing his debut novel, The Shattered Man, to disappointing sales and reviews, Campbell P. Marion is struggling to find inspiration for a follow-up. When Edenville College invites him to join as a writer-in-residence, he’s convinced that his bad luck has finally taken a turn.
His girlfriend Quinn isn’t so sure—she grew up near Edenville and has good reasons for not wanting to move back. Cam disregards her skepticism and accepts the job, with Quinn reluctantly following along. But there’s something wrong in Edenville. Despite the charming old ladies milling about Main Street and picturesque sunflowers dotting the sidewalks, poison lurks beneath the surface. As a series of strange and ominous events escalate among Edenville and its residents, Cam and Quinn find themselves entangled in a dark and disturbing history. Told with equal parts horror and humor, Edenville explores the urban legends that fuel our nightmares and the ways in which ambition can overshadow our best instincts. Sam Rebelein is an exciting, sharp new voice, sure to terrify readers for years to come.
After publishing his debut novel, The Shattered Man, to disappointing sales and reviews, Campbell P. Marion is struggling to find inspiration for a follow-up. When Edenville College invites him to join as a writer-in-residence, he’s convinced that his bad luck has finally taken a turn.
His girlfriend Quinn isn’t so sure—she grew up near Edenville and has good reasons for not wanting to move back. Cam disregards her skepticism and accepts the job, with Quinn reluctantly following along. But there’s something wrong in Edenville. Despite the charming old ladies milling about Main Street and picturesque sunflowers dotting the sidewalks, poison lurks beneath the surface. As a series of strange and ominous events escalate among Edenville and its residents, Cam and Quinn find themselves entangled in a dark and disturbing history. Told with equal parts horror and humor, Edenville explores the urban legends that fuel our nightmares and the ways in which ambition can overshadow our best instincts. Sam Rebelein is an exciting, sharp new voice, sure to terrify readers for years to come.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 3, 2023
235 people are currently reading
26380 people want to read
About the author
Sam Rebelein
21 books262 followersSam Rebelein writes (and teaches writing) in Poughkeepsie, NY. His short fiction has appeared in PseudoPod, The Deadlands, Press Pause Press, Ellen Datlow's Best Horror of the Year, and elsewhere. His debut novel EDENVILLE was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award, and won a Wonderland Book Award for Best Novel. Sam's recent collection of interconnected short fiction, THE POORLY MADE AND OTHER THINGS, is set in the same fictional world as EDENVILLE; GALLOWAY'S GOSPEL (Sep 2025) is set in the same world as well.
For more about Sam's work, and pictures of his scruffy pooch Frodo, follow him on Instagram @rebelsam94.
For more about Sam's work, and pictures of his scruffy pooch Frodo, follow him on Instagram @rebelsam94.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 600 reviews
October 15, 2023
I can’t remember the last time I rated a book this low. Multiple POVs and lots of characters that includes time travel, so be prepared to not know what is going on. At first I was intrigued, but then things just got so confusing and nothing gets explained thoroughly in the end. This book is NOT horror - if anything it’s crude. It feels like a teenage boy wrote this book instead of doing his homework. This is definitely more of a sci-fi thriller and I didn’t expect that going in or I probably would have passed on it. There were random gross sexual moments/comments that were so out of left field. I hate read the last half of the book just to see if we got any answers and sure enough- we did not! If you are going to write a high level sci-fi thriller book with all sorts of made up creatures, rules, and worlds - you should at the very least explain to your readers what the hell is going on. I’m still mad I wasted my time on this one 🫠 However, it was fun to buddy read with my friend and hate on it together 😅
July 15, 2023
i didn't like this. at first, i thought it was mostly my fault (and my personal preferences) that made me dislike it, but i came to realize that it was about 40% my fault, 60% the book's fault. hence the 2 star rating.
starting with my personal reasons for not liking it: i'm not big on sci-fi or cosmic horror and i didn't realize from the book's summary that this would be those things.
i didn't vibe with the narrative voice, nor did i find it very funny.
and frankly, i don't usually love books written by men. pretty much the only male authors i like (besides john green) are horror authors, because men definitely have that covered, and that's why i gave this book a chance. but i think this is the most Written By a Man book i think i've ever read.
which leads me into the problems that ARE the book's fault. from the first chapter, i HATED the writing style. it felt like it was trying to emulate stephen graham jones' effortless conversational style, but it just felt corny. example:
[The creatures were s]ome poorly made cross between a man, a leech, and one of those slippery snake tube-toys you find at, like, Rainforest Cafe.
at first, i forgave it, because the set-up made it seem like that first chapter was supposed to be written by the main character, a failed novelist. so i was like, "oh haha, this is bad because it's meant to be bad, because the character cam is a bad writer." no, that's just the whole book.
as for the whole written-by-a-man thing, there's a part early on in the book where the female main character is anxious, and the author chose to describe it this way: She felt pregnant or something. Dizzy. HUH???????????????????
there's also a part later where a ten year old girl blooms for me with pure, virginal energy. to the powers that be: please take that out of the fucking book oh my god.
so yeah, i would say this is not a very good book, and it was made even less enjoyable because of.... see above.
thank you to netgalley for an arc. the quotes in this review may not reflect the final published version (please please please god).
starting with my personal reasons for not liking it: i'm not big on sci-fi or cosmic horror and i didn't realize from the book's summary that this would be those things.
i didn't vibe with the narrative voice, nor did i find it very funny.
and frankly, i don't usually love books written by men. pretty much the only male authors i like (besides john green) are horror authors, because men definitely have that covered, and that's why i gave this book a chance. but i think this is the most Written By a Man book i think i've ever read.
which leads me into the problems that ARE the book's fault. from the first chapter, i HATED the writing style. it felt like it was trying to emulate stephen graham jones' effortless conversational style, but it just felt corny. example:
[The creatures were s]ome poorly made cross between a man, a leech, and one of those slippery snake tube-toys you find at, like, Rainforest Cafe.
at first, i forgave it, because the set-up made it seem like that first chapter was supposed to be written by the main character, a failed novelist. so i was like, "oh haha, this is bad because it's meant to be bad, because the character cam is a bad writer." no, that's just the whole book.
as for the whole written-by-a-man thing, there's a part early on in the book where the female main character is anxious, and the author chose to describe it this way: She felt pregnant or something. Dizzy. HUH???????????????????
there's also a part later where a ten year old girl blooms for me with pure, virginal energy. to the powers that be: please take that out of the fucking book oh my god.
so yeah, i would say this is not a very good book, and it was made even less enjoyable because of.... see above.
thank you to netgalley for an arc. the quotes in this review may not reflect the final published version (please please please god).
April 26, 2024
So starting to read Edenville I wasn't very optimistic – a horror author (of all professions) and his girlfriend moving into a creepy town, spooky things happening connected to his book, being a horror fan she seeing warning signs everywhere and wanting to move back, an urban legend, yada yada yada...
I was ready to give this book the verdict of a perfectly standard, ordinary horror story, but then started the passages from the book in the book, aka of The Shattered Man, which are... quite something. A quasi science fantasy saga where the mind and intellect holds the highest rank, a quirky protagonist, a cruel deity, a seriously weird universe... This element and the gradual dovetailing of it into the main plot brought the oomph necessary to give this story an interesting touch, elevating it from being a cheklist of tropes.
To be fair, the writing is somewhat hectic and multiple points of view merging may confuse some. Still, the creativeness of it all and the increasing complexity of the storyline make this a worthwhile read.
I was ready to give this book the verdict of a perfectly standard, ordinary horror story, but then started the passages from the book in the book, aka of The Shattered Man, which are... quite something. A quasi science fantasy saga where the mind and intellect holds the highest rank, a quirky protagonist, a cruel deity, a seriously weird universe... This element and the gradual dovetailing of it into the main plot brought the oomph necessary to give this story an interesting touch, elevating it from being a cheklist of tropes.
To be fair, the writing is somewhat hectic and multiple points of view merging may confuse some. Still, the creativeness of it all and the increasing complexity of the storyline make this a worthwhile read.
July 16, 2024
Edenville by Sam Rebelein is not for the faint of heart. It contains some intense gore. It's not for those sensitive to foul language. "F bombs" flow freely from one of the primary character's dialogue and thoughts. But it's true to the character, so it didn't bother me. Finally, Edenville isn't for those who are turned off by sci-fi. While the heart of the book is horror, it has a touch of science fiction to explain what's actually going on. If an explanation is even possible.
So, I hear you asking, "who IS Edenville intended for?" The answer to that question would seem to be ME! This book spoke to me! I loved the sci-fi/horror mesh. I wish there were more books like this! It took the eeriest reaches of science fiction and mixed them with the darkest horrors imaginable, and sprinkled in some sunflowers for good measure. The characters were well written and fully captured my imagination. I was even hoping the antagonist could win a few battles. Bits of dry humor made me giggle right before or after being repulsed by a bit of gore. My emotions were all over the board while reading Edenville. It really was quite an adventure.
I won't share much about the book itself. This is a book that I'll put alongside The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward. There are so many strange twists and turns. Things are never quite as they seem. You've just got to keep on reading and it will all come together. Or will it? I guess you'll just have to read it for yourself to figure that out!
I give Edenville five stars. I want to read more from Sam Rebelein. I want to find more sci-fi/horror beauties like this. And I'm going to stay far away from the dark stained wood scattered around Renfield County. Go Crows!
I received a copy of the book in order to share my honest opinion. All thoughts contained here are completely my own.
So, I hear you asking, "who IS Edenville intended for?" The answer to that question would seem to be ME! This book spoke to me! I loved the sci-fi/horror mesh. I wish there were more books like this! It took the eeriest reaches of science fiction and mixed them with the darkest horrors imaginable, and sprinkled in some sunflowers for good measure. The characters were well written and fully captured my imagination. I was even hoping the antagonist could win a few battles. Bits of dry humor made me giggle right before or after being repulsed by a bit of gore. My emotions were all over the board while reading Edenville. It really was quite an adventure.
I won't share much about the book itself. This is a book that I'll put alongside The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward. There are so many strange twists and turns. Things are never quite as they seem. You've just got to keep on reading and it will all come together. Or will it? I guess you'll just have to read it for yourself to figure that out!
I give Edenville five stars. I want to read more from Sam Rebelein. I want to find more sci-fi/horror beauties like this. And I'm going to stay far away from the dark stained wood scattered around Renfield County. Go Crows!
I received a copy of the book in order to share my honest opinion. All thoughts contained here are completely my own.
October 11, 2023
It was interesting enough audiobook to listen to, the plot was entertaining but didn't give any four or more stars vibes for me.
November 9, 2023
I am just in awe of people who can come up with stuff like this! 🤯👏 This was SO imaginative, wild & wonderfully weird. VERY cosmic and lots of gross out horror. I don’t think this is going to work for everyone but if you like WEIRD weird, I’d definitely say give it a go. I had a blast reading it and can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.
I read Edenville for my bookclub. If you’d like to watch our spoilery discussion you can do so here: https://www.youtube.com/live/veHy4bLx...
Go crows!
I read Edenville for my bookclub. If you’d like to watch our spoilery discussion you can do so here: https://www.youtube.com/live/veHy4bLx...
Go crows!
dnf
January 12, 2024Ugh.. I loved this in the beginning a lot. Gory body horror, but now towards the 50% I'm bored. The path it's taking is of not interest to me.
October 17, 2023
1.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2023/10/17/...
Edenville may have the distinction of being my biggest disappointment in 2023, and as it stands now, it’s also probably my lowest rated book of the year. I’m not even going to do my usual rundown of the plot because, quite honestly, I’m not even sure I knew what the hell was going on! For the sake of clarity though, here’s the gist: We have a young couple who move to Edenville because Cam, a failed author with no real job prospects, has taken job at the local college, and his girlfriend Quinn reluctantly follows along because she grew up nearby and has heard all kinds of creepy urban legends about the town. Soon after they arrive, however, Cam starts having these terrible nightmares, and Quinn realizes there may be more than a grain of truth to the horror stories she’s heard growing up.
At this point, I feel I should mention that this was also the year I started DNF’ing books, and the only reason Edenville was spared from this ignominious pile was due to my 25% rule—that is, if I’m not interested in reading any more by the time hit the quarter mark, then it’s time to throw in the towel. Somehow, this novel managed to squeak by this threshold despite being a snoozefest for the first fifty pages or so, mainly because right before 25% was when Cam and Quinn finally made it to Edenville. I thought to myself, well, at the very least, I really should give the novel a chance to win me over now that its namesake has—at long last!—entered the picture.
Which turned out to be a huge mistake. Things not only failed to improve but took a turn for the worse as the plot grew increasingly confusing and nonsensical. As I mentioned before, the opening chapters were a struggle, and most of this was due to the overly indulgent and cumbersome prose. The writing itself is pretentious to the extreme and exudes an air of someone who feels awfully clever and satisfied with themselves. This just made all the jokes unfunny, the profanity crass instead of witty, and robbed any satire of its sophistication. Unfortunately, this attitude of excessive self-satisfaction continues through the entire book. Meanwhile, more important matters like succinctness and lucidity go out the window.
Then there were the characters. Cam was an insufferable snob, but believe it or not, Quinn was the bigger disaster. Girl had no agency, no backbone, no mind of her own. Randomly, she would say, do, or think things that were so jarringly stupid or absurd, many times I found myself wondering if the author was purposely doing this for shock value, or if Quinn was really just that badly written. Evidently, there’s a belief that some male writers struggle to portray female characters realistically, and I’m thinking maybe there’s some of that happening here.
Moving on to the horror aspects. To be fair, this was perhaps the one bright spot of this entire debacle. I do love myself some cosmic horror, which I confess I did not expect from Edenville going in, and it was the singular reason I stayed riding on this trainwreck for so long even after every instinct was screaming for me to bail. In any case, I was already past the point of no return, and I wanted to see things through. There is some serious gross-out gore and body horror within these pages; I only wish the author had exhibited such lack of subtlety from the outset because maybe then the beginning wouldn’t have felt so clunky and ostentatious.
I could go on, but I think I’ve written enough to get the point across. Obviously, I don’t recommend Edenville, and while I won’t deny experiencing a certain degree of catharsis from banging out this review, in retrospect I probably should have listened to my gut and saved myself from this bloated, overly ambitious novel.
Edenville may have the distinction of being my biggest disappointment in 2023, and as it stands now, it’s also probably my lowest rated book of the year. I’m not even going to do my usual rundown of the plot because, quite honestly, I’m not even sure I knew what the hell was going on! For the sake of clarity though, here’s the gist: We have a young couple who move to Edenville because Cam, a failed author with no real job prospects, has taken job at the local college, and his girlfriend Quinn reluctantly follows along because she grew up nearby and has heard all kinds of creepy urban legends about the town. Soon after they arrive, however, Cam starts having these terrible nightmares, and Quinn realizes there may be more than a grain of truth to the horror stories she’s heard growing up.
At this point, I feel I should mention that this was also the year I started DNF’ing books, and the only reason Edenville was spared from this ignominious pile was due to my 25% rule—that is, if I’m not interested in reading any more by the time hit the quarter mark, then it’s time to throw in the towel. Somehow, this novel managed to squeak by this threshold despite being a snoozefest for the first fifty pages or so, mainly because right before 25% was when Cam and Quinn finally made it to Edenville. I thought to myself, well, at the very least, I really should give the novel a chance to win me over now that its namesake has—at long last!—entered the picture.
Which turned out to be a huge mistake. Things not only failed to improve but took a turn for the worse as the plot grew increasingly confusing and nonsensical. As I mentioned before, the opening chapters were a struggle, and most of this was due to the overly indulgent and cumbersome prose. The writing itself is pretentious to the extreme and exudes an air of someone who feels awfully clever and satisfied with themselves. This just made all the jokes unfunny, the profanity crass instead of witty, and robbed any satire of its sophistication. Unfortunately, this attitude of excessive self-satisfaction continues through the entire book. Meanwhile, more important matters like succinctness and lucidity go out the window.
Then there were the characters. Cam was an insufferable snob, but believe it or not, Quinn was the bigger disaster. Girl had no agency, no backbone, no mind of her own. Randomly, she would say, do, or think things that were so jarringly stupid or absurd, many times I found myself wondering if the author was purposely doing this for shock value, or if Quinn was really just that badly written. Evidently, there’s a belief that some male writers struggle to portray female characters realistically, and I’m thinking maybe there’s some of that happening here.
Moving on to the horror aspects. To be fair, this was perhaps the one bright spot of this entire debacle. I do love myself some cosmic horror, which I confess I did not expect from Edenville going in, and it was the singular reason I stayed riding on this trainwreck for so long even after every instinct was screaming for me to bail. In any case, I was already past the point of no return, and I wanted to see things through. There is some serious gross-out gore and body horror within these pages; I only wish the author had exhibited such lack of subtlety from the outset because maybe then the beginning wouldn’t have felt so clunky and ostentatious.
I could go on, but I think I’ve written enough to get the point across. Obviously, I don’t recommend Edenville, and while I won’t deny experiencing a certain degree of catharsis from banging out this review, in retrospect I probably should have listened to my gut and saved myself from this bloated, overly ambitious novel.
March 17, 2025
If you have been looking for horror that also happens to stem from exceptionally well crafted prose, this book is the answer. So often horror, and even sci-fi/fantasy, are overlooked by academia and simply not considered literary. It's an annoying mistake, especially for readers like me who devoted our careers to literature and tend to favor exactly those genres. Thankfully there are authors like Mr. Rebelein whose artistry with language cannot be denied. Sam Rebelein's writing is nothing short of stunning. I was reminded of Raymond Carver a bit in terms of the precision and tenor of the wit. I laughed out loud more times than I can count, and I wasn't expecting such a humorous tone. I really took my time with this book largely because this is the sort of writing one wants to savor. At a certain point, however, it became impossible to read slowly. This is an author who writes literature--not just a cheap scare to drum up sales. I know Edenville was nominated for awards and on many editor lists, and it is certainly deserving. The plot is startlingly original and haunting. The characters...I felt like I personally knew them in graduate school, even dated a few of them. This guy has mad talent. I will be immediately buying his short story collection, and I certainly plan to look out for his work in the future.
March 27, 2025
Can we talk about this cover though? I'd buy artwork like that. 😂
Anyways, this started off a bit.... off? I guess for me. I was like wtf is going on... eventually it picked up and I was hooked.
Anyways, this started off a bit.... off? I guess for me. I was like wtf is going on... eventually it picked up and I was hooked.
April 18, 2025
A quick-paced amalgamation of body and eldritch horror centered around Millennial ennui and malaise, what else do you want? How about a meta-aspect, a novel about a novelist frustratingly writing interdimensional horror, self-aware to know that they’re probably walking into their own horror movie but too drunk on external validation to care? Let’s put it over the top and add a contemporary folk-horror atmosphere blended with the quaint, small-town academia, and then you have got this strange little nightmare of a story.
This novel is a lot of fun. The main characters are very relatable, not insofar as you want to be them but insofar as you definitely recognize them. I appreciate that they each basically go on their own adventure, and the story balances the two well. The writing is energetic and descriptive, with enough gory bits to keep you hooked but never feeling salacious. The world building feels really clean and while not elaborate does a good job at creating tension and make the sense of place feel real. The plotting is what you would expect, it doesn’t feel like anything unexpected in that regard, but it coordinates its set pieces and reveals well, and while the structure is conventional it is willing to go farther afield with its ideas, going places I didn’t expect narratively, which I appreciate. When the two main characters’ separate adventures smashed into each other it was a little underwhelming, I think I expected more metaphorical fireworks at the crossing of the streams, but it always kept me on the edge of my seat.
The novel never takes itself too seriously. Yes, it is exploring the dissolution of a relationship, or of the idea of a relationship, and is highlighting and exploiting the self-importance of mediocre white guys in an infuriatingly real-to-life way. But the story feels more interested in being fun, and while the characters do evolve and change through the story that is almost secondary to the rest of the plot. There is enough conceptual work to give the reader more to chew on than just a simple fish-lured-out-of-water story, but not so much to ever feel like it exerts any intense weight on the story. Everything worked well for me, giving me a bloody ride and explosive ending that were satisfying. It happily pokes fun at the genre while smashing together a whole handful of subgenres, and it all worked for me. I wouldn’t have minded more character work, more interiority and scenes where the two main characters are beating their respective adventures against one another, and more time with the interesting cast of ancillary characters, too, but that would certainly have slowed down the pacing. I can see that book, too, a more contemplative story with its violence and gore coming in sudden bursts, but that isn’t what this book aims to be. So, taking it for what it is, a thrill ride with enough heart to keep you invested and enough bodily discharge to make you feel a little dirty, I really enjoyed this novel.
(Rounded up from 3.5)
This novel is a lot of fun. The main characters are very relatable, not insofar as you want to be them but insofar as you definitely recognize them. I appreciate that they each basically go on their own adventure, and the story balances the two well. The writing is energetic and descriptive, with enough gory bits to keep you hooked but never feeling salacious. The world building feels really clean and while not elaborate does a good job at creating tension and make the sense of place feel real. The plotting is what you would expect, it doesn’t feel like anything unexpected in that regard, but it coordinates its set pieces and reveals well, and while the structure is conventional it is willing to go farther afield with its ideas, going places I didn’t expect narratively, which I appreciate. When the two main characters’ separate adventures smashed into each other it was a little underwhelming, I think I expected more metaphorical fireworks at the crossing of the streams, but it always kept me on the edge of my seat.
The novel never takes itself too seriously. Yes, it is exploring the dissolution of a relationship, or of the idea of a relationship, and is highlighting and exploiting the self-importance of mediocre white guys in an infuriatingly real-to-life way. But the story feels more interested in being fun, and while the characters do evolve and change through the story that is almost secondary to the rest of the plot. There is enough conceptual work to give the reader more to chew on than just a simple fish-lured-out-of-water story, but not so much to ever feel like it exerts any intense weight on the story. Everything worked well for me, giving me a bloody ride and explosive ending that were satisfying. It happily pokes fun at the genre while smashing together a whole handful of subgenres, and it all worked for me. I wouldn’t have minded more character work, more interiority and scenes where the two main characters are beating their respective adventures against one another, and more time with the interesting cast of ancillary characters, too, but that would certainly have slowed down the pacing. I can see that book, too, a more contemplative story with its violence and gore coming in sudden bursts, but that isn’t what this book aims to be. So, taking it for what it is, a thrill ride with enough heart to keep you invested and enough bodily discharge to make you feel a little dirty, I really enjoyed this novel.
(Rounded up from 3.5)
September 29, 2023
Review in the October 2023 issue of Library Journal
Three Words The Describe This Book: Cosmic Horror, Sardonic Tone, Folk Horror
This book is a horror and humor mashed up. It is a scathing critique of academia, especially MFA programs. It is also BONKERS but in all the right ways.
It will both appeal to a wider range of readers AND turn some readers off. I think that is a good thing. You have to enter reading it with the understanding that it is over the top on purpose.
Also I want to say something about the book but it would be a spoiler so I will not. But the ending was quite empowering in a way that would make Stephanie from the Books in the Freezer podcast happy. I think that is enough of a spoiler.
Draft Review:Cam is a struggling NYC writer whose debut novel flowed out of him in the aftermath of a terrifying nightmare but it flopppled soon after publication. Quinn, Cam’s girlfriend, is a bartender originally from Upstate NY who believes in the ghost stories from back home. When an eccentric woman from the prestigious Creative Writing Program at Edenville College, near Quinn’s hometown, comes to invite Cam to be a writer in residence, both Quinn and the reader know it is a bad idea, yet Cam accepts. What follows is an entertainingly bonkers tale infused with so much unease and danger that it is literally dripping from Cam’s eyes.* It is a story that explores the Cosmic and Folk Horror tropes to their furthest reaches while also providing a scathing critique of academia, especially MFA programs, all wrapped up in one wild ride of a read.
Verdict: Rebelein’s debut confidently leans in on its sardonic tone, mixing humor with over the top Cosmic Horror, a combination that will appeal greatly to fans of We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix, but don’t sleep on the dark academia aspects as also seen in Catherine House by Elsabeth Thomas.
Three Words The Describe This Book: Cosmic Horror, Sardonic Tone, Folk Horror
This book is a horror and humor mashed up. It is a scathing critique of academia, especially MFA programs. It is also BONKERS but in all the right ways.
It will both appeal to a wider range of readers AND turn some readers off. I think that is a good thing. You have to enter reading it with the understanding that it is over the top on purpose.
Also I want to say something about the book but it would be a spoiler so I will not. But the ending was quite empowering in a way that would make Stephanie from the Books in the Freezer podcast happy. I think that is enough of a spoiler.
Draft Review:Cam is a struggling NYC writer whose debut novel flowed out of him in the aftermath of a terrifying nightmare but it flopppled soon after publication. Quinn, Cam’s girlfriend, is a bartender originally from Upstate NY who believes in the ghost stories from back home. When an eccentric woman from the prestigious Creative Writing Program at Edenville College, near Quinn’s hometown, comes to invite Cam to be a writer in residence, both Quinn and the reader know it is a bad idea, yet Cam accepts. What follows is an entertainingly bonkers tale infused with so much unease and danger that it is literally dripping from Cam’s eyes.* It is a story that explores the Cosmic and Folk Horror tropes to their furthest reaches while also providing a scathing critique of academia, especially MFA programs, all wrapped up in one wild ride of a read.
Verdict: Rebelein’s debut confidently leans in on its sardonic tone, mixing humor with over the top Cosmic Horror, a combination that will appeal greatly to fans of We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix, but don’t sleep on the dark academia aspects as also seen in Catherine House by Elsabeth Thomas.
July 18, 2023
This is the longest it’s taken me to read a book this entire year. I have no idea what I just read… it was so hard to pick this up and keep going. I still feel very confused and the description of this book is not fully what it’s about, if this book was actually what the description was - I would have been more interested. The writing and story of this book was interesting which is the reason behind my rating but I wouldn’t recommend to anyone.
November 11, 2023
All I can say is….WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST READ?!?! If you love mind twisting horror, you’ve done to the right place with this book. I know you won’t be disappointed!!! Enjoy!!
July 7, 2023
I nearly DNF'd this during the first 10% because it was weird in a way that did not appeal to me. But I kept at it and spent roughly two months on it. Though the weirdness never goes away -- in fact, there's a lot more of it -- it does get much better as it goes along. But the eye cum stuff is gross and I couldn't ever get on board with it. That being said, this story is wild and varied; it's like an onion you strip for several hundred pages. There are elements of science fiction and fantasy alongside the hardcore horror sequences. It is for these reasons EDENVILLE is worth keeping on instead of giving up in its early chapters. It's one I'm not entirely sure how to recommend other than "if you like weird horror blends, give this a chance." I can certainly see the appeal as it does have (again) many layers.
September 10, 2023
This was the literary equivilent of a russian doll, layer after layer of the bizzare and eldritch that doesn't seem to let up, described as Goosebumps meets Stephen King I'd say thats pretty spot on, this is screaming to be made into an A24 movie, it gives those outlandish vibes, definitely a unique story that has sci fi and fantasy elements alongside the horror, it kept me engrossed throughout, its weird as hell and I couldnt put it down, I will never look at an old lady the same way again 😶 the writing was fantastic and Sam has an uncanny ability to paint some skin crawling scenes, there is an edginess to the writing that creates a palpable sense of apprehension, this has some of the creepiest scenes I've ever read, this was gory and grisly and had me recoiling at times, I thought the personification of the town created an overwhelming invasive atmosphere, I just love a rural horror!, I thought there was also a larger theme at play behind the horror, one of finding your place in the world and how we seek validation, maybe I'm reading *too* much into it though, the creepy in this book has no chill, there is no restbite there was always something ominous or "off" on each page but it never felt overdone, this was a really fun read, I can't wait to see what else this author writes!
November 22, 2025
Reread 2025//
I’m really surprised by the low ratings. For fans of this genre, Edenville has everything. Plenty of body horror and gore, it’s weird af, there’s a sci fi element, a clever book within a book overlapping timeline thingy, it was very creative, lots of action and very funny in parts. I will most definitely be looking for more from this author.
I’m really surprised by the low ratings. For fans of this genre, Edenville has everything. Plenty of body horror and gore, it’s weird af, there’s a sci fi element, a clever book within a book overlapping timeline thingy, it was very creative, lots of action and very funny in parts. I will most definitely be looking for more from this author.
May 10, 2024
This was an interesting cosmic horror story. The more gruesome scenes were well detailed and the overall storyline was pretty good. However it does get jumbled up and confusing quite a bit through out the entire book. Definitely something you need to pay close attention to or even better yet read with someone to make sure you're on the same track as the book.
Would recommend.
Would recommend.
August 25, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to preview this manuscript, which is set for publication on October 3rd. However, I DNF'd at 30%, and my rating is based on that portion. This line was the final straw - er, eye-roll: “She tried four more flavors before buying a cup of Birthday Cake. She sat by the bay window and looked out at the clouds. She felt like she wanted to put a gun in her mouth, she was so fuckin content.”
Anyways, the style is trying to be camp slasher (I think?) but is too ponderous and plodding. Rebelein over-explains the tedious actions of our protagonists, who are frankly too dull to care about. The writing is clunky and Rebelein over-uses made up adjectives like “splinterous.” I agree with other reviewers who detect (how to put this generously...) *clumsy* treatment of women's internal experiences and motives in the book. Take this morsel: "She didn't particularly like old ladies. The ones in Leaden Hollow tended to leer at her through their car windows as they drove by. They picked at her hair and told her they wanted to bo bottle her youth, drink it all up. They told her she'd have nice babies. They treated her like an object, which Quinn understood - they'd been treated like objects themselves. But still." Rebelein simply does not have the skill to grapple with these topics, as amply illustrated by other excerpts posted by readers.
…in short, a trial to read and I was relieved to put it aside!
Anyways, the style is trying to be camp slasher (I think?) but is too ponderous and plodding. Rebelein over-explains the tedious actions of our protagonists, who are frankly too dull to care about. The writing is clunky and Rebelein over-uses made up adjectives like “splinterous.” I agree with other reviewers who detect (how to put this generously...) *clumsy* treatment of women's internal experiences and motives in the book. Take this morsel: "She didn't particularly like old ladies. The ones in Leaden Hollow tended to leer at her through their car windows as they drove by. They picked at her hair and told her they wanted to bo bottle her youth, drink it all up. They told her she'd have nice babies. They treated her like an object, which Quinn understood - they'd been treated like objects themselves. But still." Rebelein simply does not have the skill to grapple with these topics, as amply illustrated by other excerpts posted by readers.
…in short, a trial to read and I was relieved to put it aside!
August 18, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC.
Horror is the one genre that gets a hearty pat on the back for disturbing the hell out of a reader, and in that regard, Sam Rebelein excelled.
Edenville dragged me into a nightmare. And the worst part wasn't that there was no way out of said nightmare, but that I willingly stayed. Because as sick, weird, and wild as this story is, it is impossible to put down and thoroughly entertaining.
It was a very well written, imaginative debut, and I cannot wait to see what next the author releases.
Horror is the one genre that gets a hearty pat on the back for disturbing the hell out of a reader, and in that regard, Sam Rebelein excelled.
Edenville dragged me into a nightmare. And the worst part wasn't that there was no way out of said nightmare, but that I willingly stayed. Because as sick, weird, and wild as this story is, it is impossible to put down and thoroughly entertaining.
It was a very well written, imaginative debut, and I cannot wait to see what next the author releases.
August 7, 2024
"I cackle. I howl. I hate this, I hate it, and I know that I am helpless to stop it all from happening to me again…"
DNF @ 35%
Psst… psst. *nods head to come closer* You get closer and I look around suspiciously. I lean in as if I’m going to whisper some Mark Twain s**t. "This book sucked!", I say in my normally loud voice.
DNF @ 35%
Psst… psst. *nods head to come closer* You get closer and I look around suspiciously. I lean in as if I’m going to whisper some Mark Twain s**t. "This book sucked!", I say in my normally loud voice.
September 6, 2023
Sam Rebelein's debut novel offers a hilarious and ghastly look at the darkest side of the academic writing world in this complex, gory and graphic horror novel. Go crows.
I've learned that I'm quite the fan of the "humorous horror novel", the kinds of books involving monsters and madness while making you laugh with bristling language, witty social observations, and LOL moments. EDENVILLE, the debut novel by Sam Rebelein, is among the more audacious of this sub-genre, living in the vein of authors like Rachel Harrison, Stephen Graham Jones, and others. His novel pushes these poles (humor and horror) further apart, offering readers quite the macabre story.
EDENVILLE centers around a writer, Campbell P. Marion, who is invited to be a writer-in-residence at Edenville College, much to the chagrin of his girlfriend Quinn. Quinn grew up one town away from the college and is aware that strange things have always happened in the surrounding county. And Quinn is suspicious about why Edenville is interested in Campbell's work, when his only novel released to no fanfare. But the teachers of Edenville are involved in some dark stuff, and they need a certain type of writer to bring their otherworldly visions come to life. And they're not the only ones with ambitions to see beyond the world they live in...
EDENVILLE offers quite the complex world build, and serious horror readers will soak up the darkest elements of the story. The novel kicks off with quite the graphic visuals, and then levels up quickly from here (Eye gunk! Cylinders full of dead bodies! Spider people! Spying sunflowers!) And at times the mutli-level tale - one that features multiple antagonists, various stages of body transformation, and *something* named Jopp Yennigen, might be a little much for casual horror readers. But what makes EDENVILLE such a great read is that it is so blisteringly funny. It's an absolutely scathing critique of the rituals and cultishness around academia (specifically, creative writing programs) and vilifies the straight male writer privilege (of the man who thinks he's changing the world, of course). It's wild. It's WILD. Have I said this book is wild?
Thanks to William Morrow for my copy! EDENVILLE is out in October.
I've learned that I'm quite the fan of the "humorous horror novel", the kinds of books involving monsters and madness while making you laugh with bristling language, witty social observations, and LOL moments. EDENVILLE, the debut novel by Sam Rebelein, is among the more audacious of this sub-genre, living in the vein of authors like Rachel Harrison, Stephen Graham Jones, and others. His novel pushes these poles (humor and horror) further apart, offering readers quite the macabre story.
EDENVILLE centers around a writer, Campbell P. Marion, who is invited to be a writer-in-residence at Edenville College, much to the chagrin of his girlfriend Quinn. Quinn grew up one town away from the college and is aware that strange things have always happened in the surrounding county. And Quinn is suspicious about why Edenville is interested in Campbell's work, when his only novel released to no fanfare. But the teachers of Edenville are involved in some dark stuff, and they need a certain type of writer to bring their otherworldly visions come to life. And they're not the only ones with ambitions to see beyond the world they live in...
EDENVILLE offers quite the complex world build, and serious horror readers will soak up the darkest elements of the story. The novel kicks off with quite the graphic visuals, and then levels up quickly from here (Eye gunk! Cylinders full of dead bodies! Spider people! Spying sunflowers!) And at times the mutli-level tale - one that features multiple antagonists, various stages of body transformation, and *something* named Jopp Yennigen, might be a little much for casual horror readers. But what makes EDENVILLE such a great read is that it is so blisteringly funny. It's an absolutely scathing critique of the rituals and cultishness around academia (specifically, creative writing programs) and vilifies the straight male writer privilege (of the man who thinks he's changing the world, of course). It's wild. It's WILD. Have I said this book is wild?
Thanks to William Morrow for my copy! EDENVILLE is out in October.
October 18, 2023
This was all too obvious that a man was writing about women, especially in the horror genre. Really? A 10-year-old has “virginal energy”? Why is it that those with an MFA tend to write the worst stories?
July 31, 2024
I don’t even know where to start with this book because it was just SO FUCKING GOOD. It checked all my boxes and even checked boxes I didn’t even know I had! This right here is why I love the horror genre, books like this speak to my soul and make me feel so alive and I fucking love it. Very much looking forward to seeing more from this author!
May 4, 2023
Rural weird meets many-worlds by way of the true horror of a small liberal arts college’s writing department. This book is like if Stephen King and Terry Pratchett co-wrote The Library at Mount Char (not a comparison I make lightly). I wish we’d spent a bit more time with the weird stories of Renfield County, but that’s no ding on this creative and ambitious debut.
October 25, 2024
I should have known better......
Well, I got to 46% of the audiobook, then BAM I dnf'd it. Just got too stupid and I HATE Lovecraft type horror.......no great loss with this one.
1.5 star for a good start.
Well, I got to 46% of the audiobook, then BAM I dnf'd it. Just got too stupid and I HATE Lovecraft type horror.......no great loss with this one.
1.5 star for a good start.
June 21, 2024
definitively answers the question "would you still love me if i was a worm?" at last.
and the answer is a resounding "no".
and the answer is a resounding "no".
March 6, 2025
➡️ ɢʀᴀʙ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ:
° Love horror that makes you feel like you dropped into a fever dream
° Enjoy cosmic horror where nothing makes sense, and that’s the point
° Want a book that’s equal parts creepy, bizarre, and unexpectedly hilarious
° Think The Phantom Tollbooth would be better with, uh… eye j*zz 🤣
➡️ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ:
Campbell P. Marion’s debut horror novel flopped, and he’s desperate for a comeback. So when Edenville College offers him a writer-in-residence position, he jumps at the chance—despite his girlfriend Quinn’s warnings that something isn’t right about the town. And, surprise! She was absolutely correct. Edenville is picturesque on the surface, but underneath? It’s a labyrinth of eldritch nightmares, cryptic warnings, and a town history that won’t stay buried. As the weirdness escalates, Cam and Quinn must figure out what Edenville wants—before it swallows them whole.
➡️ ʜᴏʀʀᴏʀ-ᴏ-ᴍᴇᴛᴇʀ: 🩵🩵🩵🩵✨
Cosmic horror is a trip, and if you haven’t read it before, brace yourself. It doesn’t hold your hand, it doesn’t explain itself, and you just have to accept that things are weird. That’s the magic of it. This delivers this in the best way, reading like a fever dream where you have no clue what’s going on—but you love every second of it.
This book felt like a horror show directed by Sam Raimi, with absurd humor mixed into the dread. It’s got that creepy but kind of hilarious vibe, and the creativity here? Unmatched. I loved the offbeat, chaotic energy, and yes, I will be muttering "Jop Yennigan needs another skin again" at random intervals. If you liked A Light Most Hateful, All the Hearts You Eat, Hot Singles in Your Area, or A Cosmology of Monsters, this one’s for you.
° Love horror that makes you feel like you dropped into a fever dream
° Enjoy cosmic horror where nothing makes sense, and that’s the point
° Want a book that’s equal parts creepy, bizarre, and unexpectedly hilarious
° Think The Phantom Tollbooth would be better with, uh… eye j*zz 🤣
➡️ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ:
Campbell P. Marion’s debut horror novel flopped, and he’s desperate for a comeback. So when Edenville College offers him a writer-in-residence position, he jumps at the chance—despite his girlfriend Quinn’s warnings that something isn’t right about the town. And, surprise! She was absolutely correct. Edenville is picturesque on the surface, but underneath? It’s a labyrinth of eldritch nightmares, cryptic warnings, and a town history that won’t stay buried. As the weirdness escalates, Cam and Quinn must figure out what Edenville wants—before it swallows them whole.
➡️ ʜᴏʀʀᴏʀ-ᴏ-ᴍᴇᴛᴇʀ: 🩵🩵🩵🩵✨
Cosmic horror is a trip, and if you haven’t read it before, brace yourself. It doesn’t hold your hand, it doesn’t explain itself, and you just have to accept that things are weird. That’s the magic of it. This delivers this in the best way, reading like a fever dream where you have no clue what’s going on—but you love every second of it.
This book felt like a horror show directed by Sam Raimi, with absurd humor mixed into the dread. It’s got that creepy but kind of hilarious vibe, and the creativity here? Unmatched. I loved the offbeat, chaotic energy, and yes, I will be muttering "Jop Yennigan needs another skin again" at random intervals. If you liked A Light Most Hateful, All the Hearts You Eat, Hot Singles in Your Area, or A Cosmology of Monsters, this one’s for you.
December 22, 2023
TW: Language, scary scenes, death of sibling, gory scenes, blood, violence, drugs, drinking, smoking, death by suicide, murder, toxic relationships, cheating
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:After publishing his debut novel, The Shattered Man, to disappointing sales and reviews, Campbell P. Marion is struggling to find inspiration for a follow-up. When Edenville College invites him to join as a writer-in-residence, he’s convinced that his bad luck has finally taken a turn.His girlfriend Quinn isn’t so sure—she grew up near Edenville and has good reasons for not wanting to move back. Cam disregards her skepticism and accepts the job, with Quinn reluctantly following along. But there’s something wrong in Edenville. Despite the charming old ladies milling about Main Street and picturesque sunflowers dotting the sidewalks, poison lurks beneath the surface. As a series of strange and ominous events escalate among Edenville and its residents, Cam and Quinn find themselves entangled in a dark and disturbing history. Told with equal parts horror and humor, Edenville explores the urban legends that fuel our nightmares and the ways in which ambition can overshadow our best instincts. Sam Rebelein is an exciting, sharp new voice, sure to terrify readers for years to come.
Release Date: October 3rd, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 319
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. The cover
2. The story plot
3. The ending took a turn I didn't see coming
What I Didn't Like:
1. I hate dreams in books
2. I didn't like characters
3. Go Crows used over & over
4. Some parts are confusing
Overall Thoughts:
First off I love when a book has a map of a town. It reminds me of 1980/early 1990s and Stephen King stories. I love looking around at them to see where things are.
The boy doesn't have gauges in his ears. Gauges are the measurements of the piercings.
The premise was so good and creepy but reading it was dull and just there.
Sigh. I don't need to know that someone is clicking pens or tapping windows. This came off not a fun experience.
This book did drive me crazy because it would repeat certain phrases over and over again. Sometimes it was praised to the mind and sometimes it was go crows. Sometimes it was just sounds tap tap tap tap over and over. It got pretty annoying and repetitive.
The dadom reminds me of the HBO sound that used to happen on the app.
Final Thoughts:
I went back and force between not wanting to finish it to getting halfway through and needing to know what was happening.
Omg this book reminded me so much of Brainwyrms
The book took a turn I did not see coming but was not disappointed with. There are some serious gross parts that made me go ew.
I did not enjoy the beginning of the book and was certain I was going to have to dnf it, but when I got to the halfway point my opinion turned around. I started to get sucked into the story. I'm not usually a person that changes my opinion when I've decided a book is not something I am enjoying but this book was the exception for me. A lot of things happen in the book that were confusing and you had to work out what the author was trying to tell you.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:After publishing his debut novel, The Shattered Man, to disappointing sales and reviews, Campbell P. Marion is struggling to find inspiration for a follow-up. When Edenville College invites him to join as a writer-in-residence, he’s convinced that his bad luck has finally taken a turn.His girlfriend Quinn isn’t so sure—she grew up near Edenville and has good reasons for not wanting to move back. Cam disregards her skepticism and accepts the job, with Quinn reluctantly following along. But there’s something wrong in Edenville. Despite the charming old ladies milling about Main Street and picturesque sunflowers dotting the sidewalks, poison lurks beneath the surface. As a series of strange and ominous events escalate among Edenville and its residents, Cam and Quinn find themselves entangled in a dark and disturbing history. Told with equal parts horror and humor, Edenville explores the urban legends that fuel our nightmares and the ways in which ambition can overshadow our best instincts. Sam Rebelein is an exciting, sharp new voice, sure to terrify readers for years to come.
Release Date: October 3rd, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 319
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. The cover
2. The story plot
3. The ending took a turn I didn't see coming
What I Didn't Like:
1. I hate dreams in books
2. I didn't like characters
3. Go Crows used over & over
4. Some parts are confusing
Overall Thoughts:
First off I love when a book has a map of a town. It reminds me of 1980/early 1990s and Stephen King stories. I love looking around at them to see where things are.
The boy doesn't have gauges in his ears. Gauges are the measurements of the piercings.
The premise was so good and creepy but reading it was dull and just there.
Sigh. I don't need to know that someone is clicking pens or tapping windows. This came off not a fun experience.
This book did drive me crazy because it would repeat certain phrases over and over again. Sometimes it was praised to the mind and sometimes it was go crows. Sometimes it was just sounds tap tap tap tap over and over. It got pretty annoying and repetitive.
The dadom reminds me of the HBO sound that used to happen on the app.
Final Thoughts:
I went back and force between not wanting to finish it to getting halfway through and needing to know what was happening.
Omg this book reminded me so much of Brainwyrms
The book took a turn I did not see coming but was not disappointed with. There are some serious gross parts that made me go ew.
I did not enjoy the beginning of the book and was certain I was going to have to dnf it, but when I got to the halfway point my opinion turned around. I started to get sucked into the story. I'm not usually a person that changes my opinion when I've decided a book is not something I am enjoying but this book was the exception for me. A lot of things happen in the book that were confusing and you had to work out what the author was trying to tell you.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 14, 2024
This book has a metric fuck ton of characters. Multiple POV’s. Stories within the story. Time jumping. Body swapping. The multiverse. Eye jizz (yeah, eye jizz). A cosmic horror alien bug god cult something… idk… and more Tom Jones than John Mulaney’s “What’s New Pussycat?” bit. So many things… too many things. Questions? Millions! Answers? None! I was confused the entire time. This wasn’t my jam.
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