OH MY GOD, THIS BOOK IS SUCH AN AWESOME MIX OF MUSIC AND HORROR!

Kris Pulaski is a 40-something washed up guitarist of a long dead band. My favorite thing about her is just how angry she is at the world for taking her big moment away when she was so close to it so when she finally hits the rock bottom that she's been hurtling toward ever since, that's when her desire for vengeance overshoots and starts her on this engrossing as fuck journey that's full of actual terrors, men who want to shut her up in any way possible and a whole lot of hurt.

The Illuminati-esque mythology/conspiracy theory about selling one's soul for fame and fortune is so well-done and I really liked how it's woven into the story and is gradually revealed as we meet Kris's band members and get to know about their history together as a band. The ending is so fitting, I loved the lyrics and the fact that it's basically about music at its core.

The random snippets at the start of each chapter add a little something to the story and the chapter titles themselves contains pop culture references which I loved. Moreover, We Sold Our Souls really nails all its gory and gross scenes and I just love how terrifyingly they're written. I didn't ever think I was claustrophobic but reading that cave scene, I really felt like I was. KRIS PULASKI IS MY NEW HERO.

Really, We Sold Our Souls is very close to being a favorite and probably could be on a reread.

This is the book that Queen of the Damned should have been. We Sold Our Souls is engaging, exciting, bloody, romantic and musical all at once. I absolutely loved it and cannot wait for my husband (a big music fan and horror buff) to read it as I think he will also adore this story. For sure I will be purchasing a paperback copy to add to our library and strategically leave on his side table to read.
The only 'problem' I could really find with Grady Hendrix's story is that I want the fictional band(s) to exist so bad!

Music
It's rare that someone can write a story in which you can hear the music they are describing. I don't know if it's because the lyrics are prevalent throughout the story, or that our characters describe the feeling of being lost in the heavy metal music so well; either way it's like We Sold Our Souls is belting out a metal lyric from its static pages. I could see musical geniuses like Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour), Jonathan Davis (Korn) or Tobias Forge (Ghost) being perfect to write the music to go with the lyrics. It would also be ironic as both Taylor and Davis are in bands that are mocked in the book as not being 'metal enough'.

Music Snobbery
Which brings me to the one thing that might bug some readers, music snobbery. If you are not a big music fan you might not really understand the elitist attitude that our (primary) lead gal has (a member of the main fictional band). In the music industry, especially in metal and punk, there are things you just don't do or compromise on (generally with a record label). These are what will get you labelled a 'sell-out'. That said, as someone who knows a fair bit about the music industry, the reality is that generally well known and successful bands in these genres are mocked because everyone is jealous of their massive success. Like it or not when we are being snobby it's usually because we desire something someone else has that we wish we did or are trying to justify why we haven't made it big. I believe that is exactly what is happening to our lead gal here. So take the snobbery with a grain of salt and you'll coast past this issue.

Genre all it's own
If there was a genre that encompassed music, horror and fantasy all together then We Sold Our Souls would be at the forefront of it. It's so hard to say where this book should sit in a library or bookstore. It has magic, bloody killings, musical influence (including as many fictional bands as real ones mentioned) and an overall atmosphere that bleeds dread. It could be called a thriller. I could even see some calling it an inspirational story about doing what you know is right. Seriously it just has so much rolled into it.

Premise Seems Silly?
When you read the blurb to Hendrix's novel you might think to yourself that it sounds cheesy. It's true that at times it comes off that way. But I dare anyone not to get sucked into the reality presented in We Sold Our Souls. Once you accept things for what they are; I guarantee you will be unable to put this book down. It's one of the fastest reads I have had this year to date; and yet I wanted it to never end.

Characters, Plot, Symbolism, etc.
I could probably write a whole term paper or thesis about all the meanings and symbolism in We Sold Our Souls. It's got a depth you just wouldn't expect from a horror story about musicians. I love how the lyrics of the songs are intertwined with the events of the book and feelings of our characters. At times, especially in the lyrics of the songs, Hendrix really spoke to my Pagan soul. (side note: it amuses me that the author's last name is Hendrix and they wrote a book with a musician lead. I wish one of the characters was named Jimi, even if only a minor one, lol).

Overall
If you love metal music, read this. If you love horror, read this. If you love reading the personal journey of a character to 'find themselves', read this. Like a lot of music is, this is a look into the soul of selfish, snobby musicians and the ultimate price they (seemingly inevitably pay) to be successful.
But seriously, can someone please make this into a movie and create the fictional band's music?

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

How much does music influence our lives? Is it our love, our religion, our very soul? Kris, a former member of a metal band that almost made it, has forcibly denied her musical side for years. Now, she wants answers.

How did one member of the band ascend to superstardom? Why can’t she remember what happened on the most pivotal night of her life? And how did her life become such a bleak, terrible mess?

Hendrix weaves a story about the importance of music, the power of mob mentality, and how far some people are willing to go to achieve their dreams. Along the way, he tosses in some gruesome gore, an interesting mythology, and a few supernatural encounters. All of it is fascinating, but the true highlight of the book is Kris and her journey. In fact, she rises far above the answers she seeks in what culminates into one of the best fictionally written metal performances of all time.

We Sold Our Souls was very entertaining. I can’t believe it took me so long to get around to it.

Kris Pulaski used to be a hardcore metal guitarist; now she cleans up urine at The Best Western in a dead end town. Neither she or her bandmates can remember the fateful night they signed contracts to convert their band into Koffin, to front man Terry's wishes. Now, Terry is rich, Kris is broke, Scottie is insane, Tuck hates everyone, and Bill is in a wheelchair. When Kris starts to realize something is not quite right with Koffin's farewell tour, the darkness is much more severe than a leather jacket and a mean guitar lick. Can Kris get her former bandmates to help her literally save the world from darkness, or is she on her own with guidance from an album she was forced to abandon?

We Sold Our Souls is so much pulpy horror fun, especially if you grew up listening to anything even slightly related to Metal or Alternative Rock. Keep in mind, this book is most definitely a horror novel and at times the descriptions can get pretty gruesome. Kris Pulaski is even more fascinating as a character because she is older and no one wants to seem to listen to her. I love Grady Hendrix's style and the way he tells a story, almost as if we are getting bits and pieces picked up by following a local radio station. We Sold Our Souls is dark, but once the pace picks up its impossible to put this one down.

We Sold Our Souls is available now from from Quirk Books.

What a creepy book! A deeply satisfying, visceral read that made me want to keep the lights on. I was rooting for the band the whole way! A great find.

Ever wonder what happens to musicians that don’t make it? Kris Pulaski was the lead guitarist for the heavy metal band called Dürt Würk in the late 90’s. Now, nearly two decades later, she’s a night manager for a Best Western. In other words, it’s hell and her life sucks, while the band’s original lead singer, Terry Hunt reinvented himself with a new sound (nu-metal) and band (Koffin) and became a rock icon. When Kris see s a billboard advertising Terry’s farewell tour, something inside of her sparks Kris to leave her sad life behind and seek out the remaining members of Dürt Würk to get them to confront Terry with her and demand answers over what happened the night the band broke up.

This book was everything you’d want a horror and rock band novel to be. There’s action, gore, and passion for music all woven into a kickass tale of what it means to fight for your dreams and to never give up hope. There were many times where Kris could’ve just given up her mission, but she always prevailed no matter how difficult the task seemed or physically ailing she was. This book isn’t just about some Faustian deal gone awry, the heart of this book is to take a hard look at yourself and see if you’re living for what you believe in or lie Terry, you have sold your dreams in exchange of a cozy life.

I honestly love Kris so much in the novel that if it had been about anyone else, I don’t think the journey would’ve been as much fun or as meaningful. This book has seriously been one of the most fun to read this whole year, because even when there were moments of despair, there was always an underlining hope that maybe our heroine, Kris would save the day.

I highly suggest this book if you love horror, death metal, rock stars, and road trip stories.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Quirk Books for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

An amazing book! Brings back memories and a few scares thrown in. I highly recommend it. Great summer reading.

We Sold Our Souls finds former guitarist in Dürt Würk, Kris Pulaski, working the graveyard shift at a Best Weatern in Pennsylvania. On her way home she encounters a billboard advertising former frontman Terry's current band, Koffin's farewell tour. Having years of pent up anger with Terry, she sets out to reunite with her former bandmates and confront him. Along the way, she learns about some of Terry's sinister workings. Such as what happened the night she and the other bandmates were greeted with contracts Terry and his new manager wanted them to sign. Ot turns out that the rights to the music of Dürt Würk werent all the 3 bandmates were signing away.

As Kris continues her journey to confront Terry, the story turns more from a tale of revenge to a tale of redemption and healing. This is also a tale of how music can inspire us to survive the tough times in life, as we see through a secondary character, Melanie's, eyes.

This was my first novel from Grady Hendrix and it won't be the last. I enjoyed the writing style, the little bits of humor, and the development of the characters. There was one claustrophobic scene that literally had my heart pounding in my chest. I would definitely recommend this one if you haven't read it yet.

My gratitude to Quirk Books as well as NetGalley for gifting me a e-cooy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I have always enjoyed Grady Hendrix's books but this one just seemed to lack the same punch as My Best Friend's Exorcism and Horrorstor. While still being an enjoyable read, it does take time to get into the story and I'm not sure that I ever connected with the main character.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Netgalley.

Grady Hendrix just keeps improving as a writer. His first novel Horrorstor, though cleverly designed as an Ikea style catalog for the haunted home goods store, felt overly clever to me, with not enough heart. His second novel My Best Friend's Exorcism was much better in that regard, but, for me at least, the book took too long to really reveal the supernatural cause of events.

But practice makes perfect, and in We Sold Our Souls Hendrix gives us a fantastic protagonist in Kris Pulaski. Once the lead guitarist for Durt Wurk, Kris and the band's stars were rising until one strange night when the lead singer Terry signed to a solo career and left his former band mates in the dust. Now, Kris works at a shitty hotel, dealing with shitty customers and her shitty brother, watching her life circle the drain. She hasn't played guitar in years and is resigned to her more never-was than has-been status, until she sees a billboard for Terry's upcoming farewell tour. Deciding to finally take control of her life, Kris sets off on a road trip to find the other former members of Durt Wurk and confront Terry once and for all. Unfortunately, it doesn't take Kris long to realize that there's more to what happened to her than a simple falling out among band mates. Terry took something from her to power his rise to stardom, and Kris will have to fight to survive to have any chance of getting it back.

We Sold Our Souls is a great love story to music and heavy metal and the power and redemption that it can offer. Check it out if you like angry women protagonists getting their own back, horror, and rock and roll road trips.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the copy of this book in exchange for a review! I was immediately interested in the novel because of the author and the cover of the paperback that looks just like a cover of Rolling Stone. I grew up on a mix of 80s hair bands, metal, and grunge that turned me into the little weirdo that I am today. So, of course I would be instantly attracted to the story of Kris and Dürt Würk. Women in music have always been so inspiring to me, because they are stronger than any man in their situation. They have to face things that the opposite sex could never dream of. You can look at a woman in a band and know that she fought tooth and nail to rock, and Kris is no exception.

We start out the novel as the band has already fizzled out, and Kris is living in the aftermath. She's working a dead end job and is content to live in her dead mother's house, wasting away, until she sees a billboard for her former frontman, Terry, and finds out that his new band, Koffin, is coming back for one last hurrah. This lights a fire under her ass, and she sets about finding the other members of the band to unite them once and for all against the man who broke them apart. This endeavor turns sideways quicker than anticipated. Kris finds their bassist and discovers that he is coming apart at the seams. He tells her something happened the night that they signed the rights to the band away, and lays a conspiracy in front of Kris. She walks away to interrogate the other members of the band, only to fall deeper and deeper into what she thought was a made up mythology to their lost album, Troglodyte.

She shows her mettle and then some, escaping dire straights and keeping her faith in only herself and her music. The words that poured from her soul a lifetime ago points her way forward, and shows her how to make her way out of this complacency she has been lulled into. She realizes that her soul has been taken from her, but she isn't the only one. Everyone around her is slowly being sucked dry by beings who are never satiated, and they are all slaves to the wheel of Black Iron Mountain. Some want fame, some want a new iPhone, and some just want out. It's a narrative not too far from the truth of reality as so many of us pack up our hopes and dreams to be lead into the daily grind for a dollar and never come up for air again.

I like that this is a story of hope. Kris lost her soul, her dreams, her friends, and the life she wanted, but she managed to pull herself out of the depths and find a new path to tread. The story calls on you to believe in yourself and your own strength. It was creepy in its own way, but definitely not the devil worshiping horror story I was expecting from the curious title. It was also full of delightful musical references that any metal fan will love, and the original lyrics cooked up for Troglodyte's track list are so vivid I could almost hear them in my head. At any rate, this was a fun, imaginative read. Grady has done it again!

"We Sold Our Souls" is a deft thrill-ride into a heavy-metal acid road trip where the has-been rockstar's conspiracy theories all turn out to be completely true, despite being completely bonkers.

As both a musician and a fan of Hendrix's previous novels, I thought this would be a book I'd connect with instantly. I was wrong, and in fact I almost gave up on this one. Thankfully, I continued on, and once the UPS men arrived, the novel moved from what felt like cliches into an unexplored territory--one I was more than happy to go along with. For me, this is when the book hit its stride, and once that amp was cranked up to eleven, Hendrix never dialed it back down.

This book is a prime example of why you shouldn't give up on a read too early. (And yes, I know there are plenty of examples of books you SHOULD have given up on earlier, but come on, you can read those one star reviews later). One thing I appreciate in Hendrix's writing is that he's not afraid to go against the grain. You won't find your traditional paint-by-the-numbers thriller when you pick up one of his books, but you will find a unique vision from an author who's willing to buck the trends and deliver a story you won't find anywhere else. To me, these are the authors that should be celebrated even when they have a miss. Because they aren't bunting, they're swinging for the fences.

Baseball and music analogies in a single review, I think that means it's time to shut the laptop down. A definite recommend for anyone interested in an unconventional read from an unconventional mind. Looking forward to where Hendrix leads us next.

I love Horror. I love Rock. And yet....I avoid the sub-genre of Horror-Rock like a plague. Why...? I've never really been able to put my finger on it, but the new novel by Grady Hendrix, WE SOLD OUR SOULS, helped me to finally nail it down. I'm not a musician, but I know what I like, and most novels that dip their toe into musical waters come off as wish-fulfillment on the author's part. Did anyone ever read Stephen King's THE STAND and think "Man, that Larry Underwood tune really hits the sweet spot!"....?

Baby, can you dig your man? He's a righteous man. Baby, can you dig your man?

No. I can't. Every author/frustrated musician that tries a music-based novel ends up doing something like this:

"His hands ran over the surface of the Fender Stratocaster, lovingly caressing the long, supple neck, feeling the sharpness of the strings bite into his fingertips as he slowly picked out the opening chords of Ozzy's "Over the Mountain". He picked up speed, fingers racing past A and G, into the high C range, stepping on the wawa pedal, making the amps scream like a chorus of damned souls wailing away in hell...."

No.

I received an ARC of WE SOLD OUR SOULS almost a year ago, and as much as I loved my prior exposures to Grady Hendrix (The brilliant MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM and PAPERBACKS FROM HELL), I just could not bring myself to crack it open until this past week. I should have trusted Hendrix more....my bad.

Yeah, there's a LOT of music in this novel. There's a little bit of Inside Baseball guitar playing info that had me worried early on, but when considering that a good portion of the book revolves around a lost heavy metal record, and the individual songs on that record, Hendrix does an amazing job of making the music almost scream off of the page.

Hendrix has crafted an unholy amalgam of Faust, The Lord of The Rings, and Phantom of The Paradise, with washed-up rocker Kris Pulaski making a cross-country trek to confront her old bandmate Terry Hunt, who has gone on to become a mega-star, leaving Kris and the rest of the band to eat his dust. Kris has been languishing away working the front desk of a Best Western hotel, and when she learns that Terry is planning a massive series of farewell concerts, she begins to remember bits and pieces about the last night that the band spent together twenty years ago. With nothing to lose, Kris sets about getting the band back together to confront Terry, and to finally figure out exactly what happened on that last night together.

Considering the name of the book, it isn't exactly a surprise to discover that Terry sold his bandmate's souls in exchange for fortune and glory, but even knowing that a supernatural element is going to come into play eventually, Hendrix does a masterful job of stringing the reader along, making you wonder if this is really happening as is, or is it just a jealousy-fueled fantasy that Kris has concocted to justify her miserable circumstances. Make no mistake, there are moments of pure horror on display here, including a lengthy sequence that set off my claustrophobia something fierce, but the character work is what really keeps the book humming along. Everyone felt real, and Hendrix does such a masterful job of making the lyrics of the lost album, Troglodyte, seem like they could really exist that I could practically hear the roaring guitar riffs and feel the pounding drums. Amazing work.

I considered MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM and PAPERBACKS FROM HELL to be absolutely perfect books, and WE SOLD OUR SOULS doesn't quite measure up to those standards. Close, but no cigar. There are a few early chapters spent with a side character that kind of took me away from the main narrative. She comes into play towards the end of the book, but the way she arrives there was a trifle inelegant. I get why she was there, and why we may or may not have needed so much of her backstory, but it did detract from the overall flow of the book. Just a little, but enough to make me ding a star from the near-perfect rating.

Overall, though....another absolute winner from Grady Hendrix, which earns a whopping nine out of ten Black Iron Mountains....

Quirk provided a review copy.

I now definitely want to read even more Grady Hendrix books - his writing is brilliant and so intriguing!

First off – thank you Netgalley and the publisher for approving this book. It had been on my list to get for some time, but when I saw it available still I snagged it. So thank you.

This book on the surface appealed to me on a number of levels. I’ve heard great things about Hendrix’s story telling capabilities and his writing shone through for me. His writing style was really easy to read and I was engaged quickly.
I ultimately struggled mightily with enjoying this one for a variety of reasons. A large portion of this review will have mild spoilers, so if you’ve not read it, please be warned I’m going to be specifically pointing out some story sections.
Maybe it’s because of my undying love of all things metal, or my attempt previously to have a band at one point, but I couldn’t connect with the story line that Durt Wurk (apologies I don’t know how to make the umlauts) were this band that was struggling to break through, before randomly the singer switched up his focus and became the biggest singer/rock star in the world. All in their crappy band house. The premise sounded so far-fetched it was laughable.
As the story progressed I began to relate this book to The Lord of the Rings, even to the point when the reference to an all seeing eye began to be used. I even got a large hint of a Metalocalypse episode playing out.
The story focuses on Kris, former guitarist of Durt Wurk who wants revenge on Terry Hunt, former singer of Durt Wurk and now singer of Koffin. So when Terry announces his farewell tour, she decides to confront him, mayhem ensues.
Throughout Kris is confronted with otherworldly issues. Time and time again she refuses to believe them or accept the possibility of them being real, but she also frequently follows the path set forth by the unreleased Troglodyte album Durt Wurk had recorded before breaking up. I became frustrated with this continued disbelief and ultimately came to accept that this is what would happen at each specific key moment, and true to form it was.
Additionally – and the thing that frustrated me was the random inclusion of these underground creatures for one brief scene and then we kind of hear about them again at the conclusion of the story when the back details were revealed over the course of a few paragraphs about how Terry ended up becoming so big.
Lastly – and for some this will really sound nitpicky – but at the concluding concert we get various news reports about fires, chaos, deaths etc but the concert just keeps on going, as though somehow the underlying “nefarious” theme was controlling the people and the bands except the characters specifically discussed throughout the book.
I really wanted to like this, but ultimately it didn’t click for me for several reasons. I think there’s a really amazing story of a band and bandmates in there, it was just hijacked by too many numerous attempts at extra horror. I had a sense that there was maybe four or five short stories brewing that were then added together to make this a long read.
I have two other Hendrix books in my TBR and I’ll be looking forward to see if this book was just an outlier for me as the other two have also been highly recommended by other people.
2.5/5
This review will also be featured on Kendall Reviews.

Although the novel started off a little slow, there was excellent character development. The plot was engaging, if a bit gory in its descriptions. This is a heavy metal horror story complete with demonic presences after all! The author knowledge of the metal scene is very apparent & the tension throughout the novel builds to a frantic climax. Overall. a fun read!

Grady Hendrix has a way of crafting a tale where you are riveted and going along for the ride and suddenly he kicks it up a notch and you are grossed out by the horror humans can inflict on other humans. There was something in this one that reminded me of Joseph Fink 's Alice Isn't Dead

I expect nothing less from Grady Hendrix. This book was an absolutely thrilling ride! Captivating characters, intense story lines, and outright craziness!

Thank you to Quirk Books for letting me read an early copy of this for honest review.
I just have to say it, ROCK ON!! I mean, this is the book where you should be allowed to say that right? This is the second Grady Hendrix book I've read, (the first one was Horrorstor) and boy do I like the guy. His books are this odd mixture of quirkiness, weirdness, and horror. I'm definitely going to read more by him.
Sooo We Sold Our Souls was a weird, wacky, scary, fun ride! I'd categorize this as weird horror, and if you like weird horror, then Grady Hendrix is your man. I loved it! This book was an experience. It took me on quite a ride. I don't claim to know a lot about Heavy Metal, but I felt the music within me while reading this. It was odd and it was a lot of fun.
There were two distinct parts of this book that genuinely scared me in different ways. I'm only going to say the tunnel and the truck, read it and you'll understand. So, I can say that it definitely delivered on the scares. The whole book wasn't scary, but there were moments that were genuinely terrifying. There were also moments that were kind of amusing in a messed up way. And there were moments that genuinely surprised me.
I'm not going to spoil anything about We Sold Our Souls, or at least try not to, but the reader gets a big hint of where the story is going just from the title alone. We Sold Our Souls is an experience to read and I definitely recommend giving it a try. It's one wild ride. Crazier than anything that happens on the tour bus.
Poor, poor Kris Pulaski. I loved that she was a rock chick, but really X out the chick part and just see her as an awesome rock star guitarist. She was really fun to follow, even though she had a lot of crap to deal with.
I really liked the whole journey of this book. It was weird, it was fun, it was scary, it was a salute to the feel of rock n' roll. I highly enjoyed it and definitely recommend.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5
Epic Guitar Solo in 3... 2... 1...

Given how much I enjoyed Hendrix’s novel ‘My Best Friend’s Exorcism’, I’m not sure why it took me so long to read ‘We Sold Our Souls’. Like his earlier book it’s a brilliantly enjoyable blend of horror and pop culture appreciation that delighted me from beginning to end.

As you’ll have guessed from the cover and title, the popular culture Hendrix turns his eye to this time is heavy metal and the book is rich with musical references. The story centres on Kris Pulaski, one time lead guitarist of metal bad Dürt Würk who nearly made it big in the 90s before the band imploded. Kris is now working in a hotel and struggling to make ends meet, whilst the lead singer of Dürt Würk, Terry “The Blind King” Hunt, is an international star. ‘We Sold Our Souls’ follows Kris on a voyage to find out what went wrong 30 years previously and reclaim her music and her life.

Kris is a great lead, but the other characters, both the rest of Dürt Würk and Melanie, a young woman who counts herself as Terry’s biggest fan, are rich and appealing too. They populate a book that’s more about people and dreams than it is about plot. That’s not to say the story isn’t fun though.

As you’d expect a horror novel about a metal band there are satanic forces and deals with the devil at play here. There isn’t a great deal of gore or scary stuff, but the horror, when it happens, is extremely effective. One horrific car chase scene nearly made me out the book down to catch my breath.

What works even better though is the central theme of second chances. Kris is a really appealing character and her determination is inspiring. Redemptive stories are always satisfying, and ‘We Sold Our Souls’ is no exception. Every page gripped me as it rockets along to a rousing finale that’s every bit as welcome as an encore from your favourite band. Along the way it’s funny, moving, weird and never less than extremely enjoyable.