Grady Hendix does it again. There is something about reading horror that is really uplifting in a strange way? Especially when it revolves around music and the fallen protagonist of a previously popular 90's band. Hendrix has a way of writing really relatable characters. I've actually only read Horrorstör, but I had that same sort of feeling of just understanding the protagonist. Even if not everything makes sense. Either way, it was a very enjoyable book that leaves you curious and a bit horrified.

We Sold Our Souls is Grady Hendrix's best work, and possibly the most entertaining book I've read in the last three years. I love the combination of heavy metal folklore and horror fiction tropes. These two elements combined create the most entertaining and engaging story on the market today.

I have both of Hendrix's fiction books and his non-fiction book up until this point, so I was really excited to pick this one up and it really didn't disappoint.
As a fan of metal music I loved a lot of the references that were made throughout the book, but I also think that someone who isn't as familiar with those things could still easily enjoy this.
I really loved Kris's character and her arc as we went through this story. And as far as plot goes, I thought the story was going to go in a very different direction initially.
Hendrix does such a great job balancing humor and horror, and I think he did that well here again. I will say that there seemed to be less horror in this, but it was still a fun and entertaining book to read. If you enjoy metal music at all, you will love this fun and fast-paced read.

This was much better than it has any right to be. Most of the time it's a funny, silly, gory rollick through the underground heavy metal scene – but it also addresses serious themes and at the end is genuinely uplifting. It was exactly what I didn't know I wanted to read.

It's told from the point of view of two women who work really damn hard, but never get anywhere because they're surrounded by idiot men who ruin it all (I know some of you can relate). I loved Kris Pulaski from the very first scene, and almost didn't care what happened in the rest of the book because I'd happily read about her doing pretty much anything.

This book didn't change my life or make me think deeply about anything, but I enjoyed it. A lot.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

In this novel, we follow Kris on her journey to discover what truly happened the night when her band signed their contracts that ended every members' but one's musical career. This journey leads her down a sinister path that is paved by more than greed and selfishness. Was her soul sold for success? How and when? Grady Hendrix writes a fast-paced, paranormal story that is so fun and twisted you can't put down the book. I was in glee every minute of it. Well despite those 15 or so minutes Hendrix scared me so badly with his descriptions of Kris confined in the deepest and tightest tunnels imaginable. I have to say I was in those tunnels with her the entire time. I felt claustrophobic along with her. I was delirious from despair just like Kris. I bow down to the author's talent to create such a visceral reaction in me, the reader. The sole reason I deducted points stems from some of the choices Hendrix made to propel the story forward. A few of those plot points just weren't believable despite that fact that you had to suspend belief to begin with in order to go on this ride. I wish he would've fleshed out some of these scenarios as I easily can say this book would've been a 5 star read otherwise. All in all, though, I really enjoyed We Sold Our Souls and I will certainly grab another Hendrix novel in the future.

Heavy metal meets horror infused mayhem as pop culture collides with the b-side of life in Grady Henrix's We Sold Our Souls; a story about a 90's metal band turned supernatural scare fest.

On the cusp of making it big, Durt Wurk, a popular bar band finally looks set to land a gig with a record label. However, there's a caveat which founding member Kris, isn't willing to sign off on - her soul and her sound; the identity of the band, re-branded, its core to be commercialized. Wealth isn't worth loosing a sense of self and soon enough, Kris and her band members (sans Terry, the lead singer) are on a path to destruction as a blackness engulfs the group with the Blind King, the only one who can give them sight...for the right price.

In a classic tale of victory snatched from the jaws of defeat embodied by supernatural tropes and some down right nightmarish creations, We Sold Our Souls is a homage to the metal scene and 80's horror which engulfs the reader in a story thick with interesting characters and equally interesting concepts.

My rating: 5/5 stars. We Sold Our Souls is a damn cool book, perfect for horror geeks and ghouls and heavy metal tragics alike.

I've been looking forward to reading this book. I loved My Best Friend's Exorcism. The style of the writing is completely fresh. You don't get to say that often. A deal with the devil over Heavy Metal music. What could go wrong? I was a bit worried that I wouldn't enjoy it because I really hate Metal. I'm more a fan of the Grunge and Alt Rock that the book mocks, but it didn't ruin anything for me. Kris starts as so pathetic that you can't help but be behind her as she pushes toward taking her life and herself back. Even watching Melanie as she decides to take control of her life was a surprise. Not where I saw her character going at all. That's another thing I don't get to say very often. I am now looking up the other books by this author and adding them to my list.

In the 90s a band called Dürt Würk was close to the success, but the lead singer Terry Hunt had other plans, made his band sign a contract that would give everything to him, at the same night they had a car accident and don't remember much what happened. Terry went solo and got famous, while the other members had to go back to normal lives.

Kris the main character is badass and a fighter, I loved her, she is in her forties and lost herself after her band broke up, now working in a hotel at night shifts alone. She goes after her former bandmate that stole her music and her soul, while connecting with the people of her past. There is also Melanie, that we don't know why she is in the story until later, she's a young woman that's trapped with student loans and a lazy boyfriend, she wants to see the last concert of her favourite band that helped her in difficult times.

Both women that I could totally related to, I felt it could be any woman working near me, both have man in their lives that's always putting them down, they want more, but is hard and scary to be alone. There are a lot tense scary moments, gross, humour, and moments I wasn't expecting to happen which keep me glued in the book.

This book personally offended me, new metal kid here, I still gave it five stars because it's great! I like that I recognized most of the bands and references here, another Hendrix book that gave me nostalgic feelings, before with My Best Friend's Exorcism again with all the music, I tried learn how to play bass when I was a teenager, made me remember of a lot of things and bands.

Thanks Quirk Books and NetGalley for the eARC, in exchange for an honest feedback.

Not a big fan of the plot/characters and style of writing. Will not be recommending it as a purchase.

This was a fun, fast paced, crazy ride of a book, it's not normally something I'd pick up but after reading My Best Friends Exorcism I definitely wanted to check out more of Grady Hendrix.

Kris Pulaski used to spend her time doing what she loved, touring the road and rocking out with the other members of Dürt Würk, the heavy metal band she played guitar for, but one night all that changed and now life has turned to shit, but what happened on contract night and how come Kris's former band mate Terry is now hugely successful

I think this is one definitely for metal fans..lotsa name dropping and heavy metal style lyrics but it's a fun read for anyone

Kris, a guitarist for a '90s metal band called Dürt Würk, finds herself broke and working the night desk at a Best Western. Her former bandmate Terry went on to become a rock star and she thinks something fishy happened with some contracts that had been presented to them by Terry's devilish manager back in the day. Oh, no! Terry sold their souls for rock and roll and Kris wants what's hers!

This was my first Grady Hendrix novel and I liked it a lot. The current timeline and backstory were equally compelling. I enjoyed the music and pop culture references throughout the book. I flew through it in less than a week and intend on reading more of this author's fiction.

Note: I received a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, it was really pretty good.

Metal band Durt Wurk was on the brink of success, when front man Terry Hunt (aka The Blind King) cuts a deal for himself and on behalf of the band. But guitarist, Kris Pulaski, knows something isn’t quite right about this deal. The night the contracts are signed goes very badly, the band breaks up, but Terry becomes wildly successful.

The year is 2019 now, Kris is driving home from her night shift at the Best Western when she sees a billboard advertising The Blind King’s tour. She knows she has to see Terry and the rest of her band mates. Then the obscure, funny, disturbing adventure begins as Kris tries to make her way to Hellstock ‘19.

This is the second Grady Hendrix book I’ve recently read, and I am fan. “Horror” seems too simplistic a genre for his books. They are funny, satirical, subtly complex, nostalgic, creative - pure escapism. And damn, he can write a kick-ass, strong woman protagonist. Next up: Horrorstor.

Thanks Net Galley and Quirk for the arc of this book.

After hearing so many marvelous reviews about Grady Hendrix and this book as well, I decided to dive into ‘We Sold Our Souls’. While I was entertained I didn’t love this book. After finishing it I was kind of bummed out and felt I could’ve gone on in life without reading it.

I don’t like heavy metal not one bit but I was told I didn’t need to like it to enjoy this book which was true but there was a lot of references to heavy metal which left me a bit lost. The first half of the book had me hooked but then it just fell flat for me at the other half. I enjoyed Kris’ journey to finding out what really happened all those years ago on ‘contract night’.

This was my first Grady Hendrix read and I have Paperbacks from Hell on my shelf waiting to be read. I won’t let this book stop me from reading more of Hendrix’s work, hopefully I’ll enjoy something else.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this ARC an exchange for an honest review

At its very core, We Sold Our Souls reads like a love song to metalheads and music lovers everywhere. I didn’t grow up listening to metal, I was metal-adjacent; buying the same music magazines and hanging out in the same clubs, but heading to the bar whenever the songs got too heavy for my delicate constitution.
But, for a long time in my life (maybe not so much anymore, or maybe it is still there and just lurking in the recesses of my mind), music was one of the most important things in my life. It was my guiding light, my home, the only place for a long time, that I found acceptance. And, no matter what kind of music plays that role for you, We Sold Our Souls taps into that love that, I suppose, at one point in our lives, nearly everyone has experienced.
Therefore, I don’t think you necessarily need to like metal to appreciate this book, to see yourself within its pages. Although, let’s be honest, to understand the plethora of bloody hilarious pop culture references, it probably helps.
It is a horror novel that becomes all the more powerful by tapping into that fervour, that obsession. It uses it to heighten the action, grounds the devilish story in a weird sort of distant but familiar environment of the gig scene. One that, even in real life, is characterised by excess, and emotion, and extremes; and makes the idea of soul sacrifice all the more plausible. I don’t think the song lyrics worked as well as they could have, but the entirety of the world-building and the grounding of them in the shitty-band scene that we all know and love, really worked in Grady Hendrix’s favour, to make them less of a problem than they probably would have been otherwise.
Altogether, We Sold Our Souls was like no horror novel I have ever experienced and I know, I will be considering for a long time which of the rock gods that we know and love or loathe, followed in Terry Hunt’s footsteps and made the same deal.
My vote would be for Jared Leto. I mean, that dude has it all. It is just not possible without some kind of devilish intervention.

The newest horror novel from Grady Hendrix, We Sold Our Souls, is a wild trip through the most iconic rock’n’roll myth – making a deal with the devil.

It definitely does not disappoint. Twenty years ago, metal band Dürt Würk was going places. Sold out tours, rising record sales, and the building buzz heralded the beginning of an era for these young musicians. Then came the night of the contracts and everything went wrong. The only problem is, guitarist Kris Pulaski can’t remember exactly how or why. After that night, the band scattered and Kris has been drifting through her days without music or purpose. She does know one thing: Terry Hunt must pay. The band’s former lead singer continued to rise after that night, rebranding himself and ‘selling out’ for the money. While his music is popular, Kris knows her former friend too well. She knows that something just isn’t right. He owes her – and the rest of the band – for what he did.

She just has to get to him first.

We Sold Our Souls is a love letter to metal and metalheads. From the very first page, it’s clear that music is everything to Kris and her bandmates, even after their glory days. The story begins as what looks like a standard “getting the band back together” tale that takes a hard left turn into horror. It’s as unexpected as it is compelling, throwing the reader (and Kris) into a road trip that quickly slides into a terrifying world of conspiracy and darker forces. Murder, mayhem, and secrets of her own past come back to haunt Kris as she begins her trek to track down the truth at the biggest music festival the west coast has ever seen. As the past and present collide, the reader begins to wonder how much of anything is coincidence and what’s been set into motion long before Kris made her choice.

This is a book about damaged people. Everyone within the book is shadowed by choices they’ve made and the decisions that brought them there. A middle-aged burn-out, Kris is a hard character to like. She’s crass, difficult, and doesn’t conform to society or authority. Even decades after her career, she hasn’t forgotten what it was like to feel her music. Whatever else, Kris is a scrappy, stubborn survivor. It makes her the most compelling character to follow along on this journey for answers and vengeance. Hendrix excels at character development through snappy dialogue and clever banter. When the characters talk, it’s done with such care and subtlety that it brings them to life.

The book is exactly what it says on the title, playing with the grand tradition of musicians making deals for their own fame and fortune. The story isn’t subtle or even original. However, when the plot gets rolling, it’s such a fantastic, wild ride. Moments of claustrophobic horror and fast-paced action are interspersed with some surprising commentary on the music business at large. Fame and fortune may be on the table (or in the contract) but what do we give up in order to make it happen?

Verdict: READ IT.

We Sold Our Souls is pulpy, slick, and entirely ridiculous. It’s exactly the kind of book where fans of horror and music will both find plenty of story to enjoy. The pace is quick, frenetic, and never shies away from the darkness within the text. I loved it. I’ve been a fan of Hendrix since My Best Friend’s Exorcist, and his newest book is another winner for new horror. Combining Faustian bargains with the evolution of popular music, We Sold Our Souls reminds us all that metal never dies.

Kris Pulaski was a rock star who almost made it, but now she lives paycheck to paycheck at a boring (if she's lucky) job as a cheap hotel desk clerk. All she has is memories of what almost was and the band member who ripped everybody off and went on to stardom, then obscurity, until she sees a billboard advertising his return tour.

This was a wild ride that earns its Horror category well and truly. Heavy on rock and roll, mainly Heavy Metal, but also you'll encounter conspiracy theories, supernatural stuff, cults, social commentary and a whole list of triggers with claustrophobia topping the list and some notable gore. If you've got a trigger, just assume it's in here somewhere.

I should mention that the characters were all distinctive and well developed, especially Kris, and the plot had unpredictable twists and all sorts of surprises.

Some parts of this were difficult for me to read, but I had to know what would happen so I persevered. The end was worth it. For the Horror fan, this is a work of art. For those who don't like Horror or tend to be squeamish, best steer clear. I can see this story developing its own cult following. Black Iron Mountain has touched the souls of all who read it.

We Sold Our Souls is sort of like a heavy metal concept album in novel form, but that doesn’t mean it’s the kind of slapdash narrative you would normally find on a long-player. Instead, it’s a propulsive read that rides on the momentum of a lost album full of revolutionary rock songs.

The author of that lost album, Kris Pulaski, is a washed-up former rock guitarist riding the desk at a Best Western. She’s stuck in that customer-service wasteland because Terry Hunt, the lead singer of her old band, Dürt Würk, sold her out, stole her music, and sued her into oblivion. It doesn’t help that the rest of the band hates her because of something terrible she did on “contract night” – the night the band fell apart in spectacular fashion.

When Kris sees a billboard for Koffin, Terry’s sell-out cash-grab nu metal band formed in the ashes of Dürt Würk, she’s at absolute rock bottom. She’s broke, friendless and soon-to-be homeless after her brother kicks her out of her dead mother’s house.

The billboard is the catalyst that sets off a bottomless store of anger she’d kept tamped deep down inside. She decides that it’s time to confront the former members of Dürt Würk and ask them why the events of contract night don’t line up in her memory.

This is a horror novel called We Sold Our Souls, though, so I’m sure it isn’t surprising to learn that something bizarre is going on behind the scenes and Kris gets caught up in its wake as soon as she gets back in touch with her old band.

I was so caught up in this book that I read the last 2/3rds in one marathon sitting, which I think is a pretty resounding endorsement. There are also two harrowing set-pieces that kept me on the edge of my seat and wincing.

I’ve read a few of Grady Hendrix’s novels now, and although this one isn’t as good as My Best Friend’s Exorcism, it delivers some solid scares while also painting a compelling picture of how music can save your life.

I loved We Sold Our Souls. It went right to that 70s and 80s horror movie soul of my own. It had action, paranoia, and a feeling of impending doom that make for a good horror read for me. Grady has quickly become a MUST BUY, and MUST READ author for me; ever since Horrorstor. I like that his characters are flawed and not really prepared for what they encounter. It could be any of us. Most people don't have special ops training that could help them fight. It made the story seem more real; like it COULD actually happen.

And the music. I am an 80's girls and I did enjoy all the references to that time.

Was it perfect? No. Nothing ever is.
I would have loved more on the actual creatures/demons. That would have made this "scarier" for me. It felt more like an end of the world thriller than horror for me. I also wanted more info on Terry and why he did what he did. It woudl have been great to hear his side.
But those are small gripes in an otherwise fun filled roller coaster ride of a book.

My suggestion? Read it. and then go back and read Grady's pother books. Now. Go on. I can wait.

I received a copy of the book form netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All options are my own (unpopular though they may be sometimes).

One thing I’ll say about Grady Hendrix: he really knows how to tell stories about the things he’s passionate about. His newest book We Sold Our Souls is described as a version of the famous Faust legend but with a heavy metal twist, and the entire thing reads very much like a love letter to the music genre. Still, whether or not you consider yourself a metal head, I predict anyone with an appreciate for horror and dark fiction will be able to rock out to the beat of this zany in-your-face novel of fun and frights.

Opening in the 90’s, the story introduces readers to protagonist Kris Pulaski, just another awkward teenager hiding out in her basement, strumming out a few tentative chords on her new guitar. Fast forward about three decades later, she is now a middle-aged woman, barely making ends meet as she works night shifts at her local Best Western. Looking at her, few would suspect she was once a rising star in the rock music scene, playing lead guitar for Dürt Würk, a band that was on the verge of making the big time. However, that was before their front man, Terry Hunt, decided to sell out his bandmates on what has become known as “contract night”—for that was the night Terry made them all sign their names to a deal which would eventually lead to his own stardom, while the rest of them were left behind and forgotten.

Now in the present day, the former members of Dürt Würk are all barely scraping by, save of course for Terry, who has raked in millions and is making headlines again with the recent announcement about a farewell tour for his solo act, Koffin. Though she cannot recall exactly what happened, Kris does find it very strange how nothing in her life has gone her way ever since contract night, and as it turns out, Terry’s success might not have been his own doing after all, but rather bought in exchange for his bandmates’ souls all those years ago. Furious when she discovers what has been done to her, Kris decides it’s high time to get the band back together again. After making plans to track down her old pals Scottie the guitarist, Tuck the bassist, and Bill the drummer to tell them the truth of what Terry did, our protagonist embarks upon a cross-country journey to finally confront the man who ruined all their lives.

Of the three novels I’ve read by the author so far, We Sold Our Souls may be the darkest and most complex of them all. Taking readers forwards and backwards in time, Hendrix gives us a rather bleak glimpse into the lives of a group of aging rockers, which is a dreary enough subject all by itself even without the evil supernatural shenanigans. If there is an analogous term for a “coming of age” type of story that explores on the growth of a protagonist into middle age and beyond, it would suit this book well. Filled not with the themes of hope, ambition, and dreams for the future but instead focusing on the failures, regrets, and what-could-have-beens of the past, the novel follows a flat broke and worn-down Kris who once did what she loved but has now hit rock bottom. But even so, her love for the music never died, and I believe this, in the end, is what made the story’s conclusion so triumphant and satisfying.

Also, when it comes to Hendrix’s work, nothing is ever straightforward and simple—and I mean that in a good way. Often his books are associated with plenty of humor as well as some kind of “hook” (like Horrorstör, a novel about a haunted IKEA-like furniture big box crafted to look like a catalog). Heavy metal is obviously the main selling point here, though as usual, Hendrix’s way of handling the topic, as well as his clear love for the music and understanding of the culture kept this from becoming a mere gimmick. It’s also fascinating how he’s incorporated the idea of “selling out” with the concept of making a deal with the devil—not a new idea, obviously, but I did like how he’s managed to tie in all the references to rock musical culture, fandom, and history to create something that will resonate to the readers who knew the 80’s and 90’s metal scene well.

And then, of course, there is the horror, which is as always the author’s forte. While We Sold Our Souls is in no way a typical horror novel, I still think it would appeal to most horror fans, simply because of the way it employs certain classic themes of the genre. Even though no part of the story was particularly scary to me, there were plenty of bits I found creepy or psychologically uncomfortable, like the kind of dread you feel as you read about or anticipate bad stuff happening to good characters. In any case, it’s easy to immerse yourself in Hendrix’s stories, because he’s so good at creating atmosphere. As I alluded to earlier though, it was the climax and conclusion that really killed it. This was the sort of ending that would leave your heart racing hours after you finish the book. It was just that epic.

All told, I thought We Sold Our Souls was Grady Hendrix best book to date, and it also shows how far he’s come as a writer. With each novel, he seems to be coming up with even bigger and better ideas, and if he keeps it up, he could become a new favorite horror author. I’m looking forward to what he comes up with next.

We’ve all heard folk tales about musicians selling their souls to demons at a crossroads in exchange for fame and fortune. But what if the most famous musician in the world really had done just that, and what if, rather than selling his own soul, he sold those of his bandmates instead? That’s the premise behind We Sold Our Souls which Sophie read earlier this month.

Written by Grady Hendrix (and could there be a more perfect author’s name for such a book?) – this novel is a love poem to metal, right down to its chapter titles which are the names of classic albums. In its pages, Kris Pulaski, the former guitarist of Durt Wurk who now works the graveyard shift at a run-down Best Western, embarks upon a voyage across America to finally stop the former bandmate who ruined her life. It’s a homage to the power of metal and its fantasy universes filled with metaphor and dragons to change our lives by showing us the door to a less mundane existence. In We Sold Our Souls, music really can change the world.

The story is told between snippets of radio interviews and magazine reviews which add an extra sense of realism for all of us who grew up buying music magazines every week to learn the latest from our favorite bands, and it intricately laces today’s internet conspiracy theories with 80s fantasy metal concepts to create something utterly unique. Sophie would have liked a slightly cleaner ending that tied off a few of the loose strings, but the one that’s given works well.

You don’t have to be a fan of classic metal to like this book (Sophie admits she’s far from a metalhead herself) but fans will find even more layers to love. If you ever wanted to be in a band, or even just grew up loving one, you’ll enjoy this book.