We Sold Our Souls in a word? Epic! In three words? Epic, epic, epic! I mean- it’s about heavy metal- how can it not be epic, right? Am I saying ‘epic’ too much? 😀

Anywhoo, what a satanic ride this one was… I mean, not only was the plot utterly devilish and filled with dark, sinister agendas and death and gore and other horror-y stuff, I also- seriously-  laughed at some scenes… Like the piss-scene in a Best Western lobby. It was disgusting and horrible but I laughed. So hard. Sue me.

The book starts off by filling the reader the detail of the background, of the beginning of it all slowly, but surely… and epically, naturlich! We get to know the beginnings of Dürt Würk and the members of the band. Ambitious group of young ones with individuality in spades, wanting to take over the world with heavy metal one location, one club at a time.

But it’s tough going for them… and just as Dürt Würk are certain they’re going to have a breakthrough, everything flops, like a limp, wet sock. Not only did Terry break up the band but he went and started his own- Koffin- and it’s freaking nu metal! Sacrilege of the highest order!

Now, 20 years later, most Dürt Würk members have settled in to their lovely suburban mansions with a partner and kids. But not Kris. She’s just a Best Western worker and, rightly so, bitter. The light of her life- music- has been taken from her.

Nothing stays hidden behind closed doors, though, especially in a horror novel. Behind the doors- this is where the monster is! Or escape… You know how it goes- they always open the door and go looking for trouble! Kris can no longer sit back and as Terry, who left all of the Dürt Würk members coughing up the dust as he took off towards his stardom, makes his comeback on stage, Kris knows that it’s time to dig up the bones of the past.

Thus begins the incredible unravelling of the plot as Kris insists on going head first into that one night 20 years ago that changed everything. What ensues is truly quite difficult to describe. It’s fast-paced, hard-core and totally gripping. But it’s also covered in conspiracy, madness and death. And betrayal and escapes. But, tap into metal, and you can do anything…

And then… We Sold Our Souls is about more than just revenge by ex-band mates. It’s an example of a heavy metal way of life, it’s a case study of the value of music and a piss-take on the mainstream auto-tuned radio waves. It’s a shout out to calloused fingers and aching necks and certain kind of passion… No excuses made for what matters most in this book…

… and it’s made good with that added bit of craziness… Kris is a helluva woman. She’s heavy metal down to her very core and her stamina and willpower alone are the driving force of this novel. She finds herself in situations that would break a person mentally in half, but Kris? She’s no quitter and she will see things through to the very bitter end against the most powerful evil. To the bitter end, I said… well, that is actually open for debate… 😉

We Sold Our Souls is a novel of strong beginnings, unbelievable realities, claustrophobic crescendos, gruesome deaths and unimaginable prophecies looking for heroes… Oh! And the chapters are named after the best albums- Bathory, Manowar, Mötley Crüe, Megadeth and so on… ! Thoroughly enjoyable, much recommended!

Full disclosure, I am a huge Grady Hendrix fan. His novel Horrorstor is one of may favorites and I had the pleasure of attending his two presentations at the 2018 Overlook Film Festival…I am also a metalhead. It’s like this book was written for me and it did not disappoint. 

We Sold Our Souls opens on young Kris Pulaski learning to play Black Sabbath’s metal classic Iron Man. A few years later as she’s playing those opening riffs for the thousandth time, she hears a knock at her window and a voice ask “is that Sabbath?”, beginning her friendship with Terry Hunt. Kris and Terry start the heavy metal band Dürt Würk, that along with bandmates Scottie Rocket, Tuck and Bill (who replaced the original drummer, JD), enjoyed success playing bars then moving up to larger clubs, the pinnacle of their career being opening for Heavy Metal legends, Slayer, until Terry got them booted off the tour.

Terry decides that in order to make it big he needs to leave the band and go solo. He starts the Nu Metal band Koffin, dubs himself The Blind King and has his bandmates sign contracts that they will never play any Durt Wurk again- including the un-released album “Troglodyte” that Kris thought would have been their ticket to stardom. 

Years later Terry is a rock god about to embark on his final tour, while Kris is working at a Best Western, living at her mom’s house and no longer making music. After a tragedy strikes one of her former bandmates, Kris sets out across country, facing horrific obstacles along the way, to confront the person who stole her dreams of a life of playing music, and to find out what really happened the night the members of Dürt Würk signed those contracts.

Hendrix punctuates his novel with pop culture reference, drives the story forward with interviews, news pieces and uses classic metal albums to title each chapter. We Soul Our Souls is Darker than Hendrix’s previous novels, touching on subjects like rampant consumerism and how women are represented in the heavy metal community, but it remains a rocking good time of a book that promises you will never look at the UPS man the same way again. I wish this book came with a soundtrack because you are going to be ready to rock by the time it reaches its last epic notes.

Read this in your basement after you’ve learned the opening riffs to Iron Man.

20 years ago, heavy metal band Durt Wurk was on its way to becoming a big brand name. But right before their big chance, a strange night of which no member has a clear recollection causes them to fall apart. As lead singer Terry goes solo and becomes a worldwide famous star, the rest of the band members fall into mundane routines and simpler lives. But there is one person that refuses to accept that fate: twenty years later, Kris discovers that Terry has sold the band's souls in order to make it big - and that is just something she won't let go. Kris embarks  on a journey across the country in order to reclaim what she's lost, all the while being chased by demons, possessed people and  dire circumstances. The clock is ticking- will she be able to make it?

We Sold Our Souls is a Faust-inspired plot that successfully combines music culture with good, old-fashioned horror elements. The story builds up slowly to a very unique crescendo, that will definitely satisfy all lovers of the horror genre. There is a heavy, bleak atmosphere  across the story, which, combined with a plethora of unexpected events, makes this a very unique horror read. 

Definitely a good fit for heavy metal fans, We Sold Our Souls is filled with a sense of nostalgia for metal music's past, and the music references are abundant. This was quite the unique story, which I believe the reader will either come to love or ultimately hate. I would probably have liked shorter descriptive parts in the plot, but it was otherwise very well constructed and displayed for the reader.

Fast paced and full of gore, this has all the makings of a cult classic. The concept of selling out; literally selling your soul, your creativity, your passion and your spark for fame and fortune rings true in this age of plastic pop culture. With tributes and nods to some of the biggest names in metal, this is a celebration of all things great and good about heavy metal.

As several reviews have already posted - this book centers on Kris- forty something washed up musician who was once in an up and coming metal band and tries to find out where things went wrong.  Describing any more than that isn't really going to do it justice- other than it is a extremely creative story that I wouldn't recommend missing!  I'm not sure what it is about Grady Hendrix's writing but I am always so excited to get to the end to see what happens!  I am not the biggest fan of this particular genre- but have really enjoyed some of his previous books (My Best Friend's Exorcism, Horrorstore) and this one was no exception.  It wasn't necessarily scary but definitely had a creepy factor to it- in a good way.  I confess I did have to skim through a couple parts when it came to some particularly gory details- but nothing that I'd deem offensive.  In short, he's a great writer- I finished this  book in one day.

Nothing makes me sadder than the fact that Grady Hendrix is a dude. He continually writes the most complex and inspiring female leads, it is a true tragedy to me that buy buying his books I am not supporting more female writers in the world of genre fiction. This isn’t to say that I don’t think men shouldn’t write women, in the same way that I think that being white or straight shouldn’t stop you from writing POC or queer characters – hell, everyone needs more representation and I can never get enough of a good thing – but there is something about finishing a really good book filled with truly awesome female characters and remembering that it was all written by a man that leaves me feeling a little empty.

This book is the rip-roaring good fun I expect from Grady Hendrix. Nostalgic, immersive, knowledgeable and most of all, entertaining! A great follow up to Horrorstor and My Best Friend's Excorcism that I tore through in a matter of days.

WE SOLD OUR SOULS is one helluva guitar solo. Grady Hendrix brings the heavy metal to the horror masses. I really enjoyed PAPERBACKS FROM HELL, so I figured I'd give this one a read. It's a compelling page-turner. 

The story centers around a heavy metal band from the 1990s called Dürt Würk. The band was about to hit it big, but the lead singer Terry Hunt went solo. He rocketed to stardom as Koffin, while his former bandmates got mundane jobs. Two decades later, former Dürt Würk guitarist Kris Pulaski uncovers a disturbing secret from her past. Terry Hunt's success may have come at the price of his former bandmates. The title tells you everything you need to know, or does it? 

Kris Pulaski must find answers. She hits the open road, reconnects with her bandmates, and confronts the man who destroyed her life. Grady Hendrix takes you from Pennsylvania to a Satanic rehab center and finally to a Las Vegas music festival. Some of the scenes are vividly brutal. Kris Pulaski is a top-notch hero. She kicks so much ass!

I like the author's writing style. WE SOLD OUR SOULS reads quick and the story flows smoothly. The feel-good ending wasn't what I was expecting, but it does leave hope, which is a good thing. I was expecting something darker, but it was still good. I felt like I kind of heard and read this story somewhere else before. It felt like a familiar story. 

Overall, this story is enjoyable. If I'm being honest, I finished it rather quickly. The cover art caught my eye, but what kept me reading is Kris Pulaski, the female protagonist. She made the book better. I was right there with her the entire journey. I was cheering for her to kick some ass and she does. She is intelligent, strong, and she can handle her business. 

I love books and stories based on/around music, especially rock and roll and heavy metal. It makes for a great read. WE SOLD OUR SOULS is heavy metal turned up to 11. You should give this one a read.

Recommend!

In 1975 Black Sabbath, the band that many believe originated ‘heavy metal’, had released what we would probably call a ‘greatest hits album’ these days, with tracks from their previous six albums. Called We Sold Our Soul For Rock & Roll, it cherry-picked the tracks that fans counted as favourites.

The problem? It was released without the band or their manager’s knowledge, part of a deal between their new record label and their last. Allegedly, the first the band knew of the album was when fans brought them to concerts to be signed.

Why this is relevant here? Well, author Grady Hendrix clearly knows this. I’m sure that the name of his latest novel is no coincidence, a story where the rise and fall of a rock and roll band meets Stranger Things, where corporate sell-out and backroom shenanigans are part of the deal.

The story is told through Kris Pulaski, founding member and guitarist of Dürt Würk, a rock band brought up by learning Black Sabbath guitar riffs, who almost made it big in the ‘90’s, and then broke up for reasons that will be explained through the novel. Now twenty years on, Kris, having given up on the big dream, spends her time working as a receptionist at a Best Western in a small backward hometown and generally being abused by the local clientele.

Her life is changed when she sees hears of Terry Hunt, Dürt Würk’s ex-singer, planning a reunion-farewell tour of the band he created after Dürt Würk. We discover through backstory how the demise of Dürt Würk led to the formation of Koffin by the ex-singer, in a deal that took away Kris’s rights to her material and left her ruined. Dürt Würk’s last album, Troglodyte, which was never released, and has become something of legendary status. Made in a rundown house in the woods, the rumours about Kris’ masterwork album, and why it was never released have become mythical.

As the backstory develops, we determine what caused the breakup of the band, something that will be familiar to anyone who knows their rock-band history. And as this is a Grady Hendrix story, we discover, with a Lovecraftian twist, what really happened that night the band broke up. Kris cannot remember what happened herself (drugs & rock and roll, right?), but is determined to finally get to the meaning of what happened that night by meeting up with the ex-members of her band and even Terry Hunt – who may have a more sinister reason for his success.

For anyone who knows Grady’s previous work - Horrorstor, My Best Friend’s Exorcism and the non-fictional Paperbacks from Hell - will know that he excels in reinvigorating the 80’s tone of those mass-produced novels of the 1980’s. This one clearly plays homage to Stephen King, but also any of those books from that time. (I’d personally recommend George RR Martin’s The Armageddon Rag as a similar, alternative read.)

It’s not particularly deep, nor meaningful, but it does what it does right. Fans of Stranger Things will ‘get it’. Anyone who has formed a band in a garage or basement and *nearly* made it big will sympathise (and perhaps wince!) at some of the things that happen here. And what is most important is that Grady elicits the emotion, the power, the almighty good created by being part of a band – the camaraderie, the sheer buzz of creating and playing music, to fans who love your work. This is never a book that attempts to poke fun at its material – instead, through empathy, it makes the reader’s inner-teenager want to go start a band all over again.

In my youth I was never part of a band – but this book makes me wish I was. And therein lies its secret. This is a book written by someone that cares about its subject matter, and you can tell. Moreover, Grady manages to make the reader feel, to care about his characters and to connect with emotions from a time when things were simpler. Sometimes you just need a guitar….

When such relatable elements of youth are added to the more supernatural elements, the result is that the combination works. There are moments of horror that I found quite creepy, and there’s definitely parts that claustrophobic readers will cringe at.

In short, if you are a Horror fan and are/were a fan of ‘90’s rock/metal, you will love this book. If you’ve ever felt yourself to be an outsider, and that your love of music is not understood, if you’ve been derided for your enjoyment of rock and metal, and yet, despite this, have stayed true to your own beliefs, We Sold Our Souls will speak to you.

It’s a great read. Just be careful next time you feel the need to include some occult leanings in your lyrics….

Thank you !  so much for the opportunity to review this book.  I received a free copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

By far my favorite book by Grady Hendrix!   loved it!  This book grabbed me by my soul and did not leave my thoughts until I finished it. And yet , it still lingers...

An imperfect leading lady taking on an adventure to find herself while seeking revenge for being wronged.  Add a dose of paranormal, sprinkle in some Metal Rock and you have yourself a party.  Wow!  The whole premise of this book was a refreshing, Good old fashioned Horror at it's finest!

 I have read  Horrorstor and My Best Friend's Exorcism , which I completely enjoyed but this book took horror to a new level.  Bravo to Mr. Hendrix...  I have become a true fan.

4.0 Stars

Kris was in a heavy metal band called Durt Wurk, but right before they were about to hit it big, the band fell apart. Twenty years later, she's the night manager at a Best Western and her life has been miserable since the split. Her former bandmate has skyrocketed to Stardom as Koffin. Kris learns that her and her bandmates souls may have been the price for Koffin's success. She embarks on a journey and will stop at NOTHING until she confronts him. 

This was a fun, fast-paced story. I personally, don't have a relationship with heavy metal specifcally, but that did not keep me from connecting with the story. There were some great brutal scenes in there that really made the story. Grady Hendrix also took the Faustian bargain device and wrote a story for modern audiences. It left me thinking about the state of our "soul".

Loved it! Everytime a Grady Hendrix book comes out, I pummel through it within a day or two. Once again, he mixes horror with an interesting premise, and it's a page turner. This one's a bit more splatterpunk than the rest. I don't listen to heavy metal, but It doesn't matter. Love how the arc of the story aligns with the book's fictional album Troglodyte. Now listening to the Runaways "Dead End Justice" on repeat.

Incredibly fun and entertaining horror novel! I found this really engaging and readable and think it will appeal to a wide audience, including those who don't think they like horror. Great work from Grady Hendrix.

My first book by Grady Hendrix definitely lived up to the hype! As a huge metal fan, this novel took me back to simpler times and brought back great memories. When delving into the topic of heavy metal, it is easy to perpetuate cliches and prejudices against metalheads, however, Hendrix managed to perfectly capture the essence of the metal scene. 

Kris is a great protagonist: her struggles, her shattered dreams, the pain of being betrayed, the rage. All of these feelings are incredibly well conveyed by Hendrix's writing. After reading the synopsis I thought this would be the classic story of some metalheads summoning the devil with their music and exchanging their souls for fame, therefore I was pleasantly surprised to see how the author took that basic idea and transformed it into something original, fresh and entertaining.

I only have two more minor complaints: after Kris witnesses the existence of the supernatural, why would she be so reluctant to believe a conspiracy theorist who was trying to help her? And also, the story lacked some creepiness. Otherwise, this is a super fun read with clever twists and turns that I will definitely be recommending to all my metal loving friends.

We Sold Our Souls does a clever spin on the Faustian ‘bargain with the devil’ premise by setting it in the world of heavy metal music. It’s like a mash-up of an old VH-1 Behind The Music and The Devil’s Advocate. There were some harrowing scenes that had me on the edge of my seat. The one that sticks out is when the heroine, Kris, is crawling through a tunnel that is gradually getting smaller and tighter. I’m not claustrophobic, but that scene made it hard to catch my breath! Though for all the scenes like that (and giving Grady Hendrix credit for finding a new take on this age-old tale), something was missing in it, something that made me want to flip the page excitedly to find out what was going to happen next. I found myself putting the book down for several days before picking it up again. All the ingredients were there, but for me the sum was not greater than the parts.

"Then she played that chord again and it smashed out of her amp, and she moved to the next chord, and the next one, and the one after that, and she fell forward from chord to chord, making her basement shake, “ Beneath the Wheel” blotting out everything in her life, blotting out the world, blotting out Black Iron Mountain, and she knew . . . She could do this. How does a sparrow destroy a mountain? One pebble at a time."

For a very long time, I had heard of Grady Hendrix. I had seen other book bloggers talking about his previous books, including Paperbacks from Hell and I was intrigued. I still am very interested in trying out more of his books, but this one just wasn't for me. 

There are some books that catch your attention immediately. Some take a few pages or chapters before you finally grasp onto it. Some you still haven't managed to completely enjoy even as you turn the last page. I have no issue with the writing style, which is why I did keep reading, but this story just wasn't for me. In most places, it was boring but I'd be willing to blame that on my lack of musical knowledge. The entire first part of the book, I was skimming and that's never a good sign. 

I feel like a lot of people will like this book. However, it simply wasn't for me.

This books' greatest strength is in its main character, Kris. Hendrix has always been so good at writing flawed and well rounded protagonists, and I think that Kris is his strongest yet. While she is rash and makes some questionable decisions throughout the book, you completely understand why she does what she does. She lives, breathes, loves metal, and having that taken away from her has driven her to the point of desperation. I loved following her as she goes to confront her former friend Terry, and loved that we get information and a background of not only her band, but many aspects of metal as a whole as she makes her journey. The references to metal always felt organic and well placed, and it gave a wider scope to the narrative. That said, once again Hendrix gets a little bogged down in the 'horror' aspects of this book, and I felt like he relied on cliches within the genre in spite of the fact he made a valiant effort at avoiding them. I was more freaked out by real world horrors within the story than by the demonic aspects, and sometimes it led to moments that felt rushed and haphazard for the sake of a 'scary' moment. 

With all that in mind, I did enjoy reading "We Sold Our Souls", and I think that people who like Hendrix will find a lot of like within its pages.

I swear...Grady Hendrix made a deal with the devil to write something this damned good. An amazing mash-up of really uncomfortable horror, metal music & culture, scathing commentary on consumerism, humor, and insight as to how/why bands have such dysfunctional relationships.

On par with Hendrix's other highly acclaimed books, We Sold Our Souls is a fun rock and roll devil influenced tale. An almost-been, Kris narrowly missed game and fortune. What could have been and why wasn't it? 

Recommended for the horror fan as well as any mainstream reader. Horror-lite with a heavy metal twist.

Grady Hendrix has struck gold again with another female centred horror novel! 

This time we are following the story of Kris, a middle aged rock chick who is hunting down the man who sold her soul. I love Hendrix's novels and how they always follow a female protagonist. Horror needs more of that. I know there are a lot of books with a girl main character but Hendrix's female leads are always so strong and feisty. They are not the screaming woman dealing with a haunted house while her husband tells her she is crazy like you see in most female lead horror novels. I always love his leading ladies, especially in this case because she is a guitar playing girl who used to be in a band, just like myself. I could relate to Kris on so many levels. 

Unlike Hendrix's other novels, I don't think this one was as supernatural driven. Horrorstor was very heavy on the ghosts and My Best Friend's Exorcism was about possession but was very people focused. We Sold Our Souls hints more toward the paranormal. It saves it all to the end, sort of like Rosemary's Baby. (If you haven't read that book you really should) I think this would be an amazing horror novel to start with if you are new to horror. It is fast paced, isn't scary and reads more like a thriller or action novel than a straight horror story. It reminds me of Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill but more on the tame side. 

I think the only real negative point I had with this book was that I didn't find it super gripping compared to his other novels. It was great. I loved reading it and it is beautifully designed like all of his novels, but I just didn't fly through it as quickly as I did Horrorstor or My Best Friend's Exorcism. I am not sure if that was the book's fault, or it was me just being easily distracted. 

It still left me feeling inspired. I am a musician myself and this book left me feeling so pumped! I felt like I could save the world with my guitar and it made me want to play music. It reminded me of the old days when I would write my own music. It was so nostalgic and powerful. If you are a rock music lover this is definitely one for you.