I'd read Hendrix's "Paperbacks from Hell" previously, and really enjoyed it, but this was my first of his novels. I've got to go back and read the others now, because "We Sold Our Souls" is great. I thought the story was engrossing and propulsive. And I loved our hero, the Best Western clerk and metal goddess Kris Pulaski. Some parts of the story have a great nostalgic sheen, like the story of Durt Wurk's formation, some parts are horrific (a certain car ride springs immediately to mind) and all of it is just well written. The final act has a great pace and punch, and the encore (ha, ha) is beautiful and made me a little emotional. Highly recommended.

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Grady Hendrix' My Best Friend's Exorcism was one of my favourite horror novels of recent years. It was funny, scary, and touching. For his new book he's swerved into the world of heavy metal and legends of musicians selling their souls in exchange for success. The emotional core of the previous novel has been scaled right back (but it's not gone entirely) and been replaced with MASSIVE RIFFS PLAYED VERY LOUDLY. If MFBE was a sensitive singer songwriter who gets under your skin and speaks to your inner melancholy, then this is Slayer and things being set on fire and exploding. There's some excellent pulpy violence and gore, along with cosmic horror of the kind Stephen King occasionally dabbles in. It's also very good on being a jobbing musician, playing dive bar after dive bar and spending hours and hours in a cramped and shabby van. It is also important to acknowledge the shoutouts to various excellent bands (Wolves In The Throne Room! Earthless!). Ultimately, it's a story of redemption and winning against untold odds, the kind of internal fantasy played out on a hundred metal album covers.

 Like all the best metal, this is deadly serious and completely daft at the same time. I'm looking at you, Manowar bandana. Hendrix' last book before this one was a nonfiction work celebrating the covers of horror paperback originals, and this one fits firmly in that lineage. Make no mistake, this is a trashy horror novel. But you know what?  I love trashy horror novels, and I'm happy for Grady Hendrix to keep providing my fix.

Incredible characters and a masterfully crafted tale combine to create a unique piece of fiction that will enthral the reader.

We all have heard the legend of the crossroads and selling one’s soul for fortune and fame. This time we get a twist that takes us on a thrilling, and chilling, ride from one side of the country to the other. My music loving soul felt Kris’s pain as she fought to get back what was taken from her. Metal to the end as we raise our hand in the sign of the horns! One word of warning--If you are a bit claustrophobic like me there is a seen that will really get your heart racing.

Kris Pulaski is a burnt-out metal head, living in the middle of nowhere. Back in the 80s/90s, her band Dürt Würk was on the rise. They survived the death of metal to the popularity of grunge and after a gig opening for a big act, it looked like they were going to make it. Then their singer, Terry Hunt, went solo. Skyrocketing into fame and success, the rest of the band gets left behind. Nothing has worked out for Kris since Terry left. She's broke, alone, and hasn't picked up her guitar in years. Suddenly, a new tour sets off a spark in Kris to finally get what's hers. She sets off to regroup with the rest of the old band. However, soon she gets wrapped up in a paranoia-filled conspiracy about what brought Terry's success and the destruction of Dürt Würk. Not sure what's true and what's in people's heads, Kris must find a way to stop Terry before he finds her. 

I mostly enjoyed this book. I read it in an afternoon, so I think that shows that I was pretty engrossed by the story. I did find myself thinking "What the heck is happening?" a few times, but everything sort of explains itself along the way. You really do feel like you're losing your mind right along with Kris. Occasionally, the book gets a little preachy on the negatives of material culture. I rolled my eyes, but it's not made into a huge deal. To each his own on their opinions. There are also a few points in the book where some characters know a lot about things they weren't involved in, but again, it's not a huge deal. Overall, I appreciate Hendrix's quirky style and subject matters. It's not often that I see a book like this come through. He is a bit of a cult hit around here, so I'll likely purchase this for my library. Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.