The Monsters in our Shadows was a unique experience, dystopian and apocalyptic.
Plunged into this horrific time, where Shadows devour their hosts, where humanity has been lost, we follow Anthem, the Exilist, who fights for a better future for his daughter.

What stood out for me was the deeper meaning to these monsters, the Shivers that plagued this world. Or at least, the meaning I found in them.

Anthem was an amazingly written character, real and relatable, strong but flawed, carrying his own demons but still not giving up.

The story started off a bit slow in the beginning, but it definitely grew on me the more I kept reading. For how grotesque and horrific the plot was, I found the writing and the overall vibe to be almost poetic, musical.
More than just having an interesting concept and well done characters, the writing was very atmospheric.

I didn’t expect to be moved by this, but it turned out not only to be a great horror piece, but also quite emotionally compelling. Will definitely have to check out more from this author.

Thank You Edward J. Cembal, The Book Whisperer and NetGalley For This Brilliant Contemplative Shivers Down The Spine Horror Thriller!

"It seems...these monsters gestate and form in our shadows from the weight of some sadness. As far as I can tell, one begets the other, and they both get worse. The deeper the sadness, that depression, the closer the monster. The closer the monster, the deeper the sadness, until … well, until it devours you. They could be some sort of manifestation of depression.”

Choosing a quote was nearly impossible but the above gives insight into how perceptive and important The Monsters In Our Shadows, by phenomenal debut author Edward J. Cembal is to, not only the literary world, but to society's mental health awareness.

As a horror thriller this novel is on the level of The Walking Dead and The Last Of Us. It creates a dystopian world where dark shadowy monsters called Shivers appear and seek out individuals who they follow until they get close enough to devour them.

Luckily, we have single Dad, with the best hero name, Anthem. He's an Exilist. He captures the Shivers and their humans and exiles them from the walled in community. Then his own shadow appears and, with the thought of his baby girl left alone, he becomes a reluctant hero.

It's clear that the Shivers are symbolic of depression, grief, anxiety and fear. It's no accident the cover looks like a Rorschach ink blot test. Each monster's a bit different for everyone. One drug numbed the humans but the monsters never left.

This book works as a father fighting for his daughter's future thriller. But it excels as an allegory to accepting our demons and asking for help to deal with them. The best horror stories are the ones that reflect ourselves back to us, flaws and all, and this author has achieved this goal brilliantly with compelling storytelling.

I received a free copy of the book from #thebookwhisperer via #NetGalley for a fair & honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced e-arc copy of this amazing story!

An absolutely unique and gripping horror story full of symbolism and a page-turning excitement of what will happen next!

The last population on Earth is being hunted by monsters called Shivers. Anthem is an exilist – his job is to assist those infected by the monsters to their “final journey” into death. Anthem believes that there has to be a way to stop these monsters rather than to accept the fate that they will consume their prey entirely and that this same fate will eventually come for everyone. Unfortunately, Anthem is racing against time and his own replacement.
The story incorporates excellent world building with an intense imagery of the post-apocalyptic world that Anthem explores. The characters that he meets are intriguing and fun to read. The plot will keep you reading with short manageable chapter lengths and quick pacing overall.
I would define this as a sci-fi/horror quick read perfect for anyone who wants to start dabbling into those genres. The book also delves into our own struggles, our own darkness, and how if left alone it will stalk us, terrorize us, torture us, create a stigma for us, and ultimately devour us entirely.
I solicited to read this book on my own and loved every page of it!

I really enjoyed this book. Not only the cover, which I am a sucker for a good book cover, but the writing itself was very well done. The book gripped me. I enjoyed Cembal’s style of writing, and I look forward to reading more by him.
Thank you for allowing me to read this book, I appreciate it very much!

Another dystopian horror novel that grew on me the longer I read it. Particularly the world-building and the characters really sold this one for me.

WOW.. This was one scary read. Perfect as we go into the spooky season, I might add. Great writing, fabulous plot. I hope there is more to come from this author. Would make a great movie. Five stars easy.

The Monsters in Our Shadows
Edward J. Cembal

3.75 / 5

We all have a shadow side ...

Ok, so this book was really good.

I found it to be a beautifully written horror story that, for me, was about how our personal demons can easily destroy us while simultaneously affecting those around us ...

And imagine if your internal struggles/mental health/personal demons could be seen by everyone ... and as monstrous physical manifestations to boot ...

This is a truly unique dystopian horror story that's well paced, gory, horrifying, and highly entertaining, but there were elements to the story that left me wanting more and felt slightly hollow.

But I still highly recommend checking out this very interesting, unique novel.

This was a unique dystopian horror novel with a chilling atmosphere. The world building in this was intricate, enabling the reader to visualize every scene as if we were in it ourselves. The protagonist was as intriguing as the plot, and his development was well crafted. This was equal parts haunting and suspenseful. The pacing and conclusion were perfect, and the only complaint I had was that I felt the supporting characters' development could have been stronger. Four stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Book Whisperer, for this ARC.

“Very few wants ever took the place of needs.”

“The Monsters in Our Shadows,” by Edward J. Cembal

This book was really good. I loved how interesting the plot was and the lore; I loved the dystopian/ sci-fi meets gothic/ dirty city underbelly vibes, I loved the idea of shivers being this demonic creature thing that wait to eat you in the end, I liked the weird/grossness of surviving by making crickets into every food, etc. I really really liked the spooky vibe of all the thunder without rain (it’s my favorite visual through the book, very off putting). This entire book with the forced happiness reminded me so much of the videogame “We Happy Few”, which is my favorite indie game. This book was really good overall. Would love to read more books like this one. 4 out of 5 stars, because it started a little slow.

Thank you for the free copy, Netgalley.

The Monsters in Our Shadows by Edward J. Cembal is the kind of dystopian horror novel that I wouldn’t normally read, but I’m glad I did. I found it thought provoking, and something to ponder after reading. The descriptions, tension, and action in this book were clear and kept me turning the pages. This book is a great mixture of - horror, science fiction, and dystopian plots.

The Monsters in Our Shadows is a gripping dystopian horror that plunges readers into a world devoured by the relentless Shivers - shapeless creatures tormenting their hosts before consuming them whole. The crumbling city of Atlas, humanity’s last refuge, teeters on the brink of extinction. Anthem, an Exilist tasked with trapping Shivers, faces his own impending doom.

Pros:
Intriguing Premise: The concept of Shivers and their relentless hunger is both chilling and original.
Emotional Depth: Cembal weaves existential themes seamlessly, leaving a lasting impact.
Engaging Storytelling: The narrative grips you from page one, refusing to let go.

Cons:
Character Development: While Anthem’s struggle is compelling, some secondary characters remain underexplored.
World-Building: The Deadlands beyond Atlas could have been fleshed out further.

The novel occasionally stumbles in character depth and world-building. However, its unique premise and emotional resonance make it a must-read for horror enthusiasts.

I don’t normally read books in the horror genre but this book is on point! The concept, plot and main character is so different from the norm and I am here for it.
I could not stop reading this and read it in a few hours. You know it’s a good book when you are still thinking about the concept of the story a week later.
I instantly fell in love with Anthem and his empathetic personality.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone even if this is not your typical genre!

Imagine a monster that lurks in the shadows and waits to consume you. Thats the premise of this book, Anthem is our exilist who takes care of people when their monster/shiver is ready to attack. This dystopian horror will hve you hooked, the world building is fantastic, you can really feel the hopelessness of the characters situation. This is a unique fast paced read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Edward J. Cembal for an eARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Wow!! What a great read!! I could not put it down and when I did I was thinking about this book. Set in a dystopian/post apocalyptic time in the world with monsters “shivers”. I highly recommend and perfect for spooky season!!!

A future where survivors live on cricket meal for food is the least of their worries. The afflicted are exiled to the badlands with a cheery bon voyage and promises of a better life. One where they can be free and happy. Anthem is employed as The Exilist and it is his job to get that person and their Shiver/monster to the other side before it turns its attention beyond the host.
I wasnt expecting this book to trap me as much as it did. I still get the creeps when I think about the Shiver and how it devoured its host. Apart from the horror side of things the story highlighted how extreme situations bring out the best and worst in people. I loved it and felt the author did a fantastic job to create such a consuming horror tale.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the advance review version of this dystopian horror story .

Ughhhhh this…was so good…I’m speechless…The Shivers encapsulates the crushing weight of mental illness set in an unsettling dystopian world.

“The Monsters in Our Shadows” is a horror dystopian book by Edward J. Cembal. This book had a great premise, but for me there were a number of unanswered questions that I really wanted answered. This book took a while to get the main story rolling. I found the writing a bit repetitive and feel this could use another round (or two) of editing for consistency (is it raining or is it not?). While I think the world building was okay, I wish that this book had dove deeper into this world. Overall, this book was okay but it could have been a lot stronger.

Ravenous shivers are haunting the last of humanity. The Monsters in our Shadows delivers a dystopian world full of malevolence, threat and hopelessness. The plot is full of mystery and intrigue. The start is slow and it creeps up in pace to an epic showdown. I loved the underlying message about confronting our darkness. The shivers are vividly described and terrifying, they are also not the only monsters present. The main character is well-written, I liked his morals and inner dialogue. There are other characters but this is definitely his story and development. I think this book has a lot of offer readers, there’s science fiction elements, horror, gore, mystery and the paranormal. Since finishing it I keep thinking about it, the signs of a great read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

I received this book as an ARC. This is not my typical read but I was happy to read a book by a Canadian author. I really enjoyed this book. The world building was well done- the descriptions allowed me to fully envision the world of this story.

I found myself feeling a little scared while reading, especially when I was reading alone in the dark. The monsters in the story were such a mystery and I enjoyed how we slowly began to learn more about them. I would be very interested to see how the author envisioned them to look.

Overall this book was a great read. The writing is done very well and the story was engaging throughout.

The Monsters in Our Shadows, by Edward J. Cembal, is a dystopian, paranormal horror novel set sometime in the not too distant future. This story is a creative plot about the extinction of humanity caused by predation of what people come to call “shivers.” Indeed, these creatures, or entities, do make one shiver in fear. Shivers are a mystery that people try to shun and avoid talking about. Some people are afflicted with shivers, and it is a bad stigma, as though the afflicted somehow deserve their fate.

The cover of this book may have affected my perception of this novel, because it looks like a Rorschach test. I felt that the plot contained symbolism for confronting mental fears, such as fear of the unknown, and finding a way forward when life gets depressing and scary. Incidentally, the afflicted people in this novel did not have identical shivers.

This story is a memorable one for me, even though I felt that the character development and background information were thinner than I typically like in a novel. Also, I thought that the pacing was a bit uneven and I was left with a few questions. Though this was out of my usual comfort zone, it was an interesting read for me. Thank you very much to Netgalley and Book Whisperer for the opportunity to review this creative novel.