I discovered Delilah S. Dawson years ago with her steampunk-supernatural ‘Blud’ series. Since then, I’ve bought, read, lent out and bought her books again and again, because they really are the sort of thing you enjoy and want to pass on for others.

‘House of Idyll’ is by far and away my favourite so far. I inhaled this in a day. I’m passing on my recommendations here, knowing that more paperbacks will likely be slipping through my fingers in due course.

Protagonist Angelina is both believable and sympathetic as she seeks her fortune in the media circus that is Los Angeles, eventually finding her way to the titular House of Idyll. This is a millionaire-lifestyle commune of sorts, set up by singer Jasper Idyll and his bandmates to help nurture creative talent in upcoming young people. From potters to painters, singers to chefs, this elite group are supported for their sake of their art.

Too good to be true? You bet.

The author has said that Jasper Idyll is a deliberate riff on the media persona of Jared Leto, but I was reminded of so many self-indulgent rock stars who’ve lost themselves in their fame over the decades. Fortunately Jasper has found his calling in helping others, rather than joining the ‘27 Club’. The rules of the community are strict but fair, and the benefits far outweigh the demands of wearing white every day and only ‘eating clean.’

Of course, scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find something far darker. Be it Stepford or Summerisle, closed communities aren’t the havens they appear, and nor is this.

The story zips along as Angelina begins to suspect that All is Not Well (to quote rock band Tura Satana) - but becoming Jasper’s favourite is everything she’s ever wanted. A singer-songwriter contract with her dream band? Who on earth would say no?

I won’t say any more, because I went in knowing only the basics above and enjoyed the unfolding madness much more as a result. And if you think you know how everything will end - think again. Just be sure to brace yourself, as this author knows when not to pull her punches.

A fantastic satire on modern celebrity culture, plus supernatural (maybe?) rockstar romances, ‘House of Idyll’ is starry-eyed brilliance with a bloody centre. Come, join the parade.

I was so excited for the release of House of Idyll by Delilah S. Dawson! I absolutely love her horror stories, and this one carried the same delicious vibe as her previous works. House of Idyll is playful, imaginative, edgy, wild, and inventive. I adored the music-and-artist atmosphere, and I could totally picture the eccentric creatives living in this quirky, cultlike “collective.”

And the story ends in true Dawson fashion, with a gloriously messy, chaotic rebellion. I loved it! Definitely give it a read if you're into bold, playful books with modern language and a punchy feel.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

This book was a compelling and enjoyable read from start to finish. The writing was engaging, the pacing kept me hooked, and the characters felt authentic and well-developed. It struck a strong emotional chord and left a lasting impression. Highly recommend to anyone looking for something thoughtful and impactful.

House of Idyll by Delilah S. Dawson
🦄🎸🩸🏘️☕️🐓

The above emojis make sense after you read the book, I swear. This ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was such an honor to read early and I suck so bad for posting late.

Angelina has a truly shitty day as a barista and is summoned to a new life with her rockstar idols in their creative cult. She investigates from within while enjoying what the rich cult offers her, but was it worth it?

What I love about Delilah’s writing is that you go in knowing it’s going to be incredible, but she has you go along on this ride with with beautiful prose and character development and just when you’re about to say, girl when are we getting to the good stuff? BAM 💥 She punches you in the face with it 😂

I love a horror novel with more to say than just gore and Delilah’s writing does it Every. Time.

This book is out now! Buy it, borrow it, read it, listen to it. Thank you the NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC - one of the highlights of my reviewing!

I received a gifted eARC copy of HOUSE OF IDYLL by Delilah S. Dawson from Titan Books!

HOUSE OF IDYLL is an adult horror following Angelina, a singer and songwriter trying to make ends meet in Los Angeles without a ton of success. When she rather spectacularly flames out at her barista day job, she feels like she's running out of options. She has been a longtime fan of the band Black Idyll, so when she is approached by members of the van with an opportunity, she can't say no.

The House of Idyll is a commune of those like her, those in pursuit of creative arts. The band provides everyone with everything they could possibly need so that they can put all their focus into their work and success. Sure it feels a bit like a cult, but it also feels a lot like an opportunity Angelina can't turn down.

I have recently started digging into Delilah S. Dawson's horror works (middle grade and adult alike) and I am definitely a fan. I went into this one with high hopes and I am happy to say that I did have a great time with it. It took me a bit to get into it as the opening of the book feels very contemporary, poor struggling artist struggle, but once we got to the commune, things definitely started to pick up.

This was a super fast read, even though it was one I did entirely via eyeball reading on ebook. I actually chose it for @mel_lenorereads Mel's Readathon Rebellion as my 'out of comfort zone' read because I've been struggling with reading without audio recently, so I'm so glad it worked well! Once things started going weird, the unsettling 'something is not quite right' feeling that this author definitely can pull off, I had a hard time putting it down!

I liked Angelina as our main character. She makes some decisions I certainly wouldn't have made, but I also understood what pushed her to make them. I did like the way she grew into having more agency as the book went along and I did like the way this one wrapped up!

Trigger warnings for drugs and alcohol, suicide, mental health, violence and gore, dubious consent situations.

Once I heard rock stars, cults, and Delilah S. Dawson, I knew I was already in and this book did not disappoint. House of Idyll is a dark, seductive fever dream that reads like one of my favorite true crime documentaries, only layered with paranormal undertones that kept me hooked until the very last page.

I loved the immersive detail, especially the original song lyrics woven between chapters—it made the world feel so much more alive, and I’m always impressed when an author can also step seamlessly into the role of lyricist. Angelina was a fantastic narrator, oscillating between self-awareness (constantly asking herself if she just joined a cult) and wide-eyed wonder at the world of Black Idyll. Jesper, with his dangerous charisma, immediately brought to mind AMC’s rock star version of Lestat—magnetic, perilous, impossible to look away from.

The pacing was sharp, the horror vivid, and the character dynamics deliciously unsettling. The ending leaves you both satisfied and craving more, and I could absolutely see this world continuing in a sequel. Dawson’s darkly decadent prose wraps around you like velvet, and once you’re inside, you won’t want to leave.

I am a huge fan of this author, so I was really excited for this book. I usually am not a fan of music/rockstar themed books, but this one hit different. If you like cults and/or isolation horror, this one is for you!

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC

I had a good time with this one. I've read several works from this author, and I usually enjoy it. I love the writing style. It's dark and evocative in a way that I love. The story is very unique and fun. I will continue to pick up Dawson's work.

The House of Idyll is a really interesting read. I have to say that Dawson has become an instant read for me and this was no different. Angelina was, to me, a great main character. Sometimes I found her choices and actions frustrating but they were realistic to her character and made her appear more human and in a way more likable. The pace and plot were fantastic and I adored the culty vibes too. I won’t spoil anything but I will say that if you enjoy a good horror novella you’ll love this one.
As always thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.

Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for this ARC Copy! 4.5 Stars rounded up.

Delilah S. Dawson has done it again. This is my second book by this author and honestly I don't know how it is possible that she has made me want to live inside a horror story yet again. This is such a fun and unique take on the horror genre and it really makes you feel like everything is wonderful, even when you know it is not. I never knew that I loved books about bands but apparently that's a thing now too. I can't wait to get read the rest of her books and look forward to the next one!

𝑨 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑱𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒆𝒕𝒐'𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒏.

What if your ultimate rock star crush invited you into their world? That’s the dream Angelina Yves is offered — a struggling singer/songwriter turned barista who suddenly gets the chance to live and create at the exclusive Black Idyll compound. Think luxury houses, endless food, space to write, and inspiration straight from Jesper Idyll himself. It feels like the opportunity of a lifetime… until things twist into something much darker.

At first, it seems like paradise. But beneath the glittery surface lurk decapitated chickens, masked figures, midnight rituals, and a feeling of something not quite right. The deeper Angelina falls into Jesper’s and the band’s orbit, the more unsettling everything becomes.

For a shorter novel, this one took a while to find its rhythm. And when it finally did, I was left with more questions than answers — I am so confused!

My brain is still trying to unravel what on earth happened at the end.

I desperately wanted to love this (I absolutely devoured Bloom — plus, my teenage years were basically soundtracked by My So-Called Life and Jared Leto). But sadly, this one just wasn’t for me. Too much felt unexplained, and instead of feeling satisfied, I closed the book feeling frazzled.

In Delilah fashion, this was unsettling, atmospheric, and creepy. We are at a compound in the middle of the forest and everyone is wearing white and it’s a very cult like atmosphere with weird things happening. I honestly loved this but the ending felt really rushed to me, I would’ve liked a little more. But overall, I loved the writing, the lyric inserts in between chapters, the creepiness of it all!

This was a 3 star read until the climax of the book was 3 pages and went completely unexplained. The ending let it down massively.

Thank you Titan Books for this arc!

When Angelina Yves, a struggling musician, loses her job and her home in the space of five minutes she thinks her dreams are over and she'll have to move back home until she receives an invitation to stay at an elite compound run by famous band Black Idyll. She believes all her dreams have come true especially when lead singer Jesper takes a special interest in her. But things are not all as they seem, there's mysterious figures roaming at night, screaming horses and then Jespers ex turns up dead and mutilated. Can Angelina make it out before it's too late?

I flew through this twisty suspenseful story and couldn't put it down. I love a book centred around a cult/compound and this didn't disappoint. I liked how the tension and suspense slowly built throughout the story until i too was as terrified as Angelina for what was coming next. My only complaint is I wish this was a bit longer but I still highly recommend and will be picking up more by this author.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for an ARC of House of Idyll in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

I’m so thrilled to have had the opportunity to read this book, especially since I’m already a big fan of Delilah S. Dawson. While I’m not usually drawn to stories about music or bands, I’ll always make an exception for her work. This book is a delightful mix of fun and weirdness, but be sure to read the trigger warnings before diving in. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Delilah S. Dawson does it again. I LOVED Guillotine, her horror release last year and this didn't disappoint either. In terms of horror level I would say this is a 3.5 out of 5. It's more eerie and creepy and wtf is going on here, is this a cult, vibes. This is a story about.. well... idylls, bands, being an artist, selling yourself, etc. I would say if you liked Guillotine, you will enjoy this. It's not a gruesome but rather has more psychological horror. I found the concept to be very interesting, I was never bored and in fact had a hard time putting it down to go to sleep. You just want to keep reading to find out why everyone is wearing white and everything seems so perfect and they swear they just want to help starving artists. The ending was a little shocking in a good way. All in all really recommend this I loved it.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 ⭐️

I’ll start with a confession: rock star or fame-centered stories aren’t usually my thing. But I have a personal rule—if Delilah S. Dawson writes it, I read it. That approach has never let me down, and House of Idyll is no exception. If the idea of a band or music industry backdrop makes you hesitate, rest assured: this novella isn’t weighed down by the usual tropes of tour buses, screaming fans, or backstage drama. The protagonist, Angelina Yves, is an amateur singer-songwriter who crosses paths with a band, but the narrative quickly pivots to a much more insular and atmospheric setting—an artists’ retreat of sorts, though “retreat” is perhaps too benign a word.

The story opens with Angelina at a low point: broke, jobless, and drifting. When she’s swept up—quite literally—by a beautiful stranger who offers her food, clothing, and shelter at no cost, she finds herself at the idyllic “compound” founded by the band. Everyone she meets is ethereal, talented, and dressed head-to-toe in white. Days are filled with meditation, yoga, communing with nature, and waiting for inspiration to strike. It’s paradise, right? Nothing sinister to see here. Absolutely not a cult. (Definitely not a cult.)

Because it’s a novella, the pacing is brisk. Angelina’s arrival, her initial unease, and her gradual surrender to this too-perfect way of life all unfold quickly. What impressed me most was Dawson’s ability to make the atmosphere feel serene and soothing while simultaneously threading in moments of unease—little warning signs that something is “off.” The balance between calm and creeping dread reminded me more of Bloom than Dawson’s high-octane Guillotine. Like Bloom, this book is structured around a protagonist who seems to be handed exactly what she needs—until the cracks start to show.

The tension builds slowly, pulling you deeper into the disquieting beauty of the compound until, suddenly, things tip into a point of no return. The ending comes abruptly, leaving more questions than answers, but I found that worked in the story’s favor. It lingers in the imagination long after you finish, leaving space for unease to grow. And without giving anything away—I was rooting for Angelina by the last page.

Overall, House of Idyll is unsettling in the best way: gorgeous, eerie, and quietly horrifying. It’s a short, sharp novella that fans of Dawson’s work will devour, and one I’d easily recommend to readers who enjoy horror that wears a calm mask before it reveals its teeth. Bonus points: the book fully delivers on its unicorn cover.

House of Idyll is a quick little horror story that lulls you into a sense of peace just as quickly as it raises red flags. After losing her jobs and home within minutes, struggling singer-songwriter Angelina is miraculously given an opportunity to stay at an artist commune owned by her favorite band. Like the reader, Angelina is smart enough to know that this seems to good to be true, and does actually look over contracts and call the police and tries to question things- but how far would you really question things if you were being given everything you needed by your boyband crush?

What I loved the most about this story is that there were so many times that as a reader I wanted to scream because obviously Something Is Not Right but then, with the explanations Angelina is given and the way things change when she gets too suspicious, there were honestly times where I was like wait, is the horror story just that I know I'm reading a horror story and therefore I can't trust that this could be something good (even when I obviously knew it wasn't!!!!)?

Highly recommend to anyone looking for a short, beautifully written, and engaging horror story where you know what's going on but you never really know if you fully know what's going on!

Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC- all thoughts my own!
4.5 stars rounded up.

Angelina a singer-songwriter is having a bad day losing her job and home, she is offered a chance of a lifetime by her favorite rock band Black Idyll. A good plot filled with good and the not so good characters. Though a horror story it's not a full blooded horror. Overall a good read. Thanks to Titan Books and Netgalley for this review ARC.

If the lead singer of your favourite band offered you a spot in his exclusive artists commune, would you take it? Sometimes when things sound too good to be true, there’s something more sinister lurking beneath…

“𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘧’𝘴 𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦. 𝘌𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘮𝘱 𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘶𝘯. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘮𝘱.”

I am positively feral for anything Delilah S Dawson writes, and House of Idyll is absolutely no exception… in fact I think it’s my favourite of all her work so far! Delilah brings her signature brand of horror mixed with humour and strong, messy-in-the-best-way female characters.

Of course, any story that mixes music (especially rock) with horror automatically has my interest piqued. And House of Idyll executes this premise so well, in a unique and refreshing way.

The mix of idyllic perfection with underlying horrors and gore is perfectly executed! Even in the beauty there is an underlying thread of discontent and eerie concern.

“𝘖𝘩, 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨.”

Angelina is a particular brand of final girl that I simply LOVE to see (but can’t say much more on without giving anything away)! I will definitely be picking up a physical copy on release day!