House of Idyll by Delilah S. Dawson is a gothic slow-burn that twists domestic bliss into something menacing. The novel excels at atmosphere, with creeping dread seeping through each page as the idyllic façade begins to crack. Dawson’s prose is sharp and immersive, drawing you into a story where beauty masks rot, and safety feels increasingly fragile.

While the pacing may feel deliberate at times, the tension pays off, and the characters’ unraveling is as compelling as the sinister house itself. It’s a haunting exploration of control, secrets, and survival—well worth 4 stars for fans of gothic suspense with a modern edge.

What did I just read?!? lol. This book was wild, and I enjoyed it! It’s essentially a compound owned by a very wealthy band, and they allow artists to live there for free, but at what real cost?? Weird things happen, people disappear, just straight up crazy. Super quick and fun read!

3.5 stars

This book follows Angelina, an aspiring singer-songwriter down on her luck, as she is offered an amazing opportunity to join an artist commune on her favorite band’s property. Things seem a little off and Angelina tries to uncover the truth.

Delilah S. Dawson has an engaging writing style and I truly enjoy reading what she produces. My main issues with this book were loose plot threads and an uninteresting female lead. The story itself was interesting and I loved the ending which saved it all in my opinion.

I’d recommend to fans of Dawson’s prior works or those looking for a cult-esque story with rockstars.

I'm not usually a fan of the rockstar subgenre but this story is great, fast, sexy and gripping. And the ending is absolutely perfect.

I'm not usually a fan of the rockstar subgenre but this story is great, fast, sexy and gripping. And the ending is absolutely perfect.

2.5

First Delilah S Dawson is one of my favorite authors. I have read all her mainstream novels and loved them. So I was really excited to receive this Arc. The cover is beautiful and I love the bloody unicorn on the cover.

Unfortunately though it just didn't live up to her previous works. I really wanted this to be as unhinged as guillotine but it was a bit tame. The cult aspect is interesting and I enjoyed the lyric pages each chapter.

For being a a novella it took me a really long time to finish this book. I felt it just kind of dragged on and the pace was slow for being a shorter book. It was just kind of boring. The main character was annoying, I'm not sure how she could just be picked up off the street and be like this is ok. This is my life now in this s*x cult.

I will continue to read anything Dawson published as the writing style in this book was fantastic. She usually does such an amazing job pulling in the reader and taking them in a wild ride. This just wasn't it and I sadly did not like it 😭😭

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Book for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I absolutely adore Dawson’s unapologetic horror. House Of Idyll was no exception and I loved the fact that I couldn’t put this book down. The story opens on Angelina, a starving artist/barista, having the 3rd worst day of her life - which was still REALLY bad.

Out of nowhere, a beautiful man scoops her up off the street and whisks her away to an idyllic paradise?! Alarm bells were going off in Angelina’s head - just as much as they were going off in mine. This book had me questioning whether everything that is too good to be true, really has to be too good to be true.

This didn’t make it all the way to 5 stars for me but was incredibly close!! I loved the setting and the characters so much, as I could perfectly see them in my mind while reading (I’m looking at you, Van!) I do wish this one had been a tiny bit longer. The horror got really horrific at about 85% in and I wanted to feel that for a bit more before getting to the end.

I will absolutely be on the edge of my seat for what this author writes next!! I still have The Violence downloaded on audio from her and will be getting to that soon. Check this one out if you love unicorns, horror, rock n roll, and idyllic communities that are totally not cults!!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this one a bit early!!**

Summary: Struggling singer/
songwriter Angelina just had the worst day ever. She just lost her job and in two weeks will be homeless. Her lifelong dream of becoming a successful artist couldn't be farther away. When she's offered a chance to reside at a commune owned by reluctant rockstar, Jesper Idyll, she jumps at the opportunity. It sounds like a dream, she's only expected to work on her music, nothing else is required. Sounds too good to be true, right? It definitely is.
My Take: I'm a big fan of Delilah S.
Dawson's writing. Easy to follow along, extremely descriptive, very witty. And although the first half of this book was engaging and I was turning the page like it was a race, the last half lost me.

There was too much left to interpretation, very little explaining as to why and what was happening. The rock band's history that the story revolves around, was very vague. The unicorn is not explained, of all things, why a unicorn? Maybe I just didn't get the symbolism. *spoiler alert* The Commune is a cult, so many signs pointed to that!

The FMC either didn't care or didn't want to know. She seemed to be absolutely oblivious. So many things kept flashing big, red, warning signs of danger, and each time she ignored them. The ending was just overall very weird and was just too much to wrap my head around.
I did love the poetic song lyrics between the chapters which added a unique touch to the story. I will continue to read future books by Delilah S.
Dawson because she remains one of my favorite authors. This one just wasn't for me.

Thanks to Titan Books and the author for a copy for review.

House of Idyll is a mix of isolation horror and cult horror. Isolation because the main character seemed to be surrounded by like minded individuals, but seemed completely alone. Although House of Idyll claimed not to be a cult, the leader, Jesper, gave definite Manson vibes.

I loved the whole story. Quick and immersive. I found Angelina’s journey from barista to sitting at the cool kids table with her rockstar idol to be delightful, but very ominous. The full moon raves, the drum circles, even hot yoga were magical and unreal.

Although I found Jesper Idyll to be extremely red flag, I still found myself making excuses for him. I liked him. I wanted him to be as magical and kind as he projected himself to be.

I adored Angelina and wanted her to find love, success and support. She was very flawed but very realistic. Oh and there’s unicorns. Scary, depraved unicorns.

For fans of cults, rock horror, isolation horror and fantasy.

Super fast paced and full of unexpected twists.
A super exclusive commune for the brightest talents; musicians, dancers, singers, writers, artists but only those special few are invited.
On what should have been the worst day, losing her job and her place to live, Angelina is offered the chance of a life time. A place to stay, with every need met, sponsored by the members of her favourite band Black Idyll.
But although everything seems perfect on the surface, there’s a deeply unsettling sense of dark forces at work, and when a dead body shows up things get really dark.
This was really good fun, and I did not expect that ending!

3.5⭐️ I loveeee Delilah s Dawsons writing and it was her classic style in this too however the plot didn’t quite hit as hard this time. I wanted it to go further and darker and the ending I felt was a little anti climactic. Doesn’t help it resolved around a famous band and I’m not a big fan of that in books but it was still fun and super quick read !! Read if you love weird cult-esque thriller/horror, was quite gory in parts. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. Due to be published September 9th.

This is Delilah's best yet. I kept trying to figure out what was going on and I was soooooo wrong. I loved every page.

I love Delilah s Dawson so much! This one is a bit different from her past reads but still enjoyed and would recommend.

Delilah Dawson sure can write novellas that pack a PUNCH. I loved Bloom, and this might have even surpassed that?

House of Idyll follows our protagonist, a gal with a dream to make it as a singer/songwriter. Who better to help her on this journey that her childhood hero, Jesper Idyll, lead singer of her favourite band. But as the band members hooks their claws deeper into Angelina, and the drugs kick in harder than ever before, she begins to see more than meets the eye. Is it a cult? Demonic activity? Simply very vivid MDMA??

5/5, I cannot wait to read more from Delilah Dawson, her books are top tier.

I think I will read anything Delilah Dawson writes. This book did not disappoint, cult vibes, and an unhinged rocker fever dream. I read this in a day, it was very good, but I did feel like it ended a bit abruptly. I would have liked a little bit more explanation at the end. Still a great story. Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for this EARC
4 star

My fourth by this author and won’t be my last! This one was so much fun and had me on the edge of my seat. Also one of my favorites by her!

Absolutely another banger from Delilah S. Dawson, there has not been a horror book from her that I’ve read and not enjoyed and House if Idyll is no different! The phrase “good for her” always comes to mind when I’m reading one of her books, sometimes it’s outright female rage, sometimes it’s quietly simmering resentment and in this case it was final girl hell yeah good for her vibes. Loved it.

"From the New York Times bestselling author of Bloom and Guillotine comes a darkly seductive tale of beautiful rock stars, sinister cults, and a magical oasis where dreams come true...for a price.

Angelina Yves is a struggling singer/songwriter offered the chance of a lifetime to join the experimental luxury compound sponsored by the most famous band in the world, Black Idyll. With her every need accommodated, she finally has the time and space to perfect her music. Her muse? Reclusive rock star Jesper Idyll, who lives up to her every high school daydream. But this paradise has a haunted underbelly heralded by screaming horses, mysterious figures in the night, and dreams too twisted to be real. When people start to disappear and Jesper's ex turns up dead and hideously mutilated, Angelina begins to suspect that something malevolent lurks behind the cult that's grown around the band...

A disturbing, decadent and wickedly compelling tale of a Hollywood dream turned nightmare, Delilah S. Dawson's darkly delicious prose will seduce you, tie you up, and never let you go...."

The price is never worth paying. But the price of this book totally is.

This is such an unusual read that I think if it was on the big screen they would have to reincarnate Salvadore Dali to do the dream like sequences that the authors writing portryas.

It is a pacy tale and once I actually got into it I really enjoyed it.

This book isn't for every reader but those who do read will enjoy their reading time..

"Because the world is often ugly, and art can be a spotlight. It exposes what's there, forces it to the surface, makes people look at what they'd rather not see. But even in that ugliness, there is beauty."

Delilah S. Dawson's book is about Angelina Yves. She is a struggling singer/songwriter who is offered the chance of a lifetime to join the experimental luxury compound sponsored by the most famous band in the world, Black Idyll. With all her needs accommodated, she finally has the time and space to perfect her music. Her muse? Reclusive rock star Jesper Idyll, who lives up to her every high school daydream. But all is not what it seems in this paradise. It feels haunted by screaming horses, mysterious figures in the night, and twisted dreams. When people start to disappear and Jesper's ex turns up dead and hideously mutilated, Angelina begins to suspect that something malevolent lurks behind the cult that's grown around the band.

I had read "Bloom" and "Guillotine" by this author both of which I really enjoyed and was excited to see there was a new book coming out.

The premise alone sounded interesting and what this author does well is to write foreboding dread that can be felt intensely. Along with the breadcrumbs as to what is actually happening, the overall atmosphere was well written in creating that tension and mystery.

For me although I enjoy the writing style, the story itself didn't work for me. I wanted to enjoy this book as much as the previous ones but that didn't happen this time round.