This YA horror novel tells the story of what happens when a religious cult takes over the world and unleashes a deadly disease in the name of ‘God’. Benji, a transgender boy who once lived underneath ‘The Angels’ rule, escapes and manages to team up with The Watch, a group of LGBTQ+ misfits who make it their mission to destroy the Angels. Benji tries to live a ‘normal’ life inside the Watch, but he has a secret that may put everyone around him at risk. Benji will have to decide what to do because this secret is trying to tear him from the inside out, and fast.

I loved this book. I think the representation the author put into the book was so well executed and every LGBTQ+ character was very unique and just so real. The topic of gender identity that this book brings up is so important, especially for those who are still figuring it out. I loved every character and I want to be friends with MOST of them. They go through a lot and you tend to forget that they are just young people trying to figure themselves out in the midst of the end of the world.

The dystopian future that this book portrays is actually very scary because it seems so near to us. While this book is completely fiction, the idea of a cult overthrowing the world and exterminating people is something we can all easily imagine for our futures. The slights at today’s society were funny and I think it added something relatable, we are all so done with BS living in pandemic times and it was nice to see without going overboard and creeping into cringey.

There were some scenes that were a little unclear, especially near the end. I found myself re-reading a lot of the ending because I thought I had missed something, but it was just confusing writing. This book also seems a little too dark for YA readers despite the characters being YA, they experience some gruesome stuff.


Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.