Maeve Fly – C.J. Leede

Happy release day!

Thanks to Tor Nightfire for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review

MAEVE FLY – C.J. Leede (Released June 6th, 2023)

Book Description:

By day, Maeve Fly works at the happiest place in the world as every child’s favorite ice princess.

By the neon night glow of the Sunset Strip, Maeve haunts the dive bars with a drink in one hand and a book in the other, imitating her misanthropic literary heroes.

But when Gideon Green – her best friend’s brother – moves to town, he awakens something dangerous within her, and the world she knows suddenly shifts beneath her feet.

Untethered, Maeve ditches her discontented act and tries on a new persona. A bolder, bloodier one, inspired by the pages of American Psycho. Step aside Patrick Bateman, it’s Maeve’s turn with the knife.

My Thoughts: 5/5 stars

This is one of those little horror novels that pack a punch and make you question yourself after realizing you loved it. MAEVE FLY is an incredible debut novel from C.J. Leede and while I want to go into all the details, I’m worried I’ll spoil something. Maeve Fly is quite the fun headspace to occupy. By day, she’s everyone’s favorite Ice Queen from a very popular Disney film at the amusement park, by night? She’s always observing and judging those around her on the Sunset Strip.

Her grandmother is old Hollywood royalty and she realized immediately that they were more alike than they led on, and so a strong bond grew between them. Her best friend, Kate, plays her sister character at the same park and they are inseparable. Things are changing though – with her grandmother sick and Kate getting more opportunities in her acting career – Maeve has the crushing realization that she will be alone in the next couple years. Cue Gideon. Kate’s hockey player brother, moves to town. He awakens the wolf she knew she had to keep quiet inside herself and she really lets go.

The synopsis isn’t kidding when it says there is inspiration from American Psycho (a personal favorite) – those parts of the book were perfect. I think Patrick Bateman could take a few notes from Maeve. Those last 50 pages were one hell of a bloody and graphic ride and I loved every word of it. Gideon was her perfect match and that ending! I read this book in a day and couldn’t put it down once I started. Now, the wait begins for Leede’s next release!