Talk about a memorable title! I’m sure most people had someone come to mind almost instantly.
Thanks to Run For It and Orbit Books for the gifted copy
MY EX, THE ANTICHRIST – Craig DiLouie (Released July 1st, 2025)
Book Description:
From rising star of horror Craig DiLouie comes a twisted tale of love, heartbreak, and the apocalypse. We all have bad exes. Lily Lawlor’s just happens to be the Antichrist.
1998: Lily Lawlor and Drake Morgan form a punk band. Drake inspires faith in some. Fear in others. Lily is a believer.
2010: At the height of her stardom, Lily walks into a police station and confesses to a murder.
Now: The band has refused to talk to the press about their riotous past, Lily’s confession, or anything else. It’s been over a decade, but Lily has finally agreed to an interview. And the band is following her lead.
What follows is a story of prophecy, death, and apocalypse. A story about love found and love lost. A story about the antichrist. Maybe it’s all true. Maybe none if it is.
Either way, this is their story. And they’re sticking to it.
My Thoughts: 4/5 stars
Did you like Daisy Jones and the Six but wanted something a little more punk rock? Something bloody and campy? Are you a fan of 90s punk music? Late 90’s and early 00’s nostalgia? If you said yes to any of these or all of them, then you’ll like this book for more than just its title.
Lily lived a sheltered life growing up in a strict Catholic household. She’s now in college, living a boring life, but her real love is music. She crosses paths with Drake, a cute and mysterious man who offers her freedom and helps her live her dream. They recruit Ramona, Malcolm, and Eric, and in 1998, The Shivers is born. We get to see their humble beginnings and their rise to success. The strange part is that the audiences seem to go under a trance when they play, especially during Drake’s guitar solos. We’re talking about fights, blood, and violence. The goal is to qualify for Armageddon – the ultimate battle of the bands.
In 1999, they were able to compete in Armageddon, and oh boy. Some horrific things happen there, and no one has ever truly talked about the events and how things unfolded. After a decade of success, it all comes crashing down when Lily walks into a police station to confess to murder, but she and the remaining band members won’t speak to the press. Now, in the present day, they are all ready to sit down and tell their stories about what really happened and who Drake truly was.
I love this style of storytelling. Through interviews and transcripts to tell the story and get all of the POV’s of those who lived through it. Everyone fills in the gaps that others didn’t experience, and it makes you feel like you’re watching a documentary. I also loved the increasing tension with each performance. Things got bloodier, more violent, and more intense. This helped build up to Armageddon, and you were almost flinching at the thought of what could be coming next.
There was a good balance between the gory and bloody parts and the campy fun. Needless to say, I had a lot of fun with this book.
Jessicamap Reviews 