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Rare
Some songs aren’t meant to exist.
When sixteen-year-old Emma receives a mysterious Beatles record—a cover of The Girl Can’t Help It, a song they never recorded, her life changes in ways she never imagined. Grieving her grandmother’s death and lost in the heavy fog of depression, Emma doesn’t expect much from the strange package. But the moment the needle drops, magic ripples through the world.
Angels shiver. Dragons stir in their hoards. Vampires feel an ancient hunger awaken. The song calls to them all, and it calls to Emma too. For the first time since her grandmother’s death, Emma feels something spark inside hope. But magic has a price, and the Dark has heard the song as well.
To protect the record, Emma must venture into the Hidden States of America—a surreal, shadowed version of the country where myth and reality blur. It’s a country shaped by the stories we tell and the secrets we keep, where ordinary towns hide extraordinary truths.
As Emma struggles to carry the song to where it belongs, she’ll have to confront her grief, face her deepest fears, and discover if she has the strength to resist the pull of the Dark.
From Patrick de Moss, the acclaimed author of Kings of Nowhere, comes a darkly magical tale of loss, courage, and the power of music to heal even the deepest wounds. This is a story that explores the fragile beauty of hope and the strength it takes to face the shadows.
Rare is a spellbinding modern fable. Every note of the song of this story echoes with both wonder and danger. Some songs can change the world. Some songs can change you.
When sixteen-year-old Emma receives a mysterious Beatles record—a cover of The Girl Can’t Help It, a song they never recorded, her life changes in ways she never imagined. Grieving her grandmother’s death and lost in the heavy fog of depression, Emma doesn’t expect much from the strange package. But the moment the needle drops, magic ripples through the world.
Angels shiver. Dragons stir in their hoards. Vampires feel an ancient hunger awaken. The song calls to them all, and it calls to Emma too. For the first time since her grandmother’s death, Emma feels something spark inside hope. But magic has a price, and the Dark has heard the song as well.
To protect the record, Emma must venture into the Hidden States of America—a surreal, shadowed version of the country where myth and reality blur. It’s a country shaped by the stories we tell and the secrets we keep, where ordinary towns hide extraordinary truths.
As Emma struggles to carry the song to where it belongs, she’ll have to confront her grief, face her deepest fears, and discover if she has the strength to resist the pull of the Dark.
From Patrick de Moss, the acclaimed author of Kings of Nowhere, comes a darkly magical tale of loss, courage, and the power of music to heal even the deepest wounds. This is a story that explores the fragile beauty of hope and the strength it takes to face the shadows.
Rare is a spellbinding modern fable. Every note of the song of this story echoes with both wonder and danger. Some songs can change the world. Some songs can change you.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2025
72 people want to read
About the author
Patrick de Moss
9 books18 followersBorn in Nova Scotia, and having held a number of very odd jobs, from gravedigger to hotline psychic, he now lives and works in St. John's, Newfoundland.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 28, 2025
Rare by Patrick De Moss is a book that involves Emma our FMC who is a young woman who has just recently lost her grandmother. Emma is 16 years old. She now sees a black car and is starting to become very depressed in general for her life. One day she gets a mysterious box with a never before seen Beatles record inside with a song that has never been heard. And the song when played starts to do very unusual things in the world, and the song calls to them as it calls to Emma.
This was a fantastic read! I loved the premise of the Beatles being involved in the story as they are my favorite band ever:) I loved Emma as a character, she was very relatable. It can be hard when you loose someone as a young person or older person. This is a very important message for readers and trying to figure out what to do afterwards is always hard:) I loved this book and the story was super engaging to find out more about the song and what happens in the world with the song and why. My favorite part of the book was the ending and what the record 'said'. You have to read this book!
This was a fantastic read! I loved the premise of the Beatles being involved in the story as they are my favorite band ever:) I loved Emma as a character, she was very relatable. It can be hard when you loose someone as a young person or older person. This is a very important message for readers and trying to figure out what to do afterwards is always hard:) I loved this book and the story was super engaging to find out more about the song and what happens in the world with the song and why. My favorite part of the book was the ending and what the record 'said'. You have to read this book!
April 24, 2025
This book draws you in with a literary fiction lilt, then grabs you tight and takes you on a wild ride you won't want to get off. This was beautiful, dark, poignant, and thrilling, all rolled into one. My heart really went out to Emma, her grief, how shut inside herself she was, the massive upheaval her life goes through after her grandma's death. I could feel her pain just pour off the page, and even though you know from the blurb the record isn't really all good news, you can't help but feel your heart lift a bit for her when it arrives and sparks hope in her heart. From there, you're taken on a thrilling ride that will take you through highs and lows and perilous situations. I loved the shadow version of America, it was so well done. The way healing and pain are interwoven is masterful, and the power of music is a strong theme throughout. Cannot recommend enough for anyone who enjoys thrillers or literary fiction!
May 3, 2025
Some songs aren’t meant to exist… but this one? Absolutely belongs on your TBR.
Rare by Patrick de Moss gives vinyl-fueled supernatural chaos. A mysterious Beatles record shows up (that never existed), and suddenly dragons stir, angels take notice, and the Dark starts paying a little too much attention.
If you love thrillers with a supernatural twist, heavy themes balanced by hope, and a girl vs. the darkness arc, this one’s for you. It’s eerie, emotional, and spellbinding — a story about grief, magic, and the songs that change everything. Emma’s journey into the shadowed Hidden States of America is filled with danger, hope, and the kind of quiet strength that sneaks up on you.
Think Stranger Things meets magical realism with a side of dragons, angels, and cursed records. Add it to your TBR if you love:
grief + magic
myth-meets-modern fantasy
music as a form of power
a girl with everything to lose
Rare by Patrick de Moss gives vinyl-fueled supernatural chaos. A mysterious Beatles record shows up (that never existed), and suddenly dragons stir, angels take notice, and the Dark starts paying a little too much attention.
If you love thrillers with a supernatural twist, heavy themes balanced by hope, and a girl vs. the darkness arc, this one’s for you. It’s eerie, emotional, and spellbinding — a story about grief, magic, and the songs that change everything. Emma’s journey into the shadowed Hidden States of America is filled with danger, hope, and the kind of quiet strength that sneaks up on you.
Think Stranger Things meets magical realism with a side of dragons, angels, and cursed records. Add it to your TBR if you love:
grief + magic
myth-meets-modern fantasy
music as a form of power
a girl with everything to lose
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews