Infrasonic: An Extreme Horror Novel

by Aubrey Carvell

“Would you like to make some menace, Wilbur? Our families are dead. The cops are dead. There are hours left of night to set with fire.”

BAD OMEN BOOKS COLLECTIVE presents An Extreme Horror Novella. After a mysterious ringing sound causes the population of Sinai, Illinois to transform into stark-raving-drunken maniacs, one 13-year-old boy, suffering from a concussion at the time of the incident, must cross a town rife with fire, madness, and animalistic debasement with nothing but his wits and a bicycle.

215 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 28, 2025

Reviews

[Sarah ♡ (let’s interact!) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Straight in with pretty much all the trigger warnings you can imagine, Infrasonic certainly packs a punch. I felt sufficiently sick to my stomach. It is a little slow for your average splatter-punk/extreme horror, but was written pretty well.
It’s set up pretty early on what’s going to be the cause of all the carnage, so I felt as though I was sitting back and waiting to see what the mysterious ringing noise will cause in terms of horror for our main character, Wilbur. He is a 13 year boy, with a weird mother who collects creepy Clown dolls, and is being bullied by an older teenager - Gayle. This 19 year old waster is the most detestable character in the book for what he does to a poor cat so early on. The descriptions here truly knocked me sick, I’m not a fan of needlessly cruel animal death in horror, but it was to display just how awful Gayle is. And how much this senselessly cruel act haunts Wilbur into feeling a haunting sense of guilt - why didn’t he stop Gayle?

An ‘extreme’ horror story should not push me further into a reading slump; so for that reason - 2 Stars

[Charlene (Char)🍁☕️📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extreme horror novel best described as graphic, splatterpunk, and explicit. I know what you’re thinking. Nothing happens in Illinois right wrong this book proves that. In Sinai, Illinois there is a sound that turns the town residence into maniac killers.

Wilbur a 13-year-old boy that will embark on his journey to high school and that deals with an overbearing busy body very controlling Mother. His night changes when he must fight against unknown forces and fight for his life.

This book can be best described as a very slow burn, and I love a good slow burn book cause once the action started it was nonstop. Some of the scenes in the book were very explicit and graphic, and for someone who has a very strong stomach I was very squeamish with some of the scenes.
Before I started reading this book there was an alternate ending released to the previous one. After reading them both they are gruesome.

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a slow burn action field full of gore book. This book is very entertaining and I did enjoy the author writing style. This author is a very good storyteller, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

[Lia's Haunted Library · Rating 2 out of 5]

(2.5 rounded down)


Starting off with a warning: a cat dies in a horrible way. Justice for Mercy.

I’ll be honest, I was really drawn to the concept. A mysterious radio frequency that makes people hear “God” (or something else entirely), pushing them into madness? That post-apocalyptic, descent-into-insanity vibe? Absolutely my kind of weird. But sadly, the execution just didn’t work for me.
The story has a lot of moving parts, interesting ones, but they often felt disconnected, like puzzle pieces from different boxes. Some moments seemed added just for shock or buildup but lacked the emotional payoff to make them hit or feel anything for our characters. There’s a lot of detail (maybe to make you care before someone dies or something awful happens), but for me it felt forced, not fluid.

That said, I did like the ending. It was fitting for the tone of the story and tied things up in a way that made sense for this kind of horror.

And here’s the thing: just because it didn’t click for me doesn’t mean it won’t for someone else. I always want to be respectful, especially with extreme horror, because these stories aren't meant for everyone.

This one just wasn’t for me, and that’s okay.

[LX · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75? - 3

Interesting story! a little over the place at points and I found some of the dialogue a little off for a horror.

With it being listed / named as an extreme horror is misleading and it would work better not being associated with it being an extreme horror.

[Cat Voleur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apologies in advance for the vagueness, but I do want the review to be spoiler free.

There is one horror trope that I generally hate. It happens to be a common trigger warning that I ignore for two reasons:

1) It find it lazy and often tasteless, but it doesn't trigger me. (I'm not going to feel unwell or be offended or lose sleep over it. My preference against this is more like any other trope or subgenre preference)
2) In the very limited occasions when I've seen it done well, it has worked because it's been surprising in a way that was emotionally impacftul.

I was very happy to receive an ARC of Infrasonic and the very considerate team at Bad Omen Books reached out to me personally. They let me know to check the trigger warnings and I promptly disregarded that advice. I read the book, it has that trope, I thought it was very overused in the story. I cycled back around to the trigger warnings after I reached the end and sure enough it was listed.

I'm starting out this review with this information not to remind you to read the trigger warnings (although if you are someone who actually gets triggered I highly recommend that you ALWAYS read available trigger warnings, they are there to help people who need them) but to say that this probably just wasn't a book for me. Going in totally blind is how I enjoy stories the most, and I always try to give them that benefit of doubt, even though I could weed out a lot of my least favorite horror trope easily be checking trigger warnings.

I'm also glad that I didn't check trigger warnings. If I had seen that trope listed, and been like "it's probably not for me" I would have missed the parts of the book that DID really work for me.

The book has, in my opinion, some pacing issues. Part of that may be bias because the first 1/4 of the book centers around a trope that I hate. I hated it. But! After the action kicks in the book reaches and sustains an absolute fever pitch for the second half that was truly impressive. I think Carvell found a perfect balance for the description. The disturbing visuals are painted with broad strokes, leaving just enough to the reader's imagination while also keeping the story moving forward.

The core premise wasn't exactly new to me, but it was well-imagined and had its own distinct style that set it apart from other stories with a similar formula.

I liked several of the characters and loved to hate their counterparts. For the most part this felt like real people living in a real town with real histories. I felt a lot of empathy for Wilbur in particular, despite sometimes being quite frustrated with his actions.

For a book that markets itself as "an extreme horror novel" I have to say I was surprised at how slow it starts out. I liked the concept of the more extreme elements having a psychological impact. Most of my favorite "extreme" horror works for me because of how seriously the characters take the upsetting things that happen to them. Unfortunately, the fact that the book is so front-loaded with emotions, exposition, and details that are rushed past in the second half of the book, it made the experience feel more uneven than extreme.

All that being said, there are elements of the book that are going to stick with me. I liked getting to meet some of the characters, there were plenty of striking visuals, and I liked the writing style overall. I'd be happy to read more of Carvell's work, and I can't wait to see what else the press is cooking up.

There aren't a lot of people I know personally that I'd recommend this to, but if you are looking for an extreme horror novel that bridges the gap between silly B-movie extreme and grounded in the emotional horrors of being a sheltered teen extreme, this may be what you're looking for.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the chance to read this ARC!

What a weird little novel - but that's not a bad thing. I think the intention was for it to be weird and unusual. I've not read anything like this.

The scene was really set for us before the horror really jumps in. It's unsettling and heart pounding as we follow a thirteen year old boy try to survive his town turning wild. Madness and zombie like creatures. Death. Lots of death! But overall, what comes across, by the end of it, as a coming of age novel. There were some elements of this book that didn't feel like I was even reading an extreme horror novel, but lots of elements that did. I certainly recommend this to people who'd like to try out the extreme side of the horror genre. For me the best part of this novel was the character development, the setting of the scene and the unique storyline. The intense maniac behaviour in the town was a creepy bonus!

[Melissa Entzminger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept me glued to the pages and on the edge of my seat!! I couldn't put it down! I love the originality of the story. I felt like I was right there with the main character experiencing the hell that he endured. I'm definitely adding this author and this book to my favorites list. It's very well written and I wish I could give it a 4.5 or more...my only reason for not leaving a 5 star rating is that there were some typos but that should not stop anyone else from reading it.

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Milt Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent, if somewhat typical, coming-of-age horror novel, with amazing dialogue, great characterization, and a riveting story to back it up. But what it isn't, is "extreme"; branding as such is a complete misnomer, and will certainly limit the book's audience. That'd be totally unfair, since it's a really good novel, brimming with terrific action scenes, perfectly done psychological displays of shock and trauma, and detailed interactions between a conservative, but loving, mother and her young, occasionally rebellious, son. Especially the latter do awesome work in the novel, both driving the plot forward and providing deep studies of the characters' mindset; this is not easy to do without disrupting the pacing, and the author has pulled it through with great success.

It's unfortunate that the book's been tagged "extreme" - unless you consider zombie fiction "extreme," e.g. The Walking Dead. I don't. Sure, there are a couple of triggering death scenes in the book that could be considered too detailed, and a (single) case of animal harm (which is, however, mostly mentioned rather than shown on the page): but all these cases are so well done (the animal harm case, for example, is described indirectly, as the boy's traumatized mind coming back to it over and over, just the way it should, enhancing the book's realism), the "extreme" aspects so mild (relative to what "extreme horror" actually is!), there's no reason to market the book as "extreme horror" on account of them.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jeff Brodnax · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sinister radio transmission sweeps through Sinai, Illinois, twisting its citizens into monsters. The town descends into chaos, and the question looms: Who will survive the nightmare, and who will perish?

From the very first page, this book had its claws in me. The premise was electrifying—wholly original, unpredictable, and unnerving. I had no idea where the story was going, and just when I thought I had it figured out, it twisted again. It kept me guessing, right up to the final, harrowing moments. Because what do you do when you can’t put a face to evil?

This book is not for the faint of heart. It’s drenched in gore, steeped in body horror, and pulses with an unrelenting sense of dread—exactly the kind of dark, visceral storytelling I crave. And beyond the horror, there’s depth. Despite its fast pace, the novel takes the time to develop its characters, making their struggles and fates hit even harder. By the end, my heart ached for Wilbur. I was desperate for his survival. On the other hand, I burned with hatred for Gayle, a character so wretchedly vile that I found myself wishing for her downfall.

Yet, for all its brilliance, there was one crack in its otherwise flawless surface. The ending. It felt rushed—too neat, too cliché for a story that had been so refreshingly unpredictable. This was the single reason I had to shave off a star, leaving my rating at a solid 4 stars instead of 5.

The cover, however, is nothing short of magnificent. The haunting eyes bore into you, setting the perfect tone for the horrors within. Still, given the nature of the story, perhaps ears would have been the more fitting choice… a minor observation, but one I couldn’t ignore.

One final detail elevated this book even further in my eyes: the author and publisher’s firm stance against A.I. in their creative process. No A.I. in writing, no A.I. in editing, no A.I. in artwork—just pure, raw, human storytelling. It’s a rare commitment these days, and one that deserves recognition. Because of this, I’m adding an extra 0.5 stars, bringing my final rating to 4.5 stars.

So if you're hesitant about picking this up, let me be clear: Read it. It’s short, it’s fast, and it’s unforgettable. You might survive this book, but it won’t let you go unscathed.

[The ARC Bro · Rating 3 out of 5]

BRO vs. INFRASONIC 🥊

🥊 The Book: A mysterious high-pitched ringing drops a small town into full-blown madness—and 13-year-old Wilbur, still foggy from a concussion, is the only one left to ride through it. What follows is part coming-of-age epic and part The Crazies on a Huffy.

⸻

💪 The Bro: Extreme horror? That’s what the label said. So I strapped in expecting a blood-slick rollercoaster through hell. But Infrasonic took its time getting to the station—and when it finally dropped, the screams were a tad quieter than expected.

⸻

🥊 ROUND 1: First Impressions
• First half? Molasses-in-a-meat-grinder. There’s some necessary relationship development. But for a pretty short book, it does take a while to get going.
• Marketed as extreme horror, readers are gonna expect fire and viscera from the jump—not a long warm-up lap.

⸻

🥊 ROUND 2: In the Thick of It
• The second half delivers fire. Chaos. Debasement. You feel the world collapsing, and Wilbur becomes more than just a scared kid—he becomes a survivor.
• There’s one scene with his mother that absolutely lands. Chilling and horrific, it’s the standout moment of the book.
• And the ending? No sunshine. Just the kind of bleak final note that feels true to this story’s trajectory. Gotta respect that.
• But the horror never fully hits the “extreme.” Much of the carnage is inferred or happens in the periphery, which is often effective—but not exactly extreme.

⸻

🥊 ROUND 3: Final Verdict
• Infrasonic feels like The Crazies crossed with a one-man Stand By Me. There’s a lonely, tragic beauty in Wilbur’s ride through madness, and the coming-of-age aspect is handled thoughtfully.
• But the imbalance between the slow first half and the frantic second makes this a tale of two books—one that’s quiet, the other suddenly explosive.
• I really enjoyed parts of this, but an inconsistent pace hampers it through stretches.

⸻

🔥 FINAL BELL: ARC Bro Scorecard 🔥
🥊 Went the Distance – Infrasonic has a killer concept, a strong lead, and some haunting moments. But don’t expect nonstop carnage—it’s for fans of infected-world stories with a slower fuse.

[Books For Decaying Millennials · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
-

"A boy rides his bike through the end of the world.", a simple enough line, found in chapter 10 of Carvell's novel. Simple it may be, but once you reach that point, in chapter 10, this simple line conveys the weight of the world, pressing down on Wilbur's shoulders, the further Wilbur rides into the long night of this tale, the heavier that weight becomes.
There's a fine line that authors of Extreme Horror need to walk. if the story is just a cavalcade of horrors and abuse directed at Wilbur, then it's just torture porn. As Wilbur's odyssey into darkness and human ugliness progressed, I took to mentally tagging this tale as "Wilburs Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Life. Carvell ensures that we have a clear grasp on the ugliness of Wilbur's life, the tragedy and cast of grotesques that populate his days. Will it ensure we feel better as everything falls apart? Perhaps not, but readers will certainly feel some satisfaction along the way.
As I noted before, gruesome acts, abuse and extreme violence can lead to simple torture porn, Infrasonic does not succumb to this. We get to witness a boys growth, in the face of horrors that arise amidst life one might describe as hideous.
Riding along with Wilbur on the back of his trusty bike, Carvell lays out for us a story that calls back to Horror films like Night of The Creeps, Warning Signs, The Brain, The Crazies. A Neon nightmare erupting from Wilbur's small town Illinois life.
I did appreciate the Trigger Warnings at the start of the book, as there were a few animal related instances that I was not in the proper head space for, and had to gloss over. Even those few moments did not detract from the larger narrative, nor did it become a drawn out treatise in cruelty towards the reader. That is the hallmark of a good Extreme Horror story. Carvell's novel is sure to be banger of read for Extreme Horror fans. One that manages to also squeeze your heart, and cause you to cheer when karmic justice is doled out. Last but not least gang, remember to keep your noise canceling headphones on at all times!

[Trevor Ortez · Rating 1 out of 5]

I recently read an advanced copy to review Infrasonic by Aubrey Carvell, and unfortunately, it didn’t land well for me. I always try to go into books with an open mind, especially when they offer something different—but this one left me feeling more frustrated than entertained.

To start on a positive note, I appreciated the trigger warning at the beginning. It’s something more books should do, and I give the author credit for being mindful of readers' comfort.

That said, the story itself felt all over the place. The plot was hard to follow, and there were moments that seemed to be thrown in just for shock or randomness rather than moving the story forward. There was one specific incident that was brought up more than once, and even though I won’t spoil it, I found it really off-putting and unnecessary. It took me out of the story and made it harder to stay connected.

I also didn’t connect with the characters—partly because of their names, which felt odd and distracting, and partly because they just didn’t feel real or grounded. I didn’t care what happened to them, which made it hard to stay invested in the outcome.

There was a lot of detailed description, but most of it focused on things that didn’t seem to matter. I kept hoping it would come together, but it never really did for me.

The idea behind the story was unique, and I did like that it was a short read. But overall, I didn’t enjoy the experience and wouldn’t recommend it. I respect that the author tried something different, but it just wasn’t my kind of horror.

[Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will start of by writing READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS! I did struggle a bit at the start of this one, mainly because there’s animal ab*se mentioned in the story. I normally don’t struggle with extreme novellas but as soon as an animal gets hurt, I feel sick to my stomach…

I felt like the main story started out a bit slow, but I continued reading and I’m glad I did. Because about halfway through the book things really kicked off and the story turned into the type of fast paced, extreme splatter-esk genre I do enjoy reading. I’d probably describe this as an extreme gore / sci-fi-story. Especially the last half of the book gives splatterpunk / zombie apocalypse feels!

The main character’s mam really stuck with me, and she is someone every reader will love to hate. She is the epitome of a Karen mixed with some real mommy dearest feels. And her clown obsession on top of that?! Clown statues, coffee mugs with clowns, a clown egg-timer. Nope. And speaking of things to hate – cousin Gayle.. I think there’s some attempts to make you feel a bit sorry for him, but to me he isn’t even worth all the letters in his name.

Overall I did enjoy this book, the second half more so than the first. Some extra brownie points for all the gory quotes in the story - they're something else! If you’re into unhinged, extreme and bloody apocalyptic books, this could definitely be a novel for you!

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

[Chris Alden · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a mysterious ringing sound causes the population of Sinai, Illinois to transform into stark-raving-drunken maniacs, one 13-year old boy, suffering from a concussion at the time of the incident, must cross a town rife with fire, madness and animalistic debasement with nothing but his wits and a bicycle

So I received this as an ARC and was really looking forward to reading it. There were a few trigger warnings at the start and in the opening few chapters you get to understand why - especially when introduced to Gayle!!

The book then falls away a little and gets a tad lost. A lot of the narrative is around Wilbur and you do get to really understand the character but I found this lasted a little too long.

The 2nd half of the book started to pick up and it was at this point I then couldn’t put the book down. I’m the sort of person that likes to read Splatterpunk/Horror that is fast paced and full of action (which is why I struggled with the first half of the book).

As we get to hear more about the ‘Signaldrunks’ the book gets darker culminating in a great final few chapters.

A good book for those getting into extreme horror but for hardcore fans in may be a little too tame.

3⭐️

[Nelli Lakatos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cover immediately drew me in when I first saw it, especially as it's an extreme horror novel! I couldn't have asked for more it's literally my favorite thing ever.

Some parts pulled me in like I was inside the story. It was brutal and dark exactly how I like it. There were definitely some aspects of this novel that I haven't enjoyed but for the most part it was a chilling read.

I need to be honest I didn't understood the ending of the book, the very last page was confusing. Other than that it was a great read that I had a wonderful time with.

Definitely check the trigger warnings before picking up this novel!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

✨ 𝐌𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ✨

"𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢. 𝙸𝚜 𝚒𝚝? 𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚊 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚗𝚘𝚠. 𝙰 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝. 𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚝. 𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚘𝚘. 𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚋𝚎𝚍. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚠𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚠𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙𝚎𝚍."

"𝙸𝚏 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚋𝚞𝚛, 𝚒𝚏 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚖 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖. 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚎. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚖 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜."

[Jessica Stueber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Infrasonic: An Extreme Horror Novel
By Aubrey Carvell
Bad Omen Books
4⭐️

🔘Thriller/Suspense
🔘Horror
🔘Splatterpunk

Sanai, Illinois… starts out as a very “normal” or boring town which slowly progresses into a maniacal scene. A strange infrasonic noise emits from a secret lab which completely changes the people of the town. Without giving away too much of this plot, the characters slowly entrance you into their crazy world, as seen through the eyes of a 13 year-old boy.

This book was a very, very slow burn. Once the action begins, it becomes very entertaining. My only criticism would be that the ending was lacking something. It builds you up with the horror and gore and then just ends. I kind of wish the end had been longer. I truly enjoyed this easy to read novel!

Thank you to Book Sirens and Bad Omen Books for providing me an advanced e-book copy in exchange for my honest review.

Tropes:
🔪 Violence
☠️ Death
🩸Splatterpunk
🪫Supernatural Elements

[Amber Cassady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hooked me early with its vivid, grotesque imagery and twisted sense of humor. The town’s descent into depravity was as fascinating as it was horrifying—every character becoming the absolute worst version of themselves. One scene that still makes my skin crawl? A mother trying to shove her son back into her womb. Whole… or in pieces.

Wilbur's character growth was such a bright spot—I loved seeing him go from timid to resilient. I was genuinely rooting for him. Gayle, on the other hand, started off awful and somehow ended up even worse. He was the perfect final villain, and that’s saying a lot considering how monstrous everyone became.

The action and tension never let up, and by the end, it hit like a gut punch. Sad, intense, and completely unforgettable. I didn’t want it to end.

[Megan Magee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fraught with tension and chock full of 90's vibes! Being an extreme horror, of course I expected grotesquery in epic proportions- however, the animal cruelty in this one was far too much for me. The way it was dwelled upon over and over really took me out of the story- I just feel like the extent of the abuse inflicted upon an innocent cat was understood the first time we read about it, yet it's brought up so many times and with such levity it just felt excessive for shock value alone. I appreciated the plot here and that an extreme horror was capable of such a genuinely thought out backstory- definitely the highlight of this one for me. I received an advance copy of this one for free, and I voluntarily leave this honest review. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.

[Rainbeaux Harvest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you like roller-coasters? Well, this feels like a coaster ride, unfortunately, with a slow dragging start. We follow Wilbur as he tries to escape the hell he is left in. Everywhere he turns, there's chaos and death. At 13, he sees things only those who've been in war have seen. The story started off medium paced, then dragged on for a while. When it picked up, it was page turning action and left me on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, the ending did not sit right with me. It seemed off and as though the author needed to find an ending quickly.

[D.J. McDowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before even finishing this novel, I was utterly BLOWN AWAY in how it completely shattered my expectations for an extreme horror novel. Yes, the extreme horror aspects of it were disgusting and descriptive, but what really pulled me in was the action and adventure of the story. The main character is endearing, certain lines gave me chills in terms of their epic delivery, and there were sections of the story that I could not for the life of me stop reading because I NEEDED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! If you’re looking for a story that is as scary as it is epic, THIS IS IT!

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

An extreme horror novel/splatterpunk-esque book that I most certainly enjoyed. It was a little slow for my taste, but I might be desensitized because of the number of splatterpunk & extreme horrors I've read. The animal abuse scene was a tough one, but very well written.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. It did have too many grammar & spelling errors in my opinion, as well as some missing words and sentence structure issues. Content-wise, however, it was a good read.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a normal read for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love that the character development was done throughout the book instead of dedicated descriptions. The events in The town are a great concept, and I do have to say, was pleased with Wilbur. Will be adding a hard copy to my shelf. Give it a read, I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

Full disclosure this was an ARC, so I didn’t pay for it. My opinion is just that, read and reviewed of my own accord.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was just WOW. Imagine Chernobyl, but instead of a nuclear power plant it’s a radio factory experimenting with different frequencies of sound. The town of Sinai, Illinois will never be the same after a sound experiment gone wrong, causing a high-grade fever in most of the citizens that more or less fries their brains to the point of actual insanity.

Living in a small town in Illinois myself, the story hits different when it feels so close to home. Poor Wilbur, at only 13, just wants to have some normal fun. His older cousin, Gayle, has other plans for the remainder of their summer. He wants to simply blow sh!t up—whether it has a heart beat or not. (Definitely check the trigger warnings if you’re a more sensitive reader)

The cover advertises this as an extreme horror novel, but I didn’t find it to be quite as extreme as it was entailing. This would be a great book to start with for those who have not taken the deep dive into the genre yet!

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

[Aeroreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you enjoy Cell by Stephen King? If so, here’s your next read. Infrasonic by Aubrey Carvell has very similar vibes but is its own story.

I picked up this arc without knowing anything about it and loved it. I was rewarded with a great mix of nostalgia, teenage angst and a beautiful variety of characters. If you enjoy stories about society as we know it ending, this one is for you.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent, somewhat original debut novel. This is a dark story mixed with coming of age. The antagonist is horrifying but also feels very real. It hits on many levels, but mostly sad, as the main character has nobody but himself to survive. I’m excited to see what direction the author goes next.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Aubrey Carvell and I was absolutely blown away!

We follow a thirteen year old boy, who is very innocent that loves his mother, is forced into this extreme coming of an age story about a mysterious sound that is driving everybody insane.

I don't even know where to begin, this was such a fantastic book! There is a lot of build up, but once all the serious stuff starts, it does NOT let up! I didn't mind at all about the slow start, because I loved our main characters and the dialogue and chemistry between them. You truly feel what our main character is feeling and the polar opposite of his persona in the end is incredible writing! OF course, there is always that one individual that you absolutely hate, and ones that you absolutely love!

The whole tale is addicting from beginning to end, but halfway through, you won't be able to put the book down! The mystery of what's going on questions you all the way, and the brutality and violence is downright insane and wild!

I've always been a fan of stories about mass towns or cities that are driven to insanity because of a strange entity or a mysterious reason, and this one might be one of the best!

Please don't pass up on this one, it's truly a magnificent book and will please any Extreme Horror fan out there!

4/5

I received this book from BookSirens, and I am more than proud to review this book for them and Aubrey Carvell!

[Jim Holscher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one! Excellent character work with an interesting premise! Check it out!! Thank you so much to Book Siren’s for the arc of this book!! I will read more from this author for sure!!