What do you think?
Rate this book
A God in the Shed #2
Song of the Sandman
After a terrible mass shooting at Cicero’s Circus, the evil presence responsible for the carnage is taken in by a doomsday cult lying in wait for such an opportunity.
The village struggles to get back to normal in the aftermath of the shooting. The massacre was the final straw for many inhabitants, triggering a mass exodus. Families left their homes without looking back, not even to find out what could have caused such a tragedy. However, to those who know the truth―that a malevolent god unleashed its wrath upon the village―it’s only a matter of time before events repeat themselves.
Venus McKenzie ventures deeper into the pit of secrets left in death’s wake, praying that what she’ll find will help her against the dark forces she couldn’t defeat before.
The village struggles to get back to normal in the aftermath of the shooting. The massacre was the final straw for many inhabitants, triggering a mass exodus. Families left their homes without looking back, not even to find out what could have caused such a tragedy. However, to those who know the truth―that a malevolent god unleashed its wrath upon the village―it’s only a matter of time before events repeat themselves.
Venus McKenzie ventures deeper into the pit of secrets left in death’s wake, praying that what she’ll find will help her against the dark forces she couldn’t defeat before.
376 pages, Paperback
Published October 19, 2021
115 people are currently reading
4307 people want to read
About the author
J.-F. Dubeau
8 books432 followersI love stories. I love consuming them and telling them. Whether as books or comics or movies or interactive role playing games or even on stage doing improv, I just love stories.
I currently work as a graphic designer where I get to tell other people's stories in images and brands. In my spare time I write and illustrate a web comic called The Eldritch Age.
I have a fascination for science, both as it is right now and for the possibilities it opens up in the technological sense but also the philosophical one.
This is where the ideas for my books come from; the clash of thought and science and where, in the long run, it can lead us as a species.
I currently work as a graphic designer where I get to tell other people's stories in images and brands. In my spare time I write and illustrate a web comic called The Eldritch Age.
I have a fascination for science, both as it is right now and for the possibilities it opens up in the technological sense but also the philosophical one.
This is where the ideas for my books come from; the clash of thought and science and where, in the long run, it can lead us as a species.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
November 30, 2023
My thanks to Inkshares, J.F. Dubaeu, and Netgalley. One of my very favorite books from a few years ago was A God In A Shed. That story was not just weird as ****. It stuck in my head for a few years! Was I excited to see this next book out? Dude! You have no idea! Did I love it? Yeah. That's with a few grunts about it too. People have changed, but will they revert back! Hmm? Curious! Yes, unfortunately this is a trilogy. I thought it would be fine with in this second story. Oops. I loved this second book, but if it's not finished in round 3, then I quit. I'm too old to keep rereading older stories. Especially when I have new books to move on to.
February 21, 2022
Back in 2019, I read the truly stunning ‘A God in the Shed’ by J.-F. Dubeau. It was a novel about a small town with a horrible past and a secret that they wanted to keep hidden from everyone else. That secret gets exposed and terrible events occur once discovered.
One constant thing I heard about the book was the ending didn’t do it for people (and to be fair this is a very common criticism about 99% of stories). So, I took it with a grain of salt and boy, did I love the ending. BUT. And this is something even Dubeau has stated – because it wasn’t made explicitly clear that was book one of a trilogy, some people found the ending to be too open ended, too many loose ends not tied up.
Now, I ask a question to you? As someone who spends a lot of time in the online dark fiction communities, I somehow didn’t even know this was out. Did you know the sequel was out?
I was so excited to find out it was out, so I snagged a copy for my Kindle and dove in.
What I liked: I’ll do my best to remain as vague as possible here, because this is a sequel and I don’t want to potentially spoil anything from how book one ended or what happens in here. But, the book picks up after the events of ‘A God in the Shed.’ We are reunited with the characters that survived and from that we learn more and more about the Sandmen Cult and how some have a direct link to those within.
Dubeau does a great job of leading us from those events in book one through the events that will ultimately set up book three. There’s a ton of action, some really dark, dark moments and it was great reconnecting with these characters and seeing how they’ve been scarred from book one and how they’re now trying to continue on.
The ending here was phenomenal – but, and I will add this here – there are a number of things not tied up and finished – as this is just the second part of this trilogy.
The epilogue was just fantastic and really worked into the magic that has been discussed and has been growing throughout the first two books. It was a great way to end this one.
What I didn’t like: Book one had a lot of characters, and as it’s been almost exactly three years since I read book one, going into book two, there were a number of them that I had completely forgotten about, so it did take me a minute to get back into the ‘why’s’ of their motives. This book might be better to be read as close to finishing book one as you can.
Why you should buy this: This was a really well done sequel that definitely sets the stage for an explosive finale. The characters are great and the god is such a fantastic creation, I love seeing how it twists and uses these characters as it sees fit.
Definitely a solid sequel and now, I personally, can’t wait to see how Dubeau wraps this one up!
One constant thing I heard about the book was the ending didn’t do it for people (and to be fair this is a very common criticism about 99% of stories). So, I took it with a grain of salt and boy, did I love the ending. BUT. And this is something even Dubeau has stated – because it wasn’t made explicitly clear that was book one of a trilogy, some people found the ending to be too open ended, too many loose ends not tied up.
Now, I ask a question to you? As someone who spends a lot of time in the online dark fiction communities, I somehow didn’t even know this was out. Did you know the sequel was out?
I was so excited to find out it was out, so I snagged a copy for my Kindle and dove in.
What I liked: I’ll do my best to remain as vague as possible here, because this is a sequel and I don’t want to potentially spoil anything from how book one ended or what happens in here. But, the book picks up after the events of ‘A God in the Shed.’ We are reunited with the characters that survived and from that we learn more and more about the Sandmen Cult and how some have a direct link to those within.
Dubeau does a great job of leading us from those events in book one through the events that will ultimately set up book three. There’s a ton of action, some really dark, dark moments and it was great reconnecting with these characters and seeing how they’ve been scarred from book one and how they’re now trying to continue on.
The ending here was phenomenal – but, and I will add this here – there are a number of things not tied up and finished – as this is just the second part of this trilogy.
The epilogue was just fantastic and really worked into the magic that has been discussed and has been growing throughout the first two books. It was a great way to end this one.
What I didn’t like: Book one had a lot of characters, and as it’s been almost exactly three years since I read book one, going into book two, there were a number of them that I had completely forgotten about, so it did take me a minute to get back into the ‘why’s’ of their motives. This book might be better to be read as close to finishing book one as you can.
Why you should buy this: This was a really well done sequel that definitely sets the stage for an explosive finale. The characters are great and the god is such a fantastic creation, I love seeing how it twists and uses these characters as it sees fit.
Definitely a solid sequel and now, I personally, can’t wait to see how Dubeau wraps this one up!
December 27, 2020
Special thanks to Netgalley, Inkshares, and J-F. Dubeau for the advanced copy of this book!!
I love this series! The first book immediately sucked me into a creepy yet intoxicating story that I just could not put down. Song of the Sandman, the second book of this series, does exactly the same! I could not put this book down, and once I finished it I was almost saddened it was over. However I cannot wait for the third book! I heard this is supposed to be a trilogy and I am hungry for the final installment!
This book does a great job of answering a lot of the questions and cliffhangers left from the first book. The writing style is easy flowing and vibrant. It is a horror book, so there is gore, but wow Dubeau does a wonderful job describing nasty, gorey stuff with such perfection! The story is told by many different points of view, keeping tabs on some of the characters from the first book, as well as introducing some new ones. Seeing events from different perspectives helps to give the story another level or richness it would not gain if only told by one narrator.
I really enjoyed this book and would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone looking for a story that is creepy but also full of twists and turns. Again, this is the SECOND BOOK of the series, so make sure to read A God in the Shed first! You will NOT be disappointed!
I love this series! The first book immediately sucked me into a creepy yet intoxicating story that I just could not put down. Song of the Sandman, the second book of this series, does exactly the same! I could not put this book down, and once I finished it I was almost saddened it was over. However I cannot wait for the third book! I heard this is supposed to be a trilogy and I am hungry for the final installment!
This book does a great job of answering a lot of the questions and cliffhangers left from the first book. The writing style is easy flowing and vibrant. It is a horror book, so there is gore, but wow Dubeau does a wonderful job describing nasty, gorey stuff with such perfection! The story is told by many different points of view, keeping tabs on some of the characters from the first book, as well as introducing some new ones. Seeing events from different perspectives helps to give the story another level or richness it would not gain if only told by one narrator.
I really enjoyed this book and would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone looking for a story that is creepy but also full of twists and turns. Again, this is the SECOND BOOK of the series, so make sure to read A God in the Shed first! You will NOT be disappointed!
March 22, 2024
Disappointed is an understatement. I really, really enjoyed A God in the Shed and was SO looking forward to this sequel but it fell completely flat for me. So much of it was underwhelming. The characters were just so dumb I found it infuriating. And it dragged on so needlessly (until the last third when I thought it might redeem itself but yeah, not so much) and the ending just left me even more annoyed because it’s Still. Not. Over. Ugh! I don’t think I’m invested enough after this one to care what happens next.
June 13, 2021
Thank you Inkshares and NetGalley for the ARC copy.
I have been waiting 3 years for this sequel! God In A Shed (1st book) has stuck with me all this time. I think about that book on a at least monthly basis. It's a story I compare all other similar concepts to. And none have done it better (aka "The Shed" a movie that is on Shudder)
When I saw the sequel was coming out and it was on NetGalley, I quite literally screamed.
Song Of The Sandman picks up 2 months after the events of the circus. It had been a bit since I read the 1st book but I was able to get up to speed quickly and dive into the story.
"The worst part about the worst things is that it can happen to anybody." The first lines of this book had me giddy. I knew just by the first paragraph it was going to be good.
The gore and horror had me fully engrossed. The characters are so easy to root for and you only want the answers to the onslaught of questions.
The only reason it wasn't a 5 is because I wanted a bit more lore building regarding the god. There are small hints at other gods and the original group finding something but it doesn't go as far as I was expecting.
I want book 3 but I don't want to wait another 3 years! Give it to me now!
I envy those who get to read the first book and jump directly into this one.
This series has so much I love. Characters you care for, glorious bloody destruction and a villain you crave to see win it all.
Plenty of fun twists and a ending I'm still grappling with.
Read "A God In A Shed" just before you get this book in October and delight in the carnage and many uses and descriptions of bodily fluids.
I have been waiting 3 years for this sequel! God In A Shed (1st book) has stuck with me all this time. I think about that book on a at least monthly basis. It's a story I compare all other similar concepts to. And none have done it better (aka "The Shed" a movie that is on Shudder)
When I saw the sequel was coming out and it was on NetGalley, I quite literally screamed.
Song Of The Sandman picks up 2 months after the events of the circus. It had been a bit since I read the 1st book but I was able to get up to speed quickly and dive into the story.
"The worst part about the worst things is that it can happen to anybody." The first lines of this book had me giddy. I knew just by the first paragraph it was going to be good.
The gore and horror had me fully engrossed. The characters are so easy to root for and you only want the answers to the onslaught of questions.
The only reason it wasn't a 5 is because I wanted a bit more lore building regarding the god. There are small hints at other gods and the original group finding something but it doesn't go as far as I was expecting.
I want book 3 but I don't want to wait another 3 years! Give it to me now!
I envy those who get to read the first book and jump directly into this one.
This series has so much I love. Characters you care for, glorious bloody destruction and a villain you crave to see win it all.
Plenty of fun twists and a ending I'm still grappling with.
Read "A God In A Shed" just before you get this book in October and delight in the carnage and many uses and descriptions of bodily fluids.
May 30, 2024
I NEED MORE!!! 😍
September 25, 2023
To say I’m frustrated is an understatement… I thought this was the final book but it turns out I’m so so wrong.
The sequel to God in the Shed starts off, pardon my French, absolutely fucking boring. Honestly, I had thoughts of giving it up multiple times but my bird brain had to finish it.
The silver lining is that it picks up majorly in the last third of the book, probably around page 200. While I don’t believe that’s fair or worth sticking it out, the ending was damn good.
What I love so much is the imagery of these books and with much hesitation I will be purchasing the third book when it’s released. I just hope the pacing gets better.
My favorite character just so happened to remind me of my younger brother and the fact that Abe is killed off brought genuine tears to my eyes. I feel as though Abe is a representation of not succumbing to the pressure of “badness”. Abe was the epitome of “goodness” and his character was a shining light in the whole entirety of this book.
Daniel is absolutely the dumbest character in this book, I will not explain because there’s simply to much bullshit to sift through.
I truly feel terrible for Venus at the end of this book. In a way she directly contrasts Abe. While both are “good” they differ in how they reacted under the pressure of the ever looming evil. Venus tries to do what is right but ends up getting lost in the thick of it. She’s a realistic interpretation of trying to be so morally good that you become the exact opposite. I love her flaws, it makes her relatable and most often times people become Venus rather than Abe.
Lastly, Francis is definitely an interesting character concept that brings absolutely nothing to the table. He’s just a chess piece that thinks he understands the game. Maybe I’m wrong, I’m probably wrong but he just feels a little pointless in the story.
The sequel to God in the Shed starts off, pardon my French, absolutely fucking boring. Honestly, I had thoughts of giving it up multiple times but my bird brain had to finish it.
The silver lining is that it picks up majorly in the last third of the book, probably around page 200. While I don’t believe that’s fair or worth sticking it out, the ending was damn good.
What I love so much is the imagery of these books and with much hesitation I will be purchasing the third book when it’s released. I just hope the pacing gets better.
My favorite character just so happened to remind me of my younger brother and the fact that Abe is killed off brought genuine tears to my eyes. I feel as though Abe is a representation of not succumbing to the pressure of “badness”. Abe was the epitome of “goodness” and his character was a shining light in the whole entirety of this book.
Daniel is absolutely the dumbest character in this book, I will not explain because there’s simply to much bullshit to sift through.
I truly feel terrible for Venus at the end of this book. In a way she directly contrasts Abe. While both are “good” they differ in how they reacted under the pressure of the ever looming evil. Venus tries to do what is right but ends up getting lost in the thick of it. She’s a realistic interpretation of trying to be so morally good that you become the exact opposite. I love her flaws, it makes her relatable and most often times people become Venus rather than Abe.
Lastly, Francis is definitely an interesting character concept that brings absolutely nothing to the table. He’s just a chess piece that thinks he understands the game. Maybe I’m wrong, I’m probably wrong but he just feels a little pointless in the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2025
this series has absolutely kept me on the edge of my seat, craving more and more. just when you think things are getting figured out, there’s a twist of the knife and you’re left wondering what’s next. it’s so easy to connect to the characters, and i can only hope there’s a third book coming at some point to continue on this absolutely stunner of a series.
June 14, 2025
This book made me cry in the end. Though most of the book, I felt the second book curse, where it is just building for the next book. It was nice to get to know a few more characters in depth, though, and see how they were dealing with the actions of the first book. As the book progressed Though I saw more and more the worst of humanity. I can see why the god is angry and hateful. I can not wait for the next book in this series to come out. I just hope there is some semblance of a happy ending in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2023
Song of the Sandman is the second book in the 'A God in the Shed' series. So of course I ordered it, used online, the moment I finished God / Shed because I didn't want to waste any time in between... my memory isn't what it used to be and if I read too many books in between these, I knew I'd forget half of what happened and would feel compelled to reread the first book again to make sure I clearly remember everything that happened before cracking open the new one and who the hell has time for that when your TBR pile is longer than the days you might have left on this planet? Huh? Tell me. Who?
But guess what? Now I'm done reading Song/ Sandman and just fml because the third book isn't even ANNOUNCED yet so with my luck it could be YEARS before I can finish this thing and now I'm sad. Because the second book was JUST AS GOOD as the first. JF Dubeau isn't messing around, and I'm hooked!
The god is no longer in the shed, and the two cults are still killing one another trying to get their hands on it, for two completely different reasons, while Venus and the gang, still battling their own demons and licking their initial wounds, are searching for a way to kill it once and for all.
There are just as many deaths, just as many wtf moments, and just as much blood and gore. I can't wait to see where he takes the god of death and hate next.
But guess what? Now I'm done reading Song/ Sandman and just fml because the third book isn't even ANNOUNCED yet so with my luck it could be YEARS before I can finish this thing and now I'm sad. Because the second book was JUST AS GOOD as the first. JF Dubeau isn't messing around, and I'm hooked!
The god is no longer in the shed, and the two cults are still killing one another trying to get their hands on it, for two completely different reasons, while Venus and the gang, still battling their own demons and licking their initial wounds, are searching for a way to kill it once and for all.
There are just as many deaths, just as many wtf moments, and just as much blood and gore. I can't wait to see where he takes the god of death and hate next.
August 16, 2021
3.5 stars
Did the first book leave you hanging? Well, it's time for for some more! The characters are back, suitably changed from the events of the last book. Lots of action and gore, as expected. I enjoyed it over all and it wraps up pretty well but... still hanging again! More please.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review the ARC for my honest review.
Did the first book leave you hanging? Well, it's time for for some more! The characters are back, suitably changed from the events of the last book. Lots of action and gore, as expected. I enjoyed it over all and it wraps up pretty well but... still hanging again! More please.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review the ARC for my honest review.
September 16, 2025
This was a thrilling sequel to an excellent first chapter, even though it is a flawed one.
It’s so clear that this novel is meant to set up the big finale in Book 3 of the series (a novel I’m absolutely foaming at the mouth to read), and it does so successfully. The ending and epilogue tie the piece together nicely, but getting there can sometimes feel like a slog. It took time for me to care enough about certain characters enough to enjoy their chapters, while I was left itching for more of my favorites, but once I did the book flew. However, DuBeau is still a master of plot: even though I felt like some of the prose in the new characters’ perspectives was a little dry, each chapter is meaningful and ends with a bang.
All in all, another good read, even if it’s not quite as enjoyable as A God in the Shed. I’m excited for book three!
It’s so clear that this novel is meant to set up the big finale in Book 3 of the series (a novel I’m absolutely foaming at the mouth to read), and it does so successfully. The ending and epilogue tie the piece together nicely, but getting there can sometimes feel like a slog. It took time for me to care enough about certain characters enough to enjoy their chapters, while I was left itching for more of my favorites, but once I did the book flew. However, DuBeau is still a master of plot: even though I felt like some of the prose in the new characters’ perspectives was a little dry, each chapter is meaningful and ends with a bang.
All in all, another good read, even if it’s not quite as enjoyable as A God in the Shed. I’m excited for book three!
October 5, 2025
This book was good, don’t get me wrong, but it didn’t quite reach the heights of the first. That’s partly why I was hesitant to dive into a horror trilogy in the first place. Still, I know I’ll read the third when it comes out because I need to know how they’ll face the god of hate and death and what becomes of these characters I’ve come to care about.
Like Harry with his painting, these characters have come alive. Their story feels unfinished, and I can’t walk away without knowing how it ends.
The ending of this book was easily its strongest moment. Everything finally aligned, and it left me both satisfied and eager for what’s next.
Like Harry with his painting, these characters have come alive. Their story feels unfinished, and I can’t walk away without knowing how it ends.
The ending of this book was easily its strongest moment. Everything finally aligned, and it left me both satisfied and eager for what’s next.
March 21, 2025
J’ai préférée le premier parce que j’ai un petit penchant pour les histoires dans de petits villages plus que dans des grands centres comme Montréal.
Toutefois celui-ci est encore plus sombre que le premier et avec nettement plus d’action. Aussi. les derniers chapitres sont meilleurs. Les personnages ont évolués énormément en peu de temps et on a accès à leur côté plus sombre. Les nouveaux personnages sont attachants et intéressants.
Toutefois celui-ci est encore plus sombre que le premier et avec nettement plus d’action. Aussi. les derniers chapitres sont meilleurs. Les personnages ont évolués énormément en peu de temps et on a accès à leur côté plus sombre. Les nouveaux personnages sont attachants et intéressants.
Want to read
October 19, 2025How does A God in the Shed have a sequel that has somehow been published for YEARS without me knowing?
Will this be as unrelentingly gory as book one? Will the god still be in the shed? And will I remember even a single character after 8 years?
Will this be as unrelentingly gory as book one? Will the god still be in the shed? And will I remember even a single character after 8 years?
November 10, 2025
couldn't really get a grip on it. very slow paced.
April 9, 2021
Back in 2017, J.-F. Dubeau made a fair bit of noise with his eye-catching horror debut, A God in the ShedA God in the Shed, which appeared on many best-of-the-year lists and flagged him as an author to watch. Once in a while a novel truly does match the hype and A God in the Shed is a rare example of where the bite chewed out the bark. Almost four years later, Dubeau is back with a sequel, Song of the Sandman, which closely follows the events of its bloody predecessor. Picking up the story some months later, many of the same characters return, and much of the story takes in the long-term consequences following the brutal ending. Ultimately, I would not recommend reading Sandman unless you have already read book one, although there are recaps here and there, much of it might not make much sense, and going in blind would be a mistake. I read A God in the Shed four years ago and struggled to remember the smaller details, so new readers will definitely find themselves thoroughly confused.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
February 12, 2023
I first read God in the Shed way back in 2019 and have waited ever since for the second book. I thought the story was over 2 books. It turns out it's a trilogy. So now I'm on a mission to track down the 3rd book.
Anyway, back to Song of the Sandman. This book deals with the consequences of what happened at Cicero's circus and introduces some new characters. It answers the questions about what happened to Daniels mother and links back up again to his brother Francis. Venus has gone rogue and is trying to find Lucien Pena, so he can help her track down the god. But the fallout of that damages her mentally and physically. Pena is a entity all his own.
Penny and Abraham become closer and Penny witnesses just how realistic Abraham's dad's paintings are. Abraham makes some discoveries of his own after Audrey's ghost appears to him.
I really like Debeau's writing. The way he carries the story forward focusing on each characters reality in turn and then connecting it all together is done so well. He builds palpable characters and tension. I found this book and God in the Shed very hard to put down. I just hope the 3rd book is available soon and in the UK.
Anyway, back to Song of the Sandman. This book deals with the consequences of what happened at Cicero's circus and introduces some new characters. It answers the questions about what happened to Daniels mother and links back up again to his brother Francis. Venus has gone rogue and is trying to find Lucien Pena, so he can help her track down the god. But the fallout of that damages her mentally and physically. Pena is a entity all his own.
Penny and Abraham become closer and Penny witnesses just how realistic Abraham's dad's paintings are. Abraham makes some discoveries of his own after Audrey's ghost appears to him.
I really like Debeau's writing. The way he carries the story forward focusing on each characters reality in turn and then connecting it all together is done so well. He builds palpable characters and tension. I found this book and God in the Shed very hard to put down. I just hope the 3rd book is available soon and in the UK.
January 9, 2021
Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy. With that being said, I was super confused until I realized this was a sequel!!!! That should be made more clear. Other then that, interstitial concept with the loving painting. Like someone else said, very Dorian Gray-esque. I enjoyed the writing style enough. This would have been much more enjoyable had I known what was going on from the beginning.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
December 6, 2022
Not as memorable as the first one and suffers from second-book-in-a-trilogy syndrome (assuming this is going to be a trilogy). The finale could make up for it, but living up to book one is going to be tough.
December 17, 2020
*Thank you to NetGalley and Inkshares for this ARC copy!*
When I read the description of this book I was hooked. I love the idea of reading a book about a cult and a god.
But then I started reading, and I was lost. Horribly confused and left behind in the dust without a word of apology. I started to investigate and I found out this book was a sequel. Which sucks, but I decided to figure out as much as I could, so I could dive back in.
So I did, and things go much less confusing. I found out there was in fact a cult and a god. But I previously assumed the god was a theoretical thing made by the cult. But no it's an actual god. One that these people are trying to control. Don't y'all know not to mess with gods??
Anyway upon starting this book from scratch again, now knowing it all, I felt better. I could get behind a cult and a god. The large cast of characters that kept leaving me to ask "who" nonstop was coming together beautifully. I knew what was happening for the first time. Not to mention the first boughts of gore!
I also will say having the generations intersect was something I greatly enjoyed. Which is weird because I normally hate multi-generational stories. But this one was more of a "your actions have been reflected" and I really enjoyed that. I also loved Venus's chapters. They were fun (can I say fun in a review of a horror story?). I also loved the ending. It was satisfying, and I might have fist pumped. I loved how action packed it was, how bloody. EVERYTHING. It was great.
Out of all the things I liked, there were three main issues I had with the book. The first being I'm extremely picky about ghosts in my stories. I can't tell what I like and what I don't, but I know that it has to be very specific. Think like Bleach or a figment of one's imagination. Which was not this story. Second, being I hated Daniel as a character. I feel like I can't say that because he was meant to be the likable one. But I just didn't jive with him. Lastly, this book FELT like a middle book. I know I didn't read the first one, but I could tell this was suffering from middle book syndrome. Aka it was trying to tie the first and the third books together but didn't feel like a book with its own plot. It did work for this book, but it made me kind of sad that this was my first interaction with the series.
Overall, I would recommend anyone who likes horror to read the first in the trilogy (which I might actually do now lol). I think it's got a lot of things going for it and uses the tropes that everyone loves. I think it would work for a lot of people, especially those that like slashers with lots of characters.
When I read the description of this book I was hooked. I love the idea of reading a book about a cult and a god.
But then I started reading, and I was lost. Horribly confused and left behind in the dust without a word of apology. I started to investigate and I found out this book was a sequel. Which sucks, but I decided to figure out as much as I could, so I could dive back in.
So I did, and things go much less confusing. I found out there was in fact a cult and a god. But I previously assumed the god was a theoretical thing made by the cult. But no it's an actual god. One that these people are trying to control. Don't y'all know not to mess with gods??
Anyway upon starting this book from scratch again, now knowing it all, I felt better. I could get behind a cult and a god. The large cast of characters that kept leaving me to ask "who" nonstop was coming together beautifully. I knew what was happening for the first time. Not to mention the first boughts of gore!
I also will say having the generations intersect was something I greatly enjoyed. Which is weird because I normally hate multi-generational stories. But this one was more of a "your actions have been reflected" and I really enjoyed that. I also loved Venus's chapters. They were fun (can I say fun in a review of a horror story?). I also loved the ending. It was satisfying, and I might have fist pumped. I loved how action packed it was, how bloody. EVERYTHING. It was great.
Out of all the things I liked, there were three main issues I had with the book. The first being I'm extremely picky about ghosts in my stories. I can't tell what I like and what I don't, but I know that it has to be very specific. Think like Bleach or a figment of one's imagination. Which was not this story. Second, being I hated Daniel as a character. I feel like I can't say that because he was meant to be the likable one. But I just didn't jive with him. Lastly, this book FELT like a middle book. I know I didn't read the first one, but I could tell this was suffering from middle book syndrome. Aka it was trying to tie the first and the third books together but didn't feel like a book with its own plot. It did work for this book, but it made me kind of sad that this was my first interaction with the series.
Overall, I would recommend anyone who likes horror to read the first in the trilogy (which I might actually do now lol). I think it's got a lot of things going for it and uses the tropes that everyone loves. I think it would work for a lot of people, especially those that like slashers with lots of characters.
April 5, 2023
I really enjoyed the first book in this series (A God in the Shed). It was a creepy, immersive, horror filled, and fun ride with good characters and an interesting monster with complicated history. I was really looking forward to the sequel and to see just how all of the ending events of the first book would continue. There was so much potential for a great horror story that had many different paths it could go down.
unfortunately, what we got was not at all what I was hoping for. Instead of a creepy horror filled story of a monster / death god let lose on a world and the cult that worships it, we get a slow paced, uninteresting story that only served to lessen the impact and power of the main terror.
To take a monster / god that was built up so nicely in the first book and described in a way to make you feel like this was a real threat to all humanity and just completely cut its nose off in such a goofy way. So we go from powerful death / pain god to a leashed fighting dog. Just not what I was looking for.
My other main complaint is that the main protagonist (and a secondary protagonist) is of course going on the typical "I have to do this alone" trope. Just feels like a cliché and doesn't serve much for the character. I would have preferred to see the main group tackle this all together as they were friends and working together in the first book very well. I would like to have seen that develop.
Some of the new information that is given about the history of the monster, the town, and its citizens is quite interesting and felt like a small touch of what I was looking for. But there is not a lot and it feels like a second thought.
Overall not a terrible story but it feels rushed, and thus very safe and cliché, book that left so much protentional on the table.
unfortunately, what we got was not at all what I was hoping for. Instead of a creepy horror filled story of a monster / death god let lose on a world and the cult that worships it, we get a slow paced, uninteresting story that only served to lessen the impact and power of the main terror.
To take a monster / god that was built up so nicely in the first book and described in a way to make you feel like this was a real threat to all humanity and just completely cut its nose off in such a goofy way. So we go from powerful death / pain god to a leashed fighting dog. Just not what I was looking for.
My other main complaint is that the main protagonist (and a secondary protagonist) is of course going on the typical "I have to do this alone" trope. Just feels like a cliché and doesn't serve much for the character. I would have preferred to see the main group tackle this all together as they were friends and working together in the first book very well. I would like to have seen that develop.
Some of the new information that is given about the history of the monster, the town, and its citizens is quite interesting and felt like a small touch of what I was looking for. But there is not a lot and it feels like a second thought.
Overall not a terrible story but it feels rushed, and thus very safe and cliché, book that left so much protentional on the table.
November 8, 2024
ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ
Song Of The Sandman - JF Dubeau
Song Of The Sandman is the sequel to the, 2017 horror hit A God In The Shed.
I loved A God In The Shed, it was one of my favourite reads from that year, so when JF Dubeau released book 2 in 2021 I was all over it, however, much like a lot of my purchases they quite often get left on my shelves for months…years!
Anyway, I decided it was time to revisit Venus McKenzy and the residents of Saint-Ferdinand following the circus massacre.
The first thing I would say is, if you’re thinking of reading Song Of The Sandman definitely pick-up A God In The Shed first, you could read SOTS as a standalone but I wouldn’t recommend it.
There are a lot of characters, (some old, some new) and despite the recaps, I still found it quite difficult to remember details/relationships from book 1.
I would say the sequel is of a slower pace than book 1, but Dubeau’s writing style is just as engaging.
The ending was… mmmOK I guess, but there are a few loose ends that I would have liked to of seen wrapped up. I just hope that happens in book 3?
So, does The Song Of The Sandman live-up to its predecessor? No, not for me, but it still a good read, and an essential part of the trilogy which surely has to happen?!
A God, a cult, human monsters, blood and guts it’s a…4.5
Song Of The Sandman - JF Dubeau
Song Of The Sandman is the sequel to the, 2017 horror hit A God In The Shed.
I loved A God In The Shed, it was one of my favourite reads from that year, so when JF Dubeau released book 2 in 2021 I was all over it, however, much like a lot of my purchases they quite often get left on my shelves for months…years!
Anyway, I decided it was time to revisit Venus McKenzy and the residents of Saint-Ferdinand following the circus massacre.
The first thing I would say is, if you’re thinking of reading Song Of The Sandman definitely pick-up A God In The Shed first, you could read SOTS as a standalone but I wouldn’t recommend it.
There are a lot of characters, (some old, some new) and despite the recaps, I still found it quite difficult to remember details/relationships from book 1.
I would say the sequel is of a slower pace than book 1, but Dubeau’s writing style is just as engaging.
The ending was… mmmOK I guess, but there are a few loose ends that I would have liked to of seen wrapped up. I just hope that happens in book 3?
So, does The Song Of The Sandman live-up to its predecessor? No, not for me, but it still a good read, and an essential part of the trilogy which surely has to happen?!
A God, a cult, human monsters, blood and guts it’s a…4.5
November 27, 2021
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Song of the Sandman is the much anticipated sequel to A God in the Shed. It picks up not long after the massacre at the circus; and follows Venus, Daniel, and Abraham as they navigate the wreckage left by then being God touched. It also introduces us to Alice, a young abductee who has a much bigger purpose than anyone could have guessed. Who are the Sandmen and what is their endgame? How will they come into contact with our main 3 and what disasters await?
This....freaking....book. I absolutely adore both this novel and A God in the Shed. I'm absolutely starved for more and can't wait to see what comes next. Song of the Sandman builds more into the story of the God and it's desire for violence and chaos while opening up new avenues of adventure to be explored. It's a gory good time that you can't put down and never want to end. The characters are insanely well written and the pacing leaves you holding on for dear life and you're flung trough twists and turns that will excite.
Five stars and a top notch recommendation for any horror fans out there. You're only hurting yourself if you let these books pass you by. Recommended for 17+ as the violence is graphic and unrelenting.
Song of the Sandman is the much anticipated sequel to A God in the Shed. It picks up not long after the massacre at the circus; and follows Venus, Daniel, and Abraham as they navigate the wreckage left by then being God touched. It also introduces us to Alice, a young abductee who has a much bigger purpose than anyone could have guessed. Who are the Sandmen and what is their endgame? How will they come into contact with our main 3 and what disasters await?
This....freaking....book. I absolutely adore both this novel and A God in the Shed. I'm absolutely starved for more and can't wait to see what comes next. Song of the Sandman builds more into the story of the God and it's desire for violence and chaos while opening up new avenues of adventure to be explored. It's a gory good time that you can't put down and never want to end. The characters are insanely well written and the pacing leaves you holding on for dear life and you're flung trough twists and turns that will excite.
Five stars and a top notch recommendation for any horror fans out there. You're only hurting yourself if you let these books pass you by. Recommended for 17+ as the violence is graphic and unrelenting.
August 8, 2024
Rollercoaster of opinion
Okay, so, I was immediately turned off within the first few chapters as this sequel is definitely more metaphysical and spiritual based than its predecessor. I mean, I know it's about a god for crying out loud, so I can't be too picky. However I found that the first book was more heavily focused on murder and crime, while as I said, this one is packed full of spiritual and fantastical themes. Which unfortunately is not my jam. I forced myself to finish it as I cannot abandon a book and wow wee the grammatical errors drove me INSANE. I found that the content and vocabulary was very very repetitive. I think possibly I simply do not enjoy the writing style of Dubeau.. I will say I ended up liking it much more than I anticipated although I would not go as far as to say it lived up to A God in the Shed. I do feel as though a lot of the content was the same thing over & over just worded different but most times it was not even worded differently. It was really trying to drive certain points home by reminding you every few paragraphs of the same thing you just read not too long before. The most obnoxious Deja vu.
Okay, so, I was immediately turned off within the first few chapters as this sequel is definitely more metaphysical and spiritual based than its predecessor. I mean, I know it's about a god for crying out loud, so I can't be too picky. However I found that the first book was more heavily focused on murder and crime, while as I said, this one is packed full of spiritual and fantastical themes. Which unfortunately is not my jam. I forced myself to finish it as I cannot abandon a book and wow wee the grammatical errors drove me INSANE. I found that the content and vocabulary was very very repetitive. I think possibly I simply do not enjoy the writing style of Dubeau.. I will say I ended up liking it much more than I anticipated although I would not go as far as to say it lived up to A God in the Shed. I do feel as though a lot of the content was the same thing over & over just worded different but most times it was not even worded differently. It was really trying to drive certain points home by reminding you every few paragraphs of the same thing you just read not too long before. The most obnoxious Deja vu.
Want to read
February 17, 2021I received an e-Galley ARC of Song of the Sandman, authored by J-F. Dubeau, from the publisher Inkshares and NetGalley. What follows below is my honest review, freely given, I am thankful for the opportunity.
I chose to DNF this title. Early in the novel I felt there was much mentioned in the past that was heavily implied to be already known to the reader. When I got the light bulb moment that this may be a sequel title, a quick search verified this to be true. The writing style was engaging, and what I read of the story drew me in; simply put I would really like to read this story from the beginning. I will look into reading and reviewing this and the first title in this series, A God in the Shed, after the April release. If I been aware that this was part of a series that I had not read, I would not have requested and wasted a review slot. I apologize to everyone involved, author, publisher and NetGalley. I'm hoping by honestly reviewing both titles later this year will in some way make up for not reviewing this title now.
I chose to DNF this title. Early in the novel I felt there was much mentioned in the past that was heavily implied to be already known to the reader. When I got the light bulb moment that this may be a sequel title, a quick search verified this to be true. The writing style was engaging, and what I read of the story drew me in; simply put I would really like to read this story from the beginning. I will look into reading and reviewing this and the first title in this series, A God in the Shed, after the April release. If I been aware that this was part of a series that I had not read, I would not have requested and wasted a review slot. I apologize to everyone involved, author, publisher and NetGalley. I'm hoping by honestly reviewing both titles later this year will in some way make up for not reviewing this title now.
February 28, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Inkshares for this advanced readers copy.
When I was scouring blog posts about horror novels to check out in 2021, I came across this one. Like many other reviewers, I got the ARC before I realized that it was a sequel, and immediately read a copy of God in the Shed.
Song of the Sandman reads a bit more like a thriller than God in the Shed, which I think works really well for the expansion of the world.
In this installment we are mostly following the situation around the Church of the Sandman and I'm an absolutely sucker for any story with a cult.
This novel answers a lot of questions that I was left with at the end of the GitS, and introduces us to some new characters and magic around the containment of the terrifying god. I'm really impressed with this since the idea of art, in it's many different forms, as a vessel for magic is really compelling.
AND THE GORE. There are some incredibly visceral bloody sequences.
I can't wait to see where this series goes next.
When I was scouring blog posts about horror novels to check out in 2021, I came across this one. Like many other reviewers, I got the ARC before I realized that it was a sequel, and immediately read a copy of God in the Shed.
Song of the Sandman reads a bit more like a thriller than God in the Shed, which I think works really well for the expansion of the world.
In this installment we are mostly following the situation around the Church of the Sandman and I'm an absolutely sucker for any story with a cult.
This novel answers a lot of questions that I was left with at the end of the GitS, and introduces us to some new characters and magic around the containment of the terrifying god. I'm really impressed with this since the idea of art, in it's many different forms, as a vessel for magic is really compelling.
AND THE GORE. There are some incredibly visceral bloody sequences.
I can't wait to see where this series goes next.
April 26, 2024
I am amazed at how well J.-F. Dubeau is able to utilize multiple perspectives in order to provide a well-rounded understanding of the main storyline. We have a god who has been kidnapped by another cult and a group of teenagers whose lives have been turned upside down. They all have their own struggles, thoughts, and goals but they are all centered around this god.
Penny is struggling to cope with the changes from the god's touch. Abraham is just wanting to fix Penny and ultimately confess his feelings. Venus is on the hunt for answers on how to fulfill her destiny. Daniel is trying to cope with the loss of his father and girlfriend as well. It is a slow read in the beginning but it picks up speed for an ending that leaves you shellshocked. I was not prepared for anything that happened and I need another book immediately. The tragedy that struck is just too much to bear and I have too many questions. I can only hope that my imagination can fill the space if we do not get a third book in this series.
Penny is struggling to cope with the changes from the god's touch. Abraham is just wanting to fix Penny and ultimately confess his feelings. Venus is on the hunt for answers on how to fulfill her destiny. Daniel is trying to cope with the loss of his father and girlfriend as well. It is a slow read in the beginning but it picks up speed for an ending that leaves you shellshocked. I was not prepared for anything that happened and I need another book immediately. The tragedy that struck is just too much to bear and I have too many questions. I can only hope that my imagination can fill the space if we do not get a third book in this series.
August 5, 2024
Excellent follow up to the cliff hanger of book one
Pros:
- The new characters were great and I’d love to see more of them
- How the characters from saint ferdinand dealt with the grief and trauma from the events of book one in very different ways and it was nice to see them pair up in interesting/unexpected groups and explore their own journeys through the aftermath and their next steps in their war against the god
- Excellent emotional gut punches
- Nice balance of answering some of the questions from the first book but still leaving enough mysteries (and introducing new ones) that I can’t wait for the next book so I can get these answers
Cons:
- I noticed some editing errors (the exact same sentence used in back to back paragraphs in a way that does not seem intentional or a stylistic choice) and what I believe is an incorrect location reference for a particular death in book one but I need to double check
- Not so much a con, but I was hoping to have more of the craftsman-sandman overlap or disagreement/history explained but I will be patient
Pros:
- The new characters were great and I’d love to see more of them
- How the characters from saint ferdinand dealt with the grief and trauma from the events of book one in very different ways and it was nice to see them pair up in interesting/unexpected groups and explore their own journeys through the aftermath and their next steps in their war against the god
- Excellent emotional gut punches
- Nice balance of answering some of the questions from the first book but still leaving enough mysteries (and introducing new ones) that I can’t wait for the next book so I can get these answers
Cons:
- I noticed some editing errors (the exact same sentence used in back to back paragraphs in a way that does not seem intentional or a stylistic choice) and what I believe is an incorrect location reference for a particular death in book one but I need to double check
- Not so much a con, but I was hoping to have more of the craftsman-sandman overlap or disagreement/history explained but I will be patient
December 16, 2020
I listened to the audio book of “A God in the Shed” last year and couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Venus, Abe and Penny. This didn’t disappoint.
If you read this as a stand alone you might be a bit confused, but the characters are so well written you could probably figure it out.
I loved the introduction of Alice who sings the God to sleep. She’s such a haunting character...abused, isolated and held captive. The dynamic between her and the God is interesting. They have much in common but are obviously on opposite sides.
The God is more fleshed out in this novel. And that’s makes it all the more terrifying. The other villain Francis was almost more scary than the God. Humans without empathy are monsters just as much as the God they are worshiping.
There were some shocks and surprises which made me want to find out more. I’m eager for the third installment and will just have to hope I get my answers!
If you read this as a stand alone you might be a bit confused, but the characters are so well written you could probably figure it out.
I loved the introduction of Alice who sings the God to sleep. She’s such a haunting character...abused, isolated and held captive. The dynamic between her and the God is interesting. They have much in common but are obviously on opposite sides.
The God is more fleshed out in this novel. And that’s makes it all the more terrifying. The other villain Francis was almost more scary than the God. Humans without empathy are monsters just as much as the God they are worshiping.
There were some shocks and surprises which made me want to find out more. I’m eager for the third installment and will just have to hope I get my answers!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews