Small Town Monsters

By: Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Narrated by: Frankie Corzo

The Conjuring meets The Vow! This terrifying audiobook tells the story of a girl, a dark angel, and the cult hellbent on taking over her small, coastal town.

Vera Martinez wants nothing more than to escape Roaring Creek and her parents' reputation as demonologists. Not to mention she's the family outcast, lacking her parents' innate abilities, and is terrified of the occult things lurking in their basement.

Maxwell Oliver is supposed to be enjoying the summer before his senior year, spending his days thinking about parties and friends. Instead he's taking care of his little sister while his mom slowly becomes someone he doesn't recognize. Soon he suspects that what he thought was grief over his father's death might be something more...sinister.

When Maxwell and Vera join forces, they come face to face with deeply disturbing true stories of cults, death worship, and the very nature that drives people to evil.

Critic reviews

Praise for Small Town Monsters:

A Kirkus 13 Scariest Books of 2021 pick!

"Page-turner."—Bustle

"An eerie thriller emphasizing the power of inner strength."—Kirkus

"Filled with great storytelling and surprises, this book will grab readers from page one."—Booklist

"...a taste of The Exorcist condensed into a bite-size morsel."—School Library Journal

“With razor sharp pacing, hair-raising chills, and well-drawn characters to root for, Small Town Monsters does for YA horror what Stranger Things did for Netflix.”—Laura Taylor Namey, New York Times bestselling author of A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow

“Well-paced and truly terrifying, Small Town Monsters is a nightmarish world filled with demons, cults, and awkward first glances—a perfect horror recipe.”—Suzanne Young, New York Times bestselling author of The Program series.

“Rodriguez Wallach knows how to tell a suspenseful story and doesn’t pull any punches. Small Town Monsters combines the horror of The Conjuring with the heart of Stranger Things.”—Andrew Shaffer, New York Times bestselling author of Secret Santa: A Horror for the Holidays Novel

“Small Town Monsters has a rich mythology, and it’s populated by memorable characters.”—The Big Chill

"Rodriguez Wallach hits her stride with a new YA novel about the nature of evil."—Suburban Life

"Incredibly addicting."—Latinx in Publishing

"...one incredibly entertaining horror experience."—Mystery & Suspense Magazine

straight forward demonic possession

If you're looking for a simple, small town demonic possession book that is YA, then this is it. The ending was anticlimactic but was solid theologically so I guess that's something. I liked the main characters; it just felt very "but the numbers." I'm not surprised that the author was inspired by horror movies as it had similar beats.

Outstanding!

An outstanding performance of an outstanding book. Diana Rodriguez Wallach has outdone herself, and Frankie Corso's voice brings powerful resonance to the story.

Best compilation of the factual

I read the blurb and a few reviews siting the Warrens as part of the book’s inspiration. They intrigued me to purchase the audible version. I’m glad I did.
At first it read like a YA story, but didn’t take long to hold an old lady’s fascination.
I loved Vera. Her fears felt realistic and carried her story to the end. Max acted the perfect hero and sidekick to Vera.
The action of the demon, it’s characteristics and mantra both horrified me and hooked me to keep listening.
I didn’t feel the book pandered in any way. I recommend it to anyone who loves soft horror and intrigue.
I’m looking forward to her next book.