I'm not sure who I would recommend this book to. It's violent, sickening, and perhaps the social horror is hitting a bit too close to what's happening in reality. Read the content warnings. This book is not for everyone.

That said, this book has a lot to say about the time spent with social media and how we all participate in self-brainwashing through mindless activities. I'm scrolling a lot less.

Thank you to Quirk Books and NetGalley for the digital arc in return for my honest review.

No one can do horror quite like Clay McLeod Chapman. Wake Up and Open Your Eyes was both terrifying and timely. Following each characters arc into madness was fascinating. The visual imagery was so horrifying that at times I had to set the book down. This is one of the best social horror books I have come across.

Big thanks to Quirk Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of Clay McLeod Chapman’s terrifying new book Wake Up and Open Your Eyes. I have another Chapman book (Whisper Down the Lane) that I’ve been meaning to read, so I was excited to receive a copy of this book for preview. I also recently read an interview with Chapman that explains his interest in trying to publish this book before the election, and how the violence of January 6th motivated him to write this horror story. The book is described as a possession story, but I felt like there were tropes from other horror genres including apocalyptic stories of survival (think The Road or Parable of the Sower), as well as a kind of zombie story where citizens are rendered mindless due to some strange kind of phenomenon. In this case, Chapman creatively uses mass and social media as the catalyst for transforming people into mindless and murderous vessels, meant to do the bidding of anchors from the not-so-subtly named Fax News. The indoctrination and transformation happens largely due to technology, including new, HD televisions, tablets, and social media apps on phones and laptops. Chapman’s description of the hypnotic colors and a kind of ooze or oil that emanates from these devices also created a kind of Lovecraftian mood, where these transformations led to a cosmic horror that the main character Noah experiences. I loved these various influences, and the mood of the story ranged from a kind of creepiness to despair, often a feeling I experience when reading these kinds of apocalyptic novels. Nevertheless, there was a lot I could relate to in Chapman’s book, and there were some truly humorous parts, but this is a book that will also challenge readers to think about how media affects us, and how a kind of unhealthy consumption of media can really affect not only our own mental health, but also how we interact with and treat others.
Noah, a husband and father living in Brooklyn, is receiving strange calls from his mother. After recent visits where he experiences political differences with his parents, Noah begins to worry about their well-being. He reaches out to his older brother, Asher, who lives closer in Virginia, to possibly check in on the parents, but Asher seems less concerned and sympathetic to Noah’s concerns about their parents. Noah eventually decides to visit his parents, and encounters a strange scene when he arrives. There are several televisions playing and the stench of rotten food fills the house, but there seems to be no sign of his parents. Eerie silences and signs of struggle fill the house until Noah eventually encounters his parents, but something is off. I won’t give too much else away about this scene, but Noah really struggles to take care of his parents. In a scene probably relatable to a lot of adults in the sandwich generation tasked with taking care of elderly parents and children, Noah finds the roles reversed where he has to manage his parents’ needs. And many of them are strange and disturbing, which adds both a sense of fear and comedy. I’m not sure if Chapman wrote it this way, but there are some absurd events throughout the book, and especially in this scene where Noah realizes how much his parents have changed. The other relatable element of this book, and it is something that Noah reflects on during his journey to Virgina to check in on his parents is the ideological/political battle that many adults face in dealing with older relatives indoctrinated by conservative media entertainment and/or gaslit by social media. Although it’s relatable, Chapman’s use of horror serves as an effective commentary about the dangers of not being a careful consumer of information in our current content-rich environment.
The second part of the book tells the story from Asher’s family perspective. Asher is Noah’s older brother, who also has a family, but remained in Virginia and lives a more conservative, traditional lifestyle. I found this section to be more disturbing and depressing, but equally powerful in conveying the message of the dangers of unchecked media consumption. What was also compelling about this section is that despite being somewhat unlikable characters, I felt sympathy for Asher and his family as they regressed into the degradation brought about by the demons behind Fax News. In particular Devon and Caleb, Asher’s wife and high-school aged son, were both sad, lonely characters who sought out social media connections to fill the voids in their lives. Asher, in contrast, seeks out comfort and companionship through Fax News and a recliner, which both end up taking on demonic qualities. Devon and Caleb both struggle with their loneliness, yet find friends and followers on social media who gradually influence them, yet also isolate them from any other kind of meaningful social contact with real people. I appreciated Chapman’s critique in these sections, and the extent that Devon and Caleb go to appease their followers is entertaining and horrific. Marcus, the younger son in the Fairfield family, is the only one who is not in contact with the demons from social media and Fax News; however, he is still affected and struggles to avoid the evil that inhabits his family. Yet, even Marcus is yearning for electronic connections, seeking out a tablet (or Pi-Pi, as he refers to it) to listen to his favorite song “Baby Ghost”, a not-so-subtle parody of another earworm about a family. Again, Chapman’s satire of modern infotainment and how we often use it to either avoid meaningful, substantive connections with others or to basically replace the real responsibilities we have to friends and family hits home and serves as an important reminder to readers.
The last section of the book returns to Noah’s perspective but also took a stylistic change as well. As Noah leaves his childhood home and goes to see his brother Asher, the story is mostly told in a second person direct address to the reader. I had mixed feelings about this aspect, but I also think that there was a kind of power to this narrative choice. In many ways it implicates the reader into the kind of outrage and powerlessness that Noah experiences (or at least, it made me feel somewhat angry and powerless with all of the chaos that is currently swarming around in daily headlines). It’s an interesting choice, and although I’m not exactly like Noah or his family, I kind of felt more of a connection with him. I think it also made me realize how despite a kind of liberal concern to create a safe and diverse world, there’s always a threat, especially when we maybe underestimate the threats or problems in society. The last section also chronicles Noah’s attempts to return to Brooklyn from Virginia while the world has basically collapsed. This part of the book really reminded me of more apocalyptic stories, and it kind of borders between more serious stories like Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower and more satirical stories like Ling Ma’s Severance. Nevertheless, this last section left me with a lot to consider and reflect on, not only with how I consume media and information, but also how I consider ideological and political differences. Overall, this was a really great book that was equally entertaining and left me with a lot to think about. There were some humorous and horrific moments, and the book is filled with a kind of cosmic dread that was like a modern Lovecraftian story about unleashing the old gods who are hungry, angry, and in search of new sacrifices. I also felt like there were some great references, both veiled and explicit, to pop culture, and Chapman’s horror descriptions were detailed and clever. Wake Up and Open Your Eyes makes me look forward to reading some of Chapman’s other books.

I got a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.. then I preordered a physical copy. This book was 100+mph from the first page. I enjoyed how fitting with the times it was. The political satire was relatable and I giggled a few times. There was a lot of gore to go along with it, so if those two things aren’t your jam, you might want to steer clear of this one. While relatable, it is certainly heavy. I do enjoy gore 😅 and this story will stay on my mind for a long time, so it gets 5⭐️ from me.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, but I was both fascinated and horrified by what I found. On the surface, it’s a survival horror story about a man and his nephew trying to escape a violent horde. But on a deeper level, it’s a chilling look at modern media obsession taken to its most extreme conclusion. The “infected” in this book aren’t just brainwashed—they’re literally possessed by their addiction to social media, 24-hour news, and influencer culture. What starts as normal engagement spirals into an all-consuming need for the next dopamine hit, and anyone who gets in their way is collateral damage.

This book has a lot in common with American Rapture by C.J. Leede, another recent horror release that explores an apocalypse fueled by human brutality. But Wake Up and Open Your Eyes is especially unsettling given the current political climate, making it a tough read at times. It’s bleak, violent, and doesn’t offer much in the way of hope—so don’t go in expecting a happy ending. Also, fair warning: if you have sensitivities around child or animal abuse, proceed with caution. And if you have fond memories of Baby Shark, just know that you won’t after reading this.

What if a news network was not just poisoning your mind, but your soul? This was a fun premise that will likely alienate half of the county. I liked the Evil Dead feel of the demons and I found the middle portion to be the strongest in terms of horror. The first part could have been shorter and the last part needed a bit more fleshing out for me to find satisfying. Overall, this is a timely horror that I think captures the feeling of our present moment.

FAX news is brainwashing our nation. Noah Fairchild no longer recognizes his parents. Literally. Did he really just unhinge his dad's jaw by shoving the remote control down his throat sideways? "The Great Reawakening" has invaded far-right news and social media in the most terrifying way possible as family turns on family, neighbor on neighbor. Part apocalyptic but mostly slap you in the face metaphorical, this book is 1000% my jam! If I am looking for grotesque, shocking, controversial, skin crawling imagery, then I have to look no further than the modern horror master, Clay McLeod Chapman

I will always read this author’s work. In today’s political climate, I found this book incredibly relevant to how I’ve been feeling. God help us.

Avid fans of gory horror and haters of Conservative politics will love this novel!

Unfortunately, I am not a fan of gory horror. While I very much appreciated the political slant of this novel, I guess I expected more commentary and less repetition. Also, as I said, the splatter-gore was definitely not to my taste.

I appreciate what this book was trying to be, but I don't believe I was the intended audience.

This is a brutal horror novella with a lot to say.

This is not a book for the faint of heart, with unflinching use of graphic violence and sexual imagery thrown in the reader's face at every turn. While I don't know how much I enjoyed that reading experience, I was gripped throughout by the way this story commentates on modern political and social media climates. Because a graphic horror in which the horrors of the extreme right and toxic dark crannies of the internet manifest LITERAL demons? That's damn interesting.

The way the darkness seeped out in countless manifestations screams a real and terrifying truth about the modern world.

If you are a reader who enjoys Eric LaRocca, Gretchen Felker-Martin, or Ryū Murakami this is one to pick up next.

I love horror. That said, this is of the extreme, extreme horror genre that I'm learning I'm not crazy about. Just an endless downpour of revolting stuff and misery. But it's a cool concept, it's well written, and if you can handle descriptions of an unwashed senior citizen mother touching herself in front of her son, this is probably up your alley.

It only took about three years for Clay Chapman to become one of my favorite horror writers. He does not miss, his writing is so so timely and so so timeless, getting to the heart of our individual and collective fears.

I e never had my eyebrows raised higher than while reading this. I LOVED this book so much. So scary given actual life events right now.

4.5 stars

Holy hell what did I just read! This has got to be one of Chapmans best at this point. This was a single sitting of a read for me, I literally couldn't put it down. Buy it now!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"How do you give an exorcism to the whole country?"

Wow, Chapman did not hold back at all. As soon as it started, the wild ride hit the ground running. I had no idea what I was diving into because with Chapman books, I don't usually like reading the blurbs. I want to be surprised and oh boy, was I surprised!

The author wrote such a brilliant social commentary on our current world especially with how divided the country is. Plus so much body horror and the perfect dark reflection of the times we are in.

Wake Up and Open Your Eyes follows Noah through the hellish landscape of misinformation and the sacrifices he makes to save his family. This was a tough read that left me feeling despondent. It was fast-paced, very timely, well researched, and well-written. I'll recommend this to my open-minded, if somewhat jaded, patrons.

<b>[TW/CW: Language, drinking, smoking, misogyny, sexism, racism, slurs, death of dog, child abuse, blood, gory scenes, death by suicide, ]</b>

<b><big>*****SPOILERS*****</b></big>
<b>About the book:</b>
Noah Fairchild has been losing his formerly polite Southern parents to far-right cable news for years, so when his mother leaves him a voicemail warning him that the “Great Reawakening” is here, he assumes it’s related to one of the many conspiracy theories she believes in. But when his own phone calls go unanswered, Noah makes the long drive from Brooklyn to Richmond, Virginia. There, he discovers his childhood home in shambles, a fridge full of spoiled food, and his parents locked in a terrifying trance-like state in front of the TV. Panicked, Noah attempts to snap them out of it and get medical help.

Then Noah’s mother brutally attacks him.

But Noah isn’t the only person to be attacked by a loved one. Families across the country are tearing each other apart-–literally-–as people succumb to a form of possession that gets worse the more time they spend watching particular channels, using certain apps, or visiting certain websites. In Noah’s Richmond-based family, only he and his young nephew Marcus are unaffected. Together, they must race back to the safe haven of Brooklyn–-but can they make it before they fall prey to the violent hordes?
<b>Release Date:</b> January 7th, 2025
<b>Genre:</b> Horror
<b>Pages:</b> 384
<b>Rating:</b> 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻 (5 thumbs down)

<b>What I Liked:</b>
1. The cover is great

<b>What I Didn't Like:</b>
1. Book is annoying as fuck with all the weird sounds
2. Redundant sentences over and over
3. The weird social media challenge of wake up
4. Too long
5. 117 uses of wake up
6. 62 uses of Fax
7. 43 uses of open your eyes
8. Writing was just bad

<b>Overall Thoughts:</b>
<b><u>{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}</u></b>

It's so true when Noah says that he didn't know who his parents voted for before all this. I just learned this year who my parents voted for in previous elections. Nobody talked about who they voted for but the last 10 years that's all people want to talk about.

Noah is ridiculous. He hasn't heard from his parents all night and day and upon coming into their home he finds furniture thrown around but doesn't call the police. This is the exact time you call the police in case someone is still in the home or your contaminating evidence.

Again what the hell is Noah doing?? He finds his parents in a state of unwellness and he decides rather than follow his wife's advice of calling someone from social services to come check on them he thinks he needs to clean their home. His mother was masturbating to a TV in front of him and he wants to clean. To clean! Why??? It would be like his story of his mom coming to his rescue when he fell off the bike but instead of helping him she goes to clean the bike.

Here I thought Taylor Adams wrote the longest action fight scene in a book but dude this author is giving him a run for his money. Talk about going on and on and on. In a show or movie scene but in a book it's boring and feels redundant. Way too long going on for 14 pages.

We find out that Asher was apart of the thing happening and has gunned down a school.

Didn't need to read about Asher's semen rolling down the TV. Ew. And then he smelled his fingers. Gag.

‼Where's the dog!? Please tell me they didn't eat the dog!‼‼ Omg they ate the dog‼‼

This book is being weird and not in a fun way but in a bored over it kind of way.

I am so over the repetitive sentances and actions. So much of this book could be cut down if I didn't have to read the same thing over and over.

Phase 3 was is so boring and stupid and annoying. We get social media pov's of people I don't care about. After that we get news reporting things happening. Omg I am so bored.

Nope I can't anymore. I just can't. I hate this book. I'm annoyed too.

<b>Final Thoughts:</b>
This book made me feel as though I was reading a Dr. Suess book with all the different sounds in it written out.

I guess I thought this book was going to be as it was presented but it ended up being so weird and disconnected that I feel like it missed the point the author was trying to give us. It felt somehow less political and more on the edge of the pressures of social media and being bullied. I couldn't connect the dots of the characters falling so far into what they ended up doing because it wasn't really explained who they were before. We just get the introduction of them and suddenly they are falling a yoga lady, obsessed with Fax, and listening to a random Twitter person.

I dnfed this book at page 290. The thought of even reading another page made me want to scream. I don't think a book has annoyed me as much as this book has.

In closing this book is going on my worst book of 2025.

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<b><i>Thanks to Netgalley and Quirk Books for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

A timely addition to the horror shelf. A sardonic look at the brainwashing of the average "Fax News" viewer into something much, much more sinister than the world can imagine. Perfect for 2025, especially. Clips along at a fantastic pace and I almost never got bored. Chapman has always been an author I wanted to read, but this book's summary in particular really piqued my interest. So far it's one of my favorite reads of '25. Can't wait to read more of Chapman's works.

Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman is an incredibly unsettling, thought-provoking novel that kept me on edge from beginning to end. This book explores the complexities of perception, identity, and reality, blending horror with psychological thriller elements in a way that is both chilling and deeply engaging. Chapman’s writing is sharp, atmospheric, and full of tension, making this a read that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it.

The story follows the protagonist, a man who finds himself trapped in a cycle of disorienting experiences that force him to confront the very nature of his reality. As he tries to navigate his increasingly bizarre world, he must come to terms with the way his mind is unraveling. The premise of the book is intriguing and mysterious, and Chapman does a fantastic job of keeping the reader hooked as the main character’s grasp on reality begins to slip. The book’s narrative is unpredictable, pulling you deeper into a psychological maze that is as haunting as it is compelling.

What stands out most in Wake Up and Open Your Eyes is Chapman’s ability to craft a truly immersive and unnerving atmosphere. The writing is vivid and evocative, using psychological horror in a way that’s far more subtle than traditional gore-driven tales. There’s a sense of creeping dread throughout the novel that lingers long after each page. Chapman doesn’t rely on jump scares; instead, he builds tension slowly, allowing the dread to seep into every aspect of the protagonist’s life and choices. It’s a masterful exploration of fear, both internal and external.

The themes of identity and self-perception are explored with nuance. As the protagonist struggles to understand what’s happening to him, he also wrestles with his own identity and how it is shaped by the world around him. The novel delves into questions of memory, consciousness, and the relationship between what we think we know and what is truly real. It’s a complex and thought-provoking narrative that forces the reader to question their own understanding of reality.

Chapman’s characters are multi-dimensional, particularly the protagonist, whose internal turmoil is depicted with haunting clarity. As the story unfolds, the reader is able to see the layers of his psyche peel away, revealing a deeper, darker side to his character. The supporting characters add another layer of intrigue to the story, each one playing a role in the protagonist’s unraveling journey.

Wake Up and Open Your Eyes is a psychological horror novel that goes beyond mere scares. It’s a deeply introspective story that explores the fragility of the mind and the unsettling idea that our perception of reality might not be as reliable as we’d like to believe. It’s a fast-paced, gripping read that draws you in with its unsettling atmosphere and keeps you hooked until the very end.

This was insane. I mean in a kind of weirdly good way. It won't be for everyone, especially the people who will see themselves in the ones possessed. It hits too close home to what is happening today in our world. The way our people are split up, and the way society acts like a mob possessed over their "truths."

I found this a very accurate social horror. It makes you think, even if it creeps you completely out. It was disturbing, not just with the message sent, but with gory descriptions. I mean the one scene with Noah's mom? That has creeped under my skin and made me shudder. Now, I'm not big on extreme horror, but this book toed the line just close enough where I didn't feel like slamming the book down and not finishing. It had enough levity in a horrific situation that it was a book you had to know how it will end.