Wait, Huh?

 

TITLE: I'll Quit When I'm Dead

AUTHOR: Luke Smitherd

PUBLISHER: Mulholland Books

PUBLISHING DATE: October 14, 2025

PAGES: 384   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: Madison has seen better days. Reeling from a bad breakup, self-soothing with junk food, and totally consumed by her lack of direction, she’s in need of a big reset. When she runs into an old acquaintance at the gym, Madison is shocked by how fit they’ve suddenly become. The cause? An all-female fitness boot camp led by ex-military guru Ellie Fellowes. The course is characterized by grueling reps and minimal contact with the outside world, and when Madison signs up to experience it herself, something doesn’t feel right. The other students keep acting strangely; Ellie seems almost superhuman, and her intense motivational methods are becoming bizarre, even dangerous. But Madison is getting results. How can she stop now? 

Musician Johnny Blake has been struggling with a pain pill addiction after a very public, very bad fall. At the encouragement of loved ones, he retreats to a secluded cottage to detox. But Johnny isn’t alone. Something is lurking in the shadows of his new home—a creature unnatural and hungry, one that traps Johnny in a frightening bargain. If Johnny doesn’t stay off his pills and keep his end of the deal, he will be eaten alive. 

As Madison and Johnny’s predicaments spiral into the unthinkable, they will have to look within to find the true and terrifying answer to the age-old How badly do you want it?

MY THOUGHTS: This book managed to take a trope/writing style/whatever you want to call which I do not usually like at all and turned it into something I enjoyed.  Or at least I think that was what the author did, I'm not sure. I'm really confused - can you tell?

I'll Quit When I'm Dead focuses on two distinct characters.  Madison just dumped her boyfriend, dropped out of college, is out of work and is writing a novel she just can't complete.  Oh, and she constantly wants to lose 15 pounds which is an important part of the novel as well.  Johnny is a musician who has a mediocre career which he just made worse through some really stupid moves which landed him with an active drug addiction and a lengthy hospital stay.  Madison decides to sign up for a month-long retreat promising to be intense but which will leave her stronger, skinnier, and more focused.  Johnny has just moved to a rental in the country where he can continue his recovery.  Both have no idea what lies in store for them but given the cover, I was pretty sure they weren't going to like it. 

This book was strange because in the beginning, I was more interested in Johnny's story and about mid-way it shifted, and I became more interested in Madison's tale.  I also wasn't sure how the two were connected or even if they were, so the reading was a bit disjointed throughout at least 80% or maybe even more.  Madison's experiences had me more on edge because I think in her situation, the monster is real and is in the form of a retired military veteran, Ellie who has a lot of baggage of her own. And trust me, I think Ellie is way scarier than most mythological monster. Johnny's monster is in the form of a boggart, which other than a particular series which "won't be named" I've never ran across before.  

Needless to say, this book completely intrigued me, and I devoured it in a few days.  It wasn't on my radar until I stumbled across the cover on the new release shelf of my local library and I am so glad I snatched it up.  If you love horror and psychological drama, with a pretty heavy dose of fantasy during some parts, this is definitely one you will want to grab.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS