Waiting on Wednesday: Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Before the Devil Breaks You Series: The Diviners #3 Author: Libba Bray Published: October 3, 2017 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: After battling a sleeping sickness, The Diviners are up against a group of new and malevolent foes--ghosts! Out in Ward's Island sits a mental hospital full of lost souls from people long forgotten. Ghosts who have unusual and dangerous ties to the Man in the Stovepipe Hat also known as the King of Crows. With terrible accounts of murder and possession flooding in from all over New York City, the Diviners must band together and brave the ghosts haunting the asylum to bring down the King of Crows

Why I'm Waiting:

I'm a huge fan of Libba Bray. I have read almost all her books (all except Going Bovine which I own but still haven't read). The Diviners is the series that made me want to read her but it is not the first of her books I read. It is however my favorite.

I really ;love this series. It is everything I love in a book and more. It perfectly combines historical fiction, supernatural fantasy, mystery, and even horror into one amazing story. I really loved the first two books in the series when I read them a few years ago. They creeped me out and kept me on the edge of my seat building to such amazing climaxes. This is the third book in the series and I am so excited to learn more about what is going on within the world and also read a new and fascinating story.

I also really love the characters in this series. This is a book that has a tone of main characters that all get a little attention and perspective. I normally have a hard time with that kind of thing but it really works here. All the characters are so different and the story so involved that it gives you a lot to connect with and makes for a more well-rounded character. Plus Libba Bray really does a great job with developing interesting and complex characters. In all her books I have loved the large cast of characters she creates and this series is no different.

In general this is just going to be such a perfect read for the fall. it's atmospheric and creepy in a way that I think people will love if they are or are not a fan of horror. I have been anxiously awaiting this book for like two years and I can't believe it's almost here. I'm so excited to read it.

I already have this book preordered and I am super pumped to read it soon after it comes out. Although I may need to read the other books in the series. It has been awhile since I read them and I could use a refresher. Plus they are both amazing. Can't wait!

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on Before the Devil Breaks You along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

Title: Lair of Dreams Series: The Diviners #2 Author: Libba Bray Published: August 25, 2015 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers  (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O'Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. Now that the world knows of her ability to "read" objects, and therefore, read the past, she has become a media darling, earning the title, "America's Sweetheart Seer." But not everyone is so accepting of the Diviners' abilities...   Meanwhile, mysterious deaths have been turning up in the city, victims of an unknown sleeping sickness. Can the Diviners descend into the dreamworld and catch a killer?

**** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher at BEA in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ****

*** This is the second book in a series and may contain spoilers for book 1. If you haven't read The Diviners, do that and come back. ***

Lair of Dreans is a posi-tute-ly fantastic sequel that once again proves why Libba Bray is one of my favorite authors. It once again takes the reader on a captivating ride through 1920's New York with complex characters, atmospheric supernatural elements and tons of mystery.

To me this one felt much more like a supernatural mystery and less like historical fiction. I loved the emphasis on the history and ideology of the 1920's in The Diviners. It balanced real life events and figures with fantasy elements so brilliantly. And yes, Lair of Dreams does that too. It takes the reader into the world of flappers, jazz, and chorus girls. But it's a little bit in Lair of Dreams it's toned down a lot. I can see this one being more appealing to readers who may not necessarily read or love historical fiction. But for me, who loves that genre, I wanted a little bit more of the history. But I also kind of wanted a little more of the little things that set the scene in the first book. For example, the slang. Maybe that was because I'm more used to it or maybe because it was toned down. But despite it not feeling quite so immersive, Lair of Dreams takes the readers to a fantastic historical setting.

But the toned down history gave more credence to the mystery elements. For one thing, Lair of Dreams is just as atmospheric and spooky as the first book. Libba's writing is fantastic and lyrical. Whether she's explaining the plot or setting the scene it all has a dark beauty that keeps you questioning. The mystery was probably my favorite part. This book was so intricate with lots of different plot lines and mysterious elements that didn't seem connected at all but they were incredibly purposeful and important to both the larger story of the series and the specific plot of this book. It had me on the edge of my seat and I loved watching the mystery unfold in a slow and deliberate way that had me guessing until the very end.

I also really loved the supernatural elements of the story. I wouldn't go so far as to call it horror but there are definitely some spooky and dark ghosts that had me very nervous both while reading and after I finished. What The Diviners did for whistling, this book does for the song Beautiful Dreamer is all I'm saying. But the antagonist wasn't quite so scary as Naughty John but they definitely had me worried for the characters. Thankfully they have their Diviners powers to help them out. I loved seeing them explore the powers even more in this book. We of course see more of the powers of the characters who were the center of the first book like Evie, Sam, and Memphis. But in this book, Henry takes center stage. We get to learn so much more about his Diviners power, dreamwalking. We also get to meet a new Diviner, Ling Chen who is also a dreamwalker. The dream world was both interesting and atmospheric. Frankly I'm glad I don't really remember my dreams otherwise I may have been more scared by this book.

And I can't talk about the supernatural elements of this book without talking about these characters. This is a book where there are so many perspectives but it works so well. I think honestly it worked even better in Lair of Dreams. Maybe that's because I have grown so attached to all of them in the course of this book. Their all so complex and captivating. What Libba Bray does so well is balance between the fun and fancy atmosphere of 1920's New York and the dark atmosphere of the supernatural mysteries. This is mirrored in the characters and their arcs throughout the book. Sure they are fun and silly with great banter that had me laughing out loud and cute romantic moments but there is more to them then that. They also all have these complicated pasts that we are slowly learning about. I'm excited to learn more about a few of them like Theta and Sam as the book develops more. We've only got hints of them so far. But the more time I can spend with these characters, the better. They're fantastic and I'm such a fan.

But I'm a fan of this book in general. It's a hulking mass of a book but it's still a fast-paced read that I couldn't put down. It had me on the edge of my seat needing to find out not only what happens with the plot but to these characters. I can't wait to see what happens next. This book is the berries!

I give Lair of Dream by Libba Bray 9.5 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! If you loved the first book and you have been anxiously awaiting it's sequel you will not be disappointed. It takes you back into the world of The Diviners with an even more mysterious storyline and you get to learn more about those characters you know and love. If you like supernatural mysteries or are looking for a spooky story that will have you on the edge of your seat then check this series out.

Have you read Lair of Dreams? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: The Diviners by Libba Bray

Title: The Diviners Series: The Diviners #1 Author: Libba Bray Published: September 8, 2012 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers  (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City—and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.  Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.  As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened.

I have never met a Libba Bray book that I have not loved. It doesn't matter if it's contemporary, historical fiction, or fantasy she is seriously an autobuy author for me. That being said, I waited entirely too long to read this book. I heard about it a few years ago and for some reason I never picked it up. I picked up her other books. And after finally reading it, I am definitely wondering why it took so long for me to read it because it was just absolutely brilliant.

What I adored most about this book is the historical fiction aspect of the story. Libba Bray is able to perfectly transport you into the world of New York City in the 1920's. She of course combines real people, ideas, and events of the period with fictional people and events. The setting comes alive with gorgeous detail as We're taken to the seedy prohibition era clubs, the jazz music, the vaudeville shows, and meet flappers and Bright Young Things out for a good time. I read a lot of historical fiction and never before have I found such an immersive experience, so much so that I found my manner of speech changing to adopt the slang of the time (but this is the second book set in the 20's I read in the past two weeks so take my opinion with a grain of salt). It's such a great representation of the era that I think the manner of speech and slang may annoy some readers, it does feel a little bit like jargon at times, but for me it felt all the more authentic and interesting. Not to mention that this is a period that I love reading about. It's a time of change and excitement that leads to a lot of really interesting and adventurous stories.

And that is exactly what the plot of this book was, interesting and adventurous. Sure, it's an immerse historical fiction novel but it's also a fantastic supernatural mystery. There is a disclaimer at the beginning of the book that warns the reader to keep the lights on and they are not kidding. This book is incredibly spooky. It's a fantastic ghost story that will forever change the way I view whistling when I'm walking down the street alone at night. But it's also an intricate murder mystery about the hunt for a serial killer. You know me and mysteries, I like solving them and I'm pretty good at it. I thought I had the mystery here figured out and I had a few elements of it solved but it still managed to surprise me and build to an amazing conclusion that had me on the edge of my seat completely riveted.

But the mystery plot and the ghost story were not the only supernatural elements of the story. The book also had a fascinating magical system that was a lot like the superpower stories that I love. Many of the characters in this book have powers that they are trying to keep secret, powers that connect them to a dark past, powers that get them into or sometimes out of trouble. I love characters with secrets and what Libba Bray does so well here with them is the dramatic irony of their secrets and their connections. The book is told in a third-person perspective from a lot of different perspectives and is intricately well-written. We slowly get to know each character and watch them interact with one another in positive and negative ways as their stories intertwine with the many different plot points of the book. Books with so many perspectives can be hit or miss for me and there were times where it felt a little too vast sometimes but it really did work.

The fact that I enjoyed the alternating perspectives so much may have been because each and every character here was fascinating and complex. No matter which character we are following at the time you are engaged and invested in their success. I particularly loved our main character Evie and her fun-loving spirit and plucky personality but I also loved that she's smart and probably the best detective in the bunch. But the book also had an amazing and dark antagonist. Naughty John may have just become one of my favorite villains, he is terrifying! Did I mention the whistling? Because, the whistling! Libba Bray is a master at characterization and The Diviners definitely proves it. But even so I feel like we have only begun to learn about each of them, their histories, and their powers. I can't wait to learn more. Maybe I should push Lair of Dreams up on the TBR.

The Diviners is a beast (if you've read it, you may laugh at this) of a book weighing in at almost 600 pages but it doesn't really feel that way. It's a book you will not want to put down as you hunt for clues about the supernatural mystery and the characters. Libba Bray further proves why she is one of my favorite authors.

I give The Diviners by Libba Bray 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! Whether you are a fan of historical fiction, horror, mysteries, and/or fantasies this book is worth the read. It has a vivid historical setting, complex and engaging characters, a thrilling plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat and up all night. It was dark and spooky and wonderful!

Read this if you enjoyed:
The Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray
The Young Elites by Marie Lu
Miss Peregrine's School for Unusual Children by Ranson Riggs
The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvater
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

Have you read The Diviners? What did you think? Leave me a comment for your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!