Buddy Read & Book Review: Before the Devil Breaks You (The Diviners #3) by Libba Bray

Before the Devil Breaks You (The Diviners #3) by Libba Bray (2017)

Genre: Fantasy, YA, Fiction

Page Length: 552 pages (hardcover edition)

Synopsis:

After battling a supernatural sleeping sickness that claimed two of their own, the Diviners have had enough lies. They’re more determined than ever to uncover the mystery behind their extraordinary powers, even as they face off against an all-new terror. Out on Ward’s Island, far from the city’s bustle, sits a mental hospital haunted by the lost souls of 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 and New York City on the verge of panic, the Diviners must band together and brave the sinister ghosts invading the asylum, a fight that will bring them face-to-face with the King of Crows. But as the explosive secrets of the past come to light, loyalties and friendships will be tested, love will hang in the balance, and the Diviners will question all that they’ve ever known. All the while, malevolent forces gather from every corner in a battle for the very soul of a nation–a fight that could claim the Diviners themselves. (description from Goodreads)

*This was is part of a series buddy read with fellow book blogger Zezee With Books. To see a review of book one click here, book two click here.

Review:

The further I head into this series, the spookier the books become. While doing this buddy read, we both agreed that the horror aspects had become so amped up that we had to read the novel in the daytime (I was thoroughly spooked). One of the things about this series that I love is that it doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares and more so is an overall slow-burn horror story. The further you read into this series the more intense the scares and imagery become as detailed by Bray.

The third installment has our cast of Diviners getting one step closer to the true nature behind the Buffalo Project as ghost sightings pop up all across the city. Everyone is on edge including the characters as they grow more concerned with the unknown. They team up and continue working on their individual powers (more skills are revealed in this installment) and as a whole, they become stronger to help seal the rift the past has started to open. I also like that we find some characters that have readers questioning their overall intentions which thickens the mystery aspects.

It’s hard to talk too much about this third installment without giving too much away but I really enjoyed the addition of new characters and the big reveal for supernatural beings that readers come face to face with. The shift of multiple povs like the previous books allows readers to get a look inside the character’s heads and connects the reader to them. They see their powers as a blessing and a curse as it has helped but also caused havoc in their lives. This installment also really plays up the love triangle bit between Sam, Evie, and Jericho but I feel like it was finally resolved in a sense (or at least I hope).

Besides the face-off with the menacing King of Crows, the parts that take place in the asylum were the most terrifying and action-packed scenes of this book. The plot twists just kept on coming non-stop and I was all here for it. One larger discussion that both of us have picked up on while reading these books is how the premise of the supernatural/ghosts is used as a channel to talk about social issues in the country and how it relates to some of the same topics discussed today. This series not only digs into the history of the era and is not afraid to be real or bring up uncomfortable discussions. It’s a larger commentary on how history is uncomfortable at times but we have to learn from our surprise

The ending was a complete shocker and I’m looking forward to seeing this series end in the final novel!

Final Verdict: