Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray

Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray
The Diviners, book three
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2017
Audio book owned in personal collection

Oh man, do I dig the Roaring Twenties! What a fabulous time to set a story.  Not only does it have the glitz and glamour of the flappers, jazz culture, and the growing movie industry, but it is RIPE with controversial societal topics that can play into a storyline. Libba Bray is a master at weaving all of these elements together with a dash of the paranormal to create one heck of a brilliant series.

Starting with The Diviners, which I highly recommend you go back and start with if you haven't already read the earlier books in the series, we follow a group of people who come together because they all have special gifts and become a family facing down the world's evils. Bray's gang of intrepid Diviners come from all walks of life. We as readers get to glimpse theater life, flapper parties and nightclubs, as well as Chinatown and the streets of Harlem.  Evie becomes a famous radio star, while Theta's a dancer in the Follies, and Ling's genius lets her meet the famous inventor, Marlowe.  There's excitement and innovation...and murderous ghosts around every corner. 

By the time this third book begins, the Diviners have already been tested twice.  Now, they must use their various gifts to band together to fight the biggest threat yet.  A paranormal entity that could threaten the existence of their entire world.  It's hard to give any more plot than that without spoiling things for other readers, so I'm going to leave it there. 

I will say that the stakes have most definitely gone up in this installment.  I can feel the tension in the overall story arc rising to almost the crescendo, as we prepare for the final book in the series.  As threats build all around the Diviners and they learn that they face very real threats from our world, not just the paranormal one, sadly it's becoming more and more clear that perhaps some may not see the end of this war.  I am EAGERLY awaiting the ending of this series.

A final note - I have listened to this entire series as audio books from the beginning and it is a WONDERFUL experience.  The books are fabulous in and of themselves, but narrator January LaVoy not only does amazing voices for all of the characters, but in parts she even sings... and they splice in some great '20s jazz music, too.  I highly recommend the audio versions!

January Challenge Reading Plan

2018 Books I Already Own Challenge

Since my 2018 Books I Already Own Challenge begins on Monday, I figured I would set up a goal list of books to read in the month of January. Hopefully, with a plan, I'll be able to stick to it... *fingers crossed*

My list of planned reading in January:
(Audio books)

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray 

(Print books)

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer 

Prudence by Gail Carriger

Imprudence by Gail Carriger

Winterspell by Claire Legrand

The audio books are all ones that I own through Audible, but have not listened to yet, and the books are all ones that I own physical copies of in my home library, but have not read.  All links above go to descriptions on Goodreads. 

My planned "cheat book" is The Lost Plot by Genevieve Cogman (book four in the Invisible Library series) since I already had it on preorder and I'm dying to see what happens next in the series.

I also already know that I'll be reading a copy of Daisies for Innocence by Bailey Cattrell for the cozy mystery book club that I lead at my Library. Books that I read specifically for work, or ones I am assigned to review for Audiofile Magazine will not be counting towards (or against) my challenge.

So, keep your fingers crossed for me in January and I'll try to post some reviews throughout the month, followed by a wrap up post letting you know how I did for the month and what my plan is for February as we hit the end of the month.

Oh, and if you'd like in on the challenge, just let me know! We have a private group on both Facebook and Goodreads to give us a place to share, motivate each other, and bemoan having to pass up the shiny new books of 2018... at least for as long as each of us last!! 

Gold Star Review - The Diviners

The Diviners 
by Libba Bray

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-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."

When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first. (Description from Amazon.com) 

Creepy and Fun! 

This book is set in the 1920's, which is one of my FAVORITE historical eras. So glamorous.  Speakeasys, flappers, jazz...New York City must have been one happening place.  I would have loved to have seen it.  As it is, I envy the clothes and the sense of freedom that the flappers must have felt. 

I loved the way this book unfolded.  It was subtle at first how all the different characters were going to end up intermingled into one big story.  I liked how they fit all together eventually like puzzle pieces. I found the reason for them developing their psychic abilities intriguing and I'm desperate to get my hands on the next book ASAP! 

The serial killer story was gripping and while it had its gory moments, it wasn't overwhelming. It was the perfect blend of creepy and compelling. I found the language to be helpful in this... even when Evie was staring at a gruesome murder or was learning grisly details, her horror was offset with her attempts at humorous colloquialisms, "And how!," "Jeepers Creepers." These moments were helpful to deflect a little bit from the grotequeness of the crime scenes. 

With fun language, a sit on the edge of your seat plot, and great characters, I have to give the Diviners a GOLD STAR. I will most definitely read book two, Lair of Dreams, as soon as it hits the shelves! 

Full disclosure: Audio book borrowed from my Library

My (*REALLY Belated) BEA 12 Wrap-Up Post...and a Giveaway!

Well...this is long overdue, but I've just been seriously overwhelmed lately.  Today is the first day since BEA that I really felt up to tackling a post of this size...

Anyway, on June 6th - ages ago, now!- I went into New York City to attend Book Expo America...my favorite day of the entire year.  I seriously love the experience every time I go. 

This year, I got up at 3:20a.m. so that I could drive down to the train station to meet my friend, Kim, and take the earliest train possible (well, for us anyway...) into the city in time to make the Children's Author Breakfast.  We got there in plenty of time so that Kim could check her roll-y bag, we picked out our seats (next year, we vowed to pay for the real breakfast table seats) and even got to chat with other Librarian friends before it started. I was super excited to catch up with my CT Librarians like Andrea, Kristi, and Heather!!  <3

If you want to read all about the Children's Author Breakfast (and I think you should - Chris Colfer moderated and it was amazing!!),  you can check out the write up I did for YALSA's The Hub. 

After the breakfast, Miss Kim and I were forced to split up. There is just so much to do and we had different things we desperately wanted to hit during the day. Of course, the first thing I wanted to do was get a signed copy of Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas, so I waited in line for more than an hour right off the bat. 

Having learned from going the last three years, I usually make a plan of things I'd like to do at BEA and then I  kind of take the day as it comes. While this year I did go in with certain signings that I *HAD* to attend, I  also made a point to give myself plenty of time to walk around and talk to the different people at Publishers' Booths. This worked out just great, as I was able to hand my blog card out to several different  people and I picked up some ARCs I never would have grabbed, based on the publisher's rep's recommendations. 

Alright, want to see what I got?

I was beyond excited to grab one of Chris Colfer's ARCs from the Children's Author Breakfast (bottom of the pile)! It came in the cutest little box, too. Another one I refused to leave BEA without was a signed copy of Diana Peterfreund's For Darkness Shows the Stars. That was a must-grab for me!!  I  was also super excited to meet Jonathan Maberry in person and to get a signed copy of  Rot and Ruin. 

I was so happy to grab Libba Bray's The Diviners, too! Miss Kim grabbed a copy of Prodigy for me (Thank you!!) and I picked up several others I can't wait to read.  :)

Throughout the day, I met tons of authors, which is always one of my favorite things about all of BEA. I have to say this year's highlights included having Julianne Donaldson (Edenbrooke) and her publisher recognize me from the blog tour and then getting to have a real-life one on one conversation with JOHN GREEN!  Yes, the John Green.  He thanked me for being a Librarian and working every day to connect kids to books. So, of course, I thanked him for writing such great books for us to connect them to!!  (Awesome moment!)

Overall it was a great, and exhausting day. I made new contacts, caught up with old friends, and got a whole pile of books that it will probably take me a whole 'nother year to plow through, LOL.

How would you like some spoils from my efforts at BEA? I grabbed a couple extra ARCs and decided to give them away!  :D 

I have an extra copy of Jessica Khoury's Origin and Sharon Cameron's The Dark Unwinding. (If you click  on each title, it will take you to the Goodreads page for each book, where you can find a description) 

If  you would like to enter to win *both* these ARCs, please leave me a comment below  before Wed., June 27th. Please include your email address, too, so that if your name is chosen by Random.org on Thurs, June 28th, I can get in touch with you to get your mailing address  (US only, sorry!).   The winner will have until  Sunday, July 1st to get me their mailing address or I will pick a new winner.  GOOD LUCK!!

Anxiously Awaiting...

Beauty Queens
by Libba Bray

Publication Date: May 24, 2011

Synopsis: From bestselling, Printz Award-winning author Libba Bray, the story of a plane of beauty pageant contestants that crashes on a desert island.

Teen beauty queens. A "Lost"-like island. Mysteries and dangers. No access to emall. And the spirit of fierce, feral competition that lives underground in girls, a savage brutality that can only be revealed by a journey into the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Oh, the horror, the horror! Only funnier. With evening gowns. And a body count.

Ummm...Yes, please!!

Going Bovine

Going Bovine
by Libba Bray

All sixteen-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school - and life in general - with a minimum of effort. It's not a lot to ask. But that's before he's given some bad news: he's sick and he's going to die. Which totally sucks.

Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there is a cure - if he's willing to go in search of it. With the help of Gonzo, a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf, and a yard gnome who just might be the Viking god Balder, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America of smoothie-drinking happiness cults, parallel-universe-hopping physicists, mythic New Orleans jazz musicians, whacked-out television game shows, snow-globe vigilantes, and disenfranchised, fame-hungry teens into the heart of what matters most.

To be totally honest, I kept picking this book up and then putting it back down. It was a vicious cycle...check it out from the library...return it...check it out from the library...return it. Ugh. I really couldn't get past the cover! I felt weirded out by the image of the steer carrying a yard gnome. Even now having read the book, I still personally would have liked a different cover.

Okay, that being said...I am SO glad I finally read this book. I thought it was funny, poignant, heartbreaking, uplifting...so many things. There were a lot of little quirks that Libba Bray threw into the book that made me giggle; I love when I can pick out the exact "thing" that an author uses to create the world in a book. For example, the CESSNAB cult was so funny, yet so derivative of where our culture is heading in regards to materialism... it was a little eerie...even as I was giggling at the ridiculousness. I can't even get into the YA partyhouse/MTV correlation!

The characters were wonderful in this book! I loved Cameron. He felt...real. His relationships with his sister, his mother, and his father all felt genuine. I loved how he eventually bonded with Gonzo. Balder...Balder, Balder, Balder. I think that Balder was my favorite character of all. Although, there is also Dulcie...awesome punk rock angel extraordinaire.

Take it from someone who originally gave this one a pass based on looks. DON'T DO IT HERE! This is a book that is WORTH the read!!

Full disclosure: Copy obtained from Publisher (though I did check it out from the library first...twice!!)