Review | Before The Devil Breaks You

Before The Devil Breaks You // Libba Bray

“The moment your country first sinned, I emerged, slick and formless. Born of your restless ambition. Your greed, and hunger. You, who tell yourselves a story of yourselves. Do you imagine you can rid yourselves of me? You have created me! I am you, incarnate—a new god for a brave new world. I am written into your history now. I am written into you. And oh! What a nation of glorious dreamers and devourers!”

The hardest thing about reviewing a book in an ongoing series, is everything that I talk about is a spoiler. 

EVERYTHING. 

There are so many things that I want to say. I had a lot of emotions about this book. All the characters have me enraptured. I genuinely care about them and I’m rooting for their success! 

I was disappointed in a couple of scenes, which is why it won’t get 5/5 stars, but it’s still a solid read and well worth the 6 hours. 

This is the first book that I have finished the author’s notes. Usually, I’m done when the end of the novel is, but I have carried on being hungry for more information. The amount of research and care that has been put into this book series is something to be admired. It took me an entire weekend to finish this book and I found myself wanting to steal away from friends to dive back into this world. 

Also, there are a couple of historical figures that make appearances in this book. 

There is love, death, fear, desire, sex, and tests of loyalty. Nothing is what you think it will be.

NOTHING.

I am patiently waiting for the next book. 

….Now I remember why I don’t like book series. 

I’ve never been very patient. 

2019 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge – A book you think should be turned into a movie
2019 ATY Reading Challenge – A book featuring a historical figure

Review | Lair of Dreams

Lair of Dreams // Libba Bray

Sometimes the people dispensed with what was difficult or inconvenient to acknowledge. So the good people maintained the illusion of democracy and wrote another hymn to America. They sang loud enough to drown out dissent. They sang loud enough to overpower their own doubts. There were no plaques to commemorate mistakes. But the past didn’t forget. History was haunted by the ghosts of buried crimes, which required periodic exorcisms of truth. Actions had consequences.

This story is a continuation of the diviners series. We are introduced to a new character called Ling Chan. She’s great. LOVE HER. We learn about this “sleeping sickness” where people go to sleep and they just don’t wake up. 

I loved it. 

The only thing that annoyed me was the fact that Evie was too self-centered. I feel like that was played up way too much and at all the wrong times, especially when she was so active in the last book on wanting to save everyone. 

My favorite part of the book has to be the witty banter between Henry and Ling because it’s so heartwarming to see two people who are out of the realm of society and yet can find comfort in each and IT’S NOT SEXUAL! 

I was not a fan of the love triangle angle explored in this installment. It made me actually dislike Mabel because she seemed like she didn’t understand her worth, just because she didn’t have powers. I can see her potentially betraying Evie in a later book because of her built up resentment. 

Bray is very brave in her attempt to capture the Chinese immigrant experience, but I don’t think she ratcheted up the fear enough. Quarantine camps are mentioned but it doesn’t feel like there is enough emotion around the reaction. 

I loved the book for a plethora of reasons but one that stands out is that it’s an ensemble piece that has developed from a single POV. 

I think that Libby Bray does a great job of folding stories together and in so doing, created a world I can really sink myself into. The imagery, the poetic prose lulls me to a place where I can forget where I am and what time it is and completely give myself over. 

Kind of like those dreams.

2019 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge – a book about ghosts 
2019 ATY Challenge – A book with more than 500 pages