I have many things to say about this book, but I have to be honest, I still regret not finishing this sooner. It was the most emotional rollercoaster, and the spookiest and most heart breaking book I had the chance to read in a while. This book had easily became one of my all time favourites.

I’ve never read a whole book in one day, it’s just not my thing. But I just couldn’t put the book down, wanting to know more. A genuine page turner that keeps you wanting more. A great book and a real thrill from this new writer. Can’t wait for more from this author.
Full review on YouTube.

Oh god I am so sorry I thought I had reviewed this one.

So I didn't download the audiobook in time before this was archived when I first got approved but I did read the book and thoroughly enjoyed it!

The Devil Makes Three was a title I was immediately intrigued by. The mix of dark academia with super-natural forces was a sure-fire success, and I was absolutely thrilled when I got approved for this ARC.

This is a tale following Tessa, a violin prodigy who accidentally unleashes a book-bound demon in the library of her boarding school. With the help of Elliot, who hides secrets of his own, Tessa must bind the demon to save all those she cares about.

The book lived upto my incredibly high expectations. The characters were in-depth and witty. Tess was not always likable, and Elliot was occasionally annoying, but these qualities only made them more three-dimensional and lovable.

The plot was well written, although I believe the ending could have been executed slightly better. It seemed to fizzle out slightly, not building up to the tension as much as the book had during the middle. The writing was lyrical, and the author did a superb job of building tension and fear in the reader.

The gorgeous cover does not lie, this is definitely a book worth trying! A huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino is a compelling YA horror novel that remains both fresh and engaging. The characters make this book quite enticing. The secrets that Eliot and Tess both keep makes the plot flow remarkably well. The atmosphere is what truly sets this book apart from the other YA horror novels I have read. The library that holds secret passages within its depths definitely gives off dark academia vibes. While I was not particularly drawn in by the writing, I am still looking forward to reading Bovalino's next work.

This isn't to say that this book is anywhere near as unpublishable as its early 2010s ancestors. But there's too much overlap for me to have a good time.

Basically, where I wanted dark academia vibes, I got paranormal romance vibes. While much of this takes place in a library, it's over summer break, and the characters' activities are definitively nonacademic in nature.

I think so much of dark academia is...vibe. Spooky, scholarly. And this book was entirely vibeless for me.

Much like, well...a certain young adult subgenre of yore.

Bottom line: Not bad! Just so not what I wanted that it's almost enough to make me rant against my will.

The Devil Makes Three is deliciously dark and spooky with characters you’ll love and twists you won’t see coming!

I loved this book so much! I wasn’t sure if I would because I don’t generally read spooky things but this is definitely my kind of spooky! Magic, demons made out of ink and a spooky library? Sign me up! The Devil Makes Three definitely gets dark and a little gory at times, but in a way that I adored. Tori Bovalino is so great at building suspense, I listened to the majority of this book in one sitting. (At IKEA, which might be the least scary place to listen to it lol).

I particularly loved the way all the plot threads are woven together. Bovalino manages multiple subplots and makes their arcs feel satisfying and fun. There is never a dull moment in this book so if you’re looking for a spooky read that captivates you the whole way through, this is it!

I did end up hoping for just a little more at the end. While Bovalino wraps everything up neatly (and hits us with possibly my favourite last line cliffhanger!), I would’ve loved to see the consequences of the ending play out more. I guess I just have to hope for a sequel to get my fix!

Let's talk characters! I adore Tess and Elliot individually, but I also immediately fell in love with their dynamic. Tess is sharp-witted and caring, her relationship with her parents and sister are both complicated and soft, just the way I love it. Elliot is such a Soft Boi and we know I love those! More magic boys in YA, please! I love how both he and Tess are defined by the question of what we’re willing to do for the ones we love, in very different ways. Most of the time, I just really wanted to give this poor boy a hug, he really goes through a lot.

I am so glad I got to listen to this as an audiobook. Both because having separate narrators for the different POV chapters is always delightful and makes the characters feel real, but also because it amped up the atmosphere! Bovalino’s writing is lush and dripping with All The Vibes, and John Keating and Suzy Jackson really make it shine. There’s nothing like exploring a creepy library and feeling like you’re actually standing next to the characters

This was a suitably creepy and interesting read that kept me entertained throughout. I thought the characters were well drawn and believable and there were moments of true peril, which I appreciated. The plot was interesting and the pacing was great, ensuring a fun and enjoyable ride. I thought that splitting the narrative between male and female narrators for the audio was a good move and worked very well. I would definitely read from this author in the future.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Devil Makes Three is truly a genre-bending debut. This book is a fantasy, mystery, gothic horror and romance all in one! Tess and Eliot while being students at a fancy boarding school, take up a task to kill the devil or the least, shut him inside the book he crawled out off.

I enjoyed the audiobook very much, altering povs and back history of the MCs kept the storyline interesting. I feel this might be too gory for YA, but I found those parts chilling. This is one of the books that doesn’t romanticises The Devil and has characters going up against him. I loved Tess more than Eliot, she is a strong-willed young woman who would do anything to save the people she loves. I wish this were a series so we get to read more about Tess & Eliot, and more witchy magical parts, but I liked it nevertheless.

Thank you Recorded Books via Netgalley for the ALC.

I really enjoyed this book! There are definite YA dark academia moments in the story and I almost loved all the characters. Even the bad one 😉!
This story had slow burn romance, action, gore, strong characters, and a twist of possible beliefs of the devil! The way things were described and told was very flowing and unique.
This writer definitely has a voice and it is shown on each and every page!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the chance to listen to the audiobook!

(Down below I’ll give a few reasons why I didn’t enjoy the book and why it didn’t reach the 5 stars for me. There will be SOME spoilers but I’ll still try to keep it vague.)……..


Spoiler


Coming……



Now!


The ending, now that was what made me feel off about the book and confirmed why I didn’t want to give it a 5 star.
After reading that last sentence I didn’t like how I felt about it. All I could think of was: “all that work for nothing?”
I’m not sure what I missed or if I missed anything in the main “fight” scene that caused me to be confused or surprised about that ending but….I felt like a little more explaining could have been done.
Or,
It was the writers style of making the book now have a concrete ending. The ending wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t my favorite.

I also felt bad for Tess for taking on so much and STILL not getting her dream job of going to a school that allowed her to study the cello and become a professional cellist. What irritates me more was that it was all for her little sister Nat who didn’t seem grateful or told her sister really how much she appreciated her. Whatever was mentioned in the story, for me, didn’t feel genuine enough.

My FAVORITE parts, however, were the devils chapters that were written in third person! I think that was a cool twist to the story and a unique way of sinking the readers more into the story!

This debut young adult novel really sounded exactly up my alley - a little bit spooky, takes place mostly in a library - not to mention the author's fantastic first name! It is an engaging audiobook with both Tess and Eliot narrating chapters and performed by separate readers which adds to the fun. A family crisis forces Tess to grow up even faster and she takes charge of getting her and her younger sister in a boarding school. Tess' work-study is in the library - where she first encounters Eliot, a young man who has a summer goal that requires a lot of library research.

But the romantic comedy elements here are quickly overshadowed by more horrific ones, when they venture into a forbidden part of the library and wake up a demon trapped in the pages of an old book. The nightmarish scenes are vividly described - but I felt a bit disconnected from ever feeling truly scared because there were so many hallucinations. I didn't realize that these sort of dreamlike sequences were such a huge turn off for me, but in this book they really were. I guess I hoped for a little more history of the book itself - plus the ending feels purposefully open-ended which added to my feeling unsatisfied. I felt like there were some key details left unaddressed while the magical aspects were accepted by the characters so readily.

Overall, the book just felt unbalanced to me. It features a devil, but stays away from religion completely - and the prickly parts of the romance felt at odds with the age of the characters, though I appreciated that the pain of their backstories gave them more development. I wish that Matilda's story had been a bit fuller - her tale sounded even more dramatic and her ending was part of my dissatisfaction as there were swaths of the story that were glossed over in an entirely unexplained way. That being said, this one definitely held my attention from start to finish. The audio is well-performed and it made some very long car rides much more enjoyable. I just wish that there had been some more explanatory details and a few less hallucinatory scenes. But, it is definitely a unique read and I would be interested in seeing what the author writes next!

The Devil Makes Three is one of the most engaging thrillers I have ever read. The story perfectly blends dark magic with an academic setting, creating the ideal atmosphere for a haunting tale! I have been disappointed by many young adult thrillers in the past, and after reading The Devil Makes Three, I now know why. Those other lackluster thrillers couldn’t compare to the excitement, and fear that was packed into every page of The Devil Makes Three. This book would be the perfect read for fans of If We Were Villains or The Dead Poets Society!

The audio version of The Devil Makes Three has two narrators, one reading for each protagonist. This gave a unique feel to each of the perspectives, enhancing the characterization work already done by Tori Bovalino. Their performances were both wonderful to listen to and gave the book another layer of spooky ambiance.

If you’re looking to pick up a copy of The Devil Makes Three, you should definitely investigate the audiobook option!

Can I just start off by saying, I really really liked this! More than I expected to? What a surprisingly great find! I haven't read that many Dark Academia themed books yet, but The Devil Makes Three definitely encouraged me to look out for this genre more!

I listened to the audiobook and the narrators Suzy Jackson and John Keating did a fantastic job at bringing Tori Bovalino's novel to life. For anyone who isn't usually a big fan of the horror-genre, do not worry! This book is still very enjoyable even for readers like us that usually steer away from it, as it doesn't contain too much gore or other graphic horror elements as it's still aimed at young adults.

The story was enthralling from the start as we follow Tess's and Eliot's strange summer adventure. They release a book-bound demon, that uses and manipulates ink to stay in the mortal world and threaten Tess and Eliot. Sounds like a nightmare creature for any book lover, right? I'd rather not accidentally come across such a demon, no thank you.

The plot was gripping, the characters were well thought out and Tess and Eliot's relationship was well built up. It was messy and not the usual love-at-first-sight romance, which made it feel very real and relatable. And of course I hoped for a happy handing for them, even if the story at times seemed a bit dark.

With the spooky vibe, the demon hunting and the overall dark vibe, this makes for a perfect Halloween read! So why not try and pick it up in October?

Format: audiobook
Author: Tori Bovalino ~ Title: The Devil Makes Three ~ Narrator: Suzy Jackson, John Keating
Content: 4 stars ~ Narration: 4.5 stars
TW: self-harm, gore, parental illness

This book was quite a pleasant surprise. I never know what to expect when I read YA genre. It was a blend of genres: young adult, thriller, and horror.

Tess has a job at a school library. Eliot wants to find a book that will save his mother’s life. They have little in common. But together, they coincidentally start events that will shake both to the core.

Mostly there were two POVs: Tess and Eliot. There were two narrators, one for each POV. A female narrator did an excellent job. I liked changes of accents, emotions, and sometimes the horror in her voice. The male narrator didn’t sound like a young adult, but it didn’t bother me much.

Thanks to the Recorded Books for the ARC and the opportunity to listen to this! All opinions are my own.

The title ‘The Devil Makes Three’ already tips you off this is going to be a horror story and it doesn’t lie. It’s creepy as heck and I recommend reading at night for maximum horror effect – don’t worry, its not TOO much horror, it is still young adult after all!

Tess is your average girl just trying to survive private high school, working 2 jobs (one in a library!), and being a cello protégée. She gave up going to a music conservatory to go to this school in Pittsburgh, PA instead with her younger sister Natalie – her sister wouldn’t have been accepted without Tess too, and Tess gave up her dreams to help her sister have a better future. I love the relationship of the sisters – its only briefly explored, but its clear everything Tess does is to make sure her sister is taken care of and has the best possible education.

Eliot is your average boy, forced go to to private high school his father is headmaster of, forcing to leave his sick mother in England, and oh yeah, he has magic. I enjoyed how seamlessly the magic aspect was incorporated into this story and it felt natural. There is no wands or caps or pointy hats, but there are pentagrams and sacrifices that need to be made. The use of magic isn’t gone into too deeply but I wish there was more of it, I was interested in Eliot’s magic!

This book gives me college vibes rather than high school and I love that it feels on the older end of “young adult” so to speak.

When Eliot needs a forbidden magical book in the library only Tess can access (she doesn’t believe in magic), he gets her help and together they journey to the basement, only to find something they didn’t expect…and accidentally release the devil.

I love the way the devil is seamlessly incorporated into this book and the world and its such spooky vibes. Tess has to suspend her belief of the supernatural and admit something isn’t right.

This story truly won me over and it was such a fast paced read, it was hard to stop at any point in the story. I love the tenuous friendship that forms between Eliot and Tess – he’s a rich boy and she doesn’t want to get close to him when she hates his father, but Eliot just wants to be friends with Tess. Once again it felt natural and the interactions between them never felt forced.

I really enjoyed this book and I’m glad I picked it up this spooky season!

"The Devil Makes Three" had a cool premise, but it didn't really work for me.

The romantic subplot felt somewhat forced and the protagonists were rather nonchalant about some of the things they had to do over the course of the novel which was really unrealistic.

I also didn't like that the main problems the protagonists faced in their normal life were just brushed aside by the end without a satisfying resolution.

The title and cover of this book definitely drew me in. It gave me all the spooky vibes and I thought it would be a perfect book to read and sale for the upcoming spooky season. It did not disappoint.

The atmosphere through the book was perfectly creepy and gave off that ‘standing on edge’ feeling. It was the perfect blend of unsettling and dark, with enough mystery to keep you intrigued. The best part, in my opinion, it centers around an old university library. As a bookseller, if a story is centered at a bookstore or library it automatically gains points in my book!

I really enjoyed that this audiobook was dual narrated, which just so happens to be my favorite way to listen to a story with multiple points of view. The female narrator was my favorite, she had great voices and emotions for all the characters and you always knew who was talking. The male narrator was correctly British as was Eliot, but all his voices sounded the same which made it hard at times to know who was speaking. I also did not like that when the "devil" had his chapters, it was the same exact voice as Eliot- I personally would have liked some change or a 3rd narrator.

The author had a way of making you (and the characters) not know what was real or a vision, adding to the uncertainty and the creepiness of the story. I was always guessing if it was a scary encounter or a traumatic vision.

Seriously, the last minute of the book was a nice surprise, I love the way the author threw this tiny fact out and the book ended. I was a little let down with how easy and almost HEA the ending to this dark and creepy story was and then BAM, something new. Keep in mind that this is a standalone story so this will be just a little nugget to think on and stew over and I fully appreciate this tidbit (my favorite part of the book I think). You have been warned (in the best kind of way).

Overall this was a very interesting read, with great complicated characters you root for as well as a twisty plot to follow and keep you guessing as to what was real and what was made up. I will definitely keep my eye out for more books from this author and I recommend this for anyone who likes the creepier side of the supernatural, strong independent characters taking on the world, and mysterious libraries full of dangerous books.

Do you enjoy YA fiction? How about books featuring paranormal activity? I’m not gonna lie…. I’m a big chicken.
I listened to this book this week and I love a book with an elite private school setting. There’s a rich boy and a scholarship girl and then, the devil makes three. It’s a little scary, rather dark, and hard to put down. Perfect fall reading, right?

I think, unfortunately, that I was more disappointed by this book than I thought I would be. I remember reading the description and immediately being ready for some really good horror, dark academia, etc. but was immediately sent into a book that was essentially… a romance with some creepy vibes. It was predictable and a lot more boring than originally anticipated. Many reviews tout this book as being gorey with great body horror, creepy vibes, etc… but if you are really into that stuff and want to feel super uncomfortable, unnerved, scared, then this book most likely won’t be for you.

For the roses (the good stuff), Bovalino is honestly an exceptionally poetic/lyrical writer. The way the words dripped off the page (see what I did there?) was truly excellent and I kept getting stuck on how good of a writer she genuinely is. The descriptions were great, the world-building was there. I think maybe she got so wrapped up in the writing that the plot ended up slipping a little.

The narrators for the audiobook were phenomenal and truly made the atmosphere that much better. This was my first ever audiobook and I will admit, I super struggled to stay engaged, but the narrators really helped keep me in tune.

Onto my thorns. The premise and idea of The Devil Makes Three were honestly excellent. However, after a strong start and interesting setup, the execution of the plot became mediocre. I really didn’t hate the book, but chances of me coming back to reread it are exceptionally low. Being bored during a horror novel is the last thing you really want, but I was never really convinced of being scared of this “devil”. Especially because it was called “a devil” instead of “THE devil” or just a demon. There wasn’t enough backstory on the terror that this demon caused to make me feel like he was a legitimate threat, and things wrapped up way nicer than I expected them to in a horror novel. I expected the body horror to be worse, but Mexican Gothic definitely hit harder than this novel did. However, it may come off as triggering to some as most of it was described as self-harm/suicidal tendencies.

The ages of our characters also felt really… off. They were teenagers in high school, but throughout the entire novel, I kept seeing them in their early 20’s in college. The writing, the premise, etc. came off as too old for how young our characters actually were.

Overall I think the biggest theme for me with this book is that I never actually cared -- which is the last thing you want for a protag in a horror. You want to care if they live or die, or what is going to happen to them or the world around them. But I just didn’t care about either Elliot or Tess. However, if you like “light horror” (in my opinion), UK boys with a troubled past, some witchcraft, dark academia settings, etc. then this book is for you. It just definitely didn’t hit the mark for me.