**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Gabe Cole Novoa returns to the world of The Wicked Bargain with The Diablo's Curse. Readers follow genderfluid demonio Dami as they navigate the challenge of resolving all of their deals so they can experience a human life. They've resolved every deal except their deal with Silas Cain. Silas won't break their deal without Dami's help. Silas just happens to have a generational curse tied to the treasure of Captain Kidd and needs Dami's help to find it.

I was so happy to learn that Novoa was following up with Dami's book. Dami was a favorite character in The Wicked Bargain, so it was a joy to follow them this time. While this book does take place in the same world as The Wicked Bargain, I think it would be more accurate to call it a companion novel rather than a direct sequel. Certainly, a reader will get the most out of reading the books in publication order and this book comes after Bargain in the timeline, but a reader could start with The Diablo's Curse with no real harm done.

Everything I liked about The Wicked Bargain holds true for this book as well. I loved the representations of gender identity not only in Dami but also in Marisol. I loved that both characters were gendered correctly by everyone in the book, even in Spanish, where the choice to use the neutral "hije" was made for Dami. Again, the inclusion of untranslated Spanish was natural and fluid. I understood with no issues and no translation app despite lack of fluency.

This is now my third book by Novoa (including Most Ardently) and I really enjoy his style. Novoa keeps the pace of the book steadily moving forward and handles each character with care. He also includes romance tastefully and with respect to where it fits in the plotline at a level suitable for his target demographic. After I read The Wicked Bargain, I said Novoa would be an author to watch and I absolutely stand by that.

I look forward to reading anything Novoa writes in the future and happily recommend this and his other books to any interested party.

very fun little fantasy romance that's full of queerness. i applied for the ARC due to being impressed by Novoa's previous works, and I was not disappointed. thanks for the arc.

The Diablo’s Curse is the story of Dami, a genderfluid demonio who readers first met in The Wicked Bargain. Dami has experienced what it’s like to be human, but soon realizes that their deal with El Diablo has a hidden twist. Dami must undo all of the deals they made as a demonio if they are to have a chance to hold onto humanity. When Dami finds Silas, a cursed young man who relies on their deal to stay alive, Dami must help Silas undo the curse before they are finally free of deals.

The Diablo’s Curse is filled with hilarious dialogue and lovable characters. This adventure almost has a Pirates of the Caribbean feel to it, but with excellent queer characters. Dami is my favorite! I loved how hard they worked to cancel their deals and undo the things they had been forced to do with El Diablo. The mystery at the heart of the island and the cursed treasure were compelling. Novoa creates an atmospheric and enjoyable adventure with a satisfying conclusion for Dami.

Readers who enjoy mysterious curses, historical fantasy, and excellent queer characters will love this book! The Diablo’s Curse can be read as a standalone, but Dami also appears in The Wicked Bargain.

Thank you to Gabe Cole Novoa, Random House Children’s, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

One thing that makes me super excited as a Teen Services Librarian, is that while readers would have more of Dami's backstory if they had read THE WICKED BARGAIN, they can read THE DIABLO'S CURSE as a standalone and not be lost. So if they prefer their books about curses and demons to not be centered around pirates, I can just hand them this book and they'll be good to go. But for those readers (like me) who did read TWB and wanted MORE page time for our favorite demonio, it's exciting to get a Dami-centered book showing what they've been up to since TWB ended. Now I need a third book in this world letting readers see what happens to Marisol! While I adore Dami, I really loved what we got of Marisol and wanted more. Silas... eh... he's ok.

The pacing of this book is slow and at times I struggled to stick with it. Overall I think it's worth it, but this isn't going to be the book for teens who need a quick plot (which is fine). I thought Dami's... mission was interesting, the plot twists were good, and the ultimate resolution was satisfying.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Random House Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.

The sequel to The Wicked Bargain following Dami, the genderfluid demon from the first book who wants nothing more than to become fully human. In order to do that Dami must cancel every deal they've ever made as a demon and they have a limited time to get it done. This is going to be tricky because that means unraveling the deal the made with Silas, a young man with a family curse that will cause him to die young without this deal. Dami has to help Silas destroy his family curse by finding lost pirate treasure and in turn they can break the deal they gave Silas and become human. Along for the treasure hunt is Marisol, a young trans woman they meet on the island where they are to find the buried treasure. First of all, I loved the representation in this story. However I found the plot to be so so slow and the I struggled with staying invested in the story. I did like the first book better, and this one had an overall satisfying ending. I liked the friendship and bit of romance in this book but I just wish it was paced better and flowed in a way that would have kept me more invested. Overall if you enjoy queer adventures with magic, friendship, and a bit of romance give this one a go!

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Random House Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Wicked Bargain is one of my favorite books EVER so I was super excited for this boo. to come out. I loved Dami and wanted to know more about them. I’m so so glad we got to know more of their story. I’m going to be looking forward to reading everything by Gabe Cole Novoa because I Stan so hard!!

🖤 if you are looking for a new nigh-stacks read full of twists and turns, with a captivating and diverse cast of characters that are on the hunt for some treasure, than OH BOY do I have a book for you! I’d like to preface this by saying that I haven’t had a chance to read the first book (be noted that I did try and find a copy but apparently no where around me has it 🙃) but with that being said, I absolutely loved this one and it made full sense to me 😊

🖤 Dami is a demon who was given this life due to an unfair deal that his birth mother made with El Diablo. With that being said, Dami has always dreamed of living among the humans and living life, and the only way to do that is to get rid of all the deals he has made in his life, starting with the deal they made with Silas (and oh gosh is that deal a doozy)

🖤 Silas’s family is cursed due to a great-great-great (great?) grandfather not following through on a promise to retrieve some buried treasure and return it to the pirate that hid it. Due to that, everyone in his family is granted VERY short lives; so the deal he makes with Dami is that in order to close their deal, they have to help Silas find and return the treasure. Easy, right? Nope, wrong. VERY wrong. Things go from bad to worse and results in them getting trapped on an island, encountering Marisol (who is also trapped there).

🖤 Overall, I really loved how this story was spun in tying in demons, curses, and growing to understand and care for one another. I found so much growth in these characters, and I am hoping to get a copy of The Wicked Bargain ASAP because I love how captivating this writing is.

I loved Wicked Bargain, the first book in this series, and enjoyed this one as well. I loved Dami in the first book so I was really excited to get their story. I liked all the characters in this, though I wanted a little more Marisol, who occasionally felt like an afterthought. I didn't feel quite as engaged with this one as with Wicked Bargain, parts of it lagged a bit for me, but I still had fun reading it. While I think Wicked Bargain is great for junior high and up, I'd say this book is probably better suited to high school. This is a sure bet for YA readers looking for adventure and romance with some wonderful queer characters.

I didn’t know The Diablos Curse was the sequel to The Wicked Bargain, and when I found out, I was scared I wouldn’t understand the story, especially because this is a magical one set in the eighteen hundreds, and I’m not much of a fantasy reader. But I didn’t need to be scared because it’s perfectly readable as a standalone, even if it’s a historical YA infused by (dark) magic and fantasy.
Overall, The Diablo’s Curse is a beautiful story that humanizes Dami, gives them the ending they deserve and surrounds them with people who truly care for them as a person, not just what they can give. It was magical, gripping, scary at times, and overall amazing. Introducing beautiful queer characters and making such a wonderful friendship trio to tackle a terrifying island for their physical, and mental, freedom.

I loved The Wicked Baragin and was so excited to see Dami get their own story and honestly I think I liked this one even more than the first!

I was obsessed with Dami in the first book so I knew I was going to enjoy The Diablo's Curse, but I was not expecting to love it as much as I did! The characters were so likable (loved Sila's and Dami's dynamic), the story was full of action, and just like in the first book: I was nearing the end with no idea how Novoa was going to be able to wrap up the story with so few pages left until he did! The ending was perfect and I was just so happy to see Dami get their HEA!

Can't wait for what Gabe Cole Novoa releases next!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Diablo’s Curse is a follow-up book to Gabe Cole Novoa’s previous book, The Wicked Bargain. However, it follows a supporting character from the previous book, with tangential connection otherwise, so this can easily work as a standalone.
From the first pages, with Novoa’s letter discussing his inspiration for the character’s arc as a genderfluid demon, drawing parallels between their in-universe ostracism and the danger they allegedly pose to society, and the real-life fear mongering around LGBTQ+ people that has shaped legislation in some parts of the US today. I also loved the multiple ways the characters showed queer affirmation, from Dami themself to Silas expression of his queer attraction mostly to boys, and to girls sometimes. And there’s the third character rounding out the trio, Marisol, who is trans and hasn’t been accepted by most people, with her brother being the one exception.
And I really appreciate how that comes across through Dami’s character. They very much want to be human and to belong/be accepted, and trying to resist the temptations of their more demonic nature as a result. Their backstory and how it shapes him in this regard is also deeply moving.
In their quest to become human, Dami needs to undo every deal they’ve made in the past, and that’s where Silas comes in, as his family was cursed with dying young, and they had made a deal to counteract this in the past. I really liked the dynamic between these two. Their respective curses each help shape the stakes of the story, but also influence their respective personal growth journeys.
The adventure itself presents some truly interesting challenges, and the atmosphere aided in this. The island setting truly comes to life as a villain in and of itself. And there was a lot happening to keep the story interesting. Although I did feel like the story felt a bit rushed, I ended up more or less enjoying how the story came together.
This was a solid read, and I love the way it expands the world within The Wicked Bargain. If you’re looking for a fantasy story that is imaginative and queer and trans-affirming, I’d recommend checking this out!

Gabe Cole Novoa, you've done it again!!!

This was so, so beautiful from start to finish. And don't come for me please, but I might like this better than The Wicked Bargain? And I already loved and adored that book, so that's a clear sign of how amazing The Diablo's Curse is for me I guess 😂 Or maybe this is just me (a genderqueer person) relating to Dami (a genderfluid character) a lot... Either way, I loved this okay? 🥹😂

Full review soon, and will be posted as part of the book tour hosted by Turn the Pages Tours.

Exact rating: 4.75

CW: miscarriage, childbirth, violence, blood, death, injuries, gore, sexual content

Marking this book as part of my reading challenge: #ReadQueerly2024.

★ ★ ★ ★ • 4

First read by Gabe Cole Novoa, and I ended up really enjoying the book. I was a bit concerned at first that there would be some context I was missing, once I realized that The Diablo’s Curse takes place in the same universe as A Wicked Bargain (as I haven’t read that book), but that ended up not being the case. Still… I personally would definitely recommend going and giving A Wicked Bargain a read before picking up this book.

I think what made this book so good were the main and side characters, the fantasy storyline is by no means lacking, but the characters were an absolute highlight… And the way the characters were written they were not only likable but relatable.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I adored the Wicked Bargain, but the whole time wanted to know more about Dami and this book gave me all that and more!!!! Gabe Cole Novoa has created a beautiful world of demons, curses, magic, mystery, and love and it is just fantastic. If my life hadn't been so hectic I could have finished this in one sitting. You don't really need to have read the Wicked Bargain to jump into this, but it would definitely help (I highly recommend the audiobook read by Vico Ortiz). The magic and mystery of this book is so fun.

I look forward to more adventures from Novoa.


***SPOILERS***


Initially, I was disappointed we didn't get to see most of Dami's adventures trying to end all their deals to become human, BUT once they got to Silas and started their work to end that deal I knew we were in for a wild ride. It was totally worthwhile. I was able to predict some of the plot, but not all and that is thrilling.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Books for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was absolutely obsessed with Dami when I read The Wicked Bargain and I was THRILLED when I heard there was a spinoff book about them coming out. It’s everything I ever could’ve dream of and more!

Not only could I relate heavily to Dami as a non-binary person (them worrying about losing their ability to shapeshift would 100% also be my main concern in their situation), but I absolutely adored the other two POV characters as well! Silas is so charismatic even though he doesn’t try to be, and Marisol is just the most lovely girl ever seriously.

The descriptions were wonderful as well. The whole time I couldn’t help picture it as a movie. I think it’d be a huge oversight for a producer/director to Not pick this story up because it would adapt wonderfully to screen. I couldn’t help comparing the island they end up on to the Catching Fire arena, so Francis Lawrence you better get on this bestie.

Overall, this has become one of my new all-time favorite books and I’d be so down for more books set in this universe! Banking on a Marisol book next 👀. I definitely recommend picking up a copy when it comes out!

First off this cover is absolute fire!! 
So pretty words aren't enough!

I loved this book from start to finish and all the things in between. If you are looking for an adventure, with fantasy elements and a cast of kick ass characters you should pick this up!

The story follows Dami on their quest to become fully human after living a majority of their life as a demonio. Only the freedom they thought they had from that life has an expiration date. Enter Silas who just can’t stay alive, he made a deal with Dami to not stay dead. The two are bound together to break a curse on Silas which sends them to a strange island that keeps trying to kill them. All to find a missing treasure and set a past deal right. What follows is a richly developed story that will keep you engaged from this first pages to the last. We meet fun, loving, caring friends along the way (looking at you Marisol) that help us see the beauty in life!

This was one of my favorite reads this year with an expert interweaving of magic, great characters and awesome story development! It left me feeling super cozy and comforted.

If you love fantasy books with great LQBTQIA+ representation, adventure, strong friendships, and finding what you want, I would absolutely recommend picking up this book. Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start this review by thanking NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC. They granted it in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. Flat out, loved it. Loved Dami, loved Silas, loved Marisol. Loved the queerness of the characters and the way it was just accepted! Omg seriously there was no homophobia. Were there villains? Yes, but even they weren’t homophobes.

Dami is a demonio, and raised by El Diablo.

There’s a lot of Spanish in this book, not all of it is translated but that’s fine. It’s not enough to be a difficulty when reading. Plus, it’ll help everyone taking Spanish on Duolingo get some practice in.

Dami is genderfluid and thanks to the shapeshifting powers granted to them by being a demonio, they can change their body to fit the gender they’re aligned with that day.

Dami however has a goal. They want to become a human. They’ve been a demonio they’re entire life. And they don’t want to continue it. They don’t want to continue reaping people either. And this goal is what brings him to Silas.

The first time they met Silas, was to make a deal. Silas Cain is cursed, like all the men in his family before him. And he wants a chance to break it. For that, he made a deal with Dami.

They end up stuck together trying to break his curse, stuck on an island that is very tropical for being close to Connecticut. This island is where they meet Marisol, a girl who just wants to get off the island to her brother, and the mysterious Eve.

The dynamic between Dami and Silas was great. I loved it and Dami’s antics had me laughing. Seriously, they drew a mustache on Silas’ face at one point without him knowing.

Silas is also bisexual. He says there are women and men that have caught his eye. And he’s into Dami. They made me laugh and seeing them come together was fun. I also appreciated the fact that Dami’s genderfluidity was spoken about and understood.

This book will really help and be a good starting place for people to hear the term and understand it.

Then there’s Marisol, she’s trans. She’s amazing and funny and smart and super important to the story when it kicks into the third act. I think my only problem with her character is that she wasn’t there enough. But that’s selfish, I just wanted more of her lol

I’m giving this book 5/5 stars. It’s funny and has lots of heart. I adored it and the characters. Please when it comes out, buy it!

The Diablo's Curse is the story of a child taken from their mother at birth, in fulfilment of a deal their mother made with El Diablo, who is himself a diablo - a demon. Dami, the child, is raised as a demonio, a lesser demon in El Diablo's employ, intended to be his protege. But Dami is unhappy as a demonio; they want to be human again. So begins Dami's quest - one that is possible, but prohibitively difficult. Reaching this goal also means that Dami, who identifies as trans and regularly shifts their body to reflect their current identification as male, female, or neither, will lose the ability to shift, but gain the ability to feel, smell, and taste - to be the human being they were born to be, but never had the chance to experience.

This is a timeless sort of story, although it's set in the 1800s, which, as a story that involves finding a pirate treasure, is appropriate; however, it's really a story about young people finding themselves, about being who they truly are, regardless of what society thinks they should be. Variations on this story could easily happen today, with a few tweaks around the details of how Dami carries out their quest, and really, except for the fastest transatlantic transportation being a steamboat that takes 6 weeks, the time setting is irrelevant to the story. All three of the main characters - Dami, Silas, and Marisol - vary in some fashion from what was, until very recently, the socially accepted norm for their birth genders, and in the time frame of the novel, this is considerably more of an issue, as such variance could lead to death if the wrong people found out. Each of them deals with this issue in their own way, making it clear along the way that this is simply a normal part of growing up. Recommended for readers high school to adult.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!

I eagerly anticipated this companion to WICKED BARGAIN, the queer pirate fantasy of my dreams, and Dami’s story more than lived up to my expectations. While I encourage anyone interested to read both, I think DIABLO’S CURSE could be enjoyed on its own, but it does spoil the outcome of its predecessor. I’ll try to avoid any serious spoilers here.

There’s no way I wouldn’t love a genderfluid demon protagonist, but I love this one especially. The Dami of WICKED BARGAIN was a figure of intrigue, a projection of disaffected confidence covering a desperate desire for freedom. Digging into this character, uncovering their flaws and vulnerabilities, and witnessing them discovering their place in the world was so wonderfully satisfying.

I’m also intrigued by the expansion of this magic system. We get more of a taste of the lives (so to speak) of demons and diablos, the varied and sometimes horrific consequences of their deals. If there’s more to come in this world, I’m excited to read it. Either way, I’m sure I’ll be returning to these books in the future. How can I resist basking in the stories of nonbinary characters finding themselves through magic, romance, and adventure? It’s what I would have wished for my younger self, but I’m thrilled to have it now.

I DEVOURED this book, and you will too, if you love The Wicked Bargain. It's not abundently clear that you need to read that book first, but you really do in order to 1) understand this story fully and 2) avoid spoilers for it, because if you read this first you most definitely will be running after any and every book written by Gabe Cole Novoa.
Dami was one of my favorite characters in The Wicked Bargain, and so I was so excited to get my hands on this and read about how they came to be who they are. I was not even a little disappointed. This felt like Indiana Jones, but gay. There is magic. There are puzzles. There's a treasure hunt. A dangerous island, curses, magic, and more. All the elements to an amazing story are here, and Gabe Cole Novoa Delivers with his excellent writing. My only complaint is that our main couple doesn't bond sooner. I feel like they could have had at least one real conversation before the 60% mark, but that's just me being greedy for more page time of them being soft with each other. In actuality, I did like how slow their romance was. How they hated each other in so many ways, and the caring kind of snuck up on them. Caring does that sometimes. Love has a way of catching you off guard.
And DAMI. Bless their precious soul. I love them so much. They deserve all the best things in the world, and their ending was perfect. Now I'm just crossing my fingers for a spin off with Marisol.