Once again thank you to Netgalley for the eARC of this glorious book. I feel so spoiled for getting to read both of Gabe's books before the publishing date.

I did adore this book, and I think it would be fine to read without having read The Wicked Bargain, but I have no clue why anyone would skip that one. I am so glad to get more Dami! Also a knowledge Diablo that is basically a kickass librarian?! Excellent!

Spoilers below


So I loved the slow burn between Dami and Silas, with them both trying to convince themselves that they don't have feelings for each other. But then when they finally kiss, they immediately have sex and that felt like a really sudden flip of the switch for me and I got pulled out of it for a moment. I love Marisol and was surprised how long it took for her to show up. I wish we could have had more of her, but also I understand why having her enter where she does makes the most sense. Dami having another friend, outside of the one they are romantically in love with was very good, and I am so glad they had her to talk to. The tenderness of their relationship was so well done.

Also I absolutely loved the tests designed for each one of them specifically, that part was very fun.

My only other issue is... How the Hell did Paul get off the island? I cannot remotely begin to figure that one out. It seemed unnecessary for him to make it off the island seeing as he dies pretty soon after, and it made me a bit confused.

Also I would have loved a bit of an epilogue, but that's me being greedy. I can't help smiling when I imagine this trio and Bastian and Mar being a lovely queer chosen family.

Anyway thanks for writing the books I crave Gabe!

If like me, you loved the gender-fluid fashionistx demonio with devil-may-care attitude and pithy comebacks in The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Nova, have I got news for you - Demi is back and this time it is all about them-well it always was, but in The Diablo’s Curse, Dami must cancel their prior dealings with lost souls in order to become fully tethered to humanity. But a beautiful boy named Silas is not willing to undo his deal until Dami helps him end a generational curse inflicted upon his family by a famous pirate. The two find their way to a magical island to track down a treasure that must be returned to the spirit of the pirate in order to break the curse. Adventure, mystery, romance, friendship and so many ways to die await! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for an advanced look at this YA novel available in February. Look for my recommendations and reviews of this and other YA and middle grade books by Latine authors https://linktr.ee/juliemajercak

Dami, the genderfluid demon from The Wicked Bargain, has had a taste of humanity but feels it slipping away. In order to tether their soul to earth and become fully human, they must cancel every deal they've ever made. And that's going to be tricky, because the last deal they must unravel is one they made with Silas, a young man with a family curse that will cause him to die young without this deal. But if Dami can help Silas destroy this family curse by finding lost pirate treasure, the deal will be broken.

This sequel to The Wicked Bargain brings back the pirate lore and the magic, as well as a favorite character. Dami's journey (including flashbacks) is a fascinating and challenging one, and if you loved Dami in the first book, you will definitely enjoy their growth here. Much of their growth comes from interactions with Silas, someone whose family curse might be on hold through the deal with Dami but who suffers from the curse of the deal anyway, as well as from building a friendship with Marisol, a young trans woman they meet on the island where they seek the buried treasure. The adventures the three have are gripping and hair-raising, and they have to learn how to trust and overcome conflict in order to survive.

There's a lot I really liked about the book, but where it really disappointed me was in the pacing. The book started off frustratingly slow, picked up speed when Dami and Silas reached the island, and crammed so much into the last 50 pages that it felt really rushed. So while I was glad to see Dami get a satisfying ending to their journey, I struggled with it along the way, and it didn't grab me as completely as Wicked Bargain did. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thank you, Random House Children's Books and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

I think I loved this even more than the first book, and I do really like that you don't have to read one to enjoy the other. I thought this had a fun, engaging plot and interesting characters, and I loved that Novoa wrote a trio without turning it into a love triangle. I definitely hope he continues writing books set in this world!