I don't know what I just read but my, oh my, did I have a time.

Be prepared for gore, devils, demons, angels, vampires?, ghosts, religious horror, end of the world drama and I'm still just in awe of how that wrapped up in a single book. This easily could have been a series of twists and turns because there were so many elements. My head was spinning, but I couldn't put it down lol.

Thank you to NetGalley & Tor Publishing Group for sharing an E-Arc copy of this book.

"Devils Kill Devils is perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Certain Dark Things and Southern Gothic horror. Johnny Compton brings his trademark terror and dread that readers fell in love with in The Spite House to a new roster of monsters - angels, devils, vampires - and a heart-pounding race to save the world.

When all hell breaks loose, you need a devil on your side.

Sarita has been watched over by a guardian angel her entire life. She calls him Angelo, and keeps him a secret. But secrets can't stay buried forever...

When Angelo murders someone she loves, Sarita begins to see what's really been lurking in the shadows surrounding her. And she will have to embrace the evil within if she hopes to make it out alive.

Johnny Compton, critically acclaimed author of The Spite House and master of dread, takes you on a terrifying race of one woman against the hordes of hell."

I LOVE Southern Gothic Horror!

Another solid read by Johnny Compton. I enjoyed The Spite House and have been looking forward to his next novel. I loved the first quarter of the book. Sarita’s husband is savagely killed on their wedding night by Sarita’s supposed guardian angel. She’s obviously not super happy with this development and seeks to avenge her husband’s death.

Shortly after this, Compton adds a few different characters and other concepts and the book starts to lose focus a bit. We start shifting the between character perspectives, but there’s a fair amount of names/nicknames/“forgotten” names etc. and it can be hard to keep up with everyone. I also struggled to keep the various alliances straight. I did enjoy the ending. It’s pretty bloody but does manage to tie some threads together. I still don’t totally understand the connection between the various supernatural entities in this one, but the writing was awesome.

The characters were nuanced and I loved Sarita and Uncle Everett. The dialogue felt true and it’s a book I likely would’ve loved if it had stayed the initial course the author laid out.

I definitely look forward to reading more from Compton going forward, but did struggle to stay on track with Devils Kill Devils.

Sarita has had a guardian angel her whole life. His name is Angelo and even her family and closest friend, Tori, know about him. However, when Angelo goes rogue and murders Sarita's husband, she is plunged into a world where the shadows are coming to light. Sarita will have to embrace the evil within to survive.
Get ready for a novel full of angels, devils, gods and goddesses and of course, vampires.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for this e-arc.*

This story was a different take on the vampire genre. I enjoyed this new type of vampire, but other parts were lacking. I felt that the backstory of the vampire cult was lacking and boring at times. I wanted to read more about Sarita and less about Harrah. I just felt it was boring at times.

Johnny Compton won my reading affection with Spite House, taking a hounded house trope and turning it into something wonderfully unique.

Devils Kill Devils is a completely different creature. Almost the entire first half of the book really heavily focuses on the characters dwelling on the incidences that propel the story forward. Each major player in the book is placed under the microscope and shows in detail the mental thoughts and struggles born from the aftermath. Revisiting decisions, playing the dangerous 'what if' game allowing us to really get a solid feel for their true natures. I'm usually totally fine with a slow burn build, but I often found myself reading the same information over and over, just worded ever slightly different, and this made it a bit sluggish for me.
Now, don't get me wrong, after the second big mystery happens, there are some pretty intense graphic scenes and tense moments when our unusual creatures make their appearances. Think of The Prophecy moments when angels and devils get involved, that kind of chaos. You are essentially dealing with the, holy shit what other planes of existence are out there, and, what is even real anymore?!

There's a really cool concept of religious turmoil, self driven prophecies, and major existential apocalyptic crisis. The execution needs to be paired down, drawn more concisely like his first novel, and the tone overall can be greatly improved. Compton still manages to take a typical trope and make something truly unique, but this one is coming off a bit rough around the edges.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this novel.

Unfortunately, this one just isn't working for me right now. The pacing is a bit difficult and the writing...different from Spite House (which I quite liked). I also had different expectations for this one than what it's actually about, and I don't know if I love the direction the story is going in 20% of the way through.

I may pick this back up in the future, because I do like Compton's writing and storytelling. I think this would work for folks who are looking for an urban fantasy exploring religion and how humans can be pawns in gods' machinations. I've heard the vampire lore gets interesting later on, as well, so maybe dedicated vampire readers might want to pick this one up as well.

The pulse on this book never stopped. I read this book cover to cover in one evening; it's a really fast-paced, spooky read. I love vampires and I always will, so this satisfied my craving. I needed this gothic horror, that's for sure! I was drawn in and kept curious by the plot. The characters were masterfully written, and the writing style was flawless! When it's released, I'll definitely be adding this to my collection of creepy books, and I'd suggest it to anyone who enjoys vampire horror.

Absolutely loved the start of this story, but as the story continued it got too expansive and tried to cover too much. I’m not going to lie, I got lost a few times trying to process what was happening.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers for providing me with an eARC of this title. For the most part, I enjoyed this book. I felt like the beginning was pretty slow. It took a while for me to really become interested in the story. Once stuff started to actually happen though, I had a good time. I really loved the writing style and the imagery. There were some pretty great scenes and descriptions, especially toward the end.

This one didn't work for me as well as the authors debut, but I still had a good time. Perfect read for the Halloween season and I love seeing diverse representation in horror. A few moments genuinely spooked me and I love the writing styl

I think Johnny Compton and I are psychically linked and he knows what I like: gruesome and violent AF horror, super unique vampires, and a straight up cult. I also love a book that gives me room to form my own theories about what’s going on, and Devils Kill Devils did that from the start, then opened up a little and gave me more room for even more outlandish theories, which is so much fun.

I did find myself a little bored during Harrah’s early chapters and a tiny bit lost during Cela’s early chapters, but their later chapters were just as good as the rest and I loved the stark difference in prose between each character’s POV. The way they spoke, thought, acted… it was always obvious which character the story was following because the writing actually changed very organically. And oh my god the foreshadowing drove me crazy in the very best way, like I knew something was being alluded to and I wanted to know what it was SO BADLY. In a couple spots, I had to stop myself from skimming, not because I was bored or didn’t want to read it but because I was so desperate to know what was going to happen.

I liked most of the characters and that stories of their pasts were included to give context to their actions and motivations (especially The Northman). Sarita is a great main character and she has a lot of strengths but one of my favorite things about her is that she isn’t your standard Chosen One. I like the idea that a Chosen One isn’t necessarily more special than anyone else, that it’s more like “well, someone had to be chosen,” and happenstance is what gives the Chosen One their power.

The author’s note at the end was really cool - I always love when authors include information about their inspiration and influences. It’s very interesting. Don’t skip it!


***I will add a links to the review posted on socials etc. closer to the release date***

This book is … weird, but it's a good book that a fan of a particular type of supernatural monster will enjoy but I'm giving it a 3.5.

The book starts off really interesting. I was really into it until around 40%, when the concept morphs or reveals itself into being something I’m not super into, trope and/or paranormal-wise. While the book does introduce a new twist to them, it didn’t do enough to reinvigorate me to them. This could be because the latter half of the novel has plotlines that are kind of all over the place and bring in a whole bunch of supernatural aspects that didn’t feel super cohesive. The climax is quite exciting and fun, but in the thirty percent leading up to that, I found myself skimming a bit.

The mystery at the start is fascinating. You aren’t sure why Angelo does what he did, and you’re also not sure what Angelo’s deal is overall. The hints and questions and backstory around that are really interesting - the lore in teh book is fascinating, it’s just wrapped up in far too much meandering. The story moves at a languid, almost molasses-like pace that is sometimes hard to get through. However, those sections were punctuated with scenes of intense violence that are gory, exciting, and go in interesting directions. We just needed some trimming of the internal monologue of all the characters.

I did have some trouble connecting with the main character, though. Her grief, which should have been palpable, didn’t really feel there to me. I could understand why her mother-in-law felt the way she did about her, at times, because she was a little bit self-absorbed. Harrah had a far more interesting perspective, as did Cela, the villain.

Overall, not bad, but not my favourite book of the year.

The very beginning was incredible - I was super excited and was like okay, here we go! Except that the story never really went anyway. It got bogged down in itself and I honestly didn’t know what was going on most of the time. It felt like maybe big chunks were edited out? I really enjoyed the author’s previous book, The Spite House, but this one did not work for me. Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

A friend of mine who is also an avid horror reader begged me to check out Johnny Compton’s work. Devils Kill Devils seemed like an appropriate place to start. The story itself wasn’t of my favorite horror sub-genre however, the writing and literary devices used within the book are excellent. Compton has a very unique voice and I’m excited for any of his new releases.

As for the story, I’m unsure what to say without giving spoilers, We start with our newlywed main character Sarita and learn of her supposed saving Angel named Angelo. Angelo has appeared throughout her life and saved her from life threatening scenarios. Once learning of Angelo, the story takes a dark turn and is filled with chaos that Compton somehow manages to keep in check and at the end, wrap everything together beautifully with a bow on top!

3.5/5
Thank you @macmillan.audio @tornightfire #partner for the gifted copies if this book! #macaudio2024

This is my second by this author and was looking forward to trying another by him. This one started out where I was immediately invested because the idea was unique to me. I loved the thought of a mysterious stranger guardian angel who swoops in to save the day to save someone….more than once. What luck?! The vibe was dark, shadowy, ominous and eerie and I was all about it! As the story progressed I have to admit I got a little confused at times with what was happening. There were flashbacks, vampires, cults and the guardian angel which made it feel a little overwhelming the way it was laid out. I think the base of the story was awesome, don’t get me wrong and the ending was great the way it came together it just felt a little disorganized at times making it hard to follow for me. Anyway, I enjoyed the authors first book so will absolutely continue to read Mr. Comptons books!

ARC REVIEW - 1.5 ⭐️

A very dramatic start that catches your attention, and then the story slows down drastically. It kept explaining the backstories or memories of different characters. Which I feel was meant to make us understand them better, but this was not accomplished. It often felt like the characters were rambling in their internal monologue. Insignificant portions in the story (in my opinion) were expanded on too much, to the point where it was not holding my interest at all.

Going in, I thought a story about a “guardian angel” gone rogue was very intriguing. Unfortunately, this book went into so many different directions that it ended up losing its momentum.

Thank you to Johnny Compton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

First I will start this by saying I loved The Spite House so I was super excited when Netgalley approved me to read this book (thank you Netgalley).

This book started really really rough for me ! The first half of this book was so arduous to get through and I almost didn't continue. There was too much description and it was "flowery" description and it felt over my head and I zoned out a lot !

The second half of the book became very engaging with lots of action. Characters arcs got wrapped up nicely. This author really writes beautifully and I have enjoyed his work. This one just felt a bit over my head for the first half

Thank you to Tor Nightfire Books and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to review Johnny Compton’s creative and wildly violent new book Devils Kill Devils. I was excited to read this book since the blurb mentioned it was for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and featured angels, devils, and vampires. Devils Kill Devils mostly focuses on Sarita Bardeles, who we meet on the night of her wedding to Frank Stallworth. Sarita keeps a secret from Frank, that eventually has severe consequences. Sarita has what she believes is a guardian angel, Angelo, who has watched over her throughout her life, saving her from a potential drowning incident when she was younger, and showing up at various points of danger to protect her. Frank is brutally murdered by Angelo, leaving Sarita, her in-laws (especially her mother Harrah), and her friends to wonder why. Sarita’s immediate family and close friend Tori know about Angelo, but her in-laws have suspicions about Frank’s brutal murder. Devils Kill Devils transitions from a kind of mystery surrounding guardian angels and the potential for revenge to something like a vampire clan story, with warring factions of vampires, those who seek to destroy humanity and those looking to preserve it. Sarita is also involved because she is chosen to be the mother of a god, yet who may also be sacrificed along with her child to initiate the apocalypse. Compton’s story has many creative elements to it. The vampires in the story are not the traditional Dracula blood suckers. Rather, these are beasts who feed on human blood to the point of engorgement. Their bloodlust also physically transforms them into monstrous creatures who have extraordinary powers. I was really impressed with the nature of these vampires; Compton’s characterization and description reminded me of some other non-traditional vampire stories like Cañas’s Vampires of El Norte and King’ Doctor Sleep. I also really liked Compton’s explanation at the end of the book about sourcing all of these vampire descriptions, borrowing from both older literature as well as popular movies and manga about monsters and vampires. Beyond the creative descriptions of their physical features, these vampires are violent and bloodthirsty, attacking and biting, ripping their victims in half and feasting on their innards and bones. Additionally, Compton has done the research to incorporate some new ways to kill vampires (nails/metal through the tongue/mouth) and challenging some of the other myths about defeating vampires. This was another strength of the book that made it interesting to read. Nevertheless, I felt like there were some points where I was lost in the story. Although the change of pace from a rogue and violent guardian angel to a vampire and demon story was compelling, we didn’t find out much about Angelo’s back story until about ¾ of the way through the book. I was thinking that Angelo’s story might be more interesting and compelling had we learned about it from an interspersed chapter from his perspective. That might have also given us more insight into how the different groups of vampires and demons fractured and came to battle against one another. I also felt a little lost about Sarita’s role as the mother of a god and how Angelo, despite having excellent intel for other events in her life, had been misled about Frank’s threat to her. Although Compton is a creative writer who can capture violence and chaos well, there were some times in the novel where there were too many details or some characters were explored more fully than they needed to be. For example, we learn that Sarita and her friend Tori got the same tattoo. While I think this shows how close they are, it also seemed like an unnecessary detail. Uncle Everett, Frank’s uncle who seems to be the only one sympathetic to Sarita, was described after Frank’s murder as an older, bald and tattooed man; however, this was very different from the description I envisioned from Sarita’s wedding night. I liked Uncle Everett, but I wasn’t sure about his description being so late and detailed. At other points, it felt like we learned too much about the characters’ thoughts, whether it was Sarita, Harrah, or Cela. Finally, I really didn’t care for Harrah or Cela that much, yet these were characters who were featured prominently in the last ¾ of the book. Harrah is Sarita’s mother-in-law and blames Sarita for her loss. Harrah had a strained relationship with her son and is presented as someone who seems to care more about drinking and gambling, yet also feels upset about her son’s refusal to dance with her during the wedding. I didn’t really buy this and didn’t really enjoy the chapters about her. Similarly, I didn’t really understand Cela’s motivations for her movement. Regardless, this was an interesting book, and the detailed descriptions and creative creatures make me want to read Compton’s other book, The Spite House.

DNF this one - I could not get into it once Cela and her cast of characters were introduced, which may be my fault for missing that in the summary.