Sarita should probably be dead, but thanks to her guardian angel Angelo she has been saved four times. The first time he saved her was when she drowned and it was Angelo who pulled her from the water, starting their very complicated relationship. It seems as though Angelo is there to protect and help Sarita, but one night things take a very dark turn when Angelo savagely murders Frank, the man that Sarita just married. Why did Angelo kill the man she loves when he has always protected her, and what is lurking in the shadows?

Devils Kill Devils sounded like a great novel, and started off in just that way, but then Cela the Godmaker made an appearance, and everything just seemed to go downhill from there and I really began to lose interest. There were so many things that were introduced in the second half that it almost seemed like I was reading a completely different, and scattered, story and I seriously considered DNFing the novel. There were only two things that I liked about the novel. The first is that the narrative switches from the present and the past, a narrative style that I often enjoy. The second is that the novel, which is in the horror genre, is full of death and carnage.

I find it hard to write a review of the audiobook version of this novel because I find it hard to separate the audio from the story. The audio is well done, but I struggled with it because I did not enjoy the second half or so of Devils Kills Devils.

Perfect narration again. This author is so unique and the work is enhanced by having a great voice actor. I will read all upcoming works and look forward to hearing this narrator again

Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton is a creepy, atmospheric thriller that mixes Southern gothic vibes with a deeply unsettling story about family, guilt, and some truly creepy beings. If you like slow-burn horror with a lot of tension this book is right up your alley.

The story centers on Sarita, who has been watched over by a guardian angel she called Angelo her entire life. He saves her life multiple times throughout the years, but one day their relationship takes a shocking turn with a horrific act of violence that leaves Sarita questioning everything she thought she knew about the world. This violent act allows Sarita to see what's really going on around her and sends her on a wild journey to save the world as we know it.

Compton’s writing is atmospheric without being too over-the-top. He really nails the eerie, quiet dread that builds over time. The pacing is slow, but that’s not a bad thing—it gives you plenty of time to get to know the characters, which makes the horror elements hit harder when they do come. The characters are deeply complex and layered. They’re flawed in ways that feel very real. You’ll find yourself sympathizing with them one moment, and then questioning their actions the next. It’s this moral ambiguity that really makes the story stand out. There’s a lot of gray area here, and Compton doesn’t offer any easy answers, which is something I really appreciated.

If you’re into atmospheric horror with a focus on character-driven storytelling, Johnny Compton absolutely delivers. It’s creepy, it’s thought-provoking, and I absolutely loved it. I had an audio copy and a written copy that I switched between throughout. The narration was amazing; I'd recommend the audio version.

This was my first Johnny Compton book, but it definitely won’t be my last. I was constantly surprised by where this book went and pretty much saw absolutely nothing coming. I was properly scared throughout the book. I am not a huge fan of horror because I don’t like being overly scared and stressed while reading, but this has the perfect amount of fear mingled with and engrossing plot.

I loved Johnny Compton's first novel and was looking forward to his second offering.

Unfortunately this was a real miss for me

It started out great. And exciting beginning that grabbed me instantly and had me eager to read on. Then lost it almost as quickly. I have no idea why the story took such a sudden and (in my opinion) awful and confusing turn but it felt like someone switched books on me when I wasn't looking.

No disrespect to the author, who I think is very talented, but this was not his best offering and worth a skip.

Thanks to @netgalley and Tor Publishing group for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Johnny Compton's Devils Kill Devils is a gripping and unsettling exploration of morality, vengeance, and the supernatural. The audiobook format enhances the story's intensity, with the narrator delivering a chilling performance that brings the characters and eerie atmosphere to life. Compton's writing shines in its ability to weave psychological depth into a tale of horror, making the listener question the nature of good and evil.

The story's pacing is generally strong, though a few sections feel overextended, slightly diluting the tension. While the characters are compelling, some of their motivations could have been explored more deeply. Nonetheless, the dark twists and thought-provoking themes make for an engrossing listen.

At 3.75 stars, Devils Kill Devils is a hauntingly memorable audiobook that will keep you on edge and lingering on its moral quandaries long after the final chapter. A must-listen for fans of intelligent horror.

I'll start by saying I really enjoy Compton's writing and ideas and I really wanted to love this one. When a novel is on the shorter side, I want every word to count but with this one it ultimately felt like some thought meandered. I probably wouldn't have stuck with it had it not been for Imani Jade Powers' narration, which was great.

I was not a huge fan of this. It is outside my normal reads so I think it may work for a different reader. I do think it was well done though and the writing works.

I am so thankful to Tor Nightfire, Macmillan Audio, Johnny Compton, and Netgalley for granting me advanced access to this galley before publication day. I really enjoyed the dialogue and plot of this book and can’t wait to chat this one up with my friends!

This story is told in third person and follows Sarita Bardales who has a secret guardian angel that she calls Angelo. Angelo has saved her life multiple times. The audiobook is narrated by Imani Jade Powers. This is my second listen by this narrator, and I enjoyed her depictions of the story and characters.

The first chapter immediately grabbed my attention. What a great start for a horror novel! I was quickly fascinated with the history of Sarita and Angelo and what brought them to this point. As the present story unfolds, we are swept back into Sarita’s memories of her childhood and the various instances in her life when Angelo has saved her. When her friend Tori brings up the story of Sarah and the demon Asmodeus from the book of Tobit in the Apocrypha, I thought I would really enjoy the rest of this story since I love religious history style horror. I was quickly looking up the old paintings I remembered from my art history competitions about the marriage and wedding night of Sarah and Tobias.

Unfortunately, the story picked up a different thread and veered into more cult style territory with creepy creatures they called vampires and other entities known as Godmakers with different factions that were squabbling over power and thus Sarita. I found the combination of it all to be chaotic and rather disappointing. Perhaps if you love vampire stories and want a different take on this subgenre, it might make a better read for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

😈Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton👿

Pages: 288
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Goal 2024: 97/100

✨Have you ever had something happen in your life that felt unexplainable?✨

This book is pretty unexplainable for me. So much potential but unfortunately left me feeling entirely too confused. I really liked the idea.

Vampires.
Cults.
Family drama.

I found a lot of info dumping happening and that we were often in the midst of a characters thoughts just.. stuck.

The violence in this book was exactly what I was hoping for though and it was very stabby which was cool.

I definitely think people who are into fantasy horror should give this a chance but I think I like my fantasy and horror separated. Slasher reads are more my drip.

I did read this one from ebook and from audio and the narration was great!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review!

Devils Kill Devils has such a strong start and is so… strange, I guess, that I was immediately hooked. It’s fun and I thought Compton’s take on vampires, devils, and angels was really neat, but I did think that the second half was not nearly as strong as the first. The religious occultism was an interesting way to approach this story and I enjoyed how gorey this got. Horror fantasy is a favorite subgenre of mine, and based on vibes and atmosphere, I thought this was really solid. Unfortunately, the second half of this felt way more incoherent and sort of fizzled out. I was a little disappointed that a book with such a strong opening had such a messy ending, but I did really like the horror stuff going on here (vampires, religious horror, gore, those sorts of things) so I wasn’t too upset.

I quite liked the audiobook and thought Imani Jade Powers’ narration was solid, and the production definitely added to the creepy atmosphere.

I loved the beginning of this book. Honestly, I thought it was going to be one of my favorite horror novels ever, and in some ways, it is. But the second half of the novel takes a bit of a turn I wasn't expecting, and while I still really enjoyed reading it, I don't think I liked the book as much as I would have if it had stayed focused on Sarita for the whole story.

That said, this book has one of my favorite first chapters of all time, and I would recommend reading it for that alone. The narrator, too, was absolutely fantastic. There's something about the restrained way she narrates the story that ratchets up the tension. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and I have bumped The Spite House to the top of my TBR.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for granting me an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

DEVILS KILL DEVILS
Johnny Compton

The mask you’re wearing is hiding your mouth, but showing your eyes, and they tell me everything I need to know about you.

Sarita has had a friend for quite some time. She doesn’t know his name, but she calls him Angelo. One day Angelo kills someone very close to her and she must consider that he may not be a friend at all, but something far more nefarious than she ever knew. Far more than she ever expected.

To find out what or who he is she must first admit to some hard truths. That may take more time than Sarita has. Will she find out who he is before she or someone she loves dies again?

True Southern Gothic horror in its finest form. From a much-needed, much-appreciated new voice, Johnny Compton.

(This is his second book. Can I still call him new?)

I loved this on audiobook. There is such a sinister experience in walking around my house with headphones on, completely absorbed in the story, becoming a little devil myself, and no one around me knows any better. Which is exactly the way it should be.

I was absorbed in the storyline, and it provided a hellish escape from my everyday chores and responsibilities. Doing the dishes never felt like such a guilty pleasure. If you couldn’t tell already, I loved this audiobook. I couldn’t wait for this one and now I can’t wait for the next one. Truly a superior horror reading experience.

Compton has a magnificent way of combining the classic and well-known tropes of yesterday with the real-life horrors of today. I appreciate his writing and love his perspective, and I can’t believe I get to experience both in the horror genre.

One you can’t miss!

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Tor Nightfire for the advanced copy of the audiobook and a fresh physical copy that I can hold onto!

DEVILS KILL DEVILS…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This went in a lot of different directions and it wasn’t too exciting. I liked their other book but this one just didn’t do it for me. This book felt longer than it was too!

The premise of Devils Kills Devils is interesting, guardian angel gone rogue. First scene quickly takes you in but unfortunately the rest did not keep live up to the beginning. What the reader first thinks the story's about turns out to be different. The story became confusing and convoluted, there was too much going on. I could see the vision but the execution was not there. Narrator was great and helped me get through the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC.

While intriguing in premise and execution, I found this novel hard to follow. I appreciate its Southern Gothic themes, but simply couldn't keep up.

This is a dark story and it starts off with a bang! I think this is a really broad story that encompasses cult horror, supernatural horror and even a tiny bit of coming of age. Our main character’s plight was understandable and the pressure that she faced from her family (mostly mom) to hide the issue added some depth to the emotional elements while still delivering on the violent or scary factors.

I did have an audio and digital copy of this and there were some points at which it did not line up. Nothing that changed the story drastically but definitely noticeable if you had both.

I’m happy to say I got an ARC from NetGalley, because I’d be upset if I spent money on this. And I enjoyed Spite House!

The first few chapters were promising, then it was like another book started, with a weird cult, unlikeable characters, a plot that made no sense and descriptions that seemed never ending and utterly pointless. I kept going back and trying to listen, to finish this book, but I just couldn’t.

So, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free book. The narrator did a great job with what they had.

I was split on this book because I was absolutely engrossed with the first half of the book and did not want to put it down. However, I don't know what happened during the second half. Rather than a plot twist, it felt like I was reading a completely different book by a different author. The story got very convoluted and I found it hard to follow.

It may be a better fit for someone who is more into fantasy horror.

I liked the narrator and enjoyed the production of the audiobook. I am not actually sure if I would have finished the book otherwise.