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 style.

Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton is a dark take of a presumed guardian angel who has watched over a woman since she was a child, but when he murders someone she loves, she questions who and what he is and why he would kill someone so dear to her. Terror and dread seem to now follow Sarita now and she is determined to find the mysterious stranger that saved her life so many times just to break her heart now.

"She screamed loud enough to be heard beyond a room designed to contain a different kind of screaming. It was raw and powerful, purposeful. It was as though she was trying to call a weapon into existence through sheer force of horror, anguish, and rage. Something sharp, heavy, and hellish enough to gut an angel."

When all hell breaks loose, you need a devil on your side but who do you trust?

Sarita calls him Angelo because that is what her mother named him so many years ago when he first saved her from drowning and kept him a secret from all but her mother and brother. Now she can no longer keep that secret buried. She must find Angelo and find out exactly what she means to him and why he has been lurking in the shadows surrounding her. She will have to embrace the evil within if she hopes to make it out alive because she is being hunted and her purpose on earth is more than she realizes.

A strange dark tale of hope, misguided trust, and the will to face demons that lurk in the dark waiting to destroy her. This story was creepy and mysterious. Perfect for this time of year. I enjoyed this story. It was different than any other horror books I have read thus far regarding paranormal lore and found it interesting.

This book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow! Not exactly sure what I read. There were so many characters with side stories that were needed to complete the whole plot. There were demons, vampires and religious like creatures. A lot of violence. The author showed the journey of the heroine and the villain.

The premise intrigued me the first time I read it and knew it sounded right up my alley! The first few chapters got me interested in the characters and where the stories could possibly be going. A guardian angel that violently killed someone? Yes, I need to know more.

Unfortunately, the second half is where I began to lose interest. I felt like I was being pulled into too many directions for the plot. I lost track of the original issue surrounding Sarita and fell short trying to follow the cult like vampire gods. Some of the ideas surrounding religion and how the author used them to further the story was really interesting, but as soon as something intriguing came up it was quickly gone and onto the next new shiny thing.

For me, I would have loved to see some of the ideas pulled back and expanded on to truly lose myself in the story and the characters. One thing that I did enjoy and thought was interesting was the inclusion of the hero AND villain arc. It’s something I haven’t see done very often.

I loved Spite House, so when I saw Devils Kill Devils available on audio it was an instant downlaod for me.

I went in without really reading the synopsis and highly recommend you do the same. All you need to know is Sarita has a guardian angel, and when he murders someone she loves, she’s thrust into an unbelievable world.

The lore Johnny Compton wove into the story was nothing short of extraordinary. It had an epic-ness akin to what made us love Interview with a Vampire and Blade Runner with the type of sweeping folklore that’s in every great fantasy book.

The three women we spend the most time with were complicated and relatable and every chapter was a surprise. I consistently found myself listening giddily on my way to work and doing chores because it was that good. Warning- this is one of those books you’ll be chasing the high of for… forever probably.

This audiobook absolutely slayed! I loved that there are beings that are similar to vampires, but not quite how we know them. This book starts out with a bang with Sarita and her husband on their wedding night. Her guardian angel Angelo shows up which is the catalyst for the rest of the book. Angelo has protected Sarita her entire life from mortal danger, and she is not sure how she can come to terms with his latest actions. I absolutely tore through this book because Sarita learns of evils that are all around her.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Receiving an advanced gifted book copy does not impact or influence my review in any way. #MacAudio2024

3/4 Stars

Devil Kills Devils is a unique read, packed with new takes on vampire lore I had never previously heard and I love myself a vampire story (there's an author note on that as well). The blend of angels, demons, vampires, prophecies and witches created a world that reminded me a lot of the show Supernatural. It's just a world we are so unaware of and I could totally see some uncles in this book becoming hunters because of it.

Overall, the entire book gave off Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls vibes, mixed with a dark twist reminiscent of City of Angels- except in this story, the angel turns out to be a horror show, and everything spirals out of control. The narrator was wonderful and did a great job of really nailing the atmosphere of the story though their narration. I really appreciated the audiobook!

One thing I didn't expect was how much I ended up feeling for two certain characters. That emotional connection caught me off guard- and it made me want different endings for everyone! The lore was dense and heavily woven throughout the book, which I found both engaging and, at times, lengthy.

I’m torn between 3 and 4 stars because, while the book was interesting, it also felt lengthy for the story it ultimately delivered. I kept waiting for more ancient lore and backstory to ground the main; and though there was a lot of background, it still felt somewhat aimless. The buildup didn't quite have the payoff I was expecting.

That said, Devil Kills Devils has some seriously creepy vibes and surprisingly philosophical lines inside. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy a denser, more philosophical story. If you're into lore-heavy stories and don't mind one that takes its time to unravel, this might be your cup of tea!

Thank you for the gifted copy.

The premise of the book sounded really good and the first couple of chapters hit it off with a bang. I was Invested. The idea of a guardian angel who's potentially really a demon was interesting. However, I felt like the book ended up having too much going on. I ended up getting confused from the multiple povs. Then you have religious occult, vampires, a prophecy just a little bit too much. I think if it was one pov with all of the added plot I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I did really like the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest review

The cover and description gave me high hopes for this book, but I had a tough time getting into it. I stopped listening several times and struggled to stay interested. The beginning, with Sarita's story and her past with Angelo, was interesting and seemed promising. As new monsters and characters were introduced, I realized that I didn’t feel connected to anyone in the story and wish there was more dialogue between the characters. However, I did enjoy the narration, and the gore was pretty great. This would be a great read for fans of southern gothic, blood and gore, vampires, and religious occultism.

Sarita has always believed her guardian angel, Angelo, is protecting her from the dangers of the world, but when Angelo murders her husband on their wedding night, she begins to uncover the dark truths lurking in the shadows. As Sarita is thrust into a violent and occult-driven reality, she must confront the sinister forces at play and embrace her own inner darkness to survive.

Opinions: This novel is pure horror, drenched in violence and gore, making it perfect for fans of slasher films who don't mind a heavy dose of bloodshed. While the initial setup involving Angelo's mysterious protection intrigued me, the latter half of the book lost momentum, and the story's complexity became difficult to follow, leaving me wanting more from the character development and narrative.

Recommendation: "Devils Kill Devils" is a solid pick for horror enthusiasts who enjoy tales of occultism and don't shy away from graphic content, but those looking for deep character exploration might find themselves left in the shadows.

Honestly, this book was incredibly confusing and I thought the narrator was saying “breeders” the whole time and not “breather's” which I figured out way too far into the book. The story line was all over the place.

This book IS horror. It is extremely violent, so I would handsell it to folks that like slashers and don’t mind gore. It was fun following the main character around while she dealt with all the gore and horrifying situations around her. We like it.

A unique take on vampires. Complex characters, and a non-traditional mythology for the oldest monsters. The book was engaging, drawing me in and never letting go. I loved the bold attempt of creating his own mythos. Also, a different protagonist with a different world view.

I think the ending is what really brings it together, although I am sure others will shy away from the brutality. This is not horror-lite. This is bloody, visceral, leave you wounded in the woods horror. I think this is a brilliant follow-up to The Spite House.

Horror fans will rejoice Compton has done it again.

As much as I love the occult and gothic stories this one left me wanting more. I love Johnny Compton's style of writing but the content just wasn't quite what I was expecting.

After really enjoying The Spite House last year, I was hopeful I would also enjoy the new book by the same author.

The premise of this one sounded great but I found myself disappointed by the execution. My issue was that I found the character flat and the narrative surprisingly dry. I wanted to love this one, but it left me cold.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This book started off with a really promising premise -- I was hooked from the maybe-supernatural of it all. As it kept going and got more complicated, I found things a bit more difficult to follow, especially since I was listening on audio with multiple POVs. Maybe if I had eyeball read it things would have made more sense! But overall I still had an enjoyable time.

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio & Johnny Compton for an audio galley of Devils Kill Devils in exchange for an honest review.

I'll be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of The Spite House from last year, but I always give second chances & Johnny Compton always lures me in with his cover art & book synopsis.

I have good news & bad news on this one.

Good News - I liked it more than The Spite House
Bad News - It still didn't fall into my "I liked it" category

It was just "Meh." This was an improvement, though, so that keeps me from crossing Compton off my list of authors to read. I look forward to what he comes out with next & will definitely give it a go. With that said, hopefully the 3rd won't be my last because 3 strikes & you're out.

This story was a bit weird with the MC's shadow guardian angel, Angelo swooping in keep her from harm's way. To her devastation, Angelo brutally murders her new husband, Frank, on their wedding night & Sarita can't understand why since Angelo has always saved her. Plus, Angelo doesn't talk, so he doesn't give her his reasoning. I was intrigued by the relationship between Sarita & Angelo, but once Cela came into the mix, along with all the satanic hullabaloo, that's where I started losing interest. It got a little too cult-y for my taste (which I am sure, that was the author's intention - just not my thing) and it began to get a bit confusing. I'm still not completely sure about the ending. The big reveal about who Angelo really was & what his purpose was with always saving Sarita was also a bit of a letdown.

I can see where many readers would enjoy this book, but it was another miss for me, albeit better than the first. (Sigh)

So I'm not entirely sure if because I had a five day pause in reading this it fell flat for me , but I really wanted to love this one and just did not. The writing in the first half was spectacular and very engaging. I was drawn in and the pacing of the story/mystery felt really cool and interesting. The story of Angelo in the first half really worked for me and built up a lot of interest and dread. But I dunno the second half just whomp. Maybe I'm spoiled or my expectations were too high? But once it starts to revela--From there it just kinda didn't work for me.
But just because it didn't work for me , I HOPE it works for you. Def for readers looking for a vampire story that's not sexy , and people who like culty stuff. Things I DID like about this book were the Main Character and the complexity of a "bad guy" who has a great backstory.
I think Compton is a great writer, and I want this to work for people and I'm sure that it will just personally I didn't love it.

This was my first Johnny Compton book and I heard so many good reviews about The Spite House, I was so excited to get access to this audiobook!

This story follows a woman who has had a dark presence in her life protecting her from anyone or situations that could harm her. It's been a literal life saver, until it kills her husband on her wedding night. She is devastated and to make things worse, her ex-mother-in-law gets caught up with her own dark presence as well.

I love Johnny Compton's idea for this book. I think the plot is genius. The story started off very strong, and I was thinking this could be a 5 star. Unfortunately, I felt like the book slowed down for me and I lost some interest after the first 20% of the book.

I do really admire the creativity and imagination that the author shows in this novel. I do still plan on reading The Spite House as well as his next book. This book had so many aspects that I usually love, but unfortunately fell a little flat for me.

Johnny Compton does it again! I loved this story and the devils that Sarita sees! Johnny manages to write paranormal horror in a way that makes you truly believe it is real! Another great book!