Thanks to Net Galley and to Australian eBook Publisher (the author?) for offering me an ARC copy of this novel that I voluntarily choose to review.
As I do sometimes I checked some of the reviews of this book and I found that most people were really positive, and, interestingly, people who didn’t like it gave as reasons some of the same ones that made others like it. We all know nothing rules over personal taste.
The story, that it’s not straightforward to categorise (it has elements of thriller, of historical novel, of horror story with paranormal elements, even with religious undertones), is told in an interesting way. The story we start reading, after a brief prologue that hints at things to come, of Siobhan, a young woman who is given her mother’s Bible and a strange message after finding out she hanged herself in Spain, frames the main story, the confession by Siobhan’s mother, Denise. Siobhan follows her mother’s instructions and soon realises that many people seem invested in keeping hidden the mystery of her mother’s disappearance. For much of the book, Siobhan is just a stand-in for the reader, who gets hooked on the book her mother has left her as an explanation of what happened, and as we later learn, as a way of recruiting her into her mission. Siobhan experiences similar emotions to the readers, at times thinking the story is not possible, that her mother must have been unwell while at the same time finding it impossible to stop reading, in her case even when she’s in serious danger.
Denise’s confession is fascinating. What starts as the story of a single mother quickly turns into a thriller, where Denise is the victim of a conspiracy and with some paranormal help (yes, the devil of the title comes to the rescue, of course at a price) manages to get even. This part of the story, of greed, jealousy and friendship gone sour would make an interesting novel in its own right, although there are details that require some suspension of disbelief. The story eventually takes a moral turn and things get more bizarre (yes, even with the devil already on the scene). The nature of Denise’s family life comes into question and she has no option but to leave her loved ones without a word of explanation. She is recruited for a mission and as part of that we are introduced to a number of religious texts and historical facts of the XIII century that show a good research used in a very compelling way (although some readers did not enjoy it so much, but I’m sure others who love books such as The Da Vinci Code would appreciate it).
The writing is fluid and compelling, with some descriptive passages and some that offer moral lessons (especially about the role humanity has in destroying our environment, and about the cost of our wishes and desires, exemplifying the fact that actions have consequences) and a deep understanding of the texts and the religious questions discussed, without becoming preachy. At some points, especially when describing the texts, there is more telling than showing, but that can’t be avoided (and considering that according to the blurb, the author turned one of his scripts into a novel, it’s very well resolved). I’ve read some people who found the repeated used of long names (of monasteries and convents in particular) tiresome, although in my case, as a few of them were Spanish like me, I didn’t have much of an issue with it.
The story of Denise is completed within the book, but it ends up at the point when Siobhan goes back home and has to decide what she will do from now on. So there is some sort of resolution, but we are left at the beginning of another story.
Denise is an understandable and totally human character, who makes mistakes, who sometimes is confused about her emotions, who wants to believe the best of people but is sorely betrayed. She is faced with terrible decisions and if one tries to put oneself in her shoes, is not easy to know what one would do. Does one really always have to choose between two loves? Perhaps. We don’t have much chance to get to know Siobhan, other than as an ersatz reader and a girl who, like her mother, will pursue the truth even at the cost of her own safety. I hope we’ll be given a chance to get to know her better soon.
I enjoyed the book, both the intriguing and gripping story, and also the background of history and the fascinating documents described. I didn’t find it scary but it is a book that makes one think about one’s decisions, about the world and about what we would be prepared to sacrifice for those we love. And it’s impossible to put down.

An intriguing story that keeps you thinking and wondering.

This is an excellent book written as a story within a story, then within another story. It starts of at a pace as we follow a nun running for her life only to end with her taking her own life in front of thousands of worshippers. And that is just the first chapter.

Reading about her mother's life both prior to and after she became a nun, Siobhan goes on the run through Europe followed by the red monks determined to stop her revealing the story told in her mother's confessional diary.

As her story unfolds throughout the book the reader is presented with a number of twists and turns, each one a little more fantastical than the last but presented in clear and believable manner. Some of the action in the book can appear a little graphic however you will be caught up in the emotions of revenge that you will almost hearing yourself cheering on a little as the acts are committed.

The human and supernatural elements are well balanced and the only problem I had with this is it is left on a cliffhanger. This should not put the anyone off reading this book but should be held as a compliment to the skill of the writer. Hopefully the story will continue.

A mix of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’, the ‘Da Vinci Code’, ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ and an insomniac fueled night of Wikipedia, ‘the Devil’s Prayer’ is an interesting ride that I wish would have lasted longer. From the finely crafted revenge/torture scenes in the part 2 to the will she/won't she cliffhanger in the end. It’s oblivious that there is going to be a sequel, as this book mainly dealt with building a back story for the upcoming journey that Siobhan will have to go on, and I can’t wait to see what happen next.

Whew. What a roller coaster.

While ultimately, this is the battle of good and evil and what lies within a person, we first meet Herman the Recluse, who has been condemned to death by being walled up alive. As an escape, Herman says that he will write a book “filled with human knowledge that would glorify the monastery forever”. The monks agree, thinking this could never be done, and allow Herman to try. By the end of the night, with a little prayer to the Devil, it had been completed and would be known as the Devils Bible.

The story progresses from there to betrayal, revenge to rage, guilt, and then heartbreak.

I was already familiar with 'The Devil's Bible" from The Black Tapes podcast, so reading this felt familiar in an uncomfortable way. I will likely read this again, closer to Halloween, to fully get the creepy, horror effect it needs.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review.

Gripping and a real,page turner. Will definitely look for this author in future.

WOW. This novel is incredible! From the very first page, I was hooked. The story is very intense and gripping, with little time for catching a breath. Not being religious myself, I am still vastly intrigued by the depth of research that went into this novel. I cried for Denise, and again for Siobhan. I found each character to be highly engaging, and their trials are not for the faint of heart. I found it to be utterly amazing, and I will be paying very close attention to author Luke Gracias now and into the future.

This book was a great read, it had a good mystery going for it and at times it was chilling.
I liked that we could read what Siobhan's mother wrote in her confession and it helped to build up the story.
I received my copy of "The Devil's Prayer" from NetGalley
Possible Spoiler Alert" The only thing it would seem to lack is a real ending. Instead, it leaves you with the a very strong hope that there will be a second installment (hopefully coming soon).

It's like finding undiscovered treasure! The first few chapters didn't grab me, but after that, it really took off. The intricate detailing and depictions in here are pure genius. This is a must-read thriller that is quite graphic at times and not for the faint-hearted. Now that Siobhan Russo knows her mother's story, there's just gotta be a book two in the works. I loved the whole good vs. evil and will be keeping my eye out for future books by this talented author.

I am afraid that this book did not live up to my expectations. I found the story telling disjointed and unfortunately it did not come up to my expectations. I cannot recommend this book as it was not for me.

I got this book as an advanced reader's copy with the understanding that I would read it and provide a review of the book.

I wasn't crazy about this book. As I was reading it, I heard some of my writing professors' admonishment to "show, not tell." I wanted to give that same piece of advice to Luke Gracias, especially as the book was beginning.

Despite not enjoying the writing style, the premise of the book is interesting enough and was really the only reason I kept reading. The book opens with a nun being chased by monks, and ends when she commits suicide in spectacular fashion. The narrative then shifts to the nun's estranged family, namely her daughter Siobhan. Siobhan then sets off on a journey to understand why her mother left her and her sister all of those years ago.

At times the story meanders and there is an awful lot of superfluous subplot, but the concept allowed me to start to become engaged in the story, despite clumsy writing and a lack of purpose at times. That being said, I don't know if I'm invested in the story enough to keep on reading, because the book ends in mid-story.

Classified as Historical Fiction and Horror, “The Devil’s Prayer” is not for the faint of heart. It also comes with Explicit Content Warning that says, “The Devil's Prayer is a historical horror thriller that contains brutality, rape, sex, drug abuse and murder. Readers may find its content offensive and confronting.”

Whew!!! That said, you might think that I did not like this book. I did, and for those who are into the historical fiction and horror genres, this is a very good book to read.

The storyline spans centuries beginning from the Middle Ages to modern day. Though this is a work of fiction, author Luke Gracias made it historically accurate and used very few artistic licenses. I am not going to write a synopsis. The Description below more than suffices. If I write more, I will be revealing the plot line.

Adrenaline pumping with some very gruesome scenes, sometimes, I had to close my eyes just to erase it from my mind’s eye. But, it did not make me stop reading the book. In fact, I was so interested in it, that I could not turn the pages fast enough.

Warning: don’t start reading this book at bedtime. You would want to finish it so you might lose a night’s sleep. Fans of Da Vinci Code, The Seventh Sign and The Omen will enjoy this book.

“The Devil’s Prayer” is Rated M for Mature due to violence, drug use and sexual content.

This tale is of stories within stories, that build up a history of human manipulation and mistrust (and I could add deceit and depravity).

Siobhan's mother disappeared six years ago and Siobhan has just heard that her mum committed suicide in front of 80,000 people during a religious event and that she was a nun when she did so.

At her mothers memorial service Siobhan is approached by a priest who brings her something of her mothers and tells her that Sister Benedictine asked him to pass them on to Siobhan.

Siobhan sets out on a journey of discovery to find out what her mum wanted her to know and what others want for themselves or to keep hidden.

Siobhan finds out what her mother lived through, from the age that Siobhan was four, until the present day. None of it is expected or ordinary. It is a long twisted story. Siobhan is periodically interrupted as she discovers the truth of her mothers life and has to take action to protect herself. Her mother has given her information and Siobhan must decide what to do next.

And, phew, what a wild ride that was! Totally absorbing and engaging. I certainly would read that again and recommend it. Particularly if you like historical/religious - good versus evil type tales.

I liked this book but was disappointed with the ending,I presume there will be a sequel. The story was good but got a bit bogged down with detail.

The Devil's Prayer is exactly the kind of Book that inspires fear but at the same time piques your curiosity enough to explore the dark secrets of history and religion. A brilliant sensational read.

An awkward book. The first section is quite compelling, in a kind of Dan Brown way, featuring people so wrapped up in the fantasy of hardcore Christianity it can't really fail to compel, however humdrum the writing is. But we then lurch into a very different type of story, as we flash back to a woman's worst nightmares coming true, and her pact with the devil to right her wrongs. It's a lot more soapy than you'd expect, and doesn't grab the emotions as the author would wish. (And it's also very awkward as regards gender politics – suggesting a woman needs Satan's help to put the world to rights when it all goes Pete Tong due to men, carnality, jealousy etc.) Still, though, if the world cried out for a Rashomon-styled horror story, this is it. We then get a third section that overdoses on the Dan Brown factoids, as if the author had swallowed the whole Fortean Times back catalogue on Apocrypha and wanted us to likewise suffer – and then it stops. No resolution, no conclusion – just a cessation. Before then it's an homage to Rosemary's Baby, but without any of the class of stories like that. It could have been much better, but it comes without an end, so I'll leave you to intuit my final opinion. It's

The Devil's Prayer read like a multitude of different kinds of books thrown into one. I definitely can see elements of The DaVinci Code, Rosemary's Baby, historical religious fiction, and a murderous revenge story. I think this worked for most of the book, but I found myself getting a little bored with the historical religious aspects, especially near the end. I just felt like the author did a little too much history fluff that could have been summarized in shorter text. I thought the rest of the writing was very good. The story is essentially told in alternating points of view between the mother and daughter, whether through actual events or the mother's confession. This book was way more complex than I expected it to be. If you're offended by religious stories featuring the shadier side of the Catholic belief systems, graphic murder, and rape scenes, then this book is not for you. If you like a good deal with the Devil, then I encourage you to give it a shot.

I have to admit this book scared me a bit which wasn't helped by the fact I was reading it late at night when it was cold and raining. I thought the author did an amazing job of weaving history and Catholicism in order to create this. Gracias obviously did tons of research not only evidenced throughout his story but also after it was over where he provides a note on some of the actual facts which influenced where the story went. It reminded me a bit of the Da Vinci Code in that the author combined reality with history in such an interesting way I kept finding myself on Google looking up places, stories and people so I could separate fact from fiction.

The only parts of the book I found truly hard to get through were the multiple rape scenes but as a woman I don't think it's possible to ever read a rape scene, even if needed for the story, and not feel like you're going through the experience yourself. As a mother I appreciated the sacrifices she made for her kids and the fact there was nothing she wouldn't do for them so that aspect I felt the author also did a good job of getting right.

At the end I myself wishing for a sequel because I wanted to know what the oldest sister had decided to do and if she was going to be successful. This was a book I could not put down no matter where my emotional journey went because Gracias keeps you glued to the pages.

A nun commits suicide in front of thousands in Spain. In Australia, Siobhan Russo recognizes that nun as her mother, Denise Russo, who disappeared six years ago.
In search of answers, Siobhan travels to the isolated convent where her mother once lived. Here she discovers Denise’s final confession, a book that details a heinous betrayal that left her crippled and mute, and Denise’s subsequent deal with the Devil to take revenge. In the desperate bargain Denise made with the Prince of Darkness, she wagered Siobhan’s soul.
As Siobhan discovers the fate of her soul, she learns that hidden within the pages of her mother’s confession is part of The Devil’s Prayer, an ancient text with the power to unleash apocalyptic horrors.
And now her mother’s enemies know Siobhan has it.
Can Siobhan escape an order of extremist monks determined to get the Prayer back? Can she save the world from its own destruction?

I have mixed feelings about this book, but overall it was a fairly decent book with some really good parts.
The story is written in several ways - as a journal; present time; past; and historical religious backstory.

Much of the historical sections were way too detailed for me to stick with and I skimmed through a lot of it, though there were some interesting parts. Comparing to something like "The DaVinci Code", it didn't have the same easy flow and integration to me. There was also occasional bits - like a lecture on environmental issues - that seemed oddly thrown in.

The part I enjoyed most was the part of the book that told how Denise Russo originally came to make a deal with the Devil. Some of the story was far-fetched, but I can let reality go when I'm reading super natural type stories.

I read that this book was converted from a film script, and think with some additional editing could be very good. And as movie, I can definitely see it working.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I don't feel like the blurb for The Devil's Prayer does it justice. But I also think it would be really hard to do a blurb that really did tell you what this book was about. Some of the book is fairly typical fare. Deals with the devil, prophecies, and the possible end of the world. Then there's the historical fiction aspect of it which, if you're someone into religious history, provides enough actual facts to make you happy. And for the people who were hoping to get a little bit of horror, there's some of that too, around the second quarter. So, there's obviously a lot going on.


The first three quarters of The Devil's Prayer were awesome. There was the mystery, the horror,the clues all coming together. We got the beginnings of an answer to a question that was asked early on. Once I really sat down to concentrate on the book, I read through 50 percent of it in one night. And the last quarter was good, too. But in a very different way. Unfortunately the last quarter doesn't really match with the first three in any way other than covering relevant subject matter.

It felt like Luke Gracias got almost done with the book, and then decided to turn it into a history paper at the end. The material he covered was fascinating, and stuff I'd definitely look up in my free time when I was in the mood for it. However, when I'm three quarters of the way through a fiction book, I'm not in the mood to come to a full stop for a preachy, hand-holding history lesson. My interest in what I was reading swiftly fizzled. Instead of getting the climax and story resolution I was hoping for, I was suddenly just hoping it would end soon.

The way The Devil's Prayer is told is a bit flip-floppy. It's told journal-style, interspersed with present day action. My one problem with journal style - and I've had this thought with a couple other books - is that it feels unrealistic. No one is going to be as detailed in their journals about every little interaction as they are in these types of books. (And I know this is partially on me, for not being able to completely suspend reality, but it bothers me.) I was able to push it aside, for the most part, and just enjoy what I was reading. Luke Gracias does a good job of giving us a character we can care about in Denise Russo, even if we know she's already dead when we start to get to know her. Siobhan is pretty much just an audience substitute in this book.

Overall, The Devil's Prayer isn't a bad read by any means. But it's not exactly the smoothest read with the way it ends. Luke Gracias is talented, though, and obviously a religious history enthusiast. I think we'll see some great work from him in the future. Also, I would be shocked if The Devil's Prayer doesn't have a sequel already being written. The book ends, if not exactly on a cliffhanger, without a feeling of plot resolution.