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Diabolical (Tantalize #4)

3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 · rating details · 500 ratings · 69 reviews

Prepare for a hell of a ride as Cynthia Leitich Smith calls on characters from her previous novels - and conjures up new ones - for a climactic showdown.

When "slipped" angel Zachary and his werewolf pal, Kieren, arrive under suspicious circumstances to a mysterious New England boarding school, they quickly find themselves in a hellish lockdown with an intriguing assortment...more

Hardcover, 368 pages

Published January 24th 2012 by Candlewick

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Dec 12, 2011 P.J. rated it 5 of 5 stars

So I gave this book away last month, but I haven't properly reviewed it because I was mid-reading it at the time. I've been done for ages, but wanted to save my review until closer to the release date.

DIABOLICAL by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, January 24, 2012)

In honor of this being the fourth installment in Cynthia Leitich Smith's bestselling series, I offer you this darling picture of four Vamplets I took just this morning (yes, this is what I do once the kids go off to school).

So what d...more So I gave this book away last month, but I haven't properly reviewed it because I was mid-reading it at the time. I've been done for ages, but wanted to save my review until closer to the release date.

DIABOLICAL by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, January 24, 2012)

In honor of this being the fourth installment in Cynthia Leitich Smith's bestselling series, I offer you this darling picture of four Vamplets I took just this morning (yes, this is what I do once the kids go off to school).

So what do four vamplets and the fourth book in Cyn's series have in common? Well, it's hard to make new Vamplets unique, yet each is. And likewise, in writing a series, it's hard to come up with unique, compelling ideas for later books, yet Cynthia manages this beautifully.
(Okay, I wanted to totally just show off my picture of the Vamplets.)

I've been a fan of Cyn's since I first joined the Austin writing community, and I'm happy to consider her my friend. And each time she comes out with a new book, it never fails to wow me. In fact, DIABOLICAL may be my favorite of the series. Cyn takes her characters, puts them in a new situation with all the odds totally against them, and keeps us hanging on every word. And what really dawned on me in DIABOLICAL is how absolutely awesome her two main guy characters really are. Steam comes off the pages in this one.

I highly recommend Cynthia Leitich Smith's books for fans of paranormal creatures (think vampires, were-beings of all sorts, demons...you get the idea). I also highly recommend Cyn's books for those who want to see a more literary side to the paranormal YA genre. Thank you, Cynthia, for yet another awesome read!

I highly recommend Vamplets for those who want stuffed animals that tend toward the dark side. Watch these guys at night.

Perhaps the perfect gift for your YA reader: A brand new copy of DIABOLICAL and a Vamplet to go along with it.

Source of book: From publisher by request

Source of Vamplets: Bought at Comic Con (but they also do online)(less)

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Jan 14, 2012 BookChic Club rated it 5 of 5 stars

This series just keeps getting better and better! Each book is greater than the last and it started off with a pretty high bar to surpass. I loved seeing all my favorite characters again and especially all of them together, as they were separate in the first two books, then brought together in the third. Now, they have spent time communicating and getting to know each other so there's more of a friendship there.

Smith's prose is fast-paced and funny and I found it hard to put the book down (or,...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Laura Sibson rated it 4 of 5 stars

I always enjoy the layers of Cyn Leitich-Smith's books. She manages to juggle humor along with big themes in a way that that is both accessible and thought-provoking. Her characters make tough choices and live with the consequences. I especially enjoyed this novel -- not only because it was set in Montpelier where VCFA is located - but because it is about second chances. Each character confronts in some form choices from the past. In some cases, the action they take to face their previous choice...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Jeanbooknerd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Diabolical is the fourth and last book in Cynthia Leitich Smith’s Tantalize series. In hopes of returning home to Miranda, the slipped angel Zachary must earn his wings back by saving neophytes that he considers to be redeemable. Miranda now lives inside the penultimate where ascenders are helped to find inner peace before fully ascending. It gives Miranda the perfect opportunity to keep an eye on Zachary and her best friend Lucy. She watches as Lucy moves to a new school and realizes that the S...more Diabolical is the fourth and last book in Cynthia Leitich Smith’s Tantalize series. In hopes of returning home to Miranda, the slipped angel Zachary must earn his wings back by saving neophytes that he considers to be redeemable. Miranda now lives inside the penultimate where ascenders are helped to find inner peace before fully ascending. It gives Miranda the perfect opportunity to keep an eye on Zachary and her best friend Lucy. She watches as Lucy moves to a new school and realizes that the Scholomance Preparatory Academy is part of the European Institute, the same one Draculus Prime and Lucifer attended. To instigate into the matter, Miranda uses Joshua to get word to Zachary to commence a rescue mission with the aid of Kieren and Quincie. The mission exposes them to uncertainties and unearths some rather unclear matters as to why Lucy decided to go to this school.

The multiple points of views from the slipped guardian angel Zachary, werewolf Kieren and Miranda give the perfect delivery for the final book in this remarkable series. The return of Miranda was a nice touch as the characters from the previous books are finally pitted together for a wonderful finish. The introduction of new characters, Vesper and Nigel, gave more depth to the plot. The twists that Cynthia laced the finale with will have readers on the edge of their seats. There are moments that are simply stunning that will leave readers’ mouths hanging open. The creepiness is sometimes difficult to bear but Cynthia’s writing style is so addictive that no matter what she throws at you, you will continue to read on. Just when readers think that a twist that is presented is just over the top and out of this world, Cynthia comes back with another one the tops it. It is this writing approach that keeps the story interesting and difficult to put down. The building towards the end is the perfect way to end the series and will satisfy all of your heaven vs. hell, paranormal romance, and vampire/angel cravings.(less)

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Jan 21, 2013 Melissapalmer404 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Book #6 Read in 2013
Diabolical by Cynthia Leitich Smith (YA)

This is the fourth book in a young adult paranormal series. I read this book in a day so I guess that is telling of the fact that I love this series. In this book, the main focus returns to Zachary and Miranda. Zachary is a fallen angel who is earth bound and is the guardian angel of Quince, the vampire with the soul. Miranda is Zachary's true love and she is in a sort of heavenly limbo--reconciling herself with the evils that she did a...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Joshua Burns rated it 3 of 5 stars

As seen on Rabidreads.ca:

Diabolical's compact sentences and lengthy character list tips you off from page one that you are in for good fun. My primary frustration, which I did not expect to come so fiercely into play as I opened the book, was the overt presence of an afterlife. Heaven, a place that in its very existence can cause so many problems when interacting with other belief systems, does more damage to the stakes in this novel than its protagonists do with stakes onto other vampires. How...more As seen on Rabidreads.ca:

Diabolical's compact sentences and lengthy character list tips you off from page one that you are in for good fun. My primary frustration, which I did not expect to come so fiercely into play as I opened the book, was the overt presence of an afterlife. Heaven, a place that in its very existence can cause so many problems when interacting with other belief systems, does more damage to the stakes in this novel than its protagonists do with stakes onto other vampires. How can we feel threatened by the ultimate stakes of our characters if we know that they are ensured eternity either above or below? One can diss Hell all they like. Much of my anxiety stems from the fact that when I die this identity, who I am, may also expire. If I was the not best of persons, you can see how even total and uncompromising torture forever and ever would be preferable to complete and utter obliteration.

Miranda, our head in the clouds, our eye in the sky, our voice from the sidelines, cannot be feeling too bad since she stands in the Penultimate, a waiting area, just outside the Pearly Gates, where she can continue to lovingly scope her hunk, Zachary and his flock. Miranda's struggle, if you want to call it that, can only come from her lack of Zachary. He should be up in Heaven but due to some broken protocol he has been condemned to walk the Earth and baby-sit vampires. Yes, Zachary was once an angel. On Earth his position is playfully abbreviated to a terrestrial GA, Guardian Angel.

Where this plot stagnates is in the fact that both characters have all the time in the world to meet up. Due to their eternal souls, a meet-up is practically guaranteed. There is a hint of a threat in the fact that when Zachary completes his task, an already impossible task: stop vampires from being created and drinking blood, he could be immediately reassigned to another task. No matter. Miranda can wait.

Our other couple, Kieren and Quince, are much more interesting. Kieren is half Wolf, half man. Quince, like Miranda, has been turned into a vampire against her will and must now do her best not to turn on humans for blood. She spends her time running a themed restaurant: fake vampires, a menu divided into prey and predator. Quince and Kieren could easily become boring if either of them died but they have enough personality to keep things interesting.

Much can be said of the whole cast in terms of personality. This was a book that made me chuckle and roll my eyes at its imagery and creativity. I fear what it lacks, a sense of stakes, is not something I know how to give it without stripping it of what makes it unique. I am certain that Heaven could be implemented in a high stakes scenario but this book is not it.

If you can get over the lack of stakes, the main plot aka the stuff to fill time before everyone unveils their eternal souls deals with a demonic school, one at Hell's Gate, where students, not entirely knowing what they are getting into, are conscripted, trapped, and taught the ways of the Dark One. Zachary and Kieren fall into this trap because Miranda's old roommate wanted so dearly to find out what happened to Miranda that she was willing to sign a contract with the Dark One himself.

The capers the classmates get into and the classmates themselves provide the same amount of color as a brick. There are simply too many of them to fully keep track of or to develop. At least two of the girls remained completely confusable for me all the way up to the end. And what an ending! So much pomp, trumpets, and horns you might have thought it was the Final Judgment. It kind of blew me away. But the brevity of the sentences and chapters reinforced the feeling that I had seen nothing and heard nothing but one note: "We're all saved.”
Where's the fun in that? (less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

TANTALIZE introduced Quincie Morris, now the only vampire who has ever resisted killing a human. ETERNAL introduced Zachary, the angel who slipped when trying to rescue his charge Miranda. In BLESSED they joined forces to destroy Quincie's maker and rescue the residents of Austin with questionable taste in dessert. Their actions proved to Zach that neophyte vampires can be saved and he takes that as his mission in order to regain his full heavenly status. But there are those who don't appreciate...more TANTALIZE introduced Quincie Morris, now the only vampire who has ever resisted killing a human. ETERNAL introduced Zachary, the angel who slipped when trying to rescue his charge Miranda. In BLESSED they joined forces to destroy Quincie's maker and rescue the residents of Austin with questionable taste in dessert. Their actions proved to Zach that neophyte vampires can be saved and he takes that as his mission in order to regain his full heavenly status. But there are those who don't appreciate what Quincie, Zach, and their allies have accomplished.

DIABOLICAL is told through three points of view. Kieran, for the first time, gets a voice. (Well, for the first time in the main series. There is a graphic novel through his point of view.) He's separated from Quincie for most of the novel, so those hoping for mushy stuff might be disappointed. Zach once more takes up narrating duties, as does Miranda, who is now in the Penultimate. The Penultimate is a sort of purgatory, the dead work through their last ties to the human world before ascending to Heaven. Miranda is able to observe those left behind on a monitor-com, which both kicks the plot into action and allows her to comment on what is happening outside of Kieran and Zach's purview.

BLESSED brought one story arc to a close. DIABOLICAL can almost stand alone. (It does deal with the consequences of ETERNAL. Miranda killed people. God forgave her, but that doesn't mean she's forgiven herself. Zach is grounded and thus separated from her. And separated love interests must always reunite.) It's a twist on a horror plot, the one where a group of people are brought to one location and must play a game or risk death. (And, well, still risk death if they play the game.) It's a trap for our intrepid heroes, one laid by Satan himself, and baited with the souls of innocents.

Unfortunately, there isn't much time to bond with those innocents. They all seem like fairly interesting people (aside from Andrew), but they were in peril more than our heroes but it was hard to care as much about them. But Cynthia Leitich Smith has been building her cast throughout the series and people tend to show up again. Perhaps more time will be spent with the survivors in future books.

And no, the angelic memos with attached Yahoo! maps will never not be funny.

If you enjoyed the first three books in the Tantalize series, then there's no reason to stop now. If you haven't, DIABOLICAL is still pretty accessible. It will appeal to fans of supernatural adventure and horror. (less)

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Jan 25, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

Installment four in Cynthia Leitich Smith's gothic series returns the reader to the format of book two, which, for those who haven't read it, means that the story is told from multiple points of view. For the first time, Kieren gets to 'speak,' along with Miranda, Zachary and Quincie. Yes, that's right. Miranda, my superfav (hint: this is sarcasm) is back.

The story is just as readable and fantastical as the previous ones. If you enjoyed them, I imagine you'll like this one too, especially since...more Installment four in Cynthia Leitich Smith's gothic series returns the reader to the format of book two, which, for those who haven't read it, means that the story is told from multiple points of view. For the first time, Kieren gets to 'speak,' along with Miranda, Zachary and Quincie. Yes, that's right. Miranda, my superfav (hint: this is sarcasm) is back.

The story is just as readable and fantastical as the previous ones. If you enjoyed them, I imagine you'll like this one too, especially since you'll actually get a happy ending. Unfortunately, the story is marred by numerous plot holes. Honestly, I think this would have been better had she ixnayed the happy ending.

So much of what happened here is not believable within the context of her own universe. For example, why is Miranda in heaven? This of course, I knew before, and was not entirely cool with, but mostly accepted. Now, though, she's sitting in the Penultimate, a sort of purgatory for Heaven which I'll talk about more later, surrounded by all of these people she killed. What really made me question Smith's decision here was not so much the evidence that Quincie was a completely freaking awful person/eternal, but the fact that not one of her victims is really mad at her. In every case, she saved them from a terrible fate one way or another. Bull.

Along a similar vein, how does Harrison end up in Heaven? This seems like the equivalent of the belief that, no matter what you've done previously, if you're killed after confessing your sins, you get heaven. Umm, why? The one plus of more Harrison in the book was finding out that he is super gay, which was kind of amusing.

The frame story, where they're going into the school to save Lucy, also continually seemed fabricated. Lucy's a plot point and that's all there is to it. The parts that really didn't make sense were at the end, which means I can't be especially specific. I just want to state for the record that what happened to Kieren and Zachary at the end was completely absurd. Especially Zachary. In what way does that make sense? Argh!

Okay, I want to end my review with something more positive, so I'll go back to the beginning of the book again. As I've already mentioned, Miranda's chilling in the Penultimate, where she can watch over whoever she wants to via a device called the monitor-com until she's ready to pass on to Heaven. (For those who are interested, this is very similar to a vision of the afterlife I wrote about in a short story. Funny that.) The setup is pretty cool, and I do love theories of life after death.(less)

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Feb 04, 2012 Brandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, netgalley, nook, paranormal, ya

Sequel to Tantalize & Blessed

Miranda is now residing in Penultimate, the stopping place where souls go before moving on to Heaven and Zachary is a slipped guardian angel who is charged with protecting Quincie Morris, the wholly-souled vampire. Miranda and the other residents of Penultimate are able to observe everything that happens on the earthly plane but Zachary can't see her. When Zachary finds out that Lucy, Miranda's former friend, has been enrolled in a demonic school called Scholoman...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Christy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Diabolical is a romp through the world of were-animals, angels, demons, and all that is in between. Let it be known that this is the fourth in a series of books, but this is the first one that I have read. Also, I received this through NetGalley as an advanced read.
My first concerns are in the kindle formatting. There were many gaps, sentences that cut off and started on another line too quick, and no breaks in chapters. BUT, again, since this was advanced, I'm sure the publishers will work o...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, paranormal, psc-reviews, young-adult

Book 4 in the Tantalize series.
Miranda is in “The Penultimate”, or Heaven's waiting room. From here she can watch her boyfriend, Zachary, who is a guardian angel on earth. Zachary, along with his werewolf friend Kieran, and Kieran's vampire girlfriend Quincie, enter a demonic prep school in order to rescue Miranda's best friend from childhood, Lucy. Here they encounter traps, monsters, and evil aplenty.

Familiar characters as well as plenty of interesting new ones to be found in the latest book o...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Markelle Grabo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I first picked up Tantalize on a whim and fell in love with Smith's witty and fast-paced storytelling. After Eternal and Blessed, I had high expectations for Diabolical. I couldn't wait to see how all of the characters from the previous novels would come together for an epic showdown. I wasn't disappointed in the least.

I received Diabolical through a Goodreads giveaway and read it over Christmas vacation. The first few days, I stopped and started because of the holidays, but as I got deeper into...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Miranda Merrill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ya-pnr

Let me start off by saying I had never read any books in the Tantalize series till I received the ARC from netgalley for Diabolical. Being that this was book 4 in the series I decided to read the first 3 before approaching this one. To be honest book 1 Tantalize was a little rough to get through, but I am glad I did because each book in this series gets better and better as it goes. I know a lot of people don’t like this series but there was something in it that just grabbed me and wouldn’t let...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Alicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

When "slipped" angel Zachary and his werewolf pal, Kieren, arrive under suspicious circumstances to a mysterious New England boarding school, they quickly find themselves in a hellish lockdown with an intriguing assortment of secretive, hand-picked students. Plagued by demon dogs, hallucinatory wall décor, a sadistic instructor, and a legendary fire-breathing monster, will they somehow manage to escape? Or will the devil have his due? Best-selling author Cynthia Leitich Smith unites heroes from...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Lizz rated it 4 of 5 stars

My favorite of the Tantalize series: set in a boarding school, also in the Afterlife, and featuring old cast plus new characters. Any book set in a boarding school is a hit. This book is definitely one of the scariest. I have kept myself up at night thinking about certain parts (involuntary shiver), but I think most adults will find the scary details to be quite horrifying while most teens will shrug them off.

The only element remiss about the book was that we did not get to know certain characte...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2012

Excellent end to the series, as Miranda (dead vampire watching from The Penultimate, sort of halfway to Heaven), werewolf Kieren, (Miranda's boyfriend), vampire with a soul Quincie, and Quincie's fallen guardian angel Zachary (and Miranda's boyfriend) all join in the fight to save Miranda's best friend Lucy from being taken by the devil. Set in a boarding school that is a front for the devil, the guys enroll undercover as students to find out what's going on, and end up trapped there, fighting h...more

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Jan 25, 2012 P.M. rated it 2 of 5 stars

It was the fourth book in a series. Unfortunately, I somehow missed two and three. Perhaps if I go back and fill in the blanks, I might like this better. There were some sparks of humor with Michael's memos to Zachary and and Joshua but, in the long run, that wasn't enough to change my opinion. There were multiple points of view and I had to check each chapter heading to see who was narrating. I didn't mind the multiple narrators but the fact that I had to check lessened this book for me. I will...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Pam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read

As the fouth, and seemingly final, book of the Tantalize series starts out…Miranda is watching her friends from on “high”. She discovers that her best friend Lucy has been accepted to a private, exclusive boarding school in Vermont with ties to a bigger School with the same name in the Carpathians.

Miranda gets word to Zachary what Lucy is up to and begs for him to rescue her. What’s “slipped” guardian angel to do? Well, head off the to academy with his protectee, Quincie, and her wolf-man, Kier...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Liz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: yummy-boys, vampires, series

"Because Michael is just cool that way." – Zachary

HOLY ANGELS...I mean literally!

This was one super fun book. I have read all 4 books in the Tantalize series, but this is my first review. I loved this book from start to finish. Of the 4 stories my favorite is probably still Eternal with this one being a close second. Smith wraps up the series with the perfect ending.

In a universe filled with werepeople, vampies, angels and demons this is one creative piece of writing. I so enjoyed the journey Sm...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Kale rated it 4 of 5 stars

Heaven and Hell collide in Smith's latest tantalizing installment Diabolical.

Zachary has fallen. He's fallen far from grace, fallen short in his duties, and if he doesn't get his act together he'll end up taking a final fall into that eternal inferno. Zachary maybe an angel belonging to the Order Guardian but he's not particularly good at it, GA probably isn't his calling.

So when word comes down that his girlfriend's bestie is in danger, he doesn't hesitate to break all the rules. Zachary, Kiere...more

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Feb 01, 2012 Ms. Rosas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley, 112-in-2012, fantasy, young-adult

What I liked: The characters I have grown to love. Everyone is back in the final book. Zachary, Miranda Kieren, and Quincie. I have to admit I was a little angry when Smith introduced Zach and Miranda in book two. I wanted so badly to know what happened to Quincie and Kieren I had a lot of trouble getting into the second book. But I'm glad I gave them a chance. I love the idea of Miranda being redeemed but had a little trouble with the fact that no one was really angry with her. The one person w...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Chapter by Chapter rated it 4 of 5 stars

As soon as I started reading, I was once again fully immersed into this hauntingly beautiful world created by Cynthia Leitich Smith. I personally think that you can get by without reading the other three books from the Tantalize series as Smith does a fantastic job of explaining the backstory with each character. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have read them because you’ll have a more in-depth knowledge of the characters histories.
We are once again reunited with characters we have grown to love...more As soon as I started reading, I was once again fully immersed into this hauntingly beautiful world created by Cynthia Leitich Smith. I personally think that you can get by without reading the other three books from the Tantalize series as Smith does a fantastic job of explaining the backstory with each character. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have read them because you’ll have a more in-depth knowledge of the characters histories.
We are once again reunited with characters we have grown to love in the previous books of this series, and this particular book did not disappoint. True fans of Cynthia Leitich Smith will immediately fall in love with this story. With her classic back and forth point of views presented in each chapter, we are treated with a clearer understanding of what is going on in each character’s mind, and see what sort of struggles they are trying to get through. We are also introduced to a few new characters that the readers will come to love, as they do the original cast.
Even though Zach and Miranda are not “physically” together, you can see through Smith’s beautiful writing how much love they still have for each other, even in the afterlife. By having Miranda “report” from Penultimate (somewhere between earth and heaven), we are able to see what is going on in the story from a bird’s eye view. I love that Smith incorporated this style of writing in the story.
There were various points throughout the book where I actually gasped out loud, and my eyes did a little bit of a bulging out thing, and my mouth hung open! It was so creepy, and gross and intriguing all at the same time. Even through all that, I couldn’t turn away. I had to keep reading. Like seriously….snakes coming out of the mouth? Ewwwwwww! Must keep reading on…
Smith has a writing style that is so addictive! With all the different twists and turns throughout the book…omgosh! Sooo good. How many more plot twists can Smith come up with? Just when I think that there couldn’t possibly be anything else she can come up with, I’m foiled yet again! I just love, love love (!) her writing so much…
The pace in her writing is just perfect, leaving the reader with so many different emotions. I’ve found myself “eeping” out loue, and uttering “whaaaat?!?” so loud that I would startle other family members here and get the stink eye... Everything is just so descriptive that there is no way the reader cannot visualize everything being read. You can almost smell the surroundings, and even feel what the characters are feeling. Smith’s vivid description of Hell is absolutely terrifying. I could pretty much hear the moan and wails, feel the touching and scraping of the hands and fingers…so creepy.
And don’t even get me started about the build up towards the end. I just hearted this book so much. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a heaven vs. hell read, craves paranormal romance, and love to get creeped out from time to time. Come see how epic vampire/angel love story pans out. You won’t be disappointed…

Chapter by Chapter (less)

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Jan 26, 2012 Jen Bigheart (I Read Banned Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

*Spoilers if new to series*

Unlike the other three books in the Tantalize series, Diabolical is told from three perspectives; Kieren (the were), Zachary (the fallen angel), and Miranda (the dead vampire queen). Having three perspectives kept this book moving fast. Not confusing in the least because Miranda is in Penultimate (not an in between world, but similar - a place where the dead "...make peace with their time among the living") and the boys, Kieren and Zachary, are still on Earth and off t...more *Spoilers if new to series*

Unlike the other three books in the Tantalize series, Diabolical is told from three perspectives; Kieren (the were), Zachary (the fallen angel), and Miranda (the dead vampire queen). Having three perspectives kept this book moving fast. Not confusing in the least because Miranda is in Penultimate (not an in between world, but similar - a place where the dead "...make peace with their time among the living") and the boys, Kieren and Zachary, are still on Earth and off to find out whats going on inside a mysterious boarding school where Miranda's best friend is shipping off to. Each character has their own story line and unique perspective on the events that take place. Some of you will ask if Quince is around. Yes, Quince and Kieren are still together!

At the boarding school, we meet a whole new cast of characters. Some don't stick around the whole time, (insert knife hacking squeaks from Psycho) and some have ties to people that will baffle you. Love that twist in the story and didn't see it coming! Juggling all of these characters, new and old, while keeping the teen voice intact is a hard feat, but Leitich Smith pulls it all off....naturally.

I was so happy to learn more about Miranda's best friend Lucy. That girl hasn't stopped looking for her missing friend all this time. We know Miranda didn't exactly die, but became a vampire queen and fell in love with Zachary in Eternal. But, Lucy doesn't know all that. She still blogs about her missing friend and when we catch up with her at the boarding school run by the Devil himself, we learn about what why she is there and how far she'll go to learn anything about Miranda's disappearance.

The relationship between Miranda and Zachary is still inspiring. Even though the two are physically separated, they remain in love and hold out for the day when they can be together. They sometimes communicate between Joshua, also a guardian angel, and Zachary has been warned yet another time that one more screw-up and his time as a GA (guardian angel) is up. He tries his best to follow the rules, but when the ish hits the fan at the boarding school, he follows his own heart.

A fast paced paranormal full of magic, mystery, and mayhem! Great edition to a terrific sequel with potential to go on and on!(less)

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Feb 07, 2012 Sallysmurf rated it 4 of 5 stars

Having already read the first three books in the Tantalize series I was looking forward to reading Diabolical and I’m glad to say that it doesn’t disappoint. If anything, I would say that this is probably better than it’s predecessor.

In Diabolical all our familiar favourites return. Quincie, Kieren and Zachary are still working at Sanguinis, the vampire themed restaurant where Zachary, a slipped angel works at saving neophytes whom he considers to be redeemable. He does all of this in the hope...more Having already read the first three books in the Tantalize series I was looking forward to reading Diabolical and I’m glad to say that it doesn’t disappoint. If anything, I would say that this is probably better than it’s predecessor.

In Diabolical all our familiar favourites return. Quincie, Kieren and Zachary are still working at Sanguinis, the vampire themed restaurant where Zachary, a slipped angel works at saving neophytes whom he considers to be redeemable. He does all of this in the hope of earning the return of his wings so that he can return home to Miranda. Which leads me to the return of Miranda’s character. Miranda now resides within the penultimate, a half-way house if you will where those ascending to the pearly gates are helped to find peace within themselves before they fully ascend.

From there she is able to observe the goings-on on earth, watching Zachary as he attempts to find his way back to her and also keeping an eye on Lucy, her best friend who continues to search for her. When she realises that Lucy has moved schools it dawns on her almost immediately that something isn’t right. Further investigation shows that the Scholomance Preparatory Academy is a branch of the Eastern European institute of the same name and also happens to be the place that was once attended by Draculus Prime and Lucifer. Using Joshua, Zachary’s friend as a go-between she gets word to Zachary that Lucy is in trouble which leads to a rescue attempt being instigated by Zachary, Kieren and Quincie. Things do not go as planned however and Zachary and Kieren find themselves trapped in the school along with Lucy and several other students. It soon becomes clear that Lucy’s decision to attend is not as clear cut as it first appears and that more than one of our favourite characters is a target in this battle between good and bad.

Diabolical is written from several points of view and we see things this time through the eyes of Kieren, Zachary and Miranda. This is a style of writing that I particularly enjoy and it was great to see Miranda back in the fray and seeing everything from her perspective, especially the role that she plays in ensuring the safety of her best friend. It was also good to see all the characters that I’ve read about so far finally getting together within the one book. There are some excellent twists in the plot and fab new characters, especially Vesper and Nigel and the relationships between Miranda and Zachary and Quincie and Kieren are as sweet as ever. The final battle in the story is nailbiting and more than one characters life is on the line which makes for an exciting ending.

Loved it!(less)

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Jun 25, 2012 Page (One Book At A Time) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

I've kept at this series hoping to capture what I loved in book two. Second book in the series, but it's the first one I read (luckily, I don't feel it matters which order you read the 1st and 2nd). It's come close with each one, but with some many different story lines and characters, it was hard to get the same feel.

I honestly think I enjoyed this one the most after Eternal. I finally felt like all the pieces of the story came together the way they should. Although, I do feel like a continuati...more

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Jan 31, 2012 PopcornReads rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angel, demons, fantasy, fiction, necromancer, paranormal, teen, vampires, ya, young-adult, cynthia-leitich-smith

I was looking for a good paranormal book to review when I spotted Diabolical by bestselling author, Cynthia Leitich Smith. I was in the mood for something diabolical, so how could I resist? I didn’t realize at the time that this novel is part of the Tantalize series, which I hadn’t read. It worked well for me as a stand-alone novel, so no worries if you haven’t read the rest of the series. Angels, demons, werewolves, vampires – oh my! Read the rest of my review at http://popcornreads.com/?p=2778

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May 11, 2013 Victoria Adams rated it 2 of 5 stars

Had to redo this rating—gave it a 2. It was pretty weak (and kinda cheesy) especially the depiction of a 'heaven-waiting hotel' with monitor-coms *gag*. And smith was so heavy with the details! So annoying! "The bathroom had black & white tiles, a towel bar, 2 towels, toilet paper, a tp holder, stand up shower"— and she just went on! But maybe I'm just being touchy—I don't particularly like Miranda and Zach. I love anything with Quince in it , which is why I liked bk 1 and 3 better. Oh well!

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Aug 19, 2012 Alicia Papp rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed this series immensely - the situations these intrepid characters find themselves get more and more over the top; going to hell and battling Satan seems to be par for the course! People dying and coming back to life, demons, shapeshifters, slipped angels, vampires and Satan spawn complete the mix. The descriptions of hell and the torture is stomach turning, but is nicely balanced by the friendships, love and sacrifices these mixed up kids display to one another. Lovely stuff

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May 02, 2012 Taryn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-ve-read-in-2012

This is definitely one of those "don't judge by its cover" books. Because I won't lie, I took one look at this and thought, "Um... I'm not too sure about this."

[Slightly spoilery, but then again not terribly.] (view spoiler)

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Feb 14, 2012 Victoria rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nice way to wrap it all up. Cynthia brings all the characters together in a really exciting way.
Zachary has earned his wings back and is now the GA of the only whole souled undead since Quincie never drained anyone. Miranda is in the in between state (penultimate) from Earth to Heaven since she has been redeemed. While there she watches her beloved angel. She also watches out for Lucy who has never given up in finding Miranda.
Lucy transfers to a school that is obviously evil to Miranda and she...more

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About Cynthia Leitich Smith

Cynthia's fiction is noted for its diversity, humor, lyricism, and mid-to-southwestern settings. Still early in her career, she has shown tremendous range and loves to experiment.

JINGLE DANCER, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu, (Morrow / Harper-Collins, 2000)(ages 4-up) was a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award, runner-up for the Western Writers Association Storyteller Award, a...more Cynthia's fiction is noted for its diversity, humor, lyricism, and mid-to-southwestern settings. Still early in her career, she has shown tremendous range and loves to experiment.

JINGLE DANCER, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu, (Morrow / Harper-Collins, 2000)(ages 4-up) was a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award, runner-up for the Western Writers Association Storyteller Award, and Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. It was also named to the Texas 2 x 2 List. School Library Journal said, “…a welcome addition to stories about traditions passed down by woman of a culture.” Book magazine named it among “Debuts that Deliver.”

RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME (HarperCollins, 2001)(Listening Library, 2001)(ages 10-up) also was an Oklahoma Book Award finalist and earned Cynthia the title of 2001 Writer of the Year from Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers. Kirkus said it was “tender, funny and full of sharp wordplay.” School Library Journal called it, “a wonderful novel of a present-day teen and her patchwork tribe.” Audio File adds,"Rich with sorrow and the longing for resolution in a life diminished by loss, the story of Rain's journey toward her own identity is captivating and exceedingly hopeful." And Bob Langstaff at WAMV AM/Amhert, VA noted, "It's kind of like a combination of 'Northern Exposure' and 'Party of Five'." The audio production was aired as the November 2005 Book of the Month by Red Tales, Aboriginal Voices Radio, The Earth 106.5 (based in Canada).

Cynthia also is the author of INDIAN SHOES (HarperCollins, 2002)(ages 7-up). Kirkus declared: "A very pleasing first-chapter book from its funny and tender opening salvo to its heartwarming closer. An excellent choice for younger readers." School Library Journal hailed: "a good book for any elementary-aged reluctant reader and a necessity for indigenous children everywhere." INDIAN SHOES has been named a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, a finalist for the Texas Institute of Letters Award, to the 2003 Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College of Education; and to Choices 2003, Cooperative Children's Book Center. It also was named to the NEA Native American Book List and the 2004-2005 Crown List. Most recently, INDIAN SHOES was chosen as the featured intermediate title for "Read On, Wisconsin!" (an online book club for students sponsored by the state's First Lady) in March, 2005.

Cynthia's latest picture book is SANTA KNOWS (Dutton, 2006), a holiday title, co-authored by her husband, Greg Leitich Smith, and illustrated by Steve Björkman. SANTA KNOWS is Cynthia and Greg's first book written together. The Horn Book Magazine named it among "Holiday High Notes." Kirkus Reviews called it "…a newly minted winner." Publishers Weekly cheered it as "fantastic," and The Miami Herald highlighted it among "Worthy Titles for the Holidays."

Cynthia's first upper YA novel is TANTALIZE (Candlewick, 2007))(Listening Library, 2008)(Walker U.K., 2008), a gothic fantasy aimed at ages 14-up. It’s one of the new books that signal an expansion of her writing from contemporary realistic fiction to also embrace fantasy. TANTALIZE also is her first title set in Austin, where she now makes her home. The Horn Book calls the novel an "intoxicating romantic thriller." BookPage says the book "will appeal to fans—both teens and adults—of Buffy the Vampire Slayer." TANTALIZE was named a Borders Original Voices Nominee in March 2007 and Chapters (Canadian bookstore chain) named it a Junior Advisory Board Pick. In addition, the novel was chosen for the 2007 Texas Book Festival and the 2007 National Book Festival. The Bloomsbury Review cheers, "Cynthia Leitich Smith is the Anne Rice for teen readers."

Cynthia’s latest YA Gothic fantasy is ETERNAL (Candlewick, 2009), a companion book to TANTALIZE.

Cynthia has published short stories, including "The Gentleman Cowboy" (less)

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Quotes from Diabolical

“Bridget adds, "Did Anyone bring a weapon?"
"Confiscated," Zach admits for both of us.
Vesper holds up her metal fingernail file. "They didn't take this."
We're dealing with the forces of evil," I point out. "Not the TSA.” — 7 people liked it

“A secret is a burden. It's exhausting, a lie.” — 1 person liked it

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Diabolical (Tantalize #4)

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