Before the Devil Breaks You (October 2020) Buddy Read Discussion ~ Mina & Jen K & Althea & Michelle & Selina

[Althea ☾]

Welcome to the Before the Devil Breaks You Buddy Read Discussion thread! This thread officially opens on October 1st and anyone can join at any time. Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days can be used to catch up!

Each day we will be reading by chapters or page numbers. Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads. The suggested Buddy Read discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 10/01
Oct 01: Chapter 1-8
Oct 02: Chapter 9-16
Oct 03: Chapter 17-24

Week of 10/04
Oct 04: Chapter 25-32
Oct 05: Chapter 33-40
Oct 06: Chapter 41-48
Oct 07: Chapter 49-56
Oct 08: Chapter 57-60 (end)


PARTICIPANTS
~ Mina
~ Jen K
~ Althea
~ Michelle
~ Selina

[Althea ☾]

Going to be starting this within the day! Right after I finish my first book for the Fright Night challenge XD

[Althea ☾]

Chapter 6 - (view spoiler)[this was before this point but I wanted to say how much I enjoy Sam and Evie's relationship. I'm really excited to see how their little team is going to work (hide spoiler)]

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

* Gaah, I really hate Bill and how he uses Isaiah
* So how are others feeling towards Evie and Jericho? I personally don't like it, like really don't like it. I like her banter with Sam, well I generally like Sam more than Jericho.
* I feel bad for Mabel :( at least she found something that's hers and she's not backstage for it.

[Michelle]

I am hoping sooner than later they figure out Bill is causing Isaiah's fits. He doesn't deserve sight!
I am on team Sam for sure.
Wonder how many new Diviners they will pick up for the next book.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

@Michelle And I hope something bad happens to Bill. I disliked him in the previous book too, but didn't have the pleasure to see him suffer.

Well at least one new, the guy from the asylum, that counts up to seven. I'm intrigued to see what his gift is or maybe he's literally a witness to the new world, since the voice told him to "Bear witness".

[Althea ☾]

I don't like the Evie and Jericho thing either XD it felt so out-of-nowhere in the first book. And just the fact that she knew that Mabel liked him and she still pursued him in a way just doesn't sit right with me. I LOVE Evie and Sam haha

and same thoughts about Bill and Isaiah. I thought BIll was going to be this really good father figure towards Isaiah at first so it makes me sad.

I'm curious about asylum guy, maybe they'll recruit him? :o

[Althea ☾]

I love it whenever the girls get together and when they went out with Theta. Speaking of Theta, I also really like that we are getting even more of her history. Seems like this book might be focused on her <3 and perhaps Mabel?

What do you guys think of Mabel and the Six? (that reminds me of Daisy Jones and the Six XD)

Also what does everyone see in Jericho 😹 I only want Evie + Sam and Mabel + Arthur <3 Which leaves Jericho alone but he has been kind of an ass to Mabel so...

[Michelle]

I feel like we are going to get more about Jericho in this book to as he is running out of his life giving fluid unless he leaves.
Hoping Mabel has something good come out of the Six. Thinking group will be a little too extremist.

[luna ☾]

I might have forgotten to say my thoughts here yesterday but I am in 1000% agreement with everyone. I don't understand why Jericho has 2 girls pining for him. I legitimately don't get it, oops😅 It annoys me that there's a choice at all for Evie but whatever. I have a bad feeling about Jericho's life span anyway? Is it just me

And also same! I enjoy when the girls get together and from today's chapters, there was one where it was the boys' turn. I enjoy the squad moments a whole lot. The cast is so diverse, not just in colour but in personality as well; seeing all those dynamics mix together is endlessly amusing. And I find that I don't mind Jericho when he's not interacting with Evie or Mabel so there's that...

So far, I have been so sosososo overwhelmed with all the names and POVs. I only just barely made it through the 2nd book but now I am struggling to retain information in this book 😅 Hoping it will get better though :D

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

* The asylum is creepy and I love it for that, however the way the patients were treated is scary and not in a good way.

* It's nice that Mabel and The six are trying to something good, however I'm afraid that they are in over their head and that something bad is going to happen because they are trying to change things.

* I like the idea of Mabel and Arthur, but again 😂 I'm paranoid and think that maybe he's just using her because her parents are famous. She's always in their shadow, and she's mostly referred to as Virginia Rose's daughter so here's this guy that's wowed by her and calls her by HER name making her feel like her own person.

* Aaaand a few pages later we discover he lied to her 😬

[Althea ☾]

Yeah the boy’s get together was cool!! They really are very diverse and have very distinct personalities <3 I’m so happy that they’re finally working together, I‘ve been anticipating it for the last 2 books 😹

I agree that I can tolerate Jericho when he’s not interacting with Evie or Mabel XD He was fine with his little escapade with the boys.

(view spoiler)[I also have a theory that the Johnson guy on the record that they found is Bill Johnson 😳 (hide spoiler)]

[Althea ☾]

Oh yes I was cheering Arthur on until that was revealed 😪

Also feel bad for Mabel because this man is doing the bare minimum and she’s already practically in love :(

[Jen K]

Got a late start but dove in last night and hoping to catch up over the weekend. So great to be back with the Diviners! Bill is seriously the worst.

[Althea ☾]

I'm a bit ahead of my own schedule 😅 I got kinda excited and currently a few chapters past Part 2.

A lot more secrets are being revealed and there was this one really intense part. Basically there were scenes that I didn't think we were going to get until the last book so I'm even more intrigued to see what's going to happen.

[Jen K]

Nice! I need more secrets to come out. I've mostly caught up, maybe on chapter 28 (the Kindle version doesn't have chapter numbers). I have to say that Uncle Will is driving me nuts with the lies and secrets. He is really making everything worse and seems so patronizing to not share with Diviners.

The first 100+ pages seemed much slower than the previous books. Nothing was happening really except the continued bad communication. Definitely picking up now though!

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

@Jen K All versions/editions or whatever don't have chapter numbers, and it's driving me crazy 😅

[Michelle]

I counted out chapter titles, but still the number is off for chapters. Annoying!
Finished Sundays chapters

@Althea your spoiler was correct, but I don't think that will be the last we see of Bill.

Sad about Theta and Memphis, but they will get back together. Cant wait to see what happens to the hubby.

Theory: I think every time they use there powers as a group they are feeding the eye.

Finally glad to get a few answers to some questions.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I haven't read yesterday, but I caught up and I'm pretty sure I read today's chapters and started on some that are for tomorrow. However, with the stupid case of no numbers for the chapters I'm not so sure, I stopped at "No real harm".

So many things are being discovered and I don't know, I feel like it's too much, like I don't have time to process all before something new is reveled. I like the book, but also I can't wait to finish it 😅 I don't know if it's because it's really wordy or what but while reading it I feel like I'm running through water.

[Althea ☾]

So I finished it last night.... HAHA

I shall discuss with you guys as we go along but I loved it <3 I listened to the audiobook so maybe that's why I don't feel the wordyness as much. But at the same time I like that it's wordy?

A lot of things happen and it gets really wild. I can't believe everything happened and I'm looking forward to your thoughts haha

my review is here if you guys want to know my overall thoughts: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I'm listening to the audiobook but since I'm not doing anything else I'm reading along, maybe because my ebook has a stupid format it looks too wordy but I think it's wordy without that too.

I plan to finish it today. I like that there are a lot of characters and that their stories are intertwined, but with so many characters stories we neglect some characters. Like, at one point we were concentrating on Mabel and even on Jericho, and then Mabel is for now out of the story and so was Jericho. I mean not that I care about Jericho because ??? wtf was that with the last serum. I was so shocked with that. But with so many characters you can't give them good page time, unless they are in a group.

I saw your review, but still haven't read it because I want to finish the book first :D

[Jen K]

Yes, I would agree that this one is a bit more uneven, crazy side plots happen with a cliffhanger and then completely disappear for ages with a random extension of the problem (Roy) or no real solution and I keep giving good advice to the Diviners but they don't seem to be listening. :) So many bad choices and not thinking more on way forward.

I'm at 75% and would love to finish tonight as well but also have another library book due this week.

[Althea ☾]

"I keep giving good advice to the Diviners but they don't seem to be listening" 😹😹😹😹

I have a feeling you guys are going to flip with the ending.

Yeah I was disappointed with Jericho's side of the plot just because the seemingly advanced serum technology feels weird with the ghost/supernatural plot? might just be me

[Michelle]

Well at least Bill did something good finally! Wonder if he will come back and help later on. That whole serum scene was a bit off putting, but at least helps Jericho see who Marlow really is. Sam is getting to be more of a favorite character, sneaking in the the Founders party.

[Althea ☾]

Sam is my favorite character for sure 😅❤️

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

The whole Jericho plot with the serum and whatever happened to him doesn't fit for me, like Althea said it doesn't go with the supernatural.

I'm intrigued about the ending now. I'll try to finih it today, but that's a maybe because I'm pushing Spinning silver to be done with it cuz it's not that great

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

The secret Six: I'm glad we are back to this storyline because I'm interested to see what will happen, also somewhere along the way I started liking Mabel, she grew from the first book where she was so crazy about Jericho, and now she has something of hers, however (view spoiler)[her being involved in the bombing of the mines.. that's just.. no. (hide spoiler)]

Everything is different now: (view spoiler)[What is this chapter? I'm okay with sex scenes or scenes leading to sex, but here I feel weird reading it. Honestly, if it had continued with the other characters I would've thought there's something in the air or something. (hide spoiler)]

Fight fire with fire: 🙈🙈 No Mabel. (view spoiler)[ Okay, she joined the six because she wanted to do more than her parents, and she wanted to help.. but after the mine bombing she should've gathered that it was a bad idea and not to do anything more stupid.. but nooooo (hide spoiler)]

A spit in the eye: (view spoiler)[ yay for Evie and Sam. Finally. However, I don't know how sure it is since she can't make up her mind between him and Jericho -.-
aaaaaand another sex scene. I mean if someone doesn't temporarily die at the end of the book I don't know what'll happen.

The future of America: okay.. This book has a lot of things that I didn't expect.. like the things happening at the end of this chapter.

The end. Well.. things reeeeeeally escalated. (hide spoiler)]

[Jen K]

I'm okay with Marlowe/ Jericho-ish in the aspect of seeing Science as a counterpoint to the supernatural but then it doesn't work because Marlowe's goal seems to be supernatural despite his disdain for for it and the Diviners?

Or maybe it's okay if it is the "right" people which takes me to the issue I do have which is the over-emphasis of science=evil. Eugenics is the extreme evil of science for sure but there are good sides of science as well. I do appreciate the muli layered messages of tolerance and politics throughout.

So need to finish soon.... The last book in November???

[Jen K]

Also, totally team Sam!

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

The science is interesting, however Marlow is such a hypocrite being against Diviners but using them for his science

[Althea ☾]

(view spoiler)[Mabel getting involved with the bombing made me keep shaking my head the whole time and I can't believe that the whole ending actually happened.

Yeah the layering of themes and messages, especially from the first book until now is something I really like. It puts a lot of focus on the movements and them basically fighting for their rights in a way? (hide spoiler)]

And I'd love to buddy read the last book in november too if you guys would!!

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

(view spoiler)[I agree, I liked that she got her thing that didn't have anything to do with Evie, because let's be real Evie stole all the light, but The six wasn't the best things she could've had.. I mean I okay with them being a movement, but like not one that bombs places. And I was surprised when she was shot, and then Arthur was shot.. I was joking when I said with all the sex scenes if someone doesn't die.. but apparently I was right.

I feel cheated by Sarah Snow's character. I expected her to have a bigger role in the end and not just *boom* Although since we have ghosts *shrugs* maybe she'll have a comeback.

And I like how the focus is on the movements, and how people were treated the way they were because who they were. That's still happening, but since I didn't live in that period and am not one of those constantly mistreated it's educational too see. (hide spoiler)]

For me the best way to finish series is to read the books with someone.. but I don't know if I could read it next month 😂 Although, I have time to make up mi mind.

[Althea ☾]

(view spoiler)[That's why I laughed when you said that part with the sex scenes and someone dying 😹

Oh same. I thought she was going to have a greater part especially since we got her POV at some point. But I got chills at the end of that chapter when her voice suddenly gets cut off :> and when they mentioned that her and Mabel are ghosts now. I got emotional.

It would be interesting if we got to see the "good ghosts" do something. (hide spoiler)]

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

(view spoiler)[ well the world is kinda coming to an end so who knows maybe the good ghosts will help the Diviners (hide spoiler)]

[luna ☾]

I finished this todayyy!

And wow i have some controversial thoughts, I'm so sorry if any of you like the people I so very clearly don't care about 🙈🙈
(view spoiler)[
I'm so sad that I didn't like this one as much as the previous 2 books :( I think the whole love triangle aspect of it really wore me down by the end there. Especially because I did not like the way it was concluded. It felt so cheap to me? Like I wanted Sam and Evie to happen but I wanted it to be fair and I really feel like that thing that happened with Jericho had more to do with extinguishing the love triangle than to further his story. Like he could have still acted super non-Jericho without putting him and Evie through that and after that it was just so easy to forget his existence? That did not sit well with me... REALLY HAPPY ABOUT SAM AND EVIE THO. FINALLLLLYYYY. Finally something real, dear lord. I waited and waited.

I also wasn't a huge fan of Mabel, may she rest in peace. I really hate to say this but I don't want to lie... I just found her so uninteresting like Jericho. I actually had a small feeling that something bad was gonna happen as soon as Evie said something like "I would be lost without you" and my brain was like "is that foreshadowing that she's gonna die?" and I was okay with ittt??? I feel terrible about it now, especialy since Evie is so sad :(

The ending felt so rushed to me too and very anti-climactic? It didn't feel as explosive (PUN NOT INTENDED PLS) as the first two books. A lot less creepy. And full of death that kinda just made me sad. Really upset Will died without him and Evie reconciling :(
(hide spoiler)]

[Jen K]

I finally just finished. So much happened, so many thoughts. I kind of agree that this one wasn't as strong, more filler. People kept randomly popping in and then disappearing as if there isn't tension there.
(view spoiler)[ The random sex fever was weird. Weren't Theta and Memphis first though thankfully less graphic? It was weird that the girls were being deflowered. I'm not a fan of Jericho but how did he disappear for the rest of the book? Mabel was only starting to get interesting and she was still a bit cheesy in her death. Sarah became a martyr to instigate the hate for the Diviners/ other even though they had nothing to do with her death. I assume her ghost will be friends with the King of Crows? Super happy that Miriam got motivated. Not sure how all of this will wrap up! (hide spoiler)]

[Althea ☾]

I guess I'm the unpopular opinion cuz I loved it XD I do agree that it was weird that Jericho did disappear the rest of the story. I don't they even mentioned what happened to him (view spoiler)[around the time Mabel died??

Speaking of Mabel's death, I found her annoying a whole lot of the time with Jericho but her death was fine to me. I was just surprised that she actually did die? I didn't believe she died until they buried her tbh 😹 So that was probably why.

Yeah the ending felt sad to me but it just made me want to read the next book more? It just felt like it was building up to more so I was fine with it. (hide spoiler)]

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Are we going to read King of Crows next month?