• Before the Devil Breaks You

  • The Diviners, Book 3
  • By: Libba Bray
  • Narrated by: January LaVoy
  • Length: 21 hrs and 26 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (992 ratings)

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Before the Devil Breaks You  By  cover art

Before the Devil Breaks You

By: Libba Bray
Narrated by: January LaVoy
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Publisher's summary

The Diviners are back in this thrilling and eerie third installment by number one New York Times best-selling author Libba Bray.

After battling a sleeping sickness, The Diviners are up against a group of new and malevolent foes - ghosts! Out in Ward's Island sits a mental hospital full of lost souls from people long forgotten. Ghosts who have unusual and dangerous ties to the Man in the Stovepipe Hat, also known as the King of Crows.

With terrible accounts of murder and possession flooding in from all over New York City, the Diviners must band together and brave the ghosts haunting the asylum to bring down the King of Crows.

Heart-pounding action and terrifying moments will leave you breathless in the third book of the four-book Diviners series by number one New York Times best-selling author Libba Bray.

©2017 Libba Bray (P)2017 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"This story broke my heart and made me laugh and gave me hope - and really, what more can you ask of a book than that? I loved it, and I have a feeling you will too." (Jennifer E. Smith, author of Windfall and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight)

"Narrator January LaVoy shines in the third installment of The Diviners series.... Despite the considerable number of characters and their intersecting storylines, LaVoy never misses a beat, demonstrating a wide range of vocal dexterity and skill that creates the impression of an ensemble. Listeners are encouraged to begin at the beginning of this planned four-audiobook series and enjoy LaVoy's mastery." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about Before the Devil Breaks You

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

SO GOOD

I love this series so much. It's so well done. I can't wait to find out what happens in the final book. It's going to be an unbearable wait! And the narrator is fantastic, she really captures each character's personality.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I want the next book NOW!!!

I am having a hard time lately writing reviews but I wanted to tell you all to READ THIS SERIES!

I love this series so much, I honestly went into this book thinking it was going to be the last book in the series so was pleasantly surprised to get to the end and find out no it is not the end there will be more of these fabulous characters, which made me very happy!!

January LaVoy's narration of this series couldn't be more perfect every character has their own voice and inflection and you are never left wondering who is speaking. I will always listen to these on audio.

Can I have the next book NOW Please!!

Top 5 audiobooks of 2017

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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Worst of the 3

Would you try another book from Libba Bray and/or January LaVoy?

debatable at this point!

What could Libba Bray have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

This was a filler book, nothing got accomplished. All this book did is set it up so you have to read the next one. Very disappointing.

Which scene was your favorite?

when theda saved them all and revealed her powers.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Before the Devil Breaks You?

none, would have added a bunch instead of just leaving every storyline open.

Any additional comments?

Very disappointed in the way this turned out to be a filler book to lure you into the 4th book. Nothing was accomplished in this book, very unsatisfying.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another part in the series, and it's divine!

Darker than previous books, but equally engaging and good. I was surprised to see few characters killed off, but it made the story that much more dramatic and grand.

Another amazing performance by January LaVoy.

Highly recommended if you liked the previous parts of The Diviners.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great story however

Why so much sex added in? It felt like author trying to fill quota. In previous books it was just the right amount. Sometimes subtle is so much better. Particularly subtle good when this is supposed to be a young persons novel. Really unnecessary.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent, chilling listen

Loved this mix of history, humor and supernatural storytelling. I highly recommend! Best of the books, so far, in this series.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Series, FAVORITE NARRATOR

This book is near perfection. It blows my mind what Libba has done with this story—from a writing perspective and a topical one. She somehow manages to balance a beautifully diverse, uniquely voiced ensemble cast of characters with a chilling storyline full of thrills, socio-political commentary on America in the 1920s, our treatment of mental health, political leanings, and how a person can be coaxed into extremism or passivity. She's not afraid to point out the gaping wounds of America's history and the subsequent ghosts we must not forget. It is a book—a series—SO necessary under today's leadership, and one I truly hope makes waves when it comes to an end.

On a story level, Libba is a master weaver. She highlights the colors of each character, creating their unique struggles, hopes, dreams, ambitions and then spins a whole tapestry in which they are worked seamlessly together without losing that which makes them unique. She shows their personalities vividly through their dialogue and responses to a situation, the way they cope with tragedy and victory, the way they interact with the world around them. She makes me die laughing in places (usually at Sam and Evie's tomfoolery), swoon and blush (again usually at Sam and Evie), weep profusely, and grit our teeth in anger. Her world is incredibly immersive, the 1920s grit of New York painted in a few simple words.

This narrator is by FAR my favorite of the entire pantheon. Her ability to spin unique voices for a myriad of characters—major and minor—and to hit the emotional beats every time is completely unmatched. Her renditions of Evie's voice in particular during this audiobook made me weep in places—from her brightest teases to a scene full of vulnerability after trauma. I look froward to listening to this again!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great, great, great!

I love the mystery in this story. Warning! Major character death! I eas not expecting that.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Fast paced but…

WHAT HAPPENED TO MABEL WAS A CRIME AND TOTALLY INHUMAN AND SHE DESERVED BETTER ON GODDDD!!!

Also what’s up with Jericho being an attempted rapist 💀💀💀 Girlll that was soooo out of character

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wow this was a fantastic book 3!

I wasn’t sure about this series after I listened to the first and second books but kept going because of January LaVoy and her voice acting. Holy narration Batman! She is phenomenal and totally swept me away. I was so engrossed in her reading I forgot ot was just her doing the narration!

The story itself is also very intriguing. Conspiracy Theories, paranormal occurrences, Racism and tackling extremely sensitive subjects like the LGBT community in the 20’s, mixed race romances.

Libba Bray covers some very important topics and is extremely inclusive with her characters. I am just in awe of how much thought she clearly put into making sure people from all walks of life were included. Makes for a super engaging story for everyone.

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