This book was fantastic, the characters were fleshed out and believable with their own issues and struggles, the pacing was fantastic the entire way through and never failed to keep me entertained and it was also disgusting, creepy, funny and everything I would want from my horror reads.
Not only did the book deal with topics such as financial stress and failed parental relationships it dealt with possession and paranormal in such a cool and unique way. Even when I wasnt reading this book the ink was haunting me. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys horror or YA as it is not a heavy read.
This book was gross and heart warming all at once.

If you’re after a terrific YA novel which is set in a haunted school library then look no further than Tori Bovalino’s fantastic debut The Devil Makes Three. I seriously loved the vibe of the book and the fact that both main characters were big library users, such a positive message to put across in a YA horror novel! The creaking and atmospheric Jessop Library was such a cool location, the home of a large collection of grimoires (spell) books which teen library assistant Tess gets mixed up in, developing a love/hate relationship with Eliot who borrows 147 books on his dad’s (the unpleasant Headmaster) library ticket! No wonder Tess gets p-ed off, the staff have to retrieve the books from the closed stacks which give no direct access to pupils. The developing relationship between the two main characters, told via a split chapter narrative, was highly entertaining as Tess and Eliot were chalk and cheese, coming from very different backgrounds. Tess, a cello prodigy, holds down two jobs which trying to keep her head above her financial problems whilst looking out for her troubled little sister Nat, in contrast Eliot is given everything he wants except the love of his dominating and unpleasant father.

This was a great horror novel and has so much geeky library stuff in it I smiled a lot with much of the action set in the creepy old building. After discovering a strange book in a secret tunnel which looks like it might have been made out of skin, it begins to excerpt influence over both characters via visions and there are some great scenes when they believe they have killed friends or the way in which the being influences them via the cursed ink within the book. It would be easy to play to the standard demon stereotypes you often see in teen fiction, but The Devil Makes Three cleverly swerves them and builds its supernatural story upon solid and grounded characterisation. Before long there is a very entertaining battle between the being in the book and the two teenagers, which develops into a very believable romance with a strong gothic feel. The book is the perfect blend of dark humour with the sass of Tess, supernatural suspense with the backstory of Eliot, with rich and compelling characters, with the final result being an outstanding page-turner. AGE RANGE 13+

4.5 stars
Spectacularly spine chilling and atmospherically creepy, The Devil Makes Three is the dark academia,YA horror you absolutely cannot miss this spooky season!

Tess and Eliot discover an ancient book, in a secret tunnel beneath their school library,accidentally releasing a book-bound devil who’ll do absolutely anything to stay free. He’ll murder in the stacks, release the ink from books to do his bidding and he’ll bleed every inch of life from Tess until his freedom is permanent.

Forced to work together, Tess and Eliot must find a way to re-trap the devil before he kills everyone they know and love—and with what the devil has in store, school stress doesn’t seem soo bad after all...

Can I just say how much I loved this,the writing was practically flawless! I really enjoyed the creepiness of the imagery — the nighttime library and nightmare scenes were incredible.

The pace did start a little slow but I found the action really picks up about a third of the way through (after Tess and Eliot find the book.) The writing,action scenes and horror imagery really takes off after that and it certainly doesn’t look back—the use of the ink as both plot device and sentient-like being was absolutely inspiring (and definitely helped with evoking all that creepiness.)

I LOVED the chemistry between Tess and Eliot, which was pretty palpable and the romance never felt forced. I loved how it progressed in a very organic/ natural, slow burn kind of way.

The ending was definitely action filled, there were a few things I really didn’t see coming but most importantly, it was very satisfying. I must warn that there is alot of gore and blood so if that’s a trigger then it’s probably best to steer clear.

If you loved House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland or are a fan of YA Horror then I’d definitely recommend reading this.

Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for the e-arc.

That last line alone deserves praise. I just adore it when authors throw a spanner in the works for the last line. It leaves you wanting but also strangely satisfied.

I adored Tess and Eliot, especially their banter and also appreciated the complexity of both characters- one dealing with poverty and the other struggling with his mother's terminal illness. I think the author did a great job of describing the Jessop library (it felt like I was there! Minus the choking on ink bit) and I also appreciated the candid language. I also absolutely adored the usage of second person for the devil, it does a great job of distinguishing the narrator, while having the audience grapple with the strange intimacy that comes from reading in 2nd person.

The only reason this book gets a 4 out of 5 stars isn't to do with the language, plot or even the pacing - it just wasn't a 5 star read for me.

But it is a book I'd recommend to those looking for a fast paced story, with well fleshed out characters, some magic, a demon trying to possess said characters and a romance side plot (the romance is quite minimal for those interested). It's also heavily dark academia with enough books, creepy libraries and ink to haunt you and satisfy your need for ✨aesthetics ✨

The author has a knack for atmospheric writing and this was certainly atmospheric. I'd now like to visit a library like Jessop, minus the weird book with a demon inside that wants to possess me😃

Check out the in-depth review on my blog: www.deeslibrary.wordpress.com (coming soon!)

Tess is working at her school library when she meets Eliot Birch. She immediately dislikes him as just another one of the rich boys, with the headmaster as a father to top it off. She hopes she doesn’t see much of him at all. But when she feels pressured into taking Eliot into a forbidden part of the library, they stumble across an ancient book and accidentally unless a devil.

Eliot doesn’t want to be at school in the US. He wants to be at home in the UK, where his mother is dying. Both Eliot and his mother possess magic, but nothing Eliot can do seems to be the answer to saving her. With his father intent on keeping him away from her, he intends to find a way to make her healthy again.

As the Devil they’ve unleashed infiltrates their lives in terrifying ways, they’ll need to figure out how to undo what has been done.

This book was actually quite terrifying and I found myself trying my hardest NOT to picture half the scenes too clearly in my mind, so I still had some hope of sleeping again. Although the story took place in a modern setting, the language used by the devil gave the book quite a gothic feel. There was this strange mix of straight up horror scenes, alongside flowery, romantic writing. I’m not a big fan of the flowery romance stuff and it would have worked as a general horror book without it for me, but somehow it came together in a way I still appreciated.

I know from the synopsis, some readers might think they’re getting another Sorcery of Thorns here, but I found The Devil Makes Three to be far more of a horror novel, even with the magical aspects. I am enjoying thriller and horror much more than fantasy right now (although witches are never unwelcome in a book for me!) so I really enjoyed this one!

⭑⭑⭑ 3 stars

themes:
- accidental demon release
- enemies to lovers trope
- descriptive gore
- alternating perspectives between MC, love interest, and demon
- ya fantasy/horror/romance
"But the girl's body - that would be enough for you. She had called you. The touch of your hand would not stop her fragile heart. Instead, together you would be something powerful. Something immortal. You smiled, the sharp edges of your teeth catching your lips, blood-coloured ink trickling down over your chin. Freedom beckoned.”

Goodreads Synopsis:
Tess Matheson only wants three things: time to practice her cello, for her sister to be happy, and for everyone else to leave her alone.
Instead, Tess finds herself working all summer at her boarding school library, shelving books and dealing with the intolerable patrons. The worst of them is Eliot Birch: snide, privileged, and constantly requesting forbidden grimoires. After a bargain with Eliot leads to the discovery of an ancient book in the library's grimoire collection, the pair accidentally unleash a book-bound demon.
The demon will stop at nothing to stay free, manipulating ink to threaten those Tess loves and dismantling Eliot’s strange magic. Tess is plagued by terrible dreams of the devil and haunting memories of a boy who wears Eliot's face. All she knows is to stay free, the demon needs her... and he'll have her, dead or alive.

Plot
There is nothing quite like reading about the accidental release of a demon leading to a burgeoning romance with a person the MC dislikes. Reading the synopsis is the moment where I thought to myself 'I have to read this'. And the plot did not disappoint. In fact, in my notes I have written:
"Chapter 54... oh my god."
The alternating perspectives between the MC, the love interest, and the demon was seriously delicious (The Devil Makes Three, after all). Although, I can't say I was crazy about the demons POV being in second person, I'm unsure whether that's because it was incredibly chilling or I was uncomfortable reading in 2nd person.

Characters & Dynamics
Weirdly, I really liked Tess as a character. And I really liked Eliot as a character. I didn't much like them as a romantic couple, though. I think for opposites to attract and to work as a functional, likeable couple, they need to draw out the best in each other, and I'm not convinced that Tess and Eliot really drew out the best in each other. Their dislike of each other seemed a bit too forced, and their love too flat. I much preferred Tess as her singular sassy self and Eliot as his quiet, studious, inwardly tortured being.

Also, I wish that Tess had more of a relationship with her aunt, I think it would have provoked stronger emotions from TB's readers.

Writing
The descriptive scenes of the demon were my favourite. I absolutely loved the way that TB used the ink as a means of power for the book-bound demon. It felt so powerful. The horror of it all was excellent, the romance not so much.

World Building
The library that Tess works in seems like a totally fascinating world in itself. The hidden parts of the library were utterly charming and I really enjoyed the mechanisms the author set out to hide forbidden books.

Likes
- the world building
- the characters
- the plot

Dislikes
- the romance and character dynamics between Tess and Eliot
- 2nd person POV

Final Thoughts
It's disappointing to me that I didn't enjoy the character dynamics between the MC and her love interest as it was such a massive part of the story. Saying that, I would definitely read another instalment in this gorgeously devilish world.

The Devil Makes Three is the type of book that seeps under your skin and leaves a mark on your heart. This is a darkly entrancing gem of a book.

The writing is so gorgeously evocative and compelling. I hungrily devoured every exquisite sentence. Bovalino has a certain quality to her writing that is just impossible to pin down. It’s delectable and heady, sweeping you up in its atmosphere and making the pages just fly by. There’s this rich and dark glamour to the whole environment, contrasted by the gory moments of horror.

At its core, this is a story about family, expectations and the desire to not only survive but thrive. This is a deeply creepy and unsettling tale, with that constant sense of terror looming over you and giving you that feeling of something slivering down your spine. I loved how Bovalino slowly builds up the tension and horror, before it all explodes in an extremely bingeable and twisted spectacle. I also loved how this book centres on how ambition and the desire for a legacy can distort you and tempt you into darker paths.

There’s a real focus on how monsters appear in both human and other forms, which adds this extra realism and gravitas to the story. It allows for some really emotional moments, as you get glimpses into both Tess and Elliot’s lives. I fell in love with both of these complex and three-dimensional protagonists, with their sense of wit and also this hardened sense of cynicism produced by their upbringings. Their narratives were fascinating to read and their voices cried out for their shared desire for love, but also to make the impossible possible. On top of this, we have a third narrative voice that I won’t talk about too much for spoilers, but it’s an incredibly alluring voice that just happens to have a tendency towards death and destruction.

The Devil Makes Three is like the smouldering embers of a fire, beautiful in its own twisted sense and somehow unforgettable. You can’t quite draw your gaze away and time loses all meaning as you get lost in this deftly woven tale.

This book is a dark academia style horror centred around Tess and Eliot.. and a devil.

The pace at the beginning of the book was quite slow with not that much making sense at first. Once the main event of the book had happened, I found it was a lot easier and more enjoyable to read.

I was glad that the book was mainly plot based but it didn’t exclude the characters developments. Reading this in the dark at night made the experience as a reader a lot more connected. I felt genuinely worried at the danger parts and found they were well-written.

I think the main reason its not 5 stars is only because the main characters had no chemistry in my opinion, but as individuals they were interesting to learn about.

Horror isn’t something I usually read though I did enjoy reading this book as it was easy to read.

4.25/5

Thank you for sending an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a dark academia with a very interesting premise that had my intrigued enough but not entirely invested. Tess and Elliot's relationship is what kept me going for the most part! I loved the use of the ink and it tied everything together in a creative way.

Unlike a lot of the reviews I've read, I actually enjoyed the slow pace at the start of this book The setting is perfect with a wonderful dark academia atmosphere and everything I could have asked for, grimoires, a creepy library basement and the devil.

I would have liked a little more backstory on Mathilde and the discovery of the book and I think Eliot's magic could have been explained further but other than that I enjoyed reading from the characters. I think people are going to love this book!

Thank you to Titan Books and Netgalley for the chance to read The Devil Makes Three.

4/5 stars.

The Devil Makes Three is an impressive YA horror novel that mixes my favourite things, magic and dark academia and horror.

It's strange to consider this a dark academia novel as it takes place over the summertime when most of the students are home for the holidays. This is not the case for Tess, who is working at the library to pay for tuition, and Eliot who is trying to piece through grimoires to find a cure for his dying mother's illness. Tess and Eliot clash instantly, having a very meet-ugly encounter, which really showed their personalities. Tess is so used to not having to rely on anyone, while Eliot is not used to being so disliked, and I fell for the dynamic.

The plot was quite slow at first, but once the Grimoire was used then all hell broke loose (haha). I loved the imagery and the description of the blood and ink and gore - I could easily picture it as if it was a horror movie. It created so much tension and anticipation which had me flying through the pages to find out how it would all end.

Overall, a really enjoyable read, and everything I want out of a horror novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the early access!

I have mixed feelings about this book - I'd say an accurate rating would be 3.5 stars.

It started off quite slow, and I couldn't really get attached to the story or the characters. It felt repetitive at times, and foul for reason.

But once you get past the first 3 hours of reading, it gets better - it gets good! I started actually feeling like I liked the characters - although I wouldn't say I'm too attached to Tess, more so to Elliott. I started to be more invested in the story and wanting to know what would happen. It actually got a little bit creepy halfway down the line!

I overall ended up enjoying the book, but the beginning did make that hard. Some people may not feel the need to push through and will DNF it in the early stages of it being a bit boring. Hopefully that won't be too many people, as the end of it was good!

I can't wait to see Illumicrate's edition, as I really dislike the UK cover, whilst I believe the US one is gorgeous.

this is not what i would usually read, but i’m glad i looked out of my comfort zone! this is a great read, with a great plot and fantastic characters. fast paced enough to keep you interested whilst also not feeling rushed!

I enjoyed this book with its interesting magic system and grimoires. There was magic brewing from the first few chapters. Tess and Eliot were an interesting set of characters. You could tell they weren’t sure about their place in the world. I always appreciate a university or boarding school setting so this did tick quite a few boxes!

enjoyed this so much more than i thought i would. an absolute recent favourite. creepy in the best way and the dark academia rep i wanted. full rtc

Fans of dark academia will be rewarded by this atmospheric and creepy horror that revolves around a boy and a girl accidentally releasing a demon from a very old book in their school library. The story is told from the POVs of Tess and Eliot, with a few chapters written in the second person about the demon itself.

I loved the character of Tess as she was strong and unflinching, veering towards being almost cold at times. She reminded me a lot of Nesta from ACOTAR and the very prickly vibes she gives off. Eliot is a privileged boy able to wield magic and struggling to deal with his mother’s terminal illness and his father’s cruelty. The relationship between Tess and Eliot took a while to flourish enough to engage my interest but I was rooting for them by the end.

I appreciated the magic system rooted in the world around us but would have liked to have this developed a little more as I’m still a bit confused about a couple of aspects of it. There are also some gory scenes of horror and no one will ever visit a library at night after reading this. Overall, this was a fun and unsettling read that will leave you looking over your shoulder.

I was SO looking forward to The Devil Makes Three and was not disappointed at all! I have a serious soft spot for books set in libraries, especially if they have that all important gothic, creepy element. The premise reminded me a lot of one of my favourite books — Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson which was a big win for me as I’m always looking for more titles of that ilk. While TDMT is similar to Sorcery of Thorns in a few ways (book-bound demon, enchanted library, swoony, slightly insufferable love interests, it was different in all the right ways. TDMT certainly leaned towards a more suspenseful, scarier plot that kept me on the edge of my seat and made the story un-putdownable. The writing is a perfect combination of atmospheric and chilling, with an added benefit of a dark academia vibe that’s so popular these days. I loved the fast pace of the plot and the complexity of the characters. Overall, The Devil Makes Three was a highly enjoyable read and one I would definitely recommend.

I don’t read horror that much, but when I do I want it like this. We have the protagonists (won’t mention the questionable parenting ) who are paired up from the get go (although that did bug me a touch) , and we have the horror, which was pretty dark and gory in places, I man I’m a big wuss anyway and lots scares me horror wise, but I was reading late into the night and I had to stop, it was so eerie, it freaked me out, read the rest during daylight hours ! I did find this a bit slow start, but it allows the set up so I’m ok with that. When you add the comic relief and wonderful humour , you have the perfect book that I never thought I’d love so much (only because I don’t read much horror) But this is user perfect.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Characters – 8/10
I’m going to be your typical adult here and wish the characters were older. I initially thought they were college-age, but turns out they’re seventeen and eighteen. The book reads like they’re supposed to be 20 and I think this could have been a good crossover book. We need more NA in fantasy (lookout for a post on this topic next week).

Other than their ages, I really enjoyed the characters. The Devil Makes Three follows two characters, Tess and Elliot. Both of them have distinct voices and they’re so fleshed out. I loved their individual backstories and their POVs. They both carry so much weight and they’re so strong and courageous. I love them.

Atmosphere – 10/10
Let me tell you, this book is creepy AF and I loved it. Bovalino did an excellent job with the atmosphere. It is a YA book, so it might not be on the creepy level of a King book, it still gave me the heebie-jeebies. Bovalino expertly uses some very cool imagery to scare us and I am here for it. She knows how to set a mood and I need her to write more creepy academia books stat.

Writing – 8/10
I liked the pacing of this book. It’s a bit slow in the beginning, but once it picks up it does not let you go. Overall Bovalino didn’t do a bad job, this book just lacked a certain spark for me. I wish I could combine it with Ninth House and Addie LaRue to make something that just blows me away. All three of these books were missing some depth for me.

Plot – 9/10
This book has a fantastic premise. Ink demons don’t sound scary, but you’d be wrong not to be terrified. The plot was missing some key scenes for me, and I do wish the book was about 100 pages longer. But I really enjoyed what we got.

Intrigue – 7/10
I think one of the elements I was missing in this book was a deeper connection between Tess and the demon. Or even Elliot and the demon. We do get some of the demon’s POV, but not enough to humanize him and make us root for him. I would have liked to dive deeper into his connection with Tess.

The “human” conflict in the story was also enjoyable. Elliot’s dad can go screw himself. One thing that I also really loved was that the teenagers actually go to an adult when they’re out of their depth. It’s a small detail, but one I really enjoyed. Adults don’t often play big parts in stories like these and it was refreshing to see.

Logic – 8/10
Another missing piece was a deeper dive into Elliot’s magic and some more demonology. I would have liked some Buffy-style research and a deep dive into the lore of the demon. Other than that, I’m happy with this book. The haunted library vibe is immaculate and I’m here for it.

Enjoyment – 8/10
Overall I really enjoyed this book. Enough that I might even reread it at some point to annotate my physical copy. The Devil Makes Three is creepy and an amazing story. I highly recommend it.

The Devil Makes Three is not a book with a very compelling start. I thought the whole sticky note debacle was childish and didn’t fit in with the rest of the book. I know the author had to find some way to get the characters to meet and start off on the wrong foot but I found it laughable.

By the 30% mark the book really found its stride and I just couldn’t stop reading. The dual POV in this book is fantastic. Both characters feel completely different and you’ll know who’s chapter you’re reading instantly. I love Tess and Eliot and seeing them develop throughout the book was delightful.

I’m not usually one for horror but I loved the plot of this story. The scary and gory details of the plot did freak me out but I was too intrigued to stop reading. Incorporating ink in the horror aspects of the plot was ingenious. I was grossed out and fascinated at the same time. The writing was really easy to read and I flew through the latter half of the book. By the end I wanted more. I’m a bit disappointed that this is a standalone because I love the world and the characters so much.

I do think, however, that this book lacked atmosphere and aesthetic. I can understand why the author set this book during the summer break but the warm, sunny weather just didn’t match with the creepy vibes of the library. Setting this book during autumn or winter would have been so much better. I also feel like the book lacked descriptions at times. I struggled to envision the scenes before me and I do think the book would have benefitted from more flowery writing.

Overall, I had a blast reading this book and I can see myself rereading it next year. I loved Eliot and Tess and I kind of wish we could get more of their story. If a scaredy cat like me can read this, then anyone can. This is a book I will definitely recommend regularly.

This review, alongside a playlist and mood board, will be posted on mousethatreads.com closer to the release date!