Why do I keep accidentally starting series?! I thought this was a standalone. Oh, well, such is my fate.

Devils Like Us by L. T. Thompson follows Cas, Remy, and Finn, three teenagers who have known each other for a while, but not as well as they think. For one thing, Cas has been dealing with questions of if she’s even a woman, and also with visions of the future. Remy, meanwhile, has spent years researching a shadowy society that seems to have kidnapped and possibly killed her father—and also spent those years hiding from her attraction to girls. And then there’s Finn, who has been in love with Remy for a long time, but fears she can never express that love, especially since she’s made a tough choice in order to protect her brother. Together, they set off on a quest to stop the strange magical organization to find answers: about Remy’s father, about their world, and most of all about themselves.

This has a lot of elements I like: a secret magical society, queer representation, a pirate ship. That’s about all it takes to entertain me.

Beyond that, the dynamics between the three leads was excellent. Cas and Remy having had a falling out a few years before makes for some interesting tension between them, and Finn’s secret affection for Remy leads to some agonizing yearning from her perspective. I think all three characters were well written and given their own chance to shine throughout the narrative. Additionally, Cas’ realization regarding gender is handled very well and is lovely to watch develop.

I also thought the magical society was interesting, especially since it also resembles the old money organizations of the US’ east coast elite. Its cloak-and-dagger nature, plus the power it holds, makes it a sinister foe. I love a cast of characters that fights to take down oppressive regimes, magical or otherwise, so I had a good time with this. It’s also such fun to see, within this historical setting, marginalized people finding each other and creating supportive communities. I am, of course, referring to the pirate ship, with side characters I adored. It’s awesome to see people of color and/or queer people taking charge of their lives and helping each other become who they’re meant to be. That’s a story we need right now.

However, I once again wish it had been clearer from the book’s description that this is the start of a series! As I neared the end of the final act, I realized with dread that there were simply too many questions and too much story left to tell for this to be a standalone. Ugh. Why does this keep happening to me?

But unexpectedly unresolved ending aside, Devils Like Us was a fun story in the end. The narration of the audiobook (by Stephanie Cannon) was engaging, the characters were delightful, and the historical details were interesting. So too was the concept of the magical society and the threat it posed, and the heist-like plotline was great. Readers of Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue and similar books will probably enjoy this!

Devils Like Us is available now!