DIABOLICAL by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, 2012, 2013). Ages 14-up. Also published by Walker Books (U.K.) and Walker Australia and New Zealand.
When “slipped” angel Zachary and his werewolf pal, Kieren, are summoned 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 decor, 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 the previous three novels in the TANTALIZE series — including Zachary’s girl, Miranda, and Kieren’s love, Quincie — along with a fascinating cast of all-new characters for a suspenseful, action-packed clash between the forces of heaven and hell.
Read an excerpt of DIABOLICAL from Candlewick Press.
Learn more about TANTALIZE (Book 1)(Candlewick, 2007), ETERNAL (Book 2)(Candlewick, 2009), BLESSED (Book 3)(Candlewick, 2011), and the tie-in graphic novels TANTALIZE: KIEREN’S STORY, illustrated by Ming Doyle (Candlewick, 2011) and ETERNAL: ZACHARY’S STORY, illustrated by Ming Doyle (Candlewick, 2013). SEE ALSO the spin-off FERAL trilogy (Candlewick, 2013-2015).
Three of Cynthia Leitich Smith’s short stories—“Cat Calls,” “Cupid’s Beaux” and “Haunted Love”—are also set in the TANTALIZE-FERAL universe. “Cat Calls” and “Haunted Love” are available as free ebooks.
Order DIABOLICAL by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Depending on the title, Cynthia’s books may be found from Native bookstores like Birchbark Books and Native Arts and Red Planet Books and Comics, her local independent BookPeople in Austin, other terrific Texas bookstores like Blue Willow Bookshop and Brazos Bookstore, retail sites supporting indie bookstores like BookShop (Affiliate), IndieBound and Libro.fm (audio books), brick-and-mortar chains like Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million, and online retailer Amazon.com (Author Central).
- Diverse-Owned Bookstores You Can Support Right Now by Alaina Leary from We Need Diverse Books.
- Featured Title, Texas Book Festival
- Texas Library Association Spirit of Texas Reading Program
“…this captivating story combines action, suspense, and romance with just the right touch of humor to keep it entertaining. A great finish to an original and satisfying series.” — School Library Journal
“The Harry Potter–worthy final battle between good and evil — with a welcome dose of devilish humor added in — make this installment an expertly woven narrative, bringing new readers up to speed while satisfying invested fans with a happily-ever-after ending. ” — More Fantastic Books for Older Readers by Cynthia K. Ritter from The Horn Book. The highlighted four titles included DIABOLICAL (Candlewick/Walker, 2012).
“It’s a considerable challenge for a series not to lose steam by the fourth book, but this one runs full force on the fires of hell and the sword power of heaven.” —The Horn Book
“A blend of romance, action and horror, this distinguishes itself from the crowd of paranormal teen fare with the employ of plenty of camp and a healthy dose of dry humor.” — Kirkus Reviews
“If the HARRY POTTER and TWILIGHT series conceived a child, DIABOLICAL would be it. This supernatural story takes place at a mysteriously dangerous boarding school… Think Hogwarts. But move over Jacob, there is a new werewolf in town named Kieren. His girlfriend, Quincie, is a vampire and his best friend, Zachary, is a fallen angel who lost his wings when he revealed himself to a human teen and fell in love with her. Together, this menagerie of magical creatures pretend to enlist at this spooky academy in order to protect another friend, Lucy, who has recently enrolled and whose life may be in peril due to the supernatural shenanigans that occur… For readers who are thirsting for more dark, paranormal fiction, this novel fits the bill.” — VOYA
TANTALIZE and FERAL Series Research Bibliographies
Shop Sanguini’s at CafePress for TANTALIZE-FERAL verse T-shirts, hats, mugs, posters & more.
Illustrator Interview: Gene Brenek on the Logo for Sanguini’s in the TANTALIZE-FERAL series from Cynsations. SEE ALSO Illustrator Interview: Gene Brenek on Images of Cynthia Leitich Smith’s ETERNAL from Cynsations. PEEK:
“Certainly what separated the dead from the undead restaurants was the vampire mythology. So I started brainstorming and writing down anything that came to mind when I thought about vampires.”
Cynthia has published short stories set in the TANTALIZE-FERAL series universe.
“Cat Calls” first appeared in SIDESHOW: TEN ORIGINAL TALES OF FREAKS, ILLUSIONISTS, AND OTHER MATTERS ODD AND MAGIC, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, 2009). It is available as a free e-book.
“Haunted Love” appears in IMMORTAL: LOVE STORIES WITH BITE, edited by P.C. Cast (BenBella, 2008). It is also available as a free e-book.
“Cupid’s Beaux” appears in THINGS I’LL NEVER SAY: STORIES OF OUR SECRET SELVES, edited by Ann Angel (Candlewick, 2015).
Jan. 2012 | 978-0-7636-5118-3 | Candlewick Press | Hardcover | YA Novel/Fiction | Interior Design Elements | 368 Pages | Ages 14-up | Other Editions: Walker Books (U.K.); Walker Australia & New Zealand