—but understood you better than anyone else ever could?
Welcome to Therapy With Satan.
A quiet bar.
A drink in your hand.
And across from you—Satan.
Not the monster you were warned about.
Not the villain you expected.
But something far more
A therapist who doesn’t lie.
Each session begins the same way—
Someone sits down, convinced they know what’s wrong with their life.
They’re wrong.
Through conversation, confrontation, and surgical precision, Satan dismantles the stories people tell themselves about love, guilt, success, identity… and truth.
No fire. No brimstone.
Just clarity.
And once you see it—
you can’t unsee it.
Inside this
Psychological fiction designed to challenge how you thinkDialogue-driven stories with sharp, unsettling insightA recurring setting that pulls you deeper with every sessionPerfect for fans of philosophical fiction and dark introspection
This isn’t horror.
It’s worse.
It’s recognition.
Behind the bar, Nigel watches. He listens. And he writes things down.
Thanks to the author for the ARC copy. This book felt very different from anything I’ve read before.
The setting.. a quiet bar with Satan acting like a therapist—is simple but powerful. Each conversation slowly reveals how people misunderstand their own lives. It focuses on self-reflection without being preachy. Some parts felt uncomfortable because they felt real.
A good pick if you enjoy existential and philosophical fiction.
I found Therapy with Satan: On The Rocks (The Devilverse) surprisingly clever and thought-provoking. The idea of the devil sitting in a bar and giving people honest advice instead of demanding souls immediately caught my attention. What I enjoyed most was how the devil wasn’t shown as pure evil, but as sharp, witty, arrogant, and strangely insightful — almost like someone who understands human weakness a little too well. Some of the conversations, especially around people-pleasing and self-deception, genuinely made me pause and reflect on my own habits and the stories people tell themselves to feel okay.
The book is not fast-paced or action-heavy, but that actually works in its favour because it gives the emotions and ideas time to sink in. At times the writing feels repetitive, but I honestly felt the author was trying to make certain truths stay with the reader. I also loved the different names and forms used for the devil throughout the story — it added charm and personality to the narrative. For such an unusual concept, the book feels deeply human, reflective, and refreshingly different from most fiction I’ve read lately.
I approached this book with a moderate amount of trepidation. The title alone would cause some readers to pause. If you are one of those, unsure about settling into this book, let me just tell you that it's a phenomenal read. I felt called out and seen throughout the greater majority of this book. From the very first chapter to the very last there was something that resonated very deeply with me and each character. I will say that this book might be hard for some to read in one sitting. Not because it was done poorly but because it was done so well. It touches on deep-seated trauma that a lot of humans carry without even realizing it's there. I'm rating this book four stars because I don't see a way to rate it four and a half. And the only reason I'm not giving it a full five stars is very minimal. I feel there could be a little bit more transition between each character that's introduced. There was quite a bit of repetition but I understand a great majority of that repetition in the opening of the interaction between the therapist and the character. Overall this was a book that will cause you to become very self reflective if you're open to the truth that you may be hiding from yourself. I've already recommended it to a few of my very close friends that I felt could benefit from the subtle yet very helpful advice within the pages.
To read the "therapy with satan: On the rocks" is the best therapy. If you are struggling in your life and if you are in a state of self doubt or confusion then you should read this book. This book is a psychological fiction. The story revolves around satan who is actually shown as a therapist who never lies. This book explains truth about love, guilt, success and identity. It is a very engaging book. This book will challenge your beliefs and change perspective and illusions towards life. You will never regret reading this masterpiece.
I was immediately drawn to this book, and Im so glad I received this an arc.
This is unlike any book I've ever read. This was having a therapy session but instead of on a couch in my therapists office, I was transported to an invite only speakeasy.
This book made me reflect on so much in my life while connecting with the characters in this book. I actually with this was a little bit longer and got to see a little more about each character that had a session with the Devil.
I'm now very interested in reading the other books by this author.
The novel is about a bar where Morningstar is on vacation. Instead of demanding souls for his/her help, he gives out advice. The people who walk in, don’t think they a have problems, most are successful as the world defines success, they are nice. The Devil in either his male or female form depending on the client, systematically calls them on the lies they tell themselves, the lies they have been living.
What is the Devil was your therapist? If he/she forced you to reflect on the deepest darkest parts of yourself. This is what the book is about. Not as good as I expected and the bartender in the story calls the Devil multiple names which is irritating. Morning Star d doesn't make sense and wanker just seems inappropriate and wrong for the devil in my opinion.
This is a really interesting read. I was able to find parts of myself in several of the guests and it made understanding them and relating to them easier. There were a few writing issues (an extra or missing word here and there, a missed capitalization every once in a while), but none of that detracted from the essence of the session. This hit me in a very similar way as The Midnight Library.
I enjoyed this book. It was like one huge therapy session and a couple of the 'clients' were very relatable to me. The Devil as a therapist... he doesn't judge he just states the truth. Very interesting take, Nigel was also interesting - the bartender - i felt like he was getting therapy as well.
I received this as an ARC from the author and i enjoyed it.
This read is a unique blend of psychological fiction and philosophical fiction, this book uses simple conversations to explore self-reflection, human nature, and inner dialogue. L
It’s quiet, slightly unsettling and surprisingly thought-provoking for such a minimal setup.
I’d describe this as a quiet but intense read. There’s no big action, but the dialogue carries everything. It focuses on human nature, self-deception, and inner dialogue in a way that feels honest. The dark humor is subtle and works well with the overall tone. It’s the kind of book that makes you think rather than just read and move on. Thanks to the author for providing an ARC.
Interactions are set in a bar or saloon where it is only the bartender, Morningstar and you. Nigel, the bartender, and the devil have an unspoken game of who knows best going on with the drinks of the guests. It provides a bit of levity between the harsh truths being spoken. Several of the interactions were relatable, to a point of being uncomfortable. The thing is, the guidance “Satana” or “Lou” provided was spot on. It is uncomfortable, it won’t be easy, and you will have to decide if it is worth it. “Their” happiness, or yours.
This book has a ton of potential and I could see a kernel of Bad Omens in it, which goes to show my faith in the author since I love a good Terry Pratchett moment. But the potential HERE is unrealized. The concept is intriguing - of course it is, that’s why I chose to read it - but the writer gets lost in his own musings so much that it felt like I read 200 pages of Déjà vu. The devil blows a smoke ring, Nigel polishes a glass that doesn’t need polishing, liquor steams at Satans lips when he takes a sip, his guest cries immediately upon his first few sentences, rinse and repeat.
So, I don’t really like self-help books. I read for entertainment and for plot which is what I interpreted as this book offering but really, what’s the plot? Where’s the storyline? If it’s as simple as a short story about the devil in a bar dropping truth bombs, then readers need something to grab onto. We need an attachment to the characters that hang on, Nigel and Satan, and we can’t have that with only being fed the same scene over and over again. The wisdom in the pages is real, I highlighted a ton of powerful snippets, and the author clearly has a writers mind, but I needed an actual story here.
Tell me WHY the devil is in this situation. He’s on PTO, did he take the time off or is it mandated? How does he know Nigel? Why is their relationship a bit contentious? For the love of god, is the bar open to the public or not? Why in some scenes is the silence after a particularly harsh truth so profound (like an empty bar would supply) but the next scene tells you about the bar regulars who sit around?
Also, every guest Satan talks to is really the same. They all cry and break down their walls pretty immediately. (Could that be a power the devil has that he uses to really drive his point home? Could that be something he turns on and off, and Nigel sometimes goads him for it? Could we PLEASE get some expansion on the plot?!?). As someone that works in the mental health field, sure there’s a group of people that start to bawl as soon as they hit the couch but there’s many more people that take multiple sessions to actually get to a place where they can receive any constructive criticism. People tend to fight back a bit when you show them themselves and the author forgot that. The broken people in his stories feel shallow because again, they all have the same tearful reaction to Satan rather than questioning anything he says or attempting to have a real meaningful conversation besides “well how can I change?”.
Also, my final two notes: this needs an editor and it needs a new cover. Quotation marks start but don’t end, letters that should be capitalized aren’t, italics in one sentence carry on to the first letter of the next sentence, etc. There’s enough small things like that that it became a distraction. And the cover, is that comic sans?
Okay finally, I do think this has a ton of potential! I really want to get that point across! It just needs to be taken apart and to have the short scenes strung together by an actual storyline.
Come meet your therapist...Satan....or is that his real name?
I received access to this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Therapy with Satan: On the Rocks has one of the most creative premises I've read in a while. The idea of Satan acting as a therapist pulled me in, and there were several moments where the writing genuinely impressed me. There are some really memorable lines throughout the book, and I marked more than a few passages because they were written well. That said, I found the stories repetitive. After the first few, I started noticing they were saying the same core message: stop performing for other people, be your authentic self, set healthy boundaries, and the right people will accept you. Those are good messages, but by the halfway point I felt like I was reading different versions of the same lesson. The story about a mother grieving the loss of her son to suicide stood out because it explored an emotionally different story and broke that pattern. A big distracting aspect for me was the number of names and titles used for Satan. What started as a fun stylistic choice became something I was actively noticing. By the time I finished, I'd lost count of how many aliases had been used, and I found myself wondering what Satan's name would be rather than to the story itself. I lost count after the 25th name. Overall, I think this is a solid three-star read. The premise is unique, and I can see why readers who enjoy self-reflective, therapy-inspired fiction would connect with it. I just wish there had been more variety in the stories and a little more restraint with some of the stylistic choices. The concept had a lot of potential, but for me it never quite reached the level I was hoping for.
I had no idea I would enjoy this book as much as I did. It actually spoke to me. Definitely an interesting concept that the writer posed. Having a conversation with the devil,the Lord of Life's Big Questions, and getting advice from him. But I have to admit that the advice he gives is very informative and perhaps it's meant for a lot of people that read this book. I know that the advice given by Satan is something that we should all learn to start learning, how to lay down our burdens and enjoy the life we were given. We could all use a therapy session with the devil,couldn't we? I have to say that Chapter 5 really resonated with me. To be honest, maybe every chapter did in some manner. We do the best with what we have at the time,right? I know if I received an invitation, I would certainly take it. Imagine getting advice from Morningstar. Actually,maybe just an in-depth conversation with the author would be very enlightening. Some of the best advice I've heard in a long time and it's staring us right in the face. I love the way Satan gets to change to the bewitching Satana when he/she wishes. The Mistress of Twisting Ways, The Mistress of the Dismantling, Devilina, The Mother of the Unknown Path, are all extremely descriptive terms for Satana and she is ALL of them. And the way the bartender, Nigel, tries to trick him up. The two of them actually have a very interesting connection that the author portrays well. They exchange glances that would make another man cringe in his chair. A book well worth reading with a ton of depth. I was very pleasantly surprised to realize how much I actually enjoyed this novel.
One of the most unconventional and intellectually engaging books I’ve read in a long time honestly!!
That which I thought would be some dark fantasy setup, transformed into something much more layered...part psychological exploration, part philosophical fiction and part emotional mirror held directly in front of me.
The book is brilliant in how casually it dismantles human behavior through conversation alone.
Every chapter introduced someone seeking answers, comfort or validation, only to realize that Satan has no interest in comforting illusions😈, instead, the sessions peel apart guilt, people pleasing, grief, insecurity, identity and the satisfying lies people normalize to survive.
The book is incredibly natural, hypnotic at times and the insights hidden inside these exchanges hit much harder than expected. Several passages genuinely made me stop reading for a moment just to sit with what had been said.
Nigel and Satan's chemistry is something I admire with all heart and head. Their interactions added a lot of personality and dry humor to the heavier themes, which made the book feel immersive rather than emotionally exhausting.
Mr. Wescott deserves all the beautiful credits for creating a version of Satan that is not terrifying in the traditional sense, but dangerous because of how deeply perceptive and honest the character is🙌
This is definitely not a conventional plot driven novel and it will not be of great admiration for readers looking for action or simple entertainment, but yes if one enjoys books that challenge thinking, "Therapy With Satan" is an exceptionally clever and unforgettable read!!
This book is one of those that sounds provocative on the surface but turns out to be thoughtful, emotionally sharp and just human underneath!!
The concept itself is brilliant...people walking into a quiet bar, carrying the emotional baggage they barely understand, only to be confronted by a version of Satan who'd see through every excuse, every self deception and every carefully constructed lie they tell to themselves.
The book becomes even more interesting because of the conversations that never feel gimmicky, for they are just painfully real.
The writing is all about the super wonderful dialogue and every session carried a different emotional weight. Some were darkly funny, some uncomfortable and some unexpectedly heartbreaking. The chapter dealing with grief especially made it glue to my brain because it actually stripped emotion down to something real raw and honest.
Mr. Wescott didn’t try to “fix” his characters with neat solutions, instead, he exposed the uncomfortable truths people avoid, which made the book hit authenticity unlike many traditional self help or philosophical reads.
Another thing, that I genuinely appreciate and admire about the book, is it's atmosphere. The smoky bar setting, Nigel quietly observing everything and Satan shifting between charisma and menace, created a super immersive experience. It fely theatrical at times, like watching intimate confessions surface in dim lights and half empty glasses🍷
I had never read a book categorized as performative nonfiction before, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into Conversations with the Devil. What I found was something completely different from anything I’ve read before. The bar setting and conversations with the Devil create this strange intimacy where you almost feel like you’re sitting nearby listening to conversations you probably weren’t meant to hear. What really worked for me was that the Devil isn’t presented as the stereotypical embodiment of evil. He’s more of a provocateur, asking uncomfortable questions and forcing each guest to examine things they would rather avoid. The conversations touch on trauma, identity, grief, morality, masculinity, belief, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of our lives. Some sections made me uncomfortable, others made me stop and think, and several stayed in my head after I finished reading. I especially liked the ending, when the book turns its attention toward Daniel himself and reveals the Devil as more of a mirror than a villain. It made me rethink some of the earlier conversations and what the book was actually trying to accomplish. The final “Note From the Bar” was a perfect way to close it because it acknowledges that these conversations aren't really finished when the reader leaves them. This was definitely outside of what I normally read, but I’m glad I gave it a chance. It’s strange, philosophical, darkly funny at times, and deeply personal. More than anything, it’s a book that wants you to question rather than simply agree, and I think that’s what made the experience so interesting.
This book is very different from normal fiction and keeps you thinking even after reading. The idea of Satan acting like a therapist is strange but also very interesting. Instead of horror, the book focuses more on human emotions, pain, guilt, and truth. Most of the story happens through conversations, but those conversations feel deep and powerful. I liked how every character slowly opens up about their hidden struggles. The writing feels sharp, emotional, and sometimes uncomfortable in a good way.
The Devil is shown as calm, intelligent, and brutally honest rather than scary. Some dialogues hit very hard because they feel real and relatable. The book talks about loneliness, grief, pressure, mental health, and emotional exhaustion in a simple but meaningful way. Nigel’s observations from behind the bar also make the story more engaging. The bar setting gives the whole book a dark and mysterious feeling. At times, the conversations become intense and emotionally heavy. Still, the emotions feel natural and not overdramatic. The book makes readers question themselves and the stories they tell themselves. Overall, it is a dark, thoughtful, and emotional read that stays in your mind for a long time.
To start, I love the idea behind this book: a therapy session in a bar with the devil who will not lie to you no matter how much you lie to yourself and I love that the book starts out breaking the fourth wall with Nigel talking to the reader and talking about the author. I really wish this could have been a more comprehensive novel that explored the back story of Nigel and the devil and this bar rather than what is essentially a grouping of short stories. Some of the sessions (not all) or rather the people and their problems come off as a little melodramatic. Some of these problems are a dime a dozen these days and the "breaking point" of the people was just a little too dramatized for me (Satan makes 1 or 2 very obvious points and the person breaks down crying). All of these different sessions mostly hit the same. The devil gives pretty similar advice to everyone, and while I thought the advice was not exactly groundbreaking I do believe it was valuable all the same I could also do without the 5+ different nicknames for the devil in each session. Just a couple would do fine. P.S. for the author: In one of the sessions the bartender is told to make a bourbon neat but then seems to add ice to it, a bourbon neat is just bourbon.
"Therapy With Satan" is a very engaging book. This book challenges your beliefs and changes perspectives and illusions towards life. I was so intrigued by the story that I finished it in one go. This book explains truths about love, guilt, success and identity.
The story revolves around Satan, who is a therapist who never lies. The idea of the devil sitting in a bar and giving people honest advice instead of demanding souls immediately caught my attention.
What I enjoyed most was how the devil wasn’t shown as pure evil. Instead he is a sharp, witty, arrogant, and strangely insightful person, almost like someone who understands human weakness a little too well.
Some of the conversations, especially around people-pleasing and self-deception, genuinely made me pause and reflect on my own habits and the stories people tell themselves to feel okay.
The book is not fast-paced or action-heavy, but that actually works in its favour because it gives the emotions and ideas time to sink in. At times the writing feels repetitive, but I honestly felt the author was trying to make certain truths stay with the reader. Overall, it is a thought-provoking read.
Sharp, Unsettling, and Weirdly Insightful I felt called out from the very beginning. The whole thing is completely different than you’d expect. The dialogue makes you feel like you are the one sitting across from Satan instead of reading about it/watching it unfold. Therapy with Satan is so clever and unsettling- and much more psychologically sharp than I expected. This book works so well because it doesn’t rely on shock value alone but uses conversation to dig into guilt, identity, love, and the stories we tell ourselves to convince ourselves that we’re fine. This gives real depth that sticks with you long after you finish reading. I found myself stopping and thinking from time to time because a passage hit a little too close to home. I also really enjoyed the atmosphere- instead of being in a clinical setting, the therapy takes place in a quiet bar. This gives the book a strong identity and it’s easy to see how this could turn into a memorable series. Daniel Wescott’s writing is smart, original, and confident in what it’s trying to do. This was a great read & I look forward to seeing where Daniel Wescott goes next with the Devilverse.
Daniel Wescott written Therapy with Satan: On The Rocks (The Devilverse) which have unexpected twist in plot. At first, I thought it would just be a funny dark fantasy, but the story actually carries a lot of emotion beneath all the sarcasm and chaos. It will keep our mind in another world which ww are confusing. The idea of having therapy sessions with Satan sounds wild, yet the book somehow makes it feel meaningful and relatable.
What I enjoyed most was how naturally the emotions were written. The story tells about loneliness, toxic relationships, insecurities, and emotional struggles in a way that feels real without becoming too heavy. The conversations are witty and entertaining, but they also make you stop and think at times.
Satan’s character was honestly the biggest surprise. Instead of being shown as purely evil, he comes across as flawed, sharp, and strangely human. Overall, this book is weird, funny, emotional, and memorable all at once — definitely not a typical read.
I really wanted to like this book. I received a free copy of it and thought it would be somewhat reminiscent of The Screwtape Letters, but it became clear shortly after starting this book that it was not well thought out or cohesive. The descriptions from chapter to chapter were nauseatingly redundant despite the attempt to be profound. There were many portions that showed promise and I felt like the idea of it was great, it just wasn't executed as well as I had hoped. I kept thinking if this were an outline for a book, it would be great, because it really gets bogged down in the descriptive filler. The myriad of devil monikers within the same chapter was mildly irritating along with the gender bending (it just seemed very unnecessary, page filling at best). I think I came into it wanting more philosophical challenge because of the book's description, and soon realized I would only be presented with superficiality masquerading as profound thought. It wasn't the worst book I've read, but it hurt a little more because it really had potential.
This was not the read I was expecting but exactly what I needed, and I imagine anyone who picks this up might feel the same way. I found the balance between the brutal honesty on human flaws and the comedic relief provided by the very human feelings of Nigel being third wheel to some psychologically devastating experiences was brilliant. I loved that Nigel also felt personally connected to some of the guests and it offered perspective and allowed me to in a way, feel allowed to react even more in my own ways. The last thing I expected was to feel healed from this book but here I am getting ready to recommend this book to anyone I know who is struggling to acknowledge their own self worth. I am very grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this book as it really gave me a lot of perspective and insight! Anyone who is a fan of examining human emotions and human behavior should definitely pick this book up immediately.
Therapy with Satan is a title that most would do a double take if they saw it which is probably the point the author was going for. The book is written from the Immortal Bartender Nigel's point of view as he watches the interactions between Satan and the patrons in the bar. In this book, Satan gives out advice that really makes you think. The book reminds me a lot of The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis which I thoroughly enjoyed. That is how I pictured the character of Satan as I was reading this book. Some chapters pulled more emotions out of me than others. The grief chapter in particular was rough for me as I read it shortly after finding out that my aunt had passed away. This is a book that you don't necessarily go looking for but it does seem to find you when you need it the most. This book to me was about pulling those hard truths and tackling the parts of yourself that you don't want to acknowledge.
At the time of reading this book I felt like sitting in therapy I never asked for. And ironically, the one who is giving the therapy is satan.
Yes, he is Satan but he isn’t shown as rude, cruel or impolite instead he’s calm, observant, and almost too understanding, feels like he’s given a place of psychiatrist who listen, gave advice and he’s advising everything like sharing his personal experience. But doesn’t mean it providing the comfort rather alerting you.
The story were not meant to provide the comfort, but tells you to see inside yourself, question it, gently unmoor and expose the emotional human under the hard nutshell. That made the book feel surprisingly personal at times.
Almost every chapters and emotions hits hard. Not exactly like a self-help book with life lessons but something new worth exploring.
This book is part of a series called Devilverse. It features Satan as a therapist and Nigel as the barkeep of a pub who mixes drinks and takes meticulous notes in his large book. The “patients” arrive by invitation and each has a psychological problem of some kind (grief, anger, loneliness, need to please, etc.) Satan points out to each person that he is “on leave” and therefore not interested in their souls. Mixed in with the story are excellent bits of humor. What makes this book rate 5 stars from me is the fact that Satan does not help people solve their problems. He gets them to identify the problem and then leaves it to them to solve it. Is this not a perfect response from the Devil?
Reading _Therapy with Satan: On the Rocks_ might just be the best therapy you didn’t know you needed.
This psychological fiction puts a bold spin on self-reflection: Satan himself appears as a therapist who never lies. If you’re wrestling with self-doubt, confusion, or just feeling stuck, this book meets you there. Through sharp, unflinching conversations, it unpacks love, guilt, success, and identity with rare honesty.
The writing is gripping and the concept is unsettling in the best way. It doesn’t comfort you — it challenges you. Page by page, it peels back illusions and forces you to question beliefs you’ve held for years.
Engaging, provocative, and strangely healing, this is a book that shifts perspective. You won’t regret picking up this masterpiece.
Going into this series, I definitely wasn’t expecting the darkness to swallow my psyche whole. I figured it was something funny, a way to barely touch on human behavior with a silly little lead that eases the darker parts. What I found instead was literal therapy that is much more direct than sidestepping the issue. Direct, straightforward, with no hesitation. It makes you stop and think, then catches you in the dark when you think it’s over. Pleased with my first step into the Devilverse. If you have any issues that this book looks at, and are NOT ready to look at yourself in the mirror, bring it to therapy with you and read it with your therapist. It doesn’t hold your hand but it does make you think.