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Devil in Ohio
Soon to be a Netflix Limited Series!
A traumatized girl lives with a family after escaping a cult in this debut YA suspense/thriller that was inspired by true events.
When fifteen-year-old Jules Mathis comes home from school to find a strange girl sitting in her kitchen, her psychiatrist mother reveals that Mae is one of her patients at the hospital and will be staying with their family for a few days. But soon Mae is wearing Jules’s clothes, sleeping in her bedroom, edging her out of her position on the school paper, and flirting with Jules’s crush. And Mae has no intention of leaving.
Then things get weird.
Jules walks in on a half-dressed Mae, startled to a pentagram carved into Mae’s back. Jules pieces together clues and discovers that Mae is a survivor of the strange cult that’s embedded in a nearby town.
And the cult will stop at nothing to get Mae back.
Find out what happens in Devil in Ohio by Daria Polatin.
Praise for Devil in Ohio :
"Polatin weaves a thrilling and suspenseful story in her debut, inspired by true events. Jules Mathis' life is thrown into turmoil after her psychiatrist mother invites Mae--a patient, cult survivor, and troubled young girl with a pentagram carved into her back--to stay with their family. . . . Eager readers will keep turning pages to discover Mae's secrets and her connection to the Mathis family." ― Booklist
"Between the danger Jules's mother brings to the family and the cringe-worthy cult rituals described, this story is sometimes difficult to read―but sometimes the most important stories are the most challenging." ― VOYA
A traumatized girl lives with a family after escaping a cult in this debut YA suspense/thriller that was inspired by true events.
When fifteen-year-old Jules Mathis comes home from school to find a strange girl sitting in her kitchen, her psychiatrist mother reveals that Mae is one of her patients at the hospital and will be staying with their family for a few days. But soon Mae is wearing Jules’s clothes, sleeping in her bedroom, edging her out of her position on the school paper, and flirting with Jules’s crush. And Mae has no intention of leaving.
Then things get weird.
Jules walks in on a half-dressed Mae, startled to a pentagram carved into Mae’s back. Jules pieces together clues and discovers that Mae is a survivor of the strange cult that’s embedded in a nearby town.
And the cult will stop at nothing to get Mae back.
Find out what happens in Devil in Ohio by Daria Polatin.
Praise for Devil in Ohio :
"Polatin weaves a thrilling and suspenseful story in her debut, inspired by true events. Jules Mathis' life is thrown into turmoil after her psychiatrist mother invites Mae--a patient, cult survivor, and troubled young girl with a pentagram carved into her back--to stay with their family. . . . Eager readers will keep turning pages to discover Mae's secrets and her connection to the Mathis family." ― Booklist
"Between the danger Jules's mother brings to the family and the cringe-worthy cult rituals described, this story is sometimes difficult to read―but sometimes the most important stories are the most challenging." ― VOYA
336 pages, Paperback
First published November 7, 2017
246 people are currently reading
11704 people want to read
About the author
Daria Polatin
2 books81 followersDaria is the creator, showrunner and executive producer of DEVIL IN OHIO, a Netflix Limited Series starring Emily Deschanel, which debuted at #1 on Netflix and ascended the Nielsen Ratings Charts with 1.38 billion viewing minutes in one week alone. Daria authored the best-selling thriller novel of the same name, which she adapted into the series. Daria was a writer/co-executive producer of Stephen King’s CASTLE ROCK, where her episode “The Laughing Place” was named one of Entertainment Weekly’s Best TV Episodes of 2019. Additional TV credits include JACK RYAN, HUNTERS, HEELS, and SHUT EYE.
An award-winning playwright, Daria wrote and directed her new play PALMYRA at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre, which ran on CTG’s Digital Stage. Her plays have been produced across the United States and internationally. She is a founding member of The Kilroys, the advocacy group for gender parity in the American theater.
Under her 1001 Pictures banner, Daria continues to write and produce propulsive stories that challenge and entertain. Daria is of Egyptian descent, grew up traveling on five continents, loves hiking and inventing recipes, and lives in Los Angeles with her family. DEVIL IN OHIO is her debut novel.
An award-winning playwright, Daria wrote and directed her new play PALMYRA at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre, which ran on CTG’s Digital Stage. Her plays have been produced across the United States and internationally. She is a founding member of The Kilroys, the advocacy group for gender parity in the American theater.
Under her 1001 Pictures banner, Daria continues to write and produce propulsive stories that challenge and entertain. Daria is of Egyptian descent, grew up traveling on five continents, loves hiking and inventing recipes, and lives in Los Angeles with her family. DEVIL IN OHIO is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 447 reviews
September 27, 2021
This was an ARC I requested before it released, some time ago, because the synopsis sounded really cool (and I love the cover!). Unfortunately, I didn’t get around to it by its release, and then the negative reviews started going up, further dissuading me. I finally decided to give it a fair shot for myself, but in all honesty, part of me wishes I’d listened to those other reviews.
First of all, it’s a very quick, easy read, and it’s oddly interesting—but that’s about all this book has going for it. There is one huge plot hole after another, suspension of disbelief is impossible to attain, and by the end of the story, I literally wanted to scream at my Kindle. I don’t remember the last time I was made this furious by a book, but I do know that it hasn’t been any time in 2018, at least.
The biggest issue I have with the storytelling here is that Mae is constantly throwing up red flags, whether it’s her weird little smirks at inappropriate times, or her random seizures and chanting, or the fact that she literally tries to seduce Jules’ father (which, by the way, nobody but Jules’ father sees anything wrong with).
The first 90% of the book builds up to this idea that Mae isn’t quite what she seems, and you do find out that she’s done something terrible, but it’s swept under the rug and blamed on her brainwashing from the cult, and it’s never really gone into in any detail. Otherwise, every creepy little thing she does goes entirely dismissed and is essentially for nothing but forced, fake suspense.
The worst part about the book as a whole, though, is how awful the characters are. Just for a quick rundown:
1. Jules is wishy-washy, a complete pushover, and a raging “jerkface” to her best friend when she totally dumps him for this gross clique of girls who wanted nothing to do with her until Mae showed up.
2. Mae is… well, like I said, a lot of forced weird stuff goes on with her.
3. Isaac, Jules’ best friend, is nice most of the time, but gets super pushy and entitled sometimes with Jules, demanding to know where she is and why.
4. Every single other side character is either annoying, an idiot, or just mean. The only exception is Jules’ father, who is literally the only character IN THE ENTIRE BOOK who seems to have any common sense.
All of that said, there is one character in particular who made me want to rage-quit this story: Jules’ mother. You quickly learn that she was abused as a kid and that’s why she’s so determined to “save” Mae, but her actions are completely idiotic and not befitting in the slightest of a woman who has supposedly been this fancy, state-employed psychiatrist for 15+ years. She endangers her entire family constantly (including sending Jules into the heart of the cult activity to save Mae), has no respect for anyone including the law, her boss, or her family, constantly mistreats and acts heartlessly towards her daughters and husband… list goes on. I genuinely could not believe how stupid this character was.
I just… I’m going to shut up now. All I’ll say is that the final straw, unsurprisingly, was the completely lackluster ending. The entire climax of the story is so rushed, under-explained, and makes no sense at all. The epilogue is even worse, with the author’s attempts to drop “hints” regarding another cult that, frankly, most readers are not going to recognize the acronym for to begin with, and therefore are just going to be left missing the reference. I can only assume it was written the way it was in hopes that there would be an offer made for a sequel, which… well, I won’t be picking it up, if it happens.
All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Feiwel & Friends for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
ETA: Commenting on negative reviews of your own book to try to criticize the quality of the review? Never a good look. I definitely won't be picking anything else up from this author, or recommending this book to anyone.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. A psychiatric patient was going to be staying with us. This was completely bizarre.
First of all, it’s a very quick, easy read, and it’s oddly interesting—but that’s about all this book has going for it. There is one huge plot hole after another, suspension of disbelief is impossible to attain, and by the end of the story, I literally wanted to scream at my Kindle. I don’t remember the last time I was made this furious by a book, but I do know that it hasn’t been any time in 2018, at least.
There was something off about Mae. Not like I thought she was a vampire or a werewolf or anything. She just seemed out of place in the regular world.
The biggest issue I have with the storytelling here is that Mae is constantly throwing up red flags, whether it’s her weird little smirks at inappropriate times, or her random seizures and chanting, or the fact that she literally tries to seduce Jules’ father (which, by the way, nobody but Jules’ father sees anything wrong with).
The first 90% of the book builds up to this idea that Mae isn’t quite what she seems, and you do find out that she’s done something terrible, but it’s swept under the rug and blamed on her brainwashing from the cult, and it’s never really gone into in any detail. Otherwise, every creepy little thing she does goes entirely dismissed and is essentially for nothing but forced, fake suspense.
I could now see—Mom wanted to save Mae the way she wished someone had saved her.
The worst part about the book as a whole, though, is how awful the characters are. Just for a quick rundown:
1. Jules is wishy-washy, a complete pushover, and a raging “jerkface” to her best friend when she totally dumps him for this gross clique of girls who wanted nothing to do with her until Mae showed up.
2. Mae is… well, like I said, a lot of forced weird stuff goes on with her.
3. Isaac, Jules’ best friend, is nice most of the time, but gets super pushy and entitled sometimes with Jules, demanding to know where she is and why.
4. Every single other side character is either annoying, an idiot, or just mean. The only exception is Jules’ father, who is literally the only character IN THE ENTIRE BOOK who seems to have any common sense.
All of that said, there is one character in particular who made me want to rage-quit this story: Jules’ mother. You quickly learn that she was abused as a kid and that’s why she’s so determined to “save” Mae, but her actions are completely idiotic and not befitting in the slightest of a woman who has supposedly been this fancy, state-employed psychiatrist for 15+ years. She endangers her entire family constantly (including sending Jules into the heart of the cult activity to save Mae), has no respect for anyone including the law, her boss, or her family, constantly mistreats and acts heartlessly towards her daughters and husband… list goes on. I genuinely could not believe how stupid this character was.
I just… I’m going to shut up now. All I’ll say is that the final straw, unsurprisingly, was the completely lackluster ending. The entire climax of the story is so rushed, under-explained, and makes no sense at all. The epilogue is even worse, with the author’s attempts to drop “hints” regarding another cult that, frankly, most readers are not going to recognize the acronym for to begin with, and therefore are just going to be left missing the reference. I can only assume it was written the way it was in hopes that there would be an offer made for a sequel, which… well, I won’t be picking it up, if it happens.
All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Feiwel & Friends for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
ETA: Commenting on negative reviews of your own book to try to criticize the quality of the review? Never a good look. I definitely won't be picking anything else up from this author, or recommending this book to anyone.
November 5, 2017
This was rather underwhelming.
I liked Jules and her family well enough. At the beginning they had a great, supportive dynamic. There were several secondary characters, yet no one really stood out.
Plot wise, it had a lot of promise. It started out intriguing and it was a quick read. Sadly, everything quickly turned to drama drama and more drama and coupled with Jules’s mom’s obsession with Mae’s well being, it got rather boring and felt repetitive. Plus the ending felt rushed and unresolved.
Overall, there were some creepy things, but the story lacked the tension a subject like this requires.
**Huge thanks to Feiwel & Friends for providing the arc free of charge**
I liked Jules and her family well enough. At the beginning they had a great, supportive dynamic. There were several secondary characters, yet no one really stood out.
Plot wise, it had a lot of promise. It started out intriguing and it was a quick read. Sadly, everything quickly turned to drama drama and more drama and coupled with Jules’s mom’s obsession with Mae’s well being, it got rather boring and felt repetitive. Plus the ending felt rushed and unresolved.
Overall, there were some creepy things, but the story lacked the tension a subject like this requires.
**Huge thanks to Feiwel & Friends for providing the arc free of charge**
October 2, 2022
How can I find the words to convey my feelings that I bought this book....on an impulse....not on sale.....partly because it was a horror novel and it had Ohio in the title?
You and me both, Moira.
I'm sorry to be blunt but this book is just not good. Like it's sort of ok, but I really want to ask anyone who rated it three or more stars if they are pulling my leg. Written in the style of unartful YA, this book fails to deliver scares, characters to care about, or much of anything else, sadly.
Jules is a typical teenager someplace in Ohio (someplace that regularly shows classic films at the theatre which, where that?) whose life is turned upside down when her mom brings home a patient named Mae who seems to be the victim of "Satanic" abuse. Just listen to the rubes at the hospital fret about the pentagram on her back and SATANIZMS like they've never seen a Motley Crue album cover before. Jules' mom, meanwhile, is a questionably adequate psychiatrist and shitty parent because she's waaaay more into this patient than anyone in her family. Jules is at first annoyed that Mae has moved into her room, then she thinks Mae is cool, then she starts to suspect Mae is pulling a Single White Female and icing her out of her own life.
Oh, and there's some town in Ohio where a devil worshipping cult lives and Mae may be from there.
If you came for teen angst, congratulations! You are in the right place and then some. If you want Luciferian frights, there aren't any, really. I mean, there are the cult people but those bozos are mostly in the background because, you guys! Mae is trying to steal Jules' crush and is like totally copying her Halloween costume and--
My advice is to pass this one by, but I can't speak for the Netflix series they made of this. And you, my little (more like seitanic, amirite?) dumpling, you are taking a trip with me to the Little Free Library.
You and me both, Moira.
I'm sorry to be blunt but this book is just not good. Like it's sort of ok, but I really want to ask anyone who rated it three or more stars if they are pulling my leg. Written in the style of unartful YA, this book fails to deliver scares, characters to care about, or much of anything else, sadly.
Jules is a typical teenager someplace in Ohio (someplace that regularly shows classic films at the theatre which, where that?) whose life is turned upside down when her mom brings home a patient named Mae who seems to be the victim of "Satanic" abuse. Just listen to the rubes at the hospital fret about the pentagram on her back and SATANIZMS like they've never seen a Motley Crue album cover before. Jules' mom, meanwhile, is a questionably adequate psychiatrist and shitty parent because she's waaaay more into this patient than anyone in her family. Jules is at first annoyed that Mae has moved into her room, then she thinks Mae is cool, then she starts to suspect Mae is pulling a Single White Female and icing her out of her own life.
Oh, and there's some town in Ohio where a devil worshipping cult lives and Mae may be from there.
If you came for teen angst, congratulations! You are in the right place and then some. If you want Luciferian frights, there aren't any, really. I mean, there are the cult people but those bozos are mostly in the background because, you guys! Mae is trying to steal Jules' crush and is like totally copying her Halloween costume and--
My advice is to pass this one by, but I can't speak for the Netflix series they made of this. And you, my little (more like seitanic, amirite?) dumpling, you are taking a trip with me to the Little Free Library.
November 3, 2021
"Sometimes things are meant to break you. And they do. But you can use it to make yourself stronger."
I've been seeing this creepy cover everywhere and it's definitely eye-catching. With the title added in, it was the perfect spooky read to satisfy my appetite for something disturbing.
This book automatically begins with a blood oozing start. A good samaritan finds a girl on the side of the road and calls for help. The Doctor treating her finds something disturbing. Someone carved a pentagram into her flesh on her back. Mae knows who but is keeping hush-hush. Mae is keeping a lot of deep dark secrets that all come to the surface by the end of the book and they are all blood-curdling. I said that I wanted something creepy and this one delivered.
Mae was my favorite character in this book. She was so creepy but yet we feel sympathy towards her for what she's been through. And she has been through a lot, more than we can comprehend. She does a lot of bizarre things and they will scare you. Mae is a lot stronger than she seems and I loved that about her. Creepy girls for the win!
Where do I even begin with Jules? Talk about a brat and way to give middle children a bad name. We already get the short end of the stick with everything and she made us look so much worse. I promise you that middle children aren't that obnoxious. Okay, maybe we are and we just don't like being called out. But Jules acted like how we all would have acted when Mae steps into the spotlight. I'm proud of Jules for speaking her truths and telling people what she wants. *Slow clap*
The story was just bizarre and I really enjoyed it. It's scary to know that these things have actually happened to someone. I'm glad that they didn't happen to me because I don't know if I could handle something like that. The mystery grew weirder and weirder as time went on but I felt the church scene ended too quickly. I did love the end. My fingers are crossed for another book about Mae.
Devil in Ohio was a great read full of devilish suspense. This will send shivers down your spine. Just beware of the beautiful creepy girls, we always get what we want.
I've been seeing this creepy cover everywhere and it's definitely eye-catching. With the title added in, it was the perfect spooky read to satisfy my appetite for something disturbing.
This book automatically begins with a blood oozing start. A good samaritan finds a girl on the side of the road and calls for help. The Doctor treating her finds something disturbing. Someone carved a pentagram into her flesh on her back. Mae knows who but is keeping hush-hush. Mae is keeping a lot of deep dark secrets that all come to the surface by the end of the book and they are all blood-curdling. I said that I wanted something creepy and this one delivered.
Mae was my favorite character in this book. She was so creepy but yet we feel sympathy towards her for what she's been through. And she has been through a lot, more than we can comprehend. She does a lot of bizarre things and they will scare you. Mae is a lot stronger than she seems and I loved that about her. Creepy girls for the win!
Where do I even begin with Jules? Talk about a brat and way to give middle children a bad name. We already get the short end of the stick with everything and she made us look so much worse. I promise you that middle children aren't that obnoxious. Okay, maybe we are and we just don't like being called out. But Jules acted like how we all would have acted when Mae steps into the spotlight. I'm proud of Jules for speaking her truths and telling people what she wants. *Slow clap*
The story was just bizarre and I really enjoyed it. It's scary to know that these things have actually happened to someone. I'm glad that they didn't happen to me because I don't know if I could handle something like that. The mystery grew weirder and weirder as time went on but I felt the church scene ended too quickly. I did love the end. My fingers are crossed for another book about Mae.
Devil in Ohio was a great read full of devilish suspense. This will send shivers down your spine. Just beware of the beautiful creepy girls, we always get what we want.
September 25, 2022
After having watched the Netflix adaptation, I'd say I prefer it. And that's not saying a whole lot.
October 10, 2022
Devil is Ohio was...not good. It was a generic teen drama under the pretence of a YA horror thriller. It was full of terribly written dialogue, poor characterisation, and a lacklustre plot taken directly out of the Satanic Panic (apparently based on a true story, which appears to amount to nothing more than 'a friend told me this story once, so trust me, it must be true'). This was basically victim-blaming; the novel. There's a lot of unresolved trauma that a lot of these characters have that is not really dealt with in any way other than as a point of tension and to make the book seem more 'creepy' than it actually is. The consequence is a narrative that is so riddled with plot holes you might as well announce its time of death.
October 23, 2018
This fell flat for me. So much more could have been done to make it super creepy but ironically there were unnecessary details. The main character was whiney and opinionated but wouldn't stand up for herself which was annoying. Overall, a quick read that I won't remember in a few months.
July 24, 2017
I loved reading this book! Devil in Ohio follows the story of a teenage girl Mae, who escapes from a satanic cult. Mae moves in with her psychiatrist and family, where Jules, our other main character, takes her under her wing at home and school. But Jules starts to get weirded out by strange things that keep happening to her and her family now that Mae's around. And Mae keeps stepping into Jules social world, where it almost seems like she's trying to edge Jules out. The situation forces Jules to take matters into her own hands... The mystery of Mae and where she came from kept me speeding through the novel. I also really loved the main character Jules, and how honestly she shared her feelings, even if they weren't always flattering. I'd recommend this book for age 13 and up, as the subject matter is a little dark. Overall a fun, sometimes scary, addictive read!
September 27, 2019
This book is SO FUN! I don't usually read YA, and I found this book to be completely compelling - I read it in a day because I couldn't put it down. I loved the way Polatin ended each chapter, building suspense in a way that felt natural and not cheesy. The way the main character's normal, teenage concerns were folded into the sinister happenings gave me major Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes, and it's a book that I wish I had when I was sixteen. I was so impressed that the writing itself was excellent (one of my favorite images was when Polatin described bruises as 'swirling weather patterns of hurt'), but was done in a way that made it accessible to younger reading levels without dumbing the material down. I also LOVED that it gave a satisfying ending to the story, while also dropping clues as to where a sequel could take the story. I usually dislike series, but I closed the last page with an absolute NEED for a sequel (actually if Polatin could write at least five more of these for me plz, that would be great, thx)!
Fore more reviews and recommendations, find me on Instagram @GetLitBookclub
Fore more reviews and recommendations, find me on Instagram @GetLitBookclub
November 23, 2017
3.5 STARS
Jules is used to flying under the radar in her family and in school. Then her psychiatrist mother Suzanne brings home Mae, a girl who escaped a satanic cult. Soon Jules and Mae popular, but danger lurks around the corner. Has Mae been found by the cult? Or is she not as innocent as she seems.
Add Suzanne to the list of unintentionally horrible mom’s in YA lit. Psychiatrists aren’t allowed to take patients home. Egad! The longer Mae stays, the deeper Suzanne seems to be pulled into an obsession with the girl, neglecting her marriage, kids and job. Hello, unresolved issues. Suzanne, abused as a child, clearly hasn’t done enough work on herself, nor does she understand the concept of countertransference. The plot lost me when Suzanne insisted Jules drive her to the murderous cult to find Mae, with no regard to her own daughter’s safety. Worst. Mother. Ever.
The ending seemed to open up more possibilities of danger, so I’m not certain whether there will be a sequel and if not, why such an ending.
Why the bump up to 4 stars? I truly loved the reading experience of DEVIL IN OHIO. I liked Jules and had a lot of empathy for her struggles. Daria Polatin structured the story that most chapters were in Jules’s voice, with some third person POV chapters about Suzanne and her work with Mae. I wish the chapters had been labeled on in a less random order. One minute I’m reading Jules, the next chapter I’m not sure right away.
THE DEVIL IN OHIO is more fun than an example of literary prowess, which is okay with me.
Jules is used to flying under the radar in her family and in school. Then her psychiatrist mother Suzanne brings home Mae, a girl who escaped a satanic cult. Soon Jules and Mae popular, but danger lurks around the corner. Has Mae been found by the cult? Or is she not as innocent as she seems.
Add Suzanne to the list of unintentionally horrible mom’s in YA lit. Psychiatrists aren’t allowed to take patients home. Egad! The longer Mae stays, the deeper Suzanne seems to be pulled into an obsession with the girl, neglecting her marriage, kids and job. Hello, unresolved issues. Suzanne, abused as a child, clearly hasn’t done enough work on herself, nor does she understand the concept of countertransference. The plot lost me when Suzanne insisted Jules drive her to the murderous cult to find Mae, with no regard to her own daughter’s safety. Worst. Mother. Ever.
The ending seemed to open up more possibilities of danger, so I’m not certain whether there will be a sequel and if not, why such an ending.
Why the bump up to 4 stars? I truly loved the reading experience of DEVIL IN OHIO. I liked Jules and had a lot of empathy for her struggles. Daria Polatin structured the story that most chapters were in Jules’s voice, with some third person POV chapters about Suzanne and her work with Mae. I wish the chapters had been labeled on in a less random order. One minute I’m reading Jules, the next chapter I’m not sure right away.
THE DEVIL IN OHIO is more fun than an example of literary prowess, which is okay with me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2024
I just realised I never posted a review for this but this was nothing like anything I had read before and I am excited to watch the series because it looks fantastic and twisted :)
Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 20, 2017
I am not a "YA" reader, but this particular book was recommended to me since I love and eat up mystery novels. First off, all I can say is I loved "living" in this world and I wish the book hadn't ended, it was that good. As far as I'm concerned it surpassed whatever "Young Adult" as a 'genre' is supposed to mean, because I'm an avid mystery reader and Devil in Ohio quenched that thirst. What I'm about to say might at first blush sound like a criticism (harsh perhaps) but that's not the case...I was sucked in--phenomenally sucked in to this story!--and had to keep flipping the pages, because the story was so intriguing that I needed to know what happened to Mae. This YA novel is told from Jules' perspective--a teenaged, self proclaimed "average" girl. I love that about this novel. But Jules isn't the intrigue, Mae is. Mae is a cult survivor who is "taken in" by her psychiatrist, the teenaged daughter of which--Jules--is tasked with "helping her fit in". Devil in Ohio is a success of suspense and intrigue that transcends genre--again, I'm no "YA" fan, I just love a good page turner with mystery!--because the story is told through Jules' teenaged eyes, a story that centers on the enigmatic Mae, a cult survivor, but is shared so thinly, so slightly, because it is a teenaged girl--an average girl--who tells the tale. What I love most about how Polatin tells this--brace yourself, it's a true story!--tale, is that she keeps the narrative grounded in the teenaged girl's perspective. Honestly, as a reader and ***ahem, LOVER of mysteries***I was dying to read a chapter from Mae's perspective. Show me the darkness of the cult, show me the perversions! But Polatin was perhaps braver and smarter than that and refused to "sensationalize" the "cult culture". Instead, she dropped harrowing glimpses of this world that Mae--thank God!--escaped, and let the reader draw their own conclusions. Oh, the conclusions I drew! At the end of the day, this was a book that had an effect on me, the kind of book that left me thinking--stewing in fact--once the final page had been turned. I personally feel that this is the mark of a great book. I loved "living" in this world with the characters and I was sad when it ended. I highly recommend anyone read it, regardless of their preferred genre--hell, I love me a mystery and never thought twice about "YA" but this book blew my preconceived notions out of the water!--It's a fast and fun read. Go for it! Polatin delivers in a way few do!
November 25, 2017
Two stars is being generous. I think this book had a lot of potential, and I chose to write a report on it for school because it perfectly fits with what we are learning (I’m taking a Satan in pop culture and literature course) and I chose to do a close analysis on this book, because of the content. I’m going to get a lot of use out of this for my paper, even if I’m going to bash this book.
I guess I’ll start with the things I did like-which mostly was the concept. I wish the author would have focused more on the cultish stuff and not the main character complaining about how dull her average life is on every page. When a new girl comes in she shakes things up by “taking over” the main characters life. I wanted more creepiness, more action, anything to drown out the main characters whining. I also read this in about a day. It’s really easy to get through if you’re just going for page count. I also gave it two stars instead of just one because it got more interesting near the end when she has to go get Mae from the cult because the main character (Julia) basically sent her back there in the first place.
Julia is my main problem with this book. Besides Bella Sean, I think she is probably the most unbearable character I have ever read. (Sorry to all the Twilight fans, I just can’t stand whiny characters). She complains consistently-about her social ranking, about her only having one best friend (who is too good for her anyways), her complaining about her crush not responding to her awkwardness (was it supposed to be cute? I get that people are awkward but in this case it just made her seem like she had no conversation skills). I also really wanted to like the family aspect but nobody was around for me to ever care about them.
Jules also just wasn’t very smart in general. And her snarky moments were really lacking. I haven’t had this much to say about a book in awhile, but I mostly am just annoyed that I chose to write a report on this. I think maybe this could work for people who are a tad younger than me, because the writing was also a bit juvenile for my taste.
I sound harsh but at least it was easy for me to read through quickly. I can always appreciate a book that I can read in one sitting. Also it helped me reach my goodreads goal for the year, so that is something I suppose. 😂
I guess I’ll start with the things I did like-which mostly was the concept. I wish the author would have focused more on the cultish stuff and not the main character complaining about how dull her average life is on every page. When a new girl comes in she shakes things up by “taking over” the main characters life. I wanted more creepiness, more action, anything to drown out the main characters whining. I also read this in about a day. It’s really easy to get through if you’re just going for page count. I also gave it two stars instead of just one because it got more interesting near the end when she has to go get Mae from the cult because the main character (Julia) basically sent her back there in the first place.
Julia is my main problem with this book. Besides Bella Sean, I think she is probably the most unbearable character I have ever read. (Sorry to all the Twilight fans, I just can’t stand whiny characters). She complains consistently-about her social ranking, about her only having one best friend (who is too good for her anyways), her complaining about her crush not responding to her awkwardness (was it supposed to be cute? I get that people are awkward but in this case it just made her seem like she had no conversation skills). I also really wanted to like the family aspect but nobody was around for me to ever care about them.
Jules also just wasn’t very smart in general. And her snarky moments were really lacking. I haven’t had this much to say about a book in awhile, but I mostly am just annoyed that I chose to write a report on this. I think maybe this could work for people who are a tad younger than me, because the writing was also a bit juvenile for my taste.
I sound harsh but at least it was easy for me to read through quickly. I can always appreciate a book that I can read in one sitting. Also it helped me reach my goodreads goal for the year, so that is something I suppose. 😂
December 31, 2017
Underwhelming to say the least. Just a teenage girl whining while all the interesting stuff happens around her. The story could have been told from anyone else's perspective and it would have been more bearable. Horror not so much. Horrible? Yeah.
September 11, 2022
Rare rare case where the tv series is Better than the book!! Skip the book.. oh man I feel like I’m going to be struck by lightning for saying that….
November 7, 2017
This book hooked me from the opening chapter and I flew through it. The hidden world of devil worshippers it exposes is fascinating, but what is even more impressive is how spectacularly it captures adolescence. The lead character, Jules, makes some decisions which made me cringe, but mostly because I know I might have done the same in my youth. Daria Polatin finds a way to keep the reader on Jules' side even while we're yelling at her to stop being so selfish. But it's that youthful selfishness that rings so true. And while this book is very much about female experiences (with three vivid and captivating female characters at the center), it's truths about the choices we make growing up in our quest to be popular are universal. I loved this book and recommend it not only to young women, who are certainly the target audience, but to anyone who has ever struggled with trying to be popular while remaining true to oneself. Which is to say, I recommend it to everyone.
November 7, 2017
Fast-paced, funny, heartfelt and suspenseful! Immediately, I felt for Jules. Her family dynamic was relatable and once Mae comes into her life and starts wearing Jules' clothes and falling for her crush, I was locked in.
Who is Mae? That was the driving force of the novel and it kept the pages turning. Devil worshipping? Cults? I had to find out! (I ended up staying up past my bedtime to keep reading.)
The level of detail was incredible (the rituals and cult) and the fact that it was based on a true story gives me goosebumps writing while I’m writing this!
Suzanne, Jules’ mother, drives the plot so well. And the more Suzanne reveals about Mae's history, the more danger she puts her own family in...
A killer debut novel that has gotten me so excited to read the author’s next work!
Who is Mae? That was the driving force of the novel and it kept the pages turning. Devil worshipping? Cults? I had to find out! (I ended up staying up past my bedtime to keep reading.)
The level of detail was incredible (the rituals and cult) and the fact that it was based on a true story gives me goosebumps writing while I’m writing this!
Suzanne, Jules’ mother, drives the plot so well. And the more Suzanne reveals about Mae's history, the more danger she puts her own family in...
A killer debut novel that has gotten me so excited to read the author’s next work!
January 31, 2018
When I first picked the book up at B&N, the summary sounded exciting to me, just the kind of book I love to read. I gravitate towards horror, it's probably my favorite genre, so when I saw the cover of this book (I know don't judge a book by it's cover, lesson learned) and read the blurb I was fully ready to take this book on. It sounded like it was sure to have some supernatural elements, demonic possession, haunting, or if not that, Mae's character would be completely off-hinged, her sanity dangling by a thread as she destroys Jules' life.
Instead what I got was a Lifetime movie, a bad Lifetime movie.
Instead what I got was a Lifetime movie, a bad Lifetime movie.
September 14, 2022
I liked Devil in Ohio because it turned out to have so much more depth than I initially expected. The somewhat relatable family dynamics, a story that is both mysterious and borderline horror, gothic undertones, and the pace keeps the book interesting from start to finish. Also, don’t let the YA bit turn you off. The book is as interesting for adults as it is for teenagers.
October 15, 2017
I really loved reading this book. It appeals to a wide range of readers, because it is more interesting and has more depth than a lot of young adult novels out there. I really like the characterization of the main character, Jules. There are so many fun details about her love of photography, her hatred of mushrooms, and her perspective on the world. I think the way the teens are written is very smart, as they all have unique voices. They’re not innocent beings who are unaware of the realities of the world. They’re witty and remind me of how my friends and I interacted in high school. The banter between Isaac and Jules is so natural and entertaining.
The chapters of Devil in Ohio are short, so it flows really well. You can always fit in one more chapter before bed! The mixture of first person narration from Jules, third person with her mom Suzanne, and interviews between Mae and Suzanne keeps you engaged. It’s a page turner because of the mystery at its center, but also because of the writing style. The imagery is so vibrant. The line “Purple and blue swirls of blood circled just under her skin's surface like weather patterns of hurt" was one of my favorites!
I highly recommend this book because it’s fun, spooky, and teaches a great lesson about appreciating the life you have.
The chapters of Devil in Ohio are short, so it flows really well. You can always fit in one more chapter before bed! The mixture of first person narration from Jules, third person with her mom Suzanne, and interviews between Mae and Suzanne keeps you engaged. It’s a page turner because of the mystery at its center, but also because of the writing style. The imagery is so vibrant. The line “Purple and blue swirls of blood circled just under her skin's surface like weather patterns of hurt" was one of my favorites!
I highly recommend this book because it’s fun, spooky, and teaches a great lesson about appreciating the life you have.
September 22, 2017
I received an ARC from Netgalley for an unbiased review.
Jules' mother, Suzanne, is a doctor who has become extremely close with her last patient. Mae has a scar of a pentagram on her back and Suzanne as well as the other doctors are baffled about why this happened. meanwhile Jules is starting high school and is trying to get a spot on the school paper as a photographer. When Suzanne tells Jules and her two sisters Dani and Helen that Mae is going to stay with them, things around them start getting weird.
What I really liked about this book are the following:
great story (the author mentioned it was based on true events)
well rounded characters (always great to have strong female characters in books)
no love triangle or instalove ( I could have given this book 5 stars just for that alone)
What I did not like about the book:
the only thing I did not like about the book was that the ending was a bit of a let down. The book does not set itself up for a sequel so it has the HFN/HEA feeling
Everything being said and done I can easily give this book 4.5/5
Jules' mother, Suzanne, is a doctor who has become extremely close with her last patient. Mae has a scar of a pentagram on her back and Suzanne as well as the other doctors are baffled about why this happened. meanwhile Jules is starting high school and is trying to get a spot on the school paper as a photographer. When Suzanne tells Jules and her two sisters Dani and Helen that Mae is going to stay with them, things around them start getting weird.
What I really liked about this book are the following:
great story (the author mentioned it was based on true events)
well rounded characters (always great to have strong female characters in books)
no love triangle or instalove ( I could have given this book 5 stars just for that alone)
What I did not like about the book:
the only thing I did not like about the book was that the ending was a bit of a let down. The book does not set itself up for a sequel so it has the HFN/HEA feeling
Everything being said and done I can easily give this book 4.5/5
November 26, 2017
Devil in Ohio was definitely an interesting book although my main criticism is the way in which the book ended. I'm not sure if Daria is planning to write more but if she is not then the ending leaves a lot of people unsatisfied and searching for more answers.
The book was descriptive and well written in places however at times it was hard to tell who's perspective the current chapter was being told in whether it was the main character Jules or third person.
I did get mixed feelings towards some of the characters and ended up having a love-hate Mae.
The book was descriptive and well written in places however at times it was hard to tell who's perspective the current chapter was being told in whether it was the main character Jules or third person.
I did get mixed feelings towards some of the characters and ended up having a love-hate Mae.
October 12, 2022
The ending was really abrupt and left the reader with too many unanswered questions. I like the concept of the plot but I think it needs to be fleshed out more with more character development and information about the cult that Mae runs away from.
August 31, 2022
I don't know what i was expecting when I started The Devil in Ohio, but i did see the trailer for the Netflix series and bought the book. The trailer is creepy but the book, has moments of creepiness. It's not as if you read it and need to keep the lights on or anything. As it stands, the book is a typical YA novel that doesn't really deliver on the promises delivered on the blurbs featured on the back of the book. A devil worshiping cult sounds interesting and throughout the book you do get glimpses of just how evil they are, but I wanted more. The cult is why I was interested in the book in the first place. Mae escaped from these people, suffered horrific abuse but the book is really about her impact on the family.
Is Mae as creepy as you hope? She is from a devil worhsipping cult after all so you would think she'd have some evil ulterior motives. Instead of going for the obvious though, Polatin goes in another direction with Mae which is where the problems are. It's not a terrible book, but not what I was hoping for. We see just how intrusive Mae's appearance is and while you would assume that most high school kids would make fun of her being the creepy kid from a cult they embrace her and make her one of the cool kids and the family dynamic begins to shift and Mae once again becomes the center of attention.
It's not a horror novel nor is the creepy page turner you want, but for a debut novel it's not terrible. There are moments where you see the cult making moves to take Mae home or at least scate the family but mostly it's about Mae's presence and how intrusive her sudden appearance is. While I was excited about seing the series after reading the book, I'm not so sure now. The book itself is good, just not what I had expected it to be.
Is Mae as creepy as you hope? She is from a devil worhsipping cult after all so you would think she'd have some evil ulterior motives. Instead of going for the obvious though, Polatin goes in another direction with Mae which is where the problems are. It's not a terrible book, but not what I was hoping for. We see just how intrusive Mae's appearance is and while you would assume that most high school kids would make fun of her being the creepy kid from a cult they embrace her and make her one of the cool kids and the family dynamic begins to shift and Mae once again becomes the center of attention.
It's not a horror novel nor is the creepy page turner you want, but for a debut novel it's not terrible. There are moments where you see the cult making moves to take Mae home or at least scate the family but mostly it's about Mae's presence and how intrusive her sudden appearance is. While I was excited about seing the series after reading the book, I'm not so sure now. The book itself is good, just not what I had expected it to be.
December 9, 2024
Oh boy… this was silly… but, it was pretty easy to rip through. I needed that after the heavy nonfiction I’ve been reading lately. It’s getting bonus points for being the piece of cake that my tiny smooth brain required.
September 22, 2025
An easy read to get me back into the flow of things… but it was pretty bad. It ended with a ton of plot holes and nearly every character in the book was infuriating. The concept wasn’t bad, but the execution was poor.
September 13, 2022
FS: “AS SHE PEELED THE CATATONIC GIRL’S HOSPITAL GOWN off her back, the nurse’s face paled: red lines, brimming with blood, had been carved deep into the teenage girl’s porcelain skin.”
LS: “And with that, Mae drove off to her new life. And I went back to mine.”
Not nearly as good as the Netflix series.
LS: “And with that, Mae drove off to her new life. And I went back to mine.”
Not nearly as good as the Netflix series.
October 12, 2017
I wanted to give this book to my friend's teenage daughter for Halloween, as always I read them before I pass them along, right from the beginning it grabbed my attention & kept me reading. It's a fast paced story, which I enjoyed up until the last chapters, maybe it's the "Mom" in me, but I couldn't imagine putting my teenage daughter in danger the way this Mom did, even if all odds were against me. I also, thought the last few chapters, kinda wrapped-up the loose ends a little too quickly. This girl, the family "saved" had a whole lot of issues, I hope the author plans a "Part 2", because the way it was ended, left a lot of questions! Overall, though a very good, book!
September 11, 2022
I've finished reading Devil In Ohio by @dariapolatin and I rate it 4 stars 🌟
Joining a cult is dangerous. Escaping a cult can be deadly.
When Jules Mathis comes home from school to find a strange girl sitting in her kitchen she's confused about what's going on, who is this girl and why is she in her home. When her mum explains that this is Mae and she's a patient from her hospital and that she will be staying for a few days Jules is left with more questions then answers.
But then Mae starts to copy jules, she wears her clothes stars dating a guy she likes and much more.. and Mae has no intention of leaving and giving up her new life.
I first heard about this book because of the Netflix series but I wanted to read the book before I watched the series, I really enjoyed the book I liked the characters, the story was creepy and I wasn't sure If I should trust Mae, I found Mae’s behaviour unnerving at times, she's one of those characters that you want to warm to but unsure of her motivation and what she wants.
It would have been nice to read more about the cult and the back stories there, I like the build up to the conclusion of the book and the ending with the letters on the wrist I'm still working out what that actually means for the characters and the story, it would be nice to have a sequel as I feel there is still more to tell with the characters. I do recommend this book I loved it..
Joining a cult is dangerous. Escaping a cult can be deadly.
When Jules Mathis comes home from school to find a strange girl sitting in her kitchen she's confused about what's going on, who is this girl and why is she in her home. When her mum explains that this is Mae and she's a patient from her hospital and that she will be staying for a few days Jules is left with more questions then answers.
But then Mae starts to copy jules, she wears her clothes stars dating a guy she likes and much more.. and Mae has no intention of leaving and giving up her new life.
I first heard about this book because of the Netflix series but I wanted to read the book before I watched the series, I really enjoyed the book I liked the characters, the story was creepy and I wasn't sure If I should trust Mae, I found Mae’s behaviour unnerving at times, she's one of those characters that you want to warm to but unsure of her motivation and what she wants.
It would have been nice to read more about the cult and the back stories there, I like the build up to the conclusion of the book and the ending with the letters on the wrist I'm still working out what that actually means for the characters and the story, it would be nice to have a sequel as I feel there is still more to tell with the characters. I do recommend this book I loved it..
July 7, 2017
So I read this book pretty early in the year because I was intrigued by synopsis but unfortunately Devil in Ohio was a bit of a disappointment for me. One being the main character Jules. Yes I understand she's a teenager and are prone to stupidity and jealousy but my goodness this girl was just too much. Seriously she lacked in my opinion empathy for Mae, who happens to be an abused victim of an insane cult. This is shown early in the book. But quickly she's trying to be bestie with Mae as soon as she becomes popular. I just couldn't stand her wishy-washy character. Still many of these misunderstandings probably could have be avoided if the mom would have just been honest and not so secretive about why Mae was there in the first place.
Secondly, my problem with the book is the pacing. It started off thrilling but then it started to lag before picking up again towards the very end. An ending that felt sort of rushed.
Anyways these are just a few thoughts. I'll have a thorough review closer to release date.
Thanks Fierce Reads for a copy.
Secondly, my problem with the book is the pacing. It started off thrilling but then it started to lag before picking up again towards the very end. An ending that felt sort of rushed.
Anyways these are just a few thoughts. I'll have a thorough review closer to release date.
Thanks Fierce Reads for a copy.
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