Best-selling author Libba Bray hasn’t written a book in a while but released her new novel “The Diviners” over winter break. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it, but once I started reading it, I was hooked.

The first chapter jumps right into the story. A party was going on in the 1920s, and the guest decided to try playing with a Ouija board. They ended calling a spirit named Naughty John — great name I know — but don’t believe it was real.

John died in the 1800s, and was a part of a crazy religious cult. He then starts to murder people around New York City, trying to fulfill the prophecy of his religion.

The main characters Evie, Theta, Sam, Jericho, Henry and Memphis are all Diviners. They have powers that scare them, that are dangerous. Between trying to solve the murders, dealing with being Diviners, speakeasies and just being alive in the 1920s, the characters live through a lot. Each is living with some kind of tragedy, mostly with death.

I loved the plot of this book. It wasn’t necessarily supernatural, and it kind of freaked me out. To me, this is stuff that could actually happen, and I don’t play around with spirits or demons. Or crazy cults for that matter. This book is highly original, and I’m dying waiting for the sequel.

The writing was amazing. I felt like I was experiencing the 1920s. The words the characters used were adorable. They used phrases like “jake,” “baby vamp,” and put “ski” at the end of some words.

The book was not only freaky, it was funny and entertaining. There was a bit of romance, but it came out nowhere. Usually it gradually builds up over the book, but it was sudden and not between the people I expected it to be between. I guess the readers will see what happens with that in the next book.

Seriously though, read this book. You won’t regret it. Four out of five stars.