This book was so much more than I was expecting. I really enjoyed the writing style and uniqueness of the plot. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

"What really went down in the garden of Eden and also in the time of Jesus and the Jews??". This story tells the events in monologue format from the point of view of Lucifer (Satan) and how he came into being as well as his early life up to his adult life throughout the centuries (whether in Heaven, on Earth or in the damp, dark depths of Hell).
The book had me enthralled from start to finish and I powered through it in two sittings- the main character of Lucifer (Satan) was intriguing and well written, the other characters of God, the fallen angels, Adam, Eve, Mary, Jesus as well as the humans on earth were cleverly described and added a good depth to the story and the plot was immersive throughout the book as well as the ethereal and realistically crafted settings of the three planes of existence being Heaven, Earth and Hell.
I also enjoyed the timeline aspect to the story which was executed really well along with the events within the timelines and the leaders as a whole.
I look forward to reading other works by Nicholas in the future.
A huge thankyou to Net galley and Books Go Social for the early arc copy of this wonderful book.

This was such a fun and refreshing take on the fall of Satan, told by Satan himself. I found it clever, funny, and really entertaining. One of my favorite parts was how God was portrayed, especially his struggles with depression and mood swings. There’s just something fascinating about seeing such a powerful figure with very human emotions. I also really liked how Satan wasn’t cast out of Eden, but left on his own terms. It gave the story a whole new perspective.

Nicholas Ponticello’s Satan’s Diary is a wildly inventive, darkly comedic, and surprisingly tender retelling of the fall of Lucifer, flipping biblical lore on its head and offering a fresh, irreverent take on the age-old battle between Heaven and Hell. Told from the point of view of the Devil himself, this genre-blurring novel is as much a philosophical meditation on humanity as it is a love story—albeit one told through the eyes of the most misunderstood outcast in the universe.

In Ponticello’s vision, Heaven has been thoroughly modernized: angels scroll through iPads, God takes antidepressants and sees a therapist in London, and Lucifer—our snarky, soulful narrator—slings lattes in Berkeley and flies kites on the weekend. The absurdity is intentional, and brilliant. The tone is playful, but underneath the satire lies a serious exploration of identity, free will, loneliness, and the struggle to find meaning in a chaotic world.

Lucifer is portrayed not as a one-note villain, but as a complex, almost tragically human figure. Once God’s greatest creation, he chooses to leave paradise in order to experience mortality firsthand. His journey from ancient Mesopotamia to 21st-century America is filled with sharp wit, existential reflection, and historical resonance, particularly when he falls for a mortal woman during the hysteria of the 17th-century witch trials. The stakes suddenly feel personal, and the age-old war between Heaven and Hell takes a backseat to one soul’s desire to belong.

Fans of The Song of Achilles and Interview with the Vampire will appreciate the novel’s mythic scope and emotional depth, while readers of Good Omens or American Gods will enjoy its irreverence and theological playfulness. Ponticello balances satire with sincerity, and the result is a surprisingly moving portrayal of love, loss, and what it means to be cast out.

Verdict:
Satans’s Diary is as cheeky as it is profound—a smart, stylish reimagining of celestial drama with heart, humor, and a healthy dose of irreverence. Whether you read it for the laughs or the philosophical undercurrents, it’s a diary worth opening.

4.5 🌟

I was not expecting to find a book called Satan's Diary to be so delightful, but here we are.

Lucifer decides to live amongst mortals on Earth, much to God's dismay. Satan's Diary takes us through these years, from Mesopotamia to the present day. A significant portion of the book is set in 17th-century London, where Lucifer falls in love with a mortal human. Based on the blurb, I thought the book would showcase more of the 21st century, but I ended up loving the story regardless. It's funny, heartbreaking, poignant, and thought-provoking. Satan's Diary was an unexpected page-turner for me.

Ponticello is a talented writer. I appreciated that Lucifer was such a unique and layered character. He wasn't perfect, like you might expect an angel would be. Lucifer grapples with his immortality, what it means to live with (and fall in love with) humans, his tenuous relationship with God, and more, all without the book becoming heavy-handed.

I would love to read a sequel to this. I want to hear more about Lucifer's travels and tales, as well as what becomes of the other angels who followed him to Earth.

"You have no idea how fortunate you are to be mortal. To have the freedom to die."

Recommended for anyone with a sense of humor who enjoys reading character-driven fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley & Nicholas Ponticello for the ARC.

This book puts a human spin on God, Jesus, and Satan. God takes antidepressants, Jesus has schizophrenia, and Satan flies kites. Along with so much more! This is an amazing twist on Lucifer’s Fall turned into personal discovery. I enjoyed every minute!

4.5⭐️ (rounded up for NetGalley)

Firstly, I want to put my own bookish sins in order here: I am absolutely guilty of judging a book by its cover, and that almost caused me to miss out on this amazing read. I will also be the first to admit that as someone who mostly reads queer books, I wasn't entirely sure if I was going to enjoy a book advertised as being about Satan falling in love with a woman. I was completely wrong!

"Satan's Diary" is truly like taking a walk with this incredibly complex and human character that you think you know, but you certainly do not. From his beginnings and toxic relationship with God, to finding himself on Earth through the years, the whole story is incredibly character driven, and the large cast that Lucifer meets in his many years are slowly and easily introduced in a way that isn't overwhelming or hard to keep track of.

I read a lot of biblical retellings, and this book still found ways to change up the narrative that felt unique and surprising to me. I wouldn't dare spoil them, but I find myself giggling while I look through my notes. Some of them are incredibly funny, and some are incredibly heartbreaking.

I don't see this book currently getting a lot of attention and I truly hope that changes. I will absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of biblical retellings and subverting the traditional good angel vs. evil demon trope. No one in this book is truly good or bad, the characters, even the non-human ones, are incredibly human.

My only critique is that a few things felt a bit unresolved in the end for me, and there is a bit of a gap between the end of Satan's Diary and the modern point of time he is recounting it from. I would love to read a second Satan's Diary recounting his time on Earth from the end of this story until modern day!

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free ebook ARC of this title in exchange for my review.

I have to admit, I loved this book. Those with serious, strict religious beliefs probably wouldn't enjoy it, but I thought it was great. IT felt creative and well researched and crafted. Characters were interesting with very human traits and stories and feelings. Immortals still have everyday human problems. Who knew!

Once I started on this one, I had a hard time putting it down. IT was a great read, and I would recommend it to anyone who can see the humor in this religion related story.

4 stars.

Clever and entertaining view of the most favored of angels - of his creation and fall, and interactions with humans. Not the big bad guy with horns, but the Morningstar who has his own views on things!

Satan's Diary by Nicholas Ponticello--There are areas of excellence in this book. The author fleshes out the characters in this retelling of Satan's "fall" in a way that is compelling and worth visiting. However, some of the story decisions can be baffling. When you're jumping forward for broad swaths of time in human history, the places you do step in need to be justified. With that said, this can be compared to books like Song of Achilles in that it tries to recontextualize a well known historical relationship between God and Satan. In that aim, I think the book partially succeeds, though I don't think it sticks the landing. The book's summary talks about angels with iPads and bringing a modern spin to a heavenly story. The story provides that...in the epilogue. I don't think it lived up to my expectations, though there are some touching parts. I received an advance review copy of the book, and if you want to see how much you agree with my analysis, check it out when it's published in July. Sideways thumbs.

First, I want to give thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this magnificent novel.
Now, onto the book.
What first drew me into this book was its title, for I am always quite interested in books that entwine religious or biblical references. The description, at least at the beginning, threw me off a bit, if I'm being honest. I was expecting the whole book to be satirical and leaning into comedy, which I'm obviously not against, but I wasn't personally in the headspace for that kind of story. However I still decided to give it a chance and I'm very glad I did.
Despite the Devil, Lucifer, being such a recurrent character in today's literary/cultural landscape, Ponticello's novel manages to twist it into something genuinely refreshing and different. I would venture to say that, in general, media tends to portray Lucifer either as the most evil thing to ever have existed and with no redemption whatsoever, or as a very aloof and cynical and self-aware character. Not to say that these portrayals are bad, they're just getting very common. In Satan's Diary, however, we get a Lucifer who is so human and reflective. We never see this kind of caricature-like moments of "mwuahaha I'm evil and I hate humans and God just because"; we get his reasoning and his actions in a de-mythified way.
This work takes its basis on the "story is written by whoever wins war", the winners here being God and the angels. However, what we see is the other side of the coin, Lucifer's.
The actions portrayed are quite interesting and meddle with religiousness in what I would even argue is a quite respectful manner. Now, I wouldn't recommend this book to someone who gets offended by blasphemy and non-canonical representations of the Bible, however, the way that the novel is structured is –at least from my point of view– not trying to make fun of believers, rather present a different way of approaching spirituality. I'm working on this review from an analytical and literary sense, but if I may be allowed, even my catholic-self didn't feel mocked by the book, rather it came from a deeply curious way of approaching the world and its beginning.
The prose is light and delectable, with Lucifer's voice distinctive and easy to follow and understand.
I truly and deeply recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good biblical retelling with a few winks to some relevant historical figures.

Satan's Diary by Nicholas Ponticello is an epistolary-esque novel which follows the man/angel/entity known as Lucifer Morningstar, from his own point of view. Lucifer muses on his role throughout history, from his initial creation to his infamous fall and everything in-between as he explores a universe created by God and his place in it.

Lucifer's explorations take him throughout Heaven, onto Earth, and into Hell as he learns what it is to live amongst mortals. He (and others) cement their roles in history as the story moves towards modern day and they learn the motivation behind God's creations.

Overall, this is a very well-written novel; while it's a divergence from books I've read lately, it fit in well with my interests and I really enjoyed it. The pace is quicker at times than others, so I would consider this medium-paced, and this is a very good novel if you're looking for a reflective and interesting read.

Jesus is schizophrenic.
God takes antidepressants.
Satan flies kites.
…and so much more!

Satan’s Diary is incredibly clever. It is humorous, well-researched, and well-written. Nicholas Ponticello offers his own version of the Fall of Lucifer. Rather, it is not a fall, but a journey of self-discovery through time and history (without giving away too much).

The combination of religious mythology with modern rhetoric is delightful. The author’s interpretation of the theme of good vs. evil is philosophically rich while simultaneously making light of many extreme religious beliefs.

This book recalls Milton’s Paradise Lost, Bulgakov’s The Master and the Margarita, La Vey’s Satanic Bible, The Bible (obviously) and many other literary classics. Ponticello provides a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience, with many laughs throughout various fascinating plot lines. Squires is perhaps my favorite character, recalling, of course, Eliza Doolittle. Thank you to the author for my first 5 star read in a while.

Thank you to NetGalley for proving an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Humorous throughout. If you get offended easily, this isn't for you.
I enjoyed it. Good concept. We usually hear about one side.
How about the other?
Original

This highly entertaining and original novel tells the story of Lucifer. Through his diary we witness the events that led to his fall and everything that happened in his life through the centuries and up to the present day.
Charismatic and peculiar characters come together to create a very human story, where the protagonists do not cease to have feelings and everyday problems because they are immortal.
Of course you won't be able to stop reading until you know the end.