REVIEW 4/5🌟:
This standalone high fantasy book held my attention from the very first page. It was dark and mysterious and, while there is a satisfying conclusion it’s not your typical good triumphs over evil kind of book.

What We Devour is full of morally grey characters. The main character Lorena is faced with a lot of tough choices that not only affect her, but the entire population.

It was interesting to read a book with a main character that you know a lot of other characters in the book see as a villain. Lorena is cunning, manipulative, and her actions are brutal but she is always trying to do the right thing. We see her doubt if she’s a good person and I think this inner conflict is what keeps this character someone you want to succeed. If she did these things with no self doubt it would have been difficult to like her.

Prince Alistair is also a fascinating character. He is not a villain in the traditional sense of the world but the only thing he cares about is solving the puzzle of the Door. His apathetic attitude towards everything else including the safety of his people is what makes him a problem.

Read for:
• Morally grey characters

• Court intrigue and a fight against traditional class structures

• An interesting magic system

• Representation - an asexual main character and a nonbinary side character

• Dark fantasy

I received a free copy of this book through @netgalley and @sourcebooksfire as part of a book tour.

*I received an e-ARC from the publisher for an honest review. *

I’ve been a fan of Linsey Miller for a while now. You never know where she is going to take you, but more often than not you’ll enjoy the ride. What We Devour is a promising start to what I hope is a new series from her. It’s definitely the darkest book I’ve read by her, and I loved the atmosphere of it and the characters were great.

My biggest problem was the world building and some parts of the plot. The world of What We Devour is a little more complicated than your usual YA Fantasy book. I feel like parts could have been explained a little better and maybe some more information on the Noble and the Vile would have helped. Parts of the plot were really intriguing, but some parts felt rushed. I get the Beauty and the Beasts vibes from it, but it’s not too overpowering.

The main character Lorena I felt was a strong character, but at times I questioned her decisions. Sometimes she went along with things too easily and sometimes she stood up for herself or others. Maybe that was on purpose because as the book goes on you learn so many things about her. She definitely had her own endgame planned.

Overall I enjoyed the book and the magic system. I will definitely read book 2 if there is another. And I hope there is because this one definitely left me wanting more.

This was such a creepy, fascinating, and unique book! I loved the magic system and how everything was connected together! It was a darker fantasy, but that didn't stop me from flying through it in only a few days!

The world and magic system were so well-developed! I felt like I could step right into this world and know exactly what to expect. It was so real, and so interesting!

I also really liked the characters. They all had plenty of flaws, but they also had redeeming qualities that made me want to root for them. I felt like I really understood and got to know these characters, which made their suffering all the more impactful (and sometimes painful).

If you like somewhat darker fantasy and interesting magic systems, I would highly recommend picking this book up! I'm so glad I had the chance to read it.

"How many times have you destroyed your feelings rather than deal with them"

First I want to thank Netgalley for the eARC 0f this book. What we devour was a very interesting read and it will leave you wondering about this world. I loved how easily LGBTQ+ characters a weaved in and it felt natural, we have a nonbinary side character and a bi semi main character. I think the biggest problem I had with this book was that I didn't feel invested in the characters, I am a very character driven person. Some scenes that happened in this book were odd and felt too perfectly placed. Overall this was a good read and I did enjoy it, this book is great for fans of shadow and bone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read an early copy of this book. This is my honest review.
What We Devour follows Lorena Adler as her life is changed. She’s spent her whole life hiding her abilities. But when her father figure is about to be arrested, she reveals herself to make a bargain for his life. The Vile crown prince gets Lorena to travel to the capital with him and join his team of researching ways to prevent the Door from opening. This is where I want to talk about the world building. It was complex and interesting, but still easy to understand for me. I loved the concept of the magic of the vilewroughts and the nobelwroughts. I also loved the conversation of corruption. So much of this book focuses on how unfairly the lower class is treated and I thought that was a really great part of the plot.
Lorena was a fascinating character to follow. She’s incredibly clever and smart. She’s managed to hide from the crown for all this time. The only reason she’s found out is because she chose to do the thing that would protect someone she cared about. I really admired her character.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was dark and twisty. The magic was compelling and I was really interested by seeing the different ways people worked with their wroughts. I loved Lorena and all of the side characters. I think thing was a really fun and well told story. I definitely recommend it.

What we Devour is a fantastic example of dark ya fantasy. It has a nice balance of character building and world building that is both magical and with sinister undertones that keep you hooked and wanting to find out more.

Each character is beautifully crafted and both our protagonist and antagonist are believable and intriguing.

The world system is well established and you are introduced to the magic early but it's all explained and built upon over time even when things get increasingly complex magic wise.

Overall, this was a thrilling, engaging read with a great enemies to lovers, lovers to enemies romance and solid plot line. Perfect for dark fantasy lovers of a younger age and older.

You know I'm all about dark fantasy, so I was so excited to read this when I got the ARC. A plus when I know the character is morally gray as well as an ace.

The story is set in a world where there are powers called noblewrights (create) and vilewrights (destroy). Usually, people either become a noblewrought or vilewrought, and it's rare for anyone to have both powers except the Queen and our main character Lorena Adler, who is called dualwrought. Wroughts can use their power by sacrificing things like blood/pain/memories. All known wroughts are bound to their contracts and can't use their power other than what's written on it or it can cost their lives. But Lorena had been hiding since she was a child and doesn't bound to any of it. She can create and destroy, and sacrificing anything without limit.

She lives safely in Fellhollow with her partner Julian and his father Will. Until one day Will has been accused of treason. She tried to help Will by altered the guards' memories and that's when Alistair the Heir learns that she is a dualwrought. Alistair made an agreement with Lorena, to let Will has a fair trial in exchange for her to help him destroy a magical Door that has been asking for human sacrifice every so often.

It took me quite some time to process the entire magic system. I was utterly confused for the first 50% of the book but couldn't decide to DNF it since the premise is very interesting. I have to be honest that the pace is pretty slow for my liking. All they did for 75% of the book is doing research in the Heir's labs on how to destroy the Door. It wasn't until the last 20% that it got interesting!

I tend to love morally grey/anti-hero but too bad I don't feel any connection to the characters. All of them made awful decisions for good reasons but I couldn't care less even when one of the characters is dead. But I do like that the description of Lorena being asexual is not stereotypical (like another book that I've read before). There is also an f/f and m/m potential relationship.

Even though this isn't a five-star read for me, but I still recommend this to readers who like dark fantasy. I'm sure this is standalone but the ending made me think that the author is hopeful to write a sequel. And yes I'm looking forward to it.

Trigger warnings: blood, self-harm (mostly cutting), human sacrifice, briefly mentioned of mass suicide.

PS: pardon my grammar.....

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I could not put down this book! I loved it from start to finish. I was so intrigued by the world Linsey created in this book. I found Lorena fascinating, being both noblewrought and vilewrought. The Door was such an interesting concept. I really enjoyed how the characters were written. The relationship between Lorena and Alistair is deep and complex, yet they have a great understanding of one another. I'm not sure if this will be the first book in a new series or if it's a stand alone but I am a huge fan of Linsey and can't wait to read what she writes next.

This ARC was offered in exchange of an honest and unbiased review:
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2*
Pros: Inspired by Beauty and the Beast. Interesting magic system. Mysterious and dark world-building and characters. Ace representation. Discredits capitalism and talks about privilege.
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Cons: Extremely convoluted description and lacking explanation. Super rushed beginning. Characters hard to connect to.
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Trigger warning: Self-harm, death, violence

I'm a huge fan of this author and this book is no exception. Miller writes in a way that's a little subversive and a lot clever, and her characters are always a vicious delight. In What We Devour, she outdid herself with world-building as well. Overall, another fantastic fantasy!

What We Devour by Linsey Miller is a standalone dark YA LGBT+ fantasy that starts off strong. It's very promising in terms of the world-building, the magic system, and the pitch black atmosphere. I also appreciated the complexity and the details. Then again, as the novel continued those complexities became overwhelming and even convoluted. I had to reread sections to take in bits I missed the first time around. Overall, it's a solid read, but it just didn't quite live up to how well it started off. There's so much more I was expecting out of the second half.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review! this has not affected my review in any way, all opinions are mine.

2.5/5 stars, rounded up where needed

this was a hard one. both to review and to get through. while there were definitely parts of this book i enjoyed and a lot of singular lines i liked, i had a hard time liking it as a whole. for some reason, i had a difficult time adjusting to the magic system and world, even at the end, i felt like i didn't entirely understand some aspects of it.

and while i deeply appreciated the casual lgbtqa+ rep, there actually weren't a ton of characters that i genuinely enjoyed and wanted to see more screentime for. i felt wishy-washy about lorena pretty much the entire time, and didn't feel too invested in any of her relationships, romantic or platonic. there are maybe one or two other characters i would've maybe preferred to hear the story from instead (or their stories) but mostly i'm left feeling unsatisfied. especially with the ending, and while i can appreciate what the book is trying to say about the rich, it says it so explicitly and so many times that the book often felt like it was going in circles and like i was getting bashed in the head with it

i can appreciate a lot of aspects of this book, but i don't really enjoy it. this one was a miss for me

This is a bold and bloody story with intricate world building and politics, blood sacrifices and monstrous magic. It features Lorena who has the power of two gods in her veins, the Noble and Vile, and she’s roped into working for the dark prince. It gave me some Alina/Darkling vibes too which I very much appreciated. And it has such a complex and unique magic system! It’s both dark and fierce, with thoughtful critiques on capitalism and self-sacrifice. I also loved the casual queer rep and ace lead. It did feel more magic system focused over characters though.

'What We Devour' by Linsay Miller delivers a new gritty, and raw world with a rich mythology and magic system. Our hero Lorena is quick and strong-willed, living in a patriarchal society bent on gaslighting her as a means to their ends. Lorena's ability to see through them, maintain a strict moral code, and remain true to herself in a corrupt society was inspiring.

It is fitting for someone who is very grounded to somehow contain multitudes; as remnants of old gods live inside her. One would think this would be enough to drive a simple human to madness, but Lorena is unique even in her world. Her choice to build relationships based on equality, empathy and mutual respect shows such strength, it is easy to be a villain- to break things. But to stand in the face of chaos and be good is no small thing.

Loved the story, and loved Lorena even more. Would highly recommend for a rainy day moody read.

Alright, I wasted way too much time on this book. I'M SORRY!
This one had me hooked on the synopsis. I moved it way up on my TBR and then received an eARC through NetGalley. I was thrilled......

That is until I read the book. The magic system is horrible to follow, it really doesn't make much sense. I get the premise of what it's supposed to do, but some of the magical aspects just didn't seem possible with the restrictions put on those with magic.
The MC is kind of drab, complains a ton, and makes up random plans that also make no connection throughout the book. There's really no foreshadowing which makes the ending completely unsatisfying, and honestly confusing.
How did we go from point A to point B in this book? It felt like a merry-go-round of the same thing over and over again with no growth or real connections.

I feel like the author wanted to write a dark YA novel, but to be honest, it was forced. The only thing I would consider dark is all the killing towards the end, but even then.....it's not dark.

Thank you NetGalley, MTMC Tours, and Sourcebooks for an advanced eARc of What We Devour. This review is being left voluntarily, all opinions are my own.

This book has one of the most interesting, compelling, and original premises I've encountered in a dark paranormal fantasy in a long time. One excellent aspect of Miller's writing is her ability to immerse the reader into a world. As with her previous novels, "What We Devour" plunges the reader in head-first, necessitating a careful eye in the early pages of the novel as the reader tries to orient themselves within this world. Miller's strength is her ability to facilitate this orientation while moving the story forward. Details about the world of "What We Devour" seem organically placed, and it's not long before the story is skipping forward at a fast and exciting pace.

I did enjoy this book! The world and the plot were compelling, and I was desperate to find out what happened to the characters. Unlike Miller's previous novels, which for me have always felt a bit strangely paced, this book was dark and intense and exciting in all the right places. I was definitely surprised by the trajectory of the plot and I enjoyed that! Miller also included a refreshing amount of queer representation across identity categories that integrated queerness into the fabric of the world she creates, and that representation was exciting to read. Gay/lesbian characters, asexual characters, and non-binary characters (and more!) figure into this world.

Where Miller lost my focus was in her character building. Because she writes such complex worlds and plots, I find that the text relies on those to propel the plot forward. This strategy is good and can be productive, but most of the time I felt as though the characters remained very static throughout the text, their emotions and motives were unclear, and they each felt more artistically/aesthetically drawn, rather than characters I could root for and relate to. As a result, I did find myself losing interest in their interiority at various points in the text.

Overall, this book was extremely fun and the world itself was so compelling. I would love to return to the world of the Noble and the Vile someday!

I read the first half through and skimmed the second half because I was just so bored. It dragged y'all. It dragged.
The world was confusing. I kept thinking we would get more information and details about the world but nope. Character driven.. but they lacked depth too. Idk, maybe just not the book for me.

Actual rating: 3.5 star

I feel conflicted about this book. I really wanted to love this book, especially after how much I adored Belle Révolte, but I feel like something was missing for me?

The premise of What We Devour is fascinating and I love the commentary on the ways in which the rich and powerful will do everything to maintain the status quo, even at the cost of those less powerful. I also loved the examinations of sacrifice and self-sacrifice and the worth of those kinds of sacrifices. The themes in this book are absolutely fascinating, and while it was a slow start for me I did find it difficult to put the book down once I got sucked in.

I like morally grey characters. I like seeing good intentioned people make terrible choices for what they think and hope will be the greater good. I like the unlikeable characters who are willing to get their hands dirty if it saves more people than will be or are currently being harmed. And that’s exactly what Lorena is, yet rather than loving her I’m left feeling discomforted. And I don’t even know how to explain why. I do wonder if I’ll enjoy this more on a reread, but for now I’m mostly conflicted and uncomfortable.

I will say I did like the asexual rep, and many of the ways Lorena talks about her lack of desire for that kind of intimacy, while still being a loving and physically affectionate person.

There is no romance and I would not classify the ending as a happy one, though I would argue that it is a hopeful one. I know many other people have loved this book, and I definitely think it did good things with theme and the power imbalances in place, but for me some things just feel like they missed the mark, and I can’t even say why I feel this way.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Welcome to a world where you must offer up pain and suffering for your prayers to be answered, but be warned....if your Gods aren't pleased with your offering the price isn't just being ignored. Lorena has inherited her own set of Gods from her ancestors, giving her the power to ask for things if the price is right. Legend tells that the bloodlines with this ability ate the flesh of these Gods before banishing them from the lands of man. The only problem is, they've found a door. A way back into our world, and it is hungry. Will Lore be able to withstand the call drawing her to the door? And will she be able to stop it from opening and destroying everything she holds dear?

Okay, I have alot to unpack here so I'll do my best not to make this review seem super jumpy and unfocused. The story presented in this novel is one we've all pretty much heard before, but many things boost it to make it stand apart from others. The magic system is surprisingly fresh, as well as the ability to bind those with said abilities to a house or person. It is completely possible to control someone(even punishing them for every lie they tell) if you offer the right sacrifices. Our heroine is well written and self seficient, even when she is taken far from home and asked to help solve a problem she has no insight into(a door of doom!). Her supporting cast actually takes center stage a good portion of the novel which was great to read. The romance was pretty mind numbing, however it was nice to feel like Lorena could really be a great representation of the asexual community. The pacing of this novel moved quickly, but it only propelled the story into one you couldn't put down. My big gripes are as follows: pompous queen who makes her life miserable (so over done!), Former flame who should have been extinguished, and a wide open ending. The last gripe could be because there may be more to come, but it just felt unfinished. For those reasons I am giving What We Devour four stars.

Overall there are way more positives in this novel waiting to be unpacked than negatives. I recommend this for anyone who loved Ashlords/Bloodsworn and is 14+. Some body trauma and violence make this iffy for younger readers.

What did I just read? It was certainly dark fantasy, which is why I requested What We Devour in the first place, but… wow. It was so confusing! You just get dumped into a world that clearly has some issues going on, but nothing is ever actually explained. I’ll be honest, I almost DNF’d this around the 30% mark but apparently I’m a masochist because I kept reading. It was just interesting enough to keep me turning pages, even if I didn’t care about the characters or the end of the world.

Lorena Adler is dualwrought, meaning she can use the power of both the noblewrights and vilewrights, which I think of as little invisible shoulder demons. She can both create and destroy and she isn’t bound by any contract like most wrought are so she can literally do anything she wants if she can make a big enough sacrifice (memory, pain, blood, etc). She has been hiding out in a village since leaving the capital city Mori several years before to prevent being scooped up and bound by one of the nobles. She’s safe until the Heir comes to town and finds out her big secret when she tries to save her boyfriend’s father from being arrested for treason. Lorena is carted back to the capital, agrees to help the Heir destroy this big magical Door that they sacrifice people to every so often, and begins researching alongside the other wrought - Basil, Creek, and Carlow. 

So many concepts and plot lines are introduced so quickly that I never quite caught up with what was going on until near the end. The pace was so rapid that I also never found myself caring for any of the characters whatsoever, which is not good for a character driven book. There was some worldbuilding, but if you asked me to describe what anything looked like I couldn’t tell you - not even the castle or the lab where they spent so much time. Lorena and Alistair (the Heir) are clearly morally grey characters which is becoming more common in YA fantasy. They are definitely not good, though they strive for what they believe to be the best thing for the citizens, but the means they use to achieve that are often horrible and bloody. 

There are many individual components of this book that I should like (and often do like in other books) but they don’t mesh well and because I never connected to the characters this really didn’t work for me. It felt almost slapdash and sometimes the ever present violence seemed more for shock factor than anything else, even if the magic system often requires a terrible sacrifice. I mostly read to the end to see what happened and with a little hope that it would eventually grab my attention. Sadly, it never did and I won’t be continuing on with any future books that may come out in the series (the ending definitely left room for more).