The cover of this book looks AMAZING, which is why I requested it. The book also had a lot of things I'm a fan of (pirates, lesbians, magic) but I did find it lacking in details. I was really confused at the start and while some of my questions were answered as the story progressed, others weren't. I also felt like many of the characters didn't really click and the only reason they did at moments was in order to further the plot. A plot that at times also moved very slowly.

4.5/5
I loved this book, mostly because it gave me the vibes of the animated Sinbad movie which remains one of my faves! Morally gray pirates on a quest, coming up against horrific beasts and trials. 🏴‍☠️

This was such a good adventure! So many mysteries to uncover and exciting scenes that I didn’t know how they’d get out of. The crew was fantastic, I could read so many more books about them! 🗺️

Adra is such a flawed main character, which I always love, she’s obsessed with revenge and dragging her crew along with her. Her developing enemies to reluctant allies to lovers relationship with Quinn was lovely, and their banter was nonstop! I also loved Adra’s friendships, especially with her right hand woman Merrin. 🫂

The thing that kept it from being a full 5 star for me is the fact that there were so many characters introduced all at once and it took me a long time to remember which of the crew was which. Right when I learned who they were it was over! Would love to see more of them.

Fantasy adventure with touches of horror is becoming one of my favorite subgenres, and when you add LGBTQ pirates into the mix it only gets better!

Thanks to the author for the review copy.

This is truly a book for those looking to be seen and understood while learning to see and understand themselves.

This book highlights all the mixed up feelings and emotions that teens go through as they begin to separate from family, create new friendships, take off into unfamiliar waters, and generally begin to define themselves as individuals. This book claims that space and builds on it, so every reader feels like they are part of the crew of late teens they are reading about. This story of families, both blood and found, allows the reader to explore all of these feelings in a narrative that uses the darker side of YA Horror and Fantasy to its fullest extent. This was a refreshing, albeit slow read, that focused on the emotions, internal debates, and connections that Adra has with her both family and crew. She is a stand out character and one whose voice and action form the backbone of this banter filled and surprisingly raw and insightful book.

This book truly is written for the YA reader because the characters are true to who they each are and their ages. It is important to pay attention of the age listing and positions in the crew that each character is because this is vital to keeping their actions and the narrative in perspective

The Devourer is a captivating seafaring adventure, with a richly imaginative world filled with mythology, magic, and danger.
The story revolves around a young protagonist who embarks on a perilous journey to avenge her father’s death and getting a treasure map back.

What stood out most in this book is the world building. The author's attention to detail and immersive descriptions brought the setting to life, making it easy to imagine myself amidst the lush landscapes and majestic temples. The characters were also well-developed and multi-dimensional, each with their own desires, flaws, and motivations.

The story was fairly paced, though there were moments when it slowed down and certain plot elements felt predictable, but overall it was a gripping and enjoyable read.

Magical, thrilling, and fresh!

THE DEVOURER is a new young adult fantasy by veteran author Alison Ames, and it is a thrilling, high-seas adventure with magic, monsters, and revenge. After her half-brother, Cameron, attacks their father, stealing a precious treasure map in the process, 17-year-old Adrasteia “Adra” Dantes takes possession of her father’s ship, "Worldeater," and vows revenge.

In Adra’s world, magic is available to those special few attuned to its presence and it can be unpredictable and dangerous, as she well knows. As she and her crew of young women and one young man pursue their quarry, the veil between the non-magical and the mystical realms is somehow breached, and a creature known to the merfolk as "The Devourer" has been loosed under the seas to wreak destruction on all who travel above.

This novel is an exciting story with a surprising mix of diverse characters, interesting storylines, and relationships. Adra, the young captain of the "Worldeater," is morally complex; she enjoys inflicting pain and killing but is secretly kind to her crew, those she loves, who are less fortunate or are in trouble. She is single-minded in her pursuit of her half-brother, and the adventure is filled with incidents of her bravery in protecting the crew while achieving her goals. Her relationship with Quinn, the young woman Cameron coerced into impersonating him and acting as a decoy, is a slow-burn romance that ignites an internal conflict in Adra as well as one more overt with her crew.

An interesting side story involves the creature Diana, a sentient and talking osprey who was once a human sailor, much like those on the "Worldeater." While hunting Cameron, Adra and Diana search for the island fortress of the spellcaster who changed Diana’s former crew into animals and compel her to reverse her curse.

While the ship’s accidental sojourn in the Doldrums may have been tedious for the fictional crew, the tension in the story builds as the main characters’ backstories come to light and they await the arrival of an ancient being from the deep summoned by a magic-using crew member to help them move to a more favorable latitude. As the creature gets closer and closer, the details of its physical appearance, including its vast size, alarm the stranded sailors. However, the horror of their rescuer pales against what is to come in the form of "The Devourer."

I found the story compelling, full of thrilling scenes and constant suspense. Adra was somewhat difficult for me to really like because of her mercurial nature and her joy in inflicting pain, but that aspect of her character is mentioned only once, and for the rest of the story, her decision to punish was more conflicted and thoughtful. I felt like I was dumped a little prematurely into the action, without enough build-up of the world and the existence of magic, so I didn’t have the grounding to engage with the story immediately. I think a reluctant reader would probably set this one aside in favor of a story they didn’t have to work as much to enjoy. However, perseverance proved fruitful in this case.

I recommend THE DEVOURER to young adult fantasy readers, especially those who enjoy slow-burn sapphic romances and adventures on the high seas.

The premise of this book really hooked me in. Right away, the book begins with action and a quick pacing. I was intrigued to know more about this ship crew and Adra’s quest for revenge. Sadly, the characters fell flat for me. Since the majority of the crew are women with gender ambiguous names, it was hard to follow who was who. No one had really any defining or remarkable traits that was easy to pick out. There was also so many mentions of “she” rather than the name of the character and I lost track who was who. By the 30% mark I could not even picture the characters in my mind. The writing really lacked description for me.

But I really liked this unique take on classic pirate tale of revenge. The queer aspect of the story was interesting too, since piracy is mostly depicted as a male-dominated endeavour. It also didn’t feel forced or blatantly queer. It felt cohesive and interesting.

Thank-you to NetGalley and Page Street YA for letting me read this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley as well as my tour group for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really really love this cover. Prob one of my favorites. I also really enjoyed this story. The MC is flawed and sometimes you want to dislike her but you also understand her feelings. The crew had obvious characters that we are more focused on but I liked the dynamic of everyone. The concept of the antagonist was interesting and unique and I loved The Devourer a lot. The only thing I didn’t vibe with was the length. I feel like near the middle it drags on but I did like the twists. The end did feel a little flat. Some parts seemed too continent and there is an open ending which can be hit or miss with people. If this ever got a sequel I’d be very interested!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Page Street Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Devourer by Alison Aimes follows our lead FMC, Adra, as she seeks revenge against her brother who betrayed her family. Along the way, Adra finds herself dealing with a creature she’s never seen before.

WOW! The Devourer really exceeded my expectations. It’s a well written pirate fantasy that does not shy away from dipping its feet into haunting waters. It’s descriptive, a bit chilling, and magical. The magical system, as a whole, was something so unique that immediately pulled me in. I would love to see this adapted on the big screen.

Additionally, I loved how the relationships between Adra and her closest friends were written. I thought her closest friends were written very well and complex rather than one dimensional. Instead of being written to serve only the lead, they had their own problems, wishes, and desires. Adra, in particular, is written as a witty, and ambitious lead character and I loved reading her journey.

My only gripe with the book is that I wish we had more information and development concerning several secondary fellow pirate characters. Other than that, this was a wonderful pirate fantasy book that does not shy away from pulling on the heart strings.

My review will also be posted on my official Instagram account on publication date.

Here There Be Monsters: ‘The Devourer’ is a Chilling Pirate Adventure on the High Seas

I’ve always had a healthy respect and fear of the ocean; this book is why. The Devourer is an immense and treacherous pirate adventure across the vastness of the open sea that explores the sunken horrors lurking beneath the waves.

Adra is a young pirate captain on a mission of revenge; her half-brother Cameron took everything from her and her only thought ever since that fateful day has been killing him. That burning desire leads her on a seafaring expedition with her most trusted shipmates, which soon delivers more than they bargained for. There’s an unknown sea monster that devours ships whole, deadly treasure trails, and surprising new connections Adra didn’t know she needed until now.

The Devourer is a gripping read, grabbing you by the throat and dragging you down into its ravenous depths. The writing is expressive and detailed, making the monsters come alive and, in turn, making you squeal with morbid curiosity. It gives both the crew and the creatures they come across layers of emotion and motivation, while still keeping the narrative tension at a break-neck pace. You’ll feel for Adra and especially her best friend and quartermaster Merry as the journey takes its toll on them.

Magic and myth are woven into the story to elevate it from a traditional swashbuckling romp to more fantastical heights; both the monsters from the deep and the crew have their own individual strengths and magic. In doing so, the narrative explores the different kinds of love, friendship, and acceptance that come from sharing in a life-changing journey.

The Devourer is also heavily women-led with some queer romance that is surprising and challenging for Adra in all the best ways. The character development is filled with heart and often bittersweet revelations; you can feel the bonds of each crew member as they’re tested and strengthened by tough moments as well as by quiet reflection.

The action is bloody and vicious as the pirates give no quarter, nor are they given any. At times it will make you flinch, whether from the violence or from the horrifying toll it takes on the crew. Sometimes it can be too intense, which pulls you out of the flow, while the quieter moments can be a little unfocused and cause the story to drag a little. But the bursts of monstrous action soon reel you back in for smooth sailing all the way to the treasure of The Devourer’s great mysteries.

There is nothing I didn’t love about this and I am so NOT ready to say goodbye to these characters. I immersed myself into this book so deeply that the hangover is real! I am begging for a series.

Adra, captain of her father’s pirate ship at the age of seventeen is on a revenge mission, searching desperately for her half brother who betrayed them, robbing their father of who he was. If the constant search and burning desire to kill him weren’t enough to fill her plate, old magic from the depths of the sea is rising, destroying entire ships with ease.

When Adra does track her brother’s ship down though, she finds something (someone) least expected. In order to find her brother and stop the Devourer from wreaking more havoc, Adra has to work with this unexpected someone… as well as the rest of her crew.

I freaking loved Adra. She is constantly trying to be who she thinks she is supposed to be. She never got the ability to learn before the helm was thrusted upon her. She is mean and rough around the edges, but she is fiercely loyal and insanely determined.

The rest of the cast of characters are perfect in their own individual way. I love how they interact. There is a decent number of people we are introduced to, but not overwhelming. You get to see each personality come through, differentiating everyone, making the story richer.

Last, the vibe of this book was spot on for me! There is something so desolate, so terrifying about deep sea and open water and Ames capitalizes on that in almost every chapter. I truly adored this book!

I really enjoyed The Devourer. Adra was a morally grey and well-rounded main character, and her relationship with her crew was interesting to read about. Diana, a girl who was turned into an osprey by bad magic, was my favorite character, and I wanted even more of her! I really vibed with Ames' writing style, and I loved her descriptions. However, I found myself wanting even more monsters and mayhem. The premise of the book doesn't really happen until halfway through the story, so the first half felt a little slow. The ending also felt a little abrupt to me; I wanted more scenes with Cameron. That being said, overall, this was a solid read!

This one's kinda a weird one for me. There are elements I really liked, but it's all mixed up in things I found lacking and boring? It's confusing, I know.

So, starting with the first thing I liked: the dialogue / character interactions. The conversations between Adra, her quartermaster/adopted sister Merrin, the Cameron captain decoy Quinn, and her human-turned-bird Diana were the scenes I found myself adoring the most, because so many of them put Adra's complexities, her thirst for revenge clashing with her desire to be a good captain, on full display. They also had such good chemistry, too; I love when authors manage to balance moral dubiousness with excellent character interactions and relations. Unfortunately, this is only extends to these four characters, because, despite this whole other crew underneath Adra's wing, the other side characters are rather one noted and dull. Toral's connected to the sea, Kaori is the brainy, gadget one, Rhys is the only boy who's the chef and doesn't have more than 10 lines of dialogue, and the rest don't really matter. (One of them does die within the last chapter of the book. The characters are mourning her, but I barely remembered she, Lilli, was a character until she died.) I can tell Ames was trying to make everyone as a whole memorable, and when it works, it works, just not for everyone.

It didn't really help that the worldbuilding is given in small chunks that are quickly wiped away before moving onto the next scene. The magic system isn't well explained, either, just that there were old gods that went away, left magic scraps behind, and some, like Merrin and Quinn, can use it. Anything besides the emphasis on the price paid when wielding it felt so vague that I gave up trying to fully understand it and went with whatever what was being said about it at the moment, because that's just how the story worked.

Despite how fast-paced the story was, it was simultaneously slow, too, given the sheer number of lengthy paragraphs describing the landscape or a fight scene. The scenery I get, but action/fight scenes need to be sharp and short, not blocky and overdrawn.

Another thing I liked was the Devourer. The beast's first proper introduction was splendidly creepy and filled with atmosphere; you really felt like the meeting of some Eldritch horror. The descriptions, the mannerisms, the backstory - I was all about it, especially when the narrative parallels the beast with Adra. Even though its presence looms heavily over the story til the end, the Devourer only has three major scenes: The introduction, a memory flashback via other characters having nightmares about it, and in the one of the last chapters. I found this disappointing, because, as the titular character, I wanted the monster to have more of a physical presence.

As for the story - it felt incomplete. From the beginning, we're just dropped in the middle of the narrative where Adra is well on her revenge journey with only a small exposition dump of why/what she's doing. This threw me so much because I felt like I had opened the book fifty or so pages into the story rather than starting on page one. But then we get to the climax - Adra killing Cameron, who was only introduced in-person, outside of exposition or Adra's murder daydreams, in that same chapter - the falling action pummeled straight into the ground and crashed. We don't get to linger on Adra's conflicted feelings on achieving revenge or the complex feelings that arose between she and Merrin afterwards. Nope, the book just ends with a "Where to next, guys?" There are so many lingering plot threads that were never addressed, like reversing Diana's transformation or the romance between Adra and Quinn, but nothing after Cameron's death indicated that the story could continue pursuing any of them. The narrative just . . . dropped itself right there. I would be baffled if I cared more, but I can't muster the energy to care right now.

All in all, conflicted feelings aside, I would still say there are good qualities from this book. In variety, granted, but there, nonetheless. I don't know if I would properly recommend this book to anyone, but if I meet someone who was absolutely diehard for another pirate story to read, I would point them to this book if they want complex woman leads and good dialogue/interaction.

Thank you to NetGalley, Colored Pages Book Tours and the publisher Page Street YA Publishing.

Due for release on January 7th!

Adra Dantes is determined to get revenge on her brother Cameron after he attacked their pirate father and stole a priceless treasure map. Taking their father’s ship and leaving him a broken man, Cameron vanished and Adra chased. She’s determined to kill him and gain the treasure for herself and her crew (including a woman trapped in the form of a bird). However, Adra’s obsession has led to next to nothing and when an overload of magic begins waking sea monsters from the depths that crush ships, her plans are left in ruins. Catching up to Cameron’s ship, Adra discovers that she hasn’t been chasing him for over a year but instead a proxy: a girl named Quinn who’s been impersonating Cameron since he went missing. Adra and Quinn work together to find Cameron and fulfil the demands of an ancient force known as the Devourer before it sinks even more ships. Forced to go to the very depths of the sea to face the Devourer, Adra soon discovers what exactly Cameron stole and how the treasure is so much bigger than the score she thought it would be.

I really enjoyed this book, it’s a slow burn and the character work is excellent. The fraught relationship between Adra and her missing brother Cameron dominates but I also loved how she connects with members of her crew, particularly Diana the bird and Merrin the magician who risks going blind if she uses her magic, and eventually Quinn. Adra is brave and vicious, determined to find her brother and willing to do anything to get him. The disability representation in this is very well written. She’s also deeply kind and caring, I liked how her obsession started to affect her relationship with her crew members and how her choice to ally with Quinn led to further conflict. The sapphic relationship between Quinn and Adra was one of my favourite parts of ‘The Devourer’, they go from enemies and fighting constantly to determined allies; if they weren’t in so much peril and better at communication, they'd be even more lovely together. All the scenes underwater and with the Devourer were claustrophobic, terrifying and deeply atmospheric. I loved how the Devourer was written and their motivations. I did feel a little like we were dropped into this world without much explanation of the magic system at the beginning, the action is essentially nonstop, but as the book went on the more I loved it. I’m so glad I read this, this is a super enjoyable YA with teenage characters who actually feel their age; the adventure and relationships were so much fun. The brutal and intense cover initially drew me in but I stayed for the excellent story.

I absolutely adored this book. The Devourer blew my expectations out of the water with its fast paced story, strong female characters and it's horrific and enchanting world of pirates, fantasy creatures and magic. I adored Adra and her determination to act on revenge against her brother. Although this was a huge theme within the story there was also so much more to it. Saving the world from the creature called The Devourer who is sinking pirate ships, battling the evil magic released from the veil, finding a mystical and long dead Pirate King to help to save the world. This book is so visually and horrifically graphic and it really helped for me to feel like I was a part of the story. Most of the story was based either on the ship The Worldeater or at sea and even the brief little visit to Dead Man's Cove felt like a trip to Tortuga, I loved the grittiness of Adra's personality yet her love for her crew and her father. I really hope there is more to this story and there will be a book 2 because I want to be thrust back into this world!

A swashbuckingly fantasy adventure which you can automatically tell by that amazing cover. There’s a reviewer that gave this an amazing comparison, it has the pirate energy of “Daughter of the Pirate King” with the dark magic vibes of “The Witcher,” and that sold me and whole heartedly I agree! We have a pirate captain and her goal is to hunt down her half brother who betrayed their family by stealing a treasure map and she has to go through ancient sea monsters and crazy magic and an uneasy rivaled alliance to complete her mission. Nautical fantasy are always so fun in my opinion and this was no exception. look out for this one.

𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩:
⚓️ sapphic ya fantasy
⚓️ pirates
⚓️ oceanic monsters
⚓️ action and suspense

Length: 400p
Source: ARC - TBR & Beyond, NetGalley, Page Street YA
Release Date: January 7, 2025

•••••••
Adra Dantes is a strong willed young pirate who wants nothing more than to hunt down her half brother, Cameron, and find out why he betrayed their family. But magic has begun to awaken monsters in the ocean and Adra, with her crew, must fight for their lives while uncovering a trail of clues and lies.

The premise of this story AND the cover pulled me in. The characters were decently developed, but definitely more on the younger side. Sometimes it was a bit unbelievable that this group of kids were on their own because of that.

We’re both thrown right into the story AND we trudge through almost half the book a bit slowly. Almost too slowly. But once they encounter the Devourer, it definitely picks up and the second half of the story is thrilling!

The romance is sweet and innocent despite the story having its dark moments. Overall I enjoyed the story and I’m looking forward to more stories from Alison Ames.

{I received a complimentary copy of this book. All reviews are my own.} Make sure you head over to https://tbrandbeyondtours.com/ to follow the tour schedule and drop by other hosts!

The Devourer weaves together piratical adventure and revenge into a high seas adventure. With plenty of plot twists and a story core founded on Adra’s determination and drive, I definitely recommend The Devourer to fans of dark fantasy with queer characters.

The worldbuilding of The Devourer was one of the highlights for me—as someone who loves complex, well-thought-out worlds, this one pulled me in immediately. The palpable sense of magic being disturbed and out of equilibrium formed a powerful backbone, and I was drawn profoundly in to even its most minute details. The very setting of this book treads the careful line between fantasy and horror, leaning in the latter direction with the feel of uncanny Irish mythology rather than horror for horror’s sake, making it accessible to fans of both genres.

As someone who prefers fantasy with a romance subplot rather than romance with a side of fantasy, I really enjoyed how Ames balanced the developing relationship between Adra and Quinn with the adventure/revenge plot at the heart of this story, never overtaking the latter. I also appreciated the bevy of strong platonic friendships in this book, particularly those between Adra, Merrin and Diana. I would’ve loved spending more time getting to know Adra at the start of this book, but the strength of the relationships she had with other members of the crew allowed my understanding of her to become stronger as the book moved forward,

A mission for revenge, a stolen map for legendary treasure and pirates! Adrasteia Dantes always knew she wanted to be a pirate captain, she just never expected to be one by seventeen, but when unfortunate events lead to her family being attacked and her father's priceless map being stolen by someone she thought she could trust... Adra has made it her life's mission to not only get the map back but get revenge against the boy she considered her brother. But Adra's path to revenge takes an unexpected turn when she finds her brother's ships destroyed and the crew all dead save for one survivor, a girl who has been leading Adra on a wild goose chase. But this girl could be the key to finding the map... and then there's the issue of the Devourer, an ancient monster that also wants revenge and wants Adra to help her. Can Adra survive the deadly seas and accomplish her mission? This was definitely an interesting pirate story, it really focuses on the revenge storyline and the relationship Adra has with her crew and with the Devourer. It's a bit of a slow build to the story but if you are looking for a pirate adventure I'd say give it a go.

Adra has taken over as captain of her father's ship after her half-brother Cameron stole something, threatened her mother, and took off to rob and pillage everywhere he lands.
We meet Adra and her crew after these events and learn about them pretty quickly at the beginning of the story. Adra is hell-bent on tracking Cameron down and gutting him like a fish. To say she is obsessed would be an understatement. We meet a lot of the crew of Worldbreaker Adra's ship, and not too far into the story we locate Cameron's ship which has been destroyed along with a few others everyone has perished except Quinn, the lone survivor who leads her to figure out something in the sea is destroying the ships, and anyone on the sea could be next.

While I enjoyed learning about Adra, her crew, and what was going on with the ships I did find the first half to be quite slow. Adra and her crew read a bit young, but they are all between 16 and 18 so once I realize that (it states it in the beginning but I skipped right over it) the way they act makes a bit more sense. But once we hit chapter 16 we got to meet the Devourer and my interest peaked and I became reinvested in the story. After this point, the tension ramps up, and they are off to get what they need to stop the Devourer, and hopefully Adra will be able to get Cameron at the same time.
I did enjoy that last half immensely. Alison Ames isn't afraid to kill off characters or go a bit on the darker side, and I felt it was true to the characters and the direction the story was going.

It took a long time to get to the end and really, as an adult reader of YA, I figured it was something as emotional as it was and aligned with folkloric elements. And the buildup was different than what I expected-- I think I was looking for a witty heroine a la [book:Seafire|37822534] as a female pirate hellbent on revenge or sassy like [book:Dread Nation|30223025] battling injustices but instead Adra was a bit of a complex character that I was more annoyed with than aligned with and that probably affected my reading.

I also needed more action/adventure than I got for the number of pages. I'd have a hard time selling it to a teen in my library where I'd go with a few of the aforementioned titles or the curiousness of [author:Patrick Ness|370361].