4.5 ⭐️

This book was delightful! I wasn't sure whether to expect something comical or dark going in, because it can really go either way for a vampire romance, but this one did both in equal measure. Ruby and her twin sister Ripley are living in one of the last human compounds in a world filled with vampires, and the only thing they know is that the vampires must be taken out so the humans can survive. When Ripley becomes the very thing they've been fighting against for their whole lives, Ruby decides to join forces with the enemy to save her.

X, number one on the most-wanted vampires list, was so swoony. Think Stefan Salvatore, constantly fighting his instincts to kill and trying to save the humanity in all of the vampires. He was protective, strong, and smart, but he also wasn't afraid to ask for help when he needed it or take it when offered. So basically he was kind of perfect. Ruby was outspoken and rash, but also incredibly brave. She was constantly fighting against the brainwashing that she had endured for years under the hands of her trainers, and was always willing to risk herself to save the people she loved. They made a pretty formidable team when it came to making the world a better place again.

The twists at the end caught me so off guard! I didn't see any of them coming. The action was nonstop and the real villains were revealed at just the right time. It didn't end on a massive cliffhanger thankfully, but I still can't wait for book 2 in the future to see what happens next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! I got it to participate in the Entangled Insiders readalong, and I'm so glad I did.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC and for hosting the readalong of The Ground That Devours Us. This YA dystopian fantasy was an entertaining, fast-paced read with strong Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Last of Us energy.
Ruby and her twin sister are vampire slayers, trained since childhood to protect their compound from the vampire threat. I enjoyed the dynamic between the sisters and the unexpected complexity introduced when they come face to face with two of the most wanted vampires in the world.

The banter was excellent, the world-building vivid and immersive, and the pacing held my attention throughout. I especially loved the blend of action and romance — the enemies-to-lovers trope was executed in a fun and compelling way. The romance never overshadowed the stakes, and I appreciated Ruby’s fierce determination and voice.

This was a solid 4-star read for me, and I’ll definitely be watching for more from Kalla Harris!

The world ended 10yrs ago. Vampires took over in all forms. Twin sisters are taken in by a compund leader, and raised to be slayers. Yet, have all the stories been true? is death and killing the only options? When Ruby's sister (ripley) gets turned to a vamp, and unlikely partnership is formed. Ruby wants protection for her sister while finding a cure. Does she loathe "X"? absolutely. Is this against ever slayer code? of course! Yet there isnt anything she wouldn't do for her sister.

""tell me then, if you're so sure. Tell me who I am" his nose touches mine. without hesitation, he says "a pain in my ass. a thron in my side. I hate all humans, but you might be the most annoying one I've ever met".

This YA dystopian post- apocalyptic fantasy will have you hooked from the first chapter. it is steady paced, with believable characters and growth. if forbidden attraction and morally grey is a fave trope, you will eat this up! At first it really wanted to hate X. yet, I ended up loving him, and resonating alot with Ruby herself on how she felt responsible for perfecting her family. I read this in a readalong/buddy read...i couldn't put it down and ended up reading ahead. This book touches on loyalties, family, friendships, love, and how sometimes how to balance them all isn't so cut and dry. amazing read, highly recommend!!

This book put me back in my vampire era and I'm loving it!
The banter is bantering, the plot was plotting and the characters were realistic.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me and ARC of this! It did not influence this review and all opinions are my own.

I read this book as part of my first ever read-along and I loved it. It’s brutal and emotional, a good mixture of angst and hope. I love how much the main characters’ emotions are explored, and it’s a really good detailed account of grief and love. One of the main points of the stories is that we are the only ones responsible for our happiness, and I feel like it addressed prejudice in such an intricate and thought provoking way. It was a fun read and I found that it flowed really well for me, so I was able to finish it quite quickly.

This book is a good mix of iZombie & The Walking Dead (but with vampires), and it’s an addicting dystopian novel with hints of romance and fantasy.

Rating: 4/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

I picked up my book on chapter 15 last night and didn't put it down till it was finished. That ought to tell you something at least!
I'll be honest when I first started this one I wasn't entirely sure that I was going to be the intended audience. But I'm glad I kept going cause I actually really enjoyed this book overall!
The twist had me reeling! I expected more deaths than there were, and look, yes I'm happy about that! I loved the changing dynamic between the FMC and the MMC, and though I'm trying to avoid spoilers it's actually REALLY HARD because I want to talk about what I just read now.
It was great, very unique story. Kinda wish I had a little more.
Maybe a book two?

This was such a fun read, I devoured it! I enjoyed the post-apocalyptic vampire world and loved watching the characters grow and explore the question of what really makes a someone a monster? Definitely would recommend giving this book a read!

Thank you to entangled publishing and NetGalley for the ARC copy!

4 / 5 🌟
0.5 / 5 🌶️
🎧 enjoyable narrator

This book was such a fun quick read. Fast paced. Lots of action. Great listen as an audiobook. It’s the end of the world as we know it. Humanity is gone. Vampires abound and Humans are just trying to survive. The Ground that Devours is set in Charlotte NC (so fun to read for anyone who lives here!) and follows twin sisters Ruby and Ripley who are training as Vampire Slayers. On their final mission which allows them to become full fledged slayers and enter the Hunt, they encounter the cities most notorious vampire X who turns Ripley into a vampire and kills most of the mission squad. Ruby wants her sister back and has to make an unlikely partnership with X.

This is a YA so there’s minimal spice, and rather focused on chemistry and banter (love that he calls her Little Gem!). The story is well developed for a standalone. It explores themes of good vs evil, humanity and empathy, and the bond among blood and chosen family.

Many thanks to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for this arc.

#YA #VampiresVsHumans #dystopian #EndoftheWorld #DebutAuthor

This was such an enjoyable YA, dystopian, vampire read! Lots of action and great banter between the FMC and MMC.

Ruby has seen how vampires have ruined humankind. Now, trained as a slayer, she’s ready to help the commune and fight against vampires. But when her sister, Ripley, is turned into a vampire, Ruby does what she can to save her while realizing that maybe there’s more humanity in the vampires than she thought.

This story kept my interest right from the start with its action and fast pace. There’s a little gore but nothing too intense since it’s YA. One of the best parts is definitely X since he’s such a complex character. I found Ruby to be slightly annoying at times but it could possibly be because I’m not the target audience.

I’d highly recommend this to anyone looking for something with Buffy, Vampire Diaries, and Last of Us vibes.

Thank you to Entangled for the gifted copy!

Rating/Recommend:
4⭐️/1🌶️/Yes

My thoughts:

This was a really great book. It’s a dystopian vampire YA. The storyline is really well done. There’s action, cute banter, and moments of sadness. I think X & Ruby were a super cute couple. This would be a great read for teens. (Or anyone that loves YA)
X reminded me a little of Spike from Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Ruby was just a badass.

Tropes:
- vampire MMC x human vampire slayer FMC
- found family
- morally grey characters
- reluctant allies
- vampire apocalypse
- sibling loyalty

CW: a kiss or two. Some dark humor. Death of loved ones + grief.

This book was such a fun read! Think zombie apocalypse.....but with vampires. And the vampires can retain their humanity if they want to. And the leader of the vampires is INSANELY hot?!?!?! Everything about this book was a yes for me; the banter, the cut it with a knife tension, the fierce loyalties....omg! Chef's kiss!!

This book was SO good—it was 100% worth the binge! 😍
Thank you @entangled_publishing for the ecopy of this book!
Let’s just say I finished before the readalong even got going 👀💨

If you're a fan of sharp banter and irresistible chemistry, the main duo in this one totally gave me vibes of:
✨ Xaden & Violet (Fourth Wing)
✨ Graves & Wren (The Wren in the Holly Library)
✨ Wren & Cross (Silver Elite)

Trust me—you’re gonna want to meet this couple 👏🔥

2.5-3⭐️
This was fun! I liked the premise and the apocalypse was really cool but i was a little confused because it was initially introduced as a sort of disease outbreak but then the vampires have magic??? It wasn’t explained properly and i couldn’t really move past it 😭 i also wasn’t a fan of the love interest being the guy that killed her sister…. Especially because no one knows if they’ll come back as a vampire or a blood walker so it’s not like he knew she’d be fine… I’m not sure how you move past that 😭 but yeah, the writing was good but i think it just felt short because the world wasn’t really developed, the romance was deffo the main plot and that unfortunately weakened it for me :(

I am aware that it’s a YA so I’m not the target audience and if i read this as a teen i probably would’ve had less qualms but as of now, it wasn’t for me!

This is a dark dystopian fantasy in a post apocalyptic setting. Reminds me of the walking dead, but with vampires thrown into the mix. This is a really fast paced read with a great writing style and lots of witty banter. Our FMC, Ruby, is a twin, who was rescued at a young age by the leader of one of the surviving human communities and both twins are training to be slayers. Ruby’s twin Ripley is a softer personality who wonders if the vampires aren’t as bad as they’re made out to be and if there’s a better way of living. A violent encounter with our MMC, X, notorious vampire killing machine ends up making Ruby re-think everything she’s been taught and believes. Overall a really compelling story and I enjoyed it!

Thanks entangled publishing for the ebook and to participate in the read along!

This is an ARC review. I want to thank Kalla Harris and Entangled Publishing for allowing me the chance to read this book ahead of release day! This book easily rose on my one day binge worthy books! One book I would gladly absolutely read again and again!

Ruby & Rip are the sisters I wish I had! They are fiercely loyal and protective of each other. You see this time and time again throughout the book. Ruby shows just how brave she is countless times of as a human fighting against vampires with special abilities she still fights for her mission to save her sister. Who comes to find out has found she has fully found herself in the best way possible!

X showed to be the leader any and everyone vampire or not should follow. His drive to help those he loves and follows him are an estimate to a true leader. Unlike Barnett, Ruby and Rip’s “father”/commander of their compound, who is an absolute terror and overall horrible person. I have very strong negative feelings about him as a whole. I cannot express how much I dislike him and all who worked on floor seven! They can all eat dirt.

Ruby and X clearly team up and have their own ups and downs of trust with each other which causes tension. There’s ever growing sexual tension between the two and I couldn’t have been more happy when they finally decided neither one of them cared if one was a vampire or not. They both were able to grow so much of just seeing the other side in a different light.

It couldn’t have ended any better and what I had hoped for all along. I won’t spoil it but I will say I hope that their community shines as bright as the bioluminescent mushrooms.

This book was such a blast to read! The fmc gave me total Wednesday Addams vibes—dark, witty, and just a little mischievous. I loved the mix of eerie atmosphere, sharp banter, and just the right amount of tension. It’s the kind of vampire story that pulls you in and makes you not want to put it down. Honestly, so much fun!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC!!

The Ground that Devours Us by Kalla Harris
4.7⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (rounded up to a 5)
Spice: 0.4/5
Cursing: little
Format/Source: ebook ARC from NetGalley, EntangledPublishing
Genres/Tropes: fantasy, dystopian, vampires, enemies to lovers
Settings: Charlotte, NC
Audience: Adult
Characters: Ruby, Ripley, X, Ginger, Sigmund, Barnett, Marjorie, Scar Eye, Monroe
Quotes: "Manipulation isn't love." - Ripley
👍 short chapters, vampires and slayers, nickname "little gem," twist, storyline, dystopian vampire story, world building, characters invoke strong feelings, twins, fast-paced
👎 can't think of anything

Description:
The world ended ten years ago.
Vampires showed up, took over, and turned the whole planet into their personal all-you-can-drink buffet.
At least I had one thing going for me—slayer training. My twin sister, Ripley, and I were about to go pro to do something about the whole “undead overlords” situation.
And then X had to show up. The vampire boogeyman. And instead of killing Ripley, he turned her. Now she’s technically a vamp, but something tells me my sister is still in there.
What can I do? Strike a deal with the most dangerous vampire on the planet: X will protect Ripley from everyone else who wants her dead—like, really dead—until I can snag the cure for vampirism. The catch? Risking my own head to help him free his BFF from the very slayers who taught me everything.

My opinion:
Kalla pens a fun dystopian vampire novel that is fast-paced with an unexpected twist. It gave me Buffy vibes with a hint of TWD. The world building was new and interesting, but also not overwhelming. The short chapters made for an effortless read. The characters were written so well that I had very strong feelings towards them. Twins have always been a favorite of mine, and Ruby and Rip don't disappoint. I always love reading a book with characters who love to read and MMC did so in this book! The nickname "Little Gem" was so appropriate. I truly appreciated that there was very little cursing to polluted the storyline. I was thoroughly entertained by this novel and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys vampire stories.
#bookstagram #arcreader #booklovers #netgalley #vampirebooks #booktok #kallaharris
***I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

This was such a good read! The Ground that Devours Us reignited my love for the dystopian genre. Jam packed with action, witty one liners, and romantic tension. I could not put this down and have a ravenous hunger for more.

“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐫:
#𝟏. 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 (𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐯𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞).
#𝟐. 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝.
𝐀𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡. 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞-𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫.”

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 6/3/25

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: Ruby and her twin sister Ripley are training to be official Vampire Slayers in a world where Vamps and Bloodsuckers have taken over. When a mission goes terribly wrong, Ruby is forced to team up with a wanted and dangerous vampire names X. They have to learn to work together (and not kill each other first) in order to find a cure for vampirism.

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
🩸Buffy meets Walking Dead
🧟‍♂️Enemies x Lovers
🩸YA Dystopian Fantasy
🧟‍♂️ Vampire Hunter/Vampire Alliance
🩸 Found Family

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Yowza! Another fantastic debut novel! This YA dystopian fantasy was so fun to read and engaging. I loved the relationships Ruby had in the Vaille and learning about X and the vampires themselves. The relationship between X and Ruby was tense, raw, and genuine. Despite feeling a bit rushed at the end, the twists thrown in were classic. 👌🏻
Highly recommend adding this one to your TBR!

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.75/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

*Thank you @NetGalley and @EntangledTeen for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#TheGoundThatDevoursUs

This gave me the 2000's dystopian vibes I have been missing! I really liked the quick pace, the slow burn, and the character development.