Review – Devour (Anthology)

So, as this is an anthology, I will review the stories as I read them.
I’m so spoiled with these stories in this anthology, I have found new authors and new series to read *sigh* so good!

Worship Me by Aurelia Jane and Kel Carpenter
I was so happy when Kel and Aurelia told us Adora would have her own story!
I loved it! It’s short (but not too short); it also has the required romance and action (but not too much).
It was well written with no (noticeable) errors, and there was some heat (if that is important to you.
A delightful read, I pretty much love every book they write, but it just feels like they get better and better (happy me!).

Supernatural Syndicate by Amelia Hutchins
At the moment, I have a love/hate relationship with the books the author is writing. Some are so good, and others just aren’t. This one falls in the middle. The story’s premise is great and has potential, but the story itself does not make sense. Questionable events happen without any reason or explanation, characters behaving one way and then totally different the next we see them,… The heat level was scorching but felt impersonal.
The characters and story have amazing potential (and, of course, I love Raithe), but I think (a lot) more editing needs to be done.
This story isn’t finished, so not sure if there will be a continuation.

Dark Alleys and Bad Ideas by Michelle Hercules
I loved this novella!!!!! This is the setup for the spinoff, but it reminded me that I really need to bump up the Blueblood Vampires novels in my tbr pile.
Conor (a vampire in the Red Guard) and Jill (a human detective) have sizzling chemistry, and while, at first, they don’t want to be near one another, they will find that fate has something special in store for them. Even in this short novella, I have to say, I loved the writing, character development, and overall vibe. The heat level was HOT 😀
Yes… I need more blueblood vampires in my life!

Ashes and Wine by May Sage as Emm Darcy and Alexi Blake
Another novella that I loved (wow, I’m so spoiled in this anthology!). What’s not to love? We have fae princes, captured brides, and deals that you need to think about from all angles cause the fae are crafty! I loved the worldbuilding and the characters. The heat level was hot (and sweet at the same time). While not overly much happened, we got to know Lili and Vaemon a fair bit, and I can’t wait to read more about them in upcoming novels!

The Candle and Blade by C.N. Crawford and Linsey Hall
A short novella by CN Crawford and Linsey Hall… and I absolutely loved it!
I didn’t want it to end. I want to read more about Sion, Selene/Lilian and York, and Brioc.
If someone knows where I might read more of this… please let me know!
The characters are interesting and feel very alive. While we don’t know much about Sion, except a bit of how he ended up here, we learn quite a bit about Lilian (who, tbh, might be more than she seems). The interactions are good, fun, and well-detailed. There is a tiny bit of spice, but it feels more like a teaser of things to come 🙂
I just really, really enjoyed this little snippet. I would read the hell out of a book about these characters 😀

Twisted Fates by Hannah McBride
I haven’t read anything by the author but I really liked this novella!
I want to warn you, though, if you haven’t read the Blackwater Pack series, and you might want to in the future, skip this for now, as it has spoilers (it takes place after the series, I think). I haven’t read the series, but the first book, Sanctum, is now on my evergrowing TBR pile 😀
I liked the characters a lot; they had depth and felt alive. Sierra has a lot of baggage from what she has done, so we know a little more about her than we do about Kace. The interactions were well written; the scenes were detailed enough, and even without knowing a single thing about the series, I got to know the relevant information about what went down.
As I’ve said, I will surely be visiting this series again in the future!

Elemental Storms by Elle Middaugh
It took me a bit to get into the story, but when I did… god, I love mythology and bringing gods (and goddesses) into the ‘real’ world 😀
Sienna is hoping against hope that this last-ditch effort will get her what she truly desires: resurrecting her parents. She has been in a downward spiral ever since they died, and this is the last thing she can try… well, except going over to the dark side.
What she doesn’t bargain for are four gods, Dion, Seth, Ares, and Loki, to step out of a portal and want to experience her world in return for a meeting with Hades.
I enjoyed reading this crossover novella between the Essential Elements and the Storms of Blackwood world. The characters were interesting, the scenes were well-written, and it was a great read once I got into the story. As I apparently already have the first book in the Storms of Blackwood series, that one has been bumped up on my reading list. If you love mythology, you have to read it!

Fake Date with a Demon by Bec McMaster
Yes, Yes, Yessss!!! This is what I love reading 😀 😀
*sigh* I wish there was more…(except for the first book in the Claimed by the Demon series, Prince of Ruin)
Azeroth, the demon who is apparently also the bogeyman to other demons, and Tayla, a techno witch exiled from her coven, make such a great couple! I mean… this novella was hot as hell 😀 I loved the characters. They were exciting and had depth to them, even in this very short story. The writing was good, the scenes were detailed and clear, and it sucked me in. Alas, it was over before I knew it. Needless to say, I will be following this author for more!

Hunted Dragon by Jen L. Grey
As I’ve come to expect from the author, another great story, or rather, a prequel to a series I wasn’t aware of, “The Marked Dragon Prince Trilogy.”
Join Prince Thorn, his nanny Cassie and the assassin Vlad in what will be bound to be a crucial character-building moment in Prince Thorn’s life.
This prequel was very well written, with interesting characters and a touch of romance. It made me want to start reading the actual series right away to know how things continued 😀 I can’t gush or reveal more, as that would be spoiling, but seriously, if you love dragon shifters, fated mates, and all that good stuff… pick it up!

Death’s Kiss by SK Reign
Ah, how bittersweet this prequel was. Love is growing between a reaper-like woman and a man.
For some reason, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but this felt so damn wholesome (well… as can be, of course).
Compelling characters, a good narrative, and my heart in need of a break to glue it back together…
This story is the setup for Doom & Destiny, which comes out in November 2023, and which, of course, I will be reading!