I really loved this totally unique book! It raises really interesting questions of knowledge vs information, found family vs blood, and social conformity vs independent thought.

I just could not persuade myself to be into this one. All the information came to me too late, or so it seemed, while I was reading. The characters were both interesting and truly bizzare. I feel this could be successfully marketed into the right reader, but I was not it.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Wow. This book. Devon is a book eater who is part of a family who eats books to survive. The family set up they have is super messed up and women (no surprise) get the bad end of the deal by being forced into arranged marriages and forced to give their children up after birth.

Devon gives birth to a mind eater. Her son needs human minds to eat to survive.

That alone is an interesting set up and then it just gets even more involved from there which leads to a book you can’t put down. I devoured it (pun intended). I hope there’s a sequel!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4668241658?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

an interesting debut! felt like it could have been shorter in places but an intriguing concept for sure. Will def check out more by Dean.

This supernatural fantasy focuses on the main character's rebellion against the patriarchal and cult-like family and her relationships with her children. As a book eater and mother of a mind eater, she does what she can keep her child alive and we see her using horrific violence to protect him. In the process we see interesting characters and an inventive construct. The ideas behind the story and how the characters cope with their lives is the most interesting part of the story, even if some of the characters have little depth other than as stereotypical bullies. In many ways I felt like I was reading a book that was really and "escape from a cult" narrative. Readers might have problems with violence, patriarchy, and bullying. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but didn't love it.

This unusual book introduces a secret lineage of people, human like but not human, Gothic horror, vampirism, and mother-child relationship and ties it together in a well written, intriguing story. It grabs you right from the beginning and will hold your attention through to the end.

What an amazing journey! A not-your-typical vampire book (an aspect that reminded me of a children's book I love) mixed with complex family relations and a well-developed setting is awaiting you should you give this book a chance. I can certainly see where it will be a DNF for many (especially if you don't like patriarchal societies and death), but I also see it being a many readers' Top 10 for the year.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.

An incredible supernatural fantasy novel about vampire-like creatures who, instead of subsisting on blood, subsist on books. Devon is a Book Eater trying to keep her young son alive even as they run from their past. But Devon has more up her sleeve than it first appears and as she's drawn deeper into a web of lies and family politics, she proves to be a more dangerous element than any of the men in her life could've expected. Absolutely unputdownable.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to pre-read this book and share my opinions on it.

This is not at all what I was expecting. The cover is so sweet and charming and whimsical, and I loved the idea of creating a race of people who use books as their sustenance. It seemed to be a book for book lovers - what reader doesn’t see their books as treasures that are just as important as food? Or what reader hasn’t savored the sweet and savory flavors of their favorite genres, or scrunched up their nose at something dry and unappealing? We all retain information from the books we consume, too, so I assumed this would be all about that magical connection between books and readers.

Nope!

This was pitch-dark, full of grisly violence and horrifically oppressive patriarchy, a child that feasts on human brains (including the occasional baby, for heaven’s sake) and featured a romance so forced that it would have been funny were it not for the wanton bloodshed that surrounded it on all sides. The cover almost made it look like a children’s book, so I was expecting something full of sparkle and wit and charm, and I think my disappointment in what we ended up with instead was an insurmountable obstacle, no matter how hard I tried to manage my expectations.

Two stars because I liked the concept as it was presented, not as it was executed, and the writing itself was clean and precise, even if it wasn’t particularly memorable. If the marketing for this book was more consistent with the actual tone of the story, I at the very least would have known what to expect… and probably would have been able to figure out that it’s just not for me.

A pair of fantastical creatures sure to captivate the avid reader inhabit the world of <i>The Book Eaters</i>: book eaters and mind eaters. The former delight in the consumption of the written word: books, maps, articles, pamphlets, newspapers... paper products of all kinds. The latter have a far more sinister, but fascinating, palate pleaser: brains, filled with all of their thoughts, personality traits, and memories. The story centers on Devon, a book eater mother, and Cai, her mind eater son, who are on the run in an attempt to save Cai’s life from the patriarchal and ancient Families.

The good:
The book’s world-building is super intriguing. Devon’s descriptions of the different flavors of various types of books is so inviting, it makes you wish you could sink your teeth into an aged leather bound classic. The world of the Families is also fascinating: luxurious, cultish, reclusive, patriarchal, and sinister. I have never read another story with creatures quite like the book eaters, and the mind eater take on vampirism is also fresh and new. The story is action-packed, and the many flashbacks don’t detract from the pacing or make you feel like you’re slogging through chapter after chapter of plot set-up.

The not-so-good:
World of the story aside, I had a problem with character believability. Many of Devon’s choices seemed haphazard, and her rapid (borderline “at-first-sight”) attachment to certain characters drew plenty of eyerolls from me. Cai never had a chance to develop his own personality for readers to get attached to before being washed over in a deluge of subsumed (consumed?) personalities from his victims. Other characters weren’t fleshed out enough to either like or hate - they were just there to further the plot. In the end, so many threads were left untied that it felt like I was midway through a delicious book meal… only to have it yanked out of my hands.

I know I will be in the minority on this one. The world of <i>The Book Eaters</i> is that good - it will garner fans despite its hasty ending and sketchy characters. While the book didn’t live up to what I hoped it could be, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes their fantasy contemporary, their mood dark, and their plots fast-paced.

I got very hooked on this story right from the start. The Book Eaters was shocking, engaging, and everything I look for when reading something in the sci-fi/fantasy genre. There were moments that were a bit repulsive, but they also hooked me in. The story has a morally gray tone that I enjoy - sometimes I agree with Devon and sometimes the choices she makes make my eyes widen. But it's all in the lens you view her actions, which is so gripping. The idea of being "good" is mentioned so much that it does make you question what and who is "good."

I wasn't as much of a fan of the societal norms for the Book Eaters and the way Devon is treated within it. I see how it got her to the point that she is and how it adds to her character, but I also think there were elements of it that felt a bit too controlling.

(Also, bonus points for all the representation in this book!)

A deadpan contemporary gothic about love, loss, and compromise where even monsters have something to fear.

The biggest ever 'thank you' to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the digital ARC of 'The Book Eaters' by Sunyi Dean.

I cannot fully express how much I loved this book. 'The Book Eaters' has been on my list of 'books I need' ever since I read a description about a secret group of people that feed on books, and retain the knowledge, and there is an more sinister group out there that feeds on human minds.

I was excited to see how this author described this new way of consuming knowledge, and I absolutely fell in love with Devon, and Cai throughout this book. When I got to the last page all I could think was that I didn't want their story to end... they have created the perfect little family, with the exception of the one that is still missing.

I think I've already told every person I possibly could that they need to pre-order and read this book. I am so impatient to have my own copy of this book to love and re-read. 5/5

I really enjoyed this one, especially as a debut novel. I love the queer identity discovery of it and the stories within stories are wonderful.

Loved this fast-paced book and the edgy, varied characters who populate its pages. I'm definitely on board to read the next book in this series. The whole world is just a little counter to reality, which made it easy to follow while still being engaging and fantastical.

The Book Eaters is a wonderfully weird, spooky, and thrilling read with great characters and a unique story that will make you think. If you love fantasy/fiction stories that are one of a kind then this is a must-read. The book is written beautifully and is great for adults and YA readers as well. Even if younger readers can't pick up on the social issues symbolized in the book it'll still be a fun, important, and memorable read for them they'll surely come back to it later. It's an adult fantasy but I think it's a good choice for older teens too.


Thank you for the ARC!

this was extremely creepy and well-written, but it did feel a bit disorganized at times. Sunyi Dean is a very talented writer.

This book was surprising but in a good way. I knew I had to read it from the synopsis. And it did not disappoint. This is one I have already recommended to everyone that would listen.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. I will update Netgalley once I read & review a physical copy.

My review will be based on the physical ARC I read.

After reading this book, I wish I could sink my teeth into its pages. A fairytale in its own right, the Book Eaters is a convincing account of what someone is capable of doing for love. It might not be a knight in shining armor kissing the sleeping princess, but Sunyi Dean weaves a tale asking simply, are you a good person?

This is one of my first reads in the horror genre, and it was thoroughly enjoyed. There were some mechanics that I didn’t understand 100%, but it wasn’t distracting and I don’t think it detracts from the story to not have every detail and explanation of the world.

The pacing and time shifts really helped to keep me engaged and questioning, now what? I feel like I have a better understanding of what it means to be a mother, how generational trauma manifests, and I appreciated the slight queer representation.