Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for sending me this advanced reader copy!
This books had sapphics and pirates ( perfect for me). I don’t normally read pirate books so I couldn’t understand some terminology but I still pretty much enjoyed this book. I liked the sapphic relationship and wished we saw more of that in the end. The plot was good and I liked where the story went.

At that moment, I felt it wasn't the right fit for me. However, I believe that in the future, I might consider exploring it again. It's possible that the timing will be more suitable, allowing me to approach it with a fresh mindset and renewed interest.

I don't know what went wrong from me with this one. I think the pacing was a little off and I didn't get into the story. It was okay, the characters were interesting and I liked the premise but in the end I didn't really care. The plot felt a bit messy and I didn't know where it was going and it just felt a bit flat in the end. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for it, so it didn't work for me...

The Devourer was my first Alison Ames book, but it will not be my last! First, I just have to mention how much I am obsessed with this cover. It is so captivating, makes me mind go nuts with imagination, feel horrifying and awe-inspiring all in one, and really just makes this look like a book I need to read. I loved the premise of this story and was really excited to dive in, and it ended up being a really entertaining read.

I am someone who's totally afraid of the open ocean. I think the ocean is awesome in the awe-inspiring sense and I have immense respect for it, and that's why I fear it, so this book really hit some notes on that that felt so terrifying to me, but also deeply riveting. I really enjoyed Adra's story and following her interactions with the crew and being a leader; I felt that Ames did really well with all of those aspects. The pacing felt fairly consistent overall, and I appreciated that there was a really nice balance of some horror, some humor, some romance, and some other great elements in there. This was a really great time for me, full of adventure and thrills, and I look forward to reading more from Alison Ames in the future!

Thank you to Page Street Publishing | Page Street YA and NetGalley for allowing me to read this! Five out of five stars. The Devourer, to put it lightly, absolutely devoured me. I meant to spend the day at a museum, running around to visit different exhibits. Instead, I found my attention more tied to the book in my hand, Adra trying to help her sister, avenge her father, destroy her brother, and somehow??? get the girl while saving the world.

I loved the form that magic took here, and the discussions of power, consent, and culpability, as well as the relationships between Adra and her crew. I look forward to reading more by this author!

The Devourer is a great tense pirate story. One of revenge, of trusted bonds, and of womanhood.

Adrasteia Dantes will get revenge on her half-brother, Cameron, no matter what it takes. But when a magical unknown power is destroying pirate ships, Adra must pause her pursuit to save her own ship and quite possibly the world.

Alison Ames writes a wonderful pirate story with magic, consequences, and the strange yet unbreakable bond between women. The bonds between Adra and her crew as well as Adra and the Devourer are well written and gripping. Each moment feels real and emotional. Not to mention Alison Ames sets a scene and tone wonderfully. The fear I felt while the crew attempts to walk the bottom of the ocean was unparalleled.

Thank you NetGalley and Page Street Publishing for the chance to read this YA fantasy! Thank you Alison Ames for this fabulous pirate story! All thoughts and opinions above are my own.

While this is a YA book, it certainly doesn’t read like one. Adra is on the hunt to find her brother, who brutally beat their father and took a map that would lead to treasures of legend. This world is mixed with magic and lore about old gods. Lots of drama and emotions as not only is Adra captain of the Worldeater, her father’s ship, but close to Merrin, the quartermaster and second in command. The twists and turns this story takes really kept me turning pages. If you like pirates, high seas adventures and otherworldly beings, you should check this book out.

I love Alison Ames. Her novels are filled with so much color and spark. The premise for this novel is so interesting, and I would enjoy some more adventures in this world. The characters in this novel felt a bit one note, and we didn’t get to see a lot of growth from our main characters, or depth from the secondary characters.

I had a great time reading The Devourer. The mix of adventure, magic, and revenge really kept me hooked. Adra is a character with a lot of depth—her quest for vengeance felt raw, but I appreciated the complexity of her journey. The magical elements, from cursed beings to sea monsters, added a thrilling layer to the story that made every twist feel unpredictable.

The world felt immersive, and I could practically smell the saltwater and feel the tension of the open sea. The balance of action, emotion, and a bit of humor was done really well too. It made the high stakes and dark themes feel even more impactful.

Definitely a ride worth taking if you’re into adventurous stories with a touch of magic and grit.

alison ames has this speciality blend of banter / gore / horror / disgusting images / sapphic romance / quirky teens that no one else is doing. she has cornered the market.
this one turned down the horror scale in favor of piracy, which is not a trade i'm mad at.
it was VERY convincingly pirate vibes, although for some reason the price of admission to a ship populated solely by vengeful youth (free band name idea) appears to be that the romance and relationships weren't as great.
but it had villainous fish-creatures and awful magic and consuming revenge plots and that's good enough for me!

I was hooked from the first page and thought it worked with the cover and description. The plot was everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the oceanic element. The characters were everything that I wanted and enjoyed going on this journey with them. Alison Ames has a strong writing style and was glad I got to read this.

Thank you to Negalley for providing me with an ARC of this story.

I'd expected pirates of the Caribbean and got way more than that. I really liked Adra as a character but I don't really care for many of her actions in the novel. I think Merry was my favorite character overall so I was really upset with what happened to her. I genuinely don't think she deserved it and shouldn't have listened to Adra. I'm unsure how to feel about Quinn and more importantly, how I feel about Adra and Quinn together. Their dynamic was a bit toxic if I'm being honest. I did enjoy the magical world building aspects though. I think that made up for the fact that the characters weren't up to my standards. That being said, the actually Devourer itslef was a bit of a let down. I thought she would be following the crew more (and she was to an extent) but I thought she would help them or jump in and start fighting with them but that didn't happen.

When I saw an Alison Ames book meets pirates and something that lurks beneath the waves I was already captivated. Not only are they searching for a legendary treasure, there's this magical current and terrifying danger from the depths. As someone who's afraid of the ocean, The Devourer was a daytime read for me. But, if you're like me, not to fear because there's this distinct sense of fantasy - leaning a little horror - which won't make me second guess dipping my feet in the ocean. The Devourer is action packed, full of pirates, and danger.

3.75 ⭐️

🌈 Rainbow Ratings:
Representation: 7
Atmosphere: 7
Intrigue: 7
Narrative: 7
Build-up: 7
Originality: 8
Wow Factor: 8

This book was extremely dynamic and kept me intrigued. The tension, the rivalry, the revenge all added so many layers to this story that made it beyond enjoyable.

Thanks to TBR & Beyond Tours, Colored Pages Book Tours, the author, and Page Street YA for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Queer pirates, revenge and monster horror, oh my! I enjoyed this story of found family and female rage. I stepped out of my typical type of stories with this one, this is my very first YA horror. I love a pirate story (please recommend some to me in the comments!) and equally I love the found family trope. I think where this one kind of faltered a bit for me is because the plot didn’t feel fully flushed out. Yes, Adra is solely focused on finding her half-brother Cameron and kill him, but it is unclear why she wants to do so. Cameron didn’t kill anyone, yes he attacked her dad and stole something from him (not very nice of him). I would have loved for a better explanation of Adra and Cameron’s childhood to find out what is the backstory here that lead us to this story. I think ultimately I just wanted a little bit more from the story. There is a side plot of romance between two girls in this story (yay for sapphic pirates), but the focus of the book is definitely the fantasy aspects. I personally prefer the ratio of mostly fantasy to some romance so I enjoyed this aspect.

This was a great read! There's magic, revenge, romance, humor, warmth, loyalty, sacrifice and much more! The author does a wonderful job of blending all of that together for a fun, emotional and entertaining story. The main character is one that you probably won't like from time to time but you will be able to understand her. She isn't perfect. She definitely has flaws but that always makes me like them even more! This was a great adventure. Thank you Tbr and Beyond Tours and Alison Ames for sharing this book with me!

The Devourer has an interesting concept about a queer pirate captain and her crew on the search for revenge. While the captain of the story had a clear aim of her destination, the story itself seemed to drift of course more than I would have liked. At times it just felt mudded and like it wasn’t sure what to do next. Also the characters didn’t work for me. There’s no character growth for the main character, because being rude and feeling sorry for herself was just her whole personality. I didn’t DNF the book because I hoped it would get better, and there were some really good parts that I enjoyed. But overall The Devourer was a less than exciting pirate adventure.

The Devourer by Alison Ames is a YA pirate fantasy with a splash of horror and a strong female-centric cast. While it has a compelling premise and some genuinely creepy moments, it fell short of its potential in a few key areas, making it an overall decent but not standout read for me.

The story drops readers into the middle of Adra’s journey, with her captaining her father’s ship in a quest to find her brother Cameron. However, much of the emotional toll this journey has taken is told rather than shown, which made it hard to connect with the characters or fully invest in the stakes. Adra’s internal struggle between vengeance and being a good captain is interesting but feels a little one-dimensional at times.

While I enjoyed the dynamic between Adra and her first mate Merrin, as well as the tension with the Cameron impostor Quinn, the other side characters felt underdeveloped and flat. As for the pirate aspect, the story doesn’t delve much into their actual pirate activities beyond their pursuit of Cameron, which felt like a missed opportunity to explore their world further. That said, the scenes featuring The Devourer were the strongest part of the book. The creature brought a foreboding sense of dread and horror that was both thrilling and engaging, and I wish more of the story had focused on this element.

On the positive side, the dialogue was well done, and the premise itself is intriguing. The writing style is strong overall, even if the pacing felt slow, especially with the story starting in what felt like the middle of the action. For readers who enjoy female-led pirate stories with a touch of horror, this is worth picking up, though it’s firmly YA, with characters who often feel a bit immature.

Final Thoughts:
The Devourer is an interesting mix of pirate fantasy and horror that delivers on atmosphere but stumbles in character development and pacing. It’s a decent read for fans of female-driven stories with a dark twist, though it didn’t quite reach its full potential for me.

Adra used to have a pleasant life on her father’s ship, until her brother Cameron stole a map and somehow left her father addled. Now, Adra’s in control of the Worldeater on a quest to find and kill her brother. With her are Diana, a woman cursed to be an osprey, and Merrin, her quartermaster, best friend, and the ship’s mage.

While hunting her brother’s ship, Adra and her crew come upon ghost ships, silent ships whose crews are dead — apparently drowned — leaving nothing but silence and salt behind. However, on one ship there is a survivor: Quinn, the captain of the Grimm, Adra’s brother’s ship. Quinn won’t tell Adra where Cameron is, but she’s willing to follow along with Adra and her crew while they track him down. First, however, Adra needs to find the Devourer, the magical entity that is killing ships, before it kills the Worldeater.

This book has characters that feel like they play at being pirates. While they have a ship and it’s mentioned that they pillage and loot, they don’t really seem to do anything but sail the ship around. In fact, that’s a lot of this book. The characters say things, hinting at potential plot or character moments … but none of it ever really shows up on page. Even now, having read the book, I have no idea what happened with Adra’s father and how or why he lost his wits when Cameron stole the map; I don’t know why Cameron stole the map; I have no idea if there is anyone in this world beyond pirates, mermen, and barmaids. There is zero world building and, for me, that’s a point against any book because if there’s no world beneath the character’s feet, what are they standing on? So, it’s up to the plot and the characters to make up for the lack, and they didn’t.

The plot feels like nonsense. Adra is after her brother for stealing a map, but other than whining about him occasionally, it’s just a MacGuffin. Adra’s father and his fate is expressed mostly when Adra is feeling sorry for herself and how this all affects her, how she can’t have a cushy life, how her father can’t respect her, can’t praise her and see that she’s wonderful. Nothing about who he was, what he was, let alone her brother, who

Spoiler

The central plot has the crew meeting with the Devourer, a monster at the bottom of the ocean, who had a treasure stolen from her by a long dead pirate king. So, it’s off to a Goonies-esque adventure to find the grave of the dead pirate king before Cameron does — and this is where I learn that Cameron had a reason for what he did, maybe, because he was looking for the pirate king’s grave for … reasons? The plot is paper thin and doesn’t stand up to any scrutiny. It’s a staid adventure where step one is followed by step two and then three, but with no enthusiasm, excitement, or purpose. It’s, frankly, boring.

That leaves us with the characters, and as you can probably guess from the tone of my review, the characters did not do it for me. And the hell of it is they almost could have. Adra is a whiny, selfish, shallow, and weak character. She is constantly seeking validation from other people, constantly wondering what people think of her, angry and ashamed when she thinks they look down on her, prickly and on edge, and just unpleasant. And I could have accepted all of that if she showed a single reaction to anything happening around her. Mermaids? Meh. Quinn trying to kill her? Meh. Meeting the sea witch? Meh. Her crew dying? Meh. Meeting her brother? Meh. Just … nothing. And it’s frustrating and was a very monotone and monotonous reading experience.

Quinn, the girl who tried to kill Adra, was maybe-sort-of blackmailed into being captain of Cameron’s ship while he … did things? Cameron said he’d kill her sister if this barmaid from a nowhere town refused to captain his pirate ship, one with a reputation for murder, pillaging, and looting. Personally, I would have liked to know how and why he picked Quinn; even if it’s just that she’s hot, or sneezed, or something! Instead, Quinn is very lackadaisical about it. She feels no shame for what she’s done — which is killing some people. How many and why, I have no clue. Were they pirates? Mermaids? Non-pirate people? She takes no responsibility. She liked it, but it’s not her fault because Cameron made her do it.

So we have two “pirates” who don’t seem to feel anything about being a pirate, one of whom likes killing people. There’s no growth on the part of the characters, no sign of a character arc for either of them, or a purpose or goal for them. The romance is one scene and a brief mention where Adra thinks Quinn is hot.

This felt like a book with too many tropes and not enough of a story. Pirates for no reason, a pirate king for no reason, Cameron stealing a map to no purpose, and characters who didn’t care about anything. With not enough plot, no world building, and no characters, there’s nothing here for me to enjoy or remember once the book is closed. However, other readers may find something in this that they enjoy. However, I’m sorry to say, I don’t recommend this book.

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.