Book Tour: The Devourer by Alison Ames Book Review

So thankful to be a part of another book tour with TBR and Beyond. Today I bring to you a thrilling pirate thriller called The Devourer by Alison Ames. You can check out the full tour here.

Summary:

When Adra Dantes’ half-brother Cameron attacks their father and robs him of a priceless treasure map, he leaves him a shell of the pirate captain he once was. Now Adra’s only aim in life is to kill Cameron, retrieve her father’s map, and claim the treasure herself.

But her plans are thwarted. A sudden surplus of magic in the world is causing ancient sea monsters to awaken. Worse yet, Adra discovers that the ship she’s been chasing for almost a year now is captained by a girl who’s been impersonating Cameron, while Cameron himself is missing.

The two pirate captains will have to work together if they are to find Cameron, but before they can do so, they must vanquish the beast―known as The Devourer―that is sinking ships and causing so much fear. Adra will have to descend leagues beneath the sea to the creature’s lair to strike a deal with her, but she’ll discover she isn’t the only one looking for her brother―and what he stole.

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My Thoughts:

For years I have complained that there are too many books where magic seems to come at no cost for users. If this has been a complaint you have had for years on end, you will greatly enjoy The Devourer.

The Devourer features a pirate story that is not about seeking gold and glory, but instead revenge. Adra struggles to balance her personal drive to kill Cameron with the well being of her crew. Her crewmates are well aware of her flaws, but support and guide her as best they can. It was refreshing to see a cast of characters support each other, while holding each other accountable for their actions. Throughout the novel, it became common place for Merry, Adra’s best friend and second in command, pull her aside and ask her to reflect on her choices. With Merry’s guidance, Adra makes better choices. She is not completely driven by her overwhelming want to only hunt and kill Cameron.

Adra, Merry, and Quinn are working through their own trauma that stems from Cameron. Each deals with it in their own way. Adra’s journey, in away, mimics the Devoruer’s decent into maddness. The biggest difference being Adra’s amazing support system. I found the interactions between Adra and her crew to be heartwarming.

Adra and her crew have been hunting Cameron for years. When they feel like they have finally found a lead, discover something darker. This was the moment I was hooked. I had to know more about this creepy ocean monster hunting down ships and drowning the crew. Adra and her crew seek out information and discover the monster, is called the Devoruer. Her story is tragic, and you have to read to discover more. The Devoruer tasks Adra and her crew with a new quest, one that just might lead them to Cameron.

In Ames’ pirate world, some individuals have access to use magic. Using magic comes at a cost. This was one of my favorite elements of The Devourer. It was neat to watch characters struggle with asking those who can use magic to do so, and those who can use magic struggle with what tasks are worth using magic for. It was a nice twist, providing higher stakes for the quest as a whole. While I enjoyed the story, I longer to know more about the characters backstory and the magic system. The lack of this depth did not take away from the story.

The Devourer balances, humor, romance, danger, excitement, and slight horror well. I did not consider a certain section to be scary, but there were various scenes that had a dark vibe and a little gross. Overall, I enjoyed The Devourer. If you are seeking a pirate paranormal-ish young adult adventure look no further than this read.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

“it’s coming,” she says, doing her best to keep any inflection from her voice, thinking only i’m so sorry.”

Her eyes are gone, the edges of the sockets ragged with fish bites, but the insides–Adra gags.

The crawlers came with it. they chewed my bones, but they held me TOGETHER. They heard me. they listened.

Maybe the devourer has simply cracked her open and scooped everything out; maybe that is what this pain means.

About the Author: