Devour Me, Emily Rath (Review by Skylar Wetzel)

Rating 5.0/5 Stars

Devour Me, by Emily Rath, is the perfect book to kick off your fall reads and get you in the mood for spooky season. Birdie is a PHD student who unexpectedly finds herself on an island for the summer as a shop girl for her best friend’s uncle, Jasper, and to fulfill her research requirements.  Unbeknownst to her, said island is inhabited by a well-protected coven of witches, Jasper included. One night, she catches and stops a mugger trying to kill Jasper in the back alleyway. What she doesn’t realize is that she just saved Jasper’s life from an enslaved wraith trying to suck out and eat his soul. Thus begins the love obsession of the wraith for the human and witch. 

This book has so many layers to it, and I was continually impressed until the very end. Rath writes such vivid characters and pulls on current events, past trauma and witty banter to develop their complex personalities. I felt I was stretched as a reader with the number of times I had to search word definitions and cultural references. Then the next sentence would be a funny, spicy comment, and I would find myself giggling at the chemistry between the characters. This book is why choose, and Birdie, Jasper and the wraith each had their place and complexity in the trio. 

There’s no doubt about it, this book is insta-love, or more like insta-lust, but it doesn’t take away or lessen the plot. It’s perfectly sprinkled in and leaves you wanting more, but then the overarching plot takes a dramatic twist, and you’re back to the story trying to solve the crisis. This does end on a wicked cliffhanger, and it will be intriguing to see where Rath takes the story.

If you’re interested in a moody, vibes read with a fantastic plot that gives you the feel of the TV show Charmed, then I highly recommend this book!