What do you think?
Rate this book
A Devious Descent: Book One of the Devious Duet
WHAT IF THE DEMON WHO’S MEANT TO KILL YOU IS THE ONE YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT?
FRANKIE HART thought monsters only lived in fairytales until the search for her missing brother reveals she is one of them. Not only is she half-demon, but her blood is tied to a prophecy that could destroy the mortal realm.
ZARRETH, a demon from the Dark Realm, was supposed to end the prophecy by ending Frankie’s life. But when she turns to him for help, the line between hunter and protector blurs, and he starts to question everything he’s been told about the prophecy, and about her.
TOGETHER, they must navigate a world where demons will stop at nothing to claim her power. As danger grows, a bond begins to form, one that feels less like chance and more like fate.
A DEVIOUS DESCENT is a contemporary romantasy full of witty banter, deep friendships, and heart-wrenching revelations… Oh, and let’s not forget the spice! Trust me, it’ll have you blushing.
Trigger explicit sexual content, sexual assault, torture, graphic violence, murder, suicide ideation, mentions of child abuse and neglect, insinuations of rape. There’s also a short scene involving pedophiles. However, no pedophilia takes place and children are not involved (and they all die so that’s cool!). Not sure if vulgar language and smoking pot are triggering, but there’s some of that too.
Finalist - IAN Book of the Year Awards (First Novel, 70,000-90,000 words)
FRANKIE HART thought monsters only lived in fairytales until the search for her missing brother reveals she is one of them. Not only is she half-demon, but her blood is tied to a prophecy that could destroy the mortal realm.
ZARRETH, a demon from the Dark Realm, was supposed to end the prophecy by ending Frankie’s life. But when she turns to him for help, the line between hunter and protector blurs, and he starts to question everything he’s been told about the prophecy, and about her.
TOGETHER, they must navigate a world where demons will stop at nothing to claim her power. As danger grows, a bond begins to form, one that feels less like chance and more like fate.
A DEVIOUS DESCENT is a contemporary romantasy full of witty banter, deep friendships, and heart-wrenching revelations… Oh, and let’s not forget the spice! Trust me, it’ll have you blushing.
Trigger explicit sexual content, sexual assault, torture, graphic violence, murder, suicide ideation, mentions of child abuse and neglect, insinuations of rape. There’s also a short scene involving pedophiles. However, no pedophilia takes place and children are not involved (and they all die so that’s cool!). Not sure if vulgar language and smoking pot are triggering, but there’s some of that too.
Finalist - IAN Book of the Year Awards (First Novel, 70,000-90,000 words)
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 12, 2025
63 people are currently reading
303 people want to read
About the author
A.A. Powers
3 books61 followersA.A. Powers writes paranormal romance with explicit intimacy, emotional depth, and dangerous worlds where love survives the darkness.
She began writing to show her kids what it looks like to choose something that matters, even when it feels a little scary.
She lives in Minnesota with her husband (her favorite person to flirt with), kids (who definitely think their mom is cool), and a revolving cast of animals who all seem to believe they are the main character.
When she isn’t writing, she’s usually lost in big what-ifs, letting the dogs in and out, and keeping the house just clean enough to find the remote.
She began writing to show her kids what it looks like to choose something that matters, even when it feels a little scary.
She lives in Minnesota with her husband (her favorite person to flirt with), kids (who definitely think their mom is cool), and a revolving cast of animals who all seem to believe they are the main character.
When she isn’t writing, she’s usually lost in big what-ifs, letting the dogs in and out, and keeping the house just clean enough to find the remote.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
February 6, 2025
HOLY this was such a good story!
It was pretty fast-paced after like 10 percent and I really liked the conflict, worldbuilding, and the stakes. If you take Twilight and replace the vampires/werewolves with demons/hellhounds and crank up the spice you have this book!
Zarreth is a DIRTY DAWG! I love this demon so freakin' much. He's incredibly possessive of Frankie. The patience he showed her was everything. Frankie is such a stubborn and feisty little thing. Their banter and push/pull relationship was chefs kiss.
It was pretty fast-paced after like 10 percent and I really liked the conflict, worldbuilding, and the stakes. If you take Twilight and replace the vampires/werewolves with demons/hellhounds and crank up the spice you have this book!
Zarreth is a DIRTY DAWG! I love this demon so freakin' much. He's incredibly possessive of Frankie. The patience he showed her was everything. Frankie is such a stubborn and feisty little thing. Their banter and push/pull relationship was chefs kiss.
January 29, 2025
WOW!!!! That was freaking AMAZING!!!!! I have read ALOT of books and this one here…. You will feel all the feels. This spicy is spicing! The humor… I couldn’t hold in my laughter! The twist kept me on edge. Booktok is going to devour this one like I did. I’m so greatful I got to ARC read this one. My only disappointment is I need more I wasn’t done, there was no more pages. I can’t wait to see where this leads to next!!!!!!
January 27, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐½ The Devious Descent — A.A. Powers
I absolutely devoured this book. Like, finished-in-24-hours-while-life-was-still-happening devoured.
From page one, The Devious Descent comes out swinging — there’s no slow burn here. The story is fast-paced, emotionally charged, and packed with action from the jump. Frankie discovering not only that monsters are real, but that she’s half demon herself, immediately pulls you into a world where the stakes are high and the danger never lets up.
The dynamic between Frankie and Zarreth is one of my favorite parts of the book. The fated mates tension, the banter, the yearning — all of it hits. Zarreth is sent to kill her, and watching that line blur into protection, loyalty, and something deeper is incredibly satisfying. Their connection feels intense and earned, not rushed, even with the high-octane pacing.
The friendships add so much heart to the story. Zarreth’s bond with Ronin, especially the way Ronin protects Frankie and stands by his friend, brings depth and warmth to an otherwise dark, dangerous world. Those relationships made the emotional moments land even harder.
The fight scenes and power-building in the dark realm are exciting and well done, and the balance between action, emotion, and romance kept me turning pages nonstop. And yes — the spice delivers. It’s confident, well-placed, and absolutely It’s action-packed, emotional, spicy, and addictive. I could not put it down, and I’m already counting the days until book two.
If you love fated mates, demons, prophecy, found family, and romance that hits hard from the start, this one deserves a spot on your TBR.
I absolutely devoured this book. Like, finished-in-24-hours-while-life-was-still-happening devoured.
From page one, The Devious Descent comes out swinging — there’s no slow burn here. The story is fast-paced, emotionally charged, and packed with action from the jump. Frankie discovering not only that monsters are real, but that she’s half demon herself, immediately pulls you into a world where the stakes are high and the danger never lets up.
The dynamic between Frankie and Zarreth is one of my favorite parts of the book. The fated mates tension, the banter, the yearning — all of it hits. Zarreth is sent to kill her, and watching that line blur into protection, loyalty, and something deeper is incredibly satisfying. Their connection feels intense and earned, not rushed, even with the high-octane pacing.
The friendships add so much heart to the story. Zarreth’s bond with Ronin, especially the way Ronin protects Frankie and stands by his friend, brings depth and warmth to an otherwise dark, dangerous world. Those relationships made the emotional moments land even harder.
The fight scenes and power-building in the dark realm are exciting and well done, and the balance between action, emotion, and romance kept me turning pages nonstop. And yes — the spice delivers. It’s confident, well-placed, and absolutely It’s action-packed, emotional, spicy, and addictive. I could not put it down, and I’m already counting the days until book two.
If you love fated mates, demons, prophecy, found family, and romance that hits hard from the start, this one deserves a spot on your TBR.
February 18, 2025
Holy crap holy crap holy crap!!!!! Pure 38 chapters of amazingness!!! I love the amount of details the author put into this, the spice is spicing and the love story is fantastic! Booktok must when it comes out (I was selected to be an Arc reader) ugh! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!
February 1, 2025
A Devious Descent
Frankie is about to learn she may not just be human. Zarreth was supposed to end her life only to find out there is so much more to Frankie than he could ever imagine. Multi-realm, possessive MMC, touch her and un-alive, FMC both sassy and comes into her own. A magical world with easy world building that will satisfy your fantasy side and with such a dominant MMC we can check the box for a touch of dark romance!
The characters are easy to fall in love with or hate depending on the character. Easy to understand read and worth the hype.
For a short book this book packs in a lot and the twists be twisting!
The epilogue left my jaw dropped like WHAT?????
As always, check your TWs!
Spice level 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Frankie is about to learn she may not just be human. Zarreth was supposed to end her life only to find out there is so much more to Frankie than he could ever imagine. Multi-realm, possessive MMC, touch her and un-alive, FMC both sassy and comes into her own. A magical world with easy world building that will satisfy your fantasy side and with such a dominant MMC we can check the box for a touch of dark romance!
The characters are easy to fall in love with or hate depending on the character. Easy to understand read and worth the hype.
For a short book this book packs in a lot and the twists be twisting!
The epilogue left my jaw dropped like WHAT?????
As always, check your TWs!
Spice level 🌶️🌶️🌶️
December 3, 2025
If you are looking for a demon romance that will also have you cracking up laughing . look no further.
Zareth a demon is sent to kill a woman in the human realm. Told she would be pure destruction. Normally he wouldn't bat an eye at the request but for some reason he can't go through with it.
Frankie is just a normal girl or so she thinks who needs help finding her brother. but there is more going on then she knows about. She must now rely on demons to help her navigate her new life where people are trying to use her to cause unspeakable things.
This was a fast paced book where it kept me entertained thr entire time !
Zareth a demon is sent to kill a woman in the human realm. Told she would be pure destruction. Normally he wouldn't bat an eye at the request but for some reason he can't go through with it.
Frankie is just a normal girl or so she thinks who needs help finding her brother. but there is more going on then she knows about. She must now rely on demons to help her navigate her new life where people are trying to use her to cause unspeakable things.
This was a fast paced book where it kept me entertained thr entire time !
January 2, 2026
Absolutely amazing! Perfect combo of action, spice and comedy. The perfect combo of fantasy and reality. I love all the characters so much and am looking forward to reading a devious awakening!!!! I couldn’t put it down. 5 stars!!!
April 20, 2025
Quite interesting book with magic and demons and spicy scenes and some cute ones is pretty good book I was thinking maybe add little more depth to make characters feel real
January 29, 2025
I was selected as an ARC for this book and it did not disappoint! The story allows you to get a feel for the characters and their personalities before the twists and turns begin. It almost feels like you’re a part of the story and having front row seats watching it unfold. You expect one thing to happen but the total opposite occurs. This book kept me on the edge of my seat and not wanting to put it down until I got to the end. It had an awesome cliffhanger that makes you wonder if you really read that and wishing the sequel was going to be released. I can’t wait to read this series!
January 30, 2025
Thanks to the author for the ARC!
SPICE: 🥵🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
PLOT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: ⭐⭐⭐
For a short book, this is an enjoyable and exciting read. I really enjoyed the FMC and found her very relatable. I'm a sucker for alternating POVs.
This is a fated mates dark fantasy romance with insane spice, so please pay close attention to the trigger warnings.
I enjoyed the plot and found it interesting that it was much darker than most fantasy novels. Maybe it's because we're dealing with demons here instead of fairies or dragons but the vibe was totally different which I personally found refreshing.
I do think the pacing was a bit off. I wanted a little more character development, at times the detail was so rich and at others we have this big revelation that the characters need time to process, and then a few hours later they and everyone around them is talking about it like it's totally normal dinner table subject matter. This is one of those few books that I think would actually benefit from another 100 or so pages in that regard.
I am excited about the opportunity for another book given the epilogue.
Overall this was a fresh and enjoyable read from a new author and I'm excited to read more from her!
SPICE: 🥵🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
PLOT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: ⭐⭐⭐
For a short book, this is an enjoyable and exciting read. I really enjoyed the FMC and found her very relatable. I'm a sucker for alternating POVs.
This is a fated mates dark fantasy romance with insane spice, so please pay close attention to the trigger warnings.
I enjoyed the plot and found it interesting that it was much darker than most fantasy novels. Maybe it's because we're dealing with demons here instead of fairies or dragons but the vibe was totally different which I personally found refreshing.
I do think the pacing was a bit off. I wanted a little more character development, at times the detail was so rich and at others we have this big revelation that the characters need time to process, and then a few hours later they and everyone around them is talking about it like it's totally normal dinner table subject matter. This is one of those few books that I think would actually benefit from another 100 or so pages in that regard.
I am excited about the opportunity for another book given the epilogue.
Overall this was a fresh and enjoyable read from a new author and I'm excited to read more from her!
January 28, 2025
4.5/5
I found this author because of tiktok. I signed up to read her book, not expecting too much b/c she's a newish author. The premise and cover had me hooked, so I took a chance. Now, the story itself took me a bit to get into, but boy, when it got going, it really flew by. By the time the end came, I was desperate for more. That epilogue was a doozy of a cliffhanger. Zareth is demon daddy and hot asf, so the spice scenes with Frankie set my phone on fire! The spice was the best part of the story for me. Usually, I get annoyed with them as they are repetitive and give me the ick sometimes. That's not the case with this one. The only fault I found, for me, was the instant connection between Zareth and Frankie. I would have liked a bit more build up with them as a "couple" before they got down and dirty. Other than that, I liked the story and am ready for book 2, yet I'm going to have to wait forever 😭😭😭
I found this author because of tiktok. I signed up to read her book, not expecting too much b/c she's a newish author. The premise and cover had me hooked, so I took a chance. Now, the story itself took me a bit to get into, but boy, when it got going, it really flew by. By the time the end came, I was desperate for more. That epilogue was a doozy of a cliffhanger. Zareth is demon daddy and hot asf, so the spice scenes with Frankie set my phone on fire! The spice was the best part of the story for me. Usually, I get annoyed with them as they are repetitive and give me the ick sometimes. That's not the case with this one. The only fault I found, for me, was the instant connection between Zareth and Frankie. I would have liked a bit more build up with them as a "couple" before they got down and dirty. Other than that, I liked the story and am ready for book 2, yet I'm going to have to wait forever 😭😭😭
February 3, 2025
First of all I was graciously chosen to read an ARC of this book, so thank you Ashley, you are amazing! Knowing some of your backstory and the reason you chose to become an author at this stage in your life gives me all the good warm fuzzies. You’re a wonderful wife and mother and now you get to add Author to that list, I’m proud of you and honored to have gotten the opportunity to be part of the team that was allowed to read this before the release date.
This was a great fantasy read for me. The characters were amazing, Frankie (FMC) had a great backstory, which you don’t always get in some books. Jess, her best friend was the bff we all need and Lord knows I wish I had. Zarreth our MMC has incredible chemistry with Frankie. And the sense of humor is chefs kiss, I giggled way more than I probably should. I won’t give any spoilers but I really enjoyed this book. The right amount of spice and drama and bad-assery I look for in a spicy dark fantasy romance. I can’t wait to see what other people think of this after its release date on February 12, 2025.
This was a great fantasy read for me. The characters were amazing, Frankie (FMC) had a great backstory, which you don’t always get in some books. Jess, her best friend was the bff we all need and Lord knows I wish I had. Zarreth our MMC has incredible chemistry with Frankie. And the sense of humor is chefs kiss, I giggled way more than I probably should. I won’t give any spoilers but I really enjoyed this book. The right amount of spice and drama and bad-assery I look for in a spicy dark fantasy romance. I can’t wait to see what other people think of this after its release date on February 12, 2025.
February 7, 2025
Do you cry when a book is over? Just me??? 🥹 I know this is your first published book, but AA Powers you absolutely killed it! I wish I could reread it again for the first time. I loved the characters, twists, humor, spice, and the mixture of the human and the other realm. I really connected to Frankie and Jess and adored their sisterhood. The love in this story made my heart gush and the spice kept me blushing. I obviously never wanted this book to end (remember the tears) but I can’t wait to see what happens next. I’ll be anxiously waiting for the next book of the series to come out.
March 26, 2025
Holy Moly! What a ride this was! I would say this book is like the anticipation of a steep drop on a roller coaster. The first few chapters were quite the build up and then… bam!! It’s all downhill and loops from there. It was action and craziness all wrapped in a little bow. I throughly enjoyed this book. I liked trying to figure out what was going to happen and I liked the dual perspectives. The writing was immersive and sucked me in!
January 28, 2025
WOW! 🤩 😮
Just wow!
The spicy, the drama, the plot are all 10/10. 38 chapters of an amazing story. I don’t think I have read a book that was so hard to put down.
The way you just fall in love with Frankie from the start. She has the sass we all wish we had. Zarreth takes a minute to fall in love with. But as the story continues, all you want is for them to have their happy ending.
I got to the end and I’m dying for more! This is one book that I couldn’t put down. Obsessed with the story line. This book will leave you will a book hangover for sure. I will be telling all my friends to read it!
So honored to have gotten an ARC of this book.
Just wow!
The spicy, the drama, the plot are all 10/10. 38 chapters of an amazing story. I don’t think I have read a book that was so hard to put down.
The way you just fall in love with Frankie from the start. She has the sass we all wish we had. Zarreth takes a minute to fall in love with. But as the story continues, all you want is for them to have their happy ending.
I got to the end and I’m dying for more! This is one book that I couldn’t put down. Obsessed with the story line. This book will leave you will a book hangover for sure. I will be telling all my friends to read it!
So honored to have gotten an ARC of this book.
January 29, 2025
I could not put this book down! The spice was spicing, and I love how each character is portrayed. Can't wait for you all to read it! Thank you for gracing me with such an amazing story and being such an amazing author! Can't wait to see what comes next! Thank you for letting me be an arc reader! I'll happily read any other books coming out!
January 28, 2025
OH MY GOD!! Five freaking stars! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book has a part of my soul!! This book is a work of art! Amazing! And that spice in character 19! I’ve never had a book me blush so much!! I laughed I cried and I said wtf at the end! Amazing absolutely amazing!
This book has a part of my soul!! This book is a work of art! Amazing! And that spice in character 19! I’ve never had a book me blush so much!! I laughed I cried and I said wtf at the end! Amazing absolutely amazing!
January 31, 2025
I was given the awesome opportunity to ARC read A Devious Descent for my honest review. This book hooked me from the prologue.
Our main characters are incredibly lovable (even when Frankie gets on my nerves with that stubbornness sometimes 🙃) and the 🌶️ is great without taking too much away from our plot.
The last few chapters of this book really had me on an emotional rollercoaster! And the EPILOGUE?! Are you kidding me?! 😭
Overall, I absolutely DEVOURED and loved this book from the very first sentence of the book. FIVE! STARS!!! I highly recommend!
Our main characters are incredibly lovable (even when Frankie gets on my nerves with that stubbornness sometimes 🙃) and the 🌶️ is great without taking too much away from our plot.
The last few chapters of this book really had me on an emotional rollercoaster! And the EPILOGUE?! Are you kidding me?! 😭
Overall, I absolutely DEVOURED and loved this book from the very first sentence of the book. FIVE! STARS!!! I highly recommend!
February 19, 2025
I have been in a book slump lately and this arc read was amazing and helped me to get out of the slump!
Lots of spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ with great twists and turns!
I definitely need more! Check your trigger warnings.
Highly Highly recommend!
Lots of spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ with great twists and turns!
I definitely need more! Check your trigger warnings.
Highly Highly recommend!
dnf
October 16, 2025DNFing at 29%. I think I've just read too much fantasy lately and this modern verbiage sounds so immature. Plus the characters have the depth of a kiddie pool at this point. But the story is really interesting and I can just tell the spice is going to hit. May pick it back up later.
January 29, 2025
First I want to Thank A.A. Powers for trusting me with a ARC copy of her first published book.. Let’s get started. 😍😂😔🌶️This is all the feelings I went through reading this book. The spice was on point( mawh finger kissing good).🤌🏻. I absolutely loved that all characters had a different personality. The FMC has a stubborn and sassy side that the MMC loved. 😏😉 The plot was great and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It’s a fast and fun read. I can’t wait for what’s to come..
January 31, 2025
This book was great. The characters were amazing. Plot was good and the spice was spicing.
January 29, 2025
Fantastic book by debut author A.A. Powers.
It's a dark contemporary romance with plenty of spice. (Check trigger warnings.). There's demons and a trek to the dark realm.
Buckle up and enjoy this book. Official release date 2/12/25.
It's a dark contemporary romance with plenty of spice. (Check trigger warnings.). There's demons and a trek to the dark realm.
Buckle up and enjoy this book. Official release date 2/12/25.
January 29, 2025
I was one of the chosen to be an ARC reader for this book....there were no words to describe how excited I was to be picked. With that said....the chemistry between the MMC and FMC was wonderful to watch plus we will not speak about the spice 😈
I am saddened that I finished it but I am on the edge of my seat for the next book!! I am excited to see what booktok thinks about it...all I am going to say is....this book was absolutely delicious and chef's kiss 💋
I am saddened that I finished it but I am on the edge of my seat for the next book!! I am excited to see what booktok thinks about it...all I am going to say is....this book was absolutely delicious and chef's kiss 💋
February 8, 2025
38 chapters is not enough! I picked this book up at noon, its now 9pm and I'm drooling for more 😍 Did I possibly ignore the last 3 hours of my shift? Maybe..Was it worth it? Completely!!! With a dark love interest and twists you won't see coming! It is 10000% worth every second you leave the real world behind. This is so far my favorite read of the year.
February 12, 2025
Wow! First a few disclaimers. 1. This is not my favorite genre, as a matter of fact I have only read a few. 2. I usually don’t read anything in a series until they are all out. BUT I was chosen as an ARC reader for the first time with this book and it was so so good. The characters are all well developed and their relationships are amazing. You have everything you could possibly want in a book. Some romance, so action and suspense, best girlfriend dynamic and a strong woman lead character.
You would never realize that this is the authors first book and in true excellent author fashion she leaves you hanging and waiting for the next book. Congratulations Ashley - you did a fantastic job!!
You would never realize that this is the authors first book and in true excellent author fashion she leaves you hanging and waiting for the next book. Congratulations Ashley - you did a fantastic job!!
January 5, 2026
I LOVE this book!!! I could not put my Kindle down because the writing was awesome. The book will take you through an emotional roller-coaster. The twist and turn will keep you on your toes throughout the book as well as pull on your heart string at times. The banter is great between the FMC and the MMC. There are some spicy scenes in the book, however, I do wish there was more ;). It was great to see how Frankie embraces herself and grow into her powers. We definitely need a man that will worship you and burn all the realms for you like Zarreth. I love the friendship that Ronin and Jess bring to the table, and how supportive they are as well as give you a kick in the butt when needed. OMG the cliff hanger at the end!!! It will have you saying no she didn't just end it like this. I cannot wait until the next book comes out!!!! So, I will need it by tomorrow please lol :)!!!!
A Devious Descent
A Devious Descent
January 5, 2026
A Devious Descent was a breath of fresh air for me. It is easy to read, while keeping you on your toes with every new piece of information! From the characters to the magic, I was hooked from the start.
It was so easy to fall heart first for these characters. Zarreth, Frankie, Ronin, & Jess, all stole my heart along the way. From their banter and bickering to the tough love talks and the fighting, I loved every moment / interaction with them🫶🏼
I loved the dynamic between Zarreth and Frankie! His possessiveness and her stubbornness formed such a fun read!
(Holy smokes Zarreth had me struggling for air😏🔥 Mr. “Don’t make me tell you again” AGGHJAJDGSLFHA!!!!)
I loved every moment of this book but boyyy did I FLY through that last 30%. And that ending!
The only thing I’m disappointed in is how fast I flew through this dang book! Mrs.Powers I need more!!!🤭
I cannot wait for the next book🩷
It was so easy to fall heart first for these characters. Zarreth, Frankie, Ronin, & Jess, all stole my heart along the way. From their banter and bickering to the tough love talks and the fighting, I loved every moment / interaction with them🫶🏼
I loved the dynamic between Zarreth and Frankie! His possessiveness and her stubbornness formed such a fun read!
(Holy smokes Zarreth had me struggling for air😏🔥 Mr. “Don’t make me tell you again” AGGHJAJDGSLFHA!!!!)
I loved every moment of this book but boyyy did I FLY through that last 30%. And that ending!
The only thing I’m disappointed in is how fast I flew through this dang book! Mrs.Powers I need more!!!🤭
I cannot wait for the next book🩷
April 29, 2025
So it started out a bit slow, but then bam fire. I loved Jess. She had me cracking up! Everyone needs a friend like Jess. I loved the funny banter between the ladies, and the spicy scenes were hot. To be completely honest though..I loved Zarreth's ( I hope I spelled it right) POV better. I dont know why, but with this book i did. Maybe it was the way he thought and the way he talked, but his POV was spot on for me! This was a wonderful book and great for those who are obsessed with demons! A.A. Powers did a fantastic job!
ARC review
ARC review
December 28, 2025
I’m gonna be honest about this one. I’m real picky about books. I am a serial DNF’er and I don’t hand out high ratings just to be nice. If I hadn’t won this book in a contest, I’d have set it down around chapter 10 and moved on but I kept listening until chapter 15. I couldn’t listen any more. That said, I don’t enjoy tearing down new authors, especially ones who clearly have some talent, so this is coming from a place of honesty.
Frankie is relatable in a lot of ways, especially when it comes to bad men and even worse choices. Most women I know have dealt with a guy who doesn’t know his way around a woman’s body, and that part felt real. What didn’t work for me was how fast she bounced between being scared of Todd and wanting to sleep with him. The back and forth was constant, and it was so insanely ridiculous it just didn’t feel believable.
Todd raised more questions than answers for me. He didn’t know what phones were but somehow knew about security systems, which pulled me right out of the story. He was also basically stalking Frankie, and the book treated that like it was romantic or mysterious. For me, it just wasn’t. She let him into her life way too easily, right up until she found out he was a demon but immediately forgave him. The whiplash was crazy), which somehow bothered her more than the fact that her brother was missing.
There were a lot of moments where the reactions just didn’t add up. Frankie didn’t seem too concerned that two men she’d been intimate with suddenly had serious things happen to them. Five minutes after finding out Todd was a demon, she was already exposing herself to him. She also agreed to go to a demon party with a stranger who had already been stalking her, and that just didn’t make a lick of sense to me. From terrified of demons to exposing herself, sucking him off, to a party with a bunch of demons? There’s no way.
The pacing was a big problem. The rebound speed between fear, attraction, and trust was unrealistically fast, and I kept wishing the story would slow down and let the characters actually develop. This book needed several more hours of character development and world building for the emotional moments to feel earned.
I’ll also say the marijuana use gave me a personal ick since I’m allergic. That’s obviously not on the author, but it did affect my reading experience.
All that said, A A Powers does have talent. The book isn’t repetitive, and she clearly knows how to pull readers in. I can see why this story has found its people, even though I wasn’t one of them. Age matters here, and I would’ve liked this book a whole lot more five or six years ago. At almost thirty, I just wasn’t the target audience.
This is self published, and I think that shows. With a strong editor and some guidance from a publisher, I really believe this book could’ve gone from a two or three to a solid five. The bones are there, it just needs more polish.
Do I think this book’s gonna go viral? Probably not. Do I think A A Powers could write something award worthy one day? With the right team behind her, absolutely. I’ll be giving her future books a chance, because I think she’s got something there. This one just wasn’t for me, unfortunately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews