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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)
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 12, 2025
57 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
A.A. Powers
2 books48 followersA. A. Powers didn’t start writing until she was forty-three. She wanted her kids to see what it looks like to choose something that matters, even when it feels a little scary. She writes romantasy with magic, fate, and intimacy you don’t have to imagine off-screen. Her stories follow love that wants to be felt.
Her debut novel, A Devious Descent, was selected as a finalist in the IAN Book of the Year Awards.
She lives in Minnesota with her husband (her favorite person to flirt with), her teenagers (who definitely think their mom is cool), two dogs, and a stray cat who refused to leave. Half the house calls her Cinnamon Williams. The other half calls her Miss Kitty. She insisted on being in the story, too.
When she isn’t writing, she is usually annoying her kids on purpose, letting the dogs in and out, discussing whether Bigfoot is real with her husband, and keeping the house just clean enough to find the remote.
Her debut novel, A Devious Descent, was selected as a finalist in the IAN Book of the Year Awards.
She lives in Minnesota with her husband (her favorite person to flirt with), her teenagers (who definitely think their mom is cool), two dogs, and a stray cat who refused to leave. Half the house calls her Cinnamon Williams. The other half calls her Miss Kitty. She insisted on being in the story, too.
When she isn’t writing, she is usually annoying her kids on purpose, letting the dogs in and out, discussing whether Bigfoot is real with her husband, and keeping the house just clean enough to find the remote.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 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!!!!!!
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 🌶️🌶️🌶️
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 6, 2025
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
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!!
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
February 12, 2025
First, I would like to thank you, A.A. Powers for the opportunity to be an ARC Reader for A Devious Decent.
It is interesting right from the start as we dive in following Frankie, the shy and fierce FMC. Accompanied by her best friend, Jess, on a night out that turns into a confusing sequence of events.
We also get a glimpse into the MMC, Zarreth, haunted and determined, on his own mission accompanied by his brother in arms, Ronin.
Strong attraction and unknown understanding of what they are feeling, Frankie and Zarreth are drawn in by a tether, unrelenting and undeniable with great confusion.
There is a great amount of sexual tension, mystery, and an awesome plot with demons, hell-hounds, magic, and dark twists. having the multiple POV's between each character per chapter really gives us a chance to understand and delve further into the inner workings of each character.
I found every now and again, I did get a little lost as this is fast paced and occasionally feels like there could have been a little more slow paced interactions, and sometimes the scenes feel a little crammed together, feeling like they could maybe do with a little more information or differentiation.
However, the emotional depth and relatability to the characters does hit a deep part of the soul, and in this emotional roller-coaster, you can't miss the chemistry even within the insta love. The darker places within the plot, they can dig in and bring forth more haunting emotions that could affect some.
The close friendship within their small group is amazing and truely shows great loyalty, love and care, showing the depths of which some will go to, to protect and prove just how amazing it can be, no matter the trials.
I absolutely loved the concept and plot of this novel, with great depth and adventure of it's different and new take within the world, creating a captivating and enjoyable read, finished within a night, I couldn't and didn't want to put it down until I knew what was happening. The twists that take place and the cliffhanger that we are left on, it shows us a glimpse into what is to follow and chraged with a new emotion and trials to follow.
I look forward to seeing where the rest of the books go and will wait in anticipation of the plot to follow, as the events unfold and hopefully get more glimpses into the past of each character to connect with them more.
It is interesting right from the start as we dive in following Frankie, the shy and fierce FMC. Accompanied by her best friend, Jess, on a night out that turns into a confusing sequence of events.
We also get a glimpse into the MMC, Zarreth, haunted and determined, on his own mission accompanied by his brother in arms, Ronin.
Strong attraction and unknown understanding of what they are feeling, Frankie and Zarreth are drawn in by a tether, unrelenting and undeniable with great confusion.
There is a great amount of sexual tension, mystery, and an awesome plot with demons, hell-hounds, magic, and dark twists. having the multiple POV's between each character per chapter really gives us a chance to understand and delve further into the inner workings of each character.
I found every now and again, I did get a little lost as this is fast paced and occasionally feels like there could have been a little more slow paced interactions, and sometimes the scenes feel a little crammed together, feeling like they could maybe do with a little more information or differentiation.
However, the emotional depth and relatability to the characters does hit a deep part of the soul, and in this emotional roller-coaster, you can't miss the chemistry even within the insta love. The darker places within the plot, they can dig in and bring forth more haunting emotions that could affect some.
The close friendship within their small group is amazing and truely shows great loyalty, love and care, showing the depths of which some will go to, to protect and prove just how amazing it can be, no matter the trials.
I absolutely loved the concept and plot of this novel, with great depth and adventure of it's different and new take within the world, creating a captivating and enjoyable read, finished within a night, I couldn't and didn't want to put it down until I knew what was happening. The twists that take place and the cliffhanger that we are left on, it shows us a glimpse into what is to follow and chraged with a new emotion and trials to follow.
I look forward to seeing where the rest of the books go and will wait in anticipation of the plot to follow, as the events unfold and hopefully get more glimpses into the past of each character to connect with them more.
January 29, 2025
I’ve followed A.A. Powers on TikTok since I started my booktok account at the end of October. I’ve been able to see her putting this book together and her videos always make me laugh. So when the opportunity came up to be an ARC reader, I jumped on it.
I want to start off by saying this is my honest review, and while I definitely enjoyed the book and devoured it in less than 2 days, there are still some things that bothered me.
Our two POVs are of Frankie, a seemingly human girl who has had a rough time in life but has made it out stronger thanks to her big brother Nate and her best friend Jess; and Zarreth, a demon who came to the human realm with his best friend Ronin to destroy the Realm Eater before the wrong people get their hands on them.
The prophecy of the Realm Eater is that they are rumoured to be this half human half demon being with an immense amount of power capable of destroying realms. And you guessed it, this is Frankie.
When her brother goes missing and Frankie finds out that there’s more to the world than just the human realm she grew up in, she joins forces with Zarreth (who she can’t seem to stay away from) and Ronin to find out where she fits into all of this and how to save her brother.
Now, I understand this is Powers’ first novel, but I do feel like the plot could have been developed a bit better. There was a point in the book where Zarreth mentioned knowing more than he let on, yet it was never even hinted at before so it was slightly confusing when this came to be. Also, there was some crazy whiplash in the last couple chapters. I’m all for those last pages having big plot twists and revelations but there is definitely such a thing as having too much. I don’t think I’ve ever read that many deaths and revivals in a row before and it really threw me off.
Overall the book is fast paced, there’s enough engaging plot points to keep you entertained, a fated mates trope, and the characters are honestly pretty fun. I think Zarreth’s POVs are my favourite, his tone of voice is just great to read. And Jess is absolutely hilarious, I hope we get to see more of her in the next book!
I want to start off by saying this is my honest review, and while I definitely enjoyed the book and devoured it in less than 2 days, there are still some things that bothered me.
Our two POVs are of Frankie, a seemingly human girl who has had a rough time in life but has made it out stronger thanks to her big brother Nate and her best friend Jess; and Zarreth, a demon who came to the human realm with his best friend Ronin to destroy the Realm Eater before the wrong people get their hands on them.
The prophecy of the Realm Eater is that they are rumoured to be this half human half demon being with an immense amount of power capable of destroying realms. And you guessed it, this is Frankie.
When her brother goes missing and Frankie finds out that there’s more to the world than just the human realm she grew up in, she joins forces with Zarreth (who she can’t seem to stay away from) and Ronin to find out where she fits into all of this and how to save her brother.
Now, I understand this is Powers’ first novel, but I do feel like the plot could have been developed a bit better. There was a point in the book where Zarreth mentioned knowing more than he let on, yet it was never even hinted at before so it was slightly confusing when this came to be. Also, there was some crazy whiplash in the last couple chapters. I’m all for those last pages having big plot twists and revelations but there is definitely such a thing as having too much. I don’t think I’ve ever read that many deaths and revivals in a row before and it really threw me off.
Overall the book is fast paced, there’s enough engaging plot points to keep you entertained, a fated mates trope, and the characters are honestly pretty fun. I think Zarreth’s POVs are my favourite, his tone of voice is just great to read. And Jess is absolutely hilarious, I hope we get to see more of her in the next book!
February 19, 2025
adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5 stars
Kindle (Advanced Reader Copy/ARC) - such a powerful female character, showcasing that power and insecurity can go hand in hand. Frankie, a halfling is coming into her demon power and prophesied to be the Realm Eater. As such, Zarreth and Runin find her in the human realm with the mission to end her existence so the prophecy doesn’t come true. Fate has other plans in mind unbeknownst to our main characters, and a mating bond between Frankie and Zarreth changes those plans. At the same time, Frankie’s brother goes missing and the main characters have to try and find the missing brother while keeping Frankie out of the hands that would use her Realm Eater powers for evil.
This book has amazing character development, some fun and twisted character arch’s, while also making the reader fall in love with not only the main characters but some of the supporting characters throughout. While the overall plot and storyline can be easily predicted after the first couple chapters, the author does a great job of bringing in hurdles and side plots to help add variety and uniqueness to this human/demon romantasy. This book gets a bit spicy but doesn’t over load the tale with more spice than plot and the spice comes at great points to further the couples mated standing.
Within this book we find out that Ronin (Zarreth’s best friend and second in everything) has had a massive childhood crush on Macan and they have a run in with each other in this book. I do hope the series includes their book as it should be phenomenal and full of a boat load of sexual tension.
Favorite quotes:
“‘I could possibly compete against bacon, but I don’t stand a chance against coffee.’” - Zarreth
“‘It doesn’t surprise me it takes a demon to get your attention.’” - Jess
“He’s either the worst stalker who ever existed, or he has no intention of hurting me.” - Frankie
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5 stars
Kindle (Advanced Reader Copy/ARC) - such a powerful female character, showcasing that power and insecurity can go hand in hand. Frankie, a halfling is coming into her demon power and prophesied to be the Realm Eater. As such, Zarreth and Runin find her in the human realm with the mission to end her existence so the prophecy doesn’t come true. Fate has other plans in mind unbeknownst to our main characters, and a mating bond between Frankie and Zarreth changes those plans. At the same time, Frankie’s brother goes missing and the main characters have to try and find the missing brother while keeping Frankie out of the hands that would use her Realm Eater powers for evil.
This book has amazing character development, some fun and twisted character arch’s, while also making the reader fall in love with not only the main characters but some of the supporting characters throughout. While the overall plot and storyline can be easily predicted after the first couple chapters, the author does a great job of bringing in hurdles and side plots to help add variety and uniqueness to this human/demon romantasy. This book gets a bit spicy but doesn’t over load the tale with more spice than plot and the spice comes at great points to further the couples mated standing.
Within this book we find out that Ronin (Zarreth’s best friend and second in everything) has had a massive childhood crush on Macan and they have a run in with each other in this book. I do hope the series includes their book as it should be phenomenal and full of a boat load of sexual tension.
Favorite quotes:
“‘I could possibly compete against bacon, but I don’t stand a chance against coffee.’” - Zarreth
“‘It doesn’t surprise me it takes a demon to get your attention.’” - Jess
“He’s either the worst stalker who ever existed, or he has no intention of hurting me.” - Frankie
February 5, 2025
3.5 Stars
First, I'm happy I got A Devious Descent as an ARC. It was a fun read. It felt a little like Haunting Adeline without the pitch-blackness. In fact the banter and evil-light characters gave me a sort of Dark Romcom vibe, which was cute. Like if Hallmark suddenly started to do demon romances with a slice of soft BSDM and a torture porn finale. The characters are fun and likable and there are some laugh-out-loud moments.
Zarreth does seem like a hot, demon vibing, demon and of course, Jess is the ride or die to ride or die for...and Frankie, fun quirky....push over for a good...kitty licking, is a likable FMC. But the characters don't really get that deep. Even when things get to um...well descending, I still wanted more depth. The book started strong with a really evil villain I thought would be our enemy to lover, but we ended up with a dommy cinnamon roll instead, yet Zarreth is fun. And the scary evil villain guy...is not.
The story takes a hard right and gets super dark, hence the title, but it never quite loses the romcom - Thundermans kind of feel. Despite how dark the story goes, I felt like we were skipping rocks (haha if you know, you know). It was a fun read, it did get dark and stressful, but I just kinda wanted more meat on these bones. But it's a good first novel and I know it's the beginning of a series, so we'll see where this goes. I don't feel like I read the same book all the other reviewers read, but again it was good, just needs a little more.
First, I'm happy I got A Devious Descent as an ARC. It was a fun read. It felt a little like Haunting Adeline without the pitch-blackness. In fact the banter and evil-light characters gave me a sort of Dark Romcom vibe, which was cute. Like if Hallmark suddenly started to do demon romances with a slice of soft BSDM and a torture porn finale. The characters are fun and likable and there are some laugh-out-loud moments.
Zarreth does seem like a hot, demon vibing, demon and of course, Jess is the ride or die to ride or die for...and Frankie, fun quirky....push over for a good...kitty licking, is a likable FMC. But the characters don't really get that deep. Even when things get to um...well descending, I still wanted more depth. The book started strong with a really evil villain I thought would be our enemy to lover, but we ended up with a dommy cinnamon roll instead, yet Zarreth is fun. And the scary evil villain guy...is not.
The story takes a hard right and gets super dark, hence the title, but it never quite loses the romcom - Thundermans kind of feel. Despite how dark the story goes, I felt like we were skipping rocks (haha if you know, you know). It was a fun read, it did get dark and stressful, but I just kinda wanted more meat on these bones. But it's a good first novel and I know it's the beginning of a series, so we'll see where this goes. I don't feel like I read the same book all the other reviewers read, but again it was good, just needs a little more.
February 11, 2025
I want to start off by saying that I had the privilege of reading this amazing book as an ARC read & I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the opportunity! I have been following A.A. Powers on TikTok for a while now & I absolutely adore her. I had to immediately jump on the opportunity to sign up to be an ARC reader for her first ever book the moment she mentioned it. Absolutely loved this book!!! This may be a shorter book but it is just as amazing as a longer one! Literally could not put it down! Such great twists & turns that keeps you on your toes. Expecting one thing then turning out to be something different is always a great plus that keeps you hooked. Enjoyed getting to have the backstory of the FMC. Helps you understand the story more & gets you interested. One of my favorite parts was the connection between Frankie and her best friend Jess. When you have a best friend that is more of a sister than friend it always makes for a better story. The connection between Frankie & Zarreth was so great & kept me rooting for them. I really enjoy when an FMC & MMC meets under circumstances that makes them technically enemies but there ends up being a connection neither of them expects changing up everything. The spice is also top tier without taking away from the plot. This is my first ever demon romance and it absolutely did not disappoint! Then that epilogue! Holy crap! What a twist! Cannot wait for the second book to come now! Definitely recommend but make sure as always you read your trigger warnings!
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