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Devoured Gods #1
Eyes of Stone
War has taken everything from Nerys. After being betrayed by the soldier who promised to marry and save her, she wakes to find her village destroyed and every inhabitant massacred. With her family gone and with him to blame, her only purpose is revenge.
She successfully infiltrates the army’s camp to find her former lover, but is caught by Idris, an enemy spy. He claims that her king is responsible for the carnage and is sacrificing his own subjects so he can summon a demon and win the war, at a devastating cost. But Idris has a tempting offer for Nerys—pretend to be a courtier so she can seduce and kill the king before he can successfully complete the ritual.
Nerys accepts. Reforged into a weapon of silk and secrets, she must walk among vipers and whispers, haunted by a conniving demon stalking her from the shadows, as well as the unexpected pull she feels toward the very spy who reshaped her fate. If she fails at her task, not only is her life forfeit—the kingdoms will be plunged into a war that will tear what is left of her home apart.
"Eyes of Stone" is an adult dark fantasy that is the first in a series, though it does not end on a hard cliffhanger. This book also contains content that is not suitable for all readers. Please see the list at the beginning of the book for further details.
Due to images, this ebook is not compatible with dark mode.
She successfully infiltrates the army’s camp to find her former lover, but is caught by Idris, an enemy spy. He claims that her king is responsible for the carnage and is sacrificing his own subjects so he can summon a demon and win the war, at a devastating cost. But Idris has a tempting offer for Nerys—pretend to be a courtier so she can seduce and kill the king before he can successfully complete the ritual.
Nerys accepts. Reforged into a weapon of silk and secrets, she must walk among vipers and whispers, haunted by a conniving demon stalking her from the shadows, as well as the unexpected pull she feels toward the very spy who reshaped her fate. If she fails at her task, not only is her life forfeit—the kingdoms will be plunged into a war that will tear what is left of her home apart.
"Eyes of Stone" is an adult dark fantasy that is the first in a series, though it does not end on a hard cliffhanger. This book also contains content that is not suitable for all readers. Please see the list at the beginning of the book for further details.
Due to images, this ebook is not compatible with dark mode.
391 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 16, 2025
9 people are currently reading
475 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 21, 2025
ARC reader here— 5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Eyes of Stone is a downright delectable read where you can find gore delivered on a bloody plate made out of revenge. This novel is as grueling and grotesque as it is beautiful, and will have you on your seat hungry for more! Thank you for making me feel every emotion on the spectrum by the end of the book. Fellow readers, this will happen to you too, and you will have the time of your LIFE.
If you came to this book for the vibe of the One Dark Window duology, you will find yourself incredibly satisfied.
Dark Fantasy✅
Creative magic system ✅
Entity attached to the FMC ✅
Handsome and clever MMC ✅
FMC with strong sense of self ✅
Characters with compelling narratives ✅
Plot Twists ✅
There is a special place in my heart for an FMC who makes questionable decisions that you the reader will scream at or cringe for, but god forbid a woman has beliefs and core values. God forbid a woman has a hyperfixation that just so happens to be vengeance! Nerys is just constantly holding the braincells, and I’m convinced she has some crazy modifier to her deception stat because how does she keep pulling this shit off??? I love her so dearly.
Now, the footnotes. The FOOTNOTES. That’s all I gotta say. The author’s creative narrative experience was absolutely my favorite part.
The demon had me crying laughing every single chapter. Vine is simply one of my favorite characters of all time. The sass— the humor— the deviousness— he’s every bit of demon that he says he is.
All being said, I was blown away by the plot and character development. There was not a single point where I thought things were slowed down or uninteresting. Loved this book, and I’m hoping for more!!
Eyes of Stone is a downright delectable read where you can find gore delivered on a bloody plate made out of revenge. This novel is as grueling and grotesque as it is beautiful, and will have you on your seat hungry for more! Thank you for making me feel every emotion on the spectrum by the end of the book. Fellow readers, this will happen to you too, and you will have the time of your LIFE.
If you came to this book for the vibe of the One Dark Window duology, you will find yourself incredibly satisfied.
Dark Fantasy✅
Creative magic system ✅
Entity attached to the FMC ✅
Handsome and clever MMC ✅
FMC with strong sense of self ✅
Characters with compelling narratives ✅
Plot Twists ✅
There is a special place in my heart for an FMC who makes questionable decisions that you the reader will scream at or cringe for, but god forbid a woman has beliefs and core values. God forbid a woman has a hyperfixation that just so happens to be vengeance! Nerys is just constantly holding the braincells, and I’m convinced she has some crazy modifier to her deception stat because how does she keep pulling this shit off??? I love her so dearly.
Now, the footnotes. The FOOTNOTES. That’s all I gotta say. The author’s creative narrative experience was absolutely my favorite part.
The demon had me crying laughing every single chapter. Vine is simply one of my favorite characters of all time. The sass— the humor— the deviousness— he’s every bit of demon that he says he is.
All being said, I was blown away by the plot and character development. There was not a single point where I thought things were slowed down or uninteresting. Loved this book, and I’m hoping for more!!
November 26, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
War leaves Nerys with nothing but ash and a heartbeat full of vengeance. The soldier who promised her love betrays her instead, and when she wakes to find her village massacred and her family gone, her only purpose becomes retribution.But the truth cuts deeper than she imagined. Caught by Idris, an enemy spy Nerys learns her own king orchestrated the slaughter to summon a demon and ignite a kingdom shattering war. Idris offers her a single chance at justice to slip into the royal court, play the perfect courtier, and kill the king before the ritual is complete. Reforged into a weapon of silk and secrets, Nerys walks among vipers and whispers, haunted by a demon stalking her from the shadows as well as the unexpected pull she feels toward the very spy who reshaped her fate. If she fails, her life is the least of what will burn because the world will fall with her.
Eyes of Stone is a dark lullaby for the forsaken. Nerys rises from the ruins of her slaughtered village with only fury in her lungs and a promise of retribution burning through her veins. What follows is a descent into a kingdom rotting behind velvet curtains, into courtly masks sharpened into weapons, and into the orbit of an enemy spy who offers her a new purpose wrapped in blood and deception. This world is a cathedral of shadows with spirits lurking at the edges of sight, curses stitched into bone, and a magic system that lets the dead be seen through stone carved eyes. The dual POV deepens the dread and the intrigue, weaving political rot with ancient horrors, betrayal with reluctant desire. Every page feels like stepping deeper into a labyrinth of smoke, secrets, and ghosts hungry for war. Bottom line Eyes of Stone was a beautifully vicious dark fantasy carved from ash and vengeance, where demons whisper truths humans fear to speak. Cinematic, unsettling, and haunting in all the right ways this book is perfect for readers who crave revenge stories laced with sharp teeth, court intrigue, and heroines who rise from their graves sharper than they went in.
War leaves Nerys with nothing but ash and a heartbeat full of vengeance. The soldier who promised her love betrays her instead, and when she wakes to find her village massacred and her family gone, her only purpose becomes retribution.But the truth cuts deeper than she imagined. Caught by Idris, an enemy spy Nerys learns her own king orchestrated the slaughter to summon a demon and ignite a kingdom shattering war. Idris offers her a single chance at justice to slip into the royal court, play the perfect courtier, and kill the king before the ritual is complete. Reforged into a weapon of silk and secrets, Nerys walks among vipers and whispers, haunted by a demon stalking her from the shadows as well as the unexpected pull she feels toward the very spy who reshaped her fate. If she fails, her life is the least of what will burn because the world will fall with her.
Eyes of Stone is a dark lullaby for the forsaken. Nerys rises from the ruins of her slaughtered village with only fury in her lungs and a promise of retribution burning through her veins. What follows is a descent into a kingdom rotting behind velvet curtains, into courtly masks sharpened into weapons, and into the orbit of an enemy spy who offers her a new purpose wrapped in blood and deception. This world is a cathedral of shadows with spirits lurking at the edges of sight, curses stitched into bone, and a magic system that lets the dead be seen through stone carved eyes. The dual POV deepens the dread and the intrigue, weaving political rot with ancient horrors, betrayal with reluctant desire. Every page feels like stepping deeper into a labyrinth of smoke, secrets, and ghosts hungry for war. Bottom line Eyes of Stone was a beautifully vicious dark fantasy carved from ash and vengeance, where demons whisper truths humans fear to speak. Cinematic, unsettling, and haunting in all the right ways this book is perfect for readers who crave revenge stories laced with sharp teeth, court intrigue, and heroines who rise from their graves sharper than they went in.
June 17, 2025
✨𝑅𝑒𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒 𝒟𝒶𝓎 & 𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: Eyes of Stone (Devoured Gods)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫
After war and betrayal leaves Nerys with nothing, she sets out for revenge and is inadvertently brought into the fold of a high-stakes mission to take out the tyrant king. With nothing to lose, Nerys agrees…she may not survive the dangers of the court nor the demons that haunt her.
Tropes:
👀Dual POV
💫Dark fantasy
❣️Romance subplot
😈Demons & Curses
🗣️Banter
🩸My Fair Lady x Hellraiser
💔Betrayals & revenge
This was such a unique world and deeply immersive read. While the story is told through two POVs, there’s a very opinionated third party interjecting their thoughts throughout. The way I cackled while reading the banter and footnotes!
The dark themes and gruesome elements are brilliantly interlaced with courtly intrigue, demon lore, and a romance subplot. I loved the clever twists and reveals and cannot wait to see what happens next!
Huge thanks to the author for the ARC opportunity and art! This is my honest and voluntary review.
📖: Eyes of Stone (Devoured Gods)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫
After war and betrayal leaves Nerys with nothing, she sets out for revenge and is inadvertently brought into the fold of a high-stakes mission to take out the tyrant king. With nothing to lose, Nerys agrees…she may not survive the dangers of the court nor the demons that haunt her.
Tropes:
👀Dual POV
💫Dark fantasy
❣️Romance subplot
😈Demons & Curses
🗣️Banter
🩸My Fair Lady x Hellraiser
💔Betrayals & revenge
This was such a unique world and deeply immersive read. While the story is told through two POVs, there’s a very opinionated third party interjecting their thoughts throughout. The way I cackled while reading the banter and footnotes!
The dark themes and gruesome elements are brilliantly interlaced with courtly intrigue, demon lore, and a romance subplot. I loved the clever twists and reveals and cannot wait to see what happens next!
Huge thanks to the author for the ARC opportunity and art! This is my honest and voluntary review.
June 18, 2025
{3.75/5}
CW: violence, gore, body horror, cannibalism, spice, loss of family, some others
Thank you to the author for the ARC! “Eyes of Stone” is available now!
Solid premise, but a little slow.
With war creeping ever closer, Nerys has a plan to get herself and her family out of danger. In the wake of betrayal, though, Nerys finds her entire family slaughtered. Distraught and seeking vengeance, she sets out to find the man she blames. Ultimately, Nerys finds herself in the middle of a political hellscape, posing as a courtier, and trying to save the entire kingdom. With a little help. From a demon.
I’m going to call the pacing here ‘stately’ in an attempt to explain that it isn’t quite snail-like, but it is very, very conservatively paced. And that’s entirely true to the nature of the story— there’s a lot of waiting and plotting— but it did make things feel a bit slog-ish at times. The ending absolutely pulled its weight, though, and I’m curious to see how things play out in book 2.
Nerys as a main character is a little different than my normal heroines, and I can’t quite decide if I like her or not. She’s a touch naive, perhaps especially so for someone her age with her life experience, and while I’m willing to forgive her ignorance of court politics her personal life choices are questionable to say the least. Despite that, she’s got a smart mouth and a stubborn streak, so she’s not an entirely lost cause. Vine is honestly the saving grace of the story; he’s snarky, just the right amount of arrogant, and he absolutely left me wanting to know more about him and his motivations. His personality is very Allistor-coded, if you’ve seen Hazbin Hotel. So, basically mildly-unhinged perfection.
The story is told from the frame of a scholar or biographer writing about what these characters experienced with the added delight of Vine leaving editorial footnotes scattered throughout. Those footnotes put in a ton of work, and they were a large part of what made the slower bits tolerable; the slower the story was, the more Vine had to say. It also allowed the author to write from the position of a somewhat unreliable narrator, in the sense that there are always bits lost to or sensationalized for history, and Vine was there to put things back to rights.
The overall plot is a really interesting premise, and I did ultimately enjoy watching things play out and seeing where everything ended up, but getting through those slower bits I mentioned did take a lot out of it for me. I would absolutely give the sequel a try, especially given the ending of book 1, but this is one of those stories you're going to have to be patient with as you’re reading.
CW: violence, gore, body horror, cannibalism, spice, loss of family, some others
Thank you to the author for the ARC! “Eyes of Stone” is available now!
Solid premise, but a little slow.
With war creeping ever closer, Nerys has a plan to get herself and her family out of danger. In the wake of betrayal, though, Nerys finds her entire family slaughtered. Distraught and seeking vengeance, she sets out to find the man she blames. Ultimately, Nerys finds herself in the middle of a political hellscape, posing as a courtier, and trying to save the entire kingdom. With a little help. From a demon.
I’m going to call the pacing here ‘stately’ in an attempt to explain that it isn’t quite snail-like, but it is very, very conservatively paced. And that’s entirely true to the nature of the story— there’s a lot of waiting and plotting— but it did make things feel a bit slog-ish at times. The ending absolutely pulled its weight, though, and I’m curious to see how things play out in book 2.
Nerys as a main character is a little different than my normal heroines, and I can’t quite decide if I like her or not. She’s a touch naive, perhaps especially so for someone her age with her life experience, and while I’m willing to forgive her ignorance of court politics her personal life choices are questionable to say the least. Despite that, she’s got a smart mouth and a stubborn streak, so she’s not an entirely lost cause. Vine is honestly the saving grace of the story; he’s snarky, just the right amount of arrogant, and he absolutely left me wanting to know more about him and his motivations. His personality is very Allistor-coded, if you’ve seen Hazbin Hotel. So, basically mildly-unhinged perfection.
The story is told from the frame of a scholar or biographer writing about what these characters experienced with the added delight of Vine leaving editorial footnotes scattered throughout. Those footnotes put in a ton of work, and they were a large part of what made the slower bits tolerable; the slower the story was, the more Vine had to say. It also allowed the author to write from the position of a somewhat unreliable narrator, in the sense that there are always bits lost to or sensationalized for history, and Vine was there to put things back to rights.
The overall plot is a really interesting premise, and I did ultimately enjoy watching things play out and seeing where everything ended up, but getting through those slower bits I mentioned did take a lot out of it for me. I would absolutely give the sequel a try, especially given the ending of book 1, but this is one of those stories you're going to have to be patient with as you’re reading.
November 4, 2025
Like most good fantasy books, Eyes of Stone by S.D. Vine started off a little slow, but once it found its rhythm, I could not put it down. Honestly, I don’t think the blurb does this story any justice. What convinced me to read it were the Goodreads reviews, and I’m so glad I listened to them. I also received a PR box of this beauty after signing up for an ARC, and THE CHARACTER ART IS DIVINE 🥵.
This book follows our FMC as she loses literally everything she’s ever loved with war, betrayal, revenge, court intrigue, assassination attempts… it’s all here. The plot is dark, twisted, and brutal, with plenty of gore mixed in. The magic system is absolutely sick, too. Her “eyes of stone” can be called upon at will, letting her see demons and spirits that exist on another plane only visible to a chosen few. How cool is that?! I could not get enough of that and wanted more, more, more!
I’m a total sucker for political and court intrigue, and this book delivered both perfectly. The court politics were layered and tense, and every character was easy to connect with. The way the story unfolded kept me hooked, but it’s the demon aspect that truly stole the show for me. The spirits and demons exist alongside humans but remain unseen, bound to one person, which gave me major Death Note vibes. The main demon, Vine, was soooooo similar to the one in Deathnote just kind of lurking, answering questions by riddles and not really answering them, with his own agenda but promise to help and not harm her. It was honestly awesome, and he was so interesting to me. We only get snippets of who he really is and his role in the underworld, but I need more of him. I just know in my soul he’s going to be the MMC in book two as the dark, gory, grotesque kind of love interest who wins her over by the promise of revenge and her entering her villain era, and I am so here for it.
The last 30% of this book was pure chaos and perfection with bloody twists, wtf moments, and badassery, which was impossible to look away from. The way S.D Vine described the demons was delectable - every gruesome detail painted so vividly that I could see it play out like a dark fantasy film. I just want more interaction from the demons, and I hope book 2 is an all-out war where they can all enter the human realm unbound to reign chaos 😈
If you love your fantasy with gore, corruption, demons, and danger, this one’s absolutely worth pushing through the slow start for.
Thank you SO much, S.D Vine, for the gifted PR box and ARC. I LOVED this!!
This book follows our FMC as she loses literally everything she’s ever loved with war, betrayal, revenge, court intrigue, assassination attempts… it’s all here. The plot is dark, twisted, and brutal, with plenty of gore mixed in. The magic system is absolutely sick, too. Her “eyes of stone” can be called upon at will, letting her see demons and spirits that exist on another plane only visible to a chosen few. How cool is that?! I could not get enough of that and wanted more, more, more!
I’m a total sucker for political and court intrigue, and this book delivered both perfectly. The court politics were layered and tense, and every character was easy to connect with. The way the story unfolded kept me hooked, but it’s the demon aspect that truly stole the show for me. The spirits and demons exist alongside humans but remain unseen, bound to one person, which gave me major Death Note vibes. The main demon, Vine, was soooooo similar to the one in Deathnote just kind of lurking, answering questions by riddles and not really answering them, with his own agenda but promise to help and not harm her. It was honestly awesome, and he was so interesting to me. We only get snippets of who he really is and his role in the underworld, but I need more of him. I just know in my soul he’s going to be the MMC in book two as the dark, gory, grotesque kind of love interest who wins her over by the promise of revenge and her entering her villain era, and I am so here for it.
The last 30% of this book was pure chaos and perfection with bloody twists, wtf moments, and badassery, which was impossible to look away from. The way S.D Vine described the demons was delectable - every gruesome detail painted so vividly that I could see it play out like a dark fantasy film. I just want more interaction from the demons, and I hope book 2 is an all-out war where they can all enter the human realm unbound to reign chaos 😈
If you love your fantasy with gore, corruption, demons, and danger, this one’s absolutely worth pushing through the slow start for.
Thank you SO much, S.D Vine, for the gifted PR box and ARC. I LOVED this!!
May 2, 2025
5/5🌟 from this ARC Reader!! Book Releasing 6/16!
S.D.Vine never misses! This is the third book I have ARC read for her, and it is as amazing as the others, in its own way!
Nerys, our FMC with the ability to see the spirit plane, is a peasant in Ravens Crest, who finds herself in a bit of a love triangle at the beginning of Eyes Of Stone. She is trying to secure her families safety, so she hooks up with a soldier in the hope of him deciding to marry her. The problem is, he is betrothed to someone else, so when Nerys begins to freak out, the soldier just knocks her out.
When Nerys awakens, she finds her entire town has been raided, and there are bodies, including her sisters, in the street. Her home is destroyed, and her parents are also dead. So, like anyone is Nerys's situation, she plots revenge.
"Unfortunately, Cefin would not pull out his own entrails and hang himself with them." -Nerys thinking to herself.
"Men had lots of entrails, and she had lots of options."
Along the way of revenge seeking, she meets Idris at a war camp. He offers to get her out of the camp if she listens to his plan to kill Ca'mails king.
Also, side note, the footnotes in this book are FUCKING HILARIOUS.
Anyways back to it. So Idris brings Nerys to his half sister and they all come up with a plan. This is when Nerys meets the coolest demon ever, Vine. 😈
With everyone's help, Nerys is acting like royalty in no time and thrown into the world of royals when they get to the palace of the Råll and his children Adelyna (next in line) and Aherin (the annoying brother who does not wish to be Råll).
While Nerys tries to keep her shit together as Sword Man Callidora (her alias). There are sex parties and demons and jealous bitches. Because Adelyna takes a liking to Nerys (as Callidora) and appoints her as one of her High Maids.
Idris, who comes with Nerys to court can't seem to stay away from her. *Insert spicy scenes* 🥵🥵🥵
Can Nerys keep her secrets and kill the Råll? What is Vines agenda with helping her?
You'll have to read this book to find out!
S.D.Vine never misses! This is the third book I have ARC read for her, and it is as amazing as the others, in its own way!
Nerys, our FMC with the ability to see the spirit plane, is a peasant in Ravens Crest, who finds herself in a bit of a love triangle at the beginning of Eyes Of Stone. She is trying to secure her families safety, so she hooks up with a soldier in the hope of him deciding to marry her. The problem is, he is betrothed to someone else, so when Nerys begins to freak out, the soldier just knocks her out.
When Nerys awakens, she finds her entire town has been raided, and there are bodies, including her sisters, in the street. Her home is destroyed, and her parents are also dead. So, like anyone is Nerys's situation, she plots revenge.
"Unfortunately, Cefin would not pull out his own entrails and hang himself with them." -Nerys thinking to herself.
"Men had lots of entrails, and she had lots of options."
Along the way of revenge seeking, she meets Idris at a war camp. He offers to get her out of the camp if she listens to his plan to kill Ca'mails king.
Also, side note, the footnotes in this book are FUCKING HILARIOUS.
Anyways back to it. So Idris brings Nerys to his half sister and they all come up with a plan. This is when Nerys meets the coolest demon ever, Vine. 😈
With everyone's help, Nerys is acting like royalty in no time and thrown into the world of royals when they get to the palace of the Råll and his children Adelyna (next in line) and Aherin (the annoying brother who does not wish to be Råll).
While Nerys tries to keep her shit together as Sword Man Callidora (her alias). There are sex parties and demons and jealous bitches. Because Adelyna takes a liking to Nerys (as Callidora) and appoints her as one of her High Maids.
Idris, who comes with Nerys to court can't seem to stay away from her. *Insert spicy scenes* 🥵🥵🥵
Can Nerys keep her secrets and kill the Råll? What is Vines agenda with helping her?
You'll have to read this book to find out!
July 18, 2025
I received an ARC of Eyes of Stone from the author.
This is my third ARC from the author, so I know I enjoy her writing. Eyes of Stone sounded so intriguing because it's darker than the others with little romance and touted as a similar to My Fair Lady and Hellraiser.
Our FMC, Nerys, is a peasant woman in a small village that gets massacred. She then goes on a revenge quest and is recruited by the enemy country to become a spy. Somehow Nerys also attracts the attention of a demon that provides absolutely HILARIOUS footnotes throughout the story.
The story itself is very interesting and I was NOT prepared for the plot twist at the end. It was such an enjoyable read and I will be getting a physical copy of this because I loved the footnotes so much.
Thank you, SD Vine, for sending me this ARC, and I definitely look forward to continuing Nerys' journey.
This is my third ARC from the author, so I know I enjoy her writing. Eyes of Stone sounded so intriguing because it's darker than the others with little romance and touted as a similar to My Fair Lady and Hellraiser.
Our FMC, Nerys, is a peasant woman in a small village that gets massacred. She then goes on a revenge quest and is recruited by the enemy country to become a spy. Somehow Nerys also attracts the attention of a demon that provides absolutely HILARIOUS footnotes throughout the story.
The story itself is very interesting and I was NOT prepared for the plot twist at the end. It was such an enjoyable read and I will be getting a physical copy of this because I loved the footnotes so much.
Thank you, SD Vine, for sending me this ARC, and I definitely look forward to continuing Nerys' journey.
April 24, 2025
This book is amazing. Filled with complex politics, curses, revenge driven FMCs, demons, and betrayals it’s a perfect story for those who love gritty fantasy.
December 30, 2025
Eyes of Stone is such an incredible book! It’s filled with gore, revenge plots, witty demons, and court intrigue. This book is definitely a darker fantasy. It doesn’t shy away from disgusting, gory imagery, and I thank it for that.
I really enjoyed the world building in this book. I’m intrigued by the other kingdoms and by the side realm where Vine resides. I’m so excited to learn more in the next book. I hope we get to hear more about the other kingdoms and their abilities. Based on the ending of Eyes of Stone, I think it’s setting up to be a really interesting series!
My literal only “issue,” if you can even call it that, is that I wanted more Vine! He was sarcastic and witty. He brought much needed levity to the book, which is funny given that he’s an incredibly gory-looking and dangerous demon. His relationship to Nerys was fun. I loved seeing them interact.
But likeeeeee….why am I kinda into Vine though? I have some hopes for his future, specifically involving Nerys. Vine is so much better than Idris, and I’ll die on that hill.
The footnotes throughout were a nice added touch, and I loved the style and POV those were written in. They were often sarcastic, dry humor, and I just loved that.
Thank you S.D. Vine for the early review copy of Eyes of Stone! All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed the world building in this book. I’m intrigued by the other kingdoms and by the side realm where Vine resides. I’m so excited to learn more in the next book. I hope we get to hear more about the other kingdoms and their abilities. Based on the ending of Eyes of Stone, I think it’s setting up to be a really interesting series!
My literal only “issue,” if you can even call it that, is that I wanted more Vine! He was sarcastic and witty. He brought much needed levity to the book, which is funny given that he’s an incredibly gory-looking and dangerous demon. His relationship to Nerys was fun. I loved seeing them interact.
But likeeeeee….why am I kinda into Vine though? I have some hopes for his future, specifically involving Nerys. Vine is so much better than Idris, and I’ll die on that hill.
The footnotes throughout were a nice added touch, and I loved the style and POV those were written in. They were often sarcastic, dry humor, and I just loved that.
Thank you S.D. Vine for the early review copy of Eyes of Stone! All opinions are my own.
September 4, 2025
Arc reader here—total 5/5
Eyes of Stone was brilliantly written in a dark, a very dark setting. It’s sensational with its elements of betrayal, vengeance, secrets and a little romance subplot to spice things up. Maybe even a demon as well!? You’ll just have to wait and read!!
Nerys thought she was meeting up with her promised betrothed, someone she trusted and someone she cared for, for what she thought was a little nightly rendezvous, but instead she woke up the next morning unaware of what happened to her and to the site of her entire family killed. So she set out to do the only thing she could think of, enact vengeance and discover the truth behind the towns attack.
Along the way she meets someone who promises her vengeance if she came back with him to learn the proper etiquette to infiltrate the castle and kill the king before he wipes out all the surrounding villagers to summon a demon who will aid him in complete control.
Idris is the enemy spy and he’s caught the one thing that might give him the upper hand he was hoping for, Nerys. She’s what he needed to take out the king with a secret plan of his own.
Then there’s the demon…..Vine, he’s ruthless, he’s stalking Nerys and he’s just downright brutally hilarious.
I devoured this book and loved every single minute of it! The setting and certain scenes are darker than the authors previous books which I truly enjoyed. Both the world building and characters felt completed. The pacing of the book was consistent throughout and I always wanted more, which meant I was unable to put the book down. The FOOTNOTES was such a genius add and they truly elevated the book in a way I’ve never seen been done before! They were chaos and intriguing and just so dang hilarious. It was definitely something I didn’t know I needed in a book until now. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone who needs something a little dark and a little vengeful in their lives!
Eyes of Stone was brilliantly written in a dark, a very dark setting. It’s sensational with its elements of betrayal, vengeance, secrets and a little romance subplot to spice things up. Maybe even a demon as well!? You’ll just have to wait and read!!
Nerys thought she was meeting up with her promised betrothed, someone she trusted and someone she cared for, for what she thought was a little nightly rendezvous, but instead she woke up the next morning unaware of what happened to her and to the site of her entire family killed. So she set out to do the only thing she could think of, enact vengeance and discover the truth behind the towns attack.
Along the way she meets someone who promises her vengeance if she came back with him to learn the proper etiquette to infiltrate the castle and kill the king before he wipes out all the surrounding villagers to summon a demon who will aid him in complete control.
Idris is the enemy spy and he’s caught the one thing that might give him the upper hand he was hoping for, Nerys. She’s what he needed to take out the king with a secret plan of his own.
Then there’s the demon…..Vine, he’s ruthless, he’s stalking Nerys and he’s just downright brutally hilarious.
I devoured this book and loved every single minute of it! The setting and certain scenes are darker than the authors previous books which I truly enjoyed. Both the world building and characters felt completed. The pacing of the book was consistent throughout and I always wanted more, which meant I was unable to put the book down. The FOOTNOTES was such a genius add and they truly elevated the book in a way I’ve never seen been done before! They were chaos and intriguing and just so dang hilarious. It was definitely something I didn’t know I needed in a book until now. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone who needs something a little dark and a little vengeful in their lives!
May 16, 2025
War attracted more than one type of scavenger…
Just stop it! I am whole-heartedly OBSESSED! I’m convinced that Scarlett D. Vine can do no wrong, just keeps turning out hit after hit. This dark and twisted gothic fantasy has “One Dark Window”, “My fair Lady” and “Hellraiser” vibes, spice and romance, curses and demons, politics and FMCs hell-bent (see what I did there, wink wink) on revenge. As this is a darker book, please check the triggers before indulging.
This story follows Nerys, who has the ability to see spirits, and in the hopes of saving her family from despair, she looks to marry a soldier who just so happens to be betrothed to someone else. Nerys decides to confront the situation and the jerk knocks her out cold. When she wakes up, she finds not only is her entire town destroyed but she has lost her family in the process. Enraged, she can do only one thing… stew in her anger and plot revenge. On her path she meets some rather interesting individuals, including a demon named Vine (I see you Scarlett, I see you!). Soon she is thrust into royal politics as she poses in the hopes of fulfilling her revenge and trying not to get too sucked into the smexy times.
The footnotes are genius, I wish more books did them! The beautiful chapter headers and illustrations added into the pages really made the book that more engaging. Not only was the story well written (I didn’t have any doubts, Scarlett is one of my fav authors) but the story was delightfully spooky and captivating. I had a very hard time putting the book down (stupid work and sleep got in the way of everything). I absolutely LOVE everything about this book!!!
Grief is a delicious thing.
Just stop it! I am whole-heartedly OBSESSED! I’m convinced that Scarlett D. Vine can do no wrong, just keeps turning out hit after hit. This dark and twisted gothic fantasy has “One Dark Window”, “My fair Lady” and “Hellraiser” vibes, spice and romance, curses and demons, politics and FMCs hell-bent (see what I did there, wink wink) on revenge. As this is a darker book, please check the triggers before indulging.
This story follows Nerys, who has the ability to see spirits, and in the hopes of saving her family from despair, she looks to marry a soldier who just so happens to be betrothed to someone else. Nerys decides to confront the situation and the jerk knocks her out cold. When she wakes up, she finds not only is her entire town destroyed but she has lost her family in the process. Enraged, she can do only one thing… stew in her anger and plot revenge. On her path she meets some rather interesting individuals, including a demon named Vine (I see you Scarlett, I see you!). Soon she is thrust into royal politics as she poses in the hopes of fulfilling her revenge and trying not to get too sucked into the smexy times.
The footnotes are genius, I wish more books did them! The beautiful chapter headers and illustrations added into the pages really made the book that more engaging. Not only was the story well written (I didn’t have any doubts, Scarlett is one of my fav authors) but the story was delightfully spooky and captivating. I had a very hard time putting the book down (stupid work and sleep got in the way of everything). I absolutely LOVE everything about this book!!!
Grief is a delicious thing.
August 26, 2025
From the very first page, Eyes of Stone grabbed me with its dark, deliciously unique fantasy world. The magic system, power drawn from the eyes, is unlike anything I’ve read before and immediately sets this story apart. What surprised me most was how much I rooted for the demon. (Yes, the hot demon. Don’t judge me.)
Nery, our fierce main character, is the sort of underdog who instantly wins your heart—a girl clinging to hope in a world determined to take everything from her. She is the living, breathing embodiment of bad luck, which only made me cheer for her all the harder.
Told in dual POV, we also follow Adelyna, the second FMC and heir to the throne, whose life has been defined by serving a father who is never satisfied. Now, forced into a perilous situation, she must navigate blindly, relying on the trust she places in others’ words.
S. D. Vine’s writing is brilliant, especially in how she tells a woman’s story through a man’s POV. Add in the clever footnotes where “Vine” pops in with his own commentary, and you’ve got a book-within-a-book feel that makes the whole experience even richer.
There may not be a cliffhanger, but believe me, you will be left hungry for more after the final page. Eyes of Stone is dark, clever, and utterly addictive, without question, one of my top reads of the year.
Thank you to S. D. Vine for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Nery, our fierce main character, is the sort of underdog who instantly wins your heart—a girl clinging to hope in a world determined to take everything from her. She is the living, breathing embodiment of bad luck, which only made me cheer for her all the harder.
Told in dual POV, we also follow Adelyna, the second FMC and heir to the throne, whose life has been defined by serving a father who is never satisfied. Now, forced into a perilous situation, she must navigate blindly, relying on the trust she places in others’ words.
S. D. Vine’s writing is brilliant, especially in how she tells a woman’s story through a man’s POV. Add in the clever footnotes where “Vine” pops in with his own commentary, and you’ve got a book-within-a-book feel that makes the whole experience even richer.
There may not be a cliffhanger, but believe me, you will be left hungry for more after the final page. Eyes of Stone is dark, clever, and utterly addictive, without question, one of my top reads of the year.
Thank you to S. D. Vine for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 1, 2025
Eyes of Stone is Book 1 in the Devoured Gods series and is a dark adult gothic fantasy series that is a mixture of “One Dark Window, “My Fair Lady” and “Hellraiser” vibes.
Wow, where do I begin with this book. I absolutely loved it and couldn’t put it down. It is one of my favorites reads this year. The story was unique and so creative. Even the way it was written was unique. Have you ever read a book with footnotes? No? Well, I recommend you read this one and not to skip them. The footnotes were for lack of better words icing on the cake. It is written in the style of woman-writing-men-writing-women and the footnotes cracked me up. The characters are well written and well developed throughout the book. My favorite character is Vine. I just loved his humor. The world building is neat – I really love the creativity. It’s like living in a nightmare for those with the sight. There is the political intrigue, demons, a sprinkle of romance and spice, secrets, betrayals, and twists. There isn’t a hard cliffhanger which is a nice change and I absolutely can’t wait for the next installment of the series!
Thank you so incredibly much to the author for the gifted eARC. I can’t wait to get a physical copy of this when it is released!
Wow, where do I begin with this book. I absolutely loved it and couldn’t put it down. It is one of my favorites reads this year. The story was unique and so creative. Even the way it was written was unique. Have you ever read a book with footnotes? No? Well, I recommend you read this one and not to skip them. The footnotes were for lack of better words icing on the cake. It is written in the style of woman-writing-men-writing-women and the footnotes cracked me up. The characters are well written and well developed throughout the book. My favorite character is Vine. I just loved his humor. The world building is neat – I really love the creativity. It’s like living in a nightmare for those with the sight. There is the political intrigue, demons, a sprinkle of romance and spice, secrets, betrayals, and twists. There isn’t a hard cliffhanger which is a nice change and I absolutely can’t wait for the next installment of the series!
Thank you so incredibly much to the author for the gifted eARC. I can’t wait to get a physical copy of this when it is released!
May 29, 2025
A dark fantasy with horror twists that will grab you from start to finish! As you follow Nerys, whose family was slaughtered like her town, seeking revenge even if it means risking her own life. She chose to trust the wrong man, and she finds herself trusting another one, Idris, who shows her truths about the horrors happening and provides an alternative way to get her revenge. With feelings stirring for her new friend, she undergoes etiquette classes and a makeover to become a woman of class. Plans to kill the one responsible for all the devastation comes with its challenges and its demons, as things quickly become more complicated. With a heavy dose of betrayal, blood, some spice, and loads of magic, this book will keep you entranced till the very end.
Holy Moses, the plot twist! I was shook but absolutely loved this read! Love Vine and need more of those two, Stat!
.. What to Expect ..
adult Dark Fantasy, horror, magic, demons, demon summoning, revenge, banter, betrayal, spice, hidden identity, etiquette lessons, war, undercover operation, plot twists, death, torture, blood, a curse, and so much more!
Holy Moses, the plot twist! I was shook but absolutely loved this read! Love Vine and need more of those two, Stat!
.. What to Expect ..
adult Dark Fantasy, horror, magic, demons, demon summoning, revenge, banter, betrayal, spice, hidden identity, etiquette lessons, war, undercover operation, plot twists, death, torture, blood, a curse, and so much more!
May 16, 2025
“Jealous, ambitious women were trouble. Jealous, ambitious, and curious women were another matter entirely.”
I cannot quite put into words how brilliant this book was. Dark, violent and heartbreaking, but brilliant nonetheless. We followed Nerys, a peasant from Raven’s Crest and Adelyna, the heir to the Ca’mail throne. I don’t really want to say much more than that because I don’t want to risk spoiling it but you should absolutely read this (be mindful of trigger warnings though because there is a war in this book and a lot of violence). I also just think the use of footnotes was so clever and fun (although I missed the first couple because I forgot that footnotes were a thing and just thought they were random numbers😂).
If you like/want to read about:
🖤Demons
🖤Politics
🖤Manners and niceties
🖤Royals
🖤Gifts and curses
🖤Heartbreak
🖤Grief
🖤Secrets
🖤Magic eyes
Then you should read this book when it comes out!
💎I read an arc of this book and am leaving an honest review voluntarily💎
I cannot quite put into words how brilliant this book was. Dark, violent and heartbreaking, but brilliant nonetheless. We followed Nerys, a peasant from Raven’s Crest and Adelyna, the heir to the Ca’mail throne. I don’t really want to say much more than that because I don’t want to risk spoiling it but you should absolutely read this (be mindful of trigger warnings though because there is a war in this book and a lot of violence). I also just think the use of footnotes was so clever and fun (although I missed the first couple because I forgot that footnotes were a thing and just thought they were random numbers😂).
If you like/want to read about:
🖤Demons
🖤Politics
🖤Manners and niceties
🖤Royals
🖤Gifts and curses
🖤Heartbreak
🖤Grief
🖤Secrets
🖤Magic eyes
Then you should read this book when it comes out!
💎I read an arc of this book and am leaving an honest review voluntarily💎
June 15, 2025
ARC REVIEW
This book is a dark fantasy. The romance is a subplot. You should know that before you read it.
Nerys lost her family because of the war, so she decided to work with two unknowns from another kingdom in order to end the war and save her kingdom.
To be honest, I liked Vine (Nerys demon) more than Idris (the love interest). That demon has something that intrigues me. I wanted him to be the love interest, and I still want it.
If I had to choose between them, I would choose Vine, the violent demon guard.
Nerys is determined to do whatever she has in order to accomplish her mission.
The plot was interesting, and a revelation that came in the last chapters caught me off guard. The ending made me almost scream. Why had it to end like this? I needed some more chapters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book is a dark fantasy. The romance is a subplot. You should know that before you read it.
Nerys lost her family because of the war, so she decided to work with two unknowns from another kingdom in order to end the war and save her kingdom.
To be honest, I liked Vine (Nerys demon) more than Idris (the love interest). That demon has something that intrigues me. I wanted him to be the love interest, and I still want it.
If I had to choose between them, I would choose Vine, the violent demon guard.
Nerys is determined to do whatever she has in order to accomplish her mission.
The plot was interesting, and a revelation that came in the last chapters caught me off guard. The ending made me almost scream. Why had it to end like this? I needed some more chapters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 16, 2025
This book was fantastic. It may have One Dark Window vibes, but it was very unique in its own way. There was political intrigue, curses, demons to trust or not to trust, A FMC who is determined on revenge, a bit of romance with spice, and betrayals, that I honestly did not see coming! Highly recommend this "my fair lady" meets "hell raiser" gritty dark fantasy.
I recieved an arc of this book and all opinions are my own.
I recieved an arc of this book and all opinions are my own.
June 21, 2025
I quite enjoyed this read. It was dark, unique, and grotesque. The FMC makes decisions without knowing all the facts, making the story interesting, eventful, and not the linear path you’d expect her to take. There are explicit scenes, but this is by no means a romance and don’t expect a HAE. I loved all the twists, and the annotations from Vine… exquisite. He is by FAR my favorite character. I am really looking forward to book two to find out what our little monster has in store for Nerys!
August 11, 2025
I DNF so many of these because I just want more character development, higher stakes, more plot, more surprises.
I love this. Really, really LOVE this. It’s not a huge book but it somehow already feels like a sweeping epic. The next one can’t come out soon enough.
I love this. Really, really LOVE this. It’s not a huge book but it somehow already feels like a sweeping epic. The next one can’t come out soon enough.
June 16, 2025
Absolutely amazing read! I enjoyed the annotations and what they added to the story. I loved Nerys as a FMC and her journey into court life. The surrounding cast was also a joy.
June 29, 2025
This is the third time I’ve had the pleasure of being able to read one of 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭'𝐬 books (writing as 𝐒.𝐃. 𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐞 this time) and I hope it’s not my last!
If you’re looking for a dark, gothic fantasy with classic fairytale vibes mixed with your classic 80s/90s creature feature horror movie…but make it comedy…this is for you. It’s kind of like if The Princess Bride ended up in a freak accident with Nightmare on Elm Street and any late 90s early 2000s romcom…if that makes any sense at all…This book has
🖤Dark Fantasy
🥀Unique magic system
🖤Sassy demon that’s very attached to our FMC
🥀Hot, spy-daddy, magical MMC
🖤FMC with an axe to grind (and some other grinding in mind 😉)
🥀Intriguing cast of secondary characters
🖤Grotesque creatures galore (maybe don’t eat while reading this book if you’re squeamish)
🥀Royal Court Shenanigans and DRAMA
🖤The pining…the angst…the payoff🥵
🥀Twists and turns
🖤Highly entertaining footnotes
Look, I loved this book. I love a good FMC that’s not scared of getting her hands dirty and that’s lived life. Nerys is funny, so NOT a noble, and is exactly how I imagine I would respond to the absolutely insane things she sees/experiences. Full disclosure-I did not see *that* twist coming at all.
If you’re looking for a slightly different fantasy romance book, I highly suggest you check 𝓔𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓢𝓽𝓸𝓷𝓮 out today!
If you’re looking for a dark, gothic fantasy with classic fairytale vibes mixed with your classic 80s/90s creature feature horror movie…but make it comedy…this is for you. It’s kind of like if The Princess Bride ended up in a freak accident with Nightmare on Elm Street and any late 90s early 2000s romcom…if that makes any sense at all…This book has
🖤Dark Fantasy
🥀Unique magic system
🖤Sassy demon that’s very attached to our FMC
🥀Hot, spy-daddy, magical MMC
🖤FMC with an axe to grind (and some other grinding in mind 😉)
🥀Intriguing cast of secondary characters
🖤Grotesque creatures galore (maybe don’t eat while reading this book if you’re squeamish)
🥀Royal Court Shenanigans and DRAMA
🖤The pining…the angst…the payoff🥵
🥀Twists and turns
🖤Highly entertaining footnotes
Look, I loved this book. I love a good FMC that’s not scared of getting her hands dirty and that’s lived life. Nerys is funny, so NOT a noble, and is exactly how I imagine I would respond to the absolutely insane things she sees/experiences. Full disclosure-I did not see *that* twist coming at all.
If you’re looking for a slightly different fantasy romance book, I highly suggest you check 𝓔𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓢𝓽𝓸𝓷𝓮 out today!
June 23, 2025
enjoyable
I give this book 4 1/2⭐️its a dark romance with a hooking plot, twisted surprise can’t wait to see where this series goes
I give this book 4 1/2⭐️its a dark romance with a hooking plot, twisted surprise can’t wait to see where this series goes
January 13, 2026
3.5⭐️
May 30, 2025
"Denial—the comfortable bed of fools and the exhausted."
There will be no denying how much I thoroughly enjoyed this. It is easily one of my favorite reads this year! Eyes of Stone is the first book in a new dark fantasy series and my goodness, it is one of the most unique stories I have read. It's full of horror, political intrigue, and a side of romance. It's plenty dark and gruesome, funny and spicy, intriguing and suspenseful, and I simply could not get enough of it!
Some quick thoughts and things I absolutely loved about it:
✨Fantastic humor, especially the footnotes. They CANNOT be skipped.
✨Strong, spunky, and well-developed characters full of rage and revenge.
✨A unique magic system where types of eyes hold different abilities.
✨Vine, the most epic demon daddy. 💃🏼
✨It's written by a woman in the style of men-writing-women.
✨I even learned a handful of new words, the favorite being "strumpet."
Thank you so much to the author for the absolute pleasure of getting to read this early!
There will be no denying how much I thoroughly enjoyed this. It is easily one of my favorite reads this year! Eyes of Stone is the first book in a new dark fantasy series and my goodness, it is one of the most unique stories I have read. It's full of horror, political intrigue, and a side of romance. It's plenty dark and gruesome, funny and spicy, intriguing and suspenseful, and I simply could not get enough of it!
Some quick thoughts and things I absolutely loved about it:
✨Fantastic humor, especially the footnotes. They CANNOT be skipped.
✨Strong, spunky, and well-developed characters full of rage and revenge.
✨A unique magic system where types of eyes hold different abilities.
✨Vine, the most epic demon daddy. 💃🏼
✨It's written by a woman in the style of men-writing-women.
✨I even learned a handful of new words, the favorite being "strumpet."
Thank you so much to the author for the absolute pleasure of getting to read this early!
May 2, 2025
Wow, what an adventure! I love the characters, the world building, and the entire story was incredibly interesting. I felt like I was right there rooting for Nerys! I adore this complex world full of unlikely allies and unsung heroes. Thank you for the ARC- what a masterpiece!
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