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Devious Prey
A young woman must survive the deadly mythical creature she smuggled aboard an airship after a crash landing on a deserted island frees it to begin hunting the survivors in this thrilling fantasy adventure from New York Times bestselling author Scott Reintgen.
When an airship’s windmaster dies mid-flight, the crew and its passengers are swept out to sea by a violent storm. They crash on a desolate island, but they’re not alone. A dragoness had been stashed in the hold. After escaping a damaged cage, it begins preying on the surviving travelers in the hopes of remaining free.
The stranded group’s best chance of making it home alive is the young woman who smuggled the dragoness on board in the first place—and the mysterious teen boy who was led onto the ship in chains before takeoff. Both have secrets that could help them survive on the island…but those same secrets could deliver a death sentence if they ever make it home.
When an airship’s windmaster dies mid-flight, the crew and its passengers are swept out to sea by a violent storm. They crash on a desolate island, but they’re not alone. A dragoness had been stashed in the hold. After escaping a damaged cage, it begins preying on the surviving travelers in the hopes of remaining free.
The stranded group’s best chance of making it home alive is the young woman who smuggled the dragoness on board in the first place—and the mysterious teen boy who was led onto the ship in chains before takeoff. Both have secrets that could help them survive on the island…but those same secrets could deliver a death sentence if they ever make it home.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2026
About the author
Scott Reintgen
27 books1,705 followersScott Reintgen grew up in North Carolina, and took full advantage of the fact that he lived on the same street as fourteen of his cousins. It could be a little crowded, but he threw a few elbows and carved out a space for himself as the family storyteller. He enjoyed the role so much that he decided to spend most of college and graduate school investing in the world of literature. This led to a career teaching English and Creative Writing in the great state of North Carolina, where he currently lives with his wife and family. To his great delight, the demand for stories and storytellers is alive and well. As such, he can often be found at local coffee shops laboring over stories that he hopes his family, and fans, will love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
April 23, 2026
4.25 ⭐
༊*·˚ As an airship flies to its destination, the windmaster dies, leaving the crew and passengers at the mercy of a violent storm that sweeps them out to sea. Crashing on a desolate island, the stranded travelers are hopeful that they will be rescued, but when a dragoness begins to hunt the survivors, they are all fearful for their lives. And the only two people who can help them are Pearl, a young woman who smuggled the dragoness on the ship, and Marken, a mysterious wizard who is bound in chains for a serious crime. Both Pearl and Marken have secrets, but those secrets could not only bring death to them if they are rescued, but also save them and the other survivors.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: Viva la Vida by Coldplay
0:41 ───ㅇ───── 2:23
༊*·˚ TL;DR: A fun and exciting fantasy read that is now a new favorite.
༊*·˚ Okay, wow! This was literally so fun and so damn good! 🤭
I was hooked right from the start. So much so that I was up late at night reading, telling myself, “Oh, I can do one more chapter.” One chapter led to two, and then three, and then four, and–yeah, you get the picture. 😏 And it was super easy to just get lost in the story because not only are the chapters short and right to the point, but I was genuinely invested in the well-being of the surviving passengers because it’s going to be hard to survive on a desolate island when there’s a literal freaking dragoness lurking in the shadows, hunting them!
Pearl and Marken were such interesting characters, especially with the secrets they were hiding. I just had to know what they were hiding, and once I found what was going on, I was gobsmacked, to say the least. 😂 I’m sure other people saw it coming, but I didn’t, and I’m glad of that because my jaw actually dropped. But not only were their secrets interesting, but Pearl and Marken had problems they were dealing with (both internally and externally), and they acted how anyone would with the lot in life they were given and grew as characters accordingly. And I can’t forget the little romance they had going on, too. It’s only a subplot in the story (which I really liked), so if you are looking for a romantasy, this isn’t it.
I did think it was funny, though, how Pearl thought she was plain and that someone as gorgeous as Marken wouldn’t like someone like her, yet Marken thinks she’s the most beautiful girl he’s seen, so I’m like, who do I believe? Is Pearl one of those girls who downplays her looks that guys find amusingly attractive, and I find annoyingly ridiculous? In this case, no. It didn’t bother me, and the romance was hardly developed enough for them to compliment each other on their looks, and it’s not like they had the time or opportunity to say so, with their lives in danger and all. 😏
Anyways, moving on.
I haven’t been the biggest fan of fantasy because I’m slow and I can’t catch onto the lore, magical systems, and world-building as quickly as I should in order to understand what’s going on, but thankfully, this was easy for me to follow along and understand. It wasn’t complicated or so elaborate as to the point of confusing me. Everything was simple, straightforward, and right to the point, which I greatly appreciate because I understood who was who and what was happening.
Good gracious, the magic system was so cool. The whole dragoness situation kept me glued to my seat, and Marken’s spell-casting and fighting experience really elevated the story. Doctor Strange came to mind in those scenes. But just because he’s a damn good wizard, it doesn’t mean he’s the solution to their problems–he’s only a part of it, and that right there made this book so much more intriguing. Ugh, this was so good!
And the ending? I’m not mad about it. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I think it makes sense and fits the story well. 👍🏼
All in all, I definitely recommend it if you think this tickles your fancy. Just know that all the good things said about this book are coming from someone who struggles with reading fantasy. So take that as you will. ☺
⚝ Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. ⚝
❗Content Warnings❗
Death, blood, and violence.
Swearing: A little.
Spice: No–only a kiss. (🌶/5)
༊*·˚ As an airship flies to its destination, the windmaster dies, leaving the crew and passengers at the mercy of a violent storm that sweeps them out to sea. Crashing on a desolate island, the stranded travelers are hopeful that they will be rescued, but when a dragoness begins to hunt the survivors, they are all fearful for their lives. And the only two people who can help them are Pearl, a young woman who smuggled the dragoness on the ship, and Marken, a mysterious wizard who is bound in chains for a serious crime. Both Pearl and Marken have secrets, but those secrets could not only bring death to them if they are rescued, but also save them and the other survivors.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: Viva la Vida by Coldplay
0:41 ───ㅇ───── 2:23
༊*·˚ TL;DR: A fun and exciting fantasy read that is now a new favorite.
༊*·˚ Okay, wow! This was literally so fun and so damn good! 🤭
I was hooked right from the start. So much so that I was up late at night reading, telling myself, “Oh, I can do one more chapter.” One chapter led to two, and then three, and then four, and–yeah, you get the picture. 😏 And it was super easy to just get lost in the story because not only are the chapters short and right to the point, but I was genuinely invested in the well-being of the surviving passengers because it’s going to be hard to survive on a desolate island when there’s a literal freaking dragoness lurking in the shadows, hunting them!
Pearl and Marken were such interesting characters, especially with the secrets they were hiding. I just had to know what they were hiding, and once I found what was going on, I was gobsmacked, to say the least. 😂 I’m sure other people saw it coming, but I didn’t, and I’m glad of that because my jaw actually dropped. But not only were their secrets interesting, but Pearl and Marken had problems they were dealing with (both internally and externally), and they acted how anyone would with the lot in life they were given and grew as characters accordingly. And I can’t forget the little romance they had going on, too. It’s only a subplot in the story (which I really liked), so if you are looking for a romantasy, this isn’t it.
I did think it was funny, though, how Pearl thought she was plain and that someone as gorgeous as Marken wouldn’t like someone like her, yet Marken thinks she’s the most beautiful girl he’s seen, so I’m like, who do I believe? Is Pearl one of those girls who downplays her looks that guys find amusingly attractive, and I find annoyingly ridiculous? In this case, no. It didn’t bother me, and the romance was hardly developed enough for them to compliment each other on their looks, and it’s not like they had the time or opportunity to say so, with their lives in danger and all. 😏
Anyways, moving on.
I haven’t been the biggest fan of fantasy because I’m slow and I can’t catch onto the lore, magical systems, and world-building as quickly as I should in order to understand what’s going on, but thankfully, this was easy for me to follow along and understand. It wasn’t complicated or so elaborate as to the point of confusing me. Everything was simple, straightforward, and right to the point, which I greatly appreciate because I understood who was who and what was happening.
Good gracious, the magic system was so cool. The whole dragoness situation kept me glued to my seat, and Marken’s spell-casting and fighting experience really elevated the story. Doctor Strange came to mind in those scenes. But just because he’s a damn good wizard, it doesn’t mean he’s the solution to their problems–he’s only a part of it, and that right there made this book so much more intriguing. Ugh, this was so good!
And the ending? I’m not mad about it. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I think it makes sense and fits the story well. 👍🏼
All in all, I definitely recommend it if you think this tickles your fancy. Just know that all the good things said about this book are coming from someone who struggles with reading fantasy. So take that as you will. ☺
⚝ Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. ⚝
❗Content Warnings❗
Death, blood, and violence.
Swearing: A little.
Spice: No–only a kiss. (🌶/5)
December 4, 2025
Devious Prey is absolutely amazing! I always keep an eye out for Scott Reintgen Having read I believe his debut YA novel a few years back he also has several children’s books out so he is a very talented author able to navigate multiple genre’s. This book was very exciting for me as a book targeting a more adult audience but still easily a YA book so it guts the spot perfectly for a wider audience. The world building and magic system blew me away it was richly layered with great characters that are vulnerable, intelligent and cunning. With multiple enemy’s in the fray to keep you guessing if our hero’s will survive. The backstory of these characters is raw and heartfelt and you feel very drawn into this world m. I also have to say the Dragoness wow breathtakingly cunning with skills unlike any dragon in any book I have ever read m. Absolutely unique and that is incredibly hard to do in this day and age so total props for an original enemy I actually truly enjoyed reading about. The prefect apex predator with powerful and deadly foes in their own right. Also a completely unique twist on magic sources. Truly a great read I highly suggest it!
June 16, 2026
I just couldn't get into this story. The characters felt very one- note, and there wasn't really anything to keep you wanting to turn the page.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
At the start of this book, I was ready for the adventure. The way it opened hooked my attention and the characters were interesting. I really, REALLY, liked this book. This is the first book I've tried from Scott Reintgen and I have plans to try reading more of his books. That being said, I'm still wondering about some things. Is this going to be a series? Will there be more books set in this world? Inquiring minds need to know.
Devious Prey starts with the death of an airship's windmaster, who helps control the course the ship takes as it travels. With the death, the airship is overtaken in a storm and crash lands on an island that according to the maps, should not be there. The survivors of the crew and passengers try to come to terms with their crash and what they need to do to survive until rescue arrives, except that a dragoness is also on the island with them. The dragoness was in the hold of the ship and escaped during the crash. Now it has decided to hunt the survivors to ensure its freedom. The only hope the survivors have lie with a young woman, Pearl, who helped smuggle the dragoness onto the ship and a young man, Marken, with a military escort on his way to answer for dangerous crimes. The pair of them have to learn to trust each other with the truths about their pasts in the hopes of having a future.
The story starts off fast, with everyone on the ship on their way to the next destination. Pearl and Marken are both in the midst of the turmoil on the ship. Marken is a chained up wizard who is unable to use his power to help save the ship from the crash. Pearl is on edge because of what she and her aunt have hidden in the hold of the ship. When the windmaster starts struggling, Pearl tries her best to step in and help when no one else makes a move. This is where the deviation between the characters start to take place. Pearl doesn't know what she is doing but she tries to help anyways and she is just a kid compared to the captain, the crew members and some of the passengers. Marken wants to help with the safety of the ship now that they are at the mercy of the storm but at the same time believes he can take control of the ship so he can get away from the warden and the guards who are in charge of his capture.
I liked Pearl and Marken, they stood out from the rest of the cast of characters with their actions. I did like Marken more than Pearl though because Marken had more of a tendency to be transparent with his thoughts compared to Pearl. I could understand Pearl's motivations but only to a certain extent. However, the rest of the cast just seem to be there. I've just finished this book and I can only recall a handful of character names because they all only did so much with the story. I know the name of Pearl's aunt, who was partnered with Pearl in the smuggling business. I know the name of some of Marken's guards and a couple of the crew. That's the extent of it though. There was even a joke in the book where Pearl was unable to remember some of the crew member's names and I thought, yeah, that's the long and the short of it.
I thought the ideas behind the dragoness was one of the most interesting parts of the story. The reasons for why they were smuggling the dragoness and what it's purpose was now that it was on the island were very interesting. The powers the dragoness had were also very unique. That being said, readers don't get to see enough of her threat to the survivors as she spends a lot of her time in hiding to "study" her prey. I wanted to know more about the dragoness and what she knew of herself and where there were others like her. For such an interesting threat, she did not spend enough time on the page.
Which brings me to the rest of the threats on the island. Marken's guards are military and determined to be in charge but they are making foolish decisions. The crew is led by a young woman and her sister who don't like the guards but we don't get much more information than that about their motivations, what led them to be on the ship, what role they had when they still worked on the airship or even how is it that the rest of the crew is so quick to defer to them in this quest for survival. In the end, because of the lack of information about the other survivors, the story felt a little cut and dry. The threats are there but they are dealt with quickly and then the story moves on. I think the best way to describe it is there was almost a lack of tension. Events happen and then the story just continues on.
Also, there were little asides about characters that felt like they'd lead to interesting developments but nothing happened with these things. Pearl's aunt needs medication but it was lost in the crash and she called Pearl by a different name. I think it was supposed to be linked to health issues that the aunt and Pearl's mother both have but I wanted to know more about what this was concerning and it gets lost in the background of the story. Was it actually a serious head injury making her mix things up, like Pearl thought, or was it the lack of medicine? It seemed to be meant to add to the concerns that Pearl had to contend with but the story moves on without more focus on it. I guess it wasn't THAT important but it's still rumbling around in my head so there you go. Then there was Marken who is at odds with the warden who has captured him and there are conversations that make it sound like the warden has more information about Marken than he should be able to know and AGAIN, it's left to the side. The book had a few of these things that seemed to be meant to create more problems for the leads but as intriguing as they are, there's no resolution to these things. It left me feeling a little bereft as a result. I also wanted to understand the magic system better. How do they find the people who have magic to train them? What kind of importance do they have to the country? What responsibilities do they have? How many of them are there, how do they govern themselves? And so on with my questions, you see what I mean.
The resolution was very imaginative with how the survivors manage to deal with the dragoness. That's a big plus for this book and the reason why I'm interested in finding Reintgen's other books. Still, as much as I liked this book, I was expecting more with everything after the big opening with the storm and then the crash. As a result, I LIKED this book but I didn't end up loving it as much as I hoped I would.
Rating on my scale: 7.5 Stars. This is a great adventure story and as I was reading it, the book kept my attention riveted. At the same time, I feel like there was room for more to make me truly care about how this group was going to survive. Very respectable and I hope to read more from Reintgen in the future.
My thanks to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Scott Reintgen for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
Devious Prey starts with the death of an airship's windmaster, who helps control the course the ship takes as it travels. With the death, the airship is overtaken in a storm and crash lands on an island that according to the maps, should not be there. The survivors of the crew and passengers try to come to terms with their crash and what they need to do to survive until rescue arrives, except that a dragoness is also on the island with them. The dragoness was in the hold of the ship and escaped during the crash. Now it has decided to hunt the survivors to ensure its freedom. The only hope the survivors have lie with a young woman, Pearl, who helped smuggle the dragoness onto the ship and a young man, Marken, with a military escort on his way to answer for dangerous crimes. The pair of them have to learn to trust each other with the truths about their pasts in the hopes of having a future.
The story starts off fast, with everyone on the ship on their way to the next destination. Pearl and Marken are both in the midst of the turmoil on the ship. Marken is a chained up wizard who is unable to use his power to help save the ship from the crash. Pearl is on edge because of what she and her aunt have hidden in the hold of the ship. When the windmaster starts struggling, Pearl tries her best to step in and help when no one else makes a move. This is where the deviation between the characters start to take place. Pearl doesn't know what she is doing but she tries to help anyways and she is just a kid compared to the captain, the crew members and some of the passengers. Marken wants to help with the safety of the ship now that they are at the mercy of the storm but at the same time believes he can take control of the ship so he can get away from the warden and the guards who are in charge of his capture.
I liked Pearl and Marken, they stood out from the rest of the cast of characters with their actions. I did like Marken more than Pearl though because Marken had more of a tendency to be transparent with his thoughts compared to Pearl. I could understand Pearl's motivations but only to a certain extent. However, the rest of the cast just seem to be there. I've just finished this book and I can only recall a handful of character names because they all only did so much with the story. I know the name of Pearl's aunt, who was partnered with Pearl in the smuggling business. I know the name of some of Marken's guards and a couple of the crew. That's the extent of it though. There was even a joke in the book where Pearl was unable to remember some of the crew member's names and I thought, yeah, that's the long and the short of it.
I thought the ideas behind the dragoness was one of the most interesting parts of the story. The reasons for why they were smuggling the dragoness and what it's purpose was now that it was on the island were very interesting. The powers the dragoness had were also very unique. That being said, readers don't get to see enough of her threat to the survivors as she spends a lot of her time in hiding to "study" her prey. I wanted to know more about the dragoness and what she knew of herself and where there were others like her. For such an interesting threat, she did not spend enough time on the page.
Which brings me to the rest of the threats on the island. Marken's guards are military and determined to be in charge but they are making foolish decisions. The crew is led by a young woman and her sister who don't like the guards but we don't get much more information than that about their motivations, what led them to be on the ship, what role they had when they still worked on the airship or even how is it that the rest of the crew is so quick to defer to them in this quest for survival. In the end, because of the lack of information about the other survivors, the story felt a little cut and dry. The threats are there but they are dealt with quickly and then the story moves on. I think the best way to describe it is there was almost a lack of tension. Events happen and then the story just continues on.
Also, there were little asides about characters that felt like they'd lead to interesting developments but nothing happened with these things. Pearl's aunt needs medication but it was lost in the crash and she called Pearl by a different name. I think it was supposed to be linked to health issues that the aunt and Pearl's mother both have but I wanted to know more about what this was concerning and it gets lost in the background of the story. Was it actually a serious head injury making her mix things up, like Pearl thought, or was it the lack of medicine? It seemed to be meant to add to the concerns that Pearl had to contend with but the story moves on without more focus on it. I guess it wasn't THAT important but it's still rumbling around in my head so there you go. Then there was Marken who is at odds with the warden who has captured him and there are conversations that make it sound like the warden has more information about Marken than he should be able to know and AGAIN, it's left to the side. The book had a few of these things that seemed to be meant to create more problems for the leads but as intriguing as they are, there's no resolution to these things. It left me feeling a little bereft as a result. I also wanted to understand the magic system better. How do they find the people who have magic to train them? What kind of importance do they have to the country? What responsibilities do they have? How many of them are there, how do they govern themselves? And so on with my questions, you see what I mean.
The resolution was very imaginative with how the survivors manage to deal with the dragoness. That's a big plus for this book and the reason why I'm interested in finding Reintgen's other books. Still, as much as I liked this book, I was expecting more with everything after the big opening with the storm and then the crash. As a result, I LIKED this book but I didn't end up loving it as much as I hoped I would.
Rating on my scale: 7.5 Stars. This is a great adventure story and as I was reading it, the book kept my attention riveted. At the same time, I feel like there was room for more to make me truly care about how this group was going to survive. Very respectable and I hope to read more from Reintgen in the future.
My thanks to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Scott Reintgen for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Devious Prey is a YA fantasy/sci fi/thriller that had me absolutely intrigued. The blending of genres was definitely interesting, won't be for everyone, but if you like those genres I think you'll enjoy it. It was definitely out of my comfort zone and not my usual genre, but I ended up enjoying it. The story is fast paced, unique and the plot original. There's a tense atmosphere constantly which makes it impossible to put down, I just needed to know what was going to happen. There are many deaths in the book, none are too descriptive or gory, but keep that in mind if it's not something you enjoy.
The characters were interesting, I loved getting to know them. Getting to know their powers, how they worked and their intentions throughout the story. The story is told in dual POV which was great to see both sides of the story. I loved how the plot unfolded and that at the end we got a resolution. The magic system and world building were good and uncomplicated which I really appreciated.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I had a good time reading. I loved stepping out of my comfort zone to give it a shot. If you're looking for something different and a mashup of genres, you should give this one a shot.
✨️ Thank you to @simonteen & @scottreintgen for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review
The characters were interesting, I loved getting to know them. Getting to know their powers, how they worked and their intentions throughout the story. The story is told in dual POV which was great to see both sides of the story. I loved how the plot unfolded and that at the end we got a resolution. The magic system and world building were good and uncomplicated which I really appreciated.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I had a good time reading. I loved stepping out of my comfort zone to give it a shot. If you're looking for something different and a mashup of genres, you should give this one a shot.
✨️ Thank you to @simonteen & @scottreintgen for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review
August 3, 2026
A really good blend of fantasy and mystery, with some good jaw-drop moments.
April 29, 2026
the concept was interesting, but i so did not jive with this book, which is so strange because i've loved reintgen's waxways and nyxia series. something about the writing style in this one really irked me, and i felt like things were being needlessly repeated (even on a sentence level of saying the same word a bunch of times) which interrupted the flow. i also somehow did not care about any of the characters at all?? the worldbuilding wasn't hitting either. idk, i just couldn't get immersed so everything felt either trope-y or added just for shock value.
April 1, 2026
Devious Prey by Scott Reintgen
This was a fun read where a smuggler (Pearl) is traveling with her Aunt to smuggle a dragon somewhere. They board an airship and on the airship there's a criminal who is handcuffed on the plane. When the plane crashes, the dragon escapes and causes havoc on the survivors. There's a lot of fights happening because everyone is fighting. Dragoness vs Humans, Humans vs Humans, Shipmates/Guards vs the civilians.
The world building is short and simple, as mentioned it is a YA Fantasy so the story is very easy to follow. There's a little bit of romance but it's very minimal. It's just a girl and a guy crushing on each other. :)
The coolest thing about this story is the secrets, dragoness, and everyone killing each other. LOL
I think this was an entertaining read for a YA fantasy. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves Magic, a setting similar to Lost, Dragons, and action.
Thank you so much for Simon Teen and Scott Reintgen for the gifted ARC.
This was a fun read where a smuggler (Pearl) is traveling with her Aunt to smuggle a dragon somewhere. They board an airship and on the airship there's a criminal who is handcuffed on the plane. When the plane crashes, the dragon escapes and causes havoc on the survivors. There's a lot of fights happening because everyone is fighting. Dragoness vs Humans, Humans vs Humans, Shipmates/Guards vs the civilians.
The world building is short and simple, as mentioned it is a YA Fantasy so the story is very easy to follow. There's a little bit of romance but it's very minimal. It's just a girl and a guy crushing on each other. :)
The coolest thing about this story is the secrets, dragoness, and everyone killing each other. LOL
I think this was an entertaining read for a YA fantasy. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves Magic, a setting similar to Lost, Dragons, and action.
Thank you so much for Simon Teen and Scott Reintgen for the gifted ARC.
July 16, 2026
Pearl Trask in a newbie smuggler helping to keep her family farm afloat with a little side work. She and her aunt take their current job aboard an airship. We've got wizards. We've got creatures. We've got floating islands that move around. We've got a mysterious prisoner flanked by a bunch of guards. When the wizard who is keeping their ship on track dies mid flight, they crash on an empty island. Uh oh. The smuggled cargo is alive and not thrilled to be here.
This is a fun YA novel with an excellent dragon. It's the kind of dragon that I like: weird, alien, knows that they are better than humans, cool powers. The island people are a motley group, but the focus is on Pearl and Marken (the prisoner). I think both middle grade and teen readers will have a lot of fun with this book. There is room for a sequel if the author chooses to make this a series, but it does have an ending that stands on its own.
Im rating this as a 4 for YA readers. Adults might wish for more dragon, less teen angst - but this isn't for us!
I was given this book by Netgalley in exchange for review.
This is a fun YA novel with an excellent dragon. It's the kind of dragon that I like: weird, alien, knows that they are better than humans, cool powers. The island people are a motley group, but the focus is on Pearl and Marken (the prisoner). I think both middle grade and teen readers will have a lot of fun with this book. There is room for a sequel if the author chooses to make this a series, but it does have an ending that stands on its own.
Im rating this as a 4 for YA readers. Adults might wish for more dragon, less teen angst - but this isn't for us!
I was given this book by Netgalley in exchange for review.
July 17, 2026
I loved this story, big fan of the setup.
April 14, 2026
★★★★⯪
This is the 5th book I’ve read by Reintgen and it certainly won’t be my last!
Devious Prey is an action packed story that starts with a bang and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Even during the lulls between action Reintgen maintains the tension and never lets the reader forget the looming threat that is the dragoness.
Perfect for fans of morally grey characters. It is established very early on that both Marken and Pearl, our POV characters, are criminals. The severity of the crimes is information that is introduced much more slowly, but we know from being in their heads that their motives are often selfish. They may regularly help the group at large but it is often as a means to help themselves. We are consistently shown how they consider the ways different actions may affect themselves before choosing whether to help.
Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
This is the 5th book I’ve read by Reintgen and it certainly won’t be my last!
Devious Prey is an action packed story that starts with a bang and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Even during the lulls between action Reintgen maintains the tension and never lets the reader forget the looming threat that is the dragoness.
Perfect for fans of morally grey characters. It is established very early on that both Marken and Pearl, our POV characters, are criminals. The severity of the crimes is information that is introduced much more slowly, but we know from being in their heads that their motives are often selfish. They may regularly help the group at large but it is often as a means to help themselves. We are consistently shown how they consider the ways different actions may affect themselves before choosing whether to help.
Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
April 8, 2026
If Scott Reintgen published his grocery list I would read it !!!!!!!!
This fantasy thriller was everything and more that I wanted out of it. Mystery, magic, death, politics/ power struggles and DRAGONS.
Scott always comes up with such interesting magic systems and this one is no different.
5 stars actually planning a reread soon
This fantasy thriller was everything and more that I wanted out of it. Mystery, magic, death, politics/ power struggles and DRAGONS.
Scott always comes up with such interesting magic systems and this one is no different.
5 stars actually planning a reread soon
April 6, 2026
I love that the magic system is an actual system. My biggest problem when it comes to magic in any fantasy story is when its treated as on-demand limitless power with zero repercussions or consequences. The way magic works in a story can make or break it and in this case, it made it.
April 16, 2026
VERY FUN fantasy read! Exciting! Loved hearing the world building. Would like to see a second book! Very talented author!
April 6, 2026
I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
This was an interesting concept, a smuggler and a mage both happen to be onboard an airship when it crash lands on a deserted island during a storm. The smuggler happens to have some very dangerous cargo onboard that escapes after the crash. The mage is being escorted to be tried for crimes he claims he didn't commit with his magic bound, but he might be the survivor's only hope to get off the island and back to safety.
I didn't really understand why Pearl and her Aunt were smuggling the dragoness in the first place. I'm not quite sure if that was ever explained. I really liked the concept of the dragoness. She was a unique being with unique abilities. Unfortunately her whole purpose seemed to be to prey on the humans and get defeated. I was hoping her character would be more involved in the plot and explored more. I have so many questions about her kind that didn't get answered and why she was there. I thought the magic system was interesting as well, where mages have to find an anchor to use their magic and sacrifice that thing each time they use their power. I liked that the author tapped into that "there is a cost for using" magic concept.
As for the characters, the book mainly focuses on Marken the mage and Pearl the smuggler. Though there are many other side characters throughout they mainly fade into the background and Pearl and Marken work together to figure out how to get off the island or get back to civilization. There are other twists, turns, and reveals as the story progresses but most of the other characters weren't relevant to the story. Pearl's character gets a bit darker and colder in the second half of the book.
Overall this was a fun YA fantasy. Reintgen is a favorite author, and while this isn't a favorite he has written some of my favorite books in the YA and middle grade ranges.
This was an interesting concept, a smuggler and a mage both happen to be onboard an airship when it crash lands on a deserted island during a storm. The smuggler happens to have some very dangerous cargo onboard that escapes after the crash. The mage is being escorted to be tried for crimes he claims he didn't commit with his magic bound, but he might be the survivor's only hope to get off the island and back to safety.
I didn't really understand why Pearl and her Aunt were smuggling the dragoness in the first place. I'm not quite sure if that was ever explained. I really liked the concept of the dragoness. She was a unique being with unique abilities. Unfortunately her whole purpose seemed to be to prey on the humans and get defeated. I was hoping her character would be more involved in the plot and explored more. I have so many questions about her kind that didn't get answered and why she was there. I thought the magic system was interesting as well, where mages have to find an anchor to use their magic and sacrifice that thing each time they use their power. I liked that the author tapped into that "there is a cost for using" magic concept.
As for the characters, the book mainly focuses on Marken the mage and Pearl the smuggler. Though there are many other side characters throughout they mainly fade into the background and Pearl and Marken work together to figure out how to get off the island or get back to civilization. There are other twists, turns, and reveals as the story progresses but most of the other characters weren't relevant to the story. Pearl's character gets a bit darker and colder in the second half of the book.
Overall this was a fun YA fantasy. Reintgen is a favorite author, and while this isn't a favorite he has written some of my favorite books in the YA and middle grade ranges.
April 6, 2026
It is a great book for readers around 9-16yrs. It has mystery, thrill, magic in a way and kind of like pirates. But it fell like all humans but I know there wasn’t all humans. I want to say thank you for letting me to read it
March 30, 2026
This book absolutely hooked me right from the get go! Smugglers on an airship, some suspicious cargo, joined last minute by the addition of mysterious prisoner, and magic to boot?!? Jam packed in less than 10 pages!! ✨
What followed was full of mystery and adventure as the unexpected occurs and they find themselves marooned on an island that no one can find on the map! 🗺️ A creature is set loose in the crash, tensions run high and a divide begins - will any of them make it off the island alive?! You will have to grab your own copy to find out!!
A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this ARC!!
What followed was full of mystery and adventure as the unexpected occurs and they find themselves marooned on an island that no one can find on the map! 🗺️ A creature is set loose in the crash, tensions run high and a divide begins - will any of them make it off the island alive?! You will have to grab your own copy to find out!!
A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this ARC!!
April 8, 2026
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Scott Reintgen's Devious Prey is a mashup of fantasy and thriller aimed at a Young Adult audience. There are two key players: Pearl Trask and Marken Burke. Pearl, along with her aunt, is a smuggler, while Marken is being sent to face judgment for a crime that will be explained deeper towards the end of the story. The story begins aboard an airship before transitioning to a deadly, magical-wilderness survival story on a mysterious, deserted island, bringing the fantasy genre we know and love to a fresh setting reminiscent of thrillers like Lost and Yellowjackets.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Scott Reintgen's Devious Prey is a mashup of fantasy and thriller aimed at a Young Adult audience. There are two key players: Pearl Trask and Marken Burke. Pearl, along with her aunt, is a smuggler, while Marken is being sent to face judgment for a crime that will be explained deeper towards the end of the story. The story begins aboard an airship before transitioning to a deadly, magical-wilderness survival story on a mysterious, deserted island, bringing the fantasy genre we know and love to a fresh setting reminiscent of thrillers like Lost and Yellowjackets.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
February 28, 2026
There’s very little that Scott Reintgen writes that I don’t find thoroughly entertaining and engaging. His characters are richly developed and consistent, with backstories that help readers understand not only why they’re so easy to love, but also why they can be deeply flawed. The dragoness, in particular, was written in a way that made her both breathtakingly beautiful and genuinely terrifying. Reintgen also isn’t afraid to tug at the reader’s heartstrings when navigating moments of conflict and tragedy.
While there were a few predictable moments, there were just as many surprises that caught me off guard, culminating in an ending that kept me guessing until the very last pages.
Overall, I highly recommend this book—as well as any novel written by this author. Reintgen is an exceptional storyteller with a true gift for crafting compelling fantasy and science fiction. If you enjoy fast-paced action, strong character and plot development, and a touch of romance woven throughout, this is absolutely a book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an early digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
While there were a few predictable moments, there were just as many surprises that caught me off guard, culminating in an ending that kept me guessing until the very last pages.
Overall, I highly recommend this book—as well as any novel written by this author. Reintgen is an exceptional storyteller with a true gift for crafting compelling fantasy and science fiction. If you enjoy fast-paced action, strong character and plot development, and a touch of romance woven throughout, this is absolutely a book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an early digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Thank you for the giveaway!
I literally devoured this book. I didn't think I would like it as much as I did, but before I even realized it was around midnight, and I was around halfway done.
I loved the dynamics in this book. I loved the fact that both Pearl and Marken have secrets. Normally, it's just one of the main characters who have a secret, and it tears them apart. Not in this book!!!!! They both were complex, beyond the surface characters. This book was a definite needed break from the slump I have been sucked into with all the books blending and becoming the same. I loved the twists and turns. It was learned early on that they had secrets, but the secrets they had, especially Pearl, were ones I did not see coming. This is a definite must-read, in my opinion.
I literally devoured this book. I didn't think I would like it as much as I did, but before I even realized it was around midnight, and I was around halfway done.
I loved the dynamics in this book. I loved the fact that both Pearl and Marken have secrets. Normally, it's just one of the main characters who have a secret, and it tears them apart. Not in this book!!!!! They both were complex, beyond the surface characters. This book was a definite needed break from the slump I have been sucked into with all the books blending and becoming the same. I loved the twists and turns. It was learned early on that they had secrets, but the secrets they had, especially Pearl, were ones I did not see coming. This is a definite must-read, in my opinion.
February 1, 2026
This is a wonderful YA fantasy novel with steampunk elements. It is an adventure tale with layers of magic and secrets. It also has a high body count. While it is not visceral, this story is not for the squeamish.
The strengths of this novel are three. First, the primary characters are well developed and Interesting. Second, the magical system is carefully constructed. Third, the plot moves forward in a compelling fashion without many side trips. I would recommend this novel for fans of fantasy, steampunk, and YA adventure.
I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel.
The strengths of this novel are three. First, the primary characters are well developed and Interesting. Second, the magical system is carefully constructed. Third, the plot moves forward in a compelling fashion without many side trips. I would recommend this novel for fans of fantasy, steampunk, and YA adventure.
I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel.
February 17, 2026
I LOVED this. The world is so fascinating, I want more information about it! The magic system is one I havent come across before, exactly. And the character development was well done and made me care about the two main character and want to know MORE about how they think. I sincerely hope we get another set in this world. 💜
February 8, 2026
Overall I liked this book. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the very quick 3rd POV from the dragoness. I feel brings it was only 2 pages of the entire book it could have been left out or expanded on more.
July 12, 2026
This was an interesting blend of genres that worked well together. I have never heard of Scott Reintgen before this novel, but I found myself engrossed by the tale so that by the end, I wanted more stories set in this world. But I'll settle for reading other works by the author.
What initially caught my eye was the title and the abstract dragon on the cover. I love books about dragons, and most of the time they are "the good guys", but this one was a bit different. And that intrigued me. I also really liked Pearl and Marken and slowly finding out about their backgrounds and what led them to where they were. Both are flawed characters in a complicated world where both are considered criminals, he, because of choices he's made, and she, because of who she is. I really liked the magic system because of its unique nature with anchor points. I haven't come across anything quite like it before. The nature of the dragoness was also very interesting and kind of a blend of spirit, supernatural, nature, and magic. Despite the danger she posed, I liked her so much more than the other danger, the warden.
The ending left me satisfied, but it also left me wanting another story (sequel?) set in this world. I want to see what happens with Marken and Pearl next. But as I implied above, this story leaves me wanting to check out some of his previous trilogies. I'm looking forward to it!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
What initially caught my eye was the title and the abstract dragon on the cover. I love books about dragons, and most of the time they are "the good guys", but this one was a bit different. And that intrigued me. I also really liked Pearl and Marken and slowly finding out about their backgrounds and what led them to where they were. Both are flawed characters in a complicated world where both are considered criminals, he, because of choices he's made, and she, because of who she is. I really liked the magic system because of its unique nature with anchor points. I haven't come across anything quite like it before. The nature of the dragoness was also very interesting and kind of a blend of spirit, supernatural, nature, and magic. Despite the danger she posed, I liked her so much more than the other danger, the warden.
The ending left me satisfied, but it also left me wanting another story (sequel?) set in this world. I want to see what happens with Marken and Pearl next. But as I implied above, this story leaves me wanting to check out some of his previous trilogies. I'm looking forward to it!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 1, 2026
Scott Reintgen is a go to author for me so I was super excited to get an ARC of Devious Prey. Part thriller and part fantasy with a steady pace and dual POV's, this will keep you engaged until the end. I switched between the audio and physical and while you can’t go wrong either way the narration by Michael Crouch and Kimberly Woods was really well done. It has an interesting magic system, and I loved that while there is magic, ordinary humans could affect outcomes for other characters so it didn't depend solely on the magic. The dragoness might be one of the most interesting interpretations of a dragon I've ever seen. Very complex in her abilities and powers and nothing like a normal dragon. Overall a fun and refreshing take on a thriller/fantasy combo that I'd recommend to anyone that likes either genre! Thank you to Simon Audio and Simon Teen for my gifted copies.
April 24, 2026
Review coming soon... hang tight!
just for the record, this book is so good
just for the record, this book is so good
March 31, 2026
I love Reintgen's cunning female characters
March 5, 2026
3.5 stars
This book was out of my comfort zone. I don’t tend to reach for a ton of fantasy books much less YA fantasy. I do have two almost 14 year old that may enjoy it in the future. There is a lot of violence and death, but not too terribly graphic.
A smuggle run gone as bad as it can get. Shipwreck, mutiny, a monster, and death, death, and more death. It’s like Lord of the flies magic version.
This book was out of my comfort zone. I don’t tend to reach for a ton of fantasy books much less YA fantasy. I do have two almost 14 year old that may enjoy it in the future. There is a lot of violence and death, but not too terribly graphic.
A smuggle run gone as bad as it can get. Shipwreck, mutiny, a monster, and death, death, and more death. It’s like Lord of the flies magic version.
May 14, 2026
Thank you to Simon Teen for the eARC and completed book! All thoughts are my own.
This book was so full of action and adventure as the crew and passengers of an airship try to survive a dragon that was smuggled aboard and become free upon the crash. A powerful mage is also on board and could be able to help with the pesky dragon problem, but is a prisoner. Just an overall fantastic fast-paced fantasy YA thrill-ride of a story.
This book was so full of action and adventure as the crew and passengers of an airship try to survive a dragon that was smuggled aboard and become free upon the crash. A powerful mage is also on board and could be able to help with the pesky dragon problem, but is a prisoner. Just an overall fantastic fast-paced fantasy YA thrill-ride of a story.
January 28, 2026
3.5 ⭐️!
This was my first Scott Reintgen book and it definitely won’t be my last! I loved the darker elements of this story and it really felt eerie with the dragoness causing chaos among the survivors of the crash. This book reminded me of Lord of the Flies combined with the tv show Lost. The book was slow paced but the ending was filled with twists and turns! I also really enjoyed the writing style. I do feel like the main characters were a little boring to me though.
Thank you so much to Simon Teen for an advanced copy! Devious Prey releases on March 31!
This was my first Scott Reintgen book and it definitely won’t be my last! I loved the darker elements of this story and it really felt eerie with the dragoness causing chaos among the survivors of the crash. This book reminded me of Lord of the Flies combined with the tv show Lost. The book was slow paced but the ending was filled with twists and turns! I also really enjoyed the writing style. I do feel like the main characters were a little boring to me though.
Thank you so much to Simon Teen for an advanced copy! Devious Prey releases on March 31!
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