Demon Food

Demon Food #1

by Nova Rae

Some of the sweetest dreams are the ones so deliciously dark.

It’d been three hundred years since the streets ran red with angelic blood. The Great War, a war of catastrophic cost, killed tens of thousands of people and every last angel in the kingdom of Novithia.

Now to live in Novithia, is to live under demonic law, and under demonic law, people serve one of two purposes.

Be their slave. Or be their food.

Feloré is intimately familiar with both. There’s nothing luxurious about being the most sought-after concubine in his village. It’s a life filled with calculated sacrifice, but he endures because he’s the only thing standing between his brother and the parasitic demons who would feast on his essence until nothing is left.

When a mysterious new patron arrives at his brothel, Feloré’s dreams of whisking his brother to safety are shattered as he is forced into a deadly game of secrets and seduction with a creature who could consume him body and soul.

But this particular demon doesn’t want to play by the rules of Novithia’s brutal hierarchy. He wants to break them.

As mystifying as he is enticing, Alek might just be the key to a revolution that promises freedom to all humans, but nothing worth fighting for comes without a cost, and Feloré must choose.

Fight to survive. Or fight to feed the deadly appetite of a ravenous prince.

Genres: M M Romance, Fantasy, Dark Romance, Romantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Slow Burn

347 pages, ebook

First published August 25, 2026

About the author

Nova Rae (she/her) is an author, writing coach, aerial arts instructor, and proud fish mom. These things take up all her time.

In addition to loving romance, she also loves doughnuts and David Bowie, and strong, witchy women.

Her characters tend to be foul-mouthed and scrappy as hell. Their mistakes will make you feel better about your life.

She cries a lot when she's writing (and when she's not writing) and hates gen ai with the passion of a thousand suns.

Demon Food, is Nova's first book.

Reviews

[Rotha]

PHENOMENAL. OH MY GOD.

I am a slave to this fucking book, fuck me - tie me up, call the army, I need professional help.

Drop whatever ur reading and pick this up NOW.

This is a debut novel...are you fucking serious?

I could wax lyrical over this book for hours and hours and hours. Nova's writing is incredible, smooth, buttery - a fucking delight ✨🍽️

I am obsessed and in love with everything. I need more. I'm gagged. I can't believe I have to WAIT. And yes, that cliffhanger. Perfect, j'adore, honestly top notch 🤌

I have so many ideas and thoughts - spoiler territory. Can't wait to be proven right and/or wrong.

GIMME GIMME. (I'm smeagol and this book is the ring)

5/5 characters
5/5 plot
5/5 reading frenzy
🌶️🌶️🌶️ - the KNIFE 🥵
= Never read a sex scene quite like the cock in mouth over the bed situation. #whencumisliterallylife lol

[Jenni]

What do you mean by ”to be continued”?? 😭

”Echoes of pleasure spasmed my muscles while the sight of my blood dripping down his side did something else entirely. I couldn’t describe it, but it was sick. And strange. And fucking delicious.” and so was this book.

Honestly, I didn’t dare to expect too much from this one, considering what it’s about. I’m definitely a plot-and-emotional-connection-over-smut kind of reader, so a book about sex demons wasn’t exactly screaming this is going to be your next 5-star read to me. And yet… here we are, 5⭐️🙂‍↕️ This completely surprised me.

So yeah, I went into this expecting it to be maybe mostly smut with a side of plot, so imagine my surprise when there was actually a whole damn story here. The plot, the characters, the slow burn, the “enemies to lovers” turning into something that grows through friendship… I mean, this book really had it all. And don’t get me wrong, there was spice—and the spice was GOOD. 🥵 But somehow, I also ended up genuinely invested in the story and the characters.

And crying over a book about sex demons was definitely not on my bingo card. Yet here we are. No regrets, though.

And Alek.. 😮‍💨🥵 You just have to read this book and experience him for yourself because I don’t think my words can do him justice. I also really liked Feloré, and I absolutely loved the connection between these two. There’s something so satisfying about when an author manages to create a genuine connection. And the banter.. the banter was bantering. 🔥

And then we have possession, phantom limbs, shadows, feeding through sex… do I even need to say more?

“Do you think a demon could fall in love with a human? Fall in love with their food?”
“That’d be even more absurd.”
“More like preposterous. What even would that look like?”
“It’d look like madness.”

This left me with so many unanswered questions. We haven’t even met Alek’s twin brother yet, and then there’s Landry and Neopal… and the angels. 👀 There’s so much potential here, and the plot could go in so many different directions. This really feels like just the beginning.

So… why the hell did I think this was a standalone?! 😭 Now I have to suffer and wait for the next installment(s). Rude.


___________________________________


“You wouldn’t trust the darkness of a nightmare. And you shouldn’t trust me. But here’s the thing. I don’t need your trust. I don’t need it any more than I need your permission to stand between you and yourself. Every inch of this skin. I’ll fight for every precious inch.
I’ll fight.
I’ll lie.
I’ll possess.
I’ll fucking bleed for you, human.”


“What shall we do when we meet beyond these walls?”
”I’m dying to see the way your hair looks in the sunlight. Think you’ll crave a swim, my fox? Or perhaps just a walk since you’ll be free from your leash.”
”Won’t I just be on a different leash, Prince? One that belongs to you? For how long am I tied to you? Am I free to leave?”
”Don’t be silly, darling. Of course. Go anywhere you please. I’ll just go with you.”
“You did not mention that when I agreed to this arrangement. You said nothing about my being followed by a lost, demonic puppy.”
”I do not resent that comparison. I would love to cover you in licks.”


“Oh, that’s right. How could I forget? You plan to outlaw anyone in the kingdom from ever touching me again.”
“Darling, is that honestly what you think of me? You think I’ve gone completely mad?”
”I’m just repeating what you said last night⁠—”
”The whole realm. No one in this whole realm is allowed to touch you, Feloré. Well beyond the walls of this kingdom. That is what I fucking said.”

[Sabrina]

I honestly don’t even know where to start with this book because Demon Food was easily one of my best reads of the year! I was completely captivated from beginning to end, and by the time I reached the last page, I wasn’t ready to let these characters go.

I became attached to Feloré so quickly. His fierceness, his big heart, and the way he keeps going despite everything he’s been through made it impossible not to root for him. There’s something about him that just pulled me in, and I loved getting to see all those different layers to his character.

And Alek… well, he is officially on my book boyfriend list! 😮‍💨 This man is PERFECT. His intensity, his possessiveness, his wickedness, but also the tenderness he’s capable of completely destroyed me. I adored the way he was with Feloré, and their dynamic had me hooked. Their chemistry was everything, and I could have stayed with them forever.

I also absolutely loved the world Nova Rae created. The writing was impeccable, and the whole demonic world felt so rich and immersive. There was something so addictive about getting deeper into Novithia and discovering more about its rules, its creatures, and everything that came with it.

This story gave me characters I’m already missing, a setting I wanted to explore even further, and a relationship that completely consumed me. And that cliffhanger?! 😭 Needless to say, I’ll be counting down the days until the next book.

6 ⭐️
3.5 🌶️

[369Pages]

4.75⭐️
I WAS NOT READY FOR THIS TO END ON A CLIFFHANGER WTF AAAAAAA!!! …. I’m fine. I’m fine. Everything is fine. But omg this was fun!
Feloré lives in a world ruled by demons, where humans are there for pretty much the sole purpose of being their food. Demons eat lust and sexual energy, and Feloré does everything he can to ensure that he’s the one feeding the demons so his brother doesn’t have to. But when the king of the demons comes and takes Feloré to be his son’s food, there’s not much he can do. But Alek, the crown prince, doesn’t want to feed from Feloré… because the human that takes the virginity of a demon always dies.

This book has:
-demon x human
-demon royalty and power imbalance
-human concubine/“demon food”
-forced proximity
-cool paranormal magic & setting
-don’t touch him or he’ll die

This was really fun! The setting is unique, and the premise is so interesting. The fact that the characters CAN’T do anything sexually, because it could kill one of them… that kept tension HIGH, dang! And the urgency for them actually to DO something because there were also consequences if they DIDN’T 🫠 That’s good writing! I was hooked!

Though I have some predictions about the plot that I think are kind of obvious for where book 2 will go, I don’t CARE! I need to know what’s going to happen and I’m so excited for it. When the book ended I yelled “WHAT?!”

The characters are really lovable. They’re both fiercely loyal to their own beliefs and have a strong sense of justice. They’re both also funny and flirty. But in their own ways, too! I loved them!

Also, “baby” as an endearment in books isn’t something that usually pulls at my heartstrings. It normally feels basic for me. But something about the way Alek used it was 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🤪🤪🤪🤪

Anyways, this book is fire and I’m very excited for the next one to come out!

[Vanessa V]

ARC REVIEW

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sometimes you stumble upon a book that is THAT GOOD.

“Blown away by this debut” is honestly an understatement.

Humans live in a world where they may not be kept in cages, but they are prisoners nonetheless ruled by the Vultae, who consider humans food.

The Vultae are sex demons who feed on the pleasure of humans. When a Vultae comes of age, he is expected to consume and kill his first human before his demon awakens.

Prince Alek is in an ongoing battle with his father because he refuses to kill a human just so he can live. He sees a different future for the kingdom, but he stands completely alone.

Then his father locks him in a room with Félore.

Félore hates the Vultae with every fibre of his being, but he sees something different when he looks at Alek. He sees the possibility of what the kingdom could become if Alek gets the chance to rule instead of his sadistic father.

So the question is: Is Félore willing to risk dying for a dream, and is Alek willing to live at the cost of Félore?

I’m not going to give away too much, but this one is definitely a must-read for every MM romance reader who loves paranormal romance.

Read this if you like:

✨ Finding friendship and love under impossible circumstances
✨ Royal intrigue
✨ Dreaming of an impossible better world
✨ Sacrificing everything for a dream

[Kez Marie]

I really enjoyed this mm demon romance. It has great banter, I liked the plot and characters, and the dark fantasy elements. I loved Felore and all the emotional layers of hurt and betrayals. It explores sacrifice so well, and in a deep and raw way. Alek is such a tragic character, and I was not prepared for the ending. I NEED more of these two!

[Julia]

Not sure the plot needed CPR via oral sex quite that badly…

[૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴠᴀᴜɢʜɴ ᴍᴏʀᴏᴢᴏᴠ ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡]

ARC Review

”I’m not sure I know what it is to love,” he whispered. “But I do know that if I could spend forever in your company, it would not be long enough.”

Honestly one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read this year. Th description of scenes, the world building, the elegance to it all is very well done. Despite this being more in the fantasy genre (which is not usually my cup of tea), I really enjoyed this book. It didn’t feel overwhelming, I understand what was going on and didn’t find myself getting lost in the world.

”When you showed up chained to my room, was I to say, Oh, I’m sorry for your luck, terrified human, but just so you know, I want to lick every inch of you?”

My nostrils flared.

“Hello, terrified human. My name is Alek. Am I a virgin? Why, yes, I am.” He swung his legs off the bed, pushing himself to a stand. “I’m also consumed with thoughts of you. Consumed with what it’d feel like to hold you down and fuck you.”

Now, is the first part of this book a little slow as we get introduced to the world and characters, yes. I found myself a few times wondering where things were going and when it was going to pick up. However, to yourself a big favor and give it some time. It is well worth the wait. It is definitely an actual slow burn with an amazing pay off. So, do not judge too quickly! You’ll be missing out!

“But you’ll die, Prince. The life will drain from your eyes. Do you not realize that?”

He shrugged a shoulder, like that wasn’t news. Like he’d already resigned. Then he said, “What is the point of living, if that is what I must live with?”

My heart. It melted.

Im very excited for the next book. The cliffhanger luckily wasn’t too bad, I can live with it while I wait. Just like the book itself I’m sure the next one will be worth the wait!

Not even death, darling. Not even death can take that from me.

Please Note: I did receive a copy of this book in advance from the author for my honest review!

[Nikolett Ungor]

Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
Darkness/Bloodiness: 🖤 🩸

This book is intended for mature audiences. Please refer to official trigger warnings to make sure this book is for you.

My goodness. How badly I loved Alek is beyond me. I would say he is in my top 10 mmc list for sure!

This was a first book in a series that I couldn't put down and I just kept reading, reading, reading. It didn't matter that I have work early in the morning, consequences be damned.

Be ready for a cliffhanger read, I might have appreciated that warning from someone else. It will be torture to wait for the next book. If it's as good as this then I will grant the series the 5⭐.

[Naana]

4.75 ⭐

[Ian]

ARC REVIEW

While I was slightly hesitant going into this one because fantasy isn’t normally my jam I wanted to give this one a chance and boy did it deliver!

I was intrigued from the jump and as the book went on I got progressively more locked in and the last like 4 chapters had me low key sweating but also turned on? 😏

This was a little different from other books I’ve read and I don’t want to say much because I think it’s best enjoyed a little blind (definitely check TW’s if you need to though, mental health is definitely important!)

I can safely say this mm monster with a touch of fantasy is definitely one to read! Thank you Nova for the ARC!

[Julia Toth]

Oh. My. God!!!! I was instantly curious about this book because of it's premise, and boy did it deliver!!!! I need the next book now because I already miss the characters and because I need to see how this story continues. The world in this book is very interesting and different from what I've read so far. Honestly, the story sucked me in and I was totally immersed in this world they live in.
The story is set in Novithia and humans are under demonic rule. They can either be their slaves or their food. Feloré is chosen to be their food and is schooled to know what to do. One day he gets taken away to the Prince of Novithia, Alekus.
I loved Alekus and Feloré, it was interesting to see them circle each other. Their relationship is complex, but it also had a depth you wouldn't expect. I loved their banter and the tension between them. It was interesting to see Feloré's initial hesitance and mistrust change into feelings and a deep devotion. Despite everything that goes on in the book, Alekus and Feloré have some really fun, really sweet and downright dirty moments and I enjoyed all of them.

This was such a great read. I laughed, gasped in surprise but I also cried while reading this book and I also thoroughly loved reading it.
If you enjoy paranormal stories that feature forced proximity, characters that go from enemies to lovers, class difference and a delicious slow burn then this is the book for you.

[Claudia Simeone]

I haven’t stayed up until 3am reading a book in quite some time but as soon as I started reading Demon Food I knew how much I was going to LOVE this book. I am so blown away by this book. The writing style, the imagery, the characters and the plot were done so well.

In the kingdom of Novithia angels have been dead for hundreds of years and they are ruled by demonic law leaving humans with one of two options. Be there food or be their slave. Feloré is forced to be a concubine at his villages brothel and all demons want him. He’s told there’s just something about him, that feels endless.

This is difficult to write without giving any spoilers because there is so much I want to talk about. I loved Feloré’s character and the dynamic between him and Alek was so apparent, honest, and raw. THE TWITCHING 🥵 This was a slow burn but let me tell you the spice is absolutely NEXT LEVEL. Feloré’s brashness mixed with Alek’s cocky care free attitude is literally perfect. Alek’s character was so intriguing. The more I got to know him the more in love I was. The relationship between these two transcends into something so beautiful. The descriptive language in Demon Food is written so well my mind was exploding with visuals the whole time I was reading. This is everything I could want in an MM romance with fantasy elements intertwined and I’m so excited to have found a new author I love! 🫶

I fear I will not be able to stop thinking about this book. I am already ready for the next one 🥹

[Jana Rebecca]

So many stars. All of them, in fact.

This book has everything I could have ever asked for in a romantasy — high stakes, intriguing world building, so many strong emotional beats, etc. Its themes are dark, but not oppressively so. The romance is passionate and sweet and HOT.

And it made me cry, which is the hallmark of a good book for me.

I am so damn proud to have alpha read this stunning story and to get to work closely with Nova as a PA and friend.

More than I’ve ever meant before, please read this book!!!!

“A thing so trifling as gravity cannot hinder me.” - Alek, aka the shadow daddy to end all shadow daddies

[Emma]

I genuinely really enjoyed this and absolutely devoured it. I read it so quickly, and I really loved the characters. There were just a few things that kept it from being incredible for me.

First, I had a bit of an issue with the pacing. Only ONE WEEK passes between the characters during the entire book. And I was honestly kind of disappointed because I thought the two weeks they were supposed to be locked together would happen over a chapter or two and then the story would actually move forward. But nope. By the end of the book, not even the full two weeks have passed. Only one week.

And honestly, one week just feels SO short for a relationship to develop, especially when not that much actually happens during that time. I was kind of surprised that they were already at the point they were emotionally after only a week. BUT somehow, despite that, I did manage to feel the connection between them, so it worked for me anyway. I could feel their bond developing, which is why I’m not too bothered by it in the end.

Unfortunately, I found that whole time they spent locked together, where not much really happens, pretty repetitive and long. At first I was GIGA into it, but at some point the frustration started creeping in and I was like, okay… is something going to happen soon? Because genuinely, not much was happening 😭

There’s also something that is 100% my brain’s fault. Like, entirely. My brain decided something very early on and then absolutely refused to let go of it.

From the very beginning, we’re told that Feloré is a well, that he has no end, with the whole “this is a deep, never-ending well of life” thing. So when we’re introduced to the concept that when a virgin demon has their first experience, they consume the entire human’s lifeforce until they kill them… my brain went:

Okay. Alek is a virgin. Feloré is literally ENDLESS. Therefore, Alek cannot kill Feloré when he loses his virginity with him because Feloré is fucking bottomless.

Except THAT IS NOT AT ALL how the book sees things 😭😭😭

And this genuinely ruined almost the ENTIRE emotional aspect of the book for me because I spent SO MUCH TIME waiting for them to finally do it and for Feloré to not die because, hello??? HE IS ENDLESS???

But no. The book, and every single character in it, just assumes that he’s going to die like everyone else.

This whole thing just doesn’t make any sense in my freaking brain. It’s just not logical. RAAAAAH 😭

And I KNOW this is a completely stupid “Emma’s brain made up its own rules” problem, but once my brain decided this, I literally could not unsee it. I was sitting there trying to convince myself like “Emma, he can die. He WILL die too if he sleeps with a virgin demon.” But the fact that we had been told from the beginning that he was essentially bottomless made absolutely no sense to me 😭

So instead of being emotionally devastated by the whole situation, I was mostly just frustrated and waiting for the moment when the book would prove my theory right 💀

For people who have read it, I’m sure this makes sense, but after my brain decided that this was how it worked, I basically experienced the entire book in a completely different way.

So yeah, I’m a little disappointed because I feel like I didn’t read this the way I was supposed to 😭 BUT I still really, really enjoyed it. I loved the characters, I flew through the book, and I’m EXTREMELY excited for the next one. I definitely wasn’t expecting that ending.

I’m just frustrated because my own stupid brain somehow sabotaged half of the emotional impact of the book 💀

[Jessie J melka]

{Demon Food}
ARC review by Jessie melka
__________•__________

The notes I wrote while reading :
•what am I reading
•Omg he did not say that!
•wish I had a shadow daddy :(
•I’m crying! Why am I crying!
•sh!t f•what just happened
•”TO BE CONTINUED” (Screaming WHAT!)
•I am speechless

LETS DIGG IN!

•

Demon food by Nora Rae
It’s been 300 years Since the streets ran red with an angelic blood. The great war, a war of catastrophic cost,
killed tens of thousands of people and every last angel in the Kingdom of Novithia. Now to live in Novithia, is to live under demonic law, and under demonic law people serve one of two purposes be their slave or be their food

Feloré grew up in the orphanage after losing his parents, when the time came for the choosing of what his purpose would be he was instantly chosen to serve as a Concubine aka demon food
Quickly, he became one of the most sort out Concubine in Novithia and to his horror gets chosen to serve a greater evil than he expected trying to save his brother and keep him out of harm things quickly turn complicated when he meets Alek

Alek refuses to play by the laws of his kin even if it’s gonna kill him, he will not no matter what obey the rules he doesn’t want to he wants to change it all he wants a revolution meeting Flory is the hottest challenge he has come across yet and being trapped with him in a room with no end inside can he keep resisting the urges? Or will he break

300 years of bad blood can these two change the unchangeable and free the people or will everything crumble around them?

•

Wooooow this is definitely a debut to remember I went through so many different emotions some I didn’t even expect. I mean i rarely and I mean RARELY! Cry while reading a book I mean some can make me sad but this book helped me in literal tears and I have no idea why it just hit me someway on a deeper level than I expected

Both of these boys are incredibly stubborn and I had a lot of fun reading their little quips and quirks every interaction literally just made me smile

From the first meeting neither of them wanted to be near each other or literally just didn’t want anything to do with each other but so slowly, ever so slowly the ice between them started to melt and I literally felt the friendship and the lust that grew between them blossom into something more now they aren’t enemies, now they want to save each other from the inevitable.

I’m really excited for what’s gonna come next. I hope we get a second book soon.

I think I want to keep this review short so I’m gonna round it off here. I really want you to read this without spoilers and please if you are reading tell me what you thought of the ending and if you are in as much shock as I am.

I read this book a 4 out of five and this time I will not explain my reasoning but I want you to know that if you like Enemies to lovers, a heated slow burn, extreme force proximity and less but not least romantasy this is definitely something I would like to recommend to you. I hope you enjoy it.
But remember to always form your own opinion and not just listen to mine until next time my loves….

Rating: 4/5
Spice: 3,9/5
Would I read again: yes

(I received this advanced copy for free and I’m leaving this review voluntary)

😈Enemies To Lovers
⛓️Slow Burn
😈Forced Proximity
⛓️Only One Bed
😈MM Romantasy
⛓️Demon Prince X Sexworker Slave
😈Posessive Mc
__________•__________

[Bernice Reads]

✎I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that this is a debut novel,because this is a masterful piece of work.An agonizing emotional waves of sadness and hurt.A slow burn of emotional growth and deep bonds.An intense and profound feeling of anguish all built into a beautiful world were demons rule and disregards the life of human beings,they see them as food to satisfy their insatiable desires and nothing else.They are disposable and forgettable.But one human and a prince seems to have a certain thing about them,that promise a better future and that Hope.

✎Nova built such a beautiful,gloomy,
tragic,unilluminated and Unique world that feels like a lost cause and yet there’s a beauty to this unsettling world.A world built around pain,suffering,hunger,fear
anger,hate and the powerful using the weak as a tool of pleasure and sustenance and yet I couldn’t help but be immersed in this story.I was so engrossed by this story that,I think this is the fastest I’ve ever read a book.Just an amazing world building,a beautiful way with words,perfectly executed characters,emotionally flushed out characters and an absolutely incredible plot.

✎Feloré is a survivor,yeah that’s what I will call him,he’s surviving in a world that’s design to chew him up,spit him out and crash him under its iron feet,but he lives,love,cares and shows compassion even when non is shown towards him.He’s this bright star in a world designed to swallow his shine.

✎Alek is a lotus flower surrounded by muddy swamp.His nature itself is fighting against him and wants to drown him in a sea he’s fighting to escape.He’s not supposed to care about his food(humans),he’s not supposed to have compassion towards them and he’s certainly not supposed to be picturing and working towards a world where everyone is free and equal but he does even at his own detriment,and that’s what sets him apart from his kind.He’s hope for the future and a light at the tunnel and above all he’s DEVOTION.

✎This book is everything,it gave me fantasy,Romance and paranormal.It took me on a journey of anguish,pain,yearning and love and it broke my heart in a painful but loving way and the TO BE CONTINUED might as well be a stab to my soul.I can’t wait for the continuation.

[Kit (kit.reads.romance)]

Go into this expecting a lowish spice high fantasy political intrigue romance and you'll have a lot of fun! There's a really great dislike to lovers with a golden retriever demon prince and a black cat human, both of whom are being held captive together to try and get the prince to overcome his moral objections to killing a human and get him to come into his full power. Alek is the best demon puppy prince ever I love him so much! The banter between the two of them is really great and there is constant tension which is delicious.

Go into this expecting a high spice, sex demons doing sex demon things, forced proximity leading to all the spicy fun and you'll be disappointed. Just because these demons in general feed from sex does not mean you're going to see that in this book. This is two people slowly coming to trust and love each other despite being totally different and being in a dire situation that neither of them wanted. There is relatively little physical touch and even the romance is slow burn.

Basically, know what you're in for and you'll have a good time!

[✨️alysha✨️]

Absolutely no one could have prepared me for how much I would love this 😍 I was hooked from the very beginning. This is so different from anything I’ve read before and wow, it actually blew my mind.

Feloré and Alekus!!! Foaming at the mouth. Genuinely feral for these two. They are so sweet. The banter between them had me laughing so much. I adore them ❤️ there’s no other way to describe the end other than, it was truly just blood, sweat, and tears in every way possible.

I actually don’t know what to do now that I’ve finished it, I need the next book IMMEDIATELY 😭
What a beautiful debut!!

[danie]

Thank you so much to Nova for the arc opportunity!

This one was fun! It fed my taboo, demon loving side and I very much enjoyed the spicy scenes. I think the plot could have been a little more rounded out, but even so it was an overall fun read with great characters that I definitely enjoyed and would recommend!

[Gemeli]

Nah. What the hell? To be continued?

I absolutely devoured this one. I need moooooore!

Listen, when an author can convince me that the (actual pretty silly) plot makes sense, then hell to the fucking yes! 👏🏼
Sex as food? Silly as hell but I👏🏼Ate👏🏼It👏🏼Up!

Alek, dayum… 🫦🫦 raw. Next.

[Mary]

⭐⭐⭐⭐, Four Stars

Note: This review may contain spoilers. I strongly recommend reading the novel before looking at reviews or discussions about it. Part of this book’s magic lies in experiencing it without prior expectations or advance knowledge of the story.

This novel was wonderful. Fantasy is not usually a genre that appeals to me, yet somehow, this book made me read 346 pages in a single sitting of about five and a half hours.

The story takes place in a fictional world where demons dominate humans, enslaving them and feeding on them sexually, while Feloré, a human, works in a brothel in a rural area.

Feloré’s character was wonderful. He has a sharp tongue, a stubborn and slightly reckless personality, but beneath that rough exterior lies a genuinely kind heart. He also carries an excessive sense of responsibility and a difficult past, which has left him perpetually cautious and guarded.

And then there is Alek, who is simply an astonishing character. After reading dozens of novels where the main characters have murky morals, I realized how starved I was for a protagonist with a clear and honest moral compass.

Despite being raised in luxury as the king’s heir — and despite being a demon himself — Alek has his own values, goals, and convictions, and that is what drew me to him. On the surface, he seems playful and somewhat unserious, yet underneath that, he hides firm and powerful convictions.

At the same time, he is far from perfect. He seems scattered and somewhat lost when it comes to his goals. He doesn’t know how to free himself from his father’s authority, and because he refuses to feed on humans, he suffers from a physical weakness that prevents him from confronting his father — let alone changing the entire kingdom’s system.

The pacing is slow, and that is exactly what drew me in. The author succeeded in making the slower pace genuinely enjoyable. The chemistry between the two main characters was good, and I especially loved how their relationship developed gradually rather than being reduced to mere instant sexual attraction. Despite the attraction between them, it never became the sole focus of their relationship.

Alek gradually succeeds in earning Feloré’s trust, to the point where Feloré begins to genuinely want to see him take the throne and witness the kind of kingdom he might build — even though earning Feloré’s trust was never Alek’s goal to begin with. At the same time, Feloré succeeds in seeing Alek as a person beyond simply being a demon-hater, and that perspective eventually develops into genuine respect.

At their core, they are two characters with wonderful, positive traits — what we would call “green flags” — yet they are trapped in a toxic environment and harsh circumstances, each struggling to find a way out.

There were also some moments I found unintentionally amusing — particularly when Feloré brought Alek back to consciousness by feeding him his own pre-ejaculate. He was in a state of extreme desperation, and apparently, the method worked.

And frankly… I have many questions about this. 😂

I also wished we had gotten more details about Landry and Nibal. There is also a curious part of me wondering what happened to Lennox. These characters caught my attention, and I believe they will play larger roles in the coming books. There are also still many lingering questions and secrets that need to be revealed and clarified.

Overall, I loved this book far more than I expected. I began reading it despite not usually enjoying fantasy, yet I somehow ended up finishing it entirely in a single sitting.

And after that ending? I am eagerly awaiting the second book.

If you are hesitant because you are not a regular fantasy reader, I recommend giving this book a chance. Its quality certainly surprised me.

[A Good Girl’s Bookshelf]

Agony. Pure sweet agony. Crying, screaming, throwing up at this beautiful debut!!! Demon Food is a dark, breathtaking, and soul-crushing fantasy romance that had me clutching my chest through the agonizing angst, and screaming into the void of my room! If you live for shadow-daddy demon princes, fierce concubines who refuse to bow down, and a slow burn that combusts into all-consuming devotion, drop whatever you are doing and read this immediately upon release!

Set in the Kingdom of Novithia, where angels have been dead for centuries and demons rule with absolute authority, humans face a brutal reality: become food or become a slave. Feloré is a feisty human forced into sex work as a concubine in his village's brothel, constantly pursued by incubi who sense something endlessly alluring about him. enter Alek: a powerful, cocky demon prince with a surprisingly hidden soft heart who wants absolutely nothing to do with the torture of humans. When their paths collide, hatred and deep-seated trauma slowly dissolve into a raw, undeniable connection. But in a world built on captivity, dark secrets, and cruel demon kings, loving each other might just be the most dangerous thing they can do!

I fell utterly in love with Feloré from the very first page! Behind his brash, razor-sharp exterior is a boy carrying the crushing weight of forced sex work, abandonment, and survival. Watching him fight back while wearing his gorgeous, sheer garments was pure poetry! Prince Alek... I am on my knees!! I loved how his arrogant, carefree attitude slowly melted into an all-consuming, protective devotion for Feloré. all the “baby’s”, “my love’s”, “darling’s”, swoon!!! His confession literally shattered my heart into a million pieces! Real immediate tears.

Nova's writing style and imagery are so incredibly vivid! the emotional tension, the pure angst, and the twitching... when the spice finally hits after all that excruciating longing, it is absolute perfection! The emotional agony in this story is so real, from Feloré's terrifying captivity to the impossible choice between escaping and staying with the demon prince who represents everything he thought he hated! but also Landry?! My heart is still bleeding over his letter, and I am nowhere near ready to forgive him for what he did to Feloré! I understand him logically, but my love for Feloré currently overrides that. Realizing that Feloré had to navigate all that trauma, forced compliance, and fear without the one person who was his family made the hurt hit ten times deeper. That lingering sense of betrayal made watching him slowly learn to trust Alek, and eventually face the heart-shattering reality of leaving him to die, an absolute rollercoaster of pure angst!

Nova Rae has crafted a truly unforgettable, deeply immersive fantasy romance. Demon Food is a masterful blend of rich world-building, breathtaking angst, and an undeniable, magnetic love story that will live rent-free in your mind long after you turn the final page. I will be in agony and counting down the days till the second book because of that cliffhanger. But I must stay strong!! add this to your TBR, it’s out August 25th !

Instagram: @goodgirlsbookshelf_

[Thalia Ohh]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5


What to expect:
Enemies to Lovers✔️
Slow Burn✔️
Demon Prince/ Concubine✔️
Forced Proximity✔️


TRULY?! Nova Rae hooked me with the cover 🤷🏻‍♀️. Welcome to an unhinged & ✨chaotic✨ review 💅🏽 but first…

Live Reading Updates:

3%- ok I MUST be on one because my heart breaks 💔 for Feloré already! 😭

3%- nahhhh AM Idemon?🤔 cause I love all of those things too 💀

7%- “But that’s not submissive. I thought they liked submissiveness.”
“You can’t submissively sit on his face?”
I LEGIT laughed out loud lmfao I fxckn can’t! I LOVE feisty Feloré 🥰

10%- nahhh this is FXCKN beautiful. POETIC even.

13%- Feloré’s Enchated Ass Wing 💀💀💀

18%- “they say I taste good.”
“Who says that?”
“Every vultus I’m with.”
I KNOW a bad bitchhh when I see one 😏💅🏽

19%- the 🍷 pour?! 🌊💦

28%- wait what??? Ok nah I’d DIE for the prince fr 🫦 alek is literally EVERYTHING tbh

31%- have I said…. FXCKN POETIC?!!!!

40%- the terms of endearment from this DEMON have me feeling all…. TINGLY 🫦

44%- I’m not crying YOU ARE! 😭

48%- this demon has our Feloré back and for that I’ll fxckn KNEEL for my future king! Gahhhh

53%- GREAT, now I’m in love with TWO stubborn motherfxckers. Literal story of my life 💀

59% “My kingdom. My rules.” MY PANTIES 💦💦💦💦💦 JFC

61%- NO ONE! No one better take feisty Feloré from me or I STG I’ll burn the world down!! 🔥

65%- this man and his prancing 💀

69%- “goodnight, baby.” Bitchhhhhhh 🥹🫶🏽

75%- PLEASE! Please nooooo😭😭😭😭

90%- whyyyyyy😭 please DON’T DO/u> THIS!!!

100%- There’s NO WAY! there’s nooooo FXCKN way!!! Omfg how why?! WHY DID IT END, NOVA?!

100 fxckn PERCENT there were drugs in this book because I couldn’t fxckn put it DOWN! 😩
At 439 highlights, Demon food is my MOST highlighted book EVER with the lowest pg count (346). THAT’S how fxckn good this book is! A for sure top FIVE books of ‘26 for me! Like I ALREADY KNOW that making a cute little edit for this book won’t make it justice! Because Y’ALL!!!
Demon Food was fxckn AMAZING, SEXY, and just BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN!

Nova Rae, you fxckn DID THAT! 💅🏽 You had me in a fxckn CHOKEHOLD! The plot, the romance, the twists, and the HUMOR, shit the overall BADASS-ERY of it all! Nova Rae’s ways with words was just… WOW!
From the way she described Feloré’s & Alek’s hardships and their connection, to the way she described their physical features- EVERYTHING was fxckn poetic.
Standing OVATION, babesss 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽!

& while it DOES leave on a cliffhanger, don’t worry, babes! It’s done so fxckn DELICIOUSLY 😏
So I’ll be here, patiently waiting for book 2.

In the meantime, go grab Demon Food.
You’ll want to eat it up, devilishly fast. 😈


Thank you Nova Rae & team for this ARC. & as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Bonnie]

4.5/5 ⭐️

First, I'd like to thank the author, Nova Rae, for the ARC. I'm very happy to have been picked to read this early.

When I started the book, I wasn't too sure which way the story would go. Would it be dark and unhinged? High stakes? Off the charts spice that would leave me in a puddle? Angsty hurt/comfort that makes me kick my feet in the air? After finishing, I am happy to say there is all that and so much more. 

I really, really enjoyed this book, its characters, and the worldbuilding. I honestly wasn't too sure what to expect when I started reading it, but the more I read, the more I fell in love with it. This book is definitely a captivating setup for a series(?) set in a world where demons rule, and humans are literally their food. The class system is a big plot point that creates friction and angst for the characters right from the start. I hope we get to learn a lot more about the characters and Novithia as the story unfolds.

I really love Feloré, his strong will, and brazenness. He carries a lot of the weight of survival, abandonment, and being forced into sex work, all while still maintaining this strong and confident exterior. It was great to see his character grow, especially alongside his relationship with Alek. Seeing the trauma of his past and what he was forced to become slip through as the story progressed was heartbreaking.

Landry and Feloré's relationship was so beautiful and heartbreaking. Feloré's self-sacrificial love to keep his brother safe from sex work and have a better life backfiring is something I would really love to see Feloré deal with in the next book(s).

Prince Alek had me on my bed, kicking my feet into the air. I'm always a huge fan of the sassy, arrogant, nonchalant character with a hard exterior who secretly has the biggest heart and wants to do the right thing. The way that Feloré slowly grew and settled into Alek's heart was wonderful to read. It made everything that much more deliciously complicated with Alek's physical needs, which could literally end it all for both of them.

And, of course, Alek and all his "darling's", "baby's", and "my love's" never failed to make me feel all gooey towards him and Feloré.

Oh, and the smoking. 🥵

The spice was spicing in this one, especially at the end. Holy hell. We love a good shadow daddy with the ghost hands and extra long... well, I won't spoil it here. But it definitely ups that spice factor.

The cliffhanger at the end!!!!! I both hated and loved it.

This is a really great debut novel from Nova Rae. The writing and story are engaging, with characters you can easily fall in love with, and set against a fascinating world where demons and humans coexist, but definitely not as equals. Feloré and Alek are two characters that are instantly memorable and will make you want more.

[Fayra]

Demon Food by Nova Rae was my first time reading this kind of fiction. M/M romance is not my preferred genre but I went into the book completely blind without reading the synopsis. I only knew that it was a new release and had received fairly high ratings.

I would describe my experience reading this dark fantasy romance as rather unconventional.

The story is set in a kingdom ruled by demons, where humans are treated as slaves or simply as food. The Vultus, in particular, survive by consuming human essence through sex and physical intimacy. Feloré is a human concubine who has endured years of exploitation to protect his younger brother from suffering the same fate. But his life changes when he meets Alek, a mysterious demon who is eventually revealed to be a prince. Unlike the other demons, Alek opposes the system that enslaves humans and feeds upon them.

After Feloré and Alek are trapped together by the king, their relationship gradually develops from distrust and forced proximity into attraction, emotional attachment and eventually, an alliance of sorts.

The premise was certainly interesting but I felt that the main storyline became buried beneath everything else happening in the book. If I may be honest, Alek carried the novel for me. He was easily the character I found most compelling.

Overall, the book was just okay. I found certain aspects of the story unintentionally funny; particularly the idea of the Vultus feeding through sex and people dying when the first Vultus loses his virginity. Even the climax and the way everything unfolded toward the end made me chuckle. I don’t necessarily think those moments were meant to be funny; perhaps this kind of story simply isn’t for me.

However, one scene genuinely affected me: Feloré devouring the food during his first meal at the palace. It was such a simple moment, yet it revealed just how severely deprived he had been. What made it even sadder was his guilt over not finishing the food, knowing that the leftovers would be fed to pigs while humans outside the palace were starving every day. That scene really broke my heart.

Ultimately, Demon Food was certainly an unusual reading experience. I can understand why readers who enjoy this genre might love it, but it wasn’t quite for me. Still, it was entertaining enough and I mostly skimmed the explicit scenes because, well… not for me, haha.

One line did get to me:
“I’m not sure I know what it is to love, but I do know that if I could spend forever in your company, it would not be long enough.”

Maybe it affected me because I’m currently at a stage in my life where I’m not even sure whether I’m capable of handling a relationship. There is something both comforting and frightening about wanting someone’s company forever when you’re still uncertain whether you know how to love or how to let yourself be loved.

[Betzy]

First thought, "how could you do this? To me, I am hurt and flabbergasted." Now I really need the second book to give me back my life and my happiness and my sanity cause that cliff hanger? I am crushed. I need the second book like I need oxygen, please and thank you.

Now, that I have my dramatics out of the way, this is an excellent debute book. The writing style, the plot, the characters, and the details were immediately captivating and that is exactly what I want when I read. The imagery transported me to the kingdom of Novithia, and kept me there. I was entranced by the history of the kingdom and the war that was fought between the demons (vultae) and the angels. Obviously the demons won, which leads us to the situation where Feloré and Alek find themselves.

As the title suggests, humans have one of two choices. Be their food or be their slave. Their As in the vultae, who feed on human pleasure to stay alive.

Now we have our two main characters, Feloré and Alek. Feloré is a seasoned concubine, who is just trying to survive doing what he needs to do and provide for his brother. I'm not going to give too much away of his or Alek character because I love him and I need everyone else to. Just know that he hates demons and everything they are, which is understandable.

Then, we have Alek, who is a demon prince next up for the throne. However in order to truly awaken, he needs to feed on a human, but he refuses to. He has a lot of self control which I appreciate. His way of seeing interactions between humans and vultae it's rather promising for humankind and he suffers so much to hopefully achieve his goal. He is very much a puppy for Feloré, and he is probably the least scary/intimidating vultae in the kingdom, but I love that about him. Oh my gosh, don't even get me started on all the pet names that Alek calls Feloré, I mean, honestly one hundred out of ten I swooned for all of them. My favorites are beloved, snow fox, and love.

The enemies to lovers is done really well and as you go through the book, you will start seeing a shift in both of their thinkings. I think that in certain situations, the way that Alek thinks about humans really helps the situation and really helps Feloré see Alek in a different light. This is a really good read, and I think if you're looking for fantasy romance, a great plot, great characters. This is it. Truly a job well done, and I can't wait for the next one.

[Corey]

Synopsis:
Felore is the prized concubine of small country brothel. He’s food for demons that feed off sex and pleasure. When the king spots him, he’s bought for the sole purpose of being the first meal for the prince, Alek. But a demon’s first meal, means certain death for the human.

Highlights:
World Building
“Snow Fox”
Alek’s constant endearments
Unexpected humor and sarcasm

Recommend?
YES!!! This Book was a surprise in the best way. It’s full of humor, moral conundrums, and love blossoming in the most unusual places.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

"Demon Food " by Nova Rae is an MM Fantasy Romance set in a world post an Angel-Demon war. It was the demons that won and now humans are separated into two groups: service slaves or concubines.

Concubines are Demon Food, giving the demons their only form of sustenance: Sex.

Overall: 5/5 hearts - If I could give more I would. I loved this book to an unhealthy degree. It was one of those books that made me sad every time I saw my kindle progress because I didn't want it to end.

This book made me cry like I was dying. Not even because something horrible happens, but because the characters settled so deeply in my heart that the *idea* of something bad happening to them had me bawling.

Peppers (Spice Quantity): 2/5 - I thought this book would be jam packed with smut. Like all the sex. But it's not. It's a romance at it's core with a touch of spice.

Spice Quality: 5/5 - BUT MY GAWD when the spice happens, ya'll better have water, a fire extinguisher, and wet wipes handy. Don't say I didn't warn ya.

Plot: 5/5 -
Storyline: It's devastatingly amazing. There's no epic battles. Most of the romance plot takes place in one room. But it feels like an adventure. There's great world building that made me excited to explore it further, fantastic characters (MCs, side, villains) that come together to make a thrilling and emotional storyline.

Characters: This book is a shining example of characterization for me. Nova manages to make both MCs flawed, likeable, and shows us little incremental growth milestones that scream of a writer that probably talks to these boys in her head at night. And that's my kinda person.

The book also has incredible side characters that pop in for 2 lines but manage to leave an impression.

Writing: It's so frickin' good. Flowy and so nice to read. It had me engaged from page one and I'm so excited to read more from Nova!

[GJO AND PUPS]

I have NEVER run to an author’s DMs to absolutely RAGE like I did when I finished this book.
How I am not blocked I do not know haha .

My chaotic emotions throughout were basically:

You go, Feloré! Own that shit!
Ooh, a King… creepy vibes. I don’t like where this is going.
Oh… now we’re talking.
Oooooh, that’s hot. Yes please!
Aaaw, you cuties. Don’t fight it!
This room must STINK with all this smoke.
Ooh, King’s back. Creepy vibes. Don’t like where this is going.

And suddenly = WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!

My flabbers were absolutely gasted.

The writing. The premise. The world building. The characters. SUBLIME. ALL THE STARS!

I was completely immersed in Feloré’s world from the very beginning. Our brave, sassy human is assigned to be used and essentially abused as a concubine for demons. Yet Feloré owns his sexuality and the power he has within the brothel, constantly trying to make life better for those around him. I was heartbroken for his circumstances, but I fell in love with him immediately.

Unfortunately, his life is taken from him when he is delivered to a castle and a demon who is expected to awaken his full… potential… by using Feloré.

And this is where things get rather unique.

The tension between them builds into something far beyond what I anticipated. There are no predictable clichés here. Instead, we have a demon spitting facts amongst lies and a human terrified that he will never fulfil his purpose.

This book isn’t about smut. It doesn’t rely on the usual enemies to lovers formula. It’s a slow burn of realisation. It’s about two completely opposite worlds colliding.

And the barriers between those worlds aren’t simply broken down. They are discussed. Dissected. Challenged.

What develops is honesty, vulnerability and complete trust—something that coils deeper and deeper until you’re left desperately yearning for a demon and a human who have absolutely no chance of both making it out of their confinements alive.

And then I got to the end.

My jaw was on the FLOOR.

My brain was screaming.

My anger was already sprinting towards the author’s DMs because HOW DARE I FALL IN LOVE WITH A SEX DEMON AND THEN BE LEFT ON A CLIFFHANGER?!

I need answers. I need the next book. I need emotional compensation.

All the stars. And possibly therapy. ♾️

[KathrynAlyse]

A HUGE thank you to Nova Rae for allowing me the ARC of Demon Food! 🖤

Let me just say… my mouth was hanging open in awe, shock, or complete disbelief for about 80% of this book. 😂

We’ve got enemies-to-lovers, slow burn-ish (do ghost hands count? 👀), forced proximity, forced concubine, and a post–angel vs. demon war world where the demons WON. Humans are now either their servants… or their food.

But not food in the traditional sense. 😏 They don’t necessarily need to physically eat them—they devour them through desire… which may or may not end in death depending on the circumstances. You know… totally normal. 😂

Enter Felore, one of our MMCs, who is assigned as a concubine to the demons. He’s whisked away to the king’s castle under false pretenses and quickly finds himself caught in a world he never expected.

Felore is unique, fierce, and absolutely the perfect match for Alex, the demon prince who has yet to fulfill his own… duties. 👀

Then add forced proximity, a horrible shitty king, INSANE tension, and spice that is absolutely out of this world. The first time Felore meets the king… THAT SCENE. Wow. Just… wow. Okay. 🫠🔌

Chapter 21: 🥵
Chapters 36 & 37: I genuinely thought my heart was going to break.
Chapter 40: THE KNIFE SCENE. The entire damn scene was 🔥🔥🔥

This book has SO much to offer. The spice is 🔥, the tension is ridiculous, but what really surprised me was the tenderness between the two MMCs. Those softer moments balanced the darker elements so well.

And the world-building?! 👏 The way everything unfolds and the reader gradually understands what’s happening was done incredibly well. I never felt like I was being dumped into a world with no explanation.

This book had me questioning EVERYTHING I thought I knew about myself. 😂 I was literally looking around the room like, “Can anyone else see what I’m reading right now?”

Except… I was completely alone. 💀

This is hands down one of the spiciest dark MM romances I’ve ever read, and if you like dark romance, demons, tension, forced proximity, and spice that makes you question your life choices… you NEED to pick this one up.

You know what I disliked, though?

The last three words.

“To be continued.”

EXCUSE ME?! 😭😂