Devoured

Bitten #2

by Jordan Stephanie Gray

The breathtaking finale to the instant New York Times bestseller, Bitten!

Welcome back to the Wolf Queen’s Court.

Vanessa Hart is done being a victim. After the brutal winter massacre stole everything from her, she vows vengeance against her enemies once and for all—even if that means killing the boy she once loved...

Vanessa bides her time playing the role of a docile subject. But beneath her mask, she sharpens her powers, embracing the werewolf within while weaving a complicated web of lies, betrayals, and alliances to topple the throne.

Unfortunately, vengeance isn’t easy, and nothing in the Wolf Queen’s Court is ever as it seems. As the darkness of the castle bleeds into human society, it’s clear no one is safe. Cora’s vicious reign grows stronger by the day, Sinclair continues hiding deadly secrets, and Calix—the boy Vanessa might loathe most of all—is threatening her every plan.

With nowhere to run and no place to hide, Vanessa sheds the last of her humanity to play this lethal game of werewolves. And if she doesn’t win, the consequences will destroy her life—and the entire world as she knows it—forever.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Werewolves, Young Adult Fantasy

732 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2026

Reviews

[Bookishness]

I just got the ARC... I always seem to get approved for ARCs that are second books in a series, even when I have not read the first... I guess its a way to push me to read Bitten... :) yeaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!

[Stacy T]

What a wonderful conclusion to the Bitten story!

I thought I had worked through all my rage from Bitten. Apparently not. Devoured brought it ALL back and somehow managed to crank it up another notch!

Vanessa, Evie, Calix, and Sin are back, and we get to follow them as they navigate the aftermath of Cora's destruction. And Cora?! That woman is a NEXT LEVEL villain. Seriously. The rage this woman inspires!

One of my favorite parts of this book was Vanessa's growth. Watching her come into her power while navigating such an emotional journey was so incredibly well done. Her development throughout this story made the conclusion that much more rewarding.

And that epilogue. 🥹

What an absolutely perfect, touching way to say goodbye to these characters. After everything they endured, my heart needed that ending.

A beautiful conclusion to a story that put me through the emotional wringer, made me rage, and ultimately left me with a very full heart. ❤️

[Chantelle Raines]

Wow I am obsessed with this series!!  Devoured by @jordanstephaniegray releases on October 6th and I can't wait for more people to get their hands on this completed duology!! Thank you to @littlebrown and @netgalley for the eARC!!!

I never wanted this series to end! This is the closest I've ever come to reading something that gave me the same feelings of reading Twilight and watching Vampire Diaries for the first time! I'm so sad it's over, but it wrapped up beautifully!

I am obsessed with these characters and grew to love each of them in their own way. Even characters I didn't care for, at the beginning, I cried for at the end. Not the villain though; Jordan did an excellent job with creating the most evil villain I have encountered in a fantasy world! I found myself shocked so many times because Jordan does a great job at creating unreliable narrators! I had a really fun time finding out things as they were happening, instead of knowing the plan ahead of time.

The messaging behind this story was so powerful too! Vanessa learned to believe in herself and surround herself with the best people that supported her in every way.

       "We do not exist without those who came before us, and we do not exist without those who come after us. Time is not linear, Vanessa Serafina Hart; it is a beautiful, imperfect circle. The future affects the past. The past affects the future. And this moment we have, this moment right now? It will become a memory as soon as it's over, but that doesn't mean it's gone"

"You shouldn't waste your life waiting for what comes next. You must live, Vanessa. It will be the hardest thing you've yet to do, but you must wake up every morning, and you must brave every dawn with hope in your heart."

This was such a fun duology that at its core is centered around female rage, and female friendship! Yes there is slow-burn and yes we get closure, but it wasn't rushed and it was done beautifully. If you love YA fantasy, CW vibes, found family, unreliable narrators, true villains, wolf kingdoms, urban fantasy, slow burn, and love triangles done right you will love this series!

#devoured #bookstagram
#salvatorebrothers #booktok #littlebrownbooks

[Samantha Bailey]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy of this book.

This beautiful book took my breath away! I loved every moment, the banter, the joy, the love, the werewolves even. I also didn’t see that ending coming for a minute and it’s been so long since that has happened. I can’t say enough good things about this one, it’s a must read!

[Alexandria Williams]

BABES.😭🐺 After the chaos that was Bitten, I needed to know how Vanessa’s story was going to end and Jordan did NOT come to play.

Vanessa enters this book angry, broken and done being anyone’s victim. She’s no longer just surviving the Wolf Queen’s Court. Oohhh nooooo…my babe is plotting, manipulating, building alliances, and figuring out who she wants to become. 🔥 And the female rage? GIVE IT TO ME.👏🏾

Now… the love triangle.👀
SIN. CALIX. VANESSA.
That triangle was TRIANGLING.😂 It’s totally a word, my word but back to business. Jordan had me questioning everybody, trusting nobody, and side eyeing my phone like, “Okay but WHAT are you not telling me?!” Some of those reveals had my jaw on the FLOOR.

Now Cora….That woman is VILE.😩🔥One of those villains you LOVE to hate because every time she appeared I knew somebody’s life was about to get worse.
Y’all don’t understand after that ending….I finished feeling like I had personally survived a war. 😂😭

If you love YA romantasy, female rage, betrayal, morally questionable decisions, wicked villains, and a love triangle that will stress you OUT…
Babe you absolutely need this duology on your TBR.

✨ YA Romantasy

🐺 Werewolf Kingdoms

👑 Evil Queen

⚔️ Revolution & Rebellion

💕 Love Triangle

🐌 Slow Burn

🫶🏾 Found Family

👯‍♀️ Female Friendship

🏰 Political Intrigue

🔥 Hidden Alliances

❤️ Hope After Heartbreak

[letsgosupernova]

writing review tomorrow

[Lisa]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 4 stars
Devoured is the sequel to Bitten and continues the story of what happened after the shocking ending of that book!

“The stars do not abide by rules. The stars create them.”

Beware of spoilers for Bitten!
Bitten Review | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I devoured Bitten when I read it, loving the writing and storytelling and giving me that nostalgic feeling of the fantasy books from the 2010s.
That addicting writing wasn’t as apparent in this book as it was in Bitten, the beginning was slow both in pacing and in plot, and it took a bit of time to get into the story. Especially since Bitten ended on such a cliffhanger with almost everyone dying, I was eager to see that high paced, high-stakes event continue.
Cora is just a great villain throughout the story and I would’ve loved to have read a POV from her haha. I did enjoy the different POVs throughout bringing that little extra to the table, seeing the events from another character’s perspective and not just Vanessa’s.
The romance was hardly there in this book, and I didn’t miss it. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the love triangle that seemed to happen with both Calix and Sin and I was glad that wasn’t as present in this book.
The plot itself was predictable and it did drag a bit in the middle part for me. The ending was both and explosion and left me wanting more. I feel like it was a bit too rushed and that there might be some plot holes not fully solved. Still, it was heartbreaking to read and some very unexpected things happened! Also, the epilogue was absolute gold! It was pure and wholesome and a bit healing after the heartbreak I’d read!

Overall, Devoured was a solid book to wrap up this duology full of werewolves, political intrigue and betrayals!
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC of this book via Toppling Stacks Tours in exchange for an honest review!

[Olivia]

3.5 ⭐️ | 🚫🌶️

Thank you to Jordan Stephanie Gray, Little Brown, and NetGalley for this free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I read Bitten about a year ago and was thrilled to have gotten my hands on this book!

Devoured picks up right where Bitten leaves off and I was sweating. This book was an adventure and brought on tons of anxious feelings in my stomach. Our girl Vanessa is still angry but isn’t nearly as irrational (understandably so though) as she was before (thank goodness). Seeing her come into her power and maneuver the political landscape was a sight to behold. Honestly that and her friendship with Evie and Portia made this book for me.

Sin and Calix are still major players in this book which means the love triangle is triangulating. I really loved their POV chapters and looked forward to reading them as they popped up. My heart breaks for these boys, their love for each other is largely what made this duology so great. The love triangle puzzle is solved in this book but it won’t be easy on your heart (I can promise you that but I must share my guy won in case you were wondering 🤪).

I will admit there are quite a few plot holes in this story. Specifically with the big reveal towards the end. It felt like there were chapters cut or missing that filled in those blanks. As a reader I felt totally out of the loop due on this but somehow still satisfied??? Despite having all these questions I am happy with how it ended. That letter at the end gutted me in the best way.

Should this spill into your TBR?
I’d say so if you fit into the marketed audience. This has everything a girl could want, werewolves, political intrigue, betrayal, and a balanced love triangle (yeah that’s a thing). I promise you won’t be bored, this is non stop angst but with a HEA.

PS Hey Jordan are we getting a spin off with the Oracle and a certain spider?? 👀🤞 Asking for a friend (it’s me I’m the friend)

[Ren Zomayah]

I started this book afraid like my sweet angel Vanessa. I felt lost and angry…but what I didn’t expect was how this sequel would gut me the way it did and thread me back together. One thing I will give Jordan Stephanie Gray is she KNOWS how to write one hell of an ending. The story that unravels before is beautifully told.
The pacing, the emotional tension with all the characters, all of which were perfect and really tied everything together. The imagery and world that is brought to life is effortless. I pictured everything play out like I was an Oracle seeing the future.
The way powers and magic were presented…STUNNING WORK. It really kept me hooked and selfishly made me want more stories so I could explore everyone’s powers more.
I genuinely didn’t know where this story would go after the ending of Bitten but what I got was better than I could have anticipated.
My heart went out to so many of these characters cause they went through so much, but because they had one another they never gave up.
Vanessa at the beginning of this book and who she grows into had me in tears for so long I had to pause my reading cause the pages started to blur.
Call me a glutton cause I want more, more, MOREEEE.
Keeping this spoiler free because I think everyone needs to experience this book first hand and live it. After I finished I felt like I was the one who went through war.
This is a YA book that handles so many different issues, and it’s done with such an authentic voice. Every emotion felt loud, and all consuming as it does when you’re coming into adulthood. Forced to grow when you don’t even know who you are. Attempting to stay true to that hopeful inner child, who sees too much. UGH. This book will live rent free in my mind for a while. I think so many can benefit from reading this. Each character has their own battle and has to find a way to overcome it. Highly recommend this series.
I’ll end this review with my favorite quote from this book, because I think the impact is everything.
“You must live Vanessa. It will be the hardest thing you’ve yet to do, but you must wake up every morning, and you must brave every dawn with hope in your heart.”

[Ariana wells]

Thank you Jordan & Netgalley for the EARC!

Devoured was a predictable yet so satisfying end to a duology. We all know how they have to end but the journey there is what makes or breaks it and this one made it 🤌🏻

The feminine rage, plotting, HEARTBREAK, hidden allies, etc etc were so so so good. I love seeing women mad and plotting, instead of accepting being a victim in a situation 🔥

I loved seeing Vanessa take control in this book after losing most control over anything in Bitten. She had so much growth and the relationships she developed with Evie and Portia were beautiful, fun, sad and everything in between. I really loved their friendships being the focus over the two male love interest. (Dont worry they were there haha)

I really appreciate the growth we see in the epilogue as well and that, that leads to a second chance romance vs immediately after everything happens.

Also the heartbreak when Vanessa has that final moment with her dad 🥲🥲🥲 thanks JSG thanks A LOT

Overall I enjoyed this so much, the pacing kept me hooked basically all the way through and the imagery was so good 👌

I really need to bump The Wicked Sea up on my TBR



📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚



Favorite Quotes:


“Shes too busy shaving a broom handle into a stake under the table and glowering at the new wolves around her”

“Sinclair Severi is wrose than an enemy and I am going to kill him. I have to kill him. Revenge is all i have left”

“You are and have always been a part of this revolution”

“For better or worse, it all started with Calix”

“And for the first time in days, Evie smiles”

“My loafers sink into a puddle of wretched mud, and Evie laughs”

“Who did this to you” — I SCREAMED

“But kaax? Sin knows that I would rather have sex with a fork than a man”

“She turns to look at me, and its as if shes walking down the aisle toward me instead. My mate. The words smoke like wildfire through my mind, through my bones, and her gaze widens as if she knows what Im thinking”

[Janesse Garcia]

This was simply just an amazing novel. I was giving the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this one. I remember when I first started the first book Bitten. I could not put it down. I was hoping this would be the same way and it definitely was. There was so many twist and turns within this novel. There were times I didn’t know which direction the story would go. It kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. This truly felt like a love story with a twisted ending.

The female main character Vanessa had a lot of difficulties. She goes through the struggle of trying to be something she’s not. Finding out she has these powers that are stronger than anyone else’s. She doesn’t know how to use them, but the only person that does is the evil queen. She tries to escape the cruel world she’s in, but it seems like no matter what she does she can never be set free. She has witness murder, mind games, and she fills isolated alone. I’m glad she did make some friends though towards the end.

Calix and Sin both seem dreamy. Vanessa is supposed to be Sin’s mate. Though she has feelings for Calix as well. There is so much history between the two guys and with Vanessa getting in the mixs makes it hard. Sin is the crown prince and Calix is a general for the werewolves. They have had some deep seated family bonding throughout the years. Were they both look out for each other. I don’t want to give too much away, but there are a lot of problems between these two and both of their goals is to keep each other safe and alive.

There is some sad parts throughout the book that I still can’t kind of get over, especially when it comes to her dad and Sin. I really feel that Sin does love her more than she knows, especially when it comes to his letter at the end. I also feel that Calix has feelings for her as well. You will have to read this book to figure out what really happens. I’m still sitting here just thinking about it because it’s kind of mind-boggling. I’m just glad that even through all the hurt and the sad that they’re still a happy ending and who would’ve thought two of them would become queens.

[Amanda | escapetoerilea]

Thank you to Toppling Stacks Tours for entrusting me with a gifted egalley!

Devoured by Jordan Stephanie Gray
Bitten book 2 - Completed duology

Werewolves
Feminine rage
Terrifying villain
Secret alliance
Forbidden feelings
Who did this to you
Great female friends
High stakes

Wowzas! It has been a bit since I read a book with so much hopelessness and also feminine rage. Our main characters were fighting against a terrible villain who was controlling all of our crew and it was feeling like there was nothing to do. But they kept plotting and fighting to try to save the world. There were so many secrets and not knowing who to trust but wow, the last roughly 30% had me biting my nails and absolutely in my feels. I didn't have bawling at midnight (and beyond) in my plans for the night, but here we are. What a fantastic ending to this duology!

[Abby]

4.75/5 stars

I genuinely couldn’t put this book down, it was so addicting.

I really loved Bitten when I read it last year, so I was worried that the sequel wouldn’t live up to my expectations. I’m happy to report that I was wrong, and I loved every minute of Devoured. I grew very attached to all of the characters (even ones that I didn’t really like in Bitten), so i was STRESSED during every conflict. I loved the writing style as well, the author was able to paint such vivid imagery with her writing, and I felt like I could see every scene unfolding.

If you enjoyed Bitten, you will definitely love Devoured.

also i definitely cried during the entire final act of the book. and the epilogue.

thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

[Michelle]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5+ STARS! ❤️‍🩹😭
Devoured by Jordan Stephanie Gray deserves so much more than five stars!
I don't even know how to put into words what this book made me feel. It was so incredibly emotional, heartbreaking, and beautiful all at once. The kind of story that reaches into your chest, grabs your heart, and refuses to let go.
I felt EVERYTHING while reading this. The pain, the heartbreak, the love, the hope. Every emotion hit so deeply, and I was completely consumed by this story.
This wasn't just a book I read. It was a book I felt. One that will stay with me long after the final page.
More than five stars. Absolutely unforgettable. ❤️‍🔥📖

[Denise Young]

I was able to get this as an ARC via NetGalley. I absolutely loved Bitten because the werewolves, court politics, female rage/transition, emotional conflicts, and romance. The characters were amazing especially side characters. The sequel, Devoured, took the story further in seeing the destruction caused by Cora and her pack but also Vanessa’s growth in herself and trust in others in order to avenge those they lost. Devoured was everything I wanted in the final installment until his duology. Epilogue was chefs kiss and the letter at the end was devastating and brought me to tears but with a smile on my face! Thank you Jordan for an amazing end to Vanessa Hart’s story.

[Taylor Hurley]

There is a big focus on betrayal and mistrust in the book following immediately from the end of book one Bitten. Big emphasis on revenge and Vanessa she can only have what I would describe as the mother in law from hell.

Everyone has a secret, people are lying because they are trying to protect someone else but loyalties are being tested constantly by outside forces and you don’t know who to trust or who’s listening, are your dreams, if you are sleeping at all, really yours.

Vanessa, Calix and Sin really put you through it. Their relationships are complicated, full of equal parts loathing and love. Can there be forgiveness? Whose side are the two boys on?

And yes there were tears and I can’t say any more than that because, spoilers!

Thank you to the author and @netgalley for the arc.

[Nicole]

Full review to come once I stop bawling my eyes out

[Ali]

Thank you thank you thank you to Netgalley, Little Brown, and Jordan for this eARC of Devoured!!!

Listen I’ve been with Jordan since before the release of Bitten. I was a beta reader. I fell in love with this world before the general population knew of them. And now it’s completed and I’m emotional about it because what do you mean that’s how it ended? (Meant in a positive way bc I did not want to say goodbye.) What do you mean Jordan ripped my heart out and stomped on it? Many times over?

If we thought book one had feminine rage, book two has feminine FURY babes. We are catapulted right back into where book one left off and it’s just go go go from there. It’s fast paced, well thought out, and such an incredible finale to this duology.

I can’t wait for the release so everyone can see how this trio’s story concludes.

[Megan Rainey]

I loved Bitten, so I was incredibly excited to dive into Devoured. Going into it, I knew this was a duology, but I couldn't help hoping it might somehow become a trilogy because I wasn't ready for the story to end.
The characters have so much to overcome in this installment, and they each carry an incredible amount of trauma. I really appreciated the additional POVs, as they added more depth to the story and helped me connect with the characters on a deeper level.

I would have loved to spend more time with these characters and see some of those threads developed in greater detail. Even so, Devoured was a satisfying conclusion, and I'm grateful I had the opportunity to read it early.

[Kiarah Alexa]

Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the NetGalley eARC!

I devoured this book — pun intended. I felt every emotion while reading this. Vanessa’s journey through her trauma, grief, and eventual self-discovery was deeply relatable. I’m always here for a revenge arc in a fantasy book, but I think watching Vanessa survive and learn to live despite it all was the most compelling piece of this book. It was truly such a beautiful sequel, and I love how all the characters’ stories wrapped up.

I needed more pages of the epilogue. It was so wonderful, and I am glad the letter was included at the end. I shed so many tears and honestly had an existential crisis because Vanessa and Calix managed to tackle questions every person asks in life, yet most of us take decades to find an answer.

Thanks for breaking my heart, Jordan.

[Vickie: Not Now, I Am Reading]

This was a beautifully written story of an imaginative yet brutally violent werewolf world, and the strength of character to survive and persevere in the face of overwhelming odds. This story was action-packed with twists and turns that leave the reader surprised, and wondering what is going to happen next. And how fun a read is that?!

At times, this book did emotionally ruin me. It got dark. However, the way these characters are developed and deal with the trauma, working together to handle the various situations with each other was elegant, deliciously devious, humorous, tragic, healing, even sometimes sweet. There was a wide range of emotions and I felt them all.

This book was aptly titled. I devoured it!

**Thank you to NetGalley for providing the advanced copy

[Roo]

When I tell you I bought the first book the day it came out, read it in two days, got completely demolished by that twist ending and cliffhanger, and have been WAITINGGGG for the second book ever since then... NetGalley, you made my entire year gifting me this digital arc.

This is how sequels should be written. It's not pretty, it's not all tidy with a little bow at the end. It's raw and it's messy and it's painful, but it's so, so satisfying.

The plot is tight and ruthless, and even though it's about stopping a war and starting a revolution and defeating a corrupt ruler, it all somehow felt so fresh. Vanessa's newfound power that Cora sharpens is INSANE. Without spoiling anything... my jaw was on the floor the entire reveal. Such an unusual, incredibly unique idea. And the stakes. The stakes are SO high, and they're the best kind of stakes - just a group of kids trying their hardest to fix a broken world.

And these characters are still so, so precious to me. Watching them love each other, and break each other, over and over again... Trying to figure out the right thing when all the paths given to them feel wrong... They do the best they can and it made me SOB. Granted, I was sobbing the entire book. It's just. that. good.

Cora is truly one of the vilest villains I've ever read. I don't know how Jordan did it, but oh MAN can she write a villain. Cora is horrifying, unforgivable, and seriously, throughout the entire 400-something paged book, Jordan truly managed to convince me that there was no chance of beating her. But I think that's exactly what made Vanessa's character so strong. I was rooting for her from the very beginning with that stunning breakfast scene, and continued cheering for her until the very end. She's underestimated, betrayed, every single odd is stacked against her, and yet and YET -

I refuse to die now. I refuse to die before they all die first.

I mean come ON?????

The relationship that blossoms between her and Evie (and even her and portia and evie) was exactly what I wanted and exactly what I knew they could be from book 1. Vanessa's grief and emotional turmoil was done so gently and with so much care and love, in a way that few books are able to get just right. It was outstanding.

As devastating as the ending was, I truly think it was the best one Jordan could've chosen. Everything made sense, and none of the characters' choices felt forced or out of place - which is such a feat when you step back and look at just how many tangled relationships needed to be smoothed out.

This is a must read and I CANNOT believe I have to wait another 2 months before I can have this beauty physically on my bookshelves. Guess I'll just go sob some more, because what else is new when it comes to Jordan's storytelling 😭💗

[Ashton Cheshire]

Thank you Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for access to this ARC read!

This was such a beautiful end to this duology! I read the first book shortly after having my baby and it actually helped get me back into reading. I’ve been patiently waiting for this finale and it did not disappoint. This book was absolutely filled with political intrigue, feminine rage, and female friendship. I enjoyed the world building in book 1 and I loved how much it expanded in book 2. The whole world felt so unique with the powers and how the world worked.

The characters themselves showed so much growth from how book 1 ended to this one. I enjoyed getting more perspectives as well and even with them the story kept me on my toes. It was interesting to see how certain powers manifested and how they could be used and how deep they truly went. I enjoyed seeing everyone’s powers more up close and getting a deeper look into who they are and how they act with their powers. I also really enjoyed the female friendship in this book it was so fun to see the characters scheme and plan and honestly it was just so well written. I also absolutely loved how Cora was written as a villain it was so intriguing to see how she changed throughout the story and she was so well written.

One of my favorite things about this book as well as the first is how grief is shown. The grief feels real you can feel the burden on the characters and having that even be embodied for Vanessa was so interesting and unique.

I enjoyed the pacing of the book. It kept me on my toes and it moved at a good pace. There weren’t a whole lot of down spots where it didn’t make sense. Of course there’s planning and scheming but it’s filled with big events in between.

I feel like the book was wrapped up extremely nicely as well. I didn’t feel like it was rushed and I didn’t feel like there were loose ends. I did feel like I was missing some parts and there’s seemed to be occasional hiccups or points of contradiction but overall it didn’t affect the story I still understood and was still extremely invested.

Overall this was such a fun book and I really enjoyed getting to experience the end of this story. If you love feminine rage, female friendships, very slow burn romance and political intrigue, this book may be perfect for you.

[Katelyn]

I DEVOURED this book.
I already was extremely invested by the chaotic cliffhanger we left off on in book 1 but this throws you right into the action with Vanessa and everybody facing the consequences of the new reign of the Wolf Court. The plot itself was very alluring and with how the last book ended it gave me that Game of Thrones feeling of suspense because nobody is safe and you never know what is going to happen next. Towards the ending I was feeling so many emotions especially in regards to Vanessa and her father. I really was feeling the weight of every tough decision Vanessa ended up making for the greater good of the situation and it wrecked me!

Finally discovering the true nature of Vanessa's powers was so intriguing and the magic system that is cultivated here I thought was uniquely done. The pacing did fall off for me around the 55% mark, certain scenes I felt were just not furthering along the plot and I became a bit bored wondering what the overall goal of all this was but I do like how it all came together in the end.

I loved the found family and friendship bonds that were strengthened in this book. Vanessa, Evie, and Portia's relationship was everything to me and I loved all of their banter!

One aspect I did not enjoy as much though was the romance. I was unsure whether I was supposed to be rooting for Sin or Calix at times, quite honestly. (Personally I was team Calix all the way but I did not like being left questioning that decision for the majority of the book). Luckily though, the plot of this book was very strong I don't feel like it even needed this love triangle trope.

All in all, fantastic werewolf read and I can't wait to read more from Jordan Stephanie Gray!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & the publisher for gifting me this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review♡︎

[Megan Witsche]

Tropes: YA Paranormal Romantacy, Enemies to Lovers, Forbidden Romance, Love Triangle, Werewolves/Faries, Vengeance, Hidden Identity, Deadly Court Intrigue

Quotes: " Never stop fighting for a better future. Never stop being good. Just Live.”

Review No Spoilers: This was such a dark, dangerous, and satisfying conclusion to the Bitten YA werewolf romantasy duology! 🐺🩸

After everything Vanessa Hart has lost, she is no longer willing to sit back and let others control her fate. Fueled by vengeance, she must embrace the wolf inside her while learning to control her unpredictable Truthseer abilities and both prove to be far more dangerous than she ever imagined.

What I loved most about this installment was the court intrigue, shifting alliances, betrayals, and constant tension. Vanessa is thrown into a deadly game where everyone seems to have an agenda, and figuring out who she can trust becomes just as important as taking down the throne.

And then there’s the romance! 👀 Between a forced engagement to the Crown Prince who betrayed her and a forbidden attraction to the Queen’s nephew, Vanessa’s heart is caught in just as much chaos as the rest of her life. The romantic tension adds another layer of danger without taking away from the larger political stakes.

The atmosphere is dark, ruthless, and full of twists, while Vanessa’s struggle to hold onto her humanity gives the story an emotional core. Watching her transform from someone who survived tragedy into someone willing to fight back makes for a compelling character arc.

If you love werewolves, deadly fae like courts, revenge, forbidden romance, political intrigue, betrayal, morally gray characters, and high-stakes romantasy, this duology is definitely worth picking up!

🐺 Dark. Deadly. Romantic. Revenge-fueled. A thrilling finale that brings Vanessa’s story to a powerful close. ❤️‍🔥

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🫑

[Sun Rae]

Okay so I’m trying to phrase this in a way that doesn’t come off as too harsh or accusatory (which might not land but either way… 🤷‍♀️). Was this series good? No. But it wasn’t bad either.
However, I had a major red flag spike for possible AI usage. The whole talking spider scene felt like a direct rip off Harry Potter and there was even a phrase used that as a recovered Potterhead I instantly recognized (and I can tell you Snape said it). Now that could just be a coincidence, but with how choppy things felt in the first book and how it continued in this one. I couldn’t help but raise my brow at the rest of the writing. I didn’t find any other damning examples but I, as a reader, shouldn’t have to be a crime scene investigator to figure out if an author uses AI or not. I’m hoping it’s not true (and I can blame lack of sleep for not catching any other glaring signs)but I probably won’t be reading other Joran’s books in the future until I know for sure.

And honestly there was a whole chapter at the end which felt sooooo needlessly pointless and too spot on the nose of cleaning up all the plot holes. (Like do we really need a whole chapter dedicated to just needless questions? It felt out of place and for readers who are like WAIT WHAT ABOUT THIS REALLY SMALL POTATO THAT SOMEONE TRIPPED OVER CHAPTER 3?! No one cares that much).

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the E-Arc

[Summer]

I received an ARC of Devoured without realizing it was the second book in the duology. Once I realized I had accidentally started with the sequel, I went back and read the first book before continuing. I’m definitely glad I did because you really need to read the first book to fully understand the characters and their relationships.

That being said, I really, really enjoyed this duology! I loved the characters, even when they completely infuriated me. The banter was so good, and I loved watching the relationships develop throughout the story.

And Sin… I both hated him and loved him. His flaws and some of the mistakes he made were absolutely horrible, but when you step back and really look at him, you can understand how a hurt and broken person could make the horrible decisions he did. I loved seeing his character growth and getting to understand more of what was behind his actions.

And Cora… gah. Her fate was too good for her. After everything she did, I honestly think she deserved so much worse.

The character growth throughout this duology was one of my favorite parts. I got really invested in these characters and their journeys, and I loved how everything came together in the end. The ending felt satisfying and left me happy with how the story played out.

Overall, this was such a great read, and I’m really glad getting this ARC introduced me to this duology. Definitely recommend!

[Annie]

after the winter massacre, vanessa hart has lost everything, and vows vengeance against her enemies. but as the walls close in and the wolf queen’s court grows deadlier, vanessa has nowhere to run and no place to hide. and if she can't beat the queen at her own game, the consequences for her life - and the entire world - will be devastating.

this book was so, so, so beautiful and I was literally sobbing by the end. vanessa's journey is a compelling exploration of grief and love that not only transforms her, but the reader as well.

I loved being back in this ethereal world with vivid characters and a gripping plot full of gray's signature twists (that I never saw coming) and action.

since this is an early review and a sequel, I don't want to say too much more, but I have so many highlights and moments that had me screaming.

devoured has not only cemented itself as my favorite of jordan stephanie gray's, but one of my favorite books of all time.

I cannot wait until this book is out in the world and the rest of you can read this masterpiece. devoured releases october 6, just in time for spooky werewolves (but you're going to want to preorder this one!).

huge thank you to the publisher for this early copy.

[Emily Horn]

This was a good conclusion to the duology. There were parts I really liked and parts I didn’t like, but I think overall the ending wrapped things up nicely. The book did get a little slow for me in the middle, but it picked back up towards the end. There are other POVs than just Vanessa’s scattered throughout which was a nice addition.

In this book we follow Vanessa after her world was turned upside down for the second time in 3 months. She is no longer trying to accept the fact that she is a werewolf and is now trying to figure out how to survive after the events of the massacre. She is haunted - literally and figuratively. She is hallucinating from sleep deprivation but is scared to sleep and have someone Dreamwalk again. Cora tortures and torments her constantly.

Things are spiraling out of control and every attempt Vanessa and her allies make seems to fail. That is one of the things I didn’t like about the book. The constantly failing started to feel too repetitive. My other complaint is that the romance portion of the book felt unsatisfying for me; I wanted more interactions than we were given.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC!

[Finger Pages]

I'm not even sure where to start.

Bitten left me full of emotion- I had everything from sad, depression, hope and rage for Vanessa. While it was YA, this to me was definitely upper YA. In Bitten we see Vanessa fully come into her power, control it and no longer allow herself to be a victim. The twists had me absolutely floored. They weren't extremely surprising but they way they were written. I could actually feel Vanessa break almost on page.

Cora is the type of villain you live for, evil and completely unhinged.

Throughout both books I was never quite sure with the love triangle what would happen. Who- if anyone- would Vanessa lose her heart too. I'll be honest- I think i was more invested in what would happen after then most of what was happening in book 2. She and her friends went through so much growth.

The ending wasn't for me. It did have a HEA but it didn't feel like that. I wanted more- I wanted HAPPILY EVER AFTER, this felt more like acceptance with a boy who ran. I'll be honest it ruined the series for me a bit.

Tropes:
- Werewolves
- Find your own power
- Rage
- Love triangle
- Betrayals and sacrifices