I don’t usually read books classified as horror, but something about this book drew me in from the first time I heard about it. The concept just seemed so unique, and I found myself excitedly counting down the days until release (and then waiting for the arrival of my Illumicrate copy).

It doesn’t happen often that a book exactly matches my expectations, but this one did. It was exactly what I wanted and needed from this book, gripping me from early on and keeping me hooked throughout. I’ve had a hard time focusing on books that aren’t audiobooks lately, but I finished this one in only three evenings, and I think that’s entirely because of how interesting and well-written this book was.

For such a short standalone book, Sunyi Dean did a fantastic job of fully enmeshing us into the world of book eaters. There was so much depth to this society, so much history, that it’s honestly remarkable that it was able to fit in a 300-page book without feeling shallow or rushed. I felt like we learned more than enough about this society, from the way the arranged marriages work to the politics between the Families and the Knights. We even get a lot of detail regarding actual book eating, from the taste and impact of certain kinds of books over others, and the general anatomy of a book eater compared to normal humans. Sure, a lot of the big mysteries are left unsolved, but it’s intentionally done and lends an air of mystery to the existence of the ‘eaters, one that affects both the humans that are aware of them and the ‘eaters themselves.

My favorite parts of this book, however, had to be the characters themselves and the writing style. Both of these were quite interconnected, as I wouldn’t have been as connected to the characters if the writing style didn’t force me to feel for them and understand them, and I wouldn’t have been able to appreciate the beauty of some of the written lines if I didn’t already appreciate the characters saying and thinking them. It was all just so beautiful and poignant, and I love how this book explores love and the depths we go to protect and serve those we love. I’ve not read many books with mothers as characters, and while I don’t necessarily seek that kind of future for myself, Sunyi’s portrayal of Devon’s motherhood and her love for Cai was heart-wrenching and raw, and I found myself deeply understanding everything Devon and Cai did, and were willing to do, for each other. Even just writing this out and remembering some of the scenes is giving me goosebumps!

Overall, this book is a new favorite, and a perfect read for this fall (spooky season!) or this winter. I can’t wait to read more from this author, and reread The Book Eaters for years to come!