Rating: 5/5
All Reia ever wanted was freedom.
Known as a harbinger of bad omens and blamed for Demons eating her family, Reia is shunned by her entire village. When the next offering is due and the monstrous Duskwalker is seen heading their way, her village offers her an impossible choice – be thrown into the prison cells or allow herself to be sacrificed to a faceless monster.
However, he is not what he seems. His skull face and glow eyes are ethereal, and she finds herself unwittingly enchanted by him.
All Orpheus ever wanted was a companion.
Each decade, in exchange for a protection ward from the Demons that terrorise the world, Orpheus takes a human offering to the Veil – the place he lives and the home of Demons. The brief companionship does little to ease his loneliness, and their lives were always, unfortunately, cut short.
He'd thought it was a hopeless endeavour, until he met her. She’s not afraid of him, and his insatiable desire deepens within every moment of her presence.
But will Orpheus be able to convince Reia to stay before she’s lost to him forever?
When I picked this up I knew very little about it. I had seen it around on bookstagram and heard it was so good! I knew I had to read it.
But, boy oh boy! I was not prepared for the book I was about to read. The best way I can describe this is this is a Beauty and the Beast retelling but where Beauty fucks the Beast before he turns into a human.
While uniquely its own, there are several little characteristics of Beauty and the Beast vibes sprinkled throughout. Since I went into this without knowing it was a retelling, I was pleasantly surprised to see these details giving me feels of the old tale. And I loved every moment!
This was easily a book I just couldn’t put down! And I fell victim to the “just one more chapter” for almost the entire second half of the book. I stayed up until almost two in the morning reading this. I was surprised my boyfriend didn’t wake up and tell me to go to sleep! I was just so entranced by this story, I had to keep reading.
The premise is definitely an interesting one, a world where people fear demons, who eat anything that breathes, a small town in hopes of protection sacrifices Reia, who’s an outcast, to a Duskwalker as an offering. Orpheus just wants a companion and hopes that Reia will be that, especially as it seems she does not fear him as the other offerings have. But Reia wants freedom. Can Orpheus convince her to stay?
The idea around the demon and this place called the Veil where they all live is captivating. The lore around it all is incredibly enchanting. It drew me in quickly and the characters, Orpheus and Reia created a story that was simply magical. I loved every second. I just couldn’t get enough.
I will definitely be checking out the other Duskwalker books. If they’re anything like this, I know I’ll be in for a treat!
I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys romantasy. Especially monster love and a little spice! You won’t regret it!
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