[Review] - To Be Devoured
by Sara Tantlinger
Sara Tantlinger is an author I’ve seen mentioned around the horror community fairly often. Her Bram Stoker winning poetry collection The Devils Dreamland is one I’ve had on my ever growing TBR list for a while. I haven’t had a chance to grab a copy yet. However, I read an excellent review on To Be Devoured from Michael Patrick Hicks. So when I saw the book on Kindle Unlimited, I had to snag it. Oh boy, am I glad I did. This book is DARK. Which is perfect for my reading style.
Andi is a troubled young woman struggling with her thoughts and emotions. She has been through a lot and, mentally, just does not cope very well. Andi’s shining light is Luna, her girlfriend who she loves very much, maybe even into the obsessive side of love. Andi also sees a therapist to help her to try and put rest to all the ghosts in her head.
Andi begins to develop a strong urge of what blood tastes like. A fascination for carrion. It starts off curious enough, and eventually turns to full on blood lust. This book absolutely does not hold back, especially towards the back half. I do not recommend reading this during your lunch break, unless you can stomach it.
I love Sara’s writing. Her use of words is never wasted and she has a way of really writing as one with the darkness. Andi is a fully fleshed out character. She is someone you want to get better and live her life. Even during her descent into madness, I still found myself hoping she would find a way out of her mind and live a normal life.
To Be Devoured is a masterclass in dark, suspenseful body horror. It’s amazing to me that Andi’s progression to obsessive thoughts and behaviors feels borderline natural. The writing and word use is flawless. Overall, this a great read for any and every horror fan. I absolutely intend to read The Devils Dreamland and anything else Sara puts out henceforth.
Review by: Garrett Witt
Twitter: @garrettwitt7
I read this book via Kindle Unlimited.