Name: Maria's review of The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman
Item: The Devouring Gray
Rating: 2
Author: Maria

Christine Lynn Herman

For fans of Stranger Things, Riverdale and The Raven Cycle. Can a group of teenagers hold back the otherworldly horror that stalks the woods? On the edge of town a beast haunts the woods, trapped in the Gray, its bonds loosening... Uprooted from the city, Violet Saunders doesn’t have much hope of fitting in at her new school in Four Paths, a town almost buried in the woodlands of rural New York. The fact that she’s descended from one of the town’s founders doesn’t help much, either—her new neighbours treat her with distant respect, and something very like fear. When she meets Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper, all children of founder families, and sees the otherworldly destruction they can wreak, she starts to wonder if the townsfolk are right to be afraid. When bodies start to appear in the woods, the locals become downright hostile. Can the teenagers solve the mystery of Four Paths, and their own part in it, before another calamity strikes?

The Devouring Gray

Audrey

"Fans of The Raven Boys and Stranger Things rejoice: This is your new obsession." --Claire Legrand, New York Times best-selling author of Furyborn After the death of her sister, seventeen-year-old Violet Saunders finds herself dragged to Four Paths, New York. Violet may be a newcomer, but she soon learns her mother isn't: They belong to one of the revered founding families of the town, where stone bells hang above every doorway and danger lurks in the depths of the woods. Justin Hawthorne's bloodline has protected Four Paths for generations from the Gray -- a lifeless dimension that imprisons a brutal monster. After Justin fails to inherit his family's powers, his mother is determined to keep this humiliation a secret. But Justin can't let go of the future he was promised and the town he swore to protect. Ever since Harper Carlisle lost her hand to an accident that left her stranded in the Gray for days, she has vowed revenge on the person who abandoned her: Justin Hawthorne. There are ripples of dissent in Four Paths, and Harper seizes an opportunity to take down the Hawthornes and change her destiny -- to what extent, even she doesn't yet know. The Gray is growing stronger every day, and its victims are piling up. When Violet accidentally unleashes the monster, all three must band together with the other Founders to unearth the dark truths behind their families' abilities...before the Gray devours them all.

Maria

2.5/5 
Unfortunately, for me, this was another YA book with a promising concept that lacks in its execution:
- the pacing seemed somewhat too fast for my liking; I would have preferred to dwell on some aspects of the story more before jumping on to the next plot point
- coupled with the pacing was also the fact that I felt like information was being thrown at me, but not really properly explored 
- the characters fell somewhat flat, despite the fact that it is obvious the author has a very clear idea how to make them more three dimensional; I think the lack of character depth is in part due to the pacing, and also because of the constant POV switch, which brings me to my next point
- I love multiple POV books, I think it gives the story a more nuanced quality, but (and this is a critique for most YA books I've read lately) it could be utilised in a smarter way. Here, I think focusing on Violet's POV for the first part of the story could have added to the eerie atmosphere of the town and the mystery itself. Instead, having all these POVs from the very beginning stole away from the mystery itself. I felt like I already knew everything I needed to know about these characters, the town, etc. I think adding the other POVs one by one could have also helped add more depth to the characters and their own stories. For example, Harper's dissatisfaction with the Hawthorns would have been a lot more impactful if I as a reader hadn't known about it before she warned Violet about them. The Hawthorns too would have had more depth if they'd been added after Violet learns of these contrasting versions of them: the town heroes vs the people who've let Harper down. 
- all that being said, I did like the overall concept and I loved that each founding family had a different power, each connected somehow to death 
- I did also love Isaac's character, which might be the reason I will pick up the next book

Christine

Julia Lotz

"Fans of The Raven Boys and Stranger Things rejoice: This is your new obsession."-Claire Legrand, New York Times best-selling author of Furyborn After the death of her sister, seventeen-year-old Violet Saunders finds herself dragged to Four Paths, New York. Violet may be a newcomer, but she soon learns her mother isn't: They belong to one of the revered founding families of the town, where stone bells hang above every doorway and danger lurks in the depths of the woods. Justin Hawthorne's bloodline has protected Four Paths for generations from the Gray-a lifeless dimension that imprisons a brutal monster. After Justin fails to inherit his family's powers, his mother is determined to keep this humiliation a secret. But Justin can't let go of the future he was promised and the town he swore to protect. Ever since Harper Carlisle lost her hand to an accident that left her stranded in the Gray for days, she has vowed revenge on the person who abandoned her: Justin Hawthorne. There are ripples of dissent in Four Paths, and Harper seizes an opportunity to take down the Hawthornes and change her destiny-to what extent, even she doesn't yet know. The Gray is growing stronger every day, and its victims are piling up. When Violet accidentally unleashes the monster, all three must band together with the other Founders to unearth the dark truths behind their families' abilities... before the Gray devours them all.

Cassie Annesi

I think the second book will be more interesting because a lot of this one felt like a build-up. 

Upon reading other e views, IO find myself agreeing with those that could not connect to the characters. I also understand the Stranger Things comparison, but that wasn't a show I liked. Maybe if I did, I would've liked the book a bit more? Who's to say.

Leah Patton

allie

Lila Harrison

5/5 stars
RTC, but for now my reaction can be captured in the following gif:

Age range 12 to 18 'Fans of The Raven Boys and Stranger Things rejoice: This is your new obsession.' -- Claire Legrand, New York Times best-selling author of Furyborn After the death of her sister, seventeen-year-old Violet Saunders finds herself dragged to Four Paths, New York. Violet may be a newcomer, but she soon learns her mother isn't: They belong to one of the revered founding families of the town, where stone bells hang above every doorway and danger lurks in the depths of the woods. Justin Hawthorne's bloodline has protected Four Paths for generations from the Gray -- a lifeless dimension that imprisons a brutal monster. After Justin fails to inherit his family's powers, his mother is determined to keep this humiliation a secret. But Justin can't let go of the future he was promised and the town he swore to protect. Ever since Harper Carlisle lost her hand to an accident that left her stranded in the Gray for days, she has vowed revenge on the person who abandoned her: Justin Hawthorne. There are ripples of dissent in Four Paths, and Harper seizes an opportunity to take down the Hawthornes and change her destiny -- to what extent, even she doesn't yet know. The Gray is growing stronger every day, and its victims are piling up. When Violet accidentally unleashes the monster, all three must band together with the other Founders to unearth the dark truths behind their families' abilities...before the Gray devours them all.

Adrianne

I can say that this book was exactly as advertised – meant for the fans of Stranger Things. If you’re not familiar with the Netflix series, it is about a group of kids that battle strange creatures from the Upside Down, a parallel universe, which is terrifying and lethal.

However, in this book a group of teenagers is destined to protect the people of Four Paths from a mysterious Beast lurking in the Gray, a dull parallel world stuck in the past. Whoever ventures into this world, usually by mistake or by being lured by the Beast, dies in a horrible way. People of Four Paths worship their saviours and fear the Gray. The descendants of the four founder families are treated like royalty, and no one dares to question their actions and motives.
 
There are chilling rituals, loyalties between families dating back decades and unnatural powers that allow members of these four families the status and respect they receive. 

This book was exactly what I needed while waiting for the new season of Stranger Things, which is just around the corner. The only reason I did not give this one a 5 star review was the ending. It left me with unanswered questions and I will be surprised if there isn’t a sequel to this story in the near future.

Leni Bulat

Jessica Williamson

3.75 Stars

Well, this was an interesting book.

I think the pacing and my reading enjoyment were spot on. However, I felt like the four main characters could have been fleshed out more. Also, I'd like to see more of the magic system and what any of it actually means. It almost kinda feels like the magic system was put in as an afterthought and that's really weird because it's central to the plot. 

There wasn't anything that blew me away or surprised me, but I read this whole thing in a day. Like I was IN IT. So basically the plot was kinda "meh" but my reading experience was fan-freaking-tastic.

I will be picking up this sequel relatively soon!

cover 4; characters 3; plot 3; pace 5; writing 3; enjoyment 5.

Juliette Raven 

This book was everything I needed right now! 
A kind of spooky atmosphere in the forest a lot of secrets, some powers, and great characters.
I really loved the complexity of the relationships between the characters and the topics tackled such as grief.

Harper and Isaac are my babies so stop hurting them please ! THAT END fjhfhejfjsjj

laura

*I got this book for review from the publisher for my honest thoughts* I gave this book 4.5 stars for review!

This book was such a atmospheric read. I thought it was the prefect mix between stranger things and also darkest minds. I really enjoyed how we got into so many different characters heads and how romance was really not the focus of this novel. It did had hints of romance but it was not the focus. I really enjoyed the world building and the dynamics between the characters! I think the world building was the highlight of the novel. I def will be checking out book 2! I know this book comes out in april, but I think it would be the prefect fall read!

Moon of Pages

Kath Lau

The book is set in a small town called Four Paths. It is surrounded by trees, secrets, mysteries, and houses a harmful Beast. There are four founding families who each has unique abilities are in-charge of taking care of the people as well as the town. The Beast is getting restless and it causes a great danger to the everyone. It’s now up to a group of teens (each from the founder families) to fight the town’s nightmare.

This book has been compared to The Raven Cycle and Stranger Things. I haven’t read TRC so I couldn’t confirm the similarities but I can definitely say that this book gave me a tiny bit of Stranger Things as well as Riverdale vibes. I struggled to get into the story at first because of the alternating perspectives and too much information all at once. I even wrote some of the details down. It became manageable after a while. This book has a diverse cast of characters and ownvoices bisexual representation which I truly appreciated. But I felt like I didn’t get to know the characters better (including the Beast) which made me feel a little frustrated because they’re all very intriguing. I also didn’t feel the Beast’s wrath or terror. There were not enough darkness and creepiness for me I guess. The only characters that stood out for me towards the end were Isaac and Violet. I was checking my notes and I’ve written that Augusta (one of the parents) sounds more terrifying than the Beast. The concept wasn’t entirely unique but still compelling. I was ready to give this book a 2-star rating but thankfully, the epilogue was enough for me to added another star and be excited for the second book. I wasn’t aware that this is a duology.

*Huge thanks to Titan Books for my copy. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.

Ruth Parker 

I have this book 3 stars but I’m now wavering between 2-3 stars. I can barely remember it. I do know I skim read a lot of this book because I didn’t want to DNF it but I also wasn’t sure if I could be bothered to get to the end.
It had such a good premise but I found myself super bored and not really caring or fully understanding what was going on and what the consequences were. It was just meh. Shame. I was so looking forward to this.

Lauren

Update 5/18 (re-read): 4 Stars! Definitely feeling Justin and Harper this time around... 🧐

*3.5

Am I the only one still rooting for Justin and Isaac?
Yes?
Ask me if I give a fuck.

Alice

Morgan Kinney

Liked it, but I won't continue with the second boy. I'm just not interested.

Sophie Elaina 

This book has one of the most eerie but beautiful atmospheres I’ve ever come across while reading. It kind of reminded me of Sawkill Girls and The Raven Boys with a hint of Stranger Things. Oh and the town this is set in and some of the “political” elements gave me Vampire Diaries vibes, it basically reminded me of everything I LOVE but I didn’t love it just because of that. It was a fresh take on those things with its own back bone, I was very surprised by several plot points and I’m not easily surprised. Every element of the story had so many layers and these characters were realistic even down to their many faults. I loved every messy part of their personalities. And I adored the authors take on grief and heartbreak, (and a few more things that I can’t really mention because they would be spoilers.)

The Devouring Gray follows several unique characters and I very much enjoyed the fact that this was truly a gang of people coming together to save each other. This sort of ensemble cast in a book always seems to speak to my soul on some level and this book was no different. They pulled on my heartstrings way too many times to count. However with multiple perspectives there’s often certain characters I prefer and others whose perspectives I don’t care for; but in this case, the authors seamlessly beautiful writing made me fall in love with them all. I actually cared about every single character. Plus the own-voices queer representation made me so happy, and all of the bisexuality was perfection. I was completely immersed in this story and these characters from the first chapter.

I also just want to mention that the perspectives weren't separated by chapters and this is also something I often find jarring, however if you don't usually enjoy that kind of storytelling I would urge you to still give this book a chance as I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that I loved every sentence. The intertwining of perspectives in this book was the perfect way to go with telling the story and it really made the plot flow in a superbly fast paced but also well developed way.

I couldn’t think about anything else while I was reading this book. I loved the uniqueness of the magical elements and I’m intrigued to see where the author will take the story next. In fact I absolutely cannot wait for more from this series. I would definitely recommend checking it out!

Lena

this was... just fine. 
I don't have any problems as such with it but it just didn't wow me at all.

Renee Delcourt

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley and Titan Books. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book Series: First in the Devouring Grey Series

Rating: 2/5

Publication Date: April 2, 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, magic, darkness)

Publisher: Titan Books

Pages: 368

Amazon Link

Synopsis: On the edge of town a beast haunts the woods, trapped in the Gray, its bonds loosening…

Uprooted from the city, Violet Saunders doesn’t have much hope of fitting in at her new school in Four Paths, a town almost buried in the woodlands of rural New York. The fact that she’s descended from one of the town’s founders doesn’t help much, either—her new neighbours treat her with distant respect, and something very like fear. When she meets Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper, all children of founder families, and sees the otherworldly destruction they can wreak, she starts to wonder if the townsfolk are right to be afraid.

When bodies start to appear in the woods, the locals become downright hostile. Can the teenagers solve the mystery of Four Paths, and their own part in it, before another calamity strikes?

Review: Okay, so I’m probably going to get hate for this but I didn’t enjoy the book as much as everyone else is. I did like the premise, it’s dark and mysterious like my soul. I also liked the writing, I thought it was perfect and the author has a talent for dark writing. I felt like this book could have been great and is a great book for many people that are not me lol.

However, I just didn’t mesh well with this book. The constant POV switches mid chapters and even otherwise made this book confusing for me. There were breaks and stuff, but on the kindle it just looked like regular paragraph breaks. The magic isn’t explained in this book. We’re thrown into this world with little explanation. I’m really picky on how I like this done in books, so this is a hard criteria for any book to feel. The book had very little world building, in terms of location, and too much in terms of history… like A LOT, and I feel like I have to read the synopsis of this book to understand the book, which shouldn’t be the case for any book in my opinion. It feels like you need to notetake while reading this book. The pacing was also really slow and there were underdeveloped characters all throughout this book. 

Verdict: If you can get into this book you’ll love it.

Anastaciya

Everyone's bi, everything's complicated, monster, power hungry people, that's all I got from this book 🤷🏻‍♀️

Heather Harrington

This was so atmospheric and creepy and really interesting. Can't wait to see what happens in the next one!

Audrey &
The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman

Reviews

Join the club

Audrey &The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman

Reviews

Join the club

Audrey &
The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman