"...Branches and stones, daggers and bones..."

Creepy rhymes automatically make me want to read a book. This is not the full rhyme, so you'll want to check this story out for more!

This one lived up to the creepiness level I was expecting/ wanting. A little bit Stranger Things, a little bit Buffy (sans vampires). I loved it. I stayed up until 2am last night because I absolutely needed to finish it.

Also- parents actually play a role in this book (which is pretty cool, since you hardly ever see parents in YA). I also definitely appreciate the fact that there is very little romance in this book. I mean, there's a little bit but it definitely takes a far back seat to the main story. This kept the action moving forward and allowed for more attention to the development of the characters and different types of relationships, which was awesome.

Family secrets, grief, love found and lost - they all come together with the supernatural in this atmospheric treat of a book. I love the small town setting. It's at once cosy and creepy and Herman manages to weave in the backstories of all her characters so well. The mutli-povs were well done and added depth to the story, but the twists were still a pleasant surprise, proving that Herman knows exactly what story she's trying to tell. The ending is Something Else, and I can't wait to read the sequel.

This novel wasn't for me. I was expecting a more lyrical, magical realism story. I don't think this novel can be adapted for curriculum. I will still recommend this to students looking for a creepy, October read.

This book should be a big hit with fans of Supernatural, the TV show, and supernatural, the genre. Herman has created a collection of distinct characters and interesting interpersonal relationships. I mostly loved it, but it did feel like a constant rush towards action, with no down time at all.

This creepy, eerie and imaginative story grabbed me by the back of the neck and held on from first to last page. The plot is a refreshing take on the “monster in the woods” trope and features some sassy, kick-ass characters. The premise of four founding families (shades of Hogwarts, anyone?) isn’t new, but the relationship of the families to the monster and to the town they protect is pretty darn original. The author does a good job of making teens sound like teens, although the adults are portrayed as bullies or dopes. The plot flowed easily and kept my attention. It looks like this will be the begining of a series, which makes me happy. It would also make a helluva TV series in the vein of Riverdale and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Recommended.

Where do I even begin?

I devoured The Devouring Gray in about a week. I couldn't put it down. I was invested in the characters from the moment they appeared. The story took me to places I never expected. I can't gush about it enough.

It was like the founders of Hogwarts and the Vampire Diaries came together in a town with creepy woods full of evil! The writing was phenomenal: the author takes you into her arms and, when you eventually come out on the other side, she sets you down on a nice meadow of grass called the Sequel Possibility.

What's great and different about The Devouring Gray, is that the magic isn't thrown at you. They aren't witches, there are no fairies, but yet they're power exists and their town knows it. Each family of Four Paths is powerful in their own way, whether it be with the mind, with the dead, with energy, or with creating. The book deals with grief in a true way, not overusing it to further the plot, but not dismissing it all together. The characters are strong and weak in their own ways and the Gray isn't the One thing that matters the entire book. Although, it is the epicenter of the town, the characters interact with it differently and it sets them apart.

The representation in the book is great, and something you don't really read a lot about in YA but is now starting to catch hold where it should have been all along.

10/10 would recommend reading The Devouring Gray!

An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

THE DEVOURING GRAY has been one of my most anticipated 2019 reads, and it. did. not. disappoint.

It's hard for me to describe everything I loved about this book. The writing was so clean and evocative, definitely lyrical at times. The characters are thoughtful, developed, and so obviously human—their interactions, their dialogue, their wants and needs, they're all so clear and well-developed. I'm deeply attached to these moody disasters (especially Violet and Harper) and can't wait until Book 2.

There was basically nothing I didn't love about this book. The pacing was tight, the story and stakes clear, and the characters—as mentioned above—so incredible and relatable. I love the conversations this book has with the readers on grief and familial expectations, the lies we tell to save face, the feelings of being wanted and being an outcast. This book takes difficult issues and does not shy away from them, all while keeping the teenaged-hood alive. This is a book I would have needed when I was a teen, if only to see others my age struggle and not be perfect.

I think what I really loved about this book, at the end of the day, was those two last points: this book looked difficult topics (like grief) in the face and didn't pretend to have perfect characters. The characters struggle and make mistakes that have real consequences, which is so great to see. And! The book actually feels complete, and not like the story was cut off abruptly to make a sequel. There are questions asked at the very end that are meant for the sequel, but it didn't leave on much of a cliff.

Definite content notes are needed, though the author has done a really wonderful job being upfront about that. The book deals with grief (for both sibling and parental death), has some gory images of dead bodies, borderline abusive or at least neglectful parents, and lots of bi feelings. No CN necessary for that last bit, but there was that one review of GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE that felt the need to be upset about the F/F relationship, so: there are bi feelings in this book, and they're amazing.

I wish I had more coherent things to say about this book, but it boils down to: if you love flawed characters, complex familial relationships, dark and spooky towns, kids being pretty openly bi, self-destruction, and cults, pick this book up when it comes out in April. I couldn't put it down.

A few things first. I left my laptop at a TSA checkpoint in Boston so I’m writing this year’s first review on the notes app in my iPhone. Grammarly does not work on here so if there’s mistakes, give a girl a little break. My laptop is somewhere over the ocean on its journey back into my loving arms. It’s been a rough few weeks.

But I got my greedy hands on this book from the lovely Netgalley so that right there is hope. Also I’m getting sushi tonight so I guess that’s two good bright spots.

Here we have the town of Four Points where generations of founding families have acted as protectors against an ancient evil they’d banished. But like most towns, this ones got secrets.

Also I great cast of characters. One also wields a sword.

Violet is a jaded teen who’s mother, Juniper forces her to move to a town Juniper grew up in after the death of their daughter and sister, Rosie. It doesn’t take long for Violet to find out her founding families history. I loved violet for her formidable persona and wit. She’s also described as bisexual which was also rad. She’s a girl filled with hope and pain and anger. I wanted to hold her, but was also really scared of her.

Justin is another offspring of a founding family who’s looked as a certain king of the school as well as admired by the town. He has a tumultuous relationship with Harper (daughter of a third founding family) who had failed her ritual (a coming into power thing)and is sort of a pariah in Four Points.

Let me take a minute to talk about Harper. When we first meet her, shes wielding a sword. With one hand. She’s practicing swordplay with one hand-the other having been torn off after her ritual gone wrong. I mean, this girl is a force. I knew it from the start. Lordy lord.

Christine’s writing is stunning. It flows right along with the quick, easy pacing without sacrificing the prose. There were some things that I wished had been expanded on but it wasn’t too much of a bother.

So in closing, we have a diverse, engaging cast and a wonderfully spooky atmospheric world. It flowed through the vein of such recent books like Sawkill Girls and The Waking Forest. If you like those things, this book is for you.

Hello, this review will be posted to my Instagram, blog, and Goodreads on March 15th, 2019. The review will also be added to Amazon and Barnes & Noble on the book's publication date. Links will be added when they are public, thank you.

Title: The Devouring Gray
Author: Christine Lynn Herman
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2019
Rating: 4 stars
eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley

The Devouring Gray is about a small town called Four Paths which is surrounded by woodlands. The founders of this town have been keeping secrets and their children aim to figure out what is really happening in those woods and stop the deaths that keep happening in their town.

This book was not what I was expecting but in a good way. It is filled with a lot of secrets surrounding the founding family's and their abilities along with what is creeping in the woods. The plot for this book leaves you wanting more and honestly I am always up for a good founding family's story especially when there is supernatural abilities at work.

When it came to the characters, a few of them were a little flat but it didn't keep me from taking a interest in them and they kept me engaged throughout each page. It was interesting, and sometimes surprising, to see how far certain characters would go when it came to the power struggle of the town and the drama surrounding the families. I am hoping there will be a second book because it left off on a cliffhanger and there are so many questions I have left unanswered when it comes to Isaac. 

The supernatural abilities are different for each person and even family members have a different one which I thought was cool. A few of those abilities were used but I think we will see more done with them in the second book (crossing my fingers).

This book is filled with suspense, super-human abilities, and a gang of young teens trying to keep their town safe from an evil that dates back farther than their ancestors. If you are a fan of Stranger Things or like a bit of supernatural than this book is definitely for you.

Herman creates a dark and briefing world in which I can’t get enough of. She focuses on the world building while balancing the plot. Her characters are believable and relatable.

I really wanted to like this book, and for the most part I did, yet it didn’t stick out as the next great novel that I’m going to hype to my teens at the library.
The characters in the novel were very well done. Parker, Justin, Violet, and Isaac were all well drawn out and grew as individuals throughout the story. They interacted well with each other and with the other characters. You could really see how the town revered or shunned each person and felt right along with each one. I definitely felt a connection with all four, which is rare I think. I really liked reading from each of their perspectives and picked up on Herman’s little hints as to what would become of each of them.
The core of the story was a real page turner. A dark, secluded town with a vivid history that isn’t really a secret, but rather something that everyone just lives with. It is a little strange, but worked for me. I would have liked a little more about the people outside the founding families (like why they stay and their thoughts about what is going on in their town). When trying to figure out the mystery of what happened years ago or Violet’s family secrets, the story moved fast and kept my attention. There was a portion in the middle that dealt with a lot of teen angst, especially between Parker and Justin, that really dragged on for a while. We had already felt the tension between them and I thought that this took away from the true story and was forced in to create depth that we didn’t need. With a little editing, this may get smoothed out and become as fluid as the other attempted relationship with Justin flowed into the story. This novel was almost on the verge of trying to take on too much, but just managed to hold it together.
The writing was pretty fluid and kept the reader engaged and entertained throughout. There was believable interactions and reactions from teens and adults alike. The world was described in a detailed manner that did remind me a lot of the upside down from Stranger Things. I would have liked to know more about what originally happened and get more about this creepy gray, but I suppose that is being saved for the next installment.
This was an interesting mystery with a little romance, a bit of spookiness, and a tad of teen angst thrown in. I do look forward to reading more about this dark town, but hopefully with a little more detail and refinement. I may not have this as a first recommendation for reluctant readers, yet I think some of my die hard readers will enjoy this greatly.

"Not every Hawthorne could read the future, but their power was tied into predicting and influencing the roots and branches that tied the town together, the same way that tied the town together, the same way the Carlisles worked with stone and the Sullivans could hurt or heal with a single touch. Each family protected Four Paths in a different way." Harper, Justin, May and Isaac are all descendants of the town's founders and have inherited powers that protect their town from a beast that is trapped in a parallel dimension. When Violet moves to town, she learns she is also a descendant and is pulled into a town conspiracy.

The story got a little convoluted at times and slow moving, but if you stick with it, it is definitely worth it and I look forward to reading more from this author.

A mashup between Stranger Things, Riverdale and Peyton Place, The Devouring Gray is one of those works of fiction which can be enjoyed only if the reader is able to suspend disbelief in logic and rational behavior, and join in some Gothic bad times in the small town of Four Paths, New York. This is one town that has a founders' legend as complex as Hogwarts, and the teen descendants of the four founding families find their privileged lineage a curse and a blessing. They have inherited supernatural powers that are supposed to help them protect the town against the lurking monster that lives in the shadows of the forest surrounding the town but they find their frequent inability to either live up to their heritage or to control their gifts can cause much grief and resentment amongst their fellow townies, especially when the Beast is picking the latter off in increasing numbers. Rivalries, crushes, and resentments along with the petty power struggles common to town politics slow down the actiom, especially as no one ever just decides to up and leave for the city. If a Goth inbred fantasy is going to happen anywhere, it would be in upstate New York, and Herman does a great job of conveying the claustrophobia of life in a too small town hamlet where everyone knows each other's secrets. These tropes of timey wimey American suffocating small town hypocrisies and the lingering darkness lurking just outside create the possibility of a deeper reading, but the teenagers are a little too stereotypically whiny and self-involved, however brave and bisexual they may be. The book ends on a might cliffhanger, so hopefully the powerful story will gain steam in the sequel.

Violet Saunders has been whisked away to her mother's small hometown after a tragic event. At first, Violet considers Four Paths is just like any other small, sleepy town. She soon discovers that there are mysteries, lies, and secrets that are being hidden and it involves her family's history with the town.
I thought this was a really great start to this series. It kind of threw you right into the town and the founders, but I was able to catch up. I couldn't tell how it would end and I'm excited to read the next one.

I wanted to like it, but I kept getting frustrated with both the dialogue and the “tell not show” writing. I would recommend this to fans of The Raven Cycle.

This book is well-plotted, and a very compelling read! Although the premise feels familiar, it has great world-building elements that I think many young adult readers will be drawn into. While I can see a thematic comparison to Stranger Things and The Raven Cycle, those stories feel more literary and character-driven to me, whereas this book has the appeal of a fast-paced horror thriller. I think it will be a hit with young adult readers who love the supernatural, and it would make for a great TV drama in the style of The Vampire Diaries.

The Devouring Gray was a great horror read, and I will be looking for the follow up. We follow the lives of a few of Four Path's residents as newcomer Violet comes to town. She meets Justin, Harper, Issac, and May and discovers they are all part of the founding families that keep the town safe from the Gray. It is a shadow dimension that kills all that enter it. Violet must figure out where she stands with this new knowledge, and well as where she stands with her new friends.

It was a fun, and it will be a long wait until the new installment. It will recommend this book to my students.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

This story will appeal to both YA and adult readers. Filled with magic, confusion, an alternate world, the story grabs you right from the beginning. As the young people work out their issues with the adults around them, they realize they must work together to overcome “the gray”.

I really loved this book. All of the characters acted in manners that were believable, even when their actions were not in their best interest. Although the reader is aware of each character's intents and emotions, the author has done an excellent job of keeping that information from leaking to the characters, which creates a fine mess. Very highly recommended!