ARC review, book review, young adult

The Deck of Omens by C.L. Herman (Review)

Title: The Deck of Omens
Author: Christine Lynn Herman
Type: Fiction
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Horror
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Date published: April 21, 2020

A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The teenagers of Four Paths must save their home.

Though the Beast is seemingly subdued for now, a new threat looms in Four Paths: a corruption seeping from the Gray into the forest. And with the other Founders preoccupied by their tangled alliances and fraying relationships, only May Hawthorne seems to realize the danger. But saving the town she loves means seeking aid from the person her family despises most–her and Justin’s father.

May’s father isn’t the only newcomer in town–Isaac Sullivan’s older brother has also returned, seeking forgiveness for the role he played in Isaac’s troubled past. But Isaac isn’t ready to let go of his family’s history, especially when that history might hold the key that he and Violet Saunders need to destroy the Gray and the monster within it.

Harper Carlisle isn’t ready to forgive, either. Two devastating betrayals have left her isolated from her family and uncertain who to trust. As the corruption becomes impossible to ignore, Harper must learn to control her newfound powers in order to protect Four Paths. But the only people who can help her do that are the ones who have hurt her the most.

With the veil between the Gray and the town growing ever thinner, all of the Founder descendants must put their grievances with one another aside to stop the corruption and kill the Beast once and for all.

But maybe the monster they truly need to slay has never been the Beast…

⤖ My Review ⬻

I read the first book in this series, The Devouring Gray some time ago (the year it came out in fact, 2019) but I still remember it very clearly. It was one of those stories set in a small US town where strange occurrences happen—a combination that I’ve always been a big fan of. And I liked that Herman’s duology took a unique approach to this combination of themes.

The plot of The Deck of Omens kept me guessing and surprised me along the way. I was particularly pleased with how the story wrapped up for the duology. It felt satisfying and provided closure for most of the characters and their arcs.

Overall, I was impressed with Herman’s storytelling in The Deck of Omens. The small town setting was atmospheric and the characters were intriguing. I also appreciated the author’s ability to balance multiple plot threads and keep me engaged throughout the book.

Now having read both books in The Devouring Gray duology, I’m definitely interested to read more by this author—I actually have the All of Us Villains duology, which she collaborated on with Amanda Foody, on my to-be-read list!

⤖ About the Author ⬻

C.L. Herman is the New York Times, USA Today, and indie bestselling author of atmospheric, magical novels,  including the All of Us Villains  duology, The Devouring Gray duology, and The Drowning Summer. Currently, she resides in Massachusetts with her partner and cat. To learn more, follow them on Instagram @cl_herman, sign up for their newsletter, or visit clherman.com.

⤖ Places to Purchase the Book ⬻

⤖ Let's Chat ⬻

Thank you for reading my review! Have you read this book? What did you think? And if you haven’t read it yet, do you plan to? Let me know in the comments!

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