Title: The Devouring Gray
Author: Christine Lynn Herman
Type: Fiction
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Date published: April 2, 2019
A complimentary copy of this book was kindly provided by Disney Books.
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?
⤖ My Review ⬻
The moment I heard that The Devouring Gray would be like a blend of Stranger Things, The Raven Boys, and Riverdale…I knew that I absolutely had to read it. So, you can only imagine how happily surprised I was when I received a package from Let’s Talk YA containing not only a finished copy of The Devouring Gray but also some amazing The Devouring Gray themed swag! (Thank you Let’s Talk YA!) So, once I finished doing an unboxing video for the surprise package, I dove right into the book! As I read, I gradually realized that the atmosphere and characters were a little different from what I had expected. But I also found that this wasn’t a bad thing!
Yes, the story was different, but it was also still a very very good story. I also found parts of it to be mildly terrifying. I’m a fan of horror, so I definitely enjoyed those parts as well (but just tried avoiding to read them once the sun had set, haha). I also really liked the friend group in this book (and it really did remind me a little of the friend groups in Riverdale, Stranger Things, and The Raven Boys). The group of friends is actually the main reason that I want to read the next book ASAP. The Devouring Gray definitely left an impression on me. I mean, I read it almost a year ago and I can still remember what happened. And I’m still super excited to see what’ll happen next once The Deck of Omens comes out on May 25!
⤖ About the Author ⬻
Born in New York City but raised in Japan and Hong Kong, Christine Lynn Herman subscribes to the firm philosophy that home is where her books are. She returned to the United States for college, where she traded out a subtropical climate for harsh, snowy winters and an Honors English degree at the University of Rochester. Currently, Christine and her books reside in Brooklyn, along with her partner and their extremely spoiled cat. Her debut novel, THE DEVOURING GRAY, will be released by Disney Hyperion on April 2, 2019, with a sequel to come the following year.
⤖ 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 WANT TO, OR NOT? HOW COME? LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS!
Great review!
I really loved this book! I’m not really sure though about the description of Raven boys, Stranger things and Riverdale haha! Maybe slightly ?!
(www.evelynreads.com)
Thank you! And I’m glad you loved it too 😀
And oh haha I kind of saw some of the team dynamic from The Raven Boys near the end of the book, similar-ish horror elements as in Stranger Things, and then a bit of the community atmosphere from Riverdale haha. But that’s just meeee 😀
I liked this book but I didn’t love it. I picked it up because Christine and Emily were doing a release event together last year, so I picked up signed copies of both The Devouring Gray and Wicked Saints. I do plan on picking up The Deck of Omens, though. I’m curious to see how this duology ends.
Great review.
Awe that’s too bad! And yeah I heard about some sort of joint thing. So luck you got signed copies! Ahhhh. And I just received approval for Deck of Omens 😀 so I’m curious about how things will wrap up as well!
I might read it again before I pick up The Deck of Omens. Sometimes a second read through makes the book better. I just didn’t feel all that connected to the characters last year; the writing felt like it was keeping the characters at a distance. We’ll see what another read does for my opinion.
Hmmm I see what you mean! And props to you for being able to re-read books without worrying about it messing with your reading schedule! The only way I can re-read books is if I listen to them on audiobook haha
I am somewhat a planned reader and somewhat a mood reader, so I have to leave myself a little room in the reading schedule in case I’m in the mood for something different. Besides, I average like 22 books a month right now, so I can squeeze in rereads pretty easily.
Sorry I just saw this comment now! And 22 books a month?! That is GOALS