This is one of those books that you know everyone seems to like, but you just can't understand why. I'm not discrediting others; this book surely has potential for someone who isn't me! It was just very slow, very character-focused, not much happens until halfway in, and the whole book seems gray and foggy. The worldbuilding felt askew. The setting threw me off a bit, because it was written almost as if it was supposed to be set in another time, but there are cars and cell phones and such. I saw other reviewers comparing the writing style to The Raven Boys, which I can't speak to because I never made it in far enough to read that series — I got too bored! I think it's just a matter of preference. Sorry, The Devouring Gray!

I loved this Young Adult fantasy that was dark and well described. This world practically jumped of the pages and had my attention from the beginning.

Received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley.

I found this quite enjoyable. Book was described as “Stranger Things” meets “Riverdale.” The description didn’t disappoint. I would even add a hint of “Vampire Diaries” due to a group of founding families controlling/protecting the town. Gave me my paranormal fix for my fav tv shows during their hiatus.

THE DEVOURING GRAY = DEVOURING READ! I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! I loved first off the hints of the side f/f relationships. I'm glad to see more and more book be more accepting and open with gay relationships now! FINALLY! This book is defn Raven Boys meets Stranger things. Two perfect things combined into a perfect book! The plot was well paced and the characters were given a great arc. i loved the world building and how each page brought something new. My only question is....WHERE IS MUH SEQUEL????

Overall I really enjoyed this book!
I loved how creepy & eerie Four Paths was and how it weaved magical abilities into the town.
The 4 characters were all so interesting to read and learn more from and I loved learned about their families bloodlines and the power that resides in them.
Perfect to read in fall, it gives you an eerie and creepy vibe.
Also as a side note, this book series would be PERFECT to be made into a CW show.

I devoured this book! I just could not put it down. The story was interesting and the characters were all crazy (in a good way).

The Devouring Gray was a lot of fun to read with its allusions to Stranger Things and The Vampire Diaries. While I found some of it a bit predictable, I still appreciated the atmosphere and the diversity in the story. It would make a great fall/October read. It had a cinematic quality, in that I was easily able to visualize what was going on (which isn't common for me).

This book felt very true to the times. The teens felt real to me and they were as far from cookie-cutter as you can get. The beginning was a slow-burn and really helped build up the creepy feel of the novel. With strong characters and an intriguing setting, the book drew me into the mystery surrounding Four Paths and the founding families. I usually hate books with more than two POVs, but this worked because I actually liked the other perspectives more so than Violets. Hope a follow-up book will be released ASAP!

Review posted on Goodreads and Amazon

I just got a U.K. Copy of this in the mail. So I decided not to read the E-ARC. I was pleasantly surprised with how good this book is! I haven't seen it around much on Bookstagram, so I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did. It was a slow building, oh my god that ending, kind of book, and I enjoyed every page! I will definitely be keeping Christine Lynn Herman on my radar, because this book definitely snuck up on me, and I cannot wait to read more.

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the sequel. I love the idea of four founding families coming together to protect their town. Of course, there's plenty to get in the way! I found the characters well rounded and intriguing. I was really rooting for Violet, Harper, Isaac and Justin to come together and save the town. I also want to know more about May. She's very interesting!

It seems I waited for a very long time for this book. When I first noticed the book I knew it was something I wanted to read. Creepy and freaky and scary and all that good stuff. I did find this book to be really good. It was creepy.. scary no but creepy yes. It has a very interesting story and I was completely wrapped up into the history of the gray. It was fast paced and had very interesting characters. The only downside… the ending was a bit of cliffhanger.



There is a town with four founding families. Each with powers that were needed to keep away the devouring gray… something that attacked and killed in this small town. This is the story about the children of the founding families and the gray. Can’t really say more than that without giving anything away. The gray is devouring and the families need to stop it.


This book was very interesting and it was very layered. Which is something I appreciate. The story of the gray isn’t really shared until late in the book however, that was okay. At times I did forget about the gray because I was completely into the founding families and their stories. I loved the history of each family and how they intertwined. I enjoyed know more about the powers and how they came to their powers. I liked the fact that one of the founding families moved away and came back with a daughter that knew nothing of this town or the gray or the families. So the history lesson came natural, I was able to learn as she learned. The entire thing was just captivating and interesting.

The characters I did like. They were all flawed and broken and a little messed up but it seemed to come with the territory. They were complicated and messy and I did fall in love with them. There really wasn’t much romance in this book but there were still some very complicated relationships. The story more focused on friendship and family relationships than romance. Which I was all good for. However, that being said, the ending did set up for a romance to start for the next installment. Which I don’t mind. It didn’t feel rushed and it seems it will bring in more complications… yay.

The story was well told, beautiful writing. The tone was perfect to set up the story in the right kind of setting. A gothic feel to the read at times. Old families, old secrets, old town, old houses. I am going to be honest… at times I got a Vampire Diaries- the show- vibe in this book. Which I loved. I mean no vampires but lots of old history and magic and evil. It was kind of great. The entire thing was just beautifully eerie and I l loved every moment of it.

The only thing I didn’t like… not much resolution in the end. There were answers to many questions but nothing resolved…and a bit (just a little) cliffhanger. So there is that. I have to wait another year at least to find out what is going to happen. But I guess that is okay…. I will wait patiently… kind of…


It was good. I really really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read more.

The Devouring Gray was decent enough. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. Some aspects we're unique enough to make it enjoyable, however I spent most of the book wondering if I'd read it before. There was a lot of the cliche storylines you see in most YA books and I just couldn't fall into the story.

Could I give a book one million stars? If yes, then it would be to this one. I mean I read a fair bit of YA now, and I can't see this not being a "new classic." One of the reasons I was so bummed about not getting my reviews typed up faster was that I missed the release day. In any event, you can buy it or borrow it now. Like, put a hold on it now before the list is miles long.

This story is dark, lyrical, slightly depressing and beautiful all at once. It's witchy and full of horror so skip it if you aren't at all ready for a goth type mood. It very much reminds me of Riverdale, Twin Peaks, Stranger Things. You get the idea.


The story has all my favorite plot points: an old family curse, secrets, kids with powers, and a monster. It has new things I like too: LGBTQ characters, and smart boy and girl teens. Nothing wrong with some smarticle particles.



I'd hand this off to any high school aged kid. Also, yes it's book one, so we should get some solution for Isaac.

a very haunting and addictive book. There was so much hype around this book but it definitely didn't disappoint.

After so many people were talking about this book I just KNEW I needed to get my hands on it. Unfortunately, I didn't love it as so many others did. It had so much potential, but in the end it just didn't work for me.

There is a Beast that lives inside the Gray that lives just outside a NY town. In Four Paths the Founders can see that this Beast is wreaking havoc on the town's lives and they must do what they can to stop it.

I had such high hopes for this one. I haven't read a paranormal book in a long time and I really wanted to like it. However, that ended up being the only thing I liked about this book. The creepy factor was the only thing that kept me listening. And it really didn't get that weird until the middle anyways.

As for the world-building, there was little to none. I felt like I was missing some huge prequel that included the story about the original founders. It's not told until the middle of the story when all the things are already happening. I spent the beginning of the story very confused. And to make it worse, I was listening to it while I was driving and I found I had to go back and rewind it to re-listen. And that got old fast. I just wish there had been a better explanation. I would love to have a prequel of the original founders and how they got their powers to begin with and what happened to them when they realized they had it.

I also liked the characters. They were all different and they all had their own powers. It was good to watch them grow and figure out what they had to do to get through all of that was happening. I'm excited to see what they do in the next installment.

As for the narration, I liked that the audio used actual music for the song and I thought that was cool. Definitely wouldn't have gotten that experience if I read it myself. I like little surprises like that when I'm not expecting it.

Although this one didn't really work for me, I still am interested in seeing how they do in the next installment of the series. If nothing else, I want to see what happens with the one that did the thing at the end and what will happen with them now.

Family secrets and bloodlines, monsters, a cat, Four Paths and teenagers (and their families) that protect it... how could you go wrong with this story?! I did see a quote somewhere where fans of The Raven Boys series and Stranger Things would love this - SOLD! Though after reading, I can somewhat see the reference to The Raven Boys in re to the characters and dynamics but the only similarity I would even notice about Stranger Things is this monster in a different world ala the Upside Down that keeps coming after them. Um..... close enough I suppose! And now that I think on it, maybe it's almost too similar-ish? Hmmm... I'll need to think on that one.

Here's the thing you guys and gals, there is a lot of information to take in. As a first in a series, it holds true to building the world and introducing you to the characters. (Hello Isaac - the only redeemable one in my humble opinion.) The first third of the book can feel a bit tedious because of this. However, it does get more interesting toward the halfway to end point. Lots of POVs and the only reason it could feel muddled at times is because of the format - but I think that's just my ARC copy and hopefully it's not like this in the final. In my copy, it seems to all blend together and jumping from one person to another. I could quickly figure it out thankfully, but it did cause some squinting at times on my part.

I just love stories like this - different kinds of powers, a monster everyone is afraid of, dissension in the ranks... fight fight fight! The various story lines woven throughout help to build the story - developing the past of the founding families blending to the present. I'm satisfied with the ending and think the series will only get better. Pretty damn good for a debut. Let's see where the author takes us in book two.

I don't know, I think that Young Adult books and I are in kind of a rut right now. There's not anything inherently wrong with The Devouring Gray. It's dark, and brooding. In fact, the first few chapters actually had me firmly in their clutches with the build up of the founders and the dark secrets that they kept. It's really not difficult for me to fall for a story that has monsters in it, whether supernatural or of the people persuasion, so this should have been a book that I genuinely loved. Alas, it was not.

To be fair, the truth is that for the most part I did really enjoy this story. Herman can write, that's for darn sure. Reading this story was like getting lost in a lyrical version of some foggy, haunted woods. A tiny town, filled with secrets, and constantly covered in overcast weather is my kind of setting. Every sentence felt expertly placed and, impressively, even the large cast of characters felt like they fit in perfectly. I'm normally not a fan of large casts of characters, but this was right on the money. There's a great diversity here, down to a realistic bi-sexual representation. There's even some great notes on friendship, relationships, and that weird space in between, which I appreciated.

So what was lacking for me? I think this book moved more slowly than I would have liked. Violet did a lot of brooding, and a lot of learning, that probably could have been condensed down to far less pages. My other issue was that after a while Isaac felt like the only real character in the whole book. Everyone else was so caught up in trying to prove something, or trying to change someone, that they started to become caricatures of themselves. Events started to feel trite, and I essentially figured out the big reveal before it happened. It was a gradual thing, but I started to feel like this was turning into every other story out there like this that I had read. I didn't have enough investment in anyone (except maybe Isaac) and that hurt my love of this story.

Perhaps I just need a small break away from YA. Perhaps this story was too like ones that I had read before. What I do know is that The Devouring Gray is definitely going to be a story that the majority of you out there are actually going to enjoy, despite my qualms. So if you're looking for a dark and atmospheric story that has Stranger Things vibes? This should be your next read.

The Devouring Gray was slower than I wanted it to be. I've heard this being compared to The Raven Boys due to it's character-focused magical realism story. I don't necessarily feel like it lived up to this comparison. It was enjoyable but not memorable. As I progressed through the book my interest decreased and I had to force myself to continue reading. I do think there will be readers who will enjoy this book but I was not one of them unfortunately.

The Devouring Gray is set in a small town in upstate New York and straight away, I connected to the setting. I recently moved upstate to Rochester, and I could picture the town of Four Paths pretty vividly. My personal experience worked out to my favor because otherwise, I think I would have been utterly lost. While there are major landmarks around Four Paths that we visit along with the four main characters, there’s little else that grounds the reader to the setting. There’s a lot of running back and forth between the same few locations and I can’t quite understand the scope of Four Paths and the destruction that the Beast causes.

Right away, we’re introduced to the fact that the town’s founders are very special, and their descendants share a sacred responsibility to protect the town. What didn’t click with me throughout the book was the effect that the destruction was having on the town’s “normal” residents- people who weren’t burdened with the heavy responsibility of protecting the town. What was their stake in this whole thing? Their purpose? I felt that The Devouring Gray focused too much on the founders’ descendants and their plights- and there was a huge missed opportunity to add dimension to these powerful beings by drawing a parallel to a “regular” person in Four Paths.

I should mention that I think The Devouring Gray is a bit more suited as a Middle Grade-level book. For me, the pacing was way too slow. There were a lot of passages going through everyday motions that I didn’t feel added too much value to the book- a lot of that “telling,” rather than “showing. But if the intention of the book was for younger readers, then I think these passages might actually help the younger reader relate to the main characters. They may be strangely powerful with mysterious abilities, but they eat breakfast just like normal high school students!

Overall, I think The Devouring Gray had a fantastic concept. I’ve read reviews comparing it to Stranger Things or Riverdale, and I can see how these parallels can be drawn. It’s a little creepy (and totally has room to be even creepier) with interesting folklore. I didn’t speak too much about the main characters because I don’t want to give too much away, but all four of them are very compelling and I wished we’d had more time with each of them. Their relationships are deep and complex and Herman does a great job in managing the tangled threads weaved throughout the history of Four Paths and the four founders’ families.

I RATE THE DEVOURING GRAY 3/5 STARS!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
3.5 stars

This is a weird review for me. I did enjoy the book and wanted to know what was going on, yet at the same time if I had put the book down I wouldn't have been impatient to pick it back up. It has a lot of great stuff going for it, but it is missing the tiniest spark of oomph.

Let me start with the characters. My faves? Harper and Isaac. Harper is missing an arm, but is holding a major grudge against the Hawthornes (for good reason). She is so strong and brave and determined. Isaac is dark, loyal, and seems to be barely holding on. He has the most dangerous power of the four and doesn't have many people he can rely on anymore.
The thing is, while I have favorite characters, it difficult since I never felt like we were getting close to them. Violet, I thought, would get more page time, but she almost seems like an after thought, pushed to the background. I just wanted more of them-- maybe dialogue of them hanging out more, discussing things, etc. I'm thinking now that things have happened, they will work together more and their characters will shine through.

The mysterious atmosphere and plot are on point. It's dark, the branches are always leaning towards people, there is blood, death, and rarely a happy moment. This is an interesting and entertaining story to read.
There are a few things I didn't understand though-- for example the patrolling: why are they doing it? What are they thinking they will find out there? Why are some non-founder descendants on patrol and what happens if there aren't enough members around?
Also, how can you save people from the Gray? I don't truly get how Isaac knew to open a portal at the one time...
So, the side stuff I felt didn't make too much sense, which pulled me out of the story. Really the more I think about the story, the more questions I come up with.

The ending though.... that ending. The next book promises to be an interesting one, for sure. And yes, this does mean I'm planning on reading it. I want to know what will happen in this small town, I want to know if my ships will get together, and I want to get to know these characters more.
I would definitely recommend this to people who like Riverdale and want some fantasy thrown in. People looking for a darker YA fantasy with an ominous atmosphere, should enjoy this one.