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.

3.75 ⭐️

There is a beast in the woods of Four Paths that the founding families have always been charged with keeping under control. But with a new arrival from one of the founding families and so many secrets still being kept amongst the families and from the very townspeople they have sworn to protect, unrest in the town begins with bodies showing up dead, victims of the Beast.

This was a very atmospheric read that definitely gave me some Stranger Things vibes as claimed, but being the Harry Potter nerd that I am, it also reminded me a bit of the Forbidden Forest that Hagrid protects as well. I really enjoyed how dark this was with some secret society vibes running through it.

I want to first thank Titan books and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book. I have a physical arc because I traded for it.

This story follows a group of families who live to protect a town called Four Paths. Four members of four different families joined together to put a terrorizing beast into purgatory and gain some of his powers in order to protect the town. The powers are passed down through the each family, by completing a ritual when that person turns 16. In this Story we follow, Harper, Justin, Issac and Violet. Violet has no clue what she's getting into when her mom and her move back into their home town, due to the death of her sister Rosie. Violet is seemed by the other teenagers because they know who she is a descendant of while she doesn't. The four teenagers are led to a path of pain as well as trying to save their town and themselves no matter what cost.

This book was gripping from the beginning, as so as I started reading I did not want to stop. The first few pages were very intriguing and would grasp you. I loved the story that was told and I enjoyed reading about every character and their secrets. While this book ended in such an interesting note and I loved evrything about the ending and the plot twist. When I got to the middle of that book I almost got into a slump. I didn't really want to pick up the book and keep reading. I sort of force my way through. Maybe its because I'm in school and have loads to study, but as soon as I go through I was able to finish the 100 pages in the day. So I feel like the middle of the book dragged just a bit for me.

On another note I really enjoyed the book and I cannot wait to read the next, especially after that twist and reveal at the end. I can't wait to see what these characters are capable of.

3.5 ⋆⋆⋆

I found this to be refreshing. The story is good. Character development is consistent. I loved that it didn't become a soppy romance. There was some unrequited love but they are teenagers so you are going to get that (hormones).
I can't say that there was anything that I disliked. I am unsure how I feel about there being, what felt like, a significant number of bisexual characters. I appreciate it but I'm not sure how realistic it felt. But I did like that it wasn't a huge plot point. They just were. Like I said the romance was really subdued.
There are so many creative parts to this story that I like. It feels more original even though it's really the same hero story.
I know this is a terribly written review but I don't have any strong feelings about the book. I enjoyed it - pretty much read it in one sitting. I look forward to a sequel. I would totally see the movie.

A fine first novel but the story felt a little all over the place and certain events felt too convenient at times. However, I did really love the lore around the founding families and all the casual bisexuality.

Also someone commented this is like CW's The Vampire Diaries and I think that's a fair comparison.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Disney Book Group and Christine Lynn Herman for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

Are you ready for what’s in The Gray? It is haunting and horrifying. It sent shivers down my spine and made me pull up the covers a little tighter and I loved every second of it. I read this all in one shot - I couldn’t put it down and I enjoyed every second of it.

The writing is gorgeous, evocative, descriptive. The contrast between the forest that surrounds the town, the green of the trees, the smell of the leaves, compared to the gray where there is an absence of sound, breath and colour. Don’t forget those bodies turned inside out and upside down. We never get a clear picture of the monster, but its personality is just outside of our grasp. So frightening for Violet who had no frame of reference for what was happening, thrown into the gray. I love that the outsider, Violet, is the moral compass. She can see so clearly what is wrong because of her fresh perspective. The others have been bogged down by history and responsibility. Their grooves already dug out for them. Such a clear picture emerges of the town of Four Paths, off the beaten path, a place where everyone knows its secrets, where strangers aren’t welcome. You can feel the smallness of the town, the expectations and judgement palpable. Imagine a high school where there aren’t enough seniors to make a class and kids who have been together their whole lives. Yet, Herman introduces the fluidity of their sexuality without it being a thing if you are bisexual, gay or straight. The four teens who have to right the wrongs of their parents, fix the mistakes of the past and forge their own way forward. Can they? Or will they, too, find themselves seduced by power.

There is so much in this book, great relationships between characters, magical realism, and a good old fashioned scary story with things that go bump in the night.

If you like family intrigue, mysterious creatures, town secrets, power hungry citizens, and even a little unrequited love...then The Devouring Gray is the book for you.

The Devouring Gray is a book filled with a twisty plot, well developed characters and a spooky, mysterious setting. I was instantly hooked and thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

The atmosphere and mystery are executed so well, I was constantly on the edge of my seat trying to figure out the mystery surrounding the town and the founders. Four Paths is so different from any other town and our main characters are the only ones that can protect it. Being the descendants of the founders come with their own set of exceptions, however very little is as it seems. No character is perfect. They all have their own individual ways of dealing with their founder status and have justification for every terrible thing they do. I loved seeing all of them come together and the dynamic that forms between them. Also, two of the main characters are bi sexual, and there are some hints to f/f side ships.

I also really enjoyed the progression of the plot. I don’t think it ever really dragged. New information was constantly presented about the town and the founders, and seeing it all come together in the end was very satisfying. The ending is so killer and I need the next book ASAP.

Overall, I enjoyed this debut immensely. The magic system is so interesting and I can’t wait to see where the plot will go next. I recommend this story for anyone who enjoys a creepy setting, plots full of mystery and a cast full of morally gray characters.

The Devouring Gray is deliciously creepy. Well developed lovable characters, great writing style, and the world building is all on point! This is a definite 2 thumbs up for this debut author!

The Devouring Gray, by author Christine Lynn Herman, is the first installment in The Devouring Gray series. With the stylized setting and character-driven drama of Riverdale, if Riverdale was plagued by the Upside Down from Stranger Things, as well as similarities to The Raven Cycle, this debut contemporary fantasy follows a group of teens with dark secrets and the power to save the town of Four Paths, New York from a monster that has been lurking in the shadows waiting for the right time to break the chains that binds it.

Violet Saunders and her mother Juniper return to Four Paths, New York after a heartbreaking loss of Violet's sister. As Violet soon discovers, there's a whole lot that her mother, as well as her aunt Delia, have kept from her, including a new found ability that shocks her to the core. Her family is one of the descendants of the Four founding families along with the Hawthorne's, Sullivan's, and Carlisle's. The founding families that are both revered and despised by the town. Only they have the powers to cage that which lies with the Gray.

The other pertinent characters are Justin & May Hawthorne, Isaac Sullivan, and Harper Carlisle. Each has different abilities, except for Justin who recently failed his ritual, (which every descendant is supposed to go through, and none of them are the same), and is masquerading around town to hide the fact that he has inherited no powers. His sister May uses the Deck of Omens to see what will possibly happen in the future. May was not one of my favorites.

Justin and May's mother, Augusta, is the town's sheriff who is getting blow back thanks to the dead bodies that are increasing in regularity. She can also remove memories. She is diabolical, scheming, power hungry and has no issues with sending Justin away. Isaac Sullivan is Justin’s best friend. He’s bisexual, and has powers of destruction and creation. The whole town fears him after a horrible accident that killed his whole family. He is the only Sullivan left in Four Paths.

Harper was once best friends with Justin, but after she failed her ritual, lost her left hand, and was left in the Gray for days, the whole Hawthorne family dropped her like a hot potato and she’s been an outcast ever since. Her family has the power to bring stone to life and she is wicked with a sword. Harper attempts to sway Violet to her way of thinking in order to stop the town from being destroyed by those who are unhappy with the town's leadership.

I can't forget the Beast. The Beast is a mysterious sentient creature which was trapped by the Four Founders of the town over a century ago. The Beast is hell bent on breaking its constraints and Violet and the others, must work together to keep the town, and the wider world, safe from what creeps through the woods when no one is watching.

So, let me finish by saying that I haven't gotten past season one of Riverdale, haven't watched either season of Strange Things, but have read The Raven Cycle a few years ago. After reading some key selling points, I offered up the similarities for readers to decide whether or not they are factual or not. I will say the ending of this book holds all sorts of curious plot lines for the sequel. Including Isaac and Violet, as well as Justin and Harper's reaction to what happens at the end of this story. God willing, I will be adding the sequel to my 2020 TBR list.

This book is an excellent choice for readers who are new to the fantasy genre. It is a contemporary book with a sprinkling of fantasy and science fiction elements that really bring you in to the story. I feel like many YA readers, especially teens, would get sucked in to this story. I know quite a few students who will enjoy this title. I can't wait to share it with them. If you like the shows on CW, this book is for you! Lots of angst and mystery!

Title: The Devouring Gray
Author: Christine Lynn Herman
Genre: YA, fantasy
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

When seventeen-year-old Violet Saunders’ twin sister died, her world ended. Her mom moving to the tiny town of Four Corner, New York was just the icing on the cake. Things are…odd in Four Corners. The town is mostly forest. People practically worship Justin Hawthorn and his sister, May. And everywhere you look are secrets.

Like the weird grey landscape Violet sometimes catches glimpses of from the corner of her eye. Or the flashes of her sister’s blue hair. Or the dead bodies found in the past few months. Not to mention the Beast.

Everything in Four Corners is about power: who has it, who doesn’t, and doing anything necessary to keep what you’ve got. But there are even more secrets here than Violet suspects, as power in town is balanced on the tip of a knife, and where it falls will change everything.

This story is told from multiple points-of-view, which made it intriguing. The setting is dark and gloomy. The characters are dark and broody. The history of the town is—you guessed it—dark and troubled. And that absolutely works for this story. I loved this atmospheric read—but I have no desire to visit Four Corners.

Christine Lynn Herman was born in NYC but raised in Honk Kong and Japan. The Devouring Gray is her new novel.

(Galley courtesy of Disney-Hyperion via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

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.

Haunting and darkly beautiful, The Devouring Gray is perfect for fans of Kim Liggett and Stranger Things.

This book was a complete and utter delight. I couldn’t stop turning the pages. Everything about this book hooked me in. At first, I wasn’t sure if this book would be for me because the beginning was just alright. However, once you get past the first 10-15% of the book, then you will absolutely be hooked.

I don’t want to say much about the plot of this book because it’s much more fun to go in blind. All you need to know is that Four Paths is unlike any other town in the world. People die brutal, terrible deaths at the hands of a monster. The founding families are the only ones with the power to protect the town. But, this town and these families are all masters of manipulation and deceit. Until the return of the Saunders family--one of the four founding families. This return will upset the current balance and status quo in town--and it might also lead to more deaths or to salvation.

First off, let’s start with our main characters: Violet, Harper, Justin, and Isaac. Each of these characters is a descendant from a founding family. Violet is the new girl in town who has no idea about the town’s monster or the significance of being a descendant of a founding family. Harper has lived the past 3 years as an outcast in her town because she failed her ritual. Justin is the golden boy everyone in town adores, but things aren’t always what they seem. Justin has a secret that could ruin not only his reputation but his family’s name. Last, but not least, Isaac is the last member of his family in Four Paths. The town sees him as a loose cannon and a liability because bad things happen when he loses his temper.

Overall, I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the interesting magic system in this book. Quite frankly, I need the sequel right NOW. That ending was killer. I can’t wait to see what journey these characters go on in the next installment! I recommend this book to people who love a creepy, gothic setting full of morally gray characters.

I really liked this book and read it really quickly. However, the ending is a little lackluster. I understand that this is going to be a series and the next book will likely pick up where this one left off. So, I'm not holding the ending against this book to harshly.

This was a good young adult fantasy book and I plan to read the next in the series. It was a little Harry Potter (the later books) meets Divergent for me. I liked the teen characters in the book, I liked the towns back story and I liked how the story unraveled.

Ultimately, I will recommend this book to my friends who like YA, fantasy. I will probably tell them to wait to read until two books are out because I really wanted to start the second book immediately after finishing this one.

Maybe I've just read too many books like this, but there was nothing really new here - old town, deep secrets, ruling families, etc.. The multiple POVs didn't help, nor did the "you have to read the next book to get answers to stuff we've been teasing all along" ending. Tighter writing and making this one book would help.

eARC provided by publisher.

3.5 stars

When I picked up this book, I realized that I actually had very little idea of what it was about.

I had some general vibes: dark, spooky atmosphere, a beast haunting a town—but besides that, it was largely unknown to me.

And so, I read it. And I feel like The Devouring Gray just wasn’t the perfect book for me, although a lot of other people will like it.

I think it is well written, and it’s got a compelling storyline. I just ended up not being in the right mood for this book, and unfortunately that translated into my enjoyment of it.

However, if you like spooky, atmosphere novels with occult-like magic, you should 100% check The Devouring Gray out.

The atmosphere was really distinct.

This was probably the most interesting part of The Devouring Gray, but the atmosphere was so rich and heavy and almost tangible with the way that the woods established a spooky dominance.
Woods themselves are such complex symbols, and I love the way Herman used the woods in coordination with this monster, the Gray, to really build the atmosphere. When I think of The Devouring Gray, I will always think of fog and woods and dark spooky forests and kind of weird small towns that are closer than you think.

I definitely would love to visit Four Paths, but only for a little while, because I don’t think I’d be able to handle that type of spookiness and thick, heavy atmosphere in town for long.

If you’re super into these types of woodsy atmospheres, I would wholeheartedly recommend you check out The Devouring Gray!

It had a super cool concept!

The town of Four Paths has such an interesting history, and I actually was really invested into seeing how things would play out. This was my favorite plot element, as the four founders play a really interesting role in town, and seeing how their descendants have a sort of responsibility on their shoulder and the way the founder dynamic has evolved really intrigued me.

This is the sort of power play and interesting dynamics that made this story still a positive experience for me (rather than a neutral one), and I think if I was in a better mood (one that was really looking for a spooky atmosphere), I would have enjoyed this story even more.

But the power plays between the different founding families, as well as the interactions with their offspring and the people in town, were really interesting to me and this comes into play a little more as the book progresses, so if you’re not super into it initially, it might still be worth it to stick with it to get to see this part unfold!

I just wasn’t as into the story as I wanted to be.

Ultimately, I just wasn’t as in the mood for The Devouring Gray as I thought I was.

I definitely read the last half very quickly, but the first part moved a little slower than I liked, and because I wasn’t being fueled by the atmosphere, I was sort of waiting for the pieces and breadcrumbs Herman was lying around to finally start coming together.

I think, in the right circumstances, I could have given The Devouring Gray a much higher rating, but ultimately I just wasn’t ready for this book.

However, if it sounds really interesting to you, you should definitely give it a shot!

Still, Herman is a fantastic writer and The Devouring Gray is quite well written, and chock-full of a foggy forest atmosphere that will suck a lot of readers in.

If you’re intrigued by small town politics (feat. magic powers) and really strong atmospheres, I would wholeheartedly recommend The Devouring Gray!

(Also, more than one MC is queer *wink wink*.)