Violet is still reeling from her sister's death when her mother drags them back to her hometown of Four Paths. It's quaint: tiny, remote, heavily forested, has no cemetery. Turns out, Violet is descended from one of Four Path's founders, which means she's got powers, responsibilities, and a tendency to slip into a nightmarish parallel dimension haunted by a monster that's been murdering Four Paths citizens for generations. The other descendants in her class immediately befriend her, but they all have ulterior motives. When the chips are down, though, damaged Isaac, angry Harper, and golden boy Justin are her best bet to survive Four Paths. Nice and creepy.

After the death of her sister, Violet Saunders and her mother move back to Four Paths, her mom's hometown, in order to be with her aunt. She doesn't know anything about this small town in upper New York, and the locals aren't very welcoming to newcomers. However, it turns out that her mom might know much more about the town and its dark secrets than she lets on.

Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley sent me a review copy of this, which I requested after reading the tag line: "Fans of The Raven Boys and Stranger Things rejoice. This is your new obsession." Which is actually the best description for this book. At first, I thought that this was going to be set in a different world (admittedly, didn't read the summary before I requested it), it's definitely more Stranger Things-esque. Small town plagued by a monster trapped in another world.

One of the things I loved most about this book was the multiple narrators. We get points of view from Violet, Justin, and Harper, which helps in building this complex world that Herman created. And it's kind of creepy! We never really get a concrete description of the Beast itself, but what it can do adds an element of darkness throughout the entire novel.In addition to the creepiness of the Gray, Herman's book also looks at power and the different ways people wield it. Though the founders are using their powers to protect the town, their methods become questionable at times. But is it okay because they're doing it for a good cause? You know the mark of a good book when you're still thinking about it when you're finished.

The only ding that I would give this book is that there is a lot of information given to you at the beginning, which can make the story a bit difficult to follow. But as you get more into the characters and each of their struggles, the world starts becoming clear. And there's bi rep in this book! Like, lots of bi rep. Which is really cool! 

I hope there's going to be a sequel because that ending left me wanting more.

The Devouring Gray was a book that looked interesting from the moment I found out about it. Though it wasn't high on my tbr list I knew I'd eventually want to read it. Having finished the book now, I'm sad to state that I did not like this book all that much. The Devouring Gray is character driven and the characters are well rounded but the plot is lacking. Half way through the book and nothing had happened. I couldn't justify continuing the book when I have so many books I need to read for both my personal life and my job. Hopefully, I'll come back to the book and re-read it with more clarity and understanding of the story at hand.

Thank you, NetGalley for providing the digital ARC of this book.

The premise of this fantasy YA is everything I love. Raven Boys? Yes. Stranger Things? Absolutely. However, these big hyped comparing newly released books to highly successful books and movies tends to lead to disappointment. Truth be told this had more of a Vampure Diaries feel to it than either of the aforementioned. The strange town, the long history of founding families, the unexplainable events all tied to the founding families....

Unfortunately, I wasn’t captivated by the characters, the story line or the writing. The first half of the book was written as a prequel, with major info-dumping of exposition and backstory which I found to be frustrating and boring. There wasn’t a moment where any of the characters “saved the cat” which is rather ironic considering a scene in the novel with the family cat. While the novel did pick up pace in the second half and allowed me, the reader, to experience the story as it unfolded alongside the characters, it was too late to fully redeem itself for me.

Another odd feature of this book was the nonexistent transitions from one character’s close third person to the next. I found myself having to backtrack most times the author changed POV to figure out what was happening.

With all that said, it wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever read, and the ideas were interesting and suspenseful. I think it just needs a bit of cleaning up the scraggly parts to invest the reader from the start. I don’t foresee myself seeking out the next book in this series.

I devoured The Devouring Gray, not to be that person. This book was non-stop fantastic. I loved the characters, plot, and the way the book flowed. Herman did a great job and spinning the words into a great story.

The Devouring Gray is a book about a giant blob/dimension named Gray that devours people. Some teenagers who are descendants of the original settlers of the town end up stopping it (temporarily). The end of book 1.

This book isn't really good or bad; it just is. It tells the story of four teenagers and their families in the small town of Four Paths and how they deal with the giant magical dimension that eats people. Except like, halfway through the story, that plotline entirely disappears and we just get stuck dealing with all of the Drama and the Intrigue that surrounds the families. Which, to be fair, is well written, but still. The book kind of reminds me of if The Breakfast Club meets Practical Magical meets The Raven Boys.

I think my other issue with the book besides the disappearing plotlines is the lack of sympathetic characters. The book does a decent job of switching POVs and giving us a look into everyone's head, but the trade off there is that all of the characters just end up being horrible people and I just honestly didn't give two shits about any of them.

One thing that the book does do well is that is inclusive to LGBTQ characters. I think half of the main group of characters are either bisexual or homosexual. So hats off to that.

Don't get me wrong, The Devouring Gray is a well-written book. It just wasn't the book for me.

Very well written can be enjoyed by YA and adult fantasy and thriller readers. Fast paced, each of the characters has their own great voice, very original and different from anything I've read before. I am very excited to see what happens in book 2! This will be an easy hand sell.

I absolutely loved this book. The writing style in and of itself was enchanting and dark, but had a flow to it that lulled me into the story and wouldn't let me go. Kind of like the monster in the Grey. I loved the various characters and powers that each distinct family had - it gave me a Grishaverse kind of vibe with distinct powers for people, but the set up was much different. Another thing I loved was the alternating POVs that she uses, allowing the reader to view into each character's mind and agonize over every thought. Overall, I really loved this book. I thought it was a heart racing joy ride of pain and I will never forgive Herman for that ending. Also, can we get book 2 now please? Thanks.

I absolutely LOVED this novel! It is definitely perfect for fans of the Raven Cycle and really thrillers/horror in general. The writing style was very engaging and kept me wanting more the entire time.

I was so excited to read this book, partly because of the description, partly because of the cover, and partly because it was pitched as The Raven Boys meets Stranger Things. Although I had a few problems with some of the pacing of the book, overall I really enjoyed reading this!

The Devouring Gray follows the story of Violet, who has to move away from her home and to her mother's hometown after the death of her sister Rosie. Little did Violet know that the town of Four Points harbours many secrets, from menacing forests to a Beast that seems to be out for blood. Violet soon finds out that she is a descendant of one of the original four founding families, who are still revered to this day, and now needs to help the other found families protect the town from the bloodthirsty Gray and Beast.

I initially as very drawn into the writing style of this book. It was extremely atmospheric and it really made me feel like I was in the small town, surrounded by trees and forests. I also really enjoyed how the mystery in this book played out. We were given hints and information little by little and, as a reader, you really related to Violet, who knew nothing about the town and the inner workings of the Gray. I also enjoyed learning about each family, their rituals, their powers, and each of the kids we followed throughout the book. The one issue I had with the storytelling was the amount of info dumps that were present, especially at the beginning of the story.

I really enjoyed the way each character was written. Every character in this book was written with flaws, and no one was the perfect person. It was really refreshing to read! In this book, we follow three perspectives: Violet, Harper and Justin. Justin is the character I think grew the most in this book, and was also the character who had the most mystery surrounding him. I am glad he came into his own by the end and was able to stand up for himself and those he loves. Harper was really interesting as well, but was the POV character I felt like I got to know the least. I really also wished I could have seen more from Isaac and May, as they both seem like really complex people, and I feel like I barely got to know them. Although I liked the direction most of the romantic relationships went in this book, I wasn't super excited about how some went (looking at the reveal at the end that was supposed to be a "twist" and "shocking")

Overall this was a great book, and I am interested to see where this series goes.

When I saw the cover of this novel, I wanted to read it without even seeing the description.  Comp titles like The Raven Cycle and Stranger Things are the equivalent of leaving a trail of chocolate to lure me in.

What a dark, atmospheric story this is, with spine-tingling moments, complex, flawed, fully-realized characters, and layered secrets intermingled with lies.  Small towns always hold the most secrets and lies.  Occasionally when I read, I'm skimming the pages and getting the gist of the story.  With this book, I was completely absorbed from page one, and read every single captivating word.

These characters - oof.  Complicated relationships, a diverse cast, and a few different POVs.  All of them are compelling, but with a tragic, mysterious past, Isaac is the character that most intrigued me, and it looks like more about his past will be revealed in the next book.

The Devouring Gray is an enticing blend of YA fantasy and horror.  It's not a fast-paced story, but more of a slow burn - and what a tantalizing burn it is, with all those secrets and lies slowly coming to light.  The second book in this duology will be on my wishlist for next year.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The blurb for this book is spot on- fans of The Raven Boys and Stranger Things will probably love The Devouring Gray. This is a atmospheric, paranormal YA story that takes place in upstate New York, in a small town with a dark past. The founders of the town passed on strange abilities to their descendants, along with the responsibility of protecting the town from the murderous "Gray" in the forest.

We follow several teen characters dealing with that responsibility as something begins to go wrong. It is a book that has unexpected twists, interesting characters who are dealing with trauma, an intriguing, atmospheric setting, and a focus on friendship. It is also casually queer, including several characters who are bisexual, although that is not the focus of the plot.

This is a fantastic, creepy book that is appropriate for younger YA readers, but will also appeal to older ones as well. It does get darker as the story progresses, but has a solid narrative arc that definitely leaves room for a sequel. This might be a new favorite for me and I think this is an impressive debut that left me excited to read more from the author! In terms of content warnings, be aware that this is a book that includes death, grief after losing family members, parental abuse, and suicidal ideation. I received an early review copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I'm so blown away that this is a debut because I can find no flaw in it. The first page grabbed me and I didn't want to stop reading.



The atmosphere for this book is perfect. The way the trees and the gray is described really made me picture it. I felt so immersed in this book. I didn't need to know what the monster looked like to know it was terrifying. I liked that it was an old small town with no one new moving there. It had a feel of something like Salem. A place where the history is so important. Christine described everything so well early on.



There were four founding families in Four Paths. Each family has a power and they protect the town from the Gray. The Gray is another place that doesn't exist on earth the way we know. It's another dimension that people are pulled into and hardly anyone ever makes it out alive. Things are going bad now and more people than normal are dying. Some of the magic in the families isn't as strong. And now it's the teens turn to try their rituals and see if they possess the powers.



Violet lost her sister to a car accident. Her mother, Juniper, decided that they needed to move back to Four Paths to take care of her sister, Daria. Daria has early onset dementia and they will be taking care of her. Violet knows very little about her mom's home town or about her family. She can tell right away that things are different there.



Justin and May are siblings from the strongest family. Their mother is the sheriff and keeps an eye on everything in town. May can read the Deck of Omens to find answers. She sees things that don't totally make sense and that it's not good. Isaac is from another family and the only one left in town. Things didn't go well during his ritual and some of his brothers died. Isaac will do anything to protect Justin and May. They're all very close. Harper used to be best friends with Justin. Things went wrong during her ritual, too. She was pulled into the Gray for days and came out missing her hand and lower arm. She had no powers and didn't remember much of what happened.



All these kids need to find a way to work together to figure out what is going on in the town. There are people that seem to be pulling away. Violet has no idea what her ritual is, but she does bring a cat back from the dead. Everyone starts helping her research her past. But she ends up with more questions than answers. Her mom doesn't remember anything and Aunt Daria isn't always making sense. Violet starts having blackouts and sees her dead sister, Rosie.



There were definitely some interesting twists that I didn't see coming in this book. It was hard to put down and I just kept wanting more. I can't really talk about more without giving anything away. I loved most of the teens, but not really any of the parents. But I was glad that there were adults present and part of the story. It made it even more interesting.



I gave this book 5 stars. I won a copy from an auction (as a replacement for another book) and was so thrilled. The arc is beautiful and I cannot wait to see the finished book. Shortly after getting the physical arc in, Netgalley also approved the book. So thank you to the publishers for that. This book had some of the same feels as Sawkill Girls, The Darkdeep, and Stranger Things. The beginning is a bit slow, but it tells so much of the story and really sets the mood for the whole book.

This sort of spooky story is about a trapped monster and the descendants of the four families that trapped it. Four Paths, New York, is a small town with a big secret. Violet Saunders is seventeen, grieving the loss of her sister, trying to understand a mother she sees as indifferent, and a new resident of Four Paths. She and her mother have come to take care of her mother's sister Daria who has dementia.

Now that Violet and her mother have returned, there are again representatives of each of the four founding families in town. And the equinox is coming. At the equinox, the monster is the strongest and the founders are at their weakest.

Justin Hawthorne is the town's golden boy. He's a descendant of the founders - but he failed the ritual that would have given him the power to keep the monster in check. With his mother the sheriff using the family powers to keep the Hawthornes prominent, Justin has to keep his lack of powers secret. His sister May holds the power in their generation but is completely under the control of their mother.

Harper Carlisle was Justin's best friend until she failed the ritual that should have confirmed her powers. She lost her hand, her friendship with Justin, and her place in her own family. She is angry at Justin and wants revenge for his betrayal.

Isaac Sullivan is Justin's best friend and the only survivor still in town from his family. He has anger issues and a really scary power.

Violet needs to find out what her power is and perform the ritual so that she can control it before the equinox. Because, not only does the monster want out, but he has human help who also want to free him and free the town from being controlled by the descendants of the founders.

This was an interesting story with lots of scary bits as Violet gets swept into the Gray. The relationships between all the kids were complex but engaging. The hidden secrets in the town kept the plot moving. Fans of the creepy will enjoy this one.

To be honest, I was a little skeptical about this book to start but it turned out to be pretty good. It’s a dark tale with monsters and in between creepy world wonders and I have so many kids that are gonna totally be into this! I myself can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

If you like Stranger Things, I think you'll like this book. When Violet Saunders moves to Four Paths after the death of her sister, she is unprepared for the mystery and magic that is part of the town. As she learns more of the mysterious Gray, and the Monster, she must decide whether to help and save the town using her new powers, or try to run.

This is an excellent spooky book for the middle school age level for those students who don't want to be super-spooked, but still want to experience the horror/scary novel genre. I was eager to find out more about the founding families and the truth about the Gray as the book went on, and in my opinion, it was not a very predictable book. I can't wait for the sequel to find out more about Isaac Sullivan!

The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman tells the story of a mysterious town with a bone-chilling history tied to a monster who is trapped there. When Violet's mother returns to the town of Four Paths to care for her ill sister, she is thrust into a world where no one can be trusted, monsters are real and each of the founding families must complete a ritual, one which Violet has not completed yet and which represents a terrifying prospect.
Herman has crafted a complex and compelling universe and I was enthralled by this book from the moment I sat down to read it to the moment I finished it.
It is a novel full of morally grey characters, fascinating back stories, special powers, rituals and a spine tingling monster.
I really enjoyed the fact that you never actually know what the monster (the Gray) looks like because I felt that it left it up to the reader's imagination which made it more interesting. My mind was left to imagine all the horrors that the Gray could be without ever actually knowing what it looked like. The only knowledge we are given is what the landscape the Gray lives in looks like.
I also love the complex back stories that Herman has written into her novel, both for the characters and the founding families' histories. I thought the characterization was amazing and the characters took me by surprise on several occasions. I always love when a book has great plot twists and this one definitely does. I also thought the unique powers she gave some of the characters were very interesting.
I really enjoyed Herman's writing style and thought that she had a conversationally compelling tone which suggested an aura of mounting suspense.
Finally, the novel has great bisexual representation. Four of the main characters are bisexual including Violet, her mother Juniper, Isaac (best friend of Justin who is also friends with Violet) and Justin's mother, Augusta.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a suspenseful, complex fantasy related to a monster and the lengths people will go to for power. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman will be released by Disney Book Group on April 2nd 2019.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The description was so enticing and there were so many good reviews I had to give it a try. I have to agree with some of the other reviewers though - there was too much telling. There were long passages where I caught myself skimming over what was probably important information because of the way it was presented. It felt more textbook style and less storytelling, and it lost my interest. I also had a hard time connecting with any of the characters and found that I wasn't that concerned with what happened to them (Except for Isaac, for some reason. I did find myself hoping he'd be ok)

Overall, the idea was a good one, I just did not enjoy the way the story was told.

"For the first time in his life, there would be a real member of every founding family in Four Paths. He would be a part of that. He would have a chance to change things, to help. Justin believed this. He had to. The Deck of Omens had told him so, and unlike the Hawthornes who used it, the Deck of Omens couldn't lie."

My first book of 2019 that's giving me quite the challenge in reviewing it! Hooray! In all seriousness, I've been sitting here for days wondering just how to talk about this book, and not even because of spoilers or ruining the plot. Our most anticipated reads can be difficult to wrangle; sometimes trying to rein in our thoughts isn't as simple as "I liked this book" or "I did not like this book." I knew this book sounded like everything I could ever desire on paper, but I haven't read The Raven Boys series yet, and upon finishing this I don't really know that a comparison to Stranger Things is accurate, as the feel here is so different. While reading this one, I kept getting hardcore Sawkill Girls vibes, and if you enjoyed that novel as much as I did, I think you'll enjoy The Devouring Gray as well.

There are many POVs shared throughout TDG, and many more side plots as well, but I never felt it was confusing or difficult to follow. We have Violet, who has moved to Four Paths with her mother Juniper, and is part of one of the four founding families, although she has no clue what that means. Justin has recently failed his ritual and is masquerading around town to hide the fact that he has inherited no powers. His mother is the sheriff of the town and his sister has inherited powers, making him the "weak link" in this founding family. Harper is a member of founding family #3, and former best friend of Justin's until an accident during her ritual left her stranded in the gray for 4 days and missing her left arm from the elbow down. Isaac Sullivan is the only remaining member of founding family #4 in the town of Four Paths, and arguably the most fascinating and appealing character in the story (although Harper is a close second for me). We get to see pieces of the story, past and present, from each of these characters, which makes for a well-rounded view of the strange happenings in their tiny town.

Here's the deal; I actually struggled for the first 100 pages due to the massive info-dumping amongst the characters and lack of action of any kind. While I wholly respect the world building and characterization that went into the intro, I think it could have used a few flashbacks or suspenseful inserts to keep the reader engaged and stave off the stale feeling inserted. However, once things get going, it's impossible to put the book down. I found myself desperate to find out what was going on, and while my focus was such that I expected the giant lead up to be to the night of the equinox, I was pleased to find out that it was a minor portion and a greater emphasis was placed on things happening beyond that.

All said, this was a solid, well written debut, and while at times it felt like a giant prologue to the real start of the series, I'm appreciative of the time and effort put into making this story feel so developed and intriguing. The ending was superb; I'm dying to know what happens now that all the pieces are in play. And that's all I'm gonna say about that. ;)