 Stunning YA fantasy/horror duology which is utterly unmissable BOOK 1: The Devouring GrayThe Devouring Gray was one of those many random books my dad brought home and although he never got around to reading it, I finished it in a few sittings, an experience which left me craving more, as it was the best book I had read in ages. Luckily, my father pulled through and quickly ordered me the sequel, The Deck of Omens, which I was able to start almost immediately. In desperation, before this, my mother and I had even checked the local WH Smith bookshop just in case they might have it in stock. Sadly, not! The Devouring Gray begins when Violet Saunders returns to her mother’s hometown, Four Paths, after the death of her sister. When she arrives, she realizes she is a member of one of the very old founding families and many people deliberately keep their distance from her because of her heritage. But she eventually connects with the other founder’s children: Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper. She begins to see Four Paths true nature and the danger that lurks in the forest. When bodies start showing up, the teenagers must put all their differences aside and figure out how to stop ‘The Beast’, a dangerous creature that comes from ‘The Gray’ before it strikes again. I loved this book so much, mainly because of the convincing characters and its highly original take on magic. Not only do we get Violets POV, but also Harpers and Justin’s which was interesting considering there is bad blood between them. I loved that all the characters were so different, which represents the conflicts in the four unique families. This book had a really engaging, dark plot that kept me hooked from start to finish. The characters inherit powers from their descendants, but also some did not because they failed their test/ritual, all this part of the story is revealed deliciously slowly. The biggest mystery throughout the books is what exactly is ‘The Gray’ and where did this ‘Beast’ come from? Considering none of the characters genuinely know, it is also a self-discovery journey for all of them uncovering their origins. If you are confused by what ‘The Gray’ and ‘The Beast’ are, I am not going to give any spoilers, but they are highly significant to both novels. Each character’s powers were different, with Violet being able to bring the dead back to life and May being able to read secret meanings in playing cards. We also get see some people discover their powers especially Harper who had an accident when doing her ritual causing her to lose half of her arm. I realised that some people are comparing this to the hit TV show Stranger Things and it certainly has similarities, for example, ‘The Gray’ is reminiscent to ‘The Upside Down’ and ‘The Beast’ recollects ‘The Demogorgon’ but is significantly smarter. However, I also noticed others linking it to the Netflix drama Riverdale, but that’s kind of an insult because Riverdale is a terrible show which has gone down-hill in recent seasons. I can see some small similarities but overall that comparison does not do The Devouring Gray justice which should be read by teens who enjoy the likes of Cassandra Clare, Leigh Bardugo, Marissa Meyer, Kendare Blake and Sarah J Maas. BOOK 2: The Deck of OmensThe sequel, The Deck of Omens, picks up right where we left off with that amazing cliff hanger. I was so pleased I did not have to wait a year to pick the same story up again! In this book, we also have Isaac and May’s POV which was a nice addition, but we lose the voice of Justin. However, I kind of missed him, throughout this story he becomes a background character, but the author made it up by giving more page time to Isaac. In The Deck of Omens, we get a lot more insight into some of the characters and what occurs during their specific rituals. A few new characters are added into the mix, including Gabriel, Isaac’s older brother who he was estranged from. Also, May and Justin’s father, Ezra plays a more significant role. Throughout The Deck of Omens, ‘The Gray’ is leaking into the town causing is to spread a disease that harms the town, but the founders are immune. In the first book, we saw that ‘The Beast’ was stopped but its presence is still very dominate, overpowering, and decidedly creepy. This book, more so than the first, shocked me because of how many twists in contained and to fully understand them you would have to read the first book. Under no circumstances pick up The Devouring Gray before The Deck of Omens, as it will not make much sense. A key aspect of the sequel which was not heavily featured in the first was the relationships, especially those of a romantic nature. For instance, we get to see a lot more of Harper and Justin, in the first book there was a lot of tension between them, so it was great to see this develop. One of the other things that stood out from this book is that several of the characters bi-sexual, including both teens and adults. I also liked the parent child relationship as the adults were more prominent in this second novel. Also, some of the parents have history together to which was subtly suggested in The Devouring Grey but explored more fully in the second. Many themes are covered, including grief and trauma that a lot of the characters experienced when carrying out their rituals. I was especially drawn to Isaac and Harper because their rituals were talked about in the first book but never fully addressed until the last few pages or the second book and I was itching to know more. The Deck of Omens answered all the questions that were left open ended in The Devouring Gray and I felt satisfied by the ending but also a little sad on how some of the relationships ended. Overall, this duology was a solid, amazing read which I highly recommend to anyone who loves creepy novels that ooze of mystery, strained friendships, and some serious twists. I am amazed I have not heard more about these YA books, where have they been hiding and seem to be flying seriously low under the radar? I am excited to see what Christine Lynn Herman writes next because I am hooked on her writing style! AJ  For fans of Stranger Things, Riverdale and The Raven Cycle. Can a group of teenagers hold back the otherworldly horror that stalks the woods? 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?  The teenagers of Four Paths must save their home, in the sequel to hit fantasy The Devouring Gray. For fans of Stranger Things, Riverdale and The Raven Cycle With the Beast subdued, the town of Four Paths discovers a new threat: a corruption seeping is from the Gray, poisoning the roots of the town and its people. Only May Hawthorne realizes the danger, forced to watch as her visions become reality. Meanwhile, the town is riven by change: Harper Carlisle is learning to control her newfound powers, and how to forgive after devastating betrayals; Isaac Sullivan's older brother, Gabriel, has returned after years away; Violet Saunders is finding her place and Justin and May's father has finally come home. With the veil between the Gray and the town growing ever thinner, and the Founder Families all returning to their roots, the time has finally come to settle ancient grudges, to cure the corruption and stop the Beast once and for all. But more than one kind of beast preys on Four Paths...   the heart and soul of ya horror review websites |
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