#BookReview ‘The Devouring Gray’ by Christine Lynn Herman

About the book…

Branches and stones, daggers and bones,
They locked the Beast away.

After the death of her sister, seventeen-year-old Violet Saunders finds herself dragged to Four Paths, New York. Violet may be a newcomer, but she soon learns her mother isn’t: They belong to one of the revered founding families of the town, where stone bells hang above every doorway and danger lurks in the depths of the woods.

Justin Hawthorne’s bloodline has protected Four Paths for generations from the Gray—a lifeless dimension that imprisons a brutal monster. After Justin fails to inherit his family’s powers, his mother is determined to keep this humiliation a secret. But Justin can’t let go of the future he was promised and the town he swore to protect.

Ever since Harper Carlisle lost her hand to an accident that left her stranded in the Gray for days, she has vowed revenge on the person who abandoned her: Justin Hawthorne. There are ripples of dissent in Four Paths, and Harper seizes an opportunity to take down the Hawthornes and change her destiny-to what extent, even she doesn’t yet know.

The Gray is growing stronger every day, and its victims are piling up. When Violet accidentally unleashes the monster, all three must band together with the other Founders to unearth the dark truths behind their families’ abilities—before the Gray devours them all.

Huge thanks to publishers, Titan Books, for my gifted review copy of ‘The Devouring Gray’ which was published in April 2019, and is available in paperback, ebook and audiobook formats.

What can I possibly add to the fabulous reviews that already laud the arrival of a major new voice in y.a fiction?

This debut novel launches itself off the blocks with a no holds barred opener, creating a tense and expectant atmosphere in Four Paths, where a drawing of the Pack Of Omens (a tarot pack handed down from one of the town founders) offers little solace to the troubled town’s protectors.

Enter Violet Saunders, returning ‘home’ with mother Juniper after the death of her sister Rose. As a teen she has been through more trauma and upheaval than many and recognises that her mother’s tendency to run from confrontation-or working her way through grief-is her survival mechanism.

This time, they are going back to Juniper’s home town, a place without churches, and a mausoleum as no one is buried-only ever cremated for reasons which soon become apparent. A place with an atmosphere you could cut with a butter knife and being the new kid is town is bad enough without being the descendant of one of the 4 founding families.

Violet is a teen with an unconstructed sense of self from being in places that she has no roots in-in contrast,Justin, Harper and Isaac have all been born into pre-ordained roles.

Mixing the importance of beloning and redefining family as those you are bonded with rather than to explores the nature of obligation versus choice.

In Four Paths, tradition and lore are regarded so highly that to step outside of these binds is thought impossible-Justin’s mother repeatedly warns Justin that Violet represents certain danger and whilst this is a very real concern, this viewpoint never once considers that Violet could actually help.

For in Four Paths there is a beast, a monster bound to an alternate version of the town, known as The Gray. And this beast is reaching out and taking people from the town, leaving blank eyed, mangled corpses to terrorize the locals.

As Violet gets to grips with a family she never knew existed, and secrets kept from her for her own good, she faces huge challenges to control powers and take her place in the woods with the others.

Creating a town and a mythology from scratch as well as an engaging mystery, at the same time as establishing families and characters who might return in future volumes is no easy task.

In ‘The Devouring Gray’ ,Christine Lynn Herman has created a siren song which beckons you into her world, scares you and moves you and best of all, leaves you wanting more.

The sequel, ‘The Deck Of Omens’, is out now and hopefully there will be books 3…and more!

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.

Twitter @christineexists @TitanBooks

Links-https://www.christinelynnherman.com/