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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow, just Wow, September 21, 2008
"When dark creeps in and eats the light,
Bury your fears on Sorry Night.
For in the winter's blackest hours,
Comes the feasting of the Vours,
No one can see it, the life they stole,
Your body's here but not your soul..."
THE VOURS: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice.
When Reggie reads about the Vours in a mysterious old journal, she assumes they are just the musings of an anonymous lunatic. But when her little brother, Henry, begins to act strangely, it's clear that these creatures exist beyond a madwoman's imagination, and Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to life.
To save the people she loves, Reggie must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. Can she devour her own fears before they devour her?
The Devouring is an engrossing tale of terror that will have you wondering: what if your worst fears became your living nightmare?
The Devouring is a truly horrifying read. The writing catches your attention from the beginning and you devour the book in one sitting. Some parts of the book just sent shivers up and down your spine. The book kept you on the edge of your seat and it made you cringe in horror as you read the book. Regina was a great character who never gave up, she tried to save her little brother no matter the cost.She also had real problems as well as demonic ones. The plot went in a steady pace that wasn't too slow but it wasn't too fast as well. It was just right. Brother/Sister relationships were tested, fears were overcome, and friendships were strengthened in this book.If you are a truly horror book fan you will not be disappointed. I eagerly await for the sequel!
-Carol
[...]
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Curiosity-Inducing, May 20, 2010
This review is from: The Devouring (Paperback)
THREE QUICK POINTS
* Point 1: A bit chilling. At least, the beginning was. What would you do if some creepy dark creature offered to eat your fears?
* Point 2: Mmmm, cheesy cliché filling. The entire middle section of the book is devoted more to shock value than fear factor.
* Point 3: The end is curiosity inducing. If I didn't know better, I'd say I'd been devoured because I'm anxious to read the next installment.
SHORT SYNOPSIS
When her mother ups and leaves, Regina must help take care of her younger brother Henry while their father runs his construction business. Reggie, along with her best friend Aaron, is an avid reader and horror fan. One of her rituals with Henry is to read him scary bedtime stories, the most recent of which is from the journal of a seemingly crazy woman where she talks about frightening creatures called Vours. On a lark, Reggie and Aaron decide they're going to summon a Vour. Of course, they don't really expect anything to happen, but something does--to Henry--and it's up to them to solve the mystery and save Reggie's little brother.
MY THOUGHTS
Some parts were good, and some parts were lame, but something must have been done right because I have a burning desire to read the next book.
The story unfolded well; the process of Henry's devouring was downright chilling (that makes up the first quarter of the book). I was hoping the momentum would continue, but it petered out and the story became something straight out of a B horror movie.
Although Henry is acting differently (like people and pets dropping dead in his presence), neither Reggie nor Aaron wonder whether he's possessed until well after any clear thinking person would have. But I was willing to forgive that.
What I had difficulty forgiving was the gore-for-scare effect filling out the story, some of the dialogue was pure cheesy cliché, and character development left much to be desired.
Call me jaded, but anyone who's ever watched more than a few classic horror movies would see right through it--in fact, I laughed a couple times. I truly wish it had more of the creepy ominous psychologically frightening effect displayed in the beginning (that section should not be read at night or in the dark), but if wishes were pennies, I'd be a millionaire.
What has my panties in a bunch, though, is the fact that I really, really want to read the next book. The Devouring ended at the beginning of a bigger mystery. It's not to say that The Devouring wasn't a full story in and of itself--it was, thank goodness--but the story left me wondering: Who is Eben really? What are the Vours? And what is their ultimate plot? (Which is what a good series style book ought to do.)
That's why this book was so difficult to rate. On one hand, a chunk of the story I would consider lame in the horror department, relying more on clichéd gore than suspenseful gore, but on the other hand, it did an amazing job of painting a larger story, piquing curiosity, and it *was* a fun read. So I'll just say this: if you're a fan of horror and have read/watched many horror novels/movies, you won't find too many surprises here, but the mystery of the Vours is great.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great and unexpected teen read, April 9, 2010
This review is from: The Devouring (Paperback)
Reggie Halloway is a fourteen year old girl with many more responsibilities than a normal teenager. She has to act as mother to her little brother Henry since their mother walked out on them without a word and her father has proven useless in this respect. She is also a big horror fan and is lucky enough to have a job at a horror themed book store. She finds a weird journal in a shipment and borrows it for a little while. Within the journal is the story of the Vours, spirits that take over human bodies on the night of the winter solstice or Sorry Night. Reggie and her best friend Aaron decide to have a little fun and see if it's true by facing the thing they fear the most to see if they are taken over by the Vours. They aren't, but after that night Henry acts very differently. He destroys the things he loves the most, abhors the cold, talks in a very creepy voice, and revels in cruelty. Is he possessed by a Vour? If so, how can they save him without killing him?
I knew I had to read this book when I read a very positive review of it in a horror movie magazine. It isn't typical for them to review any young adult novels let alone give it a positive review. When I finally read the book a while later, it completely surpassed my expectations. I don't know what's happened to the teen horror books I'm reading lately, but I hope it's a sign of a continuing trend. This book creeped me out and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. Some of the situations and characters used in the fearscapes to scare terrify the people are possessed by the Vours in their own minds are some of the most chilling I've ever seen or read about. I would absolutely love to see this novel as a movie, but because of the target audience, I fear it wouldn't be as scary as the book.
I loved pretty much everything about this book. Reggie and Aaron, our young heroes, are normal kids, but with added amounts of brains and bravery. Reggie is relentless in her pursuit to save her brother, even putting herself in grave danger. In addition to the supernatural problems in their lives, they still have to deal with school and family. When they contend with the Vour inside Henry, the Vour can be very manipulative and turn people against them, making everything more difficult. I really like and respect these characters. The entire mythos of the Vours is completely unique. I've never heard of any supernatural creatures quite like them. I can't wait to delve deeper and learn more about these mysterious and evil creatures.
I can't wait to read the second book in the series. I would recommend this book to anyone who can stomach more gore than is usually typical for young adult novels.
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