The Devouring Gray has been lingering on my radar thanks to its haunting small-town setting, chilling woods, and the promise of a strange otherworld lurking beneath the surface. With vibes that call to mind Stranger Things and The Raven Boys, it sounds like a gripping mix of atmospheric horror and teen drama. Between the mysterious dimension and eerie secrets buried in the town’s history, this one feels like it could pair perfectly with Forgotten Cove fans looking for something a little darker.
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Bookish Essentials
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Paranormal / Horror
Series: Book 1 of The Devouring Gray (2 Books)
Reading Age: 14+
Published: 2019
Pages: 344
Reading order: 1) The Devouring Gray, 2) The Deck of Omens
From the Jacket of The Devouring Gray
“Fans of The Raven Boys and Stranger Things rejoice: This is your new obsession.” —Claire Legrand, NYT bestselling author of Furyborn
After her sister’s death, 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.
Why The Devouring Gray is on My TBR
I’ll admit—my excitement for The Devouring Gray has faded a little since I first read the jacket copy. But there are still so many things about it that make me want to keep it on the list. The cover is dark and haunting (truly one of the best YA horror covers), and the moment I heard it described as Stranger Things meets The Raven Boys, I was in.
The story follows a group of teens tied to their town’s eerie founding families, all tasked with keeping an alternate, lifeless dimension—called the Gray—at bay. That idea alone is creepy in the best way, and the vibes? Right up my alley. It’s set in a small, secretive town surrounded by haunted woods, with generations of magic, family curses, and mysterious disappearances simmering just under the surface. Honestly, if you liked the atmosphere of Forgotten Cove, this could be a natural next read. Even if I’m not quite ready to dive in, I’m still intrigued enough to keep it bookmarked for the right mood.
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- The Hazel Wood, by Melissa Albert
- The Bone House, by Emily Lloyd-Jones
- Winterwood, by Shea Ernshaw
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