October 1, 2008
Gr 7 Up-Comparable to books by R. L. Stine and Stephen King, "The Devouring" will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Reggie is a horror fanatic. When she finds a journal in a box of used books at the bookstore where she works, she "borrows" it. It tells of the Vours, black smokelike beings that possess humans who can't conquer their fear on Sorry Night (the eve of the winter solstice). Reggie and her friend Aaron attempt to make the Vours materialize but instead they possess her little brother. In a fight to the death, Reggie joins the battle of humanity against the Vours. This story contains classic elements of the genre: a horrific monster, fusion (where two different entities are fused into one), and the process of discovery. The book has some graphic content, blood, and gore, which only add to the chills. A must-have for horror fans."June H. Keuhn, Corning East High School, NY"
Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2009
On Sorry Night--the night of the winter solstice--the Vours come, drawn by fear, and take over your body. So Reggie reads in an old journal shortly before her beloved brother, Henry, disappears. Though wracked by gruesome nightmares, Reggie is determined to rescue Henry. The well-paced suspense keeps adrenaline levels high in this excessively gory horror offering.
(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)