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The Devouring (The Devouring #1)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 4,289 ratings · 596 reviews

"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..."
When Reggie finds an old journal and reads about the Vours, supernatural creatures who feast on fear and attack on the eve of the winter solstice, she assu...more

Paperback, 217 pages

Published October 2nd 2008 by Little, Brown & Company (first published September 1st 2008)

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Community Reviews

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Dec 20, 2008 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wouldn’t classify myself as a fan of scary things. I’ve been afraid of the dark for as long as I can remember, yes, I am still afraid of the dark. I do not like scary movies, I happened to watch It, the movie based on the novel of the same title by Steven King, when I was in elementary school, I don’t think I slept for weeks, and I still haven’t been able to watch the movie again. So, when I grabbed a copy of the Devouring by Simon Holt and read the synopsis, I have to admit I was a little sca...more

7 likes · like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Victor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Stephen King fans and R.L. Stine fans that are a bit older

Shelves: favorites, i-recommend, 2012-read

"Comparable to books by R.L. Stine and Stephen King... A must-have for horror fans."-School Library Journal

"A scary yarn spun at breakneck speed, perfect for those chilly winter nights."-Kirkus

"Irresistible."-The Bulletin

These three quotes are exactly what I thought when I was reading this! If those don't convince you then maybe I should give you some things that I liked in this masterpiece!

Killer mutated babies!

Scariest clown scene I've ever read and I have read It by Stephen King!

This is...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 26, 2009 Rachael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reggie is a horror fan; she figures reading all those scary books and watching all those scary movies is a sort of preparation for the real thing, real fear. But for Reggie, real fear is just arachnophobia for example, something real she can name. So when she stumbles upon a mysterious journal detailing the horrors of certain demonic beings called Vours that take over human bodies, she dismisses it as a work of fiction. But she can’t deny the strange coincidence of her little brother Henry actin...more

4 likes · like · see review

Sep 09, 2012 Elisandra Franzmann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-where-scary-things-happen, books-you-just-need-to-read, e-books-i-have, books-reviwed, books-with-five-stars-review, book-cover-i-really-really-like, reading-challenge-2011, encore-worthy

OH-MY-GOOOOOOOSH,,,, I LOVE IT!. This book is amazing. It got me hanging in every word and the description was so vivid that got me terrified with every nightmare.
The vours are simply terrifying things that can get you if you get scary enough. They take your body and send your soul to a terrible place.
The worse part is that nobody knows that you are missing because your body is still there, but not your soul.
I get goose bumps just thinking about it.
The best scary book ever!!!!!

The Plot - Bloody...more

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Sep 20, 2008 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Holt, Simon. 2008. The Devouring: Sorry Night.

"Stop, Reggie!" Henry barked from beneath his quilt. "Don't read anymore!" Regina Halloway shut the book. (5)

Regina--called Reggie by most of her friends and family--loves to read horror. Loves it. So much so that she works at a used bookstore devoted to the genre. But perhaps Reggie should have been a bit more thoughtful as to what she was reading her younger--and much more gullible--brother, Henry. Then again, Regina hadn't any idea that her latest...more

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Sep 03, 2008 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Darren Shan fans, teen horror fans

Shelves: horror, supernatural, teen

Regina Halloway loves scary stories. She reads them compulsively--she even works in a horror book store. Sometimes, she thinks she might be reading them to distract her from the truly scary things in her life--like the fact that her mom ran out on them, and they haven't heard from her in over a year, or the fact that her father is more and more distant every day. Or the fact that she is singlehandedly raising her little brother, Henry.

But mostly, Reggie just reads horror because she loves it. An...more

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 06, 2011 Bluemoon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Paranormal Fans

Shelves: paranormal, tree-waster

This was an ok read for me. It's not really the best read of my life, but it kept my interest long enough. I wasn't really into the book, maybe because half the time it was talking about spiders and eating it. So yea, I'm deathly afraid them and if Vours are real I'd be Henry by now.

Anyways, the concept of the book is good. My only problem with this book is, it seems like the author wrote it thinking it would be made into a movie or maybe it just reminded me of a scary movie. Eh, I don't know.

I...more

6 likes · like · see review

Jan 15, 2011 carole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Freaky, with a capital F. You know those books you read that really play out in your head like a movie? Well, this is one of them. Holt does an excellent job really creating images from words. I can't say I'm a huge horror fan. But, this is the first book I've read on the subject so maybe my opinion is based on lack of exposure. Great book, amazing yet terrifying story.

Regina and her best friend Aaron are all about anything scary. Regina is a high school freshman who works part time at a book st...more

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 13, 2008 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: horror fans 16 and up, espcially John Saul fans

Shelves: work-review-related-reading, ya, vamps-and-other-paranormal-pleasure

This is an extremely well written horror story that kept me cringing and reading late into the night. It concerns Regina and her younger brother Henry, who has become possessed by a demon-like entity called a Vour. Adults are pretty much absent in the picture (with one mysterious exception), so it's up to Reggie to figure out how to save her brother. This is one creepy book, and it leaves plenty of leeway for this to turn into a series. Yes, there's even a clown involved (ugh!). I'd liken it to...more

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Oct 23, 2008 Krista, Ambassador of Shimmy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, paranormal

I LOVED IT!

This book grabbed and held my attention. I raced through to the end and wasn't too disappointed. I was hoping for a stronger ending, but not all books can end the way I want them to.

The general premise is someone is inhabited by a Vour which is basically and alien-like creature who takes over a human's body. The original human ends up in a place of eternal terror where all his/her biggest fears are realized and made into reality. Well, the person you love ends up there, you have to fi...more

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Mar 30, 2009 Vania rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-shelf

This book is instantly chilling. I was sucked in int he deep abyss of Reggie's fears. This tale is dark and deep, chilling me to the bone. A gripping tale of overcoming your deepest darkest fears turning them in on themselves.

Reggie starts off as a weaker character growing stronger and more assertive through her love and devotion for her little brother. She begins the novel with a theory that proves useful later: she immerses herself in horror and fright through movies and literature, knowing th...more This book is instantly chilling. I was sucked in int he deep abyss of Reggie's fears. This tale is dark and deep, chilling me to the bone. A gripping tale of overcoming your deepest darkest fears turning them in on themselves.

Reggie starts off as a weaker character growing stronger and more assertive through her love and devotion for her little brother. She begins the novel with a theory that proves useful later: she immerses herself in horror and fright through movies and literature, knowing that facing your fears, makes you stronger. Her skittish best friend Aaron on the other hand has a hard time overcoming that which scares him the most. His loyalty proves to be his best defense against the frightful beings that overtake and consume their fears. Those monstrous things that can take full control of their bodies, gaining power and strength through their fright and terror.

The story is race for control. Control of the body and mind that the Vours (those monstrous beings that feed on nightmares) are so eager to keep and protect, no matter the cost. Life or death. It is a high speed nightmare of a story with the most hidden, darkest and most frightful nightmares one can imagine. Skin crawling imagery full of ghoulish tableau of nightmarish after nightmarish scenarios. So tormenting that I had to read it during the day.The novel grips you and I was so engrossed in this ghoulish and utterly frightful tale.

Some characters liek Reggie are well fleshed out, full of life. Others like Eben and Aaron left me wanting more. I was left in the dark not knowing much about the characters themselves, leaving them mere props in Reggie's quest to save her brother. Henry, Reggie's brother, was by far the creepiest little kid I have ever read about. He was so eerily bewitching and haunting at the same time. I wanted to read more of his torment and more of the deep, dark, secret Vour.

The story was an intrigue and a nightmare. A fast paced race into nightmares and fears, with life and death walking a thin line.

Now some creepy quotes:
"The scraping noise of a hatchet blade across glass sent her racing deeper into the maze. This time no sawdust signaled the way out. She reached one dead end after another, surrounded by even more freakish reflections: her father's head severed on a platter with apple in his mouth, her mother rocking a demon infant..." (p186)
AND
"Mom raised the scissors high. They flashed in the light like a silver-winged bird, and then plunged them into her own wrist. She offered her arm to Reggie like a bloody sacrifice."

I give this book a 88/100 B+
Characters-16
Plot- 19
Writing-17
Originality-18
Re-Readability- 18(less)

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Jan 05, 2013 Justice Hallman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'll admit I was wary of this book. I hate scary things, I'm still afraid of the dark. But lately I've been trying to overcome my fears. And what better way to do that by reading a book where the development of the characters revolves around them overcoming their fears. I was also worried that this book wouldn't be scary, because it's a YA novel. If I want to be scared, I want to do it right. I felt this book had just enough of that creepy, fear factor (loved that show) without being too scary o...more

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Dec 06, 2012 Helena Ferrell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, 06-salem-library

Every so often I read a book that makes me question evey other book I've given a five star review to, and this was one of them.

This book was absolutely terrifying. The descriptions are so vivid and hellish. While I was reading, I honestly was trying to imagine how terrible someone's childhood would have to be to make someone this dark and twisted. Hopefully, for the writer's sake, he's just creative and not a twisted person like this book would make you think.

I actually found this book as an ebo...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Diego Salvatore rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

El frio puede ser tu mejor aliado. No tengas miedo en la Noche de Los Lamentos este solsticio de invierno, aunque los Voradores asechen. Arriésgate y acompaña a Gina y a Aarón en su trastornada lectura del diario de Macie porque, si no lo sabes, esto también podría sucederte...Ésta es la historia del diario que Gina encontró en una caja arrinconada en la librería El rincón del Mal .Es ahí donde comienza la lectura de la aterradora verdad sobre los Voradores.
Mi Opinión:
Gina es una chava normal ex...more El frio puede ser tu mejor aliado. No tengas miedo en la Noche de Los Lamentos este solsticio de invierno, aunque los Voradores asechen. Arriésgate y acompaña a Gina y a Aarón en su trastornada lectura del diario de Macie porque, si no lo sabes, esto también podría sucederte...Ésta es la historia del diario que Gina encontró en una caja arrinconada en la librería El rincón del Mal .Es ahí donde comienza la lectura de la aterradora verdad sobre los Voradores.
Mi Opinión:
Gina es una chava normal excepto porque le encanta leer historias de terror, su mejor amigo Aarón le encantan las mismas historias además de historias de asesinos seriales, su familia compuesta solo de su papa y Henry su hermano menor, ya que su mamá los abandono hace ya casi un año.
Gina se tiene que hacer responsable como si fuera madre de Henry, les da el desayuno a su padre y el, lo lleva al escuela, le ayuda con su tarea, y le lee cuentos en la hora de dormir, cuando ella encuentra el libro de Los Voradores en la tienda en la que ella trabaja empieza a contarle la historia a Henry que solo tiene 8 años, Henry obviamente asustado por el relato y preocupado porque ese día es el Día de los Lamentos, el día en el que se supone que los Voradores moran en los alrededores, su miedo sale a flote, Gina y Aarón por su parte empiezan a practicar un llamado para los Voradores haciendo las cosas que mas les asusta sin buenos resultados pero lo que ellos ignoran que la victima de todo esto será Henry, Ahora Gina tendrá que encontrar la forma de traer a su hermano devuelta y sacar a ese temible Vorador de el cuerpo de su hermanito. Los Voradores de Simón Holt es una novela que te tendrá en suspenso por varios días e n mi caso en el día ya que leerlo en la noche me daba demasiado miedo así que si te asustas muy rápido haz como yo lee en el día. La trama es verdaderamente asombrosa con una historia muy buena, los personajes muy bien definidos que te hacen sentir querer apoyarlos para salvar a Henry, el ambiente ya sea en el plano Terrenal o en la “Salida de los Miedos” es muy buena porque te muestra un paisaje desolador ideal para una novela de terror que hará que te quedes frío que para esto es algo que te puede beneficiar. Porque ten cuidado en la noche de los Lamentos porque esto te podría pasar a ti…(less)

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Feb 19, 2012 Tracy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 14, 2012 Martina Koleva rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: quarterly-challenge-4

I don't know how to start this one. It's definitely something new for me and it was interesting but I start to realize that I am too obsessed by Vampires and I don't appreciate enough other creatures.
The story is about two friends that love horror movies and books and everything remotely scary but then they have to face the fact that not all scary stories are fiction. The literally have to face their fears and to fight them because if they don't the will be devoured by them.
It's interesting to...more

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Feb 01, 2012 BookChic Club rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a perfect Halloween read if you want to keep the Halloween spirit going. It's difficult to put this book down, and Holt's prose keeps the pages turning. It's an intriguing storyline and extremely original. It sounds like there will be more books regarding the Vours, as the ending is left fairly open, but I can't find anything confirming anything more from this author. I also absolutely LOVE the cover- it's so eye-catching and beautiful in a sort-of horror-ish way. A little warning though...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Isadora rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, five-stars, horror, paranormal, supernatural

Esta es mi primera incursión en el género del horror/terror. Aunque sea más bien atisbos de él. Siempre me ha gustado, y soy una gran aficionada al cine de este mismo género. Así que sabía que algún día me tendría que topar con algún libro que lo tratase. Pensaba en comenzar con Stephen King, pero este libro se me cruzó en el camino y no perdí la oportunidad.

Nuestra protagonista, Regina, tiene 15 años. Debe hacerse cargo de su hogar después que su madre los abandonara, a ella, a su hermano de 8...more Esta es mi primera incursión en el género del horror/terror. Aunque sea más bien atisbos de él. Siempre me ha gustado, y soy una gran aficionada al cine de este mismo género. Así que sabía que algún día me tendría que topar con algún libro que lo tratase. Pensaba en comenzar con Stephen King, pero este libro se me cruzó en el camino y no perdí la oportunidad.

Nuestra protagonista, Regina, tiene 15 años. Debe hacerse cargo de su hogar después que su madre los abandonara, a ella, a su hermano de 8 años, y a su padre. Es una gran aficionada a los libros de horror, al igual que su mejor amigo, Aaron.

Un día, encuentra un manuscrito llamado El Devorador , que habla de unas criaturas hechas de humo que en la noche del solsticio, devoran tu miedo. Poseyéndote.
Lo que al principio ignora, es que está lejos de ser un libro de ficción. Lo intercambia con Aaron y se lo lee a su pequeño y asustadizo hermano como cuento de buenas noches.

(view spoiler)

Adoré la historia, la narración, los personajes, todo. Si bien se me hicieron pesadas algunas partes, es bastante normal y perdonable al tratar el tema que trata.

Estas son las historias que me gustan. Pero no se me hace fácil encontrarlas. Regina me agradó un montón y sufrí con ella en muchas ocasiones. Especialmente cuando se trataba del pequeño Henry (comparto el temor a las arañas, ahucheen).

Si bien cae en clichés menores, no molesta en ningún caso. Este libro es un sonoro respiro al género "young adult". No tocan el romance, no más que una pincelada pequeña. Y eso me agradó bastante.

Definitivamente, es un libro subestimado y poco valorado. Es una pena que no se encuentre disponible en español. Simon Holt es un verdadero genio de las palabras para mi gusto. (less)

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Aug 30, 2011 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: awesome-protagonist

Once you get past the shock value of this book (and there are some distracting moments, including eating spiders and small animals dying), this book does have a few strengths.

The two protagonists, Reggie and Aaron, are likable. They both have their flaws, but we're given the chance to see them grow and change by the end of the book, which sometimes gets overlooked in favor of plot. Both Reggie and Aaron are big fans of horror, but have crippling fears they eventually have to address. (view spoil ...more

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Aug 15, 2011 Gemma rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh. My. Jellybeans.

This book was kind of amazing.

I'm not sure what I was expecting; all I knew was that I didn't think the Devouring would or could possibly be as good as it was.

At risk of getting gushy here (something I try to avoid), the Devouring was unlike any other book I've read for a while. It combined a blend of good, strong, likeable characters with new, interesting premise with well executed storyline. It's a paranormal book, yes, but there's nothing even remotely Twilight about it.

I...more Oh. My. Jellybeans.

This book was kind of amazing.

I'm not sure what I was expecting; all I knew was that I didn't think the Devouring would or could possibly be as good as it was.

At risk of getting gushy here (something I try to avoid), the Devouring was unlike any other book I've read for a while. It combined a blend of good, strong, likeable characters with new, interesting premise with well executed storyline. It's a paranormal book, yes, but there's nothing even remotely Twilight about it.

It's a little bit of a horror story. I say a little bit because, though it is rather creepy, it's not exactly horrifying. I'm not complaining about that; I don't actually do horror stories. I find them horrifying. But this one had that scary vibe to it, which increased the enjoyability levels and also kept me on the edge of my seat turning pages.

The Devouring focuses on Vours, creatures that devour souls and then inhabit the body that’s left behind. I guess they're kind of like demons (or dementors). At the beginning of the book, Regina (but she's mostly called Reggie)'s little brother becomes a Vour. It's sort of like becoming a Changeling in faery books. She knows something is wrong, but she's not certain. It all traces back to this journal she found explaining the whole thing.

So, naturally, she tries to figure it all out, leading to, you know, the storyline and... stuff. It's hard to explain without spoiling it. But it was all excellent.

Reggie was pretty cool. She was strong, you could tell from her narrative. And even though she was written by a guy, she didn't seem terribly unrealistic. I liked her.

I also liked her friend, Aaron. He was interesting, sometimes said funny things and kept things moving. At first, I kinda thought he was gay (because they were talking about his jaunty fedora, and usually whenever there's note of a male character's flamboyant fashion taste, it means he's gay), but now, at the end of the book, I hope he isn't, because that means there will never be any romance in the story (which won't necessarily bother me, but he and Reggie would make a good couple).

The author actually established his characters, which is always a good thing. I didn't get the feeling that they were plot devices laid out so the author could get to the horror story he wanted his book to be. They seemed like real people, and I liked them.

Also, this book is short, but a lot happens. No words are wasted describing banal things that have no importance to the plot.

I will definitely be reading the sequels.
(less)

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Aug 11, 2011 Jessica Strider rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Devouring: Sorry Night, by Simon Holt is a teen horror novel. The story revolves around a demonic race called the Vours (rhymes with 'sour' rather than 'moor') who once a year, on the night of the winter solstice (or 'sorry night') can use the fears of humans to steal their souls and take over their bodies.

Reggie Halloway loves horror stories, so when an old journal that appears to be an unpublished horror novel arrives at the used bookshop where she works, she borrows it without telling the...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Makaelabaker rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Devouring by Simon Holt.
I’ve never really been a horror fan, I’ve screamed my head off while watching The Grudge and Paranormal Activity, but I’ve never really been a HORROR fan. And unfortunately The Devouring didn’t convert me. I don’t know why really, Simon Holt’s writing is very good his characters are relatable and easily likeable, but this type of HORROR story just doesn’t strike my fear fancy. So please don’t let my…lack of enthusiasm deter you away from this book, because you very w...more The Devouring by Simon Holt.
I’ve never really been a horror fan, I’ve screamed my head off while watching The Grudge and Paranormal Activity, but I’ve never really been a HORROR fan. And unfortunately The Devouring didn’t convert me. I don’t know why really, Simon Holt’s writing is very good his characters are relatable and easily likeable, but this type of HORROR story just doesn’t strike my fear fancy. So please don’t let my…lack of enthusiasm deter you away from this book, because you very well might care for it, it just didn’t do it for me and it’s the internet and I am free to express my opinions to the world if I want.
Regina Halloway is a freshman in high school who has taken over the role of Mother in her household after her mother left a year or so ago. Since then Reggie has struggled to help provide for her family and help care for her nine year old brother Henry. One day Reggie discovers a worn handwritten book called The Devouring which tells the story of a young girl who is stalked by shadowy demons called the Vours who feed on fear and steal your soul. When Henry’s soul gets captured, Reggie along with her best friend Aaron set out to find it.
This book is an easy book to read as far as the easiness of the writing goes it is suitable enough to be considered middle grade, however the creepy images this book tends to conjure would not be suitable for anyone younger than 12, so don’t try bringing this book with you to a babysitting job, you might get fired. There are defiantly moments that will creep you out, flesh eating, demon babies for one, these gruesome scenes are very well written and probably something you could find out of a Steven King novel.
The Vour creatures were the least impressive out of all the ‘scary’ scenes. There just shadow creatures that talk and they hover around and stuff…whatever. I see the scenes, where Reggie is confronting them in my head and they just remind me of a really bad horror movie with awful CGI effects and I just want to laugh.
Regina is the typical young adult female lead, she’s a bit of a tomboy, with brown hair and dark eyes and she has a hard time with her family, has issues with Boys and can’t see the amazing, cute, nerdy, best friend who is RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER! (I would expect this shit out of a female writer, but Simon Holt! Come on!) Regina would be relatable to a lot of young girls which is why I’ve dubbed her a ‘relatable character’; however I was not able to really identify with her, myself. (But that’s me)
Aaron was so sweet and it was very clear that they were best friends; you knew it was true just by the way they acted toward each other. And even though he wasn’t really meant to be a love interest I kept hoping that they would get together.
I rate the fear factor a 4 out of 10 rating.
Overall I give it a 6 out of 10 rating, it was good, I will probably read the other two books in the series but I probably will by them on my Kindle, I didn’t enjoy the devouring enough to put the others on my shelf.
please visit my blog at http://evergreenlitreview.blogspot.com/ for more reviews
or my tumblr at http://crazyrevies.tumbler.com/
thank you!(less)

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Jul 20, 2011 Crystal (Elegantly Bound Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I loved this book! I was a little hesitant to pick it up for a couple reasons. 1. It's a little bit older of a book and I hadn't heard much about. 2. It's a bargain book on Amazon (sometimes a bad sign). 3. The synopsis makes it sound kind of weird and definitely different. I was completely thrown off by all these factors and ended up falling in love after only a few chapters. I was so engrossed that I read it in one sitting!

The Devouring is a horror novel so for all of you who don't like horro...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Sarah Rutherford added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4th-nine-weeks

The Devouring is about girl, Reggie, who loves ghorry horrer things. She's really into scary stuff and when she finds a strange journal in the stock pile of the library that she works at, she decides to snatch it for herself and return it before anyone notices. The Devouring was written on the cover. It had strange entries from a woman describing what her brother was going through while possessed by what they call 'vours.' Reggie was pretty intrigued by all that stuff. She even started reading i...more

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Mar 07, 2011 Violet rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I used to despise horror. I would watch a horror movie or read a Stephen King novel and stay up all night twitching and dreaming of horrible, insanity-inflicted deaths. Both maturity and getting into a certain horror show that I won't mention here (hints: CW. Hot men. Gore. Don't judge me.) eased me into the genre and now I'm in love with all things scary, insane, violent, and gory. What can I say? Violence appeals to the animal in all of us. Nom nom nom. But, I digress, and I loved this book. I...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the first book in a series by Simon Holt. The 2nd book "Soulstice" is coming out in September '09. I wasn't able to find how many books are planned for this series so if anyone knows; speak up!

Reggie and Aaron are horror fanatics. Reggie finds an old journal at the horror bookstore she works at. The journal talks about Vours, evil entities that can take over your soul during winter soulstice. The Vours can only enter the minds of people who are truly afraid. In an effort to scare themsel...more This is the first book in a series by Simon Holt. The 2nd book "Soulstice" is coming out in September '09. I wasn't able to find how many books are planned for this series so if anyone knows; speak up!

Reggie and Aaron are horror fanatics. Reggie finds an old journal at the horror bookstore she works at. The journal talks about Vours, evil entities that can take over your soul during winter soulstice. The Vours can only enter the minds of people who are truly afraid. In an effort to scare themselves silly Reggie and Aaron try to tempt the Vours to take over them by daring each other to face their worst fears on Winter Solstice. They are disappointed that nothing happens but Reggie's little brother is not so lucky; he has been a scared little boy since their mother left and the Vours find him easy pickings.

In other book reviews I have mentioned that I don't like scary things; be they books, movies, or haunted houses. Well for the other woosies like me out there, beware, this is a scary book. For those who revel in all things horror; you will be delighted. The horror aspect in this book is more around the magical/psychological type of horror. Although fans of classic horror get their due too; with the appearance of an ax wielding clown, refreshements laid out in open rib cages, and people buried alive. Also if you have any type of fear of spiders I would steer clear of this book.

The book itself was very well written. The characters were likeable and engaging. The idea of the people you love and trust becoming evil incarnate overnight is very Exorcist; and totally creeped me out. I really liked Reggie and Eben, the bookstore owner. I felt for all of the characters. The book was fast-paced and I couldn't put it down. This is a book that focuses less on high-school life and more on the unusual events in Reggie's life; which I enjoyed. If you really enjoy all the gossiping and angsting that is included in some young adult books like this you might be disappointed.

There was some swearing in the book, but it was pretty mild. I was also surprised that the book was very scary without being excessively gorey. The story was a good one and was tightly put together and well thought out. This book works well as a stand alone book; although Eben mentions that the Vours are just the tip of the evil iceberg.

So, the million dollar question is will I read Soulstice when it comes out? I am tempted to; The Devouring is a fascinating book and a quick and engaging read. Do I want to have to sleep with the lights on for another night and suffer nightmares for a couple nights? No, not really. I found Laura Faria Stolarz's "Blue is for Nightmare's" to also be too scary for me. So if you loved "Blue is for Nightmares" you will probably love this book. I actually thought the Devouring was much more creative and interesting than "Blue is for Nightmares".

As a great young adult horror book I think this book is a winner. For me personally it is just too darn scary.(less)

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Dec 21, 2010 fooloveratook rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, need-to-purchase, 2010-reads

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The Devouring (Book 1/3)
Author: Simon Holt (@ Goodreads)
Release Date:9/1/08
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult (14+)
Source: Borrowed (School Library)
Go Buy It! Amazon/Barnes&Noble/BookDepository
Rating: ☺☺☺☺ - Super!

"When Reggie finds an old journal and reads about the Vours, supernatural creatures who feast on fear and attack on the eve of the winter solstice, she assumes they are just the musings of some lunatic auth...more

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Sep 11, 2010 YA Reads Book Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As far as covers go, The Devouring is pretty spectacular. In fact, it’s so good that I picked it up off the shelf in the store and decided I was going to buy it even before I looked at the blurb. Apart from being visually stimulating, it manages to capture the real essence of the story without giving too much away.

The blurb is pretty enticing as well. Check this out:

Vours:
Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice.

This isn’t how the ho...more As far as covers go, The Devouring is pretty spectacular. In fact, it’s so good that I picked it up off the shelf in the store and decided I was going to buy it even before I looked at the blurb. Apart from being visually stimulating, it manages to capture the real essence of the story without giving too much away.

The blurb is pretty enticing as well. Check this out:

Vours:
Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice.

This isn’t how the horror ended for us –
This is how it began.

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?

Sounds awesome, right? Well, I thought so anyway. Unfortunately, now that I’ve finished reading it, I’m not quite sure what to think. Firstly, let me just say that I didn’t think it was bad. Not at all. But there is just something about it that isn’t sitting right with me.

The characters are all likable enough, yet they don’t seem individual enough, there is not a whole lot that separate them from each other in my mind. For me to consider a book astonishing, the characters really need to jump off the page and present themselves as independent, unique individuals. That doesn’t really happen for me with The Devouring. However, I’m not prepared to say that I don’t like the characters, because I do. Or maybe it’s just that there isn’t anything exceptionally unlikable about them, I can’t quite tell. Either way, they didn’t leave a huge impression.

Everything happens pretty fast, too. There isn’t a whole lot of build up, which for some, might be a good thing. I, however, am a big fan of the build up. I love anticipation and surprise. Although it’s not predictable, per se, The Devouring didn’t have me sitting on the edge of my seat. Yet, at the same time, I didn’t want to put it down.

Can you see what I’m saying here? It wasn’t bad, not by a long shot, but it wasn’t outstanding either, you know? I do think that it would make a really awesome film, however. Visually, I think it would be a real creeper. But as words, well, it falls a little short of creepy.

Give it a go. I’m interested in your thoughts!(less)

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Apr 13, 2010 Sensitivemuse rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was so good I wanted to stay up at night to finish it. The prologue was so good and gripping that I had to continue reading it to see what would happen. The book had all the makings to become a horror movie itself. The writing was great and an easy read. It had very well written descriptions of horror scenes which is enough to put the reader on edge. Some parts were so well written I found myself reacting to it out loud while reading.

Fear is the main theme here, and Reggie has a giant...more

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Mar 25, 2010 Kirsten rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A truly creepy story -I'm glad I only read it alone, and not alone at night! Even though I knew some of the characters who would be involved at the end, there were a few surprises. I appreciated the strength of the characters -nobody stood back and waited to be rescued. Reggie, the main character, is tough and protective of her brother, when she could be just another whiny teenager. She has a tough life; her mother left them, her dad can't cope, and she's now responsible for her younger brother....more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
What's The Name o...: A young girl likes to tell/read horror story and she finds a book that is a real story and (I think) the book is about the house she lives in [s]	18	52	May 14, 2013 09:07pm
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What series should I start next?	8	33	Jan 17, 2012 04:55am

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About Simon Holt

Simon Holt's writing career began with a horror fanzine in high school the publishing of which overheated the school's photocopier. Undaunted by detention, he's continues to pursue writing ever since. Holt supported himself as a hostel night clerk and a handbag salesman before becoming a full-time novelist. A comic book collector and amateur musician, he makes his home in Chicago.

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Trivia About The Devouring

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Quotes from The Devouring

“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...” — 61 people liked it

“We all have a dark side, Reggie. You. Me. The old lady down the street. Henry. Everyone. We make the choice not to embrace it, but the dark is there. It's always there. Inside us.” — 49 people liked it

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