The Devouring by Simon Holt

"Your body is here, but not your soul..."

Henry's right to be afraid. Reggie Halloway, loving older sister of Henry Halloway, owns a horror book which was oddly written in the form of a diary. It's contents vividly describe demonic creatures called Vours, known to possess the bodies of humans over winter solstice, or Sorry Night. Little does Reggie know, this "scary story" she read to a timid Henry before bedtime becomes a frightful reality, taking over none other than Henry himself. Now Reggie must face the fears within herself, the Vours feeding off her very terror, and lead an adventure along with her best friend Aaron Cole into saving her brother. The question is, will the sickening illusions she's enveloped in chill her to the core, or will Reggie find the strength to overcome her demons?

Before anything else, I'll say that this book is basically your average horror movie in written form. That's not to be taken in a bad way, though, because the events are vivid and creepy, and it takes you further into a world of terror than any movie could. That being said, if you have an aversion to gore-y details, or have a weak tummy, I don't recommend reading this.
My first thoughts, starting with the prologue, were positive. It begins with some insight into the story Reggie reads about the Vours, with a dysfunctional family living on a farm somewhere in nowhere. It's very creative, and I was impressed with the fact that it's not "little kid terror". It deals with real gore, and real fears (including clowns and hospitals). Some parts of this book I actually got goosebumps, so a couple cheers are in order for that. Also, another two cheers are added because the story is actually well-written, and most of the scenes are detailed enough that you could be living them yourself. That is something I appreciate when reading.
Focusing on the parts I didn't much care for...the fact that during the story, the protagonist is doubted. There's always a frustrating part to a story, which is the entire conflict, and this is it. There's not much else I can boo, seeing as I can't give away too much, but aside from a few trivial things, and some cliche twists, I really enjoyed reading this book.

Summarizing this painfully long review, I recommend this if you're into reading on chilly nights next to a few lit candles.

Cheers: 4
Boos: 2
Result: Recommended