The Deck of Omens by Christine Lynn Herman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
**4.5-stars rounded up**
With the events of The Devouring Gray behind them, and the Beast seemingly subdued, May, Justin, Harper, Violet and Isaac, are left to lick their wounds and repair their relationships.
Old anxieties remain and as the teens move forward, they find themselves continuing to seek solace in one another as the town at large feels hostile, especially for Justin.
Things are far from over, however, as a mysterious corruption beings to seep from the Gray, infecting those citizens it comes in contact with.
The Founder’s children seem to be immune, so again it is up to them to save the fate of Four Paths.
May seems especially tuned in to the changes around her as she continues working on her powers dealing with the Deck of Omens.
As her relationship with her mother, Augusta, remains hella strained, she reaches out to her estranged father for guidance.
Obviously her mother is less than pleased when he arrives, thus deepening the hole May is already in with her.
Speaking of people returning to town, Isaac’s older brother, Gabriel, makes a sudden appearance as well. Thus forcing the Sullivan boys to have it out once and for all.
As the Gray continues to destabilize and the corruption begins to get out of control, the town leaders have no choice. They must evacuate the town’s citizens for their own safety.
The Founding Families remain, preparing themselves for the ultimate showdown.
This second book of The Devouring Gray duology continues the themes of long buried secrets and heartbreaking deceptions.
The truth about the Gray and its early beginnings are revealed and it flips everything you thought you knew on its head.
You may think the most dangerous thing in Four Paths is the Beast, or the Gray, but you’re wrong!
Guys, I enjoyed this story so, so much! Once I started, I absolutely could not put it down.
While with the first book, I felt that a lot of the plot got bogged down in the details, I didn’t feel that at all with this one.
The town of Four Paths has a complex history and there is a lot to learn in regards to the Founding families, their powers, the Gray and the Beast.
I think, for me, I let myself get too caught up with all the details in the first book and it ended up losing some of its fun.
With The Deck of Omens I went in with that foundation and was just able to relax into the story.
I loved the relationships and how they grew and changed as the teens gained more knowledge about their own family histories. At this point, I am so attached to these characters, I can’t believe it is over.
I am so satisfied with the conclusion. If it has to end, I am happy with this result.
The ultimate showdown was pure nail-biting fun, which is another strong selling point, it was fast-paced the WHOLE way through! There was never a lull in the action.
I am beyond happy that I continued on with this duology and send a very hearty thank you to the publisher, Disney Book Group, for providing with a copy to read and review.
It’s so far one of my favorite reads of the year! Well done, Christine Lynn Herman!
