Though the Beast is seemingly subdued for now, a new threat looms in Four Paths: a corruption seeping from the Gray into the forest. And with the other Founders preoccupied by their tangled alliances and fraying relationships, only May Hawthorne seems to realize the danger. But saving the town she loves means seeking aid from the person her family despises most-her and Justin's father.
May's father isn't the only newcomer in town-Isaac Sullivan's older brother has also returned, seeking forgiveness for the role he played in Isaac's troubled past. But Isaac isn't ready to let go of his family's history, especially when that history might hold the key that he and Violet Saunders need to destroy the Gray and the monster within it.
Harper Carlisle isn't ready to forgive, either. Two devastating betrayals have left her isolated from her family and uncertain who to trust. As the corruption becomes impossible to ignore, Harper must learn to control her newfound powers in order to protect Four Paths. But the only people who can help her do that are the ones who have hurt her the most.
With the veil between the Gray and the town growing ever thinner, all of the Founder descendants must put their grievances with one another aside to stop the corruption and kill the Beast once and for all.
But maybe the monster they truly need to slay has never been the Beast...
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[ALL THE MOST IMPORTANT moments in May Hawthorne's life had happened beneath the tree in the back yard]***
(@TitanBooks, 21 April 2020, 416 pages, e-book, copy from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed)
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I was looking forward to reading this as I thought the first book in the duology, The Devouring Gray was excellent. I had high expectations for this book. I'm glad to say he author met my expectations on every level. This book reminds me a lot of the TV show Stranger Things and the books of Stephen King and Tim Lebbon. This is even better than the first book and some crazy stuff goes down. Everything about this book is great; characters you fall in love with and occasionally want to strangle, weird town where otherworld evil likes to hang out, lies, betrayal, dark secrets, the whole nine and a half yards. Four Paths and history of the founders, their powers and the true original of the beast and gray is developed even more. I totally loved this. I can't wait to read what the author comes up with next.
