Devoured

by Amanda Marrone

BY Marrone, Amanda ( Author ) [{ Devoured By Marrone, Amanda ( Author ) Sep - 22- 2009 ( Paperback ) } ]

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Ghosts, Supernatural, Fiction

Paperback

First published September 12, 2009

About the author

Amanda Marrone grew up on Long Island where she spent her time reading, drawing, watching insects, and suffering from an over-active imagination. It didn’t help that her father told bloodcurdling stories, and would take Amanda and her siblings for moon lit walks in the graveyard—the highlight of which involved having them march up to mausoleums and knock on the doors—alone. On more than one occasion, Amanda turned around to find they’d ditched her for laughs. (No, she didn’t find that particularly funny.)
Not surprisingly, she was extremely scared of the dark—living in fear of cats meowing at the door at night (she was sure they were really monsters pretending to be her cats), and things lurking in basements, attics, dark rooms, and closets.

Amanda successfully avoided monster attacks by leaving all the lights on in her house, and convincing other family members to let the cats in—eventually earning a B.A. in Education at SUNY Cortland. She taught fifth and sixth grade in New Hampshire, where she was known for putting on mini-musicals, and dissecting eyeballs and owl pellets with her students.

After taking a very early retirement to raise a family and write novels—some of which have vampires and other creepy creatures, Amanda now lives in Connecticut with her husband, Joe, two kids, two cats, a crayfish, hissing cockroaches, and their newest addition is Griffin, a havanese dog who can say "Hello" and "I love you". Check the links page to see Griffin’s YouTube videos where you can see him in action.

Amanda loves reading, going to Broadway shows, creepy crawly things, hiking, annoying her husband with show tunes, and is thinking about getting another tattoo. She is still scared of the dark.

Amanda’s first two books for teens, Uninvited and Revealers are available now, and her next book Devoured will be out in September of 2009. Her middle grade series The Magic Repair Shop Chronicles: The Multiplying Menace, Kobold Blues and The Shape Shifter’s Curse will be available starting in the summer of 2010.

Read more about Amanda Marrone here: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/A...

Reviews

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un retelling de blanca nieves antes de que se pusieran de moda. Muy pero de verdad muy juvenil, así que las tonterías adolescentes están por doquier y el final deja mucho que desear.

[Emma♔☯ (Bookishfix) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I bend down and realize the bodice is unlaced, and while the blouse is soaked in what i think is blood, the darkest stain is actually a hole- a hole in her chest cavity where her heart should've been."

OMG!!!!!!!
A SNOW WHITE RETELLING/SPIN OFF THAT I ACTUALLY LOVED!
Picking up a book you've had on your shelf forever and falling in love with it, then scowling your past self for not picking it up sooner.

I have never read a book by this author, from memory i had picked this little gem up at a local op shop for $2! After reading this i will definitely be looking for more of her work, hopefully it will be just as good because this really surprised me, and in the best way. I want to recommend it to everyone who is a fan of retellings , YA and/or paranormal genres. The only other Snow White retelling i actually enjoyed was Winter by Marissa Meyer, all the rest have fallen really flat for me unfortunately.

500 years ago, the story we all knew and loved didn't end so happily ever after as we thought. The evil queen didn't realise her magic mirror actually had a genie trapped inside it able to grant wishes and unknowingly cast a spell on Snow White and her descendants for all of time.
Megan, our protagonist in this novel is struggling. 10 years ago, Megan, her twin sister Remy and their father were in a terrible accident that left their father in a coma, Remy dead and Megan just barely walking away. With her father still hooked up to life support 10 years later, her mother's now obsessive behaviour for competing in dog dancing competitions, Remy's 7 year old ghost appearing to only Megan over the years and slowly becoming more violent and powerful, Megan really begins to think she is going mad.
Taking a job at the 'Land of Enchanted', a fairy tale amusement park to keep an eye on her new boyfriend and his super clingy best friend, who has professed her love from him one drunken night- Samantha Lee Darling. Landing a job as character actor, Megan will be playing Snow White at the park, but first she'll need to get through her training. When Remy appears just as Megan is trying on costumes for her new role, showing her a horrible vision of a girl dead in a forest with her heart cut out, Megan faints; waking to meeting Luke, a painter at the park, who for some reason can also see her creepy dead 7 year old sister.
With Luke's help Megan may finally be able to put her sister to rest, figure out why Remy's tantrums are getting more out of control, and what she is trying to warn her about.
In a thrilling tale filled with darkness, ghosts, murder, evil plots, dysfunctional relationships, magic mirrors, curses and of course Snow White, the truth revealed and the horrors to come may lead Megan and those around her to their destiny.

I loved all the characters in this novel, well besides Samantha Lee Darling, who i know for i fact i probably wouldn't want to be friends with in real life. Megan is a strong female protagonist, who has suffered alone for many years, been in therapy and been told what she knows is true is really just her way of coping- oh how wrong they are. Some of her choices aren't the greatest, but hey i guess she is human and makes mistake. I think the best thing about it, is it is all how it should be by the end, and really, she is still finding her way while dealing with the ghost of her dead sister , a mother who barely shows her any attention and a boyfriend who just can't seem to tell his best friend to back off alittle. Luke is also a favourite of mine, he is mysterious yet friendly and really kind. He is a beautiful painter with a traumatic past as well, which pushes him to want to help others, even if he isn't fond of the gifts he has inherited from his grandmother.
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I also really enjoyed the writing, it wasn't too complex,it's modern, it kept a good pace, giving us a little information but not throwing too much away to keep the suspense. Im really intreged to see what else Amanda Marrone has come up with, because if it is anything like this book, then im sure i will love it. New favourite author? Perhaps and I cannot wait to find out. Definitely a new favourite book though, so YAY!

Recommended for : YA/ Retelling /Paranormal/ Fantasy

[~Tina~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devoured is the story about Megan who has been haunted by her seven year old sister, Remy, after a horrible accident ten year ago. Meanwhile she gets a summer job at The Land of Enchantments to keep a worried eye on her boyfriend Ryan ever since his best friend, Samantha, has drunkenly admitted that he was her soul mate.
While Megan was getting sized up for her Snow White costume, Remy appears and shows her a horrid vision, causing her to faint. When she wakes, Luke, a painter at the park, is by her side and lets her know that her sister says sorry before disappearing.
Shocked that someone else can see ghost as well gives Megan fresh hope and together they try to find out why Remy is still lingering around and what exactly she is trying to warn her about...

I've had this book on my shelf forevah and I kinda hate myself for not reading this sooner, so thanks Jess for the challenge push. I really loved this one!

This was my first Amanda Marrone book, but it wont be my last, I like the way she combined and crafted the tale of Snow White with a supernatural twist. It was very creepy, cool and kinda gruesome, but I would have to applaud the originality. It was refreshing to read something so different and while it was somewhat predictable, there were a few surprises I didn't see coming.

I liked every single one of these characters, even the twisted ones.
Megan is great. I liked how she really held it together through out these years. She's has to deal with the lost and haunting of her sister, mourns her fathers state of unconsciousness while her mom is dancing with there pet dog in shows. Not quite the stable environment a seventeen year old needs, so it was nice to see her having normal issues like guys and jealousy.
Ryan is another character that I enjoyed and I'm glad that the 'cheating boyfriend' card wasn't played here. At least he made an honest effort.
Remy was very chill-worthy. I've never been a fan of little girl ghost, they always gave me the willies. Very well written.
Luke is a great role with a cool gift and a perfect match for Megan. Very nice even-chemistry.
Ohh, and the mirror? That was pretty wicked.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, it's dark and creepy and even a little strange. I wouldn't call this a fairytale retelling exactly, more like a decent re-mix that provided a lot of fun and entertainment. I'm looking forward to reading more of Amanda Marrone books, looks like she has a new fan:)

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

It's less a retelling of Snow White, and more a what happened to the descendants of Snow White.
And it ain't pretty.
It seems that the real problem wasn't the evil queen, but the evil magic mirror who twisted the queen.
The end of Snow White's story is the beginning of Megan's story, so I don't feel like I'm spoiling too much by saying that Snow White's Happily Ever After didn't quite turn out like we thought. It seems that the mirror actually housed a genie, and the queen unknowingly unleashed a curse (in the form of a wish) that would haunt Snow White and her descendants...for all time!!!
Mwahahahahahaha!
Of course, the mirror survived and is now in the possession of someone.
Enter Megan. The accident that took the life of her twin sister has also left her father lingering in a vegetative state for the past 10 years. Her mother has totally withdrawn from her, choosing instead to throw herself into the world of competitive dance...with her dog.
Oh. And Megan's twin has been haunting her since she died.

So Megan's life is pretty messed up.
She's finally found a nice boy, though. Except that a few weeks prior, his next-door-neighbor/BFF/Hot Girl decided to have too much to drink at a kegger and declared her undying love for him. Even though Ryan says that he only loves Megan, she can't help but feel a bit weirded out that he still spends time with this girl.
Sure, they've been best friends forever...but still!

Ok. There's lots of stuff going on in this one. You've got a haunting, a murder mystery, a love triangle, a dad in a coma/family drama, and Snow White stuff flitting in the background.
And yet, the book doesn't really move at break-neck speed. There were a few time I thought to myself, Something needs to hurry up and happen!".
But.
I also finished in in one evening. So, obviously, it was interesting enough.

I'd recommend this one for hardcore fans of retellings only.

[Mango · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had lots of turns and twist. Amazing! Even though I can't really remember what really happened, all I remembered was that there were lots of twists an d I really loved it! This review was so suckkkkyyyyyy! Even though it really isn't a review.. ALALALLALALALALALLALALALALLALALLALALALLALALALLALALL... Time to go eat some cake! Anyone want to come with me? No? Suite yourself. TRA-La-LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Peace out sukkers!
~Chad ♥ :D

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stunning, contemporary twist on the tale of Snow White! It's a rare book that makes me laugh, cry, AND scares the crap out of me ;-)

[MisskTarsis]

Lo abandono porque la traducción está malísima. :(

[Morgan F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever since a horrific car accident nine years ago, Megan has been haunted by the ghost of her dead twin sister, Remy. Megan, in an attempt to keep an eye on her boyfriend and his perky best friend, takes up a summer job at the amusement park, Land of Enchantment. On her first day there, Remy comes and gives Megan a horrifying vision. Megan isn't the only one who saw Remy this time, however. Luke, a cute guy who works at the park, is determined to help Megan and get her twin sister to move on. But Remy is becoming more and more insistent and much more terrifying, bringing violent visions of whats to come.

I would not call this book a retelling of Snow White. It's more of a continuation of "what-if". After the prologue, the only references to Snow White come much later in the novel. So I don't really recommend this book if you are looking for a good fairytale.

I didn't enjoy this book too much, but it was different. For me it fluctuated between original, weird, and just plain stupid. The writing is nothing to give a hoot about. Plot-wise, things were uneven. I think the book jumped into the story too fast, took a break, and then finished in a rush.

The characters were thinly developed, but some did manage to surprise me at the end. I didn't like Megan though. She devoted more time to fussing about relationships than in mourning when something horrific happened. She just wasn't very smart. Luke was of the typical love interest fare. He was cute, yet understanding. And terribly, terribly cliched.

I would have to say the tone was overall light, even though there were some pretty gruesome scenes. Not that the reader was given any time to make an emotional connection to the event.

The book wasn't good, but wasn't horrible. I know some people will like it. I wouldn't discourage anyone from picking this up, especially if they were looking for a book to go in between heavier reads.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the premise and the characters, the writing felt rushed and the plot was easy to guess. I loved the ghost element but could have gone without the love interests. Also felt something's that happened were a bit eh and were used as shock factor/moving the plot along.

The savior is the ghosts and great ending, I love when evil peeps get there just desserts 😅

Sooo this books is a bit of an odd one but I did really enjoy it. The writing isn't amazing, there is jealousy and girl hate, and one of the characters made me want to stab her with a pencil repeatedly but overall it was a quick and enjoyable read.

I was happy with how dark this retelling went, I really wasn't expecting murders and hearts being torn from chests so yay! oh shush I'm not weird for enjoying the bloodyness of all the things, gimme all the dark and slightly gory retellings, I'm into it.

Our main character is haunted by her twin who died when they were both young, going for a job interview at a disney themes park, she hates all the whimsy and false smiles that come with it but her boyfriends their and she wants to spend the summer with him.

After her interview, her sister has a ghost melt down giving her an image of a bloody murder and making her faint with it. Another worker rushes in to help and reveals he can see her sisters ghost too (how convenient) he's also super hot (also convenient) oh and can of course help her move her sister on.

I didn't really like any of the love interests, they played their rolls in the plot but I would have been perfectly fine with a mass murder that took them all out.

I really enjoyed the ending and while things were a little predictable it's a retelling and I was expecting that.

3/5 stars

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devoured is dark, edgy remake of the fairy tale Snow White. The main character, Megan Sones, lost her sister, Remy, in a car accident that also put her father in a coma 10 years ago. She has had various sightings of her sister's ghost but none so much as lately when she starts work at an amusement park to keep an eye one her boyfriend and his "friend". Megan meets the park owner's daughter and forms an unstable friendship with her. She also meets the talented and mysterious Luke who to her surprise can also see her dead sister.

This book is not the sweet little fairy tale you might originally think it is. There is some parts are, honestly, a little freaky and other that are shocking and other that are..well...sad. It has a love triangle that completes itself nicely in the end. The book is a pretty quick read and interesting enough to make you not want to put it down. I recommend this book if you like fairy tale remakes that are modernized, loosely-based and twisted into a dark, edgy tales.

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very light read, but entertaining. The characters weren't very well developed, and I thought the plot could have had more depth and detail. I almost didn't buy the book because of the blurb on the back, which made it seem like one of those high-school gossipy relationship novels, but thankfully it wasn't. And it also didn't glorify the Disney princess-ish thing, which I was afraid of in the first few pages. AND I was skeptical of the main character being haunted by her dead sister, but with Remy not being fully lucid and kind of crazy, that was rather well done, unlike in other YA novels with similar situations. Anyway, this was a fun read, and I'm glad Marrone's books are different from an average YA novel. They never seem to be centered around some syrupy romance and there's always some kind of twist. In this one not so much as her previous two, but still a refreshing change from others in the genre. I'll continue to buy this author's books.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nine years ago, Megan lost her twin Remy in a terrible car accident. Megan doesn't know what to do with Remy when she pops in for visits, but as Remy becomes more incoherant and shows Megan visions of murders, Megan has nowhere to turn. Having just been hired at the Land of Enchantment amusement park, Megan finds an unexpected ally who also sees her sister, Luke.

Megan's life is now spiraling out of control with a boyfriend who has an unusual attachment to his best friend who is a girl, Luke who she has feelings for that are not those as a friend, and Ari who likes Luke getting venomous everytime Megan talks to Luke, not to mention that Remy is trying to warn Megan away as her life is in danger.

Creative story, lacked a bit of substance but flowed really quickly. A modern day revamp of the Snow White tale.

[Gus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a super quick read and, while not that well-written, I actually liked it. The end was full of twists, which is hard to find in a teen book! I was shocked and kept telling my hubby what happened. There is a large fairy tale element to it (Snow White) that I wasn't aware of when I picked out the book to read, but it really added to it and made it an interesting tale. I'll probably read her other books, as I was pleased with how Marrone told the story.

[Deltay · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Devoured, Amanda has brought a whole new facet to the concept of the fractured fairytale - and is it ever refreshing! Disregarding the apple on the cover/spine, the lack of mention of fairytale roots otherwise might have one not even making that connection initially. And in this case, it seems to work best this way - for those who are fans of Snow White, it adds a little extra zing; for those who aren't, it still works great as a stand-alone YA paranormal/romance/mystery/and so much else.

I'll admit, the paranormal mysterious aspect of the premise is what intrigued me at first. But then, having read the book and going back to the synopsis on the back - it doesn't really do the story justice. From that description it sounds like a more contemporary type of tale, but it's really not as superficial as the middle section makes it out to be.

In the case of Devoured, I would say that incorporation was definitely one of Marrone's fortes. The way that threads of the Snow White were intertwined with the story, the way that contemporary elements were incorporated, the way that the paranormal elements were injected - it all made for a fun read. Remy's appearances and spooky prophetic warnings were definitely one of the strong points; they added suspense, spookiness, and intrigue. The only thing that could've been introduced a little more smoothly would've been one of the foreshadowing symbols, as it seems a little too sudden and hard-hitting.

Although there are tragic elements to it, overall as a novel, Devoured is a pretty fun read. And in keeping with that, most of the principal characters had interesting traits. Ari, Megan, Remy... they were all very interesting and well-portrayed. It might've been nice to get a little more insight into some of the minor characters as well though, but that's not a major factor. The pacing could have been a little smoother, but at the same time, as it is contemporary, things don't always happen on a linear, constant, timeline, so it could make sense that way. Once you get into it, the story moves along nicely though.

With an intriguing premise, beautiful incorporation of Snow White and chilling elements, Marrone's Devoured is a spooky fun read. And what great timing, especially with Halloween right around the corner?

[Nan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Megan is a girl with problems. She's been dating Ryan for the last month --but her dates tend to turn into group outings with his best friend, Samantha. She really likes him, and she can't help but be jealous of his friend, especially since they're working together at an amusement park all summer. What's a girl to do? Like any other jealous girlfriend, Megan quits her job at the bookstore and takes one at the park where she can keep an eye on Ryan.

Megan has another problem, too. She can see her dead twin sister. Little Remy has been haunting Megan since she died ten years ago. Lately, though, Remy is getting angrier and angrier--and Megan is getting scared. It's a relief when Megan meets Luke, and Luke tells her that he can see and communicate with Remy, too. He agrees to help Remy move on, but it might be Megan that he's more interested in helping . . .

This is a fantastic novel, one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Marrone has a gift for portraying real teens in terrible circumstances; while the events of her novels are unreal, her characters are thoroughly grounded in reality. Too many YA novels tend to feature Mary Sue-ish protagonists--that good girl that every girl imagines herself to be. Marrone doesn't do that. Her characters have serious flaws--they're jealous, selfish, short-sighted, easily fold under peer pressure . . . but they also want to be more.

Having read two of Marrone's books, I can safely say that she's now on my "must buy" list.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-tellings of fairy tales often suffer when an author tries to stick too close to the source material. Snow White in particular suffers - the seven little men are a difficult hurtle to overcome.

However, Devoured isn't really a re-telling, it's more about what happened next. The prologue is from the evil queen's perspective as she learns her stepdaughter's fate and is resigned to her own as a slave to the enchanted mirror. The mirror has tricks of its own and goad the evil queen into cursing all of them.

In the modern world, Megan is haunted by the ghost of her twin sister, Remy, who died ten years ago in the same accident that put her father in a vegatative state. For the most part she can ignore Remy, but the job she's taken at the nearby theme park, Enchanted Land (a thinly disguised Disney subsitute), has Remy in a frenzy. Such a frenzy that she attracts the attention of an empath, Luke.

I really got caught up in this book. I'd almost call it a mystery, except there aren't really any clues. Remy needs to find something to be at peace, Megan's been given the disturbing image of a dead girl to dwell on, and she can't be sure of anyone's real intentions. The ending does tie things up neatly (though there is room for a sequel), which was nice, though the happily ever after vibe was a bit stretched. However, I will read more from this author.

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three words to describe this book? Dark, fairytale-esque, and yet unfairytale-esque at the exact same time!

Devoured put an edgy and unique twist on the fairytale, Snow White (which I love), and I enjoyed it so much more than I expected to! I'm actually a huge fan of fairy tails and such. I'll admit that this was a little strange at first, but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down!

I just adored the characters in this book. Megan was the perfect heroine, Luke was the perfect guy, and Remy was the perfect ghostly twin sister. I couldn't think up a more fitting cast for this story! The way Amanda Marrone crafted the mystery aspect of the plot was fantastic, and I was on the edge of my seat for several scenes.

Fun yet creepy, light yet dark — Devoured was a roller coaster ride that was full of contradictions! It gave me chills in some parts and butterflies in others. Part fairytale, part suspenseful mystery, and part super-sweet romance, this is a book you should definitely put on your radar! :)

BUY or BORROW?: If you love fairytales and their counterparts, you should definitely add this one to your collection!

(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog)

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It was an easy fun read that I finished in one day.

It is the story of Megan who sees her twin sister's ghost. She gets a summer job at the local amusement park to spend time with and keep an eye on her boyfriend Ryan. There she meets Luke who also can see Remy. Sparks fly between Megan and Luke. Luke trys to help Megan to get Remy to move on, but Remy is trying to tell Megan something......

I found that I got sucked straight into the story and it was a fast paced. I really liked Megan. I felt her connection with Luke struggled a little bit at first but then halfway through sparks flied.

I liked that the story line had parts of it briefly based upon Snow White story adding a interesting element to a parnormal story.

I love Amanda Marrone books and can't wait for more from her.

[D.F. Jules · Rating 1 out of 5]

How can I say this, to me it seems that the author was confused between two main plots and that instead of choosing, she just did a mash up of them.

There's a lot of plot holes, things that had no sense and characters that just serves as plot devices that I couldn't see any point of them actually being in the story.

Because of the attempt on combining two major problems, the story seemed stilted, rushed and just, well, ridiculous.

All in all, I guess if you have time at the dentist or whatever, you could read it. If not, don't bother please.

[Angee Wentz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated: PG-13; language (f-word once or twice & Lord's name in vain as much as if it were the word "the"), violence, sexual references.

I thought the plot was amazing and I actually got so scared a tear fell! That is hard to do in books, for me. The story deserves five stars, but I hate language and there were a lot of typos in the first sixty pages! I will definitely read Amanda's other books just for their creative and timely plots!

[Erin V · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good ghost book. It sucks to know that it's just one book on it's own and not a series. Great book for sure.

[Jaimes_Mystical_Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a weird one! It had fairytales, ghosts, love triangles and amusement parks. I don’t know what exactly to say about this book without giving anything away, but it was a quick and enjoyable read. There was a lot packed into this book and at times some of it felt unnecessary, but overall this was a really good book.

[Karissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love fairy tale retellings, so I was excited to read this modern day retelling of Snow White. This ended up being an okay book but definitely didn't blow me away. The book was fairly engaging but not all that fairy tale like; I found the interpretation of the fairy tale to be a bit bizarre.

Megan's life changed as a result of a horrible car crash. Her father is in a coma, her mom is obsessed with doing dancing routines with their dog, and Megan is haunted by the ghost of her twin sister Remy. When Megan's boyfriend Ryan gets a job with his best friend Samantha to work at The Land of Enchantment (a fairy tale themed amusement park); Megan decides to get a job there too in order to keep on eye on Ryan and his supposed "friendship" with Samantha. Once Megan accepts the job things start getting bizarre. Remy's ghost really starts cranking up the heat and showing Megan gory and bizarre images; then Megan meets Luke who can also see Remy's ghost. Megan also meets the overly jealous Ari. Now it is up to Megan to figure out what Remy wants before things get out of hand and people start dying.

The premise of this novel is a bit bizarre. Just the fact that Megan gets a job with her boyfriend because she doesn't trust him doesn't make her a very likable character. The whole point of this book is to show how jealousy can destroy a person and it does that in spades. Oh and also supposedly there is a curse that involves a magic mirror that has been influencing Ari's family.

The writing is pretty average and the book itself is fairly engaging. I never really got bored with it but the plot is a bit confused. First Megan is trying to figure out what Remy is trying to tell her, then she is convinced that letting her dad die is the way to get Remy of her case. Somehow this all leads up to a serial killer being on the loose. Woven into all this is a lot of teenage angsting about how Megan should be faithful to Ryan even though she has the hots for Luke and Ryan obviously wants to get with Samantha anyway. I personally don't get into all the teenage relationship blather, but that is probably because I am not a teenager anymore...actually I don't think I got into when I was a teenager either...

The characterization is okay, I liked Luke a lot but the rest of the characters are pretty grey in tone.

Overall the book was okay. It was a fairly engaging read and was interesting. It was not at all fairy-tale like but was done more like a ghost/serial killer murder mystery kind of thing. It was actually pretty creepy at parts. It loosely ties into the Snow White story. Everything about this book was just okay. If you are into murder mysteries and fairy tale retellings you might really enjoy this book. I personally didn't love it and won't be reading anything else by Marrone. I would recommend Beastly by Alex Flinn or Briar Rose by Jane Yolen if you are into modern day fairy tale retellings that actually stick with the fairy tale and have some depth of meaning to them.

[Camilla · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept of this book is great, and the twist that was put on Snow White was really interesting, and unique. This book seemed to be going in the right direction in the beginning, but then things just got silly. The characters got less real as it progressed, I had trouble believing the character's feelings, it just didn't seem real enough to me. The romance was okay, but it just seemed flat and hard to believe. I liked the mystery that it had, it kept you really intrigued in the beginning. But, near the end I just lost interest. It's pretty disappointing because this book had an incredible amount of potential, and I think it was cut too short, and the conflict was resolved too fast. The part that kept me reading was the ghost, and what she was trying to tell her sister...

Ten years ago, Megan and her family were in a car crash. Megan lived, her mother lived, her father is still in a coma and her sister died. Megan's father still lies in a hospital bead, motionless, and her sister isn't completely gone either. Megan still sees her sister, her ghostly forms comes and says things that leave Megan confused. She has no idea why she can see her sister, she's the only one who can. No one believes her, when she tried to tell her mother that Remy is a ghost, and that she could see her, she thought Megan was crazy. Megan sometimes believes that maybe she is crazy, but when she meets someone else who experiences the same things she does, she cannot believe it...
Megan is applying for a job at The Land of Enchantment. It's an amusement park that leaves Megan thinking that this will be one long summer. She's only doing this job to keep an eye on her boyfriend, who has been spending a little too much time with a girl named Samantha. Megan meets the owners of the amusement park, Mr. Roy, and Patty. They are married, and Mr. Roy's daughter, Ari is quite the character. One minute she's welcoming, the next she's harsh and cold. Remy learns about her job, and Remy shows her something that leaves her spooked. It's a vision that leaves Megan dumbfounded. And when she meets Luke, who can also see Remy, relief flows through her. But, Ari likes Luke--a lot. Megan learns more about Remy, and what she's trying to tell her. Megan's best friend, Nicki, doesn't believe that Remy is still around, but that could change. The mystery unravels; Megan has to dress up as Snow White for the Land of Enchantment, Remy warns her of strange things, and Luke helps Megan figure out how everything connects...

Overall, it was an okay read. It sounded promising, but it turned out dull. I liked the concept, but not the way it was carried out...

[Laura R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.5

Characters: +
Writing: +
Story: +
World: 1/2
Originality: +

[Kasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devoured proved to be quite a delectable little morsel, tangy and crispy like a freshly bitten apple, it was a bit different than standard YA fare, it had a bit of magic to it but it was realistic enough to be believable. The story is supposed to be a spin on the Snow White fairy tale but with modern twists and I have to say I was very curious how that was going to work, especially since the title is so raw and bold, you sort of aren't sure what to expect, but the story is fun, scary, spicy and interesting at the same time.

Megan has lost her twin sister Remy in a car accident, the same accident that has left her father in a comma. That one moment has flipping her life upside down, mostly because her sister's ghost seems to follow her everywhere, but things take on a bizarre turn when her new summer job at the Land of Enchantment stirs the ghost crazy and makes Megan unsure if it's as safe as it seems. Her reasons to work there are simple, her mother doesn't seem to have time for her and Megan's boyfriend works there too, with his best female friend who gives Megan an upset stomach from worrying about their unnatural closeness. Her relationship being threatened forces her to take the job to keep an eye on them, but when fore warnings of pain and death seem too bizarre to accept she lets go and joins the park, taking a step in a very dark direction. Pretty soon she makes some new friends, and a few enemies and awakens something that as crazy as it sounds, hungers for flesh, her flesh.

The author did a great job of making this fun and modern and something that I got so engrossed in that I read it in a very few sittings, this book was a breeze and hard to put down at the same time, I can't wait to read more from Amanda Marrone. I liked the teen voice she uses, it was perfect, just what I would want from YA fiction.

- Kasia S.

[summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Devoured by: Amanda Marrone it takes place in her home town, and the land of enchantment, Devoured is about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and all the other fairy tales in history, Megan the main character is getting a job at a place called land of enchantment. Megan had a twin sister named Remy, she also has a boyfriend that she tried to introduce to her father, at the land of enchantment she meets a boy who also works at the land of enchantment.

Warning plot spoilers and discussion below:
Snow White ties into this story because of the land of enchantment where Megan is doing her interview and was asked what is your favorite part about the land of enchantment? She lied and said Snow White when she hated Snow White. Remy showed Megan an image of a girl that looks like Megan laying in the forest with her heart cut out. Megan’s twin sister died in a car crash and her dad was passed out but not dead. She can see her twin sister’s ghost, her father was placed at a nursing home Remy ruined Megan introducing her boyfriend to her father by blowing up his machine. The boy she meet at her job can also see ghosts so she goes to his house and tries to find out what will help Remy move on.

Protagonist: Megan is the twin sister to Remy, I feel that Megan has gone through a lot I can understand where she comes from with all the depression she feels. Yes, Megan did change because she found that she was much happier when there were people who could relate to seeing ghosts.

Antagonist: Remy, Megan’s twin sister that passed away I feel she’s to in a way over bearing and she wants her sister to suffer. Yes, in a way I do despise Remy but I don’t because she’s only trying to help Megan.

Conflict: The conflict is that Remy wont leave Megan alone and let her live her life by haunting her and showing her images.

[Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't sleep last night so I decided to start reading this book and it's a good thing I couldn't sleep because I didn't want to put it down. This book is actually a modern day continuation of the Snow White tale that takes place many generations after the original, which I never would have figured out based on the description, although after the fact I do see some hints on the cover.

Megan has had a difficult life, when she was 8 she was in a car accident with her twin sister Remy and her father. Remy died and her father is in a coma and ten years later Megan is still seeing Remy's ghost, and lately she's getting more and more violent and Remy's visits are getting harder and harder to stop. To add to Megan's issues she also gets a job at The Land of Enchantment, a local fairy tale themed amusement park to keep an eye on her boyfriend Ryan and his best friend (who has professed her undying love to him) Sammy. Megan's first day at the park she meets Luke, who can also see Remy and hopefully help Megan help Remy to move on.

There is a lot going on in this book and the frenetic pace can make it difficult to keep up at times (especially at the end) but it is well worth the read. I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened next. I really liked how the author wove the different elements of Snow White into the story. The description of the book sounds so much like a paranormal romance love triangle type thing, but really it's more of a murder mystery and I think that is what really keeps the plot going. Now I'm kind of torn because I want to go further into why I like the book but I don't want to give anything away.

[Krystle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally! A ya romance where the male lead isn’t a dark, brooding, creepy, stalker-ish guy! Yay! He was pretty much normal, considerate, and an overall nice guy. Okay, he was rather mysterious with his abilities and such but I don’t care about that too much since everyone seems mysterious when you don’t know them.

The writing was quick and snappy, with a main character whose voice feels realistic and in tune to what I would normally think when I was her age. Granted she was annoying at some points but not overbearing.

I was expecting this to be sort of a vengeful ghost stories but boy was I surprised when it incorporated Snow White into it. The spin she put on it was new and intriguing. I’m not sure if the prologue connected that well to the plot developments later but it helps set up the overall tone/mood of the story.

For such a short book, it actually had some pretty dark elements in it that I was totally not expecting. While it doesn’t push the button barrier it is something you wouldn’t normally see from a genre that has many fast-paced, lighter in heart, and happy ending books.

Btw, I love the color contrasts of the book, from the deep blue to the striking yellow of the apple. The back of the book cover has a pretty picture of an apple as well. A total plus on that department! I don’t know about the border on the bottom of the front cover though, but overall a very nice cover.

For those who enjoy paranormal mixed with a tinge of fantasy, then this is the book you should try!

[Ithlilian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know why I thought this was a vampire book, but I am very glad it wasn't. I'm a little afraid to pick up any teen drama released recently due to the overwhelming number of angst filled vampire books out there. If you feel the same way, don't worry, Devoured is more of a fairy tale retelling than a angst filled drama. I enjoyed every moment of Devoured; I pretty much devoured it. Bad pun, I know. The characters in this book feel real and believable, yet they are not overly dramatic. Each character has their own unique personality, which is refreshing in the world of cookie cutter teenager characters, and there is a riveting mystery. I cared about why the ghost was appearing, I wanted to see the connection with Snow White, and I wanted to read more about the crazy theme park family. My only complaints are that the end of the novel felt a bit rushed, and the entire book was too short. I wanted a little bit more than the conclusion delivered; a few chapters in between the big showdown and the epilogue would have been nice. Overall, Devoured is unique, entertaining, and enthralling, but it is rather short and doesn't go into the Snow White thing in too much detail. Definitely worth reading if you are a YA fantasy fan, and I look forward to trying some of the author's other books.