Teen Book Review - Devoured by Amanda Marrone

Devoured by Amanda Marrone
Devoured is a continuation of the classic fairy-tale of Snow White, with a twist of course. The tone is distinctly more like that of the Grimm Brothers versus the prevalent Disney version. I definitely enjoyed the book, but I found it to be creepier than I had expected. The premise is that Megan, our heroine, was in a horrible accident with her twin sister, Remy, and father when she was seven. Her father remains in a coma and her sister passed away, but her presence remains. When Megan accepts a job at the Land of Enchantment amusement park to keep an eye on her boyfriend and his girl-next door bff, the apparition of her sister begins to show herself with more frequency and behave in a more volatile manner, complete with visions of bloody violence. Luke, a talented painter that works at the amusement park shows up during one of Remy's tantrums and Megan is surprised to learn that he can also see Remy. Together, they try to find a way to help Remy move on, but become embroiled in something much more sinister. As with all paranormal fiction, if you suspend disbelief you will have a quick entertaining read with Amanda Marrone's Devoured.

From School Library Journal:
Gr 8 Up—Ever since the car accident nine years ago, life for 16-year-old Megan has never been the same. Her father lies in a coma at the nursing home; her twin sister, Remy, who died in the accident, continues to haunt her; and her mom only seems to care about winning dog competitions with their purebred Fergus. Events become even more complicated when Megan decides to take a job working at the Land of Enchantment in order to keep an eye on her boyfriend, Ryan, and his "best friend," Samantha. There she meets Luke, who is psychic and, to Megan's relief, can also see and communicate with Remy. Megan is concerned because Remy's behavior is becoming violent. The natural attraction between Megan and Luke quickly becomes a problem for Ari Roy, whose family owns the Land of Enchantment. Ari feels that Luke is hers, and she will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Devoured is a murder mystery and a ghost story with a modern-day "Snow White" twist. The plot is fast-paced and full of suspense, gripping readers right from the start. Megan and Luke are well developed, but the ending, in which everything happens too quickly, can be a bit confusing. Still, the book will be devoured by fans of the supernatural.—Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY