Soulstice by Simon Holt

What do you fear?

The second book in The Devouring picks up six months after Reggie saved her brother from the Vours. With the summer solstice approaching, Reggie thinks she's safe from the fear-demons...until someone from the past reappears with grim news. The Vours are not done with Reggie; not even close. She must overcome new challenges - and not all are mythical - if she wants to survive.

The Devouring series is one of few horror novels in YA. These are the books you want to read in the dead of night, but for Soulstice, the dead of night is needed to keep it scary. It certainly has the creepy factor, with haunted house-like settings and descriptions, but it didn't quite measure up to its predecessor.

Reggie ventures into not one but two horrorscapes in this installment, and the psychology of it all is mind-boggling. What are the terrors of a person? The fearscape moves from basic childhood horrors to deeper, darker fears, fears that are locked away so that they can't be found consciously.

In addition, while she's battling the Vours, Reggie must also deal with the humans around town. Quinn's disappearance has police swarming the town, and Reggie's dad still thinks she's acting out. Also, she's not the only one who knows the Vours exist...

Despite this review being somewhat neutral, Soulstice is definitely a book to pick up this month.