The Devouring by Simon Holt

THE VOURS: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice. When Reggie reads about the Vours in a mysterious old journal, she assumes they are just the musings of an anonymous lunatic. But when her little brother, Henry, begins to act strangely, it's clear that these creatures exist beyond a madwoman's imagination, and Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to life.To save the people she loves, Reggie must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. Can she devour her own fears before they devour her?

This book gave me chills down to the bone! What I thought would be a tame paranormal novel quickly escalated into a truly horrifying, wonderfully written, instant favorite. I adored the characters, especially Reggie and Alex, who were very deep and connected well with the reader. I literally devoured (yes, pun intended) this book-I couldn’t get enough and if Simon Holt doesn’t write a sequel, I am sending some hate mail ;). Something I actually didn’t notice until the third time I picked up the book was that the word “vour” was in the title of the book, deVOURing-sad, huh! Anyway, if you’re a fan of true horror, you will love this book.

Days after reading it, I still find myself chanting the little Vours rhyme—it’s just so catchy and creepy!
"When dark creeps in and eats the light,
Bury your fears on Sorry Night.
For in the winter's blackest hours,
Comes the feasting of the Vours,
No one can see it, the life they stole,
Your body's here but not your soul..."