The Devouring Light

by Kat Ellis

Clown in a Cornfield meets The Cabin in this twisty, blood-curdling delight from acclaimed author Kat Ellis about a group of rivals stranded in an abandoned house that seems to have its own plans for them.

When Haden Romero and her rival, Deacon Rex—alongside their bands, including Haden’s ex, Cairo—are stranded on their way to a rock festival, she thinks missing the gig is the worst thing that could happen.

She’s wrong.

Marooned in treacherous swamplands with no way out, the group stumbles upon an eerie, decaying house. It seems like a safe haven, a place to wait out the storm.

The house, however, isn’t just abandoned—it’s been waiting for them.

Bodies begin to pile up. The walls start to close in. Twisted secrets come to light. And unless Haden and the others can survive long enough to escape, the house will claim them—forever.

True horror in the most fun sense of the word, The Devouring Light will have readers on the edge of their seats, bracing themselves for jump scares, flinching with every plot twist, and—most importantly—reading with the lights on.

Genres: Horror, Young Adult

368 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 7, 2025

About the author

Kat Ellis is the author of YA novels WICKED LITTLE DEEDS / BURDEN FALLS, HARROW LAKE, PURGE, BLACKFIN SKY, and BREAKER, and the novella THE TWINS OF BLACKFIN in the THREE STRIKES collection.

You'll usually find Kat up to no good on Twitter, trekking through ruins and cemeteries with her camera, or watching scary films with her husband.

The best way to keep up to date on all Kat's bookish news is to subscribe to her newsletter, which you can do here: https://katelliswrites.us17.list-mana...

Reviews

[Charlene (Char)🍁☕️📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This YA book is definitely a good read I am loving how authors are revamping this genre along with horror and making it more spooky. Think of battle of the banks meets a tiny bit of Stephen King The Stand along with parasites that are disgusting.

This book is about rival bands and band members Deacon, Kat, Cairo and Romero on their way to a festival. Did I mention the people in the bands don’t like each other. There is some serious enemy energy here. All of that is detoured where they are stranded in an isolated place with an abandon building. This place hasn’t are guests since ever. Then the mystery starts body piles up, there is no way out and they’re surrounded by a swamp. Sometimes the light may not be the best thing to embrace.

While reading this book it was a constant sense of dread and having to look over my shoulder. Plus the scenery book is amazing. This horror novel is good with the description of not all houses are meant to be occupied. The pace of this book was good although the ending wasn’t my favorite I felt like I needed more but overall it’s still a good book. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you, Kat Ellis and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

[Starr ❇✌❇]

"a YA horror novel that tells the story of rivals Haden and Deacon, whose bands are stranded on the way to a local rock festival. They spot an old house that they discover has been waiting for them both for a long time—and the house knows help isn't coming."

[Jaimes_Mystical_Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable young adult horror. I loved the storyline of this book as well as its atmospheric setting. I loved following the characters as they were lost in a weird swamp and as they discovered a creepy house. I appreciated how this book incorporated mixed media elements like found footage, transcripts and news reports as it helped to make this a more immersive read. Overall this was a great horror read, perfect for the spooky season.

Thank you to @epicreads for the gifted copy.

[Kera’s Always Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will eat up any and everything from this author, for real! Never disappoints.

Strange circumstances throw rival musicians, Haden and Deacon, along with their band mates together, stranding them on the way to a rock show. Among muck and swamp, they come upon a decaying old house and take shelter inside, but the house has been waiting for them...

The atmosphere in this book IMMEDIATELY starts unsettling the reader. There is obviously something off, but managing to put your finger on it, or watching as the characters struggle to figure it out... so freaking good! Then, there is the whole creepy swamp and the haunted house vibes. It all just blends so well together. I loved the characters, loved the intensity, loved the whole eerie vibe. This was SO good.

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haden and Deacon are in rival rock bands on their way to a festival. Following a car breakdown they all end up on the same tour bus when an accident sees them stranded in swamplands with only an old abandoned house as sanctuary. But the house has been waiting for them and Haden is offered a deal, all her dreams will come true but is the cost too high?

A warped haunted house tale that is deliciously dark and depraved. As Haden finds herself detaching from reality and the body count rises a truly twisted plan is revealed. This is also a thoroughly ruthless example of what people will do for fame, how it corrupts and destroys.

The imagery is both fetid and gruesome, the atmosphere is claustrophobic and paranoid, the characters desperate and infuriating, the body horror squirm inducing and it is creepy as hell! A true highway to hell!

[Fifi’s Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am impressed. Far more impressed than I was expecting to be. I was expecting this to be a run of the mill YA horror, but this ended up so visually immersive, and honestly very shocking. Not that I wasn’t expecting this to be good, but with the generic title and cover, I kind of was just expecting this to be a run of the mill fun way to pass the time. It took me by surprise how much better this was than the standard YA haunted house horror. THE PACING WAS SO EXCELLENT I was actually taken aback?

This book starts out with a police transcript mentioning a place called The Light, where a bunch of celebrities attend a New Years party at a house in the middle of nowhere invited by an eccentric celebrity Magdalena Warren. No one ever hears from them ever again, not even the hostess. The police transcript is from the POV of someone who found an old party invite in his attic, and apparently his mom was invited to the party but never went (lucky for her). He goes with a friend to follow the coordinates on the invitation that leads to The Light, and of course, no one believes his story of what happens next.

In present day, a bunch of musicians are traveling on a bus to perform at a music festival, yet something goes wrong and their GPS takes them to, yup, you guessed it, “The Light”. From there on, this very much becomes a haunted house story with some pretty impressively gross imagery, like leeches crawling out of cuts (ewww 😭)

Again, the pacing of this book was EXCELLENT. Meaning, the scares are timed perfectly so that you’re literally never bored. The breadcrumbs of info are dropped at just the right time to keep you flipping the pages, enough to keep you enticed without revealing too much at once. The haunted house scares are interesting and constant enough that there is not a single boring chapter. Do you know how sick I am of slow burn horror novels that have a bunch of filler and nothing happens until like 70% in? Whether it’s a flashback or a present day haunted house occurrence, whatever happens is never filler.

And the ending when all is revealed? It did NOT go down a path I had expected. Much darker than I was expecting, actually. This book goes dark and does not hold back. The ending had me like 😳 Didn’t quite feel like a perfect 5 star after I finished, but still a 4/5 star because the pacing was done so well and it genuinely was very scary. And quite disturbing actually.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review!

[Adi · Rating 2 out of 5]

First and foremost I do not get scared while reading horror books, I don’t know why because I will absolutely piss myself if I watch a horror film but anyways don’t ask me to rate this book based on how sacred or unsettled I was because well I wasn’t.
Also yes I can still enjoy horror books even if they don’t scare me!
My problem with this book lied in the fact that the MC is the stupidest person I’ve had the unpleasure to read about. I even ended up wishing she would just perish because what was that???
Anyway if you want more context, Hayden is a 17yo girl who wants to become the next Sabrina carpenter but without the talent or charisma in my opinion. (IT’S MY OPINION) when her car breaks down she and her best friend are forced to hitch a ride with her nemesis (she was the problem in this situation and never apologised for it but anyway.) but the bus ends crashes and her and nemesis boy need to find shelter and they do! But of course it’s a creepy house and the house may want them to stay forever and ever…
It was so easy to read but so boring at the same time, there wasn’t even no action really until more than half of the book. There are supposed to be unsettling scenes before then but the MC just spoils everything. She doesn’t trust anyone of course because why would she rely on anyone but her? Why would she take into account her teammates experiences?
In the end she made the whole story underwhelming because « there’s nothing wrong going on? The house doesn’t want to kill us! » I just wished someone would have slapped her and told her it’s okay to freak out because wtf IS GOING ON?
I don’t know but I kinda expect the mc of a horror novel to be kinda scared? Maybe it’s just me though.
And to had to this whole disaster the plot twists were not even twisty like they didn’t even curl or wave, they were so obvious from the littéral beginning, what a disappointment.
Tbh I feel to bad giving this one star because at least i finished it.

[Cat Treadwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books like 'Are you Afraid of the Dark' and such weren't around when I was young, but if they had been, I know I'd have loved them.

'The Devouring Light' is very much in that vein (yup), but taking things a little deeper into horror than I believe those sorts of titles did.

Experienced horror fans will no doubt get the many nods to traditional tropes - from a group of (relatively unlikeable) teens getting stranded and finding a strange old house, to one member of the group standing to face away before a jumpscare, to bathroom mirrors reflecting shadows, it's all here. I wasn't initially sure if that was good or bad, but now I'm done, it really did all kind of come together.

This is an author who loves their genre and doesn't steer away from the nasty bits. There are some slightly graphic scenes, but Kat Ellis is skilled at leaving a lot to the reader's imagination. Granted, this does mean that our narrator misses some (to me) very obvious signs of what's going on, but I suspect that's part of the fun. Pantomime-style, the target audience will be yelling at the pages until the characters finally realize the truth - and that's proper engagement with a book!

I enjoyed playing 'spot the reference', none of which was heavy-handed, and was glad of the ending going the full distance rather than wimping out.

This is a great gateway to the genre, inspiring thrills (and perhaps nightmares) while remaining fun throughout.

I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own.

[Jessica Gleason · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt about this one how I felt about Incidents Around The House, I was in until the last few pages and then I was out.

I liked the story and the not knowing what was going on. I was sure this was a liminal space and was interested in learning what was actually happening. There's a ton of great build here but the end came too fast for me. The characters weren't fully flushed out and their issues weren't really explored or resolved.

The ending wasn't my jam.

But, it's certainly well written and if you like music-tinged horror with small amounts of gore and some mystery this might be for you.

[Alora Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty wild. It definitely didn’t end up the way that I expected. I liked the characters and I liked the “video footage” used between some of the chapters. The author gives a warning about the leeches, which, thank you. I needed the warning for real. All in all a solid book and a great addition to YA horror.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this ARC. This will be out in October of 2025!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

[Roberta R. (Offbeat YA) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rated 3.5 really.

RTC

[BloggingBooks& Banter · Rating 4 out of 5]

☠️The Devouring Light Book by Kat Ellis ☠️- These are my spooky, scary skeleton thoughts. Sorry, I had to say it. 🤣

Rating:
🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars

Beginning Thoughts:
Dark, very elegantly worded, and a good fright!!👻

😮Would I rec this?😮
This is the kind of book that stalks your thoughts even after the final page. It slips between genres like mist through a freaking graveyard gates. Ultra spooky, I might say.
This author obviously has a gift for atmosphere, and this book dripsss with it. Every setting from the decaying manor to the shimmering, otherworldly edges of reality, feels soaked in something ancient and unknowable. The attention to detail is chilling! My only reason for docking a star? The pacing occasionally stumbled. If you’re a fan of stories that blur the line between myth and nightmare, this one will stay with you long after the lights are out.

It will release on October 7th, 2025!🤩

[Teenage Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initial Thoughts:
This novel is perfect for Halloween—just the right mix of creepy horror and monster house suspense. With a tight cast and a small swamp setting, Ellis creates a claustrophobic, eerie vibe typical of great “cabin in the woods” stories. The interspersed chapters about a celebrity party gone wrong add extra tension and mystery, and I could easily see this becoming a fantastic film. If only the characters were more fully developed. Told from 18-year-old Haden’s POV, the story follows her two-person band as they join another group—complete with rival Deacon and ex-girlfriend Cario. The tension was there, but I wanted more: more mistrust, more drama, maybe even a full-blown exes' fight to really show them unraveling. Still, the ending is my favorite part—dark, twisted, and unflinching. Ellis doesn't hold back, and the excellent pacing makes the final act land without feeling rushed.
Plot and Writing:
This is easily one of the most compelling plots I’ve read recently. I loved the layered storytelling—jumping between YouTuber clips, old police reports, media coverage, and Haden’s current experience. The story wastes no time: Haden and bestie Kizi set out for a gig with the other band, crash the bus, and find two bodies almost immediately. Ellis’s vivid descriptions made me pause more than once. When they reach the swamp and the mysterious house called “The Light,” things spiral—rooms labeled with their names, clothes from past guests, and the growing sense that someone’s watching. The horror builds steadily, and Ellis’s pacing is spot-on, never dragging or rushing.
Characters:
The one downside? I didn’t connect with most of the characters—Haden, Deacon, Kizi, Marv, or Cario. It’s a small, isolated cast with plenty of shared history, but Ellis doesn’t fully tap into that potential. The backstories are intriguing—Haden’s failed start, her rivalry with Deacon, her breakup with Cario—but most of the drama happened before the novel starts. I wanted more tension, more breakdowns, more raw emotion. That said, Haden is a solid narrator: strong-willed, loyal, and brave in terrifying circumstances.
Conclusion:
This isn’t just a haunted house story—it’s one that sticks with you. With body bags, leeches, and a descent into madness, Ellis delivers a dark, atmospheric ride that leans more thriller than horror. The writing is sharp, the pacing impressive, and while the characters could’ve had more emotional depth, the novel still stands out as a chilling, unforgettable read.

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Devouring Light promises a wonderfully spooky time with its gorgeous cover, and the story within lives up to that promise!

After an accident that leaves them cut off from civilization, a group of young adults finds themselves lost deep in an ominous swamp. When they see a light through the gloom and find an old house, they expect to be rescued. But the house, and the light, are not what they seem, and the group finds themselves caught in a trap far worse than any swamp. Alone, frightened, and stalked by something unexplainable, they will have to fight for survival; but what, exactly, are they fighting?

This story did not go where I expected it to, and I really enjoyed that. Ambiguous, unexplained monsters / villains are always interesting and scary, and I love that the author really took her time unveiling the full threat; the reader is just as confused and frightened as the characters, making The Devouring Light an immersive reading experience. The found footage elements added to the story as well, making the story more realistic.

This is marketed as Young Adult, but I would recommend it for older teens; there are some references throughout that lean more mature. But older teen or adult fans of horror will love this story.

I would recommend The Devouring Light to fans of scary houses, found footage horror, and unique monsters / antagonists.

Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children’s Books for the arc! All thoughts & opinions in the review are my own.

[Jennifer Rux · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for an ARC of The Devouring Light.

This book had a great premise, and I was excited to read it. However, the book didn't quite land for me.

I really like a book that tells the story though different medias. This had video footage, police interviews and first-person accounts.

The opening of the book was very intriguing. I was hooked. I wanted to know who this Trip guy was and what happened to his friend, but that storyline was very small and the whole time I kept wondering what the purpose of the beginning was. It does tie in at the end, but I found that whole tie in a tad bit weak.

Another issue I had with the book is there was no reason why Haden acted the way she did. Why was she the one always dressing the wounds and acting like she knew medicine? There was no explanation to that at all. What we kept getting is that she was a screw up and she failed at Little Stars. It just didn't make sense. And don't get me started on the fact that for chapters she doesn't know what was going on with Kizi. I knew from the time she showed up at The Light.

Anyway, I don't want to keep going on about the cons. I know how hard it is to write a book, and I admire anyone who is brave enough to put their work out there.

The book was a fun time, and atmospheric.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE DEVOURING LIGHT by Kat Ellis

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for the earc (Oct 7)

When the bus carrying Haden and her rival Deacon + their bands crashes, the worse thing in Haden's mind is missing the gig they were headed to. When the group comes upon a house and a swamp, and the horror that soon ensues, she realizes things can get worse.
THE DEVOURING LIGHT is a YA horror book that is utterly creepy. Ellis paints an eerie picture with words and the mist that is a constant in this book as it overshadows everything. This book is haunting, ghostly, and well-written. Full of creatures, strange occurrences, and an glowing light, THE DEVOURING LIGHT is a must-read for those who want to be creeped out and terrified while entranced as you continually read---eventually binging---this book just to see what happens to the group, the deal with the house, etc. And let me tell you, this book was crazy, but that ending really blew my mind. I enjoyed this book. I thought the characters were likeable, and I rooted for their survival, though I can't say whether or not they do.
I have a few books by this author on my TBR, and reading this makes me excited to read those.

[cinnamilk · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

In short, The Devouring Light is about two rival musicians (along with a few bandmates) getting stranded in an old house in the middle of the swamplands. As their hopes of leaving dwindle, they have to put their differences aside and survive long enough to escape.

PROS:

- SETTING. The ever shifting paths and suffocating swamplands added to the unique setting, and I liked the way the characters navigated it.

- ATMOSPHERE. I don't know if it was because I was reading around midnight, right next to a huge window, but this story did a really good job of creeping me out: most especially from the 70% point onwards. The author is really good at invoking a sense of unease.

CONS:

- ENDING. It felt a little rushed and I'm not sure if it suited the story. Tonally, it fit the menacing atmosphere.

- MAIN CHARACTER. I did think Hayden's backstory was interesting (especially with her parents) but I felt like it could have been incorporated into the story a little more. I ended up liking Cairo and Deacon a lot more than her.

- RIVALRY. It turns out to be a handful of misunderstandings. As a result, it felt like the entire rivalry, the main point of contention between the characters, amounted to nothing.

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devouring Light is a fin thrilling horror ride set in a swamp and features a house with very bad intentions.

When two competing bands, headed to play the same festival, find themselves riding together after a breakdown and creepy encounter in a bathroom, they'll get more than they bargained for after an accident which causes them plummet into a swamp.

Bruised and injured, two of them make their way down a gravel path when they come upon a large house. It looks abandoned and pretty soon, the rest of the group show up but there's nothing normal about this place. The creepy factor is high as footprints appear from nowhere, strange looking leeches with a rabid hunger stalking them, and there doesn't seem to be a way out!

This house has secrets and it also has plans. Nothing good, of course, but if they want to survive they're going to have to figure out these secrets fast. Because not only is the house hungry but so is a crazed youtuber who's on their trail.

This is a really well paced fun horror novel. It's got the thrills, the mystery, and a load of supernatural terrors that'll make you keep reading. And those leeches....

I highly recommend it. I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.

[sophie ☁️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpectedly scary for a YA horror.

When two rival bands on their way to a rock festival are stranded after their tour bus GPS goes awry and ultimately crashes, they come across a decaying, gothic house and decide to wait there until they can get some help. After all, one of the bands is the headlining act, and surely someone will be coming to look for them soon?

As they settle into the house, also known as The Light, they’re soon to discover that maybe The Light has been waiting for them all this time.

The Devouring Light took place in an atmospheric swamp setting that reminded me a little of 𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙨 with the way in which the location seems to shift frequently, making you dizzy and disoriented. I really liked how Ellis used video tapes and transcripts to strengthen the history of the house, adding to the sense of unease and mystery. What happened there? What does the house want?

This was a really solid supernatural horror, I had a lot of fun with this one. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sharing an eARC with me!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm pleasantly surprised by this read. It started off a little angsty. But then the creepy factor made it's way in.
It's going to be a good spooky season read. I'd definitely recommend.
Haden, Deacon, and Cairo are good characters. They're nicely fleshed out even as quick a read this was for me. After a bus accident, they are stranded somewhere (seemingly in the middle of nowhere) in a house that seems occupied by something or someone else.
They have heard of this house before. Social media personalities have talked about it. A group of people went missing there years back.
We alternate between Haden's pov and, a few online chats and comment sections, and video recordings from one of the original guests.
I thought the premise was current and the storyline a little different.
My only complaint is that I would have liked to know a little backstory.
Other than that, this was a book that had me turning the pages to see if our cast of characters escapes.
I was lucky enough to get an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Camilla_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a delightfully creepy YA horror this was! There are enough thrills and twists to keep you hooked in from the very beginning, the storytelling weaving first person POV with transcripts from found footage and police interviews. The setting is devious and genuinely scary. And even though I guessed a few plot points they still had me kicking my feet and totally on edge as I read them. I read another of this author's YA horror books a few years ago and loved it too, so I think I'll be checking out their other work.

If you'd like to try dipping your toe into horror books I'd definitely recommend this as a good start!

[Jensen McCorkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

in the earth. Is it a canyon or something else? Our two MC’s Haden and Deacon are rivals who find themselves in a swamp where it seems like everything is trying to kill them. Then they find a house and things get worse.

There is definitely something supernatural happening making them question reality. We are also given glimpses into the MC’s past which lead to the issues between Haden and Deacon. This does help provide some context to their relationship and adds to the overall story. There is gore but it is not over done and it serves a purpose.

Overall this was a solid read. I found the story fun and well done. I would recommend giving it a read.

[Josie Jaffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly terrifying, skin-crawling horror. I’m admittedly very easy to scare, but the visceral ick-factor of the swamp setting and the body horror in this story was so surprising and revolting that it utterly creeped me out, and at the same time made me desperate to get to the end to unravel what the hell was going on. I love it when novels use found footage/diary entries/letters etc to build suspense, and this one did it wonderfully. The Bermuda-triangle-esque mystery hanging over the location was so intriguing that I couldn’t put it down. A horribly inventive read.

[Melissa Lozano · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was.. pretty cool, not gonna lie. Though whoever categorizes these books needs to rethink “children’s fiction” given they talk about blowjobs in here. Other than that, I have no complaints.

The Devouring Light is definitely creepy and a bit gory, and has you turning page after page to see what’s happens next.
Not only do you get the story in present time, but you get a glimpse into what happened in the past and a little forward in the future. And what you find out will leave your jaw dropped.

[Cindi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing an ARC of this title.

This is a Young Adult horror novel (but much different from the YA horror when I was a YA! I'm so jealous!) This is a GREAT book to get for spooky season!

Even though this is a YA (and I'm no where near a YA any longer), I still really enjoyed this book. The storyline was great, well crafted, great characters and an atmospheric setting. This book incorporated different media elements through footage, transcripts and news reports to make a more complete, immersive read.

4 stars.

[Mon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this but maybe I'm just too old for it. The writing was really repetitive. I don't quite know how to explain it - a character says something and then the main character repeats it in a slightly different way for the first person POV.

It's also got a bad case of characters being completely oblivious and making dumbass decisions.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one grabbed me right from the beginning. It is a story about a house with a history. I do not want to spoil the story by saying too much. But I have to say it is scarier at the beginning and it gets a bit less scary as you read on. I am not too keen about the warning at the beginning as it kind of spoils the story for me. It is written with a very accessible language. It is the perfect horror story for YA readers.

[Sabrina Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devouring Light was so hard to put down.

After a tour bus incident leave a group of people stranded with no cell service, hurt, and no idea where they are, the group can only go towards the light. The light, you ask? A house, deep in a swamp, where people tend to go missing.

So much happens; chaos, the unraveling of older mysteries, and even their own, injuries, death. I felt afraid with them.

[Joell Swope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Netgalley, for the advanced copy.
I enjoyed this book. It had just the right amount of all good things that make for a good spooky read. thought I had "The Light" figured out, but the ending left me with a "Well, that's not what I was expecting." Looking forward to reading more from this author.