Thank you, Penguin Young Readers Group/Razorbill, for sending me a copy of The Depths for an honest review.
What happens when an island paradise becomes a prison? I’m all for gothic YA books, which was what really drew me to Nicole Lesperance‘s The Depths in the first place. It mixes horror with paranormal and more. And while I did read it over the month of August, it feels like the perfect fall novel to prepare for the spooky season. And don’t doubt me, I already plan to reread it while tucked under a warm blanket with my favorite fall drink.
The Depths follows Addie Spencer, who is forced to tag along to a remote island for her mother’s honeymoon after a rather terrifying near-death experience. The stunning island, filled with secluded beaches and forests with white flowers, should be a paradise for Addie, but something is eerie and unsettling. Something she can’t quite put her finger on. As if that wasn’t enough to put her on edge, Addie meets an enigmatic boy on the beach, and all of those white flowers start turning pink.
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It’s because the island loves her, or so the boy says. But things are getting worse, and Addie finds herself sleepwalking at night and meeting a mysterious girl who wants to play hide and seek in the woods. And as if the mysterious boy wasn’t enough, Addie uncovers another mystery about two girls who died on the island centuries ago. Because deep down beneath the allure of Eulalie Island, there is a dark world with tangles and secrets, and unless Addie can unravel them, she may never leave again.
I usually turn to books as a way to check out of the horrors of the real world, but sometimes a good suspense mystery is precisely what I need. And The Depths was it. As the story unfolded, I was treated to bits of pieces of the puzzle that kept me intrigued and invested. I never felt like I had all the answers, making the story predictable. But I also never felt like I was grasping at straws for what was happening. I’ve found very few stories have been able to walk this fine line, but I was pleasantly surprised that this one did.
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The other piece that drew me into The Depths was Addie’s character. In the beginning, it is clear that she isn’t the “perfect character.” She has flaws that Lesperance uses to help take The Depths to another level of mystery and horror. Does Addie’s near-death experience make her an unreliable narrator? Or does the island really see something in her? Even the other characters found throughout the novel are just as intriguing as Addie. Unraveling this mystery is beyond satisfying.
The Depths will hit bookshelves on September 13, 2022. Be sure to preorder your copy just in time for the fall season!
https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/new-horror-books-fall/
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