I am always on the lookout for creepy middle grade books, so I was very excited to get an ARC of The Darkdeep. And what's even better is that it exceeded my expectations. I feel that the plot is wildly imaginative and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Usually, I am able to figure out all the major plot points for the get-go, but this book was so enjoyable and well written that it kept me guessing.

I think both reluctant readers and avid readers who like spooky tale will enjoy this book. Ally Condie and Brenden Reichs do an excellent job of giving the reader just the right amount of creepiness and it makes for a highly satisfying read.

Condie and Reichs also do a great job at developing robust, three-dimensional characters. I like the dynamic of the group of friends and I especially like how bullying it tackled throughout the story. It's not the stereotypical lunkhead bully, but the relationships are nuanced and complex. The motivations and actions of each character are believable and rich.

While this is definitely a stand-alone title, there is room for a sequel. I sure hope that there will be one because I'm all set to plunge into another story with these characters. Highly recommend.

There have been some amazing middle grade books this year and The Darkdeep is another one.



Nico, Tyler, and Ella are friends.  Nico's dad caused some issues in town while trying to protect the owls.  Because of that, a lot of people were laid off work and they blame him for it.  Logan's dad runs the big company that was hurt by this.  He bullies Nico a lot, mostly because of that.  While out flying a drone by the cliffs of Still Cove, Logan and his friends show up and start harassing them.  He flies Nico's drone into the fog and into the cove.  Nico gets close to the edge and falls over.



Opal was with Logan, but left to go back and check on her old friend, Nico.  She and the others decide to find a way down to find him.  They find a cave with a rowboat and take it out on the water.  They find an island with a weird houseboat and pond.  Luckily Nico is there and isn't hurt.  So the four of them decide to check out he houseboat.  Inside, they find all kinds of odd things, including a basement.  Obviously that seems odd for a houseboat, so they go down there.  What they find is a weird well of water that is swirling constantly.  



Ella decides to put her foot in the water and it grabs her and drags her under.  She somehow comes up outside the houseboat.  After she does, a weird animal appears.  It was her make believe friend from when she was younger.  The kids realize that the Darkdeep can bring up figments.  But the figments start getting stronger and they have to find a way to save the town.



I loved the friendships in this book.  That stood out more than anything.  These kids love each other and have such an incredible bond.  I also loved the creepy vibes and all the weird creatures that kept appearing.  The cave, tunnel, and "treasures" they found were so interesting, too. 



I really enjoyed this and can't wait to read the second book.  I gave this one 4  1/2 stars (rounded up to 5).  Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my copy for review.

The Darkdeep by Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs is the first book in the new middle grade horror series by the same name. A lot of people are comparing this one to Stranger Things which could be but since I haven’t watched those what it did remind me of is some of Stephen King’s horror but on a middle grade level. The story is one of a group of somewhat misfit kids encountering a group of bullies and of course that bullying leads to their discovery.

Nico, Tyler and Emma are out near Still Cove which is off-limits due to all the creepy sightings there over the years. The trio however just wanted to test out their new quad copter they had built when along comes Logan the town bully and his friends, including Opal who used to be friends with Nico’s group.

Things of course get out of hand and the drone the kids were so excited to fly ends up going into Still Cove. A rescue attempt leads to one of the group falling over and the rest attempting to help they all find themselves stumbling into more than they ever could have imagined when they find the Darkdeep.

Being an adult I know I’m not the intended audience for this story but I have to say I was quite impressed that it kept me entertained just the same. I’m one that often finds horror stories to be a bit of the same old same old having read so many but the ideas in here were interesting and the levels of creepiness just right for the intended audience without going too far. Definitely recommend checking this one out to any age really that enjoys a good scary tale.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this eBook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Nico's dad is a Ranger who recommended protection for owls that live in the forest around town. Logan's ancestors founded the town four generations ago and his father still owns the local sawmill. Since the owls received protection and they stopped cutting timber, the town has dwindled and stagnated as homes are foreclosed on and people are forced to move to find work. Nico's dad seems unaware or unruffled by the whole thing, but Nico feels as if he's the object of scorn everywhere he goes. Even his best friend from elementary school, Opal, has abandoned him. Nico and his friends are constantly being bullied by Logan and his friends. When the bullying goes too far and Nico's life is put in danger, he and his friends discover "The Darkdeep." Will they survive their encounter with the Darkdeep? Or, will this mystery succeed in completing the destruction of the town?

A fantastic middle-grade novel! The characters are completely believable - especially as they change and develop. The alternating POV between the two main characters, Nico & Opal, was especially effective in helping the reader feel immersed in the story.

I especially enjoyed how relatable the kids were: I often felt the same way for the same reasons in middle school. There was a lot of bullying and some scary scenes - Condie and Reichs do a great job of creating suspense and anxiety. However, it stays PG.

Kids 10+ who enjoy a good scare will love this one and look forward to the sequel!

I loved this book! The full review will be posted soon at kaitgoodwin.com/books! Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to connect books to their readers!

4 STARS


TW: bullying, parental absence

First, can we talk about the cover? And how MG lit gets such cool, colorful covers? Because I love that a lot. A LOT.

But getting more into the heart of the story, The Darkdeep was fantastic! It was fast-paced, brimming with PNW eerieness, and filled with references sure to delight the target audience, then maybe scare them a little.

Then again, I know some 12 year olds who are probably a little braver than I am, so who knows!

Anyhoo, The Darkdeep was a fantastic MG take on friendship and fear, and all the things that come between. I really loved the main characters because they felt so genuinely young (with the exception of the antagonist, who felt older and meaner, which seems fitting for a character who's by and large a bully), and there was an impulsiveness to most of their actions that felt genuine. Maybe they didn't do the smart thing, but they generally did the curious thing, as kids tend to do, and then they faced it, which is always difficult, even when you're talking about small things.

These kids did not face small things. They faced some very, very big things, both literally and metaphorically, and they managed to make it through. Somebody get them some badges because they have EARNED IT.

Also, props to these kids for not being a totally happy group at all times, because that felt so very real. There was tension. Some of the group got along, some didn't, not everyone agreed. And while I guess that's storytelling 101 to have some conflict, it was still really satisfying to see it here, especially since preteens can be OPINIONATED holy cow. Books where the whole group of preteens gets along like nothing to it baffle me because that just doesn't happen.

My only frustrated with the book was that during Opal's POV chapters, it's hinted that she has some particular connection or fear of the Darkdeep and its powers, which is all well and good except it's never expanded on. It's left in its initial question form until literally the last page. This makes it work as a cliffhanger, but it felt like it was introduced way too soon and too noticeably with too little exploration. I felt a little cheated by the way the story avoided getting into it at all after setting it up so obviously. That said, it looks like the next book is going to charge right in after it, so I'll be keeping an eye out in the future. I've got to know what happens to this band of intrepid PNW kids and all that courage they've got.

Perfect for fans of MG horror or Gravity Falls (especially Gravity Falls, actually!), The Darkdeep should be on your radar for October 2nd, which is right around the corner and perfect for any and all spooky reads!

This book grabs you immediately and takes you on a truly scary adventure, but ultimately this is a story of friendship Highly recommended to those who like their stories with a touch of fright..

Nico is bullied at school by one main character, Logan. Nico tries to avoid Logan but isn’t very successful. One day meeting up with his friends while flying his drone, Logan suddenly appears. Logan insists on flying the drone. When Logan gets to fly the drone, he deliberately flies it into Spirit Cove. Nico goes after it and falls intto the water. His friends are worried and go down the treacherous cliff to try and save Nico. They are afraid Nico will get killed by the beast. Instead they discover an island in the cove which no one knows about. When they get to the island by rowboat, they explore the island and find a dark water pond with a houseboat floating on it. Will they give into the houseboat? What will they discover?

In the novel, you will discover secrets and unexpected adventures with twists and turns that held me spellbound. Even though this story is geared for middle grade readers, I think adults would enjoy reading this. I found myself wanting more when I finish reading this story!

Interest Level: 3-6

What would you do if you accidentally ended up in a part of town that no one ever goes because of its scary legends? This is exactly what happens to Nico. Nico and his friends are out enjoying the day experimenting with his new drone when a group of bullies come along to ruin the day. Logan and his bully friends send Nico's drone down into the icy waters of Still Cove. Nico is determined to get it back so he tries to climb down the cliff when he slips and falls. His best friends, Tyler and Ella, and even Opal, who was with Logan, immediately go after him and what happens next sends them on a life-changing adventure. They discover a rowboat, a secret island, and an abandoned houseboat. As they explore the houseboat they find some freaky weird objects including a black, swirling pool at the bottom of the houseboat. When Ella accidentally falls into the pool nothing will ever be the same. Their wildest dreams (and nightmares) come to life. At first it is all fun and games until things begin to go terribly wrong. Can these friends come together to protect each other and the whole town before there is death and destruction? Read this spine-tingling, edge-of-your-seat action and adventure (and even a little bit scary) book. Don't miss it!!

I absolutely loved this story! It shows how friends stick together and help each other no matter what problems they face. I also love the fact that Logan, the bully, ends up back in the mix and problems can be can be worked out. This is a must read!!

Just in time for Halloween here comes the middle grade book to creep everyone out, if you like Stranger Things and Goosebumps this is for you. When Logan and his friends bully Nico, Nico finds himself falling off a cliff into Still Cove, the dark and mysterious place in town no one wants to be, but while he is down there he discovers a island in the middle, and that is when his friends catch up to him, and they all find a deserted houseboat on a lake in the middle of the island, not weird enough for you yet? If not that you need to read the whole DarkDeep book because it only gets weirder from there my friends, and I won't be responsible from here on out.



This review will be on my blogsite Oct 2nd 2018

This is a nicely scary book about a group of four friends who find a mysterious black pond on an island they didn't know was there. As they experiment with the pond, it sucks them in and spits them out on the other side along with their worst fears and anxieties. The story has big themes of friendship and loyalty and bullying as well as facing your fears. I think my students are going to love this one.

**This blog post will be posted on Sept. 25, 2018. Once live, I'll attach the link here!**
Thanks to Bloomsbury Children’s Books and Netgalley for giving me an electronic review copy!

There are so many great things that I can say about this book! It was one great read with mystery, creepiness, intrigue, courage, and overcoming fear. I was so excited to hear that Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs were co-writing a book. They’re two of my favorite YA authors and I can completely list them as some of my favorite Middle Grade authors as well.

The Darkdeep follows four kids/pre-teens that go into a “haunted” lake after a drone and leave with so much more. Emma, Tyler, and Opal head towards the mysterious lake after Nico falls into Still Cove while attempting to retrieve his drone that local bullies had flown into the fog. While attempting to find him, the three land upon this mysterious island in the middle of the cove. Once they find Nico, the four begin looking around and happen upon an abandoned houseboat in the middle of a lake. In the houseboat, they find a great assortment of odds and ends, but the most curious thing they found was a swirling mass of black water in the basement, The Darkdeep. The four leave the island, but continue to return and see what this Darkdeep can do. What they find is so much more than they bargained for. Losing control, they search to find the origin of the Darkdeep, and with the help of the local bully, Logan, they begin to uncover the meaning behind the Darkdeep while also learning how to overcome fears that they thought were long hidden come that have come to life.

One of the things I loved about this book was the theme of overcoming fears. The overarching idea behind the Darkdeep is that it sees your deepest secrets, the things that you don’t want anyone else to know. It brings to life that which you fear the most. I think it poses a great picture of overcoming fear. Closer to the end of the book, the kids sort of figure out that in order to “defeat” the Darkdeep, they have to accept their fear in order to overcome it. FDR said in his inauguration speech that there was “nothing to fear but fear itself,” and that’s exactly a great explanation of the Darkdeep: fear itself.

I was super intrigued by the idea of the Darkdeep. While seeing the promotion for the book, I kept seeing it being compared to Stranger Things. It definitely has that same creepy, otherworldly vibe to it, but it has so many other things to offer.

One of my other favorite things about this book was the examples that they gave of putting differences aside. Three of these kids, Nico, Opal, and Logan are where they are because of their parents. Nico’s dad had the lumber mill shut down to save an endangered owl species. Logan’s dad owns the mill and is the most well-known person in town. Opal’s parents capitalized on mill workers losing their homes to be in the house/street that they’re in. They all come from different homes families that have put them in a hard position. Nico is bullied because of what his dad did, Opal doesn’t fit in with the kids who live on her street but seems privileged to others because of living on that street, and Logan is acts entitled because his dad owns the mill. Throughout the book, you see Opal try to help both Nico and Logan; you see Nico acting horribly towards Opal, but then realizing that he was wrong and apologizing. At one point, you even see Logan apologize for acting horribly towards Nico. The growth that takes place in these characters is such that I can’t wait to see where these friendship go in the next book.

I’ve worked with elementary, middle, and high schoolers. This is a book that I would recommend to any of them, especially if they’re parents have let them see Stranger Things (and honestly, for me, that’s most of the kids I know). This was such a fun, entertaining, spooky, creepy, mysterious, intriguing story. I couldn’t put it down. I was captivated by the first chapter and couldn’t stop. This is definitely one that should be on you/your kids/your students TBR for the fall.

Set on the coast of Washington State, Timber is a small town on the downswing, in part thanks to Nico's father's saving owls and the mill laying off workers as a result. There's also the mysterious Still Cove, permanently covered by clouds and known as a place Not To Go. So when Nico and his friends end up there, finding an odd houseboat with a basement, readers know that something is going to happen that can't be good, right? There are familiar themes here, and yet it feels very fresh. Some other reviews are saying this is similar to Stranger Things but I've never see that so I can't make that comparison. What I can say is that this might be a bit darker than younger readers can handle, but those in grades 6 and up should be fine.

eARC provided by publisher.

In The Darkdeep, tweens (almost) release a creature that feeds on fear and makes imaginations concrete. The book offers suspense and tame scares, great for kids who want "scary" books, but who are not ready for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Note that the most fearful character is also the only dark-skinned character, which might feed into stereotypes.

I received this e-ARC from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When Nico's quadcopter is deliberately flown over a cliff by the town bully, Logan, Nico is devastated. After all, the drone was very expensive. He decides to go after it, even though it has crashed into the foreboding and forbidden Still Cove. He slips and falls, disappearing into the fog below. His frightened friends, Emma, Tyler, and Opal, descend the hidden path, find an old rowboat, and search for Nico. They not only find Nico but a mysterious island in the middle of the cove that no one had known about. On the island is a mysterious houseboat with all sorts of old things aboard. But the biggest mystery is down below -- a deep puddle of black ooze beckons the foursome. They soon learn that the ooze, renamed the Darkdeep, can make images from their minds come into being. What seems fun and relatively harmless at first soon gets beyond their control and takes on a much more sinister tone.

This book is being called 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 for kids. Having never seen the show, I cannot really attest to that. There is a definite "creep" factor so fans of R.L. Stine's 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘴 and Mary Downing Hahn will certainly enjoy it. I would recommend this book for grade 4 and up.

#DarkDeep #NetGalley

I hadn't planned to stay up much of the night reading The Darkdeep. I was just going to start a chapter, see if this would be the next book on my list. But I found myself drawn into the world of five 12-year olds. Nico Holland's father works for the Parks Department and found that the horned owl lives in the woods near Timbers. Mr. Holland's efforts to save the horned owl meant that much of the woods were saved from deforestation, that the main employer, a lumber company, had to let go of a majority of its workers. Nico was suddenly persona non grata in town and the target of bullying. Lucas, whose father owns the timber mill, is especially angry with Nico and delights in tormenting him.



When a bullying incident goes too far and Nico's life is endangered, his best friends risk their own lives to enter a foggy area with a deep drop and murky water. The children discover that this strange isolated place has some strange magic and an abandoned houseboat with unusual powers. There are fascinating artifacts -- Opal and Tyler start taking an inventory (kids after my own heart!) but Emma's curiosity leads them to the Darkdeep, a pool of water that has the ability to read what is in their hearts and make it come alive. When the kids go through Darkdeep, they are able to make their thoughts, dreams, fears take shape in the real world. First it is sparkly unicorns and imaginary friends from childhood but the imaginings take a darker turn and their nightmares come alive. When these imaginings are able to cross out of the special space and invade the town, the children must work together - even Lucas, Nico's nemesis, becomes part of the group.



The Darkdeep is delightful read. It's the sort of book I'd recommend gifting to a reluctant reader - it has just enough adventure, magic and the delights of friendship to get a child to fall in love with reading.

I grabbed this book because I love a good Ally Condie book. This was vastly different from anything I've read of hers previously. Without giving the ending away, it sent several great messages to its intended audience of middle grade readers. I would highly recommend it to anyone of that age.

Fun and exciting book for juvenile patrons looking for an adventurous read! Children often come into the library looking for more and more adventure content. This book definitely fills that need with great storytelling.

When bully Logan and his cronies send Nico's expensive, handmade drone into the bottomless waters of Still Cove, Nico tries to retrieve it despite the warnings of his friends Emma and Tyler. Of course, the rescue doesn't go well, but the three discover a weird houseboat and island in the middle of the cove (which sounds sort of like a flooded quarry to me). This, of course, has to be investigated, and along with Opal (Logan's girlfriend, who thinks he is overly mean to Nico) they spend some time cataloging the creepy items and checking out the pond in the middle of the island that is especially alarming. When Emma dips her toes into the "Darkdeep", it sucks her under the waters. Luckily, she emerges, but so does the embodiment of her worst fears. As the group continues to return, more and more creatures are brought to life. Logan's father's logging business has been negatively impacted by Nico's father's work protecting an endangered owl in the area, and since jobs have been lost, the townspeople aren't overly keen on Nico. Logan's father works behind the scenes to get Nico's father transferred, which is certainly upsetting. At the same time, the town is preparing for the Radish Festival, and the children get drawn into this as well. They are getting closer to figuring out some of the mysteries of the Darkdeep, but will the monsters break away from Still Cove?

Strengths: Nicely creepy, with fairly scary monsters and the overwhelming feeling that at some point, someone will get sucked into the Darkdeep and not come out. Condie's Matched is very popular in my library, so her fans will check it out, and readers who enjoyed Neal Shusterman's dark tales or McHale's Morpheus Road Trilogy will enjoy it as well.

Weaknesses: Paranormal forces preying on people's worst fears has been done a few times, most notably Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) and Shusterman's Full Tilt (2003). Of course, the target demographic has probably not read those.

What I really think: Will definitely purchase, although for some reason, this didn't seem at all scary to me. On the bright side, I usually can't stand books where there is an overwhelming feeling of damp and decay, and I was able to get through this!

I ended up DNFing this one around the 45% mark. I couldn't keep the characters straight because none of them had defined personalities and the story was just dragging. I read a lot of middle grade with my godkids, and I wish authors would understand that kids don't act or behave the way they think they do. The whole book felt stilted and the dialogue was straight out of a 90s afterschool special.