This book just didn’t do it for me …
I didn’t like Jade from the very beginning and I’m not a fan of the jealous ex trope in books at all. Jade was an absolute nut job from the very beginning and she just got more wild as the story went on.
The ending of the book made up for it all a bit but at that point the damage was already done for me. The great twist of an ending didn’t change the fact that for the first half of the book I was considering putting it down and forgetting about it because Jade was annoying me sooooo much. This was another one that had the potential to be so good but the execution just wasn’t great.
I just wish authors would try to make their main characters out to be a little more sane when leading up to a really big twist because it would make the stories so much better

I really enjoyed this book a lot. I did find some of the story to be a little predictable in spots but that ending was everything! Did not see that one coming.

Unable to give reviews due to personal difficulties at the time, but I heard a lot of good things about the book that I plan to buy one myself.

A murder mastery? Set on a cruise ship? During semester at sea? YES PLEASE! This book has the makings of everything I love in a story. And this book absolutely will take you on a wild ride. I've seen some comparisons of this book to Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile, which I've been wanting to read. Might need to move that up the TBR list.

Anyone book that opens with "I didn't realize there would be this much blood," is bound to be a good one!

One of the things I loved most about this story was the descriptions of the locations they stopped. I love to travel through my stories and oftentimes, there will be little to no description about the locations the book is set. In Lying in the Deep, it was very easy to feel like you were really there, traveling the world with the characters.

Because there was so many characters involved, it made it difficult to narrow down who really was the guilty party. There were so many reasons to be suspicious of so many people. And I really like that I wasn't able to figure it out in the end.

I will say that this book was very heavy on the drama, and it was not all so amazing. I could have done with a little less drama than was included, but it is a murder mystery, so I guess it's to be expected to some degree!

This was a fast-paced action packed thriller that I would highly recommend!

I liked the story, and I liked twist at the end. It wasn't really deep, and I wish there had been a little bit more believable suspense, but the twist at the end did get me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.
Lying in the Deep was such a fun and atmospheric book. It kept me guessing all the way through. Just when I thought I had it figured out I quickly learned I was wrong. In my book, that is the sign of a great mystery/thriller. I really enjoy Diana Urbans writing. If you're looking for a thrilling goid time that will leave you guessing, then pick this up!

A YA thriller with a whodunnit plot that was very entertaining. Sometimes it dragged a bit but the twists were fun, and sometimes predictable. The ending actually was not predictable at all. I would like to read more from Diana Urban because she clearly knows how to write a good story.

Thank you Netgalley and Razorbill for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of Lying in the Deep in exchange for an honest review!

What a fun read! This book grew on me. I have to admit, I struggled towards the first half of this book, but once I hit the halfway mark, I flew through it. I’ve always enjoyed whodunnit mysteries and while there was lot going on in this one, I enjoyed it.

I suspected Felix from the beginning, things just didn’t feel right with him. What I didn’t expect what that he helped Lainey fake her own death. I definitely thought he was the one who killed Tate. I was never a fan of Silas throughout the book, so I was happy everything got pinned on him. Although I definitely wasn’t expecting him to die! Jade was an okay character. She was annoying at times and all over the place, but she stuck to her guns and followed through on investigating and clearing her own name.

I did enjoy the fact that this story was set on a cruise ship though. I thought that was a fun way to keep everyone together while a murderer was on the loose.

Overall, I think this was a fun read. It definitely had a slow start but picked up halfway, which redeemed the story for me.

This book was very odd but interesting? It was a very cohesive but messy story at the same time which baffled me. The main character pissed me off so much but I also loved the ending.

Okay holy crap that ending was a twist! I had figured out a few pieces of the mystery, and did call one of the big twists, but that last page had me sitting in shock with my mouth wide open for a good minute or two.
I really enjoyed this one, and I thought it was paced really well. The author does a great job of creating interesting characters and then weaving together a plot that includes them all in some way. It was twisty, exciting, and dramatic, and I was hooked to the story.
I really liked that the characters were a bit older. They were all college students, and there were scenes of drinking and many mentions of drug use and abuse. This was definitely upper YA/NA and I liked it.

CWs: drug use, mentions of overdosing, death of a parent, death, murder, suicide, alcohol abuse, neglectful parent

I voluntarily read and reviewed an eARC via NetGalley sent to me by the publisher. A thanks to Penguin Teen Canada for providing me with this e-copy to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lying in the Deep is an interesting YA thriller set aboard a cruise ship. The story follows Jade as she embarks on 4 month cruise going to 11 different countries for a Campus on Board learning program. All she wants is to get away for a while and forget about her backstabbing ex-best friend, Lainey, who stole her boyfriend. Then the worst imaginable scenario happens when the deceitful couple decide to board the ship.
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Seeing Lainey with her ex, Silas, brings back feelings for Jade. She becomes obsessed with trying to find out why Silas broke up with her. Lainey also starts making enemies with her fellow passengers, which leads to her death. Soon other murders start happening. That’s when Jade realizes they are trapped on board with a murderer.
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Jade has to use all of her wits and the help of her new friends to try and find the murderer and clear her name in the process.
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I enjoyed this book for the most part. It was a quick read and the setting was pretty cool. What I didn’t like, was that it felt like it took forever for the murders to happen. The twist at the end also kind of took me out of the thriller aspect of the book. Overall I’d say it’s worth a read.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect going into this, honestly, but I heard "Suite Life on Deck" and "murder mystery" and I was in.

Jade got dumped, by both her boyfriend and her best friend, and decides to escape her problems on a summer-long school trip.....that takes place on a yacht. Except when she gets there, not only are both her BFF and boyfriend there with her, they're now together.

The drama was real in this, but I felt like I really had to suspend my belief in reality for so much of it. Honestly, Jade made so many stupid decisions it was kind of hard to root for her, but I did NOT see the multiple twists at the end coming!

This was a fun, quick read that kept me turning the pages, but I definitely had issues liking pretty much any of the characters in it.

I really liked how even when there wasn't a lot of action until the halfway point , I still enjoyed reading it. Very strong Death on the Nile vibes. I loved the drama of it all. I'm definitely going to check out Diana Urban other books now.

The premise of this one was so good, but the book didn’t live up to my hopes. Main issue was the characters. I found them annoying. It’s also a pretty slow burn book and that didn’t keep my interest.

I really liked the premise of a murder aboard a cruise ship featuring a group of semesters broad students but this story just took too long to get to the murder.

We get a brief flash of the violent aftermath in the beginning and then we go a bit too far back into the backstory about teen drama and two girls fighting over a guy. I read over 50 pages and the plot just wasn’t getting past the dating drama and class details. I would have loved to see 90% of the story be on the murder mystery and maybe 5-10% backstory.

Like I said, interesting premise, this story just wasn’t for me.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun YA mystery/thriller with a memorable premise!

Shortly before the start of Lying in the Deep, our MC Jade was betrayed when her boyfriend, Silas, leaves her for her best friend, Lainey. Jade is obviously crushed but at least she has a semester at sea to look forward to--she's been planning it for a long time and it's finally here! At least she was excited until she finds out Lainey and Silas also signed up for the trip. Luckily Jade meets other people on the ship, including her roommates and her new crush, Felix. Despite having to witness how sickeningly happy Lainey and Silas are together, the trip starts off relatively well with a few excursions. Things take a turn when someone is murdered. People are suspicious of Jade and she must get to the bottom of what really happened to prove her innocence.

I absolutely loved the set-up of this novel. The concept of a semester at sea is so fun, especially with the excursions included. Add in a locked room murder mystery and it was definitely a fun time. I enjoyed the action and twists and was engaged throughout. I also liked the developing relationship between Jade and Felix. My only critique was that it was a bit too over-the-top and dramatic for my liking.

If you like fun, fast-paced YA mystery/thrillers, you should check this one out! The cruise ship setting would make for an excellent summer read.

"Lying in the Deep" by Diana Urban is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that plunges readers into the depths of a chilling mystery set against the backdrop of a sunken ship. Urban's masterful storytelling and vivid descriptions create a sense of tension and unease that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

At the heart of the novel is the protagonist, Remy Hastings, a captivating and determined young woman with a troubled past. When she receives a mysterious invitation to join an expedition to explore a sunken shipwreck, Remy sees it as an opportunity to uncover the truth about her father's disappearance years earlier. Urban skillfully crafts Remy as a complex and relatable character, blending her vulnerability with resilience and courage.

One of the novel's greatest strengths lies in its evocative setting. Urban brings the sunken ship to life with vivid descriptions of its eerie corridors, hidden chambers, and long-buried secrets. The underwater scenes are particularly immersive, with Urban's attention to detail creating a sense of wonder and trepidation as Remy navigates the murky depths.

The pacing of "Lying in the Deep" is relentless, with each chapter building suspense and tension as Remy delves deeper into the mysteries of the shipwreck. Urban expertly weaves together multiple narrative threads, keeping readers guessing until the very end. The result is a gripping page-turner that will leave readers eagerly turning the pages to uncover the truth behind the secrets of the deep.

Urban's writing is both atmospheric and engaging, drawing readers into Remy's world with crisp prose and vivid imagery. From the eerie silence of the underwater abyss to the heart-pounding moments of suspense, every scene is brought to life with intensity and emotion. Urban's ability to create a sense of atmosphere and mood adds depth and richness to the narrative, immersing readers in the story from beginning to end.

In conclusion, "Lying in the Deep" by Diana Urban is a thrilling and immersive read that will captivate fans of suspense and mystery. With its compelling plot, memorable characters, and evocative setting, it offers a tantalizing glimpse into the hidden dangers lurking beneath the surface of the ocean. Urban's skillful storytelling and vivid prose make this book a must-read for anyone seeking an unforgettable literary adventure.

I enjoyed this one though I wasn't sure what to expect. It was definitely twist, romantic, and had some fun parts. I didn't enjoy the allusions to drug use or alcohol but I guess you find that in most upper YA books these days.

I thought the mystery was handled well though I had some *thoughts* as to what might happen.

Semi *spoiler below*

When I heard that this was a loose retelling of Death on the Nile that kind of ruined it but also made sense to me more? So...take that as you will.

My rating: 3.8*
Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Lying in the Deep is a whodunit mystery on a cruise ship. The main character, Jade, was a little too woe is me and it took away from the suspense of the story. The other characters were more likable and quirky. The plot was intriguing and there were a few good plot twists. I liked the ending. If you like mysteries on a ship then check this book out.

This was a good standard YA mystery. I would recommend it, but also found it a little bit predictable. Great for teens!