Many thanks to Netgalley and Quill Tree Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Deephaven is a refreshing take on dark academia and horror in middle grade fiction. It is delightfully atmospheric and beautifully written, with equally gorgeous illustrations. However, there is far more thinking than there is doing, which works against the narrative as it's quite a short novel. Very little happens, and I found it difficult to read more than a few chapters at a time. It often felt as though the author was throwing out inconsequential words and trains of thoughts to fill the pages, when what it really needed was more things happening in general to achieve the same result, and to raise the considerably low stakes.

It's important to me to mention that Nev is nonbinary, and their identity is in no way central to the plot. This is always wonderful to see, especially in middle grade fiction. However, there's never a point where another character refers to Nev in dialogue, so beyond they/them pronouns being used in prose, we never actually see their identity acknowledged on the page, Although I generally love such casual queer representation, avoiding using pronouns for Nev in dialogue altogether didn't sit quite right with me. A small conversation about Nev's preferred pronouns, at least with Danny, would have gone a long way.

Still, Deephaven is focused and empowering, and worthy of a place on any shelf for young readers.

This was a very fun read and I look forward to getting in print where I can really see the illustrations . I loved the way nev's narrative unfolded and I hope to see more from alridge! very good!

A refreshingly real and vulnerable protagonist stars in this tale of a school with a sinister secret.

Guinevere Tallow (known as Nev), the child of an absent mom and a dad in jail for his latest get-rich-quick scheme, accepts a mysterious school's invitation to become a student, hoping to find a home. When Nev arrives at Deephaven, the mystery sweeps in with the tall, pale, and strangely predatory Patience Sleepwell, one of the prefects. She's not the only mysterious and likely sinister character Nev encounters, though there are "normal" students, like Danny, a fencer, who becomes Nev's best friend. It's not before long that the two come face-to-face with the biggest mystery of Deephaven: a monster they encounter when all the first year students are locked in the wing where a student died. It's soon clear that there is sinister magic afoot, and this monster is at the heart of it. Thank goodness Nev has an engineer's meticulous mind, as well pockets full of interesting bits and bobs thanks to their self-described "magpie" tendencies.

Aldridge's beautifully creepy illustrations add depth to important scenes. Short yet focused, this marvelous, empowering tale will be a treasure in middle school libraries and will keep readers hooked—especially kids who don't feel they belong.

When Guinevere “Nev” Tallow receives a scholarship offer to attend the elite boarding school, Deephaven, they don’t plan on accepting, but life has other plans. When they arrive, Nev plans to go unnoticed, blend into the background, but strange things are going on at Deephaven and they can’t resist a mystery, and solving this mystery will draw more attention to Nev than they’ve ever had before.

Nev’s mother abandoned them long ago, and now that their father’s debts have caught up to him, landing him in jail, Nev is desperate to keep their place at Deephaven Academy secure. Nev’s scholarship is the only thing keeping them housed and fed. But, on the first night of the semester, Nev and their fellow first years are locked in the off-limits East Wing by a arrogant prefect, and told they must keep the ghosts that reside there company. It is not a ghost living in the East Wing, though, it is a terrifying beast who nearly kills Nev and their new friend Danny. The experience sends Nev on a hunt for answers, and finding them will put Nev’s entire future at risk, if they survive with their life.

Now, you may be thinking after that description, that sounds like a very intriguing book! I thought the same thing, but unfortunately this one ended up being quite a boring read. It was a bit of a surprise, as I love a spooky boarding school setting, and monsters are one of my favorite subject matters. The stakes just never felt high enough, and I often found myself drifting while reading; it took me about a week longer than planned to finish, because I could only get through one maybe two chapters at a time. This of course is not to say Deephaven is bad. It had a lot of positives going for it; I just found it boring for my tastes.

The positives are very likely to make this novel a winner in other people’s opinions. First off, Nev is non-binary, but that plays absolutely no role in the story, which is nice to see representation wise. And all the characters were well developed with complex and intriguing personalities. It makes the book a very well done study of one’s history and the role it plays on a person. The illustrations were also lovely, and sure to be appreciated by those with a penchant for artwork. They helped to build the world and create a rich setting in Deephaven Academy.

It felt like the world of Deephaven still has much more to be explored, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see one or more sequels. Even though I didn’t enjoy this one, it’s still worth a shot for dark academia fans.

**I was provided and electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Actual rating: 3.5

Ethan M Aldridge returns with his queer dark academia middle grade novel, Deephaven. Guinevere "Nev" Tallow has made the decision to attend Deephaven Academy after a letter arrives offering them a scholarship and a fresh start. Nev is eager for the opportunity, but quickly finds out that Deephaven is a spooky old place with all the secrets and mysteries one can expect from a place like that. Nev and their new friend Danny have their work cut out for them to try to solve some of the puzzles of Deephaven before more people get hurt.

Nev is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, which was nice despite never having any on page conversations about their identity or how other characters should address them. Certainly, the content was appropriate for the target age demographic, though even a simple addition of a request for specific pronouns in their introduction to the other characters would have been welcome. Nev is certainly more than their gender identity, as their habit of pocketing small items they find and later incorporating them into small mechanical toys was a pleasant quirk to feature. Nev's friendship with Danny was wholesome and a highlight of the work.

The plot, however, was a bit thin if still effective. Nothing was unexpected and it was easy to figure out the characters in play. However, given the target age demographic it is likely this is a feature not a bug. Likewise, the magic implemented was also very surface level with very limited explanation as to how or why the magic worked. Where Aldridge shone was in the setting of Deephaven itself as he was incredibly successful at building out an atmosphere of vaguely creepy and spooky gloom surrounding the academy.

Ultimately, I would be happy to recommend this to middle grade readers or older and I hope that Aldridge chooses to expand on Nev's adventures at Deephaven in future works.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy to review! This comes out September 5!

This was such a fun, creepy, spooky, dark middle grade story about a non-binary kid who finds themself at a mysterious boarding school that seems to be haunted? But is all as it seems? Or are darker secrets lurking in the east wing?

A great alternative to other magical boarding school books around, this book has heart and care and gusto that other middle grade books I’ve read recently lack.

Definitely recommend for all my MG fans who want something creepy for the fall.

I did not read through this whole arc, as I was under the impression it would be a graphic novel and instead it only had illustrations occasionally. I do, however, really enjoy Ethan Aldridge's previous graphic novels, so I think fans of his would like this prose novel.

A very interesting story with interesting characters and an intriguing mystery at its core. It catches our interest since chapter one and it is a page-turner. Great to introduce young readers to eerie mysteries.

What a novel debut! I've read Aldridge's graphic novel, but the author really seamlessly has transitioned into the longer form with Deephaven. Nev was a relatable quiet character with Danny serving as a great bolster in the text. The horror was done well and mada my skin crawl-- kids will be clamoring for more.

I did take issue with a small moment in Chapter 4 where a character asks Nev about their lsat name "tallow as in FAT?" I am disappointed with the implication of fat being inherantly bad or negative, especially in a book where there are no plus sized characters at all. I'd encourage the author/publisher to cut that line to avoid adding to the body shaming that fat kids can receive in plenty of other societal ways.

I am overjoyed at the current trend of youth speculative fiction with nonbinary leading characters, and this one is a fantastic addition to the canon. A very interesting story with delightful characters (both good friends and scary enemies) and an intriguing mystery at its core. There were some tropes in here, but they were handled elegantly and utilized in very refreshing ways. The art is fantastic as well! Overall, I would absolutely recommend it, if you don't mind something creeping in the halls.

This is a fast read but a fun mystery that combines many great elements. A murder mystery, with dark academia, nonbinary character, inventors, clockwork toy inventions, an eerie school with strange teachers, students, and a terrifying beast. It catches our interest since chapter one and it is a page-turner. Great to introduce young readers to eerie mysteries. Reads like a great classical mystery episode.
Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this eARC.

This first prose book by Aldridge was just as fantastic as his graphic novels. Nev was a compelling character and I loved the arc their story took,. It was a great mix of mystery and creepiness and I am so excited to read more stories about Nev and Deephaven.

It's always great to find unique middle grade horror. Nonbinary representation where gender isn't central to the plot is also an element that is likely to appeal to readers.

A GREAT middle grade book with a fun setting, a great detective character, and the fun spooky elements perfect for fans of Wednesday, Scooby Doo, Beetlejuice, etc. The characters overall were amazing. Cannot recommend this story enough!


Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

What really seals this book as one of the greats is its illustrations. The characters' personalities, especially those of Nev and Danny, are captured perfectly in the distinctly emotive drawings of posture and expression.

However, the writing on its own tells a story of mystery, magic, and mourning that provides the reader with strongly delineated characters with memorable attributes and demeanors, as well as a highly atmospheric spooky setting that somehow makes the reader feel simultaneously comforted and haunted. My only complaint is the dearth of information about the classes offered at Deephaven, but perhaps that is part of its uniquely charming enigma.

Deephaven was a delightful read. Middle grade is not my usual choice, but the promise of diverse representation and the gorgeous cover pulled me in and I couldn’t put it down. The story is exciting and engaging, the characters have depth. I enjoyed it!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

If you are looking for a middle-grade book with "Wednesday" vibes and featuring a non-binary main character, then look no further. I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Just when Guinevere "Nev" Tallow needed a safe haven and a fresh start, a letter from a mysterious boarding school arrives in the mail. Deephaven Academy is every bit as imposing and sinister as the gothic exterior of the school itself. From the very beginning, Nev wonders if there is more lurking in the shadows than the academy's brochure reveals. When they find themselves in the forbidden east wing, fighting for their life, the refuge Nev longed for may be a worse nightmare than the one they have been fleeing from.

The story is not just about a creepy boarding school that may or may not be haunted, but it is a story with teachable moments hidden within. Nev is often bullied by the other students, but they do not let that stop them from helping others in times of need. The friendships portrayed in this book are also quite endearing. There are also darker interpersonal elements found in this novel as many of the children are either abandoned or estranged from their parents and the found family formed within Deephaven. Deephaven has ambient settings, strong characters, and occult vibes that will be cozy read for fall nights.

I have followed Ethan Aldridge on Twitter for a while because I so love their art style and was so looking forward to this book! I've seen a few reviews that have complained about Nev being non-binary because they felt like it added nothing to the story, but I think they're missing the point; Nev is one of the first nb main characters that I've seen in young adult literature. Representation (be it race, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality) matters and I'm certain that young non-binary readers will be excited to have the chance to see someone like them represented in a story like this. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and thought that it was a very fun read! I'd definitely recommend checking it out and I'm certainly going to request it for my library!

Let me tell you why I like this book. Sometimes I feel a little sorry for my middle grades readers--and authors are doing better by them recently--because everything seems either too old for them or too young, or to quote them: babyish. LOL. Especially when it comes to identity and/or mysterious, darker storylines. Let me tell you, Aldridge delivered on both.

I love that the main character is non-binary, but that isn't all there is about them. They are curious, brave. I love the gothic academia--and I will read that any time!

It's hard for me to give more without revealing too much, so I'm going to stop and say if a middle grades read with protagonists embracing their identities and becoming their true selves loaded with lots of mystery, intrigue and yummy gothicness (Yes, I made that word up) are your thing. Pick up Deephaven by Ethan M. Aldridge.

This an absolutely honest review. The opinions are mine, but thanks to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for the e-ARC.

I would like to thank Quill Tree Books for providing me with an ARC.

This was a great start to the series. Deephaven stars Nev, a nonbinary main character. It is a fun and fast paced story. It has a fantastic setting and the characters were well developed. I loved getting to meet each character. I would highly recommend this book.