The Beast (The Darkdeep #2)

A rousing Halloween read.

Full of chilling adventures and dark revelations, Reichs and Condie's sequel to The Darkdeep (2018) will satisfy the appetites of middle-grade horror lovers everywhere.

Gr 3-7--Veteran writers Condie (Matched) and Reichs (Genesis) have teamed up againfor a sequel to their thrilling fantasy, The Darkdeep. Once again, Nico, Opal, Tyler, Emma, and Logan face terrors from beyond that threaten their sleepy northwestern town of Timbers. The action picks up seamlessly where The Darkdeep left off. In the first book, the friends stumbled upon a mysterious houseboat floating in the center of a dark pond called Still Cove, where a strange monster was rumored to live. Down below, in the hold of the houseboat, a watery portal beckoned to the kids. One by one, they dove in and were taken on a ride that brought to life their mind's thoughts. The friends thought that the figments were contained but now realize that there is a new, more dangerous threat: solid, beastly, violent figments have emerged from the pool and now endanger the whole town. The kids must work together to restrain the Darkdeep's Beast before things spiral out of control and make their worst nightmares a reality. The friends have distinct personalities that allow for humor and empathy amid their struggles, but these differences also create tension and discord. Pressure mounts as their friendship and loyalties are tested. The alternating points of view will grab readers from the first page and keep them guessing straight through to a satisfying ending. VERDICT A fast-paced adventure story of unsupervised teens trying to save the world. Perfect for all middle grade readers who appreciate suspense and thrills, but also a welcome addition for reluctant readers.--Carole Phillips, Greenacres Elementary School, Scarsdale, NY

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Thrilling, intense, with pulse-pounding chills . . . Everything you could want in a series." —Soman Chainani, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL

"Praise for The Darkdeep" —.

"This book really left me breathless!" —R.L. Stine, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of the Goosebumps series

"Move over, Stranger Things." —Melissa de la Cruz, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of the Descendants series

"The most fun I've had while being deeply terrified." —Roshani Chokshi, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of ARU SHAH AND THE END OF TIME

"[P]erfect for reluctant readers who appreciate things that go bump in the night." —Publishers Weekly

"[A]n imaginative and ultimately uplifting narrative." —Booklist

"A truly spectacular adventure." —Soman Chainani, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL

"I couldn't turn the pages fast enough." —Alexandra Bracken, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of THE DARKEST MINDS

"A delicious, rollicking adventure you won't be able to put down." —Tahereh Mafi, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of FURTHERMORE

"Fast-paced, thrilling, and full of mystery." —Jennifer A. Nielsen, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of RISE OF THE WOLF

"This darkly entertaining tale is sure to engage horror fans." —School Library Journal

"Delivering plenty of middle-school shivers." —BCCB

"Condie is at her best . . . grabbing readers' interest from the first page." —Starred review, Publishers Weekly on SUMMERLOST

"Hooked readers will be tapping their fingers waiting for the sequel." —Starred review, Kirkus Reviews on NEMESIS

"Thoughtful, poetic chapter endings guide readers new to psychological depth toward meaningful connections between plot events and thematic reflections." —Starred review, BCCB on SUMMERLOST

"Reichs truly keeps readers guessing throughout, with twists on early every page." —Starred review, Booklist on NEMESIS

"Have this on hand for readers who enjoy a sweet, heartfelt story." —School Library Journal on SUMMERLOST

"A fascinating, twisty page-turner that will keep surprising you until its final page." —Ransom Riggs, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author, on NEMESIS