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Scorpion Deep: An intoxicating queer YA horromance from the NYT bestselling author of Don't Let the Forest In
Not yet published
Expected 29 Oct 26Win a free print copy of this book!
24 days and 02:24:19
50 copies available
U.S. only
A dark, intoxicating and deeply unsettling queer YA horror about a lonely boy and a sinister sea god risen from the deep, from the New York Times bestselling author of Don't Let the Forest In and Hazelthorn. Perfect for fans of Frances Hardinge.
The only thing Jonathan wants from the mouldering isle of Kelcarrow is to escape. Summer is ending, and when his friends leave for college on the mainland, Jonathan will be alone with nothing but the ocean's haunts.
In an act of wild desperation, Jonathan pays a tithe to Scorpion Deep - an eldritch sea god - and, to his horror, awakens him from the murky depths. As scales grow down his spine and Scorpion Deep's obsession darkens, Jonathan realises the only way to end the nightmare is to destroy the monster.
But the price must be paid in blood.
The only thing Jonathan wants from the mouldering isle of Kelcarrow is to escape. Summer is ending, and when his friends leave for college on the mainland, Jonathan will be alone with nothing but the ocean's haunts.
In an act of wild desperation, Jonathan pays a tithe to Scorpion Deep - an eldritch sea god - and, to his horror, awakens him from the murky depths. As scales grow down his spine and Scorpion Deep's obsession darkens, Jonathan realises the only way to end the nightmare is to destroy the monster.
But the price must be paid in blood.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 27, 2026
10475 people want to read
About the author
C.G. Drews
14 books26.7k followersCG Drews is the award-winning NYT Bestselling author of Don’t Let The Forest In, Hazelthorn, and You Did Nothing Wrong. Their work has been translated into over 12 languages, was nominated for the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal, and won the B&N 2025 YA Book Awards, and are also Indie Next Picks and Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections. CG lives in Australia under a pile of unread books. Find on Instagram as @paperfury and TikTok as @cgdrews or at cgdrews.com.
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Want to Read
November 4, 2025C.G. Drew's is just popping out books left and right, and I'm loving it
April 20, 2026
Why are C.G. Drews’ boys all so soft and lonely? And why am I drawn to them so much?
From the first page on, I wanted to protect Jonathan with my life. Again. That lonely boy on the dock, watching his future slip away when he’s not accepted into college. Now, he’s stuck on that island forever, trapped in the life he wants so badly to escape.
He knows too well what it is to be terrified and alone, violence dismantling him with brutal force, and he never, never wants anyone else to feel the same.
Deep inside, Jonathan screams for attention, but on the outside, he keeps up appearances. He lies, or at least doesn't tell the truth. As a reader, you’re pulled into his story, even as you find yourself wondering what’s true and what isn’t:
He is not a liar just because sometimes he tells salt-soaked stories, because he believes in leviathans and kelpies and finfolk. They’re real. She’s just not listening.
Scorpion Deep is a tale of friendship, love, and heartbreak:
I need to be wanted when I’m sad. I need to be loved as is. I need someone to kiss the worst of me and love it just as fiercely.
Just like C.G. Drew’s previous YA stories, this one is about an asexual main character:
They are just friends, the three of them, though he doesn’t understand why the “just” makes him feel hollow. As if friendship is less if it never turns into kissing.
And then there’s the ocean, which Jonathan belongs to:
The ocean is more familiar than his own heartbeat and twice as true, and it soothes Jonathan in a way nothing else does. The fact it will one day drown him and pack him down among reefs, take out his eyes with salted fingers and make a shipwreck of his bones only makes him love it more. It’s madness to love the sea, but at least it loves him back.
And of course, Scorpion Deep, who makes Jonathan feel things:
Scorpion is the only one who has noticed Jonathan hurting and said he would make it stop.
This story is another gem, but you need to dive into it without knowing much. Maybe I’ve already said too much with these quotes. By now, I’m a sucker for C.G. Drews’ stories, both YA and adult. I could drown in them, my chest filling with warmth. Because even though this is (soft) horror, it’s so full of real feelings.
Huge thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for this incredible ARC.
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From the first page on, I wanted to protect Jonathan with my life. Again. That lonely boy on the dock, watching his future slip away when he’s not accepted into college. Now, he’s stuck on that island forever, trapped in the life he wants so badly to escape.
He knows too well what it is to be terrified and alone, violence dismantling him with brutal force, and he never, never wants anyone else to feel the same.
Deep inside, Jonathan screams for attention, but on the outside, he keeps up appearances. He lies, or at least doesn't tell the truth. As a reader, you’re pulled into his story, even as you find yourself wondering what’s true and what isn’t:
He is not a liar just because sometimes he tells salt-soaked stories, because he believes in leviathans and kelpies and finfolk. They’re real. She’s just not listening.
Scorpion Deep is a tale of friendship, love, and heartbreak:
I need to be wanted when I’m sad. I need to be loved as is. I need someone to kiss the worst of me and love it just as fiercely.
Just like C.G. Drew’s previous YA stories, this one is about an asexual main character:
They are just friends, the three of them, though he doesn’t understand why the “just” makes him feel hollow. As if friendship is less if it never turns into kissing.
And then there’s the ocean, which Jonathan belongs to:
The ocean is more familiar than his own heartbeat and twice as true, and it soothes Jonathan in a way nothing else does. The fact it will one day drown him and pack him down among reefs, take out his eyes with salted fingers and make a shipwreck of his bones only makes him love it more. It’s madness to love the sea, but at least it loves him back.
And of course, Scorpion Deep, who makes Jonathan feel things:
Scorpion is the only one who has noticed Jonathan hurting and said he would make it stop.
This story is another gem, but you need to dive into it without knowing much. Maybe I’ve already said too much with these quotes. By now, I’m a sucker for C.G. Drews’ stories, both YA and adult. I could drown in them, my chest filling with warmth. Because even though this is (soft) horror, it’s so full of real feelings.
Huge thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for this incredible ARC.
Follow me on Instagram
Want to Read
November 4, 2025ummm i'm sorry, Oct 2026?? cg drews i need this in my hands right now!!
they-told-me-to-read-it
November 1, 2025
Want to Read
April 3, 2026ARC received! Thank you, Feiwel & Friends!!
Want to Read
March 30, 2026✨🖤 Scorpion Deep 🖤✨
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.
🦂 What to Expect
• Eldritch sea god
• Obsessive bond
• Small island
• Body horror
• Loneliness & abandonment
• Dark coming of age
• Atmospheric horror
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: October 27, 2026
📝 Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.
🦂 What to Expect
• Eldritch sea god
• Obsessive bond
• Small island
• Body horror
• Loneliness & abandonment
• Dark coming of age
• Atmospheric horror
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: October 27, 2026
📝 Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
April 5, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this early for an honest review.
I was so happy to finally get my greedy little hands on the sea rot boys! And yes, I admit it, I cried over sea monsters. (There’s a baby kraken!!) I wanted to save and savor this story, but once I started, I couldn’t stop. Would it be weird to admit I’d rather be spending time in C.G. Drews’ fictional worlds than with my own family members, especially over a holiday? Because that’s what I did reading this. Much like their characters, I want to peel open my ribs and press their stories close to my heart. Any mention of plot will ruin the experience of going in cold to this story and experiencing it in all its glory.
Fans of Don’t Let the Forest In (Andrew and Thomas) and Hazelthorn (Evander and Laurie) aka the forest rot and garden rot boys will find much to love with the sea rot boys, Jonathan and Scorpion, in Scorpion Deep. The same themes of mental health, paranormal happenings, and being loved for the person they are cross all three.
I was so happy to finally get my greedy little hands on the sea rot boys! And yes, I admit it, I cried over sea monsters. (There’s a baby kraken!!) I wanted to save and savor this story, but once I started, I couldn’t stop. Would it be weird to admit I’d rather be spending time in C.G. Drews’ fictional worlds than with my own family members, especially over a holiday? Because that’s what I did reading this. Much like their characters, I want to peel open my ribs and press their stories close to my heart. Any mention of plot will ruin the experience of going in cold to this story and experiencing it in all its glory.
Fans of Don’t Let the Forest In (Andrew and Thomas) and Hazelthorn (Evander and Laurie) aka the forest rot and garden rot boys will find much to love with the sea rot boys, Jonathan and Scorpion, in Scorpion Deep. The same themes of mental health, paranormal happenings, and being loved for the person they are cross all three.
Want to Read
November 3, 2025cg drews release books in spooky season forever and my life is yours
Want to Read
March 10, 2026i breathe c.g. drews even underwater
(the fact that this hasn't released yet is making me scream ferally)
(the fact that this hasn't released yet is making me scream ferally)
March 6, 2026
Thank you to the author for an early copy of this book!
My quote:
'As enchanting and merciless as the ocean itself, Scorpion Deep embedded its stinger in me and wouldn't let go. CG Drews has done it again with this emotional, brutal and truly unique read.'
My quote:
'As enchanting and merciless as the ocean itself, Scorpion Deep embedded its stinger in me and wouldn't let go. CG Drews has done it again with this emotional, brutal and truly unique read.'
April 25, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up to 5!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Scorpion Deep! CG Drews is flawless in my opinion. The lyrical way they write and the absolute horror of their love stories is practically divine. Scorpion Deep is no exception to this. You will feel like your heart is being crushed, then you will want to kick your legs from giddy cuteness, and then you will feel like Drews is ripping your heart from your chest… and you will thank them for it.
Absolutely check in with your mental health and check trigger warnings before diving into this one.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Scorpion Deep! CG Drews is flawless in my opinion. The lyrical way they write and the absolute horror of their love stories is practically divine. Scorpion Deep is no exception to this. You will feel like your heart is being crushed, then you will want to kick your legs from giddy cuteness, and then you will feel like Drews is ripping your heart from your chest… and you will thank them for it.
Absolutely check in with your mental health and check trigger warnings before diving into this one.
April 7, 2026
CG Drews does it again!!
When I got an email that I was approved for my MOST ANTICIPATED READ OF 2026 I literally dropped everything to start reading immediately!! CG Drews quickly became both an insta-buy author and one of my favorite authors earlier this year when I read both Don't Let the Forest In and Hazelthorn back to back and fell absolutely in love. The way this author weaves a beautiful, dark, lyrical and gory tale of obsession, love and body horror is literally like nothing I've ever read before and Scorpion Deep was no different!
Scorpion Deep follows the story of Johnathan and his best friends Rae and Ellis the summer before they are set to leave for college. Except what his friends don't know that Johnathan lied about getting accepted into the same school as them. Desperate to do anything to keep the three of them together Johnathan performs a dark and bloody ritual to awaken Scorpion Deep, an eldritch sea god, to grant his wish.
The relationship between Johnathan and Scorpion Deep is dark, obsessive and bloody. I love how fucking intertwined these two become and how Johnathan's slow spiral into madness along with Scorpion's lust for revenge is a perfect and beautiful storm.
Reading a CG Drews book feels a bit like a fever dream but in the best, most poetic way. As an asexual and autistic individual myself I have related to a lot of Drews' characters but Johnathan was special to me in a way that none of their other characters has been. Johnathan is abused, traumatized, afraid of being left alone and angry. I felt every feeling he expressed so hard and mourned getting to know him as I approached the end of the book.
Scorpion Deep (much like this author's other novels) ends on a painful and melancholy note but somehow feels hopeful all the same. I loved every single line of this book and cannot wait for the full release so I can annotate the shit out of a physical copy! I look forward to whatever crazy, obsessive, body horror CG Drews will think of next.
Massive thank you to Netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review ~
When I got an email that I was approved for my MOST ANTICIPATED READ OF 2026 I literally dropped everything to start reading immediately!! CG Drews quickly became both an insta-buy author and one of my favorite authors earlier this year when I read both Don't Let the Forest In and Hazelthorn back to back and fell absolutely in love. The way this author weaves a beautiful, dark, lyrical and gory tale of obsession, love and body horror is literally like nothing I've ever read before and Scorpion Deep was no different!
Scorpion Deep follows the story of Johnathan and his best friends Rae and Ellis the summer before they are set to leave for college. Except what his friends don't know that Johnathan lied about getting accepted into the same school as them. Desperate to do anything to keep the three of them together Johnathan performs a dark and bloody ritual to awaken Scorpion Deep, an eldritch sea god, to grant his wish.
The relationship between Johnathan and Scorpion Deep is dark, obsessive and bloody. I love how fucking intertwined these two become and how Johnathan's slow spiral into madness along with Scorpion's lust for revenge is a perfect and beautiful storm.
Reading a CG Drews book feels a bit like a fever dream but in the best, most poetic way. As an asexual and autistic individual myself I have related to a lot of Drews' characters but Johnathan was special to me in a way that none of their other characters has been. Johnathan is abused, traumatized, afraid of being left alone and angry. I felt every feeling he expressed so hard and mourned getting to know him as I approached the end of the book.
Scorpion Deep (much like this author's other novels) ends on a painful and melancholy note but somehow feels hopeful all the same. I loved every single line of this book and cannot wait for the full release so I can annotate the shit out of a physical copy! I look forward to whatever crazy, obsessive, body horror CG Drews will think of next.
Massive thank you to Netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review ~
April 12, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing me with an advance copy of this book for an honest review.
What can I say about CG Drews and their writing that I have not expressed already. Amazing writing and so atmospheric I could feel the fine mist of the cold ocean on my skin. I could tell quickly this was going to be a different kind of story compared to "Don't let the forest in" and "Hazelthorn." Scorpion Deep was going to be darker and all the more heart wrenching, as we follow Jonathan down a whirlpool of toxic codependency from every angle.
Overall, amazing story and a pleasant change from the last two young adult titles that allows it to stand apart. I would really recommend this to people who want complex charecters, horror, messy relationships (romantic or friendship) and the occult. I would make sure to warn that this hits the older side for young adult readers due to the depiction of body horror (which I loved). I can't wait for Scorpion Deep to be officially published so I can grab my own copy!
Full review to be posted once October comes around!
What can I say about CG Drews and their writing that I have not expressed already. Amazing writing and so atmospheric I could feel the fine mist of the cold ocean on my skin. I could tell quickly this was going to be a different kind of story compared to "Don't let the forest in" and "Hazelthorn." Scorpion Deep was going to be darker and all the more heart wrenching, as we follow Jonathan down a whirlpool of toxic codependency from every angle.
Overall, amazing story and a pleasant change from the last two young adult titles that allows it to stand apart. I would really recommend this to people who want complex charecters, horror, messy relationships (romantic or friendship) and the occult. I would make sure to warn that this hits the older side for young adult readers due to the depiction of body horror (which I loved). I can't wait for Scorpion Deep to be officially published so I can grab my own copy!
Full review to be posted once October comes around!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.
C.G. Drews does it again! After the masterpieces that were Hazelthorn and Don't Let the Forest In, I was skeptical another killer book could be written. And I was so wrong. This was absolutely brilliant! The writing was haunting and beautiful. Dark and gruesome. Excellently crafted in every way.
I think it's safe to say that C.G. Drews is now on my favorite authors list! Please pick this book up when it's out this spooky season. You won't regret it!
C.G. Drews does it again! After the masterpieces that were Hazelthorn and Don't Let the Forest In, I was skeptical another killer book could be written. And I was so wrong. This was absolutely brilliant! The writing was haunting and beautiful. Dark and gruesome. Excellently crafted in every way.
I think it's safe to say that C.G. Drews is now on my favorite authors list! Please pick this book up when it's out this spooky season. You won't regret it!
Want to Read
November 3, 2025I NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED this
@ CG Drews - if you're reading this, I would do anythinggg for an ARC when they become available :)
@ CG Drews - if you're reading this, I would do anythinggg for an ARC when they become available :)
Want to Read
November 5, 2025its an instant yes for me
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Water logged, catastrophic, and absolutely impossible to put down, C. G. Drews has done it again.
This book is built on maybe three solid facts and everything else is up for interpretation in a way that manages to be both remarkably satisfying but also sink its little teeth into your mind and possibly never let go. With Jonathan, the king of unreliable narrators, at the helm of this tragedy-bound ship, you might think you know what happens next. You don't.
Scorpion Deep is the kind of book that makes you wonder if you read it at all, or were instead transformed into an eldritch horror in the space between covers.
This book is built on maybe three solid facts and everything else is up for interpretation in a way that manages to be both remarkably satisfying but also sink its little teeth into your mind and possibly never let go. With Jonathan, the king of unreliable narrators, at the helm of this tragedy-bound ship, you might think you know what happens next. You don't.
Scorpion Deep is the kind of book that makes you wonder if you read it at all, or were instead transformed into an eldritch horror in the space between covers.
April 15, 2026
Scorpion Deep - CG Drews
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release date : October 27, 2026
Review:
This is officially my favorite CG Drews book I’ve read. Scorpion Deep is a beautiful and melancholic blend of horror, heartbreak, friendship, and love. I was captivated from the first page and not once did that connection break. This story consumed me in the way the ocean consumes Jonathan. Jonathan yearns for acceptance and love, to be seen for who he is and still be wanted, to not be hurt or left behind by those who are supposed to love him. I don’t want to say too much because you truly just have to experience this story unfold blindly. CG does an excellent job of blending horror so that you oscillate between every day horrors and horrors that feel mythical in their destruction. Things like sea monsters and gods are tales steeped in vague recollections of truth, while we watch Jonathan crumble from day to day horrors of things like depression, neglect, loneliness, the fear of being left behind, the heartache that comes from relationships ending, and the terror of the unknown. So many twists and turns that by the end my notes were basically just jargon of incoherent grumbles. Side note, I absolutely loved the banter between Jonathan and Scorpion and I was not prepared for how unintentionally hilarious parts of this book were. And the ending was absolutely perfect. It has officially dethroned Don’t Let the Forest In as my favorite and I can’t wait to have the physical copy on my shelf as a trophy.
If you’ve loved CG’s other body horror books you will absolutely devour this as I did.
Immense gratitude and thanks to Feiwel and Friends for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release date : October 27, 2026
Review:
This is officially my favorite CG Drews book I’ve read. Scorpion Deep is a beautiful and melancholic blend of horror, heartbreak, friendship, and love. I was captivated from the first page and not once did that connection break. This story consumed me in the way the ocean consumes Jonathan. Jonathan yearns for acceptance and love, to be seen for who he is and still be wanted, to not be hurt or left behind by those who are supposed to love him. I don’t want to say too much because you truly just have to experience this story unfold blindly. CG does an excellent job of blending horror so that you oscillate between every day horrors and horrors that feel mythical in their destruction. Things like sea monsters and gods are tales steeped in vague recollections of truth, while we watch Jonathan crumble from day to day horrors of things like depression, neglect, loneliness, the fear of being left behind, the heartache that comes from relationships ending, and the terror of the unknown. So many twists and turns that by the end my notes were basically just jargon of incoherent grumbles. Side note, I absolutely loved the banter between Jonathan and Scorpion and I was not prepared for how unintentionally hilarious parts of this book were. And the ending was absolutely perfect. It has officially dethroned Don’t Let the Forest In as my favorite and I can’t wait to have the physical copy on my shelf as a trophy.
If you’ve loved CG’s other body horror books you will absolutely devour this as I did.
Immense gratitude and thanks to Feiwel and Friends for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 24, 2026
✨✨✨YA gothic/horromance…with an obsessive sea god!!!🥹😍✨✨✨
If you haven’t read any CG Drew’s books yet, you are MISSING OUT!!! I am so ECSTATIC I got approved for the arc for Scorpion Deep. This was one of my most anticipated 2026 releases. It’s a new favorite for sure!
Scorpion Deep is just so good!! So this is about a lonely, depressed boy named Jonathan. He’s asexual and his two best friends will soon be leaving for college without him and he awakens this Eldrich sea god with a ritual. That’s all you need to know. Oh, and there’s a secret society and a drowned library…AND a baby kraken!! 🥹You'll love it, trust me. I’m still processing all my feelings!!! This book really does say so much about loneliness, sadness, friendships, heartbreak, and more.
As with the other CG Drew’s YA gothic horror books I’ve read, the way they describe everything is so rich, lush, beautiful and full of rot. 😍The atmosphere is done so flawlessly. I don’t know what magic the author has, but there’s just something so special about their writing that just speaks to my soul. I love it and this book is PERFECTION.
This book is such an experience. Oh, I also really enjoyed the sea monster illustrations!!! Scorpion Deep is such a gem. 💎
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be released October 27, 2026 .
If you haven’t read any CG Drew’s books yet, you are MISSING OUT!!! I am so ECSTATIC I got approved for the arc for Scorpion Deep. This was one of my most anticipated 2026 releases. It’s a new favorite for sure!
Scorpion Deep is just so good!! So this is about a lonely, depressed boy named Jonathan. He’s asexual and his two best friends will soon be leaving for college without him and he awakens this Eldrich sea god with a ritual. That’s all you need to know. Oh, and there’s a secret society and a drowned library…AND a baby kraken!! 🥹You'll love it, trust me. I’m still processing all my feelings!!! This book really does say so much about loneliness, sadness, friendships, heartbreak, and more.
As with the other CG Drew’s YA gothic horror books I’ve read, the way they describe everything is so rich, lush, beautiful and full of rot. 😍The atmosphere is done so flawlessly. I don’t know what magic the author has, but there’s just something so special about their writing that just speaks to my soul. I love it and this book is PERFECTION.
This book is such an experience. Oh, I also really enjoyed the sea monster illustrations!!! Scorpion Deep is such a gem. 💎
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be released October 27, 2026 .
April 16, 2026
{Thank you to Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for the ARC}
10/5 stars. C.G. Drews you have done it again. This has been my most anticipated read since it was first announced on the authors instagram as a “sea horror WIP” and it didn’t disappoint. The island of Kelcarrow can be felt in every page, and the lush, claustrophobic settings made me feel like I needed to go out in the sun. Jonathan ripped my heart out a million times, and I had to take breaks throughout reading this because the pain was so raw and so real. Drews has an incredibly unique ability to craft complex characters, vivacious settings, and twisting narratives that I’ve never experienced from another author. Speaking of twists, this one slapped me across the face with a wet fish and it took everything in me to not scream about it with my friends who haven’t read it yet. I’ll recommend this book to so many people, and it’ll definitely be one in my top 3 books of the year.
10/5 stars. C.G. Drews you have done it again. This has been my most anticipated read since it was first announced on the authors instagram as a “sea horror WIP” and it didn’t disappoint. The island of Kelcarrow can be felt in every page, and the lush, claustrophobic settings made me feel like I needed to go out in the sun. Jonathan ripped my heart out a million times, and I had to take breaks throughout reading this because the pain was so raw and so real. Drews has an incredibly unique ability to craft complex characters, vivacious settings, and twisting narratives that I’ve never experienced from another author. Speaking of twists, this one slapped me across the face with a wet fish and it took everything in me to not scream about it with my friends who haven’t read it yet. I’ll recommend this book to so many people, and it’ll definitely be one in my top 3 books of the year.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley and CG Drews for sending me this e-arc! It did not disappoint at ALL!!!
5⭐️
“He’ll kiss you all the way into being a monster.”
Scorpion Deep by CG Drews comes out on October 26th and I had the wonderful opportunity of reading the ARC. Let me just say, you would have had to pry this book out of my hands to get me to stop reading. This novel is another enchanting YA horror that will have you grasping at every single word. It follows Jonathan, who accidentally awakens an obsessive sea god with a grudge that spans across decades. There are so many gorgeous twist and turns that will have you gasping as well as a story that will have you turning the pages until 3am and the book is over.
I can’t get enough of CG Drews’ writing. It draws you in by the throat and just consumes everything around you, only letting you focus on the book. The stories they produce are like pure poetry and so morbidly beautiful you can’t put it down or stop thinking about it until you finish.
This might be my favorite book I’ve read by them by far. It was so beautifully written (like all of their books) and I just sat in bed all day unable to put it down. I found myself laughing at the characters…I always feel so deeply about their characters no matter how morally gray they are.
5⭐️
“He’ll kiss you all the way into being a monster.”
Scorpion Deep by CG Drews comes out on October 26th and I had the wonderful opportunity of reading the ARC. Let me just say, you would have had to pry this book out of my hands to get me to stop reading. This novel is another enchanting YA horror that will have you grasping at every single word. It follows Jonathan, who accidentally awakens an obsessive sea god with a grudge that spans across decades. There are so many gorgeous twist and turns that will have you gasping as well as a story that will have you turning the pages until 3am and the book is over.
I can’t get enough of CG Drews’ writing. It draws you in by the throat and just consumes everything around you, only letting you focus on the book. The stories they produce are like pure poetry and so morbidly beautiful you can’t put it down or stop thinking about it until you finish.
This might be my favorite book I’ve read by them by far. It was so beautifully written (like all of their books) and I just sat in bed all day unable to put it down. I found myself laughing at the characters…I always feel so deeply about their characters no matter how morally gray they are.
Want to Read
November 16, 2025climbing the walls and howling over how bad i need this
April 4, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the ARC of this story!
Yet ANOTHER banger from C.G. Drews with this book.
Have you ever stood next to the ocean and felt like you were a part of something, like you belonged? Have you ever twisted yourself into another person to be accepted and loved? …do you still convince yourself that it’s all a lie and you’ll always be alone..
I wish I had proper words to describe how much this hit me in the gut, emotionally. I’ve never identified with a character more only to be devastated to watch the path unfold. Gory, tragic, salty, poetic, and harrowing. Loved every minute of it!
Yet ANOTHER banger from C.G. Drews with this book.
Have you ever stood next to the ocean and felt like you were a part of something, like you belonged? Have you ever twisted yourself into another person to be accepted and loved? …do you still convince yourself that it’s all a lie and you’ll always be alone..
I wish I had proper words to describe how much this hit me in the gut, emotionally. I’ve never identified with a character more only to be devastated to watch the path unfold. Gory, tragic, salty, poetic, and harrowing. Loved every minute of it!
May 1, 2026
CG Drews absolutely never disappoints me and that’s why they stay my true auto-buy author. This book has all of the elements that I absolutely loved in Don’t Let the Forest in and Hazelthorn! The prose, the eeriness, the enmeshed toxic dynamics… But let me just say that Drews did not hold back in this one. Toxicity was cranked up to 1000%. I could not find one relationship in here that wasn’t problematic in some way and I ATE THAT UP!
I will say that this is one of those books that are very ambiguous throughout so if you like the ability for reader interpretation, you’ll definitely enjoy this one. A lot is left in the air regarding the characters themselves and the ending overall. On the other hand, I liked that this is one of those books where you’re given very obvious hints to certain plot points but are almost always oblivious to them before the reveal.
Fantastic character work (per usual)! Scorpion Deep is a very very interesting character. I was very enamored with him for a while, or the dynamic rather, between such an ancient malevolent creature and our sad boy who bakes for others. (Also, only this author can make baking a sad topic!!) Beautiful writing and metaphor, as is typical of CG Drews work. There were some points that maybe felt a little oversaturated with metaphor but more often than not I enjoyed them greatly. I love how viscerally things are described and see a lot of comparisons that stick with me for a long while… but I’ve included some of my favorite non-spoiler quotes so you can see for yourself!
“His family is an anchor strapped to his back, his spine splintering under the weight, all his fingers cut off at the knuckle bone so he cannot unpick the bindings.”
“Skin is such a thin protection against the cruel teeth of the world, and Jonathan is again struck by how badly his fits.”
“You stare at her in wretched starvation and slice up pieces of yourself to offer for her tasting. There will be none of you left soon, yet she will not eat.”
“I have no interest in comparing all the ways we bleed. You did not deserve it for looking like prey and I did not deserve it for looking like a monster.”
And these are only the tip of the iceberg, so really I recommend you read this book when you get the opportunity!!! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for allowing me an early reading of this book in exchange for an honest review!! I’m always so grateful to get a chance to read CG Drews’s work and will be adding a physical copy of Scorpion Deep to my shelves come October!!
I will say that this is one of those books that are very ambiguous throughout so if you like the ability for reader interpretation, you’ll definitely enjoy this one. A lot is left in the air regarding the characters themselves and the ending overall. On the other hand, I liked that this is one of those books where you’re given very obvious hints to certain plot points but are almost always oblivious to them before the reveal.
Fantastic character work (per usual)! Scorpion Deep is a very very interesting character. I was very enamored with him for a while, or the dynamic rather, between such an ancient malevolent creature and our sad boy who bakes for others. (Also, only this author can make baking a sad topic!!) Beautiful writing and metaphor, as is typical of CG Drews work. There were some points that maybe felt a little oversaturated with metaphor but more often than not I enjoyed them greatly. I love how viscerally things are described and see a lot of comparisons that stick with me for a long while… but I’ve included some of my favorite non-spoiler quotes so you can see for yourself!
“His family is an anchor strapped to his back, his spine splintering under the weight, all his fingers cut off at the knuckle bone so he cannot unpick the bindings.”
“Skin is such a thin protection against the cruel teeth of the world, and Jonathan is again struck by how badly his fits.”
“You stare at her in wretched starvation and slice up pieces of yourself to offer for her tasting. There will be none of you left soon, yet she will not eat.”
“I have no interest in comparing all the ways we bleed. You did not deserve it for looking like prey and I did not deserve it for looking like a monster.”
And these are only the tip of the iceberg, so really I recommend you read this book when you get the opportunity!!! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for allowing me an early reading of this book in exchange for an honest review!! I’m always so grateful to get a chance to read CG Drews’s work and will be adding a physical copy of Scorpion Deep to my shelves come October!!
April 1, 2026
Scorpion Deep by CG Drews, 5/5 ⭐️
Release Date: October 27, 2026
Huge thanks to @netgalley and @macmillanusa for hooking me up with this advanced reader’s copy!
Fans of horror, put this at the tippy top of your TBR. This was hands down my most anticipated read of the year and ooooohhh did CG Drews deliver!! This is the third work of Drews’ that I’ve read, although devoured really is a better word. I am an absolute sucker for a good oceanic horror (looking at you, The Dead of Summer) and this was just hit after hit. Sea monsters, friendship troubles, AND maybe catching some feels for an ancient sea god? And you just have to read Drews’ prose. They truly write in the most beautiful way, and it only adds to the way the story unfolds.
Scorpion Deep follows Jonathan, a teenager on the verge of transitioning to college life— except he didn’t get into college and his two best friends did. Terrified to tell them and terrified to lose them, he ends up carrying out a painful ritual to try and summon Scorpion Deep, an ancient sea god. When he is summoned, he will grant a wish— but Jonathan is about to learn the true meaning of “be careful what you wish for.”
I loved the way Jonathan is written. As a neurodivergent person, I resonated so much with the sensitivities and differences Jonathan struggled with in his friendships, how he compares himself to those around him. Drews really captures the feeling of trying to give everything you are and it still not being good enough. I also wonder how much they actively decided to use Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria as a part of Jonathan’s perceptions.
I also was pleasantly surprised by the plot twists within the story. I don’t necessarily feel like this is a device Drews tends to use often but it worked SO well in this book. I have a few lingering questions but I’m kind of okay with not having solid answers. It was told in such a way that that uncertainty is going to stick with me in a good way.
I can’t wait for the physical release of this in October. CG, please never stop being so unhinged.
Oh did I mention the baby kraken? Like I said, top of the TBR 🐙
Release Date: October 27, 2026
Huge thanks to @netgalley and @macmillanusa for hooking me up with this advanced reader’s copy!
Fans of horror, put this at the tippy top of your TBR. This was hands down my most anticipated read of the year and ooooohhh did CG Drews deliver!! This is the third work of Drews’ that I’ve read, although devoured really is a better word. I am an absolute sucker for a good oceanic horror (looking at you, The Dead of Summer) and this was just hit after hit. Sea monsters, friendship troubles, AND maybe catching some feels for an ancient sea god? And you just have to read Drews’ prose. They truly write in the most beautiful way, and it only adds to the way the story unfolds.
Scorpion Deep follows Jonathan, a teenager on the verge of transitioning to college life— except he didn’t get into college and his two best friends did. Terrified to tell them and terrified to lose them, he ends up carrying out a painful ritual to try and summon Scorpion Deep, an ancient sea god. When he is summoned, he will grant a wish— but Jonathan is about to learn the true meaning of “be careful what you wish for.”
I loved the way Jonathan is written. As a neurodivergent person, I resonated so much with the sensitivities and differences Jonathan struggled with in his friendships, how he compares himself to those around him. Drews really captures the feeling of trying to give everything you are and it still not being good enough. I also wonder how much they actively decided to use Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria as a part of Jonathan’s perceptions.
I also was pleasantly surprised by the plot twists within the story. I don’t necessarily feel like this is a device Drews tends to use often but it worked SO well in this book. I have a few lingering questions but I’m kind of okay with not having solid answers. It was told in such a way that that uncertainty is going to stick with me in a good way.
I can’t wait for the physical release of this in October. CG, please never stop being so unhinged.
Oh did I mention the baby kraken? Like I said, top of the TBR 🐙
April 21, 2026
The emotions are running deep!! What an extraordinary book. Review to come…
March 31, 2026
I want to give this book a proper review later, but for now I will say it was hauntingly beautiful. CG Drews never disappoints
Want to Read
November 4, 2025give it to me already
April 5, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for my most anticipated book release of 2026! And without a doubt, a thank you as big as Panthalassa to CG Drews! I can never thank you enough for writing books that matter, terrifying stories that help me to not only understand the world around me, but to know that I do matter, I am seen, and there are others out there like myself who deserve to be loved and seen for who we are than by some medical diagnosis/mental health stigma.
Scorpion Deep took me through a rollercoaster of hell! I am confident to say I went through practically all, if not the majority, of existing emotions in this dark read.
The characters were compelling and just when I thought I like them, CG had me second-guessing myself! All the characters are struggling with turmoil, internally and externally, and some of them suffer with both.
I do not want to give away any spoilers because this book deserves to be read without any preconceptions or biases. It is a story that questions who are the real monsters here? Can humanity redeem itself? Can we find love even though all we have known is pain and suffering?
I would rate this a 10 out of 5 krakens! I believe Scorpion is at the same peak level style of writing as Hazelthorn that I have come conditioned to with their expertise at prose. I fully recommend this book to any queer youth, fans of YA lit, readers whom are from the neurodivergent community, and while this story has its own content warnings, I strongly implore you to read those prior to you reading the story.
Lastly, there’s a part in the Acknowledgments section that reiterates the underlying message CG used to inspire Scorpion. I was extremely moved by these few lines.
I hope that everyone who reads this book can understand the story’s importance, why stories like this matter, and that if anyone deals with any of these dark themes, I hope that you can take comfort knowing the author cares, I care, and I hope you can find the healing and the love you so “Deep(ly)” deserve!
Scorpion Deep took me through a rollercoaster of hell! I am confident to say I went through practically all, if not the majority, of existing emotions in this dark read.
The characters were compelling and just when I thought I like them, CG had me second-guessing myself! All the characters are struggling with turmoil, internally and externally, and some of them suffer with both.
I do not want to give away any spoilers because this book deserves to be read without any preconceptions or biases. It is a story that questions who are the real monsters here? Can humanity redeem itself? Can we find love even though all we have known is pain and suffering?
I would rate this a 10 out of 5 krakens! I believe Scorpion is at the same peak level style of writing as Hazelthorn that I have come conditioned to with their expertise at prose. I fully recommend this book to any queer youth, fans of YA lit, readers whom are from the neurodivergent community, and while this story has its own content warnings, I strongly implore you to read those prior to you reading the story.
Lastly, there’s a part in the Acknowledgments section that reiterates the underlying message CG used to inspire Scorpion. I was extremely moved by these few lines.
I hope that everyone who reads this book can understand the story’s importance, why stories like this matter, and that if anyone deals with any of these dark themes, I hope that you can take comfort knowing the author cares, I care, and I hope you can find the healing and the love you so “Deep(ly)” deserve!
April 1, 2026
This novel is a masterpiece. Simply put, no adornments, because I don't think I will ever be able to properly put into words my adoration of and appreciation for CG Drew's writing. Everyone in my life heard about it immediately when I got approved for an ARC of this book, and I *still* can't quite believe I was lucky enough to be approved.
My blind devotion to Drews' prose aside, this story is heartbreaking. It's introspective, and it's twisty, and it blurs the line between man and monster in a way few YA horror novels are capable of. Drews is a master of the soft, pliant, unreliable narrator who, in reality, may not be any of those things. Every time I get to the end of one of their books I think I have everything figured out, and there's always at least one more "But wait!" moment where they send my head spinning.
Jonathan is a character you instantly fall in love with and feel sympathy for, and—while this may be different for others—my appreciation for and understanding of his character only grew as the novel progressed. Whether or not his perspective was the whole truth, whether we saw blurred vignettes of Ellis and Rae's true characters, etc. I think readers will understand how easy it is to fall into those spirals of doubt and self-hatred and wishing you could be anyone, anywhere else.
I'd also like a moment of appreciation for the reference to the Lennox-Halls in Ellis' backstory. I absolutely adore that all of Drews' YA stand-alones exist in the same universe, it's such a fun easter egg for lovers of their work.
I could go on for years about this book. Legitimately years, but I digress. Read this book. Read everything else CG Drews has written. And maybe let Scorpion Deep pull you down with him while you're at it.
Thank you, as always, to NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for allowing me an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review, I could not be more grateful. All opinions are my own!
My blind devotion to Drews' prose aside, this story is heartbreaking. It's introspective, and it's twisty, and it blurs the line between man and monster in a way few YA horror novels are capable of. Drews is a master of the soft, pliant, unreliable narrator who, in reality, may not be any of those things. Every time I get to the end of one of their books I think I have everything figured out, and there's always at least one more "But wait!" moment where they send my head spinning.
Jonathan is a character you instantly fall in love with and feel sympathy for, and—while this may be different for others—my appreciation for and understanding of his character only grew as the novel progressed. Whether or not his perspective was the whole truth, whether we saw blurred vignettes of Ellis and Rae's true characters, etc. I think readers will understand how easy it is to fall into those spirals of doubt and self-hatred and wishing you could be anyone, anywhere else.
I'd also like a moment of appreciation for the reference to the Lennox-Halls in Ellis' backstory. I absolutely adore that all of Drews' YA stand-alones exist in the same universe, it's such a fun easter egg for lovers of their work.
I could go on for years about this book. Legitimately years, but I digress. Read this book. Read everything else CG Drews has written. And maybe let Scorpion Deep pull you down with him while you're at it.
Thank you, as always, to NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for allowing me an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review, I could not be more grateful. All opinions are my own!
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