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Scorpion Deep
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CG Drews, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Don't Let the Forest In and Hazelthorn, weaves a disturbing and intoxicating siren-call in Scorpion Deep, about a lonely boy who accidentally awakens an obsessive eldritch sea god.
The only thing Jonathan Covey wants from the gloomy, moldering isle of Kelcarrow is to leave it. Summer is ending, and his friends are looking forward to college on the mainland, unaware that Jonathan was not accepted to join them. He'll be left behind with nothing but the ocean's haunts and a rising dread of being abandoned.
In an act of wild desperation, Jonathan pays a tithe to Scorpion Deep, an eldritch sea god who many of the locals have dismissed as myth. He wants to forget the past, he wants to follow his friends, and most of all he wants to finally escape.
To his shock and horror, the ritual works—Scorpion Deep awakens. And despite his terror, Jonathan can't help but feel drawn toward the ageless entity that seems just as mutually obsessed with him. As scales start growing down his spine and Scorpion Deep's adoration of him turns bloody, Jonathan realizes the only way to end the nightmare is to destroy the monster one way or another.
But once a god has awoken, the only way to be free is to pay a price of blood.
Also by CG Drews
Don't Let the Forest In
Hazelthorn
The only thing Jonathan Covey wants from the gloomy, moldering isle of Kelcarrow is to leave it. Summer is ending, and his friends are looking forward to college on the mainland, unaware that Jonathan was not accepted to join them. He'll be left behind with nothing but the ocean's haunts and a rising dread of being abandoned.
In an act of wild desperation, Jonathan pays a tithe to Scorpion Deep, an eldritch sea god who many of the locals have dismissed as myth. He wants to forget the past, he wants to follow his friends, and most of all he wants to finally escape.
To his shock and horror, the ritual works—Scorpion Deep awakens. And despite his terror, Jonathan can't help but feel drawn toward the ageless entity that seems just as mutually obsessed with him. As scales start growing down his spine and Scorpion Deep's adoration of him turns bloody, Jonathan realizes the only way to end the nightmare is to destroy the monster one way or another.
But once a god has awoken, the only way to be free is to pay a price of blood.
Also by CG Drews
Don't Let the Forest In
Hazelthorn
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 27, 2026
About the author
C.G. Drews
15 books27.3k 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews
June 26, 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, 2025C.G. Drew's is just popping out books left and right, and I'm loving it
Want to Read
November 4, 2025ummm i'm sorry, Oct 2026?? cg drews i need this in my hands right now!!
Want to Read
May 12, 2026ARC received! Thank you, Feiwel & Friends!!
they-told-me-to-read-it
November 1, 2025
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.
June 4, 2026
“To believe the sea is not magic is foolish.”
• lyrical writing
• hauntingly horrific and beautiful
• body horror
• a twisted, tragic love story
As a character driven reader, I struggled with Jonathan in the beginning. He’s a difficult perspective to read from and the lack of communication was so frustrating (which is the whole point). Sticking through to the second half of the book for all the horrific and entertaining twists was very worth.
I’ve loved all CG Drews other characters from the beginning in their other books, even though they’re all very flawed. They’re so real with deep emotional journeys. They don’t always make the “right” decision or the choice we’re screaming at them as the reader. But that’s what makes the story so compelling.
“Skin is such thin protection against the cruel teeth of the world, and Jonathan is again struck by how badly his fits, how much he wants to claw free and simply walk away.”
Prepare for a difficult and twisted relationship dynamic and another beautifully complicated exploration of sexuality
“He is being loved with all-consuming devotion just like he craved, so he can almost ignore when things feel wrong because he isn’t sure what feeling right would be like.”
• lyrical writing
• hauntingly horrific and beautiful
• body horror
• a twisted, tragic love story
As a character driven reader, I struggled with Jonathan in the beginning. He’s a difficult perspective to read from and the lack of communication was so frustrating (which is the whole point). Sticking through to the second half of the book for all the horrific and entertaining twists was very worth.
I’ve loved all CG Drews other characters from the beginning in their other books, even though they’re all very flawed. They’re so real with deep emotional journeys. They don’t always make the “right” decision or the choice we’re screaming at them as the reader. But that’s what makes the story so compelling.
“Skin is such thin protection against the cruel teeth of the world, and Jonathan is again struck by how badly his fits, how much he wants to claw free and simply walk away.”
Prepare for a difficult and twisted relationship dynamic and another beautifully complicated exploration of sexuality
“He is being loved with all-consuming devotion just like he craved, so he can almost ignore when things feel wrong because he isn’t sure what feeling right would be like.”
Want to Read
November 3, 2025cg drews release books in spooky season forever and my life is yours
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🖤🌊Scorpion Deep 🌊🖤
This book just absolutely wrecked me. I’m talking full ugly crying by the end.
I’ve read a couple of other books from CG Drews before, but this is easily their best yet. The writing was poetic, haunting, and genuinely devastating in a way that crawled under my skin and stayed there. And yes, I mentioned crawling under my skin for a reason👀
Also… I was slightly unwell while reading this and maybe choosing an emotionally catastrophic eldritch sea horror on a gloomy day was not my smartest decision 😭
I seriously do not know how to put into words how good this book was. Half the time I had no idea what was real and what wasn’t. Our MC is such an unreliable narrator and the story fully pulls you into that spiraling confusion with him.
Mind your triggers with this one.
6 stars read.
🦂 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.
This book just absolutely wrecked me. I’m talking full ugly crying by the end.
I’ve read a couple of other books from CG Drews before, but this is easily their best yet. The writing was poetic, haunting, and genuinely devastating in a way that crawled under my skin and stayed there. And yes, I mentioned crawling under my skin for a reason👀
Also… I was slightly unwell while reading this and maybe choosing an emotionally catastrophic eldritch sea horror on a gloomy day was not my smartest decision 😭
I seriously do not know how to put into words how good this book was. Half the time I had no idea what was real and what wasn’t. Our MC is such an unreliable narrator and the story fully pulls you into that spiraling confusion with him.
Mind your triggers with this one.
6 stars read.
🦂 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.
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.'
June 9, 2026
unsure how to rate this bc i think it’s really good, but also it was extremely fucking depressing and it made me upset so
C.G. Drews is one of the few authors whose YA is a lot more interesting to me than their adult novels. Scorpion Deep follows Don't Let the Forest In and Hazelthorn in that it's also about a lonely boy suffering who then encounters another mysterious boy with whom they develop an obsessive, toxic, codependent relationship; meanwhile, gory, weird stuff starts happening around them.
Even though the basics are the same, I think Scorpion Deep is very different from the other two books. Gone are the crumbling Gothic mansions and the mystery of the leaves and the forest. Here we are put on a cold and gloomy island where mysterious things come out of the sea.
What I really enjoy about these books is the willingness to go there. To be gory and violent and feral. There are some GNARLY BLOODY scenes in here.
However, I didn't connect with this one as much as the previous ones. Mostly because this is a lot about friendship breakups, and I think friendship breakups are devastating. Idk, it's something that really gets to me, and I don't know if I love the way Jonathan treats his friends in here. I don't think it was really fair. And because of that, I also didn't really connect or root for the romance (if you can call it a romance?) between Jonathan and the eldritch sea god.
I just thought this was a very sad and depressing book, and it didn’t make me feel great. Which is kind of crazy for me because I read a lot of fucked up shit and have been more than fine afterwards, but something about this one deeply upset me. It might have been the mood I'm currently in, but who knows!
But also don't really listen to me. Don't take this review negatively. Because I do think this book is great! It's a testament to its quality that it made me feel this way.
C.G. Drews is one of the few authors whose YA is a lot more interesting to me than their adult novels. Scorpion Deep follows Don't Let the Forest In and Hazelthorn in that it's also about a lonely boy suffering who then encounters another mysterious boy with whom they develop an obsessive, toxic, codependent relationship; meanwhile, gory, weird stuff starts happening around them.
Even though the basics are the same, I think Scorpion Deep is very different from the other two books. Gone are the crumbling Gothic mansions and the mystery of the leaves and the forest. Here we are put on a cold and gloomy island where mysterious things come out of the sea.
What I really enjoy about these books is the willingness to go there. To be gory and violent and feral. There are some GNARLY BLOODY scenes in here.
However, I didn't connect with this one as much as the previous ones. Mostly because this is a lot about friendship breakups, and I think friendship breakups are devastating. Idk, it's something that really gets to me, and I don't know if I love the way Jonathan treats his friends in here. I don't think it was really fair. And because of that, I also didn't really connect or root for the romance (if you can call it a romance?) between Jonathan and the eldritch sea god.
I just thought this was a very sad and depressing book, and it didn’t make me feel great. Which is kind of crazy for me because I read a lot of fucked up shit and have been more than fine afterwards, but something about this one deeply upset me. It might have been the mood I'm currently in, but who knows!
But also don't really listen to me. Don't take this review negatively. Because I do think this book is great! It's a testament to its quality that it made me feel this way.
Want to Read
May 9, 2026This is my most anticipated 2026 release!
C.G Drews, no one does it as you do.
C.G Drews, no one does it as you do.
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.
May 12, 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 Jonathan 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 Jonathan was special to me in a way that none of their other characters has been. Jonathan 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 Jonathan 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 Jonathan was special to me in a way that none of their other characters has been. Jonathan 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 ~
May 10, 2026
4,5/5 ⭐️
a truly heartbreaking depiction of mental illness, trauma, fear of abandonment, and friendship mixed with the most beautiful prose.
c. g. drews is a master at creating an intense atmosphere and making everything feel vivid, and scorpion deep is no exception. this book is literally dripping with ocean, sea, and merfolk elements and feels mystical and painfully real at the same time.
jonathan is such a tragic mc, and i saw myself in him more often than not. i really enjoyed the exploration of asexuality and the way we got to see the depths of his trauma and how it slowly unravels. the body horror and gore were right up my alley and made me physically cringe. such a great depiction of what it feels like to be changed by life itself and the people around you!
i loved the portrayal of scorpion deep and jonathan’s interactions with him, as well as the obsession that drives their relationship instead of love. it feels less like romance and more about being seen and owned than anything else. so don’t be fooled by the “horroromance” tags. this is first and foremost a horror book.
the only critique i have is that the ending felt a little rushed compared to the rest of the story. i’m a big fan of the open ending and all the mystery surrounding it, though!
a truly heartbreaking depiction of mental illness, trauma, fear of abandonment, and friendship mixed with the most beautiful prose.
c. g. drews is a master at creating an intense atmosphere and making everything feel vivid, and scorpion deep is no exception. this book is literally dripping with ocean, sea, and merfolk elements and feels mystical and painfully real at the same time.
jonathan is such a tragic mc, and i saw myself in him more often than not. i really enjoyed the exploration of asexuality and the way we got to see the depths of his trauma and how it slowly unravels. the body horror and gore were right up my alley and made me physically cringe. such a great depiction of what it feels like to be changed by life itself and the people around you!
i loved the portrayal of scorpion deep and jonathan’s interactions with him, as well as the obsession that drives their relationship instead of love. it feels less like romance and more about being seen and owned than anything else. so don’t be fooled by the “horroromance” tags. this is first and foremost a horror book.
the only critique i have is that the ending felt a little rushed compared to the rest of the story. i’m a big fan of the open ending and all the mystery surrounding it, though!
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!
May 23, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group 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 site apart. I would really recommend this to people who want complex characters, horror fans, 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 site apart. I would really recommend this to people who want complex characters, horror fans, 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!
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
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 .
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 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!
June 25, 2026
brb gonna go let the waves crash over me in the sea
CG DREWS YOU NEVER MISS
CG DREWS YOU NEVER MISS
June 2, 2026
Scorpion Deep by @
Releases October 27th!!
ARC Review-
Another masterpiece written by this exquisite author!! CG Drews knows how to reach into your soul with the powerful stories they weave. The ending had me just staring at the wall for several minutes.
Jonathan is our lost MMC who lives on a small island in a fisherman’s village. Our MMC suffers immensely and you will feel it with every word you read. He longs to feel wanted. To be cared for. To not feel like a burden. Jonathan is tired of the secrets and the horrors his house holds. With the pull of a tooth and a deal sealed with a kiss, Jonathan now finds himself in Scorpion Deep’s thrall. He feels wanted and protected by his new eldritch sea god. However, as the weeks go by, Jonathan’s body begins to change, he doesn’t sleep and his appetite has changed. Spending all his time in the many underground tunnels, with walls filled with forgotten books. Books full of secrets and rooms filled with horrors. Scorpion Deep, once a dream, now becomes a nightmare.
🖤YA Gothic Horror
🩸Secret Society & Drowned Library
🖤Asexual Biromantic MC
🩸Darkly Obsessive Romance
🖤Boy Falls in Love with an Eldritch Sea God
Thank you to the author, @macmillanchildrenspublishinggroup and @netgalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.
#arcreview #scorpiondeep #gothichorror #eldritchseagod #bookstagram
Releases October 27th!!
ARC Review-
Another masterpiece written by this exquisite author!! CG Drews knows how to reach into your soul with the powerful stories they weave. The ending had me just staring at the wall for several minutes.
Jonathan is our lost MMC who lives on a small island in a fisherman’s village. Our MMC suffers immensely and you will feel it with every word you read. He longs to feel wanted. To be cared for. To not feel like a burden. Jonathan is tired of the secrets and the horrors his house holds. With the pull of a tooth and a deal sealed with a kiss, Jonathan now finds himself in Scorpion Deep’s thrall. He feels wanted and protected by his new eldritch sea god. However, as the weeks go by, Jonathan’s body begins to change, he doesn’t sleep and his appetite has changed. Spending all his time in the many underground tunnels, with walls filled with forgotten books. Books full of secrets and rooms filled with horrors. Scorpion Deep, once a dream, now becomes a nightmare.
🖤YA Gothic Horror
🩸Secret Society & Drowned Library
🖤Asexual Biromantic MC
🩸Darkly Obsessive Romance
🖤Boy Falls in Love with an Eldritch Sea God
Thank you to the author, @macmillanchildrenspublishinggroup and @netgalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.
#arcreview #scorpiondeep #gothichorror #eldritchseagod #bookstagram
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!!
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