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The Sea Hides Its Dead
Trapped in an underwater cave, a group of academics must face a series of deadly, supernatural trials—each one demanding they confront their darkest sins—in this chilling aquatic cult horror debut from Megan Bontrager. Grad student Caro has no idea what she wants to do with her life, but when an opportunity arises to act as a research assistant on an anthropological expedition for her professor and lover, Edward Beck, she doesn't hesitate. Beck assembles a team of academics and professionals to study the ancient sea-based Cult of the Leviathan, and the expedition descends into the sea caves where the cult is said to have dwelt. But when the cave entrance collapses, trapping them inside, the expedition finds they are not alone in the darkness. Surrounded by strange artifacts and scattered bones, an ancient trial has been set in motion. One by one, the members of the expedition will be tested and forced to atone for their greatest sin. . . or die.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2026
About the author
Megan Bontrager
5 books135 followersMegan Bontrager is a Horror and SFF author, and long-suffering PhD student, currently based in Yorkshire. Megan received her BFA in English from the University of Central Florida, and her MA in Writing from Johns Hopkins University. In her free time, Megan loves to play TTRPGs, and is a lifelong horse girl who dreams of rehabilitating rescues. She is represented by Clara Chuiton at The Rights Factory.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 451 reviews
August 12, 2025
Oh, hey! I wrote this!
It's only right and fair that I write myself a little review here, leaving it as a note to all readers who might stumble upon this weird little book. This is a deeply personal book that touches on some difficult things (there will be content warnings included, so please do feel free to shoot me a message on any of my socials before reading if you're unsure of tackling anything within) that I've struggled with in my own life, and it was honestly really, really healing to write once I got past the discomfort of quite literally putting all my damage on the page. Not that I've ever found myself trapped in a collapsed sea cave - I value life too much to even go there!
But really and truly, this book means so much to my own healing journey, and my own sense of self. That kind of thing is explored throughout, all lumped onto the shoulders of our intrepid protagonist, Caro. It wasn't fun to write at first, I'll admit - in fact, it was really very hard. But that's because it was all me! Everything I struggle with, everything that's too hard to talk about sometimes. Putting it on the page was a task and a half, and I felt like it was a genuine mess because of it. But then I saw the beauty in it: it's good because it's hard. And it's good because it hurts sometimes, but we persevere anyway. That's what cosmic horror is all about, too. Sometimes things feel too big. Way bigger than ourselves. But it's human nature to try.
I hope you all enjoy this wild ride of a story. And I hope it convinces you all to stay out of sea caves! Seriously. Don't even think about it!
It's only right and fair that I write myself a little review here, leaving it as a note to all readers who might stumble upon this weird little book. This is a deeply personal book that touches on some difficult things (there will be content warnings included, so please do feel free to shoot me a message on any of my socials before reading if you're unsure of tackling anything within) that I've struggled with in my own life, and it was honestly really, really healing to write once I got past the discomfort of quite literally putting all my damage on the page. Not that I've ever found myself trapped in a collapsed sea cave - I value life too much to even go there!
But really and truly, this book means so much to my own healing journey, and my own sense of self. That kind of thing is explored throughout, all lumped onto the shoulders of our intrepid protagonist, Caro. It wasn't fun to write at first, I'll admit - in fact, it was really very hard. But that's because it was all me! Everything I struggle with, everything that's too hard to talk about sometimes. Putting it on the page was a task and a half, and I felt like it was a genuine mess because of it. But then I saw the beauty in it: it's good because it's hard. And it's good because it hurts sometimes, but we persevere anyway. That's what cosmic horror is all about, too. Sometimes things feel too big. Way bigger than ourselves. But it's human nature to try.
I hope you all enjoy this wild ride of a story. And I hope it convinces you all to stay out of sea caves! Seriously. Don't even think about it!
August 20, 2026
This book was fantastic!! It was unsettling and, surprisingly, emotionally evocative.
October 12, 2026
I really enjoyed this one! I’m a big fan of cosmic horror, so mix that with the horrors of cave diving and I had pretty high hopes. Luckily it did not disappoint. The cosmic horror/leviathan aspect was really good!
I struggled a little bit with the cave diving parts just because I thought the layout that was described was a little confusing but it didn’t ruin the overall experience.
Overall, this book was pretty great!
I struggled a little bit with the cave diving parts just because I thought the layout that was described was a little confusing but it didn’t ruin the overall experience.
Overall, this book was pretty great!
June 22, 2026
If you’ve ever had the thought, oh what a cool cave, I should explore that…this book will forever cure you of that impulse. Part descent, part Ring and all the way scary. I will not be sleeping well, like, ever. I also chose to read this when I was completely alone in my house at night. That’s on me.
What was hiding under the horror (see what I did there) was another, more important thread to the story. Living in the shadow of a narcissistic person, especially a parent, creates sort of void. Yes of love and acceptance, but also of a sense of self. You are a blank slate, there to be written on and filled by that person. You aren’t you. The Sea Hides its Dead deals with the aftermath of that void in a completely unexpected way that’s both thoughtful and affirming. I went into this book expecting horror. I did not expect to come out with a sense of validation in separating myself from my own narcissistic parent. Megan Bontrager clearly understands the rebuilding of self that’s required after, and The Sea Hides Its Dead takes it head on and delivers that absolution. (Especially for those of us that may have fallen into the narcissist trap more than once.)
Don’t mistake me, this is horror. It’s grisly, gory, unnerving and dark. There’s also a lightness to it. One that takes the guilt we all may hold for less than altruistic actions and brings a fresh take to how we reconcile them. I could not stop thinking about this book after I finished it. It’s been days and I’m still turning over everything that happened and finding a new way to look at it. This may be horror in genre, to me though, it’s vindication.
I will most definitely be buying this book for my shelf. I can easily see myself coming back to it over and over again. Grab it for hours when it comes out July 14.
Huge huge thank you to Orbit Books for this eARC. All opinions are my own.
What was hiding under the horror (see what I did there) was another, more important thread to the story. Living in the shadow of a narcissistic person, especially a parent, creates sort of void. Yes of love and acceptance, but also of a sense of self. You are a blank slate, there to be written on and filled by that person. You aren’t you. The Sea Hides its Dead deals with the aftermath of that void in a completely unexpected way that’s both thoughtful and affirming. I went into this book expecting horror. I did not expect to come out with a sense of validation in separating myself from my own narcissistic parent. Megan Bontrager clearly understands the rebuilding of self that’s required after, and The Sea Hides Its Dead takes it head on and delivers that absolution. (Especially for those of us that may have fallen into the narcissist trap more than once.)
Don’t mistake me, this is horror. It’s grisly, gory, unnerving and dark. There’s also a lightness to it. One that takes the guilt we all may hold for less than altruistic actions and brings a fresh take to how we reconcile them. I could not stop thinking about this book after I finished it. It’s been days and I’m still turning over everything that happened and finding a new way to look at it. This may be horror in genre, to me though, it’s vindication.
I will most definitely be buying this book for my shelf. I can easily see myself coming back to it over and over again. Grab it for hours when it comes out July 14.
Huge huge thank you to Orbit Books for this eARC. All opinions are my own.
July 16, 2026
Believe me, no one is more disappointed in this rating than I am. I wanted to love this one SO. BAD. Just look at that blurb! Unfortunately I felt like I was trapped in my own labyrinth of cosmic horror because this book felt endless. It was also extremely repetitive. I am begging this author to learn synonyms for eddying, arrowed/arrowing, squelched, glacial, and vermillion.
August 31, 2026
Ahoy there mateys! This is a debut sea yarn dealing with a Sea-Cult in a weird floating cave system. I was very excited to read about the anthropological expedition. Unfortunately, this was a disconnect from the very beginning. I have tried to finish it multiple times because I wanted answers to the mysteries of the cult. Sadly I abandoned ship at the 44% mark because I couldn't stand to read about the main character, Caroline, anymore.
The book starts out with an absolutely odd chapter dealing with a storm and a deer that has been hit by a car. Caroline climbs out of her car to hold it in her lap and calls law enforcement to try to find someone to save it even though it is obviously dying. I should have stopped there. But the promise of sea caves drew me forward.
The second chapter explains that Caroline is sleeping with her graduate school professor. She has no self-esteem and doesn't even seem to like the guy but stays with him anyway because he gives her a sense of purpose with his research, use of her as an assistant, and paramour. Of course, he is more than obnoxious and I hated him. Then I started to hate Caroline because she knows he sucks and then talks herself out of it. Over and over and over again. But, sea caves . . .
Those caves were weird and not well thought out. I never quite understood how the professor understood aspects of how the caves worked when he had never been there. The horror elements were extremely inconsistent and moved between people being ripped to shreds and mild hallucinations. I also thought there were too many characters and none of them were particularly interesting.
Honestly, the book was rather boring and the writing itself had odd quirks. Besides the repetitive inner monologue of Caroline, many of the author's word choices were tedious. Really, how many times can a variation of the word "mud" show up? (135) Or "squelch"? (37) Or "deluge"? (19) Or "sodden"? (25). Ugh. Arrr!
The book starts out with an absolutely odd chapter dealing with a storm and a deer that has been hit by a car. Caroline climbs out of her car to hold it in her lap and calls law enforcement to try to find someone to save it even though it is obviously dying. I should have stopped there. But the promise of sea caves drew me forward.
The second chapter explains that Caroline is sleeping with her graduate school professor. She has no self-esteem and doesn't even seem to like the guy but stays with him anyway because he gives her a sense of purpose with his research, use of her as an assistant, and paramour. Of course, he is more than obnoxious and I hated him. Then I started to hate Caroline because she knows he sucks and then talks herself out of it. Over and over and over again. But, sea caves . . .
Those caves were weird and not well thought out. I never quite understood how the professor understood aspects of how the caves worked when he had never been there. The horror elements were extremely inconsistent and moved between people being ripped to shreds and mild hallucinations. I also thought there were too many characters and none of them were particularly interesting.
Honestly, the book was rather boring and the writing itself had odd quirks. Besides the repetitive inner monologue of Caroline, many of the author's word choices were tedious. Really, how many times can a variation of the word "mud" show up? (135) Or "squelch"? (37) Or "deluge"? (19) Or "sodden"? (25). Ugh. Arrr!
August 11, 2026
🩸 Cave/Ocean Horror
🕯 Mad Professor Vibes
🩸 Inner + Outer Demons
🕯 Cosmic Intervention
🩸 Claustrophobic
Whew. I'm not sure how the author took an absolutely terrifying concept and setting—and somehow turned the whole book into a preachy sermon—but I can't say I enjoyed it.
•
Grad student Caroline decides to join her secret lover, Professor Edward Beck, on an expedition into a mysterious sea cave where the "Cult of Leviathan" was once said to dwell. Accompanied by a team of academics, they venture inside but become trapped shortly after arriving. As the cave closes in, dark secrets rise from beneath the surface, threatening the survival of the entire crew.
•
Okay, so at first this was terrifying—aside from the melodrama of a protagonist who doesn't know what to do with her life having an illicit affair with her professor. The one redeeming quality of this book is that it starts out feeling very spooky and nightmare-inducing, but unfortunately, that claustrophobic, overbearing horror quickly fizzles out and becomes almost... silly. Aside from having to suspend disbelief about the plot itself and why these specific characters were even on this expedition: I don't read horror to feel like I'm being preached at. There's a prominent undercurrent of "owning your trauma and coming out on top," which honestly made the book feel like self-help wrapped in a spooky package.
None of the characters are particularly likable or memorable. Caroline is supposed to be manipulated by Professor Beck, but it feels oddly forced, and she's almost too self-aware to fall for his antics. I also couldn't understand why this random group banded together for this trip considering no actual scientific study was happening. (It's explained later on, but it still had me thinking, girl, please.) Aspects of the horror felt consistent at first, but then we get atonement trials for each character? I lost a lot of interest when I realized they had to go on a morality quest just to escape the cave.
I finished reading for the big reveals, and they felt so... inconsequential. Caroline did some big, terrible thing she has to atone for, and when the big terrible thing was finally revealed, I was just left thinking, really? I was expecting something much bigger.
Overall, it's a cool concept, but the delivery just fell flat. The prose is fine, but the plot feels oddly preachy, and the characters relied so heavily on common archetypes that I really didn't care what happened to any of them.
•
Thank you to Orbit Books for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and feedback contained within this review are my own.
🕯 Mad Professor Vibes
🩸 Inner + Outer Demons
🕯 Cosmic Intervention
🩸 Claustrophobic
Whew. I'm not sure how the author took an absolutely terrifying concept and setting—and somehow turned the whole book into a preachy sermon—but I can't say I enjoyed it.
•
Grad student Caroline decides to join her secret lover, Professor Edward Beck, on an expedition into a mysterious sea cave where the "Cult of Leviathan" was once said to dwell. Accompanied by a team of academics, they venture inside but become trapped shortly after arriving. As the cave closes in, dark secrets rise from beneath the surface, threatening the survival of the entire crew.
•
Okay, so at first this was terrifying—aside from the melodrama of a protagonist who doesn't know what to do with her life having an illicit affair with her professor. The one redeeming quality of this book is that it starts out feeling very spooky and nightmare-inducing, but unfortunately, that claustrophobic, overbearing horror quickly fizzles out and becomes almost... silly. Aside from having to suspend disbelief about the plot itself and why these specific characters were even on this expedition: I don't read horror to feel like I'm being preached at. There's a prominent undercurrent of "owning your trauma and coming out on top," which honestly made the book feel like self-help wrapped in a spooky package.
None of the characters are particularly likable or memorable. Caroline is supposed to be manipulated by Professor Beck, but it feels oddly forced, and she's almost too self-aware to fall for his antics. I also couldn't understand why this random group banded together for this trip considering no actual scientific study was happening. (It's explained later on, but it still had me thinking, girl, please.) Aspects of the horror felt consistent at first, but then we get atonement trials for each character? I lost a lot of interest when I realized they had to go on a morality quest just to escape the cave.
I finished reading for the big reveals, and they felt so... inconsequential. Caroline did some big, terrible thing she has to atone for, and when the big terrible thing was finally revealed, I was just left thinking, really? I was expecting something much bigger.
Overall, it's a cool concept, but the delivery just fell flat. The prose is fine, but the plot feels oddly preachy, and the characters relied so heavily on common archetypes that I really didn't care what happened to any of them.
•
Thank you to Orbit Books for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and feedback contained within this review are my own.
August 5, 2026
Unfortunately, this was one of the most anticipated books of the year. First off, it wasn't exactly what I expected, though I could kinda get behind the plot for a bit.
However, the characters. What a complete waste of time. They’re all absolutely stupid; they lack any survival instinct whatsoever. Why were they even there? some contributed absolutely nothing, except maybe to add to the shock factor and I say "maybe" because I was not shocked at all. I couldn't care less about them, they were useless.
Each character has just one singular piece of very important backstory, and that’s it. Like was nothing else going on in y’all’s life? None of the characters are even remotely fleshed out, not even the main character. Speaking of whom, Caroline pissed me off: girl, get a personality and some self-respect. I understand what the book is trying to do, explore what happens to someone whose life has been shaped by a narcissistic parent, resulting in a blank, insecure person, who doesn’t really know what they want for themselves. But we don't see enough of that before to truly understand the after. We’re told what happened, but it’s never shown in a meaningful way. In the end, it doesn't even matter, because there was no real growth, she keeps doing everything for someone else’s sake.
Caro went back and forth with Beck so many times that I felt like throwing a rock at both of them just to end the whole thing. I get that the situation is complicated, but she "made up her mind" about five different times; she needs to pick a side and stick to it; either she’s in love with him, or she accepts that he doesn't care about her. But please leave me out of it.
Beck gave me the ick me from his very first appearance, and things only got worse. Which I guess was the point. He’s completely obsessed with the cult; it’s the only thing that matters to him. You have to give it to him for being the only one with conviction. He was far more interesting than the rest. If we had understood his motivations beyond him simply being an narcissistic, delusional, obsessive and selfish bad bad guy, I think he would have been even more fascinating. His character had great potential to delve into the themes of cults and religious fanaticism. That potential was completely wasted, both regarding the character himself and his relationship with Caro.
As for the other relationships, they make no sense because, again, we don't have much background on the characters; we don't really know how they met, who they are or what their dynamic was like before the cave, so you will just have to buy into whatever Caro says is was.
The plot revolves mainly around the relationship between Caro and her supposed best friend, Mallory. Those two were acquaintances at the very best. We’re shown time and again how much they love each other, yet neither has ever been honest with the other about anything important. You two are not friends be so serious. They seem more pushed together by circumstance than anything else.
The writing is convoluted and incredibly repetitive. I swear we had the same conversations over and over and I felt like I was rereading the same sentences endlessly. If I read the word "congealed" one more time istg.
And you know what? I’m even gonna throw the Leviathan under the bus too, because her trials made absolutely no damn sense. I never understood what we were trying to achieve: were we trying to absolve? To punish? What exactly was being tested? she was just playing them for fools and honestly that would’ve been more fun. We didn't accomplish anything. Even that character was poorly constructed, it wasn't imposing, scary or powerful. And those speeches omg just shut up already. The whole thing struck me as a very mediocre exploration of human nature, morality and guilt. Everything felt very black-and-white.
I’m sure this would make a great movie because 1. It’s very visual and the atmosphere is there, not hard to picture although very confusing. 2. You wouldn't have to be inside Caroline's head. As a book, it doesn't work. If you strip away the fantasy element, its a repackaged self-help book about facing your demons and choosing yourself. It drags on forever, finishing it is a trial in itself.
That’s all. Booooo! tomatoe tomatoe 🍅🍅🍅🍅
However, the characters. What a complete waste of time. They’re all absolutely stupid; they lack any survival instinct whatsoever. Why were they even there? some contributed absolutely nothing, except maybe to add to the shock factor and I say "maybe" because I was not shocked at all. I couldn't care less about them, they were useless.
Each character has just one singular piece of very important backstory, and that’s it. Like was nothing else going on in y’all’s life? None of the characters are even remotely fleshed out, not even the main character. Speaking of whom, Caroline pissed me off: girl, get a personality and some self-respect. I understand what the book is trying to do, explore what happens to someone whose life has been shaped by a narcissistic parent, resulting in a blank, insecure person, who doesn’t really know what they want for themselves. But we don't see enough of that before to truly understand the after. We’re told what happened, but it’s never shown in a meaningful way. In the end, it doesn't even matter, because there was no real growth, she keeps doing everything for someone else’s sake.
Caro went back and forth with Beck so many times that I felt like throwing a rock at both of them just to end the whole thing. I get that the situation is complicated, but she "made up her mind" about five different times; she needs to pick a side and stick to it; either she’s in love with him, or she accepts that he doesn't care about her. But please leave me out of it.
Beck gave me the ick me from his very first appearance, and things only got worse. Which I guess was the point. He’s completely obsessed with the cult; it’s the only thing that matters to him. You have to give it to him for being the only one with conviction. He was far more interesting than the rest. If we had understood his motivations beyond him simply being an narcissistic, delusional, obsessive and selfish bad bad guy, I think he would have been even more fascinating. His character had great potential to delve into the themes of cults and religious fanaticism. That potential was completely wasted, both regarding the character himself and his relationship with Caro.
As for the other relationships, they make no sense because, again, we don't have much background on the characters; we don't really know how they met, who they are or what their dynamic was like before the cave, so you will just have to buy into whatever Caro says is was.
The plot revolves mainly around the relationship between Caro and her supposed best friend, Mallory. Those two were acquaintances at the very best. We’re shown time and again how much they love each other, yet neither has ever been honest with the other about anything important. You two are not friends be so serious. They seem more pushed together by circumstance than anything else.
The writing is convoluted and incredibly repetitive. I swear we had the same conversations over and over and I felt like I was rereading the same sentences endlessly. If I read the word "congealed" one more time istg.
And you know what? I’m even gonna throw the Leviathan under the bus too, because her trials made absolutely no damn sense. I never understood what we were trying to achieve: were we trying to absolve? To punish? What exactly was being tested? she was just playing them for fools and honestly that would’ve been more fun. We didn't accomplish anything. Even that character was poorly constructed, it wasn't imposing, scary or powerful. And those speeches omg just shut up already. The whole thing struck me as a very mediocre exploration of human nature, morality and guilt. Everything felt very black-and-white.
I’m sure this would make a great movie because 1. It’s very visual and the atmosphere is there, not hard to picture although very confusing. 2. You wouldn't have to be inside Caroline's head. As a book, it doesn't work. If you strip away the fantasy element, its a repackaged self-help book about facing your demons and choosing yourself. It drags on forever, finishing it is a trial in itself.
That’s all. Booooo! tomatoe tomatoe 🍅🍅🍅🍅
July 19, 2026
I have very mixed feelings about this book. I love the mixed vibes of the Descent with As Above So Below, however, the emotional high point of the story left me a little confused.
Beck is a professor studying the Cult of Leviathan so when the opportunity arises to investigate some caves connected to the cult he assembles a team, including his teaching assistant and lover, Caro, to explore the caves. However when they get there, things quickly spiral out of control.
The horror element was very well written and felt very visceral at points. Especially the few initial deaths were described in such a horrific way they made me wince. The "monster trials" were very inventive and once we had a little more context it was interesting to see what the characters could do to beat them. I did wish we had a little bit more context at the beginning to explain the concept of the story a bit more. The beginning felt a little contrived for no reason.
I thought it was interesting to make our main character have such a difficult personality. She thinks of herself as so worthless and loses herself in the worst relationship with a terrible man just to feel a little bit of validation. It takes her so long to finally realise that she deserves better than him, but I did enjoy that it felt like this was were the book was going the whole time and we weren't supposed to find the whole relationship in any way good.
My problem does however come with the ending. I'm not entirely sure what the author intended to tell us. As we get the story from the perspective of Caro, it might be a case of an unreliable narrator for sure, but the ending feels like its intended to be such a high moment of character development for her. Instead it reads very much like Caro just transferred her unhealthy obsession to a new person. The relationship felt very intense and unexpectedly so. It might be that there wasn't enough background given for the characters but the intensity just came out of nowhere.
Still it's an interesting horror book that deals with an unusual concept.
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK and Megan Bontrager for providing me with this ARC.
Beck is a professor studying the Cult of Leviathan so when the opportunity arises to investigate some caves connected to the cult he assembles a team, including his teaching assistant and lover, Caro, to explore the caves. However when they get there, things quickly spiral out of control.
The horror element was very well written and felt very visceral at points. Especially the few initial deaths were described in such a horrific way they made me wince. The "monster trials" were very inventive and once we had a little more context it was interesting to see what the characters could do to beat them. I did wish we had a little bit more context at the beginning to explain the concept of the story a bit more. The beginning felt a little contrived for no reason.
I thought it was interesting to make our main character have such a difficult personality. She thinks of herself as so worthless and loses herself in the worst relationship with a terrible man just to feel a little bit of validation. It takes her so long to finally realise that she deserves better than him, but I did enjoy that it felt like this was were the book was going the whole time and we weren't supposed to find the whole relationship in any way good.
My problem does however come with the ending. I'm not entirely sure what the author intended to tell us. As we get the story from the perspective of Caro, it might be a case of an unreliable narrator for sure, but the ending feels like its intended to be such a high moment of character development for her. Instead it reads very much like Caro just transferred her unhealthy obsession to a new person. The relationship felt very intense and unexpectedly so. It might be that there wasn't enough background given for the characters but the intensity just came out of nowhere.
Still it's an interesting horror book that deals with an unusual concept.
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK and Megan Bontrager for providing me with this ARC.
July 15, 2026
This book is really, really dark and horrifying. There are definitely scenes that I’ll have a hard time getting out of my head. I do wonder how the small group was able to get inside the cave, considering that it should have been swarming with the military, but you’ll just need to suspend your disbelief.
Caroline is our main character, a young college student whose mother recently passed away. Their relationship explores several dark themes about mental health, and I really appreciated how Bontrager was willing to delve into the topics no one wants to talk about, because WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THEM. Caroline was drifting aimlessly in life until she met Professor Beck, a married man with an obsession for a particular sea cult. She allows herself to be swept up in his manic pursuit for “the truth”, and she believes him when he says he’ll leave his wife for her.
I want to take a moment and point out to those who were disgusted and perplexed by Caroline’s affair and devotion to Beck: I’ve had my share of crushes on teachers and professors when I was much younger, but they never went anywhere, which is as it should be. Beck is abusing his position of power to exploit a vulnerable young woman, and his behavior is despicable. Caroline didn’t really have a purpose before meeting him, and he is extremely charismatic. Of course she’s flattered when he takes an interest in her! Of course she doesn’t see the red flags—remember, she’s young and naive, and Beck knows that. It’s only as we age and gain more life experience that we learn to spot those red flags. I totally get where she’s coming from, and the relationship, although super icky, is entirely plausible.
During this story, I was introduced to a type of writing and worship that I had never heard of before. I had thought it was made up by Bontrager, only to find entries about it on the internet. It’s unsettling and quite honestly creeped me out. I have a fervent desire to never read about it again. Did I mention that the author’s take on it is dark and horrifying?
I won’t say much more, but pick this up if you’re into Lovecraft, extreme gore, claustrophobic horror and paranormal activity. It’s definitely a one-and-done for me.
Again, the author’s deep dive into mental health, guilt, shame, and perceived sin is well-done, and they are topics that we should be discussing out in the open.
My thanks to NetGalley and Run For It for an eARC. I am writing this review entirely voluntarily.
Caroline is our main character, a young college student whose mother recently passed away. Their relationship explores several dark themes about mental health, and I really appreciated how Bontrager was willing to delve into the topics no one wants to talk about, because WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THEM. Caroline was drifting aimlessly in life until she met Professor Beck, a married man with an obsession for a particular sea cult. She allows herself to be swept up in his manic pursuit for “the truth”, and she believes him when he says he’ll leave his wife for her.
I want to take a moment and point out to those who were disgusted and perplexed by Caroline’s affair and devotion to Beck: I’ve had my share of crushes on teachers and professors when I was much younger, but they never went anywhere, which is as it should be. Beck is abusing his position of power to exploit a vulnerable young woman, and his behavior is despicable. Caroline didn’t really have a purpose before meeting him, and he is extremely charismatic. Of course she’s flattered when he takes an interest in her! Of course she doesn’t see the red flags—remember, she’s young and naive, and Beck knows that. It’s only as we age and gain more life experience that we learn to spot those red flags. I totally get where she’s coming from, and the relationship, although super icky, is entirely plausible.
During this story, I was introduced to a type of writing and worship that I had never heard of before. I had thought it was made up by Bontrager, only to find entries about it on the internet. It’s unsettling and quite honestly creeped me out. I have a fervent desire to never read about it again. Did I mention that the author’s take on it is dark and horrifying?
I won’t say much more, but pick this up if you’re into Lovecraft, extreme gore, claustrophobic horror and paranormal activity. It’s definitely a one-and-done for me.
Again, the author’s deep dive into mental health, guilt, shame, and perceived sin is well-done, and they are topics that we should be discussing out in the open.
My thanks to NetGalley and Run For It for an eARC. I am writing this review entirely voluntarily.
August 12, 2025
i have said this before and i will say it again - megan never misses 🩷
July 15, 2026
"YOU?" Spittle flew from Beck's lips, his eyes bulging. "You are nothing!"
"Maybe so." I set my jaw, resolute. "But nothing is a place of possibility." It felt truer when I said it. But Leviathan wasn't wrong. And what Beck failed to understand was this- I wanted nothing for me, and everything for Mallory. I was nothing; it was true. I had no family, and my only friend was here, at my side. If I could do one thing, make one real choice, it would be to see her out of this.
I wanted to love this book so bad. I was eagerly awaiting it, bought it day one. The author and the publisher hyped it up as a cosmic horror that dealt with the after effects of narcissistic abuse, both from a parent and from a romantic relationship. The author talked about wanting at least one person to feel "seen" by the protagonist, Caro, because evidently the author's been through narcissistic abuse?
I've never been more disappointed in a book and had a harder time believing an author. I've also never felt more like my time was wasted. The result of this "journey" of Caroline (who goes by Caro), who has allegedly been molded by her mother via narcissistic abuse to be a blank slate, is just accepting she is in fact a blank slate and should sacrifice herself for her friend Mallory. Which just felt terribly bad.
Side note, I say "allegedly" because this book doesn't believe in providing us with flashbacks so we understand fuck all about these characters. The most you get are snippets of Caro's mother saying "Why are you doing this to me Caro???" and Caro TELLING us about how her mother was "a narcissist" over and over again. Exact words. That her THERAPIST told her that her mother used suicide threats for control, but we never get a flashback of an incident.
We SHOULD have gotten flashbacks, examples. Like Caroline telling her mother she was going out on a Saturday, saying she made plans with a friend, only to randomly and unexpectedly set her mother off because she had THOUGHT they were going to do something because they ALWAYS spend Saturday together. Which then spirals into her mother threatening suicide so Caro stays.
BUT WE NEVER GET THAT.
We're just TOLD that the mother is a narc and that she belittled her a lot and whittled her down to nothing. But for an author that wants so badly for us to connect with this character and feel seen as survivors of narcissistic abuse, she put zero effort into showing how insidious the abuse is or the real after effects of it.
It's the same with the narc professor. We're never shown how he charmed her, how he wormed his way into further beating Caro down, we're just told about it. In fact, what we're shown of him is that literally EVERYONE, even the people he's paying, hate him already. They think he's a joke, that he's horrible, that he's arrogant, that he sucks. Only Caro doesn't. And it makes 0 sense that the author claims to have experience with this type of person. They are KNOWN for being charming, convincing everyone of their good graces, isolating the person they're in a relationship with so if they say that they're a horrible shitbag then nobody will listen to them.
This doesn't happen here. Everyone starts off thinking he's shit, grows to think he's more shit, and never questions if Caro is a bad person or crazy or Anything about her. A cosmic horror setting could have been amazing for adding in paranoia, Professor Beck convincing people to continue on with the Trials despite Caro warning them not to because he's convinced everyone she's crazy, or a spurred lover. But nah, why give depth to anything? Why actually make people who have suffered through this feel seen or feel anxious.
As a survivor of this, I never once felt nervous, or like "oh my god, I've experienced this exact thing, it captures it so well!" I just felt more and more angry. And the way the book ends? It's basically just telling people "kill the people who were narcs to you, don't feel bad, but also accept you're a blank slate and live for other people because you can't really be yourself now. It's too late for that." It's shit.
It also makes no sense why she's so obsessed with Mallory. The book starts with them SAYING CARO NEVER FELT CLOSE TO HER. Then suddenly she's willing to give up her life just to save her best friend Mallory that she loves more than anything. She just transfers the worship of Beck to Mallory for no reason. It's gross. It's not narcissistic abuse syndrome. It's codependency. The author should look that up.
Then there's my final critique. The author says they're a video game nerd and I have to wonder if they'd played Persona 4 and Final Fantasy 10. Because the book is literally just Final Fantasy X's Cloister of Trials and Sin mixed with the shadow self, TV world, and ultimate boss of Persona 4. Complete with FFX's religious undertones too.
I wanted to love this book so bad, but I'm so offended and disappointed with it that I wish I could get my money back. There was so much potential to merge the horrors of gaslighting and psychological abuse with an unknowable entity. I'm just sad that it didn't bother to utilize any of that.
If you want cosmic horror/folk horror mixed with some good psychological horror involving narcissistic abuse and a woman reclaiming herself read The Burial Tide by Neil Sharpson
If you want to explore the shadow self via trials and symbology while traversing liminal space and a mystery to uncover, play Persona 4.
If you want a cloister of trials, liminal space, Sin, a bastardization of religion being used to control people, and a woman reclaiming herself and finding her identity play Final Fantasy X.
If you want a movie about people encountering unknowable creatures while getting trapped in a creepy cave system all while discovering hurtful secrets about those they loved, watch The Descent.
If you want the uncovering of sins committed while being trapped in confined pace (the catacombs) and descending through trials via hell, watch As Above So Below.
This book does not do any of that no matter how much other reviews may claim it or the publisher may try to pretend it does.
October 12, 2025
For most of this I was so sure this was going to be a 4 star or higher read, but it all went downhill after around about halfway through. But, this book isn’t without its strengths!
First off, this is a lot like The Descent, but a MILLION TIMES more creative and layered. This surprisingly liminal story is like backrooms, sea cave edition. It involves being trapped in a sea cave that rose from the sea out of nowhere, the cave being tied to some sort of cult, and the characters being picked off one by one. But, it’s not just violence for the sake of violence, which tbh I really dislike in horror, but luckily this wasn’t that. This book has layers to its creativity with everything from insane shared hallucinations to a paranormal trial of sorts that they each must endure, one by one. I’m sure you can guess what happens to those who don’t pass!
Caroline, a grad student who is sleeping with her jackass professor Beck because he’s the only one who understands her apparently, joins his expedition to explore a monolith that has risen from the sea. Beck has devoted his life to studying some cult of Leviathan. He employs this group of people to travel to this occultist sea cave that appeared out of nowhere, because that sounds like a great idea! They are somehow able evade the navy who intend to blow the cave up, plus evade the huge media circus stalking the area, and make their way inside into an unmapped cave system. None of these characters watch horror movies, do they!
In pure horror movie fashion, you see a bunch of human beings make the worst possible decisions you can think of, led by a douche bag who has no qualms sacrificing innocent lives for the sake of discovery. Beck is a COMPLETE asshole and one of the worst characters I’ve ever had the displeasure to read. He’s a sadist who doesn’t blink when the bodies start dropping, no matter how brutal the fate he just witnessed. He’s an actual psychopath and just when you think he can’t get worse, you hate him more. It also makes you hate Caro too, seeing as she spends most of the book defending him no matter how many red flags and obviously psychotic he is, not to mention the fact that she’s sleeping with him when he’s MARRIED. They both deserve each other!
For the benefit of readers who get bored easily and don’t like a slow start, there’s no slow build up either the violence starts fast as soon as they get into the cave. The descriptions are very well written and the imagery is so well described that you can practically see and hear it. Which I don’t know if you necessarily want in a book like this, but. For a horror novel, this is really well written, and has a really gripping and creative plot.
So now for the critical parts. So here’s the thing. I was enjoying this. I was so sure this was going to be 4 stars. But unfortunately the more I got into this book, the more my opinion of this book changed. First, as a Christian, I really didn’t like the parts where Caro and Beck give their inaccurate and misunderstood take on religion. TBH it was kind of offensive. The way some things were stated about the Christian faith, even though I know it was through the lenses of a flawed character’s misconstrued opinion, it still felt frustrating to read. Beck is definitely written to be unlikeable on purpose, and I don’t know if Caro was purposely written to be unlikeable but I suppose it’s possible (I hope so because she is lol) but I just really did not like it when they both gave their incomplete, inaccurate, and misconstrued opinions about Christian beliefs. This did vastly affect my opinion on this book. Just overall, these two happen to be two of the least likable characters I’ve ever read in fiction. They’re both just very messed up humans, especially Beck who’s just a complete psychopath. They’re both just characters who really need Jesus in their lives fr.
And, the whole thing about Caro’s test? I can’t go into detail without spoilers it really seems like the message this part is pushing is, if someone wrongs you, letting them die is the right thing to do and you shouldn’t regret it, or take it back if you get the chance. Like HUH? Am I missing something? Obviously this is different in cases of self defense but that is not Caro’s case. This book tries to portray her as a good person compared to Beck because she “feels remorse” over it unlike him, when feeling remorse for someone dying is literally bare minimum? I’m confused?
The first half-ish was great and it was all downhill from there. Morally some parts of this book are just confusing. But if you can overlook these critiques mentioned earlier that personally did bug me, and the fact that these are two of the least likable characters in the history of fiction, the plot itself is like a fever dream that you can’t stop reading. Once you get to the 75% mark, THIS BOOK IS UNPUTDOWNABLE. But MAN I had never gone through so much back and forth on an opinion about a book! I’d start enjoying it then something else would pmo.
BUT the plot itself is intense, plotted very well, and the book is so easy to visualize. And I really wish this didn’t have the parts I didn’t like because of it weren’t for that, I could see myself really hyping this book up because the plot, the pacing, the visualization aspects are fantastic. It’s compulsively readable. But certain things just kept me from full enjoyment. It was really well written and very creatively plotted though!
Thank you for Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
First off, this is a lot like The Descent, but a MILLION TIMES more creative and layered. This surprisingly liminal story is like backrooms, sea cave edition. It involves being trapped in a sea cave that rose from the sea out of nowhere, the cave being tied to some sort of cult, and the characters being picked off one by one. But, it’s not just violence for the sake of violence, which tbh I really dislike in horror, but luckily this wasn’t that. This book has layers to its creativity with everything from insane shared hallucinations to a paranormal trial of sorts that they each must endure, one by one. I’m sure you can guess what happens to those who don’t pass!
Caroline, a grad student who is sleeping with her jackass professor Beck because he’s the only one who understands her apparently, joins his expedition to explore a monolith that has risen from the sea. Beck has devoted his life to studying some cult of Leviathan. He employs this group of people to travel to this occultist sea cave that appeared out of nowhere, because that sounds like a great idea! They are somehow able evade the navy who intend to blow the cave up, plus evade the huge media circus stalking the area, and make their way inside into an unmapped cave system. None of these characters watch horror movies, do they!
In pure horror movie fashion, you see a bunch of human beings make the worst possible decisions you can think of, led by a douche bag who has no qualms sacrificing innocent lives for the sake of discovery. Beck is a COMPLETE asshole and one of the worst characters I’ve ever had the displeasure to read. He’s a sadist who doesn’t blink when the bodies start dropping, no matter how brutal the fate he just witnessed. He’s an actual psychopath and just when you think he can’t get worse, you hate him more. It also makes you hate Caro too, seeing as she spends most of the book defending him no matter how many red flags and obviously psychotic he is, not to mention the fact that she’s sleeping with him when he’s MARRIED. They both deserve each other!
For the benefit of readers who get bored easily and don’t like a slow start, there’s no slow build up either the violence starts fast as soon as they get into the cave. The descriptions are very well written and the imagery is so well described that you can practically see and hear it. Which I don’t know if you necessarily want in a book like this, but. For a horror novel, this is really well written, and has a really gripping and creative plot.
So now for the critical parts. So here’s the thing. I was enjoying this. I was so sure this was going to be 4 stars. But unfortunately the more I got into this book, the more my opinion of this book changed. First, as a Christian, I really didn’t like the parts where Caro and Beck give their inaccurate and misunderstood take on religion. TBH it was kind of offensive. The way some things were stated about the Christian faith, even though I know it was through the lenses of a flawed character’s misconstrued opinion, it still felt frustrating to read. Beck is definitely written to be unlikeable on purpose, and I don’t know if Caro was purposely written to be unlikeable but I suppose it’s possible (I hope so because she is lol) but I just really did not like it when they both gave their incomplete, inaccurate, and misconstrued opinions about Christian beliefs. This did vastly affect my opinion on this book. Just overall, these two happen to be two of the least likable characters I’ve ever read in fiction. They’re both just very messed up humans, especially Beck who’s just a complete psychopath. They’re both just characters who really need Jesus in their lives fr.
And, the whole thing about Caro’s test? I can’t go into detail without spoilers it really seems like the message this part is pushing is, if someone wrongs you, letting them die is the right thing to do and you shouldn’t regret it, or take it back if you get the chance. Like HUH? Am I missing something? Obviously this is different in cases of self defense but that is not Caro’s case. This book tries to portray her as a good person compared to Beck because she “feels remorse” over it unlike him, when feeling remorse for someone dying is literally bare minimum? I’m confused?
The first half-ish was great and it was all downhill from there. Morally some parts of this book are just confusing. But if you can overlook these critiques mentioned earlier that personally did bug me, and the fact that these are two of the least likable characters in the history of fiction, the plot itself is like a fever dream that you can’t stop reading. Once you get to the 75% mark, THIS BOOK IS UNPUTDOWNABLE. But MAN I had never gone through so much back and forth on an opinion about a book! I’d start enjoying it then something else would pmo.
BUT the plot itself is intense, plotted very well, and the book is so easy to visualize. And I really wish this didn’t have the parts I didn’t like because of it weren’t for that, I could see myself really hyping this book up because the plot, the pacing, the visualization aspects are fantastic. It’s compulsively readable. But certain things just kept me from full enjoyment. It was really well written and very creatively plotted though!
Thank you for Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
July 16, 2026
Hm. I really wanted to love this but I could not get over my burning hatred for Caroline’s “relationship” with her PI. It's overall a good book and the horror aspects were pretty fun and scary.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Did Not Finish
June 28, 2026I cannot believe I’m saying this on a book with a synopsis this good but I have to DNF.
I could move past the writing style, it’s unique and challenging but sometimes that can be good. I cannot move past the FMC simping this badly for THE WORST man ever. She made the worst possible choice at every opportunity and now we are going to put our life on the line, for a man? For that man?
No.
Also why are we here? Why is this particular group at the rock/cave that suddenly appeared in the ocean? That is still unclear. Most importantly why is the teachers aid here? What is happening?
I get it there is going to be character growth throughout the book and I’m sure the horrible characters get theres but the FMC motivations are so unclear and unbelievable that I couldn’t buy in. It was DNF or risk putting myself in the greatest reading slump of my life.
I could move past the writing style, it’s unique and challenging but sometimes that can be good. I cannot move past the FMC simping this badly for THE WORST man ever. She made the worst possible choice at every opportunity and now we are going to put our life on the line, for a man? For that man?
No.
Also why are we here? Why is this particular group at the rock/cave that suddenly appeared in the ocean? That is still unclear. Most importantly why is the teachers aid here? What is happening?
I get it there is going to be character growth throughout the book and I’m sure the horrible characters get theres but the FMC motivations are so unclear and unbelievable that I couldn’t buy in. It was DNF or risk putting myself in the greatest reading slump of my life.
May 11, 2026
Great Concept But Poorly Executed
First, the positives… This book has great cover art. The concept behind the storyline was intriguing, kind of mashup of the film “The Descent” and the mystery behind Leviathan. Unfortunately, the book isn’t well written, and the exploration of subject matter is clumsy. If you’re the type of reader that only consumes a couple of books a year, you may enjoy it more than I did.
Thanks to Orbit Books and Goodreads Giveaways for the complimentary eDRC. All opinions are my own.
First, the positives… This book has great cover art. The concept behind the storyline was intriguing, kind of mashup of the film “The Descent” and the mystery behind Leviathan. Unfortunately, the book isn’t well written, and the exploration of subject matter is clumsy. If you’re the type of reader that only consumes a couple of books a year, you may enjoy it more than I did.
Thanks to Orbit Books and Goodreads Giveaways for the complimentary eDRC. All opinions are my own.
August 10, 2026
Review originally on JamReads
It's not a secret that I love horror, and the more uncanny and unsettling, the better, so when a book is presented as The Descent meets The Ritual, it will be immediately on my radar; but trust me when I say that The Sea Hides Its Dead is more that simply that, as Megan Bontrager has not only managed to capture the oppressive atmosphere of the setting but also delivered a deeply emotional story, with a cast of characters that provokes visceral reactions and that feels extremely real. A horror novel that is excellent from start to the end, so let's dive (pun not really intended) in.
Caro is not sure what to do with her life, a young college student whose mother recently passed away, so when the opportunity arises to join as a research assistant on an anthropological expedition for her professor and lover, Edward Beck, she immediately takes it. An expedition to descend into the sea caves where the ancient Cult of the Leviathan; a team of academics and professionals that will get trapped after the entrance collapses, putting in motion an ancient trial where they will have to face and atone for their greatest sin, or die after proving they are not worthy of the Leviathan.
And it's in this kind of situation where we have the perfect excuse to analyze the characters created by Bontrager and why they feel so brilliant. Let's start by addressing Edward Beck, who will be the main antagonist. Selfish, manipulative, a character that you end up hating just as you see how he only cares about his personal glory, how he manipulates vulnerable people even if that means hurting them just in order to fulfill what he considers his goal, his destiny. You can see how he represents that kind of person that abuses their position of power, that preys on the vulnerable; but there's also a kind of messianic touch on how he behaves, how he sees himself as the chosen by the Leviathan, how this is just the culmination of all his life's work.
However, it's on the figure of Caroline where I would say Bontrager's writing shines. A complicated character, a person who has suffered and whose vulnerability is being used by Edward Beck, being groomed into a relationship where the power is clearly unbalanced; he's a jerk, he's treasoning her trust, and still, you will see how she will justify anything that comes from Beck. The reader sees the abusive relationship, but when somebody is so deep into the pit, almost hopeless, it's difficult to find that anchor that helps you to reach the surface.
Caro already experienced the abuse of a narcissistic person, and partly, I feel that was what pushed her towards Beck; through her Leviathan's test, we see her facing the first figure that created that trauma, but it's definitely Mallory the hand that helps her float above the wave. At the end, Mallory is that hope, that support she needed to survive and overcome, and that's something we all should take from this story, as many times, people need help to heal.
Almost as important as the character is the atmosphere and the setting they are put it; a dark and oppressive one, a sea cave where there's more than what they thought, delving into the Enocian scriptures and the figure of Leviathan, but always keeping that halo of mystery about the true nature of that figure. The trials put the whole group against what could be considered their biggest sin, but atoning is not as simple as repenting; an exploration of concepts such as guilt and sin that is more complex than the binaries usually paired with religion.
In terms of pacing, we have an excellent book, which keeps you tense from start to the end, while naturally introducing character work that will eventually play important roles in the story. A book that almost invites you to devour it.
The Sea Hides Its Dead is a deliciously dark horror novel, putting Megan Bontrager as a voice to follow in the future, especially if you like complicated characters that are just reflections of what real people could be paired together with a superb setting that is the perfect scenario for the story. A candidate to be one of my favourite books of the year!
It's not a secret that I love horror, and the more uncanny and unsettling, the better, so when a book is presented as The Descent meets The Ritual, it will be immediately on my radar; but trust me when I say that The Sea Hides Its Dead is more that simply that, as Megan Bontrager has not only managed to capture the oppressive atmosphere of the setting but also delivered a deeply emotional story, with a cast of characters that provokes visceral reactions and that feels extremely real. A horror novel that is excellent from start to the end, so let's dive (pun not really intended) in.
Caro is not sure what to do with her life, a young college student whose mother recently passed away, so when the opportunity arises to join as a research assistant on an anthropological expedition for her professor and lover, Edward Beck, she immediately takes it. An expedition to descend into the sea caves where the ancient Cult of the Leviathan; a team of academics and professionals that will get trapped after the entrance collapses, putting in motion an ancient trial where they will have to face and atone for their greatest sin, or die after proving they are not worthy of the Leviathan.
And it's in this kind of situation where we have the perfect excuse to analyze the characters created by Bontrager and why they feel so brilliant. Let's start by addressing Edward Beck, who will be the main antagonist. Selfish, manipulative, a character that you end up hating just as you see how he only cares about his personal glory, how he manipulates vulnerable people even if that means hurting them just in order to fulfill what he considers his goal, his destiny. You can see how he represents that kind of person that abuses their position of power, that preys on the vulnerable; but there's also a kind of messianic touch on how he behaves, how he sees himself as the chosen by the Leviathan, how this is just the culmination of all his life's work.
However, it's on the figure of Caroline where I would say Bontrager's writing shines. A complicated character, a person who has suffered and whose vulnerability is being used by Edward Beck, being groomed into a relationship where the power is clearly unbalanced; he's a jerk, he's treasoning her trust, and still, you will see how she will justify anything that comes from Beck. The reader sees the abusive relationship, but when somebody is so deep into the pit, almost hopeless, it's difficult to find that anchor that helps you to reach the surface.
Caro already experienced the abuse of a narcissistic person, and partly, I feel that was what pushed her towards Beck; through her Leviathan's test, we see her facing the first figure that created that trauma, but it's definitely Mallory the hand that helps her float above the wave. At the end, Mallory is that hope, that support she needed to survive and overcome, and that's something we all should take from this story, as many times, people need help to heal.
Almost as important as the character is the atmosphere and the setting they are put it; a dark and oppressive one, a sea cave where there's more than what they thought, delving into the Enocian scriptures and the figure of Leviathan, but always keeping that halo of mystery about the true nature of that figure. The trials put the whole group against what could be considered their biggest sin, but atoning is not as simple as repenting; an exploration of concepts such as guilt and sin that is more complex than the binaries usually paired with religion.
In terms of pacing, we have an excellent book, which keeps you tense from start to the end, while naturally introducing character work that will eventually play important roles in the story. A book that almost invites you to devour it.
The Sea Hides Its Dead is a deliciously dark horror novel, putting Megan Bontrager as a voice to follow in the future, especially if you like complicated characters that are just reflections of what real people could be paired together with a superb setting that is the perfect scenario for the story. A candidate to be one of my favourite books of the year!
September 4, 2026
Ehhh... this was just ok at the end of it all. Considering I was going to DNF this earlier on, I'm not upset I stuck it out because the last few chapters weren't terrible and the climax reminded me of some stories I enjoyed more: The Descent (film), As Above So Below (film), The Fisherman, The Ritual, and I was also reminded of a story I didn't much like, The Staircase in the Woods.
This is a cosmic horror story about a trial given to a series of people who approach a mysterious monolith that popped out of the ocean. This should have been a story I loved, but I disliked pretty much all the characters and the story itself was overly drawn out across a too long book. It felt like a slog to get through, and even when things happen it's all drawn out so much that the excitement drops quickly.
Again, I didn't hate this but I didn't love it either. And I'm sad about that tbh because I have the beautiful Evernight edition of the book. Luckily Spotify has this audiobook as well because there is NO way I'd have finished this if I didn't have the audiobook to push me through the narrative.
Also though, if this were a film, I'd watch it and probably love it.
This is a cosmic horror story about a trial given to a series of people who approach a mysterious monolith that popped out of the ocean. This should have been a story I loved, but I disliked pretty much all the characters and the story itself was overly drawn out across a too long book. It felt like a slog to get through, and even when things happen it's all drawn out so much that the excitement drops quickly.
Again, I didn't hate this but I didn't love it either. And I'm sad about that tbh because I have the beautiful Evernight edition of the book. Luckily Spotify has this audiobook as well because there is NO way I'd have finished this if I didn't have the audiobook to push me through the narrative.
Also though, if this were a film, I'd watch it and probably love it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🌟3.5
this book dragged me into an adventure that I was completely unprepared for. The second we entered that cave, I wanted it to end as quickly as possible lmao. Megan Bontrager captured the suffocating atmosphere of a confined, hidden cave so incredibly well that every description of the surroundings made me physically tense. I could just feel the walls closing in around me. It reminded me so much of As Above, So Below and The Descent that I found myself desperately wanting to keep reading just so I could get out. I was claustrophobic with the characters.
The horror itself was executed really well. There was this constant pressure, this lingering presence haunting Caroline and everyone when they enter that damn cave that keeps you on the lookout. The body horror was equally effective; bones cracking, twisting, and bending in ways you never want to picture, yet Bontrager describes it so vividly that you can't help but imagine every gruesome detail. I was thoroughly grossed out... but in the best way? Lol I guess. And those liminal, backrooms-esque The Shining moments? Gosh. I was just sitting there thinking, woooah... what the helly is happening.
The creature/God/Entity was another highlight. It stayed hidden for most of the story, and when it revealed itself at times, the descriptions were vivid, unsettling, and fascinating. I loved that it was never fully explained what it was. Caroline spends so much of the novel trying to make sense of it, but some mysteries are far scarier when they remain mysteries. Not knowing made it infinitely more unsettling.
Okayyyy, I have to address something first. Before reading this, I'd seen so many reviews saying Caroline was whiny or unlikeable, and a lot of people rated the book lower because of it. Personally, I don't really understand that criticism. You can absolutely appreciate a book objectively without relating to—or even liking—the main character. A protagonist doesn't have to be likeable for a story to be compelling. Of course, that's entirely subjective, and I respect that everyone reads differently.
For Caroline herself... I agree that she's unlikeable in many ways, but I never hated her. I understood why she was the way she was, even if I spent half the book frustrated by her decisions. There was only one aspect of her character that genuinely affected my rating.
The supporting cast also suffered a little because there were so many characters. It often felt like we only scratched the surface of who they were, and even then, everything was filtered through Caroline's perspective—which, let's be honest, wasn't always the most reliable lens. That said... I have to admit, Caroline was hilariously entertaining whenever she was being bitchy.
Beck, the professor, was probably the clearest character study in the novel. While it's obvious to us as readers how unhealthy that relationship is, Megan also makes it painfully believable why Caroline remains trapped in that cycle. She knows something isn't right, yet convinces herself that this is enough—that maybe this is all she deserves. It was frustrating, uncomfortable, and honestly quite heartbreaking. Relationships like these often aren't explored with this much emotional complexity, and while it was difficult to read at times, I really appreciated how thoughtfully it was handled.
Beneath all the horror, the novel tells a story about grief, emotional abuse, narcissistic relationships, and what it feels like to exist as a blank canvas for other people to paint their expectations onto, never really becoming someone for yourself. Caroline isn't someone I related to, but by the end I understood her far more than I did at the beginning.
I also think stories like this can be frustrating to read if you've never experienced these kinds of dynamics yourself. As readers, it's often painfully obvious what's right and what's wrong, yet Caroline simply can't see it. Every decision she makes is shaped by the people who've manipulated, neglected, or defined her for so long. At its core, this is a story about blind devotion, guilt, shame, and the lasting impact abusive relationships can have on a person's sense of self.
There were also a few moments that reminded me of Nicholas Hoult's character in The Menu... iykyk. And one particular storyline immediately made me think of our beloved Dani from The Haunting of Bly Manor.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. There were definitely a few elements that didn't completely work for me, but Bontrager’s horror writing is phenomenal. She knows exactly how to create an atmosphere that crawls under your skin and lingers long after you've finished reading. I'll absolutely be picking up whatever she writes next.
this book dragged me into an adventure that I was completely unprepared for. The second we entered that cave, I wanted it to end as quickly as possible lmao. Megan Bontrager captured the suffocating atmosphere of a confined, hidden cave so incredibly well that every description of the surroundings made me physically tense. I could just feel the walls closing in around me. It reminded me so much of As Above, So Below and The Descent that I found myself desperately wanting to keep reading just so I could get out. I was claustrophobic with the characters.
The horror itself was executed really well. There was this constant pressure, this lingering presence haunting Caroline and everyone when they enter that damn cave that keeps you on the lookout. The body horror was equally effective; bones cracking, twisting, and bending in ways you never want to picture, yet Bontrager describes it so vividly that you can't help but imagine every gruesome detail. I was thoroughly grossed out... but in the best way? Lol I guess. And those liminal, backrooms-esque The Shining moments? Gosh. I was just sitting there thinking, woooah... what the helly is happening.
The creature/God/Entity was another highlight. It stayed hidden for most of the story, and when it revealed itself at times, the descriptions were vivid, unsettling, and fascinating. I loved that it was never fully explained what it was. Caroline spends so much of the novel trying to make sense of it, but some mysteries are far scarier when they remain mysteries. Not knowing made it infinitely more unsettling.
Okayyyy, I have to address something first. Before reading this, I'd seen so many reviews saying Caroline was whiny or unlikeable, and a lot of people rated the book lower because of it. Personally, I don't really understand that criticism. You can absolutely appreciate a book objectively without relating to—or even liking—the main character. A protagonist doesn't have to be likeable for a story to be compelling. Of course, that's entirely subjective, and I respect that everyone reads differently.
For Caroline herself... I agree that she's unlikeable in many ways, but I never hated her. I understood why she was the way she was, even if I spent half the book frustrated by her decisions. There was only one aspect of her character that genuinely affected my rating.
The supporting cast also suffered a little because there were so many characters. It often felt like we only scratched the surface of who they were, and even then, everything was filtered through Caroline's perspective—which, let's be honest, wasn't always the most reliable lens. That said... I have to admit, Caroline was hilariously entertaining whenever she was being bitchy.
Beck, the professor, was probably the clearest character study in the novel. While it's obvious to us as readers how unhealthy that relationship is, Megan also makes it painfully believable why Caroline remains trapped in that cycle. She knows something isn't right, yet convinces herself that this is enough—that maybe this is all she deserves. It was frustrating, uncomfortable, and honestly quite heartbreaking. Relationships like these often aren't explored with this much emotional complexity, and while it was difficult to read at times, I really appreciated how thoughtfully it was handled.
Beneath all the horror, the novel tells a story about grief, emotional abuse, narcissistic relationships, and what it feels like to exist as a blank canvas for other people to paint their expectations onto, never really becoming someone for yourself. Caroline isn't someone I related to, but by the end I understood her far more than I did at the beginning.
I also think stories like this can be frustrating to read if you've never experienced these kinds of dynamics yourself. As readers, it's often painfully obvious what's right and what's wrong, yet Caroline simply can't see it. Every decision she makes is shaped by the people who've manipulated, neglected, or defined her for so long. At its core, this is a story about blind devotion, guilt, shame, and the lasting impact abusive relationships can have on a person's sense of self.
There were also a few moments that reminded me of Nicholas Hoult's character in The Menu... iykyk. And one particular storyline immediately made me think of our beloved Dani from The Haunting of Bly Manor.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. There were definitely a few elements that didn't completely work for me, but Bontrager’s horror writing is phenomenal. She knows exactly how to create an atmosphere that crawls under your skin and lingers long after you've finished reading. I'll absolutely be picking up whatever she writes next.
Did Not Finish
September 10, 2026Unfortunately, I just don’t care to find out what happens.
July 7, 2026
More like 2.75;
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.
I’ll start with what I liked: the premise, a very intriguing story about creepy creatures found in a very old cave with the Leviathan myth. I liked the cover, even if it gave me goosebumps. And I liked only one character out of all of them.
What I didn’t like was the pace. It goes from slow paced to fast paced and then to slow and then to fast and so on. It’s not a long book, but throughout it I felt like I’m reading a 800+ pages novel. It annoyed me with all the unnecessary and repetitive descriptions.
Another thing that I didn’t like were the characters. As j said, I liked only one and i don’t wanna say who because it can be a spoiler. But I didn’t like the FMC. I didn’t like how childish she was and her inner monologue about her love choice (a married professor) was way too much. That’s what she’s thinking about for more than half a book, I just started to skim through her thoughts. Way too much. I don’t want to even speak about the MMC, he’s an idiot. Annoying to say the least. Ugh.
Also, there’s no horror.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.
I’ll start with what I liked: the premise, a very intriguing story about creepy creatures found in a very old cave with the Leviathan myth. I liked the cover, even if it gave me goosebumps. And I liked only one character out of all of them.
What I didn’t like was the pace. It goes from slow paced to fast paced and then to slow and then to fast and so on. It’s not a long book, but throughout it I felt like I’m reading a 800+ pages novel. It annoyed me with all the unnecessary and repetitive descriptions.
Another thing that I didn’t like were the characters. As j said, I liked only one and i don’t wanna say who because it can be a spoiler. But I didn’t like the FMC. I didn’t like how childish she was and her inner monologue about her love choice (a married professor) was way too much. That’s what she’s thinking about for more than half a book, I just started to skim through her thoughts. Way too much. I don’t want to even speak about the MMC, he’s an idiot. Annoying to say the least. Ugh.
Also, there’s no horror.
August 20, 2026
Oh this sucked so bad. Was debating giving it one star but it was technically readable.
The book follows a group of academics as they enter a cave and cannot get out and basically just killed slowly by an unforeseen force.
Caroline is a sad girl. Actually, the opening scene in the book was the best part. Sad girl sees a dying deer hit by a car and holds it in her arms until it dies, and you are like- oh fuck we are about to go on an emotional journey. Buy in is easy.
Cut to scene two where Caroline is revealed to be having an affair with her college professor, who by all means she seems to hate. If you’re going to establish a relationship, no matter how toxic, and your intention is to make it feel kind of believable for us, you need to try to sell it.
A really big issue with fiction today is that the authors are so afraid of being accused of supporting things that are bad that they bash you over the head with what their actual opinion is. Caroline is dating this guy that is basically scum of the Earth, and rather than having a broken idea of who he is as a person and being delusional about how they feel about each other, she’s constantly just talking shit about him. The very first scene that she and him are together, she irritatingly notes how she never orgasms having sex with him, and how he’s incapable of giving that to her.
And we are supposed to believe that she’s in this really twisted power struggle of a relationship? Absolutely not. I am not buying at all for a second that she actually likes this guy, despite several times just kind of doing whatever he says. If you’re gonna write a fucked up relationship, you need to believe the person is actually interested in the person that they’re with, even if the intention is to make the relationship fall apart later and for the lead to realize she was in something toxic all along.
The author mentioned in the special edition note that this was sort of one of those books about women finding their power and female rage/men in academia sucking, but the deep personal element of the dying deer never really comes back. the characters background is revealed, but the intimacy behind the scene never reveals itself again.
The monster is weird. You have long drawn out scenes where people are being caught in memories or past experiences, you have scenes with full out carnage, you have scenes where people are hallucinating voices, but somehow not dying, I don’t know, the whole thing is weird. It’s like this book just couldn’t decide what kind of horror It actually wanted to be. The details of the story mention a cult, but that’s not a very relevant part of the book at all. It tries to do a Scary cave thing, but half of the time the atmosphere is not very clear and you sort of forget that you’re in a cave.
The character reactions are all very weird, like characters will react to people dying and then kind of get over it quickly? They just don’t do anything that feels natural, like the author had full intention to get the main character across the finish line, but didn’t really understand how to get there. The result ended up being a boring and disheveled work.
The book is boring, the relationship is stupid and doesn’t have a whole lot of impact because you can’t believe it in the first place, and the characters feel half baked. Frankly, I think there were too many of them.
The book follows a group of academics as they enter a cave and cannot get out and basically just killed slowly by an unforeseen force.
Caroline is a sad girl. Actually, the opening scene in the book was the best part. Sad girl sees a dying deer hit by a car and holds it in her arms until it dies, and you are like- oh fuck we are about to go on an emotional journey. Buy in is easy.
Cut to scene two where Caroline is revealed to be having an affair with her college professor, who by all means she seems to hate. If you’re going to establish a relationship, no matter how toxic, and your intention is to make it feel kind of believable for us, you need to try to sell it.
A really big issue with fiction today is that the authors are so afraid of being accused of supporting things that are bad that they bash you over the head with what their actual opinion is. Caroline is dating this guy that is basically scum of the Earth, and rather than having a broken idea of who he is as a person and being delusional about how they feel about each other, she’s constantly just talking shit about him. The very first scene that she and him are together, she irritatingly notes how she never orgasms having sex with him, and how he’s incapable of giving that to her.
And we are supposed to believe that she’s in this really twisted power struggle of a relationship? Absolutely not. I am not buying at all for a second that she actually likes this guy, despite several times just kind of doing whatever he says. If you’re gonna write a fucked up relationship, you need to believe the person is actually interested in the person that they’re with, even if the intention is to make the relationship fall apart later and for the lead to realize she was in something toxic all along.
The author mentioned in the special edition note that this was sort of one of those books about women finding their power and female rage/men in academia sucking, but the deep personal element of the dying deer never really comes back. the characters background is revealed, but the intimacy behind the scene never reveals itself again.
The monster is weird. You have long drawn out scenes where people are being caught in memories or past experiences, you have scenes with full out carnage, you have scenes where people are hallucinating voices, but somehow not dying, I don’t know, the whole thing is weird. It’s like this book just couldn’t decide what kind of horror It actually wanted to be. The details of the story mention a cult, but that’s not a very relevant part of the book at all. It tries to do a Scary cave thing, but half of the time the atmosphere is not very clear and you sort of forget that you’re in a cave.
The character reactions are all very weird, like characters will react to people dying and then kind of get over it quickly? They just don’t do anything that feels natural, like the author had full intention to get the main character across the finish line, but didn’t really understand how to get there. The result ended up being a boring and disheveled work.
The book is boring, the relationship is stupid and doesn’t have a whole lot of impact because you can’t believe it in the first place, and the characters feel half baked. Frankly, I think there were too many of them.
June 9, 2026
3.5 rounded up for Goodreads and Netgalley.
It was a solid read. The atmosphere was definitely grim and gritty, the author created something quite dreadful successfully. The plot was very interesting and well-paced, it’s wasn’t too fast-paced or slow-paced I would consider it to be medium but gradually building a feeling of unease until the last few pages. The author crafted an unique world-building in a unusual setting that was quite engaging. Caroline was a fine main character, the other characters were also multilayered enough for such a story. However, I really hated one of the male characters especially, I couldn’t stand him. He’s the type of character that is extremely cocky and delusional, the kind that believes his words are the right ones and nobody’s as good as he is. Really annoying. But the ending was satisfying enough for me to have an overall good feeling about this book. I would absolutely recommend it, but I would advise you to check the content warnings though.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
It was a solid read. The atmosphere was definitely grim and gritty, the author created something quite dreadful successfully. The plot was very interesting and well-paced, it’s wasn’t too fast-paced or slow-paced I would consider it to be medium but gradually building a feeling of unease until the last few pages. The author crafted an unique world-building in a unusual setting that was quite engaging. Caroline was a fine main character, the other characters were also multilayered enough for such a story. However, I really hated one of the male characters especially, I couldn’t stand him. He’s the type of character that is extremely cocky and delusional, the kind that believes his words are the right ones and nobody’s as good as he is. Really annoying. But the ending was satisfying enough for me to have an overall good feeling about this book. I would absolutely recommend it, but I would advise you to check the content warnings though.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
July 16, 2026
such a great, unique concept but the execution really fell flat for me. the potential is there! the prose is rich and eerie! but the characterization is so stilted and sloppy to the point where none of these characters feel like real, fathomable people. so much of the story hinges on the reader just accepting that for some completely unclear reason, caro is enamored with this stinking garbage heap of a man who clearly is going to fuck her over from day one. I just couldn’t even suspend my disbelief enough to buy it.
Did Not Finish
July 14, 2026DNF 17%
While the premise of The Sea Hides Its Dead is right up my alley, this isn't a good fit for me stylistically.
The interpersonal dynamics, dialogue, and internal monologue have a more youthful tone than I typically enjoy. The writing resembles what's usually found in commercial contemporary fiction to me—clean, accessible, modern, familiar, and transparent—instead of the darker, denser style with more lush, literary vigor I tend to prefer in horror.
I think fans of Racheal Harrison and Tatiana Schlote-Bonne will get along with the narrative style of this read more than I did.
While the premise of The Sea Hides Its Dead is right up my alley, this isn't a good fit for me stylistically.
The interpersonal dynamics, dialogue, and internal monologue have a more youthful tone than I typically enjoy. The writing resembles what's usually found in commercial contemporary fiction to me—clean, accessible, modern, familiar, and transparent—instead of the darker, denser style with more lush, literary vigor I tend to prefer in horror.
I think fans of Racheal Harrison and Tatiana Schlote-Bonne will get along with the narrative style of this read more than I did.
July 31, 2026
if you liked the movie the descent but thought it would be better as an aquatic ocean cult eldritch-y cosmic horror ….. !!!! this is the book for you!
this is an ARC review! shoutout orbit for the chance to read this early!
the vibes are (if you squint, like, really hard) sort of like if love, theoretically was a horror story, and NOT AT ALL a romance, because jack was The Worst and Married, and if elsie was his student instead of colleague and her battle against her own people pleasing, no-sense-of-real-identity became the moral lens through which she’s evaluated by an ancient eldritch horror in a terrifying oceanic monolith cave that appeared overnight off the coast of maine.
this was diabolically funny at times, and then absolutely stomach turningly gross at other parts. terrifying in a claustrophobic kind of way while also being a devastating and tragic reckoning with personal identity and trauma. BIG fever dream vibes, but in an enjoyable, what-happens-next, watched-the-descent-too-young-and-it-forever-altered-my-brain-chemistry, major astrological placement in libra kind of way!
if you’re a horror fan and don’t mind things being surreal, confusing, and at times a smidge corny, DEFINITELY pick this up! it’ll make you laugh, make you cry, give you nightmares, and solidify that going to grad school is always a bad idea.
this is an ARC review! shoutout orbit for the chance to read this early!
the vibes are (if you squint, like, really hard) sort of like if love, theoretically was a horror story, and NOT AT ALL a romance, because jack was The Worst and Married, and if elsie was his student instead of colleague and her battle against her own people pleasing, no-sense-of-real-identity became the moral lens through which she’s evaluated by an ancient eldritch horror in a terrifying oceanic monolith cave that appeared overnight off the coast of maine.
this was diabolically funny at times, and then absolutely stomach turningly gross at other parts. terrifying in a claustrophobic kind of way while also being a devastating and tragic reckoning with personal identity and trauma. BIG fever dream vibes, but in an enjoyable, what-happens-next, watched-the-descent-too-young-and-it-forever-altered-my-brain-chemistry, major astrological placement in libra kind of way!
if you’re a horror fan and don’t mind things being surreal, confusing, and at times a smidge corny, DEFINITELY pick this up! it’ll make you laugh, make you cry, give you nightmares, and solidify that going to grad school is always a bad idea.
August 23, 2026
4 ⭐️ | 4 🔪
The Sea Hides Its Dead by Megan Bontrager is a book I have some VERY complicated feelings about because I absolutely despised most of these characters. But the horror? Incredible.
The underground/cave/oceanic setting was suffocating, disorienting, claustrophobic, and scary. As the group is picked off one by one and forced to confront unspeakable things, the story becomes a terrifying descent into something I couldn’t have anticipated. The body horror was visceral and so immersive. I could practically see, feel, smell, and taste everything happening.
Mallory was easily my favorite character and the moral center of the entire group.
Unfortunately, I found Caroline and Beck’s dynamic unbearable. I can appreciate the humanness of a character, and I know there will be characters I just don’t like, but I genuinely considered DNFing because of it. The writing and the increasingly horrifying plot kept me going, though, and ultimately is reflected in my high rating.
Absolutely brutal and gross, but never exploitative. And the ending? So 👏🏼 good.
The Sea Hides Its Dead by Megan Bontrager is a book I have some VERY complicated feelings about because I absolutely despised most of these characters. But the horror? Incredible.
The underground/cave/oceanic setting was suffocating, disorienting, claustrophobic, and scary. As the group is picked off one by one and forced to confront unspeakable things, the story becomes a terrifying descent into something I couldn’t have anticipated. The body horror was visceral and so immersive. I could practically see, feel, smell, and taste everything happening.
Mallory was easily my favorite character and the moral center of the entire group.
Unfortunately, I found Caroline and Beck’s dynamic unbearable. I can appreciate the humanness of a character, and I know there will be characters I just don’t like, but I genuinely considered DNFing because of it. The writing and the increasingly horrifying plot kept me going, though, and ultimately is reflected in my high rating.
Absolutely brutal and gross, but never exploitative. And the ending? So 👏🏼 good.
July 21, 2026
This was so fucking good
RTC
RTC
July 21, 2026
Eh. Pretty good in terms of horror, it's definitely disturbing, but it was more fever dream-y than I prefer and Caro's arc would've been more compelling if her characterization was stronger. Also, why are we calling things eldritch horror that are definitely not eldritch horror? There's nothing eldritch about this entity. It's not unfathomable because Caro...fathoms (?) it. She comprehends it enough to manipulate it by flattering its ego, and I simply don't think you should be able to butter up an eldritch being. She literally sees it, it's not even that big! I know no one cares but I care. I signed up for horrors beyond human comprehension and I got a big snake with a god complex that simply cares way too much about the affairs of puny humans.
August 21, 2026
What a ride 🌊😮💨
Dark, unsettling, and damn right emotive - @megbontra what the hell did you put in this book?! It was so addictive and I couldn’t put it down.
After meeting Megan at the Horror Panel with Daisy Pearce at The Haunted Bookshop in July and hearing all about both this book and her writing process and mindset during, I really couple wait to dip my toe in the ocean.. and after managing to win a copy of the Audiobook also, it gave me the perfect chance to immersively read it.
The audiobook? Sensational. Rebecca LaChance really captured the feeling and the claustrophobic atmosphere in her reading and paired with Megan’s poetic and devastating writing.. it was a wonder to behold.
And the writing? Corr what a publishing debut. Not only was it harrowing, disgusting (fuck men in academia amiright?) and devastating.. it was also cathartic and very validating which I was absolutely not expecting. I genuinely don’t think I can compliment and singing the praises of this book enough cause 🤯
Dark, unsettling, and damn right emotive - @megbontra what the hell did you put in this book?! It was so addictive and I couldn’t put it down.
After meeting Megan at the Horror Panel with Daisy Pearce at The Haunted Bookshop in July and hearing all about both this book and her writing process and mindset during, I really couple wait to dip my toe in the ocean.. and after managing to win a copy of the Audiobook also, it gave me the perfect chance to immersively read it.
The audiobook? Sensational. Rebecca LaChance really captured the feeling and the claustrophobic atmosphere in her reading and paired with Megan’s poetic and devastating writing.. it was a wonder to behold.
And the writing? Corr what a publishing debut. Not only was it harrowing, disgusting (fuck men in academia amiright?) and devastating.. it was also cathartic and very validating which I was absolutely not expecting. I genuinely don’t think I can compliment and singing the praises of this book enough cause 🤯
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