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The Darkdeep #2
The Beast
Nico, Opal, Tyler, Emma, and Logan survived their worst fears come to life, and saved their tiny Pacific Northwest town of Timbers from a monstrous figment invasion. Now they just want to keep their heads down, enjoy Halloween, and explore the secrets of their mysterious houseboat clubhouse. And also figure out their new Torchbearer responsibilities as keepers of the Darkdeep, an ancient whirlpool hidden in Still Cove that can make both dreams and nightmares into reality.
But when a dangerous new breed of figments starts appearing on their own, and the very environment around them begins to spiral out of control, the friends realize they have no idea what they are doing – or how they're supposed to restrain the Darkdeep. They must uncover the pool's origins, as well as those of the freaky Thing in a Jar, a seemingly lifeless green creature Opal believes is communicating with her. To make matters worse, a trashy YouTube series has rolled into town intent on finding the Beast, the legendary local sea monster suddenly stirring up the countryside.
As threats rapidly close in around them, the friends must fight to protect their secrets, defeat new enemies, and save Timbers and all that they love.
Told from alternating points of view, this chilling sequel from bestselling duo Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs will once again have readers sleeping with the lights on.
But when a dangerous new breed of figments starts appearing on their own, and the very environment around them begins to spiral out of control, the friends realize they have no idea what they are doing – or how they're supposed to restrain the Darkdeep. They must uncover the pool's origins, as well as those of the freaky Thing in a Jar, a seemingly lifeless green creature Opal believes is communicating with her. To make matters worse, a trashy YouTube series has rolled into town intent on finding the Beast, the legendary local sea monster suddenly stirring up the countryside.
As threats rapidly close in around them, the friends must fight to protect their secrets, defeat new enemies, and save Timbers and all that they love.
Told from alternating points of view, this chilling sequel from bestselling duo Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs will once again have readers sleeping with the lights on.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published September 24, 2019
32 people are currently reading
1098 people want to read
About the author
Ally Condie
30 books14.9k followersAlly Condie is a former high school English teacher who lives with her husband, three sons and one daughter outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. She loves reading, running, eating, and listening to her husband play guitar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
October 4, 2019
In The Darkdeep, a group of kids saved their town by holding back monsters formed from their own imaginations. The Figments were formed from their thoughts by the Darkdeep, which they now hold at bay as Torchbearers. Well, they are supposed to hold it at bay anyway.... As the kids try to learn what they have to do to keep control of the Darkdeep and stop the formation of Figments, things start to spiral out of control. Figments begin to form on their own, a creature stored in a jar on the boat might be communicating with one of them, and YouTubers show up in town searching for a legendary sea monster called the Beast. Can the kids protect Timbers once again?
The first book in this series, The Darkdeep, totally hooked me on this group of characters and the premise of the Darkdeep. It's like Stand By Me, The Goonies, Gremlins, or Stranger Things....a group of kids thrown together having to deal with some scary and out of control situations. Except these kids can conjure up whatever pops into their heads. Dinosaurs, pop culture characters, scary monsters....whatever they think of, the Darkdeep can create and bring to life. While creating things using the whirlpool was fun at first.....it quickly became a problem when monsters over-ran the town during a local festival. This new story in the series finds kids are trying to learn their responsibilities as Torchbearers, while things around them rapidly warp out of control.
Loved this book! Definitely still middle grade appropriate, but still entertaining and fun to read for adults! I love the characters and the premise. The story alternates point of view between the kids. Usually I find jumping POV to be distracting, but for this story it works. I felt so sorry for the kids trying to deal with the Freakshow in town. The Darkdeep has to remain hidden and that's really difficult with YouTube monster hunters in town. The ending leaves it open for another book. I hope so! I'm enjoying this series! I hope it continues.
So far, this is the only series by either Ally Condie or Brendan Reichs that I have read. I really enjoy this concept, so I think I will branch out and try other books by these two writers. Brendan Reichs Co-authored the Virals series with his mother, Author Kathy Reichs. Ally Condie writes YA novels including Summerlost and The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe.
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Bloomsbury USA via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
The first book in this series, The Darkdeep, totally hooked me on this group of characters and the premise of the Darkdeep. It's like Stand By Me, The Goonies, Gremlins, or Stranger Things....a group of kids thrown together having to deal with some scary and out of control situations. Except these kids can conjure up whatever pops into their heads. Dinosaurs, pop culture characters, scary monsters....whatever they think of, the Darkdeep can create and bring to life. While creating things using the whirlpool was fun at first.....it quickly became a problem when monsters over-ran the town during a local festival. This new story in the series finds kids are trying to learn their responsibilities as Torchbearers, while things around them rapidly warp out of control.
Loved this book! Definitely still middle grade appropriate, but still entertaining and fun to read for adults! I love the characters and the premise. The story alternates point of view between the kids. Usually I find jumping POV to be distracting, but for this story it works. I felt so sorry for the kids trying to deal with the Freakshow in town. The Darkdeep has to remain hidden and that's really difficult with YouTube monster hunters in town. The ending leaves it open for another book. I hope so! I'm enjoying this series! I hope it continues.
So far, this is the only series by either Ally Condie or Brendan Reichs that I have read. I really enjoy this concept, so I think I will branch out and try other books by these two writers. Brendan Reichs Co-authored the Virals series with his mother, Author Kathy Reichs. Ally Condie writes YA novels including Summerlost and The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe.
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Bloomsbury USA via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
November 14, 2021
This was an atmospheric read for Halloween but I feel like the overall story was...lacking. It was a story of a monster in a small town but even with all the action, I didn't find the story was exciting enough to fully capture my attention.
Additionally, I was not a fan of the alternating chapter perspectives between main characters. Due to the perspectives changing frequently, I didn't feel attached to any of the characters.
There are some amazing middle grade novels that have adventure with spooky elements mixed in. This specific novel; however, was fairly average and not memorable.
***Thank you to Raincoast Books for sending me an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review***
Additionally, I was not a fan of the alternating chapter perspectives between main characters. Due to the perspectives changing frequently, I didn't feel attached to any of the characters.
There are some amazing middle grade novels that have adventure with spooky elements mixed in. This specific novel; however, was fairly average and not memorable.
***Thank you to Raincoast Books for sending me an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review***
October 2, 2020
Mit dem Auftakt ihrer genialen Darkdeep-Trilogie konnten mich Ally Condie und Brendan Reichs im Frühjahr hellauf begeistern. Auf die deutsche Übersetzung von Band 2 habe ich mich daher mega gefreut. Da der erste Teil mit einem gemeinen Cliffhanger geendet hat, konnte ich es wirklich kaum noch erwarten endlich in das nächste Darkdeep-Abenteuer abtauchen zu können.
Nachdem Nico, Opal, Emma, Tyler und Logan ihre Heimatstadt Timbers vor der furchterregenden Bestie gerettet haben, versuchen sie nun mit allen Mitteln ihr großes Geheimnis zu schützen. Niemand soll von der Stummen Bucht und dem gefährlichen Finstertief erfahren. Als sich das Wasser plötzlich rot färbt, das Wetter verrücktspielt und auf einmal wieder Phantome aus dem dunklen Gewässer des Finstertiefs auftauchen, haben die Freunde alle Hände voll damit zu tun, ihr Vorhaben in die Tat umzusetzen. Noch schwieriger wird es, als kurz vor Halloween das Filmteam einer erfolgreichen YouTube-Serie in der Stadt auftaucht, welches nur ein Ziel hat: Die mysteriöse Bestie finden. Ob es den fünf Freunden wohl gelingen wird, ihre unglaubliche Entdeckung geheim zu halten? Werden sie den Rätseln des Finstertiefs weiter auf die Spur kommen? Und was hat es eigentlich mit der unheimlichen Stimme auf sich, die Opal auf einmal in ihrem Kopf hört? Kann man ihr vertrauen?
Sieht das Cover nicht toll aus? Also mir gefällt es ausgesprochen gut, genauso gut wie das vom Vorgänger. Ich liebe einfach diese schaurige Stimmung, die die Cover der Darkdeep-Bücher verströmen.
Die äußere Gestaltung verspricht auch wahrlich nicht zu viel, das könnt ihr mir glauben. Wie schon der erste Band, so erzählt auch der zweite eine fantastische Story voller Action, Spannung und Nervenkitzel. Mir hat das Autorenduo mit „Stimme der Finsternis“ großartige Lesestunden bereitet, allerdings muss ich gestehen, dass mir der vorherige Teil eine Idee besser gefallen hat. Was genau mir dieses Mal gefehlt hat, kann ich nur irgendwie gar nicht sagen. Mich hat der Trilogiestart einfach ein kleines bisschen mehr beeindrucken können. Begeistert von der Fortsetzung bin ich aber natürlich dennoch, definitiv! Es spricht doch wohl eindeutig für das Buch, dass ich es in weniger als zwei Tagen durchgesuchtet habe, oder? :D
Einmal begonnen mit dem Lesen, konnte ich einfach nicht mehr damit aufhören. Extrem spannende und actiongeladene Geschichten schreiben haben Ally Condie und Brendan Reichs zweifellos voll drauf! Und für das Erschaffen von schauerlichen Stimmungen, die einem durchweg Gänsehaut bescheren, haben die beiden ebenfalls ein absolutes Händchen. Für die dunkle Jahreszeit, insbesondere natürlich für Halloween, kann ich Darkdeep daher ganz besonders empfehlen. Gerade der zweite Band, der passenderweise sogar um Halloween herum spielt, ist die perfekte Lektüre für diese jährliche Gruselzeit. Allerdings sollte man natürlich zuerst den ersten Teil lesen und dann erst den zweiten. Bei der Darkdeep-Serie rate ich ganz dringend, die chronologische Reihenfolge der Bände einzuhalten! Ich glaube nicht, dass man dem Geschehen in der Fortsetzung problemlos folgen kann, wenn man ohne Vorkenntnisse in sie abtaucht.
Ich jedenfalls habe fabelhaft in das Buch hineingefunden und war von Beginn an wieder ganz verzaubert von dem einzigartigen Setting. Das Städtchen Timbers, die Stumme Bucht, das Finstertief, die nebelverhangenen Klippen – alles wird erneut so herrlich stimmungsvoll, bildhaft und mysteriös beschrieben. Kopfkino pur, sag ich euch! Also ich finde die Kulisse in den Darkdeep-Büchern einfach nur brillant. Vor allem diese düstere Atmosphäre hat‘s mir total angetan.
Erzählt wird erneut alles abwechselnd von Opal und Nico, jeweils in der dritten Person. Opal und Nico waren mir abermals auf Anhieb sympathisch. Vor allem Opal mochte ich in diesem Band unglaublich gerne und da sie zunächst als Einzige eine rätselhafte Stimme wahrnimmt, haben mir ihre Kapitel dieses Mal ganz besonders gut gefallen.
Mit Emma, Tyler, Logan und den weiteren Figuren konnten mich die beiden Autoren ebenfalls wieder vollends überzeugen. Logan war in Band 1 ja zunächst ein ziemlich unsympathischer Junge, allerdings hatte sich bereits da gezeigt, dass er eigentlich ein sehr herzlicher Kerl ist. Ich habe ihn mittlerweile richtig liebgewonnen und musste dieses Mal öfters über ihn schmunzeln. Als in Timbers das Bestie-Fieber ausbricht und viele in der Stadt versuchen, mit verschiedenen Bestie-Artikeln ordentlich Kohle zu machen, ist auch Logan mit Feuereifer dabei, was ich sehr unterhaltsam fand, grins.
Gemeinsam mit den fünf Freunden, die so schön verschieden sind, erleben wir in diesem Band ein erneutes unfassbares Abenteuer, bei welchem ganz klar jeder Grusel- und Mysteryliebhaber vollkommen auf seine Kosten kommen wird. Auch die Fortsetzung ist ziemlich unheimlich und steckt voller Überraschungen, übernatürlichen Dingen und unvorhersehbarer Wendungen. Aber keine Sorge, zu spooky und beklemmend wird auch dieser Band nicht. Es gibt erneut so einige humorvolle und lustige Szenen, die die finstere Handlung wunderbar auflockern.
Vom Verlag werden die Bücher für Mädchen und Jungen ab 10 Jahren empfohlen und dieser Empfehlung schließe ich mich erneut an. Allerdings ist Darkdeep nichts für zarter besaitete Leser*innen. Wer sich beim Lesen schnell fürchtet, sollte vielleicht lieber nicht zu dieser Reihe greifen.
Für Jugendliche und Erwachsene sind die Darkdeep-Abenteuer übrigens auch nur zu empfehlen. Wer gerne Bücher im Stil von R. L. Stine liest (Gänsehaut-Autor) und generell gerne in Horror- und Gruselgeschichten eintaucht, sollte sich die Darkdeep-Reihe von Ally Condie und Brendan Reichs unbedingt mal genauer anschauen!
Enden tut auch dieser Band mit einem ziemlich fiesen Cliffhanger, sodass man am liebsten sofort weiterlesen möchte. Auf Englisch wird der dritte Band noch dieses Jahr erscheinen, die deutsche Übersetzung folgt dann voraussichtlich im Frühjahr 2021. Da ich lieber auf Deutsch lese, werde ich mich also noch ein Weilchen gedulden müssen. Auf das Finale freue ich mich schon riesig!
Fazit: Hochspannend und fesselnd bis zum Schluss – ein richtig cooler Folgeband, den man einfach nicht mehr aus der Hand legen kann! Ally Condie und Brendan Reichs ist auch mit „Stimme der Finsternis“ ein hervorragender Mysteryroman geglückt, welcher uns Leser von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite in Atem hält und eine Story voller Geheimnisse, Action und Gefahren beschert. Die Darkdeep-Reihe ist wahrlich nichts für schwache Nerven und für alle Grusel- und Horrorfans ein absolutes Muss. Mir persönlich hat der erste Band ein klein wenig besser gefallen als die Fortsetzung, aber begeistert bin ich natürlich dennoch, was, so hoffe ich doch, in meiner Rezension auch deutlich geworden ist. :D
Ich finde die Darkdeep-Reihe richtig klasse und kann sie wirklich nur empfehlen. Der zweite Band erhält von mir 4,5 – hier gerundet auf 5 von 5 Sternen!
Nachdem Nico, Opal, Emma, Tyler und Logan ihre Heimatstadt Timbers vor der furchterregenden Bestie gerettet haben, versuchen sie nun mit allen Mitteln ihr großes Geheimnis zu schützen. Niemand soll von der Stummen Bucht und dem gefährlichen Finstertief erfahren. Als sich das Wasser plötzlich rot färbt, das Wetter verrücktspielt und auf einmal wieder Phantome aus dem dunklen Gewässer des Finstertiefs auftauchen, haben die Freunde alle Hände voll damit zu tun, ihr Vorhaben in die Tat umzusetzen. Noch schwieriger wird es, als kurz vor Halloween das Filmteam einer erfolgreichen YouTube-Serie in der Stadt auftaucht, welches nur ein Ziel hat: Die mysteriöse Bestie finden. Ob es den fünf Freunden wohl gelingen wird, ihre unglaubliche Entdeckung geheim zu halten? Werden sie den Rätseln des Finstertiefs weiter auf die Spur kommen? Und was hat es eigentlich mit der unheimlichen Stimme auf sich, die Opal auf einmal in ihrem Kopf hört? Kann man ihr vertrauen?
Sieht das Cover nicht toll aus? Also mir gefällt es ausgesprochen gut, genauso gut wie das vom Vorgänger. Ich liebe einfach diese schaurige Stimmung, die die Cover der Darkdeep-Bücher verströmen.
Die äußere Gestaltung verspricht auch wahrlich nicht zu viel, das könnt ihr mir glauben. Wie schon der erste Band, so erzählt auch der zweite eine fantastische Story voller Action, Spannung und Nervenkitzel. Mir hat das Autorenduo mit „Stimme der Finsternis“ großartige Lesestunden bereitet, allerdings muss ich gestehen, dass mir der vorherige Teil eine Idee besser gefallen hat. Was genau mir dieses Mal gefehlt hat, kann ich nur irgendwie gar nicht sagen. Mich hat der Trilogiestart einfach ein kleines bisschen mehr beeindrucken können. Begeistert von der Fortsetzung bin ich aber natürlich dennoch, definitiv! Es spricht doch wohl eindeutig für das Buch, dass ich es in weniger als zwei Tagen durchgesuchtet habe, oder? :D
Einmal begonnen mit dem Lesen, konnte ich einfach nicht mehr damit aufhören. Extrem spannende und actiongeladene Geschichten schreiben haben Ally Condie und Brendan Reichs zweifellos voll drauf! Und für das Erschaffen von schauerlichen Stimmungen, die einem durchweg Gänsehaut bescheren, haben die beiden ebenfalls ein absolutes Händchen. Für die dunkle Jahreszeit, insbesondere natürlich für Halloween, kann ich Darkdeep daher ganz besonders empfehlen. Gerade der zweite Band, der passenderweise sogar um Halloween herum spielt, ist die perfekte Lektüre für diese jährliche Gruselzeit. Allerdings sollte man natürlich zuerst den ersten Teil lesen und dann erst den zweiten. Bei der Darkdeep-Serie rate ich ganz dringend, die chronologische Reihenfolge der Bände einzuhalten! Ich glaube nicht, dass man dem Geschehen in der Fortsetzung problemlos folgen kann, wenn man ohne Vorkenntnisse in sie abtaucht.
Ich jedenfalls habe fabelhaft in das Buch hineingefunden und war von Beginn an wieder ganz verzaubert von dem einzigartigen Setting. Das Städtchen Timbers, die Stumme Bucht, das Finstertief, die nebelverhangenen Klippen – alles wird erneut so herrlich stimmungsvoll, bildhaft und mysteriös beschrieben. Kopfkino pur, sag ich euch! Also ich finde die Kulisse in den Darkdeep-Büchern einfach nur brillant. Vor allem diese düstere Atmosphäre hat‘s mir total angetan.
Erzählt wird erneut alles abwechselnd von Opal und Nico, jeweils in der dritten Person. Opal und Nico waren mir abermals auf Anhieb sympathisch. Vor allem Opal mochte ich in diesem Band unglaublich gerne und da sie zunächst als Einzige eine rätselhafte Stimme wahrnimmt, haben mir ihre Kapitel dieses Mal ganz besonders gut gefallen.
Mit Emma, Tyler, Logan und den weiteren Figuren konnten mich die beiden Autoren ebenfalls wieder vollends überzeugen. Logan war in Band 1 ja zunächst ein ziemlich unsympathischer Junge, allerdings hatte sich bereits da gezeigt, dass er eigentlich ein sehr herzlicher Kerl ist. Ich habe ihn mittlerweile richtig liebgewonnen und musste dieses Mal öfters über ihn schmunzeln. Als in Timbers das Bestie-Fieber ausbricht und viele in der Stadt versuchen, mit verschiedenen Bestie-Artikeln ordentlich Kohle zu machen, ist auch Logan mit Feuereifer dabei, was ich sehr unterhaltsam fand, grins.
Gemeinsam mit den fünf Freunden, die so schön verschieden sind, erleben wir in diesem Band ein erneutes unfassbares Abenteuer, bei welchem ganz klar jeder Grusel- und Mysteryliebhaber vollkommen auf seine Kosten kommen wird. Auch die Fortsetzung ist ziemlich unheimlich und steckt voller Überraschungen, übernatürlichen Dingen und unvorhersehbarer Wendungen. Aber keine Sorge, zu spooky und beklemmend wird auch dieser Band nicht. Es gibt erneut so einige humorvolle und lustige Szenen, die die finstere Handlung wunderbar auflockern.
Vom Verlag werden die Bücher für Mädchen und Jungen ab 10 Jahren empfohlen und dieser Empfehlung schließe ich mich erneut an. Allerdings ist Darkdeep nichts für zarter besaitete Leser*innen. Wer sich beim Lesen schnell fürchtet, sollte vielleicht lieber nicht zu dieser Reihe greifen.
Für Jugendliche und Erwachsene sind die Darkdeep-Abenteuer übrigens auch nur zu empfehlen. Wer gerne Bücher im Stil von R. L. Stine liest (Gänsehaut-Autor) und generell gerne in Horror- und Gruselgeschichten eintaucht, sollte sich die Darkdeep-Reihe von Ally Condie und Brendan Reichs unbedingt mal genauer anschauen!
Enden tut auch dieser Band mit einem ziemlich fiesen Cliffhanger, sodass man am liebsten sofort weiterlesen möchte. Auf Englisch wird der dritte Band noch dieses Jahr erscheinen, die deutsche Übersetzung folgt dann voraussichtlich im Frühjahr 2021. Da ich lieber auf Deutsch lese, werde ich mich also noch ein Weilchen gedulden müssen. Auf das Finale freue ich mich schon riesig!
Fazit: Hochspannend und fesselnd bis zum Schluss – ein richtig cooler Folgeband, den man einfach nicht mehr aus der Hand legen kann! Ally Condie und Brendan Reichs ist auch mit „Stimme der Finsternis“ ein hervorragender Mysteryroman geglückt, welcher uns Leser von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite in Atem hält und eine Story voller Geheimnisse, Action und Gefahren beschert. Die Darkdeep-Reihe ist wahrlich nichts für schwache Nerven und für alle Grusel- und Horrorfans ein absolutes Muss. Mir persönlich hat der erste Band ein klein wenig besser gefallen als die Fortsetzung, aber begeistert bin ich natürlich dennoch, was, so hoffe ich doch, in meiner Rezension auch deutlich geworden ist. :D
Ich finde die Darkdeep-Reihe richtig klasse und kann sie wirklich nur empfehlen. Der zweite Band erhält von mir 4,5 – hier gerundet auf 5 von 5 Sternen!
December 18, 2020
I can't decide if this is as good or better than the first book. Certainly more action packed and a richer world.
I was trying to pick out why I like this series so much and I think I've pegged it. In nearly all middle-grade or YA books, the protagonists won't ask adults for help and this is either dealt with through ignorant adults or isn't dealt with and frustrates the reader. The Darkdeep series is set up in such a way that it makes complete sense as to why the main group don't try to get help from adults.
There isn't as much character growth in this one as the last one but the story and worldbuilding are brilliant. It wasn't so much needed if I'm honest.
The ending is intriguing. Can't wait for the finale!
I was trying to pick out why I like this series so much and I think I've pegged it. In nearly all middle-grade or YA books, the protagonists won't ask adults for help and this is either dealt with through ignorant adults or isn't dealt with and frustrates the reader. The Darkdeep series is set up in such a way that it makes complete sense as to why the main group don't try to get help from adults.
There isn't as much character growth in this one as the last one but the story and worldbuilding are brilliant. It wasn't so much needed if I'm honest.
The ending is intriguing. Can't wait for the finale!
December 17, 2020
This takes place at Halloween. The story is about a film crew, a hunt for a monster, an alien, and a secret society. This picks up shortly after the previous book ends. The story is interesting and has plenty of action and mystery. It takes some surprising turns. I didn't think it would end the way it did.
June 7, 2019
The Figments are just the beginning. There is a whole lot more hidden beneath the Dark Deep.
September 5, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury, and authors Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn't quite as invested in this book as the first one, but it was still fun. Part of the reason is that there was not a Kindle version offered on NetGalley this time, only an Adobe Digital PDF, which means I had to sit and read off my computer screen. If a Kindle version were offered, like the first book, I would have read much faster and probably been a bit more invested. The story is still a fun middle grade read, though!
After the events of The Darkdeep, the people of Timbers go wild with the rumors of an actual sighting of "the Beast." Opal, Emma, Tyler, Nico, and Logan must keep the Darkdeep secret. They cannot share that these figments they think up come to life, and that they were there and know exactly what happened on the night of the Beast sighting.
Now that Timbers is blooming into a tourist town because of this event, a YouTube show called Freakshow comes to town seeking answers and publicity for their show. Of course, the creators want people to say certain things that make the show more exciting, but when the children are asked about the Beast, they shrug it off and pass it on as nothing real.
Their houseboat clubhouse is their secret. No one else would bother going into Still Cove because of the Beast rumors. Well, no one except Freakshow. Emma has a gig as their assistant, and she does everything she can to sway them from the truth and to stop them from going out to explore and film in Still Cove, where they might find the Darkdeep.
Not only do the children have to keep Freakshow from the Darkdeep, but they are also on a quest to learn about the previous Torchbearers, the keepers and protectors of the Darkdeep. As strange phenomena begin to happen around town, their questions lead them right to Torchbearer connections, the responsibilities they deem to take onto themselves. And Thing, a blob in a jar in the Darkdeep, seems to have a mind of its own as it begins to communicate with Opal through her mind, and eventually with the other children as well.
Thing seems helpful at first, but don't all blobs in jars have ulterior motives?
I feel like the story was slightly more confusing than the first book. Probably because it has been a year since I read it. Since this is a middle grade book, a recap of the events of book one would have been nice, though this book does do a good job at revisiting events that happened recently in the lives of the characters (from book one). I thought the figments and phenomena were interesting, but a bit convoluted. It became much more clear as the children began to learn what was going on in their town and with the Darkdeep, and in a way, I like being confused or uncertain, the way the children in the book are, and learning along with them as they begin to make the connections between the phenomenae and the Darkdeep.
The book ends with some fun potential for a third installment that I will gladly read. Still a fun book for a middle grade audience, even if it doesn't have the same mysterious flare as the first book. Don't get me wrong, there is still flare, it's just a different type of mystery than that which is presented in book one.
Overall, enjoyable and would recommend!
I wasn't quite as invested in this book as the first one, but it was still fun. Part of the reason is that there was not a Kindle version offered on NetGalley this time, only an Adobe Digital PDF, which means I had to sit and read off my computer screen. If a Kindle version were offered, like the first book, I would have read much faster and probably been a bit more invested. The story is still a fun middle grade read, though!
After the events of The Darkdeep, the people of Timbers go wild with the rumors of an actual sighting of "the Beast." Opal, Emma, Tyler, Nico, and Logan must keep the Darkdeep secret. They cannot share that these figments they think up come to life, and that they were there and know exactly what happened on the night of the Beast sighting.
Now that Timbers is blooming into a tourist town because of this event, a YouTube show called Freakshow comes to town seeking answers and publicity for their show. Of course, the creators want people to say certain things that make the show more exciting, but when the children are asked about the Beast, they shrug it off and pass it on as nothing real.
Their houseboat clubhouse is their secret. No one else would bother going into Still Cove because of the Beast rumors. Well, no one except Freakshow. Emma has a gig as their assistant, and she does everything she can to sway them from the truth and to stop them from going out to explore and film in Still Cove, where they might find the Darkdeep.
Not only do the children have to keep Freakshow from the Darkdeep, but they are also on a quest to learn about the previous Torchbearers, the keepers and protectors of the Darkdeep. As strange phenomena begin to happen around town, their questions lead them right to Torchbearer connections, the responsibilities they deem to take onto themselves. And Thing, a blob in a jar in the Darkdeep, seems to have a mind of its own as it begins to communicate with Opal through her mind, and eventually with the other children as well.
Thing seems helpful at first, but don't all blobs in jars have ulterior motives?
I feel like the story was slightly more confusing than the first book. Probably because it has been a year since I read it. Since this is a middle grade book, a recap of the events of book one would have been nice, though this book does do a good job at revisiting events that happened recently in the lives of the characters (from book one). I thought the figments and phenomena were interesting, but a bit convoluted. It became much more clear as the children began to learn what was going on in their town and with the Darkdeep, and in a way, I like being confused or uncertain, the way the children in the book are, and learning along with them as they begin to make the connections between the phenomenae and the Darkdeep.
The book ends with some fun potential for a third installment that I will gladly read. Still a fun book for a middle grade audience, even if it doesn't have the same mysterious flare as the first book. Don't get me wrong, there is still flare, it's just a different type of mystery than that which is presented in book one.
Overall, enjoyable and would recommend!
November 25, 2019
What an awesome series! I've read both books with my daughter and we've both enjoyed them a ton.
In this book, the whole crew is back, with the addition of Logan. They discover that the darkdeep is spontaneously producing figments on its own. To make matters more complicated, a cheesy internet show has rolled into town, hoping to catch a legendary beast on camera.
This series is so much fun. It's spooky, but not so scary that my daughter gets nightmares from it. So far, we've totally enjoyed every funny, tense, and suspenseful moment in the books. We're both looking forward to the next one!
Content: Suspense, dangerous situations. Movie rating would be PG.
In this book, the whole crew is back, with the addition of Logan. They discover that the darkdeep is spontaneously producing figments on its own. To make matters more complicated, a cheesy internet show has rolled into town, hoping to catch a legendary beast on camera.
This series is so much fun. It's spooky, but not so scary that my daughter gets nightmares from it. So far, we've totally enjoyed every funny, tense, and suspenseful moment in the books. We're both looking forward to the next one!
Content: Suspense, dangerous situations. Movie rating would be PG.
December 21, 2019
It was definitely better the the first in the series. I will no doubt have to read the next installment when it arrives. I am amazed at how clueless all the adults are. The five kids are out and about all the time without any parental unit seeming to know or worse care. Nico's father seems remarkably absent.
August 24, 2019
The Beast was just as much fun as The Darkdeep!
Nico, Opal, Emma, Tyler, and Logan are back again. They are trying to follow clues to explain the Torchbearers and find that there is a lot of history in the town. Something Opal hears has been giving them hints on where to go. The voice in her head is Thing, the gooey thing in the jar that they thought was dead. He starts telling him that there is a rift and they need to take care of that and The Darkdeep as Torchbearers.
A weird sulfur smell starts to surround them at the boat. Then there is a bio luminescence algae and then weird storms. Something isn't right. New figments appear and the daggers don't stop them. Thing starts telling them that they have to fix the rift. That it's not balanced.
During this same time, a film crew shows up to find "The Beast". They are filming and searching everywhere. Emma gets on the crew to try to keep them away from The Darkdeep. Things do not go well and the kids not only have to fix something they don't understand, but they have to make sure the crew and town doesn't understand that figments and the beast are real. Oh, and it's Halloween!
I love this group of friends. I honestly think middle school kids are perfect for this type of book. They have fear, but they also aren't as jaded as adults. And their lack of impulse control and lack of planning tends to come in handy. The trust between the five melts me. I can't wait to see what they do next.
I gave this book 4 1/2 stars (rounded up to five). Thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me a copy for review.
Nico, Opal, Emma, Tyler, and Logan are back again. They are trying to follow clues to explain the Torchbearers and find that there is a lot of history in the town. Something Opal hears has been giving them hints on where to go. The voice in her head is Thing, the gooey thing in the jar that they thought was dead. He starts telling him that there is a rift and they need to take care of that and The Darkdeep as Torchbearers.
A weird sulfur smell starts to surround them at the boat. Then there is a bio luminescence algae and then weird storms. Something isn't right. New figments appear and the daggers don't stop them. Thing starts telling them that they have to fix the rift. That it's not balanced.
During this same time, a film crew shows up to find "The Beast". They are filming and searching everywhere. Emma gets on the crew to try to keep them away from The Darkdeep. Things do not go well and the kids not only have to fix something they don't understand, but they have to make sure the crew and town doesn't understand that figments and the beast are real. Oh, and it's Halloween!
I love this group of friends. I honestly think middle school kids are perfect for this type of book. They have fear, but they also aren't as jaded as adults. And their lack of impulse control and lack of planning tends to come in handy. The trust between the five melts me. I can't wait to see what they do next.
I gave this book 4 1/2 stars (rounded up to five). Thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me a copy for review.
November 25, 2020
"En résumé, un second tome encore meilleur que le premier. L'intrigue prend un nouveau tournant, devient d'autant plus sombre et permet à nos héros de grandir, de prendre des décisions qui auront forcément un impact sur le futur. La suite de cette série promet d'être pleine de rebondissements et je n'ai qu'une hâte : la découvrir."
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http://lire-une-passion.weebly.com/fa...
November 25, 2020
The second book in this trilogy wasn't quite as good as the first, but was still VERY enjoyable.
August 5, 2019
I received an ARC from Book Expo.
I really enjoyed this second book in the DarkDeep series. It's fast paced and middle schoolers will really enjoy it.
Recommend!
I really enjoyed this second book in the DarkDeep series. It's fast paced and middle schoolers will really enjoy it.
Recommend!
May 19, 2022
Loved the sequel to Darkdeep!
July 2, 2019
Readers of series like Spiderwick Chronicles, Fablehaven, Simon Thorn and other monster centered fantasy books will appreciate Condie and Reichs Darkdeep series. Reading them in order is likely preferred, but I started with this second installment and found that the authors did a good job of filling in how this group of teens joined forces to fight the creatures that emerge from from the jet black pool hidden under a creepy houseboat. The Beast provides much action as our heroes chase down (or are chased by) assorted evil beings and manage to kill, banish, and dispatch each one, but some of the relationship dynamics get in the way of the excitement and some of the battles seem somewhat redundant. I am also unsure of the target audience. Constant references to Pokémon and other games and activities enjoyed by the upper elementary school-aged crowd plus reviews by professional librarian journals seem to place the series with students in grades 3-6. But the ages of the book’s main characters, efforts of some to couple off, and the length and reading level seem to place it with those in grades 6-8. Librarians and care-givers of both groups will be pleased to note the lack of profanity and sexual content, but naturally monster-killing does mean that violence will be present throughout.
February 17, 2020
The Beast (Darkdeep #2) by Ally Condie and Brenden Reichs, 325 pages. Bloomsbury, 2019. $17.
Content: G (mild fighting)
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Even though they survived their first challenge and have committed themselves and Torchbearers, Nick, Opal and the others are flailing a bit as they try to figure out what being a Torchbearer actually means. And Opal hears a voice in her head — could it be Thing? She’s reluctant to let the others know, but the lice does seem to be leading her in the right direction. Plus, the whole town seems to have Beast fever, which is bringing in the tourists by the boatload, including a YouTuber ghost hunter, who is more than happy to exploit the entire situation for fame.
The beginning dragged just a bit as Nick and the others are running around town while staying under the radar. Then suddenly, things start happening big time. I’m not giving away any spoilers - lets just say that betrayal come in many forms!
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
Content: G (mild fighting)
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Even though they survived their first challenge and have committed themselves and Torchbearers, Nick, Opal and the others are flailing a bit as they try to figure out what being a Torchbearer actually means. And Opal hears a voice in her head — could it be Thing? She’s reluctant to let the others know, but the lice does seem to be leading her in the right direction. Plus, the whole town seems to have Beast fever, which is bringing in the tourists by the boatload, including a YouTuber ghost hunter, who is more than happy to exploit the entire situation for fame.
The beginning dragged just a bit as Nick and the others are running around town while staying under the radar. Then suddenly, things start happening big time. I’m not giving away any spoilers - lets just say that betrayal come in many forms!
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
November 28, 2019
I found this sequel to be very exciting and better than the original novel, which I think is kind of rare. The plotline has lots of twists and turns, unexpected events and it's just downright fun! The group of main characters do lots of sneaking around, they solve mysteries, talk themselves out of problems with various adults and face some scary creatures. The book is good enough that I read the entire thing in one morning...in about roughly four hours. I think it was a wonderful way to spend Thanksgiving morning going on an exciting adventure before I had to start cooking..
One exciting event in the book was a showdown between two Leviathans! It reminded me a lot of those Godzilla movies where two massive Kaiju are fighting.. and that wasn't even the big climax! Things got tougher later on.
I hope the authors write more books in this series as I really enjoyed this one and the turn of events that took place and to learn more about the mysterious things that are at the heart of the story.
One exciting event in the book was a showdown between two Leviathans! It reminded me a lot of those Godzilla movies where two massive Kaiju are fighting.. and that wasn't even the big climax! Things got tougher later on.
I hope the authors write more books in this series as I really enjoyed this one and the turn of events that took place and to learn more about the mysterious things that are at the heart of the story.
January 3, 2021
RECENSIONE A CURA DEL BLOG IL SALOTTO DEL GATTO LIBRAIO
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Vi ricordate Nico, Emma e Tyler? Noooo, allora vi rinfreso la memoria... intenti a provare la nuova costruzione di Nico, un drone vero e proprio, i ragazzi si sono ritrovati a Still Cove, un'area abbastanza appartata e solitaria. Qui vengono però disturbati da Logan e la sua banda, che come al solito iniziano a prendersi gioco dei ragazzi e lanciano il drone nello strapiombo. Nico per recuparare la sua piccola creazione scivola nel burrone ma per fortuna Emma, Tyler e Opal, unitasi al gruppo dopo aver assistito al battibecco, riescono ritrovarlo nei pressi di una isoletta sconosciuta e abbandonata.
Da questo preciso momento inizierà per i ragazzi un'avventura pazzesca e fuori dalla righe. La scoperta di una pozza d'acqua buia e profonda chiamata da loro "Buiofondo" gli darà la possibilità di realizzare delle bizzarre e personali "fantasticherie" create dalle loro menti. Tuffandosi all'interno della pozza d'acqua vorticante, nascosta all'interno del seminterrato di una casa galleggiante, i ragazzi daranno vita a Puffi, Power Rangers, Dinosauri, personaggi dei video giochi ecc... Ma quanto è sicuro il Buiofondo? E se qualche creazione uscisse fuori dall'isola?
In questo secondo capitolo i ragazzi si ritroveranno infatti a dover custodire e proteggere il Buiofondo dai cittadini e curiosi. L'impresa però non si rivela così semplice soprattutto se oltre ad una strana Bestia che si aggira a piede libero per il paese, c'è anche un ragazzo molto curioso in cerca di scoop che si occupa di show televisivi.
Emma, Opal, Nico e Tyler sempre più consapevoli del loro ruolo, rispetto al primo libro li ritroviamo più maturi e meno sprovveduti ma sopratutto più sicuri delle loro forze.
Darkdeep 2. I custodi del buiofondo conferma quello che già avevo intuito con la prima pubblicazione, ovvero che si tratta di una serie interessantissima e anche se stiamo parlando di un romanzo middle-grade ovvero, consigliato ad un pubblico giovanile, vi assicuro che riuscirà a coinvolgere anche i più grandi proprio come è successo con me.
La narrazione visto il target, è molto semplice e scorrevole ma è talmente intrigante e avvolta dal mistero che chiunque ne rimarrà affascinato.
Anche questa volta ho apprezzato molto l'uso del Pov che per eccellenza, è uno degli espedienti narrativi che amo di più, l'ambientazione è la stessa del primo libro ma ciò non toglie che ha sempre un suo fascino grazie soprattutto a quel tocco di magia. Ogni particolare dell'isola mi ha fatto desiderare di unirmi ad Emma, Opal, Nico e Tyler riportandomi alla mentre anche un grande cult degli anni '90 come i fantastici Goonies.
In conclusione vi posso confermare che questa storia, scritta a quattro mani da Ally Condie autrice della trilogia Matched e Brendan Reichs, saprà catturare ogni tipo di lettore, diversamente gioveni e ragazzi eheh, che cosa aspettate quindi? I misteri di Still Cove vi stanno aspettando...
https://ilsalottodelgattolibraio.blog...
Vi ricordate Nico, Emma e Tyler? Noooo, allora vi rinfreso la memoria... intenti a provare la nuova costruzione di Nico, un drone vero e proprio, i ragazzi si sono ritrovati a Still Cove, un'area abbastanza appartata e solitaria. Qui vengono però disturbati da Logan e la sua banda, che come al solito iniziano a prendersi gioco dei ragazzi e lanciano il drone nello strapiombo. Nico per recuparare la sua piccola creazione scivola nel burrone ma per fortuna Emma, Tyler e Opal, unitasi al gruppo dopo aver assistito al battibecco, riescono ritrovarlo nei pressi di una isoletta sconosciuta e abbandonata.
Da questo preciso momento inizierà per i ragazzi un'avventura pazzesca e fuori dalla righe. La scoperta di una pozza d'acqua buia e profonda chiamata da loro "Buiofondo" gli darà la possibilità di realizzare delle bizzarre e personali "fantasticherie" create dalle loro menti. Tuffandosi all'interno della pozza d'acqua vorticante, nascosta all'interno del seminterrato di una casa galleggiante, i ragazzi daranno vita a Puffi, Power Rangers, Dinosauri, personaggi dei video giochi ecc... Ma quanto è sicuro il Buiofondo? E se qualche creazione uscisse fuori dall'isola?
In questo secondo capitolo i ragazzi si ritroveranno infatti a dover custodire e proteggere il Buiofondo dai cittadini e curiosi. L'impresa però non si rivela così semplice soprattutto se oltre ad una strana Bestia che si aggira a piede libero per il paese, c'è anche un ragazzo molto curioso in cerca di scoop che si occupa di show televisivi.
Emma, Opal, Nico e Tyler sempre più consapevoli del loro ruolo, rispetto al primo libro li ritroviamo più maturi e meno sprovveduti ma sopratutto più sicuri delle loro forze.
Darkdeep 2. I custodi del buiofondo conferma quello che già avevo intuito con la prima pubblicazione, ovvero che si tratta di una serie interessantissima e anche se stiamo parlando di un romanzo middle-grade ovvero, consigliato ad un pubblico giovanile, vi assicuro che riuscirà a coinvolgere anche i più grandi proprio come è successo con me.
La narrazione visto il target, è molto semplice e scorrevole ma è talmente intrigante e avvolta dal mistero che chiunque ne rimarrà affascinato.
Anche questa volta ho apprezzato molto l'uso del Pov che per eccellenza, è uno degli espedienti narrativi che amo di più, l'ambientazione è la stessa del primo libro ma ciò non toglie che ha sempre un suo fascino grazie soprattutto a quel tocco di magia. Ogni particolare dell'isola mi ha fatto desiderare di unirmi ad Emma, Opal, Nico e Tyler riportandomi alla mentre anche un grande cult degli anni '90 come i fantastici Goonies.
In conclusione vi posso confermare che questa storia, scritta a quattro mani da Ally Condie autrice della trilogia Matched e Brendan Reichs, saprà catturare ogni tipo di lettore, diversamente gioveni e ragazzi eheh, che cosa aspettate quindi? I misteri di Still Cove vi stanno aspettando...
May 17, 2019
Well, It Certainly Zips Along
If you read a lot of middle grade and YA fantasy action/adventure your favorite books probably involve interesting and surprising characters, clever plot twists, possibly some youthful issues, and careful attention being paid to creating as authentic a fantasy feel as possible. If you read adult airport thrillers you're probably used to flat and predictable characters recently retired from a special forces unit, non-stop action, and wildly and almost intentionally implausible action scenes.
This book struck me as an odd combination of those two styles.
As to characters, only minimal effort is made to create distinct personalities for the five kids. Whatever you are going to know about them is set out in the first chapter or two and then they just behave to type after that. That said, the girls get to be strong characters, possibly the two strongest, and they get most of the amusing lines and solve most of the mysteries, so that's a nice plus.
As to plot, this is a combination of monster battles, saving the world from a multi-verse tear, joining a secret society, and following the clues to a scavenger hunt. It all rattles along at a crazy pace, helped by intuition, telepathically delivered instructions, and insanely coincidental and fortuitous puzzle solving. You basically just get on the ride and hold on through the curves. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, and it helps immensely that the action takes place in a number of great and well imagined locations, (mysterious houseboat, space warped whirlpool, crypt, underground hideout, cemetery, abandoned ocean oil rig).
The book is well written. Dialogue is brief but effective. Action is clearly described. A side story about a goofy reality show star who shows up in town is handled with wry dismissive humor. This is a second book, and lots happened in the first book, but the first chapter of this one uses expository dialogue to very effectively bring new readers up to speed.
So, on the one hand I tore through this, wanting to know what would happen next and curious to see what the next action curveball would be. On the other hand, I'm already forgetting the characters and the storyline.
(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
If you read a lot of middle grade and YA fantasy action/adventure your favorite books probably involve interesting and surprising characters, clever plot twists, possibly some youthful issues, and careful attention being paid to creating as authentic a fantasy feel as possible. If you read adult airport thrillers you're probably used to flat and predictable characters recently retired from a special forces unit, non-stop action, and wildly and almost intentionally implausible action scenes.
This book struck me as an odd combination of those two styles.
As to characters, only minimal effort is made to create distinct personalities for the five kids. Whatever you are going to know about them is set out in the first chapter or two and then they just behave to type after that. That said, the girls get to be strong characters, possibly the two strongest, and they get most of the amusing lines and solve most of the mysteries, so that's a nice plus.
As to plot, this is a combination of monster battles, saving the world from a multi-verse tear, joining a secret society, and following the clues to a scavenger hunt. It all rattles along at a crazy pace, helped by intuition, telepathically delivered instructions, and insanely coincidental and fortuitous puzzle solving. You basically just get on the ride and hold on through the curves. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, and it helps immensely that the action takes place in a number of great and well imagined locations, (mysterious houseboat, space warped whirlpool, crypt, underground hideout, cemetery, abandoned ocean oil rig).
The book is well written. Dialogue is brief but effective. Action is clearly described. A side story about a goofy reality show star who shows up in town is handled with wry dismissive humor. This is a second book, and lots happened in the first book, but the first chapter of this one uses expository dialogue to very effectively bring new readers up to speed.
So, on the one hand I tore through this, wanting to know what would happen next and curious to see what the next action curveball would be. On the other hand, I'm already forgetting the characters and the storyline.
(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
December 16, 2019
My name is Opal, and my friends and I are tasked with secretly guarding any figments that might emerge from the Darkdeep. We're called Torchbearers, but we don't have any instructions about what we're supposed to do. We stop creatures that escape from the dark waters, but we don't really know where they come from. I'm afraid to tell the others about the voice in my head, but it's been giving me useful clues. They'll probably think I'm crazy; I wonder about that myself. The whole town is excited about celebrating legends about the Beast on Halloween, and tourists are flocking in. There's even a video crew from the online hit Freakshow, and they'll only make it harder to keep the Darkdeep a secret. The unpredictable appearances of figments, glowing hail, and red tide are making things stranger, but at least we know the Beast isn't real, right?
Once again, I've started a series without reading the first book. I'm guessing a lot of information was repeated, since the kids were still learning to be Torchbearers. The figments were a little confusing. A character said they could get rid of the creatures fairly easily, but they always had trouble when it came to actually doing it. Maybe I would have seen this as a clue of changes happening if I'd read the first book. The main characters formed a tight bond with their unique personalities. It felt like Nico was the leader, although they quickly supported each other when it came to Torchbearer business. Tyler viewed himself as a brave hero, while Logan became obsessed as an entrepreneur. The author included a couple of twists, as the identities of the antagonists shifted a bit. The gang needed to come up with new ways to combat the figments, and the new strategies were risky. Overall, the book wasn't an intense adventure, but it captured my interest. I imagine I'll probably end up reading the previous book, and I think you should give it a chance too.
Once again, I've started a series without reading the first book. I'm guessing a lot of information was repeated, since the kids were still learning to be Torchbearers. The figments were a little confusing. A character said they could get rid of the creatures fairly easily, but they always had trouble when it came to actually doing it. Maybe I would have seen this as a clue of changes happening if I'd read the first book. The main characters formed a tight bond with their unique personalities. It felt like Nico was the leader, although they quickly supported each other when it came to Torchbearer business. Tyler viewed himself as a brave hero, while Logan became obsessed as an entrepreneur. The author included a couple of twists, as the identities of the antagonists shifted a bit. The gang needed to come up with new ways to combat the figments, and the new strategies were risky. Overall, the book wasn't an intense adventure, but it captured my interest. I imagine I'll probably end up reading the previous book, and I think you should give it a chance too.
September 26, 2019
After Nico, Opal, Tyler, Emma, and new friend Logan, banded together to save their town of Timbers from the mysterious Darkdeep and its scary figments, they’re ready to take on their roles as new Torchbearers and keep the Darkdeep safe. But soon the five kids discover that their new responsibilities are anything but simple and they aren’t sure who or where to turn. Toss in a mind-talking goo creature, a pesky Youtube show invading Timbers, strange behaving figments, and a maybe all too real Beast, and the five friends will be lucky to survive Halloween.
Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs return to their wildly fun and wickedly engrossing middle-grade The Darkdeep series with book two, The Beast. Once again, this superb writing duo have spun a spectacularly spooktastic and unputdownable tale, that will have young readers eagerly turning pages by flashlight late into the night.
The Beast excitedly continues this smart, cinematic series with a storyline full of thrills, chills, and fantastic twists. The mystery and history of the Torchbearers, the houseboat, and the Darkdeep itself are wonderfully explored and expanded in book two, through pitch-perfect storytelling, excellent character development, and immersive world-building. Readers will have a blast joining our heroes as they race to thwart an annoying Youtube star, protect their town, survive Halloween, and somehow not end up grounded! The authors once again, create a fantastically lush, spine-tingling atmosphere and fill this bewitching world with cool, imaginative horror, fantasy, and sci-fi elements. And of course, at the heart of this story and series, is five capable, likable, and relatable young heroes who continue to be a joy to get to know.
An engaging and engrossing story, an awesomely cinematic vibe, cool characters, and heart-pounding adventure and twists, make this book and series a perfect read for young readers, especially reluctant readers.
Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs return to their wildly fun and wickedly engrossing middle-grade The Darkdeep series with book two, The Beast. Once again, this superb writing duo have spun a spectacularly spooktastic and unputdownable tale, that will have young readers eagerly turning pages by flashlight late into the night.
The Beast excitedly continues this smart, cinematic series with a storyline full of thrills, chills, and fantastic twists. The mystery and history of the Torchbearers, the houseboat, and the Darkdeep itself are wonderfully explored and expanded in book two, through pitch-perfect storytelling, excellent character development, and immersive world-building. Readers will have a blast joining our heroes as they race to thwart an annoying Youtube star, protect their town, survive Halloween, and somehow not end up grounded! The authors once again, create a fantastically lush, spine-tingling atmosphere and fill this bewitching world with cool, imaginative horror, fantasy, and sci-fi elements. And of course, at the heart of this story and series, is five capable, likable, and relatable young heroes who continue to be a joy to get to know.
An engaging and engrossing story, an awesomely cinematic vibe, cool characters, and heart-pounding adventure and twists, make this book and series a perfect read for young readers, especially reluctant readers.
August 25, 2022
As Halloween nears, the town of Timber is capitalizing on their Beast folklore to draw in tourists. The town is actually going a little too crazy with it in the opinion of most of the Torchbearers charged with protecting the town from the very real Beast and other things (well, all of them except Logan who is designing Beast t-shirts and making some good money off the Beast mania). Their job is getting harder because even though they've stopped jumping in the Darkdeep, figments are still appearing and seem to be doing so in increasing numbers. There's also some weird algae blooms appearing off shore, and very odd lightning storms. An internet celebrity has come to town to try and hunt down the Beast, and Emma has joined his crew to try and keep him away from any real finds, but is she getting too into the filming? Opal could swear someone is telling her to go certain places, which has led the Torchbearers to discover some further old Torchbearer bases. But who is talking to her? Everything will come to a head on Halloween.
I liked this way more than the first book. Figuring out what was going on, how the Torchbearers could protect the town, and more of the Torchbearer past kept the pages flying. Condie and Reichs manage to give each of the 5 main characters a solid voice and bring them to life individually and collectively as a group. There's also some tantalizing reveals about the source of the Darkdeep, the Beast, and the figments I really enjoyed. I'm a wimp when it comes to scary books, but this stays more on the mystery/suspense/scifi end than the paranormal/scary keep-you-sleeping-with-the-lights-on end.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are perilous situations but no one is seriously hurt; it's definitely more psychological stress and tension.
I liked this way more than the first book. Figuring out what was going on, how the Torchbearers could protect the town, and more of the Torchbearer past kept the pages flying. Condie and Reichs manage to give each of the 5 main characters a solid voice and bring them to life individually and collectively as a group. There's also some tantalizing reveals about the source of the Darkdeep, the Beast, and the figments I really enjoyed. I'm a wimp when it comes to scary books, but this stays more on the mystery/suspense/scifi end than the paranormal/scary keep-you-sleeping-with-the-lights-on end.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are perilous situations but no one is seriously hurt; it's definitely more psychological stress and tension.
September 21, 2019
3.5 stars, rounded up
Y'all. If you thought The Darkdeep was craaazay (aka "good crazy") then get ready for The Beast! This book takes everything literally to a whole new level. Like I was fully not expecting to go all the places this story went. I was sitting there reading it and just when I thought things couldn't get any more insane -- they totally did!
There was so much going on here, what with the Beast, the figments, Freakshow, and the gang trying to solve another mystery. It all ended up connecting of course, but daaaang. I am super impressed with the creativity of Ally and Brendan and this world they've created. This group of friends is pretty great, too. They have each other's backs 100%, always remembering their oath, "We look out for the Darkdeep, and we look out for each other." I was especially touched by some of their little actions, which actually weren't so little. Like Tyler's badass moment toward the end. And Nico subtlely cutting Logan some slack at one point.
Like with the last novel, this one ended with a little hint about what's to come. I, of course, can't imagine what that is. But based on the teaser, I fully believe it's going to get even craaaazier than this one. I cannot wait!
In the meantime, The Beast publishes Tuesday, September 24th. This is a fun series so far (although I will never look at Care Bears the same way, thank you very much, Brendan and Ally!!) and I recommend you give it a try if you're in the mood for a super creative adventure.
This review is also on Book Nerds Across America: http://www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com...
Y'all. If you thought The Darkdeep was craaazay (aka "good crazy") then get ready for The Beast! This book takes everything literally to a whole new level. Like I was fully not expecting to go all the places this story went. I was sitting there reading it and just when I thought things couldn't get any more insane -- they totally did!
There was so much going on here, what with the Beast, the figments, Freakshow, and the gang trying to solve another mystery. It all ended up connecting of course, but daaaang. I am super impressed with the creativity of Ally and Brendan and this world they've created. This group of friends is pretty great, too. They have each other's backs 100%, always remembering their oath, "We look out for the Darkdeep, and we look out for each other." I was especially touched by some of their little actions, which actually weren't so little. Like Tyler's badass moment toward the end. And Nico subtlely cutting Logan some slack at one point.
Like with the last novel, this one ended with a little hint about what's to come. I, of course, can't imagine what that is. But based on the teaser, I fully believe it's going to get even craaaazier than this one. I cannot wait!
In the meantime, The Beast publishes Tuesday, September 24th. This is a fun series so far (although I will never look at Care Bears the same way, thank you very much, Brendan and Ally!!) and I recommend you give it a try if you're in the mood for a super creative adventure.
This review is also on Book Nerds Across America: http://www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com...
January 20, 2021
Le livre reprend direct à la fin du premier. Du coup, si vous avez attendu que les deux soient sortis, c’est génial pour les enchainer.
Dans ce tome, on plonge encore plus au cœur de l’Infinoir et son univers fantastique. Et j’ai comme l’impression qu’on n’est pas au bout de nos surprises ! Surtout qu’il y a un tome 3 à venir.
De nouvelles aventures donc pour les héros et elles sont plus sombres, plus dangereuses. Pour eux c’est comme un premier pas dans la maturité puisqu’ils vont devoir réfléchir avant d’agir, anticiper et se mettre vraiment en danger. Ils n’auront pas de répit, ce qui rend le livre plutôt addictif, et eux encore plus attachants. Leurs liens se soudent encore plus et forcément, j’ai eu la pression pour eux !
L’arrivée des youtubeurs apporte un aspect réel au récit dans le sens où c’est une pratique bien actuelle et omniprésente. Alors on a un peu cette impression de et si ça arrivait vraiment ? Et là, encore une fois, je me suis dit que j’aurai aimé en être 🙂
Une très bonne suite pour cette série. Pour les amateurs/rices d’aventures et pour les ados qui aiment le fantastique.
Bisous mes p’tits biscuits ♥
Dans ce tome, on plonge encore plus au cœur de l’Infinoir et son univers fantastique. Et j’ai comme l’impression qu’on n’est pas au bout de nos surprises ! Surtout qu’il y a un tome 3 à venir.
De nouvelles aventures donc pour les héros et elles sont plus sombres, plus dangereuses. Pour eux c’est comme un premier pas dans la maturité puisqu’ils vont devoir réfléchir avant d’agir, anticiper et se mettre vraiment en danger. Ils n’auront pas de répit, ce qui rend le livre plutôt addictif, et eux encore plus attachants. Leurs liens se soudent encore plus et forcément, j’ai eu la pression pour eux !
L’arrivée des youtubeurs apporte un aspect réel au récit dans le sens où c’est une pratique bien actuelle et omniprésente. Alors on a un peu cette impression de et si ça arrivait vraiment ? Et là, encore une fois, je me suis dit que j’aurai aimé en être 🙂
Une très bonne suite pour cette série. Pour les amateurs/rices d’aventures et pour les ados qui aiment le fantastique.
Bisous mes p’tits biscuits ♥
September 21, 2020
Summary:
Opal keeps hearing a voice in her head, is she going crazy or is that green thing in the jar talking to her? As the torchbearers try to move on from the horrors of Halloween night, Opal continues to hear a voice in her head that leads her to a torchbearer crypt, and something called the Rift which is somehow connected to the Darkdeep.
Whole following the clues that the voice gives them to set them on a path to the Rift. The torchbearers encounter more and more figments that they aren’t responsible for, all while and dealing with the real Beast.
My Thoughts:
Oooooo. This one was intriguing with Opal hearing voices in her head. It kept me going trying to figure out if it was the green blob, a torchbearer or both. I also liked the idea of there being figments that they didn’t create. There was a lot more mystery to this one and a lot of action. Even a bit of science fiction (but I won’t give away that part). While I still like the first the best, this was pretty good for a follow-up sequel.
Opal keeps hearing a voice in her head, is she going crazy or is that green thing in the jar talking to her? As the torchbearers try to move on from the horrors of Halloween night, Opal continues to hear a voice in her head that leads her to a torchbearer crypt, and something called the Rift which is somehow connected to the Darkdeep.
Whole following the clues that the voice gives them to set them on a path to the Rift. The torchbearers encounter more and more figments that they aren’t responsible for, all while and dealing with the real Beast.
My Thoughts:
Oooooo. This one was intriguing with Opal hearing voices in her head. It kept me going trying to figure out if it was the green blob, a torchbearer or both. I also liked the idea of there being figments that they didn’t create. There was a lot more mystery to this one and a lot of action. Even a bit of science fiction (but I won’t give away that part). While I still like the first the best, this was pretty good for a follow-up sequel.
September 21, 2019
Thanks to Bloomsbury for sharing an ARC with our #bookexpedition group.
Nico, Logan, Emma, Tyler and Opal are back in this sequel to The Darkdeep. Just like the first book in the series, The Beast is told from multiple perspectives to give readers a sense of each character.
The book begins with the group battling a new figment. Though no one has gone back into the Darkdeep, figments have returned, terrorizing the new Torchbearers. And that’s not the only thing terrorizing the island. There’s the horrid smell of sulfur near the boat, strange glowing algae, freakish lightning storms, and a reality TV show there to film “The Beast” in action. Fast paced and action packed!
What I loved most about this sequel was the sense of trust the Torchbearers had in each other. They each have their own role but come together quickly when one was in need.
Goonies meets Stranger Things. Publishes 9/24.
Nico, Logan, Emma, Tyler and Opal are back in this sequel to The Darkdeep. Just like the first book in the series, The Beast is told from multiple perspectives to give readers a sense of each character.
The book begins with the group battling a new figment. Though no one has gone back into the Darkdeep, figments have returned, terrorizing the new Torchbearers. And that’s not the only thing terrorizing the island. There’s the horrid smell of sulfur near the boat, strange glowing algae, freakish lightning storms, and a reality TV show there to film “The Beast” in action. Fast paced and action packed!
What I loved most about this sequel was the sense of trust the Torchbearers had in each other. They each have their own role but come together quickly when one was in need.
Goonies meets Stranger Things. Publishes 9/24.
April 11, 2021
This was a great continuation of the Darkdeep series. The problems got bigger, and we saw the group of unlikely friends working together, sticking to the oath they made to each other. I love this group of kids and their unwavering loyalty to each other.
Nico and Opal are the only two characters with POVs, although I think it would be fun to have POVs from Emma, Tyler, and Logan, too. But on the other hand, Nico and Opal’s voices sound very much the same, so maybe adding more POVs wouldn’t really change anything.
So far they haven’t had to face any fallout with their parents, and I’m curious what drama that could add to the story, or even what would happen if more people knew about the Darkdeep and figments. I will probably be reading the next book soon, as too much time between books in a series means I forget details!
Nico and Opal are the only two characters with POVs, although I think it would be fun to have POVs from Emma, Tyler, and Logan, too. But on the other hand, Nico and Opal’s voices sound very much the same, so maybe adding more POVs wouldn’t really change anything.
So far they haven’t had to face any fallout with their parents, and I’m curious what drama that could add to the story, or even what would happen if more people knew about the Darkdeep and figments. I will probably be reading the next book soon, as too much time between books in a series means I forget details!
July 1, 2019
Nico, Opal, Emma, Tyler and Logan are back. The DarkDeep keeps spitting out figments even though no one is going through it anymore. They don't know where they are coming from, but they are able to dispel them. It is getting close to Halloween, the "Beast" has become popular and is bringing in tourists, and now a You-tuber shows up from Freakshow to document what he can find. As the kids try to figure out what is going on with the DarkDeep, the green blob starts to communicate with them, the figments start becoming where they can't be dispersed, and the you-tuber starts discovering more about what's going on. Will the kids be able to contain the chaos?
Another great addition and a window left open for another book! Can't wait!
Another great addition and a window left open for another book! Can't wait!
June 25, 2020
Bottom line, this is an adventure novel that is just as fun and fast-paced as it's predecessor!
I'd pitch this as 'The Goonies' meets 'Goosebumps': a bunch of kids coming together to protect their home town from a creepy entity known as The Darkdeep that projects people's thoughts (and fears) into the real world.
The characters are lively and they keep the plot moving along at a steady pace to keep readers (especially younger ones) hooked until the last page. Where it's a shame that some of the plot points and character developments seem to happen out of nowhere with next to no buildup, The Beast offers a creepy and exciting middle-grade adventure that'll have you hungry for the third installment due out later this year!
I'd pitch this as 'The Goonies' meets 'Goosebumps': a bunch of kids coming together to protect their home town from a creepy entity known as The Darkdeep that projects people's thoughts (and fears) into the real world.
The characters are lively and they keep the plot moving along at a steady pace to keep readers (especially younger ones) hooked until the last page. Where it's a shame that some of the plot points and character developments seem to happen out of nowhere with next to no buildup, The Beast offers a creepy and exciting middle-grade adventure that'll have you hungry for the third installment due out later this year!
January 2, 2022
Just when the kids thought the Darkdeep was under control, everything goes nuts. Figments they didn’t conjure, a voice in their heads, and an actual Beast complicate their fall break and create a Halloween they’ll never forget. The action is nonstop. The story is told alternating focused on Nico and Opal. Just when I thought everything was resolving way too long before the end of the book, the situation got even worse. There were things I definitely didn’t expect and thank goodness for the comic relief offered by Colton Bridger and his Freakshow. Otherwise the book just might have been too intense (yes, I realize I am an adult and this is a kids book… I am a wimp). I recommend this book (the whole series) to children and adults alike.
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