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kkaste's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
campbelldms's review against another edition
4.0
I love this series. Every installment is as good as the first. These books are so captivating and always leave you on the back on your seat. I cannot wait for the third book the torchbearers. The ending had a great cliffhanger. Love this concept and will read all of these
purdytrue's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
alainah's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
readsandrants's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
3.5
such a human name for a strange green alien blob
barberchicago_books's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to Bloomsbury for sharing an ARC with our reading group.
The sequel to The Darkdeep, The Beast, may be even better than the first. This series scares THE PANTS off of me and I know my students will love it, too. Enjoyed the multiple perspectives, as I felt like I knew each character on a deeper level. Can’t wait for #3!
There will be a third one, right?
The sequel to The Darkdeep, The Beast, may be even better than the first. This series scares THE PANTS off of me and I know my students will love it, too. Enjoyed the multiple perspectives, as I felt like I knew each character on a deeper level. Can’t wait for #3!
There will be a third one, right?
bybookandbone's review against another edition
5.0
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!
hailandwellread's review against another edition
4.0
DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
EXPECTED SEPTEMBER 24, 2019
4 STARS
CW: mild violence
Last year, The Darkdeep had me impressed with its PNW eerieness, its oh-so-human preteen protagonists, and its stunning, colorful cover, and I’m thrilled to say that The Beast doesn’t disappoint at all. Picking up not too long after where The Darkdeep left off, The Beast is set on the cusp of Halloween, with our Torchbearer heroes still trying to get a better grasp of their responsibilities concerning the Darkdeep and keeping their world safe.
More so than last time, when Nico was the central character, Opal takes the main stage. It was great to spend more time inside her head, especially since we last left her with a curious connection to the Darkdeep that was unexplained. In some ways, it’s still a little bit unexplained (mostly why she’s the one that ended up most connected), but this book gives her time to come into her own and to twine herself into the Torchbearer group more fully. She trusts them, and wants them to trust her, something that provides an undercurrent to her character.
And while Nico wasn’t the focus this time, he’s still working on making his tentative new friendship with Logan work, while still keeping strong bonds with the rest of his friends. Altogether, they make a bit of an unlikely crew (and I still don’t care much for Logan, but he’s a bit of a rich boy braggart in my eyes, so I’m not surprised), but I actually really enjoy their group dynamic. It feels balanced between goofy and serious, eager and cautious, book smart and street smart, and it makes it fun to read about the five Torchbearers charging into danger despite the uncertainty of it all.
Speaking of uncertainty, there’s a fair bit of that here in the second installment of the series. The Beast of Still Cove’s existence is called into question in a delightful way, one that actually pulls Tyler a little closer to the forefront, especially given his deep-seated fear of the Beast, and there are questions about the figments still arising on the island and near the town of Timbers, figments that shouldn’t exist now that our team of Torchbearers have calmed the Darkdeep.
All things considered, I ended up pretty satisfied with the track The Beast took. It doesn’t raise quite as many questions as The Darkdeep, I think by virtue of being the second book requiring some functions of the world to be firmly established, but it does dig into the uncertainty left over from the first book to advance the plot further. Then, it sprinkles some MG level humor on top, some gratuitous use of Pokémon (Logan, you’re wrong, Pokémon is NOT just for kids, thank you very much), and an ending that promises a third book to come, making for a solid second book. I don’t think it’s nearly as good as The Darkdeep, but only by a hair, and certainly not by so much as for me to lower the star rating.
If you enjoyed The Darkdeep or know a kid in your life who devoured it, The Beast is going to hit shelves on September 24th, so you still have time to place a pre-order or make a request with your local library! Or, if you haven’t read The Darkdeep and you’re still reading this review for some reason, that’s plenty of time to catch up on where our Torchbearers have been before getting invested in The Beast! It’s a perfect series for fans of Gravity Falls, and all things now considered, I think anyone who enjoyed Into the Spiderverse is going to be interested in this series too.
EXPECTED SEPTEMBER 24, 2019
4 STARS
CW: mild violence
Last year, The Darkdeep had me impressed with its PNW eerieness, its oh-so-human preteen protagonists, and its stunning, colorful cover, and I’m thrilled to say that The Beast doesn’t disappoint at all. Picking up not too long after where The Darkdeep left off, The Beast is set on the cusp of Halloween, with our Torchbearer heroes still trying to get a better grasp of their responsibilities concerning the Darkdeep and keeping their world safe.
More so than last time, when Nico was the central character, Opal takes the main stage. It was great to spend more time inside her head, especially since we last left her with a curious connection to the Darkdeep that was unexplained. In some ways, it’s still a little bit unexplained (mostly why she’s the one that ended up most connected), but this book gives her time to come into her own and to twine herself into the Torchbearer group more fully. She trusts them, and wants them to trust her, something that provides an undercurrent to her character.
And while Nico wasn’t the focus this time, he’s still working on making his tentative new friendship with Logan work, while still keeping strong bonds with the rest of his friends. Altogether, they make a bit of an unlikely crew (and I still don’t care much for Logan, but he’s a bit of a rich boy braggart in my eyes, so I’m not surprised), but I actually really enjoy their group dynamic. It feels balanced between goofy and serious, eager and cautious, book smart and street smart, and it makes it fun to read about the five Torchbearers charging into danger despite the uncertainty of it all.
Speaking of uncertainty, there’s a fair bit of that here in the second installment of the series. The Beast of Still Cove’s existence is called into question in a delightful way, one that actually pulls Tyler a little closer to the forefront, especially given his deep-seated fear of the Beast, and there are questions about the figments still arising on the island and near the town of Timbers, figments that shouldn’t exist now that our team of Torchbearers have calmed the Darkdeep.
All things considered, I ended up pretty satisfied with the track The Beast took. It doesn’t raise quite as many questions as The Darkdeep, I think by virtue of being the second book requiring some functions of the world to be firmly established, but it does dig into the uncertainty left over from the first book to advance the plot further. Then, it sprinkles some MG level humor on top, some gratuitous use of Pokémon (Logan, you’re wrong, Pokémon is NOT just for kids, thank you very much), and an ending that promises a third book to come, making for a solid second book. I don’t think it’s nearly as good as The Darkdeep, but only by a hair, and certainly not by so much as for me to lower the star rating.
If you enjoyed The Darkdeep or know a kid in your life who devoured it, The Beast is going to hit shelves on September 24th, so you still have time to place a pre-order or make a request with your local library! Or, if you haven’t read The Darkdeep and you’re still reading this review for some reason, that’s plenty of time to catch up on where our Torchbearers have been before getting invested in The Beast! It’s a perfect series for fans of Gravity Falls, and all things now considered, I think anyone who enjoyed Into the Spiderverse is going to be interested in this series too.
portiabturner's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not usually a fan of scary stories but I can't get enough of the adventures of these kids and the Darkdeep!
I loved the first book in the series and was very excited for the second one. And just like Reichs's "Nemesis" series, this book is even more strange and bizarre than the first one. While being an action-packed horror story, it is also a mystery that leads the kids through historical areas of the town they all thought that they knew so well. Add to that a green, glowing blob and a successful YouTube show and you have a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is the second book in the series (I definitely recommend reading the first book first) but does not suffer at all from the curse of the second book. Well written and full of action and adventure.
This is the perfect book for any kid looking for something creepy and weird. It is scary without being terrifying and causing nightmares.
Thanks to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for a copy of this book!
I loved the first book in the series and was very excited for the second one. And just like Reichs's "Nemesis" series, this book is even more strange and bizarre than the first one. While being an action-packed horror story, it is also a mystery that leads the kids through historical areas of the town they all thought that they knew so well. Add to that a green, glowing blob and a successful YouTube show and you have a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is the second book in the series (I definitely recommend reading the first book first) but does not suffer at all from the curse of the second book. Well written and full of action and adventure.
This is the perfect book for any kid looking for something creepy and weird. It is scary without being terrifying and causing nightmares.
Thanks to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for a copy of this book!
jessicaesquire's review against another edition
I didn't like this quite as much as the first one, but I think the kids liked it more. It was definitely action-packed and it was not at all uncommon for the kids to beg for one more chapter.
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