4 stars!!

"Sometimes choices get taken away from you by the world."
"Then you find new ones."

this is the type of book where the way and type of story that is told is essential. first, i want to say I'm so happy that more desi/south asian inspired fantasy books are making their way in the world!! i loved seeing names that i am familiar with in books.

this fantasy book talks about an oppressed society, and how being united can bring about a change. i adored the way the author wrote about these topics; the writing was really fun as well. the descriptions in this book were really fascinating; since there are a lot of monsters and the slaying of said monsters, i enjoyed the way the author wrote such scenes and descriptions. and the romance!!! such a cute friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance; i adore the two of them to pieces. the love interest simping this whole book was my roman empire.

"What can I say to make you see, Kress, that if I have a home, it's because you make it so?" ahhh i love these two so much!!

overall, deeply enjoyed this book and i highly recommend it to everyone!!

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advanced ebook copy of this book!

3.5/5 Stars

This book had me hooked right from the beginning. I couldn’t seem to put this down, and finished within a few hours. The only reason I did not end up giving this book 4 starts is because of the last 35% felt rushed. But overall, I’m very happy I ended up reading this. Quick and enjoyable read. Would recommend to those who are looking for a fun YA fantasy/science fiction book that is a standalone!

An outcast most of her life, Kres spends her time fighting in the pits, saving her money in an attempt to leave her island home and find a fresh start. But when her corrupt "boss" gives her an offer she can't refuse, she sets off on a perilous journey underground. The mission: Find the missing miners. The hidden agenda: map out the locations of the undergound monsters so her boss can hunt them and bring them aboveground for his own personal gain and entertainment. Will Kres be able to survive deep, deep in the cave? Or will one of the innumerable beasts be her end?

I guess I'm in the minority on this one. It really wasn't that great. I would only give it 2.5 stars overall.
The Pros: The idea could have been an awesome story. The characters and world structure were a good beginning to a great book. And the cover will draw in readers looking for a good adventure.

But the Cons: The execution of the idea was severely lacking. The characters were extremely flat and the description of the surroundings wasn't great. It was really difficult to follow some of the action scenes, especially because it reads as all tell and no show. And the most off-putting part to me was the writing style itself. The prose was extremely awkward in many places, especially with many of the metaphors. It seemed very juvenile in style and didn't flow well as far as sentence structure and ease of reading.

I received a DRC from the publisher via Netgalley.com.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Somewhere in the Deep by Tanvi Berwah left me grappling with conflicting emotions, solidifying the realization that this author's style may not be the right fit for me. Despite an intriguing premise and potentially rich characters, the narrative felt simultaneously overstuffed and lacking in substance. Most of the story is confined within the mines located on a mineral rich island, however, this contributed to a repetitive and monotonous feel, prompting me to frequently check my progress. While action scenes were abundant, the descriptions left me disoriented, struggling to grasp the unfolding events, and once we get to the final conflict in the last 20% of the book, events happened so quickly that I honestly had no idea what was going on, and could hardly picture anything in my mind when reading. Leading to the final conclusion that Tanvi's storytelling approach doesn't work for me, and sadly, this book failed to bridge the gap between expectation and experience.

However, just because Tanvi's books don't capture my interest the way I would like them to doesn't mean others won't enjoy them. So if you are someone who is looking to expand your reading to more diverse stories in the YA fantasy genre that focus on non-Western lore, and in this case South-Asian inspired mythology, then I still recommend giving Tanvi a chance. This book is part of a larger world where her first-book takes place but it can be read as a standalone, but it does spoil the ending of her first book Monsters Born and Made.

This sophomore novel from Tanvi Berwah runs parallel to her debut with a whole new cast in another illness in the same world on another island. With elements of gladiator turned a LOTR style underground quest, we meet Krescent who is a survivor burdened by her families past, forced to fight to survive and then to protect a team in a dangerous quest. There is a lot to enjoy about this book with high stakes and tonnes of action but for me it fell a little short of my expectations after Berwah’s febut. I am intrigued to see how the work would unfold if / when Koral and Krescent’s timelines converged though!

I really enjoyed this book! It was non stop action and suspense and kept me invested the whole way through. I did not want to put it down!
This takes place in the same world as the authors other book, Monsters Born and Made, which I haven’t read and is not required to read before this one.
I honestly only have one negative thing to say about this book and that’s at 75% mark where you’re given a lot of information about how this world came to be and how the islands were made and it talks of different gods and I got really confused during that part. I ended up rereading that part trying to understand it better but was still a little lost. Maybe reading the first book would help me understand the world a little better.
Other than that I truly enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it!

Taking place in the same world as Monsters Born and Made, set in a parallel time line, the story follows seventeen year old Krescent Dune, forced to fight monsters in pit battles to make money and deal with the burden of being hated by all because her parent's debts and legacy for mass murder has tainted her. All Kress wants to do is get enough money to pay off her parents debts and escape the island filled with people who hate her save for her best friend Rivan. When a battle goes wrong and she is betrayed, Kress is forced to accept a job from the Collector in which she must protect a hunting party for a rescue mission deep within the mining caves beneath the sea, and if she succeeds her debts will be erased. What she didn't expect for her mission was that she two people who hate her beyond reason are also part of the journey and her best friend has snuck himself there to protect her as well... oh and that the mission was completely false and that she is being sent to hunt down deadly creatures instead. Kress will need to find a way to get out of these deadly caves before it takes both her and Rivan's life. This is a vastly different vibe from the first book and definitely works for anyone who enjoys action adventure stories with a tiny bit of romance. Kres has had to deal with so much hate and danger and still maintain her kindness. Rivan is a sweet love interest for her and they have a best friends to lovers kind of relationship. The story focuses mostly on the expedition and the dangers of the cave and the people in the group. Overall it was okay but I guess I just was hoping for more, the overall resolution in the third part felt rushed and a bit meh. I am curious how the third book will go and if the two main characters from each of the books will meet. It's definitely a weird way to expand the book universe without actually writing a sequel, but it's unique I'll give it that.

*Thanks Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire, Sourcebooks Fire for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

<b><i>**I received an ARC from SourceFire Books in exchange for an honest review.**</i></b>

Tanvi Berwah is bringing her fantasy world full of rebels, monsters, and chaos to new heights in her latest, Somewhere In The Deep!

Krescent Dune is an outcast on the island of Kar Atish, even among her own people. She's an infamous underground fighter known for slaying each monstrous creature unleashed before her, but each new fight could be her last. After a disastrous fight, Kress only has one option left to stay alive: She must join a potentially deadly rescue expedition deep into the heart of the island's mines, serving as the team's expert creature killer. But as Kress' horrific family legacy comes to light, it's clear that not everyone wants her to survive.

If you're looking for a sequel to Monsters Born And Made, a quick heads up that this isn't it! They're set in the same world and the events of MBaM are referenced, but not directly related to the plot. But that's not a bad thing, though! The worldbuilding is just as strong, if not stronger, than Berwah's debut. Kress is a badass main character with a compelling backstory and plenty to prove. Her companions on the quest form a ragtag team that, while not always necessarily loveable, keep the story interesting. There’s even a nice dose of romantic tension without laying it on too thick.

Of course, there's also the action! The depths of the ancient mines provide a deliciously dark setting. Anything could happen and there's really no way to guess what chaos will befall the team next and who will be victimized by it. If you love major story moments you never see coming, like I do, there's so much fun to be had here! Unfortunately, it makes everything a little hard to talk about, because I want everyone else to experience exactly what Kress and company encounter of their journey. Let's just say that there are some monsters— both around them and among them— that will change everything.

Character-wise, I do think I enjoyed Somewhere In The Deep more than Monsters Born And Made (though both have some very interesting characters.) However, the third act of this book felt a little rushed. The big moments just seemed to happen too quickly, so much so that I had to re-read a scene to make sure I understood exactly what went down. I still enjoyed the story a lot, but I wish we'd spent a little more time marinating in the aftermath of Kress’ big discoveries.

If you loved the first book by this author, I think you're also going to love this one!

3.5/5

Another book where my not reading the blurb got me in a tiny bit of trouble. This isn't really a sequel, to my surprise.

Our new amazing protagonist is Krescent Dune, a character burdened by her deceased parents' debts and the shadow of their ruinous legacy. Trapped on an unforgiving island, Krescent's only means of escape is through battling monstrous creatures in an underground fighting pit. However, a catastrophic fight results in her banishment from the pits and a sudden proposition arises: the erasure of her debts in exchange for joining and safeguarding a hunting party embarking on a perilous rescue mission deep within the island's mining caves. Krescent soon finds herself trapped underground alongside her childhood nemesis and a group with unknown motives, all while facing the looming danger.

While the book presented certain stumbling blocks reminiscent of the author's previous work – occasional metaphors lacking coherence, instances of tell-don't-show, and plot developments that felt contrived – it notably showcased marked improvement, delving into MUCH darker themes and delivering solid social commentary surrounding colonialism.

The narrative thrives on a tense atmosphere, drawing readers into a world rife with danger and secrets. Despite some hiccups in execution, the book excels in portraying a palpable sense of impending peril and the claustrophobic, foreboding environment of the island's mines. Berwah effectively elevates the stakes, intertwining action sequences with moments of character introspection.

Where the story truly shines is in its exploration of societal dynamics and the burdens carried by its protagonist. Krescent's journey is not merely physical but emotional and moral, navigating the complexities of her heritage while grappling with the harsh realities of survival in a treacherous landscape.

Despite its imperfections, "Somewhere in the Deep" marks a commendable step forward in the author's narrative prowess. Berwah demonstrates a willingness to take risks, diving into darker thematic depths while enhancing social commentary within a fantasy framework.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the eARC. This is an honest review.

This story is a fun adventure, following Krescent as she descends into deep mines on a dangerous mission. It was an entertaining story, great for anyone looking for a unique adventure.

I gave this story 3 stars. The story is full of made-up monsters and an intricate cave system, but nothing was described well enough for me to picture it; I felt disconnected from the scenes. Likely because I couldn't see the uniqueness of every situation and monster, the story got a little repetitive. There were also quite a few characters who didn't have a very distinct voice. The story was overall good.

As a note because I misinterpreted: the summary alluded to a possible enemies-to-lovers arc by stating her childhood enemy was going on the mission with her. This fact didn't affect the story much and did not create a major enemies-to-loves situation. If that's what you're looking for, you won't find it here!

An enjoyable, fast-paced YA fantasy. Wasn't my usual cup of tea but I enjoyed the unique setting and plot of this book. Would definitely.recommend to those who enjoy YA content.

A strong female lead and some pretty awesome fight scenes is what you will find in this book. If you are looking for something adventurous, with a little romance and you don't mind it being YA you will enjoy Somewhere in the Deep. Not to mention the cover is just stunning.

A rushed ending but super fun!

I loved the trek and adventures as our mc navigates a rescue mission alongside her childhood enemy. I liked the writing-it was easy to follow. The concept of fighting pits was very intriguing to me, and had to be a stand out point in the book. The mc's voice was clear and determined, and I enjoyed how she dealt with difficult decisions.

This is a South-Asian fantasy with equal parts heart and adventure- I don't think you want to miss this!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-arc!

This was a very standard modern YA. "Strong female lead," vague fantasy setting, villains who are inherently evil, pale skinned foreigners, romance. The first 25% or so was pretty interesting, and I enjoyed the monsters. I felt that the pace began to lag a bit once Kress and the others went down into the mines, and I found myself less drawn in during the middle of the book.

Kress was hired as a guard and is supposed to be the best monster fighter on the island, tasked with keeping the explorers alive. Yet she ignores signs of possible danger following them several times, which somewhat diminishes her supposed badassery. I also felt that it was overly convenient and slightly unbelievable that, if the Collector's plan had always been for the expedition to never come back, Beyorn would simply leave two monster fighters and some sturdy miners alive, just to "save bullets." It seems that the Collector would have given him instructions to kill them all and Beyorn would have planned accordingly, to ensure there was no chance of them escaping the mines.

The romance was a bit weak for me. I like the friends to lovers trope, and Rivan is a likable enough love interest; however we were basically thrown into Kress and Rivan having feelings for each other so we really didn't get to see that spark develop. At the risk of being cliche, it was too tell and not enough show. I didn't have much interest in whether they became a couple or not.

The fight scenes with the monsters were definitely the best parts, and I did really like reading the descriptions of unique creatures. I appreciate that a lot of thought went into creating these different animals. I wasn't as invested in the human characters as I was in the monsters, unfortunately. The reveal of the island gods was an interesting and unexpected twist, though I wish it hadn't been revealed only toward the end so that we'd had a bit more time to delve into this history.

All in all, the monster and god aspects of the story were very cool, but the characters and their relationships felt weak in comparison.

Title: Somewhere in the Deep
Author: Tanvi Berwah
Genre: Scifi, YA
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Seventeen-year-old Krescent Dune is buried under the weight of her dead parents’ debt and the ruinous legacy they left behind. The only way she can earn enough money to escape her unforgiving island is by battling monstrous creatures in an underground fighting pit. After a fight goes terribly wrong, she’s banned from the pits. Now hopeless, she is offered a deal: in exchange for the erasure of her debts, she must join and protect a hunting party for a rescue mission deep within the mining caves beneath the island.

Krescent is determined to keep her head down and fulfill her role as the dutiful bodyguard, even though she is trapped underground with her childhood enemy and a company of people who would gladly kill her if they knew who her parents were. As they come across creatures she believed only existed in legends, it becomes clear they are in far more danger than she could have imagined. But someone doesn’t want her to make it out alive. And she’ll have to figure out who before she’s left alone… in the dark.

I enjoyed this author’s first novel, Monsters Born and Made, but this one felt quite a bit more jumbled and chaotic. I loved Kress and Rivan and their friendship/potential for more, but I felt bombarded with new characters, new cultures, new historical “facts” that hadn’t even been mentioned in passing but were new suddenly key plot elements—deus ex machina. It just didn’t feel like a cohesive story, more like the author was grasping at straws.

Would a character and his culture, who had lived underground for generations in the dark and previously thought of as myth, really be able to speak coherently to surface dwellers able to use technology? I highly doubt it. But an inability to communicate didn’t work for the story, so they could—perfectly, no less—and there was no explanation for that bit of nonsense.

Tanvi Berwah graduated from the University of Delhi. Somewhere in the Deep is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review.)


(Blog link live 1/15.)

naauurr never again

1. friends to lovers?????? 👹🚨🪓🚫 and not even a pleasant one they're all lovey dovey rainbows and butterflies even though "they don't know the other's feelings"

2. wayyyyyy too long for a repetitive plot, half of fighting creatures on their way inside the mines, half fighting creatures on their way OUT

3. predictable plot twists except one about a character's identity and one that turns the whole thing into a cosmic affair

4. confusing /lacking descriptions, each new cave they entered in the mines looked the same, I had no idea what the fights looked like or how the space was set up

5. side characters not fleshed out. I will not elaborate

6. confusing monsters?? I will not elaborate

7. at one point we learn 2 people in the group share a secret trait, but the MC doesn't stop on that important information and doesn't really wonder who the other one is?????? wtf

8. for me the whole post mines thing doesn't make sense. I will, again, not elaborate

9. whatever sequel is planned after this, i would rather read 0 books in 2024 than read it

10. this is not meant to tear down the author I promise I just want to give my most sincere (and perhaps brutal) opinion, if friends to lovers and fighting creatures on and on are your thing go ahead 😃

[review posted on goodreads and instagram]

A good monster, creature from the depths, will always get to me. In Somewhere in the Deep there are also terrifying fights, being maybe trapped in a cave, and dangerous secrets. Every time I thought I knew where Somewhere in the Deep was going, there would be a shift and I'd sit shocked. In this connected world with Monsters Born and Made - just a little bit connected - this is a world of dangers in every shadow and the edge of desperation.

ARC sent by Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire.
Genre: YA Fantasy

Synopsis: Krescent Dune is an orphan. She fights dangerous beasts in the pits in order to pay off her family’s debt. She accepts a deal which will relieve her of the debts in exchange for leading a mission into mining caves, where she encounters more than just the deadly beasts hunting them.

Really vivid and clear world building, the writing itself isn’t world building heavy - but has just the right amount of information to help the reader create image of the island of Kar Atish and the creatures lurking beneath it.

Tanvi Berwah has done an amazing job bringing the world of Kar Atish to life, although I do wish there was a map at the beginning of the book, as it would have been easier to understand the layout of this story. I enjoyed the description of the creatures as they where distinctive and vivid making them more realistic, like the map, I would have liked images of the creatures in almost a journal like form, just do the visual representation was there!

Somewhere in the Deep is set in the same world as Monsters Born and Made, another book by Tanvi Berwah. I haven’t read Monsters Born and Made and I don’t think that you have to in order to read Somewhere in the Deep.
Somewhere in the Deep has made me what to further explore the writing of Tanvi Berwah as I find myself wanting more. I cannot wait to pick up more books from this author.

Somewhere in the Deep
by Tanvi Berwah
Fantasy YA
NetGalley ARC
Pub Date: Jan 9, 2024
Sourcebooks Fire
Ages: 14+

Krescent Dune is held accountable for what her parents did when she was a child, and now her only way of making money, to pay her parent's debt and to escape the island, is to fight in the pits against the monsters of the island, but a betrayal gets her banned from fighting.

With all of her hopes lost, a deal is placed before her: Lead an expedition into the deepest mines to search for missing explorers, and her debts will disappear.

I was hoping for monsters galore; yeah there were monsters but they didn't leap out of the pages at me. They weren't detailed or graphic enough to make me cringe or read with wide eyes. I mostly skimmed because they didn't grab my attention.

The story was good, but more creatures and their descriptions would make it a more interesting read. Just like the creatures, the characters also felt flat, not a lot of details to single them out, so I couldn't tell you much about any of them.

I feel that if more time was spent detailing the trek underground, in the dark, with information on their lighting, their weapons, and the underground was given more life. Rocks can look different...

Maybe it was the typical A B C of them walking down into caves, knowing there'd be creatures they have to fight, and they did, then walked some more, and another creature, etc, that made it a slow and kind of boring read. Something out of the blue could have been a slap in the face to make it more of an adventure.

2 Stars

A slow-build adventure story for any fan of YA fantasy! Somewhere in the Deep is full of unique creatures, characters you'll root for the entire way, and countless surprising twists and turns.

Kress is a great main character- she's sympathetic and tough, fighting her way through life with determination, but without being too bitter, despite her circumstances. That's a hard line to draw, and Berwah does it admirably. Helping her was the addition of Rivan, Kress's love interest and sometimes-conscience. His tenderness added depth to Kress that we wouldn't have seen otherwise, and the two of them were the most compelling in their fight for equality and their lives. The secondary characters took some warming up to, but they made a well-rounded cast.

The plot took some time to get moving, and was slightly hard to follow for the first half. Even though it isn't technically required, I believe readers would benefit by starting with Monsters Born and Made to have a better idea of the world and its components. Still, by the halfway point the action was nonstop, and I had enough grasp of the circumstances that I was really pulled in. Creatures, betrayal, ancient civilizations and modern monsters combined to make a rip-roaring conclusion that left me wanting more. For this installment, some readers may miss a clearly-explained world, but Berwah's choice to keep some of it shrouded in mystery and vague language leaves the potential for further discovery in other novels.

My one issue was that we spent a lot of time building to action, but then most of the action didn't get the page time to really make an impact. So many intense situations pressed into the last 25% or so kept me from really feeling the pressure of each.

Overall, an exciting and original novel. I genuinely hope Berwah continues to expand and explain this world she's created.