This was an entertaining fantasy read that I ultimately had mixed feelings about. Krescent Dune is a 17-year-old who’s been on her own ever since her parents blew up a mine. Not only is she saddled with their debts, but she’s hated by everyone because her parents killed so many people. She survives only by working in the pits, battling fierce monsters – until her boss sends her as a bodyguard on an excursion to rescue some people who have been lost in the mines.

It’s an atmospheric read, taking place mostly underground in dark caverns and underground lakes. The party is attacked by killer scorpions, and worse. I enjoyed the world Berwah created, and the backstory of the main character. But one thing that detracted a little is I felt like I had seen many of these things before, in movies like Fellowship of the Ring. Just when the exploration party thinks they’re safe, something jumps out of a dark crevice or murky pond. It’s campy and foreboding, but definitely has been done before.

Another distraction was the characters seemed a little juvenile to me. I understand this is young adult fiction – but even so, both the romantic story and another character’s hatred of Kress seemed immature given the setting of the book. These are hard-as-nails characters who are fighting for their lives and oppressed by their leaders at every turn. Think Hunger Games, but with more angst.

The world-building was interesting and I appreciated the detail given to the class distinctions (the Landers own everything and the Renters either work in the mines, fight in the pits, or get stuck in a work camp for debtors. I also appreciated Krescent’s character growth during this journey, as she comes to terms with what her parents did.

Their journey is full of twists and turns and scary flying beasts. Kress never knows which characters will betray her (though one “surprise” was pretty obvious). But the last part of the book lost me a bit, things happened too quickly and the writing felt one-dimensional.

Most of the book is a fast-paced action/adventure read, and if you’re looking for YA that’s reminiscent of Hunger Games, you’ll like this one. But I can’t recommend it for anyone who isn’t a teen (and there are lots of YA books I recommend for all ages). If the cover is drawing you in, I suggest Mira Grant’s Into the Drowning Deep instead, or Tricia Levenseller’s Daughter of the Pirate King.

Note: I received an advanced review copy of this book by NetGalley and publisher Sourcebooks Fire. This book was published January 9, 2024

I wanted to like this story so much, the plot was really intriguing and the cover is amazing However, I ended up DNFing it. The writing was very intense, it just went on and on. The world building was more telling the reader rather than showing and creating a visual representation of what the world looks like. The twists were predictable... I just couldnt continue reading it. At least not right now, i might go back to it and finish it at some point.

I wanted to like this story so much, the idea for the plot was really intriguing. The cover is amazing. That said, the world building was all tell- not show-, the "twists" were predictable at every corner, the characters were uninspired and I found myself confused at the decisions for infodumping content that would have fit better elsewhere; e.g. the hard sell of the mother being a descendant of the shadowfolk should have come far before the abandonment in the mines.

Somewhere in the Deep is a gritty, dark YA fantasy filled with monstrous creatures and a deadly quest that tests both physical and mental resilience. Kres is living a miserable life on a mining island run by cruel Landers, forced to fight creatures in the pits to pay off her deceased, infamous parents’ debts. Until she gets offered the chance to finally leave the island and its hateful people behind if she joins an expedition into the deep underground to uncover the secrets hidden beneath.

When I say this was an intense read, I mean it. If you’re looking for a dark yet fun YA read, this is not it. Our characters are living truly miserable lives and cannot catch a break. You can feel the desolation and misery woven into the world-building in the descriptions of the dark, sinister caves and the ominous atmosphere. Themes of oppression and bonded slavery are portrayed with raw honesty.

I had a hard time digesting that almost every miner blamed Kres for her parents’ crimes to the point they wanted her blood. She was a child at the time of the events, yet everyone calls her “Kinkiller.” She’s actually still a child! I understand people would despise her, but even the adults want her dead? Maybe I still have too much faith in humanity.

This was a fast-paced and very well-written book, yet it took me a long while to get through it as there was not much to balance out the dark, heavy parts. I suppose it was realistic in that aspect. And I probably went in with the wrong expectations. However, I adored and appreciated the few lighthearted moments with Rivan and his brothers! Speaking of Rivan, and though romance is not the main focus of this book, I loved his dedication and loyalty to Kres. Their sweet romance provided a much-needed break from their wretched circumstances.

Thank you NetGalley, Tanvi Berwah, and Sourcebooks Fire for the Advanced Reader’s Copy,

Tanvi Berwah weaves a tale of monsters, mines, ancient powers and gods, which we uncover through the eyes of the protagonist Krescent (Kress) Dune. The plot description prior to my reading the novel was one that appeared to fufill my usual preferred genres, fantasy, mythology and some fantastical beasts. As I journeyed through the various trials that Kress underwent, I found myself exhausted with the bloodshed, and attempts at building anticipation and fear in the reader. Throughout the work, I felt a little less time could be spent on the monsters and fights, and more on world building. The brewing romance between Rivan and Kress could have used more plot time and plot building as well. It is no small feat to build a world with such incredible monsters, as Tanvi did, however I enjoy a world that has more to it when it comes to the story, especially when the ancient powers are so close at hand. It is with a heavy heart that I rate this book 2.5 stars, as it simply was not my cup of tea.

Somewhere in the Deep follows Krescent Dune, who is a young girl/woman in a gladiator-like situation. She fights gigantic beasts for money, hoping to buy her freedom. She is given the opportunity to earn her freedom faster through a search somewhere in the deep for larger beasts for her current employer to use in the ring.

I ultimately DNFed this book, not because it was bad, but because it was not for me. This book leaned much more strongly into YA than I anticipated, and it therefore felt predictable. The writing got a bit frustrating to me (I get it, the people around her can't know who her parents are, move on!) and I just didn't feel the need to continue with it. But, I am a 31 year old who does not read a lot of YA, and I can recognize that a younger reader who loves adventure and fantastical worlds and beasts would greatly enjoy this.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 61%.

I tried so hard....

First I want to say that I absolutely loved "Monsters Born and Made." I gave it 4.25 stars and it was one of my big surprises of last year. So I was so excited when I heard this was coming out and was taking place in the same world, just on a different island occurring simultaneously as "Monsters Born and Made."

This was a massive letdown after the first book. There was a friends to lovers romance that was just not even remotely interesting and the characters had no chemistry. The premise is really cool about going down into mines and fighting monsters, but I think we saw one real monster? It was mostly just a lot of talking, being paranoid, and arguing. It just wasn't even remotely entertaining and at 50% through the book, it felt as if I had been reading the book for a lifetime. It literally pains me to write this review since this was such an anticipated release for me.

I still plan to pick up the next book by Tanvi Berwah, but I'm crossing my fingers that the next one gives me the same feelings that the first book did.

Thank you NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In "Somewhere in the Deep," Tanvi Berwah has crafted a captivating and thought-provoking tale that explores themes of colonialism, environmentalism, and personal agency. Set on a colonized island, the story follows Krescent Dune, a young woman struggling to survive in a society that has stripped her people of their culture and autonomy.
One of the standout features of this book is Berwah's world-building. The island setting is richly imagined and vividly described, with a complex history and culture that feels authentic and believable. The characters are equally well-drawn, with motivations and desires that feel genuine and complex.
Overall, "Somewhere in the Deep" is a must-read for anyone looking for a thought-provoking and engaging story that explores complex social and environmental issues. Berwah's exploration of colonialism and its impact on both the environment and the colonized people is nuanced and insightful, making this a timely and relevant read. With its memorable characters, vivid world-building, and thought-provoking themes, "Somewhere in the Deep" is a standout work of speculative fiction that is sure to stay with readers long after they turn the final page.

Krescent is living under the shadow of her parents, she is left to clear their debt after their tragic deaths and the only way she can do this is to fight in arena battles

However, when a deal goes array, Kress is offered another deal to protect an expedition of explorers going to the deep. Kress sees this as her chance to get herself out of the place where her parents actions will always haunt her.

Kress, and the rest of the team, could have never expected what they would find in the deep, and can't know if any of them will even survive to see the light again... and if they do, what is waiting for them..

A really creepy, monstrous, atmospheric story. It was a tad slow on the build up but packed a punch in the last stretch

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcefire books for this copy, out now so you can 'dive' right in if you are interested in this tale

DNF at 23%

I was super sad to be dnf'ing this one as I really did enjoy Tanvi Berwah's previous book, Monsters Born and Made but this one I found was really difficult to get going, not much had happened of importance and it just dragged for me sadly.

Somewhere in the Deep follows a seventeen-year-old girl Krescent Dune, an orphan who is stuck on an island that is no longer her home, she can’t leave until she pays the debt her parents own. Stuck with no other options she fights in the pits and pays her weekly installments until a fight that goes wrong gets her banned from the arena. She takes on the job of being a guard for a group of people who are set to explore the mines underground and find survivors from the last expedition that went wrong.
Somewhere in the Deep is a story full of monsters and magical creatures, that Kress and his friends tackle while being underground on an island. The majority of the story takes place inside the caves and the world building is so fascinating that I was obsessed. I love stories where the characters don’t have magical powers to rely on, they use the resources around them and their own physical and mental strengths.
There are some well-written action scenes and chase sequences. I developed a soft spot for these characters and was praying for all of them to make it out alive. (except one)
Even though the book is not heavy on the romance part, there is Rivan. Kress’s best friend and he would do anything for Kress and her happiness. I loved him. Even though this was Kress’s story, Rivan goes through so much and evolves into a stronger person. I love friends to lovers and enjoyed every moment between Kress and Rivan.
The world-building is amazing and the full truth about the small group that goes on the journey together was well done. I loved how the miners took a stand for themselves. Somewhere in the Deep is a story about fighting back stronger until you resist and taste victory.

Somewhere in the Deep looked great on first look. Great cover and interesting synopsis with monsters. But the book was a let down for me.

Krescent collects money from fighting monsters in the pit. But after a ban, she is left with only one option. Take the deal to take the trip underground in the mines as a bodyguard. It is dangerous. But it all she has left. Or is there?

The promise of monsters and that very glorious cover made me have high hopes for this book. Unfortunately it did not live up to that at all. This had to do with three things. The characters, the plot and the world building.

The idea of the plot was good but the way it was executed was boring. They go in the mines. Monster. Walk. Monster. Walk. Betrayal. Run back. Of course that wasn't all but it was the main gist. There just wasn't any anticipation or fear for the monsters for me with the way this was being set-up.

It didn't help that I didn't care for the characters. I didn't find Krescent nor her love interest engaging. I felt like I wasn't getting to know Krescent at all. Just that outwardly hard shell throughout the whole book. The side characters were also rather flat. There was a mention a side character having the same secret as our main character and then it was never brought up again.

And then there was the world building that I thought was severly lacking. They are on an island. Krescent is very adamant about getting of the island. But what is off the island? What is there? Where would she go? How would she even know? The monsters, the underground world and those that were living there did not get enough attention nor description.

Overal a lot of it felt as if it was half. It needed and could have had so much more. The potential and idea was there. But ended up going flat.

Crescent doom is a monster fighter and she is one of the best not to say she is valued because she knows very well she can easily be replaced. She is also haunted by the death of her parents and is blamed for what they done. The only solace she gets is with her best friend Ribbon his younger brother Maven and older brother Arsalan. Ribbon and Crescent are at the point in their relationship where it is time to take it to the next step but due to their naïveté the feelings they get are confusing and neither one knows how to do it. They live on an island there ocean is full of sea monsters and where Crescent‘s boss badger gets the monsters he fights. She has been winning it so because of that they want her to lose and after a bad set up they offer her a deal. Under the island is an elaborate cave system where shadow people and other monsters are thought to dwell those who have gone far into the cave has come out mad or not come out at all because the powers that be say some men were left behind Crescent, her nemesis Björn, another fighter named Roxy and a few minors are sent to find them . Crescent is half elfin something she doesn’t advertise as she is already not trusted and disliked by most of the community and when down in the caves trying to reach the destination after running in to the first monster she realizes Ribbon his followed her own this dangerous treck it will be long and hard but what Crescent and the others don’t know is getting to their destinations will be when the hardest fight begins. It took me almost a week to finish this book but it seemed the further into the story I got the more I hated to put it down. To Tonvi Berwah has written a very intricate and well-rounded story where even the hero has flaws and insecurities. Not to mention the great world building the awesome characters that had their own distinct personalities and the young but unnamed affection that was between crescent and Ribbon trust me there is so much I have left out of this book it is an awesome read and if you are a sci--fi supernatural fantasy reader then you will definitely love the story I think Crescen and Ribbon are great characters to root for this is definitely a five star read and if you’re a fast reader you may be able to get through it in a weekend or two. So so so good! Just be prepared to get immersed in the world we’re by the time the book is over you will be thanking the ocean. I want to thank sourcaBooksFire and net galley for this great free arc please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I enjoyed coming back to the world of Kar Atish and I was excited that this book had more sea monsters. This book had highs and lows. I would be really into it for a few chapters but then stop reading for a few days. Some action scenes were not easy for me to follow — I’m not sure if this is because I was reading an ARC and maybe some sentences/paragraphs were further edited in the final book, or perhaps the author didn’t translate the imagery too clearly.

Surprisingly, I liked the relationship between Kress and Rivan. At first I thought, “well here we go, it’s another boy pining after a rebellious girl” but it worked.

And because it’s hard NOT to compare books, overall I think I liked Monsters Born and Made just a little bit more.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this early release copy to read and review.

This was such a thrilling and wholesome fantasy, I had so much fun reading it!
-- there's a super wholesome childhood bffs to lovers romance <3
-- there's found family!!
-- a quest into the scary underground! Monsters! Shadow people!

TWs - colonization, murder, death

-- ty to the author, the publisher and @coloredpagesbt
for the advanced copy and for arranging the tour!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC and thanks to Tanvi Berwah & Sourcebooks for a physical ARC. Somewhere in the Deep is a companion to Monsters Born and Made and can be read as a standalone (they take place on separate islands at nearly the same time), with small spoilers for Monsters Born and Made near the end.

The author pitches this book as Inej Ghafa meets The Witcher and delivers exactly that: a girl with carefully honed fighter skills pitted against gruesome monsters while grappling with her own internalized messages of monstrousness and worth. Berwah constructs a tense, claustrophobic journey into the deep Moria-like underground beneath the mines of the island, filled with enormous hungry monsters and travel companions who are just as likely to leave you for dead. If you like The Hunger Games (particularly Mockingjay), Six of Crows, or the Merciful Crow duology, highly recommend this book.

Content notes: graphic violence, injury, and death.

Tanvi Berwah's Somewhere in the Deep is a South Asian-inspired dystopian fantasy from the highly-acclaimed author of Monsters Born and Made. Krescent Dune is used to fighting against monsters on her island of Kar Atish, but she's unprepared for the monsters lurking in the deep. On the Island of Kar Atish, the lower class must carve out a living for themselves either mining for a substance called zargunine that the upper class, the Landers will pay them for or they can fight against wild creatures from the deep in the pits.

Krescent aka Kress aka The Dark Dancer aka Kinkiller, has been fighting monsters for the past 5 years. She has the tattoos to show how many fights she has won. 5 years ago, her parents (Jar and Katya Dune) committed an act of terrorism leaving Kress with few opportunities, and a lack of money to escape the Island. Kress is buried under the weight of her dead parents’ debt and the ruinous legacy they left behind. If she doesn't pay her debts, she could end up dead.

Because of her parents, she is no longer welcomed in the mines, and friends have become enemies. The only way she can earn enough money to escape her unforgiving island is by fighting monstrous amphibians in underground fighting pits. She’s never lost a match, until now. After being told by her handler Badger to lose a fight, Kress finds herself between a rock and a hard place. Desperate, Kress is offered a deal. Her debts will be erased if she joins a hunting party for a dangerous rescue mission deep beneath the island.

With no other choice, Kress is forced to play nice as the group’s bodyguard, even though every step that brings them deeper underground means she must face the terrifying truth that she is trapped with her childhood enemy and people who would gladly kill her if they knew who her parents were. Underground is where mysterious monsters and even more mysterious people are called Shadefolk. These mysterious people are kin to Kress and her mother, Katya who was responsible for killing miners to protect a secret.

Kin who have been protecting the island fearing that if the outsiders discovered the secrets of the island, would eagerly try to exploit it for their own uses. Kress must not only work with people who hate her, but the boy she may love with all her heart. As the group journeys down beyond where their maps end with creatures never seen before, Kress begins to suspect there’s more to their rescue mission than first meets the eye. Soon enough, they are abandoned in the deep dark underground, with only monsters seen and unseen for company.

*Thoughts* Apparently, this book is set in the same world as Monsters Born and Made, but you do not need to read the books in any order. In fact, in one chapter, it is mentioned about the Glory Race that Koral and her family provides monstrous maristags for the participants of the race. The author has posted that this story runs parallel to Monsters but on another island. If you have ever gone spelunking in caves, this book captures the horror of the darkness of depths unexplored so magnificently, and the monsters fought are brilliantly terrifying. Kress is a really good fighter, but she is not infallible. She gets hurt. A lot. She also shows that she is more than what she had to become to survive. One of steadiest characters in this book is Rivan who became her family after she was forced to hide her identity. Rivan and his two brothers actually care for Kress, and care about what she has to deal with in order to survive.

Thank you NetGalley for “Somewhere in the Deep” by Tanvi Berwah in exchange for an honest review. I’ve never read a book before that’s focused heavily on a setting before. It had fantasy and political elements mixed together, as well as heavy worldbuilding. I recommend this to anyone who loves young adult high fantasy novels with a sprinkle of romance.

⭐️=3.25 | 😘=2.5 | 🤬=3.5 | ⚔️=4.5 | 15+

summary: she’s like a gladiator killing monsters sort of but then she loses a bet(??) and has to go underground for some sort of vague and poorly explained rescue mission????

thoughts: liked the romance!! it’s very well-balanced with the plot (the perfect level of subplot, which can be difficult to pull off!), and friends to lovers is almost never seen in YA fantasy, so this was really refreshing. the actual story was a little odd; the stakes and motivations were vague and/or stereotypical, and every character except for the MC and her love interest was kind of indistinguishable?? the prose gave very fanfic and/or early 2010s Divergent spin-off energy (derogatory)—a little cheesy, a little heavy on the dramatic dialogue tags. it overall took away from what could have been a genuinely great story! this just feels like a second draft that needed several more rounds of editing—developmental and otherwise.

This is the story of Kress, a gladiator looking to have her family debt forgiven set in the same fantasy world as the author’s first novel Monsters Born and Made. However, if you did not read Monster Born and Made first, you might feel thrown into this fantasy world rather than set up for it.

I enjoyed watching the Kress character developing through the novel, the journey she took and really enjoyed the ending. Please be mindful as you reach the middle of the story- the pacing slows down quite a bit and the “romantasy” parts start to feel a little repetitive. I would say 3.75 stars.