Haunting, immersive and transformative! The deeper they dove, the darker things became.

I think the cover for Out of Air is absolutely stunning—so attractive and striking—and I love how it reflects the story so perfectly. It is eerie and bold, just like what lies beneath the surface of this book.

I am always drawn to underwater stories, especially when they drift into darker, stranger territory and this one grabbed me from the start. Phoebe, or “Phibs,” is at home in the sea, but when she and her friends discover a mysterious underwater cave off a remote Australian island, things take a chilling turn. There is this steady, creeping dread that builds so beautifully as she and her friend Gabe start changing in terrifying ways and I was completely hooked.

The transformation aspect was done so well, both physically and emotionally, and I loved how it tangled with the theme of identity and power. There is treasure and danger and tension, but also a strong, heartfelt look at friendship and what we are willing to become to protect the ones we love.

And the setting? Utterly vivid. I could picture the reef, the cave, the rising panic when things began to unravel. It felt like the ocean itself was a character and not always a kind one.

Out of Air is sharp, strange and unforgettable.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. This one is perfect for readers who love their YA horror soaked in saltwater and secrets.

"Never forget what the ocean is capable of. If you forget, it will come for you, too."

Phoebe loves the water. She's a pro on her high school swim team and loves to dive and snorkel. So a summer job in the keys at a dive shop is the perfect spot for her. But it's not just a job - she meets 4 amazing friends who have the same love of the water, of diving, of adventure. But a trip to Australia as their last hoorah before the end of senior year and heading off to college, they forgot just how strong the ocean is.

This was such an atmospheric story. It felt claustrophobic and scary. The ocean is dark and vast - can we ever really know what all is down there? When Phoebe spots a crack in the wall, you can almost feel the horror story rise up. You want to shake your head and yell "Don't go in there." That ominous feeling of suspense is well placed on every page. As things spun wildly out of control, my jaw dropped. Creepy, horrific, and absolutely mesmerizing - I was glued to the page from the start. A fantastic horror filled read of things that are easy to picture and fear. I loved it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

2.5⭐️

I went into this expecting to be terrified because I hate the ocean. Seriously, the ocean doesn't want us there and we have no reason to be there. But for being a book about possibly becoming a monster after scuba-diving, this was kind of a let down. The Salt Squad as a group sounded interesting, but as the story went on and the secrets began to add up I questioned if they were even friends in the first place. I also found it wild that the group had so many earth shattering secrets and that they all kept them considering how tense the group seemed to be at all times.

Out of Air falls into the normal YA trope where the adults notice nothing which was also wild to me. What do you mean that these high school kids are going deep sea diving by themselves without an adult on the ship? What do you mean that one of them is legitimately growing gills and no one panics? What do you mean the adult with alzheimer's helped them hide a crime? There was just so much that this book was asking me to look past that just made it not work for me at all.

Thanks Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing this ARC to me!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I have some issues with this one, but regardless I still had a good time with it. My problem stems with the characters and their flaws, but what I truly held on for was the sci-fi twist and the body horror. I saw someone draw a comparison with Annihilation and I think that is a good description of that facet of the story. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release. 3.5 stars

Novel Concept: 5/5
Novel Execution: 3/5

Title: 3/5
Characterization: 3/5
Voice: 4/5
Plot: 3/5
Atmosphere: 5/5
Theme: 2/5
Prose: 5/5

Does this pass the Bechdel Test: Yes

I love water as a theme. I love someone going in the water and not coming out the same. This book seems like it would be my vibe and as much as I tried to love it I am so sad to say that this book is just okay at it's best, and bizarrely doesn't make sense at its worst.

**Title**
The title references the plot point that drives the tension, the main characters quite literally running out of air and being forced to breath in the air from an air pocket in an underwater cave. It's a title that works for a suspense thriller but I don't know--the doesn't feel particularly groundbreaking. I feel like a lot of books in this genre could be called "Out of Air."

**Characterization**
I want to say the characterization is strong but sometimes these characters act obtuse for no reason or go full bizarre for one scene and it's not taken that seriously. And you would think I'm being mean because this book has madness as a theme but I am not talking about the characters who go mad. The scene with throwing the camera over the side of the boat? That's a friendship ending moment. You do not fuck with someone's expensive shit like that. And maybe that was commentary on the rich but there aren't any real consequences for this action, esp since Phibes ends up thinking Lani was right for doing it.

Will spends one scene trying to seduce Phibes and the scene was so confusing like why can't she move? How is that fake seduction whatever not a friendship ending moment? Why are we so chill about it?

Will and Gabe fighting on the beach though? That's peak sibling.

Voice
I think Phibes voice is fairly strong and she's an entertaining enough narrator. She's a fairly safe narrator in terms of reliability up until the end of the novel where we're doing a gymnastics routine to explain how the photo got posted by her. It's really unclear because she didn't remember and then she remembered when she took a photo of the fish and her excuse is...mid. More on that in theme.

Plot
Wow is this plot a bit of a mess. Granted, I still had a fun time and there were points where I was glued to the book so desperate to know what happened next. But taking off the Book Colored Glasses and thinking critically about the plot, it really is a book about nothing.

I love eldritch horror. I love Water + Eldritch Horror. This ain't it, chief. I'm sorry but it's not. Like we have old cave, eldritch air that is turning people aquatic but it's a little underwhelming when the solution to the plot is "we go back to the cave for the third time in a row." Like I want to go somewhere interesting and have weird and interesting things happen. All that happens to Phibes and Gabe is that they get sick and then can communicate with deadly animals and that evolution WAS COOL but it doesn't feel like we're progressing somewhere when we're always just going back to the cave. I kind of wish that someone had died so we could see what happened when someone didn't go to the cave. I just wanted things to develop more in terms of lore and we are just as clueless as the beginning as we were at the end.

And I'm not asking for direct and explicit lore. Our Wives Under The Sea does a really good job at showing the slow devolution of one of the main characters until she is returned to the sea. The story was dynamic because we were going new places with the progression of the Eldritch horror.

Also, the random treasure hunters at the island was a hard buy in. I know the book set up treasure hunters and so it's not like I don't believe that treasure hunters would show up, it's just that all the tension seemed wrapped up in the sheriff and I think the sheriff should have been at the island and have the father reveal there. I just didn't feel much about the treasure hunters, especially since they were such a late villain to the story. Especially since half of them just get arrested off screen and we keep moving the plot forward.

I think the tension in the flashback scenes is fine without the attach by the sheriff. I don't think there needs to be a direct consequence to the coin getting sold because the real consequences is that Phibes and Will are mad at each other, and that's the first splinter in this friend group. It already felt like there was consequences. And by God, all of that anger for it not to matter because it was Gabe? Yikes. Very yikes. Will and Phibes realistically would NEVER talk to each other ever again.

Theme
Sometimes it feels like everyone wants to recreate James from Silent Hill 2 knowing he killed his wife without telling the player until the very end. But it worked in Silent Hill, and it doesn't work in Out of Air. One of the plot points is that a photo gets posted when it shouldn't have, and that ultimately attracts the treasure hunters to the island. And it's this big deal and Phibes last chapter confession is that she realized she posted the photo and just forgot? Or maybe the sea made her do it? I don't know. It was just something that was acknowledged and pushed to the side and it was just confusing. Phibes ultimately says she finally feels like she belongs somewhere which is a WILD TAKE considering she deliberately disobeyed directions, brought in treasure hunters that kidnapped them, killed two people, all for her to be like "Ends justify the means and I belong and no one will ever know the truth."

Guys I think Phibes might be the bad guy in the story. She becomes 100% unlikeable in the very last chapter.

At the end of the day I don't know what the book was about. We don't really go much into the Eldritch horror and Phibes ends up being low-key the worst at the last chapter of the book. What does she "belong" to?

Prose
I think the asynchronous timeline is fine but underwhelming. We could synchronize this timeline and lose nothing. It feels like it was a distraction more than a feature, because a lot of plot happens in the past and I think we should have just told this book in two parts. The expedition with the coin and the expedition with the cave. The devolution of Will and Phibes relationship would have been a good midpoint tension.

Continuing on with my recent run of excellent thriller ARCs, Out of Air by Rachel Reiss is an amalgamation of some of my favourite things—the ocean and transformative body horror. As someone deeply obsessed with all things water, I knew immediately when I read the synopsis that this story was going to be right up my alley.
Deep sea diving, mysterious caves, sexual tension, and curses? I couldn’t have asked for a more intriguing premise, but beyond all of that what really shocked me was the intensely gripping narration. I was so enthralled with being inside Phoebe’s head that the actual page count seemed to fly by as I fell deeper and deeper into her psyche; revelling in her insecurities and motivations so that the events of the novel felt even more poignant as they played out.
The reason why I think Reiss’ writing style works as well as it does, is because Phoebe’s inner monologue is written to be observational as opposed to expository. This avoids those large chunks of info dumping that can break immersion, and pull a reader out of a narrator’s spell. This combined with the seamless back and forth in the timeline which is used to display the history and relationship dynamic between the core group of friends, perfectly establishes every character as three-dimensional and forces the reader to be emotionally invested very early on in the narrative. As a result the isolationism, fear, and sense of becoming “other,” feels grounded in reality even when the actual plot is so surreal and fantastical.
Overall, I loved this. It is everything I could have asked for out of a horror/thriller novel—visceral, emotionally engaging, unsettling, and perfectly paced. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for something suspenseful and mysterious.

To me this book was just okay. I didn't really care about any of the characters and it didn't feel as though the "shock factor" of the book went far enough. The conclusion also felt too easy. It took me a long time to get through this and it was kinda underwhelming.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I had a great time reading this one. As the weather gets hotter in my neck of the woods (central Florida), I find myself drawn to books set in warm climates or ocean themed. This one hit the specific itch I had for bingeable ocean horror/thriller. Plus, its YA so it felt very easy to read, reminiscent of a summer vacation (but scarier!).

I really loved the mix of a classic YA "last summer before college" adventure with the creepiness of the ocean and tense secrets. There is also a bit of body horror and a mysterious, almost eldritch horror element that I really enjoyed. Out of Air felt very atmospheric and I enjoyed the jumps between the past and present timelines. Overall, solid YA horror that is best read by a body of water or at least ocean sounds playing in the background.

*Out of Air* had a premise I was excited about, with treasure hunters mixed into something dangerous, but I struggled to really get into it. Even though the setup was intriguing, the story never fully hooked me. It was a decent read overall, just not something I would probably choose again. I can see how others might enjoy it more than I did.

🤿 M Y S T E R I O U S M O N D A Y review 🤿 featuring “Out of Air” by Rachel Reiss!

MY RATING: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

The Salt Squad is a group of friends who share a deep bond for scuba diving and have become influencers who share their diving adventures with their followers. 6 months ago, they became social media famous for finding ancient gold coins on one of their dives. Now they are hooked on finding treasure in the depths of the ocean … but they have no idea what the ocean is capable of.

The squad decides to go on one last adventure all together before everyone parts ways for college. They go to a remote island in Australia and find a mysterious cave unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. Barely escaping getting out of the caves alive, once the group resurfaces strange things start happening to them that can’t be explained.

I don’t read many YA books but I really enjoyed this underwater thriller that has elements of horror, romance and even the supernatural. The ocean itself plays such an important (and threatening) character in this story. What lies underneath the surface is unknown and full of buried secrets. The caves are suffocating and claustrophobic and the anxiety builds with every breath. Think Outerbanks, Into the Blue and Fool’s Gold vibes, but more thrilling, chilling and haunting 🏴‍☠️

Thank you kindly to @rachelreisswrites @wednesdaybooks @stmartinspress @netgalley for my #gifted advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on May 13, 2025!

“The sea doesn’t give two shits. The ocean’s a ruthless beast. It doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, pretty or ugly as sin. When it strikes —not if, but when — it’ll rip everything away in a heartbeat”.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

LMAO! Well, this YA certainly held me in the palm of its hand. I wasn't sure if I would call this a sci-fi( supernatural) or not. That's the genre that came to my mind the most. Reminded me of Annihilation a bit. Again, I am just trying to find some way to explain this book. Then again, other reviewers are calling this a mystery thriller. So, maybe I am the one adrift at sea?

A group of high school graduates who are spending their last summer before college, enjoying what they love the most-scuba diving and searching the ocean's floor. They stumble upon a few things they shouldn't and get in a heck of a lot of trouble. The chapters alternate from the present to several months before, and it is soon evident that the past and present will collide.

So, I did like this even if some of the characters grated on my nerves, and I questioned how well teenagers could scuba dive without any supervision. The ending certainly still has me thinking, and it's been over a week since I finished.


Love that book cover.



Expected Publication 13/05/25
Goodreads Review 28/04/25

DNF at 19%

I realize I'm likely not the intended audience for this one. I couldn't get over how a group of 18 year olds have enough dive experience in the two year timeline she gave to be able to dive by themselves. No more experienced/older divers on the trip to the middle of nowhere because "our rich parents trust us and MCs grandmother won't remember anyway."

The disrespect for the dangers of the ocean and adults just gave me the ick.

Then there's some kind of romance subplot that feels forced.

Overall just wasn't for me.

I really enjoyed this Out of Air. It was my first time reading anything from a diverse perspective and I found it interesting. It was a little more on the YA side than I was expecting but was still very enjoyable.

Out of Air is everything I could want in an underwater thriller and horror. It helps that this was a fast-paced thriller There were elements that reminded me of 80s and 90s ocean horror movies where divers and exporers encounter strange things and strange new beings. It was interesting to read this story and feel as though I was holding my breath oe feeling the tightness of claustrophobia as the characters were. It was a really good book


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this outstanding action packed YA adventure! Vivid and detailed descriptions allowed me to feel immersed in the underwater world. The characters seemed to leap off the page. Numerous twists were a wonderful surprise!

OUT OF AIR - RACHEL REISS

This is a fantastic book. I have to start by saying that, because I was utterly addicted to this story and raced through it to find out what happened next. Out of Air is a blend of genres, so much so that I found it difficult to know how to classify it.

Out of Air is about a scuba-diving protagonist and her group of friends who travel together to a remote Australian island for the ultimate diving adventure off the grid. With elements of horror, magical realism and suspense, Out of Air's pace made me think of other thrillers I've read.

I love books that have a nature-strikes-back angle and if you're similar, you need to grab Out of Air. The book tackles a little bit of everything; there's romance, the theme of finding one's place in the world, friendship (which can be toxic at times), body horror, action, high stakes and even some Outer Banks-style treasure finding.

It's a compelling story that you won't stop thinking about, and I'd highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys a faster pace and a book that defies being slotted neatly into a classic genre box.

Thank you to Rachel Reiss, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC.

Release date: 13 May 2025

Review score: 4/5

TWs: injury detail, d*ath, toxic relationships, ab*se

Rachel Reiss wrote a mesmerizing adventure tale that was as deep and scary as the ocean.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

4⭐️

**Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC**

The Salt Squad is a group of 5 newly graduated high school seniors on a celebration diving trip. They’ve been diving in Key West for months and now they are exploring the reefs off the Australian coast. When they come upon a mysterious cave, some of the group members start to change and notice a strong pull to the ocean.

This was a story I couldn’t put down. The details and descriptions of the ocean and its creatures was just right. Not overbearing and wordy, but enough to really set a great stage. The voice of the narrator, Phoebe, is distinct and clear. She doesn’t come off as a whiny teenager either, which I appreciate. This story has flashbacks woven into it. They help to create suspense and slowly reveal important details to the characters and their motivations. There is a small almost supernatural element to this story I was not expecting and may be off putting for some readers, but I found it very intriguing and fun. I want a follow up!

I finished Out of Air in about two days, I read the majority of it in a single sitting because I was so entranced with the world.

The book overall reminds me of the vibes that Outer Banks (the tv show) gives regarding teen friendships with class disparities and with a heavy interest in the ocean/treasure (sort of at least in Out of Air's case lol). Another title I would compare it to is The Unmaking of June Farrow - the eerie "gift" that Phoebe possesses alongside her mother and grandmother reminds me of the Farrows and how they never truly understood why them or what exactly was happening.

The pacing was well done, especially for a debut. It can be difficult to write two different times (past and present) but Reiss does it really well. I never felt as though the story was being stalled when we would switch from one time to another.

I wish we had gotten to see a little more of the Salt Squad's friendship outside of the drama, both past and present. Seeing more of how they all fit together would have been nice and would have made it more of a 'found family' feeling instead of just a group of friends doing things together.

I don't read a lot of YA or thrillers, so take my opinion on the ending with a grain of salt. I wasn't completely satisfied with it. It wasn't bad by any means but I do think that I would have liked a little more clarification or pages about the resolution. But, at the same time, when it comes to paranormal and thrillers I don't think you're really supposed to have all the answers and that's part of the beauty. That not everything is tied up in neat bows.

I'm really looking forward to reading what Reiss writes next, she kept my attention fully while reading Out of Air so I have no doubt she'll be able to do it again and again in the future.

OUT OF AIR is an underwater adventure with a slight supernatural twist. Love that the author took something as simple as scuba diving and treasure hunting and turned it into finding something you just can’t explain. When Phoebe and Gabe and the rest of their treasure hunting crew are having a good vacay off Australian waters, Phoebe feels that unnatural sixth sense of hers and is drawn to explore a cave so hidden it never should've been discovered. Inside could very well be the lost cave that holds endless, but cursed, treasure. And when Phoebe and Gabe resurface after that amazing discovery, the crew is stunned to learn their bodies are reacting in unexplainable ways. They suspect time is running out for the pair and as they delve deeper to understand the complexities of their discovery, unwanted attention for the elusive site only makes their situation more dire.

This was an intriguing, quick read. Anyone who loves the friends-to-lovers trope, underwater treasure danger and a hint of the supernatural will find this a promising read.

Will post to GoodReads and Amazon.