This is the first Maren Stoffels book I have read, but it won’t be the last. Such a quick read with a really good twist. I thought there was going to be a certain twist then it hit me with something I hadn’t even thought of until it happened.

𝙴𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Imagine this: Your parents tell you you're going on a luxury cruise line with other kids. You get on this cruise line and notice something's wrong, and it's called No Exit. But not only that, the cruise line is filled with bullies. They welcome y'all by saying, "Welcome to No Exit. The place for you so that others will be safe." Rumor has it that not everyone makes it back alive.

This was a quick, easy thriller read that had me turning the page just to see what was going to happen. I actually liked that this was a short book and literally got to the point and didn't drag like some thrillers do, so I really appreciate it.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Random House Children's for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Deep Water
By Maren Stoffels

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of Deep Water by Maren Stoffels for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I was drawn to this title because of the author, Maren Stoffels. I had previously read Escape Room, Room Service, Fright Night, and Stranger Danger.

Deep Water is a quick, pulse pounding read about a reeducation program for teen bullies that takes place aboard a cruise ship and from the outside seems like a luxury cruise line and not what it actually is… a prison. A prison that is intended to use karma and confrontation to teach these teens the consequences of their evil actions. However, rumor is that not everyone survives and makes it off the ship…

Like Stoffel’s other books, I’d hand this to anyone looking for a horror, suspense, thriller, quick read YA novel about survival and evil. No supernatural beings in this tale, but definitely an edge of your seat, “what’s going to happen next?!” vibe. A suggested purchase for YA and high school library collections and for those who enjoy Amy Christine Parker and Vincent Ralph. The characters represent as white, however, there is LGBTQ+ representation amongst secondary characters.

My only complaints are that for American readers, there are some words that clearly in translation lose some of their timeliness and could be changed to be more relatable. This seems to happen in many of her translations. Also, when nearing the end of the book when the story flips from Vesper’s perspective to Gwen’s, I feel like there’s some unnecessary repetition that is verbatim regardless of whose perspective you’re reading. The story also seems to build up to a particular event revolving around Gwen, however once that comes to a conclusion, it’s almost like the whole story just shuts down rather than continuing to address the rest of the cast of characters.
Overall an edge-of-your seat quick thriller that is sure to appeal to many a YA reader, despite some storyline flaws.

A prison cruise ship for Bullys? That’s exactly what this book explores is trapping bullys in a place where there is no escape and making them receive a bit of karma too. The idea of this book was a great, the pace is super fast, but the way the big reveal was done didn’t work for me. I think having that more woven into the story instead of some separate chapters that felt like we missed something and were being caught up super quickly would have been better.

I loved this book !!!! The writing was amazing. Had me engaged every step of the way and the plot twists for each individual character was well written.
Kept my attention throughout the duration of the book, and the ending was not what I expected (in a good way!). Definitely a bit of a physiological thriller with a great couple of twists. I look forward to reading another one of Maren’s books.

Thank you for the arc! I enjoyed this book. It was a fast paced read and very intriguing. However the ending left me wanting more

Release: August 19, 2025
Author: Maren Stoffels
Publisher: Random house children's

Rating: 3.5 ★ 

Vesper thought a ten-day cruise would be a great way to get away from her problems, but she soon discovers the trip is anything but normal. She’s been forced into No Exit, a harsh program designed to “reeducate” bullies. Trapped on the ship, Vesper and the other teens face intense physical and mental challenges that force them to confront their worst fears and past mistakes. As the days go on, the ship feels more like a prison, with strict rules and deadly consequences. Not everyone will survive this terrifying journey.

I really enjoyed deep water — it was a fast-paced and gripping YA thriller with an intriguing concept. The story, set on a cruise for troubled teens undergoing a brutal reeducation program, kept me hooked from beginning to end. The mix of physical and psychological challenges added a tense, almost locked-room suspense vibe that I found really compelling.
The characters felt interesting, especially Vesper and Gwen, and I liked how the story explored their fears, regrets, and growth. Some parts, like the multiple points of view, felt a bit confusing or repetitive at times, and I wished there had been a bit more depth in character backstories and development. The ending was satisfying but also left me wanting a little more closure.
Overall, it’s a quick, intense read with some emotional weight and tough questions about justice and consequences, perfect for fans of thrillers with strong moral dilemmas. I’d definitely recommend it, especially if you like stories that make you think and keep you on edge.

Favorite Quote:
"you can drown without ever touching the water."

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!!

I really enjoyed this book!! It was a nice read, full of interesting twists, and was a short read with an ending that was both satisfying and left me wanting more.

I received an advance ebook copy of Deep Water by Maren Stoffels from netgalley.

My son (14) has other books from this author, so when I got the opportunity to request an ARC of Deep water I jumped on it.

This book is YA, I recommended it to my oldest son age 14, but I wouldn't suggest that my youngest son age 11 read it. The language and actions of the characters may be a bit mature.

I enjoyed this book, it's a quick read with a fast paced storyline. Interesting characters. It takes
place on a cruise ship, so it's like a locked room suspense/thriller.

Now I think I'll borrow my son's other books by Maren Stoffels.

I love any kind of thriller that takes place on a cruise ship. This one felt more YA (duh) because of the bully aspect of it but I still really liked it!!

3.5

I received an ARC from Netgalley. Thank you to the publisher and the author.

I believe this is the 2nd book I have read from this author, and I had the same experience. The premise of the book is right up my alley, and I was super excited to read it. However, the execution leaves me wanting.

I really enjoyed the back and forth from the Vesper and The Diary's POV, but I have to admit that the Diary POV was confusing, but at the same time kept me reading. Then when we got a 3rd POV later in the book it was almost too much. Especially since most of that POV repeated what we already knew/read and added maybe just a tab more from this character's perspective. But it wasn't enough to warrant the several chapters it took to told it.

Overall, this book was fun and fast paced. I just wish it had been more fleshed out and not as disjointed.

Just a couple of facts to start out here. Number one-cruises are awesome, relaxing and enjoyable. Number two-kids can be dicks.

Both those things being clear this cruise is not one that I would want to take, these kids are jerks who have been sent on the cruise for a reeducation because they tend to be bullies. I understand that in a time when bullying is so prevalent that sometimes you get desperate to teach your kids not to be jerks. In the case of this book, everyone has a fear and a regret. These kids are about to face theirs and not everyone survives it.

I could have used a bit more character development. There were some aspects that fell short. But overall it was a good book that I would recommend for quick summer reading

I had enjoyed Escape Room by Maren Stoffels, so I was excited to read a new book from them. It had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of genre and had that element that I enjoyed from the previous book. The plot was everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the tension that I was expecting and thought it worked well with the characters. Maren Stoffels always does a fantastic job in writing this type of book and am excited for more.

I always love when I pick books based off a cool cover and a very brief skim of the description and the books turns out to be nothing like I anticipated but everything that I needed to read; that is my experience with NO EXIT by Maren Stofrels- an unexpected surprise filled with layers of various friendship dynamics, grief’s impact, and the devastation of consequences and karma.

“When I saw Dad's signature, I realized that No Exit really exists, but after Jonah was punished, I understood what No Exit actually is”.

Make sure you add this book to your bookshelf; you will be shocked and question your own actions and ideally, you will grow as person better navigating life with all its troubles.

This was a 3.5 star read for me. I really enjoyed the concept of this story, and following the bullies as they go through a reeducation program on a cruise ship. It was a fast-paced read and kept me intrigued until the very end.

Now I will say I would have like to learn more about our extra characters and what made them become bullies, and also have some more of the process. I would have loved to learn what our main character had done as well to get herself enrolled into the No Exit program. But I think for the intended audience, it's probably just the right amount!

I have been so interested in this authors books. So, I am glad to have had the opportunity to read this one. I think these are the types of books I would have loved to read when I was younger!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for my advanced reader copy.

When I requested this book I mostly asked to read it because of the author. But once I started reading, I got pulled into the story. Such an interesting take on rehabilitation for troubled youth. The story obviously took the concept to a whole other level but I found it captivating. It brought to mind the show Squid Games with its severity. I felt that the characters were developed well and found myself rooting for the core group. The ending broke my heart but I saw it coming and definitely appreciated it. What a brave final act of friendship Gwen displayed. Not only did she avenge her friend and also potentially saved other kids from the same fate. Truly a perfect "good guy" character for this book. I felt the book was well written, entertaining and original. I would recommend it to my friends. Thank you for allowing me to read it!

Vesper thought she was going on a 10 day cruise to get away after her mom’s passing, however it turns out to be a reeducation cruise for bullies. The cruise is a prison and there’s no way off. Each teen is now reduced to a number and is made to face what they’ve done to get there. When it turns deadly, they must do what they have to to survive. Who can Vesper trust?

This was fast paced and the idea was incredibly intriguing! I loved the characters-Gwen was my favorite! I really enjoyed how it all came together in the end. I did feel like it went too quick though and left some unanswered questions.

Overall, this was a super fun read!

I love to cruise! I also would not want to be on this particular boat. With that said there is no punishment undeserving of a bully. Only if this was a real thing sans death.

This was a quick fast pace read. I really liked the idea of the book, but felt it was a little too quick and left me with a few unanswered questions. It does work really well as a book to get you out of a slump, as I was really intrigued to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. I did enjoy the twist and did not see it coming at all. Unfortunately, as soon as the twist was revealed, there was a lot of repetitive re-telling of previous chapters with not a lot of new information added. Because of that, the ending felt a bit rushed and it just left me wanting a little more. Overall I would recommend this book, and am very appreciative of Net Galley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book presents an interesting concept. There are surprises and mystery and events to keep the reader hooked throughout the book. The Author's Note at the end is helpful and adds a nice touch to the story. The book opens the door to dialogue about tough issues young people face today.