From the opening pages, Deep Water pulled me in and didn’t let go. Vesper thinks she’s heading out on a luxury cruise her dad gifted her—but the reality is far more sinister. The “vacation” is actually No Exit, a brutal re-education program for bullies where teens are stripped of their identities, forced into uniforms, and subjected to punishments if they don’t follow strict rules. As Vesper meets other passengers—including a blind girl labeled 25B—she quickly realizes this is no getaway. It’s a prison on water.

I loved how the story wove in Gwen’s diary entries alongside Vesper’s POV, adding depth and mystery. The survival-game atmosphere, the tension between the teens, and the question of who would make it back alive kept me turning pages late into the night.

This is a tense, fast-paced YA thriller filled with secrets, lies, and unexpected twists. Perfect for fans of dark, high-stakes survival stories.

Vesper can’t believe her eyes when she sees the cruise ship. Asking her dad if he can afford it. He tells her that he thought she needed a vacation. The vacation is ten days long. When she checks in , she is told to go to the personal welcome. She doesn’t want to go as she wants to check out her cabin. She is talking to Jonah when the host says that they are missed and takes them to the “welcome.” After that the group is told to go to their cabins and read the information folder. Vesper meets 25B who is blind. Why would a blind girl be at this program? She asks Vesper (now 25A) to read the folder to her. As 25a reads it, she can’t believe her eyes. It sounds like they are in a prison rather than a vacation. They must wear their uniforms or will not be able to leave their cabin. What she finds out is this is a reeducation program for bullies. The program is called “no Exit.” She can’t believe it. Why would her dad send her to this? Now, Vesper and her fellow passengers are about to confront their darkest fears and deepest regrets. The rules are brutal and the punishments deadly. With each new challenge, the teens must navigate physical and psychological trials that push them to their limits. And some will not make it back alive. Why?

The author has written a quick-moving thriller. It’s a fairly short, fast-paced read alternates between Vesper’s perspective and diary entries written by an unnamed bullying victim with details enhancing the sense of mystery. Some characters’ backstories are not only morally gray but extreme in their violence.

Deep Water by Maren Stoffels is a twisty YA thriller with the locked room mystery, stranded with no way out feel. What Vesper thinks is an amazing 10 day cruise vacation for young people, is actually a re-education cruise for bullies called No Exit. It’s not a vacation at all. Secrets come to light and surviving becomes key. This story was very fast paced which is why I read it in 24 hours. This book publishes on 08/19/25. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for the eARC.

Vesper thought she was signing up for a relaxing escape but this ship is more punishment than paradise. Fast-paced, psychological, and totally gripping.

Wow what a compelling young adult thriller! A boat full of bullies getting their karma. I love the plot and the writing is amazing I now need to read all of this authors books!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc

This thriller is pure adrenaline on paper. The tension builds with expert precision, each chapter tightening the noose until you can barely breathe. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story yanks the ground out from under you. The characters are grippingly real, their motives tangled in ways that keep you second-guessing. It’s a pulse-pounding, heart-racing read you won’t be able to shake.

This was not enough for me, and even for a YA-focused book, the plot was rushed and fell short. Unless this is going to be a series, there was a ton of really interesting threads that could've been explored and were then left hanging. A lot is hinted at but never explained or shown, not even as exposition, and I didn't believe that anything was happening that would actually change any of these bullies. This was just an idea to torture bullies that fell short, and a plot about a marginalized identity that was unexplored and forced. And even then, the specific bully in that situation did not get what they truly deserved.

There's a ton of potential in this story, this just fell flat. For a much younger audience, even middle grade, this could be a good read about actions having consequences and empathy, since it's not overly graphic.

*3.5 stars rounded up*

Huge thanks to @prhaudio and Delacorte Press for the #gifted ALC and ebook.

"Welcome to No Exit. The place for you, so that others are safe."

When Vesper’s dad sends her away on a ten day cruise, she believes she’s finally found a perfect getaway from her troubled life. Little does she know, the cruise is really a cover up for No Exit, a reeducation program for bullies.

I wasn’t expecting this much depth from a YA mystery, it really hit me hard. Just the amount of abuse some of these kids inflicted on others...especially Jumper. There is a special place in hell for him. He literally gave himself this nickname after a kid ended their life because of his relentless bullying.

I was hooked until just the very end. A major event plays through and then the story skips forward multiple days to the end of the cruise. I wish more time had been spent on the final days of the program, I was left with more questions than answers. Still, I enjoyed the overall premise, even though that ending was a bit of a letdown.
One thing I really appreciated though, was the resources provided at the end of the audiobook.The author offers kids ways to reach out if they’re struggling mentally or know someone who is. That kind of resource isn’t always easy to find, and it’s such an important message for young listeners.

I think everyone who reads this book can look back and relate in some way, whether you were bullied or the bully.

Rating: 🤗/4.25
Source: #netgalley
Review: Once I get approved for a netgalley book I download it and just pick it up when I am ready to read it without reminding myself what intrigued me the book to request it. I was so surprised by this book. This was such an interesting premise - a 10 day punishment cruise for bullies - with twists and substance that will have me thinking about it for a long time.

Format: 👩🏻‍💻
Published on Goodreads 7/13/2025

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This was a quick read that definitely kept my attention and had me on my toes. It felt a little choppy and hollow at times - I would have loved to see more of the story.

Overall though, a great quick mystery!

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!!