I'm long overdue in submitting my thoughts on Out of Air, but it's only because I had to sit on how good the book and narrator were.

I fell in love with these salty teens right away, and the twists had me hanging on to the very last page. And the narrator? Superb! The dynamism of the voice acting brought an already tense and gripping story to life and sucked me right in. I listened to this book on a road trip, and there was a six hour stretch where no one in the car said a thing it was that good.

The combination of romance and horror is deliciously tense, and the unpredictable thrills had me up way past bed time. Out of Air is easily my favorite read of the past year, and I can't wait to see what Reiss writes next.

I'm so glad I listened to "Out of Air" on audiobook! The narrator was EXCELLENT and I really felt like I was right there under the water with the group, slowly running out of oxygen and starting to panic. The claustrophobia this made me feel was wild. I really enjoyed this story and how the author kept a consistent pace throughout the whole book. I was invested and wanted to know how things were going to end up, and I really liked how she wrapped up the ending in a way that still left some questions. Highly recommend checking this one out on audiobook!

Oh the suspense! I watched a cave diving documentary once and since then have been obsessed with diving'- although I have zero want to ever dive 😂. This was a dark, atmospheric, suspense/thriller. Then add in a pinch of horror. I really wish the author had gone deeper with the horror vibe.

Gail Shalan did an amazing job narrating. A single narrator that made you feel like there were multiple, she read all the characters so convincingly. Gail had me on the edge of my seat during certain parts! I love her smooth tone and intonation. I'd definitely choose audio for this book!

TW/CW: Alzheimer's, gory scenes, classism, child abandonment, language, mourning, toxic friendships, blood, violence

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Phoebe “Phibs” Ray is never more at home than when she’s underwater. On a dive six months ago, she and her four closest friends discovered a handful of ancient gold coins, rocketing them into social media fame. Now, their final summer together after high school, they’re taking one last trip to a distant Australian island to do what they love most – scuba dive.

While diving a local reef, Phibs discovers a spectacular underwater sea cave, rumored to be a lost cave with a buried treasure. But when Phibs and her best friend Gabe surface from the cave, they notice that they're undergoing strange changes. Oozing gashes that don’t heal. Haunting whispers in their heads... Something has latched onto them, lurking beneath their skin, transforming them from the inside out.

When treasure hunters arrive, desperate to find the location of the cave and hold Phibs’ group for ransom, she’ll do anything to keep her friends safe. In the process she learns that, of all the dreadful creatures of the sea, she might be the most terrifying of them all.
Release Date: May 13th, 2025
Genre: YA Horror
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Atmospheric
2. Audiobook is intense (give the narrator an award she was great!)

What I Didn't Like:
1. Cheesy things happen
2. Boring
3. Gabe/Phibs (love) storyline


Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}

Right out the door we learn that Phibs is the poor one surrounded by rich friends. With that troupe in place we are supposed to believe that Phibs is so poor but she can have an expensive hobby such as scuba diving. Yeah, her family's friend pays for this journey but she had to get here to where she could scuba dive.

Soooooo Phibs is obsessed with Gabe. It drives me insane how much we have to hear it over and over.

Okay Phibs why bring such a special camera with you on a boat if you are worried about it getting more damaged?

Why do they want to start a scuba social media when they are going to be moving away for school? It doesn't make sense.

God, teenagers are so dramatic. Lol. Everything is the end of the world.

There it is our main character reminding us that she hasn't eaten in so long. Why??

So this place was so horrible and dangerous that Phibs friend (does her name even matter - they all sound the same and have no character development) threatens to throw Phibs most prized possession overboard, but then suggests they do a night dive into the same cave not even 24 hours later. Still absolutely no explanation for why she behaved this way. Personally I think her friends are terrible. Now her friend has to see it for herself ah.

I'm 152 pages into this book and maybe a few things have happened that I would consider interestingly horrorish. Other than that it's been pretty much Phibs obsession of Gabe and her googly eyes for him. Pretty boring so far. Currently she's getting attacked by a tiger shark but Gabe has stepped in to save her. How very Twilight. I know it's a YA but give us readers something more. Please! I might dnf this at 75% (page 230) if something doesn't happen.

Are beach people always in bikinis and swim trunks? They get into a fight and just strip off into their swim clothes around every corner. The characters just leave the store empty to go out to the water to have a talk.

I laughed so hard when Loni lost her fingers. It was so random and crazy.

Oh and right after that we jump into that the sheriff is Phibs dad. How random and out of this world.

Well you know you're in a YA book because now there is a love triangle between brothers Will and Gabe. How stupid. I don't need this.

Story line of the sheriff trying to kill them for the coins they found and posted on social media is ridiculous. Like no one would investigate the death of them after they posted the coins.

Final Thoughts:
The beginning of this book kind of drove me off the deep end. It kept cycling through the same things over and over;
• Phibs in love with Gabe
• Grandma's memory is disappearing
• Being poor
• Grandpa is dead

Too much going on in this book. I dnfed this because I was already barely caring then we get this weird Goonies scene of the treasure hunters finding the teens and telling them all their plans and who they were. Just too much happening in this book for you to focus on. What are we suppose to be caring about? The love triangle? Grams having Alzheimer's? Phibs being poor? The coins? Phibs finding out who her mother is? Being kidnapped and forced to show the treasure spot? Or covering up the murder of her dad the sheriff? - - TOO MUCH!

All the characters are cookie cutters of one another. All straight white rich people and the only one who isn't rich is the one that is like middle class. Don't tell me that you are soooo poor but are able to live in Key West, go surfing whenever you want, and your home life is still okay despite your grandma needing medical care (which if she loved her so much it seems like she didn't really do anything to advocate for her safety just left her alone all the time).

IG | Blog

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Out of Air gave major underwater horror vibes with a side of teenage chaos and friendship goals (even if said friendships were unraveling thanks to supernatural sea gunk). I was hooked from the start—gold coins, viral fame, mysterious caves?? Yeah, sign me up.

The tension builds slowly, but once they come back from that cave? BABE. Everything goes off the rails. Oozing wounds, whispers, and body horror that made me squirm a little. The writing did a great job of making me feel trapped, like I was underwater with them—and not in a peaceful scuba way, more like “why is my chest tight” way.

Also: love the twist that maybe Phibs is the real monster?? Girl, be serious.

It did drag a tiny bit in the middle, and some of the side characters blended together, but overall I had a blast. Creepy, fast-paced, and just weird enough to stick with me. Would not go cave diving again, thanks.

I really enjoyed this unique book. It did have an "Outer Banks" show feel to it blended with a little horror that felt kind of mythological. It's a little difficult to explain but it worked well and kept me entertained.

The story centers around five friends who have bonded over diving. Four of them are quite wealthy while the fifth one, who is new to the group, is from the "other side of the tracks" and has no money. Yet, it doesn't matter because they feel like family to one another. When their hobby places them in harm's way, they stay together and hold firmly in their trust in one another.

When they travel to a remote island for a vacation, they don't believe the local myths are true until they experience it first hand. Then, they have to figure out how to try to undo the damage. But can they? And on top of trying to remedy a life-changing "curse," they also have to battle treasure hunters. It's an action packed book with a creative and well-written storyline.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The narration was very good and kept me engaged. I enjoyed being able to go back and forth between the ebook and audiobook. This book lent itself well to the audiobook format. 4 1/2 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook.

Out of Air has everything I could possibly want in a YA novel: suspense, body horror, and adventure. The narrator was phenomenal in ramping up the suspense at the most intense points of the story. Excellent all around!

Just finished Out of Air by Rachel Reiss — 4/5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The deeper we went, the less I could tell what was real—and what was just fear.”
^This line perfectly captures the whole vibe of the book.

This book had me stressed. A school dive trip gone wrong turns into a full-on survival thriller. The underwater setting was so creepy and unique — I felt like I was there, gasping for air right along with the characters. I have had my divers license and can confirm the eery claustrophobic feeling you get.

I saw a couple twists coming, but it still kept me engaged. Dark, intense, and surprisingly emotional. If you love YA thrillers with a fresh setting and high stakes, this one’s a solid pick.

Thank you @netgalley for the audio!

Wow – this was a lot! And not in a good way. I get trying to build tension but this was all-out, constantly high tension, even when it didn’t need to be. If you keep the book at that tension level the whole time, it’s not really tension; it’s just bad writing (and the narration suffers as a result). When everything is an emergency, nothing is an emergency. The main character, Phibs, is whiny and annoying, and when the narration didn’t work for me, I tried to read this, with the same results. This had so much promise but just wasn’t for me.

Fans of outer banks will enjoy out of air. I wasn’t sure what to expect when i started the story, but it definitely turned into an adventure fast.

Told from two different times in the characters’ lives, out of air is about adventure, friendship, and the unknown of the ocean. Phibs is a well designed character. She’s realistic and won’t give up on those she cares about. She isn’t the kind of character that breaks down when things get hard. The heroine of the story you want.

Hands down a great young adult novel for those who like a little horror and mystery with their adventure and want a story focused on the ocean and what could be in it. I recommend those to those 14 and up.

Audio Review

The audiobook is really good. The narrator really pulls you in and portrays the panic in the characters really well. If I had to choose between the audio and written version, I’d recommend the audio. It really immerses the listener and pulls you in better.

In the book Out of Air, author Rachel Reiss writes about Phoebe “Phibs” Ray who loves being underwater. When Phibs and her friends were on a dive they discovered some gold coins and their find rocketed them to social media fame. Now they are diving and filming and interacting with their audience. But summer is almost over and its time to go their separate ways to college life. So they decide to have one last diving adventure together. After finding an incredible cave that has a mysterious legend, strange things begin to happen. What is going on? And who can they trust. And will they survive. This was an interesting concept that kept my interest. I would recommend this book. The audio-book narration was good. I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of a deep sea story. There's something so creepy about the unknown under the surface of the ocean, so I was really excited to get my hands on Out of Air.

The storyline was really interesting, and I liked the idea of this group of teens finding a hidden underwater cavern. There were some good creepy scenes with some body horror and the mystery around what was happening to the teens was interesting.

The chapters alternated between present and past to explain some of the history of this group of friends. I did kind of think that everything in the plot moved a little too fast and would have liked a little more build up to the current events. There was a lot going on and a lot of subplots that didn't get fleshed out too well, with the book being only about 300 pages. There were also a few plot points that were a little too convenient to truly believe.

Overall, this was a decent YA book that did feel really YA. Id recommend it for a younger crowd--teenage Sunny probably would have loved it.

Stars: 3.5/5

🎧 Book Review 🎧 I recently read an article about a Korean women whose bodies have adapted to frigid waters surrounding their island. While I am terrified of what lies beneath the surface of the sea, I was fascinated by this concept. Our bodies can do amazing things and Rachel Reiss takes readers on a remarkably thrilling journey into the ocean. When Phoebe is abandoned by her mother in the Florida Keys, not only is she taken in by her grandmother, she finds solidarity in her diving crew. Forming a solid bond above and below the surface as they finish their high school careers, their lives are forever changed when they discover gold coins while on a routine dive. On their final hurrah before their life after high school begins, they again discover something hidden away - this time an almost magical cave in Australia. But long time rumors of a curse seem to be true as their bodies and minds seem to be taken over by an unseen force. Can their bodies adapt as they race against time to save themselves? Rachel Reiss pens a fast-paced, suspenseful book, wonderfully translated into an audiobook by Gail Shalan that is pretty impossible to press pause on! Out of Air is a perfect kickoff to summer treat, with the right amount of claustrophobic unease that will keep me breathing above the water line this summer.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚 🎭: YA horror/thriller
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚: 🚫
𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙚 🏃🏼‍♀️: fast
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 🖤: Outer Banks but darker

Ooooh boy I love a little bit of ocean horror. Make it YA and it's even more fun. It has the vibes of Outer Banks, but with cave diving and some slight atmospheric body horror/sea monster themes. You've got the unbalanced friend group, a little bit of romantic drama, secrets, and a ton of suspense.

The audio is REALLY good. Thr narrator sets a great pace so listen at 1.75 or 2x to get the full experience. I binged this.

You'll never catch me cave diving or scuba diving but I am obsessed with everything beneath the surface.

This book gave me huge old school Christopher Pike horror vibes. Totally here for it. I loved it! Can there be a sequel? Please?

Out of Air follows a group of young people known as the Salt Squad. These five teens share a passion for diving off the coast of the Florida Keyes and have run a joint social media showing off their adventures to the world. Phoebe, the latest edition to the friend group, is the photographer of the group and has always had an abnormally close connection to the sea. One day, though, that connection leads her to a location that is more than meets the eye and may pose a threat to the relationships she's built. The friends have to act quickly to neutralize the threat before it alters them forever.

I love underwater horror. Anything to do with the deep blue is lifeblood in my veins - mostly because I am thoroughly afraid of the ocean in real life. This book is YA, so there was a bit less of that actual horror than I was hoping there would be. I didn't go in knowing it was YA, so that bit is on me - I think I would have had different expectations had I known. Still, the body horror present in this book was pretty gnarly for something aimed at people under the age of 18. There isn't a lot of gory detail, but there is a good amount of description that comes in the latter half of the book that scratched the itch (pun intended) I was hoping for.

I was slightly disappointed by the relationship between the Salt Squad themselves, and I felt like there was a lot of "Tell" instead of "Show" happening. We are supposed to feel like the five are inseparable best friends, but I found myself questioning multiple times whether these people even really like each other. Obviously Lani and Isabelle are a couple at the start, but neither of them seem to be particularly interested in anyone else in the group. We are told that Isabelle and Phibs are very close and that Isabelle looks out for her, but we don't really get to see that in the book. Will comes off as a classic prep school asshole and, again, doesn't seem to care too much about anyone other than himself. I didn't even catch that he and Gabe were brothers until 1/3rd of the way into the book. I think this had a lot of potential for a found family story, but things just didn't really shake out that way.

Pacing and writing were both done well and at no point did the writing pull me out of the immersion (except that one scene with the sea wasps.) Pacing is often something I complain about in these reviews, but this book gets a pass. At no point did I feel like things were dragging or going to quick to follow. This is honestly one of the best compliments that I can give a book, because I am super picky!

I'm biased, I think, in my review of this book because its one of my favorite subgenres of fiction. There were some definitely some things that I found less-than-stellar, but the overall effect was enough to earn 4 stars. I will definitely be recommending this to other people who are obsessed with underwater fiction like I am!

Bonus comments for the audiobook: This is my first experience with Gail Shalan as a narrator and I found the performance to be a bit dramatic. I love when narrators put some performance in their work instead of just reading straight through the book, but I think that some of the scenes where the MC is upset get a bit too frantic and shrill. The sound of the narrator panting and yelling is hard to listen to, especially when using headphones. I would not recommend this audiobook despite the fact that I did enjoy the book.

A group of teenaged divers stumbles across a deep-water cave while on the hunt for treasure and one last summer of free exploration. Soon, they find that their discovery has kicked off a chain of events — and possibly an ancient curse. Will they ever be able to go back to life as they knew it before?

This novel has a lot of promise for a fun summer read, especially for its intended young adult audience. For adults looking for a YA book that can cross over into general audience appeal, however, this is probably not the best choice. I found there to be a little too much angst and too many poor character decisions to resonate with it. It's a unique premise, though, and I did find the plot entertaining.

Unfortunately, I also found the narration problematic, as the narrator delivers the majority of the book with an almost hysteria-tinged urgency. While this isn't entirely inappropriate for a scifi thriller and a young main character, such a consistent use of this technique just grated on my nerves. It wasn't so much that I was feeling the plot tension as I was just plain annoyed.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and Rachel Reiss for an advance listening copy for honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this early! Out of Air is a gripping, fast-paced adventure that had me hooked from the first chapter. It gave major Outer Banks vibes with its sunsoaked danger and thrill chasing characters, but layered on a surprising and at times unsettling dose of body horror that kept the stakes feeling high and unpredictable.

The atmosphere is tense and immersive, and the plot moves quickly, pulling you along with every twist. That said, the love subplot felt a little undercooked. There was potential for more emotional depth but it didn’t quite land.

Still, if you’re into survival stories with a creepy twist, this one’s definitely worth the read.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacMillanAudio for the book #OutOfAir by #RachelReiss. Phibs and her friends love to scuba dive. Not to long ago, they found gold coins on a dive. They all decided to do one last dive before they all go separate ways. Phibs and Gabe wandered into a lost cave, and soon after, they start experiencing strange things. Has something attached to them? And what will the outcome be of this thing that has inhabited them?

YA CHILLS AND THRILLS! A group of high school friends are on a diving trip of a lifetime off the Australian coast, before they head to college. Told through a dual timeline. Found treasure, teen drama, sea life, a bit of intrigue. The narrative paints the most spectacular images of the waters in which the Salt squad dive. Very faced paced, exciting read. A bit of thriller a touch of horror deliver this awesome story.

Thank you to St Martin's Press/ Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.