Releases on Oct 06 2026
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An immersive, gruesome tale of danger and suspense. What Feeds Below follows two best friends who risk their lives daily by taking tourists on expeditions into the Void. The Void is a dangerous chasm full of terrifying creatures, deadly plants, and treacherous paths. The mysterious chasm lures explorers to discover its secrets across its six levels. The deeper explorers go, the deadlier and more rewarding treasures they might find. When one normal expedition goes wrong, Petra and Jade become separated. Petra fights to find Jade before it’s too late while trying her best to stay alive. Petra doesn’t realize, however, that the deeper she goes into the Void, the closer she gets to uncovering a secret that will change her life forever.
Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. This story kept me on the edge of my seat for the rest of the day! It gripped me and held me in suspense chapter after chapter. The Void was its own character; it was beautiful, deadly, mysterious, and shocking. This was a true body horror story; each victim suffers a gruesome, gory death that you can’t look away from. Not only will readers recoil at what the victims go through physically, but they’ll get to see the mental deterioration that often follows. I enjoyed the high-stakes nature of the story, learning all about the divers, the reasons why they’d even risk going into the Void, and how the city above it developed as it did. The atmosphere felt deeply uncomfortable; you never knew what might occur next. The tension and suspense lingered even after the story ended. Although the main character was slightly frustrating, I had to remind myself she was a teenager and doing the best she could while trapped in a nightmare.
The only frustration that kept me from rating this book five stars was its final page. The last chapter concluded the story well; I felt it neatly wrapped up the character’s journey, and I was satisfied right up to the very last page. The last 80+ words in the last chapter gutted me. I was so thrown off and even a bit upset at those very last words in the chapter that I had to take a break before writing this review.
**Sort of a spoiler**Do not proceed further unless you really want to**
This is my personal opinion, and some readers might like how the final page concluded the story. The last few words in the story felt like a letdown. Up until that point, as the reader, you felt like the story would move further along even after its ending. Important knowledge discovered by the characters would aid the city and its divers, as shown at the beginning of the last chapter. One of the main characters had tremendous growth and had finally broken out of her shell; however, the way the chapter ended felt like it had all been for nothing. The final words were bleak and didn’t feel like they fit with the way the final chapter was going. I’d like to emphasize that the writing, its story, and the world were fascinating, so the way it ended really threw me off. The final words, in my opinion, cheapened the ending. However, some readers might like the twist in the end and enjoy it.
For readers who enjoy atmospheric dread, dangerous creatures, gory deaths
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is an advance reader copy (ARC) and may contain errors or changes before final publication. My review is voluntary and reflects my personal thoughts. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the blog!
