Jaws Isn't the Only Thing in the Water

 

TITLE: You've Awoken Her

AUTHOR: Ann Davila Cardinal

PUBLISHER: HarperCollins

PUBLISHING DATE: June 17, 2025

PAGES: 288   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: All Gabi wants is to spend the summer in his room, surrounded by his Funkos and books, but with his mom traveling, his bags are packed for the last place he wants to visit—the Hamptons. Staying with his best friend should have him willing to peek out of his cave, but ever since Ruth’s nouveau riche family moved, their friendship has been off. 

Surrounded by mansions, country clubs, and Ruth’s new boyfriend, Frost Thurston—the axis that Hampton society orbits around—it doesn’t take long for Gabi to feel completely out of place. But when he witnesses a woman being pulled under the ocean water, and no one—not the police or anyone else in the Hamptons—seems to care, Gabi starts to wonder if maybe the beachside town’s bad vibes are more real than he thought. 

As the “accidental” deaths and drownings begin to climb, Gabi knows he’ll need proof to convince Ruth they’re all in danger. And while the Thurston family name keeps rising to the top, along with every fresh body, what’s worst is that all the signs point to something lurking beneath the water—something with tentacles and a thirst for blood. Can Gabi figure out how the two are intertwined and put an end to the string of deaths…before becoming the water’s next victim? 

MY THOUGHTS: Sometimes YA horror doesn't work for me, but this book is a great example of why I still keep giving it a chance.  And come on, look at that cover!  Not only are the colors great, but I love some good tentacles.

Gabi is spending the summer in the Hamptons with his best friend Ruth.  Ruth's dad got a new job recently and came into some money so the family has settled into a new lifestyle.  Gabi misses his best friend dearly but really would prefer to stay in his bedroom/cave all summer on the computer, chatting with his on-line friends and communities about his favorite subjects - horror movies, books, games and lore.  While waiting on the train, he is approached by a scary old woman who warns him about going indicating that "she" is awake and Gabi isn't safe.  Once Gabi arrives, not only does he have a hard time dealing with the "new" Ruth and accepting that she has changed, but on his first night he sees a woman in the ocean screaming for help right before she is grabbed by a giant tentacle.  Is something else going on in the Hamptons this summer?  Why do people keep on disappearing?  And do the disappearances have anything to do with Ruth's new super-rich boyfriend Frost and his father's business?

This book was so much fun, and I loved the dark, creepy ocean vibes.  The relationship between Gabi and Ruth was a little precarious because of all the changes and the author navigated it well by showing how people change and evolve over time, but that doesn't mean people have to be left behind. Even though Ruth has a very rich and very annoying new boyfriend, she herself stayed grounded for the most part and the aggravation she felt with Gabi at times was justified. It was also nice to see Gabi embrace his Puerto Rican heritage and I enjoyed learning more about the culture and their beliefs.  

And finally, it's no real spoiler but this book relies heavily on Lovecraft and his Cthulhu.  However, the author also addressed Lovecraft's sexism and racism which I found very refreshing.  If you are looking for a summer horror read with some impact, definitely pick this one up.   

MY RATING: 5 PAWS