Not far from a small forestry town called Timbers, Nico and his friends, Emma and Tyler, are trying out Nico’s new drone. They’re not far from Still Cove, an area ringed by cliffs, rough waters, and an incessant fog. They’ve heard all the stories about The Beast that is said to live there, but the area is quiet and away from everything. Perfect for drone test flights.

Just when Nico is mastering it, Logan Nantes and his mates arrive on new ATV’s. Logan’s dad is the biggest employer in town and Logan makes the most of it. Behind him on his ATV is Nico’s ex best friend Opal. She’s not happy when Logan and his mates cause trouble, and when Nico falls into Still Cove, she joins the rescue.

What they find blows their minds. An island hidden in the mist, hiding even more secrets. At first the four are fascinated, but soon things become strange, scary and even life-threatening. They know they have unleashed something, but how will they capture and kill it? Especially when their fear is what it feeds on. It knows their wishes and dreams and uses them against them, all the while growing bigger and stronger.

A fast-paced middle-grade read written in the various character viewpoints. Friendships are forged and broken and mended again. Fears are displayed and efforts made to conquer them in order to survive.

There is much more to learn however about the strange island and its secrets, and I’m glad to read in the back of the book that there is a sequel.

Author – Ally Condie & Brendan Reichs

Age – 11+

(Legend, Creatures, Fears, Friendships, Courage, Action, Adventure, Town Parade, Radish, Environment, Owls, Trust)