This Raging Sea

Featured
205989369
Author(s)
Publisher
Age Range
14+
Release Date
September 23, 2025
ISBN
978-0823459384
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18-year-old Briar Winters must untangle the horrifying eldritch secrets of her picture-perfect coastal town in order to save the boy she loves after he disappears from time itself in this YA dark fantasy for fans of Bly Manor.

Historic Loch Creek is a witchy New England tourist trap—but it’s just a trap for Briar, who’s convinced she’ll die there among the waves that devoured her twin brother thirteen years ago. But when her best friend who she's loved since childhood, Finn, vanishes from the seaside carnival, there’s only one person who can help Briar find him: Morgan, her biggest enemy who knows her darkest secret.

As Briar uncovers hidden truths as deep and dark as the water that haunts her, it quickly becomes clear that Finn has gone much further than anyone could have imagined. He’s lost in time, and neither of them are safe. If Briar and Finn look too hard, they might find terrifying answers—not just about what’s buried beneath the shores, but also the threads tying them to each other. As past and future collide, the seductive yet evil underwater entity that intends to claim Briar still needs its sacrifice . . .

And it’s too hungry to go unsated.

Equal parts epic bisexual romance and pulse-pounding horror, This Raging Sea is a dual POV dark fantasy as sweepingly powerful as the ocean that threatens to consume everything and everyone Briar has ever loved—prepare to be devoured.

Editor review

1 review
A Darkly Magical Tale
(Updated: June 04, 2026)
Overall rating
 
4.7
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
THIS RAGING SEA is a young adult dark fantasy book. After a carnival, Briar can no longer find Finn, her best friend and the boy she has loved for years. With her two other friends, she is left untangling the history and uncovering the dark secrets of her seemingly perfect coastal town. What is Briar willing to do to save him? Is she willing to work with her enemy?

What I Loved:
The friendship between Briar and Finn, as well as Kai and Astrid, was developed in remarkable detail. The author provides enough backstory and information in dialogue to establish the bond, but there’s also an underlying chemistry between the characters that allows readers to feel the bond. Even the arguments and bickering between the characters feel authentic.

There is so much lore in this book. Briar is having to uncover the secrets and magic underlying her coastal town. As she digs more and more into the history of her town and the desperate things they’ve done, the story gets more and more interesting. Briar must dig through the depths of history and there are layers to it. Some of the history may be guessed by the reader, but it is fun to discover more as Briar does.

De Elizabeth manages to capture a dark atmosphere without getting too dark. The book also isn’t gratuitous. The dark tone of the book makes sense within the setting and history of the town. Nothing felt thrown in just for shock value. The book’s darkness also stays appropriate for teenage readers. It doesn’t delve into topics that teenagers shouldn’t read about.

What Left Me Wanting More:
The love triangle in this book felt underwhelming. There wasn’t really a point where I bought into the third person being involved. It seemed more there to bridge a connection between Briar and someone other than Finn, but it felt off.

Final Verdict:
A dark atmosphere surrounds this story as Briar explores the history of her town and discovers the secrets that have been buried. She doesn’t fight alone though, Briar is joined by her friends and even an enemy. Their bonds are truly the driving force in this book. Briar and her friends searching for the history, but also her love for Finn and her desperation to find him again.

The warmth of Briar’s bond with her friends and Finn is offset by a dark atmosphere and the mixture is intoxicating.
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