By Joel Ross

Have you ever read a book that disturbs you deeply, but you also want to come back to it over and over again? For me, that’s this book. I legitimately forgot that this book existed for several years and now I’m dying to read it again – it’s that good. The Fog Diver is the perfect mix of comforting found family moments, creepy lore, and dangerous missions. It’s the kind of book that will make you look behind even if you’re sitting in your own bed.

Hundreds of years into the future, the Earth has been cloaked with fog. Dangerous fog. Fog that can kill you. Because of this, humanity has moved to the highest mountain tops, where a hierarchical society has immerged, with wealth living at the top and the undesirables living closest to the fog. Crews on skyships scavenge the fog for anything of value, looking for a way out of the slums.

Chess, Hazel, Swedish, and Bea make up one of these crews. On the outside, they may appear normal, but Chess is hiding something and they are hiding Chess. From who, you might wonder. When the crew discovers a very valuable treasure, eyes higher up turn towards them, and some realize that Chess is more than just a fog diver – he might be the solution to their problems.

Why should you read this book?

This book has super solid worldbuilding and character building. It also leans really strongly into the found family trope, which I really liked. It has just the right amount of humor mixed with creepiness to make it an excellent book.

Who should read this book?

I would recommend this book to older middle schoolers (7th or 8th graders) as it does have some scary parts. In my recollection, the second book is scarier than the first one, but there are some creepy things about the book. If you’re easily upset or get nightmares, maybe don’t read this book. For me, I liked how the scary bits added to the book, but that’s totally my own opinion.

General Stats:

• Genre: Sci-fi/Dystopian
• Book 1 of 2
• Age: 7th or 8th grade and above
• My rating: ★★★★★