Title: Out of Air
Author: Rachel Reiss
Narrator: Gail Shalan
ISBN: 9781250366146
Publisher: Wednesday Books (imprint of St. Martin’s Press, division of Macmillan Publishers)
Copyright date: 2025
Genre/Format: thriller/horror, mystery
Awards: none.
Reading level: Grade 8 and up (School Library Journal)
Plot Summary
Phoebe “Phibs” Ray and her friends, the treasure hunting and diving social media stars the Salt Squad, take a last-summer-before-college trip to the island of Mira Mar off the coast of Australia. On the surface, this group of friends is tight-knit and loving, but soon their underwater discoveries begin to fracture the group. Phibs, Lani, Isabel, and twins Gabe and Will all grew up in the Florida Keys, but Phibs alone lives on Boca Chica Key, notably less glamorous than all her friends. Her mother left her with her grandparents when she was young, and now, her Gram’s memory is starting to decline. In Australia, visiting Lani’s uncle, the group comes across an underwater cave complete with an air pocket- a magical discovery, until some members of the The Salt Squad start experiencing weird symptoms on their bodies…and hearing whispers calling them back into the ocean. In an alternating timeline following the group’s adventures in Australia as well as an incident back in the Keys 5 months ago, the friend group struggles to trust each other, only before learning that they’re all they have.
Author background
“Years ago I went diving in Chandelier Cave in Palau, and during that dive we surfaced in an air pocket. I remember breathing in there, and thinking how strange it was to be underwater, yet able to breathe within the submerged cavern. The beauty of that cave stuck with me, as well as the experience in the air pocket, and it became the catalyst from which the story began to take shape.”
Rachel Reiss, via Armed With A Book, 2025.
Rachel Reiss is a writer of YA thrillers, as well as a skilled scuba diver. Her upcoming novel, Seconds to Spare, originated on the online writing platform Wattpad.
*After a good amount of research, I couldn’t locate much more information about Reiss’s life. Out of Air is her debut in traditional publishing.
Critical Evaluation
Right off the bat, my experience reading this book was completely defined by the audiobook narrator. Gail Shalan pulls no punches, every thrilling and terrifying moment (running out of oxygen underwater, body horror, treasure hunting kidnappers…) were all fully acted out. At times, it was a bit intense, and I wish sometimes the bigger moments could be quieter, and maybe more horrifying. Seriously, I had to turn my volume down because the acting was so much. At the best of times, however, it did feel like listening to a movie; I could visualize everything through the audio alone.
Phibs is an interesting narrator. She’s maybe not the most put-together 18 year old out there, and her lines of thinking almost only revolve around her grandmother, Gabe, and being underwater. She’s also an aspiring photographer, coming to realize it may not be possible for her due to her family’s financial situation, but this interest was sort of abandoned in the plot pretty early on. Her internal dialogue focuses a lot on feeling a need to belong- finding Lani, Isabel, Gabe, and Will saved her, in more ways than one. In her mind, she’s timid and almost wallflower-like, but in reality she argues with everyone constantly. This particular dichotomy was confusing to me at times, but I can get behind her being an occasionally unreliable narrator. Her and Gabe’s romantic development was perfectly fine, but I’m not thrilled with the way the story ended. (I’m at the age where, when 18-19 year olds in books get a very definitive “this is my life now” ending, I’m just thinking, “YOU’RE TOO YOUNG!!???”)
There were pretty much no loose ends upon the story’s conclusion. The writing itself was very compelling (with a narrator gasping for air and yelling half the time, it was hard not to pay attention). I’m not typically a thriller reader, to be honest, so it won’t be a new favorite. I also wish the body horror was a little scarier, although I do get that this book’s audience can be as young as 12-13, so that might be a personal preference not appropriate for the setting. I’ve never seen the hit Netflix show Outer Banks, which this book is heavily comped to, but from what I understand, the southern coastal teens hunting for treasure and facing danger of it all is present.
Creative use for a library program
A self-led treasure hunt among the bookshelves comes to mind for this possible library program. While the Salt Squad is indeed a group, Phibs makes several key discoveries on her own, via a genetic intuition inherited on her mother’s side. An individual clue list available for teens to start, ending in earning a special edition library card (I’m thinking gold…) would be fun, taking place during the summer months.
Speed-Run Book-Talk
Phoebe “Phibs” Ray and her best friends, the Salt Squad, are social media stars, all thanks to some amazing underwater treasure discoveries off the Florida Keys and Phibs’ underwater photography. When the crew ventures to Australia for a summer vacation, a secret underwater cave (read also: romantic, cramped space) turns the teens from explorers to something out of sea monster legend. Think Outer Banks, but ocean magic that consumes you from the inside.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation
There’s some gruesome scenes in this book, mainly around the mutating something on some of the character’s bodies. It warps and oozes mysteriously, but there’s no weaponry or blood involved. One character loses fingers from a hand (which is bloody) in an altercation with a corrupt police officer. Lani and Isabel are dating (not a spoiler), but their relationship is very tame, mainly smiles, hugs, and elevated communication skills. Phibs is also very in love with Gabe, but the plot of the book takes precedence over their romance. Overall, the adrenaline of this book is more on page than any violence or romance is.
Reason for inclusion
I wanted to include some audiobooks in this collection, so I thought I would check this one out, based on pretty much nothing but gut instinct. I love stories sent in or around the ocean, and although I’m not a thriller-lover, this book will absolutely resonate with those who are.
References
About- Rachel Reiss. (2026) Retrieved from https://www.rachelreisswrites.com/about
Laferriere, Mandy. (2025, May 1). Out of Air. School Library Journal. https://www.slj.com/review/out-of-air
K, Kriti. (2025, May 12). Rachel Reiss. https://armedwithabook.com/rachel-reiss/
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