Out of the Nothing (Book 3 in The Nowhere Series) by Kathleen Palm
Out of the Nothing is the third book in Kathleen Palm’s The Nowhere Series, a middle-grade horror trilogy. Weighing in at 248 pages, it released on August 28, 2026 by Undertaker Books.
In Out of the Nothing, we return to the town of Gray and follow Shelly as she battles self-doubt. We’ve already experienced Nothing through the eyes of Ember and Will, and I was excited to see how Shelly would react if she got a chance to help the lost. I loved Shelly in the first two books, so it was a treat to see the world through her eyes.
Out of the Nothing continues the theme of the lost being found, and it takes on an introspective twist compared to the first two books. I personally felt that Shelly’s experiences hit a little harder emotionally as I was reading the book. Maybe it’s because I empathized and sympathized with her, or maybe it’s because some of her fears and emotions are the same ones many adults struggle with, too.
Each book touches on loss and finding your personal power and ability to handle it. While the first two books seem a bit more obvious in what the characters are battling, Shelly’s situation is a bit tougher to recognize, which makes the book even more exciting for readers—as well as The Keeper. (I love how well his character is written, too!)
Shelly has been through some heavy things, as you learn in the first two books. She lives at home with her father who is consumed with work. Left to her own devices, she realizes that she’s the only one who is going to truly look out for herself, which is both a freeing and a sobering fact.
Some of Shelly’s biggest desires are to feel like she belongs and that she’s worthy and capable. If she could just find her way into Nothing and experience what Ember & Will experienced, and have the chance to help a lost item find its home, she could truly be happy. Except Nowhere is broken, and it’s asking her for help. Despite her friends’ belief in her, she remains stuck in a cycle of doubt and despair as she battles her fears and one word that she can’t seem to shake.
Life imitates art, and sometimes art imitates life. The characters in this book (and the trilogy) are battling big emotions, some of which they’ve tried to hide or distract themselves from with other things. Those emotions always come out, though. I think no matter how old you are when you read this book, you’ll have memories or thoughts bubble up to the surface as you identify with some of the situations Shelly and the others experience. It’s nice to know someone else can relate—whether they’re fictional or not. It’s a wonderful story that champions self-realization and self-confidence.
There are underlying themes about feeling angry, lost, or not powerful enough to create positive change in one’s life. Palm does a fantastic job describing the feelings of depression, loneliness, resentment, and the pain that her characters experience—so much so that I was emotional as I finished the book, having to dry my eyes in the coffee shop where I was reading.
The end is a beautiful mixture of happiness and sadness—the perfect balance that fits seamlessly with the tone of the book and keeps the story realistic and believable. Out of the Nothing is a touching story that will tug at your heartstrings, no matter your age.
I devour a book from cover to cover, and I found some lovely tidbits in the acknowledgments section that made me smile. Palm also mentions that we all have to fight monsters in life. It’s interesting that the monsters in this book can be physical creatures, but they can also be sadness, anger, and not having answers, which can be equally as scary as creatures with teeth and claws.
I’ve gotten to know Kathleen Palm through the Chicago HWA chapter. She’s a creative, caring, and utterly genuine person. I’m glad she was weird enough (it’s a compliment—just ask Shelly!) and brave enough to write this book, because words are her super power. IYKYK (Read the book!) I believe her trilogy can be relatable to middle grade readers and can help them recognize some of the challenges Shelly, Ember, and Will faced in their own lives.
I loved each book in this trilogy. The characters are diverse, and readers will be able to relate to them and their situations. I’d recommend this book for middle grade readers and adults. Of course, the books are fiction and stories to read for enjoyment, but they could also be a great way to interact with a young adult in your life and open some doors to communication. All in all, this is a great series for everyone. I hope you’ll check it out.
Need more Kathleen Palm?
Get to know Kathleen Palm:
Kathleen Palm wanted to be a ballerina (but dancing was hard), then a marine biologist (but science was hard), but mostly she loved dreaming up strange creatures, interesting characters, and fascinating places. When she was thirty-one-years-old all those strange people and places in her mind started whispering stories, so she became a writer (which was hard, but she didn’t care). Her love of everything magical, weird, and creepy weaves into her words. Because through the dark, we can find the light. Because when we face fear, we become strong. Because it’s good to be scared. She loves scary movies, TV shows and books, watching people play horror video games on YouTube, and chocolate cake. She lives in a big, old (sadly not haunted) house in rural Indiana with her husband, two kids, two dogs, and four cats. She does her best to not run through the killer-infested cornfields. Member HWA…Chicagoland chapter.
***Taken from Kathleen Palm’s website
To read my review of Into the Gray, CLICK HERE.
To read my review of Within the Black, CLICK HERE.
To read my review of A Quaint and Curious Volume of Gothic Tales, including Palm’s short story “The Door to Other Places,” CLICK HERE.
Get to know Undertaker Books:
At Undertaker Books, our mission is to provide publishing services to indie authors worldwide, spotlighting new and unique voices within the realm of horror fiction. We strive to offer a seamless publishing journey from submission to publication while providing valuable feedback every step of the way.
We believe in collaboration between authors, publishers, editors, and designers to bring diverse voices to the forefront of the horror genre. Our passion lies in creating a long-lasting partnership with authors by focusing on the “less is more” concept: quality releases, not the quantity of them.
Undertaker Books is not limited to any specific theme or subgenre. Instead, we are dedicated to innovative storytelling and embracing the myriad voices that contribute to horror literature. To our readers, we hope to bring you stories you’ll take to your grave.
***Taken from the Undertaker Books website
