Creepy, beautiful and mysterious, The Dead and the Dark is an absolutely fantastic book! I loved the main characters Logan and Ashley, whose narrative perspectives alternate throughout the book. This book grapples with complex ideas of love, grief, loneliness and the idea of trying to find yourself in a place where you don't have the breathing room to do so. It's also full of queer representation which was absolutely fantastic, and handled one character's journey of discovering her queer identity in a really great way. The story itself was cleverly done and crafted the villainous Dark in a way that kept it as mysterious and unnerving as possible. The book also did a great job of dropping breadcrumbs along the way that all tied up cohesively by the last few chapters in a really solid ending. Overall, I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it to all!

“In the beginning, the Dark is only a thought. It is hope turned inside out. It is curdled anger, spite like tar, residue that sits on the lake water like a film.”

This has got to be one of the top YA paranormal love stories I’ve ever read or listened to. Not that I’m putting is squarely in these genres – there are also strong elements of horror and mystery and a fair amount of thriller vibes to really get your blood pumping!

There are so many things I loved about this book set in Snakebite, a small tight community in Oregon. It is remote and it is unforgiving and the people there don’t like different. When one of Logans ghost hunting dads’ heads back to Snakebite to get a feel for the next show, Logan and her other dad, Alejo soon follow. They’re met with contempt, judgement and suspicion and soon Logan finds out why; not long after her dad Brandon arrives, a local boy goes missing. Soon kids are being murdered and the obvious signs point to Logans dads but there could be something darker at work.

There are many secrets within this novel and the slow revealing of them is delicious and dark; Brandon and Alejo, originally from Snakebite have plenty of secrets but the town itself has a few of their own and Logan is determined to find out how they all tie together. She’s aided in this by Ashley, the girlfriend of missing teen Tristan and soon an alliance forms earning a negative response from the townsfolk.

TDATD has the perfect haunting atmosphere with characters that I grew to love, it has twists that are beautifully plotted and a pace that kept me engaged – literally turning pages and listening until I finished in just under two days. It is terrifyingly creepy and I loved every word. Ghostly apparitions, demonic dark voices, LGBTQ+ Rep and small town secrets are cat nip to this little kitty soul.

Narration: Soneela Nankani narrated this haunting tale beautifully! She did a phenomenal job bringing the characters to life with perfectly pitched haunting quality. She is an absolute delight to listen to!

My thanks to MacMillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday books for the pleasure of listening/reading to The Dead and the Dark!

TW: Murder/Death, Homophobia, Gore, Child Death

4.33 stars

We follow Logan and her dads, TV ghost hunters Brandon and Alejo, as they arrive in the couple's hometown of Snakebite. They soon realize that there's something wrong going on as teenagers mysteriously disappear, some even turning up dead. Then we meet Ashley, a local teenager whose boyfriend's ghost has been following her since he went missing. Looking for answers and hoping to end the disappearances, Logan and Ashley team up to investigate whatever is haunting the town.

The highlight of The Dead and the Dark for me was the enthralling plot and the engrossing character work. I could honestly close my eyes and imagine each character as a real person (for better or worse). The use of horror as a proxy to social commentary was really well done. I finished the book reflecting on how scary real life can be!

The execution was solid, in my opinion, but I wish the atmosphere had been just slightly scarier. Maybe because I was so consumed with the characters, I wasn't scared, and I wish I had been. I still think this is a beautiful novel, though, and I am delighted I read it. I'll carry Brandon with me for a long time.

Pain - this summons the book up to me. This book is dark and scary. Although the horror fan in me was delighted with the supernatural undertones of The Dead and the Dark, the most frightening thing about this book is how well it represents real life in the issues dealt with, such as queerness, prejudice, grief, loss. I don't know how to talk about this book without spoiling it, as its fluidity and the order we are introduced to incidents were such a big part of my experience. I will say this: how much I related to Brandon was borderline unhealthy. His arc was the best thing about the novel to me.

I lie; there are many things I loved in this novel, and arrrghhhh it's hard to talk about it without spoilers, but hear me out and bear with my vagueness. The Dark was used as an analogy and what it represents, HOW it represents it, was so beautiful and enthralling. Snakebite, unfortunately, is not just a fictional town with made-up people - it's a petri dish that under the microscope exposes the worst in humankind and the world. I wish I could say I don't see people like that more often than I'd like. The queer relationships in this book are everything. For one, Brandon and Alejo have a healthier and stronger relationship with each other than most hetero couples I know. They are also excellent parents. The last thing I will mention in the "reasons to love this book" list is that Gould's story is organic and reads naturally. She didn't hesitate (or maybe she did?) to make difficult choices. The result paid off, in my opinion.


Disclaimer: I first read it as an ARC. In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to St. Martin's Press, Courtney Gould, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of The Dead and the Dark.

This is a story about a girl searching for the dark in a family who speaks to the dead.

This was a creepy, fun, small town horror. Also, there’s great LGBTQIA+ representation! I think I wanted more relationship building, but as is it was a quick and effective ghost story.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. 💫

Thank you so much @netgalley & @macmillan.audio & @stmartinspress & @wednesdaybooks for this eArc & ALRC!

I DNFed this at 10 %. I thought the description of the book sounded so interesting but the writing style was just so dry and didn’t drag me into the story at all. The writing was very monotone and the characters just all felt one dimensional. I really wanted to love this book but it just fell flat for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC of The Dead and the Dark. I would consider this a mystery thriller with a dash of paranormal. If you like this genre, try out this debut author. Personally I thought this book was OK. The writing was good, but I thought the storyline had problems. Others are loving this debut. So was it just me?

This book was disturbing and utterly fascinating. Be prepared to look into the dark corners and see what’s been hidden there.

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

The Dead and the Dark is a twisty, atmospheric story that'll have you absolutely glued to the pages in anticipation!

Logan is used to her Dad's insane traveling schedule and general weirdness with their paranormal ghost hunter show. When one of her Dads, Brandon, decides to stake out his hometown for upcoming episodes, Logan is loathed to leave LA to join him. Once she's there with Brandon and her other dad, Alejo, it's worst than she could've imagined. Tiny town, nothing to do, close-minded jerks. But something becomes very clear very fast: something is wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. With kids going missing and a feeling of absolute wrongness, Logan decides to help out Ashley in figuring out what's happening. Ashley's boyfriend was the first kid to go missing, and she's determined to find him, whatever it takes.

This story is so well done. I finished it over two days because I needed to know what happened next. The anticipation and the mystery drives the story to a head and kept me guessing the whole time.

I really loved the relationships in this book as well. Logan and her strained relationship with Brandon was heartbreaking, but through Alejo we knew it was something so full of love and fear and that's what really brought it to life. Even the relationship with Ashley and her friends who she thought she could count on for anything. Ashley and her mom, the town perfectionist. Ashley and Logan themselves, and how this horrible situation they've found themselves in, surrounded by death and terror, ends up bringing them closer together in a bid for understanding and comfort.

The imagery is beautiful and lends itself so well to the thriller vibes of the book. The small town seemingly cut off from the rest of the world, the mindset of mind your own business and we don't like outsiders, the descriptions of an abandoned cabin by a dark lake. All of these things make the story something movie-worthy and addictingly readable.

The thing I loved most, though, is the Dark itself. It's a character in its own right, and there's a message here about letting it consume you. The dark feelings we all experience of loneliness and heartbreak and anger can twist and manifest themselves inside us until it destroys all the light in its path. Here the Dark does this, on a feeding frenzy of pain and horror. A really thought-provoking take that I enjoyed reading the whole way through.

Highly recommend it to thriller/horror fans!

Solid debut novel by Courtney Gould. I really enjoyed the characters in the book, and liked the murder mystery aspect. However at times, the supernatural aspect didn't quite hold my attention, but that's a me problem, not so much a book problem.

My biggest complaint for the book was the author's excessive use of the phrase "she could taste her heartbeat." It's a strange phrase, and it's multiple usage was awkward.

5/5 Stars

Do you know that feeling when you start a book and you just know you’re going to love it? That’s exactly how I felt with The Dead and the Dark. Courtney Gould has created a story so deeply routed in secrets that I immediately found myself immersed in the world of Snakebite and kept me on the edge of my seat, anxiously waiting for whatever would hit me next. The romance was my main point of interest going into this and I was not disappointed. Over the course of the book, we got a sapphic enemies to lovers slowburn that I couldn’t get enough of. It was one of the highlights of the book for me, right next to the top-notch horror element. Overall, this book quickly became one of my favorite mystery/thrillers and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys books like Sadie and The Raven Boys.

A year or so ago, I probably never would have picked this book up. I was hesitant to even start it. I don't really read much horror. I'm just not a big fan. But something about The Dead and the Dark kept drawing to me. (The dark drawing me in. Get it? If you know you know.) And I recently read The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson and was still in a mystery vibe so I finally decided to give it a try. And I'm so glad I did.

The beginning of the book was a little confusing and took awhile to get into. The dual narrative kept throwing me off because it wasn't consistent. I usually love dual perspectives but it was sometimes jarring. And I kept putting the book down because I kept reading it right before bed and didn't want to be freaked out so I couldn't sleep. The thing is, it never got to that point. I definitely felt the creepy small town atmosphere and eventually got so immersed in story that I ended up reading the last 60 percent in one sitting. But it was never overly scary. The romance is pretty subtle. As someone who loves romance in a story, it's still satisfying. I feel like Ashley's self-discovery wasn't as fleshed out as I would have liked. It's like the story wanted to be fully Queer but also it beat around the bush a little. Idk. I still have a few small unanswered questions. Nothing I can't live without knowing. All in all, I enjoyed the story and Courtney Gould's writing.


***Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for sending me an arc.

Wow! This is the perfect Summer read. The beginning starts off slow, but quickly picks up, leaving you hungry for answers. The MC, Logan is refreshing and interesting as she worries she's a burden on her dads. The setting is what really ties together the entire story, Snakebite is the perfect middle-of-no-where town with deadly secrets; a town that doesn't want her family there, but the reason is pretty surprising. Overall, I really enjoyed this story. Thank you Netgalley for letting me read the ARC!

Wow. Not at all what I was expecting, but so much better.

At its core The Dead and The Dark is a tale of family. A grieving father willing to do anything to protect his daughter, even defy the laws of nature. And face the consequences.

Addresses the toxicity that often comes with small towns and small minds. The bad thoughts and the bad deeds of this town manifests into a supernatural entity.

I loved this book so much. So wonderfully written, the storyline executed perfectly. The characters were lovable and showed growth and a willingness to forgive.

*Thank you to the publisher for this eARC.

This is by far, one of the best novels I’ve had the pleasure of reading this year! If you enjoy watching Ghost Hunting television shows, this book is not to be missed! This is a dark and twisty novel that immediately reaches out and drags you in. This book has a little something for everyone including, strained familial relationships, murder, mayhem, disappearances, strong female lead, and an evil darkness casting a harsh shadow over a small town. There is an enemies to lovers romance that is magically written and engaging. The story flows beautifully, I caught myself unable to put this book down and reading long into the night. The writing is creepy, atmospheric and will leave your head spinning as you try and understand who or what is behind the evil in this tormented town.

I was granted an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Where to even start with this one? The Dead and the Dark is a compelling, atmospheric, and utterly creepy story. The town of Snakebite reminded me a lot of Stephen King's Derry, where there's always something sinister lurking beneath the streets, laying in wait for the next victim - except in this case, it features queer main characters and the writing is far more compelling and exciting without the drudgery of excess detail that King gets bogged down in.

Logan moves to Snakebite with her dads while they investigate strange happenings for their show, ParaSpectors, and she quickly realizes that there's more to the town than her dads let on. Murder, ghosts, sapphic enemies-to-lovers, this book has it all.

I was absorbed from start to finish, and could. not. put the book down, at all (speaking figuratively of course, since this was a digital book). The plot was riveting, the mystery was woven beautifully, and the characters were dynamic. It features themes of loneliness, grief, death, and love, among others. Reading this gave me Stranger Things meets Ghost Wood Song vibes, and it was glorious. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this arc!

The Dead and the Dark was a perfectly creepy and dark book that I definitely needed right now! Missing teenagers, ghost hunting dads, a lurking darkness in the woods near an abandoned cabin, family secrets, teenagers trying to solve this mystery, a town with a name like Snakebite - basically everything I love. There were times I had to put this away for the night because I was alone and actually creeped out. The beginning was a little slow, and the ending was a little too perfect for me, but the whole middle part was SO GOOD. I really liked both Ashley and Logan and thought their character development was very well done. The family dynamic was so sad in the beginning but very heartwarming at the end too (but also hella dark).

This comes out on 08/03 and would be a PERFECT YA thriller to get you in the fall mood. Definitely need more from this author - her next book according to GR comes out in 2022 (Echo Sunset) and is described as a supernatural thriller following 2 sisters as they are lead to an isolated town in ARIZONA (neeeeeed).

The Dead and the Dark is an excellent YA horror title. Logan grew up on the road, moving from location to location so her dads could film their popular ghost-hunting show. But this latest destination, Snakebite, feels very different. Teenagers have been disappearing, and Logan's dads have been more distant than usual.

Courtney Gould does an excellent job building tension manipulating the story in The Dead and the Dark. It's lighter horror, for a YA audience, and is incredibly engaging.

An exciting YA debut. Had me turning the pages to find out what happens next!

Definitely looking forward to Gould’s future works.

This was a really fun book! I loved the TV ghost hunters backdrop and small inserts of the episodes connecting the narrative. It was very unique and created such cool visuals alongside the story. I enjoyed unraveling all the secrets of a small town and the mysteries surrounding it.

Although I was able to figure out the ending about halfway through the book, I was still intrigued enough to see how the characters would figure it out and deal with the outcome.

The queer representation in this book felt very true to life. I appreciated the nods at the internal conversation you have with yourself when coming to terms with your sexuality as well as reckoning with the outside world's view of you.

I wouldn't say that this book is particularly scary. I think it sits on the line between thriller and horror. If anything, this book leans more into the topics of grief and loneliness than fear or desire like a typical horror would.

Overall, I think it's a great book if you want a fast-paced read about ghost hunting dead (and sometimes living) ghosts.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3804347232

One Girl. Her Ghost Investigator Dads. A town with missing kids.... and dark secrets. Logan Ortiz-Woodley is the daughter of TV show ParaSpectors ghost investigators. When her dads take her back with them to their hometown Snakebite... Logan soon finds herself stuck in a town with many missing kids who all hate her dads.. and that her dads have their own secrets and reasons for returning to Snakebite. Soon she meets Ashley Barton, the daughter of someone her dads’ knew and whose boyfriend recently went missing/presumed dead by the town. Ashley is determined to find Tristian and is convinced he is still out there. She begins seeing mysterious things and as more kids go missing Ashley and Logan decide to get down to what is really happening. But what awaits them is not what they had expected at all.... soon more family secrets are revealed, town animosity arises, and everyone’s life is on the life.

This was such a fun read! I loved the build up of the mystery and how the tension kept rising. I loved that you got to read from multiple points of views and get a little bit of background on everyone. The overall mysterying was a fun one and the atmosphere was spooky. The ending wraps everything up nicely and I really did enjoy getting to see Ashley and Logan building up their relationship. Definitely a good late night read!

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*