I had an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through that I finished it within the day! I enjoyed every page and thought that the plot/story was very unique. Would recommend to anyone!

I am unable to rate this book because it would not download on my phone - wish I could have had a chance to read it.

This is dark. This is disturbing. This is ominous and haunting and eerie. This is amazing. That's it. That's the review. I loved this so much.

There are books that I read that absolutely hit all of the right buttons for me. The Dead and the Dark is definitely that kind of book.

Logan Ortiz-Woodley is a recent high school graduate living with her dads; waiting patiently to turn eighteen so she can set out into the world to discover herself and where she belongs. At the start of the story, Logan, along with her dad Alejo Ortiz are packing up for a short-term move to Snakebite, Oregon — where her dads grew up — to meet up with Logan’s other dad, Brandon Woodley. Adding a little twist to the mix, Alejo and Brandon are TV’s ParaSpectors, ghost hunters with a pretty opinionated following.

Things in Snakebite are weird. While Alejo and Brandon grew up there, and eventually left (under semi-weird circumstances that is poked at through the entire novel), not much else has changed over the years. Of note, though, is a malevolent shadowy evil called the Dark that seems to be involved in the disappearance of at least one local teen. There is definitely something going on in Snakebite that involves the history of Alejo and Brandon, and Logan is going to get to the bottom of it.

Supernatural YA mysteries are my absolute bread and butter, and The Dead and The Dark does not disappoint. Yes, there are a couple of plot points that are a touch clichéd, but, for me, that is what locks it right into the genre. You have to have these signposts in order to say “Welcome to this familiar ride. Just wait until you reach the twists.” And boy howdy, there are some twists.

Ms. Gould really nailed this one in regards to little town attitude, teen angst and a whole lot of institutional hate and mistrust. Most of the way through the book I found myself questioning why the Ortiz-Woodleys would ever put up with what they are going through, and why they wouldn’t, rather, just find another location to scout. It is painfully obvious that Snakebite is not a place anyone should be. It seems to be an absolutely awful place, but it sure makes for some compelling reading.

Bottom line: if you like spooky queer YA, then do not sleep on this one. The Dead and the Dark is Ms. Gould’s debut, and I could not be more excited about what she puts out next.

Something isn’t right in Snakebite, Oregon. Things haven’t been normal since the return of Brandon Woodley, co-host of ParaSpectors and former Snakebite resident. When his husband, Alejo Ortiz, and daughter, Logan, join him in Oregon, it’s under the guise of location scouting for their television show. But Logan isn’t convinced, and the second she steps into town she has a feeling secrets are buried there. Ashley Barton’s boyfriend, Tristan, disappeared without a trace six months ago, just a week after Brandon arrived in town. Since the family reunion, more teenagers have gone missing, and some have even turned up dead. Logan is convinced something far more sinister is behind these disappearances, and teams up with Ashley to uncover the truths about Snakebite and unravel the dark forces at play.

I thought this was such an incredible debut. It was dark, sinister, atmospheric, full of characters you may want to hit over the head with a shovel (I mean, I’m not condoning violence perse, I’m just saying…) and at the heart of it all there is Logan, a girl who knows she doesn’t belong and isn’t accepted in the unforgiving town but is forced to find the force behind the madness. Then enters Ashley, a girl living in a small town her entire life, surrounded by like-minded people who aren’t as loving to outsiders as they are to each other. She is conflicted about associating with Logan because the entire town thinks her dads are behind the murders, and additionally they don’t approve of a relationship that may form between the two of them. The mystery itself, especially interludes from the Dark’s point of view, had me itching to know what would happen next, wanting to warn the characters before they met their untimely fate, and overall kept me guessing as to who or what exactly I was dealing with here. The force itself became such a metaphor for the hatred and discrimination that can fester for generations in a place where people just aren’t open to the idea that people can be different than them. This book showed how a place filled with that hatred was able to push Alejo and Brandon, two men who loved each other and just wanted to raise a family, fully outside its bound, and did not welcome them back. This book was tough to read at times, because I could see how the adults’ world view of people who are different rubbed off on their children, who tried to incite violence upon Logan and her dads any chance they could, and in turn people who associated with them. I found it to be excellently crafted, and I will say I did not guess then ending, nor was I even confident about how the book was going to end 90% of the way through. I’d say that’s good thriller storytelling right there.

If you haven’t already surmised this, I thought The Dead and the Dark was an excellent paranormal mystery/thriller debut that will have people guessing what is amiss in Snakebite, Oregon the entire way through. I am will certainly be keeping a lookout for future works from this author, as I’m sure they will be just as spooky (and, in turn, just as gay) as this one. *Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Wednesday Books, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

I would love to read this book. This book looked really interesting to me and I was super excited to read it and enjoy the book. But the book will not let me download it and so I am not able to read it and give a proper review. But I did contact NetGalley to ask if they could fix it and they said that they did and it never got fixed; and I told them that and they never said anything else. So, I do not know what to do other than put a review...they said they would contact the publisher?? But so, anyways this is a ARC copy from NetGalley for exchange for a honest review. I did really thought it would be a good book, but wasn’t able to read it because it would not let me download the book on NetGalley.

This is the biggest disappointment of a book I have ever read. Perhaps i went in with a high expectation, but it is still no excuse for this story being what it is. Thanks for Netgalley for providing an arc for this.

Firstly, the writing is very dry and monotone. I felt like I was kept ata distance from the story and had no emotional attachment to anything that was happening. Multiple people died in this story yet all I can manage was "oh, they died? Okay". Because the writing just feels in a very strong lack of impact.

Secondly, the characters are very strange and hard to sympathize with. The only character I actually liked is Logan. I find Ashley to be extremely self-centered and hypocritical. Also The other characters also felt underdeveloped or just one dimensional. Almost NO single character in this remote town isn't a homophobic asshole, with the majority of them very ready to cross the line to murder like it's no biggy. It's just, almost cartoonish? Yet despite establishing all the characters in the town are trash people, the story at the end still had to force some sort of glorification and "nuance" into the utterly unsympathetic characters - including repeatedly stating an attempted murderer's motivation is pain so he can't be AS BAD AS THE SERIAL KILLER. Also the homophobic and guilt tripping woman becomes one of the "strength" of the little town Snakebite spirit. Plz, if she is the best this town has to offer, it's probably best for everyone if the town just burn down in the end.

The pacing in this book is also just weird. There was a bunch of flashbacks that slowed down the story dramatically in the middle of the climax. It really disrupted the flow of the story.

Honestly I wanted to burn the town to the ground myself in the end. Frustration is the only emotion this story invoked in me.

We follow sceptic (and unabashedly queer) Logan after her ghost hunting (also queer) fathers drag her back to the town they grew up with where she has to battle social ostracism, murder allegations, and a potentially paranormal murderer. We also follow Ashley - a popular, influential member of that town who also happens to be the girlfriend of the first teenager to go missing in a string of disappearances and deaths. While some of the paranormal aspects were lost on me, the overarching theme of what created the darkness in the book was unique. It didn’t stray away from the harshness of homophobia, the confusion of being a teenager, all while being spooky and downright wonderful.

Reads like an episode of Supernatural, but with WAY more LGBTQ rep.

Intriguing and addictive story with:
ghosts
ghost hunters!
grief
AND
a strange, small town riddled with secrets, missing teens, changes in the weather, and more secrets (and also a lot of homophobia/bigotry which I thought was handled/addressed well by the author. ( I acknowledge that ingrained and internalized homophobia/bigotry cannot be rectified over night and the treatment some characters were given were absolutely realistic.)

PLUS that cover is to DIE for.

I did find the ending a bit abrupt and would liked to have more of The Dark explored.

Gould is an OBVIOUS writer and I look forward to more of their work.

All in all a quick, enjoyable, SOLID read for a rainy Friday.

I might've been guided here by the gimmick of ghosthunting gays...but what I got was so much more than I was gunning for, and I'm so glad about it. The Dead and the Dark starts off as a seemingly standard story about supernatural sleuths slinging their ghoul-tracking gear across a tiny, traditionally tight-knit town where something sinister scuttles, but it soon slips into a thoughtful and touching synecdoche on the shadows of our grief and what we'll grit our teeth and give up for those we love. Gould's spin on the symbolism and literalness of the spectres of loss, loathing and loneliness that lurk within ourselves, our communities, and those we care about is spot-on, and the clever corollaries of the connect-the-dots plot convolutions are as compelling in their phantasmal curveballs as in their commentary about prejudice and pariahism. Both pairs of protagonists - undauntingly determined teen detectives and dog-tired TV dads - are spiritedly three-dimensional takes on tried-and-true tropes, and the town's traits and Snakebite's other denizens are developed deftly with significant depth and detail too, realized through a range of realistically rendered relationships and tender, down-to-earth romances. The small snag for me (though I'm acutely aware that this is an ARC) was that some snippets of the story appeared a little scattered or skipped altogether, but by the unfolding of the second act this seems solved, and the spine-tingling slippery slopes and absorbing sequences of the falling action - which alternate between achingly sad and absorbingly adrenaline-charged - segue soothingly to the semi-sweet, semi-forlorn and fully satisfying finale of this soul-searching scramble of spooks versus sapphics (and friends).

basically, the raven cycle with dilfs and sapphics<3

This book really is the ultimate vibe check tbh. ghosthunter sapphics? check. grumpy/sunshine dads trying their best? check. eerie and atmospheric imagery? check. delicious descriptions and setting porn? check.

An intricate and beautifully layered book perfect for fans of the raven cycle, The Dead and the Dark kept me on the edge of my seat anxious and griped me.
The premise involves Logan and her dads arriving to Snakebite for filming their tv show on ghosthunting, only to find that the disappearance of Tristan, a teenager coincides with their arrival and now the townspeople suspect that these two are connected.

I was really excited to read it for the sapphic ghosthunters and it didn't disappoint! I really don't like the whole *assumes love interest is straight multiple times* which happens disproportionately high in ya for some reason.

While the romance isn't at focus, their budding relationship in the background till the tension finally peaks is fun to behold.

It's fast paced and reads like a blend of mystery/thriller and urban fantasy.The paranormal aspects are strewn across a bit lazily in my opinion, some things aren't really made clear but it doesn't take away from the main plot and I recommend reading this!

rep: lesbian mc, bi/pan li, side mlm relationship

content warnings: homophobia(major theme), homophobic hate crimes

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.

I wasn't sure I'd like this book because paranormal horror is kind of hit or miss with me, but it was gay so I decided to give it a chance and I'm glad I did. This book was pretty good. I really liked Logan's relationship with her dads, I thought that the family dynamics were really sweet. Ashley had good character development and I was happy with her endgame. She and Logan had a really sweet relationship. I really just have two problems; one, the reality show element was underused. And two, we don't really get to know the characters who die (also I thought who the killer was was too obvious).

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

While this was something I had noticed, this was also pointed out by another reviewer before me in a much better way— there’s a strong dark/evil and light/good correlation that leans into a moralizing black-bad/white-good dichotomy throughput the book. This is not at any point subverted— at one point, when a character fights the dark, she gives off light. There’s near- frustratingly little on how the paranormal phenomenon works, or if it had only been around since Oregon was colonized— what of the Indigenous population(s) who might have had the area?

That being said, the description of how the entity chose victims was beautiful, and truthfully one of my favored part of the book. Descriptive, quiet, and lush, it steadily built images in my head, until I could almost visualize the scene as it might have been. The writing was certainly atmospheric and character development certainly grew.

While I have some dissatisfaction with some characteristics of the relationship (namely, after a non-main character ends up imprisoned), as well as some great reveals, I feel as if there might have also been some time better spent on the impact of the reveals, especially as many had been caused by a refusal to communicate.

This being said, I feel as much of being a teen felt real— or at least, accurate to my memory of being one. The teens felt believable, with their uncertainty, stubbornness, and impulsiveness, which rounded out the story nicely.
3.5 out of 5 stars!

The Dead and the Dark is a thrilling mystery with two heartfelt romances, ghost hunting as well as spooky supernatural aspects. When I first saw the blurb for this book, I knew I was going to have fun with it as it hits all many of my favorite things: mystery, small towns, supernatural and romance (a new F/F and established M/M in this case) and set on my state!

I opened this book a few hours before bed thinking I could get away with just a few chapters; boy was I wrong! I read through the night and was beyond surprised and excited throughout the story. The Dead and the Dark has many issues woven in and the reader cannot help but feel like they are a part of the story.

I loved the way the author created the small-town vibes (it read true and haunting) as well as the many characters. Each character has a life, a substance and creates a feeling that just adds to the story. I could imagine them, I have seen then, I have known them. Oh! And the atmosphere is a character in and of itself within these pages. It is grey and dense, foggy, and heavy but it adds too much to the mystery that I felt like I was there, that I was feeling this story along with the characters!

The story covers more than just a small-town mystery, however. It covers small town life, homophobia, coming of age, family tensions, secrets, and love. The story is engaging and interesting (I have not read many like it), easy to read and addictive. I loved they it is a story for most readers and while it does read a bit young, the story like is so powerful that I did not even notice.

I did not notice any major triggers and think this would be a great story for younger YA readers all the way to adults.

I could rant about how wonderful this book is all day, but I will leave it here: this is such a fun and heartfelt story and I hope others enjoy it as much as I have! I received an ARC via Wednesday Books and NetGalley and I am leaving my honest review.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Tw: death of a child, buried alive, drowning, homophobia, gun violence

Logan Ortiz-Woodley is the daughter of the famous TV couple and ghost hunters Alejo and Brandon. When they return to their hometown, Snakebite, to investigate the missing teens and unresolved death, all fingers start pointing in their direction.

Furthermore, Logan has never been to Snakebite but she keeps getting visions and memories she shouldn't have. It will be up to her and Snakebite's golden girl Ashley, to solve the mysteries surrounding the town.

I loved how Courtney Gould wrote her characters and I immediately fell in love with Logan and Ashley, and of course the golden couple Brandon and Alejo.

The atmosphere was eerie and creepy and the small town setting contributed to setting the tone of the novel.

Gould's writing was fluid and entertaining and I definitely found the book to be page-turner.

I highly recommend this to thriller and horror fans who're also looking for a queer story!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy.

This is very intriguing YA thriller with a twist of teen sapphic romance thrown into the mix. The suspense in this book was done great and Logan and Ashley were for me scene stealers.s
It ended abruptly but still solid debut nevertheless, if you love Supernatural and The Haunting of Bly Manor then this book will definitely be up your alley!

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

i was provided an earc via netgalley in exchange for an honest review! //

one of the problems i have with a lot of mysteries and thrillers is that i feel like i’ve just seen too many episodes of psych to be surprised by anything anymore. then, once in a while, a book like this comes along and is something akin to a beam of light that i’m sure shined down on someone in the bible- engrossing and completely unforeseen.

i picked this one up because i am a simple person: i see the words “sapphic” and “paranormal thriller” and immediately make a reminder in my phone calendar for its release date. and trust me- the “sapphic” and “paranormal thriller” aspects of the book were phenomenal. but the characters? the world building? the way that i totally didn’t see the end coming until it happened? ghost busting gay dads? 100% worth it.

i’m definitely keeping an eye on this author- i’m excited to see what comes next!!

A thriller with the added bonus of some paranormal horror. I always love when authors aren't afraid to get spooky in their mystery stories, and this one is no exception. Plus, in this case, the ones doing the investigating are the kids, which gives a nice mix of darkness and light-heartedness.

There's a fun bit of enemies to lovers happening here. As well as family dynamics that go beyond the typical. We also get a bit of insight into the sinister nature of small towns; insiders versus outsiders and deeply rooted bigotry.

Sometimes I struggle to enjoy thrillers that feel predictable, but this one truly kept me guessing.

I'll absolutely be recommending this one to friends, and honestly might even read it again in the near future.

The Dead and the Dark is a book I had wanted to read for a while, so when I got approved I was ecstatic! This is a paranormal horror/thriller with a wlw enemies to lovers romance. If that doesn’t intrigue you, then I don’t know what will. Courtney Gould’s writing style was very good. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thrillers are my favorite genre ever, and this debut novel did not disappoint!! In Snakebite, OR, teenagers are disappearing at a mysterious rate. Logan Ortiz-Woodley decides to visit the town to see what going on! This book has a good mix of thrill, darkness and a splash of romance! I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to read something dark and twisted!