This book gave me such City of Bones vibes just way darker. I loved Logan and Ashley. Logans dad's were great too. There is so much creepiness in this small town of Snakebite. I needed to know what was going on. I loved the twists and turns. I cannot wait to read more by this author. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

There were some things I REALLY liked about this. The atmosphere and setting of this small town was EVERYTHING. I liked the ghost story and the whole thing just felt very unsettling. But unfortunately, the characters really felt two dimensional and I never really got attached to anyone (except for her dads. They were precious)

This was a solid YA read, I wanted more out of it though. I had high hopes for it but it just didn’t hit the expectations I had for it. Overall, it was a good read though - definitely liked the audiobook.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is a story about a ghost investigating couple who decide to move back to their hometown with their adopted daughter and once they do, teenagers start to go missing/die. I enjoyed the characters and really liked the mini sapphic romance. There were parts of the supernatural I thought was done well but also were a bit too over the top for me.

Overall, I thought this story was decent but middle of the road okay for me. I believe it's a YA so that might be the reason why I was just "okay" about it.

3/5

If you enjoyed Stephen King’s “The Outsider” and any queer lit, you will enjoy this book. Scary but not entirely focused on the horror, I loved the focus on the complicated relationships in this story.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* really great book i wouldnt mind rereading and owning for sure

Going into this, I did not expect it to be SO dark. I think the author tried to lighten the story with a semi-romantic storyline, but I don't think it was enough. I did find the romantic storyline to come off as believable and happen naturally though. This had much more a a paranormal, horror vibe to it than it did a thriller. I would definitely put this in the paranormal suspense category long before I'd put it in the thriller category. That being said, dark thrillers are not my thing, nor is horror, so I had a tough time getting through this. I thought the plot was pretty good but still had a hard time liking this due to the creepy, dark nature of the story.
The ending was pretty exciting, although was very vague and ambiguous in a lot of parts. I thought it did the novel justice, though. Overall, this was well written but not for me at all. Horror and paranormal fans may love this though.

I'm not sure what happened with my review, but I finished this in early July! I received a complimentary audiobook ARC from Netgalley, and I'm leaving this voluntarily. After I got acclimated to the world of Snakebite I was captivated and couldn't put the book down. Courtney Gould does such a good job creating an eerie atmosphere - I was tense and barely breathing the whole time, not because the book is terrifying, but because it moves so quickly and is so captivating that you want to get to the resolution as fast as possible to make sure everyone turns out okay. I initially gave this a four-star but revisiting my notes for this review has made me reassess how much it stuck with me and I'm bumping it up to 4.5.

CW:
- intense feelings of terror/horror
- EXTREME homophobia
- hate crimes
- child death
- possession (demonic in nature)
•
•
𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒! Spooky season has arrived and what better way to usher in the reason for the szn than a spectacularly gruesome tale of a claustrophobic, homophobic town riddled with an evil essence infecting the population as an allegory for human rights in 2021…do not sleep on this book. I posted my review earlier this week, but after talking over ANOTHER heavy and effed up book with @_thebookcase , I decided I needed better content warnings on my posts. Definitely would not want anyone walking into this book blind. There’s a LOT of triggering, albeit vital, elements to this story, and I don’t think any of it is for shock value, but for facilitating the real dangers The Community faces/endures/survives.
•
The Dead and the Dark is the PERFECT spooky season read! You’ve got a
- claustrophobic small town,
- missing and murdered teens,
- a LGBT LA girl coming into rural Oregon and understanding immediately why her Dads ran away and never looked back,
- a paranormal reality show,
- and a forbidden enemies-to-we-don’t-know-what-we-are-ship.
- It’s creepy, spooky, and totally sets the mood for major skin-crawling moments.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read this!

*I was able to get this on audio and ebook* read together!

I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis of this book. This book instantly drew me in, I got to explore through the eyes of our main character and this is always my favorite way to discover these details of the story and, it was done very well in this book. I really enjoyed this book and the plot. This author did amazing. I loved the writing style.

Dark is haunting a town killing teens and Hope. Where was this book when I was teen? This book needs to be donated to every school library. A paranormal mystery faces off with conservative values. The family dynamics of an imperfect gay family (TWO Generations!) with 2 dads and a lesbian daughter. I love the dads are NOT perfect, come to think of it neither is the daughter—so we have a fairly typical American family with a normal amount of dysfunction. Dads came out in this small town with “conservative=code for homophobic” values. They went onto become “Ghost Hunters” paranormal investigators of some renown. They are returning back home to investigate their hometown where young adults have gone missing. They are bringing their teen daughter (this where you scream what’s wrong with you?) Logan has been on her fair share of investigations and begins to develop friendships and look into this also. It’s “The Dark” & it’s like possession where the teens change. Logan and friend Ashly become lovers at an incredibly inopportune time for many reasons—one is the Dark..another is recent loss of a partner. Excellent Narration especially with differing genders and ages.

Logan has been left alone too much. There are too many secrets that involve her and her family.
She’s becoming overwhelmed by deep loneliness and anger issues that surpass teen angst.
Logan needs answers about so many things…too many secrets
Leave the Lights On

Ghost Hunters meets Blair Witch Project at the intersection of Big Sky and all things creepy. If this genre is your jam it is worth the read…or listen as my case was.

Soneela Nankani narrated the book bringing the “dead”, “dark”, and story to life for this listener.

**Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio/Macmillan Young Listeners for sending me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

Loved this book so much!! The audio was perfect and I found myself instantly addicted to the story! I found that the storytelling did drag a little bit in the middle, but once the ending and the climax took place, I was hooked and couldn't put it down!

The story starts with " the dark" finding a host in Snakebite, Oregon. When dark enters you, it corrupts you. It brings up the demons inside you. Will you be able to resist it?
Logan Ortiz-Woodley has been bouncing around the country most of her life. Her Dads are the stars of television's most popular ghost-hunting show, ParaSpectors, and owing to this, the family travels quite extensively for filming.
When they tell her they need to return to the hometown they fled years ago, Snakebite, Oregon, she doesn't think too much of it. It's just another stop on the road for another episode.
What Logan wasn't prepared for was the chilly reception her family would receive once in Snakebite. The town seems to blame her Dad, Brandon, for unusual occurrences following his most recent visit.

The Dead and the Dark is a darkly compelling YA Paranormal Thriller.

I listened to the audiobook and was completely transported to Snakebite.

For a debut, I was impressed with the flow of the story and the layers Gould was able to bring to the page. While the paranormal aspects, as well as the atmosphere, were a ton of fun, I think I enjoyed the family dynamic and character growth most of all.

This was definitely a fun read. I recommend it for YA horror fans.

Thank you Macmillan audio for the review copy !

This was spooky in an uncomfortable way. Not like ew im uncomfortable but like, someone was breathing down your neck way. I loved how visual the narration felt. Twisty and unpredictable! Would recommend

More of a 3.5 star, but this was a really touching story! I enjoyed the audio performance and found it a very engaging way to read this book. I think if I had prepared myself a little more for the immense amount of homophobia working throughout the plot of this book, I would have been in a better mindset for taking the story in. However, I understand why it was included and what points were made, though I think at a certain point it became redundant. Overall I really enjoyed the queer relationships and representation of family, and I loved the ghostly aspects. This is a creepy and lovely story about grief and queer connection!

This book was kind of like reading Fear Street mixed with The Diviners, and I loved it.

Taking place in the small town of Snakebite, life is not easy for Logan or her two fathers, who grew up there. Many years prior Logan's fathers left Snakebit abruptly for unknown reasons, but when they return kids start going missing. The town, who were not fond of the couple years ago, are convinced they are the reason for these missing kids, but Logan and her new "friend" Ashley (whose boyfriend went missing) want the truth.

Things are much more complicated, sad and darker than anyone ever knew. I loved the way things come together and and backstory. It was fun finding out bits and pieces from other people in the town who knew Logan's fathers a long time ago, each had insight and new information that was actually useful.

I really enjoyed the characters in this story, everyone was well fleshed out, believable and interesting. Logan was by far my favorite. I really felt for her and enjoyed watching here grow and come into her own throughout the story. Also her fathers had a really good backstory that added so much depth to the happenings in the book.

There were lots of learning experiences and real world prejudices which really brought you into the story. I think the author did a great job keeping you in that world while also adding the darker more paranormal elements. Things fit together well and didn't feel like they didn't belong together or too farfetched. Definitely an author the keep your eye on.

The Audiobook was also great. The narration was spot on for what this story needed and dragged you right into the action.

After reading the cover description, I thought this would be interesting as an audiobook – and what a great call I made. The Dead and the Dark is a spooky supernatural mystery that plays on people's nature and truths of the past.

The Dark is more than the shadows, the Dark is a presence that has existed through the ages in Snakebite, Oregon. “The Dark has been waiting—and it won't stay hidden any longer.” The stealth of the dark seeks a new home, and where it finds a place to inhabit, no one will know, but the consequences will be devastating.

Logan arrives in Snakebite with her two fathers: Alejo Ortiz and Brandon Woodley, famous TV ghost hunters. While Logan feels this is another stop on their ghost hunting adventures, it means much more to Alejo and Brandon as they grew up, met each other, and fell in love in Snakebite. It may be an isolated town, where residents are generally suspicious of newcomers. Still, there is a more profound sense of unease and an ominous evil now that the Ortiz-Woodley family are in Snakebite.

Ashley Barton’s boyfriend, Tristan, goes missing and many feel the unwelcome visitors have some part to play in this. Logan is threatened and warned out of town by a group of teenagers. Ashley receives ghostly visions of Tristan, where he’s lost and wants help to get home, but a sinister force has an evil intent that the suffering is just beginning. Ashley and Logan form an unlikely partnership as they search for Tristan and understand what is happening, especially when more teenagers go missing.

The Dead and the Dark has many hidden secrets, but fundamental is discovering if Alejo and Brandon are the precursors of evil or the town's saviours. Logan also suspects that her fathers are keeping something from her. With the most unlikely ally in Ashley, they form a very close bond as they search for answers and the dead.

I enjoyed the plot and many twists, but the ending seemed unconvincing and didn’t quite match the level of menace that permeated most of the story. Logan is a fantastic character that generates excellent empathy as she has grown up alone, with two fathers heavily involved with paranormal encounters, and specifically a very distant relationship with Brandon. She is constantly moving and living with exclusion from normal childhood friendships; she still reaches out a hand of friendship where she can.

I listened to the audiobook version, and the scenes where the atmosphere went dark, the narrator, Soneela Nankani, was excellent in conveying the menace. I would recommend this book, and while it fits in the horror genre, it feels more appropriately defined as young adult horror. I want to thank Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.

Most of the time, I listen to audiobooks while I am multi tasking. I started this book while sorting and folding laundry but the laundry was quickly forgotten as the narrator drew me into the story. The conflicts encountered in this small town set the tone for a perfect storm of dark endings. All through the story, the scenes were set to push the reader (listener) into Logan's quest to discover what was truly happening to the teens in Snakebite, Oregon while struggling to push aside the "outsider" label she finds at every stop along the way. This is a very good book and an even better audio book.

I really enjoyed this book! The narrator was great and the story was so captivating and chilling. Will definitely recommend to all of my patrons!