There is darkness in the town of Snakebite, Oregon. Teens have started to go missing and the residents, full of close-minded views, are quick to blame the popular TV ghost hunters that have recently come into town. Are these reality show stars connected to the disappearances? Or is there something even more sinister at play?

I think the strength of The Dead and the Dark came at the end as the author pulled everything together. It was a really interesting and unexpected conclusion. It explained so much of what had happened within the slow build well, but it did still leave me feeling a bit like certain matters weren’t settled.

This book begins with a creepy promise and includes interludes reminding the reader of this unfulfilled promise. Sadly, for me, although I liked the mystery’s resolution, I never felt the book properly delivered on what it seemed to build up to.

I also really struggled to believe in the connection between Ashley and Logan. I tried to talk myself into accepting that they were impetuous teens, but it’s still a bit dissatisfying to have so much time spent building a story while so little time is spent really developing a romance.

I always want to be fair to stories that aren’t aimed at my age group, so I will say that even though I didn’t love everything about this, I enjoyed it and I do think the tone fits a young adult audience.

Additionally, I went in thinking this was a scary ghost story. Had I expected more of a drama mixed with some mystery, I may have exited with a better sense of satisfaction. Courtney Gould certainly had a good idea here and the story is well-written. I’d recommend checking out, knowing ahead of time it might not produce the eerie atmosphere the premise alludes to.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I loved this dark and twisty book! Supernatural books are some of my faves and this one was set apart by featuring many LGBTQIA+ characters prominently. Logan and her dads move to a new town and soon thereafter teenagers begin to go missing, and Logan makes it her mission to clear their names. What is going on in their new town? Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this book for an honest review.

I was so excited for this book. The ghostly feels I was expecting and the paranormal aspect really stood out to me. But the story about the dark was really the only interesting thing about this book. I knew what was going on in probably chapter 2 and it wasn’t a fun journey to see how the main characters found out what was going on. The town was so ridiculously generic and tropey. I know there are unfortunately still small towns that think this way but my goodness, it did not feel original at all and it was more of a “of course these people act this way.” While I think these issues are important to bring up, it just felt like it would have been better in a different story than this one. This also had one of my least favorite tropes… miscommunication. Well, this was more of a lack of communication. Logan’s dads KNEW what was going on but refused to tell her. Why? Once you found out, it made no sense to leave her in the dark now. The flow just wasn’t that good either. It felt like time just skipped so fast and for no reason. Again, the only interesting part was the Dark itself and Ashley’s ability to see ghosts. But that wasn’t enough to save this book for me.

And then the characters. They were all go generic and just did nothing for me. I just didn’t like Logan that much and the more I read, the more I didn’t like her. And it would have been so easy for Logan and Brandon (her one dad) to have a relationship. The lack of relationship really was only for story and it just seemed dumb. I enjoyed Ashley’s character. Maybe because I thought her ability to see ghosts was really one of the only interesting aspects of this book. But the romance just fell flat. It never felt like it would have actually worked if this wasn’t just for the story. I just didn’t get behind it at all.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould just did not do it for me. I really enjoyed the overall story of the Dark and Ashley being able to see ghosts, but that was honestly it. The small town was just so generic and didn’t bring anything new. It just felt so cliche and these people were your generic small town people. Also, the lack of communication or the whole “we’ll tell you when it’s all over” was so dumb. It really didn’t make any sense to not fill Logan in what was going on. The relationship between Logan and Ashley just didn’t work for me either. It never felt like they were compatible or that this was meant to be. It, again, just felt like it was there because… story. I know some people enjoyed this book and I hope that you will also if you decide to pick it up. The dark atmosphere was great but everything else just felt flat.

AUDIO REVIEW
Note: The narration does not affect my rating of the book
I listened to Soneela Nankani for the whole Daevabad series and absolutely loved her. While I think she did a good job for this one as well, I don’t know if she was the right narrator for it? Granted, she helped me finish the book because I don’t know if I would have been able to push through if I was physically reading it. Overall, I did like it but I can see how some people wouldn’t connect with her narrating this story.

This reminded me of a queer and supernatural version of There's Someone Inside Your House.

Logan's family has a TV show where they look for ghosts in different areas around the States and remove/resolve the situation. As a result, Logan hasn't really had a stable home in her whole life. Her idea after she turns 18

But first, her family goes to Snakebite, where Logan comes to find out that both her dads grew up.

This is a dual point of view narrative shared between Logan and Ashley, who has never actually left Snakebite and is struggling with the love she has for the place vs the fact that her friends keep on being killed.

Blame is put on Logan's family, of course, because they are the most recent people to have arrived in the town. But these kinds of stories are rarely as clear as they seem, and this one is more riveting than most.

I swear I could not put it down as soon as the exposition started and the ending was so satisfying that it's stayed with me ever since.

*4.25 Stars* I think?

The Dead and the Dark takes us to Snakebite, Oregon. And that's the only way I ever want to be there or anywhere like it. It's the middle of nowhere, with backwards views and creepy creepy people (and not people)
Anyway, one of our main character, Logan, had never been to Snakebite before her dads dragged her there. They're both from there though and had a really bad experience. It makes little sense to Logan why they would want to be back and she's sick and tired of being lied to. So she goes looking for answers.
Our other main character, Ashley, has lived in Snakebite her entire life. And she has always loved it. But when her boyfriend of forever goes missing and it feels like everyone has given up on him, she has to take matters into her own hands. Especially since she's pretty sure she's been seeing his ghost? So many questions...

I fell into this atmospheric story. The setting was so well depicted, I felt like I was really in Snakebite. I could see all of it happen before my eyes.
I actually wasn't expecting an urban fantasy story (because I'm a sucker and don't read summaries) but it was a happy surprise.
I had a really good time even when I was scared out of my mind.
My only drawbacks is that I didn't feel that much for the characters, especially the side ones. It should have been an emotional roller-coaster for me but I felt pretty detached most of the time.
That may just be because of my state of mind at the time though.
Anyway, this was a great debut, and I'm really looking forward to reading more books by this author.

3.5 stars!
From the moment Logan arrives in Snakebite, she can tell something is wrong with the town. Her dads have chosen it as their most recent location to film their ghosthunting TV show. It also happens to be their hometown. Since Logan and her dads have arrived, teenagers have been going missing. The community is growing suspicious of her family. Logan is determined to prove that her dads have nothing to do with the disappearances and find out the truth about her family.

I loved the portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters in this young adult horror novel! Logan’s dads are gay and Logan is a lesbian. There’s another character in the book who is exploring her sexuality as well and I thought that her journey towards accepting herself was very well written. I love anytime I encounter main characters that represent any community that often gets marginalized as I think it is so important to readers to see them included in the book world. The homophobia that Logan and her family face was so relevant to many people today as well. I did think that the paranormal element could have used a bit more details as I was left wanting more about how the “dark” worked. I did enjoy the author’s setup of the desipcable Snakebite and the character development throughout the book.

I can't believe this is a debut, it's nearly perfect. I was listening to the audiobook in the car during on big reveal and yelled, "WHAT?" It's a great, edge of your seat listen that reminded me a lot of Sadie by Courtney Summers for reasons I can't explain.

Attention friends who like lesbian rep: this has it and it's not gross and exploitative! There are also gay dads who are delightful.

The narrator, Soneela Nankani, was a bit robotic in places and used the opposite of an uptick at weird places, but she tells the story well and it's completely inoffensive.

I received a copy of this audiobook for free from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

Something in Snakebite is off. Ashley’s boyfriend was the first of several teenagers to disappear and turn up dead. Everyone suspects this has to do with the return of TV’s 2 popular ghost hunters -- who are also the fathers of Logan. Logan, who is new to Snakebite, befriends Ashley, and the two set out to find what’s really haunting the town.

Off the bat, I was immersed with the book’s eerie vibes and coming up with different theories. As we shift between POVs, we learn of the past and present as well as the dynamics of the town and between certain characters. The Dark really added a layer of horror and I did NOT expect any of what happened. Gould did a great job stringing together the plot and I liked that she explored topics of loneliness, grief, and longing for acceptance, and included LGBTQ+ rep (two fathers raising an adopted daughter + some sapphic romance). Overall, a pretty good debut novel!

Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my copy!

A big thanks to the author, Courtney Gould, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book has garnered some very good reviews thus far and I wish I didn't have to be the naysayer, but alas, here we are.

First, this book, for me, was not creepy, dark, eerie, or any of the other related synonyms used to describe this book by other reviewers. I've been reading King and other works of horror since I was ten years old and was born in 1984. I know horror and this wasn't it in any capacity. There were paranormal elements to it, however, but it wasn't even on the Sixth Sense level.

Second, the characters. You'll be introduced to many characters in the beginning, but really, in the end, you only really get to know two of them. And the things they tell you about them, it doesn't really matter as much as you think it does. It felt like useless information.

Third, the dialogue was so drawn out sometimes. At one point, I felt as if I read two pages of 27 ways to basically say "I dunno."

This book is what they call a "slow burn." You don't get anywhere with the story for quite a while. I don't mind slow burns if there the side stories are interesting enough; they weren't. Also, the synopsis says teenagers are turning up dead in this town, but for a long time, it's really about the disappearance of one teenager in particular.

I really liked that queer people were represented in this book. In fact, it was of the reasons I wanted to check this novel out. Although I wasn't really interested in Logan, I was very curious about Brandon (to a point) and Alejo's character. I thought the premise for the book was good; teenagers disappearing from a small town, what gives?

In the end, however, this book wasn't for me.

So atmospheric and creepy! I loved Logan and her ghost-hunting dads!

This is a binge-worthy read with all the dark creepy vibes I love. (I especially loved the creepy voice of “the dark” in the audiobook.)

The first half of the story was a total 5 stars but the second half got a little weird for me. Reactions to certain events and certain conversations had me scratching my head and wanting to shake some characters but other than that I really enjoyed it!

Audiobook No Spoiler Review 👇🏻👇🏻

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Stars

Narration: The narrators voice kept me interested throughout! Their voice helped the story flow, they were excellent at distinguishing which characters were talking.

This book is a paranormal thriller/mystery. Right from the start it hooked me in! I really enjoyed reading this book in an audio format it made the story I think even more mysterious.

It’s best to go into this without knowing too much so I’ll be very careful with my review.

This book is told from two main characters. One character her dads are popular ghost hunters on a tv show (which I thought was so cool) and they relocate to a small town for “research for the show”. As soon as they relocate here people start going missing.
The other main character is a girl from the town who’s boyfriend was the first to go missing. The girls start working together to start solving the new mysterious paranormal happenings. It makes for make for an excellent paranormal mystery.

The small town has a mysterious atmosphere and the people do not like that they relocate here. It makes for some tense and thrilling paranormal moments.

Some parts were a little slow in the middle which is why it’s a 4 star read for me! Also the characters could have been developed a bit more, that way I would have been more invested in the story. But I enjoyed it!

Also the LGBTQ and BIOPOC rep is awesome in this book! We love to see it 👏🏻

Overall it was a good spooky mysterious read with a lot of twists!

Thanks to Netgalley
Macmillan Audio
Macmillan Young Listeners for providing me with this audio book in exchange for my honest opinions and review.

The Dead and the Dark is such a good dark, creepy (and queer!) read that is perfect for the upcoming Halloween season. I don't always read horror, but I like unique characters with a backstory and beautiful writing when I do. The Dead and the Dark have both things.

Throughout the book, you can feel the sadness that all the characters have within them as they all try to find out what happened to the missing teenagers. This YA horror novel is more than a ghost story; it's a story about how holding secrets can affect us and the relationships we have. Like most YA novels, it is also a coming of age story of two teenage girls trying to figure out who they are while living in a small town. I hope that adult readers won't dismiss this book because of the YA genre. Exploring the relationship between parents and child within the story is heartbreaking, touching, and makes you think of your relationship with your child or children.

It's hard to describe this book without giving too much away, but know The Dead and the Dark has been described as "Riverdale, but better." It's a simple way to describe the book, but it sold me, and I wanted to read the book immediately.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced audiobook copy. I loved the audiobook actors. I thought they were engaging and brought the story to life.

I don't read too many horror books so I was excited to get approved for the audio of The Dead and the Dark. I really enjoyed the story and liked that there wasn't just paranormal instances throughout the book but that there were mysteries as well.

I thought the author did a good job of portraying small town prejudices. I appreciated the relationship between Logan and her new friend Ashley who is one of the town locals. I felt like they balanced each other out and showed that not all people in the town were small minded. I think they both learned a lot about themselves from each other and I enjoyed that.

I thought the author did well at portraying family dynamics. Logan has always gotten along with her dad Alejo but has always felt her dad Brandon to be more of a mystery. They don't fully connect and it isn't until they go back to her father's home town of Snake Bite that she learns a lot more about both her dads, and herself.

I enjoyed this book and definitely recommend the audio for those who are avid listeners.

There’s something wrong in Snakebite, Oregon…

Missing teens; bodies; ghosts; secrets; and small-town ignorance. .

With a bit of a dark start, your attention should be grabbed pretty quick. If not, give it a chance, it gets good. This book brings new meaning to “the Dark” and especially that dark that can fester in a small American town. This is a debut and has been tagged as an LGBTQ thriller. I (delightfully) found it reminiscent of Aiden Thomas books. The depth of what the author has provided here is perfect for YA.

Something is dark and scary in Snakebite, Oregon where teenagers go missing and the weather is wonky. When Logan Ortiz-Woodley travels to her fathers’ hometown to film their ghost hunters television show, her dad becomes a suspect and is certainly acting strange enough that even his daughter wonders what is really going on. It is clear that there are many people that have something to hide but as more kids go missing, finding answers becomes even more important.

This YA paranormal fiction was a really different read than anything I had read before. I like the way that it was done- it had just enough mystery to keep me on my toes but not enough paranormal to make it laughable. Rather, it was believable and definitely creepy. Thank you so much Macmillan Audio for my copy of this book.

The Dead and the Dark was such a dark and creepy read - - and I was there for every word.

The story centers around Logan, the daughter of two well-known paranormal investigators. Her fathers are quite different in nature. One is gregarious and outgoing and the other is quieter and more withdrawn. They have recently arrived in a rural town known as Snakebite. The townspeople don't appear welcoming. As a matter of fact, they appear to want the newly arrived strangers to leave. But then you wonder if they really are strangers?

Unfortunately, odd and tragic things have been happening in Snakebite. A local golden boy, Tristan has gone missing and the small town is distraught. The fact that these events seem to coincide with the arrival of Logan's family doesn't make them blend in any better. Naturally, it's already difficult for two gay men and their daughter to find a small town like Snakebite to be a good fit. Sadly, most of the town is blatantly hostile. There are slanderous words spray painted on their door, suspicious glances by townspeople and general unrest.

Logan is already struggling with her place in the world. She has spent most of her life following her fathers around from town to town while they would scout out new locations for filming their ghost hunting show. She only really feels a strong connection with one of her dads and suspects the other one doesn't really want her around. In the midst of all of this, she is forced to leave their home in LA to temporarily move to a backward town like Snakebite. She couldn't be more unhappy.

Logan meets some of the local teens; but, for the most part, they shun her. All except Ashley. She is the daughter of the most powerful woman in Snakebite and she's also the missing boy, Tristan's girlfriend. Over time, Logan and Ashley find themselves drawn to one another. Unfortunately, I have to say this is the one part of the story that didn't seem to connect for me. It was a difficult to tell if it was a realistic depiction since Ashley had just acknowledged that she was attracted to Logan. Also, it was known that in Snakebite, you weren't allowed to love who you wanted. You were expected to fit into their neat little box of "what was expected." That said, even though their relationship moved along, I never really felt the chemistry between Logan and Ashley that I expected to develop.

There are multiple storylines woven together in this book which really kept me immersed. I found the plot to be original and engaging. Throughout The Dead and the Dark, you are trying to figure out who is abducting the young people? Why is he or she doing it? Where did the paranormal ghostly images come from? How do Logan and her fathers fit in to all of this?

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:

In addition to reading the e-ARC, I also listened to the audiobook. For me, audio is very well-suited to mysteries and stories with a creepy factor. The narration of this book was what I expected - - it was solid and kept me connected to the story. Also, with all of the many characters involved, it was quite good at helping to differentiate between them. For me, the ideal is being able to go back and forth between a book and an audio version. It was a winning combination with The Dead and the Dark beyond a doubt.

Thank you to NetGalley for both the e-ARC and the audiobook. I voluntarily chose to review them and the opinions contained within are my own.

Logan and her dads move to the mysterious town of Snakebite, Oregon where teenagers keep disappearing. There she meets Ashley, who takes an immediate dislike to her. Ashley's boyfriend is among the missing teachers, and eventually Logan and Ashley work together to uncover the mystery behind all the strange happenings, while developing feelings for each other.

Things I liked:
The atmosphere the author created was incredibly dark and spooky. Add to that the feelings of prejudice and mistrust, and you have a perfect setting for this story.
The family dynamics and the glimpses we get into Logan's Dads' past and story. I loved how the author provided flashblacks and almost wish there was more of their story.
The narrator was excellent. She did an incredible job relating the feelings in the book.

Things I disliked:
The romance. It wasn't very convincing. I didn't really feel that they liked each other even though we're told that they do.
The big reveal. Maybe it will work better as a movie, but it wasn't as spooky or as scary as I wanted it to be.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and will definitely check out this author's next book.

This paranormal debut stole my heart. I have read it twice before reviewing it because I honestly forgot that I had also received an advanced audio copy as well. The setting and the characters are honestly my favorite parts of this...but that paranormal goodness, also amazing!

this was like riverdale but good. i love that small town horror aesthetic and the lgbtq representation. i found that the audiobook kind of got boring in parts but i’m not sure if that was the plot or the narrator, overall i really enjoyed it

The Dead and Dark is a paranormal thriller for those who liked The Outsider and any type of ghost hunting show. Overall an entertainingly creepy read. The characters and relationships are done well. Teens will be pulled into the plot of missing teens and enjoy the characters and paranormal aspects.