Courtney Gould is an auto-buy author for me, and Where Echoes Die did not disappoint. I loved the sister relationship and the depth of the relationships between the characters, the suspense was masterfully built, and the mystery was utterly engaging. Another sapphic win <3

A haunting YA paranormal mystery about grief, secrets, and a strange desert town. The atmosphere is eerie and dreamlike, and the slow unraveling of the truth is beautifully done. Emotional and unforgettable.

Courtney Gould is a fantastic writer - with prose that flow beautifully and seamlessly. While I wasn't as engaged as I hoped in the story, I am definitely interested in reading more!

I have read other books by Courtney Gould, and this is another solid read. Although it might not be my favorite, it still has all the great things I've come to expect from her writing.

This story follows a daughter who is desperately seeking answers about her mother. Gould creates a suspenseful read filled with twists and some unforgettable characters.

Isolated down? Check. Supernatural bargains? Check. Sapphic elements? Check. It felt like reading a western take on a Doctor Who episode, Blackravel and the exploration of grief were ripe for BBC adaptation. I can think of a few friends who would enjoy this, even if it wasn't a perfect read for me.

Engaging story. Was pulled in from the beginning. Relatable characters. Would definitely pick up other works by this author!

4.5 stars

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, no one does atmospheric and mysterious like Courtney Gould. She not only excels at all the eerie vibes but is incredibly brilliant and a mastermind at creating complex, layered stories that burrow deep into your soul and remain in your head long after finishing them.

I adored Courtney’s first book immensely but Where Echoes Die is even more profound to me because of its deeply intricate themes of grief and loss, the struggle to move forward & all against the backdrop of the mysterious and haunting town of Backravel. This was just perfection, from the writing, to the characters, the relationships, to the story unfolding and most importantly to the impact of its narrative. Courtney Gould has easily become one of my favorites!

Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould presents a fresh and intriguing supernatural thriller that explores themes of grief, family, and self-discovery. The plot, centered around two sisters investigating their mother’s mysterious death in the isolated Arizona town of Backravel, is unique and captivating. As Beck and Riley dig into the town’s strange secrets, the eerie atmosphere and supernatural elements create a tense and haunting backdrop for their journey.

However, the pacing leading up to the climax felt a bit uneven. At times, the story meanders, dragging the tension in ways that make it hard to stay fully invested, while other moments rush through key revelations. This inconsistency in pacing makes the build-up to the climax feel somewhat disjointed, affecting the overall flow of the narrative.

Despite this, the book’s plot remains compelling and refreshing, with a unique twist on the supernatural genre. The exploration of Beck’s emotional journey, particularly her connection to Avery and her struggle with letting go of the past, adds a poignant layer to the story. Overall, Where Echoes Die offers a gripping, atmospheric tale, even if its pacing occasionally falters.

I'm a huge fan of weird mystery/horror podcasts, like the Magnus Archives and Welcome to Nightvale. This scratched that same type of itch. I loved the supernatural elements and the mystery. I can't wait to read another book by this author.

This was just an okay read for me. I couldn't connect to the characters nor could I get invested in this story. It was readable, just not something I couldn't get enough of.

I truly believe if I had of read this at a different stage in my life I would have went crazy for it. And I do think if you're into YA Supernatural Thrillers you should give this one a shot. It's just not for me with where I'm at right now.

Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould is a haunting and beautifully written story that lingers with you. It follows Beck as she and her sister visit a mysterious desert town searching for answers about their mother’s death. The atmosphere is surreal and eerie, with vivid descriptions that pull you into the town’s strange energy. The mix of grief, identity, and a touch of the supernatural is handled really well, though the slow pacing might not work for everyone. Still, it’s an emotional and thought-provoking read. 4 stars!

A very captivating read!

Courtney Gould’s Where Echoes Die follows Beck and her sister Riley as they venture to Backravel. For Beck, this is a chance to unravel the story and mystery started by her mother before her death. For Riley, it is a vacation before finally settling into their new home with their father. Both sisters learn that things are odd in Backravel. Beck connects with Avery in an attempt to learn more about the town. However, people and things might not be what they seem.

Gould has some of my favorite writing. I really enjoyed The Dead and the Dark. I have been looking forward to picking up this book. There is just something that really pulls me into Gould’s stories. They flow so well and are set up in a way that makes me invested in knowing how things will play out. I appreciated how the topics of loss and grief were handled. The depictions felt so genuine.

I enjoyed seeing the dynamic between Beck and Riley and how they were so different. It was a nice contrast. It was intriguing to see how they aligned themselves more with one parent and the other growing up. Beck was a well fleshed out character. The f/f pairing with Avery was fun to watch bloom as well.

I honestly forgot what the synopsis for this book even was prior to picking it up. I feel like I had a different idea for the plot and then it ended up going a totally different way. It was a nice surprise. Even a decent way into the book, I felt like I still had so many questions and could not wait to finally piece it together. Learning more about Backravel left me with more questions just like Beck. People were not always forthcoming, so I had so many different ideas floating through my mind. I really enjoy books that manage to pull off creating a sense of unknown in the reader without sacrificing an engaging story that came together nicely in the end.

Courtney Gould’s novel definitely did not disappoint! If you enjoy young adult mysteries, I would highly recommend this story. I am looking forward to picking up Gould’s next book!

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Beck has been adrift since losing her mother. She's taking her sister, Riley, with her on the search to the town that was her mother's obsession - Backravel, Arizona.

I liked the mystery and learning about the small town. I was drawn into the twists, trying to figure out what was going on. I did find the middle a little slow, as it focused more on Beck and Avery - when I had wanted more about the town. But the mysteries were revealed and I did enjoy the ending.

Good little mystery with a cute romance.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me. At first I was enjoying the plot of the book, but then I don’t think it ended up evolving enough or being explained well. I also wasn’t connecting with the characters.

I really enjoyed Gould's previous novel, but unfortunately this one did not hit for me. I will be trying her next book, but overall this fell really flat for me. It was forgettable and predictable.

Courtney Gould’s Where Echoes Die is a captivating and atmospheric sapphic thriller that delves into the depths of grief, loss, and the supernatural. I've read other books from this author, but this one might be my favorite.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

This book had a lot of potential and a lot going on, but it never quite got under my skin the way I expected it to. The story is slated as a horror vibe, at least that's the way I interpreted it, but it's more of a sapphic scifi mystery and perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I'd had that expectation going in.

The town has a bit of a gothic, atmospheric vibe, which I loved but it was never really explained why. But I really struggled with the main character. Nevermind that I found her unlikeable and her actions endlessly frustrating - I have enjoyed loads of books when I didn't like the main character(s). The problem for me here was that the relationship between Beck and Riley left me with more questions than answers. They're here on vacation but Beck avoids Riley all the time? I didn't need the romance, it felt shoehorned in and stilted. Mostly, though, I was just bored. The plot was slow and predictable.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Quietly creepy with a slow build, this mystery center on 17 year old Beck. After her mother’ dies, she receives a mysterious letter in her handwriting and decides that she and her sister will take a detour to Arizona. What they find doesn’t make sense and they need to figure it out… I liked it, but I’d still recommend starting with Gould’s The Dead and the Dark.

I really wanted to like this book, but I just didn’t. This is the only book so far this year that I started to DNF. I probably should have stopped reading but I had hopes it would get better. It took way too long for anything to become remotely interesting. This was just not for me.

This is one of those times that I really hate being a mood reader because why did it take me so long to pick this one up? I’m so annoyed with myself because I absolutely adored this book. It’s not a genre that I normally read but it was just so perfectly done and I couldn’t put it down once I picked it up.

The characters in here were perfection – Beck was the best main character and I loved getting to see everything from her point of view. The way she was so torn between looking after her sisters wishes but also wanted to follow the mystery that led her to this desolate town felt so authentic and it really brought you into the story. I also really enjoyed the way that her relationship with Avery developed and grew, it was so lovely to get to read about a queer relationship that felt genuine and just…nice.

The aspect of this book that really made it a 5 star read for me was the atmosphere and the world building. It was so quietly creepy and left you questioning everything that was happening and everyone that you met. The had decrepit but half shining new town where no one remembers when they got there? The mysterious woman that appears and disappears? The answers that Beck was looking for regarding her mother? It was so incredibly compelling and I loved every second of it.