“The Dead and the Dark” is Courtney Gould’s debut paranormal thriller. It was dark, disturbing, and creepy and I had a good time reading this. This is not my usual genre, but I decided to read it because the cover is pretty. Also, sapphics. I got this book months ago and frankly, I forgot what it was about by the time I got around to it. Boy, was I surprised. Luckily, surprised in a good way. I’ve been wanting to read more outside my usual genre this year and this fits in perfectly with that. It’s well written and very readable. The mystery of what is happening kept me on my toes until the very end.

Logan Ortiz-Woodley dads are ghosthunters with a tv show. They’ve always moved from one location to the next, never staying in one place for too long. When her dad, Brandon, goes back to his hometown, Snakebite, Oregon, to do some scouting, she and her other dad, Alejo, decide to follow him when he’s still not back after six months. When they get there, they find out that after Brandon arrived eerie things started happening around town, including the disappearance of a teenage boy, Tristan. Logan realizes the townspeople believe he is the reason for the Tristan’s disappearance.

Ashley Barton’s family owns most of Snakebite. She is also Tristan’s girlfriend and she’s been searching for him for six months. She’s not convinced he’s dead, even when she starts to see his ghost and other teenagers start dying. She doesn’t trust Logan but she needs her help and those ghost hunting tools if she wants to find out what happened to Tristan. Logan agrees to help so she can convince Ashley and the others that her dad had nothing to do with the disappearance.

I loved how dark this is. This is not a book about happy teenagers and you can feel it on almost every page. Like I said earlier, this is very creepy and disturbing, but in the best of ways. The Darkness is everywhere and no one can seem to stay away from it. Every time I would get comfortable something would happen to remind you that things are not normal and no one is safe. Logan and Ashley have to uncover things piece by piece. Not only that, they realize all the adults in their lives are hiding things as well.

Logan had me from the start. She is so lonely and depressed and I just felt so much for her. She just wants a place to call home and feel loved. She feels forgotten by her dads most of the time and their relationship is strained at best. Ashley just wants to find Tristan and understand what is happening around her town. I found her harder to like but she won me over by the end. Their relationship starts out as while not quite enemies, but close to it. They don’t like each other but they need one another. Their romance is on the back burner for most of the book. It takes time for them to build up their trust and then friendship. Ashley has never been around a gay person before so it takes her a while to realize her feelings have taken a romantic turn. She is also dealing with guilt about how she left things with Tristan before he went missing. I’ll be honest, I wasn't totally convinced of the romance, mostly from Ashley’s side. Most of their interactions were focused on other things so I would’ve liked a bit more to assure me more on their feelings.

I also really enjoyed the relationship between Logan and her parents. It might’ve been my favorite thing about the book. It’s so broken in the beginning and Logan doesn’t understand why. As things keep happening, she finds more answers to questions she never even knew were there.

While this is dark and creepy and deals with ghosts and death, I didn’t find it scary. I think fans of YA paranormal thrillers will enjoy this one quite a bit!

I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What a cool story with well-developed characters and a unique plot. I loved most everything about The Dead and the Dark, despite the fact that I *rarely* choose fantasy/horror reads. The only thing keeping me from giving this book a 5-star review is that I didn't love the interlude chapters.

Special thanks to St Martin's Press for an advanced reader copy via the NetGalley app.

Thank you to NetGalley, Courtney Gould and St Martin's Press for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm struggling a bit with my feelings on this novel; for the most part, I did enjoy it and I liked that it was a supernatural type novel as I don't read a whole lot of those. So it was a palate cleanser for me and my usual run of the mill thrillers, but I did find that parts of the story dragged a bit. I really enjoyed all the characters though and the idea behind how the Dark was created. We all have a bit of a dark side, but this is totally different then that. It mostly kept my attention and I definitely didn't know where the author was going to go next, so that was a plus. If you enjoy supernatural novels, this one will be enjoyable for you!

Overall this was a pretty good debut novel. I am just not sure if this was quite the book for me.

It was a bit too much of a slow burn for me and at times I was a bit bored with the plot. I thought the very beginning of this book started out very dark and creepy and then lost all its spookiness after that.

I can see why a lot of people have been enjoying it, but I wanted to just a little bit more.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me an arc of The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould in exchange for an honest review!

Logan finds herself in her dads’ hometown of Snakebite, Oregon under the impression that her dads are scouting it as a location for the new season of their hit ghost hunting tv show. As soon as she arrives, she couldn’t help but feeling that something was off.

This book was so exciting. Once I got into it, I did not want to put it down. Logan and local Snakebite teen Ashley uncover secrets about their families and the small town. Each chapter had me formulating new theories as to who was behind all the murders. The writing and character development are phenomenal and I love how the author integrated POC and queer representation into it so effortlessly.

Trigger warnings: blood, violence, murder, attempted murder, drowning, funeral, death, homophobia, homophobic language, hate crimes

I hadn't really been reading a ton of YA lately. Not sure if I just can't find anything that suits me, or if I'm just growing out of it. "The Dead and the Dark" knocked it out of the park for me though! Logan and her ghost hunting dads return to the town of Snakebite to try and figure out why weird things are happening and teenagers keep disappearing. There's a ton of small town homophobia (as one would expect), some supernatural elements, and just a good storyline with characters you can't help but like. It started off a little slow, but once I got in to the story I didn't want to put it down until I was finished, much to my doctor's dismay. I would definitely recommend for fans of shows like "Supernatural" or even "Ghost Hunters".

When I first saw The Dead and the Dark, I knew it was completely up my alley, as an LGBT YA horror/Gothic mystery novel. Though the book wasn't quite as exciting as I'd hoped it would be, it was still a well-written, emotional story about finding home and overcoming the past.

The writing was perhaps one of my favorite parts of the book. It was poetic, but without coming across as overly pretentious, confusing, or convoluted. It's a short novel, only about 350 pages, so I was glad that it was often straight and to-the-point.

I also very much enjoyed the characters and their interactions. I found Ashley and Logan's romance particularly realistic and essential to the core of the novel and it's themes, not tacked on because a YA novel has to have a romance. The characters were perhaps the most memorable part of the novel, and beyond Ashley and Logan I particularly enjoyed Tammy, Alejo, Brandon, and some of the other adults in the novel. I think Ashley's friends, particularly Fran and Bug, could've been fleshed out more, but a short novel like this can only handle so many characters, so it makes sense they didn't play a huge role.

The plot was probably where I felt this book most falls short. I found myself comparing it unfavorably to some of my other favorite Gothic-y mystery novels I've read for how standard the plot came across as. The Dark is a pretty standard metaphor/monster that was defeated (what I thought was) very quickly and very easily. I guessed who the killer was a little less than half of the way through, and I don't even think it was necessarily because there were many clues that hinted towards this person (although a reread may prove me wrong), but because he was the most normal and downright dull character that he didn't attract attention the way other characters might've. The other events, though they were revealed fairly late in the story, in what I think was meant to be a big reveal, felt obvious and like things you could figure out with what you'd gotten already. I'm not a huge plot person normally, but I usually go to mystery novels for well-crafted plots and to Gothic novels for weirdness, neither of which I really found in this novel. Maybe someone less acquainted with the genre would find it more exciting, but for me I found the plot just okay.

That being said, I did enjoy this novel for what it was, a quick read that could still pack a punch with its memorable characters and writing.

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.

Oh, this was a riveting read! I loved the atmosphere of this book. The eeriness of the setting and the melancholic tone definitely pulls you in as a reader. You get invested in the story and the characters and you're anticipating and making theories as you read. I loved that!

The characters were great and I loved Logan as the main character! It was amazing how the author managed to give the characters each their own spotlight and give proper characterizations to them. As I read I knew more about their wants, their desires, their flaws, their mistakes. That made the story all the more interesting for me.

I guess, you could also say there was little to no action (I guess I was expecting more). But do not be deceived! You still get hooked with the story and mysteriousness of the plot. Also, the prose here is just poetic, and sad, and a little bit dark, which added more to the flow of the story and the build of the characters.

Above all, I love how it featured a queer family and queer love stories. It also showed that sometimes we have to strive to live in a world that hate us. It was heartbreaking, and also very real.

This was a really great read. Perfect as the spooky season nears!

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for sending over an e-galley! (This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the 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 novel has all the vibes and secrets of a good thriller. The town of Snakebite is experiencing a supernatural mystery. Kids are being killed and there aren’t any suspects, no one to blame, and bodies yet to be discovered. Logan and her fathers haven’t been to Snakebite for long, but ever since her father, Brandon, arrived a bit earlier, the murders have taken place. Is he to blame or is there some other Darkness lurking?

There were so many parts to this I enjoyed, but the creepy, ghost hunter like vibes were all for me!

***4.5 STARS***
I received an ebook ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


Logan has never felt at home; constantly on the move growing up, she has never had roots anywhere. Her dads, Alejo and Brandon, are the stars of ParaSpectors, a tv show focused on ghost hunting. When Brandon and Alejo are brought back to Snakebite, Logan is dragged along. Once they arrive, Logan senses that not only are they unwelcome, but that there’s more going on in this town than ghosts.

A teen has been missing for months and there has been a sense of foreboding in the air ever sense. Ashley’s boyfriend was the first to go missing, with no evidence as to where he went. She’s been seeing and feeling his ghost ever since. When Logan shows up, the two team up to figure out who, or what, is haunting Snakebite. As the investigation intensifies, so does their blooming feelings.


This was such a great story— I was constantly on my toes while reading this. I felt like the beginning was fairly slow, but granted I was also in a bit of a slump from Our Violent Ends. Not only is this a paranormal mystery, but it’s a sapphic love story.

Courtney Gould does a great job with character development, especially with Logan and her dads, Brandon and Alejo. We learn so much about their family dynamic and Brandon and Alejo’s past, and I really enjoyed reading about them. The character development for the supporting characters was pretty good, but I would have liked a little more. I got just enough information about the residents of Snakebite to understand what was going on and the character’s motives for their actions, but I didn’t connect with any characters except for Logan.

I think what impressed me the most about Gould’s character development is the way she incorporated Tristan’s ghost into the story. I didn’t think that I would be able to learn much about him, or that he would make a good main character, but his character was skillfully woven into the storyline without making the ghost scenes feel like they were just included to add scare factor.

Sadly, the romance between Logan and Ashley was pretty meh for me. I was so excited to have more amazing LGBTQ+ rep in a book, but there wasn’t much relationship development throughout the story at all. In general, the romance felt rushed and awkward. There is also a large conflict between Logan and Ashley that is never really addressed, so after that moment it felt strange to read about their relationship. The romance felt unnatural and as if it were there just for the sake of having a subplot, so it didn’t do much for me at all.

The plot of The Dead and the Dark was really good! From the very beginning, the story is ominous and spooky. The Dead and the Dark wasn’t really scary to me, but it was definitely chilling and slightly disturbing. So many things happened in this story happened that had my eyebrows nearly at my hairline and my jaw on the ground! As the story went on, a million questions had piled up in my mind, and I felt like a detective trying to solve the mystery of Snakebite right along with Logan and Ashley.

The story is filled with suspicious, unreliable narrators and plot twists that made me question everything I thought I knew. The feeling of being so close yet so, so far from solving the mystery drove me crazy, but its also made me want to keep reading! This is a twisty tale with unsettling secrets lurking in the dark, and I was here for it!

Overall, The Dead and the Dark is an awesome summer thriller! It’s fun, mysterious, and super engaging. I had a great time following Logan and Ashley as they unravel a small town mystery. Although the character development and romance could have been better, the mystery at the center of the novel had me sitting on the edge of my seat! This book is a great intro into the world of horror books! I probably won’t read it again, but I am so happy that I got to experience the world of Snakebite!

Rating: 3.5/5

A solid 3.5 stars for this suspenseful debut YA novel.!

Logan Ortiz-Woodley follows her dads back to their hometown of Snakebite, OR, a place that just feels "off." There is a missing teen, Tristan, and a pervasive "darkness" over the area. As Logan adapts to the small-town whispering and judging faces, she forms a tentative friendship with Ashley, Tristan's girlfriend.

Logan's dads, Alejo and Brandon, are the stars of a popular paranormal TV series, ParaSpectors, and are hoping to help solve the mystery of Tristan's disappearance. They are also acting very secretive around Logan, leaving her and Ashley to work through their growing suspicions and fears on their own. When another teen is found murdered, the plot really turns dark and foreboding. A suspenseful, twisty story involving ghosts, friendships, and betrayals.

Note: The author includes a warning of sensitive content in the beginning of the book so readers are forewarned about themes involving "child death and endangerment, violence including strangulation and drowning, homophobia and homophobic slurs."

Thank you to NetGalley, Courtney Gould, and St. Martin's Press for an advanced eBook in exchange for my honest review.

This supernatural story was very entertaining. I loved the combination of paranormal and mystery. The Dead and the Dark is suspenseful and engaging. My curiosity was piqued throughout the entire story and I really enjoyed reading it!

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

I feel so bad but I could not get into this book at all. The writing was extremely dry and uninteresting, and by the time I finished the book I didn't really care about what happened to the characters. And I had such high hopes for this book as well...

Even though I did not personally like it, I believe that other people would enjoy this book. I, sadly, cannot count myself among them.

*This book was sent to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This book is a 4.5/5, but I rounded it down to a 4.

Trigger warnings: child death, violence, homophobia, and homophobia related violence, murder, underage drinking, strangulation and attempted drowning, slurs, claustrophobia (the author also includes a page of her own trigger warnings in the book, which I love and greatly appreciate).
For a more detailed description of sensitive content please visit gouldbooks.com/books/tdatd

Fans of ya horror and mystery/thrillers must add this debut to their tbrs! There are some paranormal elements to the story as well, which make it extra intriguing. Courtney Gould's writing style is absolutely gorgeous. Gould effortlessly creates an eerie and captivating atmosphere with her writing that makes you want to read this during the day with all the lights on and the shades up. Or, if you're like me, at 1 am with the shades down and the only source of light coming from my kindle. This is the perfect sapphic romance to add to a spooky season tbr. I am looking forward to more of Gould's books in the future and I can't wait to see what her next release will be. I also will 110% be purchasing a copy of my own when I can. This cover needs to be displayed on my shelves.

What I enjoyed
~representation (f|f romance that isn't tip-toed around, gay dads)
~eerie atmosphere
~writing style
~overall unique plot
~different perspectives
~mystery is continued through the entire story and not just kept for the very end of the book

What I didn't enjoy
~some confusing timelines
~didn't feel as connected to the characters as I wanted to
~the plot dragged a little sometimes when I wished it would have been more fast-paced

~rachel

This was an intriguing premise that delivered on small town vibes, creepy atmosphere, and raising the stakes. I also enjoyed the romance elements and the mysteries kept me guessing.

I really really liked this one! It's so creepy and spooky and the perfect read for fall.

The Dead & The Dark by Courtney Gould (out 8/3) has it all:

🍂 Missing Teenagers
🍂 Murder
🍂 A Haunted Cabin
🍂 Queer ghost hunters
🍂 Amateur sleuths
🍂 Bates Motel
🍂 Secrets
🍂 Weird weather
🍂 Strange townfolk

All these elements combine to make the ultimate page turner. I definitely kept saying to myself "one more chapter, one more chapter" and it was already 1am.

You definitely don't want to miss this, it's dark, it's thrilling, it's the perfect spooky season read. 🍂

Thanks to Wednesday Books & NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a terrifically creepy YA debut that checks all the right boxes! Set in an ominous small town, The Dead and The Dark has plenty of ghosts, disappearances, and LGBTQ+ representation that are sure to satisfy any thriller reader. The mysterious town of Snakebite seems to be alive, creating a state of tension and the unsettling feeling of being watched. From the very first page, I was completely intrigued and desperate to uncover answers. I also loved the characters, who are all multidimensional and relatable. My only critique is that the main romantic relationship didn’t feel fully developed so if you’re looking for a satisfying romance, I suggest you look the other way. On the other hand, if you find the paranormal captivating and you love a sense of mystery, this is definitely the book for you! Many thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an e-galley.