"The Dark is not a monster."

For lovers of ghost hunting and mysteries yet to be solved, this spine-chilling book is definitely the one for you!

All Logan has ever known in life is being on the road with her dads. The trio travelling around while her father's shoot episodes for their ghost-hunting TV show. But a recent move to their old hometown, Snakebite, may change everything that Logan has ever known.

Hatred and darkness has spread through the town for years, especially when it came to accepting Alejo and Brandon for who they are. but now they've returned, and with them, begins the disappearances. Logan has never seen Snakebite until now, but already she feels the difference. The secrets, the confusions, the darkness.

When people begin to blame her father's for the disappearance of a boy called Tristan, Logan team's up with Ashley to discover the truth of who, or what, is haunting Snakebite and taking children with them.

I was so invested in this story from beginning to end. I was absolutely clueless about who/what was happening in the town no matter how much I tried to figure it out for myself! I was drawn in and captured by the story and its characters.

I loved seeing the differences between Ashley and Logan and how both their worlds were affected by Snakebite. There were some scenes that honestly made goosebumps crawl up my arm and had my eyes wide open in shock. The character's and disappearances just kept building and held the tension and thrilling feeling throughout the story.

I 100% recommend this book and thank you so much to the publishers for providing me with an eArc in exchange for my honest review.

I am so excited to see this book in bookstores and to pick up my own physical copy!!

This was one of my most anticipated books for 2021. Everything about it screamed at me and I love love loved that cover. I was so excited about it that I put off reading my ARC for months, scared that it wouldn't live up to my hype.

And now that I've finished... it's hard to nail down how I feel about it. Some moments I was really drawn in, while others kind of lost me. But I really liked the characters and the complicated family dynamic between Logan and her Dad's, as well as Logan and the people in Snakebite. It was also pretty ruthless and kind of dark, which I always gravitate towards.

The ghost hunting aspect was a cute addition and done really well. The skepticism about it seeped into me trying to figure out what was happening. Am I just caught up in the paranormal hype and this is something much more simple, or is something spooky really happening in this town? Is the title literal or symbolic?

I had figured out the "twist" much earlier than I was supposed to, which kind of worked against the big emotional reveal at the end. I also found the way that was explained a little info-dumpy. But I didn't anticipate HOW it all came to be and that is the part that I thought was very clever and I quite liked. The overall messaging about loneliness and family was really strong and that is what kept me reading. I thought it was a really interesting take, but I just wasn't always on board with how it was being executed.

This reminded me a lot of Sawkill Girls, which a lot of people loved. I enjoyed it, but I was very hot and cold with that book too. There was an element that I really didn't like, and that element is also part of this book. I found it distracting in Sawkill Girls and it was just as distracting for me here. Though it's just a choice that I personally don't gravitate towards, while other people might like it a lot.

The second half of the book moved so quickly and everything came together quite well. Overall this was quite a roller coaster for me, moments of highs and lows that left me feeling kind of not sure how I felt about it. But if you like dark, suspenseful mysteries with a bit of romance mixed on top of other complicated family dynamics, it's definitely worth checking out.

The Dead and the Dark was a very intriguing book. So I didn’t really like Snakebite because it was an awful place filled with small minded people. I really enjoyed the ghost hunting aspect because it was very interesting and I really liked the ParaSpectors (Logan’s dads). I found Logan to be a very complex character who just wanted to be loved and I was totally rooting for her the whole book.

This was good, dark, and creepy. I’m a big fan of paranormal mystery/crime books and I’ve been lucky that there have been some good ones released lately. While the stories are quite different, this had a similar vibe to The River Has Teeth. The River Has Teeth was a little better fit for my personal tastes, but if you enjoyed that story I believe you will enjoy this one too.

I talk about readability a lot because I like books that are easy to get into and that can get their hooks right into you. This book was like that and I ended up reading it in one sitting. The pace was maybe a tad slower than I would have liked, but the book had a really nice build and when the pace picked-up, the story got much meatier and I didn’t want to put the book down. The author writes well and you can easy see vivid pictures of what is happening on the page, in your mind.

I’m more of a character driven reader but for this book I found I was more into the plot. I had mixed feeling about some of the characters. I thought Logan and her fathers were really well done, but I had a harder time connecting with Ashley and her family/friends. It wasn't that Ashley was unlikable, but the people around her were, so it kind of rubbed off on her. I did like when she got more into the paranormal aspects as it made her character more interesting for me, but it was still a mix.

It’s funny because I did find some things over the top and had to suspend disbelief a bit, but it was not the paranormal parts. It was the people and how they behaved and what they got away with, which was a bit much. The whole thing with the Paris kid, I mean come on that scene was a little too much for me. And I could not help but wonder how the whole town would not get put on the FBI’s watch list after that ending.

While there were some out there parts, I did like the main plot quite a bit. The mystery had some nice twists and while I had some ideas about one part, I was also surprised so I always like that. A lot of my friends have commented that this was a very scary story but I didn’t get that. There is violence and death and I would call this dark and creepy, but it was not scary for me. I guess your mileage may vary.

There was a light sapphic romance. It is slow burn and almost enemies to lovers. Maybe Romeo and Juliet-ish is the better way to explain it. It started off rocky to me and I wasn’t feeling it. Luckily, as the book went on I started to believe in the connection and like them as a couple. I do wish Gould would have spent more time developing Ashley’s feelings. We needed to see the change and how it happened but we really don’t. In the end it was a cute but light romance.

I would recommend this to YA paranormal crime/mystery fans. This is well written and an interesting read. To have a debut this strong makes me excited to read Gould again. If you are looking for dark and creepy, this book may just be for you.

Twisty, disturbing, and a crazy ride. This was not what I expected in this book. I'm a psychological thriller lover, but this got to be creepy, dark and intense. Nightmares were had. Gould does a fantastic job of leaving the reader on the edge of the seat, wanting more, and needing answers.

This book follows Logan, who moves back to her paranormal investigator dads’ hometown only to find herself at the center of suspicion over a missing persons case. Now, Logan and local girl Ashley must team up to solve the case and clear Logan’s dads of the crime, all while definitely not falling for each other …

The Dead and the Dark is dark (duh), atmospheric, and super twisty! I loved how there was a balance of thriller-style reveals and descriptions that made me feel immersed in the story. And boy, what amazing reveals — I thought I knew who the culprit was and I was SO wrong!

Logan and Ashley were super compelling characters to follow, but to me the stars of the show ended up being Logan’s dads, Brandon and Alejo. Their deep dark secrets were so fun to uncover, and the paranormal investigation angle was also a nice touch!

Long story short, I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a spooky read that still has the twists and turns of an excellent thriller :D

The small town of Snakebite, Oregon is shaken to it's core when a teenage boy goes missing. Nobody feels the loss more than the boy's girlfriend, Ashley Barton. Hanging onto hope that he is still alive, all she wants is for him to come home. She can still feel his presence, after all...

Logan Ortiz-Woodley arrives in town with her two dads, the popular ghost hunters from the TV show ParaSpectors. Her dads may have grown up in Snakebite, but they are clearly not welcome now, especially when more teenagers begin to go missing and the bodies are piling up...

In Ashley's search for the boy she loves, the only one she can turn to for help in getting answers is Logan, who refuses to believe that her fathers have anything to do with the murdered teens. The two girls start to unravel the secrets this town and its patrons hold. The evil that is surrounding this small town is intense and may not even be human. Ashley and Logan are finding comfort in one another, and while a romance is blossoming, a darkness is taking hold of Snakebite and it proves to be a race against the clock to find the light.

This was an intensely atmospheric and supremely spooky ya thriller. I had a pretty good sense of the outcome of the story, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment. I also found that I wanted to take my time with this read and really savor the mood of The Dead and the Dark.

3.5/5
Note: I do not consider my review to include spoilers because I highlight content warnings, but if you think content warnings are spoilers do not read my review.

I wish I could say that I enjoyed this book, but alas I did not. This book attempted to be creepy and supernatural, but it did not hit the mark. There are parts of the book that I thoroughly enjoyed, but the other parts that I didn’t like overwhelmed my thoughts. There are way more deaths of children (well technically teenagers) than I thought going in, granted the book does have ‘dead’ in the title. That’s something that unsettled me because why did all the death need to be children? Why couldn’t there be adult deaths? I would have liked for the supernatural aspect of this read to be more. It felt like the supernatural aspect of it was shoved in at the last minute towards the end of the book. I thought the main characters were interesting. They were both 17 years old and they were attempting to figure out what to do in the world. I liked the exploration of sexuality in this book where characters were able to figure out what they wanted, but the toxic homophobic town was awful. Homophobia will be triggering for many people. Additionally, the one main character betrays the other in a serious manner and it is brushed to the side! It was a pretty big betrayal that should not have been overlooked and should have been addressed. I had higher hopes for this read.

Thank you Wednesday Books and Net Galley for providing me with a copy of The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould. I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for a truthful review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Courtney Gould’s The Dead and the Dark is a Young Adult Paranormal Mystery Thriller that definitely gives you a spooky, need to read with all the lights on kind of feel.

The story follows Logan the daughter of tv famous ghost hunters. When they arrive in the home town of one of her fathers, kids start to disappear. Ashley’s boyfriend is the first to disappear and as Ashley and Logan start an unlikely friendship they start to investigate the disappearances only to find more questions about their families and who or what is haunting the town.

Pace 9/10

This book was paced well. I think it balanced the story well. I enjoy when books have a good set up but then also don’t rush the ending and I felt this book did that well.

Plot Development 9/10

The plot development was also great. I didn’t find any big plot holes or any characters that felt like place holders.


Characters 9/10

The characters were well developed. Logan’s character felt very authentic from how she was described to how she interacted with the other characters.

Enjoyability 9/10

For my first paranormal book, I really enjoyed it. It was spooky at times and made me have to read with the lights on but it was a good change for me.

Thought Provoking 9/10

This book pushed me out of my comfort zone and I really liked that.

Ease of Reading/ Reading Comprehension 10/10
I felt this book was easy to read and understand the story.

Ending 9/10
I enjoyed the ending I didn’t feel like it was rushed and I felt it wrapped up the story while also allowing you to see what would happen next.

Wow. I’m sitting here writing this review a month after I started and subsequently blitzed through The Dead and the Dark, and still, the first word that comes to my mind is “wow”. Whatever I’m about to write will not do this book justice, so it’s probably best to just go read it and see what I mean for yourself, but I’m going to try my best to sum up my feelings.

Courtney Gould did an Instagram live a while back with Adrienne Tooley (another favourite author of mine) where she described the two main characters in this book as “[Riverdale’s] Betty and Veronica, but if they were actually gay”, and that was enough to convince me to jump straight into this book the second I managed to obtain an eArc of it. I was one of those people who got baited into watching the first four episodes of Riverdale based on the Betty x Veronica kiss in the Season 1 trailer, so to hear that this book had similar small-town, spooky vibes and the main romance was between a new-in-town brunette and a my-life-is-totally-perfect-except-whoops-is-that-comphet? blonde, AND it was actually gay? I was sold. And while I’m comparing The Dead and the Dark to other media, a couple of things that I’d say have similar vibes are: Stranger Things, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Netflix’s Fear Street, and Ghostbusters (2016). Basically, if you like paranormal mysteries and sapphics, you’ll probably love this book.

So, to get into the review, although this book is inherently sapphic and has sapphic themes throughout, I love that it doesn’t necessarily hinge on the romance. The spooky mystery aspect of it is amazing in its own right, and honestly, I probably wouldn’t even have missed the romance if it wasn’t there. We approach the story from two POVs, Logan’s and Ashley’s, and both girls are going through their own struggles: Logan has a complicated relationship with her dads, and Ashley has a complicated relationship with the entire life she’s built up around herself in small-town Oregon. Their stories weave together as a result of the weird disappearances happening in Snakebite, and soon we see the two girls let go of themselves and their troubles long enough to find something in each other that makes them feel less alone. The way both girls are able to find commonalities in each other, lean on each other while working through their own very different forms of grief—Ashley’s being recent and raw, Logan’s deep and festering—works in tandem with the plot to make for an even better and more captivating story. Their relationship mirrors the story arc in a way that improves upon it without outshining it. It’s not easy to write a book where the plot and romance are equally enticing, but The Dead and the Dark certainly delivers.

One of the things that made reading this book so enjoyable was how spot-on the humour is. Logan’s character is hilarious, and I am begging Courtney to release the chapters she wrote from Logan’s POV but had to change to Ashley because there were too many Logan chapters, mainly as a treat for me. At the start of the book, you’re laughing about Logan’s weird depression snacks, and by the end, you’re sobbing while questioning the meaning of love, loss, and family, having just gone through an absolute rollercoaster of emotions. You really feel connected to the story, and since Snakebite is practically a third main character, you feel connected to the town as well. Maybe this is a weird thing to say considering the premise of the book and the whole “this town may be haunted” thing, but I’m itching to reread and take another trip to Snakebite—the town just has that kind of pull that makes it impossible to stay away for too long. Also, weird flex but I have an exact picture in my head of what Logan looks like, which hardly ever happens. Usually in my head characters’ faces are blurry, but Logan’s face is in 4K, baby! (A credit both to Courtney Gould and my big brain.)

As well as being a cool paranormal mystery, this book tackles feelings of loneliness and not fitting in surprisingly well. It perfectly evokes the sensation of feeling trapped in the situation you’re in, that the loneliness you’re feeling is just a part of you, etched into your bones and running through your veins. It’s what you live and breathe, and you don’t know anything different, so you don’t even try to escape. Sometimes it’s buried deep beneath layers of denial (*cough* or comphet *cough*), but it’s still there. It’s a sort of claustrophobia—restricting you, suffocating you, making you think there is nothing outside of that feeling, like there’s nothing outside of the small town you’re in. There’s no other life to aspire to than the one that’s been laid out for you; there’s no one coming to get you. These themes of feeling suffocated add to the eeriness of the book, and as you’re reading you can feel the warm, sticky claws of Snakebite, Oregon, sinking into every resident of the rural town, eating at Logan and Ashley in particular, and trapping them in a life that neither of them wants. The way Logan and Ashley confront these feelings is so particular to their characters, it’s fascinating to see exactly how the town and all of its mysteries affect them individually and as a pair.

I want to give added props for use of the word lesbian and for Logan being so secure in her identity and calling out homophobia even when it’s being perpetrated by someone twice her size. She is amazing and everything I want to be, and I will always prefer books that make me feel proud to be a lesbian, as opposed to shying away from using the word as if it’s something to be ashamed of. With Logan and Ashley, you get to see two different sides of the lesbian experience (I’m not sure if Ashley’s confirmed to be a lesbian but that’s how she reads to me), and I was wholly invested in both their POVs. And the way their relationship builds as all the spooky stuff crescendos is just…*chef’s kiss*.

Closing statement: If a book can make me ignore my family for 6 hours straight and feel warm all the way through upon finishing, it’s a winner. The Dead and the Dark is already in my top 3 favourite books of the year, and even though I had an eArc, I ordered a physical copy as well because I loved it so much (and the preorder goods are so cool, I’ve already planned where I’m going to put the postcards when they come). I urge everyone to go buy it and read it if you haven’t already.


*eArc provided by NetGalley, but all opinions mentioned are my own.*

This arc was provided by Wednesday Books, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

TW: homophobia (verbal, non-physical), child death, murder, claustrophobia (buried alive), attempted drowning, hate crimes, and slurs

My thoughts varied from "I can't stop reading this" to "Mom, please come pick me up."
Regardless, this was an addicting and terrifying read!

The Dead and the Dark follows Logan Ortiz-Woodley, the daughter of the ParaSpectors, a popular tv show where her dads are ghost hunters. She returns to her dads' hometown where strange things have taken place as soon as they get to town.

This is a raw and painful story. I felt so much for Logan, especially with the way her father treated her. And I was also spooked as heck, though I couldn't stop reading. The writing is mesmerizing and I wanted it to keep going.

When I first heard about this one, I didn't think it was for me. However, it is cleverly written and the characters stay in your mind. Oh, and it's so scary, especially [redacted].

Anyway, pick this up if you're looking for a good time!

Let me start this off by saying I don’t do well with scary things and purposely don’t read or watch anything horror. But I did it!

Logan’s dads are stars on a popular paranormal tv show. When the family suddenly moves to Snakebite, she can tell there’s something wrong with this dreadfully boring town. A teenager recently went missing and the town suspects one of her dads. Things get weirder as another teen goes missing and it’s evident a murderer is on the loose. As Logan searches for answers, the truth about herself and her family begins to unravel.

Within the first couple chapters, I got a strong creepy undertone to the book, maybe some Blair Witch vibes. The story and atmosphere absolutely supported that feeling throughout the book. I also enjoyed the element of mystery as Logan tries to unravel what’s really happening in the town. There’s a lot of twists and turns as well as self discovery that make this book what it is!

I would recommend this book for those who enjoy YA horror without the gruesome details some books get into. It’s like a PG13 horror movie perfect for the upcoming Halloween season!

After sitting on this book for a few days and letting it simmer, I'm still not sure what to say- my feelings are kind of all over the place. I'm a huge Ghost Adventures/Ghost Hunters/Kindred Spirits fan, so when this book came across my radar I was excited by the premise and couldn't click request on NetGalley fast enough!

The Dead and the Dark was an intriguing story, creepy, dark and mysterious. A little darker than I was even expecting, and actually a bit sad. This book leans more towards the supernatural, although it definitely has its paranormal elements. I was hoping for more ghost hunting, to be honest. I guess that's what I get for reading this while having Ghost Adventures on as background noise.

The beginning was a little slow, as we were getting to know the characters. There was a bit of a disconnect with me when it came to Logan and her dad Brandon- I wanted more background as to why he seemed so detached from her, which thankfully we do find out the reasons for later in the book. As I mentioned earlier, I really wanted more in the way of ghost hunting adventures, considering that's what her fathers did for a living. We did get a little of it when Logan and Ashley teamed up, but as the story progressed and we learned more about Logan's family, the town, and why things were happening, it began to become clear that there was more to this story than the ghost of a dead boy.

While this was a gripping read, I did find myself a little let down by the ending. The mystery and build up kept me engaged, but things wrapped up just too quickly and easily for me. There are questions about certain characters I need answered. Touching on the romance between Logan and Ashley, it was very minimal and surface level. I would have liked more development in that aspect of the story. I never really felt a deep connection between, considering the majority of the book has Ashley mourning her boyfriend.

Even with the few faults I found with the story, it was a very compelling and engaging read, especially considering this is a debut.

I was genuinely creeped out by parts of this horror/mystery tale, which is saying a lot because most horror novels don't scare me at all! Courtney Gould certainly knows how to build tension, even if I wasn't 100% convinced by the Big Bad-related world-building. The rest of it, tho, is pretty great, especially in its examination of the realities of being gay in the 21st century.

Logan Ortiz-Woodley is looking forward to turning 18 in a scant few months so she can finally leave her parents behind and go live her best life. It's not that she doesn't get along with Dad, as she calls Alejo Ortiz, but after a weird experience filming their reality ghost-hunting show in Tulsa, she's given up on trying to connect with her other father, whom she just calls by his first name. Brandon Woodley has always been the quieter, more awkward one of her dads, and while the odd couple vibes work well on TV, his detachment from his home life has always deeply hurt Logan, who can't help feeling unwanted when he constantly pushes her away.

So she's not really fussed when Brandon's plan to scout locations in his hometown of Snakebite, Oregon stretches from the original one month timetable to six. She feels bad for Dad, who misses his husband, but she's secretly glad not to have to endure the painful conversations that are all Brandon seems to know how to use to interact with her. It's worse because he's always so easy and happy with Dad, making her feel like even more of a pariah in her own family.

When Brandon finally tells them he's ready for them to come to Snakebite, Logan is far more reluctant than Dad to leave their life in cosmopolitan, queer-friendly Los Angeles. Even so, she's astonished to find that Snakebite is even worse than she'd imagined. Brandon and Alejo both came from there but left after the homophobia became too much for them. Things haven't changed very much in the decade plus they've been away, but there has been one horrifying new development. Shortly after Brandon arrived in town, a local boy named Tristan went missing.

If the townsfolk hadn't been set against Brandon before then, they certainly had little intention of warming up to him after. Logan soon finds herself joining forces with Ashley Barton, Tristan's girlfriend and daughter of the town's de facto head, to find the missing teenager and clear Brandon's name in the process. But the darkness at the heart of Snakebite is watching and waiting for more victims. Even as Logan's reluctant partnership with Ashley turns into friendship and something more, could everything they're fighting for fall victim to the darkness of the town?

I loved this concept so much, and really enjoyed the multiple layers that Ms Gould deftly unpeels for us as we follow the viewpoints of both girls through a terrifying, life-changing time for them both. I wonder sometimes if the metaphor behind The Darkness didn't feel belabored tho, and wish it had been tied in further to the history of the town. Especially given Alejo's explanation of ghosts, I think something really rich and weird could have been hypothesized there. Tbh, I wish more time had been spent fleshing out details pertaining to The Darkness altogether, such as the non-drowning and how Logan fought back. I didn't really understand its motivations, even for leaving, even with Elexis, and I wish more had been described of the toll it takes on its bearers. I'm also hoping that there's a bit more editing in the finalized version, as the first time I read that Ashley could taste her pulse, I thought it was a really cool metaphor, but then found it significantly less cool the more it was repeated in the next few chapters.

Overall, a really solid YA debut, with a gorgeous cover. The diversity rep is outstanding, and Ms Gould convincingly writes about being a teenager and being queer in very relatable ways. She also knows how to write some truly spine-chilling scenes! I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of her stuff in future.

The Dead And The Dark by Courtney Gould was published today August 3 2021 by Wednesday Books and is available from all good booksellers, including <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9781250762016">Bookshop!</a>

Thank you to Wednesday Books for sending me an ARC via netgalley for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
This was such a fantastic read! I found it a little slow at the beginning, but once it picked up (about 20% in) I didn’t want to put it down. The atmosphere that the author created was chilling and creepy. I loved the 3rd person POV and how we actually saw the story from the Dark’s perspective. TWs/CWs for death, violence against children, death of a child, and homophobia.
I liked the characters in this one, and I really connected to the frustration and confusion that Logan and Ashley were feeling. Their search for answers caused more questions and there were some twists in the story that I didn’t see coming. I liked Ashley’s character development as she began to see Snakebite in a new light. The relationship between Logan and Ashley was also well developed. I liked that the girls were back and forth between allies and something more. I liked Alejo’s character, and I thought the author did a great job with Brandon’s character.
The mystery itself is a supernatural one with ghosts and the Dark. I liked that Logan’s dads were pretty much ghost hunters, and how they explained the mystery and the ghosts.
Overall this was a really good YA thriller! It gave me chills and kept me guessing and turning the pages the whole time!

Content warning(s): Homophobia, child endangerment and death, violence through means of strangulation and drowning, and slurs. For a detail about the book and its content warnings, visit Courtney Gould’s webpage for The Dead and the Dark.

For fans of books like authors like Courtney Summers and Lisa Jewel, Courtney Gould’s debut novel The Dead and the Dark packs a chilling story of a murder conspiracy, family bonds, and the darkness that exists within the seams of society and even inside the most purest of people.

When Logan Ortiz-Woodley and her dads arrive in Snakebite, Oregon, they show up in the midst of a teenager’s disappearance from the town. Soon after, more teenagers go missing. Having been previously ostracized from Snakebite, Logan’s dads Arlejo and Brandon are instantly labeled as suspects, as well as Logan by extension. Meanwhile, Ashley Barton has been a resident of Snakebite all her life, but after the disappearance of her boyfriend Tristan, the town she grew up in begins twisting into something unfamiliar, even terrifying. Their worlds collide as they work to investigate these disappearances and face terrors unlike anything they have seen before.

This novel is incredibly intense, and not all of it is in a good way. It captivates your attention and will leave you scouring the pages to find out what happens next, but Gould goes deep into heavy topics that may be triggering for some audiences. Readers should take care to heed the content warnings above this review, as well as on Courtney Gould’s website - a practice which, by the way, I love that some authors are beginning to incorporate for their novels.

Gould knows how to pack a punch to the feels and implement some shocking moments in The Dead and the Dark. Many times, I was left wondering: Is anyone truly safe in this book? Additionally, Gould does expertly weave a lot of red herring possibilities for who the true culprit was, and I was continuously left baffled as I tried to figure out the mystery.

One thing I wish was explored a bit more carefully was Logan and Ashley’s relationship. By all accounts from the beginning of the novel, Ashley did not show any indication of identifying as anything other than straight. Yet, she fell into a bond/relationship with Logan that was built seemingly out of their shared trauma of the situation they were both in. I did really like that Ashley finally breaks free from Snakebite - a town with customs stuck 50 years in the past - to explore the country with Logan. That was a pretty sweet ending for the two women, who deserved this adventure after what they went through.

The Dead and the Dark was an immersive experience into a small town that held a lot of secrets, both superficially and hidden deep within its crevices. I would not recommend reading this alone, at night, in the dark.

There were elements of this book that I really enjoyed, but unfortunately my hype around this book might have gotten the best of me. The characters were interesting and I would love to read more about them in a sequel to build on to this story. The setting was good, as well, but I wish the spooky, eerie atmosphere was amped up just a bit. Unfortunately, what really didn’t work for me was the pacing. I felt like 75% of this story focused on characters telling us the story rather than the narrative showing action. This made it drag a bit for me. That being said, the last 25% of this book knocked it out of the park. It was action-pack, filled with compelling story. Loved how the book wrapped itself up.

Wish I enjoyed this more, but a solid debut novel and I’m interested in what Courtney Gould has up next!

Spooky vibes. Small town drama. A murder mystery. This book captures that isolating feeling of loneliness as Logan and Ashley work together to find out who's killing teens in this small town and what Logan's father, Brandon, has to do with it. 

As someone who has always grown up in the suburbs, near large cities, I can't comment on the atmosphere of Snakebite. The small town in Oregon has less people than my high school graduating class and it creates a strong environment of knowing everyone and their business before it even happens. Which means poor Logan and her dads' have to face the scrutiny and accusations of the town they're trying to help.

The town thinks Brandon did it. Logan isn't so sure. Ashley just wants to find her boyfriend, Tristan. 

This book was really interesting and I liked the paranormal, spookiness that went along with it. Murder mysteries are creepy enough, especially in an isolated area, but add in a paranormal entity and I was finding myself uneasy reading this book at night. This whole book had a spooky vibe that I feel like would work really well during spooky/Halloween season. 

And, along with the spooky, murder mystery, we also have the bigotry. Logan and her fathers' all face harassment for being gay, including a hate crime, slurs, assault, and just general nastiness from the town. While it's unclear to Logan why her fathers' wanted to return to Snakebite, she has to go along for the ride and deal with the hate. Honestly, if it wasn't for Ashley agreeing to work with Logan to find Tristan, poor Logan would remain pretty alone. Ashley isn't accepting of the newcomers at first, but once she starts to spend time with Logan, it's clear they work well together. And it's clear she starts to like Logan...

This was a book in two parts: 1) the murder mystery and 2) learning acceptance and finding yourself. The two plots separately were good. Together, they were really good. I enjoyed watching everyone's journey and growth while getting to solve a mystery. It made the book feel more rounded and I think we could all learn a few things from their journey. Though, my anger levels were getting pretty high during certain scenes. 

Overall, to get to the point, I liked this book! I like Ashley and Logan's story. I like the murder mystery plot. I like the spooky aspects and weird things going on behind the scenes. All together, this was a really cool story - one that I found myself absorbed in, wanting to know what was going on. If you like weird, spooky vibes and a whodunit plot line, this is a great book to pick up!

So I almost read this one in one sitting. 95% done at the end of day one. The characters really drew me in. I felt very much like I had stepped into an episode of Supernatural. Early Supernatural before the heaven/hell weirdness began.

*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

Hello everyone! Today I'm excited to be reviewing The Dead and The Dark. This atmospheric, spooky read blew me away. The premise was always fantastic, but I was surprised by how much I fell in love with this book. Featuring a small, isolated town, ghost-hunting, secrets, suspicions, and sapphic goodness. If you love slow-building young adult horror, this book needs to be on your radar.

Logan is the daughter of TV's ghosthunting duo ParaSpectors, but she's never visited her dads' hometown. Now they're visiting the isolated town of Snakebite, Oregon, for a reason Logan can't quite figure out. What she does know is that teenagers are disappearing, strange events are occurring, and suspicions are falling upon her family. Ashley Barton is the girlfriend of the first teen to go missing, and she's literally being haunted by him. Logan is the only person to believe her. The two team up to try and figure out what's happening in Snakebite, but there's a dark history in town that they might not be ready to uncover.

The atmosphere of this book perfectly built up the oppressive, isolated setting. Everything about Snakebite feels heavy and cloying. It was reminiscent of gothic horror in how the unfriendliness of the townspeople and the natural spookiness of the woods combined. I adored it. The Dead and The Dark is a slow book to begin with; I'd describe it as a slow-burning horror. You pick up more and more elements that feel wrong and uneasy as the book progresses until all of your senses are telling you, 'this town isn't right.'

I never find myself being creeped out by books, but if horror is something that scares you, I think The Dead and The Dark would still be worth the read. This is another reason it reminds me of gothic horror; it relies much more on the atmosphere, setting, and themes to create horror rather than outright scariness. Courtney Gould is excellent at pulling forward a sense of dread, but this book doesn't aim to terrify.

Logan and Ashley's relationship was a highlight. Even with the trauma that Ashley was facing it felt well-paced and natural. Logan is a lesbian and feels very certain in her identity and sense of self. In Snakebite, where homophobia is rampant, she's not exactly welcomed into their community. On the other hand, Ashley hasn't had the opportunity to explore her sexuality, and especially as her long-term boyfriend has gone missing, she's slow to open up. I often find books that tackle this sort of grief move along too quickly for me, but Ashley's emotions were well developed, and the relationship wasn't rushed.

I found it slightly frustrating how much the people of the town, and Logan's dads were withholding information from them, but it's understandable by the end. Sometimes I felt like everything would have been easier if everyone was honest with each other. At the same time, as a lover of messy characters, I have to recognise that honesty doesn't always come easily. I don't want to delve into any spoilers, but by the end, I felt like I understood why it had been such a difficult journey towards the truth.

Overall, The Dead and The Dark was a fantastically atmospheric, foreboding young adult horror that I'd recommend to everyone who loves this genre, or wants to dip their toes in.