A super atmospheric and dark YA paranormal/mystery/horror type novel. I have to admit I didn't feel the horror aspect so much, though this does an excellent job of being creepy and unsettling. I ended up enjoying it a lot!

Broad strokes: Logan's two ghost-hunting dads travel back to their small hometown of Snakebite with Logan in tow. Ashley has lived in Snakebite her whole life, and her boyfriend has recently disappeared. Spooky things start happening. This is one of those stories that didn't need to grow on me at all; pretty much from the first page, I was absolutely sucked in. I adored how the author wrote and created Snakebite; it was such a vivid and visceral setting, both cosy and unsettling, as small towns can be. The writing was really captivating, in a way that got to the point, but was expressive and lovely in unusual ways. It was just one of those books that was so easy to read.

The characters make this shine; I loved them all so much. Logan especially is perfectly prickly and stubborn and wonderful, and I really like how she and Ashley bounce off each other. They're super different, and they point it out all the time, but it feels really natural, the way they end up getting along anyway. I loved how their romance was written and handled, because I'll always adore stories of self-discovery and coming out. Although, the romance really wasn't the biggest part of this. Logan's dads have a not-insignificant part to play, and there's a great, heart-wrenching, queer family story at the heart of this. That fact in and of itself made this book special to me from the beginning; I love this little queer family so so much! I liked the mystery and how it was written, and I did end up being really surprising by some of the reveals.

I feel like this would have benefited more from some more character interaction; I really wanted to see more of Logan and Ashley on the case together. There were several weeks-long timeslips in the book that just... I really didn't like it. It made the pace weird and kind of choppy to me, especially when we only got a few vague sentences about what happened in those spaces of time. I'm not a huge fan of one-off POV chapters or flashbacks, and this book had them both. There were also little things here and there that I thought didn't make the most sense/could have been explained better.

But I found this to be really wonderful, in the end. Spooky, and dark, with a serviceable little mystery, great characters, and just... such a satisfying and heart-clutching story. I enjoyed it so much; highly recommended.

Content warnings: https://gouldbooks.com/books/tdatd

Looking for a summer ghost story? This one is for you. Filled with paranormal darkness and a small town mystery, this is a great summer thriller.

Things I liked:
• queer MCs
• the way the author used darkness/death as a metaphor for hate, homophobia and small mindedness
• small town (but lack of charm here)
• the author described this one as two young girls finding love in a world of hate, which I loved

Things I didn’t love:
• the “twist” was a yawn
• the characters could have used more depth. I would have loved to get to know Logan and Alejo and Brandon better. I felt as if I knew Ashley the best but even her character depth was lacking

Overall I thought it was a solid debut with an interesting, new story line. I hadn’t read anything similar yet and I LOVE anything with a paranormal twist (think: ghost hunter TV shows with added real spookiness!)

OH HOT ****. Listen, I know I've said some of my past few reads were spooky, but ain't nothing as spooky or as brilliantly horror-filled as The Dead and the Dark is. Courtney Gould is a master of this, even though this is a debut. It's delicious and heart-wrenching, ominous and as dark as your deepest nightmares, showing us just what lurks in the shadows we see and the secrets we keep within our hearts.

Logan and Ashley are two entirely different teenage girls. Logan's been on the run, traveling with her dads across the United States as they film their ghost hunting show. Despite them preaching that "home is where your family is," she's only ever sought a place that feels like home. Ashley has never known a home besides Snakebite and can't imagine living anywhere else, convincing her long-time love, Tristan, to stay with her there forever.

But then Tristan disappears and it seems to be connected to the arrival of one of Logan's dads, Brandon. The minute Brandon comes into Snakebite after being gone for so many years, the weather begins to change and the shadows begin to pool. While no one in town can connect Tristan's disappearance with Brandon, they can't find any other explanation. Logan and Alejo, her other father, trudge along to join him after it becomes apparent Brandon won't be leaving Snakebite until they find the perfect location to film an episode of their show. However, it seems like the reunion of the family is just what Snakebite has been waiting for and the dark is preparing for something, growing stronger and spreading wider every day.

I'm not one for horror, but it's slowly beginning to grow into one of my favorite genres. I need, no I CRAVE more young adult horror. When I saw Gould does it well, I mean it. Every single chapter was masterfully written, dropping small hints and minor plot pieces that only helped the ending hit as strong as it did. I'm truly hesitant to write more as I want the ending to be as wonderful as it was for me to all readers.

Just know this book will forever be recommended by me and it's a must read for anyone who wants to try horror at its best.

~Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for sending me the ARC in exchange for an honest review!~

*This is a spoiler-free review, so you can read it even if you haven’t read the book yet!*

【Trigger Warnings: death, homophobia, hate crime】

My Rating: 4.5 stars rounded up

Can I just start by saying this book was titled perfectly?! There were definitely some dead people and it was reaalllly dark, in a good way!

It drew me in from the very start, and I found myself wanting to know more about the Dark and the host, and how it would be a part of the story.

It honestly surprised me how much I liked this book because I usually don’t read much in this genre, and didn’t have very high expectations, yet I ended up really enjoying it!


Plot
I loved how unpredictable it was. There were many times when I thought I knew what was going on and who the killer was and I was proven wrong. Whenever I found myself getting comfortable with the plot, a twist would come along or a new piece of information would show up, making me suspenseful all over again.

The concept of the Dark was very unique and added a lot more complexity and fear to the book because the killer isn’t truly evil, it’s the Dark. The Dark fed of off the host’s negative emotions as well off Snakebite itself.

There was also a good balance between the darker elements and the fun parts because even though it was dark, there were some nice and fun scenes between the characters that made it more enjoyable.


Setting
This was soo atmospheric that in many parts of the book I actually felt like I was there at Snakebite, Oregon right with the characters. The setting in this case, added so much because it was so haunting, eerie, and mysterious. Also, it has small-town vibes where it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere, and the people who live there aren’t welcoming to change or to newcomers who bring change.


Characters
Before I get into the characters I want to say that this book switches primarily between Logan and Ashley’s perspectives, but it also has a few chapters from the perspectives of side characters and of the Dark. This added a lot more to the book because we got to understand both of them on a deeper level. We also got to see what was going on from both an outsider coming to Snakebite and from someone who’s lived in Snakebite for a very long time.

Logan: Logan is a strong character because she’s so good at standing up for herself, but also at not letting what other people say get to her. She knows who she is and isn’t shy about it and she’s also really brave!

Ashley: Ashley went through a lot of character change because she learned to become more of her own person. I liked how determined she is, and how she didn’t give up hope on Tristan even when mostly everyone else did. She also gave Logan a chance and hung out with her even though her friends didn’t necessarily approve.

The side characters are also well done, and I liked Logan’s cousin and his friend, as well as Brandon and Alejo. But I did not like Ashley’s friends, especially not John!! Which is probably because they’re not meant to be liked :)

I also really liked the romance between Logan and Ashley because it didn’t take over too much of the plot and it was also realistic in the way, that it took time for them to actually like each other.

And I loved the family dynamic in this! Logan, Brandon, and Alejo are just such a great family, even though they have conflicts, and I wanted so badly for them all to be happy together. I loved reading about Logan with her dads, as well as Brandon and Alejo together.


Writing:
Courtney Gould’s writing style fit so perfectly with this book! The descriptions were beautifully chilling and the scarier scenes were really suspenseful! There were so many layers to this book and they all fit together so well, with the paranormal aspects, the mystery, the character’s struggles, and other pieces too!


Overall this was a very well-done mystery thriller and I highly recommend it! It was haunting and dark, but I also found that it wasn’t too scary, at least not for me. I read most of this in the night, but I found that I was actually able to go to sleep afterwards so yayy!

The Dead and the Dark is fascinating and so well written! I think that both teen and adult YA readers will enjoy the journey created by Courtney Gold and she's definitely a YA novelist to watch.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for a review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Dead and the Dark is a YA paranormal horror that is set in the small town of Snakebite, Oregon. Something weird is going on, teenagers are going missing and it looks like the culprits are the popular ghost hunters who have just returned to town after many years. Their daughter, Logan, joins in on the investigation and when she finds things point to her dads she is determined to find out the truth.

This story is so deliciously dark. The slow pacing works well to enhance the overall creepiness. I was drawn into this story. I did figure out certain things before they happened but the how and the why still got me. Courtney Gould executed this book brilliantly from beginning to end. It's a wonderful debut.

The Dead and the Dark gave me strong Pet Sematary vibes. It has similar supernatural elements, dark atmosphere and the same slow eerie pacing. There are also similar themes throughout the book. With all that said, there are quite a few differences in the story that make The Dead and the Dark it's own masterpiece.

**Trigger Warnings** homophobia, child death, murder, claustrophobia, drowning and slurs

**You can find this and other bookish content on my blog
https://fourmoonreviews.blogspot.com
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I received an advanced copy of The Dead and the Dark through Netgalley so I could share my review with you!

Something dark lurks in Snakebite, Oregon. Teenagers are going missing, including Ashley Barton’s boyfriend. Though Ashley still feels his presence in town, his disappearance marked the start of a chain of missing teens with clues left behind. The only potential lead for the disappearances was the suspiciously convenient timing of a new family’s arrival to Snakebite. Logan Ortiz-Woodley, daughter of the stars of ParaSpectors, a ghost-hunting television show, is new to Snakebite. Bounced around from place to place following her fathers’ careers, Logan isn’t looking for a home in Snakebite. In spite of this, Logan still wasn’t expecting how cold and suspicious the town people would be towards her and her parents. Though Ashley doesn’t want anything to do with Logan, they will have to cooperate to unravel the mysteries of Snakebite.

You can get your copy of The Dead and The Dark on August 3rd from Wednesday Books

I had high hopes for this sapphic thriller, which promised plenty of small-town spooky vibes. Unfortunately, for me, the story missed the mark. I felt rather bored for the majority of the book, as it took so long for any action to begin. Additionally, I found the two leads to be less than compelling and two-dimensional. Though I liked the premise, the book fell far short of my expectations. Hopefully, Courtney Gould’s writing will continue to develop in her future writings, in which case I will give her next book a chance!

My Recommendation-
Although I was not personally a fan of The Dead and The Dark, that does not mean that you should not give it a chance! If you enjoy slow-build thrillers with mystery elements, you might enjoy this book.

It was good. Very dark. The mystery was great. Ashley and Logan were good characters. I don’t think the romance between the two characters was needed.

4.5 STARS

Snakebite, Oregon is haunted.

At least, that's what Logan believes. Why else would her dads, TV hit ghost investigators, have any interest in scoping out a small town? Not that they'd tell her. It sometimes feels like she's just along for the ride, and with her eighteenth birthday on the horizon, she's counting down the days until she can find home on her own. Lately, home hasn't been anywhere near her family.

And for Ashley, it's what she fears. If Snakebite is haunted, that means her missing boyfriend is dead, and something truly foul really is at work. If she keeps believing he's alive, though, if she keeps searching for him, then there's still a chance Tristan will come back, and everything will be right again. Even if there is a new family in town, one that everyone wants to blame for Tristan's disappearance. One with a deeper history in Snakebite than Ashley knows.

For all their differences, though, they're going to have to work together. Otherwise, Snakebite may never recover from the darkness lying underneath.


This is a book first and foremost about love and hate.

I lead with this for two reasons. The first is that homophobia is rife in this book. It shapes some characters' entire lives, while it impacts other characters in sharp, painful spurts. I wouldn't call it gratuitous, but I do think it's worth mentioning. There are some readers who may need time before picking up a book that so prominently features both the cruel sting and painful neutrality of small town homophobia, and I can't blame them. Sometimes, it can be hard to say what hurts more: outright homophobia, or people deliberately looking the other way, deliberately withholding support when it is most needed.

But I also lead with this to say that The Dead and the Dark is about finding love despite that hate. Love for yourself, even when you are at your lowest, and love for your family, even when your bonds have frayed. Queer love, too, even when the surrounding world wants to tear that apart and cast it away. It's about love as a force more powerful than hate, whether it's love for a passion, a partner, a place.

And it's also about how hard it can really be to choose that love, to lean into it with your entire heart, especially when you've already been hurt. Logan displays this most prominently, as her relationship with her dads, especially Brandon, is often tinged with neglect, but Ashley experiences it more subtle ways, sometimes getting false support instead of clear antagonism. Both girls are more than a little adrift in Snakebite, staring into uncertain futures, and choosing what or who they love is no small, quiet act.


If that doesn't convince you to read The Dead and the Dark, though, how about all the spookiness afoot?

I loved this book largely for the way it handles all the myriad responses to love and hate, especially since it covers those feelings directed at oneself. But I have to say, the paranormal elements were executed very well! The ghostly aspects of Snakebite reveal themselves slowly, one vision, one grave, one pinch of buried history at a time. No one holds all the answers, and sometimes, they learn hard truths not by choice, but by the whims of eerie glimpses into the past.

It combines shockingly well with the very real horrors of missing children, homophobic violence, and a growing sense of paranoia the longer questions linger unanswered. Most importantly, the paranormal doesn't overshadow normal (for lack of a better word) tragedies. It's born of them, bolstered by them, but doesn't eclipse them save for at a single, critical moment that is nonetheless carried out with phenomenal skill. I appreciated that in ways I'm not sure I can fully express, save to say that I'm grateful that the imaginary horror was not treated like something more horrific than the everyday real horror.

Also? I'm in love with the origins of the big paranormal bad, because it takes something commonplace and shows what a negative power it can become, what a danger. The best horror elements have some trace of reality in them, though, don't they?


This is a perfect read for the end of the summer, when the days stretch toward the first traces of fall.

It's crisp and full of heart (many hearts, in fact, some broken in ways that still have me moved), and it captures what should be a golden moment in a scenic small town just as the darkness begins to creep in round the edges. It's like a photograph, almost, taken just as the clouds roll in and cast a long shadow over someone's smile.

The Dead and the Dark will be on shelves in just a few days, starting on August 3rd, and if you haven't placed a pre-order or library request, I encourage you to make that happen. This goes double for anyone who likes sapphic stories, paranormal stories, or a combination of the two! This may be a story that explores the depths of love and hate, but I hope you're like me, and only find love for it in your heart.


CW: violence (including gun violence), loss of a loved one, animal death mention, child death, homophobia and related hate crimes, underage drinking


[This review will go live on Hail & Well Read at 10am EST on 7/31/21.]

Hmmm, this one started out REALLY strong then kinda stalled for me. I’d give it almost a 3.5

I was thrown a little by the relationship between Logan and her dads. Even with an explanation in the end, the rift that was there just seemed insurmountable and unlikely. Also, I was confused at the quickness in shift of Ashley's feelings, but did really appreciate her journey of self-discovery. The mood was superbly creepy and bleak, which was great. And the villain(s?) were absolutely horrible. Well done on those bits.

SO - if you enjoy queer YA magical/paranormal stories with a side of self-discovery and a middle finger to homophobia, absolutely give The Dead and the Dark a try. Maybe it's that paranormal isn't very familiar to me that this one didn't work out as much for me.

Thanks, Wednesday Books, for an ARC!

In Snakebite, Oregon, teenagers are disappearing. Between the disappearances and some other strange goings on, a ghost hunting couple (their show is called Paraspectors) along with their daughter, Logan.

There’s more secrets than the missing kids, and no one is giving anything up.

The Dead and the Dark is a dark supernatural mystery that I didn’t solve in 5 minutes. I’m used to supernatural mysteries being cheesy like the ones from my youth, but this one reminded me they’ve changed and I want to read more.

Thanks Netgalley for giving me a chance to read this debut.
3.5/5 rounded up

What an exciting murder mystery this was! I really loved it a lot. The plot is such a dark and mysterious one. I loved the paranormal aspect to the plot and it’s significant role to exactly what was happening. I could never figure out what exactly was going to happen next. It made me want to just keep reading. Once we got towards discovering the truth I just could not stop reading.

Logan and Ashley were good main characters and I liked following each of their roles in the plot. I’m glad to see they were able to find out their true selves more with the help of each other. I could not get over the truth of exactly what happened and how Logan and her Dads played a part.

The story is solid and develops well throughout the book. I recommend to check it out!

This debut novel is from an American author. It is a YA paranormal thriller, set in Oregon. We are introduced to Logan, a young gay teenager whose two dads produce and star in a ghost hunting television show. One of Logan's dad's has been in the town of Snakebite (his home town) for months and she and her other dad are finally joining him there. We also meet Ashley, another teenage girl who lives in Snakebite. Her boyfriend has been missing for months and is presumed dead by many. Logan and her dads are not welcomed in the town and face homophobic slurs, but Ashley and Logan end up as friends and together are determined to figure out what is happing to the town of Snakebite. This is a great recommendation for fans of paranormal thrillers and it reminded me of the books by Simone St. James. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press Group for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars

The Dead and the Dark is a very spooky and chilling YA version of Stephen King’s The Outsider meets Ghost Hunters. It centers around two teens, Logan and Ashley. Logan is the daughter of two famous ghosthunters - Brandon and Alejo. When she is forced to go with her dads to the small town of Snakebite to research an episode, she meets Ashley. Ashley is grieving after the disappearance of her boyfriend. When Ashley begins seeing mysterious things and noticing the strange occurrences happening in the town, her and Logan team up to uncover the secrets of Snakebite.

Overall, this was a solid debut novel. It was a slow-burn and it didn’t grab me until around 30%, but it did contain a few genuinely creepy scenes. Gould wasn’t afraid to really go there and that led to some great twists and shocking moments. Logan was a great main character and I enjoyed her relationship with Ashley. I particularly enjoyed Logan’s dads and was very invested in that plotline.

Overall, The Dead and the Dark was a unique and chilling mix of mystery, supernatural, and horror. I highly recommend reading this when it releases on 8/3/21 to get you into the Fall spirit!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Pick this book up NOW!!!

I absolutely loved this YA paranormal thriller. This book was so unexpected and full of dark twists and turns. I actually read this while camping in the woods (not sure that I recommend that) but it definitely added to the ambiance the book created. This one just sucked me in and I couldn't put it down.

Courtney Gould did such a great job of showing the pull of a small town and how lonely a person can be. In my opinion it showed more with Ashley than with Logan. How someone can seem okay but be hiding from everyone, even themselves.

This book was Stephen King's The Outsider meets Ghost Hunters. The perfect read for Halloween or if you're in the mood for a dark thriller. 5 stars for me!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

This book has "make a movie out of me" written all through it! Just this side of a campy teen-age horror blockbuster, Logan and her dads have returned to their home town. She isn't sure why, but her dads have been acting rather strange and the whole town feels like a throwback to a caricature of a small insolated town, one that doesn't condone that deviant homosexual behavior. The combination of these attitudes, supernatural events within the town, and Alejo and Brandon's profession as on-tv paranormal sleuths combined to create a story that felt on edge. To add a bit more to the whole thing, I enjoyed how Logan struggled to find herself and understand her own past and relationship with her dads. It all made for a well-rounded and engaging read.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould follows Logan and her two dads, who are ghosthunters on TV, as they return to Snakebite, Oregon. They quickly discover that something is wrong in this town, and teenagers in the town start to go missing... or turn up dead!

Logan Ortiz-Woodley is a great main character. She's not afraid of who she is or to go out in search of answers. I really liked her juxtaposition with Ashley, who is much more sheltered and worried about what people think of her in the small town. As a girl who grew up in a small town and moved away, I can relate to both characters!

Gould finds the perfect space between mystery and horror, revealing just enough to keep you reading past your bedtime without making the storyline too obvious. This is a super readable book, and I really enjoyed it.

I got about 40% through this and just did not enjoy it! I was very bored and just didn't cling onto the plot. It wasn't my cup of tea but it may be someone else's. I just felt like it was too much about her and her family and less about the dark and snakebite.

I was able to listen to an audiobook version of this arc and really enjoyed it! The narrator did a great job with all the individual voices and really helped up the creep factor! I think the audio really helped me get more fully enveloped into the story and all of the characters heads.

As for the story, I did like it! The slight fantastical element mixed in with this small town full of the types of people you’d expect as well as this simmering tension between the main character and her love interest definitely captured and held my attention throughout the book. I just wish we had gotten more in depth information about the darkness and where it originates from. I just felt like we could’ve went so much more into that but that could just be me since I enjoy more fantasy elements generally.

I did guess a majority of the big reveals which was kind of a bummer because I like being surprised but ultimately it still ended up shocking me as those reveals were shown and experienced! Some scenes were creeping me out, I had to pause for the night😅

Just a warning, there are a lot of homophobic comments and people in this book so if you are at all sensitive with this, I’d be cautious with reading this book.

Overall, it was a solid murder mystery/thriller with an interesting fantastical element, spooky scenes and a sort of enemies-reluctant allies-friends-to lovers sort of situation going on which I enjoyed! If you think this is the book for you, I’d definitely recommend it. A great debut!

3/5⭐️

TW: death, missing/murdered teenagers, blood, drowning, slight gore, homophobia, assault.

<i> "After thirteen years, the Dark has finally come home" </i>
<p>
Wowza was this book spooky... I slept with an extra night light on after finishing.
<p>
<b> TW: death, loss of a loved one, homophobia, blood, murder, and violence. </b>
<p>
We start out meeting Logan, the adopted daughter of two famous Paranormal Investigators, as she's uprooted from her LA life to join her two Dad's as they investigate the town of Snakebite, Oregon. Her Father's grew up in this small town and throughout this book we learn the many secrets as to why they left and why they came back.
<p>
Ashley, a popular local of Snakebite, is trying to cope with and understand the mystery behind her boyfriend Tristin's strange disappearance. After seeing the apparition of Tristin in the woods, Ashley goes to the police station where she meets Logan who is currently reporting a hate crime that was aimed towards her Dad's.
<p>
The people of Snakebite believe that return of one of the <i> ParaSpectors </i> investigators has something to do with missing teen which causes a lot of unrest and suspicion in the town. In order to clear her Father's names, Logan agrees to help Ashley find her missing boyfriend by taking some investigating techniques that she's learned while traveling alongside her parents.
<p>
While looking into this mystery, the two girls start to unravel clues and uncover secrets bigger that they could've imagined.
<p>
I throughly enjoyed this book even though I had to read it during daylight hours. Courtney Gould really knows how to set the scene and make you feel like you're watching a movie. This book is directed as a f/f enemies to lovers romance as well as thriller/mystery, but I feel the relationship growth between Logan and her two Dad's had the most impact on the story. At one point, I was so emotional I had to stop reading because I couldn't see due to the tears in my eyes.
<p>
I already can't wait to re-read this around Halloween time!
<p>
<i> The Dead and the Dark releases in the US on August 3rd 2021. Big thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this advance copy. All opinions are my own.</i>