I loved the Dead and the Dark, and was anxiously anticipating this read. While the writing itself in this book was just as strong, I found that I had a hard time connecting to the characters, and the story didn’t quite suck me in as much as this author’s previous work. I’m attributing part of that to the setting of the book and the tone that went along with it, which just isn’t quite as much to my liking. I did however see the blurb for her upcoming novel, What the Woods Took, and am very much looking forward to that.

This book does an incredible job of giving us a close-up of what that looks like. The way Beck churns and churns, trying desperately to do what she’s supposed to without actually stopping to feel or experience what she’s going through. She clings to her memories, to the way her relationship with her mother, Ellery, used to be before she died. Before that relationship was marred by absence and emptiness.

Beck tries to replace what she’s lost with her investigation of Backravel. She tries to find her mother in the tiny little frozen Desert town, where sunsets and sunrises look the same, and time seems to stop.

The revelations in the book are hard hard-won won, easter eggs dropped in the past and the present, fitting together to create the whole picture. The truth.

In the end, relationships once broken are mended or on the mend. We, the readers, have gone on a poignant, raw, and twisty ride through grief and pain and love and fear. Fear of the future and fear of the unknown. But when echoes die we have no choice but to face the unknown. The only way to move on is to move forward.

I absolutely adored the author’s debut novel, so I went into “where echoes die” with sky-high expectations and I feel like that’s entirely my fault. Granted, I don’t think it’s a terrible book by any means, but it wasn’t the book for me. After reading this book, I think I’ll simply accept the fact that books about cults aren’t for me. I did like Gould’s writing style and the atmosphere of the book. The setting was interesting – a town stuck in time and I wish we’d explored it more, somehow.

The pacing of the novel is slow and it took me a while to get into the story, since the suspense that should’ve been present throughout the story (since the book is a thriller) was absent. At no point in the book, even in the parts that were action-packed, did I ever wonder what was going to happen next. The ending, especially, was off – the conflict was resolved in a few pages and it wasn’t exactly a satisfying finale as it lean more towards sci-fi than thriller. It also left me with more questions than answers.

I also didn’t connect with the main character, Beck, at all. I found her insufferable. She drags her sister, Riley, to the middle of nowhere to chase ghosts and then ignores her and her reasonable request to leave when things get weird. Riley barely played any parts in the story, which is a shame, because she was only character I liked. Maybe if Beck had more of a character arc, but she only changed at the very end. Her actions were absurd from start to finish. The romance she has with Avery didn’t feel very organic as they didn’t have much chemistry. Perhaps this is because we spend so much time in Beck’s head, but everyone else was somewhat one-dimensional, including Avery, so I wasn’t rooting for them at all.

There were also tiny things that annoyed me at times, and I’m aware they might not bother other readers. Why was the mother’s name said so many times. It was insanely repetitive to the point it got madly annoying. Why were the girls living poorly before their mother died since the dad was portrayed as someone that was interested in their well-being. What was Riley doing when Beck was busy investigating? She was severely underused as a character and only mentioned when it moved the story forward, but completely forgotten when she didn’t have a purpose. Beck’s so adamant to stay in this town, but we’re mostly showed the negatives, so her decision to stay is baseless and I didn’t understand it.

All in all, I did like the writing style and I will probably read anything Courtney Gould publishes because I adored The dead and the dark. This one simply wasn’t my cup of tea, but I do think other readers might enjoy it.

I wanted to like this book so much. I really tried. I started out intrigued and fascinated, but the deeper I went into the book the more I wanted to stop reading it because the more I disliked it.

The issue wasn’t the plot, or even Courtney Gould’s stunning, evocative prose. It was the characters and the way they were written. See, it’s a bad sign when your protagonist is not only someone a reader can’t identify with but also genuinely thinks is a bad person. I couldn’t stand Beck, and by the end of the book I thought she was a horrible person who really should be put in jail.

They label this book paranormal fantasy, but what it’s closer to is metaphysical fantasy with a tinge of cult horror. Gould does great with the otherworldly aspects of writing metaphysical fantasy. She has a sincere talent for worldbuilding and vivid imagery. The decision to set this book in the desert helps with some of the imagery, given how much deserts remind people of mirages, air so hot it shimmers, slipping in loose dirt, and how easy it is to get lost in that environment. A desert setting is almost using subliminal messaging from the start to lay a foundation on which many other mysteries can be easily placed.

I don’t know if I’m alone in my disdain for Beck or not, but she definitely ruined the book for me. The only reason I finished the book was because I wanted to see how it ended. Given that it ended pretty much exactly how I guessed it would, I was disappointed.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Due to personal policy, this review will not be posted on any social media or bookseller website owing to a rating of three stars or lower.

This was an excellent sophomore novel by Courtney Gould. I really enjoy the way Gould creates eerie small towns and sets up spooky happenings. This one definitely had me intrigued from the very beginning. Some of the suspenseful pieces were a little slower than I would like, but the last third of this really made up for it.

I loved the way this book handled grief and it certainly made for an emotional ending.

Overall I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good spooky yet emotional read.

This review is probably going to be one of the harder ones I’ve had to write. And that’s not because the book was bad…it’s because Courtney Gould was able to take emotions & thoughts I’ve had about losing my mom, and put them in a creepy-mysterious horror story that was just so good. Horror and grief aren’t things we typically pair together, but Gould did & did it well. And it’s hard for me to even begin to explain just how well she made this story embody what it’s like to experience grief. You want so badly to go back to when that person you lost was still here that if you’re not careful, time and reality can slip away from you. I won’t go on rambling about how amazing this book was and all the things it made me feel, but trust me! If this sounds remotely like something you might enjoy, read it!

This is a 3.5 rounded up, for me. Interesting story. Creepy, atmospheric writing. Very well done overall. I was very interested in the central mystery of the story, but I didn’t love the answers that I was given. I hoped the book would go in a different direction. That being said, even without loving the direction the story did go (def a me problem), I still loved reading this! It was so well-written and intelligent. I will definitely read more by this author,

Thank you so much to the author and the publisher for gifting me with an e-arc of this novel via netgalley in advance of publication.

3.5*

Just like with The Honeys, I finished this book wondering what the heck I just read. Where Echoes Die was a twisty, confusing, intriguing read. It started out kind of slow and I felt there were areas when it dragged a little, although the story did keep me invested.
Beck was frustrating at times, she had such a one track mind when it came to figuring out what happened to her mother. I understand her desire for answers, but I didn't like how she left Riley out of things.
Backravel was a creepy town and I think I would have noped right on out of there within a day or two of arriving. I'm still a little lost when it came to the "treatments" the townspeople received, and how it all came to be, but it was an engaging enough read.

This book was something! It was creepy, immersive, surreal and deeply intriguing. The author does a fantastic job keeping the reader engaged and invested in Backravel and the characters. After the death of her mother, Beck receives a letter beyond the grave ad drags her sister out to follow in her mothers footsteps. Sometimes you read a book ad wonder why and yell at the book ‘get the heck out of there’, but I must say that I may have just done what Beck does and stay. She becomes invested in the people of Backravel and wants to help them. What is going on there? Many things went through my head as I perused these pages - I was in it for the long haul along with Beck and Avery, our mysterious girl (potential love interest).
If you’re looking for your next creepy, mysterious, disturbing next read, then this is it.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this book. This review is voluntary and is my own honest opinion.

4.5 stars
This book was my best read of the last week. I was first introduced to Courtney Gold through her 2021 novel ( The Dead and the Dark) but this novel confirms she has a fan. Now this is a YA horror novel that features a queer romance that explores two teenage sisters( Beck and Riley) trying to figure out their mother's obsession with an Arizona town.

Frankly, I like odd and baffling encounters and very eyebrow-raising things to occur to my characters. Courtney Gold builds an atmosphere like my nephews build forts in their backyard. Since many of you have never met my nephews and cannot see the comparison. It just means that it is done very well.

So this book was a real winner for me. Newcomers to Where Echoes Die must follow the dangling yarn and be patient. All will be revealed but there is a slight chance we will all need a support group afterwards.

Where Echoes Die is definitely going to be a favorite book of 2023!

Publication Date 20/06/23
Goodreads Review 25/06/23

<b> Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own</b>

What a wild ride.
This book is so confusing, but not in a bad way. It's complicated and complex, it has so many different things going on. I think lots of other writers might fumble when trying to include so many things, but Courtney is a very talented writer and she executes it very well.
I thought this would be more horror-ish, but I was not upset when it ended up being more sci-fi mystery. I think it's so interesting, and the plot unfolds in such a unique way.
I will say, if you're someone who needs to really like your main characters and agree with every choice they make, you won't like Beck very much. Personally I prefer interesting characters over ones that are likeable but flat. Beck was complicated and weird, and that fit perfectly with the story.
Sister stories are some of my favourites, and while they had a lot of contentious moments, I still really appreciated their bond.
Also the vibes of creepy town are so there. They're immaculate. The town is spooky and weird and unsettling. It gives off exactly what you want it to, and I think Courtney is a master at creating atmosphere.
I just love the way this woman's brain works. Her books are wholly unique and wholly awesome.

I can appreciate what Courtney Gould did with 'Where Echoes Die' as her sophomore novel. The characterizations in this are incredible, and the Arizona backdrop is not only believable, but so atmospheric you feel as if you are actually in the story.

Backravel Arizona is ominous and mysterious, drawing you in and keeping you trapped within the town and the intrigue hidden there. You spend a majority of this novel trying to figure out the secrets the town holds alongside Beck.

The only reason I rated this so low, is I just personally had a hard time with the relationships. It's just a point where I'm at in my life, but I don't think a majority of people would have that same problem and would love this story and all it represents.

Where Echoes Die was published on June 20, 2023. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley and the author for the digital advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really liked the premise of this book. but, something just fell flat. Much like the time twisting of the story line itself, parts seemed to drag on, while others seemed too rushed and felt forced - including the ending, where I was left thinking to myself "that's it?" The Avery/Beck angle as a romance felt forced, too - I can't pinpoint what exactly it was, other than complete and total lack of chemistry.

A great editor could have likely made this book shine. As is, though, while it wasn't a great read, it wasn't awful and was still fairly interesting from a more sci-fi angle.

So I loved The dead and the dark so much, and I was really excited for a new book from Courtney Gould and It did not disappoint! Like this was a really weird and honestly kinda creepy book? Exactly what I expected though. I know for a fact I read the synopsis a good 10 times because I couldn't for the life of me ever remember what EXACTLY it was about just that I knew it was about a weird little town in Arizona, still cant explain it in good detail without giving off at least minor spoilers about the book itself.
Backravel is a town seemingly stuck in time full of ordinary people who are searching for something, but they cant ever remember what. Nor can they remember when they got there or where they were before. The streets are always empty and pristine, nobody uses cars, and there are random military ruins in between the new buildings that nobody knows anything about. Beck and Riley's journalist mother was obsessed with this little town for years, until she died. Really just makes you think "wait wtf" right? Because that was me this entire book lol. Reading this book made me almost have a foggy mind because so much is wrong and you KNOW its wrong, just kinda like the people who live there, but you don't at all know what it is at all till much later in the book, all you have are theories and guesses and maybe's. Idk how to describe Beck as a character, she's still grieving from her moms death and just really spiraling over wanting to know what her mom saw in Backravel, and what was so important about it that it slowly made her lose herself till she was literally gone. I do wish she had treat her sister a little better, because it seemed like it was for no reason at some points. Avery was an interesting character too because she's the daughter of the guy that runs Backravel, Ricky, so it would seem that she knows a lot but that wasn't exactly the case. It also kinda gave us more info about how much the town affects people who live there. I will say that after the halfway mark it kinda dragged until the big reveal, I wish there would have been a little more to just keep the pacing but not a huge deal. Overall I would say read this book if you like weird and creepy towns with a ton of mystery, and if you wanna walk out with questions still unanswered that you just get to ponder for the foreseeable future lol. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC!!

I enjoyed this second book in the series. I enjoy the style of Courtney Golds writing. Each character is fleshed out and whole. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy!

I love Courtney Gould's voice. She found a great way to blend horror, mystery and some sci-fi elements. Beck, our main character has to balance wanting to be headstrong and find their mother while caring for and protecting her little sister. Their relationship was refreshing in a good way. Once we bring in the romantic interest, it rounds out a great adventure. I love the atmosphere of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
"Where Echoes Die" by Courtney Gould was a well written eerie, creepy & suspenseful thriller.
It's marketed as a young adult book but I think anyone would enjoy it.

Grief. Each of us grieves in our own manner, in our own time. These two young women must face the world without their mother and they want to know why. Their mother was an investigative reporter who left a story unfinished when she died. Following her trail has led the sisters to Backravel, Az and a treatment center that seems to run the town.
Courtney Gould has done an excellent job of weaving a picture of Beck Birsching and her journey from grieving to acceptance and all of the miles in between. The story, community and characters are all built in layers as Beck tries to connect with her mother's past while moving with her sister into a new life. She will learn that she is stronger than she thought and much braver than she'd given herself credit for. But most of us are. While there is a continuing touch of mystery built into the book, the story is much more about the journey the sisters take that will let them go on without their mother. It was easy to become immersed in Beck's story and lose track of time. It most definitely belongs in the "reader's delight" genre.

I loveddd the idea of this book. The town was creepy, the writing was atmospheric and I enjoyed the mystery. However, the main character wasn't for me and I just lost interest 3/4 of the way through the book.

3.5 story
4 Narration

The author did a wonderful job creating unease and mystery in the setting, making Backravel a truly eerie place. The blend of mystery and science fiction elements adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story, keeping readers engaged. However, despite the captivating setting and premise, I found myself unable to form a strong connection with Beck and Riley, which impacted my overall engagement with the book.

The characters' development felt lacking, making it difficult to fully invest in their journey. I also didn't like the romance subplot in the story. While the plot carried moments of suspense and curiosity, the lack of a strong emotional connection with the protagonists prevented me from fully immersing myself in their experiences.

The narrator, Isabella Star LaBlanc provides a unique perspective, adding depth to the storytelling and keeping me engaged till the very end.

Despite my personal reservations, readers who appreciate atmospheric settings, mysterious plots, and a blend of mystery and science fiction may find this to be an engaging read.

A very special thanks to Macmillan Audio and Wednesday Books for providing me with a gifted copy.