Where Echoes Die is a coming-of-age story blended with sci-fi elements. The strangeness of the plot location is a character all its own.
After the death of her brilliant but obsessive investigative reporter mother, Beck Birsching is not motivated to do anything. She finds herself unable to stop herself from slipping into memories of happier days, instead of looking forward to the move to her father’s house with her sister. Then a mysterious letter from her mother stating only “Come and find me” arrives, and Beck is led to Backravel, her mother’s last investigation.
When Beck and her sister Riley arrive in Arizona, they instantly see why their mom was obsessed with Backravel. There are no cars, cemeteries, or churches. The town is a mix of dilapidated military structures and new, shiny buildings, all overseen by the town’s gleaming treatment center high on a plateau. No one seems to remember when they arrived, and the only people who seem to know more than they’re letting on are the town’s enigmatic leader and his daughter, Avery. Beck feels drawn to Avery but when their relationship is tested, Beck chooses her mother’s memory. But the answers are never what Beck expects.
The story is engaging, and Courtney Gould keeps you on your toes. The reader is not given more information than Beck is, and we continue reading to truly find out what is going on. This tension blended with the unique characteristics of the town makes this book a binge-read.
Sadly, the ending crashes quickly. What the entire book has led to is short and unexpanded. Its fast action leaves no time to truly look at morality from the perspectives of all characters. So, while things end appropriately and fascinatingly, it could have been less rushed so it could have been savored.
Overall, I enjoyed the concept behind the story. Some things didn’t make sense, but readers can put those ideas aside and enjoy the book. The heartbreaking twist and the truth at the heart of the story make this novel a present-day sci-fi with heart.

Well, this was interesting. I loved Gould’s first book so I was curious to see what she had for us next. Her covers are always the coolest aren’t they?
I went into this YA thinking it was going to be paranormal for some reason and I was pleasantly surprised to find it more sci-fi with a hint of mystery. I loved the complex parent/child relationship this one had. The girls both had different types of relationships with their mother and also their perception of each other. It was super complex and I think the author did a really good job with emotion and expressing it.
The atmosphere and the creepy vibes I got from this “perfect but desolate” town were spot on. I kept waiting for the evil to creep in and show its face. It’s haunting and really kept me engaged. I wanted to know what the hell was going on. I would definitely say this is a slow burn. Most of the “action” happens at the tail end of the novel and then it wraps up pretty quickly. I think this was done on purpose and much life grief itself, it ends up slowly fading.
Lastly, this was a bit hard for me to follow along at the beginning and for some reason I kept getting distracted. Not sure if that is my own mind or what lol It is a unique concept and I am always in awe of authors that can use their imagination in such a unique way. Thank you @netgalley for my copy!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this!

This was fast paced and creepy, you could definitely tell right away that something was off in the town. Memory loss stuff is a personal trigger for me as far as creepy, so that added an extra layer for sure. Overall, this was compulsively readable, begging to be finished in one sitting.

4.25 Stars! This was my first book by Courtney Gould and it was such a unique read. Set in a small, middle-of-nowhere desert town, this book oozes eeriness and loneliness and timelessness. The strength of this book rests in the atmosphere; if not for the setting of Backravel and the characters that were influenced by it (past and present), I think the premise and twists of the book wouldn't have been so strong or worked like they did.

Gould crafted a book that made me think. You spend a decent amount of the book confused, but you go on that journey with the main character. I loved how Beck's grief and tenacity were portrayed, and her relationship with Avery was so well written. I also loved the passage when the book's title was brought up: "... I would rather be here, in this place. Where the echo dies. In the quiet." That line? Chills.

Overall: Mark me down as a Courtney Gould fan cause this was eerie, queer, and complex!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Wednesday Books for the advanced readers copy. This did not affect my review in any way.

Backravel, a place, before her death that Becks mother often visited. The place that is the origin of the letter Becks receives after her mothers death, the letter that says, find me. Flailing from grief, dreading living with her father and his wife, she takes her younger sister and heads for Backravel. She hopes to find why her mother found this place so special that she would leave her two young daughters to frequently visit this town. When the girls arrive at Backravel, they find a town with no cemeteries, no churches, no people walking about. The couple who show them to the trailer they will stay in, seem strange. Everything about this town seems strange. Beck doesnt know just how strange it will get.

When I first started reading this I thought Stepford Wives, but I was wrong. Though there were a few similarities, there were many, many strange differences A novel about a daughters search for the mother she wants to know more about, about time, what it means to different people. what one will give to be able to manipulate it. If one is looking for something different, this will fill the ticket.

Listened to the audio which was well narrated.

- WHERE ECHOES DIE is an intriguing YA supernatural thriller that digs deep into how grief can warp a life.
- One of my favorite things about this book is how Beck's queer identity simply is - it does play a role in the book, but it's not the whole book.
- I was quite drawn in to the strangeness of the setting and the time-bendy effects the characters experience. I'm not quite sure it all hangs together in the end, but the atmosphere was perfect.

I’m honestly not sure how this review is even going to go. This was unlike any book I’ve ever read. It’s a small town mystery but also Sci-Fi and a lovely story about grieving.

The town of Backravel is definitely creepy. This book has a constant eerie vibe but feels stagnant at the same time. Because that’s how the town is, it’s stuck. I was definitely interested in finding out what was up with this creepy town and all it’s weird, creepy residents. It was frustrating at times, which is how it was for the MC, but I do feel we end up with a fulfilling payoff.
Here’s where I’m a bit torn about how to rate this book-
The first 2 / 3rds of the book I was bored and frustrated. It felt like it took forever to get into it and everything just kept circling. But that’s exactly what the MC was experiencing so I understand it was intentional. Still, it was hard to push on.
Also the MC made some very selfish decisions and I couldn’t really connect with her. I understand she is that way because she is broken from losing her mom. But even with that, I just can’t understand some of her actions or thought process. Honestly I feel so bad for her sister through out the whole book.
But in the last 3rd it picks up. I found myself not wanting to put it down. I think what we learned about the town and those twists was a great payoff. However I feel it should have been more intense in some places. It felt like it was building to be very intense and crazy in some moments but then it kinda dies out.
Even tho I felt it hard to connect with the characters during most of the book, in the last two chapters I really felt the weight of what they were experiencing. I even cried.

I still don’t know how I feel about this book. It’s like the first half I was not into it and wanted to stop reading and then the last bit I was so engulfed with it and couldn’t put it down. So how many stars is that???? Haha I think I’ll settle on 3.5 rounded up to 4 here.

I recommend this book if you love mysteries and sci-fi and aren’t afraid to push through for a while to get to the good stuff.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I started reading this book, I was nervous. There's always a small fear, I think, when you pick up the second book of one of your favourite authors. The Dead and the Dark means so much to me, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since I read it a couple of years ago. I've been talking about it non-stop, and it still holds such an important place in my heart. So, when I heard that Gould was releasing a second book, I was ecstatic.

Once I actually opened it though, I suddenly got worried. I could not imagine it living up to the expectations I had for it or affecting me at even a fraction of the effect that The Dead and the Dark had on me. However, I am so incredibly pleased to confirm that it did all that and so much more. Gould really has an amazing talent, and I consider myself insanely lucky to be able to read her stories as they come out and to watch her build her craft in real time.

Where Echoes Die is one of those horror novels that I could read a dozen times over and discover something new every single time. There is so much depth to the way Gould uses horror elements to address such complex themes such as grief. The whole book breaks it down and really explores every single facet of dealing with death: what it means to be feel unable to move on, to always hold onto the past, the way your grief can affect those around you, and the way it can affect you in ways you don't even realize.

There are so many fascinating relationships in this story, and I adored how Gould explored not only those specifics dynamics, but also the way they shift other relationships, and how that shift changes overtime—either for better or for worse. Exploring mother-daughter dynamics through horror novels is what I use instead of paying for therapy, and this book had me unpacking more than I care to admit. The sister relationship is also fascinating, and I could probably write an entire essay for every single scene wherein our main character and her sister interact. There is just so much that Gould says in so few words, my mind is reeling trying to wrap itself around the genius of this novel.

I mentioned this before, but I will always have a soft spot for sapphic (and specifically lesbian) final girls who have the weight of the world on their shoulders, so I should have known this book was going to make me cry. But when I say cry... I mean sob. Deep, loud, heaving sobs. It was an amazing experience, and I would give the world to be able to relive those last 80 pages for the first time all over again.

Although this may seem counter-intuitive to some people, whether or not a horror novel actually terrified me is never a main criteria for me. It's always a fun bonus, but the genre is so much more complex to me than just pure fear factor. That being said, dear god, this was unnerving. It took me so long to get through because I was having so much terrifying fun reading this in the pitch darkness of my room between the hours of 11pm and 1am, I refused to pick it up in any other setting. It was so eerie, so distressing, so unsettling, I am obsessed. I had so much fun with it, and I think that particular element was actually a step up from The Dead and the Dark, which was maybe not quite as frightening. Gould really captured the terror of not being in control of yourself and feeling unsure of everything happening around you. I really did experience the main character's stress and unease with her, and I had the time of my life with it.

Unless it wasn't already clear, I recommend this book with every single cell in my body. I know this very literally just came out, but I am already so excited to see what Gould releases next.

This book was decent in its own creepy atmospheric sort of way. However, I did get bored with it at times. The people, and the town sort of drag you in. It feels more sci-fi than thriller.

great book and I enjoyed the characters growth. Loved the friends and how this all worked out. I enjoyed the characters journey to finding oneself and others. I hope to read more by this author again.

Holy heck what a hell of a book!
Where Echoes Die is the story of two sisters, grappling with the death of their mother, who was obsessed with a strange town in the middle of nowhere in Arizona. Strange and unsettling things happen in this town and it caused their investigative journalist mother to lose her memories and who she was, becoming a recluse who couldn’t think of anything else except the town. Beck, our main character and the eldest sister, received a letter from her dead mother, telling her to go to Backravel, Arizona, and find her, find answers and finish what she started. But Beck is not ready for what awaits her in that dusty little town.

First of all, the vibes of this book are immaculate. Dusty towns with ruins of military structures in the middle of nowhere? A town where people can’t remember their pasts and won’t answer questions? Haunting and eerie right from the start, I couldn’t put this book down. Courtney Gould is a master of small creepy towns with mysteries at their hearts.
I loved the way this novel show cased grief/loss and how people handle it in different ways. Beck and Riley are both devastated by the loss of their mother, but they couldn’t be more different in showing it, Beck by pouring all her energy into figuring out the why of her mother’s fascination with Backravel, and Riley by doing her best to move on and forget it happened.
I loved the romance between Avery and Beck, both people who’ve lost a lot. Watching them slowly open up to each other and let the other in was lovely. I also really appreciated Beck saying she’s a lesbian on page.
The plot was so well done, it had me guessing the whole time. At no point did I know what was going ti happen next. I do wish certain things were explained a little more, but perhaps that’s just part of the mystery of Backravel. You can’t unravel(get it) all the threads and the how, what, why, when and where’s of the place. What I do know is that I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time to come! 5/5 stars

Seventeen year old Beck Bersching has spent the last few years keeping things together for her younger sister, Riley, while their mother fell apart. When their mom dies, Beck finds it hard to stay present, and often slips into happier memories. Their mother, Ellery, was an investigative reporter and had developed an obsession with a town called Backravel, in Arizona. Beck gets a letter, in Ellery's writing, imploring Beck to come and find her, and Beck knows Backravel holds the key. She and Riley road-trip their way there, but Beck doesn't tell Riley about the letter. Right away, the girls can tell there's something off about Backravel. There are brand new buildings alongside old military ruins, no one drives, and none of the townspeople remember their lives before Backravel. Can Beck solve the mystery of what drew her mother to Backravel time and time again? Will she be able to "find her" like the letter wanted? Questions are not encouraged in Backravel and Beck doesn't know when to quit.

After loving The Dead and The Dark, I was very excited for Courtney Gould's sophomore novel and it did not disappoint! The portrayal of grief is raw and real, and I felt every heart- wrenching moment with Beck. The spooky, cult-like vibes of Backravel completely ensnared me, and the town was definitely a major character! I had no idea where this story was going to take me, and it was a wild ride. Also love the queer representation. I'm very excited to continue reading this author for years to come. Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the chance to review this advance copy. Where Echoes Die is available for purchase everywhere you buy books now!

WHERE ECHOES DIE by Courtney Gould

Summary, per @ storygraph: “Beck Birsching has been adrift since the death of her mother, a brilliant but troubled investigative reporter. She finds herself unable to stop herself from slipping into memories of happier days, clamoring for a time when things were normal. So when a mysterious letter in her mother’s handwriting arrives in the mail with the words Come and find me, pointing to a town called Backravel, Beck and her sister Riley hope that it may hold the answers … As the sisters search for answers about their mother, Beck and Backravel-local Avery become more drawn together, and their unexpected connection brings up emotions Beck has buried since her mother’s death. Beck is desperate to hold onto the way things used to be, and when she starts losing herself in Backravel and its connection to her mother, will there be a way for Beck to pull herself out?”

My thoughts:
I was instantly hooked by the premise of this book. The first few chapters start out very engaging, and propelled me forward, desperate to know more.
Gould did a great job of building the creepy, shiny-but-sinister atmosphere of Backravel. The world building is a strongpoint of this book.
I struggled with the pacing of this book. The storyline sagged, especially once you were through the first 20% of the book. I found myself as desperate as the protagonist to unravel the mystery, but growing very frustrated that story progression just wasn’t happening.
I also struggled with the relationship between the two sisters, Beck and Riley. Through flashbacks we learn about the lengths Beck went to to protect and care for Riley during their mother’s escalating struggles, and yet for the majority of the book Beck basically abandons Riley for her mystery investigation. What we are told about their relationship versus what we are shown felt disjointed.
Marketing this book as a YA-horror felt a little inaccurate to me. I think sci-fi is a closer fit to what the story actually ends up being.
This book has similar vibes to: early seasons of Stranger Things, Goosebumps, X-files, Twin Peaks, a summertime campfire story.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Beck Birsching's family falls apart when her mom becomes obsessed with a mysterious town in Arizona. It forces her to become the responsible one after her dad leaves her and her sister with a mom that is always either gone or forgetting. Until her mom dies and Beck talks her little sister, Riley, into going with her on a side trip to explore the town of Backravel. She tells Riley it's just to see what their mom found so fascinating, but the reality is that Beck wants to finish what her mom started and find out what secret the town has that makes people keep coming back.
I had to think really hard to figure out how I felt about this book. It's very trippy and there's a heavy feeling that follows Beck around and seeps out into the reader as you experience the strange town of Backravel with her. Everything feels weighed down with too much emotion, and you feel the weight of the world pushing down on Beck's shoulders. It makes for a complicated read when it really feels like there is nothing good happening in the story, but stick with it because it really pays off.
I kind of wish a couple of things were better explained or at least acknowledged in how they happened, but it is a riveting read despite the weightiness of the plot.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the interesting read!

Beck had a hard time dealing with her investigative reporter mother's death, and received a letter saying Come find me with directions to the small town that her mother was investigating. Together with her sister Riley, Beck arrived in Backravel, Arizona. It was an odd town that residents couldn't remember moving to, led by an enigmatic man and his daughter Avery. As the sisters searched for answers, Beck was drawn to Avery. While Beck wanted things to go back to the way they used to be, she's also at risk of losing herself to Backravel.

The town is a creepy place that time forgot, with the distant hum in the distance and people that frequently forgot who they were or what they were doing. Beck knows her mother frequently visited before her death, and convinced her sister to come with her before moving on to Texas to live with the father that only intermittently visited them before their mother's illness. Beck has all the notes her mother had, and is hoping to figure out what happened, but there is no sense of time in the town and people have no idea how long they'd lived there or who the woman in the desert is.

This novel is about grief and loss as much as it is about the mystery of the town. The southwest is such an open place, and deserts can be creepy if you don't know how to survive there. Add to that a place where time doesn't seem to stand still and memories go backward, and it's the physical manifestation of grief itself. The repetition that people can be happy and healthy without any kind of consequence or effort except to stay in this town and go to the treatment center precedes Beck discovering what it is and what actually happens there. Avery isn't immune, either, and carries her own grief. It allows her and Beck to have a bond, even on the days when Avery doesn't seem to truly remember it. In the end, Beck is seventeen and shouldn't be making adult decisions the way she had been while her mother was ill. As painful as grief is, the only way through it is forward, into the future.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Where Echoes Die follows teens Beck and Riley as they travel to the mysterious town of Backravel, AZ in search of answers to their late mother's obsession.

This was a twisty, dark, and mysterious story that kept me riveted the entire time. In retrospect, a lot of what ended up happening was kind of predictable, but the goings-on in Backravel were so odd and confusing that I was very easily thrown off the trail, which was honestly nice. By the time I reached the end, I was pretty satisfied with the conclusion, because it all made complete sense even though my brain struggled to put the pieces together.

Another highlight of this book is the sapphic romance at its center, which is not the whole plot, but definitely a driving part of it. I loved Beck and Avery, and their odd dynamic as they slowly transformed from being suspicious of each other to liking each other.

In all, I thought that this was an interesting mystery with characters I found easy to root for. I'm not sure if I liked it more than Gould's first novel, but it's definitely one I'll reach for when I'm looking for a spooky vibe that is more creative than ghosts or monsters.

Such an intriguing premise! The desert descriptions are eerie and the prose is accessible. Memory loss is somewhat triggering for me so I’m not the best target audience, but fans of No Beauties Or Monsters should check this out!

Let me tell you, first off, I loved The Dead and the Dark. It was one of my favorite books in 2021. I jumped the minute I saw this available to request. One thing that I think Courtney Gould does really well is create dynamic haunting settings. You can really visualize them in your mind. From the bunker to the sterlings home to the small town of Backravel, the settings were vivid.

If this had been marketed as a slow burn mystery vs. a ya thriller/horror, I may have had different feelings about it. So that is what I suggest people go into this one as a slow burn mystery leaning on the sci-fi side of things.

I can't imagine how hard writing a second book is, especially when you start off on such a high note for a debut. So props to that, but this book didn't do it for me. Maybe it was because I was reading another book at the same time that has some similar elements had something to do with my experience. For the first 65% percent of this I was quite honestly bored because there wasn't anything happening, also we know they're in Backravel why did it have to get repeated over and over again. The last 15% is full of high impact scenes on the fronts of emotions and twists but it wasn't enough to make it for me.

This is a slow horror where everything feels slightly off with this small desert town, but underneath all that is also the story of loneliness and pain that comes with grief with the desire to just live in the echoes of memories with the people you’ve lost, and how different people handle it.

The horror and mystery were a little too slow for me, especially with me guessing some of the twists and reveals pretty early on, but the way Courtney Gould writes some of these lines actually hurt me they were so good. Definitely recommend if you like slower books and lesbians.

Another case of Susan not actually completely reading the book summary before saying YES to a publisher to read an arc! But, what a wonderful surprise this book turned out to be! Two sisters, mourning the loss of their unstable mother, make a field trip to the town she was obsessed with before going to live with their father. Several times during the book I had to remind myself of their young ages, Beck the oldest is only 17. Several times during the book I had to stop reading and think about what I had read and try to mentally put the puzzle pieces of the story together. Backravel is one weird town but made for one seriously interesting, convoluted, but addicting read.