Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC!

I was absolutely over the moon about Courtney Gould's "The Dead and the Dark" so when I was offered a chance to read this one I was thrilled and while I didn't find it as intensely creepy as "The Dead and the Dark", it packs a powerful punch.

"Where Echoes Die" is at it's core, a story about grief and longing. It starts out a little slow but revs into something truly magical. I loved it!

4⭐️

This first 1/3rd of this book was a bit of a slow start but it then really picked up and I was really invested in figuring out what was happening.

This essentially is a story about grief and lost, what someone would do to get their loved one back or figure out a mystery about them. To feel closer to the person they lost. While others around around you are moving on. Then how this can then turn into an unhealthy obsession.

Beck and her sister Riley go on a trip together after the death of their mother. They tell their dad they are going to go visit a friend but really they are heading to a random desert town called Backravel. A town their mom was strangely obsessed over and slowly began to lose herself. Beck is also obsessed to find out more about her mom and why her mom wanted her to come find her there.

I thought the writing of this book was beautiful. Courtney Gould did a great job making me feel as a reader that there was something bubbling under the surface in this town. Something I never could put my finger in until it was revealed.

I liked Beck and Avery's characters. They were enjoyable to read. Beck's sister I wasn't quite sure about. I found myself regularly forgetting she was even there.

I will be reading more from Courtney Gould. I really enjoyed her writing style. I would recommend this book of fans of Blake Crouch. As this town was giving me Wayward Pines vibes. A contemporary story however with sci fi elements.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I will be posting my review to my Instagram page the.floofs.booknook and retail sites close or on publication.

This was a really cool book! I loved the idea and some parts took me a bit to wrap my head around, but it was worth it! I especially loved the protagonist, Beck was chill and nuanced and fully-fleshed. The antagonist was so well written, I had no idea if he was good or bad until almost the very end! Great story, I’d love to read more from her!

A fun queer, YA sci-fi thriller! I don't usually read much YA or sci-fi but love that queer fiction brings me to new genres.

I thought the plot set up was really compelling; a girl who has recently lost her mother is sucked into the very world that sort of destroyed her family's life. How you can hate something, but also be intrigued by it and become obsessed with it. I loved the mother/daughter dynamics, and Beck is such a great eldest daughter character for those of us who relate.

My issues with it definitely came with the genre. I think I'm too practical brained to enjoy sci-fi, I always find it hard to get used to the rules of the world. It's just harder for my to be enveloped by the book when I'm trying to figure out how things work and what the bounds of the story are. I will say though that this book reminded me a lot of two sci-fi-lite movies that I love, which are Don't Worry Darling and the Stepford Wives. This picturesque closed off world, devoid of time or place. Setting up the setting for the story got me really interested because it reminded me of those two. It was when we started diving into the why's and how's that I started to feel myself losing interest.

I also thought the queer romance subplot was very sweet. Their relationship felt very flushed out and natural - they took time to warm up to each other which felt authentic to both girls and how they're closed off for two different reasons. The sweet little scene where Beck kind of "comes out" to the reader was lovely. It didn't feel like a plot twist or shock value. It was just us, as the reader, getting a little bit more information about the character filled in. Wasn't her whole identity, just another part of her. I think this is perfect for a YA novel and wish I had read about a character like Beck when I was younger.

Final thoughts:
A story that has really sweet and complex relationships at the center with a setting that really hooked me, but started to get a bit too convoluted for my taste, as someone who doesn't particularly enjoy the sci-fi genre. If that genre is more of your speed, I highly recommend.

thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

where echoes die follows beck as she travels to a town her journalist mother, ellery, was fascinated by before she died in search for the truth about her mother's death. this book shines in its multifaceted depiction of grief and i really loved beck as a main character. the worldbuilding is also immersive- i felt like i was really in backravel, and i felt genuinely unsettled. however, without spoiling anything, i wish there were more supernatural elements and parts of the book felt a little rushed.

After the death of Beck and Riley's mother, Ellery Birsching, the sisters embark on a roadtrip to Backravel, a small town in Arizona that's been the subject of her obsession for years. A forbidding and uncanny town, completely isolated and self-sufficient, a combination of dilapidated military installations and modern small-town amenities.

Backravel's enigmatic founder, Ricky Carnes, claims to have been drawn to the town for its healing properties. Many others, like Ellery, have been sucked into Backravel's orbit. Coming in search of treatments for countless maladies, they never left and ended up settling in the town. However, something is clearly very wrong: the locals frequently experience blips in memory, and no one can remember their lives before Backravel.

Beneath the mystery about Backravel's secrets lies a deeply compelling story about a fractured family. Having lost Ellery once to her obsession with Backravel, and then to cancer, Beck and Riley cope with their grief and loss in different ways. The novel also explores significant themes around the impact of parentification on sibling dynamics. Overall, an engaging and wonderfully layered page-turner on what it means to live, and to be alive.

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

I didn't want to put this book down, it gripped me from page 1.
After losing her mom, Beck wants to continue the research her mom was conducting. She travels to a hidden, little town in Arizona where all is not as it seems.
This is a dark, magical realism (or sci-fi depending on your perspective) story.

Highly recommend. I will definitely be checking out Gould's previous novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an early copy for review!

I received an ARC of this novel for an unbiased review.

Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of grief, loss, love, and family.

The story follows Beck, a young woman who is struggling to come to terms with the recent death of her mother. Ellery Birching. Beck is haunted by her mother's obsession with the town of Backravel, Arizona, a town her mother returned to again and again while researching a piece she was writing about the town. Beck follows Ellery’s unfinished notes to the town, determined to discover the secrets that her mother was so desperate to reveal.

As Beck delves deeper into the mysteries of Backravel, she becomes entangled in a web of mystery, fear, and danger. The town is led by Ricky, an enigmatic and sinister man who holds the key to the secrets that Beck is seeking. The town itself is creepy, inhabited by an odd group of people who are sometimes seemingly “normal,” and at other times, seemingly confused. Beck struggles to find answers while navigating her relationship with her sister, Riley, and a burgeoning attraction to Avery, Ricky’s daughter, whom Beck finds both captivating and frightening.

Gould perfectly captures Beck’s grief, her inability to “fit in” with her peers, and her desire to protect and care for her younger sister, Riley. Beck is wounded and vulnerable and is therefore, unknowingly, a perfect candidate for Ricky’s “experiments.”

Gould's writing is atmospheric and evocative, transporting readers to the dusty, desolate landscape of Backravel and the oddness of its inhabitants. The desert surrounding Backravel becomes almost a character in itself under Gould’s deft hand. The plot is well-paced, with enough twists and turns to keep readers engaged and invested in Beck's quest for answers.

Ultimately, Where Echoes Die is a beautiful and haunting meditation on grief and the search for closure, as well as a powerful exploration of the ties that bind us to our past and our loved ones.

I loved The Dead and the Dark so I was really excited for this one but unfortunately it wasn’t for me. The pacing was too slow in the beginning which made it hard for me to get invested. I didn’t care about any of the characters but that’s probably because we barely got to know them. Beck was incredibly selfish and frustrating. She completely ignored her sister the entire time. The romance definitely needed more development. It seemed like it was just thrown in there last minute. I do think the author did a good job making Backravel feel eerie but it wasn’t enough to keep me hooked on the mystery of the town.

I liked the ending and ultimately the storyline. However, with that said, I hated the main character. she was so oblivious to anyone else's needs but her own. Her sister was basically deathly ill, and she disregarded it. It was at odds with her explanation of the parenting she had to do for her when her mother was sick.

Very interesting tale that mingles conspiracy, deceit, madness and hope around the loss of a mother. The initial investigation into the bizarre happenings of a small town is what sparks a downward spiral for an investigative journalist and her entire family. The family is torn apart by the time of the mother's death, but this is where the story starts for her daughters. In their search to understand what drove their mother away from them, they complete their mother's goal of getting the true story of this strange town.. There is a touch of paranormal that leaves you balancing between 'what-if' and 'no way.' The touch of madness opens so many more doors to what could be if you would just open your mind to the possibilities. Although so much happens in the older daughter Beck's mind, the story is not meandering or confusing at all. It's really a sci-fi psychological thriller that will draw you in with its strangeness, and the story will hold you as tight as the town holds it people.

3.5⭐️

Y’all are really going to need your tinfoil hats for this one…

When she received a letter from her dead mother saying “come find me”, Beck Birsching did not hesitate. Immediately, she packed her mother’s investigative notes and younger sister, Riley, into a car and drove the town of Backravel— which holds secrets that drove her mother to the point of obsession. Backravel holds a lot of secrets, however, many of which seemed to be held under control by its leader, Ricky, and his daughter, Avery. As Beck begins to investigate this town, she not only begins to fall for Avery but she also begins to fall for the trap that is Backravel.

First off, the cover art is GORGEOUS. Second, Gould did a PHENOMENAL job with her descriptions, making me actually picture myself in that exact scene. The mystery itself was very intriguing and fun, despite the crumbs we were given for majority of the book (more on that later). It also has a sapphic romance going on— need I really say more?

My favorite part of reading this book was going full conspiracy theorist mode to figure out what was going on with Backravel. I came up with all sorts of insane theories before eventually getting somewhat close to the actual answer.

That said, I do have a few critiques. First, this book was really slow and had too much of a build up. (Once I was into it, though, I was IN). Next, the main character is extremely unlikable and incredibly naïve. I understand that Beck is supposed to be 17 and dealing with her mother’s death plus some other unresolved trauma, but that does not excuse some of her behavior in this book. Majority of the time Beck would ditch her sister and whenever she screwed up she just expected Riley to forgive her. And I’m not talking about just one screw up either. I’m talking multiple (some of which actively put her sister in danger).

I don’t know how y’all define sisterly love, but if it’s that then I have a few questions for you.

If you liked A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, you may want to get this book a try.

The story follows Riley and Beck, who travel to a small town in Arizona, called Backravel. Their mother recently passed away. Now they must pack up their bags and move in with their father and his wife/girlfriend. Before they begin their new life in Texas, Beck convinces her sister to stay in Backravel for 2 weeks to enjoy a festival before they officially move in with their father. The real reason for their stay is so Beck can discover the town’s secrets and understand why her mother was enraptured to keep coming back to this place.

Early on, the author’s writing made me feel uneasy when the girls first arrive to Backravel. The town feels empty and when the girls come across residents, they seemed a little robotic. You just get the feeling that something is not right. As the story moves on, I felt like I was just as dazed and confused as the main character. Multiple times, Beck would find herself flashing back to the past as if she entered a time machine. All these elements made Backravel feel mysterious and unsettling. Gould’s writing also did a tremendous job of encapsulating grief and how difficult it can be to move on.

Despite these elements, the overall book fell flat for me. This is a very slow-paced novel, which I don’t mind as long as it builds up to something. However, I never felt as if the author explained what was really happening at Backravel. You learn about what makes the town unique, but there is no understanding of why this is occurring here. I wish there was more of a scientific or fantastical explanation.

Another issue I found was with the romance. Honestly, I didn’t think it was necessary. I never understood the chemistry between Beck and her love interest, so I was not invested in their relationship. The romance also makes you question Beck’s actions, especially with her sister. This is also when I started to get annoyed with Beck as a character.

Lastly, the last chapters of this book were incredibly confusing. I believe I have a general idea of what happened, but I still found too many plot holes and found myself wanting to skim.

Overall, the story was unique and had me guessing, but it ended up being a disappointment. The author left me with so many unanswered questions and the romance was not compelling. However, I do believe the themes of grief were beautifully captured by the author.

Thank you, Net Galley and Wednesday Books, for an ARC of Where Echoes Die!

Supernatural thrillers are one of my favorite genre and this book delivered in every way. In this book, two sisters travel to an isolated Arizona town to investigate its connection to their mother’s death, but things don’t always go as planned. If you’re looking for a book that is thrilling, immersive and straight up fun, this book is for you!

This isn't doing it for me the way The Dead and the Dark did it for me :/

The concept is everything I could want. The town itself is such a fascinating setting. In my mind I was picturing Strangerville from the Sims 4. Also, Courney Gould has been blessed with the best cover artist, her books are just stunning.

However, the main character was really unlikeable and frustrating. Beck and Riley's predicament leaves me with a lot of questions. Like, why are we supposed to buy into them being in this town under the guise of being on a vacation when Beck does everything she can to not spend time with Riley... not even a believable lie to tell her. I also wish it would've gone deeper exploring/explaining the town and it's mysteries. And I wasn't feeling the romance in this one.

I'd also recommend going into this expecting a sapphic mystery story, I was definitely thinking more horror vibes but it leaned a bit more towards sci-fi.

She did it again. She made me cry. Courtney Gould just had this way with words that draws you in from the first line. This story about grief is the greatest gift I have been given while dealing with my own grief!

I was drawn in by both the beautiful cover and the setting. There were many problems with the book. Despite the intriguing premise and setting, I found the characters to be uninteresting, which made the book drag for me. Despite this, I think the YA readers who are this book's intended audience will enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this book

Where Echos Die is a beautiful and mysterious multi-layered story that will capture the reader's heart.

The story follows two sisters who after losing their mother to cancer, aim to find out the motivations and secrets behind their mother's last assignment (as she was a reporter). Arriving in what feels like a ghost town, the sisters encounter curious locals, strange happenings, mystic moments and so on.

In Where Echos Die love and loss, family and secrets, heart and grief, all tangled together with a ghost town, shady characters, sisterly adventure and a bit of romance, to create the most wonderful of stories.

I really enjoyed the story and all its elements. This author has a way of creating such atmosphere, deeply relatable characters, and slow burn plots that have me hanging on every word. I highly recommend this story as well as the author's others.

I received an ARC via NetGalley and Wednesday Books and I am leaving an honest review. 4.25 stars.

The author does a great job of setting you in an uneasy place where nothing is quite as it seems and you wonder how on earth these fragile teenage girls are going to deal with the truths they uncover. The narrative drags a bit in places but it is worth pushing through.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


I have never finished a thriller before. Sometimes I pick one up, get a few pages in, and DNF it because it’s not for me. I picked this book up by @gayowyn and didn’t want to put it down.

I loved the desert setting. I loved how it had an LGBTQ main character with mental health representation. I loved how I had no idea where the story was going. It was strange and exciting. It was a really fantastic YA book.

Thank you to @wednesdaybooks and @gayowyn for my gifted copy. I’m so glad I gave this thriller a try.