I wanted to like this book more than I did. It felt like a cult classic sort of book with don’t worry darling vibes. However I just couldn’t like Beck at all. She was never paying any attention to the danger they were in and didn’t pay any attention to her sister, I feel like there was a lot of filler as well until the book really started to pick up in the plot

I loved this story especially the characters being lgbtq+. Also the idea that its basically the apocolypse with everything being around except people is crazy. Looking forward to seeing more from this author!

I loved Courtney Gould's THE DEAD AND THE DARK, so I was very excited to be given the opportunity to read her sophomore book. And you know what? It did. Not. Disappoint.

WHERE ECHOES DIE is brimming with Gould's signature atmospheric prose, as haunting and vast as the desert setting. It's a book about never being able to run far enough away, of yearning for something impossible, of grief and sisterhood and how much it aches to care with your entire soul. It's also eerie AF. Yes, the "mystery" is pretty obvious and I did crave a little more of a twist, but Beck & Avery nestled into my heart so very deeply, I didn't even care.

This is my favorite kind of YA and I'll be hungrily waiting to see what Gould writes next.

Where Echoes Die follows two sisters as they work to uncover the mysteries surrounding their mothers obsession with a small town and her passing.

One of the aspects about this book that I really enjoyed was the relationship between the two sisters. It felt like a realistic depiction of a family that has gone through trauma. I found the mystery aspect of the story compelling and enjoyed the book overall.

A super cool concept! I loved The Dead and the Dark, and this definitely has the same beautiful writing style with a new, intriguing desert setting. I wasn't as sucked in as I could've been, as I've been consuming a lot of time-loop media recently, so I was feeling a bit time loop-ed out by the time I got around to reading this, but that's just a personal thing!

I really enjoyed this one! I've been meaning to read a Courtney Gould book for a while, and when I found out it was set in Arizona, I knew I had to give it a read. It's eerie, and definitely sent shivers down my spine at times. However, the writing was a little slow-paced, which affected my overall enjoyment of the story. Without giving spoilers, I also found parts of the plot to lack depth. Nevertheless, I recommend this story to all mystery fans!

A story full of grief, love, family, suspense and second chances. I loved this emotionally captivating book and could not put it down.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

"Where Echoes Die" is a very intriguing book about the descent and death of an extraordinary journalist and how far her daughter is willing to go to get back to the mother she knew, before she lost her mind. In full transparency, the book reads like a suspense novel. However, it's a suspense novel with minimal breadcrumbs to keep the reader following along.

While the book starts off at the beginning of Riley and Beck's adventure, the story only starts to come together in the last three chapters. Gould does an amazing job building out Beck as an unreliable narrator, but in my opinion, there was not enough be shared with the reader in order to maintain an interest and a curiosity. At the end of the day, it's a story about a depressed teenager risking her health (and her sister's health) in an effort to communicate with her dead mother. It takes over 60% of the book to get into the concept of manipulation through time travel, to finally emerge.

Overall, I would rate the book 1.5 stars. This is mostly because Gould is great writer and the concept was fascinating. However, the story is incredibly boring until the very end and leaves little to interest the reader in making it that far into the story.

Another great book from Courtney Gould. It's a given that a writer's second book is difficult and many titles suffer from the effort, but "Where Echoes Die" avoids any of the usual pitfalls.
Gould provides us with another amazing setting that reads like a movie. The description of the dusty desert practically makes you want to sneeze. How does anyone stand so much dust?
The plot itself is quite distinct--reminiscent of "The Twilight Zone"--Sci-Fi-ish and psychological. I also appreciated that the "bad guy" didn't take the typical route.
My one critique would be some of the secondary characters are two-dimensional instead of fully realized. This could, however, be intentional due to the MC's mental status. Or, I just love this author's worlds so much that I want MORE! I definitely do want more and can't wait for book #3 from Courtney Gould.
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This was such a perfectly complex yet intriguing read. The story, set in Arizona, follows Beck, a young girl trying to figure out the puzzle of her deceased mother. She comes to Arizona to finish what her mother started. The town is one big mystery that slowly unravels the more she digs into it. Overall this was a good read. It was slow but well crafted. I loved the mystery and intrigue behind it. The characters were a bit hard to connect with at times but aside from that, a good read.

I loved this book. Gould's The Dead and the Dark was one of my favorite books of 2022 - a dusty, summer horror story read in a hot July, and I just fell in love. Her writing is evocative but uncomplicated and approachable, without falling into violet prose. It honestly shocks me how easy it is to fall into her protagonists and their world, because you don't even notice happening and once you do you don't want it to stop.

Where Echoes Die isn't an outright horror story like The Dead and the Dark but its summary enticed me in the same way (mysterious small towns, etc)... and by the end, what happened was horrific. And wildly creative as well. I think the story ending here is totally fine but I wouldn't mind more in this world, specifically, with Beck and Avery and Backravel. Maybe Gould's third novel could be her ParaSpectors investigating Backravel! Both novels were written with an unsettling and dreamy desert haziness that I just cannot get enough of!

This will likely be one of my favorite books of 2023. Also, what a gorgeous cover (also, just like The Dead and the Dark)!

Wow. What did I just read?? This was so captivating from the very start. The writing was impecable and kept me on the edge of my feet the entire story! I definitely want to buy a physical copy when it comes out, yes, please!

eARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher for reviewing purposes.

This book is twisty turny like a ball of yarn that's tangled and knotted. I don't want to give too much away, because so much of the book is trying to figure out what's going on. It reminded me in this way of Piranesi and Don't Worry Darling. Major themes include grief, the past and the passage of time, and memory. It's heavier than Courtney Gould's first book, the Dead and the Dark, but if you enjoyed that, I bet you'll like this one too. Some things were frustrating to me- how little some of the characters communicated with each other, sometimes how slow the story burns, but it's worth it in the end.

What an amazing story.! I really loved this book. Where Echoes Die is a YA book about a girl who goes to a mysterious town after her mother dies. The town is super weird, and the more she explores the more we learn what is exactly going on. When I figured out the scope of what was happening it was awesome. I won't say much more about the plot because I do not want to ruin it for you. It is truly amazing. The characters were very well written. You will come to care for Beck and Riley, you want to see them succeed, you want them to get better. Avery is also a strong character, at first, she is a bit much, but she really grows on you as the story progresses. Ricky, Avery's dad is a wild card and I loved how he played out. This story really had me look at my own grief and how I have been handling things like Beck, I think a lot of people will relate to her and her reasons for making the decisions she did. I would say this is a top 5 book of the year for me, it hit right on all cylinders. I cannot wait to read more by this author.

What would you do if you had the chance to erase your pain? To never have to feel grief, sadness, or loss.

That is the premise of Courtney Gould's book, Where Echoes Die.

Rebecca "Beck" Birsching and her sister, Riley, had an unconventional, but secure and loving life until their mother, Eleanor, an obsessive investigative reporter, discovered a mysterious town, Backravel. Eleanor's obsession grew, Beck's parents divorced, and she and Riley were left alone for long periods of time while Eleanor disappeared to research Backravel. Then Eleanor gets sick. Both her health and mind decline, leaving Beck to keep her family afloat.

Beck is adrift after Eleanor's death until a mysterious note in her mother's handwriting arrives. The note simply says "Come and find me."

Where Echoes Die combines mystery and science fiction to tell a story about grief and PTSD.

The writing is beautiful, but the story lags. I am glad that I did not DNR the book, but I can see why some readers would do so. Like most YA, the teen protagonist makes foolish and impulsive choices in order to spur the story along. The big reveal also requires some suspension of belief.

However, the gut punch that happens during the last quarter of the book almost left me in tears, and I wanted to reach through the pages and hug Beck and her sister, assuring them that everything would be okay.

I received this ARC through NetGalley and this is my honest review.

ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.
Our main character Beck and her younger sister Riley have just suffered the loss of their mother. Beck finds herself lost in her memories until a strange letter in her mother’s own handwriting shows up telling her to “come and find me” in the strange town of Backravel, Arizona. This book is for anyone looking for a YA sapphic read with a good mix of paranormal mystery and sci fiction. The author mixes these elements while also tackling the heavy feelings of grief that come with the loss of a loved one. The books setting and theme were something I thoroughly enjoyed but the main character I sadly did not, which is ultimately why I gave this book 3 stars. I found myself constantly aggravated with Beck’s decision making and just general overall lack of concern and care for her younger sister and how her actions would affect her. That being said I do however feel that this book will do well with its target audience of YA readers.

Where Echoes Die comes out June 20, 2023.

Thank you again NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the eARC, these opinions are my own. I really enjoyed the twists in the book. The book combined elements of horror, sci-fi, mystery, and romance. Due to that you to have to pay close attention to be able to follow everything but it is really good! It's told in a face paced way and will suck you in and keep you wanting to read and not put it down! If you like mysteries that contain aspects of sci-fi, horror, and sapphic romance then you'll enjoy this book!

Wow, I have to start by acknowledging how beautiful the writing and story telling is by Courtney Gould, truly a work of art. This was just everything I would want from a YA thriller with a hint of fantasy. I found myself feeling the grief through every page. Reading Beck and Riley trying to process this huge loss and hold onto anything tangible was hit wrenching. I loved the addition of Avery and the sapphic story. I really hope this book gets the recognition it deserves.

This was such a one of a kind read for me, I’ve never read anything like it before. I loved the concept, the plot, and the characters. I did find the plot to be a little slow and at times I would find myself thinking about picking up a different book. The mystery kept me going though, I’m glad I pushed through and read until I finished.
While this isn’t a new favorite, it’s definitely worth the read if you enjoy slow burning mysteries

Everyone approaches grief differently, and everyone processes it differently. This book is an exploration of grief that doesn't let go, and memories that call you back over and over. I was stunned by the relationship Beck has to both her mother and the memory of her, as well as her relationship to Riley and Riley's grief. Gould shines a light on what it is to lose someone, and those who feel ownership of grief itself. Truly, if you had a way to never have to say goodbye, wouldn't you take it? Beck is faced with a heartbreaking life and an unfairly mysterious and confusing situation, and her feelings of displacement and being lost were really impactful. I can't recommend this book highly enough, those who love a good mystery and a tear jerker will absolutely love.