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faerine's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
megsbookishtwins's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
rep: f/f romance, lesbian m/c's
tw: violence, drowning, attempted murder, murder, homophobia
Logan Ortiz-Woodley is the daughter of two of the most popular ghost hunters, and due to this, she travels around the country, always on the move. When her family arrives at Snakebite, Oregon it is just another stop for another episode. What Logon didn't expect was the frost reception she and her two dads are met with. Soon there is murder, darkness, upheaval, and a web of secrets.
The Dead and the Dark is deliciously creepy, eerie, haunting, and full of secrets and ghosts and romance. I enjoy a good haunting full of mystery and darkness and The Dead and the Dark does it well. There is an f/f enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance. It's an unlikely friendship/relationship which draws a lot of negative attention in the conservative town of Snakebite. Both girls are flawed and realistic and are fighting against an invisible and dark supernatural force with brings them closer and threatens to tear them apart.
Highly recommend.
rep: f/f romance, lesbian m/c's
tw: violence, drowning, attempted murder, murder, homophobia
Logan Ortiz-Woodley is the daughter of two of the most popular ghost hunters, and due to this, she travels around the country, always on the move. When her family arrives at Snakebite, Oregon it is just another stop for another episode. What Logon didn't expect was the frost reception she and her two dads are met with. Soon there is murder, darkness, upheaval, and a web of secrets.
The Dead and the Dark is deliciously creepy, eerie, haunting, and full of secrets and ghosts and romance. I enjoy a good haunting full of mystery and darkness and The Dead and the Dark does it well. There is an f/f enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance. It's an unlikely friendship/relationship which draws a lot of negative attention in the conservative town of Snakebite. Both girls are flawed and realistic and are fighting against an invisible and dark supernatural force with brings them closer and threatens to tear them apart.
Highly recommend.
msteasam's review against another edition
4.0
Lots of thoughts about this! I loved the mystery aspect and thought it was done very well. Wanting to understand what the hell was going on in the town, with our characters, who was attacking people, and what was buried in the past drove me through the book. It was definitely horror-lite, but the dark tone was engaging and the writing was really solid for a debut novel. This also avoided falling to most of the YA tropes that bother me and draw me out of a story.
I thought the pacing was a bit rushed towards the end but the book built up enough with foreshadowing that it still worked. I would love to have spent a little bit more time with the characters, who were interesting but didn't have very strong characterisation at times. The romance also developed very quickly but not very deeply. The author should write a prequel book about Alejo, who was by far the best character and was very lovable!
I thought the pacing was a bit rushed towards the end but the book built up enough with foreshadowing that it still worked. I would love to have spent a little bit more time with the characters, who were interesting but didn't have very strong characterisation at times. The romance also developed very quickly but not very deeply. The author should write a prequel book about Alejo, who was by far the best character and was very lovable!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Hate crime, and Homophobia
etakloknok's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
ezz_jamss's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
jeodal's review against another edition
4.5
i didn’t expect it to be more of a ghost story—but what are ghost stories if not love stories? and what are love stories if not an exploration of grief? i couldn’t put this book down and finished it in a day. it left me with the same ache i had after finishing haunting of hill house and haunting of bly manor. i’ll be sure to read more of courtney gould’s works ♡
jesslb429's review
4.0
After running into some issues with the audiobook, which I got as an ARC, I finally read it(after some nudging from my library to buy it). It was so much better than the sour taste after not gelling with the audiobook. I found it all to be very well done. It did sometimes skew a little too YA for my tastes, if anyone understands what that means. However, the main relationship in this felt like it was done well and I loved that spooky aspects. It was a great October read!
momodesu's review against another edition
4.5
The Dead and the Dark is a slow paced, creepy paranormal story set in the small, secretive town of Snakebite, Oregon, with a bit of teenage sapphic romance thrown in. I really enjoyed the slow pace and thought it felt just right for the story, and the twists were interesting. Ashley and Logan, whose perspectives we're seeing the story from, are both interesting and fairly well rounded, although to me the other characters were more one dimensional.
I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Ashley coming to terms with her attraction to Logan, and the resolution happened more quickly than I would have liked given the overall pace of the story. Overall this is a really strong debut from Courtney Gould, and I'll definitely look into her newer books.
I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Ashley coming to terms with her attraction to Logan, and the resolution happened more quickly than I would have liked given the overall pace of the story. Overall this is a really strong debut from Courtney Gould, and I'll definitely look into her newer books.
serinde4books's review against another edition
5.0
So I almost read this one in one sitting. 95% done at the end of day one. The characters really drew me in. I felt very much like I had stepped into an episode of Supernatural. Early Supernatural before the heaven/hell weirdness began.
*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*
*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*