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willdriveforsnacks's review against another edition
5.0
This was so much better than I expected and was a quick, enjoyable read that helped me get out of a reading funk!
gloriabyrd's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
anastasia_reids's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.25
sarahsan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
3.5
Stars: 3.5
Spice: 0
After having read a few top spoiler free reviews I picked this one up. I am just getting back into reading. I am also exploring other genres having been a romance reader exclusively for most of my life.
It was easy-to-read, sad with a pinch of darkness. This was much tamer than I expected based on other readers thoughts. If your tastes are similar to mine and you crave dark, twisted and demented this will not satisfy.
This may have not had the creep factor I was hoping for, it was a decent read. If you are looking for a book on the darker side that will not give you nightmares this would be a great go too.
Spice: 0
After having read a few top spoiler free reviews I picked this one up. I am just getting back into reading. I am also exploring other genres having been a romance reader exclusively for most of my life.
It was easy-to-read, sad with a pinch of darkness. This was much tamer than I expected based on other readers thoughts. If your tastes are similar to mine and you crave dark, twisted and demented this will not satisfy.
This may have not had the creep factor I was hoping for, it was a decent read. If you are looking for a book on the darker side that will not give you nightmares this would be a great go too.
atrunkey's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
powerpuffgoat's review against another edition
3.75
This could easily be a Supernatural episode. A coming-of-age, uncovering the family secret kind of episode.
The weakest point for me was probably having teenagers as main characters, but that's more to do with the fact that I'm an adult and have moved on from high school fiction.
The story itself was good though.
The weakest point for me was probably having teenagers as main characters, but that's more to do with the fact that I'm an adult and have moved on from high school fiction.
The story itself was good though.
laelyn's review against another edition
5.0
Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular - Gould's debut novel is all of these things. I could not put it down, was completely mesmerized from the very first page on. "The Dead and the Dark" is a YA horror mystery thriller, a mash up of different genres that left me completely breathless. It is incredibly well written in a captivating style that makes it an unputdownable pageturner.
The plot sounds, on the surface, like every other thriller there is out there: Kids keep disappearing and turning up dead in a small American town where everyone knows everyone, making the crime something deeply personal in itself. But "The Dead and the Dark" is so much more than that.
It truly is dark and twisted, playing with supernatural themes, exposing the darkness of humankind as well as the power of grief, hatred, desperation, loneliness - and also love. Love is one of the central themes of this novel, and it's not even the romantic kind of love (even though the romance between the two protagonists is absolutely wonderful despite all the darkness surrounding them), it's the love that parents have for their children and vice versa. This novel is creepy, creating an eerie atmosphere from the start, never letting the reader off the hook - but it's also deeply emotional on so many levels. It deals with heavy topics like grief, death, homophobia, but at the same time never lets us forget that there is good in the world, too.
The characters are just... ugh. I don't even know how to express my love for them, which is a very rare thing for me, to be honest. I rarely connect with characters from thriller/horror/mystery type books like I did with Logan, with Ashley, with Brandon, with Alejo. They are complex, utterly likeable and unique. Brandon especially really hit home with me, even though he is the most tragic character of them all. The whole "tv ghost hunter" angle was really fun, too, even though it didn't really add much to the plot in the end. Listen, I just really really love this family of two dads, their lesbian daughter and their 'redneck princess' daughter-in-law.
Does everything make sense in this story? No, probably not. There is one decision the "big bad" makes that made me wonder if they're maybe a giant idiot, because really, they should know better for various reasons. Does that have any negative influence on just how much I enjoyed this book? None whatsoever.
This novel is honestly so good, I'm going to read anything Courtney Gould will release in the future. Even if it's just her forking shopping list.
Maaaaaany many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the amazing arc!
The plot sounds, on the surface, like every other thriller there is out there: Kids keep disappearing and turning up dead in a small American town where everyone knows everyone, making the crime something deeply personal in itself. But "The Dead and the Dark" is so much more than that.
It truly is dark and twisted, playing with supernatural themes, exposing the darkness of humankind as well as the power of grief, hatred, desperation, loneliness - and also love. Love is one of the central themes of this novel, and it's not even the romantic kind of love (even though the romance between the two protagonists is absolutely wonderful despite all the darkness surrounding them), it's the love that parents have for their children and vice versa. This novel is creepy, creating an eerie atmosphere from the start, never letting the reader off the hook - but it's also deeply emotional on so many levels. It deals with heavy topics like grief, death, homophobia, but at the same time never lets us forget that there is good in the world, too.
The characters are just... ugh. I don't even know how to express my love for them, which is a very rare thing for me, to be honest. I rarely connect with characters from thriller/horror/mystery type books like I did with Logan, with Ashley, with Brandon, with Alejo. They are complex, utterly likeable and unique. Brandon especially really hit home with me, even though he is the most tragic character of them all. The whole "tv ghost hunter" angle was really fun, too, even though it didn't really add much to the plot in the end. Listen, I just really really love this family of two dads, their lesbian daughter and their 'redneck princess' daughter-in-law.
Does everything make sense in this story? No, probably not. There is one decision the "big bad" makes that made me wonder if they're maybe a giant idiot, because really, they should know better for various reasons. Does that have any negative influence on just how much I enjoyed this book? None whatsoever.
This novel is honestly so good, I'm going to read anything Courtney Gould will release in the future. Even if it's just her forking shopping list.
Maaaaaany many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the amazing arc!
abbyhrc's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25