The Dead And The Dark by Courtney Gould

Title: The Dead And The Dark

Author: Courtney Gould 

Publishing Date: August 3, 2021

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Pages: 352

Introduction

Something isn't quite right about the town of Snakebite, Oregon, and when now-paranormal-investigators go back to their roots to investigate the town, things get weirder. A teen disappears, and then teens start getting killed. People are holding on to old anger, and old secrets. Is something stranger than just a few missing teens going on in this sleepy town in the middle of nowhere? Something stranger? Something darker?

Cover

You're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but I will say that this cover is so gorgeous and it definitely grabbed my attention when I was browsing through Netgalley.

Tone

I loved the consistent slightly "off" vibe that runs through the whole story. Small town weird vibes are my favourite and this book delivered.

The Dark

I love the concept of The Dark being an entity of it's own. It reminds me of the "The Forest" element in We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu (review of that book here!) 

Alternating POVs

I loved the alternating POVs of Ashley and Logan and The Dark. Usually when I read a book that switches POVs I find myself being less interested in one of them, and eagerly waiting for the story to switch back to the POV I like better, but that didn't happen at all with this book, and that feels so refreshing for me.

Conclusion

I loved this book. I believe the editor described it "like Riverdale, but good," and I agree. With the small town vibes with an undertone of something strange going on, the shoe fits. Because of the general spookiness of the novel I would also recommend this book to fans of After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel, and, of course, We Were Restless Things. I will definitely be looking our for more from this author.

First Line Friday (9): Red Magnolia by Lucy Holden

First Line Friday is a bookish tag hosted over at Abstract Books that is used to showcase your favourite first lines of books.

There really is something to be said about a good first line, and I'm going to be using this tag from now on to showcase my current read's first lines.

For this week's First Line Friday I have the first line from Red Magnolia by Lucy Holden.

Goodreads 

"Dear Tessa, it's a year today since I watched you die. If one more person tells me not to feel guilty, I might actually lose it."

I'm a little bit more than halfway through this book, and I really like this as a first line. it really helps set the tone for the story.

Anyway, thank you for joining me on my 9th First Line Friday, and look out for the release of Red Magnolia on September 15, 2021!

Hello July!: What's Coming This Month

We've officially entered July, which somehow makes us already more than halfway through 2021. I can't believe how fast this year is flying by.

This month on my blog, my posts may be a little bit infrequent because I'm moving 20+ hours away from where I live now in less than a week. It's going to be a busy month for me, but maybe not necessarily for my blog, just because I'm not sure when I'm going to have regular access to the internet again.

But I do have a few posts already scheduled to keep my blog going while I have to be away. I have a review of The Dead And The Dark by Courtney Gould coming tomorrow, and a review of Meet me at the Summit by Mandi Lynn coming out near the end of the month.

Assuming I can get them all typed up soon, I should have a few First Line Fridays lined up to post (hopefully including one today!) and a few Top 10 and Teaser Tuesdays.

Once I'm settled into the new place I should have a few reviews to go up, I'm going to have lots of time to kill during the trip and it going to be mostly done with reading the books that have been collecting dust on my shelves for the last few years. I think I'll start by finishing up To Kill A Mokingbird and then move on to And Then There Were None. I hope the busy nature of July helps it move quickly so I can feel settled sooner and get back to this blog.

Happy July and happy reading everybody!

Waiting on Wednesday (7): The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Waiting on Wednesday's is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. *It appears that Breaking the Spine hasn't been active since 2016, but I still want to credit them as the creators.

For my 7th Waiting on Wednesday, I want to Spotlight The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale 

Expected publication date: December 7, 2021

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Goodreads Synopsis

Dare Me meets Black Swan and Luckiest Girl Alive in a captivating, voice-driven debut novel about a trio of ballerinas who meet as students at the Paris Opera Ballet School.

Fourteen years ago, Delphine abandoned her prestigious soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in St. Petersburg––taking with her a secret that could upend the lives of her best friends, fellow dancers Lindsay and Margaux. Now 36 years old, Delphine has returned to her former home and to the legendary Palais Garnier Opera House, to choreograph the ballet that will kickstart the next phase of her career––and, she hopes, finally make things right with her former friends. But Delphine quickly discovers that things have changed while she's been away...and some secrets can't stay buried forever.

Moving between the trio's adolescent years and the present day, The Ballerinas explores the complexities of female friendship, the dark drive towards physical perfection in the name of artistic expression, the double-edged sword of ambition and passion, and the sublimated rage that so many women hold inside––all culminating in a twist you won't see coming, with magnetic characters you won't soon forget.

Why I Can't Wait

The first sentence of the synopsis from Goodreads compares it to Dare Me and Black Swan, and I am a huge fan of both of those, so immediately after reading that, I was intrigued. This book is also classified as adult general fiction, which is different than my usual realm of YA but it's always good to expand your horizons, and I am looking forward to doing just that with this book once it is released

Top Ten Tuesday (10): Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2021

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week's topic is my top ten most anticipated releases of the second half of 2021. I'm hardly ever able to complete these lists, but this week I did! So without further ado, here's my list of most anticipated releases. (In no particular order) I've also linked the titles to their respective Goodreads pages so you can get excited about them too!

1. The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould

Publication date August 3, 2021

I've actually just finished reading this one. I was approved for an ARC from Netgalley, (look for my review on July 3!) but I liked it a lot and I'm so excited for it to released to the masses so more people can enjoy it as much as I did.

2. Seven Dirty Secrets by Natalie D. Richards

Publication date: November 2, 2021

I have loved everything that I've read from Natalie D. Richards and I am hoping that Seven Dirty Secrets won't be an exception.

3. The Grimrose Girls by Laura Pohl

Publication date: August 1, 2021

4. Your Life Has Been Delayed by Michelle I. Mason

Publication date: August 24, 2021

5. How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao

Publication date: August 3, 2021

6. To Break a Covenant by Alison Ames

Publication date: September 21, 2021

7.  The Splendor by Breeana Shields

Publication date: September 7, 2021

8. The Violent Season by Sara Walters

Publication date: October 5, 2021

9. All These Bodies by Kendare Blake

Publication date: September 21, 2021

10. All Of Us Villians by Amanda Foody

Publication date: November 9, 2021

Mini Review: 14 Ways To Die by Vincent Ralph

Title: 14 Ways to Die

Author: Vincent Ralph

Publication Date: June 1, 2021

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Pages: 400

Goodreads Synopsis

Ten years ago, Jess's mother was murdered by the Magpie Man.

She was the first of his victims but not the last.

Now Jess is the star of a YouTube reality series and she's using it to catch the killer once and for all.

The whole world is watching her every move.

And so is the Magpie Man.

Quick Thoughts

I enjoyed this book. The focus on social media was an interesting aspect that made it more unique than the basic catch a killer/revenge plot driven thriller. The only gripe that I had with it was that I didn't really like any of the supporting characters, particularly the protagonists friends, they all felt very surface level and I wasn't very attached to the relationships they had with Jess. Besides that, this turned out to be an easy read and I think it would be perfect for people who are looking for a fast-paced quick thriller. 

Mini-Review: Everyone Dies Famous In A Small Town by Bonnie Sue Hitchcock

Title: Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town

Author: Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

Publication Date: April 20, 2021

Publisher: Random House

Pages: 208

Goodreads Synopsis

A lyrical and heartfelt collection by an award-winning writer that connects the lives of young people from small towns in Alaska and the American west. Each story is unique, yet universal.

In this book, the impact of wildfire, a wayward priest, or a mysterious disappearance ricochet across communities, threading through stories. Here, ordinary actions such as ice skating or going to church reveal hidden truths. One choice threatens a lifelong friendship. Siblings save each other. Rescue and second chances are possible, and so is revenge.

On the surface, it seems that nothing ever happens in these towns. But Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock shows that underneath that surface, teenagers' lives blaze with fury, with secrets, and with love so strong it burns a path to the future.

Quick Thoughts

I loved this book. If you're looking for a book to get you out of a reading slump, I think this book might be the one to go to. Being a collection of short stories, I think there's something for everybody in here. I love how the author intertwined the stories in the end while still keeping them largely independent of each other. The writing was beautiful and I feel that the author was very successful in creating different plots and atmospheres to immerse the reader into.