 | Dead and the dark Author: Gould, Courtney | |
| Price: $10.65 | ||
Summary:
When Logan, the adopted daugther of reality television ghosthunters, teams up with Ashley to search for missing teens in Snakebite, Oregon, they find themselves falling for each other as they uncover a hidden evil.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: UG Reading Level: 4.50 Points: 13.0 Quiz: 515831 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (06/15/21)
School Library Journal (00/08/21)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 08/01/2021 Gr 9 Up—Logan is not really interested in going to her dads' hometown of Snakebite, Oregon, for the summer, but her dads are the ghost hunting duo the ParaSpectors, and they claim there is a case to solve there. Ashley has always loved Snakebite, but things have felt different ever since her boyfriend, Tristan, went missing six months ago, and they only get worse when the mysterious Logan arrives with two of Snakebite's former, scorned residents. When Ashley begins to see ghosts, she has to rely on Logan to help her find Tristan, and the person who took him, before anyone else gets hurt. This novel explores the consequences of hate, and the way hate can shape a town. While it is a ghost story, the ghosts are not the villains in the town of Snakebite. Residents are quick to blame the queer family for everything that has gone wrong, and in this way Gould shows us how hate and fear go hand in hand. This is a unique and important take on the horror genre. Logan is a lesbian, one of her dads is bisexual, and Ashley is queer. One of Logan's dads is Latinx as are two secondary characters. All others are presumed white. VERDICT Purchase for library collections where ghost stories are in demand, and where LGBTQIA+ stories in a genre other than realistic fiction are desired.—Mariah Smitala, Hedberg P.L., Janesville, WI - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 12/15/2021 Teenagers are going missing in Snakebite, Oregon, where Logan Ortiz-Woodley recently moved with her dads, paranormal investigators known on TV as ParaSpectors. Logan’s dads were ostracized from their hometown years ago, thrusting the three of them into the spotlight. Do they have anything to do with the sinister forces causing teens to disappear—and even die? Ashley wants to figure out who is behind her boyfriend’s disappearance, and as she watches her beloved town twist into something dark, she’s not sure whom to trust. Logan and Ashley turn to each other as they both begin mistrusting the adults in their lives, and the flaws in Logan’s dysfunctional family are revealed. Gould’s debut is haunting and surprisingly dark for a book with that very word in its title. Characters are the focal strength of this book, which is a slow-burn story with an immersive setting that feels like a character in and of itself. The darkness spreading over Snakebite exposes the truth about small-town ideology and oppression, loneliness, secrecy, and what makes a family or a home. Logan, Ashley, and Logan’s dads are satisfyingly complex, and as Logan and Ashley fight to figure out what’s happening in Snakebite, they also have to face what they’re feeling for each other. This atmospheric, character-driven story is a must-read, but you should keep the lights on while you do. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
