"Just as I've done so many times before, I'll reach out into the darkness, safe in knowing nothing ever reaches back."
~The Girls Are Never Gone, Sarah Glenn Marsh~
Guess who got a chance on the opening day of the book tour? It's-a me! So, thanks to TBR&BEYOND TOURS and Sarah Glenn Marsh for letting me on the team for the tour. I received an e-ARC for "The Girls Are Never Gone" and my review is included below. I've tried to keep it completely spoiler-free and honest to my feelings.
BOOK COVER
You can check out my bookstagram post for this tour too!
BOOK SYNOPSIS
{{Content Warnings: scary images, death}}
The Conjuring meets Sadie when seventeen-year-old podcaster Dare takes an internship in a haunted house and finds herself in a life-or-death struggle against an evil spirit. Dare Chase doesn’t believe in ghosts. Privately, she’s a supernatural skeptic. But publicly, she’s keeping her doubts to herself—because she’s the voice of Attachments, her brand-new paranormal investigation podcast, and she needs her ghost-loving listeners to tune in. That’s what brings her to Arrington Estate. Thirty years ago, teenager Atheleen Bell drowned in Arrington’s lake, and legend says her spirit haunts the estate. Dare’s more interested in the suspicious circumstances surrounding her death—circumstances that she believes point to a living culprit, not the supernatural. Still, she’s vowed to keep an open mind as she investigates, even if she’s pretty sure what she’ll find. But Arrington is full of surprises. Good ones like Quinn, the cute daughter of the house’s new owner. And baffling ones like the threatening messages left scrawled in paint on Quinn’s walls, the ghastly face that appears behind Dare’s own in the mirror, and the unnatural current that nearly drowns their friend Holly in the lake. As Dare is drawn deeper into the mysteries of Arrington, she’ll have to rethink the boundaries of what is possible. Because if something is lurking in the lake…it might not be willing to let her go.
REVIEW
"Secrets always surface. And if the Arrington Estate has any, I'm going to sweep its darkest corners until I dredge them up, kicking and screaming"
The Girls Are Never Gone, Sarah Glenn Marsh
Victoria Dare Chase, who prefers being called only Dare, recently began her own horror podcast. Attachments, as Dare named it, is all set to begin its first season. Thanks to the recommendation from one of her followers, she will focus on the strange story of the Arrington Estate. Thirty years ago, Atheleen Bell drowned in the lake besides the estate soon after she moved there with her parents. Even after all this time, there seems to be something lingering in the desolate darkness. Now, it's up to Dare for uncovering the secrets behind Atheleen's death.
The story of The Girls Are Never Gone isn't exactly what you would call a hair-raising horror story. It inculcates more of the YA element into, which I'll be discussing soon. First off, there isn't any jumpscare or strikingly spooky occurrences until a good part into the story. But it maintains a good eerie atmosphere throughout, making place for the suspenseful adventures of Dare and company. Talking of our MC, Dare, she is a classic horror story lead. Skeptic, yet pulled towards the supernatural due to some reason or other. One of her reasons being gaining followers for her podcast. This gives her the drive to investigate the case.
Another excellent approach by Sarah is the realistic representation of Type-1 Diabetes. The disease was not just simply described at the beginning of the story and then ignored for the rest part. Dare’s regular struggles and her health cautions are properly shown. She is also accompanied by her faithful service dog, Waffles. He is there to notify Dare about drop in her blood sugar levels, or atleast he's supposed to. Nonetheless, his part in the story makes it all the more fluffy and interesting.
The side characters, however, are not much fleshed out. Well not as much I would prefer, atleast. Even Quinn and Dare’s romance did not seem much necessary to the plot. Neither was it much developed, it just existed on the side as the real plot moved on. But the great thing about this was the casual tone about their sexualities. There weren't any deep conversations around it. Dare was bisexual and that's that. Unapologetic and no questions asked for having a boyfriend earlier.
On the whole, I would have liked the inclusion of more horror elements. Although horror comes in real late and some other issues, this is an enjoyable read. The ending was interesting and it leaves us open to interpret the fate of some characters. If you want a book you could finish in one seating with a good mixture of horror amd mystery, this is just the right grab.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟.5/5
TOP 5 REASONS TO READ 'THE GIRLS ARE NEVER GONE'
Enough with the review. Lemme jot some quick pointers for you which will surely make you want to pick this book.
A unique narration style where you get to see Dare speaking for her podcast and then her separate (and real) feelings towards the happenings in the story.
Great representation of the lead suffering a chronic illness (Type-1 Diabetes).
Queer romance! It was heartwarming to see Dare and Quinn open up to each other.
I can't emphasize on this enough, but Waffles!! I don't think this adorable fur buddy needs an explanation to pull you into the story. But just in case, he is a real companion of Dare and even plays a big part in the story.
Ending is gonna make you sit down and think. You'll really enjoy wondering about the fates of some characters.
BOOK LINKS
Amazon:
Barnes and Noble:
Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Girls-Are-Never-Gone-Sarah-Glenn-Marsh/9781984836151?ref=grid-view&qid=1625517934195&sr=1-1
Indigo:
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781984836151
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Glenn Marsh writes young adult novels and children’s picture books. An avid fantasy reader from the day her dad handed her a copy of The Hobbit and promised it would change her life, she’s been making up words and worlds ever since.
When she’s not writing, Sarah frequents the pottery studio, volunteers her time to sighthound rescue, and raises awareness about her autoimmune disease, Type 1 diabetes. She often enjoys pursuits of the nerd variety, from video games to tabletop adventures. She’s never met an animal or a doughnut she didn’t like.
Sarah lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and their tiny zoo of four rescued sighthounds, two birds, and many fish. She is the author of Fear the Drowning Deep, the Reign of the Fallen series, and several books for younger readers.
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR THROUGH THESE LINKS:
Website: https://www.sarahglennmarsh.com/
Twitter:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmarshauthor/
TOUR SCHEDULE
This is my take and thoughts on this creepy book. There are many other amazing book bloggers on this tour as well. Check out their works from the link below:
Horror book huh, interesting pick. Btw, love the pic background 👀👌🏻