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THE DARK BENEATH THE ICE
Author: Amelinda BérubéSeries: N/ASource: ARC via Raincoast Books
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary:
Black Swan meets Paranormal Activity in this compelling ghost story about a former dancer whose grip on reality slips when she begins to think a dark entity is stalking her.
Something is wrong with Marianne.
It's not just that her parents have finally split up. Or that life hasn't been the same since she quit dancing. Or even that her mother has checked herself into the hospital.She's losing time. Doing things she would never do. And objects around her seem to break whenever she comes close. Something is after her. And the only one who seems to believe her is the daughter of a local psychic.
But their first attempt at an exorcism calls down the full force of the thing's rage. It demands Marianne give back what she stole. Whatever is haunting her, it wants everything she has--everything it's convinced she stole. Marianne must uncover the truth that lies beneath it all before the nightmare can take what it thinks it's owed, leaving Marianne trapped in the darkness of the other side.
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Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.
This was super creepy and super good and also gay. So all things you want in a book, really. I think it handled mental health really well and it’s set in the best place I ever lived: Ottawa!
I must admit - I am usually too terrified to read ghost like stories but I thought "Today I will put on my big girl pants and read" and then sat in the bathtub in the day time and tried to read as quickly as possible before the lights went out. And I must say, I was very scared and creeped out, but overall I really enjoyed this one.
This has a solid twist in it and I thought the plot was fleshed out nicely. The book didn't feel too long or short, which is always good. I sped through this because 1. I was scared, but also 2. because I couldn't put it down! I was enthralled with learning more about Marianne and her predicament. I was thoroughly satisfied with the pacing and plot!
The characters were great too. I thought Marianne was a strong lead character, I liked that she was queer in some sense but didn't want to label it, and she was timid but had her own strengths. She was one of my favourite leading women to read about in the past little while! I didn't always agree with her actions and thoughts, but I definitely understood where she was coming from. That's key in story telling.
Bérubé does an amazing job at dropping hints for what is to come in the future without spoiling it for you. I loved seeing how the dreams Marianne has wove into the rest of the plot. This book is full of lush metaphors, symbolism, and other great language that brings you deeper into the throes of Marianne's life, the setting, and the plot. I can't wait for her next book, HERE THERE ARE MONSTERS, so I can read more of her work!
One tiny other thing: I did think there was good understanding and representation of mental health conditions in this one and I appreciated that the characters tried to deal with it through therapy, medication, and hospitalization. But that is a trigger warning for some, if you weren't aware of it!
If you have yet to pick this up and want to be scared while reading about a strong character, do so immediately! I loved this one and can't recommend it enough!
I write about ghosts and monsters and other things that go bump in the night. My books tend to include a liberal sprinkling of weird Canadiana and the occasional zombie metaphor.
I am an eternal fangirl for YA and SFF, but any book that makes me laugh, makes me cry, or creeps me out will have my heart forever. My very favorites tend to have a thinky, supernatural flavor and don't explain too much.
In my other lives I'm a public service editor, a mother of two, and a passionate gardener. I live in Ottawa, Canada, in a perpetual whirlwind of unfinished projects and cat hair.
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This is actually the kind of information I have been trying to find. Thank you for writing this information. Paranormal
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