19 Feb 2018

Blog Tour: Pitch Dark by Courtney Alameda – Review and Giveaway!

Posted in Blog Tour, Giveaways |

Pitch Dark

Author: Courtney Alameda

Publication Date: February 20th, 2018

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Pages: 384

Formats: Hardcover, ebook

Synopsis: Set against a future of marauding space scavengers and deadly aliens who kill with sound, here is a frightening, fast-paced YA adventure from the author of the acclaimed horror novel, Shutter. Tuck has been in stasis on the USS John Muir, a ship that houses Earth’s most valued artifacts—its natural resources. Parks and mountains are preserved in space.

Laura belongs to a shipraiding family, who are funded by a group used to getting what they want. And they want what’s on the Muir.

Tuck and Laura didn’t bargain on working together or battling mutant aliens who use sound to kill. But their plan is the only hope for their crews, their families, and themselves.

In space, nobody can hear you scream . . . but on the John Muir, the screams are the last thing you’ll hear.

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | TBD | Goodreads

This book…I really wasn’t expecting to be quite as taken with it as I was! It was such a fun read, from the very beginning, with an awesome science fiction plot that mixed in a bit of horror and a dark thriller all wrapped into one – in other words – it was a fantastic read that I simply couldn’t put down and I loved it so very much.

The characters in Pitch Dark kind of just leapt right off the pages – they were so fully of personality and so far away from typical “cookie-cutter” like characters that it’s amazing. There was something special about both Laura and Tuck, and I couldn’t even decide which character I liked better, but they were both amazingly well written and thought out.

Also, who doesn’t love creepy aliens that have the ability to pretty much destroy anyone in their path using sounds? It’s pretty cool, and oh so exciting. I truthfully don’t think there was a dull moment in this book. There was just so much going on all the time – it was really fast paced, so if you like your books without any lags or dull moments whatsoever, this is one that you will enjoy.

The premise for the story is so amazingly unique that I seriously had no idea what was going to happen next. I read a lot of science fiction, but maybe not enough for my tastes, because I loved this. I also read a lot of thrillers, and I can tell you right now that this book had me on the edge of the seat throughout the entire thing. Even from the very first pages where things were described in a delightfully chilling manner!

I kind of had to stop reading before bed the night I decided to tackle this one, because I hit a few creepy spots and realized that I was going to need to sleep with the lights on if I didn’t. But I finished it the next morning, and it was such a fun ride.

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

A veteran bookseller and librarian, Courtney Alameda now spends her days writing thriller and horror novels. Her debut novel, SHUTTER, was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award and hailed as a “standout in the genre” by School Library Journal. Her forthcoming novels include the science fiction/horror mashup, PITCH DARK (Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends 2018), and SEVEN DEADLY SHADOWS, an urban fantasy set in Japan. (Co-authored with Valynne Maetani. HarperTeen 2018).

Courtney holds a degree in English literature with an emphasis in creative writing. She is represented by John M. Cusick of Folio Literary. A northern California native, she now resides in Utah with her husband, a legion of books, and a tiny five-pound cat with a giant personality.

Member HWA, SFWA, SCBWI; and SDCC Creative Professional.