Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Between…#1)
by April Genevieve Tucholke (2013)
YA Fiction | Horror-Thriller
Blurb:
“You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…
Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town… until River West comes along. River rents the guest house behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard.
Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more?
Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery… who makes you want to kiss back.
Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.
Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch.”
–Goodreads
pooled ink Review:
For a modern (and Northern as it’s set in Maine) take on Southern Gothic literature mixed with the Young Adult genre I’d say this book was pretty great! I enjoyed it and it kept me intrigued. Although I must admit that reading its sequel isn’t a pressing matter – not because I didn’t like the book (I clearly just stated that I did like it) but because this book almost ended in a way mysterious enough for a possible sequel but mysterious in a way that actually would have been okay for an open-ended stand-alone book. But still, a nice change of pace for a read.
The story unfurls a bit like a mystery, a bit like a humid summer afternoon, and a bit like a chilling indie horror film. You’re constantly unsure of what darkness lurks in these pages or if it could just be the charming smiling neighbor offering friendship despite the bloodstains. It wasn’t an adrenaline-pumping thriller but more of a chill that slowly lifts the hair on the back of your neck despite the warm sunshine of the day.
I’m not normally into the creepy soft-horror genre but Tucholke’s writing drew me in and held my interest from start to finish. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for her other books.
Cheers.
P.S. If you haven’t heard the song by the same title sung by Ella Fitzgerald then I recommend it. I’ll pretty much recommend any music from around that era actually (;
Review originally posted on Goodreads on October 24, 2014
Purchase here: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Similar Recommended Reads: Sing Sweet Nightingale by Erica Cameron
Meet April Genevieve Tucholke!
April Genevieve Tucholke is the author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea and its sequel, Between the Spark and the Burn. She loves classic horror movies and coffee. She has lived in many places, including Scotland, and currently resides in Oregon with her husband Nate Pedersen.
-Goodreads
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