"The Dark Beneath the Ice" by Amelinda Berube

*An ARC of this book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Something is wrong with Marianne.

It's not just that her parents have 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. But a first attempt at an exorcism calls down the full force of the thing's rage. It demands Marianne give back what she stole. And 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.

Paranormal thrillers aren't my usual cup of tea. But the cover was so pretty that I couldn't help myself and I'm so glad I decided to give this book a try!

The suspense was fantastic! I could hardly put this book down and practically devoured it within two days. This is the type of book it's so easy to fly through because it's so much fun and the story is practically non-stop. It was a really addictive read.

Another huge plus of this book was the main character. Marianne isn't a typical, kick-ass main character and I know some other reviews say that she's boring, but I found her refreshing. She was very relatable - aside from the whole being haunted thing - especially because she struggles a lot with anxiety. And she's also the most adorable baby gay and I'm surprised this book wasn't pitched as being queer. It's gay in the best possible ways.

Marianne's developing understanding of her queerness happens throughout the book via her memories and her friendship with Rhiannon a.k.a. Ron. It was so well done and she's very relatable. Marianne's anxiety around her straight female friends, her crush on a best friend, and all the other cliches are fantastic. I just loved everything about this aspect of Marianne.

I also loved Ron. Her unapologetic personality was a fantastic counterpoint to Marianne and they really brought out the best in each other. Her loyalty to her friends and family was admirable and it made me like her even more. I possibly liked her even better than Marianne.

As for the paranormal aspect, this isn't a genre I read a ton so I don't have a lot to compare it to. I do still get a little scared when I hear an unexplained noise so I think that's a strong indicator this book is scary. It's not I'll-never-sleep-again scary and it didn't set off any of my anxiety.

*spoiler ahead*

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were relatable and interesting. The queer characters survived the book! I know how hard it can be to find a queer book where the characters don't die, but here's one and it's a fantastic read. If you want a spooky read full of suspense and thrill, then this a book for you.

Rating: 4.5