Dark Blue by Elliott Motl [Book Review]

Dark Blue, a creepy ghost story, is one of my favorite reads of 2021. I’m hosting a Dark Blue Giveaway, as part of Spooktober. I’ll be announcing the winner during this week’s podcast episode on Saturday. Elliott Motl will be my guest, so we’ll be discussing this book, along with all sorts of other things!

Elliott contacted me a few months ago, and offered me a free copy of his book, Dark Blue, in return for an honest review. I’m very excited to say that not only did I accept, but I LOVED this book. Please read all the way to the bottom for details on my giveaway of this book for Spooktober.

Ghost stories aren’t usually my cup of tea, but Dark Blue is written so well, that it reads as more of a thriller than a scary, spooky, ghost story.

Does this book have ghosts? Absolutely.

Are these ghosts scary? Yep!

But the book overall isn’t as scary as you would expect.

Ryland and Miles have been friends ever since Miles was in a coma, and Ryland kept him company in the veil between this world and the next.

You see, Ryland can see ghosts. He’s been able to his whole life, and has found it his mission in life to help these lost souls find peace in the next life. Whenever he comes across one, he finds it necessary to help them cross over.

Ryland and Miles are the stars of a Ghost Hunter type reality show, and despite the fact that no one knows that Ryland and Miles both can sense ghosts in their own ways, the show is hugely successful. Things are going really well for the young men, until Miles gets a request from an old friend to help him get rid of a ghost in their hometown.

As you can imagine, things don’t go as expected, and we’re left wondering if the two boys can succeed, or if they will be drawn into a darkness so evil they may never escape.

Ryland is the ghost hunter we all wish we had in our lives. Not only can he see ghosts, but he can step out of his body, and help them cross over to be reborn.

Do I believe in reincarnation? Not so much. But I love the thought of being able to help people that can’t help themselves. And I really enjoy the idea that the crossing over part of “life” is peaceful.

Miles is the sort of optimist, though, that can get a bit annoying. He’s what I like to think I am, without being so annoying. He can see the bright side in anything, even when there’s really no bright side. So when Miles convinces Ryland to go back to their hometown to help his old friend, he doesn’t see anything wrong with it. All he sees is that they get to help someone.

Ryland sees something completely different: he sees all the trauma he went through during his childhood, because everyone thought he was creepy. Ryland not only doesn’t want to go home, but he doesn’t want to help the one person that bullied him the most. I can’t say that I blame him.

I also can’t blame Ryland for giving in to his darker side as the book moves on, because trauma reacts differently in all of us, and for someone that can see ghosts, and even manipulate them, giving in to that dark side can be dangerous.

Dark Blue is a ghost story, first and foremost, but it can also be seen a commentary on trauma, and how trauma can affect a person, even in his or her adult life. Ryland never really recovered from his trauma, so it acted out in other ways.

I completely recommend Dark Blue. If you love ghost stories, you’ll love this book, and if you prefer your scary books to be a little more psychological, you’ll enjoy this book. I loved the fact that Elliott wanted the book to be more about the ghosts of our past, rather than just throwing real ghosts at us and watching us go “AAAAAH!”

 

So, what did you think of my book review of Dark Blue by Elliott Motl? I hope you get a chance to read it, and I’d love to know your thoughts! Did you find it creepy, entertaining, or both?

Leave me a comment below with your favorite creepy book! I’ll choose one at random to read and review. No, I won’t read The Exorcist. That book gave me nightmares. I couldn’t even keep the book in my house.

So not that kind of scary. I love psychological thrillers, and books that creep me out without actually scaring me. I look forward to your recommendations!

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Until Next Time, Friends!

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