This novel had an unexpected ending which you may love or you may hate. In my case, it upset me but then I made peace with it. It is the kind of ending that will make you say to the book: are you serious? you cannot possibly do this to me!

And after all those emotions I concluded it was still worth the read.

Jessica Sloane is a 17-year old who applied for college and was informed her social security number does not belong to her. From then on we follow the main character trying to unravel the mystery of her identity. There’s also alternating timelines and point of views.

I picked up this book because I enjoyed the author’s other two books THE GOOD GIRL and DON’T YOU CRY. Just like this novel, those were absolutely engaging page-turners.

The author has a talent for writing relatable characters that make you want to root for them, at least that’s how I’ve felt about them. They have been put in difficult situations which keeps you wondering how are you going to get out of this one?

Overall, I had a good time reading this novel and recommend it to readers of thrillers, mysteries , and contemporary fiction.

Received ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

When the Lights Go Out is Mary Kubica's latest twisty suspense novel and boy does it deliver! Jessie is dealing with the impending loss of her cancer-stricken mother while also trying to handle an ongoing and possibly fatal case of insomnia. Jessie is beginning to wonder if she is who she has always thought she was but her insomnia is leading her to believe that she's seeing and hearing things that might not actually be there. As the days drag on and she becomes increasingly more exhausted it becomes hard to know what is actually happening to Jessie. And then there's the ending...that's all I'll say about that. Read and enjoy!

I recieved a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest review. I found this to be an interesting read. The change of narration worked very well for me and I found I couldn’t put it down until I finished it.

A huge thank you to Park Row books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book - all opinions are my own.

Before I started this one, I saw some other reviews, and every single one was either a hard I loved it, or a hard I hated the end. It was completely polarizing, and that intrigued me even more. I am a long time Mary Kubica fan, and so I refused to seek out any spoilers or in depth reviews, and instead jumped in blind.

And I loved it.

This will be an unpopular opinion amongst some of by favorite bookish friends, but honestly I think this book is exceptionally well done. It is fast paced, its compelling, its completely unique and it is TENSE. I could barely stand to put this down between reading sessions, as I was dying to find out what had happened.

Mary does an amazing job moving this story back and forth between Jessie Sloan's present, and her mother, Eden's past. Eden has just passed away, and Jessie is struggling tremendously - exacerbated by the fact that the college she has applied to has informed her that her social security number has raised a red flag, that she has no other family to turn to for answers, and that she is suffering from a severe bout of insomnia, leaving her uncertain of what she really knows. Eden's story is equally compelling as she moves through the early days of her marriage and her desperate struggle to have a baby - and every failure as she confronts her infertility.

Both of these characters are wildly complex, frustrating, relatable and honest. You want to simultaneously reach out to hug them or throttle them, depending on the chapter. The way Mary wove together the two narratives builds on the tension of the story, until you are just as desperate as Jessie is for the truth.

And the end is one I never, ever saw coming. Which is all I will say because a reader deserves to experience this one all on their own, without spoiler.

I will say that I continue to LOVE Mary's work - I love that a writer can still take me on a ride, surprise me and make me gasp out loud. I would absolutely recommend this one for mystery lovers!!

Thank you to net galley and The Publisher for this copy.
4.5 stars!! Wow Mary Kubica's writing has me hooked, with each book she has me wanting more and more. When the lights go out is no exception.
The story told in alternatinntiag points of view of Jessie and her mother Eden. Jessie has questions about her mothers past and the early years of her life, but her mother will not talk about it. Eden's perspective is telling that story is a slow emotional burn. I couldn't wait for her chapters! Those where some of my favorite!
Jessie sets out to find out about her life, who is her father, Where was she born, what is about her mothers past that makes her not speak of it?
I LOVED the ending! I really liked all the twists and turns, the emotions, and the slow burn of a good thriller.

Mary Kubica is one of the best authors out there right now for thrillers, so I was so excited to get a chance to read this book early (it comes out next week… and as always, I will remind you on pub day!). This is a powerful story about grief and the toll it takes on our bodies. Jessie Sloane has spent the past several years taking care of her cancer-stricken mother. When her mom passes, she is just starting out with applying to college and discovers that there is an issue with her SSN because it belongs to a dead person. She starts investigating how that could be when she is very much alive, and hits one dead end after another. She is extremely sleep deprived and starts having hallucinations about what is going on around her, but as the reader you are left wondering what is real versus imagined in her visions.

Meanwhile, in alternating chapters, we are being introduced to Eden, a woman who is happily married and struggling with fertility issues (trigger warning). This part reads like a diary as we start to figure out how Eden’s past decisions could possibly impact Jessie’s present. In typical Kubica fashion, there is a big twist at the end that you won’t see coming.

While I liked the twist and much of the premise of the book, I found the unreliable narrator a bit frustrating in this book. I am not sure if it’s because I’ve read so many in this genre or if it’s because I kept going back and forth on her reliability. I did really like the Eden diary chapters. My sister is going through fertility struggles at the moment, and I felt like reading this let me in on the inner working of her ordeal.

Thank you to Netgalley for my early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

We should get one thing straight: I love Mary Kubica. Her books are fantastic.

And I did like this book. It kept my attention, I felt for both Jessie and Eden, the other woman in the story. I kept trying to guess what was going to happen, and although I thought I'd partially figured it out I didn't figure out the whole story. I loved wondering if what Jessie was seeing was real or if it was because of her lack of sleep.

However, despite the fact that I loved most of this book, the end kind of killed it for me. Mary pulled the old bait and switch and I felt... not so much that I wasted my time but that the end somehow could have been so much better.

Sometimes I wonder if the author had the end in sight the whole time or if they just stumbled upon it, much like the reader does. For this particular book I feel like Ms. Kubica simply let this book flow out of her and then she stumbled upon the ending at the last minute.

It could have been great. And it's still worth the read. But this one was only good for me. Am I happy I read it? Sure. Is it the best book I've ever read? Not by a long shot.

Maybe I just need some sleep?

Mary Kubica's new novel, "When the Lights Go Out," deals with a topic that many people have either experienced or hope to never experience; identity theft. Right before Jesse's mom passes away, she tells her daughter to go find herself. Jesse decides to enroll in community college but is told by the school that her information belongs to a dead person. Already grief stricken and not sleeping, this new information makes things go even further south.

Guys, I was excited about this book and I really wanted to like it. The premise was interesting. I hadn't enjoyed Kubica's last two books but I was cautiously hopeful this would be good and that she would be back on my must read list. Instead, the opposite happened. I have to permanently part ways with her.

I hate a lazy ending and this was one of the laziest I have ever read. Many things that I was led to believe were essential to the book were just forgotten and the twist? It was terrible. I'm sorry but there's no other way to describe it. I felt a Jodi Picoult or Stephen King like rage build in me only worse and for a few minutes I literally looked like the anger character from Inside Out. (Side note: I actually have been known to love Jodi Picoult and Stephen King. Many of their books are amazing. But they both have quite a few bad endings in their repertoire. You know it's true.)

I'm sorry to be a negative Nancy but this didn't work for me at all. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this review copy.

I finished When The Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica last night and have been trying to get my thoughts together ever since. For 95% of this book I was captivated. Inside the mind of an insomniac is an intense place and I enjoyed reading a book with this type of unreliable narrator.

The “twist” is one I wasn’t expecting because I didn’t think authors did this to their books and their readers. Rather, I wish they didn’t. I’d like a do-over. 😩 I do have a feeling this will be divisive, some people might love how it ended. I am not one of them.

Trigger warning: infertility & miscarriages.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange of an honest review.

#netgalley #whenthelightsgoout #thriller #suspense #mystery

Fantastic writing - a little lazy on the plot development. I don't like to leave negative reviews so I won't post one for this but having the entire book be a dream and of no relevance to the "actual" plot was not a great choice.

Holy slowburn Batman! That was some serious writing and completely unpredictable twists!! Did not see that ending coming....but Kubrica managed to wrap it all up in a neat package, leaving no loose threads. I love an ending that comes together and MAKES SENSE.

This book takes the reader into the depths of self-induced crazy. If you ever watched that long ago movie called The Machinist, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Jessie has just lost her mother to Cancer. In the throes of grief, she develops a severe case of insomnia. As days pass with no sleep, she starts to piece together secrets about herself that her mother kept hidden and experience strange events that don’t add up. Is it real or just her hallucinations? Jessie’s present day perspective alternates with Eden’s past perspective to weave a thriller full of deceit and unspoken truths. How do these two perspectives intertwine? Well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out!

Absolutely riveting and suspenseful. It was a page turner for sure. The descriptions immaculate to the point I felt I was there with the characters, feeling what they felt. There was a surprisingly emotional component to this story that I wasn’t expecting. If you’re looking for a psychological thriller that slowly winds it way along with a strong dose of suspense and pulls at the heart strings, this is your book!

A huge thank you to Harlequin - Hanover Square Press and Mary Kubica for a reader’s copy. This was a delightful book to read and review.

I know that readers will have a lot to say about this book - there’s a twist in the third act that you’ll either love or hate. Regardless of your opinion on the twist (though I’m of the mindset that it wasn’t altogether bad), you can’t deny that Mary Kubica is a talented writer. With the over saturation of the book club market with these dime-a-dozen women’s thrillers, Ms. Kubica’s prose does set her apart. Ultimately, though, the book just wasn’t enough for me.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Who am I? Is everything I thought I knew about myself a lie? Is this all in my head? Am I going crazy? These are the thoughts that plague Jessie, who lost her mother to breast cancer and is trying to start anew. A red flag comes up in a background check and sends Jessie on a quest to unravel her tangled life before her mind unravels. The story jumps back and forth between present time and 20 years earlier and leaves you guessing as to what is real until the twist at the end! Pay close attention to the details or you'll miss it!
Thank you to Mary Kubica, Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC of this great book!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I found this book very intriguing even when I was confused as to what was real and not I loved that ending.

One of things I like best about Ms Kubica's books is the setting-

Usually, Chicago (area) based - and being from the area, I have to say , I love it.

Plus, with this new novel, Ms Kubica features Door County, Wisconsin, one of my very places to vacation too.

I've gone off topic some...

So okay, like previous novels, When the Lights Go Out, has quite a bit, pay attention or you'll miss it, going on and along with the dual story lines. This all makes for a compelling read.

I still don't know quite how I feel about certain points, and to say more would ruin things...however I still highly recommend this book.

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A haunting nightmare of a tale which pushes the boundaries of what is real and what is in your head.

WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT is the story of Jessie Sloane and her battle with insomnia which was brought on after the diagnosis of her mother's cancer. The veil between what is real and not is constantly being tested throughout this book. With expert storytelling, Kubica sends us all down the rabbit hole with Jessie.

I will be honest. After reading two previous books by the author, this one is not my favorite. However, there is a level of foreboding and overall eeriness which propelled me through the story. I enjoyed being in the forever foggy dream-like state Jessie seemed to be in throughout the book. As the reader, I was questioning everything she saw and thought because she truly was an unreliable narrator.

By bringing insomnia into the narrative and using it the way she does, the author pushes the limits of reality. This is where the beauty and the creepiness of the tale are based. It allows for twists, turns, and the careful placement of hints to tease the reader. Because of this, you really can deny Kubica's talent in weaving together a story which will grab you and leave you saying what just happened.

Mary Kubica is a master suspense writer. I love her books. I have to say, this was my least favorite so far. I appreciated the story and connected with the characters; I could feel their emotions. For someone with anxiety, this was a brilliant portrayal of what your mind goes through when you are anxious and sleep deprived.

I did find the story dragging in the middle and became confused but not enough to go back and re-read, it was almost like I didn't care enough. I wanted to just get to the end.

Speaking of the end, wow... what a twist! While this was a good book and worth the read, I felt the ending could have been more detailed (after the shocking twist) and more closure would have made me like the book better. I felt like for how much detail was in the rest of the book and the slow burn leading to the powerful twist, the ending then fell short. I wanted to know about the future.

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Having read reviews prior to diving in I knew there was going to be a huge climax that I either loved or hated. Unfortunately for me it was the latter... great read up until the last couple pages where it seemed Mary gave up or took the easy route. Still a good read but could’ve been great.

I would like to thank Hanover Square Press for access to review this Advanced Reader Copy through NetGalley! This review is on my blog (listed on my bio) and Goodreads, and it will be discussed on my YouTube channel, Bohanan Babbles.

MY RATING: 3 STARS

OVERALL: BEAUTIFUL, HAUNTING WRITING STYLE… BUT THAT ENDING KILLED IT.

A Synopsis: Jessie’s mother is dying of cancer. Racked with insomnia and grief, Jessie attempts to find a normal life again. She applies to college and moves out of the only home she has ever known. But that’s when the college tells her that there is something “odd” with her social security number. Jessie is slowly pulled into a bizarre sequence of events, all of which are made worse by the effects of her insomnia.But there may be another woman who is the key to finding out what is happening to Jessie.

My Thoughts: This story had such potential. I seriously was devouring this book. Jessie was such a sad, vulnerable character, and I really felt worried for her. She is thrown into this unknown at the worst time possible, especially while grief and insomnia haunt her day and night. I also really enjoyed Eden’s POV, even though I was a little concerned with how her character was portrayed.

HOWEVER. The ending killed the rating for me. I was not a fan of the ending, but that may just be a thing with me personally. I know this will reach a certain crowd, and they will love it! Fans of Girl on the Train and The Couple Next Door may find this to be a new favorite.

Mary Kubica is the Queen of shocking Epilogues! It's not like you won't be sucked in from page one...because you will, but her knack for delivering a final 1-2 punch is crazy awesome! 
Getting to know Jessie through her life experiences in dealing with her mother's death will leave you heartbroken. The love Jessie feels explodes off the pages as Kubica describes the undying loyalty Jessie feels in the aftermath of losing her mother to cancer. Jessie's questions about her past will become your questions... her insomnia, frustration, & confusion will also make you feel like you're going crazy as you'll no doubt be up all night reading this book!
And the ending... you'll have to go back and reread it for its mind blowing qualities! Loved loved loved this book! Epilogue hangover! 
We are forever Mary Kubica fans and have not read a book we didn't absolutely love! Visit our blog and click on author Q&A's for the interview we did with the most talented author, Mary Kubica! 
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ +++