Unfortunately I think this is another classic case of a book being desperately mismarketed. The first 40% of the story was entertaining and suspenseful, but once I became privy to what was happening, it completely lost its luster. I was only really interested in one side of the story, and once I found out the "big twist" I just felt yucky. And that ending was not for me. I won't let it deter me from reading something else by Lisa Stone in the future, but I hope her next novel has a synopsis more fitting to what actually happens.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper360, and Lisa Stone for the opportunity to review an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is indeed an unusual book. I was initially drawn in by the cover, the setting, and the plot summary. The book begins with the usual thriller feeling of a young woman who is staying alone in a remote cottage in the country and strange happenings begin to occur. I was buckling myself in for a good ghost story or maybe a scary killer. Then the book goes into a bizarre area of medical drama that is unexpected and a bit far fetched. I was still with the story and did finish the book, but it was more like science fiction or tabloid fodder than what I had initially expected. Just a bit too weird for me. Nonetheless, it is well written and has good characters and a great setting, so many will enjoy it I am sure. Thanks for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free e-copy of this book. The opinions expressed in my review are honest.

This book started out great. It definitely gave me all the creepy and suspenseful vibes. It actually felt at times as if I was reading 2 completely different stories but as the book progressed it became clear how everything tied together. I was able to figure out one major part of the story well before it was revealed.

Knowing that this story was inspired by real events was very creepy.

A good quick read.

I honestly didn't care for this book. The first half wasn't so bad, but it got worse farther into it. It wasn't creepy or scary it was just annoying and kind of weird.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from netgalley.

The description of this book makes you think it's just about some girl in a creepy house...which it is...but it is SO MIUCH MORE.

There are multiple stories going on simultaneously that seem to be random and not connected....but are they?

I would have NEVER expected what happened in this book in a million years. It was definitely far fetched, but Lisa Stone has a way of sucking you in and not letting go! I could not stop reading this and finished in less than 24 hours.

Thank you so much Netgalley for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This one kept me turning pages WAY too late at night! There are nighttime intruders in the garden of the cottage that Jan is renting. Who are they and what do they want??? Jan sets out to find out and stirs up a lot of secrets in the small village. Loved this!

Excellent story! Totally engrossing!. Looking forward to reading more by this author! Could not put this down!

Reading Between the Wines book review #106/115 for 2021:
Rating: 3 1/2 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: The Cottage
Author: Lisa Stone
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
RELEASES on November 09, 2021!!!

Sipping thoughts: A cottage in the woods that is secluded. Perfect for an isolated vacation with no one to mess with you…that is until someone or something keeps making an appearance. Because it is late at night it is very scary and threatening. The Cottage is like Wayward Pines meets Hansel and Gretel. The storyline is very unique and is clear what is going on in the woods very early on. But the interesting thing is trying to find out how it happened and why. I really enjoyed reading this book as it was very different than the books I’ve read recently but still includes the mystery and thriller(ish) aspect.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @Harper360 for an advanced copy of @TheCottage.

#TheCottage #LisaStone #Harper30 #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

What I liked about this book is the spooked out vibe I got. Like something weird was up, and I didn't know how it all tied together, and it was getting weirder, building in suspense. Now, the big reveal was odd and I never would have suspected. It almost even pulled me out of the mood I was in. But then the author did one last turn to really mess with me! I liked it and felt like it was a great fall read, especially around Halloween.

This wasn't really what I was expecting, but still intrigued my interest enough to have held my interest. I enjoyed the build up of both intertwining stories and was kept guessing until the end. Unfortunately, while the premise was most definitely original, the ending seemed somewhat far fetched and therefore a bit disappointing. I still enjoyed the read, just wasn't my absolute favorite. A good suspense read for October spooky season.

There have been times when, at night, I have been home, alone except for my dog, who is sleeping soundly on the couch. She suddenly wakes up and runs to the window, hackles bristling. It's unnerving, to say the least. That is how The Cottage starts and it's effective for creating the atmosphere of dread.

Jan, who has lost her job and her boyfriend, takes an inexpensive lease on a house in the woods outside a remote village. At night, she starts hearing things outside the house. At first, she thinks animals are coming to the cottage from the woods, but soon she isn't so sure. A second plot concerns a couple who just suffered a stillbirth.

I enjoyed The Cottage but was expecting more horror, especially given the beginning of the book. Also, I figured out the major outcome of the book about half way through, because the plot felt about 20 years old. I can't write much more than that without spoiling.

This was an average thriller that started out promising but couldn't maintain that level of dread.

I liked this book. It had a little creepiness to it. Not too much, but enough to keep you freaked out a bit and turning those pages to see what happens next. While parts of it were predictable, it still delivered some surprises I didn't see coming. I haven't read Lisa Stone before but she's one who will definitely spark my interest in the future!
Thank you to Harper 360/HarperCollins for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Mystery, suspense and horror combine to make The Cottage a page turner you won’t want to read alone in the dark. Jan Hamlin’s long term boyfriend broke up with her the same week that she lost her job. Determined to start over, she finds a short term rental in a deeply wooded area near the village of Merryless. It’s cozy, charming - there’s even a dog to keep her company - until nighttime when someone or something begins to scurry around the yard, coming dangerously close to the house. Jan’s story alternates with that of Ian and Emma Jennings, a young couple who second pregnancy ends like their first with the birth of a stillborn, deformed baby. As Emma reels from grief, Ian tries to understand what went wrong.

These separate stories will eventually connect in a twisted conclusion but not before you’ve closed all the curtains and turned on the outside lights. The Cottage is a well written thriller. Tension builds slowly and the forest setting is creepy. Clues abound and you may be able to make some guesses but the final shocker will be a surprise. 5 stars.

Thank yo to NetGalley, Harper 360 and Lisa Stone for this ARC.

"The gripping new thriller with a difference from internationally bestselling author Lisa Stone.

An isolated cottage...
After losing her job and boyfriend, Jan Hamlin is in desperate need of a fresh start. So she jumps at the chance to rent a secluded cottage on the edge of Coleshaw Woods.

A tap at the window...
Very quickly though, things take a dark turn. At night, Jan hears strange noises, and faint taps at the window. Something, or someone, is out there.

A forest that hides many secrets...
Jan refuses to be scared off. But whoever is outside isn't going away, and it soon becomes clear that the nightmare is only just beginning."

What is in the woods!?!

The Cottage by Lisa Stone

Wow, this was a bizarre mystery novel. This book follows two different story lines. In the first, Jan is a woman who lost her job and her boyfriend and decided to rent a cottage on the edge of the deepest part of Coleshaw Woods. Jan enjoys her stay with the resident pup until they start hearing noises at night and are terrorized by some sort of creature(s) in the woods. In the second story line, we follow Ian and his wife who are dealing with a pregnancy loss that was handled by midwife Anne. Without giving away the ending, I will say that the two story lines come crashing together culminating in an unexpected twist and a satisfying ending. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and finished it in three nights. Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review.

I have a hard time describing this novel as anything other than strange. I was able to guess where the plot was going pretty earlier on which was a disappointment. The book was not bad but again just a strange book. I am willing to give Lisa Stone another chance with a different book.

The description of this book and the actual plot did not match up enough to meet my expectations of the book. While I had been thinking I was going to read a paranormal horror story it ended up being more of a mystery. It did not take place entirely at the isolated cottage and instead bounced around with different characters. I did not hate the plot that ended up happening but since it wasn't what I had gone into the book wanting to read it did not have the same impact it may have had I known what I was in for. I also think there should have been a warning for the incest plot (even if it wasn't intentional incest it was still weird). The dialogue of the book also needed some work as it felt forced for most of the book. It didn't seem like a conversation that would naturally occur. In the end I don't feel like I wasted my time reading the book but I am not sure if I would recommend it to others either.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing an ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. A woman is staying in a cottage for a short period of time, a sublet in a curious close knit community. It isn’t long before she starts hearing and seeing strange things in the backyard. When she expresses concern the community brushes her off. When she finds proof, it disappears. What exactly is going on and why does everyone want to hide it? I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book went in a completely different direction then I thought after reading the first chapter. I thought I was going to get a scary cabin in the woods that may or may not be haunted kind of story. What it ended up being (without giving away the twist) was wayyyy different. Jan rents a cottage in the woods and at night has some creepy visitors. This village also has babies born prematurely and going missing.

I was definitely horrified reading this book but more from disgust of what was happening then pulse pounding thrills. An easy read but not light.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Jan needs a reset after losing her boyfriend and her job. She rents a small cottage with one caveat: she must dogsit the owner's dog. Strange things begin happening almost immediately, from creepy noises to the dog's strange behavior. Just what is happening in the woods behind the cabin?

This was a quick read. it was engaging if not pulse-pounding or shocking. It's definitely a nice, easy read if you're looking for that.