Summary:
Beth is house/pet sitting and ends up at the neighbor, Mikes house. They drink a lot of champagne and end up in bed together. That night, Beth has what she thinks is a weird dream and Mike watches a meteor shower. The next morning they find they don’t have electricity, so they decide (along with the dog Jake) to take a drive to the beach to see if they can find more of the “meteorites,” only to get stranded and then that is when the real horror begins.

Review:
I loved that this book was told from the POV of both Beth and Mike. Both of the main characters were flawed, but likable, and I was rooting for them throughout the book. The book was fast paced, and it definitely something I can see being a movie.

The nitty-gritty: Relentless pacing and a unique apocalyptic event make Black Tide a standout horror debut.

Just in time for summer beach season, Black Tide is a nail-biter of a thriller that will assure you’ll never want to step foot on a beach again. Jones’ tale is a creepy and often terrifying survival story with cosmic horror influences, and I had an absolute blast with it. Not only is it entertaining, but there’s also quite a bit of depth to the characters and even a bit of humor. This is K.C. Jones’ debut, and I was very impressed!

Beth is housesitting on the Oregon coast when she meets next door neighbor Mike, a movie producer who is celebrating the completion of his latest project. The two hook up after a few too many bottles of champagne, but during the night, everything goes to hell when a meteor shower ushers in an apocalyptic nightmare. At first, Mike is puzzled by the odd “meteor” he finds after an early morning walk. When he shows it to Beth, they decide to pack a picnic and go to the beach to see what else the cosmic event has left behind.

Along with Jake, the yellow lab that Beth is taking care of, they pile into Mike’s Subaru and drive down to the beach. But once they arrive, it’s clear that something isn’t quite right. Other people are there milling about and looking worried. The skies are full of weird, dark clouds, and the beach is covered with round bowling ball-like objects, just like the one Mike found. No one can get a cell phone signal, and even Jake seems nervous about something. When the police arrive and tell everyone to go home, Mike and Beth discover that their car key is missing. Something monstrous has arrived with the meteor shower, and now Mike, Beth and Jake are trapped in their car, with no way to leave. 

Black Tide was one of the scariest books I’ve read in a long time, and I was so worried for the characters that at times I had to skip to the end of the chapter to make sure everyone was ok, it was so stressful! The tension is so well done and the pacing was near perfect. There’s a bit of set-up in the beginning when we’re introduced to Mike and Beth, but it doesn’t take long for the action to pick up as the author immediately throws his characters into the deep end—so to speak. I won’t go into too much detail about what they find on the beach, but I will say the creatures they come up against are strange and otherworldly and pretty damn scary. Jones gives us just enough description but also holds back a little, so that each reader will draw their own conclusions about what these nightmares look like.

I also thought the setting was perfect. I’m not familiar with the Oregon coast, but the beach in the story has large sand dunes, which the author uses to his advantage to ramp up the tension. I also loved the way the characters slowly come to the realization that they’re trapped. At first it’s just a normal day at the beach, but little by little threats pop up and before you know it, Mike and Beth are wondering whether they’ll actually survive the day. This creeping terror is so well done, and the author throws in small events that show the threat isn’t just confined to the beach, but it could be everywhere. And I loved the explanation of why it all happened, it was pretty cool.

The characters are great too. Jones gives both Mike and Beth interesting backstories (and past traumas) that come into play during the story. Mike is mourning a loss, and Beth is still trying to come to terms with the toxic relationship with her mother, who called Beth a “human car wreck” throughout her childhood years. At thirty-three, Beth has fully embraced that moniker and can’t seem to get beyond it. The dialog between the two felt authentic as well. Beth has a mean streak and isn’t very nice to Mike at times, but I thought it worked. They’re basically strangers thrown into a terrible situation, forced to work together to stay alive, and the tension between them was fantastic.

I did have a couple of negatives, though. First, you all know I’m a big dog lover, and word of warning: things do not go well for poor Jake. I really didn’t like the way the author handled his scenes, and at one point I almost threw the book against the wall. It took me days to calm down and write this review, so sensitive dog people, do beware. I also didn’t care for the ending. A new character is introduced late in the story and it wasn’t my favorite plot twist (although other readers will probably enjoy it). And the ending is rather vague and even leaves the possibility for a sequel, although I don’t think that was the author’s intention.

But aside from these things, I can’t stress enough how much fun I had with this book. If you’re looking for an edge-of-your-seat survival story with otherworldly creatures, Black Tide is hard to beat.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

Real Rating: 2.5 / 5 Stars

What’s unfortunate is this book had a lot of great potential but not enough follow-through, and what was turned out is something lesser than it should have been ruined by a deus ex machina way to resolve the plot.

There was something about this book and its weird, dimension-colliding, apocalyptic plot I kept hoping would amp me up and draw me in as I kept reading. I kept hoping to fall in love with the characters, or to be horrified by the descriptions and imagery the author was trying to paint with words across the page, but somehow the words never came close to inspiring the horror they aspired to.

It’s like the book was, in a way, not baked well enough. It just wasn’t done in a way you expect a finished and polished horror novel to be.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and Tor Nightfire for early access to this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Due to personal policy, this review will not be posted on social media or on bookseller websites owing to the 3 star or lower rating.

This is my kind of Sci-Fi horror!! Loved it, but I do have to knock it down a star for some of the cheesier moments and the one part that happened at the end, why must we keep doing this in horror!!!! (If you know you know, I don’t want to spoil anything). Either way, solid story and I’d definitely read more from this author!

Black Tide is a thrilling adventure of a book that will keep you flipping pages. The comparisons to Cujo and a Quiet Place are what drew me in, but as others have pointed out if you’re a fan of Stephen King’s The Mist you will enjoy this as well. I really had fun reading this and once I kind of knew what was happening I easily finished it in two sittings.

This book was incredibly atmospheric and though the setting is quite limited/simple, the author spares no attention to detail and really makes you feel like you are on the beach with Beth and Mike. At times it was a bit claustrophobic sitting in that car with our main characters which just adds to the urgency of the story. I loved the ambiguity of not knowing what exactly has happened and who the bad guy/monsters are. This was a very strong debut and the author did a great job of blending science fiction and horror. The only part I didn’t totally love/believe was the love story (though now that I think about it - what would I want to be doing while the world is ending?).

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for an advance copy. I can’t wait to check out what’s next from this author.

I have to admit the synopsis got me intrigued and then I disappeared and sat on it for a hot minute. Once I finally picked it up it was a decent one! This read pretty quickly and the writing kept me engaged so plus plus for that! I don't know if I would say Cujo on this one, but I can definitely see the whole The Quiet Place meets Bird Box creepy horror spin mix. Think creatures, aliens, sci-fi horror stuff which usually isn't my thing but it was done well.

So the story: you meet Beth who is a hot mess express wandering around in life and trying to change it up for the better. She meets neighbor Mike, bangs it out, and then the world turns to chaos more or less. You feel the tension, dread, claustrophobia as expected; the inner fight of the characters appear, tadaaa the end. Ok, so not as simple it was written well but it just all felt cliché?

Overall it was a fun read and I enjoyed taking a different turn into this genre. 3.5 solid stars.

Thank you Macmillan and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This action-packed creature feature delivers just what I order in a sci-fi horror. The story takes place in one day which made it difficult for me to put down. I liked the cast of characters and the suspense building. A nice debut for K.C. Jones. Highly recommended for horror fans.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge Nightfire, and K.C. Jones for the electronic ARC.
#NetGalley #BlackTide

4.5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2022/06/02/black-tide-by-kc-jones/
My Five Word TL:DR Review: I couldn’t put it down

Black Tide was a great read for me. It pulled me in very quickly and had me turning the pages so fast that I read it in almost record breaking time. The writing was snappy and the tension was cranked up. A quick one night stand turns into the strangest survival story. This is a slice of life, snapshot of a story that literally takes place at the beach and is packed with horror and nightmare ish creatures.

Okay, so this will probably be a short review because I don’t want to give away too much. All I can say is that this story grabbed my attention much more effectively than I expected. The writing was great and I have to say I really enjoyed the characters – not that they didn’t occasionally frustrate me or make me want to shake them – but I liked them. And the creatures – Jones – what the heck? I mean, this book is touted as ‘Cujo meets A Quiet Place’ – well, I’m not qualified to endorse that description *ahem, not read them (**coughs**, yet)*. For me this started out with Day of the Triffid vibes and quickly descended into something equally hideous and scary. Think Little Shop of Horrors – except not, think some weird Lovecraft-Cosmic style horror – but not, think of your basic tentacled nightmare, think some kind of weird, Predator style, rabid critters, think of much worse. Basically, horrible monsters doing what comes naturally. It’s enough to put anyone off stepping foot on a beach ever again – except, let’s be honest, the nightmares are not restricted to the beach so basically be very afraid.

The plot is fairly basic tbh but don’t let that fool you. We have two characters, both nursing their own ‘hurts’ who meet, drink, get merry and have a what-was-intended-to-only-be-a-one-night-stand. The universe had other plans. During the night, what can only be described as an apocalyptic event, takes place. Unaware of the terrors that now lurk almost everywhere, the two go ‘meteor’ spotting at the beach, as you do. To say that they’re staggeringly unprepared is perhaps the understatement of the century and yet it is this lack of knowledge and pre-planning that leads to such a punchy story.

In a nutshell the two (and their dog) end up quite literally between the devil and the deep blue sea! Except it’s not the devil but a number of hideous and aggressive creatures, the likes of which have never been seen before, that have them trapped on the beach. Infested dunes on one side, rising tide on the other (Clouds to the left of me Oceans to the right, here they are, stuck in the middle with who? Sorry).

As I said, I liked the characters. Beth is very self deprecating. I’m not going to quote her directly but she basically says that the world needs a hero and instead it got her, and she knows for a fact that she’s going to screw things up. Except, at the end of the day, the basic will to survive is strong. Mike, the alternate POV, has given up. Life has thrown him some bitter lemons and he doesn’t like the taste. He’s about ready to quit but meeting Beth is the pick him up that he didn’t foresee. The two are not the greatest heros. They’re, well, much like I would be, unprepared, lacking in survival skills and a bit bungling. Similarly, they stumble upon things as they go along. It’s actually an element to the story that I really like because seriously, how many people would be similarly unprepared. I know I would be overwhelmingly useless.

I enjoyed the setting, which is a real testament when you consider we spend almost the entire book trapped at the beach. I guess you could call this a ‘locked room’ horror. Yep, those lovely dunes with the long grass blowing gently in the breeze will hold such menace after reading this. Also, can I just mention clouds that aren’t clouds. Going to leave that right there as a little tease.

In terms of criticisms. Okay, I had very little, right up to the end that is. Firstly, for all the dog lovers out there. Meet Jake. Loyal and loving and, like plenty of fictional dogs before him, highly alert to the presence of strange, supernatural or alien like critters. He’s really the hero of the piece. I don’t want to give away spoilers BUT, slight spoiler alert, I’m not sure what happens to Jake at the conclusion. He could have met a hideous ending, he could have run away. I simply don’t know. So, half of me wants to shake my fist at the author and say ‘why, just why’ whilst the other half wants to say ‘there’s still hope, right? And the remaining 10% (maths was never my strong point) thinks, realistically, there was always going to be casualties. Long story short, I don’t know what happened so I’ve got my own ‘happily ever after’ ending running through my head. Which brings me to the other slight reservation – this ends on a note that could either suggest (1) scope for another instalment (looks hopefully at the author and publisher??) (2) the author decided to leave things open ended so the reader could fill in the blanks, or (c) the author couldn’t decide whether to go for the grisly, and possibly realistic, finish or not.

If you fancy a horror fueled day at the beach with unnamable creatures, pages that you can’t turn fast enough, ups and downs aplenty and a cinematic quality story that you can’t put down in spite of what might be a slightly bitter sweet ending, or not, then here you go.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

I liked this one. The fact that this blends science fiction with horror it was quite a ride. Entertaining, and thought inducing. One character wanting an out from the life until the end of the world comes, and then you have to rethink everything. The plot was great. There were a couple places where I was confused with the movements and placements of things and people. I think this would be a great movie to watch.

Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.

I got sci-fi vibes with a touch of horror and not the other way around. It worked, for the most part.

This is an apocalyptic, fast paced and completely thrilling! Beth and Mike are strangers when the unthinkable happens and they are forced to fight for their lives. It was a lot more character driven than I anticipated. I think this wasn't intentional and being the case I was left wanting more from the plot. That said though, I still thought it was tense and scary in some places with the creatures.

So much happens in such a short time! I felt like it was over so quickly. Two different pov and with the audio there were two narrators. They absolutely nailed this for me! I have been listening to enhance my reading and so far I have not regretted it.

Sensitive animal subjects in this one - trigger warning for anyone that leans away from this.

Thank you so much to @tornightfire, @macmillanaudio, @netgalley and K.C. Jones for the review copies!

Just another day at the beach becomes just another nightmare!

Mike and Beth met when she noticed him drinking champagne in his backyard. Beth was dog/house sitting next door. After a one-night stand, they both experience what they think is a cosmic light show complete with meteors.

Soon they are stranded on the coast, trapped with Jake (the dog Beth is dog sitting), in a car. They have lost the car keys, and no one is answering their calls. They desperately need help, but as the horrors continue to come, they need to find strength in themselves, faith in each other, and find a way to survive.

First off, Jake is awesome! That four-legged fella stole the show, hands down! Secondly, you may find yourself trapped within the pages of this book. This does have a Bird Box type feel to it, but there are BIG differences as well.

There is something horribly wrong happening. But what is it? How did this happen? How do you explain the unexplainable? How do you fight to survive against what your mind cannot comprehend?

This one is creepy and full of tension. I enjoyed how the plot played out. It had me anxious and wondering just what was going to happen next.

Hard to put down, creepy and tense.


3.5 stars

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat - I was mildly interested in what might develop between Mike and Beth...until they got to the beach and the world went crazy! Just when I thought I knew what was coming next, something completely unexpected happened.

I've seen references to Cujo, but it reminded me more of The Mist, the way these creatures sort of came out of nowhere and were not anything you'd ever seen on earth before. The Mist is one of my favorite of King's short stories, so Black Tide was right up my alley.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Black Tide begins with a romance that quickly turns into an apocalyptic horror tale.

Beth and Mike meet over their garden wall and quickly get drunk together. When Beth wakes up alone in Mike’s bed, she has dreamed of an alien invasion. However, it turns out it is not just a dream but a real-life nightmare. Something has fallen from the sky along with what appears to be meteorites. Mike and Beth, along with Jake the dog that Beth is dog sitting, try to discover what is happening in this adrenaline-fueled thriller.

Do you love action movies like Transformers where the action doesn’t stop for anything—including plotting and character development? Black Tide excels at action. It has only one speed, pedal-to-the-medal drag race fast and the braking parachute is obviously ripped. It is exhausting after a while. Personally, I like more plot-based horror, but I can see that this style would appeal to many readers. 3 stars.

Thanks to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

I love Stephen King books so I was pulled in when this one was compared to his writing. I can certainly see it. I enjoyed this horror novel and I certainly say don't you dare read this at night!

Black Tide is my idea of sci-fi perfection! It is whiplash fast and action packed and for the win? The horror element is the cat’s ass; terrifying and just descriptive enough to haunt my nightmares.

The characters are each flawed and multifaceted and I must admit, I’m a sucker for the whole wounded souls/opposites attract setting especially in a traumatic situation. Another thing that fascinates me is the end of the world scenario – dystopian settings are my jam and I’m never more intrigued than I am by the how of things. Like, just how did civilization mess things up to get this way? Or what caused the beginning of the end? In this case, though? Hang on to your seats because it’s a wild one, to be sure.

This is really a short book with a lot packed in and it was easy to finish in just a few hours. Absorbing and entertaining, this is a fantastic read for any fan of the genre!

My thanks to @TorNightfire for this gifted DRC.

Creepy, fun, fast paced apocalyptic book. I couldn't put this one down. It's a nice change from the normal oversaturated market zombie apocalypse books. Mike and Beth are an unlikely couple but I loved seeing how they went from acquaintances to survival partners. This reminds me a little of The Mist and A Quiet Place. All in all, this is a good sci-fi read. You'll enjoy the time you spend with the characters.

Something tells me I am going to be up until 2am just pondering the wild ride that is Black Tide.

Being described as a hybrid of The Quiet Place and Cujo was very accurate and will get your heart pounding.

This is one of those books that takes place within 2 days but feels like a lifetime with just how much takes place within the time frame.

The dual POV of the Beth who is sarcastic, funny, and just trying to get her life together with temporary neighbor Mike who is ready to end it all. Their chemistry just works and bring so much more to the table outside of your typical surviving the end of the world Dystopian novel.

This was on the short side but for the plot it was Definitely the perfect length. I wouldn't be surprised to see this adapted to film. The book reads very much like a film. I cannot wait to see what KC Jones comes out with next and will most certainly be on my radar!

BLACK TIDE by K.C. Jones
Publication Date: May 31, 2022 by Macmillan - Tor - Forge (Nightfire)


A cinematic slice of life and death on a coastal beach of Oregon brimming with tension, horror , anxiety and dread. Our main two protagonists, Mike and Beth, are deeply troubled and flawed characters. Beth, by her own admission is a “hot mess” … seemingly always set up for failure. She is consumed by bad decisions and behavior . Her life without true purpose and goals has come down to housesitting for her subsistence. Mike is a has been Hollywood producer, mourning and grieving for the loss of wife a year ago …. admittedly he acknowledges his failure as a husband and partner. A year ago she went for a walk on the beach, and never came back … most likely finding her solution in the depths of the ocean.
Looking through her Nikon camera, Beth spots Mike over the fence wallowing his grief with champaign in a Solo cup. He appears disheveled with a scruffy beard and uncombed hair, and eyes that are noticeably red and glassy…. probably from crying. Beth takes the initiative and introduces herself over the fence, and invites herself to sharing the champaign.
One thing leads to another with both falling into bed in a drunken and uninhibited state. Mike awakens in the night and decides to end his pain by taking a long and final walk into the ocean.
He feels it was good to make a final connection with another human. As he traipses into the unforgiving ocean his plans are rudely short circuited. Overhead the skies light up with streaking lights and flashes and booming sounds and incredible crashes of bowling ball size objects plunging into the water. Up the beach, bright flashes occur followed by sounds like the earth is splitting in two. Then a sudden darkness occurs accompanied by a stench flowing through a breeze, with the foulness of rotten eggs. He returns to the beach house and awakens Beth, who awakens from a nightmare of sounds and images. They climb into his SUV with the aim of exploring the cause and results of these cataclysmic events.
They find an isolated pocket of people on the beach awaiting an incoming boat to hopefully sweep them to safety. Everyone is terrified and suspects an apocalyptic event with the invasion of multiple types of horrific entities. Mike and Beth scramble back into the Subaru , just as it receives a barrage of shrieking rage by invisible forces that dent and rock the vehicle.
(Beth calls them “streakers”). They note the “bowling ball” objects on the beach are sprouting virulent and twisted vines …. seeking out to encompass and ensnare any passing object. What originally sounds like helicopters in the sky, turns out to be an incomprehensible mass of of colors in a cloud-like formation with jellyfish tendrils, hanging down like long strands of spaghetti searching to grab onto anything in its path (“cloudfish”). The air was filled with tiny husks drifting downward like snow. All of the strange creatures did not present a united front, with some opposing the others. There were groups of other blob-like creatures that when they opened their mouths, visible were rows of needle-like teeth and instead of a tongue, there was a worm-like thing that shot outward.
K.C. Jones crafts a masterful tableau of horror and impending doom and dread. Tension and anxiety inexorably escalates as Mike and Beth are trapped in their vehicle, as they are being pummeled by a multiplicity of horrors as the tide continues to raise…. they have lost the keys somewhere in the surrounding sand. Explored are the changing relationships between Beth and Mike, as they battle insurmountable terror and the developing need for resilience and innovation to survive. World building and characterization are superb and viscerally propel the narrative to an exhilarating denouement. I would anticipate this becoming a hit feature for the big screen.
Thanks to NetGalley and Nightfire for supplying an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. This debut for K.C. Jones will most likely be followed by a string of similar visceral expositions.

4.5 Stars

"I've always found sunsets to be rather melancholy," Mike says.
"You? Shocking. Why?"
"They're reminders that no matter what, inevitably, our day will come to an end too. No matter who we are, how we spent every hour, lived every second, eventually night will fall and that black tide will wash over every one of us just the same. And tomorrow the sands will be scrubbed clean, as if we were never here at all."

K.C. Jones' debut novel "Black Tide" was such a wild ride, I had a blast listening to this - if you've been looking for something in the vein of "A Quiet Place", you've got to put this on your radar!

Jones' writing was phenomenal, I can't believe this is a debut! This was a very character-driven story, one that takes place in the same setting for a good 90% of the book, but Jones' pacing was perfection - you get just the right amount of introduction & setup before all hell breaks loose. I loved Beth & Mike, both very complex protagonists haunted by their own demons, & Jake, easily one of the best fictional canine heroes I've come across. (view spoiler) For such a contained story (& one full of nightmarish creatures & quite a few other surprises), this had a lot to say - about life, our pasts & how they shape our present selves, grief, letting go of guilt; this was really poignant at times, even making me misty eyed on more than one occasion. & speaking of the creatures, I thought Jones did a fantastic job describing everything - when I tell ya'll my skin was crawling, I can't stand bugs of any kind! I'm not too squeamish, but this definitely gets gory & gross, so be sure keep that in mind if that's not your cup of tea! & I have to give it up for both of our narrators, they did such an amazing job of selling the story, there were so, so many times when I was on the edge of my seat.

All in all, this was exactly what I was looking for (& then some), there's nothing like a good creature feature to kick off the summer - I can't wait to see what Jones comes up with next! & thank you so much K.C. Jones, NetGalley, & Tor Nightfire for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review!

The synopsis's description of Black Tide as "cinematic" is spot on, because after finishing this, my first thought was "okay this needs to be a movie!" It was quite a ride, that is for sure, and one that I never wanted to put down.

We are introduced to Beth, who basically is a whole mess of a person. She's housesitting in a coastal Oregon town, and finds neighbor Mike sitting in his yard. They spend a night together, and that is when things start to go awry. They head to the beach to try to figure out what the heck happened during the prior night's meteor storm, and find themselves helplessly stranded, and at the mercy of some unknown entities.

The bulk of the story takes place during the day they are stranded. It's just Beth, Mike, and the dog she's watching, trying to figure out how to get back off the beach. They encounter a few people along the way, all of whom are trying just as desperately to get out of dodge. They try to board a boat, but who knows if this will keep them safe. Beth and Mike still have no idea what they're up against- the most they can surmise is that some sort of creature is snatching people from literally everywhere and they're goners. They finally see a police officer get taken, and they know it's no joke.

While things seem hopeless, Beth and Mike are scrappy enough to keep on trying. And while they do, we learn a lot more about them as characters, which also really made me hope they'd make it out safely even more. They seem like such realistic and flawed characters, which makes their plight even more relatable- any reader could picture themselves, complete with baggage and inadequacies, trying their best to survive despite having no discernable survival skills other than the sheer will to live.

It's a very tense and exciting book, and the more I read about Beth and Mike, the more desperate I was to survive. There are a couple of great twists that increased the stakes a lot, which I loved too. I may have wanted a few more answers at the end, but it was also really appropriate for the vibe of the story as a whole. That said, I would absolutely love to read more stories set in this world, because it was quite fabulous!

Bottom Line: High stakes, great characters, a chilling apocalypse... yep, this was my kind of story