I just never found myself wanting to pick up this book so in the end grabbed the audio but even that couldn't keep me in it. I was just tired. Too much was going on and I can only suspend my disbelief so far in a book that as far as I could tell is meant to be based in reality??

There is so much going on here. It started out promising but ended up being a big ol' DNF about 60% of the way in. There are so many scenes that can be cut out. I think that if this goes through a developmental edit with a proficient editor, then a bit of line and copy edits - this could be a great read. The bones are there, the fluffing needs to be less fluffed.

I really hoped I would enjoy this book but I just didn't. I wasn't a fan of the writing and the characters just weren't the smartest.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book. I enjoyed the characters and their arcs, and found the plot interesting. I look forward to reading more from this author.

As the book is told from one perspective, Lottie, I was a little iffy on it since I generally prefer reading multiple povs. That's a personal opinion, though! With how the story started out, I have to say with how disappointed I became as everything progressed. The idea of this story was really good, but I think there could have been more to do to better execute it? If that makes sense. There was too much going on, like a blizzard and intruder was pretty good. But then you throw in bears, mountain lions, asthma attacks (lowk kinda valid), another batch of crazy intruders, and it's ??? Like what are we doing, throwing whatever obstacle there is at the characters?

Overall, this story was a low 2/3 stars, but I'm leaving it at 3

A good thriller YA. A little on the predictable side, but I didn't mind it. It was entertaining and I ennoyed reading it overall.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview Don’t Let In The Cold
This is a a YA novel but I think it is a steady mystery with interesting characters.
Some of the book is predictable but the author does a good job explaining the three young people who are thrown Together by fate and must fight their way through a storm and shady twosome.
3 stars. Good book

This was an easy YA mystery thriller. A little slow to start and bit predictable. Great YA quick read for the winter.

A solid start to a debut novel. While it wasn't my favorite, I appreciate what the author was striving for and the premise was a good idea. The first half was more fast paced than the last half but it was one that needs your full attention and let yourself be submerged in the story.

Verdict: A snowy survival story where everything that can go wrong does.

The blood-orange sun balanced for one dazzling moment, trapped on the mountain ledge.
- first line

Lottie & Jade, new stepsisters, are alone in Jade’s dad’s cabin in Tahoe. Their parents decided to take a quick, one-night honeymoon, leaving the girls alone to get to know each other. It’s one night; surely, the girls can find a way to get along or ignore each other until the morning. A blizzard, a solar flare that takes out the power, a stranger with an adorable dog, and some poor choices mean the girls wind up in the blizzard without shelter. Oh, and bad people are chasing them.

The girls have to survive against all odds; everything bad you can think of happens, and just when you think they're safe, they aren’t.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Blizzards and bears and bad guys - OH MY! This book was a wild ride. I listened to the audiobook and it went by so fast. I listened while doing chores, walking the dog, and before bed while I relaxed with my coloring app. I don't normally go for YA books, but this was great! The protagonists were brave, smart, and at times funny. The amount of crazy things they had to go through was surprising. I really enjoy survival stories and smart heroines and this one did not disappoint. Other than the blizzard, bears, and bad guys I won't say much more because it will spoil the story. There were a few plot points that were kind of ridiculous and the middle got a little slow, but overall it was a quick read and kept my attention. I will be reading more by this author!

I read a review that said this book was “everything and the kitchen sink” and that is the single best way to describe it.

I just can’t with this one 🫣🫣. The dialogue is forced, the characters are flat, and the plot was atrocious. The only thing entertaining about this read was just how much more ridiculous it could possibly get. I’m all for a good adventure thriller but this one was too much. Too much thrown in and not a lot of character arc happened. And then randomly readers are also thrown into a love story. I’m sorry, but this one just wasn’t for me.

This novel had me on the edge of my seat as I flipped through the pages. Full of shocking twists and turns that I absolutely loved. I was hooked. Highly recommend this book!

Yes, it's YA, but I don't see that as a reason this one has to be so predictable and repetitive. I also don't think that it paints teens in a realistic or flattering light. There is some decent tension and the situation is fraught with danger and issues to overcome. And, some of the things the teens do when faced with adversity do seem realistic, but the lack of emotions during their reactions just seemed too convenient. Also, there is just so much repetition of the problem and the things they encounter, it's as if they think the reader needs to be hit over the head with the conflicts.

For being a debut novel this book will have you hooked very quickly and need to know if the teenagers will make it out of this snowstorm alive.

Lottie, Jade, Alex, and his dog Otis don't have a lot in common. In fact, Lottie and Jade are stuck at the cabin because their parents recently got married and they are now step-sisters but they have nothing in common and don't really know each other at all. Alex ends up showing up at the cabin they are in looking for shelter in the storm.
While the three get to know each other they also end up having an unfortunate incident happen that causes them to have to leave the cabin and be on the run for safety and from some bad people as well. While the girls don't know what exactly is going on they quickly learn that things aren't like they thought they were and they have far more to worry about than just the snowstorm.

Overall I liked and enjoyed this book. So much is happening throughout all of it, and just when you think things can't get any worse for the group it does somehow. From a fire to running away from people trying to kill them, finding out one of the people they are with isn't who they thought he was, to them having injuries all while dealing with the snow and freezing cold it's a lot to be dealing with. But somehow this group manages it and is focused on surviving and keeping together and getting out of the situation alive. The way they were able to work together in some very tense situations was amazing, especially with the lack of food, and exhaustion that they were all dealing with on top of being so cold from the snow.

The intensity and fear that runs throughout this book from being searched for by bad guys, and trying to find safety from the storm is enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.

This book is perfect for fans of other YA survival and mystery stories.

(I read a combined version of the arc and a library copy.)

Being snowed in at a luxury cabin on Lake Tahoe with no parents for one night doesn't sound too bad. In fact, it could very well be a teen's dream come true! But such is not the case for Lottie, who will be spending this night with her new stepsister Jade. The girls don't exactly get along, and now they have to make nice while a snowstorm moves in around them. Where are their parents, you ask? They've taken off for their honeymoon, leaving the girls on their own for the night. Despite the weather and the fact that they barely know each other, Lottie and Jade can manage own their own for one night, right?

All seems to be going swimmingly back at the cabin - the girls are exploring the home and are bonding, albeit rather slowly, over their new snowed in experience and sisterhood together - but then catastrophe strikes. The Northern Lights can be seen in the sky, causing a massive blackout. The girls are now home alone with no power. To make matters worse, Lottie has just heard that a blizzard is headed their way, turning their snowy evening into something much worse. When Lottie and Jade open their door to a stranger seeking refuge - a teenage guy named Alex with his dog Otis - things start to get creepy. But the day's events turn downright disastrous when the cabin catches fire and the trio is forced out into the snow. Can they survive the coming blizzard with no shelter from the storm?

Keely Parrack's YA debut, Don't Let in the Cold, is nothing short of dramatic as three teens battle the elements to survive the snowstorm of a lifetime! This action-packed wintry novel is perfect for its targeted age group - teens - and will keep them flipping the pages long into the cold, dark night.

While there is no shortage of climactic events in this punchy novel, Parrack's teens react like most young adults would ... making hare-brained decisions to their own detriment. These are not teens who have it all figured out. Instead they make one bad decisions after another, putting them in a never-ending spiral of predicaments until this book's harrowing end. But it is not all bad. Lottie, Jade, and Alex make some illogical choices, but they are spot-on with others, keeping readers on their toes, never knowing what to expect.

Packed with ominous threats and banter-filled dialogue, Don't Let in the Cold is the best of both worlds, showcasing the perils of staying alive when exposed to the elements, while also highlighting the relationships among a group of people thrown into a terrifying survival situation together.

4 stars. This one was really good. The beginning made me feel uncomfortable, which is hard to do. The overall progress of the story was paced very well. I could almost feel the cold coming off the pages. With a tense plot, crazy weather, and the personal struggles each character was dealing with this book had everything set up for a great story and it succeeded.

As I suspected, this book is action focused. There is a constant threat of danger from some menacing strangers compounded by the perils of nature and extreme weather. At every turn the characters make a bad decision, ignore warning signs, and are subject to just plain bad luck. Towards the end the string of bad luck takes some increasingly hard to believe turns but the pacing is tight enough and the tension constant so we are compelled to see it through. There is an underlying emotional arc that pays off in a satisfying way but doesn't convey true depth. It's entertaining but not something you're going to be reflecting on later.

DNF at 45%. I just couldn’t get into this one. It just felt like it dragged on. Just wasn’t for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review.

Don’t Let in the Cold is a story of panic, survival and perseverance. Lottie, Jade and Alex are put to the ultimate test of trust, determination and faith as they struggle to survive. A massive blackout combined with a snowstorm while being hunted proves to be life threatening and extremely dangerous as they navigate the Tahoe wilderness. Will they all be able to make it out alive, or will some fall victim of the treacherous terrain fraught with merciless killers? This YA atmospheric thriller was slow to start, but definitely had me on the edge of my seat as it raced to the exciting and satisfying conclusion. Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for my copy.