Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC!

Recovering alcoholic, Maris Heilman, has her first blackout. She hasn't been drinking, but her husband and daughter don't know that. Maris fears what they'll think of her if they knew this was becoming a frequent thing. After waking up in the ER after one particular blackout, she discovers that she's not the only woman this is happening to.

The plot description pulled me in, especially since it's categorized as a thriller, but this one didn't hold up for me. It was more sci-fi than anything, which I don't mind but I wasn't mentally prepared for it. It seemed a bit far-fetched, even for a fiction novel.

I was gifted this book through NetGalley and the synopsis is what intrigued me. I think like most, we’ve had a “blackout” moment that left us confused as to what happened the night before. The twist and turn this book has is what kept me intrigued. In the beginning, it was a slow start but once the plot twist hit, it kept you wanting more. In some areas, you wish characters reacted differently but overall a good and enjoyable book to read.

Great book! Intense from the start and I can’t wait for more books by then! I highly suggest picking it up!

Would definitely classify this one as a sci-fi/dystopian title more than I would a thriller. Many references to current pop culture lead to an interesting commentary on the role of social media in today’s world. Much of the story is told from the perspective of the main character, Maris, whose shortcomings make for an unlikeable narrator, albeit with strong convictions. I would gladly read another title by this author. Thank you for sharing this advanced copy!

A lot of controversial subjects came up in this one. Almost too many for one book. I don’t even know where to start but it was a good, quick read. I would have liked Hollis’s background to be more comprehensive so we would know why he did what he did. But he is obviously a narcissistic misogynistic “prick” so I guess he didn’t need a reason. Plus I think the purpose of the author leaving those details out was, as Maris put it, so the focus could be on the right people, without giving the perpetrators the attention they want.

Fast paced and engaging. Blackout is a recommended purchase for collections where thrillers are popular.

Maris is a recovering alcoholic and on her 8 month sobriety journey when she starts experiencing blackouts…a few seconds at first but then they get longer. She doesn’t know if she’s drinking again and just not remembering or if this is a late effect of her previous alcohol use. What annoyed me was her hiding it from her husband and daughter because it led them to believe she was drinking again. She’s also having troubles at work with a colleague who is blocking her tenure and she wrote an article about a SA involving a rich white young man who only received 4 months for his crimes.

So I was a little concerned with this one for a while! I couldn’t figure out how it was all going to tie together but it tied together beautifully! I thought there was a touch of sci-fi more so than psychological elements in it but I enjoyed that aspect. First book by this author but I can’t wait to read more!

Well, this book was definitely unique. I was not expecting the science fiction elements, but I was happy that they were explained in a way that even my non-sciency brain could easily understand. I don't know if anything like that would ever actually be possible, but it's very scary to think about.

I enjoyed the feminist messages of this book and how it explored issues like rape culture, women in both STEM and academia, and cis white male privilege. While I enjoyed the book as a whole and it kept my attention throughout though, I'm still having a little trouble wrapping my head around the fact that someone would target all those people for the reason he did. It felt sort of mustache-twirling cartoon villain in the end. Still an enjoyable read though that I would recommend if you like suspenseful books that stand out from others in the genre.

Enjoyed reading this book. Took me a bit longer to finish it because of lack of time but kept my interest through the whole time. Good written with interesting characters and plot. Would definitely recommend it.

We follow the months of an alcohol recovery addict and we know that some may experience blackout moments.

It's interesting to see how the main character realised that she should not have them anymore as that part of her life should be over.

There are quite a few twists in here and some are unbelievable to me.

But I loved how the author has created this story. Fiction gives you the tools and means to create a story that will always have things that aren’t credible to most of us.

The ending felt rushed, in my opinion. Overall, it is an interesting concept, and I was rooting for Maris to discover the truth.

🆓📖 Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

Interesting concept however the main character came off as self involved and shallow. Unfortunately this book did not capture my attention or my curiosity on what was happening.

I downloaded this book off of Netgalleys "Read Now". I was drawn in by the synopsis as I love a good psychological thriller and the premise seemed intriguing. Unfortunately this book fell short of all my expectations.

I found the story itself to drag out and the reasonings for the "Blackouts" to be completely unbelievable. So unbelievable, in fact, I wouldn't classify this as a thriller at all. I never once felt anxiety or anticipation reading this book. By the time the plot began to come together, the book was over. The ending was abrupt and just poorly done.

I think the author did a good job creating the background for Maris; however, the other characters were so forgettable, I kept having to remind myself who this or that person was and what their contribution was to the story. This may appeal more to a very young reader who hasn't delved deep into actual thrillers.

thanks to netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review. :)

read. this. book! do it now. drop everything and do it. idc how big your tbr is - they can wait.

I was sucked in at the very first blackout ! Maris is a dedicated and determined Sociology Professor who has built a following for her articles about how unfair it is that the criminal justice allows rich white men to get away with crimes such as rape. She's definitely made some enemies within the college that she is currently working towards tenure at, including one Hollis Grant.

Now from the very first interaction with Dr. Grant I felt something off. Especially since Maris was already having these blackouts. I had to see this book through to the very end.

Following Maris through this out of nowhere struggle in her life was hard, because she almost lost her family because she was so afraid to be open and honest about what was really going on with her. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It was a gripping sort of thriller, keeping you wanting more, and to know what was happening to Maris, and was she alone, was this being caused to her or was it a result of her years of drug abuse. The twist at the end *chefs kiss* , because who would have thought ? If given the chance to pick this up, I'd recommend.

You walk into the kitchen. You grab a glass. You open the refrigerator. The next thing you know, you are sitting in your car with no memory of anything that happened between the kitchen and your vehicle. You’ve lost time.

What do you do? Do you call for help? Do you admit there might be a problem? Do you mention the stress?

For Maris Heilman, the choice is especially complicated. While she’s a successful sociology professor, she’s also a recovering alcoholic who was prone to blackouts. But it turns out she’s not alone: there’s a group of women all experiencing the same unexpected blackouts. Are they suffering from a strange illness? Or is someone more nefarious behind these memory losses?

What would you do if you couldn’t trust your thoughts? Your memory? Your instincts?
A really good psychological thriller totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer
I just reviewed Blackout by Erin Flanagan. #Blackout #NetGalley

I really enjoyed reading this book! In fact, I devoured most of it in one sitting. I found Maris to be fascinating, complex protagonist. Her not-so-secret struggles with alcoholism led to inwardly disruptive familial dynamics, which come to a head when she starts randomly blacking out. The side characters were well developed, too. found this book very well written and compelling, it also included social commentary about rape culture and women in professional spaces, which is always important.
Less important side note: as someone from Ohio, the author is correct that the pours are heavier in midwestern bars.
Overall, I definitely recommend this book to others and I appreciated the opportunity to read and review it.

Let me first start out by talking about the title and cover....

Blackout.

It could mean a wide spread of things. Did a person black out? Did a city black out? No one knows, so the mystery is right there in the title.

The cover, enticing and to the point. Again, it does not give away anything this book might hold.

Blackout, is just incredible. To call it a "page turner" would never do this book justice. My eyes got bigger and bigger with each concluding chapter. I felt as though I was on a wild ride and I had no clue as to what turn I would be thrown against next.

I will not give any spoilers away as I loved the fact that I had no idea what this book would become or how much It would stick with me after finishing but I will highly recommend you pick yourself up a copy!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This is a fast paced thriller! I found the subject of the book totally fascinating and downright scary when you really think about it. What if someone could really do that???

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles. I really not the opportunity!

I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

Favorite Quotes:

“Everyone thinks old people are old except for old people.” Maris knew what she meant. When she was twenty, she thought forty-two sounded like you had a foot in the grave, but despite the math she still wouldn’t call herself middle-aged.

When she and Noel started dating, they called it second adolescence, only better than the first because they had high limits on their credit cards.

Maris felt like someone had told her the earth was flat, then strapped her in and sent her flying over the edge.

She missed her students. Two had emailed her to say Dr. Scanlon had fallen asleep at the front of the class while they were taking a test and had farted himself awake.

I am worthy, she thought. I am loved. And then, My god, it’s like I finally understand bumper stickers, and she hiccuped out a laugh.


My Review:

This prickly book had a bit of everything and was distressingly realistic with family drama, addiction issues, social ills, complicated yet frighteningly plausible neuroscience, a twisted mystery, and deeply flawed characters who were self-involved yet generally well-meaning while difficult to fully appreciate.

I battled with the slow and irregular pace as well as the self-admittedly poor decisions the main character continued to make – I wanted to smack her in the back of the head with my beloved Kindle - yet I was also unquestionably curious, deeply invested in the story, and compelled to know how it was going to resolve.

The Easter eggs hidden in the storylines were clever and twisty yet the various story threads kept me itchy and dissatisfied with the annoying behaviors of the struggling characters. Needless to say, I’m more than a bit conflicted about how to rate this one yet the inner musings and narrative style were insightful and perceptive with occasional glimmers of wit and brilliance.