It may be the end of summer, but this book gave me chills!
Thanks to @keelyinkster and @netgalley for giving me this audiobook.

This book is a 5/5 ⭐️ for me! Don’t Let in the Cold by Keely Parrack is a YA thriller where the main character Lottie is staying in a cabin alone with her younger step sister Jade. When a stranger shows up at their door with suspicious motives, a blizzard begins and they get stranded.

Don’t Let in the Cold releases tomorrow 9/6. Go check it out!

P.S. No books were harmed in the making of this photo 😂

#dontletinthecold #septemberreadingchallenge #septemberreadingchallange #keelyparrack #snow #blizzard #thriller #snowedin #hunted #sisters #newparents #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #bookstagram #book #booktok #netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and the author for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback!

I listened to the "Don't Let in the Cold" audiobook by Keeley Parrack while traveling over the weekend. Our main character Lottie is forced to stay at her new stepdad's mountain house with her new stepsister for a few days. Their parents are leaving to go on their honeymoon and decided it would be a good idea for the girls to stay there and get to know each other while they're away. Unfortunately, mother nature has different plans, and they are hit with a blizzard that ruins their family bonding weekend. After a freak house fire, Lottie and her stepsister Jade are forced out into the cold to find shelter where they meet a sketchy guy named Alex along the way. They're not sure if they can trust him, but they decide to team up and try to survive the elements together. Who is this Alex guy and what is he hiding? How long can they go in below-zero temperatures without food or water? Can Lottie and Jade put aside their differences and beat the odds? Does their group have what it takes to survive everything that's about to be thrown their way?

Final Thoughts:
Since Lottie and her new stepsister had only met a handful of times and didn't really know each other, I thought the book was seriously lacking chemistry between them and between the newcomer, Alex. Their whole dynamic felt a little forced and awkward in the story. I think my favorite character was the dog Otis if that tells you anything.
I read so many thrillers every year so my bar is set pretty high, and despite everything, and I mean EVERYTHING that was thrown at them, I was just never scared or nervous which kinda killed the vibe for me. There was a blizzard, a power outage, a home invasion, medical problems and injuries, a house fire, bears and mountain lions, dangerous criminals tracking them down, an avalanche, etc. etc. etc.

I realize that this is technically in the "YA Thriller" genre and probably written for a younger demographic, but I still just felt like it was missing something. Unfortunately, I think this is one you can skip reading this fall. I do appreciate being able to read it - thank you again to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and the author.

"Don't Let In The Cold" by Keely Parrack
...
It was only supposed to be one night away in Tahoe, with her newly blended family, for Lottie. Her mom and new stepdad set Lottie and her new stepsister, Jade up for the evening and take off for their honeymoon in Reno. The teens will be fine - it's one night - and Jade knows the area and the skills they would need in an emergency.

When a solar flare knocks out the power grid, tanking all electricity and cell service, the girls prepare for a long night ahead. As they begin to turn in for the night, a teenager and his dog show up at the cabin begging to be let in from the cold and incoming blizzard.

Alex, the stranger, sets off a series of twists and turns that leave the sisters wondering if they'll survive the night.
...

This is a YA thriller, which isn't my usual genre. I listened to it as an audiobook because the premise seemed interesting and creepy. It was both.

The story was very action packed with so many events that would send the plot scurrying in another direction from what you were predicting.

This was an easy listen and very enjoyable. I was excited to pick it back up as soon as possible after each listening.

My one complaint would be I found the characters annoying at times. Maybe it is due to the YA aspect of the book, but Jade seemed so entitled and Lottie often came across as reckless. Both made decisions that made me want to literally yell "DON'T DO THAT."

Read this if you enjoy:
- YA suspense
- winter / snowy plots
- enemies to lovers

How spicy? None

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

* A special thank you to @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. *

#dontletinthecold #netgalley

Don't Let In The Cold is a slow burn thriller about two girls that have become new sisters and are spending one night in a cabin in the woods. This "one night" turns into many when a seemingly kind stranger shows up at their door, the power goes out, more strangers are introduced, and so much more.

This book was indeed a slow burn, added to the fact that the narrator was also speaking very slowly. My only complaints are not to the story, because I think it was a very interesting and well told one. I usually listen to my audiobooks sped up to 1.25 or 1.5o, but with this audiobook I was not able to because it made the audio like static sound and unable to hear clearly.

All and all, I believe I would have preferred to read this as an ebook instead of audio. It was a great YA thriller and would be perfect to read this fall or winter! Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape audio for the ARC.

I got this book in hopes of a good thriller.

It was okay.

Stepsisters Lottie and Jade stay one night in a cabin the night of the storm.

Enter creepy stranger Alex. You are two young girls staying alone in your parents cabin? No! Do not take in a creepy stranger.

From there all things that can go wrong absolutely do go wrong. I think a little less freakish nature happenings and a little more character development and the story would have been so much better.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for a review.

When Lottie’s fabulous British mother Mary’s Jade‘s American dad the girls are supposed to stay at the cabin in big Ben while they go on a one night honeymoon. . Lottie and Jade spin the majority of the beginning of the night feeling each other out and when they see what looks like the northern lights all the way in California Jade says it happened before in Canada and that everyone lost power for nine hours but there adventure would be much longer. In the middle of the night a guy named Alex and his dog Otis brakes in the cabin Jade decides to let him stay unfortunately Lottie was unconscious at the time due to migraine and didn’t get a vote but he seems harmless but when she commits a faux pas which burns the cabin down they have no choice but the seek shelter elsewhere this is going to be one long adventure with Alex going missing and when they find him Jade goes missing… Will they ever see their parents again and if they do will they be alive? This was a big I say adventure but more like a survival story I thought the narrator did an awesome awesome job I don’t know if she was British or American but whatever she is she did the other accent excellently. when I received the book and realized it was about teenagers was a little put off but there was no reason to because this was a great story. I thought the author built up the tension in a great way the story flowed nicely the action was I in the ending satisfying in this is just the first book in the series. I totally recommend this book if you’d like survival stories then you’ll love this one. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Don’t Let in the Cold
Keeley Parrack
Lottie and Jade are new stepsisters. Their parents take them to an isolated cabin near Tahoe; their parents leave for Las Vegas and the two girls are left on their own. A red truck with a couple of men stop by and frighten the girls. A solar flare knocks out the power grid and suddenly there is no electricity, no lights, no heat and no cell signal, in the midst of a snowstorm. The eldest of the two, Lottie knows it is going to be a long night. Later that evening another young man, Alex, and his dog, Otis knock on the door claiming to be lost and asking for shelter. Despite their misgivings they allow him to come in. Lottie is suspicious of him; she knows he is lying but why? The red pickup returns and she sees Alex outside talking to the men. After the cabin catches fire Lottie, Jade, Alex and Otis are forced out in the blizzard. They begin their trek to small store where they discover a gruesome sight. The three young adults must work together to survive the brutal weather, along with even worse dangers.
There’s an old country song that says, “if it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.” That should be the theme song for this book. These kids cannot get a break. They face: a blackout, a fire, a bear, capture, a crazy man with a gun, being chased by two ruthless men, a blizzard, frostbite, and numerous other hazards.
The three main characters work well together, they are perfectly flawed. Alex wants to break free of the life of crime. Jade is rather spoiled; she misses her mother and doesn’t want a new stepmother or new stepsister. Lottie has a lot of baggage especially where it comes to her mother and father. Lottie doesn’t feel lovable or worthy of love. Without Lottie I doubt the other two would survive the dangerous trek; she is very mature for her age. I found it hard to believe that the parents of these two girls would leave them in this remote cabin, alone This tale is told through Lottie’s point of view. The plot is complex and fast paced. My one complaint was the constant mention of global warming, once would have been enough. The genre for this tale is horror.

Unfortunately there was a lot packed into this book that felt unbelievable, and the character developments were lacking, especially in relation to one another. There wasn't a lot of information given in the beginning for us to really connect to the two sisters and why they didn't get along, and it only comes out at the very end, which made it hard to care about either one.

Lottie and her new stepsister, Jade, are left alone at a cabin for the night in Tahoe while her mom and new husband head out for their honeymoon. A solar disturbance knocks the power out and the girls are left alone in the freezing dark. When a red truck pulls up with two guys in it, looking for a friend, a blizzard warning, a priceless telescope and someone trying to break in sets the stage for this chilly thriller.

I loved this book. I listened to the audio version, my first. The author did not skip a beat with the freezing details. Makes you feel as if you are out in the blizzard with the characters. This story does read as if it is meant for a younger audience, sometimes a little repetitive.

4 stars all the way for this survival thriller. I would recommend this for 12 and up, nothing too graphic or inappropriate.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the AudioARC for an honest review.

This was an adventurous book following 3 teens trying to survive in a Tahoe snowstorm.

I thought their survival skills were great and they were very resourceful! It didn't make sense to me that no one could find them for so long, but the villains could drive around without issue...and the villain arc was quite dramatic. Otherwise it was a good story, albeit a bit long.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the arc in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lottie and Jade are supposed to spend the night together at a cabin. Stepsister bonding time, right? Then, the power is knocked out, a snowstorm blows in, and a strange boy named Alex shows up asking for shelter. when Lottie sees him talking to two other boys, she questions his true motives for getting inside the house.

I really enjoyed the setting of this book. The blizzard and rugged environment helped keep me engaged while listening. Each chapter started with which day and the time, which kept the book moving.

This book felt more like a quest than a thriller. Their goal is to reach shelter, and while there are thriller elements, it did not read as one. The author really threw every mishap she could at the characters, which left some of these incidents feeling unbelievable and put in there for the sake of content.

None of the main characters really stuck out to me. This book is mainly plot driven, so I was not expecting to feel a deep connection to any of them. They were just interesting enough to hold my attention and drive the plot of the book forward. Alex was the most inconsistent out of the three. His character made too quick of a switch from bad to good to be believable.

This was a very fun listen, exactly the type of atmosphere I enjoy the most. To me the situation the main characters found themselves in was just chilling, I was on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. The narrator did a good job as well. I can only recommend this, especially in the form of an audiobook.

Everything but the kitchen sink.....

That is what the author throws at Lottie and Jade in this book! They were supposed to spend one night together in the Cabin. Then a solar flare causes a blackout and there is no power, no cell service, no help on the way. It is going to be a long night.

Then a young man, Alex, shows up at the cabin asking for help. He seems harmless but later in the evening, Lottie sees him talking to two men in a truck at the end of the driveway. Then there is a fire which forces them out into a blizzard, forced to survive not only against the cold but against......

I love books set in cold settings. I love the survival element of having to survive the cold. That is what they must do in this book. A nice touch is that the author tells us what time it is as the night progresses. It adds to the sense of tension and dread in the book.

This is a YA thriller which was enjoyable and full of things the characters had to go up against/to survive against. There were so many things thrown at them it was almost comical (hence the kitchen sink comment earlier).

Overall, a good environmental horror/thriller book which YA readers will enjoy.


#DontLetintheCold #NetGalley

Thank you to Dreamscape Media 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.

3.25 stars, for a survival thriller it was a bit boring. I honestly thought it would be over around 47%, it was simply too long! I did end up enjoying the story, it was just very slow-moving. The narrator was excellent. I would have liked a resolution to the father mystery as well. The characters were fairly likable, but I wouldn't say lovable. I did like that both female MCs had health issues. That added an urgency element as well as a diversity element.

4 stars for an environmental chiller(pun intended!)

Lottie is about to spend the night with her brand new 16 year old stepsister....at her new stepfather's Tahoe cabin....while her mother and Stepfather spend their honeymoon night away. What begins as a quiet, albeit awkward, October evening for Lottie and Jade, quickly escalates to more than they bargained for when the power grid is knocked out by some sort of solar disturbance. A strange truck with 20 something guys pulls up, claiming to be at the cabin to "pick up a friend", a blizzard warning, and a priceless telescope sets the stage for the following days Lottie and Jade won't forget. Who are these guys who pulled up? Who is the friend they're supposed to pick up? And can Lottie and Jade band together to survive more than just the cold?

Don't Let in the Cold chilled me to the bone! The environment horror element is so well done that even in 93 degree Oregon summer heat I was freezing. I couldn't believe this was a debut novel, it was so rich and vibrant with details meant to make the reader feel as in peril as the characters were. This story is meant for a younger audience, and that being said it could sometimes read that way. This was not enough to pull me from the story, but I could see it affecting other readers who don't find themselves as glued to the pages as I was. Lottie has the maturity of someone twice her age, but can and does make questionable choices throughout the novel. I enjoyed this as I really wanted her to pick herself up, dust herself off, and keep going.

4 stars and a trip to the hot tub for Don't Let in the Cold. Environmental horror readers will love this one, as well as readers who enjoy new found family stories. Recommended for readers 12+ as nothing graphic or inappropriate takes place. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of Don't Let in the Cold by Keely Parrack in exchange for an honest review. The timing of reading this book was perfect as it takes place during a blizzard in Tahoe and I'm currently in a heat wave a few hours away. The only time I've been to Tahoe was during the winter and it's amazing how much snow accumulates and how isolated you can get. During the whole adventure that Lottie, Jade, Alex and Otis go through surviving the storm, I kept thinking about the landscape there and the blizzards I safely weathered inside my house. This was a great book to listen to and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape for the ARC for me to review!

While this book is definitely geared more toward a young adult audience I still thought it would be worth a read. I found it to be an easy read. There was enough going on to keep my attention but not so much so that I had to seriously focus to keep up. Was the story a little out there? Sure. But thats the fun in books. The story doesn't have to be realistic all the time. Overall I liked Don't Let in the Cold.

This story had me wondering how are this people going to survive! I got cold just thinking about it! I couldn’t imagine going through what they went through. This is a YA thriller I definitely recommend.

Thrilling and terrifying at times, a coming of age mixed with complexities and histories no teenager should ever have to handle.

Lottie and Jade are almost complete opposites, except where there parents are concerned. Lottie lost her father while Jade lost her mother.
So when Lotties mom marries Jades dad and leaves them home alone in a cabin in the woods at what is pretty much their first meeting what could go wrong?

I'll tell you, a blackout, a blizzard, a fire, and a break in, not necessarily in that order. Throw in a St. Bernard and a priceless antique and you have everything you need for a high stakes thriller.

This is definitely a page turner, even listening to the audiobook I couldn't turn it off, I needed to know what happened next. Between trying to figure out if Alex (our kind of burglar) was good or bad, if the three of them would get caught or if it would all end with Carl I was engrossed in the story and the characters.

I have to take a moment to talk about the Narrator Penelope Rawlins, I thoroughly enjoyed her voices for these complex characters, giving individual voices to multiple characters (one with an accent) takes a certain level of talent and she has it. I was able to get completely list in the story and that doesn't always happen.

This is seriously a 4.5 star book. If you're looking for something to read on a cold and snowy night this is an excellent t choice.

First book by this author and 1st audio by the narrator.
I highly enjoyed both.
This story is about 2 new sisters that aftet being left alone together in an isolated cabin,anything that can go wrong does.
Join the sisters as they try to survive the cold and learn to love each other.
One of my favorite things about this book is that if it kept yelping you what tone and day it was. It really kept you in suspense.
Looking forward to more books by the author and narrator.