This was truly riveting and engaging and kept my attention throughout the entire story.
Really well done.

This is a DNF for me at 43%. When I first started this audiobook I went in blind so I didn't know what was going on. I only knew it was a mystery/thriller so I didn't expect the dystopian/post pandemic/sci-fi element to it. For me it felt very choppy going back and forth between the past during the blinding and after. Unfortunately this book wasn't for me.

thank you netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fascinating speculative thriller. In these current times, it can be so hard to write pandemic post apocalyptic fiction because this subgenre has become exhausted. Yet this one was particularly engaging.

I found the premise of an entirely blind society so fascinating along with the technology developed to compensate. Despite the science fiction elements, I would predominantly recommend this novel to fans of thrillers. The science didn't feel grounded in reality but it made for a compelling setup.

The worldbuilding aspects were easily my favourite aspects of the story. The novel attempts to address a lot of themes surrounding disabilities and police control. Some of this commentary worked better than others.

I would recommend this thriller to readers who enjoy a mystery story with a speculative twist.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

4.5★ Thoughts: As soon as I read the synopsis for this book, I just knew I was going to love it. With major Blake Crouch/John Marrs vibes, this sci-fi/dystopian thriller was right up there with my favorites (and for someone who does not love sci-fi, this is saying a lot).

One of the elements I loved best was how accessible the author made this story for even the most novice of sci-fi/dystopian readers (🙋🏻‍♀️ it me). While I did need to pay very close attention to make sure nothing went over my head, unlike others I still could not understand, this story felt clear and concise and I completely connected with the sci-fi ideas presented. Can I say sci-fi any more in this review? Unclear. The point is, I actually understood this one!

Another aspect I loved was the author’s writing style. The pacing was spectacular - pulling me in from the start and never letting me go. The characters felt very real, while also having a sense of mystery surrounding them that is important in a thriller. I literally questioned everyone in this book, well except the MC who I may have a low key crush on. Also unclear.

The only criticism I have, and I have to dig pretty deep to find it, is that the ending felt a bit chaotic and I lost the thread of these characters true motivations. I mean I understand the surface motivations, but instead of getting the depth of understanding into their inner workings, it felt as though the ending was more about the bang. Which I get. I just wanted a little bit more.

I am so glad I went into this book blind (pun not intended) and buddy read this via physical book and audio book (the audio was fantastic). I think the immersive read really helped me to grab ahold of the concepts presented and our text chats helped to clarify anything confusing.

Read if you like:
•dystopian novels
•accessible sci-fi
•dual timelines
•bingeable reads

Thank you Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copies in exchange for my honest review.

Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen
Narrated by Gary Tiedemann
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Expected Publication Date: April 4, 2023

Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen is a fascinating look at our near future and asks what would happen if the whole world went blind. I found the tech aspect to be amazing and brilliantly explained.

I loved how this book unfold. The book was wonderfully written and had so many twists and turns. I loved how this felt like peeling the layers of an onion. I definitely recommend this book!

The narration by Gary Tiedemann was exceptional! He gave an amazing performance and I enjoyed his telling of this book!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

DNF - Unfortunately this wasn’t the book for me. It’s not a type of book I would normally reach for, but I was intrigued. I should have listened to my gut though. This genre just isn’t my jam.

Thank you NetGalley, macmillian audio, the publisher and the author for the #gifted ALC in exchange for my honest review. This was ok i had high expectations and for me this fell flat and lost interest innthr story and the twist.

2.5/5 rounded up to 3/5☆

4.5 stars

Synopsis: Seven years ago, for inexplicable reasons, everyone in the world went blind over the course of months, which has since been referred to as "The Blinding." Through the use of technology, people began to find a new normal by using devices called "vidders" that approximate vision. Detective Mark Owens' latest case involves the murder of a scientist, and the only witness to the crime claims the killer was somehow "blacked out" of her vision. Owens doesn't believe her until he experiences the exact same phenomenon as a murder is committed in front of him. Clearly someone has figured out a way to hack vidders and distort visual reality. Suspects range from tech billionaires to anti-vision cults, and Owens has to figure out who is responsible when he can't even trust his own eyes.

Thoughts: This book grabbed my attention right away, and I was racing to the end to figure out what happened. I enjoyed Mullen's quick cadence and curt writing tone-- it really worked with this type of story. Admittedly, it grew a little confusing toward the end, and I was slightly underwhelmed by the big reveal. Still, I enjoyed the ride and think others will too. It made for a good audiobook, though I did need to re-listen to some parts given the complexity of the story.

Read if you like
-Blake Crouch
-Dystopian books
-Station Eleven
-Investigative stories

This was a very interesting thriller! Everyone in the world goes blind! I could never have imagined what people would be like in a pandemic until we lived it, so a lot of this was very believable. It was totally different and I couldn’t put it down. I figure readers will enjoy it now that we have an idea of what happens when the whole world is changed!

Imagine waking up one day and you no longer have the ability to see anyone. Then realizing it’s not just you, it’s the entire world.

How would you survive?

Blind Spots, gave us this world and new technology in a unique police detective novel.
We find ourselves in a world that could happen to us in the near future with technology and it’s up to you, to listen to your gut.
We met Mark Owens and learn how he had to be a cop in the blindness era and what he had to do survive. Watch him overcome his grief in his wife’s death. Mark Owens literally risks his own life and sight to solve a murder.
The narrator, Gary Tiedemann is the perfect voice for Mark Owens. I was so enthralled with his narration. I felt like I was on the story and riding along Mark in his high tech vehicle.
A brilliant read that has crime, sci-fi, and mystery!
If your looking for something that is different or enjoy reading mixed genres, consider picking this one up. I enjoyed it immensely.

Special thanks to St. Martins Press, Netgalley, and Macmillan audio for the gifted copy and ALC.

Blind Spots is a crime novel with an interesting plot that failed to fully grab me. The story follows detective Mark Owens in a world where everyone has gone blind. There is technology present to help people see but that’s what fails detective Owens. He witnesses a murder but he can not see who did it. No one believes him and detective Owens has to solve the murders and prove to everyone he was right.

The story really reminded by of the movie I Robot. In the movie, everyone trusted the robots so it was laughable to think they can commit a crime. In Blind Spots, everyone believed in the technology that allowed them to see so the idea of our vision being hacked was not believable to anyone.

Blind Spots had a lot of great ideas but I struggled to get fully invested. There was nothing that was bad or offensive, it just didn’t hook me. The investigation process was also not the most interesting. I liked detective Owens as a character but during the investigations, I found him a little bland.

I like this premise and would be interested to go back to this world if this were to be expanded.

in this dystopian novel with a twist, the entire population on earth goes blind and science steps in to create a device that transfers data into the brain to help users “see”. But like all technology, the device is subject to being hacked. Pretty handy for, say, a killer. Homicide detective Mike Owens is called to the murder of a scientist and the witness swears the killer’s identity was blurred out. Mike is skeptical until the same thing happens to him and a faceless killer stalks the streets undetected

This book hits the sweet spot between thriller and science fiction. In the future, we all lost our sight. It is not explained why, nor does it matter. The important bit is that we developed the technology to see again. I really liked the relatable way that the author describes this world, if such a situation ever arose, we would all probably act that way as a society. Detective Mark Owens runs into a case where a man was murdered, but the eyewitness saw a void instead of the perp. Of course, she must have done it and is lying because such a thing is impossible, right? But when it happens to Mark, the shoe is on the other foot and no one believes him. The action never stops, and the odds were stacked so monumentally against him, that I had no idea how he was going to fix everything. I enjoyed the twists, I saw one coming, but I was still invested. The Audiobook performance by Gary Tiedemann is really good. He gets the voices just right, and really conveys the anguish of the situation Mark is in. The author also poses some philosophical questions about perception, which will make you think. Very enjoyable.
I chose to listen to this audiobook and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Macmillan Audio!