This book is told in several different timelines - the past, which centers around Nicky, the daughter of the owner of the shipping company. A mid-timeline, which shows the researchers that were aboard the ship. Then we have Dominique, who is determined to document the Ormen, the ghost ship, before it is scuttled by the Coast Guard.

Nicky's story, well, that was sometimes rough to navigate through. It seemed a little jumpy sometimes. However, she is attacked in the park, and brought aboard the Ormen, bound to be a Selkie wife for the men aboard the boat. It is just a nice way of saying that they can use her whenever they want. She is determined to escape, and when that fails, determined to seek revenge upon those who degraded and abused her.

Dominique seems rather damaged, and that story is not fully explained. While the memories seem to float in and out, there seems to be more to her than the readers are first given insight into. When three other explorers join her, she seems on edge, not sure if she can trust them or not. The more she stays around them, the more her fears grow.

While this was an interesting read, there were sometimes some confusions around the timelines, which the reader has to go back and figure out where they are. The researchers who disappeared, there could have been more there, and less on the degredations that Nicky endured. For a whaling ship, it seemed that they were not super interested in catching them, as its mentioned almost in passing that they get one. There were also some nature features that did not seem to really fit the location of the book.

Overall, it was a decent read, but reader beware if you have any triggers. There are several which are floated throughout the text.

Bouncing between 1901 and the present day, this follows a whaling ship, two women linked to it, and the mysterious disappearance of a research team in the 70s. Super atmospheric -- perfect for the snowy weekend when I read it -- but not without some major side-eyeing: Dom IS Nicky, reliving her existence since 1901 and for over a century has been isolated in an abandoned village in Iceland. Yet she not only creates a TikTok acct, but manages to garner a massive following?

Also, content warnings, y'all. Self-harm/cutting, suicide, a child's death, torture, murder, gun violence, kidnapping, rape done nightly by the ship's entire crew. Don't go in expecting a fun ghost story, this one gets real dark real fast.

Well this was very unexpected. I am not exactly sure what I expected when I signed up to read A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke because I seldom read the synopsis of books anymore. I thought this would be good to count towards my challenge of #24in2024; reading books that take place in 24 different countries this year
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It was that and more. I have a feeling this historical/horror/thriller/paranormal/mystery will stick with me a long time. Not my normal read, but it had me engrossed almost from the beginning. I was immediately plunged into the life of Nicky, the daughter of a whaling company owner and wife to a soldier fighting overseas.
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I loved Nicky and the things she experienced repulsed me and had me in awe of her at the same time. Nicky’s story takes place in 1901, as she travels into the Arctic on board her father’s whaling ship.
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Leaping forward to 2023, we get Dom’s story. A solo urban adventurer documenting a shipwrecked whaling ship before it is destroyed. She is joined by three others and together they try to piece together the story the wreckage has to tell. The ship was a whaling ship, a research vessel, then an isolated scrap of wood, moored on the lava beaches in remote northern Iceland.
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This creepy, very atmospheric book literally captivated me. I suspected some things that came to be true, but was surprised at others and very impressed with the way the author brought two timelines together and had me fully invested in both.
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Thanks a lot, @BerkleyPub for the major book hangover I still have from this one. If you are ready for dark mermaids, Icelandic folklore, ghosts and adventure, read this book that is out today!
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Definite trigger warnings of rape, abuse, self harm, and the environmental impact of whaling at the beginning of the 20 century; necessary to tell the tale but somewhat difficult to read at times.

Thank you for the free book Berkley Pub! #berkleypartner #berkley #BerkleyBookstagram

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐀 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐂.𝐉. 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐲 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐞
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫(4.5)

Another book out of my comfort zone that I absolutely LOVED! This book was so atmospheric and haunting and I could not get through this one quickly enough once I started. This book has so many elements and is a mix of historical fiction, horror, and mystery. Told in alternating timelines, the characters in this book were so well developed and I could not help but gravitate towards Nicky. The author so perfectly, and vividly painted a picture every step of the way and I cannot recommend this one enough. With twists and surprises, this is definitely one to add to your TBR!

⚓️Historical Horror
⚓️A Haunted Ship
⚓️Atmospheric
⚓️Dual Timeline
⚓️Icelandic Folklore

Posted on Goodreads on February 26, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around February 27, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on February 27, 2024
**-will post on designated date

This new release will haunt and chill you to the bone…and leave you questioning some aspects of the story.

A Haunting in the Arctic by C. J. Cooke (releases February 27, 2024)

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Two timelines are unraveling in the arctic on the whaling ship Ormen in this historical horror book. Nicky has been held captive on an all-male expedition to hunt whales for oil in 1901. In 2023, Dominique is exploring the ship gone ashore on a small abandoned village in Iceland to learn more about its' mysterious pat.

I will not lie to you, this book is horrific, especially for a woman. Read the TW/CWs carefully and if you are looking for further specifics, view this book in Storygraph. These scenes are through out the book, and start pretty early on, at 22%.

I was very scared, and uncomfy reading this book, it was very difficult to read, and it took me over two weeks to read.

I will start with what I liked, I loved the atmosphere the most, it was such descriptive writing and quite thrilling. The chapters were short and the plot unfolding was pretty compulsive to read. I also was very interested in learning how the story would unfold. I liked the author's note provided at the end because it really made some connections for me within the story, the note kind of redeemed the book for me a little.

Some chapters I found hard to read (see TWs) and other chapters I felt uninterested in. Popular culture is very prevalent in this book, TikTok and parkour are used for certain aspects of the modern timeline. And it makes no sense in the end of why these characters went in this direction. Trying to gain followers and getting videos, made the story less enticing and really took me out of this read, not to mention anything to do with parkour just reminds me of The Office and I can't help but laugh and CRINGE in embarrassment.

The ending gave me some answers but left with so many holes in the plotline to me. I never say this, but I could use more pages with further explanation. Pick this up if you are looking to be creeped out but please read the TW/CWs first and no you won't be completely satisfied by the end.

A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke – a horror book review by Jim Mcleod.
It always amazes me when creative minds find a common theme and thematic way to present their work; I often wonder how they independently create a similar story and a similar storytelling technique almost simultaneously. What is floating about the ether inspiring authors to write similar-sounding stories?

Within a few short weeks, we have the excellent Where the Dead Wait by Ally Wilkes and A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke. Both novels are set in dual timelines in the Arctic region and focus on the ramifications of a failed “expedition” to the region. With two narrative threads alternating between revealing the horrors ensconced in the stories, this part of the novel is the perfect companion read. But does A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke hold up to the excellence of Ally Wilkes’s novel?

First, don’t let that cover fool you; what might look like a lovely novel about Scottish whaling history is not what you will find here. At times, this powerful and creepy novel tips over into pure brutality. I did not expect this from the novel. Don’t get me wrong, C.J. Cooke wastes no time piling on the tension here, hooking the reader in right from the first page, but I did not expect some of the scenes on show here. C.J. Cooke’s writing style is immersive and evocative, fully capturing the mood of both timelines. And with a rich turn of phrase, Cooke has created a genuinely mesmerising supernatural tale.

I often worry when a novel is based in or around Scotland and Scottish people, especially after reading that book about Loch Ness by the author of The Gigantic Shark Books. Still, thankfully, C.J. Cooke fully understands how to set a book and fill it with characters that don’t come across as a horrible cliche.

One fascinating aspect of this brilliant novel is the exploration of many Scottish and, in particular, Scottish sailing myths, legends and superstitions. We are a superstitious people, and Cooke has delivered a thoughtful and respectful look at what many of us still look upon as the gospel. And it was so refreshing to read a novel based on one of my favourite “monsters” The last time I read a book based on these was when Willie Meikle had them kill me in one of his books. And if you are interested as me about my theory about these creatures and their link to the Loch Ness Monster.

There is a deep sense of sadness and tragedy throughout this novel, and C.J. Cooke expertly blends the horror with the novel’s heart, resulting in a story that will scare you as much as make you cry at the events unfolding.

Is this a better book than Where the Dead Wait by Ally Wilkes? Both are truly amazing novels. However, my dog Casper is easily bribed, and one of these authors brought him some dog treats at an event a while back.

Personally, I think you should all buy both books and enjoy two excellent chilling horror novels.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the free book!

This was such a great read! Gothic horror mixes with historical fiction, mystery, and psychological thriller elements, making for a dark, atmospheric, otherworldly story. It is told in a dual timeline: one is set in 1901 and follows Nicky, the daughter of the Ormen's owner; the other, set in 2023, is Dom's story, with an occasional look at the events of 1973.

Nicky and Dom are well-developed and head up a cast of memorable characters. I may not have liked the more menacing ones, but they, too, were vividly depicted. Both timelines are compelling and intertwine with skillful execution and pacing that builds suspense and a weighty sense of dread. The writing is fantastic, and the world-building is very well done. This harsh and creepy setting has historical details and Nordic folklore woven in. But this isn't just a chilling tale set in an eerie location; although it is terrific in that regard, it also evoked a lot of emotion in me. It is, at times, shocking, cruel, and heartbreaking as the author examines themes of grief, suffering, and trauma.

I'll be thinking about this book and these characters for some time, and I am eager to read more by this author. Highly recommended, but readers may wish to check trigger warnings.

**Thank you to Berkley Pub for the free book!!**

I very much enjoyed this atmospheric gothic horror!! I felt so immersed in the Icelandic coast and was super thankful to be bundled up in bed while reading this.

Oscillating between 1901 and 2023, A Haunting In The Arctic reveals the extremely dark history behind the whaling ship, The Ormen. I loved that I found out more about the ship and its history in both the flashback POV and the current-day POV - it kept the plot moving along and made this a book I couldn’t put down.

I do have a couple complaints about this book - hence the half a star off - but they are spoilers so I won’t air them here. If you have read this book - would 100% love to chat!!

Check this one out if you like Gothic horror, historical fiction, chilly atmospheric reads, Iceland, and mysteries!!

**I don’t usually list trigger warnings in my reviews but am going to list SA for this book because again, this book is incredibly dark and bleak at points.**

A Haunting in the Arctic by C. J. Cooke delivered an atmospheric tale about a deserted shipwreck off the coast of Iceland. Cooke skillfully shares its past and present as a modern daily explorer Dominique, feels the need to document the ship before it is destroyed. A chilling tale perfect for a chilly winter’s night.

I’ve read this author before and like the clever way she unfolds her stories, filling with them with supernatural elements. In A Haunting in the Arctic, we travel with Dominique to the remote coast of Iceland where the Ormen washed up on shore over hundred years ago; the crew gone without a trace.

Dominique plans to document the details before a crew comes to destroy it. We learn that others have attempted to and strangely disappeared. A strange woman on the beach, an abandoned village, wild horses and strangers arriving to film, all add to the atmospheric vibe of the tale.

As the story unfolds, we learn about the Ormen’s history. In 1901, it was a whaling ship. As it embarks on its last journey, Nicky, the whaling companies’s daughter, awakens to find herself captive on the Ormen. We learn Nicky’s story in alternating chapters. In the 1800s it was a refitted as a researcher ship. When it washed up, only Dr. Diego Almeyda’s remains were found, including his shattered feet. The other occupants of the ship vanished.

The tale was brilliantly paced with moments of fear and suspense. It’s pure gothic horror, and I lost myself in the telling. I devoured this in a few days. Cooke did a superb job of moving between the three timelines, painting a tapestry of fear, comprehension, and twists. The ending blew me away and caught me a little by surprise, but it all clicked. I closed the book completely satisfied.

If you are looking for a dark, unputdownable story with supernatural elements and a gothic horror vibe, you’ll want to grab A Haunting in the Arctic.

This was an amazing piece of historical horror that really highlights the effects of trauma, beyond the initial incident, all while incorporating folklore into a mysterious and engaging story. The book opens in the 70’s, with the coast guard’s discovery of ship adrift off the coast of an abandoned shark fishing town in Skumaskot, Iceland. A mutilated body, missing crew and a whole lot of blood are all that remains of a scientific operation that was sent to take ice samples in the area. The narrative then jumps back and forth between two women from different centuries. Nicky is from 1901 and is the daughter of George Abney, the owner of the whaleship Ormen. She is attacked in the park and wakes up on board the Ormen 100 miles from home. The crew offers her no hope of returning home until their voyage is complete, but that gives her plenty of time to discover who was behind the attack. Dominique is in current era urban explorer who is in Iceland to visit the abandoned Ormen before it gets demolished. She plans to learn the secrets behind the vessel and share them on social media. She’s hoping this trip will jump start her influencer life but while out on the ice she finds she is not alone. Haunted by nightmares and strange visions, she must search for the clues that tell the true story of the Ormen. The wintery arctic setting of this story brings a haunting sense of claustrophobia to this story that chills you and gets under your skin. The mysterious elements are laid out vividly and hook you in emotionally. The reader is given a glimpse into the historical aspects of life on whaling vessels and the sense of isolation of being out to sea, cut off from the world, for months at a time. To say that the world building in this book is good would be an understatement. I enjoyed the complex nature of this book; its historical fiction, its gothic horror, its folklore and it’s a glimpse into the trauma and fear that have infected women since the dawn of time. While the subject matter is dark it is handled with grace, but readers should still check the trigger warnings before going in

This book was extremely atmospheric, which was absolutely my favorite part. The characters (especially the two main women) were interesting and I found the mystery to be engaging. This book is also quite dark; this may be to its detriment for some readers. I'm okay with dark content in my books, but I was surprised by just how dark it got at times. Definitely check trigger warnings ahead of time! Sometimes I felt that the book leaned hard into the dark content to the part where it didn't feel as if it was adding anything to the story; it was just there to give the story a certain atmosphere. Overall, an enjoyable read but it is definitely not for everyone.

Cooke’s atmospheric writing is always the highlight of her books, and this one is no exception. set in the snowy Arctic, this one is a perfect wintry read! the actual mystery aspect wasn’t as interesting for me as others i’ve read from Cooke, and I did find myself eager to follow one timeline a lot more than the other, but I enjoyed the setting and characters. overall another solid book from her!

This is the most depressing and traumatic book I have read in a very long time. It was a tragedy after tragedy and graphic violence against women that was constant. The book did have a good message about women and trauma and how much we can withhold but omg it was so much. The twist was interesting and the parallels did lead to some scary horror moments but not enough to save this trauma dump.

The description of this book excited me, and the cover is gorgeous. Unfortunately, it didn’t meet my expectations. It just wasn’t for me.

Although I think the fact that Dominique is Nicky is supposed to be a plot twist, I assumed they were the same person from nearly the first page. I also wasn’t expecting so many rape scenes, and I nearly DNFed the book after the first one. The ending was also odd and felt disjointed.

I’ve seen mixed reviews for this book, and my first experience with this author won’t prevent me from checking out her future releases.

A Haunting in the Arctic was a compelling and chilling read. I loved Cooke’s writing and I thought this was an intriguing gothic story that at times was hard to read. This story is told in two timelines following two women. In 1901, Nicky is abducted and forced to become the “selkie wife” to the depraved mariners aboard a whaling vessel headed to the Arctic. In present day, Dominique, an explorer, meets up with fellow explorers aboard an abandoned ship called the Ormen in the Arctic.

I loved the chilling atmosphere of the story. I just felt a sense of dread, feeling that something could happen at any moment. I liked reading from both timelines, but the 1901 timeline was very difficult to read since Nicky went through a lot of horrible experiences aboard the ship. Nicky was such a strong willed character but it was really hard reading from her perspective.

I guessed a big twist early on but there were other surprises that I didn’t foresee. I felt the ending was perfect and a great conclusion to the story. I look forward to reading more from Cooke.

I would recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction with paranormal elements. Definitely look up the trigger warnings before reading this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

“Remember, the sea whispered, that revenge is a stone tossed into water. You can’t direct the ripples.”

CJ Cooke does it again, folks 👏🏻

When it comes to paranormal thrillers, she’s one of the best. Also see: THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES, which I recommend endlessly. 🧙🏻

Thriller doesn’t even fully cover it. There was some straight up horror and I LOVED IT.

Cooke has created the most chilling, EERIE, and menacing atmosphere. I legit considered sleeping with lights on I felt so spooked…❄️

👉 This won’t be for everyone. While it’s gothic, dual timelines/POVs, and is a killer ghost story, it’s also super weird. But if you embrace weird as much as I do, then hop aboard, matey! ⚓️

The twist will have your head spinning. I clued into it earlier on, but it did NOT take away from the reveal or the emotional end. ❤️‍🔥

✨ Thanks to @berkleypub @netgalley for the #advancedreaderscopy. A Haunting in the Arctic comes out February 27th 👻❄️⚓️💀🐋🚢

I requested a copy of the ARC from the publisher, Berkley, on NetGalley and was approved in exchange for consideration of a review. All opinions discussed are my own and are subjective to myself as a reader.

C. J. Cooke had me hook, line and sinker with just the first two pages of this one! The brief prologue was a promise of what would unfold in its pages: fear, isolation, destruction. The ambiance of the setting was both beautiful and terrifying. The mystery of this ship called to me like a siren.

A HAUNTING IN THE ARCTIC tells the tale of the ship, the Ormen, in a dual timeline. Its origin is presented through the perspective of Nicky, the daughter of the ship's owner in 1901. Its forlorn present and impending destruction is told through the perspective of Dominique, an explorer whose intent is to document the ship, give her a second chance to tell of events she's kept secret for so long, entrenched on the shores of an abandoned settlement in Iceland.

I was drawn in by the mystery of the ship as presented in Dominique's timeline, but before I had made my way through the first half of the book, I found myself more intrigued and excited to read the history of the ship from Nicky. The author left me a couple clues that helped me figure out one of the big mysteries that emerged in the present, so I found the end of the present timeline a touch disappointing. The choice to not explain the why of an important piece of the story irked me. This was not the case with Nicky's timeline, however. I found its ending and its tie to the present to be absolutely brilliant.

Reading the description of the ship, when it was used as a whaling vessel and all the lore, superstitions and crew positions - it felt to me that the author did her due diligence researching the setting, time period and terminology. Besides the nautical aspect, the trauma suffered by some of the characters was visceral, yet there was beauty in the recovery process. Either the author has first hand experience or she did her homework - so I either admire her journey or appreciate the dedication given to what was likely hours of research.

I fell in love with the writing style of C. J. Cooke - especially with her ability to build suspense and to make the pages feel alive with the atmosphere of the setting. The first night I started reading this book, I only made it through Chapter 1. Friends, I had seriously disturbing dreams that night. I decided this one would be a read-only-in-sunshine-book after that! Cooke's magnificent style alone makes me hungry to read more of her work.

I won't lie to you all - I requested this book on NetGalley on a whim because I liked the title. All it took was the words "Haunting" and "Arctic" and I was hitting the request button. I love horror most when it takes place in a cold setting for some reason and when you throw in a possibly haunted shipwreck - it was, as they say, the perfect storm.

This was a difficult read and took me a long time to get through. I have to give the author credit for coming up with something so creative and interesting, but it was still tough. Between the abuse and the rapes, it was just ... not fun. I also saw the "twist" coming, but maybe we were meant to?

This book was unlike any book I have ever read before. I would describe this as a gothic atmospheric ghost story.
This book takes place during two time periods and wow I was hooked.
It’s 1901 and Nicky is the daughter of George Abney whose the owner of the Ormen whaling ship. Wanting to see if her husband has written to her while he fights during a war, she soon finds herself being attacked by an unknown male while walking through a park. When she wakes up she discovers she was brought on to the Ormen ship. She’s soon told she’s is to serve as a "selkie wife" for all the men on the ship. Disgusted and horrified she doesn’t believe this true since father owns the whaling vessel, she soon finds her life turning into a nightmare.
In 1973, Dominique or as she prefers to be called (Dom), is an explorer, she wants to go to the Ormen which has now washed up on a remote coast of Iceland. She plans to to document the ship before it will be destroyed. While exploring the Ormen, Dom is surprised to see that there has been recent activity on the ship, and that other people have been investigating the ship before her. Soon she realizes that she is not alone, three other explorers have shown up as well She meets the trio of explorers who may or may not have hidden intentions. Soon Dom begins to see a woman walking around but no one else sees the woman, they begin to dig into the the Ormens history and they begin to see that the ship has a dark history one that has many deaths under mysterious circumstances, and Dom
begins to wonder if they will be the ships next victim.
This was a dark read and won’t be for everyone please see my trigger warnings.

Kidnap, rape , hostage, injuries, assault, miscarriage, self-harm, death of a child, animal death, mentioned of suicide

I received a gifted galley of A HAUNTING IN THE ARCTIC by C.J. Cooke for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and PRH Audio for the opportunity to read and review!

A HAUNTING IN THE ARCTIC follows the whaling ship the Ormen beginning in 1901. Nicky awakens onboard after being attacked on land, now trapped into life as the only woman on board. In later years the ship was used for research, but things did not go smoothly then either.

Now, over 100 years after Nicky’s abduction, the ship is a wreck that has washed up on shore in Iceland. The wreck is scheduled for demolition, but an explorer named Dominique feels a pull to visit the Ormen and research its history and the end of those who have sailed on board in the past. For Dominique and the crew that travels with her, it is soon clear there are dark secrets aboard.

I didn’t know much about this book going in, but after a very hot vacation, returning to a very chilly home made it the perfect time to pick this book up! I am really glad that I did because it wound up being a very engaging and intriguing read!

This book hits on a lot of very tough and serious subjects, so definitely check out lists of trigger warnings. The women in the book in particular are not always treated well and this did make it tough to read at times. Their stories did keep me interested even as I did have to take some breaks. The real life horrors are balanced out a bit by the other worldly snippets the characters begin to see around them and this really upped my interest to find out what exactly was going on. I made a few good guesses, but the author did manage some surprises as well!

This was a fantastic wintery read and one I do think is worth picking up. The audio was really well done as well!