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!

Much thanks to C. J. Cooke, Berkley, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thanks to Kaila Mundell-Hill for inviting me on the blog tour.

Yes, you read correctly---Berkley actually let me have an ARC. No, no, don't run to your bunker. Stay close, though.

Ghost story, psychological thriller, historical fiction---this novel has it all.....if you can stomach kidnapping, rape, torture, abuse, miscarriage, murder, child death, and the patriarchy. I did, barely. Stories this dark are not for me. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started it. I just saw "haunting" "Arctic" and "shipwreck" and I was in. That's only half of it, though---it's the other half you need be wary of.

Most of my comments are about the end, so first I'll say STOP WITH THE STUPID CHAPTERS!! I don't know why Cooke structures her narratives like this (I would love to know, though!), but I can't stand it. It makes no sense to me. It may well be a deal breaker, I hate it that much.

(view this spoilery section on Goodreads)

Overall---well, I can't say I enjoyed this book, but I can say I thought it was pretty well written and DEFINITELY well-researched (except I'm pretty sure penguins live in ANTarctica, not the Arctic.). The pace was rather slow and with the dark themes, I'm not sure I'd have finished it were I not obligated to review it for the blog tour. But if you like depravity and hopelessness---misery porn, I think some call it---you'll love this.

I had high hopes for this novel, having previously read and enjoyed two other books by C.J. Cooke, The Lighthouse Witches and The Nesting, and was very excited for the chance to read an early release of this novel.

The book is structured following two main timelines: that of Nicky who finds herself aboard the whaling ship, the Ormen in 1901, and Dominique who returns to the wreck of the Ormen in present-day to document the ship's haunted past before its scheduled destruction. There are also some chapters set in 1973 that follow the Ormen’s new life as a research vessel after the decline of the whaling industry in Scotland. Generally, I find it difficult to remain invested in multiple timelines in the same book, but this was not the case. Both are intertwined in a way that maintains a sense of mystery throughout much of the book, while slowly providing enticing clues for the reader. The scenes in 1901 describing the whaling industry felt remarkably well-researched, which was substantiated in the author’s note. This made the magical and folkloric elements feel even more integrated into the storyline when you see the desperation in the sailors and Nicky, and their willingness to believe in anything for them to escape their respective situations.

I do not wish to give away the ending of the novel, but it did feel a bit rushed and cobbled together. The author tied up the loose ends in a way that made sense, but I felt myself wishing for more hints along the way that could have added more satisfaction to the final reveal. If the ending had been handled differently, I could easily see this book becoming a favorite read of the year. Haunted historical nautical fiction may not be an official genre, but I would love more books that capture the same dark, damp, and haunting elements found in this novel.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an early review copy of this book.

Read if you like:
👻 Horror
🔪 Thrillers
🌥️ Atmospheric Reads
🇮🇸 Iceland Setting
⏳ Multiple Timelines

Three timelines created around the haunting shipwreck and the curse of the ghost, a mythical creature lurking in the area to hunt its prey, keep you on your toes. The big mystery that intersects these three different timelines to unveil the jaw-dropping conclusion is also well established and will make you scream in amazement.

The main story opens in 1973 in Ormen: a ghost ship that was once a whaling ship from the 1800s, where researcher Dr. Diego Almeyda's remains are finally found, including his shattered feet, as the other occupants of the ship are still vanished into thin air.

Then we move back and forth between two timelines, 1901 and the present, introducing us to Nicky: the daughter of George Abney, the owner of the Ormen whaling ship. Nicky is captured by very dangerous people, kidnapped, and thrown aboard the ship to become a selkie wife to serve the crew's special desires. Nicky has already gone through a lot, having lost her daughter and sent her husband to war. She must find a way to escape from this worst kind of hell.

Overall, this is a shocking mystery I truly found it so incredible how the author made the book so unique.

Thank you Berkley Publishing for my ARC in exchange for my review.

I was very excited to get an early chance to read this book as I loved The Lighthouse Witches by the same author. While I like The Lighthouse Witches better, this was a very haunting, atmospheric ghost story.
We follow 2 timelines in this book. The first follows Nicky in 1901. She has been kidnapped and brought aboard a ship, the Ormen, headed to the Arctic for whale hunting. She essentially becomes the ship's prostitute. The second timeline is in 2023 and follows Dominique, a researcher who has gone to the shipwrecked Ormen to document it being destroyed. Definitely give this book a trigger warning look if you need, there is a lot of cruelty in the 1901 parts.
Both timelines intrigued me, though it was very hard to listen to the Nicky parts. I found myself having to skip through small parts because there was just so much of it. I think the story would have done well without so much of the cruelty towards Nicky and still brought across the same point in the end. I enjoyed the present 2023 timeline much more because of this. I was interested in the people Dominique found while basically squatting in the ship (Samara, Yames and Leo). They worked well together to survive in the harsh conditions of the Arctic and seemed to have fun documenting the last weeks of the ship.
I found that there would be exciting parts, and then a lull where I almost got bored. This is when the cruelty parts hit me the most and I just didn't want to listen. The ending was very well done and was fast paced and exciting. Everything came together and made sense. I did figure out the big connection between the 2 timelines literally right away, I'm not sure if this was supposed to be obvious so readers can put the pieces together as we go, or if it was supposed to be a big reveal at the end. I think it was more hard hitting knowing already, personally. There was one detail I did not guess that had me tearing up.
Overall, this was a very spooky, atmospheric story of revenge that I will recommend to those thriller/paranormal lovers out there. Just be sure the check trigger warnings!

Dom is an urban Explorer and she’s in Skimaskot, Iceland she’s there to document the destruction of the whaling ship the Orem. This is happening in currennt day but back in 19 oh one Nikki is attacked and she wakes up a board the Orem, the ship her father owns at first she is indignant but what she learned will change her forever. She is newly married and only wants to get back to her husband and her family and that first the captain acts as if he will definitely do this unfortunately it is the last thing he plans on doing. Dom on the other hand is excited to make it to her destination but soon after starting to explore the ship she grabs a handle and immediately gets a strange feeling from it a feeling she will experience time and time again A few days after arriving she gets visitors who she doesn’t trust even hear them whispering about her is it they have a plan that involves her but not one they want to share with her. They all start having bad dreams and acting strangely while Nikki back in 1901 is living through a nightmare. What do these two timelines have to do with each other well I read this whole book and I must admit this is one of the worst endings I have ever read in a book it left so many unanswered questions not to mention the horrible portrayal of the Inuit people also if the Inuit people had no language how would they playing cards with the deckhands? I’ve read a lot of history and have never read that about any indigenous tribe and I just thought it was an odd thing to add to the book. Not about the men playing cards but what the women supposedly did. Either way this book was truly compelling and I couldn’t wait to see how it all came together but when I did I really was disappointed because the ending leaves so many unanswered questions like the whole TikTok and others I cannot ass because it would be a spoiler. Having said that I still would recommend this book because I’m sure lots of people are going to love it as I did I just didn’t like the ending plus there’s trigger warnings such as rape with the cringey dirty toothless man… Not saying one with gleaming white teeth is any better there’s also physical abuse but throughout the book we hear Icelandic tales about the sulky wife, mermaids that art your Disney version and even an Icelandic lullaby I really enjoyed this book I want to reiterate that it was just the ending I didn’t like so much but it is still a book worth reading I want to thank Berkeley publishing and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC of A Haunting in the Arctic. I really wanted to like this one but it was slow to start and I ended up DNFing.

Massive creep factor, builds across the plot. A great haunting tale.
Massive CW - a whaling ship owner's daughter is kidnapped and brought aboard her father's ship. To be a Selkie wife to the men.
Dominique boards the ship - days before she is due to be sunk. In an effort to document the history of the ship - whaling in late 1800s/early 1900s, Nicky's tale unravels; research in the 1970s, the crew not found when it wrecks in Iceland; and of course current day, Dominique's tale of experiencing the ship.
Well structured, intriguing and no doubt held my attention as details were slowly revealed.
The reader has to make a considerable leap of faith - it is a considerable mystery in itself, a challenge to accept.

This was an intriguing, if incredibly disturbing read. Told in alternate timelines, we are introduced to Nicky in 1901 when she is kidnapped and brought aboard the whaling ship, Ormen. Whilst on board, she is subjected to unspeakable horrors. In the present day, we are introduced to Dominique, an urban explorer who is aboard a wrecked Ormen to explore it before it is demolished by the Icelandic government. These two women are inextricably linked because of the ship, but is it more than that?

This is a horror novel through and through and honestly at times was a bit tough to read. An interesting plot, if a little over the top (I know, it’s a horror novel, but the thought crossed my mind!)

This book was surprising in that you strongly suspected what might be happening but then also having no idea at all. It was well-written with a well-paced plot. I would say the ending, though, paled to the rest of the book. It was rushed and clunky. It lacked that same finesse. However, I would still recommend it.

dnf @ 23%


It was fine, not great, & then one of the main characters is r*ped completely out of nowhere. From other reviews, this apparently happens to the character multiple times during the book, which is a nope for me. I'm not interested in exploring that subject as trauma porn in a horror novel, nor in it being used as an element of shock, which is very much how that scene came off.

in 1901, Nicky is attacked and finds herself on the Orman. 100 years later, Dominique feels a pull to document the last days of the Orman and the discoveries that she makes will change how she looks at the ship and maybe her. There is a presence on the ship that wants revenge, will it get revenge or will it be denied?

Told by 2 characters, Nicky and Dominique at two different points in time. Nicky’s father’s ship the Ormen is leaving on a whaling expedition. But there is one person on board who is most definitely not a crewmember. Nicky has been kidnapped and she will not be cooking and cleaning for the crew. She is used and abused in the most brutal manner by the majority of them. Part of the story made me ill. What she endured was so awful that I wished more than once that the crew would be washed overboard.When the reason Nicky was onboard was revealed,it was horrific.
Dominique story unfolds in the now. The Ormen, that awful ship that Nikki was held prisoner on, is finally going to be sunk. This is Dominique’s chance to film this abandoned ship, which some say is haunted and share her findings with the world. At first, she is annoyed when three other people show up with the same idea. But soon they joined together to make the last days on the Ormen, a memorable experience. That is until strange things start happening. Is the Ormen truly haunted? What happened on its last voyage and what is on board now?
It’s a brutal read at times, and more than once I was grateful to leave Nicky’s world and return to the mystery surrounding Dominique. Desolate,tragic,and haunting.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Feb. 27, 2024
In 1901, Nicky is a newlywed, living with her parents while her new husband is away at war. Her father, head of a whale ship enterprise, hints to her that the business is in trouble and that he did something “wrong”, seeking her forgiveness. Confused, Nicky doesn’t have time to think on it as she is captured while out on a walk and the next thing she knows, she wakes up on board “The Ormen”, one of her father’s sailing vessels. While the men continue their daily assaults, she wants nothing more to go home. Until she realizes how she ended up on the ship- and is determined to seek revenge.
In 2023, Dominique is a sole explorer, desperate to get video footage of the abandoned fishing ship, “The Ormen”, before it is set out to sea for good and destroyed forever. When she makes it to the Arctic and finds “The Ormen”, shipwrecked, she unexpectedly realizes she’s not alone. Although they appear friendly, the three strangers seem to be keeping something from her, and Dominique worries her life may be in danger.
Arctic chill. Ghost ships (and ghost towns). Selkie legends. C.J. Cooke’s newest novel, “A Haunting in the Arctic”, has all of these, and so much more. Alternating between the two time periods and narrators, writers are able to empathize with both Nicky and Dominique, and then their stories collide and the massive twist is delivered.
Cooke’s previous novel, “The Lighthouse Witches”, Cooke takes the urban legend of “wildlings” and builds a story around it. In “Arctic”, the Gaelic selkie legend is at the forefront. Similar to mermaids, selkies pull ships in with their songs, killing everyone on board. Add to that the crafty twists and turns and desolate, icy setting, and Cooke has delivered another delicious story I absolutely devoured.
I figured out the connection between Nicky and Dominique about halfway through (or at least I had a pretty good idea), but I wanted to see how Cooke would weave it all together. This book technically has two endings, one tragic and one far more positive, and yet I did not drop the plot, as Cooke managed to keep the characters and plot lines connected, regardless of their initial differences.
Unique and atmospheric, “Arctic” is one heck of a spooky novel. Cooke continues to impress and I hope she continues turning urban legends on their heads in novels to come.

1901: Nicky is attacked and brought aboard the whaling ship the Ormen. With land weeks way, Nicky is forced to do things she never thought imaginable.

Current time: The Ormen has washed up on the remote coast of Iceland, and it’s set to be demolished soon. Dominique feels a pull to document the ship’s final days even though those who have ventured onto the wreck before have met untimely ends.

Onboard the boat, Dominique will uncover a dark past riddled with lies, cruelty, and murder. It’s not long before she realizes she’s not alone. Something else is onboard, and it seems to be craving revenge.

This book was really interesting, and I loved the execution. There were two main points of view told from centuries apart, with one point of view from the middle sort of occasionally popping up. I really enjoyed both the 1901 timeline and the 2023 equally as much and I loved how they came together in the end.

In the 1973 timeline the Ormen, the ship, has been drifting since the 1800’s and its crew are long vanished. It’s since been turned into a research vessel and the body of one of the researchers is found onboard. The body has been brutally mutilated and locked in the cabin.

This timeline was interesting because I kept wanting to know how the body got trapped inside, and when the storyline was switched back and forth, I was kept in suspense! It was so hard waiting, but I loved the 2023 timeline as well.

In 2023 Dom is an urban explorer and sets out on a trip to visit the Ormen before it was sunk for good. She’s going to film her journey and share it with her followers. She ends up meeting three other people there who are on a similar mission.

Dom’s story was so interesting. I was kept in suspense by this story as well. It was such a suspenseful book to read because all the timelines kept me waiting and wanting to find out what was going to happen next. It was almost as if it were two complementary books running side by side and I enjoyed it a lot.

I do think this one is more of a dark thriller than horror, but that’s probably just splitting hairs at that point. There are some pretty dark topics discussed in the later part of the book. This is most definitely a dark gothic tale and it will thoroughly creep you out. It was actually pretty brutal, but the story did end up being worth it in the end.

I did struggle a little with all the different characters, but by the end I had a good understanding of who was who. When everything was coming together at the end, I was scratching my head wondering how everything was going to play out. I loved how it all worked out, and it was wonderful.

If you are looking for a dark and twisty book that has a lot of history, then check this one out.

This review will be posted on my blog during publication week, speedreadstagram.com

I do definitely enjoy a story with back and forth timelines. I really liked the timeline that happened in the past, but I was having a hard time connecting with the one in the present. Parkour? Why? In the end, the I liked how the timelines converged though, so that made up for it a bit.

Past and present converge in such a vivid, painful way in CJ Cooke’s A Haunting in the Arctic. This was my first read from Cooke and I can definitively say I am intrigued and want to read more.

Present day, Dominique, wants to spend some time documenting an old ship wreck before it ultimately gets destroyed. She feels drawn to the Ormen and it becomes evident pretty quickly that the energy is off on board.

In 1901, we learn along with Nicky, that she is captive aboard the whaling ship, the Ormen. After a brutal attack on the mainland, she is brought on board while unconscious, then spends her days being used in the worst ways by the men on the ship. On top of the atrocities she endures, there is something else happening… she is changing, and she is trying to hide these changes from everyone else.

I loved the alternating timelines. This story was so captivating, and completely wild at times. My heart broke for Nicky. I was definitely drawn more to her chapters, but everything happening in the present was truly scary. Along with Dominique, there is a crew with her and they are all feeling the weird effects of the old Ormen, and it is manifesting in various ways. This all concludes in an explosive ending that I didn’t see coming.

Wow! I absolutely loved this one! It read very quickly, and I was hooked from the very the beginning. It's a devastating ghost ship story with a revenge arc I was not expecting. This is a good to check out if you like a twisty supernatural story. check out my vlog for more of my thoughts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlTNAkallfI&t=1203s&ab_channel=KatrinaBrown

Thank you, netgalley for this arc!

The pacing on this book really really was a struggle for me. There was long periods of time where I just felt like absolutely nothing was happening and then you get a little sprinkle of something interesting followed by a long period of time we’re not a lot was happening. I mean things were happening but somehow just felt very flat.

I know that I liked the book more after I finished it than I did when I was in the middle of it. The ending was actually pretty good. Not groundbreaking but better than the other parts of the book had been.

And then I read the Authors note and felt like I liked the book 5 times more. I really really wish I had read the authors note 1st. Yes, there are some elements that it does give away, but overall I think of that my enjoyment of the book would have been much more having had That context. So, there’s a reason they put the others note at the end so beware. But for me if I could go back and do it again I would start there.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with a copy of this novel prior to release. Below you'll find my honest review.

So, this one was a hard one to review. Mostly because it was insanely compelling and hard to put down, but had one major glaring issue - the twist is sooooo obvious. Like, neon lights big enough to see from space pointing at the twist saying "HERE! LOOK!" kind of obvious.

But the two timeline stories unfolding chapter by chapter, with a third timeline woven throughout with research notes, etc, really were so interesting to read. I was invested in both of the main storylines and just couldn't fight that "okay one more chapter" feeling late into the night.

There are also some MAJOR trigger warnings for this one when it comes SA/R scenes, so be aware going in if these things are difficult for you to read.

All in all, the twist being obvious didn't take away from the compelling nature of the read or the desire to see how and when the reveal would happen, so I rated this one highly.

Definitely recommend to fans of supernatural mysteries set in cold, remote climates and hauntings.