This book is marketed as a sci-fi thriller and it did not disappoint. I spent a good bit of the book wondering what was or wasn’t real especially in the setting of this weird “genetic insomnia” this family has. The entire family has random blackouts of memory and that complicates the story even further.

The family in this story also just had a weird dynamic that lends to the overall confusion of the plot. One of the sisters is “missing” for years until a reunion spins the entire family into chaos.

I liked the writing style of this book, it somewhat reminded me of Sayaka Murata’s writing style. The entire story just left me feeling vaguely unsettled but in a way I really enjoyed. This book was just recently published in mid August and is free to read on Kindle Unlimited!

***Imagine I was able to insert the “Aliens” meme guy from Ancient Aliens right here***

This book was definitely interesting. A psychological thriller with sci-fi elements due to aforementioned aliens, the story really builds up the tension. I was stressed a lot of the time with Mika’s paranoia and insomnia. Currently thanking my lucky stars that I don’t suffer from insomnia though bc I would 100% assume that I was an abductee atp. The main character was almost too childish sometimes imo, but she was definitely more likable than her family. The ending felt like a slap to the face, and I def audibly gasped bc noooo and thanks a lot for the alien nightmares that are sure to come

I think this book was an interesting read. The characters were really interesting, and I loved the way the family dynamics were portrayed. The characters had complex relationships that really kept me reading. I did find our main character a bit annoying and childish, but the book took a lot of twists and turns that surprised me and kept me reading. I would have enjoyed the science fiction part of the book more if that big plot point was expanded on for more than the last 15 pages. It felt like a lot of build up with very little pay off. I think it's really hard to do science fiction "right", and this book wasn't worse than any other science fiction, but I don't know that it really stood out to me in its genre. I would have enjoyed it more as a literary fiction where the plot twist was not science fiction related.

Thank you for allowing me to read and review :)

Note to author/editor -- there is a typo at the beginning of chapter 13. It says LCD and should say LSD.

After a tragic accident, Mikas older sister Naomi ran away from home. Her last words to Mika were a warning, that evil lived inside people, urging her not to trust anyone, but herself. Nineteen years later, her father had tracked Naomi down. Mika set off to find her long lost sister, figure out why she left, and bring her home. But the reason behind her sisters disappearance isn't what she expected... & it would change Mika forever.

Strap in for a wild ride with this psychological thriller/sci-fi read. Caroline did a beautiful job immersing you into the lives of the Crane family and the struggles they endure throughout the story. Though, without spoiling anything, the ending felt very sideways to me. It left me with more questions than answers.

Thank you NetGalley and East Side Press for this advanced reader copy.

Trigger warning :strong language, mental health issues, violence/domestic violence, drug use, death

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

‘As your third eye shuts, the garden around you fades to a peaceful darkness.’

How can I write about this book?

Are you ready for a fast paced psychological thriller ?

‘In daylight’ centres around Mika, who reunites with her sister Naomi after two years. The story got its grip for the perfect psychological thriller with a compelling twist and plot. I loved this book for the very reason many will hate it. This got some sensitive warnings and when you start the book you will notice nothing about it. It feels like, it was the writer’s conscious symbol, not without merit. But it’s the edges that make the novel a work of art. As the story progresses, with each page , we will be pulled into the immense panic and paranoia. In the end it consumes all. This book is a jolting reminder of the discomfort and dissonance we hide in order to forget.

It was the reunion she longed for. Then she lost herself.

In Daylight By Caroline Flarity
4⭐️

""Don't you want to be free" Art had asked her that in the woods. She didn't answer him then, but yes, she did want to be free. FREE to find her missing pieces and shake them awake before she ended up like Paige and their parents."

TRIGGERS| Alien Abduction, Runaway, PTSD, Generational trauma, Assault, Drug use, addiction, mental health themes (ie. Self harm)

TROPES
•Sci-fi
•Found Family
•Thriller

🅂🅈🄽🄾🄿🅂🄸🅂
It was the reunion she longed for. Then she lost herself.

Mika’s sister Naomi delivered a terrifying and cryptic warning the day she severed ties with Mika and the entire Crane family. Years later, Mika is plagued by a shapeless anxiety that culminates in a panic attack during a presentation. This career-ending debacle lands her back working the register at her family’s store in the Pine Barrens. When her ailing father tracks Naomi down in New York City, Mika decides to confront her sister about the damage she left behind and unravel the mystery of her departure. After a tense reunion, the two women reconnect—until Naomi shares the secret behind her disappearance, an otherworldly revelation that leaves Mika questioning her sister’s state of mind. Determined to help Naomi, Mika follows her into an increasingly bizarre and shadowy world that threatens to shatter her own reality—a world she might never escape.
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🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆
I am not naive to think there isn’t other life forms out there, but rather contact scares the crap out of me, and as In Daylight unfolded I was reminded of WHY being visited by another life form leaves me in an anxious puddle of fears and racing thoughts.

Beyond the fear there was also a strong under pull of more…Mika and her family have faced a lot of adversity, struggling day to day to find purchase in a world that only saw them for the color of their skin and economic status. Shuffling them into a box society closed the lid and labeled them unworthy. The concept of belonging and acceptance is such a strong human condition, the need to find understanding and support among those you love, your family. To have a true purpose. When Mika strikes out to find her long lost sister Naomi, she hopes to find just that, to find healing for her family.

Mika instead gets Naomi’s story of abduction, is this a delusional explanation for her running away or is she not mentally stable? Either way Mika made a promise to her father -she'd bring her sister home. But events in Mika's life quickly start unraveling and she starts to question her own stability. Could the simple explanation be humans are just not capable of a higher understanding?
I am not naive to think there isn’t other life forms out there, but rather contact scares the crap out of me, and as In Daylight unfolded I was reminded of WHY being visited by another life form leaves me in an anxious puddle of fears and racing thoughts.

Beyond the fear there was also a strong under pull of more…Mika and her family have faced a lot of adversity, struggling day to day to find purchase in a world that only saw them for the color of their skin and economic status. Shuffling them into a box society closed the lid and labeled them unworthy. The concept of belonging and acceptance is such a strong human condition, the need to find understanding and support among those you love, your family. To have a true purpose. When Mika strikes out to find her long lost sister Naomi she hopes to find just that, to find healing for her family.

Thank you to EPS & NetGalley for this advanced reader copy, it was a very thought provoking look at alien abduction, and human conditions.

The story centers around Mika, a woman who has been living with anxiety and the unresolved trauma of her sister Naomi's sudden disappearance years ago. After suffering a career-ending panic attack, Mika returns to her family's home in the Pine Barrens. During their reunion, Naomi reveals a shocking and otherworldly secret behind her disappearance, claiming she had to protect the family from extraterrestrials that are still monitoring her. This revelation sends Mika on a disturbing journey into a shadowy world where she struggles to discern reality from delusion. As the story unfolds, Mika becomes increasingly entangled in Naomi's bizarre experiences, which threaten to unravel her sense of self and reality.
The book explores the impact of mental health struggles, the complexities of family dynamics, and the unsettling possibility of otherworldly influences on human life​.

Loved this sci-fi psychological thriller about a woman, Mika, who reunites with the older sister she used to idolize, a sister who was located after being missing for two decades. Mika wants her sister Naomi to come home and see their family, especially their elderly father who is in bad health. Mika also wants to know why Naomi cut them out of her life. Naomi reluctantly tells Mika she did so to protect them from extraterrestrials who are still monitoring her. Mika doesn’t believe it, but Naomi refuses to see their family again unless Mika agrees to attend a support group for people who claim they’ve had alien encounters. Then things get weird as Mika isn’t sure who or what to believe anymore. It’s a quick and fun read that was also scary in parts, which I really enjoyed.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters and their stories were gripping. It was a psychological thriller with a sci fi element to it, which made it stand out to me. It was an easy read as well which is always nice.

In Daylight by Caroline Flarity is a gripping psychological thriller that takes readers on a journey through fear and uncertainty. The book opens with a seemingly ordinary first chapter, lulling you into a false sense of security. But as the story progresses, each chapter ratchets up the tension, making the panic and paranoia Mika experiences almost palpable. Flarity masterfully blurs the line between reality and imagination, leaving you constantly questioning whether Mika’s experiences are real or a product of her unraveling mind. By the time you reach the final chapter, you realize that the opening of the book in no way prepared you for the shocking conclusion.