This was a drawn out horror audiobook. I feel like not a whole lot happened for the better part of the book. Something would happen, and then it would go back to a whole lot of nothing.

Once it did pick up though, towards 75% percent, it was a decent horror. I don’t tend to enjoy “monster horror” where someone creates monsters for the “betterment” of humanity. For this one however, I did enjoy listening to it unfold.

I do like the narrator, she has a calming voice. I listened at 1.5x.

This audiobook could have been shorter by an hour or so, and still have the same story. But all in all, it wasn’t bad.

3.5/5. Thank you to C.J. Dotson, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the audio ARC/ALC.

The first half or so of this book was a lot of fun. Sadie, a pregnant mother of a toddler escapes her dangerous home life by heading to the L'Arpin hotel right on Lake Erie. She gets a new job as a housekeeper and starts to navigate her new normal - hoping that it is just a temporary delay to a final normal. But something is strange about L'Arpin. People go missing, she starts to see things, and something is definitely in the water. It's up to her to try and keep her small family safe while dangers - human and otherwise - lurk in the dark.

In the second half, the writing dragged. Repetition took over, and though small amounts of new mystery seep in, nothing seems to really move until the last quarter or so. And even then, it comes so quickly and resolves so unsatisfyingly that it loses some of the sparkle. Did Sadie make the smartest choice? Yes. I think so. Is it the most entertaining for readers? No. I wanted that final confrontation. I wanted to see more discovery And how it ends, that very last "page" (last few minutes), seems very haphazard.

I will be honest: I did not like Sadie. I appreciated that the author tried to make her a realistic mother, but from the first time she left her with a hotel guest she barely knew, I was thrown off. She seems to get herself into trouble, and even at the end of the book, ignores warning signs. And while Izzy is cute, the whining was too realistic (so, I guess, kudos to the narrator!). Some of the side characters were more palatable, but no one I really connected with.

Overall, the book wasn't bad, but just not my type. I think the pacing should have been evened out more and the climax full of more excitement than, say, running me over with a bulldozer...

The Cut: A Novel by C. J. Dotson, is the story of Sadie, who in an attempt to escape an abusive relationship, ends up at the L’Arpin Hotel. Almost immediately, we get a sense that not all is what it seems at this hotel.

Initially the story starts out well, but ultimately I could not connect with any of the characters. The narration by Jenn Lee was ok, until you got to that Sadie’s daughter. There was a lot of repetitive language in the book, leading to a level of sophistication of a YA novel. This was my first experience with this author, and while I was not a fan of this book, there is enough here to have me try another by this author.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 3 stars
Pub Date: Apr 08 2025

Tags:
#MacmillanAudio
#TheCut
#CJDotson
#JennLee
#YarisBookNook
#netgalley

I received an early copy of this book for review through NetGalley for an honest review. Thanks guys!

Sadie's life isn't exactly where she wants to be. Newly pregnant and the mother of an outgoing toddler she is fleeing her abusive fiancé. She is sure she finds a suitable landing place in L'Arpin Hotel, a historical hotel nestled on Lake Erie where she secures both a housekeeping gig and a free room. Little does she know that while she's running from one danger, she's running straight into another.

I was really excited for this one, but it kind of just fell flat for me. A lot of it was very... conflicting.

The opening prolouge absolutely hooked me - I feel like Dotson has a really solid understanding of how to write horror. Her description of something lurking in the water and the sinking realization that you're not safe was wonderful. I just wished that energy kept up.

A lot of the book was slow. I don't know if it was the third person aspect or the writing, but it took a lot for me to really connect with Sadie and to care. Other characters like Izzy, her energetic toddler, and Gertie, the elderly busybody living in the hotel, felt full of life and interesting. But seeing the world through Sadie's eyes just was.... Tedious?

This is part of why I am so conflicted because I feel like Sadie's grappling with her abusive relationship and how she will escape it feels real. That paranoia that behind every tree, around every corner, could be that person you're running from was well done. I could feel the urgency. But it also felt like her instant paranoia on the water was very plot convenient. IT happened not because it actually made sense but because it needed to for the story.

The middle of the story dragged out for me. I got halfway in and thought I should have been close to finish. That’s how slowly it felt like things built. I actually feel like this book would have made for a much better movie to resolve some of these issues. A lot of time was spent explaining subtle vibes or the monsters. The monsters and their behavior were intriguing, but the written word was not the best way to convey it.

The last rush where all the secrets came out was exciting. The twist was unexpected for me, so that was a nice surprise. All in all, though, I was generally underwhelmed. I didn’t hate this book, but I was also happy to be done with it.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and C. J. Dotson early access to the audiobook version of the novel The Cut by C. J. Dotson.
First off oh boy does the cover of this novel make me uncomfortable. I almost didn’t request it because it gave my Slither vibes, and that movie is a big NO for me. Luckily, I pushed on, as I am always looking for new horror books to recommend to my patrons.
I am always a fan of a good creepy hotel story, something about them always catches my attention, and this one was no different. The focus of the story is a single mother, Sadie, on the run from an abusive ex with little to no options available for her and her toddler. This is how the two come to stay, and work at L’Arpin, a historic hotel that might be hiding a thing or two in its walls.
I liked the depiction of gaslighting that is shown throughout the novel or well the attempt to gaslight That was one aspect of Sadie’s character that I liked. She would not let anyone dissuade her from what she sees or knows as fact. One aspect I hated about her character was the lack of discipline she showed her daughter, who made me want to pull my hair out any time she spoke. She even mentions that she will have enough time when the kid is older to fix her behavior, but for the time being she can’t be bothered to.
The rest of the main plot was kind of predictable. I figured out most of it early on but stuck around for the icky imagery. I honestly wouldn’t mind a prequel that explains how the hotel came to be and the early exposure to the horrors within.
I will give this a 3/5 because while the plot was ok, the monsters and their depictions were very memorable.

Dang, I was really excited for this but it didn't hold up to my expectations.

The narration wasn't the problem, Jenn Lee did a great job—this story just fell super flat. I wasn't interested enough to keep listening and wouldn't have had this not been for NetGalley.

{Thank you to CJ Dotson, Jenn Lee, SMP & MacMillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!}

The Cut by CJ Dotson is a horror novel with some serious noir horror movie vibes. Set in the decaying, eerie L'Arpin Hotel on the fringes of Lake Erie, it follows Sadie, a woman running from her abusive past, only to find herself trapped in a building that harbors its own terrifying secrets. It’s a chilling mix of personal survival and paranormal terror, as Sadie navigates not just the aftermath of her abusive relationship but also the creeping horrors lurking within the hotel.

Sadie is a sympathetic protagonist. My favorite character, however, was the hotel itself, with its ominous corridors, missing guests, and mysterious happenings. There’s a slow-burn quality to the story that draws you deeper into the unsettling atmosphere. The supernatural elements—dripping walls, slithering creatures, and vanishing guests—create a creepy, claustrophobic feeling that keeps the tension high throughout. And the novel's cover! It's amazing. Super creepy. It's honestly half the reason I requested the book in the first place!

The narration was really good. I also enjoyed the creepy, strange side characters and how mysterious they all were. Where the book fell apart for me was the ending. I'm not someone who needs a perfectly wrapped up ending all neatly tied together, but the ending to The Cut felt very abrupt. I was left wanting a little bit more. The ending just felt really rushed, and it diminished my overall enjoyment of the novel a lot.

Sadie is trying to escape her abusive ex while pregnant and with a toddler in tow. I'm familiar with this author so I was expecting something weird, and I was not disappointed. I was also hoping for revenge, but I got something more complicated, as Sadie had to navigate her complicated relationship with her family while facing the odd happenings at her new job/home.
This was enjoyable and suspenseful. Sadie has made some questionable decisions that got her where she is but now she is determined to start over, finding her own inner strength.
I enjoyed the audiobook overall, except that the toddler was whiny. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

The Cut by C.J. Dotson
🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is a very entertaining and exciting supernatural & thrilling horror story!
Sadie is fleeing from an abusive relationship with her 3 year old daughter, Izzy. Sadie is desperate for work and to get money to start over with her daughter.
She is able to find a housekeeping position at an old historical hotel. Not a great job, but they are also offering her a place to stay, which she is desperate for, so she takes it. Quickly after starting her job, Sadie notices things that are creepy and not right in this place, but tries to stay quiet to keep her job and living arrangements.
Is this all in her head or is something really going on?
Not only does this story have spookiness and mystery, but it also has lots of twists and surprises as well.
I was more invested in the first 1/2-3/4 of the story than the last part though. It didn’t hold the intrigue and intensity as the early part of the story had for me. But overall, I feel the book is a unique one, and I really enjoy the way this author writes.

Thank you to NetGalley for an audio version of this enjoyable story!! The narrator did an excellent job also!!
*This book comes out April 8th and should be checked out!!*

I received an audio arc of this book. The narrator did an amazing job. Got the emotions and easy to follow at an increased speed.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was the repetitiveness of the dialogue. Also I felt like there could have been more.

The story gave me 'Lock Every Door' vibes in the best way. The cover is perfection. The vibes are creepy. A great quick read.

*ARC Review*

I was intrigued by the cover of this book and it didn’t disappoint. The hotel on a lake setting provided the perfect creepy vibe for this supernatural experience. The author builds tension in perfect amounts and I was hooked from the start. The lingering sense of unease lasted until the very end.

Review for The Cut by C.J. Dotson narrated by Jenn Lee - Overall, The Cut is a pretty interesting book.

Just based on the title, I wasn't sure what to expect. I enjoy jumping into stories without reading the summaries since I like being surprised. I don’t like spoilers. Going in blind, the cover photo and title drew my attention. I thought it would be something like a medical horror. It was an interesting surprise to see the story unfold as a horror focused on a domestic violence survivor, Sadie, and her escape to a new town. The author and narrator allow the listener to experience Sadie's unease, horror, fright, and curiosity through expressive language and the use of inflection and tone. This is one of the better narrators I've listened to. I enjoy when an audiobook isn’t monotone and droning.

Overview:
The story begins with Sadie trying to escape her abusive ex while also pregnant, which is already a scary situation. C.J. Dotson and Jenn Lee quickly capture the listener’s attention, and we find ourselves rooting for Sadie as she seeks a fresh start at the Larpin Hotel. But, it doesn't take long for her new beginning to turn into an utter nightmare. Guests at the hotel start disappearing, and no one seems to care except Sadie. The hotel staff and guests make her feel like she’s losing her mind, and her doubts start to echo the gaslighting she experienced in her past relationship. Sadie is forced to question her intuition - again. Her inability to initially act when she knows she should is a reflection of her past trauma. I appreciated the glimpses into her relationship to establish those connections and give a better sense of why she responded to people and situations the way she did. It helped me, as a listener, to put myself in her shoes. I do wish the ending had been a bit more fleshed out. It felt a little abrupt compared to the pacing of the rest of the story. However, I didn’t mind how it ended enough to let it detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

Narrator:
Jenn has a clear and engaging voice, good pacing, and the ability to change her voice for different characters. She does well enough with the male characters considering. She captures Sadie's inner turmoil, her ex's cold demeanor, and the suspicious characters around her. One of the more spot-on voices is her portrayal of Sadie's daughter. She nails the daughter's voice in terms of the tantrum-prone nature and tone that some young children have. She did it so well, in fact, that as a listener, I could feel Sadie's overwhelmed nature and the growing sense of being on edge when the peak of the story started to reveal the hotel's mysteries.

I really loved the horror and suspense of this book. It would have been a higher rating, but the narrator's handling of the child's voice was nails on a chalkboard cringy. It was awful. Please don't read children characters in high pitched whiny voices. It ruined the story.

The Cut was one of my most anticipated horror releases of 2025, especially with its promise of supernatural elements and a chilling hotel setting. The premise had so much potential—Sadie, a woman escaping an abusive relationship, takes a job at an isolated hotel where strange things begin to unfold. Unfortunately, while the setup sounded like a recipe for a tense, haunting read, the delivery just fell flat.

Sadie’s character was frustrating from the start. While I understand she’s meant to be a complex, traumatized woman, her choices made it hard to empathize with her. Her main motivation is protecting her daughter—but then she makes baffling decisions, like leaving her daughter alone in the middle of the night to go investigate a creepy lake. It’s hard to root for someone whose actions contradict the one thing she claims to care about most.

Then there’s Gerdy, the elderly neighbor who seems to exist solely to be nosy and overbearing. She’s the embodiment of that one old woman who inserts herself into everyone’s business when all you want to do is tell her to scram.

As for the hotel staff—everyone is inexplicably rude to Sadie from the get-go. It’s a bit jarring, though honestly, kind of believable, because… she is kind of annoying.

All in all, The Cut had the bones of a solid horror novel, but the execution didn’t live up to the promise. I wanted eerie, slow-burn tension and supernatural horror—but what I got was a protagonist I couldn’t care about and a plot that never fully came to life.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for an early look at The Cut!

This book wasn't really for me, Sadie's backstory with Sam was very easy to relate to and there was great character development. However, I was left feeling like I had alot of unanswered questions as the book neared the end. So, it was just missing something.

I was looking forward to a nice creepy horror story.

Narrator: I did like the narrator I thought they did a great job changing their voice so I knew the different people that were talking. I think listening to the audio book helped the story because of the storytelling voice.

This book is set at a creepy hotel. A woman and her child have no where else to go and the woman gets a job at the hotel. Soon creepy things start happening. Sadie sees a woman struggling in the pool, but by the time she gets to here there is no one there. Guests go missing and then there are the noises and sounds that creepy her out.

The beginning of the story had me hooked. I will loving the set up, but it soon began really repetitive... I hope I never hear a child called "stinker" again. it was ridiculous the amount of times she called her child that...why no use there name?

Excellent pacing, graphic setting, wonderful cast of characters to both love and hate. Sadie's spiral into self doubt while slogging out of a troubled life touched poignantly while surrounded by real life monsters. Lake Erie was a foreboding menace - almost a character in the story by itself. Fantastic!

A thriller set in a creepy hotel with strange residents and eccentric employees. Great idea for a book. With some supernatural thrown in as well. Sadie made a great main character and I liked following her story from leaving an abusive relationship to ending up in a creepy hotel as a new employee. Great narration and I thought it was well written.

I struggled with how I wanted to rate this. As a domestic thriller following a FMC as she leaves an abusive relationship (majority of the first 75% of the book)this was pretty good. As a sci-fi/horror (the last 25%), it felt odd. And not just because of the “monsters”, but because it seemed clunky with the mixed genres.

I enjoyed the focus on Sadie’s psychological journey of leaving her abusive fiancé and managing her paranoia (is it triggered from her trauma or is it due to something actually happening at this hotel?). The lingering suspense and unease were intriguing. The flashbacks were well done as they were randomly triggered for Sadie. It felt realistic in showing how traumatizing abusive relationships are, days, weeks, months… after leaving. I wish the sci-fi aspect was better intertwined throughout the book.

Not gonna lie, I hate the cover 😆. I have a huge irrational fear of worm-like things. It was the synopsis that drew me in despite the cover. I also like when chapters are titled, so that was a plus. The narrator did a fabulous job!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio
for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date Apr 08 2025

On Lake Erie there sits an old and prestigious hotel, though not as busy as it once was.
Sadie Miles finds herself a new member of the cast of characters that occupy the L'Arpin Hotel after escaping an abusive relationship with her young daughter and a baby-on-the-way. Sadie finds herself trapped due to circumstance and perhaps by sinister motivations from people around her--or is she just unpacking her trauma from the abuse afflicting by a manipulative and controlling ex? As Sadie comes to terms with and learns to cope with being an indeendent caregiver, she also has to question the reality of happenings around her. Who is a friend and who is out to get her? Or is it all just in her head from years of questioning herself?

This could almost be considered cozy horror, if it wasn't for all the times I felt unsettled by this story. I enjoyed the small and intimate cast and setting. And the things that bothered our main characters are things that I could envision happening to myself.

The narration was also excellent. Jenn Lee did justice to men and women of all ages, down to a very young girl. Definitely worth a listen!