WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT
By Mary Kubica

Thank you to Net Galley, Mary Kubica and Harlequin Publishing for providing me with my digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was very excited to receive this book as I loved Mary Kubica's first and third books. I am not quite sure if she is experimenting with a new writing style on this one. I was disappointed with this one as it is formatted very confusingly with Eden's time line jumping all over the place. Eden was the more likable character for me, but both Eden and Jessica droned on for way too long making this a challenge to keep reading. I am in the minority of other reviewer's who stated they didn't like the ending. For me the ending was what made this a beautiful story. It could have been much better if Eden and Jessica didn't bog the story down with excessive narratives.

Eden and Aaron move into a house on a lake. They are blissfully in love but it does not last. When failing to have a baby the traditional way fails they get deep in debt paying for a fertility specialist. When Eden miscarries after undergoing IVF Aaron says that he is done. I really could feel Eden's pain and heartbreak at every turn when she is so totally obsessed with having a baby. The author fooled me in how she acquired Jessica which was one of the reasons I loved the ending of this book. The only clarity the reader gains is at the very end of this book. Jessica is paranoid, hallucinates, sees and hears things that aren't there to the point of ad nausiam.

Jessica and Eden are all they both know as a family. Eden has died of cancer without ever telling Jessica who her father is. Jessica is told by Eden "to go out and find who you are." Jessica starts to question her identity when she is told by the college admissions that her name and social security number belong to a dead three year old girl who was killed by a hit and run driver. I began to question how far Eden would go to get her baby.
Jessica is an unreliable narrator who goes eight days without sleeping. The only things that she does or says that make sense is when she doesn't have a social security card or driver's license and is turned away at the Social Security office for lack of proof of her identity. Also when she tries to obtain a certified birth certificate and can't fill out the application for lack of information. The part where she meets Liam was lovely but short lived. She just goes on and on too much about following a man with an orange hat. This really bogs down the book and makes me frustrated. I had to put the book down several times.

The ending did make for a beautiful story and finally things I had been reading in the entire book converged and made sense. I was so thrilled that Eden and Aaron still loved each other. I was more happy to see that Eden gave birth to Jessica instead of her getting her the way the book implied. For these reasons I bump up my rating to 3.5 stars instead of three. Mary Kubica is capable of beautiful writing and changing genres. This was different, but the ending made me grateful to have read it.

When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica

September 2018
Fiction, mystery, suspense

I received this digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review from NetGalley and Harlequin/Hanover Square Press.

This story started strong but then took a wrong turn somewhere and was unable to find its way back. Jessie Sloane has spent the past 2 years caring for her mother, Eden, dying from cancer. All Jessie has ever known is life with her mother who refused to disclose any information about her father. With her mother dying Jess fears life alone with no other family. She stops taking care of herself and becomes so sleep deprived that she begins to hallucinate. Soon, she doesn’t know what fact and what’s fiction.

The story alternates between Jessie in the present dealing with the aftermath of her mother’s death and Eden about 20 years prior happily married but distraught over her infertility. Both mother and daughter are unreliable narrators who both seem to suffer from the same mental instabilities.

In the end, I was confused and disappointed. I thought maybe I was missing the rest of the book. I enjoy books with unexpected twists and turns but this was just one wrong turn that led nowhere. Since I like this author I was really hoping to enjoy this book which is why I gave 2 stars instead of 1. Unfortunately, I found this not to be one of her best works.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. My reviews can be found on my GoodReads page at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1335387-kelly.

Although I am a fan of Mary Kubica's other books, this was not my favorite. While the premise was good, a young woman seeking to find her true parentage after her mother' s death, I was disappointed in the execution. The plot veered all over the place, throwing up too many red herrings. At the revelation, I felt let down, as if the author came up with a ending that didn't match what had happened throughout the book. I felt cheated in a way and I hope the author returns to her usual form next time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start out by saying I have never read this author before but have heard SO much good about her books. When I saw this up on NetGalley I immediately though this is my chance to see what all the fuss is about! Now I'm not really sold on this author at all. I admit that this one is a DNF for me at about 40%. I HATE to DNF a book and really hate to DNF an ARC, HOWEVER, if I am truly miserable reading a book I am not going to force myself to continue on just for the sake of getting to the end. I had already heard many spoilery comments about how it ends and that really did help make the decision for me because honestly if it's true what I heard then I would probably only give this book a 1 star if I completed it.

Simply put I was bored. I didn't care for the characters at all and found it all a bit confusing in the beginning. It was admittedly a very tough topic for me since I lost my own mother a year and a half ago and was her caregiver. That brought up a whole lot of not so nice memories but I forged on because I don't let that interfere with a story if anything it usually connects me more to the characters. Then I just couldn't I found that I was coming up with anything to do to avoid sitting and reading and that's not a good sign. So there we go I'm a quitter. Sorry not sorry. I just couldn't go on with this one anymore and not so sure I will choose to pick up anymore by this author either.

When the Lights Go Out was definitely unexpected. Mary Kubica delivered an excellent psychological thriller that kept me engaged until the end. Jessie's hysteria is overwhelming and her journey to discover who she is, had me personally second guessing my opinions through the entirety of the novel. Her mother’s decisions throughout both her and Jessie’s lives had significant implications, specifically on Jessie as an adult. I would say, without spoiling the ending, that some of Jessie’s mother’s choices in raising Jessie felt a bit over the top and unnecessary. It felt like a bit of a reach to engage in some of those behaviors given the ending, but I still appreciated the overall story line and understand why that was served up in the beginning.

Wow! I am searching for words...this book really grabbed me in so many levels. I can't express enough how deeply moving I found the relationship between mother and daughter and the pain the mother went through in her own personal life. The author was so good expressing the pain in both characters, both mother and daughter, I felt it myself! This is what I love in books...when I'm pulled in so much that I'm sharing the same experiences as the characters. Mary Kubica writes so well that you feel that you are right there as the mother, also as the daughter experiencing all the pain and drama they are going through. AMAZING story and amazing ending. DEFINATELY READ THIS ONE

In a word...PHENOMENAL. Couldn't put it down. Great characters and a twist at the end that I never saw coming. BRAVO!

I finished this a week ago and couldn't rate it. I felt like I must have missed something because the ending was such a let down. After reading through some other reviews, I am not alone. This book has I high probability of causing a reading hangover/reading slump. I would not recommend this book if you are new to the genre. I would only recommend this book if you are a fan of thrillers and just want to see what the ending actually was. Also is you are a fan of Mary Kubica.

I enjoyed the book outside of the ending and would have given it a 3 or 4 star rating if the ending was different. I was shocked by some of the surprises and twist. I was very intrigued and emotional involved in the story but the ending was not what I was expecting and it really let me down.

OMG, this book, this ending. I was totally hooked by this book from page 1 and could not put it down. I thought I had it figured out several times but I was wrong every time. The book switches back and forth from Eden and Aaron, a young couple who are trying to have a baby to Jessica, a young girl whose mother is dying of cancer. Lots of twists and turns with an ending you will never see coming. If you love thrillers, this is for you and I highly recommend it. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a big fan of Kubicka's books, and though this one wasn't my favorite, there were a lot of things I enjoyed about this book! The writing was excellent and kept me engaged, the story was gripping and hard to put down, and I really appreciated the author's accurate portrayal of grief while describing Jessie's feelings regarding losing her mother. I didn't love the ending--but the author definitely wrote a page turner I couldn't put down!

Mary Kubica is a go-to author of mine for a smoldering, slow-burning fix. I can rely on her storytelling to be emotive and easy to fall into. When the Lights Go Out has a rather controversial ending! Read on to see how I felt about it (without spoilers, of course!).

When the Lights Go Out is told in alternating timelines: Jessie in the present day and Eden in 1996.

Eden desperately wants to be a mother. Her narrative is focused on that side of things. Jesse, Eden’s daughter, in the present time is struggling with caring for her mother and in the aftermath of her loss, as Eden has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and is nearing the end of her life.

After years of caretaking for her mother, Jessie is faced with rebuilding her life. On a leap of faith, she applies to college but quickly discovers there might be a problem with her registration due to identity. What does this mean for Jessie? The mystery of figuring out just who she is takes her down an unbidden path. She is extremely fatigued and overwhelmed with insomnia, and it is affecting every aspect of her life while she also tries to figure out who she is. The lines between truth and fiction become blurred, and the fact that Jessie’s judgment is unclear makes it even harder for her to see straight.

I quickly came to know Eden and Jessie because Kubica’s character-building is on point, and not only did I know them, I empathized with each of them and truly felt emotional about the issues they were individually facing.

As for that ending, I did not see it coming. Even with all of the reviews I had read, I never expected that. And I have to say, in all the thrillers I’ve read, I’ve never witnessed that before, so it was completely original. I was so shocked, I remember gasping out loud. I think that fit with the storyline, though it was a big risk.

Overall, I found When the Lights Go Out to be another page-turning suspense novel from Mary Kubica, more on the domestic suspense side than thriller. It is well-written, slow-burning, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget that ending.

Thank you go Harlequin/Park Row for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I found this book to be an emotional rollercoaster with 2 narrators, Jessie in the present and Eden from 20 years ago. Jessie is getting on with her life after her mother's death by registering for college but soon finds out that her Social Security Number is registered as a deceased person. Eden and her husband, Adrian, are trying to have a baby but nothing is working. Mary Kubica allows us to feel these characters emotions and frustrations as she tells a heart wrenching story which is sure to pull at your heartstrings. The characters are well-drawn and very believable. I read this book in one day as I was not able to set it aside. The ending had me in tears and had a few twists that I didn't see coming. This is the first book of Kubica's that I have read but it won't be my last as I really like her writing and unpredictable ending. I would highly recommend this book to those who like psychological thrillers. I would like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin for an early copy for an honest review.

2.5/5 stars

I have read an enjoyed a few other books by this author. So I was very excited to read this new book. I love a good psychological thriller. But the ending completely ruined this book for me.

This book has two narrators: Jessie and Eden. Jessie is college age. Her story is set in the present. Her story is connected to Eden's story from the past.

The prologue made me super anxious. And I honestly had no idea what was happening. The rest of the book was interesting enough that I wanted to try to figure out what was going on.

I really liked Liam. But it was sort of driving me crazy that Jessie was not sleeping.

In this book we go back and forth between Jessie's story and Eden's story. I knew right away who Eden was. And there was a bit of a mystery trying to figure out who Jessie was and what Eden did.

To me the end is everything. And the end of this book is a total letdown. I love a good psychological thriller. I love a good twist. But this did not work for me at all.

I lost sleep reading this book. Pun intended. 3.5 stars

When the Lights Go Out was Mary Kubica’s first for me. I’ve heard such great things about her other books and I was thrilled when I got the chance to read her latest. The book had me hooked immediately. I was invested in the character’s heartaches, I could feel what they were feeling. Kubica was definitely amping up to something huge, I could feel it in my bones.

Lights had suspense with every turn of the page (or swipe of the screen?). Jessie is reeling and Eden is falling and this mother/daughter storyline has you so wrapped up, you don’t know what is true or who is real. It’s funny what lack of sleep can do to a brain.

Without giving anything away, I will simply say the ending is not what I expected. I feel it will probably piss some off, while others may laugh and say, “Ha, damn. She got me good”. Which one will you be?

I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine alone

This pains me to write this, because I am a huge Mary Kubica fan. But, this book did not work for me at all. The book was super slow burn but I figured it would pay off in an amazing ending like some of her other books have, but this ending made me so angry. That twist at the end…ugh! Still love Mary Kubica and will definitely read her next book, but really didn’t love this one.

* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Oh sigh. I hate to say this but I was sucked into this novel, went down the rabbit hole, and then- POOF- the twist at the end was just not what I wanted or expected. Jessie has just lost her mom, Eden, and finds that she might not be who she always thought she was. Jessie becomes a really, really unreliable narrator but her story alternates with Eden's. It is well written and fast paced (at least for me) but I was ultimately disappointed. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. I've liked Kubica's other books and will definitely look for her in the future but this one.....

I'm really conflicted on how I feel about this novel.
Obviously, I liked it enough to finish it. I really did want to see what happens. However, the constant, I hadn't slept in 3 days, I having slept in 4 days ECT, got a little bit obnoxious. I kept thinking, ok I get it you're tired, you're so damn tired. But on and on it went thru out the whole book.
Of course you get to know why, but still half the book was about Jessie being so tired. The story about Eden was better. I enjoyed reading it much more so than Jessies, as nothing really happens with Jessie, except she is tired and avoiding sleep.
Edens story and obsession with having a child is probably something other woman in her situation might feel. Her character was pretty believable, and I think the book could've been better if it was soley about Eden and her journey.
The other thing that bothered me was the description of pictures taken in the 90's. The way the author made it seem like it was in the 1950's instead, like it was ancient and so old. It was like, hmmm yeah pictures might not of been as crisp as they are now, but it wasn't as bad as it was back in the day. It made it seem like the Eden and Aaron were from another era. Which seemed off to me.
Other than that it was ok, it does make you think and try and guess the outcome and has a small twist.

Thank you to NetGalley, Park Row and Mary Kubica for an ARC ebook copy for review. As always, an honest review form me.

Oh my goodness! Mary Kubica hits it out of the park again with this fantastic slow burn of a suspense novel. I thought I knew what was happening with a few possible endings, but she got me again. I didn't see that ending coming and I loved it!

Most of the book is a slow burn with small clues sprinkled about here and there. Just enough to make me think I've got it all figured out. I read with horror and excitement and then bam! The rug was pulled out from underneath me, but I landed on my feet. I loved the progressively more unsettling feeling the main character and us readers felt.

However the ending, as great as it was in terms of suspense, also left me feeling slightly disappointed. I wanted more. More what? I don't know exactly.

When the Lights Go Out is one heck of a thrilling ride. I know to expect the unexpected with Mary Kubica but I still did not see that coming. Got me again!

This was a long drawn out story. It was very confusing going from one person to the other, sometimes I had to go back a few pages to find who I was reading about at that time. At times a I didn't know if events were a dream or real. It was just a tangled up story.