This is the first Mary Kubica Book I read, and I don't know if I'll be reading any of her other works.

The storyline was pretty intriguing, and I read it till the end, but only because I wanted to know what exactly happened. Whether Jessica Sloane was Eden's daughter or not. And that one question is what kept me reading.

I hate stories that drag too much. I love books with ample action, where things just keep happening. Well, this book was way too slow for me. Way too slow.

I was actually starting to like the book, and then the book took a sudden twist and I was left fumbling in exasperation.

So yeah, it was psychological enough, but it lacked a lot in the "thriller" aspects.

This one just fell flat to me. There was a lot of build up and then..... nothing. Super disappointed in the ending. I almost feel like “why did I even read that?”

I have loved Kubica and although I tend to be in the minority, my favorite of hers is The Good Girl. So far, her books are a solid 3/4 Stars for me and I hate giving this a 2, but I can’t muster up any other praise for this book.

Just from her name alone you know you're in for very well told engrossing story because Mary Kubica just doesn't disappoint and she won't disappoint you this time either. This is the type of story that is unputdownable because the tightly woven plot and engaging characters weave their ways into your system making it impossible to do anything but read this book. Definitely pre order this book and make sure that you set aside plenty of time to dedicate to this story because once you start you will not want to put it down. Happy reading!

There's not enough words to express how beautiful this book is. It touches on sensitive topics like cancer all while boggling your mind around every sharp corner your mind gets dragged down. And I found myself getting emotionally invested in a way I never expected from a book like this based off the synopsis. I never dreamed I'd cry the way I did. The ending absolutely pulls this together phenomenally and I highly recommend this to anyone who likes being confused and emotionally devastated at the same time.

I’ve read other books by Mary Kubica that I’ve enjoyed but this one was very slow. It not only turns in a direction I don’t see coming it was a very disappointing ending. It’s not a mystery. It’s a rather depressing book for me. There are lots of people who loved it so I’m pretty sure i wasn’t a right fit for the book. I received an advance review copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have only read one other book by Mary Kubica, The Good Girl, and while I only gave it 3 stars, I enjoyed it a whole lot more than this book.

When the Lights Go Out is about a young woman, Jessie Sloane, who is trying to move on after her mother passes away from cancer. She applies for financial aid at the local community college but runs into some problems with her social security number. Tired and grief-stricken, Jessie tries to unravel this mystery before she herself unravels further. Meanwhile, there's a second point of view twenty years earlier from a woman named Eden, taking us through her moving to a new house with her husband and trying to start a family of her own.

This book was slow, and the only thing that really kept me going were the reviews that said there was some twist at the end that readers weren't going to like. I am not a person who can suspend my disbelief for the entire novel. I want twists that I never saw coming, but still in the realm of realistic. This twist fell so flat for me. I barely consider it a twist at all. I also felt the characters were shallow, and I found them to be annoying at times. The writing fell flat for me as well, like the author was pushed into writing another novel before she was ready. I think her first novel was much more well written than this one. However, I am sure tons of her fans are going to love this book, but it just wasn't for me.

Review Posted: 8/2/18
Publishing Date: 9/4/18

This was an interesting read! Not at all what I expected, but in a good way! Dreams are powerful things!

I received an advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily reviewing it.

I have usually enjoyed most of Kubica's books but I don't know what it was with this one. Maybe it was the ending that just left me so, so, so ugh I can't even find the words to describe it, deflated(?), flat(?) angry(?).
I read almost all of the book expecting one thing and then you get to the "Big Twist" which really in my mind was just Kubica's way of saying "Yeah, I'm not digging this either, here's a ending"
Its expecting Disney World but instead getting to a fair with two rides.
Expecting lobster and getting boxed Mac and Cheese.

I have loved all her books, so I am willing to overlook this one because I know she is better than this!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for an advanced read in exchange for this review.

I enjoy Mary Kubica's books because they are unexpected and unpredictable thrillers. This book was unexpected, but not in a good way. There's a twist at the end that feels like a slap in the face as a reader. Did she just get tired of writing and feel this was the only way out? If you take the mystery and thriller parts out of the story, there would have been a decent women's fiction read. Maybe she should have gone in that direction.

Love Mary Kubica and enjoyed this book. The twists and turns were unpredictable and kept me wanting to read more to figure it out. There were parts I was slightly confused on, but in the end, it all came together. MK's writing style is unique and enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of When The Lights Go Out.

I received a free e-copy of When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica from NetGalley for my honest review.

A fast moving mystery with a very twisted plot. I loved how each of two two main characters were told in first person. When Jessie Sloane's mother dies, she goes off to find herself. When she applies for college she learns that her social security number is invalid. She then starts searching for her real identity. Eden's story, set in the past, is about her ongoing efforts to have a child and then her inability to have one.

I enjoyed each of the story lines and how they later came together. This book kept me intrigued and bewildered till the very end. I did struggle with the end and the path that Eden took. I can see how some people were let down or disappointed by the end but still a great read. It was a bit confusing at times but I think a lot of it was Jessie's lack of sleep being portrayed.

I don't understand. Mary Kubica's writing? Fantastic. The premise- sucked me in. Tension? It's all there. The ending? Completely unfinished. To the point where I to had to look to make sure I wasn't reading an early version of the book. I can generally buy any far fetched premise you want me to, as long as it's well thought out and clever. I didn't get that here. 2.5 stars.

I loved this book until the last few chapters. I was left hating it. So the carriage house was a dream? Everything about her social security card was a dream? I'm so confused and so mad because it was awesome up until this point. #WhenTheLightsGoOut #netgalley

This just wasn't her best book. I was quite disappointed in it, The bit at the end was extremely disappointing and I really just didn’t get it at all.

When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica was a slow-burning, gritty thriller that introduced Jessie Sloane, a girl trying to grip with her mother's recent death. Brokenhearted, Jessie enrolls in college in order to find some meaning in her life, only to find that her social security number is fake and there's no record of her existence....at all. If that wasn't enough to grapple with, Jessie is suffering with debilitating insomnia, and has begun seeing and imagining things that aren't there. Insomnia was such a BIG part of this story, that I found myself needing to take a nap and just praying that Jessie could get some sleep. You can seriously FEEL her insomnia, that's how much of a role it plays in this story.

We also meet Eden, 20 years ago, who is a happily married woman who is desperate to have a baby with her husband. Unfortunately, like many women, Eden struggles with infertility, which begins to consume her life. Her story is heartbreaking and leads her to do some CRAZY things.....

I loved this book and got through it really quickly. I think infertility has become more popular as a book theme lately, though I'm not sure I love so many women suffering from this issue appreciate being portrayed as crazy and desperate enough to...well, I can't give it away. I did enjoy this book though, and I think it's definitely worth a read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4*.

I am a fan of Mary Kubica, having discovered The Good Girl a few years ago. I've enjoyed her style of writing: a good mix of using detail and timeline stuttering while leaving the reader almost as unsettled as the plot twists.

When the Lights Go Out is the story of Jessie Sloane, a young woman facing her mother's imminent death of cancer in a Chicago hospital Jessie is strung out from a lack of sleep - either from anxiety over losing her mother or simply insomnia. She finally acquiesces and accepts sleeping pills from the nurse caring for her mother as well as melatonin from a boy she meets in the hospital cafeteria. The result is that she sleeps through her mother's last moments and wakes to find that she has already passed.

Jessie then has to find a way to go forward, learning quickly that she is not who she thought she was-unable to obtain a death certificate because she does not have a social security number, she discovers that she is on the "Death Roll". Insomnia continues to haunt her and the reader is left unsure if the story is real or her imagination.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book and was completely gripped by the mystery. Another solid thriller by Mary Kubica!

*With thanks to netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mary Kubica is one of my favorite authors - she is one of those authors who I purchase her books without even knowing what they are about.. With that said, this book while it was interesting and excellent writing, was not one of my favorites. I think I couldn't relate to the sheer desperation of a woman wanting a child so desperately.. It seemed to be just a bit slow for me- but that could just be me. I will remain a loyal Mary Kubica fan and look forward to her next book. I so wanted to give it 5 stars but feel I should be truthful and transparent in my review.. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#WhenTheLightsGoOut #NetGalley

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read several of Mary Kubica's books and was excited for this one; however, I was not a fan of this one. There were a couple of times where I didn't even want to finish but was waiting for the twist. The twist was there, but it wasn't a very good one. I would recommend reading other books by this author before reading this one.

Pretty bummed :(

I've read a few of Kubica's previous book and when i saw this one, it immediately grabbed my attention. The story is gripping and there are plenty of twists and turns. It is a little formulaic in that I felt there were certain aspects of the plot which felt quite similar to her other books and her characters are quite similar as well. That being said, it is a formula she follows well and her writing is always solid. An engaging summer mystery!

This is the fourth book from this author I've read and probably my favorite. It was so fast paced and definitely one you'll stay up late reading. I didn't dislike the characters and the twists were unexpected. Thank you to HARLEQUIN publishing for the ARC! (less)