I went into The Cut hoping to be scared senseless. What I got instead was a lukewarm thriller that felt like it had ambitions of horror but politely declined to actually horrify anyone. It’s like being invited to a haunted house, only to find it’s just a mildly overgrown backyard with a fog machine and one guy in a mask who's clearly just Greg from accounting.

The plot moves along well enough—I'll give it that. The pacing is decent, the characters aren't offensively written, and there’s a consistent tone. But it all feels a little too neat, a little too safe. I kept waiting for the moment that would chill me to the bone or at least raise a goosebump. Instead, I found myself thinking, “This would make a decent movie if they punched up the scares and cast someone broody and hot.” It’s got that cinematic vibe—quick scenes, visual tension, and just enough dialogue to carry a screenplay. But as a novel? It’s kind of like ordering a spicy dish and only tasting paprika.

Dotson’s writing style is clean and competent, but not particularly memorable. There were a few clever lines, and I did appreciate the atmospheric attempts, even if they never quite landed. It's not bad, just... there. Like a middle seat on a short flight. You’ll survive, but you won’t recommend it.

Overall, The Cut didn’t leave a scar. It left more of a faint paper scratch—annoying enough to notice, but not deep enough to remember. Two stars for effort—and for being the literary equivalent of a horror movie you put on while folding laundry.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy for review!

The Cut
By C.J. Dotson
3⭐️

Sigh. I really thought I was going to love this one. It started with such potential. We have Sadie Miles, secretly pregnant and fleeing an abusive ex, with her young daughter. She ends up at a Lake Erie beach called The Cut and takes a position at the L’Arpin hotel as a housekeeper.
Not long after she arrives guests begin disappearing from the hotel and she thinks the manager may have a hand in covering it up.
After that, things not only go down hill for Sadie, but unfortunately, also for the story. There is just so much going on during the second half of the book, the ex- husband, the factory, the water, the monsters, the old lady.
Also, while the book is billed as horror and there are some scary moments, I would say it is more a mystery thriller.
I was disappointed with the ending but I was able to make it through the whole story so I am rounding this one up from 2.5 to 3 ⭐️

Thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and #Netgalley for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I couldn't get into this book. I didn't connect with the writing style, and I was rolling my eyes way too much.

DNF

I wish I could give feedback on this book. I requested this book when it was still possible to transfer on Kobo.

I'll update this review once I read this book on my own.

Sadie desperately needs her job at the rundown L'Arpin Hotel. As much as she can't afford to draw attention to herself or the fact that she's hiding her preschooler in her attic room while working her housekeeping shifts, she can't ignore that guests are vanishing or that something ominous is squelching and dripping in the building itself. I enjoyed this one. Sadie's situation required some suspension of disbelief, but the horror element was entertaining if not scary.

Oof, I was not a fan unfortunately. When parents and their interactions with their kids are not done right, it is a huge annoyance for me, and it really took me out of the story. I was rooting for Sadie in leaving her abusive relationship, but so many of the choices she made were irrational. And once again, her relationship with her young daughter was SO obnoxious that it really made me not want to continue reading. Izzy was supposed to be 3 and the way she talked was way too mature, and Sadie constantly called her "stinker." Constantly. Over and over again.

The mystery behind the hotel was interesting, but Sadie was the worst person to have to follow in figuring things out. She was so frustrating, so instead of having a fun B-movie time, I just wanted things to be over.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the eARC.

The Cut is a horror book that balances terror and self-discovery. It's about the gaslighting, the self-doubt that people instill in her. At the same time, the internal and external journey Sadie goes on allows her to find her voice and her strength. To see the ways she's been manipulated to not believe herself while also fighting for her children and herself. It's eerie immediately and full of questions which don't add up. With flashbacks, The Cut expertly maintains a level of tension in the pit of your stomach.

Audiobook: 3.5/5
Ebook/Overall Story: 2.5/5

I swear I’m just on a bad streak with NetGalley. This was a book I was really excited to read. I actually put off starting it because I just knew it was going to be a good time—but that just wasn’t the case.

Once again, here’s another book with a great cover, an interesting concept, and even a strong setting for the story to unfold. There was so much potential here that it’s almost painful to see how the execution didn’t meet expectations.
The story follows a young woman escaping an abusive relationship. She has a daughter she’s very close to and is currently pregnant with her second child. With no close family she can count on, she finds herself taking a job at an older hotel. But while working there, she begins to realize the hotel might not be the safe haven for her family that she hoped for.

I was really hoping to get more of a creature feature out of this book—especially since I’ve been on such a horror kick lately. I’ve been watching a lot of horror movies and had just finished rewatching Slither, so I was expecting that small-town creepy vibe to come through. While I do think the book has some solid horror elements, the pacing seriously hinders the reading experience.

I was grateful to have the audiobook for an immersive read; it definitely made it easier to finish. The narration was really good, and I think the narrator did the best they could with the material. They brought to life the innocence, naïveté, and—quite frankly—sometimes annoying energy that kids can have in moments of intense danger, while also capturing the hurt, ache, and longing the mother feels for her daughter and how far she’s willing to go to protect her children.

But I’ll be so happy to never hear the word “stinker” again.

That said, the story began to lean more toward domestic horror—honestly, in one of the most bland and boring ways. I wanted more of the creature aspect, and felt it should’ve been introduced sooner. The beginning of the story was okay and built an interesting foundation, but it was also very slow. Nothing major happens until close to the end, and by that point, I found myself questioning some of the author’s choices.

I also didn’t connect much with the mother or daughter as characters. It made me wonder if the author gave the main character a traumatic past to spark a connection with the reader. Whether that was an attempt at sympathy or clearly designating who to root for, I can’t say. Though so many of the characters weren’t fully developed leaving only their trauma to connect to. In addition, much of the dialogue was repetitive and bland, which limited the emotional engagement. Outside of the flashbacks to her previous relationship, there weren’t many moments that deepened my connection to either character.

While I understand needing a catalyst to propel our main character down her path, I think just telling readers that she was escaping abuse and highlighting how unsupportive her parents had been would’ve been enough. So when their ex pops up near the end, it feels more like a sudden attempt to inject an additional thriller element to the story, but only took me out of the read. Meanwhile, I’m sure they’ll be some readers who will appreciate that distraction from the slithering, tentacled creatures lurking around the hotel.

This story had all the potential in the world, and I can absolutely see the paths it could’ve taken. But I didn’t really enjoy the ending, and the road to get there didn’t always hold my attention. I’m incredibly grateful to have had the audiobook to enhance the experience. Without it, I likely would have struggled to finish. Some elements felt underdeveloped, and the atmosphere didn’t get played up as much as it could have.

I’m thankful to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read, listen, and review this book.

This was an entertaining read! The characters are interesting. The writing was good and this was fast paced. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to C.J. Dotson,St.Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sadie is a pregnant woman who is on the run with her 3 year old daughter. She left an abusive ex and is now working at a hotel. All is fine until many strange & suspicious things start happening around her. Including people going missing with no explanation & creepy creatures in the tub. I thought this was a really creepy story & Sadie having a toddler & being pregnant just added to the unnerving situation she was in. I had a good time reading this one & found it pretty scary. I'll be honest & say Sadie was a bit neglectful & too trusting leaving her daughter places. That was the only thing I couldn't connect with.

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐭
𝐂.𝐉. 𝐃𝐨𝐭𝐬𝐨𝐧
𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧’𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬
𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰
𝟓⭐️

Happy Monday! Sometimes I really crave a horror read and 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐭 by author @cj_dots totally fulfilled my craving.

I love a supernatural horror plot and not only was this story so creepy it was so fun and addictive! I think I read this in a day because I just could not stop reading. The character development was also on point here, I truly was invested in so many of the characters.

If your into creepy hotels, dark dreaery settings, sketchy characters, and supernatural elements this one is for you! I also must say I loved the added storyline that really focused on motherhood.

100% reccomend! Special thanks to both @stmartinspress and @cj_dots for the gifted copy! Synopsis in comments!
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#thecut#cjdotson#stmartinspress
#horrorreads#supernaturalreads
#bookstagrammer#bookstagram
#bookreview#bookrecommendations

The first half of this book was absolutely to die for! I loved the atmosphere, the plot, just about everything. I really thought this was going to be a 5 star read to me, but it ended up fizzling out for the second half of the book. Everything got repetitive, her calling her daughter stinker every other page, the storyline, etc.

The Cut by C.J. Dotson was a good paranormal horror/thriller. The story was suspenseful enough, and I wanted to know what the monsters were. However, I thought a lot of the writing was repetitive. Probably about a quarter of the book could (should) have been edited out because the author just kept saying the same things. Additionally, the "twists" were pretty obvious. Despite all that, I did finish the book because I wanted to know what happened. I might recommend this book to someone who is newer to the horror genre, but I think a lot of seasoned horror readers would be bored.

Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat theeeeee entire time. Only giving it 4 stars because I wanted more of a ‘happy’ ending but *sigh* such is life (or a horror book).

TW: abuse, abandonment, strained relationships

I think the author tied the important topic of abusive relationships in with this monstrous (lol) novel. Sadie, our FMC, regains her sense of self more and more as weirdness continues to happen to her. I found myself rooting for her in times of peril because I so badly wanted her to find herself again. This book is a perfect metaphor for what motherhood can sometimes be. Truly an apocalypse; but once you get out on the other side, it feels marvelous.

Thanks so much to St Martin’s Press for sending me an eARC of this one! All viewpoints are my own.

“The Faculty” meets “Tremors”

The story had a lot going on with the main characters, Sadie and her daughter Izzy, leaving Sadie’s abusive husband and getting out of town. Sadie pretty quickly gets a job in housekeeping at L’Arpin Hotel. She meets the other employees and things seem to be going well until she starts hearing drips everywhere and seeing unusual water spots. Then she witnesses someone drowning in the hotel pool- or so she thinks. Everyone seems to act very nonchalant about the situation and that’s when Sadie starts to realize something is not right around L’Arpin.

The story moved too slow for my liking and was very repetitive. I was annoyed at how often Sadie called her daughter “stinker” even in serious situations. The action was all smashed in at the end to try to tie up all the loose ends.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I didn't quite get it. I didn't really feel like it was horror. Have no idea still what the monster/person was supposed to be....like what happened to the family sorta mentioned. It was sort of all over the place and I couldn't get past the attitude/like personality the MC had. I wanted to love it but I just felt like I was left wanting when I was done.

I flew threw this book!! It was very interesting and the author kept you turning those pages.

In some parts, yes, it was repetitive but it was still a fun book.

This book just wasn’t for me. It didn’t feel completely flushed out and was just bleh for me. I think it was a me problem and a mood reading problem

“In this chilling supernatural horror novel set in a mysterious hotel, a woman fleeing her abusive ex finds herself running from more than just her past.”

Sadie has left behind her abusive ex with her daughter Izzy in tow and plans to build a new life for them working as a housekeeper at a hotel on the banks of Lake Erie. 

This is a rather strange book. It is listed as a horror, and maybe I read a few too many, but it really did not delivery as a monster horror. The true awful parts come from other humans.

There’s not really a conclusion to the story and the ending left me feeling like Sadie wasn’t riding off into the sunset to a better life, but she was just going to move her absolute disaster of a life to another new address.

Strange book all around.

TW/CW: Domestic abusive relationship, unwanted pregnancy, child abuse, language, drinking, toxic family relationships

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
A historic hotel long past its prime and huddled along The Cut, a questionable Lake Erie beach, isn’t Sadie Miles’ ideal place to raise a toddler while also navigating her second pregnancy. After finally fleeing her abusive ex-fiancé, though, Sadie’s new housekeeping position and free room at L’Arpin Hotel are the best she can manage.

On her first night, Sadie runs to help a guest struggling in the hotel’s pool only to find the water calm and empty when she gets there, leaving her with a lingering unease. When a guest then goes missing and her manager insists they simply left without checking out, Sadie suspects he’s covering up darker goings-on in the hotel.

After her ex, Sadie won't let anyone convince her that what she’s experiencing isn’t real again. So, she keeps digging, quickly uncovering suspicious interactions with the staff, mysteriously vanishing security cameras, more missing guests, and things that go bump in the night...and drip in the walls, slither in the tub, and squirm in the halls. Everything isn't as it seems within the dim hallways of L’Arpin. Sadie has nowhere to go and nowhere to hide; she'll need to keep her wits about her to survive and keep her toddler and unborn child safe from whatever lurks nearby.
Release Date: April 8th, 2025
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Writing style was decent
2. Monster elements

What I Didn't Like:
1. Hated the characters
2. Ridiculous things happen that
3. Book dragged

Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Yeah, leave your daughter with a complete stranger.

Sadie notices that a woman disappears from the pool and then leaves her stuff in the room and one day one of a job she needs more than anything she decides to invest what happened to her. It's so stupid. No one would care that much on

These characters are driving me insane. The way they act like they have a right to see is crazy and then the way they act like they can just dictate to what she's doing. Of course Sadie drives me insane because she knows she needs this job and she has so much already on her plate but she's more worried about solving Mysteries than working.

I'm sorry but how is the hotel manager able to pretend like Melton work there for 6 months? You're going to tell me this 19-year-old did not one time you social media to post that she was at work or what she did there? The police never pinged her phone at this location? Nothing? Like it's just ridiculous. You can't just disappear nowadays and pretend like you didn't go to a job for six mon

Omg omg she would rather risk her child and future baby living in a hotel where she sees questionable worms and disappearing people becauee a room isn't spot clean. I hate Sadie. Terrible.

I am over this child talking in this book.

Girl get the hell out the hotel and get any place to live. It can not be that bad out there when you are faced with a boss that is toxic and weird stuff happening. Plus how is she cleaning without touching the water???

I don't get how she is working 6 days a week and is the only housekeeper but is able to still have time to go for walks with her daughter and hang out during the day. It's January so it's night at like 5pm.

Sadie's constant giving into to Izzy is so annoying. I'd love to stop with the child pov now.

Final Thoughts:
Do you love books where a main character does such stupid things? How about a woman that loves to put her daughter in danger and ditches her around every corner? This is the story for you!

Sadie is the character that puts all kinds of dangers on the back burner to solve a mystery from the moment she is hired on day one. She already has her own issues to work through and is struggling to get back on her feet but she throws herself into things that don't matter. Then when she is presented with a choice to leave the environment that is again toxic to her and her child she chooses to NOT leave but instead make excuses. Yes, this whole thing could be an example of how Sadie's coping skills are not so great with dealing with her ex and the dangers she was put in, but I felt no pity for a woman that pushes her child to the side over and over to save people that treat them not so great.

I hated the pov of Izzy. It was annoying and got on my nerves the way she would whine. It made me feel like I was hanging with a friend and watching her give her child anything she wanted if she even threatened to cry. I was over it.