Unfortunately this book didn't work for me. This premise was so intriguiging - a game of hide and seek on an exotic island for a huge pot of money.
But the book wasn't really about that at all. It was too slow with too many characters and so many side plots. Listening to a teenage boy step for step playing inside a video game was not what I was expecting or what I need when reading a thriller supposedly about hide and seek.

This is one messed up game of hide and go seek on a creepy island. Pluses: the story was pretty well thought out. Minuses: it was a bit long in developing and I liked the characters but I didn’t love them.

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𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝐸𝑦𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 10 is a psychological thriller that captures the tension and intrigue of today’s reality TV adventure shows, which I love to watch. I listened to this one solely on audiobook and hearing it made me wonder if some of the shows I watch are truly like this. It definitely has me questioning some things about some shows.

Ava, a strong yet deeply scarred FMC, finds herself wrapped up in a high-stakes reality TV game, while Nolan, a podcast host with hidden motivations as they navigate their way through this game with added suspense and mystery. The story weaves in themes of trust, manipulation, and the weight of buried secrets, creating a narrative that keeps you guessing and hooked from start to finish. Unger’s ability to dive into the mind while exploring the influence of media was done well.

After having the privilege of attending her last two book signings, I’ve quickly become a dedicated fan. Hearing her speak has been amazing and fun, and I’m committed to diving into her backlist.

This was a fun twisty thriller.. I sometimes don't like thrillers with influencer characters because they are always so terrible - but the ones in this book weren't the worst. I mean, they were a little terrible, but had some complexity and weren't solely attention fiends. I like a secluded location thriller and the addition of creepy half built luxury hotel was perfect. I liked how there were a few threads that were woven together and that the island had some personality of its own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for this advance copy of the audiobook for review.

I am a huge Lisa Unger fan and I have to say I was a little disappointed in this book. Perhaps it was the game show or gaming aspect. There are a couple of games going on, online games competitions that are games. I’m really not a game reality TV kind of person so that may have thrown me off. Another thing that I felt was not as well done was I figured out a couple of the twist that were coming in the book so I liked the set up of the extreme game on an island with an old deserted ramshackle resort.that was really great imagery that it dug up, but they’re just seem to be so much going on Adele‘s family had been ripped apart and she and her children were struggling to remake their lives. The characters that were involved in the game there was some questions about a former contestant gone missing and so there was just lots of odd questions that kind of we’re finding their answers quickly on and as I said the two twist that were in the book. I figured them out. A quick listen I really enjoyed it I received an early listening copy from NetGalley and I appreciate the book.

This was a very quick action based thriller. It reminded me so much of One Perfect Couple from RW. Felt like the same premise. Overall I liked it however there were so many sub-storylines that ultimately just fluffed the book and had no baring on the whole plot that it could be distracting. I enjoyed the ending and beginning but just a lot of the middle felt all over, it took forever to get to the game and there are some questions left unanswered. Overall though it was a good thriller and I liked the way the story was told. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this.

The premise was interesting, isolated setting, characters with dark pasts and secrets, inclement weather.-all fascinating points. However, the story was not executed well. The characters and their motivations were shallowly developed and didn’t really make sense. The twists were underwhelming and didn’t enhance the story. The ending was deeply unsatisfying, learning why characters behaved the way they did made the story fall short.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ALC.

This is my honest review of Close Your Eyes And Count To Ten by Lisa Unger. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook. I normally enjoy this author’s stories…until I read this.

Scattered plot. No urgency in entire book. Secrets, affairs, millions of viewers for the extreme events and not enough money for the grand prize. Single mom whose husband disappeared a few years ago, she needs to make some money and applies to an extreme game of hide and seek. A previous game a female went missing.

Character development lacked. Too many characters and I didn’t care what happened to any of them. Book builds on “the game” of hide and seek but barely focused on the game compared to the real world. I hated the accents.

Missing husband returns, missing girl comes back, injuries, deaths, villain is the bankrupt business man, no big twist.

I loved the ending to this mystery! i was not expecting it to end that way and I was pleasantly surprised. This was a fun and twisty mystery that kept me guessing up to the end. I look forward to reading more of Lisa Unger's work in the future.

Vivienne Leheny did a great job narrating this novel and I will be looking for more books narrated by Vivienne in the future.

Another fantastic book from 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗨𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿! Compulsive and extreme, this dark psychological thriller will have you on the edge of your seat.
Set on a remote island, contestants are thrown into a high-stakes game of hide and seek. Fast-paced and dramatic, the story keeps you guessing as secrets unravel and paranoia takes hold. A gripping, unforgettable experience.

Another fantastic book from 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗨𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿! Compulsive and extreme, this dark psychological thriller will have you on the edge of your seat.
Set on a remote island, contestants are thrown into a high-stakes game of hide and seek. Fast-paced and dramatic, the story keeps you guessing as secrets unravel and paranoia takes hold. A gripping, unforgettable experience.

Lisa Unger has grown so much as a writer and her books keep getting better and better. The idea for this book including the setting, characters, and storyline were engaging and unique. I like how Unger consistently references current events and cultural discussions in her books without being overbearing or turning the book into something it isn't. I consider Unger books to be entertaining books somewhere between a basic book and literary fiction. She's grown tremendously since her first books with better, more succinct writing and less internal opining on her characters. Highly recommend this book.

I really liked Lisa Unger’s previous books I’ve picked up, but "Close Your Eyes and Count to 10" was unfortunately a miss. With the slow pace and numerous alternating POVs, it wasn’t the thriller I was expecting. The premise was fun (secluded island + an extreme game of hide-and-seek) but there wasn’t enough suspense/mystery, with some parts predictable and some even cringey. It dragged way too often and I was disappointed in the overall execution. Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for my gifted copy! (2.75 stars)

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger offers a gripping start with an intriguing premise that pulls you in right away. The suspense builds well in the beginning, making for an engaging read, but the conclusion feels rushed and leaves many questions unanswered, detracting from the overall impact.

Lisa Unger weaves an invigorating series of events and characters that keep you hooked and wanting more! Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for the audio arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Close Your Eyes And Count To 10 by Lisa Unger.
This story has a fun premise. The story follows a group of players in an extreme game of hide-and-seek on Falcao Island. A reality game show with a huge cash prize. What a story full of twists and turns!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Park Row Books for the advanced audio copy of Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten by Lisa Unger! All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The story was engaging, told from multiple perspectives, and each character felt distinct and well-defined. What I loved most was how none of the characters were purely good or evil—everyone fell into shades of gray, which made them feel real and complex. It kept me hooked, and I’m so glad I read it. I’d definitely recommend it to others!

One thing that stood out to me was how this book didn’t feel like a traditional thriller. Even though there were several different mysteries woven throughout, the pacing and storytelling had a different vibe from what I expect in a psychological thriller. In some ways, it felt almost like a cozy mystery but with thriller elements mixed in. While that could have been jarring, I actually think it added to the story. It wasn’t exactly what I expected, but that wasn’t a bad thing at all.

Vivienne Leheny did a great job narrating, giving each character their own unique voice. I liked the rhythm of her narration, but I have to admit it was a little slow for my taste. I’m usually a purist about listening to audiobooks at normal speed, but I had to bump this one up to 1.25x. That small change made all the difference, and after that, I was completely immersed in the story.

Overall, this was a great listen, and I’d totally recommend it!

I love a Lisa Unger novel, and I couldn't wait to find out what I was in store for with Close Your Eyes and Count to 10. I didn’t read the synopsis and just picked it up and let the story take me where it wanted. I was immediately drawn in by the drama as well as Adele’s viewpoint. She was probably one of the few characters I actually liked in this book, and her situation gave me Nate family vibes from Gossip Girl. I loved that this wasn’t only about the game itself, but her story as well, and there are a lot of characters to keep track of and a lot of things going on. We have a podcast element, reality TV, adventure (and not exactly safe) game, and much more packed into this 376-page book.

The audiobook is narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Vivienne Leheny, and I am really glad I went the audio route. Since there are a lot of viewpoints, I would say it would have greatly benefited from a full cast, but Leheny did such a wonderful job all by her lonesome that it didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. There are quite a few twists packed into Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 and while I saw a couple of them coming, most were quite the surprise. A lot of readers might not like all of the characters and side stories mixed into the plot for this one, but I loved every minute of it. The last quarter of the story is especially action packed, and I thought the last chapter was the perfect ending.

Read this if you enjoy high stakes games, isolated location settings with storm elements, and lots of viewpoints/storylines.

Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The audiobook was great! The story wasn't my favorite, but the quality of the audio made listening enjoyable.

Oooh this one was twisty! The ultimate game of hide & seek with influencers on a remote island - what could go wrong?! I’m a reality tv girlie so this book was right up my alley and I definitely enjoyed it! It was full of twists and high stakes tension, keeping me on my toes throughout the story. Quite a few characters so be sure to pay attention!