Almost mistaken for another listen with similar artwork. Infact I think I own maybe 10+ books that feature blue houses with yellow windows as thrillers. Maybe to stand out a little more this could be different. However the story itself didn't disappoint. I listened to this commuting back and forth to work and I can say that it pleasingly freaked me out at times with little jumpy moments, all this from an audio book! Good job

I felt like this is gonna be 'just another thriller novel' after judging its cover and title.
I was WRONG.
Not in a way that this one was 'unique', BUT, this book needs to be titled one of the 'BESTS' in the genre.
It was an empathetic and nail-biting ride.

I’m sorry to say that I dnf this audiobook . I couldn’t get on with the narrator unfortunately.I found the voice really irritating. I do really like the sound of the book though so I will buy it in physical form once it’s released.

An enjoyable listen and great narrators. Some aspects of the story were a bit far fetched but the overall experience was good and I recommend if you’re a fan of the genre. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

In a Nutshell: Loved a lot of things about this book. But also disliked quite a few. Plus, it is more of a domestic drama than a psychological thriller. Go in blind.

Story Synopsis: (I meant what I said above. Go in blind. So here’s the most boring and blandest synopsis possible.)
Rose Reed has recently begun living in a cabin in the woods. She is afraid of something. She is also waiting for something. Who, what, why? You will need to read and find out.
The story tells us about her present and her past through her first person perspective.

✔ Now some of you smart readers might go to the book page on Goodreads to check out the blurb. That blurb is outstanding – whoever wrote it knew how to get the pulse of the readers going.
❌ That blurb doesn’t match the story at all. It appears to promise a psychological thriller but the book is more like a domestic drama with a couple of thrilling scenes.

✔ The story is told in two broad timelines – past and present. While the present moves chronologically, the past comes in flashbacks at different points in time and not in linear order. I liked the challenge this presented in terms of concentration. It was a welcome change from the usual dual-timeline patterns that just affix themselves to a point in the past/present and work sequentially from there. For a change, both timelines work at equally interesting levels.

✔ There are two kinds of unreliable narrators: those who deliberately mislead under the cover of drugs/alcohol/amnesia, and those who simply don’t reveal the whole truth. The second works much better for readers as they discover truths when they are unveiled, without making them feel like they were being fooled earlier. Rose is in the second category. She doesn’t lie, she just doesn’t tell you the whole truth. It is like a game, trying to figure out if she’s misleading you.

✔ The writing provides plenty of twists and surprises. Sometimes you can sense a twist coming up in thrillers. Not in this one. Most twists came out of the blue and caught me by surprise.
❌ Some of these twists are way too farfetched to be convincing. Suspension of disbelief required.

✔ The book started off wonderfully. The suspense is built up slowly but steadily, and it is soon clear that the story is going into some unforeseen directions. There is some foreshadowing but even that doesn’t spoil the surprises.
❌ The midway mark--where there are some big reveals--goes into totally predictable domestic thriller territory. The final section gets the action into surprise mode again, but the ending and the epilogue were big disappointments to me. They were over even before I realised it and were quite predictable.

✔ There are some novel elements in the plot. It is like a rags-to-riches story that has turned into a nightmare. Rose’s background is somewhat unusual for this genre, as is her modus operandi.
❌ While what happened isn’t guessable directly, who was the reason behind it is ultra-predictable because almost every domestic thriller casts the same character as the guilty party. This trope has become too common and has killed all the fun of guessing in this genre.

✔ The present that partly occurs in the ‘cabin in the woods’ setting uses the location well. The remoteness, the lack of facilities, and the atmosphere are replicated well.
❌ The title makes the book sound very creepy. But there’s nothing eerie or spooky about the story. It isn’t even mainly about the cabin, thus making it an inaccurate title. Most of it isn’t set in that location.

All in all, it was a good drama, but it didn’t give me as many thrills and chills as I had expected. I enjoyed the story to a fair extent but could have done without some overused tropes. No regrets reading it, but a better-written ending would have made me rate it higher. This is my first book by this author, and I might still try more of her works, so that’s a plus.

3.5 stars.

The audiobook, clocking at about 8 hrs, is narrated by Stephanie Cannon. She narrates wonderfully and enunciates well. As an avid audiobook listener, I had no problem concentrating on the shifting timelines, but audio newbies might find it difficult to keep track of this.

My thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “The Cabin in the Woods”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.

For the first half of the book I was hooked. The story had me engrossed. Sadly the last half fell short. Especially the ending. I felt it was rushed and very predictable.

Gripping! The intensity and suspense was kept throughout the book and I was kept guessing about the possible reasons why the main character was in hiding and who was in the wrong! Creepy and addictive! Will be looking for more books from this author.

OK, I was taken in from the start. Rose is hiding in an abandoned cabin in the woods and we aren’t sure what she is running from. As the story progresses we get bits and pieces of what lead up to this. I want to say more, but I also don’t want to spoil any of the twists and turns in this one. As soon as you think you’ve figured things out, you find out one more thing about Rose that makes you question everything.

A fast listen as I used every excuse there was to find time to pick this one back up. It moves along at a brisk pace and keeps you wanting to know more.

I am grateful to NetGalley for offering me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I thought it was a cracking story and an excellent thriller. I raced through in one sitting. I particularly liked the interwoven stories of the speakers past and present and the way they came together to merge at the end to explain why the protagonist is hiding out in the cabin in the woods. It's difficult to say more without revealing spoilers - but I'd definitely give this a five star, I thorougly enjoyed it.

Could not put this one down!

Rose Reid is a struggling waitress from a trailer park who meets and marries Ryan Reid. She becomes a socialite who could want for nothing. But things are not as they seem. Why is Rose hiding in a cabin in the woods? What did she do?

5 star Read 📚

EXCERPT: My mind is playing non-stop tricks on me these days: I've started hearing things. Not just the usual sounds you get out in the woods - bird calls and creaking tree limbs - but voices, sometimes so real that I could swear someone is standing right beside me, whispering into my ear.

Last night I started awake having heard someone call my name. I sat up in the dark, heart hammering, convinced I could hear footsteps pitter-pattering away across the wooden floor of the cabin. In the daylight I've seen things out of the corner of my eye - flashes of movement that make me whip my head around - though never in time to catch sight of anyone.

Maybe it's an angry ghost, haunting me.

Or I could just be paranoid.

ABOUT 'THE CABIN IN THE WOODS': In a cabin in a wood,
A woman by the window stood.

Glancing out, she thought she heard
Footsteps, whistling, something stirred.

Hiding here, she fears the night,
For what’s done in the dark will come to light.

She must run fast to escape her lie

Or she’ll be the next to die…

MY THOUGHTS: A page turner with lots of drama, The Cabin in the Woods is told in two time lines; now - as Rose is in hiding; and then - the events leading up to Rose going on the run?

Just what could be bad enough to cause a woman who has come from poverty and married into money, to leave it all behind? Therein the story lies.

I think, judging by the title, I was expecting something a lot creepier than this domestic drama. It does have a few creepy moments, but nowhere near what I expected.

It is a good domestic drama; I mostly felt sympathy for Rose, although there were a few times I wanted to give her a reality check. The plot does also require some suspension of belief, but nothing too drastic. I absolutely loved the ending, feeling that justice had been served.

This is another book that is best gone into blind.

Stephanie Cannon narrated the audiobook well.

⭐⭐⭐.7

#TheCabinintheWoods #NetGalley

I: @sarahaldersonauthor @avonbooksuk

T: @sarahalderson @AvonBooksUK

#contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama #domesticdrama #psychologicaldrama

THE AUTHOR: Having spent most of her life in London, Sarah quit her job in the non profit sector in 2009 and took off on a round the world trip with her husband and princess-obsessed daughter on a mission to find a new place to call home. After several months in India, Singapore, Australia and the US, they settled in Bali where they lived for five years.

She finished her first novel, Hunting Lila just before they left the UK, and wrote the sequel on the beach in India.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK audio, Avon, via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of The Cabin in the Woods by Sarah Alderson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

The first book by Sarah blew me away. The next two were rather slow. but this one! This one was wonderful! I wasn't sure if I would like it and I loved it! Don't mess with a mad woman! The use of past and present was very nicely done in this book. The suspense was intense! the ending was great! If you are into thrillers, you will love this one!

The plot was very well planned and executed, a number of twists and turns and usual non sure if i can trust you characters. Lacked any emotion leaving you to fill in the emotional voids yourself, perhaps that was the plant engage you. Kept me guessing to the end. Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

This one had great potential but it didn’t really get there and when it upped the anti at the last 1/4 it just wasn’t enough which was such a pity as I was invested. It was just far to slow paced for 3/4’s of the book and I found it just went through the paces without actually giving up anything. It didn’t get to the nitty gritty till the end and even then it didn’t deliver and was far to rushed to give you what you needed. It seemed to skirt around the plot far to much that I think it could have really got interesting if it had just delved in. I loved Rose as a character and I really rooted for her but I really needed more. It was just ok but I think it could have been great if there was a little more substance.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK Audio for the opportunity listen to and review #TheCabinInTheWoods

WOW - All I can say is strap in!

The Cabin in the Woods is my first Sarah Alderson book and it certainly won’t be my last! I was literally on the edge of my seat listening to this nail-biting thriller.

The story centres on Rose and moves between the past, recent past and present - all leading to her being in the cabin in the woods. It’s very tightly written with such cliffhanger chapter endings. You find yourself saying to yourself “just one more chapter”, and before you know it it’s 3am! If I didn’t have to go work, I think I would have listened to it all in one sitting.

High praise must go to Stephanie Cannon who was a brilliant narrator.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, HarperCollins UK Audio, Avon, for the advanced audiobook in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Loved this audio book. Fabulous narration, amazing plot and characters I thoroughly enjoyed this and would highly recommend this to anyone.,

Clutched My Pearls So Tight I’m Picking Em Up Off The Floor

🧡 Who said you shouldn’t judge a book by this cover? Stunning cover, book to match. Listen to this for a fairytale romance turned dark, for an authentic portrayal of good people among the bad, for a mystery that’ll have you listening wayyy past bedtime and for characters you’ll root for until the end.
__________________________________________________
SOUNDBITE

🎧 A completely immersive listen beautifully performed by Stephanie Cannon.

Big thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for providing me with an ALC in return for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for a review!

I was hooked from the very first minute to the last. The cliffhanger chapters keep you coming for more although I almost finished listening to this in one go, oops! The protagonist goes from rags to riches back to rags and much worse even after marrying a wealthy socialite and discovering that not everything is what it seems.. I don't want to reveal too much as I think it's much better to go in blind with this one but I absolutely recommend the crazy ride that is this story. it's well written and will have you gasping for air with its many twists and turns.
It's easily the best thriller I have read in a long time. It's engrossing for sure but I also loved the way it seamlessly adressed abuse and trauma responses.

I could easily see this being adapted as a film or a series and deservedly becoming best seller!

The Cabin in the Woods is not my usual genre but I really enjoyed this audio book.The plot leaves you guessing right to the end.The transformation of the main character Rose is heart warming. The narrator does an excellent job with a soothing voice.I would highly recommend this audio book.

When Rose Lewis met Ryan Reed it seemed all her dreams had come true. He was handsome, Rich and also very understanding and loving. His mom and society friends didn’t think she was so great, but he told her don’t worry about them, they are just jealous. She had it all a nice mansion a beautiful daughter and her husband who is going to run for governor, but when she met a woman named Isabell in the bathroom at a fundraiser all bets were off and her life would never be the same again.

I am very leery of books that claim it is an edge of your seat thriller, but believe me when I say this one totally is. I knew in the end justice was coming but OMG I didn’t at all fathom which way it would go. This book delivers all the stops twist in gasps you want to experience when reading a thriller. When I say this book contains OMG moments, it does good and bad ones but all set to continue the roller coaster ride of greatness this book is. I received this book from NetGalley and the Publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.