BOOK REVIEW: Alone by Cyn Balog

Title: Alone
Author: Cyn Balog
Publication: November 7, 2017
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Teens, YA Fiction, Thriller, Suspense
Pages: 288

 

 


SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)

When her mom inherits an old, crumbling mansion, Seda’s almost excited to spend the summer there. The grounds are beautiful and it’s fun to explore the sprawling house with its creepy rooms and secret passages. Except now her mom wants to renovate, rather than sell the estate—which means they’re not going back to the city…or Seda’s friends and school.

As the days grow shorter, Seda is filled with dread. They’re about to be cut off from the outside world, and she’s not sure she can handle the solitude or the darkness it brings out in her.

Then a group of teens get stranded near the mansion during a blizzard. Seda has no choice but to offer them shelter, even though she knows danger lurks in the dilapidated mansion—and in herself. And as the snow continues to fall, what Seda fears most is about to become her reality…

 
REVIEW:

**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

If I had to describe this novel in one word, it would be creepy. Absolutely nerve wracking and spine tingling. Cyn Balog’s Alone was riddled with enough anxiety that kept me from reading it at night. I could not put this down.

Seda, being the main character in this novel, is living in this creepy old murder mystery house as her mom prepares to sell it to someone who will uphold its tradition. Meanwhile she is stranded in the middle of no where, no contact with her friends back in Boston, and slowly feeling like she is losing it. Enters five teenagers needing assistance in the middle of a blizzard.

From the first page in this book to the last I found myself reading with one eye as if this was a scary movie and someone was going to jump out at me. I never knew what to expect and there was always a weird twist or turn, or even a comment, that had me re-guessing what I thought was going to happen. Not only did it keep me guessing, but it kept you in full suspense the entire time. Balog wrote some dynamic and multi-layered characters, like an onion, that were a lot more than what first met the readers eye. The ending will leave you absolutely dumb-struck.

This novel is an absolute must read for any murder mystery/thriller lovers. I’ll be checking out Balog’s other novels soon!

STAR RATING: 5/5

 
Alone is available TODAY on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Check your local bookstores for a copy as well! Make sure to add it to your To Reads list on Goodreads and leave feedback and thoughts for the author when you are done. You can check out more books from author Cyn Balog on her website.

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *