#cynbalog

[thenorthernraven]

Book Review #11: Alone by Cyn Balog

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… (via Goodreads)

I think the most important element that this book had to offer, being of the horror genre, was of course its ability to really scare. Personally, I believe it was only during the last half of the book when the horrors really began but that completely compensated for the whole thing, as it was able to make me feel chilly and jumpy during the whole duration of the “game”. I found myself still thinking about this book for about an hour after finishing it, which for me is a sign that it had an impact on me. I think the book was perfectly paced (probably except for the last few pages, which I will come back to), and so there was never really a dull moment when I felt like the author was stretching the events too much. In addition, I also liked the uniqueness of the characters, with a mother raising two sets of twins and a teenage girl, and of course the plot and setting which may have been inspired by The Shining, a novel I also adore. Every description of the mansion made me want to jump into the book and explore the secret passages myself!

With regards to its ambiguity, I am a bit torn. I never really got to fully figuring out the end, needless to say it was very unexpected. If the goal of the story was to deceive its readers to prepare them for the shock in the end, I think it did a good job. However, as much as I loved the fact that each page leaves you guessing about the events to come, I also found that I had way too many questions in my head at the end. I honestly had to read the last two pages to make sure I fully understood what had happened, and it would be a lie if the words “that’s it?” didn’t pop in my head. I personally think a few more pages to the last chapter wouldn’t hurt as it might have given me more insight as to what Seda’s real motives were and just how capable and real Sawyer was. In addition, I feel like that would’ve also allowed me to savor the horrors of what Seda did and how much she knew. Regardless, I still think it was a very well written and entertaining book, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I happen to reach for it again in the future. 

I recommend Alone by Cyn Balog to young adults who are fond of horror and mystery, and wouldn’t mind a sprinkle of romance along with it! I hope it gives you the same chills and thrills I got! 

I will be reviewing The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid next. If you have any book recommendations, please don’t hesitate to leave me a message! 😊

4.5 out of 5 stars!

[inge-universe]

Dutch Venture Publishing heeft een #sinterklaas #winactie @dutchventurepublishing Deze staan oa op mijn #wenslijstje #wishlist Emma Zegers - Het museum van gevonden voorwerpen @emmazegers_auteur #emmazegers #hetmuseumvangevondenvoorwerpen Cyn Balog - Getijden serie @cyn.balog #cynbalog #getijdenserie Victor Dixen - Phobos Serie @victordixen #victordixen #phobosserie #phobosseries ........ #bookstagrammers #booksagrammer #bookstagram #bookstagramnl #boekstagram #instabook #dutchbookstagram #dutchbookstagrammers #dutchbookstagrammer #instaboek #instabookstagram #scifi #fantasy #fantasie #autisme #youngadultfantasy #youngadult #dutchventurepublishing #dutchventurepublishingnl https://www.instagram.com/p/CWsPQLDgLtQ/?utm_medium=tumblr

[africa-reads-blog]

Hailey’s boyfriend Declan committed suicide and she just can’t move on with her life, even one year later. Declan’s step-brother Kane has a hold on Hailey, even though he dates Luisa off and on. Told in flashback and present day, That Night is tale of love, hate, jealousy, and teen angst. It is slightly unimpressive at the beginning but it gets engrossing in the middle. I was unsatisfied by the ending of the story but its worth reading. #bookstagram #bookaddict #bookaddiction #booklove #booklover #booknerd #bookninja #bookdragon #booklioness #bookworm #booklady #bookboss #bookmama #bookwoman #bookmama #bookmania #bookenchantress #bookenthusiast #cynbalog #cynbalogbooks #thatnight #goodreads2019 #youngadultbooks #mystery (at Upanga, Dar es Salaam) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzI4KbqA3cn/?igshid=ypyqgm822uie

[lisa-lostinlit]

💬 Are you good at solving mysteries? When you read a mystery book, do you often figure out #whodunnit, or are you usually surprised by the outcome? 🕵🏻‍♂️🔎 . I’m quite terrible at figuring out mysteries. 🙈😂 I think that’s why I enjoy them so much. I’m always totally shocked by how things play out. 🙃 . Thank you to @sourcebooksfire for gifting me this copy of That Night by Cyn Balog! This sounds like a very interesting YA mystery! Have you read it? Is it on your TBR? ________________________________________________________ 📖 Summary: Hailey wants to know the truth, but there are some secrets that are best left buried… Hailey is determined to find out all she can about her boyfriend's suicide. She knows Declan wouldn't kill himself, even if she can't remember a lot of what lead up to that fateful night. Kane, Declan's stepbrother and Hailey's best friend, wants to move past what happened—not dig up bad memories. But the more Hailey searches for information, the more she remembers. As the truth begins to unravel, Hailey finds herself unveiling secrets she never could have imagined—secrets that have the possibility of ruining everything... ________________________________________________________ #thatnight #cynbalog #firereadsmidnight #yamystery #sourcebooksfire — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2M9hXKM

[readingwithwrin]

Read 155/261 Dead River by Cyn Balog ⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a quick paranormal read that follows a young girl who can see/speak to the dead when she is around water. But she doesn't understand why and that causes bad things to happen! . . . . . . . . . . #cynbalog #deadriver #threestars #leaf #bookaday #bookblogger #minireview #bookreview #libraryread #yalit #ya #river #paranormal #ghosts #contemporary

[atlpreviews-blog]

Spotlight: ALONE by Cyn Balog

Get ready to have your pants scared off by @cynbalog's #Alone!

I’m so excited to share with you all this spotlight for Cyn’s upcoming book ALONE, which releases on TUESDAY!

Rafflecopter Giveaway Link for copy of Alone by Cyn Balog (Runs October 26-November 17) U.S. and Canada only: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Advance Praise for Alone

“Even careful readers will be caught off guard by twists and unexpected but divine surprises. This first-rate thriller delivers…

[informal-bluesky]

With @ammonut.art as my witness, this book terrified me but I would not stop until I finished . . . #alone #cynbalog #bookstagram #randomolddoor #strangestofthings #backyard #bookshoot #horror #thriller #suspense #murder

[pageturner20]

So, I was gifted last night with a sliced thumb, courtesy of the dishwasher (which is bleeding... Again) and afterward an ARC copy of Unnatural Deeds by Cyn Balog thanks to Sourcebooks Fire. Think that's a pretty even playing field!! #bookstagram #pageturner20 #arc #youngadult #bookstagrammer #sourcebooksfire #cynbalog #unnaturaldeeds #candle

[c-kwai]

Got myself a book today :) Sleepless by Cyn Balog. Currently reading Across the Universe by Beth Reeves :) #books #bookclub #Sleepless #CynBalog #AcrossTheUniverse #BethReeves #reading #hashtag

[love-frances]

Thank You to the freakin fabtastic website #RandomBuzzers for this prize! @atrandom I luv ur site, every1 should check it out. #cynbalog #Touched (Taken with Instagram)

[lisa-lostinlit]

💬 What genre are you reading the most? . I switch up genres a lot, but right now I’m heavily into thrillers. . Thank you to @sourcebooksfire for this book! ________________________________________________________ #firereadsmidnight #thatnight #cynbalog #weekendvibes #bookcommunity #bookphotography #booknerdigans #bookgram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookish #bookworms #bookworm #booknerd #mybookfeatures #ireadya #bookaesthetic #booksbooksbooks #toberead #instareads #onthebed #bookster #amreading #hygge #bookstagramming #yalit #yareads #hyggelife — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2NG5grm

[atlpreviews-blog]

Second Look: ALONE by Cyn Balog (2017)

In which Ashley incoherently talks about Alone by @cynbalog. #SecondLook

Bias alert!  If you know anything about me, you know I fangirl over Cyn Balog on a regular basis.  I loved her since I read FAIRY TALE when it first came out…so, so long ago.

Last year, she blew me away with UNNATURAL DEEDS.  (You can read my review here!)  And, let me tell you — she’s done it again.

I’ve been dying (pun intended!) to read ALONE since she blurbed what she was working on months…