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rdyourbookcase's review against another edition
3.0
Teens would LOVE Alone... adults, not so much. I thought that the book was pretty predictable, but I loved the mystery house concept and how it tied into the scavenger hunt. Genius! I didn't quite understand why Seda never got her mom to make decisions, but I didn't concentrate on that too much (because teens probably wouldn't.) The ending was great for the horror genre and for younger readers. Alone was very well-written for its audience.
glitchreads's review against another edition
4.0
It felt like I was at a murder mystery night. By the time the action started I couldn’t put it down.
Also, huge ending spoiler but - a college senior stuck his tongue in a just turned 16 year old girls mouth. It was fine with me that the creep gets to freeze to death.
Also, huge ending spoiler but - a college senior stuck his tongue in a just turned 16 year old girls mouth. It was fine with me that the creep gets to freeze to death.
shelby0616's review against another edition
5.0
Alone is a suspenseful book about a girl(Seda) who believes her unborn twin(Sawyer) is still inside her. She hears him talking and persuades her to do things, and now that her mother has decided to stay in an old murder-mystery mansion Sawyer is even worse. Until a group of kids come along. Then, for some reason he is silent. Seda warns them that the mansion is dangerous even though she feels that SHE is the danger, but when her mother decides to play a game with everyone things take a turn for the worst.
This book was definitely interesting. At first, it was nothing exciting. I learned about Seda and her weird imaginary friend Sawyer who she thinks is her twin brother inside of her, and then I learned all about the murder-mystery mansion. It wasn't until the group of teenagers got stranded that things started getting interesting.
I thought for sure the house was haunted or had some kind of ghost roaming around, but I did not foresee the ending to this one AT ALL. When I thought I had it all figured out, BAM! I was completely wrong. Great read and a great thriller!
This book was definitely interesting. At first, it was nothing exciting. I learned about Seda and her weird imaginary friend Sawyer who she thinks is her twin brother inside of her, and then I learned all about the murder-mystery mansion. It wasn't until the group of teenagers got stranded that things started getting interesting.
I thought for sure the house was haunted or had some kind of ghost roaming around, but I did not foresee the ending to this one AT ALL. When I thought I had it all figured out, BAM! I was completely wrong. Great read and a great thriller!
kenna92005's review against another edition
4.0
My mind is both blown and stumped at this book. There were times I was sucked into the story and other times I was just trying to make it through.
This is the second book of Cyn Balog’s I’ve read. The first one was Unnatural Deeds which was just as suspenseful. I really do enjoy her thriller books. I can also always count on being shocked at the ending. However, this time I felt like it was rushed too much. Just as I was getting spooked and feeling the paranoid vibes of the MC it seemed that the book wrapped up.
I give this book four stars because I wanted to see more of the murder mystery scavenger hunt. I also wanted the end we thought was happening to be real. (Obviously not like the bad part concerning Seda, but the red herring regarding Sawyer.)
Anyway, this book definitely didn’t disappoint much. If you’re looking for a good thriller to read this October, I would suggest Alone.
This is the second book of Cyn Balog’s I’ve read. The first one was Unnatural Deeds which was just as suspenseful. I really do enjoy her thriller books. I can also always count on being shocked at the ending. However, this time I felt like it was rushed too much. Just as I was getting spooked and feeling the paranoid vibes of the MC it seemed that the book wrapped up.
I give this book four stars because I wanted to see more of the murder mystery scavenger hunt. I also wanted the end we thought was happening to be real. (Obviously not like the bad part concerning Seda, but the red herring regarding Sawyer.)
Anyway, this book definitely didn’t disappoint much. If you’re looking for a good thriller to read this October, I would suggest Alone.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
2.0
"Welcome to the most haunted mansion in Allegheny County. The legend of this home says that no one has ever been able to live here through the winter without succumbing to the disorienting effect of Solitude Mountain."
I liked the idea of this house and all these siblings locked in it for months - so much they rarely bathe and completely lose track of what day it is. They have little to no connection to the outside world other than random shopping trips to the market that is 10 miles away. As the weather turns, their trips are less and less frequent. The house is a dead zone for cell phones and no landline.
I also loved the kids complete mellow attitude toward horror movies and I love that they were so laid back about guts and gore and fake blood - because they have grown up around it. Their mother has spoiled all the scares and fear behind even the scariest plot line so even jump scares don't get these kids anymore.
But I'm still oddly disappointed with this story. I just read too much horror maybe...I had so much more of an elaborate ending in mind that the simple ending was too easy and I was left hanging. I'm with Seda....
I liked the idea of this house and all these siblings locked in it for months - so much they rarely bathe and completely lose track of what day it is. They have little to no connection to the outside world other than random shopping trips to the market that is 10 miles away. As the weather turns, their trips are less and less frequent. The house is a dead zone for cell phones and no landline.
I also loved the kids complete mellow attitude toward horror movies and I love that they were so laid back about guts and gore and fake blood - because they have grown up around it. Their mother has spoiled all the scares and fear behind even the scariest plot line so even jump scares don't get these kids anymore.
But I'm still oddly disappointed with this story. I just read too much horror maybe...I had so much more of an elaborate ending in mind that the simple ending was too easy and I was left hanging. I'm with Seda....
Spoiler
*spoiler * feed the beast, honey, and let them all burn *spoiler*shannonxo's review against another edition
5.0
I am a grade A scaredy cat. I can barely watch a horror film at home, even with the volume turned down, lights on, and my dog buried in my lap. Needless to say, I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this book. Needless to say, I am so glad I did read it.
This was a creepy and haunting read that I couldn't put down. A twist on The Shining, it certainly holds up to that name when almost every chapter has me left with my jaw dropped. The pacing is solid throughout, and it flows along until about the last quarter, when the real spooks start. And that ending? Mind. Blown. I had to text my friend (who like me isn't good with scary) and tell her the whole plot, just to talk to someone about it.
I've never read Balog's work before, but if they're all this peculiar and entertaining, then I will definitely be checking it out.
This was a creepy and haunting read that I couldn't put down. A twist on The Shining, it certainly holds up to that name when almost every chapter has me left with my jaw dropped. The pacing is solid throughout, and it flows along until about the last quarter, when the real spooks start. And that ending? Mind. Blown. I had to text my friend (who like me isn't good with scary) and tell her the whole plot, just to talk to someone about it.
I've never read Balog's work before, but if they're all this peculiar and entertaining, then I will definitely be checking it out.
sandrareilly513's review against another edition
4.0
When Seda's mom inherits an old murder-mystery-themed mansion, Seda and her family trek to the Appalachian Mountains to clean it up in order to sell the secluded property. What they didn't bank on was Seda's mom falling in love with the place and refusing to sell it to anyone who wouldn't uphold its macabre tradition. This The Shining-esque obsession drives Seda's father back to Boston and leaves the rest of the family struggling to find a sense of normalcy amongst the fake severed limbs and grotesque architecture. Seda has a struggle all her own, too -- the twin brother she "absorbed" in the womb, as her mother puts it, keeps invading her thoughts with evil. When a group of teenagers Seda's age are stranded at the property, Seda just knows something bad is bound to happen. There is evil lurking at every corner, and Seda doesn't know if it's coming from outside the mansion walls, or within herself.
Thoughts: Balog's Alone channels suspense and horror in a way I haven't seen in YA since R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Alone has all of the staples of a great horror story -- scary and original setting in a secluded area, the stereotypical yet 21st century-updated teens (cough, GoPro, cough), and a main character with a dark backstory and even darker secrets. Throw in a murder mystery experience that turns all too real, and readers are treated to one heck of a creepy ride. And just when you think it's all over, you'll find a sentence or two that will have you hearing evil laughter long after you've turned the last page. Beware, readers: Alone is one book you won't be able to forget...
Thoughts: Balog's Alone channels suspense and horror in a way I haven't seen in YA since R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Alone has all of the staples of a great horror story -- scary and original setting in a secluded area, the stereotypical yet 21st century-updated teens (cough, GoPro, cough), and a main character with a dark backstory and even darker secrets. Throw in a murder mystery experience that turns all too real, and readers are treated to one heck of a creepy ride. And just when you think it's all over, you'll find a sentence or two that will have you hearing evil laughter long after you've turned the last page. Beware, readers: Alone is one book you won't be able to forget...
afwyt's review against another edition
3.0
*3 stars*
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This one was a weird one. I didn't love it, but I definitely couldn't stop reading it. I think this could have been a truly terrifying story if the characters were different. Maybe a little older? I couldn't really target a specific age group for the audience on this one. I would say late teens/YA?
This was good though...not what I expected entirely...
Horror/Psychological Thriller/Twisted Humor? That's what I'd describe this as.
I'd give it a read if you're looking for a quick and interesting story.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This one was a weird one. I didn't love it, but I definitely couldn't stop reading it. I think this could have been a truly terrifying story if the characters were different. Maybe a little older? I couldn't really target a specific age group for the audience on this one. I would say late teens/YA?
This was good though...not what I expected entirely...
Horror/Psychological Thriller/Twisted Humor? That's what I'd describe this as.
I'd give it a read if you're looking for a quick and interesting story.