When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica Book Review

When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica Book Review

The lowdown from Goodreads

Publication Date September 4, 2018

A woman is plunged into a bizarre case of stolen identity in this ambitious and riveting thriller by the blockbuster bestselling author of The Good Girl, Mary Kubica

Jessie Sloane is on the path to rebuilding her life after years of caring for her ailing mother. She rents a new apartment and applies for college. But when the college informs her that her social security number has raised a red flag, Jessie discovers a shocking detail that forces her to question everything she’s ever known.

Finding herself suddenly at the center of a bizarre mystery, Jessie tumbles down a rabbit hole, which is only exacerbated by a relentless lack of sleep. As days pass and the insomnia worsens, it plays with Jessie’s mind. Her judgment is blurred, her thoughts hampered by fatigue. Jessie begins to see things until she can no longer tell the difference between what’s real and what she’s only imagined.

Meanwhile, twenty years earlier and two hundred and fifty miles away, another woman’s split-second decision may hold the key to Jessie’s secret past. Is Jessie really who she thinks she is? Has her whole life been a lie? The truth will shock her to her core…if she lives long enough to discover it.

When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica Book Review

The mark of a good book for me is when I’m thinking about it days later. You know those type of reads, right? The storytelling & the characters completely envelop you & you almost feel a part of the story. This is exactly how I felt while reading When the Lights Go Out.

Insomnia Takes Over

If you’ve ever suffered from insomnia, you know the deal. The effects of sleep deprivation are all consuming & your mind starts to play tricks on you. If you’ve got anxiety, it gets ramped up. Your emotions are all over the place & you cannot think clearly.

We meet Jessie, who is piecing her life together after being a caretaker for her mother. Jessie’s insomnia is out of control. She is trying her best to move on & rebuild her life, but things aren’t adding up. She applies for financial aid at college and there is a problem with her social security number. This sends her down the path to the Vital Statistics office, which should be an easy fix, but it’s not. She’s left wondering who she really is. All the while, her mother’s voice is in her head urging Jessie to find out who she truly is.

Two Stories in One

I love that When the Lights Go Out has two narrators in two different settings. I love Mary Kubica. I gave up trying to figure out where she is going a long time ago. She keeps me on my toes & I’m willing to go on any thrill ride with her.

THE VERDICT

I am Really Into This book. I seem to always finish Mary’s books really quickly because I cannot put them down. When the Lights Go Out is no different. And that ending, I was sitting there going, damn, she got me again. I loved it. This is a perfect choice for anyone looking for an enjoyable, interesting thriller that pulls the rug out from underneath you.

Also, special thanks to my awesome book buddy, Gare from Gare Reads Indeed. You’ve got to check out his amazing reviews & his Instagram page is so much fun. He casts all the books he reads. Its so much fun & he’s so creative. He sent me the ARC for When the Lights Go Out & I appreciate it so much!

Special thanks to Mary Kubica, Park Row Books & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

Let’s connect over books! Check out our review for Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica.

Really Into This a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

About the Author: Mary Kubica

Mary Kubica is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of four novels, including THE GOOD GIRL, PRETTY BABY, DON’T YOU CRY and EVERY LAST LIE. A former high school history teacher, Mary holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in History and American Literature. She lives outside of Chicago with her husband and two children, where she enjoys photography, gardening and caring for the animals at a local shelter.  Her first novel THE GOOD GIRL was an Indie Next pick in August of 2014, received a Strand Critics Nomination for Best First Novel and was a nominee in the Goodreads Choice Awards in Debut Goodreads Author and in Mystery & Thriller for 2014. Mary has been described as “a writer of vice-like control,” (Chicago Tribune) and her novels have been praised as “hypnotic” (People) and “thrilling and illuminating” (Los Angeles Times).