Review: Lights Out by Melissa Groeling
*I got a free ebook copy from the author in exchange for an honest review
Chilling, honest, gritty, intense – this is what Lights Out is, this crime thriller with elements of paranormal and mystery. It’s a special book, and it’s special for the reasons why people could read it. You should pick it up if you like crime thrillers – fast-paced, edge-of-the-seat action novels. Rest assured, you won’t be disappointed. If I had to compare Lights Out to something, I’d say The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Those cold, isolated snowy landscapes and a gloomy soundtrack. While the last one is more of a detective story, they still have something in common. The mesmerizing atmosphere of dark secrets mixed with violence. You could also read it for horror and chills – there are plenty of disturbing and gruesome scenes. There’s a paranormal mystery and a truly scary character, to the point where you get goosebumps while reading about him. I loved how deeply developed all characters were, not just the main ones. But the most important and conflicted reason why you could read this book is the example it presents. While I certainly wouldn’t recommend it to kids because of its violent nature, some young adults might learn a lesson or two from it. It’s like Requiem for a Dream – me and my friends watched it when we weren’t even in High School, and it was awful. Disgusting and shocking, it shook me to the core, and unlike with other movies, I never even thought about re-watching it. But did it deliver the message? Absolutely. Neither I nor my friends never even thought about trying drugs. (And I’m talking a southern city, sea-coast, pot-in-your-neighbor’s-backyard situation here.) There are many more great things about this book, which other reviewers have already covered – smooth writing, fantastic characters – as dark as some of them are – and gripping action. Overall, it’s a solid 5 star read, and if one of the above reasons is enough for you, you should definitely read it.
