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The Cut
In this chilling supernatural horror novel set in a mysterious hotel, a woman fleeing her abusive ex finds herself running from more than just her past.
A historic hotel long past its prime and huddled along The Cut, a questionable Lake Erie beach, isn’t Sadie Miles’ ideal place to raise a toddler while also navigating her second pregnancy. After finally fleeing her abusive ex-fiancé, though, Sadie’s new housekeeping position and free room at L’Arpin Hotel are the best she can manage.
On her first night, Sadie runs to help a guest struggling in the hotel’s pool only to find the water calm and empty when she gets there, leaving her with a lingering unease. When a guest then goes missing and her manager insists they simply left without checking out, Sadie suspects he’s covering up darker goings-on in the hotel.
After her ex, Sadie won't let anyone convince her that what she’s experiencing isn’t real again. So, she keeps digging, quickly uncovering suspicious interactions with the staff, mysteriously vanishing security cameras, more missing guests, and things that go bump in the night...and drip in the walls, slither in the tub, and squirm in the halls. Everything isn't as it seems within the dim hallways of L’Arpin. Sadie has nowhere to go and nowhere to hide; she'll need to keep her wits about her to survive and keep her toddler and unborn child safe from whatever lurks nearby.
A historic hotel long past its prime and huddled along The Cut, a questionable Lake Erie beach, isn’t Sadie Miles’ ideal place to raise a toddler while also navigating her second pregnancy. After finally fleeing her abusive ex-fiancé, though, Sadie’s new housekeeping position and free room at L’Arpin Hotel are the best she can manage.
On her first night, Sadie runs to help a guest struggling in the hotel’s pool only to find the water calm and empty when she gets there, leaving her with a lingering unease. When a guest then goes missing and her manager insists they simply left without checking out, Sadie suspects he’s covering up darker goings-on in the hotel.
After her ex, Sadie won't let anyone convince her that what she’s experiencing isn’t real again. So, she keeps digging, quickly uncovering suspicious interactions with the staff, mysteriously vanishing security cameras, more missing guests, and things that go bump in the night...and drip in the walls, slither in the tub, and squirm in the halls. Everything isn't as it seems within the dim hallways of L’Arpin. Sadie has nowhere to go and nowhere to hide; she'll need to keep her wits about her to survive and keep her toddler and unborn child safe from whatever lurks nearby.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 8, 2025
55 people are currently reading
22864 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Dotson
13 books152 followersC.J. DOTSON possesses the statistically average number of body parts for a human being to have. She and her husband, stepson, and children (all of whom also appear human) share a cabin in the woods with more bugs than she would ever like to see. In her limited spare time she enjoys reading, video games, painting, baking and decorating cakes (with…questionable success), and petting her dog and five cats. Visit her at cjdotsonauthor.com or cjdotsonsdreadfuldispatch.substack.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 291 reviews
March 16, 2025
Ugh, I’m so bummed about this.
This horror book started off so promising!!! I flew through the first 70 pages so quick and I was so invested. It had all the creepy atmosphere, I love the haunted hotel atmosphere, I love that we’re following a single mother who is fleeing from an abusive situation and she’s also pregnant herself with another child on the way. She’s doing whatever she can to protect her little girl, and getting a job at this hotel is all she can do right now.
I loved the set up of this book, it was reminding me of some of my favorite horror books like Lock Every Door and Nestlings. The owner of the hotel starts acting shady, strange occurrences happen, the residents who live at the hotel are acting weird, and she keeps hearing noises in the hotel, like slurping sounds and splashing sounds coming from the tubs. It had great creepy vibes~
But this book got very repetitive in a lot of ways. The way she kept calling her daughter “stinker” all the time was very annoying. And a lot of the conversations in this book felt so repetitive. I thought the first 50% was so intriguing but then the second half of the book got sooooo cheesy. The ideas in this book were cool, but the execution was not well done at all, and I found myself losing interest and skimming a lot in the end. All the potential was there for this book to be great, but it really lost me in the second half, which is such a bummer!!
Thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This horror book started off so promising!!! I flew through the first 70 pages so quick and I was so invested. It had all the creepy atmosphere, I love the haunted hotel atmosphere, I love that we’re following a single mother who is fleeing from an abusive situation and she’s also pregnant herself with another child on the way. She’s doing whatever she can to protect her little girl, and getting a job at this hotel is all she can do right now.
I loved the set up of this book, it was reminding me of some of my favorite horror books like Lock Every Door and Nestlings. The owner of the hotel starts acting shady, strange occurrences happen, the residents who live at the hotel are acting weird, and she keeps hearing noises in the hotel, like slurping sounds and splashing sounds coming from the tubs. It had great creepy vibes~
But this book got very repetitive in a lot of ways. The way she kept calling her daughter “stinker” all the time was very annoying. And a lot of the conversations in this book felt so repetitive. I thought the first 50% was so intriguing but then the second half of the book got sooooo cheesy. The ideas in this book were cool, but the execution was not well done at all, and I found myself losing interest and skimming a lot in the end. All the potential was there for this book to be great, but it really lost me in the second half, which is such a bummer!!
Thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
September 26, 2025
**3.5-stars rounded up**
After fleeing an abusive relationship, Sadie Miles, with her toddler, Izzy, in tow, ends up at the L’Arpin Hotel, a historic property on the edge of Lake Eerie.
She's not there for rest and relaxation though, she's there for a job. When she's offered a position as a housekeeper, which includes a free room at the hotel, she jumps at the offer. She's beyond desperate.
We follow Sadie as she tries to navigate her new circumstance, having to do things that make her uncomfortable, such as leaving Izzy alone with an elderly woman she just met, so that she can get her work done.
It's not just those necessary actions that are making her uncomfortable though, there's a lot around the hotel that is odd; including, but not limited to, the people.
Individuals go missing, and there's definitely something in the water, or the pipes, or food. The higher-ups seem to be covering-up, but what? And what about the man from the power plant, always yelling and carrying on, like she's done something to him. What is going on here?
Sadie, like many great Horror characters before her, isn't willing to let any of this stuff go. She's determined to figure out the truth behind the hotel, even if she needs to put herself in peril in order to do so.
I had fun with this one. The Cut has a great set-up, and it did succeed at keeping me guessing and compelled to move forward with the unsettling narrative.
It reminded me of one of those Creature Feature movies from the late-70s/mid-80s, that had like ants that had grown to the size of houses and ate entire towns.
Were they super logical? No. Did they keep you entertained on a rainy Saturday afternoon? Absolutely. This is the vibe I got and I'm not complaining about it.
This is solid B-Horror, and don't take that as an insult, because it's not. I love B-Horror. It's pure entertainment, that doesn't take itself too seriously. It tells a story, gives you thrills, chills, and keeps you at the edge of your seat.
I will say, Sadie's daughter, Izzy, drove me absolutely nuts. I would have enjoyed this even more if she hadn't been in it. I know that seems mean, but it is what it is.
Overall, though, this was a fun ride. It had some issues, but at the end of the day, I didn't really care. I actually Buddy Read this and it was a fun one to try to guess what was really happening. Which by the way, I was no where near guessing.
Thank you, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copies to read and review. I highly recommend the audio format if you have it available to you. The narration was a great fit for the tone of the story!
After fleeing an abusive relationship, Sadie Miles, with her toddler, Izzy, in tow, ends up at the L’Arpin Hotel, a historic property on the edge of Lake Eerie.
She's not there for rest and relaxation though, she's there for a job. When she's offered a position as a housekeeper, which includes a free room at the hotel, she jumps at the offer. She's beyond desperate.
We follow Sadie as she tries to navigate her new circumstance, having to do things that make her uncomfortable, such as leaving Izzy alone with an elderly woman she just met, so that she can get her work done.
It's not just those necessary actions that are making her uncomfortable though, there's a lot around the hotel that is odd; including, but not limited to, the people.
Individuals go missing, and there's definitely something in the water, or the pipes, or food. The higher-ups seem to be covering-up, but what? And what about the man from the power plant, always yelling and carrying on, like she's done something to him. What is going on here?
Sadie, like many great Horror characters before her, isn't willing to let any of this stuff go. She's determined to figure out the truth behind the hotel, even if she needs to put herself in peril in order to do so.
I had fun with this one. The Cut has a great set-up, and it did succeed at keeping me guessing and compelled to move forward with the unsettling narrative.
It reminded me of one of those Creature Feature movies from the late-70s/mid-80s, that had like ants that had grown to the size of houses and ate entire towns.
Were they super logical? No. Did they keep you entertained on a rainy Saturday afternoon? Absolutely. This is the vibe I got and I'm not complaining about it.
This is solid B-Horror, and don't take that as an insult, because it's not. I love B-Horror. It's pure entertainment, that doesn't take itself too seriously. It tells a story, gives you thrills, chills, and keeps you at the edge of your seat.
I will say, Sadie's daughter, Izzy, drove me absolutely nuts. I would have enjoyed this even more if she hadn't been in it. I know that seems mean, but it is what it is.
Overall, though, this was a fun ride. It had some issues, but at the end of the day, I didn't really care. I actually Buddy Read this and it was a fun one to try to guess what was really happening. Which by the way, I was no where near guessing.
Thank you, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copies to read and review. I highly recommend the audio format if you have it available to you. The narration was a great fit for the tone of the story!
April 23, 2025
Oh, this was an interesting read…I enjoyed going on this creepy, weird journey with Sadie as she essentially starts a new life after escaping her abusive partner. Knowing her situation, I was hooked and curious to see how things would play out for her. As the story went on, the paranormal elements started to show up more and more, not super scary, but definitely eerie.
What I appreciated most was Sadie’s growth by the end, especially considering how horribly people had treated her throughout her life.
By the end, everything was revealed. Nothing totally mind-blowing, but still surprising enough. I think with paranormal stories, it’s harder for me to be shocked because anything can be explained away by the “it’s paranormal” card. Still, it was a fun ride!
What I appreciated most was Sadie’s growth by the end, especially considering how horribly people had treated her throughout her life.
By the end, everything was revealed. Nothing totally mind-blowing, but still surprising enough. I think with paranormal stories, it’s harder for me to be shocked because anything can be explained away by the “it’s paranormal” card. Still, it was a fun ride!
April 8, 2025
Skip it.
This plot was preposterous. If I was not reviewing this book for NetGalley and Edelweiss it would have been a DNF. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jenn Lee while following along with the Ebook. While I enjoyed the narration, this very slow burn horror story is predictable, ridiculous, and contains huge plot holes.
After just finding out she is pregnant, Sadie flees a physically abusive relationship with her toddler daughter and takes a job as a housekeeper at the L’Arpin Hotel on Lake Erie. She meets an old woman named Gertie who is a long term resident of the hotel, and instantly gives this complete stranger the job of babysitting her daughter while she works. Sadie begins to see mysterious puddles of water around the hotel as well as slimy creatures, but no one believes her. When guests go missing and the staff deny any foul play, Sadie begins to investigate.
Nothing happens in this book until 80% and I’m still confused about so many parts of the plot.
I’ll leave you with this…Sadie has a smart phone and does not turn off her location finder. Why does her ex-boyfriend keep leaving her voicemails but is unable to find her? Hmmm….not buying it.
2.5/5 stars rounded down
Expected publication date: 4/8/25
Thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of The Cut in exchange for an honest review.
This plot was preposterous. If I was not reviewing this book for NetGalley and Edelweiss it would have been a DNF. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jenn Lee while following along with the Ebook. While I enjoyed the narration, this very slow burn horror story is predictable, ridiculous, and contains huge plot holes.
After just finding out she is pregnant, Sadie flees a physically abusive relationship with her toddler daughter and takes a job as a housekeeper at the L’Arpin Hotel on Lake Erie. She meets an old woman named Gertie who is a long term resident of the hotel, and instantly gives this complete stranger the job of babysitting her daughter while she works. Sadie begins to see mysterious puddles of water around the hotel as well as slimy creatures, but no one believes her. When guests go missing and the staff deny any foul play, Sadie begins to investigate.
Nothing happens in this book until 80% and I’m still confused about so many parts of the plot.
I’ll leave you with this…Sadie has a smart phone and does not turn off her location finder. Why does her ex-boyfriend keep leaving her voicemails but is unable to find her? Hmmm….not buying it.
2.5/5 stars rounded down
Expected publication date: 4/8/25
Thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of The Cut in exchange for an honest review.
May 13, 2025
Finished Reading
Pre-Read notes
Didn't know a thing about this, but it's a horror stories set on Lake Erie, so I'm loving the familiar territory.
The opening scene is scary as heck!
Final Review
Review summary and recommendations
I really had fun with this book, despite any shortcomings it had. I live in a small town on Lake Erie, so I really enjoyed the monster aspect of this one!
Reading Notes
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. I'm listening to this one and it's a fun, easy listen. It's got lots of good creepy suspense.
2. The supernatural element is fresh and also terrifying. Can't wait to solve the mystery of it!
3. Wow the horror elements are so subtle and terrifying, like not being able to ask her parents for help with her kid because her mom tried to smuggle the kid to a "chicken pox party".
4. Always jumping at shadows, always trying not to run down any ill-lit hallway. Teaching Izzy that fear, teaching it to the new baby. Never trusting, and leaving that as her legacy. What kind of life would her children have, if she had only that to give them? p67 Intergenerational trauma is such fertile material for the horror genre, and I love how Dotson uses this theme.
5. The choice to include two separate antagonists was an unusual one, and I think this technique could easily have gone awry. But I really like how Dotson treats these two elements, how the antagonists in turn bolster each other and then undermine each other.
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. The setup is a little slow, but there's enough suspense to keep things moving!
2. Great suspense, but can't decide if it's domestic suspense or creature horror.
3. The introduction to the fmc's romantic interest is a bit much, both overly dramatic and clichéd.
4. I don't think we needed the flashbacks to the domestic violence and the main character's escaping her toxic situation. It doesn't do anything for the story or character development.
Rating: 🪱🪱🪱.5 /5 weird tentacle things
Recommend? yes!
Finished: Mar 25 '25
Format: accessible digital arc, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🦖 monster horror
🏡 domestic thrillers
🏞 water settings
Thank you to the author, C.J. Dotson, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of THE CUT. All views are mine.
---------------
Pre-Read notes
Didn't know a thing about this, but it's a horror stories set on Lake Erie, so I'm loving the familiar territory.
The opening scene is scary as heck!
Final Review
Review summary and recommendations
I really had fun with this book, despite any shortcomings it had. I live in a small town on Lake Erie, so I really enjoyed the monster aspect of this one!
Reading Notes
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. I'm listening to this one and it's a fun, easy listen. It's got lots of good creepy suspense.
2. The supernatural element is fresh and also terrifying. Can't wait to solve the mystery of it!
3. Wow the horror elements are so subtle and terrifying, like not being able to ask her parents for help with her kid because her mom tried to smuggle the kid to a "chicken pox party".
4. Always jumping at shadows, always trying not to run down any ill-lit hallway. Teaching Izzy that fear, teaching it to the new baby. Never trusting, and leaving that as her legacy. What kind of life would her children have, if she had only that to give them? p67 Intergenerational trauma is such fertile material for the horror genre, and I love how Dotson uses this theme.
5. The choice to include two separate antagonists was an unusual one, and I think this technique could easily have gone awry. But I really like how Dotson treats these two elements, how the antagonists in turn bolster each other and then undermine each other.
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. The setup is a little slow, but there's enough suspense to keep things moving!
2. Great suspense, but can't decide if it's domestic suspense or creature horror.
3. The introduction to the fmc's romantic interest is a bit much, both overly dramatic and clichéd.
4. I don't think we needed the flashbacks to the domestic violence and the main character's escaping her toxic situation. It doesn't do anything for the story or character development.
Rating: 🪱🪱🪱.5 /5 weird tentacle things
Recommend? yes!
Finished: Mar 25 '25
Format: accessible digital arc, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🦖 monster horror
🏡 domestic thrillers
🏞 water settings
Thank you to the author, C.J. Dotson, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of THE CUT. All views are mine.
---------------
June 14, 2025
TW/CW: Domestic abusive relationship, unwanted pregnancy, child abuse, language, drinking, toxic family relationships
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
A historic hotel long past its prime and huddled along The Cut, a questionable Lake Erie beach, isn’t Sadie Miles’ ideal place to raise a toddler while also navigating her second pregnancy. After finally fleeing her abusive ex-fiancé, though, Sadie’s new housekeeping position and free room at L’Arpin Hotel are the best she can manage.
On her first night, Sadie runs to help a guest struggling in the hotel’s pool only to find the water calm and empty when she gets there, leaving her with a lingering unease. When a guest then goes missing and her manager insists they simply left without checking out, Sadie suspects he’s covering up darker goings-on in the hotel.
After her ex, Sadie won't let anyone convince her that what she’s experiencing isn’t real again. So, she keeps digging, quickly uncovering suspicious interactions with the staff, mysteriously vanishing security cameras, more missing guests, and things that go bump in the night...and drip in the walls, slither in the tub, and squirm in the halls. Everything isn't as it seems within the dim hallways of L’Arpin. Sadie has nowhere to go and nowhere to hide; she'll need to keep her wits about her to survive and keep her toddler and unborn child safe from whatever lurks nearby.
Release Date: April 8th, 2025
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Writing style was decent
2. Monster elements
What I Didn't Like:
1. Hated the characters
2. Ridiculous things happen that
3. Book dragged
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Yeah, leave your daughter with a complete stranger.
Sadie notices that a woman disappears from the pool and then leaves her stuff in the room and one day one of a job she needs more than anything she decides to invest what happened to her. It's so stupid. No one would care that much on
These characters are driving me insane. The way they act like they have a right to see is crazy and then the way they act like they can just dictate to what she's doing. Of course Sadie drives me insane because she knows she needs this job and she has so much already on her plate but she's more worried about solving Mysteries than working.
I'm sorry but how is the hotel manager able to pretend like Melton work there for 6 months? You're going to tell me this 19-year-old did not one time you social media to post that she was at work or what she did there? The police never pinged her phone at this location? Nothing? Like it's just ridiculous. You can't just disappear nowadays and pretend like you didn't go to a job for six mon
Omg omg she would rather risk her child and future baby living in a hotel where she sees questionable worms and disappearing people becauee a room isn't spot clean. I hate Sadie. Terrible.
I am over this child talking in this book.
Girl get the hell out the hotel and get any place to live. It can not be that bad out there when you are faced with a boss that is toxic and weird stuff happening. Plus how is she cleaning without touching the water???
I don't get how she is working 6 days a week and is the only housekeeper but is able to still have time to go for walks with her daughter and hang out during the day. It's January so it's night at like 5pm.
Sadie's constant giving into to Izzy is so annoying. I'd love to stop with the child pov now.
Final Thoughts:
Do you love books where a main character does such stupid things? How about a woman that loves to put her daughter in danger and ditches her around every corner? This is the story for you!
Sadie is the character that puts all kinds of dangers on the back burner to solve a mystery from the moment she is hired on day one. She already has her own issues to work through and is struggling to get back on her feet but she throws herself into things that don't matter. Then when she is presented with a choice to leave the environment that is again toxic to her and her child she chooses to NOT leave but instead make excuses. Yes, this whole thing could be an example of how Sadie's coping skills are not so great with dealing with her ex and the dangers she was put in, but I felt no pity for a woman that pushes her child to the side over and over to save people that treat them not so great.
I hated the pov of Izzy. It was annoying and got on my nerves the way she would whine. It made me feel like I was hanging with a friend and watching her give her child anything she wanted if she even threatened to cry. I was over it.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
A historic hotel long past its prime and huddled along The Cut, a questionable Lake Erie beach, isn’t Sadie Miles’ ideal place to raise a toddler while also navigating her second pregnancy. After finally fleeing her abusive ex-fiancé, though, Sadie’s new housekeeping position and free room at L’Arpin Hotel are the best she can manage.
On her first night, Sadie runs to help a guest struggling in the hotel’s pool only to find the water calm and empty when she gets there, leaving her with a lingering unease. When a guest then goes missing and her manager insists they simply left without checking out, Sadie suspects he’s covering up darker goings-on in the hotel.
After her ex, Sadie won't let anyone convince her that what she’s experiencing isn’t real again. So, she keeps digging, quickly uncovering suspicious interactions with the staff, mysteriously vanishing security cameras, more missing guests, and things that go bump in the night...and drip in the walls, slither in the tub, and squirm in the halls. Everything isn't as it seems within the dim hallways of L’Arpin. Sadie has nowhere to go and nowhere to hide; she'll need to keep her wits about her to survive and keep her toddler and unborn child safe from whatever lurks nearby.
Release Date: April 8th, 2025
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Writing style was decent
2. Monster elements
What I Didn't Like:
1. Hated the characters
2. Ridiculous things happen that
3. Book dragged
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Yeah, leave your daughter with a complete stranger.
Sadie notices that a woman disappears from the pool and then leaves her stuff in the room and one day one of a job she needs more than anything she decides to invest what happened to her. It's so stupid. No one would care that much on
These characters are driving me insane. The way they act like they have a right to see is crazy and then the way they act like they can just dictate to what she's doing. Of course Sadie drives me insane because she knows she needs this job and she has so much already on her plate but she's more worried about solving Mysteries than working.
I'm sorry but how is the hotel manager able to pretend like Melton work there for 6 months? You're going to tell me this 19-year-old did not one time you social media to post that she was at work or what she did there? The police never pinged her phone at this location? Nothing? Like it's just ridiculous. You can't just disappear nowadays and pretend like you didn't go to a job for six mon
Omg omg she would rather risk her child and future baby living in a hotel where she sees questionable worms and disappearing people becauee a room isn't spot clean. I hate Sadie. Terrible.
I am over this child talking in this book.
Girl get the hell out the hotel and get any place to live. It can not be that bad out there when you are faced with a boss that is toxic and weird stuff happening. Plus how is she cleaning without touching the water???
I don't get how she is working 6 days a week and is the only housekeeper but is able to still have time to go for walks with her daughter and hang out during the day. It's January so it's night at like 5pm.
Sadie's constant giving into to Izzy is so annoying. I'd love to stop with the child pov now.
Final Thoughts:
Do you love books where a main character does such stupid things? How about a woman that loves to put her daughter in danger and ditches her around every corner? This is the story for you!
Sadie is the character that puts all kinds of dangers on the back burner to solve a mystery from the moment she is hired on day one. She already has her own issues to work through and is struggling to get back on her feet but she throws herself into things that don't matter. Then when she is presented with a choice to leave the environment that is again toxic to her and her child she chooses to NOT leave but instead make excuses. Yes, this whole thing could be an example of how Sadie's coping skills are not so great with dealing with her ex and the dangers she was put in, but I felt no pity for a woman that pushes her child to the side over and over to save people that treat them not so great.
I hated the pov of Izzy. It was annoying and got on my nerves the way she would whine. It made me feel like I was hanging with a friend and watching her give her child anything she wanted if she even threatened to cry. I was over it.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Want to read
July 12, 2024this cover gives me the ick.
i love it.
i love it.
February 9, 2025
From February 3-8, I read 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐭 by C.J. Dotson with four of my book besties from Bookstagram, and I have to say — I have a serious like-hate relationship with this book. On one hand, I liked that it was a horror novel featuring cosmic horror monsters, which is right up my alley. But on the other hand, the execution was … rough.
There were several aspects of this book that didn’t work for me. The beginning was painfully slow, and once things did pick up, the pacing was bogged down by repetitiveness and unnecessary dialogue. The characters, especially the FMC and her daughter, were frustrating and hard to connect with.
I really wanted to love this book. The cover is amazing, and the premise had so much potential, but in the end, I only enjoyed certain aspects of it. A 3-⭐️ rating feels generous, but hey, I’m a nice person. 🤷🏻♀️
(Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, for entrusting me with a physical ARC!)
There were several aspects of this book that didn’t work for me. The beginning was painfully slow, and once things did pick up, the pacing was bogged down by repetitiveness and unnecessary dialogue. The characters, especially the FMC and her daughter, were frustrating and hard to connect with.
I really wanted to love this book. The cover is amazing, and the premise had so much potential, but in the end, I only enjoyed certain aspects of it. A 3-⭐️ rating feels generous, but hey, I’m a nice person. 🤷🏻♀️
(Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, for entrusting me with a physical ARC!)
January 7, 2025
This book brings creepy and psychological together in a spellbinding story. While reading this book the hotel definitely gave a nod to the infamous “Overlook Hotel”. It definitely gave the reader a thrill.
This book is about a woman named “Sadie” who along with her three year old daughter affectionately known as “Izzy”, are leaving their old life behind and embracing a new. Sometimes the new comes in the form of something old. She takes on a job as a housekeeper at a hotel that is past its prime. This is where the adventure begins and sanity is being questioned.
I did enjoy the character development although I do wish there was a bit more of a backstory into Sadie. I’m always a sucker for a woman battling against the odds and makes her own way, waves included. Definitely read this book if you’re a fan of horror , psychological themes and a creepy hotel with hidden secrets.
Thank you to C.J. Dotson and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an Arc! I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book is about a woman named “Sadie” who along with her three year old daughter affectionately known as “Izzy”, are leaving their old life behind and embracing a new. Sometimes the new comes in the form of something old. She takes on a job as a housekeeper at a hotel that is past its prime. This is where the adventure begins and sanity is being questioned.
I did enjoy the character development although I do wish there was a bit more of a backstory into Sadie. I’m always a sucker for a woman battling against the odds and makes her own way, waves included. Definitely read this book if you’re a fan of horror , psychological themes and a creepy hotel with hidden secrets.
Thank you to C.J. Dotson and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an Arc! I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 3, 2025
Imagine a low budget, high-shock value older style horror movie - shot mostly in the dark, at night, in a sketchy hotel with creepy dark corners and weird puddles everywhere. In that vein, this is a pretty entertaining read.
Sadie is on the run - fleeing from an abusive boyfriend with her daughter. Icing on the cake - she's also pregnant. So she stops at the first hotel she finds that is not only offering a job in housekeeping but also offering to give her a room for free. It helps that the little old lady in the lobby is willing to babysit for free too! It's the break Sadie needs to get back on her feet.
But the hotel is odd. It smells, it leaks - and far too many people seem to go missing around it. From here, the story is Sadie investigating trying to figure out what's going on - all the while shuffling her daughter around as she works and saves money.
This isn't a deep read - keeping it light and older style horror movie shocking kept it entertaining and fun.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Sadie is on the run - fleeing from an abusive boyfriend with her daughter. Icing on the cake - she's also pregnant. So she stops at the first hotel she finds that is not only offering a job in housekeeping but also offering to give her a room for free. It helps that the little old lady in the lobby is willing to babysit for free too! It's the break Sadie needs to get back on her feet.
But the hotel is odd. It smells, it leaks - and far too many people seem to go missing around it. From here, the story is Sadie investigating trying to figure out what's going on - all the while shuffling her daughter around as she works and saves money.
This isn't a deep read - keeping it light and older style horror movie shocking kept it entertaining and fun.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
February 10, 2025
Sadie starts working (and hiding) at L’Arpin Hotel to escape her abusive fiancé. With her young daughter in tow and a baby on the way, her nerves are raw wires. Maybe that's why everything at L’Arpin seems strange. The dark hallways. The missing guests. And the constant drip, drip, dripping of water. The longer she stays, the more paranoid she becomes. Is there a reason to be, or is it all in her mind?
I loved this book! There were some serious Overlook Hotel vibes. The hotel is full of eccentric characters. And the constant damp and dripping water was unnerving, even as a reader. Maybe that's why I got so sucked into Sadie's paranoia. Everything was a little off, but not in a way that is easily recognizable. At times, I was truly terrified for Sadie.
This is solid 5-star cosmic horror read for me, and I will definitely be getting the audiobook upon release.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book! There were some serious Overlook Hotel vibes. The hotel is full of eccentric characters. And the constant damp and dripping water was unnerving, even as a reader. Maybe that's why I got so sucked into Sadie's paranoia. Everything was a little off, but not in a way that is easily recognizable. At times, I was truly terrified for Sadie.
This is solid 5-star cosmic horror read for me, and I will definitely be getting the audiobook upon release.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2024
When I say I couldn't put this down, I mean it. It's a fast-paced, easy to get through paranormal thriller that hooks you right to the end. Thanks to Goodreads, St. Martin's Press and C.J. Dotson for sending me an ARC of this novel to enjoy!
December 28, 2024
Amazing cover, intriguing synopsis, and the possibility of a supernatural or creature feature element drew me in. Annoying characters, repetitive dialogue/monologue, and a bit of a boring lead up threw me off the story.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and St. Martin’s Press for a copy.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and St. Martin’s Press for a copy.
January 31, 2025
I recently won with book as a giveaway. I just finished reading this book. It was amazing. C.J. Dotson did an excellent job writing this book. It's fast paced and not stop horror book, as it's addicting and had a hard time putting it down.
February 10, 2025
1.5 rounded up.
Woof... Okay. So I really wasn’t a fan of this one. If you’re ready for a super honest review, buckle up.
This book gave 2000’s D list movie on Sy-Fy with maybe a $1,000 budget. The creature feature aspect didn’t really make sense. It was incredibly hard to visualize anything about the setting, the hotel, or the creatures…. Speaking of which, does anyone remember the movie Flubber? Because that’s all I could imagine, except with extra ‘appendages’☠️
The overuse of the nickname ‘stinker’ and said stinker’s response ‘opay’ was tiring. The dynamic between our FMC & her daughter in general was a lot.
The story itself had so much potential. I think the buildup took far too long and then the ending was incredibly rushed. There was too much being revealed while also having an obscene amount of dialogue and action all going on at once.
Every single character felt like they were gaslighting each other. Normally I love gaslighting 😂 but the way it was done here was again, too much.
I feel like if A LOT of the dialogue had been scaled back and more was put into the actual setting, creatures, storyline, etc. I would have been able to rate this higher. The redundancies of so many unimportant pieces made this drag for me.
Thank you, Netgalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review!
Woof... Okay. So I really wasn’t a fan of this one. If you’re ready for a super honest review, buckle up.
This book gave 2000’s D list movie on Sy-Fy with maybe a $1,000 budget. The creature feature aspect didn’t really make sense. It was incredibly hard to visualize anything about the setting, the hotel, or the creatures…. Speaking of which, does anyone remember the movie Flubber? Because that’s all I could imagine, except with extra ‘appendages’☠️
The overuse of the nickname ‘stinker’ and said stinker’s response ‘opay’ was tiring. The dynamic between our FMC & her daughter in general was a lot.
The story itself had so much potential. I think the buildup took far too long and then the ending was incredibly rushed. There was too much being revealed while also having an obscene amount of dialogue and action all going on at once.
Every single character felt like they were gaslighting each other. Normally I love gaslighting 😂 but the way it was done here was again, too much.
I feel like if A LOT of the dialogue had been scaled back and more was put into the actual setting, creatures, storyline, etc. I would have been able to rate this higher. The redundancies of so many unimportant pieces made this drag for me.
Thank you, Netgalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review!
December 21, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Apr. 8, 2025
Sadie Miles is on the run- leaving her abusive fiancée and their life together behind in hopes of starting over with her young daughter and with a new baby on the way. She finds herself working as a housekeeper at L’Arpin Hotel and when the manager lets her stay in one of the empty rooms, Sadie hopes to have some time to regroup. But things start to happen around the hotel that Sadie can’t explain and, when she tries to explain it to the hotel manager or other hotel staff, they leave Sadie feeling confused and, even worse, crazy. But Sadie knows what she saw and after what she went through with her partner, she is not about to doubt herself again. Especially now, when the lives of her children are at risk. So, Sadie decides to run but it isn’t long until she finds out- Hotel L’Arpin doesn’t want her to leave.
C.J. Dotson’s new horror novel, “The Cut” is a terrifying, addicting and downright compulsive read. Dark, hypnotic and gripping, the Hotel L’Arpin has an Overlook Hotel feel about it, with its run-down structure and things-that-go-bump (or rather, splash)-in-the-night. Sadie, for obvious reasons, doesn’t know who to trust and is just the right amount of desperate to take crazy risks that leave the rest of us shaking our heads.
Dotson’ “creatures” are absolutely horrifying and I loved every spooky tentacle. They are unique and goosebump-inducing, and Dotson’s clever writing brings them to life on the pages. It isn’t hard to guess that something is up at the hotel from the beginning but Dotson brings the terror to the next level.
The novel is told, for the most part, in the modern day with Sadie as a narrator. There is one portion of the plot which touches on a brief period in Sadie’s past when she was still in the abusive relationship, but it is clearly identified and serves a valid purpose. There are some memories that Sadie retells that feature both emotional and physical abuse so, although it isn’t rampant through the whole novel, those who are easily triggered by such topics should tread lightly.
I knew who was involved, but not how or why, but by the end, Dotson had revealed it all, tying it together in a satisfying way. I thoroughly enjoy monster books and “The Cut” had all of the elements I look for- a great protagonist, scary and creative monsters and a suspenseful and haunting plotline.
Expected publication date: Apr. 8, 2025
Sadie Miles is on the run- leaving her abusive fiancée and their life together behind in hopes of starting over with her young daughter and with a new baby on the way. She finds herself working as a housekeeper at L’Arpin Hotel and when the manager lets her stay in one of the empty rooms, Sadie hopes to have some time to regroup. But things start to happen around the hotel that Sadie can’t explain and, when she tries to explain it to the hotel manager or other hotel staff, they leave Sadie feeling confused and, even worse, crazy. But Sadie knows what she saw and after what she went through with her partner, she is not about to doubt herself again. Especially now, when the lives of her children are at risk. So, Sadie decides to run but it isn’t long until she finds out- Hotel L’Arpin doesn’t want her to leave.
C.J. Dotson’s new horror novel, “The Cut” is a terrifying, addicting and downright compulsive read. Dark, hypnotic and gripping, the Hotel L’Arpin has an Overlook Hotel feel about it, with its run-down structure and things-that-go-bump (or rather, splash)-in-the-night. Sadie, for obvious reasons, doesn’t know who to trust and is just the right amount of desperate to take crazy risks that leave the rest of us shaking our heads.
Dotson’ “creatures” are absolutely horrifying and I loved every spooky tentacle. They are unique and goosebump-inducing, and Dotson’s clever writing brings them to life on the pages. It isn’t hard to guess that something is up at the hotel from the beginning but Dotson brings the terror to the next level.
The novel is told, for the most part, in the modern day with Sadie as a narrator. There is one portion of the plot which touches on a brief period in Sadie’s past when she was still in the abusive relationship, but it is clearly identified and serves a valid purpose. There are some memories that Sadie retells that feature both emotional and physical abuse so, although it isn’t rampant through the whole novel, those who are easily triggered by such topics should tread lightly.
I knew who was involved, but not how or why, but by the end, Dotson had revealed it all, tying it together in a satisfying way. I thoroughly enjoy monster books and “The Cut” had all of the elements I look for- a great protagonist, scary and creative monsters and a suspenseful and haunting plotline.
March 1, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher’s for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is a fun monster story that takes place in a creepy hotel.
Sadie and her 3 year old daughter, Izzy are on the run, escaping from an abusive relationship. (DV trigger warning!) Sadie gets to L’Arpin Hotel where she gets a job cleaning rooms. But her coworkers are weird, the other guests are weird and the hotel itself has some weird ish going on. When guests start to go missing, the walls start dripping and something with tentacles finds its way out of her shower Sadie starts trying to figure out what tf is going on.
This books was slow to begin with but once it picked up it was a creepy, atmospheric and icky creature feature that I really enjoyed reading. The dialogue between Sadie and her daughter was a bit repetitive but worth getting through to get to the rest of the plot. Overall, a super fun read. The Cut will be released April 8!
Sadie and her 3 year old daughter, Izzy are on the run, escaping from an abusive relationship. (DV trigger warning!) Sadie gets to L’Arpin Hotel where she gets a job cleaning rooms. But her coworkers are weird, the other guests are weird and the hotel itself has some weird ish going on. When guests start to go missing, the walls start dripping and something with tentacles finds its way out of her shower Sadie starts trying to figure out what tf is going on.
This books was slow to begin with but once it picked up it was a creepy, atmospheric and icky creature feature that I really enjoyed reading. The dialogue between Sadie and her daughter was a bit repetitive but worth getting through to get to the rest of the plot. Overall, a super fun read. The Cut will be released April 8!
February 17, 2025
I hate when I get a book from netgalley and then I end up having to give a bad review but honesty is important.
This book was a very good concept with a perfectly creepy cover, however the delivery was unsatisfactory. The beginning was painfully slow and the dialogue was very repetitive, especially between the mom and daughter.
The horror of the monsters was pretty fun but I thought the random extra antagonist wasn’t very entertaining and then the ending…my god the ending was really bad. I know endings are really hard to pull off, especially for horror books. If you give closure then people prefer that it was open ended and vice versa. This ending attempted to give closure but it was just too easy and fast. No monster book or movie ever ends that way and realistically it wouldn’t either. Super disappointing book that had promise to it.
This book was a very good concept with a perfectly creepy cover, however the delivery was unsatisfactory. The beginning was painfully slow and the dialogue was very repetitive, especially between the mom and daughter.
The horror of the monsters was pretty fun but I thought the random extra antagonist wasn’t very entertaining and then the ending…my god the ending was really bad. I know endings are really hard to pull off, especially for horror books. If you give closure then people prefer that it was open ended and vice versa. This ending attempted to give closure but it was just too easy and fast. No monster book or movie ever ends that way and realistically it wouldn’t either. Super disappointing book that had promise to it.
November 4, 2025
2.5 stars rounded up. One thing about me is, if you show me a book that has a tentacled creature crawling into a drain on the cover, I’m gonna read that book. In this case, I do wish I hadn’t wasted my time, as The Cut wasn’t nearly as provocative as its cover.
The protagonist is Sadie, newly-pregnant and fleeing an abusive relationship with her toddler daughter in tow. She winds up at the L’Arpin Hotel on the shores of Lake Erie (a mere three hours away from where her abuser lives, but whatever, that’s probably far enough), where she snags a housekeeping job. Soon after she arrives, she starts hearing dripping and slithering sounds in the walls and halls and bathtubs, and when her coworker disappears without a trace, she can no longer deny that something strange is going on at L’Arpin.
The Cut had a lot of promise. I loved the setting of the dank, dreary old hotel on the shores of Lake Erie; the Great Lakes, in my opinion, don’t get enough credit for how deep and dark and mysterious they are, and C.J. Dotson played into Erie’s creepiness in a fun and satisfying way. The lore at the root of the hotel’s sinister happenings was fascinating and original, although not explored enough for my liking.
But there were just too many plot holes for me to ignore. I won’t expand on the things that annoyed me most to avoid spoilers, but there was part of the book involving a bulldozer that was too outlandish for me to suspend my disbelief. And there were lots of other common sense elements that were sacrificed for plot convenience, which strained credulity and kept taking me out of the narrative. Not to mention the fact that nothing really happens for the entire middle portion of the book.
It's clear that Dotson has some interesting and creative ideas, even though the execution of The Cut was sorely lacking for me, and I’ll still give her next book a try because I can see that she has promise. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary reading opportunity.
The protagonist is Sadie, newly-pregnant and fleeing an abusive relationship with her toddler daughter in tow. She winds up at the L’Arpin Hotel on the shores of Lake Erie (a mere three hours away from where her abuser lives, but whatever, that’s probably far enough), where she snags a housekeeping job. Soon after she arrives, she starts hearing dripping and slithering sounds in the walls and halls and bathtubs, and when her coworker disappears without a trace, she can no longer deny that something strange is going on at L’Arpin.
The Cut had a lot of promise. I loved the setting of the dank, dreary old hotel on the shores of Lake Erie; the Great Lakes, in my opinion, don’t get enough credit for how deep and dark and mysterious they are, and C.J. Dotson played into Erie’s creepiness in a fun and satisfying way. The lore at the root of the hotel’s sinister happenings was fascinating and original, although not explored enough for my liking.
But there were just too many plot holes for me to ignore. I won’t expand on the things that annoyed me most to avoid spoilers, but there was part of the book involving a bulldozer that was too outlandish for me to suspend my disbelief. And there were lots of other common sense elements that were sacrificed for plot convenience, which strained credulity and kept taking me out of the narrative. Not to mention the fact that nothing really happens for the entire middle portion of the book.
It's clear that Dotson has some interesting and creative ideas, even though the execution of The Cut was sorely lacking for me, and I’ll still give her next book a try because I can see that she has promise. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary reading opportunity.
March 28, 2025
3.25 stars
An easy-to-pick-up horror slow burn, In recent years I've seen quite a few novels modeling after the film The Babadook, where the anxiety and psychological pressure of being a troubled single parent with young children is intensely explored in parallel with out-of-ordinary incidents (Let Him In by William Friend is another recent example), and it is difficult not to compare. While the human story is a little being-there-done-that (even the protagonist's daughter, who can be interpreted as being on the spectrum, is similarly set up/utilized as the son in Jennifer Kent's film), I do enjoy the historic hotel + Lake Erie setting, and the finale does offer the campy, adrenaline-filled intensity that makes the buildup prior worthwhile.
Overall, The Cut is not as shocking and intense as its provocative cover art (the in-you-face moments are far more sparse than one would expect from a book with such cover), the character and plot progression are within familiar territory (the antagonist-in-disguise is VERY obvious from the get-go), and some suspension of disbelief is required to overlook glossed over details, but the writing is smooth and appropriately moody, and as an audiobook it is very easy to listen to. Not a must-read, but still a decent time nevertheless.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
An easy-to-pick-up horror slow burn, In recent years I've seen quite a few novels modeling after the film The Babadook, where the anxiety and psychological pressure of being a troubled single parent with young children is intensely explored in parallel with out-of-ordinary incidents (Let Him In by William Friend is another recent example), and it is difficult not to compare. While the human story is a little being-there-done-that (even the protagonist's daughter, who can be interpreted as being on the spectrum, is similarly set up/utilized as the son in Jennifer Kent's film), I do enjoy the historic hotel + Lake Erie setting, and the finale does offer the campy, adrenaline-filled intensity that makes the buildup prior worthwhile.
Overall, The Cut is not as shocking and intense as its provocative cover art (the in-you-face moments are far more sparse than one would expect from a book with such cover), the character and plot progression are within familiar territory (the antagonist-in-disguise is VERY obvious from the get-go), and some suspension of disbelief is required to overlook glossed over details, but the writing is smooth and appropriately moody, and as an audiobook it is very easy to listen to. Not a must-read, but still a decent time nevertheless.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
June 3, 2025
This book started off giving me “The Ruins” vibes, which I loved and then made a path all its own. The plot was pretty slow and got confusing and I found myself zoning out towards the end. The narrator did a fantastic job, though. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to review!
February 17, 2025
Thank you Netgalley, the publishers, and CJ Dotson for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Some readers may find the content upsetting. Contains spoilers.
Sadie Miles takes her toddler and runs from her abusive fiance, finding herself in a sleepy lake side town in Ohio, looking for a fresh start. In order for her to start her new life, she needs a job. This is where she finds herself a house keeping job at the L'Arpin hotel. From the first night she starts noticing strange things happening at the hotel. Guests mysteriously disappearing, co workers disappearing, and strange tentacle creatures that come from the water. No one believes anything Sadie claims she has seen. Writing it off as paranoia due to her pregnancy. But the truth is, they are all hiding something sinister. This includes Gertie, the kind old lady who took care of her daughter for her while she worked. Sadie finds herself in the fight of her life against the hotel, the tentacle creatures, and her abusive ex Sam(but don't worry, he gets what's coming to him).
I have to say I love this book. I got an uneasy feeling from the beginning, in the best way possible. And what I thought would be a haunted house story, changed into a monster story, leaving me pleasantly surprised. CJ Dotson did a wonderful job referencing domestic violence without being graphic. Proving you can tackle sensitive subject matter respectfully. I would have liked more character development with Sadie, but I suppose can't fault her for not growing, given her situation. Maybe more of an explanation about the lake and the creatures. With that being said, I really did enjoy this book and would read again.
4/5
Sadie Miles takes her toddler and runs from her abusive fiance, finding herself in a sleepy lake side town in Ohio, looking for a fresh start. In order for her to start her new life, she needs a job. This is where she finds herself a house keeping job at the L'Arpin hotel. From the first night she starts noticing strange things happening at the hotel. Guests mysteriously disappearing, co workers disappearing, and strange tentacle creatures that come from the water. No one believes anything Sadie claims she has seen. Writing it off as paranoia due to her pregnancy. But the truth is, they are all hiding something sinister. This includes Gertie, the kind old lady who took care of her daughter for her while she worked. Sadie finds herself in the fight of her life against the hotel, the tentacle creatures, and her abusive ex Sam(but don't worry, he gets what's coming to him).
I have to say I love this book. I got an uneasy feeling from the beginning, in the best way possible. And what I thought would be a haunted house story, changed into a monster story, leaving me pleasantly surprised. CJ Dotson did a wonderful job referencing domestic violence without being graphic. Proving you can tackle sensitive subject matter respectfully. I would have liked more character development with Sadie, but I suppose can't fault her for not growing, given her situation. Maybe more of an explanation about the lake and the creatures. With that being said, I really did enjoy this book and would read again.
4/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2024
Fast paced, definitely had some creepy moments. Did not see it going in that direction!
March 23, 2025
#ad many thanks for my advance copy @stmartinspress #partner
& @netgalley + @macmillan.audio for the ALC
🆃🅷🅴 🅲🆄🆃
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ: ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 𝟪, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟧
The Cut by C.J Dotson is a slow-burn horror that delivers all the creepy vibes. If you enjoy monster horror then this book was made for you.
Sadie has just found out she’s pregnant again. Engaged to Sam, her abusive finance, Sadie knows she needs to escape him and this pregnancy only exasperates this feeling. Gathering a few clothes and toys for her 3-year-old Izzy, Sadie flees while Sam is out.
Izzy and Sadie land at the L’Arpin hotel where Sadie gets a job as a maid and a free room to live for a bit. But there’s weird things happening here. Water smells and stains, blood in the tubs. Sadie saw a woman fully clothed thrashing around in the pool before the woman disappeared. Something is wrong here Sadie can sense it.
Struggling through PTSD, Sadie has flashbacks and Sam is blowing up her phone begging for her to come back. Is she far enough away from him; is she safe here?
I enjoyed this book mostly but I think it would have been better with a faster pace. While the narrative into Sadie’s mind was compelling, it sometimes overshadowed the plot of the book. But once the action kicked off I couldn’t put this book down.
The audio was perfect. Most narrators irk me with their kid voices, but Jenn Lee does a phenomenal job narrating this book.
The Cut would make an excellent limited series! As I read this I could see how episodes would come together in my mind. It’s one of those books that I think would be better as a TV show than a book. 3 stars - only bc much of the book nothing was happening. Action wise, just suspicions and weird things. Not a page-turner (sorries 😭).
It wasn’t until chapter 18 that I was finally really enjoying this book. The last 3/4th of the story was exciting and fun. It then became a page turner.
Will def read future books by this author.
What really saved this book for me was the author’s message about strength not coming from people surviving an abusive situation, but that that strength was already in them all along. DV is a matter that is close to my heart for personal reasons. And I 💯 support and appreciate this message.
Triggers: DV
People might not like: calling her kid “Stinker” lol - supplying alcohol to kids under 21. Gaslighting
& @netgalley + @macmillan.audio for the ALC
🆃🅷🅴 🅲🆄🆃
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ: ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 𝟪, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟧
The Cut by C.J Dotson is a slow-burn horror that delivers all the creepy vibes. If you enjoy monster horror then this book was made for you.
Sadie has just found out she’s pregnant again. Engaged to Sam, her abusive finance, Sadie knows she needs to escape him and this pregnancy only exasperates this feeling. Gathering a few clothes and toys for her 3-year-old Izzy, Sadie flees while Sam is out.
Izzy and Sadie land at the L’Arpin hotel where Sadie gets a job as a maid and a free room to live for a bit. But there’s weird things happening here. Water smells and stains, blood in the tubs. Sadie saw a woman fully clothed thrashing around in the pool before the woman disappeared. Something is wrong here Sadie can sense it.
Struggling through PTSD, Sadie has flashbacks and Sam is blowing up her phone begging for her to come back. Is she far enough away from him; is she safe here?
I enjoyed this book mostly but I think it would have been better with a faster pace. While the narrative into Sadie’s mind was compelling, it sometimes overshadowed the plot of the book. But once the action kicked off I couldn’t put this book down.
The audio was perfect. Most narrators irk me with their kid voices, but Jenn Lee does a phenomenal job narrating this book.
The Cut would make an excellent limited series! As I read this I could see how episodes would come together in my mind. It’s one of those books that I think would be better as a TV show than a book. 3 stars - only bc much of the book nothing was happening. Action wise, just suspicions and weird things. Not a page-turner (sorries 😭).
It wasn’t until chapter 18 that I was finally really enjoying this book. The last 3/4th of the story was exciting and fun. It then became a page turner.
Will def read future books by this author.
What really saved this book for me was the author’s message about strength not coming from people surviving an abusive situation, but that that strength was already in them all along. DV is a matter that is close to my heart for personal reasons. And I 💯 support and appreciate this message.
Triggers: DV
People might not like: calling her kid “Stinker” lol - supplying alcohol to kids under 21. Gaslighting
February 21, 2025
The Cut is a fun creature feature horror novel! We follow our FMC Sadie, and her toddler daughter Izzy, as they try to start over after escaping from her abusive ex-fiancée. Sadie and Izzy end up at L’arpin hotel in north western Ohio, just on the shore of the lake. At first Sadie thinks this is a place where they’ll be safe and able to start new lives, until odd things start to happen.
I enjoyed reading this book, especially with my book besties as we discussed live with our buddy read. However, there were a few things that knocked it down from 4 or 5 stars. I had a hard time with how the relationship between Sadie and Izzy was written, albeit I acknowledge it was probably written that way on purpose. I also didn’t care for how the book ended. Ultimately I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read a fun and quick creature horror!
I enjoyed reading this book, especially with my book besties as we discussed live with our buddy read. However, there were a few things that knocked it down from 4 or 5 stars. I had a hard time with how the relationship between Sadie and Izzy was written, albeit I acknowledge it was probably written that way on purpose. I also didn’t care for how the book ended. Ultimately I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read a fun and quick creature horror!
November 4, 2024
Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!
The Cut is a supernatural thriller about Sadie, a mother who is fleeing from an abusive relationship after finding out she is pregnant. She thinks she’s safe when she makes it to the L’Arpin Hotel on the shores of Lake Erie. When guests and staff start disappearing and management covers it up, Sadie wants to move up her timeline for finding her own place. However, some of the long-term residents don’t seem to want her to leave.
The atmosphere and tension are built up so delightfully in this spooky book. Sadie’s paranoia about her ex-fiancée finding her was a great way to build tension and divert some energy away from the creepy hotel. It serves to attempt to make Sadie seem unreliable, but I think this was done successfully. It helped build isolation and internal conflict within the main character.
Something I wish the author expanded on was the monster lore. I felt the tension about the hotel’s “mystery” build up until about 80% of the way through it. I spent much of the book frustrated that I wasn’t quite sure what was going on still. By the time that us readers were revealed the truth, it felt dissatisfying and rushed. Much was left unanswered and character motivations were not as explained. I definitely did not see the twist coming, but I wish there was more throughout the narrative that helped explain and develop this plot point more.
Overall, The Cut is a solid supernatural thriller that builds tension with effective spooky atmosphere, the isolation of fleeing a domestic violence situation, and higher stakes with a toddler and a baby. I enjoyed it at times, but I found the story to be lacking some key ingredients. This book comes out on April 8th!
The Cut is a supernatural thriller about Sadie, a mother who is fleeing from an abusive relationship after finding out she is pregnant. She thinks she’s safe when she makes it to the L’Arpin Hotel on the shores of Lake Erie. When guests and staff start disappearing and management covers it up, Sadie wants to move up her timeline for finding her own place. However, some of the long-term residents don’t seem to want her to leave.
The atmosphere and tension are built up so delightfully in this spooky book. Sadie’s paranoia about her ex-fiancée finding her was a great way to build tension and divert some energy away from the creepy hotel. It serves to attempt to make Sadie seem unreliable, but I think this was done successfully. It helped build isolation and internal conflict within the main character.
Something I wish the author expanded on was the monster lore. I felt the tension about the hotel’s “mystery” build up until about 80% of the way through it. I spent much of the book frustrated that I wasn’t quite sure what was going on still. By the time that us readers were revealed the truth, it felt dissatisfying and rushed. Much was left unanswered and character motivations were not as explained. I definitely did not see the twist coming, but I wish there was more throughout the narrative that helped explain and develop this plot point more.
Overall, The Cut is a solid supernatural thriller that builds tension with effective spooky atmosphere, the isolation of fleeing a domestic violence situation, and higher stakes with a toddler and a baby. I enjoyed it at times, but I found the story to be lacking some key ingredients. This book comes out on April 8th!
March 22, 2025
The Cut was one of my most anticipated horror releases of 2025, especially with its promise of supernatural elements and a chilling hotel setting. The premise had so much potential—Sadie, a woman escaping an abusive relationship, takes a job at an isolated hotel where strange things begin to unfold. Unfortunately, while the setup sounded like a recipe for a tense, haunting read, the delivery just fell flat.
Sadie’s character was frustrating from the start. While I understand she’s meant to be a complex, traumatized woman, her choices made it hard to empathize with her. Her main motivation is protecting her daughter—but then she makes baffling decisions, like leaving her daughter alone in the middle of the night to go investigate a creepy lake. It’s hard to root for someone whose actions contradict the one thing she claims to care about most.
Then there’s Gerdy, the elderly neighbor who seems to exist solely to be nosy and overbearing. She’s the embodiment of that one old woman who inserts herself into everyone’s business when all you want to do is tell her to scram.
As for the hotel staff—everyone is inexplicably rude to Sadie from the get-go. It’s a bit jarring, though honestly, kind of believable, because… she is kind of annoying.
All in all, The Cut had the bones of a solid horror novel, but the execution didn’t live up to the promise. I wanted eerie, slow-burn tension and supernatural horror—but what I got was a protagonist I couldn’t care about and a plot that never fully came to life.
Thank you to MacMillan Audio for an early look at The Cut!
Sadie’s character was frustrating from the start. While I understand she’s meant to be a complex, traumatized woman, her choices made it hard to empathize with her. Her main motivation is protecting her daughter—but then she makes baffling decisions, like leaving her daughter alone in the middle of the night to go investigate a creepy lake. It’s hard to root for someone whose actions contradict the one thing she claims to care about most.
Then there’s Gerdy, the elderly neighbor who seems to exist solely to be nosy and overbearing. She’s the embodiment of that one old woman who inserts herself into everyone’s business when all you want to do is tell her to scram.
As for the hotel staff—everyone is inexplicably rude to Sadie from the get-go. It’s a bit jarring, though honestly, kind of believable, because… she is kind of annoying.
All in all, The Cut had the bones of a solid horror novel, but the execution didn’t live up to the promise. I wanted eerie, slow-burn tension and supernatural horror—but what I got was a protagonist I couldn’t care about and a plot that never fully came to life.
Thank you to MacMillan Audio for an early look at The Cut!
February 21, 2025
This paranormal horror mash-up with a touch of domestic thriller is set in a historic hotel in a small town along the Lake Erie shoreline. Pregnant and fleeing from her abusive fiancé, Sadie seeks refuge with her toddler and secures a job in housekeeping, along with temporary housing in one of the hotel rooms. But from the very first night, something feels off. The hotel is unnervingly eerie, with unsettling interactions from the staff, inexplicable paranormal occurrences, missing guests and employees, and sinister, slithering creatures lurking within the walls and drains. The atmosphere is hauntingly creepy, and the suspense had me on the edge of my seat more than once. I thoroughly enjoyed this chilling read.
November 15, 2024
Deliciously creepy. Had me listening for weird sounds in my apartment while reading it!
February 28, 2025
This book had the creepiest opening I've read in a very long time! Oh my gosh!
The tension stayed high in this horror/mystery and I knew I was "hooked" from the way I kept mentally berating the main character to do something slightly different than she did. She didn't have great choices to pick from, and I think it's pretty realistic to act in less than ideal ways when we're in survival mode. But my anxiety was definitely spiking.
With interesting settings and characters and a satisfying ending, I enjoyed this read.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an advance e-preview copy.
The tension stayed high in this horror/mystery and I knew I was "hooked" from the way I kept mentally berating the main character to do something slightly different than she did. She didn't have great choices to pick from, and I think it's pretty realistic to act in less than ideal ways when we're in survival mode. But my anxiety was definitely spiking.
With interesting settings and characters and a satisfying ending, I enjoyed this read.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an advance e-preview copy.
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