What do you think?
Rate this book
A Woman Alone
A high-stakes, pulse-pounding thriller from the bestselling author of Girl Last Seen.
A year after a brutal home invasion that left her traumatized, Cecelia, along with her husband and their three-year-old daughter, move into a new house with a complex security system that is supposed to make her feel safe.
But reality proves different as strange things begin to happen at home and the security system reveals that the house had a prior occupant: Lydia.
On her quest to discover the fate of the mysterious Lydia, Cecelia uncovers metaphorical skeletons in the closet, and she realizes that that no one's secrets are safe -- including her own.
A year after a brutal home invasion that left her traumatized, Cecelia, along with her husband and their three-year-old daughter, move into a new house with a complex security system that is supposed to make her feel safe.
But reality proves different as strange things begin to happen at home and the security system reveals that the house had a prior occupant: Lydia.
On her quest to discover the fate of the mysterious Lydia, Cecelia uncovers metaphorical skeletons in the closet, and she realizes that that no one's secrets are safe -- including her own.
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 23, 2020
97 people are currently reading
9072 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 339 reviews
December 4, 2020
If I'm going to be really honest here, this was probably my least favorite of Laurin's novels thus far. The premise of a smart house going psycho, developing a conscience of its own and trying to kill its owner read a lot like The Girl Before by Riley Sager (which was much better), and I really loathed our main character in this one, Cecilia. Not only did Cecilia come across as completely unhinged and whiney, but overall she was just a bad person. I disliked her little brat, Taryn as well, and wanted to reach through the pages and smack her every time she through her little tantrums!! I don't require likeable characters in order to enjoy my reading experience, but every single aspect of this story was dark and I felt like none of the characters had one single redeemable quality in them, which felt incredibly unreal to me (her mother, husband and even her neighbors were just all so rude!), so needless to say I struggled with this one. Without giving too much more away, I'll say this is a tale of revenge you don't suspect being the case, with a nice twist at the end, most likely salvaging the overall experience to a certain extent for me. The lesson in this novel is you definitely reap what you sow! I know not every single release will knock it out of the park, but this was just a big miss for me overall. I did enjoy Laurin's relatable writing and the pacing was swift, as it is in all of her other tales, so I'm going with 2.75, rounding it up to 3 stars for this one. I will still continue reading Laurin, as she's usually pretty reliable. I can't wait to see what 2021 has in store for her!
June 22, 2020
Brisk, intense, and clever!
A Woman Alone is a suspenseful, psychological thriller that introduces us to Cecelia Holmes, a young wife who after suffering a traumatic experience moves with her husband and three-year-old daughter into a new home in Venture, Illinois, a smart community where your every whim and need is controlled by AI technology and your safety and security is at utmost importance until the day the computers begin to malfunction, secrets begin creeping out of the woodwork, and danger lurks around every corner.
The writing is crisp and edgy. The characters are unreliable, distressed, and secretive. And the plot is a disturbingly eerie tale of control, betrayal, obsession, deception, familial drama, isolation, revenge, violence, and murder.
Overall, A Woman Alone is a twisty, creepy, sinister page-turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish and is a wonderful reminder of just how vulnerable and susceptible our dependence on technology truly makes us.
Thank you to HBG Canada and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
A Woman Alone is a suspenseful, psychological thriller that introduces us to Cecelia Holmes, a young wife who after suffering a traumatic experience moves with her husband and three-year-old daughter into a new home in Venture, Illinois, a smart community where your every whim and need is controlled by AI technology and your safety and security is at utmost importance until the day the computers begin to malfunction, secrets begin creeping out of the woodwork, and danger lurks around every corner.
The writing is crisp and edgy. The characters are unreliable, distressed, and secretive. And the plot is a disturbingly eerie tale of control, betrayal, obsession, deception, familial drama, isolation, revenge, violence, and murder.
Overall, A Woman Alone is a twisty, creepy, sinister page-turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish and is a wonderful reminder of just how vulnerable and susceptible our dependence on technology truly makes us.
Thank you to HBG Canada and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 2, 2020
(4.5 Stars)
Fascinating! Compelling! Page Turning! Nina Laurin’s, A Woman Alone is an intriguing suspenseful read!A well written suspenseful thriller, A Woman Alone is sure to keep you reeling with anticipation! The lies, secrets, betrayal, and a surprising twist of events will keep you eager for more! An all consuming read! For full review: www.marvelusreads.com
Fascinating! Compelling! Page Turning! Nina Laurin’s, A Woman Alone is an intriguing suspenseful read!A well written suspenseful thriller, A Woman Alone is sure to keep you reeling with anticipation! The lies, secrets, betrayal, and a surprising twist of events will keep you eager for more! An all consuming read! For full review: www.marvelusreads.com
June 25, 2020
‘A Woman Alone,’ Nina Laurin’s latest thriller, is confusing and leaves a lot to be desired.
.
Cecelia Holmes, along with her husband and young daughter, move into a SmartHome following a home burglary. The high-security and high-tech neighborhood and house provide the family the security they want. That is until Cecelia feels watched and no one believes her. When she discovers something bad happened to the SmartHome’s previous tennant that no one discusses, Cecelia sets out to find out all the answers by herself.
.
This book had a promising premise but it let me down big time. The first half had me intrigued and produced a good lead up, but when everything is revealed it’s a whole lot of “Huh?!” The twist comes out of no where and the characters involved seem thrown into it without proper development.
.
I don’t even know what to say about the mysterious neighbor behind Cecelia’s house. So random, underdeveloped, and only put to fix one bit of plot. Jessica’s character and role as well as IntelTech also needed more development.
.
Overall, I would have liked this book a whole lot more if the ending bits were fleshed out more throughout the story giving me a sense of understanding instead of being half explained and dumped in the ending third of the book.
.
Cecelia Holmes, along with her husband and young daughter, move into a SmartHome following a home burglary. The high-security and high-tech neighborhood and house provide the family the security they want. That is until Cecelia feels watched and no one believes her. When she discovers something bad happened to the SmartHome’s previous tennant that no one discusses, Cecelia sets out to find out all the answers by herself.
.
This book had a promising premise but it let me down big time. The first half had me intrigued and produced a good lead up, but when everything is revealed it’s a whole lot of “Huh?!” The twist comes out of no where and the characters involved seem thrown into it without proper development.
.
I don’t even know what to say about the mysterious neighbor behind Cecelia’s house. So random, underdeveloped, and only put to fix one bit of plot. Jessica’s character and role as well as IntelTech also needed more development.
.
Overall, I would have liked this book a whole lot more if the ending bits were fleshed out more throughout the story giving me a sense of understanding instead of being half explained and dumped in the ending third of the book.
April 30, 2020
A truly confusing novel! I was so wrapped around and twisted up, I had no idea what was going on! I had a hard time connecting with the characters, as they aren’t very likable. Throughout reading this I felt angsty and uncomfortable, and not in a good way. All of the questionable decisions irritated me and didn’t feel authentic. The plot was a bit over the top but the final truths were shocking and I was pleasantly surprised. 2.5⭐️ My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.
June 6, 2020
"A Woman Alone" by Nina Laurin was 4⭐ for me. This is about a woman, Cecelia who is traumatized after a home invasion. In an effort to move forward and feel safe, her, her husband and their 3yr old daughter move into a new high tech smart home. They were personally chosen to live here, along with all of the people in this neighborhood. This house does everything you would dream of. Makes your coffee for you, has your shower at the perfect temperature every time, cleans up, has the best security system and more!! Well things start to go wrong with the house and then the Intel system calls Cecelia by the wrong name, Lydia! Now Cecelia wants to find out who possibly lived there before, who is Lydia, and what happened? This one definitely had a good amount of suspense and twists, and secrets are exposed! I was pulled into this one from the beginning and the ending was definitely not what I was thinking was going to happen! I decent, futuristic feel, thriller!!
Thank you @grandcentralpub for this gifted review copy!
Thank you @grandcentralpub for this gifted review copy!
September 29, 2020
Following a home invasion, Cecelia and Scott move into a high -security SmartHome. It's totally automated and programmed to their specific needs. They even have microchips embedded in their body to coordinate everything for them.
But all is not perfect. Cecelia feels that someone is constantly watching her. No one believes her ... not her husband, not her friends, and certainly not her new neighbors.
She's worried, but her worry becomes fright when the house starts malfunctioning and calling her Lydia. Who is Lydia? Why does no one in this new community want to talk about her?
Cecelia's angst and fear are palpable, starting from the very first page. I found myself almost forgetting to breathe as I read... it's quite a page turner. It's hyped as a domestic thriller, but I would classify it more of a sci-fi. The plot, and the details involved, are quite complex with characters that stand out. The ending was unexpected.
Many thanks to the author / Grand Central Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
August 28, 2020
A year after a brutal home invasion that left her traumatized, Cecelia, along with her husband and their three-year-old daughter, move into a new house with a complex security system that is supposed to make her feel safe.
But reality proves different as strange things begin to happen at home and the security system reveals that the house had a prior occupant: Lydia.
On her quest to discover the fate of the mysterious Lydia, Cecelia uncovers metaphorical skeletons in the closet, and she realizes that that no one's secrets are safe -- including her own.
Wow remind me not to have a smart house. The things that went wrong and what is known all about you is pretty scary. About as bad is what is probably known about us through our smartphones.
Cecelia gets help from someone to find Lydia and learns her story.
The ending though , wow, how someone knows Cecelia's secrets and uses it against her is mind blowing.
I received this book from Grand Central Publishing for review.
But reality proves different as strange things begin to happen at home and the security system reveals that the house had a prior occupant: Lydia.
On her quest to discover the fate of the mysterious Lydia, Cecelia uncovers metaphorical skeletons in the closet, and she realizes that that no one's secrets are safe -- including her own.
Wow remind me not to have a smart house. The things that went wrong and what is known all about you is pretty scary. About as bad is what is probably known about us through our smartphones.
Cecelia gets help from someone to find Lydia and learns her story.
The ending though , wow, how someone knows Cecelia's secrets and uses it against her is mind blowing.
I received this book from Grand Central Publishing for review.
July 27, 2020
After being implanted with some kind of ‘chip’ this couple and their small child move in to a SmartHome in a neighbourhood called a SmartBlock. All very hi-tech.
Annoying and unlikable people, even the child – and that’s saying something.
At 60+ pages in I couldn’t care less about them.
A bit too sci-fy-ish for me.
Annoying and unlikable people, even the child – and that’s saying something.
At 60+ pages in I couldn’t care less about them.
A bit too sci-fy-ish for me.
June 28, 2020
3.5 rounded up ⭐️ This one reminded me a bit of Ruth Ware’s Turn of the Key, in that there’s a smart house and things start to go off the rails quickly. I didn’t love the ending but this is still a fun one..
July 25, 2020
Having previously read and adored Nina Laurin's The Starter Wife, I leapt at the chance to read her latest novel, A Woman Alone. I revelled in this one also, loving the author's crisp writing.
In A Woman Alone the reader is introduced to the story's primary character, Cecelia (Cece) Holmes, who has recently moved to Venture, Illinois. The Holmes family have a wonderful home with all of the latest AI technology, designed to a specification intended to make the resident feel safe and protected. Prior to moving, Cece, husband Scott and their toddler daughter Taryn, were subjected to a terrible and traumatic break-in back at their previous house. When weird and puzzling occurrences begin, Cece soon realises there are skeletons lurking in closets just waiting to be let out...
Although the plot concept has been tried before, I loved the edgy feel Nina Laurin brought to the story. Her characterisation was impressive and Cece, in particular, was brilliantly portrayed with her overall unreliability and secretiveness. Undoubtedly an edge-of-your-seat read, I suffered from extreme 'just one more page' syndrome whilst reading this chilling tale. I am already eagerly anticipating what this talented author may write next. 🤩
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Hodder & Stoughton/ Mulholland via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
In A Woman Alone the reader is introduced to the story's primary character, Cecelia (Cece) Holmes, who has recently moved to Venture, Illinois. The Holmes family have a wonderful home with all of the latest AI technology, designed to a specification intended to make the resident feel safe and protected. Prior to moving, Cece, husband Scott and their toddler daughter Taryn, were subjected to a terrible and traumatic break-in back at their previous house. When weird and puzzling occurrences begin, Cece soon realises there are skeletons lurking in closets just waiting to be let out...
Although the plot concept has been tried before, I loved the edgy feel Nina Laurin brought to the story. Her characterisation was impressive and Cece, in particular, was brilliantly portrayed with her overall unreliability and secretiveness. Undoubtedly an edge-of-your-seat read, I suffered from extreme 'just one more page' syndrome whilst reading this chilling tale. I am already eagerly anticipating what this talented author may write next. 🤩
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Hodder & Stoughton/ Mulholland via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
May 11, 2020
The new thriller by Nina Lauren will keep you on the edge of your seats and guessing till the very end.
From the book: "Well I'm happy to say you're exactly what we're looking for. A young, modern family. Modern values. Focused above all on self-fulfillment and deriving satisfaction from your life, experiences over possessions. This is exactly what SmartHomes are about. Experiences."
After being the victim of a home invasion where she killed the attacker, Cecilia and her husband Scott accept an offer to become test participants in a new home where the security is more than they could ask for. But this is no ordinary neighborhood. IntelTech has carefully vetted and preselected every person that inhabit the SmartHomes on their block. Each person has an identity chip that allows them to enter. Who wouldn't love living in a home that learned what kind of coffee you drink and prepared it at the exact time each day. Or how you like your toast. Where detecting your signature with a sensor laden handle, your shower knows what temperature and water pressure you prefer and adjusts for you.
But when the house begins to malfunction several months later Cecilia is annoyed and submits trouble reports. The coffee is wrong, the temperature of her bath burns her. Her daughters oatmeal burns her mouth. The music that is playing is not on her playlist. But when her AI calls her the wrong name, she begins to wonder who might have lived in the home before them and why would they leave?
This is a book with a very satisfying ending and while reading this I couldn't help but think what a great movie this would make. If you liked Passengers by John Marrs you will love A Woman Alone.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this advanced ebook. I will definitely be recommending this book for readers at my library.
From the book: "Well I'm happy to say you're exactly what we're looking for. A young, modern family. Modern values. Focused above all on self-fulfillment and deriving satisfaction from your life, experiences over possessions. This is exactly what SmartHomes are about. Experiences."
After being the victim of a home invasion where she killed the attacker, Cecilia and her husband Scott accept an offer to become test participants in a new home where the security is more than they could ask for. But this is no ordinary neighborhood. IntelTech has carefully vetted and preselected every person that inhabit the SmartHomes on their block. Each person has an identity chip that allows them to enter. Who wouldn't love living in a home that learned what kind of coffee you drink and prepared it at the exact time each day. Or how you like your toast. Where detecting your signature with a sensor laden handle, your shower knows what temperature and water pressure you prefer and adjusts for you.
But when the house begins to malfunction several months later Cecilia is annoyed and submits trouble reports. The coffee is wrong, the temperature of her bath burns her. Her daughters oatmeal burns her mouth. The music that is playing is not on her playlist. But when her AI calls her the wrong name, she begins to wonder who might have lived in the home before them and why would they leave?
This is a book with a very satisfying ending and while reading this I couldn't help but think what a great movie this would make. If you liked Passengers by John Marrs you will love A Woman Alone.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this advanced ebook. I will definitely be recommending this book for readers at my library.
December 1, 2020
Swing and a miss! A WOMAN ALONE was a strikeout for me in several ways.
A mystery thriller with a great premise takes on AI living at a magnified level. Individuals with money and those who have been victims of crime or injustice are contacted and shown houses in a neighborhood that is designed to do everything for the owner, including seeing to all safely means. Owners and their families are chipped and recognized by “house” which answers every beck and call. I wondered how the house got the cups and saucers for all that coffee it made.. moving the cups around and spraying all that whipped cream… all without arms!
CC, her husband, and their super spoiled and bratty child move into a Smarthome after a home invasion. But it isn’t long after this that the house “turns against” CC and acts against her. I found the characters in the book, pretty much, well ALL of them to be flawed and totally unlikeable. They were snide and snippy with each other, the staff at the neighborhood were robotic and unhelpful, the husband was a puke, the child was a monster, and most of the female characters were bitches. There was not one character that I enjoyed or liked.
I also had issues with the legal aspects of the book, if Jessica manipulated the house to harasses and assault CC, we might even consider that she attempted to kill her with the bleach. There are some legal issues there.. and then the police show up with a what? A warrant for CC’s arrest? Can one say investigation and due process? I don’t think they got a warrant to arrest her and there are so many legal issues with the confession… I have to throw out the BS card here.
The plot was good, the book was good until we got to the winding down of the end.. then this book about artificial intelligence slipped into a lack of intelligence.
2.5 stars
Happy Reading!
A mystery thriller with a great premise takes on AI living at a magnified level. Individuals with money and those who have been victims of crime or injustice are contacted and shown houses in a neighborhood that is designed to do everything for the owner, including seeing to all safely means. Owners and their families are chipped and recognized by “house” which answers every beck and call. I wondered how the house got the cups and saucers for all that coffee it made.. moving the cups around and spraying all that whipped cream… all without arms!
CC, her husband, and their super spoiled and bratty child move into a Smarthome after a home invasion. But it isn’t long after this that the house “turns against” CC and acts against her. I found the characters in the book, pretty much, well ALL of them to be flawed and totally unlikeable. They were snide and snippy with each other, the staff at the neighborhood were robotic and unhelpful, the husband was a puke, the child was a monster, and most of the female characters were bitches. There was not one character that I enjoyed or liked.
I also had issues with the legal aspects of the book, if Jessica manipulated the house to harasses and assault CC, we might even consider that she attempted to kill her with the bleach. There are some legal issues there.. and then the police show up with a what? A warrant for CC’s arrest? Can one say investigation and due process? I don’t think they got a warrant to arrest her and there are so many legal issues with the confession… I have to throw out the BS card here.
The plot was good, the book was good until we got to the winding down of the end.. then this book about artificial intelligence slipped into a lack of intelligence.
2.5 stars
Happy Reading!
June 3, 2020
After a horrible break in that ended up her shooting and killing the intruder, Cecelia appreciates her new smart house that her family is now living in, their new house is in a neighborhood with other smart homes. The smart house keeps her family on a schedule, their coffee is made and waiting and the house even cleans up after they leave! Saya is the house technologies name and she takes care of everything for them. Cecelia and her husband Scott with their toddler daughter Taryn have identity chips that they use to unlock their house and even pay for what they need. Soon things begin to go wrong Cecelia goes to take a bath and the water is scalding hot, her coffee is made wrong , Taryn’s oatmeal burns her mouth, when she goes to pick up Taryn from daycare their microchips are scanned and it says Cecelia isn’t her mother! Cecelia is angry and makes calls and makes numerous reports but nothing changes. When Saya begins to play music from an unknown playlist and calls Cecelia the wrong name “Lydia”that’s when she gets suspicious. Who is Lydia and why would she leave? Soon Cecelia feels like she’s being watched and she’s not safe as she begins to dig into the mysterious Lydia she discovers she also didn’t feel safe in the home. Is the house trying to kill her and did it kill Lydia? and did the smart home company cover up? With her husband thinking she’s going crazy and the company telling her they don’t see any malfunctions she begins to wonder, A house that sees everything you do is it capable of using your secrets against you or even kill you? This book was amazing I was on the edge of my seat and the ending completely shocked me!! Four stars!
September 2, 2020
This book tried to do too many things and ended up being quite convoluted. I felt like the book was trying to be across between a Riley Sager and a JP Delaney and it failed at both. It had a good premise, but the author could have done so much more with it.
The characters were annoying and it was hard to know which ones I should care about.
As far as I could tell, there was never any identification of what city or state the book was set in. This seemed odd and disorienting.
The middle did get a bit suspenseful and interesting, but then it took another convoluted turn that came out of nowhere. And the ending was bizarre.
It just didn’t work for me. I am giving it 3 stars because if you’ve liked other books by this Author, maybe you will like this one.
The narrator was okay, but she got a bit too shrill when reading the parts where the character was upset.
The characters were annoying and it was hard to know which ones I should care about.
As far as I could tell, there was never any identification of what city or state the book was set in. This seemed odd and disorienting.
The middle did get a bit suspenseful and interesting, but then it took another convoluted turn that came out of nowhere. And the ending was bizarre.
It just didn’t work for me. I am giving it 3 stars because if you’ve liked other books by this Author, maybe you will like this one.
The narrator was okay, but she got a bit too shrill when reading the parts where the character was upset.
July 29, 2020
”Think about it, Cecilia. Think about it really well. Do you have a secret? One that will you’re your entire carefully built life tumbling down? Because you can be sure. The house knows about it. And soon, so will everyone else.”
Synopsis: When Cecilia Holmes moves into a smart house with her husband and adorable little child, nothing prepares her for the fact that the house is quite literally trying to kill her. Demon children, adult temper tantrums, and despicable characters ensue.
Biblio Babble
Hi. I’m Karen…: And I need to speak to a manager about this book, because it was fucking awful. I can’t even remember the last time I read a book this bad. This book even out trumps the one star books I read this year (and that’s saying something.) They were bad, but nothing compared to this. It was a fast read overall, but by the time I got to past the halfway mark, I just wanted it to be over. And by over, I mean I wanted this book deleted off my Kindle permanently.
You Had One Job and You Did it Too Well: When it comes to psychological/domestic thrillers, the main thing right now (and has been for the past almost ten years), is the use of the unlikable main character. Not quite a hero but not quite a villain, they’re more of a morally gray anti-heroine that you kind of dislike but can still root for at the same time. The author’s goal isn’t for you to outright hate them, but have a certain unease about them as you go along.
This author completely threw that advice out the window and decided to make everyone despicable. There aren’t enough words in my vocabulary (or anyone’s vocabulary) to accurately convey to you all how much I loathed the main character. And instead of getting better, she got worse, a feat that I didn’t think humanly possible. That’s not how it’s supposed to go and it killed the whole mood of the book.
Confetti Streamers: The plot of this book was all over the freaking place. There were so many plot lines that never connected with each other that you almost wonder if the author got horribly bored by what she was writing and so she decided to write a new plotline but got bored of that one and it just became a vicious cycle she couldn’t get out from. There were so many elements that didn’t make sense and truly didn’t need to be there.
The Bad Seed: On top of all that, the author decided to add a demon child to this book, for no apparent reason. Cecilia and Scott Holmes are parents to an adorable three-year-old girl. But apparently that’s wrong because Cecilia really gave birth to a three-year-old demon child. All the kid did was throw tantrums, grin maliciously, and yell for her SmartTablet. The worst part is was that the kid was an important plot point.
Here’s a pro tip: If you’re going to make something a major part of a book, GIVE IT MORE DIMENSION AND CHARACTER, DAMMIT.
************************
This book joins A Simple Favor in my corner of shame for psychological thrillers. I think they’ll keep each other company. They have so much in common, from their absolutely despicable characters (even the kid!) to plot lines that make no sense to just a general feeling of awfulness the emanates throughout. I would not recommend this book to my next door neighbor’s dog; so I certainly won’t be recommending it to you.
The only blessed thing is that there were no veggie burgers in sight.
Synopsis: When Cecilia Holmes moves into a smart house with her husband and adorable little child, nothing prepares her for the fact that the house is quite literally trying to kill her. Demon children, adult temper tantrums, and despicable characters ensue.
Biblio Babble
Hi. I’m Karen…: And I need to speak to a manager about this book, because it was fucking awful. I can’t even remember the last time I read a book this bad. This book even out trumps the one star books I read this year (and that’s saying something.) They were bad, but nothing compared to this. It was a fast read overall, but by the time I got to past the halfway mark, I just wanted it to be over. And by over, I mean I wanted this book deleted off my Kindle permanently.
You Had One Job and You Did it Too Well: When it comes to psychological/domestic thrillers, the main thing right now (and has been for the past almost ten years), is the use of the unlikable main character. Not quite a hero but not quite a villain, they’re more of a morally gray anti-heroine that you kind of dislike but can still root for at the same time. The author’s goal isn’t for you to outright hate them, but have a certain unease about them as you go along.
This author completely threw that advice out the window and decided to make everyone despicable. There aren’t enough words in my vocabulary (or anyone’s vocabulary) to accurately convey to you all how much I loathed the main character. And instead of getting better, she got worse, a feat that I didn’t think humanly possible. That’s not how it’s supposed to go and it killed the whole mood of the book.
Confetti Streamers: The plot of this book was all over the freaking place. There were so many plot lines that never connected with each other that you almost wonder if the author got horribly bored by what she was writing and so she decided to write a new plotline but got bored of that one and it just became a vicious cycle she couldn’t get out from. There were so many elements that didn’t make sense and truly didn’t need to be there.
The Bad Seed: On top of all that, the author decided to add a demon child to this book, for no apparent reason. Cecilia and Scott Holmes are parents to an adorable three-year-old girl. But apparently that’s wrong because Cecilia really gave birth to a three-year-old demon child. All the kid did was throw tantrums, grin maliciously, and yell for her SmartTablet. The worst part is was that the kid was an important plot point.
Here’s a pro tip: If you’re going to make something a major part of a book, GIVE IT MORE DIMENSION AND CHARACTER, DAMMIT.
************************
This book joins A Simple Favor in my corner of shame for psychological thrillers. I think they’ll keep each other company. They have so much in common, from their absolutely despicable characters (even the kid!) to plot lines that make no sense to just a general feeling of awfulness the emanates throughout. I would not recommend this book to my next door neighbor’s dog; so I certainly won’t be recommending it to you.
The only blessed thing is that there were no veggie burgers in sight.
October 21, 2020
3.5 stars. In Illinois, Cecelia Holmes, her husband, and her 3 year old daughter participate in a trial program by IntelTech. Their life is in SmartBlock in a SmartHome. A tiny microchip has been implanted in all three, as well as everyone else in this community, and the house is controlled by artificial intelligence for safety and security. The shower is set to each person's precise pressure and perfect temperature, coffee is custom made at a precise time for each person, the toaster is programmed for two different pieces of toast, the dishes are set on a metal stripe that opens and dishes disappear for dishwashing. Wow, that sounds wonderful. Look at the extra time I would have to read! But, on the other hand, Big Brother knows and watches everything. Maybe too good to be true.
Cecelia notices when the house seems to go haywire - the oatmeal is the wrong temperature, bath water is scalding hot, and the house command center calls her Lydia. Who is Lydia?
Although I would probably be scared to live in a house like this, I found the thought entertaining. Once the twists started, they kept coming. I never expected the story to take the turns that it did. What a reveal on the last page! I didn't have it figured out until then.
I was left with some questions in my mind. Did the house cause the daughter to act the way she did or was she simply spoiled? The story of the mysterious neighbor behind Cecelia's house ended abruptly. What was up with the lens Cecelia saw? I also didn't like the scenes with Cecelia and her mother. But I loved all the twists!
Cecelia notices when the house seems to go haywire - the oatmeal is the wrong temperature, bath water is scalding hot, and the house command center calls her Lydia. Who is Lydia?
Although I would probably be scared to live in a house like this, I found the thought entertaining. Once the twists started, they kept coming. I never expected the story to take the turns that it did. What a reveal on the last page! I didn't have it figured out until then.
I was left with some questions in my mind. Did the house cause the daughter to act the way she did or was she simply spoiled? The story of the mysterious neighbor behind Cecelia's house ended abruptly. What was up with the lens Cecelia saw? I also didn't like the scenes with Cecelia and her mother. But I loved all the twists!
July 20, 2020
Oh, I must admit, I love psychological suspense fiction. Nina Laurin has just released A Woman Alone - and it's a twisty turny tale that you won't be able to put down!
Maybe you own one of those devices or use an app that allows you to simply speak and have something turned on (even remotely), programmed the way you like it or contacting someone. Chances are you do. What about living in a house completely controlled by an AI? (Artificial Intelligence) Venture, Illinois is a community of such houses. A place to feel safe and pampered. More time to do what you want. Your likes and dislikes programmed...and more. Cecilia, her husband and young daughter move into Venture. But, Cecilia feels like things just aren't right - and no one believes her...
This isn't a far fetched scenario at all. But the possibilities of how things might go wrong make for a delicious premise for a book.
Laurin dials the tension up by adding in secrets, twists and turns that you won't even see coming. Lots of chapter ending foreshadowing had me staying up quite late to finish the book. Honestly, I couldn't put it down - I wanted to know those secrets. Because everyone in the book is hiding something. And just as I got to the last chapter - Laurin got me again. No way did I see the last twist at the end coming! I really appreciate being surprised with a plot. And Laurin absolutely caught me off guard. Bravo!
Maybe you own one of those devices or use an app that allows you to simply speak and have something turned on (even remotely), programmed the way you like it or contacting someone. Chances are you do. What about living in a house completely controlled by an AI? (Artificial Intelligence) Venture, Illinois is a community of such houses. A place to feel safe and pampered. More time to do what you want. Your likes and dislikes programmed...and more. Cecilia, her husband and young daughter move into Venture. But, Cecilia feels like things just aren't right - and no one believes her...
This isn't a far fetched scenario at all. But the possibilities of how things might go wrong make for a delicious premise for a book.
Laurin dials the tension up by adding in secrets, twists and turns that you won't even see coming. Lots of chapter ending foreshadowing had me staying up quite late to finish the book. Honestly, I couldn't put it down - I wanted to know those secrets. Because everyone in the book is hiding something. And just as I got to the last chapter - Laurin got me again. No way did I see the last twist at the end coming! I really appreciate being surprised with a plot. And Laurin absolutely caught me off guard. Bravo!
June 7, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the arc of A Woman Alone by Nina Laurin❤️
Also thank you to Nina Laurin for writing such a captivating gripping book❤️
Follows a couple called Cecelia and Scott who are a married couple.. they are victims of a house invasion but she kills the intruder... They accept offer to take part for some new Hugh security homes by InterTech, they carefully preselect people to live in their SmartHomes in each blocks, every person has their own identity chip which allows them to access their Smart Home😱..
Who wouldn't like a house which knows your morning routines, how you like your coffee and when you have it and how you like your food, water pressure and shower temperatures etc... Mind-blowing right? 🤯
Months later the house begins malfunction and does every thing wrong, water burns Cecelia, wrong music being played? So she reports the troubles.. but then the AI calls her by a name which isn't hers? So she wonders who was living here before and why they left?...😱
I've never read something like this before but it was such a compelling and gripping read I loved the whole aspects of smart homes and AI Features and the whole concept I never read a book so fast and it made me have goosebumps and want more it was so page turning and captivating
Well done Nina Laurin❤️
Definitely recommend 😍
5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Also thank you to Nina Laurin for writing such a captivating gripping book❤️
Follows a couple called Cecelia and Scott who are a married couple.. they are victims of a house invasion but she kills the intruder... They accept offer to take part for some new Hugh security homes by InterTech, they carefully preselect people to live in their SmartHomes in each blocks, every person has their own identity chip which allows them to access their Smart Home😱..
Who wouldn't like a house which knows your morning routines, how you like your coffee and when you have it and how you like your food, water pressure and shower temperatures etc... Mind-blowing right? 🤯
Months later the house begins malfunction and does every thing wrong, water burns Cecelia, wrong music being played? So she reports the troubles.. but then the AI calls her by a name which isn't hers? So she wonders who was living here before and why they left?...😱
I've never read something like this before but it was such a compelling and gripping read I loved the whole aspects of smart homes and AI Features and the whole concept I never read a book so fast and it made me have goosebumps and want more it was so page turning and captivating
Well done Nina Laurin❤️
Definitely recommend 😍
5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
October 11, 2023
not worth it - too many plot lines and so much detail that didn’t make sense. Plot twists were fine but also it was incredibly difficult to keep up with. Interesting concept though
February 6, 2023
This is the second book by Nina Laurin that I’ve read, and maybe she’s just not an author for me. I feel like a lot of the issues I’ve had with this one, I also had with Girl Last Seen.
Cecelia, her husband Scott, and their three year old daughter Taryn have recently moved into a smart house in a high tech neighborhood. This is a new start for them after a traumatic experience in their pervious home. But something isn’t right. Cecelia feels as if she’s being watched. Then the AI system within the house begins to malfunction and she begins to fear for her life. But no one seems to be doing anything to help her.
The characters in this novel are difficult to like. They’re all caught up in themselves and don’t seem to be kind or caring. I wish the book played more on a psychological element in the beginning rather than straight out alienating Cecelia.
The storyline is decent. There’s a good pace to it and a nice build that kept me interested. That said, I’m not sure it’s really clear what exactly is going on by the end. There are a few storylines that just pop up and then disappear that could be better examined. That and I wouldn’t say the ending makes too much sense. Just because A is new information doesn’t automatically mean B and there’s really not enough information to prove B.
I do admire the thought and creativity behind the setting. The realism of the AI systems that are beginning to become more and more present. It is interesting and entertaining.
In the end though, this book is a 3 star for me.
Cecelia, her husband Scott, and their three year old daughter Taryn have recently moved into a smart house in a high tech neighborhood. This is a new start for them after a traumatic experience in their pervious home. But something isn’t right. Cecelia feels as if she’s being watched. Then the AI system within the house begins to malfunction and she begins to fear for her life. But no one seems to be doing anything to help her.
The characters in this novel are difficult to like. They’re all caught up in themselves and don’t seem to be kind or caring. I wish the book played more on a psychological element in the beginning rather than straight out alienating Cecelia.
The storyline is decent. There’s a good pace to it and a nice build that kept me interested. That said, I’m not sure it’s really clear what exactly is going on by the end. There are a few storylines that just pop up and then disappear that could be better examined. That and I wouldn’t say the ending makes too much sense. Just because A is new information doesn’t automatically mean B and there’s really not enough information to prove B.
I do admire the thought and creativity behind the setting. The realism of the AI systems that are beginning to become more and more present. It is interesting and entertaining.
In the end though, this book is a 3 star for me.
December 24, 2020
Did you ever read a book that had no or few redeeming qualities? "A Woman Alone" was that book for me. The story is so far-fetched, it's almost out of the thriller genre and could be put in the horror or fantasy one (not that there's anything wrong with that part.) But there is wrong. a lot of wrongs in this book. There are so many plot holes in this book, one could plant a large tree.
Every character is unlikeable and few are absolved in the end. I have to root for someone in a book to like it. Even a villain should have grit or a hobby that makes them stand out.
Okay, the story. A family, in a few points of view, mainly the wife's, moves into a smart home device community. Most of the services don't exist yet... The families are chosen by a community administrator who appears to be plain weird. They are chosen for reasons that will be sort of explained later, much later. They have a kind of Alexa who makes coffee for the family (coffee is a big part of the story) and keeps them safe. Right!
It seems like the house is trying to kill the women in particular. Good premise right? Yes, if it tied up all loose ends and made some kind of sense. The point of the book is to keep you reading. For that, I'll give it one star. The writing wasn't terrible, and I finished the darn thing, so another star. The author's goal in my view was to have one plot twist after another until nothing made sense, except to keep your reading. Then when all is revealed, it still didn't make sense. I won't put in spoilers because if I did, I'd be here all day.
I will say one more negative point that irked me. The woman's mother is said to be "crazy." She is a religious nut who believes in abortion. Huh? I feel the word "crazy" is bandied about too much, and the mental health part of the book depicts mentally ill people as killers and evil. This is problematic and distasteful to me. I suffer from anxiety. I advocate for the mentally ill, so that was another nail in the coffin for me and this book.
Some of the twists did not make sense and were not explained. I found out that I had reason to hate all of the characters, but not in a way that made me feel satisfied at the end. I like to feel satisfied in the end.
Lastly, I am tired of the ton of books that have girls, women, and wives in the title, primarily to sell books. Ever since "Gone Girl," this premise has be copied ad nauseum. I am all for authors selling books, but not on false premises. If I had to give this book a one-word title, I would use "convoluted." And depressing. Oops, that's two words.
Every character is unlikeable and few are absolved in the end. I have to root for someone in a book to like it. Even a villain should have grit or a hobby that makes them stand out.
Okay, the story. A family, in a few points of view, mainly the wife's, moves into a smart home device community. Most of the services don't exist yet... The families are chosen by a community administrator who appears to be plain weird. They are chosen for reasons that will be sort of explained later, much later. They have a kind of Alexa who makes coffee for the family (coffee is a big part of the story) and keeps them safe. Right!
It seems like the house is trying to kill the women in particular. Good premise right? Yes, if it tied up all loose ends and made some kind of sense. The point of the book is to keep you reading. For that, I'll give it one star. The writing wasn't terrible, and I finished the darn thing, so another star. The author's goal in my view was to have one plot twist after another until nothing made sense, except to keep your reading. Then when all is revealed, it still didn't make sense. I won't put in spoilers because if I did, I'd be here all day.
I will say one more negative point that irked me. The woman's mother is said to be "crazy." She is a religious nut who believes in abortion. Huh? I feel the word "crazy" is bandied about too much, and the mental health part of the book depicts mentally ill people as killers and evil. This is problematic and distasteful to me. I suffer from anxiety. I advocate for the mentally ill, so that was another nail in the coffin for me and this book.
Some of the twists did not make sense and were not explained. I found out that I had reason to hate all of the characters, but not in a way that made me feel satisfied at the end. I like to feel satisfied in the end.
Lastly, I am tired of the ton of books that have girls, women, and wives in the title, primarily to sell books. Ever since "Gone Girl," this premise has be copied ad nauseum. I am all for authors selling books, but not on false premises. If I had to give this book a one-word title, I would use "convoluted." And depressing. Oops, that's two words.
August 31, 2020
This was a slow-burning psychological thriller that had a big twist at the end. I could have guessed the twist if I had been paying careful attention to the subtle clues, but I didn’t, so it was a surprise to me. I don’t think that any of the characters was particularly likable. I couldn’t even really sympathize with Cecilia and her problems living in her million dollar mansion. She seemed like a lazy, entitled mother to me who should have been taking better care of her daughter and watching what her little three year old had on her screen every day. That was a pet peeve of mine about this book; Cecilia had the option to be a good mom and wasn’t. Fans of contemporary fiction will enjoy this book.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I checked out a copy of this book from my local library on the Overdrive App. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I checked out a copy of this book from my local library on the Overdrive App. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
July 3, 2020
The supposed benefits of technology take on a sinister turn in Nina Lauren’s latest pulse pounding thriller. Cecelia, battling demons from her past, moves into a highly advanced “smart house” with her husband and 3-year-old daughter. When things start to go wrong in the house, Cecelia feels like she’s losing her sanity and she’s quickly forced to acknowledge her difficult past in order to save herself and her family.
This was fast, fun and intense with a lot of twists and turns. There was a lot going on in the plot, but it somehow all worked really well and I did not find it difficult to follow. I recommend this those who’ve enjoyed the Girl Before and Behind Closed Doors. A definite page-turner!
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, St. Grand Central Publishing and Nina Laurin for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was fast, fun and intense with a lot of twists and turns. There was a lot going on in the plot, but it somehow all worked really well and I did not find it difficult to follow. I recommend this those who’ve enjoyed the Girl Before and Behind Closed Doors. A definite page-turner!
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, St. Grand Central Publishing and Nina Laurin for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 27, 2020
MC Cecelia Holmes, her husband Scott, and their three-year-old daughter Taryn have just moved into a new house: a fresh start after a horrific burglary the year before. This new house is an AI Smarthouse and it comes with a complex security system that is supposed to make them all feel safe.
I was intrigued with true cover & blurb, but sadly it fell flat. The story is predictable and I did not have a connection with the characters but that being sad I finished this in a day so it’s fast paced.
I was intrigued with true cover & blurb, but sadly it fell flat. The story is predictable and I did not have a connection with the characters but that being sad I finished this in a day so it’s fast paced.
July 21, 2021
This book is about so much more than smart technology and where it might lead. It certainly made me think about the idea of smart tech listening to me or watching me, and how I do not have any liking for that. Precisely the reason I don't have any smart speakers, and keep "hey Siri" turned off on my i devices, in addition to location services.
This book is also about love, hate, jealousy, deceit and more. A bit futuristic, perhaps, but not all that much, at the rate artificial intelligence is developing. One thing for certain, this book will likely give you the chills.
This book is also about love, hate, jealousy, deceit and more. A bit futuristic, perhaps, but not all that much, at the rate artificial intelligence is developing. One thing for certain, this book will likely give you the chills.
September 4, 2023
It just didn’t do it for me🤷♀️ The whole book was slightly confusing, and I was left with a few unanswered questions. None of the characters were likeable. The plot twist was so predictable.
I will say I was invested and couldn’t stop reading it. I just wanted to know if maybe I’d get a bit surprise at some point. I suppose the affair caught me a bit off guard but it wasn’t a huge shock either.
The most interesting part of the plot was the futuristic way of living. It felt very real and possible, but in a scary way. I would hate that. I thought it was interesting how quickly Cece fell into that lifestyle. For example, relying so heavily on a tablet taking care of her child. Speaking of that, it was so shocking what Cece found on the tablet after Taryn had that incident at daycare, and then it was never brought up again! Why would that have been part of the whole scheme?! I just don’t understand why that needed to be in there at all.
Overall, this book just wasn’t for me.
I will say I was invested and couldn’t stop reading it. I just wanted to know if maybe I’d get a bit surprise at some point. I suppose the affair caught me a bit off guard but it wasn’t a huge shock either.
The most interesting part of the plot was the futuristic way of living. It felt very real and possible, but in a scary way. I would hate that. I thought it was interesting how quickly Cece fell into that lifestyle. For example, relying so heavily on a tablet taking care of her child. Speaking of that, it was so shocking what Cece found on the tablet after Taryn had that incident at daycare, and then it was never brought up again! Why would that have been part of the whole scheme?! I just don’t understand why that needed to be in there at all.
Overall, this book just wasn’t for me.
May 6, 2024
•••A Woman Alone by Nina Laurin // 3.25 out of 5 stars•••
This book was very well written, but the premise was not very unique and didn’t really bring anything new to the genre. It was still a quick, entertaining read, but there are so many more unique books (and better books from this author) that are more enjoyable overall.
This book was very well written, but the premise was not very unique and didn’t really bring anything new to the genre. It was still a quick, entertaining read, but there are so many more unique books (and better books from this author) that are more enjoyable overall.
August 29, 2020
This is my first book by this author and wow! What a page turning story perfect for today's tech controlled world. The author weaves a brilliant web of connections and heart-pounding action full of gasps. I find most complex storylines to be confusing to follow, but not this one, as it was so well done. I can't wait to read more books by Nina Laurin.
June 28, 2020
The author could have done a lot with the technology premise but instead she ended up with a complicated and convoluted plot.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 339 reviews