Lights Out
Into Darkness, Book 1

I Picked Up This Book Because: I fell for the hype.

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: P Public Library
Dates Read: 1/2/25 - 1/6/25
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Narrator(s): Elena Wolfe and Jacob Morgan

The Characters:

Alyssa “Aly” Cappellucci: Trauma nurse
Josh Hammond: Hacker and son of a serial killer
Josh’s Roommate, Aly’s Uncle and his immediate family

The Story:

A little unhinged at times but that was the whole point of this book, right? I liked Aly and Josh, though I was a bit disappointed at how quickly Aly figured out who he was. I liked the tension they had before discovery. I also wasn’t sure how it was going to work after she figured out who he was but I should have never feared. Josh and Aly live out every dark and dirty fantasy together and I’m here for it. ( )

I got the book Lights Out for free on the Libby app as an audio book because I was just trying things at random. The book had just come out and I understand the author Navessa Allen (when I went to her page) also has some other similar novels published. It's a romance about a man and a woman who want to get together but they're worried about their online reputations. If you can accept how absolutely unrealistic and incongruous the plot complete with its large number of impossible coincidences you might be able to enjoy this book. I decided this book needs more publicity because no one else even put a hold on it during the two weeks that I had it on my phone. I was able to renew it even though I hadn't finished it and it's a long book giving you about 10 hours of entertainment which is definitely worth it. But this book is definitely a cut above your traditional romance novel there's long passages of introspection where the various characters are thinking about their life. I enjoy that kind of writing even though the thought processes of the characters also very unrealistic. The woman is imagining a serial killer is coming into her house and she needs to get a gun right away and booby trap her house. Most women would never even think about this unless they were living in a super dangerous area. Just when you get to the point where you think the characters are on solid ground then more complications appear.The narrators were absolutely excellent. There is a male narrator and a female narrator who alternate speaking. They deserve to be honored for such awesome vocal performances. When one narrator tries to read both male and female parts it's a man who's reading the female part in a weird squeaky voice or a woman trying to read a man's part in a deeper voice. The timing and pacing of this audio masterpiece used both voices to correct advantage so it's not at all jarring to the listener when shifting from male to female. I hope this book will be successful and a lot more audio books will be created in this fashion with their beautiful American accents that sounded so contemporary. I have found positive reviews for Lights Out on the Internet from some independent bloggers. Now that I finished the book, I can see what the problem is. This book is written sort of like a young adult fiction where everything turns out right and falls magically into place. In spite of the fact that I can see inside the characters minds all the characters seem like they’re created by the same person, the author of the book. However, it’s not a young adult fiction because it has a lot of very graphic sex which I skipped over because I didn’t like it. I think if this book has been written without the sex, it would’ve been more popular as a young adult novel. ( )

Lights Out is an enjoyable read with a mix of suspense, humor, and some seriously spicy romance. The story follows a strong, relatable heroine navigating danger and desire in equal measure. The romance is steamy and well-written, with plenty of banter and funny moments that add charm to the otherwise intense narrative.

That said, the pacing can feel slow at times, with a few scenes dragging on longer than needed. While the suspense keeps you intrigued, it’s occasionally predictable, which tempers some of the tension.

Overall, it’s a fun, spicy, and entertaining book that might not blow you away but is worth picking up if you’re in the mood for romance with a touch of danger and humor. ( )

Love me some good banter and a thoughtful cat daddy ( )

I have a strong aversion to leaving books unfinished, so despite my mixed feelings about this one, I powered through to the end. Even listened to the audiobook at 2x speed at one point. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

The book started off promising, and the characters seemed like they had potential. But somewhere along the way, I completely lost interest. One of my biggest frustrations was the FMC. Take a shot every time she mentions her "lizard brain"—you’d be out of commission pretty fast.

The writing itself wasn’t terrible, and I could see how some readers might enjoy the overly dramatic tone if that’s what they’re looking for. If you’re into fanfic-like drama and don’t mind an irritating main character, it might be for you—but for me, it was a letdown. ( )