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I have a habit of adding zillions of books to my wishlist based on what I’ve heard or read about them, then never getting to actually read the book.  That almost happened with Black Out by Lisa Unger.  At some point, I got this in a book swap and it sat on my shelf for a while.  The copy I received was a mass market paperback with a dull, tatty cover.  I passed it over a time or thirty for its shiny new counterparts that demanded to be reviewed.  Oh, what a treat I almost missed!  This was probably my favorite book from all my spring break reads.  You can get a used copy for as little as 10-cents on Amazon, or get one of these 20 available swap copies.

Black Out is the definition of psychological thriller.  In this day of unreliable narrators and characters that can’t be trusted, it’s easy to take a book like this for granted.  Ten years ago, though, that edgy style was not as common.  In Black Out, readers are taken for a ride that catapults through multiple states, both geographically and mentally speaking.

I’m always enthralled by the inner workings of the human mind.  Main character Annie was a case study for all things psychology.  I really liked her, especially for her mama bear tendencies.  It was hard to relate to her, though, since she lived in a Florida super mansion that was gifted to her from her in-laws.  Because that’s normal, right?   Still, everything in Annie’s life was not as it seemed.  I wouldn’t trade places with her for a second.

The story whiplashes to the past and present without a clear indication that we’ve been on the trip.  You have to pay attention to it carefully.  I liked that; it seemed to be in line with what Annie experienced in her own brain.  It did get a little muddled for me when she narrated another character’s actions.  I had to re-read a few parts just to make sure I understood what was going on.  Still, it was definitely not a book that I figured out easily.

I read this book in one day, despite its 500+ page bulk.  It was worth staying up until 2:45 AM for!  At the end, I felt a little confused about the minute details.  I wished for a reader’s guide or even a spoilery-type explanation about what just happened.

Black Out would be a great read for those who like the Stillhouse Lake series by Rachel Caine or Mind Games by Nancy Mehl.  There are a few f-bombs thrown in, but it’s mostly clean of hard language or adult scenes.  The book contains violence that’s not too descriptive.  I’d definitely let my teenage daughter read it if she wanted to.

Now, excuse me while I go add every other Lisa Unger book to my wishlist.