Wow, just wow!!! 26 Below is an ice-cold chilling suspense thriller that hits all the right notes. If you love a well plotted mystery with high stakes and great characters, be sure to check out this book!!

Triggers: death, violence

Thank you to the publisher for the complimentary e-book I received to review through Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and the thoughts above are my own. ( )

Wow! More than 5 stars is deserved here! It is a fascinating story; something that could actually happen. The characters are fantastic! They're all realistic and engaging. I found myself deeply invested in this book! The ending is a cliffhanger! Ah, I can't wait until the next one comes out! A definite must read!
I was provided a copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

What a great start to a new series! Terrorists sabotaging our electrical grid is a very real fear that Kimberley Woodhouse skillfully tackles in 26 Below. As the temperatures plunge, a seemingly crazy old lady starts making national news by warning about catastrophic events taking place in Alaska when the temperature reaches 26 degrees below zero. Emergency Operations Center director Darcie Phillips and cybersecurity specialist Jason Myers at first dismiss the woman as unwanted publicity. But, when Jason’s troubled brother and his ecoterrorist friends pose a viable threat and bodies start to appear, they begin taking the woman’s predictions seriously.

What made this book so chilling, literally, was the setting. Having the story take place in the winter in Alaska really made the risks associated with the energy grid going down frightening. Along with the event occurring at 26 degrees below, there are other terrifying events that cause mass chaos and fear. That the author consulted with cybersecurity experts to deliver a plausible, scary story is definitely evident.

I enjoyed the characters and hint of romance bubbling under the surface. Because of a troubled past, Darcie struggles with faith and trusting others. Jason wants to help her, but she keeps her problems and emotions well hidden. Jason is frustrated by his arrogant, crazy younger brother who follows him to Alaska causing all sorts of problems. He and Darcie experience and have to work through some highly suspenseful, challenging situations which draw them closer together.

The fast-paced setting and reminder at the head of each chapter of the temperature slowly climbing downward add to the the suspense. It’s a faith-filled, intense, romantic read fans of Lynette Easton or Patricia Bradley would enjoy. Looking forward to the next book in the series! I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily given.

CW: brief mentions of suicide, mental illness, school shootings. ( )

Having read and enjoyed several of Kimberley Woodhouse's novels, I looked forward to this contemporary technothriller story set in Alaska. 26 Below kept my interest from beginning to end with danger, mystery, and romance. It is a book I found hard to put down. The characters are realistic and relatable. I especially liked Natalie, an older woman intent on warning others despite her growing confusion. The premise is all too chillingly plausible, which adds to the intrigue. As the chapter headings remind the reader that the temperatures are dropping, tension mounts, and the pages almost turn themselves. I was pleased to see the book is part of a series (Alaskan Cyber Hunters). I definitely will be looking for others in the series to read.
I read a complimentary copy of the book, given to me through JustRead Publicity Tours, and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are my own. ( )

If you have ever been to Alaska, visited the state, or added it to your bucket list, you know it is a state filled with both beauty and danger. In 26 Below, Kimberley Woodhouse ramps up both elements with a romantic suspense that will keep you turning the pages until the very end (and then have you wanting the next book right away).
Jason is a flawed hero. He’s intelligent and protective, but he makes mistakes. Some he’s quick to realize and apologize for. Others he takes a little longer to wrestle with. When he meets Darcie, he immediately sees her capability and determination as well as the walls she’s built around herself. Darcie is a little tougher to connect with. She closed off. Even though she acknowledges this, her reasons for it carry some bitterness.

And then there is the suspense. As the days pass by and the temperature drops, the threat of danger for the people of Fairbanks becomes more a reality. At first, I was wishing for more urgency, but it came about halfway through the book.

The cyber threat is very real today, and Woodhouse did her research to bring authenticity to this story. The addition of the uncontrollable weather is a nice twist, and Alaska herself becomes another character. The faith element is also prevalent in this one.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive or negative review. All opinions are my own. ( )