Audiobook Review: The Swamps by Seraphina Nova Glass

 

The Swamps by Seraphina Nova Glass

Publication Date: January 27th 2026 by Podium Audio

Pages: 200

Audio Book Length: 3hrs 54min

Narrators: Brittany Pressley & Karissa Vacker

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Macy and Ethan are covering the disappearances of two women who went missing in the swamps of Louisiana. Their YouTube channel is gaining traction, and they have a meeting with execs to possibly turn their show into a Netflix series, so the pressure is on. However, as soon as they arrive at their rental cabin things seem off. First of all, the cabin is nothing like the listing pictured and saying the rental owners are on the strange side is an understatement. Macy wants to leave, but Ethan thinks the whole thing works for the vibe they’re going for in the show.

Tasha and Max, Macy’s best friend, and her husband who takes care of the sound production, are along for the trip, as well. There’s some tension there.

The Swamps with a fast, fun thriller with an atmospheric, creepy setting! Things go off the rails quickly! I was hooked from the start and enjoyed how it all played out. I did not see that twist last coming!

Two of my favorite narrators Brittany Pressley as Macy and Karissa Vacker as Tasha performed their parts brilliantly, as usual!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Some disappearances are tragedies. Others are warnings.

Macy and Ethan built their careers chasing the unknown, turning their YouTube channel, Ghost Patrol, into a viral sensation as they investigated the paranormal. But when they venture into the murky depths of the Louisiana bayou to investigate the disappearances of Emily Tremblay and Elizabeth Brockton alongside team members Tasha and Max, their latest case takes a lethal turn.

What begins as a routine hunt for answers quickly spirals into something far more sinister. Shadows move where they shouldn't. Secrets surface where none should exist. And when Macy stumbles upon a horrifying truth, she realizes they were never just hunting a story; they were lured here for a reason. As the swamp closes in and the line between hunter and hunted blurs, one thing becomes terrifyingly some secrets are better left buried.

Audiobook Review: Nash Falls by David Baldacci

 

Nash Falls (Walter Nash #1) by David Baldacci

Publication Date: November 11th 2026 by Hachette Audio

Pages: 400

Audio Book Length: 12hrs 54min

Narrators: MacLeod Andrews, Christine Lakin, Larry Herron, Shiromi Arserio, Will Collyer

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Walter Nash’s comfortable, privileged life is turned upside down when the FBI approaches him for inside information on the company he works for. Apparently, Sybaritic Investments is involved with some very shady dealings on a high level.

 

Walter begins his own investigations to verify that he’s not being taken in by some scheme and discovers some very disturbing information that puts him and his family in danger. Things go downhill quickly. He gets help through a contact of his estranged father, an unexpected ally.

 

I felt bad for Walter as his life is upended through no fault of his own! Walter is a smart cookie but didn’t really question things in his work and life being so caught up in his career. I was happy to see that change. Things end in a thrilling conclusion, a “to-be-continued” sort of situation. I have some suspicions that one thing may not be as it seems. I’m hoping, anyhow. I look forward to the next installment, Hope Rises, which releases April 14^th. Very soon!

 

I listened to the audio version which was a treat with the full cast of narrators! All performed their parts throughout the book which made each character distinct and enhanced my enjoyment!

4 Stars

Book Description:

When Walter Nash is recruited by the FBI to help bring down a global crime network his life is turned completely upside down in this thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci.

Nash is an intelligent man, tough but fair-minded. He has a wife and a daughter and a very high-level position at Sybaritic Investments, where his innate skills and dogged tenacity have carried him to the top of the pyramid in his business career. Despite never going on grand adventures, and always working too many hours, he has a happy and upscale life with his family.

However, following his estranged Vietnam-veteran father’s funeral, Nash is unexpectedly approached by the FBI in the middle of the night. They have an important request: become their inside man to expose an enterprise that is laundering large sums of money through Sybaritic. At the top of this illegal operation is Victoria Steers, an international criminal mastermind that the FBI has been trying to bring down for years.

Nash has little choice but to accept the FBI’s demands and try to bring Steers and her partners to justice. But when Steers discovers that Nash is working with the FBI, she turns the tables on him in a way he never could have contemplated. And that forces Nash to take the ultimate step both to survive and to take his revenge: He must become the exact opposite of who he has always been.
And even that may not be enough.

Sunday Post #329

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Happy Sunday!

Nothing too exciting to report. I'm working today.

 I finally caught up with the read along last weekend hosted by Anne @Books of My Heart so I was able to participate in the chat last Sunday afternoon and it was fun! I forgot how fun it is for our group to get together (over the computer) and discuss a book. There were some good insights and I'm excited about the next book! 

The weather has been sunny and in the 60s. I've been getting out and walk/jogging. My husband and I did the same hike we did last weekend but only 5 miles instead of 6 this time. Wore proper hiking books instead of tennis shoes, so it was easier on our ankles and I felt more stable. Today we went to the garden center and bought dirt, veggies and flowers to plant. I'll keep them by the house until the end of March just in case we get another snowstorm. Our last frost date is supposed to be March 25th. We've had snow as late as April here. Let's hope that's not the case this year.

We had some foggy nights at the house. The light is one of our solar lights. It was darker than it looked in this photo.

Had a visit from some turkeys. There were about 20 of them. The cats were entertained.

Smokey (on the left) shoved his way onto the spot where Starla was happily napping. She was not impressed.

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Botanist Bookshelf by Galison

 Puzzle11 of 2026

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Quill and Parchment by New York Puzzle Company

 Puzzle12 of 2026

Read:

The Swamps by Seraphina Nova Glass-4 Stars

The Butcher's Masquerade (Dungeon Crawler Carl #5) by Matt Dinniman-5 Stars

Nash Falls (Walter Nash #1) by David Baldacci-4 Stars

All audios. The Swamps was a fun, campy popcorn thriller novella. I loved The Butcher's Masquerade, another crazy ride! It was over 23 hours long, but the story just flew by! Nash Falls was a great mystery/thriller with a full cast of narrators. I'm looking forward to the next one releasing in April.

Received:

Brimstone Hollow (Annie Gore #2) by Archer Sullivan

Storm Tide (Mike Bowditch #16) by Paul Doiron

Family Lies (San Diego #4) by Karen Rose

The Shippers by Katherine Center

Thank you to Minotaur Books, St. Martin's Press, Berkley and Macmillan Audio!

How was your week?

Review: This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

 

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

Publication Date: February 3rd 2026 by Berkley

Pages: 411

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Matilda “Tilly” Nightingale receives a gift from her husband, Joe, something that seems impossible, because he died six months earlier. Waiting for her at the local bookshop is a year-long surprise: twelve books, one to be given to her each month, exactly as Joe arranged before he passed.

Tilly hasn’t read for pleasure since Joe first got sick. Opening that first book feels like reopening a wound, especially when Alfie, the bookshop owner, insists on honoring Joe’s instructions and releasing each title only at the start of a new month.

 

As Tilly revisits the story of how she met and fell in love with Joe, my heart ached for her. Losing someone so young, someone you expected to build a lifetime with, is especially devastating. But Joe’s carefully chosen books slowly begin to lift her from the weight of her grief. Each one nudges her back into the world, encouraging her to try new things, reconnect with herself, and rediscover joy. Alfie becomes an unexpected anchor in this journey, offering quiet support and a gentle push forward.

 

Alfie carries his own burdens: a struggling bookstore, unresolved grief, and a growing affection for a woman still mourning her husband. The romance here isn’t the center of the story, but it was a gift for these characters I grew to love!

 

This Book Made Me Think of You blends sorrow, hope, and humor in a way that feels both honest and uplifting. It tugged at my heartstrings, made me tear up, and filled me with joy!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

Twelve stories. Twelve months. Once chance to heal her heart...

When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her fiancé waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. Mainly because Joe died five months ago…
The gift is simple – twelve carefully-chosen books from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.

Tilly sets out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to vlog her journey, her story becomes more than her own. With help from Alfie, the bookshop owner, her budding new following and her friends and family, can Tilly’s year of books show her how to love again?

Sunday Post #328

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Happy Sunday!

It's been a busy week. I worked a bunch. My husband and I did a six mile hike yesterday and it was gorgeous and tough!  After we went to a late lunch in downtown Nevada City, went grocery shopping and then came home. By then we were bushed! I took a nap, something I hardly ever do. I then worked a puzzle and finished up the audio book that catches me up for our read-along (finally!).

South Yuba River Hike. Me standing on the bridge

One of the many waterfalls on the hike

The hike was along the river

Great Hound's Tongue growing along the Yuba River

Milkmaids growing along Yuba River. They smelled wonderful!

Of course I worked puzzles:

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Love Stamps by White Mountain

A lot of fun to work! Puzzle 8/2026

500 Piece Puzzle Completed: Tuscan Afternoon by Galison

This was a quick one. Got it done in one afternoon during the snow storm last week. Puzzle 9/2026

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Werkshoppe. Their puzzles fit nicely together and the box comes with a resealable bag to store the pieces. I did this one during the snow storm, as well. Puzzle 10/2026

Read:

Taming Lady Temperance by Karen Witemeyer-4.5 Stars

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page-4.5 Stars

Two Witches and a Whiskey by Annette Marie-4 Stars

Demon Magic and a Martini by Annette Marie-4.5 Stars

I had a good reading week. All were audios. 

Received:

Everyone in This Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

Paradox by Douglas Preston and Aletheia Preston

The Last Mandrin by Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung

Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett

Thank you to Mariner Books, Libro.fm, Macmillan Audio and Berkley!

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How was your week?

Review: The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall

 

The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall

Publication Date: February 24th 2026 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 320

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 8min

Narrator: Karissa Vacker & Ina Barrón

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Audrey is a school counselor and a search and rescue member in her free time. She’s racked up several successes finding lost people but has always been haunted by the disappearance of her ex-best friend, Janie. When searching for a missing toddler, Audrey stumbles upon evidence of another teen missing three months. However, she found the evidence while accidentally searching on the land of a prominent family, the Hills, and they are intent on keeping people off their property.

 

There’s another POV of “Stranger”, a woman held captive in a basement running low on food and water. I was so worried about this woman!

 

The Girls Before was a mystery that alternated between meandering and intense. Some of the reflections of the past, where Audrey recounts her toxic relationship with Janie were slow but engrossing. The investigations in the present were intense! I couldn’t believe that someone wouldn’t allow people on their land when a toddler was missing! That was extremely suspicious to me, and I would’ve thought it would be to the authorities, too. I was happy Audrey was determined to find these girls no matter the surprising roadblocks in her path! I really enjoyed this atmospheric, suspenseful mystery!

 

It was easy to get swept up in the audio version! I thought Karissa Vacker, a favorite, and new-to-me Ina Barrón did an excellent job narrating with emotion and urgency, bringing the story and characters to life! 

4 Stars

Book Description:

From the bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods, No One Can Know, and A Killing Cold, a new novel about a search & rescue expert, a kidnapped woman, and the lost girls who haunt them both.

There is a girl in a basement.
The door has stopped opening.
The light is gone.

Stranger is trapped in the dark, with only her imagination and the scribbles on the wall left by long-dead girls to keep her company. Nearly out of food and water, she makes one last attempt to escape. But if the door opens at last, will it mean salvation, or only the beginning of her fight to survive?

Audrey is a search and rescue expert who never stopped looking for her ex-best friend, Janie, who disappeared when they were teenagers. Janie used to love the local legend of a forest witch who saves girls from bad men, but Audrey knows now that for every one saved, there’s always another one lost. When she stumbles upon evidence in the forest that a teenage runaway might have actually been kidnapped from land belonging to the town’s most prominent family, she will have to dig through decades of secrets to reveal the biggest one of all: what happened to the girls before.

Review: Taming Lady Temperance by Karen Witemeyer

 

Taming Lady Temperance (The Secret Society of Spinsters #1) by Karen Witemeyer 

Publication Date: February 17th 2026 by Bethany House Publishers & Recorded Books

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 12hrs 51min

Narrator: Kate Forbes

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Noreen O’Sullivan is determined to shut down the local tavern, warning anyone who’ll listen that strong drink destroys families, something she knows all too well. So, when she’s invited to join the Secret Society of Spinsters, she’s thrilled. With their support, she finally has the numbers and the confidence to push her cause forward.

 

Sheriff James Paxton admires Noreen’s conviction, even if her crusade tends to stir up trouble with the tavern’s owner and patrons. The complaints keep landing on his desk, and he worries her boldness will eventually put her in danger. When Noreen asks for his help, he knows he must remain neutral as the county’s peacekeeper, but that doesn’t stop James from quietly offering guidance and keeping a watchful eye on her.

 

At first, Noreen seemed a bit fanatical, but once her heartbreaking past came to light, her determination made perfect sense. Her stepfather was truly awful, and I was relieved to see she never let him break her spirit. I admired her grit, her compassion, and her willingness to listen and grow.

 

Taming Lady Temperance was a touching romance rooted in redemption and forgiveness. Faith and scripture play a meaningful role, but the story never felt preachy, more uplifting and hopeful. There’s a thread of mystery and danger woven throughout, and I genuinely worried for Noreen, though she always had her Spinster Sisters, and James at her back. I’m excited for the next romance in the series. Maybe Jane or Martha will get their turn!

 

I alternated between an audio version and e-copy and can recommend either version. I thought Kate Forbes did a wonderful job narrating all the voices; male, female and a range of ages seamlessly and with appropriate emotions!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

When passion for justice conflicts with the heart, which will prevail?

Noreen O'Sullivan is an enthusiastic member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and believes herself called to defend the cause of prohibition. When she's invited to join the Secret Society of Spinsters, Noreen jumps at the chance to rally others to her movement and shut down the local saloon for good. However, her passionate campaigning often puts her at odds with the men around her--including the local deputy.

Deputy James Paxton believes in preserving the peace, but Miss O'Sullivan has been disturbing his peace for months. If James wants to be elected sheriff, he can't afford to be seen as her ally. But when Noreen ropes him into helping her plan a temperance march, their growing closeness sparks unexpected feelings. Then tensions escalate at the saloon and accusations fly. James must choose between upholding his badge and protecting the woman who's captured his heart--knowing either choice could cost him everything.

Karen Witemeyer presents a swoony Western romance with a determined heroine, cowboys, prohibition, and the rivals-to-lovers and duty vs. desire tropes. Fans of Mary Connealy and frontier romances set in the Old West will savor this clean, historical read.