Audiobook Review: Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier

 

Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier

Publication Date: August 25th 2026 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 368

Audio Book Length: 12hrs 57min

Narrators: Brittany Pressley, Eunice Wong, January LaVoy, Ferdelle Capistrano, Chris Brinkley

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Twenty-five years ago, teenagers Barb, Nicolette, and Lorelei were best friends. Everything changed when Lorelei was found murdered after spending an evening with Sam who was later convicted of Lorelei's murder, along with the murders of four other women. He became known as "The Carnival Killer." Now, a new true crime series is about to air, featuring Sam's account of the crimes. While he confesses to the other murders, he insists he had nothing to do with Lorelei's death.

 

Not long after Lorelei's murder, Barb and Nicolette had a falling out. Nicolette left town, reinvented herself as Cole Lennox, eventually became a reality TV star. Barb was also planning to leave, but when her mother became ill, she returned home to care for her. Now she writes for the local newspaper, but also for an online gossip blog roasting reality shows, particularly the one Nicolette stars in.

 

Barb's focus shifts when a missing woman is found murdered and another woman disappears. Barb starts her own investigation, ultimately helping the police piece things together.

 

There are three POVs: Barb, Nicolette, and the woman in the cabin. There are also audio clips from the upcoming true crime series interviewing Sam.  

 

The POVs feature glimpses into the past, slowly revealing what happened. I was captivated by all them! You get to know each of the three women through their perspective and while they weren’t perfect, I was rooting for all of them!

 

Heart of Glass was so good with secrets, twists, and surprises! I figured out a few things along the way, but some reveals were a surprise. I loved how everything came together in the end!

 

I listened to the audio version with a full cast featuring some of my favorite narrators, one for each of the POVs. They expertly breathed life into each character! I also enjoyed the effects given for the crime-show interviews. The audio version definitely enhanced my enjoyment!

5 Stars

Book Description:

A serial killer recants his long-ago confession regarding a small-town high school girl―and her then-best friends are forced to confront what really happened that night and what's happening now.

Seaside is a small coastal town, known originally for the local amusement park. But twenty-five years ago, a serial killer dubbed The Carnival Killer confessed to the murder of a local high school girl. Now, he's recanted that confession.

Barb, Nicolette, and Lorelei were best friends - then they met "Sam" at Wonderland, the local amusement park. After hanging out with him there, and accompanying him to the drive-in movie, where the twenty-something handsome drifter made out with Lorelei in the backseat. That night was the last time Lorelei was seen alive, her murdered body surfacing a couple of days later in a local cranberry bog.

Barb's dreams of leaving Seaside and becoming a successful writer never materialized and she is a freelancer for the local newspaper and, secretly, writes anonymously about reality tv stars for a hugely successful gossip web-site called Reality Bitch. Specifically, she writes savagely about a long-running show set in Canada called Trophy Wives.

Nicolette left town shortly after Lorelei's body surfaced, never to return. Ultimately, she married a very rich man, moved to Toronto and rebranded herself as Cole Lennox, one of the stars of Trophy Wives.

With the amusement park about to reopen, revitalizing the dying town of Seaside, the Carnival Killer recants his confession about killing Lorelei, the dead body of young woman washes ashore, and the truth about what happened that night twenty-five years ago - and what is happening now - threatens not only the carefully constructed lives of Barb and Nicolette, but the very fabric of Seaside itself.

Review: The One Who Walked Away by Karen Rose

 

The One Who Walked Away (Mendocino #1) by Karen Rose

Publication Date: August 11th 2026 by Berkley

Pages: 528

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Elle Randolph traded her career as a family law attorney in Florida for life as a bounty hunter after a terrible accident ended in tragedy. She left Florida and went to work as a bounty hunter with one of her close friends. Looking for a fugitive leads her to the small, picturesque town of Mendocino, California. When the innkeeper of the hotel they’re staying at is murdered it seems there’s more to the job than they first thought.

 

Detective Ronan Clarke isn’t thrilled to have two bounty hunters muddling his murder investigation, but he gradually forms a reluctant friendship with Elle, and an attraction begins to grow between them. Unlike her partner, Elle seems to have a strong moral compass and is more willing to share important information. Still, as the body count rises, it becomes clear that Elle may know more than she’s letting on.

 

The case grew increasingly intense as the killer became more desperate. At first, I wasn’t sure what their motives were, which kept me guessing throughout the story. I found myself worried not only for Elle but for anyone who crossed paths with her, especially as several clues seemed to point toward her being the murderer.

 

I loved the setting of Mendocino, a town I’ve visited many times. It was easy to picture the charming community and its breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean along the Northern California coast.

 

I was also happy with how the romance was handled. It fit naturally into the story without overshadowing the mystery, and given the dangerous circumstances, anything more prominent wouldn’t have felt believable.

 

I really enjoyed The One Who Walked Away, the first book in Karen Rose’s new series. I’m a big fan of her romantic suspense novels and always look forward to her latest releases. I was very satisfied with how everything came together and am hoping there are many more mysteries to come in this series!

4 Stars

Book Description:

A bounty hunter must outrun her past before it catches up to her in this pulse-pounding new standalone thriller

Bounty hunter Elle Randolph takes on every case she can, in an effort to outrun herself. Three years ago, she was the only one who walked away from a car crash that killed her husband and two others. Although she was cleared of any wrongdoing, she is fueled by guilt and dedicated to solving other people’s problems. But her running is over when she’s identified as a person of interest in a murder investigation.

Detective Ronan Clarke, a single dad for fifteen years, has been laser-focused on raising his daughter and serving the people of Mendocino County, California. He’s got everything under control—until a bounty hunter enters his jurisdiction, keeping secrets and bringing murder to his quiet town. The hunter is definitely involved in his current case, but exactly how is his question. Could she be his killer? As he unravels her secrets, he becomes increasingly troubled by what he finds. While Elle is forced to reexamine every painful memory of the life she left behind, Ronan grows more and more sure of her innocence. But can he trust himself to uncover the truth amid their growing attraction?

Audiobook Review: The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

 

The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

Publication Date: May12th 2026 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 7hrs 38min

Narrators: Brittany Pressley & Ari Fliakos

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Jules and Quincy are unlikely friends. Jules was part of the popular crowd and Quincy, a quiet loner from the wrong side of the tracks, however they have a connection. Tragically, their lives are changed forever on the May 1^st of their senior year.

 

Quincy tries to break up a fight, and it goes badly. He ends up in juvenile detention, and while he’s locked away, his mother is murdered. On his release, without options, he joins the army.

 

Jules is abducted by the May Day Killer, but she ends up being “one of the lucky ones” and is let go.

 

The story is told through both Jules and Quincy’s POV on the May 1^st of each year over a decade. Jules struggles with the aftermath of surviving the attack but eventually gets on track and starts looking for the killer. Quincy is haunted by his mother’s murder and sets about trying to solve it.

 

I was moved by Jules and Quincy’s friendship in the beginning. Their lives separated that fateful May 1^st, but along the way, they ran into each other, and I wondered if and how their stories would connect.

 

I absolutely loved The Anniversary, it’s my favorite Alex Finlay yet! While most of the story wasn’t a tense thriller, I was completely hooked from the first chapter! The mysteries come to a head at the end and then I was very worried! I suspected some of it but was surprised by other parts.

 

I listened to the audiobook, with Brittany Pressley narrating Jules’ chapters and Ari Fliakos voicing Quincy’s. Both performances were fantastic, expressive, immersive, and perfectly matched to their characters. The audio elevated the entire experience. A definite recommend!

5 Stars

Book Description:

Every Year He Comes For Them.

On one fateful night in 1992, the lives of two seventeen-year-olds are changed and intertwined forever. Quinn Riley, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, is arrested after he innocently tries to break up a fight but ends up nearly killing someone. Jules Delaney, high school royalty, survives an attack by the elusive and terrifying May Day Killer—a serial predator who strikes every May 1st in midwestern small towns.

A year later, Jules is struggling with trauma and guilt, tormented by one question: Why was I spared? Quinn is newly released from juvenile detention and returns home to fresh the unsolved murder of his mother.

Over the next decade, their lives are revisited on a single day each year—May 1st. As secrets unravel and the paths of Quinn and Jules collide, two mysteries edge closer to the truth. All the while, the May Day Killer is still out there—and the clock is racing toward another May 1st.

The Anniversary is an utterly compelling story of the hunt for a serial killer. But it’s also a heartfelt—and heartrending—novel about fate, innocence lost, and two souls who find that sometimes being broken is the only way for the light to get in.

Review: Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass

 

Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass

Publication Date: April 14th 2026 by Park Row Books & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 304

Audio Book Length: 7hrs 53 min

Narrator: Brittany Pressley, Rebecca Lowman, Karissa Vacker

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

Three friends, Regan, Sasha, and Andi, live in the affluent, picture-perfect community of Cloverhill Lakes. On the surface, it’s all charm and privilege, until Regan’s car explodes during the neighborhood’s annual Labor Day party. Thankfully, she isn’t inside, but the blast shatters the illusion of safety, and from that moment on, everything spirals.

 

Regan is already barely holding it together, numbing her grief over her husband’s death with prescription pills. When she spots him alive, just for a moment, from a distance, her world tilts again. Sasha is juggling her own troubles, including her son Drew’s increasingly unsettling behavior and secrets she’d rather keep buried. And Andi is forced to deal with her ex-husband’s new wife, Tia, who is such a nightmare I wanted to strangle her myself!

 

Too Close to Home opens with a bang, literally, and never lets up! The short, cliffhanger chapters rotate between Andi, Regan, and Sasha. I was riveted as each new thread was revealed, on edge for what it meant for each of the women!  It all builds to a danger-packed, thrilling conclusion that delivers!

 

I alternated between reading and listening to the audiobook, and the narration elevated my experience. Rebecca Lowman (Andi), Brittany Pressley (Regan), and Karissa Vacker (Sasha) each bring a distinct voice and emotional tone to their characters. All three narrators shine, making the women, and secondary characters, feel fully alive.

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

The two-time Edgar Award–nominated author of ON A QUIET STREET and THE VACANCY IN ROOM 10, Seraphina Nova Glass, is back with TOO CLOSE TO HOME

Nothing in this idyllic community is quite what it seems…

Those lucky enough to live in the elite lakefront community of Cloverhill Lakes are drawn to it for its safety and top-notch school district. The moms meet for coffee at the park while their kids play, they’re heavily involved in the PTA, and the summers are filled with chardonnay, brunch, sundresses, and backyard bonfires.

But everything changes when Regan Hoffman’s car explodes at the annual Labor Day party. The wrong person is killed, but it was meant for her. As the carefully crafted walls of her community begin to crumble, Regan tries to keep it together—something made infinitely harder when she sees her dead husband…alive.

When a Cloverhill Lakes resident suddenly goes missing, dark secrets begin to surface from underneath the idyllic veneer of their beautiful community—and the truth threatens to destroy them all as Regan finds herself in a fight for her life.

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.

Review: It's Not Her by Mary Kubica

 

It's Not Her by Mary Kubica

Publication Date: February 3rd 2026 by Park Row & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 11hrs 2min

Narrator: Jennifer Jill Araya, Brittany Pressley, Gary Tiedemann

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

Courtney’s peaceful family vacation is shattered when she discovers her brother and sister-in-law murdered in the cottage next door. They discover her nephew asleep upstairs, but her seventeen-year-old niece is missing. Was it a stranger who came in or was it one of the family? They definitely weren’t getting along.

 

The story is told from Courtney’s present day POV and Reese’s POV starting from when the family arrives at the lake resort. I have to say I preferred Courtney’s POV since I liked her character more, even if she did pull some TSTL moves. It was difficult being in Reese’s head, since she was so difficult and her parts were a bit drawn out for me.

 

It's Not Her was a page-turner! There was no shortage of suspects here and I suspected just about everyone at one point or another. I was shocked to find out the killer’s identity by the end! The reason the events were put into motion... Yikes!!! And that last revelation, wow!

 

I alternated between the audio and e-copy and recommend either version. I enjoyed all the narrators, Jennifer Jill Araya, as Courtney, Brittany Pressley as Reese and I won’t say who Gary Tiedemann performed. All performed a variety of ages, male and female distinctly and well!

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

Two families vacationing at a secluded lake resort are at the center of a chilling crime and mysterious disappearance in this twisty, unputdownable thriller

A stunning discovery…
Courtney Gray's tranquil family vacation is shattered when she hears a blood-curdling scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is nowhere to be found, while her nephew Wyatt lies asleep upstairs, unharmed.

A shocking investigation…
As the police descend on the quiet resort town, disturbing secrets about Courtney’s family start to emerge. When she learns that the town has secrets of its own, it makes her wonder if Reese is another victim in a brutal crime or if she’s the killer.

A truth no one could have imagined …
As Courtney begins to unravel the terrible mystery, she realizes that everyone around her has something to hide. And the closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to see…

Review: Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh

 

Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh

Publication Date: January 27th 2027 by Berkley 

Pages: 384

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

Tavish and Diya Prasad fall hard and fast, eloping in Las Vegas before he follows her home to New Zealand to start their new life together. But their honeymoon bliss shatters when a fire destroys the Prasad family home and leaves Diya in critical condition. Almost immediately, Tavish becomes the prime suspect, especially once police uncover his unsettling connection to three women who died under suspicious circumstances. Is he a devoted husband caught in a terrible coincidence, or is there something far darker in his past?

 

I adore Nalini Singh’s Psy‑Changeling series, and her standalone thrillers have been just as compelling for me. Such a Perfect Family is an engrossing mystery, though I found the flashbacks to Diya’s past a bit drawn out, slowing the momentum. I was far more captivated by the threads involving the three women linked to Tavish and the question of whether he was responsible. I genuinely couldn’t predict the truth behind the present‑day crimes, but Singh pulls everything together in a satisfying way by the end.

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

A man with a deadly past marries into the perfect, respectable family in this riveting thriller from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh . . .

A woman buried.
A woman broken.
A woman crashed.
A woman burned.
And the man who knew them all.

Love at first sight, a whirlwind Vegas wedding, a fairy-tale romance.
For seventy-nine days, Tavish Advani has been the happiest man in the world—until his new life turns to ash, his wealthy in-laws’ house going up in a fiery explosion. His badly injured wife lies in a coma, her family all but annihilated.

Tavish thought he left the sins of his Los Angeles life behind, but it’s not so easy to leave behind an investigation into the deaths of several high-profile women—all of whom he professed to love. Tragedy and death follow him no matter where he goes . . . but this time, he knows he’s innocent.

Desperately trying to clear his name as the authorities zero in, he begins his own investigation into the fire—and learns that his wife’s picture-perfect family may have been nothing but a meticulously constructed mirage. The truth is much darker than anything Tavish could’ve imagined . . .

Review: Seeing Other People by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

 

Seeing Other People by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

Publication Date: December 9th 2025 by Berkley

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Morgan went on one date with Zach and soon after his ghost started haunting her.  Zach has no memories of his past, so he’s not sure how he ended up stuck with Morgan, but the haunting isn’t a good situation for either one of them.

 

Sawyer’s fiancée, Kennedy, died five years ago but her ghost has lingered on. Lately she’s been fading and Sawyer isn’t ready to say goodbye.

 

When Morgan and Sawyer meet in a ghost support group they get to talking and decide to help each other figure out their ghostly situation. They work together trying to figure out more about Zach’s past and why he can’t move on while working on Sawyer’s yard, the project Kennedy meant to tackle, forming a friendship in the process. I really felt for Sawyer with his grief and for both ghosts stuck in limbo. I really liked Morgan as well who dealt with feelings of inadequacy.

 

Seeing Other People was a touching story dealing with grief, moving on, but the sad parts were balanced with humor. The relationship between Morgan and Sawyer progressed from acquaintances to friends and then more. The romance was a sweet, slow progression and felt just right for the story.

4 Stars

Book Description:

Two people haunted by their exes find that love isn’t dead in this heartfelt romance from the beloved authors of The Roughest Draft.

Morgan is being ghosted by her ex. No, really. It’s sad Zach died and became a ghost. But Morgan and Zach only ever went on the one date, and now she’s being haunted by him. Zach has no desire to spend eternity with Morgan, but he can’t recall his past and doesn’t know how to move on.

At a support group for humans and their haunters, Morgan and Zach run into Sawyer, whose fiancée-turned-ghost has started to fade. Unlike Morgan, Sawyer isn’t ready to part ways with his ghost. Although they face opposite issues, Morgan and Sawyer decide to work together to solve their problems.

As Morgan and Sawyer try to solve their paranormal conundrums together, they find something even more surprising—a tender, growing affection between them that threatens any unfinished business they’re seeking to close. The ghosts of their past might be there in spirit, but the connection between Morgan and Sawyer is as alive as anything they’ve ever felt.

Review: Heart Marks the Spot by Libby Hubscher

 

Heart Marks the Spot by Libby Hubscher

Publication Date: July 22nd 2025 by Berkley

Pages: 384

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Stella randomly meets her favorite author, Huck, in a bar in Iceland not knowing he’s a longtime friend of Teddy, one of her treasure hunting friends. There are immediate sparks between Stella and Huck, and he helps solve some of a riddle that leads to a treasure find for their group. Stella and Huck then spend a magical, passion-filled night together, but in the morning, Huck is gone with no explanation. He goes on to write a hit novel when a treasure hunting female character suspiciously similar to Stella.

 

One year later, much to Stella’s surprise, Huck is back to join their latest adventure hunting down sunken treasure in the Florida Keys. Stella’s not thrilled and determined to keep him at arm’s length. However, it’s obvious Huck is full of regret and it’s hard to resist when he’s so sweet.  

 

I really felt for both Stella and Huck. They both had crappy parents and dealt with insecurities stemming from that, but I was not pleased with Huck when he just up and left Stella in the beginning.  There was an explanation, but still.  Being in his head during his chapters was a little frustrating at times as he was constantly berating himself, letting his father’s awful digs creep in. That being said, I did like him a lot and I was rooting for them to sort out the past and get to their HEA.  

 

Loved Stella’s friend Zoe and Gus, both were supportive and steady. Teddy was another matter altogether! He was awful to both Stella and Huck!

 

Heart Marks the Spot was a fun, page-turning adventure romance and I really enjoyed the treasure hunting parts and the setting of Iceland and the Florida Keys! 

4 Stars

Book Description:

A treasure hunter and the bestselling adventure novelist who broke her heart after one successful expedition reunite for a summer to search for lost riches.

Treasure hunter Stella Moore dreams of having it all—wealth, love, and a flourishing career—but knows she’ll never be that lucky. Every summer she and her childhood friends travel to search for hidden treasure, but she can barely manage her bills, let alone a relationship. Then, a chance encounter with alluring novelist Huck Sullivan during an expedition in Iceland has Stella thinking maybe her fortune has changed.

After his last book bombed, Huck hasn’t written a word. Joining Stella and her crew on an adventure seems like the perfect distraction from his problems, and when the crew finally uncovers hidden treasure, he is certain that he’s found more than just inspiration for his next novel. Huck and Stella’s undeniable connection gives way to an unforgettable night on a black sand beach.

After Huck disappears without a goodbye, Stella vows to put the heartbreak behind her—but that’s easier said than done when, a year later, every bookstore has a life-size cutout of her ex-lover next to stacks of his latest record-breaking bestseller. Good thing it’s time for another summer treasure hunt. Stella throws herself into mapping the path to a shipwreck off Key West, but the last thing she expects is an extra crew member showing up in search of material for a sequel and a second chance. 

Stella and Huck are prepared for storms, sharks, sea sickness, even a tentative truce. But facing the feelings they buried and confronting the devastating truth about why Huck left is the only way to find what their hearts have been searching for all along.

Author Bio: Libby Hubscher is an author and scientist. She studied biology at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, and holds a doctorate of philosophy in molecular toxicology from North Carolina State University. Her work has appeared online and in textbooks, scientific journals, and literary journals. Her short story “The Unwelcome Guest” was long-listed for the Wigleaf Top 50 in 2018. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, two young children, and a menagerie of pets.

Review: Grave Birds by Dana Elmendorf

Grave Birds by Dana Elmendorf

Publication Date: June 3rd 2025 by MIRA & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 320

Audio Book Length: 9hrs 26mins

Narrator: Brittany Pressley

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Grave Birds was a Southern gothic mystery with Sixth Sense vibes in that the grave birds show Hollis bits from the past that are unresolved. The ghostly birds are “pinned” to the Earth until someone with the ability to “see” the flash of whatever is left behind by a person’s death. Hollis becomes inundated with several grave birds when Cain Landry blows into town, some connected to the prominent Hawthorne family. What’s being revealed is disturbing and dangerous and throws a different spin on the past she thought she knew!

 

I really enjoyed unraveling this mystery right along with Hollis! Hawthorne, South Carolina is a small town where everyone knows everyone and there’s plenty of secrets that needed to come out! Some was surprising and there was a twist I didn’t see coming! There was a bit of romance, as well!

 

I alternated between reading an e-copy and listening to the audio and enjoyed both versions. Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators and she enhanced the story, bringing the characters and their emotions to life! 

4 Stars

Book Description:

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires meets Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in this twisty, fresh take on a Southern gothic that follows a mysterious, charming bachelor as he makes his way into a small town, bringing a plague and the devil with him, from GMA Buzz Pick author Dana Elmendorf.

Grave birds haunt the cemeteries of Hawthorne, South Carolina, where Spanish moss drips from the trees and Southern charm is imbued with lies. Hollis Sutherland never knew these unique birds existed, not until she died and was brought back to life. The ghostly birds are manifestations of the dead’s unfinished business, and they know Hollis and her uncanny gift can set them free.

When a mysterious, charming bachelor wanders into their small town, bizarre events begin to plague its wealthiest citizens. Like blood dripping from dogwood blossoms, flocks of birds crashing into windows of their homes, and faces in paintings morphing into distortion. Hollis knows these are the omens her grandfather warned about, announcing the devil’s return. Despite Cain Landry’s eerie presence and the plague that has followed him, his handsome face and wicked charm win over the townsfolk. Even Hollis falls under his spell as they grow closer.

That is, until lies about the town’s past start to surface. The grave birds begin to show Hollis the dead’s ugly past from some twenty-five years ago. And she learns all about the horrible things these noble families did to gain their wealth. Hollis can’t decide if Cain is some immortal hand of God, there to expose their sins. Or if he’s a devil there to ruin them all. Either way, she’s determined to save her town and the people in it, whatever she has to do.

Review: Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass

 

Nothing Every Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass

Publication Date: February 11th 2025 by Graydon House & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 304

Audio Book Length: 9 hrs 33 min

Narrator: Brittany Pressley, Stacey Glemboski, Petrea Buchard

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Harper Collins | Libro.fm | Audible | Bookshop.org

My Thoughts:

Shelby comes back to Mackenzie’s diner at the wrong time and interrupts a theft in progress. She ends up narrowly surviving the night. Things are relatively quiet for the next fifteen months, and Shelby tries to move on with her life. However, it seems the attacker isn’t finished with her.

 

The night of the attack, Mackenzie’s husband, Leo, goes missing, too leading some to theorize Leo was the attacker. As if his disappearance isn’t enough to deal with, Mackenzie finds out that Leo spent all the savings and was in debt, devastating her finances. She doesn’t know what to think.

 

Florance is a resident at the senior center Shelby manages. When a friend claims her husband didn’t die of natural causes, but was murdered, Florance decides to look into it which ends up being connected to Shelby’s case.

 

I did find Shelby’s actions to be a little frustrating in places. After being attacked and all the things going on, she plowed on without thinking things through. I also wondered why Mackenzie and Shelby weren’t a little more forthcoming with each other, especially since they were close friends.

 

Still, it was an entertaining mystery, fast paced and kept me guessing!

I alternately read and listened to an audio and can recommend either version. Stacey Glemboski is a new to me narrator, but I’ve listened to both Brittany Pressley and Petrea Buchard in that past and enjoyed all three narrators. It was nice to have a different voice for each of the POVs. They fit the personality of each character and sounded age appropriate. 

4 Stars

Book Description:

“A charming cast of characters, a twisty mystery, and a diabolical killer make Nothing Ever Happens Here impossible to put down. A riveting page-turner with a sly sense of humor.” —Robyn Harding, internationally bestselling author of The Haters

Nothing ever happens in small towns…

When Shelby Dawson survives a harrowing attack that should have left her dead, she tries to move past it—for herself, and for her family. Fifteen months later, with the help of her best friend, Mackenzie, she finally feels safe again in the snowy Minnesota town she calls home. But when an anonymous note appears on her windshield bearing the same threats her attacker made, Shelby realizes that her nightmare has only just begun.

As new evidence surfaces, and a group of well-meaning senior citizens accidentally makes the case go viral online, the situation quickly goes from bad to worse. And with suspicious accidents targeting those closest to her happening all over town, Shelby can’t shake the feeling that she’s being watched. Fighting to stay one step ahead of disaster, she finds herself asking the question on everyone’s lips: Who attacked her that night?

But Shelby isn’t the only one with questions. Mackenzie’s husband, Leo, vanished without a trace on that terrible night, and over a year later, no one knows why. Until a deep dive into his finances reveals a history of debts, mismanaged funds, and hidden accounts—one of which is still active. Their suspicion that Leo is still alive only complicates things further, though, and when another person connected to Shelby goes missing, she’s caught in a race against time before her attacker becomes a killer.

Photo credit: Bryan Chatlein

About the Author: 

Seraphina Nova Glass is an assistant professor of instruction and playwright in residence at the University of Texas, Arlington, where she teaches film studies and playwriting. Her novel On A Quiet Street was nominated for an Edgar Award, was a New York Times Summer Read, an Amazon Bestseller and Editor’s Pick, and also featured in the Boston Globe and Bustle. Publishers Weekly has named her “a writer to watch.” She’s also an award-winning playwright and holds an MFA degree in dramatic writing from Smith College and a second MFA in directing from the University of Idaho. She is a proud dog mom and loves to travel the world with her husband. She resides in Dallas, Texas.

Connect with the author:

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Review: The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay

 

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay

Publication Date: October 8th 2024 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Librofm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch was a sweet romance with two best friends, Holly and Ivy switching vacations when Holly’s fiancé dumps her the night before their wedding.

 

Ivy goes on Holly’s honeymoon trip to paint picturesque scenery in Kauai, which doesn’t go exactly as planned and instead of painting and drawing alone, she ends up making friends with a sexy bartender and his bestie.

 

Holly takes Ivy’s artist retreat vacation in the Hudson Valley mountains in an idyllic, small winter-wonderland-of-a-town. She intends to heal and binge watch Christmas movies, but her plans change when an old high school academic rival shows up, all grown up and gorgeous.

The story is reminiscent of the movie The Holiday with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, a movie I now want to watch all over again!

4 Stars

Book Description:

When doppelgänger best friends trade one’s cabin Christmas vacation for the other’s Hawaiian would’ve-been-honeymoon, both might just find love they weren’t expecting.

Holly Beech and Ivy Casey are bury-the-body besties. They’re so in sync, they even look alike. So when Holly’s fiancé jilts her, leaving her in shock and with a nonrefundable honeymoon, Holly convinces Ivy to switch places. Ivy will go on the Hawaiian honeymoon her best friend can’t bear to take alone, while Holly escapes to Ivy’s rented Hudson Valley cabin to binge-watch holiday movies and heal.

But Holly’s wallowing is interrupted when her rugged Airbnb host turns out to be her high school academic rival who’s had a major glow-up. Meanwhile, Ivy’s (now Hawaiian) annual solo art retreat is upended when Holly’s ex-fiancé checks into the honeymoon suite—with a new woman. Raging and bedless, the last thing Ivy expects is for the hot hotel bartender to come to her rescue. Against all odds, this Christmas might prove the most magical yet.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Julia McKay is the pen name of Marissa Stapley, a former magazine editor and New York Times bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club Pick Lucky, as well as international bestsellers Mating for Life, Things to Do When It’s Raining, and The Last Resort. She is also one half of the writing duo behind The Holiday Swap and All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox, and co-author of Three Holidays and a Wedding. Many of her novels have been optioned for television and her journalism has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Elle, Today’s Parent, and Reader’s Digest. She lives in Toronto with her family and a pre­cocious black cat named Oscar.