I tried to listen to this but unfortunately had to DNF. I think wilderness thrillers are not really for me. That being said, I think other people would be really entertained by this book. I enjoyed the narrators and the book did start off with a bang of them trying to escape but ultimately, it was too over the top for my liking.

Definitely a fan of Allison Brennan and North of Nowhere did not disappoint. Great strong characters with an exciting plot.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. This book isn’t the usual type of thriller that I tend to gravitate towards, but I’m glad I did. I think this made a great audiobook and that may have been the reason I ended up enjoying it more than I expected to. The narrator was good and easy to listen to. She did a good job of changing her voice to indicate different characters (both male and female), so it was usually easy to tell when a new character was speaking. The story basically revolves around a brother and sister who are in hiding from their criminal father and grandmother. Kristen is 16 and her little brother Ryan, who is also deaf, is 11. They have been living in Montana with Tony, a former best friend and right-hand man to the kids’ criminal father. As their father finally manages to locate them, Kristen, Tony and Ryan have to escape and run again. Everything in their escape plan goes very wrong when they are forced to flee in an intense and dangerous blizzard. The book is basically about their attempt to get away and the chase by the kids’ father and his lackeys. Overall a well laid out plot with some good tension building etc. I’m going to check out more from this author.

A chilling story of family, revenge and survival during a snowstorm in Montana's mountains. An interesting and quick read, although, I would wish the author cut back on the word 'volatile' to describe the constant dangerous situations.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Pub date: 8/8/23
Genre: thriller
Quick summary: Kristen and Ryan have been in hiding from their father Boyd and the criminal empire he represents. When Boyd finds them in Montana, they end up in the snowy wilderness, with multiple people racing to find them.

I enjoyed THE SORORITY MURDER by Brennan, so I was excited to try another book by her. I really liked her depiction of the setting - I could feel the cold Montana winter and the desperation of Kristen and Ryan as they fought to survive. Unfortunately, the book was just too over the top for me. There were so many characters - I could not keep them all straight, and I didn't feel like the henchmen contributed much to the narrative. The bad guys felt really stereotypical, and I struggled to stay engaged with the narrative. I think I might have connected more with the book had it been pared down in terms of length and number of characters. The narrator did an okay job with all the perspectives, but she couldn't rescue the book for me.

If you enjoy wilderness popcorn thrillers, you may like this one more than I did!

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for providing an e-ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
NORTH OF NOWHERE is the first book I’ve read by this author…what?? Then I discovered she mainly writes series, which I try to stay away from. My TBR list is already too large. I’m sure most readers that love suspenseful series already know all about her. If not, you’ve got to check out this outstanding author!

If you’re like me and not into series, this twisty standalone thriller filled with secrets and shady characters is a great one to read. This crime family is actually controlled by the grandmother, a violent and vile woman who will do anything to find her grandchildren—Kristen and Ryan.

Multiple narrators weave an intense tale of trigger-happy gangsters from LA that are determined, but way out of their comfort zone. During their search for the downed airplane carrying the children, they battle a Montana blizzard, have an unfortunate encounter with wildlife, and much more!

The author keeps it action-packed and hard to put down!

Sincere thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing this complimentary audiobook through NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

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I read and listened to this story - and it was great. Scary at parts and also predictable. I wanted the characters to be a little more developed and to know more about them and their relationships, but definitely a great read from the start. Two siblings are in the Montana wilderness after a plane crash. They are trying to hide from their father, a murderer and criminal. Can those keeping them safe keep them from their father, avoid the incoming winter storm and a new threat to their lives?

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced reader copies.

A family is on the run, from their own family, an Irish crime family. Their plane crashes and they are stranded in the Montana wilderness during a horrible snow storm. Just kids, Kristin and Ryan McIntyre have to figure out how to survive, alone, in the wilderness. They had been in hiding for five years, but were finally found. Why were they in hiding though? Over the course of 24 hours you find out more and more about the family and why these children were on the run. This fast-paced thriller will have you flipping pages to see what skeletons are lurking in this family’s closet.

I listened to the audio version of this book and while I didn’t like some of the narrator’s portrayal of some of the characters, particularly the kids, I was still able to enjoy the book. The action in the book never stopped, it was go, go, go. It had a lot of characters associated with the crime family, so I think that definitely helped keep the book moving along quickly while giving you a lot of agita as you listened because you saw scenes playing out in multiple viewpoints. This was my first book my this author and I’m sure I will be picking up more of her books!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and @NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

The premise of this book was so intriguing - I loved the grit, the Montana setting, the dark suspense, the family drama. With bits of outdoor survival, criminal activity, and suspenseful action from page one to the end, this was a fast read. I thought the characters were a little two-dimensional, but despite that, still really enjoyed this story.

3.5 rounded up - audio version

This story was good. It had a great premise, location and interesting characters. At times the dialogue was a bit too forced, inorganic, especially when it came to the crime family characters. There were probably more characters than necessary though they weren’t difficult to follow. The story takes place over the span of 48 hours and they are jam packed with action. I feel that it could have been trimmed down a tad in length making it sharper. I listened, not read, so this probably impacted that decision. Overall an interesting read and I would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher.

"North of Nowhere" by Allison Brennan presents a gripping premise—an escape from a dangerous past into the unforgiving Montana wilderness. However, despite the promising setup, I found myself struggling to connect with the characters and fully engage with the story.

While the survival journey of Kristin and Ryan McIntyre had the potential for emotional intensity, I personally didn't feel invested in their plight. The pacing seemed to drag on, and the story's tension often felt diluted.

Brennan's writing captures the wilderness atmosphere, but I wished for more depth in character development and a tighter narrative. Although the book didn't resonate with me as I had hoped, fans of survival thrillers might still find elements to enjoy.

Grab a cup of hot cocoa and settle in or put in your earbuds while hiking - this is a fantastic outdoor thriller in which nature definitely gets to play her role as a worthy participant in this game of cat and mouse. No matter where you are while reading this book at least you are not stranded on the side of a mountain in a horrible winter storm while knowing your pursuers are behind you. "North of Nowhere" is a fast paced thriller set in the rugged winter landscape of Montana. 16yo Kristen and her deaf 10yo brother Ryan have lived in hiding from their biological father and his crime syndicate family for the past five years rescued by one of her fathers usually loyal servants. But loyalties fractured five years ago when their mother was killed. They have been on the run but now their father has finally caught up with them - and he wants to bring them back in the fold at all costs. After their escape is botched and they find themselves alone in the wintery wilderness they have to use all their skills to survive in brutal conditions. There are several search parties out after them but not all are interested in their survival, not all have their best interest at heart and their is an early winter storm coming in, in just a few hours everything will be covered in snow … and not all search parties have the proper equipment …

This novel was fast paced and filled with quick action but also interesting and developing motives for the different actors leaving the reader guessing. The chapters switched to between different POVs which made for interesting cliffhangers between the continuation of the protagonist’s stories. If you appreciate you psychological thrillers with a touch of family drama, this book is definitely for you.
I listened to the audio and Eliza Foss does a fantastic job immersing her listeners in the wintery isolated Montana landscape, adding an extra layer of thrill and suspense.

This book was very easy to read and enjoyable. There were a lot of characters, so I felt like I had to be very focused at times about who was talking or what role they were playing within the story. But I felt that each character it was well developed and well thought out, which did make it easier to follow which character was talking with holding space within the story at each point in time. This book was definitely one of my favorite books that I’ve read lately and one that I would probably read again. The storyline was detailed and easy to follow, however, not predictable.

North of Nowhere was a thrilling and twisty ride of a novel. It follows several different characters storylines and bounces through different plot lines, with all of them coming together in a very satisfying conclusion. The author does such an amazing job making this a moody and atmospheric read. It will draw you in from the very beginning and keep you engaged until the very end, making for an unputdownable read.

I really liked how this followed so many different people to bring the story together. It wasn't disjointed at all and really was a great way to get the full story in bits and pieces that keeps you reading. While it is not the most mysterious of reads, it was definitely thrilling. The audiobook in particular was very enjoyable and made it a quick read.

If you are looking for a whodunnit mystery book, then this is probably not for you. You know the whole time what is going on. Also, make sure you check out any triggers to see if there is one on there that relates to you.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. I will definitely be checking out other books by Allison Brenan. A very fast-paced and exciting read!

🔪❄️
I'm joining #thrillerthursday for the first time with North of Nowhere, a book that releases next week 8/8/23 written by the amazing @allisonbrennan

I have read most of Allison Brennan's backlog so I am an avid fan and in particular I love her audiobooks so this was a no brainer when I saw it pop up on Net Galley. And WOW did it pack a punch! First I have to say reading this while it was 98 degrees outside was blissful because I wished I could be caught in a blizzard! 🌨️

North of Nowhere is a story of two young kids who are on the run from their crime syndicate father Boyd, who is not afraid to kill to get them back. While trying to escape him in a stolen plane, they crash land in the wilderness and only want to survive. Their aunt Ruby receives an emergency call about the plane crash and the kids being lost. She was lucky enough to escape a life of crime but it came at the cost of cutting off all ties to her niece and nephew. Meanwhile Nick Lorenzo is the owner of the stolen plane. A good man, Nick is determined to find the kids before they freeze to death because a blizzard is on its way and they have no idea.

Told in multiple POV's this book is full of twisting truths, lies, and characters who have no idea what the truth is. The multiple POV really worked with this book because the characters were physicialy nearby but apart for most of the story. So this allowed the reader to see all where all of the puzzle pieces were and where they were moving. I was pretty sure I knew where things were leading, but that didn't detract from the ending AT ALL. I was enthralled from the moment I started this book. @elizafoss did a fabulous job with the narration as she always does, and it was satisfying from beginning to end!
🔪❄️

Make sure you add this to your TBR and grab a copy next Thursday!

Thank you to @netgalley and the author for my ARC copy!

North of Nowhere grabs your attention and pulls you along a twisting path full of suspense. In a winter wilderness, Kristen and Ryan are running from their father and getting conflicting messages as to whom they should trust.

I absolutely loved the Montana Glacier Park-like setting of North of Nowhere. The story was addictive from the opening lines. There were unexpected surprises scattered throughout the novel, so I was never able to relax until the ending, which was great, by the way. There were plenty of characters in the story that were the kind I love best: Flawed heroes and not-completely bad villains. In real life, people are complex and very few could be categorized as all good or all bad. That is how most of the characters in North of Nowhere were, but not in an annoying, keep-you-guessing whether they are good or bad way. You know which characters to root for and against practically from each one's introduction, but the story won't let you put each character in a box. So I loved the setting. I loved the characters. I loved that imagining myself in the setting made me feel a few degrees cooler while reading on a blazing hot summer day. The two minor children that let the plot gave me two people to root for start to finish. There was one baddie in the book that was so hard to imagine and harder to stomach, yet also believable. North of Nowhere was my second book by Allison Brennon and it definitely made me want to put any others she has published on my TBR list.

This was an amazing audio book. I have never read a book with a deaf character and the narrator did amazing giving him his voice. I was on my toes the entire time trying to figure out who was teaching and after who.

I was not able to listen to this one before it expired. Once i have read the book I will return to update my review.

North of Nowhere was a book of constant action and tension. After hiding from a criminal father, two kids are left to run for their lives when he finds them. I appreciated the backstory and how it was unfurled. There was a balance of likable and unlikable characters. Sometimes I had to remind myself of who was who. There were a lot of people wandering around the forest. The forest as a setting, with its thick trees and incoming storm, was a character all on its own. It through in twists at the characters and really upped the tension. The story was one you wanted to keep reading until you found out how it all ended.