This did not pull me in. I am usually into this genre and its just didn't do it for me. That was the only issue. The narrators were fine.

I will not be giving feedback on this publicly on any of my accounts as I believe others may really like this.

Thank you NetGalley, M.L. Rio, and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to review.

The cover and premise really drew me in. I was really excited to see how this story unfolded. Sadly, it just never really grabbed my attention. I finished it because it was a short novella, but I felt like nothing really exciting or memorable happened. There are a lot of different characters in this book. I would have enjoyed a little more character development, but understand that is hard with a novella. The full cast narration was helpful in differentiating the characters. It gave each of them their own memorable voice, though several of the narrators were very monotone.

Overall, an interesting premise and cast of characters in this book. The graveyard setting was perfect. I just wish there had been more action and a better conclusion to the story.

I was so excited to read this because I loved “If We Were Villains”, and the premise appealed to me immensely. The intro music did a wonderful job of setting the atmosphere. I also love when author's read their own entries, be it in the form of introductions or acknowledgments, so getting to hear M.L. Rio's voice was a pleasure.

This novella follows a group who share little else in common except odd hours and a love of smoking. An activity they do in the most optimal setting: a graveyard. One night they find a mysterious hole and everything takes off from there.

The nice thing about novellas is that they get to the action immediately and this was no different. I listened to it in one sitting and enjoyed the pacing tremendously. I also loved watching all the pieces start to fit together.

We experience every member of the group’s perspective in third person with dedicated chapters centering around them. I appreciated the full cast audio as it added a richness to the experience and did wonders for my immersion. Though they each felt like distinct characters with clear voices, it was difficult to grow attached in our brief time together. "Graveyard Shift" is ambitious in how many perspectives it chooses to include and contains the most out of any novella I've read thus far.

I almost wished there was one character less, even with their plot relevance. Large casts make for interesting group dynamics but that wasn’t really the case here because they had so little collective interaction. It was more about which element of the puzzle the character contributed to. Some of them felt so real, others felt more plot device than person.

I did struggle with the first chapter because the narrator didn’t work for me. I disliked where they placed their emphasis and pauses. Even though the overall tone fit the spooky atmosphere, there is an expectant quality to the voice that made it difficult to clarify what the relevant part of the sentence was. It was appropriate for the character but irritating overall. I was itching to get past that point of view and move on to another narrator. Their second time around they were much more bearable, reflective of the character's growth and a cool narrative touch.

[3.5 stars] There were certain aspects that were so understated as to almost feel underwhelming. Much of the emotional impact is carried by a few characters such that I wish we had spent more time with them. I feel as if there could have been more tension, everything felt easy. This is understandable, given the length there is hardly time to face massive roadblocks..

The ending was one of my favorite parts and it transformed the whole experience. It made me feel like I was holding my breath. There was a haunting note to the visual created that stuck with me. That is what I will remember most when I think of this book.

As far as I can remember there were no added sound effects so there were no major jump scares from that. This will be such a good end of September to early October read, the setting is so perfect for evening walks and Halloween prep.

Finally, I thought the inclusion of the author’s playlist and the drink recipes was a fun touch. I had a good time reading this and can't wait to see what M.L. Rio comes out with next.

Much thanks to MacMillan Audio for approving my request for the audiobook!

I enjoyed the narrators and the production of this audiobook, but I felt like I didn’t understand the story. Maybe it was just too smart for me—I’m not sure. I’ll definitely try more from M.L. Rio in the future, though.

Started out very strong but then it lost me towards the middle. I was still able to finish, but it wasn’t for me.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a good novella following several main characters who discover something weird while taking their regular smoke break on the graveyard shift.

Rio’s writing in this novella is atmospheric and slightly creepy, which is right up my alley! I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook version as the multicast narrators added greatly to the experience. Each character had a different narrator and the cast member’s voices were the perfect addition to create character depth in such a short story.

The premise was an intriguing look at insomnia and had me wondering throughout where the story was going to go. I won’t write much else for fear of spoiling the whole plot. It a great little glimpse into just one night’s misadventures. I recommend this to anyone just looking for a quick story that will make you think.

This atmospheric novella from the creator of the hit If We Were Villains, returns with a fever dream-esq story about a group of overnight workers that catch a mysterious happening in the graveyard on a late night smoke break. This short rendering is told over the course of one night, but packs a punch nonetheless. Great creepy vibes! Audiobook has amazing narrators to add to the dark vibe!

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Publishers for this advanced copy!

With a great premise and a short length, Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio seemed right up my alley. However, in the end we felt the book fell a bit short for us, mainly due to it's length.

Every night, in the college’s ancient cemetery, five people cross paths as they work the late shift: a bartender, a rideshare driver, a hotel receptionist, the steward of the derelict church that looms over them, and the editor-in-chief of the college paper, always in search of a story.

One dark October evening in the defunct churchyard, they find a hole that wasn’t there before. A fresh, open grave where no grave should be. But who dug it, and for whom? Before they go their separate ways, the gravedigger returns. As they trail him through the night, they realize he may be the key to a string of strange happenings around town that have made headlines for the last few weeks―and that they may be closer to the mystery than they thought.

Graveyard Shift has an interesting and intriguing premise, a group of diverse characters coming together in a spooky setting. The book has a very atmospheric and eerie feeling created by Rio that draws you into to start, but an ending that felt lackluster. The individual chapters are well-written and kept us going as we follow the story. However, there simply isn't enough material to fully flesh out the story.

The highlight of the novella is the interesting and diverse characters that each bring their own unique perspectives. This is even more present with the audiobook version as it provides different narration for each character bringing them to life. Additionally, the audiobook enhances the atmosphere of the story and is a quick listen.

Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio offers an eerie, creepy and atmospheric quick read. While it fell short of a fully developed story, the characters and overall plot were worth the listen. The novella still manages to give us a quick mysterious read to break up longer novels. While not my favorite book, the Graveyard Shift is far from the worst book.

If anyone is going to write a love letter to insomnia, it’s ML Rio. Charmingly eerie, this novella will give you the chills even while making you feel a little less alone as you contemplate the wrong side of midnight, wide awake once again.

Gorgeous cover! Loved the playlist at the end. Plot was kind of meandering. I can’t tell if I wanted this to be a short story or turned into a longer novel, but I think the novella length wasn’t quite right.

Also… I haven’t smoked in years, but this book made me want to smoke again SO BADLY! I miss that instant camaraderie of nicotine addicts huddling outside in the cold, complaining about life. Sigh.

Entertaining and Atmospheric!

Of course, this isn’t a full length novel so it feels unfair to compare the plot to ‘If We Were Villians.’ or other longer similar books. As a short story though this did a great job building up vibes and exploring the characters. I’d definitely liken it more to horror as opposed to a thriller (which I’d say ‘If We Were Villians’ was) Honestly my only complaint is that in terms of plot I thought this could have gone farther. If they’d wanted to make this into a longer book they absolutely could have. Still, I enjoyed it for what it was and would definitely recommend!

The ARC for this book came in and the perfect time. I was really in the mood for a mystery and this novella hit the spot with dark academia, gothic vibes the audio was a really engaging listen. I particularly liked the multiple narrators for each character.

Graveyard Shift is about a group of people with various reasons for being up at night that meet at a graveyard nightly during their cigarette breaks. One night they discover a freshly dug hole in the ancient graveyard and that leads to a night of discovery.

I don’t normally read novellas so I felt like the conclusion was the first red herring in a normal length mystery which was a little jarring. Overall I think this was a fast paced listen that hit all the mystery notes in a small package.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC.

I was soooo looking forward to Graveyard Shift as a fan of If We Were Villains.

Graveyard shift has the same great writing and atmosphere but the novella format really hinders it. Sometimes we find the characters glossing over details or just moving onto the next plot point so quickly it's hard to fully immerse yourself. It just feels like we have half of the story. There are a lot of POVs and details to keep straight for a book that's only 144 pages.

Overall, loved the concept and overall creepiness of the story. Just wish the story was more concise or longer.

TW: Animal Death (just in case that's a button for you)

I didn't have any strong reactions to this one. It's short. The premise is interesting. It wraps up nicely.

The audio was well done though sounds a bit mechanical at times.

I listened to the audiobook of Graveyard Shift by M. L. Rio. It was an entertaining, short listen, but it was just okay. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the storyline, but the characters were a bit lacking and bland. The first chapter or two were a little hard to follow what was going on, as we were getting introduced to the characters and setting. The atmosphere and overall academia/spooky vibes were enjoyable and I thought the plot itself was interesting, albeit not the best executed.

If you’re looking for a short audiobook to listen to while on a drive or doing chores, I think this is a good fit. I probably would read/listen to another book by this author, but maybe not a novella.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author M. L. Rio for the gifted ARC copy of this audiobook.

This was a quick listen with a very eerie backdrop. The combination of academia with sleep deprivation and unfortunate outcomes of thwarting insomnia was a compelling mixture of ideas. The graveyard with the empty grave, the rats, and the eye drops all had little clues woven throughout the story. However, I couldn’t relate to any of the characters and found them all to be bland. I do like that there was a playlist and a cocktail menu towards the end, made it feel more real.

Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio was fine. I'm definitely glad I heard it on audiobook instead of reading it because the multi-narrator brought something fun to the experience. The novella itself was okay, I don't necessary thing it was captivating and I just wanted to know what was happening ASAP. The ending was a little bit of a let down, too. Overall, it was an okay experience.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and M.L. Rio for providing me with the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This is a novella and I think that's my biggest issue with the story. Actually, jumping from narrator to narrator is my biggest issue.

Garveyard Shift follows a group of five people join together to solve the mystery of a freshly dug hole (grave) and a pile of dead corpses.

The concept was very interesting, however the execution didn't hit it for me. A novella is much shorter than a novel and jumping from one narrator to another diminished the tension and stakes of the story (for me). If the reader had remained with one narrator in particular, I think this story would have grabbed me and taken me for an intense ride, making this one of the best stories I've read this year so far. However, it didn't.

If the multi-narrator style was interregnal to the story, then I believe it should've been expanded into a novel.

I was so excited about getting another book by this author but, sadly, it wasn’t what I was hoping for. All-in-all it was just an okay read for me. Not terrible, not amazing. I think the lesson of my experience is that novellas are still just not for me. I rarely ever feel like I get anything out of them. And this story… I just didn’t really get it? As silly and dumb as I feel admitting that, it’s unfortunately true. It was difficult for me to connect to any of the characters because each chapter is told from a different perspective. It made the story feel choppy and the transitions a very jarring reading experience for me. While I like multi-POV novels, perhaps for a novella it just didn’t work for me. And I never felt like I got invested in the characters or what was happening with them. A few things I did find enjoyable though were the setting, atmospheric horror, and gruesome, creepy goings on. However, I failed to really connect my enjoyment of them with my experience of the larger plot as a whole. I also never felt like I was fully grounded into the story world, it didn’t transport me into it like I’d want. Nevertheless, I still think it was a mid three star read, and I’d recommend it to fans of this author’s previous work simply for the sake of it. I do look forward to their next full length novel, if there’s one in the future I’ll surely be picking it up, because I do love the author's voice, tone, and writing style in general.

M.L. Rio is without a doubt an auto-buy author for me. She has such a way of telling a story that just wraps you up and keeps you in a chokehold until the very end. I loved the dark atmospheric setting and her familiar large group of friends that all have different outlooks and points of view. So good!