Kiersten Modglin’s latest book, The Hidden, was just as enthralling as her last book. I loved it! Don’t skip it!

This novel is implausible and requires a considerable suspension of disbelief. The final explanation may not have been the most original, and the whole explanation was a little silly. So why am I giving it 5 stars? Because I loved it! I couldn’t stop listening to the audiobook, and had to know what would happen next. I had no clue what was going on and no idea how it would turn out. The plot is built in two timelines. In one, Sophie is trapped in a room. She is not mistreated, but she’s clearly being held against her will. In alternating chapters, we find out how everything happened. Gail Shalan performs all the roles expertly, making it easy to know who was talking at all times. She also keeps the pacing just right so that you don’t miss anything, but the action never slows down. Sophie was easy to root for, so I had to know how she was going to escape and wanted her to go back to her life. The big reveal was a little underwhelming but by that time I was so invested in the story that I didn’t mind. Fans of thrillers will devour this.
I chose to listen to this audiobook and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/ Dreamscape Media.

4.5 rounded to 5
this book was so fun. Very unique and different from other books she’s written which was refreshing. I loved the plot and how she set up her amazing twist!! The audiobook was also great… I was definitely surprised by the ending!!!

OK. This is NOT for the faint of heart....
And...thank God it was only 5 hours long, or I would've been admitted to an ER....

Sophie wakes up in a strange room after a night out. She immediately runs to the bathroom and throws up. That's weird. She doesn't know where she is, the place doesn't look familiar. But worse, she doesn't remember drinking much...and yet, she must have....or she wouldn't be throwing up!
What's worse, her date doesn't even come to check on her!

She gets herself together and goes looking for him. She can't find him. So, she figures she'll leave him a note... But when she goes to leave, well, that's when the panic sets in. The lock to the door/apt is on the OUTSIDE. She cannot leave!! =0

This is all in the first couple of minutes. It only gets worse from here on in...

The good news is, at some point she gets some company.

I'm going to leave it right there.
This is a crazy, heart pounding, psychological thriller that pulls out ALL the stops.

And, as usual, I made multiple guesses along the way...and I was so very wrong!

5+++ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ✨✨✨💫💫💫 for me!!!

This was phenomenal!!

#TheHidden by #KierstenModglin and narrated beautifully (Like you can feel her heart pounding too...) by #GailShalan.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

*** This is DUE FOR RELEASE on Tuesday, election day, 11/5/24...so, be sure to look for it then! ***

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Imagine waking up in a room you don't recognize. You don't remember the previous night. Your mind is a blur.
Sophie Thatcher finds herself trapped in an apartment trying to figure out how she got there. All havoc breaks loose when she discovers a clock ticking down. 'The Hidden' was such an addicting listen! I found myself unable to pause the audiobook. The narrator, Gail Shalan does a phenomenal job portraying Sophie and a few of the other characters. You can feel and hear the panic and frantic that just emanates from Sophie. While I very much enjoyed the story, I did feel like the reveal was very abrupt and quick. But other than that this was a very addicting and heart pounding listen.

Thank you NetGalley! What a great book! I love the back and forth between past and present. Each chapter was full of suspense and kept me reading. The narrator made it easy to be sucked into the book

Another great novel and audiobook by KMod! Her stories and narrators never disappoint. I loved the premise of the book and devoured it in almost one sitting. Impatiently waiting for her next book to be released!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this. I definitely finished this very quickly as I wanted to know how it ended, but it did feel very rushed. Like an episode of a tv show and less like a movie.

The Hidden by Kiersten Modglin

Thank you to @netgalley, @dreamscapemedia, and @kierstenmodglinauthor for the opportunity to read this #advancedlistenercopy in exchange for my #honestaudiobookreview! This is out now in print, digital, and audiobook formats.

This was insidious, terrifying, and addictive - I loved it! This is if Big Brother met the Hunger Games in a wild way. KMod takes our emotions on a wild journey of who to cheer for and who to resent throughout this book. I definitely thought I had the twist and big bad figured out and I did not. at. all! I highly recommend for someone looking for their next thrill ride full of morally grey characters.

TWs: SA, dr*gging, kidn*pping, g*slighting, betrayal, more

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 - 4.25/5

The narrator packed so much emotion into her delivery- I was immediately hooked. She really did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. Although on the shorter side, The Hidden was packed full of twists and turns that didn’t feel forced. Everything pieced together perfectly in the end and I wasn’t missing answers for any of the questions informed along the way. The ending was very satisfying, although I am annoying and don’t tend to enjoy a tidy ending as much as most.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ALC of this audiobook.

I am a huge fan of Kiersten Modglin and the first 90% or so of the book lived up to the hype of having this author's name on the cover. Unfortunately, the last 10% or so made the story feel extremely rushed. It went from being a story of twists and turns, suspense, and nail biting moments to a dull, letdown with no warning. Once the hotel scene took place, the story fell flat. There were a lot of missed opportunities. Went from a 5 star down to a 2 very quickly.

The narrator did an amazing job and I will gladly listen to other stories voiced by them. 5 stars for them

Rounded the two ratings to a 3 star

The Hidden started off badly for me. I was afraid that it was another cookie cutter story with a slow beginning, but it's not. By the end, and after twists and turns, it races to its finale, perhaps a little too quickly. I would have been satisfied without the coda, which I think was unnecessary. At times, the protagonists seems a little slow to pick up on various clues although it's unlikely that many readers will figure out the final resolution. Narrator Gail Shalan does an adewuate job, but her voicing of the male captor was very difficult to understand. Fans of Modglin's previous works as well as readers who lap up books of this sort will be very pleased.

I can always count on Kiersten Modglin to deliver a solid, suspenseful story. In The Hidden, Sophie wakes up in an all-white room with no accessories. As she begins to put the pieces together, she remembers that she had a date with someone new from a dating app. She then discovers that all the doors are locked and there is no way out. Her first visitor leaves her with more questions than answers. This is every mother's nightmare. I couldn't put it down.

This was a fast-paced enjoyable read with a terrifying mystery that unravels gradually with a lot of action in between to keep you on your toes. I found myself wishing for more resolution at the end. I could have easily kept listening to this one for another hundred pages. The narration by Gail Shalan was great.

As always, another bingeable book by KMod! I love her audiobooks especially as they always have great narration. I listened to this one quickly over a day, and while I was really interested in the story and couldn't wait to see how it ended, I did feel like I wanted more from the ending (As I often do with her books, because they're so good!). 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Wow! What a ride!

I am giving this book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. It would be a 5 ⭐ for me, but the ending just fell flat. I felt that it was a little rushed and that it could have been done much better and more well-rounded.

The narration for this was on. point. There was a good amount of drama, and emotion throughout, and the pace was nice as well, without a need for me to put it on a higher speed, which is always a bonus (for the audiophile in me).

I would highly suggest this book for those looking for a wild ride with a great twist.

Waking up in a strange room is just the beginning of Sophie’s nightmare. I could feel her panic and anxiety throughout the story.

I didn’t enjoy this book after the first chapter; it simply wasn’t for me. The plot felt stagnant, although I appreciated the dual timelines and Sophie’s friendship with her best friend. However, the ending was tied up too neatly for my liking.

I have read other books by this author that I really enjoyed; unfortunately, this one didn’t resonate with me. The narrator did a fantastic job and managed to hold my attention until I finished the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

This book was intense! It went back and forth between the past and present and I kept trying to figure out how the main character ended up in her situation. I thought I had some pretty good theories, but I was far off. This was incredibly creepy, and scary that it could be a real possibility, even if just a bit far fetched.

The narrator for this audiobook was decent but there were times when it was difficult to differentiate between what a character was thinking versus saying out loud. There were also transitions between characters that weren’t smooth which made it difficult to follow.

Overall, this book sucked me in and I listened to it all within one day.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an audio ARC of #TheHidden by #KierstenModglin in exchange for honest feedback. - 3.5 stars rounded to 4

This was so good! I love Kirsten and all her books but something about the audio really makes it pop and come to life! This is a MUST READ/LISTEN for sure TOP LISTEN FOR ME THIS MONTH

This book tells the story of what is no doubt a woman’s worst nightmare – waking up locked up after a night she can’t remember with a date she barely knows. The narrator did an amazing job of portraying the intensity and fear of this situation. You could feel the anxiety radiating from her character. While this got to be a bit overwhelming, the intensity of it really did lend itself to the fast-paced nature of this thriller. Overall, the story required a suspension of disbelief that even I couldn’t fathom. It fell flat to me, and the twists at the end genuinely made me say HUH!?

KMod books are seriously hit or miss for me. I’ve no doubt stumbled across some 5-star reads within her backlist, but I’ve also been left seriously disappointed in some as well. Overall, her books are short and easy-to-read, often requiring a suspension of belief. In line with Frieda McFadden style, Kiersten Modglin books are popcorn thriller style – bingeable but sometimes leave you wanting more. I’ve noticed that a lot with her reads as of lately. They often end abruptly and you’re left still wanting. That’s the case in this book as well.

There’s two elements I need to take into consideration with my review – the storyline and the narration. Overall, the story itself is worthy of a 3-star rating, but the narration is undoubtedly a 4-star and lent many redeeming qualities to the story. I do not believe I would have enjoyed this story much if I was reading it rather than listening to the audio. Since the focus of my review is on the audiobook, my overall view is 3.5-stars rounded up.

If you’re considering this read, I’d definitely recommend the audiobook version.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to preview this ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.