Really enjoyed this listen. Probably would have chosen different more eye catching cover art. Good plot however and genre just my taste. Great listening experience. Will do more from the author and have recommended to friends

So crazy to think of this happening and how possible it is. Good story overall and the characters were good but sometimes with the audio I had to go back to follow along.

This book could be an insight to the future if we continue the way we do and I like the premise of the book however I didn’t like the execution and found the characters to be particularly annoying and relatable. I wanted to like this book more than I did and found myself getting a little bored in places. However, as said I like the premise of the book and do you think this could be a great story.

A mother on vacation in Florida and her teenage son at home in Boston try to find each other when an apocalyptic flood hits the coast.

Even though there were plenty of things happening in this book it felt very flat. I think this is likely due to there not really being any “wins” or significant moments of emotional reprieve for the characters before they face off with the next challenge or stage of their journey. The ending was also extremely dissatisfying in a way that did not add to the story in any way.
Also, I listened the the ALC and did not like the narrator’s voice for the teenage son. Some of the annoyance may also be how the son was written sometimes.

Thank you to NetGalley, 12 Willows Press, and Victory Editing for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Riveting and terrifying, a thoroughly entertaining and chilling experience in survival, fear and desperation.
The very thought of the apocalyptic horror contained within this story will keep you awake and quite possibly in fear, turning over endless scenarios in your mind.
What would you do?
Fantastic in its delivery and beautifully written, this tale will pull you in and hold you there until the bitter end.
Highly recommended.

Overall, this book is riveting. "Something" has happened that causes catastrophic flooding over the Gulf and East Coasts of the United States. A middle-aged woman, Juliette, has traveled to the panhandle of Florida to visit her elderly mother, leaving her teenage son behind in Boston. Much of the story involves Juliette's journey to try to get north to help her son, as the two text back and forth. Juliette meets all kinds of people along her journey, some who prove to be blessings in disguise, others who threaten to stall out her quest. Meanwhile, her son Billy is stuck in a house that's about to collapse. He takes in a dog and two sisters before beginning his own quest to find solid ground.

The interplay between mother and teenage son was spot on. There are the inevitable failures to communicate, eye rolls at each other, and misunderstandings and obfuscations. The primary plot was great, though the ending left the reader hanging a bit. A strong subplot involved smartphones. In this story, the government has banned all smartphones, though the two main characters have secretly held onto theirs. While the author had important points to make with this plot line, I personally felt that she should have ditched it. The woes wrought by the smartphones presented an interesting counterpoint to the narrative of "failure to believe the science" of climate change, but it distracted from the main story. It would have worked better to simply have the power go out, making smartphones obsolete and forcing people to share information in other ways.

An important point was made early in this book: everybody talks about the dangers of climate change, but does anyone have an actual plan for when things go south? This was an instructive tale of what we all need to do to prepare ourselves for looming disasters.

Riveting, but taking one star off for the smartphone distractions.

Thank you Victory editing NetGalley Co-Op for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review

This was a unique natural/government?? disaster book, the disaster truly was terrifying and very interesting and the story lines were constantly intriguing. My only issue was that it would switch people and time lines and in the audiobook it sounded quite confusing. I’m not sure if the book makes that easier though. I didn’t feel that attached to the characters and I felt like the end was a bit rushed but it was an interesting book and I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it.

I'll be publishing my review on Goodreads and StoryGraph 11th December and on Tik tok most likely will add to a monthly wrap up post with review the beginning of January

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect going into this book, but I definitely enjoyed it! It was a fun take on the "end of the world" genre, and I really enjoyed the life's bigger meaning discussions. There's little things I didn't love though - the dialogue was weird at points, the way it was written made it feel duplicative, and some of the story lines seem under-developed. I almost wonder if this would make a better movie. Narration was great. Overall, a solid 3.5-4 star read.

Although there are some interesting aspects, and I found Billy’s inner dialogue relatable and age-appropriate, the science is too simplistic and the anti-phone scolding is over-bearing.

The eastern seaboard becomes completely submerged over the course of a day and two neighbors, are trying to get back to Boston to rescue their children.

Female characters are useless. Parents are easily distracted from the plight of their children. There were hints of a shady business deal that completely fizzled. Everyone is the most desperate situations were pretty mildly behaved. And the heavy handed scolding made me almost turn off the story.

Thanks to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and 12 Willows Press for the Audio ARC!

I guess it's inevitable that, like anything trendy, the speculative fiction climate crisis sub-genre is bound to have its hits and misses. Having recently read several of the hits (The Deluge, Orbital, Playground, Enlightenment), I was anxious to read Inland. If you have read and enjoyed any of the aforementioned books, you may also like Inland. However, like me, you might find that the writing is just too clunky, the characters too unlikable and underdeveloped, the story-line too extreme (yes, even for this sub-genre!), and even the narration just kind of a dud.

I was lucky to be able to read the book and listen to the audiobook, and to tell the truth this story seemed to be right out of my alley, climate change, mother trying to reach her son, the son trying to survive an incredible flood… and if you just go by this little synopsis maybe it seems really good for you too, but while reading there were lots of things that didn’t make sense for me or they went unexplained… for instance that prohibition about using phones, that really didn’t make sense for me, it felt much more, like the author didn’t really like the phones and wanted an excuse not to have them… or how they are portals to pornography or something… but when you get there you’ll understand what I meant…

at first, seemed to me, that the mother had a good relationship with her husband, even thou he wasnt with her, when she came to try and take her mother back with her to the mainland, but she forgot so fast that she was married and had a husband.. that also didn’t go well with me… not knowing what happened with the characters that were mentioned but not really talked about also disturbed me, I wanted more… and the son, well he was youngish so I will forgive some things.. but it was dumb to do just what your mother said to you not to do, while your father was home… and that is pretty much the beginning of the story…

I wish the person reading the story, was able to perform a bit more, I mean, she tried to do voices, but it didn’t go that well, but at the same time I had worse experiences before, so for the performance I will give it 3.5 stars, made me enjoy the story much more, but I will just say this, if we had a male voice and a female one it would make the performance so much better…

Thank you NetGalley and Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | 12 Willows Press, for the free AAC and this is my honest opinion.

I unfortunately couldn’t get into this one. It was a bit of a waste of time. Characters were frustrating. Pacing dragged. 2/5 stars.

There isn’t much more to say here, other than maybe a few changes would make it slightly better. I found myself just hoping to get through the pages.

I loved the idea and the baseline story of this book. I feel the execution fell a little short. It was a lot of the same if that makes sense. It was also hard to follow in some places. I was not able to relate much to the characters. The story was really good. I just feel like the execution could have been so much better.

The best dystopias to me are those that are enough like our current reality that you only need to squint a little to see them happening. This is decidedly not that. It relies on an unrealistic, poorly explained premise that somehow doesn’t impact all spots equally (a sudden, catastrophic rise in sea level basically all at once, but not a tsunami), and includes silliness like smart phones having been named because they cause brain cancer. And that’s all alongside an infuriatingly paternalistic, misogynistic view of the world in which women (and teen girls) are useless, screechy, and in desperate need of rescue by men. I finished the book because I was hoping for some sort of redemption arc for the women (that were not all stupid and helpless), but sadly that did not occur. Deeply disappointing to see this from a female author.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format.

Kate Risse’s debut novel, Inland, is a gripping and hauntingly relevant story set in a near-future world ravaged by climate change. The audiobook, narrated by Rachel Fulginiti, brings this intense tale of survival and resilience to life with a compelling and immersive performance.

Inland follows the harrowing journey of two families struggling to reunite after catastrophic flooding devastates the Eastern Seaboard. Friends Juliet and Martin, separated from their children, must navigate the treacherous floodwaters to find a way back to Boston. Meanwhile, their children face their own challenges, battling the rising seas and the chaos that ensues in a world where technology and human connection are both unpredictable and vital.

Rachel Fulginiti’s narration is a stellar feature of this audiobook. Her ability to convey the emotional depth and urgency of the characters’ experiences adds a powerful layer to Risse’s already vivid storytelling. Fulginiti’s nuanced performance captures the fear, hope, and determination of Juliet, Martin, and their children, making the listener feel every moment of their perilous journey.

Risse’s writing is evocative and VERY thought-provoking, (if not prescient) painting a stark picture of a world transformed by climate change. The novel’s exploration of human connection and the role of technology in a warming world is particularly poignant, offering a chilling glimpse into a possible future. The tension and suspense are expertly maintained throughout the narrative, keeping listeners on the edge of their seats.

The audiobook format enhances the immersive experience of Inland. Fulginiti’s voice brings the characters to life, making their struggles and triumphs feel immediate and real. The pacing of the narration matches the intensity of the story, ensuring listeners are fully engaged from start to finish.

Inland by Kate Risse, narrated by Rachel Fulginiti, is a must-listen for fans of climate fiction and psychological thrillers. The combination of Risse’s powerful storytelling and Fulginiti’s exceptional narration creates an unforgettable audiobook experience.

This debut novel is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds and a stark reminder of the urgent need to address climate change.

I have a ton of thoughts about this one. I loved the narration. I was a little annoyed by the whole "oh that cell phone will kill you." Like anyone would actually care. They could make heads explode and we would still keep them. But in this story smartphones are banned but people wish they could have one to keep in touch during a natural disaster, which maybe happened because of smartphones.
We all know how selfish we are as a society, but in this book most people aren't selfish like that.
It was good though. Loved the ending.

Inland explores a terrifying future. A future where our waters have risen so fast that families have been separated and entire cities destroyed. Juliet has been separated from her son Billy, who is stuck alone in his home that is being flooded. Juliet pairs up with Martin, their neighbor, in a harrowing journey to try to get back home. But what is home mean when the house is being washed away?
I enjoyed the exploration of a flooded coast and the realistic depiction of the chaos that would cause. There was also a huge subplot about cell phones. That they had been banned due to causing an undescribed sickness but Juliet and Billy among others had been secretly hiding them. I think this book was trying to explore the idea of cell phones being addicting and if they are even actually helpful but it seemed to distract from the larger story and wasn't as fleshed out as much as the coastal flooding aspect was. Overall this was an enjoyable read.

The plot of this book held a lot of promise. But it fell flat for me. I felt like a lot of things could have been explained a bit more. Why were phones bad? I felt like it was missing backstory that would have made me care about the characters more.

That being said I do think the dangers of climate change were illustrated well. The ending was not satisfying to me and made me wonder if a series is coming?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
So I really liked the idea of this book, and the majority of the book was good. However the ending just dropped off. It had no resolution or actual ending. So I definitely lowered my review for it. Narration was good and the idea was good but the ending kind of hurt it.

2.75 stars, rounded up for the idea.

The premise of this story is so good but the execution was lackluster. Unfortunately for this book, I decided that I would try to be a bit more strict in my ratings for arcs and Inland how has to be the first to face harsher judgment. I was definitely intrigued by the description of this book and it had me hooked in the beginning. The idea of a dystopian post COVID world with major climate crises and disasters seemed like it would be action packed. However, the world left me with more questions than answers.

This book is dual pov between a mother, Juliet, and her son, Billy. They are separated when a cataclysmic natural disaster happens. This books follows both of their journeys. I found both main characters to frankly be idiots. They made dumb decision after dumb decision. They were both so entitled in their thinking processes and literally have no survival skills whatsoever. I don’t know if the point of this book was for the characters to be “realistic” but I hope no one would be that dense during a situation like this. There were side characters that added no real purpose to the book, including the guy the mom was traveling with. I still don’t understand how they ended up in FL together at the beginning or anything.

I also didn’t understand the major point of cell phones making everyone sick and being banned across the country (or world?). The characters talked about that issue a lot but all of the information was very surface level. I got tired of hearing about it. It didn’t make sense and did not add anything to the story. The cell phones could have stayed like normal but service would just be really spotty or out because of the disaster. Really hated that plot point. Also HATED the ending. I basically read this book to know no more than I did at the beginning? Honestly, after writing this I have decided to knock my rating down to 2.25 stars and round it down.

Thank you Netgalley and 12 Willows Press for the audiobook arc.