4.5 stars for the audiobook of Every Fall by Angela Douglas!

Started and finished in less than a day. I was sucked into the story almost immediately. All the little twists and turns kept me wanting more. This book has a little of everything!

The narrators were amazing. The characters are well written, whether you like them or hate them.

I'll be looking for more by Angela Douglas.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Angela Douglas, and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook! This was an unforgettable thriller! The narration by Andi Arndt and George Newborn was fantastic. The story tackled difficult themes, including postpartum, PTSD, and the emotional distance between partners. The eerie atmosphere perfectly complemented the narrative, and everything came together so well. A truly gripping listen!

I thought this book was rather interesting. It was good but I am not sure if it was my favorite. I thought it was told well I just was kind of confused for some of it. Other than that nothing to crazy.

Every Fall is a story with a lot to unpack (emotional rollercoaster ride). It's filled with relatable real life issues such as PTSD and PPD. The story is well written and thought provoking. There were a lot of moments where I wanted to climb in the story and shake Bree and slap Jake (main characters). The plot wasn't what I'd expected but it worked. This is an overall good read.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

This book was such an intriguing mix of genres, and I have to say, the narrator absolutely nailed it! They kept the tension alive and made the story all the more gripping. It dives deep into some heavy and important themes—adultery, PTSD, postpartum depression—and also gives a raw glimpse into the lives of first responders and the emotional toll their work takes on their partners. That aspect felt so authentic and hit me hard at times.
The dual POVs worked really well, letting me see both Bree and Jake’s perspectives as their lives spiraled. The fast-paced plot, paired with those realistic police scenes, kept me on edge. I didn’t expect to enjoy the supernatural twist, but it surprisingly worked here, even though I’m still not 100% sure how I feel about the paranormal aspect of the house. It added an eerie vibe that caught me off guard, but in a good way.
Merging thriller, domestic drama, and the supernatural is a tricky balance, but it came together seamlessly. It wasn’t exactly what I thought it’d be going in, but I do enjoy thrillers with a touch of the supernatural, and this one delivered.

I had high hopes for „Every Fall“, described as a chilling thriller tackling toxic masculinity in police culture and trauma, and the book did indeed deliver on those fronts. It follows Bree and Jake who got married quickly, had a baby almost immediately, and now Bree is pregnant again while already overwhelmed with the demands of motherhood. Jake, meanwhile, works as a beat cop in a crime-infested city and suffers from PTSD following a tragedy on the job.

As much as this book was an exploration of the dark side of the thin blue line, postpartum depression, and trauma, I found it to be very well-done, and the character development was great. Unfortunately for me, I expected a somewhat different book based on that description - namely, there was also a decidedly paranormal element which I did not expect and which completely threw me off (I honestly just don’t care for paranormal storylines and try to avoid them, so this might be more of a „me problem“).

But even without the (honestly completely unnecessary) paranormal element, it felt at times like the story was all over the place - apart from the expected police procedural, and Bree and Jake’s issues both individually and as a couple, there is a whole lot else going on, such as a gang of drug dealers out for revenge as well as an entire „Fatal Attraction“ subplot. Overall, the book might have benefited from a „less is more“ approach at times.

Nevertheless, it was well written, and given that this was a debut novel, I would definitely check out the author's next work.

The audiobook production in particular was excellent - George Newbern and Andi Arndt did an amazing job job narrating the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

„Every Fall“ releases on January 28, 2025.

📚Every Fall by Angela Douglas

Story: 3.5/5
Audiobook: 5/5 (narrated by Andi Arndt & George Newbern)
Length: 9h27min

CWs for violence, gore, death, postpartum depression, spousal abuse, trauma secondary to being a first responder, line of duty death, PTSD, misogyny, graphic death of a pregnant woman (belly trauma), infidelity, dubious consent, misogyny, opioids, and more

I received this ALC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 💖

3.5 stars (rounded down). I'm sad to say I think this was a serious case of "it's not you it's me". In the book's defense, the synopsis clearly describes it as “a chilling thriller…exploring the dark side of police culture and family trauma”. I should have known that a book focused on the trials and tribulations of being a police officer was not going to to work for me, but that's my fault for missing that tagline. This book also felt a tad mismarketed in my opinion, considering the synopsis doesn't really touch on the horror and paranormal-esque aspects of it. Some of those elements worked for me...some definitely didn't, so that would have been nice to know going in.

Regardless of my personal enjoyment, I can definitely acknowledge that this was a well-crafted and engaging debut novel from Angela Douglas. It was incredibly dark and gritty, very reminiscent of Karin Slaughter as it provoked similar visceral reactions in me. I haven't read a lot of books like this before, so it had a uniqueness factor that kept me wanting to read on. I think the author tried to tackle a little too much in one book, to the point where it felt like there were a lot of open-ended elements at the end (or things that could have been explored further). I actually really liked the author's writing style as a whole though, and would definitely consider picking up more books from in the future (if the subject matter suits my reading tastes a little more closely of course).

I do have to say, the audiobook listening experience was top tier. Andi Arndt is a top narrator of mine, but both narrators did a great job of bringing these characters to life. If you’re interested in giving this book a try, I’d highly recommend listening to it via audio.

Pub Date: January 28th, 2025

Rumor has it: every Fall something strange happens in this house. Bree, Jake and their kids are the newest tenants after moving away from their condo in a dangerous neighborhood. Bree is a stay-at-home-mom to 2 under 2 and Jake is a police officer.

This book had several intense themes including abuse, postpartum depression, PTSD, alcoholism, crime, and infidelity. The characters were well developed and multidimensional.

I enjoy the mystery of strange things happening but it being unclear if it’s paranormal or if there’s a reasonable explanation. On top of the chaos in Bree and Jake’s lives, is their house haunted? Are they both mentally spiraling? Are criminals messing with them out of revenge? Or is it all of the above? This book was packed with a lot of action and emotion. I could see it being a little over-the-top for some readers, but the audiobook kept me engaged and interested from beginning to end.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date Jan 28 2025

This novel had me hooked from the very start to the final ending. Full of suspense, mystery, lies and deceit this book will have you on the edge of your seat as you read (or listen) along.

I listened to the audiobook of this one and the narrator was great.

I would definitely recommend this novel.

Wow. Okay, so this book was a little chaotic. First let me start by stating the positives and that was the narration was fantastic. The writing was well done. The story though....little bit of a hot mess.

Jake and Bree aren't the greatest characters and maybe that's because we are seeing them at their worst (newly married, newly parents - iykyk). I thought this was going to be more of a thriller cop/family drama but it ended up being....a ghost story? I told you...CHAOS!

The book was fine. I think people will like it because it is very out of the "norm" for a thriller.

*sigh* I hate when books have identity crises. Is this a police procedural? Psychological thriller? Horror? Well, it tries to be all three.

You have Jake, a police officer, trying to take down a crime ring. They are out for retribution and after his family.
They move into a haunted/evil house where no one stays for long. Where strange things happen.
Then you have Bree struggling with post partum depression, Jake dealing with PTSD, and a third character messing with all of their heads.

And all of this together makes a mess. Maybe it'd have worked with two of the things, but all three just make it a mess.

And the characters all kind of suck.

Looking at other reviews, this appears to be me, not the book. So don't let my rambling turn you off.

Andi Arndt and George Newbern narrate. I LOVE Andi Arndt, but even she couldn't save this for me.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

COULD. NOT. PUT. DOWN.
The story was creepy enough to give some goosebumps every now and then, but so captivating that I could not stop reading. The narrators did an amazing job and the characters were all so well written that I could picture everything in my head so vividly. Thank you Netgalley, Angela Douglas, and Dreamscape Media for gifting this ARC. I can't wait to recommend this book to others.

This book might best be described as one for fans of paranormal-tinged thrillers. The writing had an easy flow, but the first few chapters felt uncertain, as if the author wasn’t quite sure where the story was headed. Unfortunately, many of the events early on didn’t feel meaningfully connected to the ending, leaving me wondering halfway through whether the plot was going anywhere.

Although I’m not a fan of the paranormal genre, its elements here didn’t interfere much with the overall story, which I appreciated. I’d recommend this book to a specific type of thriller reader—perhaps those intrigued by lighter paranormal influences—but it may not satisfy seasoned thriller fans looking for tightly woven narratives.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting access to this audiobook.

I thought this was a very well-written thriller and I finished this book in under a day. I did not find the story to be predictable at all. If I am being honest, the reason I requested this audiobook is because I enjoy both Andi Arndt and George Newburn as audiobook narrators. I was not familiar with Angela Douglas as an author though. With that being said, I may look for more books by her in the future.

5/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audiobook

Wow.
Every now and then a novel comes around that leaves me needing to process what I’ve just read. A story full of so much emotion, trauma, and complex characters that I know they’ll stick with me.

In her debut novel, Canadian author (from British Columbia) Angela Douglas, provides the reader with a glimpse of living as the spouse of a first responder with characters Jake (an RCMP Constable), and his wife Bree. Tackling mental health & the complexities of PTSD & PPD… this book has left me with a lot to process.

Tension, anger, and trauma fill the pages and my heart went out to Bree who is trying her best to fill her role as a new mom and wife. While Jake struggles with the stressors his job presents… throw some super natural elements in there and let the rollercoaster begin!

Thank you to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for early access to this audiobook!

I highly recommended checking it out when it’s released on January 28, 2025

I have to admit, Every Fall took me by surprise. I was expecting your run of the mill police procedural/thriller, but what I got was so much more. Douglas has crafted an intense, psychological thriller that dives deep into the emotional and psychological toll of living with trauma—both personal and professional. From the very beginning, you’re pulled into the gritty, claustrophobic world of Bree and Jake, a couple trying to balance family life with the dangerous realities of Jake’s job as a cop in a crime-ridden city. The stakes quickly escalate when crime follows them home, leading them to make the difficult decision to relocate. But, of course, that’s only the beginning of their unraveling.

Bree's descent into paranoia, fueled by strange occurrences in their beautiful but creepy new home, creates an eerie atmosphere that keeps you questioning what’s real and what’s in her mind. Meanwhile, Jake's spiraling guilt after a tragedy on the job adds another layer of tension, as it’s clear his emotional unraveling could turn deadly.

What really stood out to me here was how Douglas explores the darker side of police culture, with a focus on how it impacts both the officers and their families. It’s gritty and raw, and you can feel the weight of Jake's guilt and Bree's growing isolation. The twists are compelling and well-timed, and the author does an incredible job of balancing emotional depth with tension. It’s not just a thriller; it’s a character-driven exploration of trauma, guilt, and the destructive forces of living in a toxic environment.

Overall, Every Fall is a gripping read that’s perfect for fans of complex, character-driven thrillers. If you like books that mix family drama with suspense and dark psychological elements, this one will definitely keep you hooked.

I listened to the audiobook, and I have to start by saying the narrators were absolutely phenomenal. Their performances truly brought the characters to life, and I was captivated from the very beginning.

The character development was exceptional—I felt like I really knew Bree, a dedicated mother and wife who spends her days caring for her children, and Jake, her husband who is also a police officer. I found myself deeply invested in their lives and wanted to know more about how their relationship unfolded. The story explores heavy themes such as postpartum depression, grief, PTSD, and infidelity, all of which were handled with emotional depth and care.

However, I was a bit confused by the thriller label. While there were paranormal elements in the book (which, in my opinion, could have been left out), there wasn’t much in the way of suspense or thrills. I think Every Fall is better described as a domestic drama.

The story flowed beautifully up until about the 75-80% mark. Unfortunately, that’s when it started to feel rushed to tie things together. The cohesion suffered and the ending fell flat for me. That’s where it lost a star in my rating.

Overall, it’s an intriguing and emotional story with strong character development, but the conclusion left something to be desired.

I really enjoyed the short chapters and switching POVs that kept the story going. I appreciated that the audiobook had dual narrators and think both of them did a good job. This definitely was a thriller but it also had more horror aspects than I was expecting from the summary and genres, but that’s a bonus for me personally. I was definitely invested in the story and Bree’s character. I hated Jake on the other hand, but the book certainly managed to evoke strong feelings in me. Plot wise I was satisfied with the ending, but character wise I was a bit disappointed with where things left off…

Thank you Netgalley for my copy.

This was okay.

Some thing(s) I liked:
✅Well written
✅FMC was in a really rough situation and although I fell she was too soft on her substandard husband, she didn't behave like a complete pillock like most of the women in these thrillers.

Some thing(s), not so much:
⭕A little tired of substandard husbands thinking they can treat their wives and the mother of their children so badly and totally getting away with it in the end (and no, I'm not talking about the PTSD type anger/ delusions/ depression because literally nothing can excuse cheating.)
⭕I can't decide if I liked the supernatural element. It felt like it was supposed to be a thriller and the ghosty element was fine when it appeared to be delusions from mental illness (postpartum depression and PTSD) but when it sort of ended with it being a real haunted house, I didn't like that.

Happy to try more by Douglas.

4.5 stars!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to this book prior to its release in exchange for an honest review.

This book was equal parts exhilarating, creepy, and irritating. I loved the multiple points of view. You love and hate the characters as the story develops. There were multiple times I had to stop and ask myself what just happened. The plot kept me guessing between paranormal and crime premises which was a nice twist. I think my favorite part is the struggle with mental health and family well being that police officers endure. It was beautifully written and I would highly recommend to anyone interested in thrillers that just have an extra layer to it!