Audiobook

This book is like a wild ride, kind of like Groundhog Day but with some serious fantasy vibes! It’s got a ton of action and a bit of magic mixed in. The main character, Kem, is a new mom and a total fighter, and she finds herself stuck in this crazy time loop at a fancy party. Every time the clock hits midnight, everything resets, and she dives deeper into these layers of reality called Echoes, but she’s the only one who remembers what happened before.

Her only help in this bizarre situation is Rika Nonesuch, who is her enemy, their history is a bit messy. As they fall through these wild Echoes filled with powerful foes known as Empyreans, they’ve got to figure out how to save everyone at the party and themselves too. Did I tell you it was SAPPHIC?! so good!

Sure, there were parts where I could see what was coming, but it was still super fun to read! I totally didn’t see that ending coming, though!! Sometimes it got a little confusing with all the different characters popping up in each chapter, but I liked how different they were. Plus, it does a great job representing new moms and all the challenges they face.

I’d totally recommend this book to anyone looking for something different!!

While this was slow to start, I thoroughly enjoyed the world building and the echoes through time/space. I found the narrator kept me engaged, and I loved her inflections! Four stars simply due to the slower than anticipated start, the constant reminder she's a new mom, and for not quite fleshing out the world and magic as much as they could. Over all I would recommend though!!

The Last Hours Between Worlds explores what happens when an office New Years party turns dangerous in a world with alternate realities

Kembral is a special agent and new mother out for the first time since the birth of her daughter Emma. The night takes a turn when party guests start to die and they descend into alternate realities.

I found this book slow to start, but once the action started it was quite interesting and unique. The stakes felt very high and lighthearted at the same time, similar to a Marvel movie. I really like Kembral and loved that this story was told from the perspective of a new mother who is also a bad ass FMC. The love story I felt was a bit forced. I did love the twists and turns of the story and the reveals along the way.

The narration was overall well done, but some of the voices irked me. I liked they were distinct, but the high pitch whine of a couple characters made some scenes very hard to get through. Luckily it wasn't the main characters voice.

Tropes
* Time loops
* Rivals to Lovers
* Murder Mystery
* Sapphic Romance
* Alternate realities

3.5 stars

To be quite honest, I really didn't think that I would like this book/story. The beginning of The Last Hour Between Worlds was definitely slow. It was a bit irritating at times when the FMC/protagonist kept mentioning that she's a new mother, has a newborn at home waiting for her, and how she was NOT ready for hire/ready to go back to work. The pace eventually quickened as the plot thickened, despite the FMC continuously driving home she was a new mom and doing things for her daughter.

Now, I really did enjoy the world building and the character development. The concept of time and alternate universes as "echoes" (layers) upon each other was fun to explore. As the characters fall further down the alternate timelines (not even sure if I am doing this concept justice), the supportive characters and journeys slightly change. It is very much groundhog day, but different clothes, different challenge, but all leading to the ultimate end boss/climax.

As for the FMC protagonist? I really did like her. Again, the beginning was a bit peevish how all that came out of her mouth was "oh I just had a baby, and need to go back home to her after this party." How she eventually and reluctantly decided to be proactive to the situation felt a bit "John Wick," as in "I guess I am back." However, I really did enjoy her back story of why she spent time developing her skill/magic. Very human element touch there. The exploration into her romantic life is quite interesting as well. That's all tied into her back story, as well.

I would recommend this book to others who enjoy rivals to lovers, time loops, mystery, murder, a dash of political intrigue and alternate realities. 4 stars.

Thank you Netgalley, Hachette Audio | Orbit, and the author/narrator for this opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun book, I've never listened or read a book with this type of magic system before, I really enjoyed it. I couldn't stop listening to it, I listened in the car and at home instead of watching tv or doing things I was supposed to do haha.

The narrator was amazing at capturing my attention from the beginning and I felt like I was watching a movie. Her ability to change her voice to match each character was great.

All in all I would recommend this audiobook to everyone.

I had high hopes for this book—it’s such a fascinating concept with so much potential. Unfortunately, the story didn’t fully deliver on what it could have been, leaving me feeling like it might’ve worked better as a movie or a series. Big thanks to Hachette Audio, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for giving me the chance to listen to this one, though.

Let’s start with the positives. The narration was fantastic—engaging delivery and excellent pacing made the audiobook a standout. However, the story itself felt underdeveloped. For a book that’s essentially a spin on Groundhog Day, with characters revisiting the same scenarios through different echoes of reality, I was hoping for more variety and creativity in each descent. There were only a few moments where the progression felt truly wacky or unexpected, and I wanted to be pulled deeper into the madness each time.

The idea of the protagonist being a new mother juggling her job as a magical special agent added an interesting layer, but in execution, it distracted more than it enhanced. While I appreciated the attempt to explore themes of sleep deprivation and adjusting to parenthood, it didn’t feel integral to the plot or the stakes. Instead, it sometimes pulled me out of the narrative.

This book’s tone also didn’t quite land for me. It straddled a line between lighthearted action and something darker, but I think it would’ve been more gripping if it leaned harder into horror or thriller elements. The action was fun, but I wanted a greater sense of danger, something more serious to heighten the tension and stakes.

That said, the premise is undeniably creative: a work nemesis turned ally at a magical office party spiraling into chaos and reality-bending adventures? That’s gold. I just wish the execution had been tighter, the world-building more immersive, and the story more thrilling.

While The Last Hour Between Worlds wasn’t entirely what I hoped for, it’s an intriguing concept that others might enjoy, especially if they’re looking for something lighter with a bit of magic and action.

this was SO good. i went in completely blind and had no idea what to expect, but truly i would recommend it up down and all around.

This story follows main character Kembral Thorne, who is an investigator for the Guild of Hounds. She recently had a baby and is on leave from work, but gets out for an evening for a work function at an influential city elder’s mansion. They live in a world where there are different levels of reality (Echoes), and slipping into another layer changes the reality in big and/or subtle ways. In the beginning I felt a slight comparison with the movie Groundhog Day. The first few times she slipped into another Echo and time seems to restart and we see the same characters not remembering talking to her in the previous Echo that I was listening to the same thing on repeat. That did not last long, though, as the deeper she moved, more significant changes started to be displayed. I was trying to describe this to one of my friends and I was thinking it has elements you see in murder mysteries, heists, and high stakes fantasy. I will definitely continue this series as it comes out, because I think there are some really fun ways this story could continue. We’ve seen a little romance (very small part of the story), and I would like to see that explored more in the future. There is also really good banter between the characters, especially Kembral and Rika, which made for some really cute scenes. Highly recommend this, it was a really fun time.

Also, side note, I listened to the audiobook through Net Galley and really liked the narrator too, she had a really great tone and loved the accent. It did take me a few chapters to feel fully engulfed in the story, and I wish there was a little more that went into the world building in the beginning. I hope that we can see a little more of the world building and some more info on the different Guilds in the next book.

This book is so much fun. Great world building, likeable characters, sarcasm that is not overdone, interesting monsters and villains. Kembral as the hero and Rika as the foil are a great duo. There are touching times, fights, and some really cool magic in here. I am so glad to see this will be a series!

The Last Hour Between Worlds
The Echo Archives Book 1
By Melissa Caruso
Narrated by Moira Quirk
4.5 ⭐️

I am not a big time travel reader; so I was nervous picking this one up. Clearly I loved it.

Mini world building breakdown: The time travel in this is more of a pause in “real” time while time continues in the “echo”. An echo is a time/place that mimics reality but is its own place - like a realm overlap. The deeper the echo, the more removed from reality it is. Shadows walk on their own, creatures become the norm, and physics don’t exist. I thought of the echos as a building where each echo was a floor.

I enjoyed the main character in so many ways. She’s a new single mother navigating how to keep her career priorities (or if she wants to) while prioritizing her baby and all that comes with that as a nursing mother. She’s capable. She’s vulnerable. She read as very dynamic to me as I related to her a lot.

The audiobook was great for me. I’m not sure how I would’ve found this story via an eyeball read. I enjoyed Quirk’s performance. I felt they added life to the story in places that could have come across as dull. I’d fully recommend the audio for this one.

Thank you NetGalley, Melissa Caruso, and Hachette audio for this audiobook ARC.

**4.5/5 Stars**
*The Last Hour Between Worlds* by Melissa Caruso is a breathtaking blend of intricate world-building, high-stakes adventure, and heart-pounding emotion. Caruso’s mastery of weaving magic and politics shines, creating a story that feels both epic and intimate. The characters are richly developed, their relationships and struggles adding layers of depth to the gripping plot. While the complexity of the world may require careful attention, the payoff is more than worth it. A dazzling tale of courage, sacrifice, and the ties that bind us across realms.

I absolutely loved this first book in Melissa Caruso’s Echo Archives series of high fantasy. It’s so well written, I felt completely immersed in the story. There are no info dumps here, and the author doesn’t spoon-feed you information, so you have to be patient and pay attention to understand the world, the characters, and the plot.

Our main character Kembral Thorne is a Hound—a powerful member of the guardian’s guild, and also a new mother. That’s such an unusual trait for a lead character in a fantasy story, and I liked how it shaped Kembral’s thoughts and actions.

I adored Kembral’s past love interest turned adversary, Rika Nonesuch, a sassy and extremely talented Cat—a member of the thieves’ guild. Rika’s such a fun character, with many secrets and a long and complicated history with Kembral that we slowly learn about throughout the course of the story. The story was also filled with many colorful side characters, and I loved how it was often unclear whether a particular character would be an ally, an enemy, or some murky blend of each.

This world has layers called Echoes, with each deeper layer becoming an increasingly strange and distorted version of the Prime reality. There are also scheming creatures called Echoes, who reminded me of various dark and scary tales of the fae. When a New Year’s Eve party starts sinking deeper and deeper into these Echoes, creating something like a time loop, Kembral and Rika are the only attendees who have any recall of previous loops. In each new Echo, they face increasing danger as they try to understand what’s happening and how to get back to Prime without a large death count.

The story easily held my attention with all of its twists and turns, and I enjoyed the mix of magic, mystery, action, suspense, humor, and a slow-burn Sapphic romance.

The audiobook production was excellent, and Moira Quirk’s fantastic narration really contributed to my enjoyment of the story. She’s so much fun to listen to, with good pacing, clear pronunciation, distinctive voices to suit each character, and the ability to convey mood and emotion effectively. The story works very well as an audiobook.

This story has a satisfying ending and could be enjoyed on its own, but I want to know more about these characters and this world, so I am eagerly awaiting Book 2. I highly recommend this book for fans of time loop stories and epic fantasies involving scheming fae-like beings.

Thanks to Hachette Audio for providing me with a free advanced review copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

The Last Hour Between Worlds is a great fast pace and mysterious sapphic read. Caruso did an amazing job at creating this fantastical world with parallels and we can feel the stakes rise as Kembral and Rika find themselves falling into deeper echoes as they try to make sure everyone can return to prime alive.
Moira Quirk especially did an amazing at bringing the characters to life, giving each character a unique and easily distinguishable voice. These voices fit well with the characters, and overall enhance the reading experience.

I loved this book! It has some Groundhog Day vibes, if the stakes were much higher. I'm always a fan of humor in fantasy, and this had a campy tone that worked perfectly for me!

I loved how it’s a completely different world than I’ve been reading lately. It is written in a way that we can imagine the primary world as something similar to our own, but it isn't specifically implied. This was really effective in keeping the creative juices flowing in my brain throughout the whole book. They have layers of echo worlds that get increasingly dangerous the farther down you go. The FMC is a new single mom who is trying to enjoy her first night out since the baby at a Year Turning Ball (basically New Year’s Eve). When people start dying she realizes that she’s the only person who can tell they are in an echo. Even though she’s on leave, her job as a hound, saving people and sometimes pets from echo worlds, means she is the best equipped to figure out what is going on and save everyone. I love a smart and capable FMC that doesn’t have to flaunt how awesome she is, because she just takes charge and gets things done!

I listened to the audiobook, because if Moira Quirk narrates it, I will listen to it! She is my favorite narrator. She brings a loveable snarky quality to the FMC, and always has fun voices for the supporting characters! I can pretty much guarantee I'll laugh when listening to a book she narrates!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Hours Between Worlds is the first book in a new fantasy series by Melissa Caruso. Although I’ve never read her work before, I was pleasantly surprised by how well written and thought out her novel was. I can already see the mysteries in this book creating future adventures. I look forward to seeing where Kem and Rika go next!

I was lucky enough to have access to the audio version of this book on NetGalley and I have to say that I loved the narration. There is only one narrator (which made it much easier for me to follow along with the story as I wasn’t confused by a cacophony of voices) and she does a fantastic job of bringing the story to life. She does some accents to differentiate characters but nothing over the top. I also thought that her natural accent was quite soothing. I am quite picky when it comes to audiobooks, and I can’t stand when an accent is too annoying or doesn’t match with the genre but luckily the narrator was able to add enough gravitas to her voice for this kind of fantasy book.

As for the novel itself, I loved the concept of the magic system, and the world set-up. The idea that you could get accidentally pulled into a world is both thrilling and terrifying. The only thing that I couldn’t take seriously were the names for the different operatives. ‘Hounds’ is a little silly but the fact that their rivals (a group of thieves) were called the ‘Cats’- that I just found ridiculous. I think that if you can accept that though and just allow yourself to enjoy a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, you’ll have fun.

I would recommend this book to fans of portal fantasies and well-written queer fantasy books.

Holy heck this was a good read! A wild story with engaging characters and an incredible world-building.

It's a time loop, mass-murder mystery, where the time loop opens on progressively more terrifying timelines and the murders happen differently each time. My heart was pounding the whole time!

4.5★

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso is a witty fantasy novel with a historical ballroom atmosphere, different dimensions, and time loops.

I'm probably off, but this book gives me "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman vibes and I LOVE that. Instead of the mice like people in Neverwhere, they are fae like creatures instead.

I was worried with the time loop that things would feel too repetitive but the author did a great job at keeping the book pace going and keeping the reader interested in solving the mystery (even if the pace did fluctuate at times. ) The characters were in depth and had amazing lgbtq+ representation.

The narrator did a great job at using different voices for different characters.

Thank you Hachette Audio, Net galley, and Melissa Caruso for letting me listen to this amazing audio in exchange for an honest review. I can't wait until next book in the series.

Kembral Thorne is a magical bounty hunter. She has the ability to find people that fall between layers of reality called Echos. She is also a new mom. While not quite ready to return to work she is talked into attending a party for the Guild of Hounds. Things start to go wrong when the party begins to fall through Echo layers and a magical clock begins to reset time. She must rely on her nemesis Rika Nonesuch to figure out the mystery and save everyone at the party and the world from disaster.

The premise of this book seemed very fun and when I saw the audiobook narrators was one of my favorites I decided to give it a shot. What a great decision that was. I had such a good time with this book! The magic system was really interesting. I loved how the echoes worked and the different layers of the world. The mystery completely pulled me in. But above all I adored Kem and Rika! They had incredible chemistry and banter. This is the first book in a series and I am so excited to see where this one goes! Highly recommend going with the audiobook version of this book. Moira Quirk is so dang good!

Thanks you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Kembral has one night away from her newborn and spends it at a party. Everything falls apart when the guests all begin to die. She knows then that she has to get to work. She’s a Hound and has to work with her nemesis Rika to figure out why the grandfather clock keeps sending them down what’s called an Echo every time it chimes. Each time they go down an Echo, a new layer of reality takes place.

This was such a unique story, I was so hooked at times! I loved reading about something different and really enjoyed the characters. I was definitely confused at times and felt like it went on for longer than necessary but overall I really enjoyed this read!

This audiobook narrator did amazing with all of the character voices, she put on a whole performance!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Karoline Anderson, and HighBridge Audio for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review. This publishes on November 19th.

5 stars for the narrator. Moira Quirk did an excellent job on the audiobook. It was exactly how I imagined the voices sounding like.