The New Bad Thing is a story that could be described as falling in the "espionage" type of tale. Teagen, the protagonist's part was very well written and the character hopped off the page. This type of story though, does not appeal to me, as I thought that I was going to be reading a thriller.

What a ride this book was, yet it somehow it didn't hook me as much as I thought it would. Sure, it started out with a bang, main girl Teagan being in a hotel in France and it was under attack by terrorists. Then the book shifted to her being a reporter then somehow she was talking to some mafia dude and being questioned of how she knew whomever. AND THEN...you also would learn that she was struggling to have a baby with her husband. Okay, with all that, this being an espionage crime thriller, I somehow liked most of everyone else except Teagan herself. This book moved, had its thrilling moments, but I wasn't too eager to keep going. I needed something that I couldn't pinpoint to rally me in each time the perspective changed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Well, this was quite the surprise!

We start out with Teagan, who is a journalist in her late 30’s. She and her husband are trying to have a baby…with no luck.

We find her in a hotel in France where terrorists are shooting up people in the hallway and just killing any and everyone. At this point, Teagan makes a call…not to her husband, but to another man…the only one she thinks MAY be able to help her, only to find out that he was the one who sent these men there!

Yes…in the first five minutes of the book! Wait, what????

So we move on from this point to learn about her family, and just how she got herself involved in this situation. And it’s a doozy…
And she’s becoming quite the badass!

We learn about mafia ties in Italy, as well as warfare worldwide. Drugs and death and everything in between!

But this is a multifaceted book with lots of characters and lots of moving parts that will keep you on your toes throughout! And did I mention suspense? Well, lots of that too!!

And as all the pieces are slowly revealed, you may find yourself with your mouth HANGING WIDE OPEN, like mine was!

And fair warning, in the last half hour or so of the book, you may want to read it ALONE, not like I did, as I yelled out HOLY CRAP…THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN!! 😮😮😮

This is book one in the series, and I’m looking forward to continuing the story to see what else Teagan may have up her sleeve!

4 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫 for me!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #PenAndPicture for an ARC of this audiobook which was just released on November 28.

#TheNewBadThing by #MichaelEbner and narrated well by #BradenWright.

Check out all my upcoming reads and previews on FB @ #BookReviewsWithElaine or on IG @ #BookReviews_with_emsr

Happy Reading! 📚📖

Synopsis:
Teagan is successful in her own right, but she’s not the crusader journalist she aspired to be in college. She needs a personal distraction and decides to make a difference in the world. When a foreign news story shocks her to the core, she takes matters into her own hands and starts a special project. But not everybody will be happy about her plans. When Teagan travels to Paris to deal with a project setback, she wakes up in a luxury hotel in the middle of a terrorist siege.

Review:
This book started strongly, so I had high hopes, but as it progressed, my interest waned. Unfortunately, I didn't connect with Teagen particularly well and didn't find the narrator that engaging either. This seems to have mixed reviews, so clearly is a bit for some, just not in my case.
⭐️⭐️
*I received an audiobook ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.This is my unbiased review.

The New Bad Thing is a mystery, crime, thriller novel that had me hooked in from the very beginning! I’m not normally someone who likes audiobooks just because I can read physical books faster but, the story and plot was really unique and interesting that I kept listening. The narrator is also something so important in audiobooks and I found that the narrator was perfect for this story. The character’s voices were exactly how I imagined them.

Before going into this audiobook, please know that the story includes talk about miscarriages, and struggles with fertility.

I enjoyed this audiobook so much and hope you enjoy it too!

Thank you to Pen and Picture Books for sending me this ARC!!

Espionage, mafia and action packed - Yes please! This read like a movie.

Teagan and Todd are struggling to have a baby. After a few miscarriages and not feeling fulfilled with her job she decides to go to Paris and start her own project to help and rescue enslaved girls by a terrorist organisation called KIL.

Waking the next morning in her hotel, she awakens to the terrorists killing hotel guests and a new nightmare. Are they after her?

Told in past and present timelines, Ebner gives depth to our main characters and at times was quite emotional.

It’s fast paced, intense and edge of your seat writing. I can't wait to read the next instalment.

Many thanks to @netgalley and @penandpicture for and ALC 🎧

This one was a tough one for me. It started really well with Teegan being caught up in a hotel in Paris in the middle of a terrorist siege, where she ends up killing a couple of the terrorists. The pace was good and I was excited at the prospect of where this could go.

It then changed direction somewhat and become a slow meander of a story that struggled to keep my interest. After the siege, Teegan is taken to a French police station where she is questioned and then pulled aside by an American Agent and is blackmailed to do an assignment for him or get thrown to the wolves.

The American agent, is actually being controlled by an Italian Mafia style family and unbeknown to Teegan, she has been working for their number one target and they want her to terminate him. Teegan btw is pregnant, so she persuades them to allow her to have the baby before she sets off on her task to find and eradicate the gangs number one enemy.

For a shortish book, this seemed to go on for ages. The story is actually ok, it just lacked teeth and pace. I gave this 3/5.

Title: The New Bad Thing by Michael Ebner
Narrated by: Braden Wright

Synopsis:
Teagan, a once-aspiring journalist now seeking a personal distraction, embarks on a mission to make a difference in the world. However, her venture leads her into a web of danger and intrigue when she becomes entangled in a terrorist siege in Paris. Subsequently, she's coerced by European Counterterrorism agent Robert Lexington to locate a high-priority individual named Roman. Teagan's journey across continents demands her expertise as an interviewer and investigator, all to ensure her family's survival.

Narration:
Braden Wright's narration in this inaugural book of 'The New Bad Thing' series was captivating. The pacing, action, and myriad twists kept the audiobook engaging and fast-paced from start to finish. It was an enthralling blend of conspiracy, action, and excitement that made it an outstanding listen.

Thoughts:
The story primarily revolves around Teagan, a woman in her late thirties, desperate to start a family but diverted by the unfolding events involving the terrorist group K.I.L. The narrative unfolds non-linearly, weaving together seemingly disparate events that eventually converge. Teagan's character, scarred by a past incident, exhibits an unpredictable mix of fearlessness and vulnerability, particularly regarding her desire for a child.

Review:
While the storyline eventually coalesces into a cohesive narrative, my reservations lie in my inability to connect with or believe in the major characters. Additionally, the narrative's non-linear structure, with overlapping events and timeframes, didn't resonate with my preferences for storytelling. However, the core story holds promise, leaving me contemplative about the next installment.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend 'The New Bad Thing' for its gripping narrative, though it may not suit those averse to non-chronological storytelling. The audiobook format, narrated by Braden Wright, adds depth and intensity to the thrilling storyline.

Final Thoughts:
A well-crafted thriller with a complex protagonist navigating perilous circumstances, 'The New Bad Thing' presents a compelling story set against a backdrop of terrorism and personal struggle.


Thank you Netgalley!

3.5 rounded up. Fast paced action packed story. Was fun to listen(the audiobook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley). Very well written story with complex heroine.
I liked that the story line is not truly chronological, the chapters jump back to the past and reveal interesting facts and events, which gives us hints to what is happening in the present.
I really like the character of the main heroine, Teagan, and enjoyed to follow her in her journey through the story; but I didn’t really pay attention to other major characters, they didn’t seem realistic to me.
I liked variety of the topics covered by the author: mafia, terrorism, fertility, marriage... The author put us to the edge to think how far person can go in order to survive, to save the loved ones.
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for this audio book.

Teagan Penn's character was well written. I enjoyed The New Bad Thing and can't wait for Blood Fir (book 2) to release. This was an action packed story.

Teagan is an report who gets interviews from celebrities and high ranking officials. It is how she scored an interview with Roman, an criminal who no one can access. Teagan also asks for Roman's help in raising funds to save kidnapped women and children. It is something close to her heart since she has struggled to get pregnant. Roman needs up betraying her and stealing millions from the fund. Her access to Roman leads to an Italian MAFIA forcing her to help them hunt Roman down and kill him. She is successful but it came at the expense of her husband's life (not by the MAFIA).

Thank you so much to NetGalley for letting me read this! I think I would have liked it more if it hadn't been an audiobook, because it was too confusing going back and forth in time.
The actual writing and narrator were quite enjoyable, and one of the best parts of the book was how the writer managed to make personal dramas just as important as larger dramas.
I think anyone who enjoys action will enjoy this book, and the characters were likable enough to be invested in. I will probably wait a little while and read the physical book to see if my rating goes up, because I did enjoy it.

The New Bad Thing by Michael Ebner.
Narrated by Braden Wright.
Teagan is successful in her own right but she’s not the crusader journalist she aspired to be back in college. She needs a personal distraction and decides to make a difference in the world. When a foreign news story shocks her to the core, she takes matters into her own hands and starts a special project. But not everybody will be happy about her plans. When Teagan travels to Paris to deal with a project setback, she wakes up in a luxury hotel in the middle of a terrorist siege. Or is it a planned attack on her life? 
I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. Action packed. I did like Teagan. 4*.

Needing a distraction, Teagan opens a charity but soon she's involved in something bigger than she expected and the only way to keep her and her family safe is to fight back.

This was a fast-paced novel full of danger and excitement.

I felt for the character of Teagan and you could see the domino effect happening as each event unravelled, as well as those 'what if moment' which could have happened if things had been done differently.

The narrative is told through the third person point of view giving us different angles to the storyline. I love the character of Teagan and felt her strength, although I would have preferred more of a background on the character; but I do understand that probably would have slowed the pace.

This is a great start to a series, although quite heavy in places, it's one that anyone would enjoy.

The New Bad Thing by Michael Ebner
Narrated by Braden Wright was an excellent audiobook especially as it's the first book in the new The New Bad Thing series. It had everything with lots of twists and turns that was super fast-paced throughout it was full of action, conspiracy and excitement from the beginning till the end which made it a brilliant book! I loved it!

Teagan is successful in her own right but she’s not the crusader journalist she aspired to be back in college. She needs a personal distraction and decides to make a difference in the world to help others. When a foreign news story shocks her to the core, she takes matters into her own hands and starts a special project. But not everybody will be happy about her illegally funded venture. When Teagan travels to Paris to deal with a project setback, she wakes up in a luxury hotel in the middle of a terrorist siege. Or is it a planned attack on her life?

Like other survivors from the siege, she is taken to a local police station. Routine questioning turns to intense interrogation by an American–a European Counterterrorism agent–Robert Lexington. She is the only one in custody who has seen Roman in the last ten years. Teagan is persuaded by Lexington to help locate him–a high priority person of interest–and in return she will avoid the courts and military prison back home. What follows is a challenging personal journey for Teagan across Europe and America. She must draw on her experience as a skilled interviewer, improviser and investigator to find the ghost-like Roman for her family's survival.

I highly recommend this book and looking forward to the next instalment. I loved it.

Big Thank you to Netgalley and Pen and Picture for this advanced copy in extreme for my honest and voluntary review.

In keeping with its title, New Bad Thing felt the need to keep upping the stakes with twists and reveals, peeling back layer upon layer of corruption and double dealing. An American reporter is involved in one of several coordinated attacks on Paris hotels by an ISIS-like group, but is a bit better equipped than we first assume and actually rides it out safely and take out a few terrorists, Die Hard-style.

Why does she have a gun and training? Well, as things unfold, she was actually there hunting down some mercenaries that she hired to go after the terrorists as part of a fundraising and vigilante campaign that started as a diversion from her feelings of powerlessness and frustration being unable to get pregnant.

Her interview after being rescued from the hotel attack quickly steers towards this, and the agent whisks her off to another part of Europe, insisting her husband join -- ostensibly as he also wants to track down the embezzling soldier for hire. This winds up being a trap to get the reporter to track him down for the mob, as she is somehow the only person able to track him down, and they're willing to wait out her pregnancy for her to do so.

Despite some farfetched aspects and whiplash-inducing allegiance changing, it's an interesting read full of colorful characters and situations.

First I would like to say thanks for allowing me to listen to this audiobook.
It was well written and narrated, but just wasn't for me. It did not keep my attention and I ended up not finishing it. I'm sure that it will work for some thriller lovers, just not me.

I was lucky enough to both read this book and listen to the audiobook. I wanted to hear how the story played out in addition to reading along. The narrator was good. I really enjoyed the pace at which he read. I also liked there while you could tell the difference between characters, the voices weren't too crazy.

After hearing a new story Teagan develops the urge to do something fulfilling with her life - help women in need in foreign countries. She starts a special project with the help of an investor. Things go south when the investor disappears with the money for the project. While in Paris to solve the complication, a terrorist attack occurs at Teagan's hotel. When brought in for questioning with the other survivors, Teagan quickly realizes this agent is not quite who she thought; he also has an interest in her disappeared business partner.

This was a really good listen and I enjoyed the pace of the book. I would definitely recommend this. I was lucky enough to read this for free and this is my honest review.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

Decent story with lots of action. I couldn't connect with the main character as much as I wanted to, so it fell a little flat for me but overall I liked it. The narrator was good.

Though initially I thought this would be a great crime fiction (for me), because this book appeared to be one in which I would become connected, I quickly lost interest in the overall plot of the story and could not connect to the characters.

Teagan has tried to get pregnant and have a baby for her husband, but her inability to have a baby appears to be one of the few things that she was unable to get a handle on. Her quest to save and protect women against a Middle Eastern terroist group becomes her obsession. Teagon is in a hotel room and hears gunshots ringing and discover it is the K.I.L members combing every hallway, and room killing anyone they can find, no questions asked.

Between the MC interviewing C.I.A agent to tell his exclusive story, her becoming vigilante of some sorts, an asset to an Italian crime syndicate, and trying to conceive was a bit overwhelmingly disjointed.

Though I am certain an audience that enjoys ready books that are not represented chronologically would enjoy this story, I prefer books that are laid out a little more coherently. Also, I am unsure if the author conducted enough research regarding women who are unable to conceive or become pregnant.

I give this story a 3 star rating, but would consider reading another book penned by Mr. Ebner.

Thank you Netgalley, Pen and Picture Audio, and Michael Ebner for allowing me to listen to this ALC for my honest review.

Enjoyed the story, did not like the narrator. The narrator tried to hard to say Italian words/names with an accent. The plot was good. It's a spy thriller.