No Higher Ground by Nicole Brooks @nicolebrooksauthor @cassandracampbell @librofm @libro.fm @blackstonepublishing @blackstonepub.bsky.social #BookSky #NoHigherGround

the setup…
It’s called the 100 years flood in Calgary and residents have received the final warning to evacuate. Raven is racing to get her stepmother Joan from the valley that is destined to soon be flooded. Her two children, fifteen-year old Lucas and nine-year old daughter Emerson are in the car with her, along with Betty, her chihuahua but she makes the split-second decision to try anyway. Joan makes the rescue difficult and they run out of time, forced to take sanctuary on the rooftop as the floodgates open and surge, destroying all in its path. But that’s not the only thing they’ve opened…memories Raven’s repressed all of her life begin to flood her mind.

the heart of the story…
Raven is a scientist who certainly knew better but her rash choices start to make more sense over time, at least the why. The rising waters were terrifying, described in such a way I felt like I was on that rooftop waiting for rescue. My nerves reached a breaking point during those six hours as the peril increased. Raven’s memories came back to her, questioning her devotion to Joan, the only mother she knew. Who will survive?

the narration…
Cassandra Campbell has long been a favorite and her storytelling skills were superb. She magnified the tension and gave pitch perfect voice to Raven and Joan.

the bottom line…
I’ve long respected and feared the power of water but this raised it to new heights. Despite the story feeling protracted at times, it felt appropriate as Raven’s lifelong memories slowly became clear, battling with the made up ones as she struggled to settle on which was the reality. A powerful lesson to not mess with Mother Nature.

Book Info

• Release Date: October 13, 2026
• Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
• Audio Length: 9 hours, 6 minutes
• Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

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(Thanks to Libro.fm and Blackstone Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)