DebLynn

Well-written. Want to listen to more of Druyor

Revisado: 02-14-21 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I listened to R.A. Steffan's Book 1 in this series some time ago and have not listened to bks 2 or 3. Bk 4 is easy to follow with the review of action referenced within the narrative, usually from a character POV, that included all info needed to follow the present action. Relationships have progressed in the interim as was expected.
In Book 4 I especially liked Gwendolyn Druyor’s creation of voices for each character. Especially where all characters were in a scene together and Druyor effortlessly switched, seamlessly between character voices. I admit I couldn’t identify who each character was, but dialog tags made it clear. One character had a Cajun-New Orleans accent, another a French-type accent, which from this Reviewer/Narrator’s perspective was the perfect way to create these characters from different areas of this fantasy world. Some at times speak a foreign language (translated within the context of the story for the English ear). Nix’s voice was lighter—more boy-like, waif-like, indicating he was younger than the lower registered, older voices. I was struck by the narrator’s adeptness at creating these character voices.
Storyline was interesting, kept my attention. I liked the bonding concept between the dragon and human bond-mate and how they sensed the emotions and thoughts of their bond-mates.
I’ve not listened to a lot of fantasy books. I chose this book because I’m editing the text of a fantasy book for an author. I wanted to see how Steffan--a well-known and well-respected author--dealt with some of the elements my author is dealing with in his writing. I was searching for how Steffan presents POV characters and how that plays out in the action scenes. Again Steffan carefully kept within the POV character's perspective. Frella shares that POV perspective with the four male characters.
In book 4 these men have become a part of Frella’s life, switching from one character to another’s POV in subsequent chapters--and identified by the title--the narrative continues from that person's perspective—and in their voices (kudos, again, to Gwendolyn Druyor). This clearly presented the limited knowledge of each POV character.
Nix has developed, though still tentative in his position among the other men. He proves himself within this book and through redemption, experience, and greater knowledge plays a much more significant role within the group.
Good story, well-written, kept my attention, kept me wanting to know what’s next and whether they will succeed. (Perhaps, too predictable.) I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook and freely offer this review.

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The title attracted me, text was too disjointed

Revisado: 07-29-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I've only listened to a handful of Audible Originals and have found them to be unusual offerings. This non-fiction text made me wonder what made a title qualify as an Audible Original. This one sounded like disconnected thoughts that almost talked about a subject - techniques to use as tools to take a creative approach to weight loss -- or maybe it's trying to say, one can accept their own "Unique Style of Fit" and, thus not worry about losing weight. Techniques presented all seemed valid to me and I've used them before. It's a short read/listen, so I'd recommend it if you want a quick review of some approaches you could take to make a positive plan to create your own self style and body image and uplift your own self esteem. But you'll have to figure out how to connect the dots yourself.
Narrator, Derik Hendrickson has a nice, deep voice, but his pace and delivery is stilted, as though he thought there should be a set number of seconds between each word. I tried speeding up to 1.7x, but the pauses were still distracting and made me keep thinking about the delivery, which distracted from an already difficult-to-follow text.

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So many perspectives on adopting -- full of hope

Revisado: 07-29-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Sensitively voiced by Melissa Schwairy and nicely paced, her tone and subtle character changes are just right.
The stories of so many people who turned to adoption to create their families are touching, sometimes heart breaking, and always hopeful. For anyone who's considered adopting, but not yet taken the step, this is the book that will show you the possibilities. It also has voices of some who did not embrace adoption as such a positive thing. It is a well-rounded, spirit-filled approach to seeing the value and positive choices made by mothers who want the best for their babies whom they love. This shows adopted children were not unwanted or discarded. A great, fresh look at a deeply personal event for every person involved in an adoption.

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Must read for everyone who has suffered trauma

Revisado: 07-21-20

This is a powerful book that offers history, explanation, and researched and tested treatment for trauma sufferers -- vets with PTSD as well as survivors of sexual abuse as children – or traumatic abuse of various kinds throughout life, as well as trauma from vehicle accidents. Kolk traces the developing definition of PTSD from before it was named and even references its prevalence in Greek dramas.
The Body Keeps the Score has helped me understand what my son, a PTSD vet, is living through and why he cannot manage his behavior/responses when memories arise as I might expect he ought to be able to do – as I knew he could growing up.
Sean Pratt, ably voices the text. I listened at 1.6x speed and clearly understood every word. The second listen was at 2x.
The most hopeful section was Part 5: Paths to Recovery. The presentation and the information were amazing, well supported with research and personal examples from Kolk’s practice and research projects as well as knowledge and research into treatments by several different people in various fields: yoga, drama, and fairly “new” approaches (for example, EMDR: eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) to help trauma sufferers access where in their bodies the memories reside, to discover what other experiences they are connected to, and to integrate them and release the power such memories possess to high jack the person when least expected. Patients become able to see the events that have interrupted sleep and daily activities, often with uncontrollable rage, as events in the past. They become able to separate those fragmented images from the events of their present lives in which they are firmly grounded.
I highly recommend The Body Keeps the Score for PTSD or other trauma sufferers, for family and friends of those living with trauma, especially for counselors and practitioners, and for teachers. Reading this revealed to me why I could not reach some students in the classroom, no matter how I tried to present course material in a way they could access. There are so many people suffering from trauma – so many more than we ever realized for too many years. They can’t learn academics until they can see the past as past so it loses its power over them, and they can see the present as what they deal with now. And they can develop a vision of a hopeful future.

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Revealing history of 1890's female teacher's life

Revisado: 07-21-20

The story is what you’d expect of a settlement town of 1890’s between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Except for the "Rules for Teachers" which were more than an eye-opener. The double standard – male teachers could court and marry, but not female teachers who had to quit teaching if they married. But the school board who established these rules seemed bent on keeping the females under lock and key and the watchful eye of clergy and the sheriff’s office, as well as the high standing members of society. Garnet’s teacher’s heart rings true: sacrificing to meet the physical, emotional, societal and economic needs of her students as well as their educational needs.
The text, a long short story, has little time to develop psychological needs of the main characters, though they are revealed as the back stories come out.
The narrator voices the characters well, with sensitivity. However, since the romance progresses quickly at one point, I wished for more emotional nuance and slower, contemplative pacing, to let the depth of meaning of the words and the vulnerability of the characters be more real – not so matter-of-fact and inevitable. Grists’s writing could have included more character depth, especially at that point.
I listened twice, and the second time, especially appreciated the Rules for Teachers organization around which each chapter was hung. I recommend for a quick listen, that incorporates the quirkiness of children and their impact on all of our lives.
I received a free copy of this audiobook, and am pleased to submit this honest review.

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Good lessons, modern lifestyle

Revisado: 06-18-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Compassionate Minds by Nicole Higginbotham-Hogue. Narrated by Christy Sassman
I received a free copy and willingly offer this honest review.
I found the author’s writing to be repetitive and “lesson teaching” rather than subtle and nuanced while it presented some very important concepts for modern living in complicated relationships.
Christy Sassman’s narration was consistent with the various voices. I didn’t care for the sound of the main character’s voice which was too deep-throated and stilted, lacking emotional nuances. Some of that could have been due to the text and inadequate depth of character development.
I’m glad I listened and recommend Compassionate Minds for those who need to look at humans in alternate lifestyles, and to learn to be compassionate toward people who, like most of us, have lived through life-altering experiences that compel their actions.

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Fascinating, intricate, ancient spiritual text

Revisado: 03-31-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

These are fascinating books for those familiar with the Christian Biblical texts and probably with Jewish or Islamic texts, but since I don’t know the latter two, I’ll only comment on the connection with the Christian Bible. The text and its Notes clearly point out similarities and many connections with canonical texts. I recommend these to someone who studies Biblical texts and are very familiar with them. Since either these texts or their sources obviously influenced the writers of the Bible, they are informative. It also was obvious to me why these would not have been acceptable to the church fathers who decided upon the Canon. If as a Christian I had to incorporate an understanding of these texts into my faith, that would be complicated and very difficult. Still it is interesting to see how Evil is described as being established on the earth, to hear an explanation of why there were giants, to be told of God’s displeasure with the “fallen angels” who became evil spirits, yet he allowed them to exist on the earth and draw humans into evil.

That being said, these are not books that would interest someone who is not familiar with, nor interested in, Biblical texts because they are mystic in nature and repetitive and full of almost impossible to pronounce names of human characters and of angels. For his smooth rendition of these hundreds of names (though sometimes different than what I grew up calling these characters), I commend the narrator Dennis Logan.

However, I was often distracted by Logan’s mispronunciation of common words, for example: prophesy or prophesied, Yea (as in “yea or nay”) pronounced as though it were yeah, quiescence, back and froth (instead of forth). These were mostly found in c 48A, but there were too many throughout the entire text.
Also, I disliked the too common repetition of phrases to improve the inflection or emphasis, but the first reading was not edited out. Proofing should have found and removed those repetitions.
The punching of words, and gaps between too-short phrases, made a staccato or percussive effect through the entire 17+ hours. It was easier to listen to the delivery at 1.5x speed or faster, in fact, 1.0 speed obviously was slowed down from the actual speed when recording. I don’t understand why that would be done.
The echo effect put me off at first, but as I realized it was used for titles and notes and parentheses, it was helpful to understand the text while listening, not able to see those textual elements. I wished it had less extension of the echo, which seemed inappropriate – didn’t fit with the nature of this scholarly translation of historical texts.

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esto le resultó útil a 43 personas

Fun references, not always plausible story-line

Revisado: 01-31-20

Space travel prevails throughout. Interesting re-writing of history and the disappearance of popular musical icons we cherish today due to the intervention by story characters, "Irreverent" of the title rings true by putting new words in Jesus' mouth and missing most of his true message - as though the errors in religions belonged to Jesus rather than to his corrupted and corrupting followers through the centuries. Still the story line keeps the listener's attention and the frequent references to musical greats of my life time keep me smiling.
Narrator Michael Fell vocally distinguished the characters well even listening at 1.25x speed.
I received a free copy and have offered this honest review.

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Pleasant, audible guidance to fall to sleep

Revisado: 01-31-20

Useful techniques described to breathe and relax the body so sleep will ensue. Easy-to-listen-to narrator Rachelle Stone. Three different background effects were nice to be able to choose between for each session. I recommend to ones who have difficulty falling asleep - that might be after waking in the middle of the night - my issue. After repeated use, techniques can become habitual in a great way.
I received a free copy of this book and have freely offered this honest review.

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Fun, active young woman's coming of age

Revisado: 01-31-20

To escape domineering uncle guardian, Ms. Feit escapes from her inherited Art Museum in Washington, DC to Bayou Bend, Louisiana to study Art and find herself. Her relationships with friends, co-workers at the Gumbeaux restaurant and with her professor keep the reader intrigued. Her flighty relationship with the "star" ends too abruptly when he moves to California to become a star there. His return later is plausible but their re-connection seems like too much of a leap for this reader. Feit's characterization when she tries to convince the professor to stay with her was also not believable for this reader - seemed out of character for most of what she had done in human connections throughout the book.
Narrator Appelusa McGlynn does well with subtle voice changes for characters. Sometimes an accent gradually appears; occasionally I struggled to determine who was speaking. I noticed several mispronunciations.

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