Audiobook12 hours
Loreena's Gift
Written by Colleen M. Story
Narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Loreena Picket is a young blind woman with a gift. In the rare moments when she's not wearing her gloves, if she takes your hand, she travels with you to your own personal afterlife. Loreena will return -- you won't. Loreena's minister uncle says her power is a gift from God, and together they help terminally ill people die peacefully. Still, Loreena is conflicted, because she's seen the afterlife, and it's nothing like her uncle says it is. This uneasy peace is shattered when one night, Loreena must take a life to save her wayward brother. This act draws her unwillingly into a seedy world of crime, and she must learn to survive being kidnapped, confined, and used for her power. And, ultimately, she must discover whether her true nature is that of an angel of mercy or an assassin.
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Reviews for Loreena's Gift
Rating: 4.6500001 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
10 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loreena was a great leading lady...so unexpected and refreshing. I found her warming my heart with her innocence and bringing a smile to my face with every hesitant step she took towards finding not only her family but herself. Dominic was a welcome distraction to her otherwise sheltered existence (and not hard on the eyes either!) and gave her the first real reason, the first excuse for her to step outside her personal box. Once that first step was taken, there was no turning back and the events that follow wouldn't even allow her if she tried.
I was an emotional rollercoaster while between the pages because honestly, there is so much going on, so much to care or worry about, that you can't help but be anything else. From the moment we learn of Loreena's gift to the first time we experience it in a controlled environment, from the impact it has on her every moment to seeing it released without restraint, it was a lot to take in. I was utterly heartbroken for some of the characters because they truly did not deserve their fate, but there were others that I was elated to be right about. There's just so many emotions jumping right off the page, it's hard to read and not be affected by it.
In the end, it was an amazing and surprising story. Though there are many characters to choose a favorite from, mine would have to be Loreena, hands down. The way she looks at the world, even without actual sight. The way she keeps pushing forward even when all she wants to do is give up because what little hope she had died somewhere along the way. It truly was a great story that I would recommend to adult Fiction readers (due to some content and concepts) without hesitation because there's a little something for everyone while serving as a great reminder to do the best with what we are given, live life with a true heart, and NEVER GIVE UP.
**review copy received in exchange for my honest review... full post can be seen on my site** - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loreena had lost both parents - a father she remembers very little about & a mother who was an angel but died in a tragic car accident involving nine year old Loreena and eleven year old Saul. Saul escaped with a few lacerations and bruises. Loreena became permanently blind. It was several years later the painful discovery was revealed that the blindness was accompanied by a "gift".Their Uncle Don - a single minister - took them in, loved and raised them the best he could, and became their "father figure". Adventurous Saul often got into trouble and, at the end of his high school years, had a strong disagreement with his uncle and left home to "sew his wild oats". Unfortunately, that led him into an undesirable crowd.Loreena's Uncle Don resolved her "gift" had to come from God so tried to find ways to use it for the good of mankind. However, he insisted they keep it a secret between just them.Saul had been Loreena's eyes for years. He was very protective of her and dragged her with him while he described their surroundings in detail. Through him she enjoyed sunrises, sunsets, weather and seasonal changes, plus, descriptions of events and people's appearances. Without him, she felt very lonely.Although blind, she played the cello and piano for church. She was very adept in doing things by feel and was very self sufficient. She only used her cane in unfamiliar places or on uneven ground.After using her "gift" at the house of an acquaintance of her uncle, her brother and the daughter of this acquaintance showed up together. The daughter was distraught but she shared a moment with her brother - gone for three years - and planned to meet him on the weekend for a date with him. As the night of the date arrived, she was disappointed to find his new girlfriend was there also.The evening turned into a disaster! From this point on, Loreena's life turned "upside down" and her brother went missing. oud she ever find him?...If she did, would he be alive? Would she ever escape this nightmare?The adventures and action steadily move along as Loreena desperately searches for her brother and is forced into despicable situations. The reader will experience emotions of endearment, empathy, anger, frustration, shock, and joy - not I that order. As the reader feels he/she knows what will come next, a twist in the plot is made and the reader is left guessing again.The Book Cover is passable, but may not catch the "browser's eye". The Title is a great fit. The characters are described well and easily visualized. The situations and background scenery is portrayed well. There is a steady "flow" in literary content and the story line is somewhat unique.^Reader beware, there is some profanity and a sexual situation.I offer this book a Four and a Half Stars rating.I received this book as a gift but am in no way obligated to give a positive review. This is my honest review.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is a story about a girl with a special talent. She gets into quite a few bad things. She finds out what her brother gets into. If she can ever get him out? She loves her brother so much that she does something to save him.She's then pulled into a sinner kind of a life. In the process, she may have found her love of her life. Tough to survive, she got to do something that is within her power and a secret.Can she save her brother and herself or will she die as well? Her life in the afterlife is different than when she's out of the afterlife.The author does get your attention and pulls you in. Have ever been wondering what it's like in your afterlife? You can see what it's like by reading this. Is it different for each living person? That is still not answered for it really could be.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I am in awe that this is author, Colleen Story's debut novel. The characters were so developed and the storyline was strong. I did enjoy reading this book a lot, except for the brief rape scene. My heart just went out for Loreena when this happened. I could feel her pain...emotionally and physically. Despite Loreena being blind, she did not let this hinder her in any way. In fact, I thought that the story was stronger for this fact. It was like I could experience everything through her on a different level then just by sight. The story did take a dark turn quickly from Loreena helping people wit her Uncle to the shady, evil world of drugs and greed. Although Loreena's brother, Saul was not very emotional and may not have expressed his love for Loreena, I did still see his love for his sister as the big brother. I look forward to seeing what this author comes out with next.