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Showing posts with label Tavia Gilbert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tavia Gilbert. Show all posts

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Audible Book Review: 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life by Cami Gilbert

This is very well done and inspiring. It was a nice listen for Thanksgiving week!
29 Gifts
How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life
By: Cami Walker
Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
29 Gifts audiobook cover art
Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 11-20-09
Language: English
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Inspirational, Memoir, Multiple Sclerosis
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0


Publisher's Summary
At age 35, Cami Walker was burdened by a battle with multiple sclerosis, a chronic neurological condition that made it difficult for her to walk, work, or enjoy her life. Seeking a remedy for her depression after being hospitalized, she received an uncommon prescription from an African medicine woman: give to others for 29 days.
29 Gifts is the insightful story of the author's life change as she embraces and reflects on the naturally reciprocal process of giving and receiving. Many of Walker's gifts were simple - a phone call, spare change, a Kleenex. Yet the acts were transformative. By day 29, not only had Walker's health and happiness improved, but she had created a worldwide giving movement.
The book also includes personal essays from others whose lives changed for the better by giving, plus pages for the reader to record their own journey. More than a memoir, 29 Gifts offers inspiring lessons on how a simple daily practice of altruism can dramatically alter your outlook on the world.
©2009 Brightside Communications, Inc. (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.


Review:
This memoir/inspirational work started out rather difficult to read (listen to). Cami, the author, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and at age 35 she was struggling with fatigue, weakness, consistent pain and severe depression. This impacted her life as well as tired out her caregivers, her husband and mother.

Cami met with an African healing woman for massage and mental therapy. This friend (she was more than a healer) shared the unique prescription of spending 29 days in a row giving gifts to others. Cami’s friend explained that the gifts did not have to be big or expensive but did have to be given with meaning and intent. The purpose was to focus on giving but it had a surprising effect on opening Cami to receiving gifts too. Cami was so impressed with the changes in her life that she established a blog to share the story and prescription with others.

Cami does a good job sharing her 29 Gift experience with honesty and charm. The change in her attitude was a relief and pleasure to listen to. I can appreciate the difficulties for the caregivers as I experienced some of the meanspirited elements when my husband was on medication recovering from his heart valve operation. (You would think the patient would show more sorrow for bad behaviors and gratitude for the care, but they don't seem to recognize that.) The end of this audio includes short descriptions from others who shared on the blog/webpage. Since I am a strong Christ follower, I wasn't totally comfortable with some the occult 'dabblings' the author shares.

I like to think I have a pretty giving nature to begin with. I am not sure I will do the 29 day exercise, but this has made me more mindful to give unexpected gifts to friends and strangers. I love the idea of unexpected kindnesses! I would certainly recommend this to anyone who is suffering with stress and depression as I do think it would help turn the focus to more positive ground.

Audio Notes: Tavia Gilbert did a fine job with the narration. She captured the distress in the beginning and the relief as the journey progressed. I didn't realize that I had just listened to a fiction title by Tavia (Zoe's Tale) until I started to include my audio notes here. The works are totally different but she did well on both of them. I am glad that I picked this up at a bargain price and I enjoyed the listen.

Source: June 2017 Audible Daily Deal $1.95. This qualifies for 2018TBR and Audiobook Challenge.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Audio Book Review: Pack: A Paranormal Romance Novelette by Jeaniene Frost

This is an entertaining, quick paranormal romance.
Pack: A Paranormal Romance Novelette
Written by: Jeaniene Frost
Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
Length: 1 hr and 36 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:02-23-16
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Genre: Paranormal, Paranormal Romance
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0


Publisher's Summary
Lost in the woods...
Marlee Peters is tired of putting her dreams on hold. So when her friends can't continue on a long-anticipated hike through Yellowstone National Park, she goes on without them. But Marlee isn't alone in the woods: She is being hunted by a pack of frighteningly intelligent wolves. When a fight for survival takes an impossible turn, Marlee realizes that the enigmatic stranger who saves her might be her dream come true - or her waking nightmare.
Big, bad wolf...
As the pack's enforcer, Daniel has sworn to keep the existence of werewolves a secret. He knows that Marlee's bites may change her life in a way she can't imagine, but if they don't, he can't let her tell others about his race. Yet Marlee is awakening Daniel's most primal urges, and soon neither one of them will be able to resist the call of the wild.
©2016 Jeaniene Frost (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.


Review:
Marlee recently broke up with her boyfriend but wouldn’t let that stop her long awaited hike through Yellowstone National Park. Even when her two friends abandon the trip she continues. She loses her way and finds herself being hunted by a pack of wolves. Not just any feral wolves, but wolves who seem to talk. As she is falling beneath a brutal animal a naked man arrives and calls the wolves off.

Daniel is the pack’s enforcer keeping the existence of werewolves secret from the general public. He also has to keep the pack from violating their rules which include not attacking innocents. The pack live quietly, for the most part, in their own community. There is a small group who resent being hunted by humans and have decided they should hunt the humans instead.

Marlee was bitten during the attack so Daniel must watch her to determine if she will turn. She may have to stay with him for several weeks before they can be sure. The romance developed quickly and had strong sensuality without going over-the-top on sex. I do like shifter characters more than vampires I think. This is a ‘nice’ novella to start the series. Although not as steamy as some of her work, fans of Frost may want to read this to start the new series.

Audio Notes: I was initially distracted by the narration by Tavia Gilbert which portrays the female lead in speedy, panicky, shrill mode. I did become absorbed in the story which allowed the narration to be less annoying.

I received this audio from the publisher through Audiobook Jukebox. It qualifies for my Audio Challenge and "P" on Alphabet Soup.

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