Heartborn
Heartborn, #1
by Terry Maggert
Narrator: Julia Whelan
Length: 6 hours 20 minutes
Release date: October 3rd 2016
Publisher: Terry Maggert⎮2016
Genre: Fantasy
The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . HEARTBORN (Heartborn, #1) . . . Falling the journey of Livvy and Keiron as they sought the truth of her heart, his need to save her, his power to save her and the depth of someone to love and die for another.
A being of love, light, power, strength, purity, yet capable of violence, deception, lies. How do these things work together? How do they not tear a soul apart? Keiron was of the heavenly realm. He was more than should have every graced the Earth below. Until the day he stumbled in to a world where there was something more. Some one more, Livvy.
This read for me was more than just about the angels or their struggle. This read gave me a look at a girl and a boy (man) and their relationship on a level so pure, sweet, innocent, and real. There was the story of pure love, total sacrifice, and beauty of life and living.
The emotions evoked were real and heartfelt. The pacing was just right. The sweetness of it all made for a read that could be shared and discussed with family. This was a fantastical tale of love, sacrifice, innocence, and beautiful relationships built on friendship.
Narrative Review of . . . HEARTBORN (Heartborn, #1) . . . The cadence of this read was more and different than I was expecting. The cadence of the narrator kept pace with the way that I had read the book the first time. It was precise. I found the audio quality to be clear and crisp. I found not repetitions or lag times. I found that Julia made the read feel more real. I could feel the emotions of it more. I found my imagination become more sparked with imagery. I loved that when changing the speed of the narration the quality was still there and the impact of her voice still resonated through.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Terry Maggert. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
BLURB
Her guardian angel was pushed.
Keiron was never meant to be anything other than a hero. Born high above in a place of war and deception, he is Heartborn, a being of purity and goodness in a place where violence and deceit are just around every corner.
His disappearance will spark a war he cannot see, for Keiron has pierced the light of days to save a girl he has never met, for reasons he cannot understand. Livvy Foster is seventeen, brave, and broken. With half a heart, she bears the scars of a lifetime of pain and little hope of survival.
Until Keiron arrives.
In the middle of a brewing war and Livvy’s failing heart, Keiron will risk everything for Livvy, because a Heartborn’s life can only end in one way: Sacrifice.
Fall with Livvy and Keiron as they seek the truth about her heart, and his power, and what it means to love someone who will give their very life to save you.
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Top 10 Critics that Helped Move Your Work Further
The best kinds of criticism (for me) have one or more of the following elements:
1. Is it honest?
2. Did the reader really dig into my book? Sometimes I’ll learn things about my OWN BOOK; that’s how thorough people can be. It’s thrilling to see it through their eyes.
3. Why did they dislike something? Often, I can learn about my own tendencies this way. It makes be look at that part of the book from a different angle.
4. Why did they like something, and was their too much of it? Sometimes, writers overdo a theme.
5. Did the language sound right? Does my seventeen year old character sound real, or does she sound like me? (That would be bad. I was seventeen a long time ago. Heh.)
6. Did they understand the hints? I leave Easter Eggs through every book. How many did they find, and how easy were they to put together? I want a balance.
7. Did they hate my villain?
8. Did they understand why the villain was bad? Sometimes, villains are more complicated than simply being opposed to the hero.
9. Did they laugh? This is the second most important thing for me. I want them to feel the joy and laughter that I feel from my characters.
10. Did they cry? This is the most important. I cry every single time I write a book. Sometimes, I see where the book is going and ask myself if I really want to do this. If I’m not upset, or happy, or angry, then the reader won’t be. That’s writing in three dimensions, for me. Yes, it’s on a page, but there should be a storm of emotion there-- because that’s what I’m feeling when I write it down. I want my readers to feel the wind and the rain and the sun when it finally breaks through. If they do, I know I”m doing the right thing.
Author Info
Born in 1968, I discovered fishing shortly after walking, a boon, considering I lived in South Florida. After a brief move to Kentucky, my family trekked back to the Sunshine State. I had the good fortune to attend high school in idyllic upstate New York, where I learned about a mythical substance known as “Seasons”. After two or three failed attempts at college, I bought a bar. That was fun because I love beer, but, then, I eventually met someone smarter than me (a common event), and, in this case, she married me and convinced me to go back to school–which I did, with enthusiasm. I earned a Master’s Degree in History and rediscovered my love for writing. My novels explore dark fantasy, immortality, and the nature of love as we know it. I live near Nashville, Tennessee, with the aforementioned wife, son, and herd, and, when I’m not writing, I teach history, grow wildly enthusiastic tomato plants, and restore my 1967 Mustang.
Author Info
Born in 1968, I discovered fishing shortly after walking, a boon, considering I lived in South Florida. After a brief move to Kentucky, my family trekked back to the Sunshine State. I had the good fortune to attend high school in idyllic upstate New York, where I learned about a mythical substance known as “Seasons”. After two or three failed attempts at college, I bought a bar. That was fun because I love beer, but, then, I eventually met someone smarter than me (a common event), and, in this case, she married me and convinced me to go back to school–which I did, with enthusiasm. I earned a Master’s Degree in History and rediscovered my love for writing. My novels explore dark fantasy, immortality, and the nature of love as we know it. I live near Nashville, Tennessee, with the aforementioned wife, son, and herd, and, when I’m not writing, I teach history, grow wildly enthusiastic tomato plants, and restore my 1967 Mustang.
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Narrator Info
Julia Whelan is an actor, writer, and audiobook narrator. She is perhaps most well known for her acting work on ABC’s Once and Again and her award-winning narration of over 200 audiobooks (including Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl). Her debut novel is forthcoming.
After a healthy career as a child actor, Whelan attended Middlebury College and Oxford University, graduating with a degree in English and Creative Writing.
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