Audio Book Review: Glistens

Glistens

By:  Chess Desalls

Publish Date:  July 11, 2016, Audiobook Release August 16, 2016

Format:  Audiobook - 2 hrs 8 mins
Narrated By:  Julie Hinton

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  Stand alone

First Impression:  A story for the young, how helping others makes a difference.

Synopsis:
Marian Spritz won’t gain guardian fairy status if she fails her summer school project. But when she hears a call for help—a song felt only by Glistens—she must choose between not letting her schoolwork and teammates suffer and protecting a ward who faces grave danger.

A guardian can't shine without the song of her ward.

First Sentence:
"You, Marian Spritz, are the poorest excuse for a Glisten I have ever seen.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review at my request.

Marian Spritz is in summer school due to poor grades, and still struggling with spells with her best friend Sal and Endrik, the handsome boy, seems to like Marian where Minx, the mean girl, is jealous of their flirting. Along with their Last Chance Project, helping a fictional ward, they will also have to help a real live being. Should something happen, they are to use their group to help them. Twelve students now have their projects, due in three weeks. The song for help sings through a Glistens veins, when the veil is lifted which their professor does. When Marian's ward asks her to keep her troubles a secret, and ward to guardian secret, it complicates Marian's school project as she's to work with Sal and Endrik to finish, and now can't.


Julie is a new voice for me. And listening to her in the first chapter, I liked her. She does different attitudes with slight voice differences for us to easily separate and get a feel for the characters. This is something that really pops with audiobooks, we don't get when reading. But I think there is a slight ting to Julie's voice, almost an echo. It's hard to tell and could be nothing, or could fit with the fairy feel. For the most part, Julie flows the words as she narrates. However there are moments where she feels as she's working to enunciate the words properly and clearly.


This is a short story at just over 2 hours audio. It feels like a lovely little story for young adults, in middle school and up, to read/listen to. It brings to the front that promises are made and you honor them, but it's also good to talk to others. That others can help. Sometimes, working as a group is better than alone. And, sometimes, helping those that are not so nice means a great deal to them.

I like Marian. She worries and feels bad, but she's also not perfect. Her attention strays when in class, causing her to miss information from class and such. But this feels like a normal person. But when she learns she's got a ward, she does worry about that person, even if it's someone she never expected.

Enrik is the possible boy distraction, love interest, in this story. He sounds sweet. He's also concerned for Marian when he sees her during her moments that she feels the song. Marian is determined to not let him be a distraction, I like this take on her relationship with Enrik.

Sal is so worried. She comes across as whiny at times, but that's her personality. She's so stressed over the great chance of failing this summer course and never becoming a Glisten. She's so worried that she doesn't want Enrik and Marian to become romantically involved as it would be a distraction from their projects, and they'll fail. And much on her mind with her father's disappearance.

One thing I find cool, it's near my home town! They are in Pennsylvania and near the Allegheny River. Pittsburgh is even mentioned. Cool beans!

It was a cute short story.



**If you find my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!