Kistishi Island

By: Jordan Elizabeth

Narrated by: Laura Larson

Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Serena Cole can kick serious butt, thanks to young women only she can see. School bullies aren’t a problem, but Serena’s mental health might be. To shield Serena from a dark secret, her family tries to convince her that her friends are imaginary.

Fleeing her distrustful aunt, Serena joins her mother on an archaeological dig at Kistishi Island. There, Serena discovers an ancient scroll and realizes her invisible friends are goddesses native to the island, and they are in danger of enslavement for their abilities.

Only Serena can save her friends if she can discover the past her family has hidden her entire life - the reason why only she can see the goddesses.

©2020 Jordan Elizabeth Hallak (P)2020 Jordan Elizabeth Hallak

Great premise..

I really enjoyed the story once it got into the meat of it. It starts off slow and could have built more into the beginning going into the “meat” of it. I wish this would have been a trilogy with the action and story telling of the last 1/2. Overall I did really enjoy it and hope there will be a continuation.
I was provided a free copy for my unbiased opinion.

It's hard to rate this one...

This is the third book by Ms Jordan Elizabeth I listened to (the other two being 'Rogue Crystal' and 'Victorian') and they all seem to share the same weakness - they are uneven when it comes to the pace and the logic of the plots... Or is it that maybe I'm just a bit too old for them and that's why some of the reactions or choices the main characters (who are teenage girls usually) make seem improbable and a bit unbelievable to me...? And yet, surprisingly, I've found them all quite entertaining anyway, in spite of their imperfections, because in all of them the 'let's uncover the secret' part has been quite engaging:)

There are some really great ideas in 'Kistishi Island', like the whole 'now you see them, now you don't' thing about the goddesses:) I also liked some of the dialogues, some of the humour in the book and some of the side characters. I'm not so sure about Serena, however - there were moments when she really did irritate me; her behaviour was erratic, reckless, impulsive... yes, she's a kid, really, under pressure, feeling desperate, but still... Would you purposefully look for a mafia boss just to ask him the way to an archaeological dig because MAYBE he knows it? That's the kind of illogical reactions that happen quite often throughout the book.

And yet, as I said, on the whole it's quite an entertaining listen, just don't think too much about what you're listening to - the emotional part is pretty well done:)

The interpretation by Ms Larson is very good, with voices in most cases well matching the characters' personalities and the narration itself well paced.

DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

An entertaining listen

Serena is a teenage girl dealing with an absentee mother, and aunt who doesn’t believe her, “imaginary” friends, and school bullies. Quite a lot for one person to deal with. When she decides to run off and find her mother, she ends up uncovering a most fantastical secret, and things will never be the same again.

Jordan Elizabeth did a great job of pulling me into this story. The unraveling of the secret kept me engaged and I was quite satisfied with the outcome.

Laura Larson’s performance was well done. Her portrayal of the characters and pacing made for a very enjoyable and entertaining listen.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

very good

Loved it !! this story. the narrator is so fantastic it's like your really there!! good overall

Great YA

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

This was a pretty good YA novel. I like that there were different "gods" compared to the usual Greek Mythology. I did find that Serena was a bit naïve and made quite a few decisions that had me wondering at the logic behind it.

The ending was rather predictable but it was a good ending and I love happy endings.

Overall, it was a good listen and I loved the narrator's performance. The accents must have been very hard to get but they were nailed bang on!

Great Teen Adventure

Serena's best and only friends are imaginary. Or so it would seem, as she is the only one who can see or hear them. Due to this, her aunt (whom she lives with) worries that she needs mental help. Even Serena begins to question her sanity. Speaking to her "friends" has left Serena alienated by her peers to the extent that many bully her (although not without impressive push back from Serena, who is anything but spineless).

Adding to Serena's feelings of loneliness and isolation, her father died before her birth and her mother (an archaeologist) travels extensively, leaving Serena in the care of her aunt. Serena finally hits a breaking point and sets off on a journey in search of where she believes her mother is; Kistishi Island.

She arrives only to find that NO ONE wants her there. I don't want to add any spoilers beyond this point. You, the reader, need to unravel the mystery along with Serena.

The book was exciting, eventful and filled with extremely interesting characters. I would label it young adult or teen, however I'm sure many adults would love reading it.

❤️❤️❤️love this story❤️❤️❤️

This is an amazing well written story! So creative in the way the author combined every day human life with those of the gods. Serena is an interesting character, as a 16 year old her 4 best friends are imaginary and she doesn’t even care! This story is a wild fantasy with such vivid detail I felt like I was there with her. I really hope there will be a sequel now that Serena’s questions have been answered

The narration was perfect! I thought she did an excellent job