Ghost Gifts

A Ghost Gifts Novel, Book 1

By: Laura Spinella

Narrated by: Nicol Zanzarella

Winner, 2017 APA Audie Awards - Paranormal

All Aubrey Ellis wants is a normal life, one that doesn't include desperate pleas from the dead. Her remarkable gift may help others rest in peace, but it also made for an unsettling childhood and destroyed her marriage. Finally content as the real estate writer for a local newspaper, Aubrey keeps her extraordinary ability hidden - until she is unexpectedly assigned the story of a decades-old murder.

Rocked by the discovery of a young woman's skeletal remains, the New England town of Surrey wants answers. Hard-nosed investigative reporter Levi St John is determined to get them. Aubrey has no choice but to get involved, even at the terrifying risk of stirring spirits connected to a dead woman's demise and piquing her new reporting partner's suspicions.

As Aubrey and Levi delve further into the mystery, secrets are revealed and passion ignites. It seems that Aubrey's ghost gifts are poised to deliver everything but a normal life.

©2016 Laura Spinella (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

excellent, different, more please

I love the fresh look on this concept.
I want more. another case for Audrey
!

Kept me interested

Where does Ghost Gifts rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I thought the story line moved along quickly and I enjoyed listening to it. the narration was good also.

Well written story.

Would you listen to Ghost Gifts again? Why?

Yes, absolutely. The story is put together well and the characters are realistic and distinctive.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Ghost Gifts?

When Aubrey saw the boy ghost at the house she was showing.

Have you listened to any of Nicol Zanzarella’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but it was very good.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No.

Any additional comments?

No.

Poorly Written

I gave this book three stars only because the story itself was okay. But this was so poorly written with so many beginner writing mistakes that I was surprised it actually won an award.
Another reviewer mentioned Aubrey's name being used numerous times. That drove me nuts. Even when the character was in a scene by herself, the author continued to use her name as if the reader might forget who's there.
Also, numerous times there were those disembodied body parts like: "Eyes drifted" or "Arms flayed" or "Hands waved in the air".
And lines like this: "Her probe into Levi's life halted the one into her finger." Gulp.
Or this: "...continuing with weighty facts before her bottom could make contact with the chair." Eyes rolling.
And don't get me started on the breathy narration.

Good read, fantastic narration

This was a pleasent read, nicely written.
I actually liked that it wasn't horror, the story was focused more on the interior struggles of the protagonist.
I liked that the background of the characters was unveiled gradually, but not excessively.
What I liked a bit less was that it was a bit predictable at times.

All in all it's a story worth reading, but I would strongly recommend listening to it, because I think the narrator did a fantastic job with this book and added a lot of value to the story.