Riven

My Myth Trilogy, Volume 1

By: Jane Alvey Harris

Narrated by: Jane Alvey Harris

Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Non-explicit trigger warning for childhood abuse including molestation.
 

Which reality would you choose? Seventeen-year-old Emily's dad is in prison for securities fraud and her mom's strung-out on pain meds, leaving Emily to parent herself and her younger brothers and sister. She's got things mostly under control until a couple weeks before Dad's release, when voices start whispering in her head, and Gabe, the hot lifeguard at the pool, notices the strange brands engraved on her arm...the ones she's trying desperately to hide. Emily doesn't know how the symbols got there or what they mean. They appeared overnight and now they're infected and bleeding. She's pretty sure she's losing her mind. Stress, insomnia, and her wounded egos drive Emily to self-medicate, which has to be why the nightmares from her childhood have resurfaced, why they're commandeering her conscious even when she's awake. It has to be why the fairytale creatures she created as a little girl insist they need her help.
 

Triggered by the return of her childhood abuser and unable to cope with reality, Emily slips completely inside her elaborate fantasy world. She's powerful in the First Realm, maybe even more powerful than her attacker. It would be so easy to stay there, to lose herself in enchantment...to lose herself in love. But something sinister lurks in the forest shadows. Emily soon discovers her demons have followed her inside her fairytale. They're hunting her. With the help of the Fae, she frantically searches for the weapons she needs to defeat her greatest fears and escape back to reality before the man who tortured her can prey on her younger brothers and sister, too. Time is running out....

©2016 Jane Alvey Harris (P)2017 Jane Alvey Harris

Captivating

I had forgotten what the summary was before I started reading the book so this was an interesting journey. I couldn't put it down. I was asking myself the entire time "maybe the fae are real?" As we progress through the story we see the protagonist slip further into the fae world as she's trying to cope with the outside world. Overall I'm happy I read this - I picked it out and was given a code in exchange for my honest review.

A tale of fairy’s, boys, responsibility, and abuse

Riven brings you into the mind of Emily, a teenage girl who is trying to hold her family together while her dad is in prison and her mom is trying to cope with depression and a pill addiction. While trying to cope with her responsibilities and hormone Emily also deals with visions of a fairy world in trouble. Join Emily on a journey of trying to determine what is real and what is Emily trying to cope with abuse that she hides from herself and everyone around her. Jane Alvey Harris does a great job of weaving a tale with fairy’s that is in no way a fairy tale and will keep you guessing at what is real and what are hallucinations. If you like the average person in the US knows someone who has suffered from childhood abuse or has suffered yourself this story will bring up tons of emotions and at times is hard to read/listen to. This is a testament to the writing ability of Jane Harris but please be aware of the trigger warning in the author’s description. This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Intriguing story. Easy to listen to.

If you could sum up Riven in three words, what would they be?

Captivating, heart-wrenching, page turner

What did you like best about this story?

I loved how the author created a story that incorporated both fantasy and realism. The reader is able to see how the heroine evolves and learns things about herself and how she deals with the things she discovers. I found myself wanting to escape into the fantasy world with her.

Which character – as performed by Jane Alvey Harris – was your favorite?

Emily

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes!

Any additional comments?

Great read/listen. Harris does and excellent job of narrating her story and bringing the characters to life.

What a gut wrenching page turner!!

Jane Alvey Harris sure knows how to rip out all your heart strings!! This was a beautifully written but absolutely soul wrenching story!! And so sadly it is a truth for many many people. JAH does such a superb job in the world building of this story and gets you so sucked in I couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't!! This was a beautiful tragedy. JAH did an amazing job on the voices of all the characters and its so rare to see the writer do the narration and I loved it!! I couldn't get enough of this story! I am so glad things happened how they did in the book and I can't wait to see what happens next!! Emily is such a beautiful trooper inside and out. And I love the meaning of Jane Alvey Harris' real name in the story. You will see what I mean.

I requested and was given this audiobook complimentary at my request and have voluntarily left this review with my honest opinion

Riven

A Fantastic read that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The Narrator does a fantastic job on the voices. This has lots of twists and turns. This is quite the roller coaster ride. That kept me enthralled from start to finish I definitely recommend this listen.
Shauna Joesten

Wow! Emily has a problem ...

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


I really figured this would end like it did and was glad I was right. It was interesting to see Emily jump from a world of reality she had trouble dealing with into a world of fantasy and how she came to confront it all at the end where the two worlds collide..

This was a very interesting and well done story. I do like fantasy. I like SF&F. Jane blends reality and fantasy as a real mechanism, as existing, in a way, that draws us into a story that needs to be told. How do, you, deal with things that happen that are tough to deal with?.

recommended

This was not my normal kind of story. I did however enjoy it. it was well written. The author's passion was well placed within the characters.

The best story

This was the best story that also hits home for people who face these kinds of things in their life. I highly recommend it. As soon as I started listening it was hard to pause for breaks.. I listened every free moment I had and when it was over, I just wanted more. cant wait for the others to come out.

Savor and enjoy the world presented in Riven

I loved the story telling, the pace, the suspension of truth, and the quality of metaphor. For me the journey through Emily's pain and past was sometimes hard to witness, but I was always rooting for her. I love the relationship between the siblings, the truth in their conversations, and the love all around the book. There are tough subjects in the book, and Harris deals with them with a delicate hand. You become part of the Emily's journey into her own pain and you are cheering her on to triumph like the Faeries. I am so excited for part 2. I emailed the author almost immediately to beg her to finish the book.

Lovely descriptions are wound throughout the book. Savor and enjoy the fantasy and the reality presented in Riven.

I want to know what happens? Who is bad? Who is good? I trust Emily to navigate this world (and her own pain), but I really want to know.

Unsure.

I like the fairies and such. I'm glad the story is being told. But it can be confusing at times. I’m not a fan of the drugs use with underage characters, even thought I understand the use and the trauma behind it.

Nicely done

"I was given a free coupon of this audio book and I'm leaving an honest and voluntary review"

This audio book is looking really nice. Story is good enough to attract your attention. It's a little confusing at first but becomes clearer as the time pass by.

Impressed

I appreciate Basic Fantasy. It's lighter on rules than the cutting edge games, and this audio book gives some genuinely necessary extra substance to hurl into your mind.

Great audio book

This was an incredible audio book. It was somewhat delayed in the first place and I didn't know I was going to like it. In any case, after a few sections it took off and I am happy that I stayed with it. Sitting tight for next audio version.

Amazing listening

The audio book is a great start of a new series. Narration is good and the voice makes you stick with the story. I'm looking forward for the rest of the series.
(I was given a free copy of this book and I'm leaving an honest and voluntary review.)

Loved listening

I don’t have a long, in detail review, I just wanted to say that this audio book was absolutely amazing. I loved every second of it and can not wait for book 2. If you love fantasy novels, don't think about it for one second, just buy it.

"I was given a free coupon of this audio book and I'm leaving an honest and voluntary review"

Well written

Continued being advised by others to peruse this audio book. At the point when I at long last heard it my mind was overwhelmed! Cherished it to such an extent! An audio book worth rehashing on different occasions.

"I was given a free coupon of this audio book recording and I'm leaving a fair and voluntary review"

Strong Imagination

I have the book recording and have tuned in to it in any event multiple times now. The character advancement is solid and the creative mind put resources into the experience is unimaginable. It improves each time. I can hardly wait for the following audio book.

"I was given a free ACX coupon of this audio book and I'm leaving an honest and voluntary review"

Great Start to the Trilogy

Jane does a wonderful job setting up the scene and she offers an insight into Emily's life. Her imagination is astonishing, and it is truly her escape, so much has been put onto her that she needs that escape to keep her sanity. It is never easy when an abuser returns. Jane did the narration as well, and I do not think anyone else could have done it justice, she truly cares so much for this book she has written. I cannot wait for the next part of this trilogy.

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

Loved this book.

I was given a free copy of this book and I'm leaving an honest and voluntary review.

I loved this book, Emily's imagination is amazing, and as her escape is a perfect place for her. but the grown ups aren't convinced. Her father returns after being imprisoned, her mother's rehab, Emily has had to deal with so much being so young.
Jane Alvey Harris, has done a perfect job if narration, it only compliments this already amazing book.
I'm looking forward to getting the rest in the serise.
10/10 easy 5star.

one of my favourite nooks

I love this book, and it is so well read, jane is a fantastic author and narrator