Growl

By: Ashley Fontainne

Narrated by: Andrea Emmes

Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

My name is Sheryl Ilene Newcomb. And yes, my initials are SIN, a little piece of whimsical humor my parents found amusing when I arrived.

Then it turned out to be true. Looking back with wiser eyes now, my family and I concluded that the events leading up to my transformation started during the summer I turned nine. But the day we realized there was a problem - and there was no turning back - was a week before I started my senior year at Junction City High. That was the day the fangs and claws appeared, and the monster inside me emerged.

When mutilated corpses appeared near a pile of brush down by Caney Creek, everything changed. Evil woke up and growled, and its ominous rumblings were heard by every living thing in Locasia County, Mississippi.

©2014 Ashley Fontainne (P)2015 Ashley Fontainne

Was ok

Decided to listen to this book based on synopsis. Overall it was just OK. Was hoping for something else

The story was realistic and captivating

Set in what appears to be Appalachian like Locasia County in Mississippi, a young woman named Sheryl Ilene Newcomb (Sin for short) discovers that her hopes and dreams have taken a major detour. Desiring to leave the small town with her true love is derailed when bodies begin showing up – bodies of friends and family members. Mixed with rural myths and an ancient Indian rivalry and curse between two brothers, SIN discovers she has a talent for skin walking the summer of her Senior High School year.

Death comes for her and her loved ones in the guise of huge panther – can she save them in time? Can she defeat the evil that lurks in both human and animal form?

Fontainne does an excellent job of portraying the emotions and doubts and desires of a teenager in love with huge dreams. The story was realistic and captivating. As the listener, you can guess where some of the story is going, but then Fontainne throws in a curve with a delightful twist. Having grown up in a rural family myself, I found this story almost like reliving some parts of my life (minus the dead bodies and huge monstrous panther). The small grocery store, the family run diner, the secrets each family has … and more.

The plot was well developed as were the characters. Andrea Emmes did an excellent job of narrating; she seemed to have the voices and dialect down pat.

There were no issues with the production quality.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy the rural realness, horror and a well written story. Ms. Fontainne is an excellent author – one that knows how to captivate, torment and draw the listener in!

Audiobook provided for review by the author.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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An intriguing read.

Any additional comments?

OK, the last 2 books I've read by this author, I loved, and this is no different!!! Such an intriguing and gripping read.

Right from the start Ashley Fontainne grips you and doesn't let go. She has a way with story telling that will immediately grab your attention. I love how she can create a world and atmosphere that pull you in. She tells the story with so many twists and turns that you never know where it's going to end!!

In Growl, Sin is a normal child, until the time she turns 9. Her life is changed totally and utterly but not in a good way. Sin was such an awesome character. She was confidant, brave and with a depth to her that was fantastic. She isn't what she seems and I loved finding out about her.

Plot wise, this was extremely fast paced and well written. I loved the lore and the history that is revealed during the story. It was fascinating and captivating and I have always loved Native American lore and this is steeped in it. Ashley did an amazing with the plot because at first I was thinking werewolves but it's not. It's so much more!!

Anyway, this was such a fantastic read and this author is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. She doesn't just tell a story, she weaves the tale in such a way that you feel like you are part of it. I was biting my nails during this and was on edge the whole time.

Now, what can I say about Andrea Emmes that I haven't said before! She really knows how to bring the words she is reading to life. Her southern accent is amazing and she captured Sin perfectly. The audio was so much better than reading the book, for me anyway, because it brings the book alive. Can not wait for more from both the author and narrator.

*I received this for review from AudioBookBlast in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Very good story!

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*

This is the first book from Ashley Fontainne that I have read/listened too and I was pleasantly surprised. It was a new twist on skin walking that I had never heard before, and nowadays it’s not easy to have an original idea. The narration was good, with the narrator having a cute southern accent and speaking clear and consistent. The story itself was filled with activity and kept going at a pretty good pace. There were several times I was a little bit left behind as it moved too quickly for me, but it wasn’t long before I was able to re-orientate. For this confusion, I do drop my rating to 4 STARS. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and will look to see if there is other works from Ms. Fontainne.

A Legendary tale

Would you listen to Growl again? Why?

Probably not, because it's geared more toward the YA audience, and I enjoy a different level of characters. But I definitely would recommend it to people who like YA books.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Growl?

When you realize what the Guardian was guarding.

What about Andrea Emmes’s performance did you like?

I loved the accent, it put you squarely into the culture being written about.

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

Yes.

Any additional comments?

I received a free copy of this book to give an unbiased review, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA stories.

Good vs Evil...which one will prevail??

Ashley Fontainne does it once again! If you are looking for a 'good vs evil' kind of story, this one takes it to a whole new level! As if life isn't difficult enough, the characters in this story not only have to deal with the day to day life struggles, a life destiny takes over and moves in a direction that one would never expect. The character development, the maturity level each one attains, the fact that when one life ends, another begins, the good vs evil is just a FEW of the attributes of this story line. If you want to read a story told from the heart, you want to read this! I can only hope that there is a Growl ll coming! I am going to miss these characters!
Andrea Emmes, as the narrator is fantastic! Her accent is right on for the area. She is able to keep the story flowing and it is not difficult at all to keep the characters separate from each other just based on their voice. I have heard several of her narrations and she just continues to impress me.
All in all, I definitely recommend this to everyone.

REALLY GOOD LISTEN!

Would you consider the audio edition of Growl to be better than the print version?

it always is....but I only listened! :)

What did you like best about this story?

I really liked how Sheryl's family loved each other...it was refreshing to hear a family that truly was bonded by love!

Which character – as performed by Andrea Emmes – was your favorite?

Sheryl!

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

I could have...and almost did!

Any additional comments?

** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **

Sheryl is like other teenage girls, cheer-leading, a boyfriend, a bestie...thinking about her future and college....but that wasn't meant to be for her...from a young age her destiny has been haunting her...she is from a line of skin-walkers and has many responsibilities in front of her...but this comes with a lot of loss and devastation and an ultimate battle....this is her story...

GREAT LISTEN...AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME NARRATION...ANDREA ROCKED THAT SOUTHERN ACCENT, AND I LOVED IT!!!!

Thank You Andrea!!!!

WareCats!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would and I have. It's a different than normal spin on the Ware stories. This takes the path of the Native American. Not what most of us are used to.

What other book might you compare Growl to and why?

For me, this book is in a category all its own. I thought it would be a paranormal - shifter book. I was a nice change of pace

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

I have listened to a few of Ms Emmes' books. She does accents well and keeps the book moving along nicely.

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com.

Fantastic book!

This was a fantastic story of lore, mystery and growth. I loved how the author tells the tale of Sheryl and her gripping transformation. The narration, too, was spot on for this book. The detail in this book is so vivid you can't help but see it in your mind as you listen to the story. I was utterly riveted and devoured this book in almost one sitting.

Amazing

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

Interesting, different, heart touching

What was one of the most memorable moments of Growl?

When Sheryl 1st found out the truth of who she was and her family.

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

Yes several. I never stopped being amazing at how she can adapt her voice from a sexy vixen, to a little girl, to more serious characters like she did in beautifully broken. She is amazing to listen to. She is easily on the top list of what will she do next. She has a truly amazing talent.

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

Yes I would have liked too.

Any additional comments?

I was amazed at how fast paced the story line was. I felt that I was emotionally all over the place with the characters in the story line. Sheryl goes through so much in the story line. A family member is killed, she is in love, her learns of her family's secrets, she finds herself being transformed because of said secrets. She also has a good verse evil problem she is the only one in the family that can resolve the problem. To say the story line is gripping almost feels like an understatement. I truly felt like the fly on the wall listening to the lives of the main characters developed along.

Kudos's to the author for writing an amazing story to take us to a new world to get lost in for a while.