The Book of Secrets

The Last Oracle, Book 1

By: Melissa McShane

Narrated by: Stephanie Spicer

Helena Davies just wants a job that will get her out of her parents’ basement. Abernathy’s Bookstore is disorganized, out of the way, and smells funny, but it pays well and promises to be interesting. She has no idea how interesting. By the end of the first day, Helena has a dead boss in the basement, an unexpected promotion, and the news that she is now a part of an endless war against creatures from another reality.

As Abernathy’s newest custodian, Helena is responsible for its secrets, including the most important one: Abernathy’s isn’t just a bookstore. It’s the world’s only living oracle, producing prophecies to help fight the war against alien invaders bent on draining this world of its magic. Helena’s job is to find books to answer questions put to the oracle by the Wardens, fighters in the Long War. It seems simple enough, but Helena’s new job is anything but.

Without training, without any knowledge of the magical world, and facing the hostility of those who’d wanted someone else to be Abernathy’s custodian, Helena must navigate the treacherous waters of her new world and find a place for herself within it. But there’s still a murderer on the loose, someone who intended to control Abernathy’s by killing its custodian - and Helena might be next on his list.

©2018 Melissa McShane (P)2020 Melissa McShane

Decent Story - Narrator was droll.

I agree with most of the reviews on this book in regards to the narrator. Even sped up its still not great narration. I still enjoyed the story and felt like it could appeal to all ages. Sometimes the characters felt a little flat and the author needed to revisit how she wanted us to feel about them. It was worth the credit for me and I am looking forward to seeing if the author is able to flesh out the characters more as the series goes on.

I couldn't stop listening!

this was a different type of book than I usually pick for listening. It was good had lots of twists and excitement right up to the end.

Fun ideas but and average read

I’ve set this down a few times and can’t get into it despite this aligning to my preferences. Might be the Reader who just reads the words and detracts from the story.

Added to my list of all-time favorites

I should say that I wrote this review after finishing the last book of the series. But I figured it would be more helpful to those deciding whether or not to start it.

I stumbled across this series while I was having a tough time getting interested in a book. I did not expect to enjoy it so much. Had I known, I would’ve waited to start it when I wasn’t so busy because I couldn’t put any of these books down. I read them instead of studying and stayed up until the early morning hours while I finished several of these books. I have no doubt that it’s become one of my all-time favorite series, along with Harry Potter, Fablehaven, and Inkheart. However, it’s the most mature of those series and I feel so thankful to have found myself again lost in a fantasy world, which I feared went away with my childhood.

Needless to say, I absolutely recommend this series. I was surprised by all the negative reviews. But I think that some adults (like my husband) need a series to be heavier and denser to find it worth my time. Not with me, I prefer to read a fantasy book effortlessly. I suggest you give it a shot and see if you can put it down. :)

Reader was excellent

the story and reader were both intriguing and interesting. well played both in time spent and story line.