The Short Life of Sparrows

By: Emm Cole

Narrated by: Pamela Lorence

Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Beneath the light of a full moon, the Nightbloods and Seers are dancing. They are dancing as they await another Awakening, a dream that defines every witch's destiny. It doesn't matter that the coven is cheering and anticipating her turn into womanhood, because Calli doesn't want any of it.

She doesn't want to see the face of the hired hand Isaiah, nor does she desire the pursuits of a very determined Nightblood as she runs from a future with the Ordinary help. She knows that regardless of whether she taps into forbidden magic or not, an Awakening is rumored to hold ultimate power over the Seer who dreams it.

While the other Seers her age are given to their parties, their enchantments, and the lust of Nightblood suitors, Calli must choose how she'll endure the worst of her visions. There may be a way to survive her sleep, but she's not sure she can defeat the truth that will find her when she's wide awake.

Does real love even stand a chance against the darkest of magic?

©2015 Emm Cole (P)2015 Emm Cole

Beautifully written and well narrated story

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

This is my first, but I will listen to her again.

Any additional comments?

The Short Life of Sparrows is beautifully written and is a breath of fresh air in the coming-of-age paranormal genre. I’m gonna list this out, because lists. Love the lists.Things I loved about The Short Life of Sparrows:1. How this book has a dual narration, but the narrators are not the couple. They both have their own coming of age and love story.2. How the romance between our heroine and the boy was slow; how they infuriated each other with their antics, but eventually came to admit their feelings and had to change their impressions of themselves and each other.3. The friendship between our two narrators, and how they told each other all their secrets even though they only just met earlier that summer. 4. The surprises that were revealed in the latter part of the book. Some of these I really didn’t see coming, and I enjoy a good twist or bombshell.5. How this story shows that people’s nature is what it is, and it cannot be changed. That you cannot change your destiny, even if other people meddle and manipulate your perceptions.6. The tragic beauty of the melancholy ending. The book has a HEA for our main couple, and yet, it comes on the heels of a tragedy I was not expecting, which cut deep.7. The book was beautifully written and very well narrated.I was provided a complimentary copy of this book via Audiobook Blast in exchange for my honest review.

a powerful, beautiful, and distinct story

The Short Life of Sparrows by Emm Cole follows the coming of age of Calli, a Seer. Apart from humans, women who are Seers live together. Starting from the age of 18, Seers have been cursed with dreams depicting real life evils things that humans do. Their men, Nightbloods, live separately and conduct their own related business. Calli, on the verge of her 18th birthday, is frustrated by the world around her and dreading her awakening, the first dream of the evil doing of humans that she has. Isaiah is an ordinary young man, an orphan, looking for a job. Despite everything that he’s heard about the Seers, he decides to apply for and take a job with Lil, Calli’s aunt. When Calli’s awakening dream reveals something about her own future and Isaiah’s involvement in it, Calli is livid and scared. While she works to subvert a dream that she knows will come to pass, Isaiah tries to focus on getting his job done and stay out of the lives of the Seers and Nightbloods.

What a magical story! There are so many moving pieces that work together to create a powerful, beautiful, and distinct story. It’s a story about love, romantic and among family, but also the love that develops among true friends. The story is peppered with darkness, romance, and prejudice. Calli is a headstrong and sometimes infuriating, but also endearing, woman. Isaiah is a stubborn and solemn man, but with a big heart. Each of the other characters in the village and among the Nightbloods, good and bad, are really unique. The story blends the developing, strengthening and changing relationships between Calli, Isaiah, and their friends and relatives, with the tragedy of the Seer and Nightblood lives. The end is powerful and memorable and brings tears to the eyes. I highly recommend!

The narration by Pamela Lorence was well done. The emotions and the personalities of the characters really came through in each voicing and I was engrossed in the story, a mark of a great narrator.  The production quality was good as well. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes beautiful depicted paranormal fantasies with a bit of darkness.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author.

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

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Unique take on a witch's right of passage.

Any additional comments?

The Short Life of Sparrows is a great YA story that is unlike any witch or magic filled story I've ever read or listened to. It is well written with a plot that is both unique and intelligent. Plus it has an OMG unexpected twist at the end, a few in fact, that makes you go back and re-read or re-listen to it to make sure you didn't misunderstand what happened.

This story is told from two points of view. The first is Calli, a "Seer" who is about to reach adulthood with an Awakening, where the fates will show her a dream that defines her destiny. The second is Isaiah, an ordinary teen who was orphaned as a baby and is now hired to help Calli's aunt around the house and its grounds. A friendship soon blossoms between Isaiah and Calli, who lives with her aunt due to the death of her mother when she was young.

The main story arc is Callie adjusting to adulthood after her Awakening and falling in love with Rowe, a "Nightblood" who has been Callie's guardian of sorts. Another story arc is Isaiah's struggle to live in a community filled with witches being the only non-magical person. However, Calli's best friend Daphne makes it somewhat more tolerable for him and they share a few sweet stolen kisses. What I enjoyed most about the book was the slow maturation of both Callie and Rowe as the story progresses throughout to the end.

I listened to the Audible version of this story narrated by Pam Lorence. Her narration certainly contributed to my enjoyment of this book as she has such a great youthful voice. She had great intonation and pace, and differing voices for all male and female characters as appropriate. Simply put, she was very believable.

I received a copy of this audio from the author in exchange for an unbiased review.

Wonderful!!

A story with two main characters that tell your their stories that keeps your attention from beginning to end! The revelations that come are the ones you want for each character, the twists involved are heart-wrenching! A thoroughly well written book! Recommended read for anyone that enjoys stories of witches and warlocks and coming of age!!

good story

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

was a very different stiry then i have read before and i loved it

I'm so glad there was no love triangle in this one

Generally, this sort of teen/YA paranormal genre doesn't appeal to me, but I liked the poetic title and the gorgeous cover, so I gave it a chance. It starts out with a flash and peters out until near the end. But the characters are fleshed out and the world building is done pretty well. I'm so glad there was no love triangle in this one. I'm not a fan of the alternating first person POV, but this might be because I listened to it.

Pamela Lorence does a really great job narrating. The female voices sounded very good for the characters and her pacing was fantastic.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

The short life of sparrow

Any additional comments?

This is a good read. . Emm found a completely different approach on "witches and warlocks", but don't call them that. The story keeps you reading and won't let you put the book down until you are done. The best about the plot, quite a twist at the end, one I didn't see coming and I am usually rather good with that. Emm only reveals what she wants you to know.

Seers, Nightbloods, and Ordinary

The story is about the existence of Nightbloods and Seers. When an Ordinary entered into their world, Rowe (Nightblood), Calli and Daphne (Seers), and Isaiah's (Ordinary) perception of each other changes. The story starts with Calli's awakening as a seer. The significance of story won't be reveal until the secret and the meaning of the awakening are reveal. The ending will leave the listeners wondering about the story after all is revealed.

The narrator Pamela Lorence has a wonderful voice to listen to. She catches the listeners' attention. There is not a dull moment in listening to her voice for each of the characters in the story.

I was given this audiobook by the author/narrator/publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated or influenced in any way for writing this review.

Better than average YA book

I did not see this story coming! I figured I'd give it a listen, and find myself entertained by the usual YA type of book. I was so wrong, and so happy to be wrong. The only assumption that can be safely made about Emm Cole's book is that it is about young adults. Past that, it's nothing I expected.

A town filled with secrets, magic, and terrible visions is just the beginning of what makes this story strange and fascinating at the same time. The narrator, Pamela Lorence, did a wonderful job. Her voice is easy to listen to, which made it easy for me to "read" for long periods.

If you know of any young adults (or not so young, such as myself) who are in need of something to read, this will not disappoint!

A haunting dark YA dystopian fantasy

Real rating: 3.5* / This book is not part of a series.

I didn’t fully enjoy it, and yet it lingers in my mind long after I finished it.

Although this wasn’t really for me, I believe readers who enjoy dark, slightly gritty books that aren’t wrapped up in a bow at the end will enjoy this one.

NARRATION: I liked her narration, except some of the dialog. I didn’t enjoy all her “voices” / Listened on 1.25 speed (my usual)

FAVORITE PART(S): I have to admit, I liked Rowe almost from the beginning. He won me over when he took off his boots and put them on Calli’s freezing feet. I admire his commitment to his choices at the end. / I really liked that Isaiah managed to hold on to his ideals.

I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT: F-word (seemed completely unnecessary, and also contrary to the character of the person saying it) / Details of sexual encounters - diary entry with some details of a sexual encounter / short sex scene (with some details)

OTHER WARNINGS: These characters live in a very sexually promiscuous, commitment prohibitive society. (Although this is not presented as a good thing.) / Graphic death scene of beloved character / Drinking & smoking

RE-READABILITY: Low - too dark, too sad, not enough resolution for the majority of the characters. If I do go back, I would re-read the romance sections in an ebook version (no, not those sections).

I received this book free in return for an honest review, courtesy of Audiobook Blast dot com."