Callie: The Women of Valley View, Book 1
Written by: Sharon Srock
Narrated by: Diane Marty
Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
Series: Women of Valley View, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:01-22-16
Publisher: A Blonde and a Prayer
Books
This started off a little slow for me but it didn’t take me
long to get into this story of broken hearts, sorrow, healing, forgiveness and
the faith one women has in God as he leads her to find the answers for a small
family who has lost everything in return finding forgiveness for herself. It is really hard to put yourself out there
helping others and making the correct decisions never knowing if it will come
back to haunt you. So many times we maybe should have stepped in but turn away
not because we do not care but because of what the fall out might be. In this
story one woman didn’t turn away but stepped up to the plate helping a young
mother keep her child. The fall out was of the little boy losing his life and
leaving Callie devastated knowing in some way she took part in killing an
innocent child. It doesn’t matter that others step forward and help the family
keep the child it is that she did. She can’t see beyond her own guilt. When
another family comes along that needs her help she wants to step back but her belief
in God and what he wants her to do will not let her. This is what the story is based around…the
trial of pain, sorrow of two families finding their way and leading one to the
word of God as he changes their life. It is one thing to say you are religious
but totally different to walk the walk and talk the talk why putting your life
in God’s hands as Callie did.
I thought the narrator did an outstanding job making the
reader really feel the emotion that each character was going through. You could
hear the pain of each one as things happened. I really enjoyed her character
voices you always knew who was talking and what they were feeling. There are no
repeating of words, no background noises, no volume changes and if any breaks
were taken I could not tell. Ms. Marty put a lot of thought into how the story
would play out giving her voice the correct tones for each scene. I had no
trouble picturing what the narrator was reading. I thought her performance was
outstanding and really pulled me in. The audio was very clear and clean giving
you a performance you will not forget for a long time to come. She really
pulled on your heartstrings in her very vivid account of story the author
wrote.
I had no trouble relating to this story as I am sure most of
us have had to deal with abuse of some kind. Now a day’s most of us have also
dealt with divorce, a parent leaving and maybe even a drug issue. All of these
issues can tear a family apart with no trouble at all. My heart went out to
Callie but more so too this young girl Iris and Samantha as they deal with the
road life has given them. I can’t think of anything more horrible then having
no one there for you when you need them the most and to scared to reach out for
help knowing your family might be torn apart at anytime. The author really put some thought into
writing this as she pulls your heart one way and then another. She does add
some humor lots of smiles and then breaking your heart all over again. It is a
story of love of God, forgiving your self and learning to forgive others. There
are some very good points here as to the reasoning of why we should forgive. I
thought this was a very compelling vivid audio that really gives a punch in
more ways than one. Just when you think things cannot get worse they do. The
author gives you a few surprises that at first you do not know how to take it.
It all does work out for the best leaving you with a smile on your face and
peace in your heart. I thought this was a very uplifting and inspirational
listen that I totally enjoyed. I hope others will give it a listen and really
be pulled in to some outstanding narration and writing.
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Summary
A baby is dead and Callie Stillman blames herself. Haunted by memories of a
tiny coffin, Callie can't understand how God could expect her to put her heart
on the line a second time. But the evasive little girl attending her Sunday
school class is so obviously in trouble that Callie finds her resolve cracking.
Iris and Samantha Evans are living on borrowed time. Deserted, orphaned, betrayed, and deceived, they need rescuing in the worst way.
Steve Evans had his life changed by God. A reformed drug addict, he's searching for the family he abandoned 10 years ago and praying for a miracle.
The road to healing is rocky. But as Callie confronts her worst fears by bringing father and daughters together in a risky bid for reconciliation, she realizes that the Evans family aren't the only ones God wants to rescue from a tortured past.
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