Barbara Giammona

Edgy for a “Christian” Novel

Revisado: 12-06-22

As a Christian , a writer, and a “Strong Hungarian Woman,” I related to this story. Overall, I enjoyed it. But the narrator was not so great. I liked that it challenged the Christian Women’s fiction stereotypes and included many types of Christians of various theological viewpoints.

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The story is nice, but the narrator was not

Revisado: 08-01-22

I liked the story in this book. Predictable and sweet. But, wow, was the narrator awful! She couldn’t do male voices at all and you could barely tell one woman’s voice from another. She “read” the story badly, often putting the emphasis on the wrong word in a sentence, as if she wasn’t well prepared. And worst of all, she spoke with a painful-to-hear “vocal fry,” catching her words in her throat. It definitely took away from my enjoyment of the book.

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Liked the Book - One Glaring Research Error

Revisado: 03-18-22

Overall I liked this book and would recommend it. It would make a great book for discussion by a book club. Many points for discussion, especially topics of faith, abuse, and the ending.

But one glaring research error by the author almost made me rate it down:

I have Type 1 Diabetes, like Micah in the book. When Micah is "healed" and her sickness comes back a couple of months later, Miriam discovers her in the restroom with blood sugar of 50 and offers her chocolate. Seriously? A Diabetic who went into remission for a bit and had returning symptoms would NOT have LOW blood sugar! The symptoms of the return of the disease would be extremely HIGH blood sugar - a number like 250, 350, 500, or more. And you certainly wouldn't offer her sugar. You'd be seeking insulin, immediately!

Writing like this about this disease that affects millions of Americans just goes to show how dangerously little people really understand about it - and how lazy the author must have been to have been so far off in her presentation of the facts. Shameful, really.

Anyway, that aside, there were things to love and hate about the book, as I see in other reviews. And overall, I enjoyed it.

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Narrator so bad I returned the book

Revisado: 02-22-22

I didn't even finish listening to this book, the narrator was so bad. Perhaps they were trying to be authentic by hiring someone to narrate who was authentically of the nationality involved, but this reader didn't even know how to change voices for each character. And the upspeak and lack of tone and characterization - Yikes! Anyway, I'll probably never find out if the book is any good since I gave up after a couple of chapters and returned the purchase.

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Dangerous?

Revisado: 10-17-21

Overall, this was fun. But seriously, it was “too dangerous” for Margarita to go to a movie opening or continue in the band after negative comments appear about her in Social Media, but NOT too dangerous for her to be a speaker at a justice rally? I guess middle readers need to start getting their politics fed to them young! I get the point, but understand going in that there is some heavy-handed ness in this story.

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Enjoyed Story. Narrator Big Disappointment

Revisado: 07-25-20

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I was a bit surprised that the book radically shifted genres in the middle. That was okay. But the narrator was awful! She spoke with the affectation of a 15-year-old, and not for character effect. “Cod den” for Cotten. “Mowddens” for Mountains. “Unsweddened” for Unsweetened. “Goin” for Going. And on and on and on. It was nearly unbearable. Is this our destiny as a society of audio readers as the next generation of voices takes over? What a sad,, inarticulate, and uneducated-sounding future for us all!

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A Fun Read for the Working Gal

Revisado: 08-06-18

I used to work at a large company in New York, and I currently work for another large, global company. So I identified well with the situation of these Assistants in need! This is a fun, Rom-Com read with laugh-out loud moments.

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I Related to this Story

Revisado: 03-27-17

What did you like best about The Bridge Ladies? What did you like least?

I am the same age as the author, child of Jewish Bridge players. So this book resonated! And her writing is lovely!

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator mangled more than the Yiddish - she mangled some English, too! Nonagenerian and Anathema not pronounced right? Yikes!

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Compelling Material Read with Heart

Revisado: 09-24-15

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Matt's narration is from the heart - when he tells you about his own personal experiences, you can hear his deep emotion in his voice. Very moving!

Any additional comments?

The truths in this book are rarely discussed in Christian circles - that it is acceptable, in fact, expected, that we live life here on earth savoring and enjoying what God has created. No need to delay the enjoyment of the New Life we have received until "Heaven." I say "Amen" to that!

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