Micah Harkins

A Life-Changing Podcast: Sleep & Sorcery

Revisado: 09-29-24

I am thrilled to share my extraordinary experience with Sleep & Sorcery, a podcast that has genuinely transformed my life and that of my wife. As avid listeners, we were blown away by the unique blend of psychology, meditation, relaxation techniques, and enchanting music, all woven together with captivating hour-long fantasy stories. These bedtime tales for adults are expertly crafted to transport listeners to magical realms, featuring dragons, fairies, elves, and even talking sea turtles inspired by Japanese folklore.

The female narrator's soothing voice is a masterclass in calmness, deliberately using words to promote relaxation, harmony, health, and sleep. Her gentle tone is the perfect accompaniment to the carefully curated music, which seamlessly complements each story. My wife and I have struggled with sleep due to our respective mental health conditions – adult ADHD with RSD and PTSD, and Bipolar II with PTSD and anxiety disorders. We've often relied on prescription medications to quiet our racing minds, but Sleep & Sorcery has been a game-changer.

Since discovering this podcast, we've experienced a staggering 10000% improvement in our sleep quality. For the first time in decades, I've enjoyed a week without nightmares, a feat I thought impossible. The impact on our mental well-being is immeasurable, and we're deeply grateful for the narrator's dedication to creating these therapeutic stories.

The folklore-based tales are particularly captivating, with the Japanese underwater dragon and sea turtles being my favorite so far. I'd love to hear more stories that incorporate fantastical elements, such as flying over the ocean on the back of flying fish, dipping under and bursting out from the waves, then rising again to soar above. These stories have a profound effect on my nightly fears about death and dying, replacing them with a sense of calm and wonder.

I've subscribed to the narrator's Patreon and eagerly await future episodes. The recent book release has piqued my interest, and I hope it will soon be available in Audible audiobook format. To the creators of Sleep & Sorcery, I offer my sincerest gratitude for crafting these incredible sleep stories with music and meditations. Your work is a gift, and I hope you continue to produce these enchanting episodes for years to come.

Rating: 5/5 stars

If you're struggling with sleep or seeking a calming, immersive experience, look no further than Sleep & Sorcery. This podcast is a treasure trove of relaxation, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking a peaceful night's rest.

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Loved this Story!

Revisado: 12-10-23

I love the way David Tennant narrates audiobooks! This Doctor Who story is a fantastic Doctor & Donna story that has two parts, the first part is more of a slow buildup to the second part. But the story is really involved and plays out nicely, just like a good TV episode would. I definitely recommend this ones for fans of Doctor Who and the 10th Doctor!

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I Expected More, Narration Poor, Story a bit Weak.

Revisado: 12-10-23

As a Whovian, I really expected a lot more from this story. Part of the problem is the narration by Jaye Griffiths. She's a brilliant actress, but her reading skills left me confused as to who was saying what because of the monotone in her voice. And her fake Scottish accent for the 12th Doctor was just painful to hear. That said, the story itself is a little weird for Doctor Who, and while it had some good parts, it overall had the feel of an utterly forgettable episode. I'm a huge fan of the 12th Doctor and Clara, and I just felt a lot was lacking in this story, especially the recitation of it by the narrator. I think it's priced far too high for what you get and I wish there would have been reviews to make me think twice before purchasing this one, even with a credit. I recommend listening to a sample of it first, and then deciding whether that reading style is what you fancy. It's definitely not the best Audiobook for Doctor Who, or for the 12th Doctor. If you are looking for a good 12th Doctor Story, I recommend "Silhouette" or the Winter family series.

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Perfectly Brilliant and Ever-So-Clever

Revisado: 07-20-22

I can't possibly sing the praises of this book enough. I loved it so much, that I purchased it on both Kindle and Audible. If Alex Kingston reads these reviews, please, write more, this fan is begging you!

If you are a fan of Doctor Who, you must read this book. And if you've read this book, you must be a fan of Doctor Who. Although this book is most definitely spotlighting the delightfully wicked River Song and her fictional persona, Melody Malone, if you don't have quite a bit of experience with Doctor Who, a lot of the references will fly right by you, which will prove undoubtedly delightful to some, and unbearable to those less familiar with time travel, vortex manipulators, regenerations, and other Doctor Who universe information. That's not a negative aspect of this novel, simply a warning to those deciding whether to purchase it.

Now if you are, indeed, a fan of the Doctor, and even more so the lovely Song, you are going to be absolutely stunned at the creativity and ingenuity of this novel. Its multiple plots intertwine to leave the intelligent and observant reader with possibly one of the best River Song stories, which should have most definitely been made into an episode. It is truly a love letter to River Song. Not only does she take center stage, she steals the show in a timey-wimey way that will leave fans thoroughly satisfied but wanting more. There are even cameos throughout, including Captain Jack Harkness, and the Doctor themselves (if only a brief few mentions, the mention of the Doctor's 13th regeneration played by Jodie W. was an absolute thrill to read!) that are sure to tickle any Whovian's fancy.

I must say, the audiobook version of this story is simply OUTSTANDING, and would not have been nearly as good if it weren't for the incredible narration of Alex Kingston herself. I would give it 10 out of 5 stars if that were possible. I have never more enjoyed reading along to a book read out loud before, and I highly recommend picking up the audio version if you have not yet.

The only disappointing part of this story is that it had to end - much like the Doctor, I don't like endings. But everything else...sheer perfection. River Song deserves many more adventures just as amazing and personal as this one, and I hope we get to see that in the future!

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I Wish There Were More Like This - So Relaxing!

Revisado: 04-20-22

This is the perfect bedtime story! I wish that there were more, even longer audiobooks to listen to like this one that feature Native American folklore or any culture's folklore in a peace-invoking and relaxing manner. Many books on folklore and mythology lean toward either the academic or horror/supernatural. Whereas I found this book to be so tranquil, better than most meditation books I listen to. The story of a young Ojibwe mother who brings her baby along with her for a walk into the forest and to do some basic daily chores sounds like a very simple premise, and it is, but that is what makes it so wonderful as a bedtime story. The details of the writing were fantastic.

My only complaint is that when requesting my Echo devices play this particular title, no matter how many different ways I pronounce "Ojibwe", my Alexa device keeps not understanding what I'm saying. It either tells me that "O. G. Bigwy" cannot be found but there are other titles by (insert some rap artist name), or it will simply say it cannot locate that title in my library. Even when I asked it to list my most recent titles, the Echo device pronounced it to me "Oh-jib-we" so I pronounced it exactly that way back to be played and it still could not locate it so I finally had to settle for listening to a different audiobook. This is not the fault of the writer or the narrator, but a fault within the Alexa pronunciation system, and the fact that many people do not know how to correctly pronounce "Ojibwe" without first listening to the story.

However, I can't recommend this book enough and I'm going to spend some time looking for something similar to this to relax to at night!

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This Book Brought Me Comfort

Revisado: 03-06-22

As an aging person, with many *MANY* physical disabilities, and who is very much afraid of dying and not at all afraid to admit it, I have to say that this book, A Delightful Little Book on Aging, brought me comfort in a way that not much else has. I am Pagan, and although I am very spiritual, I can not for sure certain what lies for us in the afterlife, if there even is an afterlife, and this book was very soothing to my soul and did not come off as overtly Christian or any other specific religious path.

It was a soulful book, with writing that was direct and honest with such a soothing reading that when I am alone at night without any other people or sounds in the house. It helps to take away my fears of death and somehow soothe my fears and anxieties revolving around both aging and dying.

Thank you for writing such a wonderful book that I listen to regularly for comfort and reassurance! I highly recommend this book to others, and it has a good many hours of relistening joy.

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Extremely Relaxing Solfeggio Tones

Revisado: 01-19-22

I loved this, especially as it is targeted for pain and I have severe spinal canal stenosis. I found that the tones could really be "felt" instead of just "heard". It was extremely relaxing and soothing and made for a wonderful distraction and natural sedative. If you have previously used and/or are familiar with solfeggio tones, this is an excellent addition to your library. It also features ASMR along with the tones, for a subliminal effect. I would definitely recommend this selection for those looking for relaxation and meditation.

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A Truly Inspirational Lady

Revisado: 01-18-22

The world will miss Betty White, but we can be happy that she left these pieces of herself behind. Her wit and humor come through with every word, and leave one feeling inspired and positive. I don't normally enjoy books - especially audiobooks - that are autobiographies or memoirs, but this is a 5-star exception to my rule. I listened to the book the entire way through and was riveted and fascinated, as well as happy and amused. You don't need to be a Betty White super-fan to enjoy this selection, but if you are a fan, you will truly enjoy this window into the life of one of the most inspiring women of all time. So much better that Betty read it herself!

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Preview Misleading

Revisado: 01-18-22

I know it says it's in German, but from the preview "sample", you can't tell how much is spoken word and how much is music, and I got this for the fact it is the only Solfeggio 174hz recording on Audible. So I got it in the hopes that - like the preview/sample - there would not be much if any, spoken word, and mostly the Solfeggio tones, which is the point of the recording. Unfortunately, there was far too much spoken word, and it was loud compared to the background music, which was very jarring. Again, you can't tell from the sample, because they don't speak in the sample, and there were no reviews - which is why
I'm leaving one for future visitors. I'm disappointed and want my credit back!

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Inspiring

Revisado: 09-20-21

Absolutely brilliant, and very inspiring during these dark times. I'm a better person for having heard this podcast.

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