Book Review: The Heart of a Rose

So, I did a thing today!

I listened to my first audiobook from start to finish.

My friends have professed their love for audiobooks for years to me but I've never given them a proper chance. I've always said that if I had that much time to just sit there and listen to someone talk then that meant I had that much time to be doing something else. Of course, they always countered with the fact that they listened to audiobooks WHILE doing something else. Usually, I'm a little too hyperfocused on what I am doing to pay attention to what I am hearing.

Point case, I turn on music while I mow the yard. I don't actually listen to most of the music but use it to drown out the noise of the mower. I go back inside barely aware of what songs I heard, even if it is an album I've listened to 100 times. I'm definitely one of those people that need to focus on something to really absorb and/or enjoy it.

Well, today I decided to try my hand at reading/listening to books that others wrote. I spend so much of my time writing and creating that I've neglected my consumption of things outside of my own world. I found through social media a group that promotes authors (even those like myself) and in there, I found where I could signup to get a free book to read in exchange for a potential review on sites like Amazon and more. Figuring it would be good for me to support other authors and to take some time to consume rather than create, I submitted my request and was approved.

At first, I thought I would be getting an ebook that I could read on my Kindle and take my time with but it turned out to be an audiobook. When I first realized this, I won't lie, I was a little concerned. Then I thought about my friends and decided to give it a shot. I downloaded the audio file and hit play.

The book was The Heart of a Rose by Teresa James.

And just like that, I was hooked.

The narrator had a good, calm voice. Her voice gave a sense of life, emphasis, and passion when needed. It completely drew me in and I just let the book play. Before I knew it, I was at the end.

The author's words seemed heartfelt and each chapter was personal. I'm not a big poetry person, I don't decipher or look for deeper meaning in the words. I listen to what is said, not what was not said. I'm a literal person like that but still found the literal words to be engaging and moving. To someone more inclined to this style, they may find even more to connect with.

At the end of the day, the narrator's voice caught my attention and made me listen. The words of the author though pulled me in fully and compelled me to keep listening. If this is what audiobooks are like, count me in!

I'm not sure yet if this author has any other works out there in the world or not but if they do, I'm gonna listen to them too! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys poetry and impassioned prose.