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Monday, November 7, 2016

Loreena's Gift by Colleen M. Story (Review & Giveaway!)


Today I'm kicking off the tour for Colleen M. Story's debut novel. I had heard wonderful things about this novel and was anxious to read it.  Such a unique concept with a unforgettable heroine. Read my review below and then enter to win your own copy!

Book Details:

Book Title: Loreena's Gift by Colleen M. Story
​Category: Adult fiction, 350 pages
Genre: Literary with Fantasy/Supernatural elements
Publisher: Dzanc Books
Release date: April 12, 2016
Tour dates: Nov 7 to 18, 2016
Content Rating: PG -13 + M (There is some profanity and short sexual assault scene.)

Book Description:

Loreena Picket thinks she knows herself. A blind young woman who lives with her uncle, a reverend at a small-town church, she's a dutiful niece and talented pianist for the congregation.

But they're both hiding a terrible secret. Loreena can kill people with the touch of her hand.

While her uncle sees her as an angel of mercy, helping usher the terminally ill members of his flock into the afterlife, Loreena has her doubts.

Torn between doing her uncle's bidding and the allure of the fleeting moments when her eyesight returns on the journey to the other side, Loreena cooperates with her uncle until her troubled older brother returns to town. When she reveals her power by saving him from a local drug dealer, she is drawn into a sinister and dangerous world that will test the true nature of her talent and force her to consider how far she is willing to go to survive.

An exciting debut that crosses fantasy and literary fiction, Loreena's Gift is a thought-provoking meditation on life and death and what ultimately lies beyond this world.

* Loreena’s Gift was recently named 1st place fiction in the 2016 Idaho Author Awards *


My Review
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I had read great reviews about this book so I had high expectations as I began reading it. And I was not disappointed! Loreena's Gift was an engrossing, well-written novel with a great heroine who I liked immediately. As a matter of fact, I so enjoyed reading this book that I didn't want it to end. I actually think the whole concept of this book would make a great TV mini-series.

Loreena is blind at the age of nine from a car accident that killed her mother. She and her older brother Saul are raised by their kind Reverend uncle, but despite this, as soon as he is able, Saul moves out of that small town. Loreena has a strange gift, although she sees it more as a curse. She can kill someone with the touch of her hand. By placing the palm of her hand in another person's palm she temporarily regains her eyesight as she ferrets that person to their afterlife, an afterlife that is different for every person depending on what kind of life they've led. Being Christian, I have my views and beliefs of the afterlife, and the book did not dwell on a Biblical viewpoint. So this concept wasn't religious but rather a fantastical element in this fiction novel much like a superhero complex with a parallel world. 

Loreena leads a simple life until two things happen. Her troubled brother returns to town and she meets a stranger to whom she becomes attracted. The book is action-packed and there is never a dull moment as these two individuals inadvertently influence the decisions Loreena makes. She gets into the crossfire between two rival gangs and is forced to make some of the hardest choices in her life.

The author has created an unforgettable character in Loreena. We see the world through her blind eyes and her young innocent persona. I've worked with the blind and I was impressed with the author's ability to bring this world to life realistically. The novel is suspenseful, with moments of romance and coming-of-age for a young secluded but intelligent girl.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel with its themes of family, forgiveness, choice of right and wrong, and the question of how we use our gifts, whatever they may be. I look forward to reading more of Colleen M. Story's work and hope she has another novel on the way. Loreena's Gift has made it on my Best Reads of 2016 list.

To read more reviews, please visit Colleen M. Story's page on iRead Book Tours.

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not told how to rate or review this product.


Buy the Book: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Book Depository ~ Chapters Indigo


Watch the trailer:



About the Author:

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​Colleen M. Story writes imaginative fiction and is also a freelance writer, instructor, and motivational speaker specializing in creativity, productivity, and personal wellness. Her latest novel, "Loreena’s Gift," was released with Dzanc Books April 12 2016. Her fantasy novel, "Rise of the Sidenah," is a North American Book Awards winner, and New Apple Book Awards Official Selection (Young Adult). She is the founder of Writing and Wellness (writingandwellness.com) a motivational site for writers and other creatives.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter


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3 comments :

  1. It sounds like an interesting book of good vs evil!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This book sounds captivating and unforgettable.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A scary & terrible secret. Caught my attention.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for commenting! I appreciate your feedback.

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