Incredible storytelling

I loved the book. And I freaking loved the narration. The narrator REALLY brings the story to life and his voice is so nice to listen to. I found myself listening all day long and wanting more and more. It was such an intriguing story and the plot is fun and bouncy with never a dull moment. I felt so connected to the characters and their battles with their inner demons. And the overall message of hope amidst the darkness of life really resonated with me. So good. Really loved this.

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An absolute masterpiece!!!

Caleb Staker has crafted a book that has the power to change lives. The battle between good and evil personified made all the more poignant when we realize that the evil we fear is just a facet of our selves. Not since “A Wrinkle In Time” have characters so vividly jumped off the pages so captivatingly. But unlike L’Engle’s work that deals with science fiction and quantum physics, Staker takes his readers through the inner turmoils that everyone goes through, but not everyone knows how to conquer. We all fear. We all struggle. We all tell ourselves we are not good enough. But not all of us realize just how much control we have over our own destinies and just how high we can soar if we only give ourselves the chance. Congratulations on what I understand to be Staker’s maiden voyage. I can’t wait to see where this gifted writer and illustrator takes us next.

And a special shout out to the audio book’s narrator. As an audio book aficionado, this was one of the best narrations I have ever heard.

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For anyone who has ever faced the darkness.

This is the story of a teenage boy struggling with depression and his literal battle against the monster it has become in his life. Although this is meant for a YA audience, the story resonates with anyone who has lived with that lingering darkness in their lives. It is a fantastic story of friendship and finding a way to overcome your personal demons.

The narration is outstanding. The narrator does a particularly impressive job pacing his speech to match the level of drama. His character voices are also delightful. I particularly liked the voice of the darkness and the grandma.

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Outstanding Artistry

I was already intimately familiar with the Saggy Town novel, I confess I fell in love with it right away but this audible version is a piece of spectacular perfection. The voice behind the writing and the tongue of the narrator are quite literally a match made in the celestial realm of artist’s heaven. If a novel such as this with quite a sensitive but socially important topic could ever be considered passionately haunting and deeply, emotionally stirring then this very much so is. What a magnificent, brought-to-life-by-Loki (that’s who the raconteur sounded like to me) project this is! Everyone in our global society can connect with this novel since so many of us either suffer or watch our loved ones suffer with anxieties and depression. Knowing there is a greater force than the monsters we have hunting us gives me hope and reassurance! Five stars in every possible way!

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Relatable Metaphors

I loved so much about this story. The darkness that we all have inside of us that threatens to burn down our world, and the choice to not let it devour us and to instead listen closer to the light. The descriptions in this story were spot on. The narration was also perfect- loved every moment of listening to this!

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Incredible narration

I am easily annoyed by male narrators doing female voices and I found ALL of Max Kingston’s voices natural and compelling. Also his American accent is A+++.

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Absolutely captivating

This story was beautiful and heartbreaking in the best way. Caleb’s journey for Juicebox and his friends (and really all of Saggy Town) was truly captivating and Max’s narration of the story was superb. The varying range of the voices he used brought the characters and the Saggy Town world to life in such a way that had me completely immersed in the story. Everyone of all ages should listen to hear the messages Caleb has so wondrously and thoughtfully created with this work. So well done all around. I loved it.

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Phenomenal

I usually listen to nonfiction works. But I was intrigued by the author’s approach to addressing emotional issues through fiction. I was impressed. This is a must listen to book. I’m listening for the second time and will definitely encourage preteens dealing with emotional issues to read it/listen to it. I’ve found great discussion points that can lead to further conversations. It’s delivery quality is also high which makes it easier for kids who are not usually readers to enjoy it as well.

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