The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin
Books of Unexpected Enlightenment, Book 1
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Narrated by:
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Shana M. Buck
About this listen
Supernatural meets Narnia at Hogwarts
Rachel Griffin has one goal. She wants to know everything.
Arriving at Roanoke Academy in the Hudson Highlands, Rachel discovers that her perfect memory has an unexpected side effect. With it, she can see through the enchantment that sorcerers use to hide their secrets.
But even her perfect recollection does not help her when she finds a strange statue in the forest—a statue of a woman with wings. Nowhere in the arcane tomes of the Wise nor in the dictionary and encyclopedia of the non-magic-using Unwary can she find mention of such a creature.
What could it be? And why are the statues wings missing when she returns? Gone as if they had never been there.
Meanwhile, shes busy learning magic, making friends and, most importantly, finding romance!
Rushing forward where others fear to tread, Rachel bravely faces wraiths, embarrassing magical pranks, mysterious older boys, a Raven that brings the doom of worlds, and at least one fire-breathing teacher.
Curiosity may have killed the cat, but nothing stops Rachel Griffin!
"Lamplighter introduces many imaginative elements in her world that will delight..." VOYA
©2013 L Jagi Lamplighter (P)2024 L Jagi LamplighterListeners also enjoyed...
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Story
You think you know what is right and what is wrong? Then tell me if this man should die. He is my enemy. He is to be my end. He is the one I love. I have spent my life in shades of gray. I have died and returned to a world of color. I have fought an angel and lived. I have kissed the Prince of Ravens. I have faced the Lord of Night and made him kneel. I was accepted into the Four Orders, and I created the fifth. I freed the Shadow of Rome. I sat upon the Twilight Throne.
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Gave up 2/3 through
- By Sarah on 03-20-16
By: Karpov Kinrade
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Grim
- By: Ellen Hopkins, Julie Kagawa, Amanda Hocking, and others
- Narrated by: Christine Johnson
- Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Inspired by classic fairy tales, but with a dark and sinister twist, Grim contains short stories from some of the best voices in young adult literature today: Ellen Hopkins, Amanda Hocking, Julie Kagawa, Claudia Gray, Rachel Hawkins, Kimberly Derting, Myra McEntire, Malinda Lo, Sarah Rees-Brennan, Jackson Pearce, Christine Johnson, Jeri Smith Ready, Shaun David Hutchinson, Saundra Mitchell, Sonia Gensler, Tessa Gratton, Jon Skrovron.
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amazing
- By Anonymous User on 10-04-17
By: Ellen Hopkins, and others
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The Ravens
- The Ravens, Book 1
- By: Kass Morgan, Danielle Paige
- Narrated by: Sophie Amoss
- Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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At first glance, the sisters of ultra-exclusive Kappa Rho Nu - the Ravens - seem like typical sorority girls. Ambitious, beautiful, and smart, they’re the most powerful girls on Westerly College’s Savannah, Georgia, campus. But the Ravens aren’t just regular sorority girls. They’re witches.
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Great Read!
- By Mel on 01-30-21
By: Kass Morgan, and others
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The Hollow Kingdom
- THe Hollow Kingdom, Book 1
- By: Clare Dunkle
- Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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In 19th-century England, Kate and her sister Emily return to the family estate after their father dies. There, under the guardianship of a distant uncle, they live in a small lodge with two great-aunts. One evening while out late and unable to find their way home, they encounter a nest of goblins. Clare Dunkle unites the human realm and the underworld of the goblin in a fascinating and exciting tale.
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GREAT Fantasy Trilogy
- By Laurel Hartshorn on 12-05-16
By: Clare Dunkle
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A Thousand Beginnings and Endings
- By: Ellen Oh, Elsie Chapman
- Narrated by: Kim Mai Guest, Vikas Adam
- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings: these are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries. Fifteen best-selling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate. From fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge, these stories will beguile listeners from start to finish.
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great stories, terrible narrators
- By Amazon Customer on 05-11-19
By: Ellen Oh, and others
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Moonburner
- By: Claire Luana
- Narrated by: Emma Lysy
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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When 17-year-old Kai is exposed as a female sorceress, a moonburner, she knows the punishment is death. Despite the odds against her, Kai escapes her fate and undertakes a harrowing journey to a land where moonburners are revered and trained as warriors. But the moonburner citadel is not the place of refuge and learning that Kai imagined.
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Excellent!!
- By Natalie @ ABookLoversLife on 11-07-16
By: Claire Luana
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The Adventurers Guild
- The Adventurers Guild Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Zack Loran Clark, Nick Eliopulos
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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In one of the last cities standing after the world fell to monsters, best friends Zed Kagari and Brock Dunderfel have high hopes for the future. Zed desperately wishes to join the ranks of the Mages Guild, where his status as Freestone's only half-elf might finally be an asset. Brock, the roguishly handsome son of merchants, is confident he'll be welcomed into the ranks of the Merchants Guild. But just as it seems the boys' dreams have come true, their lives take a startling turn...and they find themselves members of the perilous Adventurers Guild.
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Well written and well read.
- By Reviewer on 05-22-19
By: Zack Loran Clark, and others
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The Shadow Thieves
- The Cronus Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Anne Ursu
- Narrated by: Cassandra Morris
- Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Oh, it's not the very cute kitten that appears out of nowhere and demands to go home with her. It's not the sudden arrival of her cousin Zee, who believes he's the cause of a mysterious sickness that has struck his friends back in England. It's not her creepy English teacher Mr. Metos, who takes his mythology lessons just a little too seriously. And it's not the white-faced, yellow-eyed men in tuxedoes, who follow Charlotte everywhere. What's so extraordinary is not any one of these things.... It's all of them.
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Really good
- By James on 03-22-23
By: Anne Ursu
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Spirit Legacy
- The Gateway Trilogy, Book 1
- By: E. E. Holmes
- Narrated by: Lyssa Browne
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Some cryptic words wake college student Jess Ballard from a terrifying dream into an even more terrifying reality. Jess’ life has never been what anyone would call easy; doing damage control in the wake of your nomadic, alcoholic mother doesn't exactly make for a storybook childhood. But now, her world has fallen apart just when it should be coming together: her mother gone—dead under mysterious circumstances; her life uprooted to stay with estranged relatives she’s never met; and there’s something odd about some of the people she’s been meeting at school: They’re dead.
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My mistake
- By KayTee on 06-26-22
By: E. E. Holmes
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Wondrous Strange
- By: Lesley Livingston
- Narrated by: Lesley Livingston
- Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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For 17-year-old actress Kelley Winslow, faeries are just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery, whose steel-gray eyes mask an equally steely determination to protect her. Sonny guards the Samhain Gate, which connects the mortal realm with the Faerie's enchanted, dangerous Otherworld. Usually kept shut by order of icy King Auberon, the Gate stands open but once a year.
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"I do love thee"
- By Jayleen Martinez on 10-18-16
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Witchling
- Otherworld, Book 1
- By: Yasmine Galenorn
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
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We're the D'Artigo sisters: Half-human, half-Faerie, we are savvy - and sexy - operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But our mixed-blood heritage short-circuits our talents at all the wrong times. My sister Delilah shapeshifts into a tabby cat whenever she's stressed. Menolly's a vampire who is still trying to get the hang of being undead. And me? I'm Camille - a wicked-good witch. Except my magic is as unpredictable as the weather, which my enemies are about to find out the hard way.
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Meh.
- By Charlene on 07-02-10
By: Yasmine Galenorn
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The Crown's Game
- By: Evelyn Skye
- Narrated by: Steve West
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters - the only two in Russia - and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.
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Great world building, slow pacing, love triangle
- By Amazon Customer on 08-08-16
By: Evelyn Skye
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DragonSpell
- DragonKeeper Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Donita K. Paul
- Narrated by: Ellen Grafton
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Once a slave girl in the village of River Away, Kale is freed when she discovers a dragon's egg. She is given the unexpected opportunity to journey to the great walled city of Vendala to become a servant to Paladin. Yet this young girl has much to learn about the difference between slavery and service.
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I'm Enthralled by Donita K. Paul & Audible Books!
- By Sharri Lorraine on 09-21-11
By: Donita K. Paul
What listeners say about The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- G. Kenney
- 11-02-16
A wonderful, imaginative story
What did you love best about The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin?
The story is delightful, and the main characters are well drawn. The protagonist, thirteen-year-old Rachel Griffin, has a close-knit family and a perfect memory. This is her first year at Roanoke Academy for the Magical Arts, and we watch her develop friendships and the beginnings of her first love interest as she also learns how to rely on herself instead of her parents. And rely on herself, she must--for her fellow students, and ultimately the school itself are under attack from forces wielding powerful, evil magic.
What did you like best about this story?
This is a great book for pre-teen and teenage girls, for Rachel is a role model of a girl who can take on challenges and succeed. At the same time, it is a well-written, intelligent book that does not talk down to its young audience. And Rachel's friends, especially the orphan Sigfried Smith, are interesting characters in their own right.
How could the performance have been better?
The actor has a lovely voice and enunciates clearly, but she was tripping all over her tongue trying to produce the accents that all of the many characters--from all over the globe--have. The accents are not authentic and in many cases indistinguishable from one another (and when an Australian accent sounds vaguely Eastern European, that's a distraction!). The actor would have done better simply to read the book in her own accent, differentiating the voices of the characters by tone or some other means. Also, I couldn't figure out why the chapter numbers and names were spoken with a phony-sounding British accent while the narration was in an educated American accent.
There was an additional problem with long spaces in odd places in the middle of sentences. These were disruptive, as it sounded. Like the sentence was finished, when it wasn't. This problem was especially pronounced. At the beginning of the book, and by the end. It had disappeared. (And I will now stop writing the way the actor talked. You get the idea.)
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
There wasn't just one moment, but I especially liked how the author showed the moments of change when Rachel was growing up. She referred to the "needle of the compass" of Rachel's loyalty and trust, and we watch Rachel learning not to do what an adult tells her, just because they are an adult. Instead, she weighs the moral imperative--a friend's life in danger--and takes action. We watch Rachel becoming a hero!
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- CPE Gaebler
- 05-21-20
A beautiful book
This book delighted me a lot more than I expected. It is in the same general genre as Harry Potter, but it is distinct enough that it didn't feel derivative.
Instead, it gets wondrous and mysterious right out of the starting gate, with the theme that even the magical world of the "Wise" doesn't really understand what is happening.
The characters are colorful and charming, and even the minor ones have personality. The plot is interesting enough that I was eager for the next.
The audiobook version was excellent. There were some minor production issues, like some of the segments seemed slightly muffled. However, it wasn't very distracting, and was overall well worth it. The narrator has a great voice, and I loved how she brought the characters to life by giving them different accents and inflecting her voice with the emotions of the speaker. Not excessively in any way, but rather like the reading-out-loud mannerisms of a very indulgent mother.
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- Tom Rogneby
- 11-14-16
A Whirlwind of a First Week At School
What made the experience of listening to The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin the most enjoyable?
The author did an excellent job of developing the main character and her friends. As the story went along, the image I had of them in my mind became clearer and clearer. The plot does a bit of world building in the beginning, but then it is off to the races. The author sets her story in a world that parallels our own, but with some rather significant differences, which are introduced and mostly explained through the narrative. This is definitely the beginning of a longer series, and the story points to later works in a way that makes me want to listen to the rest.
What other book might you compare The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin to and why?
It is certainly easy to compare this work with the Harry Potter series, but I also saw elements of Nancy Drew as Rachel tried to puzzle out what is happening at her school.
What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?
The narrator did a good job of voicing the characters with different tones and accents. This made the reading richer. Unfortunately, the editing was uneven and the pacing was on the slow side.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
At times, it made me laugh, and several times I stayed in the car for a few minutes so that I could listen to the end of a chapter.
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- Crawtrapman
- 07-07-18
great coming of age story.
loved the book. liked the performance. I had a few problems with the voice performance but it did not delete from the overall effect.
a young lady has a eventful first couple days of school. a magic school that makes more sense than Hogwarts.
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- Sallamae Johnson
- 05-23-19
Polytheistic, international, multicultural awesome
The story is great, and the reading is pretty good, but the recording quality is not so good, and the narrator could use a little more expression. Some would say it is perfect for all ages, even small children, and I might mostly agree, but Rachel kisses her potential boyfriend when she's only about 13 years old. Also, their beliefs world wide are strictly polytheism. I like how the story never goes to extremes.
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- Benjamin Olsen
- 10-21-16
The Unexpectedly Engaging Tale of Magic
I usually listen to audio books at work, but this story sunk it's claws into my ears and wouldn't let me go!
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- Joshua Young
- 10-25-16
The Unexpectedly Hilarious and Dramatic Rachel G.
What did you like best about this story?
There are two things that really surprised me: A), it's really funny. If there's a spin off, it had darn well take place in Magical Australia. B), While it's a very Harry Potter-esque story, there are hints of influences of everything from Narnia to Amber, and the greater mystery lurking in the background is more than sufficient to make me anxious for the next book.
Would you listen to another book narrated by Shana M Buck?
She's a little sing-song fairy tale styled for my tastes, and she stumbles over a few unfamiliar words-- particularly Japanese words and names-- but she gets much better over the course of the book. A little bit of polish would've helped.
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- James Thrice
- 12-27-16
Good, but . . .
Any additional comments?
L. Jagi Lamplighter wrote a great story and Shana Buck does a great job of voicing all the characters and catching the emotion. I really liked this book (I read it a couple of years ago and grabbed it when I saw in available on Audible), and it pains me to say it, BUT I can't entirely recommend this recording because of the poor sound quality. I don't know what kind of microphone Mrs. Buck was using, but her voice goes from tinny to airy to echo-y. From time to time you can hear air blowing across the microphone like someone just opened the door into the room, and it wasn't an intended part of the performance. The harsh reality is, given all the background sounds, the only way to fix the audio is to rerecord the entire thing from the beginning.
If you've read and loved the books, then you might consider picking up this, otherwise if this is your introduction to the series, I would advise you to read the books.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Jeffrey A. Zitomer
- 12-06-16
Not what you think!
If you could sum up The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin in three words, what would they be?
Entertaining, Inventive, Unexpected!
How could the performance have been better?
Unfortunately, a poor narration made is difficult to immerse myself in the story. The narrator reads as though she were telling a bedtime story to a young child, and frequently stumbles across long sentences. Finally, some of the accents are simply terrible, and it could become troublesome to distinguish one character from another.
Any additional comments?
I was very pleasantly surprised by The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin. While the summary and some common tropes of the genre may remind you of another series about a school of magic, there are a number of significant differences. First, Rachel's world is not our world. While magic is concealed from the masses, this is a world in which monotheism never developed. Although this is not particularly important to this story, I suspect it will play a role in future books. Secondly, the magic system was given a significant amount of thought by the author. Magic is intricately tied to different studies. Math, for example, is a necessary course for students planning to specialize in Thaumaturgy. Finally, this book sets the stage for something big - and not just a group of wizards gone bad, although it has that, too.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall
- JenG
- 03-09-18
Narrated put me to sleep
Boring book. I tried over and over to listen through it to get my moneys worth but finally gave up. Between the unhappy combination of the narrator and the story this book just defeated me.
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