40 Souls to Keep

By: Libby Drew

Narrated by: Charles Carr

Seven years ago, Jase awoke with the mystical power to heal people - and no memory of his past. The only clue to his identity is the number 40 tattooed on his arm. Driven by a mission he doesn't understand, Jase follows his visions to those he's meant to save. He is convinced that the 40th person he's drawn to - a little girl named Macy Pearl - is the key to finally learning the truth.…

Social worker Lucas Jacobson has made a promise to protect Macy, orphaned when her parents were brutally murdered. So when Jase shows up in Naples claiming he's there to heal the child, Lucas is wary, despite his attraction to the enigmatic stranger.

Then Macy is abducted, and Lucas has no choice but to trust in Jase. Scouring the city from its glitzy resorts to its seedy underbelly only deepens the mystery - and draws the two men closer. But Jase is certain of one thing: If Macy dies, a dark fate awaits them all.

©2012 Libby Drew (P)2012 Audible, Inc

Good mystery. Kept my interest.

But weak spots in the plot, the paranormal rules, and unanswered questions at the end.

STORY BRIEF:
In 2005 Jase awoke with amnesia and the tattoo 40 on his arm. Instinctively he knows his purpose is to heal people. He has visions of one person and finds that person with a sort-of-built-in-GPS-system - the way metal is drawn to a magnet. He heals that person and then wanders until he has visions of the next person to heal.

Most of the story is 2012. Jase is still wandering. He has healed many people. He is now drawn to 7-year-old Macy Pearl. Her parents have been murdered. Lucas is with Child Protective Services. Lucas arrives at the murder scene to take care of Macy. Lucas is suspicious when Jase arrives with an interest in Macy. Soon after, someone kidnaps Macy. Jase and Lucas search for her.

OPINION:
This is primarily mystery suspense. Bad guys do bad things and want Macy for an unknown reason. A few times I was annoyed with the lack of logical curiosity. Jase or Lucas should have asked questions or done something when they had a chance, but they didn’t. For example the doctor said Macy mentioned a man, but the guys didn’t ask the doctor more about that. It wasn’t realistic. It was an artificial way to prolong the mystery.

I did not like using the flashback method. The story jumps from 2005 to 2012 with two flashbacks to 2007 and 2010. I would have preferred the story done chronologically. It would not have hurt the mystery. It was jarring when it first jumped to 2012.

What I liked best was the overall idea, plot, and events.

Regarding gay male romance:
Yes the guys have sex, but it was not hot. It reminded me of doing the laundry or eating dinner. They were talking or doing something, then they pleasured each other, then they continued doing something. There was no anticipation or emotional intensity. I liked their relationship and getting to know each other, just don’t expect hot guy sex.

The narrator Charles Carr was fine.

Genre: paranormal mystery suspense with gay male romance.

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CAUTION SEMI-SPOILER:
I did not like the twist at the end. It felt like a trick on the reader. It had to do with visions telling Jase who to heal. The author’s paranormal rules were inconsistent. I was also disappointed with unanswered questions about Macy, why Lucas was immune to something, the overall source and purpose behind this, why create bad guys, and why and when mentors appear.

Unique plot!

This book has a unique and interesting storyline and is less romance and more paranormal. The M/M romance is interesting but not centralized. It made me hunger to see these characters as their future unfolds.

Too Much Gratuitous Sex!

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It could have been time well spent if the story focused more on the healing powers of Jas and his relationship with the 40 people he was tasked to heal.

What was most disappointing about Libby Drew’s story?

Too much gratuitous gay sex. I am not anti gay. The book could have been downsized by half or more if the excessive amount of sex (gay or straight) were omitted. The author needn't remove all the sex scenes, but what is there is excessive.

Which character – as performed by Charles Carr – was your favorite?

Actually I liked the performance of the character Lucas. I have a few gay friends and Lucas sounds nearly identical to one of them.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No.

Any additional comments?

Nothing was mentioned in the publisher's summary about this book being full of sex. I thought it was a book about a person with the power to heal and the 40 people that he was tasked to heal. There were only three healings, two were very brief.

Don't mind me. I went to see the movie "The Piano" years ago. When the movie ended I was dumbfounded. I couldn't understand what the movie had to do with a piano.

A riveting read.

I loved everything about this story and the voice acting was flawless. Libby Drew is a new to me author but I’ll be searching for more from her. A fabulous mix of thriller, supernatural and romance.
Highly recommended

Exceptional Listen...

When the story began, I was a bit concerned about what I had started to listen to. Though the premise was interesting, I thought maybe I was in for a disappointment. Well, that thought was wrong. I so enjoyed this story. Meeting Jase began the questions...then enter in Lucas...I'm thinking...alright here...then as the story unfolds...I seriously could not stop listening to this story. I had to make myself stop listening so I could get to bed and get some rest to work...but the next morning I went into work late...I had to finish this book...I was not disappointed. I really cannot describe better than the book description without giving something away...but definitely I would recommend this book. Great story telling and great narration!

Wow wow wow intense and so good

Wow this was a new to me author and narrator and I grabbed it at random. It was super intense and suspenseful at some points but soooo good!!! Loved it and I will definitely look for more from either of them!

Refreshingly different

Enjoyed the concept, explained well and very entertaining.

Not a fan of the narration but it wasn't bad either. Others some awesome narrator's in this genre to live up to. I'd give narration a solid 4 stars.

Great romance, suspense

LOVED this book!!! I started to get upset at the end but I'm so glad Jace found his way home instead :)

Decent but not quite fulfilling supernatural-wise

This book was decently writtem, and decently narrated. It may turn some people's cranks more than it did mine. So the 3 stars are not an indictment, just that I found it average, perhaps I would have granted a half-star more if Audible let me. :-)

If it helps others, I will flag the two things that held me back some. First, the supernatural angle. The premise (which I won't describe in details so as not to spoil) is intriguing...but it does not really grow, which is frustrating because the author drops little hints here and there that suggest that either it will later on (and it doesn't) or that she at least has envisioned a richer world (which she doesn't share with us listeners). I was convinced there was a well-imagined coherent world somewhere...I just did not see it within the pages. Second, I found the lead protagonist hard to believe as a male voice. This is one of those books I wouldn't be surprised was written as a male/female romance, but got switched late in the game to fill a niche. The writing is not offensive, or irritating...the characterization just did not gel for me.

So overall, an average rating but, again, it is of decent quality and different listeners may find it more to their taste.

Good Read

Would you listen to 40 Souls to Keep again? Why?

Im sure I will listen again. Going to check out more from this author.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jace. Very mysterious. And of course his mission.

Have you listened to any of Charles Carr’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Dont recall listening to him before but I do enjoy his voice. Some voices, I cant listen to. His was a nice deep voice. He sounds like another reader but I cant remember his name off hand.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Is your soul next on the list?

Any additional comments?

I read in previous reviews, too much sex. It almost made me not get this book but the story line was too interesting. Im glad I didnt listen.

I have listened to books with far more sex than this. JR Ward has a book about 2 guys who get married. Their sex scenes were a lot more descriptive than in this book.

Dont let that scare you away from this book. The couple of scenes dont last very long and seriously, tame compared to other romance books.