Spoiler Book Review: Introductions: The Academy, Ghost Bird Series by C.L. Stone

This is a review of the Unabridged Audiobook Introductions: The Academy, Ghost Bird Series
Written by: CL Stone
Narrated by: Chris Ensweiler, Holly Brewer
Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins

First, I have to warn everyone that this a spoiler review. I will be revealing plot lines as I discuss the book. Second, this is the review of the audiobook. Third, I am not going to write a synopsis. The Description below sums up the book splendidly.

To fans of the series, Sang and the Academy boys – Kota, Victor, Silas, Nathan, Gabriel, Luke, North, Mr. Owen Blackbourne and Dr. Sean Green do not need any introductions. And though I feel I know them already simply because I have read all the Ghost Bird books, listening to the audiobook was like meeting them all over again.

The book is told from Sang’s point of view. Told as a first person account, we of course meet Sang first. Being from Illinois, Sang has a very neutral Midwest accent. They just moved to Charleston, South Carolina very recently and still new to the area.

But, on this rainy night, Sang felt she had to get out of the house and spend the night in an empty house still under construction in their street. She was on her way there when Max, a golden retriever jumped on her so suddenly so she fell on the concrete.

Kota, the dog’s owner and a neighbor was at Sang’s side immediately apologizing profusely. He has a slight Southern accent. You can hear it if you listen closely but you know that his accent can still change if ever he left the Carolinas.

Sang ended up staying in Kota’s house that night. It was the morning after that Sang met Victor. Like Kota, Victor has a slight Southern accent. His voice is a little bit deeper and more refined. Later during the day, on their way to the mall, they picked up Silas. A deep voice and a very pronounced European accent, Silas stood out among the very American trio of Sang, Kota and Victor.

Because of an incident at the mall, their outing was not as fun as they wanted it to be. They ended up hurrying home. And Silas wanting to apologize to Sang called her up. That phone call caused Sang to be punished by her mother to a level of being abusive. Forcing Sang to drink a mixture of lemon juice and vinegar, Mrs. Sorensen maliciously burnt Sang’s vocal cord making her lose her voice.

The next day, Sang went out early for a walk only to find herself trapped in a tree. She was saved by Nathan, another neighbor who also happens to be a friend of Kota and the others. Nathan has a deeper voice than Kota and Victor but not deeper than Silas. His voice is more powerful in timbre though and he has a more pronounced Southern accent.

Later during the day, Sang and Nathan went up to Kota’s house and met up with Victor and Gabriel who immediately took charge of Sang’s hair. Gabriel has a very pronounced Southern accept and his voice is as deep as Victor’s and Kota’s.

Before Sang left, the boys gave her an iPhone and she met Luke and North via text message. She will meet both of them early the next morning. Luke has a pronounced Southern accent in between Victor and Gabriel. North on the other hand has a mixed accent. You can hear the neutral American accent in his voice, probably because he grew up in military bases which as a rule have a neutral accent. You can also hear a little European accent thanks to living in Europe when he was a kid. And of course, a hint of the Southern accent.

It will be the next day, during registration when Sang will meet Mr. Owen Blackbourne and Dr. Sean Green. Though both are only 19, their voices are deeper than the other boys. They sound like Southern gentlemen with their very pronounced and refined Southern accent.

Overall, narrators Chris Ensweiler and Holly Brewer gave the characters very distinct voices it is really easy to recognize who was talking.

Aptly titled, “Introductions” is what exactly it advertised – an introduction to the major characters. There was no monumental climax or denouement. The most dramatic and perhaps the most unforgettable scene was when Mrs. Sorensen was punishing Sang.

I have read the book twice and I cringed both times when I had to read this scene. On audio book, the scene is worse than I imagined. At least while reading, I cannot hear the pleading on Sang’s voice. Listening to Sang pleading for mercy from her own mother was very painful. And because we met nine very cute boys, many (including myself) easily forgot this horrific scene.

Nonetheless, the same way that the written book caught my attention on my first read, the audio book did the same. I hope that all the Ghost Bird books also become audio books. This is truly an enjoyable listen.

“Introductions: The Academy” is Rated T for Teens due to violence. There are no sex scenes in this book.