Megge of Bury Down is so beautiful! I loved the history that was wound into the story.  We get to see the child's perspective, which gave a wonderful view of the world.  I loved the writing, and I felt like it really drew me into the story!

I listened to the audio of this, and I found the narrator's voice to be captivating. She was perfect for this book!

It's been a long time since a book has made me openly weep. (it's a good thing I listened on my morning uphill walk. I could pass the tears off as sweat! LOL) 

I hesitated to post a review, because I am the book designer (both the cover and interior) but I can assure you this review is completely unbiased. As a busy designer, I rarely have time to read my clients works. (And to be honest, I'm sometimes afraid to, since I work with a LOT of first time writers. *cringe*) About 99% of my jobs are created just on a synopsis. This one I made time for. It is skillfully written and a story beautifully told. Fabulously narrated too. I LOVED the slight nuances the narrator gave to each of the voices to let the listener know a different character was speaking. Very skillfully done, and best of all, not overdone. 

I truly enjoyed this story. I laughed and cried and made snarky faces with the characters as they got snarky with others! I love it when a book drags me in. I can't wait for the sequel that (spoiler alert!) should be out soon.

This fascinating story takes place in 13th century England, where Megge is readying herself to take on her role as village healer for Bury Down. She is learning from her mother, but also from The Book of Seasons, an ancient book that holds the wisdom of Murga, the first seer of the village, centuries earlier. It will be part of Megge’s job to protect the book, but she has a potent fear of the book, that it will be her undoing and refuses to even look at it. It’s only when the Church sends an emissary to hunt down the “heretics and witches” and jail the owner of the book, that Megge will find the courage to accept and embrace her heritage. Cramer’s narration is spot on, clear and commanding, bringing this story of women’s power to life

need the second book in the series now! I could not stop listening to Megge of Bury Down by Rebecca Kightlinger!

Megge has reached the age to become an apprentice healer to her mother. Her mother keeps pestering her to protect the Book of Seasons, which Megge does not have a great encounter with. In fact, it is a bit lively. At times, the number of characters was overwhelming, but I found Kightlinger did a great job of reminding us why a certain person was important.

This was a beautifully written historical fiction novel mixed with some fantasy elements. I found it well paced, although the action starts about 35% of the way through. 

Jan Cramer did a great job with the narration. I knew exactly who was talking. Her inflections were animated as well. I would easily listen to her again, and I hope she narrates the rest of the series.

If you enjoy historical books featuring healers and witches mixed with a little fantasy magic this book is for you. I absolutely cannot wait for the rest of the series!

I received an advanced audiobook from Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

When I chose this book I thought it was more of a paranormal story about a young witch refusing to continue the family legacy and her mother’s book of secrets.  It was nothing like that and when I realized it was more historical fantasy fiction, I had already become curious about Megge. 

The writing style was beautifully written. Vivid and detailed without being overly wordy. I sometimes felt I was listening to a Juliet Marillier Sevenwaters story. 

There were a lot of characters which worried me (the Kindle version has a glossary in the back) until I found the author’s website that listed the characters. This ultimately proved unnecessary because of the author’s clever writing. She used conversation(s) between two main characters to remind us who someone is. Not many authors are Thant considerate and it was greatly appreciated. 

The loss of one star? It was for the drawn out, frustrating, anxiety over this particular book of her Mother’s. It was clear where some of the story was leading up to; though not to the degree it did. By the time said book was opened it was bittersweet. It ends in a partial cliffhanger; answering the mystery of the books but setting it up for a series. The narration was great. The narrator understood how to emphasize words without actually yelling. 

This audiobook was free to listen to via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5. 
Megge of Bury Down has a decent story, but it starts off very slowly. It feels like half the book is over before anything much happens. That said, I really enjoyed listening to the last half. The prose drew me in, and the weaving of the magical and the real kept me interested. This book sets up for a future story, which I will probably read. 
As far as the audiobook goes, the narrator was well-suited for this story. Her voice has the right pitches and tones for the different moods.