Audiobook format of the novel, Song of the Shaman.
What if your ten-year-old child knew more about your past than anyone in the world – even you?
Orphaned when her mother died in childbirth, Sheri Lambert is a lonely New York ad woman who decides to become a single mother. From the start, her son Zig displays strange behavior: He recalls people and places he couldn’t possibly know and leads Sheri to a startling discovery of a hidden ancestry she never knew existed.
From the urban grind of present-day Brooklyn to the shamans and rituals in the rain forests of 19th century Panama and Costa Rica, two interwoven stories collide. Sheri learns she must find the courage to trust Zig and his mystical guidance to uncover the secrets of her past…or remain lost to herself and the truth about her origins.
Praise for Song of the Shaman:
"I am a real sucker for any book that involves magic and religion. And this one is also about being a mother, so I was pretty much sold before even opening the book. But the opening scene is a gritty, bloody one of a woman giving birth on the Brooklyn Bridge. Which of course means I can’t stop reading even if I wanted to. I mean, the woman’s back is bucking against an ashtray as she pushes. What a way to open a book!” – Tiphanie Yanique, author of Land of Love and Drowning
“A beautiful and compelling novel about a mother’s yearning—for her origins, for unconditional love, for the sacred, and for the secret behind her son’s mysterious connections to the past. Song of the Shaman tells a haunting story of what happens when the wounds etched on a woman soul long ago are finally brought into the light of awareness.” —Nancy Peske, Co-Author, Cinematherapy for the Soul: The Girl’s Guide to Finding Inspiration One Movie at a Time
“A rich, atmospheric story about an adopted woman’s journey towards motherhood and spiritual awakening.” —Lisa Shea, Author, Hula.
“I was totally taken by the modern woman’s struggle with identity and spirituality.” —Catherine Texier, Author, Victorine
“Annette Leach weaves a fascinating historical love story with a present day, single mother’s quest for self-discovery. In both women work to transcend the cultural norms of their time. A well-written, thoroughly enjoyable page turner.” —Deirdre Fishel, Writer, Director, and Producer, Sperm Donor X
This was a wonderfully engaging book that leaves you wanting to read more of what Annette Vendryes Leach writes. Being a true Brooklynite I was able to "see" the places she wrote about and because she is very good at her craft, I was transported to the places she wanted the reader to go seamlessly!
First of all, I'd like to start out by simply saying, I love this book; it is superb.
Now, for a small bit of background information. There are three other members of my family who have goodreads accounts aside from myself. So! When one of us wins a book from the First Reads Giveaways, we usually pass the book around amongst ourselves until each of us has read it. Well! My grandmother won this book, but she is getting older and is having trouble seeing well enough to read as much as she'd like.
Since I knew I'd be reading this book anyway, I decided to spend some time with her and simply read it aloud to her so we could read it together. That being said, I had the most difficult time actually putting this book down when it came time to do other things, like drive home, or do laundry, or well... EAT! Ha. There were certain times that I simply COULD NOT put it down. I had to take it home and read it, and then return to my grandmother's and re-read it to her later.
It was beautifully written. It seamlessly blends two separate stories. One of the stories focuses on Louise, the daughter of a wealthy, but distant, widower and the sister of a sickly, younger sister, who lived in 1899 Panama. The other story concerns a mother and her young son living in post 9/11 New York. Zig, the ten year old son, is different, special. He is fascinated with what he insists was his past life as an Indian shaman. At first his mother believes he is simply 'playing pretend' as children do. However, as time goes by and Zig gets in more and more trouble and as more and more strange occurrences happen, his mother, Sheri, wonders if there is more to his stories.
In 1899, Louise and her family travel to a rural village to visit a shaman in hopes of healing her sickly sister. When the shaman's -- or awa, as he is called -- handsome grandson returns home with the family, however, passions begin to stir inside Louise.
The story is fantastic; the writing style is beautiful. I highly recommend this book to... well, to anyone, honestly. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end.
This was a really, really good book. The story grabs you right from the start. I had picked up and put down several other books, and could not find one that got my attention until I opened "Song of the Shaman." The author has very good story telling ability, and very nice writing style. I did not spend any time groaning over clumsy grammar or poor spelling or tortured word choices. I could just sit and be pulled into the somewhat mystical mystery. The transitions between current time and previous times were flawless and in no way confusing. The characters were well developed and the author seemed to have good knowledge of the subject matter. I can definitely recommend this to you.
“The book is well-written and the author does a very good job switching from the past to the present. Some stories that jump from past to present and back again seem choppy. This story flowed smoothly. The author does an amazing job with the imagery. It was easy to imagine life at the turn of the century in Panama and the hectic city life of New York. The characters are realistic and engaging. I found myself wondering what would happen next with Sherri and Zig and their adventures.”
“Annette Leach weaves a tale that is part fanciful and completely intriguing…From a forbidden love hundreds of years ago to a young boy in present day, Ms. Leach successfully crosses the centuries bringing the readers along with ease. This novel makes one ponder the possibility of past lives and think harder about deja vu. An intricate story told in a simplistic way. I look forward to reading more of Annette Leach’s work.”
This book is everything you ever needed to escape reality, yet make you question your own existence at the same time. The story unfolds in an unconventional format, which makes you hunger for more. Towards the end, the story really intensifies, which makes the slow build worthwhile. Fantastic read.
The pacing was flawless; the characters grabbed me from the start. There was nothing about this book I didn’t love. It was an amazing journey of self-discovery. Wonderful twist at the end.
I hope this isn’t the last we see of Ms. Leach.
“…a story of a single mum Sheri and her son Zig, a quirky kid whose memory appears to go back to long before he was born. I don’t know anything about Shamanism…But it peaked my interest and now I want to know more. A great first novel. I look forward to reading more from Annette Leach.”
This book was such a good read. I really felt for Zig's mom and her struggle to understand her son and what he was going through. I hardly put it down until it was finished, and I was disappointed that it turned out to be the beginning book in a set. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book to come out so I can see what happens to Zig and his mom.
“This story made the hair on the back of my arms stand straight up. Unforgettable.”
I loved this book! It pulled me in from the first sentences. The interweaving between time and place was well done- the mysticism and search for self especially meaningful to me in a very personal way. Didn't want it to end. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
This story was hypnotic and alluring as a mother struggles to find her past to know who she is. Her son appears to be and to know much more than he lets on. In this story of love and sacrifice and unknown familial history, the soul brings healing in unexpected ways.
Across the exploration, the reader will root for single mother Sheri and her son Zig in the present day and be captivated by a family meeting an indigenous Shaman in 1899. It all comes full circle when the past is reborn into today.
Romance, intrigue, the struggle of single motherhood and discovering roots all culminate into a fantastic tale.
“Song of the Shaman by Annette Vendryes Leach. I am a real sucker for any book that involves magic and religion. And this one is also about being a mother, so I was pretty much sold before even opening the book. But the opening scene is a gritty, bloody one of a woman giving birth on the Brooklyn Bridge. Which of course means I can’t stop reading even if I wanted to. I mean, the woman’s back is bucking against an ashtray as she pushes. What a way to open a book!”
https://vimeo.com/119023106
"Tune into Brooklyn Savvy TV on NYC Life tomorrow at 8 AM to watch Author Annette Vendryes Leach sit down with the panel to chat about her fascinating book "Song of the Shaman" which dives into the topic of reincarnation. The book is inspired by Leach’s two sons who both told her they remembered her before they were born. This truly remarkable story about past lives is a must-watch. Do you feel reincarnation exists? Watch this special feature to find out more." https://vimeo.com/119023106
What if your child remembered dying in a past life? This new LMN series explores many parents' most closely guarded secret: Their child is a reincarnation of someone who died and came back to life.
Children of all ages who claim they remember previous lives are quite common – and hundreds of these accounts have been scientifically documented, researched and studied, both in the United States and abroad since the 1950’s.
On "Ghost Inside My Child" Annette Leach shares her story that inspired her to write the novel, Song of the Shaman. The book is based on the often inexplicable and mysterious things her son told her when he was just three-years-old. His very real memories and very real experiences... belonged to someone else.
Annette and her son are featured in the "Wild West and Tribal Quest" episode of Ghost Inside My Child Season 2. View the entire episode below:
LMN's Season 2 Trailer for this episode:
http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/ghost-inside-my-child/video/the-wild-west-and-tribal-quest
