Visions & Shadows

A Vaalbara Novel, Book 1

By: Michelle Heard

Narrated by: Amanda Leigh Cobb, Gabriel Spires

A week before my eighteenth birthday, the guy I'm catching feelings for legit tosses me through a waterfall, only for me to find out everything I thought I knew was nothing but a lie.

My name is Alchera, and five years ago, my people wiped my memories and abandoned me at a waterfall so I'd learn what it's like to be human. Turns out I have the destiny of saving humankind and a hotter-than-hell guardian to help me through the nightmare I have to face.

Adapting to a life of brutal training was not on my list of things to do after graduating. But the ten chosen ones depend on me, and I have no choice but to suck it up and do everything I'm told.

Trying to survive the new world I've been thrown into, I have to cope with my guardian, who can hear my every thought. Besides that, people are out to torture me for information about the visions I receive.

I'm not so sure I'm cut out for this.

From USA Today bestselling author Michelle Heard comes an action-packed romantasy with scorching hot romance and breathtaking emotion that will keep you hooked.

Narrated in duet style.

©2009 M.A. Heard (P)2025 Podium Audio

Great duet narration

So- as a DNABC connoisseur.. this one is well done. I loved the book start to (t-30min) finish.
The “takes all her pain” thing. Gosh it’s bitter sweet. She’s still experiencing the pain but it’s not everlasting bc he’s transmuting it I. A way. It’s beautiful-

I hope he learns to let her love her pain (if not I’m sure she’ll demand it)
Something’s at play here and I can’t wait to find out.

I love this different dynamic.

Definitely read this one, and please sweet author… please get the next audio in the works for us!!

the nuance

nothing really was bad unless you dont like sex scenes. I loved all of this book! I'm so excited for the next book!

Loved it!

I love Michelle Heard, so I thought I would try this. It gets you from the beginning. It’s basically about a human girl who isn’t human, is bullied but then finds out who she truly is and is sent on a quest. There are definitely some tissue moments in this one, but I liked the story a lot. It’s also in dual narration and I loved both narrators. Can’t wait for the next book.

How vague it was.

The narrator just made this book worse. I was struggling to even finish it. I’m a huge reader and this just wasn’t it. I feel like the author just didn’t go into detail like she should have. My worst read of 2025. This book had potential but the author ruined it.

I liked the narration but not the story

I found it to be less enjoyable than I had hoped. I did not find the characters particularly appealing, and while the plot wasn't weak, it felt somewhat disjointed. The premise of saving ten random individuals amidst an apocalyptic event felt contrived. The only aspect I appreciated was the male character's attempt to alleviate the female character's suffering, he took her pain. However, I felt the female lead was portrayed as overly fragile and dependent.