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City of Whispers
When an epidemic turns most New Yorkers into vampires, a handful of remaining humans find themselves struggling to survive in a quarantined Manhattan. As their numbers dwindle, Ailis Laurent undergoes a transformation of her own: she becomes a hardened vampire killer.
209 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 16, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
November 26, 2021
Great vampire/zombie novel for any fan of I AM LEGEND (the movie, not the book).
The premise of a group being trapped on the island of Manhattan with thousands of bloodthirsty vampires is fun to think about, but ultimately the story fell a bit flat and it tended to drag on at times.
The premise of a group being trapped on the island of Manhattan with thousands of bloodthirsty vampires is fun to think about, but ultimately the story fell a bit flat and it tended to drag on at times.
August 12, 2016
If you decided to write a vampire story after watching the Resident Evil movies and listening to Billy Joel's "Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)," you might get something like City of Whispers.
An epidemic has turned most of Manhattan's population into vampires, and the government has closed off access to the island. City of Whispers is the story of how a small group of survivors deals with their new nightmare reality.
Author Katherine Sorin has a good ear for dialogue and keeps the story moving at a good pace, so her novel is reasonably entertaining. (It feels more like a zombie story than most current vampire novels - there's precious little romance to be found here.)
She does not make the most of her setting, though. Aside from the mention of a few Manhattan landmarks and the use of the subway tunnels as a daytime hiding spot for the vampires, City of Whispers could be set in any urban environment.
The ending of the book makes it clear that Sorin has a sequel planned, and I will probably read it. I hope that she does more with her characters and her setting in her next book.
An epidemic has turned most of Manhattan's population into vampires, and the government has closed off access to the island. City of Whispers is the story of how a small group of survivors deals with their new nightmare reality.
Author Katherine Sorin has a good ear for dialogue and keeps the story moving at a good pace, so her novel is reasonably entertaining. (It feels more like a zombie story than most current vampire novels - there's precious little romance to be found here.)
She does not make the most of her setting, though. Aside from the mention of a few Manhattan landmarks and the use of the subway tunnels as a daytime hiding spot for the vampires, City of Whispers could be set in any urban environment.
The ending of the book makes it clear that Sorin has a sequel planned, and I will probably read it. I hope that she does more with her characters and her setting in her next book.
October 25, 2023
What happens when the government isolates you in Manhattan when a virus starts turning people into vampires there? Will you be one of the unlucky ones who dies in the mayhem of the newly turned or will you be among the unlucky ones who is killed by looters?
This book answers the questions on how several different people handle the situation, some banding together and others doing crazy things. The premise is very good, and everything moves along quickly, keeping the reader engaged.
The reason I didn't give it four or five stars though is because even though the protagonist is supposed to be a recently graduated lawyer, her inner musings and speech seem like that of a 17 year old rather than a young adult professional.
Overall the writing style is that of a younger writer, so it would be a good YA book (so long as people understand that with vampires and looters comes beheading and other violence.) I got this as a free book on my nook and it's worth the time it takes to read. I will be looking for when the 2nd book comes out.
This book answers the questions on how several different people handle the situation, some banding together and others doing crazy things. The premise is very good, and everything moves along quickly, keeping the reader engaged.
The reason I didn't give it four or five stars though is because even though the protagonist is supposed to be a recently graduated lawyer, her inner musings and speech seem like that of a 17 year old rather than a young adult professional.
Overall the writing style is that of a younger writer, so it would be a good YA book (so long as people understand that with vampires and looters comes beheading and other violence.) I got this as a free book on my nook and it's worth the time it takes to read. I will be looking for when the 2nd book comes out.
March 18, 2019
Possibility
A very good book and story. To me this Zombie takeover plot was very realistic. The characters were similar to people I might meet in real life. I don't read many books in this genre but certainly glad I found this one.
A very good book and story. To me this Zombie takeover plot was very realistic. The characters were similar to people I might meet in real life. I don't read many books in this genre but certainly glad I found this one.
February 18, 2013
I think I'm in a bit of the minority with regard to this one - I wasn't overly sure whether it was an ok or a like. I've erred on the side of ok, but most of the reviewers seem to love this - guess I'm not following the crowd.
Basic storyline is that a virus is changing the inhabitants of Manhattan into vampires, and there are a group of survivors...and I have to admit, that this is pretty much the whole premise of the storyline. There didn't seem to be any real depth to the storyline - the survivors started hunting down vampires, and then oh, look, there seems to be something unusual about one of the characters, and then a mysterious British doctor turns up, and then a megawealthy person wants to hire them to help rescue his son in London...where the lead character just happens to have a sister living.
I think the story has potential, but I found this to be formulaic and predictable. I didn't go so far as to write down predictions and then tick them off, but I have to admit I only ended up finishing it because I hate to leave a book unfinished!! Should the second book become available as a free download, then I would probably read it. If I had to purchase it, then it would be a negative for me - I'm not that intrigued as to what happens when they get to London.
Basic storyline is that a virus is changing the inhabitants of Manhattan into vampires, and there are a group of survivors...and I have to admit, that this is pretty much the whole premise of the storyline. There didn't seem to be any real depth to the storyline - the survivors started hunting down vampires, and then oh, look, there seems to be something unusual about one of the characters, and then a mysterious British doctor turns up, and then a megawealthy person wants to hire them to help rescue his son in London...where the lead character just happens to have a sister living.
I think the story has potential, but I found this to be formulaic and predictable. I didn't go so far as to write down predictions and then tick them off, but I have to admit I only ended up finishing it because I hate to leave a book unfinished!! Should the second book become available as a free download, then I would probably read it. If I had to purchase it, then it would be a negative for me - I'm not that intrigued as to what happens when they get to London.
January 5, 2012
Thank you to pixelofink.com for this free ebook!
Kept me reading from start to finish. Hope this is in fact a series. I would really like to keep the story going with the characters.
Of all the vamp books I've read lately I like the point of view of the survivor in this book. Most books these days have the heroine falling for the vamps...no chance of that in this book. Also I like the strength of the lead chick. Wish her relationship with a certain someone would have been more developed before the end of the book.
Best of luck to the characters and the author!
If you're not into not too gory/ a little kick butt/ no mushy vamp junk get ready to root for the survivors!! Definitely worth a read if you're into vampire books.
Kept me reading from start to finish. Hope this is in fact a series. I would really like to keep the story going with the characters.
Of all the vamp books I've read lately I like the point of view of the survivor in this book. Most books these days have the heroine falling for the vamps...no chance of that in this book. Also I like the strength of the lead chick. Wish her relationship with a certain someone would have been more developed before the end of the book.
Best of luck to the characters and the author!
If you're not into not too gory/ a little kick butt/ no mushy vamp junk get ready to root for the survivors!! Definitely worth a read if you're into vampire books.
July 11, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
This book is about vampires: not your sparklly,gentle,romantic kind; but your ravenous,evil,deadly kind and the people who have to fight them to survive. The characters start out as uninformed,timid,scared,and afraid and the reader is there with them as they go through the transformation to become killers. The writer has done an excellent job in describing this transformation and giving her characters life,so to speak. The scenes are not dark,but you can feel it lurking somewhere in the background. The ending is a little anticlimactic,but I guess it's setting the next book up. An enjoyable read none the less
This book is about vampires: not your sparklly,gentle,romantic kind; but your ravenous,evil,deadly kind and the people who have to fight them to survive. The characters start out as uninformed,timid,scared,and afraid and the reader is there with them as they go through the transformation to become killers. The writer has done an excellent job in describing this transformation and giving her characters life,so to speak. The scenes are not dark,but you can feel it lurking somewhere in the background. The ending is a little anticlimactic,but I guess it's setting the next book up. An enjoyable read none the less
January 18, 2020
Interesting plot
Interesting story, interesting characters. I’m giving it 3.5 stars mostly because of the cliffhanger and the last two chapters. I felt they were too abrupt and unrealistic. Like, suddenly there is a mission to go on out of New York and here is someone able to get you out. I am looking forward to the next book though, and plan to continue this trilogy.
Interesting story, interesting characters. I’m giving it 3.5 stars mostly because of the cliffhanger and the last two chapters. I felt they were too abrupt and unrealistic. Like, suddenly there is a mission to go on out of New York and here is someone able to get you out. I am looking forward to the next book though, and plan to continue this trilogy.
October 30, 2024
Good book
Really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what happens next. You get a good sense of the characters and start rooting for them to survive. Well written.
Really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what happens next. You get a good sense of the characters and start rooting for them to survive. Well written.
May 2, 2024
This book was just getting interesting and it ends on a cliffhanger. It’s fine, but I am unsure that I want to continue reading the series as where it is leading seems completely in left field and doesn’t help the current story line.
February 20, 2017
New storyline
This was a fairly well written book with a new take on the zombie apocalypse. It took several pages to have me hooked but I eventually was and enjoyed it.
This was a fairly well written book with a new take on the zombie apocalypse. It took several pages to have me hooked but I eventually was and enjoyed it.
March 8, 2013
A gripping, edge of your seat read - that's what City of Whispers is all about. I'm going to begin by saying that after the time of sparkling vampires (I mean... really??!) I've always been a bit wary of picking up a vampire based book. But Katherine Sorin managed to eradicate that tendency altogether with City of Whispers.
I couldn't really put this book down and every time I had to, I could only wonder about what happens next. It moved wonderfully quick and didn't have a dull moment. Every time you think 'Okay, this has to stagnate now. What else is going to happen?', something happens!
I didn't get a moment to get bored and the twists and turns were quite unpredictable.
The style of writing itself is extremely engaging and it doesn't take much to actually imagine what's written. The words seem to paint pictures on their own with barely any help from your imagination.
The characters are really easy to associate with even though you don't really know much about them from before the virus. And even though the exact beginning of the virus and its effects aren't explained from the get go, there is no point at which you feel lost. Everything flows really smoothly and is intensely engaging. It made me stay up nights because I just couldn't stop reading and put it away. And it was so captivating that it kept me at the edge of my seat, jumping at every tiny sound in the darkness of the night.
I got this book from pixelofink.com. And I have to admit that no book downloaded for free has been so interesting that I've gone right out and bought the sequel. But this one was. And the sequel is definitely next to read on my list.
I couldn't really put this book down and every time I had to, I could only wonder about what happens next. It moved wonderfully quick and didn't have a dull moment. Every time you think 'Okay, this has to stagnate now. What else is going to happen?', something happens!
I didn't get a moment to get bored and the twists and turns were quite unpredictable.
The style of writing itself is extremely engaging and it doesn't take much to actually imagine what's written. The words seem to paint pictures on their own with barely any help from your imagination.
The characters are really easy to associate with even though you don't really know much about them from before the virus. And even though the exact beginning of the virus and its effects aren't explained from the get go, there is no point at which you feel lost. Everything flows really smoothly and is intensely engaging. It made me stay up nights because I just couldn't stop reading and put it away. And it was so captivating that it kept me at the edge of my seat, jumping at every tiny sound in the darkness of the night.
I got this book from pixelofink.com. And I have to admit that no book downloaded for free has been so interesting that I've gone right out and bought the sequel. But this one was. And the sequel is definitely next to read on my list.
May 22, 2013
They say that Manhattan is a jungle where survival is not guaranteed. They had no idea how correct that could be. The government demolished the bridges connecting Manhattan to the outside world. they were desperate to contain the deadly virus. The survivors begged for rescue swearing the virus was not airborn. It could only be contracted thru bite, vampire bite.
Left to their own devices, the remaining humans were supplied by air drop food, water, and wooden stakes. This dystopian setting is where a group of strong, smart, and courageous young people band together to beat the odds, in the hopes of the ultimate reward : survival.
This was one of my monthly picks back in January. I wasn't quite so rigid yet about avoiding series books. I don't think this one had given any clue it was part of a series until I got to the ending. I realize that a lot of authors offer the first books for free to rope in a reader and hope to reel them in for the rest of the series. I personally just don't have the time, or money, to invest in a series.
This was a really good book though, fast paced, hard to put down, and shows vampires as the monsters they were meant to be and not misunderstood romantics. Seems like an interesting start to a potentially great series.
Left to their own devices, the remaining humans were supplied by air drop food, water, and wooden stakes. This dystopian setting is where a group of strong, smart, and courageous young people band together to beat the odds, in the hopes of the ultimate reward : survival.
This was one of my monthly picks back in January. I wasn't quite so rigid yet about avoiding series books. I don't think this one had given any clue it was part of a series until I got to the ending. I realize that a lot of authors offer the first books for free to rope in a reader and hope to reel them in for the rest of the series. I personally just don't have the time, or money, to invest in a series.
This was a really good book though, fast paced, hard to put down, and shows vampires as the monsters they were meant to be and not misunderstood romantics. Seems like an interesting start to a potentially great series.
June 15, 2016
This is a story with nice and entertaining, though predictable, elements. The writing is quite amateurish or directed more toward the young audience, but has a fair amount of violent descriptions to it.
I was pretty confused with the characters' ages because they all seemed to have full-fledged careers and, by the dialogue, were at least early to mid twenties, but their personalities seemed to fit more younger people. Just from hearing them talk, it felt like they were in college.
The story is quite fast-paced, more than ever it feels more like a narration of events that had happened-like a diary- not like something is actually happening. I felt like there was not much emotion when conveying the story. By the end of the book the plot really didn't go anywhere and it go really unbelievable. I'm curious to read the other books just to know how everything will end, but I don't think it will be anytime soon because the story is not really engaging.
I think the book has a potential for a darke new adult series with some editing and a more structured storyline.
I was pretty confused with the characters' ages because they all seemed to have full-fledged careers and, by the dialogue, were at least early to mid twenties, but their personalities seemed to fit more younger people. Just from hearing them talk, it felt like they were in college.
The story is quite fast-paced, more than ever it feels more like a narration of events that had happened-like a diary- not like something is actually happening. I felt like there was not much emotion when conveying the story. By the end of the book the plot really didn't go anywhere and it go really unbelievable. I'm curious to read the other books just to know how everything will end, but I don't think it will be anytime soon because the story is not really engaging.
I think the book has a potential for a darke new adult series with some editing and a more structured storyline.
March 31, 2013
This would be more from my gym reading collection (aka stuff I got when I first got my Kindle either for free or really cheap). The story here was decent, but it put me in mind of all those other YA dystopian future stories like this. That's not necessarily a bad thing since I liked most of those stories. There were a few problems with this one that a good proofreader could have corrected. There were several times when a 3 or more characters were gathered together. A says their going to leave to go do something. They leave the room/area, leaving B and C talking. A few sentences later, A contributes to the conversation again as if they hadn't left and then, again, says they're leaving to do something. Then they leave again.
Is this classified as YA? The characters are almost all older than that, and all the main characters definitely are. But it still feels very YA to me.
Is this classified as YA? The characters are almost all older than that, and all the main characters definitely are. But it still feels very YA to me.
August 9, 2012
The majority of this book was quite good but I agree with others who have said the end is rushed and wasn't given its due. Hopefully Sorin can tie up loose ends in the next book to kind of smooth over the abruptness of this book's ending.
In general though I find the premise to be interesting and the characters likable. I appreciate that she threw together male and female characters and it wasn't automatically all about pairing off and being angst-y or drama-y. Perhaps it's just been my luck of the draw recently but too many new sci-fi/fantasy writers seem to be making their books too focused on that kind of thing.
Finally - I liked that this book limited the vampire outbreak to just one area. Most similar books are all about vampires/zombies/monsters taking over the entire planet, so this book stands out as unique and interesting.
If you like this book you should check out Hollowland by Amanda Hocking.
In general though I find the premise to be interesting and the characters likable. I appreciate that she threw together male and female characters and it wasn't automatically all about pairing off and being angst-y or drama-y. Perhaps it's just been my luck of the draw recently but too many new sci-fi/fantasy writers seem to be making their books too focused on that kind of thing.
Finally - I liked that this book limited the vampire outbreak to just one area. Most similar books are all about vampires/zombies/monsters taking over the entire planet, so this book stands out as unique and interesting.
If you like this book you should check out Hollowland by Amanda Hocking.
March 6, 2012
Well the book turned out pretty decent except near the end where it was short changed a bitThe plot was good Bad transition to the closure which was really just a cheesy was to Segway into a second book. I thought they could have at least closed up loose ends on this book first. The main character was a bit young to be a lawyer at least the way it was written. I was so thankful it wasn't about teenagers like so many of the vampire books tend to be. But then the lead character didn't act her age very well and not the least bit characteristic of an attorney. A few other unbelievable parts as well
The chsracters were developed nicely. the plot was interesting and kept me reading. No sex or lewdness which was nice to see in this type of book. Would I read the second book probably
The chsracters were developed nicely. the plot was interesting and kept me reading. No sex or lewdness which was nice to see in this type of book. Would I read the second book probably
August 19, 2013
I got this book as a free download and once I started it, given my hectic vacation schedule, i pretty much devoured it. Free books are iffy but this one drew me right in. Manhattan is closed off to the rest of the world because of a vampire outbreak, and just a few people are trying to survive. I like watching how over just a few months, they mature from scared hiding people to strong vampire killers. This is the first in a series, and that was definitely evident. we could have used more info on the vampires themselves, where the outbreak came, etc. the ending is a total cliffhanger that brought me over to amazon to buy book #2 immediately. i kinda like the main character, how to herself she is, and the fact that she's in a friendship, not a romance like these books always push. I'm all ready to read the second one, so pick up this new series!
February 18, 2015
I read this in a day.
The writing flows well and engages the reader. I enjoyed the pace of the story and the author's writing style. For the most part the characters are believable and I found myself rooting for them. Although, I did have to keep reminding myself that these were adults (I kept picturing teenagers).
One of my major issues with this novel is that I found the story lacking of frightening moments. At no point was I on the edge of my seat scared for the survivors. The were relatively safe as long as they stayed indoors after dark.
The other issue was the rushed ending. I felt gypped. All of a sudden this book looks like an infomercial for the next books in the series.
I may catch the rest If I can borrow them, but this story didn't make that much of an impression on me to go seek them out.
The writing flows well and engages the reader. I enjoyed the pace of the story and the author's writing style. For the most part the characters are believable and I found myself rooting for them. Although, I did have to keep reminding myself that these were adults (I kept picturing teenagers).
One of my major issues with this novel is that I found the story lacking of frightening moments. At no point was I on the edge of my seat scared for the survivors. The were relatively safe as long as they stayed indoors after dark.
The other issue was the rushed ending. I felt gypped. All of a sudden this book looks like an infomercial for the next books in the series.
I may catch the rest If I can borrow them, but this story didn't make that much of an impression on me to go seek them out.
December 31, 2012
I found this novel to be a surprisingly fun read! I did not know if I would enjoy it but it was well written, the characters were well developed. I have to share that I was about a quarter of the way through the book when I decided that it was "just ok" but I would stick with it. The next day was my "no reading day" and it was then that I realized that I was spending the whole day thinking about the story and the characters. Lost in thought, I even thought of it as a movie. It was then that I realized how deeply engrossed I was in the story line and characters. It was then that I realized how much I was enjoying the book and how well written it actually was. It was a great read! I am excited to read the second book in the series.
August 7, 2012
I got this book because it was free online and something I figured I could just download to my phone for emergency situations. It definitely kept me from getting bored in long lines and waiting rooms and was good enough a book for those situations. I don't know if I would ever really recommend it though. The author really did keep you guessing as to where she was going with this story and left off on a small cliff-hanger (enticing you to download the second book of the series right away). I may just wait and see if that, one day, becomes free as well. Otherwise, it was a good and slightly refreshing take on a vampire apocalypse that is good enough to keep you awake.
September 9, 2013
I preface this with a disclaimer of my general ooginess about bacterial outbreaks.
I had a really hard time with this book. Some parts I loved, some parts I hated. SOme parts dragged and some parts I couldn't read fast enough. I really disliked the ending. It left me feeling like perhaps the book was written to be one book or with the thought of another, then the author threw in a quick story line at the end to segue to the next. The story just kind of dropped off.
Not sure that I woudl recommend it again to myself, but I would recommend this to people who have less of a mental block againt biologic outbreaks and don't need happy endings or some fluffiness in a book
I had a really hard time with this book. Some parts I loved, some parts I hated. SOme parts dragged and some parts I couldn't read fast enough. I really disliked the ending. It left me feeling like perhaps the book was written to be one book or with the thought of another, then the author threw in a quick story line at the end to segue to the next. The story just kind of dropped off.
Not sure that I woudl recommend it again to myself, but I would recommend this to people who have less of a mental block againt biologic outbreaks and don't need happy endings or some fluffiness in a book
July 4, 2012
For a free e-book, I really enjoyed reading this. It was a different take on the new vampire phenomenon by making them the true enemy. I always enjoy a story that has a strong female lead character and the storyline kept me wanting to read more. My big gripe with this is the last few chapters of the book do not transition together whatsoever. It brings in other story lines at the last minute and doesn't ever develop the other story lines that seemed so enticing at all. Overall, I would recommend.
April 18, 2015
Good storyline, but I got bored...and the ending was so abrupt!
I love dystopian/end of the world/vampire novels. Unfortunately this one just didn't hit the mark. I feel like the characters weren't very descriptive, and it was really difficult to try to connect to them. The ending was just so abrupt. It was almost like this was originally written as a longer book, someone decided to split it up, and just chose a random page number to end it. There were also a few grammatical errors throughout the book. 3 stars mainly for the concept.
I love dystopian/end of the world/vampire novels. Unfortunately this one just didn't hit the mark. I feel like the characters weren't very descriptive, and it was really difficult to try to connect to them. The ending was just so abrupt. It was almost like this was originally written as a longer book, someone decided to split it up, and just chose a random page number to end it. There were also a few grammatical errors throughout the book. 3 stars mainly for the concept.
December 31, 2013
I found this book to be basic in its premise and not with a lot of detail that made me care very much about the characters. I couldn't put my finger on it, but somehow it felt like a disjointed storyline. That said, should the second book become available as a free download, then I may read it. If I have to purchase it, then I doubt I'll download it - I'm not that intrigued as to what happens when they get to London.
January 15, 2015
Had this book's final chapters not been a huge middle finger to the entire plot line in Manhattan and a blatant effort to sell the sequel this book would have received 4 or even 5 stars.
As it stands I have no idea why I even bothered. Who cares what is happening when you don't get the pertinent information anyways? And based on the third book's cover they go from London to Paris. Yeah, I'm checking out of this one. Waste of time.
As it stands I have no idea why I even bothered. Who cares what is happening when you don't get the pertinent information anyways? And based on the third book's cover they go from London to Paris. Yeah, I'm checking out of this one. Waste of time.
July 26, 2016
I know a lot of people rave about this book, but I just didn't care that much for the characters.
(Possible Spoilers). Also, I wanted an actual conclusion. This left us with a cliffhanger in regards to London and Manhattan. Not sure I will read a sequel if there is one because I wasn't invested in the characters and I'm trying to only read books I truly love or that are simple fun this year.
(Possible Spoilers). Also, I wanted an actual conclusion. This left us with a cliffhanger in regards to London and Manhattan. Not sure I will read a sequel if there is one because I wasn't invested in the characters and I'm trying to only read books I truly love or that are simple fun this year.
January 24, 2012
This was a first attempt by this author and free on Amazon Kindle. I like to try new authors and support self-publishing on Kindle. I'm not a fan of Vampire books, but this one was different, not scary. It was witty and fanciful, entertaining and light, and not very long. I look forward to the sequel.
January 27, 2012
Protagonist already disliked NYC before the vampires even show up, and the tone of wanting to escape to the "normal" world is off putting. Flat characters, clunky writing, ends on a lead-in to whatever book 2 is.
I did really like the depiction of creepy vampires with varying degrees of intelligence, and the way vampirism was medicalized but still creepy.
I did really like the depiction of creepy vampires with varying degrees of intelligence, and the way vampirism was medicalized but still creepy.
September 2, 2016
As far as vampire books go, this is one of my favorite styles. They are not sex symbols, or trying at all to 'blend in and play nice'. Delightful!
Really enjoyed this book, It had a nice take on a more common theme and kept me interested all the way through. Really wish the Sequel was out already... I'm anxious to see what happens next.
Really enjoyed this book, It had a nice take on a more common theme and kept me interested all the way through. Really wish the Sequel was out already... I'm anxious to see what happens next.
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