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A Whispered Darkness
When Claire Mallory's father leaves, her mom moves them to a new town and into a dilapidated Victorian house.
The old house creaks and whistles, and smells well -- like it's been abandoned for years. But as the nights grow longer and the shadows take on substance, Claire wonders if the strange sounds and occurrences might be more than the house showing its age.
Just as things start to pick up in Claire's love life, her mother becomes possessed. In an attempt to save her mother and their new home, Claire enlists the help of two boys, each of whom is interested in Claire for different reasons. As she chooses one boy over the other, something dangerous is unleashed, and the spirits make their move.
They aren’t content to moan and scream inside Claire’s house, or even control her mom. They want a taste of freedom, and she’s their key to getting it. But is Claire strong enough to fight off the evil spirits, or will they claim her and her mom before it's all over?
The old house creaks and whistles, and smells well -- like it's been abandoned for years. But as the nights grow longer and the shadows take on substance, Claire wonders if the strange sounds and occurrences might be more than the house showing its age.
Just as things start to pick up in Claire's love life, her mother becomes possessed. In an attempt to save her mother and their new home, Claire enlists the help of two boys, each of whom is interested in Claire for different reasons. As she chooses one boy over the other, something dangerous is unleashed, and the spirits make their move.
They aren’t content to moan and scream inside Claire’s house, or even control her mom. They want a taste of freedom, and she’s their key to getting it. But is Claire strong enough to fight off the evil spirits, or will they claim her and her mom before it's all over?
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First published August 26, 2014
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About the author
Vanessa Barger
5 books57 followersVanessa Barger was born in West Virginia, and through several moves ended up spending the majority of her life in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is a graduate of George Mason University and Old Dominion University, and has degrees in Graphic Design, a minor in Medieval and Renaissance Literature, and a Masters in Technology Education. She has had articles published in Altered Arts Magazine, has had some artwork displayed in galleries in Ohio and online, and currently teaches engineering, practical physics, drafting and other technological things to high school students in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. She is a member of the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), the Virginia Writer's Club, and the Hampton Roads Writers. When not writing or teaching, she’s a bookaholic, movie fanatic, and loves to travel. She is married to a fabulous man, and has one cat, who believes Vanessa lives only to open cat food cans, and can often be found baking when she should be editing.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 4, 2014
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
My first thought when I started A Whispered Darkness was that the mother was absolutely insane. I understand the need to start over when one's life falls apart, but to drag your daughter (who had been committed to a psych ward due to her psychic abilities) to an old, historical home with a dark past is just plain insane. But it makes for an interesting story. Her mother becomes possessed so quickly, I never developed any feelings for her one way or another anyway.
I really liked Claire. She's been dealt a rather crappy hand--dealt with disbelief when she experienced psychic overload, and a deadbeat dad who couldn't deal with her psychic abilities. She seemed to have a handle on her abilities until their new home proves to be a bit more than she could handle. I liked how she stood up to Bryan, and how she stood up for Haven. I loved the interactions between Claire and her younger brother, Grant. These are two siblings who really love each other.
For a brief time, I was afraid there might be a love triangle, but fortunately Claire knew what, I mean who, she wanted and went for it. Haven also has abilities and has been ostracized due to them, so they had an instant connection. The romance was sweet, if somewhat rushed. But, hey, if homicidal ghosts were after me, I might fling myself at a guy too. Live in the moment and all that.
The plot was interesting, but I couldn't help feeling like it was missing something. I never really got a feel for the tortured souls in the house. They make up such a huge part of the story, and yet they just were. Old files, letters, something to bring some of their story to light would have been nice. The pacing was also unpredictable. At times it was super fast and other times it dragged.
I'm always up for a good ghost story, especially one with a sweet romance. A Whispered Darkness did not disappoint. If you like ghost stories, you'll want to add this one to your TBR list.
My first thought when I started A Whispered Darkness was that the mother was absolutely insane. I understand the need to start over when one's life falls apart, but to drag your daughter (who had been committed to a psych ward due to her psychic abilities) to an old, historical home with a dark past is just plain insane. But it makes for an interesting story. Her mother becomes possessed so quickly, I never developed any feelings for her one way or another anyway.
I really liked Claire. She's been dealt a rather crappy hand--dealt with disbelief when she experienced psychic overload, and a deadbeat dad who couldn't deal with her psychic abilities. She seemed to have a handle on her abilities until their new home proves to be a bit more than she could handle. I liked how she stood up to Bryan, and how she stood up for Haven. I loved the interactions between Claire and her younger brother, Grant. These are two siblings who really love each other.
For a brief time, I was afraid there might be a love triangle, but fortunately Claire knew what, I mean who, she wanted and went for it. Haven also has abilities and has been ostracized due to them, so they had an instant connection. The romance was sweet, if somewhat rushed. But, hey, if homicidal ghosts were after me, I might fling myself at a guy too. Live in the moment and all that.
The plot was interesting, but I couldn't help feeling like it was missing something. I never really got a feel for the tortured souls in the house. They make up such a huge part of the story, and yet they just were. Old files, letters, something to bring some of their story to light would have been nice. The pacing was also unpredictable. At times it was super fast and other times it dragged.
I'm always up for a good ghost story, especially one with a sweet romance. A Whispered Darkness did not disappoint. If you like ghost stories, you'll want to add this one to your TBR list.
September 23, 2014
Spirits and ghosts never fail to fascinate me in stories. They are one of the few paranormal entities that are both possible and persistently scare the crap out of me! I used to love ghost stories when I was kid, but not so much when my imagination started rolling them round in my mind in the middle of the night!
This is YA, so not as scary as an adult horror would be, so hit a nice middle ground to be intriguing but not something that stops you turning the light off!
From a writer’s perspective, I found Claire’s voice a little muddled at times. I’m not sure if this was down to a character trait (as it was written first person) or down to the general voice of the author. There were quite a few punctuation errors in there too – now I’m not the be all and end all expert on this matter and some of them might have been down to personal taste, but there were quite a few sentences (especially in the beginning) that were missing commas. Now, this might be more to do with the fact I was given an Advanced Reader Copy – so the final version might prove a little less muddled and with a few more little black wiggles where they are supposed to be.
The story itself was interesting, but the YA aspect again was quite predictable and followed that old tried and tested love triangle, protagonist specialness – which although works, is getting a bit tiresome for me personal. To be honest though, I’m not a teen readers – so not really the target market for this book.
The front cover is beautiful. Month9 seem to always produce fantastic covers and really promote their books – so two spectral thumbs up for that.
Overall, I’d give Whispers 3 out of 5 stars for an adult reader and 4 out of 5 for a teen. A perfect read for a Halloween night.
This is YA, so not as scary as an adult horror would be, so hit a nice middle ground to be intriguing but not something that stops you turning the light off!
From a writer’s perspective, I found Claire’s voice a little muddled at times. I’m not sure if this was down to a character trait (as it was written first person) or down to the general voice of the author. There were quite a few punctuation errors in there too – now I’m not the be all and end all expert on this matter and some of them might have been down to personal taste, but there were quite a few sentences (especially in the beginning) that were missing commas. Now, this might be more to do with the fact I was given an Advanced Reader Copy – so the final version might prove a little less muddled and with a few more little black wiggles where they are supposed to be.
The story itself was interesting, but the YA aspect again was quite predictable and followed that old tried and tested love triangle, protagonist specialness – which although works, is getting a bit tiresome for me personal. To be honest though, I’m not a teen readers – so not really the target market for this book.
The front cover is beautiful. Month9 seem to always produce fantastic covers and really promote their books – so two spectral thumbs up for that.
Overall, I’d give Whispers 3 out of 5 stars for an adult reader and 4 out of 5 for a teen. A perfect read for a Halloween night.
December 23, 2014
I learned one thing from this book, ghost stories are not for me.
February 7, 2016
When Claire Mallory's father leaves, her mom moves them to a new town and into a dilapidated Victorian house.
The old house creaks and whistles, and smells well -- like it's been abandoned for years. But as the nights grow longer and the shadows take on substance, Claire wonders if the strange sounds and occurrences might be more than the house showing its age.
Just as things start to pick up in Claire's love life, her mother becomes possessed. In an attempt to save her mother and their new home, Claire enlists the help of two boys, each of whom is interested in Claire for different reasons. As she chooses one boy over the other, something dangerous is unleashed, and the spirits make their move.
They aren’t content to moan and scream inside Claire’s house, or even control her mom. They want a taste of freedom, and she’s their key to getting it. But is Claire strong enough to fight off the evil spirits, or will they claim her and her mom before it's all over?
Firstly thank you to Chapter by Chapter for letting me take part in this blog tour.
I struggled to begin this review. Not because I didn't enjoy the book but because I went on such a journey through the last few chapters that it was hard to remember how it all began.
Claire, her little brother Grant and her Mum move into this very old house. Claire has always had a gift but something happened and she's to afraid to use it. When they move into the house Claire can tell that there's something not quite right. There's something evil lurking in the house but she brushes it off as paranoia.
I liked Claire. I felt sorry for her because of all the things her father put her through.
Haven is the boy next door. Well as next door as you can get to Claire's house. He's pretty cool but she can tell he's hiding something. Then again so is she....
Bryan is the other boy next door. He's a bit creepy and Claire doesn't know what to make of him. She tries to be nice to him but ultimately she knows something is off.
I found myself struggling to get into this book and then before I knew it I was 50% of the way through and I didn't want it to end. The last few chapters are pretty intense. Vanessa has left me longing for more of Claire and I hope she writes a sequel to this book.
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This review was originally posted on Chicklit vs Fantasy
September 3, 2014
Wow...can you say freaky possession and crazy demonic spirits?! I gave this a full on 5 star rating! This book was so outstanding for me. It was a great intro into horror books. Vanessa has done absolutely amazing with this book!
This story follows Claire, her mother and her brother Grant. They have moved into a new house after their parents get divorced and Claire has a breakdown. Two things that make this move interesting: 1) Claire is a psychic and her mom and brother knows it and 2) their house is haunted.
Right off the back Claire can see and sense the strange happenings: the ghosts in the house. She tries to figure out what the ghosts want and the only answer: her. She also meets two guys named Bryan and Haven. These two have secrets of their own and they happen to be cousins. Their story: Haven is a psychic and Bryan is jealous. Bryan likes Claire but she picks Haven.
I absolutely loved every character! They all were unique in their very own way.
Claire is a very bold and quiet girl. It's a strange combination but in school she was super quiet and aware of her surroundings. Out of school she was fighting and arguing with crazy ghost that tried to kill her. I absolutely love how she stood up to Horace. No matter how hard he used her mother against him she still did not back down when he pushed.
Grant is a spunky kid! He's the kind of younger brother you love. He was very supportive to his sister and stood by her side even when the ghosts attacked them. I loved him like a little brother.
Claire's mother was very naive to me. She believed Claire was psychic but kept trying to get her admitted. That's so wrong, granted majority of the book she wasn't herself, but she still was naive and mean when it came to Claire and her powers.
Haven was the sweetest guy ever. I love how off the back he knew Claire was different and how they connected with having the same abilities (in a sense). He was protective, always there when needed and even like an older brothee to Grant. I just loved him and I'm team Haven!
Bryan was a scarey guy. The anger he had was insane. There were moments I thought he would kill Claire because he flipped back and forth with his emotions, but the ending of the book helps to explain his behavior. I still however was not a fan of him at all.
Horace and Maggie were freaking insane. Horace's background and what he did was beyond outrageous, but Maggie was totally wrong and set on revenge. I loved that ending between her and Claire...priceless and perfect!
This was an awesome book and I hope this book has a sequel secretly in the works.
This story follows Claire, her mother and her brother Grant. They have moved into a new house after their parents get divorced and Claire has a breakdown. Two things that make this move interesting: 1) Claire is a psychic and her mom and brother knows it and 2) their house is haunted.
Right off the back Claire can see and sense the strange happenings: the ghosts in the house. She tries to figure out what the ghosts want and the only answer: her. She also meets two guys named Bryan and Haven. These two have secrets of their own and they happen to be cousins. Their story: Haven is a psychic and Bryan is jealous. Bryan likes Claire but she picks Haven.
I absolutely loved every character! They all were unique in their very own way.
Claire is a very bold and quiet girl. It's a strange combination but in school she was super quiet and aware of her surroundings. Out of school she was fighting and arguing with crazy ghost that tried to kill her. I absolutely love how she stood up to Horace. No matter how hard he used her mother against him she still did not back down when he pushed.
Grant is a spunky kid! He's the kind of younger brother you love. He was very supportive to his sister and stood by her side even when the ghosts attacked them. I loved him like a little brother.
Claire's mother was very naive to me. She believed Claire was psychic but kept trying to get her admitted. That's so wrong, granted majority of the book she wasn't herself, but she still was naive and mean when it came to Claire and her powers.
Haven was the sweetest guy ever. I love how off the back he knew Claire was different and how they connected with having the same abilities (in a sense). He was protective, always there when needed and even like an older brothee to Grant. I just loved him and I'm team Haven!
Bryan was a scarey guy. The anger he had was insane. There were moments I thought he would kill Claire because he flipped back and forth with his emotions, but the ending of the book helps to explain his behavior. I still however was not a fan of him at all.
Horace and Maggie were freaking insane. Horace's background and what he did was beyond outrageous, but Maggie was totally wrong and set on revenge. I loved that ending between her and Claire...priceless and perfect!
This was an awesome book and I hope this book has a sequel secretly in the works.
September 7, 2014
When I read a synopsis for a book, if there are mentions of anything that hints at creepy, I am all in. And the synopsis for A Whispered Darkness definitely hints at creepiness. So naturally this was a book I had to read. And I am so glad that I decided to review this one for the tour. So far, Month9Books is batting 100!
From the beginning of the story, learning about what Claire's father had done, I felt an immediate connection to her. I felt her anger and frustration at what he had done. I felt her worry for her younger brother, Grant. Her love for her mother, but the underlying frustration at her for moving them into an old, drafty, slowly rotting house. And her fear of what that house might hold. There is also a bit of a mystery, at the beginning, with hints of something dark in Claire's past that was intriguing.
From the moment Claire and Grant walk into their new home, they can tell something is wrong. It starts as shadows and noises like growls, but it grows into something darker, and much more dangerous. We also meet two new boys, Bryan and Haven. Bryan is odd from the start, and Haven a bit of an outcast. Bryan comes on incredibly strong, and makes Claire really uncomfortable. With Haven however, she is drawn to him even though she knows he is hiding something.
The boys and the house end up having a bigger connection than Claire could ever have guessed, and a fight for not only Claire's life, but her mother and brothers lives, as well as Haven and Bryan's, ensues.
I really enjoyed this story. There are ghosts, and mysteries abound. There is a bit of a romance. One of my favorite parts was the relationship between Claire and Grant. Claire is a tough girl, and I appreciated that. She is strong, and she is not afraid to stand up for herself. Grant was a fantastic character. He was a kid, but he would stop at nothing to protect his sister. There is a paranormal television crew, and investigation. It all adds up to an enjoyable story.
All in all, I had a great time with it, but there were some things that weren't so great. At times, the pace dragged a little bit and I would start to lose focus. Also, I was hoping for a bit more scary than I got. Finally, the romance between Haven and Claire went at a break-neck pace, which is never something I enjoy.
For the most part though, A Whispered Darkness is a great, creepy story and definitely an entertaining one. I would definitely be up for another tale from this wonderful writer! Thank you Chapter by Chapter, and Month9Books, for letting me be a part of this wonderful tour!
From the beginning of the story, learning about what Claire's father had done, I felt an immediate connection to her. I felt her anger and frustration at what he had done. I felt her worry for her younger brother, Grant. Her love for her mother, but the underlying frustration at her for moving them into an old, drafty, slowly rotting house. And her fear of what that house might hold. There is also a bit of a mystery, at the beginning, with hints of something dark in Claire's past that was intriguing.
From the moment Claire and Grant walk into their new home, they can tell something is wrong. It starts as shadows and noises like growls, but it grows into something darker, and much more dangerous. We also meet two new boys, Bryan and Haven. Bryan is odd from the start, and Haven a bit of an outcast. Bryan comes on incredibly strong, and makes Claire really uncomfortable. With Haven however, she is drawn to him even though she knows he is hiding something.
The boys and the house end up having a bigger connection than Claire could ever have guessed, and a fight for not only Claire's life, but her mother and brothers lives, as well as Haven and Bryan's, ensues.
I really enjoyed this story. There are ghosts, and mysteries abound. There is a bit of a romance. One of my favorite parts was the relationship between Claire and Grant. Claire is a tough girl, and I appreciated that. She is strong, and she is not afraid to stand up for herself. Grant was a fantastic character. He was a kid, but he would stop at nothing to protect his sister. There is a paranormal television crew, and investigation. It all adds up to an enjoyable story.
All in all, I had a great time with it, but there were some things that weren't so great. At times, the pace dragged a little bit and I would start to lose focus. Also, I was hoping for a bit more scary than I got. Finally, the romance between Haven and Claire went at a break-neck pace, which is never something I enjoy.
For the most part though, A Whispered Darkness is a great, creepy story and definitely an entertaining one. I would definitely be up for another tale from this wonderful writer! Thank you Chapter by Chapter, and Month9Books, for letting me be a part of this wonderful tour!
September 5, 2014
I’ve been on this creepy scary book kick lately, and a ghost story fits right in there too. And A Whispered Darkness is a pretty good one too. It follow Claire, who has had a rough time lately, her father left her mother for a younger woman, she was committed for her ability because they just thought she was crazy and not psychic in any way. Now her mother has packed her and her brother and moved them to a small town and into a creepy old house that has some weird history. Not exactly what she needs.
The characters were a good fit for this, 2 had some form of a psychic ability and one who hunts ghost. Then you have Mom who is slowly being taken over by a pissed off ghost. Claire is great, she never gives up and her brother Grant is supportive and helps her even though he can’t see what is happening but he can feel it. Now there are two guys, Haven and Bryan and let me say, there is no love triangle here. Even though both of them were after her, she made up her mind early on who it was she liked. And I liked her pick, so no issue for me there. But as the story went on, I did kinda feel for the other one. But anyhoo…
The story was a little creepy and had it’s fast time but slow times too. The hauntings start early on, strange noises and things moving around, and whispers and Claire knows there is something going on right away. Trapped and angry souls don’t make for good house guests that’s for sure. Now, it isn’t overly scary but there were a few times I got goosebumps and at the end is where it got a whole lot more creepy and intense and things started to fit together. I was hoping for a little more scary than I got but there was enough. Now, I do wonder about the house itself and why the souls were trapped there to being with, but overall, I was pretty happy with the ending and it did wrap up quite well leaving not a lot of unanswered questions.
A Whispered Darkness was a good creepy ghost story and it has a sweet little romance and was certainly worth the read.
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September 18, 2014
Original review posted at http://musingsofabibliophage.weebly.com
I have been really into paranormal books lately, and so far, A WHISPERED DARKNESS has been my favorite. The events which took place were very believable, and that intensified the creepiness factor. Every time I pick up a paranormal novel, I am worried that it will be hokey; however, the haunting of Claire's new home seemed absolutely real. At times I would be so into the book, that if Claire said that the temperature in the room dropped, I would start to feel goose bumps crawl up my arms. There were instances when I had to glance over my shoulder, because I was afraid somebody was watching me. Vanessa Barger did a simply phenomenal job at being descriptive without overbearing the reader. Whether she was describing the characters, a setting, or ghosts haunting people, the story flowed so smoothly and I was able to visualize everything easily.
All of the characters were crafted well to me, except for Bryan. He seemed like a slightly unnecessary character that was randomly thrown in at times to create more tension. Bryan ended up bogging the story down, and when he would appear, things just felt very awkward and forced. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy all of the other characters. Claire handled situations maturely, Haven was just wonderful, and Claire's younger brother Grant was absolutely perfect. The possession of Claire's mother was written so well. As time went on, there were subtle changes in her mother, from the way her hair was fixed to her handwriting, and it was interesting to see somebody slowly being taken over by a paranormal being.
Overall, the novel was paced very well. There was never a time when things felt like they were going too slow, and the only part that felt rushed was the ending. I was not very satisfied with the way things were resolved, but it was an ending I could live with. Though A WHISPERED DARKNESS is certainly not a comedy, Barger did include some comedic lines dispersed throughout the book to keep things from getting too dark and gloomy.
The wonderful author herself provided me with an e-book, but I enjoyed it so much that I plan on purchasing a print copy of it! I can see myself making it a tradition of reading this novel every time that Halloween comes around, or any time that I am simply in the mood for a creeptastic tale. If you are looking for a good, spooky read, then A WHISPERED DARKNESS by Vanessa Barger is one that you will definitely not want to miss.
I have been really into paranormal books lately, and so far, A WHISPERED DARKNESS has been my favorite. The events which took place were very believable, and that intensified the creepiness factor. Every time I pick up a paranormal novel, I am worried that it will be hokey; however, the haunting of Claire's new home seemed absolutely real. At times I would be so into the book, that if Claire said that the temperature in the room dropped, I would start to feel goose bumps crawl up my arms. There were instances when I had to glance over my shoulder, because I was afraid somebody was watching me. Vanessa Barger did a simply phenomenal job at being descriptive without overbearing the reader. Whether she was describing the characters, a setting, or ghosts haunting people, the story flowed so smoothly and I was able to visualize everything easily.
All of the characters were crafted well to me, except for Bryan. He seemed like a slightly unnecessary character that was randomly thrown in at times to create more tension. Bryan ended up bogging the story down, and when he would appear, things just felt very awkward and forced. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy all of the other characters. Claire handled situations maturely, Haven was just wonderful, and Claire's younger brother Grant was absolutely perfect. The possession of Claire's mother was written so well. As time went on, there were subtle changes in her mother, from the way her hair was fixed to her handwriting, and it was interesting to see somebody slowly being taken over by a paranormal being.
Overall, the novel was paced very well. There was never a time when things felt like they were going too slow, and the only part that felt rushed was the ending. I was not very satisfied with the way things were resolved, but it was an ending I could live with. Though A WHISPERED DARKNESS is certainly not a comedy, Barger did include some comedic lines dispersed throughout the book to keep things from getting too dark and gloomy.
The wonderful author herself provided me with an e-book, but I enjoyed it so much that I plan on purchasing a print copy of it! I can see myself making it a tradition of reading this novel every time that Halloween comes around, or any time that I am simply in the mood for a creeptastic tale. If you are looking for a good, spooky read, then A WHISPERED DARKNESS by Vanessa Barger is one that you will definitely not want to miss.
October 31, 2014
Psychocat Reads Review of A WHISPERED DARKNESS by Vanessa Barger
(I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Continuing the creepy Halloween theme this week, today is easily the creepiest book yet. Of the Sassy Sisters, I am decidedly not that one that seeks out horror type stories. Of course, I've been branching out to all kinds of new books lately, and the covered for A WHISPERED DARKNESS was just too mesmerizing to ignore. The real question is how things went when I jumped into a ghost novel designed to be freaky.
The Characters: Claire is an interesting main character. She has plenty of reasons to just give up and play the victim, but she refuses. All the while, she maintains a sense of humor. Her brother, Grant, is another fun character. He is every bit the teenage boy, while also being protective of his older sister.
For every other character in the book, you spend at least some portion of the story wondering about their intentions. The constant tension of trying to figure out the humans even as the spirits are causing mayhem keeps things interesting.
The Relationships: Despite the blurb, Claire's decision between the boys is fairly immediate, which keeps the story from becoming an awkward teen love triangle. However, that doesn't mean that her interactions and relationships with both boys aren't important throughout the book. At the same time, although the romance may seem fast and furious, the story does appear to take place over a couple of months and the circumstances are such that it makes sense.
The other relationship that I really enjoyed was Claire and Grant. It was great to see a teenage sibling relationship that involved plenty of snark, but also a wonderful attachment and caring.
The Creep Factor: Vanessa definitely brought the creep factor, but fortunately for me it wasn't up to the Stephen King level that would have had me hiding. As a non-horror reader, A WHISPERED DARKNESS kept a strong creepy thing without taking it overboard.
Jen's Final Rating: 4 STARS! A WHISPERED DARKNESS was a pleasant surprise. It was definitely scary, but balanced that well with less terrifying elements. If you are often iffy about scary things, you might be able to keep this one on your TBR list. If you enjoy a healthy dose of creep, you shouldn't definitely pick up a copy.
Psychocat's Final Rating: 5 CLAWS! I shouldn't be surprised that she doesn't understand why Claire and company objected to the presence of the spirits in the house. They seemed perfectly rational and friendly to her.
(I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Continuing the creepy Halloween theme this week, today is easily the creepiest book yet. Of the Sassy Sisters, I am decidedly not that one that seeks out horror type stories. Of course, I've been branching out to all kinds of new books lately, and the covered for A WHISPERED DARKNESS was just too mesmerizing to ignore. The real question is how things went when I jumped into a ghost novel designed to be freaky.
The Characters: Claire is an interesting main character. She has plenty of reasons to just give up and play the victim, but she refuses. All the while, she maintains a sense of humor. Her brother, Grant, is another fun character. He is every bit the teenage boy, while also being protective of his older sister.
For every other character in the book, you spend at least some portion of the story wondering about their intentions. The constant tension of trying to figure out the humans even as the spirits are causing mayhem keeps things interesting.
The Relationships: Despite the blurb, Claire's decision between the boys is fairly immediate, which keeps the story from becoming an awkward teen love triangle. However, that doesn't mean that her interactions and relationships with both boys aren't important throughout the book. At the same time, although the romance may seem fast and furious, the story does appear to take place over a couple of months and the circumstances are such that it makes sense.
The other relationship that I really enjoyed was Claire and Grant. It was great to see a teenage sibling relationship that involved plenty of snark, but also a wonderful attachment and caring.
The Creep Factor: Vanessa definitely brought the creep factor, but fortunately for me it wasn't up to the Stephen King level that would have had me hiding. As a non-horror reader, A WHISPERED DARKNESS kept a strong creepy thing without taking it overboard.
Jen's Final Rating: 4 STARS! A WHISPERED DARKNESS was a pleasant surprise. It was definitely scary, but balanced that well with less terrifying elements. If you are often iffy about scary things, you might be able to keep this one on your TBR list. If you enjoy a healthy dose of creep, you shouldn't definitely pick up a copy.
Psychocat's Final Rating: 5 CLAWS! I shouldn't be surprised that she doesn't understand why Claire and company objected to the presence of the spirits in the house. They seemed perfectly rational and friendly to her.
September 2, 2014
This review first appeared on my blog Christy's Cozy Corners. I was given a free ecopy for an honest review which I've given.
Ghost stories! I love them...who doesn't right? Well, my mom...and my sister....okay some people don't really like ghost stories, but for those of us who do, A Whispered Darkness is another one to add to our list of good ghost stories.
When Claire, her brother Grant, and their mom move into an old Victorian mansion, Claire knows something is off. You see, she can see/hear/talk to ghosts. She can also hear people's thoughts. An incident happened a couple of years ago which sent Claire to the mental hospital. That incident is not really clearly talked about in the book, but you still get the gist of what happened. She let too many voices in to her head and that led to a mental breakdown. She also found out that her dad was cheating on her mom since she can sense things.
Moving into a former mental asylum probably, okay definitely, was not the best thing for Claire. The haunting begins right away and eventually one of the spirits possesses Claire's mom completely. There are lots of ghostly happenings in the story and the ghost hunting team comes along thinking they can solve the issue. They've never dealt with anything like this before.
The story is pretty fast paced, though there was a little bit too much dialog in places for me. The main characters have depth to them and there is humor thrown into the story as well. I wish some of the lesser characters had been developed a bit further...I'd love to know why Haven's grandmother is the way she is and I kept waiting to develop some sympathy for Bryan along the way. I like Grant the best. I think he sticks by his sister and really tries to protect her.
All in all, it's a good story for those of us who like ghost stories and ghost hunting type books.
Ghost stories! I love them...who doesn't right? Well, my mom...and my sister....okay some people don't really like ghost stories, but for those of us who do, A Whispered Darkness is another one to add to our list of good ghost stories.
When Claire, her brother Grant, and their mom move into an old Victorian mansion, Claire knows something is off. You see, she can see/hear/talk to ghosts. She can also hear people's thoughts. An incident happened a couple of years ago which sent Claire to the mental hospital. That incident is not really clearly talked about in the book, but you still get the gist of what happened. She let too many voices in to her head and that led to a mental breakdown. She also found out that her dad was cheating on her mom since she can sense things.
Moving into a former mental asylum probably, okay definitely, was not the best thing for Claire. The haunting begins right away and eventually one of the spirits possesses Claire's mom completely. There are lots of ghostly happenings in the story and the ghost hunting team comes along thinking they can solve the issue. They've never dealt with anything like this before.
The story is pretty fast paced, though there was a little bit too much dialog in places for me. The main characters have depth to them and there is humor thrown into the story as well. I wish some of the lesser characters had been developed a bit further...I'd love to know why Haven's grandmother is the way she is and I kept waiting to develop some sympathy for Bryan along the way. I like Grant the best. I think he sticks by his sister and really tries to protect her.
All in all, it's a good story for those of us who like ghost stories and ghost hunting type books.
September 6, 2014
I love ghost stories so signing up for this tour was an easy decision. A Whispered Darkness is an interesting read and fans of creepy paranormal stories will want to check it out. Claire's family is going through changes. Her dad leaves and her mom moves her and her brother, Grant, to a strange house in a new town. Poor Claire is dealing with her own issues, namely trying to keep her mental health healthy which isn't easy when one can hear the voices of the dead. The house itself is weird with its gloomy setting and strange noises. Claire can see the ghosts inhabiting the old Victorian and the paranormal aspect of the story is cool. She also meets two guys, cousins Bryan and Haven, and develops feelings for them. Her mom begins to act stranger than usual and Claire worries that the ghosts may be interfering. Or could it be a case of possession?
I liked the relationship between Claire and Grant. They seemed to truly care for each other. As for her relationship with the guys, though a bit quick, I could understand why Claire latched onto these guys with concerns about her sanity and such. What I couldn't understand was why Claire's mom thought buying the house she did would be a good, mature decision, especially with her daughter's history of hospitalization for mental illness. I thought the paranormal parts were intriguing and kept me reading. The pace was a bit unsteady in parts and that's okay since I liked Claire and wanted to see what would happen.
All in all I found A Whispered Darkness to be an entertaining and atmospheric YA paranormal. Drama, romance, a girl who can talk to ghosts and a possessed mom made for a cool weekend afternoon read.Blog tour stop: http://www.readergirlsblog.com/2014/0...
I liked the relationship between Claire and Grant. They seemed to truly care for each other. As for her relationship with the guys, though a bit quick, I could understand why Claire latched onto these guys with concerns about her sanity and such. What I couldn't understand was why Claire's mom thought buying the house she did would be a good, mature decision, especially with her daughter's history of hospitalization for mental illness. I thought the paranormal parts were intriguing and kept me reading. The pace was a bit unsteady in parts and that's okay since I liked Claire and wanted to see what would happen.
All in all I found A Whispered Darkness to be an entertaining and atmospheric YA paranormal. Drama, romance, a girl who can talk to ghosts and a possessed mom made for a cool weekend afternoon read.Blog tour stop: http://www.readergirlsblog.com/2014/0...
October 5, 2014
4.4 Stars
"When a soul breaks, it becomes something dark, beautiful and terrible."
I don't usually read books in this genre (I think this is actually my first!), but when I saw the above tagline, I knew I had to give this one a shot. I'm so glad I did.
I loved the main character. I wish I'd had this book as a teenager because I would have related to her so so well (not the paranormal aspects, but some aspects of her personality and manner of speaking reminded me of how I was then).
I thought all of the characters were well fleshed out and had distinct personalities. I also liked how the different relationships were portrayed, especially seeing Claire and her brother's interactions. The plot was engaging and kept me curious throughout the book. It also answered *most* of my questions in the end, although I'm really hoping there will be a sequel eventually!
I definitely recommend this to book to others who enjoy paranormal stories.
"When a soul breaks, it becomes something dark, beautiful and terrible."
I don't usually read books in this genre (I think this is actually my first!), but when I saw the above tagline, I knew I had to give this one a shot. I'm so glad I did.
I loved the main character. I wish I'd had this book as a teenager because I would have related to her so so well (not the paranormal aspects, but some aspects of her personality and manner of speaking reminded me of how I was then).
I thought all of the characters were well fleshed out and had distinct personalities. I also liked how the different relationships were portrayed, especially seeing Claire and her brother's interactions. The plot was engaging and kept me curious throughout the book. It also answered *most* of my questions in the end, although I'm really hoping there will be a sequel eventually!
I definitely recommend this to book to others who enjoy paranormal stories.
October 10, 2014
I was given this book in return for an honest review first of all. I read this book fairly quickly, so in my opinion it was an easy read. The ghosts were creepy, but at times seemed to be pulled out of a certain horror movie. It did have the squishy love "aww" that all YA books need and we all love. I really enjoyed this book until the end. I hated the way the investigation went down. I hated the ending completely- there was something missing. It was as if the story needed another 50 pages to wrap up everything a little better. All in all, wonderful foundation for a story, but needs more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2014
A paranormal book with a touch of romance. This was a really good book very mysterious that made me want to keep turning pages. Wish there was a little bit more romance but that's just because I'm a romantic at heart.
Read
August 11, 2014DNF at 43%
October 13, 2014
It was pretty dark for a teen book, but hey, I like scary stuff! Docked it a star because it was cheesy at times.
April 5, 2015
Mood of the book was great, but the actual story wasn't that good. I expected a bit more.
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