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Whispers of Deception
What happens when the past refuses to stay hidden?
In the idyllic town of Mills Creek, the disappearance of Willow Montgomery sends shockwaves through her circle of friends. Once inseparable, they find themselves at the heart of the chilling mystery. When Willow's body is discovered, her death reveals an intricate web of betrayal and lies. The group is forced to confront their darkest fears and hidden guilt. With every twist and turn, the line between reality and deception blurs, as the dead girl's voice seems to echo from beyond the grave.
Trust is a luxury they can't afford, and every shadow hides a secret. As they dig deeper into Willow's past and their murky motivations, they must grapple with the chilling realization that some truths are best left buried. But in a town where everyone has something to hide, the only certainty is that the past is never truly forgotten.
In the idyllic town of Mills Creek, the disappearance of Willow Montgomery sends shockwaves through her circle of friends. Once inseparable, they find themselves at the heart of the chilling mystery. When Willow's body is discovered, her death reveals an intricate web of betrayal and lies. The group is forced to confront their darkest fears and hidden guilt. With every twist and turn, the line between reality and deception blurs, as the dead girl's voice seems to echo from beyond the grave.
Trust is a luxury they can't afford, and every shadow hides a secret. As they dig deeper into Willow's past and their murky motivations, they must grapple with the chilling realization that some truths are best left buried. But in a town where everyone has something to hide, the only certainty is that the past is never truly forgotten.
- GenresDark Academia
418 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2024
3 people are currently reading
221 people want to read
About the author
Liliana Rose Hastings
3 books157 followersLiliana Hastings is an indie author who finds herself continuously immersed in books. After spending her early adolescence writing, Liliana finally decided to give the world insight into her oasis. When Ana is not writing, the twenty-two-year-old author often spends her time frequenting coffee shops and visiting local bookstores in her hometown. She seeks solace amongst the simpler things in life, cherishing the moments when she can spend time with family and those closest to her. The author is an avid lover of all things whimsical and cozy. You will most likely find her watching a movie with a hot cup of coffee despite the season or temperatures.
Where to connect with Liliana:
Instagram: @authorlilianahastings
Tiktok: @authorlilianahastings
Where to connect with Liliana:
Instagram: @authorlilianahastings
Tiktok: @authorlilianahastings
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
August 5, 2024
I can’t wait for you all to read this book!
November 12, 2024
happy release date to this lovely book!! and ty to the author for an arc of this book!!
how am i now supposed to wait for another book in this series?? i went into this not knowing what to expect. i had read the synopsis when i first added it to my tbr but by the time i received my arc, i had completely forgotten what the book was about (aside from the murder mystery aspect of course) and going in blind made the experience so much better for me!!
↳rating: ★★★★
↳synopsis:
in the small town of mills creek, not everything is as perfect as it seems and when willow montgomory is found dead, her friends find themselves the prime suspects in this web of lies and betrayals.
what makes a book good, in my very humble opinion, is likeable characters and this novel had just that. i absolutely loved lilia, augustus and sebastian especially and i was there rooting for all of them. i do wish that delilah and eleanor were developed a bit more, but this might have just happened only because they had the least page time.
the mystery itself was honestly so intriguing and from the start i was there trying to figure everything out. which for the record, i did figure out the culprit, something of which i'm incredibly proud of myself.
i'm so curious for the rest of the books in the series because i feel like there are still some questions that i want an answer to. like, for example, what was going on in willow's family? what were the dynamics there and what was going on with willow's sister?
🍂 on an ending note, if you enjoy
↳ found family
↳ dark academia
↳ fall vibes
↳ mysteries
↳ the marauders!!
↳ morally gray characters
then you definitely need to add this book to your tbr because you will absolutely fall in love with it!!
how am i now supposed to wait for another book in this series?? i went into this not knowing what to expect. i had read the synopsis when i first added it to my tbr but by the time i received my arc, i had completely forgotten what the book was about (aside from the murder mystery aspect of course) and going in blind made the experience so much better for me!!
↳rating: ★★★★
↳synopsis:
in the small town of mills creek, not everything is as perfect as it seems and when willow montgomory is found dead, her friends find themselves the prime suspects in this web of lies and betrayals.
what makes a book good, in my very humble opinion, is likeable characters and this novel had just that. i absolutely loved lilia, augustus and sebastian especially and i was there rooting for all of them. i do wish that delilah and eleanor were developed a bit more, but this might have just happened only because they had the least page time.
the mystery itself was honestly so intriguing and from the start i was there trying to figure everything out. which for the record, i did figure out the culprit, something of which i'm incredibly proud of myself.
i'm so curious for the rest of the books in the series because i feel like there are still some questions that i want an answer to. like, for example, what was going on in willow's family? what were the dynamics there and what was going on with willow's sister?
🍂 on an ending note, if you enjoy
↳ found family
↳ dark academia
↳ fall vibes
↳ mysteries
↳ the marauders!!
↳ morally gray characters
then you definitely need to add this book to your tbr because you will absolutely fall in love with it!!
November 13, 2024
I really enjoyed this one, finished it in a day. It was really intriguing. I was hooked from the start. The characters were well written and the pace was good too. I were rooting for them. The plot was good. Can't wait for the next book to know more about everything. I've so many questions ahhh
November 11, 2024
This was my first read by Liliana Rose Hastings, and she did not disappoint. I was not prepared for this read, but I absolutely loved it! I can’t wait to read more books by this author!
November 3, 2024
Beta read and I absolutely loved this one!
Mills creek gives off the perfect dark academia vibes with all of the fall aspects. Liliana writes so lyrically that I found myself diving headfirst into the town and caught up in the characters.
Whispers of Deception is full of lies, a murder mystery, found family, and forbidden love. The murder mystery aspect was written so well that I was constantly guessing not only who the murderer was but also who the victim was. The web of lies is woven around the town and the characters. Liliana was a genius for how she played everything out. We get clues throughout the story, and I was trying to piece it all together.
There is a newspaper and podcast within the story that goes over the murder case, and I loved them! It definitely gave more of the small-town vibe for Mills Creek.
I loved the close-knit group of friends and the found family aspect they have with each other. They are carrying around a lie of their own that they will take to their deaths. They only have each other when the entire town is against them.
While the murder mystery is the main plot line, there is a forbidden romance as well. I LOVE Augustus and Lilia. They have a slow burn romance, and it felt so tender to me. A forbidden love where they share little moments together that made it feel as if they were the only two there.
Thank you Liliana for allowing me to be a beta reader!
Mills creek gives off the perfect dark academia vibes with all of the fall aspects. Liliana writes so lyrically that I found myself diving headfirst into the town and caught up in the characters.
Whispers of Deception is full of lies, a murder mystery, found family, and forbidden love. The murder mystery aspect was written so well that I was constantly guessing not only who the murderer was but also who the victim was. The web of lies is woven around the town and the characters. Liliana was a genius for how she played everything out. We get clues throughout the story, and I was trying to piece it all together.
There is a newspaper and podcast within the story that goes over the murder case, and I loved them! It definitely gave more of the small-town vibe for Mills Creek.
I loved the close-knit group of friends and the found family aspect they have with each other. They are carrying around a lie of their own that they will take to their deaths. They only have each other when the entire town is against them.
While the murder mystery is the main plot line, there is a forbidden romance as well. I LOVE Augustus and Lilia. They have a slow burn romance, and it felt so tender to me. A forbidden love where they share little moments together that made it feel as if they were the only two there.
Thank you Liliana for allowing me to be a beta reader!
November 9, 2024
4 stars//
firstly, i'd like to thank Liliana for trusting me with the HONOR of being a beta reader for this book. i am so incredibly grateful AND proud of how far you've come as an author 🥹
i am so beyond impressed with Liliana's writing style as always. it's as immersive as ever, but i could have never anticipated just how perfect her style would be for a mystery/thriller and boy did she hit the ball out of the park !!!! for her debut thriller, this was very well thought out and such an easy read to get through. it's the perfect book to cozy up with in spooky season. it gave me very much PLL meets HTGAWM vibes, and i LOVED those shows !!!
the friend group's dynamic along with their relationship with willow was very interesting to read about and also very consistent. it didn't feel at all like they were acting drastically differently at any point , and each character was given their own personality so none of them were alike. i saw myself in Lilia a lot , she is such a complex character which i absolutely loved.
despite her descriptive writing, the book was never at all heavy to get through. i usually am set off by flowery writing and it takes me longer to finish books with that writing style, but this one was the perfect mix of both quality writing and easiness to absorb. my favorite part was of course how atmospheric it was. Liliana excels in setting a scene and immersing you into the setting of the story, so much so that i actually got the creeps at a few points cause it was so realistic !!! there was so much more showing than just telling. my only criticism would be that the mystery was a bit predictable, but i was still hooked to the book enough to want to know who the antagonist was in the end ! i highly recommend this one if you're looking for an eerie, fun thriller to read this winter season 🤭🖤
firstly, i'd like to thank Liliana for trusting me with the HONOR of being a beta reader for this book. i am so incredibly grateful AND proud of how far you've come as an author 🥹
i am so beyond impressed with Liliana's writing style as always. it's as immersive as ever, but i could have never anticipated just how perfect her style would be for a mystery/thriller and boy did she hit the ball out of the park !!!! for her debut thriller, this was very well thought out and such an easy read to get through. it's the perfect book to cozy up with in spooky season. it gave me very much PLL meets HTGAWM vibes, and i LOVED those shows !!!
the friend group's dynamic along with their relationship with willow was very interesting to read about and also very consistent. it didn't feel at all like they were acting drastically differently at any point , and each character was given their own personality so none of them were alike. i saw myself in Lilia a lot , she is such a complex character which i absolutely loved.
despite her descriptive writing, the book was never at all heavy to get through. i usually am set off by flowery writing and it takes me longer to finish books with that writing style, but this one was the perfect mix of both quality writing and easiness to absorb. my favorite part was of course how atmospheric it was. Liliana excels in setting a scene and immersing you into the setting of the story, so much so that i actually got the creeps at a few points cause it was so realistic !!! there was so much more showing than just telling. my only criticism would be that the mystery was a bit predictable, but i was still hooked to the book enough to want to know who the antagonist was in the end ! i highly recommend this one if you're looking for an eerie, fun thriller to read this winter season 🤭🖤
November 16, 2024
First, I’d like to express my gratitude to both the author and LoveNotes PR for giving me the opportunity to read this as an ARC!
4.25 stars! ✶
“You know I've got your back, right? Doesn't matter if we're in jumpsuits, or at each other's weddings. You guys are the closest thing I've got to family. I'm with you no matter what.”
Oh, the way I love mystery books! From the moment I lay my eyes upon this book I knew I'd enjoy it — and I defenitely was right about it! It was the perfect fall, november read for me: Whispers of Deception is fast paced and heavily plot-driven story that follows a group of friends in Mills Creek after the tragic death (and murder) of their friend.
I loved the writing, it helped me get immersed in the story, I think the author did an awesome job in setting the vibes throughout the language and style of the story's writing. (Also, I LOVED the fact that it's written in the third person!!)
I was on the edge of my seat by the end of the story, and evem though I thought I figured out the mysterious death of Willow, I was pleasantly surprised that I could not figure it out!
As someone who grew up watching Pretty Little Liars religiously, I loved the atmosphere of the book, even though, sometimes I found some parts of the book similar to the series.
I would've loved to read more about the characters to be able to connect to them more on an emotional level, especially because I really enjoyed those bits where they were talking about their lives before the death of Willow.
Lastly, I loved the mix of a complex love story and murder mystery in this book, and I cannot wait to read the next part of the series!
If you love A Good Girl's Guide To Murder, especially how it utilizes mixed media content you'll love Whispers of Deception. This book features transcripts of podcasts, phone messages, etc. which enriched the story even more!
The perfect read for those who are constantly looking for something that has the same vibes as Pretty Little Liars!
4.25 stars! ✶
“You know I've got your back, right? Doesn't matter if we're in jumpsuits, or at each other's weddings. You guys are the closest thing I've got to family. I'm with you no matter what.”
Oh, the way I love mystery books! From the moment I lay my eyes upon this book I knew I'd enjoy it — and I defenitely was right about it! It was the perfect fall, november read for me: Whispers of Deception is fast paced and heavily plot-driven story that follows a group of friends in Mills Creek after the tragic death (and murder) of their friend.
I loved the writing, it helped me get immersed in the story, I think the author did an awesome job in setting the vibes throughout the language and style of the story's writing. (Also, I LOVED the fact that it's written in the third person!!)
I was on the edge of my seat by the end of the story, and evem though I thought I figured out the mysterious death of Willow, I was pleasantly surprised that I could not figure it out!
As someone who grew up watching Pretty Little Liars religiously, I loved the atmosphere of the book, even though, sometimes I found some parts of the book similar to the series.
I would've loved to read more about the characters to be able to connect to them more on an emotional level, especially because I really enjoyed those bits where they were talking about their lives before the death of Willow.
Lastly, I loved the mix of a complex love story and murder mystery in this book, and I cannot wait to read the next part of the series!
If you love A Good Girl's Guide To Murder, especially how it utilizes mixed media content you'll love Whispers of Deception. This book features transcripts of podcasts, phone messages, etc. which enriched the story even more!
The perfect read for those who are constantly looking for something that has the same vibes as Pretty Little Liars!
November 9, 2024
4.5⭐️
~ They lived in the in- between, in the space where morality falters and survival took precedence.~
OKAYY THIS BOOK ABSOLUTELY DEVOURED ME!! It was just so so good! I haven't read any murder mystery in a while, and the dark acadamia and think piece elements were amazing! It felt so deep reading this book like I was questioning a lot of things about humanity and the characters, myself at some points as well lmao but genuinely I got sucked in by this book, the dark secrets everyone has, the plot and friend group, I lived for the dark fall vibes and Mills creek was written so well as a place. I really didn't see so much of this coming and spent a lot of the time just sat gaping at my Kindle. I have so many highlights as well omg I just loved this authors writing style! I think getting to have the podcast and news reports following the story was so fun and helped me to keep track of what's going on and having the time and location at the top of some of the chapters also made sure I kept my perception of time passing in the novel, it was such a good touch. Literally the only reason why this isn't five stars is because sometimes I felt like it was a bit repetitive and the characters were just going around in circles all saying the same thing after eachother but that's understandable because they're under so much pressure. The way that reputations were presented in this book was so good that it genuinely made me worry for the characters so much! Thank you to the author and love notes pr for the chance to read this arc, I loved it🫶🏻
~ One down, five to go. Did you think it was over?~
I AM NOT OKAY I NEED BOOK TWO
~ They lived in the in- between, in the space where morality falters and survival took precedence.~
OKAYY THIS BOOK ABSOLUTELY DEVOURED ME!! It was just so so good! I haven't read any murder mystery in a while, and the dark acadamia and think piece elements were amazing! It felt so deep reading this book like I was questioning a lot of things about humanity and the characters, myself at some points as well lmao but genuinely I got sucked in by this book, the dark secrets everyone has, the plot and friend group, I lived for the dark fall vibes and Mills creek was written so well as a place. I really didn't see so much of this coming and spent a lot of the time just sat gaping at my Kindle. I have so many highlights as well omg I just loved this authors writing style! I think getting to have the podcast and news reports following the story was so fun and helped me to keep track of what's going on and having the time and location at the top of some of the chapters also made sure I kept my perception of time passing in the novel, it was such a good touch. Literally the only reason why this isn't five stars is because sometimes I felt like it was a bit repetitive and the characters were just going around in circles all saying the same thing after eachother but that's understandable because they're under so much pressure. The way that reputations were presented in this book was so good that it genuinely made me worry for the characters so much! Thank you to the author and love notes pr for the chance to read this arc, I loved it🫶🏻
~ One down, five to go. Did you think it was over?~
I AM NOT OKAY I NEED BOOK TWO
November 17, 2024
Thank you LovenotesPR for sending me an ARC of this book! I loved it from start to finish and the twist in this was so good. I wished we got a bit more from Sebastian, Eleanor and Delilah but there’s chances for that in the books that are to follow. It was very well written and kept me gripped the whole time. I definitely will be checking out the authors other stuff and I can’t wait for the next book to come out!
November 7, 2024
Oh my goodness!! This book was fantastic!
I loved the plot twists and the cliffhangers, they just made this book even more of a page turner, really I couldn't wait to read more and more and find out who is behind the murder of Willow.
I highly recommend reading it as Whispers of Deception is an absolute thought provoking book that has elements of dark academy with a pince of romance in it. I was writing down my thoughts and guesses as the story goes along, and had my own theories as well as highlighting all the good phreases. It shows that the author took great inspiration from agggtm and I loved it as that is one of my favourite books of all time.
Even better news, that there will be 2 more books, as wod is the first book in the upcoming trilogy. Can't wait to read the rest honestly, hope I will have the chance to!
So overall, it was an almost perfect five star, so in my opinion, it's atleast a 4.75/5⭐ or even more.
Anyways, big thank you for the author for providing me an ARC copy, I'm really greatful for the opportunity💞
I loved the plot twists and the cliffhangers, they just made this book even more of a page turner, really I couldn't wait to read more and more and find out who is behind the murder of Willow.
I highly recommend reading it as Whispers of Deception is an absolute thought provoking book that has elements of dark academy with a pince of romance in it. I was writing down my thoughts and guesses as the story goes along, and had my own theories as well as highlighting all the good phreases. It shows that the author took great inspiration from agggtm and I loved it as that is one of my favourite books of all time.
Even better news, that there will be 2 more books, as wod is the first book in the upcoming trilogy. Can't wait to read the rest honestly, hope I will have the chance to!
So overall, it was an almost perfect five star, so in my opinion, it's atleast a 4.75/5⭐ or even more.
Anyways, big thank you for the author for providing me an ARC copy, I'm really greatful for the opportunity💞
November 18, 2024
Oh my goodness! This book was absolutely insane! I loved every single aspect and every small detail of literally everything. I had the privilege of being an ARC reader and I’m eternally grateful that I was able to read it! I love the banter between Gus and Lilia and it was so fun trying to figure out who did it. Every single page I suspected someone new. I didn’t have any ideas of who it could’ve been until it was revealed at the end. I have already recommended this book to so many people! I’m not usually a huge mystery reader but this was just so incredible! I seriously recommend this to anyone looking for a good, thrilling mystery!
November 13, 2024
Thank you to Liliana Rose Hastings for giving me the opportunity to be a beta reader for Whispers of Deception in exchange for an honest review.
In the peaceful town of Mills Creek, Willow Montgomery’s disappearance shocks her close group of friends. Once inseparable, they now find themselves entangled in a disturbing mystery and they must face their fears and hidden guilt.
And there is the reader, drawn into a web of lies, constantly questioning how everything unfolded and who is responsible. Was it one of the friends? All of them? Or someone else entirely?
As I delved into Mills Creek, I found myself analyzing everything just as the characters did, trusting no one. I was eager to understand who was Willow and what happened that day. Was she a goodfriend, or was she hiding something? As clues emerged, I took notes, trying to piece together the mystery.
As the friends encounter more obstacles than they initially expected (I found it brilliant as it tested them in unexpected ways), I was also surprised by some interesting and unexpected revelations. (I wish I could say more, but I won’t spoil it for you!)
The only downside for me was that I figured out who did it early on, so the surprise element was missing. However, I still enjoyed how the story unfolded after that point. And the ending? You’ll have to wait and see, but let me tell you, you’ll be suspicious of everyone and everything. What is the truth?
In the peaceful town of Mills Creek, Willow Montgomery’s disappearance shocks her close group of friends. Once inseparable, they now find themselves entangled in a disturbing mystery and they must face their fears and hidden guilt.
And there is the reader, drawn into a web of lies, constantly questioning how everything unfolded and who is responsible. Was it one of the friends? All of them? Or someone else entirely?
As I delved into Mills Creek, I found myself analyzing everything just as the characters did, trusting no one. I was eager to understand who was Willow and what happened that day. Was she a goodfriend, or was she hiding something? As clues emerged, I took notes, trying to piece together the mystery.
As the friends encounter more obstacles than they initially expected (I found it brilliant as it tested them in unexpected ways), I was also surprised by some interesting and unexpected revelations. (I wish I could say more, but I won’t spoil it for you!)
The only downside for me was that I figured out who did it early on, so the surprise element was missing. However, I still enjoyed how the story unfolded after that point. And the ending? You’ll have to wait and see, but let me tell you, you’ll be suspicious of everyone and everything. What is the truth?
November 11, 2024
Okay, so this one might be more of a 3.5 bc learning that this book is part of a trilogy and not a standalone is what gave it that extra .5🥸 I think the story and mystery itself were interesting, it was very much giving a mixture of vibes from ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’, ‘Riverdale’ the show, and even some ‘Pretty Little Liars’. That being said, I think there’s was a lot of focus on atmosphere, which was lowkey to the detriment of most of the main characters🫤 From the beginning, I couldn’t even tell you what the five of them looked like and actually went to the author’s insta for reference😭 I think the POV was also unhelpful bc even though it was 3rd person close, I still had some trouble reorienting myself and figuring out who’s lens of the five (but we usually only got either Augustus’ or Lilia’s insights) it was. I feel like the podcast transcripts were a cool addition to have to get an outsider pov and break the story up a bit, but also adding in the news reports made the story a little redundant at times☹️ There were also things like them finding the hotel booking and then also showing us the whole list of bookings that seemed unnecessary to. Also, so we’re just going to breeze by the whole hand getting sent to Lilia thing? What happened to the hand? Whose hand was it even? If it was Willow’s, wouldn’t they have said something about her hand missing when they rediscovered her body at Detective Mccall’s place? Also also, are we just ignoring Lilia being chased by that car and almost killed? Did Professor Jameson even confess to that part? We weren’t gonna tell anybody about that besides her four friends who could do nothing? AND DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THESE RELATIONSHIPS! Augustus and Lilia, I completely understand the baggage and stuff there and it made my poor heart ache🥲 BUT TO TEASE US WITH DELILAH AND SEBASTIAN ONE SINGULAR TIME AND THEN NEVER AGAIN WAS CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT😂 I think that’s why I kind of wish it was 1st person that way it would make more sense not to know as much about the other three (bc let’s be honest, Ellie is the most ignored character in this whole thing and I couldn’t even tell you anything about her besides that she’s shy🤷♀️) This definitely sounds like I’m bashing this book but like I didn’t hate it I swear😭 I’m actually really looking forward to the second book🫣
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2024
Firstly, thank you Liliana & Love Notes PR for the arc, I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to read this 🤎
➥ ★★★★✩
read this if you enjoy
➼ autumnal town
➼ found family
➼ pretty little liars vibes
➼ mystery & romance
Okay, now for the actual review, starting off with the best parts.
Of course the week I received the arc I was faced with the most schoolwork ever, so It took me a while to finish this book but WOW was it a fast-paced easy read. It was such a relief, especially in the wake of so much outside work. Hasting's atmosphere was perfect, I really was able to feel immersed in Mills Creek and even connect with the five so closely. Her beautiful writing (and prose) helped this story have its own voice in the mystery genre, and I think it is going to be one of my favorites!!
The characters were phenomenal, Lilia and Augustus had such an interwoven connection, I could feel their closeness--and the same went for the whole group. The easy banter between them, yet ability to comfort and console one another closely resembled real friendships. and Sebastian?? My love?? Ugh, he was THE comedic relief i adore him and Delilah.
Now for the things that I didn't particularly love:
Although the writing was beautiful, at time I felt a lot of repetition with words like "weight" "pressing down on them" or "suffocating". I know that the theme of carrying reputation was strong in WOD, but there was a lot of phrases including these three words that took me out of the narrative a bit. Moreover, I would've loved to see more of the characters (although I assume the five will be explored more in depth later in the trilogy). I wish we could see more of Eleanor, or Delilah. Although they had a solid amount of scenes I felt there were loose ends on their "secrets". For instance, what had Willow dangled of Delilah's head in the diner in the flashback? What had Eleanor been hiding other than the boy in the hit-and-run. Regardless of those, I still had a fantastic time reading this and I can't wait to read the next books in the trilogy
xx ella 🤎🍂
➥ ★★★★✩
read this if you enjoy
➼ autumnal town
➼ found family
➼ pretty little liars vibes
➼ mystery & romance
Okay, now for the actual review, starting off with the best parts.
Of course the week I received the arc I was faced with the most schoolwork ever, so It took me a while to finish this book but WOW was it a fast-paced easy read. It was such a relief, especially in the wake of so much outside work. Hasting's atmosphere was perfect, I really was able to feel immersed in Mills Creek and even connect with the five so closely. Her beautiful writing (and prose) helped this story have its own voice in the mystery genre, and I think it is going to be one of my favorites!!
The characters were phenomenal, Lilia and Augustus had such an interwoven connection, I could feel their closeness--and the same went for the whole group. The easy banter between them, yet ability to comfort and console one another closely resembled real friendships. and Sebastian?? My love?? Ugh, he was THE comedic relief i adore him and Delilah.
Now for the things that I didn't particularly love:
Although the writing was beautiful, at time I felt a lot of repetition with words like "weight" "pressing down on them" or "suffocating". I know that the theme of carrying reputation was strong in WOD, but there was a lot of phrases including these three words that took me out of the narrative a bit. Moreover, I would've loved to see more of the characters (although I assume the five will be explored more in depth later in the trilogy). I wish we could see more of Eleanor, or Delilah. Although they had a solid amount of scenes I felt there were loose ends on their "secrets". For instance, what had Willow dangled of Delilah's head in the diner in the flashback? What had Eleanor been hiding other than the boy in the hit-and-run. Regardless of those, I still had a fantastic time reading this and I can't wait to read the next books in the trilogy
xx ella 🤎🍂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2024
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
First, I would like to thank the author and Love Notes PR for providing me with a free advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“They were liars, bound by tales that dripped from their lips like soft fallen honey, melting and molding every inch of their life into a cesspool of betrayal.” (p. 22)
Tropes:
murder mystery, slow burn thriller, love triangle, morally grey characters, forbidden romance, amateur sleuths
Someone knows what they did…someone who keeps sending chilling clues
Willow is dead. Her friends have something to hide. Knowing they can’t trust the police, they try to investigate what happened to her on their own. But there is someone who knows too much–and they keep sending chilling messages to the group. Is this Willow’s killer? What do they want, and why haven’t they just gone to the police with the damning evidence?
I love stories with morally grey characters. Willow’s friends have done something reprehensible, which makes it impossible for them to rely on the police for help. Part of you wants them to face justice while part of you worries about their safety–it’s a challenging dichotomy. With infidelity muddling the water, everyone has something to hide, and people’s strange behavior adds to the ever-growing list of suspects. This new adult murder mystery makes you question your intuition all the way up until the end, and it ends on a juicy cliffhanger. The characters are well-developed, the atmosphere is haunting, and the narrative will keep you guessing, even when you think they identified the killer. Liliana Rose Hastings uses prose, news reports and articles, and transcripts of podcasts and interviews to craft a fully immersive story in Whispers of Deception. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this series will progress!
First, I would like to thank the author and Love Notes PR for providing me with a free advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“They were liars, bound by tales that dripped from their lips like soft fallen honey, melting and molding every inch of their life into a cesspool of betrayal.” (p. 22)
Tropes:
murder mystery, slow burn thriller, love triangle, morally grey characters, forbidden romance, amateur sleuths
Someone knows what they did…someone who keeps sending chilling clues
Willow is dead. Her friends have something to hide. Knowing they can’t trust the police, they try to investigate what happened to her on their own. But there is someone who knows too much–and they keep sending chilling messages to the group. Is this Willow’s killer? What do they want, and why haven’t they just gone to the police with the damning evidence?
I love stories with morally grey characters. Willow’s friends have done something reprehensible, which makes it impossible for them to rely on the police for help. Part of you wants them to face justice while part of you worries about their safety–it’s a challenging dichotomy. With infidelity muddling the water, everyone has something to hide, and people’s strange behavior adds to the ever-growing list of suspects. This new adult murder mystery makes you question your intuition all the way up until the end, and it ends on a juicy cliffhanger. The characters are well-developed, the atmosphere is haunting, and the narrative will keep you guessing, even when you think they identified the killer. Liliana Rose Hastings uses prose, news reports and articles, and transcripts of podcasts and interviews to craft a fully immersive story in Whispers of Deception. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this series will progress!
November 18, 2024
Whispers of Deception | ARC review ✧˖°.
✰: 5/5
✉ : slow burn romance, morally grey character, small town with dark secrets, "touch her and you'll die", found family, dark academia, shared secrets, murder mystery
✎ : @authorlilianahastings
Publication Date: November 11, 2024
I wanted to sincerely thank you @authorlilianahastings and @lovenotes.pr for choosing me and sending me an ARC of Whispers of Deception! It was such an exciting opportunity to read your work, and I truly appreciate your generosity!
Review:
Oh my gosh. I'm sorry for my words but holy shit. The plot of this book was so good and mind-boggling. The suspense was so evident which kept me hooked in the book. Also, want to applaud the author for her amazing writing writing style because the twists make it difficult for me to predict who's the true killer. And that makes this book perfect for me.
That’s all I'm going to say for this review because I don't want to spoil anything. I recommend that you read it yourself if you're a mystery lover like me!
✰: 5/5
✉ : slow burn romance, morally grey character, small town with dark secrets, "touch her and you'll die", found family, dark academia, shared secrets, murder mystery
✎ : @authorlilianahastings
Publication Date: November 11, 2024
I wanted to sincerely thank you @authorlilianahastings and @lovenotes.pr for choosing me and sending me an ARC of Whispers of Deception! It was such an exciting opportunity to read your work, and I truly appreciate your generosity!
Review:
Oh my gosh. I'm sorry for my words but holy shit. The plot of this book was so good and mind-boggling. The suspense was so evident which kept me hooked in the book. Also, want to applaud the author for her amazing writing writing style because the twists make it difficult for me to predict who's the true killer. And that makes this book perfect for me.
That’s all I'm going to say for this review because I don't want to spoil anything. I recommend that you read it yourself if you're a mystery lover like me!
November 17, 2024
Whispers of Deception by Liliana Rose Hastings
4 🌟
Six months ago, Willow vanished, and now her body has been found. Her five closest friends are in the spotlight for her murder, but they are determined to prove their innocence - both to avoid jail and to hide their terrible secret from being exposed. But the more these five dig, the more secrets they discover. Was Willow really the town’s golden girl, or was there an uglier version people didn’t know?
This book was an enjoyable, intriguing read! The use of multimedia, such as podcast transcripts, to break up the chapters was engaging and made it easy to read. I was not expecting the twists and turns that this book took, and I was not ready for the cliffhanger ending. I’ll definitely be tuning in for the next book in this series!
4 🌟
Six months ago, Willow vanished, and now her body has been found. Her five closest friends are in the spotlight for her murder, but they are determined to prove their innocence - both to avoid jail and to hide their terrible secret from being exposed. But the more these five dig, the more secrets they discover. Was Willow really the town’s golden girl, or was there an uglier version people didn’t know?
This book was an enjoyable, intriguing read! The use of multimedia, such as podcast transcripts, to break up the chapters was engaging and made it easy to read. I was not expecting the twists and turns that this book took, and I was not ready for the cliffhanger ending. I’ll definitely be tuning in for the next book in this series!
November 11, 2024
Who doesn't love a murder mystery/thriller? I certainly do. I whizzed through this in a couple of hours, and whilst the plot and title drew me in, I felt the execution was missing something. This has left me with very mixed thoughts because with every pro, there unfortunately is a con! The chapters are short and the plot dives straight in but i found it quite slow paced, with very little character development to the point where I dont recall learning much about them as individuals at all. Also, as a Pretty Little Liars fan, it was really hard to not notice the similarities, both in the plot and the characters. This took away any suspense and led to me to guess the "big" reveals very early on, not to mention the fact that they ignored a key point around 60% which not only was infuriating but gave the whole thing away anyways. However the book was very descriptive and included multiple aspects of media coverage, which I found quite unique but didnt understand why they were necessary as they just repeated information we had already been told without adding anything new to it. I understand this is a debut, so I'm on the fence about sticking the series out or not.
Thank you to Love Notes PR and the author for the ARC.
Thank you to Love Notes PR and the author for the ARC.
November 12, 2024
First I want to start out by saying thank you to both the author and LoveNotes PR for allowing me to read this as an ARC!
This book was such a fun read…it had so many twists and turns in it that had me second guessing my thoughts and predictions! I also like how it felt like I was reading a mix of pretty little liars and one of us is lying (two shows I really like - I haven’t read the books of those series)
I also enjoyed how we got to read interviews, podcasts, and other things like that along with the story. It made me feel like I was apart of solving the case!
I can’t wait for the next book in this trilogy!!
This book was such a fun read…it had so many twists and turns in it that had me second guessing my thoughts and predictions! I also like how it felt like I was reading a mix of pretty little liars and one of us is lying (two shows I really like - I haven’t read the books of those series)
I also enjoyed how we got to read interviews, podcasts, and other things like that along with the story. It made me feel like I was apart of solving the case!
I can’t wait for the next book in this trilogy!!
November 3, 2024
dark academia vibes ✅
true crime ✅
mystery ✅
a cast of morally grey characters that you still somehow find yourself rooting for ✅
absolutely PERFECT fall vibes ✅
I was so so excited to receive an arc of whispers of deception! The author put so much time and effort into this story, you can really tell that this was a labor of love. I absolutely flew through this book. It was immersive, thought provoking, and I struggled to put it down (goodbye normal sleep schedule lol). I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys gloomy weather, warm cups of tea, and getting way too emotionally invested in fictional character’s lives. Loved it!
true crime ✅
mystery ✅
a cast of morally grey characters that you still somehow find yourself rooting for ✅
absolutely PERFECT fall vibes ✅
I was so so excited to receive an arc of whispers of deception! The author put so much time and effort into this story, you can really tell that this was a labor of love. I absolutely flew through this book. It was immersive, thought provoking, and I struggled to put it down (goodbye normal sleep schedule lol). I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys gloomy weather, warm cups of tea, and getting way too emotionally invested in fictional character’s lives. Loved it!
November 23, 2024
Thank you to Love Notes PR for the eARC.
This book was just tough for me to get into because it felt like I was reading a script rather than a book. All the “setting the scene” descriptions were really distracting to me, especially starting the book that way.
But once I got past that and the writing style, the plot itself was REALLY interesting. I was invested in who did it, I wanted Augustus and Lilia to be together. This gave me very heavy PLL vibes but with a different group dynamic that I liked better. This found family in a prestigious small town vibe. I wasn’t expecting the killer to be who they were so that was shocking in a good way but I’m definitely looking forward to a second book because there’s no many questions. Who was sending the letters, what is going on in Willow’s family (her sister is suspicious to me!!) but definitely after getting through the first probably 25% I got more invested. I definitely preferred the chapters where we didn’t switch to the “podcast”
This book was just tough for me to get into because it felt like I was reading a script rather than a book. All the “setting the scene” descriptions were really distracting to me, especially starting the book that way.
But once I got past that and the writing style, the plot itself was REALLY interesting. I was invested in who did it, I wanted Augustus and Lilia to be together. This gave me very heavy PLL vibes but with a different group dynamic that I liked better. This found family in a prestigious small town vibe. I wasn’t expecting the killer to be who they were so that was shocking in a good way but I’m definitely looking forward to a second book because there’s no many questions. Who was sending the letters, what is going on in Willow’s family (her sister is suspicious to me!!) but definitely after getting through the first probably 25% I got more invested. I definitely preferred the chapters where we didn’t switch to the “podcast”
November 11, 2024
4,5
OMG
Arc review
.
A body found,
Their world tips over,
they lose their footing,
try to cling to their small circle.
Playing detectives to save their skin,
each misstep closely watched.
Caught in a web of lies,
they suffocate.
Secrets buried, exposed,
twisting their insides.
What if it went far deeper than they ever imagined ?
.
I had high expectations for this book, and it met them. Usually, it's hit or miss for me since I tend to guess the plot twists with my theories. But here?! I was genuinely surprised. The mix of dark academia with a “Pretty Little Liars” vibe was a big win for me.
The unbearable suspense made my heart race.
While the mystery itself was straightforward, I still think it was well thought out in its own way. I wouldn’t call it “the” thriller, but it was a fun read. The cozy yet creepy atmosphere, with autumn vibes and a murder mystery, was just perfect for me.And the romance add a little something in the story. It was kind of cute.
I loved the characters, though I feel like I need more time with them to form a full opinion.
And, of course, I adore Liliana's writing, the poetry in her words adds so much to the story.
OMG
Arc review
.
A body found,
Their world tips over,
they lose their footing,
try to cling to their small circle.
Playing detectives to save their skin,
each misstep closely watched.
Caught in a web of lies,
they suffocate.
Secrets buried, exposed,
twisting their insides.
What if it went far deeper than they ever imagined ?
.
I had high expectations for this book, and it met them. Usually, it's hit or miss for me since I tend to guess the plot twists with my theories. But here?! I was genuinely surprised. The mix of dark academia with a “Pretty Little Liars” vibe was a big win for me.
The unbearable suspense made my heart race.
While the mystery itself was straightforward, I still think it was well thought out in its own way. I wouldn’t call it “the” thriller, but it was a fun read. The cozy yet creepy atmosphere, with autumn vibes and a murder mystery, was just perfect for me.And the romance add a little something in the story. It was kind of cute.
I loved the characters, though I feel like I need more time with them to form a full opinion.
And, of course, I adore Liliana's writing, the poetry in her words adds so much to the story.
November 10, 2024
Thank you Lovenotes PR for this advanced copy for an honest review in return. This was an intriguing ya thriller but it was definitely lacking that special something for me. The main issue I had with this was that it felt so much like pretty little liars that I couldn’t think of anything else while reading it, like you actuallt can’t tell me that willow isn’t Alison DiLaurentis. It was a quick and easy read but felt like the plot could’ve gone deeper and I feel like it brushed over important points with a lot of repetition. I think I would’ve liked it more without the interruptions of the podcast transcripts throughout as i felt that they were repetitive and didn’t really add anything to the overall story. By no means was it bad but I think it had a lot more potential than what it was giving and left too many unanswered questions for me. I loved the characters and the interactions between all of them was just hoping for more in terms of of plot twist and the mystery overall, not sure if I will be continuing on when the sequel comes.
November 18, 2024
** I received an ARC **
4.5 stars. I absolutely loved reading this book. It was engaging from the very beginning, and I enjoyed the “mixed media” format. The book was slightly predictable, but I tried to keep an open mind and enjoy the presentation of the book. I look forward to reading more by this author!!
4.5 stars. I absolutely loved reading this book. It was engaging from the very beginning, and I enjoyed the “mixed media” format. The book was slightly predictable, but I tried to keep an open mind and enjoy the presentation of the book. I look forward to reading more by this author!!
November 26, 2024
This was A Good Girls Guide To Murder x Pretty Little Liars vibes. Lots of secrets, solving a mystery, lots of plot twists.
Loved it! I was lowkey scared throughout. Highly recommend!
Thank you Love Notes PR for the ARC ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved it! I was lowkey scared throughout. Highly recommend!
Thank you Love Notes PR for the ARC ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 1, 2024
thank to the author and lovenotepr for sending an ARC 💫
this was truly amazing, i could not put it down and finished it in a few hours. 🥹 i absolutely loved the characters and how close they are to each other. i eat found family up every time 🤭 also the complexity of the characters is amazing, all the lies though haha drive me insane.
will definitely read more of this author 🥹
this was truly amazing, i could not put it down and finished it in a few hours. 🥹 i absolutely loved the characters and how close they are to each other. i eat found family up every time 🤭 also the complexity of the characters is amazing, all the lies though haha drive me insane.
will definitely read more of this author 🥹
November 28, 2024
arc review !!
mills creek had two disappearances in the past year but what happens when, six months later, a body shows up? does that mean that we have a murderer? the police is questioning everybody so who knows and who’s lying??
the group of friends consisted on willow, lilia, delilah, eleanor, gus and sebastian. even after willow’s disappearance they remained closer than ever but is it because of secrets or is it true friendship?
to be honest, i wanted to see more of delilah, eleanor and sebastian. besides the whole mystery arc, i think the love triangle had too much focus, i mean sure, we saw two other characters getting together but needed to see a bit more of them just being friends and talking shit because look at the mess they got into.
okay this one had a really fast pacing, such an easy and enjoyable read, so i recommend this one for the mystery lovers, such as pretty little liars and a good girls guide to murder. related to the murderer, i guessed right so if you really pay attention to all the clues, you’re able to get it.
the newspaper and podcast aspects were fun and a good touch for the book, excited to see how liliana will keep up for the rest of the trilogy ! and when can we start talking about book two release date? i need it.
thank you love notes pr and liliana rose hastings for the arc !
mills creek had two disappearances in the past year but what happens when, six months later, a body shows up? does that mean that we have a murderer? the police is questioning everybody so who knows and who’s lying??
the group of friends consisted on willow, lilia, delilah, eleanor, gus and sebastian. even after willow’s disappearance they remained closer than ever but is it because of secrets or is it true friendship?
to be honest, i wanted to see more of delilah, eleanor and sebastian. besides the whole mystery arc, i think the love triangle had too much focus, i mean sure, we saw two other characters getting together but needed to see a bit more of them just being friends and talking shit because look at the mess they got into.
okay this one had a really fast pacing, such an easy and enjoyable read, so i recommend this one for the mystery lovers, such as pretty little liars and a good girls guide to murder. related to the murderer, i guessed right so if you really pay attention to all the clues, you’re able to get it.
the newspaper and podcast aspects were fun and a good touch for the book, excited to see how liliana will keep up for the rest of the trilogy ! and when can we start talking about book two release date? i need it.
thank you love notes pr and liliana rose hastings for the arc !
September 11, 2024
The small town of Mills Creek is left puzzled when Willow Montgomery's body is discovered and web of betrayal and lies is set in motion. The suspects for Willow's murder? Her closest friends.
Whenever autumn approaches, I find myself yearning for good murders mysteries and this one checked all the boxes for me. The grim, dark-academia mixed with old-money atmosphere, the close-knit group of friends who keep more secrets than one would expect, the vibes that match Pretty Little Liars and complicated relationships that find a way to resurface--it is all there.
While I could somewhat predict who the murderer was, that didn't stop me from enjoying the mystery unfolding. Liliana's writing is beautiful and it left me wanting more and more and more.
It is worth mentioning that I got the opportunity to read this book earlier as a beta reader, but the readers are surely in for a treat.
Whenever autumn approaches, I find myself yearning for good murders mysteries and this one checked all the boxes for me. The grim, dark-academia mixed with old-money atmosphere, the close-knit group of friends who keep more secrets than one would expect, the vibes that match Pretty Little Liars and complicated relationships that find a way to resurface--it is all there.
While I could somewhat predict who the murderer was, that didn't stop me from enjoying the mystery unfolding. Liliana's writing is beautiful and it left me wanting more and more and more.
It is worth mentioning that I got the opportunity to read this book earlier as a beta reader, but the readers are surely in for a treat.
November 11, 2024
Thank you so so much to the author Liliana Rose Hastings for choosing me to be a Beta Reader for her upcoming mystery novel!!
Whispers of Deception was hauntingly beautiful and suspenseful! We follow the case of Willow Montgomery who was recently found dead! Throughout the book, her 5 close friends take on the responsibility to find out the truth of what happened to her and let me just say that over the course of the book, I absolutely fell in love with all of them at every page.
The romance side plots were perfection! No spoilers here but I’m very happy with the couples that ended up together by the end of this!
The found family was even better!! Sebastian, Lilia, Delilah, Gus, and Eleanor have my heart!! They were just so perfect together and so caring. Their friendship was beautiful and even stronger after this experience. I want a friend group like this soooo bad.
So many crazy things happenedddddd! Usually mysteries are a hit or miss for me because I tend to find them predictable but I PREDICTED NONE OF THIS! I was on the edge of my seat every chapter just waiting what we would find out about Willow’s murder case next!
This book was also one of the most immersive books I’ve ever read! The author’s inclusion of playlists, maps, investigation reports, autopsy records, and even a true crime podcast truly made this murder mystery stand out from all others!!
Also this book had fast paced and short chapters which also contributed to the well written suspense and managed to keep my interest because it never felt like it was too slow or dragging on!
Overall, this book was written so well and absolutely beautifully! I loved everything about it and I’m so so excited to see what happens next!
Once again thank you so much Liliana for letting me be a Beta Reader! <3
(I will post my rating for this book and my Instagram review on release day which is November 11)
Whispers of Deception was hauntingly beautiful and suspenseful! We follow the case of Willow Montgomery who was recently found dead! Throughout the book, her 5 close friends take on the responsibility to find out the truth of what happened to her and let me just say that over the course of the book, I absolutely fell in love with all of them at every page.
The romance side plots were perfection! No spoilers here but I’m very happy with the couples that ended up together by the end of this!
The found family was even better!! Sebastian, Lilia, Delilah, Gus, and Eleanor have my heart!! They were just so perfect together and so caring. Their friendship was beautiful and even stronger after this experience. I want a friend group like this soooo bad.
So many crazy things happenedddddd! Usually mysteries are a hit or miss for me because I tend to find them predictable but I PREDICTED NONE OF THIS! I was on the edge of my seat every chapter just waiting what we would find out about Willow’s murder case next!
This book was also one of the most immersive books I’ve ever read! The author’s inclusion of playlists, maps, investigation reports, autopsy records, and even a true crime podcast truly made this murder mystery stand out from all others!!
Also this book had fast paced and short chapters which also contributed to the well written suspense and managed to keep my interest because it never felt like it was too slow or dragging on!
Overall, this book was written so well and absolutely beautifully! I loved everything about it and I’m so so excited to see what happens next!
Once again thank you so much Liliana for letting me be a Beta Reader! <3
(I will post my rating for this book and my Instagram review on release day which is November 11)
November 5, 2024
Whispers of Deception was such a thrilling read! 🖤
Right from the start, it grabs your attention and doesn't let go. I loved how the story used podcast excerpts, police interviews, and news reports—such a cool way to tell the story. The autumn vibe was perfect, and the Pretty Little Liars feel made it even more fun. 🪦🍂🗞️
The diverse characters and the tight-knit group of friends really hit home for me. I loved the found family aspect, and the forbidden love added so much depth. It’s not just a thriller; it has real heart. Despite all the twists, it was super easy to follow. 📓🗝️🕯️
A huge thank you to Liliana for the early access—this book is a must-read! 🖤
Right from the start, it grabs your attention and doesn't let go. I loved how the story used podcast excerpts, police interviews, and news reports—such a cool way to tell the story. The autumn vibe was perfect, and the Pretty Little Liars feel made it even more fun. 🪦🍂🗞️
The diverse characters and the tight-knit group of friends really hit home for me. I loved the found family aspect, and the forbidden love added so much depth. It’s not just a thriller; it has real heart. Despite all the twists, it was super easy to follow. 📓🗝️🕯️
A huge thank you to Liliana for the early access—this book is a must-read! 🖤
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