What do you think?
Rate this book
Whisper
Jackson Holt had it all. A beautiful girlfriend, a starting position on the school’s football team, a stable family and a comfortable life. And then the whispers started.
At first that’s all it was. Gentle whispers around him, though nobody was there. Then the visions started. Visions of a girl, of captivity, suffering, and of torture. With the visions came the seizures, and with the seizures came the doctors.
Diagnosed schizophrenic and institutionalized for treatment, everyone reassures him that his condition is treatable.There’s only one problem; Jackson believes the girl who speaks to him is real, and desperately needs his help.
With his world unraveling around him and time running out, Jackson must risk everything to rescue a girl who may not even exist.
At first that’s all it was. Gentle whispers around him, though nobody was there. Then the visions started. Visions of a girl, of captivity, suffering, and of torture. With the visions came the seizures, and with the seizures came the doctors.
Diagnosed schizophrenic and institutionalized for treatment, everyone reassures him that his condition is treatable.There’s only one problem; Jackson believes the girl who speaks to him is real, and desperately needs his help.
With his world unraveling around him and time running out, Jackson must risk everything to rescue a girl who may not even exist.
300 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2016
304 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 12, 2019
Whoa! That story was intense and completely different than I expected it to be. It even resonates with the reader long after the final page, not allowing one to move-on from the story and read something else because you are still thinking about this book for weeks! WARNING: could cause "book-hangover"
December 7, 2016
I started reading this book after work on Monday and was so thoroughly sucked into it that I finished it before going to bed for the night. Disclaimer: I won this book in a giveaway from the author, but this is my honest opinion of it. There may be some mild spoilers in this review, but I promise not to ruin the book for anyone who hasn't read it.
Jackson is a very believable character, he is pretty much an average high school jock, he says and does things that are sometimes inappropriate, but at heart he is a good person trying to be better. Despite coming from the opposite side of the high school camp (I definitely fell on the nerd side of the divide), I felt I could relate to Jackson. Honestly, this surprised me. I did not think I would connect with this character as well as I did, given that I would identify myself as his opposite in almost every way.
As Jackson starts hearing things and having seizures I was pulled into the mystery right with him. Was he sick? Or was there really a person belonging to the voice he could hear? The development here was done wonderfully, there is an equal chance that a mental illness is to blame or maybe that there is a paranormal element sneaking into Jackson's life. The reactions of the people around him feel very real as well, with some just wanting everything to go away - back to normal, and others wanting him to get it all figured out - whatever 'it' is. I found that the locked facility reminded me of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, making me feel that this system is in desperate need of updating, but it also felt very real. The range of patients that Jackson finds, and the doctors as well, added depth to this section that easily could have been very dull.
The conclusion to the novel is just so satisfying. I won't say anything much about it so as not to ruin it for a new reader, but the buildup and finale had so many well-placed details and hiccups that it just flew by with me rushing along to keep up.
At every turn Jackson faces new challenges: increasingly severe symptoms, people who don't believe him, separation from friends and family, and a broken system (even if there are some good people in it). But each time he takes a hit, he fights back, evaluates, and tries to take as much control over his life as he can. Along the way he loses friends, makes new ones, and finally breaks through the other side.
In my opinion the pace of this story was perfect, the characters true to life and the message clear and strong. I found it to be a quick read, but that is in no way a negative; with a story this good, you won't want to put the book down anyway.
Jackson is a very believable character, he is pretty much an average high school jock, he says and does things that are sometimes inappropriate, but at heart he is a good person trying to be better. Despite coming from the opposite side of the high school camp (I definitely fell on the nerd side of the divide), I felt I could relate to Jackson. Honestly, this surprised me. I did not think I would connect with this character as well as I did, given that I would identify myself as his opposite in almost every way.
As Jackson starts hearing things and having seizures I was pulled into the mystery right with him. Was he sick? Or was there really a person belonging to the voice he could hear? The development here was done wonderfully, there is an equal chance that a mental illness is to blame or maybe that there is a paranormal element sneaking into Jackson's life. The reactions of the people around him feel very real as well, with some just wanting everything to go away - back to normal, and others wanting him to get it all figured out - whatever 'it' is. I found that the locked facility reminded me of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, making me feel that this system is in desperate need of updating, but it also felt very real. The range of patients that Jackson finds, and the doctors as well, added depth to this section that easily could have been very dull.
The conclusion to the novel is just so satisfying. I won't say anything much about it so as not to ruin it for a new reader, but the buildup and finale had so many well-placed details and hiccups that it just flew by with me rushing along to keep up.
At every turn Jackson faces new challenges: increasingly severe symptoms, people who don't believe him, separation from friends and family, and a broken system (even if there are some good people in it). But each time he takes a hit, he fights back, evaluates, and tries to take as much control over his life as he can. Along the way he loses friends, makes new ones, and finally breaks through the other side.
In my opinion the pace of this story was perfect, the characters true to life and the message clear and strong. I found it to be a quick read, but that is in no way a negative; with a story this good, you won't want to put the book down anyway.
October 13, 2016
Title: Whisper
Author: Christopher Bailey
Publisher: Phase Publishing
ISBN: 1943048940
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/194...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Jackson Holt had it all. A beautiful girlfriend, a starting position on the school’s football team, a stable family and a comfortable life. And then the whispers started.
At first that’s all it was. Gentle whispers around him, though nobody was there. Then the visions started. Visions of a girl, of captivity, suffering, and of torture. With the visions came the seizures, and with the seizures came the doctors.
Diagnosed schizophrenic and institutionalized for treatment, everyone reassures him that his condition is treatable. There’s only one problem; Jackson believes the girl who speaks to him is real, and desperately needs his help.
With his world unraveling around him and time running out, Jackson must risk everything to rescue a girl who may not even exist.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
This story took on many of the problems that occur when dealing with people who are diagnosed with mental illness, but by adding Psy abilities it went into a unique direction. Jackson had everything a teenager could want; popularity as a jock, a beautiful girlfriend, and a best friend. That was until the day he started hearing whispers in his head. Jackson doesn't understand what is happening, bit all he knows is that what he is hearing is real, but the only people who believe him are his brother and best friend Thomas. When he woke up in a psychiatric hospital, Jackson was shocked that he was no longer in control of his life. He had to follow the rules or face even more restrictions when he didn't even remember what sent him there.
As a nurse, I have worked in a locked facility similar to the one Jackson was in and many of the situations were true to life and just a scary as they were for Jackson. The different characters with their varied illnesses took the reader into their lives giving them a small understanding the difficulties they face. It was sad how so many people kept telling Jackson that he was sick that he began to doubt himself, but he was strong enough to do what he had to do with the help of his friends. In the end, the most important thing about this story is the knowledge that the only true friends you have are the ones that stick by you when everyone else walks away.
This is one story that will remain on my favorites list!
Author: Christopher Bailey
Publisher: Phase Publishing
ISBN: 1943048940
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/194...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Jackson Holt had it all. A beautiful girlfriend, a starting position on the school’s football team, a stable family and a comfortable life. And then the whispers started.
At first that’s all it was. Gentle whispers around him, though nobody was there. Then the visions started. Visions of a girl, of captivity, suffering, and of torture. With the visions came the seizures, and with the seizures came the doctors.
Diagnosed schizophrenic and institutionalized for treatment, everyone reassures him that his condition is treatable. There’s only one problem; Jackson believes the girl who speaks to him is real, and desperately needs his help.
With his world unraveling around him and time running out, Jackson must risk everything to rescue a girl who may not even exist.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
This story took on many of the problems that occur when dealing with people who are diagnosed with mental illness, but by adding Psy abilities it went into a unique direction. Jackson had everything a teenager could want; popularity as a jock, a beautiful girlfriend, and a best friend. That was until the day he started hearing whispers in his head. Jackson doesn't understand what is happening, bit all he knows is that what he is hearing is real, but the only people who believe him are his brother and best friend Thomas. When he woke up in a psychiatric hospital, Jackson was shocked that he was no longer in control of his life. He had to follow the rules or face even more restrictions when he didn't even remember what sent him there.
As a nurse, I have worked in a locked facility similar to the one Jackson was in and many of the situations were true to life and just a scary as they were for Jackson. The different characters with their varied illnesses took the reader into their lives giving them a small understanding the difficulties they face. It was sad how so many people kept telling Jackson that he was sick that he began to doubt himself, but he was strong enough to do what he had to do with the help of his friends. In the end, the most important thing about this story is the knowledge that the only true friends you have are the ones that stick by you when everyone else walks away.
This is one story that will remain on my favorites list!
November 10, 2016
A delightful surprise. The cover is pretty cheesy. Yes, I do judge a book by its cover, regardless of the saying... Book cover art sells. End of story.
A book that I would really enjoy seeing turned into a movie, as it has movie-like quality. The onset was interesting enough to keep me reading until the middle where things started to come together and propel me to the end where I was on the edge of my seat to find out if my predictions were right! Whisper is a quick and entertaining read that leaves the reader questioning whether or not Jackson has schizophrenia just as he is left to question it himself. The story revolves around self-doubt and the credence of faith from others.
I really thought for a moment that it was going to be Jackson's brother impersonating the cop, and I was almost hoping that it would have been. I was still happy with the way that the story ended however.
A book that I would really enjoy seeing turned into a movie, as it has movie-like quality. The onset was interesting enough to keep me reading until the middle where things started to come together and propel me to the end where I was on the edge of my seat to find out if my predictions were right! Whisper is a quick and entertaining read that leaves the reader questioning whether or not Jackson has schizophrenia just as he is left to question it himself. The story revolves around self-doubt and the credence of faith from others.
I really thought for a moment that it was going to be Jackson's brother impersonating the cop, and I was almost hoping that it would have been. I was still happy with the way that the story ended however.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
April 25, 2019A page turner. Don't start it unless you've got a couple of hours to finish it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews