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Whispers the Blood
Seventeen-year-old Silvie’s life has been a cycle of death and resurrection for as long as she can remember, the surgical scar on her chest a constant reminder of the trauma her body has endured.
Her friend Nora is outgoing and assertive—everything that Silvie isn’t, and when she suggests they go on an adventure, Silvie expects to spend the afternoon driving down backroads. Instead, they wind up in the backyard of an abandoned Victorian mansion, digging holes.
Nora is looking for something she buried, something dangerous, and she insists that Silvie will know what it is when they find it. But there are rules: Don’t scream. Don’t believe what you see. Remember, there's no such thing as coincidence.
It’s not a coincidence that Silvie and Nora look so similar, that Silvie’s childhood memories are hazy, or the house feels familiar. There’s something inside the old Victorian, in the walls, in the mirrors, and the truth will leave Silvie questioning exactly who—and what she is.
Her friend Nora is outgoing and assertive—everything that Silvie isn’t, and when she suggests they go on an adventure, Silvie expects to spend the afternoon driving down backroads. Instead, they wind up in the backyard of an abandoned Victorian mansion, digging holes.
Nora is looking for something she buried, something dangerous, and she insists that Silvie will know what it is when they find it. But there are rules: Don’t scream. Don’t believe what you see. Remember, there's no such thing as coincidence.
It’s not a coincidence that Silvie and Nora look so similar, that Silvie’s childhood memories are hazy, or the house feels familiar. There’s something inside the old Victorian, in the walls, in the mirrors, and the truth will leave Silvie questioning exactly who—and what she is.
271 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2022
44 people are currently reading
2160 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Renino
5 books41 followersDanielle Renino writes horror and speculative fiction. When she’s not writing she can be found exploring abandoned buildings, eating her way around Boston, or checking for monsters under her bed. Find her online at daniellerenino.com or @daniellerenino on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
January 4, 2023
I found "Whispers the Blood" by Danielle Renino surfing on BookTok and I read it using the Kindle Unlimited subscription of my girlfriend.
I'm going to be honest here, I didn't know what the hell I was reading until approximately 15%-20% of the book. This is the kind of book that leaves small pieces of the puzzle every episode and after a some of them you are able to see what the puzzle is all about.
The more pieces of the puzzle, the more you start to like the story to finally discover that it's a beautiful and quite meta-physical Sci-Fi story. I really loved all the debates it presents in terms of Clones, Artificial Intelligence and the free will of a clone, really, really enjoyed that part!!
If you don't mind the kind of story that is cooked slowly, then you'll love Danielle's story (minding the macabre but beautifully written passages!)
I'm going to be honest here, I didn't know what the hell I was reading until approximately 15%-20% of the book. This is the kind of book that leaves small pieces of the puzzle every episode and after a some of them you are able to see what the puzzle is all about.
The more pieces of the puzzle, the more you start to like the story to finally discover that it's a beautiful and quite meta-physical Sci-Fi story. I really loved all the debates it presents in terms of Clones, Artificial Intelligence and the free will of a clone, really, really enjoyed that part!!
If you don't mind the kind of story that is cooked slowly, then you'll love Danielle's story (minding the macabre but beautifully written passages!)
March 27, 2024
2.5 rounded down
i really didn’t love this! the snippets i saw on tiktok made it sound so much more different than it actually was. This was way more sci-fi, invasion of the body snatchers than horror. I really didn’t like it.
i really didn’t love this! the snippets i saw on tiktok made it sound so much more different than it actually was. This was way more sci-fi, invasion of the body snatchers than horror. I really didn’t like it.
October 31, 2022
What a whimsical weird story in the absolutely best way! Renino has built a world that is hypnotic in a truly can't-look-away sort of way. This story is part haunted mansion, part body horror, part young woman versus the world, resulting in a fantastic Frankenstein's monster sort of thriller. I found the world building thoroughly visceral (in more ways than one), the characters nuanced and engaging, and the plot completely engrossing.
November 15, 2022
Such a good debut novel! This is the kind of book that I would love to see come to life in a tv show. I think that the visuals would be amazing.
I went in almost blind for this book and I'm glad I did. It spoiled nothing of the story to come and that made it even better.
I went in almost blind for this book and I'm glad I did. It spoiled nothing of the story to come and that made it even better.
October 16, 2023
Yucky
I don't really know how I ended up with this book because I don't normally read horror novels and I don't like them. This one started out like more of a ghost story but it rapidly degenerated. I basically skimmed through to the end. Too much blood and gore for me.
I don't really know how I ended up with this book because I don't normally read horror novels and I don't like them. This one started out like more of a ghost story but it rapidly degenerated. I basically skimmed through to the end. Too much blood and gore for me.
September 21, 2023
Whispers The Blood had a super strong start that felt very gothic. It slowly descends into more of a sci-fi-centric fever dream that fell a little flat for me personally.
December 18, 2022
“I shouldn’t have to break someone else in order to make myself whole.”
Creepy, bloody, thrilling and captivating! Just when I thought I figured out where the characters came from and where they are headed, the twists and turns arrived in the nick of time. What a deliciously dark and disturbing book…following Sylvie’s harrowing journey to “freedom,” discovering who she is, and who she can trust leads the reader on a wild ride. What a wonderful debut from this author, and I can’t wait to see what else she has to offer!
Creepy, bloody, thrilling and captivating! Just when I thought I figured out where the characters came from and where they are headed, the twists and turns arrived in the nick of time. What a deliciously dark and disturbing book…following Sylvie’s harrowing journey to “freedom,” discovering who she is, and who she can trust leads the reader on a wild ride. What a wonderful debut from this author, and I can’t wait to see what else she has to offer!
June 6, 2024
In the first portion of the book I was not so sure if I was going to enjoy the story. After the plot twist/reveal though I had fun with it. The characters are all really flawed, which in this particular case I found weirdly charming. Even though the genre is definitely horror, I have to agree with other reviews; it has a little whimsy to it as well.
July 13, 2023
That was so freaking good! You get sci fi. You get horror (Lots of horror. And blood). You get Crimson Peak vibes. And hauntingly beautiful descriptive language. A definite must read. Scoop it up on the Unlimited while you can.
August 10, 2023
Amazing
The perfect spooky book for 21st century readers. Think Frankenstein meets Artificial Intelligence ( the movie not AIs in general). It tackles difficult topics without romancing abusive behaviors.
The perfect spooky book for 21st century readers. Think Frankenstein meets Artificial Intelligence ( the movie not AIs in general). It tackles difficult topics without romancing abusive behaviors.
August 28, 2023
The first half of this book was stellar, the second half lost it's direction a bit. The beginning had such a spooky atmosphere that really made my skin crawl. The descriptions of the interior of the Victorian mansion and the events that were happening to Silvie were really creepy and really brought Frankenstein vibes to the story. What really reinforced that feeling was the lack of time period, this story could have been present day or 100 years ago, it was really hard to tell. There's lot of imagery about drowning which I liked but didn't really fit into the story. Then once the big reveal happened the story definitely lost focus. It makes sense but only because there's no realistic base for it to be built on. But it was interesting, even if I don't really buy the eventual outcome. Best part of this book was that there wasn't some pathetic tacked on romance. I could see this becoming a series, but I would not continue with it. I like it just where it ended.
January 7, 2023
Cool, unique story
This is definitely different from any book I’ve read. I enjoyed the guessing and trying to figure out who and what Sylvie was. And once all the pieces came together it just made the story that much better. It was a cool book and I enjoyed it.
This is definitely different from any book I’ve read. I enjoyed the guessing and trying to figure out who and what Sylvie was. And once all the pieces came together it just made the story that much better. It was a cool book and I enjoyed it.
July 6, 2023
2.75 ⭐️ rounded up
May 2, 2024
This book serves as a friendly reminder to check the genre of your reads more thoroughly before picking them up. I went into it thinking, based off the Amazon and GR synopsis, that the book was about something of a supernatural nature. I went into the book immediately hit by how slow it was, how vague, and knew I had to give at least the first third a good chance.
Then the plot twist came, the big reveal, and I began hate reading.
I read the first third of this book expecting something Poe-esque; revenants, ghosts, changelings, something. But we got robots, and it's as if I forgot the first third--but, seemingly, so did the author, because a lot of the things that were said to make the first third work with the rest felt like the author wrote the first third with the blurb in mind, was told what the plot twist is supposed to be, and then had to make all of that work accordingly. Character decisions didn't make sense, answers to questions were sometimes absurd and inconsistent (such as Nora and Silvie's hand scars being from before they met), and some answers were so vague and unexplained that I was hoping I was just stupid and missed something, not that it just wasn't explained at all.
The weirdest part is, I think I know where it went wrong for me. The writer has a lovely artistry with descriptions, though they spend too much time describing sunsets and sensations in beautiful detail while sacrificing their exposition into blocks of text and stretched-out conversations. I think they're a beautiful character author: a lot of the characters feel fleshed out, a lot of the moments between characters feels real. Nix and Layla's interactions through the former's memories particularly got me. I think the detriment here is the author's lack of development of plot.
For starters, as I said before, the plot twist feels so disjointed from the rest of the first third. The first third was building up something that could have been supernatural, fitting for the gothic genre they've set, but they decided to go with robots - no matter that there was never a mention of mechanics previously, only biology. Any time the author whips out terminology about computers and data, I just feel lost. We were getting children with grey skin who were killed but didn't die, women who all look alike, blood testing and memories she knew weren't hers. Having the plot twist be robots just felt like the author didn't want to go for the typical supernatural plot, and thought it'd be subverting the genre rather than ruining the story.
There is also a huge problem in terms of pacing. When I was at 50% (reading on Kindle), I was convinced the book could've been wrapped up at 30% if the author would stop writing Silvie's anxieties as repetitive thought loops. Then, making it to 80%, I feel like half of the things set up weren't going to get a payoff by the end, and I feel justified in saying most things set up weren't resolved at all. It feels like a standalone that wants a sequel, but isn't confident enough to make the jump.
There's also the issues of the book feeling like the author could only do one scene at a time, while freezing everything else. There are entire chapters where the characters keep on stating "Victor's going to be here any minute!" while a seemingly endless series of events continues to happen without him getting any closer. There are scenes where a third character is in the area and is supposedly doing things around our focus characters, but feel frozen as we don't hear from them until it's necessary. There are inconsistencies such as a door being steel but then wood and then steel, but Victor seemingly knocking it off his hinges just by knocking too hard.
Honestly, I think this book could have been great if it weren't for the god-awful attempt at having the main character "not be human, but more human than people". The build up of the first third had damn good potential, it really had me rooting for it. As an exploration of how people deal with trauma, it's servicable, but it sets out to do something and by the end you have to ask why this feels like two different stories haphazardly sewn together. I hate to be so harsh on an author whose book I discovered through their own TikToks advertising for it, but in this instance I think we need to say "different" isn't always necessary "better".
Then the plot twist came, the big reveal, and I began hate reading.
I read the first third of this book expecting something Poe-esque; revenants, ghosts, changelings, something. But we got robots, and it's as if I forgot the first third--but, seemingly, so did the author, because a lot of the things that were said to make the first third work with the rest felt like the author wrote the first third with the blurb in mind, was told what the plot twist is supposed to be, and then had to make all of that work accordingly. Character decisions didn't make sense, answers to questions were sometimes absurd and inconsistent (such as Nora and Silvie's hand scars being from before they met), and some answers were so vague and unexplained that I was hoping I was just stupid and missed something, not that it just wasn't explained at all.
The weirdest part is, I think I know where it went wrong for me. The writer has a lovely artistry with descriptions, though they spend too much time describing sunsets and sensations in beautiful detail while sacrificing their exposition into blocks of text and stretched-out conversations. I think they're a beautiful character author: a lot of the characters feel fleshed out, a lot of the moments between characters feels real. Nix and Layla's interactions through the former's memories particularly got me. I think the detriment here is the author's lack of development of plot.
For starters, as I said before, the plot twist feels so disjointed from the rest of the first third. The first third was building up something that could have been supernatural, fitting for the gothic genre they've set, but they decided to go with robots - no matter that there was never a mention of mechanics previously, only biology. Any time the author whips out terminology about computers and data, I just feel lost. We were getting children with grey skin who were killed but didn't die, women who all look alike, blood testing and memories she knew weren't hers. Having the plot twist be robots just felt like the author didn't want to go for the typical supernatural plot, and thought it'd be subverting the genre rather than ruining the story.
There is also a huge problem in terms of pacing. When I was at 50% (reading on Kindle), I was convinced the book could've been wrapped up at 30% if the author would stop writing Silvie's anxieties as repetitive thought loops. Then, making it to 80%, I feel like half of the things set up weren't going to get a payoff by the end, and I feel justified in saying most things set up weren't resolved at all. It feels like a standalone that wants a sequel, but isn't confident enough to make the jump.
There's also the issues of the book feeling like the author could only do one scene at a time, while freezing everything else. There are entire chapters where the characters keep on stating "Victor's going to be here any minute!" while a seemingly endless series of events continues to happen without him getting any closer. There are scenes where a third character is in the area and is supposedly doing things around our focus characters, but feel frozen as we don't hear from them until it's necessary. There are inconsistencies such as a door being steel but then wood and then steel, but Victor seemingly knocking it off his hinges just by knocking too hard.
Honestly, I think this book could have been great if it weren't for the god-awful attempt at having the main character "not be human, but more human than people". The build up of the first third had damn good potential, it really had me rooting for it. As an exploration of how people deal with trauma, it's servicable, but it sets out to do something and by the end you have to ask why this feels like two different stories haphazardly sewn together. I hate to be so harsh on an author whose book I discovered through their own TikToks advertising for it, but in this instance I think we need to say "different" isn't always necessary "better".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2023
Delightfully creepy novel filled with dark mystery.
Each chapter ends on cliffhanger that kept my jaw on the floor so (despite my long and important to-do list) I could not put this book down!
On top of the delicious horror-thriller aspects this story has surprising emotion, filled with character flaws and really relatable/realistic anxiety representation.
Battling fears, insecurities, grief and trauma in a way that makes the reader empathise clearly. Also dealing with facing abusers and the real effect they have on a person.
Absolutely genius, unravelling the story beautifully and leaving the reader on their toes, weaving the past and present together. I have highlighted a lot of flawlessly written/descriptive sentences that really paint a picture, but honestly I could have highlighted half of this book quite easily, it was so good.
There are some really chilling or creepy parts and the main character is just fearless going after all the scary things that honestly would have me running in the opposite direction.
I read a lot of self published, newly released and low-reviewed books, and this one surprised me- well written and edited, it had me totally gripped from the start.
I mean, hello~ girl-with-no-memory-of-her-past visits an abandoned old Victorian manor and starts getting flash-backs, visions and hearing voices in the walls?!
Also the cover art is simply gorgeous, I probably would have bought this from that alone.
Though I have to add, the authors favourite word is very clearly kaleidoscope (don’t blame you, it is an awesome word) but it is used far too many times.
Each chapter ends on cliffhanger that kept my jaw on the floor so (despite my long and important to-do list) I could not put this book down!
On top of the delicious horror-thriller aspects this story has surprising emotion, filled with character flaws and really relatable/realistic anxiety representation.
Battling fears, insecurities, grief and trauma in a way that makes the reader empathise clearly. Also dealing with facing abusers and the real effect they have on a person.
Absolutely genius, unravelling the story beautifully and leaving the reader on their toes, weaving the past and present together. I have highlighted a lot of flawlessly written/descriptive sentences that really paint a picture, but honestly I could have highlighted half of this book quite easily, it was so good.
There are some really chilling or creepy parts and the main character is just fearless going after all the scary things that honestly would have me running in the opposite direction.
I read a lot of self published, newly released and low-reviewed books, and this one surprised me- well written and edited, it had me totally gripped from the start.
I mean, hello~ girl-with-no-memory-of-her-past visits an abandoned old Victorian manor and starts getting flash-backs, visions and hearing voices in the walls?!
Also the cover art is simply gorgeous, I probably would have bought this from that alone.
Though I have to add, the authors favourite word is very clearly kaleidoscope (don’t blame you, it is an awesome word) but it is used far too many times.
December 27, 2022
This book was a trip, in the best way. Strong influences from Mary Shelly, not only with the resurrection obsessed, mad scientist, older brother named Victor, but also with the themes of humanity, family, blood ties, and the self. While I do feel like there is a lot in the book that could have been fleshed out or drawn out more, the short nature of the book really helped me to feel sucked into the whirlpool of discovery our main character gets pulled into. Each time I thought I had figured out what was going on, or the questions were being answered, everything was turned on its head. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the last page of the book. I’m torn over wanting a sequel (because I am craving so much more of this story) and wanting to leave the mystery be. If it is setting up a sequel, it doesn’t fall into the series trap, but instead stays a solid story, start to finish. Very happy that I was able to squeeze this in for my last book of 2022.
January 30, 2023
Whispers the Blood by Danielle Renino is a YA gothic horror filled with secrets, lies, and blood ties, featuring a shocking science fiction twist. It’s a tale of friendship, family, and betrayal. Danielle Renino really keeps you guessing as we join 17-year-old Silvie’s descent into the macabre as she fights to discover who – and what – she truly is.
Every scene is written with vivid and imaginative detail creating an almost cinematic experience!
Deliciously dark and delightfully creepy, Whispers the Blood is a haunting tale with influences from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
Dive into this visceral world and remember, there’s no such thing as coincidence.
Every scene is written with vivid and imaginative detail creating an almost cinematic experience!
Deliciously dark and delightfully creepy, Whispers the Blood is a haunting tale with influences from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
Dive into this visceral world and remember, there’s no such thing as coincidence.
July 13, 2023
If I'm being honest, I don't think I've read any book written quite like this one. The writing style is unique and scattered (in a good way), and sort of reminds me of Shatter Me. Throughout the whole story, we are left guessing, and don't know what to expect next.
While the first part of the book was utterly confusing and I had no clue what was going on, we slowly get to understand things as small pieces are revealed. I'm very excited to read book 2 and find out more about this. Because if I'm being honest, I don't have a clue the direction this series will take. It's unpredictable with brilliant plot twists, so definitely worth the read!
While the first part of the book was utterly confusing and I had no clue what was going on, we slowly get to understand things as small pieces are revealed. I'm very excited to read book 2 and find out more about this. Because if I'm being honest, I don't have a clue the direction this series will take. It's unpredictable with brilliant plot twists, so definitely worth the read!
November 13, 2022
The book kept me hooked from the very start. There are times I wished there were cinematic visuals for the incredible descriptions that made me feel like I was living inside that world...and other times I was VERY glad there weren't, as I felt horrified and disturbed at the pure horror elements. I enjoyed the progression of the plot that kept its intentions very well hidden-- I could've never imagined the twists the narrative would take. Overall a very fun read, and there are some great lines and scenes that'll stick with me for a long time.
January 8, 2023
Engrossing imaginative horror fiction from a brilliant writer with many unexpected turns! I absolutely loved this novel! It is a whirlwind of horror and mystery with a captivating story. While not giving anything away, I will say that the writing and structure works very effectively at obscuring many of the secrets you come to learn. I fell in love with various characters and thought they were thought out very well. It’s one of those stories that you finish and wish there was more and more to read. I highly recommend this book!
May 24, 2023
Only Danielle Renino could get me to pick up HORROR! But I’ve been watching her and her writing grow since she was just starting out, and I am so proud of her. She has persisted with her writing—creating twisty, scary stories I can only read in the daylight.
If you love abandoned mansions and creepy things that aren’t what you think they are, you’ll love WHISPERS THE BLOOD.
If you love abandoned mansions and creepy things that aren’t what you think they are, you’ll love WHISPERS THE BLOOD.
September 27, 2023
Unexpected
I'm giving this book 4 stars because it's a well written, scary, and intriguing story. Silvie is not who we think she is, and while she shares traits with what we think she is, her humanity gives her a flare that keeps her from being stereotypical. It's not a book for me, but if you like Kingfisher, you'll like this book too.
I'm giving this book 4 stars because it's a well written, scary, and intriguing story. Silvie is not who we think she is, and while she shares traits with what we think she is, her humanity gives her a flare that keeps her from being stereotypical. It's not a book for me, but if you like Kingfisher, you'll like this book too.
May 13, 2025
This book gives me Haunting of Hill House vibes crossed with House on Haunted Hill. It had an interesting twist though. I'm unsure of how I feel about it. It was very well written, but I felt like the story itself was very "PG" as far as thriller goes, and it was slow.
I did like it though. It was an easy read, and pretty interesting.
I did like it though. It was an easy read, and pretty interesting.
January 3, 2023
I'm surprised I haven't seen more people talk about this book it was so different and fast paced definitely recommend if you're in the mood for something different a mix of thriller and horror loved it
June 16, 2023
I literally read this in one sitting non stop I was that hooked!!!
It’s so good!!!
I was so surprised by every plot twist! I only wish this was a longer book or had a sequel but then I worry it wouldn’t be as good!!
It’s so good!!!
I was so surprised by every plot twist! I only wish this was a longer book or had a sequel but then I worry it wouldn’t be as good!!
November 22, 2024
3.75 ⭐ which is actually a good rating.
I went into the book completely blind without reading any summary, solely guided by the direction the book took. It was gory, speculative, anxiety riddled and mind boggling. There were a few scary parts but not too horrifying in the sense of the terror of the supernatural. However the scientific aspects were well thought out and quite a lot has a subtext that deals with existentialism and the role of Artificial Intelligence. The book has a sci-fi horror approach and maybe it's me but it kind of reminded me of the Resident Evil Village DLC: Shadows of Rose. The points deducted were for the reason that I felt a few parts were repetitive and sometimes it was frustrating to be in Sylvie's head but it might just be me for the author might have deliberately created her that way to address a bigger issue. Pacing was good in most parts and slightly laggy here and there but overall a good genre bending read.
I went into the book completely blind without reading any summary, solely guided by the direction the book took. It was gory, speculative, anxiety riddled and mind boggling. There were a few scary parts but not too horrifying in the sense of the terror of the supernatural. However the scientific aspects were well thought out and quite a lot has a subtext that deals with existentialism and the role of Artificial Intelligence. The book has a sci-fi horror approach and maybe it's me but it kind of reminded me of the Resident Evil Village DLC: Shadows of Rose. The points deducted were for the reason that I felt a few parts were repetitive and sometimes it was frustrating to be in Sylvie's head but it might just be me for the author might have deliberately created her that way to address a bigger issue. Pacing was good in most parts and slightly laggy here and there but overall a good genre bending read.
July 18, 2022
Brilliant writer. A deeply thrilling and incredible book.
November 11, 2022
There were a bunch of parts of this where I wasn’t entirely sure where it was going, but I enjoyed it a lot.
This was definitely a case of reading the right book at the right time.
This was definitely a case of reading the right book at the right time.
December 28, 2022
Great spooky read! The author really knows her craft. I zoomed through this in 2 days because I had to know what was going on - the twists just kept coming!
January 1, 2023
I wasn’t into this book when I first started it, but the premise (advertised on Tik Tok) was so intriguing that I’m glad I stuck with it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews