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takarakei's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
(reread) tbh the audio narration was just ok (no difference between POV voices) BUT I love this book so, just read a physical copy!
- The ROMANCE *screams*
- Deaf MC
- Dark academia
- A little spooky
- A lot mysterious
- Dual POV
My original review:
This book will keep you on questioning everything until the end it's super mysterious. You're gonna be like "wtf is going on" for 80% of the book, but in the best way possible.
THE ROMANCE.
What are these YA Fantasy Romance authors doing to me???? I have *feelings* How do they keep everything so PG but I am sweating?! IT'S SO GOOD.
Protect Colton at all costs. That is all.
If you're a fan of: Belladonna by Adalyn Grace (new adult) or Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (NOT YA) I think you'll really enjoy this.
IDK where to even put the spice cause it's completely 'closed door' if anything even really happens it's vague in the most beautiful way. So 1.5-2/5 š¶ļø??
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Dementia, Car accident, and Alcohol
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
bibliomania_express's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Minor: Cancer, Toxic relationship, Dementia, and Car accident
thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition
3.5
This was an interesting story! I wish more information had been given throughout, though. I was lost for most of the book and some stuff was not satisfactorily explained. I may like it more on second read-through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Grief and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual content
takarakei's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book will keep you on questioning everything until the end it's super mysterious. You're gonna be like "wtf is going on" for 80% of the book, but in the best way possible.
THE ROMANCE.
What are these YA Fantasy Romance authors doing to me???? I have *feelings* How do they keep everything so PG but I am sweating?! IT'S SO GOOD.
Protect Colton at all costs. That is all.
If you're a fan of: Belladonna by Adalyn Grace (new adult) or Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (NOT YA) I think you'll really enjoy this.
IDK where to even put the spice cause it's completely 'closed door' if anything even really happens it's vague in the most beautiful way. So 1.5-2/5 š¶ļø??
THE ROMANCE.
What are these YA Fantasy Romance authors doing to me???? I have *feelings* How do they keep everything so PG but I am sweating?! IT'S SO GOOD.
Protect Colton at all costs. That is all.
If you're a fan of: Belladonna by Adalyn Grace (new adult) or Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (NOT YA) I think you'll really enjoy this.
IDK where to even put the spice cause it's completely 'closed door' if anything even really happens it's vague in the most beautiful way. So 1.5-2/5 š¶ļø??
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, and Alcohol
hafable's review
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
What I liked:
Delaney as a deaf character was incredibly fresh and not only that but her deafness was integral to the story which was great! The premise of the story where there is the college that people who've had brushes with death go to and learn how to tear through the sky to enter parallel worlds is interesting too. The idea of a group of mean at the college who are trying to obtain immortality at a cost is intriguing and the ride it takes you on is compelling enough that despite some of this books faults, I just had a fun time reading it.... for most of it There were so many moments and interactions that were either fun enough or intriguing enough, even thrilling at some points, where I just wanted to keep on reading and do nothing else so despite how intense I'll be about what I didn't like, I would probably still read it again like if you turn your critical thinking off for a bit, it can be a very fun read.
What I didn't like: ( vague spoilers but nothing that specific)
This books biggest pitfall was its own marketing. The synopsis advertised itself as this paranormal, dark academia thriller featuring our 2 main characters who are meant to keep away from each other; delaney by choice since he annoys her and colton because he was ordered to by the campus group called "The Priory". It says that Colton and Delaney team up in order to fight against something ageless and dangerous at the university, implying that they do not in fact become easily close within the first third of the book. What's the scope of the priory you ask? Why is colton ordered to stay away from her? why does the leader of this group of men care so much about her and yet does absolutely nothing with her until the end? Do most of these side characters matter? WHATS THE MAGIC SYSTEM? IF THERES UNIVERSE HOPPING WHY DOES THE BOOK ONLY SHOW THEM GO TO OTHER UNIVERSES TO BREIFLY GO PLACES LIKE MUSEUMS OR MARKETS AND BARELY LOOK OR INTERACT WITH DEAD PEOPLE WHO ARE ALIVE THERE?????? IF THE BOOK IS MARKETED AS A PARANORMAL DARK ACADEMIA THRILLER, WHY DOES THE MOST IMPORTANT THING SEEM TO BE THE ROMANCE?? A ROMANCE THAT COULDVE WORKED BUT INSTEAD DRAGGED THE PLOT AND SO FUMBLED THE ACTUALLY INTENSE AND COOL ENDING OF THE NOVEL TO BE INFINITELY MORE BORING THAN IT SHOULDVE BEEN YOU ASK???? Don't ask my friend bc you'll never know. Still a fun read lol, 3 stars but extra points off for making me read the phrase "knees kissing" more than once
Delaney as a deaf character was incredibly fresh and not only that but her deafness was integral to the story which was great! The premise of the story where there is the college that people who've had brushes with death go to and learn how to tear through the sky to enter parallel worlds is interesting too. The idea of a group of mean at the college who are trying to obtain immortality at a cost is intriguing and the ride it takes you on is compelling enough that despite some of this books faults, I just had a fun time reading it.... for most of it There were so many moments and interactions that were either fun enough or intriguing enough, even thrilling at some points, where I just wanted to keep on reading and do nothing else so despite how intense I'll be about what I didn't like, I would probably still read it again like if you turn your critical thinking off for a bit, it can be a very fun read.
What I didn't like: ( vague spoilers but nothing that specific)
This books biggest pitfall was its own marketing. The synopsis advertised itself as this paranormal, dark academia thriller featuring our 2 main characters who are meant to keep away from each other; delaney by choice since he annoys her and colton because he was ordered to by the campus group called "The Priory". It says that Colton and Delaney team up in order to fight against something ageless and dangerous at the university, implying that they do not in fact become easily close within the first third of the book. What's the scope of the priory you ask? Why is colton ordered to stay away from her? why does the leader of this group of men care so much about her and yet does absolutely nothing with her until the end? Do most of these side characters matter? WHATS THE MAGIC SYSTEM? IF THERES UNIVERSE HOPPING WHY DOES THE BOOK ONLY SHOW THEM GO TO OTHER UNIVERSES TO BREIFLY GO PLACES LIKE MUSEUMS OR MARKETS AND BARELY LOOK OR INTERACT WITH DEAD PEOPLE WHO ARE ALIVE THERE?????? IF THE BOOK IS MARKETED AS A PARANORMAL DARK ACADEMIA THRILLER, WHY DOES THE MOST IMPORTANT THING SEEM TO BE THE ROMANCE?? A ROMANCE THAT COULDVE WORKED BUT INSTEAD DRAGGED THE PLOT AND SO FUMBLED THE ACTUALLY INTENSE AND COOL ENDING OF THE NOVEL TO BE INFINITELY MORE BORING THAN IT SHOULDVE BEEN YOU ASK???? Don't ask my friend bc you'll never know. Still a fun read lol, 3 stars but extra points off for making me read the phrase "knees kissing" more than once
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
chronicacademia's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism
booksthatburn's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Delaney is a post-lingual Deaf girl who sometimes hears the shadows whispering. She gets into a university whose stated purpose is to teach its students to traverse between realities. Colton is a student who briefly died when he was a child, meeting Delaney briefly at the time. When they meet again on campus, she doesnāt recognize him but is drawn to him anyway, while he instantly knows her and canāt keep his distance. They begin spending time together, then the lines are blurred further when another student dies.
Thereās a consistent theme of ableism, mainly but not only from professors who donāt know Delaney is deaf (because they didnāt read the emails alerting them). Sheās navigating this new space and deciding how much sheād rather deal with not being able to usefully hear in the moment or with overt ableism once people know sheās deaf. Whether sheās using her implant and what she does or does not hear is important throughout, and is used to great effect once things start getting spooky.
The worldbuilding is sparse, most of the details are atmospheric and unexplained until late in the book. The specific answers and explanations (when they finally arrived) wrapped up pretty much everything I wanted to know. I enjoy vibe-heavy books that leave me interested but confused for long stretches, so this was a deeply satisfying read for me. Coltonās secrets (and those he keeps for others) are hinted at but not revealed early, keeping the reader and Delaney equally in the dark for much of the story.
For a book with parallel worlds there arenāt many descriptions of traversals, though there are more towards the end. I like how much the focus is on Delaney piecing things together and trying to make it through her classes, and on her dynamic with Colton. I often enjoy books with mysterious and brooding guys, and this delivered.
Heavy on vibes, supported by a delicate but satisfying plot, donāt miss THE WHISPERING DARK.
Thereās a consistent theme of ableism, mainly but not only from professors who donāt know Delaney is deaf (because they didnāt read the emails alerting them). Sheās navigating this new space and deciding how much sheād rather deal with not being able to usefully hear in the moment or with overt ableism once people know sheās deaf. Whether sheās using her implant and what she does or does not hear is important throughout, and is used to great effect once things start getting spooky.
The worldbuilding is sparse, most of the details are atmospheric and unexplained until late in the book. The specific answers and explanations (when they finally arrived) wrapped up pretty much everything I wanted to know. I enjoy vibe-heavy books that leave me interested but confused for long stretches, so this was a deeply satisfying read for me. Coltonās secrets (and those he keeps for others) are hinted at but not revealed early, keeping the reader and Delaney equally in the dark for much of the story.
For a book with parallel worlds there arenāt many descriptions of traversals, though there are more towards the end. I like how much the focus is on Delaney piecing things together and trying to make it through her classes, and on her dynamic with Colton. I often enjoy books with mysterious and brooding guys, and this delivered.
Heavy on vibes, supported by a delicate but satisfying plot, donāt miss THE WHISPERING DARK.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Dementia, and Pregnancy
jassieex's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Abandonment
ttumbletree's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i really really enjoyed this book!
i loved the representation in it, as well as the world it was set in and the characters different voices and especially their interactions (the amount of times i chuckled to myself and wrote the word āsameā in this book is justā¦. a lot, okay? š)
the one thing i wouldāve enjoyed a bit more is if more of the book had focused on laneās relationship with her friends. i think it wouldāve given her more agency and wouldāve made their developing friendships feel a bit more natural āŗļø oh and there were just a lot of descriptions of colors where the author used flowers/plants as descriptors and it got a bit confusing at timesā¦ (there were a solid 50 pages throughout which i was struggling to understand what the mcās eye color wasā¦ i enjoy flowery descriptions a lot, but i also enjoy understanding certain bitsā¦ like the eye color of the mc if itās being pointed out this much.) but this feels more like a side note to me personally. (also in case your wondering, laneās eyes are greenā¦ at least i think so š)
long story short, i really enjoyed the book and will definitely recommend it to friends and maybe even reread it one day.
a solid 4āļø read!
i loved the representation in it, as well as the world it was set in and the characters different voices and especially their interactions (the amount of times i chuckled to myself and wrote the word āsameā in this book is justā¦. a lot, okay? š)
the one thing i wouldāve enjoyed a bit more is if more of the book had focused on laneās relationship with her friends. i think it wouldāve given her more agency and wouldāve made their developing friendships feel a bit more natural āŗļø oh and there were just a lot of descriptions of colors where the author used flowers/plants as descriptors and it got a bit confusing at timesā¦ (there were a solid 50 pages throughout which i was struggling to understand what the mcās eye color wasā¦ i enjoy flowery descriptions a lot, but i also enjoy understanding certain bitsā¦ like the eye color of the mc if itās being pointed out this much.) but this feels more like a side note to me personally. (also in case your wondering, laneās eyes are greenā¦ at least i think so š)
long story short, i really enjoyed the book and will definitely recommend it to friends and maybe even reread it one day.
a solid 4āļø read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Dementia, Gaslighting, and Abandonment