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A review by bookishpea
The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew
4.0
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I finished this book at 3am this morning and originally wanted to give it 5 stars. I was so hooked that I stayed up all night reading it and that usually classifies a 5 star read for me. However, after sleeping on it, I think 4 stars are more suitable.
The Whispering Dark is advertised as having the same vibes as Ninth House and I completey agree. It has that dark, mysterious academia vibe that I loved. I loved the premise of stepping through the sky and having a university dedicated to these paranormal activities.
Regarding the mystery and action, this book ticked all the boxes for me. It was fast-paced (maybe sometimes a bit too fast!!) and action-packed with so many secrets and plot twists. In particular, I was mind-blown by Nate's storyline and from then on I simply couldn't put the book down.
The thing that drops it a star is that the characters felt empty. If you're like me and prefer a plot-driven book then you might be able to overlook it like I have. If you prefer a character-driven book with lots of interactions and deep connections then you will probably rate it lower than me.
The main characters are very boring. Delaney is deaf and reading about her struggles has definitely opened my mind to what a different life deaf people live and the difficulties they face. However, she doesn't have much else going for her? She's a bit bland. Colton, the main love interest, is the definition of an asshole. I understand that he is meant to be distancing himself from Delaney but the way he treats her and gives mixed-signals is very rude and I also didn't like the whole "insta-love" vibes.
The side characters are all so empty. Delaney goes from moving into her new room and meeting her roommates to being best friends with them in a couple chapters. Their interactions were quite jarring because it made me think "have I missed some chapters where they go from strangers to friends?".
Overall, I'm a sucker for anything with ghosts and paranormal powers so this book was always going to be enjoyable for me. I just wish there was a slight more depth to the characters!
I finished this book at 3am this morning and originally wanted to give it 5 stars. I was so hooked that I stayed up all night reading it and that usually classifies a 5 star read for me. However, after sleeping on it, I think 4 stars are more suitable.
The Whispering Dark is advertised as having the same vibes as Ninth House and I completey agree. It has that dark, mysterious academia vibe that I loved. I loved the premise of stepping through the sky and having a university dedicated to these paranormal activities.
Regarding the mystery and action, this book ticked all the boxes for me. It was fast-paced (maybe sometimes a bit too fast!!) and action-packed with so many secrets and plot twists. In particular, I was mind-blown by Nate's storyline and from then on I simply couldn't put the book down.
The thing that drops it a star is that the characters felt empty. If you're like me and prefer a plot-driven book then you might be able to overlook it like I have. If you prefer a character-driven book with lots of interactions and deep connections then you will probably rate it lower than me.
The main characters are very boring. Delaney is deaf and reading about her struggles has definitely opened my mind to what a different life deaf people live and the difficulties they face. However, she doesn't have much else going for her? She's a bit bland. Colton, the main love interest, is the definition of an asshole. I understand that he is meant to be distancing himself from Delaney but the way he treats her and gives mixed-signals is very rude and I also didn't like the whole "insta-love" vibes.
The side characters are all so empty. Delaney goes from moving into her new room and meeting her roommates to being best friends with them in a couple chapters. Their interactions were quite jarring because it made me think "have I missed some chapters where they go from strangers to friends?".
Overall, I'm a sucker for anything with ghosts and paranormal powers so this book was always going to be enjoyable for me. I just wish there was a slight more depth to the characters!