3 Stars
One Liner: Good atmosphere, great premise; choppy execution

Anna has been running away, living in remote towns and villages where no one knows her. She has also been exploring the regions to find out more about the local folklore and supernatural beings. She lands in Whisperwood, a town with too many secrets, mysteries, and deaths- a place where a person can enter but not leave of their own accord.
Anna’s arrival escalates dangers and death (or so it seems), and soon, she’s right in the middle of chaos and fear. With her natural inclination to help and be useful, Anna decides to work with some of the townsfolk to find answers to their questions. But can they come out alive after going deep into the Whisperwood forest?
The story comes from Anna’s first-person POV.

What I Like:
Folk horror is my favorite, as it relies on setting, atmosphere, and folklore rather than excessive gore. The descriptions of the woods, the mythical creatures (from Romanian folklore and author-created), and the creepy vibes are spot on.
The descriptions of the creatures are detailed enough to easily visualize them. I like how I didn’t have to wonder about their appearances or stop reading to Google them. This made them more real and integral to the setting.
The narrator’s voice has a good dose of dark humor that’s snarky, self-deprecating, and the kind you see when someone’s trying to stay sane (coping mechanism). This perfectly suits Anna’s backstory and her arc.
The dialogue can be a hit or a miss. They are choppy and come with random jokes that will not make you laugh. I like this because the dialogues seem to fit whatever little we understand about the town and its people.
The prose has quality without feeling heavy-handed or dense. It imagery of the setting is strong but doesn’t go overboard. A few alliterations (violent violet) made me smile.
The ending feels gentler than it could have been. I think it’s intentional and eases the reader out of the setting rather than shoving them out. Also, there’s no attempt to add a ‘twist’ at the end or shock the readers. I appreciate this and like the ending (even if all questions aren’t answered).

What Could Have Been Better for Me:
The book is slow and fast at the same time. The narration is super slow, and it feels like we are going in circles at times. However, the events happen so fast (literally in a couple of days) that it’s amazing how people form and break bonds in minutes.
The book has a strong beginning and establishes a sense of eeriness. However, it fails to sustain the intensity over time, especially with the villagers. They turn into regular superstitious witch-hunting folk but still don’t feel dangerous. Also, the period is vague. The dialogues read modern, but the costumes and stuff feel historical. Maybe it’s set somewhere in between.
It’s common for people to die in horror books. However, that doesn’t mean they will not be fully developed. Many side characters are vague and don’t have enough depth. Even Anna despite her tragic past is blurry. Since I couldn’t empathize with her character (despite all the hardships), it’s harder for me to see her growth as organic. That impact just isn’t there.
Furthermore, I’m not entirely sure how Anna’s past plays into the core plot. While we see some moments linking to it, those could have been done through means too. Though it shows there are different kinds of horrors, the concept needs to be more cohesive.
This book should either have been a novella (by removing unwanted parts) or a longer novel (with another 50-70 pages) that elaborates on the setting, characters, their pasts and motivations. Right now, it’s stuck in the middle, exactly where it should not be.

To summarize, Whisperwood is a decent debut combining Romanian folklore and creativity to present an atmospheric story. However, it needed more structuring to deliver the intended. The author is definitely talented, and I’d be happy to read more books by her.
Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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The links to the reviews will be updated after the blog tour on 14th July.

Going into the book I had high hopes. Folk horror is such a cool sub genre and the book promised a really cool story. However I was a bit disappointed by the end.

The story centers around Anna, an outsider looking to find herself a new home in a town nobody really knows about, which was a great premise. Things go wrong right off the bat and immediately we are plunged into a town full of mystery and strangeness and I would have loved for this to be expanded upon much further. Instead the story seems to go way too fast and too slow at the same time. Friendships are made within hours and characters are introduced but then never really expanded upon before rushing into the next thing.

I felt like the pacing was very off the whole time, especially the beginning and end. The middle was where things shined the most as the world came much more alive. There were some great vivid and creepy scenes I really enjoyed, only to be then diminished by stilted dialogue or a poorly placed joke.

I wish there was more time spent on exploration and learning rather than being whipped about and getting info dumped on us. I also wish we were given more time to understand for ourselves how to feel rather than being told directly by the story.

Overall though I did love the Whispers and the strangeness of the other world. The description of the creatures were great and I loved the eerieness they brought. I think there is some great potential there, it just felt a bit too rough in its current state.

Alex Woodroe’s debut novel Whisperwood transports the reader from the comforts of home to the forests of Romania. Fleeing her former lover, heroine Anna finds herself in the secluded town of Whisperwood. Bound by mysterious folk magic in the settlement, Anna is forced to investigate the deepest woods and their darkest secrets.

Woodroe’s writing is fascinating and compelling from the start, made even more involving by her unmistakable adoration for the subject matter. Whisperwood is a novel of folklore and a celebration of Romanian legend. The town of Whisperwood is a well-constructed setting, from the secrets of the beings known as “Whispers” that lurk in the shadows, to the townspeople all around.

Woodroe delves deep into Anna’s tragic past and presents her with a powerful strength of her own. The story unfolds beautifully through Anna’s eyes as she encounters new friends and deadly enemies. Woodroe ensures the novel unfolds in a measured and steady pace, though some of the relationships occasionally feel hurried.

The strongest aspects of the book are when Woodroe focuses on the horror. Her love for folklore and mysterious creatures of the forest positively shines through and provide the strongest sections of the book. Whisperwood is a positively delightful debut and a reminder of the beauty that can be found in the woods

If I were to break things down into subgenres, I would say this is somewhere between folk horror and dark fantasy. It’s also my first and only work of Romanian speculative fiction, for whatever that’s worth. Regardless, I enjoyed it quite a lot.

Anna is keeping on the move, looking to escape the traumas she has endured. (It’s not clear that anything is actually *chasing* her, but the demons we carry…) She ends up in a remote and isolated forest village. There, she learns that the village is on the edge of a forest the residents name the Unspoken, inhabited by creatures they collectively call the Whispers, and that no one ever leaves the village. There’s been a stasis between the Whispers and the villagers for a while now, but that seems to be breaking down; the Whispers have taken people, and killed people, in the past, and it looks like they might be doing so again.

What happens is a mix of horror, fantasy, and small-town power politics. Anna as an outsider with an outside perspective, is both welcomed and viewed with suspicion. As the dealings with the Whispers get more fraught and more deadly, she gets more deeply enmeshed in the town’s history and secrets.

It’s dark, and it’s well done, but it’s not perfect. I had trouble keeping most of the villagers straight, and I felt like her friends among them were too quick and too unsuspicious in their embrace of Anna. But this was a solid story and worth the reading.

Anna is fleeing from danger in her home when she arrives at the mysterious town of Whisperwood. Once in this town, she realizes there may be more horrors here than from where she is escaping. Strange creatures roam the land, demanding sacrifices, and only a few individuals in town can help.

The atmosphere surrounding Whisperwood is established succinctly, and you get the idea that it is a dark, closed-off area. This book was terrifying from the get-go. The horror scenes were written well, and several parts were very creepy. These scary themes pair well with the lore surrounding the town and the Walkers specifically.

Our protagonist is running from two very different monsters—the human from her past who traumatized her and the monsters in Whisperwood. The novel strikes a delicate balance between these two horrors and their effects on Anna. It brings up an essential theme that not all monsters are evil.

The twists were surprising, and I especially liked the sections with the Pricolici. I wasn’t expecting this to be a period piece, so that took me some time to adjust to. Some sections were a little slow, but I found that the dialogue helped move things forward.

If you want a new horror author to check out, I recommend reading Whisperwood!

Thanks to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A very fun and well placed dark fantasy in the vein of Between two Fires and the witches.

I instantly liked the main character she is a very endearing person who has flaws just like the rest of us. The horror and suspense in this book was heavier than I thought it would be and that is always a huge positive in my books.

The world building was another area of the book that really surprised me. The author is able to make this world come alive with the mystery and lore he has built around it. If you're looking for a dark and fun fantasy read you cannot go wrong with this novel!

The opening sentence of this is so good it needs it's own space here. I really enjoyed the beginning of this book overall, it was easy to step into this world alongside Anna.
I found the pacing a bit odd for me, sometimes going fast and then slowing down before hitting the gas again. I didn't dislike the book because of this, but I did notice and wondered about it.
I enjoyed reading about romanian mythology and I found it quite refreshing, the setting of Whisperwood is particularly vivid and exactly what one would hope to find when reading a tale about getting lost in the woods.
Another thing that caught my attention is that we follow the main character's pov with extreme loyalty, so we can only know what she knows and learn what she learns. And, for one human to try and understand the whole of the Unspoken, is, of course, an impossible undertaking. But I like the feel of this. This one stop in Anna's journey that we get to travel with her. It ends, yes, but it'll stay with you far longer.
I appreciated the way the horror and gore crept in slowly, silently, so sometimes you wouldn't really see it coming.
The dialogue is all quite witty and quick, which some might find unrealistic, but I thought was well handled and never felt boring or dragging,
The characters were good, some lacked a bit of nuance but again, we follow Anna closely, and there's only so much we can learn in a couple days of acquaintance. I think we all fell a bit in love with Perdi, though.
Speaking of which: if you're looking for some fantasy (or some whatever) without romance: this is your book guys.

From killer opening line to spectacular finish, Whisperwood is a fantastic read through and through. Every page is filled with enough atmosphere that you’ll swear you can smell the trees and glimpse the Whispers just out of sight. I loved all of Anna, her painful past, her search for a place to belong, and above all, her desire to do right and believe in the best of humanity despite having seen the worst of it.

The world-building in this story was so surreal. Whisperwood feels more like it should be a creepy, folkloric documentary rather than a work of fiction. There was so much to learn about the town and the strange system they've long adapted to (that is slowly unfurling and hurtling the residents into an age of chaos) that it's easy to get lost in the pages trying to piece together the danger that plagues the town.

Whisperwood is a dark and mysterious fantasy-like tale that packs a creepy punch. This story is very tight, taking place over a short time period which gives the reader a tension that never really lets up. I think for that type of book, the length felt very fitting.

Personally, I didn't really identify with the characters very strongly and that prevented me from enjoying this book like I felt I could have. I'm not sure if it was just not the right time for me to be reading Whisperwood or if it's just not entirely for me. That said, I think this might be a great fit for someone who enjoyed Gallant by V.E. Schwab or Uprooted by Naomi Novik.

A wonderful dark fantasy that will keep you hooked from start to finish. There were moments that kept me on my toes.

I requested this book as it was marketed for fans of the Witcher series. It sounded like a great folk horror tale with whispering in the forest. Unfortunately I struggled with this book, the pacing was off and I felt that I never really knew what was going on, a couple of days moved so fast and I struggled to take it in.
Didn’t connect with any of the characters and it felt like Anna became instant friends with her new neighbours which was kind of heart to understand. I was confused by Anna as I didn’t understand why she left her town or the decisions she made,
Loved the premise of the story and I really enjoyed the descriptions of the whispers. Loved the overall darkness of the book. Quick read, Amazing cover choice. Despite the parts that I didn’t enjoy i lied enough to be a 2.5-3 star read.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for this advanced copy.

The story was pleasant and enjoyable enough. I unfortunately couldn't handle the period accurate dialogue which is totally on me and something iIve never really enjoyed (it messes with my add).

This was the kind of thing that I was hoping to read. It was refreshing and honestly surprisingly good. I would love to read something else of Woodroe and the world of Whisperwood

I thought it was pretty cool.

I adore this genre. Dark fantasy is just so enticing, I could keep reading it forever.
I've been on a reading slump, but I totally got out of it because of this book!

Hi and welcome to my review of Whisperwood!

Well… This is going to be a very difficult review to write. The title and cover drew me to Whisperwood but it was the premise that made me click that request button. And the premise is 100% accurate. It is exactly what it says on the tin. Yet, somehow, Whisperwood didn’t quite work for me and I can’t put my finger on why.

Perhaps the writing style wasn’t quite for me? It took me rather long to get into the story, which is never a good sign. I didn’t give up because I’ve had it happen that a book doesn’t grab me from the start, that it kinda needs to grow on me, but does grab me later on and I end up loving it, but unfortunately, that was not the case with Whisperwood. Whenever a scene grabbed me, the next one kinda lost me again and I never became fully invested.

I’m not sure it makes sense, probably doesn’t, but I felt like it was simultaneously too slow and too rushed. For instance, setting the scene and the eerie atmosphere is of course important, especially with this kind of story, but it made for a rather slow pace at first. But then the protagonist becomes best friends with a couple of people basically overnight and then that bugged me because insta-friendship, much like insta-love, doesn’t work for me and I hardly ever find it convincing.

Look, Whisperwood is not a bad book, not at all. It’s atmospheric, has some great action scenes and the creatures (Whispers) are fantastic. Although it was clearly not engrossing enough for me personally to keep my attention throughout, I’m sure many people will thoroughly enjoy Whisperwood.

Whisperwood is out in hardcover, paperback and digital formats on 11 July.

Many thanks to Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for the digital proof. All opinions are my own.

Whisperwood is a town with many secrets. This is a dark fantasy well sprinkled with horror. Nobody can just wander into this town and no one ever leaves no matter how much they tried. After sundown the town is deserted or is It?. The main character Anna is running away after a traumatic ordeal and thinks that she will be safe in Whisperwood. She was shunned by her family and friends and accused of witchcraft. All she wants is a quiet life. Little does she realise that things in Whisperwood are more terrifying than she could ever imagine. Filled with otherworldly abhorrent creatures, plenty of action, great world building and strong characters the reader can choose to love or hate. This blending of fantasy and horror really works. Highly, highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Dark Fantasy flashing in the neon dark. creatures, whispering woods and cries. narrated beautifully and mood setting. It took me a little to get into the groove of it, but I liked it!

Been waiting for this book for quite awhile, and I had high hopes for it. It didn't disappoint! Highly recommend this!

Whisperwood is a fabulous book. The story is half-myth, half-unspoken truth wrapped in fairytale fantasy. Woodroe does a masterful job of reeling the reader in. You feel deeply invested in the painful optimism of a devastatingly scarred main character, Anna. The delightfully monstrous side characters are equally fascinating and, at times, larger-than-life. The reader gets to feel the same affection and mixed emotion about them as Anna does. The twisting, imaginative plot involving a meeting of disperse worlds and worldviews is beautiful and apropos to the times. I personally was so sad to leave Whisperwood and the characters within. I can’t wait for the next Woodroe novel to come out!

Alex Woodroe's Whisperwood is such a fresh take on the folk horror tale. I loved the world where this story takes place, with its eerie creatures and lovingly detailed characters. Anna has escaped her traumatic past and ended up in Whisperwood, where things are not what they seem at first. As Anna tries to make sense of this strange town and discover its secrets, she befriends a number of young people who are helping guard against creatures known as Whispers. It's here where Alex's prose really shines. You can feel the love for Romanian folklore throughout, and the encounters with the creatures are all well written, creepy, and thrilling. Anna is a wonderful, curious heroine and I enjoyed exploring Whisperwood through her eyes.
I can't wait to see what Alex writes next! This is a strong and promising debut and I thoroughly enjoyed it.