This is a well written book. I liked it--think of a medieval "Da Vinci Code" for YA. Luca is a first born son who stands to inherit his father's estate. Luca has been busy learning all a knight needs to do to defend himself. He also has a secret--he can see demons. Because of this, his parents asked the local priest to perform an exorcism on him. So Luca keeps this a secret. His father is called away to fight in the Crusades and Luca feels abandoned.

It's read quick and the setting is the strongest point of the book. The Middle Ages is not my favorite setting but the descriptions were so good I overlooked it and finished the book.

An amazing, memorable read! The Book of Whispers was the winner of the Text Prize 2015.

In the 11th century, in the time of the Crusades, the young Luca de Falconi is anything but ordinary. Born with the ability to see demons, Luca hides who he is and what he can do. When his father joins the Prince on the Crusade, Luca finds his way to the holy pilgrimage, not satisfied on staying behind to take care of their estate. Taking only a secret book written in a cryptic language that his father gave him, Luca embarks on a journey that will reveal secrets, corruption and evil lurking in the shadows. When a mysterious girl named Suzan joins him, he realises that he isn’t alone; Suzan has powers of her own. Together, they have to discover the secrets of the book and stop the unknown plan of demons as the crusaders make their way to Jerusalem to free it from the Saracens.

This novel brings everything together perfectly: romance, adventure, loss, magic, change and history. The descriptions are incredibly written. From the vicious, violent confrontations to the harsh conditions of the crusades through hot sand, burning sun and lack of water, they served as a reminder that even though we don’t talk about them any more, it was still one of the biggest bloody periods in history. The descriptions of the sights and ancient places are mesmerising and the way Jerusalem is portrayed is breathtaking. It’s definitely a place that I would like to visit for its rich history and architecture.

The plot is complex, fast-paced and clues to understand the book of whispers are revealed in a good pace; not a single moment of boredom from this historical journey. The romance between the two main characters is beautiful and it complements the story-line perfectly. The way I interpreted it was, even in the darkest moments, there is always something good that should be kept and fought for.

An amazing novel that I highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this book. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and the Crusades are a time period that isn't often covered, especially in YA novels. The promise of some supernatural elements, had me interested to begin. Unfortunately, I struggled a lot with this book, and when I reached about the 2/3 point, started skimming. To me the main characters seemed very juvenile. Luca is supposed to be in his late teens to early twenties throughout the course of the book, but his voice reads more like a 14 year old. Suzan, the other main character, is around the same age as Luca, but I honestly thought she was about 12 until the book made it clear that she was Luca's age. Had it not been for the levels of violence (and there is a lot of violence, this is the Crusades after all) I would have thought this book was aimed at younger teens rather than older.

The pacing of this book also seemed off. At some points it dragged on, and at other times huge events would happen and wrap up in the span of a few sentences.

The story of the book is what is promised--Crusades+demons, however, I felt that the demons played a much larger part to the story than I was expecting, and it was more of a supernatural book set during the Crusades than a historical fiction with supernatural elements. If you're really interested in the Crusades, you may want to give this book a try, but know that much of the story is focused on a fight between the main characters and the demons, and not the human battles of the Crusades.

I like history and fantasy, and this was a nice combination of both! This was a very interesting fantasy story set in the time of the Crusades. I was not knowledgeable about the Crusades, so this was educational as well as enjoyable. Great characters set in an interesting time. All in all, a great read!

When I first signed up for it, I missed that it’s a YA. I don’t usually read YA because it’s just not enough for me—language, motivation, emotions are usually fairly superficial and obviously immature. It’s not criticism about the genre but the reason I don’t read it. That being said, I would have loved to have read this as a young adult but this book was a DNF for me.

Young Luca goes on pilgrimage/crusade with his father and annoying cousin…and a bunch of demons. He’s always seen them, has been through an excruciating exorcism that did nothing but make him hate the priest and learn to keep his mouth shut. Since this is for young readers, we don’t get a lot of details, but this would likely have involved brutal beatings and starvation in order to force the young man’s demons to leave. His father, who maybe sees demons and maybe not, shows him a hidden book, the Book of Whispers, and they take it with them on crusade. Unfortunately, now that he’s seen the book, Luca sees even more demons, sees them attached to everyday objects like wine cups, swords, and baskets, cavorting everywhere. I loved the description of the demons and the magical worldbuilding built into this aspect of the story.

The historical aspects are well researched, though downplayed, as the magical/fantasy aspect of the story begins to dominate and the mysteries pile up.

Again, this is not a bad story and is well written. It’s just not for me.

Did not finish the book. Found most of the characters boring and the dialogue stifling. Though I did know that the book is set in the crusade area, and there would be elements of religion in it, I found it to be too much.

The action scenes were good. I'll give the book that.

I'm usually not into historical fiction but this book was amazing! Every page was fantastic!

A rich epic story. The story takes place during the crusades, only add to that the presence of demons, influencing things to their own end. We follow Suzan and Luca as they try to prevent the demons from getting their way. Some parts dragged and others rushed, but overall, the pace was ok. If you aren't great with large groups of characters, you will be challenged by the wide variety of names. It was listed as historical fiction, but obviously heavy on the fiction side of things.

This was an interesting book, but I could not get into it. The male main character just did not ring true to me. He acted immature and did not seem to thing about how is actions would affect those around him. The female main character was much more interesting. I had a very hard time getting drawn into the world that the author was trying to create, just because I could not relate to the male character.

'Tuscany, 1096 AD. Luca, young heir to the title of Conte de Falconi, sees demons. Since no one else can see them, Luca must keep quiet about what he sees. Luca sees his father murdered in a dream and vows to stop it coming true. Even if he has to go against his father’s wishes and follow him on the great pilgrimage to capture the Holy Lands. When Luca is given an ancient book that holds some inscrutable power, he knows he’s been thrown into an adventure that will lead to places beyond his understanding. But with the help of Suzan, the beautiful girl he rescues from the desert, he will realise his true quest: to defeat the forces of man and demon that wish to destroy the world.'

Thank you to Netgalley for my free preview copy in return for an honest review.

By no means religious myself, I am actually interested in historical fiction that deals with themes of saints, gods and angels etc. A book about the crusades with fantastical elements is a perfect book premise for me! A journey that takes the characters from Italy to Jerusalem on the crusades. Marketed as a YA book, I think it is marketed apprtopiately as although there are some scenes of slaughter/violence, I didn’t think it was a problem.

One of the main genres of literature I read is fantasy and another being historical fiction. This book could have been as much a hitroucsl fiction novel and stood on it’s own as one, without the inclusion of demons. The characters are so likeable and Suzan in particular makes for a great female lead. This book could equally have been a stand-alone historical novel without the inclusion of the Demons. The storyline is strong and the characters likeable.

This story is fast-paced and has a bit of everything for everyone. A bit of romance, magic and adventure as well as the well-researched historical side. The romance for me was a bit too quick to be conceivably realistic, however it was sweet and I can’t fault the execution as such.

Overall, I did really enjoy the pacing of the plot, it was a little slow in places, but this didn't mean I didn't enjoy it. The characters are all highly likeable, and their actions and emotions are all presented are extremely realistic. I also highly enjoyed the fantastical elements, they felt so real and it was placed delicately into the story, so as to not be overwelmhing. Even if you don't enjoy fantasy, I think you could enjoy this novel for the historical elements alone.

Read ‘The Book of Whispers’ if you like historical fiction, particularly the crusades, but also if you are interested in YA fiction that includes demons and magic. I enjoyed the world building and it felt like you were in the foray of the crusades, with the emotions and actions portrayed. I would recommend this book.

The premise of this teen historical-fiction is very interesting. Set during the Crusades, the main characters can see demons and learn about a plot involving the demons that they need to stop. I enjoyed reading about the interesting evil characters in this book, both demon and human. However, in order for me to really enjoy a book I need to be surprised by something. I felt like I knew what was going to happen as soon as I started reading this.

The Book of Whispers takes place during the Crusades and follows Luca, who can see demons, and Suzan, who has a mysterious lineage and gift. Their stories start off separately and then converge as the two journey with the pilgrims of the Crusade, first to fight the Saracens and then to fight a greater threat – the demons Luca can see are planning something disastrous, and only together with Suzan and a mysterious book handed down through the generations of Luca’s family can they possibly defeat the greatest evil.

In my mind, augmented history books are hard to pull off, because integrating the fantastical with history can sometimes be anachronistic or even come off as cheesy. It may not always mix well in other books, but Kimberley Starr’s writing handles this combination deftly and with incredible skill. The demons, the fact that they existed and were tangible, real things was perfectly natural within the book; as a reader I found it incredibly easy to suspend my disbelief and think that yes, demons exist and they were there during the Crusades. As much as I love fantasy, I can’t always let myself let go like that, but Starr made it easy. Starr works together the fantasy/paranormal elements as well as religion, the brutality of the Middle Ages and the Crusades, and even a romance, and she does make it work.

My only complaints were that some of the antagonists, specifically Narlo, seemed very cookie cutter villain – not too complex, but over the top enough that whenever a scene involved him I was ready for it to be over. I also didn’t like that one of the first scenes is the threat of sexual violence against a young girl, and that this issue was something used to propel Luca’s storyline along. This isn’t necessarily an indictment on Starr’s part – Narlo wasn’t for me, though his motivations and demons made sense, and violence against women as a plot device is definitely a turn off, even though I’m well aware it was common and still is.

I was originally going to give this book three stars but after thinking on it, for Starr’s skill at weaving together all the different elements of The Book of Whispers, I give it four out of 5.

This fast paced and well developed story had a little bit of everything to provide you an interesting foray into a historical journey through time. Grief, love, chaos, adventure, magic, and the Christian crusades into Jerusalem all melted together into a beguiling and beautiful novel. Thankfully she adds a bit of lightness to the story with a sweet, albeit quickly begun, romance.

This was a good fictional introduction into the Crusades for anyone with little to no familiarity as Starr does a wonderful job making you feel like you are riding alongside the knights desperate for food, water and sanity. Her descriptions of the settings transported you back hundreds of years to a different time and place; you could practically feel the dust getting kicked up around you as your mind allowed you walk the same grounds as once important historical figures. Though I’ve never been to Jerusalem, through Starr’s book I felt as if I had actually gone there. It was beyond obvious the author really worked hard in her research to get historical details correct along with cultures, religions and settings.

You will walk away hoping she creates a sequel though it does end leaving you filling satisfied even if she doesn’t.

Excellent YA History/Fantasy novel whose plot intrigues while, at the same time, paints a stark, unromantic view of the Crusades showing them for the land-grab that they were. Luca and Suzan are young people from very dissimilar backgrounds caught up in a demon-inspired plot to engineer mass deaths. At the same time, we are not allowed to forget that human beings can be plenty bloodthirsty without demonic aid. At times harrowing, but we warm to the growing affection between the young protagonists as they take on both demonic and human plotters.

Oh the Crusades! I found this book to be utterly romantic. A thrill for the sense mixing magic, history, and adventure rather seamlessly!

This book wasn't entirely my cup of tea. It wasn't horrible, the story was fine. I prefer a little more action in my fantasy and this book was too slow/soft. At times it felt stagnant and too juvenile for what I was expecting. There were times I really enjoyed the pace. I didn't fall in love with the characters; I didn't really hate anyone. It was just a story, neither really amazing, nor really horrible

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my free preview copy in return for an honest review.

Luca lives in Tuscany during the middle ages at the time of the Crusades. Before his father goes of on a Crusade he gives him a secret enchanted book he keep hidden in a cellar. After reading the book Luca discovers he can see demons. Everywhere.

He also dreams about the future. After dreaming of his father’s death Luca joins the crusade, and against his father’s wishes, takes the Book of Whispers with him.

What follows is a bloody journey from Italy to Jerusalem on the crusades. This is marketed as a Young Adult book, but some of it concerned me about its appropriateness for very Young Adults. It’s no worse than vampire slaughters but some of the accounts make hard reading.

That saying it’s a remarkable tale. Luca falls in love with Suzan who through her language skills can read the Book of Whispers.. Suzan can already see demons although she doesn’t realise it. Suzan's back story is more interesting than Luca's and she is a feisty female lead.

As a historical fantasy Kimberlay has done her research. This book could equally have been a stand-alone historical novel without the inclusion of the Demons. The storyline is strong and the characters likeable. The description of life on the crusade is gritty realistic, and informative. It really threads together for a truly enjoyable read.

Though in my view it’s not for children or very Young Adults as it does get gruesome.

I found this to be a great young adult fantasy novel that was very well written. This book is about love, history and adventure which is very much needed for a book that will grab hold of you and pull you into their world. A must read.

As someone who likes to study religion, but is not religious themselves, I often find myself drawn to historical fiction that seeks to explore saints, gods, angels and religious wars. This book, The Book of Whispers by Kimberley Starr, seems to be a well researched historical fiction centered around the Crusades but with additional fantastical elements. Or at least, I consider them to be fantastical, because Luca, our main character, can see demons and he and his father carry a secret book with an indecipherable language. And predictably, the demons connect to the seven deadly sins of Christianity.

Luca de Falconi joins a crusade with her father, the Conte, and their journey takes from Tuscany to Anatolia to Jerusalem. Along the way, Luca takes pity on a girl named Suzan, who as luck would have it can read the secret book that he carries. The mixture of the real-to-them demon war and the blood-soaked fighting around them leads to quite an interesting and tangled tale. The morality lessons were a little heavy handed, but overall the book was enjoyable and fast-paced. The setting was strong and the descriptions well crafted. I think overall this was not a perfect fit for me, but it was worth the read.

Note: Thank you to NetGalley and Text Publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read a great many augmented literary classics, but this was my first adventure in augmented history. And I must say, the adventure was truly enjoyable! The Book of Whispers is a delicious blend of history, mythology, adventure and imagination.

I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, fantasy, or the blending of both. The writing is captivating, the characters engaging and believable, and the imagination that The Book of Whispers inspires in wonderful. And, at a time where dominant ideologies are being aggressively pushed in public forum, this book is as timely as it is entertaining.