Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

I loved A Door in the Dark so much and was thrilled to get to read the sequel early! Ren Monroe is a top-tier morally grey character and has my whole heart. For me, an adult, A Whisper in the Walls was a 5-star slam dunk. I loved the political intrigue and the slow buildup to the nonstop last third of the book. I really enjoyed the introduction of additional POVs and loved how Ren and Theo's relationship developed even though they weren't together for much of the book.

That said, for about the first half of the book, I often wondered if my students would keep at it. The story is kind of slow to build, which is much different from book 1. I can imagine that a teen reader who loved A Door in the Dark would grab this and have expectations for similar pacing, action, and magic. To me, this one felt less teen-centric. In book 1, there is a good deal of teen/school drama, relationship tension, etc. This book is more about political maneuvering and 2 of the 3 POVs are adults. Again, I loved it, but I can see younger readers, especially less confident ones, struggling to stay engaged. Now, if they make it to the final section, it's game on!

I TOLD YALL THIS SEQUEL WAS GONNA BE GOOD!!!
I loved the multi-POV that this book had that was not included in the first book. I loved reading Ren’s transition to House Brood. Just everything about this book was perfection!!! This is probably the most underrated series I have ever read. Book 3, bring it on!!!😍

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC. GREAT read! This is the second book in a YA magical fantasy series that is shaping up soo fabulously! The world building and action in book one was great. And book two keeps that going with tons of action and revenge. If revenge is best served cold, how is irony served? (Wink wink) Loved the character development and the open- ended last scene! Scott Reintgen, you’re killing me! I NEED BOOK THREE NOW!

Based on the way A Door in the Dark, the previous book in this series, ended, I was excited to learn how Ren would take on the Brood family. The multi-pov in this book provides Ren's perspective as well as that of Nevelyn and Dahvid, two other people who were devastatingly hurt by the actions of a Brood. I really enjoyed the break from Ren's thoughts, because her one-track mind of revenge with the necessary manipulation felt tiring during some of the first book. The chapters are short enough to never spend too much time with one character and their plotline but action-packed enough to keep the story steadily moving. Everything is orchestrated very well for the end result. Some puzzle pieces slid right into place in my mind, but Reintgen still kept me eager to turn pages for everything I could not guess. Little details that are pivotal to the characters' plans easily get forgotten by the reader with the constant influx of scenes filled with intrigue and action. New characters such as Nevelyn and Dahvid added more depth to the revenge plot, and learning more about Agnes, Ren's mother, was sweet yet brow-furrowing. Ren was only a child when her father died, which causes me to question how much she really knows about the events surrounding his death, especially after the conclusion to A Whisper in the Walls. Theo is used like a tool by Ren, and I expect a subsequent book will reveal more truths to him about her and to her about the world as she knows it. Who runs the city? Why the sudden shift in Agnes's behavior? Are the Tin'Vori children satisfied? In a magical land of powerful ruling families, how can true peace be possible? These are questions I hope to see answered next.

I had a plan. Sit down and read a few chapters of "A Whisper in the Walls" before bed. 4 hours and several more 'just one more chapter' later, and it's safe to say I was hooked. The second book in the Waxways Series by Scott Reintgen grabbed me and wouldn't let me go.

While the first book brought to life dark academia elements reminiscent of A Deadly Education, the second book brought to life the political intrigue and house dynamics of books like Game of Thrones and Misborn.

We pick up in A Whisper in the Walls a few months after Ren and Theo make it out of the wilderness and begin to see the dynamics of their bond as Ren becomes a wolf in sheep's clothing as the newest addition to House Brood. As a lead character, Ren is a dynamic, complicated, and morally grey heroine who will have you asking, 'What happens when you achieve your wildest dreams if you sacrifice a piece of yourself along the way?' We follow Ren on her quest to avenge her father, but Scott Reintgen writes Ren in a way where not only do we understand her wants and ambitions, but we watch her struggle with the PTSD of the choices she made in the wilderness and the dynamic of her feelings for Theo.

From introducing new characters and houses, new branches of magic, intense and visceral combat scenes, and sweeping political intrigue, I wasn't sure how Reintgen would manage to bring everything together at the end of a book in a way that felt fully satisfying. He did that and more. I am entirely hooked. My only regret in reading this as an ARC is that I must wait even longer to read whatever Reintgen writes next.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Every twist and turn in this one had me on the edge of my seat. I love Scott’s writing and it just gets better and better with each book!

The next installment in the Waxways series is absolutely worth the read. Readers who dive back into Ren’s world and her plot to exact revenge on the people who killed her father will not be disappointed. The fast paced, thrilling, dark and twisty sequel to A Door in the Dark keeps readers entertained and on their toes through out the entire literary experience.

Reintgen does an excellent job propelling his audience through both the high society and the dirty alleyways of Kathor while treating the reader to multiple perspectives of different characters in the novel. Fans of magic, adventure, action, fighting, complex plots, twists, romance, and revenge will all enjoy this read.

I would have liked some deeper development into the relationships and emotional connections between characters; I am always hoping for a few more moments with Ren and Theo! I hope to see more of that in the next Waxways book. However, I do appreciate that the priorities and time spent in the plot remain true to Ren’s character. She’s out for vengeance, and anything else she feels or experiences is second to her goals. Reintgen has developed her character in such a way that I care deeply for Ren and I hope that her quest for vengeance doesn’t keep her from the happiness she could experience if she shifted her priorities. I can’t wait for the next book so I can find out!

Reintgen has hit another home run with this book! Grab a copy and some snacks, clear your schedule, and get cozy because once you get started on this book, you won’t want to put it down.

I made the mistake of starting A Door in the Dark one night before bed... and I woke up somewhere around 2am and kept reading. And I still don't regret those lost hours of sleep. Ren and her world caught me right from the start, and since flying to the end of book 1, I've been really anxious to find out how the next phase of her plan would pan out. I thought Door was dark and twisty, and I couldn't imagine how Scott might make it even more so.... well, wait until you re-enter the Waxways, try to unravel the layers upon layers of family drama, and the new characters introduced in A Whisper in the Walls.

Fantasy-Thriller isn't my usual genre, but because I've been a fan of Scott's other MG and YA, and had Ren pitched to me as a vengeful Hermione, I picked up A Door in the Dark. What I appreciate about these first two books in the series is how Scott creates a world that is easy to step inside with just enough Magic and Fantasy elements to help you suspend belief, without needing an index or map to follow (however, I hear the print book WILL have a really cool map!). A Whisper in the Walls keeps that going with really unique magic put to work, with enough context to keep the pace of the story going. With bringing new characters in the fold (through Multi-POV which I LOVED), twisting the original plot into a tighter spiral of suspense and emotional punches, AND expanding the world-view, A Whisper in the Walls brings new complexity as a really fast-paced sequel, and satisfyingly, we're left with a new mystery unfolding on the last pages! I can't wait for any details announced of Book 3 and find out where we go next....

MITOCHONDRIA IS NOT THE POWERHOUSE OF THE CELL. REN MONROE IS.

The RAGE. The AMBITION. The DARK DESCENT that never finds a bottom. It is a rare book that lingers in my lungs long after the final page. I guess I wasn't breathing properly for most of it???

Tbh A Door in the Dark was SO INTENSE that I wasn't sure how the story could expand into the greater societal structure with that same intensity. After all, book one has a thriller-like plot that just. doesn't. stop. It's a proper thriller too, not a "whodunit" packaged as a thriller just to sell better. It's such a unique plot with built-in anxiety that I HAD to resolve. BUT SCOTT REINTGEN PULLED IT OFF YET AGAIN IN THE SEQUEL. The scope of the world expands greatly, but even the tiniest details are personal gut punches to the POV characters. The two new POVs carry just as much rage and ambition as Ren, but each with a unique flavor that utilizes fascinating new sections of the world and personalizes their styles of magic. At first I was worried that I would miss time with Ren, but I didn't. She never leaves the narrative. She permeates everything and everyone. Seeing her perceived through their eyes and how she affects them is FASCINATING and honestly made me giddy. That interrogation scene? *chef's kiss* You'll have to read it to learn what I mean. Someone better buy the film rights because it would make a KILLER TV series.

I'm SO GLAD there's gonna be a book three, but I also hate that I got book two early because now the wait for book three is longer. CURSE YOU, SCOTT REINTGEN!!! I had too much fun and now I'm just an empty human with shriveled lungs. 😭😭😭