Super livre, j’ai adoré. 😍

I received this ebook free from Netgalley in return for an honest review. 
The Book of Whispers by Kimberley Starr is a historical fiction story set during the crusades (with Demons). I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as a historical setting I felt completely immersed in the world and loved loved loved the idea of seeing demons. 

A large part of the story revolves around the idea of death and the seven deadly sins, those being the different types of demons attached to different items. I don't know how to describe my feelings for the characters. I wouldn't say I loved them, often finding them a bit whiny but I have to say they definitely felt real, given the circumstances. The contrast in love stories between our main characters and their friends was huge. Serafina and Mattias felt real and was completely understandable, but for me personally I do not like the love at first sight vibe and the whole 'I've seen you in my dreams' thing either. However, I do like the connection between Suzan and Luca and the fact that they accept they are in this together despite the views of everyone around them. I'd like to hope I'd have that attitude if I was destined to save the world.
I really liked the aspect of the book, obviously, and the ever changing content of it. Having it written in a seemingly dead language was also something that really intrigued me. 

One of the downfalls of this book for me which stopped it being a 5 stars was its ending. Some of this book felt long and like it was building up to a huge dramatic finale and yet the final 'battle' was underwhelming. So underwhelming in fact that the main villain doesn't even realise its happening for most of it. I was so invested in this story and was so there for a huge end but I felt a little let down. 

Overall 4/5 Stars

It is so unusual to find YA written about the Crusades. I actually can’t think of any I have read in the past so “Book of Whispers” was a particularly intriguing book. I was fascinated and horrified by this account, some of which is based on historical documents and actual events. What takes this historical fiction into the realm of fantasy is the inclusion of demons. These invisible demons were mostly attached to objects and secretly goaded people to do evil. In real life I think people are capable of evil all on their own but I can see that blaming human actions on an outside influence would be somewhat comforting. Despite the subject matter I don’t feel that this book was particularly religious in tone. It didn’t take sides in the Christian versus Muslim conflict but the Crusaders are the ones we follow into the battles and the Saracens are the ones being invaded so they are definitely more sympathetic than the invaders. The story showed the absolute brutality of the Crusaders and several times the main character Luca questions the morality of their invasion and if they are fighting for good or if they are murdering innocent families for their own gain.

This review is a really difficult one for me because I’m torn. While I was intrigued by the setting and the time period I felt the plot was too slow at times. There were parts that were very exciting but a lot was pretty boring. The story could have been a lot tighter and more compelling but instead it fell flat. I also felt like the magical element was a little too convenient. Suzan and Luca would find just the right item at the right time or were given the exact information or warning they needed by the book and this was used to advance the plot a few too many times. It felt like a bit of a cop out. I think my problem is that I am more of a historical fiction reader and less of a fan of fantasy so for me the book would have been better if it left out the demons and magic completely. I’m sure a lot of readers would feel the opposite and be charmed by the supernatural elements but it just isn’t my thing. I also had a few quibbles with problematic details of the novel like how to mount a horse with two riders and the use of the term “Levant.” The horse mounting made me laugh because as described Luca would have been unable to mount without kicking his passenger in the head! The Levant issue actually really annoyed me because it was used repeatedly in an inappropriate time period and geographical area. I should admit that I’m a Near Eastern archaeologist so this is likely an issue only I care about and I imagine few other readers would even notice but it really got my goat!

The most important thing I have taken away from this book is what I believe is the main message of tolerance and peace. It was pretty shocking to witness the atrocities that the Crusaders inflicted on the Saracens in the name of religion. The Christian Crusaders completely depersonalized the Muslim Saracens so they could slaughter them and invade their cities without guilt and perpetuate horrific violence on men, women and children. This feels like an especially relevant lesson for today’s world. Although there are no literal demons (as far as I know) prodding world leaders to make hateful, destructive decisions I think the Crusades as depicted in this story are a good example of where dehumanizing other religions or groups of people can lead. Let us learn from history and not repeat it.

Thank you to Text Publishing Company for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

First off, I took a long time to read and review this book. Now, the review: I immensely enjoyed The Book of Whispers, though the story was really slow, I didn’t mind - it was enjoyable. And it takes place during the Crusades! The characters were interesting - and I could tell there was a lot of research that went into it - from the architecture, clothing. Overall, the book was fun!

Welcome ti the augmented history (history + demons) that is #BookOfWhispers, #KimberleyStarr takes you on a wild adventure that spans from Tuscany to Middle East as you travel with pilgrims on ther way to retake Jerusalem from saracens during the 1st Crusade

Get ready to meat Luca, the heir to the Conte de Falcony, and Suzan, the daughter of a voiceless nun & a whole cast of character both friendly and treacherous, not to mention the host of demons as they ravel and provoke human misery all along the way. Our heroes meet, and wonder, and get sidetracked on numerous side quests as they begin to comprehend that their journey isn't what it appeared to be, their destination and their ultimate goal isn't what they've been told, and the dangers they face are not always of the human kind

While most of the characters and things that happen in this book are a work of fiction, many events did take place during the actual pilgrimage, which only makes this work of historical fiction more interesting. The battles, the sieges, the cannibalism. So get ready to dive into this story regardless of whether you're a fan of historical fiction or not. Wheather you love history, fiction, or good old YA, this is a story you can read and enjoy

Didn't get to read, book was archived whilst Kindle was broken

We are in the middle of the Crusades. In Tuscany, Luca, heir to the Conte de Falconi, can see demons, they are attached to things and some of them are really really scary but he must not say anything or else people will think he is crazy.
Besides seeing demons, Luca also has dreams: he dreams of things that are going to happen in the future. When Luca witnesses his father's murder in his dreams he decides to go against his wishes and follow him to the great pilgrimage whose objective is to reconquest the Holy Lands.
After being given an ancient, maybe magic, book Luca discover that there may be some truth to what he sees and maybe he's not the only one. With the help of Suzan, a beautiful girl he has met during the journey, he must unveil and complete his quest: to defeat the forces of demons and the man that wants to help them destroy the world.
I have to admit that, opening up this book, I was not expecting what I actually got: an amazing adventure during the crusades that crosses the fates of two very peculiar people. Yes, I am talking about Luca and Suzan. Even though I have never studied the crusades I feel like the author was able to characterize and set the environment in a way that allows even the most unsuspecting of readers to get immersed in the story. One of the things the author did not forget was the bloody and dark side of the quest: the deaths, the sieges, the poverty, the unsuspecting people under the hands of ambitious rulers, etc.
One of my favourite parts of the plot was Suzan's backstory and the overall mystery that she brings to the narrative. In a world infested by demons, she is able to bring a little bit of light and magic (good magic) as well as make you wonder about who she really is. Luca is the typical noble son that actually has good intentions but that has an overly unrealistic view of the world: he has never seen the horrors of war, he is somewhat blind to the world's ugliness. Besides all this, he knows he can only trust himself, or people will think he is crazy. All of this makes it more wonderful to watch the journey of two souls that are used to not trust anyone and start to learn to trust each other and work as a team, even in the darkest of times.
I think this is a wonderful read for everyone, everyone can take some lessons from this wonderfully crafted story. One thought remains with me after reading this book: even in the darkest and ugliest of places/times it is possible to catch a glimpse of light, you just have to believe it exists and work to find it.

The overall concepts are interesting, the characters are interesting, and the writing is good. I personally didn't find it exciting or fast-paced enough to love. But it was a decent book.

The crusades are a rich and interesting time in our history. It’s a period in time that isn’t common amongst fiction writers (well not the ones I’ve read anyway).

Taking a little creative license, Kimberley adds a layer of the fantastical to an already intriguing and busy plot by adding demons. 

The addition of demons to an already religion-charged story would always raise a few eyebrows, but despite there being a strong religious and spiritual backbone to the story, there were only a few times throughout that felt a trifle overwhelming. I expected there to be more instances of that.

The simple fact that a large chunk of this book is taken up by thousands of people walking thousands of miles, makes for a slow burn of a read. 

Kimberley did well to intersperse the continuous travel with action and character development. But it’s not all roses.

I quite liked Suzan’s character, but felt like we only ever got half a look at her. She felt under developed and used as a crutch to carry the story. 

Luca irritated me, Mattiolas was but a pawn to use to create drama and tension but little else, and don’t get me started on Serafina (she started out well but swiftly turned into a ditzy Princess who constantly needed to be saved!)

I also have concerns about how much negativity is heaped upon Suzan being the ‘ugly nun’ and how the men (and women) treated her with little more than open hostility. Is this book trying to talk to society’s trend of attributing goodness to beauty? If so, it doesn’t work. Instead, it feels forced and adds nothing to the story.

I did like Kimberley’s take on demons, particularly Thanatos and Percy. I’d have liked more on the demons, particularly more female characters that held their own.

I was left with some questions that I feel deserved more closure than they got. Luca’s father, Suzan’s mother and Thanatos just to name a few.

Overall, this held my interest but only just. I feel more could be done to engage the reader and build a stronger story. It has interesting ideas and a fantastic historical backdrop, but it drops the ball and doesn’t live up to that strong setting.

**Note: I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

I honestly thought I would love this book, but it just wasn't for me. The Book of Whispers is a young adult novel set during the crusades. I enjoyed the reading about the demons but the magic didn't last for me, I couldn't finish it.

I have such a love/hate relationship with this book, it's not even funny. The cover was the thing that made me give this book a second look, cause it's gorgeous. The story sounded super interesting. It just didn't work for me at all.

I had the hardest time getting into this book, it wasn't the writing. It was the character. Luca. I just didn't care about him at all. Because of that, I only got into the story as soon as Suzan showed up. We get POV's from the both of them. As soon as the two of them met and the journey was told from the two of them, this is when things started to get really interesting for me. I still didn't care for Luca, tho. I'm so sorry. It hurts my soul to actually write it.

The world itself was super interesting. To have these historical events combined with the magical world of demons. But it kinda fell flat for me. Towards the end of the book, I just got bored (even though lots of things happened), I just didn't care enough about it anymore and had the hardest time picking this book up to read a few pages. Giving this a three star raiting, cause there were some parts that I really enjoyed and that I loved reading. Mostly when it came to Suzan. And later Serafina. Loved these two.

Intriguing from the start. This book had promise, great concept and potential to stand out.  The time period and backdrop of the crusades was a smart choice, but could have been developed much more thoroughly. Overall, I had a hard time sticking with this one. There were parts that required so much more detail, but was wrapped up quickly. It had a disjointed feel that made it a bit of a roller coaster read. I give this one a 2.5, I really wanted to like it and there were a few sections that really had me, but overall was not one of my favorites, although, I will remember it for the unique concept and theme.

I really can't get through this one, it has sent me to sleep twice now. I think it's a case of it just not being for me but I can't make myself carry on any further than the beginning of chapter 3 at 11%

The cover is what drew me to this book. It is the story of a young man determined to join the pilgrimage and fight for what he believes in the Crusades, which is not usually the type of book I go for but this young man also sees demons so I gave it a shot. The story is interesting but I had issues with the pacing and found it a bit slow at times. I also found the language to be anachronistic at times.
 Luca sees the demons attached to objects but pretends he does not to appear the worthy heir of the Conte de Falconi title. He lacks maturity at times and was not really my favorite character. Suzan lives with her mother but has to hide her gift as well as herself. There is magic and demons but I did not really feel like they were a main part of the story. The demons were always there but I felt like there was more to know and see of them. I was left wanting more details in the end. Three stars because overall the story is likable.

Not going to lie, I was really excited to read this but some of the reviews I have seen are just not good and I'd rather spend my time reviewing books I am interested in.

Greatly appreciate stories based on legends and mythology. However, I could not get into this YA story of demons. Therefore, I’m not the right reviewer for this book.  This most likely will appeal to the audience it targets.

I liked the premise of this book, and at times, I did find myself quite immersed in it. The characters were funny, well-developed and believable. However, as someone who fences, I found the references to fencing very annoying, especially as they are incorrect, which in turn suggests the author didn't research historical context enough. It is not the same as weapons training for battle, which is actually what the MC is training to do. My housemate, who does archaeology, also picked up on several historical inaccuracies outside of this. While they weren't necessarily the be all and end all, they did make the book harder to get into. More than that though, it just wasn't that exciting. Nothing much happened, and I found myself struggling to turn the page in certain sections. I'd be tempted to reread this again at some point and see if my opinion changes, but I don't think I'll be buying it any time soon.

Not really my kind of read. Fell flat. I wasn't involved with the plot unfortunately.

Another era that one doesn’t see as much of in Historical YA fiction, the Crusades. I suppose that may be because it wasn’t a very glamorous time. Say what you want about those Tudors, and I have, but you can’t say they weren’t elaborate. Very few people have written intriguing YA fiction about the Crusades, more often the story tend to focus on those left behind, and the struggles they have to overcome having their loved ones so far away. Robin Hood and the like are definitely what comes to mind when I think of that time period. Of course you have to remember that there were more than one Crusade and they all ended in different states of disarray for either sides. 
	Author Kimberley Starr has taken a unique approach to this book. The boy who sees demons has a unique voice that leaves the read almost uncomfortable and uneasy while at the same time drawing you in to see what sort of chaos this boy’s life will unwind to be. The female counterpoint has her own struggles and it leaves me torn between these broken children to see who I feel for more. The tone has a more defined change once these characters meet and their adventures unfold. The fantasy elements become more heavily added once they meet. Besides an annoying tendency towards unfounded jealousy, our lead characters are well thought out and play their roles to an excellent finish, though the Big Bad battle scene was smaller than I would prefer.  I would recommend this book as an excellent starter towards Crusade historical fiction. With its fantasy elements distracting and at times almost excusing the actions of the Crusaders as simple possession, the story can get a bit gory and yet somehow it quickly moves on to new locations. Starr has done a great job of combining important historical characters with her own twist on history to create this fantasy rich tapestry of the past.
 *This eBook was provided by NetGalley and Text Publishing in exchange for honest feedback**

I think that this book definitely has its place in YA. Like the Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry this novel takes a piece of history that is not ever depicted in YA and makes it its own. Of course, this is where these two books similarities end and become their own stories. 

The Book of Whispers is a book that uses the First Crusades as its backdrop and adds the element of fantasy to it. The main character can see demons and the majority of the story deal with this aspect instead of getting lost in the Crusades battle. This could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you're expecting from this book. Either way, I think that you should give it a try. It uses a unique piece of history to weave a story together and it is quite an interesting story!