Except sixteen-year-old Althea isn’t content at all, and she doesn’t need the mysterious note inside her locket to tell her she’s Something Else. It also warns her to trust no one, so she hides the pieces that make her different, even though it means being alone.
The autumn she meets Lucas, everything changes.
Althea and Lucas are immune to the alien mind control, and together they search for the reason why. What they uncover is a stunning truth the Others never anticipated, one with the potential to free the brainwashed human race.
It’s not who they are that makes them special, but what.
And what they are is a threat. One the Others are determined to eliminate for good.
OPINION: 4 STARS
Intriguing and captivating, Whispers in Autumn is one of those books that blends together several known elements in a way that just totally grabs you. Though a little slow feeling at first, there is a strong undercurrent to this one that holds interest.With some great twists, and quite a few thought-provoking moments, Whispers in Autumn is both fun and intense.
Althea is a great character, the kind with a different sort of journey ahead of her. Truly feeling like an outsider because she doesn't exist in a mindless daze, there is a constant layer of fear around her. Being found out in regards to having control of her own head definitely has consequences, and Leigh navigates this area seamlessly. Althea goes through tremendous strides, while still being very much the perceptive and caring girl we meet at the start.
Then there's Lucas, a boy who will completely capture readers from his first appearance. Testing Althea in some pretty big ways, the pair have a few strides to overcome. Once they do, though, things heat up... in some rather awesome ways. There is definitely chemistry between these two, and so many of the pages sizzle with what's going on between them. I fell hard for Lucas, and rooted right there with him and Althea, even in their not as stellar moments.
While this one is a bit confusion to start, being thrown right into things, and the pacing takes some time to really get up to speed, Leigh has enough mystery mixed with well timed reveals to keep reader interest. I had so many questions, where it seemed like each new piece of info only made me want to know more, in that way that lets the book get so into my head. While I admit, I predicted a few of the twists, Leigh still keeps some up her sleeve until the right moment. There are some fantastic elements pulled into this one, woven in a way that I thoroughly loved, and that put a fresh sort of spin on them.
The writing is fabulous, building the atmosphere Althea lives in while also giving a strong voice to who she is. With some amazing descriptions, and an alluring flow, the writing stands out as much as the story and characters do. There is a huge amount of emotions worked into this one, pulling you in right away, and letting you feel everything Althea does, from fear to happiness. Blending some great aspects into something with a new feel, and adding in the right amount of romance and heat, Whispers in Autumn is a great book that shouldn't be missed.
Details:
Source: ARC received from author in exchange for an honest review
Reading Level: Young Adult
Ooh, this is the first review I've read about Whispers in Autumn, and I'm glad it's a positive one!
ReplyDeleteI'll admit, not much of a fan of aliens taking over, but this does seem interesting. Nice review!