Out of the things Olivia owned her favorite things were the three lonely bar stools at the Glitch. Even more than her cat she had named Plan B. Olivia didn’t let anyone in arm’s reach of her let alone scenting range. Olivia was taking a military job inside the Syndicat. She asked her closest friend Yoshi-who was the bartender at the Glitch- if he would watch B and she should be gone about two weeks yoshi said he would. Yoshi ws too smart, too perceptive, too kind to make it in the Simdicate corps races. But it was these same traits that made the Glitch the safest dive in the Cauldron quarters. The Glitch had a repetition for being safe and discreet. Olivia’s mother had always told her to tell the truth until she couldn’t. Olivia had waster her first lie on Yoshi. Olivia was an unregistered caricae. Olivia had been a late bloomer and that had been her salvation. All Syndicate kids underwent the disposition screen when they turned thirteen. Newly identified Altus got pulled for vocational training leaning toward military and labor positions. While also being enrolled in the donor registry. It was kids screened as Caricae who disappeared. The enrichment program was intended to provide government support to caricae citizens, mature their sensitive nature, prevent targeting and abuse by systematically housing Caricaes in comfortable shiny white compounds. The Caricaes participate in the ministry’s Plenty Futures maternity program. The majority of the population are unable to produce except Caricaes. Everyone’s health was guaranteed by the program and then the resulting children were assigned to families across the Syndicate. This made for survival of the genetic pool. Then at fourteen Olivia got her period but it wasn’t what she wanted so her mother said it didn’t happen. Then her mother set her down and told her how her new life would be. Whisper pay was good but irregular. The greatest risk of detection of being a Caricae who didn’t enroll as a proper citizen was their skin. But But Caricae had stronger distinct pheromone. So cloaking layers helped. Fastidious hygiene helped also. A paranoid sense of personal space was another helper. Olivia had all three honed. Also there were pills that could dampen the skin scent.and the effects of others’ pheromones. But if you know where to go anything was for sale. Medical treatment was something Olivia had learned to go without. Animals was the only physical affection Olivia could afford. It took one day to get to the edge of the Syndicate. The secretive Syn hadn't opened the borders with the Empire for decades. Only government workers got authorization to cross. This was olivia’s first time on a foreign contract. Olivia told the training motto she appreciated that she had been cleared for higher clearance contracts which meant more money. Olivia wasn’t sure why Wallace had signed to give her this mission. It was more dangerous moving through the Empire and hiding her identity. Galen was a hardened military leader but he hid his soft heart.
I just couldn’t really get into this book. I think I may have accidently chose it. It’s not the book it’s me. I just couldn’t connect with the story, plot, or characters. So i am not going to rate this if I can help it as it wouldn’t be fair.

For Olivia Shaw, the danger of her assignments as a deadly Whisper agent is matched only by that of her hidden status: Liv is one of the caricae. When her handler sends her into the Quillian Empire, her mission is complicated when her hostage is revealed to be the infamous Red Wolf, Galen De Corvus, brother of the Quillian Empress. Worse yet, he is an altus, more sensitive than most to the pheromones of caricae. If he realizes what she is, he could expose her secret to either government and doom her to a life as breeding stock. As they work together to protect his royal sister from a violent coup, the passionate bond between them proves to be more than mere biology. And Liv must decide if that bond is worth dropping her guard for both an enemy and an altus.



I'm pretty sure the only reason I requested this book was because I was half asleep and thought it was Conspiracy of Stars. I think this because I clearly did not read the synopsis as this is a romance and not a sci-fi book. Well actually, it kind of is sci-fi but it's definitely not good sci-fi. To be honest, it's not really good romance either. It's more of a compilation of romance tropes and sci-fi worlds into one book.

I did check Goodreads after I started to read this book because it was immediately not what I expected. But at the time it had 5 stars from 5 people with no actual reviews out - this really should have been my first warning. I wish I had DNF'd at the start and just let the publisher know I didn't mean to request this book, but I really hate starting books and not finishing them. Also I really wanted to learn more about how humans had evolved into caricae, altus and gentas. Unfortunately, this wasn't a very science based book and we didn't get much backstory to the world.

This book is all about Liv, a stereotypical moody rebel love interest for the prince who is great at military combat. They are of course on opposing sides but then join together as one of them realises they're on the wrong side. Predictably, when you think they're finally free to be together, something comes up and military boy has to go away, and the girl finds a way to push the boy away. Of course by the end of the book they're living HEA and have sex. I kid you not, I have read this plot countless times as subplots in other books and never liked it. This predictable subplot did not need to be made into full length book.

Positives
+ Humans evolved in different types of people

Negatives
- Romance

- Predictable

I received A Conspiracy of Whispers* by Ada Harper from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an unbiased and honest review.

A Conspiracy of Whispers by Ada Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I started out fascinated by the story line as Olivia captures the Red Wolf, Galen De Corvus. Their journey is a story in itself. When that journey ended the story seemed to blog down. I kept reading and it picked up but the action was a little uneven. There was some interesting world building and back story making up the plot. It could have used a little more editing but was still interesting. Olivia wants to change the world and it will be interesting to see if the story continues in future books.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

A Conspiracy of Whispers is an intricate dance into a world where wars are waged and people are separated by their usefulness and function. In this world, a tenacious assassin and a patient noble battle for trust and their survival.
Ada Harper is a new-to-me author and I have fallen in love with her writing. The reading experience is a subtle but complex dance across the senses interspersed with moments of spine-tingling adrenalin in action-packed scenes. When I finished the book, all I could think was "Gah! So good!!" and then I ran out of words and had to compose myself instead of running around (in my own head) like a headless chook in exhilaration over how much I enjoyed the story.
The story itself is complexly woven and it's so much more than a simple assignment of assassinating a target for Olivia as she's dragged into the midst of a civil war and more politics than you could poke a stick at. With everything heaped upon her, Olivia stays strong and fierce. She's a survivor but she's spent too much of her life hiding what she is and living in fear of being found out. She has to learn to trust and expand her circle beyond herself to others around her who mean her no harm. I liked watching Olivia grow. She has major trust issues but she pushes past those slowly as she bonds with Galen and as she gets to know the people around her. She's also strong enough to recognise her own weaknesses and work on overcoming them, while having an endless amount of courage and grit. In fact, there are times when she is almost suicidal in her actions and fearlessness. With odds stacked against her, she triumphs even if she does come out a little bit battered and worse for wear. Olivia's fierce and loyal character shines so bright.
Galen is beautiful. He's strong, confident, committed, and determined. He has a reputation as a strategist and a great military man but it's his heart and loyalty that I love about him. I loved his patience with Olivia and how much he understands her. He sees right into her heart, knows all her faults and prickles, and he is right by her side supporting her and encouraging her in his own silent way. I loved the way he loved Olivia. With kindness, patience and determination. His confidence in their bond is enough for the two of them when Olivia is still learning to trust. And it's right there when Olivia is ready. Such steadfastness is beautiful.
My only gripe is that the cover artist doesn't seem to have read the brief from the author about the characters because Olivia is blonde with green eyes and the cover artist gave her an orange afro. It's so far from the description of her that it's laughable. And if I had seen the cover, I would not have picked up the book based on it. Fortunately, I was intrigued by the blurb and based my decision to read the book on that. The cover looks more suited to a steampunk story than a sci-fi one.
I don't know if this is a standalone book or the first in the series but if there's more, I'd read it.

**** I will keep this short, so I don't spoil anything***

A Conspiracy of Whispers by Ada Harper was a fantastic thrilling, intense, passionate affair between an assassin and an agent.

Loyalties will be tested, hearts will be broken, and betrayal at its finest hour. No one is safe, and soon these two must fight together to survive!

It's an action packed, suspenseful, thrilling novel that had me on the edge of my seat, praying that Liv and Galen make it out alive in this bitter game.

I highly recommend reading this story.