4.5 stars. This was actually quite scary as far as Middle grade goes—with high stakes and real creepy danger. I loved the setting of this very weird, very spooky town and the mix of supernatural magic and science fiction. It left a lot of unanswered questions for further books to explore while still having a satisfying ending to this particular story.

Wow was this fast paced! I flew through the first 150 pages of this. Really enjoyed this one through and through. Definitely worth the read!

Perfect for fans of spooky middle grade titles, with a beginning chapter that will pull readers in and make them look over their shoulders as they read. Great for fans of The Ghost Hunter's Daughter by Dan Poblocki.

Many thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

The moment I saw that cover and finished reading the blurb, I just knew I had to read this one! It was one of my most anticipated books of 2020. What’s not to love about a little small-town horror, conspiracy theories, and eye-snatching ne’er-do-wells?

Whispering Pines is a middle grade fantasy set in a small town where things aren’t quite as they seem and steeped in the fear of the unknown ingrained in all of us. Expect definite chills, conspiracies, and the paranormal, but also teens working together and growing into themselves.

It’s so easy to be disappointed by anticipated books, so I’m glad that wasn’t the case here. Even though it’s not listed on Goodreads as a series, I was super happy to find out that it is, in fact, a series … and book two has a title already! I can’t get my hands on it soon enough. *grabby hands*

My Thoughts:

- Lang and Bartkowski absolutely nail the small town feeling with Whispering Pines, where “weird” is a facet of daily life. As a setting, it doesn’t get much creepier than Whispering Pines in and of itself, because everyone knows something’s kind of off, but they just accept it. Thankfully, Rae, as a newcomer, isn’t as prepared to just brush off these strange occurrences. I loved that Rae was one of the perspective characters, because I felt like the book really needed that “okay, but whyyyy are we not concerned about this?!” perspective, which Rae does with gusto. Also, being the new girl in a small town is hard, especially considering most of these kids have known each other for most of their lives. The setting definitely felt like it added a lot to the book.

- As far as the scare level goes, make no mistake, this book is creepy … but probably not likely to give you nightmares. I would recommend it for upper mid-grade readers, who are ready for something a little spookier but not yet ready for young adult levels. On a scary scale of one eyeball to five eyeballs, I’d probably give it about three eyeballs. Why eyeballs? Well, boy am I glad you asked. The scariest aspect of this book is really the “monster in the dark” feel, the fear of the unknown that almost all of us have, and in that, the book really excels. Kids are going missing and showing up without any eyes. No one has any idea what’s going on or how to stop it. I absolutely love monster in the woods type stories, and this delivers on the atmosphere and spookiness of that, for sure.

- Rae makes for a fun protagonist, as not only the new girl in town but one with something to hide and a chip on her shoulder. I enjoyed the struggles Rae has to go through making friends, because it felt relatable and real. She doesn’t just easily fall into a friend group. She has to work for it, and in the meantime, decide exactly who she wants to be, if she wants to change herself to “fit in” or risk being ostracized again. Complicating all this, of course, is the fact that Rae’s father is … gone. Left, according to the official reports. Taken, Rae knows, is the truth. But by whom and for what, other than knowing too much? This adds a whole other element of mystery to the plot and depth to Rae’s character. Hard to trust anyone after what’s happened to her, of course. But are the weird happenings in Whispering Pines somehow related to her father’s disappearance? Well … who knows? You’ll have to read and see.

- The other point of view character is Caden, who has basically been ostracized by the community, despite struggling to do the right thing. In reality, Caden’s carrying a lot of guilt about … whatever happened to his brother, who's gone missing. You’ll have to read and find out, but oh my gosh, the drama is delicious, I assure you. So while he’s punishing himself mentally and emotionally, not having friends seems par for the course to Caden. The real struggle for Caden is that not only does he not fit in, but in some ways, he feels like he doesn’t deserve to fit in after everything. But he’s still just a big ol’ cinnamon roll who wants to help people if he can and do the right thing, even if he does sometimes come across as a weird creeper. I felt so much for poor Caden, because he is such a floofy marshmallow and is trying so dang hard while carrying a burden that’s far heavier than he should have to bear. Watching Caden find his own little niche of people, despite all the odds, is just *chef’s kiss*

This is touted as X Files meets Stranger Things neither of which I have watched but clearly they add up to a very creepy story. I couldn’t read this at night due to the creepy factor. But, I think students will love this for all of the creepiness and mystery! The ending was a bit awkward and seemed to begin rolling into a new story. I am guessing there will be a sequel.

Once upon a time, there was a family. They were reeling from the sudden loss of one of their own, in serious need of a new beginning, and by chance, they landed themselves somewhere far far away from all the painful memories...a little place called Whispering Pines. Doesn't it just sound ideal? Like a breath of fresh air, right? Umm, about that... You think your hometown is strange? Think again.

In Whispering Pines, sink holes appear out of nowhere, energy is monitored in a way that doesn't purely scream conservation, and disappearing kids is pretty much not a question of ever happening, but when will the next one occur! Yes, there are definitely some strange things amiss in this community, but despite bein the new kid, Rae is just the gal to get to the bottom of it all...of course, if she's not careful, she may become a victim while trying! Good thing she's made a friend in the neighbor kid, Caden Price. His family may be a bit off (their business deals in the paranormal...go figure!), and the rumors flying about him may be a bit vicious (seriously doubt anyone is chopped up in the walls), but he is hiding a secret or two, and if he's to get to the bottom of his own "must uncover" list, he's gonna need to come clean...or else he too may in fact become another number on the tally of the lost!

OH. MY. GOODNESS!
This book was just SO MUCH and yet not enough! I'm already clamoring to find out when the next one will come out because THAT ENDING just wasn't fair! I HAVE to know more! Okay, so dialing back my enthusiasm for a second to talk more about this book...

From the start, your CREEPY meter will be set on HIGH. From the creature with TOO MANY TEETH to the unusually chipper, perfectly groomed Patrick of GREEN ON, Dr. Anderson the collector of stories (or is he?) to Aiden Price (who is still around but only just!), there is so much spooky, spine chilling strangeness to go around, you won't know where to look! Okay, well actually you will because the story takes you firmly by the hand and drags you along for a breakneck speed ride through the pages that you will finish sooner than you hope and yet not soon enough! Rae is a fabulous character with just enough skepticism to keep her questioning, but not quite enough caution to keep her out of trouble. Caden was meant to counterbalance her forward motion with his cautious think first nature, but when it comes to helping those he holds close, even he has his moments of quick decisions versus contemplation. The pair of them together, along with Vivienne (who I was surprised to see as a friend versus foe...although, what IS with the backpack?!), Alyssa, and Rae's big sister (again, surprised by her turn of character!), make quite a team...now if they can only survive this adventure to continue uncovering the truths that they've BOTH sought all this time...

High recommendation for older Middle Grade readers who don't mind that chill running down their spine because it's definitely not one to miss!
OH. MY. GOODNESS!
This book was just SO MUCH and yet not enough! I'm already clamoring to find out when the next one will come out because THAT ENDING just wasn't fair! I HAVE to know more! Okay, so dialing back my enthusiasm for a second to talk more about this book...

From the start, your CREEPY meter will be set on HIGH. From the creature with TOO MANY TEETH to the unusually chipper, perfectly groomed Patrick of GREEN ON, Dr. Anderson the collector of stories (or is he?) to Aiden Price (who is still around but only just!), there is so much spooky, spine chilling strangeness to go around, you won't know where to look! Okay, well actually you will because the story takes you firmly by the hand and drags you along for a breakneck speed ride through the pages that you will finish sooner than you hope and yet not soon enough! Rae is a fabulous character with just enough skepticism to keep her questioning, but not quite enough caution to keep her out of trouble. Caden was meant to counterbalance her forward motion with his cautious think first nature, but when it comes to helping those he holds close, even he has his moments of quick decisions versus contemplation. The pair of them together, along with Vivienne (who I was surprised to see as a friend versus foe...although, what IS with the backpack?!), Alyssa, and Rae's big sister (again, surprised by her turn of character!), make quite a team...now if they can only survive this adventure to continue uncovering the truths that they've BOTH sought all this time...

High recommendation for older Middle Grade readers who don't mind that chill running down their spine because it's definitely not one to miss!

Rae’s father disappeared after making a disturbing discovery at his job. Her mother moved her and her older sister across the country to a small town called Whispering Pines after her father’s disappearance. Whispering Pines is a strange town that has people who walk goats, and a rule at the school that you can’t walk around with garlic around your neck. Rae moves in across the street from Caden, whose family has a ghost hunting business. Caden’s brother also disappeared, during a ghost hunting mission. Now more students are disappearing, and the ones who return are missing their eyes. Rae and Caden investigate what is happening in their town, before they disappear too.

This story reminded me a lot of Stranger Things. There is a large science laboratory in the town. One of the men who works there, Patrick, always seems to show up just when something goes wrong in the town. There seemed to be something supernatural happening, as well as some science experiments gone wrong.

I loved the quirky town of Whispering Pines. This setting was a character itself. It was named after the woods, that make a whispering sound in the wind. There were odd rules for the town, such as no wearing garlic. It was known for people walking their goats, which was also odd. These elements were strange but also funny.

I was so surprised at the ending. The epilogue started a new storyline for the next book, which sounds even more exciting than this one. I’m going to have a hard time waiting for the next book!

Thank you Margaret K. McElderry Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A completely creepy middle grade read that I’ve heard others compare it to Stranger Things, so if you know of any middle schoolers who are obsessed with that show then they will love this book. There is a high-level of creepiness to this book with the fact that a dark presence is stealing eyes and kids are turning up "zombified". The fact that even the parents in town didn't really understand or believe what was going on made it even creepier because as a kid you would hope that your parents would believe that unworldly things are happening... I really enjoyed the two characters, Rae and Caden, and their interesting friendship they built along the way though. Overall, this would be great for 6th grade and up due to the level of creepiness and the length in text.

Where to begin! The characters are incredibly rich, funny, complex, and endearing. I was terrified from the first pages and this town is fascinating! If you love school stories, horror, friendship, and complicated kids doing their best - this is the book for you!

If that GORGEOUS cover doesn't pull in readers, then the actual story definitely will! After Rae's father vanished last year (Rae's convinced her was taken, but no one believes her), the family makes a new start in the town of Whispering Pines. Unfortunately for them, nothing about Whispering Pines is normal. By now, the locals are used to children disappearing - and later returning in a zombie-like state with their eyes (!) removed (!), but this time Caden can't look past it.

As the son of a ghost hunter, Caden is used to his fair share of the weird and unexplained. But now his own brother is gone - and Caden suspects he knows the truth behind the missing kids.

The minute I received this one I pounced and tore through it in a sitting. Everything about Whispering Pines was great and now I'm sad I have to wait for the next!

I was so excited to start Whispering Pines, I totally got sucked in by the premise. A girl new to town trying to start over and get beyond a family tragedy, is befriended by the town weirdo. With a town like Whispering Pines where people walk goats and drive a speed limit of 27 1/2 mph, being the weirdest takes some doing. And what could these two possibly have in common? Some other worldly being is going around sucking all the eyeballs out of middle schoolers, and no one seems overly alarmed.

Caden Price has grown up in Whispering Pines all his life. The Price family has lived there forever it seems, and his mom runs the ghost hunting business in town. Caden has the "gift" of being able to read people's emotions and after an incident in first grade, has found himself pretty much a loner. Caden's greatest friend and supporter, is his older brother Aiden, who had disappeared 9 months prior. No one knows where Aiden is, but boy does the town love to speculate that Caden was involved. Rae's own father "disappeared" as well, and though she doesn't agree with the theory the authorities have for his abrupt leaving, Rae's mom wants her to forget the whole thing.

The prologue which opens with a game of hide and seek, is inspired. I read it to my class, and they were sucked in! I had 4 kids wanting to know when I would be finished with the book so they could read it too. Lang sprinkled hints about the "Unseeing" throughout the story, along with enough miscues to throw you off. It's the perfect amount of terror for middle graders.

I'm glad to know the story will continue because I have so many unanswered questions. Why can't Caden get a read on Patrick? What's GreenOn really up to? What does Mrs. Lockett know? Will Aiden be lost to them forever? Will Rae ever see her dad again?

Whispering Pines is a delightfully creepy middle grade chiller where two kids living in a Buffy/Sunnydale type town investigate missing children, a strange organization, and things that go bump in the night.
Absolutely perfect for spooky season!

Rae's family has moved to Whispering Pines, minus her father, who disappeared a year ago. Whispering Pines is supposed to be a fresh start, but Rae immediately notices there are strange things occurring everywhere, things that may be connected to her father's disappearance (which Rae believes was caused by him seeing an alien at the lab he worked at). She makes some new friends, including Caden, whose family has a ghost hunting business, and together they work to figure out why children are disappearing and then being found without their eyes.

This book slides right into a good amount of creep factor. It's definitely appropriate for middle grade, but also still eerie enough for adults. I was creeped out for sure, especially towards the end of the book. And I didn't see the big scary reveal coming until just a few pages beforehand, which is always a plus for me.

There's some clever humor in this book, where Rae, as the new girl, is looking in on these wacky things that everyone else just takes as normal.

I also really liked the group of main characters and their friendships. Rae's sister is also an intriguing side character who I supect will have a bigger role as the series progresses.

It did feel a bit like Lang and Bartkowski were throwing the whole kitchen sink at readers-mysterious and possibly evil science lab corporation, disappearances, sinkholes, haunted woods, ghost hunting business, brother who is trapped in another dimension, children getting their eyes stolen, possible aliens and spaceships, conspiracies...I'm hopeful that in later books in what is clearly being set up as a series, things get a bit more focused.

I definitely had fun reading this book-good scares and interesting storylines. I'm curious enough about what will happen to the characters next. I just need the next book to become a little more focused and for the authors to decide what story or stories they truly want to be telling.

Such a great book! I will definitely be buying this one. I couldn’t put it down. It had me hanging on at every word. You had me at xfiles meets stranger things. Such a great read. ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book wasn't for me and that is purely because I am a really huge wimp. If you're into spooky stories then I think you'll really enjoy it. The characters were interesting and I was invested in the whole "kids disappearing and getting their eyes taken" thing but I had to put it down several times because I got a little overwhelmed which I think was detrimental to my overall reading experience. I had a bit of trouble keeping track of plot stuff. Again that's 100% a me problem and not a problem with the book at all.

I put this one on my most anticipated reads for middle grade because it just sounded so fun and good and boy I was not disappointed! I think it was probably better than I imagined and super creepy for a middle grade! Add it to your reads for spooky season now! :)

When I started this it wasn't even on my tbr for the month but the two books I was reading just wasn't really wowing me so I decided to grab this one as it came out this month and I needed to read it. It then took over my reading as I had to find out what happened next!

Rae, her older sister and her mother are moving to Whispering Pines, a place Rae soon finds out is super strange. One of the first things she sees is the boy next door pouring salt around his house. Then she meets a girl who is a little older than her but seems really nice and Rae is thinking that maybe this town will be a place she can start over.

Rae's father went missing after he may have found something in the work he was doing. Everyone in her old town think that he ran off with a co-worker but Rae knows the truth because she has the proof, but when she tells her friend she finds out soon that maybe she should have kept things to herself and her friend wasn't really a friend. So she has decided she will act differently at this new school and make friends, but she soon finds out that Whispering Pines is full of strange.

The next day at school she was excited to have Brandi take her around but finds out she didn't show up. Then a code yellow is announced which she finds out means a child has gone missing. It seems that this kind of thing happens more often that it should and that sometimes they are found and sometimes they are not. Some come wondering out of the woods missing their eyes!

Rae wants to find out what happened to her friend and Caden is a boy who everyone thinks killed his brother and is the strange kid from next door. He also wants to find out what is happening and they soon make unlikely allies as they try and investigate what is happening. The only thing is, is Caden knows what happened to his brother and it's partly his fault and now it seems like his ghost is haunting him. Caden's family are ghost hunters and Caden has an ability to sense things and has a horrible dream about something bad happening to Rae.

There is also another girl Vivienne who befriends Rae and is a little strange as she always carries a large backpack with her and won't be anywhere without it. She gets involved in helping them out but she has her own agenda with what is going on.

I really liked the characters in this one. Rae, knows things that maybe her family doesn't about what happened to her father. They don't believe her or so she thinks just like those at her old school. It puts a rift between her and her sister but she finds out along the way that maybe her sister hadn't gave up on her father like she thought.  Caden feels bad about what happened to his brother and is seen as the weird kid, he has always been different and so making friends hasn't been something he did very well. Vivienne is strange but it's because she has a secret. I even liked Alyssa who was kind of mean but then her mother was the principle and super mean so you can kind of sympathize with her.

I thought for a middle grade book that this was really creepy and spooky. It had such a strange vibe to the town with nobody being able to have chalk, to the missing kids with no eyes and creepy things in the woods! Just a number of things to lend a bit of spooky to the story. This will be great for kids who love spooky reads but I might say maybe older young readers and to know your kid leave of scare they can handle. It's also perfect for adults who want a little spooky but not get to scared...lol

So I have to say that I really enjoyed this one and haven't been this excited about reading a book in a while. I mean I want to kind of gush about how much I enjoyed this...lol. For once I have to agree with what is says about X-files meets Stranger Things! I highly recommend this super fun creepy read! :)

I can't sleep. I can't sleep and the blame lies entirely with Heidi Lang and Kati Bartkowski's <em>Whispering Pines</em>. Now, I don't generally read or enjoy books that set my heart racing like this and leave me fearful of closing my eyes. I'm much more fond of sappy heart racing novels. But I have to say that, despite my sudden inability to turn my back to any sort of darkness or trees, this is probably the best 'scare you 'til you shiver' novel I have ever read.

I don't think I've been this scared of a fictional creature since watching Stranger Things for the first time.

<b>What Lovely Eyes You Have</b>

I think the last time a book scared me this much was when "hello noses" became a phrase that haunted my nightmares. There's an incredibly similar vibe to <em>Whispering Pines</em>, but instead of existing as a very brief moment among numerous other plot threads, this was basically the whole book. It's almost as though Lang and Bartkowski zeroed in on the number one way to utterly terrify me. And then the purposefully bribed fate to send it my way.

Listen, I <em>don't</em> like scary things. I don't watch horror films and I avoid thriller. I don't care for books with creepy vibes. And on the rare occasions when someone has managed to convince me to endure something of that nature, I hate nearly every second of it. And even if I don't hate it all, it's extremely unlikely that I will ever watch or read it a second time. There are precious few exceptions to this rule.

I'd probably read this one again.

<em>Whispering Pines</em> is impressive. It's so both in how brilliantly the plot pulls you in and how terrifying it truly is. The book manages this feat in a matter of <em>pages</em>. I was impressed, engaged, and yes, terrified just a few pages in. Curious to learn what I'm talking about? All you have to do is read the prologue.

<b>Ready or Not</b>

This was probably the most engaging, fright-inducing book I have ever read. Usually when I read something with this level of scary, I have a tendency to put it down for long periods of time and slowly meander my way through it. The better to decrease the likelihood of my anxiety becoming a monster of its own. Oddly enough, I just couldn't put <em>Whispering Pines</em> down.

There's a bit of a hide and seek theme to this novel that I really enjoyed. There a multiple really fascinating mysteries and that bit about the eyes just <em>gets</em> you. I don't know if I can speak with authority on the level of ease with which other readers will determine who the monster is, but for me it was incredibly easy. There are a few red herrings, of course, but they were also fairly obvious to me. I don't personally think this took away from my ability to enjoy the book, though.

Ultimately, the plot was so intricate and well developed that you really can't help falling for it. There are all these different threads that weave through each other, leaving you eager and determined to find out more. You're able to develop a number of theories based on all these different plot strings and it's equally as exciting to find out whether you're right or not.

<b>Here I Come</b>

I would be remiss if I did not also point out the absolute brilliance of the characters within this story. I can't think of a single main character that I wasn't thoroughly impressed with. Many of the side characters, also, were pretty exceptional. You could easily tell that a lot of work went into their development and motivations.

Of course, above all else, I <em>loved</em> Caden. Not only was he just incredibly intriguing, but the dichotomy of the relationship between him and his brother, Aiden. That, without a doubt, was perhaps the best thing about this entire novel. Just the little intricacies of how they interacted with one another both in Caden's memories and outside of them. I, for one, cannot wait to see what more comes of Aiden's character.

Admittedly, while Rae was wonderful, I did not develop a strong attachment to her. I was, ironically, more attached to young Jasmine who was not even a huge part of the novel.

<b>I Know You're There</b>

Finally, we come to the epilogue. Now, it's very clear that they're setting up for a sequel, which is fine. There's a very Hawkin's Lab type feel to it, which I imagine is why this book was compared to Stranger Things in the first place. And despite my better judgment, despite the fact that I found this book <em>terrifying</em>, I can't wait to read it.

If you're into getting spooked, I would highly recommend this one.

<em>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</em>

I wasn't especially fond of this one. It leans a bit too hard into the supernatural and not enough on the traditional horror. The set up is fairly standard: a girl with secrets in her past moves to an usual, vaguely creepy town. The semi-regular disappearance of or mutilation of kids is feared but appears to be accepted as a part of their reality. There's a neighbor with odd behavior, a family with ties to the spirit realm.All a solid set up. I'd argue that the red herrings are pretty obvious, too easy of suspects to be believed. The tension and atmosphere are lacking as well. THere's no ever present dread. And I felt like the details of the other plane were over explained. There's far too much space given over to the how and why of the threat, not enough to the fighting of it.

For a middle grades paranormal novel, Whispering Pines really doesn't play any games.

The story starts itself strong, introduces the haunt in a terrifying way, and makes it impossible to put down. I read each chapter with bated breath, waiting to see what would happen next. Its pacing works really well as the story essentially focuses itself on the characters' day to day lives, struggles, and relationships and then throws in something terrifying just when you start feeling a sense of security. This works really well with the setting because the town itself has normal aspects of it but as you learn more, you slowly start to realize how strange the town is too.

In terms of characters, I really enjoyed this book because it didn't have stereotypical roles for the characters, they all had their own motivations and internal struggles. Readers will fall in love with the main character and the side characters of the story. If more books end up coming out, I'll definitely be reading them.

I loved how so many different elements combined to make the atmosphere spooky but that the focus mainly stayed on relationships. Cadan and Rae have a heart-warming friendship and I'm pleased to announce that because there was no romance, the story was able to take a natural path without any weird sub-plots distracting from its overarching story.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. It's full of excitement, night terrors, and a lot of heart. If you or your kid enjoy Gravity Falls/X-Files vibes this is just the book you need for Halloween.

Whispering Pines reminds me of Stranger Things mixed with The Raven Cycle. It has a good balance between the spooky aspects and the mystery, providing a wild middle grade story that could be enjoyed by both kids and adults.

I love the gumption of the main characters and their willingness to do whatever it takes to solve the mystery and save their friends, even if that includes running off into the woods at night by themselves! This book also does a great job providing characters with relatable problems without going overboard like other middle grade stories do.

The story starts off a bit slow, but once it gets into the thick of things, the action takes off. There's danger and spooky monsters and lots of weird stuff. It definitely gave me goosebumps and has forever scared me away from walking in the woods at night.

The ending felt a bit rushed since it seemed like the characters figured everything out a little too easily and not every aspect of plot was resolved. But I'm looking forward to the sequel and would recommend this to anybody who wants to read something similar to Stranger Things or a spooky story for kids.