In Whisperwood we follow Anna into an insular isolated village which people rarely enter and never leave and secrets abound. This is a dark fantasy folk horror story with really interesting folklore and world building. Anna making her way in this village and meeting the various people living there and exploring what is going on with this overlapping shadow realm in the forest and what lives within it and how the village has coexisted and survived along side it was really interesting.

The pacing of how the relationships between the various the characters were formed could be stronger, at times it moved quite fast, although given the nature of the town it made a certain kind of sense. Also, the pacing does slow down at certain points but I feel this works within the story giving it an otherworldly quality. Overall I really enjoyed it and would really like to read more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Whisperwood was a book I was really excited to read, as the description painted a tale of folk horror, which is a subgenre I am incredibly fond of. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped.

It took me a while to really get into the story, partly due to how terse the descriptions were at the start. I'm someone who doesn't like needlessly descriptive text, but this was distractingly sparse when building the setting for the town of Whisperwood. Once I was fully engrossed in the story, this became a non-issue for me.

The relationships between Anna and her newfound neighbors felt a little rushed. Most of the townspeople are weary of her arrival, but she becomes very good friends with a few of them within the matter of hours it seemed. It felt a little unnatural. The dialogue between characters felt juvenile, with ill-timed quips that took me out of the book.

What really drew me into the story were the fantastical "Whispers". I assume said Whispers are from Romanian folklore. Woodroe did an excellent job of bringing these creatures to life and I could easily picture their grotesque visages. Every time the book introduced a new one, I'd rush to Google to read up on their origins. They truly fascinated me.

The biggest strength of the writing is when Woodroe focuses on the horror aspects of the story. The parts that are meant to be creepy ARE creepy. Action sequences are vividly described, right down to the details of the blood and gore. I could easily picture the entire scene playing out during these moments.

Overall, I found too many faults in "Whisperwood" to really enjoy it. The middle was engrossing, but the beginning and end were a slog for me to get through. I really wanted to like it because I love folklore and mythology, but the book just wasn't for me.

Thank you to Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/4 starts: I really wanted to like this book, and I did, but it took me a bit to get into the groove of the story being told. To be completely honest, I've just started reading horror-based books, so it's entirely possible that this theme isn't for me as a reader.

Woodroe's story follows our main character, Anna, who is pretty relatable overall. She's a woman escaping from a traumatic past by entering a small, unknown town. She cannot for the life of her say no to anyone, which is the nice-girl personality trait that can become annoying over time. Anna builds relationships with some of the townsfolk, and becomes the scapegoat for others, all while exploring superstitions and folklore. This town seems very different from others, having another world bordering on their town...creepy!

What I liked about this book: Woodroe is downright creative! The world that is created is imaginative and unique and definitely keeps the reader guessing. I also like that Woodroe went through the process of describing her creations so that the reader could build a good picture in their mind while pulling together the various pieces. The pacing seemed a tad fast at the beginning, but the action sequences pulled me in and spit me out just to pull me in all over again. I was rooting for characters that I didn't know much about and read quickly through the heart-pounding events that Woodroe presents throughout Whisperwood.

What I didn't like as much: There are sometimes too many characters to know, which limited my ability to connect with them. The communication was short and felt a bit shallow or childish at times, which had me leaning toward action sequences in which no one talked. Woodroe uses dialogue to build a better picture of Whisperwood and its inhabitants, but it felt choppy overall. The friendships felt like insta-friendships, which is not bad and likely makes sense with the trauma this town constantly endures; however, it felt too fast for me to really get to know anyone deeply outside of our main character. Some of the comparisons felt really outlandish to me, comparing an experience to a cow telling time...what? They just didn't land for me as a reader.

Overall, Whisperwood was an enjoyable read for me and a good way for me to start dipping my toes into other genres. I appreciate and thank Alex Woodroe, Flametree Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Desperate to escape her traumatic past, Anna wanders, searching for somewhere to hide, until she arrives at Whisperwood, a strange town trapped on a border between the everyday world and a dangerous realm of shadows. Discovering that she has the rare ability to walk across the border, she becomes determined to learn more about the town and its mysterious history, making friends—and enemies—along the way.

Whisperwood is a fast-paced fantasy adventure full of action and humour, filled with fascinating creatures based (mostly, I think) upon Romanian folklore. It's clearly a rich seam to draw upon, and reading this magical, fairytale-esque story I couldn't help but be reminded of the novels of Diana Wynne Jones.

But there is also a darker, more serious side to Whisperwood. Personally, I enjoyed this story the most when the pace slowed a little and we had a chance to learn about Anna and her past. This wonderful character is the heart of the story: quick-witted, deeply caring, desperate to see the good in everyone but afraid to trust fully because of the horror of her past experiences. It was a joy to step into her shoes and follow her journey.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flame Tree Press for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

This was an amazing book. I considered it to be more folk horror than fantasy, but regardless of how it's labeled, it was a great book. I think this one will be one people talk about. I will definitely be buying a physical copy. This is one talented author.

Whisperwood was exactly what it promised to be, a dark fantasy about a woman investigating a mysterious town and the forest. I loved the time and atmosphere in this, it did feel a bit like reading a dark fairy tale and Anna served as a wonderful narrator for the story. All together, this was a really good read that kept me interested all the way through.

Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review

This is a really great take on dark fantasy mixed with a bit of horror. This was my first book by this author and will not be my last. I enjoyed the small town with secrets atmosphere, the creepy creatures, and the atmospheric horror created.
I give away books weekly on my tiktok to promote exciting new releases and will be including this in a giveaway around the book's release date.
TYSM for letting me be an ARC reader for this one, I think it will be really successful.

I don't usually dip my toes in fantasy but, every once in a while, a book comes along that piques my interest and this book is one of them.

This is a dark fantasy with several horror elements that made it unique and highly engaging. Whisperwood is a town with secrets. Nobody ever wanders in and those who dare cannot leave if they stay past sundown.

Anna is a young woman who is escaping a horrifying situation. She was kept in a cellar and tortured by a psychopath who she thought she loved and trusted. She was shunned by family and friends in her former village, being accused of witchcraft.

She winds up in Whisperwood to try and escape those horrors, completely unaware that the things in this village are much more terrifying than she could imagine.

Throughout this novel we'll meet the townsfolk, learn what secrets abound there, and get an up close look at the creatures from another realm who are at war with the humans here. As Anna tries to understand her new life and home, it soon becomes apparent that there are other forces at work behind the scenes (both human and supernatural) and she might have jumped out of the frying pan into the fire.

Filled with frightening creatures, plenty of action, and often bloody set pieces, Whisperwood is a fantastic dark fantasy that will keep you reading. The world building is excellent and you'll love the characters (maybe even wind up hating some). It's an excellent example of mixing fantasy with horror and I recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.