This was an interesting read though not as compelling as the author's previous novel, THE PUSH. Though it presented sympathetic insights into the various challenges of motherhood, it tended towards too much detail and interior soul-searching that slowed down the narrative. Some of the main characters were difficult to relate to and the final twist, though intriguing, came way too late.

The complexity of all these characters in the neighbourhood gave me all the big feels. So many questions are left unanswered. So many lives I want more of. What happens next? A novel of families, their lives, tragedies and piecing it all together to see what is left.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

while I related to each mother on some level or another, I ultimately felt like they were horrible people. The story was slow moving and information was slowly released. Each mothers own perception was shared in bits and pieces and left the reader questioning what was happening. The ending was not clearly wrapped up and left storylines unfinished or to the readers imagination. I wanted to love this book as much as I loved The Push.

I enjoyed the story. Not as suspenseful as I was anticipating after having read the author's other book The Push.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an advanced copy of this ebook.

Audrain’s debut The Push was one of my favourite reads of 2022 (out of 213 books read) - I still think about this book all the time. So I nearly jumped for joy when I was approved for an advanced copy of this booo - and it did not disappoint!
At a party Whitney loses her temper and goes on a tirade directed at her son Xavier. Afterwards, Xavier falls out his bedroom window. We follow the POV of multiple characters, hear their gossip and secrets until we finally find out what really happened.

The characters and plot are fantastic and this is a must read

"𝘚𝘩𝘦'𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴—𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦."

Ashley's debut, "The Push", was one of my top 10 favorites of 2022. So when I found out she was coming out with her second, I was so excited. So when I found out I got the ARC yesterday? I squealed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the e-arc in exchange for my review!

Writing: 5/5 - Plot: 5/5 - Ending: 5/5

Addictive, seductive, and sinister are words that come to mind when I think of The Whispers. I love her writing; it is so captivating. She has a mother's theme in her books, but this one is more "Mommy drama in the neighborhood with a mystery plot" over The Push, which was less mystery. All the characters felt real, raw, emotional and very well flushed out.

I don't want to give too much away, but if you have suffered from miscarriages before, this book may be triggering. That aside, Ashley handled the topics with such care and grace. I could not put this down. This took place over a week with multiple POVs and kept me turning the pages to see what was going to happen.

That final sentence? Ashleyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! Another shocker of a final line! If you've read The Push, you know.

This book is going to be a big hit this summer and deserves to be! Pre-order it NOW!

Pub Day: June 6th.

TW:
Miscarriage

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having enjoyed the author's previous novel, The Push, I was excited to read The Whispers. It did not disappoint. The novel follows four women and explores the complexities of motherhood and relationships with children and spouses. A tragedy occurs when a ten-year-old boy falls from his window late at night. As his devastated mother rushes to his side, cracks appear in the veneer of her perfect marriage and career. Each of the four main female characters harbors their own secrets, and there are some interesting plot twists.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of The Whispers by Ashley Audrain, published by Penguin Random House Canada
What a brilliant novel, I just loved this book, its one of those stay up all night reading novels. Written and told by 4 of the characters, which you would think confusing, but not at all, the author does an amazing job with character introduction and description. She lays a great plot and throws all these twists in there that keeps us guessing as to what actually happened that night and who is cheating on who. And then the ending... not what I was expecting!
The story is about 4 families in a neighborhood, an older couple, 2 middle-aged with children and a younger couple trying for a child. The story makes us focus on love, life, nature, nurture there is focus on friendship, deceit, and the loss these 4 families experience in different ways
I read The Push by Ashley Audrain and loved it, this was even better! This is a must read. She has a way of writing about these raw emotions that these characters experience. I can't wait for her next novel

2.5 stars.

I liked the push better.

As usual I was so confused with all the women and the husbands I had a hard time keeping them straight (but that’s my problem). I find it hat the author touched on a lot of parenting woes and I found that difficult. We all have our challenges. I feel like I didn’t get closure and some stories. BUT that last sentence was like “BOOM!!” (That it came from nowhere, not about the relationship)

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

I really enjoyed the character development in this domestic thriller. The author captures the complexity of motherhood and womanhood, at multiple stages.

Ashley Audrain is an amazing storyteller. She hooks you right from the start and never lets go. This story is quick-paced, heartwrenching, and intense. This is one of very few books that I didn’t want to end. I hope to see more works from her.

Great thriller. I loved the different perspectives from each narrator. It was intriguing seeing hidden secrets exposed. A definite page turner that takes a hard look at marriage and puts in perspective the age old adage that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

*Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada & NetGalley for this Ebook in exchange for my honest review

I was so excited to read this after loving The Push and it did not disappoint! I loved how the novel explored motherhood, grief, and womanhood in an interesting and complex way. This is a wonderful character study of four different women living on the same street. Also, the prose is gorgeous and flowed nicely, which was great as I TORE through this!!! Ashley Audrain is an author to watch - she has immense talent and I will for sure be picking up all of her future works.

The Whispers by Ashley Audrain is a propulsive and chilling read that gripped me from the very start.

A woman loses her composure and screams at her son in frustration. Not an unusual scenario, but this time her lapse is witnessed by her neighbours as she is hosting them at her home. Later that evening, her son falls from a bedroom window and is taken to hospital in a coma. What transpires next is revealed in the alternating perspectives of three women who share the circumstances that led up to this one horrific night.

Ms Audrain gives voice to the dark, often unexplored, sides of friendship and motherhood, and I could not stop turning the pages. While I personally give the edge to The Push, this one is well worth your time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC.