Whispering Hills (Whispering Hills, #1)

Jun 14, 2012 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, paranormal

Whispering Hills' plot which involves ghosts, witches, and telepathy is a sure way to lure me in, especially after having previously enjoyed Taryn's work in Dark Seeker. It's vastly different from her other series, however, and even though I never grew very fond of the characters in this novel, I was easily kept entertained by its suspense and mystery that are aplenty.

The characters are honestly the only reason that this novel failed to get me glued to its pages. The protagonist, Alexis, can com...more Whispering Hills' plot which involves ghosts, witches, and telepathy is a sure way to lure me in, especially after having previously enjoyed Taryn's work in Dark Seeker. It's vastly different from her other series, however, and even though I never grew very fond of the characters in this novel, I was easily kept entertained by its suspense and mystery that are aplenty.

The characters are honestly the only reason that this novel failed to get me glued to its pages. The protagonist, Alexis, can come off as being a bit too naive for my taste: easily falling prey to traps and believing obvious lies. Then we've got Chance, the love interest, who is intriguing and mysterious, but his and Alexis' romance never claimed my heart. There isn't enough build up or natural progression to their relationship for me to have gotten a feel of their attraction. They start throwing the L word around after a mere few weeks and also seem to be a tad awkward with each other. Furthermore, we've got the villain, who is supposed to be terrifyingly powerful, not to mention evil, but only amounted to irritate me with his high and mighty attitude and embarrassingly weak jokes. I did, however, really click with Summer. I found her to be the most complex character. Her being a witch instantly pulled me in, but her cynical, yet caring attitude makes her compelling.

As far as the plot goes, it's exciting with a creative approach to ghosts; touching base with fate and the order of things. It's filled with twists that I never would have predicted, dramatic chapter cliffhangers that refuse to let you go, closing off with a chilling ending. It does take a couple of chapters to get a hint of what type of book we're getting into. After this, though, it doesn't take long for the action to begin for a non stop thrill ride to the end. The ghost story itself is very well crafted; both refreshing and original. The abilities also play a big part in the story: Witches with epic powers, and mind-reading - which is a very bittersweet ability to possess if you stop to think about it; Taryn makes use of these brilliantly, presenting them as equally creepy and enticing.

Whispering Hills, unique and action-packed, is perfect for readers who enjoy ghost stories with an extra paranormal punch. I was hoping for a bit more substance when it came to character building, but the captivating plot-line and fluid writing makes it easy to get caught up it the story regardless.

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May 16, 2012 Audrey Wilkerson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books-read, books-reviewed

Alexis Forbes has been able to hear the thoughts of those around her for as long as she can remember. To be precise, she only can hear when someone has made a decision, so in that regard she is fortunate that she does not have to listen to everyone’s constant chatter. No one but her sister, Brooke, knows of her “ability;” not her mother, the town social committee president, her father, an absentee CIA agent or somesuch, and not even her best friend, Tiffany.

Alexis meets the handsome new guy at s...more Alexis Forbes has been able to hear the thoughts of those around her for as long as she can remember. To be precise, she only can hear when someone has made a decision, so in that regard she is fortunate that she does not have to listen to everyone’s constant chatter. No one but her sister, Brooke, knows of her “ability;” not her mother, the town social committee president, her father, an absentee CIA agent or somesuch, and not even her best friend, Tiffany.

Alexis meets the handsome new guy at school, Chance Whitefield. He is drawn to Alexis and she finds him intriguing as well, though it seems his family is not exactly new to town. One day, Alexis hears an evil voice; one that speaks of killing. Soon after, Whispering Hills is thrown into turmoil when the mayor’s daughter, Tracey, goes missing. Could this act be related to the evil voice Alexis had heard? Soon Alexis is drawn into a mystery about how her past connects her to Chance, his cousin, Gabriel, and Summer, the school outcast. Will they find Tracey? Will Alexis learn the truth about her past and how she got her ability?

Overall, I think the author had a very interesting and intriguing idea for a story. However, I also think this book could have benefitted from another run through the edit machine. The story does not seem fully formed; it feels rushed, like it should have been several chapters longer. I felt there was a lack of balance in the story as well. We read about the dad, but never met him. Convenience for the writer? The mom sounded more like a cipher of a mom who didn’t care at all about her kids. Though her portrayal made me think something bigger was going to happen with her, it didn’t.

The relationships didn’t have time to develop. There wasn’t enough “meat” in the supposed bond between Alexis and Brooke to convince me of any deep ties. Was I supposed to assume them because Brooke was the only person trusted with Alexis’ secret? With Alexis and Chance, all of the sudden they are holding hands and she’s referring to him as her boyfriend? I had to re-read some pages to make sure I hadn’t missed something. Also, the lame fight at the end...no. The only relationship that feels real to me is the one between Alexis and Summer, maybe because they don’t really know each other and things are supposed to be awkward between them. It seems like the reader is supposed to infer a lot from a little.

The random thoughts that Alexis hears read very awkwardly and, on occasion, I felt pulled out of the story because of a clunky description or term. These are all things I assume a good editor would have seen and repaired. I always appreciate a well-written book, and I think that Ms. Browning, for the most part, comes up with more hits than misses with her descriptions, variety of word usage and character development; I just wish it had been a little fuller and more even. Hopefully the second book in the series will improve in these areas.

Whispering Hills by Taryn Browning was published March 15, 2012 by Amazon Digital Services

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Mar 29, 2012 Unabridged Bookshelf rated it 5 of 5 stars

Whispering Hills by Taryn Browning is one of those books you cannot put down, not matter how hard you try. It sucks you in and holds you there through the very end. Alexis Forbes is no stranger to weird, considering she hears voices. Not just any voices, the thoughts more specifically decisions made by anyone and everyone around her. Now her problems are spinning further from “normal,” when she hears the voice of someone planning to kill someone. The problem, she does not recognize the voice.

Ale...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Emily AKA Doodle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, blog-tour, provided-by-author

Review originally posted at Doodle's Book Blog

I'm really glad I signed up for this tour because I got to read a really good book. Taryn Browning provided me another world I want to live in, another group of people I would love to be friends with.

Alexis isn't like most girls, she can read minds. Only, she can't do it when she wants to or when it would be most convenient for her. It just sort of happens and she doesn't know why. She is friends with the popular girls, but isn't really one of them....more

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Apr 10, 2012 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

More of my reviews @ www.obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com

I am a huge fan of Taryn Browning's Dark Seeker novel so I was quite excited to get hold of and participate in her Whispering Hills blog tour.

Alexis Forbes has the unique ability to hear the thoughts of others, but its a gift that can be quite sporadic. When she starts hearing a callous murderer thinking of his victim she begins to wonder who the sociopath could possibly be and unable to inform the authorities she relies on the school outca...more More of my reviews @ www.obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com

I am a huge fan of Taryn Browning's Dark Seeker novel so I was quite excited to get hold of and participate in her Whispering Hills blog tour.

Alexis Forbes has the unique ability to hear the thoughts of others, but its a gift that can be quite sporadic. When she starts hearing a callous murderer thinking of his victim she begins to wonder who the sociopath could possibly be and unable to inform the authorities she relies on the school outcast, Summer to help her find the killer.

When new student Chance Whitehead arrives in Whispering Hills he is instantly drawn to Alexis for reasons she is yet to understand. She is curious about him and why she can’t hear his thoughts. Chance was certainly a mystery, his interactions in the early stages of the book with his uncle had me intrigued - I was really keen to find out what he was so secretive about.

As the story progresses, we learn about who is behind the murder and the connection Alexis shares with this person, trying to stop him proves to be quite difficult so seeing them work out a resolution was interesting (I won’t reveal any details to avoid spoilers).

I liked Alexis and Chance as characters and as a couple, the only thing which put me off with them was their relationship moving at an unrealistic pace, I generally enjoy a slow build-up between a h/h rather than it being too much too soon. In saying this, I am quite eager to see how their relationship will pan out and if it is at all possible.

Each of the secondary characters were thought out well, Summer was absolutely wonderful! I was intrigued by her past and of her witchy abilities, she was fascinating and believable. I also liked the relationship Alexis shared with her sister Brooke, it was a sweet and open bond that I enjoyed reading about. Gabriel I was torn about, I loved him but hated him at the same time, I really felt for him and the grudge he had held on to for so long.

Whispering Hills has an edgy, dark feel to it; I am impressed by its originality. I was so eager to find out the mystery of the Whitehead boys and their history and I must admit it certainly wasn’t what I was expecting.

I haven’t read many ghostly YA books and the premise I found to be fascinating, Whispering Hills has an engaging and intriguing plot with so many exciting twists and turns, the characters were each likeable and the world building was strong. I also enjoy Taryn Browning’s descriptive and entertaining writing.

All in all, a great start to this new series.(less)

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Apr 02, 2012 Haley ~ YA-Aholic rated it 3 of 5 stars

He removed his hand from mine, pushed my hair behind my ear, and leaned in to kiss my forehead.. “I’d do anything for you.”

Whispering Hills by Taryn Browning had me on such a roller coaster, every time I thought I knew what was going to happen next, Taryn would completely surprise me and throw in an amazingly awesome twist to the story! This story had me on the edge of my seat from the very first page, till the very last and then left me dying to know what will happen next in book two.

Now there...more He removed his hand from mine, pushed my hair behind my ear, and leaned in to kiss my forehead.. “I’d do anything for you.”

Whispering Hills by Taryn Browning had me on such a roller coaster, every time I thought I knew what was going to happen next, Taryn would completely surprise me and throw in an amazingly awesome twist to the story! This story had me on the edge of my seat from the very first page, till the very last and then left me dying to know what will happen next in book two.

Now there were multiple things I loved about Whispering Hills, but first I must start with what really made me love this story, that was the suspense of this novel, and the fact that it kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book. I will be the first to admit there is a large number of YA novels that are predictable, normally right from the beginning you can tell where the story is going to go. This doesn’t make the story bad by any means, but when I find a book the does the complete opposite…I know I have found a winning book.

When I started Whispering Hills I made some mental guesses about where the story was going to go, and this is one of the few times I was completely wrong almost every time. This novel is suspense at its best, Taryn is an amazing writer for being able to make ever surprise…a serious surprise! Each time I would find a new piece to the puzzle of what was going on, I was shocked about the new information and dying to know where it was going to lead the characters.

There were two other things I loved a lot about Whispering Hills, one being how this paranormal was so different, and two being the characters. The paranormal that Whispering Hills revolves around is ghosts, but this ghost novel was nothing like the other ones I have read, it had a whole new twist that involves what happens when you change fate, I don’t want to give too much away, so let’s just say it is intense!

Then the characters, I loved them all! Chance was so caring, Gabriel was terrifying, but I still kinda liked him for some weird reason. Alexis our main girl was awesome, she was so caring of her friends and family and even though a lot of times she was scared she would still suck it up for the ones she would love. My favorite character though was Summer hands down! She was so different compared to most characters, she was so edgy yet still deep down you knew she was actually a really caring person! The characters were all so refreshing!

Over all Whispering Hills was my first Taryn Brown novel and it did not disappoint! If you’re looking for a YA novel that is non-predictable, has an awesome paranormal romance, and keeps you on the edge of your seat then Whispering Hills is a must read for you! It leaves you with a chilling ending that will have you dying for book two!
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Apr 11, 2012 Heather Robbins rated it 5 of 5 stars

find the rest here... http://supagurlbooks.blogspot.com/201...

I was so excited to read this! Taryn has a way with words and this book is NO exception. Whispering Hills is like no other story I've read. It has mystery, suspense, action, and of course Romance! It's a Ghost Story...a love story and man do I enjoy both of those :)

The story line is so interesting and has loads of twists and turns but not so much that you get lost. It is just the right amount and it will KEEP you turning the pages to...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Damla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Having a very interesting theme, “Whispering Hills” (YA paranormal romance) by Taryn Browning really drags you inside with its attractive story. Althoughugh it looks like a unique ability, being able to hear other people’s decisions is a very difficult thing for Alexis, especially when she starts to hear the thoughts of a horrible killer. Through this flow, you’ll learn about her connection to the dead and her dark past.
Of course in this darkness, there is love between Alexis and Chance; I real...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Beth Cutwright rated it 3 of 5 stars

Well finally, I took a break from reading tour books and read one for my own reading pleasure. It was my pleasure to read this YA paranormal romance! Alexis Forbes is a seventeen year old highschool student who has always felt different from her fellow students. She is popular and she has a secret gift. She hears the voices of people in her head who have made a decision about something--anything, but a definite decision has been made. Only her nineteen year old sister, Brooke, knows about her se...more
Well finally, I took a break from reading tour books and read one for my own reading pleasure. It was my pleasure to read this YA paranormal romance! Alexis Forbes is a seventeen year old highschool student who has always felt different from her fellow students. She is popular and she has a secret gift. She hears the voices of people in her head who have made a decision about something--anything, but a definite decision has been made. Only her nineteen year old sister, Brooke, knows about her secret. It is Brooke she always confides in until she hears the voice of a cold, calculating and murderous voice in her head. And then the mayor's daughter, Tracy, goes missing. A new boy in school, Chance, befriends her and she can not read his thoughts; but they are drawn to each other and she soon trusts him enough to share her secret with him. Alexis also draws closer and closer to Summer Hillsboro in her classes. Summer is also different..she is a member of a wican coven and practices witchcraft. Together with Summer's mom, also a practicing witch...they set out to find out who the voice in Alexis' head belongs to. Too bad for Alex when they do find out. Her world goes topsy turvy filled with guilt and fear.

Ok so now you know a little about the plot of the story. I love the story and the love that develops between Alex and Chance. I loved the suspense of how the four main characters are tied together....Alex, Summer, Chance and Gabriel, Chances Cousin. The character development was absolutely awesome...very well de fined, fully fleshed out characters. Chance could have used a little more definition in my opinion, but he was loving and dedicated to Alex. There was just this inkling in my mind as to whether he could be trusted. The story moved fast and was only about 180 pages long. So it was a weekend read more or less and enjoyable. The only thing I disliked about this book was how it ended...very abrupt ending! And I just hate abrupt endings. Obviously, there must be plans for a second book....so when do we get to continue this story. I NEED TO KNOW...Now!

I am not a patient person...I apologize for my outburst! Good reading if you can bear to wait.......for the rest of the story (coined phrase from the infamous Paul Harvey)(less)

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Jun 09, 2012 Majibookshelf Juhina & Farah rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was very excited to start "Whispering Hills", because I read Taryn Browning's other book, "Dark Seeker", and it was a really good book. Now "Whispering Hills" had a very different story to compared to "Dark Seeker", and the events that happened in the book, were never expected.
Alexis, the main protagonist, can hear people's thoughts. Even though that might sound cool to some people, she keeps hearing the thoughts of a particular person, a killer. She can't see the killer, but somehow she can h...more

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May 08, 2012 Monika Pardon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: r2r, four-star

Synopsis:

Life and death, love and hate, friends and enemies...

For as long as she can remember, 17-year-old Alexis Forbes can hear the thoughts of others. Most recently, she is disturbed by the dark, unfamiliar voice of a frightening killer: callous, cunning, charismatic…and dead.

She hears his every sinister thought. But she can’t tell anyone. No one would believe her. Alexis is suddenly being haunted by a terrifying past she doesn’t remember, and a ghost with a serious score to settle. Even Chan...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Brianna Kilcrease rated it 4 of 5 stars

Thrilling! This book was a masterpiece. Ghosts aren't really a genre I read about, but this one was awesome! It was a love story too :)

The romance was perfect, and so was the amount of thrill, adventure, suspense, etc. Alexis is tied to three people in a horrific event when she is just four years old. Whispering Hills tells of the story about these bonds, and how one of the four plans to break them. As the truth comes out, Alexis, Chance and Summer must team up to defeat Gabriel, but who will wi...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Better Read Than Dead (Kelly & Kristin) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-paranormal

Originally reviewed at Better Read Than Dead

Ah, I loved Whispering Hills. Taryn did an excellent job winding the elements of suspense, terror, and romance into one this one magically spine-tingling and roller-coaster ride of a book. My favorite thing about Taryn's writing is her ability to create strong, no-nonsense, kick butt heroines.

Alexis hangs with the popular crowd, but only on the fringes. Her best friend is a cheerleader but Alexis is much more content, alone in her room painting. Part o...more
Originally reviewed at Better Read Than Dead

Ah, I loved Whispering Hills. Taryn did an excellent job winding the elements of suspense, terror, and romance into one this one magically spine-tingling and roller-coaster ride of a book. My favorite thing about Taryn's writing is her ability to create strong, no-nonsense, kick butt heroines.

Alexis hangs with the popular crowd, but only on the fringes. Her best friend is a cheerleader but Alexis is much more content, alone in her room painting. Part of this stems from the fact that she hears everyone's thoughts...well, not really their thoughts, but their internal decisions. When a murderer comes to Whispering Hills, she hears his thoughts but can't ever see him. Leading her to believe there is more going on than meets the eye. When one of her classmates disappears and is later found exactly as Alexis knew she would...Alexis knows it's time to find help.

Enter Summer...daughter of a very powerful witch. Summer, a witch herself, is a loner and she likes it that way. However, when Alexis won't take no for an answer, Summer is forced to relive the events which had been erased from her memory thirteen years ago. At first, Summer is a bit...well, bitchy, but as the book continued, I grew to love her honest and outspoken candor.

Alexis has one other ally. His name is Chance. I enjoyed Chance's character, although, I am a little disappointed in the love-at-first-sight aspect of this book. I'm not one of those insta-love haters, in fact, on most occasions, I love it. However, the relationship between Chance and Alexis is a little difficult for me to buy. There's no real dialogue that builds up to their relationship...only events that force them together.

Now Gabriel...he's one terrifying ghost. I have no desire to hang out with him and feel sure that I would run in the other direction if I saw him coming. Eeps!

Alexis, Chance, and Gabriel are all tied together in a way you couldn't ever imagine. Whispering Hills storyline is unique, fast-paced, and action packed. There's also plenty of kissing involved. Overall...a thrilling and emotional must read.(less)

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May 15, 2012 Rachael Woohoo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, book, romance, parafantasy-challenge-2012, review-copy, ebook, creature-feature-may-2012, 2012-challenge-books-challenge, may-2012, reviewed, ebooks-i-own

4 Stars

First of all, I'd like to thank author Taryn Browning for providing me a copy of the book for the R2R c:

This book is real treat for me. Just from reading the summary about a telepath, I wasn't expecting that Chance (view spoiler), so that was a nice surprise. Moreover, I liked Alexis's voice - she was strong, didn't whine much about her telepathic abilities, was constantly supportive, and always thought of others and was willing to make sacrifices....more 4 Stars

First of all, I'd like to thank author Taryn Browning for providing me a copy of the book for the R2R c:

This book is real treat for me. Just from reading the summary about a telepath, I wasn't expecting that Chance (view spoiler), so that was a nice surprise. Moreover, I liked Alexis's voice - she was strong, didn't whine much about her telepathic abilities, was constantly supportive, and always thought of others and was willing to make sacrifices. For example, nearing the end of the book, Alexis is willing to (view spoiler). Sure, that's the classic warrior-heroine archetype. But in paranormal romances, how often do you find a heroine that's capable of taking care of herself?

As for the plot, it was a little slowe in the beginning, although after about 80 or so pages, I was fully engaged and couldn't stop reading. In fact, I finished this book in two days (which is pretty quick for me considering I still have school and extracurriculars to consider).

I also liked how romance didn't overpower the book. The second half of the book has a good amount of it, but the book isn't entirely centered around it (and wherever it was, it was cute :D).

My only concerns with the book aren't major. One of which is Tiffany - Alexis's so-called "best friend". I couldn't really grasp the fact that Alexis could stand such an annoying and grabby person from preschool. I understand that (view spoiler), but Tiffany and Alexis's relationship seems a little underdeveloped. Also, I would like to see how Alexis's relationships with Chance and her sister (her friendship with Summer seemed pretty developed to me) grow. That's probably what the sequel is for, after all.

AND THE ENDING. It just left we wanting for more. So yes, I will be back for a sequel. So ladies and gentlemen, make sure to read this. Again, it's a treat c:

On a side note, there might have been a slight typo on page 128. Instead of "There are you happy.", it might have been meant to be "There, are you happy?"(less)

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May 11, 2012 E. Bard rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a good quick read with some very enjoyable characters. I'm giving it 4.5 stars but yes, over where you see them, the rating translates into five. I'm old school, so hey, it's rounding.

This story had an excellent start and hooked me early. Here's my synopsis:

Alexis is a high school senior who can hear the thoughts of others. Not just any thoughts mind you - she only hears the decisive ones. So when the thoughts of a killer are voiced in the girl's mind, Alexis panics. She's powerless t...more

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Mar 15, 2012 Traci (The Reading Geek) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Taryn Browning's Whispering Hills is the story of Alexis who can hear the thoughts of others around her. Lately there has been one person in particular whose dark and disturbing thoughts she has been hearing. She has always had to keep what she knows a secret though because of the fear that everyone would think she is crazy. However, Alexis soon learns that there is so much more to her gift.

I really enjoyed Whispering Hills and finished this book in one sitting. Alexis is an interesting protagon...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Rhee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, done-arc-request, reviewed, book-tour

Whispering Hills is a book that I was definitely excited to read when I found out about the book tour and I was so lucky that there was room for me on the tour! I have to say that I don’t regret it in the slightest. The book was really rather good and despite a few flaws, it was an enjoyable read that I finished in two days!

Alexis is seventeen years old and has been living in Whispering Hills her entire life. She’s just like every other teenager in her small town except for one small addition; s...more Whispering Hills is a book that I was definitely excited to read when I found out about the book tour and I was so lucky that there was room for me on the tour! I have to say that I don’t regret it in the slightest. The book was really rather good and despite a few flaws, it was an enjoyable read that I finished in two days!

Alexis is seventeen years old and has been living in Whispering Hills her entire life. She’s just like every other teenager in her small town except for one small addition; she can hear people’s thoughts in her head. A new boy, Chance, shows up in her school this year and everything seems to change in her life thanks to him and his arrival.

I have to say that when I first started reading this book, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really liked it. The main character was written very well, and I have to say I liked Alexis a lot, which is something I can’t usually say for main characters. I’m all about the side characters and what they bring to the table, but Alexis ended up making me like her. Not nearly as much as Summer, I have to admit, but still, she was very likeable when it was all said and done.

Chance, on the other hand. I’m still not sure how I feel about him. The way that he came in and sort of took control over the novel, I wasn’t a huge fan about. I mean, I understand that it was important to the story line and that Alexis and Chance were intertwined in about a billion different ways (which really all just lead to one way but that’s not the point), but I just didn’t like the way he took over. All in all, he was an alright boy, but not one that I enjoyed.

The main reason I liked this book was for Summer and Gabriel. Summer’s just awesome, and I really want to be her. Or be her best friend, which I don’t think she’d like very much. Either way, it’d be awesome. Gabriel is just such an awesome, messed up character that I just wanted to know more about him. I’d really love to read a book in his POV and just see how he’s dealt with his life since the major incident in this novel. I’d love that more than life itself.

All in all, I enjoyed reading Whispering Hills. There were some problems that I had with it, mainly with the relationship between Alexis and Chance. I felt like I was riding the relationship rollercoaster with them, and I have to say it bothered me quite a bit, but other than that, it was good read. I’m really hoping that a sequel is in the works, but if not, I shall just continue to imagine what happened afterwards in Alexis’s life, as well as Summer’s, Chance’s and Gabriel’s.

If you’re looking for a good novel, or one that’s not the cookie-cutter YA novel, I’d definitely suggest that you give Whispering Hills a chance. It might just surprise you how good it is. It definitely did for me!
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Mar 18, 2012 Jaiden rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-stars, e-books, for-review, ghosties, arc-copy

Originally posted at: http://girlzandtheirbooks.blogspot.co...

I was super excited to read this book! I absolutely LOVED Miss Browning's debut book Dark Seeker. I wasn't at all worried about her turning from vampires to something totally new. I knew she was capable of just about anything and new this book would be good just not....THIS GOOD! I loved her new book! It took me a while to read but only because of life getting in the way.

I loved the characters but sometimes (honestly) Alexis was a bit...more Originally posted at: http://girlzandtheirbooks.blogspot.co...

I was super excited to read this book! I absolutely LOVED Miss Browning's debut book Dark Seeker. I wasn't at all worried about her turning from vampires to something totally new. I knew she was capable of just about anything and new this book would be good just not....THIS GOOD! I loved her new book! It took me a while to read but only because of life getting in the way.

I loved the characters but sometimes (honestly) Alexis was a bit whiny and idk sometimes I felt there was something a little off with her but other than that was was a great protagonist! Chance was absolutely adorable of course! I loved that every now and then it would be from his life at a third person observation. You got to know him better but at the same time.....you didn't know who he was....he was just a hot little mystery ;)

Hahahahaha I REALLY liked how sometimes it would give reference to vampires and how Chance said "Vampires aren't real" when Taryn's first book was saying ghosts weren't real! The irony!! I don't know why I loved that so much but it really stood out and I could totally see Taryn smiling when she wrote those parts. I thought it was very humorous.

Oh and that ending you guys! So, the book was set at a great paste. Not too slow and not too fast, kinda perfect. I don't know why (my stupid imagination at work here) but when I think of the ending I see a man in a business suit walking then all of a sudden just hiking up his pants to reveal some lame patterned socks with his brief case as he runs for his life. Ya I told you...stupid imagination. Do you want to see the translation of my weirdness.... Ok so what that means is the book was great then all of a sudden BOOM!!! You find yourself running to finish the end...this of course is a good thing. It all of a sudden hit a huge climax and you found you just finished the last few chapters in 15 minutes!!!

This book was incredible! And the bad guy....I liked him hahaha he wasn't your average bad guy. He was normal and you felt like you could trust him (which obviously you can't cus well, HE'S THE BAD GUY!!!) but he was so witty it was kind a cool. Like he wasn't the "im-going-to-try-and-slit-your-throat-every-time-I-see-you" bad guy and he wasn't the "I will glare at you like a freak and murder you when your not looking" kind of guy either. Of course he did murder and he did try to kill the protagonist but(as odd as this sounds) a reasonable/negotiative bad guy. Idk it's hard to explain you'll just have to read for yourself. Hahaha sorry to confuse you anyways......

4 out of 5 wonderful stars!!!!! :D

Buy this book tmro!! Your gonna want to read it! :)

Thanks for stopping by!! <3

~Jaiden(less)

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May 13, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

There are numerous points I can make about Whispering Hills, but I'll stick with the one that impressed me most. Rarely in this genre do we readers get to experience a female protagonist that is strong willed, no-nonsense, head strong, and most unbelievably, not whiny. Alex Forbes is all that and more.

Somewhere in her short 17 years she developed the curse of reading others thoughts - not on purpose, but randomly. Her entire life she's been barraged with the decisions and whims of others withou...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, favorites, kindle, review-on-blog

This book was so great! This is not your average ghost story by any means. Whispering Hills keeps you guessing, intrigued and engaged. I was sucked in from the very first page and then the next thing I know I'm done with the book and immediately wanting more.

Alexis is cool and I immediately connected with her. I thought Chance was beyond adorable too. Plus Chance is a great name. I have actually been seeing it a lot lately. He was great, but it certainly took Alexis long enough to actually real...more

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Apr 06, 2012 carole added it

Shelves: blog-tour, for-review

After reading Taryn's book, Dark Seeker, I knew that she would be an author to follow. And, lucky me, there was an upcoming blog tour for her newest novel, Whispering Hills. Whispering Hills is a paranormal romance that follows the supernatural mind reading life of Alexis, and the drama that becomes her norm. While I prefer Taryn's Janie Grey character, Alexis and her band of misfits continues, even now that I'm done with Whispering Hills, to grow on me.

It all starts with Chance, doesn't it alwa...more After reading Taryn's book, Dark Seeker, I knew that she would be an author to follow. And, lucky me, there was an upcoming blog tour for her newest novel, Whispering Hills. Whispering Hills is a paranormal romance that follows the supernatural mind reading life of Alexis, and the drama that becomes her norm. While I prefer Taryn's Janie Grey character, Alexis and her band of misfits continues, even now that I'm done with Whispering Hills, to grow on me.

It all starts with Chance, doesn't it always start with a boy? Chance is a mystery and his arrival, or is it return, to Whispering Hills ignites more than gossip in the small town. With this mysterious new boy also comes murder, but Alexis is inexplicably drawn to him. Unfortunately, Alexis' best friend Tiffany has her eye on him as well, and when Chance tells Tiffany that he has feelings for someone else it seems to cause a major rift between Alexis and Tiff; well, that partnered with some other events and people (like Summer). Ah, Summer. By far my favorite Whispering Hills resident. She is a spunky and smart tough girl who doesn't seem to need anyone. I really liked her character, and while I didn't feel very attached to Alexis I definitely understood Summer.

This book follows the YA paranormal romance pattern exactly. Misunderstood teen girl, meets mysterious and secretive teen boy, they share a connection, and supernatural events occur. It is a good story and it does have some very original plot points. One of my favorite parts of the book is the inclusion of opposites and I always love the addition of good versus evil.

This book left me with some questions, one for example is what about Tiffany? Alexis' best friend before the events that follow Chance's involvement in her life. When Alexis begins solving the mystery that is her life she just drops her, isn't that like girl rule number one? I didn't really like her anyway, but I feel like she just faded (haha inside joke) into the background. Also, why can't parents be involved more in YA books? I read so many that the parents are absent and the children make all the decisions themselves, I want to read more that have better parental relationships (I loved Grace, Summer's mom, and her involvement in the story). I feel like kids who read these books feel they shouldn't be including their parents in their lives.

I love Taryn Browning, and she's definitely a creative and fun author. Whispering Hills is a fast paced read that I recommend. And, I also recommend Dark Seeker.(less)

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Apr 02, 2012 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Alexis is just passing through like a normal student in high school, well as normal as a girl can be with the ability to hear the decisions people make in their minds. That's when she hears "him" make the decision to kill her, and put her in the lake. But who is he and who is the her he is going to kill? Alexis goes on a search to find out who this him is. There has been word that the mayor's daughter has been missing. Could this be the her that he was talking about? Eventually the mayor's daugh...more Alexis is just passing through like a normal student in high school, well as normal as a girl can be with the ability to hear the decisions people make in their minds. That's when she hears "him" make the decision to kill her, and put her in the lake. But who is he and who is the her he is going to kill? Alexis goes on a search to find out who this him is. There has been word that the mayor's daughter has been missing. Could this be the her that he was talking about? Eventually the mayor's daughter is found dead in the lake. A place that Alexis has been searching as she knows that is where he planned on dumping her, and apparently the mayor's daughter had something of his and he's going to go back and look for it. Alexis tries to feel him out and figure out who he is but she gets distracted when she runs into Chance. He's the new boy at school and there is just something about him as she feels they have a very strong and deep connection to one another. It's like something is pulling them together, they start to hang out and the feeling is mutual as their relationship continues to grow and at a rapid pace. Little do they know that the reason they feel this strong connection is because they share a past that Alexis can't remember, but Chance knows all about it because he's not really all there without his special necklace.

Gabriel is Chance's cousin. They are complete opposites, where Chance is pure sweetness, Gabriel is the epitome of evil. It seems to roll off his skin. While in school Alexis begins to befriend Summer, who in her own right has her own secrets. She has magical powers, stronger than she even realizes. The four of them together is a dangerous thing because that connection that Alexis and Chance feel involves all four of them. I won't say what that is as you really should read the book. It's an interesting story and lots of witchy things going on.
Throughout the book Alexis discovers more about her past and finds out why and when she finally had the ability to read people's minds, well not completely only the decisions they make. Gabriel being the evil person that he is, is out for pure revenge. He believes because of Summer and Alexis, his life is the way it is. He's a ghost, and turns out so is his cousin. But why does he blame these two girls? Why is he so unbelievably evil and will he win in the end? There's a fight of good and evil, and compromises that need to be made.
This was a good book, I haven't read anything about ghosts recently so it was interesting, throw in a witch and a girl who can read minds and you've got yourself an interesting read. If you want to find out more about the four of them make sure to sign up for the giveaway where you will win one free e-book copy of Whispering Hills. A town just like any other, full of secrets that will soon be brought out into the light. The truth comes out and things need to be made right before someone else dies.
(less)

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Jul 10, 2012 Tabby - IMReviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-books-i-own, reviewed-for-bb-2012

See original review post by IMReviews over @The Bookish Brunette

Dude. I have so many thoughts on this book, that I honestly DO NOT know how to put them all into something that makes sense. I hate it when that happens! I wanted this book to rock my face off so bad and it was so close! Yea.. I know… boo. The very first sentence of the book reads: “I’m going to kill you.”
(&& really How can something that starts this way NOT rock your face.. err – everything off!?)

Alexis can hear peoples tho...more See original review post by IMReviews over @The Bookish Brunette

Dude. I have so many thoughts on this book, that I honestly DO NOT know how to put them all into something that makes sense. I hate it when that happens! I wanted this book to rock my face off so bad and it was so close! Yea.. I know… boo. The very first sentence of the book reads: “I’m going to kill you.”
(&& really How can something that starts this way NOT rock your face.. err – everything off!?)

Alexis can hear peoples thoughts.. no – decisions. You would thinking something like this would be of some benefit, until you hear the things she does. Upon hearing that one horrid decision, everything around Alexis begins to change, or rather, come to light. She meets the new guy in school, Chance – who sends off an aura that there is more to him than meets the eye. Which she kind of already figured, since his decisions are the only ones she seems to be UNABLE to hear! Talk about annoyance. With that aside, the two seem to be instantly drawn to each other.

There were a few things I disliked about this story. The main two things being the mother and father of Alexis. Her mother, while touched upon throughout the book, kind of just.. existed. With the way she was portrayed, I was completely expecting something EXCITING or HORRID to happen with her and I got neither. Bummer. The other thing that didn’t quite work with me was the relationship of Alexis and Chance. Everything just kind of seemed to HAPPEN. It was all very – Boy meets Girl – Girl Meets Boy – Both are hiding something from the other, lets just fall in love and call it a day – kind of thing. I felt like that was no lead up. Nothing to get me EXCITED that they were FINALLY going to be together! Dude, I didn’t even get to pull out my pom poms for this one!

Aside from that – this book had it’s upside. A ton of them actually. Browning knows how to to work her plots and surprises to where we always stay guessing. At least I did, anyways! She thew in twist that I THOUGHT I saw coming, yet was totally surprised when they actually happened. I noticed that once this book got it’s steam (aside from the romance department), it really picked up. She went full force with the thing. Page after page she kept you wondering, and let me just state that the ending was not a disappointment either! While I may have been saddened by the lack of build up with the romance, the rest of this book really pulled through for me! If you happen to be a fan of witches, ghost, secrets and mind readers.. decision readers, then Whispering Hills is one that I would recommend to you!(less)

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May 21, 2012 Cassie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, r2r

Over all this was a quick, easy, and entertaining read. Part of me wished it would have been more of a murder mystery than a paranormal romance, but I still couldn't stop reading. It's a definite page turner. The first half of the book had a great amount of mystery that really sucked me in, and a good level of suspense.

What I wanted to see more of:

(view spoiler)...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Candace (Lovey Dovey Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-paranormal-supernatural

Whispering Hills is a mystery through and through. The supernatural elements I really loved. Mind-reading is one of my favorite powers to read about and Taryn Browning showed mind-reading at a different angle.

Alexis can only hear others’ decisions when, usually, mind-readers hear every thought and can delve into another’s mind at will. I thought this was a great idea because it presented a challenge for Alexis when she went looking for clues and answers.

There was just something about Alexis’ cha...more

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May 19, 2012 Marik Berghs rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: parnormal-ya-romance-ghosts-wit

“Whispering Hills” is a promising debut for a series and should be well received by anyone who enjoys a “ghostly” story. The book is well written, the characters are interesting and the author does a slow reveal of the paranormal aspects, which adds to the overall feeling of spookiness. I liked the secondary characters as well as the protagonist. Alexis has the ability to hear other people’s thoughts but only under certain circumstances, a mysterious condition that is part of the carefully const...more

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May 25, 2012 Paige (TheBookVulture) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases, young-adult, 2012-challenge, r2r, could-have-been-better, dnf, huge-disappointment, made-of-fail, never-reading-again, slammed-my-head-into-a-wall

**I will be updating my review soon. But for now, it's 2am and I'm tired and this probably won't make much sense.**

I had a lot of problems with this book.

Firstly, instalove. Chance and Alexis were thrown together way, WAY too early. And then - after like 1 kiss - they start saying "I love you" to each other. Ugh. Ruined what could've been an amazing romance. They also met in chapter one. Far too early. It needed to be spread out; I mean, this is only book one. It really needed to be paced better...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Carrie Ardoin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: posted-on-blog, tour, i-own-this, other-supes

Seventeen year old Alexis can hear what other people are thinking. She's not sure why, and the only person who knows her secret is her sister and best friend, Brooke. She has also recently met a new guy at her school--the only person whose thoughts she can't hear at all.

One day she starts hearing someone's very disturbing thoughts. Murderous thoughts. As if it's not bad enough knowing someone has been murdered but having no way to explain HOW you know, she also learns that the killer has a speci...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

Alexis Forbes is not your average high school student. Alexis can hear people’s thoughts – but not in the way you think of when you hear that someone can read minds. Alexis can only hear people’s thoughts when they have made a decision to do something. The story starts with Alexis hearing the thought , “I’m going to kill her.” Right after hearing those words, Alexis meets her new locker neighbor, Chance. Oddly enough, Alexis can’t hear Chance’s thoughts.

As Alexis and Chance become closer, she s...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Shellie Cruz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases, arc

Ever since Alexis can remember she can hear certain thoughts of others and recently she has been hearing the thoughts of a killer’s mind. She has her sister and her best friend but that’s about as far as it goes with who she can trust with her secret, who else would believe her? So when she starts hearing the thoughts of a deranged man she sets off on her own journey to find out who it is and what they want.

Alexis is an interesting character. I liked seeing her ask questions about her past and g...more

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Whispering Hills (Whispering Hills #1)

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