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Whisper of Crows
Kanaan James is a disturbed teenage boy obsessed with his childhood friend Abigail Caulfield. A horrible car accident leaves Abigail stricken with amnesia and Kanaan, desperate for her attention, convinces her they are soul mates, running from the law. In the midst of a passionate love affair, while hiding in an old abandoned house deep in the woods, Kanaan is forced to test the boundaries of his own humanity.
358 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 4, 2013
To be honest I am still trying to decide if I liked this book. I can say that once I finished the book, I felt like I had just dropped acid and had a wild and crazy trip. This was not the book I was expecting when I picked it up. The book begins with a brutal and sexual assault on Kanaan by the bullies of the high school. The bullies are all then in a car accident. Kanaan's best friend appears to die in the accident, but she doesn't really, she just has amnesia. Honestly, I don't want to say more than that since there are many twists in the book that it would give too much away.
I liked the concept for the book. My issue with it was that there was just too much in the book making it hard to digest. I had to read this one in small doses. Just when you think the story is going in a certain direction, it quickly changes course and you are on a different road. It was hard to discern what was real and what wasn't. The main character often has that issue as well because he is so drugged up on pain killers most of the time. One thing I can say though is that, in my opinion, this is not a YA book. The book was very disturbing and a bit graphic. I think, in the end, that this is a book you really have to judge for yourself. It just wasn't for me.
I liked the concept for the book. My issue with it was that there was just too much in the book making it hard to digest. I had to read this one in small doses. Just when you think the story is going in a certain direction, it quickly changes course and you are on a different road. It was hard to discern what was real and what wasn't. The main character often has that issue as well because he is so drugged up on pain killers most of the time. One thing I can say though is that, in my opinion, this is not a YA book. The book was very disturbing and a bit graphic. I think, in the end, that this is a book you really have to judge for yourself. It just wasn't for me.
Did not finish
November 20, 2014This book starts off with a brutal sexual assault that left me unable to continue reading. Guess it is official…there is a common theme developing here…..perhaps, I am a wuss…but this one was just too much for me…
October 26, 2025
I must say this is one of the best thriller reads that I have read in a super long time. The author Jameson Hesse really gives the reader a chance to get to know the protagonist and helps them develop pity as well. This pity helps the reader to see through the eyes of the protagonist and understand his feelings as well as his heart. At all times the reader is worried that something terrible may happen. This is an awesome tactic supplied by Hesse. The reader is well aware that something eerie is going on but nonetheless continues to turn the pages for more of the juice! I was following this story with a keen interest and really wanted to find out more about the protagonist throughout the book. This book will stay in my heart forever. Knowing the torture and abuse this guy went through lifts the veil of abuse so high that one will never forget!
I rate this book a full five stars and recommend to all those that love learning the truth that sits under abuse and books with a psychological thrill! Hesse really works out in this book and you will surely be satisfied with this one!
I rate this book a full five stars and recommend to all those that love learning the truth that sits under abuse and books with a psychological thrill! Hesse really works out in this book and you will surely be satisfied with this one!
December 16, 2012
Can I just say that reading this right before bed was an absolutely terrible decision? Because the first three chapters are creepy, bizarre, scary and tragic all rolled into one. You will have some bizarre dreams and you will be a little hesitant to pick it up again.
But do pick it up again because you won't be disappointed.
This entire story was all over the damn place but it almost has to be because Kanaan is a really messed up kid. He starts off being anally raped with a stick, and his stepfather rapes him and yeah. It's a really twisted story about this kid who is abused in pretty much every way and it makes you wonder how the hell is he NOT a nut job? Then the love of his life, who doesn't know she's the love of his life, dies but not really- turns out she just has amnesia, but then she really does die and it's just like, WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING HERE???
I was literally on edge for the entire duration of this book because I didn't know what the hell was going to happen next. Would Kanaan just go completely nuts? What the hell is up with Abigail? Why is he surrounded by so many pedophiles and most importantly- what kind of ending is this? Do they die? You just leave me hanging on a cliff here. I also felt like maybe this is a little like the movie Inception where it's a dream inside of a dream. Maybe none of it was real or maybe only part of it was. I read one of the quotes listed in the beginning of the book and it kind of sums up the entire story:
"Reality is merely an illusion, although a very persistent one." - Albert Einstein
Does that make sense? It's kind of fucked up if you really think about it.
And my god- the whole father or stepfather thing? WHAT?!
I feel like if this were a movie it would make you leave that theater thoroughly scared and confused. I think you should read this just to give me your take on it. OH, but what else was intriguing was the concept of when you make one really bad decision, is it really just a fast skid into the depths of evil? Is redemption even really possible when you've gone down the wrong path far enough? And is what happens to Kanaan in the end karma or just another tick of bad things that happen to a person? I don't know. I still don't know three days after reading it. I feel like I have to re-read this to get my brain to fully wrap around it. This book sticks with you.
http://strandupdate.blogspot.com
But do pick it up again because you won't be disappointed.
This entire story was all over the damn place but it almost has to be because Kanaan is a really messed up kid. He starts off being anally raped with a stick, and his stepfather rapes him and yeah. It's a really twisted story about this kid who is abused in pretty much every way and it makes you wonder how the hell is he NOT a nut job? Then the love of his life, who doesn't know she's the love of his life, dies but not really- turns out she just has amnesia, but then she really does die and it's just like, WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING HERE???
I was literally on edge for the entire duration of this book because I didn't know what the hell was going to happen next. Would Kanaan just go completely nuts? What the hell is up with Abigail? Why is he surrounded by so many pedophiles and most importantly- what kind of ending is this? Do they die? You just leave me hanging on a cliff here. I also felt like maybe this is a little like the movie Inception where it's a dream inside of a dream. Maybe none of it was real or maybe only part of it was. I read one of the quotes listed in the beginning of the book and it kind of sums up the entire story:
"Reality is merely an illusion, although a very persistent one." - Albert Einstein
Does that make sense? It's kind of fucked up if you really think about it.
And my god- the whole father or stepfather thing? WHAT?!
I feel like if this were a movie it would make you leave that theater thoroughly scared and confused. I think you should read this just to give me your take on it. OH, but what else was intriguing was the concept of when you make one really bad decision, is it really just a fast skid into the depths of evil? Is redemption even really possible when you've gone down the wrong path far enough? And is what happens to Kanaan in the end karma or just another tick of bad things that happen to a person? I don't know. I still don't know three days after reading it. I feel like I have to re-read this to get my brain to fully wrap around it. This book sticks with you.
http://strandupdate.blogspot.com
May 3, 2015
Never before have a read a book that flows like a horror movie. You know the kind, the B-rated slasher movie where characters are introduced, just so they can be horrifically slaughtered in the next scene. The movie where you know, only one, maybe none will be alive at the end of the film. There isn’t so much a plot as there is a thin baseline that links one graphic disaster of horror to the next. And then the plot that is there, some of it isn’t real… your character himself isn’t sure of what’s real and what isn’t. So is it supernatural? Or is the character just insane? Or a mix of both?
Imagine that movie in book form. And “Whisper of Crows” fills that billet to the letter.
This is one of those books that I kept reading because I wanted to know what was real and what wasn’t. I wanted to know if there were supernatural elements going on. Or if the character was just going insane. Normally at some point in the book this is made clear. Not in this one. Even at the very end, it isn’t clear what is real or what isn't real. At least to me. I get that both movies and books do end that way, and it’s perfectly okay. But if you are like me and you like to have closure at the end of the story, then this book is not for you. You never get the real answers, you never find out what is real, I repeat, you never find out.
Maybe it’s a cliffhanger for the next book, but this book was wrote three years ago, so I’m not holding my breath.
Now, when I was reading this, I really-really wished there was a better synopsis out there. I wanted to know what this book was about. And no matter how much of it I read, I never felt I knew enough to provide me with the answer of “who should I recommend this book too?” So I’m not normally one for spoilers and giving away the entire plot of a book. But considering how badly I wanted one, when I was reading it, I have decided to provide one.
Click this link for "Whisper of Crows" review with spoilers.
Imagine that movie in book form. And “Whisper of Crows” fills that billet to the letter.
This is one of those books that I kept reading because I wanted to know what was real and what wasn’t. I wanted to know if there were supernatural elements going on. Or if the character was just going insane. Normally at some point in the book this is made clear. Not in this one. Even at the very end, it isn’t clear what is real or what isn't real. At least to me. I get that both movies and books do end that way, and it’s perfectly okay. But if you are like me and you like to have closure at the end of the story, then this book is not for you. You never get the real answers, you never find out what is real, I repeat, you never find out.
Maybe it’s a cliffhanger for the next book, but this book was wrote three years ago, so I’m not holding my breath.
Now, when I was reading this, I really-really wished there was a better synopsis out there. I wanted to know what this book was about. And no matter how much of it I read, I never felt I knew enough to provide me with the answer of “who should I recommend this book too?” So I’m not normally one for spoilers and giving away the entire plot of a book. But considering how badly I wanted one, when I was reading it, I have decided to provide one.
Click this link for "Whisper of Crows" review with spoilers.
April 28, 2015
This book was very disturbing. It was so twisted and full of violence. It was very well written though and some of the lines were so deeply thought out I had to write them down. I am a fan of the weird, off the wall stuff most people probably stay away from so this book fits that.
It didn't take long for this book to get dark. It starts off with Kanaan James getting badly beaten up and then a stick literally shoved up his butt. K.J. was a sick kid! I'm all about getting revenge against a bully that sodomized you but setting him on fire? That's a little much, in my opinion. Then after awhile I wondered if that actually happened, so much stuff was in his head. Then the thing with Abby, just weird and creepy. I spent a lot of time questioning everything that was happening.
There were so many things about this book that completely creeped me out and confused me at the same time. I never knew if someone was actually dead or not. Someone would be dead then suddenly they were alive again then BAM, nope they're dead. Don't even get me started on all the molesting this poor kid endured. First one being the stick that was shoved up inside him, then his stepdad and then the grouping his neighbor did, I felt bad for him. Even he said he was a magnet for men.
It seemed once K.J. killed someone he couldn't stop. People just kept dying around him. I didn't think he killed his mom but I really don't know since everything kept getting turned upside down for me. One minute I would think he didn't really kill someone and then I would think maybe this crazy kid did.
Now on to the April thing. K.J. was so in love with Abby but then the moment April paid him attention he was in love with her. I'm not exaggerating here he was freaking in love with her and apparently she felt the same way. I guess that's how all teenagers are though.
I can't tell how much I actually liked this book because of how confused it left me. I'm glad I got the chance to read it but it didn't make it to my favorites list.
It didn't take long for this book to get dark. It starts off with Kanaan James getting badly beaten up and then a stick literally shoved up his butt. K.J. was a sick kid! I'm all about getting revenge against a bully that sodomized you but setting him on fire? That's a little much, in my opinion. Then after awhile I wondered if that actually happened, so much stuff was in his head. Then the thing with Abby, just weird and creepy. I spent a lot of time questioning everything that was happening.
There were so many things about this book that completely creeped me out and confused me at the same time. I never knew if someone was actually dead or not. Someone would be dead then suddenly they were alive again then BAM, nope they're dead. Don't even get me started on all the molesting this poor kid endured. First one being the stick that was shoved up inside him, then his stepdad and then the grouping his neighbor did, I felt bad for him. Even he said he was a magnet for men.
It seemed once K.J. killed someone he couldn't stop. People just kept dying around him. I didn't think he killed his mom but I really don't know since everything kept getting turned upside down for me. One minute I would think he didn't really kill someone and then I would think maybe this crazy kid did.
Now on to the April thing. K.J. was so in love with Abby but then the moment April paid him attention he was in love with her. I'm not exaggerating here he was freaking in love with her and apparently she felt the same way. I guess that's how all teenagers are though.
I can't tell how much I actually liked this book because of how confused it left me. I'm glad I got the chance to read it but it didn't make it to my favorites list.
May 18, 2015
This was fascinating. I am not sure if the events truly happened or if they were in Kanaan’s mind. It is like Stephen King meet Edgar Allen Poe meet Christopher Pike all rolled in one.
Kanaan is a amazing character. He starts out the one you feel for. Abigail his neighbor is his life long friend and he crushes on her. One day something terribly evil and violent occurs and Kanaan’s life changes. HEre’s our Christopher Pike concept. where one thing blows the illusion of life away and you change. In Kanaan’s life he does things unimaginable to him all for his love of Abigail who may or may not be Abigail. Really freaky. LIke Remember me by Christopher Pike.
As kanaan begins to do evil in the name of protecting love you feel like a Stephen King novel. For me it was Carrie and Secret Window. He changes and does things that he normally wouldn’t. As he begins to see reality and his world around him changes, so does his view and actions. He falls for a different girl and yet he is still in the danger zone of reality.
Now we hit the Edgar Allen Poe Telltale Heart zone. He has not a heart talking to him and having him go mad and feel guilt but the bodies of those he caused harm to. Except is it real or not?
The writing is exceptional and gothic in its prose. There are horrific scenes covering brutal concepts that although needed to make the essence of the story can be hard to swallow. These scenes though help define our main character and his mindset and unfortunately are necessary for the story to move forward.
A dark gothic tale that has the hairs on end as you read the downward spiral of Kanaan and than have your mind play tricks as you wonder if it is real or all in his mind?
Kanaan is a amazing character. He starts out the one you feel for. Abigail his neighbor is his life long friend and he crushes on her. One day something terribly evil and violent occurs and Kanaan’s life changes. HEre’s our Christopher Pike concept. where one thing blows the illusion of life away and you change. In Kanaan’s life he does things unimaginable to him all for his love of Abigail who may or may not be Abigail. Really freaky. LIke Remember me by Christopher Pike.
As kanaan begins to do evil in the name of protecting love you feel like a Stephen King novel. For me it was Carrie and Secret Window. He changes and does things that he normally wouldn’t. As he begins to see reality and his world around him changes, so does his view and actions. He falls for a different girl and yet he is still in the danger zone of reality.
Now we hit the Edgar Allen Poe Telltale Heart zone. He has not a heart talking to him and having him go mad and feel guilt but the bodies of those he caused harm to. Except is it real or not?
The writing is exceptional and gothic in its prose. There are horrific scenes covering brutal concepts that although needed to make the essence of the story can be hard to swallow. These scenes though help define our main character and his mindset and unfortunately are necessary for the story to move forward.
A dark gothic tale that has the hairs on end as you read the downward spiral of Kanaan and than have your mind play tricks as you wonder if it is real or all in his mind?
May 17, 2015
I received this in exchange for an honest review
I am usually a big fan of blood guts and gore but this time it was just okay. I really struggled writing this review and didn't quite know the words to say so I went and read other reviews on Goodreads about this book and I think I agree with them. Some things are just too much.
Now - as an author myself I was able to appreciate this story. I can very much see the plot and its progression but at the same time ... there was a bit too much imagery. There is a fine line with details and I think we crossed over on the dark side a bit much.
Maybe if the story had been in 3rd person and not 1st it wouldn't have been so bad. In 1st person I find myself easily slipping into the character and usually I really love that. I also like 'horror' books but hate horror movies.
This imagery really did play out like a movie and I think that was my turn off.
But that being said, the writing the plot (like I said before) the character development. All that was great.
But for me it was just too much. If you like books like that though I am sure you will love this one. To each their own right?
I'm giving it 3 stars because that's about how much I enjoyed it. I believe if I liked this type of book more then it would have been between a 4 star and a 4.5 star review.
I am usually a big fan of blood guts and gore but this time it was just okay. I really struggled writing this review and didn't quite know the words to say so I went and read other reviews on Goodreads about this book and I think I agree with them. Some things are just too much.
Now - as an author myself I was able to appreciate this story. I can very much see the plot and its progression but at the same time ... there was a bit too much imagery. There is a fine line with details and I think we crossed over on the dark side a bit much.
Maybe if the story had been in 3rd person and not 1st it wouldn't have been so bad. In 1st person I find myself easily slipping into the character and usually I really love that. I also like 'horror' books but hate horror movies.
This imagery really did play out like a movie and I think that was my turn off.
But that being said, the writing the plot (like I said before) the character development. All that was great.
But for me it was just too much. If you like books like that though I am sure you will love this one. To each their own right?
I'm giving it 3 stars because that's about how much I enjoyed it. I believe if I liked this type of book more then it would have been between a 4 star and a 4.5 star review.
May 14, 2015
Kaanan James has had it pretty rough. Being bullied at school. As well as being bullied by his own stepfather. As crazy as he may be, you feel bad for him and understand why he's doing all things he does.
This book was really creepy. But I couldn't help but want to know what happens. Hesse, is a fantastic writer.
The madness never stops in this story. What's real? What's all in his head? He's a master manipulator, so is he trying to manipulate the reader?
The ending was insane, I'm a little confused but it was good....Lissa
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This book was really creepy. But I couldn't help but want to know what happens. Hesse, is a fantastic writer.
The madness never stops in this story. What's real? What's all in his head? He's a master manipulator, so is he trying to manipulate the reader?
The ending was insane, I'm a little confused but it was good....Lissa
http://www.boundlessbookreviews.com
https://www.facebook.com/BBReviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews