Whisper to Me

What a different type of book. I have to say I was oddly intrigued and hooked. Curious as to what our main character was talking about. She starts out by saying a few simple things.“These are the things that you need to know:1. I hear voices.2. I miss you.3. I wish I could take back what I did to you.4. What they said in the news, what they said I did. It’s not true. You don’t have to worry about that.5. I’m going to write it all down, all about Paris and why I broke your heart, and then I’m going to e-mail it to you. It will take you, I don’t know, a couple of days to read. So I will be waiting for you at 5:00 p.m. Friday by the windmill hole of Pirate Golf on Pier One, where we played that one time.If you forgive me, when you’re done reading this, come and get me. Okay? Think of this as the most screwed-up love letter ever. I hope you come. That isn’t a thing you need to know, it’s just true. I hope you do. I hope that when you’ve read this, you’ll understand why I did what I did.”Hook. Line. Sinker.I was instantly wondering what the heck happened. Who this person was and what she did. This is definitely a YA book, but not like any I have read before. This book touches on traumas and triggers. However it was a little slow for me in the beginning. It seemed like a lot of information before the entrance of the boy she is seeking forgiveness from.Cass. That is our main character, telling us her side of the story. What was going on in her life and why she felt the need to lie and keep others in the dark of her life. For me, she had her moments where I wanted to smack her upside the head, but at the same time, I could relate to her as well. Her conflicting emotions. The things she thought about herself. We are our own worst enemy, and this story really lays into that.And the main boy, - who, by the way, you never learn his name - is the sweetest boy ever. He is sweet, quiet, and a little shy, but once he and Cass start to get a little closer and talk, more, you can't help but think that he is the nicest boy ever.This book focuses on the characters. There wasn't a plot really because Cass is basically a retelling of her side of the story. Of the secrets and lies she told. Of the hurt she inflicted on others and the pain she was dealing with internally (and, you know, the voice). Usually, if there isn't a plot I'm not much of a fan, but this was well done. Well written and intriguing.Also, Nick Lake really leaves you hanging at the end. Fair warning. So if you pick it up, be ready to not get all the answers.

A lot angsty, with not quite a satisfying ending. Ugh. It took so long to get through that now I'm not sure it's worth it. Not sure I would recommend, but again, if you liked Looking for Alaska you will love this. I did not particularly like Looking for Alaska.

Bought as a gift.

Whisper to Me is one of those special books that will stay with you long after you put it down. Nick Lake paints a vivid picture of grief and a teen girl’s fall into the depths of mental illness. From the first page, Lake captured my attention with Cassie’s distinct voice and thrilled me with the story’s unique blend of mystery, thriller, and first love.The catalyst to Cassie’s mental breakdown was a grotesque discovery on the beach in her hometown of Oakwood, New Jersey. Perhaps it was a totem from the Houdini Serial Killer who’s on the loose. What she finds sends her mind into a frenzy, leaving her with a frightening voice reverberating in her head. After a stint in the psychiatric hospital, she’s left in a mental fog due to her medications. Back home, new summer tenants move into the apartment above her father’s garage—workers at the Boardwalk for the summer. Her father is a veteran and has his own mental demons to fight with. Cassie finds herself in explicably drawn to one of the boys—referred to in the book as “you”.Whisper to Me is an apology letter and a plea for forgiveness from a girl to the boy whose heart she single-handedly crushed. It’s her accounting and explanation of events that led to their break-up. The way this book is written is captivating and draws you in. Written in second-person narrative, you feel an immediate connection to Cassie and get the same sense of longing for a second chance.I loved Cassie from page one. Her voice is witty and sharp, but there is an undercurrent of fragility seeping through. I loved all of her anecdotal musings of Greek mythology and interjections. It was very conversational, almost like she was there telling you what happened in her own special way.“Okay, I’ve been sitting here at Dad’s PC in the study trying to think of how to describe you, the way you moved then, the way you always move. And I think I have it, finally. It’s . . .So, you have to start by thinking of the word “fitness.” I mean, thinking of what it really means. We use it all the time—that person is fit, that person isn’t fit, he’s doing fitness training, whatever. But think about the root word. Fit. To fit. To be fit or apt for a purpose.That’s you. You’re fit, yeah, in the obvious sense that you’re healthy and have a slow resting heart rate, and all that stuff. From all the swimming. But you also fit, your movements fit with the world, you interlock elegantly with it.You fit into the world like a key in a lock.”This book is a character study, focusing on human connection and self-acceptance. A candid account of how grief can wreak havoc on one’s mind and how it can break down one’s ability to connect to others and even to yourself. Each character was multi-faceted and layered, even if they played a small role. I really loved “You” and his unwitting desire to help the girl with a thousand secrets. He was pure and good and had his own set of problems.What made this book stand out among all other books that speak on mental illness is just how respectful Nick Lake deals with the subject. He doesn’t try to romanticize it or let the love story side of things put a band aid or fix Cassie’s problems. The portrayal of Cassie’s unraveling is honest and real. Even though I’ve never gone through anything like that, the careful and intentional way Lake handled the subject matter made me feel Cassie’s struggles deeply.There’s a convention: If someone has cancer, they’re “brave” and “fighting.” If someone is having problems with their mind, that person is only ever “struggling.” This is, on one level, stupid and offensive. I mean, the people who die of cancer—what, they didn’t fight hard enough? They weren’t brave enough?But on another level, when it comes to the mind breaking down, it’s not wrong that you struggle. I struggled. Everything was hard. Getting up. Getting dressed. Going to school.The ending of this book gave me chills and made me tear up. You know when you finish a good book and you just kind of stare for a little bit and then you go back and read the ending again? Yeah, that happened here and it was awesome.This book won’t be for every person. I say this, not as a deterrent but as a little caveat before you read. People who tend to gravitate more plot-driven books may not enjoy this one as much as I did. But the focus here is on the characters, more than anything else.* I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book!!!! Would definitely recommend

Good book!