In this Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestseller, a devastating secret is revealed, and a family must finally come to terms with the past.Single mother Maisey Addington has always fallen short of her own mother’s expectations—never married, a bit adrift, wasting her high IQ on dead-end jobs. The only thing Maisey’s sure she’s gotten right is her relationship with her twelve-year-old daughter, … twelve-year-old daughter, Elle…until a phone call blows apart the precarious balance of their lives. Maisey’s mother is in a coma, and her aging father faces charges of abuse and neglect.
Back at her childhood home, Maisey must make a heartrending life-or-death decision. Her confused father has destroyed family records, including her mother’s final wishes. Searching for answers, Maisey uncovers one unspeakable secret after another when she stumbles upon a shattering truth: a twin sister named Marley.
Maisey’s obsession with solving the mystery of her sister forces her to examine her darkest memories and triggers a custody battle with Elle’s father. Will Maisey’s love for her daughter be strong enough to break a cycle of abuse and create a new beginning for them all?
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Rich in emotions and characters, WHISPER ME THIS is a stunning tale of dark secrets and broken memories, hope and resilience. The novel quickly pulls the reader onto a roller-coaster ride through grief, mystery, and cryptic journal entries. At the heart of the story is a twelve-year-old with more sense than most adults, and her mother, Maisey, who discovers the power of her voice and the courage to fight for her destiny. A perfect book club pick!
Kerry Anne King has written a masterful book about the aftermath of abuse in all its forms . This story will stay with you long after you’ve finished the last page. I highly recommend it!
A truly powerful read that deals with such issues as abuse and abandonment. Haunting and so realistic that it will stay with me for a very long time. The writing is flawless and the story is beautifully told.
A beautiful and emotional journey.
When I first saw this book cover I was so drawn to it, that I knew I wanted to read this story. I have previously only read one other book by this author and it was just as wonderful. After reading this story, I felt a deep emotion toward all these characters. Personally I have not had to face these situations, but reading this story makes one think… what would you do?
Maisey, Marley, Leah, and all the other characters were wonderful. The heartache, the emotional journey for each of them was just beautiful.
‘Whisper Me This’ is an emotional read about family dynamics and the affects of abuse, separation and death. The subject matter is tough to read. It’s not 5 star worthy or beautifully written, but author, Kerry Anne King deserves 5 stars for her skillful choice and use of words for character development and their emotional experiences. Throw in a little humor, like the use of “Holy shitmiester”, add secrets that keeps pages turning and revelations that make a happy ending. I recommend reading this book with attention to Ms. King’s writing style and not just the subject matter. That will make it a goodread for you, it did for me.
What would you do if everything you thought you knew turned out to be a lie? What if you were made to think everything you knew was all your imagination?
Only to find it to be true…
That’s what happens to Maisey, she finds out her mother is dying so she of course rushes to her childhood hometown to be there with her mother and father. That’s when life and fate take a twist for the worst… or is it?
As for Tony, it was only suppose to be a job; go to the call, do what needs to be done and then wash your hands of the situation. BUT, it pulls at him and makes him want to see things to the very end. The only problem is Tony has demons of his own to face.. How can he help Maisey if he isn’t able to help himself?
Throughout this book there were so many twists and turns and questions and heartache and love and loss. It is truly a roller coaster ride. I was sucked in from the get go. I couldn’t put this book down. It was heart wrenching and heartwarming all at the same time.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for the honor of reading this book.
I started this book and it just blew me away. From the very first it pulled me in and took a hold of my heart. This is a wonderful book but be warned, you will need Kleenex. It’s a very emotional ride and one that will stay with you for a while for sure. A story of women and abuse. I’ll never understand why people want to hurt each other and claim that it’s love. I’ll never understand how they can raise their hands in pain to someone they are suppose to love and honor. I have a wonderful husband who would never have thought about hurting me. But I grew up in a very abusive house. I never called it home because a home should be filled with love and happiness, not pain and tears.
This book was so well written and said it like it was. Even emotional abuse is wrong. Playing mind games in lots of ways is worse than hitting. Mind games stay and beat you down so bad. The characters in this book are so well developed and so likable. Except the ones that love to hurt others. Those are the ones you want to see punished and punished bad.
To lose a sister is sad beyond words but if it’s a twin it has to be so much worse. Like a deep part of you is missing. Losing a child is even worse. This story will take you places that you won’t forget. At least I won’t. It’s told in such a realistic way that you feel every pain. Ever slap. Every put down. Even every laugh. Every hug.
I felt so bad for Walter. When he says he wants to go home and Maisey thinks she has to tell him his home will be sold and she does not have room for him, I lost it. I felt like “HOW COULD YOU.” How could she even go there after this man gave her a good life. Loved her unconditionally. Completely. How could she and does she. Does she let them put him in a home? This is a book you have to read. You will not be able to put it down. It’s one that will keep you reading when you should be cleaning house or sleeping. I laid awake last night thinking I had to get up and finish this book. But I did make myself wait and finished it today. It was one wonderful story. So sad and also so happy. I loved it from page one to the very end. I loved the journal from Maisey’s mother too. I finally liked her after thinking she was such a mean woman. Unless you walk in someone’s shoes you should not judge them. Give them the benefit of the doubt if possible.
This book gets a big 5 stars from me and more if I could. Thank you Kerry Anne King for writing this book. It sure gets to the heart of abuse and why some people make the choices they make.
/ 5 rounded up.
When I first started Whisper Me This by Kerry Anne King I was speeding through it and expected to really like it, unfortunately it ended up falling a little short of the mark for me.
In Whisper Me This Maisey has never quite lived up to her mother’s expectations. She has held a series of dead-end jobs, and has never gotten married – two things that her mom desperately wanted for her to change. When Maisey finds out her mom is in a coma and her dad might be charged with abuse and neglect, she goes back to her childhood home with her daughter Elle and must come to terms with her confused father, what to do about her mom, and what she feels are her own shortcomings and failures.
There is a mystery theme in this book that kept me reading and turning pages. The book switched between Leah’s journal (Maisey’s mom), Maisey, and a love interest for Maisey – Tony. Tony is holding onto his own guilt and secrets, as well as Maisey finding out she has a sister that her mom made her believe was a figment of her imagination. Slowly the story unravels, both the story of Maisey’s mom and Tony’s story, and it was definitely a slow burner of a story overall.
The biggest thing for me was that I wasn’t a huge fan of Maisey and didn’t really find myself rooting for her, at least not at first. She seemed incredibly flighty and childlike – even though she has a 12 year old daughter she is supposed to be raising – but we find out there is a reason for the way she acts. I did think she redeems herself towards the end, even though I wanted to smack her over the head a few times to stand up for herself. I think this was a pretty realistic description though so you can’t really be mad at her too much. She is dealing with some pretty tough sh*t in this book.
Which brings me to the next thing, so many trigger warnings for this book and they all deal with abuse. Verbal abuse, physical abuse, etc. all directed at females or children. I have to admit it was a pretty tough book to read even though the author tries to infuse hope into it. The end is more uplifting than the majority of the book, and I found myself in tears more than once. Just know it is a very tough read despite the hopeful bits.
Final Thought: There was just something about this book that didn’t sit quite right with me, but hell if I can articulate what it is. The mysteries that unravel just produce even more pain, and although I felt slightly better at the ending, the overall feel of this novel was pretty melancholy to me. Well written, but read at your own risk! I think I just found it too sad and frustrating, but that’s just me and other people will probably really like this book and the message it delivers.
WHISPER ME THIS by Kerry Anne King is an emotional and captivating story of long-buried family secrets, haunting memories and life-changing choices that tear a family apart, but also bring them together. With compassion and honesty, the author delves into the courage and resilience of the human spirit when faced with unthinkable physical abuse and emotional neglect and the gut-wrenching decisions that must be made to be able to go on. The character development is excellent and the plot is expertly crafted with just the right blend of drama and suspense to keep the reader turning the pages. I was totally drawn into this heartbreaking, yet uplifting story of the strength of family and the promise of second chances. This is another outstanding book from Kerry Anne King and I highly recommend it.
Whisper Me This is a page turner filled with family secrets! Maisey is a single mother trying to raise her daughter. Maisey’s mother is found sick and neglected and her father is a suspect. While dealing with the aftermath, she finds a long buried secret from her mother’s past. Kerry Anne King is a new author for me and I will be looking at her other books!
This story is full of long lost secrets, terrible situations, and love and hope. Maisey is a single mom to Elle who is 12. Maisey feels she has never measured up for her mom as nothing she has ever done is good enough. When Maisey has to go home because of a family emergency, memories pour over her. As Maisey takes care of things at home, her life spirals out of control. Elle’s father makes things even harder on Maisey as they share custody of her. Maisey is much stronger than she ever thought she could be as all the secrets come to light. This is a story of love and family, and deep dark secrets. I loved the characters in the book as they were so very real. I highly recommend this amazing book! I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. All opinions are my own.
I’ve found another good author to follow. This is the first novel of hers I’ve read; it won’t be the last. Interesting, well-written and -edited, of social and philosophical value.
My Review of Whisper Me This by Kerry Anne King; Published by Lake Union Publishing
I’m speechless! As I was reading this story, I found myself flabbergasted at how so many minute details mirrored experiences in my own life. Kerry Anne King captures the true essence of what it means to be courageous. I loved her writing style, allowing insight into the past all the while confronting the ever present “now”. Maisey, Leah, Elle, and Mia are characters that you will want to hold close to your heart as they will make you laugh and cry throughout the story. There’s so much I’d like to say, but honestly can’t in fear I’ll write a spoiler or two by accident. Just know that Kerry wrote a story that is worth the read, however painful it may be for some. Truth! I highly recommend Whisper Me This by Kerry Anne King. (Kerry Schafer)
Whisper Me This: A Novel by Kerry Anne King was an amazing book that I definitely recommend. It explores the topic of domestic violence, difficult mother daughter relationships, secrets, and forgiveness. The way the characters are introduced and developed really drew me into the story. Maisey’s mom has secrets that she wanted taken to her grave, but finding and facing those secrets brought healing and understanding. Maisey must deal with the death of her mother (who she was never good enough for), her father’s confusion and potential involvement in her mother’s death, the difficulty caused by her daughter’s father, and new relationships that develop. It was a complex story that kept me intrigued.
A powerful, emotional story about loss and hope and strength. Well worth the read.
Gorgeous writing, wonderful story!
This story is a bit mystery, a lot of family drama, is also heavily based on domestic violence. If this is a trigger beware.
I myself had mixed feelings on this story, not to say others may feel differently.
I did however enjoy the narration.
I will admit that I was getting frustrated with the main character of this story and the book itself all the way until I read about 67%… But then I was reeled in. The remaining chapters of the book made me see the first part in a different light. Excellent character growth.
The description led me to believe this was light romance. Not so. It was a sad story about coming home again and the choices we make.
WHISPER ME THIS was one of those books that had been sitting in my Kindle for months and as soon as I started reading, I wondered why I’d waited so long. The characters stuck with me for a long time after I was done. I grew to care about Maisey, her daughter, her dad, and Tony. The mystery of what happened to Marley stayed in the forefront of my mind even while being engrossed in the other characters’ stories. Fair warning: there are plenty of triggers for abused women or anyone in a custody battle with their partners, but the conclusion was very satisfying. I wish so much that we could continue with this group in another book, but this beautifully written standalone is complete as is.