Wildwood Whispers by Willa Reece

Thank you to Orbit Books and Angela Man for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Wildwood Whispers is available now.

Wildwood Whispers was enchanting and beautiful. There was something special in the prose, in the way the book took its time, describing everything so well that I felt like I was standing right next to the main character. While I wasn’t entirely sure where the book was going for a good chunk of it, I was enthralled by the writing and more than happy to follow along as it twined together what originally seemed like two separate storylines, weaving them into a beautiful whole.

The book follows Mel, a prickly individual who has just lost her best friend- her lifeline, really. Mel travels to the tiny town of Morgan’s Gap, deep in the Appalachian mountains, to scatter her best friend’s ashes. There, Mel finds mysteries waiting to be solved and dangers lurking around every corner. She also finds the chance to heal, if she’s brave enough to take it.

I really enjoyed watching Mel grow into herself. Her interactions with others were fantastic, but just as great was her inner dialogue. She found the kind of strength that comes from being hurt and allowing yourself to care anyway. Add in the supporting cast and this small town seems both simultaneously cozier and larger.

The other characters include Granny, who kind of takes Mel under her wing. There’s Lu, who makes magic with her music, and Jacob Walker, who seems to be hiding something. There is also a super creepy cult, the sort of backwards group that Netflix makes documentaries about. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that it was based on an actual cult. The reverend shivered my skin. I wish that Granny played a slightly bigger role because I loved her so much. However, all of the characters were individuals with their own special things to offer.

I loved that, while magic was most definitely a part of Wildwood Whispers, the “big bad” wasn’t some sort of magical entity. Instead, the villains were all too human, which made things more chilling. Author Willa Reece wrote a beautiful and dangerous book, a treasure in literary form. I felt an immense sense of satisfaction at the way the different pieces in the book fit together neatly, but with room left for wondering.

Wildwood Whispers felt a little like a mystery and a little like a calm daydream. The combination was charming and surprising in equal measure. This book was unique and special. I highly recommend it.