BLOG TOUR: The Murmurings by Carly Anne West

Title: The Murmurings
Author: Carly Anne West
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: March 5th 2013
Pages: Hardcover, 384 pages
Purchase: Amazon

Summary from Goodreads:
Everyone thinks Sophie’s sister, Nell, went crazy. After all, she heard strange voices that drove her to commit suicide. But Sophie doesn’t believe that Nell would take her own life, and she’s convinced that Nell’s doctor knows more than he’s letting on.

As Sophie starts to piece together Nell’s last days, every lead ends in a web of lies. And the deeper Sophie digs, the more danger she’s in—because now she’s hearing the same haunting whispers. Sophie’s starting to think she’s going crazy too. Or worse, that maybe she’s not…

“After a moment, sound returns, focused in my right ear, like a hand cupping the air beside my head. Murmuring.”

Sophie is a bit of a social outcast at school now since her sister was institutionalized and committed suicide. Like her sister, Nell, Sophie is now hearing things, creepy whispers that are indecipherable. But that doesn't stop Evan, a football player, from asking Sophie to hang out. Sophie reluctantly agrees. There first couple dates consist of Sophie picking up her sister’s things from the hospital, almost going to the site of her sister’s suicide, Evan finding out Sophie hears things too, and exploring abandoned buildings in search of blogger.

Evan and Sophie are far from having a normal relationship yet they are able to bond over ‘the murmurings’ since Evan’s cousin, Deb, experienced the same sensations. The two of them are determined to figure out what happened to Nell and Deb and figure out what was really going on in the psychiatric hospital. This proves to be a harder task than imagined seeing as the main Doctor wants Sophie for “evaluation.”

The Murmurings was definitely as creepy as the cover and I made the smart choice of reading it before bed. So the gif pretty much described me while I was reading especially when reading about Nell's awful doctor.

The very good: Within the first couple of pages Sophie was already hearing voices; the author does not waste any time and immediately begins the creepy horror story. Some parts were a bit confusing but overall the plot was fast paced  and full of tension through the whole story. While the story is narrated from Sophie’s point of view, I really liked how the author weaved in pages from her Nell’s journal to develop Nell’s character and give a better understanding of what she was feeling.  The setting was also described perfectly.  Even though it is commonly used, I think mental hospitals are creepy especially ones that are a bit on the experimental side.

The good: I enjoyed the relationships in the story; Evan and Sophie have a weird but cute relationship that does not overpower the story or the creepy factor, instead it blends smoothly into the plot.  Sophie and her mother also have complicated relationship which enhances Sophie's solitude.  I really liked Deb's witty comments. While I was left wanting a bit more explanation, the ending tied up the lose ends with no cliffhanger!

The meh: The main issue I had was with the cause of the murmurings.  I was not a fan of the Takers and Seers concept and felt like it was a bit underdeveloped and just lacked some oomph.  Others may really enjoy that aspect but I kept thinking.. 'Whaaaat?, Hmmm' I needed more explanations and clarity there.

Overall, The Murmurings  was 3.5 star read, the creepy factor remained at a constant high while still building the relationships between the characters and  unraveling the mystery behind the voices and the death of Sophie's sister.  I would recommend this story if you are in the mood for a bit of horror and a LOT of creepy!

About the Author: Carly Anne West
Carly Anne West is a freelance writer with an MFA in English and Creative Writing from Mills College. She lives with her husband and son in Seattle, Washington. Visit her at CarlyAnneWest.com|twitter.com/CarlyAnneWest1

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