The Whispering of Trees by C.Y. Bourgeois | ARC Book Review

**Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my review.**

Trigger Warning: Cancer Mention, Alcoholic Parent, Paedophile (Aggie’s uncle is a paedophile), Rape, Teen Pregnancy (caused by Rape), Teen Pregnancy, Attempted Suicide, Suicide Mention, Newborn Death.

Teenager Aggie Ksisak longs to be normal, but her coming of age includes a legacy as the most powerful Inupiat Eskimo shaman in history. Aggie enjoys the feisty discussions with her spirit guide, a sassy bowhead whale, and finds learning to be a shaman fun. Until it isn’t. Until the night her dreams are invaded by a powerful demon spirit who threatens to destroy her and everyone she loves.

When she finally begins to accept her powerful birthright, her world is shattered by alcoholism, sexual abuse, and death. Aggie rejects the only thing that can save her and poised on the brink of darkness, she wonders if she deserves to live.
By accepting her destiny and embracing her powers of spiritual healing Aggie has the ability to save herself and rise above her fear, humiliation, and shame. But why should she?

Publication Date: April 7th 2016.

When I first heard of and read about The Whispering of Trees, I thought that Aggie’s story would be darker than normal, but still an adventure. How wrong I was.

The Whispering of Trees is a novel that I thought I had predicted down to a ‘T‘. However, just reading the first 20% of this book made me realize that Aggie’s story is going to go in a severely different way than I had imagined. There was only one thing that was unfortunately predictable.

We see Aggie’s story take place over 4 years, which results in the pace of the story being fast. And let me tell you, it was not an easy four years for our main character, Aggie. She goes through something that no human being should ever go through. And then the aftermath of everything…Aggie is unbelievably courageous.

Through Aggie’s eyes we see the choices she makes, and the many, many trials that Aggie goes through.

Though Aggie’s story was difficult to read and see her live through… Along the way we see Aggie and her friends become her support group. We see the people who truly love and care for Aggie shine and be there for her. There’s so much light and goodness in this novel, even though there’s a war against darkness going on as well.

I did not enjoy the darkest part of this novel, but the lighter, happier parts of Aggie’s story were definitely preferable to read.

I give The Whispering of Trees, 3.5 stars.

Have you read The Whispering of Trees?

Thank you for stopping by!

See you soon, and Happy Reading!
— Adele