A gripping and dark story

This dark academia thriller was quite an experience! Like other books by Sandra J. Paul, this one is a flip book, meaning you can choose which part to start with. No matter which side you begin, both stories meet in the middle with a powerful, intertwined conclusion.

I started with Whispers of the Forgotten, which comes first in the e-book version, and I definitely don’t regret that choice. It follows the chronological order, which I always prefer. I think you’d miss some important background information if you start with the second part.

The story is set around 1900 in New York, at the eerie Mortem Academy, where the characters live and study. Normally, I find academic settings in books fascinating and even envy the students a little. But I'm not jealous this time haha. This place was downright creepy!

The story pulled me in immediately since you're thrown straight into the deep end. It's creepy, it's interesting, it's sweet. It's a lot.

The first part was a bit slow however, and I was a bit worried the second part would just repeat the first, but thankfully it doesn’t. Instead, it offers a deeper look into the romance and takes place a few years later.

I couldn’t read large chunks in one go, so I spread it out over several days. Because of that, I occasionally got a little confused. There are quite a lot things happening, and even though the writing style is smooth and engaging, it can get a bit complex at times.

I liked Sebastian more than Leonora; I didn’t always agree with her choices. I also really appreciated Samuel’s story, as it adds important context to the dark history of Mortem Academy. I also loved the maids!

As for the plot twist, I kind of saw it coming… but I also didn’t? It was one of those twists that keeps you second-guessing until the very end. The conclusion was very gripping, even though I might have liked to see it differently.

All in all, this is a dark, intriguing, and atmospheric story that left me with a few questions. The perfect spooky read to kick off October!

Just a heads-up: the book does touch on some dark themes, so be sure to check the trigger warnings before diving in.

Huge thanks to Hamley Books and Sandra J. Paul for the review copy!