Wow...I purchased this read along with another and should have known beter than to try and read another book soon after this. This story captivated me and held me there to the last page. I greedily read the last four chapters with a hunger to know how this child survived. How this girl survived the beatings is beyond my imagination, yet alone the mental abuse from her mother and then, the sexual. This book is a testament to others who have survived against the odds of human endurance.I was hungry for more as I turned the pages reading eagerly, almost hysterical wanting to know if she survived a beating or managed to escape her abusers grip. This book will take many where they don't want to go, and equally invoke memories of happy times for many who do. Although the book is written with a lack of expressive detail, the author leaves you with no doubt what is about to ensue. Her words threw an image to me until I could almost see what she writes as I became engrossed in her story. Many happy scenes were written and many more even I could relate to, I was once a brownie had a favourite dolly, and a brother who was and still is, my hero. One of the worse cases to escape British justice, its hard to imagine putting all your hope into the English legal system, only to be told nothing can be done. Then your abuser uses the law to hunt you down like a dog, how could society be so stupid, at a guess I would say the social services, police, and adults involved in her life at that time, let her down abominably. Her mother was an evil woman who chose to ignore her daughter's cries as her husband abuses this little girl, placing images only a consenting adult should have. It is beyond my wildest fears how any mother can treat her daughter as she. I hope Sharon has sought justice in the latter years and can't wait for the second book. I think this would make a good film, a hard read and an emotional roller coaster for the reader, but a read that can not be placed down once the first page is read. From beginning to end this tale is electrifyingly sad, humorous, distressing, entertaining, witty, stressful and addictive.

Share this:

Review 2 for A House Full of Whispers

Overall rating:

5 out of 5

wendy reynalds

11 February 2007

The author is the reason I loved this book, because her voice rings so clear and true. Not only does she make me see the things she sees, she makes me feel the things she feels. She describes her main abuser as "The night devil" putting an instant foreboding character into your head. Sharon Wallace was a child who lived every parent's nightmare, only her parents were the givers of them. Abuse of a small child is hard for most of us to comprehend and the actions even harder to accept. But this little girl lived and survived the horrors of such, I cry as I write this review thinking of her suffering and that of many more. The author has made me think about others who may still live with this terrible sadness and loneliness. The books genre portrays the subject with strength dignity and respect never reading explicit words but leaving you without doubt, taking you to the edge of the cliff so your own eyes may see the view below. I disliked nothing about this read apart from the subject and the scenes that unfolded, many times I wanted to fold my arms around this little girl and cradle her with love. I did a little research into this Author and am amazed what a caring human she has become. A woman who has found her voice and is shouting from the rooftops to get this distressing subject into every ones home so generations after her will stand a fighting chance to live a childhood all adult deserve. Sadly even though the book details a childhood lived in the early 60/70s it is still going on behind closed doors. I felt in the middle of all that distress as I turned the pages with hunger I wasted the last two chapters reading them too greedily and fast, because I couldn't bear to let go...magnificent...'

Share this:

Review 3 for A House Full of Whispers

Overall rating:

5 out of 5

john duke

02 February 2007

I wanted to gather the little girl within this book and cradle her for ever, three small children left in orphanages all their young lives only to be re-united with the parents from hell. I am not sure why this little girl was singled out for such a punishing life or why her siblings seemed to escape this awful life Sharon was made to survive. The beginning grasped my attention and kept me absorbed, I had to put the book down a few times to gather my posture, and many more times I was compelled to read on even though I was genuinely scared for this small child. The writer's intention was to help others and allows the public who have never lived through such, to get a small idea what happens in some homes. Well, I will add she certainly does her job well and I for one will never ignore the cries of a child again and will look more deeply into why a child behaves in a certain way. The ambiance of the book I felt began at the first page and she maintained it through to the last. The ending is harrowing and again I wanted to grip her from the night devils clutches it's a hard read but one every one should read. Her story should be made compulsory to others who are working along side children from this kind of background because they will have a peek into what abused children have to survive through. I am so agitated to read the second in her trio and have surfed the net looking, with a thirst to learn more. I found the last four chapters of this book the most compelling and frightening, and was turning the pages as fast as I could as I walked and fought with her. I winched as her leg was broken by her drunken bully abuser and as she fought him again to maintain the last of her dignity. I held my breath with her as she scurried through the woods to get away and understand better why children don't say to another, what is happening. This little girl DID TELL but was beaten unmercifully. So much I could write about many many happy scenes also but to many to list on here. Go buy and read them come back and write your own review because this story has to be told and reach every home in the land.

Share this:

Review 4 for A House Full of Whispers

Overall rating:

5 out of 5

bella smith

30 January 2007

I opened the book and read the first page and hoped it was not the end of a great read because of the contents. The rest of the book kept me immersed as I eagerly read with zealous. Her life was cruel I cried a few times and wondered about her now and if she has managed to become a half decent human. The cruelty this little girl lived through is the worst I have read about in the U K. Her book has been likened to another famous one. A boy called it" But I have now read the two and "A house full of whispers" griped my attention and kept it more assiduously than the letter. I hope her second and third do the same as we all know the first of trilogy and the ones that follow don't always stand the strain. I recommend this read to young and old and many professionals could learn by it. Her behaviour and reactions to life situations is a learning curb for all who want to understand the psyche of ones reaction to a situation. You won't find a pity me party and the humour within these pages astounding the author has a way of drawing you in to the scene she writes about, and yes, she paints pictures with her words that some times leave you laughing out loud. Does any one know of a book signing arranged within the U K. I would love to meet this woman and shake her hand she truly is a survivor and great ambassador for all who have walked a similar road but still to afraid to speak out. Go buy the book and read I challenge any not to be affected and be able to put it down once the first page is turned.

Share this:

Review 5 for A House Full of Whispers

Overall rating:

5 out of 5

jenny jenkins

09 January 2007

I know this kind of subject is not every ones read, but this book is not all about abuse and certainly not all disaster and negative reading. I was totally committed to finish this book as soon as I had read the first few pages; it gripped my attention and effortlessly sustained it. This story has given me pictures in my mind that enthralled and frightened me in the same instance. It is hard to believe this little girl had no one to turn to and that she lived with such revulsion and harm. I have read another book a boy called it, and thought this was a one off, but a house full of whispers supersedes it, in my opinion. The author writes much like one is watching a film; I could sit and read her work all day as you get absorbed in her writing and descriptions. I was impressed she did not use a ghost writer and also like some one else stated, this book is a true story of her life and not based on one. I can see the author is a writer and not a one off story teller as her writing flows along and her style enjoyable she can only get better I was able to cast my own mind back to memories of yesteryear as she described her first bus ride and the ticket collector, her renditions of school holidays and the fairground, had me thinking back to my own school days. A book every one would enjoy because it has so many things within its pages that every one can read and say, I remember that, I really was sad when the book ended leaving me wanting to know what happened to her as she walked into the night alone and frightened after fighting for her life I would recommend this book to every one, I just hope her second in this trilogy captivates my imagination and attention like this has.

Share this:

Review 6 for A House Full of Whispers

Overall rating:

5 out of 5

janet olive

03 November 2006

I was a little unsure about reading this book but was so glad I did, It is filled with humour and witty antidotes. The Author writes with a style I have not come across before and can hold the reader within her pages. I was very sad to read the terrible abuse she suffered but it was detailed with dignity and grace never saying exactly what is happening in her house of whispers but leaving you with no doubts. I will buy the second and maybe third if the Authors second book of the trilogy is any where near the example of the first.

Share this: