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A review by booksafety
Whisper by Tal Bauer
5.0
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“The Quran says all souls were created in pairs. One soul, one life, that was meant for two people. In this world, we’re supposed to find the other half of our souls and join together with them. Rejoin, and find the house of peace that we once knew before time.” David moved closer. “I feel that with you. I always have. From the moment we met, it’s been like I’ve known you for forever. Like everything in me is supposed to belong to everything in you.”
How the hell is someone supposed to review this book? I legitimately don’t feel intelligent enough to say a word about it. The work that must have gone into the book is enormous, and having the guts to write it is… well, only Tal Bauer could.
I don’t think I have ever felt so sad and angry while reading a book before. I was raging and crying my eyes out nearly throughout the entire book (and it’s a long-ass book). Today my eyes are swollen and feel like sandpaper. #worthit
I was born in the late 90s in Norway, so to say that this book was a bit of a history lesson is an understatement. I learned so much from this, about the horrific 9/11 attacks, about nearly everything that came after as a result, and about so many beautiful parts of muslim culture and faith.
The book is very much concentrated on ‘the war on terror’, and the way it is set up, you really get the sense that there aren’t any ‘strict’ heros and villains. Everyone is capable of heroic and villainous actions when pushed. There is no one person to blame.
Kris and David/Dawood are incredibly special characters. Their story is epic and rough, and you’ll probably spend a good part of the book wondering how the hell it could ever end happily. I was happy for them, I cried for them, I raged at them and experienced just about every emotion under the sun throughout the book. It is not a strict romance book, but the romance is beautiful.
A thousand million stars in the sky would not be enough to count the ways I love you. Or grains of sand on the beach, even if you split every grain in half.
It’s not going to leave you feeling good in any way probably, but there’s a happy ending, and I think anyone and everyone (who feel comfortable doing so) should read it. What a damn masterpiece.
“I have heard American promises before. In shaa Allah, you are different, this time. You are either the answer to our prayers or the last trick of the devil.”
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Action & suspense
(Unconventional) second chance
Religious MC
Historical romantic thriller (2001-)
CIA agents
BIPOC characters
Political thriller
Special forces soldier
Size difference
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
⚠️ Will contain massive plot spoilers ⚠️
Assumed death of a main character
Gun violence
Graphic violence
Sexual content (not very explicit)
Details of the 9/11 attacks
Themes of terrorism
Homophobia
Discrimination (skin color, socioeconomic status and sexuality)
Heavy religious themes
Workplace harassment
Heavy themes of invasion and war
Vomiting
Intense feelings of guilt
Nightmares and anxiety attacks
Bombings
Mentions of homosexuality being criminalized
On-page killing
Islamic radicalism
Violent extremism
Torture of a side character (on page)
Death and resuscitation (SC and MC)
Execution of a parent (detailed, past)
Mentions of suicide bombings
Crisis of faith
Severely injured MCs
Grief
Social ostracism
Death of side characters
Rape kit performed to confirm DNA (no SA)
Moments of wishing for death
Hospitalized MC
Gunshot wound
Unsafe sex
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
⚠️ Will contain massive plot spoilers ⚠️
Cheating: No
Breakup: No
Other person drama: Dan, a friend and coworker of Kris, has been in love with him for years. Four years after David (Kris’ husband) is assumed dead, Dan and Kris sleep together for the first time (on page, not very explicit). Kris feels awful after and isn’t ready for an emotional connection. He then sleeps around with random people (and Dan) until David comes back. He is ready to try dating Dan properly by the time David returns, but they never get that far. David has been celibate in this time. Dan kisses Kris after David is back, but it isn’t reciprocated. Kris and David are the MCs and end up together again.
POV: 3rd person, multi POV
Genre: Historical/romantic suspense thriller, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 23 and 31 at the start of the story. By the end they are 39 and 47.
Series or standalone: Standalone, lightly connected to Hush
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 726
My love, you are the stars and moon of my life. You are the peace my soul has always sought. You were the last gift of a vengeful God, and the only thing that kept my faith alive. Because of our love. Because you loved me. If you exist, Allah must have created you. Nature could not shape someone so perfect as you are for me. My soul, my love, I will always watch over you.
“[…] You look at Islam and all you see is al-Qaeda, ISIS, Boko Haram. You see the loudest, worst parts, and you erase a billion other believers who don’t share any of those beliefs. You don’t see nuance when you look at The Other. You just see an enemy.”
“I know what it’s like to be hated for who you are. To have your life dictated by others, your choices made for you. To have that rage in your chest, all the time. That scream, that says you are more than this. The desire to prove everyone wrong.”
“I’ve lived my life like a kaleidoscope. If you look at me one way, I’m the Army Special Forces soldier. Stern. Solid. American.” He chuckled. Kris grinned. “But I’m also Arab. Muslim, in some part of me.” He swallowed, squeezed Kris’s hand. “And… gay. Even though no other part of me can accept that. It feels like I’m different people all in one body, and I don’t know how to be everyone equally, or if I even can.” […] “When I am with you, I feel parts of myself come together. Parts I thought couldn’t ever mix. You make me want to be everything I am. For you.”
He probably weighed one-third of what Haddad did. Haddad’s biceps bulged out of his long-sleeved undershirt like he was a professional NFL linebacker. His chest was solid muscle, tapering down to a trim waist. Next to him, Kris wasn’t a twink, he was a twig.
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
“The Quran says all souls were created in pairs. One soul, one life, that was meant for two people. In this world, we’re supposed to find the other half of our souls and join together with them. Rejoin, and find the house of peace that we once knew before time.” David moved closer. “I feel that with you. I always have. From the moment we met, it’s been like I’ve known you for forever. Like everything in me is supposed to belong to everything in you.”
How the hell is someone supposed to review this book? I legitimately don’t feel intelligent enough to say a word about it. The work that must have gone into the book is enormous, and having the guts to write it is… well, only Tal Bauer could.
I don’t think I have ever felt so sad and angry while reading a book before. I was raging and crying my eyes out nearly throughout the entire book (and it’s a long-ass book). Today my eyes are swollen and feel like sandpaper. #worthit
I was born in the late 90s in Norway, so to say that this book was a bit of a history lesson is an understatement. I learned so much from this, about the horrific 9/11 attacks, about nearly everything that came after as a result, and about so many beautiful parts of muslim culture and faith.
The book is very much concentrated on ‘the war on terror’, and the way it is set up, you really get the sense that there aren’t any ‘strict’ heros and villains. Everyone is capable of heroic and villainous actions when pushed. There is no one person to blame.
Kris and David/Dawood are incredibly special characters. Their story is epic and rough, and you’ll probably spend a good part of the book wondering how the hell it could ever end happily. I was happy for them, I cried for them, I raged at them and experienced just about every emotion under the sun throughout the book. It is not a strict romance book, but the romance is beautiful.
A thousand million stars in the sky would not be enough to count the ways I love you. Or grains of sand on the beach, even if you split every grain in half.
It’s not going to leave you feeling good in any way probably, but there’s a happy ending, and I think anyone and everyone (who feel comfortable doing so) should read it. What a damn masterpiece.
“I have heard American promises before. In shaa Allah, you are different, this time. You are either the answer to our prayers or the last trick of the devil.”
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Action & suspense
(Unconventional) second chance
Religious MC
Historical romantic thriller (2001-)
CIA agents
BIPOC characters
Political thriller
Special forces soldier
Size difference
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
⚠️ Will contain massive plot spoilers ⚠️
Assumed death of a main character
Gun violence
Graphic violence
Sexual content (not very explicit)
Details of the 9/11 attacks
Themes of terrorism
Homophobia
Discrimination (skin color, socioeconomic status and sexuality)
Heavy religious themes
Workplace harassment
Heavy themes of invasion and war
Vomiting
Intense feelings of guilt
Nightmares and anxiety attacks
Bombings
Mentions of homosexuality being criminalized
On-page killing
Islamic radicalism
Violent extremism
Torture of a side character (on page)
Death and resuscitation (SC and MC)
Execution of a parent (detailed, past)
Mentions of suicide bombings
Crisis of faith
Severely injured MCs
Grief
Social ostracism
Death of side characters
Rape kit performed to confirm DNA (no SA)
Moments of wishing for death
Hospitalized MC
Gunshot wound
Unsafe sex
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
⚠️ Will contain massive plot spoilers ⚠️
Cheating: No
Breakup: No
Other person drama: Dan, a friend and coworker of Kris, has been in love with him for years. Four years after David (Kris’ husband) is assumed dead, Dan and Kris sleep together for the first time (on page, not very explicit). Kris feels awful after and isn’t ready for an emotional connection. He then sleeps around with random people (and Dan) until David comes back. He is ready to try dating Dan properly by the time David returns, but they never get that far. David has been celibate in this time. Dan kisses Kris after David is back, but it isn’t reciprocated. Kris and David are the MCs and end up together again.
POV: 3rd person, multi POV
Genre: Historical/romantic suspense thriller, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 23 and 31 at the start of the story. By the end they are 39 and 47.
Series or standalone: Standalone, lightly connected to Hush
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 726
My love, you are the stars and moon of my life. You are the peace my soul has always sought. You were the last gift of a vengeful God, and the only thing that kept my faith alive. Because of our love. Because you loved me. If you exist, Allah must have created you. Nature could not shape someone so perfect as you are for me. My soul, my love, I will always watch over you.
“[…] You look at Islam and all you see is al-Qaeda, ISIS, Boko Haram. You see the loudest, worst parts, and you erase a billion other believers who don’t share any of those beliefs. You don’t see nuance when you look at The Other. You just see an enemy.”
“I know what it’s like to be hated for who you are. To have your life dictated by others, your choices made for you. To have that rage in your chest, all the time. That scream, that says you are more than this. The desire to prove everyone wrong.”
“I’ve lived my life like a kaleidoscope. If you look at me one way, I’m the Army Special Forces soldier. Stern. Solid. American.” He chuckled. Kris grinned. “But I’m also Arab. Muslim, in some part of me.” He swallowed, squeezed Kris’s hand. “And… gay. Even though no other part of me can accept that. It feels like I’m different people all in one body, and I don’t know how to be everyone equally, or if I even can.” […] “When I am with you, I feel parts of myself come together. Parts I thought couldn’t ever mix. You make me want to be everything I am. For you.”
He probably weighed one-third of what Haddad did. Haddad’s biceps bulged out of his long-sleeved undershirt like he was a professional NFL linebacker. His chest was solid muscle, tapering down to a trim waist. Next to him, Kris wasn’t a twink, he was a twig.
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr