Whispers of the Elderoak by K.M. Gordon review

 

Whispers of the Elderoak by K.M. Gordon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️ 1 Spice

Have you ever wished for a book that felt like reading a Dungeons & Dragons campaign? Because I have many times. And honestly, finding books that truly capture that feeling isn’t easy. But wow… this one absolutely delivered.

This book had me in a total chokehold, demanding my full attention, and it played with my head and my heart more than once. One of the biggest shockers for me? The main character is an actual adult. And I mean a real adult, not “just turned 19 or 20.” No. She’s in her 30s. I had to double-check because I genuinely couldn’t believe my eyes. That alone made me ridiculously happy and instantly invested.

The first 25% of the book is set in our world, where we follow Ava as she’s dealing with life, stress, and trying to make the best of the hand she’s been dealt. Things start to look up when she reconnects with an old friend, and honestly, I loved this part. Seeing two grown women navigating daily life but also being fun, silly, and free together reminded me so much of my own friendships. At that point, I had no idea where the story was going, but I was enjoying the warm, cosy vibes.

And then… BANG.

The story flips on its head.

I was heartbroken, confused, sobbing, and suddenly thrown into a completely different phase of the book, and I was so here for it. While trying to put my shattered heart back together (and crying for Ava all over again), the story turned into this epic, quest-style adventure filled with wonder, horror, confusion, and danger. Ava is trying to understand what’s happening and why, and I felt completely in her shoes the entire time. It made for such an immersive reading experience.

When the POVs shifted, I’ll admit I hesitated. The book moves from Ava’s single POV to also include Casimir, and at first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. But within a few pages? I was fully on board. The dual POV worked so well, especially since we’re now in a world that’s completely unfamiliar to Ava Casimir’s perspective, which was exactly what the story needed to help everything click.

The story is packed with action, pain, beauty, and horror. It had me hooked from start to finish. There were moments where I was wide-eyed with my hand over my mouth, moments where I was so angry I wanted to scream, and all of it made for an absolutely epic read.

Now, being honest, there were a few moments where I struggled a bit. I’m not entirely sure why, but a handful of times (maybe four or five) I had to stop, go back, and reread sections because the information just didn’t stick the first time. It didn’t ruin the experience, but it did slow me down a little.

Also, the spice.
At the start? Nope. Hard cringe for me. Not really spicy, and definitely not my thing. That said, I do understand why it was written that way later on, so I won’t hold it against the book overall.

What I Liked:
The story is very D&D-esque for me.
The characters
The shocks and surprises
Dual POV done right
Animal companion (OMG 🥹)

What Didn’t Work for Me:
A few sections where I had to reread to fully grasp what was happening
The early spice (that’s all I’ll say)

Would I Recommend This Book?
Totally. 100%.

Would I Reread?
Yes, and I’ll probably be buying physical copies too.

How I’d Sum It Up:
A Dungeons & Dragons–style fantasy full of action, adventure, joy, pain, and heartache — a fantastic and brilliant start to a series.

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