Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

Whispers of Nowhere by Shannon Rohrer is an exciting tale that brings to life mythology, adventure, and destiny. Gwen thought her biggest problems were the nightmares that kept her awake and the late hours her dad was working at the museum until she accidentally opens a mythological prison by touching one of the artifacts her dad brought home. The mysterious Forneus tells her of the guardian of the artifacts and brings her to a strange new world where monsters rampage and the gods of myth exist. With the help of Phenex, the three set out to track down missing artifacts as Gwen is drawn into a centuries-old conflict, meets the Regulations Force as they track escaped prisoners, and discovers that her role is to restore the seal as one of the prisoners has a deadly plan in the works that Gwen is the key to stopping.

Mythology comes to life when a mystical prison is opened and prisoners escape, leaving the duty of restoring the seal up to a young girl with a challenging destiny. Gwen was just a normal girl dealing with some strain with her dad as he works around the clock at the museum when suddenly everything changes and now she’s tracking artifacts and escaped mythological prisoners. Shannon Rohrer weaves together four primary perspectives throughout with Gwen being at the center as she struggles with battling against monsters and responsibilities to save the world. Gwen goes through an emotional journey that guides her to discover her own bravery and strength. The bonds she has with the other characters play a key role in her hero’s journey with Forneus as her guide who helps steer her on the right path and the hot-headed Phenex who becomes her closest ally.

They each face their own struggles along the way that they must confront before they can face the dangerous Shade called Reeves whose perspective allows readers to see the sinister plan unfold. The story is full of adventures that range from daring escapes from a mythological prison to fighting monsters to tracking down artifacts to the ultimate battle to restore the seal to the prison. A few notable mythological figures such as Apollo make an appearance throughout to help with Gwen’s journey. Whispers of Nowhere is a fast-paced adventure with a unique voice as Rohrer puts a fresh spin on mythology with humorous situations, charming characters, dangerous antics, action-packed moments, and plenty of heart.