HUSH, HUSH by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hush, Hush
Becca Fitzpatrick

Rating: B+


Synopsis from goodreads.com:
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along. 
With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. 
For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.


My thoughts on the book:
Hush, Hush is one of those books that you either love or hate. I've seen a lot of people hate it, and I've seen a lot of people love it. I, personally, love it. Yes, it is darker than a lot of YA out there today, and yes, Patch is a bit intense sometimes. I know there are people who have taken this novel too seriously and said that it'd make young girls seek out abusive relationships, but I think that's ridiculous. Unless some girl's looking for a fallen angel who can't physically feel things, then I think girls everywhere are safe. And if the girl is looking for a fallen angel, then there are bigger problems going on than her finding a jerk boyfriend. 


I really enjoyed the premise of Hush, Hush, and I was glad that Patch is flawed. He's sarcastic and funny, and let's face it guys, if he really wanted to kill Nora, he could have easily done it a billion times over. Yea, he's kind of stalkerish sometimes, but a lot of the paranormal guys seem to be in these novels. I think he probably would have won Nora over easier had he not acted like such a creepo, but that's just my personal opinion. If I was stuck sitting beside him every day and knew nothing about him, I'd probably be stupid and nosy like Nora, too. You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat. 

The character development in this novel is top notch. Both Nora and Patch grow throughout the course of the story, and by the end, they are very different people. Nora, while not the brightest crayon in the box when it comes to common sense, is thoughtful and tries her best to look out for those she cares about. That's clear in all of her actions. She's self-sacrificing to a fault, sometimes, but she's young. When I was her age, I went overboard with everything, too. Awesome. Now I sound like a grandma. Moving on.

I really don't like Vee. I've read all three books in this series, and I just can't stand Vee. I think she's a selfish bitch. She treats Nora like crap. She's also apparently dumber than a box of rocks. Vee really took away from my enjoyment of this story. Also, the fact that Nora kept talking about how "curvy" Vee was annoyed me. I got it the first twelve times it was mentioned. And Vee trying weird diets, along with her personality and lack of intelligence just really made her fit perfectly into that horrible "fat and dumb without self-control" stereotype. I don't like stereotypes, and I don't think that body image statements such as that one have a place in YA literature. Why no one latched onto this as a problem is beyond me. Anyway, that being said, I don't think Fitzpatrick meant it that way. I think it was coincidental, but still, it annoyed me. 

The plot was intriguing, and there are bad guys coming at poor Nora from every direction. It's sometimes hard to keep up. However, that kept the mystery going. There was also plenty of suspense and action to drive the narrative forward. I wasn't bored once while reading this book. The pacing is fast, but nothing feels rushed. 

Overall, I'd recommend Hush, Hush to fans of dark fantasy who enjoy a fast paced, action-filled novel with a bit of romance thrown in. 

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