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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Come check out the reviews on my blog Under The Cover
Okay, just a bit of a warning before I start. This review and the ones following the books of this serie will be a bit of a challenge for me since I just finished the serie today and I started it years ago. In between, the books I read have very much changed in style. Plus some parts of the books are not as fresh as they could be. So bear with me.
I read Hush, Hush my first year of college, which to be a little more specific, was 5 long years ago. It’s safe to say that I have read a lot since then.
But still, in the case of Hush, Hush, I remember very well the story since I read it three time in a row (yes, back to back reading. That should be proof enough that I truly loved this book.), and two more times since then. It’s probably the book I’ve read the most with The Host by Stephenie Meyer. But I’m straying from the main subject here.
Hush, Hush is relatively light on paranormal activity in the first book. Except for the first two pages and the end of the book, the story stays almost clear of it. It feels more like a thriller where you follow an investigation that turns out to be a paranormal one. If I make any sense.
Angels have been a subject that I really appreciate in books. Hush, Hush is the second serie that I read that talks about it and it was brilliantly done.
The story in this installment of the serie is a bit ordinary in regard to the other books. I know it’s probably not a good word to use but my brain is kind of fried right now and it’s the only one I can think of. What I mean is that this book is like an introduction to the real story. We meet the characters, Patch and Nora as well as most of the characters that will remain in the serie. It is the beginning of Patch and Nora’s love story. And it is also the beginning of the story in itself but it’s really just the very tip of the iceberg that is Hush, Hush.
“You possess other people’s…bodies.”
He accepted that statement with a nod.
“Do you want to possess my body?”
“I want to do a lot of things to your body, but that’s not one of them.”
Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of action in this book. One thing I learned from reading Becca Fitzpatrick’s books is that she usually keeps the biggest twists and surprises for the end. Which means you should expect cliff-hangers throughout the serie, but not in this one. Of course, everything is not sloved by this end of this book, but if after reading book one you think you’ve had enough, in my opinion, it can be read as a standalone. But having read the serie, you’d be missing out. Just sayin’.
What I like about those books and Hush, Hush, is that you don’t really know what is happening until the end. The book is filled of mysteries, suspense and questions that just makes you want to read more. I read this book in one seating (the first time).
I really liked the atmosphere of the book, the relationship between Patch and Nora and how they get together. Patch is a bad boy that look like trouble. He is dark, dangerous, provocative, looks scary and is utterly irresistible and very charismatic. It’s not everyday that you have this kind of characters in books. You know he can (is) dangerous but you are still attracted to him.
“He was the worst kind of wrong. He was so wrong it felt right, and that made me feel completely out of control.”
I loved him from the moment he appeared in the book. I’d have to re-reread the book to pin point exactly what made me love him so much from the start. He was just the right amount of flirty, teasing, dangerous, arrogant and sweet.
“Call me Patch. I mean it. Call me.”
Nora is his complete opposite. She the ultimate good girl. She’s not shy or reserved, but she keeps to herself, has her one best friend Vee (that I adored too) and they both have big personalities. I loved them both a lot even though Nora could be very irritating at time because of her stubbornness.
“Patch wasn’t the kind of guy mothers smiled on. He was the kind of guy they changed the house locks for.”
Anyway, in short, Patch and Nora were both great characters. In the first book, I think it’s Patch that will keep you going when the story gets a little slow. I was very much looking forward to his appearances in the book and the moments between him and Nora, which were most of the time very funny due to his killer one-liners and provocative come backs.
“Part of me wanted to run away from him screaming, Fire! A more reckless part was tempted to see how close I could get without… combusting.”
The come backs and the banter between the characters (Patch, Nora and Vee) were one of the things I loved the most in this book.
I really recommend this book. Even my reading style has evolved, it’s a book I would happily go back to and enjoy all the same. This first book doesn’t get old and will certainly suck you in from the start.
“You smell good, too,” said Patch
It’s called a shower.” I was staring straight ahead. When he didn’t answer, I turned sideways. “Soap. Shampoo. Hot water.”
Naked. I know the drill.”
Okay, just a bit of a warning before I start. This review and the ones following the books of this serie will be a bit of a challenge for me since I just finished the serie today and I started it years ago. In between, the books I read have very much changed in style. Plus some parts of the books are not as fresh as they could be. So bear with me.
I read Hush, Hush my first year of college, which to be a little more specific, was 5 long years ago. It’s safe to say that I have read a lot since then.
But still, in the case of Hush, Hush, I remember very well the story since I read it three time in a row (yes, back to back reading. That should be proof enough that I truly loved this book.), and two more times since then. It’s probably the book I’ve read the most with The Host by Stephenie Meyer. But I’m straying from the main subject here.
Hush, Hush is relatively light on paranormal activity in the first book. Except for the first two pages and the end of the book, the story stays almost clear of it. It feels more like a thriller where you follow an investigation that turns out to be a paranormal one. If I make any sense.
Angels have been a subject that I really appreciate in books. Hush, Hush is the second serie that I read that talks about it and it was brilliantly done.
The story in this installment of the serie is a bit ordinary in regard to the other books. I know it’s probably not a good word to use but my brain is kind of fried right now and it’s the only one I can think of. What I mean is that this book is like an introduction to the real story. We meet the characters, Patch and Nora as well as most of the characters that will remain in the serie. It is the beginning of Patch and Nora’s love story. And it is also the beginning of the story in itself but it’s really just the very tip of the iceberg that is Hush, Hush.
“You possess other people’s…bodies.”
He accepted that statement with a nod.
“Do you want to possess my body?”
“I want to do a lot of things to your body, but that’s not one of them.”
Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of action in this book. One thing I learned from reading Becca Fitzpatrick’s books is that she usually keeps the biggest twists and surprises for the end. Which means you should expect cliff-hangers throughout the serie, but not in this one. Of course, everything is not sloved by this end of this book, but if after reading book one you think you’ve had enough, in my opinion, it can be read as a standalone. But having read the serie, you’d be missing out. Just sayin’.
What I like about those books and Hush, Hush, is that you don’t really know what is happening until the end. The book is filled of mysteries, suspense and questions that just makes you want to read more. I read this book in one seating (the first time).
I really liked the atmosphere of the book, the relationship between Patch and Nora and how they get together. Patch is a bad boy that look like trouble. He is dark, dangerous, provocative, looks scary and is utterly irresistible and very charismatic. It’s not everyday that you have this kind of characters in books. You know he can (is) dangerous but you are still attracted to him.
“He was the worst kind of wrong. He was so wrong it felt right, and that made me feel completely out of control.”
I loved him from the moment he appeared in the book. I’d have to re-reread the book to pin point exactly what made me love him so much from the start. He was just the right amount of flirty, teasing, dangerous, arrogant and sweet.
“Call me Patch. I mean it. Call me.”
Nora is his complete opposite. She the ultimate good girl. She’s not shy or reserved, but she keeps to herself, has her one best friend Vee (that I adored too) and they both have big personalities. I loved them both a lot even though Nora could be very irritating at time because of her stubbornness.
“Patch wasn’t the kind of guy mothers smiled on. He was the kind of guy they changed the house locks for.”
Anyway, in short, Patch and Nora were both great characters. In the first book, I think it’s Patch that will keep you going when the story gets a little slow. I was very much looking forward to his appearances in the book and the moments between him and Nora, which were most of the time very funny due to his killer one-liners and provocative come backs.
“Part of me wanted to run away from him screaming, Fire! A more reckless part was tempted to see how close I could get without… combusting.”
The come backs and the banter between the characters (Patch, Nora and Vee) were one of the things I loved the most in this book.
I really recommend this book. Even my reading style has evolved, it’s a book I would happily go back to and enjoy all the same. This first book doesn’t get old and will certainly suck you in from the start.
“You smell good, too,” said Patch
It’s called a shower.” I was staring straight ahead. When he didn’t answer, I turned sideways. “Soap. Shampoo. Hot water.”
Naked. I know the drill.”
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I am convinced this book had potential. I think it had the right characters, their appointed roles were just all wrong. Imagine what this book could have been if Jules/Chauncey had been the anti-hero protagonist, determined to get revenge on the fallen angel who had coerced him into giving up his body for two weeks every year. Patch, Jules/Chauncey’s enemy, placed in the role of the creepy villain. And Nora, being. . . just Nora, a pawn in their games. OK, the last line’s a little cheesy, but I stand by the sentiment.
Alas, it was not to be. Instead, we get 400 pages of predatory stalking that apparently equals romance. Basically, the plot is such: girl falls in love with her stalker\would-be-murderer, to the point where she’s willing to sacrifice herself for him so he can become a human instead of a fallen angel. Nora Grey, the main character, however, shows nothing leading up to this point to make the reader think this is at all realistic. Not that she should have attempted to sacrifice herself for him, but if she’s going to do so, it should at least be believable.
That’s just the beginning of my grumbles with this book. I have a theory that good writing is like good acting. I don’t know if this is just me, but I’m much better at spotting really bad actors than I am at spotting really good actors. That’s because a good actor draws you into the story and the character, and the actor just completely vanishes. I mean, the hallmark of good acting is kind of that you forget someone’s acting. Bad acting, on the other hand, puts a barrier between you and the story, because you’re constantly reminding that someone is trying, and failing, to act. I think writing is the same way.
This book felt like writing. I could see the author trying to plot out each course of action, which normally was, “What is the dumbest thing Nora could do, even though I’ve told readers she’s a smart character?” Then there are also the lines like “his eyes looked like they didn’t play by the rules”. You kind of get what she’s getting at there, but it still feels clearly like writing. I think the worst example of this is the fact that there’s a rollercoaster ride named “The Archangel”. It’s not exactly symbolism if it hits you over the head, and I don’t know why an amusement park would call a ride something like that in the first place.
There are too many problems to list within the actual plot of the book, so I’ll give a quick rundown of some of the biggest issues without details: Nora and Vee call in a bomb threat and there’s not a huge search for the caller/we never hear about it again? Biology does not equal sex education, you’re thinking of health. Predatory stalking and what almost plays out as attempted rape does not equal romance. Police are not going to question a minor without a guardian present unless absolutely necessary, and if they do, said guardians will be informed immediately.
The thing that really gets me about this book is it really did have potential. Currently, it reads like a bad, but not unworkable, first draft. I wish someone had read this in the early stages of the manuscript and really talked through it with Fitzpatrick, because there are good chunks of this book that are salvageable. Entertaining, even. As it is, it’s just a major disappointment that perpetuates all the wrong stereotypes.
Alas, it was not to be. Instead, we get 400 pages of predatory stalking that apparently equals romance. Basically, the plot is such: girl falls in love with her stalker\would-be-murderer, to the point where she’s willing to sacrifice herself for him so he can become a human instead of a fallen angel. Nora Grey, the main character, however, shows nothing leading up to this point to make the reader think this is at all realistic. Not that she should have attempted to sacrifice herself for him, but if she’s going to do so, it should at least be believable.
That’s just the beginning of my grumbles with this book. I have a theory that good writing is like good acting. I don’t know if this is just me, but I’m much better at spotting really bad actors than I am at spotting really good actors. That’s because a good actor draws you into the story and the character, and the actor just completely vanishes. I mean, the hallmark of good acting is kind of that you forget someone’s acting. Bad acting, on the other hand, puts a barrier between you and the story, because you’re constantly reminding that someone is trying, and failing, to act. I think writing is the same way.
This book felt like writing. I could see the author trying to plot out each course of action, which normally was, “What is the dumbest thing Nora could do, even though I’ve told readers she’s a smart character?” Then there are also the lines like “his eyes looked like they didn’t play by the rules”. You kind of get what she’s getting at there, but it still feels clearly like writing. I think the worst example of this is the fact that there’s a rollercoaster ride named “The Archangel”. It’s not exactly symbolism if it hits you over the head, and I don’t know why an amusement park would call a ride something like that in the first place.
There are too many problems to list within the actual plot of the book, so I’ll give a quick rundown of some of the biggest issues without details: Nora and Vee call in a bomb threat and there’s not a huge search for the caller/we never hear about it again? Biology does not equal sex education, you’re thinking of health. Predatory stalking and what almost plays out as attempted rape does not equal romance. Police are not going to question a minor without a guardian present unless absolutely necessary, and if they do, said guardians will be informed immediately.
The thing that really gets me about this book is it really did have potential. Currently, it reads like a bad, but not unworkable, first draft. I wish someone had read this in the early stages of the manuscript and really talked through it with Fitzpatrick, because there are good chunks of this book that are salvageable. Entertaining, even. As it is, it’s just a major disappointment that perpetuates all the wrong stereotypes.
7/21/2012
I read this originally in what I believe was early 2010, and only gave it three stars. I didn't even read the sequels. I decided to re-read this since the fourth book comes out in October.
Upon rereading it, I must say I really enjoyed it. I read the whole book in about half a day, and couldn't put it down, despite having read it before. I absolutely loved Patch's character, even when he was kind of an asshole. He was amusing, in that Will Herondale type of way(except that Will had a reason for his attitude.. while Patch was just a bad angel. Whatever, still hot.) Looking forward to the sequels!
I read this originally in what I believe was early 2010, and only gave it three stars. I didn't even read the sequels. I decided to re-read this since the fourth book comes out in October.
Upon rereading it, I must say I really enjoyed it. I read the whole book in about half a day, and couldn't put it down, despite having read it before. I absolutely loved Patch's character, even when he was kind of an asshole. He was amusing, in that Will Herondale type of way
★★
the first ⅔ were utter shit, last third was also shit but hey! at least something actually happened
the first ⅔ were utter shit, last third was also shit but hey! at least something actually happened
So, I was weirded out by how much older Patch and why he was even interested in Nora.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
This book is what it is, entertaining but not great by any means.
While this book was a quick read and I couldn't put it down, I didn't like that the lead female character was so weak.