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.
Details: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, 391 pages, 4.04 stars on Goodreads
Why I Picked This Up: Mostly because of the cover. I've never been really into vampires and werewolves and angels and the like, but the cover was just so pretty. I kind of anticipated that this wouldn't be the most original book in the world, and yet there were so many fantastic, glowing reviews out there, I couldn't resist.
Characters: Nora irritated me to no end. I don't even know where to begin with this. She jumped to crazy, ridiculous conclusions over and over again, and then when something has a really obvious explanation, she acts completely stupid and clueless. It was so frustrating having to watch her somehow come up with something and then act on it straight away, only to not draw any conclusions whatsoever when actual evidence presents itself.
I also hated her indecisiveness. On the one hand, she spent much of the book thinking that Patch was out to get her and that he was a dangerous stalker who was somehow transmitting thoughts to her mind, and then randomly, she begins to trust him. It was like Nora didn't even exist as a character and was just a bunch of different personalities coming out at different times. It's one thing when you don't like a character, and another when that character appears to be schizophrenic.
Patch wasn't that great, either. First, there's his name - I think I named my teddy bear "Patch" when I was four, so every time I was supposed to be reading about some mysterious, sexy, dark angel, I kept picturing my teddy bear. The result? I'm pretty sure I will never be able to see a teddy bear without getting chills ever again.
Let's review the reasons why I'm now scarred for life with such cuddly stuffed animals. (1) Patch is a stalker. Big time. I mean, okay, it's not as bad as watching you sleep, but he wants to KILL her. Ol' Eddie Cullen just had the temptation to eat Bella, but he wasn't purposely out there to murder her. (2) Patch is a jerk. He treats Nora badly and tries to alienate her from her friends. While this might be all well and good if you want to kill her, it doesn't make for the best romantic relationship. Just saying.
Plot: I wouldn't call this the most original plot. It has that whole "mysterious-sexy-dark-paranormal-creature-who-is-also-your-lab-partner" thing going on. Not everyone's lab partners are like that, okay? My lab partner is a perfectly nice girl who plays soccer. Although it must be said that her laptop is quite sexy. Not that I would ever covet it. *ahem* Anyway, the romance was just sort of... bad. It felt like the author was trying too hard.
I do have to say that the whole mythology thing was pretty cool. I haven't read many angel books, but of the ones I have, Hush, Hush had the neatest explanations. Those parts were fascinating to me, with the whole concept of fallen angels and torn out wings. The other parts I liked were the ending, because by then things had gotten quite suspenseful and I was eager to find out what happened next.
Other than that, a lot of this just felt contrived. The romance, certain situations, the romance, choices made, and did I mention the romance?
Cover: Love the cover. I've said this, but that whole grayscale thing with the twisted, falling body, and the well-placed color at the top? It really works. I can't think of a single thing I don't like about it. Even the fonts feel like they're the absolute PERFECT choices.
First Line: [Unable, for some reason. We get practically every other line except the first one. But here, have the second.] Then he tugged on his boots and started for home.
Overall: This wasn't the best read I've had. The characters were lacking and the plot was contrived, not to mention the romance. The good sides of this book are the beautiful cover, the angel mythology, and certain suspenseful scenes.
Plot -3/5
Characters - 2/5
Writing - 2/5
Impact - 2/5
Inability to put it down - 3/5
Total - 48% = C
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