Fall for Hush, Hush

Whomever has the nerve to say "don't judge a book by its cover" hasn't seen the cover of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. This book is simply beautiful. And the story isn't far behind!

The story starts with Nora Grey, a girl who isn't terribly interested in the guys at her school, is suddenly very aware of the new guy, Patch. He is dark, mysterious, and possibly quite dangerous- all the things a teenage girl shouldn't want but can't resist. When it seems as though Patch is following her and turning up in the oddest place, Nora begins to wonder what is really going on behind those brooding eyes. But her friend Vee is determined to pair the two of them up with an odd duo of guys they met. In fact, Vee wants Nora to stop seeing Patch. So does Nora's new guidance counselor. From being followed by a mysterious person, to a few near-fatal encounters, Nora knows something is going on, but has no idea that something is who Patch really is- a fallen angel. And there is even more to the story about why Patch has shown up in Nora's life than you can imagine.

I really enjoyed this book, but I was a little concerned by two things: striking similarities to Twilight and 3/4 of the book without knowing anything about who Patch really is. From the "cute meet" in biology class, to the internet search that gleans vital information, there are certainly some similarities between Fitzpatrick's novel and Stephanie Meyers epic series. While they are glaring, and I do think Fitzpatrick would have been better off if she carefully chose situations that did not make us instantly think of Bella and Edward, I think this book still holds a good story.

However, leaving the meat of the story until the last 1/4 of the book was not the wisest decision. I think the vagueness and confusion of both the plot and the narrator is something that could easily turn a reader off. In fact, we don't actually know anything about the big conflict until the last 50 pages of the book (and this is a 400 page book)! While the information leading up to the big reveal is certainly interesting, by the time I finished the book, I was saying to myself, "Well, heck, Becca! Why not bring this out earlier! I want to know more!"

If you give this book a chance, though, you will find an intriguing story about Fallen Angels and Nephilim (human/fallen angel offspring). The book has a lot to offer if you give it a chance, but it might not be the best choice for a reader who needs to be grabbed by a story. Suggest this book for the student who can plow through pages, not the one who needs to be prodded along. Give it a chance, but leave the comparisons behind- they will only leave you a little disappointed!