Review: Hush, Hush; by Becca Fitzpatrick

Title: Hush, Hush (Book #1, sequel to follow)
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick (beccafitzpatrick.com)
Pages: 400
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: October 13, 2009

Genre: Young Adult
Themes: paranormal, high school, fallen angels, forbidden love, mythology

Synopsis: (From GoodReads) 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. Not until Patch came 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 who 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 way 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.

Additional Information: There are outtakes to Hush, Hush on Becca's site. To view them, click here. There is also a book trailer, posted below.

My Review: Nora Gray is just your typical teenage girl - except she has a mom that's always working, a father who was killed, and a lab partner, Patch, than infuriates her to no end on an almost daily basis. The worst part? The more she tries to avoid Patch, the more she seems to be drawn to him. And there's definitely something more to Patch, maybe even dark, but he's definitely not letting her in on it. As the story progresses, there's more that happens around Nora that she just can't ignore. There's the hallucinations, the attack on her best friend and her nemesis, and not to mention the burglar she found ransacking her room - at least, that's what she thought, until she called the police and they walked into a completely clean, non-ransacked bedroom. Nora decides to do her own investigation of Elliott and even Patch. However, that turns out to be dangerous and possibly deadly on both accounts. By the end, you'll find out that not everyone is as they seem - and even the best people have the worst intentions.

So, call it spoiler-ish or whatever, but I found the beginning of the first chapter, where Nora walks into her Biology class and learns she's going to be taught about sex, completely freaking hilarious. However, that soon turned to somewhat awe toward the author, because she really interlaced the sex ed with Patch's shameless flirting almost effortlessly. I loved it! The plot and back story on fallen angels was amazing, as well as the story with Elliott and his friend Jules being weaved into that plot at the end. The characters were believable and definitely high school students for the most part - though sometimes Vee tended to irritate me. I know girls like attention from guys and there was more going on with her being manipulated, but I never had a girlfriend to choose a guy over me as much as Vee did to Nora - so I couldn't exactly relate to their relationship. However, she did "take one for the team", so to speak, for Nora ... so, she gets back cred for that. The writing was wonderful, the dialogue never seemed to run on more than necessary, and I approve of the point of view. There was a great ending to go along with the story, some good redemption in the end and a good place for the story to end and another to begin. The story was fantastic, but I'll be the first to admit that this cover sold me and I bought it before even reading the blurb. FANTASTIC cover!

On a side note: I am absolutely sick of people comparing this book, as well as pretty much any teen paranormal romance, to Twilight. I am a HUGE fan of Twilight, but there were a ton of books about vampires before it. As well as books about girls falling for the "bad boy". There's also stand-alone books about werewolves, that don't even mention vampires in them - can you freaking imagine that?! I'm glad that Twilight has so much success, but people need to understand that not all ideas are new - they can just be deviated enough to make a good story. People use cliches, and that's okay as long as the story is good. Twilight is NOT the first book about a girl moving to a new place, falling for the mysterious and unobtainable hot guy, and find she's fallen into a forbidden love affair with the paranormal - so please stop treating it as though it's the Bible and people are trying to steal the ideas solely from Twilight to make big money. I'm sure some do - or is it books that have been circulating through agents for a while and they've only had a chance because of the Twilight Saga? We don't know, so we shouldn't treat it like we do. We should appreciate any and all books as their own entities and judge from there.

I'm off my soap box now.

Rating: - It was verging on three, but I think that the mythology behind the story as well as the development of the characters made up for any qualms I may have had about giving it three stars. Did I mention the cover looks amazing? Seriously, this is a great read for people who love paranormal romance as much as I do.


Summary: This story is a good read not only about fallen angels, but a more in-depth look into the tales of fallen angels, including a new take on Nephilim. Add to that some typical teenage behavior, a sadistic plot to extract revenge and a slightly forbidden love affair (yet not so much) and you have a fabulous light read that will get you through those tedious afternoon hours!


Target Audience: Teenagers (and older) who are into some paranormal romance with some slight Biblical references.

Source: Impulsive purchase.

Other Books: Becca Fitzpatrick is working on the sequel to Hush, Hush - named Crescendo - which will hopefully be out some time soon.

Review: Fallen, by Lauren Kate

Title: Fallen (Book #1, Fallen series)
Author: Lauren Kate (laurenkatebooks.net)
Pages: 464
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: December 08, 2009

Genre: Young Adult
Themes: boarding school, fallen angels, forbidden love, reincarnation

Synopsis: (From GoodReads) There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

Additional Information: Amazon.com's book trailer for Fallen is below.

My Review: The story starts out with Luce being late for the tour of the new boarding school she is attending, Sword & Cross. You're introduced to a few of the characters that become a big part of the story, such as Gabbe, Cam, and Arriane. Instantly, Cam takes a liking to Luce and so does Arriane, volunteering to show her around the grounds then demanding that Luce cut her hair like her own. Soon after, Luce spots Daniel Grigori, who she is immediately attracted to. More odd than that, she feels as though this isn't her first time seeing him. When Daniel spots Luce, he gets wide-eyed right before smiling and gallantly flipping her off. Even though he was rude to her, Luce continually finds herself thinking about him and looking for him. That is until she has a run-in with Molly, who quickly welcomes her to school with a big plate of meatloaf over her head. However, thanks to Molly, Luce is introduced to Penn - the late school caretaker's daughter who decides to stay at Sword & Cross because that's where her father is buried. Although a little eccentric, Penn turns out to be a good information source for Luce. Luce and Daniel talk every once in a while, but each time she's left even more confused than before. A little less than a hundred pages into the novel, you have your first big scene of action that kind of puts the whole novel into swing - before then, it's just a bunch of introductions, Cam flirting with Luce, and you sort of get an idea of why Luce is in Sword & Cross. However, it's never really fully fleshed out in the story, which either may be a hole in the plot or something the author plans on telling in the next book. Either way, you know enough to know there was a tragic accident, she was blamed for it, and now she's in a boarding school with other "troubled teens". I'm going to stop with the play-by-play, but I will say that as the story unravels, you figure out that a lot of people are not what they seem. You also get the whole story on why Daniel seems so familiar to Luce, as well as a big back story on why they may never be able to be together.

Alright, I'll admit ... I judged a book by its cover - bad. Reading the blurb on the back, I didn't really think there would be anything all that intriguing in the book. Why? I thought it would just be a book where you follow a girl who drools over some really hot guy the whole time and that's about it. I have to say that I was definitely wrong. The story is pretty wonderful. As I said in my review for Evernight, the cover would fit better on that. However, not every book has a cover that fits well with the story itself. So, I'll say that, as just a cover, it's an attention-grabber and it's very beautiful. And really, what's better than being a proud owner of a good book with a gorgeous cover? The prologue to the story is actually a flashback, with unnamed characters, but you quickly understand it as the story goes along - and it does it's job as a prologue by catching your attention, making you want to read more. The plot? As mentioned, it does have some holes and you will have some questions after you read the novel. Since it is a part of a series, I am hoping the author will fix that by answering the questions later on in the series. So, I'm going to be lenient on that until I read more of the series. I loved the characters and they fit their persona well - though I do think that Arriane lost a little of her spark as the story went along. I think she faded back a little too much and didn't keep her spunkiness that she originally started out with. There IS an epilogue that goes with the story. After you read it, you'll have a "Whhhhaaaat?!" moment, but it's a good one! It really gets your blood pumping for the next book. The writing is wonderful, as well as the point of view ... which follows Luce in third person, but you do get a grip on the surroundings too. I forgot to mention that the ending is a little heart-wrenching, but it's necessary and gets your hopes up for the sequel.

Rating: - It was a tough decision between three stars and four, but ultimately I do think this book is more of a four star read than three. It has a good plot, good characters, and it's a great read. There are some holes, but not enough holes to question the overall story itself or the characters. At the end of the book, you have a great grip on the story, the backstory, the characters, and a small hint of things to come. It's definitely a book that I would recommend to buy.

Summary: You could say that Fallen is about a girl who starts a new school and instantly falls for one of the hot guys there. However, it's much deeper than that. Fallen is on a whole new level about a girl who is basically re-introduced to someone that she loves, but is really forbidden to love. Once her past is revealed to her, it quickly turns into two forces fighting for the girl and the girl desperately trying to find a way to stay with the one she loves.

Target Audience: Again, this is another paranormal romance novel in the young adult genre. It's not about vampires, but another supernatural force. If you want a book that deals with some biblical themes (don't worry, it's not a Christian book - obviously!) mixed with a little horror and romance, then you'll like this book.

Source of Book: This book was a purchase I made for myself during one of my many bookstore raids.

Other Books By Author: Lauren Kate has another young adult book out called The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove. However, you won't find any paranormal in this one - it's more of the mystery/suspense types. There will also be a sequel to Fallen, it's called Torment - though I don't think it has a release date yet.

Review: Evernight, by Claudia Gray

Title: Evernight (Book #1, Evernight series)
Author: Claudia Gray
Pages: 352
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: June 01, 2008

Genre: Young Adult
Themes: boarding school, forbidden love, paranormal, vampires

Synopsis: (From GoodReads) Bianca wants to escape.

She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.

"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."

But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.

Additional Information: A sneak peek of the Evernight prologue can be read here.


My Review: The first chapter starts off with Bianca packing up a bag and planning to run away. Well, not so much run away ... but get away for a while to prove a point to her parents - she really doesn't want to attend Evernight. She's haunted by a dream that she has and that makes her literally start running from the school wants she sneaks out. During her run, she notices the figure of a man that starts running after her. Eventually, she is tackled and you are introduced to Lucas - who thought she was running from someone. They have a nice conversation and return back to school. From then until she meets him again, Bianca is pretty much obsessed with seeing Lucas again. She's the shy, quiet type that doesn't seem to know how to make friends, which makes her dependence on Lucas that much stronger. Bianca does eventually meet and make friends which includes Balthazar, who shows interest in Bianca. Bianca and Lucas eventually confess their feelings to one another, and then get in a fight on their first date away from Evernight. This leads into Balthazar taking Bianca to the Autumn Ball - where, for the first time, she feels like a part of the school. This leads into her thinking about Lucas and his unwillingness to fit it, which becomes too much for her and she asks to go outside with Balthazar. There, she tells him about her attraction to Lucas and Balthazar tells her they will remain friends. Enter Lucas, along with a twist that pretty much turns everything upside down for the reader. From here, I can't tell you much without some spoilers. However, I will say that you learn that Bianca fits more into the school than she admits, and her relationship with Lucas gets a lot more complicated as you continue to read on. Lucas also has a secret that is revealed later on that divides them even more. Well, for a little bit, anyways. ;)

I must say, I started reading this book with little hope because I wasn't all that impressed with the cover. Sure it's shiny and colorful, which is what attracted me to it, but after reading the book ... I honestly feel as though a cover like the one on Fallen might actually fit better. The prologue to the story doesn't give you a good start for the story, however it is an excerpt that is further along into the story - so it keeps you interested and wanting to read more. Your reading the story from Bianca's point of view, which is limited in some ways, but it's elaborate enough to let you know pretty much everything that is going on. The twist around chapter eight or so lets you know that Bianca knew something that wasn't told until then, but it did have that "OMG"-factor that made it worth it. The characters ... I loved them. They weren't too over-the-top, nor were they too vague. The only flaw I found was the whole neediness Bianca had for Lucas through about half of the book, but it did dwindle through the rest ... so, I'm chalking that one up to jitters of a new school. I also have a fond place in my heart for Balthazar, who is very mature and dependable throughout the whole book. The plot was decent and sets the series up well. The ending was very heart-warming and, again, set up for the next book. I don't think I can do this book justice with this review. I honestly can't believe that it's been out since 2008 and I have just now heard about it!

Rating: - In my heart of hearts, I have to give this book five stars. I know the book is cliche; yes it's another book about vampires and the forbidden teen love, yadda yadda yadda. The first 100 or so pages, while not really filled with any type of action and it's pretty predictable what type of school they're in, sets up the story well. Once the first big secret is out, you'll look back and think, "Why didn't I notice this?!" Maybe it should have been very obvious to me, but it wasn't ... and I absolutely love things that catch me off guard. After that, you have action, you get more background history, and you have a light read that keeps you reading until the very end. Ultimately, what made me give this book 5 stars is the one point in my rating system that was necessary for a 5 star book - after I was done, I immediately picked up my phone and sent my BFF a text to tell her she needs the book.

I told everyone from the beginning that I wasn't going to go into a book with comparisons to others, and hopefully I'm proving that with this first review. While I could have compared this to several books, I refuse to. It needs to be judged by what it is ... a book by a relatively new author that deserves a clean slate to start from.

Summary: This book is ultimately about a girl beginning a new school and finding that one true love that she knows she shouldn't love, but she cannot deny their attraction for one another. The story follows their struggles, along with revealing their true selves and what makes their love so forbidden.

Target Audience: People who love reading paranormal romances on a young adult level. If you like vampires and romance, you'll love this book.

Source of Book: This book was given to me as a Christmas gift.

Other Books By Author: Stargazer (Book #2 of Evernight series) is also available for purchase. As soon as I get through some other promised reviews, then I can promise that it will be added to my list as well. Claudia Gray also has a story in the Immortal: Love Stories With Bite and Vacations From Hell anthologies.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme that is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. It's actually pretty simple to do, and it's a wonderful way to get people in to new books!

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser from this week comes from The Van Alen Legacy, Book 4 in the Blue Bloods series by Melissa De La Cruz.



*Warning: There's a little more than two sentences in my teaser.*

"I can never leave," Dylan said. "You're stuck with me."
"Can I?" she asked, holding out her hand. She put it up against his, hoping. But she felt nothing. Air. He was smoke and mirrors. Air and light. A memory. A ghost.
He wasn't real. This wasn't real.

Wrap-Up! 01/08-01/11

Contests/Giveaways!

- Win The Lonely Hearts Club @ The Book Muncher.
- 50 Followers Contest @ Reversing The Monotony.
- The Red Umbrella ARC from Christina Gonzalez.

Reviews!

- The Adventures of Hardy Belch by William G. Bentrim @ Book Visions.
- A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh @ All About {n}.
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins @ The Book Scout.
- Sweethearts by Sara Zarr @ Ashley's Bookshelves.
- Candor by Pam Bachorz @ Harlequin Twilight's Book Blog.
- Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl @ Good Books & Good Wine.
- Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder @ Hope's Bookshelf.
- A Certain Slant Of Light by Laura Whitcomb @ Late Bloomer Online.
- Captivate by Carrie Jones @ Books By Their Cover.
- Graceling by Kristin Cashore @ WORD for Teens.
- Flyaway by Lucy Christopher @ Wondrous Reads.
- Blue Moon by Alyson Noel @ Everything To Do With Books.
- Liar by Justine Larbalestier @ Juiciliciousss Reviews.
- Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman @ The Book Explorer.
- Gone by Michael Grant @ Pure Imagination.
- Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer @ Book Journal.
- Night by Elie Wiesel @ Handle Like Hendrix.
- Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl @ So Many Books, So Little Time.
- 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson @ Penultimate Page.
- Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles @ Page Turner.
- Fire by Kristin Cashore @ Reverie Book Reviews.
- Captivate by Carrie Jones @ Dark Faerie Tales.
- Dream Girl by Lauren Mechling @ Ramblings Of A Teenage Bookworm.
- Shadowland by Alyson Noel @ Monster of Books.
- Give Up The Ghost by Megan Crewe @ Pirate Penguin's Reads.
- My Soul To Lose by Rachel Vincent @ Once Upon A Bookcase.
- Gone by Lisa McMann @ So Many Books, So Little Time.
- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt @ Opinionated? Me?
- Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves @ Zoe's Book Reviews.
- The Naughty List by Suzanne Young @ So Many Books, So Little Times.
- Wish You Were Dead by Todd Strasser @ Serenehours.
- Magic Study by Maria V Snyder @ Book Journal.
- Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George @ All About {n}.
- The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan @ Page Turner.
- Dark Secrets 1 by Elizabeth Chandler @ Reading Rocks.
- Swoon by Nina Malkin @ Rhiannon Hart.

Interviews!

- Simon & Schuster Publicist Interview @ Once Upon A Bookcase.
- Deadtown Author Nancy Holzner @ All Things Urban Fantasy. *Includes Deadtown Giveaway*
- Rosalind Wiseman @ The Bookologist.

Miscellaneous!

- Manic Monday Recap @ All About {n}.
- Graceling vs Fire (Kristin Cashore) Debate @ Reverie Book Reviews.
- The Grand Opening of Eve's Fan Garden!
- Beefcake Monday @ Gena Showalter's Blog. *I wouldn't normally post, but it's Kellan Lutz!*
- Debut Spotlight of Wish by Alexandra Bullen @ He Followed Me Home ... Can I Keep Him?
- January 12 YA Releases @ YA Bliss.
- Highlights of the Harry Potter series @ Lisa The Nerd. *Spoiler Alert!*

Birthdays!
- 1 Year @ Just Your Typical Book Blog!