Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Title: Hush, Hush	Loved it	Graded
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: Simon and Schuster,
Elements: Angels
Series: Book 1 of the Hush, Hush series

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.

For months I debated writing this review, and for months the storyline lingered in my mind. That must be a testament to how much I liked this book. That doesn't mean that I think this book is flawless, though, because it's not.

One of the points I'll touch on are the characters. Nora comes across as a naive girl, even at times stupidly so. She's book smart, but she's not street smart. Patch is the jerk that girls love, and then complain about once they get dumped, even though they know all the while that he's playing with them. As you all know, these two fall for each other.

I loved the fact that Nora was innocent and nice, even though I didn't agree with many of the things she did. In one scene, she was duped by a homeless lady, giving her coat away in the freezing winter just to get some information on Patch. I did think that it was a mindlessly naive action. But unreasonable? No. She definitely had her reasons for doing so.

Those characteristics in a girl are definitely unique, at least in the books I currently read. Nora is not a smart ass, all knowing, brave in your face teenager. And you know what? That's not wrong at all. It was nice reading about a sweet, innocent girl who falls for an asshole. If she likes an asshole, so be it.

The supporting characters were an amazing addition. My favourites definitely had to be everyone on the fallen angel side. The romance in HUSH, HUSH was beautifully written, leaving readers with breathless anticipation and delivering with scenes (well, one scene) that were steamy yet not risque at the same time. And the action was a main constant, with readers getting introduced to all the important places in Nora and Patch's lives. When the climax happened, it was not unexpected yet it did not seem contrived. While it's not a particularly memorable climax, it fit nicely in the storyline.

As one of the first books with fallen angels as the central theme, HUSH, HUSH sets a high standard for all books of that genre to follow.

Now let's talk about the physical book. The cover is of course gorgeous. My one pet peeve is that when I'm reading my copy of the UK version of HUSH, HUSH, the space between the lines and the space between the story and the title of the book in the bottom center is quite similar, such that my eyes immediately go to the title. It's distracting, and breaks the flow of the story. Mayhaps there could be some changes in future prints of HUSH, HUSH.