I was intrigued that the prologue was in the third-person while the rest of the novel was presented in a first-person narrative. The story itself was interesting and the characters' narratives were compelling and engaging. I really enjoyed the world and would love to read more by this author in the future.

It was a fun read! I had a good time reading it tho i feel like it was missing something, that’s why i couldn’t give it 5 stars! I would still recommend it to anyone because I was still entertained reading it! Liked the story and the characters. The relationships felt a little bit rushed though.

This had the potential to be a really interesting book. The plot of the story intrigued me but I couldn't get fully invested in the characters. Predictable MC fears what she is taught to hate and what happens is somewhat predictable.

It’s a unusual time when you’re reading a book about a pandemic while living thru one .
A thought provoking read . It brought out a myriad of emotion s on so many levels.

Delirium . Trouble breathing .a general lack of well being . Discoloring of the veins. Muscle pain . This is all the symptoms of the indigo death also know as the blot. It took a little while to figure out the root cause of the disease. Ink . Knowledge . Books . All this breeds the deadly and life threading indigo death. As a country we must cleanse ourselves of knowledge, symbols , takes even the most exotic or cautionary may cause the blot .
Whenever the disease was discovered, the home was burned. This is where we find young Shae . She’s tying blue ribbons to a old oak tree waiting... waiting for those to burn her home down . Burn life as she know it for her and her mother away.
Five years later Shae is struggling at life and feels herself cursed . This starts the catalyst of the story .Shae returns to find her mother murdered . Which the authorities deny , then act as I’df Shae is crazy. This makes her look for the truth .... I can’t wait for you to find out !

DNF @ 30%
Sorry, but his just wasn't for me. Teenage me probably would have devoured it, which is why I'm still giving it an average rating, as I'm well aware I am not the target audience of this book. I found the characters and world very underdeveloped, and the entire set up felt very formulaic. Unfortunately it just didn't hold my interest.

Hush by Dylan Farrow

3.5 out of 5 Stars

***ARC received from Wednesday Books and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***

When I saw that Dylan Farrow had written a book I knew I had to read it, particularly after I had read the description, but more on that later.

Shae is a 17 y/o living in a struggling town that is mostly an outcast in her own city. Blot took her brother years ago but the fear from citizens that once its touched a family it may manifest itself again. After the death of her mother, Shae leaves her town when she realizes that there is something amiss and the truth may not be as easy to find.

Much of this book is about finding out the truth and who it is that you are truly trust. There are points in the story that Shea even begins to question herself, what is truth and who is it that she is able to believe. The book spends a great deal of time at High House, where the Bards live and train. There is a lot of potential but it never really goes as far as it could. I do hope that it gets explored more in the next book, how did the Bards come so fully into control. Shae herself is an okay character, she runs head first into things that sometimes work out a little too well in her favor, I would like to see her fail a little more with true consequences.

The rest of the characters are just kind of there, Ravod has the potential with an interesting backstory and motivation I look forward to seeing how he develops. The rest are hit or miss, the villain is predictable yet that was expected with the story that was being told. I hope with the second book that it expends into characters and allows them more development, particularly Shae now that she is more comfortable with who she is and what she is capable of.

World building was also hit and miss. There are some really great concepts presented, a world outside of High House that doesn’t get fully explored. Also would like to see the magic system explored more. There is the possibility of it being much more darker than what we see but this book is the first of at least two, so it lays the groundwork well.

Which brings me back to the author. While this book is a work of fiction, knowing Dylan Farrow’s story gives it a deeper feeling. I hate to tie an authors personal life into a book but I just can’t avoid it here. This is a book about the power of words but also in trusting yourself. Much like Shae’s world we can see our own world built within the story, where the words of powerful people outweigh the weaker and how they can even begin to make us doubt our own believes. Shae experiences this at times calling into doubt what she sees around her trying to exist in a world dominated by the power of men. There are few women in High House and much of their purpose seems to be be used until the next useful woman comes along.

For a debut novel this was a strong start with a lot of room left to explore.

This is a stunning debut novel that I hope gets a lot more attention for the story rather than the author's personal life. This is a favourite and a must-read for fantasy lovers!

HUSH is an enthralling YA fantasy that kept me guessing all the way through. In Montane, words have particular power, and writing and reading is forbidden because it can poison the body with a disease known as the Blot. Shae's brother was killed by the Blot, and her mother has never quite been the same, not speaking at all anymore. Shae and her mother are outcasts in Aster, where they live, as no one wants to associate with those who the Blot has touched.

Montane is ruled by Cathal and the Bards, a law enforcement-style group that also has the power of Telling, willing things into being through their words - including being able to save people from the Blot and make it rain, ending droughts. Bards tend to be men, and very few women possess the ability, which is not inherited but seems to be random.

After Shae's mother is murdered, she recognizes the weapon as one owned by the Bards. Even though everyone else seems to be telling her that she does not know what she saw and that the truth is otherwise, Shae is determined to find her mother's murderer. The path that she takes will lead her on a journey she could never have predicted with many twists and turns.

What I loved: This world absolutely fascinated me, and I love the ideas here. In this first book, the atmosphere is created, the mystery placed, but answers are slow coming. I was completely caught up in this book, and it definitely left me eager for the next book. There are some interesting themes about trust and judgement, and Shae has some hard lessons still to learn about guarding her heart and the cruelty of the world. Shae is an interesting character, driven by her moods and singular notions that lead her to rush headfirst into- sometimes bad- decisions. I loved her passion and her heart that are still learning and growing. She was an interesting character through whose eyes to view this world.

What left me wanting more: The only thing I wish is that I had more of everything. I wanted more of Shae in Astor, her dreams there, and the way that things happen in this world. I also wanted more of the build-up for romantic relationships, so I could understand why Shae made some of those decisions that she did. I also wanted to learn more about this world, its mythology, and the conflicting histories that are being suppressed. I am hoping we will get more answers in the next book, as I am very eager for more.

Final verdict: Overall, this is a captivating YA fantasy that kept me guessing all the way through. I am definitely interested in learning more about this world and characters in future books. Highly recommend for fans of Tricia Levenseller, Cassandra Clare, and Amanda Hocking.

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I had mixed feelings throughout this novel. The beginning dragged, and the characters felt flat. But, near 40% I was interested enough to stop considering DNFing and by the end convinced enough that I think I'll keep an eye out for the sequel. The world is interesting, and I enjoyed the conflict of madness later on. I found the 'plot twists' a little obvious. It was rather quick paced and a very easy fast read. Overall, an okay debut.

I’ll admit, the first thing I noticed about this book was the author’s name. Since the book sounded good, and I like the occasional fantasy, I thought I might as well see if I’d like a book by Dylan Farrow.

The book surprised me by how how engaging the story was. Usually, even with the best fantasy books, I don’t feel compelled to bury my face in the story without setting it aside quite often, but I honestly had a hard time putting this one down. The main character, Shae, is a rather plain female—which isn’t very common as most author’s portray their main female as being ravishing beauties. I liked this change of pace. I also liked that she was just a fairly normal girl with self doubts who went on to become a very strong female lead. When circumstances, and even people, seemed to be against her, Shae mustered the courage to keep trying. She also took her best friends advice to not always jump headfirst into action without thought and planning first—most of the time.

The other characters were well developed also. Emotions such as feelings of betrayal and and jealousies were shown by the characters actions and words. The scenes were often vivid enough that I could picture the surroundings in my mind.

For a debut book, this was incredibly well done, and I feel it deserves 5 stars.

I received an eARC of this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hush is a poignant story of what people are willing to believe and how far they will go for the truth.

Shae is a complex and powerful character who's internal struggles will be relatable to so many people around the world. The self doubt and the quest for justice and truth in a world spun with lies is one, that particularly in this moment in history, is so relevant.

The world in which this is set, is rich with history and mystery. The magic system and the plague that has taken over this world are both unique and intriguing. I look forward to the sequel.

Truth seekers and fighters for justice, will adore this story.

I cannot gush enough about HUSH! I loved it so much. Thank you to #netgalley for this ARC. Right from the start it was a pleasant surprise not to have a slow beginning! I am happy to report I was provided just the right amount of info at precisely the right pace. There was no info dump!! This magic system is fantastic. The art of "telling" is a captivating way to cast spells and control things around each character. I of course am partial to the written tellings. So frigging cool. Mix all of that with a strong main character that buffers her soul and spirit from gaslighting and repression what's not to love? Fantastic, bravo!

I thought the world Farrow created was interesting. A world without books! An amazing concept for a YA fantasy novel. Unfortunately, some aspects of the plot fell flat for me.

I was initially really excited to read this book, but it’s all over the place.
I realise it’s a debut novel, but it reads as if it hasn’t had any editing guidance at all.
Things happen out of the blue, with little to no explanation, things switch and change and don’t make sense.
Shea is an infuriatingly naïve character who is supposed to be strong, but comes off as a little dense.
The journey of this book happens all too easily, with things just coming to Shea magically.
It’s simple, and the world building is weak. Nothing is really explained and just happens.
The writing style is also clunky as hell, with literally everything told to you and so many adverbs.
Ya fantasy is not an easy genre to dip one’s toes in, but I’m afraid this falls so short.

I would have liked this book a lot more ten years ago.

There wasn't anything in particular that was devastatingly wrong with it... it was just incredibly generic. It followed the basic hackneyed YA plotline that has oversaturated the market in recent years: lonely poor girl discovers a hidden ability and is subsequently thrust into a new world of learning and intrigue. This book was a quick and easy read, but there was nothing that stood out to me as particularly unique or memorable. I kept going, hoping against hope that there would be SOMETHING to surprise me and to make me laugh at how foolish I was to fall for such an easy trap of believing in patterns.

This book was... okay. If you haven't read a million books with the plot described above, then you might like it. If you're okay with insta-love upon meeting a boy who seems to have no interesting qualities for the narrator to mention other than repeating how handsome he is. And does he *gasp* have a traumatic past experience that explains why he is so dark and moody and unable to let another human soul closer than an arm's length? You'll have to read it to find out!

Barring some astronomical reviews and recommendations from friends, I doubt I will continue this series.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Hush drew my attention likely for the same reason most people were drawn to it: it was the debut novel by Dylan Farrow, daughter of Mia Farrow, who has most notably been in the headlines for speaking out, along with her mother and brother, Ronan, against Woody Allen about the abuse she allegedly faced at his hands. And while the publisher is likely banking on people picking it up out of curiosity due to said headlines, and perhaps out of some solidarity with her for finding another way to tell her story, this isn’t another celebrity kid vanity project, as like her brother, Ms. Farrow is very talented in her own right.

Her prose is engaging, and while her messaging of fighting against propaganda is very on-the-nose (even without the author’s note), she clearly has some good ideas here that can be developed into more complex ones as she goes on in the series (a sequel is scheduled to release in 2021).

Shae is a fairly compelling, if somewhat standard YA fantasy protagonist. I did resonate with her and what she faced, but I didn’t feel like there was enough to distinguish her from the traits of other major YA SFF protagonists fighting against oppression.

And even for a YA fantasy, which doesn’t often have complex world building or magic systems, it didn’t feel like it was immersive enough. I wanted more exploration into both, aside from maybe a few name drops that sounded like countries and stuff vaguely explained as “magic!”

However, I can see Dylan maturing into a great writer with time. I’m curious to see where she takes this series and if it can grow from there, and any other writing endeavors she may take on in the future. If you are familiar with her story, and were considering trying it, I would recommend it, as long as you aren’t looking for something overly complex.

For me, a book is broken or made by the characters. If I find the character interesting I will follow them on any adventure. Shae was unfortunately not that kind of character for me and made this hard to read. The world was generally interesting though and I was interested in learning more about Telling and how it worked but even her training felt brief and was not as in-depth as I would have liked.

I understand Shae has had a hard life and was just looking for anyone to believe her and show her kindness but the villain was so obviously the villain that it made it hard to read their interactions. I often found myself thinking Shae was being reckless (to then be told again that her friend told her she doesn't think things through) and just too trusting of people that have done nothing to earn it. All the other characters were singular focused and we didn't get more on them than just some surface level characterization. I also felt like a lot of the dialog felt generic.

I will say the interactions with the villain were partially explained at end so I did appreciate actually reading the entire story. I believe that the sequel might be more interesting now that Shae has grown a bit more as a character. I, however, don't see myself reading it. This cover is stunning though and I admire the reasoning behind why Dylan wrote this story just wish it had been better executed.

I tried to like this book, but I could not figure out this book. In the beginning I felt I had a handle on what was going on, the world the author was trying to create, and the challenges Shae was facing. But once Shae left her home to try to find answers and her place in the world, the book seemed to become a completely different story. Everything took a sharp turn and I felt completely confused. Things began to happen that didn't make much sense, and the world the author was creating felt very different from the world in the beginning of the book. Character development really took a back-seat, and I didn't have much of a connection to the characters. When I put the book down I did not want to pick it back up. I did not enjoy this book and would not recommend it.

I was so excited to get to review an electronic advanced readers copy of Hush by Dylan Farrow. Hush is a dystopian young adult fantasy novel. It is the first in its series which is always tricky to do. You need to have world building. You need character development. You need enough closure to feel accomplished but enough open ends and a bit of a cliffhanger to motivate you to want to continue the series. Hush had all of that. It did take me a bit to catch on, but I kept going and felt the payoff was worth it. Hush is a really solid debut novel and I think it will find its audience.

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the gifted copy.

In the world of Hush, ink, the suspected origin of a deadly plague, has been declared the enemy of humankind and outlawed. The keepers of the law, High House and its magical soldiers called bards, roam the world, rooting out those who break the law and rewarding those who bend to their will.

"Our history shows that vigilance and caution are tantamount to survival. Burn the ink from the page. Turn away from forbidden words, toxic tales, and deadly symbols. Cleanse the country of this malignant blight. Join us."

Shae lost her brother to the mysterious plague early in her life and her family has been outcast from her small village since. When tragedy once again darkens her family's doorstep, what will Shae do not only to seek justice for her brother but, potentially, the whole world?

The premise of Hush had some interesting ideas, but this debut, young adult novel suffers from wooden characters and predictable plot twists.

"The Bards arrive today." The Bards. Suddenly I feel as though the house has been encased in ice. The town elders say there's power in words- that certain phrases can change the world around you."

Weakness in the character development aside, Shae is a strong protagonist who struggles to create her own reality which differs quite markedly from the reality that her small town has imagined for her. Teens might connect with her more strongly than I did, which is to say, not at all.

I'm not sure what it was. Maybe I'm suffering from YA dystopian reading burnout?

Instead of appreciating Shae for her flaws which include falling in love too quickly, trusting everybody and pushing all her friends away the moment she could really use their help, I found myself annoyed with her.

"I spent countless nights lying awake, staring at the austere wooden beams of the ceiling, trying to figure out if I was mad or cursed- or both."

Be smarter, I thought. The odds are stacked against you, and you need to pay attention, not fall for the first stranger you meet who has a dreamy pair of eyes.

But as I said, I'm definitely not the intended audience for the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy.