This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Not a bad read, but not blow my socks off either. I found the narrative somewhat underdeveloped and rushed at points. Similarly, characters were one dimensional and lacked a lot of substance. There was moments of excitement that kept me reading but I feel this book just needed a little more time in the oven.

Thank you to Netgalley and ST. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this arc in exchange of an honest review.

I received this e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Shae, aged 17, lives in the poor village of Aster with her mother. The townspeople believe her to be cursed because her brother died of the horribly painful disease, the Blot, five years earlier. Her father died soon after from a heart condition and her mother stopped speaking altogether. The only ones in the village who will talk to her are her best friend Fiona and her sometimes boyfriend Mads. Shae take comfort in her embroidery, which can manifest in the real world. Things change when her mother is murdered with a golden dagger that could only belong to the Bards, the gifted ones who control the people through magical Tellings. Shae tries to find justice for her mother but only succeeds in making herself more of an outcast. She leaves her town to go to High House, the home of the Bards, to find the answers she seeks. While there, she finds out there are more secrets than what happened to her mother. Is any place safe?
This debut YA fantasy novel from Dylan Farrow (yes, that Dylan Farrow!) pulls from her real life. Be sure to read the afterword. She’s off to a good start – keeping the reader engaged, waiting to see what happens next. There are some slow and confusing parts but her storytelling makes up for it. A sequel is in the works so be prepared to wait. I would recommend this title for 7th grade and up.
#Hush #NetGalley

I don't know if it's because I'm in a reading slump or what but I just couldn't get into the book. Maybe it explains more as it goes along but I was confused and didn't understand why some words were "bad" and others weren't. I didn't think the writing was bad just felt the explanation and story was a little lacking. I didn't feel any real connection to the characters. I do feel like others will enjoy this more than I did.

3.5 ⭐️
Starting this book I honestly thought my rating was going to be lower because I am not in love with the time period it is set in. Especially with the setting of the world in the beginning, but the setting gets better when Shae starts going to going to a school for Bards. And once we are in this new setting everything gets better. But, with getting further into the story it starts to get very predictive. Everything that happens after Shae leaves her hometown is not surprising because it has a similar plot line and outcome as other books I’ve read. Even though this book was very predictable, it was still gripping and enjoyable to read. The characters it started with only the main character being likable or enjoyable to see. And the relationship that starts to grow in this book, has a funny start to show that a romance is going to start. Overall, even though this was very predictable and it took a while for me to get into the story, I thought this was a fun read.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and here is my honest opinion:
The beginning of the story gets you invested right away. Not only is there detailed world building, but you immediately wanting more from the story! I was hooked early on and I was flipping through the pages before I realized I was at the end of the story. I really enjoyed this book and hope this won’t be the last I hear about Shae! I will be keeping an eye on this author to read more of her work because I absolutely love her writing style.

First of all, thank you so much to Wednesday books for sending me an ARC of Hush!

What initially drew me into Hush was just the simple idea of magical bards. obviously, there's a lot more to this, but you use the word bard, and I'm basically there for it!

Hush follows Shae, who's mother's tongue was cut out for telling the old stories and who's brother died from the Blot, an ink disease. The bards basically bless villages and towns throughout the kindgom, but Shae's home is falling apart, and they desperately need rain.

The magic system was kind of weird. I loved the idea of bards, but these are definitely not your stereotypical bards, so it was actually a bit disappointing. I also felt that shae lacked a bit in character development. She latches onto a mysterious bard she meets in Aster. The romance was kind of awful, and I really wanted her to stay with Mads!

I really enjoyed the first 50 pages, and some of the middle, but seriously struggled through the second half of the book. So, yeah, I dunno, this had serious promise and it's a gorgeous cover, but it didn't really deliver!

3.5 stars

Absolutely adored the worldbuilding. The very first chapter draws you into this world where, in a pandemic, feels VERY similar to life right now. Cannot wait to see what else Dylan Farrow brings to the table in her next book!

**I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am on the fence about many things in this book. The magic system and the idea of Bards who keep a contagion in check is really what drew me to Hush. What I enjoyed about it was the unique explanations of the entire system that this country revolves around to keep it safe. I found myself interested to know more about how it works.

However, I didn't really get any of that. What I did get was confusing. The magic system was explained, but I still had a lot of questions that weren't quite covered. I liked our main character, Shae, but I always felt like she was a little one sided and not quite fleshed out. That could also be because she started drastically changing in the last few chapters, so I'll ignore that for now. I'm interested to see what additions and questions could be answered in the next book in this series.

I don't think I found it as fleshed out as I wanted, but I did enjoy reading the last half.

Despite the promising nature of this book and the hype surrounding it, I was quickly disappointed in Hush. Dylan Farrow has a story here, that can’t be denied, but that execution and delivery of it falls flat. Within the first 30% we’re subjected to minimal world building, a confusing inciting incident, and morally whacked characters, it’s no surprise that I gave up shortly after. I am truly confused how this will become a series if the pacing doesn’t keep interest at this point. I know the intent was to be deep, thought provoking, and intriguing, but every attempt didn’t connect. The language, albeit beautiful, didn’t do anything other than look pretty. I will definitely try future novels by Farrow because I do have hope that the writing will improve. However, I am not impressed with Hush. Normally, I write more positive reviews, but there is very little I enjoyed while reading this.

I couldn't get into this one at all. Another case of maybe if I was younger, maybe if I was less picky, maybe if I read less of the genre. Nothing about the beginning of this book made it feel unique to me. I didn't connect at all to the main character. The world building felt like dozens of similar books I've read. I just couldn't get into it.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books.

This book is so beautifully written! I loved it. I'll admit to not entirely understanding the magicsystem but it wasn't a roadblock to enjoying the book.

I really liked Shae and her determination.

I was lucky to get to hear Dylan Farrow talk at the Student Library Journal's Day of Dialog, and when I saw Hush here i knew I had to be an early reader. Hush provides a new take on YA fantasy, giving me vibes similar to Alice Broadway's Ink trilogy - which is incredible praise. A powerful female protagonist going up against a government/regime to right the way things have been is my usual corner of YA and Hush satisfied. It took me a bit to get into, but it's worth the wait.

A stark and emotionally charged tale of one girl’s battle to be heard in a world shuttered by fear, magic and deceit. Will the truth set Shae free or will it be her demise?

Dylan Farrow’s HUSH is a dark and edgy foundation to a young adult fantasy series with a strong female lead in a world that is both confusing and filled with cover-ups. Is anything as it seems or has everything Shae has known been a lie? The action is in the charged environment created by this author as we follow Shae’s determination, her seemingly fearless demeanor and her inner strength.

A magnetic read with an ominous feel. A good start to what appears to be a powerful series.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Wednesday Books! This is my honest and voluntary review.

There are so many intriguing ideas in this book! It is set in a world where literacy is made to seem dangerous and magic is used as propaganda. I think this is so clever and I was invested in what was happening. It did not land completely for me (I will expound below) but I not unhappy that I read it. In fact, I want to know what happens next!

As I mentioned above, the world this book creates has me all in. The ideas were unique. The magic, however, was a wee bit confusing. I am still now quite clear on how Telling (the magic in the book) works, but I can roll with it since I just want to know what happens.

Probably my greatest frustration with the book was with the main character. I just did not like her. She makes terribly obvious terrible decisions (did you follow me there?) and her abilities felt unearned. Honestly, all that happens to her felt unearned. I was so frustrated by her that it was a distraction to my overall enjoyment of the book.

If the main character had not been so unlikable for me, I think I would have enjoyed the book so much more. That said, maybe she is going to grow in the next one. It could just get better from here. There is no place to go but up! Bring on the adventures I say.

I sat down intending to start reading this novel and instead inhaled it over the course of several hours without stopping.

Hush is a story about knowing your truth, learning to trust yourself, and use your voice, all set against the backdrop of a fantasy world where things are rapidly degrading while those in power pretend it isn't happening.

From the first few pages where we get a look at a world where words have power, and writing is forbidden you're transported to another world. Shae is a riveting protagonist, and the writing is concise and full of personality. I never quite knew what was going to happen next, but Dylan Farrow weaves an intricate and blood-chilling story that grabbed hold of me and refused to let go.

If you want a cold twisty fantasy full of intrigue, a desperate search for the truth, and finding your people along the way, this is the one to read!

Fantastic book. I loved every page. This book just blew my expectations for it. Lived up to all the hype that I saw for this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me a copy of this book for review.

What a whirlwind! Hush grabbed me right from the beginning and never let go! I instantly felt a connection to Shae, our main character who grows so much throughout the course of the story. Underestimated, disregarded, and ultimately shunned, she comes into her own and discovers the strength she had within her all along. After her younger brother dies from an illness known as the Blot three years ago, Shae and her mother live live as outsiders in their town named Aster. Shae had been feeling as though she's going mad, so when the Bards come to town to collect their tithe, she decides to talk to them about curing her. Things don't go as planned, and by the end of the day her mother is killed with a dagger that is only yielded by Bards. Thus, Shae's journey begins, and the story only grows from there.

I think the only real issue I had with Hush, which is why I bumped it down to four stars, was pacing. There were moments in the novel where things were really picking up, and moments where it dragged. I felt as though this book could've even benefited from being a little longer because the ending felt a bit rushed. It did not impact my enjoyment of the story, however. I would definitely recommend to fans of young adult, feminist stories, fantasy lovers, or anyone who just simply enjoys a good story with strong characters that come into their own.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an awesome review.

When I read the blurb, I was really curious how this author was going to write this world. I mean, a world where words are magic and written words are pretty much forbidden? Count me in.

The author did not disappoint.

I was utterly entrenched in this world. I was so fascinated that I finished it within two days of picking it up. I struggled to put this book down and read until midnight last night eagerly devouring this book.

It was so worth it.

I loved the naive main character and her life as an outsider. Loved the range of emotions and emotional walls with Ravod. Imogen, Mads, and Kennan were real treats.

The fact I could list almost all of the characters should tell you that I liked all of them. They were built with depth, especially the main two characters. I could try to figure out them two for days.

The love interest was just enough to interest me and left me wanting more. No kissing or sighing, or twisting of locks. No handsy man. He was actually adorably noble and respected her space.

It was a refreshing change of pace to go from one book where the guy couldn’t keep his hands off her and another who actually respected her and her space. Sweet and refreshing is what the romance in the book is. I love them two together too.

Anyway, the end was kind of a cliffhanger and ended at a good stopping point.

There was only one nitpick I had and it was the pacing near the end was kinda off. Parts of it were predicable.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. I just might buy this book for my class and one for myself. Either way, I look forward to reading more by this author, especially diving in deeper into this wonderfully fascinating world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books of St. Martin's Press for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was drawn to Hush immediately by its gorgeous cover and so the expectations were high going in and I am satisfied to say that it was not a disappointment. I was hooked within the first chapter and before I knew it I was nearly halfway through in just a couple hours time. I will say that it began to lose some of the luster for me in the latter half of the book but still maintained a solid storyline with intriguing characters and an enchanting magical element not quite like anything I have read before. With some stronger character building and deeper delving in to the magical aspect and how it works, this would have been easily a 5 star read for me but as it sits I will rate it 4 stars. For a debut novel I say the author has done very well and with some growth and further exploration in to this world and its workings I can see this being a hugely successful epic saga.