This book about seeking truth and perseverance in the face of overwhelming resistance grabbed me from the beginning. #hush is set in a totally original world built on a hierarchy of power and unquestioning loyalty. However one girl, Shae, and her loyal friends are not following the accepted path. This book is full of drama, confusion, love and betrayal and then reversals on what you think you know. I so enjoyed this and can’t wait for the next installment! Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this before publication in exchange for an honest review. Well done!

It has long been understood that words have power. Words can topple governments and birth new nations. Words can halt executions and order imprisonment. What if, though, words made us physically sick? What if the very exposure to words, ink, books could give us a deadly disease. Dylan Farrow creates a world in which this is exactly the case in Hush. Shae struggles to reconcile the death of her beloved younger brother from the Blot, the ink sickness, to her own alienation and struggle to survive. Shae, however, is stronger than she realizes. Any reader who has felt imprisoned by the words and stories that others create will find a world that is both familiar and intriguing. Don't miss this one!

Hush was beautiful - draws you in right away and keeps you turning the pages. Deeply compelling, rich development, and realistic feeling environments. I really can't wait to read more from this author! Very highly recommend!

An imaginative debut by an author I will keep an eye on! Hush is clever and well written and I liked the world building, though there were aspects which felt a little familiar. That being said, I found the story and characters engaging and could definitely read this author again.

This book was surprising to me. I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book. The story was interesting and kept me reading. I just wish the world had been more throughly developed. I wanted more depth and more substance. This was fun and intriguing.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hush was beyond amazing. Finally an ARC that delivered! I seriously loved everything and anything about this book. The characters were written so freaking well and damn likable. Then there's the twist and turns that kept me engaged. Ugh, the ending was so good that I seriously need the next book STAT!

In it, you will meet Shae and she's pretty bad ass in every way possible. She's living in a world where a deadly disease is spreading out and killing people. Sound familiar? After losing her brother and mother, she has to figure out who she can and can't trust with certain but powerful information.

Besides the action and magic, we get little hints of romance! Ugh, again, I absolutely loved and enjoyed everything about this book. It was so easy to devour every little thing and just be completely invested. Each twist and turn made this a page turner and I just wanted to see what was going to happen to Shae next.

That being said, I'm beyond excited to dive into the next book. I just hope that I don't have to wait too long until it's available to read.

I really liked the premiss of this book! The storyline was interesting and unique and the characters were well-developed. I liked the world building that went into this book and thought that it was detailed enough for me to really visualize it.
That said I didn't really get the magic system. I think that it could have been explored more and that it wasn't very clear to the reader. The other thing that I didn't love about the book was that the flow was off at times.
Despite that, it was an overall good book. I would definitely read more of this world.

I tought This book was at first amazing. the storyline was good, I liked the main character, Shae, and I tought it would be an incredible read. But then...a few things started to botter me, It bottered me that some thing in this world are just never explained, some term, like "bard", or that sickeness that people kept dying of, that the author did not botter to explain or detail, I felt like the more I read, the more these little things that are not explained were difficult to imagine. Sometimes, when I read a fantasy novel, i know I will have to imagine things that do not exist in our world, but it helps to have at least a bit of information.What is a "telling"? no idea… so the more I read, the more I lost interest. I finished it, but it was a struggle.

Given the global pandemic happening while I tried repeatedly to read this book it was hard for me to get into and it was hard to pretend that all wasn't happening outside my apartment while on quarantine. Overall, I'm sure this book is well done and if I could read it and not thinking of what's happening in the world I might've enjoyed it more. It was a fine book, but it definitely wasn't for me. Not at this time in my life.

I almost did not finish this one after the first couple of chapters, but I'm so glad I kept going. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, and I stayed uo half the night reading it. I couldn't put it down.

This is a very well written piece of fiction and a fantastic debut! Hush follows Shae, who believes that she and her family are cursed. After her mother is murdered, Shae heads to High House, the home of the Bards, for answers. Instead, she is offered to train as a Bard. However, Shae soon learns that High House isn't at all what it seems....

Farrow has created such a creative world for Shae to live in. There's plenty of mystery and secrets to keep you guessing. I really enjoyed Shae's perspective on things and her determination to find out the truth. I do think the plot was a bit predictable, but I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing. The book was an entertaining read and kept my attention the whole way through.

I also believe Farrow was real talent in writing. I love her writing style and the pacing of the book plot-wise. I think the end was tidied up a bit quickly. However, since there is likely going to be a second book, it's not a huge dealbreaker for me. It just keeps you wanting more if anything. I also would've loved more development between Shae and Ravod. I felt like that "relationship" was a bit rushed (at least on Shae's end).

Overall, I am excited to see what happens next in this story!

This was a great read and perfect for lovers of kingdom fantasy. The world building was original and centers around the idea that the written word can carry danger. Only those deemed worthy are brought into the Bards, a veritable army of men decreeing who gets to exist all while enjoying lavish lifestyles and ordering tithes from poor, unknowing towns. And here is the interesting part, the Bards are gifted with a kind of magic called the Telling, which can create illusions in place of reality. Of course there are very few women as Bards because the Telling leads to higher risk of insanity ... but could this just be another way an army of men controls the magic, the written word, literacy, and women? And does Gondal, a kingdom of safety and freedom from the strong arm of the Bards truly exist?

A fantasy tale that drives you on with a fast-paced plot and excitement at every turn. I read this well into the wee hours of the morning! Fans of Adalyn Grace's "All the Stars and Teeth" will likely enjoy this series as well, though there is no sea-adventuring.

After her brother dies of the Blot, an ink-born plague, Shae lives as an outcast. Previously, her mother was murdered and the only clue to her death is the murder weapon, the golden dagger. A weapon commonly associated with the Bards, the only group of beings who can read and write and create disasters and other misfortunes for people to solve her mom’s murder, Shae abandons her friend, Fiona, and suitor, Mads, to sneak into the Bard’s stronghold and join the academy. Will she succeed in getting justice for her family? This dystopic-set fantasy adventure has an interesting premise and characters. The plot is engaging and draws the readers into the story. Although some aspects of it are not fully developed, readers who enjoy fantasy adventure will want to pick this one up.
Please note: This was a complementary review copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Actual rating: 3.5

Dylan Farrow's debut YA fantasy, Hush, delves into a world wracked with plague, famine, and destruction. Writing and reading are strictly forbidden, as are specific words, phrases, and stories. Words have power, and Bards are those who can harness the power of words and perform Tellings, shaping the world to their will. Shae, a teenaged girl who lives in a small village, finds that something is wrong with her, after already having lost her brother to the Blot. When her mother is murdered, Shae seeks out the Bards for aid, and winds up training to become one. The story has many twists, turns, secrets, and lies that Shae will have to figure out.

I found the concept of word-based magic to be really exciting, if not particularly novel. I was eager to see what Farrow would do with this sort of magic system. I wound up a little underwhelmed with that aspect of the story in general as the power system was never firmly defined or established. The magic and the ability to do magic was available when the plot called for it, but failed as the plot called for it also. Even power levels of specific characters tended to fluctuate as needed, and generally be inconsistent.

The characters themselves seemed to be very surface level characters where back story seemed to be limited for everyone except perhaps Shae and Ravod as needed. Mads, Fiona, and Kennan all fell into supporting character positions, and I use that term specifically because a side character would have additional purpose other than to support the main character, their growth, and the main plotline. I don't believe they did.

That all being said, this was a quick read, and was enjoyable to read. I don't think this story will strike as particularly memorable, but I'm happy to have spent the time with it that I did. If I had access to the sequel right now, I would certainly continue, particularly with how the book ended.

I look forward to seeing what else Dylan Farrow comes out with in the future, in this or other worlds.

This book's beautiful cover and intriguing premise immediately caught my attention on NetGalley, and I was thrilled to receive an ARC.

Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this novel.  Although it's described as a powerful feminist fantasy, it didn't feel like one.  With the exception of one character, every female Shae encounters is either undermining her or turning their back on her.  She's mostly on her own in a male-dominated environment, and her impulsive decision-making usually results in her having to be rescued by a man.  I'd hoped for more girl power.

The world-building and magic system are creative and interesting, but I never felt like I had a clear understanding of the Tellings and how they're different for each Bard or related to the Blot.  Missed connections.  Early in the story mention is made of unspeakable words by citizens in Shae's village, but no details are given as to what they are and why they're unspeakable.  More information would have helped me better understand her world.  After the last thirty or so pages, I was left confused about the events that occur - did they really happen?  Is Shae an unreliable narrator?

Overall, the book is well-written, the series has potential, and this book does a good job at setting the groundwork for what comes next.  I just hope that novel will better clarify some elements.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to the author/publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

~Quick Statistics~
Overall: 4.5/5 Stars
Plot: 5/5 Stars
Setting: 2/5 Stars
Characters: 4/5 Stars
Writing: 4.5/5 Stars
Memorability: 5/5 Stars

~Quick Review~
I was fairly surprised by how excellent this novel was. My favorite parts of Hush were the characters and plot, not to mention that the writing style is exquisite. However, my biggest issue with the novel was the world-building. While the main character, Shae, is taught somewhat about the magic system in the world, she learns little to nothing, which left me very confused. However, Hush is most likely getting a sequel, so hopefully, more world-building is done in the second novel of the Hush series.

~Other Information~
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Page Count: 384 pages
Release Date: October 6, 2020

~Quick Synopsis (via Goodreads)~
How do you speak up in a world where propaganda is a twisted form of magic?

In the land of Montane, language is literal magic to the select few who possess the gift of Telling. This power is reserved for the Bards, and, as everyone knows, the Bards have almost always been men.

Seventeen-year-old Shae has lived her entire life in awe of the Bards—and afraid of the Blot, a deadly disease spread by ink, which took the life of her younger brother five years ago. Ever since, Shae fears she’s cursed. But when tragedy strikes again, and her mother is found murdered with a golden dagger—a weapon used only by the Bards—Shae is forced to act.

With a heart set on justice, Shae journeys to High House in search of answers. But when the kind, fatherly Cathal, the High Lord of Montane, makes Shae an undeniable offer to stay and train as a Bard, Shae can’t refuse.

Through this twisty tale, Shae endures backbreaking training by a ruthless female Bard, tentative and highly-forbidden feelings for a male Bard with a dark past, and a castle filled with dangerous illusions bent on keeping its secrets buried.

But sometimes, the truth is closer than we think. We just have to learn to listen.


~Characters~
Hush follows the story of a young girl, Shae, whose entire family has been taken from her. To discover the truth of her family’s demise, Shae travels to High House, a place where Bards train and where she finds out that she has the power that the Bards hold. I’m on the edge of how I feel about Shae; on one hand, she is selfless and kind, but on the other hand, can be quite frustrating in her choices. Half of the story I spent being frustrated with what she chose to do, but nevertheless, she was a strong main character.

While the main character was strongly built, I thought that many other characters like Kennan, Niall, Ravod (who, by the way, I totally ship with Shae), Mads, and Fiona were almost paper-thin and had no true characteristics about them. They all are very important to the plot, however, they just didn’t seem like enough thought was put into them.

Also, I was fairly disappointed to see that all of the characters in Hush were white. And I mean all of them. I expected something more honestly, maybe a few POC sprinkled in at the very least, yet there was absolutely no representation for any minorities.

~Writing and Setting~
Dylan Farrow’s writing style made it very easy for me to get lost inside the novel. The majority of the time, the writing was very descriptive and illuminating, however, as mentioned before, little was told about the magic system or any basics to Shae’s world.

The setting is what I had the biggest issue with. Shae is from the village of Aster, which resides in Montane. However, that’s almost all we know of the world. I found myself questioning the world-building throughout the novel. Is Montane the entire world, and therefore the only kingdom in the world? Or is Montane under such tyranny that they are cut off from the outside world? For me, at least, the world-building was honestly (I’m sorry to say) horrible.

Also, as I’ve mentioned before, I learned little to nothing about how the magic works in Montane, which is concerning because Shae is a magic-user, so understanding how magic works seems almost critical. Hopefully, Shae’s knowledge of magic is built upon in the sequel.

~Plot~
While there were other issues in Hush, I have to commend Dylan Farrow for creating such a great plot. Not only is the novel fantasy, but it’s also a mystery. Shae’s focus is entirely driven on finding out the truth about her mother’s murder, which leads to many other shocking discoveries. I could not set this book down, and when I did it was hard to not focus on what was happening in the novel.

~Overall Review~
Overall, Hush is a pretty solid and good novel with a few minor issues, however, it is definitely one of my favorites and I absolutely cannot wait until the sequel is published.

Meh.

Hush did not enrapture me or keep my attention at all. I could not power through.

I really enjoyed Hush! This is a well-written, tightly-woven story about a girl who loses her brother, then her father, and finally her mother, and goes on a quest to find who murdered her mother. The people who have the power that controls Montane (the land in which she lives) try to prevent her from learning the truth, while trying to use her for their own ends. In the process of looking for the truth, Shae, the main character, discovers that she has the same powers as the Bards who control her society. As she is trained in her powers so that she can become a Bard herself, she continues searching for her mother's killer, and discovers another plot, while she is embroiled in yet another. With twists and turns that will surprise, while still making perfect sense when they are revealed, this book will not disappoint. I look forward to what I hope will be a multi-book series.

A wonderful debut novel by Dylan Farrow. I thoroughly enjoyed the tale from start to finish and am looking forward to the next installment. The characters come to life and I cannot wait to learn more about them. A beautifully told fantasy for readers of all ages. I highly recommend.

Review posted on Goodreads (August 13, 2020)
Review Linked.

3/5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending me an E-ARC for an honest review!


After reading the synopsis of this book, I was super excited to read it. However, this book did not meet the expectations I had of it. I thought that the idea of the book was super cool and really amazing, however, the writing was not to my liking. I felt like the author had a good idea but didn't quite know how to construct that idea. I found a lot of the world building and magic building confusing, a lot of the plot was all over the place, and I did not feel like the characters were flushed out at all. The only redeeming thing about this book was the idea of it. I really wanted to see where Farrow took the story, and that is what kept me reading.

In the end, I liked the idea, but not the finished product, and I am not sure if I will continue with this series.

Thanks for reading!
Caden