After the shocking revelations at the end of Hush, Shae and her friends are on the run, making their way to Gondal. When they arrive, though it is the wondrous land of their myths, Gondal has dangers of its own, which are directly connected to Montaine’s future.

The lack of character development was still a downside in this book for me. On the other hand, the plot wasn’t as predictable in this book, and the more magical aspects of it assured that the twists were more effective this time around. That said, I read this book immediately after the first which is why the story was fresh in my mind. If I had picked up this sequel a year or two later, I doubt I would remember much at all, not only because book one didn’t stand out from a basic YA plot structure enough, but also because this book didn’t really have much of a recap of previous events.

Shae’s relationship with Ravod was possibly the most irritating thing in this book with all the back and forth when it was very obvious from a reader’s perspective what Ravod was up to. I had also hoped for more of an expansion on the magic system as well, but the addition of the Book of Days and the role it played was very intriguing.

This was an interesting series and I ended up enjoying it way more than I expected to, given the reviews I’d read of it. I would recommend it for YA fantasy fans, particularly younger readers who would probably like it much more.

I really appreciated how this book delved more into the magic system and brought things full circle from the first book. Seeing Gondol was really cool and was a great setting, particularly seeing the differences between the two countries. The characters were my favorite part of the first book and they continued to develop well and kept me engaged, All around this is a great book, more satisfying then the first and well done.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Veil is a decent sequel to Hush, although I admit I read the first (also in ARC form) so long ago, that much of the plot was fuzzy and I had even forgotten my largely lukewarm, if somewhat optimistic response to the first book upon requesting this one. And while my opinion did not overly improve upon piecing together the context of what previously happened, then taking in this one, I find myself still feeling somewhat inclined to be hopeful for growth.
The development of the magic is interesting, and I’ve always felt that magic through the power of words is super cool, even if the concept isn’t fully realized to its full potential.
I continue to find Shae a pretty interesting character and her journey is pretty compelling. However, the shift toward a more romantic relationship with Ravod was somewhat disappointing. He’s betrayed her…multiple times, and it’s such an odd hot-and-cold dynamic. On some level, I get the appeal, particularly thinking about genre archetypes, but it still didn’t really work. I’m just glad there wasn’t any kissing or anything like that.
The plotting is fairly fast paced, but feels inconsistent in a lot of places. In spite of the long break between books, a lot feels forced, rushed, and unpolished, especially the ending. Farrow’s writing style (along with her general ideas) keep my interest generally, but it does feel like a mix of fairly generic and underdeveloped.
I do think, if Farrow takes the right advice and works on her ideas a bit more, she can be a more polished writer. I wish her success in this endeavor, and will potentially check out her future work.

Two worlds pit against each other. Action. Deceit. Sacrifice. Brace yourselves, because nothing is as it seems.

Shae and her menagerie of defectors are on a mission to find The (redacted by High House). They have only one lead and must now follow a network of safe houses run by (redacted by High House). Will she be able to reach this elusive, mystical place she’s so long been told doesn’t exist? What must be done to save Montane? Will she find the truth of what has befallen her homeland? There’s no Telling.

This was a great wrap up to Hush and I absolutely loved the character dynamic and world building. Dylan has done a wonderful job of transporting their readers directly into the action and beauty that is Montane. Even the seemingly unlikeable characters have redeeming qualities and the story was well thought out and eloquently written. Thank you to #netgalley and #wednesdaybooks for this eARC copy to review. I loved losing myself to this title.

#veil #dylanfarrow

Veil is the second book in the Hush series. If you haven’t read Hush, now is your chance to avoid being spoiled - Veil picks up where it ends.

Shae is in pursuit of the Book of Days after Ravod betrayed her. She and her friends find themselves in Gondol, a place that was only a fantasy in her mind. Everything becomes more complicated and there’s a lot at stake to prevent the death of her former town.

I again loved how fast-paced this series is. There were a couple of surprises that I was slightly suspicious of but didn’t fully catch on to. And a lot of action and determination!

I would suggest this one for true YA readers or older readers looking for a fast read while battling for what they think will save everyone.

Thanks to @netgalley , I received a complimentary copy of this book. The review expresses my own personal opinions.

While I had mixed feelings about Hush, Veil was a vast improvement. It was fast-paced, adventurous, fantastical, and managed to further build out a unique world with a well laid out magic system. If only Farrow had avoided the urge to try and bookend it so tidily.
In all honesty my only real gripes with Veil were the odd intro sequence and the epilogue. The intro sequence consists of a series of journal entries from Shae’s mother, detailing her reasons for being in Aster and then skipping to several years later, right before her death. These letters are basically an ill-conceived vehicle for unnecessary exposition that no one asked for. They have almost nothing to do with the story, and instead seem only to relate to peripheral plot points that were already addressed in the first novel.
Similarly, the epilogue, which takes place 20 years after the conclusion of the novel, is a scene in which an instructor is quizzing his class on the aftermath of the final battle. Like the letters, it is entirely unnecessary and is only there to prove all the characters went out and did what they said they would, and also who ended up marrying who. It was pointless. I would have much rather just imagined what happened to them all instead of receiving a rapid fire, point form summary.
In my opinion, these narrative bookends kind of ruined this novel for me. They were so distracting and left a bad taste in my mouth because of my absolute detestment of exposition dumps. My advice, if you enjoyed the first novel then I would definitely read this one—but maybe just skip these parts. You’ll be better for it.

Hush was a powerful book that resonated with me, and I’d been looking forward to Veil for a long time. It is a sequel, and I won’t fault the book for that. I do recommend re-reading Hush before starting Veil because there’s a lot going on, and a lot of characters to keep track of. This is complicated by the fact that a lot of the primary players are off the page initially in Veil, which can make it a little harder to reorient yourself. Still, readers know this is a sequel going in, and this reader knows her memory can get a little fuzzy, so I feel it’s on me if I don’t prepare before picking up a sequel.

And if you haven’t read Hush yet, then reading these books back to back is probably the best option.

Evaluating sequels can be tricky. Hush offered resolution, because Shae’s quest involved finding out who killed her mother. The goalposts change when she’s forced to flee for her life at the end of book 1, setting up the objectives for book 2. There were plenty of loose threads from Hush that were followed in Veil, and it offered a satisfying resolution to those plotlines. I enjoyed spending time with Shae and her friends, and I appreciated that trust continued to be a central focus in Veil.

In some ways, Gondal is a disappointment, because it looks and feels comparable to our world. Their magic isn’t magic at all; they don’t have the Telling, they have technology. And the refugees from Shae’s homeland live below the streets, barely tolerated, not integrated into society, with limited prospects for their future. They were idle until Shae’s group arrived, and a leader rose up and gave them purpose, and focus. There are some touching moments and some heartbreaking moments of regret and betrayal, leading to a satisfying resolution of Shae’s story. Veil isn’t quite as strong as Hush, but it’s still a good story and I read through it at a brisk pace and was invested in the characters and outcome. ⅘ stars.

I didn’t read the first book in this duology, but I may in the future. I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and Dylan Farrow does a great job writing in details from previous events of the first book when it’s relevant. So, it’s safe to say that you don’t need to read book one to enjoy this one. As the characters travel and discuss Montane & Gondal, we follow them into different areas and politics & immigration play a big part. All in all, it was an easy read, but I wanted more magic than politics.

What stood out most for me is her world-building and how engaging the story was. I really love the way Farrow describes things – I felt like I could easily imagine the scene and be immersed in it. There could have been much more character building or relationship building between the group, but it may have already been covered in the first book and I missed it. The relationship between Shae and Ravod are conflicting and most of the book is Shae’s internal struggle on whether she trusts him. Romance is very much put on the side as the blot and Refugee camps takes precedence. I felt like I favored the side characters more than the main ones, and Shae spends most of her time lost in thought. Kennan was badass, Fiona so sweet, Stot compassionate, and Mads a reliable friend. However, the story was full of intrigue from one chapter to the next and I kept wanting to find out what happened next.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

I had high hopes for this novel because the first book, Hush, started off so slowly and then rushed to the end. It was clunky, but seemed to find its rhythm right before the cliffhanger at the end. I thought the action would continue into Veil and we would get deeper into the world of magic that Dylan Farrow created, keeping the momentum and the story moving fluidly. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. The novel picks up exactly where Hush left off, which was great because I read them one right after the other, but also felt like this wasn't a duology but a book that got cut in half because it was too long. It would be difficult to pick up Veil with a long stretch between reading Hush, so I expect most readers will have to dip back to Hush and read the last few chapters again.

Where Hush was a slow build action-wise, Veil was rushed and chaotic. There didn't seem to be a clear direction the novel was taking. There were a lot of plot holes. Unanswered questions. Magic and worlds that were existing without much support on how it existed or the rules of the land. The "Book" was just a device, it didn't seem to have much of a purpose since once it was destroyed there was no magic anymore, so it didn't make sense where it came from or why it was needed. Gondal is this magical, beautiful place that Shae has heard about from her mother since she was a child and when we get there, it felt like I was just entering a modern-day dirty, NYC, with an underground community of refugees who are being treated poorly? and yet still living incredibly more sustainable lives than those back home in Montane.

I think there was a lot of opportunity for political commentary that was glossed over and would have really enriched the story—working on exploring the previous relations of Gondal and Montane, as well as the other surrounding lands. Instead, we just got these little blips of action constantly and really for what? The goal was never entirely clear other than they wanted to end Cathal's rule at the end of book 1; and then they got the added pressure of now having to end Cathal's rule, destroy the book? which after being asked nicely just told them how it had to be done, and do it before Gondalese troops arrived to take over Montane.

The resolution was also too easy. The destruction of the book and Cathal's simultaneous demise, and then the arrival of the General from Gondal just says, yeah, you guys clean up here and we'll chat later—it felt in-authentic. Also, once all the tellings were being undone, what happened to Niall? Did people remember him again? What about Ravod's family?

There were too many questions about the plot and honestly, my biggest issue was Shae. She was taken in so easily by Cathal and then was so "distraught" over his betrayal. She fell in love with Ravod like Ariel did with Eric in the Little Mermaid -- instant love that was not returned, so now we have a bruised ego and a "broken hearted heroine". But it was just continuous, too many "betrayals' and then trusting again, and Shae was just a whiny girl, that didn't seem to learn much from the constant betrayals. It was hard to like her, especially when she was fighting for the limelight against Kennan, who was way more badass. Kennan's story arc had some flaws too, but I would have enjoyed the story much more if Shae had half the gumption that Kennan did. Or at least if Shae stopped whining and letting her friends shoulder all the emotional damage and make her feel better.

I wanted to like this novel so much, especially since the covers would look so beautiful together on my bookshelf. But this novel just didn't do it for me. I didn't hate it, but I won't recommend it either. It seems as if a thorough developmental edit is still needed... Veil definitely missed its mark.

I'd like to start by thanking NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Hush, the first book in this series. It was a quick, fun read with an interesting premise. It ended in a cliffhanger of a betrayal--a surefire way to get teens to read the next one!

Veil, however, was a disappointment. The worldbuilding felt forced, the characters fell flat, the yo-yo relationship between the main characters was unbelievable, and the epilogue was a lazy attempt to tie up loose ends.

"Dylan Farrow's Veil is the thrilling sequel to Hush, one of the most talked about YA fantasies of 2020.

Shae’s entire world has been turned upside down, and everything she’s ever believed is a lie. More determined than ever, she sets out to the mysterious land of Gondal - a place forbidden to mention and resigned to myth - in search of a dangerous magical book that could alter the fabric of the world.

Following the trail of Ravod, the boy she thought she knew and trusted, Shae discovers there is far more to the young man who stole the Book of Days than she ever realized. Together, with her friends, Mads and Fiona, and a newfound ally in her fierce former trainer, Kennan, Shae crosses the borders of the only home she’s ever had and into a world ruled not by magic, but technology and industry - one fraught with perils of its own.

In a world shrouded in lies, Shae is desperate for answers and to restore peace, but who will lift the veil?"

Most talked about for a good reason!

Super quick and easy read! I had to catch up on the first book as I wasn’t aware this was a sequel. However I really enjoyed both!

The second book in Dylan Farrow's YA series, Veil picks up where Hush leaves off. The Book of Days has been stolen by Ravod. Cathal has his remaining Bards chasing after Shae and her traveling companions (childhood friends Fiona and Mads and reluctant acquaintance Kennan), as they make their way to Gondal, which until recently everyone believed to be a fairytale. Everything Shae thought she knew to be true is now put into question and she must face the fact that if you want something done, you might just have to do it yourself (along with a ragtag bunch of misfits wanting to change the world). You should definitely read Hush before diving into Veil.

*Special thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an early copy of this e-arc.*

The world Dylan Farrow created was very interesting to read. I enjoyed the world building and the magic system. It had been a while since I read the first book and it took me some time to getting back into everything, this definitely isn’t a standalone and you have to read the first book to get a basic understanding how everything worked.

I liked Shae and her friends, but just like in book one I would have wished for a little more to get to know and understand them. They all seemed a little dumb and with the little we knew about them; some decisions didn’t made sense to me at all.

Over all this was a decent series that I enjoyed, that left me wanting for a little extra at times.

I’ll admit, the first thing I noticed about the first book, Veil, 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. It turns out, I enjoyed it so much when I jumped on the opportunity to read the second book.

The stories surprised me by how how engaging they are. Usually, even with the best fantasy books, I don’t feel compelled to bury my face in the story without setting it aside to do other things, but I honestly had a hard time putting these 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. There were times that I really wish certain things didn't have to happen, and I felt them deeply.

I'd like to add that the book does not contain sex or cursing. Since this is marketed as a Young Adult book, I feel it would also be fine for those in middle school. And let's not forget the adult audience. I enjoyed it immensely!

These two books are incredibly well done, and I feel they both deserve 5 stars.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the story line. I thought it was an amazing book and super easy to read. I love that there was an epologue to show what happened as a result. It was a very good read.

Its a good sequel. I still think it's missing something. I didn't quite like the back and forth between Shae and Ravod. But I enjoyed the creativeness of the magic and the blot illness. The plot is well paced out.

A sequel, veil follows Shae on her quest to obtain and dangerous magical book.

Full of complex characters, unique magic, and strong female lead, Veil is a fun quest adventure story.

I did not get to read the first and this makes me eager to circle back and pick it up.

I recommend this novel to those who loved the first book and anyone interested in a feminist magical adventure.

I wanted to love this sequel, but I only ended up liking it. I did really enjoy the ending but I was left wanting something slightly different in the first part of the book. If you've read the first one, definitely pick this up.

Veil continues where Hush left off. I enjoyed seeing Shae and her group of friends on their journey to Gondal. I felt that Shae grew as a character, as did her relationships with her friends. There were quite a few twists that were shocking. I enjoyed this story and thought that it was tied together nicely with Hush.