Should I continue reading this series?

[Blair]

So....I need some advice. I read the first book in the hush hush series because it seemed to be a staple in YA bookdom. I thought it was ok but didn't really like it all that much. Seemed really weird. unnatural. Immature. IMO characters lack substance and depth. It is YA so of course I expect some of that, but I have read lots of YA books and this seemed to top the list of books that don't really flow, are a little shallow, and don't make a lot of sense. With all that said, I was entertained by Patch and Nora enough to where I am considering reading the rest of the series. Also, I know I felt this way about the first book of the Sweet series (by Wendy Higgins) but read on anyway and then ended up liking it more when I read the other two books. So my question is, should I continue reading and will I like the rest of the books in the series? With that said, if you loved the first book then I would imagine you would like the others and so pls keep in mind that Im coming from a perspective that I didn't like the way the first book was written (no offense to people who loved the series. this is just my honest opinion). So I guess Im asking, is the writing better? Does it flow better? Is there more/deeper character development? Etc. I know that was confusing but any feedback minus spoilers would be greatly appreciate! Thank you!

[drowningmermaid]

Hmmm. I pretty much hated this book and I found Patch nauseating, so bear that in mind when I offer advice.

The only thing I'd suggest is that maybe you could give her new, non-Hush,Hush-related book a try. I think it comes out next month. If her style has improved, and you like it, then you could give the rest of the series a try.

Alternately, you could skip to the last book in the series. If you find it awesome, then you can go back and get the whole story.

[Vasiliki]

Well, I liked the series but I didn't like the last book (Finale). I also liked the writing, so maybe I am not really objective.

But I have to point out that the second book was nice and it had more action. It also depends on what you like on an YA book....I like the romance, the action and the surprise of what will happen next...I found these elements on the second and third book....

I would say go for it and if it doesn't work for you, stop with reading the series.

But don't go to the last book because honestly was worst that the other ones....!

[Blair]

haha good to know im not the only one who didnt fall head over heels for this book. a lot of ppl love patch. as a matter of fact I read the book for patch because descriptions of him were so awesome. But I was somewhat disapponted.

[Blair]

thank you vasiliki for your first opinion!

[Blair]

honest not first

[Ali]

Oh my God really? I completely fell in love with Patch almost instantly lol. Hmm, if you didn't like the first book then I doubt you'd like the rest in the series as in my opinion the first two were the best.

[Rachel]

I had high expectations for this book because people kept telling me Patch was so hot and the perfect bad boy but I was really disappointed. I have no interest to read the sequels. The most exciting thing about this book was the cover.

[drowningmermaid]

Rachel wrote: "I had high expectations for this book because people kept telling me Patch was so hot and the perfect bad boy but I was really disappointed. I have no interest to read the sequels. The most excitin..."

I liked the cover, too. And Susan Ee's Angelfall made me fall in love with Angel romance. But then I read Hush, Hush and Fallen and I realized most YA angel stuff are just Twilight rehashes with the word "vampire" crossed out and "angel" written in.

Patch made me want to tear my own head off and puke into it.

But really, I think it should make me optimistic. His popularity can only mean that there are a lot of girls who haven't had real stalkers...

[Blair]

"...Twilight rehashes with the word "vampire" crossed out and "angel" written in."


omg dying laughing...

[Rachel]

drowningmermaid wrote: "Rachel wrote: "I had high expectations for this book because people kept telling me Patch was so hot and the perfect bad boy but I was really disappointed. I have no interest to read the sequels. T..."
I will have to check out Angelfall. I haven't read a good angel book yet. And I totally agree. I hated Patch. Totally wanted to rip off my head too.

[drowningmermaid]

Blair wrote: ""...Twilight rehashes with the word "vampire" crossed out and "angel" written in."


omg dying laughing..."

It's funny 'cause it's TRUE. These are seriously just sparklespires with wings. In a lot of these, I can almost hear the writer going, "Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, the editor said they have too many vampires so um, um, um ANGELS!"

And they all take place in high school featuring a pretty bland every-girl getting hooked up with an older, supernatural douche.

Also, there is a love triangle that is pointless because it is obvious who she's going to pick.

Also, it really doesn't matter what kind of supernatural being the douche is supposed to be-- the author pays NO attention to the actual history of the vampire/angel/god/etc mythology and throws in handfuls of whatever comes to hand.

Also, there is a lot of navel gazing and Stuff Not Happening. I think this is supposed to be "atmospheric" and not annoying, but I find it annoying.

So there's the formula for you. SO many books these days follow it exactly. So similar. So sad.

[drowningmermaid]

Rachel wrote: "drowningmermaid wrote: "Rachel wrote: "I had high expectations for this book because people kept telling me Patch was so hot and the perfect bad boy but I was really disappointed. I have no interes..."

You should check out "Angelfall." It doesn't get as much press because there isn't a big publisher backing it, but it's... mercifully different. It actually matters that the angels in here are angels, and, unlike every other YA angel book I've encountered, it sounds like Susan Ee might, at some point in her life, been on the inside of a church.

It's not a Christian book or anything, but it sticks to a single, basic mythology and adds its own spin.

[Blair]

drowningmermaid wrote: "Rachel wrote: "drowningmermaid wrote: "Rachel wrote: "I had high expectations for this book because people kept telling me Patch was so hot and the perfect bad boy but I was really disappointed. I ..."

Ill have to check that one out too. Right now im reading the unbecoming of mara dyer. another YA staple in YA bookdom but I actually like this one. but maybe i will read angelfall next. always looking for my next thing.

[Marce]

I may be a bit late, but just joined the groupe, and I wanted to give you some advice on Hush Hush. I quite enjoyed the first book on the series, but I think as the story moved on, characters became lamer and lamer, and I guess the storyplot got too complicated for my taste, at least. The second and third books were torture to me, because of Noras sometimes incoherent attitude which drove me wild. At some point of the story I just wanted to jump inside the book and slap her in the face, or whatever. I would tell you to abandone the saga right over, sorry ;(

[Blair]

Marce wrote: "I may be a bit late, but just joined the groupe, and I wanted to give you some advice on Hush Hush. I quite enjoyed the first book on the series, but I think as the story moved on, characters becam..."

That was super helpful! Yeah I don't know how I feel about Nora...I laughed when you said you wanted to slap her in the face. I think I will be abandoning this series. Oh well. Thank you for the feedback!

[Lonely]

is it just me, because I LOVED this series a lot and I was so glad I picked it from the library. If you don't really like the first book, you might like the second book. Read the second boo and then see if you like it if not than don't continue reading. I personally wanted to keep reading the series and I am so glad I did because it is now my favourite book1

[Ali]

I completely agree with you, I loved the Hush Hush series! I'm surprised there are so many people who disliked it! To each to to their own I suppose ;/

[AbigailDenyse01]

read it it will make you happy!

[Harley]

I'm reading the second one and so far I like it.

[Sofia]

I liked the first book but the second book ruined it for me. The second book had a good ending in was the 200+ pages leading up to it that I hated. Seriously it's like Becca decided second book in to completely change the characters personality she never fully explained certain things that really needed answers to there was so many plot holes. Nora was the most annoying character in this book I wanted to strangle her. The only thing I liked about the second book is Marcie. I don't think I will be giving the other two books a read I seriously regret buying this series.

[Nuran]

I never got round to reading the last book.

[Courtney]

It is a really great series. You really should read it all. The last book would have been my favourite, so it makes up for how bad the second book was.

[Samantha The Escapist]

Wow. So I wrote like the longest response ever and GR lost it on me. Furious. Anyway, unless you liked the whodunnit aspect of the first book, I wouldn't even bother with the second one.

Nora devolves steadily through the series. She starts out as an innocent enough Not-Bella but gets more paranoied, less deliberate, and surprisingly still more useless.

Even though the books focus on pretty big themes like a war in heaven or on earth or whatever I don't remember now, all Nora does (and by extension, the author) is fret about homework and spend time with her best friend who does nothing but bully Nora into to doing more things that are equally boring to read about.

The few times Nora actually DOES decide to try and affect the world around her, she makes a fool of herself by going in half-cocked, not asking for help that is readily available to her, or simply being useless because in this type of YA, girls are rescued by boys. Cute ones, with black angel wings, a dark past and a huge-but-totally-forgivable-for-whatever-reason chip on his shoulder.

I'll also tell you that the third book is a write off, in my opinion. The series was slated for 3 books at the start, but somehow that was changed to 4. Now, most people assume Fitzpatrick was hearing old-timey cash register sounds in her head when she made that choice, but I wonder if it wasn't pushed on her. Because the 3rd book is so devoid of purpose and substance.

Anyway, here comes a spoiler for the third book but it really had no effect on the series and you should know it was the final nail in the coffin for not just myself but a lot of people who never bothered to read the 4th book. Nora gets amnesia for a painfully long 200 pages of the third book, during which she slowly unravels the exciting mystery of - you guessed it! All of the crap we just read in the first two books.


So in conclusion, I'ev now written two very long posts about this because I am surprisingly passionate in my dislike of this series (most scathing reviews I've written on GR) and I do not plan to read the last one, hard as it is for me to be at 3/4, but there are too many fantastic authors out there to waste my time with one I know I dislike, I advise you to do the same. Also, if you're looking for more substance in YA and you like traditional high fantasy settings, I have some suggestions for you :)

[drowningmermaid]

Samantha The Escapist wrote: "it was the final nail in the coffin for not just myself but a lot of people who never bothered to read the 4th book. Nora gets amnesia for a painfully long 200 pages of the third book, during which she slowly unravels the exciting mystery of - you guessed it! All of the crap we just read in the first two books."

Bwahahahahaha! Are you serious?
I'm sorry, I didn't know. I skipped out long before book three.
I mean, that would be okay if it was, like, book one...
But man, ouch.
I'm glad I decided I owe it to myself to never to read more Fitzpatrick. I deserve better.

[Samantha The Escapist]

drowningmermaid wrote: "Samantha The Escapist wrote: "it was the final nail in the coffin for not just myself but a lot of people who never bothered to read the 4th book. Nora gets amnesia for a painfully long 200 pages o..."

Even being very forgiving, I admit that a (totally cliche and mostly unacceptable) amnesia plot could be worthwhile to have a protagonist gain a new, almost third person level of knowledge in a mystery, or even to rehash the details of a plot so finely detailed and intricately woven it bears making sure the reader fully understands...

But that's really stretching it, and neither was applicable here. Being fair, I think she learned a new thing about her dad and a new thing about patch, but most of it was a flimsy excuse to have her fall in love with patch again (because it's impossible ever to have a happy relationship survive more than one consecutive novel)

[Madiha J Bookblogger]

i loved this series. like LOVED. IT.

[Blair]

Samantha The Escapist wrote: "Wow. So I wrote like the longest response ever and GR lost it on me. Furious. Anyway, unless you liked the whodunnit aspect of the first book, I wouldn't even bother with the second one.

Nora devo..."

OMG I almost died laughing at this post. I have decided not to read it but your post just made me feel more confident in my decision. Nice post. You are hilarious.

[Moriyah]

Ugh, no, I'm sorry I wasted anytime on the book in the first place. I've read better bad fanfiction. There are too many amazing books out there to waste time on bad ones.

[M.D.]

Personally speaking, I read this book so long ago but when I read it, the way the first one ended was honestly just so perfect I felt it did not need to continue. However curiosity got the better of me, and as a result I borrowed the second one from my friend... total waste of time, and it even ruined the concept of the first one for me. So my advice is, definitely read the first one... just do not continue.

[Amaris]

In my opinion, the first two books are worth reading. Don't even bother with any of the others. It's not worth it.

[Natalie]

If you didn't like the first book, I wouldn't bother with the rest...

[Roots]

You should just go ahead and finish the rest, maybe you'll like the rest. Trust me, it will be worth it.