Title: Hush Hush

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Rating: 10/10

Good If… You’re looking for a thrilling book you can’t put down (or just want to read a book about a sexy fallen angel!).

Summary: (Taken from Amazon)

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She’s never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora’s not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can’t decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen – and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.
My Thoughts: This book pretty much rocks. Like really, really rocks. Why? Well, because…

The plot is just…wow. I think this was my first book about a fallen angel but even if it wasn’t, I highly doubt there’s a book out there anywhere near as original as this one. Throughout the whole book, right up until the last page, I was second and triple guessing myself. Who’s the bad guy? It can’t be him? Can it? And even as the truth starting coming out, things still caught me completely off guard. Hush, Hush is one of those books that will keep every reader clinging to the edge of the seats.

Fitzpatrick created a setting that changed the book so much. Even though it could technically be anywhere, it felt haunted. The places the characters went had an alluring feel to them, especially the amusement park and Bo’s Arcade. Pictures of dark places were painted in my mind and I LOVED it.

The characters and their relationships in the book were something too. Even the secondary characters were fascinating and played major roles in the book.

My absolute, number one, FAVORITE thing about the book? PATCH! That boy is something else and the boy would be nothing without him. I couldn’t figure him out. First he was good then he was bad then he was good then he was…Well, I’m not telling. It’s impossible to get a good read of his character and that’s what makes the book so thrilling. The whole book pivots on what he does next. Plus, he’s extremely sexy. And he’s relationship was Nora is like no relationship in YA.

Hush, Hush is one of those heart-racing, edge of your seat books that you’ll put down once and want to pick up again and again. I recommend is wholeheartedly.

I received all three of these from Bloomsbury this week. I’m excited to read them, especially The Tear Collector. It’s a new spin on vampire which is exciting.

So what did *you* get?

Title: Ballads of Suburbia

Author: Stephanie Keuhnert

Rating: 10/10

Good If…You want to read an amazing book or you want to cry or you want to laugh or you want to think or…well, just buy it!

Summary: (Taken from Amazon)

Kara hasn’t been back to Oak Park since the end of junior year, when a heroin overdose nearly killed her and sirens heralded her exit. Four years later, she returns to face the music. Her life changed forever back in high school: her family disintegrated, she ran around with a whole new crowd of friends, she partied a little too hard, and she fell in love with gorgeous bad-boy Adrian, who left her to die that day in Scoville Park….

Amid the music, the booze, the drugs, and the drama, her friends filled a notebook with heartbreakingly honest confessions of the moments that defined and shattered their young lives. Now, finally, Kara is ready to write her own.

My Thoughts:

Up until I read Ballads, I didn’t think it was possible for a book to effect me so much. Sure, I’ve cried while reading books and thought about them afterwards but no book has EVER had such an impact on me as Ballads of Suburbia did.

The first chapter (which is really an Epilogue) left me a little confused…what was the point of the story now that we knew the ending? But after the actual Chapter One, I left any thoughts of the “why” behind because I was completely sucked in the book. I think I put it down…three times? once I started to either get tissues or use the bathroom because I’d been reading for so long.

One thing about Ballads you should know is that it’s either going to mirror your life or be completely foreign territory. For me, it was foreign territory and I’m sure that’s the way it will be for many readers. I couldn’t relate to ANYTHING that the characters did. At all. Kara and her friends are 100% different from me. But Stephanie writes in a way that will pull you in no matter what. It’s crazy.

My favorite thing about the book was the ballads spread throughout the book. They were so honest and heartbreaking and gave you an insight on why the characters acted the way they did.

As I said before, this book affected me in major ways. I won’t list them all here but let’s just say that by the time I finished, I was bawling my eyes out. It was all I could think about that night, I had DREAMS about it when I went to bed, and it was the first thing that popped into my mind the next morning. Even now, weeks after I’ve read it, the book is still fresh in my mind.

The characters, the plot, the prose, EVERYTHING about Ballads is perfect. There’s not a single thing I would change about it and I think that EVERYONE should read it. It will open your eyes in a way no other book can.

This has been a really slow reading week for me. I’m having issues finding anything that can keep my interest.

I started rereading this one last night because Sarah’s books always give me inspiration and I was in desperate need of it. But I reread this so often that it’s gotten to the point where I just skip to my favorite parts.

I started reading Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken but I just wasn’t in the mood for it. I’m going to wait a while before I pick it up – it does look really good though!

I’m starting The Naughty List by Suzanne Young later for the 1 ARC Tours. It looks so good and I’m really excited to start it!

What are you reading? Feel free to link to your own post in the comments!

I honestly have no clue what this is about but the cover is GORGEOUS and it’s coming out from Dial. I can’t think of a single book Dial has ever put out that I’ve hated.

March 2010 is too far away!

I *think* this is the only book I got this week. I can’t remember since this whole week has been crazy. It came randomly the other night but it looks pretty cool. Will be checking it out!

By now you’ve probably seen my review and maybe even a few copies in your local store. Now it’s time to officially celebrate the release (a few weeks late) here on the blog.

ONE winner will receive all of the following:

Prophecy playlist,

Visa gift card,

Prophecy bookmark,

Prophecy magnet,

signed Prophecy poster,

lip gloss,

candy,

choice of DVD between PS I Love You or Atonement

To enter, leave a comment with your email telling me why Victorian Guys are hot by September 11th (my birthday!!).

(Please note this is a US only contest.)

HAPPY SWEET SIXTEEN HOPE!

I just started this one for the 1 ARC Tours. I’m only about 30 pages in but so far I’m loving it! I look foward to finishing it soon.

I started this one before I went on vacation last week but since it’s a library, I didn’t want to take it. I haven’t picked it up in a while but I do plan on it. The story is really great. The tense is just really wierd…

I bought this one at the Laura Wiess signing I went to two weeks ago. I’ve only read the first chapter  but I can’t wait to get farther. Laura is a sweetie and I adored Such A Pretty Girl.

So what are you reading?

So I just got two very exciting emails today. It seems that I’ve been nominated for not one but TWO BBAW awards. This is just mind-blowing because I wasn’t expecting ANY but I was nominated for Best YA Blog and Best Reviews.

I have to send five posts in for each category but I just can’t choose. So I need your help – what are your favorites posts on the site?

(And thank you sososo much to whoever nominated me! It’s an honor to see my name up their with people like Kristi, Alea, Sharon, Steph Su, Nikki, and all of the others!)