Realms Review: 'Hush, Hush'

Everything about Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick entices us, even the title. It makes us want to scream WHAT DO I HAVE TO BE QUIET ABOUT right from the start. Hush, Hush was at the front of the "fallen angel craze phase" that followed vampires and werewolves. From the beginning chapter, we learn of the bad boy, our fallen angel named Patch, but he is not the protagonist.
          Our main character is Nora Grey, an intelligent high-schooler who has dealt with past trauma, and is now dealing with Patch. Their relationship is a strange one, at first, with him intentionally being mysterious to draw her toward him for his own plans and her curiosity getting the better of her even though she doesn't trust him. At this point, you, the reader have enough details to definitely not trust him, and you're hanging onto the edge of your seat crying, "Nora, no!"
          There are some areas of the book that could have done with some more refinement or editing, but for a debut novel, Fitzpatrick does an excellent job. The writing is captivating and has a superb pace, revealing just enough details to make you want to keep reading, but not giving everything away. And, as romance blossoms between the two, you can't help but wonder if it's real or fake, and where it's going. The characters play a dangerous game, and you, the reader, are helpless. Fitzpatrick does her job in that it seems like it's going to be a train wreck, so you can't look away!
          If Hush, Hush sounds like the book for you, we've got more good news! It's the first in a four-book series, which you can buy all of from Simon & Schuster. Fallen angels may seem old now, but we guarantee this book is worth the read if you're into Paranormal Romance.

Realms Review

Realms Review: 'Angel Burn'

We were more than hesitant when we first picked up Angel Burn by l. a. weatherly. We'd heard of "all those fallen angel stories" from hush hush to Fallen to Halo. When we opened the first page tentatively, we thought, why are we putting ourselves through another angel story with, undoubtedly, a similar plot to the others? Well, that's where we were wrong. Weatherly crafts an angel story like nothing we've ever read before. Because angels aren't servants of God in Angel Burn; they're creatures that feed on human souls for sustenance, and our protagonist, Willow, is something impossible. She's the daughter of one.
          Willow is one of the most developed female protagonists we had read about in a while. After a reading slump, we found someone that brought the excitement back, our half-angel. She only wants to protect her family, but when an angel hunter realizes she's not quite what he was told, he winds up rescuing her and she has no choice but to go with him, or she will be killed. Angel Burn is the first book in an intense and engaging trilogy where angels are the bad guys. Willow's personal interests and well-rounded personality help her solve problems on her own and work with the hunter, Alex, to figure out why the angels have been brainwashing everyone and why they're after her. The romance that slowly blossoms between them is realistic and enticing, leaving you dying to know their fate.
          Weatherly's writing and plot twists will keep you turning pages. We give her book 4 out of 5 stars for its stunning originality, full characters, and quick pace. Angel Burn is a book that you will finish within a few days because you can't put it down.

Realms Review