218. hush, hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

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.

Let me preface this by saying that had my husband not picked up this book and read the back cover blurb, I'm not sure I would have made the Twilight connections myself.

That said, I did see distinct parallels between Hush, Hush and Twilight, and it could be said that this book is Twilight-derivative. Basically, change a vampire to an angel and you have the general idea of what this book is about. She is paired up with him in science class. He is ornery and off-putting. She feels like she's being watched - even in her bedroom. She's attracted to him even though she really doesn't know him and every instinct warns her against it. Evil forces are going to come after her and he's going to try to protect her.

These are where the similarities end though. I did like Twilight, but I'm not in the 'Twilight's the greatest thing since sliced bread' camp. What I liked about this book is that Nora has very little in common with Bella, character-wise. Nora has other friends, she's comfortable with herself, she's confident. She is cautious and doesn't blindly run into situations and require rescuing. She doesn't immediately want Patch simply because he's hot, off-limits, and aloof. Nora is perceptive and smart. She tries to stay away from Patch, but when she's thrust into situations with him, she gets to know him and is wary and careful. She's much more likable to me than co-dependent, weak Bella Swan. Nora makes Bella look like a pansy. Patch is more complex and interesting than Edward as well. Yeah, the book is probably derivative of Twilight, but it's an improvement to the formula and has so much less pointless teen angst. I can't blame the author for wanting to write the next Twilight ... in fact, I'm glad she gave it a try. It's an altogether good book.

Hush, Hush will be released on 10/13/09. I'd like to thank Simon & Schuster via Shelf Awareness for the ARC.