This book was received as an ARC from St. Martin's Press - Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I needed this book right now. I absolutely love books that transport you back into an alternate universe where all is unknown and all you have is your upbringing. For Shae, what she thought she knew was not at all the truth. Her mother gets killed by the golden dagger by the group she admires the most (so she thought) as it turns out, they are a much different group than she expected AND to top that all off, believing that she is cursed ever since her little brother dies of blot disease and all that is left is for Shae to train undercover as a Bard and uncover the truth. This book was so brilliantly written that I could not help but be drawn in.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I fell in love with this book as a first installment within the series that hopefully follows quickly. There was the normal amount of complex characters, yet the twists within the plot allow for a different type of growth that the reader comes to expect. While the ending events seemed a little rushed, it set up the next book perfectly.

Hush is an amazing debut novel by Dylan Farrow that continuously left me wanting more, and to know what happened next. It was engaging and such a unique story, that I am DYING to know what happens next. Spoiler alert, this book ends on a cliffhanger. I wasn't aware until I reached said cliffhanger that it was part of a series, so be warned!

One of things that I've seen others comment on is the lack of character development. Personally, I kind of liked that the characters weren't fully fleshed out to begin with. It added an air of mystery to them and also went along with the concept that all of the characters, no matter their role size, kept to themselves and didn't share things about them to begin with.

Overall, this was a stunning debut that I can't wait to get my hands on as it was definitely a favorite read of mine this year, and the cover is gorgeous! This is definitely one that I recommend!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this opportunity!

Dylan Farrow is definitely a new author to watch, this debut was stunning. Highly original and full of relevant themes while being so engaging, I could not stop turning the pages to see what happened next. I will definitely be recommending this one to anyone that asks.

This fantasy novel checks all the boxes.Mysterious cabal of magicians of dubious virtue, Check. Quasi historical European villages. Check. Secret power emanating from the powerless. Check, check, and check. All that said, I enjoyed Dylan Farrow's debut novel and my students will as well. It has a strong female heroine, some interesting twists, and is well set-up for a sequel. The modern world occasionally slips in, and some plot points were predictable for those who read in this genre. For some, that will make this book feel like comfort reading, which these days, isn't such a bad thing.

This book will appeal to readers of high fantasy, especially young women. The main character’s fears and anxieties are well-grounded in a world that is built up around her slowly through events, interactions and reactions rather than the dreaded exposition. All of the fantastical details are grounded in the realistic descriptions of the main character’s reactions and emotions, which makes this a compelling read.

Did the book have an interesting premise? Sure did!

Did it have characters that were developed and intriguing? Absolutely!

Did Hush have a world building/blot angle that kept you turning the page? Yes!

But there was just something that didn’t have me loving this book... maybe it was the pacing (it was rather slow), or maybe it was the mystery-type of plot (I get it - I love mystery novels but this book maybe one too many gaps? It made it a little disjointed)?

This was a solid debut and I’d definitely be picking up the sequel (major shipper of the HOPEFUL love interest here!!!!).

The premise was different, unique and that was what me me pick this book. However, I couldn't understand the plot. There were too many gaps, too many mysteries, and hence too many questions at the end.
The pace of the book was too slow for me. I had to force myself to continue with the book.
Romance was definetely not needed at all. The book could have been better with no love interest at all.
2 stars from me.

I absolutely adored this book and couldn’t put it down. The author writes the characters and storyline beautifully and I can’t wait to find out more when the next book comes out.

In the land of Montane, written material is banned, as exposure to ink causes the lethal "Indigo Death" or "Blot". Only the Bards of High House can view or handle ink, and even among the Bards, contact with ink/written material is strictly limited. The Bards keep order in Montane, having the ability to perform a Telling, which can punish or reward an individual or village. They also visit the villages of Montane to collect tribute for High House and if the tribute is deemed worthy, the Bards will perform a Telling that will benefit the village. On the outskirts of the village of Aster, one of the most wretched villages in Montane, lives Shae and her mother, who have been forced to live outside the village because Shae's brother Kieran died of the "Blot" and therefore the family is considered cursed. Shae believes she is cursed as well, as she has strange dreams and she has noticed that things she embroiders appear in the real world. When the Bards come to Aster to collect the tribute, Shae attempts to ask the Bards to cure her, but things do not go as planned. Her mother is murdered that night and life becomes even more difficult for Shae, causing her to eventually decide to head to High House and Lord Cathal for help, as she believes a Bard killed her mother and that village of Aster was threatened. Her reception at High House is not at all what she expected and her already turbulent life is turned upside down, as she finds herself with previously unknown abilities, but also facing new mysteries and threats and unsure what to believe and what to trust.

This book is particularly timely and relevant considering the increasing instances of certain elements of society believing they are the arbiters of "truth" and attempting to suppress and oppress those who challenge their narrative. The author does not make any specific references or comparisons to current events (and if anything, her commentary would be aimed towards Woody Allen and his defenders (as the author is the adopted daughter of Mia Farrow)). However, Shae doubts and resists the narrative that underlies the rule of the land of Montane, especially as she comes across more examples of inconsistencies between the dictates of High House and the behavior of the Bards, as well as combating assumptions about the abilities and mental stability of female Bards (who are few in number because they supposedly have more difficulty controlling their abilities and therefore are more likely to succumb to madness). Shae is an interesting and well-developed character that readers should enjoy. The author has also created other interesting and diverse characters, as well as a compelling plot with plenty of surprises. The book ends on a cliffhanger, setting up the sequel nicely. "Hush" is well worth reading.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Wow, timely and chilling this book was an experience. Looking forward to what Dylan Farrow writes next.

In the world of Montane language is carefully controlled as words are quite powerful. Stories of fantastical Gondol, and its iconography are forbidden. Those who tell the stories or hide the icons are often afflicted with The Blot-- a blood sickness that not only kills, but spreads social stain. This is what happened to Shae's brother, and changed her life forever.

When we meet Shae, she is an outcast, with only two friends: the shopkeeper's daughter Fiona, and the sawmiller's son Mads. Fiona loves the strange things Shae embroiders, but Shae is quite alarmed to find that some of those things come to life. When the Bards of High House, people trained in the magic of the spoken word, visit her village to collect their tithe, Shae seeks help, fearing she too is cursed with The Blot. She is rebuffed by the Bards however, and when she returns home again, finds that things have gone horribly wrong.
Shae desperately tries to share her truth with her few friends, but they don't, or can't believe her. This leads Shae to a dangerous quest to High House itself, to seek the aid of the Bards.

What follows is a dizzying account of gaslighting, manipulation and one young woman's persistance to stick to her truth, whether she is beleived or not. The story is interesting, but ultimately feels like set up for a second book. The content may be triggering for those with trauma around abusive relationships to men.

Thank you NetGalley for a digital review copy.

From description: In the land of Montane, language is literal magic to the select few who possess the gift of Telling. This power is reserved for the Bards, and, as everyone knows, the Bards have almost always been men.



Seventeen-year-old Shae has lived her entire life in awe of the Bards—and afraid of the Blot, a deadly disease spread by ink, which took the life of her younger brother five years ago. Ever since, Shae fears she’s cursed. But when tragedy strikes again, and her mother is found murdered with a golden dagger—a weapon used only by the Bards—Shae is forced to act.

Language as a curse and a weapon sounded fascinating! Unfortunately, the book doesn't live up to the concept. It feels as if the author rushed through to get to a certain point, but by rushing, failed to establish ample world-building, character development, and motivation.

Blog review scheduled for 7.15.20


I won't be looking for the next book.


NetGalley/St. Martin's Press

Fantasy/YA. Oct. 6, 2020. Print length: 364 pages.

I received a copy from Wednesday Books through a giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

The "Blot" is running rampant through Montane. Many people have died from the disease. Shae's family is cursed by the disease and her brother, Kieran, dies from it. Then, Shae's mother dies and it sends her on a whirlwind adventure to figure out what really happened after the Constable of Aster lied to her. Little does she know, she is a Bard who possesses great power. Shae's life becomes muddled as she tries to figure out the truth of what happened to her mother and survive the Bard training.

Hush was an interesting novel. I enjoyed reading it and honestly, flew through the novel. It is a quick read and keeps you entertained throughout the whole novel. I liked the characterization of Shae and Ravod (fingers crossed he is the love interest!). Dylan Farrow did a great job writing both of the characters. I think what kept me interested is that there were so many angles that the truth of Shae's mother's murder could have taken and Dylan Farrow kept me guessing the whole time which way she was going to go with it. There was a central theme throughout the novel that really resonated with me. It was the idea of how far could Shae go to get the truth and could she handle learning the truth. Dylan Farrow did a wonderful job laying out this central theme and keeping it constant through all the trials and tribulations Shae went through.

I'm really excited for the second novel and will be eagerly awaiting to read it!

This was a solid debut overall. I liked the cover and the premise, but I'm not sure it really lived up to its potential. I was left with a few questions, and there were places where more explanations could've been helpful ... which left a few gaps for me in the world building. Part were a bit confusing, as a result. The characters were okay and mostly well-drawn, but I didn't really connect to them, as expected.

3.5 stars (rounded up)

I quite liked this one!

The plot was certainly not something I've seen before and I enjoyed watching it play out.

I liked the danger of the Blot and thought that it was an interesting twist of a blight.

The death of the mother was a great motivator for Shae and ultimately is what held my attention the most to the book. I kept trying to figure it out on my own but all of my guesses ended up far away from the truth.

The embroidery aspect of the future-predictions was really cool - I had fun watching Shae work on her artwork (and eventually discovering her Bard powers).

I felt like a few of the plot twists (the female trainer working against Shae, the other big betrayl) was a little predictable - but it fits with what I'd expect to see in YA.

All in all, i think this one works rather well and am excited for book 2!

Just finished reading Hush by Farrow and here are the 2 things gnawing at me: first is the title and second is the way the term Bard is used in the story. Both of these words just don’t fit with the story. After finishing the book I still didn’t see where Hush makes for a good title. And the term Bard by definition is a storyteller or poet not a magic wheeling individual. But let me move on ... the story starts out slow with the main character Shea coming into her gift. Although, Shea’s life is far from easy you would think this would make her grow up faster and be more mature and incitefull. Instead she is naive and narrow minded with a single focus. I don’t understand why she doesn’t understand that she has developed a gift and this alone makes for a slow read for a third of the book. I think the storyline has potential but the writing is lacking organization in regards to helping the reader visualize the world the author is creating. Special thanks to Netgalley for giving me this opportunity to review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! “Hush” by Dylan Farrow is filled with powerful ideas and intriguing concepts that should conceivably lend themselves to a blockbuster debut novel. While it is a quick read that will have you turning pages in a frenzy, Unfortunately, it never manages to rise above standard YA fantasy fare. It’s weighed down by cookie cutter characters that never really connect and brilliant concepts that are never fully realized and just end up confused and muddled.I’ve felt like I’ve read these characters a million times and been down this road before. I enjoyed the strong social messaging and the cleverness of the initial conceit, but it just never feels fully formed. 3.5 stars for this one. There’s a lot of potential here and hopefully it will blossom in the sequel.

"The more I tell you, the more you believe, the more it becomes true. And deep down that is what you wanted, is it not" The power of the written and spoken word and the search for truth drives the narrative of this first novel written by Dylan Farrow. Shae, is ostracized by her village after her brother falls victim to the "blot', a disease originating from ink, After her mother is mysteriously killed she travels to the High House to search for answers. Shae's discovery of her hidden powers while attempting to determine what is reality, leads her to discover important truths about her self and those she loves.
Dylan Farrow has created a captivating world that Teen Readers will enjoy visiting. This first book in the series leaves the reader enthusiastically waiting for the sequel.

"Hush" is a fantasy world that brings to life the power of the word and standing up for your beliefs. Overall, I felt the main character was a bit too naive. This got a little distracting. While Shae does a good job driving the plot forward, overall, she took too long connecting some obvious dots.

As our main character goes through trials at the castle, having to prove her skills in magic, there's hardly any sense of how Shae or the other Bards use their powers. So its hard to feel pulled into the world as the rules of it aren't clear.

I really liked exploring the castle and trying to find the Book of Days. I thought that was very well done and very emotionally centered. Shae goes through a lot of growth. I also liked the sense of multiple moments overlapping. Farrow also does a good job pulling together what Shae has learned to guide her steps.

The writing is nice, the world interesting but not well defined, and the characters interesting enough if moderately shallow. I'm not sure if I'd read more, but to the author's credit, I didn't want to put the story down during the last third of the book.