Hushed

I really really enjoyed this. 4.5/5 stars.

First and foremost! Hushed by Kelley York is a New Adult Thriller/MM Romance! I've seen a lot of people call it YA, but Archer and Evan are in college (as are all the major characters) and it's published by Entangled's Embrace line (which is a New Adult line). So just clearing that up. (Also, full disclosure: I'm an Assistant Editor for Entangled, but they did not ask me to review this book. I'm reviewing it because I enjoyed it and that's it).

Related to the NA note: for those of you nervous about reading NA because of the potentially graphic content, this book is pretty tame. There's one (literally) steamy scene, but there isn't graphic content, and more than anything there's just a lot of adorable cuddles and kisses. (Though, trigger warning, there's some sexual assault mentioned throughout the book).

Okay! So as for the actual book, this was such an interesting read. First of all, I can only think of one other book I've read from the primary POV of a serial killer (or, I suppose, vigilante, depending on how you look at it) and it made for a totally fascinating read. Mix in the super unhealthy relationship between Archer and Vicki and the ridiculously adorable Evan (who I just want to huggle forever) and I was totally hooked. The plot is interesting, the pacing works well and the relationships are complicated. I was totally emotionally invested and I really really enjoyed it.

Minor gripes: I may have missed it, but I don't think Archer specifically identifies as bisexual, which isn't a deal-breaker, but as he's pretty obviously bisexual, I would have liked to see him identify and help fight against bi erasure. (Though, if I missed it, which is totally possible, then never mind). Also, toward the end, I started getting kind of aggravated with Vivian and Archer's relationship, but I didn't think it was necessarily unrealistic...just frustrating. So.

All in all, I loved reading Hushed and I was so extremely happy to not only see some diversity on the NA shelf, but to see some diversity in a NA book that isn't strictly Contemporary Romance (double high five!). If you're looking for some diversity to add your NA shelf, I absolutely recommend Hushed.

My thoughts

Cover: A simply dark cover in my opinion. Because of it simplicity it catches your attention. Not girl ???ified. No bare chest model. Like those but their overdone. It catches your attention becuase of the the blood smears on his cheek. I ask myself what happened when I see that.

Book: When I saw it on Goodreads in August and read the synopsis I immediately added it to my wishlist and it is still there. I received a e- ARC. When I got a chance to review it after being declined a multiple number of times on Net Galley, I did not let this opportunity pass me by.

The book begins where Archer, our leading male, forces a victim to commit suicide. I started this and I thought it was like a teenage Dexter. I love that show but can???t feel compassion for Dex. In archer???s case I could. He is a soul but throughout the book I felt compassion and began to care for this character. Ok he is a serial killer, which is not good. In his mind killing the teenagers that hurt Vivian, his best friend, will undo the hurt that they put her through.

I felt compassion for Viv. I felt sorry for the crappy relationships and the poor picking of boyfriends. She is always choosing jerks and lowlifes that hurt her in the end emotionally and as a result she cries and finds support in Archer, her best friend.

But everything changes when Evan comes in to their lives. Archer first meets Evan on the college campus when he asks for directions to the administration building. He does not know what???s so alluring about him, but he makes him feel calm. They spend more and more time together and Archer starts to feel for Evan and Evan for Archer. Archer does not want to kill anymore.

But little Miss Vivian (she is not little lol, a college kid)starts to notice things and sees her Viv/Archer time dwindling. The person both Archer and myself [to me characters are real in alternative universe] thought she was, turns out to be an illusion. My compassion plummeted to ground zero.

In my opinion the baddest, most manipulative protagonist of the year belongs to her. She is the driving force of the novel.
This is one of darkest, emotional YA releases of the year. This book is a huge thriller especially near the end. Any one not comfortable with older dark YA or new adult, male-male love and some graphic scenes it may not be for you. Can???t wait what Kelly thinks up next.

OMG!
¡Está buenísimo! ¡Tienen que leerlo!

[Reseña ]

Archer fue un personaje que me alteró bastante, en un buen sentido de la palabra –si es que lo tiene– más que todo porque no veía que Vivian lo manipulaba y lo llevaba a un abismo oscuro. Fue un personaje que me encantó y que todo el tiempo desee golpear y abrazar. Es entendible su actitud, tomando en cuenta por todo lo que él pasó y que en ningún momento tuvo una persona que viera VERDADERAMENTE por él, que se preocupara y se asegurara de su bienestar. A pesar de que Marissa fue como una madre para él, no se puede afirmar que ella pudo haber logrado algo en él, al menos no algo relevante.

Vivian fue el personaje más psicótico, dañino y manipulador que pueda recordar haya leído antes. Como villana, me encantó, porque la odié profundamente y cada vez que aparecía deseaba matarla, incluso a las primeras páginas –la simple sinopsis te hace aborrecerla, y conforme lees, la odias a muerte. Pero yo hubiera preferido un final más... acorde... a ella. Bueh, mi mente perversa tiene sus planes.

En verdad me encantó la profundidad psicológica de esta trama, el cómo la autora manejó las relaciones destructivas de Vivian, de Archer, los asesinatos, cada cosa que conformaba la historia, cómo desarrolló los personajes. Todo. La relación de Archer y Evan fue hermosa y tierna, y me recordó mucho a la de Aquiles y Patroclos en La Canción de Aquiles de Madeline Miller, pero sin ese final trágico, y sufrí, grité, amé, me asusté, pero al cielo gracias no lloré. Gracias, Kelley, por no darme un final trágico. El desenlace fue impactante. Juro que por un momento me temí lo peor, pero no pasó nada de tal gravedad.

En fin, en definitiva, deben leer este libro. Es muy bueno. Tiene su alta dosis de incertidumbre, de suspenso, misterio, también de romance y humor. Sin mencionar el comodín de pareja LGTB.