Book Review: Hush, Hush + Author Interview: Becca Fitzpatrick

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Release Date: October 13, 2009

Summary: 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 Review: I really enjoyed this book, it was literally attached to my hip during my vacation. The storyline was addictive and I was eager to know the outcome. I fell in love with the characters, especially Patch. He was so dangerous and had this quiet sexyness about him. Becca did a wonderful job with the outline of the book because everything was revealed as you read the book and I love that. I loved the character development because I could picture how they looked and acted. My only negative thing is, the story ended too soon. I need more of Patch! Hehe...I cannot wait to read Crescendo which is the continuation of the story. I recommend you all buy Hush, Hush on October 13!
My Rating: 4.7 out of 5
Pre-order it here: Amazon.com

Author Interview: Becca Fitzpatrick of Hush, Hush


Becca Fitzpatrick is the author of Hush, Hush which will be released on October 13, 2009. She is also writing the sequel to Hush, Hush which is called Crescendo, so look out for that! Thank you for taking the time out to do this interview and I cannot wait to read more novels by you :)

For more info on Becca, check out her blog and official website:
http://bec-fitzpatrick.livejournal.com/
http://beccafitzpatrick.com/

The Interview:

1) Becca, when was the first time you thought, I'm going to write a book? When I was eight years old, I watched the movie Romancing the Stone and announced to my mom, “I'm going to be a writer when I grow up!” Of course, I thought all writers were constantly on the run from bad guys, flew to Colombia to hunt for treasure, and fell in love with a guy like Michael Douglas.

2) What inspired you to write Hush, Hush? It took five years to write Hush, Hush, so there were many small inspirations that revealed themselves along the way, but the first time I sat down to write the book, my mind kept traveling back to an experience I had in my own tenth-grade biology class. There's a scene in Hush, Hush where Nora's teacher asks her to name characteristics she'd be attracted to in a mate, and let's just say I didn't exactly
make that scene up!

3) Are the characters in the book based on someone you know? I didn't set out to base the characters in my book on people I know, but they're all shaped from my experience, so I'm sure there are little pieces of friends, acquaintances and people I've known over the years stitched into them. In fact, now that you've brought it up, if I look closely at Vee, I can see two of my childhood friends in her. Then there's Patch. I'm probably going to regret saying this, but a
person from my past did vaguely inspire his character. And that's all I'm going to say about that!

4) What was the hardest part of writing Hush, Hush? All those rejections! And right behind that, the feeling that I would never get the story right. I started submitting Hush, Hush to agents in 2003, and the next five years were filled with hopeful rejections and agents offering to see multiple rewrites. I was always close, just not close enough. But in the end, I think the struggle it took to get where I am has made the journey that much more meaningful to me. The best things in life almost always require the most work!

5) What is the meaning behind the title choice of your book? In Hush, Hush, there are many sinister secrets being kept from the main character, Nora, and I think the title reflects that. When I hear the title in my head, it sounds like a chilling and haunting lullaby.

6) If you had to sum up Hush, Hush in one word what would it be? Sexy!

7) The cover is phenomenal, it's very dark, which I love. Who came up with the cover design? Thank you! I'm in love with it too. James Porto photographed the cover, and I believe he will be shooting the cover for Crescendo as well. (Crescendo is the sequel to Hush, Hush.) You can check out James's website at www.jamesporto.com

8) Are there any new authors that have sparked your interest? I've really enjoyed Caitlin Kittredge's urban fantasy novels, so I'm excited to read her YA novel, The Witch's Alphabet, out in 2010. I've also been lucky enough to read a few Tenners novels including Lindsey Leavitt's Princess for Hire and Karen Healey's Guardian of the Dead. Both were excellent!

9) What book are you currently reading? I'm currently reading a whole stack of books (I keep them strategically placed around the house and in the car so I'm never far
from a book), but a few I'm really enjoying are The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, and The Love Story Behind Gone With the Wind by Marianne Walker.

10) Tell us something about yourself that no one knows about. In third grade, I held the city record for jumping rope – 1,109 consecutive jumps! *Eleni: Wow very impressive Becca!*