Review: Hushed by Kelley York



Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn't protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he's never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn't matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another-Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.Then along comes Evan, the only person who's ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer's committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn't get what she wants... And what she wants is Evan's death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption (goodreads).


Kelley York's dark story of a young boy who is willing to do anything for a childhood friend will surprise you and root for our troubled protaganist. 

York doesn't waste any time with setting up the tone for this book. The first chapter deals with Archer finishing up yet another kill. He is efficient, quick and dedicated to his task and you can tell that he's like that in all aspects of life. Hushed is a thriller novel that moves at the perfect pace, it doesn't bore nor does it give anything away too quickly. 

The characters are what makes this novel so great. York spends a lot of time showcasing Archer's relationship with Vivian and his relationship with Evan. Although the first is obviously toxic, it's interesting to see how Archer treasures their relationship and how defensive he is around Evan, the one who is trying to nurture him. The contrast in relationships is amazing to see and seeing Archer try to find his place in the world kept me reading. There are a lot of similarities between Archer and Dexter Morgan because they both view the world in the same cynical detached lenses, like most serial killers probably would. 

York's writing style is absolutely beautiful. She managed to break my heart when I saw how dedicated Archer was to both Viv and and his mother and the two of them just continued to abuse him. I really can't wait to read more by Kelley York and i high recommend this book to anyone who wants a some originality. 

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