Hushed

"HUSHED" (GMTA REVIEW BY KITTY)

Book Title: "Hushed"
Author: Kelley York
Published By: Entangled Publishing
Age Recommended: 17 +
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 5

Review: EXPLOSIVE! From beginning to end is likely the only way to describe this book. When Archer decides to always protect his best friend Vivian while harboring a crush on her, how far is he willing to go? What happens when another is introduced into this toxic relationship and begins to change the other's mind? What happens when love becomes real and infatuation is realized? What happens when there's murder involved?

Archer and Vivian have been best friends since grade school, he's always been there for her through everything, all the ups and downs of bad relationships and even when she needed him most... when her life depended on it. He's done things... bad things, things he can't take back, all for her. When Evan comes into the picture, Archer finds himself questioning his toxic relationship with Vivian and begins to realize that things are not what they seem.

This story is amazingly written and superb in the dramatic sense! Kelley York is definitely a writer to watch out for she so vividly portrays the emotions of young college students and knows how to dig in deep and wrench every breath from you. I was on edge the entire time reading this book never knowing what path I was destined to travel down next. It was as if I became the innocent bystander the one watching in the shadows as it all unfolded and I was TERRIFIED! You have to read this book, it has all elements of everything you'd want in a good drama and thriller with a little romance thrown in for good measure. I love the fact that Kelley didn't carry the romance overboard and allowed her base story to shine through without this book becoming just another love story. BRILLIANT! I will be watching for more to come from this phenomenal author!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Just amazing!

First of all, thank you to Netgalley and to Entangled Publishing for the chance to read this book for review!
Ok, wow. Just, wow. I JUST finished reading this, and I am speechless! I was absolutely captivated by this book.
Archer is a college student who really doesn't have any friends, except for Vivian, who has been in his life since they were children. At the age of 12, with Archer held down and forced to watch, Vivian is raped by a group of her brother's friends, while her brother watches and laughs. This has left her emotionally broken. Archer has made a vow to himself to always be there for Vivian, to protect her. Vivian uses him. But Archer is still there for her, and willing to do whatever it takes to make her happy. Even murder.
Archer's mission is to make everyone involved in the rape pays for what they did. It starts by accident, when he pushes one guy down the stairs and kills him. Then the idea is born to make a list of everyone involved in the event that left his best friend traumatized and kill them, one by one.
Archer is not the kind to get close to anyone. But then he meets Evan, and for the first time, he experiences a healthy relationship. Evan is there for Archer in the way that Archer was there for Vivian. Even when he finds out what Archer has done.
Archer's love for Evan makes him realize that what he has done is wrong, and he know longer wants to continue with his "mission." However, Vivian starts to lose it...she has just lost her mother, been beaten up yet again by her abusive boyfriend, and is now losing Archer to Evan. She decides she needs to pick up where Archer has left off...and then some. She now realizes what a good thing she had with Archer, and now she wants him all to herself.
This book opens with Archer's murder of Brody, Vivian's brother. So, I started off hating Archer. How the heck can you empathize with a murderer? How can the writer expect this from their reader? Well, I don't know how, but York pulled it off. This, in my opinion, is a sign of a very talented author. She made me really think about whether murder can be justified. While I cannot say that I think Archer did the right thing (at ALL, let's make that clear), I really think he felt like he was doing the right thing.
Also, I was not expecting a homosexual romance in the book. I'll be honest, it caught me off guard. But, Evan was the only healthy relationship Archer had in his life. Their relationship was so sweet. I just really was rooting for things to work out for them.
Overall, this was an amazing read. So very different from anything I've read. Yes, it was a little dark and disturbing, and it deals with a LOT of "difficult" material - rape, domestic violence, murder, homosexuality (not that I consider this difficult material, but some readers may). But, don't let that stop you. It was written so amazingly, that it didn't seem all that disturbing or scary. I look forward to reading more from Kelley York.
Now, go forth and read :)
Posted by Kary at 3:09 PM

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Twisted but amazing.

I loved this twisted book more than I think I should have. Hushed is thrilling, disturbing, and insanely amazing.

We start off with Archer, who lives by himself and tries to be normal. But, he's anything but normal. Then there is Vivian, Archer's best friend, and the person he's always loved. Archer would do anything to protect her, anything for her... even kill. Then, one day Archer meets Evan. Evan is down to earth, fun, and cares about Archer a lot. As Archer starts to fall for Evan, he starts to realize how wrong he's been about Vivian and how dangerous everything has become. But, is it too late to pull himself out?

Following Archer, was one hell of a ride. He's this good-looking, smart boy, who is completely blinded by what's in front of him. But, how can you blame him when it's all he's ever known? He does what he had to for the person he loved. It just took someone else to show him how dangerously far he'd actually gone and how wrong it actually is. I mean, watching him and Viv together... was like watching someone take poison and letting it slowly seep into your body until you eventually give out. It was a completely toxic relation.

On the other hand, I completely adore Evan. The way he swims in the cold, his cute ideas, his gentleness, the way he sees the good even in a terrible situation, his slight sexiness. Everyone NEEDS an Evan. He's the all-around perfect boyfriend.

I was surprised, yet completely happy with the ending of Hushed. For Kelley to take a topic of love and being blinded and twist it as far as she did, it's almost frightening. And that's exactly why I loved this book as much as I did. It's 100% intense the whole way through and it's beautiful. This book sunk its teeth in me from the very beginning. It's twisted, completely spine-tingling, and at the same time inspiring. I cannot rave enough about this one. It's completely unique and if you're considering picking it up... do it! You will not be disappointed.

Dark & Delicious

Review by Andrea @ Reading Lark

Hushed is the story of Archer and Vivian's dysfunctional friendship; the lives of these two produce poisonous effects and everything they seem to touch withers. Archer is seen as a monster to many - including his own mother - for his violent and antisocial tendencies. Vivian's experiences with abuse as a child have left her damaged and needy. Neither one can imagine their life without the other wallowing in pain beside them. However, Archer wants nothing more than to soothe Vivian's aches and make up for past wrongs. How does he accomplish this task? He makes a hit list of all the people who have hurt Vivian and one by one he starts to kill them off. Didn't I tell you that this friendship was dysfunctional?

The summary of this one had me a little nervous before I started the book. I have loved everything I have read from Entangled Publishing in the past so I was willing to give this one a shot on that alone. This book was something entirely unexpected. I honestly wasn't planning to find a way to understand Archer or Vivian - let alone be sympathetic to their flights of crazy - but somewhere along the way I did find myself feeling sorry for them both. It was unnerving for me to feel sympathy towards a serial killer, however, as Archer's story unfolds, you start to hope that things will get better for him and in the end he will be okay. It's so odd to see the traditional villain type role be something other than evil. Part of what makes this book so amazing is the flaws of the characters and how they seek to overcome and/or drown in those negative aspects of their lives. My heart broke for Archer as I watched him struggle with his guilt over his actions. On the other hand, feeling sorry for Vivian didn't come as easily.

I feel like this book will appeal to YA and adult readers for many reasons. The plot is suspenseful and intriguing. Each time I would think the story line was winding down, a new twist would arise and spin me off in a direction I never saw coming. The grittiness and realism of this book will also appeal to many. Finally, I think the struggles Archer goes through concerning relationships will also speak to various audiences. Archer's heart is divided between Vivian, the girl he's longed for since childhood, and Ethan, a new guy he met on his college campus. The relationship between Archer and Ethan was well written and many teens could benefit from watching as the guys come out of the closet with family and friends.

Overall, this book was a shocking surprise. This isn't my typical genre, but I ended up loving it. Hushed is extremely dark and tragic. I spent most of the novel feeling creeped out and shivers danced up and down my spine. This one reads as if you have a front row seat as the story is playing out. Kelley York has done an amazing job of creating a story that is the dark chocolate of books - sweet with just an edge of bitterness and massively addicting. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for something dark, edgy, and suspenseful.

A Dark, Twisted Read! So Worth It!

Opening with a murder, this novel grips the reader from the very first page as Archer exacts his revenge against one of the perpetrators of Vivian¿s nightmare from so long ago. This is an amazing tale of love and betrayal. A twisted tale between right and wrong. A deliciously dark tale focusing on the psyche of Archer as he battles against himself in hopes of redeeming Vivian.

I found Archer¿s character to be extremely interesting. His need for love is so strong that he¿s completely blinded by Vivian¿s true nature, believing that he can restore her to her old self through vengeance against those who hurt her. And, although he is a killer, Archer is not necessarily a bad person. His heart is in the right place, as twisted as that sounds, but he has been without love for so long that he¿s lost himself along the way. With the entrance of Evan, things begin to change for Archer, and the battle that rages inside him was extremely real and well written.

Authors who are able to make me feel alongside of the characters are one¿s I cherish, and York is, without a doubt, a fantastic writer. While Archer struggles with his psyche, Vivian is completely off and she¿s that character we love to hate. I had so many vile thoughts about her as I read, I¿m almost ashamed to admit it. York definitely has characterization down to a tee as I felt like I was there alongside all of the action and my blood boiled on multiple occasions. It truly takes a phenomenal author to do that. Four stars.

Chapter by Chapter review of Hushed by Kelley York

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book. I heard all the hype, and I thought to myself...is this going to live up to my expectations after everything I saw from fellow bloggers? It did, and more! This book was surprisingly addicting, and truely lived up to it's hype.
After reading just the first few paragraphs, I was already hooked. To read Archer's thoughts as he talks Brody through the steps on killing himself. Is this guy good? Is this a dream? What's going on? I had to keep reading.
Kelley York weaves such an intriguing story. I went through so many different emotions, as I progessed through the book. There were parts where I was literally too scared to turn the page, to see what was going to happen next. There were also other parts where I just couldn't read fast enough.
York has put so much depth and personality into Archer, Evan, Vivian as well as other characters in Hushed. I couldn't help but fall in love with the relationship that is Archer and Evan. It was so interesting to watch their relationship grow and unfold right before my eyes. To read the parts that made my heart thump just alittle bit faster, to feel the corners of my mouth turn up into a smile as they came to know each other.
I was surprised at how emotionally involved I was while reading Hushed. Angry at Archer's mother, annoyed with Vivian's antics, awww'd by Evan's patience and understanding, sadness and sympathy for Archer, for his life and the things he has to live through. York does such a fantastic job building this story, and by providing even just the littlest details that made everything seem more real.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to step away from stories of monsters and beasts, and into a world of heartache, self-discovery, love and a dash of murder and vengence.

Awesome Thriller!!!

Hushed is an intense thriller. Kelley York has penned a work of fiction that made me question my own conscience and beliefs of right and wrong. York definitely took me into the mind of an eighteen year old guy that was no doubt damaged. At the age of twelve, Archer couldn't protect the girl he loved from a horribly abusive situation, and he blames himself. He¿s held onto the pain and guilt for seven years because of it. Kelley York also shows how everyone has free will to choose. You can let abuse destroy your life, or you can heal and move past it. York has written an awesome thriller that will send chills down your spine.

Archer and Vivian have been best friends since they were in grade school, but Archer wants more than friendship. Archer wants Vivian to be in love with him the way he loves her. But what happens to Vivian when they¿re twelve has Archer believing he needs make things right, so Vivian can be free to be the person she used to be. When Archer meets Evan, he sees life differently¿becomes more of the person he really wants to be, and not the monster he lost himself to. Vivian doesn't like Evan coming between her relationship with Archer, and for the first time in seven years, Archer finally sees who he is, and who he is to Vivian.

Hushed is twisted, chilling and a heart-melting thriller and I'm still torn up about Archer, but Hushed is awesome and the ending will have you in tears. I highly recommend Hushed as a must read. Just be ready for the shiver going down your spine when you read it.

A Mix Of Psychological Thriller & Tantalizing Romance

Hushed is this insane, in the mind of a killer, thriller that both YA readers and adult readers will devour. It has the perfect combination of, suspense, what!? moments, and a sizzling romance that burns right off the pages.

Archer, the main character and maybe not so great guy, has this innate darkness about him that is just a little terrifying. He comes off as a sociopath, but then we see the side of him that cares. That really, truly, cares; about Vivian, about his mother and Vivian¿s mother, and about the new guy Evan. It¿s this contrast in his character that makes Archer so intriguing. He becomes this enigma that is tantalizing to riddle out.

As creepy as Archer can be, there¿s also something about him that is loveable ¿ that will make readers root for him and for his happiness, despite the terrible things he¿s done. It¿s very easy to see him as the bad guy, but even easier to see him as a victim. I credit Kelley York¿s astounding writing and character development because as bad as Archer may be, York makes sure we know there is much worse out there.

And that much worse just might be Vivian. She is someone to loathe and I found myself angry at Archer for caring so much; but I got it. His love for her stems from a deep, childhood friendship that he cannot fathom breaking. Mirroring Vivian¿s wild and unpredictable personality, is Evan; who is good and kind and solid. I was as captivated by him as Archer is. Archer¿s interactions with Vivian and Evan are so opposing that it makes for this fire and ice feeling throughout the novel. York is a master at creating these complicated and convoluted relationships that are unhealthy on some levels and destructive on others.

Hushed is as much a suspense thriller as it is a love story and that is a testament to the talent that Kelley York possesses. For every disturbing scene or thought, there is one that is steamy and rife with sexual tension. The plot unfolds in unimaginable ways, while maintaining this realistically messed up driving force. I loved every minute of it.

Highly Recommended for Contemporary YA lovers

Archer, in the beginning of the story is a cold calculating guy who's one thought is revenge and trying to win Vivian's love. He seems like he'll do anything for her, yes including murder. But Archer's been protecting and defending Vivian for years and she's never treated him as more than a best friend. Maybe run to him for a night, but he's always known it wouldn't mean anything so he's never settled for that. He's a man that's alone in a crowd. But then, a very persistent Evan eases his way into Archer's life and a slow friendship begins. To me, it's the sweetest love story I've ever read. No insta love here. Both are shy and their friendship is slow to start. Archer has never had a friend he could really tell everything to and there's a lot to tell. The slow build up of the relationship mirrors the buildup of the tension between Vivian and Archer. Vivian is a class A user. She uses Archer whenever she needs to get out of a messy situation that she's put herself in. She seems to date guys that are always abusive and obsessive. And Archer is always rescuing her from these guys, until he doesn't. And let's just say she doesn't like to share Archer. This is a tense thriller with a great romance thrown in to make it even better. You already know that Archer has killed for Vivian, so I'm not giving anything away, but you know it can't be wrapped up in a happily ever after ending. But the ending is satisfying and realistic. I think Kelley York's writing style is easy to read and her character development is perfect in this book. I felt impatient and then totally disgusted and terrified by Vivian throughout the novel. As she devolved into the lowest life, Archer grew into a man of conscience and self confident. And Evan, well he was perfect from the beginning really, he made me smile every time I read about him. Everything I'd want in a contemporary YA novel was there. The romance is between two guys, but it's so beautifully written I totally forgot that. And I really didn't care. Romance done right is romance. But if you have a problem with homosexuality, then don't read it. But you'll miss out on a great new voice in YA contemporary lit and a great thriller!

An Intriguing Thriller

So, if you have read the synopsis, you are probably asking why anyone would want to read a book where the protagonist is obviously a killer? A serial killer at that. The answer is simple...Archer, though far from perfect, has his redeeming qualities. He loves Vivian unconditionally, does anything for her, and takes care of her when nobody else can. Problem - Vivian is as toxic as they come. Only running to Archer when there is no one else for her to run to. When he starts pulling away, she decides that she cannot let him go that easy.

Oddly, Archer's dysfunction was easy to get past. He wanted to change but didn't know how. His neurosis was obvious. The signs of OCD and Borderline Personality Disorder combined with a little Post Traumatic Stress Disorder never makes for an easy life. However, when he met Evan, his life started turning in a new direction. He was peaceful, happy, and had the love that Vivian could never give him. He began to see her for the energy sucking parasite she was. (Nope, don't like Vivian even a little bit.) He trusted Evan in ways he had never trusted anyone. Archer and Vivian both had difficult childhoods. Each dealt with it in their own way. Archer had the capacity to make his life better, to change.Vivian...not so much.

Everything Archer did, he did for Vivian. Everything Vivian did, she did for Vivian. Only Evan ever cared about what Archer wanted or needed.

I enjoyed the relationship between Archer and Evan. Evan brought light into a very dark story. He was proof that just because bad things happened, you could remain good. Evan was stability in Archer's life where no other stability existed. He defined love, friendship, and trust. I laughed at Archer when he was near Evan because he would just say whatever he was thinking while simultaneously thinking "why did I say that?" I adored his inability to hide from Evan...even when you knew he really wanted to.

Everyone is going to have their own take on Hushed. Much like the characters in the book, you can choose to see the light behind it, or you can be taken in by the darkness. I walked away feeling that justice was served, that bad things happen to everyone but they don't define anyone. You define who you are with the choices you make. It's never too late to change.

If you are see-sawing about reading Hushed, keep an open mind and do it. I think you will be surprised. This is another of Entangled Publishing phenomenal books. Kelley York wrote an excellent thriller with the perfect amount of suspense. Always enough to keep the pages turning.

Be sure to look for my interview with Kelley York on December 21st as part of the Hushed Virtual Book Tour. As always, I would like to thank Entangled Publishing for including me in one of their promotions.

*I was provided an e-book from Entangled Publishing in return for my honest review and participation in the Hushed Virtual Book Tour. Hushed does contain a male/male relationship and a graphic murder scene.

Highly Recommended

I got the opportunity to read this book through a friend on Goodreads and thought that it was a fantastic, edge of your seat, thriller. I just adore Archer. First of all what a fantastic name for a character and you think of an Archer. He is strong, powerful and devious. I have a soft spot for my mentally broken heroes.

Archer is the most loyal best friend that you could ever imagine and the fact that he covets his childhood friend that he also secretly is in love with is more amazing. Vivian endured a horrible incident in her childhood that broke her. She was never the same again and Archer couldn¿t live with that.

He also didn¿t think those who committed such an atrocious act against her should live either and compiled a list of those less worthy. Oblivious, Vivian just went about her life with carefree abandon make all the wrong choices in men.

All Archer did was love her and she disregarded his affections and only sought this friendship. So when Archer runs into Evan one day on campus, why wouldn¿t Vivian be happy for Archer? This ticking time bomb spirals into some really bizarre territory that keeps you wanting to know more.
Vivian is so shattered that it is impossible to piece her together. Archer is tired of trying to make her happy and seeks some solitude of his own in a budding relationship with Evan. Evan is the only one that Archer feels cares about him and wants to help him make the right choices.

Vivian has a few surprises of her own to show you just how broken she truly is and Archer is right in her path. Pick it up and read it. Really keeps you interested and flows beautifully through twisted minds looking for what they think is best for one another.

Recommended for readers who like a little twist in your characters.

Fine line between paranoid and crazy and I love it!

One thing that I love reading about is psychotic people who go off the rails and Kelley York executed perfectly! There was a fine edge between paranoid and crazy that Ms. York tip toed on through out the whole book and you didn't know where the characters stood until the very end.

I really loved Archer. He had this almost Dexter personality. He really believes that he is going to make Vivian's life better, once he gets rid of all the people who have hurt her. If only Vivian could pick a nice guy instead of the constant losers, the list wouldn't keep getting longer and longer.

Vivian. She really is a user. She has Archer twisted around her little finger and whenever she falls down, Vivian knows that Archer will be there to pick her back up. Just so she can go make the same mistakes the next month. Vivian is one of those characters you love to hate.

Evan enters Archer's life and he immediately cares for Archer in a way that no one really ever has before. Evan is selfless and he really helps Archer see that killing people is a bad thing and that Vivian is not good for him and that sometimes it's best to do what is best for himself. You can't help but love Evan, he's just so sweet and the tension between him and Archer agonizingly builds through out the book.

Kelley York wrote an exhilarating book that I knew I was going to love when I read the first page. If you loved Dexter you should read it and if you don't like Dexter well you should read it anyway!

Emotional, and touching story.

This story was heart wrenching and emotional. The characters were written so well, and you could really be in their heads. I really felt for them and found my heart breaking sometimes. They are so complex and deep. It was really a tense, but good read. It's not typically the type of book I read, but the overview really pulled me in and made me interested in reading it.


Archer is such a mentally broken person. You would think he should be the bad guy, but it's the exact opposite. He is actually a really good person, and you can't help but feel sorry for him. He has lived his whole life doing everything for Vivian, his best friend. He would do anything to protect her because he has always loved her. She has never wanted him as anything more than a friend. She walks all over him because she knows that no matter what he will always be there for her. That is until he meets Evan. Evan sees the good in Archer. He cares about him and likes him for who he is. Archer slowly realizes that Viv is messed up and knows that Evan is right about her.


As soon as Viv knows that Archer is starting to not run to her every time she calls, she starts to get jealous of Evan. She becomes even more unstable, and scary. She will do anything not to lose Archer. Now that she knows that she isn't the object of his affection she becomes pretty psycho.

I really liked how the relationship between Archer and Evan developed. Evan just wants to be there for Archer and make him happy. He tries to get him away from the messed up situation that his life has become. Archer feels better when he is around Evan. He can just hang out and be himself around him. It's very realistic how they progress into their relationship.


This book is very emotionally charged. Archer and Viv are such messed up people. The difference is that Archer wants to be a good person, while Viv totally falls apart. This is a really touching story. I just wanted the best for Archer the whole time, and I felt myself hating Viv for what she does to him. I loved Evan. He was a sweet and caring character, and just what Archer needed. This book was really a pleasure to read.

One of the Best YA Novels, Highly Recommended - a must to read

This is one of the best novels I have read this month maybe even this year. When I first received Hushed I thought it was going to be about a young man who is seeking revenge on behalf of his best friend Vivian. He would do anything for her, even kill. So as we start reading this story Archer has just killed one of the men on his list, you see how his love and his need to protect Vivian is what is driving him to do these murders. The more you read about Vivian and Archer the more you start to feel compassion for Archer. So now you¿re reading and your feeling sorry for the murderer. I actually disliked Vivian and the way she treated Archer the dysfunction of their relationship is pretty clear. Then along comes Evan, who you can see has a crush on Archer, so now you¿re seeing a romance blossom between these two young men and your praying somehow this is going to end in a happy ever after situation, even though you know from reading this far that Archer has killed a few people and Evan is aware of what is going on. As the story continues you see Vivian spinning out of control and praying for Archer to get away from her and staying closer to Evan. Archer knows deep down that he wants and needs Evan in his life, the romance in this story is as important as the murders at the beginning of the book. Evan admits he doesn¿t want to be a monster and wants to stop killing. Everything get so mixed up together, the romance, the murders, the messed up relationship he has with Vivian meanwhile you¿re still hoping that it all works out in the end for Evan and Archer. The book is about love, family, murder, romance, and it is gut wrenching and heart breaking. The author Kelley York did a fantastic job with this story and is an amazing author, I have given this book a 5 star rating. I would recommend to all of my friends.

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