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Oxley College #1
Shh!
Nineteen-year-old Olivia Dean has the perfect reputation, the perfect boyfriend, and an increasingly perfect CV. She has it all, until Christian breaks up with her in public, calling her out as a self-gratifying sexoholic: the kind that plays solo. But Olivia doesn’t do any such thing — the only thing she does at night is sleep … right?
Now all the boys on campus seem to want her attention for the absolutely wrong reason — including resident hottie, Logan Hays. He's pulling out his best moves to gain her attention, so resisting his sexy charm is hard work. With rapidly slipping grades, a disturbingly lurid reputation and demanding parents, Olivia must discover the truth behind her rumoured sleeping problem. If she doesn't, the perfect life she's worked so hard for may slip away, including the one person who has Olivia breaking all her rules — Logan.
What do you do when you’re asleep?
***
Shh! is a story about acceptance, learning to trust and in turn love while facing life's unexpected difficulties.
NB: This book is of a mild heat level, and contains no explicit sex scenes.
Now all the boys on campus seem to want her attention for the absolutely wrong reason — including resident hottie, Logan Hays. He's pulling out his best moves to gain her attention, so resisting his sexy charm is hard work. With rapidly slipping grades, a disturbingly lurid reputation and demanding parents, Olivia must discover the truth behind her rumoured sleeping problem. If she doesn't, the perfect life she's worked so hard for may slip away, including the one person who has Olivia breaking all her rules — Logan.
What do you do when you’re asleep?
***
Shh! is a story about acceptance, learning to trust and in turn love while facing life's unexpected difficulties.
NB: This book is of a mild heat level, and contains no explicit sex scenes.
348 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2015
123 people are currently reading
1575 people want to read
About the author
Stacey Nash
11 books219 followersWriting for the young and new adult market, Stacey's books are all adventure filled stories with a good dose of danger, a smattering of romance, and plenty of kissing! Her debut novel, Forget Me Not was released as a three book series through HarperCollins Australia during 2014 / 2015. And her Oxley College Saga is out now.
Hailing from the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, she loves nothing more than immersing herself in the beauty and culture of the local area.
To stay up to date with new releases and upcoming titles be sure to sign up for Stacey's newsletter at www.staceynash.net
Hailing from the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, she loves nothing more than immersing herself in the beauty and culture of the local area.
To stay up to date with new releases and upcoming titles be sure to sign up for Stacey's newsletter at www.staceynash.net
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
June 5, 2017
This is the sweetest new adult romance I’ve ever read, despite the subject matter. There are some heated kissing scenes, but the sex is definitely of the "fade to black" sort. So if the idea about reading a story involving a girl’s discovery that she has a sexual sleep disorder is putting you off, don’t let it!
Olivia is a perfectionist teenager trying to fulfill her parents’ demand that she get the grades and extracurricular credit to secure herself a job in a top-tier law firm. It’s obvious from the start that she doesn’t really enjoy law, which gave me a pretty clear idea of what kind of parents she has (the kind that shouldn’t be allowed to have kids!). When her parentally approved boyfriend dumps her in a public and humiliating way, her life starts to unravel.
Enter Logan. He’s got his own issues, and has a bit of a "bad boy" vibe—except he really isn’t at all. Sure, he’s from the wrong side of the tracks, but there is absolutely nothing bad about him. His fun nature and support for Olivia encourage her to start questioning the direction her life is taking. Also, because he’s already found the strength to escape the path his parents thought he’d take, he is the best possible example for Olivia.
Unfortunately for the couple, each of their issues discourages them from opening up fully to the other, which results in some inevitable heartache. In some books, a lack of communication doesn’t make sense and is a transparent plot device. But in Shh!, I totally understood why that was the case - if I were Olivia, I’d find it hard to tell my new boyfriend I was concerned I might have sexomnia as well!
My favourite characters were Logan (because duh!) and Olivia’s new friend, Molly. In my mind, she was Willow from the first season of Buffy, only older and a bit less of a nerd. I loved her! I saw a Goodreads reviewer was demanding a book about Molly, and I want to add a big +1 for that!
I found it hard to put this book down, and devoured it in three days. This is Stacey Nash’s first venture into contemporary, and she’s definitely nailed the new genre. The sequel is titled Wait!, but I don’t want to. I need it now!
Olivia is a perfectionist teenager trying to fulfill her parents’ demand that she get the grades and extracurricular credit to secure herself a job in a top-tier law firm. It’s obvious from the start that she doesn’t really enjoy law, which gave me a pretty clear idea of what kind of parents she has (the kind that shouldn’t be allowed to have kids!). When her parentally approved boyfriend dumps her in a public and humiliating way, her life starts to unravel.
Enter Logan. He’s got his own issues, and has a bit of a "bad boy" vibe—except he really isn’t at all. Sure, he’s from the wrong side of the tracks, but there is absolutely nothing bad about him. His fun nature and support for Olivia encourage her to start questioning the direction her life is taking. Also, because he’s already found the strength to escape the path his parents thought he’d take, he is the best possible example for Olivia.
Unfortunately for the couple, each of their issues discourages them from opening up fully to the other, which results in some inevitable heartache. In some books, a lack of communication doesn’t make sense and is a transparent plot device. But in Shh!, I totally understood why that was the case - if I were Olivia, I’d find it hard to tell my new boyfriend I was concerned I might have sexomnia as well!
My favourite characters were Logan (because duh!) and Olivia’s new friend, Molly. In my mind, she was Willow from the first season of Buffy, only older and a bit less of a nerd. I loved her! I saw a Goodreads reviewer was demanding a book about Molly, and I want to add a big +1 for that!
I found it hard to put this book down, and devoured it in three days. This is Stacey Nash’s first venture into contemporary, and she’s definitely nailed the new genre. The sequel is titled Wait!, but I don’t want to. I need it now!
March 29, 2015
This story started off a bit slow to me but somewhere around 25% it really picked up.
In the beginning Olivia came across as way too naive and innocent for a college student and I couldn't believe she didn't have a clue what was being said about her behind her back. I wasn't impressed with her "friend" Savvy either. Eventually she came to her side but where was she for the first week? Also, I'm curious to know if she believed the rumor about Olivia or if she knew if it was true or not. Surely friends have sleepovers in college on occasion, right? Wouldn't she tell her if it was true or not?
Also, if this was supposedly going on all along why wasn't it exposed before her break-up and why wouldn't Christian be embarrassed that his girl needed to do that while he was in the same bed with him? Shouldn't he be embarrassed or feel ashamed as well? I would've laughed at him more than Olivia for sure.
Anyways...the story clearly picked up when Logan became more of a centerpiece. I absolutely loved him and the way he patiently waited for Olivia to come around without being pushy or angry about her not wanting to be in a relationship and stressing out about being so perfect all the time. It was clear that Logan had his own issues but they never really shaped the way he treated Olivia.
When everything finally comes to a head and everyone's secrets are out in the open the story really blossomed in a natural realistic way. This was a good read that made me both smile and become really annoyed at times. My heart was heavy for Logan and I really felt bad for Olivia and the things she had to deal with.
I will definitely be in the look out for Jordan's story coming up next.
In the beginning Olivia came across as way too naive and innocent for a college student and I couldn't believe she didn't have a clue what was being said about her behind her back. I wasn't impressed with her "friend" Savvy either. Eventually she came to her side but where was she for the first week? Also, I'm curious to know if she believed the rumor about Olivia or if she knew if it was true or not. Surely friends have sleepovers in college on occasion, right? Wouldn't she tell her if it was true or not?
Also, if this was supposedly going on all along why wasn't it exposed before her break-up and why wouldn't Christian be embarrassed that his girl needed to do that while he was in the same bed with him? Shouldn't he be embarrassed or feel ashamed as well? I would've laughed at him more than Olivia for sure.
Anyways...the story clearly picked up when Logan became more of a centerpiece. I absolutely loved him and the way he patiently waited for Olivia to come around without being pushy or angry about her not wanting to be in a relationship and stressing out about being so perfect all the time. It was clear that Logan had his own issues but they never really shaped the way he treated Olivia.
When everything finally comes to a head and everyone's secrets are out in the open the story really blossomed in a natural realistic way. This was a good read that made me both smile and become really annoyed at times. My heart was heavy for Logan and I really felt bad for Olivia and the things she had to deal with.
I will definitely be in the look out for Jordan's story coming up next.
April 4, 2015
2.5/5 stars.
I will say, I have never read a book that discusses the topics found inside Shh!. That's why I was drawn into reading this book, because I had never heard of such a condition as the one Olivia experiences throughout the course of the book. However, this one wasn't really for me.
The reason why this book and I didn't really gel together is because of the main character, Olivia. I expected more from her. She goes through a lot of rough stuff in this book. There's a lot of really nasty rumors and bullying and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. She does stand up for herself... Eventually. For a very large part of the book, she just seems to sit and wallow and feel sorry for herself, which is not a character that I can relate to. It went on too long, and it frustrated me. A large part of this frustration came from the fact that Olivia is quick to talk about how she wants to be a lawyer. That's why she's so concerned with her image and reputation, because she wants to be a lawyer. I was surprised that she was so passionate about something where you have to stand up for what you may or may not believe in (depending on the client) and yet she was still so quick to lay down. (Granted, her parents were the ones pushing her towards this career...)
That said, I loved the side characters. I found that her friends, Savvy and Megan, were really the stars of this novel. In a world where everyone is talking smack about Olivia, they are there to help her combat it and stop her from breaking down completely. I also really, really liked the love interest, Logan. He's pretty swoon worthy. There was a great supporting cast of characters, and I liked that they were fairly diverse from one another in regards to personality.
I also appreciate that while this book deals with a medical condition that is sexual in nature (I'm purposely being vague to avoid potential spoilers), there are no explicit or graphic scenes.
All in all, I was left a bit disappointed with this book because I couldn't connect, try as I may, to the main character. However, I'm not sorry I read this book, and I think a lot of people out there will like it. There's an interesting medical condition, clean New Adult romance, and an Aussie university setting that might work really well for you, but just fell short for me.
I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.
I will say, I have never read a book that discusses the topics found inside Shh!. That's why I was drawn into reading this book, because I had never heard of such a condition as the one Olivia experiences throughout the course of the book. However, this one wasn't really for me.
The reason why this book and I didn't really gel together is because of the main character, Olivia. I expected more from her. She goes through a lot of rough stuff in this book. There's a lot of really nasty rumors and bullying and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. She does stand up for herself... Eventually. For a very large part of the book, she just seems to sit and wallow and feel sorry for herself, which is not a character that I can relate to. It went on too long, and it frustrated me. A large part of this frustration came from the fact that Olivia is quick to talk about how she wants to be a lawyer. That's why she's so concerned with her image and reputation, because she wants to be a lawyer. I was surprised that she was so passionate about something where you have to stand up for what you may or may not believe in (depending on the client) and yet she was still so quick to lay down. (Granted, her parents were the ones pushing her towards this career...)
That said, I loved the side characters. I found that her friends, Savvy and Megan, were really the stars of this novel. In a world where everyone is talking smack about Olivia, they are there to help her combat it and stop her from breaking down completely. I also really, really liked the love interest, Logan. He's pretty swoon worthy. There was a great supporting cast of characters, and I liked that they were fairly diverse from one another in regards to personality.
I also appreciate that while this book deals with a medical condition that is sexual in nature (I'm purposely being vague to avoid potential spoilers), there are no explicit or graphic scenes.
All in all, I was left a bit disappointed with this book because I couldn't connect, try as I may, to the main character. However, I'm not sorry I read this book, and I think a lot of people out there will like it. There's an interesting medical condition, clean New Adult romance, and an Aussie university setting that might work really well for you, but just fell short for me.
I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.
March 26, 2015
This is a FANTASTIC New Adult debut from one of my favorite YA authors. Olivia is one of the most relatable characters I've read in a long time, and Logan is... SIGH. Logan is just perfect. He's kind, generous, compassionate, and sexy as all get out. Shh! is a beautiful twist on New Adult, and I love that Ms. Nash is forging a new path for the category. The descriptions are vivid, dialogue realistic, and characterizations deep and believable. I cannot WAIT! for the next book in this series!
March 26, 2015
Review originally posted on Miss Little Book Addict YA House of Books
http://misslittlebookaddictya.blogspo...
I signed up to review SHH! by Stacey Nash (through YA Bound book tours) for two reasons. 1--The cover and the blurb looked and sounded good. 2-- I've stopped reading New Adult for a while because all the books/plots/characters/troupes/settings were the same and so predictably boring.
SHH! comes off as a book that promises to be more than it's NA peers, and in a lot of ways I think it was. I wasn't disappointed BUT I wasn't blown away either.
Since I am a YA blog, I'll tell you now, there is sex in this book, but it's a fade to black kind of scene so..........
I liked that SHH! dealt with bullying, harassment and teens/college kids trying so desperately to please their parents. Olivia, out main chick, learns how to deal with all of these things and realize there's so much more to life than dealing with her cra-cra parents. Like being happy! Olivia's ex starts a really nasty rumor about Olivia before publicly dumping her at a party. What a class A Jerk right?
I won't tell you what the rumor was, but it turns out it's a part of a medical condition. What I will tell you is that this rumor shatters her perfect world, captain of the hockey team, law student, student council president world filled with fake friends who don't really care about her.
But never fear, because there is a knight in shining armor that comes to her rescue, the very hot Logan! (I'll gush over him in a second) There's a also Savvy and Megan, her BFF's who stand by her side and along with Logan help Olivia deal and learn how to fight back. It's good to have true friends. But that doesn't mean Olivia has it easy trying to salvage her life.
I thought Olivia's "problem" that caused the rumors to start flying in the first place was a different twist--credit to Stacey Nash. Sadly that was only 1 or the 2 things that stood out.
Logan, our hottie hero with a tragic back story (so typical of NA heroes) is the main support for Olivia. he gives her an outlet to deal with everything and really helps her. The chemistry between him and Olivia is great and I really like them as a couple. I like that his own tragedy made him an even more fierce defender of Olivia.
The other characters were nice, but not really jump off the page great. I liked Jordan, Logan's younger brother and Megan too. The plot was good, nicely paced, it all flowed smoothly and Stacey Nash has a writing style I really like. But some parts were predictable. This goes back to so many NA books (especially contemporary's) following the same tried and formulated plots and troupes. I felt there was also one or two things that weren't really resolved in the end. Don't get me wrong, I liked the ending, Happily For Now's are always nice. But I wanted more resolution from her cra-cra cold parents and the karma that I felt didn't put the bullies of the book in their place enough. (for my taste, but then I like revenge so.....)
Over all this was a nice read, perfect for light cafe reading that you'll speed through. I just haven't decided if SHH! was strong enough to make me want to read the second book.
http://misslittlebookaddictya.blogspo...
I signed up to review SHH! by Stacey Nash (through YA Bound book tours) for two reasons. 1--The cover and the blurb looked and sounded good. 2-- I've stopped reading New Adult for a while because all the books/plots/characters/troupes/settings were the same and so predictably boring.
SHH! comes off as a book that promises to be more than it's NA peers, and in a lot of ways I think it was. I wasn't disappointed BUT I wasn't blown away either.
Since I am a YA blog, I'll tell you now, there is sex in this book, but it's a fade to black kind of scene so..........
I liked that SHH! dealt with bullying, harassment and teens/college kids trying so desperately to please their parents. Olivia, out main chick, learns how to deal with all of these things and realize there's so much more to life than dealing with her cra-cra parents. Like being happy! Olivia's ex starts a really nasty rumor about Olivia before publicly dumping her at a party. What a class A Jerk right?
I won't tell you what the rumor was, but it turns out it's a part of a medical condition. What I will tell you is that this rumor shatters her perfect world, captain of the hockey team, law student, student council president world filled with fake friends who don't really care about her.
But never fear, because there is a knight in shining armor that comes to her rescue, the very hot Logan! (I'll gush over him in a second) There's a also Savvy and Megan, her BFF's who stand by her side and along with Logan help Olivia deal and learn how to fight back. It's good to have true friends. But that doesn't mean Olivia has it easy trying to salvage her life.
I thought Olivia's "problem" that caused the rumors to start flying in the first place was a different twist--credit to Stacey Nash. Sadly that was only 1 or the 2 things that stood out.
Logan, our hottie hero with a tragic back story (so typical of NA heroes) is the main support for Olivia. he gives her an outlet to deal with everything and really helps her. The chemistry between him and Olivia is great and I really like them as a couple. I like that his own tragedy made him an even more fierce defender of Olivia.
The other characters were nice, but not really jump off the page great. I liked Jordan, Logan's younger brother and Megan too. The plot was good, nicely paced, it all flowed smoothly and Stacey Nash has a writing style I really like. But some parts were predictable. This goes back to so many NA books (especially contemporary's) following the same tried and formulated plots and troupes. I felt there was also one or two things that weren't really resolved in the end. Don't get me wrong, I liked the ending, Happily For Now's are always nice. But I wanted more resolution from her cra-cra cold parents and the karma that I felt didn't put the bullies of the book in their place enough. (for my taste, but then I like revenge so.....)
Over all this was a nice read, perfect for light cafe reading that you'll speed through. I just haven't decided if SHH! was strong enough to make me want to read the second book.
November 25, 2016
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Why I read it: I have read Stacey Nash's two previous books which are both part of The Collective Series. Shh! is her first New Adult novel, and it's a pure contemporary. I jumped at the chance to read it!
Plot: The main character is Olivia, a girl who seemingly has it all until her world comes crashing down when her boyfriend dumps her in public, and rumours start flying that she's a prolific (and loud) errr...self-loving sexoholic. She has to get to the bottom of her problems, but of course it's not going to be that easy, especially when Logan appears in her life to distract her right when she doesn't need it.
Characters: While I couldn't relate to Olivia's little problem, I could relate to her through other things. Wanting to do well at her studies, having a one track mind when it comes to achieving her goals. She had some embarrassing things happen to her, but she was never weak in dealing with them.
Logan...well of course I adored him! Haha I'm not sure what else there is to say. The only note I jotted down while reading this was, 'Logan: be more perfect'. Which should tell you everything you need to know!
Style/Writing: As always, the writing was great. I felt engaged with the story and the characters the whole time. It was believable and interesting, and flowed at a good pace too!
Pros: I think the characters really made this story. There's a couple of secondary characters I didn't love, but that's the nature of humans, isn't it?
Cons: Hmmm. Part of my reading experience were that there were two or three contradictory little things that happened, but I assume that is due to the nature of the ARC (I don't read that many, to be honest) but regardless they weren't major things, just tiny background niggles that made me pause while I figured it out - which took all of one second, and then I'd continue on my merry reading journey!
In Brief: A quick enjoyable read with an unusual plot (at least, I thought so) and some great characters. I would definitely recommend this if you like contemporary romance. It IS New Adult so there are a couple of steamy scenes, but they're not explicit...and if you like perfect book boyfriends, well. There's one waiting for you within the pages of Shh!
March 24, 2015
In Shh! we have a lot of ingredients that often make for a fantastic story. A smart and capable heroine, a juicy rumor gone seriously wrong, and an age when everything in life can seem all the more difficult.
Unfortunately, for me Shh! was only an okay read. While I enjoyed the issue the main character, Olivia, dealt with, I often found myself more enamored with her besties. I thoroughly enjoyed Molly and Savannah, but Olivia didn't always do it for me. While she had some fun traits, and did redeem herself in the end of the story, I felt she spent way too much time wallowing.
I'm not saying she didn't have reason to feel sorry for herself. Having an ex breakup with you for nightly masturbating while next to him is a hard rumor to fight. I'm sure most of us would want to wallow. And I do feel the author did a great job of showing the embarrassment that comes with that...but it went on a bit too long for my taste. And, for me, I read books to escape from that sort of thing, not to put myself into those type of feelings.
I also didn't feel Olivia did anything for much of the book - outside of wallow. Here she is, dealing with a huge rumor, having people talking behind her back, and guys treating her like crap, and not until the very end of the book did she think to investigate if it were true or to get some help? I can see how, at first, she most likely thought it was a mean joke, but after the second witness came forward and she recognized it might have some truth to it, it was time for some action...and I didn't feel I got that from her.
Most of this story felt like an internal dialogue from Olivia's point of view on how her life was falling apart, how disappointed her parents would be, and how she was falling for Logan, but was afraid that he would find out about her "disorder". I don't feel that Olive took her life into her own hands until her friends and Logan forced her to do it. And that didn't sit well with me.
Don't get me wrong, the book wasn't all bad. It was a quick and easy read, with a pretty cool topic, and with many interesting characters. I think it will be a great read for many, but just didn't do it for me *shrug*.
Overall, I give Shh! 3 stars!!!
Unfortunately, for me Shh! was only an okay read. While I enjoyed the issue the main character, Olivia, dealt with, I often found myself more enamored with her besties. I thoroughly enjoyed Molly and Savannah, but Olivia didn't always do it for me. While she had some fun traits, and did redeem herself in the end of the story, I felt she spent way too much time wallowing.
I'm not saying she didn't have reason to feel sorry for herself. Having an ex breakup with you for nightly masturbating while next to him is a hard rumor to fight. I'm sure most of us would want to wallow. And I do feel the author did a great job of showing the embarrassment that comes with that...but it went on a bit too long for my taste. And, for me, I read books to escape from that sort of thing, not to put myself into those type of feelings.
I also didn't feel Olivia did anything for much of the book - outside of wallow. Here she is, dealing with a huge rumor, having people talking behind her back, and guys treating her like crap, and not until the very end of the book did she think to investigate if it were true or to get some help? I can see how, at first, she most likely thought it was a mean joke, but after the second witness came forward and she recognized it might have some truth to it, it was time for some action...and I didn't feel I got that from her.
Most of this story felt like an internal dialogue from Olivia's point of view on how her life was falling apart, how disappointed her parents would be, and how she was falling for Logan, but was afraid that he would find out about her "disorder". I don't feel that Olive took her life into her own hands until her friends and Logan forced her to do it. And that didn't sit well with me.
Don't get me wrong, the book wasn't all bad. It was a quick and easy read, with a pretty cool topic, and with many interesting characters. I think it will be a great read for many, but just didn't do it for me *shrug*.
Overall, I give Shh! 3 stars!!!
February 24, 2015
Shh by Stacey Nash. I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. If you’re looking for the short version- YES it’s worth reading! DO IT!
If you care to hear a little bit more of my opinion, please read on. ( I have done my best to leave out any and all spoilers).
I have noticed that the protagonists in a lot of recent NA books seem to have one thing in common, they’re all victims. It seems to be a trend. Unlike recent YA where the protags seem to all be heroes. I don’t have degree in psychology or sociology so I won’t speculate the WHY factor. I will tell you that the main character in this book is a victim in more ways than she even comprehends, but she manages to somehow handle it with grace, even when she is falling apart.
Our MC has something of a disorder that throws her entire world off course. The amount of bullying this MC has had to deal with is just unreal. I happen to know someone with this particular affliction, though it challenges them in a very different way.
Olivia deals with pressure from her parents, being on the outs with her peers and doing poorly in class all while trying to figure out something that is happening with her own body with a zero support system.
Logan is a doll and I love him to pieces though he’s got issues of his own. Both main characters are beautifully written. I had a hard time getting into the beginning of the book, I think that was just because my own college experience was vastly different than Olivia's, but after a few chapters her struggle became so real to me... and I wanted to punch Ella in the face.
Savannah & Dane were absolutely my favorites. Their personalities shine, I just feel like there is SO much more there that we don’t get to see. Stacey really has a knack for writing fantastic supporting characters,( I feel like Molly deserves an honorable mention)
There are no steamy/explicit sex scenes, but the story is not lacking in romance. Which I feel was a nice change of pace compared to so many other NA books that seem to just fill pages with word porn leaving the plot a bit on the flimsy side.
Shh definitely does not disappoint.
If you care to hear a little bit more of my opinion, please read on. ( I have done my best to leave out any and all spoilers).
I have noticed that the protagonists in a lot of recent NA books seem to have one thing in common, they’re all victims. It seems to be a trend. Unlike recent YA where the protags seem to all be heroes. I don’t have degree in psychology or sociology so I won’t speculate the WHY factor. I will tell you that the main character in this book is a victim in more ways than she even comprehends, but she manages to somehow handle it with grace, even when she is falling apart.
Our MC has something of a disorder that throws her entire world off course. The amount of bullying this MC has had to deal with is just unreal. I happen to know someone with this particular affliction, though it challenges them in a very different way.
Olivia deals with pressure from her parents, being on the outs with her peers and doing poorly in class all while trying to figure out something that is happening with her own body with a zero support system.
Logan is a doll and I love him to pieces though he’s got issues of his own. Both main characters are beautifully written. I had a hard time getting into the beginning of the book, I think that was just because my own college experience was vastly different than Olivia's, but after a few chapters her struggle became so real to me... and I wanted to punch Ella in the face.
Savannah & Dane were absolutely my favorites. Their personalities shine, I just feel like there is SO much more there that we don’t get to see. Stacey really has a knack for writing fantastic supporting characters,( I feel like Molly deserves an honorable mention)
There are no steamy/explicit sex scenes, but the story is not lacking in romance. Which I feel was a nice change of pace compared to so many other NA books that seem to just fill pages with word porn leaving the plot a bit on the flimsy side.
Shh definitely does not disappoint.
August 26, 2017
Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
I expected a lot from this book. The premise was so intriguing I immediately jumped on the chance to read it. Unfortunately the book just fell flat for me.
My biggest issue about the book is all the unnecessary details. It could have been half as long if it weren't for the lengthy descriptions that really doesn't help move the story along. I do get bored easily especially when nothing significant is happening in what I'm reading. And I got really, really bored with Shh!
I do like the chemistry between Olivia and Logan. I don't know what I'll do if put in the same position as Olivia but she managed to be strong and accept it as it is. And Logan is protective and understanding of Liv's situation and I admire that about him. The ex-boyfriend was a real jerk though. I would have kick him where it hurts if I ever met him. And Liv's mom is terrible.
I don't think I've ever read a book that deals with the same subject as Shh! so kudos to the author for writing an informative and an eye-opener book.
I received a copy of the book to read and review.
I expected a lot from this book. The premise was so intriguing I immediately jumped on the chance to read it. Unfortunately the book just fell flat for me.
My biggest issue about the book is all the unnecessary details. It could have been half as long if it weren't for the lengthy descriptions that really doesn't help move the story along. I do get bored easily especially when nothing significant is happening in what I'm reading. And I got really, really bored with Shh!
I do like the chemistry between Olivia and Logan. I don't know what I'll do if put in the same position as Olivia but she managed to be strong and accept it as it is. And Logan is protective and understanding of Liv's situation and I admire that about him. The ex-boyfriend was a real jerk though. I would have kick him where it hurts if I ever met him. And Liv's mom is terrible.
I don't think I've ever read a book that deals with the same subject as Shh! so kudos to the author for writing an informative and an eye-opener book.
I received a copy of the book to read and review.
October 25, 2016
I Laughed cried and totally feel in love with Logan & Olivia!!!
This is a sweet dramatic and funny romance!!! this story pulled me in and didn't let go I stayed up all night devouring this amazing book!
Olivia is a cute sweet little perfectionist trying to fulfill her judgmental parents demands that she get the best grades and extracurricular credit to secure herself a job and a life she doesn't want.. when her Mr. perfect aka total D bag boyfriend dumps her in a very public and totally humiliating way, her life becomes a nightmare.. Then Mr. Smokin' hot Logan comes on the scene with big blue eyes a sweet smile and his own bag of issues she doesn't trust that he really likes her a first but he warms his way into her heart! I loved that no mater how bad things got Logan never gave up on her! they make each other so much stronger two souls healing each other with unconditional love!!!
Stacey Nash is a Writing ROCKSTAR! I Can't wait for The sequel!
This is a sweet dramatic and funny romance!!! this story pulled me in and didn't let go I stayed up all night devouring this amazing book!
Olivia is a cute sweet little perfectionist trying to fulfill her judgmental parents demands that she get the best grades and extracurricular credit to secure herself a job and a life she doesn't want.. when her Mr. perfect aka total D bag boyfriend dumps her in a very public and totally humiliating way, her life becomes a nightmare.. Then Mr. Smokin' hot Logan comes on the scene with big blue eyes a sweet smile and his own bag of issues she doesn't trust that he really likes her a first but he warms his way into her heart! I loved that no mater how bad things got Logan never gave up on her! they make each other so much stronger two souls healing each other with unconditional love!!!
Stacey Nash is a Writing ROCKSTAR! I Can't wait for The sequel!
April 13, 2015
Barely 3 stars. Like many others the subject matter or Olivia's sleep issues had me well and truly intrigued. But at times I almost gave up, it went on an in and just flopped. This book couldn't hold my attention at all. I'm sure others out there will love it but it just wasn't for me.
May 31, 2016
I have to be honest, dear reader. (It's what you expect, right?) After finishing this book, I spent a couple of days just marinating in it before writing this review. I am finding that, the older I get, the harder it is to make me stop and think. I'm a go-getter! I'm always going. But for the last two days, I've stopped. I really learned something from this book and it's made me think of the world differently. Was I expecting this reaction? NO! It's a romance book. In a new genre called "New Adult". Sometimes authors give you more than what you anticipated.
On to the ACTUAL book review:
Liv (Olivia) is a college student who thinks she knows everything she wants out of life. Until an ugly break up shatters her world. When I say ugly, I mean UGLY! Like reader-wants-to punch-the-guy-in-the-face ugly. This is where the excitement begins and where Stacey Nash blows me away. Olivia, Christian, Logan, Savvy, and the other Oxley college students soon discover that no secret can stay hidden and all of their dirty laundry is hung out for the whole world to see.
Liv is a completely relatable character, although you won't find many people exactly like her. She's got her flaws and her quirks. One of my favorite things about her is that plays hockey. (I love a rough-and-tumble girl.) And Logan is totally worth your swooning. Oh my! A bad boy with a reputation, Logan has a few secrets of his own so he knows how Liv feels when her deepest darkest secret is thrust into the light by aforementioned jerkhead. He takes his time getting to know her, protects her while also helping her confront people and issues, and is generally the perfect book boyfriend.
So, what wasn't I wild about? Liv's friends. As I talk with other readers, I see this is a really divided area. You will love them or dislike them. I wasn't impressed with how her friends always seemed to make themselves scarce when she needed them the most. They came through a couple of times, but my tribe would have handled things a little differently (super glue us together). Is this a deal breaker? NO! It's realistic. Friends don't always know how to handle bombshells, but they eventually figure out how to be there for one another.
This book is appropriate for high schoolers on up. I do mean the "on up" because it would really benefit everyone to read this! The writing is solid, characters are dynamic, and the plot is realistic. Nash's bold confrontation of a rare condition executed in a beautiful, non-preachy story make for a fantastic read. I've already added the rest of the series on my To Be Read (TBR) list. If you want to know more about her, check teamthumann.com/peterson-ponderings.html on 6-3-16 for her author interview! BUT try to read her book first. Mild spoiler in the first question. You are warned!
On to the ACTUAL book review:
Liv (Olivia) is a college student who thinks she knows everything she wants out of life. Until an ugly break up shatters her world. When I say ugly, I mean UGLY! Like reader-wants-to punch-the-guy-in-the-face ugly. This is where the excitement begins and where Stacey Nash blows me away. Olivia, Christian, Logan, Savvy, and the other Oxley college students soon discover that no secret can stay hidden and all of their dirty laundry is hung out for the whole world to see.
Liv is a completely relatable character, although you won't find many people exactly like her. She's got her flaws and her quirks. One of my favorite things about her is that plays hockey. (I love a rough-and-tumble girl.) And Logan is totally worth your swooning. Oh my! A bad boy with a reputation, Logan has a few secrets of his own so he knows how Liv feels when her deepest darkest secret is thrust into the light by aforementioned jerkhead. He takes his time getting to know her, protects her while also helping her confront people and issues, and is generally the perfect book boyfriend.
So, what wasn't I wild about? Liv's friends. As I talk with other readers, I see this is a really divided area. You will love them or dislike them. I wasn't impressed with how her friends always seemed to make themselves scarce when she needed them the most. They came through a couple of times, but my tribe would have handled things a little differently (super glue us together). Is this a deal breaker? NO! It's realistic. Friends don't always know how to handle bombshells, but they eventually figure out how to be there for one another.
This book is appropriate for high schoolers on up. I do mean the "on up" because it would really benefit everyone to read this! The writing is solid, characters are dynamic, and the plot is realistic. Nash's bold confrontation of a rare condition executed in a beautiful, non-preachy story make for a fantastic read. I've already added the rest of the series on my To Be Read (TBR) list. If you want to know more about her, check teamthumann.com/peterson-ponderings.html on 6-3-16 for her author interview! BUT try to read her book first. Mild spoiler in the first question. You are warned!
February 23, 2015
I have been looking forward to this book for the past year when Stacey emailed me asking questions about how college and UNE is today. You see the college that this story is based around is the college I reside in when I'm at university, so naturally that made me excited for it and it contemporary romance/NA which I do love. I also could picture everything that Nash had described and know exactly what area of the college they were in. (Also it is super weird that I am writing this review in my college room).
Olivia is a nineteen-year-old arts/law student who currently has a perfect rep & is following all her parents demanding goals. That is until a college function when her boyfriend breaks up with her publicly and lets the whole college know what she does in her sleep. Being publicly broken up with and then telling the whole college that you masturbate while you sleep, something that you don't actually know, is probably the worst thing to happen.
Just stating a fact: Christian is a douche. Olivia tries and hides away from everyone all weekend, avoiding everyone. Come Monday for class and guess who she has class with; Logan. Logan witnessed the events that happened on Friday night a townie who used to go to Oxley the year before Olivia started. Logan on the outside seems like a bad guy on the outside but once he starts talking to Olivia you can see that he does care about others.
Logan takes Olivia around some of the beautiful places around Armidale, to let he escape everything that is happening back at college. I really enjoyed reading about these places since I have visited them and walked around these areas. As the story goes on you come to understand that Logan is also hiding something, the reason why he took a year of uni.
I liked how the characters changed throughout the novel, Olivia began to understand what was going on, started not caring about what others think of her and standing up to her parents. Logan started to let people in and help him with what was happening to him and his family. The minor characters of Savannah, Dane and Molly were what Olivia needed to help her out through what was going on and even though Dane was friends with Christian.
Nash has created a NA story which deals with something that isn't done very much in both YA/NA dealing with a problem that some people may have. The building of the relationship between Olivia and Logan was by far my favorite part of the story and how they overcame different problems to get to where they were at the end of the story. Also I cannot wait for Wait! which is book two!
Thank you Stacey for letting me read Ssh! early and for including me in the acknowledgements!
Rating: 4.5/5
Keely xx
Olivia is a nineteen-year-old arts/law student who currently has a perfect rep & is following all her parents demanding goals. That is until a college function when her boyfriend breaks up with her publicly and lets the whole college know what she does in her sleep. Being publicly broken up with and then telling the whole college that you masturbate while you sleep, something that you don't actually know, is probably the worst thing to happen.
Just stating a fact: Christian is a douche. Olivia tries and hides away from everyone all weekend, avoiding everyone. Come Monday for class and guess who she has class with; Logan. Logan witnessed the events that happened on Friday night a townie who used to go to Oxley the year before Olivia started. Logan on the outside seems like a bad guy on the outside but once he starts talking to Olivia you can see that he does care about others.
Logan takes Olivia around some of the beautiful places around Armidale, to let he escape everything that is happening back at college. I really enjoyed reading about these places since I have visited them and walked around these areas. As the story goes on you come to understand that Logan is also hiding something, the reason why he took a year of uni.
I liked how the characters changed throughout the novel, Olivia began to understand what was going on, started not caring about what others think of her and standing up to her parents. Logan started to let people in and help him with what was happening to him and his family. The minor characters of Savannah, Dane and Molly were what Olivia needed to help her out through what was going on and even though Dane was friends with Christian.
Nash has created a NA story which deals with something that isn't done very much in both YA/NA dealing with a problem that some people may have. The building of the relationship between Olivia and Logan was by far my favorite part of the story and how they overcame different problems to get to where they were at the end of the story. Also I cannot wait for Wait! which is book two!
Thank you Stacey for letting me read Ssh! early and for including me in the acknowledgements!
Rating: 4.5/5
Keely xx
March 26, 2015
What I liked: When I first saw Shh! was a NA book I was a bit hesitant because of the way many of the NA books I've read are, for some reason they tend to have at least semi-explicit sex scenes so I was even more interested to see it labeled as "mild heat". NA books almost always ended up centering heavily around the romance too, a bit too heavy for my liking especially if I wanted a fantasy or paranormal read. Shh! is different in that regard, while it is Contemporary with Romance it's not like I thought it would be. Olivia is a woman who's problems felt dynamic to me, and even though I'd never heard of something like this before learning about how she struggles to deal with everything that comes at her. This book also shows how it's not just people in high school who get bullied, but how even in college people will get bullied. It brings in a realistic element that bullying doesn't just stop once high school ends, but that it carries on in people and will likely always be a think people do to others.
What I didn't like: Olivia wasn't the character I expected her to be. It took longer for her to react to what people were saying about her and it took people pushing her to find out for her to want to learn. She spent a lot of time wallowing about the entire mess (which I don't blame her, it's not like she wanted everyone to know when she herself didn't) and not doing something about it. I thought Molly and Savannah were great side characters, but they tended to overshadow Olivia and I found myself enjoying them more than I did Olivia when they were on scene.
Overall Review: While it didn't fully live up to what I was expecting based off of the summary it was a good read that was a nice change in what I've been reading lately and I really enjoyed it. While the main character, Olivia, wasn't up to par on what I'm used to or expected she wasn't all that bad of a character. While she did get overshadowed by two of the side characters she did have her moments where I really liked her. The romance wasn't over the top, and I was curious to see how Olivia handled not only the rumors about what she did at night, but also how she was going to deal with the problem that created those rumors.
Recommend?: It wasn't amazing, but it was good and it was enjoyable. If you read it I hope you'll like it!
What I didn't like: Olivia wasn't the character I expected her to be. It took longer for her to react to what people were saying about her and it took people pushing her to find out for her to want to learn. She spent a lot of time wallowing about the entire mess (which I don't blame her, it's not like she wanted everyone to know when she herself didn't) and not doing something about it. I thought Molly and Savannah were great side characters, but they tended to overshadow Olivia and I found myself enjoying them more than I did Olivia when they were on scene.
Overall Review: While it didn't fully live up to what I was expecting based off of the summary it was a good read that was a nice change in what I've been reading lately and I really enjoyed it. While the main character, Olivia, wasn't up to par on what I'm used to or expected she wasn't all that bad of a character. While she did get overshadowed by two of the side characters she did have her moments where I really liked her. The romance wasn't over the top, and I was curious to see how Olivia handled not only the rumors about what she did at night, but also how she was going to deal with the problem that created those rumors.
Recommend?: It wasn't amazing, but it was good and it was enjoyable. If you read it I hope you'll like it!
March 23, 2015
In this fictional book by Stacey Nash the reader is highly engaged with the characters. Not only that, but Nash helps the readers to see just how disgusting and upsetting bullying can be for a teen/young adult. Bullying is highlighted in this book so that the reader does see that it is just not happening to school aged children but to young adults and others. Nash also helps the reader to see how important it is for young adults and others to understand their worth and value who they are no matter what! Self esteem issues are important and I was able to understand this from the author.
I think that bullying as well as self esteem are issues that definitely need to be tackled. They are important aspects to highlight seeing that there is so much bullying and self esteem issues are directly related to how our peers may view us. On the other hand, Nash does an excellent job on keeping the readers at a point where the subject matter is highly believable and the characters are very much down to earth. Olivia the main character really starts to grow on you and by the time you are finished with this book you definitely feel that you have connected to a new friend.
I recommend this book for all readers and encourage those that are dealing with bullying issues or if you know someone that is to get this book for them! I rate this FIVE stars and appreciate that the author chose to write and discuss some pertinent issues that we are dealing with in Western society!
March 5, 2015
In full disclosure, I received an ARC for a review so in case you didn't notice...I gave it five stars! No spoilers in this review either so please read on!
This is Stacey Nash's first journey into the new adult world and it was wonderful! Way to go Stacey! I loved how the romance was not in any way soft porn. ..no explicit sex scenes here but enough romance to make it swoon worthy! This book was all about self discovery as a young adult and learning to accept yourself no matter what your flaws are...or what you think they are.
Olivia and Logan...big dreamy sigh inserted here....the relationship is wonderful, full of twists, agony and the roller coaster of life. I loved every second. I also thoroughly enjoyed the secondary characters of Savvy and Molly (can we get a Molly book please?). All of the characters are so well developed that I could relate to an aspect of each of them. It was very well written and I was disappointed that it had to end.
Stacey Nash has done an amazing job making readers uncomfortable with Olivia's issues and outraged at the bullying that occurs. This book tugged at my heartstrings and made me want to yell and scream at the way Olivia is treated. Thank you Stacey for incorporating such important topics to be discussed.
Stacey Nash is one of my new favorite writers...Shh! is worth the read!
This is Stacey Nash's first journey into the new adult world and it was wonderful! Way to go Stacey! I loved how the romance was not in any way soft porn. ..no explicit sex scenes here but enough romance to make it swoon worthy! This book was all about self discovery as a young adult and learning to accept yourself no matter what your flaws are...or what you think they are.
Olivia and Logan...big dreamy sigh inserted here....the relationship is wonderful, full of twists, agony and the roller coaster of life. I loved every second. I also thoroughly enjoyed the secondary characters of Savvy and Molly (can we get a Molly book please?). All of the characters are so well developed that I could relate to an aspect of each of them. It was very well written and I was disappointed that it had to end.
Stacey Nash has done an amazing job making readers uncomfortable with Olivia's issues and outraged at the bullying that occurs. This book tugged at my heartstrings and made me want to yell and scream at the way Olivia is treated. Thank you Stacey for incorporating such important topics to be discussed.
Stacey Nash is one of my new favorite writers...Shh! is worth the read!
September 1, 2016
Apparently, it wasn't enough for Olivia's ex to publicly break up with her at a party, but he spreads the rumor that she is the master of her domain (Seinfeld reference.) Sexual rumors can wreck havoc on any college age girl's life and not just her social life.
Olivia goes from being popular to getting cat-called, shunned by her hockey team mates, shut out by fellow students, and failing academically. Her life runs to hell basically. In other news, an exciting and cute new boy wants to jump in where her ex left off. Toss in some strong and supportive friends as well as some snotty and disfunctional parents and it's a YA angst fest.
The author handled the sheer horror of what it is like to be shamed and ostracized by your college community. I can't imagine being in her position: dumped then made the butt of everyone's jokes. It all rang too true, and tells you even in 2016 the girl's reputation will bear the brunt of any relationship fallout.
Two stars because I just did not care for the characters. I felt tons of empathy and sympathy for the main character, but could just bring myself to care for her. Her motives for being with her initial college boyfriend were extremely superficial, and I had a hard time getting past what seemed like a shallow shell from the gitgo.
Olivia goes from being popular to getting cat-called, shunned by her hockey team mates, shut out by fellow students, and failing academically. Her life runs to hell basically. In other news, an exciting and cute new boy wants to jump in where her ex left off. Toss in some strong and supportive friends as well as some snotty and disfunctional parents and it's a YA angst fest.
The author handled the sheer horror of what it is like to be shamed and ostracized by your college community. I can't imagine being in her position: dumped then made the butt of everyone's jokes. It all rang too true, and tells you even in 2016 the girl's reputation will bear the brunt of any relationship fallout.
Two stars because I just did not care for the characters. I felt tons of empathy and sympathy for the main character, but could just bring myself to care for her. Her motives for being with her initial college boyfriend were extremely superficial, and I had a hard time getting past what seemed like a shallow shell from the gitgo.
February 24, 2015
I have to start this review saying I read lots of NA novels, 56 the last year to be exact, and I have to say this story is something special and fresh.
It’s a story that even when talking about sexual problems it isn’t graphic about it. In fact, it’s sweet and romantic. I think there are very few novels in the NA market with this characteristic, and that’s why I love it.
I think lots of girls can relate with Olivia, wanting to be perfect, wanting the acceptance and the perfect life. Seeing her struggle with her night problem and the embarrassment it brings makes the reader connect with her, making us feel what she feels. A wonderful job of Stacey Nash indeed.
Jordan is sweet and kind and all the things everyone wants in a boyfriend. He doesn’t need anything more. He’s a guy that accepts, listen and helps. Never imposes, never judges. Just the perfect guy.
As the blurb says, it’s a story of acceptance, trust, and love. You’ll find yourself smiling at the end.
It’s a story that even when talking about sexual problems it isn’t graphic about it. In fact, it’s sweet and romantic. I think there are very few novels in the NA market with this characteristic, and that’s why I love it.
I think lots of girls can relate with Olivia, wanting to be perfect, wanting the acceptance and the perfect life. Seeing her struggle with her night problem and the embarrassment it brings makes the reader connect with her, making us feel what she feels. A wonderful job of Stacey Nash indeed.
Jordan is sweet and kind and all the things everyone wants in a boyfriend. He doesn’t need anything more. He’s a guy that accepts, listen and helps. Never imposes, never judges. Just the perfect guy.
As the blurb says, it’s a story of acceptance, trust, and love. You’ll find yourself smiling at the end.
March 26, 2015
Let me just say, first of all, Kim did a great job on the cover. I'll need a paperback copy of this! Stacey's first attempt at contemporary was spot on. She nailed it! Move over Jax, Logan is my new book boyfriend! He is totally crush worthy. This book is a bit different from the normal contemporary romance books out there as it deals with disorders and afflictions that are actually quite common. It was really addictive and I cannot wait to read Wait! Next. Good job!
April 25, 2016
This book was funny at times but yet convening. I found the main topic of the "rumor" to be different and interesting.
The story is laid out and written well. I was slight confused with some of the Aussie terms but that didn't really distract from the story.
I liked Olivia - I deff felt sorry for her and wish I could have held her hand. Logan sounds wicked hot and is so nice - he's the perfect balance for Olivia.
Really enjoyed this book.
The story is laid out and written well. I was slight confused with some of the Aussie terms but that didn't really distract from the story.
I liked Olivia - I deff felt sorry for her and wish I could have held her hand. Logan sounds wicked hot and is so nice - he's the perfect balance for Olivia.
Really enjoyed this book.
Read
September 3, 2016Couldn't get into this one
March 2, 2017
This book had a very interesting premise yet it fell completely flat for me. There were many times throughout this book where I felt like giving up on it based on the complete blandness of both the main character and the unnecessarily long descriptions.
My Issues: The main character, Olivia, was far too bland for my liking. While I felt bad for the awful situation and sympathized with her, I found myself wishing she could grow her backbone just a bit faster. She basically wallowed in self-pity for about 90% of the book which irritated me to no end. Not only did it make her slightly annoying, it also dragged out the story way longer than necessary. One other issue I found were the occasional descriptions thrown in that made me want to hurl and then immediately delete it from my Kindle. One example being a scene where Olivia and Logan are hanging out and he "...bumped the door closed with his delicious rear end". I'm sorry, what?....
Overall, this book was not terrible, nor was it anything spectacular.
My Issues: The main character, Olivia, was far too bland for my liking. While I felt bad for the awful situation and sympathized with her, I found myself wishing she could grow her backbone just a bit faster. She basically wallowed in self-pity for about 90% of the book which irritated me to no end. Not only did it make her slightly annoying, it also dragged out the story way longer than necessary. One other issue I found were the occasional descriptions thrown in that made me want to hurl and then immediately delete it from my Kindle. One example being a scene where Olivia and Logan are hanging out and he "...bumped the door closed with his delicious rear end". I'm sorry, what?....
Overall, this book was not terrible, nor was it anything spectacular.
December 15, 2017
When I first came across this book, I was drawn to the plot because, I've never read anything like this before. I figured that it was different enough to give it a shot because I love reading books of all topics and genres. Unfortunately for me, the five days I spent reading this book were the longest ever. I was IMMEDIATELY bored with this book-so much so that early on, I could not help constantly glancing at the page number wondering "when will this be over". This book was a series of unfortunate events for the main character(when it rains it pours I guess) that honestly got exhausting for a couple of reasons. I felt that the main character was less than likable, and a bit of a whiner. The other characters were written better in terms of charisma and intrigue, but the main character fell flat for me. I did want to see more resolution with her parents, but by that point, I just wanted it to stop because I did feel that the book dragged on and on-quite honestly longer than it needed to.
September 20, 2017
Interesting subject, and a view into a young woman struggling to juggle the perfect life after ex boyfriend starts an ugly rumor about her.
Honestly, I had a hard time reading this. The perfectionist mindset is very familiar, and something I struggled with for a long time. Then pair that with the ostracization she goes through, I felt trapped myself. How she stayed low key for so long, I have no idea. I wanted to throttle Ella and all the tittering twits in the school for her. Kudos to the author for tackling the subject matter. Logan was a well needed breath of fresh air.
If 1st p.o.v. young adult self-journey is your thing, check it out.
Honestly, I had a hard time reading this. The perfectionist mindset is very familiar, and something I struggled with for a long time. Then pair that with the ostracization she goes through, I felt trapped myself. How she stayed low key for so long, I have no idea. I wanted to throttle Ella and all the tittering twits in the school for her. Kudos to the author for tackling the subject matter. Logan was a well needed breath of fresh air.
If 1st p.o.v. young adult self-journey is your thing, check it out.
December 13, 2025
I really enjoyed Shh!. It starts with a wild premise, but what kept me hooked was Olivia herself and how quickly her “perfect” life unravels after one public breakup. The mystery around what’s happening while she sleeps is genuinely intriguing, and the way rumors spiral on campus feels uncomfortably realistic.
The romance with Logan adds a lot of tension and heart without taking over the story, and I liked that Olivia’s growth and self-acceptance stayed front and center. Overall, it’s a quick, engaging read with a unique twist and some surprisingly emotional moments.
The romance with Logan adds a lot of tension and heart without taking over the story, and I liked that Olivia’s growth and self-acceptance stayed front and center. Overall, it’s a quick, engaging read with a unique twist and some surprisingly emotional moments.
December 23, 2017
So addictive
This book was so addictive I couldn’t put it down once I got into it. I love how the author portrays each character. I was not shocked by the ending it was like watching a movie and you could guess the ending before it happened. There was a few spelling errors which distracted me from reading that’s why I only gave this book four stars.
This book was so addictive I couldn’t put it down once I got into it. I love how the author portrays each character. I was not shocked by the ending it was like watching a movie and you could guess the ending before it happened. There was a few spelling errors which distracted me from reading that’s why I only gave this book four stars.
June 14, 2018
I tried getting on with this book as the storyline was well written but it was incredibly slow paced. Much too slow paced for me as it got boring very quickly. Apparently it does get better as you read on according to some reviews but unless this grabbed my attention at the start I don't find it's worth reading
December 14, 2015
Ho riso, come una pazza, quando ho letto la trama di questo libro, ed è la ragione principale per la quale ho fatto domanda per partecipare al blog tour e poterlo recensire in anteprima. E ho continuato a ridere mentre leggevo, sghignazzando bellamente in due viaggi di treno, non volendomi staccare dalla lettura per niente al mondo: la verità è che mi ci voleva proprio qualcosa di così leggero, che non ha paura di dir parole che spesso si tende a sussurrare, e farlo in modo assolutamente diretto, senza filtri, lasciando che siano aperti argomenti di discussione tra i personaggi ma riescano, comunque, a coinvolgere anche il lettore. Non è cosa da poco, se ci pensate, ed è la ragione per la quale ho apprezzato questo libriccino che, senza alcun pensiero allontana il new adult da quelli che tanto vanno di moda al momento, rimpinzati di scene di sesso alla qualunque, utili solo a riempir pagine e completamente staccate dalla storia, per condurlo a una via di mezzo tra un romanzo di formazione e un romance, nel quale l’amore è accennato ma non prende mai effettivamente il sopravvento ed essenziale è il percorso di crescita del personaggio principale, Olivia. Nata per essere la perfetta ragazza, con un futuro già scritto e deciso dai suoi genitori come studentessa modello, impegnata nella vita sociale dell’Università e futuro avvocato di un grande studio, Olivia è quella voce che fatica ad emergere tra le altre, una copertina perfetta che non corrisponde che in minima parte al proprio interno e che si ritrova a metter tutta la propria vita in dubbio nel momento in cui davanti a tutti viene additata come qualcuno che non riesce, nel sonno, a fare a meno di toccarsi, strusciarsi su chi ha accanto e provarci in modo talvolta aggressivo e piuttosto rumoroso. Destabilizzata dalla voce che gira per il campus, da risate e gomitate che nessuno si preoccupa di mascherare al suo passaggio e da una vita che improvvisamente si è fatta troppo stretta e non le calza più a pennello, si ritrova a chiudersi in sé e isolarsi da tutto ciò che la circonda: Olivia mangia in camera pur di evitare la mensa, non frequenta più le feste con le amiche per evitar di esser abbordata da sconosciuti che si sentono in diritto di metterla a parte di ciò che pensano di lei, arriva addirittura a saltar alcune lezioni per non incontrare quella che le sta rendendo davvero un inferno quel che ne ha già le sembianze facendosi da tramite con sua madre e riportandole ciò che succede nel campus. Insomma, se prima Olivia era al centro dell’attenzione per la sua attività politica o sociale, chiacchierata perché fidanzata con un ragazzo perfetto agli occhi di tutte e al tempo stesso con una media altissima da far invidia, adesso è sulla bocca dei suoi compagni di corso per quel che fa di notte, quando dorme, l’unica cosa sulla quale non può imporre il rigido controllo che applica a tutto il resto. E se c’è una cosa che fa davvero paura e scombussola tutto quanto è non sapere di potersi fidare di sé nel momento in cui si è incoscienti. Non sono una puritana, parlo abbastanza liberamente di sesso e non mi nascondo se qualcuno intavola discussioni di questo tipo, ma penso che l’imbarazzo che provi sia comprensibile: non è l’atto in sé che sconvolge, è il non poterlo controllare; non è figlio della sua volontà, non di quella conscia se non altro, e quindi tener sveglio un piano intero, ed esser lo zimbello dell’intera residenza son cose imbarazzanti, per le quali entrare in sintonia col suo modo di pensarla è estremamente facile.
La capisco, Ollie. Mi imbarazzo per cose stupide, rifuggo l’attenzione allo stesso modo in cui tanti sembrano volerla a tutti i costi e posso solo immaginare quanto siano state atroci le giornate, settimane, seguenti all’inizio dei pettegolezzi. Ma quel che mi piace di lei è che, nonostante tutto, sa andare avanti. Mentre io me ne sarei stata rintanata sotto al piumone a piangere, chiudendo tutti fuori dal mio mondo, Olivia rifiuta di lasciarsi distruggere. Certo, ve l’ho detto, per un certo periodo non ha la minima intenzione di frequentare nient’altro che non siano le lezioni, ma poi accade che metta la testa fuori dal guscio, inizi a rispondere per le rime a chi crede di esser simpatico sfogandosi su chi è più debole e con una forza davvero ammirabile riprende a vivere. Si rimette in gioco, quando tutti la davano per spacciata; non solo, trova dentro sé – e in chi le sta accanto, in particolare Logan – il coraggio per scombussolare i piani che portava avanti per inerzia e riniziare meglio di prima. E in questo sta il messaggio, il vero insegnamento del libro: per quanto doloroso sia ciò che gli altri pensano di lei, per quanto sia difficile andar contro il cammino che i suoi genitori le hanno disegnato davanti, Oliva sceglie per sé, nel suo interesse, nonostante i timori e le incertezze. Credendo in sé, prima ancora che in quella che inevitabilmente sarà la relazione con Logan. E in giorni come questi, con domande che mi scombussolano la testa, della sua sincerità e del suo coraggio, avevo proprio bisogno.
Recensione qui.
La capisco, Ollie. Mi imbarazzo per cose stupide, rifuggo l’attenzione allo stesso modo in cui tanti sembrano volerla a tutti i costi e posso solo immaginare quanto siano state atroci le giornate, settimane, seguenti all’inizio dei pettegolezzi. Ma quel che mi piace di lei è che, nonostante tutto, sa andare avanti. Mentre io me ne sarei stata rintanata sotto al piumone a piangere, chiudendo tutti fuori dal mio mondo, Olivia rifiuta di lasciarsi distruggere. Certo, ve l’ho detto, per un certo periodo non ha la minima intenzione di frequentare nient’altro che non siano le lezioni, ma poi accade che metta la testa fuori dal guscio, inizi a rispondere per le rime a chi crede di esser simpatico sfogandosi su chi è più debole e con una forza davvero ammirabile riprende a vivere. Si rimette in gioco, quando tutti la davano per spacciata; non solo, trova dentro sé – e in chi le sta accanto, in particolare Logan – il coraggio per scombussolare i piani che portava avanti per inerzia e riniziare meglio di prima. E in questo sta il messaggio, il vero insegnamento del libro: per quanto doloroso sia ciò che gli altri pensano di lei, per quanto sia difficile andar contro il cammino che i suoi genitori le hanno disegnato davanti, Oliva sceglie per sé, nel suo interesse, nonostante i timori e le incertezze. Credendo in sé, prima ancora che in quella che inevitabilmente sarà la relazione con Logan. E in giorni come questi, con domande che mi scombussolano la testa, della sua sincerità e del suo coraggio, avevo proprio bisogno.
Recensione qui.
October 23, 2017
Words SHOULD never hurt you but friends are always the best to have who have your back. Can not say any more. I enjoyed reading this book.
May 17, 2018
An amazing cute reading
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