*I received a free copy of this book. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Recipient of the B.R.A.G. Medallion
Blurb: While Nicki Reed is desperate to find the answers to her past, someone is desperate for her to never remember.
Shortly after her father died, Nicki’s nightmares started. They were soon followed by panic attacks. Suspecting her haunting dreams were related to her childhood, Nicki sought professional help, but Nicki was unable to verbalize any memories she had as a child. Bad things happened when she told secrets.
When her therapist suggested she write her memories, Nicki started remembering things she had pushed far into the recesses of her mind. She started to doubt her own sanity, and when she began to see a strange woman stalking her, she couldn’t be sure if that woman was real or imagined. Yet, Nicki couldn’t tell anyone, until—her own family’s welfare was threatened.
I have now read three of Gloria Zachgo’s books, and Hush Girl is definitely my favourite.
It is suspenseful and engrossing; mystery piled upon mystery. What happened to seal Nicki’s memory and steal her voice? What happened to her mother all those many years ago? Was her brother’s death really an accident? Who is the strange woman haunting her, and is she real, or just another bad dream?
I love that the focus is as much on Nicki’s recovery and improvement as it is on the physical plot of action and twists.
The story is told in a simple and direct style through a mixture of Nicki’s first-person narration and her written accounts of significant events. It felt so intimate to be able to ‘hear’ the inner monologue of someone who had no ability to communicate verbally with those around her. I really felt like I got to know not just Nicki, but her family as well, and was absorbed in what was happening to them all.
Hush Girl: It’s Only a Dream tells of an ordinary family caught up in a waking nightmare as a result of shadows from the past. It is an easy, if tension-filled read, and I recommend it to fans of psychological suspense and family secrets.
No one would talk with me about my mama when I was a child. When I got older I didn’t want to talk about my sad life. No, that wasn’t it, I couldn’t talk about it. I had it pushed into a dark recess in my head until Daddy’s funeral. That’s when I started having the nightmares.
– Gloria Zachgo, Hush Girl: It’s Only a Dream
Find more from Gloria Zachgo here, or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.
Check out my reviews of other books by this author here (The Rocking Horse) and here (Never Waste Tears).
You can find all of Gloria Zachgo’s books on Amazon in both ebook and paperback format.
To find out more about indieBRAG and what the medallion means, have a look at the website here.
I receive no compensation from indieBRAG in any form and my decision to review any book is my own, as is my opinion of any book I do choose to review.
Bookshine And Readbows 