Review: Hush Money (Talent Chronicles #1) by Susan Bischoff

Title: Hush Money

Series: Talent Chronicles #1

Prequel story: Impulse Control

Author: Susan Bischoff

Genre: YA, paranormal

Publication date: August 2012

Published by: Susan Bischoff

Source: Borrowed form library

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Synopsis:

They call their abilities Talents, and that’s what they call themselves as well. Talents are people born with supernatural powers, feared by the population at large. Possession of an “unregistered ability” has become illegal, and those who are discovered are forcibly removed to government-run research facilities. For Talents, keeping their secret is the most important thing in their lives. For some, that need for secrecy begins to define who they are.

That’s how it is for Joss, a high school girl who does everything in her power to go unnoticed. She's incredibly bright, but strives to maintain grades that are good yet not too good. She doesn't participate in school activities, keeps quiet in class, eats by herself. Despite her longtime crush on Dylan, she wouldn't even think about trying to talk to him. Joss doesn't make friends of any kind, because friends can draw attention, friends can make you slip up, friends can make things complicated.

When new girl, Kat, steps in to rescue Joss from an uncomfortable situation with Marco, the class jerk, she doesn’t realize what she’s getting into, and it blows up in her face. Joss finds herself torn between a desire to do the right thing, to find some way to help a girl who was kind to her; and her need to mind her own business and fade into. For the first time, Joss begins to question the way she operates, and starts to long for connections with other people--especially a connection with Dylan, who's finally starting to talk to her.

But what's up with Dylan's sudden interest? As Marco’s best friend, can he be trusted at all?

It's bad enough when a girl's got to worry about friends, boys, over-protective dads, and shoes that pinch, but when you throw in blackmail, government agents with guns, and really annoying little sisters...that's just about too much to handle, even for a girl with an ass-kicking superpower.

My rating: ★★★★☆
Jocelyn (Joss) is a Talent. That means she has supernatural abilities. But having these powers has become illegal. That's why all of those who have been discovered are taken away by force to some government-run research facility. Yeah, its as fun as it sounds. The Talents there are treated like lab rats, and not too nicely. That is why it is important for Joss and her family to keep her (and her sisters) powers a secret.

That is also why its important to her to not stand out in a crowd. She does everything she can to get through high school unnoticed. She is always quiet and doesn't have any friends...at all.

But all of a sudden she has acquired a best friend (Kat) she did not want or expect, and the sudden interest of her long time crush Dylan. But Joss cant trust Dylan; not when he's Marco's best friend. Marco, the guy who has picked on Joss ever since she turned him down. Yeah, real mature, Marco -_-

Not only is Joss dealing with this new found attention, but also, Talents are being blackmailed and government agents coming and taking them away! Its up to Joss to save her friends and put a stop to all the blackmailing.

I really enjoyed this book. It had a pretty good plot, and it was a very easy and quick read. Less than 200 pages and I finished it in one sitting :D It had very diverse characters...some which I wasn't very fond of (*cough* Marco *cough*). Overall, it was a very good book! Cant wait for book 2!

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a comment! :)