We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(4) Base Camp
The same thing that makes hush interesting can present some challenges for how we grasp what's going on. Most of the action in this book takes place inside Toswiah/Evie's own head. This is cool because it lets us get a really good look at her character, but it's also challenging because the story switches back and forth between present time and her memories of her life in Denver and what led to her family's entrance into witness protection.
Once you find a way to keep the timeline straight, though—pro tip: pay attention to what's in italics and what's in normal text—you'll be on your way to really understanding the internal struggle the Greens/Thomases are going through.