Crescendo (Hush, Hush)

I read the first book (Hush, Hush) and was somewhat entertained. I thought the character development was poor and the relationships were not believable, but was drawn in enough to keep reading. I should have just stopped at book one and called it a day...

Crescendo was an annoying book and was by far worse than the first one. I don't really understand who Nora is... her stupidity and temper are maddening. One moment, she hates Patch with a vengeance and is afraid he's trying to kill her. The next she loves him. Why was she mad at Patch in the first place? Because he didn't say "I love you" and had a relatively good reason for it? I don't understand the conflict... she makes something out of nothing and it drives me crazy! Also, she is also completely inept at doing anything! She is repeatedly getting herself into trouble and needing someone to get her out of it.

I don't understand the whole draw to Patch, either. In the first book, he's a stalker! He is pretty much absent in the second book, and Nora's anger toward him is because she's blind and has a wicked bad temper.

I guess I should have known better... I didn't like the first book so I shouldn't have read the second. I won't be making the same mistake with book three.

I typically don't struggle with wanting to keep reading a book because I know that even if it's not good at the exact part I'm reading, surely I have to get to the good part eventually. Thus I keep reading. This book definitely kept me reading, but there were several points where I got frustrated with the characters. The thought went through my head to put the book down and take a break since I was frustrated, but it never got to the point where I actually did put it down for that reason.

That being said, my frustration with the characters comes from them making decisions I wouldn't make myself and not seeing things that I, the reader, can see. Nora throws quite the teenage temper tantrum throughout the majority of the book. While that can be very annoying, I also find it to be very on point for an actual teenager. I've definitely felt jealousy and pride the way Nora experiences and have thought some of the same thoughts. The whole "you hurt me first so I'm not apologizing until you do" idea and the "you hurt me so I hurt you" themes rang out over, and over, and dare I say over again. I believe it to be true of how most teenagers would feel and react given the situation. However, personally, I prefer my YA to lean a little more toward adult rather than young. Though I've felt the same feelings in the past that Nora does in Crescendo, the "you hurt me, so I hurt you" mantra is revealing Nora's true maturity level. That thought process is not indicative of true love, which undermines the series in my eyes.

I can't help it. I love a love story...but I love a TRUE love story. I will continue to root for Nora and Patch in Silence, but this isn't one that I consider an epic love story. And I love a story that makes me feel something. Overall what this story made me feel was frustrated. I'm not saying that's 100% a negative thing, because some of the best stories are built upon frustration. I'll just leave it at that and let the reader decide for themselves how they feel about it.

Another complaint is that Becca Fitzpatrick brought the villain out in the same way as the first story. Hush, Hush had predictable moments, but I spotted the villain in Crescendo a mile away. Now, not all of my predictions were true, and some things I allowed myself the freedom not to try to figure out, but I think as a whole it was fairly predictable, which is a downside for me. After years of watching TV shows like 24 and Prison Break, I've learned to look for what is not expected, and therefore, the unexpected becomes expected.

I'm still giving this book 4 stars, but it'd be a 4.0 exactly.

LOVE THIS SERIES

I fall in love with this book serise. I never thought I would like it so much. It was the best.

In most books people usually say, "the author should have stopped after the first one"...but NO!!! Becca Fitzpatrick roped us back into the romance that is Nora and Patch! Becca answers any questions you may have had in the first or second book; of course she will leave you hungry for the Finale! Read it and be ready to buy the Finale.

** spoiler alert ** The second book in the Hush, Hush series and I loved it even more than the first. Patch becoming Nora's guardian angel complicates their relationship and with the archangels watching them closely, they have to be careful about showing their feelings. It's a relationship between a sixteen year old girl and a boy who's not human so some of the problems may seem silly to more adult readers but they're realistic for a high school girl. There's a lot of leaping to conclusions, not waiting for an explaination, and not explaining things clearly that happen so often in any relationship.
When Patch starts pulling away in order to protect Nora, it makes it easy for someone to place doubts about him into Nora's head. Adding to all the complications is Scott, a boy from Nora's childhood who's back in town with a habit of driving her crazy. She can't stand him but with Patch hanging out with her enemy Marcie Millar and best friend Vee involved with new boyfriend Rixon, she keeps spending time with him.
There's so much going on in this book, especially close to the end, oooh the end with that horribly infuriating cliffhanger. Everyone's keeping secrets that slowly get revealed through the book and each one seems worse than the one before it, until the big reveal at the end. I flew through this book even faster than the first, loved it more, and I can't wait to read Silence.

I cannot explain fully all of the emotions that seemed to be waging a war against each other while reading Crescendo. It was like being on solid ground one moment--smooth and steady--and then in the next, it shifts so quickly it can only be described as being on a roller coaster--all twisty, curvy, and fast as hell.

Hush, Hush pales in comparison to its sequel! I know that if you have yet to read Crescendo you're probably thinking, "There's no topping Hush, Hush! It was so awesome!" But believe me, Fitzpatrick has. I don't know how, but she did, and I'm thankful for that.

Crescendo is just as awesome--if not more--in the action department as Hush, Hush. Its gripping, and truly thrilling. I enjoyed reading it each and every moment, and when I wasn't reading fast enough (dying to find out more!) I forced myself to read as fast as possible, while still being able to comprehend.

Patch. Oh, Patch. Please, do not get me started on him. If I do, I will be here for hours, detailing every little thing that made me want to wring his neck until that stupid baseball cap pops off (No offence, Patch; I'm sure you look good in that hat!)

Saying it was hard to put down would be an understatement. Since, well, I did put it down, but not for long. Also saying that it was predictable would be a lie, though I did catch on (by guessing) late in the book what--or, well, who--was going on. Since I was so damn pissed off at what was happening, by the time it changed, tears of joy sprang to my eyes.

And the best part? I have zero complaints about anything. Not one thing didn't feel fitting, not one word out of place. And I can't remember seeing a grammatical error either (though there's bound to be one in there somewhere...I was just too focused on reading to see it!).

Fitzpatrick, you've done it again! I couldn't believe this book! And my God, that ending! Can you say dramatic-cliff hanger? Damn, I really hope the next book comes out, like, pronto! Please, please, please don't make us wait!

As a teacher/librarian, I am hooked on the YA paranormal fiction the teen readers are drawn to. Becca Fitzpatrick may be one of my favorite YA authors right now, and I really enjoyed both "Hush, Hush" and "Crescendo."

"Crescendo" continues the relationship between human, Nora Gray, and her guardian angel, Patch. In this installment, things are heating up between Nora and Patch until he begins to pull away. It seems the archangels want to send him to Hell for falling in love with a human. The only way Nora can save Patch from this fate is to break up with him, even though it breaks her heart to do so.

As the story progresses, readers are introduced to new characters who are not always what they appear to be. And always in the back of Nora's mind is the question -- Who killed her father, and why? Will she live long enough to find out? And will she really want to know the truth?

As with "Hush, Hush," I wish there had been more character development, but the story itself is a compelling page-turner that offers something for everyone. I'm looking forward to reading "Silence," to see how Nora's story will end.

**Warning: As this is the second book in a series this review may contain spoilers for those who have not read the first one, Hush, Hush.**

When I read the first book in this series, Hush, Hush, I was intrigued by the world Becca Fitzpatrick had created; a world where fallen angels and Nephilim, the offspring of angels and humans, move among mortals. I was looking forward to reading Crescendo because I wanted to see how she had built on the story in Hush, Hush. I was disappointed with what I found in this sequel.

The cover art for Crescendo is as effective as Hush, Hush's. The dark storm pierced by a bolt of lightning hints at turmoil and the girl caught alone in the rain, looking over her shoulder gave me a strong feeling of longing, of searching. The single read feather floating on the storm's wind is an effective reminder of the fallen angels and Patch. The image as a whole is intriguing and did a good job of luring me in.

Crescendo picks up the story two months after the events in Hush, Hush and Nora is happy with Patch by her side as her boyfriend and guardian angle to boot. But her happiness isn't set to last for long when she discovers that Patch is hanging around with her nemesis, Marcie. Nora feels him pulling away from her and, feeling hurt and betrayed, she breaks it off with Patch. Then there's Scott, an old friend of the family who's just moved back into town. The reason for his return isn't clear, but Nora starts noticing strange things about him. Things that may be related to her father's death. Despite herself Nora is drawn to him and starts looking for answers. A search that puts her in increasing danger without her guardian angel to watch over her.

I was hoping for some growth in Nora's character in this book. And while I am making allowances for the fact that she is only sixteen, I was still frustrated with her. Nora doesn't seem to make any active/real impact on the story, rather she's like a leaf blown on a strong breeze - she reacts as each event happens. I like Nora in a general way. She's a girl who has had a hard life and is doing the best she can, but I want something more from her. I want her to start taking control of her life. She has potential, but keeps falling short of it.

Vee, Nora's best friend, has improved in this book. She is no longer as shallow or self-centred and behaves more like a best friend should. That was good to see. But, again, I would have liked to see similar growth in Nora, if not more because of what she's experienced.

Patch remains the most interesting character in the series and it was disappointing to see so little of him. The few times he does make an appearance he enlivens the story, despite the fact that he's being evasive and standoffish. Nora is a better character when she's interacting with Patch and I would have liked to see more of them together.

The pacing of Crescendo is quite slow at first and I could feel the story dragging along. But it does pick up and the climax to the story is worth the initial struggle. Crescendo ends on an interesting cliff-hanger and despite my disappointment with the book I will be reading the next one, Silence, in the hopes that Becca Fitzpatrick will let her story live up to its potential.

Crescendo was a disappointing sequel that didn't add much to the story as a whole, but it ends with the promise of better things to come.