Crescendo

"Crescendo" was everything that I did not expect it to be. In fact I think a better title for the book would have been "Decrescendo". A crescendo is a building, in musical terms, of sound. This book was so flat the entire way through that it was a fight for me to keep reading some times.

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"Crescendo" picks pretty soon after "Hush, Hush" leaves off. Patch and Nora have been together for two months, but then they break up and so ensues the annoying back and forth game that is Nora's forever annoying inner battle between loving and hating patch. Nothing has changed much, except Nora no longer has a car, which I am assuming is simply to make a point, for Scott, at the conclusion of the novel. Nora's mother is still constantly out of town, Vee is as annoying as ever, but there is the addition of Scott, to whom I felt no attachment the whole novel, except to feel empathy for him.

Nora is the epitome of bad decision making. Every time she so much as suspects someone of sneezing in her direction her knee jerk reaction is immediately to break into their house. What?!?!?! What kind of seventeen year old girl does that? What kind of seventeen year old girl's "friend" encourages and accompanies her while she breaks into someones house to steal their possessions?

The book was too contrived and unbelievable to engross myself in. The dialog alone was so distractingly non-realistic that it kept pulling me out of that world and reminding me of the fact that I am reading a book. The dialog was too upbeat, rhythmic, and well....fake to me. There was one point where Nora doesn't even fully explain the situation to Vee but Vee seems to understand (and we know this is out of character for Vee as she is alarmingly naive to EVERYTHING that is going on around her!)

Again, I had trouble with Fitzpatrick's spacial awareness in the novel. In "Hush, Hush" after Nora's house was broken into the police were there in five minutes but in "Crescendo", however, when Nora is in trouble at her farmhouse she notes that it would take at least twenty minutes for the police to arrive. Continuity issues? Also, if the police would take twenty minutes racing to a breaking and entering report at Nora's then how does she walk to school? It just doesn't seem plausible.

Everything in this book was just so predictable and disappointing. Any time Nora went any where she inevitably pulled on a pair of "matchstick" or for a synonym "toothpick" jeans, a fitted tee, and ballet flats. Then, of course we are constantly reminded of Nora's crazily wild curly hair (we get it Becca...we've seen your picture on the book jacket).

Patch, don't even get me started on Patch. I was so thoroughly irritated with Nora's crazy assumptions and I love him...no wait I hate him emotions that I litterally would not have cared if Nora or Patch had died simply to end all the indecision. What a weak seventeen year old girl. While I don't believe fictional characters are meant to serve as role models...come on really? Where is this girls self esteem?

A lot of what I hated about this book came back to Nora being, simply stated, an unlikeable character. It's like when you're watching a horror movie and the innocent person you just know is going to die is walking through a pitch black house yelling, "Guys, is that you? This isn't funny? I'm going to bed!" Then, of course, we all know what happens next...dead in bed. I was constantly screaming at Nora in my head, "No you idiot" It was utterly frustrating.

The end, and by the end I mean the last chapter, was slightly redeeming because *spoiler alert* I had already figured out that Rixon was a bad guy. Foreshadowing was too heavy. Why else involve him to intimately with Vee and have her constantly gush over Rixon? Because he's bad...that's the way it goes. And if Nora's mother knows how much danger she is in WHY does she keep leaving her alone? Even the house fire wasn't enough to make her suspect anything? *End Spoiler aler*

The last chapter did hold one surprise for me that I did not expect, but I was angry I had to wade through so much much to get to one good revelation. Of course, I'll have to read the last book in this series, but I would have preferred if Fitzpatrick had done just two books and kept all the crap out of "Crescendo."

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I had enjoyed Hush, Hush despite what I thought were some flaws in characterisation, sadly I feel that those issues were compounded in Crescendo and I was rolling my eyes every other page. For me, Nora was endlessly angsty with absurd mood swings. Both her thoughts and her behaviour were irrational

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most of the time, she seemed unable to complete a coherent thought, jumping to silly conclusions and ignoring common sense. I could barely follow her illogical decisions and couldn't relate to her at all. I really dislike stupidity as a plot device, especially in a YA book, Nora shows no real strength of character or loyalty which is a poor model for teenage girls.The relationship between Patch and Nora is a parent's nightmare, not because of Patch, but because Nora has submersed her self worth and identity into the relationship. Everything is about Patch for her, including her fathers murder. There was some potential in the Black Hand plot thread but it remained too vague for me. I think my strong reaction to Nora overshadowed everything.Sadly, Crescendo left me frustrated and uninterested in following the Hush,Hush series. I might be willing to read something more mature by Fitzpatrick at a later date because I feel her writing style is engaging and fluid but in this case her characters and plot were too weak for me to enjoy.

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We start off with Nora and Patch seemingly happy with their dating status. But like all YA novels, one of them has to have a deep dark secret and must mysteriously change moods so the other one constantly questions, “Is it me? Should I do something differently? Why won’t he talk to me?” Their

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relationship is in jeopardy. And it looks like Patch may be making a play for Nora’s archenemy, Marcie – horror!

Nora, heartbroken, proceeds to distance herself from Patch, even though he keeps showing up every time she tries to prove her independence from him. And rightly so. Nora keeps making the most stupid decisions ever! I just want to shake her. And while she’s busy making stupid decisions, the questions surrounding her father’s death becomes her side project when not secretly pining for Patch.

Then there’s the new guy who shows up, Nora’s former childhood friend, Scott, another guy with a dark past. Once again the author does a good job of keeping us guessing about which way he could go. He’s gruff, abrasive and scum-like. Vee continues to mark her presence as Nora’s BFF. While she’s a tad bit obnoxious, I think we’d all like a friend like her to have our back no matter what. Rixon, Patch’s closest friend, has more exposure in this book and brings some insight into the past.

But the best thing about Crescendo continues to be Patch, Patch, Patch! Our awesomely hot bad boy shows his complexities and fragileness and I can’t help falling for him even more. He still has his stalker-like moments but surprisingly the scenes that had the most impact on me were the quiet ones when he just looks at Nora. His mannerisms and body language had me swooning. I wanted to push Nora aside and grab him myself.

Crescendo also introduces a few new players in the many mysteries surrounding Nora, including her father’s death, Patch and her genealogy. And it all climaxes into one of the best endings I’ve read in a long time, which has left me breathlessly waiting for Silence...

Bel at bibliojunkies.blogspot.com

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4.5 stars. This was a great sequel to Hush, Hush. While many reviewers hated the way Patch acted therefore hating him, I had no such feelings. If anything I felt more impatient with Nora. I never doubted Patch's intentions, even when he was at his "worst" he still sought to protect Nora however he

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could. Because of their "situation" I felt that there must have been (good) reasons for whatever he was doing and if he was withholding information, it was for Nora's own good. Nora on the other hand, put herself in dangerous situations to show Patch that she did not need his protection and yeah, she was going to hang out with someone new (Scott) just like Patch was doing with Marcie. It was like a bad breakup. This book goes more into the past including the death of Nora's dad and some major secrets come to light... Once again this book proves what a great friend Vee is to Nora. Who else would agree to help you spy or assist in a break-in at a moment's notice? Vee does all of these and more (including the role of chauffeur/car rental), she added great humor to the story and I loved reading about their many escapades (there are quite a few in this book) some were dangerous, some were funny, and some had me shaking my head. Scott's character freaked me out, he seemed very unstable and gave off bad vibes, but I'll leave it up to you to find out if he is a bad guy or a good guy. The ending was a major cliffhanger. While the issues of this book were mostly resolved, the cliffhanger-ending had me wanting the next book pronto! It's going to be very interesting to read I can already tell, I just hope that Vee gets some love for being an awesome friend to Nora. I am also hoping for Nora and Patch's happiness, aw come on you aren't surprised :)

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I'm in that minority that really was not all that impressed by Hush, Hush. I remember feeling giddy with glee when I saw it was in at the library and rushing home to read it. It was lunch time and I spread the book out on the table and dove in, hungrily devouring every word.

... but then I started

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to get disappointed. Why? I didn't like Nora. (And don't even get me started on Patch's name).

Time has passed. My feelings of dislike have faded somewhat and Hush, Hush has risen a little bit to a more "okay" place on my list. I lingers there with a few other books that are quite popular and it hovers over some others that I really could not stand.

Crescendo was like a slap in the face. Not only was my dislike of Nora brought back.. but now she's displaying angst and emo-teenage-heartbreak worthy over only the queen of such herself, Bella Swan. The only reason this book rates as high as I've given it is because the rest of the plot (such as it was) was interesting and I liked seeing the bad boys get the spotlight here. But Nora? My goodness, someone needs to slap that girl.

There is probably a 5% chance I'll read the final book. Even the cliffhanger wasn't enough to get me to be interested in reading it. But... who knows, maybe I'll read some truly horrendous YA books between now and then and Crescendo, like Hush, Hush will slowly raise in status as time passes by.

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I had to force myself to read this book. I rarely don't finish a book, but this was hell to read. Nora is just a big whine after whine. And for someone who is always trying to kill her (or so she thinks w/e) she sure has some weird love going for Patch. God this book was awful. Far worse then the

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first book.

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Reviewing my thoughts on last year's hit, Hush, Hush, it appears that everything I enjoyed about Ms. Fitzpatrick's first novel remains true with her second, while unfortunately everything I did not enjoy also remains true. As with her first introduction to Nora and Patch, Crescendo is quite

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enjoyable but left me wanting more. It remains poised on the edge of brilliancy but not quite ready to make the leap.

Thankfully, Patch remains Patch: mysterious, sexy and undeniably dangerous. He continues to be just as fascinating a character in his unpredictability and his complete inability to share secrets until the very last second. It is an endearing quality, this overprotectiveness of others. Granted, it could be construed as a severe lack of trust, but the end result is the same. Our hapless heroine is so grossly ill-informed that she stumbles onto the truth only after exposing herself to mortal danger, whereas full disclosure could have prevented the whole misadventure. Still, Patch is the shining beacon of this entire story line. The reader wants to uncover all his darkest secrets and will read through anything to find their unveiling.

Nora takes Vee's place in this book as one of the most annoying characters ever. Vee was actually the voice of reason between the two best friends, which is a complete turnaround from the first novel. In Crescendo, Nora is too emotional, too irrational, too quick to judge, and too quick to find fault with everyone but herself. Her snap judgments and overly dramatic teenage hormones created the dangerous situations in which she found herself. After a while, a reader can only handle so much self-created drama. Nora remains a disappointment because at least she was somewhat responsible and cautious in Hush, Hush. In this novel, it is almost as if she has consciencely opted to ignore any modicum of reason she previously exhibited and chose to become a crazily obsessed teen. The end result is a complete disregard for any semblance of normalcy and a main character that is your stereotypically immature teenager. This change in the main character is made all the more upsetting by the fact that Nora, in Hush, Hush, was the mature teenager - the one who did everything right and never got into trouble. With one year separating the release dates of each novel, the inconsistency between the two is surprising and contributes heavily to one's disappointment in Nora's change.

If I wasn't a huge fan of Ms. Fitzpatrick's first novel, why was I anxious to read the second one? In spite of the weak characters and inconsistencies between the two novels, Patch and his back story make for one compelling story. Patch overcomes all, or at least almost all, of Nora's weaknesses, and the story itself remains immensely enjoyable. Crescendo does suffer a bit of the sophomore slump, but fans everywhere will continue to devour the series. Combined with an absolutely gorgeous cover that begs to be read and the fascinating mythology of the nephilim, archangels and fallen angels, the series continues to fascinate and engage the reader.

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So this sequel was OK, but not one or my favorites. I didn't really care for Hush, Hush, but wanted to keep reading the series. I love fallen angels and forbidden love so I figured I could at least keep going.

Now I liked some stuff. Enough that I want to read the next book, but really, this book

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gave me a stomach ache. Patch is hands down, the worst boyfriend alive. The way he treated Nora made me sick. Doing all these horrible things but still saying he cares about her, still trying to get things from her. Nora is a glutton for punishment and kind of sickly obsessed. I know, I know. She "loves" him, and he's "only" doing these things to push her away and keep her safe. Whatever, I almost couldn't keep reading, Patch was making me so upset.

Now, I'm not trying to give a bad review, I like the story, I just didn't like the so-called "romance" aspect of it. The plot-line however, kept getting more and more interesting, so I kept up with it and I'm glad I did. The ending was a total surprise and a great lead-in to the final book. (which I do want to read.)

So, if you liked Hush, Hush I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy Crescendo. Just, if you're a young girl, don't fall for an a**hole like Patch, and don't be a doormat like Nora. Just sayin'.
3/5 Stars!

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Okay, Crescendo. Gut reaction: not as good as Hush, Hush. Good. But not as. There was really only one big thing here that I felt weighed Crescendo down, and ultimately detracted from my enjoyment of it.

First, let me just say that this was not due to some deficit as far as plotting goes. I think

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Becca Fitzpatrick's vision was clear when she outlined the plot. It's makes sense and it's fairly easy to connect the dots. The pacing was a bit slow, and felt a little drawn out at times, but the end game was solid.

I also want to say that it wasn't the fact that Patch and Nora were on the outs for the majority of Crescendo that bothered me either. I know many people were a bit disappointed by this. It felt a little like New Moon all over again. But in terms of story...it's just not interesting if the characters are in the honeymoon phase all the time. There needs to be trouble in paradise. Just like in real life. Characters are at their most intriguing when they struggle. That's why we read. Not just for entertainment, but to hopefully learn what message the author is trying to impart through the struggles of their characters. If they can't evolve, then they lose their appeal.

No, the thing that bugged me for the majority of Crescendo was Nora's attitude. The stubbornness and the childish petulance was a little much, and it felt so contrary to who she is. Nora is a very strong, mature, and capable young woman. To see her deliberately making decisions that are so at odds with what she really wants was a bit frustrating.

Now, I realize that we are talking about a teenager here and that comes with all sorts of angst, but...it just got to me for some reason. Nora was being horridly obtuse for the majority of this novel and for the life of me, I can't understand why it took over 300 pages for her to figure out what was going on with She-Who-Will-Not-Be-Named, when you as the reader will probably figure it out in 85 pages or less.

The only thing I can come up with was that Nora's raging stupidity was the driving force of the novel. It was the vehicle that enabled the plot to progress. Without it, we wouldn't get to the end. I see that...but it just felt like Fitzpatrick could have come up with something a little bit less transparent and little more in tune with Nora as a character.

Aside from that, there were a lot of good things about Crescendo. There are some honest to god moments of sheer comic relief that are bound to make you crack a smile. There's an interesting new subplot involving the Nephilim that is taking shape AND we get some tantalizing sneak peeks into the past.

My verdict: read it. Despite the one flaw, Crescendo is a good read. It lacks the smoldering ambiguity of Hush, Hush but it is taking the series in the right direction. Let's just hope that Nora wont be channeling Bella Swan in the next installment. B-

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I devoured this book. I read through it in a day and a half. I loved the fact that it went deeper into Nora's past. There were twists and turns that were surprising. It kept the pages turning right up until the end. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

I did find the whole thing with

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Patch and Marcie a little unnerving. I was NOT happy with Patch. But dudes can just be that way sometimes. I kept thinking he was going to have his reasons. And there were instances were Nora was just being unreasonable too. I could feel her trying to do her best and put some distance between them, but also her overwhelming desire to be close to him.

I liked the addition of Rixson and Vee in more detail. Vee and Nora are truly there for one another and I think that's so awesome. I could almost taste the cotton candy at Delphic Beach. Nora is a good girl who pushes on that envelope a bit more in this book. I like seeing her character stretch a bit.


Fantastic read with as many twists and turns as the Delphic roller coaster. I'm giving it four big passionate kisses!

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Crescendo is book two in this series. Hush Hush was the first which introduced us to the characters, Patch and Nora. This book continues down the path of what is Patch really? He's a fallen angel, turned guardian angel, but as usual Nora can't quite seem to figure out if he's good or evil.

This time

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the plot thickens as Nora finds more and more about her past and her father's death. All arrows seem to point at Patch, but she refuses to believe it. Then Scott, an old family friend moves back and makes things even more complicated for Nora.

I read through this book quickly. It sucked me in from the beginning, however I hate having to wait to the end to figure out whose bad and whose good, I'd like one character, other than Nora, to be either or so you'd know. But I guess that's part of the appeal to keep reading. Solve the mystery AND find out whose good and bad.

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Currently reading for Barnes and Noble's First Look program.

Crescendo, by Becca Fitzpatrick, is the sequel to Hush, Hush, which I reviewed in 2009. In this sequel - which may be better than the original, Nora learns more about her family history and the death of her father. The story begins with Nora and Patch hapilly dating although he is now her guardian

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angel. He isn’t supposed to fall in love which causes a rift between the two.

Nora begins to see her father - her dead father - and has strange dreams. She becomes suspicious of a new guy in school and struggles with her lab partner in her summer school chemistry class.

I enjoyed Crescendo, probably more than I did Hush, Hush. I’m not sure I can explain why but I thought the story was richer. I suppose it built on the story, as it should. Both are good, exciting reads for teens (and adults like me). I’m anxious for the next book as once again, we were left with a cliff hanger. If you’ve started the series, I encourage you to continue it. If you are new, make sure you pick up Hush, Hush first.

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I can’t even put into words how much I loved Crescendo. I was a huge fan of the first book - Hush, Hush, but Crescendo powered up the fangirl in me to new heights.

Nora and Patch’s relationship is so roughed up, but for some reason, it works and it’s absolutely un-put-downable. (not a word,

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but it fits!) You want to slap Patch for being an ass, you want to smack Nora for being so sensitive, but I, personally, had a craving for the drama. After the introduction to their relationship in the first book, I’m so glad these two weren’t completely gushy, romantic and perfect. It was necessary, but not something you’d think you’d want to read. Fortunately Becca really succeeded in working it into the story and pulling it off.

While Patch is suspiciously hanging out with Nora’s sworn enemy, Marcie Millar, Nora is questioning his involvement with the murder of her father. It’s somewhat of a new mystery from the first book, but it’s just as hooking. And with the new mystery comes new characters; Scott Parnell, a childhood friend of Nora’s who returns with a bit mystery himself. And Rixon, who we met in the first book, but returns stronger as Patch’s right-hand-man and Vee’s new boyfriend. Both are vital to the story, but both have motives that may or may not jeopardize Nora’s life. It’s a non-stop thrill ride and I loved every damn second of it.

Overall, Crescendo is one hundred times better than Hush, Hush. It exceeds and soars above any expectation that I had, and probably takes the title as one of the best sequels that I’ve ever read. If you’re a fan of the first book, you need to get your hands on Crescendo immediately. And if you were on the fence about Hush, Hush - give this one a try! It might make you look at the series with new eyes!

*insert another fangirl squeal here*

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First off I'll admit that I had huge expectations for this book, which we should all remember is always dangerous when you're reading to review. If you'll recall, Nora was one of my favorite protagonists back when I read Hush, Hush because she was so amazingly self-sufficient and stubborn. Her

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relationship with Patch was one that intrigued me. The two of them were so stunningly different, and yet they seemed to mesh perfectly together. Becca Fitzpatrick had me smitten with her book and eager for more.

That being said, I'll start out by saying that I was a little disappointed with Nora in this book. She went from being a girl with an extremely intelligent head on her shoulders, to something completely different. She was constantly in need of someone to save her, unable to make good decisions, and frustratingly driven by her emotions. Nora was so completely involved in all things Patch that it was almost as though she lost an important part of herself. Now I will admit that in the grand scheme of the story, this made a bit of sense. Nora was being handed quite a bit to deal with. However since her character is what made me love the last book so very much, I was thrown off.

As for Patch, well it should be known that I love Patch. Despite his bad boy exterior, he always had Nora's best interests at heart. In this book however it was a lot harder for me to love him. His coldness towards Nora, although necessary, really hurt me and I could understand how it would hurt her as well. It was a little easier for me to deal with his behavior, because of how it fit into the overall story line. I suppose it's never easy for a reader to loose what they love about a particular character, so I shouldn't be too terribly upset. Patch still remains one of my favorite love interests in a story.

One fabulous thing is that the change in Nora and Patch's behavior allows for new characters to be introduced, and this adds a whole other layer to the story. I can definitely attest that I loved the story line in this book even more than the last one. It was dark and it was driven. Once the story really got going I was able to forget my initial worries and just get lost in the roller coaster ride that is Becca Fitzpatrick's writing! She is a master at giving you just enough to keep you reading, and then building slowly up to a climax.

I will honestly say that, just like it's predecessor, Crescendo is a well paced and amazingly written story. There is never a dull moment in the book, and honestly the 400+ pages in this book just fly by. There are many new challenges presented to Nora and Patch in this sequel. In fact, there were times when I was a bit overwhelmed at everything they had to deal with. Without a doubt, this is one of the most engrossing reads I've had in a while. I sat down to read for an hour or so, and when I looked up it was 4 hours later and I had 20 pages to go. If that isn't the merit of a good book, I'm really not sure what is!

Despite my minor annoyances with new character behavior, I really did enjoy devouring this book. As I said before, it's the type of book that will have you reading well into the night. Do not start this book before bed time, especially if you need to be up for work. You've been warned! For those who loved Hush, Hush as much as I did, go into Crescendo with an open mind and heart and I know you'll find you enjoy it immensely as well!

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OMG!! As if the anticipation for this book after Hush, Hush was not enough. This book has just blown Hush, Hush out of the water. Crescendo takes action packed to a whole new level with its twist and turns that start in the first pages of the book. Prepare to be wrapped up and spit back out at the

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end. I had shockingly finished of half the book in a halves day time and had no idea how much progress I was actually making. Admittedly, I spent most of that time ticked off at Nora and Patch, but I was so engrossed that I would read on and yell at the pages as I went. These characters are too intense not to love. With a story that will captivate and enthrall you the whole length of the story. Be forewarned there are many bullets in this book; I had countless moments completely stopping and rereading a line thinking “THERE WAS NO WAY THAT JUST HAPPENED!” Crescendo is one that will live long past its last page, and will by a must own on all Paranormal lovers bookshelves. Becca Fitzpatrick is not just an author, she is a storyteller. She was born to write and create masterpieces just like that of Hush, Hush and Crescendo. As a very well rounded author it is not just one thing that I can compliment about this author; she is exceptional with all aspects of her books plot, setting, and characters. It is rare to find books that carry the level of emotion and intensity that I find in everyone of her books. Although, this does only leave me pining over the next book release. To wrap this up I am undoubtedly in love with this author and her story, if you have not read Hush, Hush shame on you. If you already have read the first book; do not delay on buying and reading this book.

**Special Thanks to Simon & Schuster for this review copy

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I loved, loved, loved the first book in this series. Hush, Hush was a huge surprise for me. I didn't think that I was going to love it, but I did. So, when I received the second book in this series, Crescendo, I thought that I was going to feel the exact same way.

Not so. I was pretty disinterested

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for the first fifty or sixty pages. It was really depressing. I thought that Nora, who I had admired for her strength and resilience in Hush, Hush had turned into a bit of a whiner.

~ BUT THEN ~

It started to get awesome. And I couldn't put it down. And Nora stopped whining and started doing. And now I love this second book just as much as the first. And I can't wait for the second.

Okay. I had to get that out. Now I'll summarize the book a little.Without spoilers, though. Because I don't like spoilers.

Nora and Patch are still together, still linked as guardian angel and girlfriend. But, Nora feels like she cares more for Patch than he does for her. And, when Patch starts paying more and more attention to Nora's worst enemy, Marcie Millar, Nora can't help but suspect that something is happening. Her jealousy and anger cause her to break it off with Patch, but she instantly regrets this decision. She tries to regain Patch's attention by hanging out with an old guy-friend who just moved back to town. That doesn't work as well as she'd planned, so Nora sets out to sabotage Patch's blossoming relationship with Marcie by spying on them. And breaking into their respective houses. But, once she's there, she finds out far more about Patch and Marcie than she ever bargained for.

This read is suspenseful and addictive. If you're bored by whine-y girl behavior, wait Nora out. She finds her voice and becomes rather devious after about the seventy-five page mark. Stick with her, because she's worth the wait!

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Okay how could I not give this one high marks on the rating scale? I mean really....it was THAT good. How good? Well let's just say I started off being a tad less than half way through the book tonight and finished it in 2 hours.

We learn so much about Nora's dad (yeah, can't say more), Patch's

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friends (yeah, can't say more here either), just who or what is out to get Nora this time (yeah...ditto)....the information revealed verges on overload but never reaches that marked danger zone level. The author kept our favorite "couple" (if that's what they can be called...I mean really the number of times they....okay, can't reveal that either...) in the spotlight while adding in the new story around them in such a way you were never bored nor guessing exactly what would happen next.

Bookmarks up to author Becca Fitzpatrick on this second installment in the series....fantastic job and definitely one readers need to keep an eye out for this October. Happy reading!

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Wow oh wow. I loved this book!

I was sent on a roller coaster ride of emotions all the way through this book and they never let up. Right on down to the last page even. That doesn't happen often.

Once again Becca pulled me right into Nora's story and kept me guessing and trying to figure out just

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what the heck was going on. I spent most of the book either making guesses or being ticked at one character or another or just plain not sure.

The plot is nothing short of fantastic. Full of twists and turns. I was left wondering which was was up a couple of times. It was like trying to piece together a big, confusing puzzle. I was never quite sure which piece fit where.

In conclusion, I loved it. I Want more. I didn't want it to end. I think anyone who enjoyed Hush, Hush will feel the same way I do. When it's released, go get it, you won't regret it.

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This is the sequel to Hush, Hush, which I also reviewed, and, mostly, liked. The same characters, plus a few interesting additions are back. The pacing is, like the first book, well done and events move the story along at a nice pace.

Nora breaks up with Patch early in the book, so she spends most

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of the book pinning for him and trying to figure out where things went wrong. She also spends some time being Nancy Dew and sleuthing around trying to put pieces together about Patch and also about her murdered father. Although I don’t mind a little bit of detective work in a paranormal romance, I counted at least 4 times that Nora was sneaking into someone else’s house/apartment/room to look for clues about one thing or another. As this never works out well for her, you’d think she’d maybe STOP DOING IT. But no, over and over again, there she is sneaking into someone else’s private space.

Besides that, I liked it. The whole Nephilim/Fallen Angel/Sacrificial Human thing is getting a little confusing, but it didn't quite stretch the bounds of believability.

I’m still loving Vee, and Scott is an interesting addition – although I can’t figure out if he’s a good guy or a bad guy yet. Nora still lacks many personality traits, besides curiosity, which seems odd for the protagonist of a book. I expect the female protagonist in a paranormal romance to be (fill in any adjective here) which is why the paranormal half falls in love with her – even if it’s something as lame as Twilight rationale. Nora doesn’t seem to be anything in any way.

I’ll read the next book, but I’m still waiting for Nora to develop. All the other characters seem fully developed to me.

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Sequel to Hush Hush. Patch is now Nora's guardian angel, but their relationship is turning into something more. The archangels will send him to Hell if they find out, so Nora, in a fit of jealousy over time she's seen Patch spend with her arch-rival Marcy, tells him she doesn't want him to be her

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guardian anymore. Meanwhile, new guy Scott both repels and attracts Nora, and she suspects he's Nephilim. Nora starts seeing images of her murdered father, and gets hints that maybe Patch had something to do with his death.

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Becca Fitzpatrick really knows how to get under your skin and bring out all sorts of emotions with her writing. If you thought Hush Hush was good, wait until you read Crescendo.

In Crescendo, Nora learns a little more about what blood runs in her veins, and who her father really is. She discovers a

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lot of things about herself and the people around her. Nora makes a lot of decisions that will make you angry and love her at the same time. She does not know who she can trust anymore, even the love of her life.

Nora and Patch go through so many different emotions and drama in Crescendo that they don't know whether they should be together, or just go their separate ways.

I am sitting here wanting more! I absolutely love this book! So many times (Just like with Hush, Hush) I thought I knew what was going to happen and where the story was going, only I was way off. I love all the twists and mysteries in this book. You can't help but be glued to it. There is never a boring moment in Crescendo, every single chapter has something going on. I actually got butterflies and goosebumps while reading this book. The ending was just amazing and I cannot wait for the next book in this series! I just have to know what happens.

I am in WOW with this book, and I think I might have to just re-read Hush Hush and Crescendo again. And that is big for me, since I NEVER re-read books. :-) A MUST, MUST, MUST READ!

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By the end of Hush, Hush, Patch and Nora are now officially together. They are young, happy and in love. But as one must expect by now, love is rarely allowed to reign supreme for too long. One night after Nora declares her undying love to Patch, he responds a bit abruptly and leaves. Nora

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immediately sees this as a rejection and their once happy relationship begins to spiral downwards. Coupled with this is the fact that Nora is beginning to have strange suspicions as to how her father really died. Was there more to his murder and was Patch somehow involved?

I was a bit unsure what to expect with this book as we all know that sequels can be a bit tricky for writers either because the story stagnates or becomes a rehash of the first book. But with Crescendo, I actually think that it was better than its predecessor, Hush, Hush. Book one had developed the characters of Patch and Nora very well and we spend this book with an awareness of who they are (or at least who we think they are) and their interactions were cute and very sweet. I read the book in a five hour sitting as I could not bear to put it down, wanting to know what was coming. I was sad to see Nora and Patch fighting with each other and I wanted to shake Nora many times and ask her to trust Patch a bit more because I believed he must have his reasons for certain inexplicable actions he was taking. But after a while even I began to doubt him and wonder what he was really up to. Is Patch really good or has he been playing with all of us all this time? You will have to read to find out for yourself.

While I still find Nora a very likable character, there were moments when she really began to annoy me but to be honest with you this usually happens with me and most YA heroines. When they begin to sink into teenage angst and depression, I just throw my hands in the air and wonder why I am even reading the book. But once I stepped away from that, I was able to let go of some of what I saw as her annoying behavior. Her reactions to Patch were those of someone who was hurt. Nora cannot fathom why Patch is suddenly so chummy with Marcie Miller when he knows that she and Marcie have never gotten along. She reacts immaturely many times and as annoying as it sometimes became, I chuck it up to her hurt feelings. Her trusty friend Vee is around once more and I have to say that I did not like her as much in this book as I had in the first. She was overly critical of Patch and it seemed to come out of nowhere since she seemed to like him in the first book. It was a bit odd and felt unwarranted.

If you liked Hush, Hush, I believe you will love Crescendo as it takes the story in a very interesting and welcome direction. There are a lot or secrets and lies that come to the surface and some are not resolved even by the end. I hate having to wait so long for the third book as this one ends on a cliff hanger.

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This young adult series really has me hooked. Crescendo, the sequel to Hush, Hush, is fast paced and full of mystery as you follow Nora Grey through more adventures filled with fallen angels, a secret Nephilim society, guardian angels and archangels. Nora doesn't know who to trust and neither does

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the reader. Nora continues to reel from the loss of her father as she thinks she sees him places and hears him talk to her inside her mind. Patch, her guardian angel and the love of her life, begins pulling away from her inexplicably and her nemesis, Marcie, continues to make her life hell. Nora's world is rocked by many answers that come in this novel. However, Fitzpatrick does not leave you without some loose strings as the series will continue with the release of the next novel, Tempest, in Fall 2011. I anxiously and impatiently await the next installment. This is fast becoming one of my favorite series yet.

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