Crescendo, Book 2, The Hush, Hush Saga by Becca Fitzpatrick

Publisher:  Simon and Schuster
Pages:  427

(Released: October 19, 2010)

From the Cover:

The sequel to the New York Times Best selling phenomenon, Hush, Hush

Nora should have know her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

Crescendo takes off where Hush, Hush leaves off....

Nora thinks she has all she could wish for. An awesomely hot boyfriend/guardian angel/used to be fallen archangel, Patch, and it can't get much better. Well, yeah, it could, she misses her dad so much, and wishes everyday he wasn't dead. It's hard for her to deal with, even her mom hasn't been as open about everything going on in their lives. And of course, there's always her evil nemesis, Marcie, she'd like to drive a spike through Nora's heart, and smile while she's doing it.

But Patch makes her life real and her own.... until she says the three little words he's been dreading to hear..... "I love you". He drops her little a hot potato and she later discovers he was outside Marcie's bedroom window, staring up.

Patch is very misunderstood, by all those around him, and especially by Nora. Things are happening that he can't explain, least of all to Nora, not without putting her life in greater danger. And she's already died once.

Rixon, Patch's best friend, is up to no good, but he's fooling everyone, including Nora, Patch, and even Nora's best friend and cohort in crime, Vee (who's also locking lips with Rixon). Into the hazy picture of distress walks Scott (Scotty the Potty... used to wet his pants). Scott isn't telling all he knows either, and he seems even more dangerous than Patch, at least Patch doesn't act crazy.

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick is a YA paranormal romance with all the right qualities that changes it from a good PNR to a moving story, excellently told, with a cliffhanger ending that leaves the reader begging for more. Nora's life has changed so much since her father was killed. She's never really been one of the 'popular' kids, but with Marcie's help, she's been ostracized. The police haven't a clue who could have murdered Nora's father, a heinous crime to befall her family. Nora and her mother are slow to recover, there's not a lot of extra money, in fact, Nora's car is sold to pay the mortgage and fill the frig. But, now things are starting to look up. Since Patch saved Nora's life, he's become her guardian angel, and he vows nothing will ever hurt her again. Except him. When Nora says 'I love you' in the heat of the moment and when Patch suddenly feels the need to tear away from her, she's left wondering if it was the words. Then, Rixon starts leaving not so subtle hints that Patch may be seeing Marcie, that Patch was known as The Black Hand. Nora is nearly crazy with grief, first over losing her father, and then Patch to Marcie. I truly enjoyed Nora because she does seem like a typical sixteen year old, bad hair days, worrying about school, but with one exception, her guardian angel. Patch is an honest to goodness bad boy, but one who can be, wants to be, and if Nora has her way, will be redeemed. Everything isn't as it seems as you're flipping through the pages, and it gets better with each flip.

Crescendo was a fantastically quick read, 1.5 days from page 1 to the last of the devoured 427 pages, and that was with sleeping! It was a page turner that captured my attention from the first page, and left me anxiously waiting for the continuing story on the last page. It was one of those books where I was speedily flipping pages and dreading the end, I knew what Nora didn't, and it ended so unexpectedly.... It was great! I highly recommend this book to YA lovers, paranormal romance lovers, and urban fantasy lovers. While the story contains a heated love story, it's very much appropriate for a YA audience. If you enjoy fast paced paranormal romance with unexpected twists and turns, with evil fallen archangels and not so evil guardian angels, give Crescendo a try, you won't be disappointed! I recommend reading the books in order, Hush, Hush, Book 1 and Crescendo, Book 2. Book 3 will be released October 18, 2011, it was tentatively named Tempest, but according to Ms. Fitzpatrick's Fallen Archangel Fan Page, it is currently untitled with the title to come soon. It will also be the final book in the Hush, Hush Saga.






I received Crescendo from PTA Reviewer Rewards for review. All opinions expressed are my own.