*This title will be released on October 19, 2010*
Title: Crescendo
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Series: Hush, Hush #2
Cover Art: James Porto
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 10/19/2010
ISBN-10: 1416989439
ISBN-13: 978-1416989431
Review Copy Source: Simon & Schuster
Reviewed by: Abigail
Book Description
The sequel to the New York Times Best selling phenomenon, Hush, Hush!
Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as 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?
Review
As a rule I’m afraid sequels. Especially YA sequels. The spark of first attraction has usually burned out, the blush of first love has usually dimmed, and the mystery has usually been solved. I say usually because there are always exceptions to that rule and CRESCENDO is a big one. In fact, in many ways it’s even better than Hush, Hush.
The writing is actually quite a bit better, with better pacing, better use of flashback memories, and better dialogue. The mythology of Nephilim is explored more fully, and Nora’s own history and the mystery of her Dad’s death are revealed in shocking, game changing detail. But the real pull in CRESCENDO is once again the alluring and poignant love story between good girl Nora and the ultimate bad boy Patch.
Patch, the fallen-turned guardian-angel, is every inch the bad boy we loved from Hush, Hush but with one important distinction. We know his motives now. He can be the same thoughtless, jealous, jerk he always was, but everything he does from spending time with Nora’s arch-enemy Marcie Millar, to his increasingly cryptic and bizarre behavior, isn’t as suspect as it once was. He chose Nora before, giving up his chance for humanity, his chance to experience touch, all of it, for Nora. I don’t doubt him anymore. Nora, of course isn’t as trusting. She sees Patch with Marcie and sees red.
And if you thought one bad boy wasn’t enough, wait till you meet Scott. A childhood friend of Nora’s (and by friend I mean he used to make her eat bugs) who moves back to town with his vintage mustang, brutal good looks, and a dangerous past. Scott, or as Vee calls him, Scotty the hottie, is trouble in a way Patch never was which means, in Nora’s mind, he’s the perfect guy to make Patch jealous. Yep, get ready for some killer fight scenes in CRESCENDO, and not just between the guys.
I don’t know what it is about fallen angel mythology that resonates so much with readers, maybe it’s the idea (at least in Becca’s version) that they gave up everything for love that we find so appealing, or in Patch’s case at least, that even as the ultimate bad boy, he can be redeemed. Whatever it is, it’s working overtime in CRESCENDO. The romance is hotter, the suspense full of enough turns to make you dizzy in the hands of a lesser author, but with Becca, it’s just enough to make you clutch the book tighter and thrill with each page. Until you reach the end….cliffhanger alert and it’s a cruel one. All I can say is that the third book in the Hush, Hush series, Tempest, won’t be published until Fall 2011. It’s going to be a very long year.
Sexual Content: Kissing. References to sex. A few scenes of sensuality.
My Rating:
4/5
Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now & pre-order the sequel.
Click HERE to listen to an excerpt from CRESCENDO
Previous books in the series:
Also reviewed by:
I can hardly wait for this one! I guess that means I have to read Hush, Hush now that the sequel is coming out next week right?!
ReplyDeleteOk, I'm one of the few people that didn't fell in love with Hush, Hush & I wasn't planning to read this one, except if people said it's better than Hush, Hush. But now that I know about the cliffhanger, I'll probably wait for the next one & than I'll decide if I'll get the books :) Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteI loved Crescendo. Great review!
ReplyDeletexx,
E.J.
From the Shadows
Jamie - You'll definitely want to start with Hush, Hush. And fortunately you won't have to wait like the rest of us did for the sequel :)
ReplyDeleteAleksandra - I had my issues with Hush, Hush too, but I really liked Crescendo and I can't wait for book three.
EJ - Which did you like more? The 1st or the 2nd?
now I am afraid to read it cause of the ending! I should wait until the next one comes out so I can book hop quickly. This waiting for Shadowfever is killing me I don't want to do that again .
ReplyDeleteSharon - I never have the patience to wait and sometimes the anticipation is part of the fun, but yeah, I hear you. If you can hold out, go for it!
ReplyDeleteI can't hold out. I will get it as soon as I can get my grubby little hands on it. I am weak like that .
ReplyDeleteSharon - You and me both :)
ReplyDeleteCliffhanger wasn't too bad in my perspective. It made you go,"oh know now what will happen," but not anything to crazy.
ReplyDeleteHave you read Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy Series)?-That is a horrible cliffhanger. I just about exploded with anticipation waiting for the next book.
I'm reading the last VA book right now. Good stuff :)
ReplyDelete