Crescendo (Hush, Hush, #2)

by Becca Fitzpatrick

The second book in the breathtaking New York Times bestselling Hush, Hush saga, soon to be a major motion picture!

Nora should have known her life wouldn't stay perfect for long. Despite starting a relationship with her bad boy guardian angel, Patch, 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 starting to become 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 when she has a guardian angel. Since Patch isn't answering her questions, she has to start finding the answers on her own. But when she finds them, will she be able to count on Patch or are the things he's hiding from her darker than she can imagine?

• ISBN10: 1416989439
• ISBN13: 9781416989431
• Publish Date: 19 October 2010 (first published 1 October 2010)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Imprint: Simon & Schuster Children's
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

"The only thing a boyfriend was good for was a shattered heart." (Nora Grey)

Crescendo follows one of many 'second book in a series' trends, the dreaded couple separation i.e. the break-up. I like this trend when it's done right, for example in Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi. (show spoiler)[Aria and Perry's separation shows their growth and development as individuals. Alone, they are strong, but together, they are invincible.] (hide spoiler) Unfortunately, Crescendo is the prime example of this trend as a failure.

In the first few pages of Crescendo, Nora and Patch are happy and in love, but the sunshine and rainbows are shattered when Nora tells Patch that she loves him and he doesn't respond. The guy gave up being a human for you. What more do you want him to do? This, along with other petty factors prompts Nora to break-up with Patch. But she's still hung up on him. The back-and-forth between them is so painful in a headache-inducing way. Nora flips back and forth between loving Patch and hating him and from wanting him to wanting to get over him. Nora and Patch also use other people either to "get back" at each other or get over each other. When Nora questions Patch about anything, she rarely gives him a chance to respond and shuts him out. And, when Patch does respond, it's something cryptic and provoking. There is a lack of communication and miscommunication between Nora and Patch, a huge pet peeve of mine. If Patch had told Nora his reasons for being around Marcie from the start, so much Nora and Patch drama could have been avoided.

Nora is an extremely immature character. When Nora breaks-up with Patch, he starts hanging out with Marcie, Nora's mortal enemy. Nora feels extremely jealous. I understand that Nora's still hurt and has feeling towards Patch, but she isn't a part of his life anymore. Who he dates and who he surrounds himself with isn't her business. Patch isn't her boyfriend, but she keeps on questioning him about Marcie. Patch is also to blame for this, because he keeps on giving Nora mixed signal about how he feels about her. They are a broken-up couple who act like they are still in a relationship.

Nora also does so many dangerous and stupid things because she's ruled by her feelings instead of common-sense. I like characters who act on emotion, but when they do so, their reactions must be believable. When Nora acts based on emotions alone, it's unbelievable, because she's portrayed as a smart and grounded character. Although there isn't any evidence to prove that Nora is smart, because she does so many stupid things. I kept on being told that Nora is a smart character, but her actions didn't show it. At some point in Crescendo I started feeling sorry for Patch because he has to deal with Nora's stupidity and Patch is terrible. Nora makes me feel sympathetic towards someone who doesn't deserve my sympathy.

I also hate the way Nora treats her best friend, Vee. When Nora is all lovey-dovey with Patch, she ignores Vee's calls, but when Vee wants to spend time with her boyfriend, Nora becomes jealous and annoyed. Nora is a hypocrite. I also hate the comments that Nora internally makes about Vee's weight and her relationship with food. Towards others, she's quick to defend Vee, but the things that she says in her POV are terrible. And, I actually like Vee in Crescendo. She's a good best friend who's always looking out for Nora and goes along with Nora's crazy plans, and it's upsetting when Nora negatively comments about Vee.

"Right now, Vee was the only person I could count on. She could be obnoxious, annoying and lazy, but she never lied to me." (Nora Grey)

(show spoiler)[Also, why does Vee end up dating murderous people? First, Jules and now, Rixon.] (hide spoiler) I feel like the Hush, Hush series is going to end with Vee all alone and Nora living a happy life with Patch. Life is unfair.

Then there's Scott, the not-quite human childhood friend/enemy/I don't really know of Nora. I don't know if he was meant to be a potential love interest, or the third point of a love triangle, but it didn't seem that way. He's just a peculiar character who Nora could use when she feels like it and serves to point Nora in the right direction - plot wise.

I do enjoy the action, suspense and mystery. It's not A+ stuff, but it's fun, entertaining and intriguing. I also enjoy learning more about the fallen angels and Nephilim. A battle between the two groups is brewing, and although I didn't see much of it in Crescendo, I hope to see more of it in Silence. I would have probably enjoyed Crescendo if it had focused more on its lore, than it does on the mess that is Nora and Patch.

Maybe it's because I'm close to completing my exams and I'm looking for some thing that's fun and not intense, I really enjoy Crescendo when I'm reading it, but when I look at the book in hindsight, I realise that there are many things that are disagreeable and make me mad.

"Being with you never felt wrong. It's the one thing I did right. You're the one thing I did right." (Patch Cipriano)

[liz089]

Want to read my reviews ? Visit my blog Freyja Eats Books

So I’m currently reading the Hush Hush series again. Very stupid of me, but last week I came to the conclusion that I never finished the serie. I have never read the last part, Finale, while I do have it in my bookcase.. For like a couple of years XD Soo.. I could just grab the last part and start reading it, but since it has been a long time, I don’t think I will remember what happened in the other parts.. Coming to the conclusion that I should just start all over again with this series.

It was one of my favourites, so reading it again only makes it more fun. I have so many books in my bookcase, but I barely have time to read the ones I haven’t read. So reading something I’ve already read is new for me ! And I like it ! I have not bought them and stored them to never do anything with them again.. My goal has been all along to read them multiple times. And this gives me a good motive to do just that ! Ha !

So right now I have just finished Crescendo, and I got to admit that I don’t love it as much as I remembered it !! Yes it is written easy, you go right through it in no time.. but well.. It is not as passionate as I thought it was. The love between Nora and Patch is not as beautiful as a remembered, and I got to admit that I am annoyed by her sometimes.. She is so naïve on one side, but on the other side is she very paranoid and sees danger everywhere..

Not that there is no danger.. because well, there is danger around everyone ! Almost literally !! There are sooo many bad guys/women in this series.. It is starting to get ridiculous XD What happened with the one evil dude/chick ? In this book almost everyone she meets is evil and wants to hurt her !!

Including Patch.. she claims to really love him, but she does not trust him at all. In fact, she suspects him for almost everything that goes wrong.. Without given him the benefit of doubt… *sigh* And Patch himself… he is just a jerk most of the time ! And not in a charming way..

But well.. I am going to finish this story anyway !! I just needed to get this out haha ^^

[Romance Schmomance]

right when I thought things were getting so peachy!

[Vicki]

3.5 stars

[mrs_mander_reads]

I read t this book in one go. and I felt like it was worth it. The story keeps picking up, and unlike so much teen girly books, I couldn't predict the events. I never saw the twist with Rixon at all. Excited to read number three.

[neddieb]

I was hoping this book would be better, However, It was just about the same as the first, and even more confusing!

[tellemonstar]

Review to come.

[Hixxup]

crescendo was really good I thought though I did get tired of Nora's way of trying to save Patch. That got old quick I wanted to smack her at times. I was however surprised to find that Rixon was the one who killed Nora's though finding Mr Miller was the Black Hand that was an interesting Cliffhanger for the next book.

[Joni Reads]

I liked it. I would have loved it, I am sure, had I reread Hush, Hush before diving into this one. But, alas, I did not. So I was confused about a few things that were referenced from the first book. A lot of facts about the nephilim and such. A word to those who have not read this yet. Reread Hush, Hush first. It will help immensely.
In this book, Nora and Patch have been dating for two months and she knows that she is in love with him but he starts to pull away from her. I will say this. This book is so emotionally charged. I felt my heart breaking right along with Nora. You know a novel is good when you feel the same emotions as the characters. It's odd to feel heartbroken when you, personally, have no reason to. But I did. I really felt it.
We learn more about Nora's father in this book, which I am thankful for. I was so beyond curious about it in the Hush, Hush and was hoping for a sequel, if only to find out what happened to her dad. I was not disappointed at all.
The books ends with a cliffhanger. Think of it like watching the season finale of your favorite show and someone dies at the last minute and you have to wait about six months to find out who it was. Don't worry, no one dies at the end of Crescendo! But imagine how antsy you would be for the season premiere of that show. That's how antsy I am about reading Silence, the third book in this series. I am so excited. I believe it comes out in October. So only 6 months to wait!

[thebookdisciple]

I have really liked this series more than I thought I would! Can't wait til the next book inn the series comes out. I think some of my students will enjoy it too! She really leaves this book with a cliffhanger though.