Crescendo (Hush Hush #2) by Becca Fitzpatrick

Title: Crescendo
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Series: Book Two of Four
Published By: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing (Oct. 19, 2011)
Genre: YA Paranormal
My Rating: 4 Stars


Goodreads Description:

Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but at least she got a guardian angel out of it: a mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But, despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever and even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's arch-enemy, Marcie Millar.

Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Patch hadn't been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something.

Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperately searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts.

My Review:

I admit I read Hush Hush quite a while ago but I really enjoyed it and of course I really liked Patch in all his bad boy glory so I knew I would have to read the rest of the series. I really wanted to wait until all the books were released (or at least close to being released) before I started the next one in the series and although I just found out there will now be a fourth book, I still decided to go ahead and read it.

I think I loved Patch and his sarcastic self even more in this book. Yes, he is the ultimate bad boy and yes he is a huge jerk and we learn even more about him in this book but I have to say, I still love him. There is just something about him that I like. Just something about him that I know can be redeemed and even after all his shenanigans in this book, I now he truly cares about Nora, maybe even more than he ever has cared about anyone before and I like that is what draws me to him, because maybe, just maybe, that is what will save him in the end.

In fact this is one of my favorite quotes from the book: "Being with you never felt wrong. It's the one thing I did right. You're the one thing I did right.” 

Sigh and okay, I swooned a little there too. Come on, this is Patch we are talking about, all dark and brooding and angry and even a little bit mean, but always truthful and always caring about Nora even when he doesn't want to be.

This book has a lot of twist and turns in it that I just didn't see coming. Mysteries surrounding Nora herself, her father, Patch, The Black Hand, Rixon and even Nora's mom and of course Nora's nemesis Marcie has a bright and shinny spot in this book too and even though Marcie might be part evil, I kind of like her too. I know, I know! What is wrong with me, right? But I can't help it, I see some good in there and we learn a lot more about her too so I just couldn't help feeling a little bit sorry for her in this book and thinking that maybe she has a right to be just a little bit nasty after all.

And we even get some new characters to ponder over as well as some old ones. Scott, Rixon..okay, well I won't say anymore because I really don't want to give anything away but I will say that this was a pretty good sequel to Hush Hush and I really enjoyed it.

Be warned though, make sure you have Silence sitting right next to you after you finish because the ending will blow you away and leave you hanging and begging for more. I couldn't help but pick up Silence and start reading it as soon as I finished this one.