Crescendo - Review

Crescendo (Hush, Hush, # 2)

By: Becca Fitzpatrick

Publication: October 19th 2010 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

427 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Angels

Source: Borrowed from my friend Paula

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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 (if that's possible) and what's worse, he seems to be spending time with Nora's archenemy, 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 feelings that he is hiding something.

If that weren't enough, Nora is haunted by images of her murdered father, and comes to question whether her Nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death. Desperate to figure out what happened, she puts herself in increasingly dangerous situations to get the answer. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts.

Finished Crescendo last night. Rating: 4 Stars.

I typically don’t struggle with wanting to keep reading a book because I know that even if it’s not good at the exact part I’m reading, surely I have to get to the good part eventually. Thus I keep reading. This book definitely kept me reading, but there were several points where I got frustrated with the characters. The thought went through my head to put the book down and take a break since I was frustrated, but it never got to the point where I actually did put it down for that reason.

That being said, my frustration with the characters comes from them making decision I wouldn’t make myself and not seeing things that I, the reader, can see. Nora throws quite the teenage temper tantrum throughout the majority of the book. While that can be very annoying, I also find it to be very on point for an actual teenager. I’ve definitely felt jealousy and pride the way Nora experiences and have thought some of the same thoughts. The whole “you hurt me first so I’m not apologizing until you do” idea and the “you hurt me so I hurt you” themes rang out over, and over, and dare I say over again. I believe it to be true of how most teenagers would feel and react given the situation. However, personally, I prefer my YA to lean a little more toward adult rather than young. Though I’ve felt the same feelings in the past that Nora does in Crescendo, the “you hurt me, so I hurt you” mantra is revealing Nora’s true maturity level. That thought process is not indicative of true love, which undermines the series in my eyes.

I can’t help it. I love a love story…but I love a TRUE love story. I will continue to root for Nora and Patch as the third book comes out, but this isn’t one that I consider an epic love story. And I love a story that makes me feel something. Overall what this story made me feel was frustrated. I’m not saying that’s 100% a negative thing, because some of the best stories are built upon frustration. I’ll just leave it at that and let the reader decide for themselves how they feel about it.

Another complaint is that Becca Fitzpatrick brought the villain out in the same way as the first story. Hush, Hush had its predictable moments, but I spotted the villain in Crescendo a mile away. Now, not all of my predictions were true, and some things I allowed myself freedom not to try to figure out, but I think as a whole it was fairly predictable, which is a downside for me. After years of watching TV shows like 24 and Prison Break, I’ve learned to look for what is not expected, and therefore, the unexpected becomes expected.

I’m still giving this book 4 stars, but it’d be a 4.0 exactly.

Updated: July 7, 2018