Finale is the concluding novel in the Hush, Hush sequence by Becca Fitzpatrick. Not an entirely unexpected ending to this saga between fallen angel and feuding Nephilim. Many lines had been drawn in the sand, making war an unavoidable certainty. Patch and Nora head up the cast, their love and loyalty for one another unshakable, despite their differences. Patch is one of the fallen, and Nora has been cast under oath to lead the Nephilim army to victory. No longer will the cast-out angels take wanton possession of the archangel's offspring, especially with the aid Devilcraft and the desire for freedom spurring them on. With too many suspect players, underhanded deals and the threat of death looming ever present, it's no wonder this novel culminates in bloodshed and tears. Friends are lost and old rivals attempt to settle new scores - Nora and Patch on a path to a rocky end. But just when you think all hope is lost, a blizzard of fighting frisks the final chapters and then suddenly it's all over. With the strike of a sword to the heart of a troublesome individual, all problems are swept under a tidy rug of convenience. What I loved about Finale was the carefully crafted writing and intense imagery. The strong bonds explored between friends and the uncertainty of patch and Nora's romantic future. Predictable though the ending was, I was still captivated by the fast-paced story and curious as to how a happy ending could bloom from such oppressive sadness. The sense of hopelessness offered intrigue, and I'm pleased to say that I did enjoy the novel, rating it three out of five fangs. Synopsis:
Will love conquer all? Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank's absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels - destroying Patch. Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin. But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated. As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.
Crescendo is the second book in the Hush, Hush series, and thankfully, it does continue on much where the first book left off. We still follow the story of Nora, a seemingly ordinary girl placed among the most exceptional of circumstances. Angels and the half-breeds known as Nephilim seem to suffocate her world, plaguing her memories of a past unknown and straining to dictate her future. There is no exception to this as new characters of the Nephilim rank are introduced, once again intertwined with the murder of her father and current relationships of a more personal nature intent on shaping her views of the truth. Patch, her now guardian angel and the apparent love of her life, continues to keep a myriad of secrets from Nora - some beyond his control due to the restrictions of his new rank among the divine. Naturally Nora is torn between the logic of her blinding affection for Patch and suspicious of these secrets slowly unraveling. No one appears to be trustworthy, including the apparitions of her dead father, the spoken words of her own mother, or perhaps even those she'd considered friends in the past. Once again Becca Fitzpatrick delivered a stable and consistent story with flowing dialogue and easily relateable characters. Imagery was sedate, though adequate in description. However, there were some aspects that were trying. For one, I didn't enjoy that over three quarters of the book was spent following Nora's inner tirades of jealousy. Some of her thought processes were overly naive and childish given the age group we are following. But what I did appreciate was the author's ability to keep the reader guessing throughout the story, never quite knowing who is who and where the story will end. I can honestly say that I was left guessing right until the turning of the very last page and I very much look forward to diving into the next novel. I rate Crescendo and easy three out of fangs. It would have been four fangs if Nora hadn't become so tiresome. Synopsis: 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 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.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. Kristy :)
