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.
‘Silence’ by Becca Fitzpatrick is the third book in the ‘hush, hush’ series. It’s the steadily beating pulse of intrigue within the set that finally sees you keeping pace with the urgent tension the writer so obviously wishes you to engage. The novel once again follows Nora Grey, a seemingly ordinary girl endlessly captured in the web of mystery that the world of angels and nephilim cast around her. Interestingly enough, ‘Silence’ begins mostly where the last novel left off, though it appears all the hard won battles of knowledge in the second book have evaded Nora in the third—her mind stolen by an extraordinarily powerful nephilim and the sinister edge of Devilcraft. Through the first quarter of the story we see Nora regaining a lot of her former self, tossing aside previous doubts that had slowed the plot in earlier novels and actually trusting her instincts. She embraces some of the more interesting, introduced characters such as a nephilim called Scott—an old friend who appears to press for her affections but really just strives for freedom from the oppressive weight of the nephilim army that had recruited him in the past. With Nora’s help and the slow progress of returning memories, Scott and Nora work to uncover the plot of the nephilim army. They are not alone in this task—Patch a fallen angel turned guardian angel returns to Nora’s side, plagued by ideals to let Nora forget their past, and yet haunted by the possibilities of what a future built together could bring. Becca Fitzpatrick’s characters were as always consistent in their behaviour and dialogue. Patch, her male protagonist is naturally a show stealer in this series with his dark good looks and mysterious nature. His constant evasion of the truth, or breadcrumb version of it, leaves you feeling unsatisfied yet strangely intrigued. Although Nora does finally begin to show some gumption, particularly towards the last half of the novel, I still think that fleeting appearances from the fallen angel are what really keep you turning the pages on this evenly paced novel. Action sequences were sparse but there was more than enough injection of plot thickeners to keep the story moving forward. My only criticism in these novels is that there really isn’t enough grit. We are reading stories of fallen angels and their deceitful enmeshing with humanity and yet we are left feeling as if we are reading about superheros rather than sinister outcasts of heaven. All in all, I am enjoying this series, but again, I will only rate it three out of five fangs as there aren’t many moments that particularly make your pulse race on the action or romantic front. Snopsis: Nora Grey can't remember the past five months of her life. After the initial shock of waking up in a cemetery and being told that she has been missing for weeks - with no one knowing where she was or who she was with - she tried to get her life back on track. Go to school, hang out with her best friend, Vee, and dodge mom's creepy new boyfriend. But there is this voice in the back of her head, an idea that she can almost reach out and touch. Visions of angel wings and unearthly creatures that have nothing to do with the life she knows. And this unshakable feeling that a part of her is missing. Then Nora crosses paths with a sexy stranger, whom she feels a mesmerizing connection to. He seems to hold all the answers...and her heart. Every minute she spends with him grows more and more intense until she realizes she could be falling in love. Again.
