Book Review: Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

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.

Kristy :)

Book Review: Rapture by Lauren Kate

What can I say? Thank God this series has finally come to an end! It's been a particularly long journey that at times has been long suffering, and to be honest, a little boring in certain sections.
Alas, I did really enjoy Rapture. The novel was a perfect culmination of characters, revelations, and certain eventualities. I found myself turning the pages quite eagerly, desperate to know if good would triumph over evil, if deserted partnerships would rekindle, and if the forgotten would be remembered.
Rapture is the final tale in the Fallen Series, a condensed novel following what could be the last nine days of love and loss between Lucinda Price and the fallen angel, Daniel Grigori. We find ourselves locked in a treasure hunt for ancient relics, uncovering long lost prophecies, and understanding the true meaning of the 'Fall'.
Angels and outcasts band together to stop Lucifer yet again, but everyone has an agenda - one that shocked the hell out of me (pardon the pun). Lucinda is the center of it all, the reason for love, longing, and loss. She soon discovers that she could be the only person to stop history repeating itself and unlock the secrets of a past that could shape the fate of us all. There's also plenty of action to keep your heart pumping and enough smoldering looks and lip-locking to get the mushy teenager within to swoon.
However, despite moments of levity and tenderness, towards the end of this novel I started to feel particularly sad for Lucifer which took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting to sympathise with the devil, or even pray for him to have his own happy ending. I suspect that's what I liked about Lauren Kate's culmination to the series. Although all questions were answered, all loose ends neatly tied, I found myself wondering 'what if?', a sentiment I never expected after such a tidy end.
The writing as always is beautifully crafted - text lilted with much description and heavy subtext. The characters were honest and thorough in their delivery of action and speech. And, without creating a spoiler, I commend the author for making me well up at one point within the story. To be moved by words, is to be a truly gifted writer, it's just a shame that there was never quite a point of total immersion within the story for me, despite my desire to uncover the end.
I rate Rapture four out of five fangs.

Synopsis:
The sky is dark with wings ... and time is running out for Luce and Daniel.
In order to stop Lucifer from erasing the past, they must find the place where the fall began.
Only Luce can break the curse, and it is her choice alone that will decide all of their fates.
But as dark forces gather, great sacrifices will have to be made in this final, epic struggle ...
In the fight for Luce, and for love, who will win?

Book Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Yes, it's been a while since I read a YA book and I was excited to pick up Becca Fitzpatrick's novel Hush, Hush as the cover has drawn me in for quite some time. There's just something about the YA genre. I suspect it's the constant yearning you feel as an adult reading stories about forbidden love. So often we reach out and take what we want from life, yet in the teenage world we spend our time wishing, hoping that we could do what the bravery of our adult selves take without thought.
Hush, Hush isn't an entirely unexpected novel. Like most of the YA genre we find ourselves following the story of a young girl, in this case, lanky, curly-haired Nora with a sharp intellect yet entirely dim-witted approach to matters of the heart. Cue the overly vibrant best friend, Vee, and the mysterious, dark-haired and obviously handsome lab partner, Patch, and you have the makings of most YA novels.
In this predictable story of boy meets girl, we spend at least the first half of the book following Nora on a trail of confusion and misplaced trust issues. Patch obviously has an agenda, but unlike most teenage girls ecstatic to have the hottest guy in class paired up with them during biology, Nora spends most of her time thinking of ways to avoid him. She sees him everywhere, is obviously attracted to his persistence, yet continues to label him as dark and dangerous, instead of seeking answers ... or body warmth (just saying, seriously hot guy alert).
As new, more sinister characters are introduced, we start to see a more clearly defined picture of where the story is heading. Without giving too much away, Nora finally begins to understand the roles of those around her, relinquish her trust issues, and push aside her pointless resistance to what her heart clearly yearns.
For me, Hush, Hush's characters were a little too predictable. Nora was sedate, and to be honest - boring as the protagonist. Patch, however, was interesting. A fallen angel with a past peppered with violence, hate and temptation - he was worth reading the novel. He was constantly shrouded in mystery and just hint of the darkness we readers love in our bad boys. I would have loved to see the author write the book from his perspective.
The writing style itself has good descriptive content and the interaction between characters was consistent and easy to follow. Due to the fairly benign story-line and protagonist, I cannot rate this novel as high as I would have liked despite Patch's roguish appearances and witty sarcasm. Three out of fangs is all I can go. I liked the story, but I didn't love it.

Synopsis:
When Nora and Patch are forced together as lab partners, Nora would rather fall to her death than put up with his elusive answers to her questions, his teasing, and his infuriatingly handsome face and hypnotizing eyes. It seems Patch was put on earth just to drive her crazy.
But before long, Nora's defenses start to break down as her curiosity about Patch heats up. Why does he always seem to be wherever she is and know exactly what she's thinking? How does he know what to say to both attract and repulse her? And what is up with those V-shaped scars on his chiseled back?
As their connection grows stronger, Nora's own life become increasingly fragile. Nora needs to decide: is Patch the one who wants to do her harm or the one who will keep her safe? Has she fallen for one of the fallen?