Review: CRESCENDO by Becca Fitzpatrick

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication Date: 19 October 2010

About Crescendo:

Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy, Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The further Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim bloodline has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

Source: Info in the About Crescendo was taken from the author's website at http://www.beccafitzpatrick.com/whitehotstory.html on 06/10/10.

Review:
I struggled to read through the first three quarters of this book. But it did pick up towards the end. The end however is a cliffhanger. Then there's the stupid protagonist. It makes for an irritating read. Some authors can pull it off having a stupid hero/heroine who makes mistakes enough to make it real in a young protagonist without making it an irritating read. But this book didn't read like that. So for those of you who are more forgiving kind of reader than me, this might be a good read for you. But this book is not for me.

On the positive side, it did have unexpected twisty plots towards the end which was a pleasant surprise. And it looks like the author is an emotional person or else has a very good grasp of it and this shows through the pages and gives the story an emotional depth which connects with the reader, giving a more enriching reading experience.

Story telling quality = 2
Ending = 2
Cover art = 3
Story itself = 2
Plot = 4
Pace = 1

Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5 cherries

WW28: CRESCENDO

WW28
A chance to showcase your favourite!

• First you grab our Wicked Wednesday pic.
• Then you grab a book. Turn to page 28. Take the first sentence. And then you post it in your site with a link back to WW28.
• Come back to Cherry Mischievous - WW28 and give us the url of your post (in a comment at a WW28 post) so that other WW28 readers can find your WW28 offering.

WW28 book offering: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Page 28, 1st Sentence:

"'When I give yo a curfew, I expect you to keep it,' Mom said."

That majorly tells us that this book is a YA :)

About Crescendo:

Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy, Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The further Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim bloodline has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

Source: Info in the About Crescendo was taken from the author's website at http://www.beccafitzpatrick.com/whitehotstory.html on 06/10/10.

IN THE MAIL: CRESCENDO, TEMPEST RISING & A WILD LIGHT

My loot for the last week:

I would like to thank Simon & Schuster for the review copy of Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick received.

About Crescendo:

Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy, Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The further Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim bloodline has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

Source: Info in the About Crescendo was taken from the author's website at http://www.beccafitzpatrick.com/whitehotstory.html on 22/09/2010.

I would like to thank Orbit for the review copy of Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler and A Wild Light by Marjorie Liu received.

About Tempest Rising:

In the tiny village of Rockabill, Maine, Jane True—26-year-old bookstore clerk and secret night swimmer—has no idea that her absent mother’s legacy is entry into a world populated by the origins of human myths and legends. It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: vampires are not quite what we think; dogs sometimes surprise us; and whatever you do, never—ever—rub the genie’s lamp. For Jane, everything kicks off when she comes across a murder victim during her nightly clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean. This grisly discovery leads to the revelation of why she has such freakish abilities in the water: her mother was a Selkie and Jane is only half human. With this knowledge, Jane soon finds herself mingling with supernatural creatures alternately terrifying, beautiful, and deadly—all adjectives that quite handily describe her new friend Ryu. When Ryu is sent to Rockabill to investigate the murder, he and Jane fall hard for each other even as they plummet into a world of intrigue threatening to engulf both supernatural and human societies. For someone is killing half-humans like Jane. The question is, are the murders the work of one rogue individual or part of a greater plot to purge the world of Halflings.

Source: Info in the About Tempest Rising was taken from the author's website at http://www.nicolepeeler.com/the-jane-true-series/tempest-rising on 02/11/09.

About A Wild Light:

For too long Maxine Kiss has felt an inexplicable darkness inside her-a force she channels into hunting the demons bent on destroying the human race. But when she finds herself covered in blood and crouched beside her grandfather’s dead body with no memory of what happened, Maxine begins to fear that the darkness has finally consumed her.

Source: Info in the About A Wild Light was taken from the author's website at http://marjoriemliu.com/index.php?/novels/details/a_wild_light/ on 20/09/2010.

HUSH, HUSH

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

About This Book:

Falling in love was never so easy . . .
or so deadly.

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Source: Info in the About This Book was taken from the author's website at http://beccafitzpatrick.com/hushhushstory.html on 21/11/09.

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Verdict: Okey...

My Take On This Book:
The story telling quality while not that compelling is still good, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5. The story itself while not extremely great, it's not too bad either. I would give it another 3.5 out of 5. The ending closed the story nicely and I would give it a 4 out of 5. It's not a masterpiece but it's an enjoyable read none the less.

Cherry's Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries


Contest Link:
There is a great giveaway happening at The Lateiner Gang Book Review Spot (TLGBRS) in which they are giving away great prizes including a Barnes & Noble Nook eReader and copy of Hush, Hush! Contest is open to international readers and ends on Feb 5, 2010. Click here to go to the contest.

Book Review Blog Party Badge:
Cym Lowell is also giving away an amazon kindle at his Book Review Blog Party!! This giveaway is open to international readers where amazon will ship to and ends on Dec 18. Click on the Book Review Blog Party badge below to go to the contest.


Other Hush Hush reviews:
Delightful Reviews
Empire Of Books
Fantasy Book by Ecarodiaz
Rayment's Readings, Rants and Ramblings
Tynga's Reviews

*Amendments: This post is being amended as new info, i.e., more reviews on this book by other bloggers, are encountered and other minor wording changes.