Review: Crescendo – The Bookworm’s Version

Posted 15 October, 2010 by Danny in / 1 Comment

One of the books all of us loved was Hush,Hush so when we got Crescendo ARC’s offered we all were super excited and decided to review this book of awesomeness all together.


Crescendo
by Becca Fitzpatrick
Available October 19
(copy provided by publisher )
Nora should have know her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described 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 farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father’s death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line 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?

Let’s start with telling how excited we were about this book.

Danny First, when I got the email that we are getting not one but two ARC copies from Crescendo, I was simply and honestly freaking out! I was dancing around in excitement! I wanted to know so badly how Nora’s and Patch’s story goes on. I even had to text Pushy, which is something we don’t do much since I’m in Germany and she’s in the US, but I HAD to talk to her – like now!
cutie: Danny, I *heart* you sofa king much. I adore your excitement. It just makes me even more giddy! I too am beyond excited to talk about this novel. I was dying to get my hands on it, and y’all made my dream come true. Truly thank you!!! *gathers Bookworms into a big hug*
Uhyesplease: I was super excited to just get a real to life ARC in my hands, and it was super double bonus it was Crescendo that I was so pumped to read!
Pushy: Oh yes the text!!! All the other parents at the zoo thought I had gone bonkers as I squeed like the fangirl I am! *shamefaced*
Danny: Yes this was fun, but you were not online, but I needed to talk to you, right now!

What did you expect from Crescendo?

Danny: Well, second books in a series are always the most emotional ones. So I expected for Crescendo to be a emotional roller coaster. I also expected to learn more about Nora’s dad and wanted to see how Patch handled being a Guardian Angel.
cutie: I expected effery and tomfoolery. And sadly, that’s what we got. *pouts*
Uhyesplease: I thought I’d get some more background on Nora’s Dad as well as some hot Patch/Nora lovin’.
Pushy: I’m not sure what I thought. I had just finished reading hush, hush (since I’d been reading along with Cutie’s book discussion) and I was just floored by the ending of that. Maybe it was the vain hope of a light and air sequel full of smexy times and have naked Patch? *drool*

Well, …uhm…how about you tell us your feelings 
while reading Crescendo?
 (*looks anxiously at cutie*)



Danny: It was exactly as I expected. This book made me so angry. I was mad at Nora ( most of the times) but also at Patch! I started crescendo early on a Saturday morning and finished in the evening, there was NO way I could put it down!

Crescendo in the Time Out Zone! 

cutie: My feelings? Hm… should I share how good it felt throwing crescendo across the room as hard as possible? Or the resignation I felt halfway through the story when I had to come face to face with the fact that the Nora I had come to know and love had lost her damn mind!?!? Seemingly forever… never to return!! No matter how many times I put her in time out?!?!? My feelings…. *takes a deep cleansing breath* I need a moment…
Uhyesplease: Ditto girls! I had no idea I would be so angry – Like. “WHAT THE EFF ARE YOU THINKING, YOU CHILD!!!???” at Nora. She drove me batty – and Patch and his dumb, “Hmmm. I’m too cool to fill you in on anything, because you are a child…” behavior irked me something fierce.
Pushy: Oh the idiocy of these two! I didn’t throw the ARC a la Cutie, but I did put it in time out a couple of times. Although I have to say I was more disappointed in Patch. Nora’s a teenager thus getting more slack from me, but COME ON, PATCH!!! Man up and drop the secrecy and get in line with my more smexy times plan!!!

How did you like Patch in Crescendo, 
was he different than in Hush, Hush?

Danny: Patch..*drool*..uhm we talking about Patch? Right, so yes Patch is ..*swoon*
cutie: Someone get Danny a pillow to rest her head on stat. I think she’s gonna be out for a while. *checks Danny’s pulse* What were we talking about? Oh yes, Patch. *big goofy grin* Was he different in hush, hush? No. I didn’t think his character changed. He was a know it all bad boy who treated Nora like she might break and kept a ton of secrets, but was sofa king hawt and in love with his lady friend. He was a great constant. The polar opposite of “the girl who lost her damn mind.”
Uhyesplease: For some reason I was expecting a bit more tenderness from Patch. I have no idea why this is – I think because of his selfless act in Hush, Hush. So yeah, I was a bit confused.
Pushy: I found his silence so frustrating. Was he still drool-worthy? Of course, but oooh! He was frustrating for me in ways he wasn’t in hush, hush.
cutie: He was just as frustrating in hush, hush, in my humble opinion. Thusly, I was ready for him to be annoyingly secretive. In fact, I was expecting a whole lot worse from him!
Danny: uhm… thanks for the pillow girls!

What about Nora was she any different in crescendo?

cutie was sending us emails while reading… keeping track
on her emotional roller coaster… 

Danny: Oh I was mad with Nora, she really did some stupid things. I had to remind myself every now and then that she’s still just a teenager and handles things differently than one of us would do. But still, I was so freaking mad at her!
cutie: I… *defeated sigh*
Uhyesplease: Cutie and I had some fun emails back and forth and I wish I could copy/paste them here. I suppose I’m all for changes and growing, but it seemed that it was a little on the pushy (and not YOU, Pushy!) side.
Pushy: She seemed less secure to me, which was slightly odd, since she and Patch had gone through so much in hush, hush, but I guess if you factor in the fact that the only other man she’d ever loved (her father) was taken from her, you could see how falling in love might make her a little crazy. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself. That and she’s a teenager….drama comes with the territory.
cutie: *zips lips and glares at crescendo*

Did you like Vee more or less in crescendo?

cutie: I was not a fan of Vee in hush, hush. After reading crescendo, I am a HUGE fan of hers. She was much more lovable in this book. Still flighty, flaky, and a complete mess, but adorably so.
Uhyesplease: Vee was a fun sidekick person in Hush, Hush – but yeah, I really liked her in Crescendo! Even despite her boyfriend, who for some reason, always reminded me of an older Matthew Mcconaughey type from Dazed and Confused. I kept thinking – why the heck is Vee with an older dude?
Pushy: I liked Vee in hush, hush but she shines in Crescendo! Two thumbs up for an AWESOME girlfriend!!!
Danny: Well as annoying Vee can be, she’s the best friend you can wish for.

What did you think of the new characters that were introduced in the novel?

cutie: Scotty the Potty ftw! Truly, I died when I read his nickname.
Uhyesplease: Yes, Cutie, I loved it!!!!
Pushy: I couldn’t agree more!
Danny: *giggles*

If you had to pick, which is your favorite: hush, hush or crescendo?

cutie: Hands down, I *heart* hush, hush the mostest. I’m still trying to digest crescendo.
Uhyesplease: I would really have to read them both again to pick. So far, it’s a tie.
Pushy: I’m reserving judgment until I read the next book, but for now, I’d say I prefer hush, hush (I can’t take all this emo, heartbreak!!)
Danny: I’m a sucker from dramatic heartbreaking stuff, which is why I might be the only one that loves New Moon so much. I loved both books for different reasons.. do I really have to pick one?

Mention one thing you adored about crescendo
 and one thing you could live without.

cutie: I really enjoyed learning more of the back-story. It definitely set the stage for some exciting things to come. What I did not enjoy was the complete breakdown of Nora as a character. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I didn’t get her in crescendo and felt that most of the time she was acting completely out of character. The calm, cool, collected Nora of hush, hush had completely vanished. In her place was a raving lunatic that I just didn’t understand. And, frankly, I felt it hurt story. And that just made me sad, because as much as I go on about Patch, I adore Nora… maybe even more than Patch.
Uhyesplease: It sounds kinda strange, but I like the role of Marcie in this book the best. She was one screwed up Cookie. and least fav was Nora. I missed my strong, smart girl.
Pushy: I loved the scene between Marcie, Vee and Nora at the club. The dialog in this scene is priceless!!! I could have done without all the heartache, but really, it’s where most sequels go, right?
Danny: Oh pushy, but the heartache is what you need in a second novel, so I enjoyed the heartache. Oh my Gosh-This.Sounds.Weird… but I guess you all know what I mean , hu? 



What are your hopes from the next book (Tempest)?

cutie: The return of Nora (I’m going with she was temporarily insane in crescendo and will be back to normal in the next book) and to learn more about the world of angels, half-angels, and humans. I am super excited to see where the story is going.
Uhyesplease: Can I just say I agree with Cutie on everything?????? (cutie note: yes, yes you can *winks*) Yes, I’m waiting to see the big war go down! Go good guys!
Pushy: I’d like to see a powerful Nora in Tempest. Nora in hush, hush is smart but still just a kid. In Crescendo she’s being torn apart by self-doubt and the drama going on around her. In Torrent, I think it would be nice if she’s the one kicking butts and saving the world. 🙂
Danny: I expect the relation between Nora and Patch to be stronger and that they finally start to face their problems together instead of alone. 


cutie gloats:
cutie: Um.. did I happen to mention that I pretty much figured out ALL of the major plot twists in the book. Oh yeah, that’s right, I’m the bomb. *laughs at self*
Pushy: Did you ever doubt yourself?!?! Come on! Cutie, everyone KNOWS that you are Da. Bomb.
cutie: Aw shucks! *blushes* You can keep going. *winks*

Bottom Line?
Danny:I freaking loved Crescendo! I totally love heartbreaking stories, all they have to do is put my heart  together afterward.
cutie: For all my complaining about Nora, I did enjoy reading this novel. I liked that Becca Fitzpatrick expanded the world. I can honestly say, however, that if I didn’t adore the first book, I might not have liked the sequel. Yeah… I know…
Uhyesplease: I enjoyed the book, I didn’t LOVE the book. But I think if i could read the whole series again when Torrent comes out I would probably enjoy it more. I mean, you all know that Empire Strikes Back is the weakest movie on it’s own, but in the 3 (yes, 3! not 6!) combined, it’s the best movie! See….NERD ALERT!
Pushy: While I LOVED going back into Becca Fitzpatrick’s world, I have to admit that I loved hush, hush more. BUT if Tempest is as good as I hope, I know I’ll come to appreciate Crescendo in the way that I’ll always love New Moon (in the Twilight Saga) for the way it sets up the spike serve that is Eclipse.
Uhyesplease: Ok Ok – Pushy – you talk about the Twilight Saga and I talk about Star Wars – nerds of the world – UNITE!
Danny: Ah Girls, we are ALL Nerds! And let me close with my comment from Goodreads: 

…and we still love Nora, and we never stopped loving Patch!

Pushy: Your last sentence is spot on, my friend!
We still love Nora (insert a rant of epic proportions that will not be typed at this moment), and we NEVER stopped loving (lusting after- drooling over- wanting to keep forever) Patch!


Altogether the Bookworms rate this book : Truly Bewitched! Although, one of us rated Crescendo with a 3 – but all together the book gets a 5. Do we make sense? Not much ….

Thanks for reading our rant…











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One Response to “Review: Crescendo – The Bookworm’s Version”

  1. I’m pulling a serious caveman move by commenting on such an old post, but I just MUST! Because you guys are all awesome! I finished Hush, Hush last night and ordered Crescendo, so my first thought was to immediately check Bewitched Bookworms for a review. I am nervous as hell about this book!! I usually don’t mesh very well with frustrating books but I hope I can pull through!
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