Book Review: Crescendo

Title: Crescendo

Series: Hush, Hush #2

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Published: 2010

Source: Borrowed

Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but atleast 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 and even worse, he's started 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 Path hadnt 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. Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperatly searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts.

My Thoughts: I'm not going to lie to you - I was really annoyed with Nora in this book. She was so stubborn and refused to listen to Patch and let him help her. Nora is brave, sometimes too brave since she keeps getting herself in dangerous situations. I wished she would have trusted her instincts and stayed away from trouble instead of seeking it up. But then, who thrilling would this book have been? ;)

Nora and Patch haven't learned from their previous mistakes, and keep hiding important information from each other, unintentionally putting each other in grave danger. It was really frustrating to read about Nora and Patch's relationship and choices, I more than once wanted to shake them up and make them come to their senses!

One person who did not annoy me in this book however was Vee, Nora's best friend. Vee has gotten much (undeserved) criticism in other reviews, and has been accused of being a bad friend. But I really like her! I thought she was a lot of fun in this book, she was helpful and there for Nora when she needed her.

While I was annoyed and frustrated throughout most of the book, I still clung to the pages and couldn't stop reading! This book is one intense and emotional thrill ride full with mystery, mythology, unexplainable moments, vivid hallucinations and danger. This book ends on an nail-biting cliffhanger which makes me desperate to read the third and final book in this trilogy!

Cover Thoughts: The cover of Hush Hush (Book 1) might be the most blogged-about cover in the YA world. So this cover had a lot to live up to! This cover is really fitting to the story, it's dark, dramatic and desperate. I like it!

Rating: 4 of 5

Book Review: Angel Burn

Title: Angel Burn
Author: L. A. Weatherly
Release Date: May 2011 (USA) October 2010 (UK)

Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow that Willow herself. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil.

My Thoughts: You now when you sometimes can tell that you are going to love a book within its first pages? Well, I didn't even have to finish the prologue until I knew that Angel Burn was going to be an amazing book! And it was.

I have only read a few angel books during the past years, and since those have featured guardian angels and fallen angels the angels in this book really stood out! The angels Weatherly has created is very original in my opinion, they are huntingly beautiful, but trust me, there are nothing angelic about their actions! Alex and Willow might be the only ones who can stop their evil plan... if only they learn how to trust each other.

I loved how Alex and Willow's relationship developed. They started out hating each other, but as time went they slowly opened up to each other, and hate turned to curiousity which turned to affection. It all felt really natural and realistic. The fact that we got to read from both Willow's and Alex's points of view (as well as occasionally from other people's points of view) only made this book more interesting and fun, and you couldn't wait until other characters found out what you already knew.

The ending of this book was a bit surprising, things don't go as you think they will and expect, but that only made it more realistic. And it also opened up for a coming sequel! (Angel Fire)

If you like angels, a hot bad boy with depth, a brave and caring heroin, love, action and roadtrips - this is the book for you!

Btw, how beautiful isn't that cover? So gorgeous!

Rating: 4.5 of 5

* Book source: Net Galley