Waiting On: Finale (Hush, Hush, #4)

Finale (Hush, Hush, #4) by Becca Fitzpatrick
To be published: October 23, 2012 by Simon & Schuster

Fates unfurl in the gripping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Hush, Hush saga.

Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean they are fated to be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him. Now Nora and Patch must gather their strength to face one last, perilous trial.

Old enemies return, new enemies are made, and a friend's ultimate betrayal threatens the peace Patch and Nora so desperately want. The battle lines are drawn—but which sides are they on? And in the end, are there some obstacles even love can't conquer? [goodreads]

I have a confession to make. I was a fan of this series way before I even knew book blogs existed. I'm serious.  I read Hush, Hush and fell in love with this smoking hot fallen angel meets average (yet is she really average?) every day teenage girl.  It was an addiction.  So OF COURSE I am psyched to read the conclusion of this series.  Bring on the angel drama!  And please don't hurt my heart, too much.

That's me, getting my copy of Hush, Hush signed by the lovely Becca Fitzpatrick.
This was way before I even knew about book blogging! And it's also my first author signing, ever - yay!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Silence (Hush, Hush #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick

Published: October 4, 2011 by Simon & Schuster
Received: bought from Barnes & Noble

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever. {taken from goodreads.com}

Silence picks up right where Crescendo left us hanging, and I mean that quite literally.  With such a cliffhanger ending, I had to get my hands on the next book as soon as it came available.  And I did just that, publishing day.  Nora Grey wakes up in a cemetery with no memory of the last 5 months.  She is blinded by how she got there, and what events led her to this place.  The story doesn't waste any time jumping right in to the thick of things.  Immediately we are dropped back in to this sleepy small town of Maine that inhabits so much history among the archangels.  Nora is on a mission to remember her past, looking for clues any where possible.  The first person we're aware of who has been so easily erased from her memory: Patch.  My interest and questions began, what happened in those five months to tear a part Nora and Patch?  Two souls who fought so hard to be together.

Sadly, that is where my interest fell. Hard. And flat.  The plot thickened and I found myself confused, quite a bit.  I understood the author's purpose to create mystery and intrigue, but I felt like at times it was too much.  I found it difficult to follow.  I then began to see holes in the story.  Obvious choices that Nora was making were so wrong.  How can she be so dense?  Multiple times I wanted to shout at her to THINK! OPEN YOUR EYES! LOOK AROUND!  That aspect of the story grated on my nerves a bit too much.  I had to dig deep and remember what I loved so much about the previous two books, and that is what propelled me through this one.  I told myself to over look the minor grievances I had with Nora and the storyline, and tried to focus on the ending.

Silence is probably my least fave of the series so far.  I recently read on twitter that Becca Fitzpatrick announced she'd be continuing the story with a fourth book.  Yes, I am pleased to read more, but I don't think I'll be going out on publishing day to pick up my next copy.  This saddens me because I had so much heart for these books.  Patch is still a fave of mine, though I felt his character evolve in to something a bit different in this chapter of the story.  Maybe the fourth book will redeem itself and remind me why I loved this series so much.

...To Be Continued (sequels of 2011)

There are quite a few books coming out this year with book 2, book 3, & so on in their series... that I thought I'd create a post to highlight some of these eagerly anticipated sequels!  I know of a few off the top of my head right now.. but if there are more, please feel free to list them in the comments below!

Desires of the Dead (The Body Finder #2) by Kimberly Derting - February 15, 2011

The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found.
Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.
As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.

Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely #5) by Melissa Marr - February 22, 2011

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.
Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.
Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

Where She Went (If I Stay #2) by Gayle Forman - April 5, 2011

It's been three years since the devastating accident ... three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.
Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Julliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.
Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare - April 5, 2011

City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

The Dark and Hollow Places (The Forest of Hands and Teeth #3) by Carrie Ryan - April 7, 2011

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the horde as they found their way to the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.
Annah's world stopped that day and she's been waiting for him to come home ever since. Without him, her life doesn't feel much different from that of the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Then she meets Catcher and everything feels alive again.
Except, Catcher has his own secrets—dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah's longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah—can she continue to live in a world drenched in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry #3) by Simone Elkeles - May 24, 2011

Luis Fuentes is a good boy who doesn't live with the angst that his big brothers, Alex and Carlos, have always lived with. Luis is smart, funny, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. But when he falls for the wrong girl, Luis enters a dark world he's never known, and just when he thinks he's got life all figured out, learns some disturbing news about his family that destroys his positive outlook on life. Will that Fuentes bad boy streak come out with a vengeance and lure Luis to live on the edge like his new girlfriend and his own father?
Continuing all the steamy romance of the first two books, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Simone Elkeles gives fans one more satisfying taste of the irresistible Fuentes boys.

Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater - July 12, 2011

In Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) by Andrea Cremer - July 12, 2011

Betrayal, loss, pain, fear. How many trials can love endure and still survive?

 

The Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare - August 30, 2011

The Infernal Devices is a series of prequels to The Mortal Instruments series, set in 19’th century London. The story concerns 16-year-old orphan Tessa Gray, whose quiet life is thrown into turmoil when her older brother Nathaniel suddenly vanishes, leaving her alone. Her search for him leads her into Victorian-era London’s dangerous supernatural underworld, where warlocks throw masked balls for half-demon Downworlders. When Tessa discovers that she herself is a Downworlder, she must come to trust her natural enemies, the demon-killing Shadowhunters, if she ever wants to learn to control her powers and find her brother. Torn between the beautiful Will, a Shadowhunter who isn’t what he seems, and the devoted Jem, whose own deadly secret is slowly destroying him, Tessa must draw on all her strength to save her brother and keep herself alive in this deadly new world.

Silence (Hush, Hush #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick - October 18, 2011

The Hush, Hush series has captivated readers with the story of Nora Grey, her friend Vee, and a mysterious fallen archangel named Patch. In the gripping conclusion of the trilogy, Nora finds that as things start to unravel around her, she is more drawn to the enigmatic Patch. She soon discovers that the answers lie closer to home than she realized, and it is time for her to take control of her destiny once and for all.

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

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 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?
{taken from goodreads.com}


Oh Becca, Becca, Becca... you have out done yourself!  This book had me from the first page all the way to the very last page.  And I'm STILL wanting more!  I read her first book Hush, Hush about a year ago and fell in love with the story between Nora, your typical teenage girl, and Patch, your not so typical Angel.  Crescendo had been on my list to read for quite awhile.  And I'm happy to say, it's lived up to every expectation and then some.


The story begins with Nora and Patch enjoying each other's company considering the ordeal they had to go through to reach this point.  Call it the "honeymoon" stage of their relationship, if you will.  Nora feels so overwhelmed with joy & caught up in her happiness that she confesses her true feelings to Patch one night.  To her susprise, he does not speak the same words back.  Not only does he withhold his feelings, he also abruptly leaves the scene of Nora's blabbering confessions, with out one reason as to why.  So being the teenage girl that she is, Nora assumes that Patch must not feel the same way and that is why he left in such a hurry.  To her embarrassment, she also finds out that after Patch left Nora that night he went straight to Marcie's house, Nora's lifelong enemy.  What the heck?!  Questions arise and Nora is left feeling hurt & mistreated.  Feelings of foolishness for even thinking Patch was capable of loving her bubble to the surface and Nora is left with one thing to do.  Break things off with Patch.  Without giving too much of the story away, I'll just say that other factors played a key role in this decision of her's.  Key factors such as Patch's relation to the Archangels.

Patch begins to spend more time with Marcie, and this ultimately seals the deal for Nora.  She can't understand why Patch would go from acting as though he wanted her, and then pick up with Marcie as soon as she kicked him to the curb.  Nora's ever-so-faithful, and delightfully hilarious friend Vee is there to pick up the pieces, where she sees best fit.  Not to mention, Vee also starts dating Rixon, Patch's best friend.  Nora feels like everything in her life always comes back to Patch.  She can't escape him.


On top of the Patch drama, Nora is dealing with her father's death.  In Hush, Hush we learned that Nora's father was murdered by someone.  The police never caught the guy who did it, but Nora has this nagging feeling that it may have something to do with the world of Nephilim and Angels.  She is in search of answers, but she remembers with Patch out of her life, she must find these answers on her own.  The search for this only leads to trouble for Nora.  Time and time again we find her in a situation that is terrifying, yet compelling.  I found myself glued to the pages, willing myself to believe that Nora would find herself out of this mess.. some how, some way!  Becca Fitzpatrick has written a true roller coaster ride, with all the ups and downs, twists and turns to make anyone feel sick, yet exhilarated at the same time.

Will Nora be able to uncover the truth surrounding her father's death?  Is Patch out of her life for good?  Just when you think you have it figured out, another curve ball is thrown at you. You find yourself ripping through the pages, not able to put the book down until answers are given.


I usually write my reviews with the ending typed out, but in this one I do not want to spoil it.  I feel like the reader should have the pleasure of taking this ride for themselves.  Between Nora's heart strings being pulled left and right, Patch's ever so sexy presence, and the rest of the cast who creates this magnificent world... Crescendo just jumped high up on my list of best YA books for 2010.