Book Review: Dark Readers thoughts on Crescendo! may contain spoilers!

Crescendo. I feel like I’ve waited a lifetime for this, I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve re read Hush Hush just to get that rush of Patch. So when I had it in my hands finally I threw myself right back to coldwater and got lost in Patch and Nora’s world once again. And so now I’ll rant........


I’m just going to go ahead and say this right away. Frustrating or what? Was it just me or did anyone else want to jump between the pages and throttle these characters?? The whole time reading it, I couldn’t help but wonder if any of them had ever heard of the big 3 C’s? Cooperation anyone? Consideration? And above all Communication?!! I was on the brink of explosion with frustration but I found it all completely understandable. And for this reason I have to say Becca has done an excellent job of portraying the anguish within Patch and Nora’s relationship to perfection. I didn’t feel like I was reading a story, I felt like I was watching my friends tear each other apart. The aftermath of a break up is one of the most confusing and emotionally tiring times in someone’s life and this was exposed brilliantly. I could feel my emotions automatically sympathise with Nora and of cause is typical girl style my anger at Patch was off the charts!


In noticing these feelings I had against the book I was only more convinced of how much I had invested in this story and how much I was counting on Becca to complete my world and make Patch and Nora’s relationship perfect. Then I realised you can’t build a series on perfection and for those experience stumbling blocks along the way was only to be expected. But no matter how much I prepared myself I still had the rug pulled right from under me.


Was Patch really a player? Had he seriously traded in Nora for a new model? Another notch on his bedpost? Could he really be that evil? The words more than implied this, his actions didn’t refrain from showing this and even Nora’s vision into his past upon touching his wings more than confirmed it. It seemed he really was betraying Nora in the most brutal way imaginable. But even through my anger and frustration my heart wouldn’t allow me to believe this. As much as I wanted to run him over with his own jeep, I knew there had to be more to this, I knew I still has faith in Patch, so why didn’t Nora? Stubbornness is one of the most annoying traits a person can have and Nora is as stubborn as a mule! Thus disallowing her to let Patch even attempt to explain himself; however cagy his explanations may have been.


This book is filled with many little bombs to spice up the story line. Marcie’s new admirer, Vee's new boyfriend, the mysterious return of Nora’s childhood friend Scott, Nora’s strange stalker and even the questionable reappearance of Nora’s supposed dead father. There are added twists to Patch’s powers and there are even powers beyond Patch’s reach at play. But just as you think it can’t get any worse; that you’ve heard all there is you get sucker punched! The Ultimate Bomb thrown right at you and I can honestly say I didn’t see it coming and it added more spice to this story line than I ever could have expected! Knowing that Nora was about to question everything she has ever known about herself is extremely moving. Especially when you realise the one person she needs, the only person capable of comforting her, the person she knows her heart aches for is the one person she’s pushed away, wants to hate and refuses to let them see her break. Patch.


I admire Nora’s strength and capabilities; I understand her reasoning for doing ‘the right thing’. I get that she’s nursing a broken heart and a wounded ego but I know she’ll break. I know she wants Patch back. And I know I’ll get my happy ending because for one thing we’re all sure when we read this is that we know as much as Nora does, it’s that when it comes to Patch – she’s weak. So with baited breath and fingers crossed I reached for the end. I expected a turn of events, last minute revelations (however shocking they may be) and even the predictable quest for survival. But I hung in there and I got it, I could see that sunset I’d hoped for. Becca had done me proud and Nora had got what she knew she wanted all along, the Patch she fell in love with.




I experienced the euphoria at their reunion, sensed their emotions as I read them and I was happy. Content, complete even. And then BANG!! Major bomb! Just on the brink of my sunset everything crashed, Patch and Nora torn apart. This was one of, if not THE best cliff hanger’s I’ve ever experienced. In all honesty I must have sat there open mouthed for around 3minutes. If you have read it I am sure you can empathise.


The perfection of the Hush Hush conclusion was most definitely NOT met here. The need for the next instalment is almost immediate. I want it. I want it now. In fact I want it like.....Yesterday!! I need answers, I need explanations and above all I need that sunset!


So Becca Fitzpatrick, you took me to Coldwater, you gave me patch – you tried to take him away and you gave me my sunset and then snatched it right back! I thank you and I applaud you. You’ve created a world I feel a part of and never want to leave. Congratulations on a wonderful follow up and I wait with breath that is baited from the 2rd instalment!