Reviews

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

miahikariswonderland's review against another edition

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2.0

Here we are again. First of all, I need to explain why I kept going with this series. First, it was a gift. Second, I wanted to see how much further this could go. I mean…the story would be just fine if she would leave it as it was. I am writing this review while reading the book.

... SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS ...

So, the book starts again with a past event. This time we see what happened to Nora’s father. Apparently, he knew someone was after Nora since the beginning. There was another man involved. There are people who want to protect her. My lucky guess was that they wanted to protect her from Patch. Reading the chapter, I was wondering if maybe the other man was the real father of Nora. Haha, I tried to make it more melodramatic, I guess.

Chapter 1 comes and it is all about how much Nora’s and Patch’s relationship has developed and how at first it was all about kissing everywhere (tables, counters, cars, etc.) but now they are emotionally attached, and she loves him so much she can’t understand how she spent 16 years of her life without knowing him. Yada, yada. They even exchange gifts of eternal love. My big question about this chapter is… they reached home 10:04. The curfew was 10. They are outside making out for some pages. They talk, they exchange gifts, and they get worried about what is outside there. So, how the hell is Nora only 4 minutes late when her mom comes out? I mean…come on.

Chapter 2. Nora is a bitch. Seriously. She has no brain, too. She comes to conclusions so quickly it makes my head hurt. Because Patch doesn’t drive her around every single morning, she thinks he doesn’t care enough for her. Obviously, he has other things to do, too. She gets extremely jealous over the fact he was watching Marcie and doesn’t let him explain his part of the story. When he does tell her things, she dismisses them because she thinks he lies. When he tells her, he is danger, she thinks only of herself. She is 16 for God’s sake, but she runs all the way to a future of her having kids and stuff; a future that doesn’t include Patch. So, she wants out. She sends him away claiming it is the best for them and that anyway he doesn’t feel it as she feels it. Hello, he sacrificed what he wanted the most to save you. He tries to explain to her that any future with her is better than no future with and for her, but she only thinks of herself. Selfish bitch. Oh, did I mention that we are talking about a 2 months relationship?

Chapter 3. This started in the most annoying way ever. She regrets it. She thinks everything will be okay next day. Till her let’s say okay. However, here comes crazy. She claims they broke up because she wanted to protect him. No, you selfish bitch. You broke up with him because you were thinking of your future mostly and because he as a guardian angel couldn’t feel as you felt the bodily pleasures. Also, no, he wasn’t on the wrong side too. He tried to explain, but you didn’t let him. If you would only be patient giving him some time you two would have worked around the whole matter. Another comment about the time. The meeting with Scott’s family was at 7. Nora returned home at 6:30. She changed clothes. Patch came and they were talking for a while. They broke up and she spent some time trying to understand what happened when she was on her room. Then they come. Do you think all these things happened in half an hour??? Let’s talk about Scott, Mrs. Parnell and the fucked up dinner. Mmm… last time Nora saw these two people was when she was five. Scott walks in her house as if he owns it and opens her fridge searching for a fridge. He calls Nora’s mother by her first name. They talk about Nora’s boyfriend as if they know everything about him. Mrs. Parnell is determined he belongs in a gang. When the topic comes to her own son who did something illegal in his past, they don’t want to say more. Let’s add here that Mrs. Parnell and Mrs. Grey have set this dinner so as Scott to be Nora’s boyfriend. Isn’t it so normal and protective of Nora’s mother not to try to find out more about the boy she wants her daughter to date? My mother would have interrogated them until they have confessed every single detail of their lives. So, after the family left, Nora’s mother tells her not to trust Scott because she wants to find out more about him. You didn’t show such a thing during the dinner, though. I think the writer just throws ideas here and there trying to stitch them together. Sometimes the story looks like Frankenstein’s Creature.

Chapter 4. I don’t know if I ever had a dream I could remember in such details. I mean…we get every single detail from what was happening in her dream. Also, how comes she dreams of a past event? Did she develop some kind of power or does Patch show that to her? I think the second. Then she wakes up and tries to forget about the dream. Pff. She wonders why Patch doesn’t call, and keeps mentioning how many hours it was since he walked away. He didn’t walk away, you idiot. You made him leave.
I want to mention two more things that annoy me. There are some mistakes throughout the book. I know this happens to everyone. However, it annoys me that some parts seem to make no sense or that they seem to be written in spoken language. For example, starting a sentence with AND is acceptable in spoken language but when you make the effort to write a book, keep it in a minimum use. Second, the notes are always written in a way that is hard to be read. Another font would be easier to be read.
So, Nora decides to follow Scott. She takes Vee with her. Vee is still in her own world, but it seems like Nora uses her whenever she needs her or her cat, mostly her car. As I said, they follow Scott. Since following someone worked for Nora in the previous book, she does it again. She ends up seeing her dad, or so she thinks. Scott confronts her about following him but she cares only about the image of her dad. I believe someone made her think she saw her dad.

Chapter 5. Nora is a bipolar bitch. One moment she says that Patch must be angry and has every reason to be angry. Then she gets angry because Patch has no reason to be angry. She says that they didn’t break up. It was just their first real fight. Then she says they broke up and she is free to go out with a new guy. She broke up with him, but she expects him to call her and apologize. Also, she says she broke up with him to protect him, but then she claims it is because of Marcie. Not to mention that she ridiculously thinks Patch has to be there for her every single moment of his life to protect her so she will test him by going out to do something dangerous while making him jealous too. Do any of these make sense to you? When Patch appeared and the whole scene between them played I decided I would side with anyone who would try to kill Nora. She hurt Patch even more because she wanted him to hurt as much as she did. Why do you hurt you evil brainless bitch? Why?! You broke up with him to chase after a life that didn’t even start. You are 16 years old. You have no life really. Your mother is barely there. You use your friend who is also brainless. You want to go to a really great university but biology and chemistry aren’t your strong points. Well, let me rephrase. Your brain isn’t your strong point. You claim you broke up with him because fate doesn’t want you two together but I don’t see you trying anyway. All you think of is yourself! Aw…should I add here that maybe Marcie wasn’t that wrong about the word she used for you? 24 hours after breaking up with Patch, you keep claiming you have every right to be with another guy. Well…you claim you love Patch and you want him back, but you say these things. You also claim you don’t want him to be your guardian angel, but you keep thinking he HAS to. Bitch, I have news for you. I believe what you said means he is fired.

Chapter 6. Hell breaks loose. Nora is a major bitch again. She plays with Patch’s feelings. She even justifies herself by saying she tries to make it easier for both of them because of the archangels. She claims she explained to Patch why she does that. No, she didn’t. She didn’t explain that to him. She said everything else but that. She also insults him again and again, while he keeps protecting her. “After the way he treated me tonight…” what the hell did he do to you? He did nothing! He actually protected you, you ungrateful bitch. He even called you ANGEL. You need therapy girl. You long for him, but you keep pushing him away and hurting him, demeaning him. Then, you play the victim.

Chapter 7. In my review about the first book, I mentioned the words “role model”. Nora in this chapter is accused by Scott to be a boring person because she studies and because her hair is reddish. What does she do to prove she isn’t? She agrees on going to a place that is really dangerous and not for her age. She needs for that a Fake ID and clothes that reveal almost everything. I don’t know how Fitzpatrick sees things, but her characters are full of flaws. I can’t find a character I actually like. I even find some things these characters do really insulting. I mean…doing something extremely dangerous just to prove studying doesn’t make you proving is insulting to the people who actually care about studying. I also find so disturbing how Fitzpatrick depicts Vee through her eating habits.

Chapter 8. So, she goes to that nightclub. She just wants to make Patch jealous and play the bad girl because all her life she was good. Obviously, she doesn’t care that if anything happens to her, her mother will lose her mind. She doesn’t care that her logic has no logic. She doesn’t care that she acts like a kid who broke her toy and thinks someone else did it. While searching for Vee, she sees her “dad”, follows him and tries to break in the house she thinks he is. It turns into a nightmare and then everything is normal again. Hello, smart head. It is the same as the first book. How the hell does this girl expect to be accepted in a good university?

Chapter 9. Vee…how is Patch the jerk who took advantage of Nora? Nora lies to you and manipulates you. She was the one who took advantage of Patch. She plays with Patch. New question. In Hush, Hush Nora said she was never interested in a guy. So, from where did this guy that she supposedly stole from Marcie appear? So much hate over such petty things. Vee is an idiot. Nora is an idiot. They deserve each other. I don’t get why they don’t become a couple to end this story. They are perfect for each other. I just can’t find words to describe this chapter. Not to mention its ending. There is nothing realistic about this book. Nothing at all.

Chapter 10. Patch visits Nora in her dream. No, I mean it. Nora throws to his face that she was waiting for Scott (lie). Then she goes in a jealous rant about how he was with Marcie. You just said you were waiting late at night while you are alone for another guy (meaning you would do wild things) and you scold him for going out with another girl? Seriously? Then they start making out. They are ready to go all the way, when she touches his wings. Memories. She sees what happened some hours ago between Patch and Marcie. Well…I would get jealous too but from my point of view Marcie kissed him. (I don’t know what version of the memory she saw). She claimed they are over so even if he had kissed her, why does she care? Anyway, Patch isn’t the good guy either. He doesn’t give the ring back.
Let’s talk about how the foundation of this book is all wrong. Lust is a sin. Love isn’t. So, what Patch and Nora have is wrong because of lust, not because of love. If they could keep the lust in check, everything would be okay. So, the writer has the whole idea of sin mixed up.

Chapter 11. Nora is the best friend ever. She is jealous of Vee’s relationship. She keeps thinking of Patch. She thinks Vee has a big mouth. Oh, also Nora goes to the library all the time so as to show how super smart she is. She is drugged in the library by a card she got supposedly by Patch. Two problems here. First…the card was handwritten. Shouldn’t she recognize Patch’s handwriting? Second, there was a librarian there telling her she should leave. She was drugged and fell unconscious in the library. Where did this person go? Don’t tell me they didn’t notice Nora never left. Now, if someone was after me, I would drive straight to a police center. One more thing…Nora, you claim you loved Patch. He did so many things, yes. However, do you think he would drug you? Really? I want to take a guess and say that in the end of this book or the beginning of the next they will be back together. Did the writer even think how messed up this whole book is? Not to mention the whole detective scene. I didn’t know detectives can give you tickets. Also, is this a way to treat people? He calls her crazy, for God sake. I dislike him so much. I hope he dies.

Chapter 12. “And I wanted to hate him for both our sakes.” *sighs* Can someone explain to me why Marcie shoplifts since her parents have money and how she does it anyway? Nora has this funny idea that Patch dictates what she does and where she goes. He did that in the first book but she didn’t seem to mind for real. Also, Scott does the same thing in this book and she doesn’t react badly. In this book, Patch actually protects her. Other than that, I don’t think he actually dictates her. In Marcie’s party, Nora gets Marcie’s diary, Patch’s Jeep key and his hat. Then, so as not be caught she climbs out of the window and ends up having to jump in Patch’s arms to be okay. He wants to take her to dinner and confesses to her he doesn’t care if he will end up in hell just so as to spend even some weeks with her. So, he confesses he is madly in love with her. I don’t think the exact words are needed. She leaves to set him free. I understand that. What I don’t understand is why she had to walk home in the middle of the night. It surprises me nothing happened to her.

Chapter 13. It starts almost good with Nora deciding to work and study and try to push Patch out of her mind. She decides to move on. Ha! She doesn’t. After she gets a job, where Marcie and Scott pop out as it was expected, she goes to a beach party with Scott just to see Patch. Vee drives her, of course, because Vee’s role in this book is to drive around Nora, help her do stupid things, and, my guess, date the person who wants to kill her, again. Same old, same old. Quick question…how is Nora supposed to return home? At first she denies to drive Scott’s car. Also, I want to stress once again that going to dangerous places with people that your mother doesn’t approve and putting yourself in danger is totally fine if your mother isn’t at home and doesn’t know.

Chapter 14. When did Patch break your heart, Nora? You broke his heart. You asked him to break up. You asked him to stop being your guardian angel. You told him you moved on. You told him that you were free to be with someone else. So, when did HE break your heart, delusional girl? Also, why do you call Marcie a ho, when you kiss Scott just to make Patch angry? You use him as a rebound when you don’t even want him. Patch comes in the bedroom you two are about to go all the way for the wrong reasons and defends your “honor” but you just shout at him. Why he keeps saving you I have no idea. Then, you see the mark on Scott’s body and you start accusing him. He tries to threaten you. You keep pushing. What can I say? Do you ever think before you act?

Chapter 15. This chapter is wrong. It is annoying. Vee is annoying. Nora is annoying. Both are fake. It is obvious they were written. I would have appreciated if the writer had tried to put herself in her characters’ place even for a second. We have established Nora isn’t a good friend. It shows in the chapter. We have established Vee has no brain. It shows in the chapter, too. We have also established Nora jumps to random conclusions so quick it makes my head spin. Patch never loved her. Patch wants to kill her. Patch killed her dad. End of the story. Nora’s logic wins. I can’t believe that Nora finally managed to trick someone into giving her the information she wants. I can’t believe she tricked Rixon of all people. It’s also interesting how Rixon plays with her. I believe Rixon is the one after her. It makes sense if it is him.

Chapter 16. I am gonna steal Patch’s Jeep, ooops I meant borrow, to get back to him because he is with Marcie and because I believe he killed my dad. I act like crazy for the same reasons. I scare my best friend, too. I hate Patch because I broke up with him and he moved on when I started going out with a guy first. I am Nora and I am smart and rational. Btw, the Frankenstein reference is wrong. The creature loved and hated Victor. There was a connection there. They were different sides of the same person. Then you accuse him of being the Black Hand and killing your dad, when you said you would search first for proofs. You hate him more than anything in this life and tell him. I am going to read next book just to see how the writer is going to clear this mess.

Chapter 17. Wow! Marcie’s dad has an affair with Nora’s mom. That’s why the hate. This is soap opera material. They may be siblings. I bet Marcie’s dad is the man from the prologue. Nora gets the prize for best friend. “She could be obnoxious, annoying, and lazy, but she never lied to me.” Going through the dream, I can only say that Nora is an IDIOT. Patch tries to tell her what’s going on. He tells her everything and she denies. I don’t want to hear even a word in next chapters that Patch lied to her or didn’t tell what’s going on or cheats on her, or whatever. He was there to explain everything and you delusional idiot was stuck on your idea that you knew he is the murderer of your dad (who possibly is not even your dad) and pushed him away as if you knew better. Big news, babe. You know nothing!

Chapter 18. It surprises me that Nora manages to do so many things in only half an hour. It surprises me also that Nora still tries to play spy when it always ends up bad for her. I hope Scott will really kill her. (Even though, I know it’s not happening.)

Chapter 19. Some comments inspired by the first 2 pages. In the previous book, the detectives told Nora’s mom to get an alarm system. I don’t see sign of it anywhere. The clock was supposedly stopped. Now it works. Nora’s cello is mentioned. Throughout the two books, we never see her playing the cello. If I could play a music instrument, I would use it to relax when in pain or under stress. I think Detective Basso isn’t just a detective. Rixon is suspicious for sure. The ring was useless to you, Nora. You should have given it back to Scott. Scott is like Elliot from the previous book. Remember?

Chapter 20. The apartment blew up but Nora was saved. Snap.

Chapter 21. Plan to leave the house forever because mom has an affair. Check. Never give her a chance to talk. Check. Go to amusement park with Vee. Check. Basso starts being protective because Scott broke free. Check. Scott finds Nora. Check. Nora escapes Scott. Check.

Chapter 22. Why Nora? Why trust Rixon? Why would you trust a man who shot someone else right in the middle of an amusement park? Speaking of the amusement park...what’s wrong with people there? They saw Scott struggling Nora and laughed. I know Nora deserves to die but they didn’t. So, what the hell?

****Read the rest on the comments section****

macaylaredmon's review against another edition

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4.0

okay. don’t love “miscommunication” tropes BUT definitely wouldn’t have guessed how that went. reading these SO quickly. so excited to see how this plays out!!

tayface43's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious

5.0

repe's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

clace_19's review against another edition

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3.0

3.75!

I enjoyed this one as much as the first one but the only difference was that this one had a better plot and not that good of development when it came to the characters.

Idk what kind of crack these books contain because oh my god I cant believe I that im reading these books in one sitting and that usually doesn't happen with me and i love to read gripping and engaging stories and this one was as for the world building not much on that point in this book either but honestly i didnt mind i wasnt expecting it to be a high stellar fantasy just a good one time read. The plot though weaved its way perfectly and it fit so well with the mystery aspect of this book and the twists that came after were really fun to read.

The characters,
PATCH: IT WAS ABSOLUTELY CRIMINAL OF THIS AUTHOR TO NOT FILL THIS BOOK WOULD PATCH WE WERE DEPRIVED!! i missed him so much and the crumbs of him that we got were amazing.

MARCIE: I loved her. Many wont but i loved how she didnt put up with Noras bullshit and punched her straight in the face because it was so deserved and the satisfaction that i got from that scene. I love how Marcie handled her situations. SHOULDVE BEEN THE MAIN CHARACTER.

SCOTT: what a fucking douchebag.

NORA: idew start about this bitch she had the audacity to give shit to patch when he clearly said he cant feel emotions and then bitch that he was seeing marcie without even knowing anything and tried to create a scene and hurt him. I hate her so much, she was all bark and no bite. Her plans to destroy patch and marcie and to fully handle all her situations herself was so dumb because the moment she fell into trouble she called out for patch to help her and this bitch had the audacity to even complain once when PATCH DIDNT SAVE HER LIKE??? touch some grass.
~~~
Patch and Nora better be endgame!

lesleydebow's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

kimbongiorno's review against another edition

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3.0

Not as good as the first book, I had to force myself to finish it on principal. It also did not persuade me to continue reading the series, unfortunately.

sekapes's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

memethereader's review against another edition

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3.0

Just finished the second book from the Hush Hush series, it was pretty boring, except the ending was a bit shocking. Nice, but boring. I did not like how Marcie was inserted in the picture, I did not approve of her being around Patch. I still cannot formulate a solid opinion on this book, because I still have got two books to read.