Keep it Hush Hush.

I don't know what I expected, but I can honestly say this book wasn't it. In fact, I feel like it under achieved. I definitely read the reviews elsewhere about how whiny the main character was, how ridiculous the plot was, and how unreal the entire thing felt. I ignored them because I fell in love with Hush, Hush. Crescendo was a great follow up, but it wasn't better than the first. I can honestly say Silence went down another star for me.

The main heroine, Nora, has resurfaced after being M.I.A for three months. She was kidnapped after reuniting with Patch, a former fallen angel and her guardian angel. Her biological father, Hank, turns out to be the leader of the powerful Nephilium army ready to overthrow the fallen angels. He kidnapped Nora in order to get Patch to spy on his enemies. Because Patch is so in love with Nora, he makes a deal with Hank and agrees to be his spy as long as Nora is left alone. However, making a deal with the enemy never goes as planned. Fast forward to Nora's reappearance. It appears that she's lost her memory, so Nora is unable to remember anything from the past five months, including Patch. Weird things begin happening and parts of her memory start to come back. She meets Jev, who she swears she's met before. Nora finds herself drawn to him. She also begins to find out answers from the past that were covered up, and some things may have been better buried.

I find Fitzpatrick's writing intoxicating. I needed to read this book quickly whenever I had the opportunity because I couldn't stay away. It's like a bad habit. I fell in love with Patch during the first book. Who doesn't want a tall, dark, and sexy guy in their corner? Especially one who isn't afraid to get a little hot and heavy. I guess that's why I kept reading.

Nora's naivety gets old. But suddenly in book three, she goes from helpless victim to warrior princess. Sorry honey, not buying it. She wants readers to believe she’s a fighter rather than the damsel in distress, so she starts to make decisions involving trying to overthrown an entire team of evil beings on her own. She even attempts to get the “I’m tough, fear me” dialogue in the plot. Yea, ok. It didn’t work for Daphne in Scooby Doo, and it certainly will not work for Nora. Not quite sure what Patch sees in her considering he is the modern day equivalent to Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And as I recall, Angel had a thing for strong, independent females. Nora doesn’t fit that mold.  

I picked up the book from the library and read the cover. The word "saga" caught my eye. How do you start off writing a trilogy, and then decide to make it a saga? You trolled all of us. 

After reading halfway through, I decided I was not happy with knowing there would be a fourth book. It seems Fitzpatrick's story has been going downward. I am very skeptical about this coming book. I wish she had wrapped up the story in a little bow and just been done with it. Now it looks like I will have to finish the saga simply because I need to see how awful it will turn out. It's really too bad because Fitzpatrick really does have a beautiful writing style. And the covers are really pretty! How on earth can a book be horrible with pretty covers?!?! Her main character is becoming more annoying with each page flip, and I think that is her Achilles’ heel.

I complain, but reading her fourth book won't be a complete waste. One word that makes me want to keep going; Patch. I can't help it, he is extremely sexy. It’s my cross to bare. ;p

Hush, Hush/ Crescendo

Finished Hush Hush and Crescendo.
I have to say, the author does an awesome job of making the sexual tension between Nora and Patch real. I would read some sections, then stop because I could feel the sexual tension to the point where I was almost sweating and panting with desire. Patch is like a teenage Johnny Depp; he's rough around the edges, but extremely sexy. :)
Fallen angels are the new vampire craze, however this plot seems to push deeper than a typical teenage forbidden romance. The author does a nice job of including extra information so the reader can see beyond the idea of Patch being a fallen angel for love. The angels fell and now desire a taste for freedom, a chance to become human. The only way this is possible is to kill a Nephilium: a breed of human that is invincible, and they are unfortunately the only kind of human fallen angels can take over. Apparently, there are particular nights during the year when a Nephilium is forced to give up their body to the fallen angels. The dark ones have two choices if they wish for freedom: kill the Nephilium who is a decedent of the original blood line and become human, or save a human live and become a guardian angel.
I can honestly say the characters were very profound. I could feel Patch's darkness, I could relate to Nora's best friend, Vee, and I could understand the pain Nora continued to feel. I found myself getting frustrated with Nora in Crescendo because the questions she wanted answered didn't seem to be the right ones to be asking, and at times her decision making skills were lacking. But these characters are memorable and everyone can relate in some way to one of them.

I fell in love with the titles. The author took such care creating the perfect combination. First there's whisper, then it grows, until it becomes nothing. Hence: Hush Hush, Crescendo, and, the finale, Silence. I absolutely love the concept; it creates a great symbol for the series. Plus the one word/phrase title has a very dark feel too it, so readers are already looking forward to 'the fall'. The black and white covers compliment the feelings, especially with the hint of red. It gives the feel of a tragedy and romance all in one, which is a continuing theme throughout the series.
The plot was fast moving, the romance was delicious ;), and the writing created a blanket of description that held the whole thing together.
And now we wait for the final book. October? Really?