REVIEW: SILENCE (HUSH, HUSH #3) BY BECCA FITZPATRICK.

Title: Silence (Hush, Hush #3)
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Edition: Hardbound (Signed)
Published: October 4, 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 448
Source: Bought from National Bookstore
Genre: Romance, Paranormal (Angels)
Trailer: Here.

Synopsis:

WHEN SILENCE IS ALL THAT'S LEFT, CAN THE TRUTH FINALLY BE HEARD?

Nora Grey can't remember the past five months of her life. After the initial shock of waking up in a cemetery and being told that she has been missing for weeks - with no one knowing where she was or who she was with - she tried to get her life back on track. Go to school, hang out with her best friend, Vee, and dodge mom's creepy new boyfriend.

But there is this voice in the back of her head, an idea that she can almost reach out and touch. Visions of angel wings and unearthly creatures that have nothing to do with the life she knows.

And this unshakable feeling that a part of her is missing.

Then Nora crosses paths with a sexy stranger, whom she feels a mesmerizing connection to. He seems to hold all the answers...and her heart. Every minute she spends with him grows more and more intense until she realizes she could be falling in love. Again.

Nora woke up in a cemetery not remembering anything in the past 5 months of her life. The last thing she could remember was her biology test. She couldn't settle with what information she was given so she tried to learn what truly happened to her on her own. She found out Hank Millar was dating her mother, she missed school, she became friends with Marcie Millar, Vee lied to her and she couldn't remember who's Patch. In trying to stitch iffy events, her memories were slowly coming back and the truth not only hurt but ignited a rage she didn't know she's capable to feel. She has to do something about the welfare of her mother and the boy she loves most at the expense she's willing to pay -- even if that means she'll have to fight Patch.

The pull I felt while reading Hush, Hush and Crescendo died in Silence. The title did justice to the story but I believe, this is the worse in the series. I didn't truly buy why Nora lost her memories because it didn't add up to anything. A good chunk of the book was dedicated to her, trying to remember. So why shouldn't I just re-read Crescendo, then? Instead of developing into someone who's learned from past mistakes, she became that damsel in distress who needed saving. Thankfully, she didn't do something stupid (as a reader wold expect) despite the memory lost and still trusted Patch, I just simply didn't click with this story. A little boring yes and I can call this book the buffer in the series. You can skip this and the entire series would still make sense.

Patch's development though, gave me butterfly kisses. I adored how vocal he became about his feelings. I loved his ways of showing how he truly cared for Nora and Jesus, the way he held her? Bone-melting. He's full of surprises and I truly, absolutely fell hard for Patch in Silence.

Silence is an okay read. Not too bad but not that good either. Still dark and cunning, one can feel the balance of good and bad. Patch's mushy side appeared and that's all am after.

"The only way I'm going to survive this is by clinging to what I do know."

"How was I supposed to jump forward, when the platform beneath my feet had been yanked out?"

"Piece by piece, I let Jev break down my defenses. I swayed and dipped against him, letting him set the rhythm. I was overly warm, my head clogged with smoke, and the moment began to feel unreal, only making it easier to believe that later, if guilt or regret haunted me, I could pretend it never happened. While I was here, trapped in the club, trapped in Jev's eyes, he made it too easy to succumb."

"I can't move forward until I know what I left behind."

""There's only one thing I know for certain anymore." He turned, his eyes a clear black. "That I would do anything for you, even if it means going against my instincts or my very nature. I would lay down everything I possess, even my soul, for you. If that isn't love, it's the best I have.""

"If you need more reason, I love you. This is uncharted territory for me, but I need to know that at the end of the night, I have you to come home to."

REVIEW: CRESCENDO (HUSH, HUSH #2) BY BECCA FIRTZPATRICK.

Title: Crescendo (Hush, Hush #2)
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Edition: Hardbound (Signed)
Published: October 19, 2010
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 427
Source: Bought from National Bookstore
Genre: Romance, Paranormal (Angels)
Trailer: Here.

Synopsis:

Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but at least 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 (if that's possible) and what's worse, he seems to be spending time with Nora's archenemy, Marcie Millar.

Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Patch hadn't been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude, Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feelings that he is hiding something.

If that weren't enough, Nora is haunted by images of her murdered father, and comes to question whether her Nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death. Desperate to figure out what happened, she puts herself in increasingly dangerous situations to get the answer. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts.

**SPOILERS**

What in the world is wrong with Nora?

Seriously?

After being swept away by Hush, Hush (am referring to my lovely experience of re-reading it), I knew that I have to get through Crescendo as soon as possible. I am hooked, seriously hooked to Patch. And I know you can't blame me, people.

So after Nora sacrificed herself to kill Chauncey, Patch's nephilim vassal, this should have made Patch human. But Patch rejected it so Nora wouldn't die and Patch became her guardian angel instead. Everything seemed to be falling into place however, Nora broke up with Patch. She felt like Patch turned his back on her after she confessed she loves him and chose to cheat with Marcie Millar. As if on cue, Scott, her childhood friend, came back to town after his parents divorced and weird things started to happen. Weird things like Nora seeing his dead dad so alive in a cafeteria, Vee dating Rixon and Scott talking to her in her mind.

I have so much hate for Nora in this book. The frustration and anger I never thought I would feel exploded in my face because SHE IS SOOOOOO DARN RIDICULOUS. Her decisions made me want to pluck her out of the book and set her and Marcie on fire together and I wouldn't stop until I see their ashes on the ground! She is unbelievable and impossible. I cannot even tell you how hard she frustrated the heck out of me. People are trying to protect her but she kept toying with danger. She is a death magnet. Gaaaaah!

But despite the hate I have for Nora, there were moments I saw sense in her *rolls eyes* decisions. She had these good intentions but her executions were just tough shots. Like how she broke up with Patch. I hated her (after two chapters) when she acted so immature and self-centered though I know she just wanted to save Patch from being banished to hell forever. Like how she kept coming to Vee for help when she knows she's putting her bestfriend in danger and the worst part was her jealously. I understand where all those came from but hell, I couldn't handle her childishness. Even though I wanted to strangle Marcie's neck with my belt, she still should have trusted Patch and she should have known better. Marcie's a bitch and she's capable of ruining someone's life. But Nora took Marcie's words and didn't believe Patch at all. What kind of a person is she really? She couldn't love Patch deeply just like how she claims if she couldn't trust the damn boy! She even had the decency to use Scott to make him jealous! Then she went all that way to steal Marcie's diary but didn't read it! Plus, the fact that she's trying to outsmart the angels gave me headache. What part of "angels" didn't she understand? GAAAAAH NORA!!!!!

I also saw some inconsistencies with the story. What happened to Elliot after the incident in Hush, Hush? I felt like he was totally cut off from the series altogether which find odd because I think, he's an important character, too. Was it also that easy to elude the police about Chauncey's death? How did the oath of fealty truly work? And why is suddenly Rixon the bad guy? I didn't see it coming because it felt off to begin with. Patch and Rixon have been friends for how many centuries and what, just like that Rixon was instantly the villain? I don't buy it. I gave Patch more credit than he deserves so, no. I just wouldn't buy that Rixon the villan part.

Again, despite these conflicting emotions I have for Crescendo, I still rated it 4 stars when it could have been 1 or 2. The reason behind is I strongly liked how Hush, Hush and Crescendo made me cancel everything in my damn boring life to just read it. The story is pulling me that I swam smoothly with its flow. I liked and enjoyed watching Nora ruin her life and push the love of her life away from her, I liked how she learns from her mistakes and what made me connect to the story isn't the Paranormal aspect but more on the contemporary aspect of it. I had this mighty connection to Nora's feelings that covers up the hate I have for her stupidity. Did that make sense? And hello??? PAAAAAAAAAAAATCH!!!! Also, that freaking ending!!!! There is no way she is sisters with that Marcie the bitch. I hope it's just another plot twist.

What I am now expecting from Silence is more maturity and consistency because I would hate to hate this series. Am hoping it wouldn't come to that.

Crescendo got the best of me. The mix of loss, frustration and anxiety nearly drove me mad that putting it down will just add up to the agony! A gripping paranormal story that would put you on the edge, Crescendo didn't disappoint. Crazy plot twists I almost couldn't handle with swoon worth romance my heart couldn't almost take, it was truly, absolutely one heck of a ride!

"..the moment I fell in love with you was the moment you'd leave."

"..I didn't want to spend the rest of my life alone and tortured by the knowledge that everything I'd done meant nothing without [Patch]."

"The anger was beginning to wear off, but mostly I wished I could stay caught up in its fever forever. The emptiness it left behind ached more than the sharp, fiery pain I'd felt when [Patch] walked out."

"I cared about us. But the cold truth was, nothing I said or did could change the stars."

"Just because it's in the past doesn't mean it's easy to forget."

REVIEW: WORLD AFTER BY SUSAN EE.

Title: World After (Penryn and The End of Days #2)
Author: Susan Ee
Edition: Paperback
Published: November 21, 2013
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Pages: 438
Source: Bought from Fullybooked
Genre: Dystopia, Romance, Paranormal
Trailer: Not available.

Synopsis:

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

I bought my shiny copy of World After last year during its release week but I didn't get at it right away. I was just busy I guess. But I enjoyed Angelfall so much that I didn't forget what happened in the story even after a year later.

Everyone thought that Penryn is dead. She rescued Paige and got stung by the scorpion locust that slowed her heartbeat and paralyzed her entire body. When she finally wakes up, the people from their camp thought she was an anomaly just like Paige who is stitched back together like some Frankenstein experiment. She tries to fend for Paige but she's different now, she couldn't even keep any human food down. When Paige attacks and feeds from a human who initially tried to harm Penryn, she was almost killed by the people from the camp but they were herded by the locusts. Paige ran away and Penryn tried to find her again. Along the way, Penryn did her best to know what truly happened to her sister and where is Raffe.

I was a little disappointed with World After. I mean, the world building was still crafted beautifully and Penryn is still kickass but I wasn't that really impressed with the development of the story. It dragged. It would have been nice if the slow pace is compensated with a thorough and well-slated back plot but it didn't. I still have a ton of questions left from Angelfall only to be jumbled up with the questions from World After. The Apocalypse business isn't still clear. Instead of getting answers, the story focused on Penryn and only Penryn. There were parts and moments that didn't add up to the entirety of the novel and I think it would have been a good opportunity to present what is lacking. Well, benefit of the doubt, there's still books 3 and 4 so those might provide the best answers to all this.

Also, am all about Raffe here. Without the legions of angels and Raffe of course, this wouldn't have happened. But Raffe's part here was just minimal. It was starting to get annoyed that I was past half the book and he's still nowhere to be found. It was that moment when I was so tempted to DNF it. I found Rafee finally only to be separated with him again. Like, I was only with him for a hundred pages or even less. And honestly, I want unlimited Raffe.

What I enjoyed though are the obvious things: Penryn is still the kickass protogonist I met in Angelfall, Paige (though not the Old Paige) went from being vulnerable to someone who can defend herself (the way she did morbid things to Beliel left me in awe), Raffe, though torn with whatever he was sworn to to falling in love with the Daughter of Man, remains rational, brave, romantic and handsome and my favorite of all, the mystery behind Pooky Bear.

World After is a promising sequel to Angelfall. With its undeniably chaotic world to unbearably romantic struggles, it did try to deliver what was expected of it. Dark world, morbid ways of living and horrible creatures await -- reasons to be hopeful until we get Book 3.

"Body language says a lot in the world, and the last thing I need is to look vulnerable."

"You're a hero. I'm hoping you'll restore my faith and show me that we're worth saving."

"You broke me out of the grasp of a living horror when I thought all hope was gone. You gave me the opportunity to crawl back to life when no one else could."

"I watch him get far from me. He never even knew I was near."

""Don't let me go," he says."