Crescendo (novel)

Crescendo
Front cover of Crescendo
Author(s)	Becca Fitzpatrick
Cover artist	Lucy Ruth Cummins (design)
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Hush, Hush series
Genre(s)	Young adult, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher	Simon & Schuster
Publication date	2010
Media type	Print (Hardcover)
ISBN	ISBN 978-I-4I69-8943-I
Preceded by	Hush, Hush (2009)
Followed by	Silence(2011)

Crescendo is a young adult paranormal romance novel by Becca Fitzpatrick. It was first published in 2010 as the sequel to her best-selling novel Hush, Hush. Crescendo spent ten weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list.^[1]

Plot summary

Nora Grey's life is right on track: she has a new boyfriend in Patch, who was once a fallen Angel but is now her guardian angel. Their new relationship seems perfect and Nora devotes every waking moment to Patch. However, when Nora tells Patch that she loves him, he doesn't respond. Soon Patch isn't calling Nora and doesn't respond when she calls him. Nora is shocked to finds out from Marcie that Patch stood outside Marcie's house the night that Nora told Patch she loved him. That night Patch shows up at Nora's house. She confronts him about why he was outside Marcie's house and he doesn't answer. Patch seems cold toward Nora, upsetting her even more. Patch informs her that since getting his wings back he has been put on a short leash; archangels will probably send him to Hell if he tells Nora he loves her. Nora, scared that she will lose Patch completely, decides to end their relationship.

Nora begins talking to Scott Parnell, an old friend, and soon finds out that he has some dark secrets. While her mother insists that she stay away from Scott, Nora becomes obsessed with finding out Scott's secret. Nora believes that Scott could very well be Nephilim, and convinces Vee Sky to come with her as she follows him. After Scott confronts her, he invites her to a pool hall with a reputation worse than that of Bo's Arcade, Patch's old haunt. While there, she runs into Patch, who insists that Nora isn't safe and that she needs to go home. Patch also confirms that Scott is a Nephil, and a member of a Nephilim Blood Society, an organization which works to break the hold fallen angels have on the Nephilim. Ultimately refusing to takes Patch's advise, she decides to make Patch jealous when she later spots him there with Marcie. Soon someone attempts to rob the pool hall. When Scott refuses to hand over his money, a fight breaks out and gunfire takes place. Pulling her out of the mayhem, Patch offers Nora his Jeep. When he refuses to leave Marcie behind, she refuses the Jeep and fires Patch as her guardian angel.

While she is with Vee having lunch, Scott appears at a window luring Nora outside to come talk to him. Nora also receives a envelope containing a ring and a note telling her the 'Black Hand' killed her father. Scott invites her to a Battle of the Bands. Nora, still curious about the secrets that surround him, accepts. While waiting for Scott to find a parking space and waiting for Vee to arrive, Nora spots a figure that resembles her father, and follows him to an abandoned townhouse where he disappears. She hears his voice telling her to turn around that she is in danger, Unwilling to turn away Nora calls out to the voice. The voice, responding to her changes, becomes colder. When Nora responds, a hand reaches out to her and soon she is being attacked. Once Nora is able to free herself she finds that no harm has been done to her. She realizes that the voice was not her father, and someone is trying to kill her.

The next day, she heads off to the media center, where she passes out. She wakes up and hides when she hears someone. The door is broken down by Scott. Vee comes in with her boyfriend, Rixon, and he and Scott get into a fight. Vee stops Rixon and calls the police on Scott. Nora looks at the door Scott broke through and notices it was locked with a dead bolt. She and Rixon realize that Scott is a Nephilim.

Nora, Vee and Rixon head to the amusement park, where Scott appears with a gun. Rixon leads Nora to an underground tunnel for her safety. Nora hears her dad’s voice in her head, telling her to touch Rixon’s scars. She complies and is whisked to the past, where she sees Rixon holding a gun at her dad. She returns to the present and tries to escape from Rixon, realizing he is the real killer. Rixon pursues her, wanting to use her as a human sacrifice. Nora bumps into Scott and informs him that he is an immortal Nephilim so he cannot die. Patch appears just as Nora is shot by Rixon.

After checking out of the hospital, Nora finds Patch, who is happy to see her. He tells her he sent Rixon to hell and admits he loves her. Just then, Hank Millar, revealed to be Nora's real father, comes in and takes Patch away from her. The book ends when Hank Millar asks Nora if it was her that killed "his dear friend, Chauncey Langeais."

Characters

Nora Grey

Nora is a normal girl, with curly hair and legs 'like barstools'. She lives with her mother, and finds out that she has been having a secret affair with Marcie Millar's father, Hank. She is romantically involved with Patch, who is her Guardian Angel. She discovers her arch-enemy, Marcie, is her half sister,which Marcie has proven to have known, which explains why Marcie was such a horrible person to her.

Patch Cipriano

Patch is Nora's Guardian Angel. He is 6ft- 6'1", and has an 'athletic build that even loose-fit jeans and a T-shirt couldn't conceal'. He also has dark hair that 'gave midnight a run for its money' and 'eyes to match'. His smile is also 'sexy, and warned of trouble'. Patch likes playing pool, and regually visits Bo's Arcade. He falls out with Nora, as he becomes Marcie's Guardian Angel, though they get back together. He is best friend's with Rixon, another fallen angel. He drives a Jeep, which is a sort-of metaphor of himself. It is also revealed that Patch's real name is Jev, which he inscribes on Nora's ring next to her name. He is in love with Nora, and goes rogue at the end of the book.

Scott Parnell

Scott, or “Scottie the Potty” but soon turned into “Scottie the Hottie”. He was one of Nora’s childhood friends, but he moved away and came back much hotter than Nora remembered. He becomes a “bad boy” in way. He has weed growing under his bed and he plays pool at 'Z', a tougher pool club than Bo's Arcade. He is a Nephilim, and has a gambling problem. He constantly gets drunk and tries to hook up with Nora.

Rixon

Rixon is a fallen angel, and Patch's best friend. Him and Vee start dating after Patch sets them up to keep an eye on him. Rixon kidnaps Nora in Delphic. Patch sends him to Hell, discovering how mistrustful he really was.

Vee Sky

She is Nora’s best friend. She has green eyes, milky blonde hair, light skinned and is 'a few pounds over curvy'. Vee is very supportive of Nora when she and Patch break up. She and Marcie are also arch-enemies, and often end up arguing.

Marcie Millar

Marcie Millar, daughter of Hank Millar. She is Nora’s arch-enemy and half sister. She played horrible pranks on Nora, such as pinning her underwear on the notice board and spray-painting her locker. Marcie is a strawberry blonde, her skirts 'two sizes too small and five inches too short'. She also 'had the shape of a Popsicle stick-turn her sideways and she practically disappeared'.

Hank Millar

Hank Millar, Marcie’s father. He is a pure Nephilim. Hank is Nora’s real father. He is also part of the Nephilim 'Black Hand' group, who are trying to rise up against the fallen angels. He is also known as 'Barnabas Underwood'. He owns a Toyota dealership in Coldwater, and his family live in an 'upscale hillside neighborhood'. They are also members of the Harraseeket Yacht Club.

Detective Basso

Detective Basso, Coldwater detective. He has been trying to figure out Nora's secrets since Hush Hush. He even tries to bribe her to let her off a ticket if she explained her entire story to him.

Sequel

The sequel to Crescendo, titled Silence, was released on October 4, 2011.

Notes

1. ^ Best Sellers: Children's Chapter Books. New York Times. Retrieved March 4 2011.

External links

• Crescendo on Google Books
• Author's website
• Crescendo at the author's website