Cresendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush, Hush #2)

From Goodreads:

The sequel to the New York Times Best selling phenomenon, Hush, Hush!

Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away, and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home. 

The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch, or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

I decided to look at this review as a book where the issues with Patch were resolved. I figured that it was obvious that none of the problems I had would be rehashed in a way that would please me, so I decided to move on with the characters. In this one, Patch is a jerk, but not a scary jerk like we met in the last book. In fact he was so much a jerk, I found myself yelling that at the book from time to time. *don't look at me that way... yes, I talk to my books. It's okay as long as I don't expect them to talk back. ;)* Nora, also really got on my nerves in this book. Granted with Patch being such a jerk some of it made sense. The fact that she became extremely needy grated on my nerves, but did make sense. Especially when Patch wanted her to be honest and he still kept secrets. However, that is where I have to say my sympathies ended with Nora. She kept making one bad decision after another. She would proclaim herself more mature but I'd be wondering where she put the decision she just made a few pages prior in that claim. A few bad decisions I can accept, but almost every one of them? Just too much for me.

I do admit, I liked Vee more in this one than in the last book. I have known people like her and it is fun to be around them. Also, the action in this book was so much more compelling and interesting. I liked Scott as a bad guy as well as all the confusing things that went around her. However, the ending didn't just flow with me. Certain things made too quick of a turnaround. Too many things weren't given enough clues to make it fit. Also, there were a couple of instances where Nora had something (like someone's car) or proclaimed something and then in the next chapter it was forgotten.

Okay, how do I rate this book? I did like the action. However, the main characters didn't elicit the interest I would have liked. Plus, it ends in a cliff-hanger (if you know me I hate those!). I guess I'll give it 3 stars. It was an okay book and better if you didn't read the first one in the series.

I was given this ARC by Teen Simon and Schuster and no compensation for my review was received.