Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick

Published: November 2015

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 400

Copy Provided by: Library

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

A teen is forced to make a fresh start after witnessing a violent crime—but love and danger find her anyway in this novel from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga.

Stella Gordon is not her real name. Thunder Basin, Nebraska, is not her real home. This is not her real life.

After witnessing a lethal crime, Stella Gordon is sent to the middle of nowhere for her own safety before she testifies against the man she saw kill her mother’s drug dealer.

But Stella was about to start her senior year with the boyfriend she loves. How can she be pulled away from the only life she knows and expected to start a new one in Nebraska? Stella chafes at her protection and is rude to everyone she meets. She’s not planning on staying long, so why be friendly? Then she meets Chet Falconer and it becomes harder to keep her guard up, even as her guilt about having to lie to him grows.

As Stella starts to feel safer, the real threat to her life increases—because her enemies are actually closer than she thinks…

Review:

I was so excited for this one because I really enjoyed the Hush Hush series and it is great to see Becca Fitzpatrick take on another genre.  Black Ice was enjoyable and I liked the thrill factor as well.  Plus, I liked these stand alone titles.  Being committed to a series relationship is a nice change.

So Stella...she has no idea who to trust and there are so many people who seem to be reaching out to her so that they can help.  When she starts to live with her new guardian, she is totally disrespectful but she eventually comes around and begins to see what living with a proper adult is like. As for her real mom...Wow!  With a parental figure like that, it is hard to believe that Stella wasn't headed down the wrong tracks.

The entire novel takes you down a very suspenseful road into a witness protection program where you think the witness is safe...but is she really? I felt like I was on a high speed train but unfortunately, it braked a little bit too quickly for me.  I liked it but didn't love it.  It was a good read but not worth taking up my precious bookshelf space. 

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Published: Oct 2014

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Pages: 400

Copy Provided by: Publisher

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

Sometimes danger is hard to see... until it’s too late. 

Britt Pfeiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage. 

In exchange for her life, Britt agrees to guide the men off the mountain. As they set off, Britt knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there... and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target. 

But nothing is as it seems in the mountains, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally? 

Review:

It has been awhile since I read a gritty novel like this one and I LOVED IT!!  My first thought after finishing the last page?  That. Was. Awesome.

In this gripping story, a girl is fighting for survival in the woods while being held hostage by two shady characters who may have murdered someone in an abandoned cabin.  Not only that but they have forced her to abandon her friend (Corbie) and lead them down the mountainside!

Becca Fitzpatrick is the author of the Hush Hush series with angels.  I wanted to see what this book was about because I LOVED Hush Hush.  I also like to see how authors continue writing with different storyplot ideas.  What a departure from writing about the supernatural!  She uses her beautiful poetic and descriptive writing style to create just the right ambiance for the reader.  The novel blazes through with detail, drama and lots of action.  

There are 3 main characters in Black Ice who play crucial roles - 

Britt, the main character is quite a spitfire. She is sure-headed when it comes to emergencies and seems to think pretty quickly on her feet.  The Britt we see in danger is a far cry from the Britt we encounter at the convenience store with Calvin before she climbs the mountain.  Its good to see a character come out of her shell when put into a difficult situation and take charge.  She wants to vacation on the mountain with her best friend Corbie.  Just so happens Corbie is her ex-boyfriend's sister and he will be chaperoning their vacation.

Calvin - he is the mountaineer and a perfect candidate for keeping an eye out for the two girls.  Coerced by his parents to watch his younger sister and her friend, he ends up meeting the girls on the mountain to make sure they have a safe holiday.

Mason - Mason is one of the men Britt meets when the girls get stuck in a storm and are looking for shelter.  He is tough to get to know though and seems to be hiding something.  He is a mystery and as a reader, I wasn't sure if he was a friend or a foe.  Its hard to figure out if he has a split personality and Britt should trust him or toss him to the elements.  

Be prepared for A LOT of action and suspense in Black Ice.  I found it to be a fast read because the pace of the storyline made me read more quickly.  I LOVE how this is a standalone title and Becca did an excellent job of providing a proper ending for the characters.  Something that was (what word do I say without giving anything away??) logical.  Black Ice would be a great getaway read...just don't start it in the evening because you may not want to put it down until you get to the last page!

Check out the book trailer below and don't forget to enter our GIVEAWAY for a copy of Shadows or Haze by Paula Weston.  There are low entries right now so your chances are HIGH!!  Good luck!

Enter to win a copy of Haze or Shadows by Paula Weston!!  Currently there are LOW ENTRIES so your chances are HIGH!!

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

Published: October 2012

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 454

Copy Provided by: Library

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

Will love conquer all?

Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank's absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels - destroying Patch.

Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.

But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.

As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.

Review: 
I think the toughest part about reviewing a book in a sequel is recalling what had happened in the last book.  It has been awhile since finished up Silence (book #3) in the Hush Hush series.  If you are just starting out on the Nora/Patch saga, it is best to read Book #1 - Hush Hush.  The good news is that you can read it from start to finish without any publishing interruptions!  There will be lots of spoilers in this review so please stop reading now if you have not yet read the rest of the series!

So Finale (book #4) leads us to Nora becoming the head of the Nephilim.  She has a bit of a conundrum - does she bring her people to war or does she destroy the fallen angels?  What's a girl to do?  As much as I enjoyed this series, it lacked some believe-ability for me.    How does a young girl go from being human to taking over an army of Nephilim without having something behind her to back her up?  Like super strength, brutality, leadership?  Things I just didn't see in Nora at this time.

Normally by this time I'd be gushing about the last book of a series.  I like to gush for my favorite series.  Heck, when I make it book 3, that should be a cause for celebration!   Despite the lack of believe-ability,  I still finished the book and enjoyed the ending to this series.  So what am I trying to say?  I enjoyed the Hush Hush series but found that book #4 did not have the same strength and writing mojo as books 1 - 3.  Sorry Becca.  I liked it but I didn't LOVE it.

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

Published: October 2011

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing

Pages: 438

Copy Provided by: Borrowed

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.

Review:

I got my paws on this little morsel last week.  Lucky to be able to borrow it from a special source.  I took every opportunity to read that I could...in the car...waiting for water to boil for my tea....before bed...Ms. Fitzpatrick does it again with this one.  I finished up Crescendo just recently and timed it right to get my hands on Silence before I started forgetting the details of the story.  


Like Crescendo, Silence provides the reader with a fast paced, action-packed episode of Patch/Jev and Nora.  Gone are those feelings of angst in the last book where Nora questioned Patch's feelings for her or Marcie.  This time around, she needs to figure out what her feelings are for him after her memory has been wiped.  


By the way, I loved this video depicting an artist's recreation of Crescendo's cover - 

I enjoyed this read immensely and was happily surprised to see that the Hush Hush trilogy is actually not a trilogy at all. There were will a fourth book.  I love the dynamics between Nora and Jev!  In Silence, something big happens at the end of the book which changes Nora and makes her character all the more special.  Having Jev as a fallen angel to protect her has been pretty sweet but now maybe she will be able to take care of herself...read the book and find out.  I was happily surprised by the ending and from this point on, Becca can take this plot forward with several more books!

I just found out that Hush Hush will be released as a graphic novel this fall (sometime in November?)  Cool!!

Quote from page 274 - 

"I missed you Angel.  Not one day went by that I didn't feel you missing from my life.  You haunted me to the point that I began  to believe Hank had gone back on his oath and killed you.  I saw your ghost in everything.  I couldn't escape you and I didn't want to. You tortured me, but it was better than losing you."

With lines like this, who wouldn't want a Patch/Jev of their own? 

Now my only question is...where can I get me a fallen angel??

Same Book, Second Look - Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Published: Oct 2010 

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Pages: 427

Copy Provided By: Purchased

Summary:  Goodreads

Summary:

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 and even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's arch-enemy, Marcie Millar.

Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Patch hadnt been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something.

Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperately searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts.

Review:

Why oh why have I waited so long to read this??  I LOVED Crescendo.  It has all of the elements I look for in a good book - hot bad boys, a great storyline, action, drama, romance and did I mention the hot bad boys...  :)

Becca did a great job of getting us involved with Nora and Patch's rocky relationship again.   As with all relationships, there are always rocky parts.   Nora did exactly what all irrational women do when they are jealous, confused and upset.  She totally pushed Patch away and did exactly the opposite of what she wanted.  It reminded me of when I was in high school and all I really wanted was a boyfriend who knew me so well that they wouldn't ever leave me, even if I tried to push them away.   Besides the rocky relationship, throw in a hot girl who has eyes for your man and you can just imagine how emotionally charged this book was.  Anyone else have a Marcie Millar in their lives?  Grrr....women like that make me so mad!

For support, Nora is able to lean on her BBF, Vee.  Vee is awesome.  Not only does she support her friend but she is always an accomplice to whatever crazy scheme she has going on.  When I was in university, I had a bestie who was just like this.  Do you have a Vee in your life?  

So on the action side, you'll find that Crescendo is packed with mystery and intrigue.  There are some new characters that are introduced and Ms. Fitzpatrick leads you on a wild chase to determine who is good, and who is evil....I really enjoyed Crescendo and can't wait to get my hands on Silence (just released Oct 4th!).  It was a thumbs up for me!

Curlypow did our original review of this title last year.  You can read it here.

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Released: October 19th, 2010

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Copy provided by: ARC from publisher

Summary: Goodreads

Nora should have know her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described 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?

'Crescendo' is the much anticipated sequel to Becca Fitzpatrick's hugely popular 'Hush, Hush'. I read 'Hush, Hush' when it first came out and I remember really enjoying it. Strangely though, when I started reading 'Crescendo' I found myself with absolutely no recollection of what had happened in the first book. Oh, I remembered the character names, Patch and Nora, and I remembered that Patch was a fallen angel, but I couldn't remember any of the details. Sorry Ms Fitzpatrick.

Now, once I began reading, the details started to come back to me, and of course, the more I read the more I remembered. To be completely honest, my memory lapse did not affect my enjoyment of Crescendo in the end, but I did find it strange! May'be I've just been reading too many books?

Anyway, on to the book. Crescendo picks up right where 'Hush, hush' left off and Patch and Nora are enjoying coupledom. It would be too much to expect things to go smoothly for the pair of them, and before long a few spanners have been thrown in the works. One of the things I found myself thinking while reading this was how easily we think the worst of people. There are very few of us out there that, when faced with a nasty 'truth' about someone, will not believe the worst immediately. It is so much easier to believe the bad things than to fight to believe the good.

Patch and Nora are joined by Rixon, Scott and Vee, and Nora is tring to find out more about the death of her father. Vee is such a wonderful sidekick for Nora - I love the way that she is so comfortable in her own skin - I'm thinking it would be a good thing if more of us were as happy about ourselves as she is. Scott and Rixon are nicely presented as the good guy/bad guy - but are they good or are they bad? Nice bit of confusion going on there that I had fun unravelling. The mystery played out well and the characters worked for me.

All in all I quite enjoyed 'Crescendo'. Not one of my favourites, but a good read anyway.