Review: Finale

Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch.

Fallen angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean that they will always be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him.

But now they face their biggest challenge. Can their love survive a seemingly insurmountable divide. And in the end, will there be enough trust left to rebuild what has been broken?

The lines are drawn - but which sides are they on?

Title: Finale (Hush, Hush ~ Book 4)
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Publication Date: October 23 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0857072943
Length: 464 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Unfortunately I am not a fan. Very stiff posing and without his wings there is no reason for Patch to be shirtless.
Point of View: 1st person, following Nora

My Rating: 4 Stars

And so... it comes to an end.  Sadly I come away from this series wishing I loved it more than I do, however I do not regret reading it and that is all that matters.  How could I regret anything that brought me Patch?  For it is him alone that I have continued to give each book 4 stars.  I love his attitude, the way he talks, his love for Nora... I could go on and on.

It is nearly impossible to write a review of the final book in a series without giving away bits and pieces of the books that have come before.  So please, if you have not yet read the Hush, Hush series continue at your own risk.

Let us start at the beginning of Finale.  *start rant* I will just come out and say that I was disappointed in the about of rehashing that took place.  I mean this is book four in a four book series.  We know who the characters are and what they look like at this point, why do authors insist on doing this?  I get that there is sometimes up to a year between books so a little rehash is acceptable.  But to go into as much detail as giving physical attributes, this is going too far.  I do not see why anybody would need this information when we are this far into the series.  And if somebody does start with book four then it would be their own fault for starting at the end and loyal readers of the entire series shouldn't be forced to read it... again.  *end rant*

I must admit that for the first 25% or so I was wondering if I had somehow entered into the Twilight Zone?!  At the end of Silence we find Nora having to step up as the leader of the Black Hand's army, this pitting her against the Fallen Angels.  Meaning, against Patch.  They swore to each other that they would get though this together but we know there are rough roads ahead.  I am expecting non-stop action from the get go...  Nope.  Next thing I know Nora is back at home, her Mom is giving her yet another curfew, banging on about it being a school night and off Nora goes to party with Vee at a nightclub.  What?  We are only a week or so away from that time in the year where Fallen Angels take over the bodies of Nephilim.  The Nephilim are sure to be in anarchy as their leader has just been murdered. Her Mom has just been broken free from being held captive, in a cage... but it seems as though it has all been forgotten in order to go dancing.

There is plenty of character development, which of course had to happen with it being the last in the series.  I think my biggest shock was with Scott.  Those that have read it will know what I am referring to and for those that haven't I will not spoil it.  I will just say that I did not see this coming at all.  Vee wasn't really in Finale all that much to be honest, she came into it more toward the end but I can't say I was disappointed.  I never really warmed to her all that much.  There were also new characters introduced with Dante playing the biggest part of them all.  He was close to Hank (the old Black Hand) and therefore steps up to show Nora the way to being the Nephilim leader.  Patch trusts him about as far as he can throw him... well no that isn't right because Patch could probably throw him pretty far.  Let's just say he doesn't trust him at all.  Marcie is also back in all her glory.  I have to say I have hated her from the start but there is a part of me that feels sorry for her... but that feeling doesn't last very long.

Overall I feel this was a fitting end to a series but I can't escape the feeling that it was maybe one book too many.  I've read in a few different places that this was meant to be a trilogy however of course when the series started and it did so well the publisher convinced the author to turn it into four books.  Fair play to them, four books means more money than three.  I do think though it would have been stronger as a trilogy.  I can't throw a big stink about it though because it meant more Patch.  And I wasn't kidding in my review of Silence when I said I would so love a series of books about Patch pre Nora.  Would love to have a series about how he fell in love and fallen so many years ago and what he did before he met Nora.  Maybe a trilogy that starts with him meeting 'the girl and then his fall, a second book many years later when he was at his worst and then just before he decides to go after Nora in order to try to become human.  I would read those in a heartbeat!

All in all I would recommend this series but I would ask that they be read with this in mind.  Yes there are going to be moments where you want to pull your hair out, your eyes will roll and you will want to toss the book aside.  But I also promise you that there will be moments where you can't put the book down, you will swoon over Patch and you will find yourself smiling from ear to ear.  It will be a mixed bag of emotions but the ending is well worth the roller coaster ride.

“I know I can’t feel your touch, but I feel your love, Nora. Inside me. It means everything to me. I wish I could feel you the same way you feel me, but I have your love. Nothing will ever outweigh that. Some people go their entire lives never feeling the emotions you’ve given me. There is no regret in that.”

MORE QUOTES FROM FINALE