Skip to main content

Book Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

NightshadeTitle: Nightshade
Author: Andrea Cremer
Series: Nightshade #1
Pages: 452
Date of UK Publications: 28th December 2010
Source: Bought
Synopsis from Goodreads:Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything--including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?


My Thoughts:
I've had Nightshade for a long time. Well, a few months, but still, it's been sitting on my shelf for a while. I was so excited to read it, but I hadn't got around to it, and I kept putting it off. Probably because of all the hype that was surrounding it a couple of months ago, I was hesitant to read it in case it didn't live up to my huge expectations.

But it's okay, it totally did live up to the hype. In every way. I read the whole thing in a day, all 452 pages of it. I loved every minute of reading it.

Calla Tor is a Guardian. She's known her whole life that she will become the female alpha of a new pack of Guardians, and she's always known that she will be mated to Ren, the male alpha of the new wolf pack. And she's never questioned it. Until she, perhaps stupidly, saved Shay from almost certain death. Now, she's torn between the boy she's known all her life she's going to end up with, and the boy she's only just met. And to make things worse, she's not even sure that everything that she's been told about her life can be trusted. What is she going to do?

The world and characters that Cremer has created are wonderful. The world is so detailed and thought out, that it's easy to imagine, though sometimes it is a little confusing. The characters were complex and seemed real despite the fact that they can shift into wolves at any time. I especially liked the way that all the positions in the pack were written, how it was obvious which rank each person was. If that makes sense.

My favourite character was Ren, so obviously, I'm Team Ren. I loved the way that he showed his love for Calla, the subtle way at the beginning and the more apparent at the end. Even though at times he seems to not care for her or even like her, you can see if you look a little deeper that he loves her so much, yet he doesn't know if Calla returns the feelings so he's afraid to show it. And he is SO sweet at the end, but I won't say anymore, in case I spoil it for you!

My only complaint was the ending. It felt rushed and a little bit like Cremer had got a little bored with the story... I don't know, I still enjoyed it, but it just didn't seem to fit with the rest of the book. Don't get me wrong, it was still awesome, just a little weird. Overall though, a fantastic debut novel from Andrea Cremer, and it's definitely worthy of my 5 Feet rating. :D


My Rating:
I give it 5 Feet!



Challenges:
2011 Paranormal YA Reading Challenge #17
2011 100+ Reading Challenge #22

Comments

  1. Great review! From what I can remember (it has been far too long since I last read this book, must reread it soon) I really like it too! I can't wait to see what Wolfsbane has in store for us!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glad this lived up to the hype for you! It did me too =)

    ReplyDelete
  3. While I had an emotional time reading this book, that only means that I am very attached to the characters. They affect me and I struggle to watch them go through such pain. Andrea did a fabulous job developing these characters.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'd write more but I think the less said the better. This is a book to just pick up without much foreknowledge, so you can be swept away trying to figure out what the heck is going on.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for commenting! :D I love comments, so comment away! :D

*I am no longer accepting blog awards :( I do not have time to go through all the things that come with it, and though I'm honoured you thought of me, I'm sure you can find someone who will love it, and be able to carry out the rules :)

Popular posts from this blog

REVIEW: A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood

Hello all! Hope you're all enjoying the summer! I'm currently on holiday in a huge castle in the South of France and enjoying relaxing, playing games, and of course reading a lot!  Today's post is a review of a dreamy summer romance that's perfect for your holiday TBRs! Title:  A Sky Painted Gold Author:  Laura Wood Series:   n/a Pages:   356 Publisher:  Scholastic Date of Publication:  5th July, 2018 Source:  Publisher for review* Synopsis from Goodreads: Growing up in her sleepy Cornish village dreaming of being a writer, sixteen-year-old Lou has always wondered about the grand Cardew house which has stood empty for years. And when the owners arrive for the summer - a handsome, dashing brother and sister - Lou is quite swept off her feet and into a world of moonlit cocktail parties and glamour beyond her wildest dreams. But, as she grows closer to the Cardews, is she abandoning her own ambitions... And is there something darker lurking at the

Book Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Title: Where She Went Author: Gayle Forman Series: If I Stay #2 Pages: 260 Publisher: Random House Date of UK Publication: April 28th 2011 Source: Borrowed from friend Synopsis from Goodreads: It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever. Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future and each other. Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance. My Thoughts: Where She Went continues the story from If I

REVIEW: Floored by Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson, and Eleanor Wood

Good morning! Hope you're having a good week! Today I have a review for one of the biggest titles at YALC this year. Title:  Floored Author:  Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson, and Eleanor Wood Series:  n/a Pages:   320 Publisher:  Macmillan Date of Publication:  12th July, 2018 Synopsis from Goodreads: When they got in the lift, they were strangers (though didn't that guy used to be on TV?): Sasha, who is desperately trying to deliver a parcel; Hugo, who knows he's the best-looking guy in the lift and is eyeing up Velvet, who knows what that look means when you hear her name and it doesn't match the way she looks, or the way she talks; Dawson, who was on TV, but isn't as good-looking as he was a few years ago and is desperately hoping no one recognizes him; Kaitlyn, who's losing her sight but won't admit it, and who used to have a poster of Dawson on her bedroom wall, and Joe, who shoul