Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

From Inside Jacket: 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 Rating: 4.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump with all the essays and midterms I have to study for. So, Nightshade by Andrea Cremer was the perfect book to get me out of my funk, especially since it brings you into the action right away and then explains gradually what’s going on.

The world Cremer has created is my favourite aspect of Nightshade because it’s so detailed and captivating. Calla even describes the origin of the Keepers, the Searchers, their enemy, and the Guardians, essentially leaving no questions about how this society came about.

I also really liked reading about the different Banes and the Nightshades and their interactions with each other. They were all solidly developed – especially Mason and Neville – and it was interesting to see how the two packs initially backed their own alphas, but as they started to merge into one, loyalties started shifting.  

It’s only when thinking about primary characters that I get mixed feelings about Nightshade. I thought it was great that Calla was an alpha who could protect herself and those she loves, but didn’t find her as appealing when it seemed like she was stringing along both Ren and Shay. I get that she’s conflicted – hey, there’s two hot boys to choose from – but even when it finally seems like she’s made a decision by declaring her love to one, she refuses to admit it to the other! How aggravating!

Speaking of boys, to me, Shay only appears interesting because of how he connects with the bigger picture. Calla’s attraction to him seems more physical, which is the only reason I’m assuming she saved him in the first place (since Calla herself doesn’t know the reason why). I find Ren on the other hand more intriguing because of his history and more similarity to Calla, but sadly, he isn’t featured as much as I’d like him to be. Here’s to hoping there’s more of Ren in Wolfsbane, the sequel to Nightshade.     

If you want a fast-paced, suspenseful and passionate novel, Nightshade, released by Philomel in October 2010, is it!

Comments About the Cover: The white and red of the lilies stand out really nicely against the backdrop of light purple, but it's the green eyes and the intense stare of the model that make the cover mesmerizing. I also really like the tiny details that have been added to make the cover even more gorgeous such as the glitter on the model's face to make her more otherworldly and the drop of blood on the "T" of Nightshade.