Thursday 23 December 2010

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Title: Nightshade
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Atom
Published: 28th December 2010
ISBN: 1907410279
Author website: http://www.andreacremer.com/

Rating: 3.5/5

I simply love the cover on this.  It hits all the right buttons for me with the colour and swirly detail :)  This review does have some spoilers in it....but it won't tell you the complete plot or ending.

I enjoyed the basics of the storyline in this. Calla, the werewolf who is soon to be Alpha of the pack, saves Shay, a human from a grizzly bear, breaking the rules of her pack from the outset.  Ren, who is Calla's betrothed, is an interesting character, I felt he could have been stronger in some parts. The packs' acceptance of tradition and their existence is difficult for me to accept since most of the books I've read portrays werewolves as the strongest species.  

This is the first storyline I've come across which introduces gay wolves, which I think is done really well.  I don't understand how the keeper/were pack relationship lasted so long as a dictatorship - Nightshade brings in organised and pre-ordained marriages, and a dictatorship which expects prospective female alphas to be virgins whilst the male prospective alpha gets to play the field...an interesting insight, and one which has ramifications all the way throughout the book. There were places where I just wanted to get hold of Calla and make up her mind for her....she's so indecisive, and can't pin down what she wants!

On Page 291 for those who've read it - Oh.My!!! I didn't see *that* coming!!!! (Runs and hides...very quickly!) 

I'm left feeling a little lost with this book sadly.  Whilst I enjoyed the storyline, I'm left to ponder on who are the bad guys in this, and I really don't feel closure on it...but I did read the first chapter of Wolfsbane which is the excerpt at the end of Nightshade, so I believe most of these issues will be resolved in the next book..... I would have liked a bit more closure in this one though.  I may read Wolfsbane, as I'm curious to know what's going to happen.

Book Synopsis:
"She can control her pack, but not her heart ...'I wanted him to kiss me?wished he could smell the desire that I knew was pouring off me. You can't, Calla. This boy isn't the one for you.' Calla Tor has always known her destiny: graduation, marriage and then a life leading her pack. But when she defies her masters' laws to save a human boy, she must choose. Is one boy worth losing everything?"



Source - Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy, in return for an honest review.

4 comments:

Leanna Elle said...

This sounds like a different take on all the usual werewolf stuff. I like the cover too, and I've heard good things, but I'm not sure I'll be reading this one. I'm not a huge fan of werewolf books (I'm a vampire girl!)

Nice review, though. :)

Avery said...

I just finished reviewing this today also!
But my darn copy didn't the the first chapter of "Wolfsbane"! Grrrr.... ;)
I do understand what you mean though, very few of the questions raised in this book were actually answered, it isn't a complete story whatsoever.

peapod said...

Okay - I'm going to go and check out page 291!

Aylee said...

Hmm, yes maybe you'll love the second book more when some of the issues you brought up will hopefully be resolved. Haven't read this book myself yet but I really hope I love it!