Book Title/Author: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Publisher/Year: : HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Fiction
Series: Yes!
Other Books From Author: Wolfsbane (Book #2), Bloodrose (Book #3), Rift (prequel to Nightshade series)
Amazon
Official Summary: 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?
Hmm. Make no mistake — I LIKED Nightshade. I really did. I’ll read the rest of the series. I’d probably even recommend it to those who really LOVE the paranormal genre or who are wanting to get into it. I just don’t think I LOVED it like everyone else did. I read it really intently and was on the edge of my seat sometimes but I just kind of finished it like — “Ok, cool, that was good and fun.” I was excited to move on to the series to be immersed in the world again but I wasn’t out of my mind dying to get the second book.
I think the best part of this book is the lore and the world-building. It was all so delightfully magical and it was easy to get swept into this world. It was the kind of intricate, thoughtfully crafted world building that I love and find myself enchanted by and Andrea Cremer holds you captive as she tells this fantastical tale. I really enjoyed learning about the roles of the Keepers, Searchers & Guardians and how complex their history is.
AND THE BEST PART, this isn’t some cheesy werewolfy world. No, friends, this is one fantastic werewolf story — it doesn’t fall flat in terms of learning the order of the world. It’s complex. It’s not one of those stories where you could just plunk in any ol’ paranormal creature as the main characters and the story would essentially be the same. I’ve seen paranormal that doesn’t build that world so much and I could have inserted vampires in place of werewolf and WAH LAH..the story is still the same aside from some minor details. Andrea Cremer’s world of werewolves is COMPLEX! There is a whole society! A rich history! Totally the stuff of paranormal I really dig! And her writing is fan-freaking-tastic.
I think the underwhelming part for me was the whole love triangle thing. I know, I know…everyone loves this love triangle. Maybe I’m just all jaded now about love triangles and I would have totally loved this before I was inundated with tales of love triangles? Either way. It didn’t feel THAT different to me. Ok, here’s the boy she’s SUPPOSED to be with and here’s the new guy that she kinda really actually likes. WHAT IS A GIRL TO DO? That romantical storyline can be interesting but I just never really felt like I really cared WHO she ended up with…I just wanted her to make up her darn mind and PICK somebody and stop being so fickle. And I think it kind of made me ambivalent to Calla. And she really didn’t stand out to me as this AWESOME heroine. I mean, sure, she kicks ass at times but I never really felt wowed by her as a character. She just really fell flat for me but luckily there were some other really great characters to make up for it.
And I know some of you are curious — I’m Team Shay. Just had to throw that out there.
Nightshade was a really fun paranormal read that dazzled me with its world-building and fine tuned lore. I was so intrigued by the world and the hierarchy and the history — Andrea Cremer writes it all beautifully and with intrigue! If you left it at that, I would have been just as head-over-heels as it seems most people were. Unfortunately for me, a really main part of this book — the romance — just distracted me from what I loved most about it as it didn’t seem as unique or as well developed as the world. I think if you are a fan of YA paranormal that is set in a fantastically built world and includes a romance, you’ll really enjoy this book. Unfortunately, the romance wasn’t the strong point for me as I think it is for others as I just didn’t find it as anything new or even that compelling for me. All in all, a really great start to an intriguing series that I will more than likely continue on with.
The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater, Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
April Books & Wine says
See, I loved Nightshade but I thought the next book, Wolfbane or whatever it’s called was pretty boring. I don’t know, I just turned the pages so fast with Nightshade and the second felt like a chore. But I think you’ll like it more because the romance doesn’t play a super huge role in the second.
Jamie says
Oh boo! I don’t like boring. I thought the readability of Nightshade was excellent — I was whipping right through it even though I was majorly disenchanted by the romance. I hope Wolfsbane doesn’t drag for me 🙁
Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books says
I do like the fact that you said that it’s got great world-building and lore; that’s always a bonus for me in a book! I’ve been meaning to read this, but I think I’ll set it aside for now… Great review though!
Jamie says
It was really so fascinating and I just wanted to stay in that world! But then the romance was just MEHHH. 🙁 It’s a good read when you want to be sucked into a world that’s interesting and intricate! So many things to learn about it!
Melissa @ Writer Grrl Reads says
Omigoodness! You’re the first person I know that hasn’t loved, loved, loved the book — I’m so glad that I’m not alone! While I enjoyed the world that the author created, and the unique twist on werewolves, I’m not really much a fan of either of the guys in the book, making the whole love triangle just MEH. It’s hard to pick sides when neither of them are inspiring! I still haven’t read on in the series though… every time I go to pick up book two, I somehow end up being distracted by another book.
Jamie says
Isn’t it SO refreshing when you find someone who felt the same way about a book that you didn’t love but everyone else did?? I seriously breathe in a sigh of release. And YES exactly what you said…it really is hard to root for someone when you just don’t care. And I always feel like you need that investment in a romance when it’s a huge part of the story. Just wasn’t there for me! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Kelly (Radiant Shadows) says
I loved Nightshade. Wolfsbane was harder to get through because all of the questions you’re left with in Nightshade are answered – and then some! – in Wolfsbane; it’s much less action-packed. But Bloodrose was the perfect ending (IMO).
But I’m team Ren, so I guess this means we’re fighting now? 😛
Jamie says
I’m so curious to find out how it all ends in Bloodrose! Have you read Rift?
ALSO…yes..we are TOTALLY fighting now 😛
Kelly (Radiant Shadows) says
I want to read Rift SO BADLY, but I haven’t yet. I’ve got wayyy too many unread books sitting on myself to justify picking up a new one, so it has to wait. But I’m very excited for when I can get to it!
Did you hear she’s making a new erotica series, based off this same world?
Christa @ Hooked on Books says
I haven’t read this series because I’m always pretty “meh” about werewolves, but I did read Rift and LOVED it. It reads more like historic-fantasy to me and there’s no love triangle! I’m really curious to read Nightshade now to see how they connect because they don’t sound the same AT ALL.
Kelsey says
Girl, read the second book then talk to me about Shay. I want to smack him upside the head.
I really liked Nightshade, but if I’m being completely honest I think that’s more because it takes place at my high school than anything else. The tone of the series seriously changes after the first book. There’s some pretty priceless banter in Wolfsbane, but I would agree with April that the rest of it felt like a chore. There is a lot of boring angst and pages upon pages of back story to slog through.
But if you do end up reading on, let me know what you think!
Jon (@ScottReadsIt) says
I wanted to love this one, but I found the romance to be extremely dull! I’ve read the 2nd book and it wasn’t much of an improvement, sadly. Great review!