Nightshade

Title:  Nightshade

Author: Andrea Cremer

Ideal Age Range:  Young Adult

Mass Market Paperback: 452 Pages

Copyright Date: 2010

Blurb:  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:  (★)

☆«·´`·.¸★☆★¸.·´`·»☆

I’ll start out by saying that I borrowed this book from my collector mother, several months ago, and I was recommended it by one of my friends.  I finally finished reading it last night, and I’m glad to be done reading it.  I have to be honest and say I didn’t like it, but I can see how so many people like it, no, love it. 

I don’t find any fault with the writing, actually.  It wasn’t difficult to read but I did have a really hard time getting into it.  Maybe it just didn’t call out to me to read it?  I thought that the last half of the book was a lot more interesting and full of action than the first half, which made it easier to finish.  I liked the usage of enemies of the supernatural kind that authors don’t have a habit of using lately, giant spiders, incubi, succubae and wraiths.  Instead of the usual vampires or zombies.

I also thought the world building was pretty well done, it was believable and I appreciate the attention to detail about how the boarding school worked and the supporting characters.  Even the other students that have no names were a bit interesting in their fear of the Guardians.

I didn’t like the main character.  She is supposed to be an Alpha, but she doesn’t really seem like she has any real power over her pack, which, I suppose is explained later in the book, but it really frustrated me up to that point that she was seemingly more of just a figurehead.  I also thought she came across as a horny teenager a lot of the time, and maybe that’s just because I’m a little older than the “target audience”, but I don’t normally have a problem identifying with young adult novel characters.

But maybe that is the underlying problem as to why I didn’t like it?  Maybe I’m growing out of Young Adult Paranormals.  Say it isn’t so!  I felt the same way, if I remember correctly, about Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick.  It could be a pattern.

I’m torn as to whether or not I will pick up the second part of this series, Wolfsbane.  I had to make myself finish Nightshade but I hate it when books end with a cliffhanger of sorts.  So, even though I rated Nightshade as a 1 star (didn’t like it), I think I am definitely in the minority here, and if you like Young Adult Paranormals with a love triangle, then I’m sure you’d appreciate Andrea Cremer’s concoction.

I’m off to read something else now, Happy Reading Y’all!