Nightshade - Andrea Cremer - 5*

Nightshade

Andrea Cremer

*****

No Spoilers

Where should I begin? This book drove my senses, it pulled at my heart and made me want to be in one of those packs (primarily the Banes, but let's not go there quite yet.) I haven't read many werewolf books, and the few I have read have been quite high on my ratings, but Nightshade took a whole new spin for me -- I devoured this book in two sittings. It would have been one if I didn't have to go out and break out of my reading bubble.

The story is about this girl, werewolf, Alpha, Calla Tor. Her impending coronation is a month away; to 'wed' her 'mate' Ren and become the new leader of a new pack, which includes the youngsters from both Bane and Nightshade wolf packs. She is starting to go along with it all until a new guy appears, and causes her to step out of line multiple times and break many, many rules.

Calla is a character that you can love and hate, at the same time. I loved her in some chapters; she is like what an Alpha Female, you'd imagine, would be like. Strong, dependable and reliable, well that changes when Shay enters the picture, and the jealousy between him and Ren really sparked something for me. At the beginning and middle of the book I was torn between the two, much like Calla, but I was drawn more and more to Ren and at points of the book, he just made me feel for him even more. I like my bad boys, but beneath that rough, bad-boy, womanizing exterior, is a soft, romantic, sweet boy.

Shay and Calla's relationship is sweet, friendly and that typical teenage sweetheart romance, but Ren, they have lustful moments, complete lack of control in the kissing department. He is protective and very, very possessive -- rightly so, as Calla is his Alpha mate. I did feel like screaming at Calla at times, more than once.

Andrea Cremer's writing is easy and it flows nicely; she has some good description and the dialogue is simple and real. Every chapter she wrote made me want to read the next, and then the next. It was a real page-turner and when I came to the ending, I was gutted that the library didn't have the sequel, and that Christmas is getting in the way of hunting one down. I will endeavor to find Wolfsbane in the sales in the New Year, hopefully. Maybe I'll find a deal and buy the complete trilogy.

I implore you read this if you haven't. I waited too long and have cursed myself for not reading it sooner. it is a lovely story and Andrea has created the werewolves in a different light, with magic, with added supernatural elements. It was nice, original and an awesome read. Five stars from me.