Review: Nightshade: Andrea Cremer

Nightshade: Andrea Cremer

Synopsis: Goodreads

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?

Cover:

   I know I don't even have to explain myself but this cover is AMAZING!!. So beautiful and enticing. Her bright amber eyes and the wavy purpleish icy hair wow oh wow. Its beyond good. Love it love ie!!!

My Review:

   The beginning of this book was a little weird for me. Usually by page 70-100 I should be completely enticed and not wanting to put the book down. Now that didn’t exactly happen it was more of curiousness that kept me going toward the first 200 pages. The reason I say that is because this book started off a little weird. To begin with I felt like I was bit bombarded with the whole guardians, keepers, and wraiths. I didn’t understand what they were until I got a snippet of when Calla spoke to Shay on the mountain. Secondly it kind of bothers me that Calla doesn’t really know what going on with anything. I just found it weird she does what she’s told and follows all the rules, but then not really. It’s like she doesn’t like the keepers therefore she’s scared of them but I don’t really see any questioning coming from her. It was just off. I didn’t get a sense of Calla’s personality either. I mean I knew she was the alpha of her pack but that’s it. I don’t know how she feels about anyone at all, even her brother. I felt like she’s like a stepford wife, no personality, does what the keepers say and that’s that. I mean even the time when Ren would touch her she would say how she would get all riled up and angry but for no reason.

It was the same when Shay touched her heart would race and she would constantly check him out. It felt like if anyone touched her, she would have some hyperventilating reaction. I didn’t get the understanding of why she felt certain ways.  I just felt like I didn’t know who Calla was. I mean besides the fact that Ren is her destined mate and he dates random girls she never mentioned why she doesn’t like him, in fact she says they are friends but there not really it’s weird. When it comes to Shay, she knows she isn’t supposed to talk to humans yet she’s intrigued by him so she spills so many secrets on that mountain. At times when Calla would meet the two guys I felt like she seriously just a horny mess and does not know what to do with herself! I literally would think to myself this girl is fricken crazy what is she doing??

                Luckily as the book went on I really started to enjoy all those lustful scenes between Ren & Calla and Shay & Calla. I loved the way Ren teased her and took charge and really made Calla sweat. He was very sexy and really knew how to get Calla all riled up.  As for Shay at first I thought he was kind of nerdy but as the book went on I loved that sort of confidence he had and all those witty remarks. He was definitely softer with his approach at romancing Calla, he would gently run his hand down her back. But still good to read about! He reminded me of a Christian Ozera from VA. He really did want Calla to be free and was very understanding on everything. I mean he barely freaked I mean I must say it was pretty funny the way Shay would challenge Ren.  The thing that bothered me was the whole the whole turning Shay into a werewolf. I mean I understand that it was necessary but I felt like it happened too fast. Usually when someone turns for the first time it’s quite painful and it literally felt like 30 seconds passed. I also found weird was how they were suppose to keep their identity as werewolves a secret yet they would change so freely ex. (library, streets, school) I just thought that’s  not realistic. As well as the ideas the keepers watched everything and you had to abide by their strict rules yet I didn’t feel they really watched at all throughout the book except those random times Lumine showed up and Logan ordering around the new pack. That was a bit iffy for me. .

 I liked Calla’s brother a lot he was so cute and sweet. He really would do anything to protect her even though he’s so young. I have a very strong feeling that he will play a major role in causing some trouble for the keepers!  I also enjoyed how the guardians could shift easily without having to worry about clothes; I was  wondering towards the beginning was she naked when Shay first saw her? I must say that this book was definitely original in many ways. I didn’t feel like I could predict everything which was pretty awesome.
Calla's sense of duty to her pack was really nice to read about. Especially the responsibility she felt to Mason after Logan's intentions. 

                Now this book I was originally going to give it 3 ½ because it took a bit to get into. I continued reading for interest and because of the high rating this book kept getting. As I read I realized after I came to terms with this world and how it was written I really enjoyed the book. I liked how they were on the search for the truth. After a while of me reading I couldn’t put the book down because I needed to know how it ended. There was a whole lot of mystery in this book as in whose good and bad and I don’t know what to think. I am leaning towards the keepers as bad but who knows? The book ended with quite a cliffhanger and an interesting point for Wolfsbane to begin. I am really looking forward to reading the next book more than I had originally expected. That’s why I decide to rate it a 4 because I was caught by surprise on how this book had me turning the pages. As for who’s team I am rooting for, I couldn’t decide weird huh? I really liked Ren I think he’s good at heart just has a hardened exterior. Shay is sweet and full of possibilities. I like our heroine through most of the book couldn’t decide. We will see where this journey takes us.

                                                                4