Nightshade - Andrea Cremer

· Reading level: Young Adult
· Paperback: 480 pages
· Publisher: Speak 2011
· Language: English
· ISBN-10: 014241980X
· ISBN-13: 978-0142419809

About the Book:

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 Review:

Calla is a werewolf; technically a “Guardian”. The Guardians are the protectors of the Keepers, a race of witches charged with protecting the balance power in the human world, unbeknownst to the humans. The Guardians protect the Keepers from the Seekers, rebel witches out to destroy the Keepers. Calla’s life is pretty much laid out, she is an alpha female from the Nightshade pack, destined to mate with Ren, an alpha male from the Bane pack, thus creating a new third pack. But then she breaks the rules. For reasons even she doesn’t understand, she rescues a human boy from a bear attack in the woods. When he shows up as a new student at the Mountain School, she knows there will be problems. When she becomes friends with him, he helps her uncover secrets about the history of the Guardians and Keepers that will change her perception of the world around her. As she realizes the Guardians are no more than glamorized slaves to the Keepers, her alliances are tested, and her life changed forever.

Nightshade is different than other books in its genre. Although Calla is torn between Shay and Ren, she doesn’t change as a person because of either boy. Her attraction to each boy is for reasons other than just physical beauty or unexplained obsession. She does make some poor decisions, but isn’t offered many choices either, so you don’t find yourself wanting to smack her upside the head for being stupid. The book is the first in a trilogy, but I see it more as a part one of three, because it doesn’t really stand alone. It is well written, with no rushing or jumping around from idea to idea, but there is no real ending to the story; it might as well have had a “to be continued” at the end. Either way, I am anxiously awaiting the second book “Wolfsbane” so I can continue the story.