Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

My Rating: E, P, B

Published: 2010
Publisher: Atom Books

Author's Website: andreacremer.com

Purchase @ Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: graduation, marriage and then a life leading her pack.

But when she defies her masters’ laws to save a human boy, she must choose. Is one boy worth losing everything?

Nightshade is the first book in the ‘Witch War Series’ by Andrea Cremer. Well this is one of those books that you just can’t put down. Every time I did, I have to pick it straight back up again.

Calla Tor is the alpha of the Nightshade pack, well the alpha of the underage wolfs that is. She is betrothed to an alpha of another pack and after their marriage they will form a new pack. This has been highly anticipated and everyone is making sure that it happens as planned. But Calla has other ideas.

I felt so sorry for Calla. She has been told all her life what awaits in her future and she has no choice in it at all. Some of the time it doesn’t bother her, she is kind of giddy about the whole marriage and being leader of a pack thing but at the same time she yearns to do things that other teenagers do, i.e. let her hormones run rampage in her relationship. But alas, Calla can’t have that. She has to be pure for everything ahead. Life gets even harder as she falls for someone that she is forbidden to be with.

I had so many favourite moments from this book, but I think it had to be the moment where everything clicked into place and Calla makes a decision for herself. I thought it was such a great scene. My least favourite parts of the books were the abusive masters and alphas that think they can do anything because they are the leaders. Such a shame on those that have to put up with it as they can’t do anything about it. They have to basically shut up and put up. I totally don’t think I could live the wolf life. I would end up dead for not being obedient enough.

Cremer covers quite a lot in Nightshade from the incorporation of religion to the supernatural creatures, e.g. succubi, incubi etc, it was great! I loved it when one of the character compares the wolf’s and Keeper’s history to religion. In a funny way it sort of makes sense but at the same time, the wolf is adamant that it’s nothing like religion. The amount of supernatural creatures involved are quite spectacular. You never knew what was going to come next which made the anticipation so much more exciting.

Overall, I absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed and book. One of my favourite books this year so far, I loved it that much. I would recommend it to any young adult and adults out there. It’s not too teenager’ish of a read and if your an adult you will still be able to relate to the characters.

Disclaimer: I was sent this book for review by Amazon. I have not been paid to review this book and everything I have said is of my own honest opinion.