Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Title: Nightshade ARC
Author: Andrea Cremer
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 10/19/10
Summary:

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?

Plot: 3 Stars
I wanted more from this novel. I really enjoyed reading about the push-and-pull Calla was forced to endure between Shay and Ren. I had no problem with the love triangle taking the forefront because it was done in a new way. Normally the heroine is human and the two heroes vying for her affection are supernatural; but in this novel, Calla and Ren were supernatural, while Shay was human. It was refreshing for one of the boys to be the most vulnerable of the triangle. It was the rest of the story that left me wanting more. There wasn't a lot of action until the last couple chapters, and even that was cut short by a cliffhanger ending.

Pace: 3.5 Stars
There were a few moments in which the pace of the novel hit a bump. Every now and then it seemed to slow down a bit as it focused on a specific detail of a scene, but then it would pick right back up again. A detail that I really enjoyed was the phase of the moon at the beginning of each chapter. It kept the timeframe of the novel fresh in your mind as you read. Another detail at the beginning of each chapter were these triangle and lines. They aren't explained until at least two-thirds of the way through, and even then they're barely mentioned. I hope that they'll be explained more thoroughly in future novels since they seem to be important, considering they're placed in each chapter.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
My favorite part of the novel was that the other pack members, besides Calla and Ren, were such well developed characters. As much as the novel focused on the triangle of Calla, Ren, and Shay, the rest of the pack was also focused on since the formation of this new pack was such a big deal. These characters could've easily been cast aside and left in the background. Instead they played quite a large role. The relationship between Keepers and Guardians was also a very interesting take on werewolves, but it did take a little bit longer than I would've liked to be explained. Hopefully there's more to the dynamic to learn in future novels.

Cover: 4 Stars
It's not often that I pick up a book solely because of it's cover, but I would've picked this book up even if I hadn't gotten to read any reviews or its blurb. It's just that beautiful. Although Calla is a bit more of a tomboy than the cover model comes across as (especially considering she tends to keep her hair in a braid), I could imagine her looking like the cover model on the days her mother forced her to dress like a lady. The lily on the cover was a nice touch, considering Ren's nickname for Calla. And the purple color scheme was very eye-catching. For a color that can tend towards dark and depressing, it came across as very fierce on the cover.

Overall: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC thru Book It Forward Tours.