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a_strix_named_strix's review against another edition
2.0
Andrea Cremer is the queen of ruining good premises, and she uses darker themes seemingly for shock rather than for any actual reason. I simply do not like her books, her characterization is flat and everyone is too darn annoying.
halynah's review against another edition
5.0
EXCELLENT, INTENSE, UNPUTDOWNABLE BOOK!!! I loved everything - powerfully built plot, amazingly written characters, numerous twists and turns, brilliant ideas like personal weapons and choosing of a horse. Absolutely amazing reading experience - highly recommended!!!
chapters_and_pages's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Mini Reviews of 2024: #26 š
š”ļø Rift by Andrea Cremer š”ļø
āļøāļøāļøāļø
Rift is the first book in the prequel series to the Nightshade trilogy, which I reread before rereading this series. When I first read Rift, I definitely preferred it to Nightshade, and that definitely hasnāt changed!
Ever since her birth, Ember has known that she has owed her life to Conatus, a mysterious order of knights. At sixteen years old, she must join them. Raised in a noble family, Ember finds unexpected joy in wielding swords and fighting darkness. When one of the groups leaders begins dabbling in dark magic, Ember, along with her handsome mentor, Barrow, must decide her place within the order.
I had some problems with the Nightshade trilogy, however, I really enjoyed this series! Was it perfect? No. Did it stress me out as much as Nightshade? Absolutely not!
I really enjoyed Ember and Barrow, both as individual characters, and as a couple. I was also a fan of the time period in which this book was set, and the way the author showed Emberās journey to becoming a member of Conatus.
Overall, I enjoyed this reread and I look forward to rereading the sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Injury/Injury detail
books4susie's review against another edition
5.0
Reading Alert: Even though Rift takes place in the Nightshade world, you donāt have to read the trilogy in order to understand this book. Rift will provide Nightshade fans with the background information on the Witchesā War.
āShe can battle darkness, but she canāt fight love.ā
AD 1404 Scottish lowlands
Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow dreams of a life in which āshe could live by her sword and her courage.ā The daughter of a nobleman, a life of marriage and motherhood lies before her. Her only hope of escape is the debt of her life her father owes to the Conatus. When her birth didnāt progress as it should have and both mother and child were near certain death, their lives were saved by the sudden appearance of a Conatus trained midwife. Unfortunately her services came with a price. Ember was pledged to the Conatus during her sixteenth tear and her arrival at their keep āis considered a harbinger of the Orderās future. One way or the other.ā
When her old friend Alistair Hart arrives with Barrow Hess to escort Ember to the Conatusā keep at Terrmunn, Lord Morrow tries his best to delay her inevitable journey. After a fight with Morrowās best three men, Hess prevails and preparations are quickly made to leave within the hour.
Upon their arrival at Terrmunn, they are greeted by the Conatus and a neighboring lord named Mackenzie. Ember is relieved to be out of the carriage and is slightly worried about her older sister Agnes, who was ill throughout the trip. Lord Morrow is thrilled to learn that Lord Mackenzie has a bachelor son. He hopes to work out a deal that will satisfy the Conatus and secure a husband for Ember. Alistair tells Ember she will have to undergo a trial but he is unable to provide any details. Ember just hopes that she will be able to choose the path she wishes to take.
The morning of the trials, the initiates meet Father Michael who explains the process. Every person will choose which path they wish to follow; craft, knowledge or war and must pass the test to continue or they will be asked to leave. Even after seeing all of the books of knowledge, Ember knows that war is the path she must follow. With the Guard watching, Barrow leads Ember to the beginning of her path and gives her a lantern and a dagger. Finding herself in the wine cellar, she quickly realizes she is not alone. Ember kills the revenant and sees the way out of the cellar. Father Michael greets her at the end and lets her know she was the only initiate to choose the path of war. He tells her a bit about the mission of the Guards and offers to answer any questions. He then takes her to the barracks to begin her new life.
The Guard commander, Lukasz, begins by asking who amongst them will become Emberās mentor. Sorcha, the only woman in the Guard, is about to offer when Lord Morrow comes barreling through the door. Infuriated by her choice, he begs her to reconsider and marry. When Ember refuses, he accuses Conatus of bewitching her. Barrow steps forward and say that he is going to be her mentor and orders Morrow to leave. He does and Ember fears Barrow offered to make her father depart. Having never been a mentor before, he says it is time to become a teacher and will train Ember. She is thrilled.
Having dinner one last time for the foreseeable future with her family, Ember feels that she is at her own funeral. Agnes continually sobs and her father attempts a last ditch effort to forge a marriage contract with Mackenzie, only to be shot down. Making a drunken scene, Morrow accuses Conatus of being witches and dinner is over. Ember tells Agnes goodbye and Alistair offers to show her to her room. Barrow stops him and says that Ember is his responsibility.
Showing her to her room, Ember notices its sparseness and that her life is finally changing. Sorcha will have to show Ember some things about dressing and Barrow leaves her for the night. Her past is now her past and her future is with the Guard. Setting into her new life, Ember begins her training with a passion. But as she discovers what Conatus is really about, Ember knows that she made the right decision.
Will Ember make it as a member of the Guard? What happens when the secrets of Conatus are discovered by someone who will hold it against them? What are Alistair Hartās true motives regarding Ember? Will Ember finally lose her heart to love and will her feelings be reciprocated? And what choices must be made when a member of the Guard invites dark magic in and sides must be chosen?
In this thrilling prequel to the Nightshade trilogy, the beginnings of the Witchesā War is told. Emberās story is concluded in Rise out on January 8, 2013.
āShe can battle darkness, but she canāt fight love.ā
AD 1404 Scottish lowlands
Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow dreams of a life in which āshe could live by her sword and her courage.ā The daughter of a nobleman, a life of marriage and motherhood lies before her. Her only hope of escape is the debt of her life her father owes to the Conatus. When her birth didnāt progress as it should have and both mother and child were near certain death, their lives were saved by the sudden appearance of a Conatus trained midwife. Unfortunately her services came with a price. Ember was pledged to the Conatus during her sixteenth tear and her arrival at their keep āis considered a harbinger of the Orderās future. One way or the other.ā
When her old friend Alistair Hart arrives with Barrow Hess to escort Ember to the Conatusā keep at Terrmunn, Lord Morrow tries his best to delay her inevitable journey. After a fight with Morrowās best three men, Hess prevails and preparations are quickly made to leave within the hour.
Upon their arrival at Terrmunn, they are greeted by the Conatus and a neighboring lord named Mackenzie. Ember is relieved to be out of the carriage and is slightly worried about her older sister Agnes, who was ill throughout the trip. Lord Morrow is thrilled to learn that Lord Mackenzie has a bachelor son. He hopes to work out a deal that will satisfy the Conatus and secure a husband for Ember. Alistair tells Ember she will have to undergo a trial but he is unable to provide any details. Ember just hopes that she will be able to choose the path she wishes to take.
The morning of the trials, the initiates meet Father Michael who explains the process. Every person will choose which path they wish to follow; craft, knowledge or war and must pass the test to continue or they will be asked to leave. Even after seeing all of the books of knowledge, Ember knows that war is the path she must follow. With the Guard watching, Barrow leads Ember to the beginning of her path and gives her a lantern and a dagger. Finding herself in the wine cellar, she quickly realizes she is not alone. Ember kills the revenant and sees the way out of the cellar. Father Michael greets her at the end and lets her know she was the only initiate to choose the path of war. He tells her a bit about the mission of the Guards and offers to answer any questions. He then takes her to the barracks to begin her new life.
The Guard commander, Lukasz, begins by asking who amongst them will become Emberās mentor. Sorcha, the only woman in the Guard, is about to offer when Lord Morrow comes barreling through the door. Infuriated by her choice, he begs her to reconsider and marry. When Ember refuses, he accuses Conatus of bewitching her. Barrow steps forward and say that he is going to be her mentor and orders Morrow to leave. He does and Ember fears Barrow offered to make her father depart. Having never been a mentor before, he says it is time to become a teacher and will train Ember. She is thrilled.
Having dinner one last time for the foreseeable future with her family, Ember feels that she is at her own funeral. Agnes continually sobs and her father attempts a last ditch effort to forge a marriage contract with Mackenzie, only to be shot down. Making a drunken scene, Morrow accuses Conatus of being witches and dinner is over. Ember tells Agnes goodbye and Alistair offers to show her to her room. Barrow stops him and says that Ember is his responsibility.
Showing her to her room, Ember notices its sparseness and that her life is finally changing. Sorcha will have to show Ember some things about dressing and Barrow leaves her for the night. Her past is now her past and her future is with the Guard. Setting into her new life, Ember begins her training with a passion. But as she discovers what Conatus is really about, Ember knows that she made the right decision.
Will Ember make it as a member of the Guard? What happens when the secrets of Conatus are discovered by someone who will hold it against them? What are Alistair Hartās true motives regarding Ember? Will Ember finally lose her heart to love and will her feelings be reciprocated? And what choices must be made when a member of the Guard invites dark magic in and sides must be chosen?
In this thrilling prequel to the Nightshade trilogy, the beginnings of the Witchesā War is told. Emberās story is concluded in Rise out on January 8, 2013.
bexyreads's review against another edition
5.0
I really didn't think I would like this book. But by the end I was ticked that it ended. I've not read Nightshade so now I'm curious how this fits in.
christajls's review against another edition
5.0
This review originally posted at Hooked on Books
Before I start my review I have to confess that I have never read the Nightshade Trilogy. I've heard great things about it, but I'm always a little sceptical about werewolves so I put off reading it. But then I started hearing murmurings of Rift and I thought "Why not? Maybe I should find out what all the fuss is about."
But then from my mediocre expectations about werewolves, Rift rose to astound me in ways I never had anticipated. This a single phrase: This book was absolutely stunning.
The fantasy and mythos of Rift was so beautifully constructed and rich that you get completely swept away by it. I wished that I could somehow transport myself into the pages so I could be part of Ember's world. I wanted to train to be a fighter, I wanted to be surrounded by magic. I was so extremely jealous of these characters and the amazing world they got to play in. The whole dark fantasy angle was not what I was expecting but it definitely influenced my overall reading experience.
Ember herself was an amazing protagonist. She's headstrong and focused on her goals. I like that she never wanted to use anyone as a crutch -- she always wanted to take care of everything herself even if it was perfectly acceptable that she ask. But she wasn't so arrogant that she denied help when it was offered to her. She's a fighter and she has faith in her actions. I don't think you can ask for much more in a knight.
One thing I really appreciated about this book, was how religion/the church are portrayed. As soon as I saw the religious angle I was a little bit worried. But even with one of the antagonists coming from inside the Church, Andrea Cremer, never demonizes religion. It was always really clear, in my opinion, that the actions of the antagonists, were actions of individual people, not the actions of an overarching religious system. It made the story believable and compelling but still respectful.
Rift is an absolutely gorgeous novel, that I look forward to reading again and again. It also has me excited to go back and finally read the Nightshade Trilogy (or anything else Andrea Cremer writes from now on). It defied my expectations in every way.
Final recommendation: If you like beautifully constructed fantasy worlds, and strong, intelligent heroines, then move this book to the top of your list. Even if you haven't read the Nightshade series.
Before I start my review I have to confess that I have never read the Nightshade Trilogy. I've heard great things about it, but I'm always a little sceptical about werewolves so I put off reading it. But then I started hearing murmurings of Rift and I thought "Why not? Maybe I should find out what all the fuss is about."
But then from my mediocre expectations about werewolves, Rift rose to astound me in ways I never had anticipated. This a single phrase: This book was absolutely stunning.
The fantasy and mythos of Rift was so beautifully constructed and rich that you get completely swept away by it. I wished that I could somehow transport myself into the pages so I could be part of Ember's world. I wanted to train to be a fighter, I wanted to be surrounded by magic. I was so extremely jealous of these characters and the amazing world they got to play in. The whole dark fantasy angle was not what I was expecting but it definitely influenced my overall reading experience.
Ember herself was an amazing protagonist. She's headstrong and focused on her goals. I like that she never wanted to use anyone as a crutch -- she always wanted to take care of everything herself even if it was perfectly acceptable that she ask. But she wasn't so arrogant that she denied help when it was offered to her. She's a fighter and she has faith in her actions. I don't think you can ask for much more in a knight.
One thing I really appreciated about this book, was how religion/the church are portrayed. As soon as I saw the religious angle I was a little bit worried. But even with one of the antagonists coming from inside the Church, Andrea Cremer, never demonizes religion. It was always really clear, in my opinion, that the actions of the antagonists, were actions of individual people, not the actions of an overarching religious system. It made the story believable and compelling but still respectful.
Rift is an absolutely gorgeous novel, that I look forward to reading again and again. It also has me excited to go back and finally read the Nightshade Trilogy (or anything else Andrea Cremer writes from now on). It defied my expectations in every way.
Final recommendation: If you like beautifully constructed fantasy worlds, and strong, intelligent heroines, then move this book to the top of your list. Even if you haven't read the Nightshade series.
simira's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed the Nightshade series so I had to read the prequel. If you loved the other series, you will definitely love this book. I liked hearing some background on the Bosque Mar character. And of course, I am a sucker for the Ember/Barrow story.
litwitchcore's review against another edition
3.0
Ember is a lady. Ember likes sword fighting and wants to be a knight. Ember's father wants her to marry a rich lord and expand the family land. Therefore, Ember in unhappy. But lucky for her, Ember's father owes a debt to the mysterious Conatus, a man who runs the only monastary with some connection to the Knights Templars. On her 16th birthday to pay this debt, Ember must leave her home and go to Tearmunn, the abbey run by Conatus. Once there she takes a test to find out which part of the "abbey" she is destined to be in and finds herself becoming a warrior. But at the "abbey" she finds that the people there are really all warriors in a battle against monsters she thought didn't exist. Will these monsters stop her from being a successful knight? Or will some greater evil threaten to over take the land and ruin the new happiness she found herself?
I really liked this book. It started out as decent historical fiction then switched before my eyes to an exploration of the supernatural. The characters are very relatable, and you really want to see what happens next. It's a classic coming of age story, including sexual awakenings, with alot of action, monsters, and historical facts. A great read for history buffs who also like sci-fi.
CONTENT WARNINGS:
sexual content and violence
I really liked this book. It started out as decent historical fiction then switched before my eyes to an exploration of the supernatural. The characters are very relatable, and you really want to see what happens next. It's a classic coming of age story, including sexual awakenings, with alot of action, monsters, and historical facts. A great read for history buffs who also like sci-fi.
CONTENT WARNINGS:
sexual content and violence
joyousreads132's review against another edition
4.0
Iāve about given up on Nightshade series after reading the first book. When Bloodrose finally came out, and after the numerous cries of horror from some of my Goodreads friends, Iām afraid Iāve lost all faith in the series. Even so, Iāve been known to buy books with the asinine intention of completing a series so it looks pretty on the shelves rather than ACTUALLY reading them. So needless to say, I have the trilogy sitting happily, albeit, ignored, on my bookshelf. When Rift showed up on my radar, it was nothing but a blip. I couldnāt make myself fake a smidgeon of enthusiasm over its pending release.
And so here I am, eating another serving of finger-licking crows.
Because it has been ages since Iāve read Nightshade, and have not been aware of what happened in the proceeding books, I really canāt remember who Ember Morrow was (or if she was even mentioned). It was a double-edged sword; it was good and bad for the same reason that I can consider Rift as its own entity rather than something that was tied to the world of Nightshade. But because I didnāt know the extent of its relevance to the former, I felt a bit lost. My reading experience can be compared to that of trying to remember a fleeting memory that I couldnāt quite grasp. And though the story is perfect on its own, I still felt like I was missing something. The more I read, however, the more I realized, Iām only confused because I canāt separate the two stories. I was so obsessed with trying to remember Ember that I've missed out on the main focus of this book, which is how the divide between the Keepers and Seekers came to be [insert face palm here].
If we have to compare Rift and Nightshade, I say Rift has a much more evolved heroine. Ember was steadfast in her disposition far more than Calla ever was. The girl knew what she wanted and went for it. Her fierce eagerness to learn so that she may be worthy of her calling rivaled her abhorrence to following Barrow around like a puppy in need to be let out for a bathroom break. And in any case, I think itās not fair to compare the two characters not only because it's virtually impossible to do so but consider the wide expanse of generation gap between the two. They grew up on two different eras.
As much as the synopsis alluded to a forbidden romance between Barrow and Ember (Knights of Conatus are supposedly celibate), I admire Ms. Cremer for keeping it subtle. The story does not hinge on the outcome of their relationship but more based upon recognition of the lines between the mentor and the student. Because of Emberās innate stubbornness, reading her interact, fight, argue with Barrow was a delight. But if I have to pin-point the exact moment indicative of how awkward and realistic their romance was, it was when they were sparring. Iāve never read such an interaction heaped with amorous tension.
The fantastical world that Andrea created was as good as any other fantasy novels Iāve ever read. She could run with the best of themā¦well, okay, Iāve not read much so my experience may be that of a novice. Regardless, I think she did a tremendous job with every element required for an authentic fantasy work. My only complaint was the absence of a map.
There wasnāt a shortage of mythical creatures necessary for building a ārealisticā fantasy world also. There were warlocks, magicians, wizards, goblins, revenants, kelpies, striga (night flyers who ate people), horses that chose their riders, weapons forged by fire and visions, a contraption formed by magic that can open portals to far away places, and knights - charismatic, strong knights!
VERDICT: The main problem I have with this book is actually not the book's fault but mine. Since I quit on the Nightshade series, I am still confused with the whole Keepers and Seekers business. So much so that I may or may not be thinking about picking up [b:Wolfsbane|7263429|Wolfsbane (Nightshade, #2)|Andrea Cremer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1323140262s/7263429.jpg|8342392] asap. Over all, Andrea Cremer certainly flexed her writing muscles in Rift and I can't wait to read more books from this series. The perfect blend of historical fantasy and subtle romance made for a rare, addictive read in the genre.
And so here I am, eating another serving of finger-licking crows.
Because it has been ages since Iāve read Nightshade, and have not been aware of what happened in the proceeding books, I really canāt remember who Ember Morrow was (or if she was even mentioned). It was a double-edged sword; it was good and bad for the same reason that I can consider Rift as its own entity rather than something that was tied to the world of Nightshade. But because I didnāt know the extent of its relevance to the former, I felt a bit lost. My reading experience can be compared to that of trying to remember a fleeting memory that I couldnāt quite grasp. And though the story is perfect on its own, I still felt like I was missing something. The more I read, however, the more I realized, Iām only confused because I canāt separate the two stories. I was so obsessed with trying to remember Ember that I've missed out on the main focus of this book, which is how the divide between the Keepers and Seekers came to be [insert face palm here].
If we have to compare Rift and Nightshade, I say Rift has a much more evolved heroine. Ember was steadfast in her disposition far more than Calla ever was. The girl knew what she wanted and went for it. Her fierce eagerness to learn so that she may be worthy of her calling rivaled her abhorrence to following Barrow around like a puppy in need to be let out for a bathroom break. And in any case, I think itās not fair to compare the two characters not only because it's virtually impossible to do so but consider the wide expanse of generation gap between the two. They grew up on two different eras.
As much as the synopsis alluded to a forbidden romance between Barrow and Ember (Knights of Conatus are supposedly celibate), I admire Ms. Cremer for keeping it subtle. The story does not hinge on the outcome of their relationship but more based upon recognition of the lines between the mentor and the student. Because of Emberās innate stubbornness, reading her interact, fight, argue with Barrow was a delight. But if I have to pin-point the exact moment indicative of how awkward and realistic their romance was, it was when they were sparring. Iāve never read such an interaction heaped with amorous tension.
The fantastical world that Andrea created was as good as any other fantasy novels Iāve ever read. She could run with the best of themā¦well, okay, Iāve not read much so my experience may be that of a novice. Regardless, I think she did a tremendous job with every element required for an authentic fantasy work. My only complaint was the absence of a map.
There wasnāt a shortage of mythical creatures necessary for building a ārealisticā fantasy world also. There were warlocks, magicians, wizards, goblins, revenants, kelpies, striga (night flyers who ate people), horses that chose their riders, weapons forged by fire and visions, a contraption formed by magic that can open portals to far away places, and knights - charismatic, strong knights!
VERDICT: The main problem I have with this book is actually not the book's fault but mine. Since I quit on the Nightshade series, I am still confused with the whole Keepers and Seekers business. So much so that I may or may not be thinking about picking up [b:Wolfsbane|7263429|Wolfsbane (Nightshade, #2)|Andrea Cremer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1323140262s/7263429.jpg|8342392] asap. Over all, Andrea Cremer certainly flexed her writing muscles in Rift and I can't wait to read more books from this series. The perfect blend of historical fantasy and subtle romance made for a rare, addictive read in the genre.