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A review by mehsi
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
4.0
“I didn't realize I needed to point out that if we are attacked by a fire-breathing bitch, you can change forms.”
It took me a while to start reading this one. I have had this one from the library (and already extended the loan on it once) since April. However until 2 days ago never found the motivation to read. Funny thing, when I got it I wanted to dig in. :P
This one was terribly fun though, there were tons of elements that I loved and liked, but there were also a few things I didn't like. BIG THINGS.
For instance those that know me know that I don't like love triangles. I wasn't aware when I started this it would have this. Yes, I kept reading because there were still elements that I liked/loved, even though I was cringing so much at the terribleness of the love triangle. Calla should just make up her freaking mind, it was just so annoying how she bounced between one guy and the other. Swooning for the one, kissing the other frantically, and so on. I felt sorry for Ren as he was just such a good guy. Yes, he has his faults, but compared to wimpy and magical love interest Shay, he was a sweetie and he actually tried to make sure Calla was happy and OK with things. Yes, at times he was a dick (like how he kept pushing her about sexual stuff), but mostly he cared about her and respected her opinion regarding the pack. During the ceremony he did something so sweet that my heart broke for the guy. He deserves a girl who does care about him, and not just in fleeting moments. He deserves a good girl who loves him and won't judge him. Because that is what Calla also did. When Ren was talking to girls she got all jealous but all the while she was kissing and drooling over Shay (hypocrite much?).
I may have had trouble with Shay if he was introduced later in the series, however I had even bigger problems with how he was introduced now. The boy fallen in the snow, all alone, coincidentally on the same time as our girl is patrolling with her beta, and oh yes, the bear who shouldn't even have been around. Plus, he just felt a bit too much like a saviour type. Then there were some other elements that just had me rolling my eyes to the heavens, what a coincidence. GEEEEEEEEE. :|
There were some other things in this book that had me rolling my eyes to the high heavens. How Call never doubted anything until her saviour and magical love interest Shay di(v)ed in her life. How she just recklessly did several things that seemed highly out of character for her.
Now for the good stuff. I just adore the Guardians and how they have the ability to change into wolves (but don't dare to mention the word werewolf to them) and how they apparently can inhibit their soul in two beings being on two planes of existence. You have her in wolf form, but also her in human form with all the bits and clothes. It was quite interestingly written, something else from your standard story about people changing into wolves.
Learning the true history on the Guardians, the Keepers, and seeing some characters or important people pass by was very interesting to read. Every time we found out something new about the whole world and I did feel sorry for Calla as she found out that her world may not be the one she thinks it is and has been taught about since she was small. It was at those times I wanted to hug her. I have to say that the author wrote those parts in which Calla reacts to Shay's findings pretty dang nicely written. You can see the shock, you can see the denial. That it can't be true.
There are some very nice make-out scenes in this book. Even though they never went too far (as Calla has to remain pure for the marriage thing) it was still very hot to read at times.
I just loved seeing the various pairings in this book. Bryn and Ansel were my favourites but I was also a fan of Mason and Nev. I wouldn't mind a book with either of these as MCs.
Ansel and Calla, I just adored their brother-sister relationship. They bickered at times, but they also helped each other out, rooted for each other. They were really sweet, and I loved how the author wrote these scenes with the two of them.
The ending was all very exciting, and I am normally not a fan of cliffhanger endings, but this one was nicely done. Just enough that you know what is going on, but also enough that you are itching to get the next book and see how things will go from that point.
Remember that werewolf part? Funnily though each chapter is a moon's phase. We go to the full moon and back to no moon. I did think it was pretty hilarious, given how our girl bristled at the mention of werewolves. And also thanks to those moons it took me until the point of her explaining things before I knew that they weren't werewolves.
All in all, despite some things (like the love triangle) I had fun reading this one and I would recommend it. Will I continue this series? Not sure, I do want to know how things continue, but I am also not sure if I can handle more of Shay x Calla with a sad dangling Ren on the side.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
It took me a while to start reading this one. I have had this one from the library (and already extended the loan on it once) since April. However until 2 days ago never found the motivation to read. Funny thing, when I got it I wanted to dig in. :P
This one was terribly fun though, there were tons of elements that I loved and liked, but there were also a few things I didn't like. BIG THINGS.
For instance those that know me know that I don't like love triangles. I wasn't aware when I started this it would have this. Yes, I kept reading because there were still elements that I liked/loved, even though I was cringing so much at the terribleness of the love triangle. Calla should just make up her freaking mind, it was just so annoying how she bounced between one guy and the other. Swooning for the one, kissing the other frantically, and so on. I felt sorry for Ren as he was just such a good guy. Yes, he has his faults, but compared to wimpy and magical love interest Shay, he was a sweetie and he actually tried to make sure Calla was happy and OK with things. Yes, at times he was a dick (like how he kept pushing her about sexual stuff), but mostly he cared about her and respected her opinion regarding the pack. During the ceremony he did something so sweet that my heart broke for the guy. He deserves a girl who does care about him, and not just in fleeting moments. He deserves a good girl who loves him and won't judge him. Because that is what Calla also did. When Ren was talking to girls she got all jealous but all the while she was kissing and drooling over Shay (hypocrite much?).
I may have had trouble with Shay if he was introduced later in the series, however I had even bigger problems with how he was introduced now. The boy fallen in the snow, all alone, coincidentally on the same time as our girl is patrolling with her beta, and oh yes, the bear who shouldn't even have been around. Plus, he just felt a bit too much like a saviour type. Then there were some other elements that just had me rolling my eyes to the heavens, what a coincidence. GEEEEEEEEE. :|
There were some other things in this book that had me rolling my eyes to the high heavens. How Call never doubted anything until her saviour and magical love interest Shay di(v)ed in her life. How she just recklessly did several things that seemed highly out of character for her.
Now for the good stuff. I just adore the Guardians and how they have the ability to change into wolves (but don't dare to mention the word werewolf to them) and how they apparently can inhibit their soul in two beings being on two planes of existence. You have her in wolf form, but also her in human form with all the bits and clothes. It was quite interestingly written, something else from your standard story about people changing into wolves.
Learning the true history on the Guardians, the Keepers, and seeing some characters or important people pass by was very interesting to read. Every time we found out something new about the whole world and I did feel sorry for Calla as she found out that her world may not be the one she thinks it is and has been taught about since she was small. It was at those times I wanted to hug her. I have to say that the author wrote those parts in which Calla reacts to Shay's findings pretty dang nicely written. You can see the shock, you can see the denial. That it can't be true.
There are some very nice make-out scenes in this book. Even though they never went too far (as Calla has to remain pure for the marriage thing) it was still very hot to read at times.
I just loved seeing the various pairings in this book. Bryn and Ansel were my favourites but I was also a fan of Mason and Nev. I wouldn't mind a book with either of these as MCs.
Ansel and Calla, I just adored their brother-sister relationship. They bickered at times, but they also helped each other out, rooted for each other. They were really sweet, and I loved how the author wrote these scenes with the two of them.
The ending was all very exciting, and I am normally not a fan of cliffhanger endings, but this one was nicely done. Just enough that you know what is going on, but also enough that you are itching to get the next book and see how things will go from that point.
Remember that werewolf part? Funnily though each chapter is a moon's phase. We go to the full moon and back to no moon. I did think it was pretty hilarious, given how our girl bristled at the mention of werewolves. And also thanks to those moons it took me until the point of her explaining things before I knew that they weren't werewolves.
All in all, despite some things (like the love triangle) I had fun reading this one and I would recommend it. Will I continue this series? Not sure, I do want to know how things continue, but I am also not sure if I can handle more of Shay x Calla with a sad dangling Ren on the side.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/