Book Review #1: Nightshade

Book Review Number One

Nightshade 

by Andrea Cremer

I was thoroughly impressed with this first installment of the Nightshade series and am looking forward to the next ones in the series. Being a series addict, I was caught up instantly.  Cremer gathers a love triangle, action and female power all into one. 

The young alpha wolf of the Nightshade pack, Calla, has known since birth on her 18th birthday, coincidentally Samhain, she will be united to Ren of the Bane pack. The alpha of the only other pack on Haldis Mountain.  The Guardian (not werewolf) packs are named after their Keepers. Witches that misuse the power of the Earth, unbeknownst to the Guardians. It is not until Calla saves a boy from a bear attack on her afternoon patrol that she questions her fate. The boy turns out to be Shay, and is new to the high school in Vail, Colorado where Guardians are at the top of the food chains, with Keepers keeping a sharp eye on them, and humans at the bottom. An attraction becomes evident much to Ren's displeasure. 

The Keepers have strict rules for the Guardians. Calla is to remain pure until the union, which she is finding hard to do with Ren not holding back, and boldly asking Shay to be her first kiss. Penalties for broken rules are very severe, and not knowing whats gotten into her Calla pulls away from Shay. Only to have the intended Keeper, Logan, order her pack and Ren's to keep Shay safe and spend time with him. 

Spending more and more time with Shay and less with Ren has taught her many things, and some things she doesn't want to know. Like how the Searchers, her enemy since birth, the ones shes born to kill, the Keepers alter ego, are the good guys. 

Ren's mother, supposedly killed by Searchers, really was leading a revolt against the Keepers. Her plan failed and Keepers threw her and everyone involved to wraiths, awful Netherworld creatures. Delving deeper into the truth Shay and Calla decide to venture into the Haldis cave, and find a spider as big as a horse. Shay kills the spider but not before Calla is fatally wounded, only pack blood can save her, she turns Shay at his request without another option. Deeper into the cave they discover a woman, who sings to Shay and hands him a cylinder metal object that glows from inside, Calla burns when she tries to touch it.

 A few romantic encounters with each boy, a bar fight, a confrontation from Ren for being in the cave, and nights at the library with Shay reading a forbidden text, its now October 31st. With a beautiful ring from Ren and a last kiss from Shay she heads of to the site of the union. 

Just as her pack howls, summoning her to her destiny, she sees something. Tied up to a tree, is Shay. Rushing to help him in her cake like wedding dress she is ambushed by the school nurse of all people, who turns out to be a succubus. Being told by Calla to not shift into wolf form, he complied and didn't fight back. Even once he's released he stays human brandishing a whip to deliver the death blow to the succubus Calla, in the form of a white wolf, is fighting. 

Running for their lives, Ren catches up to them. Calla tells Shay to go on ahead to his uncle's, Bosque Mar's, house. A quick exchange with Ren who asks if she loves Shay, if she loves him, that its all about love, and that he will buy her some time. A passionate kiss, as if it will be their last, is shared and Calla goes to catch up with Shay. Hurrying into the eerie house Shay and Calla grab the necessary. Struggling to take off her wedding dress, Shay helps, leading them to their steamiest encounter yet. Remembering Ren Calla stops Shay and they head off, but not before leaving the hallway are they attacked by several succubi. Dashing into the library they find Bosque Mar himself, controlling the succubi and assortment of other Netherworld creatures. The windows are busted in by Searchers looking for the Scion. Calla recalls reading of the Scion and puts the pieces together, Shay is the Scion. Two crossbow bolts to the chest and shes down and out. The book ends with Calla reaching for Shay and going in and out of consciousness. Setting up for the next installment, Wolfsbane. 

I enjoyed Cremer's book immensely. her prose kept me engaged the whole time, sometimes having to put down the book a minute or two to process my emotions about the characters. I found myself rooting for Ren, even though I knew Shay would win in the end. Cremer did a great job of giving each character their own strengths and weaknesses as well great dynamic value. 

Calla's strong exterior is home to an interior just waiting to break out, but full of loyalty to her pack she keeps quiet. In the end she does whats best for her pack by running. Or so she tells herself. Her pack is probably being questioned and imprisoned by Keepers. Either for love or loyalty Calla is now on the run, or she will be when she wakes up.

Ren is strong, sexy, and proud at face value. Underneath, he's about the same, but has a soft spot for Calla. Always afraid he could lose her.

Shay goes through many changes in the novel. I don't believe that his personality changes, more that he is becoming what he is destined to be.

I'm excited to follow these characters through their journey and see what will come of their lives.