Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer review

As this is the 3rd & final installment in the Nightshade trilogy, there are spoilers for the first two books in this summary & review

Calla has always welcomed war.

But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnameable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

From Goodreads


We find Calla in what would have been her marital bedroom with Ren, who was supposed to be her mate/husband. After convincing him to join the resistance against the Keepers (by working with their longtime "enemies" the Searchers) the two former love-birds much face the fallout from his treachery. Naturally the person who has the hardest time dealing with Ren's involvement is Calla's other lover Shay. The Scion (as Shay is known) is the only one who can stop the Keepers & destroy their ability to control the Earth.

You would think with these two guys working on the same side they'd be able to put away their differences & back-burner their fight for Calla's heart. Not so much. The two alphas square off more than once & continue their altercations while they (and the rest of the pack) traipse all over the world collecting the pieces of the Elemental Cross.

Torn between her two lovers & her loyalty to defend her own alpha role, Calla must win this war at any cost. Unfortunately no one told her just how steep a price she was paying.

Well then. That was an interesting way to end the series. I had really high hopes for this book. With Nightshade and Wolfsbane having been such incredible books with a lush plot & heart-wrenching romance, I have to admit that I expected more from Bloodrose. Basically this book can be boiled down into a few sentences. Girl chases boy(s). Boy(s) chase girl. Appropriate humor inserted. Major conflict with no clear climax. Easy decision made for main characters.


Seriously. That's how it felt. We follow the pack all over the world collecting the pieces to the Elemental Cross so that Shay can defeat the Keepers. During their downtime Calla is sneaking around watching love bloom in several couples around her (all of them seem to be the same type of "I kind of always knew he was right for me & just didn't want to admit it" love) & getting her own nookie in. The cast of characters doesn't disappoint though. You still have the plethora of personalities that have to intermingle & manage to draw you in even when you feel like you're falling out of love. What was more surprising though was the depth that some of these characters contained. I was pleasantly surprised to see several drastic changes in certain characters' persona. I think I might have preferred just to read about them to avoid the triangle of annoyance that became Shay, Ren & Calla.


Instead of forcing these characters to work together & come to a painful, but ultimately necessary epiphany, the author decides to kill any chance of that happening. She lets her main trio take the easy way out of a very emotionally turbulent choice. Even worse though was the timing & manner of that choice. I just didn't see the flow. It was so jarring & discombobulated that I was thrown for several minutes expecting some magic to make things better again.


While I devoured the book hoping that the final battle would make up for a rather predictable build-up, I was ultimately disappointed. I still enjoyed the world the author built & the supporting characters she created, but the main love triangle & what should have been the climax of the story just fell flat for me. I'm still very glad I read it & still enjoy the first two books, this is not even remotely how I felt it should have ended.

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer review

WARNING: Spoilers for Nightshade follow. You might want to look away if you haven't read it. Or you could read my review. :)

After the nightmare that was supposed to be her union, Calla Tor is not at all surprised when she finds herself waking up somewhere she has never been before. What follows her reawakening is what frightens her. She is trapped in the hands of her sworn enemies, the Searchers & they've got Shay. Only... no one is trying to kill her & Shay seems quite content as well.

It turns out the Searchers not the purely evil folks that the Keepers made the Guardians believe they were all this time. It turns out that the Searchers are the other half of the Keepers in a centuries-old struggle for harmony & balance. Over the course of the next few days Calla learns the true history of her people, what it means for Shay to be the "Scion" & helps plan the rescue of her packmates.

Unfortunately a lot happened in Vail during her nightmare & things aren't how they were anymore. Wolves are being stripped from their human halves, wraiths are being repeatedly used as torture devices & some Guardians are being outright murdered, all to prove a point. The Keepers believe that as long as they continue to lie & convince the more powerful wolves (including the alphas), then the rest will simply follow orders. What they didn't plan for was a new alpha & what happens when you lie about even the most basic facts.

Andrea Cremer continues to take us on a wild ride with the second installment in the Nightshade trilogy. While I have to admit that it did include some of the more banal qualities of a 2nd book in a trilogy, I think this was a key plot-building time for this story. So little time passed in this book (like I'm talking 2 weeks at most) but SO MUCH happened that alters where your allegiance lies & how the story will move forward from here.

Calla continues to intrigue me as she has now become the uncertain character that I tend to tire of in books, but her uncertainty is pivotal to her character development. She has had everything she has ever known stripped from her & everyone she loves is in grave danger because of her actions, so her response is natural & expected. I must say that I was rather impressed with Cremer's ability to make Calla a tortured character without over-stating her reality. Sometimes readers are beaten over the head with the sadness that the characters are experiencing, but Cremer held a fine balance on giving us a glimpse at Calla's emotions & then moving straight back into the action.

We meet a whole new cast of characters that you'll instantly like because they resemble the wolves so much while establishing their own unique identities. The Searchers are a fun-filled, dedicated group of watchers who will stop at nothing to ensure the safety of the world. Even better is the description of their world & the Old Magic that they practice. We don't see the Keepers' magic at all really, but with the Searchers it is such an integral part of their existence that it permeates their world.

I really enjoyed this book in the series as so MAJOR developments occur that will alter how the story can move forward. I will warn those worried about content that there is some sexuality involved & some hinting at violence used for domination, but nothing scandalizing. I look forward to seeing what Cremer brings us in the final installment Bloodrose due out in January 2012!

ARC graciously provided by Around the World Tours

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer review

Calla Tor doesn’t know how to be anything other than the female alpha she was born to be in the Nightshade pack. Things have always been understood: she would compose herself with finesse, marry Renier Laroche (the Bane pack alpha), & serve the Keepers in their quest to fight off the Searchers. And everything was going swimmingly… until Shay showed up.

Just a simple human, Shay is caught in the midst of a centuries-long struggle that he’s not really supposed to know about. Despite her senses telling her to stay away, Calla finds herself drawn to this boy & all that his existence promises. She finds him even more interesting when she is charged with his safety & has an excuse to spend inordinate amounts of time alone with Shay. For the most part, Calla manages to balance her duties to her pack (like getting both packs to hang out without shedding blood), Ren’s ever-encroaching presence, & Shay’s need for understanding; until she & Shay stumble upon more information than they are supposed to know.

It’s now a life or death race as the clock ticks down to, not only Calla & Ren’s union, but to a hidden prophecy that changes everything for everyone. Is there any way for Calla to protect herself & those she cares about, while following her own heart? Or is she simply doomed to follow orders?

What a dexterous read! Andrea Cremer takes some of the best parts of several different mythologies & combines them all into one seamless story. There are so many different facets to the Keeper/Searcher/Guardian dynamic that it is almost impossible to explain it all without becoming tedious & technical. Suffice it to say that they have some unique interactions throughout their histories.

It was refreshing to have such a strong female lead in this book. While I do enjoy the protagonists who are still developing their sense of self & finding their place in the world, it was rather enjoyable to be able to slip into the skin of someone who already knew who they were & what they’re meant to do & be in this life. It was just as equally enjoyable to watch her squirm when her whole world is threatened. The “fight or flight” instinct is strong & it was refreshing to see her fight so hard for what she hadn’t even thought she could have.

Even better than the protagonist was the rest of the cast. There is a wide variety of personalities represented by not only the 2 opposing packs, but within the packs themselves. I felt like I could pick out who was going to be what kind of person & why, but I must admit that the “why” of their demeanors was rather unique. I can’t give any of that away because I think it is an integral part of the overall storyline, but I will tell you that each person is wholly themselves & nothing less.

The plot development took a little bit at the beginning just because you have to settle into a newer understanding, but once I got my bearings it was a fast-paced read. Truly magnificent, Nightshade promises to be the beginning of one heck of a trilogy.

Waiting on Wednesday: Wolfsbane (Nightshade 2)

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Wolfsbane (the 2nd book in the Nightshade trilogy) by Andrea Cremer is coming to a bookstore (AND LIBRARY!!!) near you on July 26th. Again, I didn't complete the first book (aptly entitled Nightshade) because I fell out of love with that particular element of the YA genre at that time. I'm getting back into it, so I'll be sure to wrap it up before this next exciting installment is released.

This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended–Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer–one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack–and the man–she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

From Goodreads

I must admit though, that this cover is just weird. She looks rather...exposed. Other than playing catcher in softball/baseball, I cannot think of an appropriate situation for that kind of stance. That craziness aside, I really am stoked for this book! Calla is a very enrapturing character & I look forward to continuing on this path with her.

What are you waiting on this week?

Breathless Reads Author Visit

5 YA Authors, several bloggers & some seriously amazing books!

On Friday, February 25th I was fortunate enough to be in Raleigh at the Breathless Reads book tour stop at the always fabulous Quail Ridge Books & Music. This was the final stop in the tour & as such, several bloggers from all over showed up to attend the fabulous talk & signing. Unfortunately my iPhone didn't seem to record any of the discussion (I am not pleased & have since fixed the bug), so I only have marginal notes.

What I know for certain & don't need a recording to tell me is that these women are fun, creative, disciplined, & inspiring. They ranged from first time authors, to seasoned pros & from school teachers to mothers. They hold many titles & responsibilities, but the main thing they have in common is their incredible ability to spin a magnificent tale.

There was a teacher & assistant from a local school who read off questions that the authors answered in rounds. There were so many things being asked from "how many books did you have to submit before being published & what advice do you have for aspiring writers?" to "what is your main character's favorite book?" Since I don't have all the answers to all the questions, I will highlight some that stood out to me.

• Nightshade's main character Calla's favorite book is Watership Down.
• Beth Revis finds adult books boring & predictable. YA books are so intense & fulfilling because they are filled with the characters' "firsts." First heartbreak, first personal challenge, first kiss, etc.
• All the authors seem to either write what they know (so write characters like themselves) or they write the opposite of what they know (penning characters who are the antithesis of themselves). Not to mention, be wary of having crossed these ladies, you may end up in one of their books & not in a happy way.
• These ladies also enjoy writing their love scenes. Some find that first kiss the hardest thing to write, while others find the tension the best part of writing the love story. They find themselves falling in love with the relationship as it pours out on the pages.
• Author specific information:

1. Andrea Cremer is a jigsaw writer because she writes based on what's inspiring her. There is no real rhyme or reason to the order. She wants to write a classic, noire, detective novel. It's a dream of her's because she just loves the feel of the style.
   
2. Kirsten Miller is a beginning to end writer. She may go back & fix things, but she has to write the story in the order that it happens. Kirsten either loves or hates (my brain is failing me) horror & really wishes she could write a good horror novel. She's currently working on a futuristic/dystopic, noire YA novel.
   
3. Brenna Yovanoff is a jumpy writer. She jumps for scene to scene & even leaves gaps in the middle of sentences so that she can go back & find the perfect word. Brenna always starts out thinking that this novel will finally be the contemporary YA she's been trying to write, yet she always manages to throw in an element of fantasy.
   
4. Ally Condie writes from beginning to end for the most part & what encourages her to continue writing is the daunting task of matching her children's socks. (She has three little boys) She really wants to write a happy, fun book for 7-9 year old boys. There just seems to be a distinct lack of that kind of writing.
5. Beth Revis is a very literal writer in that she has to write the book in the exact, sentence for sentence, order that it will happen & she has no idea where the story will end up until she gets there.

One of the best parts about attending these types of events is getting to really act & listen to the answers to some of your burning questions. I got the answer to, "What's up next for y'all?":

1. From Andrea Cremer: Wolfsbane is the second installment in the Nightshade series & Bloodrose (the third installment) is under edits.
2. From Kirsten Miller: All You Desire is the sequel to The Eternal Ones.
3. From Brenna Yovanoff: The Space Between is the next novel.
4. From Ally Condie: Crossed will be the sequel to Matched.
5. From Beth Revis: A Million Suns is the sequel to Across the Universe & it is currently under heavy rewrites.

I hope this helped y'all kind of feel like you were there. There was so much going on that I really was amazed that it was only 9:30 when I finally got out of there. Since there were five authors & the publisher (Thanks Penguin!!!) gave out bookmarks AND posters, there was a lot of signing going on at that table. That was fine by me because it meant that I got to spend some fabulous time gabbing with Ren from All By My Shelf & Zombie Girrrl (her post here). It was WONDERFUL to get to meet other book bloggers & strange to think that I thought I was the sole one in NC. Huh? Imagine that! It was so great to finally get to meet these wonderful ladies, I really do love their blogs. Good to know I have fun, book-loving neighbors!

P.S. Leave a comment with your e-mail to be entered to win the signed poster from the event. Open to US only. Closes next Friday 3/11.