Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

From the Back Cover:

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?


Part of me really liked this book and part of me thought it was just more of the same stuff everyone else is doing. On the one hand it's a pretty cool take on the werewolf idea. Calla comes from a long line of Guardians, sworn to guard the Keepers' magical secrets, and she's the leader of the younger generation of the Nightshade pack. The Nightshades share a tenuous coexistence in a mystical, remote mountain enclave with the rival Bane pack, and everybody is anxiously awaiting the formation of the brand new pack that will result from the long-planned union of Calla and Ren. Everything's cool until the new boy Shay shows up at the Mountain School. Shay's a human boy who's suddenly and mysteriously under the protection of the Keepers, and he's about to throw a wrench in all of their well-laid plans. Nightshade is suspenseful and interesting and seethes with sexual tension.

On the other hand, it's another teen love triangle where the girl who has always followed the rules falls for the new guy with the rebellious streak. And it doesn't even work for me because I can't see why any girl would want Shay when she could have smart, sexy, strong, and protective Ren. The sparks fly between Calla and Ren, and he's obviously in love with her, though she's too stubborn to see it. Shay shows up with his new ideas and he's supposed to inspire Calla to rebel against the system, but really all Shay does is carelessly put Calla in danger while Ren tries to keep her safe. Yeah, he helps Calla uncover some mind-blowing revelations about the world she thought she knew, but overall, I wasn't really feeling Shay. If there was a chance that Calla would end up with Ren in the end I would read the rest of the trilogy. I did like the cliffhanger ending and I am curious as to what happens next, but I'll wait to get the next installment from the library.

Rating:  3.5 Stars out of 5

*Please note: This review references an advance copy received from the publisher, and therefore the final published copy may differ. Though I received this book from the publisher, these are my honest and unbiased thoughts, and I was not compensated in any other way for reviewing this book.