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Mar 11, 2011

(Actual Rating: 3.5 stars)

Okay, I stayed up late to finish this book, and it's saying something that I am taking time out of my sleeping schedule (or whatever else I may be doing at just after midnight on a weeknight) just to write a review about my feelings for this book. And you know what I thought?

I LOVED IT.

Yes, books dealing with the supernatural are cramming up the young adult shelves in bookstores and libraries everywhere nowadays -- but Nightshade off More...

41 comments like (91 people liked it)

Dec 27, 2010

Jessica rated it:

Ok, let’s start with some general stuff first. In my opinion, Nightshade was a nice and steady read. I thought the world-building was unique and the heroine easily likeable. She’s pretty, though and a little bit of a tomboy, so nothing new there, but nevertheless, I found myself liking her instantly. There are actually quite a few interesting characters in this book. Some were likeable and some just made my skin crawl. Efron and Logan? Ugh. *shudders*

As for the romance...be warned! T More...

43 comments like (54 people liked it)

Jan 06, 2012

Kira rated it:

I had a really bad day yesterday.

That rainy Monday began with another agent rejection for my query. Exasperated, I went to class and decided to forget about it. When I got to class, I discovered that my teacher was not there, therefore no sculptung would take place. When I went for lunch, I ate pineapple, and it made my stomach hurt because it was brown. Then I walked home in the rain, found that the three had fallen off my house number sign, and my dog peed on the mat at the back do More...

16 comments like (30 people liked it)

Nov 13, 2011

Nina ♥ rated it:

~~This sounds awesome! Can't wait to read it!~~

~~Holy crap! This was amazing!~~

REVIEW: What an amazing book! I absolutely loved it!

Okay, so there are 4 types of people in this book:

1. Guardians: Werewolves. the ones who protect and serve the Keepers, “their loyal soldiers.”
2. Keepers: Witches & warlocks. They pretty much rule the Guardians (telling them what to do, choosing their mates, punishing them, choosing the packs’ alphas, etc…) and in return, More...

21 comments like (29 people liked it)

Apr 12, 2011

Lyndsey rated it:

When I first read the description for this book, I thought "Here we go with the werewolves again." We're werewolves. We like to run. We like to hunt and we like to kill vampires. Thankfully, there was pretty much none of that in this book. No vampires? Amazing!

Recently I've been in a bit a of a rut, and despite picking up some really interesting books, nothing lately has been holding my attention. I find my mind wandering to other completed series. Hmmmm, I wonder what Peeta is doing right now More...

13 comments like (27 people liked it)

Jan 16, 2012

Veronica added it

If you're thinking, "Oh no, another paranormal book involving werewolves": stop. And read. This book is more than that. It's smart and well-crafted, and there is something really powerful and authentic about the way Calla slowly realizes that what she has always known and embraced is not necessarily accurate or right-- and her character (strong, but flawed), her struggle, and the group dynamics Cremer examines really carried the book for me. Although the writing and the chemistry among More...

0 comments like (13 people liked it)

Jul 11, 2011

Tori [Book Faery] added it

Reason(s) for DNF:
-Shay's character rubbed off on me the wrong way. Though I've only read 119 pages, I did not see what made him so alluring to Calla.
-Did not enjoy how Calla seemingly dropped everything for a random human. It might have worked if Shay left more of an impact on me.
-Did not like how the love triangle felt forced. Again, going back to how I disliked Shay's character. (I'm sensing a theme here...)

Despite my distaste for a character or two, Andre More...

30 comments like (16 people liked it)

Jan 24, 2012

Heather rated it:

The verdict is still out on “Nightshade”. I’ll begin with the positives.

Pro: I burned through it in about three hours so it certainly can boast of possessing and addictive like quality that makes it difficult for the reader to cast it aside. It’s also very well paced, which again, prevents the reader from willingly throwing the brakes on the story. There really isn’t a stopping point. Once you start, you have to finish. As a devourer of books, I like to be that consumed by a book, r More...

3 comments like (11 people liked it)

May 26, 2011

Laura Lulu rated it:

My status updates aside, this was a pretty good book. A nice breath of fresh air in the over-saturated world of paranormal YA rubbish.

A wonderfully different take on werewolves, and a really nice, fast paced story/mystery. I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.

If you did read my status updates, the author does need a bit of help in understanding the economy of words. A few examples:

"Her mug clattered into the stainless steel basin."

More...

12 comments like (14 people liked it)

Jan 28, 2011

Anila rated it:

This book is preposterous, degrading, and offensive to strong women everywhere.
There. If you disagree passionately with that statement, you will be offended by what follows.
You've been warned.

Oh yeah, and spoilers ahead, because I don't really care enough about this Idiot Plot enough not to give it all away. Capice? Good. You may proceed.

The worst part of Nightshade is that I actually liked the basic concepts. The notion of a world populated and sem More...

65 comments like (85 people liked it)

Apr 24, 2010

Tiff rated it:

Don't think I should say much on here because this book is not being released for another NINE months! I am putting this on my "need to read again" shelf because a. I loved it, and b. the sequel, Wolfsbane, tentatively comes out in Fall 2011, and I will need/want a refresher by then!

For now, I'll just say this is a sexy, intriguing read that I could not put down!

1 comment like (16 people liked it)

Aug 26, 2011

Brittany rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

18 comments like (7 people liked it)

Oct 05, 2011

Alyssa rated it:

Good book, but I liked the wrong guy. Sorry, Cremer, but you made Ren more enjoyable. I’m so behind on reviewing that I thought I’d start with a book that’s easy for me to lay out.

In Calla’s world, she’s always known that her destiny is to life her life as co-pack-alpha with the sexy werewolf, Ren, and to lead the new pack. She never expected to fall for the gorgeous human guy she saved from the mountain one day, on patrol.

She never expected for everything to change.
More...

7 comments like (13 people liked it)

Jan 01, 2011

Bianca rated it:

*Spoilers*

I LOVED this book and would have given it five stars but seeing as she chooses Shay I decided to deduct a star, purely because I am TEAM REN!

I really liked Calla as a character, she was strong and determined and her own person. I loved the feeling of family and loyalty between the Nightshades and even the relationships between them and the Banes. Calla has grown up her whole life knowing that she will be paired up with Ren to create a new pack. She of course hat More...

53 comments like (19 people liked it)

Jul 25, 2011

Krys rated it:

Here's an experiment - go to your local book store and stand in the Young Adult area. Randomly throw a rock... chances are you will hit a book with a love triangle in it...odds are good that it has a Werewolf theme to it too. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer has both of those things in spades. However, this is the book that has single-handedly restored my languishing faith in the Werewolf genre of story writing.

Recent perusals of mine into this genre have left me cold and annoyed (save Ma More...

1 comment like (9 people liked it)

Jul 06, 2011

Maja rated it:

This is undoubtedly the worst YA novel I've read this year. I suffered through about 50% of the audiobook, i.e. 6 long, excruciating hours, waiting for it to start making sense, but it never did. Eventually I became too annoyed to continue.

Cremer rarely bothered to explain her world, but even when she did, the Keepers and Guardians made no sense to me. ‘Sink or swim’ is how I would describe her worldbuilding, at least in the first 40% or so - the story just goes on and you either ge More...

56 comments like (35 people liked it)

Dec 13, 2010

Tonya rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

5 comments like (12 people liked it)

Aug 20, 2011

Kate rated it:

truth: love triangles do not throw me into outrage, they just don't. Some friends of mine though, they start into a book, catch the first hint of a love triangle storyline, and then immediately show up on their goodreads status in a FURY!

Nightshade has a serious triangle going on, but it's not written like others where one guy is the obvious choice. I read the whole book and I still have no idea who the hell's team I'm on. So anyways, this gives NIghtshade it's addictive quality, a More...

3 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jan 03, 2012

Galla rated it:

I like that this book offers a twist on werewolf lore. The idea of werewolves as Guardians with a sacred trust to protect a sect of witches known as Keepers was intriguing, especially as it becomes obvious that the Keepers are feeding select versions of history to the Guardians in order to keep them compliant. I think that storyline could have been more effective if it had been a little more subtle. The Keepers here are written to make your skin crawl from the very beginning. One Keeper consider More...

11 comments like (5 people liked it)

Apr 24, 2010

Kate rated it:

Calla is the new alpha female of the nightshade pack, destined to be mated with Ren, the alpha male of the bane back, to make a new Haldis pack. She has known this since she was a little girl, and as an alpha female, Calla must be as pure as the driven snow, while Ren gets to run around with every girl at school. Calla's life changes when she is on patrol and saves a lost hiker from a bear attack. The hiker was badly injured by the bear and Calla has to give him her own blood to save his life More...

3 comments like (8 people liked it)

Oct 02, 2010

Brooke rated it:

I'm the first person to tell you that I don't like werewolf books. There's evidence of it in previous blog entries to prove it. However, I really *really* enjoyed 'Nightshade'. Very similar to how 'Twilight' was a book for those who had never read vampire books before, 'Nightshade' is a book for those who haven't read werewolf books before. You'll definitely want to give this read a try.

More at Brooke's Box of Books:
http://brookesboxofbooks.blogspot.com/20... More...

1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Nov 01, 2010

Arlene rated it:

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer is an explosive debut to what I feel is going to be a great series. I enjoyed this first installment quite a bit, as the characters are intriguing, the plot is unique and the pace of the story kept me turning the pages at a rapid pace to see where it would all eventually lead.

In this first installment, there were quite a few characters introduced as the two wolf groups, the Nightshades and Banes, prepare for a merge to become the Haldis pack. Calla is the More...

84 comments like (19 people liked it)

Aug 19, 2010

Marisa rated it:

Ugh, every teen girl is gonna love this. Got a Twilight fan who doesn't want to read anything you're trying to give them? Well as of October 2010, this should be the next thing on their list.

Calla is a Guardian -- she exists as both wolf and human (DON'T call her a werewolf), and her sole purpose in life is to protect the sacred places of the Keepers. The fate of all humanity depends upon it. Calla also happens to be the female alpha of her pack, and in just a few short weeks wil More...

3 comments like (7 people liked it)

Apr 24, 2010

Lisa rated it:

This is a very sexy YA novel. Lots of insanely hot werewolves. Grrr... Suspense up to the very end.

0 comments like (6 people liked it)

Aug 08, 2011

Rebecca rated it:

Nightshade is one of the best books I have read this year. There’s absolutely no doubt about it. Normally I’m a bit picky when it comes to Young Adult titles, since I have managed to come across plenty that are lacking some of the more emotional depth I love in novels. Nightshade however, was perfect in every way. My only complaint when reading it was actually that our heroine should jump the other alpha, Renier. A concern that might have come up more than once...

Calla has known her fu More...

3 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 27, 2011

Nicole rated it:

2.5 stars. This book was a little underwhelming for me, however, I'll start with some positives. The plot moved along at a nice pace and the paranormal concept was quite original. Having said that...why oh why does it always have to be a wolf? Especially in this context where they're not werewolves but guardians. Surely there is another animal out there interesting enough to fill in for these over-used mutts? I just can't romanticize any kind of canine when my dog randomly scoots her butt on th More...

6 comments like (6 people liked it)

Oct 30, 2011

Brooke rated it:

SHORT VERSION: This book was so fantastic! I don't want to wait to long for the next one! The mythology was so new and refreshing. Not just wolves but Guardians.... um soo cool. Calla is so kick-ass i love her. She has a really strong voice that i really liked. Oh....TEAM REN! :'(

LONG VERSION: This book was plain fantastic! The mythology was so new and refreshing. Not just wolves but Guardians.... Searchers and Keepers…. Umm so cool! And every time I would question “What is a Searcher More...

5 comments like (2 people liked it)

Mar 24, 2011

Mikaela rated it:

Simple. I loved it. The plot was amazing and original and absolutely crazy and it just worked. The characters were loveable, though, shockingly, I did not like Shay. At all. Which is weird, because usually I love the lead guy. I can just see that this is going to end up like another Hunger Games Peeta/Gale situation (I loved Gale in that too DAMN SUZANE COLLINS!) where Ren and Shay are all "No, she's mine bitch!" which will depress me. I LOVED Ren. He's a badass, but has just enough go More...

2 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jan 05, 2011

Kelly rated it:

I think this may be the first time ever that I truly cannot pick a "team"... Do I love Shay? Or do I love Ren? I just don't know. I love them both for different reasons and can't even decide which I think would be better for Calla. Interesting. Usually i'm always very one sided. It may not always be the side I'm supposed to be on, but there's always a definite side. I kind of like being torn. It made the book very interesting. But also very frustrating.

I was also really fru More...

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 15, 2012

Natalie (Mindful Musings) rated it:

In a Sentence: While Nightshade has an absolutely fabulous mythology and plot line, I found it extremely difficult to connect with the main character.

My Thoughts

I'll start off my saying this: I'm completely torn in the way I feel about this book. Do you ever finish reading a book and realize you can't seem to decide whether you loved it or hated it? That's my problem with Nightshade. You see, there were parts of this book that I thought were fantastic...and there were par More...

2 comments like (3 people liked it)

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