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Nightshade

(Nightshade #1)

Andrea Cremer (Goodreads Author)

4.01 · Rating details · 81,785 ratings · 5,108 reviews

She can control her pack, but not her heart ...

'I wanted him to kiss me-wished he could smell the desire that I knew was pouring off me. You can't, Calla. This boy isn't the one for you.'

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: graduation, marriage and then a life leading her pack. But when she defies her masters' laws to save a human boy, she must choose. Is one boy worth ...more

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Paperback, 452 pages

Published July 26th 2011 by Atom (first published October 19th 2010)

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Feb 16, 2010 Kogiopsis rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: save-me-from-the-tropes, galleys, incoherent-anger, reviewed

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 semi-controlled by witches and werewolves, with in ...more

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Jun 01, 2010 Kat Kennedy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: to-ya-or-not-to-ya, too-painful-to-finish, ya-pnr-maddness, kat-s-book-reviews

Usually, as a reviewer of YA and one who attracts a relative amount of trolls, I get told often that someone as OLD as me shouldn't be reviewing YA books. And at the staggeringly long-lived age of 25, I might as well be on Kidney dialysis and walking around with a zimmerframe to these people.

old woman wearing tiara

Coincidentally, how do you like my tiara?

Usually, I ignore these people because I can easily pretend to turn off my hearing aid and go to sleep. They stop annoying me when I "pretend" to fart in my sleep and ...more

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Apr 03, 2011 Maja (The Nocturnal Library) rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: annoying-love-triangle, huge-disappointment, incredibly-stupid-choices, what-does-she-see-in-him, creepy-love-triangle, young-adult, reviewed-in-2011, audiobooks, moments-of-great-frustration, wake-me-up-next-year

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 get it or not. 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 get it or not. Not. I still don’t understand why these Guardians, werewolves, warriors, whatever you want to call them, would answer to a group of witches, allowing themselves to be controlled in such a horrible way. They can’t be dominant, Alpha, and submissive at the same time.

I love my shapeshifter books as long as they don’t break one simple rule: the author needs to explain clothes right away or I’m done. I don’t care what the explanation is: the clothes can magically appear, they can be hidden somewhere or people can just walk around naked, but I need to know. For the longest time in Nightshade, Calla kept changing forms in public without any mention of clothes. It was explained eventually, but by then I was too angry to even care.

You know how sometimes it seems, especially in books with a really strong plot (view spoiler), that the love triangle was thrown in afterwards, probably to satisfy the publisher’s demand? Well, in this case, I’m betting there was an editor somewhere along the line who said: “Wait just a second, Ms. Cremer. This book needs an actual plot! It can’t ALL be just Calla going from Ren to Shay and back.” And so she was forced to add this plot she probably deemed unnecessary and even damaging to her beautiful love triangle drama.

The love triangle was painful to endure. Calla is a terrible, selfish character with double standards, Shay is mostly just pathetic and Ren is blind to it all. Of course, if I had to choose, I’d choose Ren in a second because he has that sexy name going for him and he occasionally shows some backbone, which is more than I can say for either Calla or Shay.

As Lora pointed out in her comment, the ratings are all over the place. It’s quite possible that some of you will find this story interesting and enjoyable. Many of my friends did. But if you don’t like love triangles, stay far, far away from this series.
...more

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Jul 20, 2010 Jessica rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 05-crush-worthy-guy, 18-wolves-shifters

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! This book is 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! This book is one big fat love triangle and the story is almost solely focused on it. There are two boys fighting for Calla’s affection.
Ren, a werewolf like Calla, whom she’s promised to and Shay, a human boy who’s new to town and whose live Calla had saved once. (which was a major violation of the rules, of course).
I liked how it all started out with Calla and Shay and the author definitely wanted us to whoop for him in this love triangle but in the end, Ren was the one who got my pulse racing. I’m into strong male characters and don’t mind the occasional jerkness and believe me, Ren can be a jerk alright. He’s basically your typical bad boy. If you had issues with, say, Ethan from Glimmerglass you probably won’t like Ren, though. *nudges Olivia* I thought Calla’s and Ren’s chemistry was great and tangible and I really liked the forbidden romance vibe. I guess we were supposed to get this vibe off her fling with Shay, too, but somehow that was lost on me.

I didn’t get Calla’s attraction to Shay at all, to be honest. I found him rather dull and that whole oh-my-god-I-knew-you-were-my-soul-mate-from-the-first-time-I-laid-eyes-on-you-and-that’s-why-I-want-to-make-out-with-you-right-away thing rarely works for me anyway. I need some suspense, I want to hope and fear and wonder along with the heroine whether her beloved one returns her affection or not. So if the author had made Shay a little less boring and had given Calla and him more time to fall for each other and build up some tension, I probably would have liked him better.

What irked me was the fact that there isn’t that much happening in the first half of the book. It’s all about the romance and the ways of the packs. How the wolves operate is interesting, don’t get me wrong, and I really liked the dynamics within the pack but I want to establish that this book focuses mainly on the romance part. If you don’t mind that, you’ll be fine. Towards the end, the pace picked up a little but the turn of events didn’t really come as a surprise. It was rather obvious, unfortunately.

In my opinion, Nightshade is one of the less innocent YA novels seeing as some pretty though topics were addressed and the make-out scenes weren’t all too innocent either.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and I’m pretty sure that I will pick up the sequel. I’m just hoping for a little less love triangle and a little more plot in Wolfsbane.

I can see why a lot of people loved this book and from what I can tell so far, I think some of the bookers might like it, too. Tina, Nic, this goes out to you especially. Olivia, you most definitely were right to kick it off your wish list ;-)

Oh and, little cover slut that I am, I have to give a few bonus points for the awesome cover and deckled edges :-)

So...3 stars it is!

...more

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Sep 03, 2010 Lyndsey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-2010, reviewed-4-stars, genre-urban-fantasy, about-werewolves-shifters

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. 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.

But finally! Finally, something held my interest and had me itching to find out more. I just love that feeling! When a book gets under your skin. When you start daydreaming about other things going on in it's world, searching for sub-text and insight into the characters minds.

As much as I hate to admit it, I couldn't wait to find out what Ren would do next. Don't get me wrong, I love my hero types; but sometimes, just sometimes, I love some bad in my boys a little bit more. I mean I'll take Han Solo over Luke Skywalker any day.

And Ren is all the best kinds of bad. To put it eloquently, he has the perfect combination of not giving a crap and at the same time giving a crap. That is really hard to even out with many characters. Many male characters tend to be either too chauvinistic or way too bleeding-heart. Ren is the perfect wicked combination. Maybe not the perfect match for Calla, but I LOVE him. Don't get me wrong: I love Shay as well, just not in THAT kind of way.

I also really appreciated that this book was not all about warring factions of supernatural creatures like so much of YA fantasy, although it pushes toward a future of war. This first book of the series was more about a single faction establishing peace amongst themselves and unravelling the mysteries of the past.

Also, alot of first person young adult books tend to either have to much dialogue or too much inner dialogue. This had it just right, and the tone and descriptions were very nice.

I was glad to see that they got a lot of answers to questions raised about the union and such, instead of stringing us along with endless cliffhangers and no resolution in sight. And yes, it ends with a cliffhanger, but it is the best kind. The kind that opens up a whole new realm of possibilities.

The plot is simplistic and primarily romance driven, but it is an easy page turner, which is what I happened to be in the mood for. Yeah, this book may be full of taboos. Werewolves (Those are in right now?) A love triangle (Haven't read one of those in a while!) So what? It just does it all so damn well.

If you're looking for a plot heavy book with an in-depth and sensible story, then this might not be for you right now. But if your looking for a romance and tension-filled read with that addictive quality, and don't mind a love frustrating love triangle, then go ahead give this one a try. ...more

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May 02, 2010 Torzilla marked it as did-not-finish · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, bea-beauties

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, Andrea deserves credit. Why? Because I t ...more

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Mar 19, 2010 Kim rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, read-in-2010, did-not-like-it, abandoned

Oh forget about it, enough already. I sat through 221 pages of torment, and I've had enough, I can't take it anymore.

I spent months looking forward to this book. I mean, come on, just look at the pretty cover. The idea sounded great too. What could possibly go wrong?

Everything

Calla is the virgin (I cannot stress enough how much of a virgin she is) alpha female who leads a pack of wolves, and soon she will be dropped into some kind of arranged marriage business with the alpha male of another pack ...more

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Mar 30, 2010 Bianca rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, books-i-loved, romance-i-envy-and-love, best-characters, guys-i-wish-were-real, put-life-on-hold-to-read, goodreads-reading-challenge-2010

*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 hates the fact that her fre *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 hates the fact that her free will was taken away and that she doesnt have a choice in the matter. Still though she remains loyal and knows its her duty to Ren and the pack members to follow through, until Shay enters the picture.

I loved Bryn Calla's beta, she was a great best friend and kept secrets that could have gotten Calla into loads of trouble. I love how she and Ansel (Calla's brother) end up together although I was sad at the same time when Calla mentioned how they got to be together (Due to her and Ren putting in a good word for them later on) yet she doesnt get that chance. I really liked Ansel especially when he said he would run away with Bryn to be with her if he had to because thats what love is.

I just couldnt seem to like Shay as much as I wanted to he just wasn't appealing to me. He came into Calla's life and from that moment on Calla began questioning herself and everything she believes in. I like how she finds out the truth about the Keeper's and I cant imagine how it must have been for her to believe in something her whole life only to find out that it was a lie, must have been horrible. I can see why she relates to Shay and how she ends up with him over Ren. It also helps the storyline along, being with Shay just adds to the list of things she is not supposed to do. Also I doubt she would have ever discovered the truth if she chose Ren. He has admirable qualities but I still don't think he compares to Ren.

Chapter 33 was my favourite, It was a hard time emotionally for Calla and Ren. Even though Ren throughout the book appears to be a sleazy player deep down he is a really nice guy. He truly loved Calla and you see that in this chapter. He is willing to do anything for Calla including protecting Shay if he has too. I thought it was really sad when he asked Calla to return to him, that she would come back to him and the pack and that he doesnt want to lose her. You can see that even though they are arranged to be married he has fallen in love with her. I wish Calla hadnt been so untrusting with Ren, especially when she questions whether he would be like his father. I dont think Ren was anything like his dad. He proved many times that he was a good person deep down. For a while he just had a funny way of showing it. Plus he gives her a ring!! Who doesn't love a guy who gives the girl he loves a ring!>? I just don't beleive Calla gave Ren a proper go, even though she has known him for a long time she never really *knew* him. She didn't give him a fair go.

My favourite line from the book was "This isn't about love, it's about survival" "No Calla" His voice became hushed "This is only about love"

I will continue to hold onto the hope that she changes her mind and ends up with Ren, in the next book. I definatly can't wait for the sequel. ...more

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Mar 12, 2011 Colleen Houck added it · review of another edition

Shelves: werewolves, paranormal

I really liked this book. I think people who like my series will most likely enjoy this one also. She ends the book on a cliffhanger similar to my style and she has layered in a lot of pieces which means she's got many things yet to reveal. It's exciting and makes me want to reach for the next book immediately. There is also a nice bit of romantic tension. ...more

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Jun 17, 2010 Lindsay rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, cover-lust, never-finished

So everyone is probably going to hate me for writing this review but this is my honest to god opinion. I really wanted to like Nightshade. I waited so long to read this and I was dying to read it too! I heard nothing but great things about this series but I really wanted the book in paperback to save money. And the week the paperback came out, I immediately bought it!

And well...I hated it. Okay no, hate is a strong word. I didn't hate this book. In fact, the beginning of this book started off strong and had me completely reeled in. But after awhile, I lost complete interest.

First off, Calla just...I don't know how to explain it but I didn't like her. I felt like Cremer was trying too hard to make her sound like a teenager and it didn't come off right on paper. Its like she was a mixture of too many things all at once. She was too fake in my opinion.

Second, there's Ren. Yes, I said it. I don't like Ren. I'll say it again. I. Don't. Like. Ren. Honestly, I found nothing attractive about him at all. Again, I felt as if Cremer tried too hard with his character. Ren was too dominating, too sarcastic, too...much. I didn't like the way he treated Calla at all either. He seemed all over he place. Overbearing at one moment, caring the next. And I didn't like the fact that they were so eager to just get together and mate so quickly.

All of the characters just seemed really poorly written. I couldn't connect to anyone except for one character. Shay. Yeah yeah I know I'm getting some wtf faces right now. But hey, that's just me. Personally, I could relate to Shay. From what I read, he loved literature and yet he had a natural curiousity for things that didn't seem right. I wanted more of him and it confused me why no one else felt the same minus three other people. But as much as I liked Shay, I couldn't finish this book, not even for him.

Now, the biggest problem I had with this book is the plot. I had no idea what was going on! A hundred pages in, I still had no idea what was going on. Nothing had been explained or cleared up and this annoyed me. I mean, a little mystery is good but you can't leave the reader still guessing so far in the book. I lost all interest because not one thing was clear and I don't want to read a book that I can't understand.

Overall, I really didn't like this book. There were so many problems I had with this book and there's no way I'm going to be able to finish this. Too many things left unclear and too many inconsistencies made me unhappy. I'm sad to say that I only fell in love with this book because of its cover. :( Will I ever read another book by Cremer? Probably not.

Rating: 1 out of 5 Stars

...more

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Jan 17, 2010 Tiff rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, tiffs-favorites, need-to-read-again, advance-copy, read-in-2010

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! ...more

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Jul 03, 2011 Haleema rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: People who need insta-love like I need chocolate

Shelves: just-begging-for-snark, stupid, love-triangles, insta-love

So does Cremer like Harry Potter? Seamus ~~Finnigan~~ Doran. That Neville dude from one of the wolf packs. How dare she use their names in her book?

Just for that I'm going to use the epic dating site serial killer memes for you, Cremer. That's the theme for this review.

description

Stupid, wacko loser of an author. What is your problem? Do you not understand the annoying traits of insta-love? Do you not learn from other young adult paranormal romance writers that demonstrate that horrid concept of "love"? Must ...more

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Mar 28, 2010 Kay Cassidy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I absolutely LOVED Nightshade! I have to admit I'm not usually a huge vampire or werewolf fan (or wolf fan, as the case may be here), but I was completely blown off my rocker by this fabulous debut. If I could give it six stars, I would. SO GOOD. Calla is one of my favorite YA heroines of all time - she's smart, funny, strong and resilient. And the two love interests, Ren and Shay? All I can say is WOW. The only problem is that I can't decide if I'm Team Ren or Team Shay! Can't we just clone Cal ...more

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Oct 13, 2010 Katie(babs) rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: gag-worthy-book

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer has incredible buzz behind it. Not only does it have a 200,000 initial first print run, but the promo the publisher is doing for this book is unbelievable. When I expressed interested in reading Nightshade, I was sent it even though the blurb gave me some cause for concern. All together now… Twilight comparison.

Calla Tor, the werewolf heroine of Nightshade, is a tomboy with a ragtag crew, aka the furry wolf gang who keep watch over the woods, mountains, valleys; you n Nightshade by Andrea Cremer has incredible buzz behind it. Not only does it have a 200,000 initial first print run, but the promo the publisher is doing for this book is unbelievable. When I expressed interested in reading Nightshade, I was sent it even though the blurb gave me some cause for concern. All together now… Twilight comparison.

Calla Tor, the werewolf heroine of Nightshade, is a tomboy with a ragtag crew, aka the furry wolf gang who keep watch over the woods, mountains, valleys; you name it. Her people are controlled by the evil witch sorcerer types called the Keepers. Calla is forced to marry a rival werewolf, more like frenemies run by Ren Laroche, the resident bad boy, who’s so popular because he embodies many underage sexual fantasies. Ren is like a rock star with many groupies. He’s way chill about marrying Calla even though he does everything he can to get frisky with her before their wedding night. Calla isn’t down with that because she’s an alpha and wears jeans, rather than dresses and skirts way above the knees. But Ren temps her with unspoken teen desire and lust that her virgin flesh can’t keep dormant for much longer.
Confusion sets in for Calla because she doesn’t know what she wants. Things grow even more complicated when she saves a human boy, Shay Doren from being eaten by a bear. Shay figures out what Calla is very quickly and now she’s torn with wanting both Ren and Shay.

Nightshade failed for me on so many levels. Yet again we have a heroine who is very much a loner even though she is surrounded by many friends and family. She’s suffering from a form of silent emotional angst because she’s being forced to do something she doesn’t agree with. She walks a fine line with both the seductively dark Ren, and the sweet, very beta Shay who loves to have conversation with Calla. Why, this is a perfect way of explaining things about this world so it’s not really telling because the characters are having dialogue together.

For the life of me I couldn’t figure out why Nightshade would be a banned book. Other than some very subtle sex talk and witches and mysticism mentioned, the overall writing is very simple and weak at times. (Beware! Nightshade may make your tweens and teens practice dark magic and go running around naked in the woods). Rather than seeing Calla as a type of rebel, I saw her more of a pouty and cranky girl who would stamp her feet and roll to the ground and have a tantrum if she didn’t get her way.

Again, Nightshade has more pop-light tension and suspense if anything. And if I had finished reading Nightshade, this would be a book that would have no lasting impression, where I could barely tell you those characters’ names. ...more

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Aug 03, 2010 Alyssa rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-romance, really-excited-for, highly-anticipated, own, 2011-read, great-books, ya-loved, mystery-suspense, kick-ass

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.

Calla was a really strong ch 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.

Calla was a really strong character. She had the emotions to make her believable, she had the attitude to make her realistic and enjoyable, and the voice to make her someone to remember. She was someone I would look up to if I had the opportunity to be blessed by her company. She appeared to me like an average teenage girl with problems would, and I was actually very happy with her maturity and confusion over the issues she faced. I was glad she turned to her Scooby-Doo gang for help – go Ansel! – and I certainly liked how she wasn’t afraid to give up her pride in extreme times of need. Although she annoyed me a little bit with her whole Shay-obsession, she was a truly memorable character.

This book focuses almost entirely on its love triangle. And one hell of a love triangle this one was. Calla – and the reader – becomes caught between two wonderful guys (one more wonderful than the other) and it truly is a journey wandering through her gaze as she spends time with both. I wasn’t too happy with the male lead, though (Shay), mostly because I hate human guys when comparing them to the supernatural. I also didn’t like him too much because he influenced some of Calla’s stupidest ideas (I didn’t like the plot twist in the climax. More on that later) and he just seemed completely naïve in comparison to his competition, Ren, the all-awesome werewolf.

The pacing of this book is what made me knock it down star-wise. Everything seemed to be happening way too fast and even though I like quick paces, this one moved a little bit too quickly. Even though the action was fabulous and the plot was wonderfully unique, I found myself constantly wishing for Cremer to slow it all dooowwwwnnnn.

The climax – besides me other qualm – was fun and heart-pounding, and I keep wishing for more. That cliffhanger…hoo boy, I’ll be one of the first in line to grab WOLFSBANE.

Check out more here at my blog: http://bookbybooksummer.blogspot.com/
...more

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Oct 20, 2010 Arlene rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2010, ya-paranormal, young-adult, paranormal, weres-shifters

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 alpha female 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 alpha female of the Nightshade and in her pack she has Bryn, Ansel, Mason, and Fey. Ren, the alpha male for the Banes, is followed by Cosette, Neville, Sabine and Dax. Together, Calla and Ren will be united as one group to serve as Guardians to the Keepers. The groups are preparing for the inevitable merge, but plans begin to take a turn when a stranger comes to town and uncovers secrets and deceit that Calla isn’t able to easily ignore. Her feelings for Ren are compromised and she must make a decision and risk everything including her pack to follow her instincts and her growing feelings for Shay.

I liked the blend of old magic, paranormal lore, intrigue and strife that was infused in this story. The main character Calla was someone I could easily root for despite her flaws and questionable choices. Her feelings between Ren and Shay even confused me at times and I kept switching back and forth between who I thought was the better choice for her as I liked both characters quite a bit. Overall, there were a few flaws, but not enough to detract me from the storyline and keep me riveted the whole way through.

The only spoiler I will offer is that Nightshade does end with a significant cliffy, but so much happened in this book and there is quite a bit to process that I don’t feel on edge waiting for the next installment because I just might use this time to re-read the book, which I don't often do. I am eager to read Wolfsbane because the ending seemed appropriate and left me wanting more. Great installment that I will definitely continue with! ...more

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Aug 14, 2018 Nenia ✨️ Socially Awkward Trash Panda ✨️ Campbell marked it as wishlist · review of another edition

*looks at cover*

Ya, it's super important to hit up the Maybelline aisle at the store for some ~lewks~ before going to save the world and shit

#HighlighterChallenge #PurpleHairDontCare #PurpleLipSoHip #SmokyEye #MaybeImBornLikeThisMaybeImTheChosenOne ...more

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Jun 04, 2010 Laura Lulu rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, urban-fantasy, shifters, audiobook, chubby-chunkster

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."

"Her mug clattered into the sink." works just fine--get 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."

"Her mug clattered into the sink." works just fine--gets the image across perfectly & succinctly. Economy of words is a great premise.

"He poured tall, dark liquid from the thermos." Was the coffee also handsome? "Tall, dark liquid"??? So silly. We don't need flowing prose about coffee.

And my favorite:
"Unwelcome searing liquid pooled in my eyes." Did I mention the concept of "economy of words"? The word "tears" would have worked just fine here--actually, it would have been better. I listened to this book on audio, and when I first heard "Unwelcome searing liquid..." I thought someone threw something caustic at her.

Any thoughts I have on the love triangle would be spoilers, so here we go...(view spoiler)

Oh, and one last thing. The author should have written in a few cold showers for Calla. This girl was a comical sensory trip. This boy makes her shiver, that boy makes her shake. This boy makes her breath stop, that boy makes her limbs go numb. It was over the top. When I start laughing when I read the next physical description of Calla's 0-60 desire, that means you've gone a bit too far. ;) ...more

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Nov 16, 2009 Krys rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: medium-length-book, urban-dark-fantasy-paranormal, first-person-narrative, purged, series-i-love, read-in-2011, arcs-i-no-longer-have, witches-wizards-magic-themed, read-in-2010, series

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 pretty 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 Maggie Sti
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 pretty 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 Maggie Stiefvater's sublime Shiver and Linger). Several books I have read lately end up spending too much time telling and not showing... pack dynamics, alpha/beta aggressions, running, running... running... What's with all the running? I know it's true to the wolf essence but really? How many hundreds of pages does one really need to read of running in the woods riotously glorifying the hunt? I am sick to death of S. Meyers clones and I want it to stop!

That said, Cremer does it right. And I am so pleased of this. When she describes this world it is just enough to pique the reader's curiosity. The prose flows and the dialogue sings. Many of the characters are fleshed out and dimensional while not seeming like carbon copies to what's been written before. The love story (said triangle mentioned before) is sweet and complex and trumps other romantic novels by far.

I am also pleasantly surprised that there is no big dramatic overwrought "OMG! I'm a Werewolf!!" moment to be found in this book. Calla opens up this book a werewolf, chasing down a bear from a human hiker and shifting back and forth with ease. For once, a character who knows her abilities and doesn't spend a portion of the book learning to be her supernatural self. Bravo! How refreshing to not have to grow into it with the character, but to be it already. We can focus on other things then, like character interactions and gorgeous world building. Also a stellar plot line about the how and why this group of Werewolves came to be.

I am in awe of this idea. I can't wait to see how this pans out. Such a great story. Wonderful debut, Cremer. You've earned a 5 out of 5, and a solid fan. The first of many, I trust.

-review courtesy of www.bibliopunkkreads.com ...more

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May 01, 2010 Nic rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, cover-crazy, 2010, paranormal-romance

Rating 4.5 stars :)

Favourite Quote: "I could smell his fear but was intrigued by the other, more alluring scents beneath it. Clover, rain, sun-warmed fields. I leaned toward him, taking in the shape of his lips, the light in his pale green eyes. He wasn't looking at me like I was a freak. His eyes were full of fear and wanting. I wondered what he could see in my eyes".

What an incredible debut! Nightshade was a gripping read that will pull readers into it unique and beautiful world full of passi ...more

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Jan 01, 2011 Sofija rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: couldn-t-finished

I wanted to like this book. But in spite of werewolves, love triangle and strong young heroine, it still wasn’t interesting enough for me. And I hated parts, where Calla was so aroused by Shay or Ren touches and she wanted to have sex with them (separately, not like threesome), but she couldn’t because it was forbidden. And these moments were repeated in every page. After I read about it in tenth time, I decided that Calla had some serious hormonal problems and she obviously can’t control them. ...more

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Jan 19, 2010 ~Tina~ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: wolves-shapeshiftes, cover-crazz, young-adult, read-2010, paranormal

Loved. Loved. LOVED this book!

The minute I saw this cover and read the summary, I knew I so wanted to fall in love with this book. Nightshade has been one of my most anticipated and Andrea Cremer did not disappoint. Landing this remarkable novel on my favorite shelf and one of the best reads of 2010.

It's no secret that I'm picky when it comes to this paranormal, but Cremer doesn't hold back, delivering an exceptional tale of mystery, intrigue and romance.
I didn't even need to get use to the styl ...more

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Dec 05, 2010 tonya. rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, paranormal, favorites-of-2010

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The first third of Nightshade captured my attention like little else has recently. I found the characters authentic and compelling, and the world Andrea Cremer built was unique and intriguing. Even the love triangle element (which I suppose has become a requirement of YA literature) was tolerable, simply because I found both love interests equally as attractive and possible. This was not a Team Jacob / Team Edward situation where the main character's ultimate choice is so obvious you can only ey ...more

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Jan 04, 2016 Helen 2.0 rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, brs-done, love-triangle, own, fluff, school-setting, read-16, shifters, vamps, demons-fae

I gave this book 2 stars because of Calla.

Calla acted like an immature, self-absorbed drama queen for 90% of the book and I found it impossible to like her. Andrea Cremer couldn't decide if she wanted Calla to be a tomboy or a girly-girl so Calla goes from blushing over something as trivial as wearing skirts to flirting blatantly in the same chapter. The inconsistencies in her character had me rolling my eyes more than just a few times. Calla is supposedly a badass (she's called that by at leas ...more

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Jun 01, 2010 Dominika rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, own-a-copy, audiobook

1,5 stars... funny, right? Like an F+... The plus is for the last 30 min of the audiobook... anyway.
A bit of spolier stuff, but nothing you wouldn't expect from a paranormal romance.

It was the worst book to read for a few years. I kid you not. I think even Hush, Hush wasn't so bad, because it was easier to go through. It was actually painful to finish it and I was counting how much I had left.

This book is simply bad. It's too cheesy, it's too predictable. But I guess I should say what actua 1,5 stars... funny, right? Like an F+... The plus is for the last 30 min of the audiobook... anyway.
A bit of spolier stuff, but nothing you wouldn't expect from a paranormal romance.

It was the worst book to read for a few years. I kid you not. I think even Hush, Hush wasn't so bad, because it was easier to go through. It was actually painful to finish it and I was counting how much I had left.

This book is simply bad. It's too cheesy, it's too predictable. But I guess I should say what actually annoyed me so much. So... What should be first? I guess the heroine. I was seventeen once too, you know? And I don't think you can get that horny before you actually even experience your first kiss. It's impossible for your body to react to a man's body like that if you don't really know what physical pleasure is all about. She was breaking into tiny little pieces just because someone "cupped" her head, or "cupped" her chin, or whatever they were "cupping". God, that word appeared soooo many times. She behaved like an animal lady in heat. And it was BAD. It's not like I'm some prude, or I don't know what smut is all about. And I like my books like that sometimes, but this was just unnatural. She almost had an instant orgasm because someone (ANYONE! it seems ) touched her leg or her waist. Calla is attracted to both her destined mate and the new-boy-in-town-which-is-totally-awesome. So she has all those bodily reactions to those two guys and it doesn’t really seem to matter which one it is. And THEN. And then she actually falls in love. And I don’t get that. WHY? Her love interest is not even a tiny bit appealing to me and I do not understand why she risks so much for him. But hey, that’s what instant love is all about in paranormal romance, right? I’ve read my fair share of bad books ,but this is just too much. All that I’m so conflicted stuff, I’m such a strong woman, I’m a warrior, but then I’m really not – I’m just a whiny lost girl that’s ruled by her hormones. She’s unreasonable, irresponsible… and WHAT DOES SHE SEE IN THAT GUY???
So there we are. The heroine’s love interest. I really don’t get him. He’s repulsing. He’s some wise-ass that pretends to be some young philosopher, hurt by how he had to live his life, all alone without friends. Even the fact that he mentioned Buffy season 8th as one of his favorite comic books didn’t save him. He’s dull, he’s annoying, he doesn’t represent anything that would be interesting for me. And then we have Calla’s destined mate. He’s one hell of a guy – he’s actually the only really interesting person in this book. But no, hey, he’s the bad, bad jerk. And he sleeps with women. And he’s confident. And we should hate him. But he’s the only considerate, devoted character in the whole book, the only one who is not one-dimensional and has all the qualities of a human being. But no, he’s the supposed-jerk and I don’t think we even get to be Seamus (new guy)-team or Renier(destined mate)-team, it should be that obvious for us.
Anyway. The characters are shit. The story is shit. Just at the very end it gets a bit more exciting, we get to be doubtful about what we thought is really happening. But that still doesn’t make me want to read the second installment. I was just too happy to finally finish the first one. Most of the plot twists were predictable, so I was just waiting for Calla to figure out what I did a few hours before. And I’m really not that good with predicting plot twists.
I’m really angry at this book, so this review might seem a bit chaotic. But I just hated it so much!!! I hate when the author tells me who I’m supposed to hate, who is the hot guy, without actually creating them so I feel like it myself. I hate heroines that talk about how bad-ass they are, but end up being some hormone-controlled-weak-freaks that just annoy the shit out of me. And all that cheesy talk. It almost had a gag reflex. It was forced, it was unnatural, it was supposed to convince us how deep the love between the two chosen characters is.
BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BADBADBADBADBABD. Nothing more to say, really. Never ever.

...more

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Apr 23, 2010 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker Queen of the Undead rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really did not want to like this book. The book has so much publicity and I wanted to rebel and hate it. I really dislike overhyped books. As hard as I tried, I failed at disliking this book. In fact, my only disappointment came in the fact that I have no clue what is going to happen (yes, there is a cliffhanger) and frankly, I want to know!

You can see from the other reviews that this is a book about werewolves. Oh pardon me, do not call them werewolves, they are “Guardians”. It is also about ...more

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Mar 29, 2010 Jen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, read-in-2010, paid-full-price

It's no secret that Nightshade was one of my most anticipated reads of 2010. I remember seeing it on some IMMs several months back. Once I saw the cover, it was like someone had switched on a neon sign in my head that flashed and buzzed 24/7: MUST! HAVE! MUST! HAVE!

That cover!
That title!
That color scheme!
DECKLED PAGES!

Yes, I decided I needed to make Nightshade mine. So after months upon months of counting down and entering ARC contests (to no avail), I finally got my grubby little hands on It's no secret that Nightshade was one of my most anticipated reads of 2010. I remember seeing it on some IMMs several months back. Once I saw the cover, it was like someone had switched on a neon sign in my head that flashed and buzzed 24/7: MUST! HAVE! MUST! HAVE!

That cover!
That title!
That color scheme!
DECKLED PAGES!

Yes, I decided I needed to make Nightshade mine. So after months upon months of counting down and entering ARC contests (to no avail), I finally got my grubby little hands on a bright and shiny copy. I have to commend whoever orchestrated the brilliant marketing for Nightshade. The whole mystery game with Shay was phenomenal. Huge props on that.

Nightshade is narrated by leader of the pack, Calla. I liked being in Calla's head, but she tended to make me dizzy with her back-and-forth tendencies between love interests. After all, what would YA paranormal be without that love triangle business? However, Calla was nothing, if not loyal to her pack. I loved her devotion to her brother, Ansel, who was one of my favorite characters (and my sugar-to-coffee ratio is tooth-achingly similar to his.) Calla has a lot of soul-searching to do in coming books, and I can't wait to read about it. As Shay told her, "you belong to yourself." Loved that part. It brought the warm, fuzzy feeling.

Speaking of Shay, I was a bit conflicted on how I felt about him. On one hand, he was rather pushy and insistent with Calla, almost borderline disrespectful of her boundaries and traditions. On the other, he was at times sensitive and encouraged Calla to look beyond the little box she's lived in her entire life. I think I need a bit more exposure to Shay to form a well-rounded opinion. I'm so glad this is a series, because I cannot WAIT to find out more about Shay and the exact part he plays in the grand scheme of things.

At the beginning, I was not down with Calla's betrothed being a player while she has to remain virginal and pure. Do not want. I'm Team "Calla finding herself and rocking it out as a strong, self-sufficient chick." But as the story progressed, Ren's charming, faithful side emerged and I, too, was back-and-forth about who I was cheering for. Cremer has a way of presenting you with the characters' flaws and then offering a deeper, more meaningful look into their personalities, which were delightful distinct and diverse.

What an insane journey I've just concluded. I don't even know if I can use the term "concluded," because holy cliffhanger. It was a doozy.
The world-building, the lore, the intricacies of the precarious balance between the Keepers and the Guardians was exquisite. There were some issues with the Keepers and their power trips that made me slightly uncomfortable, so I'm hoping for retribution in future books. I'm so impressed by Cremer's ability to keep all of it straight in her head, let alone create this complex hierarchy. Reading about the Guardian's history was a infinitely more interesting and fun than any history book I've ever read. If only it were this much fun in real life. ...more

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Dec 26, 2010 brittany rated it liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So I really liked this book. It was really good but there's one thing that I really really hated about it - SHAY. Why? Some people might love him, think hes nice and loves Calla and all but to me he was a pushy, annoying hindrance that made me want to strangle the book whenever he popped up. TEAM REN!! *Cough* moving on..

The plot was good although kinda predictable,IMO. The story is built around the main character, Calla, a female Alpha Guardian. She had always known how her future would turn ou So I really liked this book. It was really good but there's one thing that I really really hated about it - SHAY. Why? Some people might love him, think hes nice and loves Calla and all but to me he was a pushy, annoying hindrance that made me want to strangle the book whenever he popped up. TEAM REN!! *Cough* moving on..

The plot was good although kinda predictable,IMO. The story is built around the main character, Calla, a female Alpha Guardian. She had always known how her future would turn out - Marry Alpha male guardian Ren (he's awesome btw) and lead a new pack with him. Until SHAY arrives (here we go). Calla saves SHAY from a grizzly bear attack at the beginning of the book and when he joins her school she starts to get to know him better. (She feels this INTENSE attraction to him which I can't really comprehend). Calla begins to question everything she believes in and her destiny once she starts talking to him. This leads to them (Shay forcing her *Ahem*) to start investigating even though it is forbidden and could get Calla in SERIOUS TROUBLE. And yeah they unravel hidden truths and lies she and the other guardians have been led to believe.

From the very beginning of the book I just couldn't bring myself to like Shay. And as the book progressed I really began to hate him. And over the book he became and and more obsessed with Calla. He was also really pushy and just plain annoying and I hated his attitude (especially towards Ren).

I truly loved Ren as a character. Hes portrayed as a bit of a player and sexy and confident. I think he really loved Calla though. He gave her a pretty ring and when he did he wasn't so confident and even blushed ;D. I was really sad for him in chapter 33 when Calla was running away with Shay (>.<). I wish Calla had given Ren more of a chance instead of always being so mistrusting of him. There were also parts in the book where she treated him really unfairly.

The side characters were also interesting. I especially liked Calla's brother Ansel and thought his relationship with Calla's best friend Bryn was cute. And I like how the author brought a few gay characters into the story too.

Overall the plot was really good and it was a good read.I can't wait to see what happens in the next book, Wolfs bane. As long as it has Ren ;D

...more

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Nov 07, 2009 Kristi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: signed-arcs, own-arc, books-i-own

What made this novel so awesome? The plot. I didn't love this novel because of the characters. I loved this novel because of the intricately weaved, never a dull moment plot... the history of the characters and their mythology. I absolutely fell for this story. It's action packed. I am not exaggerating when I say there isn't a dull moment... there's not! Nothing is what it seems... one word I wouldn't use to describe this novel is predictable. I had lot's of moments where my mouth was hanging op ...more

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Oct 29, 2015 Nicole's Book Diaries rated it liked it · review of another edition

A strong main protagonist can carry a book with a weak plot line and a mediocre setting. But it’s a shame when a book with an interesting plot and excellent world building is hindered by the main protagonist.

That is exactly what happened with this book and it really is a shame. It could have been a great book if I didn’t spend half the book wanting to scream at the main character for being utterly frustrating.

So let’s meet her shall we?

Calla is a werewolf or in this book, a guardian and not just A strong main protagonist can carry a book with a weak plot line and a mediocre setting. But it’s a shame when a book with an interesting plot and excellent world building is hindered by the main protagonist.

That is exactly what happened with this book and it really is a shame. It could have been a great book if I didn’t spend half the book wanting to scream at the main character for being utterly frustrating.

So let’s meet her shall we?

Calla is a werewolf or in this book, a guardian and not just any guardian, the new alpha for her generation of Nightshade wolves. She started out amazing with her ferocity while patrolling their borders in the beginning of the book and fighting off a bear while trying to save a human’s life. Unfortunately, any redeeming traits for Calla ends there. Calla spends the rest of the book being a naïve angsty teenager while juggling two guys vying for her attention.

Nowhere in this book did I see any indication of alpha Calla. She can fight and be a warrior just fine but then so can all the other female wolves in her pack. She has no leadership qualities and no clue of what is going on in her pack. She is literally years less mature than her YOUNGER 15 year old brother. Keep in mind that she’s almost 18, the older sister and as she constantly states in the book, an alpha. Aren’t alphas supposed to be mature, perceptive, strong, and encouraging? Isn’t that what makes a great leader? So why do we have this girl who couldn’t even tell the relationship budding between her brother and her best friend. Both of which are closest to her personally and proximity wise? Honestly, if I was in Calla’s pack, I would be afraid of having her as my alpha.

Now let’s move on to her “affair”. So there’s a love triangle in book. Calla our ever annoying protagonist, Shay, the new boy in town, and Ren, the rival alpha of Calla’s pack. Here’s a little info first. Calla and Ren was proclaimed to be mated when they both turn 18. Their union is supposed to bring the new generation of the Nighshade and Bane (Ren’s pack) wolves together and create a new pack. Enter Shay, the new boy that Calla saved from a bear and shifted in front off. There is this insta-love connection between them and you can pretty much see where this is going. Both guys are vying for Calla’s attention and heart. But she can’t choose between them so she two-times them. She doesn’t tell either of the guys what she’s doing with the other. She was also supposed to stay “pure” until the union ceremony and she did well considering that she did not kiss anyone for seventeen years or had any type of relationships. But of course, the love triangle changes everything. She ends up kissing BOTH guys on the SAME day of her first kiss.

Let’s talk a little about the guys. Shay is a carefree, go-with-the-flow type of guy. He’s very open-minded and doesn’t know when to give up when it comes to Calla even when Ren’s shoving him on the chemistry lab table during class. Then there’s Ren. Despite his womanizer status in school, he’s actually quite caring and sweet. His life has been filled with hardships after losing his mom at a young age and having to answer to a lecherous Keeper named Efron. He’s also hot-headed and can get jealous when Shay’s flirting with Calla. Of course, Calla also flirts back. Actually she flirts with both them. In my opinion, she really DOES NOT DESERVE EITHER OF THEM.
Now onto the story and the world building…

The plot of the story was pretty strong which made up for the fact that I had to read one of the more frustrating protagonists I’ve had to read this week. Other than the love triangle, there’s relationships between the other packs. There’s also the mystery of the war between the Keepers and the Searchers and the true purpose of the Guardians.

I was also very impressed by the world building. The whole town was basically controlled by the Keepers and protected by the Guardians. There was also an impressive amount of history behind the Keepers and the mythology of werewolves. It was written in a way that I found very interesting and revealed slowly as the book progressed. I appreciated that the author didn’t just write info dumps and took her time crafting the setting. Even though it took time to build the setting, I didn’t find it hindering the book. It wasn’t boring and I found it more interesting than Calla’s teen angst kicking in every now and then.

Overall, it was a good book. I just really didn’t like Calla.
...more

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YA Buddy Readers'...: Nightshade (Nightshade #1) by Andrea Cremer - Restarting May 18th 2020	16	157	May 23, 2020 04:30PM
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About Andrea Cremer

Andrea Cremer

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Andrea Cremer also known as Andrea Robertson, is the author of the internationally bestselling Nightshade series. She spent her childhood daydreaming and roaming the forests and lakeshores of Northern Wisconsin.

Andrea has always loved writing and has never stopped writing, but she only recently plunged into the deep end of the pool that is professional writing. Before she wrote her first novel, A ...more