Nightshade - Andrea Cremer

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?

Isn't this one of the most beautiful covers you've ever seen? Everytime I see it on my shelf, I just have to look at it for a minute. It's gorgeous. *sigh*

Moving on...

I'll say it right up front, this is probably one of the best books I've read this year. I have tons of favorites, so that might not say much, but honestly, it was so incredible that it blew me away. I found it almost impossible to put down. It was rich in detail that completely sucked me into the story. It was seductive and mysterious and exciting. The characters were all so excellently written and there's still enough intrigue left to the story that I'm practically salivating for Wolfsbane - and it doesn't come out till July! I don't know if I can wait that long!

Calla is an excellent leading lady. She's tough and fierce and knows who she is - or so she thinks. She's also very smart. She's goes to an elite school and does her best, and while her mother wishes for her to act more like a lady, she's more of a jeans and tshirt kind of girl. I love her just for that. Ren was interesting to read about because while I wasn't a fan of him when he was acting all macho alpha boy, he did have this tender side that I'm intrigued to see more of. I can't decide if it's an act or genuine. And Shay is the excellent other side of this love triangle. He's also smart and good looking, like Ren, but where as Ren is blunt and aggressive, Shay is more tactful and shows what he wants without being a jerk about it. (I love him.)

This is one of the more interesting love triangles I've read in a long time. Calla is an intensely strong female. She's the alpha of her pack and is used to being in charge of things. She doesn't take crap from people and cares deeply for those around her. Neither Ren nor Shay are necessarily bad choices for her, they are more of a representation of what path she wants for her life. Ren is more duty and destiny - even though she does have feelings for him. Shay is more the unknown and freedom to choose her own paths. I'm completely Team Shay, so I'm biased against Ren, but I'm still intrigued to find out more about him. I feel bad for her though. She's such a fierce character. So strong. It's hard to see her rendered helpless in her love life for much of the book.

Another wonderful aspect of the story is the wolf pack dynamic and how it works in the way they all interact with each other, and how they are allowed to behave. Ren, as a male alpha, is more than allowed to play the field, while Calla, as the female alpha, is kept clean and pure until she is joined with her ultimate mate. It was very interesting to see how their wolf ways impacted all the relationships throughout the book, whether is was romantic, friendly, or family.

I'm in love with this book and I can't wait to read more. I'll be waiting in line at the store for each book release, anxious to find out what happens next. Andrea Cremer is officially a must-read author for me. Excellent!

5/5

Nightshade
Andrea Cremer
Penguin Group
528 pages
$17.99 (hardcover)