Wolves appear to be the new craze, BUT the stories are more clever than our friends who are into sparkly vampires.
I read the first of the
Nightshade series before the book even surfaced thanks to a few superheroes who attended the book expo in New York. The story stars Calla, who is the Alpha Guardian of her pack. Her and the rest of the Guardians have the ability to shape shift into wolves. It's not a werewolf, silver bullet, full moon wolf at all. These wolves are made to serve the Keepers, who control everything. Calla is to be married to the Bane Alpha, Ren, on her eighteenth birthday and begin a new pack. Up to this point, she has accepted everything. Ren and his pack are slowly beginning to mingle with hers, so why should she be worried? Then there was Shay. Shay is bleeding to death on a mountain as Calla comes across him on her patrol. Calla saves him. Each time she encounters Shay he seems to take the breath out of her. What is it about this human boy that is causing her to question her beliefs? As her story continues, Calla discover many secrets hidden beneath her pack's past. She eventually has to make a choice that could put herself, Shay, and her entire pack in harm's way.
This book was ridiculously good! The writing was very clever, and each turn of the page was something new. The shape shifting idea gave way to a fantastic story about a group of different individuals with different abilities. The story is not a new Twilight, but an emerging story about a society where expectations are made in order to appease the Keepers. It is a story of forbidden love and the risks one individual goes through in order to discover the past and save her pack. Loved this book.
I finished the sequel:
Wolfsbane yesterday. This time, I had to wait to read it. :( But it proved to be a great journey as well. This story picks up where it left us. The interesting thing is this book takes place in three days. It sounds like it would be drawn out, but the amount of detail, character development, and action crammed into these three days makes it appear longer. New characters emerge, old ones resurface, and new challenges are met. Calla must, once again, make choices, rediscover the history behind this war, and reunite with her pack. But, did she make the right decision? The thing I liked about this book was it gave you a recap of the first without making it long and boring. I had read Nightshade in September, so I didn't remember details, but Cremer did a nice job of retelling so you were aware of your surroundings. But she didn't drag on for chapters about how the other book ended, the characters, etc.
The final in the series:
Bloodrose comes out in February. Not quite as long as the sequel took, but still long enough to annoy me. I finished Wolfsbane then immediately checked her website to see when the final book would be out. Why can't authors just know that I will immediately want to read the next book in the series? Therefore, they should STOP tweeting about their cats and CONTINUE writing their books?! OR release the gosh darn book already!!! Ugh.
And how could I forget the covers? I am such a cover nerd, but these are pretty. I have to say I liked the hardcover to Nightshade better than the paperback. Pretty, with just a little sparkle. No, not like Edward. That would be nauseating.
