Review: Wolfsbane/Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

Published by: Atom Books
Release date: 26th Jul 2011/21st Feb 2012 (UK Paperback)
Series: Nightshade #2/3
I got it from: Library

Quote: 
"Love wasn't forged by circumstance or changed by sorrow. It simply was. Fierce and free as the wolf within me."

Goodreads summary:
This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended.Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she's certain her days are numbered.

But then the Searchers make her an offer,one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack and the man she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

My review:
I've just finished reading Bloodrose, and I'm left with that bittersweet feeling you get at the end of a really good series. There's sadness that it's the end of the story, a little regret that I didn't take my time over it more and string it out, but mostly satisfaction from a properly good read, and happiness because it was a truly good ending. 

I'm reviewing Wolfsbane and Bloodrose together, partly because I couldn't bear to stop reading for long enough to review Wolfsbane before getting started on Bloodrose, and partly because the story flows so smoothly from one to the next, and the cliffhanger in Wolfsbane means that you really need to have Bloodrose ready to go if you want to avoid frightening your friends and family with your wails of frustration!

I love Andrea Cremer's writing. She somehow manages to hit exactly the right balance between character and action, romance and thrills. Her characters are so real, with barely any prompting at all they come alive in my imagination as I read. Yet there's no time wasted on flowery descriptions of how blue his eyes are, or the feel of his hand on her skin. Cremer deals out just enough description to form a picture in my mind, without losing myself in filling in all the minute details. What really makes her characters is the dialogue between them, the way they all have a fully-formed personality and aren't afraid to use it. I mentioned the group dynamics in my review of Nightshade, and I'm going to add more praise here - the wolf pack and the Searchers team are wonderfully-written groups. The interaction between the group members makes you feel as if you are a part of what's going on - the relationships between the various people are what makes these books so special. 

In some ways Cremer's writing reminds me a little of Rachel Caine - her Morganville Vampires series is another of my favourites, and I can definitely see parallels between the two - the pace of the action, the realistic characters and the irreverent dialogue make for ridiculously readable books. I'm also very impressed by the world that Cremer has created - rather than going along with a ready-made werewolf legend, she has built a world of magic that has me hooked. I would have liked it if there'd been a bit more about the Guardians in other countries - why didn't the Searchers attempt to make alliances with any of them? Perhaps they did and it didn't work out, but I think it would have been nice to include at least a couple with the 'good guys'. It might just have confused things though, so I can understand Cremer's decision not to go down that route.

Anyone who bailed out after Nightshade because of the focus on the love triangle is really missing out - Wolfsbane and Bloodrose do continue the theme, but they're also so much more. The twists and turns in the story kept me guessing and glued to the book for hours - I'm afraid my usual schedule was abandoned somewhat while reading these books. I'm disappointed by the number of poor reviews on Goodreads - personally, I think Calla is awesome - maybe as an older reader I get it more - the way she feels she has to do what's best for her pack, whilst at the same time struggling not to give in to her own selfish needs. Life isn't all about just doing what you want, and I think some younger readers may not have learned that lesson yet. 

Just one more point - the ending. I am rarely satisfied by endings, but the end of Bloodrose was just about perfect. I really didn't see it coming, and I think it's a brave way to end the series. Congratulations to Cremer on an original and worthy finish to a brilliant series. I will definitely be saving up to buy my own copies, and I look foward to reading the prequels Rift and Rise, as well as the new Nightshade book Snakeroot, set for publication later this year.

Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Published by: Atom Books
Release date: 26th July 2011 (UK Paperback)
Series: Nightshade #1
I got it from: Library

Quote: 
“My eyes moved over his face. His chiseled jaw and high cheekbones twisted in agony. Even writhing he was beautiful, muscles clenching and unclenching, revealing his strenght, his body's fight against its impending collapse, rendering his torture sublime. Desire to help him consumed me.
I can't watch him die.”

Goodreads summary: 
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?

My Review:
Nightshade is pitched as a paranormal romance, a love triangle with werewolves. Don't let that fool you though - it's so much more than that. Cremer has created a complex and intriguing world for her wolves. These aren't your run-of-the-mill werewolves - the Guardians are a race created by magic, loyal warriors of the Keepers, a group of powerful, magic-wielding Old Ones. Protectors of the Haldis Cavern and enemy of the evil Searchers. At least that's what the Guardians have been taught to believe...

Calla Tor is an alpha, destined to be leader of a new pack of wolves charged with the responsibility of protecting Haldis Cavern. At her side will be Ren - Renier Laroche, the boy who Calla has been promised to since birth. But then Calla comes across Shay, alone on the mountain being attacked by a bear, and everything changes. 

Cremer eases us into her world, taking just the right amount of time to explain things along the way. She reaches the perfect balance between action, emotion and information, ensuring that once you start reading it is very hard to stop! Calla is the ideal heroine - she's strong, but has a vulnerable side. She's beautiful, but she shies away from it, seeing herself as a warrior rather than a princess. The Keepers have made sure that she has been kept pure, so at seventeen she has never even been kissed. I don't entirely approve of the way so many YA heroines have absolutely no experience with guys until 'the one' comes along, but when it comes to Calla's story it kind of works. 

Calla is supported by her pack - her brother and her friends, who follow her in everything and would die for her. Opposite Calla is Ren - hot alpha wolf and Calla's destiny, backed by his own pack. Cremer has created a great supporting cast here, a group of characters who between them cover just about every type of person, making sure we all have someone to root for. Then into the mix comes Shay - the third point in the love triangle which keeps the romance-lovers happy throughout the book. I'm not going to focus on the love triangle too much - I'm not a fan of them on the whole. In twilight I was team Edward all the way - it seemed so obvious - but in Nightshade I'm torn. I can't help finding Ren's strong alpha character sexy, but by the end of the book Shay really comes into his own and you can see why Calla finds him so hard to resist. Cremer has done a great job of creating the storyline and keeping it going - I really felt for Calla all along the way, sharing her confusion and inner turmoil. Her pack is her life, and the union between her and Ren has always been her destiny. She can't change that... can she?

If you're not all about the romance, you might not appreciate Nightshade so much - I've seen a lot of mixed reviews, and many people seem to be disappointed by how much the book centres around the love triangle. Personally, I'm becomming a bit jaded by the whole love triangle thing, but I found Nightshade different enough that it really reeled me in and kept my interest. There's plenty of intrigue and action to keep you going - Cremer's world is fraught with danger, and as Calla begins to discover that her history isn't what she thought it was, you're into the realm of conspiracies, censorship and even a spot of philosophy. The group dynamics between the pack members are a strong feature, and the characterization is of the best quality. 

I've already started reading the next book in the series, Wolfsbane - luckily for me the library came up trumps with my order, and I have Bloodrose all lined up and ready to go as well. Anyone thinking of reading Nightshade should make sure they have access to the other two book in the series, because if you have to wait before continuing the story you are going to be screaming with frustration!