Wolfsbane: A Nightshade Novel

My problem is with the series. Here are my spoilers.

Calla - By the end of the third book she is a week willed, manipulative character. She claims to be this strong alpha warrior from book one. But being strong means you know your weaknesses as well as your strengths. By the third book I wanted to choke her ever time she says don't tell me what to do, I am an alpha, I don't need you to protect / help me. Everyone needs help and to imply you're not a strong woman cause you need help is a horrible thing to do to. She is in love with Shay from book one but she wears Ren's ring and say she won't chose. It's like she doesn't want to commit to either boy because she is hoping the war will kill one and make her choices for her. She needs Ren so she keeps her feelings for Shay in check around Ren so she can keep him dangling on a string. I hated Calla by the third book

Shay - He is a baby not an alpha. He has human ideas that he is pushing on Calla from book one. And it's not that I don't agree with him on some of the points. But it was the way he went about it. Only thing he didn't do was stomp his feet and throw himself on the ground. He doesn't care about the pack. He only cares about himself and what he wants. He even tells Calla at one point I am doing this cause I love you. Not because it's the right thing to do, Not so only he can save the world, not cause its morally wrong to stand by and watch this happen..... No its so he can get laid ....

Ren - Well was not sure about Ren at first. He was really pushing his will on all the other characters, but for anyone who has read Alpha werewolf books before this is a common flaw in the alpha males that is normally redeemed by the end of the series. And Ren is no different, by the end of the third book I wanted him to win so badly I was almost chewing on my desk. But no ... He doesn't win ... She kills him ... She didn't even write him in a new female that he could get a happy ending with.

I know the characters are suppose to be teenagers. However the author is not and when you are writing a book for YA then why would you make your hero/heroine so immature. They can start off that way sure, but they grow and learn and are better by then end of the story. I found that Shay and Calla only got worse the longer the story went on. I didn't want them to be rewarded with the happy ending they got. They didn't go through the trials and come out the other side better people.


I was so disappointed and sad. I didn't want anyone else to have to go through this ....

Wolfsbane isn't as exciting and thrilling as Nightshade. In the first half of the book, we learned about the searcher's laws, magic and history, which is necessary, but can be really dull at times. You will discover that almost 80 percent of the book consists of people talking and talking. Calla was mostly silent throughout the whole book. She's the one that's always confused and popping up questions. I know all the questions she had asked was intended for readers to better understand the world of the guardians and searchers. But it can be exhausting and boring for this to repeat over and over. I had to force myself to keep listening in order to get into the second part. It was from there that everything gets interesting. Heart-breaking betrayals, the family secrets........but somehow I know the best part will all be in the third book, Bloodrose. It will be on the bookshelves in spring 2012. We'll wait and see if it gets better.

I think this book suffers from middle book syndrome, but what trilogy doesn't? As far as second books, its good. I dislike the way she goes back and forth between her boys, but I guess she is still young. I wish there was more Wren. I like Wren more. Overall, I really enjoyed it and can't wait for the next one.

yes i loved the story line

calla just liked how strong she was and how determined she was

I enjoy hearing how to pronounce the names and the fact that I can do two things at once- drive and listen to a book and we also painted a house while listening to the book

The plot was somewhat predictable but there was a time where I can say I didn't see it coming. I was surprised in a good way

I liked Rebecca's performance of Calla.

I found myself rooting for the dumped boyfriend and just feeling his pain.

I thought it was a great book where I was interested and so was my 16 year old daughter. That is hard to find and this series and this book filled the ticket.

Review:

I love this series. I loved the first book and I loved the second book. The story definitely intensifies in this book. We lost some characters from the first book (no they didn’t die just not in this book as much) but we gained a slew of new characters. Quite a bit that I just fell in love with . This installment is full of twists, turns, heartache, action, and lots of history. I loved every moment of it.


Long Story Short:


The story picks up right where we left off in Nightshade. Calla and Shay have been taken by the Searchers. Calla wakes to find herself in what she would think is a dangerous situation, but what she finds is that the Searchers are far different than she ever imagined. They don’t like her much for sure but they need her and she needs them. As her stay continues she learns there is more history that belongs to her people, the searchers, and the keepers, and what she learns changes her world. In the middle of all her history lessons, she starts to miss her pack and even Ren, she is confused and doesn’t know which path to take… freedom and the chance to be with Shay or to return to her pack and help those she loves.

My Thoughts:

This book was so intense. First off, I loved hearing all the history, the beginnings, and the secrets the past holds. I find that if an author does it right, storytelling within a story can be just super fascinating, Andrea Cremer did it more than right! It was pure enjoyment, interesting, and enlightening.

Second, I loved that this book took place in a new setting with some new and very lovable characters. An entire new world but still held onto the important elements of the old world. It was crazy awesome to see how the searchers live, what they can do, and where they fit in to the story exactly. If I had to choose a side, it would be with the searchers for sure… unless I could be a wolf with no keeper. The new characters were so different and captivating, they really brought the story up to a new level for me.
Last but not least.. I am glad to have back the beautiful writing and superb storytelling from the first book. Everything that made me fall in love with the first book was included in this book. I really missed my time with the wolves while they were away…. I was glad to have them back. The story just keeps getting better, this is for sure not one of those empty filler, middle book, it’s another stepping stone in Calla and Shay’s story. The twists are there, the love, joy, devastation were there (Andrea Cremer is not afraid to make me cry) and the action packed scenes were there all wrapped up in beautiful words.

In The End:


I laughed, I loved, I cried, I hyperventilated, I made it to the end… of this book … time for more!

This book is redeeming to the first. Jumping into this book is a refreshing change from the tedious teenage angst of the first book. A different set of characters in this book in the form of Searchers, those the Guardian werewolves believed were the enemy, are more lively and less conflicted about everything. They are preparing to fight the Keepers, those that made the Guardians, to drown out black magic and give the Guardians their freedom. The characters are lively. The plot is a bit predictable at times, but enjoyable all the same.

The emotion felt throughout the book. It was a roller coaster of them, that always kept you wanting more

Conner in this book. Got to love a funny guy.

Calla as performed by Rebecca, I just like the way she sounds as calla but she does a great job as most everyone else as well

Yes. I laughed a lot. Gasped at moments. For sure a mixture of emotions when it ce to this one.

Do yourself a favor if you like the magical world or werewolves and all go get the whole nightshade series you won't be let down

I Loved this sequel because unlike some it started right where it left off. It reminds me a lot of the Hunger Games with wolves of course. Just like the Children in Hunger Games they are forced to fight and have been lied to about everything they knew. The characters are great and it was hard for me to stop listening. It explains a lot more of the things we didn't get answered in the first book, and it gets a whole lot more interesting with the new characters in the story. Loved It and can't wait for the next book cause like the first one it leaves you hanging at the end.