Bloody Battle Comes to a Close

Going against all you ever known is not only incredibly brave, it is incredibly terrifying as well. In the first two books of the Nightshade series, Calla has struggled to find out who she is and what she believes in. Now that she knows who is bad and who is good, she is willing to risk everything for what is good and right in the world, even if it costs her everything. In Bloodrose, by Andrea Cremer, Calla and the other wolves are preparing for the battle of their lives.


The Nightshades that have come with Calla to join the Searchers know to trust their alpha. So when she brings back Ren, her former mate, they know he is necessary for the mission. Only Shay, the boy Calla loves, can't help but be bitter by Ren's presence. Since all three are alphas, this is not a pleasant love triangle to be a part of. But despite their own personal problems, the alphas and their pack have bigger problems at hand. 


Now that they know Shay is the Scion, the only person alive who can banish the demon who is responsible for the evil the Keepers use, they must find the the four elemental pieces of the Scion's weapon. The four pieces that are separated and protected by other guardians who don't believe in Calla and the pack's cause, come together to form two swords. Those swords are the key to banishing the evil lurking in the world for good. The pack has a plan to get each piece, but each piece becomes harder and harder to get. When Calla is taken hostage by the Keepers, she thinks the mission is over. What she doesn't know is that a lot more people than just her small pack of wolves want to help rid the world of the Keepers and their evil. But until all the pieces come together, the Keepers cannot be defeated. Can they do it?


Such an interesting end to the story! I am not going to lie, there were a few times when I was not happy with the ending, but when all was said and done, I was quite impressed with the risks Cremer took to end her story. It may not be the picturesque perfect ending, but it certainly is an interesting, strong ending. At times I was a little perturbed with the love triangle between Ren, Calla, and Shay, but it was mostly because I just wanted to get to the final battle. Looking back, it was a necessary subplot to tackle, so I get why it was dealt with so frequently. I can't say I would have changed anything about this series, but honestly I can't say I would end it this way either. I think if you read the series, you are either going to love or hate this ending. There will be no such thing as an ambiguous sentiment towards Bloodrose!

Beautifully Engrossing

Lena broke the world on her seventeenth moon. Instead of choosing Light or Dark, which would have resulted in the death of any family members who belonged to the side she didn't choose, Lena chose both. By embracing both Light and Dark, she has thrown the natural order of things out of sync. Not only are her creepy Incubus ancestors trying to take advantage of the chaos and create their own ideal world, but the town of Gatlin and everyone she loves in it is in danger.


The Linkubus isn't the only thing Gatlin has to fear... Abraham Ravenwood has joined with Lena's evil Caster mother to find John Breed- the hybrid Incubus who can walk in the sunlight and is the future for Abraham and the other evil creatures. They know Lena, Ethan, and Macon are somehow involved in hiding him, but they have no idea where he is. Add to that newly-mortal Ridley's craziness now that she is no longer a Siren and you have quite the disaster. Then Abraham lets loose the Vexes who take down the Sisters' (Ethan's ancient aunts) house with a tornado and puts Aunt Prue in a coma, he knows something has to be done. But the snippets of the song about "The Eighteenth Moon" are not only terrifying, they are incredibly cryptic.


Meanwhile, they find Ridley has been holding John Breed prisoner in her room and using him to Cast. While Ethan wants to kill him for turning Link and almost destroying Lena, he realizes John is as innocent as they all are in the mess that has become Gatlin. Abraham has abused and controlled John since he was a child and John doesn't even remember hurting Link. Together, they all struggle to make sense of what is happened and how to change it back. Unfortunately, the sacrifice that must be paid is one no one is ready for.


This was the best installment of this series so far. I like the other two books as well, but this one was really good. I couldn't put it down, all 500 pages of it. Since we saw Ethan and Lena so separated last book, it was nice to see them back together. But the supporting characters were better, as seems to be fairly standard with this series. Link was a riot as usual, and it was funny watching him try to deal with his new found powers. Ridley has a lot of trouble coping with her new standing as a mortal, but I love her relationship with Link (as tumultuous as it is). But Amma and John Breed were really interesting here. Amma, always protective of Ethan, will go to any lengths to protect him- even if it means a sacrifice Ethan would never let her pay. And John, who you hated in the last book, you find yourself sympathizing with. He really never experienced any childhood or family; you really find yourself wanting to like him. This was a great follow up story and makes me anxious for the final book in the series next fall. I can't imagine where everything is going to go with the final story, but I know I can't wait to read it! 

The Good Guys are Never Who they Seem

When we last left Calla, she was trying to save Shay from being sacrificed at her bonding to Ren. In their attempt to escape, they were trapped in his house by Incubi, Succubi, and a whole other host of creepy creepers. Just before they were about to be overcome, the Searchers, the very group Calla was raised to fear, fight, and kill, comes to their rescue and take Calla and Shay back to their base. In Wolfsbane, Andrea Cremer gives a whole new meaning to plot twist.

Just when you thought you knew who the bad guys were, you find out you were wrong. The Searchers tell Calla and Shay they are really the good guys who have been fighting the evil Keepers all their lives. The Searchers respect magic and the natural way, when the Keepers defy nature every day. In particular, by creating the Guardians. They want to gain the trust of Calla's pack because having the Guardians on their side is the only way they can stop the evil of the Keepers. But when Calla travels back to Vail, the group is attacked and she quickly realizes the packs have been changed. Nightshades are following the Bane alpha, Ren's father, and her pack is nowhere to be found.

When Calla's brother Ansel arrives after being accidentally shot by Searchers, Calla manages to heal him with her pack blood. Unfortunately, Ansel is more damaged than she originally thought- as punishment, his wolf was permanently removed, stripping him of being a Guardian. Ansel is inconsolable and Calla doesn't know how to help him. When he tells her of the horrors her pack has suffered since she ran away, Calla is determined to help him. A group of Searchers volunteer to come along to help, but what they find is not a full and willing pack awaiting them. Now Calla must find a way to reconcile with losing half her pack, her feelings for both Ren and Shay, and how they all plan to work together to save the world from the Keepers.

This was an excellent follow up novel and sets you right up for the final book in the trilogy. The Searchers added a great group of supporting characters, both with their own problems, love triangles, and reasons for being involved in the supernatural war. Some are serious, some hilarious, but they really added to the story. One really amazing thing I noticed in this story and the first book were the abundance of positive gay characters. In the first book, two young male wolves are in love, but they know their keeper has the ultimate say in mating and would never pair to male wolves. In this book, two female Searchers are a couple and when one is lost on a mission, you see the real grief experienced in losing the person you love. These characters were so positive and just a natural part of the story instead of being forced in for a specific objective. It made me so happy! These healthy, loving relationships are great for young adults to read about. While the stories about the negative end of being a gay teen are so vitally important to our young readers for empathy, I really like seeing happy couples who love each other. Cremer did a beautiful job with them in her story, and I think it is an invaluable exposure for young adults.

The reading and age level for this book is similar to the first book. There is a little more intimacy in this story, as Calla is no longer bound by the Keepers' rules, but it still isn't overdone or gratuitous. The story is exciting enough to keep any reader engaged and make them crave the next book. I know I am!

Packed with Supernatural Greatness

When you think of "werewolves" I am sure you think of those creepy man/wolf concoctions that run around on two legs and are entirely too disturbing to really like much (unless it is Oz from Buffy the Vampire Slayer" of course!). But with the Shiver series, we found ourselves loving the kind of werewolves who are really shape shifters- they go between fully human and fully wolf, depending on the circumstances. In Nightshade, by Andrea Cremer, we see this type of wolf. A shifter who can change when the situation calls for it, but who pulls off a relatively normal life considering they are half pooch!

A long time ago, a Witches War was fought and two types of witches emerged: Keepers and Searchers. Keepers try to protect the sacred places of power that tie this world and the nether world together while Searchers try to steal that power. It is a constant struggle that never ends. That's where the Guardians (werewolves) come in. They are the obedient soldiers who help the Keepers protect the powerful places and in return the Keepers give them the best homes, educations, and everything they need to live. The price? Guardians live under the direct orders of the Keepers and they can't even choose their own mates- the Keepers choose who they mate with.

Calla and Ren are the upcoming alphas of two rival packs: the Nightshades and the Banes. They are to be married in order to merge the young wolves of both packs together and create a third pack. While Calla would never think of disobeying an order, she resents the fact that she will never be able to marry for love. When a human boy named Shay comes to the school, he sends her world into a tailspin. He seems to be connected to the Keepers, but still doesn't understand the world around him. When she saves him after a fatal bear attack by giving him her blood, enchanted pack blood, her secret is out. Now Shay will do anything to get to know Calla more, even irritate Ren, the pack alpha who could rip Shay to pieces.

When Calla is ordered by her Keeper to keep an eye on Shay, she reluctantly starts spending time with him. He comes across a forbidden book that the Guardians will only read under the punishment of death. Even though she is scared of the book at first, she lets him convince her to translate and research the book, which turns out to be a history of the Witches War through a prophecy that seems to have something to do with Shay. Unsure of Shay's role in her marriage and the Guardian world, Calla begins to have feelings for Shay, even though she knows it is completely forbidden. What she doesn't know is Shay's role in her world is very dangerous, so dangerous it may put her entire pack and the only life she's ever known in jeopardy. Is Shay worth the risk to Calla's entire world?

The pack dynamic and obedience vs. dominance in this story is very interesting. It transcends through to the Keepers who claim the wolves are their soldiers while Shay claims they are nothing more than slaves. The huge amount of control they have over the wolves is clear, but at first it seems to be an understandable arrangement. It becomes quickly clear, however, that the Keepers take too many liberties with the wolves, including their romantic interests in the young wolves (who have to obey the Keeper's wishes). This is a hard dynamic to deal with and understand, and makes the book very interesting.

The writing for this story is average skill level for junior high to high school students and the content is appropriate for a wide range of ages. The story is gripping right from the first chapter, so despite its length, there is no trouble convincing yourself to stay with the book. There is a pretty standard love triangle, but I am not going to lie, I am a total sucker for a love triangle! And this one is tough because you like and dislike both guys enough that you find it hard to pick a side: Team Shay or Team Ren! I guess for now I will hold off picking a side until I read the next book- maybe that will sway my decision more!

Beautifully Dark

When we last left Ethan and Lena in Beautiful Creatures, they had survived what no other couple could- Dark Casters trying to kill Ethan, and Lena making a horrible choice that resulted in her uncle Macon, the only parent she knew, being killed. Now, in Beautiful Darkness, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, the lives of the supernatural and the mortal in Gatlin continue...

Lena has changed. As someone who lost his own mother, Ethan understands what that loss can do, but she won't open up to him at all. With Macon gone, she is floundering. As a Caster, she was supposed to choose light or dark with her sixteenth birthday, but that didn't happen. Lena knows her Claiming is coming up soon, but she is terrified by making the choice, because it means if she chooses Light, all the dark Casters in her family will die, and vice versa. The choice is an impossible one, and Lena is crumbling under the pressure. Who she chooses to help her through it are her Dark caster cousin Ridley (a siren) and someone named John Breed who is dangerous, but Ethan can't figure out what exactly he is- Caster, Incubus, etc.

As Lena pulls farther and farther away, Ethan tried harder and harder to find a way to bring her back. Armed with his aunts' stalker cat, Lucille Ball, his best friend, goofy Link, and the new Keeper-in-training, Liv, they enter the Caster world to help Lena. They aren't ready for the dangers that lurk there, though, and are saved by Amma, (Ethan's Caribbean housekeeper who is more warden and mother than housekeeper) and Lena's family, Dark and Light on more than one occasion. When it becomes clear Ethan's mother was tied closer to Macon than any of them had suspected, she starts speaking to him through visions. She helps lead Ethan to the redemption both he and Lena need. But will he get there in time to save the girl he loves even though he can never truly be with her? Is there more to Ethan and his destiny than anyone could have expected?

This was an excellent follow-up to the first book. My initial trouble was how long of a gap it was for me between the two books. I had trouble remembering what had happened already, and the author's don't really catch you up. While that is fine if you are reading the books back to back, it would be difficult for anyone waiting for the obligatory year before the next is published. Some information is slowly revealed, but it was too scattered and too vague to truly help. The best solution would have been for me to reread the first book, but with an ever present stack of books staring at me, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

I also struggled with Lena's character in this book. She was always conflicted, and Ethan and her together made a doomed, but perfect couple, but I had trouble with how quickly she abandoned him and started using her powers for mischief without thought to the consequences. Ethan had lost his mother, and he was always supportive of Lena. I understood the added pressure she felt, but it was tough to read this book and not dislike her by the end. The bonus, however, was the supporting characters like Ethan's Great Aunts, Amma, and Link. They really broke out in this story and made it not only enjoyable, but fun even! As Amma threatens Link and Ethan, smacks Ethan, and keeps Lena in control, you can't help but adore her. Link is so ridiculous he makes the story lively and will have you giggling. And the Aunts simply speak for themselves! I loved these characters, and truthfully, they made a very long book fly for me.

This is a very large book, about 500 pages, similar to the first book. That means, while it is an interesting and fun story, I probably wouldn't suggest it for anyone but a strong reader with a real interest in the supernatural. Otherwise, you might find a student really bogged down by the sheer length of it. The language and content is very mild, with nothing that would make it inappropriate for a student middle school and up. But again, the length would stop me from giving this to many kids. As an adult, though, I really love this story! It might be a good series to give to an adult you know to break them into the YA genre!

Beautiful Creatures are calling to you!

Try as I might, I couldn't get through this big girl in one night over the holiday break! But, oh! I did try! Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is a southern, Gothic tale of a small town who revels in their reenactments, supports voodoo and strong Baptist beliefs in the same breath, and knows there is something going on in the Ravenwood estate- especially when Macon Ravenwood's niece Lena Duchannes shows up to live there.

Ethan Wate is an average high school boy who plays on the basketball team, "belongs" without actually belonging, and goes through the motions of adolescence. Then again, maybe he isn't so average... his mother dies, his father becomes a shut-in, and his voodoo practicing nanny/housekeeper, Amma, keeps hiding charms around the house to protect him (some which contain creepy little chicken bones Ethan suspects were from dinner). When Lena comes to Gatlin High and the rest of the school immediately pegs her as Macon Ravenwood's creepy niece, Ethan feels oddly protective of her. This of course instantly makes him as much of a pariah as Lena is.

Quickly, however, it becomes clear to Ethan that despite their feelings for one another, Lena is hiding something from him. Upon meeting the infamous hermit, Macon Ravenwood, Ethan finds out what is really going on with Lena. However, the extent of her secret is still to be uncovered. Lena and Ethan must delve into the secret history of Gatlin in order to save Lena from a fate she is terrified to see.

This book is almost 600 pages, which can be daunting to say the least. While I felt it moved pretty swiftly, looking back I see the real meat of the story didn't evolve until 300 pages into the novel. Therefore, this may not be the best novel to get a reluctant kid to read. However, if you have the kind of kid who loves the supernatural books and can plod through such a tome, this is a really cool story. I love the Gothic, southern elements that creep into even the smallest elements of the story. For instance, Ethan has three kooky, elderly aunts he spends time with each and every week. He takes them to church, keeps them from killing each other, and even makes emergency vet runs when one clubs the other's dog thinking it was a rat. There is a southern hospitality about this book that is just charming.

There are other less appealing aspects of such a small-town culture, too, though. For instance, when odd things happen around Lena (glass explodes out of a window when a group of girls are tormenting her), the town mothers and DAR members rally together to kick her out of school, claiming she is an evil influence on their children. The town goes to great lengths to get rid of Lena, simply because she is related to Macon Ravenwood. Even teachers and the principal want her gone for no other reason than she "might" be responsible for the odd things that happen.

This is a really interesting book, and I loved it, but the size and belated action might make it difficult for some to get through. I would suggest giving it to a strong reader who can spend extended periods of time reading. Otherwise, you will keep plucking your way through this book and it will consume the entire year! I also think this is more of a "girl" book than a "guy" book. While there is some interesting supernatural content, there is a lot about the relationship between Lena and Ethan, as well as a great deal about love, friendships, etc. The action is more of an undertone to the mystery of the relationships in the story. Nonetheless, this was a great book that kept me up half the night until I just couldn't go on any longer! I passed out on top of the book dreaming about creepy Gothic graves and chicken bones (and possibly even drooling a little bit!). Great read!