Nightshade is a reasonably good book, one I would recommend to people who enjoy books on werewolves. I liked this book, but I'm not one to rave over the common wolves and vampires of today’s world. I prefer the werewolves that change during full moon and terrorise towns, not practically normal people that can turn into almost tame dogs.

The characters were easy to understand and were nice to read about, even though I thought the main character, Calla, made a foolish decision in the end (I won't tell you what it is, you'll have to read about it and find out).

I didn't really like the other main character, Shay; he was a nuisance in and, even though he plays a very important part in Nightshade, I would probably have liked it better without him.

The flow was good and it was very easy to follow. I give the author props for that considering it's very hard to find a book these days that have an easy flow. She also managed to keep me interested throughout the story, if only barely.

The story-line is just a repeat of a lot of stories I have read, but it still had a unique quality I couldn't quite put my finger on. It was something I enjoyed, though, I can tell you that.

The ending was a satisfying cliff-hanger, it didn't leave me begging for more, but it left me with enough juice to bump Nightshade up a star, but if there is a sequel, I don't want to read it unless I have to.
Nightshade would appeal to people who love shapeshifter romances, I didn't like it, but I do think it would appeal to other people, just not me.

Nightshade is an amazing debut by Andrea Cremer! This is a fascinating YA thriller with a wonderful richness in its worldbuilding, a great group of characters and a plot that builds in tension and complexity.

Calla is a Guardian able to change to wolf at will, but she is also a young woman discovering how dangerous it can be to develop independence when you live in a cloistered traditional society. Guardians are sworn to protect the Keepers and must abide by their rules, but in return are given every comfort in life. Their masters, the Keepers, are powerful witches who live in luxury, but also in mysterious seclusion. From the basis of this relationship Andrea Cremer has woven a fascinating culture full of secrets, dangers and traditions that are slowly revealed as Calla challenges the perceptions and behaviours that until now, the cusp of her 18th birthday, have been taken as the way of their world.

The writing is so skilful and the emotional intensity so immediate that this is a book that is very hard to put down. A real page-turner that will keep you up to the early hours and then make you very late for work!

From the opening scenes we have Calla breaking with tradition to save Shay who later joins her at her school and is very clear in his fascination for her. However, as an alpha, Calla is destined to marry Ren, another Alpha, on 31 October and together they will form the next generation pack. And so we have a triangle based not only on attraction, but on the pull of tradition and responsibility as opposed to following your own heart.

To get this book you have to understand and accept shifter society that has a natural hierarchy of dominants and submissives, with the alpha leading the pack. It’s from this that the fascinating themes emerge. Fascinating, yes, but also so disturbing that at times I really questioned whether or not this was appropriate for a YA audience. My consolation was that many young readers are able to deal with tough issues without internalizing them to the extent that many older readers do(maybe because we know just how bad the world can be like).

It’s quite natural for a book on shifters to deal with the alpha as dominant, where this is a reflection of leadership and sense of responsibility. Andrea Cremer takes this much further by adding a comparison to ‘dominating’, where you force others to your will as an act of power. The Guardians as a society are clearly dominated by the mysterious Keepers with brutal consequences for acting counter to their will, and for Calla to break from their control would have fatal consequences not only for her but perhaps her family and pack. We also have the example of what happens when an alpha uses his position for cruelty, and believe me, while there is nothing graphic in the book the intimation of abuse is chilling. Likewise the treatment of gender power is often uncomfortable, with Calla starting to see the increased deference a male alpha is given compared to a female alpha, and of course the reverse in the submission forced on less dominant males and females.

As Calla struggles between being in the power of others and yet an alpha herself, the tension in the book increases exponentially, as does the sense of dread that this cannot end well for everyone.

I would have liked greater depth to Shay and less emphasis on ‘oooh teenage lust’ as the reason for Calla’s interest in him, particularly as Shay is the catalyst for so much that happens. Likewise Ren interests me greatly with his ambiguous role between destined mate, teenage playboy and lifetime friend, but again his character wasn’t as developed as it should have been.

Above all else this is Calla’s story! It’s one that is sometimes uncomfortable, often worrying, but always compelling.

I am completely impressed by both the skill shown in this debut novel and the chances that Andrea Cremer took as a debut novelist. Thankfully there are another two books to come in this series so that we can continue to share with Calla what happens when a person fights for what she loves. I can guarantee that the journey is going to be spine-tingling, fascinating and addictive!

NOTE: Nightshade is a trilogy. Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) will be published in July 2011 and Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) in spring 2012.