Wolfsbane quickie review

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Available now

What's it about?

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, 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:
4/5
Since this is a second book and it was one of my own I've decided to just do a quickie review instead of a full one.
Unlike a lot of 'middle' books, this one didn't feel likely was just a bridge to the next one, it's packed full of information and back story on the characters, old and new and gives a lot of insight into the story itself. That being said, there isn't much else happening, a lot of the book did feel kinda like "story-time" for the characters, I would've like to see a bit more happening in between the scenes rather than just the one big action scene at the end.
I did still enjoy the book though as much as the first one and am really looking forward to bloodrose, which I suspect is where the action will be!

My thoughts on the cover:
Honestly I don't think this cover is up to much, I like the silver pattern and the orange sunset colour but in regards to the book it doesn't really relate, I think the girl standing alone refers to Calla being alone, without her pack in this book but it just doesn't feel like anything special in my opinion.

Favourite quotes:

"Are you kidding?" Connor said. "A cup of coffee instead of a ring? That's the kind of proposal I'm ready for."

"He was running at me, Monroe. Screaming like a Banshee, I swear," Ethan yelled, his voice choked and full of strain. "He yelled, 'I'm a guardian, I'm a Guardian,' over and over. What was I supposed to do?"

Nightshade review

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer.


What's it about?
She can control her pack, but not her heart ...'I wanted him to kiss me?wished he could smell the desire that I knew was pouring off me. You can't, Calla. This boy isn't the one for you.' Calla Tor has always known her destiny: graduation, marriage and then a life leading her pack. But when she defies her masters' laws to save a human boy, she must choose. Is one boy worth losing everything?


My review:
4/5
I have to say for the first 100 pages I was pretty frustrated with this book because that's how long it took until things started to get explained, whilst I could see the reason for why the author waited this long it made the start of the book somewhat confusing. After this, however, I found it difficult to put down and even stayed up late to finish.
The story is a great one and not one I felt like I'd 'read before', and it's beautifully written, with a few funny one liners that had me giggling.
As for the characters, there wasn't one I disliked reading, even the bad guys. Calla, our leading lady, is fierce and strong, if a little naive, it isn't until charming and funny Shay comes along and pushes her does she start question her world and taking risks to find answers.
I found it harder to get a grip on Ren, Callas other male suitor, when he's first introduced it's as quite a womaniser, so when five minutes later he's promising monogamy, well, it's hard to believe, there was a lot of points that he was very pushy and dominant and others when he was the opposite which made it hard to figure him out.
Though I enjoyed the book a lot, I do have very minor complaints, such as the two packs coming together and going from rivals to friends seemingly overnight without any kind of transitional period and there were some points where I had to kind of guess at what was happening because it wasn't actually said, but I can't really give examples without spoilers.
There were also a couple of scenes that felt 'choppy' because there were so many characters in them all with short bursts of dialogue and direction.
But like I said, minor complaints - overall I really enjoyed the book and immediately preordered Wolfsbane, book 2, which is out in July.