Helpful Score: 1
This is one of the best books I've read this year, and hands down the best book as a sequel. I loved Nightshade, and I love Wolfsbane even more.
In the past week, I've also read Bloodlines by Richelle Mead, and in comparison, Wolfsbane is much more satisfying and enthralling. I literally stayed up all night to finish reading this book, and I can't wait for book 3 to come out!
5 stars--among the best YA has to offer--don't miss this book!!
In the past week, I've also read Bloodlines by Richelle Mead, and in comparison, Wolfsbane is much more satisfying and enthralling. I literally stayed up all night to finish reading this book, and I can't wait for book 3 to come out!
5 stars--among the best YA has to offer--don't miss this book!!
Helpful Score: 1
I felt like there was too much of the I love him, no I love him, no I love him again, who do I pick? If that would have been toned down a bit I think the story would have been a bit better. The twists and turns this story took were rather interesting, a bit lengthy with the love triangle bit, but otherwise still good.
Helpful Score: 1
If Andrea Cremer goes missing, the first place you should check is my basement because Im probably holding her hostage, forcing her to write more stories for me to read. OK, in all seriousness? This book is epic-fantastic, and thats coming from a Ren-girl (and we all know he got kinda shafted on the page-time in this book).
Cremers world of witches, wolves, and magic is just plain addictive. Its sexy and smart and sophisticatedall a reader can want in a book. I love getting lost in these pages. Her characters are strong and well-developed, and the plotline kept me guessing over and over. Just when I thought I might have sort of figured it out, I was totally wrong. I love being surprised like that.
The back story between the Keepers, Guardians, and Searchers is really explored here, and I thoroughly enjoyed finding out more of their history. Theres something deeply satisfying about reading a well-thought out story.
While, yes, I was vaguely disappointed about the lack of Ren (until I read the first chapter of Bloodrose), I could read about Calla all day. She is one of my top five favorite fictional female heroines. I love her strength and vulnerability, and the way they are seamlessly balanced in this book. I love the ensemble scenes with the pack. Nightshade made me love each and every pack mate, flaws and all, and Wolfsbane on reaffirmed that devotion.
Fans of Nightshade will adore this book. Instead of an even-keel sequel, Cremer ups the ante and raises the stakes every chance she gets. Its heart-pounding, stay up all night kind of reading. These are the kinds books that book lovers crave.
Cremers world of witches, wolves, and magic is just plain addictive. Its sexy and smart and sophisticatedall a reader can want in a book. I love getting lost in these pages. Her characters are strong and well-developed, and the plotline kept me guessing over and over. Just when I thought I might have sort of figured it out, I was totally wrong. I love being surprised like that.
The back story between the Keepers, Guardians, and Searchers is really explored here, and I thoroughly enjoyed finding out more of their history. Theres something deeply satisfying about reading a well-thought out story.
While, yes, I was vaguely disappointed about the lack of Ren (until I read the first chapter of Bloodrose), I could read about Calla all day. She is one of my top five favorite fictional female heroines. I love her strength and vulnerability, and the way they are seamlessly balanced in this book. I love the ensemble scenes with the pack. Nightshade made me love each and every pack mate, flaws and all, and Wolfsbane on reaffirmed that devotion.
Fans of Nightshade will adore this book. Instead of an even-keel sequel, Cremer ups the ante and raises the stakes every chance she gets. Its heart-pounding, stay up all night kind of reading. These are the kinds books that book lovers crave.
This is the second book in The Witches War series by Cremer. I received an ARC of this book through Book It Forward ARC tours. The third book Bloodrose is planned for a summer 2012 release. This book was an excellent addition to the series. The reader learns a ton more about Calla's world in this book and it was a pleasure to read.
Calla has fled her pack and wakes up in a facility full of Searchers; her sworn enemy. They want her to join them and possibly aid them in obtaining an alliance with the Guardians against the Keepers. Shay is there with her and, as the Scion, is very important to the Searchers. Calla must decide who to trust. Can she believe the Searchers and the history they tell her? Will Shay stand firm at her side throughout the fight? What will become of Calla's Guardian pack and the people who helped her escape? Many secrets are revealed and Calla is forced to decide if she will aid her sworn enemy.
This book was even faster paced than the first book There are a lot of action scenes and we get to meet some great new characters. The reader is introduced to the world of the Searchers and it is a complex world. There are four new schools of magic in the Searchers facility, along with a whole bunch of history, and lots of new characters with interesting issues.
Cremer does an excellent job creating this world and populating it with engaging characters that have a lot of depth to them. When I started the book it took me a second to get the factions sorted in my mind (Keepers, Guardians, Searchers) but Cremer does a good job of backfilling and aids the reader in remembering what happened in the previous book. Then the reader has a lot of new terminology thrown at them that relates to the Searchers magic and schools. This was the only part of the book that was a bit annoying; it was hard to keep everything straight early on.
Calla and Shay have great chemistry together and this book features them; Ren enters the picture now and then to shake things up...but this book is definitely focused on Calla and Shay. There is a new character, a Searcher, who enters the story and is very intriguing. Cremer does an excellent job with dialogue; lots of the dialogue between characters is very witty and adds humor to the story. Cremer's writing style is in general very readable and fast-paced. I tore through this book very quickly and had trouble putting it down.
The story ended well and wrapped the main storyline up nicely while setting things up for the next book. This book was just the beginning of the Witches War and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Overall an excellent continuation of this series. Cremer has created a wonderfully complex world, a heart-pounding fast-paced plot, and characters that are fun to read about and very engaging. A must read for fans of Nightshade, also a great read for fans of paranormal YA. This is one of those paranormal YA series that really stands out in an over-crowded genre. I absolutely cannot wait to read Bloodrose.
Calla has fled her pack and wakes up in a facility full of Searchers; her sworn enemy. They want her to join them and possibly aid them in obtaining an alliance with the Guardians against the Keepers. Shay is there with her and, as the Scion, is very important to the Searchers. Calla must decide who to trust. Can she believe the Searchers and the history they tell her? Will Shay stand firm at her side throughout the fight? What will become of Calla's Guardian pack and the people who helped her escape? Many secrets are revealed and Calla is forced to decide if she will aid her sworn enemy.
This book was even faster paced than the first book There are a lot of action scenes and we get to meet some great new characters. The reader is introduced to the world of the Searchers and it is a complex world. There are four new schools of magic in the Searchers facility, along with a whole bunch of history, and lots of new characters with interesting issues.
Cremer does an excellent job creating this world and populating it with engaging characters that have a lot of depth to them. When I started the book it took me a second to get the factions sorted in my mind (Keepers, Guardians, Searchers) but Cremer does a good job of backfilling and aids the reader in remembering what happened in the previous book. Then the reader has a lot of new terminology thrown at them that relates to the Searchers magic and schools. This was the only part of the book that was a bit annoying; it was hard to keep everything straight early on.
Calla and Shay have great chemistry together and this book features them; Ren enters the picture now and then to shake things up...but this book is definitely focused on Calla and Shay. There is a new character, a Searcher, who enters the story and is very intriguing. Cremer does an excellent job with dialogue; lots of the dialogue between characters is very witty and adds humor to the story. Cremer's writing style is in general very readable and fast-paced. I tore through this book very quickly and had trouble putting it down.
The story ended well and wrapped the main storyline up nicely while setting things up for the next book. This book was just the beginning of the Witches War and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Overall an excellent continuation of this series. Cremer has created a wonderfully complex world, a heart-pounding fast-paced plot, and characters that are fun to read about and very engaging. A must read for fans of Nightshade, also a great read for fans of paranormal YA. This is one of those paranormal YA series that really stands out in an over-crowded genre. I absolutely cannot wait to read Bloodrose.
From Kirkus Reviews:
Teenage werewolves dominate an exclusive high school in Vail, Colo., in this supernatural thriller. Something else dominates the werewolves. Calla, the alpha female of the Nightshade pack, is scheduled to mate with Ren, the alpha male of the Bane pack. She develops divided loyalties, however, when Shay, a human she's assigned to protect, begins to fascinate her... This may be sounding familiar, and also recognizable is the novel's sexual tension: The mere touch of either Ren or Shay can drive Calla to uncontrollable, ultimate bliss, to the extent that her urges sometimes overpower the plot. The portrayal of the animal instincts and behavior of the wolf-teens rings true, however, and Cremer builds a compelling world, moving her plot forward with well-paced drive that easily holds readers' interest. On the surface, this is not much more than an imaginative B-grade paranormal-suspense story. The book's underlying themes of individualism and freedom, however, lift it to a higher level, and they will probably have a chance to play out in a sequel--one readers won't have to feel too guilty about looking forward to.
(Paranormal romance. 14 & up)
Teenage werewolves dominate an exclusive high school in Vail, Colo., in this supernatural thriller. Something else dominates the werewolves. Calla, the alpha female of the Nightshade pack, is scheduled to mate with Ren, the alpha male of the Bane pack. She develops divided loyalties, however, when Shay, a human she's assigned to protect, begins to fascinate her... This may be sounding familiar, and also recognizable is the novel's sexual tension: The mere touch of either Ren or Shay can drive Calla to uncontrollable, ultimate bliss, to the extent that her urges sometimes overpower the plot. The portrayal of the animal instincts and behavior of the wolf-teens rings true, however, and Cremer builds a compelling world, moving her plot forward with well-paced drive that easily holds readers' interest. On the surface, this is not much more than an imaginative B-grade paranormal-suspense story. The book's underlying themes of individualism and freedom, however, lift it to a higher level, and they will probably have a chance to play out in a sequel--one readers won't have to feel too guilty about looking forward to.
(Paranormal romance. 14 & up)
Poor Calla has been in the middle of feeling happy to help keep Shay alive and feeling guilty and hurt for abandoning her pack and family also the wolf that she feels a connection to Ren. But shes in for more turns now then her ever thought. Her family as been torn apart, killed in her mothers case, her park has been divided and Ren finds out who is father really is and who he is. Calla and Shay have to rescue most her pack from the Keepers but also the love between Calla and Shay has become more then she can bare and she runs when ever their love gets to much. In this book Calla seems to loose most of herself but she slowly gains it back and also helps Ren find a sister he never known about
