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breezy610's review against another edition
3.0
it was okay. it was defnietly a page turner, but i felt like the relationship were only based on sex and lust. Calla is defiently an interesting character. i will read on in the series.
tattedturtle710's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
jennkei's review against another edition
2.0
I liked it..until the female protagonist started becoming a limp noodle. Will continue reading the second book, though, just to see what happens. ._. Also, goodness, she seems to have stomach troubles quite often.
kathydavie's review against another edition
2.0
First in the Nightshade urban fantasy series for young adults. Although, I must warn you that there are some sexually predatory innuendos in this. They make me uncomfortable…
As for the rest...drama queen...
My Take
It's an intriguing premise with a different take on "vampires" and the role of shifters in Cremer's world, just not well done. Oh, spots of it were good, but then Cremer kept falling back on the lousy clichés.
Poor Calla. Not only is her entire life all mapped out already, but her mother...well, let's just say that just because Calla is an alpha, she's still subject to the same parental tyrannies...just magnified! The kids all attend a very exclusive school composed of shifters and humans...with the humans at the very bottom of the pile.
I really dislike the whole double standard of Ren being able to fool around while Calla is expected to be as pure as driven snow on her "wedding" night. Then Cremer has Ren pushing Calla to let him "do things" with her before they are joined. How is that respectful?? What a jerk! Cremer has really packed in the sexual issues: Neville and Mason's relationship which is threatened by the Bane Keepers and the predatory nature of the same Banes along with Ren's dad. Supposedly Ren and Calla are the alpha leaders. Notice the plural? Somehow, the plural part seems to have escaped Ren.
I don't get it. What's so "embarrassingly spectacular" about Cal taking Ren's blood? If Cremer was trying to make this a dramatic moment...it failed. "Dorky" is more the word that comes to mind. Cliché, cliché, cliché...the arranged "marriage", the new player from outside who seems more clearly, the playboy. What's with the sneak peek in the Cave? It just isn't holding together. Yes, Cremer is writing it, but it doesn't mean she's made it fit. I suppose she needed her excuse to change Shay. Yawn.
Cremer did manage to salvage this at the end with the escape and the kidnapping...thank god. Although I rather doubt I'll explore any further. I just don't like this story and I strongly suspect it's the hypocrisy that exists in the packs, the betrayal that lurks throughout, and the very nasty innuendo.
It seems that Shay has shown up in the nick of time with his very different perspective on the history the packs have always been taught .
It's an interesting world in which the Keepers control every bit of a Guardian's life from birth to death, including who they marry and what they are taught. Everything is streamlined towards maintaining the Keepers as the masters.
The Story
A potentially deadly encounter in the mountains creates havoc at the Mountain School when Calla encounters the young hiker she saved. He's a new student with a very powerful uncle. An uncle who has "requested" that these young Guardians protect this human.
Some bond was forged in that attack and poses a dangerous potential for Calla and Ren's union next month. A union upon which the Keepers are insistent. And yet those same Keepers insist that Calla spend time with Shay. Time that opens a world of doubts.
The Characters
Calla Tor is destined to marry Renier Laroche and start a new Pack, the Haldis, to serve the Keepers. Stephen Tor is the current pack's alpha and her father. Her mother Naomi is a piece of work. Somehow the whole point of women's lib passed her by and I just want to smack her silly. Calla's pack members include Mason who is gay and attracted to Neville; Ansel, her brother; Bryn, her best friend; and, Fey, who becomes interested in Dax.
Renier Laroche is the son of Emile Laroche, the alpha of the Bane Pack and a real scumsucker. The rest of Ren's pack consists of Sabine, she allows Efron to use her to protect Cosette; Neville is a musician and returns Mason's attraction (no, I'm not implying anything about musicians); Cosette is a sweet, shy, young thing who follows Sabine's lead; and, Dax.
Seamus "Shay" Doran is the new kid. The one whom Calla saved up on the mountain. Bosque Mar is his uncle and one of the Regents at the school. He's also a Keeper.
Lumine Nightshade and Efron Bane are Keepers, the masters. The Guardians serve the Keepers---read that as they are slaves, well-paid, but they are kept and are expected to obey their Keepers in ALL things. The Keepers controls wraiths, shadow guards. Nurse Lana Flynn is a Keeper and the spellwarder at the school. And vicious with it. Logan Bane is a student Keeper and Efron's son. Destined to soon master his own pack. Searchers are "the enemy", supposedly.
The Guardians are the shifters. Each pack reporting to a different Keeper. The Mountain School has students from all three species: humans, Keepers, and Guardians. And never the twain shall meet.
The Cover
Pretty...I love the lilac and silver of her hair forming the background and the bloody calla lilies. Such a contrast of soft and pretty with the implied violence.
The dagger with its drip of blood forming the "t" in the title is actually rather subtle.
As for the rest...drama queen...
My Take
It's an intriguing premise with a different take on "vampires" and the role of shifters in Cremer's world, just not well done. Oh, spots of it were good, but then Cremer kept falling back on the lousy clichés.
Poor Calla. Not only is her entire life all mapped out already, but her mother...well, let's just say that just because Calla is an alpha, she's still subject to the same parental tyrannies...just magnified! The kids all attend a very exclusive school composed of shifters and humans...with the humans at the very bottom of the pile.
I really dislike the whole double standard of Ren being able to fool around while Calla is expected to be as pure as driven snow on her "wedding" night. Then Cremer has Ren pushing Calla to let him "do things" with her before they are joined. How is that respectful?? What a jerk! Cremer has really packed in the sexual issues: Neville and Mason's relationship which is threatened by the Bane Keepers and the predatory nature of the same Banes along with Ren's dad. Supposedly Ren and Calla are the alpha leaders. Notice the plural? Somehow, the plural part seems to have escaped Ren.
I don't get it. What's so "embarrassingly spectacular" about Cal taking Ren's blood? If Cremer was trying to make this a dramatic moment...it failed. "Dorky" is more the word that comes to mind. Cliché, cliché, cliché...the arranged "marriage", the new player from outside who seems more clearly, the playboy. What's with the sneak peek in the Cave? It just isn't holding together. Yes, Cremer is writing it, but it doesn't mean she's made it fit. I suppose she needed her excuse to change Shay. Yawn.
Cremer did manage to salvage this at the end with the escape and the kidnapping...thank god. Although I rather doubt I'll explore any further. I just don't like this story and I strongly suspect it's the hypocrisy that exists in the packs, the betrayal that lurks throughout, and the very nasty innuendo.
It seems that Shay has shown up in the nick of time with his very different perspective on the history the packs have always been taught .
It's an interesting world in which the Keepers control every bit of a Guardian's life from birth to death, including who they marry and what they are taught. Everything is streamlined towards maintaining the Keepers as the masters.
The Story
A potentially deadly encounter in the mountains creates havoc at the Mountain School when Calla encounters the young hiker she saved. He's a new student with a very powerful uncle. An uncle who has "requested" that these young Guardians protect this human.
Some bond was forged in that attack and poses a dangerous potential for Calla and Ren's union next month. A union upon which the Keepers are insistent. And yet those same Keepers insist that Calla spend time with Shay. Time that opens a world of doubts.
The Characters
Calla Tor is destined to marry Renier Laroche and start a new Pack, the Haldis, to serve the Keepers. Stephen Tor is the current pack's alpha and her father. Her mother Naomi is a piece of work. Somehow the whole point of women's lib passed her by and I just want to smack her silly. Calla's pack members include Mason who is gay and attracted to Neville; Ansel, her brother; Bryn, her best friend; and, Fey, who becomes interested in Dax.
Renier Laroche is the son of Emile Laroche, the alpha of the Bane Pack and a real scumsucker. The rest of Ren's pack consists of Sabine, she allows Efron to use her to protect Cosette; Neville is a musician and returns Mason's attraction (no, I'm not implying anything about musicians); Cosette is a sweet, shy, young thing who follows Sabine's lead; and, Dax.
Seamus "Shay" Doran is the new kid. The one whom Calla saved up on the mountain. Bosque Mar is his uncle and one of the Regents at the school. He's also a Keeper.
Lumine Nightshade and Efron Bane are Keepers, the masters. The Guardians serve the Keepers---read that as they are slaves, well-paid, but they are kept and are expected to obey their Keepers in ALL things. The Keepers controls wraiths, shadow guards. Nurse Lana Flynn is a Keeper and the spellwarder at the school. And vicious with it. Logan Bane is a student Keeper and Efron's son. Destined to soon master his own pack. Searchers are "the enemy", supposedly.
The Guardians are the shifters. Each pack reporting to a different Keeper. The Mountain School has students from all three species: humans, Keepers, and Guardians. And never the twain shall meet.
The Cover
Pretty...I love the lilac and silver of her hair forming the background and the bloody calla lilies. Such a contrast of soft and pretty with the implied violence.
The dagger with its drip of blood forming the "t" in the title is actually rather subtle.
readerjenn's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
yodamom's review against another edition
4.0
Audio- fabulous narration, perfectly acted out. This world of guardian wolves and their keepers enveloped me into swirl of twisted tales and lies. A world that takes choice away and leaves fear and submission in it's wake. Trust and belief are torn apart and what is left is heart wrenching. The dark scary things that haunt the shadows are real and there is more than that to be found. Love and friendships grow and diminish, when the past is revealed.
Wonderful, exciting and heart-stomping tale. YA
I can't wait to read the next book
Wonderful, exciting and heart-stomping tale. YA
I can't wait to read the next book
mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
“I didn't realize I needed to point out that if we are attacked by a fire-breathing bitch, you can change forms.”
It took me a while to start reading this one. I have had this one from the library (and already extended the loan on it once) since April. However until 2 days ago never found the motivation to read. Funny thing, when I got it I wanted to dig in. :P
This one was terribly fun though, there were tons of elements that I loved and liked, but there were also a few things I didn't like. BIG THINGS.
For instance those that know me know that I don't like love triangles. I wasn't aware when I started this it would have this. Yes, I kept reading because there were still elements that I liked/loved, even though I was cringing so much at the terribleness of the love triangle. Calla should just make up her freaking mind, it was just so annoying how she bounced between one guy and the other. Swooning for the one, kissing the other frantically, and so on. I felt sorry for Ren as he was just such a good guy. Yes, he has his faults, but compared to wimpy and magical love interest Shay, he was a sweetie and he actually tried to make sure Calla was happy and OK with things. Yes, at times he was a dick (like how he kept pushing her about sexual stuff), but mostly he cared about her and respected her opinion regarding the pack. During the ceremony he did something so sweet that my heart broke for the guy. He deserves a girl who does care about him, and not just in fleeting moments. He deserves a good girl who loves him and won't judge him. Because that is what Calla also did. When Ren was talking to girls she got all jealous but all the while she was kissing and drooling over Shay (hypocrite much?).
I may have had trouble with Shay if he was introduced later in the series, however I had even bigger problems with how he was introduced now. The boy fallen in the snow, all alone, coincidentally on the same time as our girl is patrolling with her beta, and oh yes, the bear who shouldn't even have been around. Plus, he just felt a bit too much like a saviour type. Then there were some other elements that just had me rolling my eyes to the heavens, what a coincidence. GEEEEEEEEE. :|
There were some other things in this book that had me rolling my eyes to the high heavens. How Call never doubted anything until her saviour and magical love interest Shay di(v)ed in her life. How she just recklessly did several things that seemed highly out of character for her.
Now for the good stuff. I just adore the Guardians and how they have the ability to change into wolves (but don't dare to mention the word werewolf to them) and how they apparently can inhibit their soul in two beings being on two planes of existence. You have her in wolf form, but also her in human form with all the bits and clothes. It was quite interestingly written, something else from your standard story about people changing into wolves.
Learning the true history on the Guardians, the Keepers, and seeing some characters or important people pass by was very interesting to read. Every time we found out something new about the whole world and I did feel sorry for Calla as she found out that her world may not be the one she thinks it is and has been taught about since she was small. It was at those times I wanted to hug her. I have to say that the author wrote those parts in which Calla reacts to Shay's findings pretty dang nicely written. You can see the shock, you can see the denial. That it can't be true.
There are some very nice make-out scenes in this book. Even though they never went too far (as Calla has to remain pure for the marriage thing) it was still very hot to read at times.
I just loved seeing the various pairings in this book. Bryn and Ansel were my favourites but I was also a fan of Mason and Nev. I wouldn't mind a book with either of these as MCs.
Ansel and Calla, I just adored their brother-sister relationship. They bickered at times, but they also helped each other out, rooted for each other. They were really sweet, and I loved how the author wrote these scenes with the two of them.
The ending was all very exciting, and I am normally not a fan of cliffhanger endings, but this one was nicely done. Just enough that you know what is going on, but also enough that you are itching to get the next book and see how things will go from that point.
Remember that werewolf part? Funnily though each chapter is a moon's phase. We go to the full moon and back to no moon. I did think it was pretty hilarious, given how our girl bristled at the mention of werewolves. And also thanks to those moons it took me until the point of her explaining things before I knew that they weren't werewolves.
All in all, despite some things (like the love triangle) I had fun reading this one and I would recommend it. Will I continue this series? Not sure, I do want to know how things continue, but I am also not sure if I can handle more of Shay x Calla with a sad dangling Ren on the side.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
It took me a while to start reading this one. I have had this one from the library (and already extended the loan on it once) since April. However until 2 days ago never found the motivation to read. Funny thing, when I got it I wanted to dig in. :P
This one was terribly fun though, there were tons of elements that I loved and liked, but there were also a few things I didn't like. BIG THINGS.
For instance those that know me know that I don't like love triangles. I wasn't aware when I started this it would have this. Yes, I kept reading because there were still elements that I liked/loved, even though I was cringing so much at the terribleness of the love triangle. Calla should just make up her freaking mind, it was just so annoying how she bounced between one guy and the other. Swooning for the one, kissing the other frantically, and so on. I felt sorry for Ren as he was just such a good guy. Yes, he has his faults, but compared to wimpy and magical love interest Shay, he was a sweetie and he actually tried to make sure Calla was happy and OK with things. Yes, at times he was a dick (like how he kept pushing her about sexual stuff), but mostly he cared about her and respected her opinion regarding the pack. During the ceremony he did something so sweet that my heart broke for the guy. He deserves a girl who does care about him, and not just in fleeting moments. He deserves a good girl who loves him and won't judge him. Because that is what Calla also did. When Ren was talking to girls she got all jealous but all the while she was kissing and drooling over Shay (hypocrite much?).
I may have had trouble with Shay if he was introduced later in the series, however I had even bigger problems with how he was introduced now. The boy fallen in the snow, all alone, coincidentally on the same time as our girl is patrolling with her beta, and oh yes, the bear who shouldn't even have been around. Plus, he just felt a bit too much like a saviour type. Then there were some other elements that just had me rolling my eyes to the heavens, what a coincidence. GEEEEEEEEE. :|
There were some other things in this book that had me rolling my eyes to the high heavens. How Call never doubted anything until her saviour and magical love interest Shay di(v)ed in her life. How she just recklessly did several things that seemed highly out of character for her.
Now for the good stuff. I just adore the Guardians and how they have the ability to change into wolves (but don't dare to mention the word werewolf to them) and how they apparently can inhibit their soul in two beings being on two planes of existence. You have her in wolf form, but also her in human form with all the bits and clothes. It was quite interestingly written, something else from your standard story about people changing into wolves.
Learning the true history on the Guardians, the Keepers, and seeing some characters or important people pass by was very interesting to read. Every time we found out something new about the whole world and I did feel sorry for Calla as she found out that her world may not be the one she thinks it is and has been taught about since she was small. It was at those times I wanted to hug her. I have to say that the author wrote those parts in which Calla reacts to Shay's findings pretty dang nicely written. You can see the shock, you can see the denial. That it can't be true.
There are some very nice make-out scenes in this book. Even though they never went too far (as Calla has to remain pure for the marriage thing) it was still very hot to read at times.
I just loved seeing the various pairings in this book. Bryn and Ansel were my favourites but I was also a fan of Mason and Nev. I wouldn't mind a book with either of these as MCs.
Ansel and Calla, I just adored their brother-sister relationship. They bickered at times, but they also helped each other out, rooted for each other. They were really sweet, and I loved how the author wrote these scenes with the two of them.
The ending was all very exciting, and I am normally not a fan of cliffhanger endings, but this one was nicely done. Just enough that you know what is going on, but also enough that you are itching to get the next book and see how things will go from that point.
Remember that werewolf part? Funnily though each chapter is a moon's phase. We go to the full moon and back to no moon. I did think it was pretty hilarious, given how our girl bristled at the mention of werewolves. And also thanks to those moons it took me until the point of her explaining things before I knew that they weren't werewolves.
All in all, despite some things (like the love triangle) I had fun reading this one and I would recommend it. Will I continue this series? Not sure, I do want to know how things continue, but I am also not sure if I can handle more of Shay x Calla with a sad dangling Ren on the side.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
byp's review against another edition
3.0
A fun read. More action and world-building than a lot of its counterparts.