GoodRead - Nightshade

Right, as some of you know, I went to Atom Books for a book blogging event (am I ever going to stop talking about this? Probably not). When I was there, each of us bloggers were given two ARCs (aka Advance Reader Copies). One was Rosebush by Michele Jaffe (not out till March 2011) and the other was the book am about to review now.

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer follows the story of Calla, sexy alpha to the Nightshades, a pack of werewolves (though they are called Guardians). She is destined to mate with Ren, the alpha of another pack of Guardians, the Banes. Once this happens, the new pack will guard sacred ground for their masters, the Guardians, against the Guardians' enemy, the Searchers.

But Calla breaks one of her master's laws by saving a mortal boy, Shay's, life. After she done that, everything she knows – her fate, her existence and the very essence of her world – is put into question. And not only is everything thrown into question, Calla's heart is torn between Ren – the boy she should be in love with – and Shay – the boy that she can't live without.

She can control her pack, but not her heart. And if she can't control that, is forbidden love worth the pain and the ultimate sacrifice?

With Twitter and the Blogsphere gushing and getting excited over this book, I have to now to sum up this book (which is coming out in the UK on 28th December 2010). And, when I found out I got a copy of the ARC, I think I made a squeal noise, got very excited and after Liz from My Favourite Books (she's lovely. Check out the blog she co-writes!) said, in a joking and lovely voice, “Be professional”, I laughed and went “Are you kidding?! We had drinks, cake and free books!” (have I said I have NEVER gone to one of these events before?), I knew that this book was the one to read!

And I was right. I LOVE NIGHTSHADE! And after reading another awesome book, MATCHED, I am shocked that I have discovered another exciting book so quickly. But I have!

Calla is a great female lead (she kicks butt – literary!) and you feel her pain with what is happening to her with Ren and Shay (the book's Edward and Jacob – and yes, you will join a Team after you read this book). And with a rich mix of background characters (I love Calla's brother and her best friend, Ansel and Bryn) and an even richer mythology (which you get in drips rather than thrown into your face within the first three chapters), I couldn't help but fall under Nightshade's spell.

I love Nightshade and I think this will be one of the Must Reads of 2011 (like Matched – read them NOW!). And I hunger... okay, DEMAND the sequel, Wolfbane. Like now!

PS – I wanna say thank you to Atom Books for giving me a copy of ARC. The Shiny ARC which no one touched bar me.

PPS – Have you seen the covers? SO PRETTY!!!

PPPS – here is the trailer for the book and two songs that I was listen to while I was reading the book. ENJOY!