Review: Wolfsbane

Title: Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2)

Author: Angela Cremer

Publisher: Philomel Books (A division of Penguin) 2011

Genre: YA paranormal, fantasy

Format: Ebook, Paperback, Hardback

eISBN:978-1-101-51710-9

 

Calla’s life is altered forever when she wakes up in the custody of her sworn enemy. But instead of killing her, they show her that they aren’t exactly who she was raised to believe they were. They also begin to tell her things… things about her history – things that were kept from her – from all guardians and she begins to realize that much of her life has been based on a lie.

Calla makes a deal with the searchers when they offer her a chance to save her pack and Ren, the alpha she left behind. But will Shay, the man she left them all behind for, stand beside her? And when she finds her pack mates will they forgive her?

I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. I read Nightshade when it was first released and I really loved it. I have to say that is saying something because for any of you who really know me know that I am obsessed with werewolves. But you might not know that I think that werewolves should not be girls. LOL. Werewolves are manly. Hence No Girls Allowed. Yes, I believe in equal opportunity, but not for werewolves. LOL.

That saying, I really didn’t mind at all that Calla was a werewolf. Or that she was an alpha. She is a strong character—a well-characterized character and I really like her.

And if we were choosing teams, I was totally Team Ren. I mean hell –o he totally embodied the alpha hot were to a T. He made me smile and I seriously read and waited for his scenes. *Sigh*. Shay was a good character, but he seemed a little wimpy to me. LOL. I mean, really, next to Ren who wouldn’t? I couldn’t understand what Calla saw in him that could possible compare to Ren.

So that’s how I went into to Wolfsbane.

This is how I feel now:

I can’t quite say that I am firmly on Team Ren, but I can’t say that I am firmly on Team Shay, either. I blame the author for this. Lol. It’s her fault that she created two such strong and wonderful characters that now I can’t decide. I mean HOW do you choose?

Shay completely transformed for me in this book. I finally saw what Calla seemed to see all along. It was like becoming a wolf brought out all the hidden strength within him. I really came to admire him. His inner strength and his loyalty was really something. He was strong through a storm, unbending against the pressure. Even when he got frustrated with Calla (which also was totally real and understandable), he was still there for her when she needed it.

Not that Calla needed it that much. She was exactly as I remembered her: a strong alpha, a woman that young women everywhere can look up to. She was faced with a lot of hard choices, unbearable circumstances, and was hit with some surprising blows. Sure, she got upset, she even shed a few tears, but it only made her stronger. Even at her weakest, she was still strong.

Ren. Just writing his name makes me smile. I have to say I was very disappointed that he was not in this book more. He is still a major part of the story – the story seemed to revolve around him – yet he was absent. I would have liked to see more of him.  When we did see him, it was perhaps a side we weren’t expecting, yet I still found it very believable and even understandable. He’s an alpha wolf. He was raised as one. He was taught beliefs and ways of the Guardians. He is strongly ingrained with what it means to be an alpha. But even as I was upset with his behavior, there was still that side of him—the side we all love—that couldn’t be squelched. His essence, his humanity, was just too strong.

And the way the book ended and where he was…. Just waiting…. Oh boy. It really got to me and it proved what I suspected all along; Ren is not a character that can be forgotten or even replaced. Shay should watch out. J

Even with the great characters, unfortunately, this book wasn’t what I was hoping it would be. I would say the first half was a huge information dump on the reader. I understand the necessity of the information, but I just wanted the story. I just wanted the characters and the action.  I sometimes grew tired of hearing about the history of the guardians and the searches. Also, it was a lot to retain. There are a lot of characters in this book. I like most of them, but sometimes I had to stop and think, “Where does he fit in again?”

The story really started to pick up when Ansel (Calla’s brother) entered the story. That’s when story really started to move and things started happening. I really loved the ending and even though it was kind of a hanger, I wasn’t upset. I just can’t wait to read the next book in the series to see where the characters go.

Another thing that kind of annoyed me was the bickering between the characters. They would make sarcastic comments to each other and it seemed that every single thing someone said, someone else had a comeback. I like that kind of thing, but it began to feel monotonous and over used. It seemed to keep the story from moving along.  I really got irritated with Ethan in the beginning and all his comments. I kind of wanted to smack him. But then at the end, I saw a whole new side to Ethan, and now, I can’t wait to see what’s next for his character in Bloodrose.

Overall, I think this book was a good story, if a little slow to pick up. But once it did I couldn’t put it down. I am definitely looking forward to reading Bloodrose.

So there you have it. My opinion.