Showing posts with label Andrea Cremer. Show all posts

December 29, 2013

Stacking The Shelves [#64]

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews as a way to share all the books we got during the week!

Christmas Presents:
Bought:
Bought for Kindle:
Library:
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June 08, 2013

Review: Rise by Andrea Cremer

Rise (Nightshade Prequel #2)
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Philomel
Publication Date: January 8, 2013
Pages: 385
Source: Hardcover/Library

The sequel to Rift and the prequel to the New York Times bestselling novel Nightshade.

Everything Conatus stands for is at risk. Hoping to gather enough resistance to save their order, Ember and Barrow attempt a desperate escape. But fate offers little mercy. When their mission is exposed, the  couple face relentless pursuit by the supernatural horrors that act on the commands of Eira’s ally: the mysterious Bosque Mar. A shocking revelation forces Ember out of hiding, sending her back into the heart of dark magic at Tearmunn keep, where she must convince her old friend Alistair of her love or face dire consequences. Ember’s deception offers the only chance for the resistance to succeed, but what she discovers in the shadows beneath the keep will shatter her world and bring about the Witches’ War.

Richly sensual and full of magic, action and danger, Andrea Cremer's fifth book set in the Nightshade world is an edge-of-your-seat page turner.


Review: I really loved Rise!!! But I didnt love it as much as I loved Rift. I felt like there were some moments that were lacking. I mean, the whole book was interesting. But some stuff was seriously predictable and even though they should have been some huge scenes, they really didnt seem that huge to me when I saw them happening. And then some of the scenes where the group was traveling, or trying to figure out what to do next in regards to taking down Eira were also kinda boring. I mean it was interesting at some points, but many of those scenes had a hard time keeping my attention. 

Ok, so I wanna start with Ember and Barrow. I still really love these two together! They really are cute together and you can definitely see the bond between them! That being said, I felt like their relationship was just completely stalled after they went on the run. I mean they had a few moments together that were awesome, but it just seemed like after going on the run they really didnt progress in their relationship. It was pretty much just stuck in the same spot the entire book and that kinda saddened me. I was really looking forward to seeing their relationship grow in this book and it just didnt happen. On the topic of Ember alone, I definitely felt like she stepped up a lot in this book. She did the heavy lifting when she needed to in order to save and protect those she loved. But she also wasnt afraid to put herself in danger and do what she desperately didnt want to as well to help the resistance. I was very happy seeing her really step up in this book! 

 Alistair... Man. Ok. I thought he was bad at the end of the last book. I swear my disgust with him went through the roof in this book... Seriously... He was wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy to creepy whenever he thought about Ember. Oh, and he was still delusional when he thought there was no other person Ember could be interested in. I seriously just got grossed out and creeped out whenever I read any of Alistairs POV's! Also, I'm very sad at how much Bosque corrupted him. It was extremely sad. It was sad how many people Bosque and Eira corrupted in general. Another thing I found creepy, Eira and Bosque's relationship once it developed into something more. That creeped me out as well. Wasnt a fan of reading the intimate details of their relationship. 

 I really did enjoy seeing how the Keepers (I see how they got their name now) and the Searchers came to be. It definitely filled in the blanks about their origins and whatnot. I definitely found that stuff the most interesting in the book. I also loved seeing the familiar words and places we learned about and saw and heard in the Nightshade books! Those similarities definitely tied those stories very well together! I'm definitely glad we got the prequel books to learn more about how the Keepers and Searchers came to be!
4 Stars!
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April 03, 2013

Waiting On Wednesday [#82]

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

Snakeroot (Nightshade #4)
Author: Andrea Cremer
Expected Publication: December 10, 2013

Fans asked for it, and now they've got it! Andrea Cremer is continuing the story she began in in her internationally bestselling trilogy: Nightshade, Wolfsbane and Bloodrose. In this new installment, Bosque Mar haunts the dreams of both Adne and Logan, trying to escape for the Nether, where Calla, Shay and the other Guardians trapped him in the final battle in the War of All Against All. Will he turn Adne to the dark side? Will Logan reclaim his birthright? And will darkness take over our world? In a novel filled with magic, romance and breakneck action, master storytelling Andrea Cremer's newest installment will not disappoint!

Ok. So I am definitely looking forward to this! I wasnt the biggest fan of the ending of Bloodrose, but I cant say I havent wondered what's happened to Adne! I definitely cant wait til this comes out so I can find out! And I totally love this cover!!! :)


What are you waiting on this week?
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January 26, 2013

Stacking The Shelves [#39]

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews as a way to share all the books we got during the week!

Library:
For Review From Author:
Thank you P.T. Michelle!!! I've been really looking forward to reading this!!! :)

NetGalley:
Thank you Macmillan & St. Martin's Griffin!!! :)
  • Double Crossed (A Spies and Thieves Story) by Ally Carter - AVAILABLE AS A READ NOW TITLE!! Also available for free from Amazon & Barnes & Noble! (Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble)
Thank you Disney!!!! :)

Weekly Recap:
Reviews: 

Cover Reveals & Giveaways:

Memes & Other Posts:
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September 12, 2012

Waiting On Wednesday [#55]

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

Rise (Nightshade Prequel #2)
Author: Andrea Cremer
Expected Publication: January 8, 2012

Everything Conatus stands for is at risk. Hoping to gather enough resistance to save their order, Ember and Barrow attempt a desperate escape. But fate offers little mercy. When their mission is exposed, the  couple face relentless pursuit by the supernatural horrors that act on the commands of Eira’s ally: the mysterious Bosque Mar. A shocking revelation forces Ember out of hiding, sending her back into the heart of dark magic at Tearmunn keep, where she must convince her old friend Alistair of her love or face dire consequences. Ember’s deception offers the only chance for the resistance to succeed, but what she discovers in the shadows beneath the keep will shatter her world and bring about the Witches’ War.

Richly sensual and full of magic, action and danger, Andrea  Cremer's fifth book set in the Nightshade world is an edge-of-your-seat page turner.

I just read Rift a few days ago and I absolutely loved it! While still connected to the Nightshade series it is also a fantastic story on its own! I'm so excited to see where Ms. Cremer takes this story! I have no doubt that this will be just as fantastic as the first! 

Also, make sure to stop by and enter my JLA Giveaway!


What are you waiting on this week?
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September 10, 2012

Review: Rift by Andrea Cremer

Rift (Nightshade Prequel #1)
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Philomel
Publication Date: August 7, 2012
Pages: 431
Source: Hardcover/Library

Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer's internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

With action, adventure, magic, and tantalizing sensuality, this book is as fast-paced and breathtaking as the Nightshade novels.

Review: This book was fantastic! A great start to her prequel series! While this series was connected to the Nightshade series, it was also a fantastic story on its own! I loved how Ms. Cremer created another fantastic, strong lead female character! I loved Ember! She would not let anyone control her life and I loved her so much for that. She knew what she wanted to do and didn't let anyone stand in her way, even her own family. Ember is such a strong girl! She did not choose the easiest road when it came to how she would serve Conatus! In fact, I'm pretty sure she chose the hardest. Lol. But she showed just how much she wanted to be there and just how valuable she can be to them. I couldn't believe the battles she fought without that much experience under her belt, but what surprised me more was how she managed to succeed so well in those battle even with her limited experience. It showed just how strong her will to fight was and how she was exactly where she needed to be.  

 Alistair... At first I liked him because he seemed like a good friend to Ember. But my feelings toward him quickly changed when he tried to push himself onto Ember even when she pushed him away. After that I started to dislike him and that dislike only grew from then on. He would not take the hint that Ember seriously didn't like him that way and he just kept pushing and pushing. It was like how many times do you have to be rejected by her until you get it though your head that she doesn't want you like that. And then after he joined Eira in her alliance with *will be mentioned in later paragraph, as not to spoil yet* I was certain I was definitely not gonna like him then. 

 Barrow. This guy. I like him. He acts like a tough guy on the outside, but he's actually got a heart under all that toughness. I loved how he took Ember under his wing to train her. Despite him being tough on her sometimes he was definitely a good teacher. And she definitely learned a lot from him. I do wish he would have admitted his feelings for Ember earlier though, because it definitely became obvious that he had feelings for her. I loved the two of them together when he finally maned up and kissed her! I was waiting so long to see it happen and I was so happy when he did. Those two are really good together (from what I've seen of them together so far)! I can't wait to see more of them!

 I cannot believe Eira. She entered into an alliance with BOSQUE MAR. Yes, you saw that right. The same Bosque Mar who was a big bad guy in Nightshade. Guess it goes to show he never changes right. Once a bad guy always a bad guy. Ok, I'm pretty sure Eira is not blind and can see that what he's doing is wrong. Yet she agreed to aline with him anyways. She did it for herself, so she could have power. Definitely not a fan, though I definitely cannot wait to see exactly where this goes and how it causes the Rift between the Searchers and the Keepers! And I can't wait to get more into Bosque Mar's history so we can maybe learn why he's the way he is! 
5 Stars!
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August 25, 2012

Stacking The Shelves [#17]

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews as a way to share all the books we got during the week!

*Sorry if I look really unenthusiastic and not caring in the video... I'm having a really rough day so it's really hard for me to even force a smile right now.*

Library:
Borrowed From A Friend (Not In Video):
NetGalley:
Thanks NetGalley & Macmillian!
Weekly Recap:
Reviews:

Memes & Other Posts:
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July 04, 2012

Waiting On Wednesday [#45]

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

Rift (Nightshade Prequel #1)
Author: Andrea Cremer
Expected Publication: August 7, 2012

Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer's internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

With action, adventure, magic, and tantalizing sensuality, this book is as fast-paced and breathtaking as the Nightshade novels.

I'm so excited to read this! I loved the Nightshade series and I'm really interested in reading the prequel series about the rise of the Keepers! And I'm even more excited because I'm getting to borrow this from a friend soon! AHHHHHHH!!!!! I hope this book is as good as the nightshade series (and I'm suspecting it will be!)

What are you waiting on this week?
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June 27, 2012

Cover Reveal: Rise by Andrea Cremer

No blurb yet. I absolutely love this cover! I really love the gold/yellow! It looks fantastic! I'm really excited to read the Prequel series to the Nightshade series since I loved that one! Rise's expected publication is January 2013!

What are your thoughts on the cover? Let me know in the comments!
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January 07, 2012

In My Mailbox [#22]

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where we share new books we bought, received, won etc.

Bought:
My mom was being nice so she bought me Bloodrose (since I really wanted it the day it came out).

Library:
So last time I had Across The Universe I planned on rechecking it out. But someone placed a hold on it (of course, only do it when I have the book. Lol) so I had to wait to get it back to read it. 

    Downloaded for my Kindle:
    So my mom was still being super nice after buying me Bloodrose and bought me some books for my Kindle as well! :D 

    NetGalley:
    I've been waiting forever to get accepted for Fracture & Stolen Away! I saw the email saying I was accepted finally and I was like wait what???? FINALLY!!!! :D

    What's in your mailbox??? Leave a link for me to check them out!
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    January 05, 2012

    Review: Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

    Bloodrose (Nightshade #3)
    Author: Andrea Cremer
    Publisher: Philomel
    Publication Date: January 3, 2012
    Pages: 414
    Source: Hardcover/Own

    The Ultimate Sacrifice.

    Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

    In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to this breathtaking trilogy.

    Review: Omg! My head is still reeling from this. First of all, NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The ending went against everything I was hoping for this book. Why??? Why did that have to happen? OK, so this review might not completely cover all I wanna talk about but that's because I'm gonna try really hard not to post any spoilers. Ok, I'll spoil one thing but its something everyone probably saw coming. At the end of Wolfsbane Calla & Adne were going to talk to Ren. I'm happy to say he took their side. You have to know that for any of my review to make sense. Lol. With Ren on their side the Searchers were able to finally make plans to get the pieces of the Elemental Cross. I was really excited they were because each section (the books is split into 3 sections, each for the pieces of the sword they had to find) was so interesting. The different obstacles in front of them for each place they have to go to retrieve the pieces. Each place was so different from the other, and the different obstacles they had to face to get each piece kept you reading and on the edge of your seat. I was always a little frightened to turn the next page because I was so unsure of who would survive each time. I was fairly happy that there wasn't many casualties while retrieving the pieces of the sword. Though I was scared for Calla after what happened during their mission to retrieve the second piece!!! I was so scared for her and I couldn't contain the worried look on my face reading through that part. Though I did like that Calla was able to talk to her Father during this time and try to convince him to join her. I also enjoyed how Adne got to get to know a little about her brother. It was nice seeing some brotherly/sisterly moments between Adne & Ren. I also found the moments when Ren & Shay were fighting over Calla hilarious because she always stepped in and asserted her role as Alpha and that they needed to work together if they wanted to win the war. Lol. They always listened to the Alpha (Go Calla!!!).  

    The final battle. OMG! I cant talk about this without revealing spoilers. So lets just say my heart was broken, I was happy for Ansel, I was also happy for Sabine & I went back to being unhappy about what happened after that. I despise it, I despise it, I despise it! Though as long as the Keepers are gone I'm semi ok. I still hated the ending more than anything! Nothing I wanted to happen happened! :(. And I'm still heartbroken over it! 

    I really enjoyed getting to know some of the Searchers such as Connor & Ethan! We totally learned a secret from Connor, which after learning it you'll be happy to know that does end happily. And we also watch a romance between Ethan and Sabine blossom. I really liked that and I was shocked with how this one ended up being at the end, though its still a happier story than THE MAIN STORY! UGH! Lol. Overall despite my unhappiness with the ending I still loved the book overall. It was amazing and definitely kept you reading til the end! Though I'm pretty sure many people are gonna be just as unhappy as me with the ending.

    5 Stars! 
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    September 20, 2011

    Waiting On Wednesday [#5]

    "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

    Bloodrose (Nightshade #3)
    Author: Andrea Cremer
    Publication Date: January 3, 2012

    Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is. In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to this breathtaking trilogy.

     As everyone's noticed I read Nightshade and Wolfsbane recently and loved them!!!!!!!! I'm super excited for Bloodrose! I cant wait to see what happens with Ren and the Searchers and everything. AHHH!!!!

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    September 18, 2011

    Review: Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

    Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2)
    Author: Andrea Cremer
    Publisher: Philomel
    Publication Date: July 26, 2011
    Pages: 390
    Source: Hardcover/Own

    This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended-Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and 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.

    Review: OMG!!!!! I thought Nightshade was intense... Wolfsbane brought it to a whole new level. It starts right where it left off with Calla waking up in the lair of the Searchers. Where to begin... I really enjoyed how hard the Searchers worked to gain Calla's trust. They actually told her the truth about everything, without hiding things. Even when others didnt think it was a good idea to tell Calla and Shay some things they did anyways, it definitely helped them learn to trust the Searchers and gave them a reason to.

    I was shocked at all the truths that came out about the Keepers and the Searchers pasts and how things went bad. If you thought that Nightshade went into details about the packs and the past then you'll be in background heaven in Wolfsbane. Like twice the information about the background, the truth about their background that is, was explained. I was shocked at just how bad the Keepers pasts was and just what got them their. I was disgusted by it. I'm one for a little evil now and there but that was too much. I'm definitely on the Searchers side. Near the end... the truth that came out about Ren, that was the most shocking of all. My jaw = dropped. I totally was not expecting that (notice how I'm not saying what... I'm trying so hard not to seriously spoil the book for people who havent read it).

    I was a little shocked at first at how fast the Searchers offered to help Calla, but as the book went on pieces fell into place to understand it more. They put so many of their people in danger just to help Calla and her pack... or what she could save of her pack that is. And no one really held any grudges if a life was lost, they just took it as part of the job. I also liked how Calla's friendships with the Searchers grew. My fave Searcher as of right now is Adne. She keeps it real. She doesn't let people tell her what she can and cant do and she risks her life for the sake of her team when she needs to. She's not selfish at all. It also made me really happy that Calla started standing up for herself to Shay when he tries to stop her from going on risky missions. And fyi, I still don't like Shay. So far nothing has changed my mind about him. I did however like that more of his personal past was revealed.

    Overall I loved this book. I couldnt put it down, seriously, I was carrying it around the house with me reading as I walked. Lol. If you liked Nightshade then you will love Wolfsbane. Definitely suggested to others. :D :D :D Now to play the waiting game for Bloodrose...

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    September 17, 2011

    Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

    Nightshade (Nightshade #1)
    Author: Andrea Cremer
    Publisher: SPEAK (Penguin Group)
    Publication Date: October 19, 2010
    Pages: 454
    Source: Paperback/Own

    Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she’ll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters’ laws by
    saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything - including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

    Review: This book had me hooked from the start. Not many books hook me on the first page, even the first sentence but this one did. Now, this book wasn't what I thought it would be. I was expecting something different but what I got was so much better. It is a great book and the twists kept you on the edge of your seat. At least for me it did, sometimes I'd finish a chapter and have to put the book down for a couple mins to prepare myself for what was about to happen next.

    Calla is a very strong main character. She's a very likeable character but she's also tough and cares about her pack. She also is her own person even though being her own person got her close to breaking the rules sometimes. I liked how even when things started falling apart she still tried to stand up for what she believed in. I also liked most of the other characters like Ansel, Bryn & Ren. I'm gonna say it right now. I'm Team Ren all the way. I just don't like Shay. I didn't like how Calla fell for him so easily and in all honesty I just feel Ren is a better match for her. If Shay were just a friend I might like him. I'd like to learn more about Ren personally; I feel like there's still so much we don't know about him. I'd also like to learn more about both Calla and Rens pack mates.

    The packs. Theres the Nightshade and Bane packs. I really liked both packs honestly but I felt if say there was one that you'd have to be friends with I'd go with the Nightshades. They seemed a little more nicer than the Banes. I also felt more of a connection to the Nightshade pack because they were talked about more and it just seemed like they were more open to different ideas.

    The wolf politics. Some of it was just wow. I found it so weird that Ren was able to date whoever he wanted but Calla had to stay pure until the union. I also just found the rules in general depressing. Not really being able to choose who your with, male dominance. It all seemed depressing to me. I wanted Calla to stand up more to Ren but she did what she could when she had the chance. I loved the information Calla and Shay found that turned Calla's world on its head. It showed just how many lies were told to her and gave you so many questions.

    I loved the ending, it was a great cliffhanger and I cant wait to read Wolfsbane. I'd definitely recommend this book to others. It was amazing!!!!!

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    September 13, 2011

    Teaser Tuesday [#5]

    Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

    Anyone can play along! just do the following:

    1. Grab your current read
    2. Open to a random page
    3. Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
    BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
    4. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

    Ok, many of you are probably going to recognize this book and the teasers 
    1. "The scent of his skin, crisp and sharp as a glacial pool, wrapped around me and cleared the haze of my mind."

    2. "My flesh suddenly shrieked with renewed pain, desperate for healing."

    pg. 297 of "Nightshade" by Andrea Cremer
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