Nightshade

Quick Plot: Calla did it-- it was totally against the rules, but she couldn't just let him die-- human or no human, she saved him. Calla is the next alpha of her pack. She runs the show-- well pretty much. Her pack of werewolves? No-- the book is explict about this-- they're not werewolves, they're guardians, and they work for the Keepers. There is some very complicated stuff here about everyone's place and function, and some new mythology to wrap your head around. (I'm off track) Calla is the female alpha head of a pack of guardians scheduled to be joined with the male alpha (Ren) of another pack. They seem to have some crazy chemistry and good rapport, but once Calla saves the human (Shay,) everything in her world get's a little crazy. One question leads to another and before you know it she's tossing out all of her old rules and regulations.

Is this book a good read-- yes, it's fast, yet chock full of fun little tidbits. It's intersting, full of anxt and the stresses of being cool, and yet-- still having all of those little questions of teenage life like... oh, did I get that deer blood on my favorite tee?

So-- the author goes out of her way to invent a mythology to insist that these packs of people who change from wolf to human and back are NOT-- I repeat NOT werewolves. Thank you for doing it. Werewolves are gross-- let's just put that out there. Not having them be werewolves, but rather guardians makes this a touch more palatable. That being said, the fact that they're guardians is supposed to be a secret in the book, but it seems like everyone around them really knows everything that is going on. I mean-- I went to high school, and I understand that Ms. Cremer set it up that the 'humans' just know to scurry, but I really can't imagine that happening-- well not like this. These people act like roaches... they scurry away at the slightest thing. Which implies that they know something. Also I guess we're supposed to strongly dislike some of the people in this novel, but the adults (and I mean ALL of them,) end up seeming twisted and super sick-- which is a bit disconcerting.

I'm excited about this book though. It was a fun read, easy and interesting. I want to read the sequel-- as I was left dropping off a serious cliff at the end of this one.

R.