But when the steamy moments interrupted, I checked out.

When the mystery was explored and the characters were searching for answers, I was rapt. I found this hard to swallow, and my enjoyment of the novel slackened when the romance started to overshadow the plot. Nighshade‘s romantic elements are built mainly on lust and physical attraction. And I’m not convinced Calla understands her feelings either. The reader never fully understands her feelings for either boy. The dynamic between Calla, Shay, and Ren was not a satisfying love triangle. But without understanding why she is drawn to Shay, or how she really feels about Ren, the romantic elements of the book are nothing more than distractions from the larger storyline. We can appreciate the difficulties she faces as she navigates her changing role and ponders the emerging questions surrounding her place in a world which she thought she understood. Sure, we see her struggle with issues like power, control, tradition, purity, and obedience. As an alpha female, you’d expect Calla to have more self-awareness. We never learn the reason why Calla felt compelled to risk her own life to save Shay, the human boy she knows nothing about. While it served the author’s interest to reveal her world piecemeal in order to advance the plot, she did herself a disservice by not spending more time establishing her characters, particularly Calla. Unfortunately, for me, the growing complexity of the society of Keepers, Guardians, and Searchers was not the only thing that had me shaking my head.

Andrea cremer nightshade books in order