Book Review: Wolfsbane

You're an alpha, a leader. That's what we need. It's what we've always needed. When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she's certain her days are numbered. Then the Searchers make her an offer, one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save her pack - and the boy - she left behind.Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? Will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials love can endure.

Despite the fact that I didn't love Nightshade, I picked up Andrea Cremer's sequel Wolfsbane I liked it a lot more than the first book. A lot of the things that annoyed me in Nightshade weren't an issue here. Calla and Shay left their old lives behind and joined in with their old enemy's team - the Searchers - at the end of book one. And book two picked up right where they left off.

Warning: Slight spoilers ahead.

We were introduced to many new characters: Ethan, Ariadne, Connor, Monroe, and other Searchers. It took me a while to warm up to them. Their dialogue and constant joking were a bit much; I had some trouble with their dialogue, especially in the beginning. It caused a bit of trouble for me connecting with them. A few of the pack from Nightshade make an appearance, but Ren wasn't in the book much. That's not so good for Team Ren, but yay for Team Shay! I liked that Calla and Shay were given a chance to get to know each other without Ren around.

Which brings me to the main point of why I liked Wolfsbane over Nightshade. Calla wasn't quite as torn between two guys. She wasn't kissing one in one chapter, and the other boy in the next. It's not that she forgot about Ren or the feelings she has for him. In short, there was less of a love triangle here. Which made me really happy. The Searchers, as a species, were very interesting. The weaving sounded fascinating. And I loved the mysticism. I think if I could be a character in this series, I’d choose Searcher.

I’ve already begun Bloodrose, and I’m excited to see how this story ends. I included the arc cover of Wolfsbane in this post. It still makes me sad that the publishers chose to change the covers from the originals by outstanding artist, Suza Scalora.