In the third and final instalment of the Nightshade trilogy, the stakes are as high as ever and once again Calla and co find their very lives on the line in their attempt to return peace and harmony to us all.  If you have already discovered the magic of Nightshade and Wolfsbane, no doubt you’re champing at the bit to find out just where destiny will lead our bunch of heroes.

Well, I must say Cremer blew me away with the bittersweet and triumphant way she has wrapped up the war we have all become so vested in and despite what losses may fall our way, you leave the scene happy and content that the action could not have led to any other conclusion. This is a tale that will make you laugh, cry and want to hide in fright – often at the same time. There is also a deep realism that will leave you utterly breathless.

All our surviving main players, both the good and not so good, return in a high action seat-of-your-pants tale that is as good, if not superior, to its predecessors. Calla once again finds herself torn between the two alphas in her life and on top of dealing with what could very well be their final ever battle, she must decide between them once and for all.  Our supporting cast also steps it up a notch with new relationships and twist and turns in their past histories exposed to liven up the down time.

We hop from one end of the globe to the other, and face range of downright terrifying creatures and tasks to secure our Holy Grail. You truly are drawn right into the action, alternating between wanting to be a guardian and a searcher and set the devilish schemes of our enemies to rights. I must say I don’t think I’ll ever get the thought of wolves consisting wholly of fire out of my mind ever again, or the horrifying sight of the true form of our biggest baddie.

Cremer has an amazing gift for keeping her characters real to the core and yet having them evolve and mature in such an honest way, that it’s almost like watching your little cousin grow up before your very eyes. If you are a fan of the light and fluffy, “everyone lives” ending – well Bloodrose is most likely going to make you want to scream. We do say goodbye to one of our favourites, but oddly this just made the experience all the more real for me.  If you haven’t read the previous two in the series, please make sure you do before delving into Bloodrose. The journey Cremer gifts you with will stay with you long after its end. As sad as it is to leave Calla and her pack of amazing friends, wolf and human alike, I seriously can’t wait to see what Cremer brings us next.

Bloodrose-  Andrea Cremer

Atom

ISBN:978-1907411-37-3

406 Pages

Released- March 2012

Andrea Cremer spent her childhood daydreaming while roaming the forests and lakeshores of Northern Wisconsin. She now lives in Minnesota, but she thinks of her homeland as the “Canadian Shield” rather than the Midwest.

Andrea has always loved writing and has never stopped writing, but she only recently plunged into the deep end of the pool that is professional writing. When she’s not writing, Andrea is a professor of history at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.”

In the little spare time she can find, Andrea stares up at trees, rescues infant rabbits from predatory cats, and invents names for pug puppies with her husband. She has an unfortunate tendency to spill things – white carpets beware!

Cels:

Thank you so much for dropping by and visiting us again at Burn Bright and congrats on the release of the third instalment in the Nightshade series, Bloodrose. There are another two instalments slated to come in the series and “Rift” is also due to hit shelves later this year. Are there a set number of books to come in the series or can we hope for many more adventures with Calla?

Andrea:

Calla’s story came to a conclusion with the Nightshade trilogy, but there are many more stories to take place in Nightshade world that focus on different times, places and characters. RIFT and RISE are a two-book prequel sequence that reveal the origins of the Witches’ War. I can’t reveal what might be next after that.

Cels:

Calla is an amazing role model for girls of all ages. The way she steps up and faces adversity is awe inspiring. Who have been your greatest inspirations?

Andrea:

It’s kind of an odd mix but completely honest: my mother, my teachers, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Cels:

Are there any other projects apart from the Nightshade series you’re working on that you can tell us about?

Andrea:

Yes! I’m co-authoring a book with David Levithan (Will Grayson, Will Grayson, The Lover’s Dictionary) called the INVISIBILITY CURSE, which will be published in spring 2013 and I’m also writing a new steampunk series, THE INVENTOR’S SECRET, the first book of which will be published in fall 2013.

Cels:

If you could spend the day with any fictional character from any medium, who would it be and why?

Andrea:

From any medium? Wow, that’s hard. Well, I have to pick the Doctor (preferably in his David Tennant or Matt Smith incarnation) because who could up a chance for TARDIS adventures in time and space!

Bonjour my fellow readers! I hope you’ve all had a fantastic year thus far. I’ve here searched through the darkest, deepest corners of the Net to bring you these geeky techy stories to share.

We’ve had ’em for a long time. To be honest, since the first computers came out. They are of course, our friendly TV look-alike displays that we call monitors. Back in the day, these babies looked and felt like a TV, but were only monochrome (that means black and white!) and were very small. And you could tell someone had a computer at home ‘cuz after six months they’d be blind as a bat! I include myself in that statement, BTW.

Anyways, these babies are the workhorse of the computer system. Without it, how are we supposed to use the compy? Thanks to the wonderful advancement of tech, modern day monitors don’t eat your eat your eyesight, consume less power and….they’re HD!

Personally, I’m a Samsung lover. I’m looking to replace my aging Syncmaster with one of these. Not only can I watch Netflix and generally everything else in HD, but I can enjoy one of the things I do most with my computer: video games 😀

If you’re looking for something other than what Sammie has to offer, here’s a best seller from Asus. If you haven’t heard about ’em, it’s because they made and sold computer parts long before they started making laptops and tablets. Us geeks and computer enthusiasts have sworn by Asus for many years! Anyways, you can find a really good model on display here. And of course, you can find an alternative from its rival company Acer here too.

If you’re looking for a new display for your compy or something to watch your bluerays with, check these out. You’ll be glad you did!

Cya next time!

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (January 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312641893
• ISBN-13: 978-0312641894

Belinda Says

Cover

Just call me Imelda Marcos. That red shoe is sumptuously eye catching. You have to focus a little to notice the mechanics super imposed over the foot and the font of the title is just a little bit special. It stands out on the shelf… especially to a shoe addict like me.

Characters

It is a retelling of Cinderella, so the usual suspects are on hand to get the story going… with a twist.

Favourite

I enjoyed Iko; the house=keeping android in the role of the fairy god mother. She’s cheeky and sweet, I enjoyed the giggle she brought to the story.

Least Favourite

Pearl. She’s in the role of one of the wicked step sisters and perhaps plays it a little too well. I wanted to slap her on more than one occasion. Definitely a b with and itch.

Beginning

Pearl, Peony and their mother are preparing for the up-and-coming Ball. Cinder, as the story goes, is denied the opportunity to go with them.

Storyline

New Beijing had been at peace for 126 years after World War 4. The King is dying from plague and Prince Kai is about to be dumped in the middle of a big pile of steaming you know what.

Ending

As this is a retelling with a twist, you’ll have some idea of how this first Chronicle is supposed to end; however, don’t expect anything but the unexpected.

Thoughts

I was amused by the alterations Marissa made to the original fairytale. It makes me believe that perhaps we may be able to read our daughters stories that won’t fill their heads with the clap trap of happily ever after’s and women being typecast into the role of damsels in distress.

I would love to see this done as a either a movie or a TV series… Anime would work really well as the book is written in a very visual manor.

Favourite Quote

“Plus we couldn’t afford the gasoline,” continued Iko. “We could trade in your new foot and still not be able to afford enough fuel to get out of here. Plus, the pollution fines. Plus, I’m not getting in this thing. There’s probably decades’ worth of rat droppings under those seats.”

Krista Says

Cover

Amazing cover, it suits the story perfectly, and it’s gorgeous, love the red.

Characters

Favorite

This question is always the hardest for me to answer. I am usually on the side of the villain because they make the story interesting. Even though this story had an awesome villain, I think it’s a tie between Cinder and Kai. They are fantastic characters and they really drive this story. Cinder is so smart and protective and Kai is caring and sweet. I loved both of them so much.

Least Favorite

Adri, the step mother plays the part well. I hated the thought that Cinder even had to deal with her on a daily basis. But as we all know she is a necessary character in the story of Cinderella.

Beginning

The reader gets to jump right into Cinder’s daily life and get information about the world through dialogue or actions of the characters. I love this, I have never been a fan of big info dumps. The reader is introduced to Cinder whose job is as a mechanic in the market. We also get introduced to the Prince right away and his need to have all of his affairs in order before the big ball takes place.

Storyline

Cinder who is a mechanic and cyborg in the city of New Bejing, finds herself in the middle of a world being seriously threatened by the Plague. Her own sister has fallen ill and everybody is fighting for the cure. When she accepts a job from Prince Kai she soon finds herself in the middle of a galactic war in which the lunar people have been watching and preparing for.

Ending

Heart pounding ending. It is like the tension being pulled in a rubber band and just about to snap. Sit on the edge of your seat kind of suspense that will leave you craving for the next book immediately. This is just the beginning of Cinder’s story and I for one cannot wait to see what happens next.

Thoughts

I thought this story was very imaginative and very well put together. It had a growing sense of foreboding and suspense that kept me reading so fast that I never wanted to set it down. Although I did not like Adri because of how awfully she treated Cinder, all of the characters were really amazing and made such an impact to the overall story. Perfect pacing and an all out enjoyable read from start to finish.

Quotes

“Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon a Time.”

“Vanity is a factor, but it is more a question of control. It is easier to trick others into perceiving you as beautiful if you can convince yourself you are beautiful. But mirrors have an uncanny way of telling the truth.”

Lisa Says

Cover

I know we’re only two months into the year, but the cover of Cinder is my favorite cover so far. It has been ever since I saw it on an online bookstore. I love it! I really like the bold red shoe, and the way it pops compared to the dark background (and plus, it ties in with the whole, Cinderella glass slipper thing).  My second favorite thing about this cover has to be the way you can see right through her leg, and see all of the mechanics that make up her body.

Overall, I find the cover, very unique, and definitely one of my top 5!

Characters

The story is a re-telling of Cinderella, so all of the usual characters are included. Such as the evil stepmother with her two ugly and mean daughters (Cinder’s stepsisters), and the handsome prince everyone wants to be with.

Even though Cinder is a re-telling, you also get to meet a few new characters that really make the story interesting, and intensify the story line from the one we all know and love.

Favorite

Personally I love strong female characters! Yes, I love romance stories where the strong and tough man saves the young and hopeless girl, but I do like strong female characters as well. Cinder has gone through a lot. Her dad isn’t around, and she has to deal with her stepmother and sisters every day; dealing with their problems, cleaning up after them, and having to run a store as well.

Usually strong female characters don’t start off that way. They always have to endure something bad, and grow from it. But Cinder endures this every day, and has already grown from it. She was never that weak girl who all of a sudden decided she needed a change.

This was a bit different, but still very interesting to see how Cinder finally makes a move.

Least Favorite

The stepmother has to be my least favorite. In the classical Cinderella story, I actually hate the stepsisters the most. You would think they would be nicer than their mom but they’re not, they’re worse.

Throughout the story, Cinder (who is a robot), purchases a new leg, which is fine and great, until her stepmom actually takes it away from her, and Cinder is left to hobbling around on one foot, and a pair of crutches. This is the main reason why I make Cinder’s stepmother, my least favorite character.

Beginning

Instead of reading the actual book, I had an audio copy. So whenever I was going somewhere in my car I would turn on the CD and have it play, until I got to where I was going.

With the CD, I felt the beginning went pretty quick, and it wasn’t dry at all. I can’t really say the same for the actual book copy, since I didn’t read it. But if you can get your hands on a audio book version, I recommend you pick it up. It’s AWESOME! I love how the way it’s read, it’s great!

Story Line

The story line is a little different from the original Cinderella, but it does stick to everything we know. Cinder has no dad, lives with her stepmother, and her two daughters, and she has feelings for the prince. That all stays the same.

But Cinder is a robot, has a store, works as a mechanic, tries to escape with an old car she finds, doesn’t plan on going to the ball (even though, the prince invited her, himself), but ends up finding her way there anyways.

Cinder sticks to the script, but it also includes a lot more romance, drama, and action, which I thought was really good!

Ending

I felt that the ending reached all of my expectations. But Cinder is only the first book, to a series of three or four, I think. (Don’t quote me on that, but I think so!) I’m very excited to see how the adventure continues!

Overall Thoughts

I loved the audio book itself, it was fabulous. I’m really picky about audio books, the reader really has to get into character for me to like it, and Cinder did a great job.

The story was great, I thought it was a bit weird that the main character was going to be a robot, but it worked out perfectly, and I can’t wait to see what Marissa Meyer has in store for us.

Favorite Quotes

As I said early, I own Cinder in audio book, and I would listen to it whenever I would hop in my car and go places. I don’t have the book, so I don’t really have any quotes written down.