Rift (Nightshade Universe, #1) (Nightshade Prequel, #1)

by Andrea Cremer

Sixteen-year-old Lady Ember Morrow fulfills a family obligation by joining her friend Alistair in the Conatus Guard and begins training to help with the order's true mission, to seek out and stop evildoers and their unnatural creations.

• ISBN10: 039925613X
• ISBN13: 9780399256134
• Publish Date: 7 August 2012 (first published 1 August 2012)
• Publish Status: Remaindered
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 430
• Language: English

Reviews

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

I found myself waffling back and forth about this book, because on one hand, I really enjoyed the medieval world near the Scottish highlands. And on the other hand, I hated the love story. I always hate the love story, why do I always hate the love story?

The thing is, the world building is incredible. It's dark and shadowy and the friendships are good. The love story pops up at all the wrong moments - in the training montage, in the battle scenes, and in moments of mourning. The love story reduces the two men involved (one good, one evil, who guessed?) to flat, uninteresting blobs carrying swords. Whyyy.

But if you pull them out of it, it's a good book. I love good vs. evil medieval fantasies. I will read that trope over and over again. There are other side characters who are really fantastic. My absolute favorite was Saoirse, who was a woman warrior who found her place among men long before the start of the book. I'm actually still quite made about her....

Anyways, I really liked Rift, but it's the kind of 'like' where I want to complain about the handful of small things I didn't like because I wanted a perfect book. But read it! Read it if you like medieval fantasy. The first book is Western European, but they're headed east....

Soooooo much better than Nightshade. What a feisty, strong-willed character Ember is! Loved it!
Full review to come.

[Linda]

Very exciting prequel to the Nightshade series. Of course, with a very strong female MC who knows how to fight and take care of herself

Full review can be found on my blog: (un)Conventional Bookviews.

Rift is the first book in the prequel series concerning the Nightshade universe. I was completely engrossed in this story, I loved Ember, as I usually love strong female protagonists. I also really liked to understand more about what happened during the Nightshade novels, the mythology, the hunger for power, the fight against evil, and the true companionship among the the guardians of the world.

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

The Rift is a tantalizing ball of epic adventure, scintillating romance, and magic sure to wow fans of Andrea Cremer's previous Nightshade series. A beautiful discovery of magic and dark forces at work, The Rift tells the story of love, life, freedom, and the choices one makes. Ember is an exceptionally likable heroine to discover. She's wonderfully intelligent, fiercely loyal to her beliefs and to those she cares a great deal about, and incredibly fearless. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it.

Barrow is an equally written and wonderfully entertaining hero, who is incredibly swoon-worthy handsome, dark, and full of mystery. Andrea Cremer does a great job of writing him in such a way, that he's an intelligent, thoughtful, and understanding gentleman. He isn't over-affectionate, yet he is kind and caring and will do anything to protect Ember. He's just the perfect amount of badass that will have reader's falling in love with him. All of the character's add their own flare, personality, and depth to the main arc. Cremer does a wonderful job of blending them into the storyline flawlessly and giving them their own place to fit in.

If reader's are looking for fast-paced adventure, action, and dark intrigue then they need look any further. This novel packs all of that and so much more, with a powerful punch. There is enough mystery, suspense, drama, and fantastic character growth and development to keep them engaged and on the edge of their seats. Cremer's writing is just as poingnantly beautiful and fluid as it always is. With The Rift, she has managed to surpass the standards she set with her Nightshade trilogy.

The Rift is a truly magnificent story that will definitely have reader's craving more. This book will leave them stunned with amazement and breathless with anticipation. This is a paranornmal novel that is full of so much intrigue and amazement that it hits hard and fast with an emotional punch and a cliffhanger that will have reader's dangling from the edge of their seats. It is a book that is incredibly unputdownable and should definitely not be missed out on. Fans of Kelly Armstrong, Richelle Mead, or Maggie Stiefvater will definitely want to get their hands on this fantastic book!