Bloodrose (Nightshade Universe, #6) (Nightshade, #3)

by Andrea Cremer

[Angie]

Bloodrose is easily the best of the trilogy. I firmly liked it, with some reservations. It picks up immediately where Wolfsbane ended, with Calla going back for Ren. Getting him to go with her is easier than I thought it was going to be, but that allowed the plot to get rolling. The Searchers and Shay need to get the rest of the swords so they finish this war once and for all. It's dangerous and exciting! Then it's time for battle against the Keepers.

I did really enjoy most of Bloodrose, but I'll start with what I didn't. The first was that it got repetitive toward the middle. Shay needs three more pieces to complete the cross, and each voyage had the same formula. They come up with a plan, arrive, but then something doesn't go according to plan. They find the piece, and something scary and unbeatable attacks, but they magically defeat it. Adne has to open an emergency portal, and someone gets gravely injured, but is instantly healed once they're home. It was fun the first time, but I didn't want to read the same scenario three times. The locations were definitely interesting though.

Another thing that bothered me about Bloodrose was the location of the war. The Rift where they need to trap Bosque is...at Bosque's house! That is pretty stupid. Sure, it makes defending the place easier for him, but it also puts him right there! Come on! He might as well have just jumped in himself!

My favorite part of Bloodrose was the twist at the end. I didn't see it coming, and I thought it was a really good one. The author really took a risk with that, since it's a kind of bittersweet conclusion rather than a happy ending. I was afraid there would be some kind of cop-out to make it the happily ever after, but there wasn't. I found it very fitting to the story. Although, speaking of cop-outs, I did find one of the deaths to be too convenient rather than sad.

In the end, I really liked Bloodrose. The series isn't making it on any of my favorites list, but this ending was still really good.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.