Snakeroot: A Nightshade Novel
Cremer combines the present-day world of her Nightshade novels with the backstory for the world she created in Rift (2012) and Rise (2013). With so much history from very different times and a huge cast of primary characters, this title is not a good place to begin exploring Cremer’s world of werewolves, Keepers, Guardians, and Searchers. But the series’ many fans will be delighted to see how Cremer binds the two worlds together, with the powerful medieval priestess Eira present, in a magical necklace; evil Bosque Mar seducing a new generation; and the complicated love lives of Calla, Shay, Ren, Adne, Logan, Sabine, and Ethan providing a treat for romance readers. New characters include a deliciously snarky pair of siblings—Chase and Audrey—who work with Logan to summon Bosque Mar, fumbling their way through spells for comic relief. The first third of the book is heavily involved in plot exposition, which is both confusing for new readers and tiresome for devoted fans, but once she has laid out the basic history, the swift pace, romantic sensuality, and powerful magic will keep readers glued to the page. Grades 8-11. --Debbie Carton