{Review} Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

Title: Bloodrose
Series: Nightshade #3
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Philomel (An Imprint of Penguin USA)
Released: January 3, 2012

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Synopsis:

The Ultimate Sacrifice.

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to this breathtaking trilogy.

I read Bloodrose THE DAY it released, the very day, in one sitting. It has taken me the better part of a month to become impartial enough not to just sit down and write a scathing review about how badly I disliked certain things that happened. That wouldn't have been fair, because while there were things about this book that frustrated me, Bloodrose is a very well written book, with plenty of action and romance that kept me reading for eight straight hours, and any book that can do that...well, it deserves better than I would have given it minutes or even days after I finished tearing through it.

I needed to complain to my friends and anyone else who would listen. I needed to let all the events settle. I needed to step away and gain some perspective. Which is exactly what I did.

In the third and final installment of the Nightshade Series, Renier Laroche is now at the Academy and the sexual tension reaches an all time high. In order for Shay to complete his quests, he needs to be surrounded by people he can trust and strong warriors. Everybody knows Ren is the best there is, but can Shay trust him? Strangely enough...yes, at least in battle...now with Calla, that's a whole different story.

Calla calls top spot as the Alpha going into this final journey, stating she refuses to pick a mate until the war between the Searchers and the Keepers is behind them. The saying "easier said than done" takes on a whole new meaning in this case. Neither of the boys gives her a single moment of peace, each promoting their own agenda and Calla finds it hard to resist either of them. But Calla and her men aren't the only ones in love...many of the secondary characters finally find their homes.

The final battle is one of my favorite action scenes in any book. Pack mates are forced to fight one another, others reunite, and many will perish for the greater good. Those left standing may not be happy with their ultimate destiny...some will relish in it.

Many people will be heart-broken and maybe a little furious with the conclusion of the Nightshade Series. Honestly, I was mortified but I have the utmost respect Andrea Cremer's writing and her talent. She writes fascinating and complex characters and throws twists into plots like no one else can...well, she and Cassandra Clare run a close race in that arena. Things will happen that you never saw coming, and most of them, well...you'll just have to decide for yourself...

The actual story is not why Bloodrose isn't receiving a higher rating from me...it's more about the digression of the storyline throughout the series. Now...while Bloodrose was fast-paced and action-packed, I felt like everything I loved about Nightshade just disappeared during Wolfsbane and this installment. The underlying themes of fate, politics, and hard choices are what pulled me into this series initially...by the third book, the only thing left was a farce of political shortcomings. I feel like this series could have been so much more...I'm just not sure where it all went wrong.

Reviews to the rest of the series -
Nightshade
Wolfsbane
Bloodrose