Monday, November 19, 2012

Rift by Andrea Cremer

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Atom

Pages: 455pgs

The Story

Discover where the Nightshade series began . . .

Ember has always known that she owed her life to a mysterious order of Knights who saved her as a baby. The same order of Knights who called her best friend to service, leaving her behind to play the dutiful daughter.

But shortly after her sixteenth birthday, Alistair returns. Although he seems altered - shadowed and brooding - Ember places her trust in him, knowing that he's her one chance to escape.

Little does she know what danger lies ahead. For this is a tumultuous time, and Ember will soon be caught up in an age-old struggle between darkness and light. Neither she, nor her heart, can possibly survive unscathed.

The Review

A big thanks to Hachette Australia for sending me a review copy of this book!

RIFT is a prequel young adult series and opens us up to a magical world set hundreds of years prior to and from the same world of Andrea Cremer's Nightshade series, where the Keepers first originated from. For women of this medieval world, they are expected to be married off and bear children for their husbands. Not fight in violent wars and wield weapons of men. So for our main leading lady, Ember Morrow, her parents made a promise (a debut) at her birth to save her mother's life: For when she comes of age she must fight alongside the Guard in the heart of Conatus where there is a group of women who are just as strong as men in the battlefield. And, to escape an arranged marriage, she is more than happy and willing to leave her old life behind and join the Guard. But when her arrival causes a stir and when one of the leaders is dabbling in dark magics, Ember will soon need to trust her own heart and her instinct, and to learn how to become a fierce warrior in order to save the world as she knows of so far.

While I enjoyed Andrea Cremer's Nightshade series but since the last book Bloodrose wasn't my favourite final installment, I'm now really, really pleased to say that this new trilogy series was even better than Nightshade! Seriously, where has this book been all my life? Where has Andrea Cremer been hiding this wonderful masterpiece of literature  From the very first page I drawn into this storyline, and with each chapter and in each line . . . it made me SO involved with everything going on within the book and I just didn't want to leave this world behind. Ever. Set in the fifteenth century and in my favourite place of Scotland, RIFT delivers a wonderful blend of fantasy and historical fiction, along with some new characters, and hell practically every single word featured in this big world made me disappear from my own reality so once again excellent job to the author for doing that to me!

What made this series shine even more than it already did, you know besides the amazing storyline and the setting, was the main character, Ember Morrow, a girl who isn't too afraid to wield the most deadliest of all weapons nor waver from her fierce determination and rocking personality. Reminding me of the likes of Vampire Academy's Rose Hathaway and Hunger Games's Katniss Everdeen, Ember is just the kind of character you can't help but love and relate to instantly, and with every bit of emotion and every feeling that she felt, I ended up feeling which I'm sure every reader loves to experience at one stage with their favourite heroines. There is so much praise for Ember (obviously from me) and at the moment I just can't express how much I adored her character . . . there is way too many words for her alone!

While I expected some sort of a love triangle to occur, much like what happened in the Nightshade series (a pointless love triangle mind you), but I'm pretty darn happy that there is not one single love triangle in this book. At least not one that I could see happening since it's pretty obvious to whom Ember is slowly falling in love with and that is her mentor. An honourable man abided by his duties and armed with gorgeous looks, and a man with a serious and a part-vulnerable side to him, Barrow is one man you can't help but swoon over. Reminding me so much of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy character, Dimitri Belikov (a man I still love), Barrow just had this grace and raw intensity about him every time he leaped up onto the page and it's no wonder why Ember fell in love with him because I was too! One moment he is melting your heart and the next he is this out-of-this-world glorious warrior . . . yes, clearly the interaction between Barrow and Ember has this perfect balance of warmth to this fierce and out of control flame, and boy was it hot to witness! Why Andrea Cremer? Why write these hot and serious MEN? I seriously need a Barrow of my own!!! If anyone can let me know where to find one I will forever be grateful!

Overall, Andrea Cremer has once again weaved together the perfect combination of action, adventure, romance, fantasy, politics and history all into one perfect book. Whether or not you enjoyed the author's previous Nightshade series, RIFT still delivers more in every single book element and it is simply a book you cannot afford to miss out on! I LOVED IT . . . LIKE THIS MUCH! *spreads arms out*

The Rating
5/5 stars

23 comments:

  1. Although I'm not a fan of her other series I'm still willing to give this a go as you make it sound amazing. Great review! :)

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    1. Thank you! This spin-off series is much better than the Nightshade series.

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  2. Glad you liked it! Do you think you have to have read Nightshade to enjoy this?

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  3. I think it would be better to read the Nightshade series to understand parts of the world, however this spin-off can easily be read on its own.

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  4. OH, the AU cover for this is so prettY! Glad to hear you loved this one...I've been meaning to read it, though I've never read any of the Nightshade books. I've heard great things about all of them, though!

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  5. Yay Erin, I loved this one! I know not many people will read it because of how Nightshade ended but I loved it and I'm glad you did too.

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    1. Yay! Glad to hear it! Yeah not many people are willing to give this new series a go because of the Nightshade series (a shame really) but considering I wasn't a huge fan the Nightshade series and still loved this way more, and I think many people will be surprised and love it too. This book rocked for me!

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  6. I hear good things about this one! I've read the first book, but have yet to read the sequels. Thanks for the tip above about reading those before this, too.

    Wendy @ The Midnight Garden

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    1. No problem. I mean this book can be read without the previous series being read but I think it's better reading the Nightshade series before you start this book so you can get an idea about the world works etc.

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  7. Ahh, Erin!!! This book sounds AMAZING. I've only read the first 2 in the Nightshade series (a little scared for Bloodrose after reading your comment on it!) but maybe I'll just skip right to this book instead! You definitely aren't the first to love this that I've seen but your review is definitely sticking out as wonderfully enthusiastic and persuasive! :) Can't WAIT to get to this one, Erin. Thanks so much! <3

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    1. It was SO amazing! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on it . . . can't praise this book enough! Clearly. haha.

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  8. I've never read (and don't intend to) the Nightshade series...but I am looking forward to this! Ooohhh it's better than Nightshade? heheee I totally can't wait to start this series :) After all, I HAVE heard amazing things about Andrea's books :) Fab review Erin!

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    1. Way better than Nightshade. A hundred times more! Thanks Shirley!

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  9. I wasn't a fan of the Nightshade series. I tried, I did, but it just didn't capture my attention. This on the other hand I think might. Oh, I'll be honest.....I just wanna meet this Barrow fella already; someone who is so much like Dimitri Belikov. Yes, we need to meet.

    Think I can read this without having read the first series?

    Perfect review Erin. You make me wanna read this series and up until this point I didn't want.

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    1. Nightshade wasn't exactly the best series ever, especially the last book which I didn't like all so much. But this book . . . so much better! Oh and Barrow . . . *drools*. haha.

      You can definitely read this series without reading the first series. It stands well on its own. Thanks Rachel!

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  10. Awesome to hear that this series was even better than the nightshade series!! Thats awesome news! I havent read any, but im glad its a step up!! Lovely review dear! oh and btw, new follower ;)
    - Farah @ MajiBookshelf

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    1. Thank you and thanks for following my blog! I too am glad that I thought it was much better than the Nightshade series . . . gives me hope the rest of the series gets better also! :)

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  11. Hehehe you liken Barrow to Dimitri... given the depth of your love for that Russian god, THIS IS BIG, ERIN!! I wasn't fangirly swooning over Barrow, but I definitely love him and Ember together! Much in the way I've never really melted over Dimitri, but him and Rose? Perfection.

    I loved going back to see how everything in the Nightshade world began, plus the setting is awesome! So glad you loved this! Fantastic review! Can't wait for Rise :D

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    1. Oh my god, BRODIE! How can you NOT epic swoon over Barrow . . . my gosh. haha. Him and Ember . . . again my gosh. Those two - I can't even describe it. I think secretly you melted over Barrow and Dimitri . . . I just know it. haha.

      Thanks Brodie! I can't wait to read Rise too for more Barrow hotness. ;)

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  12. I love a kick-ass heroin and Ember sounds perfect for that role! And no love-triangle! *happy dance* "Slowly starting to fall in love" also sounds great. Is it possible to read this book without knowledge of the other books? Because I like the sound of this book, but Nightshade sounds.. less tempting now :)

    Mel@thedailyprophecy.

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    1. Ember is everything a heroine should be! She's totally kick-ass! For sure! You can definitely read this spin-off without reading Nightshade . . . you might even be enticed by this book to read the Nightshade series.

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  13. Your arms are spread wide, 5 stars!! I have this one sitting here, I just had to read last Nightshade book first. So the arms wide gives me the indication it needs to slide up my tbr pile quick!

    Awesome!!

    Michelle

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