Review: Rift by Andrea Cremer

Title: Rift

Author: Andrea Cremer

Publisher:  Philomel

Publication Date: 8.7.2012

Pages: 448

Genre: Paranormal, Historical

Series: Yes (Nightshade Prequel #1)

Source: ARC from BEA

Rating: A

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

Review:

I don’t think there was an Andrea Cremer fan out there that wasn’t a bit nervous about Rift. There was a very divided fanbase in her first series, Nightshade, and I was one of those rabid-fans who felt sorely let down and shafted at the conclusion of the series. To say I was apprehensive about a prequel series is putting it mildly.

Apprehensive, but also really excited because Cremer is a total genius when it comes to world-building. The idea of going back and learning the origins of the Nightshade world is brilliant. There is so much story potential there!

The first thing I love is that there isn’t a love triangle here. It’s Ember and Barrow all the way. Not only did I not have to contend with a triangle, but Cremer does one better and takes her time with this romance. There is no lightening-strike attraction that propels them into each other’s arms. Barrow is actually pretty apprehensive, especially because of their age difference, and that made their love all the more real. The focus was 65% plot and 35% romance, and I loved that ratio.

This story has a more historical setting (think horses instead of cars), which adds to the mystique and allure. The world feels utterly magical and enchanted. There’s action scene upon action scene to keep your attention riveted.

I think I am going to enjoy this series more than I enjoyed Nightshade. There’s just so much more attention to detail and I feel like the pacing is much more deliberate and calculating. It heightens the drama and mystery rather than stalling it. The characters in this one are already ones I can wait to spend more time with.

If you’re still a raving Cremer fan, then I’m sure you spent the majority of this review nodding along and don’t need to be told twice to read this. If you were holding any grudges against Cremer for what happened before, get over it. This is one series you won’t want to miss out on.

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