Rift: A Nightshade Novel

Gr 9 Up—The intricate plot line of Andrea Cremer's prequel (Philomel, 2012) to the "Nightshade" trilogy has it all: suspense, action, and romance. Ember Morrow was promised to a society that trains warriors as well as craftspeople and scholars. Despite her family's fears of what really goes on in the secretive society of Conatus, Ember welcomes the chance to become a warrior. She excels at her training even as she develops romantic feelings for her mentor, Barrow Hess. This causes complications in her relationship with Alistair, a childhood friend who also joined the group. The plot takes a menacing turn when one of the other knights gets a taste of power and another member is burned at the stake. Narrated by Sile Bermingham mostly in Scottish brogue, this tale springs to life as she emulates the characters' passion, frustration, and distress and does an exceptional job of distinguishing the characters and varying their accents. The only minor misstep is the leader, Lukash, who sounds like a camp version of Dracula. Otherwise, the performance suits all the characters. Listeners need not be familiar with the trilogy, and the fast-paced plot will keep them enthralled.–C.A. Fehmel, St. Louis County Library, MO