I won Nightshade from Goodreads. I enjoyed this more than the first book. The plot was interesting and a little more complex. As with the first book, I love the plant themes. I also become more attached to Weed and am interested in seeing what happens in the next book. ( )

Truth be told, I probably wouldn't have read this sequel if the synopsis wasn't what it was. I found the first book, The Poison Diaries dry and a little odd. It didn't really capture my attention but it was a short enough book to read in 3 hours so that is probably why I finished it.

This synopsis intrigued me with the whole assassination bit. I love reading stories about assassins; I like the secret moves, the action and suspense but I didn't really find that here. There is bits and pieces of action here and there but overall, Jessasmine isn't a cut-throat assassin--she is more of a girl who is struggling with her inner demons and happens to kill the occasional person as she does so. It probably also didn't help this book's case that I had read [b:Throne of Glass|7896527|Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)|Sarah J. Maas|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335819760s/7896527.jpg|11138426] and its prequels by Sarah J. Maas or [b:His Fair Assassin|9565548|Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin, #1)|R.L. LaFevers|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337042881s/9565548.jpg|14452295] by [a:R.L. LaFevers|180392|R.L. LaFevers|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1254028663p2/180392.jpg] prior to this one. Now those are assassin series with a female lead.

My problem with the action is that there seems to only be one plot throughout. It is simply Weed trying to find Jessamine and Jessamine acting under Oleander's control. There is no secondary characters to balance them out with a secondary plot. Normally that wouldn't bother me, but I think this world the book is set into is interesting and could have more potiential. I also never really liked Jessamine's character and even if this book her complete reinvention didn't do much for me.

The writing style is different than most novels out there I found. It's a lot more formal than the typical YA works out there. I found the first one was more for younger teens and this one is more for older teens. My biggest peeve with the format of the book is the changing POVs are never labelled with who is speaking. Sometimes I would start the passage thinking it was Jessamine speaking only to discover it was Weed; so I would have to reread the page to figure out what was going on. It was a little annoying and could have been easily solved with writing "Weed" underneath the chapter heading.

Overall, I found this book a definite improvement over the last one. My rating is probably more of a 2.5 than a solid 2. The last few pages did pick up in plot action and the ending does make me want to see what happens in the third one (if they do publish it). So if you enjoyed (or at least finished) the first one, you might want to consider reading this one.

(Find more book series reviews and book recaps on my blog: http://seriesousbookreviews.wordpress.com/) ( )

Again, I picked this book up at Alnwick Castle - I have never seen it in bookshops (even local ones) and I'd regretted not buying 1 and 2 at the same time in May, as I had to wait two months to get hold of this one.

Want to enhance your reading of this book? Visit the Alnwick Gardens the the Poison Garden there. It will make everything come alive.

An easy read that I thoroughly enjoyed, which now makes me think of summer and parties. ( )

Whoa, this book went to some seriously dark places. Like crossed over from gothic into straight up horror. I mean for a writer who's other series is about a Mary Poppins-like nanny taking care of three rambunctious wolf-like kids, Wood goes there. And doesn't come back. I'm excited and terrified for the next book. Good job there. ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: This is a dark tale filled with betrayal, passion, and murder. With interesting characters and a fascinating plot.

Opening Sentence: I wake, as I usually do, to the sound of Weed’s voice.

The Review:

Jessamine is devastated. She survived the strange illness that over took her body recently, but she woke to find that her beloved Weed had abandoned her. She was brought back to health by her father and he told her that Weed no longer cared for her and fled. She never quite believed him, and she had strange dreams while she was ill. Dreams of her father and his true nature. As the seasons pass Jessamine becomes more and more desperate to find Weed. Help comes in an unexpected way. Prince Oleander is the Prince of Poison and he offers to help reunite Jessamine with Weed. The Prince is from the poison garden, he is not flesh and blood but his influence is all too real. He has a steep price that must be paid for his help: Jessamine must kill her father. After the deed is done Jessamine abandons the only home she has ever known and the Dark Prince is her only companion. As she searches for Weed, the Dark Prince pulls her more and more into his dark web until she is no longer the girl she used to be. She becomes an assassin for hire, and soon she loses herself and starts to forget. She still loves Weed but will he love the girl she has become?

Weed left Jessamine to save her life. He left to live in the forest by himself where he still could ask the plants how his beautiful Jessamine faired. He soon comes to learn that she has left her home and is under the power of the Dark Poison Prince. Weed knows that Jessamine needs help but he has no way of finding her. He asks the plants for help but they refuse to give it out of fear. He decides to travel to a special garden in Venice to seek help from the plants there. Upon arrival, he is able to learn much about his talent and the evil plot the Prince is planning. He knows that Jessamine is in trouble and he hopes that he can save her before it is too late.

Jessamine was a very interesting character in this book. She changes drastically from the first book. She was so innocent and naïve before and now she has become quite a vixen. She felt so lost after Weed left that she turns to the evil Prince for comfort. She becomes a murderer with no remorse and no feelings. The only thing that stirs her old self is the thought of Weed. I liked this version of Jessamine a little bit better than the first book. It felt like she actually did something instead of just standing idly by while her life slips away. She still is very easily persuaded which is frustrating. I don’t like the decisions she makes in this book, but I found her intriguing.

Weed grows to be a better person. He still loves Jessamine very much, but I feel that he won’t let his love for her hinder his decisions as much. He is very devoted to Jessamine and he does everything in his power to be with her again. He knows that she isn’t herself right now and he is a very forgiving person for he too is not perfect. I felt that he was able to take his evil side and use it for good. I really enjoyed his character and I am excited to see where his story leads.

This book was darker and more sinister than the first one. The plot kept me very interested the whole way through. I loved the story and I quite enjoyed getting to know the characters better. It was interesting to read from Jessamine’s point of view now that she has become more of a villain than a heroine, but I found that I really enjoyed it. There was defiantly a cliffhanger ending and I honestly can’t wait for the next book to come out. I would highly recommend this series to fans of dark fantasy books it will not disappoint.

Notable Scene:

Thank you for your bounty, Oleander, Prince of Poisons, I think. Thank you for all that Mr. Pratt has already received, and all that my father is receiving still, as the poison twists like bramble in his gut, burns within his brain, presses like a boulder upon his heart.

I am ready. I see myself in the mirror: myself, and not myself. Father thought I had grown to look like my mother. No more.

I pause for a moment on my way out of the cottage, to say a silent good-bye to my kitchen garden, my cooking herbs and medicinal plants, my teas and dyes. They have served me well, for so many years. I am sorry they will soon be neglected and over grown.

But that is the way of gardens. Old plants wither, and new ones sprout. The strongest plants survive at the expense of the weak. Even the most well-tended bed turns to a jungle in a season, without the gardener’s restraining hand.

You learn quickly, lovely. I am impressed.

Take me to Weed. I am ready.

FTC Advisory: Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Nightshade. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )