Series Info/Source: This is the first book in Nightshades trilogy. I borrowed this on ebook from my library.

Thoughts: Previous to reading this book I had read the first three books in Olson's "Boundary Magic" series which I liked but I guess I never finished because I thought the third book was the last in the series (there are actually six book). I also read the first book in her "Disrupted Magic" series which I though was so-so (because I didn't realize it was a continuation of the Scarlett Bernard series). I ran into this series when I was looking for novellas to read last year and was interested enough in the synopsis to keep it on my "to read" list. This was okay but I didn't love it.

This is a book about an agent named Alex in the BPI ( Bureau of Paranormal Investigations) who asks to be transferred to Chicago after a bunch of teens go missing in the rural areas surrounding Chicago. He ends up joining forces with one of the shades/vampires to save the teens and figure out why this particular vampire group is so aggressive.

I really didn't engage with the lead characters well, he is just like every other cookie-cutter paranormal official investigator you've read about in any other urban fantasy book. Nothing really made him unique or intriguing. I was a bit more interested in the vamp he joins forces with named Lindy. She obviously has an intriguing past that we don't learn much about in this book.

The story is short and the investigation is pretty darn straightforward. I have a feeling there is some more interesting background around Lindy. There also seemed to be a bit of a slow burn romance developing between Alex and Lindy. There were some intriguing things that happened right at the end of the story.

This is very much a basic investigation/police procedural type of urban fantasy read and I found it to be a bit dry and simple. It was short and quick but there were a few elements that peaked my interest right at the end.

My Summary (3/5): Overall I was a bit disappointed in this. I just found it all so typical urban fantasy. The characters were fairly bland, the story was straight-forward and the setting wasn't hugely unique either. There are a couple of intriguing elements around Lindy's past and around vampire powers in general that pop in at the end, but I am not sure they are enough to make me want to continue this series. ( )

Nightshades (Nightshades, #1)
by Melissa F. Olson
This was a new take on vampires and it was worth the read! Found it on sale on Chirp and I'm glad I did. A fist full of exciting characters, one is a vamp herself, gets recruited to fight for a Paranormal Team to keep Shades in order. They work together to rescue missing kids the vampires have.
I felt like this was a prequel. It sold me! Will look for more on sale on Chirp! ( )

"Nightshades" was a fast, fun read that felt like watching the pilot episode of a series that you REALLY REALLY want the SyFy Channel to buy.

It opens with some gritty and scary action that tells you that you're not dealing with the sparkly type of vampires here but with the kind that love ripping people apart just because they can, and moves quickly into an "FBI vs the monsters" sequence that managed to combine threat, dark humour and pop-culture references in a way that felt very real-world

After that, the plot goes to some unexpected places. The FBI SAC is an unconventional guy who makes surprising but insightful choices.

The rest of the book is driven by the relationship between the SAC and the new person he brings onto the team as a consultant. Both characters are clearly (if economically) drawn and are people I want to know more about.

Add to that a fresh way of thinking about the who, how and why of vampires; a complex and not completely revealed backstory; violent, blood-drenched action scenes, a really evil lead vampire and just a taste of decadent passion and you have a story that sweeps you along and leaves you wanting more.

"Nightshades", which is more of a novella than a novel, is an interesting story and a great set up for a series but it left me wanting more RIGHT NOW.

If Melissa Olson decides to stick with the novella length for this series, I hope she keeps them coming fast and frequent. ( )

A new take on vampires coming out of the shadows is the premise of the story. Alex is heading up a new division of the FBI in Chicago to investigate murders that they believe are caused by shades. Shades are the term used for vampires in the series. Teens in the area have been going missing and the previous agents that have been investigating it have turned up murdered. A break in the case has an agent barely surviving the attack and some new data from the only shade in government control has Alex on the path of finding out who is taking the kids.

This is certainly the first book in a new series and the ending has you wondering how things will work out in the future. An enjoyable addition to the urban fantasy landscape.

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Netgalley
( )

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

This was a nice new start of an urban fantasy series. And yes, it did involve vampires, or shades as they are called, and of course, we have seen more than a fair share of them already in recent years, but still... It didn't bother me too much.

There was a lot ongoing in this book and a lot of characters that were being introduced and then, a huge cliffhanger...

Still planning to read the next one, though.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! ( )