This review originally posted at Hooked on Books 
 Before I start my review I have to confess that I have never read the Nightshade Trilogy. I've heard great things about it, but I'm always a little sceptical about werewolves so I put off reading it. But then I started hearing murmurings of Rift and I thought "Why not? Maybe I should find out what all the fuss is about." 
 But then from my mediocre expectations about werewolves, Rift rose to astound me in ways I never had anticipated. This a single phrase: This book was absolutely stunning. 
 The fantasy and mythos of Rift was so beautifully constructed and rich that you get completely swept away by it. I wished that I could somehow transport myself into the pages so I could be part of Ember's world. I wanted to train to be a fighter, I wanted to be surrounded by magic. I was so extremely jealous of these characters and the amazing world they got to play in. The whole dark fantasy angle was not what I was expecting but it definitely influenced my overall reading experience. 
 Ember herself was an amazing protagonist. She's headstrong and focused on her goals. I like that she never wanted to use anyone as a crutch -- she always wanted to take care of everything herself even if it was perfectly acceptable that she ask. But she wasn't so arrogant that she denied help when it was offered to her. She's a fighter and she has faith in her actions. I don't think you can ask for much more in a knight. 
 One thing I really appreciated about this book, was how religion/the church are portrayed. As soon as I saw the religious angle I was a little bit worried. But even with one of the antagonists coming from inside the Church, Andrea Cremer, never demonizes religion. It was always really clear, in my opinion, that the actions of the antagonists, were actions of individual people, not the actions of an overarching religious system. It made the story believable and compelling but still respectful. 
 Rift is an absolutely gorgeous novel, that I look forward to reading again and again. It also has me excited to go back and finally read the Nightshade Trilogy (or anything else Andrea Cremer writes from now on). It defied my expectations in every way. 
 Final recommendation: If you like beautifully constructed fantasy worlds, and strong, intelligent heroines, then move this book to the top of your list. Even if you haven't read the Nightshade series.