Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Review: Everneath



Everneath

Author: Brodi Ashton

Summary:

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned-- to her old life, her family, her friends-- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...





Published 24 January 2012

*

Everneath holds a special place in my heart. Not because of the way it’s written or anything of that sort, but because my friend cried when she read it.

There are people who say that YA novels can never truly illustrate the power of love. I used to agree. For me, the sensible and rational part of my mind constantly reminds me that high-school sweethearts never do last and many of the magical moments of insta-love in the novels are simply unrealistic in real life.

But, now, I beg to differ.

Everneath is that novel which brings a new facet to the already multi-dimensional Young Adult romance. The love story runs in the background of the grand mythology and ticking time, but it is never eclipsed by the rest of the tale. That is because Jack and Nikki's romance is painfully real and hopeful amidst the surreal myths and angst.

The novel is narrated by a string of countdowns and recollections, starting from the moment when Nikki regains consciousness after a century of Feeding in the Everneath. Strangely, she is alive and intact after the Feed, something which greatly surprised the Everliving, Cole, who had fed on her emotions and life. 


I didn't tell him I'd thought of him every day. 
That even when every other memory had faded, he never left. 

What had sustained Nikki in those hundred years beneath the ground were the face and memories of a boy. After her miraculous survival, Nikki is given the chance to return back to the surface-- where only a few months have passed-- but several complications arise. She had left for Everneath without having said goodbye and the people around her have changed. While trying to repair all the broken relationships and heal her own broken heart, Nikki's days are numbered. She has only six months before the Tunnels-- the underworld of Everneath-- come for her and she can only try to reach out to that one boy she loves before she is gone, forever.

That one boy is Jack. Nikki had loved him before fleeing to the Everneath, loved him still in that century of being fed on and loves him all the more now. But Nikki's disappearance without even a goodbye has scarred him. The sweet Jack in Nikki's memories and the angsty bitter Jack in the present are intensely contrasting characters. But, regardless, both shoot countless of arrows into our hearts as we pity the poor boy who is angry of getting hurt a second time yet loves Nikki all the same.

Then, there's Cole. This novel is a prime example of a love triangle well done. Cole is here as an almost non-existent second man and his main purpose is to offer Nikki another way out of her quagmire. Nikki can choose to become an Everliving herself, but that would mean that she has to feed on an innocent soul too. And dooming someone else to her own fate is not something she would ever agree to.

The clock is ticking, and after every chapter, the time remaining grows short. We can't stop flipping as we wait with bated breaths to see what will happen to Jack and Nikki. Yet, as the story grows from one that is melancholy to one that is uplifting, cruelly, our hopes are dashed near the end. The slightly open ending masterfully sets the stage for the next instalment.

Everneath will make us cry (like me and my friend) for the love between Jack and Nikki as we ponder about a concept rarely seen in Young Adult novels-- sacrifice. One thing for sure, the resolution will leave us pondering about its implications long after the last page. 

But, fear not, the sequel is going to be released exactly a week from now. So, be prepared for another  glorious addition to the shelves of Greek Mythology.



Source: The dusty homely neighbourhood library







xoxo,
Sel



18 comments:

  1. Such a great review! I am almost finished with the sequel right now and loving it! I didn't love this first book for some reason, I think maybe I just couldn't connect with Nikki, I'm not sure. But this time around I'm loving it so much!

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    1. Lucky you :D Geesh, I can't wait for Everbound! Your comment has made all the more excited :) The sequel must totally be a five-star read for me if it's outdone the first book!

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  2. Heh well I got something to confess... I actually quite like Cole as a potential love interest... Anyway nice review! I enjoyed reading it a lot :D

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    1. Awww, thanks :D

      WHY WOULD YOU LIKE COLE... >:( I want him to keep his hands off Nikki and then Jack and Nikki will live happily ever after!

      But, anyway, you won't be rewarded with much romantic scenes between Cole and Nikki, if any at all :(

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  3. Hahaha what happened to Jack and Nikki in the end?? -bites nails... I thrive on spoilers hehe- Nice review! In depth, and it totally made me want to find out what happened :)

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    1. Go read the blurb of the sequel on Goodreads :) The spoilers are totally there :/

      Haha, so funny that you thrive on spoilers :D

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  4. Omg you finally reviewed it!!! :D I'm super duper so definitely looking forward to the sequel!!! >< and I love your review! It expresses this book really well and I hope everyone will enjoy it as much as we did!(:

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    1. Yeah! Hope so too :) The sequel's coming out so soon, I'm totally nervous about the direction Ashton will take the book in!

      Yay, glad you like my review :D It took me ages to write out something worthy!

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  5. Wow! I didn't realize this book had so much depth! When I first saw it I was just like "Pssht! Just another paranormal romance book" but you have made me see this book in a new light! *light shining down on enlightened me*

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    1. Haha, glad the review enlightened you ;) This is totally not "just another paranormal" read, it's so much more! Go read it, Delaney, you'll love it :D

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  6. Everneath sounds like the perfect book to illustrate that, while many teenage romances do not last into adulthood, they are capable of doing so and being just as deep as those that older people experience. I think you just convinced me to read this book!
    Your writing is quite beautiful, as well!

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    1. Yes! That's precisely what I think :)

      Thanks, Emily! The blogosphere is filled with good writers, yourself being one of them *grins*

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  7. Oh my god people have been badgering me for ages to read this book! And I can't wait to! Sadly I can never find the time.. It sounds amazing, and I love your review :D And since it's a book that makes people cry, I'm sure it'll be on my mind long after I've finished it :)

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    1. Read it, Richa! It is amazing :D

      Thanks <3 Hope my review is enough to make you determined to start reading!

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  8. I loveeee mythology books and you've made this one sound AMAZING! Will definitely be adding this one to my wishlist :DD I love books that make me cry.. I hope that doesn't sound creepy aha

    Laura @ What's Hot?

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    1. Nah, it doesn't sound creepy *grins* This is AMAZING (and it deserves the caps)! Hope it makes you cry too ;)

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  9. I've been ecstatic to read this book ever since I first read the premise but I just can't get hold of the book since it's only available in hardbound in our local bookstore and hardbounds are pretty expensive (I only have a very limited budget since I'm still a student and whatnot) but I have an ebook copy of this but I want the physical book (Yes, I am THAT stubborn) so now I am still waiting for the paperback copy of this book to hit the shelves on our local bookstore. *le sigh*

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    1. I feel you, Alyssa :) I'm a student too and my father always complains that all the money I spent on books can buy him another car! I try too not to buy hardbacks... So wait till the book comes out in paperback then snatch it up!

      The paperback always feels better than the ebook for those books that are close to our hearts, doesn't it? *grins*

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