Everneath

Review Time! I finished Everneath a week ago and couldn't bring myself to write a review. See, Simon and Schuster Australia is running this competition where you upload a video review of Everneath. The prize is $250 to the bookstore of your choice. I debated whether I should post a video review but in the end I didn't! A) Because I'm already just gush and B) What about my air of mystery? :P Thanks to S and S for the review copy though!

(Goodreads) 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...



The Short Story? - Based loosely on the Greek Myth of Persephone, Ashton has written a spectacular debut that's bound to be enjoyed by fans of both paranormal and contemporary YA! Dark, seductive and well-written, Ashton has taken a well-known myth and given it a YA twist. Filled with love, lose, heartbreak and letting go, Everneath is a highly entertaining debut that will appeal to lovers of all things YA!

The Long Story? -  I really enjoyed this book but I just can't seem to find the words to describe it. While it's classified as a Paranormal Romance, it focused more on the human side of things and less on the paranormal. Everneath deals with letting go, love and sacrifice and while the idea of Everneath (the underworld) rings true throughout the whole novel, it definitely isn't focus. I can almost consider Everneath has a Contemporary Greek Myth retelling. That said, I loved how Ashton developed the underworld, Everneath is utterly intriguing! Taking the original idea of the Underworld, Ashton has turned it into something completely new and given it new qualities. The novel wasn't perfect, a few things needed tweaking but overall it was very very well written. Ashton has a wonderful prose and reading Everneath was very comfortable. A story in which you could easily lose yourself in!

As far as characterisation goes, I had a love/hate relationship with Nikki. I loved her but some of her decision were really bad, I feel that if she hadn't made silly choices - she could have saved both Jack and Cole a great deal of heartbreak. She means well, she has a very likeable personality but some her actions just annoyed me. I loved, LOVED Jack, I'm not sure a guy like him exists outside the pages of a YA novel but I wish he did! Very sweet, completely in love with Nikki and captured my heart! On the other hand Ashton has portrayed Cole as a jerk - he has his sweet moments but overall very jerky jerk. A no-no for me because that's a completely one-sided love triangle - IT'S NOT A FAIR BATTLE! I hope to see Cole portrayed differently in the sequel because while it's a great love triangle, it's not a fair one! Overall, good characterisation - realistic. Flawed characters are always the most believable ( and human).

Everneath is a paranormal novel that borders alongside contemporary. I didn't love - it was more like lots of fond feelings mushed together - it but it was highly entertaining and I'm certain many of you would LOVE LOVE LOVE it! The Greek Mythology side of the novel would definitely appeal to many of you as it appealed to me. Good characterisation, a great plot and wonderfully written. Overall, it's a solid read!


What it Worth? - Squeeze into the Budget/ Hand Over the Paycheck


Badass Bookie xx