ARC REVIEW: Evertrue (Everneath #3) by Brodi Ashton

Title: Evertrue
Series: Everneath #3

Author: Brodi Ashton

Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Release Date: January 21, 2014

Pages: 336
Source: Won through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway

Summary from Goodreads:

Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants is to be with him and graduate high school. But Cole tricked Nikki into feeding off him, and she’s begun the process of turning into an Everliving herself... which means she must feed on a Forfeit soon — or die.

Terrified for her survival, Nikki and Jack begin a desperate attempt to reverse the process using any means possible. Even Cole, who they expected to fight them at every turn, has become an unlikely ally — but how long can it last? Nikki needs to feed on Cole to survive, Cole needs Nikki to gain the throne in the Everneath, Jack needs Nikki because she is everything to him — and together, they must travel back to the Underworld to undo Nikki’s fate and make her mortal once more. But Cole isn’t the only one with plans for Nikki: the Queen has not forgotten Nikki’s treachery, and she wants her destroyed for good. Will Nikki be forced to spend eternity in the Underworld, or does she have what it takes to bring down the Everneath once and for all?

In this stunning conclusion to the Everneath trilogy, Brodi Ashton evokes the resiliency of the human spirit and the indomitable power of true love.

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• Evertrue was not quite the series ender I expected, but as high as my expectations were, I was not disappointed. It picks up right where Everbound left off - with that jaw-dropping plot twist, and Ashton has a lot more action and surprises in store for readers as Nikki and Jack take on the Everneath. I did not find it quite as fast-paced as Everbound, at least not in the beginning, but it still more than grabbed my attention. The world that Aston created is so vivid and full of possibilities. I cannot get enough.  


• A steady constant throughout this series is Nikki and Jack's relationship which continues to grow stronger. It has a little 'Romeo and Juliet' feel to it but I could not help but appreciate it. Even as they faced the impossible, they were together and that was a small comfort.


• I think I could have been happy with several different endings and this was one of them. I don't think everyone will like it though. But I really value when a series-ender actually ends the book - I don't want to be left with unanswered questions or loose ends. And I value endings that are realistic and make me feel a range of emotions. An ending does not need to be all sunshine and rainbows for me to be happy.

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• I cannot decide if I like the direction that Ashton took with regards to Cole's character - she does something very unexpected. On one hand, I missed the old Cole and feel as if he has been cheated in some way. But on the other hand, I was happy to see Cole have this opportunity to be more. I think fans will be split on this too. Sorry for the vague-ness


• This as not so much a critique, since it did not really bother me all that much, but an observation that I want to make note of for other readers - the ending was a little easy, at least in the sense of how easy it was for Nikki and Jack to accomplish what originally seemed impossible to do so.

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Finally a series ending that I am happy with!! For as high as my expectations were and as tough as it was to follow Everbound, I can happily say that Ashton delivered. There were some twists that I am not sure all readers will be OK with, but it is still a worthwhile read nonetheless.

I never expected to like this series so much since Everneath was just an average read for me, but after reading Everbound and now Evertrue, this has turned into a very memorable series. I can't wait to see what Ashton writes next. 

REVIEW #85: Everbound (Everneath #2) by Brodi Ashton

Title: Everbound

Series: Everneath #2
Author: Brodi Ashton

Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Release Date: January 22, 2013

Pages: 358, Hardcover

Summary from Goodreads:

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

 

Everbound far exceeded my expectations! I liked Everneath well enough but it didn't resonate with me like it did with many others. So I went into Everbound expecting the same outcome but let me tell you, it BLEW ME AWAY. No middle book syndrome here folks.

Nikki is desperate to save Jack from the Everneath. She can tell she is running out of time because he is fading from her dreams..fast. After a foolish jump to the Everneath alone, she realizes that she will need Cole's help if she wants any chance of finding Jack and making it back out alive. After much begging and pleading on Nikki's part, Cole agrees to accompany her and they set off through the Everneath in search of the tunnels and Jack.

I have to admit that I was expecting 300 pages of Nikki wallowing in her guilt and sorrow, so I cannot be more happy to tell you that all pity parties and emotional releases were well incorporated and complemented rather than overshadowed the plot. This book was all about adventure and danger and steadfast determination and love. I. ate. it. up. So so so well done!

Brodi Ashton's depiction of the Everneath was incredible. Man oh man, she did some serious work here! It was so imaginative and thoughtful and PERFECT for the story - really set the stage for this wonderful book. Most of the journey takes place in a maze consisting of three rings: Water, Wind, and Fire. The Ring of Water brings out your despair. The Ring of Wind plays tricks on the mind. And The Ring of Fire consumes you in doubt. There is also the treat of Wanderers - starving Everlivings or rather "zombies with brains". To find Jack, Nikki must summon a tether to him, which she creates through happy memories. This is where Ashton incorporates the flashbacks of Nikki and Jack and it was a significant improvement over Everneath.

HOLY SMOKES THAT ENDING GUYS!!! I am not often let completely baffled at the end of a book. I so did not see what was coming and it was literally and ending to beat all other endings. Talk about plot twists - I had to sit down for this one (figuratively, of course - I don't read standing up). And Cole - you BASTARD!

In summary, if you loved Everneath, you should definitely read this book (duh). But if you were like me and had some reservations, you should still read this book. Ashton totally hit it out of the park with this one and if this book is any indication of what is to come in Evertrue, fans are in for quite a treat. 

Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton

Title: Everneath

Series: Everneath #1
Author: Brodi Ashton
Publisher: Harper Collins / Balzer + Bray
Release Date: January 24th, 2012
Pages: 370, Hardcover
Rating: 3.5 Stars

Summary from Goodreads:
Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's 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 precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is 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 queen.

Everneath is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton.  

“And it has nothing to do with hell, or the afterlife. The Everneath is for the Everliving”

The story starts with Nikki awaking up from a draining embrace. She is greeted by Cole, who just happens to be sucking the live out of her/draining her. Nikki if given the choice to stay with Cole in the Everneath or go back to the Surface until the Tunnels come for her. One face, one person brings her back, and helps her make that choice, Jack; he also happens to play a role in why she was with Cole in the first place.

Nikki did not leave the Surface with the best of reputations, so when she returned there was quite the rumor mill. To make matters worse, Jack and Nikki were not exactly on the best of terms. As the story progresses so does their relationship; Jack refuses to lose her again. This creates problems for Nikki, she has Cole begging her to join him instead of facing the tunnels and Jack promising to figure out a way around her situation.

Liked: The ties to mythology and the story line were quite unique and refreshing to me.   The Everneath is where the Everliving reside; the Everlivings have figured out how to have an everlasting life. They must bring a person from the surface down and then drain the life out of them. It was a very quick read with a fast pace plot.  Cole is also a great character that was developed well, he is part jerk, part bad boy, part caring.  It is easy to like and hate Cole at the same time; he seems to care for Nikki yet still is a cocky arrogant guy.   I look forward to seeing how he develops as a character in the second book. 

Not so much:   Nikki was not my favorite character, she sometimes just plain irritates me like when she decides not to be honest with Jack for a second time.  Both Jack and Nikki lacked some substance, I just could not really connect with either character and felt like there relationship picked up again rather quickly.  
It might be just me but the first couple chapters had me super confused at what was going on, what the Tunnels where, and what in the world is the Everneath.  The Tunnels remained a bit vague to me, they were like the ominous black cloud that gulped you up.  I am not very sure where the next book is going to go, the ending seemed a bit abrupt.  I was left with a whole different set of questions.

Overall, Everneath is a 3.5 star read, the fast pace, mythology based story had highs and lows but ultimately was an entertaining and unique read.  The story itself is a bit on the darker side, Nikki does not have a whole lot to look forward to except saying a proper goodbye, so once you get over the kinda 'depressing-ness' of it then its not bad.  Would not recommend if you are looking for a light-hearted read.