Just Finished Reading... Everbound by Brodi Ashton

Everbound
by Brodi Ashton
To be published by
Balzer + Bray
on January 22, 2013

Source: ARC sent by publisher

Quote is from ARC and will be checked against final copy as soon as possible.




I can't think of any way to discuss Everbound without spoiling the ending of Everneath. So, SPOILER ALERT for book one only: if you have not read Everneath, please stop reading. I'm serious. But don't be sad, because I will be giving away a copy of Everneath soon. So watch this space! This review is spoiler-free for Everbound.


My summary of Everneath: Poor Nikki. Since it's been a while since many of us have seen her, let's quickly recap all the terrible things that happened to her in Everneath: her mother was killed by a drunk driver who was then acquitted. Distraught, Nikki went to find her boyfriend at football camp, and saw some scantily dressed girl coming out of his room. Upset and betrayed, she agreed to let Cole take away all her emotional pain. He's an Everliving who feeds on human emotions, so Nikki's grief and anguish are like tasty chocolate to him. He took her to the Everneath and fed on her for a hundred years -- which is only six months on earth. He's shocked that she survived, and is convinced that she's destined to be a queen of the underworld. She refused, and is given time to put her life on earth in order before the Tunnels come for her. But Jack -- okay I'm SO serious; don't keep reading if you don't want the first book spoiled -- took her place and was sucked down into the underworld.

My (spoiler free!) take on Everbound: One of the things I enjoyed about Everneath was that Nikki was such a complete emotional wreck. Yeah, that sounds terrible, but I'm a low drama person in real life and I love vicarious book angst. Anyway, Nikki's raw guilt and pain practically vibrated off the page. Everbound has a very different emotional tone. Nikki's still in emotional turmoil -- now she has Jack's selfless sacrifice on her conscience too -- but the tone of this book feels different. Nikki is on a mission to find Jack and save him. So if you found Everbound too angsty, I have good news: Everbound is much more action-oriented.

To save Jack, Nikki needs to get back to the Everneath and is convinced that Cole is the only one who can help her. Small problem: she kind of rejected him. And she's not sure where he and his band, the Dead Elvises, will pop up next. But Nikki is determined to succeed. If she has to trick Cole, twist his arm, beg -- she'll do it.
"Just what do you think I'll owe you?"
"For saving the love of your life? Everything."
My favorite part of Everbound was that we now get to see this underworld that we've heard so much about. I love underworld settings. This book's Everneath is a cool place, with a different areas that Nikki will have to get through, each with a different challenge. Plus, there's a mysterious Queen I'm dying to know more about. Nikki not only finds out more about the Everneath, she also learns more about Everlivings and how they are created.

Does she save Jack? Not going to tell you. All I will say is that Brodi Ashton pulled off a very nice sleight of hand. I was so distracted with one aspect of the book that I totally did not see the ending coming. It was a great ending -- not the mean cliffhanger kind that makes you want to throw the book against the wall, but more of the OMG-why-didn't-I-see-that-coming kind of cool twist that makes you excited to see how the whole trilogy will wrap up. Which I am!

Dying to read this? I'm giving it away in Hot Off the Presses. You can enter here, or wait until tomorrow and enter in that post.

Comments

  1. Does she save Jack? Not going to tell you.


    wicked you .....


    gr8 review . i can't wait

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  2. Loved that ending because it was such a surprise. You're right, Ashton totally had me focused on other things. I loved this one even more than Everneath. :)

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  3. I'm hoping to get my hands on this book soon! I am inherently nervous about love triangles (I feel like maybe that statement should be implied whenever I'm writing a review), but I agree that I was fascinated by the mythology in EVERNEATH, and also the emotional state that Nikki was in when the book began. I don't love when we get to know a relationship mostly in the past tense, and that worries me about Jack and Nikki, because I want to see them make new memories. I don't trust Cole, at all. But I think he's interesting, and it seems like we spend a lot more time with him in this book. Did you read Neverfall? I can't decide if it's necessary. All these novellas are getting expensive!

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  4. Aww I have yet to read book one :( maybe soon, I have so many great reads to catch up to. I am glad you enjoyed this one

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  5. JACK! And COLE! That boy is sooo frustrating in that book. But I have to admit he is clever!

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  6. Great review babe! My review goes up on Thursday. I had to put the first book spoiler warning up too. It's almost impossible to review this book without mentioning the events of Everneath.

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  7. Ah, sounds great. I still need to read the first one!
    Happy reading,
    Brandi @ Blkosiner’s Book Blog

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  8. Okay - I stopped reading! Must read Everneath! Must read Everneath! Must read Everneath! *chants*

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  9. Another series I need to read! I always wait and let others go first....when I hear so many people love the second book then I feel like it's ok to take the plunge.

    P.S. I just keep looking around your blog. I love the new design. It relaxes me lol

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  10. I can't wait to see the underworld and see if she's going to save Jack (which she should because they WILL be together). I also want to stare at this cover a lot because it's so pretty!

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  11. I just loved this one! The Everneath underworld was definitely a huge highlight of the book. Can't wait to see what will happen in the conclusion because I have nooooo idea! :)

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  12. Ahh! I'll have to read this review after I start the series. BTW love your blog look!

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  13. I am dying to read this book after loving the first one so much! I really hope she can save Jack (if not in this book, then in the third) so that they can get their emotional and romantic lives back on track.

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  14. I read Everneath but just wasn't blown away so I probably won't be continuing with the series. After it concludes you'll have to give me the cliff notes version so I can see how it all panned out:)

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  15. Ooh! Great review Jen! I can't believe I still haven't read Everneath!! Both of the covers looks so good! :))

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