What do you think?
Rate this book
Everneath #3
Evertrue
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.
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.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 21, 2014
About the author
Brodi Ashton
13 books2,880 followersI write Young Adult novels. I eat cinnamon bears. I love me some Diet Coke.
My debut book EVERNEATH (the first in a trilogy) comes out Winter 2012 with Balzer and Bray (Harper Collins).
I'm represented by Michael Bourret at Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.
My debut book EVERNEATH (the first in a trilogy) comes out Winter 2012 with Balzer and Bray (Harper Collins).
I'm represented by Michael Bourret at Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,186 reviews
August 13, 2016
He took my hand and pressed it against his chest. “Do you feel that?” he said. I blinked and nodded. “This heart is yours. It belongs to you. It beats only for you. And somewhere out there is a heart without a home, and it beats for me; and we’re not giving up until we find it.”
There are some times when the final installment in a series disappoints you and it's a pretty devastating experience after you've devoted so much time and emotional turmoil to the characters and story. Then there are those times when a final installment is so naff that you finish it wondering why you ever cared about those characters and feeling only a sense of regret that you wasted your precious reading time. That's how I feel right now. I also feel like I could have read the final fifty pages of Evertrue and skipped the rest quite easily. There were too many pages of scampering about looking for this, that and whatever. Too many pages of manly posturing. And way too many pages filled with sappiness.
I've always been aware of the strong romantic element in the Everneath books. It hasn't exactly been hidden, it was there from the start and it's obvious from the eye-catching covers with girls swanning around in pretty dresses. But it was always tempered by a fast-moving plot, interesting mythology and pulse-racing life or death situations. This book feels, for the most part, like an epilogue to the love triangle that has been present throughout the series. And while that might sound like an attractive point for romance-lovers, I thought the outcome was so predictable that there was little tension in all the flirtations and angsting. Evertrue is like a love poem written by an horny teenager - these kids are so immature, so Romeo and Juliet, so willing to throw away everything for "true love".
I’d always loved kissing him. I remembered fantasizing about it for the entire year before we started dating. I wanted to kiss him every day until the day I died . . .
And that's before I even get started on Jack himself. Honestly, I really believe Jack ruined this book for me. I don't think words can accurately express how much he irritated me in Evertrue. Granted, he was never my favourite character. But whereas before I mostly found him bland and uninteresting, I couldn't stand him in this book. I absolutely despised him. Why did he insist on being a dick all the time? Why was he throwing a hissy fit every time Nikki had to feed off Cole even when they were in life-threatening situations? Yes, your girlfriend is kissing another guy! But, guess what? Your alternative is that she dies . Moron.
Stupid. Violent. Annoying. Oafish. Possessive. Logic completely abandoned ship where Jack was concerned, he was solely obsessed with clenching his fists and flaring his nostrils angrily every two seconds. He spent the whole novel making random jealous grunts like a caveman. Cole may not exactly be a sensible option in this "love triangle" but, my god, at least I can see where the attraction would come from, unlike with Jack where I'm clueless. This image of a shining beacon of wondrous love that Nikki constantly waxes poetic about seems completely at odds with the image we're shown of a brute who is ready to beat someone's face in. Here are just a few quotes but there were many:
Jack looked at him sideways. “Seriously, you are begging for a beating.”
Jack spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m going to tear through your chest and grab the nearest thing to a heart you have inside there, and then I’m going to rip it out, and it will make that scene in Alien look like a kid’s movie.”
He looked up at Jack, whose ears were scorching red, as if he still really wanted to be angry with Cole and was disappointed that he wouldn't have the opportunity to beat him again.
Jack watched, his face resembling a hot air balloon being blown up beyond its safe size. Veins popped out on his forehead.
There was one point where Nikki said passionately “We’re not leaving Jack.” And all I could think was - I wish she would.
Blog | Leafmarks | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
There are some times when the final installment in a series disappoints you and it's a pretty devastating experience after you've devoted so much time and emotional turmoil to the characters and story. Then there are those times when a final installment is so naff that you finish it wondering why you ever cared about those characters and feeling only a sense of regret that you wasted your precious reading time. That's how I feel right now. I also feel like I could have read the final fifty pages of Evertrue and skipped the rest quite easily. There were too many pages of scampering about looking for this, that and whatever. Too many pages of manly posturing. And way too many pages filled with sappiness.
I've always been aware of the strong romantic element in the Everneath books. It hasn't exactly been hidden, it was there from the start and it's obvious from the eye-catching covers with girls swanning around in pretty dresses. But it was always tempered by a fast-moving plot, interesting mythology and pulse-racing life or death situations. This book feels, for the most part, like an epilogue to the love triangle that has been present throughout the series. And while that might sound like an attractive point for romance-lovers, I thought the outcome was so predictable that there was little tension in all the flirtations and angsting. Evertrue is like a love poem written by an horny teenager - these kids are so immature, so Romeo and Juliet, so willing to throw away everything for "true love".
I’d always loved kissing him. I remembered fantasizing about it for the entire year before we started dating. I wanted to kiss him every day until the day I died . . .
And that's before I even get started on Jack himself. Honestly, I really believe Jack ruined this book for me. I don't think words can accurately express how much he irritated me in Evertrue. Granted, he was never my favourite character. But whereas before I mostly found him bland and uninteresting, I couldn't stand him in this book. I absolutely despised him. Why did he insist on being a dick all the time? Why was he throwing a hissy fit every time Nikki had to feed off Cole even when they were in life-threatening situations? Yes, your girlfriend is kissing another guy! But, guess what? Your alternative is that she dies . Moron.
Stupid. Violent. Annoying. Oafish. Possessive. Logic completely abandoned ship where Jack was concerned, he was solely obsessed with clenching his fists and flaring his nostrils angrily every two seconds. He spent the whole novel making random jealous grunts like a caveman. Cole may not exactly be a sensible option in this "love triangle" but, my god, at least I can see where the attraction would come from, unlike with Jack where I'm clueless. This image of a shining beacon of wondrous love that Nikki constantly waxes poetic about seems completely at odds with the image we're shown of a brute who is ready to beat someone's face in. Here are just a few quotes but there were many:
Jack looked at him sideways. “Seriously, you are begging for a beating.”
Jack spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m going to tear through your chest and grab the nearest thing to a heart you have inside there, and then I’m going to rip it out, and it will make that scene in Alien look like a kid’s movie.”
He looked up at Jack, whose ears were scorching red, as if he still really wanted to be angry with Cole and was disappointed that he wouldn't have the opportunity to beat him again.
Jack watched, his face resembling a hot air balloon being blown up beyond its safe size. Veins popped out on his forehead.
There was one point where Nikki said passionately “We’re not leaving Jack.” And all I could think was - I wish she would.
Blog | Leafmarks | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
January 28, 2014
Biggest freaking book disappointment EVER. I'm so pissed I'm incoherent.
1. Nikki is the stupidest MC I have ever had the displeasure of coming across. And the most selfish.
2. Ashton did a cop out with Cole in every single way. Way to ruin such an excellent character.
3. Can someone please kill Jack. He is the definition of 'roid rage + dumb jock. All two of his brain cells are too busy getting angry at the drop of a hat to form any kind of worthwhile thought. Even Cole, changed as he was, was still 10x smarter than Jack any day. I just can not stand him.
4. The amount of lovey dovey crap between Nikki and Jack was vomit inducing. It was one of the worst depictions of love I have read about in the YA genre (I'm sure there are probably worst, but I haven't read them). It was such an unhealthy obsession. Cole isn't that much better, but he wasn't quite as bad as those two. It was just sick to watch.
5. The sheer amount of stupidity in this book was so astounding I'm speechless.
That is all.
1. Nikki is the stupidest MC I have ever had the displeasure of coming across. And the most selfish.
2. Ashton did a cop out with Cole in every single way. Way to ruin such an excellent character.
3. Can someone please kill Jack. He is the definition of 'roid rage + dumb jock. All two of his brain cells are too busy getting angry at the drop of a hat to form any kind of worthwhile thought. Even Cole, changed as he was, was still 10x smarter than Jack any day. I just can not stand him.
4. The amount of lovey dovey crap between Nikki and Jack was vomit inducing. It was one of the worst depictions of love I have read about in the YA genre (I'm sure there are probably worst, but I haven't read them). It was such an unhealthy obsession. Cole isn't that much better, but he wasn't quite as bad as those two. It was just sick to watch.
5. The sheer amount of stupidity in this book was so astounding I'm speechless.
That is all.
Want to read
June 12, 2013
Update (06/12/13):
In the German synopsis it says "Nikki realizes that she only has one chance to destroy the Everliving: She has to become Cole's Persephone."
At the end of Everbound, I was all:
Then I checked to see when the next book was coming out.
And it said:
....
2014.
Horror! Disbelief! Sadness! *cry cry cry*
Well, damnit. All I can say is that I love Cole despite EVERYTHING and I don't want him to die in this one. Please?
Seriously, read this series. It's amazing.
__________________________________
__________________________________
At the end of Everbound, I was all:
Then I checked to see when the next book was coming out.
And it said:
....
2014.
Horror! Disbelief! Sadness! *cry cry cry*
Well, damnit. All I can say is that I love Cole despite EVERYTHING and I don't want him to die in this one. Please?
Seriously, read this series. It's amazing.
January 26, 2014
Pre-review
*tries to control the rage*
Rant coming up when I stop seeing red.
Review
Sometimes a book pisses you off because of that one certain event you can’t seem to wrap your head around. Other times, it’s the characters that make the book a complete drag for you. But unfortunately, Evertrue has both of these factors going on for it simultaneously, with varying degrees of suck.
To be honest, I’ve never been much of a fan of this series. Admittedly, the second book had me super intrigued because of its cliffhanger and decent plot, so I had hopes for the last book. If only I knew how disappointed I was going to be!
Evertrue pretty much starts from where Everbound left off. Nikki, now without a heart, is very close to becoming an Everliving and unsurprisingly, is as annoyingly whiny and despicably selfish as ever. Jack is back and has turned into a big buffoon whose largeness we’re reminded of in every other chapter with unnecessary alacrity. Their luuurvveee is pathetic and clingy and stupid like it was in the first book. It’s only made more unbearable by the fact that they’re joined by the hip in this book at all times. Cole, who was our saving grace in other books, who was the only interesting and layered character left with his diabolical nature and unsuspecting plans, is irrevocably damaged and in this final edition. If it isn’t obvious by now, I really really despise this book with a burning passion.
Here's a list of the things I hate in Evertrue
1) The plot: This series had a nice mythology going for it. Until I realized it was only there to taunt me and never to be explored. I thought Everneath had the potential. Everbound touched the mere boundaries of what-could-be and had me convinced that the third book was going to be “it”. But it wasn’t meant to be. I don’t really know what I was expecting but it definitely wasn’t a show down of Nikki blowing up everything. And with such ease. It was too convenient and rushed and a big disappointing slap on the face.
2) The writing style: Nikki’s monologue has always been gloomy and full of self-hatred and pity. She’s always been a weak character and I think Ashton was trying to make her look brave by her ridiculous, spur-of-the-moment plans, but it ended up making her look like a pathetic wuss. Anyway, more on her character flaws later. I was peeved off from the beginning but due to different reasons. For the first one-third portion of the book I was cross because nothing was happening. Nikki was growing progressively weak because of some mother-bird-feeding-her-babies analogy applicable to Everlivings which was honestly just bizarre and irrelevant. There was a lot of time wasted in her trying to find Cole and demand answers while everything else remotely normal in a person’s life was put to hold for her and Jack’s character specifically. Her father was oddly never concerned. Jack’s mother was out of the picture and apparently fine with Jack playing bodyguard for the girl who had actually ruined his life since she didn’t make any appearance all throughout. Jack was always with Nikki. Like every single passing moment of every day. I can’t even begin to imagine how they tolerated each other’s presence. I’m convinced that their love is an unhealthy obsession and they need help. But, I digress.
For the next major part of the book, I was fuming mad because of Jack and Nikki’s incompetence at everything. Their inability to find answers tested my patience to the limits and I might have pulled out a few strands of my hair because of the passiveness of the story. Ashton even tried her hand at humor but it all seemed forced and wrong. In fact, Nikki’s attempt at cracking a joke had me cringing. It was terrible bearing up with her foolish remarks when she was nervous. But even that wasn’t the worst of it all. The worst part, the absolutely worst of the worst part was what Ashton did to Cole. I was livid when Nikki and Jack found Cole like that. It was painful to watch that version of Cole; like being stabbed in the eyes with a needle painful. As for the last 20% of the book, I was hopeless and still in a tizzy. Cole turned into an altruist out of love for Nikki and it was so unlike Cole that his sacrifice had me bloody outraged. Just thinking about it again is getting me so riled up that I feel like killing Nikki and Jack inside my head over and over and over and over again. And then some.
3) The characters: I went off on a tangent and ranted a lot, didn’t I? *sigh* Well, the characters are going to get me all steamed up again but I’m going to keep it low. So..Nikki is a selfish, self-absorbed, delusional, brooding, good for nothing numbskull. Jack is an oaf with anger issues who really needs to indulge in a hobby other than punching trees and needs to get far, far away from Nikki because she is nothing but bad news. Cole was a jackass whose obsession with Nikki is still incomprehensible to me but he was the only compelling character in the entire series and look what happened to him. Arrgh! Urge.to.kill.growing.stronger.
*tries to breathe*
...
.....
.......
*takes in a deep breath*
My second 1 star rating of 2014 goes to this book.
As for Nikki..
Your neck. My hands.
*tries to control the rage*
Rant coming up when I stop seeing red.
Review
Sometimes a book pisses you off because of that one certain event you can’t seem to wrap your head around. Other times, it’s the characters that make the book a complete drag for you. But unfortunately, Evertrue has both of these factors going on for it simultaneously, with varying degrees of suck.
To be honest, I’ve never been much of a fan of this series. Admittedly, the second book had me super intrigued because of its cliffhanger and decent plot, so I had hopes for the last book. If only I knew how disappointed I was going to be!
Evertrue pretty much starts from where Everbound left off. Nikki, now without a heart, is very close to becoming an Everliving and unsurprisingly, is as annoyingly whiny and despicably selfish as ever. Jack is back and has turned into a big buffoon whose largeness we’re reminded of in every other chapter with unnecessary alacrity. Their luuurvveee is pathetic and clingy and stupid like it was in the first book. It’s only made more unbearable by the fact that they’re joined by the hip in this book at all times. Cole, who was our saving grace in other books, who was the only interesting and layered character left with his diabolical nature and unsuspecting plans, is irrevocably damaged and in this final edition. If it isn’t obvious by now, I really really despise this book with a burning passion.
Here's a list of the things I hate in Evertrue
1) The plot: This series had a nice mythology going for it. Until I realized it was only there to taunt me and never to be explored. I thought Everneath had the potential. Everbound touched the mere boundaries of what-could-be and had me convinced that the third book was going to be “it”. But it wasn’t meant to be. I don’t really know what I was expecting but it definitely wasn’t a show down of Nikki blowing up everything. And with such ease. It was too convenient and rushed and a big disappointing slap on the face.
2) The writing style: Nikki’s monologue has always been gloomy and full of self-hatred and pity. She’s always been a weak character and I think Ashton was trying to make her look brave by her ridiculous, spur-of-the-moment plans, but it ended up making her look like a pathetic wuss. Anyway, more on her character flaws later. I was peeved off from the beginning but due to different reasons. For the first one-third portion of the book I was cross because nothing was happening. Nikki was growing progressively weak because of some mother-bird-feeding-her-babies analogy applicable to Everlivings which was honestly just bizarre and irrelevant. There was a lot of time wasted in her trying to find Cole and demand answers while everything else remotely normal in a person’s life was put to hold for her and Jack’s character specifically. Her father was oddly never concerned. Jack’s mother was out of the picture and apparently fine with Jack playing bodyguard for the girl who had actually ruined his life since she didn’t make any appearance all throughout. Jack was always with Nikki. Like every single passing moment of every day. I can’t even begin to imagine how they tolerated each other’s presence. I’m convinced that their love is an unhealthy obsession and they need help. But, I digress.
For the next major part of the book, I was fuming mad because of Jack and Nikki’s incompetence at everything. Their inability to find answers tested my patience to the limits and I might have pulled out a few strands of my hair because of the passiveness of the story. Ashton even tried her hand at humor but it all seemed forced and wrong. In fact, Nikki’s attempt at cracking a joke had me cringing. It was terrible bearing up with her foolish remarks when she was nervous. But even that wasn’t the worst of it all. The worst part, the absolutely worst of the worst part was what Ashton did to Cole. I was livid when Nikki and Jack found Cole like that. It was painful to watch that version of Cole; like being stabbed in the eyes with a needle painful. As for the last 20% of the book, I was hopeless and still in a tizzy. Cole turned into an altruist out of love for Nikki and it was so unlike Cole that his sacrifice had me bloody outraged. Just thinking about it again is getting me so riled up that I feel like killing Nikki and Jack inside my head over and over and over and over again. And then some.
3) The characters: I went off on a tangent and ranted a lot, didn’t I? *sigh* Well, the characters are going to get me all steamed up again but I’m going to keep it low. So..Nikki is a selfish, self-absorbed, delusional, brooding, good for nothing numbskull. Jack is an oaf with anger issues who really needs to indulge in a hobby other than punching trees and needs to get far, far away from Nikki because she is nothing but bad news. Cole was a jackass whose obsession with Nikki is still incomprehensible to me but he was the only compelling character in the entire series and look what happened to him. Arrgh! Urge.to.kill.growing.stronger.
*tries to breathe*
...
.....
.......
*takes in a deep breath*
My second 1 star rating of 2014 goes to this book.
As for Nikki..
Your neck. My hands.
Want to read
September 2, 2015
The girls dress on this cover reminds me of one thing and one thing only.
Beautiful hell dress or jam stirred in cream?
Who knows.
Whispers: Still love it though
January 13, 2014
This review may hint towards what happens in Everbound, so keep that in mind. However, it is spoiler-free for Evertrue.
Evertrue doesn't feel like the end; while final installments in trilogies tend to be the darkest of the three, I found Evertrue's tone to be far different than the two novels preceding it. Obviously, the stakes in Evertrue are high, arguably at the series' highest, and lives are at risk. So yes, the underlying plot of Evertrue is dark, harrowing, and emotional, but it's how the characters react in these times that makes me love this installment and connect to it more than I did the first two; among many other reasons.
For starters, in Evertrue I finally got a feel for both Nikki and Jack individually. For the first two books, while I found their love for each other and dedication towards one another admirable, I never got to connect to anything but their relationship because that was all they seemed to think about. Here, we get a taste of both Nikki and Jack's characters separately (and, of course, together as well), and because of this I was able to connect to them both a lot more.
They're both incredibly witty and likable characters, and I appreciate how Brodi Ashton waited until now for the true, pleasant aspects of their personalities to surface. It only further proved that, in each other's presence, they can only truly be themselves; and I feel that if this character development were in any of the other two novels, it would have felt slightly out of place, if not entirely. And then there's the Jack swoons, obviously.
"You are my peace and home. You are the everything. The pain isn't real. The hearts are."
And then there's Cole, whom I will love forever, despite how much of an asshole he can be
It's not just that Cole is such an incredibly complex character, whose motives you can never, and will never be quite sure of; it's that his relationship with Nikki is the exact same way. Their relationship is the most dynamic, engaging, and emotional one in the trilogy for me; and in the end, it's the most beautiful thing about the novel.
The actual plot of Evertrue may not be very action packed (although it is extremely engaging), and the climax may be a bit quick and anticlimactic (lasting about five pages), but I don't think the quality of this trilogy is or should be measured by the amount of action it contains (unless it's clear the focus is supposed to be action and not much else); the quality of this trilogy, at least for me, is measured by the amount of emotional attachment I have to the characters, even the ones I either knew I shouldn't, or the ones I took a while to truly care about. It's measured by the moments spent cheering for the characters' fights; the moments spent feeling your heart break or feel fuzzy within the span of just a few pages; and ultimately, the moments you spend sharing the same sorrow as the characters as you find yourself crying in the dark of your room at midnight.
And I think that's what all great trilogies or series should be measured by in the end, really. Not just the technical aspects, but the emotional. Evertrue broke my heart, yet at the same time managed to make it feel warm. I laughed at the many hysterical comments made, and teared up at the more emotional. I feel as if I have just finished this great journey as the characters themselves have done so, and I do acknowledge that this trilogy and this installment may have its faults in regards to the pacing; but in the end, my feelings for this trilogy as a whole and its conclusion seem to be as complex as the characters and their relationships with one another. But I do know a few things for sure: I love this book, I love these characters, and I love this trilogy.
(And I also know that I cried a lot, that the last two chapters are absolute perfection, and that I read each of those two chapters, like, ten times since last night. I have many feels.)
August 31, 2016
Out of the entire series, Evertrue is probably the cheesiest of them all. I shit you not. As if the series couldn't get any more idiotic.
If I read this novel about, oh, a year and a half ago, I would've loved it. I read the first before I became a blogger, and I’m pretty sure I gave that one four stars. I read the second, and abhorred it.Less embarrassment for me.
At about 10% in, I encountered this sentence…
…And knew that this book and I were not going to be on good terms.
If you ever wanted all the young adult fiction stereotypes out there packed into one book, here it is given to you on asilver platter. You have the love triangle, , the macho guy who punches instead of speaks, the weak protagonist always in need of saving, and a Mary Sue.
My main problem here is Nikki, the insufferable selfish brat who does not know how to use her brain. When I say she is a Mary Sue, I do not mean she is perfect. Far from it, actually. I mean that she is viewed as perfection incarnate by the males around her, for no reason whatsoever. Everything revolves around her. Nikki this, Nikki that. By golly, why don't we destroy the world! Just for the perfect, flawless, beautiful Nikki!
Give me a break.
Jack is her savior; he will always be there at her side whenever she is suffering. He is her loyal friend. No, scratch that, he is like a loyal puppy, with no aim in life other than to please his owner. Where’s his personality, you ask? HAHAHAHAHA
He is a one-dimensional, flat character, solely present to get jealous and beat up people. I mean, he throws a fit when Nikki has to get energy from Cole by kissing him, and he knows that if she doesn��t she will die, but he still gets jealous!
Literally every single damn scene goes something like this, with Jack being depicted as the hero of the day:
One major qualm I have is how Nikki and Jack were positive of their future together, acting as if they are “soul mates”. First of all, no normal teenager thinks like this. If anything, teens think of this in a hypothetical way, not in a set in stone way in which they know for a fact they want to stay with this person for the rest of their life. Nikki and Jack, embodying the latter, are the most unrealistic couple since Romeo and Juliet. Moreover, I did not feel connected to their relationship in any way whatsoever. They simply seemed to be missing that “spark”.
Of all the young adult books I've read, this series takes the prize for having the most gushiest, mushiest romance ever, complete with declarations of love galore, one-liners that rival those of Taylor Swift, and teddy bears. Kidding about the last one, but would you be surprised if they actually gave each other Build-a-Bears while fighting in the Everneath?
Please stop it. Please.
The humor, and dialogue in general, was lame and forced. The interactions between the characters was annoying at best and rage-inducing at worst.
Um wut? That seemed like a 10-year-old was attempting to write a romantic scene.
On to the only interesting character in the entire series, Cole. I won’t hesitate to admit that he was a major douche in the first novel, but in the second, he began to grow on me. I’m kind of thinking that he was the only reason I continued with this series…
No spoilers here, but Cole was very cruelly treated by the author. He was used, manipulated, etc, etc. Cole fans, get ready to be disappointed.
That cheap excuse for an ending was probably one of the worst parts. I think the author was trying to show how experienced of a novelist she is by writing that ending, but I am not impressed in the least. Not that I had very high expectations to begin with, but really, couldn't you have put more effort into adding originality to the finale?
Aside from all this, the writing is average to below average, the character development leaves a lot to be desired, and the world-building is an embarrassing attempt. This seems to be common throughout the series, and there is no sign of improvement as it goes on.
I would recommend this to those who want an unoriginal plot with unremarkable characters and a laughable romance. I can only see lovers of this series enjoying this, but if you weren't amused by the first two books, just skip this one.
If I read this novel about, oh, a year and a half ago, I would've loved it. I read the first before I became a blogger, and I’m pretty sure I gave that one four stars. I read the second, and abhorred it.
At about 10% in, I encountered this sentence…
”I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.”
…And knew that this book and I were not going to be on good terms.
If you ever wanted all the young adult fiction stereotypes out there packed into one book, here it is given to you on a
My main problem here is Nikki, the insufferable selfish brat who does not know how to use her brain. When I say she is a Mary Sue, I do not mean she is perfect. Far from it, actually. I mean that she is viewed as perfection incarnate by the males around her, for no reason whatsoever. Everything revolves around her. Nikki this, Nikki that. By golly, why don't we destroy the world! Just for the perfect, flawless, beautiful Nikki!
Give me a break.
Jack is her savior; he will always be there at her side whenever she is suffering. He is her loyal friend. No, scratch that, he is like a loyal puppy, with no aim in life other than to please his owner. Where’s his personality, you ask? HAHAHAHAHA
I went limp in his arms. He didn't even break stride.
He is a one-dimensional, flat character, solely present to get jealous and beat up people. I mean, he throws a fit when Nikki has to get energy from Cole by kissing him, and he knows that if she doesn��t she will die, but he still gets jealous!
Literally every single damn scene goes something like this, with Jack being depicted as the hero of the day:
”Jack punched him in the face. […] The man went past him, and Jack kicked him in his back as he went. He threw punched again and again until finally the man fell backward.
Jack rushed to my side.
“Becks. Are you hurt?”
One major qualm I have is how Nikki and Jack were positive of their future together, acting as if they are “soul mates”. First of all, no normal teenager thinks like this. If anything, teens think of this in a hypothetical way, not in a set in stone way in which they know for a fact they want to stay with this person for the rest of their life. Nikki and Jack, embodying the latter, are the most unrealistic couple since Romeo and Juliet. Moreover, I did not feel connected to their relationship in any way whatsoever. They simply seemed to be missing that “spark”.
Of all the young adult books I've read, this series takes the prize for having the most gushiest, mushiest romance ever, complete with declarations of love galore, one-liners that rival those of Taylor Swift, and teddy bears. Kidding about the last one, but would you be surprised if they actually gave each other Build-a-Bears while fighting in the Everneath?
”This heart is yours. It belongs to you. It beats only for you. And somewhere out there is a heart without a home, and it beats for me; and we’re not giving up until we find it.”
Please stop it. Please.
The humor, and dialogue in general, was lame and forced. The interactions between the characters was annoying at best and rage-inducing at worst.
”Um, we never discussed the shoulders,” I said, my voice ridiculously breathless.
“Sorry,” he said. “I get carried away talking about elbows and things.”
My head tilted so his lips could get better access to the base of my neck. “Just wait until I tell you about my kneecaps.”
Um wut? That seemed like a 10-year-old was attempting to write a romantic scene.
On to the only interesting character in the entire series, Cole. I won’t hesitate to admit that he was a major douche in the first novel, but in the second, he began to grow on me. I’m kind of thinking that he was the only reason I continued with this series…
No spoilers here, but Cole was very cruelly treated by the author. He was used, manipulated, etc, etc. Cole fans, get ready to be disappointed.
That cheap excuse for an ending was probably one of the worst parts. I think the author was trying to show how experienced of a novelist she is by writing that ending, but I am not impressed in the least. Not that I had very high expectations to begin with, but really, couldn't you have put more effort into adding originality to the finale?
Aside from all this, the writing is average to below average, the character development leaves a lot to be desired, and the world-building is an embarrassing attempt. This seems to be common throughout the series, and there is no sign of improvement as it goes on.
I would recommend this to those who want an unoriginal plot with unremarkable characters and a laughable romance. I can only see lovers of this series enjoying this, but if you weren't amused by the first two books, just skip this one.
September 3, 2015
2 WTF HAPPENED?? stars
The Mockingjay Effect strikes again!
"What is the Mockingjay Effect?" you ask. Well, it's a theory I came up with after the release of Mockingjay, in which the first two books in a trilogy are awesome, amazing, wonderful... and then the third book blows. Usually this only applies to YA dystopia, but I think that this book applies.
Where do I begin? Well, after Nikki rescues her love Jack from the Tunnels of the Everneath, she finds she is transitioning into an Everling. Why is this bad? I honestly didn't care why. And then in order for Nikki to not die, she conveniently needs to feed off of Cole to survive.
Me at this point:
Nikki decides that instead of just getting out of becoming an Everling, she must destroy the Everneath. All that flashed through my mind at this point was #DestroyTheEverneath . All Nikki needed at this point was her own webcast about it.
This book was over the top and made things way too complicated. I really wish the author had just killed off Cole in the second book, Nikki never starts the transition, and her and Jack live happily ever after. I want to erase this last installment from my mind.
I felt like we needed a prequel book or short story written as well. I didn't understand Nikki and Jack's connection/relationship went back so far and I felt like as the reader we were missing something. Same with Cole's feelings for Nikki. The author would just throw in a past memory like "oh this will explain it" and think the reader would be happy. I wasn't.
The first two books I was enthralled and entertained. This last book I ended up skimming. To Ms. Ashton, sorry for the rant, I really loved your other books, just not this one. And thanks to everyone else for suffering through my rant. Read the first two books, they are amazing! Just skip this one and know that everything ends with an HEA. Well for everyone but Cole who ended up like this:
The Mockingjay Effect strikes again!
"What is the Mockingjay Effect?" you ask. Well, it's a theory I came up with after the release of Mockingjay, in which the first two books in a trilogy are awesome, amazing, wonderful... and then the third book blows. Usually this only applies to YA dystopia, but I think that this book applies.
Where do I begin? Well, after Nikki rescues her love Jack from the Tunnels of the Everneath, she finds she is transitioning into an Everling. Why is this bad? I honestly didn't care why. And then in order for Nikki to not die, she conveniently needs to feed off of Cole to survive.
Me at this point:
Nikki decides that instead of just getting out of becoming an Everling, she must destroy the Everneath. All that flashed through my mind at this point was #DestroyTheEverneath . All Nikki needed at this point was her own webcast about it.
This book was over the top and made things way too complicated. I really wish the author had just killed off Cole in the second book, Nikki never starts the transition, and her and Jack live happily ever after. I want to erase this last installment from my mind.
I felt like we needed a prequel book or short story written as well. I didn't understand Nikki and Jack's connection/relationship went back so far and I felt like as the reader we were missing something. Same with Cole's feelings for Nikki. The author would just throw in a past memory like "oh this will explain it" and think the reader would be happy. I wasn't.
The first two books I was enthralled and entertained. This last book I ended up skimming. To Ms. Ashton, sorry for the rant, I really loved your other books, just not this one. And thanks to everyone else for suffering through my rant. Read the first two books, they are amazing! Just skip this one and know that everything ends with an HEA. Well for everyone but Cole who ended up like this:
Want to read
August 25, 2013
I juST WANT COLE TO BE HAPPY. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR?!
April 18, 2014
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
When the early reviews of Evertrue started to roll in, I was rather appalled to see so many disappointed reviews. But now, I can totally see why. Everneath and Everbound were some of my favourite novels ever--but I cannot say the same for the last instalment, Evertrue. Here were my main issues in order from most infuriating to least:
1. Jack. A sad fact, but true. I was Team Jack ALLL the way till about 50 pages into this book. What changed? This happened:
That's what happened when Nikki told Jack that she kissed Cole so she could stay alive and revive her energy. But clearly, Jack's not interested in that. He's furious when he hears, Cole kissed me. I mean, can you be any more immature and inconsiderate? Nikki has been slowly dying for the past day but all you care about is that Cole kissed your Nikki. Honestly Jack, I don't even know why I rooted for you in the first place.
2. The romance. I do love a sweet romance. But in Evertrue, Brodi Ashton seemed to have jumped into sappy-I-will-do-anything-for-you-land. Everything was about their undying true love for each other and many moments had my wanted to rush to the toilet and puke out my dinner. (It was a nice dinner too, would've been a huge pity to have wasted it).
3. The plot. To be honest, there wasn't a lot of plot progression in Evertrue. There was a lot of dwindling here and there, and a very simple and short actual plot. If all the romance crap was removed, there would be barely any pages in this novel. Seriously, I was expecting so much better.
4. The amnesia.
All in all, I am INCREDIBLY disappointed with Evertrue. In fact, I wished I never read this. What I loved in the previous novels, have turned into things I detest after reading this. Please do read this at your own risk.
When the early reviews of Evertrue started to roll in, I was rather appalled to see so many disappointed reviews. But now, I can totally see why. Everneath and Everbound were some of my favourite novels ever--but I cannot say the same for the last instalment, Evertrue. Here were my main issues in order from most infuriating to least:
1. Jack. A sad fact, but true. I was Team Jack ALLL the way till about 50 pages into this book. What changed? This happened:
He blew out a breath, and I thought he was coming back to me when he growled, "I'm gonna kill him." He grasped the door handle and yanked hard.
"Jack, no!" I didn't know if he was serious about killing Cole or not, but his eyes were blazing. He didn't stop. He exploded out of the car and slammed the door behind him.
That's what happened when Nikki told Jack that she kissed Cole so she could stay alive and revive her energy. But clearly, Jack's not interested in that. He's furious when he hears, Cole kissed me. I mean, can you be any more immature and inconsiderate? Nikki has been slowly dying for the past day but all you care about is that Cole kissed your Nikki. Honestly Jack, I don't even know why I rooted for you in the first place.
2. The romance. I do love a sweet romance. But in Evertrue, Brodi Ashton seemed to have jumped into sappy-I-will-do-anything-for-you-land. Everything was about their undying true love for each other and many moments had my wanted to rush to the toilet and puke out my dinner. (It was a nice dinner too, would've been a huge pity to have wasted it).
He took my hand and pressed it against his chest. "Do you feel that?" he said. I blinked and nodded. "This heart is yours. It belongs to you. It beats only for you. And somewhere out there is a heart without a home, and it beats for me; and we’re not giving up until we find it."
3. The plot. To be honest, there wasn't a lot of plot progression in Evertrue. There was a lot of dwindling here and there, and a very simple and short actual plot. If all the romance crap was removed, there would be barely any pages in this novel. Seriously, I was expecting so much better.
4. The amnesia.
All in all, I am INCREDIBLY disappointed with Evertrue. In fact, I wished I never read this. What I loved in the previous novels, have turned into things I detest after reading this. Please do read this at your own risk.
~Thank you Simon and Schuster Australia for sending me this copy!~
Want to read
July 15, 2013OMG. That is the best cover I have ever seen in my entire life. *freaks out*
--
EVERTRUE? Oh man, I wasn't expecting that. EVERFREE is so much better!
I kid, I kid.Maybe.
--
I hope she calls it EVERFREE... coz you know, they'll be "forever free."
Okay, I know... I came up with a pretty lame name. But whatever. All I can think of was Everfree or Evermore.. and Evermore's been used at least a thousand times.
UPDATE 7 December 2012: I've thought of more! EVERMINE
Everedeemed (one of my favorites), Eversoared (another favorite!), Evercrossed , Everglide , Everise , Evercraved , Everless , Everseen , or Everlived could work too!
My ultimate favorite is probably Everfreed because the 2nd book is Everbound, and they should be freed in the 3rd book. My next choice would be Everedeemed, then Evercrossed and Eversoared.
--
EVERTRUE? Oh man, I wasn't expecting that. EVERFREE is so much better!
I kid, I kid.
--
I hope she calls it EVERFREE... coz you know, they'll be "forever free."
Okay, I know... I came up with a pretty lame name. But whatever. All I can think of was Everfree or Evermore.. and Evermore's been used at least a thousand times.
UPDATE 7 December 2012: I've thought of more! EVERMINE
Everedeemed (one of my favorites), Eversoared (another favorite!), Evercrossed , Everglide , Everise , Evercraved , Everless , Everseen , or Everlived could work too!
My ultimate favorite is probably Everfreed because the 2nd book is Everbound, and they should be freed in the 3rd book. My next choice would be Everedeemed, then Evercrossed and Eversoared.
March 7, 2014
January 2014. It seems so very far away.
Update: March 2014
Now that I've stopped crying all I can say about this final installment is "no". Just no. The end to this series is completely unacceptable and I'm going to pretend that things happened differently.
Update: March 2014
Now that I've stopped crying all I can say about this final installment is "no". Just no. The end to this series is completely unacceptable and I'm going to pretend that things happened differently.
July 8, 2016
3.5 stars
I'm becoming increasingly disenchanted with YA male love interests these days. It seems like we've finally managed to conquer the Bechdel Test and have gotten YA girl protagonists to show an interest in something other than that smouldering supernatural creature. Or homework, housework and that other friend-zoned guy. But now we have a new problem: the table-turning of the Bechdel Test in which the guy has no personality of his own, but is entirely shaped and defined by the girl.
Both are very unhealthy and as annoying as fuck.
Jack is the perfect example. He has no personality other than Nikki. In fact, if we had a little look-see into his head, it probably look a little something like this: 'Nikki looks hot. Grr, I hate Cole because he keeps looking at Nikki. God, I love Nikki. Don't worry, Nikki, my life isn't as important as yours. Grr, Cole keeps kissing Nikki even though it's to keep her alive. God, I love Nikki.'
Does he have any dreams of his own? Hobbies? Platonic loves? We never find out because his thought process is an endless stream of NikkiNikkiNikkiNikkiNikki. Sometimes I just want to hit him around the head and tell him to get a freaking life of his own. Yes, I get that he's helping Nikki bring down the Everneath and that takes priority over filling out college applications, but I never see that he can be an individual character on his own.
Thank you, random The Little Mermaid dude whose name I cannot, for the life of me, remember.
Cole, I liked. Despite the fact that he's the other angle of the love triangle and doesn't have a cold chance in Hell of winning Nikki's heart (come on, we all knew that), he made me root for him and was a deviously complex character on his own, with selfish motives and other ties other than the desirable girl protagonist. It helps to give your male love interests personalities other than abs, authors. And I'd take wit over muscle. Just sayin'.
Unfortunately, one cute guy doesn't make up for the fact that this book was freaking slow. Which is weird because there's action on practically every page—when they're not making out or glowering at each other, that is. Most of the time, it's the love triangle that drives the plot instead of the other way around. And when the climax finally rolls around, it feels so rushed and just plain unfulfilling. Seriously, all that research and dangerous crap and it's over in a matter of pages.
But I do applaud the resolution to Nikki's and Cole's relationship. It's sad, yes, but very well-done. Yet like the climax, it happened too fast and didn't give me enough time to come to terms with things before we jump straight to the happily ever after.
Also, this may be my Greek mythology obsession coming out to play, but Nikki and Jack's ignorance of the matter irritated me. If I'd be taken to the Everneath and clawed my way back, I'd make it my mission in life to find out as much about it as I can. And I have a hard time believing they don't know about Cronos. Tantalus, I can accept. But Cronos, Zeus's dad? The guy even has a planet named after his Roman equivalent, for God's sake! I'm sorry, but that is just unforgivable.
And what is with the Helmet of Hermes? Yes, Hermes did sometimes have a cap of invisibility but the helmet is usually attributed to Hades. Zeus got a lighting bolt, Poseidon, a trident, and Hades, a helmet that could make the wearer invisible. Why on earth would you go for the more obscure one?
Unless you're a super fan of the series and absolutely loved the first two books, I highly doubt you'll enjoy this one. Good for a nice romp, but would I reread it? Nah.
"He stopped walking and grabbed my shoulders. 'You are my peace and my home. You are the everything.'"
I'm becoming increasingly disenchanted with YA male love interests these days. It seems like we've finally managed to conquer the Bechdel Test and have gotten YA girl protagonists to show an interest in something other than that smouldering supernatural creature. Or homework, housework and that other friend-zoned guy. But now we have a new problem: the table-turning of the Bechdel Test in which the guy has no personality of his own, but is entirely shaped and defined by the girl.
Both are very unhealthy and as annoying as fuck.
Jack is the perfect example. He has no personality other than Nikki. In fact, if we had a little look-see into his head, it probably look a little something like this: 'Nikki looks hot. Grr, I hate Cole because he keeps looking at Nikki. God, I love Nikki. Don't worry, Nikki, my life isn't as important as yours. Grr, Cole keeps kissing Nikki even though it's to keep her alive. God, I love Nikki.'
Does he have any dreams of his own? Hobbies? Platonic loves? We never find out because his thought process is an endless stream of NikkiNikkiNikkiNikkiNikki. Sometimes I just want to hit him around the head and tell him to get a freaking life of his own. Yes, I get that he's helping Nikki bring down the Everneath and that takes priority over filling out college applications, but I never see that he can be an individual character on his own.
Thank you, random The Little Mermaid dude whose name I cannot, for the life of me, remember.
Cole, I liked. Despite the fact that he's the other angle of the love triangle and doesn't have a cold chance in Hell of winning Nikki's heart (come on, we all knew that), he made me root for him and was a deviously complex character on his own, with selfish motives and other ties other than the desirable girl protagonist. It helps to give your male love interests personalities other than abs, authors. And I'd take wit over muscle. Just sayin'.
Unfortunately, one cute guy doesn't make up for the fact that this book was freaking slow. Which is weird because there's action on practically every page—when they're not making out or glowering at each other, that is. Most of the time, it's the love triangle that drives the plot instead of the other way around. And when the climax finally rolls around, it feels so rushed and just plain unfulfilling. Seriously, all that research and dangerous crap and it's over in a matter of pages.
But I do applaud the resolution to Nikki's and Cole's relationship. It's sad, yes, but very well-done. Yet like the climax, it happened too fast and didn't give me enough time to come to terms with things before we jump straight to the happily ever after.
Also, this may be my Greek mythology obsession coming out to play, but Nikki and Jack's ignorance of the matter irritated me. If I'd be taken to the Everneath and clawed my way back, I'd make it my mission in life to find out as much about it as I can. And I have a hard time believing they don't know about Cronos. Tantalus, I can accept. But Cronos, Zeus's dad? The guy even has a planet named after his Roman equivalent, for God's sake! I'm sorry, but that is just unforgivable.
And what is with the Helmet of Hermes? Yes, Hermes did sometimes have a cap of invisibility but the helmet is usually attributed to Hades. Zeus got a lighting bolt, Poseidon, a trident, and Hades, a helmet that could make the wearer invisible. Why on earth would you go for the more obscure one?
Unless you're a super fan of the series and absolutely loved the first two books, I highly doubt you'll enjoy this one. Good for a nice romp, but would I reread it? Nah.
May 18, 2015
This book wasn't as good as it's predecessor but it was still enjoyable.
Most of the time characters spent in Everneath, providing it's plan to destroy it.
I have to admit, in this novel I rooted against them.
I didn't want for Everneath to be destroyed.
While reading I was thinking about rating it 3,5 stars, but then came an ending.
And what kind of ending was that? Let me tell you. An epic one!
I think this series has one of the best series conclusions I've read.
Everything came to place and if only some things I wasn't a fan of didn't happen I would have rate it 5 stars.
Let me tell you why I liked the End so much:
Most of the time characters spent in Everneath, providing it's plan to destroy it.
I have to admit, in this novel I rooted against them.
I didn't want for Everneath to be destroyed.
While reading I was thinking about rating it 3,5 stars, but then came an ending.
And what kind of ending was that? Let me tell you. An epic one!
I think this series has one of the best series conclusions I've read.
Everything came to place and if only some things I wasn't a fan of didn't happen I would have rate it 5 stars.
Let me tell you why I liked the End so much:
October 1, 2014
Solid ending. Great series overall.
January 28, 2014
Series endings are seriously tricky to get right. Tying up a world and the lives of characters if not entirely but satisfyingly is incredibly difficult. This explains why so few series endings are the strongest books in the series. Tragically, Evertrue is a case where the series ending kinda went splat. The more I thought about the book, the more issues I had with it, even though initially I was waffling on whether I liked it or not.
Read the full review at A Reader of Fictions.
Read the full review at A Reader of Fictions.
May 11, 2020
*Sigh* At least this trilogy ended stronger than it began. A few ends were tied up too neatly and the romance went back to being saccharine instead of creepy. I never ended up rooting for the heroine but the “villain” earned the stars. The supporting characters (the dad, the little brother, the best friend, and the band) really got shafted to the point of being bothersome and I hope they all ditch the lovebirds in the future and enjoy the best of life.
August 11, 2016
Official January 2014 Review
Okay, so the story starts off shortly after the ending of Everbound. Total recall of the story: Nikki had went to the Everneath in hopes in freeing Jack, only becoming an Everliving herself because she fed from Cole three times. Cole intends for Nikki to be Queen, but regardless, she only has hopes of destroying the Everneath.
The book has an emotionally crippling ending. It was quite obvious what was to happen, but the way the author describes it...well, I was in tears and sobbing and crying and...everything at the end.
The story follows two major plotlines: 1) destroying the Everneath and 2) Nikki's conflict with Cole. It has always been conflicting to me whether or not Cole likes Nikki since he always seems to be dropping hints, but he never thinks FOR HER. Let me rephrase that: in most of the stories I've read, the bad boy, deep inside, wishes that even though the female protagonist can't be with him, he'll let her be happy and shiz. But because Cole is a pretty selfish man, I'm not sure if he did like her, or he only liked her power or he didn't like her at all.
The second plotline was more developed. The author focuses more on Cole this time, and for this reason, the first plotline was more rushed. It reminded me of Percy Jackson where he's need to find some Greek artifact, but the logistics don't make sense. (You'll understand when you read the book).
If I could recommend one thing, I would recommend Ashton to write a longer book. The book needed more content and details regarding the destroying of Everneath. Oh yeah, and please write an epilogue ): (but it doesn't need to be Clockwork-Princess-50-page-long) It would have made the ending seem less rushed.
Overall, I gave the book five stars, just 'cause it made me feel something. It was also the last book. I enjoyed it, but the first book was my favourite for me.
---
JAN 2014 UPDATE
OH I'M SO EXCITED! I really don't want the series to end, but I NEED THIS BOOK.
--
JUNE 2013 UPDATE
Anyone else think she looks like an octopus o_O?
---
The Everneath series is probably one of my all time favourite series. You have a main character who doesn't need people to defend her and although she is sometimes confused about her feelings for Cole, she knows that deep inside, she loves Jack.
The thing about the Everneath series is that you don't need heavy, steamy romance to make something sweet. In fact, sometimes, just two simple words, Ever Yours, is enough to make you cry.
You don't need a guy to catch a grenade for you, just someone to hold onto you as your mother is being buried.
You don't need some cheesy pickup lines, just a guy who'll watch over you in a distance as your talking to your mother's grave.
That's why I like Jack. He's probably the best male lead I've ever met.
You also have an author who knows how to write. Remember the second book? The hands in the Everneath, all jutting in different directions? That was one creepy scene still imprinted in your mind. She has a perfect mix of description and dialogue in her book to make it paranormally realistic.
Can't wait for the third book of the series!
Okay, so the story starts off shortly after the ending of Everbound. Total recall of the story: Nikki had went to the Everneath in hopes in freeing Jack, only becoming an Everliving herself because she fed from Cole three times. Cole intends for Nikki to be Queen, but regardless, she only has hopes of destroying the Everneath.
The book has an emotionally crippling ending. It was quite obvious what was to happen, but the way the author describes it...well, I was in tears and sobbing and crying and...everything at the end.
The story follows two major plotlines: 1) destroying the Everneath and 2) Nikki's conflict with Cole. It has always been conflicting to me whether or not Cole likes Nikki since he always seems to be dropping hints, but he never thinks FOR HER. Let me rephrase that: in most of the stories I've read, the bad boy, deep inside, wishes that even though the female protagonist can't be with him, he'll let her be happy and shiz. But because Cole is a pretty selfish man, I'm not sure if he did like her, or he only liked her power or he didn't like her at all.
The second plotline was more developed. The author focuses more on Cole this time, and for this reason, the first plotline was more rushed. It reminded me of Percy Jackson where he's need to find some Greek artifact, but the logistics don't make sense. (You'll understand when you read the book).
If I could recommend one thing, I would recommend Ashton to write a longer book. The book needed more content and details regarding the destroying of Everneath. Oh yeah, and please write an epilogue ): (but it doesn't need to be Clockwork-Princess-50-page-long) It would have made the ending seem less rushed.
Overall, I gave the book five stars, just 'cause it made me feel something. It was also the last book. I enjoyed it, but the first book was my favourite for me.
---
JAN 2014 UPDATE
OH I'M SO EXCITED! I really don't want the series to end, but I NEED THIS BOOK.
--
JUNE 2013 UPDATE
Anyone else think she looks like an octopus o_O?
---
The Everneath series is probably one of my all time favourite series. You have a main character who doesn't need people to defend her and although she is sometimes confused about her feelings for Cole, she knows that deep inside, she loves Jack.
The thing about the Everneath series is that you don't need heavy, steamy romance to make something sweet. In fact, sometimes, just two simple words, Ever Yours, is enough to make you cry.
You don't need a guy to catch a grenade for you, just someone to hold onto you as your mother is being buried.
You don't need some cheesy pickup lines, just a guy who'll watch over you in a distance as your talking to your mother's grave.
That's why I like Jack. He's probably the best male lead I've ever met.
You also have an author who knows how to write. Remember the second book? The hands in the Everneath, all jutting in different directions? That was one creepy scene still imprinted in your mind. She has a perfect mix of description and dialogue in her book to make it paranormally realistic.
Can't wait for the third book of the series!
October 6, 2018
Another series finished that has been languishing on TBR shelf...
I didn't know if I was ever going to read/listen to this final book. But, hey Halloween Bingo gave me the push to finally get this series off my tbr. I was initially drawn in by the beautiful covers this series has…especially the first one. While not my favorite Young Adult series, which is most likely due to the fact that this is more Y(oung) and less A(dult), I still found it moderately good. Other readers have found this ending to the series unsatisfactory, but I thought it ended just the way it should have. Plus…Amy Rubinate's voice is always a pleasant voice to listen too.
๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏
~~~~~MY RATING~~~~~
☆3.5☆STARS - GRADE=B-
๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏
~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
Plot~ 3.7/5
Characters~ 3.5/5
The Feels~ 3/5
Pacing~ 3/5
Addictiveness~ 3/5
Theme or Tone~ 3.5/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 3.7/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 4/5
Originality~ 3/5
Ending~ 4/5
๏๏๏
Book Cover~ Quite striking…not as much as the first one, though.
Narration~☆4.5☆ for Amy Rubinate
Series~ Everneath #3
Setting~ Park City, UT & The Everneath
Source~ Audiobook (Library)
๏๏๏
I didn't know if I was ever going to read/listen to this final book. But, hey Halloween Bingo gave me the push to finally get this series off my tbr. I was initially drawn in by the beautiful covers this series has…especially the first one. While not my favorite Young Adult series, which is most likely due to the fact that this is more Y(oung) and less A(dult), I still found it moderately good. Other readers have found this ending to the series unsatisfactory, but I thought it ended just the way it should have. Plus…Amy Rubinate's voice is always a pleasant voice to listen too.
๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏
~~~~~MY RATING~~~~~
☆3.5☆STARS - GRADE=B-
๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏
~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
Plot~ 3.7/5
Characters~ 3.5/5
The Feels~ 3/5
Pacing~ 3/5
Addictiveness~ 3/5
Theme or Tone~ 3.5/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 3.7/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 4/5
Originality~ 3/5
Ending~ 4/5
๏๏๏
Book Cover~ Quite striking…not as much as the first one, though.
Narration~☆4.5☆ for Amy Rubinate
Series~ Everneath #3
Setting~ Park City, UT & The Everneath
Source~ Audiobook (Library)
๏๏๏
Want to read
June 13, 2013
I NEED YOU IN MY LIFE.
my precious I NEEDS IT MASTER, NEEDS IT!
Read
September 17, 2017Thanks to a dear goodreads buddy of mine, I have the courage and okay-ness with dnfing this piece of rubbish.
It's just enough with the annoying-collection-of-cliches romance, dragging plot (for realz. I stopped at page 281 out of 355 total, and nothing had happened. ), and boring-ass characters.
So the romance? There is an abundance of cringe/eye roll-worthy moments of, "I crumpled into Jack's chest," or, "I melted into his chest," or, "my lips trembled, and Jack's arms pulled me to towards him" ......most likely to his fucking chest. No, just stop it, stop it, no.
I want to say they haven't even gone through hell and back so they don't get to do that crap, but they kinda have, so I'll say this instead:
I only find that kinda shit heart wrenching when couples have gone through some crazy-ass war zone, and fought, and felt, and loved, and lost, and all that mumbo jumbo, which some would sum up as, 'going through hell and back.'
So here is what I can use to my advantage; JACK AND NIKKI HAVE NO CHEMISTRY! I JUST DON'T SEE IT! I don't find any of their shit feelz-worthy in the slightest! MOVE BIOTCH! OUTTA THE WAY!
Dragging plot? The plot is just like, wait for it, wait for it, hold on, wait for it, just a moment, hang on a sec- and I just over here like, BISH I DON'T GOT TIME FOR THIS!! HURRY THE FUCK UP!!
Like I said, I was quite close to finishing, and the plot was just like an idea/after thought. NOTHING HAPPENING!
And to top everything off, none of the characters are all that interesting.
Like the other 2 books, the rest of the girl population is portrayed so obnoxiously. They're seen as just a surplus of Forfiets (energy vessels for dem Everlivings) Just 'things' men can easily seduce. And now, several words later, here is my point: all girls that is, except Miss Little Protagonist. It's so fucking pretentious and gear grinding!
Jack is just that perfecty, boring, football jock, who got swept into this mess, and is fighting for his true love....... oh god.... kill me now
Cole... I like him:)
The only thing I found remotely semi-admirable, was the way the author executed Cole's redemption. It gives room for sympathy, but not full forgiveness. Even Nikki didn't fully excuse him from the chopping block, and fall into his arms.
So yeah, that's what I thought of the book, up to page 281 *sigh*
It's just enough with the annoying-collection-of-cliches romance, dragging plot (for realz. I stopped at page 281 out of 355 total, and nothing had happened. ), and boring-ass characters.
So the romance? There is an abundance of cringe/eye roll-worthy moments of, "I crumpled into Jack's chest," or, "I melted into his chest," or, "my lips trembled, and Jack's arms pulled me to towards him" ......most likely to his fucking chest. No, just stop it, stop it, no.
I want to say they haven't even gone through hell and back so they don't get to do that crap, but they kinda have, so I'll say this instead:
I only find that kinda shit heart wrenching when couples have gone through some crazy-ass war zone, and fought, and felt, and loved, and lost, and all that mumbo jumbo, which some would sum up as, 'going through hell and back.'
So here is what I can use to my advantage; JACK AND NIKKI HAVE NO CHEMISTRY! I JUST DON'T SEE IT! I don't find any of their shit feelz-worthy in the slightest! MOVE BIOTCH! OUTTA THE WAY!
Dragging plot? The plot is just like, wait for it, wait for it, hold on, wait for it, just a moment, hang on a sec- and I just over here like, BISH I DON'T GOT TIME FOR THIS!! HURRY THE FUCK UP!!
Like I said, I was quite close to finishing, and the plot was just like an idea/after thought. NOTHING HAPPENING!
And to top everything off, none of the characters are all that interesting.
Like the other 2 books, the rest of the girl population is portrayed so obnoxiously. They're seen as just a surplus of Forfiets (energy vessels for dem Everlivings) Just 'things' men can easily seduce. And now, several words later, here is my point: all girls that is, except Miss Little Protagonist. It's so fucking pretentious and gear grinding!
Jack is just that perfecty, boring, football jock, who got swept into this mess, and is fighting for his true love....... oh god.... kill me now
Cole... I like him:)
The only thing I found remotely semi-admirable, was the way the author executed Cole's redemption. It gives room for sympathy, but not full forgiveness. Even Nikki didn't fully excuse him from the chopping block, and fall into his arms.
So yeah, that's what I thought of the book, up to page 281 *sigh*
Want to read
June 23, 2013Edit 06/23/2013:
So I just realized that if Evertrue continues following Persephone's story, it might mean that Nikki will eventually learn to love Cole.
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
TEAM JACK FOREVER AND ALWAYS. UNLESS SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT'LL TURN JACK INTO A VILLAIN.
Edit 06/13/2013:
Honestly? I don't know what to feel about this cover. It IS amazing (especially when you look at it from afar and realize its overall impact is actually great, especially the swirl at the bottom) but I think it would have looked better if only a little less face was shown and the dress was a bit more... flowy (I think that's the word) like the other covers.
Edit 02/24/2013:
IT HAS A TITLE NOW!
Now I'll just wait here for the blurb and the cover...
So I just realized that if Evertrue continues following Persephone's story, it might mean that Nikki will eventually learn to love Cole.
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
TEAM JACK FOREVER AND ALWAYS. UNLESS SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT'LL TURN JACK INTO A VILLAIN.
Edit 06/13/2013:
Honestly? I don't know what to feel about this cover. It IS amazing (especially when you look at it from afar and realize its overall impact is actually great, especially the swirl at the bottom) but I think it would have looked better if only a little less face was shown and the dress was a bit more... flowy (I think that's the word) like the other covers.
Edit 02/24/2013:
IT HAS A TITLE NOW!
Now I'll just wait here for the blurb and the cover...
December 27, 2015
So this was the last installment of the Everneath trilogy and I am a crying mess of ugly tears. I usually leave reviews until the next day after I finish a book to let it all sink in, but I can’t wait right now.
First I’m going to start with the thing I didn’t like that made me bump it down a star.
Nikki and Jack are possibly the most dim witted characters in this entire trilogy.
I shall give evidence with a quote but first some brief backstory:
So Nikki and Jack were on their way to Cole’s condo to find Nikki’s heart.
“When I was sure we were in the clear, I said, “The bigger problem is, Cole anticipated us.”
But get this, they were going to find something absolutely valuable to Cole’s cause, in a safe that looked newly put in, and they thought that Cole would just leave it in the safe, where really anyone could possibly get to it.
I was really, highly, irreparably b r o k e n when Cole died. You don’t understand, he was the only character that had this sort of inexplicably human side of him that made him so real on a level that no other character in this trilogy had. He had his weaknesses and every bad thing he’d done was him trying to save Nikki and just keep her with him; he had no one.
FULL REVIEW HERE: https://booksandcoffeestains.wordpres...
First I’m going to start with the thing I didn’t like that made me bump it down a star.
Nikki and Jack are possibly the most dim witted characters in this entire trilogy.
I shall give evidence with a quote but first some brief backstory:
So Nikki and Jack were on their way to Cole’s condo to find Nikki’s heart.
“When I was sure we were in the clear, I said, “The bigger problem is, Cole anticipated us.”
But get this, they were going to find something absolutely valuable to Cole’s cause, in a safe that looked newly put in, and they thought that Cole would just leave it in the safe, where really anyone could possibly get to it.
I was really, highly, irreparably b r o k e n when Cole died. You don’t understand, he was the only character that had this sort of inexplicably human side of him that made him so real on a level that no other character in this trilogy had. He had his weaknesses and every bad thing he’d done was him trying to save Nikki and just keep her with him; he had no one.
FULL REVIEW HERE: https://booksandcoffeestains.wordpres...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2017
Και κάπου εδώ γεννιέται το χάος... Σε προσωπικό επίπεδο, δεν μπορώ να βρω σχεδόν κανένα σημείο της πλοκής, του συγκεκριμένου βιβλίου, λογικό. Όλες οι καταστάσεις ακροβατούν στα όρια της παράνοιας, με τους χαρακτήρες να δέχονται τρομερές αλλοιώσεις στον χαρακτήρα τους. Ειδικά ο Τζακ πηγαίνει σε άλλα επίπεδα αντιπαθητικότητας, τόσο που λατρεύω τον Cole ακόμα περισσότερο μετά από του λιναριού τα πάθη που τράβηξα διαβάζοντάς το 3ο και -ευτυχώς- τελευταίο βιβλίο της σειράς. Δεν έχει να κάνει με το γεγονός ότι διαφωνώ με τις περισσότερες αποφάσεις των ηρώων -που διαφωνώ- αλλά με το γεγονός πως καμία απολύτως πράξη τους δεν δικαιολογείται, ενώ τα ψυχογραφήματά τους μπάζουν από παντού. Κρίμα, απλά!
Want to read
June 14, 2013Usually I say I want THAT book!!
But THIS time I say
I WANT THAT DRESS
It's so PREEEEEEEEEETTY
But THIS time I say
I WANT THAT DRESS
It's so PREEEEEEEEEETTY
Want to read
July 3, 2013I really hope she picks cole
January 21, 2014
amazing ending to a super fun trilogy. it ended how it needed to end. and of course, I'll always be team cole!
Check out full review here! http://lindsaycummingsblog.blogspot.com
Check out full review here! http://lindsaycummingsblog.blogspot.com
February 17, 2014
What a disappointing way to end a great book series
So after a long time of wondering if I should write a review of this, I decided that I would. It's always interesting for me to write a review of a book that made me want to gauge my eyes out with a pair of scissors. So lets begin shall we?
Let's start with the characters. If you can even call them that. In books, it's actually rare nowadays to see NO character development. You get a little snippet of Nikki's possible character development in book 2, only for it to be forgotten about in this one.
Nikki is a egocentric brat in this book. The most selfish character I've come across in awhile.
Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants is to be with him and graduate high school.
and boy, are you reminded. Every other page with her and Jack is being all cheesy and it's gross. Don't get me wrong, I adore love in books. Jack and Nikki? that wasn't love that was borderline obsession. I think the thing I hate the most about Nikki in this book, if that instead of taking the throne and making a change which is what the Everneath really needs, she is selfish and decides to commit mass genocide lovely. Just lovely.
Jack on the other hand, is a character in this book but he lacks so much ACTUAL character that he was annoying. The only traits he portrays are: obsessive, stupidity, and blind ignorance. We are all reminded how large he has became in every other sentence which got old real quick. Instead of telling us in every other sentence how big Jack had become, Ashton should have used all that descriptive ability to actually, I don't know, build a setting?
Cole is the only redeemable part of these books. Book 1 had me entranced with him, and by book 2 I was in love. Yet Ashton decides to do a cop out with the best character in the entire book, by being lazy. Or fan servicing, I couldn't tell. Instead of actually making the ending something Cole might actually do, she literally pulls something out of her ass so OOC I had to shut the book. In the beginning of this book, Cole's goals are very straight forward. He wants Nikki to be his queen and he will stop at nothing to get her to do that, is that selfish? perhaps, but at least he didn't commit genocide to be with his "epic luv"
Also, he is barely in this book, figuratively speaking. Unless you count him being a incoherent child half the book with his amnesia Cole.
And finally the writing, which usually in these types of books will save me EVEN if the story is as dumb as this one, but not even her writing could save it. Mainly because it was lacking, her setting building was bad, her character development was badwhat character development and her cop out of a ending meant to look "admirable" and trying to make it look like Nikki was "just trying to survive" had me irritated before the book was even over.
So all in all, this is a 1 star read for me, and if you actually read any of my reviews, you know that's kinda rare.
So after a long time of wondering if I should write a review of this, I decided that I would. It's always interesting for me to write a review of a book that made me want to gauge my eyes out with a pair of scissors. So lets begin shall we?
Let's start with the characters. If you can even call them that. In books, it's actually rare nowadays to see NO character development. You get a little snippet of Nikki's possible character development in book 2, only for it to be forgotten about in this one.
Nikki is a egocentric brat in this book. The most selfish character I've come across in awhile.
Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants is to be with him and graduate high school.
and boy, are you reminded. Every other page with her and Jack is being all cheesy and it's gross. Don't get me wrong, I adore love in books. Jack and Nikki? that wasn't love that was borderline obsession. I think the thing I hate the most about Nikki in this book, if that instead of taking the throne and making a change which is what the Everneath really needs, she is selfish and decides to commit mass genocide lovely. Just lovely.
Jack on the other hand, is a character in this book but he lacks so much ACTUAL character that he was annoying. The only traits he portrays are: obsessive, stupidity, and blind ignorance. We are all reminded how large he has became in every other sentence which got old real quick. Instead of telling us in every other sentence how big Jack had become, Ashton should have used all that descriptive ability to actually, I don't know, build a setting?
Cole is the only redeemable part of these books. Book 1 had me entranced with him, and by book 2 I was in love. Yet Ashton decides to do a cop out with the best character in the entire book, by being lazy. Or fan servicing, I couldn't tell. Instead of actually making the ending something Cole might actually do, she literally pulls something out of her ass so OOC I had to shut the book. In the beginning of this book, Cole's goals are very straight forward. He wants Nikki to be his queen and he will stop at nothing to get her to do that, is that selfish? perhaps, but at least he didn't commit genocide to be with his "epic luv"
Also, he is barely in this book, figuratively speaking. Unless you count him being a incoherent child half the book with his amnesia Cole.
And finally the writing, which usually in these types of books will save me EVEN if the story is as dumb as this one, but not even her writing could save it. Mainly because it was lacking, her setting building was bad, her character development was bad
So all in all, this is a 1 star read for me, and if you actually read any of my reviews, you know that's kinda rare.
May 23, 2015
3.5
to be honest this was my least favorite book of the trilogy ... I don't know why ... maybe because it wasn't as depressing and sad as the previous ones but overall it was ok and.a good conclusion to the series
to be honest this was my least favorite book of the trilogy ... I don't know why ... maybe because it wasn't as depressing and sad as the previous ones but overall it was ok and.a good conclusion to the series
November 5, 2014
A fantastic conclusion to an amazing trilogy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,186 reviews