Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

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Source: Purchased
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format: Hardcover, 370 pages
Release Date: January 24, 2012

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 beautiful and haunting story that will suck you in and refuse to let go until it's told its tale. Unique, addictive and bittersweet.

I had an inkling of worry when I started this novel that the switches between past and present would become confusing or tiring but wow, was I wrong. If anything, the time changes just added to the overall mystery of the story. I loved seeing the constant contrast between how vibrant and wonderful (at least on the surface) the past had been and how Nikki's trip to the Everneath had changed that. There was this feeling of being on the verge of discovering something at every chapter and it just made me want to keep reading more more more.

Nikki was really a fantastic character to get into the head of. Although drained (literally) from her time in the Everneath, Nikki has this strength and courage that I couldn't help but admire. Her whole purpose for returning to Earth warmed me to her instantly and it was her kind and selfless personality that kept me cheering her on.

And it wasn't just Nikki that was incredibly well-written. Cole and Jack were both fascinating characters in their own right. I hear the term 'bad boy' tossed around a lot in the blogosphere but Cole? Damn. There is clearly a lot of emotion and information hiding just under the surface with Cole and I loved the little glimpses of them, whether it was genuine affection for Nikki or something much darker. This boy was such an enigma and I'm having a blast trying to figure him out! And JACK. Jack is sweet, understanding and just there for Nikki, no matter the time or place. I loved him so. much.

Although we don't get as deeply immersed in the mythology as I would have hoped to (but hey, there are still 2 more books!) it was definitely something that held my attention. I love the spins Brodi Ashton has taken on the myths of Orpheus/Eurydice and Hades/Persephone. And speaking of spins... Everneath features a killer ending. I can safely say that I did NOT see that one coming!

Cover Comments: This is the most beautiful cover everrrrrrrrrrrrrr <3 I am hugging it to me AS WE SPEAK.

4 Golden Crowns!