Book Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton {Everneath # 1}

Title: Everneath
Series: Everneath # 1
Author: Brodi Ashton
Publisher: HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray
Date of Publication:Jan. 24, 2012
Genre/Challenge: YA, mythology, paranormal/2013 YA Mythology Challenge
Source: bought, Kindle, 384 pages
Links to Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

From Goodreads:

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.As Nikki’s time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she’s forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s...She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.As Nikki’s time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she’s forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s...

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she’s returned—to her old life, her family, her friends—before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

My Thoughts:

Okay, I have a confession to make.  I am not proud of it but I just couldn't fight either.
*deep breath*

I had a really hard time taking my eyes off this cover.  There I said it.  I even went as far as to imagine myself in that amazing dress while someone would carried fans behind me, all around me, just so the ends would fly carelessly like that.
I know that is vain but wow!  Those colors and the dress are just breathtaking.  If I had me a dress like that I think I would just do everything in it.  Laundry, homeschooling, sweeping.  Everything.
Okay enough of my fetish with the dress.  Sorry.  But I actually feel really better that I got that off my chest.

Now let's get on to the book, Everneath.

This was one of those books that I wasn't sure if I would like it.  There are a lot of books out there with different interpretations of the gods and goddesses of Greek Mythology.  Some I love and others I am just meh about.  I wanted to read this but I wasn't sure where it fit...at first.
When I first started reading it, I really got a Matrix kind of vibe.  Now wait a minute before you throw me out the door and tell me I am crazy...It was only when Nikki was "waking up" so to speak that I related it to Neo's escape out of the matrix.  So loosely reminded me of the Matrix.

The plot of Everneath is a dark one.  Sure it has some comic relief in it and there are some very intense romantic situations but for all intent and purposes-it is a dark story.  Especially after Nikki comes back from being under with Cole.  She comes back with this scary shell of what she was hanging over her, but she is a strong person and you can't help but root for her to find some kind of way out.  Even if every other line she is saying there is nothing she can do.  I almost got annoyed with that but remembering what she went through I guess I can understand that.
I also liked how she would glance back to what made her decide to choose Cole in the first place and the next chapter would be that memory.  At first, it got a little confusing but then once I got used to it.  I was good.  
The characters were pretty intense as well.  Our female protagonist, Nikki, was pretty good.  There were times I wished she had more patience and asked more questions but other times I felt she really did a good job portraying the pain she was going through with her actions and words.
Jack, one of our male protagonists, was one of those really good guys that you just want to pinch his cheeks (on his face, dirty birdies) because he is just an all around nice guy.  He does everything that the typical nice guy does and I liked him okay.
But I have to say I really really really loved Cole.  I know he is the "bad" guy so to speak but I just feel so drawn to him.  I think there is a lot more to Cole than we see in this first book in the series.  I really believe Cole will redeem himself in the rest of the series and I can't wait to read more about how Cole deals with his feelings for Nikki as well as the rejection he gets from her every time she looks at him.  Yes, what he does to people isn't the best thing in the world but I do believe there is a big story just bubbling underneath our Cole and I can't wait to learn even more about my favorite guy.
All in all I liked Everneath.  It lived up to a lot of my mythology rules, even if it was a bit different for how the gods had to survive.  I think this twist makes it even more interesting  and I would like to visit the Everneath more in the following books.
So I give Everneath:

Connect with the Brodi Ashton:
Goodreads | Blog | Twitter | 

Book Review: Darkness Rising: {Legends of Marithia Book #2} by Peter Koevari

Title: Darkness Rising
Series: Legends of Marithia
Author: Peter Koevari
Publisher: self
Date of Publication: November 15, 2011
Source: ebook, 260 pages (received copy from author for my honest opinion of it)
Get Your Own: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:In the aftermath of the Battle of the Elven Woods, the two legends of Marithian prophecy are both dangerously close to the dark grip of death as Marithia suffers under the powers of the Blood Red Moon.
Vartan, prophesised to save Marithia, lays spellbound under the protection of the mythical dragons. The vampire sorceress Kassina, prophesised to bring about their Armageddon has been moved to the underworld by the demon lord himself, Shindar.
A seed of the gods has grown and their greatest gift to Marithians, Anakari, makes her fated journey to discover her purpose.

A former shining jewel of Marithian peace, castle Greenhaven, remains in ruins after its defeat under Kassina's forces and the elves rebuild their war torn city of Veldrenn.
Talonsphere must be found before Marithia merges with the Underworld and Shindar brings about the world's end

My Thoughts:
Please visit my review of the first book in the series here.

Peter Koevari does a fantastic job of world building in this novel.  We learned about Marithia in the first book, and yet I find that I am still being immersed in another side of it in this second installment.  This story has it all : noble dragons, loyal elves, fragile humans, and fierce vampires.  Yes!  I just said vampires!  That is what initially brought me to this series-the concept of having a high fantasy with all your classic characters but then vampires were added to the mix.  It definitely gives fantasy a new twist.
I really liked this idea but I noticed I had a hard time getting into the second novel.  There were parts that seemed to drag on and on without really getting to the point.  This was in the beginning but towards the middle and definitely the end, I found myself going, "Oh my goodness, didn't see that coming!"
Vartan is a strong male lead who is noble and always thinking of his country, his people, and his freedom.  It is filling watching Vartan make the choices he makes and the way he puts himself in the path of danger to save one person.  It was also crushing to see his reaction to Tusdar.
Speaking of Tusdar...wow!  He has been crucial to the story; much more than I thought he would.  I really liked him in the first book and so it is nice to see him still around in the second book.  I can't really talk about him that much because I don't want to give anything away, but he is in love just as much as Vartan is with his love.
In fact, we get to see the concept of love from both sides: good and evil.  It is a nice touch to a story that likes to blur the lines between good and evil.  I feel like there is a lot of the gray area in this story.
We also meet some new characters in the story and we finally get a small but explosive peek into what the gods really are doing.
I still find myself confused by the whole concept of the Talonsphere.  I understand what it will do, who needs to activate it (and who doesn't), and the reason it was made; but I guess I am just anxious for it to be brought to the front.
Nevertheless, there are so many surprising twists in the story you will literally be shaking your head, never seeing it coming.  
Darkness Rising is a high fantasy story that takes many different elements into consideration to take us on an  imaginative journey through a land that is on the brink of falling apart without its hero finding his true potential.
I give it four hearts.

Connect with Peter Koevari a few ways:
Goodreads | website | Facebook

ARC Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagwa {Book 1: Call of the Forgotten}

Title: The Lost Prince
Series: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Expected Publishing Date: Oct. 30, 2012
Format: e-ARC
Source: Net Galley
Get It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.
That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.
Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.
This novel is one of Julie’s books that will have you demanding for the second one as soon as you finish your read.-goodreads summary

My Thoughts:
I truly want to smack myself for not reading more of the Iron Fey books until now.  These stories are so good!  The Lost Prince is a combination of the Iron Fey series and a new series too.  And even though I am completely behind (this is the fifth book in the Iron Fey series) I could still follow the plot really well .  
Julie Kagawa's writing is amazing!  The world of Faery has so many complex areas to it, not to mention the different Fae creatures that live there, that I was constantly being surprised every few pages.  The Iron Realm was pretty darn creative too!  It was like Kagawa took the old stories of Fae and intertwined them with some steampunk to develop these odd and yet totally enjoyable characters.
Speaking of the characters, there are so many to choose from!  Of course, I really liked Ethan, although, there were a few times I wanted him to stop being a jerk.  My favorite trait of his, besides being super yummy, was that he stood up to the bullies.  Even though it was one of Them, he still had his morals.  I loved that about him! 
Kenzie was pretty cool except I could tell she was hiding something.  That made me wonder if I could trust her and then when I did find out what she was hiding, I felt really guilty.  She was the perfect fit for Ethan.  Where he was this "brooding", quiet bad guy persona type, she was this light, stubborn, funny and definitely smart girl that was his equal part.  The dialogue between these two was fun and I loved the flirty nature of each of them.  
Oh Todd was this cute nerdy little guy that I liked a lot.  It seemed like the more Ethan tried to stay away from Them, the more it seemed he was drawn to everything about Them. 
I was able to follow the main plot line very well, especially with this being my first book I have read from the series, and all the different minor threads didn't confuse me either. In fact, it added even more excitement to the story.  Can I just say that the small part Puck plays in has made me a fan for life?  I can't wait to start at the beginning to get to know these massively attractive guys!
I didn't get to read much about the Iron Queen, Ethan's sister, but I feel like Ethan holds so much hostility for her that it blurs the truth for him.  I see she has so much on her shoulders and I think I would really like her.  
It was hard not to get this creepy shiver going down my back when you think there is this unseen world in the shadows always watching.  The Fair folk are such a mesmerizing fantasy anyways, but then Kagawa adds this modern twists and Fae with darker desires too.  
We meet a lot of new characters in this story as well the well loved ones from the other books.  It helps to create this seemingly magical world where good and evil collide and lines between wrong and right get blurred for those you love.  I was deliciously terrified of the antagonists in the story and sickened from what they did just to be remembered; but it made you ask the question: how far would you be willing to go to stay alive?

I gave it five hearts.