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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. First, let me congratulate Devin Greenlee on a superb debut novel! Iโve never read anything like this and I was hooked from the first page. A true YA fantasy novel with vivid descriptions, simple (mostly) sentence structure, and so much imagination.
๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐
โ๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐จ๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐จ๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐บ๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐.
Quill is a seventeen year old who also happens to be the only male dryad ever born. He spends his days tending his familyโs magical garden and heโs desperate to find freedom outside his life. Then one night he meets Liam, the new boy who moves in next door and things start to happen. Someone is breaking into the garden and Quill begins to fall in love, all while sneaking out and finding his freedom.
The suspense lasted until about 80% and then BAM, everything happens. I actually liked the pace because we got to watch the bond between Quill and Liam grow and develop. It was so innocent and sweet!
โ๐ฐโ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐๐ ๐๐. ๐๐๐โ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐โ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
.โ
There were a handful of plot holes or mistakes. A time discrepancy once or twice and while I really enjoyed the ending, I wouldnโt have minded a few more chapters wrapping everything up a bit more solidly. Regardless, this was a fantastic debut and I canโt wait to see what Devin gives us in the future.
๐๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ต๐ฆ: January 16, 2024
๐ผ๐๐พ ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ซ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ข๐ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ง๐๐. ๐๐ฎ ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ ๐ซ๐ค๐ก๐ช๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฎ.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book had potential, especially as a debut, but ultimately I wish the author had asked himself "why?" more often while writing. I also really liked reading a cute, gay romance where being gay was not part of the conflict of the book! The concept of a dryad family running a flower shop was so cute and I wish we had gotten to see even more of them interacting with customers and running the shop.
The writing was young, but as it is a teen book that is not factored into my rating, just a heads up for other readers. My main issue with the story is that the first ~80% of the story is centered around Quill and Liam flirting and sneaking out on dates, and the major conflict of the book is entirely rushed in the last 20%. The emotional moments felt like rushed devices for dialogue and not for real character or story development.
Spoilers below:
There was more potential for a reconciliation with a parent/child relationship that could have resonated with a teenage audience, but the main conflict was never really between Quill and his mother. I liked the struggle with him not having his powers, and him not noticing the signs of his powers the whole book. But at the end, his powers come in suddenly in a BIG WAY, and he has complete control of them, and they just so happen to save the day! Also, if Azazel knew about Quill's powers, and was scared of them, wouldn't Quill be the first mind to take over? And if his mind was protected because of the phantom root (even though that's sort of disproved in the text), why wouldn't Azazel just kill him? If Azazel was already in Laurel's mind, why would she have given Quill the phantom root to begin with? And Azazel being in Laurel's mind at that point would be the only satisfying reason for why Laurel was adamant about not telling their mom, which had Quill done from the beginning, could have prevented the whole conflict. Overall, it was a very rushed and unsatisfying climax and resolution.
Lastly, the flower blooming in the presence of the true love between two seventeen year olds who have known each other for two weeks was so cringe.
TLDR; a lot of potential, needed better pacing and a better grasp of the stakes of the primary conflict.
Thank you Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!
The writing was young, but as it is a teen book that is not factored into my rating, just a heads up for other readers. My main issue with the story is that the first ~80% of the story is centered around Quill and Liam flirting and sneaking out on dates, and the major conflict of the book is entirely rushed in the last 20%. The emotional moments felt like rushed devices for dialogue and not for real character or story development.
Spoilers below:
There was more potential for a reconciliation with a parent/child relationship that could have resonated with a teenage audience, but the main conflict was never really between Quill and his mother. I liked the struggle with him not having his powers, and him not noticing the signs of his powers the whole book. But at the end, his powers come in suddenly in a BIG WAY, and he has complete control of them, and they just so happen to save the day! Also, if Azazel knew about Quill's powers, and was scared of them, wouldn't Quill be the first mind to take over? And if his mind was protected because of the phantom root (even though that's sort of disproved in the text), why wouldn't Azazel just kill him? If Azazel was already in Laurel's mind, why would she have given Quill the phantom root to begin with? And Azazel being in Laurel's mind at that point would be the only satisfying reason for why Laurel was adamant about not telling their mom, which had Quill done from the beginning, could have prevented the whole conflict. Overall, it was a very rushed and unsatisfying climax and resolution.
Lastly, the flower blooming in the presence of the true love between two seventeen year olds who have known each other for two weeks was so cringe.
TLDR; a lot of potential, needed better pacing and a better grasp of the stakes of the primary conflict.
Thank you Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!
fast-paced
Evergreen is only in the loosest sense a reimagining of The Secret Garden, which was the main point of interest for me personally going into it, but at this point I take most comps with a grain of salt anyway. (This book is also a lesson in not judging based solely off of covers because for some reason I went into this thinking it was sapphic??)
Honestly, though, Evergreen is an urban fantasy coming of age story that leans heavily into a romance between Quill, the first male druid and a bit of a Rapunzel character, and Liam, the boy next door. Quill is tasked with taking care of his familyโs magical garden while he struggles to come to terms with the fact that heโs 17 and hasnโt shown any magical capabilities of his own.
Quill is stubborn and selfish, sarcastic and incredibly bitter, yet so fully naive at times. I tend to really enjoy unlikable narrators and he definitely fits the bill, though I canโt tell if it was intentional or not. For most of the book the fact that Quill was just a teenager who made stupid or silly decisions felt like a nice change, but thereโs a point where you expect the main character to grow. With Quill that switch comes late and sudden when Iโd have thoroughly enjoyed a slow build. Outside of that he was sometimes very inconsistent with his narration in a way that doesnโt feel intentional. Something about him stumbling his way through the human world was just so fun to read, though what he knew and didnโt know felt like this part of his character could have benefited from being a little more thought out.
There were also times when the information he was conveying was inconsistent as well. Heโd wax poetic about how he knew every inch of the garden in one chapter, then the next introduce a room heโs never been allowed inside of, then the next reveal that he hardly ever strayed past the front of the garden actually, and a few chapters later complain that heโd walked every inch of it a hundred times over the years. That inconsistency existed in other areas of the writing too, creating plot holes and convenient excuses that were difficult to ignore. I found myself fact checking (tap water does have chlorine in it more often than not and like 90% of gummy worms arenโt vegan) and constantly flipping back and forth to make sure that I wasnโt actually crazy and that there were direct contradictions happening.
That said, getting to read a story based around a family of dryads was interesting and the fantasy elements built into the world were very soft and generally fun and easy to understand. I think the soft world building was the most developed part of the story and allowed for moments that genuinely shone in my opinion. It stayed consistent in ways the other parts of the writing just didnโt.
Honestly, this book just needed another round or two of edits and some more in-depth development. The idea is solid and there are parts that made me want to like the whole book far more than I did. For instance, the โbig badโ and the last quarter of the book? Imagining someone just walking into town and finding that situation? Fantastic creeping horror idea. Itโs going to haunt me, genuinely. (Iโm trying to avoid spoilers so bad, guys.)
There are scenes that shine and the bones to a really great story, but in the end there just wasnโt enough development. I think Greenlee could do some really cool things in the future, this debut was just a little too rushed. It would have benefited from some more eyes on it and another draft, but heโs an author Iโll be keeping an eye on for sure.
[I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for this ARC.]
Honestly, though, Evergreen is an urban fantasy coming of age story that leans heavily into a romance between Quill, the first male druid and a bit of a Rapunzel character, and Liam, the boy next door. Quill is tasked with taking care of his familyโs magical garden while he struggles to come to terms with the fact that heโs 17 and hasnโt shown any magical capabilities of his own.
Quill is stubborn and selfish, sarcastic and incredibly bitter, yet so fully naive at times. I tend to really enjoy unlikable narrators and he definitely fits the bill, though I canโt tell if it was intentional or not. For most of the book the fact that Quill was just a teenager who made stupid or silly decisions felt like a nice change, but thereโs a point where you expect the main character to grow. With Quill that switch comes late and sudden when Iโd have thoroughly enjoyed a slow build. Outside of that he was sometimes very inconsistent with his narration in a way that doesnโt feel intentional. Something about him stumbling his way through the human world was just so fun to read, though what he knew and didnโt know felt like this part of his character could have benefited from being a little more thought out.
There were also times when the information he was conveying was inconsistent as well. Heโd wax poetic about how he knew every inch of the garden in one chapter, then the next introduce a room heโs never been allowed inside of, then the next reveal that he hardly ever strayed past the front of the garden actually, and a few chapters later complain that heโd walked every inch of it a hundred times over the years. That inconsistency existed in other areas of the writing too, creating plot holes and convenient excuses that were difficult to ignore. I found myself fact checking (tap water does have chlorine in it more often than not and like 90% of gummy worms arenโt vegan) and constantly flipping back and forth to make sure that I wasnโt actually crazy and that there were direct contradictions happening.
That said, getting to read a story based around a family of dryads was interesting and the fantasy elements built into the world were very soft and generally fun and easy to understand. I think the soft world building was the most developed part of the story and allowed for moments that genuinely shone in my opinion. It stayed consistent in ways the other parts of the writing just didnโt.
Honestly, this book just needed another round or two of edits and some more in-depth development. The idea is solid and there are parts that made me want to like the whole book far more than I did. For instance, the โbig badโ and the last quarter of the book? Imagining someone just walking into town and finding that situation? Fantastic creeping horror idea. Itโs going to haunt me, genuinely. (Iโm trying to avoid spoilers so bad, guys.)
There are scenes that shine and the bones to a really great story, but in the end there just wasnโt enough development. I think Greenlee could do some really cool things in the future, this debut was just a little too rushed. It would have benefited from some more eyes on it and another draft, but heโs an author Iโll be keeping an eye on for sure.
[I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for this ARC.]
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
M/M, YA fantasy romance. This book was honestly great! The flow and pacing of the story were also great. There was never a dull moment and I really love the progression of the relationship between Quill and Liam. I think the two characters are adorable and I wish the story was longer but anyway, it ended well and those plot twists were not forced; I like how they were gradually unraveled as I was reading through. I actually got a bit terrified when the mother revealed what might have caused all the trouble. Like...what the hell could it be then???
I don't know if this is a plot hole but Liam mentioned that he was allergic to flowers that he even closed Liam's windows because the scent reached his place but when Quill brought him to their garden, he seemed fine that's why I thought he was lying, contributing to the fact that he might be the bad guy. (Edit: this is not a plot hole. I forgot a part in the book and this was answered)
๐ Thank you Netgalley and Devin Greenlee for the eARC copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a very solid debut, and one that I will be recommending to people. I think this did romance-heavy fantasy really well, making the fantasy element accessible and fun, and the romance super cute and heartfelt.
I do think there was a little bit of a tonal shift around the 80% mark. Up until then the book was mostly focused on the romance and on Quill wanting more freedom. Then around 80% the main mystery is solved and it sets a bunch of events in motion. This part of the story felt fresh and enjoyable, but it also felt rushed. I would have enjoyed the book even more if this last part of the book had been fleshed out a little more.
I do think there was a little bit of a tonal shift around the 80% mark. Up until then the book was mostly focused on the romance and on Quill wanting more freedom. Then around 80% the main mystery is solved and it sets a bunch of events in motion. This part of the story felt fresh and enjoyable, but it also felt rushed. I would have enjoyed the book even more if this last part of the book had been fleshed out a little more.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I received this eARC from the author and publisher in return for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the concept of this story. I had many theories about what was happening and who was involved and I was happy to see that I wasn't entirely correct. I felt like the overall story was enjoyable.
However, I immediately disliked Quill as the main character; unfortunately, he did not grow on me. I know that he is a teenager and he is supposed to be moody, make decisions that aren't in his best interest, and to be selfish, but I feel like these characteristics were taken to an extreme and I didn't enjoy that.
With that said, I do not think the story would have worked if he was any other way. So, while it was something that made it difficult for me to enjoy, it did make the story work and that is what a character should do, in my opinion.
There was at least one inaccuracy in the story. I made note of one, but there might be others.Chapter 29- the chapter opens by saying Quill and Liam haven't seen each other for a few days, but have been texting non-stop. A few pages later Quill thinks that he needs to focus on the Liam in front of him, not the one he felt pressing up against him in the water last night. It is nothing major, just something I noticed.
Overall, if you are looking for a YA with an interesting story. I recommend this one.
I really enjoyed the concept of this story. I had many theories about what was happening and who was involved and I was happy to see that I wasn't entirely correct. I felt like the overall story was enjoyable.
However, I immediately disliked Quill as the main character; unfortunately, he did not grow on me. I know that he is a teenager and he is supposed to be moody, make decisions that aren't in his best interest, and to be selfish, but I feel like these characteristics were taken to an extreme and I didn't enjoy that.
With that said, I do not think the story would have worked if he was any other way. So, while it was something that made it difficult for me to enjoy, it did make the story work and that is what a character should do, in my opinion.
There was at least one inaccuracy in the story. I made note of one, but there might be others.
Overall, if you are looking for a YA with an interesting story. I recommend this one.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
โ
โ
I really enjoyed this book. The concept was very intriguing, and well thought out. I think it was also executed very well.
~
I enjoyed the relationship between Liam and Quill, and his family. I found it really fun reading about Quill breaking his mother's rules, and learning how to live and exist in the wider world.
~
The last few chapters were really strange and unexpected, but nice in the the way that the story culminated.
~
There is definitely more I should be saying about this book, but I also can't actually formulate any concrete thoughts or words about it.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm giving Evergreen by Devin Greenlee a 4/5 stars rating, and I want to express my gratitude to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an early copy.
Netgalley describes this book as a Secret Garden retelling, while the author suggests it's more of a Rapunzel retelling. In my opinion, it embraces elements of both, though I wish the execution had been better.
Quill, the first male dryad ever born, captured my heart as a character. His upbringing involved homeschooling and being confined to his house with his mother and their garden. The introduction of a new family, including the human boy Liam, adds a layer of intrigue to Quill's sheltered life. The desire to explore the outside world grows in Quill, coinciding with Liam's curiosity about him.
The initial 60% of the book is undeniably cute and enjoyable to read. However, the plot takes a backseat until the very end, which was a bit disappointing. Despite this, the charm and two-thirds of the love story between Quill and Liam make the narrative quite endearing. While the plot may be lacking, the strong character development makes it deserving of a high rating.