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bmg20's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars
“Remembering is easy. It's forgetting that's hard.”
Nikki wants to forget. She wants to forget that the man responsible for her mothers death has been set free. She wants to forget about the girl she saw walking out of her boyfriends dorm room. She just wants to forget and to stop hurting. And Cole is the answer to her problems because he's an Everliving. She stays with Cole in the Everneath as his Forfeit. He Fed on her energy for 100 years before she was empty and he was fully satisfied, but she didn't die. She was able to Return to the living and her life and say the final goodbyes she wasn't able to say the first time before she has to return to the Everneath for good.
I must say I was completely intrigued by the mythology aspects of this book and was the big reason I finally read this (well that and I ended up with an ARC of Everbound). But there was quite a difference between this and the original Hades and Persephone myth. There were also bits of Egyptian hieroglyphics/mythology that were thrown in which didn't appear to have much connection to the original story and didn't make much sense period. But I found the storyline to be strikingly similar to the Matrix. Weird statement, I know, but hear me out.
"After the Feed, the Forfeits are used to power the Everneath. They supply thew hole place with energy. Cole calls it a battery. One little cog in a giant generator."
Human beings are harvested for their heat and small amount of electricity they produce which is then used to power the Matrix. With the Everneath, it seems as if emotions are harvested for energy but both concepts struck me as eerily similar. Especially since ultimately humans are being used as a power source.
The beginning of the story had a bit of a rough start. The Everneath and the entire Feeding process was poorly explained and left a lot of questions. But my big issue was the fact that Nikki reappears after being gone for 6 months (even though 100 years passed in the Everneath) but everyone brushes it off as her having simply ran away. From what knowledge we're given about her character she was a good kid that didn't act out or get into a lot of trouble but everyone is under the assumption that she had ran off and ended up going into rehab. And her father didn't appear shocked at all and there was no reference to him even looking for her. Considering her father is the Mayor I would have expected there would've been a bit more attention given to her disappearance.
Nikki's whole reason for returning was to give her loved ones a proper goodbye but once she does she barely talks to anyone and acts like she wants nothing to do with Jack especially. She only had a certain amount of time before she had to return and she was wasting it. It really made me wonder why she went back at all. That whole bit didn't make a lot of sense to me.
Again, her whole reason for Returning was to say goodbye. She didn't have any flicker of hope that she would be able to remain on earth, but as soon as she did she began to frantically come up with a plan. She decided to involve Jack on everything she had been through and his complete acceptance of everything including the bits about Cole feeding off her for 100 years was so completely unrealistic it was ridiculous. To use another Matrix reference, even Neo lost his shit and puked all over the place when he found the gruesome truth and he was a straight badass.
I must say though, despite the major issues I may have had with this novel, for some reason it still ended up being a super entertaining read. There wasn't any instalove or even very much of a love triangle, although there are two male love interests. I have a feeling though that there's more potential for a love triangle developing in future installments. The super fantastic ending wasn't that super fantastic, however, it did manage to tug at my heart strings a bit. I'll still be continuing this series despite my low rating because I feel that it still holds some potential. *fingers crossed*
“Remembering is easy. It's forgetting that's hard.”
Nikki wants to forget. She wants to forget that the man responsible for her mothers death has been set free. She wants to forget about the girl she saw walking out of her boyfriends dorm room. She just wants to forget and to stop hurting. And Cole is the answer to her problems because he's an Everliving. She stays with Cole in the Everneath as his Forfeit. He Fed on her energy for 100 years before she was empty and he was fully satisfied, but she didn't die. She was able to Return to the living and her life and say the final goodbyes she wasn't able to say the first time before she has to return to the Everneath for good.
I must say I was completely intrigued by the mythology aspects of this book and was the big reason I finally read this (well that and I ended up with an ARC of Everbound). But there was quite a difference between this and the original Hades and Persephone myth. There were also bits of Egyptian hieroglyphics/mythology that were thrown in which didn't appear to have much connection to the original story and didn't make much sense period. But I found the storyline to be strikingly similar to the Matrix. Weird statement, I know, but hear me out.
"After the Feed, the Forfeits are used to power the Everneath. They supply thew hole place with energy. Cole calls it a battery. One little cog in a giant generator."
Human beings are harvested for their heat and small amount of electricity they produce which is then used to power the Matrix. With the Everneath, it seems as if emotions are harvested for energy but both concepts struck me as eerily similar. Especially since ultimately humans are being used as a power source.
The beginning of the story had a bit of a rough start. The Everneath and the entire Feeding process was poorly explained and left a lot of questions. But my big issue was the fact that Nikki reappears after being gone for 6 months (even though 100 years passed in the Everneath) but everyone brushes it off as her having simply ran away. From what knowledge we're given about her character she was a good kid that didn't act out or get into a lot of trouble but everyone is under the assumption that she had ran off and ended up going into rehab. And her father didn't appear shocked at all and there was no reference to him even looking for her. Considering her father is the Mayor I would have expected there would've been a bit more attention given to her disappearance.
Nikki's whole reason for returning was to give her loved ones a proper goodbye but once she does she barely talks to anyone and acts like she wants nothing to do with Jack especially. She only had a certain amount of time before she had to return and she was wasting it. It really made me wonder why she went back at all. That whole bit didn't make a lot of sense to me.
Again, her whole reason for Returning was to say goodbye. She didn't have any flicker of hope that she would be able to remain on earth, but as soon as she did she began to frantically come up with a plan. She decided to involve Jack on everything she had been through and his complete acceptance of everything including the bits about Cole feeding off her for 100 years was so completely unrealistic it was ridiculous. To use another Matrix reference, even Neo lost his shit and puked all over the place when he found the gruesome truth and he was a straight badass.
I must say though, despite the major issues I may have had with this novel, for some reason it still ended up being a super entertaining read. There wasn't any instalove or even very much of a love triangle, although there are two male love interests. I have a feeling though that there's more potential for a love triangle developing in future installments. The super fantastic ending wasn't that super fantastic, however, it did manage to tug at my heart strings a bit. I'll still be continuing this series despite my low rating because I feel that it still holds some potential. *fingers crossed*
laughlinesandliterature's review against another edition
4.0
So I did end up really enjoying this book even though it wasn't what I expected at all. I liked Nikki, Jack, Jules and Cole's persistence. I didn't like Cole's evasiveness, the back and forth between then and now in order to explain what happened. This book just really wasn't what I expected and I think thats mostly what my hang up is. I'm honestly considering this a 3 star book but I think that is just myself not getting what I expected. It's a little bit of disappointment and surprise since I did really enjoy it but a little disappointed because I guess I was expecting more of a love connection between Nikki and Jack. I get that the biggest problem was that Nikki just disappeared and so there was rebuilding that had to happen but I mostly just felt bad for these two people and didn't really have anything to make up for it. Overall 4 stars and I'll get the next book but it'll have to work hard to impress me to get another 4 star rating.
kayladbruns's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't expect to get sucked into this book as much I did. I loved the retelling of Hades/Persephone and Orpheus/Eurydice. It has a bit of Mythology and romance. The flashbacks kind of confused me a bit, but it really gave you a backstory on how Nikki got in this situation. I feel as if the author is building the story for a love triangle later on between Nikki, Jack and Cole. The ending had me rushing to get my hands on book 2! Like seriously, that ending!
paigeypng's review against another edition
4.0
This was one of the books that was recommended to me on GoodReads, and I think it was because I read Abandon by Meg Cabot. So if you read that, you will definitely like this book! I think I would have liked it more if I understood the mythology behind it, because it's been a while since I've read that stuff. But I really like this love story, and I can't wait to read the second one.
girlinthepages's review against another edition
2.0
This book had such good reviews among the goodreads community that I was disappointed when I finally picked it up.
I love the idea of basing it off of the myth of Persephone, and there's so many directions the book could have gone in. I loved the glimpses into the world of the Everneath, and the idea of the Everliving, but these bits were few and far between compared to the mundane high school events that comprised a majority of the book. It felt disjointed and was hard for the reader to settle into, because the author just throws you into the story with little world-building and background and reveals things in small pieces later, by which the reader has already had to make their own assumptions or has lost interest in the author's original intent.
I enjoyed the use of the anti-hero in Cole and while Jack is loveable and a seemingly genuine good-guy, a lot of the relationship drama felt weak. For example, the "falling out" with one of the males that drove the protagonist to make a life-altering decision was nothing more than a simple misunderstanding that was rather cliché and easily detectable. Had the situation that she thought she saw been real would have made the book much more complex and interesting, as it would have given the characters actual issues to work through and a realistic portrayal of the flaws in every relationship.
I was also frustrated with the shallow character development of the two main males in particular. In a YA series where there is so obviously a love triangle being employed right from the get-go, depth is needed with all love interests involved in order for it even to seem remotely interesting or dramatic. Cole's story is obviously going to be expanded upon during the sequel, but I was so disappointed in Jack. He's a likeable character, but he's reportedly some major heart-throb and known for being a player in half of the book and in the other half portrayed as the most steadfast, one-woman man there is with a serious, if shallowly explained, emo streak.
Also, many of the plot drivers in this book are just too convenient, you can see where the author blatantly came up with a solution rather than intricately weaving a story. I mean, at one of the climactic and down to the wire moments at the end the characters just happen to know someone who knows a leading expert on anthropology and apparently Egyptian archaeology as well who can be conveniently called on his cell phone to answer a bunch of vital questions that gives them info on the existence of Everlivings...
Overall I came into this book with way too high of expectations. It was a quick read once I decided I may as well finish it because there were some mythological details and world-building I so desperately wanted, but was never really satisfied with. I did enjoy some of the peripheral characters, finding Will especially likeable and hilarious, as well as the barely mentioned subplot of his PTSD after spending a year in active military service. But alas, as with most of the novel, an interesting idea was presented and then never expanded upon or properly explained.I may pick up the sequel for a quick read if I happen across it at the library, but I'm honestly glad I didn't spend my money investing in this particular YA series.
I love the idea of basing it off of the myth of Persephone, and there's so many directions the book could have gone in. I loved the glimpses into the world of the Everneath, and the idea of the Everliving, but these bits were few and far between compared to the mundane high school events that comprised a majority of the book. It felt disjointed and was hard for the reader to settle into, because the author just throws you into the story with little world-building and background and reveals things in small pieces later, by which the reader has already had to make their own assumptions or has lost interest in the author's original intent.
I enjoyed the use of the anti-hero in Cole and while Jack is loveable and a seemingly genuine good-guy, a lot of the relationship drama felt weak. For example, the "falling out" with one of the males that drove the protagonist to make a life-altering decision was nothing more than a simple misunderstanding that was rather cliché and easily detectable. Had the situation that she thought she saw been real would have made the book much more complex and interesting, as it would have given the characters actual issues to work through and a realistic portrayal of the flaws in every relationship.
I was also frustrated with the shallow character development of the two main males in particular. In a YA series where there is so obviously a love triangle being employed right from the get-go, depth is needed with all love interests involved in order for it even to seem remotely interesting or dramatic. Cole's story is obviously going to be expanded upon during the sequel, but I was so disappointed in Jack. He's a likeable character, but he's reportedly some major heart-throb and known for being a player in half of the book and in the other half portrayed as the most steadfast, one-woman man there is with a serious, if shallowly explained, emo streak.
Also, many of the plot drivers in this book are just too convenient, you can see where the author blatantly came up with a solution rather than intricately weaving a story. I mean, at one of the climactic and down to the wire moments at the end the characters just happen to know someone who knows a leading expert on anthropology and apparently Egyptian archaeology as well who can be conveniently called on his cell phone to answer a bunch of vital questions that gives them info on the existence of Everlivings...
Overall I came into this book with way too high of expectations. It was a quick read once I decided I may as well finish it because there were some mythological details and world-building I so desperately wanted, but was never really satisfied with. I did enjoy some of the peripheral characters, finding Will especially likeable and hilarious, as well as the barely mentioned subplot of his PTSD after spending a year in active military service. But alas, as with most of the novel, an interesting idea was presented and then never expanded upon or properly explained.I may pick up the sequel for a quick read if I happen across it at the library, but I'm honestly glad I didn't spend my money investing in this particular YA series.
krish_'s review against another edition
4.0
This book has everything I typically hate in young adult books. Like, the Big Ones - thin storyline, plot holes, dark and damaged boys, all the side caricatures, etc. But this book took me off guard about midway through because despite the fact that this girl's world is very clearly centered on a boy, face palm, Brodi Ashton's Everneath is a book with sincerity. That's what gripped my heart the rest of the way, through the exhilarating path to the whirlwind (pun intended) of a finale.
Nikki (also known as Nik and Becks) is back from a six-month absence from a century-long Feed in the Everneath with Cole, an Everliving. She pops up from the ground and whoosh, she's in high school. Say what? I was stunned. I knew she came back for Jack but couldn't she have just knocked on his door? Like, girl, you don't have to go through school to see him, ya know. Oh, but wait, because she explains that it was one of the deals her father made after her return. That and peeing in a cup. That for being a runaway, rehab or no rehab. Haha, okay. And he's a mayor. Haha, okay.
Anyway, I'm pointing that out because I'm still trying to accept the fact that I liked this book. I still can't quite believe it. I skimmed it. And yet I give it four stars.
Why did I like it? Because, because this book had so much heart. Nikki, really wanting to make things right this time. And Jack, just trying to tell her he still loves her. They both exert self-control that you just do. not. get. anymore. in. this. genre. And for that alone I commend them. (I promise you, if this was any one of the many other chicks I've read, she would be throwing her body herself down into the Everneath to be with the cold, cutting, no-hearted Cole). But there's more. There are some very touching, and yes, swooning, scenes between the two. Like they do stuff I would do/have done/do in real life. But ew, don't think dirty okay? This was completely cutesy-romancey love, okay, perverts.
There is some depth to this book...according to other readers. Something about how Nikki is like a recovering addict. Oh wow, yeah, totes man! Cole was totally her drug. Snap fingers, light bulb over head. I see it now. Ahem. In all seriousness, though, it's true. It's just subtle, so it's easy to miss. But nice one, Ashton.
So back to Nikki/Nik/Becks and Jack. :D . Whatever else this book has going for it, I read it (mostly) purely as a romance (you saw the 'mostly', right?). Because Becks and Jack are an absolute Aww!! JUsT LEt THEm bE TogETher Puhleeese! I mean yes, she may be a bit bland (but who isn't sometimes?) and he may be a bit too good to be true (no guy like him exists so why deprive ourselves in our own imaginations?)...but it totally worked for me.
I swooned, I ugly-cried, I air-punched, I may have at some point yelled out "you go girl" or "that's my boy" or "stop cock blocking him, Cole" or "this is eeeepiiic!!".
Judge me.
I dare you.
But before you do, I need to tell you that I didn't edit any of that. So like, don't judge my grammar or my overuse of commas or my addiction (oops, haha, inappropriate!) to italics I just like em okay. But my mentality, haha, yeah, I already know, don't worry.
XXX
That's triple kisses, not triple ex like porn oh my god stop me.
Nikki (also known as Nik and Becks) is back from a six-month absence from a century-long Feed in the Everneath with Cole, an Everliving. She pops up from the ground and whoosh, she's in high school. Say what? I was stunned. I knew she came back for Jack but couldn't she have just knocked on his door? Like, girl, you don't have to go through school to see him, ya know. Oh, but wait, because she explains that it was one of the deals her father made after her return. That and peeing in a cup. That for being a runaway, rehab or no rehab. Haha, okay. And he's a mayor. Haha, okay.
Anyway, I'm pointing that out because I'm still trying to accept the fact that I liked this book. I still can't quite believe it. I skimmed it. And yet I give it four stars.
Why did I like it? Because, because this book had so much heart. Nikki, really wanting to make things right this time. And Jack, just trying to tell her he still loves her. They both exert self-control that you just do. not. get. anymore. in. this. genre. And for that alone I commend them. (I promise you, if this was any one of the many other chicks I've read, she would be throwing her body herself down into the Everneath to be with the cold, cutting, no-hearted Cole). But there's more. There are some very touching, and yes, swooning, scenes between the two. Like they do stuff I would do/have done/do in real life. But ew, don't think dirty okay? This was completely cutesy-romancey love, okay, perverts.
There is some depth to this book...according to other readers. Something about how Nikki is like a recovering addict. Oh wow, yeah, totes man! Cole was totally her drug. Snap fingers, light bulb over head. I see it now. Ahem. In all seriousness, though, it's true. It's just subtle, so it's easy to miss. But nice one, Ashton.
So back to Nikki/Nik/Becks and Jack. :D . Whatever else this book has going for it, I read it (mostly) purely as a romance (you saw the 'mostly', right?). Because Becks and Jack are an absolute Aww!! JUsT LEt THEm bE TogETher Puhleeese! I mean yes, she may be a bit bland (but who isn't sometimes?) and he may be a bit too good to be true (no guy like him exists so why deprive ourselves in our own imaginations?)...but it totally worked for me.
I swooned, I ugly-cried, I air-punched, I may have at some point yelled out "you go girl" or "that's my boy" or "stop cock blocking him, Cole" or "this is eeeepiiic!!".
Judge me.
I dare you.
But before you do, I need to tell you that I didn't edit any of that. So like, don't judge my grammar or my overuse of commas or my addiction (oops, haha, inappropriate!) to italics I just like em okay. But my mentality, haha, yeah, I already know, don't worry.
XXX
That's triple kisses, not triple ex like porn oh my god stop me.
nbwalks's review against another edition
5.0
Actual Rating: 4.5
This is one of the best mythology books I have ever read! It wasn't perfect but it was pretty close.
Brodi Ashton was capable of making each page ooze emotion. Whatever Nikki was feeling, I was able to feel. When she was happy, I was happy. Etc. Etc. But the worst emotion to have felt from her was her emptiness. (So I guess that is actually a lack of emotion but whatever) It was really intense and it kind of brought me down but in a good way if that makes sense. I thought this was pretty cool since the whole novel is basically about emotions and being able to feel them brought the reading experience to a whole new level.
I loved the mystery! At first I was getting frustrated since I wanted to know what Cole was hiding and why Jack&Nikki were now Jack and Nikki. So many questions kept popping up and when an answer or two were given, all they did was produce more questions! I didn't like it at first but it kept me intrigued (Which I guess was the point...).
I also liked how it switched between the present and the past every so often. I liked being able to see Nikki when she was whole with her emotions and actually felt her pain. It showed how much she lost which makes the reader sympathize her.
At first I was iffy on my feelings towards Jack. I never fully trusted him in the beginning because of all the mystery surrounding what he did to Nikki that made her not want to feel. He was also described as a typical first-string QB who has basically dated the whole cheerleading squad which did not help his cause. But then, as we finally got to know him, I think I have found a new book boyfriend! He became the sweetest thing ever to the point where it was like I was meeting a less intense version of Peeta (I don't think any guy can take Peeta's spot on my list as the sweetest boy ever). The great thing about the relationship between Nik and Jack was that it didn't feel rushed since they had a history. The flashbacks helped build their relationship which made it more genuine.
As for Cole, I still have mixed feelings about him. I want to hate him for what he did to Nik but I can't...He has that whole broken-bad-boy thing going on which, sadly, I am a sucker for. His vulnerable moments were my favorite and I couldn't help feeling sorry him (I mean the boy doesn't even have a heart!! How can you not empathize that??) You could also tell that he somehow has at least some feelings for Nikki despite the fact that he says he can't feel. Poor boy is probably confused and doesn't know how to deal with things so he brings out his snarky side.
I was also tricked by this author! I believed that the guitar was Cole's heart!! Bravo Ashton for actually catching me off guard!!
What could have made it a perfect 5:
I would have liked to see some more development for the subordinate characters. I barely know Jules. I only know that she feels hurt or betrayed or something by Nikki but I don't really know why. I just know the basics, and since the relationship between the two wasn't developed, the detail felt insignificant since something was missing.
I also wanted the family relationships to be more developed since Nikki felt bad about not being able to say goodbye to her dad and Tommy when she left the last time. Her guilt made sense because of the fact that they were family but otherwise then it was empty. I didn't understand her family at all.
With the lack of the character development for subordinate characters, it was like there were only 3 people in the world. Sure they were the focus of the story, but it still needed more. We got glimpses of other characters, and some were a little more developed than others, but when the story had these interactions it felt empty.
Nikki was my other problem. She was a good protagonist but she wasn't as strong as I would have liked. It seemed like she gave up when she should have been fighting. She was stronger with Jack but I like a strong girl without needing a man that does that to her. She should have been her own hero.
The Redemption
The ending. It was perfect. It made me love Jack soooo much more and *sigh* I can't even talk about it because it made me happy and it made me depressed at the same time.
Final Point: Read it because it is one of the best mythology books out there!!!!
This is one of the best mythology books I have ever read! It wasn't perfect but it was pretty close.
Brodi Ashton was capable of making each page ooze emotion. Whatever Nikki was feeling, I was able to feel. When she was happy, I was happy. Etc. Etc. But the worst emotion to have felt from her was her emptiness. (So I guess that is actually a lack of emotion but whatever) It was really intense and it kind of brought me down but in a good way if that makes sense. I thought this was pretty cool since the whole novel is basically about emotions and being able to feel them brought the reading experience to a whole new level.
I loved the mystery! At first I was getting frustrated since I wanted to know what Cole was hiding and why Jack&Nikki were now Jack and Nikki. So many questions kept popping up and when an answer or two were given, all they did was produce more questions! I didn't like it at first but it kept me intrigued (Which I guess was the point...).
I also liked how it switched between the present and the past every so often. I liked being able to see Nikki when she was whole with her emotions and actually felt her pain. It showed how much she lost which makes the reader sympathize her.
At first I was iffy on my feelings towards Jack. I never fully trusted him in the beginning because of all the mystery surrounding what he did to Nikki that made her not want to feel. He was also described as a typical first-string QB who has basically dated the whole cheerleading squad which did not help his cause. But then, as we finally got to know him, I think I have found a new book boyfriend! He became the sweetest thing ever to the point where it was like I was meeting a less intense version of Peeta (I don't think any guy can take Peeta's spot on my list as the sweetest boy ever). The great thing about the relationship between Nik and Jack was that it didn't feel rushed since they had a history. The flashbacks helped build their relationship which made it more genuine.
As for Cole, I still have mixed feelings about him. I want to hate him for what he did to Nik but I can't...He has that whole broken-bad-boy thing going on which, sadly, I am a sucker for. His vulnerable moments were my favorite and I couldn't help feeling sorry him (I mean the boy doesn't even have a heart!! How can you not empathize that??) You could also tell that he somehow has at least some feelings for Nikki despite the fact that he says he can't feel. Poor boy is probably confused and doesn't know how to deal with things so he brings out his snarky side.
I was also tricked by this author! I believed that the guitar was Cole's heart!!
Spoiler
I had no idea that it was really the pick! I started having suspicions that it wasn't the guitar but I never figured out what it was until Cole pulled it out of his pocket!!What could have made it a perfect 5:
I would have liked to see some more development for the subordinate characters. I barely know Jules. I only know that she feels hurt or betrayed or something by Nikki but I don't really know why. I just know the basics, and since the relationship between the two wasn't developed, the detail felt insignificant since something was missing.
I also wanted the family relationships to be more developed since Nikki felt bad about not being able to say goodbye to her dad and Tommy when she left the last time. Her guilt made sense because of the fact that they were family but otherwise then it was empty. I didn't understand her family at all.
With the lack of the character development for subordinate characters, it was like there were only 3 people in the world. Sure they were the focus of the story, but it still needed more. We got glimpses of other characters, and some were a little more developed than others, but when the story had these interactions it felt empty.
Nikki was my other problem. She was a good protagonist but she wasn't as strong as I would have liked. It seemed like she gave up when she should have been fighting. She was stronger with Jack but I like a strong girl without needing a man that does that to her. She should have been her own hero.
The Redemption
The ending. It was perfect. It made me love Jack soooo much more and *sigh* I can't even talk about it because it made me happy and it made me depressed at the same time.
Final Point: Read it because it is one of the best mythology books out there!!!!
ohmycookies's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyable book and verry easy to read. But i do wish she ended up with another guy.
juliajoanneblack's review against another edition
4.0
Actual rating is 4.5 stars. If it wasn't for Jack I would have given it a full of 5 but anyway. Can't wait for Everbound.