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beachybookstack's review against another edition
3.0
Ohh boy, a modernized mythology in a blender. Count me interested. A pretty cover? Check. It's on sale in the Kindle store? Excellent.
So I've finished it and it was thoroughly ok. A standard 3 stars for a promising premise and possibly a decent love story that goes off the rails for me because....
Nikki needs to stop moping around, she came back for Jack? Ok so talk to him damnit. Limited time left? Stop wasting your time.
Jack---I see reviews that say how perfect Jack is. Sure he's ideal but in the end (literally) he fulfills the tragic twist that was bound to happen. Because Orpheus.
Their relationship---can YA stop acting like staring is the most that can happen? Ohh my god they kissed? I'm sorry, if you're about to get sucked into hell tomorrow you'll probably let your boyfriend sleep over IN your bed. Maybe you'll even NOT sleep. There aren't rules or repercussions at that point.
Spoilers: they're doomed and treat Cole like it's his fault. It's not his fault Nikki chose to go with him. It's definitely her daily that she came back, and Cole offers her a way to not die an awful soul destroying death. Yet he's the bad guy?
This had a similar triangle as the Soul Screamers series, but it missed the mark by sticking to the myth. Orpheus was doomed, Persephone goes between Hades and the surface. I wanted more about the Everneath and its workings than Nikki's high school lunch hour. Maybe that's more built up in the next few books but I'm not feeling that hunger for more of these characters.
Recommended: Soul Screamers series (Kayleigh, banshees, love triangles, demons, complications of death)
So I've finished it and it was thoroughly ok. A standard 3 stars for a promising premise and possibly a decent love story that goes off the rails for me because....
Nikki needs to stop moping around, she came back for Jack? Ok so talk to him damnit. Limited time left? Stop wasting your time.
Jack---I see reviews that say how perfect Jack is. Sure he's ideal but in the end (literally) he fulfills the tragic twist that was bound to happen. Because Orpheus.
Their relationship---can YA stop acting like staring is the most that can happen? Ohh my god they kissed? I'm sorry, if you're about to get sucked into hell tomorrow you'll probably let your boyfriend sleep over IN your bed. Maybe you'll even NOT sleep. There aren't rules or repercussions at that point.
Spoilers: they're doomed and treat Cole like it's his fault. It's not his fault Nikki chose to go with him. It's definitely her daily that she came back, and Cole offers her a way to not die an awful soul destroying death. Yet he's the bad guy?
This had a similar triangle as the Soul Screamers series, but it missed the mark by sticking to the myth. Orpheus was doomed, Persephone goes between Hades and the surface. I wanted more about the Everneath and its workings than Nikki's high school lunch hour. Maybe that's more built up in the next few books but I'm not feeling that hunger for more of these characters.
Recommended: Soul Screamers series (Kayleigh, banshees, love triangles, demons, complications of death)
jennkei's review against another edition
3.0
Ultimately disappointing. I guess it's the first book of a trilogy..or something. And protagonist so kuudere. I get that it's hard for her to sort out her feelings, but..meh. I would have given this 4/5, but the non-ending was really predictable.
yodamom's review against another edition
3.0
Hades and Persephone and old tale that never gets old. Nikki is a teen just enjoying her boyfriend and her life till something goes wrong. She makes a choice that takes her away for 100 years. For a hundred years she is wrapped around and connected to Cole, who absorbs all her emotions. She awakes undamaged like others who have gone through this 'feed'. Then she turns away from him and travels back to the surface to find her love, Jack. The face she has thought of everyday for the last 100 years. Luckily 100 years in the underworld is only six months on the surface.
I had some issues with the telling of the story. Nikki was supposed to come back without any emotions and yet, she yearns for her life. The whole story is emotional. Teenage melodrama deluxe, with dating jealousy, misunderstandings and parents. Her hate for Cole and her need for Jack where endless. The everyone just accepted her back with out any real questions ? Really ? Cole, he was always treated badly. I have hope this will change in the next books. but the animosity he received bothered me.
I loved her fight to gain respect for the adults she abandoned on her run to the underside. Her father was realistic and well written. The school and the other students reactions to her sudden return was also realistic. The relationship between her and Jack was sweet and I could believe it. His hate for Cole was understandable. The clue that they found was something new and exciting to the story line.
it was a good tale, I could not put it down, even with the flaws. I was disappointed in the inconsistencies and melodrama. I did not know this was the first in a series so I was screaming at the cliffhanger ending. Phew. I will read the next one.
I had some issues with the telling of the story. Nikki was supposed to come back without any emotions and yet, she yearns for her life. The whole story is emotional. Teenage melodrama deluxe, with dating jealousy, misunderstandings and parents. Her hate for Cole and her need for Jack where endless. The everyone just accepted her back with out any real questions ? Really ? Cole, he was always treated badly. I have hope this will change in the next books. but the animosity he received bothered me.
I loved her fight to gain respect for the adults she abandoned on her run to the underside. Her father was realistic and well written. The school and the other students reactions to her sudden return was also realistic. The relationship between her and Jack was sweet and I could believe it. His hate for Cole was understandable. The clue that they found was something new and exciting to the story line.
it was a good tale, I could not put it down, even with the flaws. I was disappointed in the inconsistencies and melodrama. I did not know this was the first in a series so I was screaming at the cliffhanger ending. Phew. I will read the next one.
karalyndawn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I first read this book about 10 years ago and I absolutely loved it and would have given it 5 stars. Reading as an adult I still liked it but definitely have grown up and found books that have more substance to them. Overall it still is a great book and I read it really fast! I like the concept, a persephone retelling in a different way than most have approached the myth. The author was great at packing in lots of colorful details and plot in a short amount of time. I loved Jack. And Cole! I can’t decide who I liked better. It broke my heart at the end.
tashaseegmiller's review against another edition
5.0
This book is incredible. I was sucked in from page one and could not stop thinking about it. The plot is original and the writing is beautiful and emotional and fantastic. I'm already dying for #2...
emrodav's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book. I love re-tellings of myths, and the story of Persephone and Hades holds a special place in my heart. Their story has always been my favorite. So I think my expectations might have been too high for Everneath.
I tried so hard to like the book, but nothing worked for me. First, just Nikki's name was confusing. Sometimes she's Nikki, sometimes Becks, and it's really disorienting when you aren't familiar with a character. Nikki also just wasn't interesting. Yes, she had her emotions sucked out of her or whatever, but that's a terrible place to start a novel. You need a narrator who feels things and can express them. Every time Nikki got closer to feeling something, it was awkward as hell.
And then we come to the romance. Was I supposed to like Cole? Was I supposed to root for him to win Nikki's heart? Because no. Just no. That will never happen. Every scene with him left a bad taste in my mouth. (Frankly, it all seemed like a precursor to a rape metaphor, but that wasn't fleshed out or handled at all.)
And the good boy, Jack, wasn't developed any better. We just know he's a typical, unobtainable boy who I definitely like Jack better than Cole, but that's honestly not saying much.
The paranormal element to this so-called paranormal romance was completely lacking. I wanted mythology and world-building, but all I got was information about Park City, Utah. Boring. If I cared about Utah, I'd drive for a day or two and find out. What a reader wants is to be enchanted by the other-worldly and the mundane alike. Ashton failed on both counts.
Everneath had a lot of promise, but time and again failed to live up to it. I was left disappointed.
I tried so hard to like the book, but nothing worked for me. First, just Nikki's name was confusing. Sometimes she's Nikki, sometimes Becks, and it's really disorienting when you aren't familiar with a character. Nikki also just wasn't interesting. Yes, she had her emotions sucked out of her or whatever, but that's a terrible place to start a novel. You need a narrator who feels things and can express them. Every time Nikki got closer to feeling something, it was awkward as hell.
And then we come to the romance. Was I supposed to like Cole? Was I supposed to root for him to win Nikki's heart? Because no. Just no. That will never happen. Every scene with him left a bad taste in my mouth. (Frankly, it all seemed like a precursor to a rape metaphor, but that wasn't fleshed out or handled at all.)
And the good boy, Jack, wasn't developed any better. We just know he's a typical, unobtainable boy who
Spoiler
may or may not have cheated on Nikki?The paranormal element to this so-called paranormal romance was completely lacking. I wanted mythology and world-building, but all I got was information about Park City, Utah. Boring. If I cared about Utah, I'd drive for a day or two and find out. What a reader wants is to be enchanted by the other-worldly and the mundane alike. Ashton failed on both counts.
Everneath had a lot of promise, but time and again failed to live up to it. I was left disappointed.
sam_hartwig's review against another edition
3.0
Hmm how can I start this review? I guess I'll start by saying that I didn't really like this to begin with. Once I realised that Nikki was so unlikeable because she had been sucked of all her emotions I started to get more into the story. The idea of using mythology and bringing it into the 21st Century is really cool. The author must've done quite a bit of research into making her story feel real, like there really could be cults out there that believe in Everlivings.
I know a lot of people really loved this book but for me there was something missing. I can't say why I didn't get into this book more, I think the characters weren't interesting enough and the story was a little predictable. I did like it but I didn't LOVE it because there wasn't anything to love about it. It was a good enough story that kept me entertained and wanting to know more but I'm not dying to read the next book in the series anytime soon.
Something I really loved was the way the story was written. It didn't start at the beginning, It starts with Nikki waking up in the Everneath but as a reader you have no idea how or why she got there and every second chapter we learn a bit more about Nikki's decision to go with Cole to the Everneath.
On a side note the narrator was the same as when I listened to 'Blood Red Road' which I found very weird to have two books that I listened to so close to each with the same narrator.
Also on my blog
I know a lot of people really loved this book but for me there was something missing. I can't say why I didn't get into this book more, I think the characters weren't interesting enough and the story was a little predictable. I did like it but I didn't LOVE it because there wasn't anything to love about it. It was a good enough story that kept me entertained and wanting to know more but I'm not dying to read the next book in the series anytime soon.
Something I really loved was the way the story was written. It didn't start at the beginning, It starts with Nikki waking up in the Everneath but as a reader you have no idea how or why she got there and every second chapter we learn a bit more about Nikki's decision to go with Cole to the Everneath.
On a side note the narrator was the same as when I listened to 'Blood Red Road' which I found very weird to have two books that I listened to so close to each with the same narrator.
Also on my blog
stuckinafictionaluniverse's review against another edition
2.0
Recommended for nostalgic fans of The vampire diaries, who loved the drama in season 1, right before it became good and dropped some of the silliness.
Although Everneath doesn’t look similar to TVD at first glance, I had so many flashbacks to the show while reading it.
A retelling of the Persephone? Sign me up! Sadly this didn’t deliver at all.
The premise is that there’s a world below ours called Everneath, where Everliving have discovered the secret to eternal life.
These creatures remain young forever by feeding off humans’ emotions whom they’ve dragged there. The humans turned into nourishment are called Forfeits.
Cole is an Everliving who convinced our desperate and broken MC to give up her human life, join him in the Underworld and become his Forfeit for a century in Everneath time.
Nikki spent six months in human time in this place, and recently returned to her world.
Now she has an additional six months to spend at the Surface, where she tries to say goodbye to her loved ones and correct all the mistakes she made.
Cole is back and tries to convince her to spend eternity with him and become queen of the Everneath. Unless she agrees, the Tunnels will come for her and torture her
There’s also some stuff about how precious and different Nikki is from the other Forfeits but let’s not go into that.
Phew! Summaries are my kryptonite, but I had to explain this premise because otherwise y’all would’ve looked like question marks once I share my thoughts.
Signs you’re reading a crappy YA paranormal:
*Stereotypical characters.
The highschoolers in this book are flawless. How the fuck does that work?
It’s hard to believe every single teenager in this book are outgoing, loved by everyone and look like they just jumped out of an Abercrombie & Fitch ad. Seriously, they all participate in 20 activities and are popular or even famous.
You’re either in a rock band, where people are swooning and begging for a autograph wherever you go or the star of a sports team.
Meanwhile, at my school, people are rocking the Adidas sweatpants trend, the posture of someone who’s sit in front of their computer for 12 hours and have a vocabulary that only extends to dirty jokes. Trust me, it’s not a flattering look.
Everyone is a special little snowflake. It’s easy to see through these people. They are one-dimensional cardboard cutouts.
There’s our main character who is speshul!!! for some reason, the bad boy/stalker and the good old charming and trustworthy guy.
Our secondary characters include a best friend who’s there but not really there; the lame, worried dad with a big heart and the mean girl who wants the MC’s boyfriend for herself.
We've heard it all before.
*Short, snappy and impersonal writing. Failed attempts at witty dialogue or deep declarations of love.
*Vague world-building and explanations. This book desperately needs more mythology. The concept is destined for greatness, and while the world certainly isn't forgettable, the world is a little fussy and
*The setting is an American high school where they host like 5 proms a week, everyone knows everyone and the whole place is pitch-perfect.
*The characters always talk about the crazy paranormal stuff that’s going on in public, because that’s clever and no one will be surprised when they hear that someone will be dragged down into the Underworld lest they spend eternity with an Everliving!
My biggest problem with Everneath were the characters, who lacked originality and any sort of depth.
Elena Our MC Nikki is the only character in this book who isn’t perfect. She’s really just your average teenage girl with very little personality and zero interests.
She’s insecure and wonders why anyone loves her, bla bla.
But wait! Nikki is speshul!!!
Everything changed last year when she met a MYSTERIOUS BOY.
EnterDamon Cole. He is drop-dead sexy, mysterious and gorgeous. His wardrobe consists only of black, he’s cocky and sarcastic and oh, did I mention he’s in a band? This guy’s a total dreamboat, and who can resist him when he persuades you to literally spend eternity with him? SWOON.
He climbs through Nikki's window every night and plays classical music pieces on his guitar. He paints rad prints on his black t-shirts. He is an immortal who manipulates and lies, and has no emotions except for love for our super special main character. DOUBLE SWOON.
Conclusion: Cole is a perfect, except that he’s annoying as fuck, evil and a stalker.
Stefan Jack is the quarterback of the football team, ridiculously smart and perfect in every way. Looking for Mr. Nice guy? Here you have him.
He’s likable, funny and charming. Jack and Nikki have been good friends for a long time, but why on earth did he date her last year?? Nik, who’s so flat and nothing special.
The plot’s repetitive, slow and uninteresting up until the last 10%, when it finally picks up. You can soak in all the mythology, faster pacing and less angst. We end on a surprising note, one that made me mark the sequel as a maybe.
Still, I couldn’t look past the unnecessary drama, a plot that seemed to take one step forward and two back, as well as flat characters. This is why I shy away from PNR.
Although Everneath doesn’t look similar to TVD at first glance, I had so many flashbacks to the show while reading it.
A retelling of the Persephone? Sign me up! Sadly this didn’t deliver at all.
The premise is that there’s a world below ours called Everneath, where Everliving have discovered the secret to eternal life.
These creatures remain young forever by feeding off humans’ emotions whom they’ve dragged there. The humans turned into nourishment are called Forfeits.
Cole is an Everliving who convinced our desperate and broken MC to give up her human life, join him in the Underworld and become his Forfeit for a century in Everneath time.
Nikki spent six months in human time in this place, and recently returned to her world.
Now she has an additional six months to spend at the Surface, where she tries to say goodbye to her loved ones and correct all the mistakes she made.
Cole is back and tries to convince her to spend eternity with him and become queen of the Everneath. Unless she agrees, the Tunnels will come for her and torture her
There’s also some stuff about how precious and different Nikki is from the other Forfeits but let’s not go into that.
Phew! Summaries are my kryptonite, but I had to explain this premise because otherwise y’all would’ve looked like question marks once I share my thoughts.
Signs you’re reading a crappy YA paranormal:
*Stereotypical characters.
The highschoolers in this book are flawless. How the fuck does that work?
It’s hard to believe every single teenager in this book are outgoing, loved by everyone and look like they just jumped out of an Abercrombie & Fitch ad. Seriously, they all participate in 20 activities and are popular or even famous.
You’re either in a rock band, where people are swooning and begging for a autograph wherever you go or the star of a sports team.
Meanwhile, at my school, people are rocking the Adidas sweatpants trend, the posture of someone who’s sit in front of their computer for 12 hours and have a vocabulary that only extends to dirty jokes. Trust me, it’s not a flattering look.
Everyone is a special little snowflake. It’s easy to see through these people. They are one-dimensional cardboard cutouts.
There’s our main character who is speshul!!! for some reason, the bad boy/stalker and the good old charming and trustworthy guy.
Our secondary characters include a best friend who’s there but not really there; the lame, worried dad with a big heart and the mean girl who wants the MC’s boyfriend for herself.
We've heard it all before.
*Short, snappy and impersonal writing. Failed attempts at witty dialogue or deep declarations of love.
*Vague world-building and explanations. This book desperately needs more mythology. The concept is destined for greatness, and while the world certainly isn't forgettable, the world is a little fussy and
*The setting is an American high school where they host like 5 proms a week, everyone knows everyone and the whole place is pitch-perfect.
*The characters always talk about the crazy paranormal stuff that’s going on in public, because that’s clever and no one will be surprised when they hear that someone will be dragged down into the Underworld lest they spend eternity with an Everliving!
My biggest problem with Everneath were the characters, who lacked originality and any sort of depth.
She’s insecure and wonders why anyone loves her, bla bla.
But wait! Nikki is speshul!!!
Everything changed last year when she met a MYSTERIOUS BOY.
Enter
He climbs through Nikki's window every night and plays classical music pieces on his guitar. He paints rad prints on his black t-shirts. He is an immortal who manipulates and lies, and has no emotions except for love for our super special main character. DOUBLE SWOON.
Conclusion: Cole is a perfect, except that he’s annoying as fuck, evil and a stalker.
He’s likable, funny and charming. Jack and Nikki have been good friends for a long time, but why on earth did he date her last year?? Nik, who’s so flat and nothing special.
The plot’s repetitive, slow and uninteresting up until the last 10%, when it finally picks up. You can soak in all the mythology, faster pacing and less angst. We end on a surprising note, one that made me mark the sequel as a maybe.
Still, I couldn’t look past the unnecessary drama, a plot that seemed to take one step forward and two back, as well as flat characters. This is why I shy away from PNR.
sweetea121389's review against another edition
4.0
This book reminded me so much of Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. I got so attached to the characters that at the end of this book I cryed. I would recommend you read this book if you liked Hush Hush.
nenolove's review against another edition
5.0
Breathtaking story about true love that does not end even in death. The author goes back and forth in the time and present giving you details on how the present came to be. This was an excellent way of providing the information to us and that leaves us wanting more. I never got tired of the story because of this and I just kept wanting to read it. Can't want till the second book! ^^