Waiting on Wednesday: Evertrue by Brodi Ashton

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is EVERTRUE by Brodi Ashton.  It will be released on January 21, 2014 by Balzer and Bray.
 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants is to be with him and graduate high school. But Cole tricked Nikki into feeding off him, and she’s begun the process of turning into an Everliving herself... which means she must feed on a Forfeit soon — or die.

Terrified for her survival, Nikki and Jack begin a desperate attempt to reverse the process using any means possible. Even Cole, who they expected to fight them at every turn, has become an unlikely ally — but how long can it last? Nikki needs to feed on Cole to survive, Cole needs Nikki to gain the throne in the Everneath, Jack needs Nikki because she is everything to him — and together, they must travel back to the Underworld to undo Nikki’s fate and make her mortal once more. But Cole isn’t the only one with plans for Nikki: the Queen has not forgotten Nikki’s treachery, and she wants her destroyed for good. Will Nikki be forced to spend eternity in the Underworld, or does she have what it takes to bring down the Everneath once and for all?

In this stunning conclusion to the Everneath trilogy, Brodi Ashton evokes the resiliency of the human spirit and the indomitable power of true love.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I can't wait for this one.  I loved the way Everbound ended, and I just can't believe how awesomely sneaky Cole is!!!  I just don't know how it's going to end.

 

Neverfall by Brodi Ashton

Neverfall by Brodi Ashton

Novella published by Harper Collins (Harper Impulse)

Release Date:  Available Now

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Gritty, Personal and Transcendent

A thrilling new novella from the author of the Everneath series!

Jack is trapped for eternity in the Tunnels while Nikki has managed to evade Cole's grasp . . . for now. But Cole is more desperate than ever to find answers about Nikki, his best chance for taking over the throne of the underworld. How did she survive the Feed? Can Cole find another Forfeit like her who can survive it too?

Cole's quest leads him to the other side of the world, to a mysterious, dangerous society known as the Delphinians, whose price for information might be higher than Cole can pay—a price that could destroy Nikki. But when Cole attempts to steal the answers instead, his mission ends in disaster. Faced with centuries in a Delphinian dungeon, Cole is confronted with questions he's been too scared to ask himself: Is he really obsessed with the throne—or is he obsessed with Nikki? And can she really give him a new beginning as the Everneath's king . . . or will she instead bring about his tragic end?

“It had shaped my soul to fit with hers and only hers.  It had graced me to see the truth but simultaneously prevented me from doing anything about it.  In the moment I faced dying, I finally knew my reason for living.”  Loc 1255-1257

For the most part, I am a fan of novellas, the growing trend in YA literature.  I love getting to see through another character’s eyes, and I especially love getting to delve deeper into a book’s world.  However, with every novella I’ve read, there seems to be something missing, and I can’t quite put my finger on what it is.  All I know is I’m not fully satisfied at the end.  And this happens with my favorite characters—Warner’s Destory Me, Aiden’s Elixir.  I don’t know what it is, but I just want something more.

This novella is written from Cole’s point of view, and if you follow my reviews, then you know I am a HUGE fan of Cole.  I like the broody, rebellious guys; and I even have a soft spot for the bad guys—hoping that maybe they aren’t beyond redemption.  So, of course, the best part of this, for me, was getting to see inside Cole’s head—see how he thinks, what his motivations are, how far he is really willing to go—and who he is willing to lose.  I definitely saw a new side of Cole in this one, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. 

From the first book, I have heard that Cole gained a huge following, which I think was quite a surprise.  I’m thinking that this book was part of Brodi’s way of showing us who he truly is so we won’t be so enamored by him.  We see how truly obsessed Cole is with ruling the Everneath, and even more so, with Nikki.  But, it’s not the Romeo and Juliet, Catherine and Heathcliff kind of tragic love obsessed; instead, it almost seems more dangerous and sinister.  Cole is more dangerous that I would have imagined, being that I believed (and still do somewhat) that he is going to take a turn to the side of good.  Seeing this side of him was definitely enlightening.

What bugged me about the novella, though, is that if felt rushed and slightly unfinished.  Cole is searching to find how Nikki survived the feed, and this action fell flat for me.  I was intrigued by the Delphinians because this was a new aspect to the history of the world; however, Cole’s search for them and eventual meeting just didn’t have the flare I wanted.  It did open my eyes to the cruelty of the Everneath and everything surrounding it, but I expected fireworks, and instead got a bit of playing with matches.

Still, I liked the revelation that Cole had at the end.  It fit more with what I imagine Cole to be, as opposed to what his actions say about him.  I still don’t think he can be trusted, but I think that he still has a heart, and as long as he has a heart, he can be saved—or better yet, do the saving.

I’ll leave you with a quote that made me laugh at loud.  (I will say, I liked Cole’s humorous inner monologues).

“I considered for a moment grabbing Jack, squishing him into the shape of a giant football, and spiking him into the bus; but I refrained.  Jack may have had a small brain, but the rest of him was quite large.” Location 572-572

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Everbound by Brodi Ashton

 

Hey everyone!  The YA Sisterhood is crazy excited to host the EVERBOUND Blog Tour and Giveaway today!  A Big Thank You to Rockstar Book Tours for hosting this tour!  We are huge fans of the Everneath series (even though we all are on different teams), and we can't wait to see what's next!

 

Be sure to enter to win a signed copy of EVERBOUND after my review!

 

**************************************

 

Everbound by Brodi Ashton

ARC received from HarperTeen

Release Date:  1-22-2013

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Ever-lustful, Ever-heart-breaking, Ever-entertaining

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.

 

I was scared to start this one because I am firmly in the Team Cole category (go ahead, judge me, I don’t care!), and I know that it can’t work out because he is, what I consider, the dark hero who will be responsible for Nikki’s freedom and her downfall.  Jack is her man, her white knight, and it will always be him she loves---blah!  So, there is where my hesitation came from, BUT I am so glad I read this one.  It was fantastic!  Brodi brought the Everneath to life (even though it is, technically, death), and I was drawn straight into this blood-thirsty, powerful, and upside-down world. 

Besides Cole, the world that Brodi created was my favorite part of the book.  In order to find Jack, Nikki must trek through the rings of the Everneath—all the while, facing darkness and dangers that are unthinkable and terrible.  Brodi borrowed slightly from Dante’s description of the Underworld, but she gave it her own spin.  The imagery was full and dimensional, and I really felt like I was watching it on the big screen as I was reading it.  The rings were somewhat non-threatening at times, but you just knew it was an illusion and that around the next corner lurked something completely and irrevocably evil.  The Everneath is full of amazing terror…I have no idea why Nikki wouldn’t want to rule it!  But that’s my maniacal lust for power that apparently Nikki doesn’t share J  Cole, sweetie, I will rule with you any day!

Nikki was the same Nikki as the one we saw in Everneath.  She is both strong and weak, depending on the situation, but it is her love for Jack that keeps her going.  I truthfully am not a huge fan of her because I think she is too rash.  She leaps head first without thinking about the consequences or even to see how far the fall might be.  She leaves behind her family and friends, with no explanations, and that kind of bugs me about her.  I admire her for risking her life for the person she loves, but I think there had to be a better way for her to handle everyone else.  So…that’s my beef with her, but it might just be me judging her because I think she’s choosing the wrong guy.

And my favorite:  Cole!!!!  Even for those of you who are firmly in the “Kick Cole’s Butt” Category,  I think you will like seeing a bit more from his background.  I loved seeing things from his perspective, and I think you can really see that Nikki is everything to him.  Now whether his intentions are pure are not—that’s yours to judge.  I think he is truly in love with her and that will eventually bring out his true heart, but he is so afraid of something that he keeps those true feelings hidden.  You can really see this in this installment because Cole’s friends are all concerned with protecting him from Nikki.  So while he might have ulterior motives (I mean he does want to take over the world), I still think his actions come from the heart—even though he technically doesn’t have one!  J

And

The

Ending!!!

Looking back, I probably should have suspected, but I didn’t!  I didn’t see it coming at all!  And let me tell you, WoW!  What an ending it is!  I can’t believe I have to wait at least another year to find out how everything ends!!!!!

For fans of Everneath, mythology, and paranormal romance, this is a MUST READ!!!

I was sucked in from the very first page!

 Betrayal. 

Angst. 

Heartbreak. 

Revelations. 

Everbound has it all!!!!!!!!!!!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teaser Tuesday: Everbound by Brodi Ashton

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!

(make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Everbound by Brodi Ashton
Published by HarperTeen
Release Date:  1-22-2013

 

"'You made me a better person, I mean, a better immortal.' He said that last part with a wink." ARC Pg 37

 

"I got the feeling that these boys liked danger."  ARC pg 149

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I'm a little less than halfway through, and I am loving this so far!  I will admit that Nikki bugs me, but that's only because she dislikes Cole, and I am firmly planted in the Team Cole to rule the Underworld team.  Even though I know she will never be with him, there is still something about him.  Not to mention that Jack is just not my type--too nice.  But, either way, the action is great, and I'm getting a hefty dose of Cole!  :)

 

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Release date:  January 24th, 2012
HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray
Reviewed by: AmyG (Big Sis)
Sister's Say:  Enticing, Eloquent, and Eerily foreboding

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. 
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... (-goodreads)

First off, I need to thank HarperCollins for sending me this gorgeous ARC.  I've been eyeing if for months with that beautiful red dress surrounded by those spooky clouds.  I would love to frame this book cover and hang it up on my wall!  Who needs art when there are book covers like this out there!

Everneath isn't just a book with a pretty cover though.  The writing, the imagery, and the characters make it as beautiful on the inside as the out.  We at the YA-Sisterhood all share a deep love of Greek mythology.  Call it having an English teacher as a mom or just a love of classical education, but throw in some Greek Mythology and it's hook, line, and sinker for us!  Greek mythology has been slowly routing out a place for itself in YA literature, and I couldn't be more happy about it!  Everneath is just the right amount of Greek mixed with just the the perfect touch of modernization!

The most profound thing about Evermeath was the imagery.  Brodi Ashton has a way with words that brings the story to life.  The tunnels, the shades, and the animation of the emotions were tangible.  I can still close my eyes and see them as if I were actually Nikki.  There is this scene at a dance in which the Everlings are feeding off the emotions of the crowd and all at once it was both horrifying and beautiful.  Part of me wishes I could have actually seen it while the more sane part doesn't agree.  From the opening pages to the last page Everneath oozes these fantastic images.  They are hauntingly gorgeous and will leave you breathless and wanting more.

For those of you asking, "where's the romance?" Never fear, there is a love triangle to rival all love triangles!  First off, there's Jack, the dreamy boy next door that encompasses everything that Nikki desires.  On the other hand, there's Cole the epitamy of the broken bad boy that is oh so redeemable.  While reading this book, I was sadly that "love the one you're with" girl.  I cheered "Jack, Jack, Jack" during his scenes and "Cole, Cole, Cole" through his pages!  Please don't make me choose!  You will be hard pressed to find 2 more different characters with the same amount of dreaminess!  I would love to see a showdown between Jack and Cole in the Crush Tourney with all cards laid on the table, and see who would come out the victor!  Maybe that would help me choose!  Umm, yeah, probably not!

Most of the time, I am not a fan of the disrupted or broken timeline that appears in Everneath, but it worked perfectly here.  So much of the novel deals with time that the broken sequence of it, helped develop parallel emotions between the characters and the reader.  Nikki's time slowly ticks away at the beginning, but as the book proceeds the time gaps get smaller and time slips by faster.  I found my heart rate increasing and actually felt anxious for Nikki as time seemed to drain quickly away.  This was actually a brilliant way to pace the novel!  It was like watching the sand run out in an hourglass and there was absolutely nothing I can do to stop that last grain of sand from slipping to the bottom.

I cannot give this book or Brodi Ashton enough praise.  Everneath needs to be on every YA lovers bookshelf, especially those that adore Greek Mythology.  Brodi creates a story that at first seems familiar with the allusion to the Greek myths only to throw you for a complete loop.  At the exact point that I thought I knew what was about to happen, she completely knocked me off my feet.  Brilliant I tell you, brilliant!  It's all the Greek mythology I love with twist of her own that left me completely speechless and crying on the floor with the knowledge that it will be a whole year before I can read book 2!

Teaser Tuesday: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) 

 Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

         

          "It's the decisions the human characters make, in impossible situations, that have us still talking about them centuries later.  Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with." 

(ARC, 133)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Everneath by Brodi Ashton is published by HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray and will be released January 24th, 2012.  You do not want to miss this one!!!