Review - Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton

Title: Everneath

Author: Brodi Ashton

Series: 1st in planned series

Pages: 370

Published: January 3rd, 2012 by Balzer + Bray

ISBN: 9780062071132

Source: Around The World Tours

 

Description: 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... 

I Give This ...

 

This one sounded interesting from the beginning.  Girl vanishes only to reappear 6 months later with no real explanation as to were she has been.  To make matters worse, she knows she will disappear again 6 months later.  How do you make appends to the people you've hurt, only to have to adequately say goodbye and leave them forever?

I had a hard time with the story at first.  I totally did not understand the Everneath and how Nikki got there.  I understood a little bit about why she was back.  It frustrated me.  But, then I realized I was going to have to deal with it because that part of the story would come slowly in flashbacks.  I hope too many people don't give up on this book because it gets significantly better after the first slow 100 pages.

I liked the courage that Nikki had to walk back into her life.  She could have taken the easy way out from the beginning and stayed in the Everneath.  But, her memory wasn't completely wiped clean of her human past like it should have been.  She could always see Jack's face even if she couldn't remember his name.  This is what drives her to return.  While back on Earth, she slowly regains all the little memories she lost while in the Everneath.  She has to deal with the rumors of were she's been, not to mention a father who has completely lost faith in her.  And she has no real answers to give anybody.  I loved watching her reconnect with everyone around her.  It's slow and painful at first.  

Jack was a real interesting part of this story.  You can tell that he is really in love with Nikki, which was why I never understood what had happened to make Nikki choose Cole and the Everneath.  When she comes back, he never pushes her.  I loved how he knew from the beginning that it would have to be on Nikki's terms, he just had to make her see what she meant to him.  I hated how everybody judged Nikki because of what her leaving did to Jack.  Granted, I know the circumstances look bad and no one could begin to understand the truth, But, hardly anyone gave her half a chance.

 I'm really intrigued by Cole.  I'm not sure if he is just fascinated with Nikki because she did the unexpected or if there is something else to it.  I get the feeling there's a bigger picture here that we aren't getting yet.  He really did make me mad a lot though.  He really manipulated Nikki from the beginning.  I think he's use to getting what he wants and Nikki is so determined to walk away from him. It frustrates him.

I wish the ending hadn't have been so cliche, but I can't think of another way for it to end.  It's not a huge cliffhanger either  I'm looking forward to the next installment.  There's more to this story!