Although I found the beginning a little slow and confusing, Everneath quickly became a fast and engaging read. The fast-paced action and cliffhanger chapter endings made it a hard book to put down, and I found myself reading the whole second half in one sitting! I was intrigued by Brodi Ashton’s re-imagining of ancient Greek and Egyptian mythology. I also appreciated the fact that Everneath is somewhat unique in the world of YA literature—although it is something of a paranormal romance and much of it takes place in a high school setting, Ashton’s characters and plot are more original than most things I’ve read in this genre. I was pleasantly surprised by Nikki Beckett, the protagonist, and her willingness to take responsibility for her own actions and situation. Although at times I had trouble connecting with her, for the most part, I found Nikki a sympathetic and likeable character. I enjoyed Ashton’s twist on the popular love triangle, as well. I also loved the ending, which was bittersweet and very different from what I had expected!

However, I did have some quibbles with Everneath. Up until the end, I felt like I had a hard time buying the central romance; throughout the book, Nikki makes frequent mention of how much she loves her boyfriend, Jack, and how lucky she feels to be with him, but I didn’t feel like I really saw the love between them until the very end. I found myself wishing that Ashton had shown us a little more of what made Nikki and Jack perfect for each other, rather than just telling us several times throughout the story that they were. I found myself wanting more backstory about the Everneath, and about how Cole and the other Everlivings made the choice to pursue eternal life. (Maybe we’ll get a little more of that in the sequel.) In general, I felt like Everneath was a good, quick read, but could have benefited from a little more depth and nuance.

Overall, however, I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to reading the sequel. Everneath would be a great read for teens and adults who enjoy current trends in paranormal romances and want a unique take on familiar themes.

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: 7 mild obscenities, 1 scatalogical term, 1 anatomical term

Violence/Gore: Two references to fights that happened previously (no detail). A character threatens another. A character is given a magical wound that they describe as feeling like the stab of a knife (there is no blood or gore). A brief fight breaks out. A character is injured in a rafting accident and blood is described. Throughout the story, there are references to paranormal attacks that are somewhat creepy in a fantasy way.

Sex/Nudity: A girl wonders if her boyfriend wants to have sex. A girl suggests to her friend that maybe her boyfriend wants to have sex. (Both of these references are very subtle.) A girl wishes her mother was around to talk to her about “things like sex.” A girl is caught coming out of a boy’s dorm room and it is implied that they might have had sex (but the reader isn’t sure). Throughout the story there are several instances of flirtation, romance, and kissing, including 4 extended scenes that are a page or longer.

Mature Subject Matter:

Death of a parent, finding redemption, sacrifice.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

A character is suspected of using drugs. A place is described as smelling of alcohol and there is a reference to characters (possibly underage) drinking. A character is described as drunk on a few occasions. A reference is made to a character having spiked the punch at a party when he was in high school.