'Evertrue' by Brodi Ashton

Evertrue (Everneath, #3)
By Brodi Ashton
Published: Jan, 21, 2014
Read: April 2014
Format: Kindle

Rating: B

“I had believed there was no such thing as redemption. I knew now I was wrong. Redemption had not come from grand gestures of dashing bravery. It had not come from successfully completing twelve impossible labors. Instead, redemption transpired from the small, quiet places.”

Here's the thing about the Everneath series: It's pretty cheesy. Reading through most of the quotes on Evertrue's Goodreads page, I rolled my eyes and wondered why I liked the series. Despite its cheesiness though, it's also funny and captivating. (Warning: Spoilers for the first two books are below.)

Nikki was a normal girl with a normal boyfriend (Jack) until she met Cole, who just so happens to be an Everliving. In order to stay eternal, Everlivings have to feed off mortals for 100 years (which, in our world, turns out to be about 6 months). Cole uses his powers and Nikki's vulnerability to lure her into the Everneath and act as his Forfeit. Except unlike most Forfeits, she returns to Earth unaged when the Feeding is over. Turns out her love for Jack was powerful enough to keep her grounded and not turn her elderly, like it does to most Forfeits. But the price is that she is marked and the Tunnels come for her. Jack sacrifically gives himself to the Tunnels in her place at the end of the first book, and she spends the second book trying to rescue him with Cole by her side. She does so successfully (of course), but Cole informs her at the end that because she fed off him three times while in the Everneath, she is now turning into an Everliving and must find a Forfeit or she'll die.

In Evertrue, Jack and Nikki's mission is to destroy the Everneath so she can return to her mortal self and they can live happily ever after. Like I said, it's fairly cheesy. But for some reason I couldn't put it down. It's interesting and unlike other books I've read. The writing is also witty and I found myself chuckling at the dialogue. It's fantasy and not supposed to be realistic, so I think it has a bit of a license to be unbelievable and groan-worthy.

I also liked the character development in this book, particularly from Cole. We begin to see that he's not such a bad guy after all, and may in fact be a hero. The mythology that is discussed in the first two books is explained more and all loose ends are wrapped up, as they should be in the conclusion of a series. Sure, this is a rather fluffy read and won't impress scholars, but I enjoyed it.

'Into the Still Blue' by Veronica Rossi

Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky, #3)
By Veronica Rossi
Published: Jan. 28, 2014
Read: March 2014
Format: Kindle

Rating: B

“We have to tell each other the little things, the bad things. Maybe they’ll hurt for a while, but at least they won’t become big things. If we don’t, we’re just going to keep hurting each other. And I don’t want to do that anymore.”

I've been horrible about writing reviews for the books I've read this year. For a while I wasn't reading, but I've started to read a lot again in the last couple of months since my daughter was born. I have a lot of time while I feed her, so I've used that to read. Unfortunately I haven't kept up with my reviews, so here I am in December writing a review for a book I read in March. My reviews may not be as thorough as what I've written in the past, and I'll probably be writing well into 2015 to catch up, but I'm going to do my best to keep my promise.

Into the Still Blue was the third and final book in the Under the Never Sky series by Veronica Rossi. It was a series I found through Goodreads and to be honest I was reluctant to read the first book because of the cover, but I'm really glad I gave it a chance. Like many of the books I read, this is in the futuristic dystopian category. Aria grew up in a world protected by the elements and full of realms and technology. Perry grew up in a caveman-like society, cast out by Aria's ancestors. The two meet and fall in love in the first book and I was captivated by their love story and the world-building Rossi does so well.

In the third and final book, the pair is looking for the "Still Blue," an elusive place where the Aether storms don't exist and their people can finally be safe. The conclusion to this series was rather satisfying to me. I'll admit it's not groundbreaking writing and will definitely have you rolling your eyes on occasion, but I enjoyed it. I really liked the romance between Perry and Aria, and also the friendships they each have with Roar. The story was exciting and enchanting and I'd definitely recommend it for a fun, romantic read.