Book Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Childrens Books (2 Feb 2012)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 0857074571
• ISBN-13: 978-0857074577

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...

Nikki Beckett has been in the Everneath for a hundred years. Holding her in a firm brace is Cole, beautiful Cole who takes away all her pain. And every other emotion, too.

When she was at her worst, Nikki begged Cole to make her feel nothing, to take away all the pain and suffering that was killing her. And he did. So without a goodbye to her father or brother, friend or boyfriend, Nikki disappeared.

But one face reaches her during the Feed – Jack. The boy she left behind. And so instead of going to the Tunnels, or joining Cole forever on the throne of the Everneath, Nikki Returns to the Surface…and back to Jack.

Nikki has to learn all over again how to behave, how to feel. Emotions fly as she struggles to remember small details, but also how to laugh or cry, or even dream.

Everneath is fraught with drama and tension, uncertainty and tenderness. Jack is the ultimate book boy to crush hard on. Steady and patient, he doesn’t push Nikki into confessing where she’s been or why she’s so different.

In a weird way I almost felt maternal to Nikki. Reading her story and watching her come to terms with what she has lost, and will lose again, was extraordinarily emotion. As she takes small steps reintroducing herself back into society was a little like watching Bambi learn how to walk.

Nikki’s decisions could be heavily examined and scrutinised. As her story develops and we learn more about her and what made her give up life for the Everneath, we are faced more and more with a damaged and broken young woman. But before she is judged too harshly, and yes, while she is a heavily flawed character, I guarantee all of us would at least consider Cole’s offer at some time or another.

Jack and Nikki were intriguing characters and every times their names were both mentioned on the page my heart gave a little flutter. It has been awhile since I’ve rooted so whole-heartedly for two characters and their love, but Jack and Nikki deserve a cheerleading squad. One minus a certain Lacey shaped one.

Readers will get to the end of this book gasping for more and frantically counting down the days to the sequel.