Ever Yours

Everneath / Everbound / Evertrue by Brodi Ashton

Series: Everneath #1-3

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Dates: January 24, 2012 / January 22, 2013 / January 21, 2014

Source/Format: Borrowed from the library || Hardcover; Paperback

You know that feeling you get when you start going downhill on a bicycle? You start off at a pretty manageable pace, still in control of your direction and speed. But with every second that passes, you start going faster until you’re not sure anymore if you have control or if gravity is taking over. That’s the only way I can think of to describe how the Everneath trilogy made me feel. 

While things are off to a decent start in Everneath, I was caught up in the clever world-building and adventure of Everbound and found myself dying to know what would happen in Evertrue. The momentum definitely paid off, too, as Ashton doesn’t hold back when it comes to the way everything ends for Nikki and the Everneath!

There are two reasons in particular that I was hooked on this trilogy. First, we have Cole Stockton, an Everliving who remains immortal by feeding on human emotions. Though the initial impression readers will get of him is that he’s the “bad boy” of the series, there is certainly so much more to him than just being arrogant and manipulative. While I almost next to never get drawn to the bad boys, Cole is definitely an exception – and investing my feelings in him is totally worth it.

And second, I’m in love with how Ashton structured the Everneath and the lore. I can’t really say much about it specifically, but I will say that I was impressed by how much thought went into constructing the world of the Everneath. Ashton certainly makes good use of the material that Greek (and a hint of Egyptian) mythology provide, both in terms of the world and its history. It’s very cleverly done, and I have to say that Ashton impressed me (particularly after I learned at a panel recently that she doesn’t even enjoy world-building at all).

Apart from these two things in particular, the Everneath trilogy was entertaining. I’ll admit that I didn’t care much for main character Nikki; but I did find her story pretty compelling. While I won’t be rushing to add it to my “favorites” shelf, the trilogy was certainly worth a read. If you find yourself interested in the summary, you should definitely give it a shot!

In case you were curious, here are my thoughts on each of the books below:

Everneath is clearly a series starter. Readers will be learning the basics of how the Everneath works, and what Nikki has to do with everything. The storytelling is fairly simple, as Nikki races to find a way to avoid being claimed by the Everneath Tunnels, but the pacing could have used a bit more work. Still, in terms of an introduction, this novel is good as we get to know the world + the characters in it.

Everbound takes some time to get going, but once it does… Wow, what an adventure! Readers are introduced to the well-structured world of the Everneath here, and it’s absolutely fascinating. Ashton matches the world with an action-packed adventure, including some unexpected plot twists. It certainly moves at a better pace than its predecessor too!

Evertrue is just the right conclusion for the trilogy. Ashton keeps up the steady pace and action of the second novel, but combines it with additional insight into the history of the Everneath. Being a part of the race to destroy the Everneath alongside Nikki is definitely a treat for readers, and I think Ashton wrote this one well. Plus, we also get more Cole in this one, which is another reason I enjoyed it!