YA Review: Everbound by Brodi Ashton

Title: Everbound
Series: Everneath #2
Author: Brodi Ashton
Author Info: Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook
Pub Date: January 22, 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 368
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Summary:

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.


Review:

Wow…wow. It’s hard for a second book in the series to top the first one but wow. I loved this one just as much as the first one maybe even more. Brodi Ashton did a fantastic job writing Everbound and as much as I want the third book desperately I can’t imagine having this series end. I hope there will be lots of Novellas. :o)

We spend a large amount of time in the Everneath and I was fascinated by every second of it. There are so many different interesting layers to it and some definite twist and turns while we are down there. There were a couple of reveals that I was definitely surprised at, Brodi did a good job disguising them so that we couldn’t figure them out as easily.
I feel like I shouldn’t be torn between the two boys, and that Jack should be the obvious choice but there is just something about Cole. Sometimes you think he is a jerk and sometimes you wonder if there is more to him. He really gets the opportunity to show a softer side in this book. Do we trust him though; this is Cole we are talking about. The guy that has no beating heart…..he just has this strange appeal to him. I still can’t figure out what actually goes on his head though, I still question his motives. I would like to believe that he does really care about Nikki but sometimes you wonder. He has a lot to gain if he wins her over. There is a particular line at the end of the book though that kind of leads you to believe one way or another.
I love Jack in this book just as much as the first book. We once again experience the majority of their relationship through the memories that Nikki relives in her hope to keep him alive. It’s nice to see those cute tid bits and there is actually a lot more about their friendship before they even became a couple. I love the best friends blossoming into more love story.
The thing I find interesting about the two boys is that they call Nikki by different names. Jack refers to her as Becks and Cole calls her Nik. I think it represents the difference of the relationship she has with them.
Nikki was awesome in this book. I couldn’t find a single thing that annoyed me about her, as you can sometimes find with main protagonist. She is clever, head strong and very dedicated to her mission. Even when she just wants to curl up and disappear she finds a way to peel herself off the floor and keep moving. She is considerate of others but at the same time knows there are things she has to do for herself as well. I never thought to myself, I can’t believe you trusted that person because she was cautious and if she did trust someone it was because they gave her a good reason.
Oh the ending, it makes me wonder how the heck they are going to get out of this one. I’m sure book three is going to be epic. I can’t wait. If you are looking for something more unique and are a fan of mythology these books are definitely for you. I’m not sure if I can sing the praises of this book well enough it was an easy add to my favorites list.