Please Be Kind, Rewind: 4-17 May 2014 May 17, 2014

I’m such a goof. I had last week’s post scheduled and never worked on it so it posted in part. oops! So I combined two weeks. I have gotten a ton of reading done which has been NICE! For reviews, I’m now scheduled through the middle of July. Whoa. Since I’ve read so much, I took a few days this week to get ahead on here and not just on paper. Thanks to City of Heavenly Fire coming out in two weeks, I’m re-reading The Mortal Instruments so it should give me enough to get ahead so I can launch another new feature soon! (: Well, it’s a rework of a feature I started and abandoned cause I wasn’t as prepared as I wanted to be. New name, same idea. I have to get The Selection books soon because Bug keeps trying to steal the library books. She grabs them, points to America, and says, “pitty! (pretty)” I’m not complaining, because I really enjoyed them! Hopefully she’ll read them and like them when she gets bigger!

Completed:

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (audiobook)

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch (ARC)

The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Prince by Kiera Cass

The Elite by Kiera Cass

The Guard by Kiera Cass

The One by Kiera Cass 

The Midnight Heir by Cassandra Clare

The Rise of the Hotel Dumort by Cassandra Clare

Saving Raphael Santiago by Cassandra Clare

The Fall of the Hotel Dumort by Cassandra Clare

What to But the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything by Cassandra Clare

The Last Stand of the New York Institute by Cassandra Clare

The Course of True Love (and First Dates) by Cassandra Clare

Currently Reading:

The Everything Mother Goose Book by June Rifkin (yes, we’re still working on it!)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling (audiobook)

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Read to the Kiddos:

Ladybug Girl Feels Happy by David Soman and Jacky Davis

Pete the Cat: Pete’s Big Lunch by James Dean

Ladybug Girl by David Soman and Jacky Davis

Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anne Dewdney

New to my shelf:

Find Me by Romily Bernard (Thanks Mary for hosting the giveaway and for HarperTeen for supplying copies!)

Gone by Michael Grant (two copies, future giveaway!)

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Altered by Gennifer Albin (future giveaway)

Until I Die by Amy Plum (two copies, future giveaway!)

From the library:
The Selection trilogy & novellas by Kiera Cass 

Delirium novellas by Lauren Oliver

a bunch of audiobooks!

*Review* Evertrue by Brodi Ashton March 13, 2014

Rating: 5 stars
Pub date: 8 January 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins, Balzer+Bray
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mythology
Format: hardcover, personal copy, signed
Status: Book three of the Everneath trilogy

Summary:

Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants is to be with him and graduate high school. But Cole tricked Nikki into feeding off him, and she’s begun the process of turning into an Everliving herself… which means she must feed on a Forfeit soon — or die.

Terrified for her survival, Nikki and Jack begin a desperate attempt to reverse the process using any means possible. Even Cole, who they expected to fight them at every turn, has become an unlikely ally — but how long can it last? Nikki needs to feed on Cole to survive, Cole needs Nikki to gain the throne in the Everneath, Jack needs Nikki because she is everything to him — and together, they must travel back to the Underworld to undo Nikki’s fate and make her mortal once more. But Cole isn’t the only one with plans for Nikki: the Queen has not forgotten Nikki’s treachery, and she wants her destroyed for good. Will Nikki be forced to spend eternity in the Underworld, or does she have what it takes to bring down the Everneath once and for all?

In this stunning conclusion to the Everneath trilogy, Brodi Ashton evokes the resiliency of the human spirit and the indomitable power of true love.

My thoughts:

After an excruciating wait, the conclusionhas arrived for Brodi Ashton’s incredible trilogy. Evertrue picks up where Everbound leaves off. Nikki has successfully rescued Jack from the Tunnels of the Everneath and they are now trying to sort out the aftermath of Cole’s betrayal and deception. Oh, Cole. I still can’t go there. Sneaky devil.

Nikki and Jack decide that the Everneath must be destroyed – a Herculean task if there ever was one. Brodi does a nice job weaving in numerous elements of Greek mythology. Hercules was incapable of telling good from evil in all things and to me, Cole has always been blind to it, like his morality is gone.

I love a good redemption and as much as I swore I would NEVER let Cole weasel his way back into my heart, it happened. I tried to resist, but the things Brodi does to him… Man, I am GLAD I am not Nikki. Never dear, there are lots of scoundrel motives with angelic moments.

Jack also still has a hold on my heart. Not many guys would go through all of the things he does for the girl they love. Jack is simply incredible and I love that he has his bright and dark moments. Brodi is definitely on the Evil Authors Are Evil list with Jodi Meadows!

Over and over, Brodi does a fantastic job of amping up the dangers and action. I had some things figured out due to it being in first person, but others, Brodi definitely kept me guessing.

I’m still reeling with everything Nikki dealt with in the series. She definitely is one strong girl! I do not envy her situation or choices though. Cole or Jack? Definitely not a choice I would want to make. I really admire the lengths she was willing to go to protect the ones she loved.

I am very pleased with how things wrapped up. My one complaint for the series would be wanting to know more about the other members of the band. We had a glimpse into Cole’s thought line in Neverfall, but I would love to know more about the band.

I am happy to recommend Evertrue and the whole Everneath series. It’s a fantastic read. It’s great for a mythology lover, but not so heavy in the mythology that if you don’t have the background you won’t understand it. Brodi does such a great job with taking the Persephone myth and making it her own. I’m sad the series is over, but I’m glad I had the chance to read it!

About the author

I write Young Adult novels. I eat cinnamon bears. I love me some Diet Coke.

My debut book EVERNEATH (the first in a trilogy) comes out Winter 2012 with Balzer and Bray (Harper Collins).

I’m represented by Michael Bourret at Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.