Everbound

Everbound is the second novel of Brodi Ashton's Everneath series.

Nikkie 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 have 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.

The Breakdown:
1.  Not going to lie, but at the end of the first book, Ashton had me wondering how she was going to pull off this love story between Nikki and Jack, and boy did she do it in a fantastic way. She does such an amazing job of describing the Everneath as Nikki, Cole, and Max journey through it.  It is part labyrinth, and part circles of hell as described by Dante.  The setting alone makes this book worth the read.

2. Ashton is a master at blending the present and past of her characters seamlessly.  Her flashbacks of Nikki remembering Jack never feel awkward, and do so much to enhance the story.  Her past, present, and dream scenes all do so much for her story.  She even manages to throw a few really great storyline twist into the book that I cannot wait to see where the final book goes, and how it all will end.

3.  Nikki really develops as a character in this book.  In the first book, she definitely was not my favorite, a little too woe is me and needy for my taste, but she has develop quite the courage and back bone in this book.  She does what needs to be done to save Jack.  The ending has me very excited to see where she goes as a character in the final book.

4.  I was really starting to like Cole between this book and him in the novella Neverfall (which you should definitely read before reading this one).  He really seemed to start being a good guy, maybe even have a soul, but he pulls quite the kick at the end. So now I can't decided if I love or hate him, I guess the last book will be the real deciding factor.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read

Currently Reading:
UnEnchanted
by Chanda Hahn