Review: Evermore by Sara Holland

Evermore by Sara Holland

Everless #2

Jules Ember was raised hearing legends of the ancient magic of the wicked Alchemist and the good Sorceress. But she has just learned the truth: not only are the stories true, but she herself is the Alchemist, and Caro—a woman who single-handedly murdered the Queen and Jules’s first love, Roan, in cold blood—is the Sorceress.

The whole kingdom believes that Jules is responsible for the murders, and a hefty bounty has been placed on her head. And Caro is intent on destroying Jules, who stole her heart twelve lifetimes ago. Jules must delve into the stories that she now recognizes are accounts of her own past. For it is only by piecing together the mysteries of her lives that Jules will be able to save the person who has captured her own heart in this one.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Everless. The premise, characters, and twisty-turns were all spot on. Considering it ended in a cliffhanger, I couldn't wait to get my hands on EVERMORE to see what happened next. Unfortunately my patience wasn't really rewarded in this case. EVERMORE felt like a completely different style of book, leaving me rather disappointed. There was little focus this time around on concept of blood time as currency, which I had found to be one of the most intriguing parts of the first book. This time around things focused almost entirely on Jules' plight to take down the sorceress. Unfortunately that led to a very meandering plot that lacked the pacing and momentum to keep my attention. I found myself skimming more often than not which is unfortunate. Also, there were a lot of vision sequences to the past that really bogged down the pacing. Some of the information/events they showed added to the story, but the pacing and execution just didn't work overall.

Unfortunately it also didn't help things in that I had no attachment to the budding romance. Something about the pairing just didn't work for me, and just felt forced. Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers romances, but in this case, it just didn't work for me at all with Jules and Liam. Separately I like the characters a great deal (although Jules and her ridiculous impulsively bad decisions drove me batty), but together, they just didn't mesh in my opinion.

All in all, unfortunately EVERMORE just didn't work for me. I do think the author is very talented as evidenced by the first book, and I'll be eager to try new books from her in the future for a fresh start.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     The Book Prescription
     Her Bookish Things
     Gizmo's Reviews

Previous Books:
     1. Everless

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Review: Everless by Sara Holland

Everless by Sara Holland

In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.

When I first read the description of EVERLESS, I immediately thought of the movie, In Time. The concepts of selling time with the poor dying young, and the rich living forever. It's a fascinating concept, and one that EVERLESS pulls off very well. I wasn't the biggest fan of In Time, but this book took everything I loved about the concept and executed it perfectly. There's so much more to the story than just the rich stealing from and oppressing the poor. The world behind this book has it's own mythology that I found to be fascinating as it was slowly revealed. 

I really enjoyed Jules' character. She was strong and fierce and determined to find the truth all the while choosing the right path. She doesn't hesitate to put others above herself, and in such a dog eat dog world that she lives, this is truly admirable. All of the other characters were just as well fleshed out and added such depth to the story. And the twists and turns? Oh boy! You never truly knew who was friend or foe, as no one was who they seemed, but it was all very well handled. No character faded to the background, every single one shone through.

All in all this is a strong debut novel from Sara Holland that I greatly enjoyed. After that cliffhanger ending I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment. If you are looking for a fresh and unique story in the YA genre, look no further than EVERLESS.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     Du Livre
     Stuck in YA Books
     Gizmo's Reviews

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