Everneath by Brodi Ashton

When Nikki Beckett vanished, seemingly without a trace, everybody suspected the worst, though none of them knew the truth. Nikki wasn’t gone; she was in Everneath, a dark realm where immortals Feed on the emotions of humans for one hundred Everneath years in order to sustain themselves for another hundred years in the real world. Nikki wasn’t supposed to survive, but somehow she did, returning to her old life six months after her disappearance with only six months left to say her goodbyes before being forced back into Everneath, this time for forever. Nikki has accepted her fate. All she wants is to make her peace with the ones she loves, but it turns out that others might have different plans for her. Cole, the Everliving that brought Nikki to Everneath, is loathe to let Nikki go to her damning fate and will do anything to make her change her mind. Jack, Nikki’s boyfriend from before, refuses to give up on her, even after he learns the truth about Nikki’s disappearance. As Nikki struggles against Cole and reevaluates her connection with Jack, she realizes that maybe she isn’t so content to give into the inevitable, but with her time running out, she had better find a way to cheat fate before her chance to reclaim her life is gone forever.

Everneath is a simply gorgeous, absolutely riveting, and tragically beautiful story. It is a paranormal tale that centers on immortal beings known as the Everliving and their cruel world of Everneath. Ashton’s worldbuilding feels completely natural and realistic with a new mythology that fits into a more modern setting while also borrowing somewhat from ancient myths of various cultures regarding the underworld and the afterlife. Readers will be quickly drawn into this simultaneously intriguing yet chilling new world of Everneath such that it becomes nearly all encompassing to the story, in the best way. As a result, the plot and the story as a whole feel that much more gripping, which in turn make each new emotion so much more fresh and raw and the promise of tragedy so much more heartrending. I know I will not be the only reader to be completely sucked into this dangerously seductive new world surrounding Everneath, breathless to find out how the story turns out. I have been completely won over by debut author Ashton’s thrilling tale, especially with its clever plotting, lingering suspense, and enigmatic and secretive background, and I absolutely cannot wait to see how the story will continue.

Everneath will be enjoyed by readers who also liked Falling Under by Gwen Hayes, The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller, Abandon by Meg Cabot, and The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood.

Rating: 4.75

Review copy from NetGalley