Title: Everless
Author: Sarah Holland
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release Date: January 2, 2018
Seventeen-year old Jules Ember lives in the Kingdom of Sempera, a world where time is the currency, found in the blood of its citizens, made into iron coins, and heavily taxed. In such a world, the rich are able to live for centuries, while the poor struggle just to live another day. Ten years ago, a fateful accident forced Jules and her father to flee Everless, the palatial estate of one of the kingdom’s most powerful families. However, to save her dying father, Jules must return to the place where she spent the majority of her childhood. Everless is full of alluring temptations and secrets–secrets that also hold the key to understanding her origins. Quicker than she can comprehend, Jules is caught in a tangle of violent and startling secrets, finding her heart torn between two individuals whom she never thought she’d see again. She soon discovers that her decisions not only have the power to change her fate but the fate of time itself.
I highly enjoyed this book! Exciting, fast-paced, and full of so many captivating, twisting secrets, that certainly kept me hooked until the end. I really appreciated Jules as a main character because the cliche “special chosen one” trope wasn’t used in her characterization. She was a down-to-earth, flawed, strong, and intelligent individual. Supporting characters in the novel, like her father, the princes, the Queen’s daughter, and her handmaiden was wonderfully brought to life in the story. However, what I especially valued in this novel, was the excellent plot. The plot in this novel continually keeps you guessing and amounts to more and more secrets and mysteries until they are finally unraveled at the end. By no means could I have foreseen the INSANE plot twist near the end! It totally caught me off guard, which implies that this story was exquisitely crafted. I also fell in love with the concept of time being linked to a person’s blood, and time lenders, who have the ability to draw blood and time from an individual and forge coins from it. This unique currency and magic system were what fascinated me most about this novel.
Despite the multitude of secrets and intrigue in this novel, the beginning was quite slow. I would have liked this book to start off with more of a bang–with more action or perhaps a quick glimpse into Jules’ past in order to entice the reader more quickly. The ending of this book suggests that another will follow. I have no idea how I’m going to wait so long for the next book because the ending left me speechless! It was excellent, of course, but I need to get my hands on the second book! Also, despite advertising romance on the back of the book, the focus of this book was Jules, her past, and her connection to time. The romance took more of a backseat, which I actually appreciated since the mystery in this book took a higher priority.
To conclude, Everless, was an intriguing and mysterious read, packed with intense secrets and action destined to keep you rooted to your seat. Emphasizing the importance of loyalty and friendship, this fantasy book is perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series, Kendare Blake’s novels, and Stephanie Garber’s books. I give this book a 10 out of 10!
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