Review ~ "Sweet Evil" by Wendy Higgins

Title: "Sweet Evil"
Series: The Sweet Trilogy, #1
Author: Wendy Higgins

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Published: May 1, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 464
Format: ebook
Source: Overdrive

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Fans of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series will be drawn to Wendy Higgins's sexy, thrilling Sweet Evil series.
What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.
Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.
Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

Review ~ "White Hot Kiss" by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: "White Hot Kiss"
Series: The Dark Elements, #1
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Published: February 25, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 388
Format: eBook
Source: Overdrive

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One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne… it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

Review ~ "The Power" by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: "The Power"
Series: Titan, #2
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout 
 
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Published: February 23, 2016
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 344
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
 
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With any great change, there is always strife, and the Covenant University has become the frontline between pure-bloods who want the Breed Order reinstated and the half-bloods who want the right to control their own destinies.

Fate has other plans.

 The violence is escalating and war between the races seems inevitable, and it couldn’t come at a worse time. Hyperion may be out of commission, but Josie and Seth know they have only earned a reprieve.  Seth must get Josie fully prepared, which means controlling her newfound abilities, and they need to find the other demigods before the Titans do.

But the gods are sensing a greater threat. 

Only one thing is more dangerous than a bunch of starved Titans, and that’s an out-of-control Apollyon. The aether in Josie is drawing Seth in deeper, and when lust mixes with love and gives way to power, he knows being close to her is not only dangerous to her, but to everyone around them, but letting her go requires a level of selflessness that just isn’t Seth’s style.

The paths taken in the past are becoming the roads of the future.

Just as chaos breaks out, familiar faces from the past return, complicating the already strained bond between Josie and Seth, and when the danger from the Titans erupts with devastating consequences, the dark allure of power calls to Seth again, but this time Josie might not be able to pull him back.

 And when the struggle between power and love becomes the deadliest battleground, there may be no salvation.

Review ~ "The Return" by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: "The Return"
Series: Titan, #1
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
 
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Published: February 16, 2015
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 335
Format: Paperback
Source: MeL Cat
 
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The Fates are cackling their bony asses off…

It’s been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they’ve given him have been violent and bloody–which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He’s got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet.

Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy’s deal might be, but it’s a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her.

But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all.

Because history has once again been flipped to repeat.

Book 1 in the new adult paranormal TITAN series, spin-off to the best selling COVENANT series.

Review ~ "In the Afterlight" by Alexandra Bracken

Title: "In the Afterlight"
Series: The Darkest Minds, #3
Author: Alexandra Bracken 

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Published: October 28, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance
Pages: 535
Format: Hardcover
Source: MeL Cat 

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Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. With them is a prisoner: Clancy Gray, son of the president, and one of the few people Ruby has encountered with abilities like hers. Only Ruby has any power over him, and just one slip could lead to Clancy wreaking havoc on their minds.

They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IAAN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids.

Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire.

Review ~ "Boundless" by Cynthia Hand

Title: "Boundless"
Series: Unearthly, #3
Author: Cynthia Hand

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Published: January 22, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 453
Format: ebook
Source: Overdrive

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Described as "utterly captivating" by Richelle Mead and as "enchanting and exciting, romantic and believable" by Melissa Marr, the New York Times bestselling Unearthly series has dazzled readers and critics alike. In this riveting finale, Cynthia Hand explores the timeless question of whether it is better to follow the rules or your heart. This incandescent paranormal romance will win the hearts of fans of Becca Fitzpatrick, Andrea Cremer, and Cassandra Clare.

The past few years held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner ever could have anticipated. Now, with the fallen angel who attacked her watching her every move and the threat of Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny—a destiny that includes Christian Prescott by her side. But in order to complete her purpose, Clara must first find a way to give up the thing she wants most . . . a future with the boy she loves, Tucker Avery.

Review ~ "Never Fade" by Alexandra Bracken

Title: "Never Fade"
Series: The Darkest Minds, #2
Author: Alexandra Bracken
 
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Published: October 15, 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance
Pages: 512
Format: Hardcover
Source: MeL Cat
 
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Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

Review ~ "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

Title: "The Darkest Minds"
Series: The Darkest Minds, #1
Author: Alexandra Bracken 

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Published: December 18, 2012
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance
Pages: 499
Format: ebook
Source: Overdrive 

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When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something frightening enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that had killed most of America’s children, but she and the others emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they could not control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. She is on the run, desperate to find the only safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who have escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents. When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at having a life worth living.

Review ~ "The Nightmare Affair" by Mindee Arnett

Title: "The Nightmare Affair"
Series: The Arkwell Academy, #1
Author: Mindee Arnett

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Published: March 5, 2013
Published: Tor Teen
Pages: 367
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Magic
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

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Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare.

Literally.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder.

Then Eli’s dream comes true.

Now Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

When I first heard about this book, all I could think about was how creative and different it sounded. This girl is a Nightmare? What!? What's that!? Does that mean she's evil? Does she give people nightmares, or does she eat them? But then I read the synopsis and found out that she feeds off of dreams. I was immediately interested and knew I had to read this book ASAP. The idea seemed so unique, as I've never read anything with a Nightmare, or anything like it, in it.

As we know that Dusty is a Nightmare, and learn what that is, we find out how being one can get you into a little bit of trouble. The "the person you're feeding off of wakes up and sees you" kind of trouble. It doesn't help that this person is Eli Booker, one of the most popular boys from Dusty's old school. And it doesn't help that the people in charge of her new magic school decide to have him transfer to her new school. Awkward. Needless to say, this is not going to be a good year for Dusty.
 
Dusty was such a fun character. She had so much spunk, but also knew when to calm down. She had a fiery personality that was really enjoyable to read. She was incredibly fun to read, especially when she got into arguments with other characters. Her best friend, Selene, a siren who wants to get rid of the stereotype, was another fun character. And of course there's Eli, who is the typical popular guy who knows he's super hot. However, he's not completely terrible, especially later on in the book.

The book kept me at the edge of my seat for the entire read. But then again when the main characters are looking for a murderer, and they're finding clues through dreams, that's going to be pretty interesting. I found the identity of the murderer to be a bit predictable, however, I found the journey to be entertaining. I could never expect what would happen next!

Overall, this was a great book with a new, fascinating paranormal being, and I can't wait to read about Dusty and Eli's adventures in the sequel!

Review ~ "Linger" by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: "Linger"
Series: The Wolves of Mercy Fall, #2
Author: Maggie Stiefvater 

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Published: July 13, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Werewolves
Pages: 360
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
 

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the longing.

Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they must fight to stay together. For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain.

the loss.

Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying the ties of being a human.

the linger.

For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life a constant struggle between two forces--wolf and human--with love baring its two sides as well. It is harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough?

Review ~ "Hallowed" by Cynthia Hand

Title: "Hallowed"
Series: Unearthly, #2
Author: Cynthia Hand 
 
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Published: January 17, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 416
Format: eBook
Source: Overdrive

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For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

Review ~ "Opal" by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: "Opal"
Series: Lux, #3
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

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 Published: December 1, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Genres: Young Adult, Aliens, Paranormal
Pages: 382
Format: Paperback
Source: MeL Cat

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After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

Review ~ "Ensnared" by A.G. Howard

Title: "Ensnared"
Series: Splintered, #3
Author: A.G. Howard

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Published: January 6, 2015
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Genres: Young Adult, Retelling, Paranormal
Pages: 416
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library 

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After surviving a disastrous battle at prom, Alyssa has embraced her madness and gained perspective. She’s determined to rescue her two worlds and the people and netherlings she loves. Even if it means challenging Queen Red to a final battle of wills and wiles . . . and even if the only way to Wonderland, now that the rabbit hole is closed, is through the looking-glass world—-a parallel dimension filled with mutated and sadistic netherling outcasts. In the final installment of the Splintered trilogy, Alyssa and her dad journey into the heart of magic and mayhem in search of her mom and to set right all that’s gone wrong. Together with Jeb and Morpheus, they must salvage Wonderland from the decay and destruction that has ensnared it. But even if everyone succeeds and comes out alive, can they all truly have their happily ever after?

Review ~ "Fairest" by Marissa Meyer

Title: "Fairest"
Series: The Lunar Chronicles, #3.5
Author: Marissa Meyer

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Published: January 27, 2015
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Pages: 220
Format: Hardcover
Source:  Library

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In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told. Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of them all? Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

Review ~ "Asunder" by Jodi Meadows

Title: "Asunder"

Series: Incarnate, #2

Author: Jodi Meadows
 

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Published: January 29, 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Fantasy
Pages: 406
Format: Hardcover
Source: MeL Cat
 
Read May 4 to 6, 2015
 
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DARKSOULS Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place. SHADOWS Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves. LOVE Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection. In this second book in the Newsoul trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.

Review ~ "Shutdown" by Heather Anastasiu

Title: "Shutdown"
Series: Glitch, #3
Author: Heather Anastasiu

 

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Published: July 2, 2013

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Dystopia
Pages: 320

Format: Paperback

Source: MeL Cat

 

Read April 18 to 26, 2015

 

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The battle is all but over, and hope seems to be lost. Zoe and her fellow Resistance fighters are on the run, having lost their home, their protection, and their leader. They are outnumbered and outmatched by the powerful corporation that controls the world, and the cruel Chancellor is inches away from completing a scheme that would kill most of humanity. Zoe's only remaining option is to chase the impossible dream of upending the Link system, freeing the world from the hardware that controls their thoughts and emotions, and hope it will trigger a revolution. The plot requires a nearly impossible mission to infiltrate the dangerous Community, and it is a task that Zoe must unfortunately complete alone. With challenges and surprises at every turn, nothing goes according to plan. Adrien's visions of the future now show two possible outcomes: one in which they succeed, and one in which humanity falls. It all lies in Zoe's hands. Full of romance, high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Shutdown is a heart-pounding conclusion to an exciting sci-fi adventure trilogy for young adults. The thrilling conclusion to an action-packed sci-fi trilogy.

"Love Reborn (Dead Beautiful, #3) by Yvonne Woon

"Love Reborn (Dead Beautiful, #3)" by Yvonne Woon

 

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Published: January 7, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 368
Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Paranormal
Format: Hardcover
Source: MeL Cat
 
Read April 8 to 9, 2015
 
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Renée and Dante are dying. The soul they share cannot sustain them both, and they're quickly running out of time. But Renée has in her possession a legendary chest said to contain the secret to eternal life-if only they could solve the clues that lie within it. With both the Liberum, a Brotherhood of the Undead, and a team of Monitors, led by Renée's own grandfather, in hot pursuit, Renée and Dante must keep the chest safe or risk having it fall into the wrong hands. With the help of a mysterious letter-writer called only Monsieur, Renée and Dante follow a series of clues that lead them on a treacherous journey across Europe. They seek the Netherworld, a legendary chasm where souls go to be cleansed. It's their only chance at a fresh start, but with it comes a terrible choice, one they never imagined they would be forced to make. The third novel in the acclaimed Dead Beautiful series is a haunting story of sacrifice, loyalty, and a love that can never die.

"Everbound (Everneath, #2)" by Brodi Ashton

"Everbound (Everneath, #2)" by Brodi Ashton

 

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Published: January 22, 2013

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Genres: Young Adult, Mythology, Romance

Pages: 358

Format: Hardcover

Source: Library

 

Read March 2 to 25, 2015

 

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Nikki 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’ve 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. In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.