Sorry I’ve been so absent, guys! Finishing up some stuff for spring break-HALLELUJAH!!!!—and having the best week ever with my friend Rebekah from Colorado. Our activities basically revolved around Coronado Beach, Starbucks, the San Diego Zoo, Starbucks, day trips up mountains, Starbucks, Sea Port Village, and some Starbucks runs thrown in, just in case you didn’t catch that before. BUT I couldn’t leave you hanging totally, and I’ve been dying to write something about the latest book I’ve read. You all know how much I loved “Everneath” by Brodi Ashton and that the sequel, “Everbound” was on my Most Anticipated of 2013 list. Yes, I was giddy, I was exultant and will always cherish that moment when Liz brought that sweet little parcel of goodness home to me—and the cover is just as incredible as the first, too! I think I devoured the book in two days and was almost late for work both days. It starts off slower like “Everneath,” but both books keep you constantly engaged and never really have a point where they lag.

Okay, so just a refresher, in case you didn’t read my review of “Everneath,” which you can find on my Goodreads page: Loved the first book! It was interesting, fairly well-paced, and for once—move aside, Bella!—the book centered on a NOT self-centered heroine, Nikki. I really liked Nikki’s character, her story, her back story, her disintegrating romance with Jack when she returns from being trapped in the Everneath for a hundred years. And that brings me to my next point: I was very concerned about the Everneath aspect of it and was a little hesitant to read the sequel, since this wasn’t quite so prevalent in the first book. But “Everneath” ended on such a cliff-hanger, almost literally, that I wanted to give “Everbound” a little try. I was so glad I did, though the ending forced me through a wading pool of tissues made out of tears of betrayal. Yeah, that good, and I mean that seriously! No character has ever broken my heart like that. Bring it on! Oh, and heads up that I gave the sequel five stars, especially for the fact that the author could make me so wounded and passionate over the ending.

The book starts off a couple weeks after Jack takes Nikki’s place in the tunnels, and I am literally giddy over the fact that Cole and Nikki have to work together. Don’t ask me why I loved him so much in the first book, because I can’t really be sure. He wasn’t the guy you’re supposed to root for, and I didn’t really in “Everneath,” but I always looked forward to his cheeky attitude and killer grin to enter a scene. Anyway, I was REALLY looking forward to having him in most of the book. Jack, yes, is the hero of the story, and we all know that Nikki will end up with him. But to be totally honest, I didn’t really miss him in this story; the flashbacks and dreams that she has of him were enough for me, and then it was Cole Time.

And then when Nikki finally convinces Cole to help her go to the Everneath to save Jack, I was pretty ecstatic.

I was expecting the Everneath to be kind of creepy, which is why I was so hesitant. But it actually reminded me more of one of those sandy Star Wars’ worlds with all the dunes and mud houses, for some reason, and it also had a “Pilgrim’s Progress” feel, since emotions affect a lot of the outcomes of the places they have to go. Like the mists in the caves draw out your negative emotions, other places confuse you, etc. And in every instance, I found myself falling totally for Cole. Jack was hardly in the story, only in her dreams—no pun intended—and so there was plenty of space for him in my heart. I don’t think I’ve ever fallen for a bad boy in a story like this before, so kudos to the author! He still had some of his cheeky, Cole tendencies, but the things he did seemed to always be for her benefit. *sigh, sigh, and dreamy SIGH* And then there is this beautiful moment when Cole wraps his arms around Nikki to protect her from this huge wave of rocks and water, and he nearly dies, and she has to do CPR–man, I wish I was her–and he’s all bruised and battered. Oh, come on, Brodi! Can you make me love him any more? Ah, the answer to that is a solid yes.

Which brings us to the Sirens. Awesomeness! These things turn into what you most desire and want at that moment, and the Siren trying to entice Cole is a Nikki doppelganger! Awww. Break my heart! Long story short, Nikki kiss Cole to save his life–don’t you love when that happens. And I was like, “Yes, yes, YES! Finally!” Success! And then he grins because he knew that only the real Nikki would do something like that to save his life. AwwwwwwwwwWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!

Just as they’re about to release Jack, Cole kicks Nikki from the Everneath, and without his help, she can’t come back, to stop him, I was sure. I was honestly shocked and so upset, because I was sure Cole had done something stupid, like traded places with Jack, because I knew there was something he wasn’t telling her. My worst fears were confirmed when Jack suddenly appears in Nikki’s house, totally alive and released. No, Cole wouldn’t, he didn’t….

Now I’m stuck wondering what happened to Cole, since this all occurred in the last six pages. I was so upset that I was even hoping that maybe Cole had tricked Nikki and came back pretending to be Jack so she would give up her search. I could deal with that betrayal—THAT betrayal. But then Cole appeared.

Where has he been, why is he acting so strange, why is he so surprised and upset that Jack made it back? And then he says something like, “Let me just enjoy this moment, this final moment where in your eyes, I’m still a hero.”

I already know it’s coming, but how bad, you ask? Well, the entire time Cole has been tricking Nikki, because he LOVES her–I still choose to believe–to get her to the Everneath so that she would kiss him three times, of her own free will, so that her heart will be his forever. Even his avoidance of her before they start off on their trek was planned.

The LIES!

He wouldn’t. No.

And then the tears of betrayal start:

Yeah, so that’s basically it. The entire book is a-mazing, then the ending rips your heart out. And I gave it a five? Yes, because the fact that I can fall totally in love with a character, deny that they’re evil and try to convince my sister Liz that Cole really does love her, and then mark all the pages for the beautiful scenes before he turned selfish again means that this was a good book. Yes, my heart was broken into a million pieces, and I curled up with my sock monkey, a blanket, and listened to “Everybody Hurts” on my bedroom floor in total darkness, and I STILL hurt thinking about it. And yet I’ll probably buy it anyway, just to feel the pain, because it means I’m alive!!!!! Okay, that was me being dramatic, but it’s seriously one of those painfully awesome books that you want to read on a rainy day to relive the pain. No idea why, it’s just that good.