Everless

I read so much romance that it is nice to get a little bit of fantasy in every now and then! I have heard such great things about Everless so I decided that it was going to be my next fantasy read. I absolutely loved it!

The Story. When I first read the synopsis for this book, I kept thinking about the movie In Time with Justin Timberlake because the concept of time as currency and power was such an intriguing one. The story opens with Jules hunting in order to trade for blood coins at the market since her father is running out of time. However, there is hardly any animals out due to the winter so Jules decides to take some desperate measures to earn more blood coins. These desperate measures include becoming a servant in Everless despite her father and her being banished a decade ago. Jules has fond memories of playing with her childhood friend, Roan (the younger Gerling), but she also has terrifying memories of the eldest Gerling, Liam. Her father begs her not to go, insisting that it is too dangerous for her to be there, especially while the Queen is there, but Jules has to take that risk in order to save her father.

Everything is business as usual once Jules gets the hang of her servant duties and being in Everless again before tragedy strikes. Jules is forced to open her eyes to the cruelty of Everless and is determined to make everyone pay. Jules finds herself taking greater and greater risks in search of the truth about not only Everless, but herself. All the while making new friends, dodging old ones, and staying out of the way of enemies...both known and unknown. Secrets are about to tear Jules' world apart and she will have to decide if they will make or break her.

I thought this story was brilliant and had a great world building aspect to it. The author does such a great job of setting up this world and giving you rich background to help you understand it. It was very well written and felt beautifully timeless. The secondary characters really stood out in this book and helped the story along. There was just so much mystery in this book that my mind was whirring with possibilities the entire time I was reading. I want more of this world and to know what happens next. Holland has definitely written a new YA fantasy series worth reading.

Jules. I found the female main character to be extremely likable. Yes, she is a special snowflake (don't tell me you didn't see that coming), but she's a special snowflake we haven't ever seen before with a unique storyline that makes this book fantastic. Jules is strong, selfless, and strives to make an unjust world just. I loved reading about her whimsical memories of Everless and her past. Jules has a curious nature who is trying to get to the bottom of the secrets she keeps getting glimpses of. I really liked being inside Jules' head, but I am hoping we might get a few chapters with the hero of the story as well!

I highly recommend this book to those who love: young adult, fantasy, dystopia, and curious heroines.

Overall Rating: ★★★★.5/★★★★★

Having heard wonderful things about it, I was excited to jump into the world of Everless! Sara Holland’s debut novel introduces readers to a world where time is — quite literally — money, and those who don’t have it are at risk of losing everything, including their lives. The set-up is familiar: Jules, a teenage girl from a small village, tries to unravel a mystery — about the beautiful, dangerous city of Everless, as well as herself. But she has more power than she knows, and the game she thought she was playing might just turn out to be something else entirely…

I really liked the world of Sempera. The details were rich, vivid, and memorable, and I think I had an easier time picturing the different settings than I did the characters. The story is very compelling. I found myself listening to this audiobook whenever I could, because I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next! This was due, in part, to the mystery surrounding Jules and what really happened at Everless before she and her father fled. I can honestly say that the conclusion of this book surprised me. I wasn’t expecting that twist, but I think it works very well to establish what the rest of the series will focus on. Overall, this was definitely an engaging read, and the primary thing that hooked me was the world itself and how Holland described it.

I didn’t feel too attached to any of the characters. While I cared about Jules and wanted her to find the truth about herself and what’s really going on at Everless, I found myself feeling frustrated whenever she made a foolish choice. I know she’s only seventeen, and mistakes are bound to be made. But I just couldn’t understand why she made some of the decisions she did, knowing what she knew at the time. (I’d say more, but that would likely spoil a few big plot points.) I didn’t find myself rooting for her to end up with Roan, because I really didn’t know much about him. He seemed like a good enough guy, and it felt like he was being set up to end his engagement to Ina and choose Jules instead… but I just didn’t care about him. Or even Liam! Do I hate him? Do I like him? Maybe I’m not even sure. (And Jules might be feeling the same way.) It felt like an attempt at a love triangle, but not quite…? I’m glad it wasn’t, at least not in the traditional sense. But I just felt a general detachment from the characters and their relationships with one another.

Overall, this book is a well-written fantasy with impressive world-building and a great deal of potential. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens to Jules in the next book! Hopefully I’ll enjoy it a little more, now that I’m familiar with the world and the characters. Everless does an excellent job of setting things in motion, and I’d say it’s absolutely worth the read.

I finished Everless days ago and I have been sitting here wondering how in the hell to review the book because I feel it is impossible to really talk about it without giving away all the plot twists so this review will be short but full of reasons on why you need this book in your life all at the same time.

Everless was everything I love in YA Fantasy, great writing, well-developed complex characters, swoon-worthy moments, unpredictability and oh lord the plot twists that had my heart racing the whole damn time. That is Everless summed up. Oh and by the way have you seen that gorgeous cover!

Jules is the type of heroine I like to read about. The girl has been through a lot, she lives in a world where blood is time and people if desperate enough use it for currency. Due to unfortunate circumstances, Jules ends up in Everless a place she knows far too well and a place where she is in more danger than she can even imagine. I loved Jules she wasn't weak and always had her priorities straight and was one determined girl.

Okay right off the bat no love triangle!!! Yay! When I started the book I was sure on how the romance was going to play out and with whom but plot twist and I wasn't so sure then more plot twist and I was like well damn I smell a love triangle coming soon and then more plot twist and I was rest assured no love triangle. Needless to say, I was relieved because a fantasy book as amazing as Everless does not need to be bogged down by any unnecessary love triangle. Now the romance that is on the horizon between Jules and the love interest has me really excited because I love slow burn romances and that is what this is going to be from what I can tell and at first I didn't like the guy but holy hell this guy has so many layers that I am just dying to peel back. He is one of those characters that is definitely more than what they seem and I can't wait for Jules to fall hard for him because I'm already falling.

There are so many characters worthy of talking about but impossible to do so without giving away spoilers. Just know Sara Holland knows how to create complex characters and characters who are very hard to forget.

The world building was done very well. I never felt lost or felt that anything was rushed. Holland really throws us deep into the world in the most entertaining of ways possible. I honestly did not want to leave I felt like I was a part of it living through Jules eyes.

For someone who reads a ton of fantasy books I usually always know how things are going to play out and it takes a lot to make me stumble and Holland made me trip over myself repeatedly. It is one of the most unpredictable books I have read in the genre in a long time. I did suspect a thing or two but I was never a hundred percent sure. There are some things I didn't even see coming whatsoever and I am still stunned. The book ends in a huge cliffhanger which has me dying for the next book.

Overall Everless is a must read! I expect this book to be epic in the YA community. Sara Holland has one hell of a solid debut.

Actual Rating: 2.5 stars
Recommend: Not likely
Review:
Considering the amount of hype over this book on bookstagram, the synopsis, and the number of people who have been recommending it, I seriously thought I was going to be shocked and awed by this book. I was not.
I think the plot had a lot of potential, the idea of blood being time has a lot of literal and metaphorical wiggle room, so I thought this was going to be an insane, epic thrill ride which was like sand falling in an hourglass (kind of like the cover suggests), what I didn't expect was the super boring, predictable love-triangle that I don't even understand since our MC has loved Brother One SINCE SHE WAS 7! Which is also the last time see saw him, which was 10 freaking years ago. I'm sorry, I don't know about y'all, but at 7 the last thing on my mind was loving a boy. At 7, I was more concerned about stickers and stuffed animals and playing in the mud, not making up some boy in my head to be amazing and convincing myself I am in love with him because he was a nice kid. I'm sorry, but I call bull on that. I mean, I get it, the author wanted to use the Insta-love trope, but she picked the wrong age to start it.
And the love-triangle? Could she get anymore predictable? The answer is yes, yes she could and she did. I won't spoil it for any of you, but even before A Thing happens, who Jude ends up with was painfully predictable. To make it even more super fun for us readers, there was also the amazing-totally-not-predictable-even-though-it-was-obvious-from-page-one plot twist that involves Jude being a Super Special Snowflake. I'm sorry, I get that everyone wants to read a story where the MC is not ordinary, but I am kind of tired of the MC being a Super Special Snowflake who gets to decide the fate of their worlds. Or maybe I'm just tired of the way it's been written lately.
Another plot twist that I won't go into details about, but that you should be able to guess since it was pretty obvious, was kind of predictable from the beginning and I wish they wouldn't have been.
I had such high hopes for this book because the plot sounded AMAZING, but it fell into so many tropes, it didn't build the world that well, I spent the majority of the book just being a maid, the action was less than a chapter long and anticlimactic, and while the ending is supposed to be a cliffhanger, it just left me more bored and excited to be done. As of today, unless the sequel gets amazing reviews from almost everyone, I have no intention of every reading it.

SUMMARY
Everless is a YA fantasy novel set in a kingdom called Sempera where time is currency. Specifically, people can spend their own time in exchange for goods/services. They do this by giving their blood which is then stamped onto iron — thus making blood-iron. Blood-iron can be made from both humans and animals.

We follow Jules, a girl of 17, who lives with her father in a small village called Crofton. It is the wintertime, and they are barely scraping by to make ends meet. Her father has no job. She has no job. He has to pay the rent by giving his own time, and he doesn’t have much left. Jules’s friend tells her of work in Everless. Working as a servant to prepare for the wedding of Lord Roan Gerling and Ina Gold, she would be paid a year’s time for one month of work. Except she and her father used to live in Everless; he was the blacksmith. They fled, never to return. So Jules has to sneak out to find work there.

Once she’s there, Jules realizes that things in Everless aren’t what they seem. She can’t just keep her head down. This is her childhood home. But not everything is how she remembers.

PLOT
This was such a fun book. One small issue I had was the use of the girl-hunting-in-the-forest trope. She used a gun instead of a bow-and-arrow. It was a neat touch, but it still felt like something we’ve seen before. Other than that? Holland uses the concept of time is money in a fantastic way. The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. We really see that throughout the novel.

There’s a pretty big cliffhanger at the end. However, this book definitely can stand on its own two feet. So often first books will feel like their only purpose is to set up the rest of the series. Not this one. It sets itself apart by taking something familiar and making it unfamiliar. It’s a story you think you know, just like how Jules thinks she knows Everless.

(And just to address the elephant in the room, you may be wondering if this is like the movie In Time. In my opinion, aside from the time is currency concept, the movie and book are two distinct entities. They both handle the concept in different ways with different plots.)

CHARACTERS
This book is told in first person POV. Jules comes across as a believable 17 year old who has been through some tough times. She’s stubborn, headstrong, and willing to do anything for the ones she loves.

Everless is a novel in which you never really know who to trust. “This is certainly the antagonist.” Are they? It’s a book that really does play with your expectations. Because we only see through the eyes of Jules, we are just as unknowing and assuming as her.

On the other hand, a minor fault for me with the characters dealt with a few of the side characters. For example, we meet Tam, a childhood friend who has had his tongue cut out. I think he falls into a category of almost being fleshed out but not quite getting there. He, along with some of the other named servants, are like this. It’s not that they’re boring or could be replaced by anyone else. I just wish we could’ve gotten to somehow know them more. It makes sense that we don’t know a lot about these other characters because Jules doesn’t spend much time with them, but sometimes it made them feel like faces in a crowd.

But in terms of the ones we do get to know well? Fantastic. For example, we hardly see the Queen; but we learn so much about her through stories and brief glimpses. She is cold-hearted and rules with an iron fist. But she took in Ina Gold, an orphan, to raise as her own and to become her successor.

WORLD-BUILDING
What takes this book above being just an average read are the little poignant moments and little touches. We learn that there are places outside the Queen’s realm that don’t use blood-iron. I love how it answers the question of, “Is the entire world like this?” No, it’s not. It also says a lot about the Queen herself in the fact that she hoards the secret of blood-iron.

We also see small, touching moments throughout: a seemingly endless line of people waiting to give their blood/time in order to pay off wages or just to afford to eat. A pair of elderly; all of the servants listening to a story being told in the dormitories. These little touches are scattered throughout the novel and really add to the experience.

OVERALL
This was a great read, perfect for the winter. The few minor faults, in my opinion, don’t hinder the book at all. Holland has written a fantastic debut novel. Honestly, reading this novel is time well spent.

In Sempera power comes from time; the poor have their time drained from them through their blood and the rich consume the blood irons with their cup of tea to be able to live for hundreds of years. This highly original fantasy concept is made even more fascinating by the fairy tale of the Alchemist and Sorcerer that runs throughout; two magical beings that supposedly started with the power play of controlling time.

Whether fictional or based on true events, the young Jules lives on the wrong side of the power struggle as a poor servant in the household of the rich Gerlings. She lived on the Everless estate as a child and after being forced to leave she never forgot about the boys she grew up with, kind Roan Gerling and his wicked brother Liam. So when she returns it doesn't take long for her to reconnect with Roan.

Except Roan is engaged to be married to Ina Gold, the girl who will inherit the throne when the Queen steps down. But Ina and the Queen arriving at Everless is only the start of Jules' problems...

The fantasy genre has exploded within young adult in recent years and while initially it wasn't one I thought was for me, there are plenty of excellent reads that have convinced me otherwise, such as Caraval, A Shiver of Snow and Sky and Red Queen. However, having such a stellar catalogue of books for comparison, Everless had a lot to live up to. Luckily it exceeded all my expectations, and then some!

After reading the blurb and having a vague idea what the book would be about I was intrigued by the workings of how blood could extend or decrease someone's time on earth, but it was the cracking story and feisty protagonist that kept me hooked throughout. There was so much going on with Jules and Roan, Jules and Liam, Jules and Ina and then there was the whole Alchemist and Sorcerer storyline too, creating an absolute whirlwind of a reading adventure and I loved every second of it.

Everless was so interesting and different that it constantly took me by surprise. I didn't see some of the biggest revelations coming, especially in regards to Roan and Liam and I really enjoyed that level of suspense that came with it. I did not like that it ended on a massive cliffhanger, but when a story is *this* gripping I'll give it the benefit of the doubt ? This is definitely one series I'll be eagerly anticipating the next installment for!

4.5 stars

To me, the most intriguing part of this book is the actual payment method, the importance time has, blood has. The way your blood is turned into time to pay for everything you need. The way you can simply gamble your life away with your blood. That was the main thing that made me want to pick up this book, long before I actually got it. Did it live up to my expectations? On that account, yes. Yes, it did!

I love the way time is implemented in the story, I love how Holland created a unique world that still felt natural to me. The writing is beautiful and descriptive, as it should be.

Our MC, Jules, has guts. She has courage. She does what she feels needs to be done and gives it her all. She wants to protect the ones she loves, she's ready to sacrifice herself should the need arise and I admire that. I admire her. She didn't feel overly heroic, she's still human and the balance between those two is admirable.

Then we have the two brothers - Gerlings - Roan and Liam.
At first I was intrigued by both of them but the more I read, the more I started to dislike Roan. There's simply something... off about him. There really is. As for Liam, well. Let's just say I'm definitely curious to find out what he'll end up doing, what influence he'll have in the rest of the story!

If there's one thing I didn't feel quite comfortable with, it's the way Jules acts so familiar to people with a higher ranking so fast. One moment she's like "I'm a servant; I'll look at the floor now." and the other she's pretty much mouthing off against those same people? There should've been more growth in her character to be able to justify a change like that.

I feel like this book really was just the intro to a series. There's plenty of events but I don't feel like I actually read a whole lot of important things? I simply feel like this could be the 0.5, I guess... Nothing wrong with that, but it's not something I usually think about and the fact that I do now, makes me want to mention it to you guys as well!

4 / 5!

Kathy

Everless by Sara Holland is book that tells the story of a land that is quite different from the one we know. It takes place in the land of Sempera where the lifespan of the people is a type of currency. This currency is often used to pay for simple thing’s like the tithe and many have to take years off their lives in order to survive. This kingdom depends on the lifeblood of the poor to keep up the lives of the rich. There is definitely a major discrepancy between the aristocracy and those in the villages.

Jules Ember is a girl whose family has been burned by the aristocracy of Everless too many times already. The Gerlings are the family that has destroyed hers by kicking them out of Everless and leaving them to sell their life away to pay the taxes. With Jule’s father fading fast, she faces the reality that Everless might just be the thing to save her family in the end if she could get a job there and maybe give some life back to her father.

So in order to save the only family she has left, Jules will have to face her past and find a way to survive the place that put her in such a dire situation in the first place.

So the first thing that really intrigued me about this novel was this whole “blood currency” idea that encompassed the novel. The fact that drawing out this blood took a certain amount of time out of a person was just so interesting and kind of scary. Some people were living forever once they drank the blood of others — kind of like vampires — while the poor usually ended up going crazy once they gave up too much of their blood. This disparity between the two classes was so distinct that it was maddening and crazy to read about.

Getting past the currency and the obsession with blood and putting it in currency, I was very intrigued by the relationships Jules had with some of the characters. Her memories of when she was a child were just that, and therefore a little distorted. This becomes clear once Jules reaches the Everless “castle”. There is definitely some contention Jules has with the characters who live their and it was interesting to see how this played out.

Everless contains mystery, betrayal, secrets and even a secret romance. I couldn’t put it down once I picked it up because this book just kept getting crazier and more intriguing. I would definitely recommend grabbing a copy when you can because this novel turns out to be nothing like you would expect. NOTHING. Instead, this book will turn you on your head and have you all twisted around. Definitely a MUST read.

Note: This is a review of an Advanced Reader’s Edition, not the final copy.

Everless is one of my favorite books I’ve read so far this year. It was intricately written with great characters and a plot that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t stop reading, it was so hard to put down! The world completely sucked me in and the plot twists were wild and completely unpredictable. I was still guessing right up to the very end!

The world in this story was so well-thought out and interesting. I loved the concept of using time as currency and being able to draw it out of people, it was honestly so cool. The inner workings of this world were so fascinating and I loved learning about its history and the inner workings. Jules was a great main character. She was so interesting and had fantastic development.

I’m being really vague in this review on purpose because it’s so easy to accidentally spoil things and I think it’s better to go in not knowing anything. This book had a really similar feel to Ruined by Amy Tintera in my opinion, so I would definitely recommend this book to fans of that series. Honestly, I recommend this book to everyone because it’s amazing! Definitely give this one a read!

In the kingdom of Sempera time is used as currency, bound to blood, and adhered to iron. When consumed it can extend life for those who imbibe. The Gerlings are a family of the aristocracy, and they tax the poor as much as possible forcing people to give their life force as payment, and in turn the Gerlings use it to extend their own lives. To say this causes a bit of resentment is an understatement.

No one feels that resentment more than Jules Ember. Ten years ago, an incident forced Jules and her father to flee from Everless, the Gerlings family estate. Now, Jules is forced to go back to keep her father from giving all his blood in order to make payments on their homestead. Jules knows that she left under questionable circumstances; she just hopes enough time has elapsed that no one remembers her. Jules returns on the heels of a visit to the estate by the Queen of Sempera, and with that visit comes warnings of things best left in the past. But now that the question is out there, Jules can’t let the past lie.

Everless gets the honor of being a truly unique and unassuming book. I love books and love reading, naturally, so I think it’s fair to say that it’s easy to feel like you’ve read the same plot devices or storylines repeatedly. I had thought Everless would fulfill this same expectation, but by the end I realized how wrong I was. We all know the saying about those who assume right?

I loved the unexpected places that Everless takes Jules Ember, and by extension the reader, as Jules tries to acclimate what she remembers of her past with the new discoveries of the present, and what really happened that day ten years ago at Everless. Unfortunately, this was also a bit of the downfall while reading for me as well. Jules goes back to Everless with the need to earn more time for her ailing father. She doesn’t go back with the intention to blow the doors open on long-held secrets, but that’s exactly what ends up happening to her. This causes her to kind of stumble through the story a bit too much for me, she doesn’t have a clear path leading her to answers, she’s not specifically following clues, a lot of what she discovers, and how, is due to chance. I’m hoping, however, with where things leave us, that this aspect will be different in the next book.

I loved, despite the book blurb, that the romantic aspect of the story wasn’t as exaggerated up as I thought it would be. When Jules returns to Everless, she remembers her childhood friend, and Gerling, Roan with much affection, and she remembers his older brother Liam with much less affection. Who the brothers are, and who Jules remembers them as, is just another piece to the mysterious puzzle readers and Jules are tasked with figuring out. While we get a pretty good idea by the end, not everything is explicitly worked out for us, and I can’t wait to find out more answers.

Everless starts the year on a good note. It’s a twisting and often unpredictable mystery that, despite the precarious situation our characters find themselves in, leaves me eager to see what Sara Holland has up her sleeve next.

In Everless time is money. Literally. This concept is fascinating. So when I heard about this book I knew I was going to have to pick it up. Then along comes the Booked All Night podcast, one of my favorite bookish podcasts I know of, and they didn’t like it! “oh no,” I thought “what if it’s bad?” But it didn’t sound awful, mostly just a bit predictable. So I listened to the whole episode and did something I never do: I let it spoil me.

Because of this I went into the book having a vague idea of where it was going to go and the basic twists it was going to hit. What I was most concerned about was how they were going to get there. Was the journey worthy of the pay off?

The answer is yes, for the most part. For a person who reads a lot of YA and is very familiar with the tropes and mechanics of story telling, yes, this book will be very easy to suss out. You’ll probably be able to see where its going just by following the clues. HOWEVER, Everless does take a twist and turn it around on its head. Yes you’ll see something coming, but what you’ll see won’t be exactly what you thing. And that is what I appreciated most out of this book.

If I were asked what I thought the theme or lesson of this book was I guess I would say “Things aren’t always what they seem.” The casual reader will not expect at least 3 of the major twists in this book. Holland takes this theme and weaves it throughout Everless, creating a beautiful story from it.

While the story and plot are probably my favorite parts of this book, don’t think I didn’t enjoy the characters as well. While they may not be the most complex characters ever written they are really enjoyable to read about. Everyone from the heir to the lowliest servant has a role to play, and they’re all fairly interesting.

I really enjoyed this book. Once I got into the meat of it I couldn’t put it down. It’s a very compelling read. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next one since this is definitely a series I’m going to be continuing with. Proof that predictability does not a bad story make.

Everless is a binge-worthy young adult fantasy that will have you longing for the next book in the series. There is a little bit of romance, a bit of action, and an awesome female lead. I highly recommend this novel! Thank you to BookSparks for sending me a free advanced reader's copy of Everless in exchange for my honest review. Overall, I rate Everless 4/5 stars.

I have been in a bit of a YA fantasy slump. Most of the books that I have read recently didn't feel original or else they caused me to frequently roll my adult eyes at all of the instant love tropes. Therefore, I was hesitantly excited to read and review Everless.

With all of that being said, the premise for Everless felt very unique to me. A society where you can buy or sell your time as currency gave me a lot to think about. Parents could sell their own time to save for their children. The ruling class has their subjects pay taxes in time. Plus, you can imbibe the coins by melting them in a hot drink and add time back to your life. This concept is partially realistic and partially horrifying and totally pulled me in.

There is a little bit of romance and quite a bit of naivety in this novel, but not so much that it will distract the reader from the overall story. There are plot twists that I didn't see coming and I greatly appreciated that! In my opinion, the extended cast could use some fleshing out - I had a hard time trying to figure out if I liked or loathed several characters, but Holland will definitely have time to further develop the supporting cast as the next book(s) is written.

The main character, Jules, was easy for me to relate to. She reminded me a bit of Katniss Everdeen, but with some magical talents thrown in. Jules (and the reader) are definitely in the dark about Jules' past and why her father wants to keep her away from Everless, but we get the chance to learn right along with Jules. And thankfully, Jules is a fast learner who doesn't require a ton of foreshadowing.

For fans of the standalone novel - the ending to Everless is definitely a cliff-hanger and you will have to wait (hopefully not too long!) for the next installment.

Review based on review copy
3.5 stars

Plot: The idea of time being currency is fascinating and I'm sure it's what caught many readers' eye, it's what caught my eye! The idea is genius and I loved the many layers that Holland presented. From the start, Jules was a bit more than met the eye, she had a close relationship with two young aristocratic boys but had to flee one night with the fear of being killed. I loved the many layers of this world and how it all related to Jules Ember, the servant girl. There came a point around the 70% mark where Jules started piecing strange happenings together and came to a realization quickly - it wasn't a natural process and disappointed me that Holland elected to resolve everything so hastily. The ending was fairly open-ended and has me curious about the sequel.

Characters: Jules intrigued me from the start, she was selfless and had a good head on her shoulders; however, as the book progressed, Jules became the Chosen One and I started losing interest in her. Luckily, there were other characters who seem to hold the keys to unraveling several mysteries of the world. It was the secondary characters that helped move the mystery and build the world, and I hope that they get the same growth opportunities as Jules had.

Worldbuilding: I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit shaky on how the time/blood coin/currency worked. Time was connected to blood that was turned into metal coins, and those coins could be digested to add more years; it was a very complex system. Besides that, I loved the world. There was a clear contrast between the aristocratic castle and slums of Crofton and I thought that Holland did a great job of defining the priorities for each class of people.

Short N Sweet: Everless was unique and full of mystery, I only wish that the ending didn't feel as rushed.

After a little bit of a slow start, this book totally sucked me in! I can't wait to continue following the characters in this world. It took me a little while to get my head around some of the world-building, but once I did, I really enjoyed where the story took me.

In a world where the currency is literally the years on one's life, Jules and her father struggle to make ends meet from one day to the next. After her father's death, Jules goes to work at the Everless estate, home of the wealthy Girling family, where she lived as a child before she and her father were driven away. But the more times she spends there, the more secrets she uncovers about her past, and the more questions she finds that need answers.

I really enjoyed the way that Holland subverted some typical YA tropes. What I thought was surely going to be a love triangle turned out to not be. There is still a bit of romance and it does have some eye-roll-worthy moments that are typical of YA, but this is very much not the focal point of the book. Jules actually spends most of the book trying to figure out her past and her abilities, rather than swooning over anyone.

The last third of the book is quite twisty. I had figured out some of the reveals that came along, but certainly not all of them, and I was taken by surprise on more than one occasion. There is a good cast of characters and I really appreciated how many women and girls made up the supporting cast.

I really loved the world-building. The idea of blood-iron did take me a while to understand, but it is pretty well explained. There is also a lot of mythology and history of the Kingdom of Sempera, which Holland weaves into the story. Sometimes it did get a little info-dumpy, especially earlier on, but this didn't bother me too much.

The ending is full of drama and leaves a lot for the second book to explore. I'm really excited to see how everythiing pans out.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of Everless for review purposes.

The entire YA fantasy genre is filled with either female protagonists with magic they don't know about or magic they develop. I am trying desperately to steer clear of these tropes, but....this cover though. <3

I wanted to love this book. I wanted to love Jules and her father as they slog through a world run with time as their currency. It's a cool concept and world, but had me confused for about half of the book. I hate when I feel as though books remind me of other books (before you say it, I know there are NO original ideas anymore, but at least when a plot is similar, the characters and situations differ), but sadly this one crushed Red Queen with some Ember in the Ashes and a few others and I couldn't get past it.

That is not to say I didn't enjoy reading it. I did. The writing was good except for some info dumps and confusing backstories. Jules was sort of dry and I admit that I do enjoy romance, but this one was lacking in that department.

Here's the break down: Jules goes to work at Everless to pay off her father's debts despite his warnings to stay away from the palace AND the queen both. She ignores all warnings which pissed me off. She came off like such a smart gal with a head on her shoulders, but she put herself into some stupid situations for reasons that were not even justified. Thus is the YA fantasy i suppose.

I feel like there was potential that was missed, characters that could have developed a little better and plot-lines that could have been scratched. I hope others enjoy it more than I did.

theworldofceliamcmahon.com/2018/01/21/everless-review/

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Everless from the author, who was doing a giveaway on Twitter a few months ago. At the time, Everless wasn’t yet on my radar, but the concept really intrigued me, so I figured I’d give it a shot. Since then, I’ve seen countless reviews of it from people I follow — none of which I’ve read yet because I wanted to form my own opinion first!

The concept — a world in which time is worth more than anything else — was interesting, but I was worried about the execution. I had no reason to be, because Holland does a wonderful job of immersing the reader into this new world. We understand how it works, what the stakes are. It gives such an urgency to the concept of poverty: in Sempera, you are quite literally bled dry to pay off your debts.

The characters were incredibly well-written. I loved Jules so much, and her relationship with her father was both beautiful and heartbreaking. I liked seeing her relationships with the other characters develop. At times she can be a little too naive, but that’s probably somewhat realistic, given how she was raised.

For the most part I liked the plot and the writing. I blew through it pretty quickly, but felt that the ending was a little rushed. It could have easily been drawn out a bit more, I think some additional details could have fleshed things out nicely. I will say that it is certainly an impressive debut novel. And it definitely set things up very well for the sequel though, which I wish I didn’t have to wait another year for!

Overall, I was a huge fan of Everless. If you’re looking for a fantasy read, consider picking this up! You won’t be disappointed.

4.5 Stars in my Sky!

"tempus edax rerum."

I loved *ahem* was terrified of the concept of Everless. Jules lives a in a kingdom queendom called Sempera where time, or rather life-force time, is money. People can bleed themselves aka sell time directly from their blood to make blood-iron. In a very unequal society the poorer civilians are forced to sell years of their lives just to survive the now whilst the rich control the blood-iron coins and extra years.

Jules's father has been secretly selling time to pay rent and is in very poor health. To stop him from selling any more time Jules heads to Everless to work for the Gerlings. She can earn a lot of blood-iron but at great risk.

Jules finds herself plunged headfirst into the Gerling's intrigues and is much closer to the powerful Queen than she ever expected. She is befriended by Caro (the Queen's handmaiden) and her heir Lady Ina. They offer her comfort and a distraction from her affection for her former childhood friend (and Ina's fiancé) Roan. I have to admit I was more intrigued by her old nemesis and childhood tormentor Liam. Don't worry any potential romance takes a backseat to Jules's mission and the situation in Everless.

The world building is complex and interesting, if a little confusing at times. BUT I loved all the details and special insights Sara Holland provides into the mysteriously dark society. Once I got my head round the names and who could do what, I became thoroughly engrossed in Jules's story.

The book ends on one heck of a cliffy so I'm desperate to find out what happens next!

I received a review copy

I was immediately drawn into Everless because the cover was so intriguing. The detail of the world within the hourglass drew me in and I wasn't disappointed by the story. The premise was unique: time is currency in this world and can be harnessed from your blood. As in most societies, there is incredible stratification and inequality. The poor must sell their time to survive while the rich horde time and live for hundreds of years.

The main character Jules finds herself in the employ of one of the wealthy families and embroiled in more trouble than she ever expected. Despite the fact that her father always warned her against returning to the Gerling estate, she didn't listen and hoped that she could make enough while in their service to give her father more time. She is both fiercely loyal and trusting, which is not always a positive in this environment. I found her to be likable and rooted for her success or survival.

There were aspects of the plot that I found to be a little formulaic and to be expected, but others that surprised me. It was a good mix of feeling like I was figuring things out as the main character did and being surprised by reveals. I felt that the book was well written and can wait to see where the author takes this story.

Thank you to Booksparks for providing me with a free copy of the book

This book was such a treat! I was surprised at how quickly I found myself completely immersed in Jules' story. I kept expecting to lift my face from the pages and find myself in the halls of Everless. (Sadly, it never happen.)


One of my favorite aspects of this teen fantasy was how fresh it felt. It wasn't the same old storyline with different faces. I loved this idea that time is currency and it's in your blood. The stakes are constantly very high, and it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time I read it.


And, of course, I loved the characters. Well, not all of them. I kind of hated some of them, but I loved that Holland made me feel such strong emotions toward everyone. That always makes a book stand out for me: a strong emotional reaction to the characters and storyline.


So, yes, you need to read this book. Every time I sat down to read it I lost track of everything going on around me. And now I'm crying inside because I'll have to wait until 2019 to read the next installment and find out what happens next. Because this one ends with a killer cliff hanger.


P.S. I loved this book so hard that I went out and bought a copy despite having the arc. It's a must-own gorgeous piece of fiction. Have I mentioned that I think you should read it?

Did I enjoy this book? I really did! I read it every free chance I had and probably would have finished it in a few hours if I didn’t have children, work, or other such obligations. ?

For me, the premise of this story is new. I haven’t read anything like it. Time is currency . . . and that currency is made from your blood. Jules Ember once lived in Everless, but she was forced to leave with her father. But because her father was running out of time, she had to go back. For me, Everless wasn’t action-packed, but it moved and kept me questioning. I kept wondering why Jules wasn’t supposed to go back, why she was warned, why things happened around her. I loved how some characters were pretty straightforward and others were not who I thought they were. I love it when books do that, when they make a character different than they first appeared. Everless had a few characters who surprised me.

Everless was a wonderful read. I didn’t want to put it down, and it left me with a serious book hangover. Even though I have some answers, I still have some questions. Mainly, when will the next book be released???

Would I recommend it? Yes, I would! Definitely.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In Everless time is money. Literally. This concept is fascinating. So when I heard about this book I knew I was going to have to pick it up. Then along comes the Booked All Night podcast, one of my favorite bookish podcasts I know of, and they didn’t like it! “oh no,” I thought “what if it’s bad?” But it didn’t sound awful, mostly just a bit predictable. So I listened to the whole episode and did something I never do: I let it spoil me.

Because of this I went into the book having a vague idea of where it was going to go and the basic twists it was going to hit. What I was most concerned about was how they were going to get there. Was the journey worthy of the pay off?

The answer is yes, for the most part. For a person who reads a lot of YA and is very familiar with the tropes and mechanics of story telling, yes, this book will be very easy to suss out. You’ll probably be able to see where its going just by following the clues. HOWEVER, Everless does take a twist and turn it around on its head. Yes you’ll see something coming, but what you’ll see won’t be exactly what you thing. And that is what I appreciated most out of this book.

If I were asked what I thought the theme or lesson of this book was I guess I would say “Things aren’t always what they seem.” The casual reader will not expect at least 3 of the major twists in this book. Holland takes this theme and weaves it throughout Everless, creating a beautiful story from it.

While the story and plot are probably my favorite parts of this book, don’t think I didn’t enjoy the characters as well. While they may not be the most complex characters ever written they are really enjoyable to read about. Everyone from the heir to the lowliest servant has a role to play, and they’re all fairly interesting.

I really enjoyed this book. Once I got into the meat of it I couldn’t put it down. It’s a very compelling read. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next one since this is definitely a series I’m going to be continuing with. Proof that predictability does not a bad story make.

Everless is a binge-worthy young adult fantasy that will have you longing for the next book in the series. There is a little bit of romance, a bit of action, and an awesome female lead. I highly recommend this novel! Thank you to BookSparks for sending me a free advanced reader's copy of Everless in exchange for my honest review. Overall, I rate Everless 4/5 stars.

I have been in a bit of a YA fantasy slump. Most of the books that I have read recently didn't feel original or else they caused me to frequently roll my adult eyes at all of the instant love tropes. Therefore, I was hesitantly excited to read and review Everless.

With all of that being said, the premise for Everless felt very unique to me. A society where you can buy or sell your time as currency gave me a lot to think about. Parents could sell their own time to save for their children. The ruling class has their subjects pay taxes in time. Plus, you can imbibe the coins by melting them in a hot drink and add time back to your life. This concept is partially realistic and partially horrifying and totally pulled me in.

There is a little bit of romance and quite a bit of naivety in this novel, but not so much that it will distract the reader from the overall story. There are plot twists that I didn't see coming and I greatly appreciated that! In my opinion, the extended cast could use some fleshing out - I had a hard time trying to figure out if I liked or loathed several characters, but Holland will definitely have time to further develop the supporting cast as the next book(s) is written.

The main character, Jules, was easy for me to relate to. She reminded me a bit of Katniss Everdeen, but with some magical talents thrown in. Jules (and the reader) are definitely in the dark about Jules' past and why her father wants to keep her away from Everless, but we get the chance to learn right along with Jules. And thankfully, Jules is a fast learner who doesn't require a ton of foreshadowing.

For fans of the standalone novel - the ending to Everless is definitely a cliff-hanger and you will have to wait (hopefully not too long!) for the next installment.

Review based on review copy
3.5 stars

Plot: The idea of time being currency is fascinating and I'm sure it's what caught many readers' eye, it's what caught my eye! The idea is genius and I loved the many layers that Holland presented. From the start, Jules was a bit more than met the eye, she had a close relationship with two young aristocratic boys but had to flee one night with the fear of being killed. I loved the many layers of this world and how it all related to Jules Ember, the servant girl. There came a point around the 70% mark where Jules started piecing strange happenings together and came to a realization quickly - it wasn't a natural process and disappointed me that Holland elected to resolve everything so hastily. The ending was fairly open-ended and has me curious about the sequel.

Characters: Jules intrigued me from the start, she was selfless and had a good head on her shoulders; however, as the book progressed, Jules became the Chosen One and I started losing interest in her. Luckily, there were other characters who seem to hold the keys to unraveling several mysteries of the world. It was the secondary characters that helped move the mystery and build the world, and I hope that they get the same growth opportunities as Jules had.

Worldbuilding: I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit shaky on how the time/blood coin/currency worked. Time was connected to blood that was turned into metal coins, and those coins could be digested to add more years; it was a very complex system. Besides that, I loved the world. There was a clear contrast between the aristocratic castle and slums of Crofton and I thought that Holland did a great job of defining the priorities for each class of people.

Short N Sweet: Everless was unique and full of mystery, I only wish that the ending didn't feel as rushed.

After a little bit of a slow start, this book totally sucked me in! I can't wait to continue following the characters in this world. It took me a little while to get my head around some of the world-building, but once I did, I really enjoyed where the story took me.

In a world where the currency is literally the years on one's life, Jules and her father struggle to make ends meet from one day to the next. After her father's death, Jules goes to work at the Everless estate, home of the wealthy Girling family, where she lived as a child before she and her father were driven away. But the more times she spends there, the more secrets she uncovers about her past, and the more questions she finds that need answers.

I really enjoyed the way that Holland subverted some typical YA tropes. What I thought was surely going to be a love triangle turned out to not be. There is still a bit of romance and it does have some eye-roll-worthy moments that are typical of YA, but this is very much not the focal point of the book. Jules actually spends most of the book trying to figure out her past and her abilities, rather than swooning over anyone.

The last third of the book is quite twisty. I had figured out some of the reveals that came along, but certainly not all of them, and I was taken by surprise on more than one occasion. There is a good cast of characters and I really appreciated how many women and girls made up the supporting cast.

I really loved the world-building. The idea of blood-iron did take me a while to understand, but it is pretty well explained. There is also a lot of mythology and history of the Kingdom of Sempera, which Holland weaves into the story. Sometimes it did get a little info-dumpy, especially earlier on, but this didn't bother me too much.

The ending is full of drama and leaves a lot for the second book to explore. I'm really excited to see how everythiing pans out.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of Everless for review purposes.

4.5/ 5 Stars

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? Seriously, I need help right now because this story just took everything I Thought I knew and destroyed it in just two chapters. What a suspense packed ending to a great YA/Fantasy book by Sara Holland. I truly loved every bit of it so much I even fangirled a LOT, like all the freaking time. And look at this beautiful cover, it’s captivating.

This was one of my 2018 most expected book releases because the synopsis sounded awesome, but I was not expecting just how good it truly was. The story itself is fresh and new without any type of clichés and filled with deceit, lies, betrayal and just a hint of romance in the background.

The fantasy part, was wonderfully well-constructed and written to a point that you can feel that you’re in inside that world. It wasn’t overly done, like a lot of fantasy books. It remained rather simple, but always exciting enough that I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I could not put it down until the last chapter. I found truly unique that the author made time be a valuable coin that you can trade for anything you need. All you need to do it take a bit of blood, depending if you want it to be days, hours or even years and make it into a coin. This is super unique and soooo cool.

The protagonist Jules, had to flee the palatial estate where she lived with her father, because of something that happened, something that she’s kept a secret for a very long time. Ever since then she’s been on the run, from Liam and from the Queen, until the need to work takes her back to the same place that she escaped from. I loved her to bits. Jules was cunning and smart, always running around with ideas to find out more about her past rather than being sorry for herself. She was also selfless and hardworking. She would risk everything to save her father and give him more time. I always love a Protagonist that can be kind despite the circumstances. The idea of romance that we have with her and Roan, was just that. An idea. Nothing actually happens, and I preferred it that way honestly. EVEN THOUGH I’M A SUCKER FOR ROMANCE, she didn’t belong with Roan and she did better by herself. This is a girl that does not need a love interest to make her interesting. She does that all on her own

When describing Roan and Liam a quote comes to mind: Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. One might seem handsome and charming and the other mean and calculating, but is that true? I adored all the mind games that author gave us regarding these boys. I kept going back and forward about who was the good guy, who was the guy that we could trust. Bottom line they both play a BIG part in this story, they both make Jules heart jump, but which one is truly there for her? You’ll never know….

The rest of the characters were just fabulous. The queen was a major biatch, which I can understand, but she wasn’t the MAIN BIATCH, if you know what I mean… Oh, no. The main biatch is someone you’ll never see coming. I’ve said it before in this book nothing is what it seems. So be careful getting attached to characters and trusting them. Don’t trust anyone until the end. It’s my advice. Don’t be like me.

Everless just won over my little heart and made sure it was pumping correctly, by scaring it endlessly. Sara Holland did a great job and I can’t wait until the next one comes out, and if it’s nearly as good as this one… Then I might just die of happiness.

The entire YA fantasy genre is filled with either female protagonists with magic they don't know about or magic they develop. I am trying desperately to steer clear of these tropes, but....this cover though. <3

I wanted to love this book. I wanted to love Jules and her father as they slog through a world run with time as their currency. It's a cool concept and world, but had me confused for about half of the book. I hate when I feel as though books remind me of other books (before you say it, I know there are NO original ideas anymore, but at least when a plot is similar, the characters and situations differ), but sadly this one crushed Red Queen with some Ember in the Ashes and a few others and I couldn't get past it.

That is not to say I didn't enjoy reading it. I did. The writing was good except for some info dumps and confusing backstories. Jules was sort of dry and I admit that I do enjoy romance, but this one was lacking in that department.

Here's the break down: Jules goes to work at Everless to pay off her father's debts despite his warnings to stay away from the palace AND the queen both. She ignores all warnings which pissed me off. She came off like such a smart gal with a head on her shoulders, but she put herself into some stupid situations for reasons that were not even justified. Thus is the YA fantasy i suppose.

I feel like there was potential that was missed, characters that could have developed a little better and plot-lines that could have been scratched. I hope others enjoy it more than I did.

theworldofceliamcmahon.com/2018/01/21/everless-review/

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Everless from the author, who was doing a giveaway on Twitter a few months ago. At the time, Everless wasn’t yet on my radar, but the concept really intrigued me, so I figured I’d give it a shot. Since then, I’ve seen countless reviews of it from people I follow — none of which I’ve read yet because I wanted to form my own opinion first!

The concept — a world in which time is worth more than anything else — was interesting, but I was worried about the execution. I had no reason to be, because Holland does a wonderful job of immersing the reader into this new world. We understand how it works, what the stakes are. It gives such an urgency to the concept of poverty: in Sempera, you are quite literally bled dry to pay off your debts.

The characters were incredibly well-written. I loved Jules so much, and her relationship with her father was both beautiful and heartbreaking. I liked seeing her relationships with the other characters develop. At times she can be a little too naive, but that’s probably somewhat realistic, given how she was raised.

For the most part I liked the plot and the writing. I blew through it pretty quickly, but felt that the ending was a little rushed. It could have easily been drawn out a bit more, I think some additional details could have fleshed things out nicely. I will say that it is certainly an impressive debut novel. And it definitely set things up very well for the sequel though, which I wish I didn’t have to wait another year for!

Overall, I was a huge fan of Everless. If you’re looking for a fantasy read, consider picking this up! You won’t be disappointed.

4.5 Stars in my Sky!

"tempus edax rerum."

I loved *ahem* was terrified of the concept of Everless. Jules lives a in a kingdom queendom called Sempera where time, or rather life-force time, is money. People can bleed themselves aka sell time directly from their blood to make blood-iron. In a very unequal society the poorer civilians are forced to sell years of their lives just to survive the now whilst the rich control the blood-iron coins and extra years.

Jules's father has been secretly selling time to pay rent and is in very poor health. To stop him from selling any more time Jules heads to Everless to work for the Gerlings. She can earn a lot of blood-iron but at great risk.

Jules finds herself plunged headfirst into the Gerling's intrigues and is much closer to the powerful Queen than she ever expected. She is befriended by Caro (the Queen's handmaiden) and her heir Lady Ina. They offer her comfort and a distraction from her affection for her former childhood friend (and Ina's fiancé) Roan. I have to admit I was more intrigued by her old nemesis and childhood tormentor Liam. Don't worry any potential romance takes a backseat to Jules's mission and the situation in Everless.

The world building is complex and interesting, if a little confusing at times. BUT I loved all the details and special insights Sara Holland provides into the mysteriously dark society. Once I got my head round the names and who could do what, I became thoroughly engrossed in Jules's story.

The book ends on one heck of a cliffy so I'm desperate to find out what happens next!

I received a review copy

Stars (Out of 10): 9/10 Stars

Favorite Character: Liam (so much depth throughout the story!)

Spoiler Free: Oh man, I could not put this book down! This definitely would’ve been one of those “devour in one sitting” books had I not been reading it on my commute (and been forced to put it down constantly.) Right from the beginning, the plot and world just draw you in. You’re constantly forced to consider every event and the secrets it holds, as Jules constantly reminds you that secrets are everywhere, and the Geldings and other royals will do whatever it takes to keep them. And this book definitely delivered on that front! I questioned everything, had so many theories, and still I was surprised by every twist this book seemed to take! That, plus the able to fully capture my attention without a full focus on romance, just proved how well written this book was, and how fascinating the idea was.

Almost everything about this book screamed that it was just another YA fantasy book in the kingdoms wave. Yes, the premise seemed awesome, but so many do. So needless to say, I definitely went in with mediocre expectations. But with each new page, the book constantly rose above and beyond anything I expected it to be!

Careful! Spoilers beyond this point!

Spoilers: Ahhhh. Just everything that happened in those last 50 pages has me reeling!

I can’t believe I didn’t realize Caro was controlling everything all along. It was so obvious there was something off about her (her constant watching of Jules, often pushing her to do things that could reveal the truth, etc.), but I still was so blind to it! She seemed so trustworthy to me, as a reader, that it’s no wonder Jules fell into her trap in the actual story.

Also Liam! I definitely guessed early on that Liam was the true love interest, but I still didn’t expect that whole mess to turn out as it did! (Why didn’t she kiss him!!!) Also, can I just say again that I love when MC’s find out the “big bad guy” is actually a sweetheart? Definitely feel that vibe happening here, and I love it! Only thing I’m mad about is that Liam didn’t end up going with her. So now in Evermore I first need to wait for them to reunite.

Also, what is up with Roan? It was never fully mentioned, but there was definitely more to him than originally shown, and I hope the next book starts unraveling that thread. From Bea warning Jules that she was better than that snake, Bea smiling at Roan until realizing Jules was with him (when servants are usually pretty shy around the royals?), and Roan always smelling like a different type of flower/perfume, it definitely seems like that dude was super shady and sleeping around with more than a few servant girls. In the end, I think this realization, either conscious or subconscious, is what made his death not break Jules’s heart. Maybe she realized that the kiss they shared wasn’t one out of love, but of lust or manipulation instead? Who knows! I just hope this is a path that’s uncovered farther.

And then there was the plot, which didn’t let go for a moment the entire book. From page to page, we are constantly gaining more clues to put together the puzzle, and it makes even the normally filler scenes super interesting to read!

I was immediately drawn into Everless because the cover was so intriguing. The detail of the world within the hourglass drew me in and I wasn't disappointed by the story. The premise was unique: time is currency in this world and can be harnessed from your blood. As in most societies, there is incredible stratification and inequality. The poor must sell their time to survive while the rich horde time and live for hundreds of years.

The main character Jules finds herself in the employ of one of the wealthy families and embroiled in more trouble than she ever expected. Despite the fact that her father always warned her against returning to the Gerling estate, she didn't listen and hoped that she could make enough while in their service to give her father more time. She is both fiercely loyal and trusting, which is not always a positive in this environment. I found her to be likable and rooted for her success or survival.

There were aspects of the plot that I found to be a little formulaic and to be expected, but others that surprised me. It was a good mix of feeling like I was figuring things out as the main character did and being surprised by reveals. I felt that the book was well written and can wait to see where the author takes this story.

Thank you to Booksparks for providing me with a free copy of the book

This book was such a treat! I was surprised at how quickly I found myself completely immersed in Jules' story. I kept expecting to lift my face from the pages and find myself in the halls of Everless. (Sadly, it never happen.)


One of my favorite aspects of this teen fantasy was how fresh it felt. It wasn't the same old storyline with different faces. I loved this idea that time is currency and it's in your blood. The stakes are constantly very high, and it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time I read it.


And, of course, I loved the characters. Well, not all of them. I kind of hated some of them, but I loved that Holland made me feel such strong emotions toward everyone. That always makes a book stand out for me: a strong emotional reaction to the characters and storyline.


So, yes, you need to read this book. Every time I sat down to read it I lost track of everything going on around me. And now I'm crying inside because I'll have to wait until 2019 to read the next installment and find out what happens next. Because this one ends with a killer cliff hanger.


P.S. I loved this book so hard that I went out and bought a copy despite having the arc. It's a must-own gorgeous piece of fiction. Have I mentioned that I think you should read it?

Did I enjoy this book? I really did! I read it every free chance I had and probably would have finished it in a few hours if I didn’t have children, work, or other such obligations. ?

For me, the premise of this story is new. I haven’t read anything like it. Time is currency . . . and that currency is made from your blood. Jules Ember once lived in Everless, but she was forced to leave with her father. But because her father was running out of time, she had to go back. For me, Everless wasn’t action-packed, but it moved and kept me questioning. I kept wondering why Jules wasn’t supposed to go back, why she was warned, why things happened around her. I loved how some characters were pretty straightforward and others were not who I thought they were. I love it when books do that, when they make a character different than they first appeared. Everless had a few characters who surprised me.

Everless was a wonderful read. I didn’t want to put it down, and it left me with a serious book hangover. Even though I have some answers, I still have some questions. Mainly, when will the next book be released???

Would I recommend it? Yes, I would! Definitely.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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.

I was anticipating Everless so much and OMG it lived up to all my expectations!

Everless was my first read of 2018, and I couldn't have chosen a better book. The premise is really cool and the plot just gets better and better as the story goes on. The atmosphere was great, particularly once Jules settled into Everless itself -- at times I got a real "Jane Eyre, big -mysterious house full of secrets"-vibe while she was sneaking around. I loved the descriptions of the kitchens, the dormitories and the library of Everless. It's a location I'd love to explore for myself.

If the sequel was available, I'd have moved straight on to it next, and that's always a good sign. As it is, I'll be looking forward to its release.

Patty's review Oct 11, 2017 · edit
it was amazing

Everless
By
Sara Holland

What it's all about...

Blood! This book is about people who have to sell their blood in order to live! It’s complicated and when I first began this book I wasn’t sure that I would be able to read it. It revolves around a Queen and a family and the Queen’s quest to live forever...no matter the cost. But...of course...nothing is what it seems in a book like this. Jules...the poorest of anyone...is the key to everything! Secrets abound, childhood memories are key and Jules has to be the one to figure it all out.

Why I wanted to read it...

I was in the mood for a fantasy. The cover of this book is beautiful. The writing is strong and captivating.

What made me truly enjoy this book...

The plot is unique. The pace is fast. I sped through the last few pages. I had to know what Jules...brave Jules...would do. Where would she go to hide from evil? Is there anywhere safe? Whom can she trust? I have to wait for the next book for answers!
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Why you should read it, too...

Readers who love a unique fantasy should love this book!

I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley and the store. I read and reviewed this book because I wanted to.

Everless is fantasy read that focuses on a unique concept of time being used as currency. I love that not only is family important in the book, but the main character also values friendships, old and new. This book contains a lot of layers, and through each chapter something new, and oftentimes surprising, is unveiled.

Jules, the protagonist, is very kindhearted, selfless, and giving. I had a hard time connecting with Jules, because sometimes I found her to be a bit childish and very naive. She focuses a lot on her past (which is foggy at times); I kept hoping she would open her eyes and mind up to her surroundings, but she is very straight and narrow. Luckily her eyes open more toward the end of the book and she becomes more open-minded and acknowledges that not everything is black and white.

Although there are several great twists in Everless, I found the storyline and the main character quite predictable. But overall I loved the fantasy elements that were sprinkled in with some alchemist concepts. Of course, I loved that romance was not the highlight of the book, but it was still there and I can definitely see my favorite trope of hate-to-love relationship blooming. The last 50 pages are action-packed with unraveling twists and secrets. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book and I look forward to learning more about Liam, Jules “enemy,” and his role in Jules’ future.

This was another book that caught me with the cover alone. I had seen it on some of the book sites, and the description sounded cool, but it was the cover that caused me to grab it up and put it in my cart! And I think there may be something wrong with me . . . I was so attracted to the “villain” in this book! Liam was my favorite character from the beginning. The whole time that Jules pines over Roan, I’m sitting here yelling, “why?? Liam is right there and he’s sooo much better!!” But of course, Jules didn’t listen to me. Jules is one of those girls that doesn’t listen to anyone, who does her own thing, and sometimes that turns out well, other times it doesn’t. That’s why I gave Everless 4 stars, because Jules ends up making some dumb decisions that really screwed her up when they really shouldn’t have. But I loved the setting, the story was interesting, the mystery kept me turning the pages, and most of the characters were intriguing. And look, it’s another series! Why do I keep doing this to myself?? And there isn’t even a publication date on Goodreads for the next book . . . I’m never gonna make it. Aside from that, this is a great book and a good one for teens to help get them into reading. I would recommend this book to anybody.

I purchased this book at Barnes and Noble to read with @halflostbutterflyreadalong. All opinions are my own. ???? Everless by Sara Holland. This book tore me up. In the beginning I was leary and mixed it with other books I was reading because I just couldn't get caught up in the story but then after Chapter 11 I was hooked. So while this one takes some time to get going it is worth the reading. Traveling to the Kingdom of Sempura onto the Everless Estate where there is a wedding on the horizon of a prince to a princess and they need more servants to prepare for the wedding. Jules chooses to defy her father and goes to work at Everless. But soon she realizes everyone she thought she trusted and every new friend she makes aren't who they appear to be and everything she thought she knew about herself and her past was all a bit untrue. At the age of 17 when you think you have your life all figured out it begins to unravel quicker than you can put all the pieces together.

I know a lot of people loved this story and when I first read the synopsis, I was fairly excited. Somehow, when it came time to read it, I was never quite in the mood for it and as the days after the release days passed, I decided to just sit down and start it.

Jules is a decent enough MC. She’s loyal and curious and I did like her, but didn’t love her. She’s sort of bland and forgettable; perhaps that’s on purpose. There are several other characters, but no one really stood out to me and the maybe-romance didn’t do a thing for me.

Plot wise, it seemed slow. Sure, things are happening, yet several scenes felt repetitive. I never got the jolt of excitement I was looking for with such a unique storyline. As the ending got closer and several back to back reveals happened, I was fully invested. The last 15% is what made this a 3 star review, instead of a 2 star.

Overall, it’s an interesting concept. The execution didn’t really work for me, but the epilogue and the set up for book 2 were intriguing enough to get me to read the next book.

**Huge thanks to Harper Teen for providing the arc free of charge**

Unfortunately, I started out too excited about this book. It seemed to take about 150 of the 360 pages to become interesting to me.

The meat: Female lead character, Jules, who really has a whole lot of nothing. When she finds herself and her father in desperate need of money (money that is equivalent to time, and all time is kept in everyones blood– give up blood and you lower your lifespan) she desides to go against her father’s wishes and take a new job position with a very rich governing family. There is a mystery woven within the storyline that actually had an unpredictable outcome simply because you, and Jules, don’t have many clues. Parallel to the mystery is a romance; a childhood friendship turned young adult lust. But, really, you end up wishing she actually falls for the bully older brother. After about page 200 the story really picks up and you become drawn to the book. The unexpected plot twist near the end will make you second guess the entire book’s details, and the ending will feel anticlimactc. Luckily there is a sequal planned.

For a good portion of this book I felt as though I had already read the story somewhere else. Fans of the Red Queen series by Vistoria Aveyard will see similarities and may even enjoy this book as much. Fans of the movie In Time will also see many similarities between it and this book. Overall I awarded this book a 3 out of 5.

This book was so original and had some of the best plot twists I’ve read it awhile. Whatever I thought was going to happen turned out to be wrong, that rarely happens! This author is so creative with this world she has created, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever read. Do yourself a favor and read this without knowing anything about the characters, it’s so much better to be surprised. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.

The premise of the story made the book really intriguing to me. There have been other books that caught my eye in that way, but none quite so much as this one. The idea that you could bond time to your blood and use it as currency is such a cool idea that I was definitely willing to explore in this book.

“Maybe I am a mystery— a secret— that needs unravelling…”

The story takes place in the kingdom of Sempura, where time is currency and it is extracted from your blood. Jules works hard to help her father, who is sick and aging, but when she turns seventeen, she knows she has to disobey him in order to save their family. And while Jules turns out to be right, she’s just not right in the way that she thought. She ends up at the Everless estate, the place of her childhood. Jules goes there intending to save her father, but she ended up getting more than she bargained for when she loses everything she holds dear and finds out that there is more to her past than she knows.

That being said, there will be a sequel to this book. It was quite obvious from the ending that there would be, but I double checked just to be sure. This book felt like only the first chapter of the story. It could have probably been reduced to fit more into the one book, but at the same time, I’m not exactly sure what could have been left out. Every scene seemed to have a purpose.

I thought that the pacing of the book was quite slow. It was a little bit boring to me, at times. It does start to pick up towards the end once the main character is starting to figure things out, and the end is just really crazy, but it could have packed some more punch in the beginning and middle parts of the book to help even it all out.

The beginning was pretty cliche. How many books do we need that start off with independent girls who go off into dangerous woods to hunt to provide for their desolate – possibly rich at one time but now very poor – families? My god, this trope kills me lol. (See Feyre from the ACOTAR series and Katniss from the Hunger Games series, and similar but not quite the same, Mare from the Red Queen series). And then of course the girl somehow ends up being super special. Sooo tropey. I mean I guess it could be worse but it’s just so overdone.

This book is obviously fantasy, but it’s also very mysterious. I felt like it read a little like a mystery novel, one that doesn’t reveal until the very end. The first part of the story was well-paced and although you learned a lot, it still felt like there was something under the surface. I will say that I wasn’t expecting the reveal, which made it different than most mystery novels for me. I can usually see the ending coming from a mile away… but this one surprised me.

The world in this story is very unique and I loved reading about the history and the mythology! The Sorceress and the Alchemist were so interesting to me, and I hope we get to learn more about the mythology in the next book. This book does a good job at giving us what we need in terms of history though.

There is little to no romance, so if you’re someone who likes a little action with their action (like myself), you might be a little disappointed. However, it does seem like there’s some romance set up for the next book, so don’t let that deter you from reading this one!

The main character, Jules, left a little to be desired, but it was still easy to be in her corner. It just felt like there was something missing to her character, something that could have made her feel more realistic. She just never felt like a full character to me. She was rather flat. In fact, a lot of the supporting characters seemed rather flat to me.

Final Thoughts
Overall, I thought this book was good. I really enjoyed the world that the book takes place in, and the premise and plot of the book. The time as currency thing is sooo cool to me. The history and mythology in the world was also very interesting and well-developed. Unfortunately, there were a few things that I felt could have been better, including the pacing, which was quite slow, and the lack of action. I also wasn’t that thrilled with the characters. I am still looking forward to the next book though.

"...The world seems to slow. No, not seems. The branches really do stop whispering in the wind. Even the most inaudible crackle of the snow melting on the ground stops, like the world is holding its breath."

Ah, Everless. I have been so excited for the premise of this book. Blood used as time and money isn't something I have read in a YA fantasy before, so I was immediately drawn to it.

It certainly delivered in this area. We get to see both sides of the blood iron, the poor who sell their time to pay the bills, and the rich who have so much time to spare that they use it as fertilizer in the gardens. The gross contrast I expected was certainly there, and there was no shying away from the darkness of it all. Servants or disobedience (no matter how small the transgression) were punished by bleeding time from their life; More time is taken from the poor at the hands of the rich.

There was also an interesting look at magic. Despite time almost having a power of its own and legends told about the magic of a Sorceress and an Alchemist, magic was just a folklore. It was strange for it to be blatant in some areas, yet not available readily in others. However, I do think this added to the myths and legends aspect that plays an increasing role as the book progresses.

So as far as positives in this book, I enjoyed the plot a great deal, and I found it executed well. I also really loved the twist at the very end, because if I'm honest, this book was highly predictable in a lot of areas. The surprise ending was much needed, and I'm thankful for that.

So now for the cons. Or just one, in particular: Jules. For the main character, she wasn't the easiest to like. It was like beating a dead horse with the number of times she mentioned how sweet and kind and like totally perfect Lord Roan was, while his brother Lord Liam was the big, nasty, mean man. Unfortunately, this added to the predictability as I really only saw this going one of two ways, but I'll let you figure that out.

I also found her contradicting at times. She claimed to fear Liam, yet she would be all up in his face in an instant. She had no qualms about being snarky so someone she feared would kill her if he recognized her? Sometimes it just didn't add up.

However, near the last 50 pages, I found myself starting to be okay with Jules. I don't hate her, at least. But I definitely want to see more character development as the series goes on. Sometimes finding out about your "past" or "who you really are" is used as character development, but it's not. The discovery has to change you somehow, the knowledge can't just be there and it be considered development.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book. I felt it was an interesting premise and a good set up for a sequel. I have high hopes that the next book might change my mind about Jules.

This book may have outranked Sarah J. Maas in my opinion. This book captivated me from the very opening, and I couldn't be more ecstatic about that. The plot twists surprised me as I guessed one way, and they went in a different direction. The writing was so honest, true, I could feel everything in Jules' being and I never wanted this book to end. I savored every word Holland wrote, and never wished for this book to end. I see myself rereading this in the physical form in the near future (after I purchase the hardcover as I listened to this on audibook). This book blew me away, and anyone who loves when authors play with the constraints of time should read this book. I beg you to read it because it is that good.

This YA fantasy novel can sometimes lean a bit hard on its tropes, but as the story progresses, it proves to be a cut above the usual fare for the genre. There are solid twists and unexpected flairs, and its system of time magic -- which the upper-class use to literally steal years off the lives of the poor -- offers great potential even beyond what's explored here. The whole book is quite good for a debut work, and I'm excited to see where the series goes next.

Sara Holland’s debut novel is a thrilling, absorbing YA fantasy set in a world where time is currency. Jules has been brought up to hate the Gerlings, the powerful family who extend their own lives at the expense of the poor. In search of the reasons behind her father’s mysterious actions, Jules enters the Gerling estate, Everless, and finds herself in the midst of secrets and danger…

The fascinating premise of Everless is supported by a strong backstory, and the pieces of the mystery came together beautifully. I loved the many ways the story explores time. Jules is surrounded by a number of interesting characters - and despite my many suspicions, I was still surprised by how things unfolded. I can’t wait for the sequel, Evermore, to be released in 2019!

There is going to be slight spoilers in this review so do not read if you don't like them. Also, before I get into my honest review, I want to stress that I really enjoyed the overall story and found the concepts and ideas fascinating and unique, something I've never seen done before. The author's writing is simple but beautiful.
Now, into the buts...[Spoilers ahead]

BUT, I found the most of the story to be painfully obvious and predictable. I will leave out the summary of the story as it can easily be found in the novel's description.
For most of the beginning, if not all of it, I found myself annoyed with the main character Jules. Not only did I feel she fell slightly flat in character depth, but she was like most female heroines. She wanted to help everyone and everything, had a narrow, one-track mind most of the time and she seemed infatuated with a boy she hadn't seen for like 10 years. There wasn't much about her that set her apart from other characters in the book besides the fact that she could stop or slow time and we don't find out why until the end. I had pretty much concluded why it was she was able to before it was actually said aloud. Not to mention the secondary characters just disappear. They are there one minute and gone the next.

Now, once she was back at Everless, the place she made clear she hated, things felt a bit odd to me. She remembered everything about it despite her being so young when she left. And once she saw Roan Gerling again, one of two sons of Everless, her feelings for him seemed to grow instantly. Their relationship seemed a bit odd to me because they acted as if 10 years hadn't passed and they crushed on each other the whole time. And despite how little they actually met in the book, their relationship grew to the point of a kiss. I mean come on, she ran into his brother, (her supposed nemesis) Liam more than she saw Roan himself. Also, what happens between them in the end is shocking, for more than one reason, but what surprised me (and confused me) most was how Jules reacted to it. It just seemed unnatural and unbelievable.

I don't want to give too much away, so I'll come to a close by saying this: the ending of [this book] wasn't something I predicted and I must give the author credit for that. The enemy turned out to be the pawn while the pawn was the actual threat. (Now that I'm thinking about it, it felt very similar to Lauren Kates Fallen series. If you read it and read the ending of this book you'd understand what I mean).
A part in the ending felt like it came out of nowhere and, although I predicted it, I feel the author could have come about it a lot smoother. It was almost like, BANG, in your face and again felt very unnatural.
So, when the enemy was finally brought to light, something that was said really bothered me. To me, it basically gave away the whole end of the story, and I'm talking the whole story. Now, I can only see it going 1 of 2 ways. I will be getting the rest of the books in the series, if only to see if my predictions are correct. As of right now though, I feel like I've already read the other books and know how the final story plays out.

This premise is amazing. Like I cannot get over it and I'm already done with the book. It still gives me these goosebump feelings of awe. But moving on, I loved so many parts of this book and really enjoyed the twists at the ending. My only minor complaint was that some parts of the plot were predictable and Jules' seemed a tiny bit special snowflake-y. BUT overall this is a HUGE recommend from me and I am so intrigued to see where the sequel goes! It ends in such a good place!

If you haven't picked up a copy of this book yet, DO IT! I give this book a high 4-star rating.  I loved this book from the moment I started reading it. Liam is one of those characters whom you are supposed to hate but end up falling for him by the middle of the book. Towards the end of the book, there were several "OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT JUST HAPPENED"  moments! This book is definitely worth reading and I highly recommended it! There is a huge plot twist regarding Jules that I would have never seen coming. I will be impatiently waiting for the next book to come out.

I loved it. Everless has an interesting world-building and magical system. This is a fantasy with a mixture of a dystopian world with an original money system. The characters were interesting and the plot moved at just the right speed. I really can't think of anything bad to say about this book, I really loved it. I would suggest this to anyone who is looking for a fantasy book that doesn't follow the usual trends.

I really wanted to like this book but yikes. The pacing stinks and I guessed most of the plot. And our girl just seem really willfully stupid and does nothing but make implusive bad choices. The book started out good but middle just dragged. By the time the plot started moving again I didn't care what happened.

One of the best YA fantasy novels I've read. A fascinating concept that was truly written well. Time is literally money and death is a prominent theme, but not incredibly graphic or overwhelming. My recommended age would probably be around 13 years old, but read at parent's discretion if that's a worry. Though there are some minor things like a few repetitive sentences/questions, I really don't think that distracted from the story. I finished it in three days and would've done it in one or two if I hadn't started it so late on the first night. Plot twists that at the time I didn't see coming but upon re-reading would be very interesting to look deeper in to. Relationships between protagonist and characters are meaningful, with the exception of one that oddly faded off. Hoping it is addressed in the next one. Eagerly waiting for the next installment.

I found the book to be...somewhat generic? The concept is so cool—with time as a currency—but the execution leaves much to be desired, at least for me. The beginning felt so drawn out and when stuff actually happened, it felt too quick.

I honestly didn’t care for any of the characters. They felt a bit on the flat side. I didn’t understand why Jules did what she did. I could see the romance coming a mile away; it just felt so cliche to me.

Maybe the sequel will draw me in quicker than this. The concept is cool and I really desperately wanted to like it.

I had so much love for this book the first time I laid eyes on that gorgeous cover. Because dammit have you seen anything more beautiful?!!
I had high expectations for this book and too much obsession to tell you honestly when I first heard about it. Which was made even more so when people started singing high praises about it. Unfortunately at the end I just feel... underwhelmed.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved the unique and mesmerizing world the author created. The idea that time is used as a currency is very original and so new to me that I was immediately intrigued. The writing was addictive and the seemingly magical but harsh world of Sempera just drew me in. Jules was a likable enough character. Sure she seemed a bit too lovestruck for my taste but I admire her loyal and selfless personality. Honestly though, I never felt much affection for Roan from the get-go. Which is all I will say so as not to accidentally spoil anything. The story ensnared me at the beginning but when Jules finally came back to Everless the pace dragged a bit too slow for me. But was then redeemed by that ending. Which just guaranteed my reading the sequel.
So what did I find about Everless underwhelming you ask? Honestly I have no idea. But you know that feeling you get when you read a book that you absolutely, most definitely love? When you end up staring at the wall after reading it because of all these... feelings? Yeah. I didn't have that.

All in all, I may not exactly been wow-ed like I expected but if you're looking for a YA fantasy with a unique twist and a stunning worldbuilding, Everless is definitely worth checking out!

***2 Stars***

*Advance copy received from the December Fairyloot box

Ugh. I was so disappointed with this novel. The blurb and all the great reviews got me so excited but once I started reading it I began to realize nothing was happening

It got a good number of high ratings. People loved the heroine, Jules. People said they loved the plot twists and the originality and I often found myself thinking, “are we reading the same book???”

I didn’t hate Jules, but she definitely didn’t stick out as a great female lead. She didn’t have very much depth or strength. After reading the ACOTAR series, I don’t have time for weak heroines! Bring me more badass women like Feyre!!!

In fact, none of these characters had much depth or notable strengths and weaknesses. In plainer terms: they were one dimensional, bland, and boring. Even the villains bored me to death.

The ‘plot twists’ were predictable and I was able to guess most of what was going to happen. I kept waiting and waiting to have that holy shit moment and it never came. In fact, it doesn’t even get slightly interesting until the last 90 pages or so. And even calling it ‘slightly interesting’ is being generous.

Jules had this weird infatuation with her childhood friend, Roan, which was absolutely unnecessary and just made her seem like a hopeless girl pining over a celebrity crush. And her constant reminiscing about what happened with him and his brother, Liam, and how she went on and on about how evil Liam is made that ‘plot twist’ super obvious.

The writing wasn’t bad, which is probably the only reason I didn’t 1 Star it. Will I read the sequel? Most likely not. The author would have to bring some serious depth into these characters and Jules would have to have some major character development.

I read this book in 2 days. It was shorter than I prefer. The story was well detailed and exciting from the start. I wish more things were addressed. The lavender for example. The main character calling him out on it. It was good. If the second one was available, I would jump right into it without heasitation.

Argh this book! I need there to be a fandom ASAP so I can swoon over it in company!

Seriously, guys, this book is amazing. From its unique concept to the beautiful writing and the captivating characters, there's just about nothing I didn't like about this book. It's a magical story that will haunt you. Read it!

I was drawn in from page one by this soaring YA fantasy debut by Sara Holland. Gorgeous writing? Check. Richly drawn world? Check. Compelling mystery? Check. A main character with just enough flaws to make her interesting, but a heart you have to root for? Check. Blurred lines between good and evil? Check, check, check. I'm so excited EVERLES is now out in the world! Fantasy readers are in for a real treat--I'm already looking forward to devouring the sequel!

I found that this book was not at all predictable and had its fair share of interesting mysteries. Some aspects of the plot could have been discussed in more depth to reveal details with clarity for the reader. However, I cannot wait for the next!

Sara Holland’s debut novel is a thrilling, absorbing YA fantasy set in a world where time is currency. Jules has been brought up to hate the Gerlings, the powerful family who extend their own lives at the expense of the poor. In search of the reasons behind her father’s mysterious actions, Jules enters the Gerling estate, Everless, and finds herself in the midst of secrets and danger…

The fascinating premise of Everless is supported by a strong backstory, and the pieces of the mystery came together beautifully. I loved the many ways the story explores time. Jules is surrounded by a number of interesting characters - and despite my many suspicions, I was still surprised by how things unfolded. I can’t wait for the sequel, Evermore, to be released in 2019!

There is going to be slight spoilers in this review so do not read if you don't like them. Also, before I get into my honest review, I want to stress that I really enjoyed the overall story and found the concepts and ideas fascinating and unique, something I've never seen done before. The author's writing is simple but beautiful.
Now, into the buts...[Spoilers ahead]

BUT, I found the most of the story to be painfully obvious and predictable. I will leave out the summary of the story as it can easily be found in the novel's description.
For most of the beginning, if not all of it, I found myself annoyed with the main character Jules. Not only did I feel she fell slightly flat in character depth, but she was like most female heroines. She wanted to help everyone and everything, had a narrow, one-track mind most of the time and she seemed infatuated with a boy she hadn't seen for like 10 years. There wasn't much about her that set her apart from other characters in the book besides the fact that she could stop or slow time and we don't find out why until the end. I had pretty much concluded why it was she was able to before it was actually said aloud. Not to mention the secondary characters just disappear. They are there one minute and gone the next.

Now, once she was back at Everless, the place she made clear she hated, things felt a bit odd to me. She remembered everything about it despite her being so young when she left. And once she saw Roan Gerling again, one of two sons of Everless, her feelings for him seemed to grow instantly. Their relationship seemed a bit odd to me because they acted as if 10 years hadn't passed and they crushed on each other the whole time. And despite how little they actually met in the book, their relationship grew to the point of a kiss. I mean come on, she ran into his brother, (her supposed nemesis) Liam more than she saw Roan himself. Also, what happens between them in the end is shocking, for more than one reason, but what surprised me (and confused me) most was how Jules reacted to it. It just seemed unnatural and unbelievable.

I don't want to give too much away, so I'll come to a close by saying this: the ending of [this book] wasn't something I predicted and I must give the author credit for that. The enemy turned out to be the pawn while the pawn was the actual threat. (Now that I'm thinking about it, it felt very similar to Lauren Kates Fallen series. If you read it and read the ending of this book you'd understand what I mean).
A part in the ending felt like it came out of nowhere and, although I predicted it, I feel the author could have come about it a lot smoother. It was almost like, BANG, in your face and again felt very unnatural.
So, when the enemy was finally brought to light, something that was said really bothered me. To me, it basically gave away the whole end of the story, and I'm talking the whole story. Now, I can only see it going 1 of 2 ways. I will be getting the rest of the books in the series, if only to see if my predictions are correct. As of right now though, I feel like I've already read the other books and know how the final story plays out.

This premise is amazing. Like I cannot get over it and I'm already done with the book. It still gives me these goosebump feelings of awe. But moving on, I loved so many parts of this book and really enjoyed the twists at the ending. My only minor complaint was that some parts of the plot were predictable and Jules' seemed a tiny bit special snowflake-y. BUT overall this is a HUGE recommend from me and I am so intrigued to see where the sequel goes! It ends in such a good place!

If you haven't picked up a copy of this book yet, DO IT! I give this book a high 4-star rating.  I loved this book from the moment I started reading it. Liam is one of those characters whom you are supposed to hate but end up falling for him by the middle of the book. Towards the end of the book, there were several "OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT JUST HAPPENED"  moments! This book is definitely worth reading and I highly recommended it! There is a huge plot twist regarding Jules that I would have never seen coming. I will be impatiently waiting for the next book to come out.

I loved this debut novel!! It felt like a breath of fresh air in the YA fantasy genre! The plot is unique and kept me intrigued the whole book! I could not put it down! The characters are multi-faceted and slowly unravel throughout the novel. There is no truly telling who is good or bad until the book is complete. I would recommend Everless to YA lovers looking for something fresh and exciting. The world and magic system are both unique and leave a lot to explore in future books. Be warned: the cliffhanger is evil!! I can’t wait for the sequel!!

With my nickname being Juelz, I couldn’t wait to read about a girl named Jules who goes to a castle and has some sort of crush on the soon to be married Prince, Roan.
Jules is an extremely hard worker and seems to continually find herself at the wrong place at the wrong time. This book followed a path that kept me interested and I couldn’t always guess ahead of time. Sara Holland creates a dangerous and intriguing world where time as blood holds the power to almost eternal life.
I read this book in almost one sitting. I was lucky enough to receive it ahead of the publish date from Fairyloot. I can’t wait for the next book in the series, so we can see what Jules has in store!

I loved it. Everless has an interesting world-building and magical system. This is a fantasy with a mixture of a dystopian world with an original money system. The characters were interesting and the plot moved at just the right speed. I really can't think of anything bad to say about this book, I really loved it. I would suggest this to anyone who is looking for a fantasy book that doesn't follow the usual trends.

I really wanted to like this book but yikes. The pacing stinks and I guessed most of the plot. And our girl just seem really willfully stupid and does nothing but make implusive bad choices. The book started out good but middle just dragged. By the time the plot started moving again I didn't care what happened.

One of the best YA fantasy novels I've read. A fascinating concept that was truly written well. Time is literally money and death is a prominent theme, but not incredibly graphic or overwhelming. My recommended age would probably be around 13 years old, but read at parent's discretion if that's a worry. Though there are some minor things like a few repetitive sentences/questions, I really don't think that distracted from the story. I finished it in three days and would've done it in one or two if I hadn't started it so late on the first night. Plot twists that at the time I didn't see coming but upon re-reading would be very interesting to look deeper in to. Relationships between protagonist and characters are meaningful, with the exception of one that oddly faded off. Hoping it is addressed in the next one. Eagerly waiting for the next installment.

I found the book to be...somewhat generic? The concept is so cool—with time as a currency—but the execution leaves much to be desired, at least for me. The beginning felt so drawn out and when stuff actually happened, it felt too quick.

I honestly didn’t care for any of the characters. They felt a bit on the flat side. I didn’t understand why Jules did what she did. I could see the romance coming a mile away; it just felt so cliche to me.

Maybe the sequel will draw me in quicker than this. The concept is cool and I really desperately wanted to like it.

I had so much love for this book the first time I laid eyes on that gorgeous cover. Because dammit have you seen anything more beautiful?!!
I had high expectations for this book and too much obsession to tell you honestly when I first heard about it. Which was made even more so when people started singing high praises about it. Unfortunately at the end I just feel... underwhelmed.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved the unique and mesmerizing world the author created. The idea that time is used as a currency is very original and so new to me that I was immediately intrigued. The writing was addictive and the seemingly magical but harsh world of Sempera just drew me in. Jules was a likable enough character. Sure she seemed a bit too lovestruck for my taste but I admire her loyal and selfless personality. Honestly though, I never felt much affection for Roan from the get-go. Which is all I will say so as not to accidentally spoil anything. The story ensnared me at the beginning but when Jules finally came back to Everless the pace dragged a bit too slow for me. But was then redeemed by that ending. Which just guaranteed my reading the sequel.
So what did I find about Everless underwhelming you ask? Honestly I have no idea. But you know that feeling you get when you read a book that you absolutely, most definitely love? When you end up staring at the wall after reading it because of all these... feelings? Yeah. I didn't have that.

All in all, I may not exactly been wow-ed like I expected but if you're looking for a YA fantasy with a unique twist and a stunning worldbuilding, Everless is definitely worth checking out!

***2 Stars***

*Advance copy received from the December Fairyloot box

Ugh. I was so disappointed with this novel. The blurb and all the great reviews got me so excited but once I started reading it I began to realize nothing was happening

It got a good number of high ratings. People loved the heroine, Jules. People said they loved the plot twists and the originality and I often found myself thinking, “are we reading the same book???”

I didn’t hate Jules, but she definitely didn’t stick out as a great female lead. She didn’t have very much depth or strength. After reading the ACOTAR series, I don’t have time for weak heroines! Bring me more badass women like Feyre!!!

In fact, none of these characters had much depth or notable strengths and weaknesses. In plainer terms: they were one dimensional, bland, and boring. Even the villains bored me to death.

The ‘plot twists’ were predictable and I was able to guess most of what was going to happen. I kept waiting and waiting to have that holy shit moment and it never came. In fact, it doesn’t even get slightly interesting until the last 90 pages or so. And even calling it ‘slightly interesting’ is being generous.

Jules had this weird infatuation with her childhood friend, Roan, which was absolutely unnecessary and just made her seem like a hopeless girl pining over a celebrity crush. And her constant reminiscing about what happened with him and his brother, Liam, and how she went on and on about how evil Liam is made that ‘plot twist’ super obvious.

The writing wasn’t bad, which is probably the only reason I didn’t 1 Star it. Will I read the sequel? Most likely not. The author would have to bring some serious depth into these characters and Jules would have to have some major character development.

I read this book in 2 days. It was shorter than I prefer. The story was well detailed and exciting from the start. I wish more things were addressed. The lavender for example. The main character calling him out on it. It was good. If the second one was available, I would jump right into it without heasitation.

Argh this book! I need there to be a fandom ASAP so I can swoon over it in company!

Seriously, guys, this book is amazing. From its unique concept to the beautiful writing and the captivating characters, there's just about nothing I didn't like about this book. It's a magical story that will haunt you. Read it!

I was drawn in from page one by this soaring YA fantasy debut by Sara Holland. Gorgeous writing? Check. Richly drawn world? Check. Compelling mystery? Check. A main character with just enough flaws to make her interesting, but a heart you have to root for? Check. Blurred lines between good and evil? Check, check, check. I'm so excited EVERLES is now out in the world! Fantasy readers are in for a real treat--I'm already looking forward to devouring the sequel!

I found that this book was not at all predictable and had its fair share of interesting mysteries. Some aspects of the plot could have been discussed in more depth to reveal details with clarity for the reader. However, I cannot wait for the next!

I absolutely loved the book. I was worried that it would read a lot like the movie In Time, but in all honesty, other the basic concept, everything is very different. The characters were brilliant and the story plot builds in a way that keeps readers captivated. I highly recommend the book!!

this give me Justin Timberlake In Time movie vibes.. I went into the story not knowing anything that they use time for currency and it keep me turning every pages.. trying to find out what happen. all those years ago I didn't see that coming and can't wait for more

Very good book and definitely a good read. the only reason I did not give this 5 stars, is because of the main character. This is both a pro and a con of good writing I guess. (I feel I could word this differently) But I put this book down 3 times because of the stubborn hard headed nature of this character. Though she pops off of the page very vividly, its almost like she does not learn from her mistake she constantly makes. But all in all I loved this book great writing and will definitely recommend

My wife reads many historical fantasy novels and authors. We have met quite a few of them at signings and national events. I am merely her official “photographer and book obtainer”, so I really don’t know anything about what I have ordered and she has read. I have had to build extra shelves in our home to accommodate the vast library she has acquired and read. One shelf is about to break from the many hard backs she has stacked on it. I foresee our den being compared to Lord Grantham’s Library eventually. Rolling Ladders and high back chairs with a butler just through the next door.
She only reads books from her favorite authors and favorites from her reading group at work. So, if I have composed a review for a book on the store like this one, I can assure you she has read it and enjoyed it and heavily discussed it with her group of co-workers.
Consider this a recommendation by my wife for an excellent and enjoyable read.

This was the first book of 2018 that I wanted to read as soon as it came out and I absolutely couldn't wait to put my hands on it. Sadly, it was a little bit of a disappointment for me. The book isn't bad, it's just so mediocre. Nothing new happened that I haven't read a hundred times already in other YA's and that's sad because it could have been so much more. I've always been intrigued by stories that use time as a currency. Everything you do in your normal life is so much more important/stressful/exiting because so much more depends on it. If you lose your job, you loose precious years you could live and that's way worse than being out of a job in this world. Maybe I just expect too much of this theme, I don't know. I just expected a more cruel and emotional story or something with more depth, I guess.

My biggest problem with this book is that it was completely predictable. I figured out everything that would happen 50 pages before it happened, every single time.. and that ruined the story a bit for me. I do love the fact that it was so fast paced, you get trough this book in no time and it definitely keeps your attention. I finished it pretty fast and there was enough going on to never get really annoyed by the fact that everything was so predictable. It probably is so predictive because it's just like so many YA books out there. Maybe, if I didn't already read so many YA books I would have loved this book much more. I do think it's a good book for people who don't read that many books (or just not that many YA books). But, if you're like me and you have read many standard fantasy YA books, I don't recommend this book to you (go read Strange the Dreamer if you haven't already).

The same thing happened in the romance part. It was quite an interesting romance but too predictable. 20 pages in I figured out what everyone's deal was and then the long waiting began until the characters finally figured it out for themselves. It isn't too romance heavy which I liked because it left more time for the story and the book was packed enough already. I think it would have been a bit too much if this story had more romance.

The characters weren't anything new either. You have a standard evil Queen, a pretty prince who hasn't got a clue what's going on, an unexpected evil mastermind and a poor girl who's life is suddenly transformed who has to jump and play the hero without thinking twice every 10 pages. I mean, haven't we read that before? Jules is just so basic... She doesn't think twice before risking her life for every person who held open a door for her. It's very noble but I'm just a bit bored by those stories were everyone immediately does the right thing, it's so much more interesting when they react to situations like real human beings and it would be even better if the author could throw in some moral conflicts once in a while. Jules basically didn't act very clever and that's always a deal breaker for me.

I'm still curious for the second book but I'm going to guess we are getting a love triangle and I'm really not looking forward to that if it's the case! I'm just hoping the next book will be a little bit less generic YA fantasy, because the story is really good but just not that creative.

Everless by Sara Holland is her debut novel, and I am happy to say it was slam bang of a beginning. Everless is a fantasy novel, with a different world building that I have never encountered before. It is a world where time is currency, and people can pay from their life time (years) in blood for money. In the kingdom of Sempera, the rich Gerlings and the Queen have the most time, which allows them to live indefinitely. Their servants are paid through coins of life, and any punishment is loss of time through bleed outs.

Jules Ember, our heroine, used to live in Everless with her father years before. 10 years later, with her father close to dying, Jules is forced to return to Everless as a servant to help her father. She has not forgotten her friendship with her childhood crush on Roan Gerling, the now Prince, as well as his brother, Liam, whom she hates for having driven her father from Everless.

Once Jules begins to work on the estate, where she will meet new friends, and discover many secrets. Jules will come face to face with both Roan, who is betrothed to the future Queen; and Liam, who recognizes Jules right away, and despite his attempts to make her leave Everless, and stay away from those above her, she continues to try and find out the truth about her childhood past. Jules has always had nightmares, and also hides that she is able to stop time for a short period; something which she has no idea why, but knows she needs to keep this a secret.

Jules was an amazing heroine, and as she learns more and more about herself and her magic, she becomes stronger, but also finds her life in danger. Rather than tell too much more would become spoilers. There are so many twists and turns, with a few surprises that were totally unexpected. Who could Jules really trust? Who was real and who was the evil betrayer? I have to say towards the end, I was a bit shocked as we raced to the finish, and had me breathless with each mind blowing reveal.

Everless is an exciting & different fantasy story line, which had a great heroine, and some excellent secondary characters. Sara Holland has done a fantastic job writing this story, especially being her first novel. I am not a fan of cliffhangers, but this one was a doozy. Well done, Sara Holland, for your super start in what I imagine will be a great career.

Everless, a debut fantasy novel by Sara Holland, is set in the kingdom of Sempera where time has been bound to blood and iron and its inhabitants must sell it to survive. Jules Ember and her father have been expelled from Everless, the estate owned by the powerful Gerling family and now live in poverty in the village of Crofton. When Jules suspects her father is dying, she must do whatever she can to buy him more time, even if it means returning to the home of the Gerlings whom she holds intense hatred for.

Jules is fiercely loyal and brave. She loves her father and is concerned for him as she soon discovers he is selling his blood iron to support them. She is willing to take enormous risks to save him and anyone else she cares about. Danger and intrigue await her at every turn, as not everyone she meets is who they appear or claim to be.

The story has a unique and unusual premise – a world where time is taken away or added to through the blood. There is a description of villagers waiting in line to have their time extracted from them which made me shudder, as being bled brings them closer to death. The rich live for centuries in opulence, while the poor, having to sell their time to survive, live in squalor and fear.

Everless is a compulsively readable, beautifully written novel with gorgeous imagery, lush settings and strong characters that kept me mesmerised. The details revealed of the history of the Semperans and their Queen are fascinating. I highly recommend this book and am anxiously awaiting the sequel!

I'm not normally a massive reader of this genre, I definitely have to be in the mood for it but when I heard the author talk about this book recently, I knew I had to jump in. And I was really pleased that I did. Although this book has fantastical and magical elements to it, the world is not too dissimilar to our world and so there are definitely things that I could recognise. Secondly, this author did such a great job of world building, I could picture exactly where the characters were in each scene and where they were referencing in their exchanges.

I also really enjoyed this book because of the strong female lead. I am a sucker for a strong female at the helm and so, no matter the genre, if you've got that, you've got me hooked, Jules is a great lead, she knows her own mind and she is not afraid to take risks. If she needs to go for something, she is going to go for it no matter what stands in her way. There is definitely more to her than meets the eye and I can't wait to see what she gets up to in the next book!

One of the other things that I enjoyed about this book was Jules's relationship with her father. So often in Young adult literature, we have an absent father or a negative relationship between father and protagonist. These two have a great relationship in this novel and I believe that Jules would do anything for her father and vice versa. I really enjoyed reading about their history as well as their future and it is something that has stuck with me since finishing the book.

I loved the concept of time being something which can be sold and which we have within us and the constraints that that brings society and I really want to see how this is explored further in book 2. This series is sure to be great and even if Evermore is the only other fantasy book I read in the future, I'm sure I will enjoy it just as much as I enjoyed Everless!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Hachette Children's Group and NetGalley*

3.5 stars.

Jules lives in the land of Sempera where the rich control time by turning blood into coins.
To stop her frail father from giving any more of his blood to pay their debts, Jules takes a job at Everless, an estate belonging to the Gerling family. Jules used to live at Everless with her father until an event led to them having to leave.
Jules's childhood friend and crush, Roan Gerling, is to marry the heir to the throne, but with the queen's arrival comes danger.
Why does Jules's father want her to stay away from the queen?
What secrets has he been keeping from her?

There's a lot of hype concerning Everless, so going into it I was worried that I wouldn't like the book as much as everyone else (which is usually what happens), but this time I wasn't disappointed!
The concept of turning blood into coins that you can melt in a drink was really interesting. I liked the stories of the Sorceress and the Alchemist.
Jules was a good protagonist, but there were times where I questioned what she was doing or things she said. However, given certain events that happened, it's understandable that Jules wouldn't be thinking straight at times.
There were several characters that I liked and I wanted to find out more about them.
The plot was very interesting. There was action and lots of twists that I didn't see coming.
The writing style made Everless very easy to read and follow.
I'm intrigued to see what happens in the next book.

Overall this was an enjoyable read.

What an amazing, captivating and completely breathtaking ride this story was!

This book became straightaway my new favorite novel, and for so many good reasons.

✰ The back story and universe? Clever, original, so so close to the truth, with the few powerful abusing that power in the expense of the more, but with a vital twist. They are not just taking their money. They actually steal their years of life through their blood. This is literally the currency of this world, and despite how frightening it sounds to live in such a world, I loved every bit of it!

✰ The heroine? Brave, intelligent, ready to sacrifice herself for her loved ones, even if that means she will get in trouble. Or, worse... One of my favorite protagonists of all time, hands down.

✰ The characters revolving around her? Her father paying the rent (which translates to "giving his blood and his remaining life") behind Jules's back to protect her and not let her give away her years.
Her strong friend, who I suspect has a lot more to give to the story, and I really missed not seeing her for the better part of the book.
Her childhood friends, who inspired strong feelings in me, because I knew something was not right immediately. But, I was very, very, very surprised when I actually found out what was wrong, and I have to admit, I wasn't completely right...

✰ The writing style? Fantastic, smooth and really making me wonder how this could be the author's first novel? We really need more books by you, Ms Holland.

✰ And, my fifth star goes towards all the things I really want to talk about in this book, but I can't, as they will be extreme spoilers. Such as the incredible revelations you would never imagine, the exceptional villain, and all the amazing twists and turns of the story.

All in all, five stars to a book I will definitely read again (how could I not go back and re-interpret all the shady people's behaviours?), the amazing start to an extremely promising and captivating new series. And, - I really can't contain myself, so - five stars to Jules.

4.5/ 5 Stars

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? Seriously, I need help right now because this story just took everything I Thought I knew and destroyed it in just two chapters. What a suspense packed ending to a great YA/Fantasy book by Sara Holland. I truly loved every bit of it so much I even fangirled a LOT, like all the freaking time. And look at this beautiful cover, it’s captivating.

This was one of my 2018 most expected book releases because the synopsis sounded awesome, but I was not expecting just how good it truly was. The story itself is fresh and new without any type of clichés and filled with deceit, lies, betrayal and just a hint of romance in the background.

The fantasy part, was wonderfully well-constructed and written to a point that you can feel that you’re in inside that world. It wasn’t overly done, like a lot of fantasy books. It remained rather simple, but always exciting enough that I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I could not put it down until the last chapter. I found truly unique that the author made time be a valuable coin that you can trade for anything you need. All you need to do it take a bit of blood, depending if you want it to be days, hours or even years and make it into a coin. This is super unique and soooo cool.

The protagonist Jules, had to flee the palatial estate where she lived with her father, because of something that happened, something that she’s kept a secret for a very long time. Ever since then she’s been on the run, from Liam and from the Queen, until the need to work takes her back to the same place that she escaped from. I loved her to bits. Jules was cunning and smart, always running around with ideas to find out more about her past rather than being sorry for herself. She was also selfless and hardworking. She would risk everything to save her father and give him more time. I always love a Protagonist that can be kind despite the circumstances. The idea of romance that we have with her and Roan, was just that. An idea. Nothing actually happens, and I preferred it that way honestly. EVEN THOUGH I’M A SUCKER FOR ROMANCE, she didn’t belong with Roan and she did better by herself. This is a girl that does not need a love interest to make her interesting. She does that all on her own

When describing Roan and Liam a quote comes to mind: Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. One might seem handsome and charming and the other mean and calculating, but is that true? I adored all the mind games that author gave us regarding these boys. I kept going back and forward about who was the good guy, who was the guy that we could trust. Bottom line they both play a BIG part in this story, they both make Jules heart jump, but which one is truly there for her? You’ll never know….

The rest of the characters were just fabulous. The queen was a major biatch, which I can understand, but she wasn’t the MAIN BIATCH, if you know what I mean… Oh, no. The main biatch is someone you’ll never see coming. I’ve said it before in this book nothing is what it seems. So be careful getting attached to characters and trusting them. Don’t trust anyone until the end. It’s my advice. Don’t be like me.

Everless just won over my little heart and made sure it was pumping correctly, by scaring it endlessly. Sara Holland did a great job and I can’t wait until the next one comes out, and if it’s nearly as good as this one… Then I might just die of happiness.

Stars (Out of 10): 9/10 Stars

Favorite Character: Liam (so much depth throughout the story!)

Spoiler Free: Oh man, I could not put this book down! This definitely would’ve been one of those “devour in one sitting” books had I not been reading it on my commute (and been forced to put it down constantly.) Right from the beginning, the plot and world just draw you in. You’re constantly forced to consider every event and the secrets it holds, as Jules constantly reminds you that secrets are everywhere, and the Geldings and other royals will do whatever it takes to keep them. And this book definitely delivered on that front! I questioned everything, had so many theories, and still I was surprised by every twist this book seemed to take! That, plus the able to fully capture my attention without a full focus on romance, just proved how well written this book was, and how fascinating the idea was.

Almost everything about this book screamed that it was just another YA fantasy book in the kingdoms wave. Yes, the premise seemed awesome, but so many do. So needless to say, I definitely went in with mediocre expectations. But with each new page, the book constantly rose above and beyond anything I expected it to be!

Careful! Spoilers beyond this point!

Spoilers: Ahhhh. Just everything that happened in those last 50 pages has me reeling!

I can’t believe I didn’t realize Caro was controlling everything all along. It was so obvious there was something off about her (her constant watching of Jules, often pushing her to do things that could reveal the truth, etc.), but I still was so blind to it! She seemed so trustworthy to me, as a reader, that it’s no wonder Jules fell into her trap in the actual story.

Also Liam! I definitely guessed early on that Liam was the true love interest, but I still didn’t expect that whole mess to turn out as it did! (Why didn’t she kiss him!!!) Also, can I just say again that I love when MC’s find out the “big bad guy” is actually a sweetheart? Definitely feel that vibe happening here, and I love it! Only thing I’m mad about is that Liam didn’t end up going with her. So now in Evermore I first need to wait for them to reunite.

Also, what is up with Roan? It was never fully mentioned, but there was definitely more to him than originally shown, and I hope the next book starts unraveling that thread. From Bea warning Jules that she was better than that snake, Bea smiling at Roan until realizing Jules was with him (when servants are usually pretty shy around the royals?), and Roan always smelling like a different type of flower/perfume, it definitely seems like that dude was super shady and sleeping around with more than a few servant girls. In the end, I think this realization, either conscious or subconscious, is what made his death not break Jules’s heart. Maybe she realized that the kiss they shared wasn’t one out of love, but of lust or manipulation instead? Who knows! I just hope this is a path that’s uncovered farther.

And then there was the plot, which didn’t let go for a moment the entire book. From page to page, we are constantly gaining more clues to put together the puzzle, and it makes even the normally filler scenes super interesting to read!

I was anticipating Everless so much and OMG it lived up to all my expectations!

Everless was my first read of 2018, and I couldn't have chosen a better book. The premise is really cool and the plot just gets better and better as the story goes on. The atmosphere was great, particularly once Jules settled into Everless itself -- at times I got a real "Jane Eyre, big -mysterious house full of secrets"-vibe while she was sneaking around. I loved the descriptions of the kitchens, the dormitories and the library of Everless. It's a location I'd love to explore for myself.

If the sequel was available, I'd have moved straight on to it next, and that's always a good sign. As it is, I'll be looking forward to its release.

I purchased this book at Barnes and Noble to read with @halflostbutterflyreadalong. All opinions are my own. ???? Everless by Sara Holland. This book tore me up. In the beginning I was leary and mixed it with other books I was reading because I just couldn't get caught up in the story but then after Chapter 11 I was hooked. So while this one takes some time to get going it is worth the reading. Traveling to the Kingdom of Sempura onto the Everless Estate where there is a wedding on the horizon of a prince to a princess and they need more servants to prepare for the wedding. Jules chooses to defy her father and goes to work at Everless. But soon she realizes everyone she thought she trusted and every new friend she makes aren't who they appear to be and everything she thought she knew about herself and her past was all a bit untrue. At the age of 17 when you think you have your life all figured out it begins to unravel quicker than you can put all the pieces together.

"I know better than to be afraid of stories."
Time is money. We've all heard the saying. But what if time really was money, bled from our veins and turned into coins? This is exactly what happens in Sara Holland's Everless, where people pay for food, clothes, even rent with the years of their life. And the rich have more years than anyone, which is why the main character, Jules, goes to work for the richest family in her village, to earn enough money to keep her and her father alive. Only while she's there, she begins to unearth secrets about herself and her past that raise more questions than she has the answers to, and every single one of them seems to point to her having some sort of tie to the sorceress and alchemist who started the whole time-to-money thing, and the queen.
Steeped in intrigue, a fresh fantasy world, and rich storytelling that will make you want to drink an hour coin or two so you can stay up reading it, Everless is a timeless tale that fantasy fans everywhere will enjoy. 5 stars :)

I loved this debut novel!! It felt like a breath of fresh air in the YA fantasy genre! The plot is unique and kept me intrigued the whole book! I could not put it down! The characters are multi-faceted and slowly unravel throughout the novel. There is no truly telling who is good or bad until the book is complete. I would recommend Everless to YA lovers looking for something fresh and exciting. The world and magic system are both unique and leave a lot to explore in future books. Be warned: the cliffhanger is evil!! I can’t wait for the sequel!!