Review: Evermore by Alyson Nöel

Title:Evermore

Author:Alyson Nöel

Rating: 1/2

Recommended? to all YA lovers everywhere, especially if you're into paranormal romance

What I Have to Say: This book was a light, easy page-turner of a read with believable, (sometimes) well-developed characters and relationships. I loved reading about Miles and Haven and Damen and Drina and Ever. Each of their separate stories was fun and exciting. The romance between Ever and Damen is one of those sweaty, grimy, heavy breathing romances, but dulled down with just the perfect amount of innocence for the YA crowd.
It's easy to understand how Ever ended up where she did and how she did; it's also easy to understand how she might blame herself for certain things. As such, even though I am no longer a teenager and, evidentally, no longer think like a teenager, I can really understand why she acts and reacts the way she does. This makes following her through her story easy and pleasant, even if I occasionally cringed at something she did or wanted her to act in a different way. She is stubborn and hormonal and suffering from something most teenagers don't have to deal with. I think, in the end, this is why I enjoyed the book so much, despite all of my complaints (see below). Ever never did what I wanted her to do, but she was independant and not annoying and had me rooting for her from day one.
Now, my complaints - First, I didn't really feel like the whole immortality thing was well-explained. It was just kind of thrown in there in such a way that it almost would have been better if she hadn't tried to explain it. Secondly, the ending of this book was a little bit too compact. Everything just suddenly came together and was all explained by the bad guy. It seemed so easy and typical, like a cop-out. To suddenly have the bad guy on the brim of completing his evil plan and yet feel the need to stop and explain every part of his mastery and intelligence. Also, it seemed to end several times but would then just keep pushing forward. Needless to say, I was slightly disappointed with the ending. Very lastly, Damen was sort-of lacking in personality. We heard about his personality from the other characters, but we never saw it in action. I liked him, but I'm hoping that in the next book I'll get a chance to know him better.
It was, though, at least good enough for me to be wanting more. I will without a doubt be reading book number 2 in the series, when it comes out.

Summary (from Goodreads)Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school— but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste. Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking— and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is— or what he is. Damen is equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.