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Immortal #3
Eternal: A Coming-of-Age Young Adult Fantasy of Sisterhood and Magic at a Secretive Boarding School
I am not like Evie. I don't belong in some great romance. I'm just the best friend in the background. That's how it's always been. Until now. At the Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, Sarah Fitzalan is the dependable, faithful friend to Evie and Helen, her sisters in the Mystic Way. But this term Sarah encounters new Evie seems to have turned her back on the Mystic Way after the sisterhood laid Sebastian's soul to rest, and Helen is distracted by her still-unresolved feelings about her mother, Mrs. Hartle. Sarah is lonely and worried. Unlike Evie, she wants to find out more about her own Mystic powers and her strong connection to the earth, and she struggles to keep the sisterhood together as the threat of attack looms from the ever-present dark coven at Wyldcliffe. And so it is up to Sarah to face the eternal darkness and fight. Must she sacrifice herself for the sake of her friends and sisters? When she feels her loneliest, will her sisters join her, or will help come from unexpected sources, like her Romany ancestors, and a love she'd only just dared to hope for?
384 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2011
46 people are currently reading
3799 people want to read
About the author
Gillian Shields
59 books539 followersGillian Shields was born and brought up in Yorkshire, in the north of England. As she grew up, she had two passions:books and theater. Gillian’s love of books led her to read English at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. After university she studied acting in London. She then taught in a drama school, the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, for several years, becoming Vice Principal. She recently taught English and Drama at Beechwood Sacred Heart, a girls’ boarding school.
Having children gave Gillian an excuse to carry on reading children’s books, as well as a motivation to write them. She has a son and a daughter, and is married to Brian, who works for the New York Times Media Group.
Hobbies, Interests, and Enthusiasms
I am currently learning Italian (or trying to!) and have a secret fantasy about going to live on the beautiful island of Sicily one day, and having a little stone house with a lemon tree in the garden, and a view of the blue, blue sea! I am lucky, though, because I do live in a fantastic part of England, full of soft green fields and rolling hills and cottages that date back four hundred years.
I like to go for long walks and see the changes that the seasons bring, and I try to imagine how it all must have been years and years ago, and how the people lived. I was brought up in the north of England which is much more rugged and wild—the backdrop to Immortal.
I also enjoy being in the city—although I wouldn't want to live there all the time, it's fun to go window shopping or to big new exhibitions or shows, or just hang out in a coffee shop with a cappuccino and a notebook and watch the busy world go by.
Something I enjoy is painting. I have taken quite a few art classes and find it very creative to work with paint and charcoal and images instead of words, though somehow I can't help adding bits of poetry and scraps of words into my paintings, too… When I was at school, I was completely obsessed by the Pre-Raphaelites, and I love the way their art is so intertwined with poetry and stories. My best friend is an artist and she is incredibly inspiring to me.
I hate cooking but love the idea of being a good cook and welcoming all my friends and family to delicious meals. So I have lots of beautiful cookery books but I never get past the first couple of recipes. Every so often I get madly enthusiastic all over again, but it doesn't last.
When I am writing, I can't listen to music—I find it too distracting, but I love to listen to the radio when I am driving. I listen to pop music in the morning and classical music in the afternoon. That just seems right somehow. My son is really into music, so I enjoy sharing his enthusiasms. At the moment we are listening to Eminem, Akon, NDubz, Chipmunk, Kanye West, plus Greenday, Michael Jackson…the list goes on. My current absolute favorite is Paolo Nutini.
Another interest I have is this amazing charity called The Smile Train which carries out operations for disadvantaged children born with harelip/cleft palate. Sometimes I feel I don't realize how lucky I am, and so it's good to try and do something to help a child on the other side of the world who isn't so lucky. My family also tries to support Sightsavers International, who do simple cataract operations to restore the sight of hundreds of people in the developing world.
On a more self-indulgent note, I love to get to the theater whenever I can, and to the ballet, which I adore. In another fantasy life I would definitely be a ballerina!
I can't imagine getting through a day without reading or writing. I know it sounds a complete cliche, but there it is. I go to a writers' workshop once a week to meet other writers and exchange ideas and read work in progress, and that is hugely important to me. And every spare minute of the time at home I am reading, reading, reading…What would we do without stories?
Education
St Catharine's College, Cambridge University (MA in Englis
Having children gave Gillian an excuse to carry on reading children’s books, as well as a motivation to write them. She has a son and a daughter, and is married to Brian, who works for the New York Times Media Group.
Hobbies, Interests, and Enthusiasms
I am currently learning Italian (or trying to!) and have a secret fantasy about going to live on the beautiful island of Sicily one day, and having a little stone house with a lemon tree in the garden, and a view of the blue, blue sea! I am lucky, though, because I do live in a fantastic part of England, full of soft green fields and rolling hills and cottages that date back four hundred years.
I like to go for long walks and see the changes that the seasons bring, and I try to imagine how it all must have been years and years ago, and how the people lived. I was brought up in the north of England which is much more rugged and wild—the backdrop to Immortal.
I also enjoy being in the city—although I wouldn't want to live there all the time, it's fun to go window shopping or to big new exhibitions or shows, or just hang out in a coffee shop with a cappuccino and a notebook and watch the busy world go by.
Something I enjoy is painting. I have taken quite a few art classes and find it very creative to work with paint and charcoal and images instead of words, though somehow I can't help adding bits of poetry and scraps of words into my paintings, too… When I was at school, I was completely obsessed by the Pre-Raphaelites, and I love the way their art is so intertwined with poetry and stories. My best friend is an artist and she is incredibly inspiring to me.
I hate cooking but love the idea of being a good cook and welcoming all my friends and family to delicious meals. So I have lots of beautiful cookery books but I never get past the first couple of recipes. Every so often I get madly enthusiastic all over again, but it doesn't last.
When I am writing, I can't listen to music—I find it too distracting, but I love to listen to the radio when I am driving. I listen to pop music in the morning and classical music in the afternoon. That just seems right somehow. My son is really into music, so I enjoy sharing his enthusiasms. At the moment we are listening to Eminem, Akon, NDubz, Chipmunk, Kanye West, plus Greenday, Michael Jackson…the list goes on. My current absolute favorite is Paolo Nutini.
Another interest I have is this amazing charity called The Smile Train which carries out operations for disadvantaged children born with harelip/cleft palate. Sometimes I feel I don't realize how lucky I am, and so it's good to try and do something to help a child on the other side of the world who isn't so lucky. My family also tries to support Sightsavers International, who do simple cataract operations to restore the sight of hundreds of people in the developing world.
On a more self-indulgent note, I love to get to the theater whenever I can, and to the ballet, which I adore. In another fantasy life I would definitely be a ballerina!
I can't imagine getting through a day without reading or writing. I know it sounds a complete cliche, but there it is. I go to a writers' workshop once a week to meet other writers and exchange ideas and read work in progress, and that is hugely important to me. And every spare minute of the time at home I am reading, reading, reading…What would we do without stories?
Education
St Catharine's College, Cambridge University (MA in Englis
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
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August 2, 2011All I will say is this: If Sebastian is really truly dead, I will never read this series again.
March 6, 2023
The third book in the "Immortal" series, Eternal shifts the narrators from Evie to her friend Sarah. I felt that I enjoyed this change because we delved deeper into Sarah's quest to get to know the Romany( Gypsy) side of her story. When both Evie and Helen find themselves in danger from the darkness that still surrounds the girls even after Sebastien's death, it is up to Sarah to rely on the members of the Brotherhood to help her stop tragedy from striking the school again.
2023 UPDATE: Re-reading old reviews and I feel this story didn't get a lot of talk on the high school circuit.
2023 UPDATE: Re-reading old reviews and I feel this story didn't get a lot of talk on the high school circuit.
August 23, 2017
I am so excited to hear about this book!!! I really thought the series was over after book 2. This has really just made me day! :-D
August 10, 2012
I started losing interest in this series after the second book and more so in this one. I just couldn't continue taking all of Evie's dramatics and it didn't really seem like a whole lot was going on for most of the book until towards the end. I won't be picking up the next book in the series.
February 18, 2019
3.5 stars
This was pretty good, and it was interesting to see things from Sarah's point of view rather than Evie's. I liked that Shame that is still causing trouble.
This was pretty good, and it was interesting to see things from Sarah's point of view rather than Evie's. I liked that Shame that is still causing trouble.
May 19, 2024
I read 6 chapters. I can't. I re-read the first and second book since I never realized more were written. Not worth it. Evie's character did not develop into what I had hoped. She's "still oh woah is me" even being told from Sarah's perspective. I don't feel like Sarah's perspective really matches how she was portrayed in the last two books.
Not gonna suffer through anymore. Sorry fourth book.
Not gonna suffer through anymore. Sorry fourth book.
September 3, 2019
It took me some time to forgive this book for switching perspectives but I enjoyed it very much. It was nice to learn more about Sarah and I enjoyed the bigger role the boys played in this story.
December 24, 2013
Unlike the other books in this series, this book is told from Sarah's POV.
This is one of those books that I would give negative stars to if that were possible. In fact, I'd give the whole series a negative rating. I mean, this book is better than the previous two, but considering how shitty those two were, that isn't saying much.
I do like Sarah more than Evie as narrator, but once again, that really doesn't mean much because Evie is the worst character EVER!! She is so self-absorbed, and she doesn't care about anyone but herself and her pity party & she even treates her "sisters" like shit.. Oh! & in the last two books, Sebatian was the love of her life & she couldn't live without him - blah blah blah! and now that he's gone, she has switched to Josh without a second thought. Except of course whenever Sebastian is brought up she immediately jumps back to TeamSebastian like she wasn't just mooning over the stable hand. She was wishy-washy slore!! And then she feels the need to justify why she's with Josh.... I just really HATE Evie!!!
But back to Sarah... I think my main problem with these books is that it's a lot of telling but not a lot of showing. I get that Sarah thinks she is in love with Cal because that's what she says. I just don't really feel it. You spend the entire book in her head but she never tells how she really feels about the guy. She's open about how she feels about her "sisters" & you can tell she cares about them & what they stand for but then this guy (Cal) appears and they are just magially "in love"! I don't buy it. (This was the same problem I had with Evie & Sebastian in Books 1&2)
Sarah's story was better then Evie's by far & the new character of Velvet adds a little spice to the pages but I just cant bring myself to give this book anymore then 2 stars & only because
1. Sebastian is dead.
2. Velvet kind of perked my interest
3. For once we were spared Evie's extremely boring commentary!!!
This is one of those books that I would give negative stars to if that were possible. In fact, I'd give the whole series a negative rating. I mean, this book is better than the previous two, but considering how shitty those two were, that isn't saying much.
I do like Sarah more than Evie as narrator, but once again, that really doesn't mean much because Evie is the worst character EVER!! She is so self-absorbed, and she doesn't care about anyone but herself and her pity party & she even treates her "sisters" like shit.. Oh! & in the last two books, Sebatian was the love of her life & she couldn't live without him - blah blah blah! and now that he's gone, she has switched to Josh without a second thought. Except of course whenever Sebastian is brought up she immediately jumps back to TeamSebastian like she wasn't just mooning over the stable hand. She was wishy-washy slore!! And then she feels the need to justify why she's with Josh.... I just really HATE Evie!!!
But back to Sarah... I think my main problem with these books is that it's a lot of telling but not a lot of showing. I get that Sarah thinks she is in love with Cal because that's what she says. I just don't really feel it. You spend the entire book in her head but she never tells how she really feels about the guy. She's open about how she feels about her "sisters" & you can tell she cares about them & what they stand for but then this guy (Cal) appears and they are just magially "in love"! I don't buy it. (This was the same problem I had with Evie & Sebastian in Books 1&2)
Sarah's story was better then Evie's by far & the new character of Velvet adds a little spice to the pages but I just cant bring myself to give this book anymore then 2 stars & only because
1. Sebastian is dead.
2. Velvet kind of perked my interest
3. For once we were spared Evie's extremely boring commentary!!!
August 27, 2011
Gillian Shields never disappoints when it comes to the Immortal series and I will be the first to admit when I saw ETERNAL I thought it was a continuation of Evie's story-how her life would be now that Sebastian is no longer part of it, upon later research noticed that it was written from the perspective of Sarah.
I found the ETERNAL to be very insightful, I got to see Evie in a different light and maybe I'm wrong but I don't recall every reading in either IMMORTAL or BETRAYAL where we got a sense of jealousy from her but in this book it seems to be a pretty strong feeling until about halfway. Sarah was always portrayed as the good friend, the one who hides nothing but will be there no matter what and we see how she begins to question that when things start taking a toll.
I found a lot more action, suspense, romance and even loss in this book. There isn't a page in this book that you don't feel someway connected to the story as if that is what you're going through at a moment in time or perhaps even while your reading.
I loved the fact that Gillian went deeper for us to connect with a character that was briefly described in BETRAYAL and I found her story very touching and it added to the suspense at the end of the novel.
Gillian is also introduces a new character and from the word go I got the sense that this person is up to something, but then she says something and I'm thinking she can't be that bad. So for me at the start of her introduction is was a catch 22. I was left questioning a character that I knew was not who she was being portrayed to be, she just couldn't be. Confusion is the name of the game until you hit the last couple of chapters.
If the ending is anything to go by I'm pretty sure that next year this time there will be another tale to be read.
Sarah had a few choices to make in this novel and I think they have made her someone that she can be proud of and there is still plenty room for her to grow :)
I'm ending here before I spoil anything else.
Happy Reading :)
Gillian
xxx
I found the ETERNAL to be very insightful, I got to see Evie in a different light and maybe I'm wrong but I don't recall every reading in either IMMORTAL or BETRAYAL where we got a sense of jealousy from her but in this book it seems to be a pretty strong feeling until about halfway. Sarah was always portrayed as the good friend, the one who hides nothing but will be there no matter what and we see how she begins to question that when things start taking a toll.
I found a lot more action, suspense, romance and even loss in this book. There isn't a page in this book that you don't feel someway connected to the story as if that is what you're going through at a moment in time or perhaps even while your reading.
I loved the fact that Gillian went deeper for us to connect with a character that was briefly described in BETRAYAL and I found her story very touching and it added to the suspense at the end of the novel.
Gillian is also introduces a new character and from the word go I got the sense that this person is up to something, but then she says something and I'm thinking she can't be that bad. So for me at the start of her introduction is was a catch 22. I was left questioning a character that I knew was not who she was being portrayed to be, she just couldn't be. Confusion is the name of the game until you hit the last couple of chapters.
If the ending is anything to go by I'm pretty sure that next year this time there will be another tale to be read.
Sarah had a few choices to make in this novel and I think they have made her someone that she can be proud of and there is still plenty room for her to grow :)
I'm ending here before I spoil anything else.
Happy Reading :)
Gillian
xxx
November 3, 2011
this book was marginally better than the first two in the series. while there is still plenty of overt religiousness, it's not as new-testament-bashing-you-in-the-head as the previous books. i liked this character a bit better than the one who narrated the other books, as well.
i think my main problem with these books (apart from the religiosity) is that it's a lot of telling, not as much showing. i understand that sarah thinks she is in love with cal because that's what i'm told. i don't really feel it, though. you spend the entire book in her head, and she never tells how she really feels about the guy. there's plenty about how she feels about her "sisters", but then the guy appears and they are just magially "in love"; i have a hard time making this leap. the same problem was present in evie's relationship with sebastian in books 1 and 2, and even in her relationship with josh in eternal. i am told there is love, but i haven't seen it.
also, the books are now formulaic. there's a girl in the now and a girl in the past. their stories are juxtaposed as such: now girl gets a chapter or two, then past girl gets a chapter, written in italic font. rinse, repeat, until past girl's diary or whatever is finished. then now girl has to find said diary in order to understand what she must do to save her friends/boyfriend/the school. i'm guessing there will be a fourth book, as there is one sister who is still without a boyfriend. i assume there will be more of this same formula. i'll probably read it, because said sister is by far the most interesting and mysterious of the 3, but i don't know if it'll be any good.
i think my main problem with these books (apart from the religiosity) is that it's a lot of telling, not as much showing. i understand that sarah thinks she is in love with cal because that's what i'm told. i don't really feel it, though. you spend the entire book in her head, and she never tells how she really feels about the guy. there's plenty about how she feels about her "sisters", but then the guy appears and they are just magially "in love"; i have a hard time making this leap. the same problem was present in evie's relationship with sebastian in books 1 and 2, and even in her relationship with josh in eternal. i am told there is love, but i haven't seen it.
also, the books are now formulaic. there's a girl in the now and a girl in the past. their stories are juxtaposed as such: now girl gets a chapter or two, then past girl gets a chapter, written in italic font. rinse, repeat, until past girl's diary or whatever is finished. then now girl has to find said diary in order to understand what she must do to save her friends/boyfriend/the school. i'm guessing there will be a fourth book, as there is one sister who is still without a boyfriend. i assume there will be more of this same formula. i'll probably read it, because said sister is by far the most interesting and mysterious of the 3, but i don't know if it'll be any good.
August 5, 2025
I’ll give this a 2.5 as it was slightly better than the last two because we were no longer in Evie’s perspective.
You know those side characters that authors create just to support the lead? That’s Sarah, and we hear this story from her. Through this we find out there has been absolutely zilch, or perhaps even negative character development from Evie who is selfish but for some reason Sarah still remains her best friend.
Because of her sad life, I found myself sympathising for Sarah, but then like Evie but to a lesser extent she is still fickle. What she says doesn’t match her actions, which (imo) isn’t an intentional choice by the author, or if it was a poor one.
Power of (insta)love vibes strong in this one but .
Anyways the only reason I read this book was because I borrowed it from the library and didn’t have anything else.
You know those side characters that authors create just to support the lead? That’s Sarah, and we hear this story from her. Through this we find out there has been absolutely zilch, or perhaps even negative character development from Evie who is selfish but for some reason Sarah still remains her best friend.
Because of her sad life, I found myself sympathising for Sarah, but then like Evie but to a lesser extent she is still fickle. What she says doesn’t match her actions, which (imo) isn’t an intentional choice by the author, or if it was a poor one.
Power of (insta)love vibes strong in this one but .
Anyways the only reason I read this book was because I borrowed it from the library and didn’t have anything else.
September 22, 2017
I'm glad that Evie was able to find love again( or at least allow herself to move past Sebastian) in Josh.
I'm glad that Sarah got her Gypsy boy! She realized josh was just a crush and that she was in love with a Cal! So glad he decided to come back for her.
I'm really happy for Helen and can't wait to find out her destiny. She found love in her sisters when she'd been unloved her whole life. She also found someone who looked after her with the love of a mother when her own mother never showed her any love at all
I'm glad that Sarah got her Gypsy boy! She realized josh was just a crush and that she was in love with a Cal! So glad he decided to come back for her.
I'm really happy for Helen and can't wait to find out her destiny. She found love in her sisters when she'd been unloved her whole life. She also found someone who looked after her with the love of a mother when her own mother never showed her any love at all
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2020
SOOOOOOO GOOD! I wish Sarah's pov was from the beginning, I would love to have seen so much more about and from her. Shes such a smart, well put together person and she cares so much about her sisters. It's hard when all she has is herself. Love seeing her and Cal together and I love the opposing story that was made out to be hers told by the woman in the other lifetime of 1919. Wish I could've read so much more!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2018
These books are so strange and MAN do they try hard, in every facet - characterization, plot, pacing... and they don't really succeed but lol I'm enjoying this trash more than I should. Honestly I'm excited for Helen's story, I feel the other girls' POVs don't do her character justice. She's the most developed (or maybe just most relateable?) of any of them yet hasn't had any POV time?
January 27, 2018
I was a little bit lost in this as it is the third in a series and doesn’t do a lot for “standing alone”. It had possibilities, but just doesn’t do descriptions enough to get the reader involved.
January 30, 2019
3.75 ☆
October 28, 2019
Magic comes in many forms. This one takes you back to the past to create a present so you can have more in the future.
Quick. Clean. Easy to read with a plot that holds.
Quick. Clean. Easy to read with a plot that holds.
April 6, 2020
Enjoyed the switch to Sarah's perspective.
December 9, 2021
Loved this one! Def my fav of the whole series
Read
February 27, 2022It was okay
May 3, 2025
The book was pretty good although, i feel like it repeated some stuff from the very first one.
Do recommend!!
Do recommend!!
April 9, 2020
Wow amazing the emotions you go through reading this book
May 31, 2013
Sarah has always been off to the side in Evie's adventures, never a main character. But when a new student with possible powers comes to Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies and an S appears when Sarah is calling on the Mystic Way, Sarah knows it's her time for the spotlight. The only trouble is, she, Evie and Helen have broken apart and are no longer fellow sisters of the Mystic Way. However, by following her Romany roots, Sarah may be able to call on powers she never even dreamed of before. And when Cal, a Gypsy traveler, returns to Wyldcliffe, Sarah wonders if maybe, it's her time for love, too.
I bought this book without even reading the summary, simply because I had enjoyed the first two in the series, and it was on sale at Chapters. I didn't even realize the main character was Sarah until I was halfway through Betrayal. This was unfortunate, because the summary gave away the ending of book two. I wouldn't recommend reading the summary of Eternal until Betrayal is finished. I found the switch of characters to be an odd thing for Gillian Shields to do; it very much reminded me of Stephenie Meyer's Breaking Dawn, when the viewpoint switches to that of Jacob's. I think I would have preferred this novel from Evie's viewpoint; she's the character readers have known for the past two books in the series, and she has a more interesting life. But, if the adventure must be Sarah's, then of course the point of view should be Sarah's as well.
One thing that I found, not just in this book but the entire series, was that there were certain parts where I couldn't understand whether what was happening was a dream, imagination running wild, or actually happening. I also found this in the Swoon series and didn't enjoy it then, either. I find it takes away from the storyline, because the reader is desperately scanning previous pages, trying to find a hint as to what they missed, or skipping ahead to understand if what's happening at that moment will affect what happens later in the book, therefore giving a hint as to whether or not it is really happening. Being forced to do so really takes away from the enjoyment of the book.
I found that although this novel had a lot of material that could be considered 'exciting', it didn't excite me in any way. With Sarah and Cal's romance, I found it to be much like book one of this series - although not quite so bad. First of all, Cal left months back and they weren't even dating or anything, so it's not like Sarah had an excuse for her pathetic pining over him. It was merely a crush, and for all she could know, one-sided. Also, what happened to her Josh-lust? In books one and two, Sarah was madly in love with a boy named Josh. Then Cal returns, and it's as if they were a happily married couple that was separated by tragedy. Cal declares that he'll never leave her (this is the part that reminds me of Sebastian - stalker, anyone?) and suddenly they're dating and kissing and everything. It was like Immortal, but without the darkness in the boy's heart. Another part that should have been exiting but wasn't, was - well, there were a lot of those parts. The only part I did find exiting was the very end, which included a major battle between good and evil. But all the previous parts were so short and separated by long stretches of nothing happening that they barely captured my interest.
Overall, I found this book enjoyable, though at the level of Immortal, not Betrayal. So, like book one, Eternal receives three stars. I would have preferred book three to have been in Evie's words as well, instead of switching to Sarah. I would suggest this book to anyone who enjoys dark magic, mystery, and forbidden love.
I bought this book without even reading the summary, simply because I had enjoyed the first two in the series, and it was on sale at Chapters. I didn't even realize the main character was Sarah until I was halfway through Betrayal. This was unfortunate, because the summary gave away the ending of book two. I wouldn't recommend reading the summary of Eternal until Betrayal is finished. I found the switch of characters to be an odd thing for Gillian Shields to do; it very much reminded me of Stephenie Meyer's Breaking Dawn, when the viewpoint switches to that of Jacob's. I think I would have preferred this novel from Evie's viewpoint; she's the character readers have known for the past two books in the series, and she has a more interesting life. But, if the adventure must be Sarah's, then of course the point of view should be Sarah's as well.
One thing that I found, not just in this book but the entire series, was that there were certain parts where I couldn't understand whether what was happening was a dream, imagination running wild, or actually happening. I also found this in the Swoon series and didn't enjoy it then, either. I find it takes away from the storyline, because the reader is desperately scanning previous pages, trying to find a hint as to what they missed, or skipping ahead to understand if what's happening at that moment will affect what happens later in the book, therefore giving a hint as to whether or not it is really happening. Being forced to do so really takes away from the enjoyment of the book.
I found that although this novel had a lot of material that could be considered 'exciting', it didn't excite me in any way. With Sarah and Cal's romance, I found it to be much like book one of this series - although not quite so bad. First of all, Cal left months back and they weren't even dating or anything, so it's not like Sarah had an excuse for her pathetic pining over him. It was merely a crush, and for all she could know, one-sided. Also, what happened to her Josh-lust? In books one and two, Sarah was madly in love with a boy named Josh. Then Cal returns, and it's as if they were a happily married couple that was separated by tragedy. Cal declares that he'll never leave her (this is the part that reminds me of Sebastian - stalker, anyone?) and suddenly they're dating and kissing and everything. It was like Immortal, but without the darkness in the boy's heart. Another part that should have been exiting but wasn't, was - well, there were a lot of those parts. The only part I did find exiting was the very end, which included a major battle between good and evil. But all the previous parts were so short and separated by long stretches of nothing happening that they barely captured my interest.
Overall, I found this book enjoyable, though at the level of Immortal, not Betrayal. So, like book one, Eternal receives three stars. I would have preferred book three to have been in Evie's words as well, instead of switching to Sarah. I would suggest this book to anyone who enjoys dark magic, mystery, and forbidden love.
August 24, 2012
I didn't know what to expect going into Eternal. I had read Betrayal and Immortal all in Evie's perspective so I was surprised upon getting the book that the story was about Sarah. That made sense; Evie's story was finished. I enjoyed reading about Evie's romance with Sebastian but Eternal was about Sarah.
Sarah has always felt like the supportive best friend. She's kind and helps everyone but secretly she wants her own story. I was fascinated by her character. She had a very distinctive personality and I was really curious about her part in the story.
The other characters we've known are there as well as Velvet Romaine, the rich rock star's daughter who's role in everything hasn't been revealed yet. I, again, liked the characters but I didn't love them. Some parts that were meant to be devastating got from me a reaction of basically thinking "That sucks!" and then continuing on. I'm not sure why I wasn't so emotionally invested in the story- I was more so in Evie's. Perhaps it's because I miss reading about Sebastian who I did care about.
Plot wise, there was a lot of suspense and build up. There was again a big mystery and almost the entire book was waiting for the big finish and what would happen. I liked that there was mystery and suspense but I wished all throughout there was as much action as in the end. I know that's impossible but just wanting more action to keep me more focused and hooked would have helped make the book even better.
Eternal is a book that was good but that didn't satisfy me. I think it's personal because I didn't love the story even though it was well done. If you've read the other books, be sure to read Eternal. It ends with a promise for much bigger and possibly awesome things to come . 3 stars,
***
Sarah has always felt like the supportive best friend. She's kind and helps everyone but secretly she wants her own story. I was fascinated by her character. She had a very distinctive personality and I was really curious about her part in the story.
The other characters we've known are there as well as Velvet Romaine, the rich rock star's daughter who's role in everything hasn't been revealed yet. I, again, liked the characters but I didn't love them. Some parts that were meant to be devastating got from me a reaction of basically thinking "That sucks!" and then continuing on. I'm not sure why I wasn't so emotionally invested in the story- I was more so in Evie's. Perhaps it's because I miss reading about Sebastian who I did care about.
Plot wise, there was a lot of suspense and build up. There was again a big mystery and almost the entire book was waiting for the big finish and what would happen. I liked that there was mystery and suspense but I wished all throughout there was as much action as in the end. I know that's impossible but just wanting more action to keep me more focused and hooked would have helped make the book even better.
Eternal is a book that was good but that didn't satisfy me. I think it's personal because I didn't love the story even though it was well done. If you've read the other books, be sure to read Eternal. It ends with a promise for much bigger and possibly awesome things to come . 3 stars,
***
September 20, 2011
First of all, a fourth book better be out soon because this one ended with what I would classify as a cliffhanger.
This book took the least amount of time for me to read out of the 3. The first one took me almost 2 weeks which is very rare for me. Eternal took me 3 nights at most.
I think this was because it was in Sarah's POV. At first I flipped out because it was such a random change and I was thinking that I would mistake Sarah for Evie the entire book. But as I read I liked it better.
Mainly, because Sebastian wasn't in it. I HATED him. At first in Immortal when he was snide and rude, I loved him. Then once he and Evie got together it turned into a creepy co-dependent all-consuming relationship and I hate that. Plus, Agnes' journal entries didn't give me anything to like about him.
Second book was better because he was mainly gone except for his obsessive journal entries. But Evie kept complaining about missing him.
So I was very happy when I realized that Evie's complaining about Sebastian would be minimal in Eternal. I saw from the second Josh was introduced in the first book that Evie needed to be with him so I didn't want Evie to be going on and on about Sebastian.
But besides the absence of Sebastian and Evie's whining, I was really really happy that Sarah got to narrate because I really liked her background. I LOVED the Romany background and details. I think this book was a good direction for the series to go because it refreshed it and gave it a new angle while keeping the basic character of the series.
This book took the least amount of time for me to read out of the 3. The first one took me almost 2 weeks which is very rare for me. Eternal took me 3 nights at most.
I think this was because it was in Sarah's POV. At first I flipped out because it was such a random change and I was thinking that I would mistake Sarah for Evie the entire book. But as I read I liked it better.
Mainly, because Sebastian wasn't in it. I HATED him. At first in Immortal when he was snide and rude, I loved him. Then once he and Evie got together it turned into a creepy co-dependent all-consuming relationship and I hate that. Plus, Agnes' journal entries didn't give me anything to like about him.
Second book was better because he was mainly gone except for his obsessive journal entries. But Evie kept complaining about missing him.
So I was very happy when I realized that Evie's complaining about Sebastian would be minimal in Eternal. I saw from the second Josh was introduced in the first book that Evie needed to be with him so I didn't want Evie to be going on and on about Sebastian.
But besides the absence of Sebastian and Evie's whining, I was really really happy that Sarah got to narrate because I really liked her background. I LOVED the Romany background and details. I think this book was a good direction for the series to go because it refreshed it and gave it a new angle while keeping the basic character of the series.
September 8, 2011
After reading Immortal and Betrayed I had high hopes. Especially after reading Betrayed (I cried at the end). It did a pretty good job, although not quite reaching the mark. It was a little slow in the beginning, but I thought the end was beautiful.
Sarah was a strong character, and I liked the small progressions she made during the story going from a character who lived her live through other to one who lived her own. And I liked how we got a bit of a continuation of the Evie and Josh story line.
What I didn't like was big parts of the Cal story line. I liked him as a character and yes, he was a good match for her, but you never got to see a real progression of a romance for them. It is mentioned in the previous book that they show a connection to each other, but then her just shows up seeming out of nowhere in the middle of the book, and it is automatically excepted they are in love. Plus, you don't really get to know him very much as a character aside from the fact that he is protective and in love with Sarah.
I was however fascinated with Helen story, and am really looking forward to reading it. And finding out what part Velvet Romaine has to play, for good or evil?
All in all, I liked it. And just like the others I love the cover. One day if I can afford it I am going to get a necklace like that one made. And everyone should read the whole series, but I definitely excited about the next one...
Sarah was a strong character, and I liked the small progressions she made during the story going from a character who lived her live through other to one who lived her own. And I liked how we got a bit of a continuation of the Evie and Josh story line.
What I didn't like was big parts of the Cal story line. I liked him as a character and yes, he was a good match for her, but you never got to see a real progression of a romance for them. It is mentioned in the previous book that they show a connection to each other, but then her just shows up seeming out of nowhere in the middle of the book, and it is automatically excepted they are in love. Plus, you don't really get to know him very much as a character aside from the fact that he is protective and in love with Sarah.
I was however fascinated with Helen story, and am really looking forward to reading it. And finding out what part Velvet Romaine has to play, for good or evil?
All in all, I liked it. And just like the others I love the cover. One day if I can afford it I am going to get a necklace like that one made. And everyone should read the whole series, but I definitely excited about the next one...
August 2, 2012
Gillian Shields continues to impress me with the Immortal series. While it doesn’t have the world’s best plot, there is something addictive about it that instantly pulls you into the story. Eternal is told from Sarah’s perspective, which surprised me, but actually makes sense. The first two novels are told from Evie’s perspective because she represents both water and fire, Eternal is told from Evie’s perspective because she represents Earth.
While I liked reading from Sarah’s perspective, there were times when she irritated me. She was clearly a little bitter about her selfless image, but geez—chill out please. I am not a huge fan of angst. I was surprised to learn how proud she could be because I didn’t get that vibe from her at all in the previous novel.
The plot is more or less the same as it is in the previous novels, but it doesn’t feel overdone. There are always new mysteries to solve, which keeps things interesting. There is a bit of romance as well, but it plays a smaller role than it did the previous novels.
There is an addictive quality to Eternal that will keep you turning pages all night long. Even though the plot isn’t fantastic, Shields writing transports you to another world and creates an intensity with her stories that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Fans of gothic literature do not want to miss this one.
While I liked reading from Sarah’s perspective, there were times when she irritated me. She was clearly a little bitter about her selfless image, but geez—chill out please. I am not a huge fan of angst. I was surprised to learn how proud she could be because I didn’t get that vibe from her at all in the previous novel.
The plot is more or less the same as it is in the previous novels, but it doesn’t feel overdone. There are always new mysteries to solve, which keeps things interesting. There is a bit of romance as well, but it plays a smaller role than it did the previous novels.
There is an addictive quality to Eternal that will keep you turning pages all night long. Even though the plot isn’t fantastic, Shields writing transports you to another world and creates an intensity with her stories that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Fans of gothic literature do not want to miss this one.
July 28, 2011
Thank you First Reads for allowing me to read this book! I was a little hesitant because I hadn't read the first two books in this series and because you just never know how much cheese you're going to get with your YA books. The writing was easy to follow and it was easy for me to fall into the story.
First, I thought that the author did a good job of bringing me up to speed with this book so that I didn't feel too lost or confused having not read the first two. The descriptive detail was nicely done, it was easy for me to picture the school, the stables, the pictures, and even the horses (it is evident to me that the author both loves horses and has good knowledge of them). I was a bit confused though by the fact that this was supposed to be an upstanding finishing school for proper young ladies and the three main characters seemed appalled by straying from the rules but then were all into their coven and witch craft like it wasn't a bit odd at all. Maybe that was because I missed the first two books, I don't know. There was of course the teenage romantic angst and the fear that their friendship wasn't going to make it through another school year and that was an interesting story to walk through while they were trying to fight the super natural evil that is threatening Sarah and those around her.
First, I thought that the author did a good job of bringing me up to speed with this book so that I didn't feel too lost or confused having not read the first two. The descriptive detail was nicely done, it was easy for me to picture the school, the stables, the pictures, and even the horses (it is evident to me that the author both loves horses and has good knowledge of them). I was a bit confused though by the fact that this was supposed to be an upstanding finishing school for proper young ladies and the three main characters seemed appalled by straying from the rules but then were all into their coven and witch craft like it wasn't a bit odd at all. Maybe that was because I missed the first two books, I don't know. There was of course the teenage romantic angst and the fear that their friendship wasn't going to make it through another school year and that was an interesting story to walk through while they were trying to fight the super natural evil that is threatening Sarah and those around her.
August 24, 2011
i was a little rusty on this series, i think it's been over a year since the second one has been out.
references made here and there throughout the first few chapters completely jogged my memory of the previous books.
a little strange: this book is not in the point of view as Evie, like the previous ones, but is told by Sarah.
one small thing that irritates me so far (and i mean tiny) is that the first person is past tense. i love first person, but it
s just weird that every single thing is in the past tense. Clearly, Sarah is telling this story after it has all been said and done, as opposed to telling ther story as she's experiencing it.
i just got to an amazing twist that i didn't see coming (about halfway through, i think chapter 24) and i seriously need to finish this book now! i can't wait to see what happens next!
i finished the book this morning and was quite pleased with it.
in regards to the twist referenced above, i was seriously hoping that it wouldn't be true, that somehow, things wouldn't be as they were perceived, and that's exactly how it turned out. i was very excited on that front.
the final chapters set the series up perfectly for another book. I think the next will be about Helen, and in her point of view, with some resurfacing enemies.
references made here and there throughout the first few chapters completely jogged my memory of the previous books.
a little strange: this book is not in the point of view as Evie, like the previous ones, but is told by Sarah.
one small thing that irritates me so far (and i mean tiny) is that the first person is past tense. i love first person, but it
s just weird that every single thing is in the past tense. Clearly, Sarah is telling this story after it has all been said and done, as opposed to telling ther story as she's experiencing it.
i just got to an amazing twist that i didn't see coming (about halfway through, i think chapter 24) and i seriously need to finish this book now! i can't wait to see what happens next!
i finished the book this morning and was quite pleased with it.
in regards to the twist referenced above, i was seriously hoping that it wouldn't be true, that somehow, things wouldn't be as they were perceived, and that's exactly how it turned out. i was very excited on that front.
the final chapters set the series up perfectly for another book. I think the next will be about Helen, and in her point of view, with some resurfacing enemies.
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