Ever

Ever #1

by Jessa Russo

Seventeen-year-old Ever’s love life has been on hold for the past two years. She’s secretly in love with her best friend Frankie, and he’s completely oblivious.

Of course, it doesn't help that he’s dead, and waking up to his ghost every day has made moving on nearly impossible.

Frustrated and desperate for something real, Ever finds herself falling for her hot new neighbor Toby. His relaxed confidence is irresistible, and not just Ever knows it. But falling for Toby comes with a price that throws Ever’s life into a whirlwind of chaos and drama. More than hearts are on the line, and more than Ever will suffer.

Some girls lose their hearts to love.

Some girls lose their minds.

Ever Van Ruysdael could lose her soul.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal, Ghosts, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Ebooks

295 pages, Paperback

First published September 20, 2012

About the author

Jessa Russo believes in fairytales, ghosts, and Jake Ryan—she’s pretty sure her heart has never fully belonged to anyone else (apologies, Mr. Russo). When not writing, she can be found watching far too much Netflix, drinking craft beer with her friends, or enjoying a nice Sunday brunch (even if it’s not Sunday).
Her young adult projects span the genre field, but will always have a lot of kissing and (probably) a little heartbreak. Isn't that what falling in love as a teen is all about?

You can find Jessa on most social platforms as @author_jessa.

Reviews

[Jyanx · Rating 1 out of 5]

Warnings this review will contain the following: cursing, and other assorted negative language, gifs and other images, and rage mixed with a large dollop of indifference.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley, and I would like to thank them, the author, and publisher for giving me a chance to read and review it. All opinions stated below are my own, and are not influenced in any way by any of the above stated parties, the FSM, or the movement of heavenly bodies.

In the beginning there was Ever (it's a nickname, but still), and she was madly in love with her next door neighbor who was tragically killed before she was brave enough to act on her feelings. Now he haunts her, and she will never ever love another. She is empty, and alone living without her one true love. She is the man in black.



No, wait, she's not Johnny Cash, but she does wear only black as we are reminded time, and time again in this book. Her friend Jessie, by contrast wear only pink, and is popular, and bubbly. This leads me to one of my first major issues with this book: lack of depth. The characters felt more like archetypes to me rather than real people. Ever is the broody one, and Jessie is boy crazy, and the life of the party (I will give this book some credit because Ever never once slut shames Jessie for her serial dating). Nothing much is done to develop them as people beyond this, and it made for hollow reading for me.

While I'm on the subject of fashion choices Ever's true love Frankie wears his hair in a pompadour.



Are you fucking kidding me? A pompadour? I don't care how much you love the 50's, or whatnot; a pompadour, and Buddy Holly glasses in high school? Added to the fact he insists on addressing Ever as Dollface. Yeah, none of that really endears him to me.

But I digress. Ever in the beginning tells us "I couldn't be with anyone else. I just couldn't...I'd never be normal again. I'd never have a normal life, a normal relationship...I'd never go on an official date" you get the picture. Now that her one true love was dead she was closing that door. More than a little melodramatic especially since not too much later she is head over heels for the new next door neighbor Toby, Mr. Black Leather. Which leads me to my next issue. Ever never seems to be able to hold more than one person in her head at one time. If she is with Frankie it's all about how much she loves him, but then when she's with Toby it's all about how much she loves him. Only when she steps away from either do feelings about the other even cross her mind.

Which once again leads us to my next issue. All Ever thinks about, or talks about is Frankie and Toby. Sure, she thinks about Jessie, and the challenges she faces, but never for very long, and not enough to actually do anything to help her, or even listen to her in any deep, or heartfelt way. Ever suffers, what to anyone else, would be a devastating loss in their lives, and it fades in comparison to her boy drama. Just once I would have liked to see that she had some sort of life beyond boys; her love of reading, her interest in knitting, or her passion for Pre-Columbian Art, something, anything. For the "deep girl in black" character it seems like the author was trying to develop she is lacking in any sort of depth, and interest. Most of the time I just wanted her to shut the hell up when she started whining on, and on, and on.



Her parents were weak, ineffective, and poorly developed. In one memorable scene Jessie's mother, and mother's boyfriend show up drunk, and the boyfriend is demanding Jessie return with them. In the end it is Toby who punches the boyfriend, and forces them to leave. Of course it is, because, being adults, her parents wouldn't do the sensible thing, and call the police especially since the boyfriend does everything, but hire a plane with a banner reading that he beat her mother before he drove over there (beer in hand). Later when Jessie tells them not to call the police, they do the right thing, and decide not to call. Good job.



Then we reached what I thought was the light at the end of the tunnel, when Ever reacts badly when someone dumps her for "her own good." Finally, I thought, Ever is taking a stand, and making it known that she is not some fragile little princess.



But alas, my relief was short lived. He comes back, tell her he loves her, and everything is magically better.



Ever also spends the entire book ignoring the enormous hints dropped that Toby isn't exactly who he appears to be. It's not that she doesn't see the writing on the wall; it's that she makes a conscious decision to ignore every impulse, every instinct, every fucking dream that tells her something isn't quite right. When the big supernatural reveal happens I had passed the point at which I might have cared long ago. Soul collectors, really that's the best you could come up with? Why does it make me think of Pokemon? Then the evil nemesis Ariadne does something that, if this was a paperback would have made me throw the book across the room She brings Frankie back to life. Words fail me.

That brings me to me last point, Ariadne. Just when I thought I could get through one of these ya novel without slut shaming it happens. "She was wearing a very skimpy navy-blue nightgown with ivory lace trim and lavender accents that I am sure would show her panties if even the slightest breeze kicked up. If she's wearing any. Was this seriously what she slept in while visiting her ex-boyfriend and his dad? Slut." Ariadne is older, sexually confident, and makes our heroine feel small, and insecure, so instead of dealing with her feelings she takes them out on the one who caused them. Ariadne is also smart with a vicious mouth, and is the character I like best out of everyone in the book.



I am going to pass on the rest of the series because I just don't care what happens.

[Stacia (the 2010 club) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would not be ashamed. I needed answers.

You said it, sister. I need answers too.

2.5 stars. I didn't hate this book. I just ended up more confused at the end than when I started. How does this happen?

Good Cop : This story has the potential to be interesting because it starts off (no spoiler here, this happens within the first couple of pages) with the girl's best friend dying in a car accident and following her home, only to haunt her house as a ghost that her family can see and converse with. It's like Casper the Friendly Ghost, except with a hot guy instead. Score!!!
Bad Cop : Why is it never mentioned that the guy had any issues actually ADJUSTING to being stuck in someone's house as a ghost? Wouldn't most people be somewhat frustrated by this turn of events? All I saw was Frankie lounging around, ready at a moment's notice to comfort Ever when her nightmares would crop up. He was always coiffed with a glint in his eye, ready to be there for his "doll."

Good Cop : Even though this chick was named Ever, at least she wasn't a complete snooze like the chick named Ever from the book Evermore.
Bad Cop : The chick was named Ever. *puke*

Good Cop : Lana Del Ray was mentioned.
Bad Cop : I was drowning in all of rockabilly and hipster details about these characters. I felt like I was forced into buying that every character was supposed to be unique and super-fascinating.

Good Cop : The vampires going to vampire school reference made me think someone might be a Richelle Mead fan.
Bad Cop : The "poking fun at Twilight scene" has been done to death. We get it - sparkly, stalking vamps are 'teh suck.'

Good Cop : Speaking of Vampire Academy, I was intrigued by the huge age gap between Ever (17) and Toby (22). It (for a second) reminded me of Rose and Dimitri.
Bad Cop : ...and there's a reason why age gaps don't always work for teenagers (unless you are awesome like Rose and Dimitri). Ever acted like a clueless child half of the time. She had no business dating anyone that old.

Good Cop :The love triangle was balanced. I believe that Ever was honestly torn between both guys for good reason.
Bad Cop : ...and then the love triangle was unbalanced. WTF?!? at the last few chapters.

Good Cop :The start of the book was gut-wrenching and had me absorbed. The ending got completely crazy.
Bad Cop : The middle of the book was a lot of blushing, running away, and make-out sessions with not much else going on.

Good Cop : The ghostie got some good news.
Bad Cop : The ghostie still had no real reaction to this news. SERIOUSLY, KID. When bad stuff happens, you don't react. When good stuff happens, you don't react. Is there nothing on your radar other than 'cute girl in front of you?'

Good Cop : I have a lot of questions that need to be answered now, so I'm going to have to read book 2.
Bad Cop : I have WAY too many questions that need to be answered now. I was told who everyone was and what they did, but I have no clue how any of it actually HAPPENED.

Final thoughts : A weak first book that bordered on sappy in parts...yet, I do like the general idea for the world and where the plot is going to go. Both of the guys were somewhat likable, although I felt Toby to be more 'fleshed out' (HAHA...see what I did there? He's the human love interest.) as a character than his ghostly competitor. I think the series has promise if the next book focuses on more action and starts cluing us in on how this world is built. The lack of detail will hopefully be compensated for in the future. I'll give book 2 a shot. If it gets better, then we might have a promising thing going on. If the story doesn't improve, then I might part ways with the series.

This book was provided from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessa Russo]

I don't believe in rating my own book because it just feels weird. But I wanted to take this empty space and turn it into one big THANK YOU. Thank you to the readers and reviewers - both those who love EVER and those who hate it - for taking the time to read my book. It means so much to me. And yes, even the negative reviews are appreciated. How else will I learn and grow as a writer, right?

So anyway, THANK YOU! Book addicts are awesome!

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really, really wanted to like this story, but it just was not in the cards for me.

Ever is hung up on her best friend, Frankie, and he doesn’t know it. Unfortunately, he’s been dead for the last two years but is still present in her life as a ghost. Really makes moving on difficult. Ever hasn’t had much of a life, she’s been homeschooled ever since the accident that took her best friend, Frankie, and only connects to the outside world through her spunky friend Jess. Ever’s never dated or even kissed any boys, and she’s seventeen. Frankie is a constant presence in her life, always around at her house, and the reason she doesn’t like to go anywhere. He can’t leave. Her friend Jess tries to get Ever to move on with her life, encouraging her to be interested in boys that actually have a future. Jess and Ever’s parents are aware of Frankie and even interact with him.

This situation is about to change when a new boy, Toby, moves into the house once occupied by Frankie. Ever feels an immediate and intense attraction to him, and apparently he feels the same for Ever, he marches right up to her door after catching her looking, and asks her out (cue eye roll, one of many). Ever knows she can never have a future with Frankie, they can’t even touch, but she still feels guilty over her feelings for Toby.

I had such a hard time getting into this story and it wasn’t until about 30% that I felt things started getting interesting. To me the first 30% was spent on describing the clothing and looks of every character, in EVERY scene; that or mooning over Toby and or Frankie, and lots of blushing. I really had no idea what direction the plot was moving until I was about half way through the book. This next part is completely my fault. I really should have paid more attention to the description of this story before I picked it up. It would’ve been glaringly obvious that there was going to be a love triangle, a situation I have very little patience for. But this is not only love triangle, it’s a quadrangle! Two guys, two girls: there’s Ever and Frankie and Ever and Toby, then there’s Toby and Ariadne. And Ever can’t seem to choose, flitting back and forth between these two. I was totally annoyed how quickly things move from one boy to the other. Plus, you know when you can sort of tell which boy the character is going to end up with, the one you should be rooting for because more time is invested in that boy? You’re made to like that one just a little more than the other. Well, in my opinion I was made to root for one, and the other won out in the end.

There is a mysterious reason that Toby is in town and there is the issue of Frankie being a ghost. Why can Ever and her family see him? There were a lot of questions I had about all of this, and not a whole lot of answers. I was left at the end scratching my head and asking: Why? I can’t go into my questions because it would spoil the plot, so I’ll just leave it at that.

So this story ticked the boxes on three things I normally can’t stand in a story: insta-love, love triangle, and cliffhangers! Yes, on top of everything else we have a cliffhanger. Another pet peeve, while a small one, I just can’t help myself and mention it: Character names. I can’t stand it when an author chooses a difficult or almost unpronounceable name, like Ariadne in this case, because every time I come across it, it stops me! I have to mentally pronounce it each time, and wonder if I’m saying it correctly. I know, I know, nit-picky! At any rate, while in some parts I was mildly entertained by this story, I doubt I’ll be picking up the next in the series.

Thank you to Curiosity Quills Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read this story.

You can find this review and more at The Readers Den.

[Zuleeza · Rating 1 out of 5]

This review is also available on my blog, Qwerty

Actual rating: 0 star

What the .... did I just read.

It's been more than 48 hours since I finished with Ever, but I'm still contemplating what is the best way to write the review. One thing for sure, this is definitely the worst book I've ever read (worse than Fallen, who would've thought so!).

Urghhh...although I can write a very 'colourful' negative review, it doesn't mean that I like to write such review. More so now, when I myself directly involved in the creative process of publishing books as a beta reader. I hate it even more to write a negative review for a debut novel. But this, this is just intolerable.

Dear Curiosity Quills Press, I had a 'pleasure' of reading Wilde's Fire halfway and a pleasure of reading and occasionally skimming Fade and Ever. While I'm very grateful for your generosity for offering me to review those ARCs, here are a few things that I want you to take note because I do notice some 'unhealthy' patterns emerging in your books;

1. I think we had enough with Mary Sue heroines. It doesn't hurt to feature strong, independent female protagonists with more brain cells.

2. Stupid, and I mean stupid love triangle. Love triangle doesn't equal to 'it's okay for the girl to date/flirt/make out with two boys in such a short time frame.

3. Mysterious males with 'paranormal, mythical' true identity as the love interest.

4. Insta love/obsession/soul mate or whatever you feel like naming it.

5. Gross make out scenes EVERYWHERE in the book. I feel like stepping on land mines the whole time. I was just trying to get into the story and here we go again 'His lips covered mine' bullshit. Trust me, readers are not that stupid anymore to buy a book just to read the steamy, hot make out scenes because hey, there are a lot of post-Fifty Shades erotica books in the market! And trust me, the make out scenes in Fade and Ever are gross because the characters hardly know each other/they were best friends before! Real relationship needs development, people!

6. You are in dire need for unique, attractive book title. How do you know if that book title is not a good idea? Search that title on Goodreads and your book isn't among the top five hits.



7. On the plus side (hey, finally!) the cover for your books are quite decent. Keep up!

Okay, back to Ever. This is my pre-morning book (I like to wake up around 3-4 am to read. Pre-morning inspired by Sheldon Cooper's pre-evening definition because when I say early morning, people imagine 7-8 am), not my plane book, or my between classes book, or my 'I can't sleep so I'm reading' book. Which meant to say that this book had my full attention. I even read this during my stay in Port Agusta (such a lovely place!) which meant to say that I was in peaceful mood without any assignments plaguing my mind. And what did I get? An awful, awful experience. I even decided to get back to sleep because of the horror! And ended up having nightmares. And I had to try so hard not to let it ruin my mood the whole day for the sake of my travel buddies. True story bro.

Usually I do agree that reviews/ratings are subjective and whenever I hate a book, I would still recommend my other Goodreads friends to read that particular book just to know other people's point of view. But I don't dare to do that for Ever case because I don't want anyone else to undergo the emotional trauma that I had.

Okay, just to prove that I'm not exaggerating, I beg the author/the readers to read my summary of Ever. Granted, summarizing can take things out of context but I just don't care anymore at this point.

***Spoilers ahead***

Frankie, Ever best friend had passed away for two years but strangely he (or his apparition) still lingers in Ever's house. Neither Ever nor Frankie know why Frankie's soul couldn't move on. Ever claimed Frankie is the first and the only guy she ever love in her lifetime. Ever's choice of best friend is interesting because Jessie changes boyfriend as often as I have to mow my damn lawn and she only wears pink. Not that I have a problem with that but wait until I describe Jessie's behaviour.

Ever (I don't know..complains? rants? mentions?) that she will never have an embarrassing make-out story-let alone sex because apparently she has given Frankie her heart all those years ago.

*snorts*

Enters Toby, the new guy on the block who moves into Frankie's old house. Ever's first thought '"Toby," I whispered. Yes. I liked the way that sounded, almost as much as I liked the way he looked. Wow."

Note that this quote came only a few pages after Ever said Frankie possessed her heart for years. Yawn.

(And I think Elenoar is a nice name. Why Ever thought it's an embarrassing name? Can someone bother to tell me why?)

That night, Ever went for a movie with Jessie. But she couldn't concentrate to the movie. Why you asked me? Because her attention, 'unfortunately' was on the hot guy next door! Even more imaginative than usual, her mind started making up all sorts of different things about him, and Ever found herself creating and playing out scenarios in my head about how the two of us would meet and what would come next.

Unbelievable.

Next page, Ever thought 'I didn't know why, but I found myself really wanting to touch him'



Toby came to approach her, asked her out, but she refused because she said she has a boyfriend.

Ever saw Frankie looked broken after her little conversation with Toby and she wondered why?

That night, Ever had a nightmare and she was calling Frankie's name. Of course, Frankie appeared on her bedroom but then he saw Ever was only in her underwear. "I watched his gaze slowly travel over me. He seemed captivated by my lack of clothing, and took his sweet time before meeting my gaze."

Oh, now the ghost is getting horny too.

The next morning, despite the rejection, Toby gave Ever her favourite flower, anemones. Of course Ever went nuts wondering 'How do he knows my favourite flower' and all that. Then, Ever thought 'only crazy person would allow herself to continue obsessing over someone long after he'd died. Sane people focus on things they actually can attain, like relationships with living people. Like Toby'

Note that this happened only the morning after Ever thought 'Was I imagining the heated look in his (Frankie's eyes because I wanted to see it there so badly?"

Back to Jessie, the first thing she asked regarding Ever's new neighbour was did Toby ask Ever out. Eheh. We could all use a friend like that, do we?

And here's Jessie's word of wisdom '...we are seventeen years old. We are supposed to be dating and having fun. Susan says - in one of the only bits of advice I'll even bother with - that we should be dating multiple guys at a time! Multiple."

Yay, and then we could all have multiple STDs. Hooray!

Seriously.

After numerous useless references to colour pink and legging, Ever encountered Toby again. And she wondered what brand of shampoo he used. Because Jessie with all her intelligence managed to set Ever on a 'date' with Toby in the name of 'showing him around', Ever stuck with Toby that very night. Toby even added that hopefully Ever's 'boyfriend'' won't mind.

A few blushes, tongue-tied moments with several thoughts back to Frankie, the date is over. The next morning, Ever was woken up by Frankie (Believe me, Frankie serves nothing except for Ever's personal alarm clock at this point) and Ever thought she wished she could hold Frankie and Frankie felt the same way too.

Moving on, someone knocked the door and Ever opened it. And it was Toby. What did Ever thought? 'I found myself blushing at the thought of what he might sleep in. Flannel pajama bottoms...boxers...nothing at all.'

Wow, Frankie just got totally friend-zoned by the horny Ever.

And oh, I forgot to mention that Toby came to invite Ever for their second date. At this point, I don't know what happened to the 'fake boyfriend' story anymore. Of course, Ever had her first kiss in only her second date. How romantic.

Next, Ever parents get all worked up by the fact that her seventeen years old daughter is dating a twenty-two years old guy. Hmm..I don't know. I thought this is normal? Except if that 22-years old guy is Ever's teacher?

After throwing a tantrum, Ever went back to her room to reply Jessie's 'OMG, EVER!' e-mail. Frankie appeared and asked where she'd been and she lied to Frankie. And I didn't understand why the lie is needed when Ever thought there's no hope between her and Frankie. Frankie sensed her lie and Ever got so defensive, it chased Frankie away. Of course, Frankie came back to comfort the crying Ever who at this very moment thought 'Frankie is her entire world'.

And I didn't really understand what happened next, between the pink toenails and Jessie's scream 'Toby!!! I won't let some guy ruins my vacation with my best friend!!!" And I thought Jessie was the one who set Ever up with Toby in the first place!

Next, Frankie was trying to talk Ever into not going out with Toby for 'a reason he couldn't tell' (of course) and Ever replied 'Get out of my way and stay out of my life. I can see whomever I choose.'

Remember last night when Ever thought Frankie is her entire world?

And I also didn't understand what happened next, between Frankie trying to calm the crying Ever again because Toby hasn't call her but Toby appeared next carrying Ever favorite flower and kissing her senseless.

Of course Toby didn't explain where he'd gone and of course Ever forgive him. A few small talks later, they kissed again. And kissed again. And kissed again.

But brace yourself because the next morning Ever admitted that she was simultaneously feeling that same strong pull toward Toby and Frankie. That Frankie whom she yelled at the day before.

And that very same day, Ever went out with Toby again. Seeing Ever, Toby kissed her again. Toby brought Ever's parents in his ride, quickly earning extra points for himself. Next, Ever and Toby started their real date on a ship. Next, they made out. At home, Frankie got upset because Ever went out with Toby.

Next, on that night, Ever had a nightmare. Her mom had to calm her down by rocking her in that way she always did when she was a little girl.

Okay, that basically what happened for the first 100 pages.

Next 100 pages.

Jessie's drama llama with her mom's boyfriend...Frankie told Ever not to go on a date with Toby again...she didn't listen because she wanted to be happy, she wanted to have a boyfriend (apparently happy and having a boyfriend is interchangeable in Ever's dictionary)...Jessie's family drama llama again...Ever and Jessie talk about Jessie's new boyfriend, Greg...Ever overheard Toby's confrontation with his 'dad'...Ever and Jessie's double date with Toby and Greg...Ever found out that Toby's ex is a psycho...Jessie's PDA with Greg...Ever and Toby kissed again once they got in the car...

Oh finally some plot!

Ever's dad got killed in a car accident!

Cue the tiny violin sound because our Ever is broken and depressed. Cue the heroic sound because of course, Toby came to the rescue. Ever cried and cried and got aroused. Aha! She even thought she didn't want to be responsible, she wanted to go all the way with Toby! She even thought she loves him! Honey, everyone loves their boyfriend when they get horny.

But Ever ruined that moment because she broke down and cried again! Classy. Toby accidentally spoke too much and now Ever demanded some answers. When he couldn't provide those, he dumped Ever! Minutes after they almost went all the way.

Ever punched Toby. He left, and of course, Frankie was there to comfort Ever.

Four miserable weeks, Ever longed for Toby. In the meantime, Ever's mom couldn't function anymore. To cheer Ever up, Jessie invited her to a party and introduced her to Scottie. And they made out too the very same night. Being Ever, of course she thought Toby was a better kisser.

Blegh.

To add to the awesomeness of the plot, Ever caught Toby making out with his ex, Ariadne. But suddenly, Toby got up and spoke for Ever when Scott asking Ever if she's okay. Ariadne introduced herself and of course Ever felt a pang of jealousy.

But oh! Later that night Toby came to apologize and guess what, they made out again! And hey, what do we have here. Ever's mom knocking on her door when they just about to do it.

Thank God.

And then Frankie and Ever fight again. And then Ever realized that she'd always loved Frankie.

lolwut?

The next morning, Ever went to Toby's house and caught him just wearing a towel. And guess what? Of course they made out again. Ever and Ariadne had a fight...Toby and Ever kissed...Jessie threw a surprise party for Ever's birthday...Toby and Ever kissed in Haunted Mansion...Ariadne showed up in Ever's house

...bringing her own surprise gift, Frankie in flesh not in a ghost form.

Finally, we got a plot development.

No, no, don't celebrate yet because what comes next was Ariadne kissed Frankie and Ever fainted at the sight.

When Ever woke up, Toby came clear that he was a soul collector (well, this is apparently the big secret), and Ariadne too. In fact, Ariadne brought Frankie back alive to trade him for Toby. Funny thing was, this meant that Frankie's soul belongs to Ariadne now. Ever got so mad, she threw up, she shooed Toby away.

As you may expect, Frankie came to console her and they relive they long lost love by having intercourse.

Note that this happened a few hours after Ever was Toby's girlfriend.


Well, I couldn't bother summarizing what happened afterwards until the end of the book because I'm very stressed out right now. I feel like puking and I'm losing my appetite. Summarizing Ever is like reliving my nightmare, so that's it. I got to stop now because it has taken toll on me.

[Annabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****FINAL RATING: 4.65 STARS*****

CATCHALL
Ever took me by surprise. When I started it, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I didn't know at all what it was about, but once I dove into it I quickly found myself being pulled into its world. I was impressed by the originality of the story, and the characters were deep and people that I had no problem connecting with. It was an incredibly fun and yet emotional read, and I found myself laughing and crying at various points in the novel. I connected to it on a deep level and loved it.

THE HEROINE
EVER
Ever was a seriously awesome heroine. Though she pines after Toby during their breakup, she doesn't turn pathetic about it. She stays strong throughout the whole thing. I love that. She's not some crumbly girl who needs a boyfriend to make her happy. She's a strong girl in her own right and I think that it would be impossible not to admire that. We all make mistakes, but for the most part Ever makes good choices and she always tries to follow her heart and do the right thing.

THE LOVE INTERESTS
FRANKIE
I adore Frankie. He's very, very sweet, and protective without being overbearing. He's caring, and sexy in that way that quiet guys are, understated but potent. Everything about him seems to be goodness, even though it's implied that he's hiding a few secrets under that soft exterior. But for the most part, he is very open and honest with Ever, always straightforward, but he doesn't bother when she doesn't want to listen. I like that he feels like he can tell her anything. It's easy to see that, even through Ever's eyes.
TOBY
Toby is Frankie's opposite in nearly every respect, except is love for Ever, and possibly a few other things that I could have overlooked. Toby is dark. All about black and leather. But if you break down his exterior and look past that, he's also a very sweet and protective guy, but he expresses it and himself in a different way than Frankie does. At the same time, despite seeming like a stereotype trap, he's not a walking cliché. I can't really tell you how he isn't—only that he isn't. He's a deeply developed character.

THE BEST FRIEND
JESSIE
I wasn't sure how I felt about Jessie for a long time, but I ended up liking her. She's fiercely loyal to Ever and she'll do anything for her. She isn't the type to flake and although she's portrayed as a bit flighty with guys, she is very different with her best friend. Her heart is in the right place and she always knows where she stands: with Ever. No matter what.

THE PLOT
From the very first sentence, Ever drew me into her world. I was immediately dazzled. And that feeling of novelty didn't ever seem to go away. It was like the brilliance of the first time, all the time. And that mae reading this book a pleasure all around.

And I loved the whole originality of it. I've really never read anything like it, which is so hard for me to say regarding paranormal romance these days because so many of them feel the same. Not this one. In a world and a genre where boring has taken over, Ever managed to not only be something special but to capture my heart.

It didnt feel contrived or fake at all. Ever's story is a very real one. The boy she loves, Frankie, has been dead for two years. But he isn't gone. He's a ghost. And he lives in her house, keeping her company. Then, on the two year anniversary of his death, a boy and his father move into Frankie's old house. That would be Toby. And after that, nothing is going to be the same for Ever.

There was action, but there was mostly a lot of emotion. Everything Ever did, and everything that happened to her was based at some level in deep emotion. It's not a shallow book by any means. It's a book that has to be invested in.

Another thing I love is that this book is set in Southern California. I'm sure I've read other books set here, but not too many or I'd remember them. And it was really awesome to recognize the places they were talking about and picture everything.

Another awesome thing? Ever's mom is named Annabelle.

But I digress.

THE ROMANCE
I love the romance. It's clearly a central part of this book, but it doesn't take over everything. It's important but it supplements the story rather than polarizing it. I really, really like that aspect of it. And although I have to say I'm leaning towards Frankie, I like that in this love triangle I'm still undecided because everything is so balanced! Ever has chemistry with both of these boys, and they both care about her in their ways. So I'm looking forward to see what the future will bring here.

THE WRITING
I love Jessa's writing. I really, really do. Ever has a very unique voice. She's very much a teenager, and she's written perfectly in such a way that she doesn't come off as annoying or whiney. She's very much an independent girl and her voice reflects that. Additionally, Jessa's writing allows full characterization of secondary characters even through a first person POV, which isn't always easy to do. Besides which, her writing is just awesome in general. I love the description, and the dialogue was very fun, from the banter-y to the serious.

THE ENDING
The ending…wow. Very sweet. Touching. Well, not the very ending. But there is a scene near the end that is very, very touching. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure why. But it really is. It brought a smile to my face. Probably because it felt so right. But the very ending, including the last line…wow. It's a serious cliffhanger. I couldn't help but wish there was more right away! It was just unexpected enough but seemed plausible and not ridiculous. It was perfect.

WRAPUP
I absolutely loved Ever. It was an incredibly pleasant surprise and I will definitely be picking up the sequel! In fact, I will be desperately awaiting the sequel because I really, really, really want to know what is going to happen next. It was that good, people. Moreover, I completely and totally recommend this book. To be honest, it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. No book is. But if you love your fantasy and romance, and you're looking for a unique paranormal romance, I'd definitely recommend checking this one one!

FINE.

Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a more in depth review, head on over to my blog: http://susreviews.blogspot.com

Ever has a secret. 2 years ago her best friend Frankie and she were in a bad car accident. She lived, and even though he was dead, he never left her. Now he haunts her house that she lives in with her parents. Everyone can see him and is used to his presence. The only problem is that Ever has been in love with him from day 1 and now she pines away wishing that he was alive so she could be with him.

Then, on the 2nd anniversary of the accident, someone moves in next door into Frankie's old house. He's gorgeous, he's interested in Ever and, better yet, he's ALIVE. But he's got a secret, too...

I started this book at 7:30 in the evening. Aside from a break to eat dinner, I read straight until 3 in the morning. Not because I had to, but because it was so good, I couldn't stop reading it. Even to get some well deserved sleep. And then with the cliffhanger ending...well I can't wait to read the sequel.

[Tamara Mataya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely hauntingly beautiful. While I read an advance copy of it, and things in it might change, what will stay the same is the skillfulness of the author's voice. I don't want to give anything away, but the characters are people you want to spend time with, and the descriptions are so vivid you feel like you're right there with Ever. READ THIS BOOK, you will not be sorry.

[Krystal Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books I've edited

[Best · Rating 1 out of 5]

(This review on B's Book Blog!)

Seven-hundred and thirty days since the only guy I've ever loved died in my arms, followed me home from the hospital, and never left my house again.

Prior to the beginning of the book, Ever and her best friend and crush Frankie has got into a car accident that ended up killing Frankie but not her. Ever came home that night with Frankie's ghost, and his ghost has been around in her house ever since. Frankie's ghost is not only visible to Ever, but also to her father, mother, and best friend Jessie--they all can interact with him. Ever is still pretty much in love with Frankie until a new family moves into Frankie's old house. When she meets Toby, things start to change. 


Now, the book blurb sounds really appealing, don't you think? I read the blurb and was interested, because it sounds dark and dramatic. But the book itself doesn't quite measure up. It's not that I'm disappointed, because disappointment would suggest that I have an expectation that isn't met. I didn't have any expectation. I finished this book annoyed and irritated. I didn't like this at all and couldn't see anything good in it, to say the least. 

I hated that the pages are filled with nothing going on. Dates, make-out sessions, lying, blushing, sneaking, etc. All these don't quite contribute to anything! Not even the plot! I didn't even like any of the characters. Ever seems to me a very annoying person. The fact that her father's death doesn't bother her enough to talk about it or be sad about it bothers me to no end. After his death, she cries a bit and goes right back to being obsessed with boys. Are you kidding me? The best friend Jessie is a flat character whose only function is as Ever's personal cheerleader. And Toby, oh Toby, can you be any more cheesy? Sent on a job and falls in love with that job. Jeez. 

In the end, I don't even know what this book is really about. Ghosts? No, not really, since the only ghost we see in the story is Frankie, and not that much attention is paid to him. Which leads to another disturbing question: why is he there at all? I mean, what's the significance? What's the point? You know, the whole ghost thing never fits seamlessly into the story. It always made me feel like it's out-of-nowhere and awkward. The whole book reads like a contemporary book, but then the ghost shows up and goes all "What's wrong, Doll?" or "dollface" or whatever, and then it's just weird. The ghost thing is displaced and everything else is very poorly done. 

The most frustrating part of this book is when, near the end, something else ENTIRELY is introduced into the story that changed the book's direction. There has been no foreshadowing or anything, so this thing coming into play is just very forced and contrived. Like the idea just occurred to the author and she thought it would be fun to put it in the book, and then she did, and never went back to edit the whole book to make room or drop hints for this thing. You know what I mean? It's just bad. So throughout the course of  book, the story kept changing genre directions, and it's more than annoying. Contemporary? Paranormal? Fantasy? WHAT? And then before I could answer, it abruptly ended, which totally caught me off guard. Excuse me? Is this supposed to make me feel like I'm hanging off a cliff and dying to read the next book or something? If so, I'm sorry to say that it unfortunately backfires. 

Although this book sounded like something I might enjoy, it was the opposite. There's nothing about it that I enjoyed. The writing is mediocre; the plot is... wait, what is the plot?; the characters are weak and flat. I'm not glad I read it. If anything, I'm glad I got it over with and wish to have nothing to do with it ever ever ever again. Take that, Ever.


I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for review.

[archdandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Exactly sevenhundred and thirty days had passed since the car accident took his life, and didn't take mine."

Everstarts out with our main character, Ever, giving us a backstory on how she is in love with her best friend and former neighbour Frankie. There's just one problem, Frankie is dead and now she can see his ghost and he hangs around her house all the time. In fact, he can't go anywhere else. So how is a girl supposed to get over the love of her life when he is constantly around? Well it just so happens that Ever can get over him fairly easily. All it takes is a guy moving into Frankie's old house to forget about her feelings and start falling in love with Toby. I mean, for a girl who two seconds ago was saying that she would probably never have a boyfriend or fall in love again because your so madly in love with Frankie you sure jumped on the next boy you saw pretty quickly. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for her moving on in her life and finding somebody new, but it just seemed really unrealistic.

Young adult books in general to me seem really superficial and this one is no exception. There were some deep things mentioned in the first chapter or two but none of it was contemplated by any of the characters and it was basically just said briefly in passing. I mean, Frankie would probably have some feelings on the fact that his mother killed herself after his death and his father moved away. But all we get is Ever mentioning it and then moving on as if its not important at all. I felt myself wanting to get to know Frankie more but there were only small scenes that he was in. He was really the only interesting character in the book for me. Also one other gripe I had about the book is that Ever is 17 and Toby is 22. I know that in some relationships there can be a considerable difference in age but that seems a little too much for me. What would a 22 year old even want with a 17 year old? It just seems odd to me. I'm only 23 and I couldn't imagine even thinking about dating an 18 year old.

I only got about a third of the way through this book because I just found myself completely bored and checking how many pages I've read every two minutes. I know I'm an enjoying a book when I can go 50 pages and not even realize I had read that much. Ever just didn't do it for me. The only thing that happened during the amount of the story I read was that Ever and Toby went on three dates and kissed a lot. That is literally all. The first third of the story and that's all that happens? Sorry, but you've lost my interest and I'm not sticking around to find out if anything exciting actually happens in this story.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Source: I originally received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to author Jessa Russo.)
Ever lives with her parents, and the ghost of her dead next door neighbour Frankie – a boy that she has been in love with for as long as she can remember, but can’t have because he’s dead.
When she gets a new next-door neighbour – Toby, and starts to date him she feels a bit guilty, because she feels like she’s cheating on Frankie somehow.
Can Ever ever get over Frankie? And does she really want to?

This is the second time I’ve read this book and I once again really enjoyed it.

I did once again find it odd how everyone seemed able to see Frankie – Ever, her parents, her best friend etc., and that none of them seemed to think this weird, but I was expecting it this time and so kind-of just went along with it.
I liked the storyline in this, and there were so many things happened that I hadn’t remembered so it was well worth a re-read before starting book 2.
The romance was good, and I had forgotten how good to be honest, and that pesky love triangle is still a real head-scratcher. I will say that Ever did make a choice at the end of this book though, and it seems clear that she will be sticking with her choice, so hopefully the love triangle is 90% resolved!
I liked the ending, even though it was a total cliff-hanger, and I’m looking forward to the next book – Evade!
Overall; great YA paranormal romance.
7.5 out of 10.

[Alex Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever had me tearing up, laughing and flustered all at the same time. This book was incredibly good, and I thought the story was absolutely brilliant! My favorite character must have been Frankie, seeing as I am now always repeating his nickname for Ever, Dollface. There is one character though, that I want to tear apart. She is horrid, but has a crucial part in this book, of course. My rating of this book for it's category has to be 5 out of 5 (stars).
I certainly cannot wait for Evade, the sequel to Ever.

[Farrah · Rating 5 out of 5]

this review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

Unexpected...but in a good way. Ever was a different book from the YA you normally see, and I think it worked out great.

First, let me say that the cover is SO gorgeous. It's beautiful and ethereal and haunting. It matches up with the book so well. I had a major case of cover lust with this book. With this, it's totally okay to judge the book by its cover.

But moving on...

The idea this book is based off of-ghosts and souls-isn't new, but it is a new take, one that was well done. There isn't a cliche in sight where Ever is concerned.

Ever was a very realistic character. She messed up, she made mistakes, she embarrassed herself. But that all made me like her more. I really started to feel for her, as if she was a real person. The author did a magnificent job bringing this character to life. Ever is flawed, but it didn't make me frustrated. Yes, her mistakes made me want to shake some sense into her a few times. But she would address them and try to make them right. And all of that contributed to shaping up her character. She was well drawn out, a character you can really like.

The romance was...a whirlwind. This is one of the few times when I really don't know who to root for. Usually I know exactly who I think the heroine should end up with, but with Ever, I'm not so sure.

Frankie is so ridiculously sweet and endearing. But, he's dead. Ever is in love with him, but she know that nothing could ever come of it because...he's dead. But he's still there, albeit in ghost form, so he still presents a challenge. Ever still sees him all the time, and her feelings never fade. Even as she's dating Toby, she feels as if she's betraying her love for Frankie. And then, at the end, it only gets more complicated when an unexpected occurrence shakes everything up. Seeing what I mean by a whirlwind? And I still haven't even talked about Toby.

Toby was a as enchanting as Frankie, but in the opposite way. Whereas Frankie is a golden boy, sweet and charming, Toby is a bad boy, passionate and dangerous. Of course, Toby was still a sweetheart. He truly loved Ever and wanted to be with her, despite complications that I won't reveal. He was a roller coaster. He knows that he isn't supposed to get close to Ever, so he tends to push her away, only to come back. You'd think that would get annoying, and it did at first. But, when you find out the reason for all of it, it suddenly seems understandable. Where Frankie's relationship with Ever is soft and sweet, full of long-time love, Toby's relationship with Ever is a whirlwind, full of passion. Both had a lot of merit to me. And I still can't figure out which one I like best.

The story was very interesting. There are twists along the way that you never see coming. The plot was original and fun. The ending was a total shock. I was completely floored. Now, I'm dying to find out what happens next.

Loved Ever. It was spectacular.

5/5

Thanks to Negalley for a copy!

[Ornella · Rating 1 out of 5]

*Thank you to NetGalley and Curiosity Quill Press*

I love a good ghost story unfortunately this wasn't one of them. I have never read a book that drags out such a small reveal till basically the end of the book. I had it figured out 15% into the book so I thought the MC would figure it out as well soon and then get on with the plot. Boy was I wrong! I really don't understand how she didn't figure it out till the end. I get that she doesn't really have an open mind even though she has been living with the ghost of her best friend for 2 years now, but whatever.

The romance was ugh. I didn't like Toby from the get-go and honestly he didn't get any better as it went on. Frankie on the other hand I loved, and he was so sweet! At least she did make the right choice at the end, although I'm pretty sure she is gonna start switching back and forth between the two in the sequel. One thing I really didn't like was how she supposedly falls in love with Toby yet she barely even knows his full name...That is literally all she knows till basically the end of the book. And that whole magnetic pull thing is just so over done, they don't even give a reason for it, it just is. I at least would have expected some kind of weird connection between the two, but nope, nothing at all.

And then there is the way the book was written. It's in first person but my god there was soooo much thinking! and it was all useless gushy thinking! There were pages upon pages of just her thinking about Toby and Frankie, it was exhausting and the dialogue wasn't that much better either.

The only character I liked was Ever's dad, he was awesome. He was the only thing I enjoyed about this book and then he gets killed off, so there it went... by the end of the book I was rooting for Ariadne to kill someone (read Ever) just to get some excitement. But Alas, no killing takes place.

I'm not even sure how I managed to read all of it. I guess cause it was like a car crash, so bad, but you just had to keep looking.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well first off I have to say a huge thanks to Jessa Russo for allowing me to read her amazing book!

OK this was one of those books, the ones you can never put down! Russo did a fantastic job keeping me hooked in this one from start to finish! Ever sure has one dilemma on her hands and I would not want to be her that’s for sure. I really enjoyed her character through out this story, and that’s saying a lot because female rolls some times tend to be whinny!
I think being secretly in love with my BFF who is dead as well and still hanging around, might cause a few problems. And for Ever it sure caused a few problems at that! One big one was moving on for Ever, she is faced with a whole whirlwind of disarray in this intense read!

I really liked how Russo made this different form most stories, never making it a “ I knew that was coming.’ The twist and turns made it for an passionate read! I think I have to say I enjoyed all the characters, even the new hot neighbor Toby, he was yummy! You will get so much from this one and you wont want to stop till the breathtaking ending only wanting more!

Russo you sure need to get book two out soon we all are waiting on the edge of out seats for more! Don’t miss out on being part of this!

[Bridgette Hoshont'omba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I came across this as a free Kindle download, I had no idea what it was about and was just drawn to it. After actually beginning to read it I could not put it down. I won't go into detail because I know I dislike spoiler reviews, but this is certainly a book to give a chance. With mystery that will keep you on the edge of whatever you are sitting on,and an insanely complicated romance, this is definitely one for all YA paranormal lovers!

[Conny · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG OMG OMG it ends with a real cliffhanger just like the popular tv sries OMG and now I have to wait till book 2, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee hurry up book 2...

Did I say I LOVED this book? No? Well I DO !!!
Thanks for such an amazing book, I love EVER !!!

[Tabitha (Bows & Bullets Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The review is also available on my blog, Bows & Bullets Reviews

I can't even decide on a proper star rating. My brain just refuses to believe I have finished this book. I loved it...it was amazing....and then it ended on possibly the worst cliffhanger EVER. ::dies:: Review to come.

Ever’s life stopped two years ago when her best friend Frankie died in a car accident. For reasons she’ll never understand that car crash took his life but left her alive. Though Frankie is dead, he never left. His ghost stayed around and though that makes everything more complicated, Ever couldn’t be more grateful to have him still in her life in any form she can get. Ever has a little secret. She has been in love with Frankie for her entire life. Ever realizes that Frankie is oblivious to this fact and that even if he wasn’t, the fact that he is dead would prevent any kind of romantic relationship. So when Toby moves in next door, Ever throws herself into a relationship with him to try to move on with her life. Little does she know that this move will change her life forever.

What to say? I fell completely in love with this story. Why? I’m not entirely sure. It contains many elements that I hate. It has one hell of a love triangle. I mean a real one, where the girl genuinely has feelings for both guys. Those things make me wanna scream in frustration. It has a horrible cliffhanger….really bad. That makes me want to toss Luna (my kindle) across the room. It’s like my best friend walking up to me and saying “Hey, I just found out a have cancer. But I can’t tell you anything more about it for at least a year. Wish me luck!”

Really? And this one was bad, really bad. I became so infested in this story, that I actually finished it in one day. Quite a feat for me because I am not a fast reader. In order for me to finish a book in one day, I literally have to go home and curl up in bed with the book and not move except for snack and bathroom breaks for more than 6 hours. But I did it. My husband came home from work right as I was finishing this and found me just sitting in our bed staring at Luna completely dumbfounded. I’m surprised I wasn’t drooling. It’s so good and addictive.

Ever was a slightly annoying leading lady. She jumped around a little too much for my liking. One minute she was all “I love Frankie, I can’t do anything about it so I’m going to sulk.” And then she was “Ooooo…hot new neighbor….must talk to him.” I get it, but it still irked me a bit. She improves some as the story goes on. Then there is Frankie, who I adore. Seriously, if her and Frankie don’t end up together, I’m going to be annoyed. I don’t care how it happens. You can do the whole kill Ever and they both live happily ever after in the afterlife like Jessica Verday did in the Hollow series or you can go all body-snatcher like Stacey Kade did in the Ghost and the Goth series, or you can just find a loophole somewhere in made up land. I love these two together. The only spoiler I will give is that Frankie does, at some point in this story, get his body back. And damn, the heat between him and Ever is enough to fog up my glasses (which I don’t wear while I’m reading because I only need them for distance…but you get the point.)”

As for the other corner in the love-triangle, I wasn’t a huge fan. Something about Toby felt off to be from the very beginning. His initial interest in Ever even though she claimed to have a boyfriend (and the fact that after they start dating, that fact is never mentioned again), the fact that he never talks about himself, and just his whole personality seemed a little strange. Add to that the fact that Frankie asks Ever repeatedly to stay away from him had me yelling at her to leave him alone. She doesn’t, of course. But somehow, by then end of this book, I ended up caring for him too. Make no mistake, I want Ever with Frankie, but I would also like to see Toby get a happy ending too.

Then there is Ever’s best friend Jessie, who I found refreshing. She was the one who pushed Ever to get over Frankie and try to live her life. She’s everything a BFF should be and she just catches the short end of the stick by the end of this book. I hope she gets her happily ever after as well.

Now, for what I hated. Put as succinctly as possible, the ending. I was so irritated by the cliffhanger, that I just can’t put it in words. Frankie finally has a body! YAYAY! Him and Ever are together! Quadruple YAYAYAY! But, Ariadne is taking Ever’s soul in exchange in just one year’s time? WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!? ::curtains close:: That’s it? You stop THERE? But…what’s the point of Frankie being alive if Ever is dead? They are supposed to be together! You can’t just fucking rip them apart! I….they….you….::dies::

All in all, if you like paranormal romance, read this. Even if cliffhangers and love triangles annoy you, it’s totally worth it.

****Thank you to Curiosity Quills Press for providing me with an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review****

[Cori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever

I think it's safe to say I absolutely adore Jessa Russo. Her novel, Ever started off a bit slow, but before I knew what was happening I was being sucked into a world of ghosts and mysterious strangers and if you know me you know how I love mysterious strangers. I have read a lot of paranormal books in my time and I was pleasantly surprised to find that this particular one was a lot more original than I originally expected it to be.

The love of Ever's life, Frankie, was killed, but his soul hasn't moved on and so he haunts her for lack of a better word. But the cool thing is she isn't the only one who sees him. Her parents and best friend do too,though I'm not exactly sure how that works. Ever's best friend Jessie, the resident girly girl, boy lover, and party gooer is awesome. she totally reminds my of my best friend.

Jessie's boyfriend Greg is also pretty cool. I like how he just sort of integrates himself into the group. I adore his relationship with Bessie even though we wont see much of it.

But I digress. This is one of those girl loves boy, girls meets mystery boy and then loves him too kind of stories, but its the little details that set it apart from all the others.

Ever is probably one of the most sheltered 17 year old's that I have seen in a story, but that's actually what I like about her. Not every teenager is out there boozing it up and having sex, so it's a nice change to see a main character that isn't the female version of Don Juan. I pretty much enjoyed all of Russo's characters, even the bad ones.

I cant tell you how many times I wanted to slap Ariadene. She is wickedly evil and her obsession with Toby is bordering on psycho, but it's highly entertaining too.

Ever's parents are a nice dose of normal added into the story too. If you notice a lot of young adult novels start with the main characters parents being dead, but Ever is one of the few that doesn't do that. She has parents who worry, set boundaries, and are there to comfort her when she needs them. I won't spoil what happens on that front, but this gif pretty much sums up my feelings on the matter.



Now moving on to my favorite part of the story aside from the actual plot, Toby. Insert dreamy sigh here. I love Toby! I want to have his Soul Collector babies!...Did I not mention he's a Soul Collector? Well he is and that's another thing I really liked about this story. A new supernatural being, sort of like a modern day Grim Reaper, but alive.

The fierce way in which Toby loves Ever is seriously addicting. I'm sorry, but while I like Frankie I am totally Team Toby FTW (for the win). I think he and ever had a real connection and the one thing I wasn't crazy about in this book was Ever jumping to being in bed with Toby one night and Frankie in the other. That struck me as odd especially because of how Ever is depicted in the beginning of the story.

You're probably asking yourself how can Ever be in bed with Frankie if he's dead, good question. You're going to have to read the book to find out and that scene is particularly amusing. By the end of the book I was openly yelling at Ever for making bad choices or rather one bad choice. But the fact that I was annoyed was proof of how invested I was in this book.

The characters were all well written and relatable. No one was perfect and things seemed pretty realistic...well except for the ghost part, but that's sort of the point! Anyhow the book left off on this huge cliffhanger and I was like what? No! I'm hoping Russo is planning a trilogy of some kind because I need more.

I would definitely recommend this to readers who enjoy paranormal romance. And I'm totally making a Team Toby banner!....Okay fine I'll probably have Andi make a Team Toby banner, but that's just semantics.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seventeen year old Ever Van Ruysdael leads a somewhat different type of life than most teenagers. You see, two years ago, she was in a car crash with her best friend, the boy next door, the one she had a crush on forever, Frankie. Frankie died in that accident, and Ever has never been the same since. There is one catch, he doesn't move on. He's a ghost and he lives in Ever's house, and has since the accident. Not only can she see him, so can her family and her friends. It doesn't help that she still loves him and has never been able to move on, yet knows that she can never touch him, never have a real relationship. Still, she plays the game, they play the game, not openly declaring their feelings, secretly in love with each other, never really saying it out loud. Ever craves the physical touch of another, and she knows she never have that with Frankie, yet she can't seem to move on. That all changes when she sees the new neighbor, the one that is moving into Frankie's old house, who is one of the hottest guys she has ever seen, Toby.

Ever and Toby end up going out, though she feels guilty, yet she is so attracted to him. Things begin to get intense between them. Frankie isn't too happy and begs her not to see him, but yet he won't give a reason. Ever has nightmares, nightmares that involve Frankie, and they get worse, especially after she experiences another tragedy. Frankie ends up showing up in her room every night to comfort her after the nightmares, and their true feelings for one another begin to surface. Still, she knows she can't be with him, not for real. Meanwhile, Toby's ex-girlfriend shows up on the scene, Her best friend Jesse has a new guy in her life, and things begin to get really complicated. She finds out Toby has secrets, big secrets, his ex-girlfriend has secrets, and her nightmares becomes more clear, and very, very fearful. Then on Ever's 18th birthday, she get the biggest surprise of her life, a surprise that will change things forever.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Though not unique, the plot and premise for the book were interesting. I liked Ever's character, though I wasn't overly impressed with her. I really enjoyed Frankie's character and would have liked to have heard more from his point of view and know what was going on in his head, and hope to see more of that in the sequel. Toby was just plain hot, he is the classic bad boy in the story, the one with a mysterious secret, the kind you just can't keep your hands off of. My favorite character was Jesse, Ever's best friend. She was funny, outspoken, and just had a great personality, adding a lot of humor to the book. As far as the romance, you have the classic love triangle going on. Ever can't make up her mind who she wants, wanting both Toby and Frankie, and they both want her, and there are several hot romantic scenes. There is a twist at the end of the book, one which you had a feeling might be coming, but it is presented in such a way that it leaves you hanging and ready for the next book. If you are a paranormal romance fan then you may want to check this book out.

[Kylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally from http://babblingofabookaholic.blogspot...

First off, how absolutely stunning is the cover? Honestly, it is gorgeous! Before I go into this review I want to say that I am Team Frankie 100% no matter how sexy and swoon worthy Toby can be.

Oh, Jessa Russo what have you done to me?? THE BEST AND THE WORST ENDING EVER. I highly recommend you read this book but fair warning the ending will have you saying "What the heck?" and wanting book two right now. Ever is a book that has almost everything; humor, heartache, lust, love, passion, need, mystery, and suspense! It made me feel every emotion you can think of at some point. I was laughing at some parts and wanting to cry and yell at others. This book was anything but boring.

I could not put this book down, I was up until four in the morning reading it last night because I needed to know what happened. At first we're introduced to Ever while she's sitting with her girl best friend Jessie who has a ton of spunk, and her DEAD male best friend Frankie who is drop dead sexy. My first thought is "Wow, wouldn't it be weird to have a dead friend hanging out with you as if he wasn't dead?" With something as crazy as that happening within the first chapter I knew this book was going to be interesting. We, thankfully, got to meet the swoon worthy Toby within the first few chapters. I was so thankful Jessa didn't make me wait to meet this mysterious guy. Ever had an instant attraction towards Toby but was conflicted and confused about it because she still loves Frankie. So walah we have a very complicated love triangle! I don't want to spoil what happens but it's a really fun aspect to have in the story.

Jessie and Ever make me smile. There friendship is one that I wish I had with someone. They know each other so well they know what the other is thinking before they even voice it. Jessie is a really girly girl and Ever loves black so it's a very peculiar combination but it just works. Frankie is such a sweet guy, I love how he always tried to be there for Ever even when she had done something to upset him. Even though he smokes, which I find really unattractive, he's still swoon worthy and I'm hoping we get to know him a bit better in the second book. Toby is drop dead sexy, I absolutely love him. He has a tattoo, he's dark and mysterious, he has blue eyes. What's not to love? I just can't help being Team Frankie, he's Ever's child hood sweet heart and they've loved each other for such a long time.

The story flows very well and it's never lacking action or suspense. I was guessing up until it was right there on the page for me. I am dying to read book two because I really need to know what's going to happen! I highly recommend you guys read this book. It wasn't supposed to be released until October 1st but I guess they decided to do an early release so it's available on Amazon and Kobo.

Huge thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy to read and review!

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Curiosity Quills Press for this ARC. Frustrated. This is the best way I can describe how this book made me feel. I think the cover is pretty, the summary intriguing and while there were parts that I found interesting, the overall impression it's left me with is frustration. The biggest dislike for me was discovering 3/4 of the way through that it's not a stand alone. It ends with too many unanswered questions and a love triangle that was awkward.

There didn't seem to be enough background story about Ever and Frankie other than they'd grown up together and she's always loved him. How he came to be a ghost, or rather, why he remains a ghost is glossed over and that left me with a ton of questions. Has their relationship always been one-sided? Where did his nickname for her come from? Where does he goes when he vanishes? Why is he so intent on her staying away from Toby? I had really hard time connecting with them as a potential couple.

Then there's Toby. I didn't trust him at first and found his behavior very forward but as the story progressed, I actually liked him the best which isn't saying a lot because we're given very little information about him or the others. This is a pretty crucial part of the book to leave out, I think. It seemed like the focus was more on the wanna be love triangle which wouldn't have been bad if there were more details about the characters themselves.

I couldn't find any information on a forthcoming book but I cant imagine there wouldn't be one with the way this one ended. However, a lot of blanks will need to be filled in for the next one to hold my interest.

Spoilers* (I've tried to be as vague as possible but if you haven't read the book, I don't suggest reading any further.)

We're told that Toby and the others are soul collectors but that's it. No other details are given. I equate this to Edward telling Bella he's a vampire and leaving it at that. ("Bella, I'm a vampire. End of story.") How can you reveal what Toby is but not explain how he came to be, what his duties are or what it means for Ever in the long run?

We never find out who Toby's "Dad" really is and why Ariadne seems to be able to read minds, or at least she acts as if she can.

It bothered me how quickly both Jess and Ever fell in love with Greg and Toby. Was is because the guys are able to influence the girls or the other way around? Does the fact that both girls can see Frankie mean they have hidden powers that have yet to be revealed? (Not everyone can see him.)

How long can Frankie's new appearance really last before he's discovered? Before he gets tired of being couped up in Ever's house again?

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, I was immediately intrigued by the premise of this novel. It's about a teenage girl, Ever, who is living with the ghost of her best friend, Frankie. She tries to get over the romantic feelings she has for him and begins a steamy relationship with her neighbor, Toby.

Based on that synopsis, I thought this book was going to be so different than it was. I went from thinking I was going to dislike it to not being able to put it down. It really exceeded my expectations.

Here's what turned me off at first...
* YA cliches. SO many. But that's not the author's fault really. YA is chock full of cliche's these days, and they are just getting tired and worn out. Mysterious hot neighbor. Having feelings for male best friend totally naive to the idea that he has feelings back. Girly, boy-crazy best friend. Clumsy brunette main character. The list goes on.

* The story started sort of abruptly. I felt like the storytelling lacked a little creativity when introducing characters. (It got better throughout the novel)

* Some of the characters, like the Mom and best friend, were slightly obnoxious for my taste.

With all of that, I kept reading. Even with those things bugging me at first, the author does a great job of keeping you confused, but in a good way. I kept wanting more of characters like Frankie and Toby. I still had no clue what was going to happen even as I was finishing it and I love that.

Here's what I loved about this book...
* The romantic tension was some of the best I've read in all of YA. Dare I say, this was the hottest YA book I've read. You may think that's a good thing or a bad thing. In it's defense, it was equally as sweet, and I really enjoyed the tender moments between Ever and Toby and/or Frankie.

* The paranormal aspect was a surprise. I knew before reading it that there was a ghost, but that doesn't always mean it will be a paranormal novel. I just expected a romance, but it had that mystery and excitement that only a paranormal romance can offer.

* The cliffhanger ending! nuff said.

You will like this book if you like...
* Obviously paranormal romance, but even if you don't like YA, you will still probably like this book.

All in all, it was an enjoyable read. I finished it in a weekend and annoyed my husband with constantly having my Kindle glued to my face. I cannot wait for the next installment!

See more reviews on my blog: http://sweet-green-tangerine.blogspot...

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started reading my first ARC I was truly excited. Someone cared about what I thought. I got to read a book before everyone else did. I held a new creative work in my hands. Super exciting, right? And then it hit me… what if I hate it? What if it’s one of those books that I can’t even finish because it’s that bad? How awful would that be? Boy, was I lucky. I’m not saying this book was perfect, not many are, but it was an incredible read.

The Fabulous: There was some really good relationship development. Odd moments weren’t glossed over; you could almost feel the awkwardness. It was palpable.

The Flaws: There were a couple moments where I said… “Wait a minute, what about XXX.” Good news, although these questions weren’t answered immediately, they were all addressed at some point. Most of it revolved around Mom or my lack of following timelines. I’m just not a fan of the parental figures in this book, but I think that might have been the point. I lost a few days in there, but it hardly mattered. Things were explained or just insignificant details.

Except one. Since it happens pretty early in the book and isn’t a major plot point I will discuss it briefly. I was struck that everyone could see Frankie. Stunned might be a better word. It was odd, fairly jarring and then it passed. And since it was handled like it was no big deal, I accepted it. I think that points to a pretty decent author.

Favorite Moments: Chapter 12. Simply put after I read this chapter I put the book down, sobbed for a few minutes, and then wrote in my notes: “Wow. Just Wow. Fantastic turn of events. Heart-wrenching chapter. What on earth will happen next?”

I’ve read a lot off books. In fact, I think I’ve just about read ‘em all and I’m pretty good at being able to tell where a book is going. This one, although a little slow to start, boy did it throw me some curveballs. It had me guessing until the very last page. And I LOVED that. This book is extraordinary.

Best line: I have to give you a few… because just reading it again made me tear up. Read the book and you’ll understand.
“As my eyes closed, giving into the blackness claiming my vision, the awful screaming stopped. My screaming. It was quickly replaced by another scream. My mom’s.”

Buy the Book.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance Reading copy of this book!

Goodreads Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Ever’s love life has been on hold for the past two years. She’s secretly in love with her best friend Frankie, and he’s completely oblivious.
Of course, it doesn't help that he’s dead, and waking up to his ghost every day has made moving on nearly impossible.
Frustrated and desperate for something real, Ever finds herself falling for her hot new neighbor Toby. His relaxed confidence is irresistible, and not just Ever knows it. But falling for Toby comes with a price that throws Ever’s life into a whirlwind of chaos and drama. More than hearts are on the line, and more than Ever will suffer.

My Thoughts:
I have read a LOT of paranormal romance books since rediscovering Young Adult Fiction this year, and it seems like there's the usual "formula" in most of them, and once you figure that out, the book is very predictable. Ever, however kept me guessing with all the twists and turns in the story. Even the typical ever present "love triangle" has some new ideas. I was hooked almost immediately and read this novel almost compulsively until I finished.

Speaking of love triangle, I will say that this is the first novel where I wasn't sure who to root for in the heroine's life.

There's Frankie, her best friend and her first real love-who is dead and has been living as a ghost in her house since his death two years ago. He is sweet, kind, all around nice guy. he "gets" Ever. They have years of shared history together.

Then there's Toby, the older "bad boy" who moves in next door in Frankie's old house. He's dark, mysterious and brooding. He and Ever have an instant connection and she feels drawn to him physically as well as emotionally. She falls for him very quickly yet is torn by her still very real and abiding love for Frankie.

The characters were all very real and I thought the plot was original. The cliffhanger ending had me wide eyed with shock and now I can't wait for a sequel so I can find out how Ever is going to get out of her predicament.

GREAT book. I give it a 4/5.

[carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever's story took me by surprise and blew me away. The emotional entanglement captivated and held me throughout the story. I am vested in these characters and am hanging on for the next installment, because OMG Jessa Russo can write a cliffhanger. Whether you're for or against being left dangling and anticipating the return to a certain world and its characters, this book is definitely 100% worth a try.

Going into Ever I was excited, and wary. Excited for the original plot and creative story line. Wary for the word of mouth; I had heard some mixed feelings on the book but I always like to test the waters myself, and my oh my I am glad I did. It was an excellent read, one that I know a lot of Paranormal YA readers will love. Having just read Betwixt (which was also phenomenal) by Melissa Pearl I was already in the mood for some more ghostly adventures. The story is Ever's, it is her crazy life and the way she copes with the hand she is dealt. Loving a boy she can't touch and lusting after a boy she can.

Not only does this talented writer excel at story telling but Jessa Russo also knows how to make an effective and nail biting love triangle. She knows how to move her readers and make them fall in love and then add this element that I personally never saw coming. She pretty much pulled the rug out from under me, and personally I am team Frankie all the way, but I can't help but feel sad about that. Like most, it's a book you have to experience first hand to get the full effect.

The main reason I love Supernatural and Paranormal books is that ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. This book was such a glorious escape from reality, even if it was heart breaking at times, it was worth the ride. I say 4 stars (closer to 4.5) because of all the questions I still feel are unanswered, as always occurs in the first book of a series. I am definitely looking forward to book 2!

I will be on the lookout for more books by Jessa Russo but in the mean time here's a little something something to keep everyone satisfied! So share the book love!

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cross post from my blog: Rabidgummibear.wordpress.com
I’ll be the first person to tell you I often pick what books descriptions to read based on a cover. Ever by Jessa Russo has one of the most beautiful covers I’ve seen this year and it is a great book cover to judge because it’s eerily haunting and befitting of the book’s plot. This is one of the times I highly recommend judging a book by it’s cover.

Ever is an amazing book I literally stayed up most of the night reading it. I only stopped because my kindle died. The biggest downside of an ebook would be that. We start with meeting Ever whose best friend/love of her life Frankie died in her arms nearly 2 years ago. His ghost now occupies her house as a permanent resident and of course Ever has not moved on yet in her life of course from her love for Frankie. Though I don’t think in her shoes I would have an easy time moving on either. I mean really what would you do if your best friend/love of your life died in your arms?

Now the plot obviously doesn’t only revolve around Frankie and Ever, but a new guy named Toby. It ends up becoming something pretty different and unexpected for someone who reads a TON of paranormal books. I honestly have not enjoyed a paranormal young adult this much in a very long time. I was left feeling very emotional during the entire book and cheering on the main character Ever. Also you find yourself falling in love with Toby and Frankie. Mostly Frankie for me because of his rockabilly style. All in all Ever left me feeling like the next book can't be released soon enough.

Ever is worth the cash and you should pick it up if you like young adult paranormal romance novels. It is truly a unique and fun book to read.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a slow starter for me, I was nearly halfway through before I was really into it, but once I was, I was completely hooked.

Ever as being in love with Frankie her best friend, forever. unfortunately he died two years ago and instead of moving he choose to hang around Ever's house, meaning she as never moved on, he of course as no clue of her feelings

then one day a moving truck pulls up next door to Ever's house. Frankie' s old house to be exact and in moves Toby, the new hot guy. Ever is instantly attracted to him and who can blame her, encouraged by her best friend Jessie she agrees to go out on a date with him and is surprised when he asks to take her out again.

Ever is torn between the boy she as loved forever and who she cant have for obvious (ghostly) reasons and Toby the hot guy with the secrets. Secrets that when finally revealed will shock Ever more than anything as ever done before.

I loved this book, the love triangle was unique to anything I have ever read before and completely understandable.
Add to the mix Ariadne, Toby's ex girlfriend who is determined to get Toby back no matter what she as to do to achieve it. She doesn't car who gets hurt along the way as far as she is concerned Toby belongs to her and as far as she is concerned Ever is just a silly girl who she could squat like a fly

I have many unanswered questions which I hope will be answered in book two.

also in my opinion (and it is only my opinion) Ever choose the wrong guy, although I completely understood her reasoning for her choice.

The end as a cliffhanger wanting me to read the next book NOW.

[Michelle Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review is based on an ARC received from the publisher and NetGalley. Thank you!

There's no other way to put it - Ever is just all sorts of awesome.

From the get-go, the voice of Ever was spot-on. I felt an immediate connection with her. I loved that none of the characters were flat - each one had his/her own flaws, things that made them tick, etc. Very well done.

There are subtle hints here and there that make it obvious there's something more to Toby's story, but all is revealed in due time. The twist at the end had me all out of sorts.



^^ This was me once I finished the book, which is a good thing. It means I want more. So get to writing, Jessa! ;)