What do you think?
Rate this book
Evergreen #1
Evergreen
Harper Cody used to worry about the SATs or a getting a new laptop for Christmas… but now, she only wants to keep her little sister alive.
At 5:59 a.m. early in September, life as she knew it came to an end with a nuclear flash ninety miles away in Colorado Springs. For two months, her family sheltered in the basement of their home, surviving on whatever canned goods Dad could scavenge. Passing evacuees told of a safe haven in the mountains, but her father refused to leave. He thought their home was safe… until a gang of looters kicked in the door.
Four years ago at thirteen, Harper won trophies for competition shooting, but killing a man pointing a gun at her is nothing like nailing targets at a range. Hesitation cost her parents’ lives. With no other options, she grabbed her little sister and ran away from the only home she’d ever known into a world she no longer recognized.
The promise of safety in Evergreen gives her hope, but unless the girl voted sweetest in her class can find the nerve to kill, Harper—and her kid sister—are as good as dead.
At 5:59 a.m. early in September, life as she knew it came to an end with a nuclear flash ninety miles away in Colorado Springs. For two months, her family sheltered in the basement of their home, surviving on whatever canned goods Dad could scavenge. Passing evacuees told of a safe haven in the mountains, but her father refused to leave. He thought their home was safe… until a gang of looters kicked in the door.
Four years ago at thirteen, Harper won trophies for competition shooting, but killing a man pointing a gun at her is nothing like nailing targets at a range. Hesitation cost her parents’ lives. With no other options, she grabbed her little sister and ran away from the only home she’d ever known into a world she no longer recognized.
The promise of safety in Evergreen gives her hope, but unless the girl voted sweetest in her class can find the nerve to kill, Harper—and her kid sister—are as good as dead.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 14, 2018
362 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Matthew S. Cox
194 books266 followersBorn in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats.
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
February 7, 2019
Hit and miss
I liked the story's plot line, but felt it wasn't as well as executed as it could have been. The main characters were likable, but not always consistent. The 17yr old who felt guilty for "getting her father killed" flipped into seasoned protector far too readily. There was very little transition and almost no consequences to her psyche. The 10yr old traumatized sister went from traumatized and checked-out, holding onto a dead cell phone and insisting her dead parents would call, to understanding and comforting her older sister with full comprehension of her parents' fate and back again so often it was dizzying. She often came across as younger than 10 also. If age hadn't been stated I would have guess her closer to 7.
The girls were very quick to latch onto Cliff as their new "father" and to adopt Jon as their "brother" rather than just growing close to them and relying on and trusting them; for me this rang very hollow as people don't replace lost loved ones like an empty toilet paper roll.
The 'blue gang' seemed like the threat was always the same. Find a girl, chase her down, kidnap her to use as a rape toy (implied again and again, but never actually played out, thankfully)... But the story is post-apocalypse, why are they almost NEVER interested in gathering resources/scavenging, even for weapons? The 'love interest' she develops after arriving at their "safe haven" felt weird and forced, "this guy gives me the creeps but it's the end of the world and he's the only guy my age, so why not throw myself at him", only to find out she was right to be creeped-out.
All-in-all it was an enjoyable read, I just think the author needs to flesh out his characters better, maybe not follow stereotyping so much, and definitely edit MUCH more thoroughly. Find the inconsistencies in character behavior, rethink the cliche behaviors, and abandon the mental health "twist" he seems to favor in more than one of his stories.
I liked the story's plot line, but felt it wasn't as well as executed as it could have been. The main characters were likable, but not always consistent. The 17yr old who felt guilty for "getting her father killed" flipped into seasoned protector far too readily. There was very little transition and almost no consequences to her psyche. The 10yr old traumatized sister went from traumatized and checked-out, holding onto a dead cell phone and insisting her dead parents would call, to understanding and comforting her older sister with full comprehension of her parents' fate and back again so often it was dizzying. She often came across as younger than 10 also. If age hadn't been stated I would have guess her closer to 7.
The girls were very quick to latch onto Cliff as their new "father" and to adopt Jon as their "brother" rather than just growing close to them and relying on and trusting them; for me this rang very hollow as people don't replace lost loved ones like an empty toilet paper roll.
The 'blue gang' seemed like the threat was always the same. Find a girl, chase her down, kidnap her to use as a rape toy (implied again and again, but never actually played out, thankfully)... But the story is post-apocalypse, why are they almost NEVER interested in gathering resources/scavenging, even for weapons? The 'love interest' she develops after arriving at their "safe haven" felt weird and forced, "this guy gives me the creeps but it's the end of the world and he's the only guy my age, so why not throw myself at him", only to find out she was right to be creeped-out.
All-in-all it was an enjoyable read, I just think the author needs to flesh out his characters better, maybe not follow stereotyping so much, and definitely edit MUCH more thoroughly. Find the inconsistencies in character behavior, rethink the cliche behaviors, and abandon the mental health "twist" he seems to favor in more than one of his stories.
January 11, 2019
Matthew Cox’s “Evergreen” is Another Damn Good Read
Though we share our last name, Matt and I are not related. I don’t believe in reviewers writing a synopsis of the books since spoilers can be revealed, many of which I feel the author would want to be kept untold.
After reading more than 50 of Matt’s books, it is becoming harder to come up with an original review. Simply put, Matthew’s books are good, no, make that Damn Good reads and “Evergreen” is no exception.
Any time you pick up a book of Matthew’s, you can be sure that it will be well-written, well-edited, and well-proofed, with “Evergreen” another sterling example. Whether it is an adult science fiction-paranormal story set in the 25th century or a young adult fantasy story you know it is going to be a great read. The storyline is believable, fast-paced, and action-packed. It is so riveting and holds a reader’s interest so well, that it makes it difficult to put down. The dialogue is well structured and genuine, with a strong dose of realism. Again, the main character is a young woman, and again, she is nothing like the other multitude of young women that have previously graced the pages of his books. “Evergreen” focuses on the new reality facing the book’s characters following a devastating nuclear war. I can relate to this brave new world Matt created, as I was a Captain in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps, with a Functional Area Specialty of Nuclear Weapons, during the Cold War.
In March of 2014, Matthew’s “Division Zero” was published and in less than five years nearly 60 additional books have been published. A new Matthew S. Cox work is being published on an average of once a month. This would be a fearsome rate for a team of boilerplate authors (think of the multiple authors who are Don Pendleton of The Executioner and Mack Bolan series fame), but Matt’s works are far from a template story. Each story is distinctly different, while the primary characters are refreshingly original.
Matthew Cox is a rising star on the Sci-Fi and Fantasy scene and it should not be too long until his name will be alongside Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Larry Niven, as well as the late Jerry Pournelle and Ursula Le Guin, as one of our generation’s most talented and multi-faceted authors.
Though we share our last name, Matt and I are not related. I don’t believe in reviewers writing a synopsis of the books since spoilers can be revealed, many of which I feel the author would want to be kept untold.
After reading more than 50 of Matt’s books, it is becoming harder to come up with an original review. Simply put, Matthew’s books are good, no, make that Damn Good reads and “Evergreen” is no exception.
Any time you pick up a book of Matthew’s, you can be sure that it will be well-written, well-edited, and well-proofed, with “Evergreen” another sterling example. Whether it is an adult science fiction-paranormal story set in the 25th century or a young adult fantasy story you know it is going to be a great read. The storyline is believable, fast-paced, and action-packed. It is so riveting and holds a reader’s interest so well, that it makes it difficult to put down. The dialogue is well structured and genuine, with a strong dose of realism. Again, the main character is a young woman, and again, she is nothing like the other multitude of young women that have previously graced the pages of his books. “Evergreen” focuses on the new reality facing the book’s characters following a devastating nuclear war. I can relate to this brave new world Matt created, as I was a Captain in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps, with a Functional Area Specialty of Nuclear Weapons, during the Cold War.
In March of 2014, Matthew’s “Division Zero” was published and in less than five years nearly 60 additional books have been published. A new Matthew S. Cox work is being published on an average of once a month. This would be a fearsome rate for a team of boilerplate authors (think of the multiple authors who are Don Pendleton of The Executioner and Mack Bolan series fame), but Matt’s works are far from a template story. Each story is distinctly different, while the primary characters are refreshingly original.
Matthew Cox is a rising star on the Sci-Fi and Fantasy scene and it should not be too long until his name will be alongside Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Larry Niven, as well as the late Jerry Pournelle and Ursula Le Guin, as one of our generation’s most talented and multi-faceted authors.
February 18, 2019
"Evergreen" is a somewhat positive spin on what happens after a nuclear war. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of it, like no more production for any product, most of your family that's probably missing, and random strangers are trying to kill you for whatever reason, the characters choose to focus on the positive, and I think that's really inspirational. If you like other books by author Matthew S. Cox, I definitely recommend you check this one out as well.
Check out my full review here!
https://radioactivebookreviews.wordpr...
Check out my full review here!
https://radioactivebookreviews.wordpr...
January 12, 2019
Holy nuclear
A story about 2 sisters surviving a nuclear war...a little slow at parts but a great read none the less.
A story about 2 sisters surviving a nuclear war...a little slow at parts but a great read none the less.
January 12, 2019
HAVE TO SAY THIS IS A MUST READ FOR ANY DYSTOPIA FAN. WELL WRITTEN AND AMAZING CHARACTERS. LOVE HARPERS TENACITY AND STRENGTH. CAN'T WAIT TO READ MORE.
February 8, 2019
Great story!
A fun read with great characters and enough excitement to put you on edge. Harper is just a typically 17 year old girl who has to grow up fast after the nukes put an end to normality. She and her little sister Maddie attempt to escape the ruins of Denver for the rumors of satiety in Evergreen. Good commentary on our current way of life with a healthy dose of adventure.
A fun read with great characters and enough excitement to put you on edge. Harper is just a typically 17 year old girl who has to grow up fast after the nukes put an end to normality. She and her little sister Maddie attempt to escape the ruins of Denver for the rumors of satiety in Evergreen. Good commentary on our current way of life with a healthy dose of adventure.
November 2, 2020
My favorite Mathew cox book spoilers
I'm a big fan of Mathew cox and I absolutely love evergreen Harper is a great main character I love how she goes from a introverted girl to a survivor willing to do anything to protect her family I also love how madison evolved from a broken child into a normal kid again I also love how despite all of the pain and sorrow of the apocalypse Harper and madison found a new family with cliff jonathan and eventually Lorelai I can't wait to read the rest of the series
Highly recommended
I'm a big fan of Mathew cox and I absolutely love evergreen Harper is a great main character I love how she goes from a introverted girl to a survivor willing to do anything to protect her family I also love how madison evolved from a broken child into a normal kid again I also love how despite all of the pain and sorrow of the apocalypse Harper and madison found a new family with cliff jonathan and eventually Lorelai I can't wait to read the rest of the series
Highly recommended
January 15, 2019
Interesting story but talked everything to death... repeatedly. Some editing issues. Good luck Matthew in your endeavors.
June 26, 2020
At one time poor Harper just wanted to get good grades and get a laptop for Christmas until the day the world ended and her parents are dead . After a nuclear flash has ended the world and being in the basement of their house with their parents . They now must leave and find the safe haven of Evergreen . With her fathers shotgun and her little sister they are off, they have to travel miles and miles to get to safe haven . She has to realize that she isn't the little girl anymore and she will have to man up and maybe kill someone who is harming them if they want to stay alive .
Harper and Maddie are the main characters and they are well written and complex. Harper is a seventeen year old who just wants a laptop for Christmas and her parents back . She is tough but also sweet . She can be tough when she has to be but all she wants to get her and Maddie to safety. She is just a kid though with the weight of the world on her shoulders . Maddie well she is basically in shock through out the book . Her cell phone is her life line even though it doesn't work. She is basically a walking zombie and I guess you can say she is shell shocked . We do see a sweet girl underneath it all and she does become more animated when they finally meet the other members of their rag tag band . All of the characters are well written and you will fall in love with them .
This story is one of what would happen after a nuclear attack . What would you do and how would you survive. The author takes us on an emotional rollercoaster ride that will have you reeling and on the edge of your seat . You really start to feel for the characters and you really want to see them succeed in their journey . There are moments you just want to wrap Maddie and Harper up in a warm blanket and tell them that everything will be ok and then the other moments you want to smack them both and say wake up. There are a few spots where the book just kind of dragged but over all it is an enjoyable . This would be an epic series that would be a great summer read . This would be a great book for any fan of apocalyptic stories . Check it out
Harper and Maddie are the main characters and they are well written and complex. Harper is a seventeen year old who just wants a laptop for Christmas and her parents back . She is tough but also sweet . She can be tough when she has to be but all she wants to get her and Maddie to safety. She is just a kid though with the weight of the world on her shoulders . Maddie well she is basically in shock through out the book . Her cell phone is her life line even though it doesn't work. She is basically a walking zombie and I guess you can say she is shell shocked . We do see a sweet girl underneath it all and she does become more animated when they finally meet the other members of their rag tag band . All of the characters are well written and you will fall in love with them .
This story is one of what would happen after a nuclear attack . What would you do and how would you survive. The author takes us on an emotional rollercoaster ride that will have you reeling and on the edge of your seat . You really start to feel for the characters and you really want to see them succeed in their journey . There are moments you just want to wrap Maddie and Harper up in a warm blanket and tell them that everything will be ok and then the other moments you want to smack them both and say wake up. There are a few spots where the book just kind of dragged but over all it is an enjoyable . This would be an epic series that would be a great summer read . This would be a great book for any fan of apocalyptic stories . Check it out
July 3, 2020
I've read a few of Matthew's books and I've never been disappointed...like at all! He has a way of opening up his stories to us the reader and make us coming back for more! He doesnt just write one kind...I feel he does a good variety of stories and man I cant imagine what his mind goes through daily haha.
What I like about this book is it throws you right in! There's no build up...your just in it and you arent stopping til you've read the last page! Harper has had to grow up super fast and take care of her sister Madison after her parents got killed. Her poor little sister is 10 years old and as you can imagine she's kinda just there and I guess you could call it a good dose of shock. I mean who wouldnt be?! Harper is a strong character. I dont see her as hard but sweet but that might be changing with their new circumstances. She just wanted normal but thats not what she got and taking care of her sister is a priority. With the world going to hell in a handbasket she is doing her best. Only thing left to say is I cant wait for the next book!
What I like about this book is it throws you right in! There's no build up...your just in it and you arent stopping til you've read the last page! Harper has had to grow up super fast and take care of her sister Madison after her parents got killed. Her poor little sister is 10 years old and as you can imagine she's kinda just there and I guess you could call it a good dose of shock. I mean who wouldnt be?! Harper is a strong character. I dont see her as hard but sweet but that might be changing with their new circumstances. She just wanted normal but thats not what she got and taking care of her sister is a priority. With the world going to hell in a handbasket she is doing her best. Only thing left to say is I cant wait for the next book!
June 27, 2020
One day your life is as simple as worrying about school and that all stopped when nuclear bomb is dropped all those things mean nothing anymore. Learn about Harper Cody and her family, how they learn new things about life, how people have changed or stayed the same, and what it takes to survive this new life. I wasn't sure as I started to read this book as I'm not a fame of apocalyptic genre but I was captivated from the very beginning. How one young girl lives her new life with her family thru violence, fear, hungry, death, life, and also she has hope for her future. So many emotions tore at my heart when reading Evergreen. This series must be read in order in my opinion because you'll learn so much and enjoy it even more
December 16, 2019
Audible:Excellent story of how one girl and her sister react to the end of the world.inding ones strength is a bg thing,everyone needs to fit in. I enjoyed this story a lot! Jean Ann Douglass was a fine narrator. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'
June 29, 2020
Evergreen
A thrilling coming of age dystopian novel that follows a teenage girl and her younger sister as they try to survive and navigate in this new world. Full of adventure and suspense the story pulls you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what’s going to happens next.
A thrilling coming of age dystopian novel that follows a teenage girl and her younger sister as they try to survive and navigate in this new world. Full of adventure and suspense the story pulls you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what’s going to happens next.
January 28, 2019
What an exciting yet stressful story of loss, love, grit and hope. It made me think of my baby sister and how I'd be as determined as Harper to do everything I had to protect her. This was a great read.
July 4, 2020
this book was really great! what do you do when the world is nuked and your parents die? you do what you have to to protect your sister and that means shoot someone so be it. read to find out what happens.
December 28, 2018
This is an incredible story of strength and perseverance of a teen and her little sister escaping to safety following nuclear holocaust. The fear, shock, and desperation felt in this story is palpable. The scenes move right along and the book never drags. Read this book.
December 20, 2018
I find hope for humanity in stories like this.
When those society would view as helpless persevere. It truly inspires me. Having been a young woman told I couldn't or shouldn't. I fought the stereotype given me. May my own children continue that legacy. Hope is enough to overcome!
When those society would view as helpless persevere. It truly inspires me. Having been a young woman told I couldn't or shouldn't. I fought the stereotype given me. May my own children continue that legacy. Hope is enough to overcome!
December 21, 2018
Very good survival dystopia
Very good survival dystopia and I really liked Harper. Would be interesting to see a sequel, but overall a good book
Very good survival dystopia and I really liked Harper. Would be interesting to see a sequel, but overall a good book
July 26, 2019
Harper Cody took her kids sister Madison and they ran. The world as they knew it had ended. A nuclear bomb and EMP hit near home town in Colorado and nothing is as it used to be. For two months, her family hid in their basement. They lived off of what they could scavenge from neighbors houses. Then the blue gang came through and killed her parents trying to protect their home and their girls. Now they are alone and on the run. They heard about a town called Evergreen that is safe, but getting there definitely will not be.
In all the possible ways our society could break down, I believe this one is the most likely scenario. And that makes this one scary story. To be on the run from thugs and thieves and just be two kids...as a mom of two daughters this is an absolutely horrifying thought. But this author is such a truly amazing storyteller that I gobbled up this story so quickly. I got invested in their journey right away. My heart broke for the girls and their journey. I was so glad when they met Cliff and Jonathan. Cliff was a good man that became their adoptive father. He had already adopted Jonathan and now the 4 of them became a new family.
I loved this story and I am thrilled the rest of the books are available on Kindle Unlimited! I am eager to read the rest of Harper’s story!
5 stars for Evergreen!
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
In all the possible ways our society could break down, I believe this one is the most likely scenario. And that makes this one scary story. To be on the run from thugs and thieves and just be two kids...as a mom of two daughters this is an absolutely horrifying thought. But this author is such a truly amazing storyteller that I gobbled up this story so quickly. I got invested in their journey right away. My heart broke for the girls and their journey. I was so glad when they met Cliff and Jonathan. Cliff was a good man that became their adoptive father. He had already adopted Jonathan and now the 4 of them became a new family.
I loved this story and I am thrilled the rest of the books are available on Kindle Unlimited! I am eager to read the rest of Harper’s story!
5 stars for Evergreen!
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
May 13, 2019
Excellent addition to the genre
I enjoyed this book. The author was creative and witty. I look forward to reading more written by this author.
I enjoyed this book. The author was creative and witty. I look forward to reading more written by this author.
July 26, 2019
A very well done book of survival after an apocalypse. The reactions of the young girls is well done. Not brave and kickass from the start but grow into the new world they are forced into. I "read" this via Audible and the production was well done. It brought a tear to my eye a few times for the girl plight.
April 24, 2021
Review
This is another story about a teenage girl who’s a real fighter once she learns what matters in life. I did enjoy the book once the very long journey to Evergreen was completed. I think book two has real potential.
This is another story about a teenage girl who’s a real fighter once she learns what matters in life. I did enjoy the book once the very long journey to Evergreen was completed. I think book two has real potential.
July 13, 2019
This story had potential. I wouldn’t say it was horrible or bad really, but it just didn’t do it for me. I was bored.
I wasn’t a fan of this narrator. I could see her becoming better as time went on (maybe), but with this story, there were a lot of times when she annoyed me. I feel like that is going to be a common theme for this review: annoyance. Whether it was her taking a break and then obviously starting up again (tone difference), moving further away or closer to the microphone, or randomly whispering, it was just too much for me. The lack of changing her voice (besides from male to female characters) was lacking as well. I’ve never listened to this narrator before so I don’t know if she was doing something different (all the whispering), something she felt would fit with this story/characters better or what, but the fact she constantly had Harper talking in this whisper voice didn’t work for me. I get Harper was traumatized (but Madison was moreso), and there were oftentimes when she needed to be quiet, even though everyone else spoke in a normal tone. It didn’t make sense though, and I’m honestly surprised I finished this story. It always goes back to the saying of how a narrator can make or break a story.
The constant talk about Harper winning shooting competitions, being only seventeen, her parents dying, her father being disappointed with her, the blue guys grabbing her sister, not killing bugs, and being “just a kid” were just a few topics that I felt were overdone/brought up way too many times.
I noticed a lot of issues surrounding the lack of using the correct tense (past and past perfect, specifically). For example, there was a part of the story when Harper was thinking back to when a man had pulled a gun on her. The story was already written in past tense, so her looking back to the man that pulled a gun on her should have been written in past perfect. Instead of “a man pulled a gun on her,” it should have been: “a man had pulled a gun on her.” Simple fix, yet examples like this could be found throughout the story.
Questions/Comments:
I highly doubt a couple would be able to have two children with opposite hair colors, specifically ones that are so drastically different as opposed to more muted tones. Harper’s is supposed to be a very red color, while Madison’s is black.
How mistakes like the following get looked over always baffle me. So, Madison and Harper are inside a building (before they reach the mall) and Madison crawled out from under her comforter and started doing leg stretches. The two start talking, and Madison asked if their mother was going to drive her to dance class. The story then says that: “Madison crawled out from under the comforter…” Yeah. Hadn’t she already done that?
There were a couple things that annoyed me throughout the story; is anyone surprised? Minus the stuff that’s already been mentioned, there was Madison’s behavior (how she acted and what she said). Maybe it’s just me and that whole notion that kids are good at handling stuff kept popping into my brain, but her constantly asking about dance class, wondering why no one was calling her, etc. annoyed me. Finding out that she just wanted to continue as though everything were still normal, hence, she hadn’t “lost it” wasn’t believable, especially when after telling Harper this, she goes right back to her weird behavior. I had figured that was a breakthrough moment for the two of them, meaning Madison would act normal, but that wasn’t the case. Then there was the fact Harper never corrected Madison or set her straight sooner. Harper was angry with herself for not telling Madison the truth as though the world (US) were still normal and they had simply just not heard from their parents. That was another annoyance. Madison had already mentioned her father being dead (don’t remember the exact part), and this scene was Harper considering the fact she needed to tell Madison their parents were dead.
There was the part when everyone was getting ready to leave the mall. Harper headed to the toilet and realized it was still without water. It was a very random thing, or so I thought, for her to take notice of when there hadn’t been water in the toilets beforehand. So why had she re-noticed this fact?
Then there was the time when Harper thought Madison was going to have a mental break because of how calm she was and had been for a good while. Um… if she were acting like everything was pretty much fine still (waiting for parents and friends to call, needing to go to school and dance class, etc.), I’m pretty sure she already had the mental break. She was so worried about Madison’s behavior that when she was finally able to talk to a healthcare professional, the first thing she brought up was how Madison took her clothes off in front of a stranger with no problem. Yes, because that was the most important. The second most important thing was how Madison was still carrying around her phone even though it was dead and would never work again. Yup.
While at the mall when they were looting, after the fighting, Marcy ends up with blood on her face. Instead of picking one of the thousands of clean pieces of clothing around her, she uses one of the dead guy’s shirts to wipe her face…
Maybe it was poorly described but I found it questionable that the school the kids went to was outside of the “protected area” of the town. Harper is described as walking passed some militia and runs into the one lawyer guy sitting on the side of the road (who hadn’t gotten to the town yet). THEN she came to the school. The fact kids were allowed to walk home by themselves was what really got me. Given random strangers could be on that part of the road, why would there not have been a person stationed closer to the school. Even more questionable, again the school is outside of town, yet there are no guards anywhere around the school grounds.
Madison wonders away from school and a sentry ends up telling Harper that she’d seen a child earlier in the day down the road from them. Did none of the “guards” think it strange a child would be out wandering around by herself, especially given school wasn’t finished?
I think the strangest part was at the end when Harper is asked why she didn’t kill Tyler. She responds with something like how she had liked him, but now since he’d kidnapped her sister and punched her brother, she no longer likes him. What?
I wasn’t a fan of this narrator. I could see her becoming better as time went on (maybe), but with this story, there were a lot of times when she annoyed me. I feel like that is going to be a common theme for this review: annoyance. Whether it was her taking a break and then obviously starting up again (tone difference), moving further away or closer to the microphone, or randomly whispering, it was just too much for me. The lack of changing her voice (besides from male to female characters) was lacking as well. I’ve never listened to this narrator before so I don’t know if she was doing something different (all the whispering), something she felt would fit with this story/characters better or what, but the fact she constantly had Harper talking in this whisper voice didn’t work for me. I get Harper was traumatized (but Madison was moreso), and there were oftentimes when she needed to be quiet, even though everyone else spoke in a normal tone. It didn’t make sense though, and I’m honestly surprised I finished this story. It always goes back to the saying of how a narrator can make or break a story.
The constant talk about Harper winning shooting competitions, being only seventeen, her parents dying, her father being disappointed with her, the blue guys grabbing her sister, not killing bugs, and being “just a kid” were just a few topics that I felt were overdone/brought up way too many times.
I noticed a lot of issues surrounding the lack of using the correct tense (past and past perfect, specifically). For example, there was a part of the story when Harper was thinking back to when a man had pulled a gun on her. The story was already written in past tense, so her looking back to the man that pulled a gun on her should have been written in past perfect. Instead of “a man pulled a gun on her,” it should have been: “a man had pulled a gun on her.” Simple fix, yet examples like this could be found throughout the story.
Questions/Comments:
I highly doubt a couple would be able to have two children with opposite hair colors, specifically ones that are so drastically different as opposed to more muted tones. Harper’s is supposed to be a very red color, while Madison’s is black.
How mistakes like the following get looked over always baffle me. So, Madison and Harper are inside a building (before they reach the mall) and Madison crawled out from under her comforter and started doing leg stretches. The two start talking, and Madison asked if their mother was going to drive her to dance class. The story then says that: “Madison crawled out from under the comforter…” Yeah. Hadn’t she already done that?
There were a couple things that annoyed me throughout the story; is anyone surprised? Minus the stuff that’s already been mentioned, there was Madison’s behavior (how she acted and what she said). Maybe it’s just me and that whole notion that kids are good at handling stuff kept popping into my brain, but her constantly asking about dance class, wondering why no one was calling her, etc. annoyed me. Finding out that she just wanted to continue as though everything were still normal, hence, she hadn’t “lost it” wasn’t believable, especially when after telling Harper this, she goes right back to her weird behavior. I had figured that was a breakthrough moment for the two of them, meaning Madison would act normal, but that wasn’t the case. Then there was the fact Harper never corrected Madison or set her straight sooner. Harper was angry with herself for not telling Madison the truth as though the world (US) were still normal and they had simply just not heard from their parents. That was another annoyance. Madison had already mentioned her father being dead (don’t remember the exact part), and this scene was Harper considering the fact she needed to tell Madison their parents were dead.
There was the part when everyone was getting ready to leave the mall. Harper headed to the toilet and realized it was still without water. It was a very random thing, or so I thought, for her to take notice of when there hadn’t been water in the toilets beforehand. So why had she re-noticed this fact?
Then there was the time when Harper thought Madison was going to have a mental break because of how calm she was and had been for a good while. Um… if she were acting like everything was pretty much fine still (waiting for parents and friends to call, needing to go to school and dance class, etc.), I’m pretty sure she already had the mental break. She was so worried about Madison’s behavior that when she was finally able to talk to a healthcare professional, the first thing she brought up was how Madison took her clothes off in front of a stranger with no problem. Yes, because that was the most important. The second most important thing was how Madison was still carrying around her phone even though it was dead and would never work again. Yup.
While at the mall when they were looting, after the fighting, Marcy ends up with blood on her face. Instead of picking one of the thousands of clean pieces of clothing around her, she uses one of the dead guy’s shirts to wipe her face…
Maybe it was poorly described but I found it questionable that the school the kids went to was outside of the “protected area” of the town. Harper is described as walking passed some militia and runs into the one lawyer guy sitting on the side of the road (who hadn’t gotten to the town yet). THEN she came to the school. The fact kids were allowed to walk home by themselves was what really got me. Given random strangers could be on that part of the road, why would there not have been a person stationed closer to the school. Even more questionable, again the school is outside of town, yet there are no guards anywhere around the school grounds.
Madison wonders away from school and a sentry ends up telling Harper that she’d seen a child earlier in the day down the road from them. Did none of the “guards” think it strange a child would be out wandering around by herself, especially given school wasn’t finished?
I think the strangest part was at the end when Harper is asked why she didn’t kill Tyler. She responds with something like how she had liked him, but now since he’d kidnapped her sister and punched her brother, she no longer likes him. What?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2020
Pretty darn good
Decent plot with believable characters. Well written. Reminds me of a much older book with a similar plot, Alas Babylon.
Decent plot with believable characters. Well written. Reminds me of a much older book with a similar plot, Alas Babylon.
February 14, 2019
The younger sister is annoying, the main character constantly feels the need to tell everyone her story two minutes after meeting them and is annoyingly incapable of making a decision. I understand she is only seventeen but come on already!
September 24, 2019
This was a decent book with not many errors and the prose flowed well. The constant swings of guilt and insecurity from Harper and Madison's persistent denial of what happened was constant throughout the book and got to be a bit wearing. Only a few weeks had passed since their parents were killed so that trauma would have been truly a major impact, but it did get tiresome on most every page. I liked the town of Evergreen where people are trying to pull together to survive, though they seem to not be too worried about radiation which might be in the ground when they try to grow food etc. I will likely read the next book to see if it improves.
January 15, 2019
Victims story
It was hard finishing this book. Although well written the lead protagonist, Harper, was a bumbling victim. I understand under such trying circumstances many people would be victims, I just don't enjoy reading things from a victims perspective. You'd think with fire arms training, she would have fought to save her father's life. Instead of hardening her to reality and being responsible for her younger sisters life, she just continues to be a wimp and victim.
It was hard finishing this book. Although well written the lead protagonist, Harper, was a bumbling victim. I understand under such trying circumstances many people would be victims, I just don't enjoy reading things from a victims perspective. You'd think with fire arms training, she would have fought to save her father's life. Instead of hardening her to reality and being responsible for her younger sisters life, she just continues to be a wimp and victim.
January 25, 2019
SPOILER ALERT....The concept was good, but Cox just couldn’t pull it off. How many times did we need reminded of Harper’s skill with the gun, or her guilt over how her dad died? I think if we removed all of those reminders alone, you’d end up with a book half its size. Also, could Maddie be more of a baby? I don’t think Cox has ever been around 10 year olds. Also, Cox seemed almost pervertedly focused on the girls changing clothes and had Jon in his underwear A LOT. Creepy. Lastly, the book was anticlimactic. Even the dramatic event af the end turned out to be a “nothing burger”.
August 7, 2022
Very well written storyline with believable plot and great characters
Really sad and heart wrenching world created in the aftermath of a nuclear war. Harper is just a teenage girl who has to grow up super quickly to protect herself and her sister from bad guys and nuclear fallout. Sad and tragic, but the author created a very realistic view of what it would be like if this actually happened.
Really sad and heart wrenching world created in the aftermath of a nuclear war. Harper is just a teenage girl who has to grow up super quickly to protect herself and her sister from bad guys and nuclear fallout. Sad and tragic, but the author created a very realistic view of what it would be like if this actually happened.
November 25, 2025
Evergreen is a tense, emotional post-apocalyptic tale that follows Harper Cody, a teen forced to protect her little sister after a nuclear strike destroys their world. Cox delivers gripping survival stakes, heartbreaking loss, and a heroine who feels painfully real. Harper’s struggle with fear, guilt, and courage makes the story deeply compelling. Fast-paced and character-driven, Evergreen is a powerful, hopeful journey perfect for fans of gritty dystopian fiction and strong sibling bonds.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews