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Neverdying: A Novel
If you could live forever, would it be a gift… or a disease?
A doctor created a genetic mutation meant as a gift to society—to those at random in future generations who were born with it: Immortality. But the risk of overpopulation and questions rising about the imbalance of only few being Immortals brings the ruthless President Wilde to a different stand—a facade of peace and equality whereas Immortals are executed daily—thus creating the ruination of the United States… and the world soon after.
Scarlett Caldwell is a girl of many mysteries—but along with that, she’s an Immortal. Having run away from a very young age and forced to forget the part of her identity that could get her assassinated, she turns to very few of her friends and spends the majority of her days hiding in the Immortals Legion, a compound for Immortals in hiding. But times are changing and tensions are only growing—Scarlett knows she can’t stay hidden forever. When she encounters an unfairly attractive Exterminator who, despite seeming rigid, has an amusing thing or two to say, she is left absolutely livid. But beyond that, beyond all the parts of him that she hates, there’s a secret. And Scarlett will do anything to unravel it.
Cain Hawkins is an Exterminator, a member of the country’s new authority specially trained to hunt down and exterminate the remaining Immortals. He truly believes that being an Exterminator is what he is meant for—despite what he may or may not know. And when a skirmish with an Immortal on the street leaves him questioning every last bit of himself, he will have to rise to stand with his president and failing country, or run from everything he was conditioned for. Besides, Cain has a secret: He is an Immortal too.
Their first encounter is far from the last, for an opportunity rises for the two to (unwillingly) work together. Already, they are left with a spark—a spark of hope for a future where Immortals are not prosecuted. And no matter if Cain sees the spark or not, the question still remains: How long will it be until a single spark ignites a fire?
TUCK EVERLASTING meets STAR WARS in this compelling and romantic novel by 14-year-old author, Shanti Hershenson.
A doctor created a genetic mutation meant as a gift to society—to those at random in future generations who were born with it: Immortality. But the risk of overpopulation and questions rising about the imbalance of only few being Immortals brings the ruthless President Wilde to a different stand—a facade of peace and equality whereas Immortals are executed daily—thus creating the ruination of the United States… and the world soon after.
Scarlett Caldwell is a girl of many mysteries—but along with that, she’s an Immortal. Having run away from a very young age and forced to forget the part of her identity that could get her assassinated, she turns to very few of her friends and spends the majority of her days hiding in the Immortals Legion, a compound for Immortals in hiding. But times are changing and tensions are only growing—Scarlett knows she can’t stay hidden forever. When she encounters an unfairly attractive Exterminator who, despite seeming rigid, has an amusing thing or two to say, she is left absolutely livid. But beyond that, beyond all the parts of him that she hates, there’s a secret. And Scarlett will do anything to unravel it.
Cain Hawkins is an Exterminator, a member of the country’s new authority specially trained to hunt down and exterminate the remaining Immortals. He truly believes that being an Exterminator is what he is meant for—despite what he may or may not know. And when a skirmish with an Immortal on the street leaves him questioning every last bit of himself, he will have to rise to stand with his president and failing country, or run from everything he was conditioned for. Besides, Cain has a secret: He is an Immortal too.
Their first encounter is far from the last, for an opportunity rises for the two to (unwillingly) work together. Already, they are left with a spark—a spark of hope for a future where Immortals are not prosecuted. And no matter if Cain sees the spark or not, the question still remains: How long will it be until a single spark ignites a fire?
TUCK EVERLASTING meets STAR WARS in this compelling and romantic novel by 14-year-old author, Shanti Hershenson.
Unknown Binding
First published June 11, 2022
47 people are currently reading
612 people want to read
About the author
Shanti Hershenson
36 books265 followersShanti Hershenson’s first two novellas were published when she was in the sixth grade, although her writing journey started long before then. Ever since she could hold a pencil, marker, or crayon, she was creating stories. They started from pictures, mere scribbles, and eventually, turned into captivating tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
July 2, 2022
MARRY ME CAIN-
June 20, 2022
This is my first Shanti Henderson book and I have to say that from the first few chapters, I could tell that she’s an incredibly talented author, especially for her age. As someone who tends to craft character-driven rather than plot-driven books, I was impressed by how action-packed this novel was, while still incorporating opportunities for characters to grow and develop. Many of the themes are reminiscent of actual historical phenomena and ideologies, provoking questions about whether our society could still fall victim to prejudice-based mentalities. The characters seem to be well-immersed in their set reality and well-versed in its rules and shortcomings. The story also features a wholesome enemies/allies/lovers situationship, for those who enjoy said trope. I would especially recommend this to teens or those who enjoyed series such as Divergent and the Hunger Games. This novel blends aforementioned themes with more recent global controversies and creates a thrill-inducing, thought-provoking read.
October 28, 2022
First off, I was very surprised this novel was written by a fourteen-year-old—such surprisingly great writing. Neverdying has strong Hunger Games vibes woven throughout. There are strong characters that keep the story moving forward and a plot that makes readers question the motives of Scarlett and Cain. Should Immortals really be hunted down and killed? Or should the Immortals kill those who are hunting them down? As I said, there is a lot to think about.
There is a somewhat slow start to the story that moves forward faster starting in the middle. The novel is action-packed and there is some violence as attacks and fights occur between members of both groups. The main characters go from an "I hate you" tolerance to a slow-build romance. They both learn a lot from the pain and suffering they see happening to each other.
I enjoyed reading the book but was bothered a bit by the final line. I know it leads to a sequel but it was a last-minute cliffhanger. It seemed to work though because I now want to read what happens next. This novel is Sci-Fi Dystopian themed. Teens and adult fans of these genres will like reading Neverdying.
3.5-4 Stars
There is a somewhat slow start to the story that moves forward faster starting in the middle. The novel is action-packed and there is some violence as attacks and fights occur between members of both groups. The main characters go from an "I hate you" tolerance to a slow-build romance. They both learn a lot from the pain and suffering they see happening to each other.
I enjoyed reading the book but was bothered a bit by the final line. I know it leads to a sequel but it was a last-minute cliffhanger. It seemed to work though because I now want to read what happens next. This novel is Sci-Fi Dystopian themed. Teens and adult fans of these genres will like reading Neverdying.
3.5-4 Stars
June 27, 2022
Hershenson is probably one of the most talented young authors of this generation. Her use of character tropes is done skilfully to not become cliché, or mimic the style of writing seen in online literature, instead of helping her text to become characteristic of what we expect from true Young Adult fiction.
Neverdying contained everything I wanted from a book, one of these things being good characters. Each character within this text is extraordinarily well-written, with flaws and desirable traits that make each character easy to relate to or empathise with and, many contemporary books or other works in YA fiction fail to do this.
The book is truly a breath of fresh air and an exhilarating, fast-paced read I know a myriad of people would enjoy. The only reason I would not classify it as a 5-star read is due to the very ‘meta’ elements of the prose itself as the book’s genre and Hershenson’s writing style are not things I would normally gravitate towards. For those who are typical readers of these genres, however, the book undoubtedly warrants 5 stars from you.
Neverdying contained everything I wanted from a book, one of these things being good characters. Each character within this text is extraordinarily well-written, with flaws and desirable traits that make each character easy to relate to or empathise with and, many contemporary books or other works in YA fiction fail to do this.
The book is truly a breath of fresh air and an exhilarating, fast-paced read I know a myriad of people would enjoy. The only reason I would not classify it as a 5-star read is due to the very ‘meta’ elements of the prose itself as the book’s genre and Hershenson’s writing style are not things I would normally gravitate towards. For those who are typical readers of these genres, however, the book undoubtedly warrants 5 stars from you.
April 8, 2023
Slayed. From the first to last page. Slayed xx
August 17, 2022
First of all Shanti wrote this at 14?!?!? Wow just wow.
It’s such a strange dichotomy how something as inventive as a gene mutation giving humanity immortality, something we have always been obsessed with, can be seen as both a gift and a curse/disease. The amount of brainwashing that Cain has to overcome in all of this and the habits he has to unlearn once he finally realizes just how screwed up the whole thing has become, it’s insane. Scarlett is a feisty redhead whose class one immortal status literally leaves her fine after being by a grenade going off and being hit by a car. Girl can get up and walk away without a scratch. The similarities between president Wilde and president snow from the hunger games are too much, and the similarities between them both and say the nazi regime are uncanny. Torturous experiments performed on living beings will never sit right. The dehumanizing of a group of people to the point of hunting and exterminating them is something that none of us should ever be okay with, but history gets ignored far too often. It really highlights how people no matter what time period we are in, would rather be violent than understanding. I quite enjoyed the banter between my darlings Cain and Scarlett, they deserve to find happiness. The future, no matter how you initially envision it for yourself is ever evolving along with you and ultimately our instincts are to survive.
It’s such a strange dichotomy how something as inventive as a gene mutation giving humanity immortality, something we have always been obsessed with, can be seen as both a gift and a curse/disease. The amount of brainwashing that Cain has to overcome in all of this and the habits he has to unlearn once he finally realizes just how screwed up the whole thing has become, it’s insane. Scarlett is a feisty redhead whose class one immortal status literally leaves her fine after being by a grenade going off and being hit by a car. Girl can get up and walk away without a scratch. The similarities between president Wilde and president snow from the hunger games are too much, and the similarities between them both and say the nazi regime are uncanny. Torturous experiments performed on living beings will never sit right. The dehumanizing of a group of people to the point of hunting and exterminating them is something that none of us should ever be okay with, but history gets ignored far too often. It really highlights how people no matter what time period we are in, would rather be violent than understanding. I quite enjoyed the banter between my darlings Cain and Scarlett, they deserve to find happiness. The future, no matter how you initially envision it for yourself is ever evolving along with you and ultimately our instincts are to survive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2022
I was an ARC reader for this book. This was my first time reading anything by Shanti Hershenson, and I was absolutely blown away by her pure talent. I loved the balance between action and moments focusing more on characters, allowing you to get to know them well in moments of stress as well as in calm(er) moments. I've never really read many enemies to lovers books, but it was incorporated into "Neverdying" so well, that I may be encouraged to do so more in the future. On another note, I think the word 'darling' will now forever remind me of this book and/or Cain, and I am glad for that.
April 10, 2024
This book was by far the best book I have read this year, and longer. Not only was this book written by a 14 year old girl, but the writing style was truly amazing. I am also a writer, but to see books from young authors truly makes me fall in love with reading and writing all over again. I love this book to the core and it is truly 5 stars.
July 11, 2022
Amazing book written by a teenager!
This book is fast paced and has an original (to me, at least) premise. A research doctor has found a way to make humans immortal. Seems like a thing people would want. However, some having contracted the ability and others remaining mortal creates an inequity that mere mortals can not endure. They figure out how to kill immortals with a lethal injection and begin hunting them down. Growing up in hiding, unable to even go outside, Scarlett is given a push out of the nest, literally falling from a high spot and having her parachute fail. Since she doesn't die, it's obvious what she is. Cain, a trainee for the exterminator military, witnesses this and arrests her. What happens from there is a dizzying, inventive, and fun read. Buy it and enjoy!
This book is fast paced and has an original (to me, at least) premise. A research doctor has found a way to make humans immortal. Seems like a thing people would want. However, some having contracted the ability and others remaining mortal creates an inequity that mere mortals can not endure. They figure out how to kill immortals with a lethal injection and begin hunting them down. Growing up in hiding, unable to even go outside, Scarlett is given a push out of the nest, literally falling from a high spot and having her parachute fail. Since she doesn't die, it's obvious what she is. Cain, a trainee for the exterminator military, witnesses this and arrests her. What happens from there is a dizzying, inventive, and fun read. Buy it and enjoy!
June 22, 2022
all I can say is: AHHHHHHH. From the first (few chapters) I was hooked. The story was amazingly written from the characters (The female main character is my spirit animal) to the romance and plot. I felt as though I was In this world which usually happens when I read a book but I swear I was screaming, crying, and everything in between during this book.
June 5, 2022
This book was so good. The amount of detail and description that went into this is amazing. The romance is fantastic, the plot was amazing. I am completely blown away by how great this book was. A huge round of applause to Shanti for writing such a great book.
June 6, 2022
An amazing book that started slow and got better as it continued. I love the description and detail in every page and I thought that the relationship was very believable. I thought it needed to be longer at first but when it finished it felt just long enough. The best novel that I have ever read
June 10, 2022
Amazing! I loved all the characters, especially Scarlett and Cain. The romance was the perfect amount without too little or too much chemistry. The plot was perfectly written, and the amount of detail is amazing. Highly recommend!
June 21, 2022
Wow!!! The plot and characters are absolutely amazing… everything about this book is incredible!! The reason why I’m giving it 4 stars is because of my own personal preferences but it does not take away from the fact that this book is great! I highly recommend!
November 8, 2022
This book is INCREDIBLE!!! I was reading it at school and I had a blast!!! I loved their little moments together! In your Author’s note you said you didn’t hope you didn’t make it too cringey and you didn’t!! I’m 16 and loved this book also this is my first book I’ve read by you very well done!!
June 5, 2022
Amazing book!! The characters were entertaining and don’t even get me started on the plot!! I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough — trust me you won’t want to put it down!
June 7, 2022
Omg this book is so good. I can’t wait for the second book to be come out. The feels we’re so much but so amazing!You should definitely read!♥️♥️♥️
July 24, 2022
Wow I have absolutely loved reading this book. I knew right from the first few chapters that I would not be able to put it down and I was right. This was a very pleasant surprise as I am not usually someone who reads enemies to lovers or sci-fi dystopian novels. It also takes me ages to finish a book, so anything that takes me less than 6 months to read is a big yes from me (I read this in 2 days!). Aside from a couple grammar and what I can only presume are some missing word errors, the book is very well written and I am in disbelief that it was written by such a young author. Serious hard work and talent right there and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that needed any book recs.
February 18, 2024
A Few Comments By A Teen Author On A Teen Author's Book
~
Maybe I’ll come back and edit this review later, because my Kindle tells me I’m literally only halfway through… But for now I’m leaving Hershenson with 5 stars.
GIRL. This is AMAZING. As a teen author myself (I’m a year younger than you—found you on Tik Tok, then Instagram, then here) I seriously look up to you. How do you do it, really? The story of Cain and Scarlett, an Exterminator and Immortal (wink wink) is so intricate, if I didn’t know you beforehand, I would’ve assumed Shanti Hershenson was just any other talented, middle-aged author.
I am in awe of you. However, you might be wondering why I’m leaving a review if I haven’t even finished the book. It’s partly because I’m genuinely so enjoying Neverdying that I just had to get on here and share my joy, but also partly because I think I found a little secret within your writing. (If you actually see this, Shanti, please tell me if I’m correct). I just got to the part where Cain is in the Hover with Xio and Scarlett—he states his identification number; 12167. When I read this number, it sparked some recognition in me. In one of your interviews on YouTube, you mentioned something about your birthday’s season that led me to believe your birthday is around December. Also, I’m aware that you’re only a year older than me, thus it’s highly likely you’re an ‘07 baby—that answers the 12 and 7. Maybe your birthday is the 16th? If I’m correct that would be really awesome… I just think it’s cool to sneak in something like that. Could I be right?
Anyway, Neverdying is so interesting so far. I commend you for this story!! Also, my current cover crush is on this book—so beautiful.
~
Maybe I’ll come back and edit this review later, because my Kindle tells me I’m literally only halfway through… But for now I’m leaving Hershenson with 5 stars.
GIRL. This is AMAZING. As a teen author myself (I’m a year younger than you—found you on Tik Tok, then Instagram, then here) I seriously look up to you. How do you do it, really? The story of Cain and Scarlett, an Exterminator and Immortal (wink wink) is so intricate, if I didn’t know you beforehand, I would’ve assumed Shanti Hershenson was just any other talented, middle-aged author.
I am in awe of you. However, you might be wondering why I’m leaving a review if I haven’t even finished the book. It’s partly because I’m genuinely so enjoying Neverdying that I just had to get on here and share my joy, but also partly because I think I found a little secret within your writing. (If you actually see this, Shanti, please tell me if I’m correct). I just got to the part where Cain is in the Hover with Xio and Scarlett—he states his identification number; 12167. When I read this number, it sparked some recognition in me. In one of your interviews on YouTube, you mentioned something about your birthday’s season that led me to believe your birthday is around December. Also, I’m aware that you’re only a year older than me, thus it’s highly likely you’re an ‘07 baby—that answers the 12 and 7. Maybe your birthday is the 16th? If I’m correct that would be really awesome… I just think it’s cool to sneak in something like that. Could I be right?
Anyway, Neverdying is so interesting so far. I commend you for this story!! Also, my current cover crush is on this book—so beautiful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2022
When I say these enemies to lovers YA dystopian books have me in a sling, I mean THESE ENEMIES TO LOVERS YA DYSTOPIAN BOOKS HAVE ME IN A SLING!!
Perfect for fans of SUBVERSION by Ruhi Parikh and LEGEND by Marie Lu, this electrifying novel will grab a hold of you and never let go. In a world where immortality is seen as a deficit and Immortals are hunted by a special task force called The Exterminators, this book gives us an outside and inside look of what life is like in this face paced and tumultuous world.
Scarlett and Cain are forces to be reckoned with and as protagonists they truly bring the story to life.
I have SO MANY NOTES which isn't surprising at all because there's so much I love about this book: the relationships, the twists, the humor, the banter, the tropes man it is a wild ride and I never wanted to get off!
Perfect for fans of SUBVERSION by Ruhi Parikh and LEGEND by Marie Lu, this electrifying novel will grab a hold of you and never let go. In a world where immortality is seen as a deficit and Immortals are hunted by a special task force called The Exterminators, this book gives us an outside and inside look of what life is like in this face paced and tumultuous world.
Scarlett and Cain are forces to be reckoned with and as protagonists they truly bring the story to life.
I have SO MANY NOTES which isn't surprising at all because there's so much I love about this book: the relationships, the twists, the humor, the banter, the tropes man it is a wild ride and I never wanted to get off!
December 25, 2022
I received this as an arc and absolutely loved it. I love the characters and the how the environment was made. It paints a clear picture in your head and is kind of like a dystopia. It was a bit of a slow burn, but definitely worth it to push through.
April 18, 2024
Dnf at like 20 percent. The writing felt too formal and lacked emotion so I failed to feel any real connection to the characters.
November 19, 2022
From the very first chapters, this world grabs and draws in with amazing character depth and enough action to keep the pages turning.
Scarlett learned of her immortality when she was twelve. Thrown onto the streets by her parents, she managed to survive thanks to a secret organization, the Immortals Legion. Their only goal is to keep immortals alive and hidden away from the Exterminators, but things have started to change, and Scarlett isn't sure she's ready to face any of it. Especially with the odd fact that she, as an immortal, is scared of death.
This is written by a fourteen-year-old author, and it's safe to say that she's one to keep an eye on. Without any gentleness, the first chapters dive into both Scarlett's and Cain's lives. The situations grab, each in their own, potent way. Scarlett is one of the hunted, who lives in hiding, and Cain is on his way to achieve his hard-earned dream as an exterminator. Both have harsh edges, both are determined in their goals, both have understandable situations, and despite mistakes...or maybe because of them...both end up being hard not to like. The author especially did a great job with Cain, since his first moments definitely don't invite to sympathy, and yet, it doesn't take long before the reader is rooting for him and hopes he might be able to redeem himself.
The plot is character drive, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of action along the way. This is a complex world with a lot going on. There were a few moments, which slid by with a slight lack of logic and too much ease, but in general, everything flows very well. The world is interesting to get lost in, and the aspects of the society leave food for thought. The enemies-to-friends romance comes across with a good pacing and is sure to win over fans of that trope. It will be fun to see where this tale heads next because it's off to a very solid start. I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the originality of this world as well as the depth of the characters.
Scarlett learned of her immortality when she was twelve. Thrown onto the streets by her parents, she managed to survive thanks to a secret organization, the Immortals Legion. Their only goal is to keep immortals alive and hidden away from the Exterminators, but things have started to change, and Scarlett isn't sure she's ready to face any of it. Especially with the odd fact that she, as an immortal, is scared of death.
This is written by a fourteen-year-old author, and it's safe to say that she's one to keep an eye on. Without any gentleness, the first chapters dive into both Scarlett's and Cain's lives. The situations grab, each in their own, potent way. Scarlett is one of the hunted, who lives in hiding, and Cain is on his way to achieve his hard-earned dream as an exterminator. Both have harsh edges, both are determined in their goals, both have understandable situations, and despite mistakes...or maybe because of them...both end up being hard not to like. The author especially did a great job with Cain, since his first moments definitely don't invite to sympathy, and yet, it doesn't take long before the reader is rooting for him and hopes he might be able to redeem himself.
The plot is character drive, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of action along the way. This is a complex world with a lot going on. There were a few moments, which slid by with a slight lack of logic and too much ease, but in general, everything flows very well. The world is interesting to get lost in, and the aspects of the society leave food for thought. The enemies-to-friends romance comes across with a good pacing and is sure to win over fans of that trope. It will be fun to see where this tale heads next because it's off to a very solid start. I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the originality of this world as well as the depth of the characters.
June 22, 2022
I had never read any books by Shanti Hershenson before this and thus had rather low expectations going in. However this book quickly blew them away with its vivid writing and execution of its premise. I liked the dynamic with the main characters, though I admit I'm always a sucker for enemies to lovers. The plot was incredibly interesting and I found myself reluctant to skim even a single word. Overall Neverdying is a really stunning book, even though it's not the type of book I typically gravitate towards, which did make it a bit hard to initially get into it but that quickly changed after continued reading.
September 6, 2022
For this novel to be written by a fourteen-year-old is astounding and mind-blowing! This young writer has better imagination, insight, and perspective than most adult writers who have been writing books for years! The mindset of Cain was so complex and harrowing that you'd never believe his emotional and mental rollercoaster was constructed from the administrations of a child. The plot was intense, but I am not a fan of inept conclusions.
June 30, 2022
This was such a good book. I genuinely liked the whole thing and would recommend it to everyone. The reason I can’t give it 5 stars isn’t because there was something bad about it, it just wasn’t great. I never felt at the edge of my seat, never felt like I had to read another page. I wanted to read it but it was just that, a nice read.
December 22, 2023
I was kinda confused at some parts because I feel like the world and the degrees of immortals could have been explained earlier but it all came together in the end!! I read this in English class and I had to stop myself from squealing because of how cute the couple was, and at the end my heart was going so fast haha, I loved this book!
January 19, 2025
It was good, also very impressive for the age group. I liked how the relationship was believable, and they didn’t go from enemies to lovers, they actually had a friendship before head. It was quite good and I wanted to read more, but I didn’t need to read more, it wasn’t like ‘I’ll die if I don’t finish this’ so 4 stars.
April 5, 2023
This is such an amazing book! From the slow burn romance, the enemies to lovers, the angst, the drama, the writing and the structure this self, this book is ten stars out of ten!! You did amazing Shanti with this book!
August 7, 2022
It's an amazing book with a great writing style. I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews