Nevermore (Nevermore #1)
by Kelly Creagh
Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.
Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.
As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.
His life depends on it.
MY THOUGHTS:
Let me start by saying that NEVERMORE was not what I was expecting whatsoever.
I've imagined a simple YA paranormal romance, because of the "cheerleader-meets the cryptic guy- thing" but that's definitely not what I found.
This book has a lot more than romance. Actually, for me, the romance was the weakest part of it.
COVER:
Beautiful. Noone could be more similar to Varen and Isobel. In my mind they look exactly as the couple in the cover. Also liked the purple letters, so suitable for this book.
CHARACTERS:
Isobel: Mmmm... mixed feelings. She has a bubble-head side but also she is brave and caring. She is not afraid to defend what she believes is right and she is good for Varen.
Varen: enigmatic. He keeps to himself which makes him a little creepy but I liked him. He has a dark and sad past that made him what he is now. Not the sexy male protagonist I'm used to, but I enjoyed reading about him a lot.
"Isobel's head popped up. What does 'sagacious' mean?'Sagacious', he said, writing, "adjective describing someone in possession of acute mental faculties. also describing one who might, in a bookstore, think to get up and locate an actual dictionary instead of asking a billion questions".
Isobel's friends and boyfriend: at first, I didn't understand Isobel's need to lie about Varen or why her friends make such a big deal out of it. But as the story progressed I realized how awful people there were.
Gwen: on the other hand, she is awesome. What felt rushed for me was the way her friendship with Isobel started. That was poorly developed. IMHO.
PLOT AND WRITING:
The book is written in third person, which usually doesn't cut it for me, but here it works just fine.
My bigger problem was that I didn't feel their chemistry, I felt like there was something missing in the love story.
It was so hard for me to understand their connection. Which ended up being a little frustrating.
In the end, I can say I liked the way everything unfolded but to say the L word... I think it's too much.
The mystery was what sealed the deal for me. That, and a perfectly smooth writing that could take you from a romantic scene to a totally unsettling one, without feeling precipitated.
The plot is complex and there were a few subplots that made it entertaining.
Another fact I loved about Nevermore was the way the author included Edgar Allan Poe. Not only his works but part of his life. His story becomes part of Varen and Izzi's story.
"Her voice caught in her throat, seized into silence as she watched his eyes dilate, the pinprick of fear at their core expanding, consuming the green of his irises until nothing remained. Nothing except for 2 black coin-size holes"
Ok... you can't tell me that's not creepy. Especially when you are immersed into the eerie scenario she is.
The end is somewhat sad, but it only made me want to read the sequel. (which I've already bought)
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