Review: Diplomatic Immunity by Brodi Ashton

From Goodreads: Piper Baird has always dreamed of becoming a journalist. So when she scores a scholarship to exclusive Chiswick Academy in Washington, DC, she knows it’s her big opportunity. Chiswick offers the country’s most competitive prize for teen journalists - the Bennington scholarship - and winning will ensure her acceptance to one of the best schools in the country. Piper isn’t at Chiswick for two days before she witnesses the intense competition in the journalism program - and the extreme privilege of the young and wealthy elite who attend her school. And Piper knows access to these untouchable students just might give her the edge she’ll need to blow the lid off life at the school in a scathing and unforgettable exposé worthy of the Bennington. The key to the whole story lies with Rafael Amador, the son of the Spanish ambassador - and the boy at the center of the most explosive secrets and scandals on Embassy Row. Rafael is big trouble - and when he drops into her bedroom window one night, asking for help, it’s Piper’s chance to get the full scoop. But as they spend time together, Piper discovers that despite his dark streak, Rafael is smart, kind, funny, and gorgeous - and she might have real feelings for him. How can she break the story of a lifetime if it could destroy the boy she just might love?

My Rating: 2 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Having enjoyed Brodi Ashton’s Everneath series, I was really looking forward to reading her newest book, Diplomatic Immunity. Sadly, Diplomatic Immunity failed to live up to my high expectations for several reasons.

First, Piper was a character I never really warmed up to. I found her to be very judgemental, and thought she could have tried a bit harder to look up some other ways to get into Columbia besides just trying to win the Bennington. As well, even though she claimed to be very serious about journalism, her feelings got all muddled up pretty quickly. 

Secondly, I thought the relationships could have been better explored. I would have liked more insight into Piper’s family’s financial situation for example, and thought it was weird how Piper’s otherwise normal mom decided it was acceptable that Piper drink on Embassy Row (because it’s international soil) and be out all night as long as she came home before the sun rose. Another relationship that felt flat was Piper’s friendship with her best friend, Charlotte, since their conversation seemed to only revolve around Piper’s life.

Finally, the romance lacked chemistry, and I didn’t understand what Rafael saw in Piper (besides the fact that they both had siblings with ASD, which seemed extremely convenient). I also couldn’t fall in love with Rafael because I thought he was very stupid for being so frank with Piper when it wasn’t a secret that she was out for a good scoop and he had already been burned by a previous girlfriend for something similar. 

Diplomatic Immunity will be released by Balzer + Bray today!

Comments About the Cover: I’m not sure why the cover shows a couple kissing since – spoiler alert – very little of that happens until the end. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Harpercollins) via Edelweiss. 

Review: Evertrue by Brodi Ashton

From Goodreads: Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants is to be with him and graduate high school. But Cole tricked Nikki into feeding off him, and she’s begun the process of turning into an Everliving herself ... which means she must feed on a Forfeit soon - or die. Terrified for her survival, Nikki and Jack begin a desperate attempt to reverse the process using any means possible. Even Cole, who they expected to fight them at every turn, has become an unlikely ally - but how long can it last? Nikki needs to feed on Cole to survive, Cole needs Nikki to gain the throne in the Everneath, Jack needs Nikki because she is everything to him - and together, they must travel back to the Underworld to undo Nikki’s fate and make her mortal once more. But Cole isn’t the only one with plans for Nikki: the Queen has not forgotten Nikki’s treachery, and she wants her destroyed for good. Will Nikki be forced to spend eternity in the Underworld, or does she have what it takes to bring down the Everneath once and for all?

My Rating: 2 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Having loved both Everneath and Everbound, I was really looking forward to finding out how Brodi Ashton’s Everneath trilogy would end. Unfortunately, Evertrue let me down in so many ways. 

*Note that in order to properly discuss my thoughts about Evertrue, this review will contain a few spoilers about the book.*

The main reason I was disappointed by Evertrue was because of the plot. While I was expecting it to be a daunting task to take down the Everneath, I didn’t find that to be the case through the story. For someone who was supposed to be so powerful, Adonia was defeated quite easily in the end. I’m surprised nobody succeeded in doing so before Nikki!

I also didn’t like the plot twist involving Cole. I still can’t believe that Ashton thought the only way that Cole would help Nikki willingly would be if he developed amnesia! I’m beyond pissed that she reduced this amazing, complex character to such a childlike state for a large chunk of the book! Then, once he regained his memories, I found it so out of character that he would continue to help Nikki, especially because he knew how things would end for him if she destroyed the Everneath. I can’t imagine Cole sacrificing himself for anybody!

The characterization of Nikki and Jack bothered me as well. For example, I found it very surprising that Nikki forgave Cole so rapidly for everything he had put her through, even if he did become a blank slate. Jack, meanwhile, had major anger management issues and only seemed to be good for his Hulk-like ability of superhuman strength.

Lastly, I was bummed out by the lack of flashbacks. Although there were a couple of flashbacks, I figured there would have been more since Ashton has been able to use them so effectively in the past. I definitely think Cole’s loss of memories would have been a great opportunity to share with readers more about Cole’s past. I would have loved to learn how he met the other members of the Dead Elvis, for example.

A conclusion that left a bad taste in my mouth, Evertrue was released in January 2014 by Balzer + Bray.   

Comments About the Cover: Every cover in this series has displayed a model in a pretty dress. But, I’m still confused as to how the “girl in a pretty dress” concept relates to the overall theme of each novel.

Review: Everbound by Brodi Ashton

From Goodreads: Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity - a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away. Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen - and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself. Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated - and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack - even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own. 

My Rating: 4 hearts (although I'm tempted to add half a heart for the twist at the end) 

Thoughts on the Novel: One of the books I loved last year was Everneath by Brodi Ashton. I kind of forgot all about the sequel, Everbound, though until I saw it on my Kindle one day and decided I should probably go ahead and read it.

While Everneath delved into the relationship of Jack and Nikki, Everbound explores the relationship between Cole and Nikki. There is also more of a focus on Cole in general as a character, which allows the reader to learn his backstory and how he became an Everliving.

Although Jack is hardly present in Everbound, he does appear in flashbacks and in Nikki’s dreams throughout the novel. I was a bit surprised and disappointed that Ashton chose to use the same memories involving Jack that appeared in Everneath. I still think Jack and Nikki make a cute couple, but wish that Ashton could have come up with some new stories about the two.

Overall, Everbound is a great follow-up to Everneath. It recaps the events of Everneath nicely, continues using mythology and integrating flashbacks well, has plenty of action, and ends with a shocking twist that will have you wanting Evertrue right away. I can’t wait to see how Ashton will conclude this trilogy!

Everbound was released in January 2013 by Balzer + Bray. 

Comments About the Cover: I love the dress the model is wearing; but logically, it makes no sense for Nikki to be wearing a dress when going to the Everneath.

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

From Goodreads: Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned - to her old life, her family, her friends - before being banished back to the underworld ... this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back - this time as his queen. As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's ...

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: While I was initially tempted to read Brodi Ashton’s Everneath simply because of its pretty cover, I knew I had to read it once I heard that it was a retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone because I love Greek mythology. Everneath, however, wasn’t a strict retelling. Rather, it’s more like Ashton was inspired not only by the myth of Hades and Persephone but also by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice; and then created her own interesting Underworld (which I feel like there’s still more left to be learned about).

The book opens with the reader being aware that Nikki willingly went with Cole to the Everneath, but the circumstances around her decision are revealed slowly throughout the book. Thus, I found it hard to connect with Nikki at the beginning, especially because she was stripped of all her emotions in the Everneath. Through flashbacks interwoven seamlessly into the main narrative though, it became easy to care about her and understand how and why she could just leave her family and friends behind. As time ticked by, I couldn’t help but hope that Nikki would somehow escape the Tunnels.

What I liked about Nikki was that she wasn’t perfect. She had insecurities and if you think about it, she’s a little selfish for coming back when she knows that she’ll disappear again in six months. (Then again, if I was in her position, I’m sure I’d want some sort of closure too.) I also really liked that Nikki was willing to face the consequences of her decision; but she wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

The romance was nicely done as well. Although there’s a love triangle in Everneath, it didn’t annoy me because it didn’t feel like one. Ashton does a good job of making both Jack and Cole equally complex and having Nikki distinguish her feelings about the two. Cole may be the antagonist in the story, but he’s not just a simple villain who you’ll hate outright.

Cole and Nikki may have a bond because of their time together in the Everneath, but she genuinely loves Jack. In fact, so did I! I’m normally a fan of fictional bad boys but Jack managed to win me over in Everneath. The relationship between Jack and Nikki was just so sweet and real; and I really liked that not only was there a shared history between the two but that they had some ups and downs as well.

A paranormal novel that manages to have a unique concept, Everneath was released in January 2012 by Balzer + Bray.

Comments About the Cover: The colours of red and black look very good together, and it does seem as if the model is coming up from underground. The whole girl in a gorgeous dress idea though doesn’t logically make sense because who runs away dressed like that?

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (HarperCollins) for free via NetGalley.