EVERLESS
by Sara Holland
Pages: 352
Publisher: Orchard Books
Publication Date: January 4th 2018
Received From: Orchard Books
Time is a prison. She is the key. Packed with danger, temptation and desire.
In the land of Sempera, the rich control everything - even time. Ever since the age of alchemy and sorcery, hours, days and years have been extracted from blood and bound to iron coins. The rich live for centuries; the poor bleed themselves dry.
Jules and her father are behind on their rent and low on hours. To stop him from draining himself to clear their debts, Jules takes a job at Everless, the grand estate of the cruel Gerling family.
There, Jules encounters danger and temptation in the guise of the Gerling heir, Roan, who is soon to be married. But the web of secrets at Everless stretches beyond her desire, and the truths Jules must uncover will change her life for ever ... and possibly the future of time itself.
This is without a doubt one of my (if not most YA bloggers) most anticipated book of 2018 and after demolishing it, rather quickly, I can understand why. The concept of Everless is intriguing and magical, it draws you in from the very first page and there is something about the world Sara Holland creates and the characters that roam it that make this book hard to put down.
Everless is the story of Jules, a teenager of Sempera who, along with her father, have found themselves down on their luck. But in a world where time is currency, falling behind on your rent can have deadly consequences and when Jules realises her father can't take another withdrawal without risking fatality she takes in upon herself to save their family home by working at Everless. Jules grew up at Everless but that was a long time ago and returning has its own set of risks. Everless is home to Jules family secrets, her childhood crush and the person she and her father have spent years running from. But when you pay with time, with blood, you have to chose what risk is worth taking and which will leave you out in the snow.
OMG! I loved this book so much! I was so excited when it turned up on my doorstep and i'll admit I had high expectations, but it did not disappoint. The story is fast paced and endearing, with some unexpected twists and turns along the way that had my jaw hitting the floor. I thought the whole concept of someones years, their life, being drained and turned into currency was really interesting and made the book a unique addition to the YA family. There was also something really magical about the whole setting of this book, with its old worldly feel and the way Sara paints a picture with her words is breathtaking at times.
It is one of those books that I don't want to ruin with accidental spoilers so I will keep it short and sweet... well short for me. The characters, especially Jules and one other I can't say in case of spoilers (those who have read it will know who I'm on about) already have a special place in my heart. They all have their flaws and learn not just about themselves but about everyone around them as the story progresses making them all the more relatable.
Overall, Everless is the first of a new exciting YA fantasy series and I'm super stoked to see what it has in store next for us. If you haven't yet, add this to your pre-oder list as I'd put money on this being the next big series that you don't want to miss. It has everything you could possibly want from a YA fantasy! It has magic, secrets, mystery, the start of a love story (I so desperately hope) and characters and a story that will leave you wanting more.
**I received this book as an ARC from Orchard Books to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.**
