I went into this book curious as to how blood can be currency in a world where everything seems to be centuries behind us. But what I got instead was so much more.

Jules Ember is a seventeen year old girl who has always been taught one thing. If you see Liam Gerling you need to run. Liam, one of the Princes of the land, seems out to get Jules and her father, with this hatred going back to when Jules was younger and living on the Queens estate where she her father worked, growing up and playing with Liam and his brother Roan. One night they are forced to flee, which is why she is told to run upon seeing Liam in future.

Naturally, in this YA novel, Jules is going to end up running into Liam at some point, or worse, working at the Queens estate.

—-

This book really pleasantly surprised me. The idea that blood is currency is only the beginning in this fantasy world, and so much more unravels as we follow Jules returning to the estate to earn blood coins for the sake of herself and her father. I definitely didn’t expect the twists towards the end of the book, particularly with Caro, the Queen and Liam and Roan.

I’m aware there is a sequel to this in the works, and I’m not sure where this will take us and the characters, but for now, I’m semi-happy with the way things have ended.

I loved it. It was amazing and I literally could not put my Kindle down! Think about life, there are so many of us out there who work to live, in Everless they quite literally work to live! Their blood is their time, if they want more time on this land then they need to work to earn bloodiron. But then where has that bloodiron that they are paid with come from? Some poor soul who couldn’t pay the rent last week? It really gets you thinking, and I loved it!

Jules is a fantastic character, and I’m glad that she isn’t a softie and not as naïve as some characters would have been in her situation. She is human, and it shows in the way she reacts to events that occur throughout the book. I have to say, I think she is pretty awesome.
If you have read Red Queen and enjoyed it, then trust me, this book is something else you will thoroughly enjoy!

A truly unique fantasy tale and I cannot wait to read the second novel of the series. I am so pleased that I had the opportunity to read this novel - thank you to the publishers!

I really enjoyed the nuances of the plot and the range of situations and characters that Jules introduces us to. It has been quite a while since I've found a YA fantasy novel that manages to get so many areas right but I'm glad Sara Holland has this skill - I will be recommending this book to friends and students alike.

For me, the only downside was the lack of Jules character development at some points. At times, it felt that situations merited a little more change in her thinking or additional description to her narrative voice but I think the author has set the novel up in a brilliant and clever way that allows for this journey to take place in the next novel. Looking forward to the next novel!

I was drawn to this book because of the beautiful book cover (especially the hardback cover edition).With all the hype around it, I have to admit I was a bit hesitant as I hadn't read any reviews when I started it. But this was a great YA fantasy to start my 2018 reading. Everless has great world building and some unexpected plot twists.

I knew by the end of the first chapter I knew I had made the right choice in picking up this book. The first chapter opens with a hunting scene which reminded me of The Hunger Games and ACOTAR. I loved the way that the time is money sorcery is translated in this book, I loved this idea when I read the synopsis and was impressed the way it played out. It is a thought provoking idea! We also get to know a lot about our main character in this first chapter. We can see her love for her farther and her frustration at the differing social classes. As well as a hint at a luxury/easier childhood.

I loved the interactions between Jules and the various characters in Everless. Her interactions with the Gerling brothers, visiting royalty and her fellow servants. I wasn't expecting her to get along with Lady Gold but it was fun to watch friendships grow between the classes and the different groups of servants. This genre us often tropey but the author almost plays with these tropes, hinting at them and then directing the story a slightly different way. This book is a great example of how much my opinion of characters changes through out a book.

Everless was beautifully written with great world building. This book is unique and has some unexpected plot twists - trust no one and look for help in the most unlikely places!

Let me honest, at first I thought this was going to be the same old, same old young adult fantasy inspired book. However, I'm pleased to say that it wasn't exactly the case and that Everless, definitely surprised me.

At first (as in: the first 3/4 chapters) I was a bit confused by the huge info dump full of strange terminology I had some problems to understand (like blood irons and such), but it got easier in time and, sure enough, I was soon hooked.

I found the concept of time-bleeding quite creepy but interesting, ad of course in this peculiar world Sara Holland has built the rich have it much easier than the poor.
Anyway, I found Jules an okay character, can't say I loved her so much but at least I didn't hate her! Strangely (knowing myself) I didn't dislike the romantic twist, I really didn't mind and in truth I sort of look forward to see what happens in the next book.

The pacing of the book wasn't exactly fast but the plot keeps the reader well entertained and wanting to know more. Besides Sara Holland's writing style is pleasant enough and makes it for an easy read. I really loved how that the plot thickened as the book progressed with lots of twist and turns, some of them were very original (I really loved the Alchemist & the Sorceress "backstory").
It was the plot more than the characters that drove me to read (quite frenetically) page after page and then BOOM---- cliffhanger! OUCH! I now really, really need book two! LOL

Jokes aside, I really recommend reading Everless, especially if you like fantasy and are looking for something not too heavy to read but still very entertaining.

A great fantasy in the vein of Sarah J Maas, in Everless time literally is money, and the rich have it all. Although I did get a bit distracted working out the practicalities of such an economy...
Jules is a good strong character, the twists are very fun, though a lot of unnecessary characters - though they may become important in the next book. I can see this being really popular.

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

I started this book with high hopes. It seemed like a unique storyline and started off differently with people selling time as currency. It quickly devolved in to a typical YA book with predictable storylines and a predictable love interest. It also ended very suddenly and not in a way that makes you want to read the next book. Very disappointed.

My first book of 2018 is a 5 Voodoo book!
I gave it 5 Voodoos for several reasons.
The first was because I stayed up way past my bedtime reading it. I was tired but I lost 2+ hours in it's pages, the second was because I missed bits by jumping forward. That doesn't sound like a positive, but I can't be the only one who, when pressed for time and holding a good book, skims ahead to find out as much as possible and then can't possibly go back? I'll no doubt re-read it and find out if I missed anything important then but right now I must keep going!

Also, I suspected Liam from quite early on and though there was more to it than I thought, that was quite fulfilling.
I'd have liked a little more of Jules' thoughts about Roan to be honest. I mean, she clearly knew what was going on but did she pay attention? Or was that something I missed?
I'm guessing I either missed a ton of her thoughts or there was some inner monologue we weren't privy to because there were a few things that showed a change of heart without showing how we got there!

The premise of this book really reminded me of the film In Time which I really enjoyed and that's what prompted me to pick up this book. In conclusion they weren't all that similar and with the back story within this world they're nothing alike at all - the only similarity is that time and money are the same thing- time is used as currency.

Sadly I can't tell you who my favourite character is because spoilers and while I doubt they will be in book 2 much (unless it's a duology, please be a duology), I look forward to their return! I want them to have the chance to be themselves, I want to see who that makes them. I also can't say who was my least favourite character - firstly, because I never quite built up to the hate that could have been, but also because spoilers - again!
Generally though I didn't feel too connected to the characters. I'm not sure if it's because I first started reading this book because the deadline was approaching rather than because I wanted to read it right now or because I read the second half so fast I jumped bits and generally missed getting attached but to be honest I only care about Jules and my favourite...Though there is a third that I could also become invested in.

With regards to the end, we're not left with a cliffhanger but nor is it all nicely wrapped up, in fact you could say we're left with a large amount of information, an unknown path ahead of us and the feeling we're settling in for a good ride. I'm sad that I have to wait so long to find out what happens next but at the same time, I'm looking forward to re-reading this book and continuing on with part two around this time next year.

Happy Publication Day 🍾🥂📚
Time is a prison. She is the key.
An intoxicating blend of blood, secrets, and haunting mythology, Everless gives new and terrifying meaning to the phrase running out of time

This book starts with a teenage girl hunting in the woods to try and feed her poor family, bartering in the village which is kept in poverty by an unfair society. So far, so The Hunger Games. Due to a series of events, she goes to serve as a maid at Everless, the seat of power and home to her childhood love, as he picks a wife. So far, so Red Queen. 

But, despite drawing on a few of the tried and tested Young Adult tropes, this book still managed to surprise me and to turn some of those tropes on their head. The love story doesn't turn out how you might imagine, and the central concept of the book - that time is money, quite literally, and is extracted from the blood of the poor, made into iron coins and then consumed by the rich to add to their lifespan - is intriguing and provides some gruesome and at times poignant moments. 

At first this book is a little confusing; there's a lot of information thrown at you in the beginning, but once you get your bearings, you'll lose yourself in this world as Jules tries to navigate Everless, and find out the truth that her father has kept from her for so long.

When I saw the synopsis and the cover of this debut novel I jumped at the chance to request a copy. The idea of a state that uses time as money was too good to resist!

In the kingdom of Sempera time is bound to blood and metal to make currency. The rich can drink their endless bloodirons and live (almost) forever, but the poor are forced to live week to week, hour to hour. Jules lives in the impoverished town of Crofton with her father. His time is running out rapidly so Jules decides to seek employment at Everless, the grand estate of the Gerling family, from which they were both banished 10 years ago. Jules’ father pleads with her not to return but she is desperate. Days later she discovers her father in a cellar in the Everless castle with wine-stained hands, inches from death. In her grief, Jules is determined to find out what is going on and who she really is.

The original synopsis I read for this never mentioned a kingdom, so I didn’t realise Sempera was ruled by the monarchy. I was expecting the story to take place in a capitalist society and I think this would have been really interesting so I was more than a little disappointed when I read that this wasn’t the case. I couldn’t be bothered with another story of a servant girl running around a castle lusting after a prince. Thankfully, after a pretty slow start, it improves dramatically about a quarter of the way through and it gets much more interesting.

Jules isn’t very bright and she’s very over dramatic which gets irritating, but she is strangely likeable, as are all of the other characters. The relationships between characters are great and there is a lot of fun mixed in with the danger. Once the pace picks up it gets a lot more exciting and it is consistently intriguing, with a new surprise around every corner.

It takes a while to get going, and is odd and annoying in places but ultimately Everless is an exciting and original take on fantasy with a good bit of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff thrown in which I really enjoyed. I would recommend it for your next YA read!

7/10

4.5 Stars in my Sky!

"tempus edax rerum."

I loved *ahem* was terrified of the concept of Everless. Jules lives a in a kingdom queendom called Sempera where time, or rather life-force time, is money. People can bleed themselves aka sell time directly from their blood to make blood-iron. In a very unequal society the poorer civilians are forced to sell years of their lives just to survive the now whilst the rich control the blood-iron coins and extra years.

Jules's father has been secretly selling time to pay rent and is in very poor health. To stop him from selling any more time Jules heads to Everless to work for the Gerlings. She can earn a lot of blood-iron but at great risk.

Jules finds herself plunged headfirst into the Gerling's intrigues and is much closer to the powerful Queen than she ever expected. She is befriended by Caro (the Queen's handmaiden) and her heir Lady Ina. They offer her comfort and a distraction from her affection for her former childhood friend (and Ina's fiancé) Roan. I have to admit I was more intrigued by her old nemesis and childhood tormentor Liam. Don't worry any potential romance takes a backseat to Jules's mission and the situation in Everless.

The world building is complex and interesting, if a little confusing at times. BUT I loved all the details and special insights Sara Holland provides into the mysteriously dark society. Once I got my head round the names and who could do what, I became thoroughly engrossed in Jules's story.

The book ends on one heck of a cliffy so I'm desperate to find out what happens next!

I received a review copy

The world of Everless is a strange and interesting one. It's hard to find an element of dystopia or fantasy that hasn't been done to death, but Holland has come up with a unique idea in her land of time. Unique isn't necessarily brilliant though, and for me the whole idea was a little bit hard to swallow. I like my fantasy of a type that can be believed, that could one day be reality, or else is so beautiful and fantastical that I want it to be reality. Everless was neither one nor the other, settling instead in a slightly uncomfortable place for me. If it wasn't for this, I would have loved it - the characters, the setting, the story, were all gripping and the darkness and twists intrigued me, but I just can't get into the whole blood/time world I'm afraid. This is purely a personal opinion, and I'm thankful to the publisher and Netgalley for supplying me with a copy in exchange for this honest review.

This book started a bit chaotic - reminding of other books mixed with a bunch of history and characters. But soon I started to understand all the things that were happening in the book and couldn't put it down. As things evolved I got really sucked in, the tempo was perfect. I admit that some things were predictable, but somehow when other books disappoint me by that, this one didn't.

Closer to the end of the book I got a bit disappointed after all - it seemed like time itself sped up and so much was happening - it seemed too much to comprehend and compute. But it was only a phase and it got back on track, being exciting, surprising and gripping.

I hope that the lowest points (for me) were just rookie mistakes and won't be repeated in future books. Otherwise, the writing seemed pretty good.

I was surprised when the ending suddenly came, which wasn't as resolving as I would have wanted and pretty much simply set up for the sequel... I was so surprised that I almost took off a star for this ending (and some other bits). But after battling myself I decided on 4 stars because after all I did stay up at night, didn't I?

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC for this book, all opinions are still my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orchard Books for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

The idea of this book is fantastic, and first impressions based on the cover is intrigue. It made me take notice, and want to know more and more. Do you ever get that feeling about a book that says it’s going to be huge within the reading world? I get that from just the first few pages of this book. On the other hand though, I think this book will be one of those that people either really love, or dislike. I’m sat on the fence.

While the ideas and mythology, the backstory and characters were clearly thought out, I don’t actually know if I liked the story. There was so much potential, possibilities but it sort of just fizzled along. It took a while to get anywhere and then when it did, it finished. There was plenty of build up to something spectacular but as it got there, it just sort of failed. It didn’t hit the peak I was expecting it to.

The idea of using Time as a currency is something new for me. I don’t think I’ve come across it before, and I liked the idea. It was different, it was sort of shocking to think that you actually have the length of your life in your hands. You can do anything to increase it, and decrease it while desperately trying to survive.

The world that Sara Holland builds is spectacular, and she has definitely left space for growth and more magical world-building. I don’t think we barely scraped the surface with this book, and that we will be in for one hell of a ride with any future books. The places, and characters, that we are introduced to have all got the potential to break out in a huge sense and make this series a whole lot more awesome, and I love the fact that she has left the room for it.

The twist I can honestly say I didn’t see coming, that was a surprise but I wasn’t as shocked as I could have been. I didn’t really believe what she thought was to be a lie, I didn’t think that a character who is supposed to so central to the story would end up.. well, in that position but it happened. Thankfully, it wasn’t a character that I particularly liked. I think that the character I liked the most was Liam which I wasn’t expecting. I suppose it’s because he was put across as the villain, the rotten apple. But we see a side to him that we do no expect. Jules was a good character, and she definitely has room to grow.

As you can see, there are things that I didn’t like, but there are more things that I did like. I think with a bit more oomph I will love this series. I’m relieved that there is room for so much more in this series, as I said at the beginning of this review. I definitely see that this book is going to huge. It’s a spectacular addition to the genre.

I give this book a 4/5. If it didn’t just dawdle along, I think it would have been an incredible 5. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, I hope it’s going to be a roller-coaster of a read.

I have been a Fantasy fan all of my life. There is something about Fantasy that makes it the perfect genre for confronting modern-day concerns as well as allowing for some beautiful world-building and escapism. It is a genre I love and I have partly been spoiled by genius fairy tales and genre icons like The Lord of the Rings, to the point where I am now often quite hesitant to pick up YA Fantasy books in the fear of being disappointed. However, Everless' blurb and beautiful cover convinced me to throw my fear in the wind and jump right in. Thanks to Hachette Children's Group and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As said above, I go into a lot of YA Fantasy books with a sense of trepidation nowadays. The tropes abound, the cliches are stifling and the world-building is unimaginative. I know, I sound like a complaining old lady but I have gotten sick of reading the same story over and over again, knowing where a novel is going to go after less than a 100 pages. However, I found myself pleasantly surprised by Everless. I enjoyed the novel's main idea, your life time being bound to your blood and your blood being capable of becoming iron coins. It is an idea that allows an author to explore class and capitalism in a very interesting idea and Holland does do so here and there in the novel. Although there is a bit of an info-dump at the beginning of the novel, Holland starts her novel off very well by getting the reader attached to Jules. And that, I think, is where one of the strengths of this novel lies. You do genuinely find yourself caring for Jules, becoming as interested in her past as she is, as concerned about those she cares about as she is. And Everless is also actually concerned with her and her life, rather than in setting her up with some handsome prince or having her meet some other random genre trope. It's what makes the novel fly by and makes some of the clunkier examples of world-building fall by the wayside.

At the heart of Everless lies Jules' stay at the eponymous estate in her hope to find answers to some burning questions. I liked Jules' dedication to saving her father and to finding answers, even as the questions she asks change as the situation around her changes. That is what I loved about Everless: it starts out straightforward and then grows into something much more complex. Initially, Jules just wants to earn money so her father can stay alive. By the end of the novel Jules finds herself at the centre of web that has become incredibly intricate. Holland manages to complicate her novel without making the reading of it complicated. She adds twists and turns, managing to subvert some of the genre's conventions as she goes, but never does Everless lose track of who Jules was at the beginning. I think that why it is so easy for the reader to get sucked in by Everless and I know that I personally can't wait for the next book in the series to come out! Is it 2019 yet?

I really liked Sara Holland's writing in Everless. She doesn't linger on grandiose descriptions or dramatised conversations but rather lets the needs of the plot drive the novel forward. On the one hand this means that some events seem to happen very quickly, but on the other hand this means there is no chance to get bored. Although here and there I would have maybe appreciated some extra time to get to know some new characters or feel the consequences of certain events, I also liked the drive forward. Everless also has some stunning visuals and moments which really stick in your mind. Holland has a knack for adding in little details and little descriptions here or there that deftly support her world-building and characterisations and make the novel feel more realistic. That may seem like a strange thing to ask for when it comes to Fantasy, but actually Fantasy novels live or die by how real they are. If you can't imagine this world, then how can you believe in it enough to want to read about it? Everless felt real in a Magical Realism way, almost, where something ordinary like paying rent is elevated to something different, where a young girl's made up childhood stories are maybe something completely different. It is this balance between the fantastical and the real that will make you want to keep reading Everless.

I raced through Everless and am consequently heartbroken that the next book isn't coming out for another year, apparently. Although engaging in some of its genre's tropes, Everless and Sara Holland will consistently surprise you. I'd recommend this to fans of YA Fantasy ready to trust again!

This review will be posted on my blog, Foxes and Fairy Tales on 07 Jan 2018
https://foxesfairytale.wordpress.com/2018/01/07/review-everless

I was anticipating Everless so much and OMG it lived up to all my expectations!

Everless was my first read of 2018, and I couldn't have chosen a better book. The premise is really cool and the plot just gets better and better as the story goes on. The atmosphere was great, particularly once Jules settled into Everless itself -- at times I got a real "Jane Eyre, big -mysterious house full of secrets"-vibe while she was sneaking around. I loved the descriptions of the kitchens, the dormitories and the library of Everless. It's a location I'd love to explore for myself.

I thought the amount of romance in the story was just right, nostalgic memories of a childhood crush and little hints at attraction, but no insta-love or overblown dramatics. The thing about crushing her heart by killing the person she loves the most was a pleasant surprise -- I was completely expecting it to be Roan in a "they've only known each other again for a week, but whatever, YA-trope eyeroll" and I love that Holland didn't go down that route. With Jules so alone in the world I'm intrigued as to who it will be. I suspect broody Liam but I'm really hoping Holland will do something different, maybe familial rather than romantic love, or something completely unexpected.

If the sequel was available, I'd have moved straight on to it next, and that's always a good sign. As it is, I'll be looking forward to its release.

In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency. The rich tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever. But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.



Time is a currency is such a weird and wonderful concept for Holland to play around with. I was instantly drawn in from the first page because I wanted to learn more about this magic system. How does it work? How did they bind time with blood and then currency? Why would you bind these together? and the more I read the more intrigued I was. There's old legends in Sempera which tell of the origins of this magic and I can't wait to learn more in the future installments. 

At the start though, I struggled with full comprehension as some descriptions were confusing. The pace was slow as the world building consisted of a lot of telling with little to no showing at this point. Even the legend of the alchemist was not clear at one point as my friend pointed out she wasn't sure whether it was referring to having multiple alchemists or whether it was a typo. 

The characters were extremely interesting and I wanted to get to know more of them. It wasn't clear cut who the good and bad guys are, and by the end of the book we know that some people are not inherently good or bad. We have these characters who do bad things but are good, and 'bad' characters who are doing some good. As we're on this journey with Jules, we see these things through her eyes, her prejudices and her judgments which makes me want to get to know the other characters more as we didn't fully know them, but only what they showed to Jules. 

The one thing that irked me when reading was that in this world time is quite literally money. But Jules spends way too much time swooning and thinking about a guy who doesn't actually seem all that great. She hates the aristocracy and their wastefulness but of course this one guy that she's madly in love with (See: obsessed) couldn't possibly be a worse person because of these same traits. It just wasn't something I could get on with and made me dislike Jules quite often. 

After the initial slow pick up this turns into a fast paced book full of mysteries to be solved and plot twists to smack you in the face. I enjoyed the build up to the end and how events unfolded to give you hints at what was to happen but the surprises are still there. Overall I think the excitement for this book was well earned as it is a very interesting read and it's got the excitement and mystery factor in. 

Positives
+ Intriguing magic system

+ Characters were interesting

+ Fast paced and full of mystery

Negatives
- Confusing descriptions at the start

- Protagonist spent a lot of time swooning over a guy

I received Everless* by Sara Holland from the publisher. This is an unbiased and honest review.

I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for the next in the series to be published. Please follow the link below to read my full review of this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Orchard Books for this ARC it is honestly one of the best young adult novels I have read in a long time. I am so purchasing this on it's release.

When the next book is up for early review, I would love nothing more than to be given access.

This story is set in the Kingdom of Sempera - where time is currency. In layman's terms - if you need money, you have your blood extracted, and this takes time off of your lifespan. This could mean literally bleeding out your rent, if you are struggling financially, and is a chilling equivalent of paying a fine. But at the other end, if you are rich, like the Gerlings, you can consume the blood of another, to extend your own lifespan. In effect, they could live forever.

We are introduced to the main character, Jules Ember, who previously worked at Everless - the Gerlings' estate in Sempera, until she was forced to flee. However, when she finds out that her father is is catastrophic debt and is dying, she returns to Everless in order to try to extend his life, by earning more time. The drama really begins when Jules arrives back at Everless, where she is swept up in danger and violence, along with the twists and turns of a mystery which spans this story.

Overall, the writing style works well in terms of captivating you, through the mystery elements of this book and is well-done, especially for a debut author. However, I did find it quite difficult to get hooked in the first few chapters, mainly because of the over-description of the characters and the world-building, which, once you understand the basic foundation, is very well thought-out.

The characterisation is done particularly well in this book also, it becomes increasingly difficult to decipher who are the good guys and who are the bad guys - something which I applaud in a debut novel!

This book is also unique in terms of fantasy I've read, in that it focuses in on a lot of mystery. It would be difficult to put this book into the fantasy-genre 'box', when this is such a focus of the story. I feel as though, this is a welcome addition and led a page-turner of a book with an incredible PLOT-TWIST, which was hard to predict. The book also closes on a significant cliff-hanger and I can't wait to continue the story in Holland's next book.

Overall, I would very-much recommend this book, especially for fans of YA fantasy, but also to those, like me, who, perhaps, don't read a lot of this genre, and didn't expect much from this story. Give this one a go, I don't think you'll regret it. The unique plot is definitely interesting, and sets this aside from other books in this genre! Sara Holland is, undoubtedly, a talented debut author, and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future!

I received this E-Arc in exchange for an honest review and would like to say thank-you to Hachette Children's Group for providing me with an advanced-readers-copy of this book.