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    Everless
    Everless
    Everless
    Audiobook10 hours

    Everless

    Written by Sara Holland

    Narrated by Eileen Stevens

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    New York Times bestseller!

    ""Sara Holland is a fierce storyteller. Everless gives new and terrifying meaning to the phrase running out of time."" —Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

    In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

    No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. 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 and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.

    Fans of Victoria Aveyard, Kendare Blake, and Stephanie Garber will devour this lush novel's breathtaking action, incredible romance, and dangerous secrets.

    New York Times bestseller!

    ""Sara Holland is a fierce storyteller. Everless gives new and terrifying meaning to the phrase running out of time."" —Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

    In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

    No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. 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 and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.

    Fans of Victoria Aveyard, Kendare Blake, and Stephanie Garber will devour this lush novel's breathtaking action, incredible romance, and dangerous secrets. Plus don't miss the thrilling sequel, Evermore!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJan 2, 2018
    ISBN9780062821898
    Author

    Sara Holland

    Sara Holland grew up between small-town Minnesota and the countless fictional worlds of books. She graduated from Wesleyan University and worked in a tea shop, a dentist’s office, and a state capitol building before heading to New York to work in publishing. These days, she can be found exploring the city’s bookstores or finding new ways to put caffeine in her bloodstream. Everless is her debut novel and is followed by Evermore. Visit her online at www.sarahollandwrites.com.

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    Reviews for Everless

    4/5

    442 ratings33 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Interesting premise, smoothly written. I disliked some of the characters who I think I was supposed to like (Roan, for example). Caught on to the true natures of some of the characters earlier than I should have, so I kept thinking Jules was really, really dense. I thought her friendship with Ina and Caro developed much too quickly. One minute, she’s wanting to find out what really happened with her father and the next she’s calling them friends? I didn’t buy it. It felt contrived—which, it needed to be for the rest of the story, I suppose. An okay book. Not sorry I listened, but not sure I’ll seek out the next book in the series.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      This was definitely a slow climb. Some parts I was just really bored with. I really enjoyed the story though, I’ve never read anything quite like it. The ending was the best part of the entire book, I love the twist!! I am very excited for the next book.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I'm in awe of the story. what turned out to be the longest exposition in time, get it?, it had me guessing who and what was Jules' part in this twisted tale of love, revenge and time ( something there never seems to be enough of). I eagerly await the sequel to this tale destined to be a timeless classic.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      boring, ending was super predictable / very ya

      characters not developed super well
    • 5/5
      In Sempera time is precious. Time, when extracted from someone's blood, can be bound to iron, which is being turned into a currency that can be consumed to increase someone's number of years. However, for a lot of people this means they constantly have to bleed to pay their debts and therefore shorten their lives, while very few members of the country's nobility thrive and live for centuries. Jules and her father used to work at Everless, an estate owned by a noble family. For Jules Everless was home, until they had to leave because of an incident that made them outcasts in just a few moments. Now they're poor and Jules has to find a way to bring in some coins.

      Jules's father has given a lot of his time away and is dying. Jules wants to save him, but the only way she can earn enough coins to make up for everything he's already lost, is finding work as a servant at Everless. She's several years older than the child that was sent away and hopes the problems of the past will be forgotten. Will she be recognized? When Jules is in Everless she discovers that her departure was surrounded by secrets. While her father warned her to stay away from Everless and the country's nobility, Jules is too curious to follow his advice. She knows she's in danger, but has no idea about the extent of it. What will happen when she discovers the truth? Will she still feel the same about the people who were once an important part of her past and does she have the strength to change her own future?

      Everless is a fascinating and gripping story. Jules lives in a world where time is money, literally. Those who are poor won't live very long. I admired this creative idea and Sarah Holland's execution is flawless. Jules is a strong heroine, she loves with all her heart and she's incredibly generous. She will go far to save the people she cares about and I loved her fierce personality. She isn't afraid to put herself in danger if it means she'll get the answers she needs, which makes thrilling reading. I really liked Jules and was captivated by her difficult situation from the start. I read Everless in one sitting, because I couldn't wait to find out more about all the secrets in this amazing book.

      Sara Holland has written a fantastic original story. I love her world building skills and was impressed by her beautiful descriptive writing that makes the story come to life in a terrific raw way. Jules lives in a twisted and cruel world and Sara Holland perfectly describes every aspect of her perilous and heartbreaking existence. She also knows how to divide tension, which makes Everless a fabulous story to read. It's a beautiful spellbinding book that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.
    • 3/5
      I was surprised by how much I liked this book! The "time is money" concept was really interesting. It reminded me of that Justin Timberlake movie, In Time, except it was done muuuuch better.

      This book was predictable, but for some reason that didn't bother me. I liked the main character, Jules, but it often took her a long time to see the full picture that I'd already guessed while reading. Although, I will admit one of the big reveals at the end surprised me. I had a feeling something was up regarding this one character, but I hadn't fully guessed what was going down.

      The world building could use some work, but I still really enjoyed the concepts. I think the history of this world needs to be a little more fleshed out. But my biggest issue with this book was the romance - I just didn't buy this whole "being in love with the prince since I was a child" thing. It felt forced. Buuuuut I'm all about Liam. You can give me more Prince Liam any day of the week. I always know I enjoyed a book when I finish and want to immediately read the sequel. I'm looking forward to the next installment!
    • 2/5
      This book turns the phrase 'time is money' into a literal thing, where blood and time become currency. A teen girl has to unravel the history of her family and her own background while uncovering the secrets of the Alchemist, Sorceress and Queen. This could have benefited from a lot more description of place and mood and less-obvious plot.
    • 5/5
      Honestly, what an incredible book. I didn't have any expectations as I've never read any of Sara Holland's books before but this was an absolute masterpiece!
    • 5/5
      Absolutely loved this. It is not as YA as you would think. No real love triangle, the main character doesn't have red hair for once and it doesn't end the way YA usually end..
      It starts a little bit slow but once it takes up speed it is really good.
    • 5/5
      This book was amazing i've always been intrigued by books that hold so many secrets that it always will keep you guessing and, excited for the thrill of what happens next. This book had everything i hoped for in a new read, i love mysteries and thrillers and this was an amazing read i'm excited to read the second book now.
    • 5/5
      Honest to God I could not wait for the mistery to be unraveled!
    • 5/5
      Brilliant!!I love this book! Can't wait to read the next one!
    • 3/5
      What I liked about it is using time as money is a great concept it was an fine read.
    • 5/5
      Wow!!! This book is so deep and has so many layers. Liam is my favorite character. He is so mysterious and very smart to hide his feelings and knowledge. I love how the world is a lot like mideval times. Can't wait for the next one. ???
    • 3/5
      The last 4 chapters were the most interesting, I hope the sequel has that intensity.
    • 5/5
      I'm in awe of the story. what turned out to be the longest exposition in time, get it?, it had me guessing who and what was Jules' part in this twisted tale of love, revenge and time ( something there never seems to be enough of). I eagerly await the sequel to this tale destined to be a timeless classic.
    • 5/5
      This book was phenomenal, it was a wild ride with everything I could ask of a YA and now that I'm done I physically miss it. This will take some time to process and I cannot wait for book two.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book. It had some twists and turns and just when I think I had everything figured out, I realized that I didn't. It kept me wanting to come back and read in whatever spare time I had. It is a different story and I really like some of the aspects of the main character that I just was not expecting to happen. Definitely worth picking up and reading
    • 5/5
      A beautiful prison is still a prison...

      Everless is not only the title of this wondrous novel, but the name given to the homestead (of sorts) where the Gerling family and their "faithful" servants dwell...and where the Queen calls home when she deems it worthy of her presence. Before you begin bowing and pledging your allegiance, perhaps you should learn more about the ruling family first. You see, once upon a time there were two who walked the earth heart in hand, unheeding of time, and careless with their footsteps. One day those never-ending bliss filled wanders came to a screeching halt. Their days were all of a sudden numbered, their time no longer their own, and in desperation to escape their captor and return to their former state, blood iron was created. Problem is once a heart is broken, it's hard to reassemble the pieces as they once were, with the lightness, merriment, and TRUST that once lived...and that mistrust can give birth to darker times still.

      In the end, you'll get lost in the adventure, caught up in the underlying relationships and romance, and simply carried away with the myths and legends explored while wondering...what if? I loved how the author kept you in the moment while still weaving days of old throughout. I loved how she created characters to love, loathe, and fear...while still giving us surprises galore. There's so much to love, it's probably best if you just get your hands on a copy STAT. ^-^

      Highly recommended for Young Adult Fantasy fans of all ages.


      **copy received for review
    • 4/5
      In quite a literal interpretation of blood money. People's blood can be taken in this story and converted into money which they then can use to pay for things. The wealthy use it to extend their lives and the poor live lives that are nasty and short and full of blood that's spilt in the name of survival.Jules and her father are behind in the rent and desperate so Jules goes behind his back and takes a job at Everless with the ruthless Gerling family, where she grew up and secrets lurk.It's an interesting blend of alchemy and class struggle and altogether interesting. I'm quite curious as to what is going to happen now to the story and what is going to happen to the various characters.
    • 5/5
      Wonderful fantasy that kept me guessing! This is the second time in the last few months that I've read an authors debut book that has completely blown me away and I love it! The history of how the blood-iron started was a little confusing, but not so much so that I couldn't figure it out. It does end in a little bit of a cliffhanger but thankfully the second book was just published. This book doesn't really have much romance which I think would make it even better.
    • 4/5
      This novel is on the 2019 Lone Star list; it’s a fantasy novel.Jules lives with her father who is dying as he buys time to pay their rent. They live in a time where time is money, literally. If you don’t have money to pay rent, you can pay with your blood that is turned into blood iron tablets. People with money can consume these to reverse aging. Those who sell their blood lose time, so you could have five years removed and die the next day because that’s all you have left. Jules doesn’t realize how much her father has given, so she takes a job at the Gerlings estate even though her father has repeatedly told her to avoid them for her own safety.Jules is making plenty of money and renews a few friendships from her childhood when she and her father lived at the estate. She hates Liam Gerling because he’s the reason they had to leave after he learns her secret, so she tries to stay out of his way. She and Roan were great friends, so she’s enjoying seeing him although he’s engaged to be married. The Queen is soon to arrive with Roan’s fiancee. Jules’ father arrives at the estate trying to get her to leave, saying it isn’t safe, especially if the Queen arrives. In this book where time is manipulated for selfishly, Jules has to discover her role in the legends of her people. I can say that if you read the ending, it will ruin the book. You need to let the surprises reveal themselves. Book two should come out in 2019.
    • 4/5
      This novel was a great YA fantasy and and an easy read, even though it was cliched at times. The author did an excellent job with her world building and I loved visiting the palace of Everless with all its secrets, magic and villains. Although the concept of time being bound to blood is not new, I still throughly enjoyed how the blood of the poor was forged into currency. The fact that the wealthy drank blood-iron coins to stay young was an interesting and bizarre twist.Although Jules was sometimes reckless and naive, she was still a relatable character, and looked after those she cared about. I think many younger readers will find Roan attractive, personally I found his brother, Liam, a far more interesting character. Roan was too wholesome (and weak) for my liking. I also loved all the strong female friendships that pervaded this story and the fact that the book didn't focus on romance."Everless", from the start, was an entertaining story with so many twists and turns I was continually left guessing. It was difficult to work out who the real villains were, and the reveals in the last quarter of the book just kept coming. However, Liam's reveal was no big surprise. As for the ending, what a cliffhanger! I can't wait for the sequel to be released later in the year. A terrific debut.
    • 4/5
      WOOT!! Ok, so I really got into this book. It's really hard to review this one without giving things away as its a bit like a spiders web. Complicated with many different paths. But I can say in the end it all comes together. Oh and yeah UUGHH I really hate starting series until they are all out
    • 4/5
      I purchased this book at Barnes and Noble to read with @halflostbutterflyreadalong. All opinions are my own. ???? Everless by Sara Holland. This book tore me up. In the beginning I was leary and mixed it with other books I was reading because I just couldn't get caught up in the story but then after Chapter 11 I was hooked. So while this one takes some time to get going it is worth the reading. Traveling to the Kingdom of Sempura onto the Everless Estate where there is a wedding on the horizon of a prince to a princess and they need more servants to prepare for the wedding. Jules chooses to defy her father and goes to work at Everless. But soon she realizes everyone she thought she trusted and every new friend she makes aren't who they appear to be and everything she thought she knew about herself and her past was all a bit untrue. At the age of 17 when you think you have your life all figured out it begins to unravel quicker than you can put all the pieces together. Review also posted on Instagram @borenbooks, Library Thing, Go Read, Goodreads/StacieBoren, Amazon, and my blog at readsbystacie.com
    • 4/5
      I am extremely conflicted about what to rate this. I am waffling between 3 and 4 stars sooooo I'm going to call it a 3.75 rating.....not a thing?...it is here in my brain. Anywho, back to the review, I don't mind admitting it...my name is Beth and I suffer from Old Lady Syndrome at times. In order to combat my memory lapses I take notes periodically with the hope of remembering to put into words everything I felt along the way. At first I was disheartened with the pacing. Then there was the lack of character development and to be completely honest, the plot as a whole was flailing. Yes the writing was very good. Yes the premise was unique BUT it felt very much like a setup book where there is very little going on definitively...no meat, no potatoes, just me starving for a decent plot, skimming and flitting about all the while stewing in resentment- waiting for book #2 to come out so that things can finally start in earnest. Around 64% there was still nothing major going on. The MC suffered from the doldrums and nothing was holding my attention fully. The identity of Jules's parents and the reasoning behind why the queen was so feared were the most interesting questions posed and even those inquiries did not compel me to keep turning pages. Only the preorder price and my own stubbornness kept me going. All of these factors usually amount to a surefire recipe for disaster BUT I am elated to report that I persisted! Not only did I persist but the last 30% was redemption incarnate!! And that ending...oh boy that ending left me fiending for more. I ended up loving someone I initially loathed (as we were often led to do) and detesting someone that I had eventually warmed up to (although done so with a healthy amount of well earned trepidation). The main twist blindsided me. The way in which it unraveled, though laborered in the beginning, was skilfully crafted. As it approached the finish line it commanded my attention and I ate it up in record time. Now now, I know some of you can inhale books at an inhuman rate (and I'm more jealous about that than I care to admit) BUT here I reference my own (oft times sluggish) pace so please take the previous statement with a grain of salt.In the end I found myself caring for the characters which was a wonderous feat in and of itself because I would have balked at that claim around the halfway mark. Anyway, I highly recommend this book and if you find yourself hung up, dejected and thinking of putting it in the DNF pile then I hope you persevere as well because the ending is not only twisty and turny but it also sets up high expectations for the next book in the series. Happy reading!
    • 2/5
      I was really, really looking forward to this book, but unfortunately it left me disappointed. Jules is okay for a character, but there isn’t anything that’s really notable about her. She’s stubborn and wants answers and gets herself in to trouble in the process, yes, but nothing in her personality sets her apart from every other character. She could easily be replaced by someone else and it wouldn’t make a big difference. And look, Jules can either have an above average memory and remember every tiny detail from when she was seven OR she can only have vague memories. It can’t be both ways based on what is needed for the plot.Roan is the supposed love interest, but he doesn’t seem to be very bright. Think of reading a French novel. Roan is the hero. He’s Marius in Les Miserables and Raoul from Phantom of the Opera. A little cute, but not much brain power.Now bring on Liam! He’s my favorite character from this monstrosity and possibly the only one with personality. A bit mysterious, always lurking in the shadows; you’re not sure if he’s an anti-villain or an anti-hero, but he’s either a little good or a little bad so he’s an anti-something. Secondary characters? What secondary characters? There are plenty of characters that had a HUGE chance to shine in this book but just disappeared. Her friend Amma along with her younger sister Alia, Tam- a boy she reunited with after returning to Everless, and a kitchen maid named Lora who seems to remember her and even helps her on more than one occasion. Unfortunately as soon as their part in the plot was over they disappeared. There was so much potential to have a lot of good side characters, but they were all shoved away and put in a little box- left to never develop into anything other then stand-ins and plot devices.As for the plot- the physics nerd in me is twitching at the plot. WHAT is time in relation to this story? Alchemy is used to pull time from blood, weird but okay, and turn it into iron/gold coins? Mmm… okay. Lets go with that. BUT it’s also an outside force that can be manipulated- such as freezing or reversing time. So… which is it? Having both of these in the same book makes no sense! The other half of the plot relies on half told fairy tales about a sorceress and an alchemist that no one really knows and honestly made no sense whatsoever. Maybe the next book will explain it better, but I’m not too sure my interest can be lured in to reading another.
    • 3/5
      I was excited to read this book; the premise sounds incredibly creative and intriguing. The book itself was an easy read and the writing flowed decently and was easy to follow. However, I was disappointed in how predictable the story was. I was also disappointed in how similar to other YA fantasy books this book is despite the creative premise of time being money.This is one of those books that I finished and the stared at thinking “well, nothing much happened there.” There is some intrigue and some magic; but generally speaking the plotline is pretty generic. The heroine is pretty generic as well and didn’t really stand out for me. There isn’t a lot of action, there isn’t a lot of mystery, there just isn’t a lot going on in this book.Overall it was an okay YA fantasy read and it was a quick read. However, given the premise I was disappointed in how very ordinary and predictable this story was. I don’t plan on continuing the series.
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed this book very much. Sara Holland creates a world filled with mystery and intrigue. Jules Ember is a sweet girl and the reader can’t help falling in love with her. But … there is so much we don’t know about her. In fact, her entire past is shrouded in mystery.All we know is that for some reason, she had to flee her home of Everless due to a mysterious fire that almost killed her childhood friend. Since then she has lived on the run with her father, as he slowly wilts away before her eyes. She was young when they fled and everything is a bit of a haze. Except she knows that it is the fault of the eldest Gerling son that she had to leave. He all but banished her father and her.But now she is returning to Everless, to uncover the mysteries of her past and discover what her future hold. I couldn’t predict how this story would unravel and, for fear of giving away spoilers, I won’t say any more. But if you love fairytales and fantasy, this is a book you should definitely pick up.
    • 5/5
      'Everless' took me totally by surprise. There are quite a lot of young adult fantasy novels being released with beautiful cover designs to draw you in (even though I want to get my hands on the UK cover in this case, over the US one), so I think it's starting to get harder to stand out in this genre, at least on the bookshelf. But I dove into 'Everless' without too many preconceptions and once I started the book, I barely came up for air.In the land of Sempera, time is money, and blood is currency, meaning blood-iron can be sold and turned into coins for the very things that people need to survive: rent and food. It is all-consuming and cause for corruption - the wealthy just drop coins into their tea to look younger, and people go to get their blood drawn to satisfy their debts, as well as having their blood taken from them as punishment or stolen.This whole concept aside (which initially seemed confusing to me but then made total sense!), the main character who drives the tale is Jules, and I gravitated towards her from the beginning. I already feel like I'm saying too much, but she must leave her beloved father to go back to work and live at 'Everless' where the Gerlings, the Sempera royalty, reside, to understand the secrets that reside within, and to try and support her dying father, against his wishes. I don't dare say any more about the plot, but I will say that this book just flows because of Holland's great writing, her fairytale world filed with fascinating characters, and I couldn't put the book down.Sara Holland has created a world so enthralling, as beautiful as it is terrifying, and it's hard not be absorbed in this tale filled with secrets, danger, and adventure. Read this book!*I can't believe I'm going to have to wait for her to write the next one now!! The ending really left us with a cliffhanger!