It’s a very refreshing book, hence the 4½ stars however there are some things I’d like to pick at. The plot is all about Jules’ journey in discovering the secrets about herself and her younger life, how is she in danger if she is only a mere servant and handmaiden? The only way to describe it is delicious – absolutely delicious. Now as much as I love a good romance, I feel like sometimes the impressive plots get lost following the blinding love two characters feel for each other, especially in YA as a whole. The reason I like this book so much is that the story is not revolved around a love story, it hints at a potential romance throughout but the story would still be the same story without the men. She is in danger and she wants to know why. Now this is where it gets interesting, as when she returns to the kingdom that she was banished from back as a child – she realises things are not quite what the seem. So in an attempt to save her Papa and get more time for them both, she returns to Everless. Her Papa has been behind on his rent and when you miss rent, you guessed it, you pay with your blood – losing time and getting closer to death. The more ‘blood-iron’ you have, the more time you have, the longer you live, the richer you get and so on so forth. If you have ever seen the movie “In Time,” starring Justin Timberlake then it follows a similar hierarchy. So, basic summary – you have your female protagonist Jules Ember who is living in poverty with her Papa in a land where your blood is money, and when you bleed you lose days, months, years off your life span. This is perfect for the fantasy and YA genre lovers out there, it has a feel of Hunger Games survival instincts with just enough 1800’s hierarchies to keep every page turning until the crack of dawn, and that’s all fun and games until your alarm goes off 3 hours later.

I had only 3 hours sleep because of this book and it was worth it. Yes, you heard right… to be precise it must have took me about 7 hours with a gap in between when I ate my dinner.

Blood is money, Time is Power, Desire is Treachery.

Everless book