Ratings

Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content

Guide to Rating System

LANGUAGE

VIOLENCE

SEXUAL CONTENT

ADULT THEMES

 

Ratings Explanation

Language: Hell is mentioned as a place and used as an expletive a few of times. The “A” word was used twice and the “S” word was used once. Other words used were crap (a couple of times), slut (once), and damned (once).

Violence: A dagger goes into Nikki’s shoulder. Cole and Jack fight. They are involved in a chase and Jack crashes his car and is injured.

Sexual Content: There are several kisses throughout the story between Jack and Nikki. Cole kisses Nikki. Nikki’s friend Jules asks her if, “tonights…the night?” Nikki does worry that Jack will expect more from her because he has “been with” other girls. Nikki and Jack have spent time together in each other’s rooms.

Adult Themes: Assumptions are made that Nikki did drugs and was in rehab. Nikki’s mother was killed by a drunk driver. Some of the characters drink, and one of them is an alcoholic. It is assumed that a couple of the characters smoke. Will was injured while serving in the war. Everneath is part of the underworld related to Hell.

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Nikki Beckett has just returned from the underworld, having spent the last six months in a place called Everneath. No one knows where she went while she was away, and she doesn’t offer an explanation. Nikki has been given only six months to spend with her family, friends, and her boyfriend Jack before she has to return to Everneath forever. Jack was the only person she could even remember during her time there. Her heart aches for Jack, and now that she is back, she longs to spend as much time with him as possible. However, Cole, the one responsible for taking her to Everneath, has other plans. He is certain she is the one who can help him take over the throne and has followed her back home. Using all of his power he tries to convince her to come back with him to Everneath and become his queen.

I was drawn to Everneath because the story line is based on the myth of Hades and Persephone, along with Orpheus and Eurydice, which I find fascinating. The story is told with flashbacks to the time before Nikki was taken to Everneath, which explains how she got there in the first place. The deeper I got into the book, the more my heart began to ache for her and for Jack. Mistakes and sad misunderstandings caused so much heartache and loss for Nikki’s family and friends. In the end, the willingness to sacrifice and to love someone so deeply and fully made me cry. My favorite part of the story is when Nikki dreams each night…so sweet! This story is the first of a trilogy, and I look forward to the next book. There are several subject matters such as drinking and its consequences that would be worth discussing with your teenager. I would recommend this book for ages fourteen and up.