Everlast by Andria Buchanan (Young Adult, 10E/10E)

August 2013, Entangled, 320 pages, Ebook & Paperback, Review copy

Themes: reading a book, magic, fiction becomes reality, being transformed into a different person, discovering the truth about someone, someone not meeting your expectations, being royalty, dealing with a very evil wizard, friends sticking together, new friends made, lots of new enemies forged, being nice to others, lack of experience not being an issue, pretty clothes,

 

Content: lots of adventure/humour/peril, mild teen romance, a tissue or two is needed,

Summary from Entangled Publishing

Allie Munroe has only ever wanted to belong, maybe even be well liked. But even though she’s nice and smart and has a couple of friends, she’s still pretty much the invisible girl at school. So when the chance to work with her friends and some of the popular kids on an English project comes up, Allie jumps at the chance to be noticed.

And her plan would have worked out just fine…if they hadn’t been sucked into a magical realm through a dusty old book of fairy tales in the middle of the library.

Now, Allie and her classmates are stuck in Nerissette, a world where karma rules and your social status is determined by what you deserve. Which makes a misfit like Allie the Crown Princess, and her archrival the scullery maid. And the only way out is for Allie to rally and lead the people of Nerissette against the evil forces that threaten their very existence.

Nayuleska's thoughts

You must read this book! It is seriously good - I was taken away by how perfect it is. I loved the idea of Allie being thrown into the new world, being forced to take action, having to get to grips with her friends no longer being themselves. Allie is a prime example of how manners matter, that being nice to everyone, viewing everyone as evil and giving people a little of your own time is worth more than the position someone does or doesn't hold.

There are mega friendly older sister slash motherly mermaids, nymphs & dryads with attitude to name but a few of the people that Allie comes into contact with. What I liked the most was how there is so much humour in what at times is a heart-wrenching read, because although events are slightly different readers will be able to match them up with what goes on around us in this world. The romance is at times laughable because some characters are so smitten it's funny to watch them, and another who tries to sidle up to Allie has no hope. I'm hoping that books 2 and 3 are just as awesome, and that Allie continues to make the right choices - even when she makes mistakes she is able to rectify them through relying on her strong friendships of old friends, and all the new ones she forges as a princess and then a queen.

Find out more on Andria's website.

Suggested read

Another series full of royalty and dragons is Dragonskin Slippers by Jessica Day George (Children's, 9 years +, 10E/10E)