Her Return From The Underworld Marks the Beginning of Spring...

Nikki Beckett's life took a rough turn. Then she vanished; sucked into the world of Everneath; a place filled with immortals who feed on human despair and pain. But now she's returned to her old life, only to be reminded her time on earth is a short one.

She has six month before the Everneath claims her once again, this time forever. She uses this time to reconnect and say her formal goodbyes to her family, friends, and old boyfriend. Her love for Jack was what brought her back, and now she must come to terms with the fact that this time she will lose him, forever. Cole, the immortal who brought her to the Everneath, is desperately trying to convince Nikki to return with him to rule the underworld. Nikki's strong will continues to fend him off, but once time gets closer for her return, will it be her only option?

Everneath by Brodi Ashton is a bittersweet retelling of the Persephone myth. I really enjoyed how Ashton managed to weave mythology into the novel. It is, of course, modern, so it is a little flaky and lame at times, but the fact that Ashton incorporated a really neat myth into a teen read is awesome.
Nikki really does come of age because of her return. Her reasoning for entering Everneath was very impulsive, and there were points in the novel where I didn't feel sorry for her because of it. However, Jack still cares for her. His feeling, his emotions, and his genuine love for her is so apparent. I felt sorry for Nikki simply because of him. Don't get me wrong, Nikki is a good main character and readers do feel her pain and her longing, but there are times when you will question your feelings simply because she is a seventeen year old girl who acts impulsively.
Cole is a great character. I liked how conniving he was, yet, you could tell his "heart"  belongs to Nikki. He and her had great banter, and he always tended to show up unexpectedly and unannounced. He feeds on despair and pain, but he also can make people feel his emotions. Anger, sadness, love. It was really incredible. Plus, who doesn't love a good bad guy; especially one who is a rock star?

The novel is definitely worth a read. I wouldn't go in expecting a classic, but a modern take on an old myth is quite refreshing. It will be the first of a trilogy, so this forces readers to wonder what else Ashton has in store for this Everneath world.