Happy Booker

Everlast throws the reader right into the story. When Allie meets her friends (and frenemy) at the library to work on a project, they suddenly find themselves transported through a book into an alternate world full of magic. Allie finds herself being hailed as princess and future queen of this strange world while her friends are each given supporting roles and some unique magical powers thanks to Esmeralda, the talking cat and The Fate Master, the wizard who had, up until now, been ruling Nerissette. As Allie explores this new world, she quickly learns that while the world is full of magical creatures ready to recognize her as princess, those close to her may have much more sinister intentions than she first realized. She must figure out how to navigate this magical realm while keeping herself and her friends safe until she can figure out a way to get back home.

The dialog between characters moves this story along fairly quickly. The reader is able to get a glimpse of each character’s personality and how they fit into the group dynamic through these interactions. These dynamics begin to change as each character figures out their place in this realm and their role in Allie’s life. I enjoy reading characters that change and grow within the story and what is special about Everlast is that each character, even the more minor ones, have a chance to shine. Each has a significant role to play in the story and each have their own distinct personality.

I enjoyed reading about all of the magical creatures, fairies, goblins, mermaids etc. that populated the world of Nerissette. This was probably my favorite aspect of this book. This is a world I would love to visit once Allie takes care of the more unsavory elements that make this realm a bit more dangerous than I would like! While there were a few glitches in this fast paced novel, overall it was a fun magical read. I would recommend it to younger YA readers who enjoy magical fantasy