Review: Almost as good as Ever
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 10, 2013
Ever has left than a year left to live and is trying to spend it with the people she loves most.  Spending as much time as possible with Mom, Frankie, and Jessie is all that matters until she learns that there is much more to her countdown than she realizes.  When Ariadne put that countdown on her soul, she inadvertently marked Ever soul, making it more valuable to collectors.  So now Ever is on the run with the one person she's trying so hard to avoid, Toby.  Together, they try to find away to save Ever's soul, while outwitting collectors and Seekers who are determined to claim the prize.  Can they beat the clock or will salvation come too late?I...um....what to say?  Well, let's start with the basics.  Ever shows a great deal of growth here.  She really steps out of that damsel in distress role and I really enjoyed seeing her stand up for herself.  She also gains a much dirty mouth by the end and I LOVED that.  It progresses slowly, but by the end we get to see her drop the f-bomb more than once.  Is that a stupid reason to be excited?  Probably, but I freaking loved it anyway.  For me, it makes the character much more believable if they curse.  I realize that everyone wasn't like me, developing a potty mouth from hell the moment they hit high school, but I adamantly believe that there are very few people who don't swear at all, especially in high stress situations.  I'm sorry, but if the crap hits the fan "oh pooh" isn't going to cut it.  That really grounded Ever for me even more, making her feel more real.Then there is Frankie....my dear sweet, amazing, epic Frankie.  What can I say about him, really?  He's the exact same sweet guy he was in Ever and I love him beyond words.  Seriously, he so perfect, always supporting Ever, while being honest in his opinions at the same time.  We don't get nearly enough of him in this novel, but I've been assured that we haven't seen the last of him.Then there is Toby.  I liked Toby and I sympathize with the boy, but in my mind, he just can't compare to Frankie.  He's great and snarky and funny and protective, which is usually a winner, but Frankie was just better.  I can see why some people are Team Toby, but I just can't.The plot of this one is just as much of a rollercoaster ride as the previous one, probably more so.  There are multitudes of twists and turns and the ending is something I didn't even come close to predicting.  Russo does a great job of giving you just enough foreshadowing that you know something major is going to happen, you are just never sure of what.The only reason it gets 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the whole Frankie thing.  It's childish, I know, but I have to show my irritation somehow.  If I can legitimately lower a great books star rating to 1 simply because of senseless animal deaths, I think I can drop a star because of the Frankie thing.  Really, though, this is another amazing novel.  It's an addictive thrill ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering if and how Ever is going to get out of this mess.  I can honestly say this book was well worth the wait (which is a high compliment indeed) and though everything doesn't wrap up at the end, it's definitely better than the massive cliffhanger at the end of book 1.  I can't wait to see what the final installment to this series brings (hopefully LOTS more Frankie).****Thank you to Jessa Russo for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review****