Fantasy Lovers, Welcome to Everly

Fantasy Lovers: Here’s a book for you!

I’d like to introduce you to Everly, the first book in a brand new series by author Meg Bonney.

I met Meg online about a year ago. She’s a pop culture blogger, primarily for the entertainment site Pure Fandom. Some of her work has been featured on Entertainment Weekly’s page! If you enjoy popular shows like Supernatural, This is Us, The Gilmore Girls, and more, then I’d encourage you to follow her on Facebook, here.

Pictured above: Author Meg Bonney

When her book Everly was released, I purchased a paperback.

So, what’s it about? Here’s the back-of-the-book blurb:

Madison Rosewood is about to graduate and head off toward a big, bright future that any kid would kill for: a full ride on a track scholarship, the world's greatest best friend, and an aunt that has always provided for her. The problem? Madison just wants to find her birth parents, even if it costs her all of the above. 

When her Aunt Ruth is kidnapped, all of Madison's plans are put on hold. Guided by a mysterious stranger, Madison and her best friend follow Aunt Ruth's kidnappers through a portal into a hidden world called Everly. Traveling through fairy-lit caverns and towering oak forests, Madison quickly realizes that behind Everly's beauty is a world filled with treacherous magic, violent encounters, and shocking truths about her family.

There, armed only with an enchanted sword and a sharp tongue, she battles her way past deceptive witches and bounty hunters to attempt a dangerous rescue that changes both her and Everly's future forever.

I enjoyed the read, and if you like fantasy novels with strong female protagonists, then this is a book for you.

Madison “Mad Dash” Rosewood can’t wait to get out of high school. She may have broken records in track and field, but she doesn’t have any interest left in the sport. Something strange happens to Madison at the end of her senior year, and she finds out there’s a lot more to her past than she had known. She’s anxious to find her birth parents, but then she’s told they’ve passed away. That’s not quite the truth, though, either. In another world, one may be a powerful king and another a strong witch. There’s another dimension Madison discovers called Everly, where Magics as they’re called (people with special powers) have been imprisoned and are going to be executed by . . . well, you’ll see! It’s up to Madison with her new companion Ren and her best friend from our world Jason to stop them.

Madison is a humorous character, full of wit. Even with battle approaching, she can fire off fun one-liners and see the irony and humor in her life. There are twists and turns throughout the tale—are her friends and family truly on her side or has someone betrayed her? Not everything is at seems. Themes of loyalty, friendship, family, and betrayal are strong throughout the book. 

In each chapter, you’ll feel right by Madison’s side. The writing has a strong pace and good description. It turns out, without spoiling the end of the story, that there’s more to Madison’s destiny, of course. She prepares to deal with significantly stronger responsibilities—and tragedies, too.

If I had to make comparisons, I’d say the story starts out a bit like a teenage Bridge to Terabithia or Stranger Things—young, conflicted characters find another world, an alternate dimension. From there, it takes a Star Wars kind of motif, where the reader experiences not just a physical journey but a journey of self-discovery, too. Who is Madison (and the other characters), really? Who are her parents? What is her destiny?

Those questions keep the reader engaged throughout Bonney’s debut novel and what is sure to be a strong fantasy series. I look forward to the next installment, and I encourage you fantasy-lovers to give this one a chance!

Pick up a copy on Amazon, today!

About me:

Joe Chianakas is the author of the novel Rabbit in Red and is a professor of communication at Illinois Central College. Follow him on Facebook here.