Secrets Ever Green

Secrets Ever Green is a fantastic start to a fast paced fantasy series. I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for the second one! Ivy is studying to become an arborist like her late father. As the fears and doubts mount up, she meets a mysterious man in the woods. Telling her her father has left her one last secret, Ivy is determined to find out what it is. Work factions, magical trees, secrets, mysteries, best friend potential romance, this book has it all! I could not put it down! I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in trade for my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.
YouTube Review: 07/10/24
YouTube Handle: KeenCat

I received the audiobook version of this, and it was a quick and cozy listen. This book was very easy to follow along with the story, and it was not too complicated. The world building was simple and I am hoping that this gets expanded on in the next book.

I am a bit confused as to why Nicholas was introduced, he messed with the FMC's life a bit, disappeared, and never showed back up. I get why it was important to introduce him to get the ball rolling, but I feel like it would have made more sense story wise to have him make another guest appearance and explain a thing or two. There are still a lot of things that were not quite explained, so I still have a lot of questions.

York was also an okay character, he was a good friend at times, until he, you know, disappeared when he got a little jealous, even though Ivy really needed him.

I am very interested to see where the next book leads.

Thank you to Sara Knightly, Portal Publishing, and Netgalley for the audiobook.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The world building is consistent throughout and is so easy to follow and clearly imagine. I was surprised at how absorbed I was and just couldn't get myself to 'put it down'.

At first I didn't particularly like Ivy, an arborist student following in her late father's footsteps, who however, is unsure of what she wants in life. However, she quickly grew on me and I was completely invested in her journey and future. Being YA there were some aspects that I did think were immature but keeping the genre in mind they're easy to overlook (ex. York and Ivy avoiding each other for absurd reasons - but again, this fits with the intended audience).
The story kept me engaged and interested. There are still quite a few things that need to be explained and I'm hoping this is done in detail in book 2. I cannot wait to read it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for this honest review.

Ivy Rune is on a journey to follow in her late father’s footsteps and become an Arborist, or so she thought. When she begins to find hidden clues, everything she thought she knew about her father’s quiet life begins to unravel.

This book beautifully sets the stage for what we can expect in book two while also being an enjoyable and entertaining read on its own. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions for Ivy, and we, the readers, are riding along with her.

There is so much to explore in book 2, Castle Ever Dark! I cannot wait for its release. Get started on the journey and add this to your TBR.

4.25/5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for the Audio ARC of Secrets Ever Green by Sara Knightly. #NetGalley #SecretsEverGreen

The following is a review of Secrets Ever Green from Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op.

Overall I would give this a 4/5. I was intrigued by the story and thought the narrator did a great job. I genuinely want to read the next book(s) in the series.

Spoiler warning:

Overall I thought the characters were interesting thought a bit predictable. So much could have been avoided if the MC communicated better. I do understand and appreciate the feeling of trying to follow in someone’s footsteps or do a career that isn’t your calling but feel pressured into.

I liked that the story didn’t feel too predictable. I found myself making guesses as to what would happen next and for the most part, I wasn’t correct which is refreshing.

One frustration I had was that we were introduced to a secret garden but so little happened with it. Yes, I understand that there will be more books that will detail what the secret garden is, etc., but I felt like the story took a turn and I wanted to know more about the garden and her/her family’s involvement.

I ended up finishing the audiobook within 36 hours so I did enjoy it, but I very much want more and am bummed to have to wait for more information. In a way, this story felt like a lot of setup. That being said the story took turns I wasn’t expecting.

Shared on Goodreads on 6/27/24:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6615088658
Amazon review:
https://www.amazon.com/review/R1PJDUM7L1HNSO/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

"Secrets Ever Green" is an enjoyable YA fantasy with a main character who is a bit frustrating at times due to her youth. Ivy Rune is trying to understand what happened to her father when he disappeared years before, especially as she is coming into a crucial new phase of her life, where she's expected to assume her father's position in society. However, she feels extremely ill-equipped and ill-prepared to do so.

Her best friend York is also wrapped up in his own problems with an unstable home life and a major test of his skills that will affect the entire direction of his future. So, it's hard to rely on him much.

As the story progresses, we're introduced to a mystery that Ivy needs to unravel, but it seems like every decision she makes only leads her farther away from the home and village she loves. The question is, is that a good thing or not?

I truly enjoyed how the village people were depicted. For the most part, they were supportive of Ivy and stood in as her surrogate family, even offering her food and shelter when the only parent she knew disappeared when she was only seven years old. The themes of family are explored in the various family structures we see here and a light is shone on the ones that are healthy versus the ones that are not.

Being a YA fantasy, of course, there's a bit of a cliffhanger. The story is not fully wrapped up in this one book. So I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in the series when it's available!

Thank you to Sara Knightly, Portal Publishing and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Sara Knightly’s "Secrets Ever Green" embarks readers on an intriguing journey into a world brimming with mystery and charm. As the first installment of a promising series, it introduces us to a vivid and enchanting setting, offering a glimpse into the secrets that lie beneath the surface of the seemingly tranquil town.

From the outset, Knightly captivates with her engaging prose and well-crafted characters. The protagonist's journey of discovery is both relatable and compelling, making it easy to become invested in her story. The descriptions of the town are lush and detailed.

The pacing is swift, making for a light read. There are hints of greater mysteries to come, and so I am excited for the next book.

Overall, "Secrets Ever Green" is a charming start to a new series with potential. It’s a book that offers a delightful escape. I look forward to seeing how the story and characters develop in future installments.

I really enjoyed Secrets ever green by Sara Knightly. It was a tad slow in parts but that didn’t stop my enjoyment. We all now someone like the main character!

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
No spice/YA
4⭐️ Narrator

I had such a fun time reading this book! It was a great coming of age story with cozy mystery vibes.

The FMC was really relatable and so lost in the beginning of the book. I felt very connected to her and it was sad to see inside her mind in the beginning when she feels suffocated and like she has no place in the world. Watching her grow into herself and start to find the place as the book goes on was really great.

The friendship between her and York was great as well. They have a lot of ups and downs and feels like a very realistic teenage friendship.

I normally read romance books, but I really liked the plot of this and couldn’t put it down, I didn’t even realize that there wasn’t a romance plot because there was so much more interesting things going on.

There were so many mysteries and questions I had during the entire book. I couldn’t put it down and listened in one sitting because I needed answers. The ending was the perfect amount of questions answered while still leaving more and setting up book 2 really well.

Overall I loved the book and am definitely gonna be starting the second one immediately because I still need answers!

Summary:
Title: Secrets Ever Green, The Everlight Series, Book 1
Author: Sara Knightly
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Kim Churchill

Ivy Rune is a young girl about to be turned young woman, as she comes to the end of her education. She has studied and trained to become an Arborist, like her father who disappeared into the forest when she was younger, and the results of the exam will determine whether she can inherit her childhood home, or if she has to find another life path. She runs into a man who knew her dad, who her dad had told to safeguard an object when he was alive. Ivy takes this item and finds a thread of clues she follows that opens up her world beyond her little village.

This is a fantastic book 1. It does a great job setting up a world that values nature in an academic sense. It sets up the expected educational path and opportunities, which was a good contrast for how Ivy breaks beyond those normal expectations. And it also injects magic in a way that grows throughout the book as we learn about the world too.

Ivy is also a very likeable character. She's loyal, curious, down-to-earth, and not infallible. One of the things that turn me off really quickly is when a main character sounds too whiny, and I am ever so grateful Ivy does not fall under this category.

Since the book does so much world building, the adventures felt fairly basic for a magical world. At the same time, the path of clues and secrets uncovered did enough to keep me interested. And really, I'm just dying to read book 2.

I am definitely planning to read the second book, so this is something I'd happily recommend to others. I rated it 5 stars.

Audiobook Impressions:
The narrator's voice is that of a young woman, which really matched my impression of the main character. The pacing was great. I don't think I had any negative feedback to give on the audiobook. Definitely worth a listen!