review: Nevermore

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
Published: Atheneum (August 31, 2010)
Pages: 543
Source: Borrowed from library

From Goodreads:

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game.

Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind.

Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it

My thoughts:  Nevermore was a fast-paced paranormal romance combined with a literary twist. Creagh has taken the "good girl meets bad boy" plot and thrown in the prose and poetry of Mr. Edgar Allan Poe. Her female protagonist, Isobel, seems to have it all--a tight group of friends, a top spot on the cheerleading squad and a hot boyfriend. Her counterpart, goth boy Varen Nethers has his job at the ice cream parlor, the friendship of Bruce (the grumpy owner of said ice cream parlor) and some very dark secrets. As Kelly learns more about him, the further she is pulled in to his secrets.

The item that really makes Creagh's book stand out is her inclusion of Poe's work. It's not a retelling, nor our her characters based on his work. Poe's work creates the backdrop to Varen's Underworld, where Isobel and Varen collide with Poe's creatures.
I'm a Poe fan and I believe that Creagh has really given her YA paranormal a great twist. His dark works make a perfect setting for Varen and the author created a unique balance in Isobel. Isobel seems to have be happy with her life, but finds herself searching for what she never new was missing.

Nevermore was a great thriller, although at times I felt like scenes and story lines were moving along too quickly and leaving gaps in the story. The cover was gorgeous as well, with some of Poe's work embossed across the front. A recommend for those who enjoy romance and paranormal stories.