FOREVERMORE by Cindy Miles

Forevermore
Cindy Miles

Rating: A-
Synopsis:
On a misty cliffside, mystery and romance await. . . .

Ivy Calhoun's life has been turned upside down. Her new stepdad has uprooted Ivy and her mom, bringing them to live in an actual castle in the misty Scottish countryside. There are stone-faced servants and shadowy corridors, and the ancient walls seem full of secrets. Ivy is at once frightened and intrigued.

Especially when she meets Logan, a gorgeous, elusive ghost who has haunted the castle grounds for decades. Ivy is immediately drawn to him . . . but Logan is not the only spirit around. Something dark and deadly is afoot, and soon Ivy finds herself in mortal danger.

Is Logan exactly what he seems? Could his mysterious past be tied to Ivy's present? And can Ivy stop herself from falling in love with him?

My thoughts on the book:
I went into Forevermore hoping for a cute and light read, and I was not disappointed. This novel is adorably sweet and touching. The characters are well-developed, the setting is amazing, and the world-building is top-notch. Miles is a wonderful writer, and the prose flowed nicely. The pacing is spot-on, and the plot kept me hooked until the very end. If you're looking for a light, happy, YA Paranormal Romance, then this book is for you. 

Ivy is one of the most likable heroines I've ever read. She's not a brat, but she's strong and tough in her own way. Without the snark and without pushing people away, she shows an inner strength that is lacking in many YA novels. She's selfless and caring, and she fights for what she wants and what she believes in. I truly enjoyed reading from her perspective.

While the secondary characters are well-developed, I wish we could have gotten to know Logan a bit better. I mean I feel like I know who he is in the novel, but I wanted to know a bit about his past, too. I feel like we learned more about Emma, the BFF, than we did about Logan. However, Logan is also a strong character, from what I can tell, and he's not angsty and tortured like so many YA love interests. This was a refreshing change. 

I absolutely loved the setting. I'm obsessed with Scotland, and Miles does an excellent job of describing the Highlands. I felt like I was there! The Scottish Highlands were almost another character in the novel, and I really liked that. Also, Miles' use of the Gaelic language and the description of the accents added to the environment. The world-building is also well-described and easy to understand, and the plot is intriguing. There is a bit of mystery and urgency throughout due to Elizabeth's hatred of Ivy and her subsequent actions. Ivy, unlike most teenagers, turns to adults for help, though. She leaves her family out of it, but she has adult and teenage friends, which I liked. As an only child, too, I can attest that most only children get along with adults as well as they do people their own age, normally. It seemed more realistic that she had friends who were grown-ups, and that she trusted them than it would have for her to handle everything on her own. 

Overall I absolutely adored this book and would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a "feel good" novel that is set in an enchanting place. Forevermore is a great summer read and should not be missed!

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