Re-Review--The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber

 

Not every love is meant to be.

After Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, betrays her, Evangeline Fox swears she'll never trust him again. Now that she’s discovered her own magic, Evangeline believes she can use it to restore the chance at happily ever after that Jacks stole away.

But when a new terrifying curse is revealed, Evangeline finds herself entering into a tenuous partnership with the Prince of Hearts again. Only this time, the rules have changed. Jacks isn’t the only force Evangeline needs to be wary of. In fact, he might be the only one she can trust, despite her desire to despise him.

Instead of a love spell wreaking havoc on Evangeline’s life, a murderous spell has been cast. To break it, Evangeline and Jacks will have to do battle with old friends, new foes, and a magic that plays with heads and hearts. Evangeline has always trusted her heart, but this time she’s not sure she can...

 

 

 

I just realized as I was about to write this mish mash of thoughts on my recent re-read of The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber that I forgot to update my currently reading box! Welp! That happens every once in awhile and now here I add it mainly just to have the books in place since I am now not reading a thing until I get my hands on A Curse for True Love! There's a strong desire to wait until Tuesday to buy all my copies, but I would definitely buy at least one now if any of my B&N's had them out. But alas, I will have to go stir crazy the next few days and hoo boy, am I going stir crazy already!

I love love love that Stephanie picks up almost immediately where she left off with Once Upon a Broken Heart. At most a day or two has passed but not much has changed for Evangeline, except now she knows Jacks lied to her about...quite a bit. He poisoned Apollo but there's a way to cure him, if she would open the Valory Arch, she could find her cure and he can get what he's always wanted. But in order to do that she must find the missing stones that would open the arch. Evangeline is hard pressed to do anything that Jacks wants, once bitten and all. 

But soon she will find she has no choice for a new curse has taken place on Apollo. While he is up and mobile once more he and Evangeline are under the Archer's curse. The Ballad of the Archer and the Fox is a one of the fairy tales Evangeline grew up on, but no one ever knows how it truly ends. In it, the Archer is fated to hunt for a fox who is really his true love in disguise. So Apollo is fated to hunt Evangeline down...except the second curse that is upon Apollo is the Mirror Curse. Whatever injury befalls Evangeline (or Apollo) will be inflicted upon the other.

To break the curse, Evangeline will be forced to work with Jacks once more.

Oh how I loved this book! Having finished it once more, I am now left with the same chaotic whirlwind of thoughts because whoa! Was that ending something! Holy cats! And I'm also left wondering about some of the other side characters who only popped up briefly and wondering if we will see them again! Like I can't help but wonder if they will continue to play a role in the story and guide Evangeline on her journey.

And oh my goodness, I forgot how intense this story got between Jacks and Evangeline! Like OOOOOOmigosh! I am definitely going to be waiting at the door at B&N come Tuesday. Jacks and Evangeline have what you would call a complicated relationship. Jacks is a Fate, he's devious, he's untrustworthy...and yet he has an untold story of his own. While we don't get that "full" story, we do get bits and pieces that soon form a larger picture and it is certainly eye-opening. I am so desperately eager to get my hands on this finale because there are so many unknowns waiting for us!

Most readers fear the second book of a trilogy, feeling like it's very "middle" book. Stephanie has always blown that idea out of the water! The second book is only the second part of the larger story and I ate up these pages! I had intended to pace myself and yet here I finished it early! While I would berate myself, my weekend is pretty busy so it might be for the best, but I am now anxiously waiting for that final book one day sooner too! Lol.

If you're looking for a book that is pure magic and captures the essence of fairy tales and true love, and all those wonderful kinds of things you get from fantastic stories then this is the series for you! This series is a new kind of magic that stems from Caraval but stands completely on its own as well. It's about love and second chances, and of course, magic!

Overall Rating 5/5 stars