Everlasting by Angie Frazier

Release Date: June 1, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 336
Review Source: Library

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Sailing aboard her father’s trade ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a girl of society in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: marry a man she doesn’t love, or condemn herself and her father to poverty.

On her final voyage before the wedding, the stormy arms of the Tasman Sea claim her father, and a terrible family secret is revealed. A secret intertwined with a fabled map, the mother Camille has long believed dead, and an ancient stone that wields a dangerous—and alluring—magic.

The only person Camille can depend on is Oscar, a handsome young sailor whom she is undeniably drawn to. Torn between trusting her instincts and keeping her promises to her father, Camille embarks on a perilous quest into the Australian wilderness to find the enchanted stone. As she and Oscar elude murderous bushrangers and unravel Camille’s father’s lies, they come closer to making the ultimate decision of who—and what—matters most.

Beautifully written and feverishly paced, Everlasting is an unforgettable journey of passion, secrecy, and adventure.

My Thoughts:
I have a bit of a case of mixed feelings toward this one. I really loved the main character, Camille, and the chemistry between her and Oscar, especially at the beginning, was amazing. I even loved the magical adventure aspect of it, though I wish there were more background on what exactly Umandu was. I was really enjoying the book, but then the tone of it, or at least the speed of it, seemed to change. I kept getting closer to the end of the book and thinking "how are all these plot lines going to get resolved??". It turns out that there's a sequel to this book, which explains some of that away, except... all within the last 50 pages or so the big adventure gets wrapped up, when I felt like it was barely starting. I guess I feel sad because there was so much potential for the last part of the journey to be a book all by itself.

Again, I feel conflicted. I wish the last part of the book had been at a slower pace, because the treasure hunt feel of searching for Umandu was really enjoyable. I loved the characters and the adventure, but it just seemed like it was over with so quickly. I would definitely recommend this to fans of historical YA, especially those who like a light brush of fantasy in their reading. I feel like this was a worthwhile read because despite my issues with the pacing of the book, I'm almost positive that I will be reading Book 2. Camille is a lovely character, and her determination and passion made this a very enjoyable read over all.

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