Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

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.


I am not sure where I want to start with this novel, er, yeah.  I thought the novel, plot wise, started out strong, just the way I like it. I'm an English teacher and I spend a lot of time with Poe, (after reading this novel my students are so going to be doing an author bio on dead, creepy, mentally unstable authors.) so that excited me. I loved how the Red Death was worked into it. (again, my English students may get their wits scared out of them come Halloween) However, somewhere in the middle, it dragged for me because I did not know what was going on in the dream world. I guess the biggest question is why did Varen involve Izzy if he could have helped it? Maybe there is a strong reason and I missed it, but by the end, I wasn't as attached.

The main characters run the trend "Super popular girl falls for social outcast and is shunned" Now don't get me wrong. I like this, but if you are someone who does not like this trend, this book is not for you. But the one thing that is good about this trend, is that it tell students now to pass someone by because they are not in the "in" crowd.

Varen, is our leading male, who is our distant leading male. And like The Ghost and The Goth, the cover does not due him justice, in fact, the guy on the cover, with those eyes, makes me want to turn the book upside down when I'm sleeping. I wonder if that was what they were going for?

Izzy and Varen fall for each other and I just looked up that there will be a sequel so it's not over. I did think that if the author were to have ended the series, that it would have been a painful ending, one with longing. How often do we have that in a story? Someone dies, always, but not our leading characters.

Overall, I thought this was rich with Poe, could have the potential in the dream world to be somewhat on the horror side, and I will be picking up the sequel.