Beautiful.

The only word I could think of when I tried to come up with something to say about Evergreen was beautiful.

Well, obvoiusly there are other words, but beautiful sums up everything in this book perfectly. The language, the characters, the story and the overall bitter sweet atmosphere and small glipses of joy in it, were all written with such tenderness, the whole book felt like a warm hug.

Ah, and the young love ♡ Some things in life you just wish you could experience again for the first time, like the first love or the first kiss, but luckily there are books like Evergreen for reliving those moments. Just beautiful.

I loved Evergreen so much! Evergreen is a YA M/M romance with a few questionable decisions that definitely fit into the young adult category. I had such a fun time reading about their romance and about the magical world inside of a little apartment. The ending had me on the edge of my seat, and I loved the twists and turns! I will definitely be keeping up with the author's new books :)

Quill is his family’s only son. Ever. Dryads have always been grandmothers, mothers, and daughters, but never sons, until Quill. Maybe it’s because Quill’s father is human? Not that it matters. What does matter is the fact that Quill, who hasn’t come into his magic yet, is locked away like a princess in a tower, forbidden from leaving the safety of his mother’s home and the shop where he works, forbidden from meeting humans, going to school, or having friends because it isn’t safe. Until Quill has the ability to protect himself, he’s stuck.

Not that Quill minds. He loves his mother, loves his sister, and loves being in the garden. But when a human tries to break into his room one night, Quill is torn between fascination and fear. Fascination, because the boy — not much older than his own seventeen years — is handsome, charming, and lives in the apartment next door, and fear, because someone has broken into the garden full of magical plants.

Damaging the garden is damaging his mother; his grandmothers are in there, their trees a gnarled grove of protection, knowledge, and love. There are plants there that grow nowhere else in the world, plants that are extinct outside his mother’s garden. There are plants that can kill, or cure any disease, or take away a memory, and fruits found nowhere in the world. And Quill can’t let his mother know it’s in danger. If he tells her about Liam, the boy next door, she’ll whisk them away to safety and he’ll never have a chance to know what it’s like to be … normal.

Evergreen is a well written young adult story with an engaging main character. Quill, for all that he’s going through a spurt of rebellion, isn’t angry or angsty. He’s lonely and bored and eager to see what life has for him. His sister is a magical prodigy and he is both amazed by her and loves her. There’s no jealousy for him, no bitter envy eating at his heart. Likewise, he adores his mother and, for all that he’s keeping secrets from her, she’s also the person he turns to when he’s frightened, knowing she will always be there for him.

For all that the story is seen purely through Quill’s eyes, and the interactions are limited thanks to the book’s focus on the growing relationship between Quill and Liam, I got a very good sense of Quill’s bond with his family by the way he spoke and thought about them, and the fact that many actions he took were to protect them. Quill is a bright, open-hearted, and open-minded young man who just wants to be a teenager like other teenagers. When he and Liam go grocery shopping, Quill — a vegan by necessity, being a dryad — makes no comment, thought, or reaction to Liam having his own food. He’s not judgmental and, honestly, I found him to be the best part of the book.

Liam is the first human Quill’s interacted with, and the first other boy. Quill doesn’t know if he’s gay, pan, or straight; he’s never given it any thought, but he’s not adverse to Liam’s flirting, even if he’s uncertain and shy. And Lima, to his credit, backs off. He still flirts, but he makes it more clear when he’s flirting, makes certain to check in with Quill, who he thinks is homeschooled and sheltered. When Quill mentions that too many people are making him uncomfortable, Liam takes him somewhere quieter.

Liam is in an awkward place as a character because he is made to do an action for the sake of the plot, but he does it driven by character motivations, and he isn’t just forgiven because he did a terrible thing for good reasons. His friendship and growing romance with Quill are sweet, and feel very sincere. As a romance, this book worked for me, but as a story, I wasn’t a giant fan of the ending.

I don’t want to spoil the ending, and I think the story grew naturally based upon the actions and motivations of all the characters involved, but it felt like the ending threw away something important without giving the characters time to react to it, and Quill, who cares so deeply about his family, gave the events a shrug and moved on with his life.

So for me, while this is a fun romance with enjoyable characters, it left me with a slightly unaffordable impression based on upon how the ending was handled. Because it’s such an open ending, other people may have very different reactions to it, and if you give this book a try, I honestly hope you enjoy it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read this book! READ THIS BOOK! It is such a great story about a Dryad who risks it all for Love

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review**

A young dryad (Quill), restricted to his house by his overprotective Mum, meets his neighbour (Liam) for the first time and starts to break every rule his Mum had set for him... with some predictacble (and some not-so-predictable) consequences.

This was a cute coming-of-age read with a queer romance and some fantasy themes (magic / myths) thrown in for good measure. I think the kids at school will really like it.

Evergreen is such a fresh and clever take on a Rapunzel retelling. I found the story to have the right touch of magic and nods towards the original tale with its own unique spin. The characters were enjoyable and I really liked the romance between the two MCs.

I could see a lot of potential in this book. It was an entertaining read, the initial concept of a magical garden and dryads was great, however I had some trouble connecting with the plot at first. Some of the dialogue and scenes started to feel repetitive and annoying.

I think the author did a great job creating Quill; I somehow feel attached to him and his personality, but it also made me angry because he was so naive.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled: Teen for the ARC!

"Evergreen" by Devin Greenlee presents an urban fantasy premise with the potential for a captivating story. The concept of the book has a lot of potential by following a dryad family running a floral shop and caring for a magical garden. I also liked the LGBTQIA+ representation in the book. The writing, however, is a bit underdeveloped and has more of a juvenile style. I think this book would work really well with younger YA readers as the book is quite fast-paced with short chapters, though some parts of the book were repetitive and rushed.

I liked the romance aspect of the book and how that was explored; the main focus of the book is the romance, and it was developed well by actually having the characters getting to know each other and going on dates rather than there being insta-love or just following in love in a single week. Quill’s character could have been developed more, and I wish I liked the love interest more (that could be because some of his dialogue was a bit cringey).

Despite some of these shortcomings, I do believe "Evergreen" is a solid debut, particularly with blending romance and fun fantasy elements. The main mystery could have been developed more with more of a focus on the plot.

All in all, while "Evergreen" presents a unique and promising premise, its execution falls a little short due to issues with writing quality, repetitive scenes, and a lack of character depth. I did still really enjoy the romance and the plot, so I would recommend this book to younger readers, maybe those who wanted to see more gay romances in the YA category. I think it would actually work well in a 9th/10th grade or maybe even middle school classroom/library. I would give this book 3.5 stars.

Devin Greenlee's "Evergreen" takes a truly unique journey into the fantasy world with her tale of a dryad family living amongst humans. These particular dryads have magical abilities that are unique to each member of the family. I loved the concept of the lone outlier in the family being the rare/unknown to happen before male member of the family and him just not feeling like he fit in. So often it is a female main character that has to prove themselves in some way, so Greenlee's take was intriguing. The story's twist was a bit of a shock, but it also seemed to be "resolved" just a bit too quickly for my taste.

So much of this story felt rushed - I would have loved to get a bit more character development for Quill, Liam and Quill's sister. They were pushed together so quickly that the reader doesn't get the chance to learn who they are as individuals before they have to be thrust together for the purpose of moving the plot ahead.

If Greenlee were to take this back to the writing desk and flesh out more of the world and the details that make the characters who they are as individuals and bring it back to the readers, we'd probably all love to give it another chance because the potential for greatness is there, but unrealized.

If you want just a quick, fun fantasy read, I'd say go for it, but if you're hoping for more world building and depth, this isn't the book for you.

3.5 stars

YA ROMANTASY. M/M.

This book was pretty fast paced, and I loved the banter between Quill and Liam, and the progression of their relationship. The build up of the book, and the story were nicely put together for a debut novel. I do feel the end was a little rushed once things shifted, and that a more fantasy heavy reader may not enjoy as much.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the eARC.

Devin Greenlee makes his writing debut with Evergreen and I'm excited to see where he goes from here. The book has a fun premise - a dryad family protecting a secret ancient garden while running a flower shop that doubles as a maybe magical curatives dealer? Then make it queer? Sold.

Quill is a half-human half-dryad, segregated from the outside world by his mother until she decides he's "ready." He's the first male dryad ever, stuck helping in the family's garden and away from all of the excitement of the city outside his window. At least, until his neighbor encounters him on their shared fire escape. Where Quill is all nature, Liam is technology and electronics and modernity - and Quill can't get enough. But could Liam be the reason that the family's garden - the very thing that keeps them alive - is warping and changing?

The premise is such an interesting one! Even Quill, with his vaguely Rapunzel-like story and being the first male Dryad ever, is an interesting idea. The problem is that... nothing ever really comes of it in any remarkable way. Why is he the first male dryad? Is that at all important?
Liam was... meh, as far as LIs go. There was a big reveal toward the 75% mark of the book that ended up being hand waved away with regard to him that honestly just kind of baffled me and completely detracted from the ending. It was difficult to really bond with any of the characters: no one was sufficiently developed to the point that I felt attached to them.
Even the ending itself was just kind of fine. I wish it had gotten reworked and fleshed out a bit more - I think I flipped back in my ARC a few times to make sure I hadn't accidentally skipped a chapter or two because I couldn't understand why we had jumped from one point to the next.

So, overall, this was a promising premise, but a disappointing execution.

I found this book to warm my heart in so many ways. The story reminded me that the heart loves who the heart wants to love. Love is pure. Love knows no boundaries and to fully love, you have to have trust-not just in the other person, but yourself. Evergreen is also about the love of family. Just all the right pieces for the perfect book! Evergreen will just make you...happy and to have that seed of faith that love is really truly kind!

Thank you, Devin Greenlee, for writing such a heart-warming book and to @entangled_publishing for sharing Devin Greenlee 's work.

Evergreen is the debut of Devin Greenlee. I was drawn to this book because of it's stunning cover and after reading the synopsis I was wondering what this LGBTQ+ fantasy romance book would bring to its readers. What will Devin Greenlee have in store? Will this debut be a succes?

"Trapped for sixteen years. What's a thousand more?"

The book starts of quite easisy. This ensures you really have time to get to know Quill a bit. In addition, the introduction of Liam also goes slow paced making the character development really well present in this debut. Both Quill and Liam are easy going, but also like adventures. I think they are really cute together.

Devin Greenlee has a nice writing style. He knows how to draw the reader into the story. Sometimes it even felt like this book was more of a movie and I think this book could easily be made into one due to the writing style and storyline. I didn't at all feel like this book was a debut, since the story is written really well.

In the end of the story there is a major twist, which in my opinion could have been introduced sooner. It really changes the storyline and I would have loved to have a little more hints to this twists throughout the story, since the fantasy part (exept for the dryads) really comes late in this story making it more of a romance book. Overall I really enjoyed reading Evergreen. Therefore I am giving it a 4 star rating.

The book exhibits exceptional writing, featuring a captivating and dynamic plot. Devin skillfully weaves a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. Particularly noteworthy are the interactions between the characters: Quill and Liam, which add depth and nuance to the storyline. Overall, the novel demonstrates a commendable level of craftsmanship and storytelling prowess. A cozy read!

En bref, j'étais curieuse de découvrir cette histoire entre sa superbe couverture et son résumé intrigant. Si j'ai apprécié dans l'ensemble le monde créé par l'auteur et ses personnages, j'ai eu un peu plus de mal avec l'intrigue et son rythme erratique. Soit ça va trop lentement, soit ça va trop vite et ça a eu tendance à me frustrer parfois. J'ai par contre beaucoup aimé Quill et Liam, ils sont tous les deux touchants et attachants et on ne peut que sourire en les voyant tomber amoureux. Le final est très (trop) rapide mais on a les réponses à nos questions. Sympathique mais oubliable...

A solid queer fantasy romance.

It follows the story of Quill as he struggles with family issues and who he is. He is the first male dryad and seems to have no powers.

It is a bit predictable- as are most fantasy books. He comes to find out he has powers, the entire thing happens in a course of about 2 weeks (less if you don't include the epilogue), he gets the guy. The whole lot. That being said, it was an enjoyable and easy read.

This was a REALLY fun YA M/M opposites attract fantasy romance that sees the first male dryad falling for a guy in the nonmagical 'real world.' Sweet with great banter and perfect for fans of books like Belladonna. I enjoyed this one a lot and look forward to more from Devin Greenlee! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This coming of age queer romance is a unique urban reimagining of the Secret Garden! Quill is a 17 year old dryad who live in an apartment with his mother (sister lives upstairs) and works in their extensive hidden magical garden and floral shop. As the only male dryad to exist ever, Quill is forbidden to attend school or leave the apartment or garden. Quill’s cravings for normalcy are fueled when a new neighbor lands on his fire escape one evening. Liam is more than willing to help expand Quill’s life by inviting him out of the apartment for a series of fun adventures; movies, restaurants, small gatherings, and a swim date. However, as Quill continues to explore the outside world, danger grows inside the family’s garden threatening to end their connection to magic. Full of longing, suspense, exploring one’s identity, I found Everygreen to be the perfect mix of young adult magical fun. Quill and Liam’s budding romance was perfectly written; I especially enjoyed the way they each expanded one another’s views!

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for this e-arc!

I enjoyed the premise of this book; it reminded me of a cozy cottage core romance novel. Admittedly, some of the scenes came off as a bit repetitive; to avoid spoilers, I will just say that some scenes between Quill and Liam felt like I'd read them before. But the characters are well-written, well-developed, and showcase what I believe to be a good representation of LGBTQ+ characterization.

I love the idea of the family business though, and I believe my students would enjoy the concept of a half-human-half-dryad green eyed, green haired main character. I think my students could relate to Quill's desire to experience something new, and to experience a 'normal' life in the 'normal' world.

I think I would recommend this to my lower-level readers, or readers looking for a vacation novel. I don't think my higher level students would enjoy this; the writing and plot feel a bit basic, This is absolutely no hate to the author; the premise and concept of the book are wonderful and fresh. It's been a while since I've read a new idea within the young adult world, and it's been even longer since I've read a good representation of LGBTQ+ characters.

Thank you Entangled Teen for sending me the pre-approved widget for this title!

Unfortunately, this title just wasn't for me and I had to DNF at 57%. While normally I enjoy YA titles, this one definitely was written for a younger audience in mind, so it's a perfect easy urban fantasy for pre-teens and up.

This book is beautifully well written. It's a sweet tale of coming of age, self discovery, and LGBTQIA+ representation. It is a book that, if i had pre-teens/teens in the house, I would be very proud to have in my library for them.