I have been provided with a review copy of Secrets Ever Green from NetGalley for an impartial review. Awwww this was such a cute story. I was just captivated by everything that was taking place. It was just so easy to get into these characters lives and you just can't help but fall in love with them. I can't wait to see what's next from this author.

Plants, magic, secrets - I was in from the moment I read this book's description!

I didn't know what to expect, but I really liked this book! I liked the occupation system, the build-up to a test, and a big competition. I just assumed this was a romance (because it's most of what I read), but I didn't mind the focus on adventure and magic over Ivy's love life. Though there was a sprinkle of will they/won't they and I'm hoping for Ivy to find some luck in love in the next book!

I knew this was a series before I started (since the title had Everlight #1) so I expected a cliff hanger, but I will say I finished the book feeling like none of my loose ends had been tied up. I was grateful to find a peek at the very end into Castle Ever Dark, and I felt like that gave me the closure I was missing from the last chapter of SEG.

Overall I really enjoyed this, and I'm looking forward to the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Seventeen year old Ivy is the daughter of the towns lead arbourist who passed away many years ago but she doesn’t really understand the trade. However everyone assumes she must be good because of her Father and she doesn’t want anyone besides her friend York to know her secret.

At the start, Ivy is foraging for her classes final test where she needs to find an unusual/spectaculaor plant to showcase her skills . If she can’t find the “right” one, she’s scared everyone will find out her secret, she will be fail the test. This would mean she’d loose her families shop and home which would be given to someone else. During this outing in the woods she meets Nicholas who knew her father. He lives in the woods and says her father told him to give her something if he ever went missing, in trade for a wooden owl. She had believed her father dead since she was 7 so doesn’t know whether to believe what Nicholas tells her. This begins a journey of Ivy questioning what she knows, her home and what she really wants to do with her life.

I read this book within 24 hours and I felt fully immersed in the world and story, making it easy to picture what was happening inside my mind. The ending has me needing to know what happens in the next book!

This book hooked me from the first chapter. It was incredibly descriptive and had beautiful world building. I loved Ivy immediately. This was such a magical and creepy story. I can’t wait for book 2 and to find out what happens!

If you enjoy books from Rachel Griffin and Stephanie Garber and The Secret Garden, you will love this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Portal Publishing for the arc. This book is out now!

I was drawn into reading this book by the concept of a new world, where gardening and carving are key.

I enjoyed the story after the first few chapters. Early on, there was a lot more “telling” than “showing”, as other reviewers have commented. I persisted anyway, and was drawn into Ivy’s world of secrets and discovery. The originality of the plot makes up for this.

The cover clearly lets you know this is to be a series, so I wasn’t completely surprised that the book ends with a cliffhanger. More mystery and intrigue is promised for book 2.

I think this book will suit middle school aged kids, especially those who aren’t hungry for romance.

4 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

The moment I saw the cover and read the blurb, I was instantly intrigued and requested the arc. I'm glad I did! This was a fun, whimsical read. Something about the writing and the whimsical quality of the world reminds me of Once Upon a Broken Heart! The mystery unfolds slowly, and I'm definitely interested in reading book two to see what happens next! And I'd love to walk around in this world, it sounds so charming!

I will say, although the MC is of YA age, the book as a whole reads a bit younger than a lot of YA. I actually think this makes it great for upper middle-grade and younger teens, who often get left out in age categories!

Secrets Ever Green is the first book of The Everlight Series, is a beautiful story about overcoming fears and discovering one’s true passion in life, with an amazing FMC and her path to uncover the secrets her father left behind.

The book was an easy read, the story flows and is really original in the world building. Loved the sense of magic in the air and that is a subtle type of fantasy that almost felt real.

The main plot takes time to develop, I was approaching 80% of the book and still didn’t quite grasp where the mystery was going, so at the end it kind of felt rushed and a little disconnected with all the other situation the main character was experiencing during the whole book.

Regardless of that, I’m still looking forward to book number two and to find out how the new life of the FMC is going to go and how the relationship with the MMC is going to growth.

My rating is 4.5 stars, definitely would recommend this book.

I really enjoyed having the opportunity to read this book. I think it would be perfect for middle school age kids. There’s enough mystery to draw and keep them in. Loved the story. Can’t wait to see what happens in the next one 😊

Secrets Ever Green by Sara Knightly
Published by Portal Publishing
3/5 stars!

The cover of this book is stunning and the description enticed me to read this book. It is based on Ivy who is trying to win her father’s shop, hidden secrets, friendships and magic makes this book easy to get lost in. Secrets Ever Green leaves you with questions and wanting to know more, it is a perfect way to introduce the second book!

There’s quite a lot to unpack in this book and it seemed quite slow to unravel. The Perspective of the Count was unexpected and only lasted for 1 chapter, which made me wonder why the rest of the book wasn’t a duel perspective

Thank you to Sara Knightly, the publisher and NetGalley for this opportunity to read this arc!

I found Secrets Ever Green a captivating story with intriguing twists that kept me guessing until the end. I look forward to learning more about Ivy’s life in the Count’s Castle. I will be recommending this book to my students and adding to my list of personal reading recommendations.

Enchanting fantasy with intrigue and mystery. First book in a new series.

Ivy Rune has one goal, pass her final exam and become an Arborist like her late father. Although, she is not sure she can pass and continue her father’s legacy. As she prepares for the test, she discovers her father’s old journals and wood carvings that have some meaning. Ivy tries to interpret the clues and what she finds is a magical world outside the Count’s forbidden castle. With the help of her friend, York, she has to determine what path she will take.

I felt for Ivy as she conquered her fear of failing. I wanted to give her a big hug and help guide her. I loved the descriptions of the lush forest, the vibrant city Ivy lived in, her horse, and the characters. The story was slow and pulled you in, so you had to keep reading. the book ended at the perfect place for the series to continue. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I would recommend this book for a quick, sweet story. Order your copy today. The book comes out on February 1st.

Thank you to the NetGalley, Portal Publishing, and the author for an advance copy of the e-book.

“Secrets Ever Green by Sara Knightly. I loved this book and totally added it to my favourite series list! The secrets were buried… until clues began to bloom.

I must start off by saying I have just started reading fantasy YA books again after years of only mysteries. I read this story today and couldn’t put it down as I wanted to know what would happen to Ivy and I anxiously wait for book two Castle Ever Dark!

It was a coming of age story, about friendship, and the unknown of becoming an adult, with a little mystery and magic thrown in. I could feel and relate to Ivy's fears as they were portrayed in such a realistic way.

Highly recommend this debut fantasy novel to all my book loving friends, I know I will be adding Sara Knightly to my favorite author list.

I requested and received an advance readers copy from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley for the ARC of Secrets Ever Green. All opinions are my own.

Arborists, secret garden and found family❤️
This story was captivating and I finished it in one day. The story started off quickly and had me intrigued from the start.

Where this fell off a bit was during the last half when I was hoping I was given so many answers to my burning questions! This book ended not revealing very much about all the questions and turns I was so craving.

This is a series but I want to know the answers now. I think maybe the first and second books could be combined to give the reader some more answers but I will be reading the second because I want to see this story play out.

First, thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC! I am very new to the fantasy genre. I really enjoyed this book. I felt it started a little slow but quickly picked up pace. Ivy was such a stubborn but fierce female character. I felt so bad for her knowing she had no family and was left trying to fill the shoes in a career she didn't want. I couldn't imagine having to do that. I felt she wasn't given much of a chance since everyone just assumed she was like her dad and she had to go along with it. I have so many questions when it comes to the plant she picked. Did Nicholas lie? Did someone change the plant so she wouldn't pass? So many questions! Then there is York! The best friend who wants more. Uh, I saw that coming and I felt awful for him. To like someone and they not like you back the same way is so rough. At some points he was a little frustrating but I understood as the book went on. I really want to know what happened with York's hands and I hope we find out more in book 2! Will Ivy get to see him later?? I couldn't stand Percy or Bryn and I hope they get what they deserve. I look forward to book 2!

I’ll start off with I am excited for the second book to come out! This book follows Ivy as she is preparing for an entrance exam into her career as an arborist. Her father died when she was a child, and now she is planning to take on where he left off. She discovers some interesting things outside of her idyllic town of Windermere, and these start to open up tons of other questions for her.

I really like how the fantasy aspects are woven in to the story and how Ivy’s character grows throughout the book. The world building was great, followed by some fun plot twists and a great cliffhanger at the end. I would have liked more explanation to the fantasy aspect in this book instead of it still remaining a mystery, but I understand this is a part of a series so I can’t wait to find out more!

Thank you NetGalley for sending me the advanced copy of Secrets Ever Green by Sara Knightly! This is a phenomenal coming of age story, full of mystery, and excitement! I could not put this book down, or stop thinking about it. Ivy's story so far is one that will keep any reader on their toes. In addition, Ivy's fears are captured and communicated so well. I laughed, and cried, and was entirely entranced in this read!

Ivy lost her parents and is now trying to follow in her father's footsteps to become an Arborist. The trade does not come easy to her and she must pass a final test to be able to move back into her childhood home and fathers store.

While studying and preparing she meets someone unexpectedly and is thrown into a mystery with clues, left by her father, leading her into a magical and secret world.

This book was fun and never had a dull moment! The characters were likable, the story was fast paced and it left off with a series to look forward to and much more mysteries to uncover. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book and seeing what is in store for Ivy and her friends!

This gave me hunger games vibes with all the tournaments.
loved ivy and York …ivy is also too stubborn and wanted to meet Nicholas but York was upset. I felt bad for York .
Such a magical read !!

Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book and I had to dnf it after struggling to reach 50%.
The writing was very juvenile as if it was aimed towards 10-13 year old's while the main character was 17. Ivy didn't act like someone becoming an adult with the possibility of having to move out to live on her own in just few weeks. I would have believed you if you told me she was 12. Her obsession with being bad at arbory is annoying when she refuses to open a book the whole time and try to learn. The backstory of her dad going missing and forest and fern is honestly just unbelievable and clearly not something that could happen. The "tension" between Ivy and her friend York felt very forced, it is okay to have a book without any romance in it, you don't have to force something that is not there.
Maybe a young reader would enjoy this book but probably not anyone over the age of 13.

“I’d been drowning for years; only now did I see that.”

“Secrets Ever Green,” by Sara Knightly

Ivy wants nothing but to pass the Arborist exam and take over the Arborist shop that her father owned before his death. Unfortunately, she is not a natural Arborist and isn’t sure how she will pass. She starts to find mysterious clues left by her father for her to find the secrets that are being kept from the townspeople.

I really liked this book. Once I started reading, I could not put it down, it is a slower paced book but wasn’t boring. My favorite part is the MC, Ivy, is terrible at almost everything. She has a lot of obvious flaws that don’t see in many main characters like how she thinks the entire time that she’s going to pass the test despite admitting dozens of times how bad at plant knowledge she is. By the end of the book, I knew that I have to read the second book when it gets released, it ended at such a good spot, and I have a feeling the second book will end up being even better. 5 out of 5 stars, so good.

-Mystery
-Magic
-Orphan
-Found Family
-Plants/Botany