Thanks to NetGalley and Portal Publishing for the advance listeners' copy.

It's okay as a ya fantasy, but it all felt like one big prologue to a larger book. Most of the plot that was in the summary happens at the very end. And some characters weren't as fully fleshed out like I expected them to be. Nicholas serves his role as the one to start Ivy off on her journey into her father's secrets, I expected to see more off him... but we don't really hear from him after that. There were other teens Ivy's age that really existed to move the plot forward, and were also just dropped as soon as they did so. I'm not expecting them to be her new sidekick or anything, just a more well-rounded character. The other thing that stuck out was the one chapter near the end that's not in Ivy's pov. I've seen other books do this same thing but better executed than this, it just feels unnecessary. On the plus side, I loved the worldbuilding here, the society based on trades is interesting, and I want to know more about the magic system in place.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6628569365

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/f145e5ac-42ec-4130-8fe9-03bc5a959037

Check out this review of Secrets Ever Green on Fable. https://fable.co/review/89c53748-6459-4713-9c8e-e25528ae3e26/share

I really enjoyed Secrets ever green by Sara Knightly. It was a tad slow in parts but that didn’t stop my enjoyment. We all now someone like the main character!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to listen to this audio version in return for my honest opinion.

Secrets Ever Green is the tale of Ivy, we meet her as she prepares for her final exam. In this case we aren't looking your average senior levels, Ivy is working towards becoming an Arborist. We learn her late father is her motivation for this pathway. The only problem with this? She's just not good at being an Arborist- eek.

In the meantime, Ivy stumbles upon clues left from her father leading her to believe there are some big secrets in this sleepy little town. This sparks the mystery and adventure section of this book.

What I struggled with was the structure of this book. Everything felt like it was being explained after the fact rather than living in the moment. With that said, I still listened to it straight through today while doing chores- so it obviously held my attention.
VERY YA, zero spice, almost no violence, this seems geared toward a crowd of 12-16 year olds.

Sara Knightly’s "Secrets Ever Green" embarks readers on an intriguing journey into a world brimming with mystery and charm. As the first installment of a promising series, it introduces us to a vivid and enchanting setting, offering a glimpse into the secrets that lie beneath the surface of the seemingly tranquil town.

From the outset, Knightly captivates with her engaging prose and well-crafted characters. The protagonist's journey of discovery is both relatable and compelling, making it easy to become invested in her story. The descriptions of the town are lush and detailed.

The pacing is swift, making for a light read. There are hints of greater mysteries to come, and so I am excited for the next book.

Overall, "Secrets Ever Green" is a charming start to a new series with potential. It’s a book that offers a delightful escape. I look forward to seeing how the story and characters develop in future installments.

The book was okay. It did not hold my interest as much as I wished. The main character seemed whiny and insecure, and the plot was not engaging. I did not like the ending and do not think I would read the next book. The narrator was very good though.

"Secrets Ever Green" is an enjoyable YA fantasy with a main character who is a bit frustrating at times due to her youth. Ivy Rune is trying to understand what happened to her father when he disappeared years before, especially as she is coming into a crucial new phase of her life, where she's expected to assume her father's position in society. However, she feels extremely ill-equipped and ill-prepared to do so.

Her best friend York is also wrapped up in his own problems with an unstable home life and a major test of his skills that will affect the entire direction of his future. So, it's hard to rely on him much.

As the story progresses, we're introduced to a mystery that Ivy needs to unravel, but it seems like every decision she makes only leads her farther away from the home and village she loves. The question is, is that a good thing or not?

I truly enjoyed how the village people were depicted. For the most part, they were supportive of Ivy and stood in as her surrogate family, even offering her food and shelter when the only parent she knew disappeared when she was only seven years old. The themes of family are explored in the various family structures we see here and a light is shone on the ones that are healthy versus the ones that are not.

Being a YA fantasy, of course, there's a bit of a cliffhanger. The story is not fully wrapped up in this one book. So I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in the series when it's available!

Thank you to Sara Knightly, Portal Publishing and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Ivy Rune is on a journey to follow in her late father’s footsteps and become an Arborist, or so she thought. When she begins to find hidden clues, everything she thought she knew about her father’s quiet life begins to unravel.

This book beautifully sets the stage for what we can expect in book two while also being an enjoyable and entertaining read on its own. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions for Ivy, and we, the readers, are riding along with her.

There is so much to explore in book 2, Castle Ever Dark! I cannot wait for its release. Get started on the journey and add this to your TBR.

4.25/5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for the Audio ARC of Secrets Ever Green by Sara Knightly. #NetGalley #SecretsEverGreen

The following is a review of Secrets Ever Green from Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op.

Overall I would give this a 4/5. I was intrigued by the story and thought the narrator did a great job. I genuinely want to read the next book(s) in the series.

Spoiler warning:

Overall I thought the characters were interesting thought a bit predictable. So much could have been avoided if the MC communicated better. I do understand and appreciate the feeling of trying to follow in someone’s footsteps or do a career that isn’t your calling but feel pressured into.

I liked that the story didn’t feel too predictable. I found myself making guesses as to what would happen next and for the most part, I wasn’t correct which is refreshing.

One frustration I had was that we were introduced to a secret garden but so little happened with it. Yes, I understand that there will be more books that will detail what the secret garden is, etc., but I felt like the story took a turn and I wanted to know more about the garden and her/her family’s involvement.

I ended up finishing the audiobook within 36 hours so I did enjoy it, but I very much want more and am bummed to have to wait for more information. In a way, this story felt like a lot of setup. That being said the story took turns I wasn’t expecting.

Shared on Goodreads on 6/27/24:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6615088658
Amazon review:
https://www.amazon.com/review/R1PJDUM7L1HNSO/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The world building is consistent throughout and is so easy to follow and clearly imagine. I was surprised at how absorbed I was and just couldn't get myself to 'put it down'.

At first I didn't particularly like Ivy, an arborist student following in her late father's footsteps, who however, is unsure of what she wants in life. However, she quickly grew on me and I was completely invested in her journey and future. Being YA there were some aspects that I did think were immature but keeping the genre in mind they're easy to overlook (ex. York and Ivy avoiding each other for absurd reasons - but again, this fits with the intended audience).
The story kept me engaged and interested. There are still quite a few things that need to be explained and I'm hoping this is done in detail in book 2. I cannot wait to read it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for this honest review.

I received the audiobook version of this, and it was a quick and cozy listen. This book was very easy to follow along with the story, and it was not too complicated. The world building was simple and I am hoping that this gets expanded on in the next book.

I am a bit confused as to why Nicholas was introduced, he messed with the FMC's life a bit, disappeared, and never showed back up. I get why it was important to introduce him to get the ball rolling, but I feel like it would have made more sense story wise to have him make another guest appearance and explain a thing or two. There are still a lot of things that were not quite explained, so I still have a lot of questions.

York was also an okay character, he was a good friend at times, until he, you know, disappeared when he got a little jealous, even though Ivy really needed him.

I am very interested to see where the next book leads.

Thank you to Sara Knightly, Portal Publishing, and Netgalley for the audiobook.

Secrets Ever Green is a fantastic start to a fast paced fantasy series. I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for the second one! Ivy is studying to become an arborist like her late father. As the fears and doubts mount up, she meets a mysterious man in the woods. Telling her her father has left her one last secret, Ivy is determined to find out what it is. Work factions, magical trees, secrets, mysteries, best friend potential romance, this book has it all! I could not put it down! I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in trade for my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.
YouTube Review: 07/10/24
YouTube Handle: KeenCat