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A review by lilygrace1639
The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
STEPHANIE GARBER HOW COULD YOU ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ I'm sobbing, my heart is in pieces. Did not expect that or anything remotely close to that to happen. I'm screaming, I liked the first book, but this book I just don't have the words.
Anyways, here are some of my favourite quotes!
"Jacks spoke softly. 'I understand if you're upset-'
'If,' Evangeline cut in. 'You poisoned my husband!'
Jacks lifted his shoulders in an insouciant shrug. 'I didn't kill him'" -pg10
"'Do you kiss the prince because you actually enjoy it?' Jacks asked. 'Or is it because you honestly think it will magically revive him?'
'Maybe I do it because I know it will annoy you,' Evangeline answered archly.
Jacks flashed a smile that was far more wicked than welcoming. 'Glad to know you're thinking about me when you kiss your husband.'
Heat flushed her cheeks. 'I'm not thinking nice things.'"
'Even better.' - pg39
"'I hurt everyone, Little Fox. But you have to be alive to hate me.' His eyes iced over. 'I do not want you dead, and I'll kill anyone who tries'" - pg45
"'Careful,' Jacks drawled. 'You're not looking at me as if you hate me right now'" - pg84
"'Jump!' Jacks yelled. Out of nowhere, he was suddenly right beside her.
'I can't swim,' she cried.
'Then hold on.' He wrapped a strong arm around her waist, and together they fell." - pg104
"'You talk in your sleep,' he drawled. ' You said my name - a lot.'
Evangeline a rush of heat crawl up her neck. 'Obviously, I was having a nightmare.'
'It didn't look that way to me, Little Fox, and I was here all night.'
...
'Don't fret, I won't tell your husband that you're obsessed with me.'" - pg111&112
"'Unlock it,' Jacks ordered.
Evangeline bristled. 'You could at least say please.'
'I could, but then you might think I'm being nice, and I would hate to confuse you.'" - pg118
"'But I thought you could die?' Evangeline asked.
'Why? Planning on murdering me?' Jacks's eyes glittered.
Chaos speared him with a glare. 'Don't tempt her.'
'Relax.' Jacks toyed with one of the shackles dangling from the arm of the chair. 'I gave her the chance to stab me once, but even then she wouldn't do it.'
'And I'll forever regret that,'" - pg122
"'You want me to bring her back?'
'No,' Evangeline replied. But it was too quick.
A smile tugged at the corner of Jacks's mouth. 'Jealous, Little Fox?'" - pg158
"'Wait.' Jacks jumped up from his seat and grabbed her arm. 'What's this?'
She tried to pull away, but Jacks's nimble fingers were quick. He shoved up the egde of her sleeve to reveal one arm of Apollo's crudely carved words. I DON'T WANT TO KILL YOU.
Jacks's nostrils flared. 'Looks as if your husband has gotten worse at his love letters.'
'It's nothing.' Evangeline yanked her arm back. But Jacks was far stronger.
He pulled her to him with one quick tug. So close, suddenly she could see details she hadn't noticed before. The shirt under his doublet was extremely wrinkled, and there were tired circles under his eyes that made her wonder what he'd been off doing for the last ten days.
'Where were you?' she asked.
'I was killing innocent maidens and kicking puppies.'
'Jacks, that's not funny.'
'Neither is what's carved into your arm.' He glared at the words. 'When did this happen?'" - pg159
"'I still think she killed the Prince.'
'I don't know why everyone raves about her hair.'
'She should go back to where she came from.'
Jacks dropped a heavy arm around her shoulders, sending a shock straight through her as he pulled her suddenly close.
'Want me to kill any of them for you?'
'No, they're just gossiping.'
'Then what if I merely give them the urge to cut out their own tongues?' he asked, flashing one of his dimples.
Evangeline stifled a giggle, though she knew she shouldn't be amused. She had no doubt he was serious about the tongues,
'Don't you dare-'" – pg186
"LaLa’s smile faded. 'Put that down, Jacks. Your room is in a different wing.'
'No.' He plopped into the leather chair and kicked his buckled boots up onto the desk. 'I'm staying next door to Evangeline.'
'You can't,' LaLa protested. 'The Darlings are there.'
'Then move them to a different room. Every time I leave this girl alone, someone tries to kill her.' - pg189
"'So, this is what you do when I'm not around?'
Eva felt the sudden urge to hide inside her wardrobe, but she tamped it down as she turned and met his gaze with a smile of her own. 'You think about what I do when you're not around?'
'Careful, Little Fox. He took a step forward. You sound rather excited by the idea.'
'I'm not, I assure you,' she said, wishing she didn't sound so breathless. 'I merely like the thought that I torment you as much as you torment me.'
Jacks flashed one of his dimples, making him look deceptively charming. 'So you're the one who thinks about what I do when you're not around?'
'Only because I know you're up to no good.' - pg195
Pg214-216 (if ykyk)
"'If she dies, it's your fault.'
'She won't die if you get out of here now.' Lala finished off her glass of wine. 'Can you keep her safe?'
Jacks shot her a glare.
'Don't look at me like that. I saw the way you looked when you arrived here with your arm around her shoulders.'
'How did I look?'
'Like you would kill for her.'
'I would kill for a lot of things.'
'Just be sure you don't kill her,' LaLa said. 'I've also seen the way you to look at each other. Last night when I walked into the dining hall, I was half-terrified you were going to kiss her in the middle of the party.'" - pg242
"'Evangeline-' Jacks's low voice sounded distant, but he must have been there because she could feel him. She could feel the cool of his arms sliding gently under her legs and carefully under her neck as he cradled her into his chest.
'It hurts, Jacks.'
'I know, love. I'm going to take you somewhere safe.'" - pg262
"It shouldn't have hurt. Even if he'd said yes, she wouldn't have believed him.
Jacks shot an arm across the frame, trapping her in before she could cross.
'Let me go, Jacks.'
'You should get some rest, Little Fox. You look exhausted.'
'I feel fantastic,' she said. At least she could line now that the stone was gone. And if she tottered it on her feet as she said it, It was only because she was angry, not because her legs were starting to feel as weak as strength.
She took another step and swayed.
Jacks groaned and swooped her up, one powerful arm sweeping under her legs and the other one behind her neck.
…
'I'm still mad at you,' she grumbled.
He sighed as they crossed the bridge. 'I thought you were always mad at me.'
'I almost forgave you last night.'
'That would have clearly been a lapse of judgement.'
'I was dying, and-' Evangeline stopped herself as he carried her into the tree loft.
…
'Do you still think of me as just a tool?'
Jacks frowned. 'I try not to think of you at all.'" - pg291-293
"'Where have-' She broke off almost immediately.
Jacks wasn't leaning in the doorway, he was gripping on it for support.
'Jacks!' She ran across the tavern, horrified as his cape slipped from his shoulder, revealing a great stain of sparkling gold and red blood.
'What happened?' Evangeline gasped.
'I was just being myself.' Jacks staggered back, half collapsing on the bench in the entry.'" - pg304
"'I mean... it’s just one night, he said softly. In the morning, you can forget it. You can go back to pretending you don't like me, and I can pretend I don't care. But for one night, let me pretend you're mine.'
She melted at the word mine." - pg309
"'Have you decided to stay?'
'I thought you already heard what I was thinking,' she whispered.
'I want you to say it out loud.'
…
She meant to say, For tonight, I'm yours, but all that came out was 'I'm yours.'" - pg311&312
"'Hello,' he said, almost shyly, as he approached the table. He was barefoot and shirtless, and adorable tousled, with golden hair falling over sparkly eyes that looked as if they were still waking up.
'Hi.' Her voice came out oddly shy as well, which only seemed to make Jacks smile.
'You didn't have to sneak out of bed,' he said.
'I didn't sneak.'
'Then why didn't you stay?' He casually slid into the seat beside her and turned to her with a wolfish grin. It was a smile like a fairy tale, part villain, part hero, part impossible ever after.
…
'Tomorrow, I won't let you leave so easily.' His eyes flashed with mischief, and he stole a bite of her toast.
The gesture was so simple and so comfortable, and all she could think is how easy it would be to stay here. 'I thought you said it was just one night.'"
'I thought you never believed what I said.'" - pg327
"'Evangeline... what's wrong?' A line creased between his brows.
'This isn't real, Jacks. You and I, we’re under the influence of the mirth stone.'
'You think you would only feel this way about me because of a rock?' Jacks's mouth clamped shut. For a second, he looked angry, but when she looked in his eyes, all she could see was hurt." - pg328
"'You can turn around, Little Fox.' His tone was brisk, and at the sound of it, her spark of hope burned out. 'You don't have to worry about anymore unwanted declarations from me.'
And he was right; when she turned, the red was gone from his eyes. His jaw was still tight, but it looked annoyed instead of paint. You line 'I told you that you'd feel differently,' she said. The words hurt, and she tried to push the ache aside." - pg334 (I'm sobbing)
"Evangeline seethed. She still suspected maybe Jacks was trying to annoy her to hide any feelings he still had, and if that was the case, then he was succeeding.
'Don't worry, Jacks, I would never inconvenience you by dying.' She stalked off towards her room. It was tempting to look for Apollo just to make Jacks mad. She also imagined that once she saw the prince again, it would be easier to stop thinking of Jacks. Because right now, it felt impossible." - pg338
"She staggered back. Into-
Jacks.
Veins pulsed in his neck; Murder fled in his eyes as he glared at Apollo.
'Go,' he ordered Evangeline.
'You can't hurt him,' she panted, and she tugged on Jacks’s shirt to get him to leave. 'If you hurt him, it also hurts me. Remember?'
Jacks groaned something like, 'Someday I will kill him.' He put an arm around Evangeline.
…
'What do he do to you?' Jacks's jaw tensed when he saw the blood staining her lips.
'I'm fine-I just-' I just need you to hold me. She wasn't able to say it. She wasn't even sure she projected the thought.
But then Jacks picked her up. She clung to him and buried her head in his shoulder.
He held her so tightly it hurt, but this pain she didn't mind. She'd let him crush her, let him break her, just as long as he never let her go. This is what she wanted, and she refused to believe he didn't want it, too." - pg345
"Jackson's mouth twisted bitterly. 'Since then, every girl I've kissed has died, except for one. And you are not that girl.'" - pg354 (Stopppp, I'm crying again)
"'Ready, Princess?'
'No,' Evangeline blurted. She would never be ready to have her life erased and replaced. 'Don't we need to wait for Jacks?'
She stole what she hoped was a covert glance down the hall in search of the errant Prince of Hearts.
'He won't be joining us,' Chaos said. 'I'm going to bring him the stones after you've opened the arch.'
'He's not even planning on saying goodbye?' Evangeline felt her hopes crumple like paper wings that had made the foolish mistake of thinking they could fly." - pg356
"Chaos shook his head ruefully. 'You are not good for him, either, Princess. This is a better mistake for Jacks to make than you. If he were to stay for you, he would kill you, and your death would kill him. Trust me, Evangeline. If you care about Jacks, the best thing you can do for him is let him go.'" - pg357
"But she was. She needed to tell him she loved him.
'Evangeline-' His voice was hoarse. 'Come back to me....'
I'm not dead, she tried to say. But there was something wrong with her throat. And it seemed jacks couldn't hear her thoughts.
He silently held her tighter and pressed his forehead to hers. She wasn't sure if he was crying or if she was, but there was wet on her cheeks. It felt a lot like tears. And then she felt...
Nothing." - pg372 (NONONONO)
"'Jacks of the Hollow,' warned the queen. 'Those arch stones can only be used one time to go back. They were not created for infinite trips to the past.'
'I know,' Jacks growled. 'I'm going to go back and stop your son from killing her.'
The queen's face fell. For a moment, she looked as old as the years she'd spent laying in a suspended state. 'That is not a small mistake to fix. If you do this, time will take something equally valuable from you.'
The Fate gave the queen a look more vicious than any curse. 'There is nothing of equal value to me.'" - pg381 (AAAAAAAAA)
Anyways, here are some of my favourite quotes!
'If,' Evangeline cut in. 'You poisoned my husband!'
Jacks lifted his shoulders in an insouciant shrug. 'I didn't kill him'" -pg10
"'Do you kiss the prince because you actually enjoy it?' Jacks asked. 'Or is it because you honestly think it will magically revive him?'
'Maybe I do it because I know it will annoy you,' Evangeline answered archly.
Jacks flashed a smile that was far more wicked than welcoming. 'Glad to know you're thinking about me when you kiss your husband.'
Heat flushed her cheeks. 'I'm not thinking nice things.'"
'Even better.' - pg39
"'I hurt everyone, Little Fox. But you have to be alive to hate me.' His eyes iced over. 'I do not want you dead, and I'll kill anyone who tries'" - pg45
"'Careful,' Jacks drawled. 'You're not looking at me as if you hate me right now'" - pg84
"'Jump!' Jacks yelled. Out of nowhere, he was suddenly right beside her.
'I can't swim,' she cried.
'Then hold on.' He wrapped a strong arm around her waist, and together they fell." - pg104
"'You talk in your sleep,' he drawled. ' You said my name - a lot.'
Evangeline a rush of heat crawl up her neck. 'Obviously, I was having a nightmare.'
'It didn't look that way to me, Little Fox, and I was here all night.'
...
'Don't fret, I won't tell your husband that you're obsessed with me.'" - pg111&112
"'Unlock it,' Jacks ordered.
Evangeline bristled. 'You could at least say please.'
'I could, but then you might think I'm being nice, and I would hate to confuse you.'" - pg118
"'But I thought you could die?' Evangeline asked.
'Why? Planning on murdering me?' Jacks's eyes glittered.
Chaos speared him with a glare. 'Don't tempt her.'
'Relax.' Jacks toyed with one of the shackles dangling from the arm of the chair. 'I gave her the chance to stab me once, but even then she wouldn't do it.'
'And I'll forever regret that,'" - pg122
"'You want me to bring her back?'
'No,' Evangeline replied. But it was too quick.
A smile tugged at the corner of Jacks's mouth. 'Jealous, Little Fox?'" - pg158
"'Wait.' Jacks jumped up from his seat and grabbed her arm. 'What's this?'
She tried to pull away, but Jacks's nimble fingers were quick. He shoved up the egde of her sleeve to reveal one arm of Apollo's crudely carved words. I DON'T WANT TO KILL YOU.
Jacks's nostrils flared. 'Looks as if your husband has gotten worse at his love letters.'
'It's nothing.' Evangeline yanked her arm back. But Jacks was far stronger.
He pulled her to him with one quick tug. So close, suddenly she could see details she hadn't noticed before. The shirt under his doublet was extremely wrinkled, and there were tired circles under his eyes that made her wonder what he'd been off doing for the last ten days.
'Where were you?' she asked.
'I was killing innocent maidens and kicking puppies.'
'Jacks, that's not funny.'
'Neither is what's carved into your arm.' He glared at the words. 'When did this happen?'" - pg159
"'I still think she killed the Prince.'
'I don't know why everyone raves about her hair.'
'She should go back to where she came from.'
Jacks dropped a heavy arm around her shoulders, sending a shock straight through her as he pulled her suddenly close.
'Want me to kill any of them for you?'
'No, they're just gossiping.'
'Then what if I merely give them the urge to cut out their own tongues?' he asked, flashing one of his dimples.
Evangeline stifled a giggle, though she knew she shouldn't be amused. She had no doubt he was serious about the tongues,
'Don't you dare-'" – pg186
"LaLa’s smile faded. 'Put that down, Jacks. Your room is in a different wing.'
'No.' He plopped into the leather chair and kicked his buckled boots up onto the desk. 'I'm staying next door to Evangeline.'
'You can't,' LaLa protested. 'The Darlings are there.'
'Then move them to a different room. Every time I leave this girl alone, someone tries to kill her.' - pg189
"'So, this is what you do when I'm not around?'
Eva felt the sudden urge to hide inside her wardrobe, but she tamped it down as she turned and met his gaze with a smile of her own. 'You think about what I do when you're not around?'
'Careful, Little Fox. He took a step forward. You sound rather excited by the idea.'
'I'm not, I assure you,' she said, wishing she didn't sound so breathless. 'I merely like the thought that I torment you as much as you torment me.'
Jacks flashed one of his dimples, making him look deceptively charming. 'So you're the one who thinks about what I do when you're not around?'
'Only because I know you're up to no good.' - pg195
Pg214-216 (if ykyk)
"'If she dies, it's your fault.'
'She won't die if you get out of here now.' Lala finished off her glass of wine. 'Can you keep her safe?'
Jacks shot her a glare.
'Don't look at me like that. I saw the way you looked when you arrived here with your arm around her shoulders.'
'How did I look?'
'Like you would kill for her.'
'I would kill for a lot of things.'
'Just be sure you don't kill her,' LaLa said. 'I've also seen the way you to look at each other. Last night when I walked into the dining hall, I was half-terrified you were going to kiss her in the middle of the party.'" - pg242
"'Evangeline-' Jacks's low voice sounded distant, but he must have been there because she could feel him. She could feel the cool of his arms sliding gently under her legs and carefully under her neck as he cradled her into his chest.
'It hurts, Jacks.'
'I know, love. I'm going to take you somewhere safe.'" - pg262
"It shouldn't have hurt. Even if he'd said yes, she wouldn't have believed him.
Jacks shot an arm across the frame, trapping her in before she could cross.
'Let me go, Jacks.'
'You should get some rest, Little Fox. You look exhausted.'
'I feel fantastic,' she said. At least she could line now that the stone was gone. And if she tottered it on her feet as she said it, It was only because she was angry, not because her legs were starting to feel as weak as strength.
She took another step and swayed.
Jacks groaned and swooped her up, one powerful arm sweeping under her legs and the other one behind her neck.
…
'I'm still mad at you,' she grumbled.
He sighed as they crossed the bridge. 'I thought you were always mad at me.'
'I almost forgave you last night.'
'That would have clearly been a lapse of judgement.'
'I was dying, and-' Evangeline stopped herself as he carried her into the tree loft.
…
'Do you still think of me as just a tool?'
Jacks frowned. 'I try not to think of you at all.'" - pg291-293
"'Where have-' She broke off almost immediately.
Jacks wasn't leaning in the doorway, he was gripping on it for support.
'Jacks!' She ran across the tavern, horrified as his cape slipped from his shoulder, revealing a great stain of sparkling gold and red blood.
'What happened?' Evangeline gasped.
'I was just being myself.' Jacks staggered back, half collapsing on the bench in the entry.'" - pg304
"'I mean... it’s just one night, he said softly. In the morning, you can forget it. You can go back to pretending you don't like me, and I can pretend I don't care. But for one night, let me pretend you're mine.'
She melted at the word mine." - pg309
"'Have you decided to stay?'
'I thought you already heard what I was thinking,' she whispered.
'I want you to say it out loud.'
…
She meant to say, For tonight, I'm yours, but all that came out was 'I'm yours.'" - pg311&312
"'Hello,' he said, almost shyly, as he approached the table. He was barefoot and shirtless, and adorable tousled, with golden hair falling over sparkly eyes that looked as if they were still waking up.
'Hi.' Her voice came out oddly shy as well, which only seemed to make Jacks smile.
'You didn't have to sneak out of bed,' he said.
'I didn't sneak.'
'Then why didn't you stay?' He casually slid into the seat beside her and turned to her with a wolfish grin. It was a smile like a fairy tale, part villain, part hero, part impossible ever after.
…
'Tomorrow, I won't let you leave so easily.' His eyes flashed with mischief, and he stole a bite of her toast.
The gesture was so simple and so comfortable, and all she could think is how easy it would be to stay here. 'I thought you said it was just one night.'"
'I thought you never believed what I said.'" - pg327
"'Evangeline... what's wrong?' A line creased between his brows.
'This isn't real, Jacks. You and I, we’re under the influence of the mirth stone.'
'You think you would only feel this way about me because of a rock?' Jacks's mouth clamped shut. For a second, he looked angry, but when she looked in his eyes, all she could see was hurt." - pg328
"'You can turn around, Little Fox.' His tone was brisk, and at the sound of it, her spark of hope burned out. 'You don't have to worry about anymore unwanted declarations from me.'
And he was right; when she turned, the red was gone from his eyes. His jaw was still tight, but it looked annoyed instead of paint. You line 'I told you that you'd feel differently,' she said. The words hurt, and she tried to push the ache aside." - pg334 (I'm sobbing)
"Evangeline seethed. She still suspected maybe Jacks was trying to annoy her to hide any feelings he still had, and if that was the case, then he was succeeding.
'Don't worry, Jacks, I would never inconvenience you by dying.' She stalked off towards her room. It was tempting to look for Apollo just to make Jacks mad. She also imagined that once she saw the prince again, it would be easier to stop thinking of Jacks. Because right now, it felt impossible." - pg338
"She staggered back. Into-
Jacks.
Veins pulsed in his neck; Murder fled in his eyes as he glared at Apollo.
'Go,' he ordered Evangeline.
'You can't hurt him,' she panted, and she tugged on Jacks’s shirt to get him to leave. 'If you hurt him, it also hurts me. Remember?'
Jacks groaned something like, 'Someday I will kill him.' He put an arm around Evangeline.
…
'What do he do to you?' Jacks's jaw tensed when he saw the blood staining her lips.
'I'm fine-I just-' I just need you to hold me. She wasn't able to say it. She wasn't even sure she projected the thought.
But then Jacks picked her up. She clung to him and buried her head in his shoulder.
He held her so tightly it hurt, but this pain she didn't mind. She'd let him crush her, let him break her, just as long as he never let her go. This is what she wanted, and she refused to believe he didn't want it, too." - pg345
"Jackson's mouth twisted bitterly. 'Since then, every girl I've kissed has died, except for one. And you are not that girl.'" - pg354 (Stopppp, I'm crying again)
"'Ready, Princess?'
'No,' Evangeline blurted. She would never be ready to have her life erased and replaced. 'Don't we need to wait for Jacks?'
She stole what she hoped was a covert glance down the hall in search of the errant Prince of Hearts.
'He won't be joining us,' Chaos said. 'I'm going to bring him the stones after you've opened the arch.'
'He's not even planning on saying goodbye?' Evangeline felt her hopes crumple like paper wings that had made the foolish mistake of thinking they could fly." - pg356
"Chaos shook his head ruefully. 'You are not good for him, either, Princess. This is a better mistake for Jacks to make than you. If he were to stay for you, he would kill you, and your death would kill him. Trust me, Evangeline. If you care about Jacks, the best thing you can do for him is let him go.'" - pg357
"But she was. She needed to tell him she loved him.
'Evangeline-' His voice was hoarse. 'Come back to me....'
I'm not dead, she tried to say. But there was something wrong with her throat. And it seemed jacks couldn't hear her thoughts.
He silently held her tighter and pressed his forehead to hers. She wasn't sure if he was crying or if she was, but there was wet on her cheeks. It felt a lot like tears. And then she felt...
Nothing." - pg372 (NONONONO)
"'Jacks of the Hollow,' warned the queen. 'Those arch stones can only be used one time to go back. They were not created for infinite trips to the past.'
'I know,' Jacks growled. 'I'm going to go back and stop your son from killing her.'
The queen's face fell. For a moment, she looked as old as the years she'd spent laying in a suspended state. 'That is not a small mistake to fix. If you do this, time will take something equally valuable from you.'
The Fate gave the queen a look more vicious than any curse. 'There is nothing of equal value to me.'" - pg381 (AAAAAAAAA)