(I’m running a giveaway of Evercrossed here. Aussie readers, pop over to enter!)

As any paranormal reader will attest, vampires have had their time in the, er, sun, and now it’s time for them to step aside so that something else might take their place. Among the contenders we have werewolves and various other changelings, succubi, mermaids, demons and other brutes and, of course, angels. But while the others are safe enough choices, I have to say that there’s something about using angels as a device that feels, to me, a little limited. Perhaps it’s that I’m not a religious person, and that the use of angels immediately signals religious elements for me, or perhaps it’s that I can’t help but wonder whether such books are necessarily sanitised and cleaned up in order to avoid offending.

Evercrossed, then, was a pleasant surprise for me. Although I can’t say that launched me into seventh heaven, I certainly didn’t feel as though I was languishing in Dante’s circles of Hell. It’s a tidy, solid read, and though it doesn’t pack many punches or provide any astonishing reveals, it’s a palatable outing that’s surprisingly satisfying. I should note, though, that it’s the fourth in a series–although the fact that I only belatedly realised this indicates that Chandler does a neat job of providing adequate backstory without the laboriousness often involved in doing so.

It’s been almost a year since the death of Ivy’s boyfriend Tristan, and though Ivy’s worked hard to move on, the impending anniversary of his murder causes her no end of anguish. Her struggle to cope with her loss is increasingly palpable, and it’s tearing apart her relationship with her current boyfriend Will, and causing rifts between Ivy and her friends, who deplore her treatment of Will. But things become even more tense when Ivy is involved in a serious road accident–and is brought back to life, she believes, by Tristan.

While she coalesces in hospital, Ivy muses on the accident and is increasingly convinced that Tristan has returned to her. And when she meets a gorgeous amnesiac youth who is a patient on the ward, she can’t shake the feeling of recognition that overcomes her. As the boy slowly starts to recall snatches of his life, Ivy is enraptured: she is certain that the boy is none other than Tristan returned to her. But this boy who has captured Ivy’s attention may not be who he claims to be. In fact, he’s wanted for murder…

From the above, you’ll no doubt have ascertained that Evercrossed covers some familiar ground, and I have to admit that the initial ouija board “let the evil spirits in” scene didn’t raise my hopes especially high. But Chandler’s simple prose and easy-going beachy setting see this one roll along at a merry pace. Although there are some elements that didn’t quite work for me–the random angel appearances, the “return thee to life” scene, and Ivy’s habit of buying clothes for hobos to name a few–the plot unfolds evenly, and the characters are solid if not especially complex. (This may be because Ivy seems relatively introverted, and makes little effort to get to know others: she does not seem the type to notice nuance or change)

Although I found it hard at times to believe Ivy’s utter conviction that the amnesiac chap is Tristan, Chandler does highlight Ivy’s ongoing struggles with her loss, and the fact that these are only heightened by the impending “anniversary”. (And how I do wish that young adult book editors would put a neat strikethrough through those impassioned pleas of love and, well, anything at all about soul mates.) Of course, as the amnesiac’s known identity wavers between oh-so-perfect Tristan and evil-murderer-guy, things start to take on a darker, more interesting turn, but as is the case with most YAs these days, you’ll have to wait for the sequel to find out.

Though it will no doubt divide readers, Ivy’s relationship with Will was one of the most interesting elements of the book: Ivy is painfully ambivalent in her emotions, keeping Will at arm’s length at the best of times and overtly avoiding him at the worst. It certainly doesn’t paint Ivy in a positive light, but avoidance and evasion is what people do, particularly if they’re the type of people who avoid confrontation–which seems to be the case with Ivy. It also sets up some challenging times ahead for Ivy, as having alienated near everyone around her, she may find that she has few allies to help out when the cops come a-knocking. And given that she’s harbouring an alleged murderer, they certainly will.

Obviously I can’t speak for how Evercrossed fits into the rest of the series, but as a standalone read it’s solid enough. Pick it up if you’re looking for something quick and easy and you’re not too fussed about references to floaty, disembodied angel types and soul mates.

Rating: (good)

With thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia for the review copy

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Other books by Elizabeth Chandler: