Evermore by Alyson Noel

Summary:
Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste…

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is.

Review:
Alyson Noel's first novel in a new series has shot straight to the top of the New York Times Bestsellers. In Evermore, she has crafted a unique, paranormal romance. After a car accident claims the lives of her family, Ever has to pick up her life and move to Laguna Beach with her aunt. With her busy career, Ever's aunt does not have time to grieve or notice the recent changes in her niece.

Once the popular and beautiful girl, Ever works overtime to go unnoticed. Wearing hooded sweatshirts and headphones, she tries to tune out all the thoughts of the people around her and avoids their every touch. Then she's no longer the new kid anymore. Damen is gorgeous with an aura of mystery surrounding him, but he is the only one who can silence the thoughts in Ever's head.

But who is Damen really? What does he want with Ever? There is danger around every turn, and nothing is quite what it seems. Between dealing with her little sister's lingering ghost and Damen's rollercoaster of emotions, will she ever be able to lead a normal life?

The first installment in the Immortals series will keep you tuned in throughout the story. Though there are some dated cultural references, they seem to mock pop culture more than anything. This is a solid story with a very unexpected twist. Hint: There's no vampires here.

Reading Rating:
I loved this book and refused to put it down. I will admit it was hard keeping track of what color each aura meant, but Noel provides a guide at the beginning of the book to refer back to. Highly recommended.