I was pleasantly surprised by this read. It was the perfect blend of a YA Romance with Fantasy. A great M/M coming of age romance story. The world building was perfectly blended and given in doses small enough to fully grasp. The book instantly captivated me, such an imaginative story plot. This book unfolded a captivating story of a first romance with discovery of new adventures, and with a perfect mesh of a mystery, 'who done it' twist.

The little moments shared between the Quill and Liam made me gitty and really demonstrated those feelings you get when reading YA RomComs. The characters in this book seemed very realistic, having Quill demonstrate the emotional rollercoaster that teenagers experience and the feel of being grown up yet being naive.

I was a bit confused with the ending, are they fully human now, half human? Will they get their full powers back eventually?

Overall, a definite must read. I will be recommending this book. Thank you, NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for this ARC.

First, thank you to NetGalley and Entangled: Teen for the ARC of this book. Evergreen is a book about a young teen named Quill who is born into a family of Dryads but is not a dryad himself. His mother is overly concerned about him and keeps him locked away in their home. Quill works in the family garden that keeps his family’s magic alive. One day, an intruder breaks into the garden and it happens to be the same day Quill’s mother allows a boy and his father move into the apartment next door. It’s oddly suspicious that both events take place at the same time. When Quill confronts the new neighbor boy, he realizes he might not be who they’re after, after all. The plot of this book was everything I wanted it to be. It was a great beginning to the book. This is about when my positive feedback ends. There were a tremendous amount of plot holes in this story. The MC reminds us as the reader on numerous occasions that he is vegan, and yet, nearing the end of the story, he consumes gummy worms. Gummy worms, in most cases, are not vegan friendly! Another plot point is the side character is allergic to flowers and the MC tells him to eat a flower. The side character does it without a question and it’s all based in “trust”. The story takes place over a very short timeline (2 weeks) and gives off “insta-love” trope vibes. The MC does a whole lot of whining throughout the entire story. Even though this MC has never “seen the outside world” he has a cell phone, watches tv, and understands some common human interactions. And yet, there are still huge gaps in his knowledge that make no sense whatsoever. I really REALLY wanted to like this book but it just didn’t meet my expectations.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.2 rounded down to 4/5.

"Evergreen" by Devin Greenlee, weaves a delightful tale of magic, mystery, and self-discovery within the lush backdrop of a generational garden. At the heart of the narrative is Quill, a unique and endearing dryad breaking the mold in a world that values magic above all.

The grumpyxsunshine dynamic between Quill and his charming neighbor, Liam Watson, adds a refreshing layer to the story. Quill's desire for normalcy clashes with his magical roots, creating a tension that resonates with anyone yearning to break free from their predetermined path. The juxtaposition of the magical world of dryads with Liam's technology-driven reality provides a unique and engaging contrast.

The novel's magical plants are a highlight, each one contributing to the enchanting atmosphere and adding a touch of danger. The introduction of a murderous plant that can possess humans adds a thrilling twist to the narrative, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The cottage core theme is beautifully interwoven, creating a vivid and immersive setting that captures the essence of the natural world.

While the book successfully captivates with its grumpyxsunshine trope, magical elements, and enchanting setting, there are areas that could be further developed. The exploration of magic, especially regarding Quill's lack of magical abilities, feels somewhat underexplored. The plot occasionally becomes choppy, and the events following the main mystery's resolution feel rushed, leaving readers wanting more depth.

Despite being marketed as a Secret Garden re-telling, some readers may find it challenging to connect the dots. A more explicit tie-in with the classic story might enhance the thematic resonance. Additionally, delving deeper into the lore and backstory of the dryads could enrich the narrative, providing a more comprehensive understanding of this magical world.

In conclusion, "Evergreen" is a captivating read that seamlessly blends urban fantasy, the grumpyxsunshine trope, and the allure of cottage core aesthetics. With a vibrant cast of characters and a plot brimming with magical intrigue, readers are sure to be enchanted by Quill's journey into the unknown. Though the book may benefit from a more thorough exploration of certain elements, it remains a delightful escape into a world where magic and nature intertwine.

Evergreen follows the story of Quill, a half-dryad half-human, who has lived his whole life secluded from the rest of human society, until he meets Liam.

Sometimes YA authors are able to use prose that is both engaging enough for YA readers, but mature enough for older readers, but this book does not do that. The dialogue was cringy at times, and the characterization/reaction of characters clashed horribly with the tone of certain scenes; in addition, the narration was very choppy at times. I also didn't find myself getting attached to any of the characters or the relationship.

I did like that the chapters were very short and the story itself was fast-paced. I think if it were to be revised, then the story/prose could be so much better.

This cover is what originally drew me in to this book. It is such a gorgeous cover and the words in the inside are just as amazing!

Rating: 4.25/5 Penguins (rounded down)
Quick Reasons: a Secret Garden retelling?! GIMME!; intriguing magic, powerful world-building; WHAT a reveal twist!; could not put this down; pretty purple prose; diverse romance/characters; wit and snark galore

HUGE thanks to Devin Greenlee, Entangled Teen, and Netgalley for the ARC of this title! My review of this book is voluntarily written and in no way altered or impacted by this gesture.

I fell in love with this book based on two small things initially. 1. The cover is spectacularly eye-catching; and 2. This is a Secret Garden retelling. I did not know the journey I was about to embark on when I requested this ARC; I merely knew I NEEDED to read it. I'm so happy my intuition was correct.

The magic system in this read is beautifully crafted, mysterious in a way that makes you want to know more, and only just slightly confusing. Devin Greenlee plays with plant-based powers and dryad mythologies to weave an awe-inspiring journey of self-discovery, self-confidence, and growth. The prose is elegant and just the right amount of purple, flowing and flowering (hahaha...flowers. get it?) in all the right ways. And that twist reveal?! I was left gasping.

I definitely recommend this to lovers of dryad magics, seekers of new and uniquely crafted worlds, and those who love a good retelling to lose themselves in. The door has been left unlocked, Penguins. Are you ready to face what's lurking inside?!

This was a solid YA fantasy romance. There wasn't anything too shocking or unique but it was a nice read with interesting characters and it was cute. The climax was a little lacklustre and the ending a tad rushed but it was okay. The premise is nice, I haven't read much with dryad's before and it was a nice change.

Overall I really liked this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. First, let me congratulate Devin Greenlee on a superb debut novel! I’ve never read anything like this and I was hooked from the first page. A true YA fantasy novel with vivid descriptions, simple (mostly) sentence structure, and so much imagination.

𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒚 𝒂 𝒅𝒓𝒚𝒂𝒅’𝒔 𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒊𝒎𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚. 𝑺𝒐, 𝒏𝒐 𝒃𝒊𝒈 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍, 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚.

Quill is a seventeen year old who also happens to be the only male dryad ever born. He spends his days tending his family’s magical garden and he’s desperate to find freedom outside his life. Then one night he meets Liam, the new boy who moves in next door and things start to happen. Someone is breaking into the garden and Quill begins to fall in love, all while sneaking out and finding his freedom.

The suspense lasted until about 80% and then BAM, everything happens. I actually liked the pace because we got to watch the bond between Quill and Liam grow and develop. It was so innocent and sweet!

“𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒕. 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝑰 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒑. 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅.”

There were a handful of plot holes or mistakes. A time discrepancy once or twice and while I really enjoyed the ending, I wouldn’t have minded a few more chapters wrapping everything up a bit more solidly. Regardless, this was a fantastic debut and I can’t wait to see what Devin gives us in the future.

𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦: January 16, 2024
𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚. 𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙞𝙨 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮.

Quill is unique. He's seventeen and has barely stepped foot outside his house. His family is a bit overprotective and homeschools him and is slowly teaching him to tend the family garden. Oh and he's the first male dryad ever to be born. He hasn't quite come into his powers yet so, really, all he feels like is a sheltered weirdo with leaf-green hair. Until a new boy moves into the apartment next door and Quill's entire life flips upside down. Liam is adventurous and nice and flirty and,...cute. So much so that Quill starts to silently rebel and sneaks out to have adventures with Liam: going to the movies for the first time or going swimming after dark.
Letting his defenses down around Liam, he brings him into the family garden (set in a secret pocket dimension in the closet) which sets off a series of events that no one could have seen coming.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from Evergreen and was pleasantly surprised. I devoured this in two days. I could've finished it in one night if I had wanted to be a bit more reckless with my sleep. Liam and Quill are charming and Quill, while being a petulant teenager rebelling, feels real and not obnoxious. I'm a old curmudgeon now and often get exhausted by "put-upon teen" characters but really liked Quill. The story is engaging and the characters are lovable. Quill's mom feels a bit flat for most of the book but I think that's maybe a bit intentional as we only see her from Quill's perspective.

All-in-all this was a really fun time and definitely would recommend it to people who enjoy queer YA books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First off, while this book is sold as being a reimagining of The Secret Garden, this isn't the case. Is there a garden? Yes. Is it secret? Yes. That's where the similarity ends, so don't go into this expecting an urban fantasy version of the classic story as it's not the case.

While I did enjoy the book once things got going (the pacing is a bit slow at the start), it is very YA. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just got a lot of teenage angst, which means the fantasy aspect doesn't get built upon. You're only given a vague idea of the magic system, history and world as more of the focus is on the teenager side of things and young love.

Most of the fantasy side of things happens towards the end of the book and while it's enjoyable, it feels a bit rushed. This results in the stakes feeling relatively low, even with something big to deal with.

While I enjoyed this book, it's not one I'll reach for again. However, the romance side of things was sweet and it was an easy read to start my year off. I definitely think a younger audience will enjoy it much more.

I really just struggled to connect with this one, if I’m being honest.

I usually understand why teenagers don’t communicate certain things with the adults in their lives in fiction, but I could not for the life of me understand why Quill didn’t tell his mum about the break in right away.

As for the rest…the romance was kinda cute but I felt like the characters were under developed and the dryad lore and magic system were even less developed, which left me bored overall.

This was such a cute book! I absolutely adore Liam and Quill. There love story is one for the ages. I found this book to be so unique and unexpected and I loved the representation that was present throughout the book. The world building for this book was done so well, I love the idea of a pocket dimension garden, I absolutely would have spent all my time in it I had one. Plus, the plot twist at the end! I totally never saw it coming. I commend the author for this absolutely adorable romance and would highly recommend this to someone who loves LGBTQ+ romances, gardening, and a bit of mysterious intrigue.

M/M, YA fantasy romance. This book was honestly great! The flow and pacing of the story were also great. There was never a dull moment and I really love the progression of the relationship between Quill and Liam. I think the two characters are adorable and I wish the story was longer but anyway, it ended well and those plot twists were not forced; I like how they were gradually unraveled as I was reading through. I actually got a bit terrified when the mother revealed what might have caused all the trouble. Like...what the hell could it be then???

I don't know if this is a plot hole but Liam mentioned that he was allergic to flowers that he even closed Liam's windows because the scent reached his place but when Quill brought him to their garden, he seemed fine that's why I thought he was lying, contributing to the fact that he might be the bad guy. (Edit: this is not a plot hole. I forgot a part in the book and this was answered)

💎 Thank you Netgalley and Devin Greenlee for the eARC copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book just didn't work for me- it didn't feel like the characters were actually teenagers.

The lore of the dryads was interesting, but the characters felt flat to me.

I wanted to enjoy this book. There were so many great concepts that were either left unexplored, rushed through, or abandoned completely. The romance took the front seat of a story that needed world-building and magic-building. I found myself not even caring about the characters because their development was so lacking. It had the potential to be so good and the beginning of something great. If there is a second book, I would be very wary to give it another chance.

I just reviewed Evergreen by Devin Greenlee. #Evergreen #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Quill is 17 and raring to explore the world around him. The only problem? He's half-human and half-dryad, and his mom is supremely overprotective. When Liam moves in next door, Quil's world begins to open up, bringing with it new excitements and new dangers. Is he responsible for the weird things going on in Quill's family's garden?

I found this book to be charming and delightful. The characters were vibrant and real. I do think it isn't quite enemies to lovers, but veers more into insta love between two of the characters. I'm not a huge fan of that trope, but it isn't too worrisome in this book. It is balanced well. Overall, this was just fun to read and the pacing was just right!

Evergreen is a young adult fantasy romance novel about Quill, a half-human half-dryad who has spent his entire life contained to the home he shares with his magical mother and older sister, and Liam, a human boy who moves into the spare apartment with his absent father. Quill has never developed full dryad powers, so his mother has insisted that he stay inside the house until he is old enough or developed enough to protect himself from the humans who she is convinced will be a threat to him. However, Quill has longed to escape the house and learn more about the outside world. When Liam and his father move next door, Quill finds himself intrigued by the other boy, whose days are filled with school and modern technology and social media, who seemingly can go wherever he wants whenever he wants. As the two boys grow closer together, though, Quill begins discovering that there is something deeply wrong with the secret garden from which his family derives their power. He longs for freedom, but he knows that he has a duty to protect his family and their secrets.

Of course the main character, Quill was quite well-developed: he is well-rounded enough to feel like a true teenager. He has personal goals and values, he has his own talents and knowledge and proves himself to be quite capable during some of the high tension moments of the novel, but he often demonstrates a lack of self-awareness and willpower that makes him believable as a teenage boy. I know I’m not exactly the target audience for this one – I generally prefer my main characters to have a little more knowledge and maturity. I still liked Quill, though, and I appreciated the effort put into the realism of the characters. I also really liked Quill’s mother and older sister – they both were written to be a little more emotionally stable, while still having moments of short-sightedness. However, when mistakes were made, they were able to acknowledge and reflect on those mistakes, and overall the relationship within their family felt meaningful and realistic.

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed with the worldbuilding in this one. The little bit that we got was compelling – there was a lot of time and thought put into the dryads’ powers and history, and I loved the way they interacted with plants, as well as the clear limitations placed on their powers. However, we get absolutely no worldbuilding outside of the world of the dryads, and I really wish the world had been filled out more to dive it more depth. We don’t hear about any other magical creatures, and while we know from a passing comment that there are other dryads in the world, we never see any evidence of this. Instead, the magic seems to be limited to Quill’s family alone. I wish there had been more history, more of a sense of scale, and a wider view of the magical world. I know that Quill doesn’t have that perspective, but his mother and sister should be able to give us pieces of a bigger world.

In all, I’ll give Evergreen a 7 out of 10. The straightforward plot and simple worldbuilding seems aimed for middle school or high school readers, and I do think readers of that age looking for a cute romance in a fantasy setting will enjoy this one. Readers looking for a little more complexity though should probably try something different.

Evergreen is only in the loosest sense a reimagining of The Secret Garden, which was the main point of interest for me personally going into it, but at this point I take most comps with a grain of salt anyway. (This book is also a lesson in not judging based solely off of covers because for some reason I went into this thinking it was sapphic??)

Honestly, though, Evergreen is an urban fantasy coming of age story that leans heavily into a romance between Quill, the first male druid and a bit of a Rapunzel character, and Liam, the boy next door. Quill is tasked with taking care of his family’s magical garden while he struggles to come to terms with the fact that he’s 17 and hasn’t shown any magical capabilities of his own.

Quill is stubborn and selfish, sarcastic and incredibly bitter, yet so fully naive at times. I tend to really enjoy unlikable narrators and he definitely fits the bill, though I can’t tell if it was intentional or not. For most of the book the fact that Quill was just a teenager who made stupid or silly decisions felt like a nice change, but there’s a point where you expect the main character to grow. With Quill that switch comes late and sudden when I’d have thoroughly enjoyed a slow build. Outside of that he was sometimes very inconsistent with his narration in a way that doesn’t feel intentional. Something about him stumbling his way through the human world was just so fun to read, though what he knew and didn’t know felt like this part of his character could have benefited from being a little more thought out.

There were also times when the information he was conveying was inconsistent as well. He’d wax poetic about how he knew every inch of the garden in one chapter, then the next introduce a room he’s never been allowed inside of, then the next reveal that he hardly ever strayed past the front of the garden actually, and a few chapters later complain that he’d walked every inch of it a hundred times over the years. That inconsistency existed in other areas of the writing too, creating plot holes and convenient excuses that were difficult to ignore. I found myself fact checking (tap water does have chlorine in it more often than not and like 90% of gummy worms aren’t vegan) and constantly flipping back and forth to make sure that I wasn’t actually crazy and that there were direct contradictions happening.

That said, getting to read a story based around a family of dryads was interesting and the fantasy elements built into the world were very soft and generally fun and easy to understand. I think the soft world building was the most developed part of the story and allowed for moments that genuinely shone in my opinion. It stayed consistent in ways the other parts of the writing just didn’t.

Honestly, this book just needed another round or two of edits and some more in-depth development. The idea is solid and there are parts that made me want to like the whole book far more than I did. For instance, the ‘big bad’ and the last quarter of the book? Imagining someone just walking into town and finding that situation? Fantastic creeping horror idea. It’s going to haunt me, genuinely. (I’m trying to avoid spoilers so bad, guys.)

There are scenes that shine and the bones to a really great story, but in the end there just wasn’t enough development. I think Greenlee could do some really cool things in the future, this debut was just a little too rushed. It would have benefited from some more eyes on it and another draft, but he’s an author I’ll be keeping an eye on for sure.

[I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for this ARC.]

Received an ARC from Netgalley and really hoped to like it. I really enjoyed the relationship between Quill and Liam. The middle of the story fell really flat to me. It felt like it dragged on and on. Towards the end, it picked up and got exciting but then it ended and felt rushed. I wish there was just more to it. Overall okay.

This is a very solid debut, and one that I will be recommending to people. I think this did romance-heavy fantasy really well, making the fantasy element accessible and fun, and the romance super cute and heartfelt.

I do think there was a little bit of a tonal shift around the 80% mark. Up until then the book was mostly focused on the romance and on Quill wanting more freedom. Then around 80% the main mystery is solved and it sets a bunch of events in motion. This part of the story felt fresh and enjoyable, but it also felt rushed. I would have enjoyed the book even more if this last part of the book had been fleshed out a little more.