Everless

In Sempera, time is money, and it's in your blood.  Every month, citizens pay for the protection of the wealthy Gerling family.  They keep the people safe from violent marauders, but at a high cost.  If you can't pay, the cost can be taken from your very blood.  The poor frequently have their blood taken, distilled down to pure time, and turned into coins representing days, weeks, years of their own lives.

The wealthy live unnaturally long lives by ingesting blood irons, and no one has more than the Gerlings in Everless.  Jules and her father lived there when she was younger, but they were driven out after a terrible accident that almost killed her childhood friend, Roan Gerling.  Only Jules knows it wasn't an accident; she saw Liam Gerling push his brother into the fire.

But now that her father is ill, Jules sees no way to pay their rent but to return to Everless ten years later as an anonymous servant for Roan's wedding.  Roan Gerling is engaged to marry Ina Gold, adopted daughter of the queen and next in line to the throne.

Jules's father begs her not to go and warns her to stay away from the queen, but after a shocking discovery about her own past, Jules is determined to find the truth about herself and about Ina Gold. The secrets of the past may explain her strange gift that seems to stop time for a moment when Jules is agitated.  She's never told anyone about it, but it seems to be getting worse.  And old stories about the Sorceress and the Alchemist seem to have new meaning.  Jules always thought these were just tales, but what if they are true?

To make matters worse, seeing Roan again has awakened feelings in her heart that lead to jealousy and confusion.  Plus, it seems that Liam Gerling is everywhere she turns with his disapproval and a perpetual scowl.   Will Jules discover the truth about herself before it's too late?

Sara Holland's series opener will certainly appeal to fantasy/romance fans, and there were plenty of original ideas and interesting plot twists here.  I love the concrete metaphor of the poor literally giving bits of their lives to pay the rent, and the mythology of the Sorceress and the Alchemist is awesome.  My main issue is the romance.  It's almost as bad as insta-love.  Jules last saw Roan when they were seven, and now it's been ten years and she's in love with him immediately even in spite of all the evidence that he is a philandering playboy?  Umm...no.  Plus, the Roan/Liam issue is so predictable.  I saw the truth of that one before Jules even made it to the gates of Everless.  Despite that, I will definitely recommend this book to fans of The Red Queen, and hope that book two will live up to the potential of the world building in book one.