Book Review- Nevermore

I just finished reading Nevermore by Kelly Creagh for a Star Book Tour.

From Goodreads:

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.
 
This book was both good and not so good for me.
 
Good:  I liked the whole Isobel-Varen relationship.  I liked how at the beginning they were so far apart and wanted nothing to do with each other.  But at the end, their lives were completely intertwined and they cared deeply for each other.
 
Not so good:  I'm not sure if its just because I am so exhausted this week or what, but the ending kind of lost me.  The whole going inbetween worlds confused me.  I didn't really get all of it with the Nocs and the Shadows.  I didn't really get who Varen was in relation to Poe and to Reynolds.  (If anyone gets it, please break it down for me).  And the book seemed more fantasy than paranormal which isn't something I normally liked.
 
This is the first book in a trilogy, but I'm not sure I'm going to continue reading it unless I can really understand what this first book was about.
 
I gave this book a rating of 3/5.
 
Nevermore will be released on August 31, 2010.
 
This book fulfilled an item in the following challenges:
2010 100+ Reading Challenge: 116
2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 85
2010 Debut Author Challenge: 33
ARC Reading Challenge 2010: 82
 
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Star Book Tours.