Eliyana can’t bear to look at her own reflection. But what if that were only one Reflection—one world? What if another world exists where her blemish could become her strength?
Eliyana is used to the shadows. With a birthmark covering half her face, she just hopes to graduate high school unscathed. That is, until Joshua hops a fence and changes her perspective. No one, aside from her mother, has ever treated her like he does: normal. Maybe even beautiful. Because of Joshua, Eliyana finally begins to believe she could be loved.
SERIES: Unblemished #1
GENRE: Young Adult Fantasy, Clean Fiction
PUBLISHER: Thomas Nelson
RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2016
PAGES: 352
“Bound souls always find one another.”
I have to get something off my chest before I proceed with my review of Unblemished. #teamKy
Ok. I feel better now 🙂
And no… that doesn’t stand for team Kentucky, although given where I live I’m all for that hashtag too.
Ky Rhyen is one of the most intriguing characters in Unblemished, and while I wasn’t expecting to like him at all he quickly became my favorite. BECAUSE he is so intriguing. Is he bad? Is he good? Is he the purest of hearts or the vilest of souls? Or somewhere in between? And then at one point I just didn’t even care anymore which of those answers applied to him because … well… no spoilers 🙂
Unblemished is an absolutely riveting mix of well-crafted fantasy and stellar world-building as well as adorably placed references to pop culture, music, Disney, fairy tales, and literature. C.S. Lewis and Tolkien are treated to a special nod as well, one that made this fan smile happily. The Reflections are a bit like Narnia, a bit like Wonderland/The Looking Glass, even a bit like The Matrix… and yet this world is distinctly unique and extremely creative with surprises at every turn.
Bottom Line: Unblemished is completely captivating! The cover is deliciously romantic and mesmerizingly gorgeous, and so is the book. Fans of fairy tales, Once Upon a Time, Narnia, even the Harry Potter series will find much to love in this book as well. Sara Ella’s writing voice is simultaneously adorable and compelling, and you will find yourself unable to put this book down until you find out what happens. You will find yourself drawn to Eliyana and will happily tag along with her on her journey and her earnest love for Joshua. Until… well… again, no spoilers. The subtle message of seeing beyond first impressions, of looking beneath someone’s surface level features or personality, lilts across the pages with grace and truth. There are some whom you’ll dislike initially but will become your favorites by the end… and vice versa. (I’m still recovering from the ending…seriously wanted to purse whomp a certain person… and I cannot WAIT for the next book!)
(I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 5 stars / Loved it!!
KissingBook Level: 3 / May forget to breathe on occasion
Once upon a time, SARA ELLA dreamed she would marry a prince (just call her Mrs. Charming) and live in a castle (aka The Plaza Hotel). Though her fairy tale didn’t quite turn out as planned, she did work for Disney—that was an enchanted moment of its own. Now she spends her days throwing living room dance parties for her two princesses and conquering realms of her own imaginings. She believes “Happily Ever After is Never Far Away” for those who put their faith in the King of kings.
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What about you? What’s your favorite fantasy world? (Narnia, Middle Earth, Hogwarts, etc.)
totally agree with everything you said here, including #teamKY!! hahah.
haha! yay! (this is not terribly surprising lol)
Looks fascinating! I have a granddaughter named Ellianna (I think she should be a ballerina or a concert pianist with that name). Another book for my TBR list–sigh!
oooo yes! Then this one definitely needs to be on your list, my friend! 🙂
Is it a stand alone or does it end in a cliffhanger?
Part of the story line is complete but it sets things up for the next book
Sooo……should I wait until all the books are out and gobble them up at once or will I not mind waiting a year between books. ?
Hahaha! Oh you’ll mind. LOL. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go ahead and read this one now 😉
Sqqqqquuuueeeeaaaaallllllllll!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited for this book and thrilled that you loved it. Makes me all the more excited to get a copy and read!!!!
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts, my friend!!!!
I’m eager to read this one!
It’s fantastic!!
This has got my attention.
It’s a great book!