‘UNBLEMISHED’: A Mark That Signifies Power. A Girl Caught in the Middle.

by 

Unblemished

THE STORY | Eliyana isn’t like the other girls. Her normal is hiding in the shadows. Just getting through the day is an everyday accomplishment. The mysterious blemish covering her face puts El in the “freaks” crowd at her school. But everything shifts when El loses her mother. This is when her entire life falls apart.

BOOK REVIEW | ‘Unraveling’: Solid Sequel Follows Up YA Fantasy Debut, ‘Unblemished’

To begin, El discovers the next door neighbor (the boy she’s been crushing on), Joshua is anything but ordinary. Following this up, she learns there’s an alternate world hidden within the New York she knows. Suddenly, El is thrust into a world of trolls, fierce warriors and a dangerous new romance.

Unblemished by Sara Ella | Book Review

REVIEW | This marks the debut for booktuber, Sara Ella. And what an adventure it is. Inside these pages, Sara has created magic. She’s crafted a story inside of a story that’s painful to leave behind. Settling into this novel did take me a smidgen longer than I expected, but if I had to wager a guess, I’d blame this more on reading two books at once rather than the quality. Once I set aside my other read, hook, line and sinker, and this is enchanting.

In so many ways, I “hear” Sara Ella’s voice in these pages. From her fangirl love of Once Upon a Time to the multiple concepts she effortlessly blends, this is top shelf. As I flipped through the pages there were so many examples of what a good story should look like. I saw what popular series The Mortal Instruments *could* have been. I felt the passion common in fairy tales.. The reader “sees” the quirky, parallel timelines of Once Upon a Time. This isn’t just a bit of escapism, Unblemished pulls away the curtain of “perfect” and examines what else there is.

‘UNBLEMISHED’: A Mark That Signifies Power. A Girl Caught in the Middle. #bookarchives #YALit #Fairytale Click To Tweet

To put this novel in as few words as possible (because we all know I can continue to ramble on – and on), Unblemished is a solid debut. It sparkles with wit. I love Eliyana’s sense of humor, and being inside her mind (first person POV) is something of a unique journey. Tripping on the edge of the new adult genre (based on the themes and ages), this book has a surprisingly realistic grip on life. Yes El’s journey is one of self-discovery, but the journey looks so much deeper. It’s a story that reinvents “beauty.” With a fast-pace adventure seeking its multiple worlds, romance (which I suspect will deepen in subsequent novels), and fantasy elements sure to delight. If nostalgic trips to Storybrooke are a favorite pastime, curl up with Unblemished. It’s exhilarating from first to final word.

About the Book:

Author: Sara Ella
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Source: Author Provided (thanks, Sara!)
Publication Date: 2016
Find the Review elsewhere: Amazon ǀ Goodreads
Add the Book: Goodreads
Series: Unblemished, Book 1
Genre: Fiction; Fairy Tale, Contemporary Young Adult
Rating: 5 out of 5

Sincere thanks to the author, Sara Ella and publisher for providing a complimentary copy of this book.  Review text is ©  Rissi JC / RissiWrites.com 

About Rissi JC

amateur graphic designer. confirmed bookaholic. bubbl’r enthusiast. critical thinker. miswesterner. social media coordinator. writer.

10 comments

    1. Fun. I do hope you end up enjoying this one, Tammy. I thought Sara Ella put together an amazing story with amazing characters set inside a world, which for me was interesting. Plus, I see reflections of Beauty and the Beast. :)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

(Enter your URL then click here to include a link to one of your blog posts.)

Optimized by Optimole