Title
Unblemished
Author
Once upon a time, Sara Ella dreamed she would marry a Disney prince and live in a castle. Now she spends her days homeschooling her three Jedi in training, braving the Arizona summers, and reminding her superhero husband that it’s almost Christmas (even if it’s only January). When she’s not writing, Sara might be found behind her camera lens or planning her next adventure to California. A lover of fairy tales, she believes “Happily Ever After is Never Far Away.”
Sara’s UNBLEMISHED trilogy is an ode to her love for all things that begin with “once upon a time.” Her standalone novel CORAL, a reimagining of The Little Mermaid that focuses on mental health, is the novel of her heart—a reminder that you are not nothing, and you are not alone. Sara’s Alice in Wonderland retelling, THE WONDERLAND TRIALS, is available now from Enclave Publishing.
*From the publisher’s website.
Format
Hardcover
Summary
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.
But one night her mother doesn’t come home, and that’s when everything gets weird. Now Joshua is her new, and rather reluctant, legal Guardian. Add a hooded stalker and a Central Park battle to the mix and you’ve gone from weird to otherworldly.
Eliyana soon finds herself in a world much larger and more complicated than she’s ever known. A world enslaved by a powerful and vile man. And Eliyana holds the answer to defeating him. How can an ordinary girl, a blemished girl, become a savior when she can’t even save herself?
*From the publisher’s website.
Stars
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This was my first—and definitely wasn’t my last—Sara Ella book. In fact, on the day of this writing, I just received the third book in this series, unbreakable, a few hours ago and can’t wait to dive in to see how the story ends. But you, well, you’re here at the beginning where I was just a week or so ago. Then, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the story and the characters, but every bit of the Unblemished series just keeps getting better.
The first person perspective is so fitting for Eliyana’s laid-back, girl-next door personality. She’s a bit of a tomboy with dreams of romance and happily ever after—a happily ever after she quickly realizes might not ever happen.
When she’s introduced to the world of reflections, and mirrors, and callings Eliyana begins to realize that nothing about her life is as it seems. With her mother missing, El has no choice but to rely on instinct—and a few questionable friends—to help her navigate an entirely new world.
There’s love and friendship, heartbreak and betrayal, harsh words and hard feelings, loss and learning. Every bit of it could either tear Eliyana to pieces or shape her into exactly who she’s supposed to be.
Overall, an enjoyable read that I really hate to have taken so long to review. (Thus why it’s a bit shorter than other reviews.)
Reasons to Love It
📚 magic
📚 strong female lead
📚 Fairytale reimagining
📚 YA fiction
📚 fantasy
📚 family ties
📚 secret identity
📚 multiverse
📚 enemies to friends/lovers
📚 royalty
Quotable
I think I will call you Ember. I’ve decided it suits you better than your first name. . . . Because an Ember is neither fire nor ash. Smoldering but not truly alive. That describes you perfectly.
Ky p. 157
I love music. . . . It’s kind of like my outlet. My way of expressing emotion? When I’m sad or lonely or scared, and I find the perfect piece to describe that feeling, it’s like the artist climbed inside my head and wrote the song for me.
Eliyana p. 199
Kisses hold their own power. They create a bond between two people. . . a kiss is a kiss, because love doesn’t change. It matures and grows, but it’s one of those constant things that can’t be explained. It just is.
Joshua p. 218
My Take
Sometimes we can’t see our own beauty, bravery, or worth. But it’s there, maybe just beneath the surface, waiting for us to find it.
Click here to find out where to purchase your own copy.
I’d love to hear from you! What Sara Ella book is your favorite? What were your thoughts on this one? What other fantasy books have you read and enjoyed? Or what are you reading right now that you really love? Drop a comment below!
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