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Elemental (Auri #1)

by Emily White (Goodreads Author)

3.67 of 5 stars 3.67 · rating details · 236 ratings · 77 reviews

Just because Ella can burn someone to the ground with her mind doesn't mean she should. But she wants to. For ten years--ever since she was a small child--Ella has been held prisoner on an interstellar starship. Now that she has escaped, she needs answers. Who is she? Why was she taken? And who is the boy with the beautiful green eyes who haunts her memories? Is Ella the p...more

Paperback, 180 pages

Published June 5th 2012 by Spencer Hill Press

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2012 Debut Authors (Young Adult & Middle Grade)

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Jul 04, 2012 Giselle rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, did-not-finish, science-fiction

Ugh. Nope. Can't do this.
It's like watching a Star Trek episode blindfolded. In Chinese.

17 likes · like · see review

Apr 19, 2012 Leah marked it as might-read

Shelves: what-the-heck-is-this-about

One question: where are her ears?

13 likes · like · see review

May 02, 2012 Daniel Cohen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm calling it right now. Elemental is the beginning of the next big YA series. And here's why:

Does Elemental have a strong female voice that young women can admire?

Check.

Romance?

Check.

Is it nauseating and cringe-worthy romance?

Heck no. I can safetly say that I could give a copy of Elemental to my guy friends without
fear of getting punched in the nose

Thorough world-building?

Double Triple Quadruple Check.

A kick-ass plot?

Check POW!

Seriously, this book is great and you should most definit...more

17 likes · like · see review

May 28, 2011 Kate Kaynak rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: great-ya, spencer-hill-press

Elemental is a wonderful story--an original and haunting tale filled with deeper meaning that resonated in my heart. I'm looking forward to reading more books from Emily White.

10 likes · like · see review

May 22, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, arc, for-review, adventure, dystopian, fantasy, fairies-faerys, kick-ass-heroines, review, sci-fi, ya-romance, young-adult

*An ARC was provided by Spencer Hill Press in exchange for an honest review*

This book has a bit of everything: romance, adventure, faeries, sci-fi, dysopian. Right up my ally :p

I think it was a pretty solid book. The idea was really good, the story line was really good, and the writing was really good. The idea really sticks out to me; it’s so original. I mean, who thinks of combining distopia with faeries? It’s ingenious! And the story line and writing just completed the whole thing, with great...more *An ARC was provided by Spencer Hill Press in exchange for an honest review*

This book has a bit of everything: romance, adventure, faeries, sci-fi, dysopian. Right up my ally :p

I think it was a pretty solid book. The idea was really good, the story line was really good, and the writing was really good. The idea really sticks out to me; it’s so original. I mean, who thinks of combining distopia with faeries? It’s ingenious! And the story line and writing just completed the whole thing, with great staging. All the events flowed together perfectly, leading up to an amazing climax. Perfect work, Emily White.

I didn’t expect to have a particularly strong female character in this book, but Ella fits the description perfectly: she’s strong, kick-butt, and can totally take care of herself. If you’ve read my other reviews, you’ll see that I love Maria V. Snyder’s female characters (Yelena and Avry), and I always say that they are definitely the strongest I’ve ever read about. Well, Ella joins that exclusive club, because she is super kick-butt.
I really wish I could say I liked Cailen, because he was obviously supposed to be the main guy in this book, but unfortunately I didn’t. I think what happened was White just didn’t develop him enough over the course of the book, so we didn’t get to connect and fall in love with him.
In the beginning, I loved Malick. The whole book I was thinking, Is there going to be a love triange? and in a way I kind of wish there was because I liked Malick way better than Cailen, because I though he was a more developed character. But by the time I finished the book, I hated him (read the book and you’ll find out why ;P) In my opinion, it would have been better if there had been a love triangle because that would make what Malick did more groundbreaking. But, that was White’s choice, and I’m not a published author, so I can’t really talk ;P

I really wish there were more books like these out there. People are just sticking to the normal things. Why not mix it up? Why not combine werewolves and faeries and dystopia? That would be cool. So, tip of the hat to Emily White for having an open mind and trying something new.

~Emily @ Emily's Crammed Bookshelf (less)

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Dec 04, 2012 Stephanie Bibb rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'd been wanting to read this book for a while and finally got a chance to pick it up. Overall, I liked it. To me, it kind of read like one of those sci-fi movies where the graphics are just a bit cheesy... but you just have to stick around and see what happens next. "Elemental" did a great job of keeping me pulled into the story, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of magic with their space opera (having noticed it described as a space opera somewhere else, I think it fits). Bits...more I'd been wanting to read this book for a while and finally got a chance to pick it up. Overall, I liked it. To me, it kind of read like one of those sci-fi movies where the graphics are just a bit cheesy... but you just have to stick around and see what happens next. "Elemental" did a great job of keeping me pulled into the story, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of magic with their space opera (having noticed it described as a space opera somewhere else, I think it fits). Bits and pieces reminded me of "Pitch Black" (the Shakai bugs) and "Chronicles of Riddick" (the Tarmean soldiers uniform-- and certain other elements of the story), both shows I enjoyed, so that was another plus.

Now for the detailed description of what I liked and didn't like (Though I have tried to avoid explicitly spoiling anything, be warned that I reference a few of the scenes).

The action scenes are awesome. Especially the ending. Awesome. Without giving it away, I liked how Ella's choice was presented, and it fit well with how her character was presented. There were some really well-written action scenes throughout that stood out (mostly in relation to when her powers showed up... the clothing store, the library.... etc).

The downside here is I felt like there was a lot of telling narration. Some of it worked really well. Other sections, I would really liked to have seen it narrated in the same way the action sequences were. (Especially when it comes to describing Ella's feelings and emotions-- and the one phrase that kept popping out to me was that she seems to moan a lot.).

I saw one review on Goodreads mentioning that they wished Ella was a bit pushier when it came to answers, and I can kind of agree with that. On one hand, a lot of her reactions make sense, especially since she was held captive for so long. (I kept thinking her eyesight should have been uncooperative for a bit longer, but I'll let her magical powers excuse that one). There were a few voice issues that I wondered about, since she had been held captive and wouldn't have likely heard certain phrases, but for the most part her voice seemed to stand on its own.

I liked the wings. I liked the world description. Yes, there were a lot of cities and species and classes, but they were presented in such a way that you could figure out what was what without a huge amount of description, which was nice.

Ella is certainly a strong character, and she is a change of pace from some of the other YA protagonists I've read, in that I did get a sense of her desire for destruction (as the blurb mentions). I really like how the ending played out. Certain scenes stand out in my head (such as her first meeting with Meir, and the soldiers' masks, and Malik's character, and the green-eyed boy memory, and Ella's powers-- pretty much anytime those showed up, I enjoyed the scene-- and the cat. That awesome cat-- the reactions of the other characters, along with Ella's interaction with the cat, made me chuckle.

That being said, I want to read the next book, and I hope to see more of the powers come into play. :-)(less)

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Sep 01, 2012 Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own, arc-s, publisher-sent, spencer-hill-press

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. **Firstly, thank you to Spencer Hill Press for providing me with an ARC of this to read and review**

Find my complete review here: http://rachybee-the-rest-is-still-unw...

Emily White’s debut novel Elemental is a fast, high stakes tale set in a distant galaxy that mixes mystery with action and leaves you wanting more.

Elemental was a really enjoyable book to read. A slightly short story, Emily White does a good job of drawing you in and enticing you with Ella’s journey. Personally, I was caught fr...more **Firstly, thank you to Spencer Hill Press for providing me with an ARC of this to read and review**

Find my complete review here: http://rachybee-the-rest-is-still-unw...

Emily White’s debut novel Elemental is a fast, high stakes tale set in a distant galaxy that mixes mystery with action and leaves you wanting more.

Elemental was a really enjoyable book to read. A slightly short story, Emily White does a good job of drawing you in and enticing you with Ella’s journey. Personally, I was caught from the very first chapter and sped through this book. While I admit there are times where the story lagged and I got lost with so many different societies and planets, Elemental was a great way to spend an afternoon.

It’s quite an interesting world that White has crafted together. There are vast planets and numerous societies that litter the galaxy within this world. The information given throughout the book is enough to keep you up with the quick moving storyline, however I would have liked a little bit more back story into the workings of these societies. While things are revealed at the perfect time throughout Ella’s journey, there was always something else that I wished would be explained and because of that I struggled to connect with the world.

It was interesting discovering who and what Ella actuslly is and why she’s been imprisoned for so long, but I yearned for more information about the mysterious creature that Ella actually is. I’m looking forward to what Emily White reveals about this race of people in the next book and look forward to her expanding on their world and race.

The best thing about this book is truly our heroine Ella. Despite the horrible decade she’s experienced in captivity, Ella is a very kind soul despite her “Destructor” status for the most part and really just wants to be loved. Ella is a really interesting character to read about. There’s a real aura of fragility about her and she has an extremely vulnerable side to her, but despite it all, she manages to find strength when it really matters. Ella is essentially the “Destructor” and while I’m not going to give away any spoilers I will say that this often causes personally changes in Ella that contradict the Ella we’re used to seeing. What I find interesting is that despite her actions that are sometimes out of her control, Ella really does want to do the right thing; by herself and those she loves.

The characters fit well within the story and all play a very different role in Ella’s life. The people that Ella meets throughout the book all have an effect on the girl who truly has know one in the opening pages. The relationship Ella develops with her saviour Meir is rather instant, but no less endearing and is a sweet touch to the story. There are plenty of intriguing characters including Malik and Ranem, but none more so than Cailen, a young man similar to Ella who shares a mysterious past with her.

I found the start of a romance between Ella and Cailen to be sweet, but again, I yearned to know more about what they had together in the past. Cailen is everything you want in a male lead, but I just didn’t “love” him like I wished I could. Emily White is good at adding aspects to the story that you want to know more about and this is one of those aspects.

After a fast paced and eventful ending, one that featured pain and betrayal, I find myself excited to read the next book. I wonder what is in store for Ella next and what she’ll face in the next stage of her destiny and look forward to seeing what Emily White does with the sequel Fae.
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Aug 10, 2012 Jeanbooknerd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Emily White makes her writing debut in the wonderfully haunting Elemental. The story focuses on an imprisoned young girl named Ella. With little recollection of her past, she finally escapes her prison, befriends and sets on a voyage to unearth her shadowy past. The journey takes her into several encounters and at the same time, learns she possesses remarkable abilities.

The reasons for her ten years of imprisonment are kept secret much throughout the book. Outside the confines, she is saved by M...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Sandra rated it 1 of 5 stars

Before I had read this book, I was really excited- winged people in a dystopian, sci-fi book? Awesome!

However, the world building was rather weak and I was assaulted with so many different races and names to remember, which was one of the main reasons why I just couldn't connect with the book. Moreover, I felt like I was reading the second or even third book in the series. There was so much background information needed but not given.
The protagonist was absolutely dull and she kept fainting in...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Aliraluna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Elemental
by: Emily White

My review:

She's different in all the aspects. Ella, that's her name; she has been held as a prisioner in Sho'ful for ten years. No one left Sho'ful- not until a voice tells Ella to open the door and leave... and she does it. Just as she escapes from that horror, all weak and alone she stumbles with a man that marks her life. Meir Groff, man with soft calming black eyes, long gray beard, born and looks of a Mamood but the heart and soul of another dimension , is the "trai...more Elemental
by: Emily White

My review:

She's different in all the aspects. Ella, that's her name; she has been held as a prisioner in Sho'ful for ten years. No one left Sho'ful- not until a voice tells Ella to open the door and leave... and she does it. Just as she escapes from that horror, all weak and alone she stumbles with a man that marks her life. Meir Groff, man with soft calming black eyes, long gray beard, born and looks of a Mamood but the heart and soul of another dimension , is the "traitor"of his word but Ella's savior. Meir is trying to keep safe Ella- which with her piercing blue eyes reminds him of his own dead daughter whom he loved; but Ella most learned everything she can for she has a different path: Kill Manoo. As they are escaping, Manoo has already spread word of the name he has put on her: Shadra, his worst enemy but at the same time the only one who could give him the power he needs to be a complete ruler- more than he is. Problem is, she feels like a monster, she had powers she shouldn't and she most get through problems that are worst than facing death in her face; besides the fact that she only remembers his beautiful green eyes. Is everything real? why she has been choosen if she is just a girl?... Just a girl with poweful magic that can kill you... easily. Ella the Destructor.

My thoughts: ( It may contain SPOILERS)

Thanks Spencer Hill Press for giving me an ARC of this really good book. We can totally see the change in Ella and I loved it. I felt in love with the character and the worlds; Meir, wow I think he is one of my favorite one he is so kind with her and I felt very sad when I learned his story. I can't deny the fact that practically at the end of the story it was a damn dream. I just had to say it like that lol. I scream, really I did but I am SO glad it was a dream because Meir couldn't die and Malik a traitor? tooo far I should have seen it or something. Can't wait to read the other one!

5/5
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Jun 22, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was such a fun book to read! I couldn't put it down and easily finished it in one day. It was refreshingly different from most YA novels and for that it get extra points right away!

Ella is a prisoner on a ship. She has been living in her cage for the last 10 years but suddenly she is freed. Ella hesitates to escape just in case it's a trick but in the end she does it. She just escapes.

Ella is taken in by Meir. Meir is very protective and helps Ella along the way. Ella connects quickly with...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Ellz Readz rated it 4 of 5 stars

My thoughts...Elemental is a young adult story that is part science fiction, part paranormal, and the rest twisted love tale. I was pleasantly surprised at the pace in which the story moved, the complexity of the characters and the amount of world building done in just 180 short pages (ARC length).

In the beginning, readers meet Ella, who has spent the last 10 years of her life in a small cell guarded by beasts of the human and animal variety. The action begins immediately when she is mysterious...more

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May 19, 2012 D.M. Dutcher rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, young-adult

Decent but brutal science fiction young adult book with some discordant religious overtones.

Ella is a young woman who escapes life in a brutal prison ship. As she frantically tries to escape the wrath of the Mamood who imprisoned her, and their god Manoo, it's apparent that a greater destiny awaits her. She is the Destructor, the one destined to kill Manoo by the God El, and it's either kill or a fate worse than death.

The writing is good, and the characters are strong. This has echoes of the old...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Copy received from Author for honest review
Rooted in Jewish Biblical mythology, this is a science fiction novel mixed in with fantastical things. Ella is a 17 year old girl imprisoned on a (space)ship for...well she's not really sure. Although Emily is someone I know personally, I still want to review this novel with as much as honesty as I can. I felt that this was a slow beginning and around page 100, it picked up. However I felt the narrator, Ella was a little bland and boring and I was surpr...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Fairytale Nerd rated it 2 of 5 stars

After seeing that cover and after reading the synopsis, I thought that this book is something that I would enjoy.

I was wrong.

It took me months to finish reading this. I had to force myself to finish this book because I am trying to lessen the number of books in my DNF pile. It was an exhausting experience reading this book.

I have to be honest. I didn't understand the point of this story. There were so many things I needed to know to understand what is going on. But the way those things were pre...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Characters: Ella's character grows with the story. She has been kept prisoner for 10 years, so when she finally escapes and is taken in by Meir, she relies heavily on him and has no choice but to trust him. But as the story unravels, she develops and becomes a very powerful and intelligent person that you will root for. Meir is the other character that stood out the most to me. He seems to always be prepared and aware of all things going on and a step ahead through most of the story. There are s...more Characters: Ella's character grows with the story. She has been kept prisoner for 10 years, so when she finally escapes and is taken in by Meir, she relies heavily on him and has no choice but to trust him. But as the story unravels, she develops and becomes a very powerful and intelligent person that you will root for. Meir is the other character that stood out the most to me. He seems to always be prepared and aware of all things going on and a step ahead through most of the story. There are several other characters that come into play later. But these two are by far the ones that develop most throughout the story.

Plot: Ella escapes and while looking for safety is saved by Meir, who takes her to the only ship that has gotten authorization to leave. The group that is after her has almost starved her to death and the reason that she has been held captive so long is kept secret through most of the story. What she does know is that she has powers, a connection to fire that can kill people with just one look. She must escape and needs the help of others to do so, before they find her again, and kill her.

Originality: At first the story sounded like some I have read before. Powers of the mind, or the science fiction stories that take place on spaceships and outterspace. But the originality comes later in this book and it's a twist that you won't see coming. It adds fantasy to the story with winged beings and magic of the elements that really brings a lot to the story, making it unique.

Writing “I clung to the locket around my neck as my mind battled with itself. The logical side of my brain kept saying I'd been hallucinating or dreaming, just like it'd done after the attack from the Shakai. But the evidence denied this claim. The first time, there'd been the burning carcasses Meir had seen. Now there was the locket. Logic couldn't argue against that. But what did it all mean? What connection did I have to those winged men? I didn't have wings-I think I would've noticed that. I could somehow control fire, which was...odd.”

Krista's Rating: Here is another one of those stories that really had me from the first page. There was a constant unraveling of the story as the world became more and more magical and dangerous. The need to turn the pages to figure out how dangerous Ella really was. It all really builds in anticipation each chapter and even a bit of romance thrown in. I would recommend this first to science fiction lovers and secondly to fantasy readers. I was really surprised to not see more reviews of it online. I didn't just like this story, I loved it. (less)

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Apr 30, 2012 Ivana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, arc

Rating: 3.5/5
--review originally posted at Willing To See Less
This will have to be a three-part review because at different stages I had different feelings about Elemental. The beginning was very fast-paced, promising a lot of action and opening many questions: Where is Ella? Why was she imprisoned? Who is she? The first thing I noticed was that the author can write pain and desolation. Descriptions of Ella's injuries and her pain were so accurate that I almost felt physical pain just reading ab...more

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Apr 30, 2012 The Bumble Girl {Margie} rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to be honest, I had absolutely no idea as to what to expect from Elemental!
But this greatly intrigued me...

"Just because Ella can burn someone to the ground with her mind doesn't mean she should."

For the last 10 years, Ella has been imprisoned on a ship since she was 7 years old. Why would a child be locked up in total darkness in an empty metal room from all of civilization for so long?
And, after all these years, why has the ship landed? And where is this mysterious voice coming from urg...more I have to be honest, I had absolutely no idea as to what to expect from Elemental!
But this greatly intrigued me...

"Just because Ella can burn someone to the ground with her mind doesn't mean she should."

For the last 10 years, Ella has been imprisoned on a ship since she was 7 years old. Why would a child be locked up in total darkness in an empty metal room from all of civilization for so long?
And, after all these years, why has the ship landed? And where is this mysterious voice coming from urging her to take this opportunity to escape... Ella thinks twice before running - what if it's a trick? Where will she go? But the urge to finally put this nightmare behind her, to be free from the darkness, to go find the boy with the green eyes - her only memory - wins. She is blinded by the smallest beam of light, the sun feels like it's scorching her skin, she is weak from being underfed - she has her doubts and fears, but she is determined to get away and rather die than go back.
Within minutes of her escape, she meets Meir. A kind stranger who instantly takes on a fatherly protective role to Ella. At first I was a bit put off on how Ella and Meir connected so quickly, but once you learn Meir's story and realize how badly Ella is craving to connect to someone, anyone, it completely makes sense.

Ella's escape, even with Meir's help, is not easy. Nothing comes easy for Ella at all throughout this whole book. The story flows quickly, which is a wonderful thing. As you can see, the reader is thrown right in with Ella. We are asking questions and finding things out right alongside her. Ella doesn't remember anything from her past. She is unfamiliar with what is going on around her - what is going on in the galaxy, the different politics, religions - it's all so amazing! I have to honestly say that all of this does remind me of Star Wars a bit! And that's all the sci-fi I know, lol!

As the story moves along, the mystery starts to unfold - we find out more about Ella, she's a faerie who is capable of controlling wind and fire. We also learn where she comes from, why no one was able to find her, who her enemies are, and who are on her side.
And most importantly, we meet the mystery boy with the green eyes - the only memory that she has been clinging to for all these years was truly a memory and not a dream - and his name is Cailen.

The ending is amazing! Yes, a lot of questions do get answered, but we're left with a few and with a small cliffhanger too! Which is amazing and was so perfectly well written! I can honestly say that this is one of those rare books were you are satisfied just enough to be able to wait a bit for that next book to be released!

The only reason why I didn't give Elemental 5 bees is because of my weak stomach and running imagination during 2 or 3 scenes! One of them being... if you can handle bugs creepy crawling all over you, peeling and eating off your skin - then this is definitely a solid 5 bee book :)

Fae the sequel to Elemental is to be released by in 2013.
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Apr 17, 2012 Andrea rated it 2 of 5 stars

After reading the summary, I thought this book would be paranormal in nature so I signed up to read it. But it turned out to be sci-fi with religious undertones so I really didn't enjoy it. I need to stay away from sci-fi books.

There were too many different species (or was it religions? I couldn't figure it out) and worlds/planets for me to really grasp anything. I got confused reading it a lot, and that's not what I want to happen with a book.

I didn't like Ella. She seemed weak to me with nothi...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Crystal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, arc

The first thing that came to me when I saw this book was that it might be a little like Graceling. Ella can hurt people with her hands so my thoughts automatically went to Graceling. I could not have been more wrong.
This book is Sci-Fi with a capital S, another thing that I was wrong about because I though this would be more fantasy. Spaceships, intergalactic travel, and different species are just some of the ways that this book stays with the Sci-Fi genre. I am normally okay with that, but this...more The first thing that came to me when I saw this book was that it might be a little like Graceling. Ella can hurt people with her hands so my thoughts automatically went to Graceling. I could not have been more wrong.
This book is Sci-Fi with a capital S, another thing that I was wrong about because I though this would be more fantasy. Spaceships, intergalactic travel, and different species are just some of the ways that this book stays with the Sci-Fi genre. I am normally okay with that, but this book felt a little all over the place. After the first 60 pages I really felt like I missed the beginning of the story. I kept going back to see if I missed pages because it felt like the story picked up in the middle and I had no clue what was going on. I can’t say that it really got any better because I am still so confused. The only that makes sense to me is the connection between Ella and Cailen and that is probably because of the way their connection is explained. I don’t really understand the different political tiers that were at work in this world and frankly I think I would have a headache trying to figure it all out. I think the idea that the author has is a good one but we the reader need more background story, maybe a prequel or something to better understand this world. One of my favorites parts of the book happened at the end. I never saw the twist coming and honestly I give the author props for eliminating a growing trend in YA the dreaded triangle.
The characters were good for the most part. I got a little tired of Ella at one point but I think she will definitely grow into her role as this series continues. Cailen has the dark and brooding thing going for him and I would love to know more about him. Mier was a great father figure and I am glad that he was thrown in the mix. I would have liked for him to have had a stronger role, but I can live with what were given.
All in all I won’t say this is a bad book at all, I just expected something completely different and when I saw what I had I personally needed more explanation.

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Jun 01, 2012 DL Hammons rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've known Emily for a long time ("Great, another friend review!"), but that's because I knew from early on that she was destined for publication and I wanted to follow her progress. She has always had a knack for description that doesn't become distractful, and realistic dialogue that flows naturally. She's taken that gift and wrapped it around a story in ELEMENTAL that is both engaging and compelling, and that's from someone who normally doesn't read sci-fi or fantasy. I only gave it four star...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Marcie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Elemental is the first book in the Elemental Trilogy by Emily White. It begins with a big mystery. Ella is trapped in a prison. She has been for the last ten years. She doesn't know why she's there or how long she's been there. Circumstances arise and she's able to escape her captors but not before she learns some information that confuses and intrigues her. She is aided in her escape by a man named Meir. He takes care of Ella and she warms up to him almost instantly. She looks at him as a fathe...more

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May 02, 2012 Stacy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-publisher-author

ELEMENTAL is definitely a unique read. We start out with Ella on a prison ship, no clue where the ship is really or why she is there only that she is there and for some reason someone in her head is telling her that she has a chance to escape. She doesn't really remember anything about herself from before she was taken prisoner and we follow her on her journey as she escapes, is on the run and falls into her destiny.

Ella really doesn't have much time to build herself up from the starved, scared...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Vikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful YA book. The teenagers are absolutely credible as teenagers, even with special powers. It's refreshing to read such believable characters. I've been reading YA fiction since before I was a YA, and all the years since, and I am so glad authors like Ms. White are bringing back teens that act and sound like teens, no matter what abilities and intelligence they possess! I highly recommend this book -- the action is wonderfully tense, the emotions ring so true, and you'll enjoy th...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Ny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-release

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Received as an ARC from Spencer Hill Press in exchange for an honest review.
I really really really wanted to like this book. I tried so hard, but something about this story just fell flat with me. There was a lot of different things going on in this book that just seemed a bit confusing at times. Ella was a character I didn't fully connect with because she seemed to throw herself into danger and problems in a weak way. There was a lot of action in...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Saleana rated it 3 of 5 stars

It was super interesting, although it was hard to wrap my head around some of the aspects of the novel. I don't usually enjoy sci-fi novels, but this one had enough romance in it to keep me satisfied.

A lot of this was hard to keep straight because of all the made up names and the fact that the races of people seemed to be human with normal English language but had some extras thrown in. Still not sure if the Kofra is like an emperor or more like a human-like god.

Still, enjoyed this enough to b...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Bonnie at A Backwards Story added it

Shelves: 2012, debut-novel

Spencer Hill Press is rapidly rising as a small publisher acquiring authors with unique ideas and strategically marketing them into readers' hands despite having a small presence in physical bookstores. These books make great additions to e-readers at low, affordable prices under $5.99. In particular, Jennifer L. Armentrout's amazing Covenant series put the publisher on my personal radar. When I discovered that Vic Caswell, who I met through her comments on my blog, was the cover designer for an...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Ruby rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, teen

This review was first posted on http://rubysreads.com.

I grew up watching Star Trek: The Next Generation with my dad. I’ve even seen the movies where Geordi has blue eyes and Jean-Luc becomes a grape farmer. Heck, I used to spend hours wondering why the captain of the ship had a French name and an English accent. While I’ve watched plenty of Science Fiction television shows and movies, it’s rarer for me to read them. I blame this on the fact that a lot of Science Fiction is focused on, well, the...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Brandi Kosiner rated it 4 of 5 stars

All in all, Elemental is an engrossing story, with a unique plot line. Ella is an unlikely hero, and we get to experience with her while she becomes aware of who she is and what she can do. Destined to kill a god, having wings without knowing it and being able to control elements. These are all things that Ella had no idea about herself as she was imprisoned on a space ship.
It is quite a journey as she comes to grips with these things. And as new people come into her life, some that she can t...more All in all, Elemental is an engrossing story, with a unique plot line. Ella is an unlikely hero, and we get to experience with her while she becomes aware of who she is and what she can do. Destined to kill a god, having wings without knowing it and being able to control elements. These are all things that Ella had no idea about herself as she was imprisoned on a space ship.
It is quite a journey as she comes to grips with these things. And as new people come into her life, some that she can trust and others that she learns the hard way that she can't. All the while a mysterious guy who makes her feel alive, and heals her with his very presence comes onto the scene. But it can't be perfect for her, because one minute he is distant, and the next she finds out that he's hiding things from her. Cailen is very intriguing character and the memories that she has of his eyes, a friend when she was a child is quite a twist. Because how did he get from that boy to the man in front of her. I really hope that we get more of Cailen and Ella in the sequel Fae. I think it was fitting that romance didn't take a forefront in Elemental, but I hope it can in the next book.
The relationship between Ella and Meir is written beautifully. I love the trust and father/daughter type bond that they have. He is a rock to her and it is refreshing to read about that dynamic.
The terminology in the book kinda threw me for a loop, the different names of religions, gods and the societies, but I pretty much got used to it. I think that I am just not used to it, because fantasy/sci-fi isn't my primary focus.
Elemental is paced well, and there is always something new to discover and new twists being thrown in there. I will say it's pretty violent and Ella is hurt a lot. It doesn't take away from the story really, but it is a bit distracting at times... what will be injured next kind of thing. But I guess that adds to her relatability. She doesn't wake up a superwoman, she has to come into herself, and struggle through the pain. I had so many questions that at the moment I wanted answered right then and there, but I think that in the end that only helped me to bond with Ella more, because I am almost as in the dark as she is, and we discover everything together.
Bottom line: I liked Ella's character and once I just let myself go and enjoy the story she had to tell instead of being so caught up in terminology and unanswered questions, I went on quite a fun and action packed literary journey with her.

For more of my reviews, check out Blkosiner’s YA and Teen Book Blog: http://blkosiner.blogspot.com (less)

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Oct 21, 2012 Shawn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, borrowed, reviewer-recommended, series

I think for the sake of keeping the suspense, I'll opt out of recapping this book on any kind of grand scale. Though I read the blurb a while back, by the time I actually read it, I had completely forgotten what this magical novel was about. It's books like that, that I always tend to enjoy on a different level because everything comes as so much of a surprise.

From the very beginning of this book you are trust into mystery, danger, and adventure. Through Ella's eyes, the world opens up to you i...more I think for the sake of keeping the suspense, I'll opt out of recapping this book on any kind of grand scale. Though I read the blurb a while back, by the time I actually read it, I had completely forgotten what this magical novel was about. It's books like that, that I always tend to enjoy on a different level because everything comes as so much of a surprise.

From the very beginning of this book you are trust into mystery, danger, and adventure. Through Ella's eyes, the world opens up to you in such a beautiful and easy literary voice that this short novel is easily digested and enjoyed. This is actually my first book about the world of Fae. I know many reviewers and readers who will read anything about this intriguing and exciting race of fantasy creatures, yet somehow it has taken me this long to pick up a book about Fae myself.

All I can really say is that these characters and this plot are addictive. You can't help but want to learn more about the various characters, a motley crew if I do say so, and the world they live in. Their struggles and their histories are rich and you can't help but cross your fingers for a happy outcome and a promising future.

Ella, though clumsy and clueless at first, and rightfully so, developes with every page you turn into a character who is learning more about herself and about her world, and trying her best to contribute to it. She isn't selfish in her goals and wants only to make the right decision and to make her life worth saving. The characters that surround her, each protecting her for reasons all their own are so vivid and real. They each become a solid thing you can hold in your mind and they are so easy to become attached to.

Emily White's writing style suggests that this isn't her breakout novel but her fifth or sixth novel. She weaves words together so effortless, painting vivid and vibrant pictures in your mind, making it incredibly easy to imagine the world that she's created.

I look forward to reading more of her work in the future, though sadly the next book in the series, Fae, isn't due out until next year. So we will all just have to hope that time goes by quickly. (less)

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Spencer Hill Press: Elemental Trilogy by Emily White	6	27	Nov 06, 2012 08:04am
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About Emily White

Emily White is a nerd.

She prefers her men fully clothed and donning bowties, her commas British, her books cheesy with big, overly-dramatic explosions, her characters awkward and endearingly real,* and watching her movies in authentic turn-of-the-century theaters. When not exposing her nerdy self to the world, she's creating her own friends and putting them in horrible, yet sometimes humorous sit...more

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