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Earth (Elemental #1)

by Shauna Granger (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 458 ratings · 90 reviews

Shayna and her two best friends have the abilities to manipulate and control the four elements, earth, air, water and fire. While learning to hone their growing powers, they discover a new and malicious presence in their sleepy beach town. Someone is performing blood magic and threatens to expose their small magical community. So far only small animals have been slaughtere...more

Kindle Edition, 234 pages

Published (first published May 1st 2011)

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Nov 02, 2012 Jennifer marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own-it

I would first like to thank Shauna Granger for allowing me to review her book as part of the tour. I really enjoyed reading Earth and plan to read the next two books in the series very soon.
The first thing I loved about Earth, is that it’s not your typical young adult paranormal. It has been overdone and isn’t full of clichés. I really liked that the book is about elementals. Another thing that makes Earth unique is that the three main characters Shay, Jodi, and Steven already know that they ar...more I would first like to thank Shauna Granger for allowing me to review her book as part of the tour. I really enjoyed reading Earth and plan to read the next two books in the series very soon.
The first thing I loved about Earth, is that it’s not your typical young adult paranormal. It has been overdone and isn’t full of clichés. I really liked that the book is about elementals. Another thing that makes Earth unique is that the three main characters Shay, Jodi, and Steven already know that they are elementals – so we don’t have to go through the standard “woe is me, I have suddenly developed all these crazy powers and I don’t know how to use them – and they’re messing up my life, etc.” The trio of besties already works well together with powers they’ve been developing since childhood.
I also think that the characters are well developed and believable. Shay is a normal teenage girl, with the exception of her magic, which makes her easy to relate to and likable. Jodie and Shay are best friends – but have the usual teenage disagreements and insecurities over who is prettier. Steven is the perfect balance to the two girls and attempts to keep peace. He also adds a lot of humor to the story. In the end, despite disagreements, they are all there for each other when they need each other.
Another thing that I liked about this book is the lack of a love triangle. I am so sick of love triangles. They are so overdone lately. Anyway, there is no love triangle – and the love interest for Shay is Jensen. Shay struggles with whether or not she can trust him – he being a mysterious newcomer and all. The relationship isn’t all googly-eyes and sappineness either. Shay doesn’t let the relationship distract her from the situation at hand.
I also like that these teens are conscientious, mature, don’t wine – and the biggest of all – they ask for help when they need it, don’t know something or in over their heads. There are so many YA books out now where I’m wanting to smack the characters for not asking an adult for help when they are obviously in way over their head.
This book addressed two big ticket issues for me, that I thought was great. Domestic violence doesn’t just happen to married people – or people living in the same household. Dating violence is a big problem that many teens aren’t informed about or prepared to deal with. These types of situations, set the stage for the relationships a teen will seek out in adult life – if not dealt with. I want to give props to Shauna Granger for writing about a topic most people don’t feel comfortable discussing. The other issue which wasn’t as major was the compassion these teens showed to one of the homeless in their community bringing him food and blankets.
Overall, this was a great read and I can’t wait to start book 2. I hope that we get to know Jensen a little better.
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Sep 10, 2012 Christina M Condy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review-requested, book-challenge

I would have to say I have mixed feelings about this book. The premise of the story was great, friends with special abilities who can control 3 out of the 4 elements. However it just didn’t seem to play out that way, instead it seemed to be a story about one witch who had two friends who “helped” her with her magic. I did like that the author tried to have us “feel” what Shayna felt. She made the magic come alive with that little bit.

I liked how the story progressed and I did like the ending (wh...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Debbie (at) I Heart YA Books rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Earth pulled me right in from the beginning with its mystery and “who did it” feel. And then it kept me anxiously flipping pages till the end to find out. I kept saying no, no; please don't let it be who I think it is! But what also had me going were the three Elementals. Shayna is the leader of this threesome. She is one seriously tough girl that’s going to do whatever it takes to protect her town and classmates from the evil that has come to her peaceful town of Ojai. Jodi and Steven are her t...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Patricia (Patricia's Particularity) added it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, own-ebook, wishlist, own

Reading Earth is like taking an honest look at Mother Nature and how we are connected to it, including the unknown (paranormal). While what I call 'paranormal magic' makes for an entertaining read, 'earth' magic is a part of literature that does not seem to be explored as much. Shauna Granger has excelled at exploring this. At the same time Granger has found the perfect balance of 'earth' magic and teenage reality - you can't help but love Shayna's emotional roller coaster in her attraction to J...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Davor rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The concept off the story was good. I like it. But everything else was just bad. The three main characters constantly got mad at each other, at other people, at everybody. And it was so frustrating that I almost couldn't finish it, but I forced myself cause I thought it will get better. It didn't.
Allot of stuff were obvious. But some stuff just didn't make sense. How did Shay know all this stuff about magic, from who did she learn, and she acted like and old lady all the time, nobody would thin...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Juanita rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't often read YA, but as a fan of fantasy and stories with a strong female lead, I decided to give Earth at try. I enjoyed the storyline and the relationship between the three main characters, and found the magical aspects to be quite interesting. I think the author took a new approach to teens doing magic and I found myself drawn in, even though I didn't find the main character all that likeable, at least not until I thought about her a bit. I find myself looking forward to the second book...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was a pretty decent read for me. Yea there were times throughout that kind of dragged a little bit but what book doesn't at some point. The writer it seemed was really setting us up for greater things to come. Without the descriptions there would have been no book. I do wish that the overall climax would have been better but it wasn't horrible and I look forward to reading the other books in this series in the future.

Shayna and her two best friends have the abilities to manipulate and...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Spiral2007 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 17, 2012 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review was originally posted on Big Al's Books and Pals review blog on Tuesday, August 14, 2012.

Shayna is the earth elemental, with empathic abilities, so naturally this book mainly focuses on her. Since it is her blood the caster wants she carries the story and is more fully developed than Jodi or Steven. I assume they will be more fully fleshed out in their own stories and I look forward to that. Shayna's magic speaks to the dirt, plants, and animals, although she can tap into the three o...more This review was originally posted on Big Al's Books and Pals review blog on Tuesday, August 14, 2012.

Shayna is the earth elemental, with empathic abilities, so naturally this book mainly focuses on her. Since it is her blood the caster wants she carries the story and is more fully developed than Jodi or Steven. I assume they will be more fully fleshed out in their own stories and I look forward to that. Shayna's magic speaks to the dirt, plants, and animals, although she can tap into the three other elements. She also seems to be more familiar with her skills than her friends, although her powers are growing fast. Jodi is the air elemental and is taking advanced classes at their high school. I found Steven, who is the fire elemental, to be the most interesting. Not only is he a confident and secure gay teen, he is a practicing Catholic. Because of this, the three of them incorporate religious beliefs and icons into their magic.

I liked the relationship and dialogue between these three friends and the way they dealt with their other classmates; with as much power as Shayna has she could have been an insufferable teenager. The author did an excellent job laying out the details of the magic and research of the occult the teens had to do to find a way to stop the caster and set things right. One thing I thought the author did an excellent job with was the descriptions of the way the magic felt and even tasted while being cast or practiced. It really put me in the moment along with the characters. I thought the plot had a good flow while the teens had to also deal with the mundane of going to school and preparations for parties that had to be attended. Teenagers are very busy people. :)

These characters are not your typical witches and I found the story unique in that respect. I also found the potential friendship and possible romantic interest at the end of the book intriguing. I think this could be a very entertaining series to follow.

FYI:

There is some strong teenage language; a few F-bombs are dropped. This may not be suitable for younger teens.

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of editing errors.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **(less)

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Oct 15, 2012 Mandy Sickle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-fantasy, young-adult-paranormal, 2012, read2review, reading-diaries-reviews

Review

I received this book as part of the book tour. Shayna is a empath and also has the ability to control the four elements earth, air, water and fire. Her two best friends Steven and Jodi all inherited their magic from their families. Thanks to Shayna's affiliation to all the elements she's been able to help train Steven with fire, and Jodi with Air. Since they all share nature magic they are closely bonded so they can hear each other's thoughts, as well as feel what the other is feeling. Tog...more Review

I received this book as part of the book tour. Shayna is a empath and also has the ability to control the four elements earth, air, water and fire. Her two best friends Steven and Jodi all inherited their magic from their families. Thanks to Shayna's affiliation to all the elements she's been able to help train Steven with fire, and Jodi with Air. Since they all share nature magic they are closely bonded so they can hear each other's thoughts, as well as feel what the other is feeling. Together they use nature magic to cast spells, while they attend high school as they learn to grow as witches. They each have their own elemental names, Shayna is Terra Steven is Pyro but he's called Drake and then Jodi is Fae so when they talk to each other they use their elemental names.

The trio uses their powers for good and in the start they are working on a spell to help a friend Tracy whose boyfriend Nick is abusive to her but she's one of those girls who can't seem to leave him. The trio sets out to create a spell that will help move past him as well as find a better guy for her. Before the trio can cast the spell Shayna finds Nick beating on Tracy and her earth power causes a earthquake where Nick ends up hurt and in the hospital. Before they can cast their spell new students twin boys show up. Shayna is attracted instantly to one but sense something about them but isn't sure what.

When police find in the forest blood ritual magic the trio worries that someone might be trying to bring something dark into their world. They set out to find out who is threatening to expose them, if the twins really are who they seem and stop the darkness that is looming. They find a girl who they save from being sacrificed, who they happen to go to school with, but they don't know who they are looking for because he runs off. Then their friend Tracy is missing and the trio knows they are running out of time.

I really enjoyed reading Earth it reminds me in a good way like charmed but I prefer the best friends aspect over the sisters. I like that the magic that the trio has is also nature magic I found it unique compared to all the death magic in other books. The story has good amount of back story to it since it is the first I found it helpful in getting to know the trio better and those around them. I started Earth this morning and didn't stop till I was at the last page, because I couldn't put it down. The story flows smoothly and I had no issues following along, the characters are written so that I felt I was there with them maybe looming over their shoulders. This is great because I love a book that will draw me in holding my attention till the end. Earth is filled with adventure, friendships, emotions romance and everything I needed for a great book. Overall it's a great first in the series, and I'm looking forward to starting Air the next book in the series.
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Oct 14, 2012 Shreya (CCReviews) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed reading Earth by Shauna Granger. It’s a unique book, and I haven’t read anything like it in a while. Starting off, I was really excited to delve into Earth because I really enjoy the aspect of ‘elemental powers’. When I was a little kid, I used to watch all these cartoon shows in which the main characters had superhuman powers such as being able to control water, earth, fire, or air *cough* Avatar *cough*. Reading this book, believe it or not, brought back some of my childhood m...more I really enjoyed reading Earth by Shauna Granger. It’s a unique book, and I haven’t read anything like it in a while. Starting off, I was really excited to delve into Earth because I really enjoy the aspect of ‘elemental powers’. When I was a little kid, I used to watch all these cartoon shows in which the main characters had superhuman powers such as being able to control water, earth, fire, or air *cough* Avatar *cough*. Reading this book, believe it or not, brought back some of my childhood memories for me. So the major reason I enjoyed this book was for the kick-ass elemental powers. I also liked it for the amazing and mysterious plot-line, engaging characters, and slow, but sweet romance.

Earth has three main characters, Shayna, Steven, and Jodi. All three can harness amazing elemental powers. Shayna has the Earth element, Steven has the Fire, and Jodi has air. Their powers are put to the task when they come face-to-face with a lurking darkness which arrives in their sleepy little town. They face major conflicts, deal with the worst forces a human being could come across, and realize that this is only the beginning of their trials.

Although I really enjoyed the characters because they managed to keep me hooked to the story, I didn't feel like they acted like 'real' teenagers, or that they brought out any major emotions out of me. The tone was pretty mild, and honestly, my feelings are flat when it comes to the characters. They were too calm about everything, very higher-than-thou like, and sometimes, it just made me want to scream at them hoping to get some kind of normal reaction, a reaction any regular teen would give. All I know is that these three act way older than they are. The language or dialect they used toward each other wasn't any better, although school's disapprove it, and many editors cringe at it, some form of slang should have been incorporated into the book so that the people reading the book, arrhmm TEENAGERS, could relate and enjoy it. Shayna had a very 'bossy' demeanor to her and really did act very parental and patronizing to her friends. Since she was the main character of the book, I understand that her life and her problems had to be highlighted, but I feel like reading more about her two other friends would've made this novel a whole lot better.

The romance in this book was slow and sweet and I loved that aspect of it. This was one of those very rare books in which the author makes the romance 'real'. The main character doesn't fall in love with the love interest in a span of one book, which I find to be ridiculous and a major turn-off. Overall, I enjoyed the plot, action, and the characters, and was very happy with the way the book ended. I will put the next book on my to-read list, but I don't think I'll be getting to it anytime soon. (less)

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Jun 23, 2012 Merissa Sheppard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-freebie

A very good book in the Young Adult/Fantasy genres with 3 main characters that are believable and interact well without a lot of the whinging or teenage angst that seems to be in so many of these sorts of books.

The book focuses on Shayna who controls the Earth elemental and follows her on a journey which starts off as a dream in which she is being chased. It shows you her relationship with the two others; Jodi (Air) and Steven (Fire), which apart from the magical side seems to be a perfectly nor...more

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Nov 01, 2011 L_manning rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shayna and her two close friends have a very special bond. They can work with the elements ti do amazing things. Shayna's particular element is earth. While they are learning to master theses forces though, someone rocks their town with dark magic and sacrifices. Shayna and her friends know they have to do something about it. As they learn more information, they realize they may be more closely tied to these events than they thought. On top of that, Shayna keeps having dreams where something is...more

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May 23, 2011 Ahrcadia the Duck Tamer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lately, when you think of self-published authors, you think of scandals over responses to bad reviews or unedited 100 page books filled with typos and formatting errors, but authors like Shauna Granger are slowly helping to counteract those undoubtedly realistic images. I don't know why it always shocks me so much when I read a really awesome self-published book, especially after reading books by Amanda Hocking and a few others lately, but it still amazed me when I realized how great Earth was....more Lately, when you think of self-published authors, you think of scandals over responses to bad reviews or unedited 100 page books filled with typos and formatting errors, but authors like Shauna Granger are slowly helping to counteract those undoubtedly realistic images. I don't know why it always shocks me so much when I read a really awesome self-published book, especially after reading books by Amanda Hocking and a few others lately, but it still amazed me when I realized how great Earth was. It ranks as one of my top reads of the year so far, up there with Abandon by Meg Cabot and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.

The main character, Shayna, was very realistic and easy to relate to. She read like a normal teenager from SoCal (yay, me too!) except with magic powers. I loved that she started out the book already knowing what she was and what she could do, but not in an annoying I-know-everything kind of way. The whole magic system and Shay's beliefs were explained really well--subtly enough that it didn't feel like an info dump, but also thoroughly enough that I was never confused about what was going on when I wasn't supposed to be. I had a great time trying to figure things (read: mystery and Jensen) out with her!

Her two best friends, Steven and Jodi, were also really awesome! Steven was hilarious and fun and crazy, but it was Jodi who really stood out to me. She was a very well-developed character, not just the loyal best friend that you see in a lot of books. She had her problems and flaws, and she wasn't the best of friends at times, but she came through when she was needed, and she is definitely someone who I would love to get to know in real life.

Shayna's love interest Jensen wasn't in the story all the much, and when he was, sexy time was usually far from his mind (as far as we know), but he still managed to be majorly swoony. I love love loved him! Throughout the book, Shay went back and forth over whether or not she trusted him, and whether she even liked him or not, but that couldn't hold back his sexiness one little bit. I hope to see much more of Jensen in the next book, because I just finished the first a few hours ago and I miss him already! (BTW, Jensen is the most awesome name ever. Reminds me of Jensen Ackles.)

The mystery wasn't all that hard for me to figure out, but it was also definitely believable that Shayna and her friends didn't get it right off the bat. Even though I was pretty certain of what was what for most of the book (and I was right), it was still really fun to watch Shay and the gang figure it all out.

My only problem with Earth was that, unless I missed something, we're never actually given a real description of Shayna or Jodi. We get lots and lots about Jensen's blue eyes and chestnut hair (no complaints here!) and Steven's Hispanic heritage, but the only thing we know about Jodi's physical appearance is that she has her hair bobbed, and we don't even know that much about Shayna. Besides that and the occasional typos/grammatical errors that come along with any self-published book, I didn't see anything wrong with Earth.

If you're looking to read some self-published books, Earth is definitely my first recommendation, and, at only $0.99 on Amazon, it's also easy on your wallet, which can be a huge help if you read as much as I do. What are you waiting for? Go pick up a copy now!(less)

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Dec 14, 2012 Kirsty Vizard rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, ya

Shauna Granger's novel is not the first I have read recently in which teenager's draw on elemental energy to use 'magic'. Maybe due to this fact or because of the back story and detailed description of her characters I found it took time to relax into 'Earth'. However, once the story developed I found myself fully involved in the plot - Shauna Granger's pace of writing increased, along with the intensity and I think her use of description became a useful tool as the frightening events were more...more

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Oct 25, 2011 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I found this book to be quite enjoyable and original. Unlike many YA stories, it is not all about romance or discovering strange new powers. The characters already have their powers and are doing their best to use them for good, such as protecting a fellow student from an abusive boyfriend. Shayna, Jodi and Steven are all likable and fairly mature but not above a little bit of fun. The chemistry between the three of them is great.

The introduction of the two mysterious and handsome brothers, Ian...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Rute Canhoto rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. OPINIÃO
Acabei de ler este livro a 20 de setembro de 2012. Dou-lhe três estrelas.
A autora pegou num grupo de amigos e encheu-os de magia, principalmente a Shayna, que é tão poderosa que consegue dominar um pouco de todos os elementos, embora o seu elemento primordial seja a terra. É uma ideia engraçada e com pernas para andar, prometendo uma narrativa plena de magia “boa”, mas também negra. Uma combinação que não costuma falhar quando bem aproveitada.
Gostei da dinâmica do grupo no geral. As três...more OPINIÃO
Acabei de ler este livro a 20 de setembro de 2012. Dou-lhe três estrelas.
A autora pegou num grupo de amigos e encheu-os de magia, principalmente a Shayna, que é tão poderosa que consegue dominar um pouco de todos os elementos, embora o seu elemento primordial seja a terra. É uma ideia engraçada e com pernas para andar, prometendo uma narrativa plena de magia “boa”, mas também negra. Uma combinação que não costuma falhar quando bem aproveitada.
Gostei da dinâmica do grupo no geral. As três personagens entendiam-se e a criação de um canal telepático entre elas foi boa ideia. Agradou-me ainda mais o facto de Steven ser homossexual: a literatura também pode ajudar a quebrar certos tabus e barreiras.
Já a relação antagónica entre Shayna e Jensen acho que merecia ser mais trabalhada, mas digo isto apenas porque aprecio romances cativantes. No entanto, não me parece que esta seja uma história vinculada ao romance, por isso se alguém tem expectativas elevadas nesta área, é melhor baixá-las.
O que menos me agradou foi sentir que certas partes tinham sido escritas só para encher. Isto é, Shayna descobre algo sozinha ou partilha algo com um dos elementos do grupo e depois repete toda a informação para que todos fiquem ao corrente do que se passa. Claro que as personagens devem ter ficados contentes por saberem todas o mesmo, mas eu, enquanto leitora, dispensava reler tudo mais uma vez.

REVIEW
I read this book on September 20th, 2012. I rate it three stars.
The author took a group of friends and filled them with magic, especially Shayna, who is so powerful that she can dominate a bit of every element, although her primary element is earth. It's a funny idea, promising a tale full of "good" magic, but also dark one. A combination that usually doesn’t fail when put to good use.
I enjoyed the group dynamics in general. The three characters understand each other and creating a telepathic channel between them was a good idea. I liked even more the fact that Steven is gay: literature can also help break certain taboos and barriers.
As for the antagonistic relationship between Jensen and Shayna, I think it deserved to be more polished, but I say this only because I appreciate captivating romances. However, I do not think this is a story linked to romance, so if someone has high expectations in this area, better put them down.
What I liked least was the fact that I felt certain parts were written just to fill. I mean, Shayna discovers something alone or shares something with one element of the group, and then she repeats all the information so that everyone is aware of what is happening. Sure the characters should be glad to know all the same, but I, as a reader, would dismiss to reread everything again.
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Oct 15, 2012 Elizabeth "Liza" rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-tour, ebook, magic, paranormal, series, ya

This book was provided to me for free by the author for review.

Find the original review here: Reading with ABC

I enjoyed Earth, it was a quick and fascinating read!

Earth is mostly about magic. It is very interesting the way different believes are mixed in a way to makes sense to the reader, on one hand we have witches/warlocks, magic, herbs, candles, stones and the like; on the other hand we have very structured religious beliefs and even guardian angels. Of course, there are also bad guys, demo...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Ivana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: witchcraft-occult

I have very mixed feelings about this book. While there were some things that I thoroughly enjoyed, there were other things that put me off and eventually led to a lower rating. I've read a few books on witchcraft recently. I wanted to read more about Elementals and when this one popped up on Amazon I all but screamed with delight. I wasn't disappointed, I liked the book in general, but there were those few thingies that bothered me.
The final impression of this book was that Shauna spent a great...more I have very mixed feelings about this book. While there were some things that I thoroughly enjoyed, there were other things that put me off and eventually led to a lower rating. I've read a few books on witchcraft recently. I wanted to read more about Elementals and when this one popped up on Amazon I all but screamed with delight. I wasn't disappointed, I liked the book in general, but there were those few thingies that bothered me.
The final impression of this book was that Shauna spent a great deal of time researching. The rituals and the entire aspect of magic was really detailed and well-described. I loved that. The author payed much attention to how the magic works, what it feels (and tastes) like for Shayna and her friends. That was one of the main reasons why I decided to read it, so a big thank you to Shauna for making the magic come to life.
Another great thing is that the author didn't use cliches that we see too often in YA. No star-crossed lovers, no love triangles. Shauna is doing quite the opposite of what is done in many YA novels-she doesn't force the romance. The resolution of the "romance" between Jensen and Shayna was surprisingly mature and sensible.
My major complaints are directed toward the characters. I have a feeling that the author didn't succeed in capturing the voice of teenagers. They appear too paper-cut-out, too clean and un-spontaneous. (On a related note-I just saw that one reader said there was too much unnecessary cussing-really? I only found it in spot, but I'd like to see anyone not dropping the f-bomb if they were chased by a hell hound). Some of the dialogues sounded artificial and wooden and to be honest, they bored me. Shayna comes across as too bossy, and her patronizing tone was really out of place.
Much as I loved the long descriptions of rituals, they slow down the pacing tremendously and stretch out the story for far too long, so if you're looking for a fast-paced, adventure packed read, I'm not sure you'll find your thrill here.
And last-the word "dude" was definitely abused here. (less)

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Oct 19, 2012 Chrissy (The Every Free Chance Reader) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog

Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book but not as much as I had initially hoped. For me, this book moved kind of slow. There were some great moments but I feel like it should have taken me much less time than it did to read.

Earth has a great premise and I want to see what will happen next. Most of the action was well-written. There was some mystery...why was she having those nightmares? Why did she wake up injured from her dreams? Who are the ones performing the dark magic? These are great...more Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book but not as much as I had initially hoped. For me, this book moved kind of slow. There were some great moments but I feel like it should have taken me much less time than it did to read.

Earth has a great premise and I want to see what will happen next. Most of the action was well-written. There was some mystery...why was she having those nightmares? Why did she wake up injured from her dreams? Who are the ones performing the dark magic? These are great elements to this story and these questions were what kept me reading.

The three main characters - Shayna, Jodi, and Steven - were well-written and worked well together. They were different enough from each other but you could see why they were best friends. Shayna was my least favorite. She just seemed to lack common sense despite seeming to know the most out of the three of them. She received so many warnings and signs in her dreams, intuition, and from Deb and her friends yet she refused to follow any of them. Shayna was a great friend and protector of sorts to Tracey and that redeemed her for me. She truly cared for Tracey's safety and well-being. Shayna did her very best to protect Tracey.

We don't learn that much about Jodi and Steven in Earth. But I do like them. They are great counterparts to Shayna. I hope to find out more about them in the remaining books in the series. I also enjoyed that the story combined elements of magic along with religion. It wasn't a one or the other type of situation. The characters seemed to embrace both and made them work together. Usually, the story pits religion against magic and/or witchcraft. This book combined them in a different way.

However, there were some unanswered questions for me. Do Shayna, Jodi, and Steven's parents know about their powers and what they are doing? The parents do not seem to know what their children are up to or where they are or even when they skip school. It must be a different generation because I couldn't imagine my parents not knowing if I was in school or not. Further, why didn't these three run into Deb and the other adults that were monitoring the troublesome situation going on in their area? And the end was rather 'neat' for me. I understand it but I didn't feel like it completely fit this story.

I also wish that the magic - where it came from, how they used it, how it worked - would have been explained at the beginning, not in the last 50 pages. I think it would have helped me understand what was going on a bit more. There were some typos, consistency errors, and wrong words throughout Earth. There weren't enough to be distracting but there were enough to be noticeable.

Would I recommend it: I would with the caveat that it is kind of slow but it has an interesting plot.

Will I read it again: I will not but I will read Air, book #2 in the Elemental Series.

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Sep 25, 2012 Nataša rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked the story overall and the flow of it. I liked Shayna as a character and the friendship between the three.

I'm always put off by the dreams in any story though. It's ok if the dream is described once or twice to put some meaning behind something that is happening or will happen but more than that I just skip it. I prefer reading the action scene and then saying, oh, that's just like I dreamed it. And I don't personally care for extensive descriptions of the rituals. I feel like it stopped...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Vannessa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: witches-mostly, young-adult, kindle-books

I generally try to avoid YA books as they're not as action packed and gory as I like to read in an adult UF book, but for a freebie on the Kindle I thought I would give this one a shot and I'm glad I did! It was really good and had lots of action - maybe not the same kind as I normally read, but at least this wasn't your usual girl falls in love with boy at first sight kind of YA book that I've read before.

I liked the fact that our 3 main characters, Shayna, Jodi and Steven already had their ele...more I generally try to avoid YA books as they're not as action packed and gory as I like to read in an adult UF book, but for a freebie on the Kindle I thought I would give this one a shot and I'm glad I did! It was really good and had lots of action - maybe not the same kind as I normally read, but at least this wasn't your usual girl falls in love with boy at first sight kind of YA book that I've read before.

I liked the fact that our 3 main characters, Shayna, Jodi and Steven already had their elemental powers and were using them - none of this "Ooh I've just discovered I'm a witch" kind of thing going on. They were their own little coven, using their powers for little things, such as helping a friend out of a bad situation and being able to speak telepathically when touching each other.

A ritual is found one morning, covered with dead goats, obviously interrupted from casting whatever spell it was and Shayna knows she has to find out what's going on. Things get worse and another site is found - this time the ritual looks like it was almost completed. And to make matters worse the weather is taking a turn and brings floods galore.

At the same time as all this is going on, a pair of twins arrive in the village and go to the same school. Shayna is attracted to one of them, Jensen, but is not completely sure if he's the one doing the rituals or not. He works out she has powers, but doesn't realise the extent of them, nor does he know about her friends.

Shayna is also plagued with very vicious nightmares in which she is being chased by an unseen beast who actually causes her physical harm in the real world as well. I did think it odd that she didn't go to the local witch shop and ask for help with these nightmares, as it was obvious she couldn't fight this beast in her dreams by herself.

When one of their school friends Tracy disappears, the trio realise that a human sacrifice is to be made and they go all out to stop them, but it is not quite who they expect. They draw on their powers and Shayna uses her Earth power to finally beat the demon-possessed witch/warlock.

I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it! And it's free on the Kindle (atm) so even better! The writing was well written, the characters developed well, although Shayna did get on my nerves a bit at times, but she's just the bossy leader of the group and the others, although they follow her lead, so question her and don't just follow her blindly. (less)

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Mar 13, 2013 Courtney rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I could use the excuse that I read YA books because my 13 year-old is reading them and I want to know what she is reading. But, in this case, I just told her she had to read this book. I did caution her there is some language that she should not repeat out loud.

What did I love about this book? First, the relationships. The featured relationships between the three main characters (Shayna, Jodi and Steven) are solid. They have their issues, but they stick with each other. At times, I wished there...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Bookgirlie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own-ebook, under-1-kindle, indie

I really enjoyed this book. I've been a bit disillusioned recently with young adult and self published books recently. I'm more of an adult urban fantasy person these days but this was definitely worth a read.

However, I saw this on amazon for about 68p and couldn't resist- I've been on a bit of a witchy craze recently with my reading choices.

I found that the general grammar and spelling in this was pretty good compared to a few ebooks I have read recently, plus the story was interesting enough...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Stacy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: r2rs

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.Let me start by saying I loved this book -- this was another one of those books that I had a hard time putting down! I ignored laundry, a dirty kitchen, a whiny toddler and put off dinner, just so I could read one more chapter...ok, just ONE more chapter....The main character Shayna is well defined, likable, and feisty. She is an 'Earth Elemental', meaning she has the ability to control and fe...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Novels On The Run rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

MICHELLE'S REVIEW:

RATING: 4 JENSEN STARS!

Shayna aka Shay, Jodi and Steven are Elemental’s. They have nicknames for each other. Terra = Shay as she is an Earth Mother. Fae = Jodi as she is an Air Elemental. Drake = Steven , who is Fire. There is a water Elemental, but we don’t meet this character.

Steven is fun, witty and oh so snappy with the makeup touch up, when a girl needs a little touch up in her day. Jodi isn’t as fun as Steven and Shayna appears to be like their leader. They can speak to...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Catherine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really liked the dynamics of the magic and the three main characters (Shay, Jodi, and Steven). I thought they were funny, playful, and loyal friends - though they had realistic weak points, i.e. jealousy. These issues (jealousy, in particular) didn't really come out in this book but is probably laying a great foundation for the rest of the series to build on. The biggest downfall to me was that Shay is just so darn perfect. She's seriously powerful and very beautiful, and everything seems to g...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Marissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi

Earth avoids many of the annoying trends that seem to have appeared lately - there is no excessive whining, no ridiculous love triangle, the characters take responsibility for their actions and do ask for help at logical places. A giant +1 for that. The descriptions of magic and the related rituals performed by Shayna and her friends is detailed and descriptive, and these slower, more descriptive sections are balanced by periods of fast-paced action. This makes it a great book for taking a break...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Morv rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: young adult supernatural

Shelves: supernatural, ya

This was a rather interesting read, rather different from what I had expect on the outset.

3 friends each have their own elemental power, one of earth, one of air and the other of fire. Also they are teens.

The whole ideal sounds rather interesting and I did enjoy the book, it's a good light read and doesn't involve too much hard thinking. It also gives you an idea of what a Wiccan ritual is like, sort of, with a bit more magic put in place due to the 3 character's being elemental's and all.

As to...more This was a rather interesting read, rather different from what I had expect on the outset.

3 friends each have their own elemental power, one of earth, one of air and the other of fire. Also they are teens.

The whole ideal sounds rather interesting and I did enjoy the book, it's a good light read and doesn't involve too much hard thinking. It also gives you an idea of what a Wiccan ritual is like, sort of, with a bit more magic put in place due to the 3 character's being elemental's and all.

As to why I have given the book only 3 stars?

While I did enjoy the book, the plot was all right, nothing brilliant to be honest and it was kind of obvious who the main villain was in the book as you went further in.

There was also the main character, Shay who I just didn't bond with at all. In fact I cared very little for her, she just seemed so bland and was clearly the leader of the group, which I felt put out the other two characters, who appeared to have a bit more personality in them than Shay.
Steven sounds like a complex character, his power being fire - he lives with his Catholic parents and he had thought of his powers as being a sin in the past. He is still ignorant of certain things involving Paganism, yet it just adds more depth to his character. I do have a minor point to his character and it could just be me, but I have found that there are a few young adult books that have a gay best friend to the female lead, although Steven isn't flamboyent you can clearly tell that he is gay from the first words he utters. Not that this is a bad thing, but it would have been nice if it had been a bit different.

Jodi could be interesting, although we learn her father is a police officer and she's got a boyfriend, she also rather vain, but that is a minor issue. We also learn that her boyfriend - Jay - is someone Shay considers like her brother, yet we never hear from him or see him apart from when Shay warns Jodi about eyeing up other men.

Jensen is a new guy who seems rather mysterious, he and his twin brother Ian.To be honest the pair of them are rather bland character's who don't really add anything apart from a bit of drama and a tinge of mystery. Oh and romance for Shay in the form of Jensen.

I am aware that this is a fire part series and although I would like to read the other books, I would rather skip any book that focuses on Shay like this one does. She just lacks personality and is rather bland.
They also didn't sound like teenagers; Shay only swore properly (not meaning crap) once near the end of the book which annoyed me, as did everyone calling each other 'dude'.

The next book might be one that I could read but it's hardly likely.(less)

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Oct 01, 2012 Yaz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: r2r, purchased-before-2013

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review, through the group Lovers of Paranormal.

I found the story to be easy to read and follow. The three main characters are very different from each other even though they got a big thing in common, elemental magic. I truly enjoyed reading this book. It gives a different perspective of a teenager. There wasn't the regular immature teenager behavior, no drama, crushes, indecision. The story shows the other side of teenagers,...more

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About Shauna Granger

The author of the Young Adult Urban Fantasy series: The Elemental Series. Look for the fifth and final installment, Spirit, in late April 2013!

I have been working on the Elemental Series for the last four years and plan for it to be a 5 book series. It was a hard decision to self-publish but it's been an exciting and terrifying ride.

You can find me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorShaun ...more

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Quotes from Earth

“I was always the kind of girl who believed in magic...” — 6 people liked it

“Shayna thinking about Jensen:
" ....From my first glance I knew he was atleast three or four inches taller than me and I could tell his lightweight sweater hid a well muscled chest and arms, but lean, not meaty. I was aware of an excess of saliva in my mouth and forced myself to swallow, trying not to blush when I heard Jodi snicker quietly next to me.” — 1 person liked it

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Earth (Elemental #1)

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