Sacred

Mar 04, 2013 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, religious

A contemporary with a hint of paranormal, Sacred is a story with a lot of grief and pain, but also hope and acceptance.

Having lost her brother suddenly, Scarlett is left with a broken family and an emptiness nothing can even begin to fill. Grief over her brother's death begins as the main topic of this novel. We get a very realistic portrayal of a family broken by pain, by a missing entity. I thought this was very heartbreaking. You can see that Scarlett really wants, needs, her family back. Sh...more A contemporary with a hint of paranormal, Sacred is a story with a lot of grief and pain, but also hope and acceptance.

Having lost her brother suddenly, Scarlett is left with a broken family and an emptiness nothing can even begin to fill. Grief over her brother's death begins as the main topic of this novel. We get a very realistic portrayal of a family broken by pain, by a missing entity. I thought this was very heartbreaking. You can see that Scarlett really wants, needs, her family back. She yearns for what she sees her friends have as a home life when she visits, a house that is not dark and desolate. Having no one else to turn to, Scarlett uses horse riding, along with self punishment as a way to cope. This too was also very emotional and made me feel incredibly sad for her situation. Even she knows she has a problem, she wants to get better and move on, but the unending grief is making this incredibly hard.

Then she meets a boy--Will. At first the love interest annoyed me. He was the typical stalker guy who's always there when he's not wanted, and seemed a little too pushy. After a while though we come to understand the reason behind his actions. I can't say I ever grew to like him exactly, but I stopped being hateful towards him at least. He also harbours a secret that starts out intriguing but fizzles out into a less interesting (at least to me) direction than I was expecting--more on this in a bit. Their relationship starts out a little rocky, but then he becomes sort of her rock. He's a real gentlemanly type of guy that I found perfect for just this purpose. However, the romance they developed was a bit lacking. I wouldn't say it's insta-lovey, or even unrealistic, I just didn't see any sparks between them, really. In turn, the passion and chemistry was missing from the story, leaving the romance a little plain.

The plot mostly consists of Scarlett moving on from her brother's death. There is also a paranormal/spiritual element added to it, and it's explained with religious faith and belief. So yes there's a religious aspect to the novel, especially deeper during the last part, to which I didn't particularly care for. I think those who enjoy religious lore--Kabalah, Tzaddikim, gifts and abilities brought on by Jewish legends, etc (Will's father is a Rabbi, too, hence where it all comes from)--would find a lot of this fascinating, but it just rolled off of me. Religion aside, the rest of the story is an emotion filled tale of sorrow and loss that I found really quite potent. You could say there's two sides of this story, one religious, and the other raw contemporary. I enjoyed the latter much more.

A solid story of the loss of a loved one, Elana took Sacred, the seemingly usual contemporary, into a path that combines religion and spiritualism to create an affectingly unique YA novel. If religious tones are not something you shy away from in books I can see you becoming a fan of this one.

--
A copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Nov 11, 2012 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I admit I didn't like this book very much at first, but it ended up really growing on me.

I had my doubts because I really didn't like Scarlett in the beginning. She was just way too depressing for me. Yes, I understood that her brother just died, and I know what grief feels like, but I just wanted to shake her and scream at her to wake up. And I didn't know why she was such a witch to Will. I could see why his untimely presence can be a bit unnerving, but she had no reason to be so angry at...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Danielle (Devourer of Books) marked it as to-read

EDIT -- Elana Arnold approached my sister and me ~~15 minutes ago~~ no longer 15 mins ago, but 6/27/12 at the aquarium of the Pacific asking if we were avid readers. we said yes and she handed us a card about her new book coming out this fall. I read the description at the back.... I'm looking forward to getting my hands on this. definitely buying. thank you, Elana. :) I will be tweeting about this and blogging about it on my tumblr.

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Mar 20, 2013 Haley ~ YA-Aholic rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed Sacred. It sure did end up a much 'deeper' read than I thought it was going to be, but that made it an even more intense story! I read this book in one sitting and can say I am definitely excited to see where book two will go.

Sacred follows Scarlett who is slowly turning into nothing, she is grasping at straws but nothing is helping her move on from her brothers death. Her father puts on a fake front, and her mother barely acknowledges her. The only comfort she is finding in lif...more I really enjoyed Sacred. It sure did end up a much 'deeper' read than I thought it was going to be, but that made it an even more intense story! I read this book in one sitting and can say I am definitely excited to see where book two will go.

Sacred follows Scarlett who is slowly turning into nothing, she is grasping at straws but nothing is helping her move on from her brothers death. Her father puts on a fake front, and her mother barely acknowledges her. The only comfort she is finding in life is going to the stables and riding her horse Delilah. Then she meets Will who seems to be showing up everywhere, at first she is annoyed by his presence, but eventually he will turn into the one person that can bring her back to life..but if he leaves Scarlett..she may fall completely off the ledge.

This was quite the mysterious read! Which I personally loved, I hate when books are predictable! Sacred thankfully kept my attention and kept me wondering till well past the last page. Will is so mysterious and you have no idea what he is up to, is he a vampire or something? A Ghost? Werewolf? He thankfully is not any of those things, but something completely different that if you want to find out..well you'll just have to read Sacred! Sacred kept me on the edge of my seat, I was never quite sure what was going to happen to Scarlett!

Scarlett was an unpredictable character that literally shocked me at some points while reading. I found myself so worried about her, which to me just shows what a great writer the author Elana is. It was very easy to connect to Scarlett, and really feel what she was feeling. Besides the great character to reader aspect, I also really loved Elana's imagery, I usually don't like long descriptions or detailed scenery, but Elana's were so beautiful and so easy to imagine that I found those parts of the book actually being my favorite...compared to my least favorite for a change.

ANNNDDDD last but certainly not least there was Will our love interest! I really enjoyed Will, I felt for a YA character he was very mature, he never once annoyed me or made me role my eyes at the things he said. I found him to be quite an interesting character too that kept my attention. He cared alot for Scarlett and really just wanted her to be happy. Overall he was just a great love interest and I am looking forward to seeing him and Scarlett's relationship progress in book two, Splendor!

All in all, I really enjoyed Sacred, the writing was amazing, it had great main characters, and completely captivated me till I finished the book. The only complaint I have is that normally I don't enjoy any religion references in books which this one has quite often, but that is just a personal pet peeve with me, and even with the religion talk I still really enjoyed this. If you are looking for a YA novel that is something a little different, I suggest picking up Sacred. (:

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Mar 14, 2013 Stacey (Sassy Book Lovers) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Firstly, thank you to Random House, Elana K. Arnold & Jean BookNerd for giving me the opportunity to review Sacred and join in the blog tour.

We meet Scarlett, a seventeen yr old girl who's suffering the loss of her older brother. With her parents in deep mourning she's left to deal with her own demons alone. Scarlett isn't taking the loss well, losing so much weight and just sinking into herself she forgets the people around her, including her boyfriend & close friends.
Scarlett enjoys h...more Firstly, thank you to Random House, Elana K. Arnold & Jean BookNerd for giving me the opportunity to review Sacred and join in the blog tour.

We meet Scarlett, a seventeen yr old girl who's suffering the loss of her older brother. With her parents in deep mourning she's left to deal with her own demons alone. Scarlett isn't taking the loss well, losing so much weight and just sinking into herself she forgets the people around her, including her boyfriend & close friends.
Scarlett enjoys horse riding, it brings her a little comfort to be out in the sattle, wind blowing in her hair...no worries. Until one day out riding she nearly runs down a boy named Will Cohan and she finds herself intrigued by this new face.

Will Cohan, a sweet boy who's really into Scarlett and does everything he can to help her deal with her grief. Their feelings grow for each other and life seems to be on the up but something Scarlett discovers could change everything.

Sacred is beautifully written the story comes to life in your hands and it takes you on such an emotional journey you'll become glued to your seat. Arnold knows her stuff, my heart broke for Scarlett and her parents. It's never easy to lose a loved one and it's even harder to deal with when you were so close to that person. I must admit I did get a bit upset with Scarlett's mother, I know a parent should never have to go through the pain of losing their child but when you have another child who needs you now more than ever, it saddened me that she withdrew herself and became a ghost of who she was. In the end though she came around and realised what she'd been missing and how far gone she really went. It truly made me realise the pain and sorrow she went through (even though I did get frustrated by her lol).

I look forward to Splendor and seeing where the story will take us next. I recommend this book to anyone that's looking for something real, this gives you the emotions, amazing characters and it'll give you a little piece to keep once you're finished. Simply unforgettable!!

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Mar 16, 2013 Bella rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: loved-it-book, i-have-a-copy, review-for-tour

First, I want to give a huge thanks to Random House and Elana K. Arnold for having me on the tour and allowing me to review the book. I want to give another HUGE thanks to Jean Book Nerd for putting all this together! U ALL ROCK!

Growing up in such a small town off the coast of California Scarlett has been through a lot. She lost her older brother, and now her family is falling apart and her parents are withdrawing into their self as well as Scarlett. She is only finding any self-relief from time...more First, I want to give a huge thanks to Random House and Elana K. Arnold for having me on the tour and allowing me to review the book. I want to give another HUGE thanks to Jean Book Nerd for putting all this together! U ALL ROCK!

Growing up in such a small town off the coast of California Scarlett has been through a lot. She lost her older brother, and now her family is falling apart and her parents are withdrawing into their self as well as Scarlett. She is only finding any self-relief from time spent with her horse. Until one day out on the trail while riding her horse she runs into a boy she has never seen on this tiny island and now she is curious. Will Cohen, a new boy to the island, has moved her with his father after his mother died and Scarlett feels completely drawn to him. Now for a reason he can’t explain, Will feel the need to keep her safe as well as feels the pull to her too. As they find each other, and things between them and the people around them change they will have to make choices that might hurt them in the end. But will they be the right choices, can they find away to help heal each other or will they both unravel in the end?

I love it. It was a smooth flowing read, and once I started I could not put it down. I finished in two sitting and that’s because it all moved the way a good book should. Arnold did a great job keeping my attain and making me fall in love with the two main characters in this story. Scarlett who loves horses and riding was a come to life character for me! She does deal with a lot of self-problems in this one but I liked the way each one was touched on and worked through. (You will understand more when you read) I loved me some Will that’s for sure and I really enjoyed how he just never let go. This was a happy, sad and exciting read so get ready to feel a little heart broken and happy all at the same time! Arnold never let me down! I can’t wait for more form her and this fascinating read! I will not forget Scarlett and Will and their journey with each other and there self!
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Mar 15, 2013 Alicia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Growing up on Catalina Island, off the California coast, Scarlett Wenderoth has led a fairly isolated life. After her brother dies, her isolation deepens as she withdraws into herself, shutting out her friends and boyfriend. Her parents, shattered by their own sorrow, fail to notice Scarlett's pain and sudden alarming thinness. Scarlett finds pleasure only on her horse, escaping to the heart of the island on long, solitary rides. One day, as she races around a bend, Scarlett is startled by a boy...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Owlcat Mountain added it

I don't use star ratings, so please read my review!

(Description nicked from B&N.com.)

“Growing up on Catalina Island, off the California coast, Scarlett Wenderoth has led a fairly isolated life. After her brother dies, her isolation deepens as she withdraws into herself, shutting out her friends and boyfriend. Her parents, shattered by their own sorrow, fail to notice Scarlett's pain and sudden alarming thinness. Scarlett finds pleasure only on her horse, escaping to the heart of the island o...more I don't use star ratings, so please read my review!

(Description nicked from B&N.com.)

“Growing up on Catalina Island, off the California coast, Scarlett Wenderoth has led a fairly isolated life. After her brother dies, her isolation deepens as she withdraws into herself, shutting out her friends and boyfriend. Her parents, shattered by their own sorrow, fail to notice Scarlett's pain and sudden alarming thinness. Scarlett finds pleasure only on her horse, escaping to the heart of the island on long, solitary rides. One day, as she races around a bend, Scarlett is startled by a boy who raises his hand in warning and says one word: ‘Stop.’

The boy—intense, beautiful—is Will Cohen, a newcomer to the island. For reasons he can't or won't explain, he's drawn to Scarlett and feels compelled to keep her safe. To keep her from wasting away. His meddling irritates Scarlett, though she can't deny her attraction to him. As their relationship blossoms into love, Scarlett's body slowly awakens at Will's touch. But just when her grief begins to ebb, she makes a startling discovery about Will, a discovery he's been grappling with himself. A discovery that threatens to force them apart. And if it does, Scarlett fears she will unravel all over again.”

I found out from a co-worker that Arnold got her creative writing degree at UC Davis, which is where I work and where I got my own degree, so I was quite curious to read a book written by a fellow alumnus. I’m happy to say that Arnold’s writing is indeed quite creative. In a genre overpopulated by vampires and werewolves, this book makes use of the mystical rather than the supernatural. What magic is used doesn’t overwhelm the story, either; instead, it supports a tale that is centered on people and their reactions to grief and pain.

What really impressed me was that the author turned to Jewish mysticism for the otherworldly aspects of her story. It’s so common to pull from folklore and legend to inject magic into a story that the decision to use religion is startlingly refreshing. On top of that, the subject was handled with grace and respect. Will’s father gives Scarlett books to read that promote self-awareness and tolerance, and that’s a message that I think today’s young people sorely need.

But this novel isn’t all peace and love. Scarlett is a heartbroken girl when we first meet her, grieving the loss of her older brother and engaging in destructive behaviors to deal with the pain. Again, Arnold displays a remarkable understanding and compassion for those who do such things—readers never get the feeling that Scarlett is being vilified for self-harming or starving herself. It’s obvious that she’s in terrible emotional pain, and the author gets that across without being maudlin, but also without sparing the reader from seeing the effects.

Scarlett and Will’s relationship has to grow from these trials, and it does so in a realistic way. Despite the mystical connection that the two share, it plays less of a role in them getting together than you might imagine. Will is indeed drawn to help her, but Scarlett proves quite capable of fighting her own demons. Most of what’s between them is a real affection and respect. And speaking of respect, Will’s father is a major force in the story, and his gentle support of Scarlett was very heartwarming and positive. I wish more books had such role models for their characters.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Sacred, but I’m happy to say that I got a book that, while not skimping on the darker parts of grief, does much to promote more positive and caring portrayals of relationships than otherwise. I greatly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the sequel this fall.

This review originally appeared on Owlcat Mountain on February 28, 2013.(less)

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Feb 26, 2013 readknitread rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: character-development, food-issues, high-school-reads, realistic-fiction, supernatural

Debut novel. The author tries to cover to many issues and ends up being too shallow on all of them. Scarlet starts off with cutting and major food calorie counting issues. She also has OCD. But all these problems disappear quickly. Turns out all she need was to think about the new boy. The new boy has supernatural powers and that is also only lightly touched upon. I think the author was just trying to hard to have drama appeal but it doesn't work. Should have just focused on the romance.

Book ta...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Dee rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was beautiful and a refreshing change from everything I have been reading lately.
After Scarlett's brother dies, her mother withdraws into her own world disregarding everything around her whilst her dad is trying to keep everything together as best as he can.
We see Scarlett going through depression and how she copes with it, as well as how she deals with school, her friends and her boyfriend after Ronny's death.The only places she feels safe are her room and the stables where she keeps...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Kris rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, books-reviewed, paranormal, ya-books

The synopsis is mysterious. I didn't know if this was going to be a contemporary book or a paranormal book. I didn't know where it was heading, and that intrigued me. What I didn't realize was that I would finish the book still not knowing what happens.

This was a confusing book for me. There doesn't seem to be a focus for the plot except that Will and Scarlett were meant to be. The beginning was okay. It wasn't outstanding, but I could see a general course for the novel. Scarlett is depressed, a...more The synopsis is mysterious. I didn't know if this was going to be a contemporary book or a paranormal book. I didn't know where it was heading, and that intrigued me. What I didn't realize was that I would finish the book still not knowing what happens.

This was a confusing book for me. There doesn't seem to be a focus for the plot except that Will and Scarlett were meant to be. The beginning was okay. It wasn't outstanding, but I could see a general course for the novel. Scarlett is depressed, anorexic, and self harms by denying her body's needs. However, the plot doesn't end with Will saving her and righting her life. It introduces a paranormal element with Will's abilities. This may still have worked with the plot; instead, it leads to difficulties in their relationship and a lot of drama that doesn't make much sense in hindsight. In short, despite the paranormal aspect of the book, this reads like a normal high school drama and not even a good one at that. There is the exposition and some rising action; however, I can't name a definite climax or change happening, the falling action takes forever, and there is no real sense of resolution. By the end, I was skimming pages in the hopes of finding some interesting development.

Honestly, Scarlett annoyed me for the most part. She doesn't treat herself well, and her relationships are a mess. She stays with Andy, though she isn't attracted to him anymore, if she ever was, and he's a jerk whose only purpose for being with her seems to be getting into her pants. She and Lily and best friends, but they mostly only hang around, talk about guys, and dress up. She is inexplicably drawn to Will from the start, and they're perfect for each other. I could overlook the instalove because Will's abilities pull him towards her, but the changes in his behavior after they begin dating are out of character. Normal jealousy I can understand, but Will typically has such good control over his behavior that his actions seem groundless and unbelievable.

In fact, the main characters are relatively unstable in their attitudes and motivations, they don't show much, if any, growth, and they fall flat for me. I do understand some of Scarlett's feelings at the beginning. However, I couldn't feel her emotions. It may have helped to know how close she was to her brother, but little information is given other than the circumstances of his death and a few other details. I can't get a feel for him as a person and how his loss would impact his family so severely.

With no clear sense of direction in the plot and with flat, unrelatable characters, Sacred rambles through a time of change in Scarlett's life. I say rambles because that's what it feels took place. There are no major developments in Scarlett's life after she dumps Andy and dates Will, and there are no periods of intense emotions that made me feel as though I was there with Scarlett. Overall, this book fell flat for me along with its characters. It just wasn't for me.

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.(less)

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Dec 25, 2012 Samantha Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars

“…Since coming to the island, Scarlett, I’ve felt pulled closer and closer to you…like you’re the earth, and I’m the moon caught in your orbit. I can’t pull away, I don’t want to pull away.” -Elana K. Arnold, Sacred

Sacred is a roller coaster of emotions. From the being the story is marked with tragedy. Scarlett and her family live on a small island off the coast of California, called Catalina. Scarlett’s family was a regular family, but everything change when her brother Ronny died. Now her fami...more “…Since coming to the island, Scarlett, I’ve felt pulled closer and closer to you…like you’re the earth, and I’m the moon caught in your orbit. I can’t pull away, I don’t want to pull away.” -Elana K. Arnold, Sacred

Sacred is a roller coaster of emotions. From the being the story is marked with tragedy. Scarlett and her family live on a small island off the coast of California, called Catalina. Scarlett’s family was a regular family, but everything change when her brother Ronny died. Now her family is a husk of what it used to be.

Scarlett is lost and cannot find her way back to herself. She isn’t eating or hanging out with her friends. The only time she really ever forgets the pain is when she rides her horse, Delilah. Those close to her notice that she is skinner, with dark circles under her eyes, but Scarlett blocks out their voices. She does not want to be helped, she wants to feel anything, even if it is only discomfort and pain.

One day there is a new arrival to the island-Will Cohen. With his brilliant green eyes, and dark curly hair, even in her grief shrouded world, Scarlett notices him. He seems to pop up at the times she needs him the most.

It does not take long for Scarlett and Will to acknowledge the connection they have toward one another, and to act on it. Scarlett is crazy about Will, and even though her mother is locked in her own grief stricken mind forsaking everyone else and her father is lost without her mother, she is happy! She is gaining weight back, she is smiling and laughing-she is living.

Scarlett learns that Will has a secret-a mystifying and impossible secret. Will this secret take Will away from her? What will she do to be with him. Will love conquer all?

Sacred is a complex story that sets the reader right in the middle of a grief stricken family. The reader is shown how each member deals with the lost of their loved one-and how that choice impacts others in the family. Elana K. Arnold writes a moving tale of a girl who is lost and how she deals with her emotions and pain. The rough climb out of her anguish and suffering motivates the reader to cheer and urge Scarlett onward in her journey. The strength of the human spirit and it’s thirst to survive-to move forward really shines through in this incredible story!(less)

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Jan 10, 2013 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars

The story was well written, but I just could not find myself drawn into the story line. The story centers around Scarlett who has suffered a terrible loss. Her brother recently passed away from a brain aneurysm. She has emotionally detached herself from the world and struggles day to day to just appear normal. Her parents have become a shell of themselves, and their home feels like a torture house full of pain and suffering. The only things keeping her sane are her horse, Delilah, and Will. Will...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Gabic Reads rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Original review at Gabic Reads

Sacred is about Scarlet whose brother just died. Scarlet is severely depressed, wasting away to nothing. Then Will comes along and brings her back from the edge.
Scarlet starves herself and she's cut herself off from her friends. The only time she really feels alive is when she's riding her horse. When Will enters her life, she starts to realize how wrong what she's doing is and makes a decision to stop. I enjoyed both characters.
The forces they were struggling again...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Adrienne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Scarlett's grief is realistic, but I'm not sure that her healing is. She has stopped eating and even just ventured into the path of cutting herself, but all for the sake of a boy, she snaps out of it pretty quickly. The attraction between her and Will is strong, but when she's been coping in a self-destructive manner for months, it does seem a little sudden that she just turns away from that when she realizes hurting herself hurts Will, too--kind of an abrupt change. There are also elements of K...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Emily Brown (TheBrownReviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reads-of-2012

Concept/Ideas: 4/5
Storyline/Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing Style: 4/5

Sacred was a beautiful, heart wrenching, and mysterious read. I really enjoyed Arnold's novel, and I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. The number one thing I loved about this book? The setting. The fact that the novel took place on Catalina island off the coast of California was an intriguing concept, and left for a lot of imagination for this book's scenery and small town feel.

At first, I found the main character...more Concept/Ideas: 4/5
Storyline/Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing Style: 4/5

Sacred was a beautiful, heart wrenching, and mysterious read. I really enjoyed Arnold's novel, and I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. The number one thing I loved about this book? The setting. The fact that the novel took place on Catalina island off the coast of California was an intriguing concept, and left for a lot of imagination for this book's scenery and small town feel.

At first, I found the main character to be unlikable. She came across as whiny, and had that whole "boohoo, poor me" attitude. But as the book progressed, I found her to be more and more likable, and she seemed to grow a backbone and improved and flourished as a person. You can feel what Scarlett was going through, and I became extremely sympathetic to her pain. She only got more relatible, stronger, and likeable as the novel goes on (don't judge her on the first half of the book, guys ;) I promise she get's better!).

The characters were all likable too, and I loved that Scarlett's best friend (who for the life of me, I can't remember the name of -- it's been awhile) was always there for her, despite her steretyped personality. She was always right behind her, and helped her to get better throughout the novel. She was what every girl would want in a best friend.

Will wasn't my favorite to say in the least. I found him to be underdeveloped, and didn't have a lot of personality to him. I can understand why he's more on the mysterious side for this book, but hopefully he comes out of his shell more in the next installment. But Will just didn't do it for me in this one. I couldn't see the like.

The pain that is experienced throughout the novel was absolutely heart-breaking. It was something that took up a good chunk of the book, but at the same time, didn't stall the book from having a bigger point to it either. This book was a perfect balance of sadness, joy, excitment, mystery, and I loved it. A reccommended read for sure!

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Dec 13, 2012 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

Solid 4. Sometimes the writing was too redundant - I've been noticing that more lately, as new writers tend to overwrite when they want to make a point - but, for a debut story, it mixes tropes with a unique take on Jewish mysticism (really, I can't say I've read anything that's used the Jewish beliefs as a basis before - and I wish I've read more now) and emotional characterization with the protagonist that makes her much more fleshed out than the usual paranormal YA heroine. This book isn't ex...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Peggy(Le BookSquirrel Blogger) Warren rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sacred is a story about Scarlett who has just suffered a great loss and is having trouble dealing with living.Will comes into the picture and somehow always shows up when she needs it.They have a connection that both feel very powerfully.This is the first book I have read by this author and cannot wait to read more.

I really enjoyed this story.I feel it was a great read.I felt Scarlett's pain,I felt her sadness.I look very forward to reading book 2 when it is released.I cannot wait to see what...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Jessica at Book Sake rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reviewed by Jessica for Book Sake.

The main character, Scarlett, and her family have such heartbreaking grief, it’s hard to get past that in the story. Her mother has disappeared into her bedroom, self-medicating every day, and her dad is trying to keep it together, but still unable to save everyone else. Scarlett’s one saving grace is her ability to lose herself in her love for her horse. Then she meets Will and sparks and drama and love fly!

I loved the love story portion and the fantastical ele...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Krystal added it

Shelves: arc

Sacred was a good surprise. I am not certain what the title has to do with the plot at all, but the cover represents the book very well. Scarlett’s older brother died suddenly and now her remaining family is collapsing around her. Although her dad continues to struggle through the days, Scarlett’s mom is a complete wreck. Scarlett is not doing much better than her mother. Starving herself to feel and even cutting herself a few times, Scarlett is on a downward spiral. The only part of Scarlett’s...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Kavita Ramesh added it

I read this book about halfway, right up until the religious stuff. Then I skimmed through the rest of it, but I could not make myself read any more. All that mention of religion, Kabbalah, etc, it was a total turn off for me. I was annoyed that the back cover did not mention this religious aspect of the book. I was looking for a bit of light reading, not Religion 101! It would have been nice if there has been some HINT as to the religious overtones of the story, in the blurb on the back. I feel...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Kaycee Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

So, i had a chance to read an Advanced Readers Copy, and it was just about the best book i ever read. i rate 5,00000 Stars!!! Elana K. arnold you are amazing and wrote a book that is going to be the next Twilight :) you did SUCH an amazing job! i cant wait to read the 2nd one. so if you are new here and thinking about buying and reading this book? then DO IT!!! you well love it. it's about This Girl named Scarlett and her brother Died :( she Is Depressed. but then when she is riding her hourse s...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Phoebe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-fiction

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

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Mar 03, 2013 T.M. Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Scarlett and her family live on the small island of Catalina, off the coast in California. They were the average, run of the mill family until tragedy struck and her brother died. Her parents immediately became emotionally unavailable, withdrawn into their own grief. So they are completely oblivious to Scarlett and her pain, her weight loss and the fact that she is hurting herself. The only time she is truly happy is when she’s on her horse, riding is her escape from reality.

It’s on one of her...more Scarlett and her family live on the small island of Catalina, off the coast in California. They were the average, run of the mill family until tragedy struck and her brother died. Her parents immediately became emotionally unavailable, withdrawn into their own grief. So they are completely oblivious to Scarlett and her pain, her weight loss and the fact that she is hurting herself. The only time she is truly happy is when she’s on her horse, riding is her escape from reality.

It’s on one of her rides that she almost runs right over the handsome boy with the striking good looks, brilliant green eyes and dark curly hair. Will Cohen is new to the island and has an innate ability of being in the right place at the right time, right when Scarlett needs him. The connection they share is evident and it doesn’t take long before Scar is eating, laughing and living again. But Will has a secret, one that threatens to tear these two apart before they even have a chance to begin.

Arnold has managed to capture the tragically beautiful life that Scarlett leads, and express it in such a way that the reader will be captivated. You will be drawn into Scar’s pain as she struggles with the aftermath and devastation her brother’s death left. How does a young girl pick up the pieces of her once perfect now shattered life? Finally finding that which she longs for with Will, only to learn his secret and have him too pull away from her, just like her parents have done.

My only complaint was the all too quick turn around from her mother. She goes from emotionally absent, dependant on sleeping pills, phoning in her parenting skills to overbearing and over protective in five minutes flat. Don’t get me wrong, I was pleased she finally pulled her head out of her a@@. I would have liked to have seen a bit more development there and not the unrealistic flip.

Overall this was a moving story of a little girl lost trying to get past the grief and pain, and come out on the other side a better person. Definitely a must read for fans of YA love stories, with a slight paranormal twist. I give this one 4/5, but that’s just my two cents!
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Feb 21, 2013 Jane Ellen Freeman rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book gives the reader a good story and quite a lot of information about Jewish mysticism, namely Kabbalah. The main character is Scarlett Wenderoth, a grieving teenager living on Catalina Island. Her brother has died, her mother withdrawn, and Scarlett's only joy is riding her horse on the island trails. Then she encounters Will Cohen. Scarlett's grief has led to anorexia. Will is drawn to her, and the ensuing love story enables Scarlett's resurrection back to life. Well worth reading for a...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Chapter by Chapter rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sacred by Elana K. Arnold was a tough read in the beginning. Not because it wasn’t good! But because the subject and emotions that were found in those first chapters was heartbreaking.

Scarlett and her family are still struggling with the death of her older brother, Ronny. After an unexpected cerebral aneurysm in the middle of a soccer game, the sudden loss becomes unbearable to this family. With a mother who is barely living, locking herself in the bedroom self medicating herself with sleeping p...more Sacred by Elana K. Arnold was a tough read in the beginning. Not because it wasn’t good! But because the subject and emotions that were found in those first chapters was heartbreaking.

Scarlett and her family are still struggling with the death of her older brother, Ronny. After an unexpected cerebral aneurysm in the middle of a soccer game, the sudden loss becomes unbearable to this family. With a mother who is barely living, locking herself in the bedroom self medicating herself with sleeping pills to ease her pain, a father who is trying to keep the peace, and Scarlett who has chosen to harm herself in order deal with the loss.

The thing is, Scarlett knows what she’s doing is bad for herself. She can’t even bear to look at herself in the mirror, but all she knows now is emptiness and feeling hollow. Her only escape is riding. To feel while riding her horse along the trails. And it’s on these same trails that Scarlett comes across Will. Scared and alone on the trail, Will’s demeanour is anything but normal.

But Scarlett soon learns that Will was not just some random tourist whom she will never see again. It seems Will and his after have recently moved to Catalina Island to escape a secret of their own. Scarlett instantly feels this pull towards Will, and it seems Will feels the same way. Time and time again, Will plays the part of the hero, and rescues Scarlett time and time again. Little does Scarlett realize that Will also seems to be saving her from herself.

When I first started reading Sacred by Elana K. Arnold, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was instantly pulled in by the emotional and powerful writing style of author, Elana K. Arnold. The way in which she describes the after effects of Ronny’s death, and talks about just how much the loss is slowly tearing everyone apart. With her descriptive writing, it was easy enough to get completely immersed in the Catalina Island. Because of the beautiful description of the scenery and way of life for the locals, I am even more curious in wanting to visit and experience everything I read for myself.

The characters found in the book are ones that I’m sure readers will be able to relate to, regardless of the subject matter. It was really interesting to witness Scarlett’s struggles with her eating, and it was equally wonderful to read just how much support she has in the background…especially with a now non-existent mother. And can I just say that I want my very own Lily! She is a totally awesome best friend, and pretty much embodies just what a best friend should be. Totally supportive, constantly looking out for Scarlett’s well being, not being overly pushy, and knowing what to say and day for whatever situation arises.

And don’t even get me started on Will. With the story containing a somewhat supernatural element, Will is one character that was so great to follow. A sexy hero in waiting. And the way he deals with Scarlett? How sweet he is, how attentive, and how he is always at the right place at the right time. There’s no way that anyone could NOT fall for Will.

With a very contemporary subject matter and a dash of supernatural, readers will fall in love with the story of Scarlett and Will, the hurtles that they both must jump, and the way in which they both find each other during a dark time, and during time where they need each other the most.(less)

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Mar 24, 2013 Chapter by Chapter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sacred by Elana K. Arnold was a tough read in the beginning. Not because it wasn’t good! But because the subject and emotions that were found in those first chapters was heartbreaking.

Scarlett and her family are still struggling with the death of her older brother, Ronny. After an unexpected cerebral aneurysm in the middle of a soccer game, the sudden loss becomes unbearable to this family. With a mother who is barely living, locking herself in the bedroom self medicating herself with sleeping p...more Sacred by Elana K. Arnold was a tough read in the beginning. Not because it wasn’t good! But because the subject and emotions that were found in those first chapters was heartbreaking.

Scarlett and her family are still struggling with the death of her older brother, Ronny. After an unexpected cerebral aneurysm in the middle of a soccer game, the sudden loss becomes unbearable to this family. With a mother who is barely living, locking herself in the bedroom self medicating herself with sleeping pills to ease her pain, a father who is trying to keep the peace, and Scarlett who has chosen to harm herself in order deal with the loss.

The thing is, Scarlett knows what she’s doing is bad for herself. She can’t even bear to look at herself in the mirror, but all she knows now is emptiness and feeling hollow. Her only escape is riding. To feel while riding her horse along the trails. And it’s on these same trails that Scarlett comes across Will. Scared and alone on the trail, Will’s demeanour is anything but normal.

But Scarlett soon learns that Will was not just some random tourist whom she will never see again. It seems Will and his after have recently moved to Catalina Island to escape a secret of their own. Scarlett instantly feels this pull towards Will, and it seems Will feels the same way. Time and time again, Will plays the part of the hero, and rescues Scarlett time and time again. Little does Scarlett realize that Will also seems to be saving her from herself.

When I first started reading Sacred by Elana K. Arnold, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was instantly pulled in by the emotional and powerful writing style of author, Elana K. Arnold. The way in which she describes the after effects of Ronny’s death, and talks about just how much the loss is slowly tearing everyone apart. With her descriptive writing, it was easy enough to get completely immersed in the Catalina Island. Because of the beautiful description of the scenery and way of life for the locals, I am even more curious in wanting to visit and experience everything I read for myself.

The characters found in the book are ones that I’m sure readers will be able to relate to, regardless of the subject matter. It was really interesting to witness Scarlett’s struggles with her eating, and it was equally wonderful to read just how much support she has in the background…especially with a now non-existent mother. And can I just say that I want my very own Lily! She is a totally awesome best friend, and pretty much embodies just what a best friend should be. Totally supportive, constantly looking out for Scarlett’s well being, not being overly pushy, and knowing what to say and day for whatever situation arises.

And don’t even get me started on Will. With the story containing a somewhat supernatural element, Will is one character that was so great to follow. A sexy hero in waiting. And the way he deals with Scarlett? How sweet he is, how attentive, and how he is always at the right place at the right time. There’s no way that anyone could NOT fall for Will.

With a very contemporary subject matter and a dash of supernatural, readers will fall in love with the story of Scarlett and Will, the hurtles that they both must jump, and the way in which they both find each other during a dark time, and during time where they need each other the most.(less)

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Jan 06, 2013 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I read the synopsis for this book, I thought it sounded awesome. A girl living on a close-knit island who feels herself drawn to the new boy? When can I read this book? When I actually got through it, though, there were just too many things that bothered me to actually enjoy the story.

Scarlett's brother just died and her family is in pieces; her mother never leaves her room while her dad tries to hold everyone together. As they try to move on, Scarlett finds herself wasting away, literally...more When I read the synopsis for this book, I thought it sounded awesome. A girl living on a close-knit island who feels herself drawn to the new boy? When can I read this book? When I actually got through it, though, there were just too many things that bothered me to actually enjoy the story.

Scarlett's brother just died and her family is in pieces; her mother never leaves her room while her dad tries to hold everyone together. As they try to move on, Scarlett finds herself wasting away, literally. She becomes obsessed with her eating habits and just can't seem to let anyone back in the way she used to. Until Will Cohen shows up. Will appears everywhere she goes, even when she agrees to get back together with her boyfriend Andy, who she was dating before her brother died. There's just something about Will that intrigues Scarlett and he just might be the key for putting Scarlett's life back together.

The idea behind this book held so much potential, but I just couldn't connect with Scarlett. There was one major thing that bothered me the most: her clothes. The author constantly mentioned how she wore dresses/skirts with jeans and flip-flops. And Scarlett was one of the most popular girls in school. I don't know where the author went to school, but no one I knew dressed like that. Jeans underneath a dress with flipflops is just not a good combination (sorry if any of you wear that, but I'm just not a fan....) and I couldn't get past how awful she must have looked in the scenes she wore those outfits. Then, there was the whole eating disorder/harming herself part of the story. I didn't really get why Scarlett did those things to herself and how that issue is resolved seems just too abrupt and clean cut. Then, there's her relationship with Andy. She isn't all that into him anymore, yet she still agrees to continue dating him and acting like she really liked him. That part just got really annoying and I couldn't find myself sympathizing with Scarlett like I knew the author wanted the reader to. Will was an okay character, but the whole Jewish religious stuff his dad made Scarlett question and read about was a little boring and I didn't care for it.

Maybe all of those details are just little things that would annoy only me, but they were big enough to distract me from actually enjoying the story. If you don't think the details I mentioned would bother you, then you should definitely check out this book. But if you're easily annoyed with the specifics and too much religious/philosophical talk, then I'd say you should take a pass at this one. (less)

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Mar 07, 2013 Jeanbooknerd rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Elana K. Arnold’s Sacred is the story of normal sixteen-year-old Scarlett Wenderoth whose life is deeply affected by the death of her brother. Recovery seems to be taking a toll on her and her life have stopped as she has withdrew herself from everyone, including her boyfriend. Even her parents are having a difficult time coping with the pain that it has blinded them from noticing their own daughter’s hurt and sorrow. To ease her mind, Scarlett resorts to riding her horse on the open land of Cat...more Elana K. Arnold’s Sacred is the story of normal sixteen-year-old Scarlett Wenderoth whose life is deeply affected by the death of her brother. Recovery seems to be taking a toll on her and her life have stopped as she has withdrew herself from everyone, including her boyfriend. Even her parents are having a difficult time coping with the pain that it has blinded them from noticing their own daughter’s hurt and sorrow. To ease her mind, Scarlett resorts to riding her horse on the open land of Catalina Island. On one of her rides, she meets newcomer Will Cohen, who has an unexplainable attraction to Scarlett and is willing to shield her from harm. She’s attractive to him as well and soon they form a relationship. Scarlett’s life slowly gets together only to be threatened when a part of Will’s life is uncovered. Now she feels that her slowly repaired life may be broken again.

Losing a family member is not an easy task to deal with. It involves an assortment of emotions that affects the way a person reacts to others and towards themselves. Author Elana does a remarkable job of describing the roller coaster of emotions that Scarlett goes through. Readers are able to understand the reasonings why Scarlett feels a certain way through her amazing writing style. She digs deep within the core of that emotion and methodically grabs the reader and places them in it, soaking up all that Scarlett feels. Even when Scarlett meets Will, Elana delivers an amazing presentation of what it feels like to be at the other end of the tunnel, only to pull the rug right under your feet when she drops a surprising revelation.

This complex story about a grief stricken family tells in details how each member copes with the death of a loved one. The choices on this tough journey they are on will have major influences not only on themselves, but also the others in the family. This is an incredible uplifting tale of a lost girl who finds herself through strength and the longing to move forward.(less)

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Nov 20, 2012 Soumi(in love with Puck) Roy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-arcs, signed-copies, owned-copy, paranormal-others, books-i-reviewed

When I started the book, it was slow and smooth, but as I progressed, the Sacred caught me by surprised. I felt very urge to uncover the mysteries that was embedded in pages. I was previously dying to read the book, now I believe I’m lucky to have Sacred to have on my book shelf.
In a beautiful island Catalina, Scarlet was mourning over dead brother, and her life seemed to have stopped, until a new boy Will showed up. Strangely, Will was drawn to Scarlet in a very unexplainable way. Every time S...more

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