Salt (Salt, #1) by Danielle Ellison

Jan 07, 2014 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it it was ok

Shelves: demons, paranormal, witches, tstl, ya, romance, glbt, siblings, magic, boring-main-character

I can't help but think this book should have been titled: Perfume: The Scent of a Witch instead of Salt (explanation to come). It might have been more appropriately titled Dirt, because it was just as dull.

This book wasn't terrible, but it was excruciatingly boring and the premise of the book is absolutely absurd. You could read the first 15% of the book, then skip ahead to the last 10% of the book without missing anything of vital importance.

In a nutshell, this is the plot: Penelope (Pen) is a ...more

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Dec 10, 2013 Giselle rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, arc

I love witch stories. But this was not one of them. Penelope is a witch without powers - they were stolen from her and now she's dead set on hunting the demon who stole them. This sounds like it could be a fun, action packed novel, except all we have here is a girl who whines a lot and spends most of the book being boring and talking herself out of kissing a guy who apparently annoys her.

That is the gist of it. Exams, simulations, graduation, research, more research, coffee dates, research; ...more

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Feb 13, 2017 Carrie rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley

Penelope is a witch but one without powers of her own. When she was younger a demon attacked and killed her parents and stole Penelope's magic. Penelope can only practice magic if she uses her family members to obtain the power from and they have to be within a certain distance for this to work.

In Penelope's world a witch without magic normally doesn't survive but Penelope did when her magic was stolen and now she is determined to find that demon and get her own powers back. When given the ...more

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Jan 01, 2014 Anne rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal, netgalley, kindle, read-in-2014, arc, urban-fantasy

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital arc of this book.

This was a witchy YA that kept me flipping the pages till the end of the book, so it definitely deserves all 4 stars.

Penelope was a child when a demon broke into her home, killed her parents, and drained her magic. She should be dead, but for some reason...well, she's not.
Wouldn't be much of a story if she was, right?
She also shouldn't be able to borrow her family's magic to cover up the fact that she doesn't have any of her ...more

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Dec 19, 2013 Sarah rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: Fans of Lauren Kate and Michele Vail

Shelves: r2r-complete, read-2014, netgalley-edelweiss, read-with-abbie

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley.)
Penelope comes from a line of witches, and wants to be an enforcer – someone who deals with demons, but she just has one problem. Her magic is ‘cranky’ (temperamental).
Since witnessing her parents murders, Penelope is only able to use magic whilst within twenty feet and six inches of a family member, which makes becoming an enforcer difficult and dangerous, not that (Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley.)
Penelope comes from a line of witches, and wants to be an enforcer – someone who deals with demons, but she just has one problem. Her magic is ‘cranky’ (temperamental).
Since witnessing her parents murders, Penelope is only able to use magic whilst within twenty feet and six inches of a family member, which makes becoming an enforcer difficult and dangerous, not that that is going to stop her.
Can Penelope become an enforcer? What is wrong with her magic? And who is the guy who seems to be following her about?

This book looked promising from the start, but unfortunately it bored the pants off me.

Penelope was an okay character, although I did find her a bit stupid and immature at times. Knowing that demons are everywhere, and you need salt to fight them, would you really go out without it? I mean really? I know I forget my phone occasionally so I’ll let her off, but still. You think she’d take it everywhere with her, even to the bathroom.
Anyway, Penelope basically had no magic when on her own, so what did she do? Sign up to be an enforcer. Obviously. Because being a big bad demon slayer when you have no magic and would be putting yourself in danger is a great idea. Not.

The storyline in this was fairly simple. Penelope going through training, all the time cheating to some extent because she doesn’t have her own independent magic, a healthy dose of lust for a boy witch, and a big old hidden family secret lurking in the closet. Unfortunately though I found this ridiculously dull; even the big secrets couldn’t entertain me, and this was one of the few books that I actually considered not finishing. I felt like I was wading through quicksand trying to get to the end of this, and that acknowledgements page at 97% was pure sweet relief!
I’m going to give this book the benefit of the doubt, and say that it just wasn’t for me, I’m sure other people will like this, but I just couldn’t. There wasn’t anything glaringly wrong with it, it just bored me, and I really, really do not want to read the next one.
The books this most reminded me of were Teardrop by Lauren Kate, Feudlings by Wendy Knight, and Undeadly by Michele Vail. If you liked any of those books then you will probably like this, but if you didn’t like those books I’d suggest you give this one a miss.
Overall; it just bored me.
4 out of 10.
...more

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Dec 12, 2013 Jena rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite-boys

Review Posted at Shortie Says

Okay, so I admit when I heard the title of the book I was like “Salt? Huh?” but let me tell you this is one Entangled YA book you will not want to throw over your shoulder. Right from the start Salt is intense and attention grabbing. There were so many pieces of this book that I just absolutely loved. Believe me, this is a story you will not want to miss out on when starting your new year.

I absolutely adore the dynamic between our two main characters: Carter and Review Posted at Shortie Says

Okay, so I admit when I heard the title of the book I was like “Salt? Huh?” but let me tell you this is one Entangled YA book you will not want to throw over your shoulder. Right from the start Salt is intense and attention grabbing. There were so many pieces of this book that I just absolutely loved. Believe me, this is a story you will not want to miss out on when starting your new year.

I absolutely adore the dynamic between our two main characters: Carter and Penelope. ADORE with a capital A. To watch their witty banter turn into something playful and powerful and ultimately something perfect just made me love them. I mean they go from something like this that I totally laughed out loud at:

“I’m sorry,” Carter’s eyes are on me and I don’t know whom he’s talking to. I’m not taking an apology. Not after that. “It was an accident. I lost track of time.”
I want to punch him in the face.
And then I'll apologize and say it was an accident. That I lost track of my fist.

To something sigh-worthy like this:

“I will always fight for you,” he says, his voice low.
I look into his eyes and I know, without a doubt, that I trust him. “I will too,” I whisper.
His lips are against mine, and my tongue slides against his.

RIGHT?! RIGHT?! How can you not love them? I just absolutely couldn’t get enough of these too. Especially Carter. Oh god, green-eyed, sexy thing Carter you, and the boy can fight like nobody’s business.

With this story, there is always some kind of action happening, whether it’s demon slaying, intense coffee drinking, sparring, or romantic heat, Salt was constantly moving and I absolutely love that quality in a book. Those stories where it’s just one thing after another and your heart doesn’t stop until you’re at the end of the book. You can’t help but love stories where you love a main character’s family and friends, not just them and their love interest, the stories where you have to keep finding the pieces until it all clicks together in one heart-stopping moment. Those books where it’s a world you just want to teleport yourself into. Salt has all of that. I’m not sure what I was expecting with this story, but I got so much more. If you’re thinking of reading this one… do it. It’s a magically intense ride and I absolutely loved it. ...more

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Jan 10, 2014 Booknut rated it it was amazing

Shelves: gorgeous-guys, ethics-and-society, books-i-love-dearly, can-t-get-enough-of, devils-and-demons, favorites, forever-re-read, strong-and-kickass-heroines, romance, paranormal-peoples

'I believe the demon is out there, and it will make itself known sometime. I just have to wait for it all to come together.

I also believe Zac Efron will come to town and fall madly in love with me, so maybe I'm just too hopeful.'

Filled with kickass action, timeless humour and a feisty female with a mission, Salt is as addictive as it is magical.

There is nothing not to like about this book. The story twists and turns, keeping readers' minds occupied with a intriguing set of interlocking mysteries ...more

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Dec 10, 2013 Amalie Howard rated it it was amazing

I was lucky enough to read an early copy of this book, and once I started, I could not put it down! It's full of action, great world-building, and characters that I couldn't stop rooting for. I love Pen and Carter--they're like the dynamic duo. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments, as well as twists and turns I didn't see coming. What a terrific debut! SALT has fun, it has sass, it has sweet romance. Read this--you won't regret it.

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Jan 05, 2014 Emily Anne rated it liked it

Shelves: for-review

Salt was one of those books that didn’t end up wowing me, but I still enjoyed the story nonetheless. Penelope’s journey was a lot of fun, and I especially enjoyed the second half of the book!

I had a few problems with Penelope. The first being that her jokes were kind of, well, lame in the beginning. I rolled my eyes at Penelope quite a lot. However, by the end she grew on me. I actually found myself laughing aloud during the read, after I got past the beginning. The other quip I had about ...more

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Jan 09, 2014 Nasty Lady MJ rated it did not like it

DNF. Ugh, nothing really interesting about this one. I'm linking the reviews below:

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Dec 14, 2013 Jess at Such a Novel Idea rated it really liked it

Shelves: blog-tour, mysterious, young-adult, urban-fantasy, unique-storyline, paranormal, supernatural, entangled-teen, demons, 2014-reads

For this review and more, visit Such a Novel Idea.

I'm pretty much to the point now that I will pick up anything Entangled Teen puts out. I had the opportunity to review SEVERAL of their 2013 publications and each one just was a home run for me. So, I had high hopes going into this book.

Salt is a witch story, but it isn't some tired, overused paranormal story line. It's got depth and layers and a really unique premise. Penelope, our protagonist, is a witch (obvi). However, rather than casting For this review and more, visit Such a Novel Idea.

I'm pretty much to the point now that I will pick up anything Entangled Teen puts out. I had the opportunity to review SEVERAL of their 2013 publications and each one just was a home run for me. So, I had high hopes going into this book.

Salt is a witch story, but it isn't some tired, overused paranormal story line. It's got depth and layers and a really unique premise. Penelope, our protagonist, is a witch (obvi). However, rather than casting spells and hanging out raising all kinds of hell like the girls on American Horror Story, Penelope is fighting demons. Umm, so basically we've got Buffy meets Charmed meets Supernatural. SO much yes.

As a kid, a particular demon killed her parents and stole her powers. But you're thinking, "wait, you said she's a witch!?" Here's where the fun part comes in -- she can use her powers when she is close to a family member. That's definitely one I haven't seen done before!

Penelope was an awesome main character -- she had a backbone, was stubborn, and full of snark. She wasn't perfect, but I definitely have a thing for girls who kick butt. And she does that a whole LOT. We see the desperation in her character - she tells lies, gets mad when others keep things from her, and while some people may do an eye roll, I liked that those flaws. THIS IS HOW REAL PEOPLE ACT. We are hypocritical and ridiculous, especially as teenagers. It's just what we do. And I just have to repeat how much I loved her personality. Sarcastic, snarky, and just plain smart ass at times. I loved it.

When Penelope meets Carter, she finds out she can do magic near him. Now this made me wonder, ummm are you guys related, but it was pretty obvious there was something else happening. I liked the connection the two have and they were able to dish out a lot of hilariousness with their encounters. And, I actually LOVED the plot twist with Carter.

There's a lot to this book plot-wise, which I loved... The twists and turns were well-received and the writing was smooth. Pacing, tone, and the actual writing were all great. We get a lot of details that set up the world -- explanations that help make everything make sense. Things keep moving, but you are able to pick up pieces of everything along the way until you get to the moment where it all comes together.

Overall, I'm REALLY glad I picked this one up and can't wait to see where the story goes from here! ...more

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Jan 30, 2014 Lily (Night Owl Book Cafe) rated it liked it

Shelves: challenge-2014, arcs, romance, paranormal, reviewed, young-adult

Original Post: http://lilypondreads.blogspot.com/201...

My first impression of Salt was .. Oh Witches! got to have it!

Interesting story. I did almost give up on it because it started out a bit slow and there wasn't as much magic as I wanted.

Penelope is a witch and she is from a long line of witches that protect humans from demons and their attacks. But, when Penelope was little, a demon attacked and killed her parents. Somehow she survived the demon attack, but in the process that demon took her Original Post: http://lilypondreads.blogspot.com/201...

My first impression of Salt was .. Oh Witches! got to have it!

Interesting story. I did almost give up on it because it started out a bit slow and there wasn't as much magic as I wanted.

Penelope is a witch and she is from a long line of witches that protect humans from demons and their attacks. But, when Penelope was little, a demon attacked and killed her parents. Somehow she survived the demon attack, but in the process that demon took her essence, a.k.a her magic.

Second impression... is it me or more and more Young Adult - New Adult books have demons in them?

Penelope wants to become an Enforcer, find her demon and get her magic back. Hard to do on her own if the only way she seems to be able to have any magic is by pulling from her family when they are around. Something that has really been unheard of. Until the meets Carter, a boy that she can suddenly pull her magic from but it feels different, it feels stronger.

Carter harbors his own secrets that might too closely linked to Penelopes.

Different and the ending was not at all what I expect. Okay the big reveal I thought was pretty big, since I had been trying to figure out what was going on for chapter. Well, maybe. I kind of knew what Carter's secret was for chapters, so when the big reveal came for Penelope it was almost a downer, considering it suddenly felt unoriginal and recycled. But I won't tell you why due to the fact that it will probably be a spoiler alert. I guess I was expecting something...different.

Don't get me wrong. The story still had me entertained until the very last page. I liked Penelope, I though she was a strong character and to come out strong after everything she had been through. Oh and good news everyone, so far there are no love triangles! I am so happy. On the bad side, Penelope and Carter were too much lovely dovely for me at times.

I am also glad that the story did not leave off on a cliffhanger, but with enough substance to realize it is not over and that Carter's and Penelope's story has just started!

I know I have been on a young-adult kick lately, but I have been enjoying the few refreshingly new books!

I got a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange of an honest review. ...more

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Dec 23, 2013 Abbie rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-to-review

(I received a copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review)

The blurb to Salt sounded interesting, but it turned out to be anything but.

It was slower than a tortoise in quicksand, and was as entertaining as watching paint dry. (Actually, watching paint dry would probably have been a bit more fun.)

The main character wasn't a very good one. In the first chapter, she's going on about how her nan always went on about keeping salt on her at all times...and then we find out that's she done ...more

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Dec 11, 2013 ~Tina~ rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, read-2013, hocus-pocus, arc, tbd

Wow! I’m surprised how much fun I had with this book. I've always loved hocus pocus type books and I’m still kinda amazed how much I've grown to love demon lore, but I was really impressed with Salt. It has everything I look for a good paranormal escape. Its action punched, suspenseful, mysterious and has a romance that’s totally kissable.

Danielle Ellison’s writes an amazing debut novel. The concept may not be something exactly new but I still really enjoyed Ellison’s take on this genre and I Wow! I’m surprised how much fun I had with this book. I've always loved hocus pocus type books and I’m still kinda amazed how much I've grown to love demon lore, but I was really impressed with Salt. It has everything I look for a good paranormal escape. Its action punched, suspenseful, mysterious and has a romance that’s totally kissable.

Danielle Ellison’s writes an amazing debut novel. The concept may not be something exactly new but I still really enjoyed Ellison’s take on this genre and I really liked the twist and turns in the plot. It kept me on my toes and anticipating what comes next.
Ellison also really knows how to write some mean ass-kickin! From badass demonic action to Pen’s examination training, to its gripping conclusion, this book is chalked filled with excitement and entertainment that kept my imagination on thrill. But it wasn't all fightin’ there is plenty of hugable romance that saps like me crave for, and Ellison really delivered those moments beautifully.

There is a lot happening here plot wise, but I thought the flow and pace of the story was well done. It never felt dragged out or dull, in fact, I was completely absorbed throughout the entire story. Lies and secrets seem to be the running theme in Penelope Grey’s life. The mysterious surrounding Pen and her families history was a great element I was completely intrigued with, but there are so many factors in this story that make the bigger picture really standout. Carter’s has his own secrets and agendas and I thought it was well played how those secrets affected his magical chemistry with Pen. I also really liked Poncho’s character and was surprised with the secrets he too was hiding. Everything about the story-line was calculating and connected in one way or another and I had a great time trying to piece the string of clues together while kicking back and just enjoyed the comfortable ease of the characters themselves.

I really loved all of these characters. They are filled with fun filled banter, wit and sarcasm. Okay…I admit that Penelope Grey is a character that did have a few flaws. I found her to be a bit hypercritical concerning the lies and deceit. She’s kinda not one to talk since she’s been keeping quite a few secrets to the people who matter the most and her reaction to Carter’s ‘betrayal’ was a bit of an overreaction and little more then childish. She also comes off a little repetitive, and her desperation to become an Enforcer and hunt down the demon that stole her magic and killed her parents tended to scream right off the pages a little too frequently, but as a whole, I liked and admired her determination, passion and strength, especially when it mattered most. I also adored her snark, sass, and fire and the fact that she didn't just roll over when she meets Carter. She’s a fighter, she makes things challenging and she can totally handle her own.
Carter was my by far my favorite, he is simply a fully loaded blast of a character. He’s arrogant, overly confident and drips with charm, wit and charisma. There were a few surprises concerning his character as well, which I loved, but I don’t think one of the earlier revelations should have been that dramatic. I guess I just don’t see the big deal.
This boy knows how to kick some serious ass but I like that he knows how to right a wrong and that he’s supportive and genuinely cares for Pen. Plus, he bakes cookies.
Need I say more?
Together, Pen and Carter steal the show as well as my heart. I really enjoyed the chemistry between them. They have an adorable playful banter thing going on that I found really sweet, sexy and adorable. Pen has a bit of an inner-battle concerning Carter at first since he makes her feel vulnerable in ways only her family has seen, but the connection between them is undeniable when they learn what they can accomplish together in both magic and heart.
I also loved Pen’s sister Connie and her best friend Ric. They were amazing secondary characters who brought constant loyalty, smiles and support when it was needed.

In a nutshell, Salt was just a lot of fun to read. The plot was sizzling with action and mystery. The magical aspect was refreshing, the writing was smooth and these characters were wonderfully put together, easy to love and be invested with from minute one. I’m really looking forward to seeing what Ellison does with the sequel. A solid escape. ...more

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Jan 04, 2014 Nova Zaiden rated it did not like it

Shelves: not-for-me, reviewed, boring, can-the-mc-walk-into-heavy-traffic, droolworthy-guys, read-in-2014

View more content on my blog: Out of Time

I was initially excited to read a book that was thrilling, full of magic and well... fantastic.

This book let me down oh-so far. It was pretty much opposite to what I wanted. Instead of a strong character, I got...Penelope. I wanted an original plot and I got jumbled amount of cliches in pretty packaging. And instead of getting "magic" I got the witches' version of school with a few demon attacks here and there. Pretty much a letdown.

I was endlessly tired View more content on my blog: Out of Time

I was initially excited to read a book that was thrilling, full of magic and well... fantastic.

This book let me down oh-so far. It was pretty much opposite to what I wanted. Instead of a strong character, I got...Penelope. I wanted an original plot and I got jumbled amount of cliches in pretty packaging. And instead of getting "magic" I got the witches' version of school with a few demon attacks here and there. Pretty much a letdown.

I was endlessly tired of Penelope making dumb decisions, going "oops! I'm an idiot" and ultimately, having someone save her in the end. It was an unnecessary plot of Pen biting off way more than she can chew and yet, not learning the next time she did it.

It didn't help that I had trouble believing she could do things for herself in some situations. For example: in one, she had to beat a girl (with muscle) in a fist-fight and the way I imagine Pen, she don't have any muscles. She got lucky with that fight and ended up "winning" but then that kind of situation happened again. Surely, there's a law against having so much serendipity, right? (Probably not, or Bella Swan would already be dead... lulz.)

I also had major issues with the story, as I already mentioned. Penelope is a witch. Her parents were killed while she was young and she's seeking them out. She also doesn't know what her origin is. This sounds like every book I've ever read... (exaggeration, but still.) She is a witch with no magic (and obviously, being MC) has extraordinary circumstances. And then there's this exam thing that took up half the story, but wasn't important enough to be dominant in the synopsis. And then there's this scene where Male Lead: Carter asks her to be his fake girlfriend; Yeah, I've never heard that one before! Real original. Plus, there wasn't any followup on that situation.

The only thing I actually do like about this story was Carter. He's cliche to the max in the beginning, but I grew to love him anyway. He had to drag Pen's butt out of every situation and told her how stupid she was without actually "telling" her. He was also charming as a character, even though he was completely shallow; as all the other characters are.

The other characters? Can we just call "supporting characters" without the s? I didn't know the difference between them at all. It was the Penelope show the whole way through and I didn't care about anyone except for Carter. I had names of supporting characters that were never developed; never introduced in a way where I could connect with them and ugh, I just didn't care.Even her sister and Grandmother were transparent and pissed me off. Either they weren't there or they made me mad; that's how the characters worked for me.

The whole "witch" idea didn't make sense to me. For me, they were more like Shadowhunters, lol. Fighting demons? And Pen couldn't even fight one without Carter holding her hand. If they were witches, they surely didn't demonstrate that.

The whole book wasn't demonstrated. It was Pen's inner monologue the whole way through. Monologue that (again), annoyed me. I didn't get a feel of anything. I just got filler scene upon filler scene and important scenes that felt like a couple of sentences

Pen, take my advice. Just go be a mundane human. All of us are and we're perfectly happy. I could do without your whining attitude when you can't get it and superiority when you think you're all that just cos you turn a demon into salt. Yeah. You aren't that special. ...more

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Jan 07, 2014 Ruthsic rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

Penelope is a witch, part of a secret society protecting humans from demon attacks. But when she was a child, a demon killed her parents—and stole her magic. Since then, she’s been pretending to be something she’s not, using her sister’s magic to hide her own loss, to prevent being sent away.

When she’s finally given the chance to join the elite demon-hunting force, Penelope thinks that will finally change. With her sister’s help, she can squeeze through the tests and get access to the Penelope is a witch, part of a secret society protecting humans from demon attacks. But when she was a child, a demon killed her parents—and stole her magic. Since then, she’s been pretending to be something she’s not, using her sister’s magic to hide her own loss, to prevent being sent away.

When she’s finally given the chance to join the elite demon-hunting force, Penelope thinks that will finally change. With her sister’s help, she can squeeze through the tests and get access to the information she needs to find "her" demon. To take back what was stolen.

Then she meets Carter. He’s cute, smart, and she can borrow his magic, too. He knows her secret—but he also has one of his own.

Suddenly, Penelope’s impossible quest becomes far more complicated. Because Carter’s not telling her everything, and it’s starting to seem like the demons have their own agenda…and they’re far too interested in her.

Salt interested me because of the Supernatural reference (I am not kidding) and while reading I realized it was more like the Shadowhunters universe. Penelope is part of a society of witches in which select ones are trained to become the demon police, and while they don't actively hunt demons, they interfere when said demons are causing a nuisance. She was stripped of her magic when a kid, and is keeping it a secret from the witch society for fear of being cast out as a Static. So, in the start, I felt her to be a bit selfish, going on about her powers and her goal to get them back. It wasn't revenge what she wanted, though I would have understood that, but her magic back. As the storyline progressed, her character develops from a naive, hopelessly optimistic girl to a brave young woman who is smart and ready to kick ass.

The love interest, on the other hand, didn't get good character development. Much of his actions aren't explained and while he is a good guy, I didn't really like him. Their romance, however, was cute (yeah, as a couple they really clicked even though he was a jerk at the start) with their snark in the start and then their bond being developed. The writing was okay, not really great - but good enough to keep me entertained. I am not really sure about the world-building - especially all the Pairing and Bonding. It seems like a Parabatai thing but the pairs have to get married? I don't see nobody has a problem with their choice being taken from them - if they are going to depend on a person to have their back, shouldn't they get a say in the matter? Also, the Council has those tests every month? Seems like a waste of a lot of time - which can be better spent hunting down those demons, by the way. Also, the whole Void and Essence thing literally gave me a headache - which could also have been because I was up until 2 reading it. Yup, I liked the book enough to sacrifice my sleep.

The surprises/twists in the plot were more or less predictable - I didn't see only one of them coming. The storyline was good and overall, I would say the book is nice. Good for when you want a light read with some good paranormal elements thrown in. 3.5 stars!

Received a copy from Entangled Teen via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Dec 12, 2013 Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog, arcs

I never thought I'd actually find the time to read Salt. Actually, I was hesitant (mainly due to the fact I have 10+ books on le review queue)... even though I really wanted to read it because it seemed like a really good book.

I kind of gave in. I didn't regret it either, which would be second worse case scenario next to a DNF. And that would actually suck.

I'm probably Salt deprived though, and I don't mean SODIUM CHLORIDE, as much as like salty snacks. Yum.

In other words, I LOVED this book. ...more

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Dec 04, 2013 Aeicha rated it it was ok

I was initially drawn to Danielle Ellison’s Salt because of its very Supernatural (the tv show) vibe (the author was clearly inspired by this show) and I thought it would be a very “me” book...it really wasn't -_-

Penelope, a young witch, is determined to hunt down the demon who killed her parents and took her magic. In her magical witch community, a witch without powers is pretty useless, but Penelope can tap into the power of her family, so her secret remains safe. Penelope is given the chance I was initially drawn to Danielle Ellison’s Salt because of its very Supernatural (the tv show) vibe (the author was clearly inspired by this show) and I thought it would be a very “me” book...it really wasn't -_-

Penelope, a young witch, is determined to hunt down the demon who killed her parents and took her magic. In her magical witch community, a witch without powers is pretty useless, but Penelope can tap into the power of her family, so her secret remains safe. Penelope is given the chance to take the Enforcer test and become a part of an elite demon hunting organization, and she hopes becoming an Enforcer will allow her access to information she needs to find “her” demon. But when she meets Carter, a cute witch with secrets of his own, Penelope’s mission and life get even more complicated.

Author Danielle Ellison has infused her story with some original and cool magical, witchy elements. The witch community, their history, purpose, and powers are intriguing and unique enough. However, I found most of the world-building to be either lacking or messily convoluted. The plot is predictable and lacks any real subtlety as well. The writing is good, but not remarkable. There are some funny moments, but for the most part, the humor falls flat.

I didn't hate Pen and Carter, they're likable enough, but there’s nothing really unforgettable about them. And they each unfortunately suffer from “speeshul snowflake” syndrome, which I’m personally not a fan of. I didn't mind them as a couple, however, their love is insta-love or a destined love trying to disguise itself as a natural, progressive relationship. There’s never a moment in the book when I questioned whether the two would end up together. I never even got the chance to root for and fight for them, because despite the supernatural, personal, and familial issues they face, their relationship has no real obstacles.

All of the supporting characters, even the “bad guys” lack depth. A great supporting character is one that is fully developed and realized and could easily stand alone as the hero/heroine or main character of their own story...none of Salt’s supporting characters are anywhere near there yet.

I mentioned above that this story is clearly inspired by the tv show Supernatural--which is awesome because Supernatural is the best show evah!--however, at times, the story seems to go beyond simply paying homage to something awesome and feels kind of like fanfiction. There are so many elements and even storylines pulled directly from the show and they overshadow any of the original elements the author has created.

My Final Thoughts: While not a bad book, Salt seems to suffer from a lack of great editing and captivating originality, and disappointing characters. More "meh" then "yeah" for me, I won't be continuing with this series ...more

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Jan 02, 2014 Jennifer Ricketts (Donnie Darko Girl) rated it really liked it

Shelves: blog-tours, demons, witches, faves

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.

SALT is a book that I think is either going to be loved or not so much. I could see things about it that will work for some readers but not others. For me, the story worked for what I wanted from it, and I didn't want to put it down. There were a couple of reasons why I couldn't give SALT a five star rating, so first I'll explain what didn't work for me before moving on to what did. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.

SALT is a book that I think is either going to be loved or not so much. I could see things about it that will work for some readers but not others. For me, the story worked for what I wanted from it, and I didn't want to put it down. There were a couple of reasons why I couldn't give SALT a five star rating, so first I'll explain what didn't work for me before moving on to what did.

Only two things bugged me about SALT - firstly, Penelope's likeness to Harry Potter (Penelope even mentions the series). Both Penelope and Harry both somehow survived when their parents were killed because they're different from everyone else. The second part is Penelope constantly saying she has to become an Enforcer so she can research the demon who killed her parents and took her powers. I felt like I wasn't trusted to remember her mission, but I remembered all of it, I promise! These issues are just mine personally and weren't to the point where I lost my fondness for this book.

What did work for me were Penelope and Carter's interactions - they were my favorite scenes in the book. The level of snark was so much fun to read! There was something about the two of them together that made me want to know more. When they were around each other, things could happen that only did when they were together. This was interesting to me and made me think they were like two halves that not only fit together but needed to be together.

Penelope's grandmother is a tough love kind of character. At times I wondered why she doesn't show Penelope the kind of love and affection Penelope must be craving after losing both of her parents. Plus, she seemed to favor Penelope's sister. Luckily, Penelope's grandfather and sister both seem warm, caring, and supportive. Maybe I'm being too harsh. She has most likely built up walls to protect herself from further pain after losing her daughter (Penelope's mother).

I felt like I was on the edge of my seat hoping the secret of Penelope's lack of magic wouldn't come out. Have you ever been so nervous while reading a book that something awful is going to happen to a character you like? That's how I felt while reading SALT. There are more secrets being kept by the people in her life besides her own secret, which also kept me glued to my Kindle.

Overall, SALT proved to be a fun read with the awesome interactions between Penelope and Carter. I could have read an entire book of just conversations between them! ...more

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Dec 13, 2013 Shy The WidowMaker rated it really liked it

Salt was a different type of read but one that I loved for multiple reasons. I love anything witch related and I like that we start this one out with a witch that is a little bit different. We start this book out by meeting Penelope who we learn is a witch but with limited abilities as in she can only do magic if her family is near her as she draws power from them or so she thinks. I loved the character of Penelope as you can tell she is just a teen trying to cope with a lot in her life right Salt was a different type of read but one that I loved for multiple reasons. I love anything witch related and I like that we start this one out with a witch that is a little bit different. We start this book out by meeting Penelope who we learn is a witch but with limited abilities as in she can only do magic if her family is near her as she draws power from them or so she thinks. I loved the character of Penelope as you can tell she is just a teen trying to cope with a lot in her life right now as well as keeping her secret hidden. I liked that Penelope refused to let her magical issues keep her from reaching her goals of becoming an Enforcer. She was willing to take things head on and didn't let others discourage her. As Penelope is going about her life she runs into Carter and learns that everything she thought she knew about her magic isn't really true as somehow she can use his magic also. I have to say that the addition of Carter to this story was one that I think the story needed as he was such a mystery and added a new layer to Penelope that made her not take herself so serious as much and she loosened up some.

As this story continues Penelope starts to learn more about Carter and who he is. I loved the mystery that he was trying to unravel ans just knew things were going to take a shocking turn at some point and oh boy did they. Penelope also learned some shocking family secrets that rattle her but make her reevaluate some things along the way. These two start working together and I loved seeing the chemistry and the way they worked together so well as a team. I was excited to see what more they could do together as their magic flowed so well together. This story picks up the pace pretty quickly and we see tons of action.

Overall this a was a really fun read and I liked that the witches were hunting down the demons. That was a unique twist to the book and one that I would love to see the author explore. The pacing on this story was just right and there was enough action that you wanted to keep reading this book to see what would happen next. The author did a great job of creating characters that I became invested in and wanted to see what would happen with them. I really enjoyed this one and am hoping there will be another book as this was a great start to the series. I would recommend this one to my witch lovers out there. ...more

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Dec 08, 2013 Kim rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed, arc, net-galley, read-in-2014

Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads .

It had been awhile since I read a book about witches and I've never had a lot of luck with them, but that didn't stop me from requesting this one as soon as that gorgeous cover drew me in. The concept behind this book was intriguing, and I'm a sucker for a good YA paranormal, so I was really excited to this one. I enjoyed it, but it just fell a wee bit flat for me.

I liked Penelope. She made a great, strong female lead. I love a good kickass Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads .

It had been awhile since I read a book about witches and I've never had a lot of luck with them, but that didn't stop me from requesting this one as soon as that gorgeous cover drew me in. The concept behind this book was intriguing, and I'm a sucker for a good YA paranormal, so I was really excited to this one. I enjoyed it, but it just fell a wee bit flat for me.

I liked Penelope. She made a great, strong female lead. I love a good kickass heroine and she definitely fit the bill. I liked, too, that she wasn't perfect. She had flaws and that made her easier to connect with. Carter... I loved Carter. Sure, he was keeping secrets of his own, but he was a good guy. He and Penelope had a ton of chemistry and worked well together. I mean, even her magic worked better with him around. They had a wonderful connection.

While I liked this book, and truthfully would give it 3.5 stars if I gave halves, I just found that it dragged in places. I had a difficult time sticking with the story and kept putting it down and reading other books before coming back to it. That's something I don't do very often. That's not saying I didn't enjoy the story and characters, or that the writing wasn't excellent. It just didn't completely hold my attention. I wasn't dying to finish it.

Now, all that said, the action in the book was really good and engaging when it occurred. The romance and friendships were wonderful. The plot kept me guessing, if not fully engaged. I'm absolutely interesting in learning what happens next, but it just wasn't a four-star read for me. Danielle Ellison has woven an interesting world with this series and I definitely want to see where she takes it. I love that it's set in Washington, DC. I've not come across many non-political reads that are. There was one bit about demons in the Metro system that actually made me laugh out loud. Because yes. I can easily believe demos live in the Metro. I think I've ridden the train with them from time to time. ;)

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Dec 27, 2013 Farrah rated it really liked it

A lovely YA paranormal romance, Salt was a fantastic book. I really enjoyed reading it. From the magic, to the secrets, it was a wonderful read.

Penelope was a good heroine. She was strong and extremely determined. Nothing was going to stop her from getting her magic back. I liked her. I thought she was great.

Carter was also wonderful. This boy was so sweet and I totally adored him. He was very charming and he sure knew how to woo a girl. I thought he was perfect.

The romance was lovely. Penelope ...more

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Dec 18, 2013 Stacy rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley, requested

SALT was one of those books that you enjoyed reading but don't have anything to really say about it when its over. The circumstances surrounding Penelope's missing powers and her struggles to become what she wants was intriguing. The characters kept my attention and the ending left me happy. There were some points that left me a little bored but I would pick up a book 2 when it comes out.

* This book was provided free of charge from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Dec 05, 2013 anne rated it it was ok

Shelves: paranormal, arc

2.5 - It's okay. Kinda felt detached from the characters/story.

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Aug 24, 2018 Lyssa Falcao rated it it was amazing

Good book

Fast paced book. Great characters. Lots of magic, demons, love interest, terror. Worth the read. Wanted more about grandmother's life. I want to see where this story goes so I'll have to get book 2.

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Feb 19, 2017 Katherine Paschal rated it really liked it

Shelves: witches, suspense, mystery, supernatural, netgalley

Penelope is hiding a secret that could cost her everything: she does not have her own magic since a demon attack when she was a child that claimed the lives of her parents. She hides the truth from everyone, hoping that she can find a way to get her powers back. When she encounters a strange boy who seems to catch her every time she needs some help, she is curious about him. But regardless of his charm, Penelope has bigger problems, such as passing the Enforcer exam without magic and finding out Penelope is hiding a secret that could cost her everything: she does not have her own magic since a demon attack when she was a child that claimed the lives of her parents. She hides the truth from everyone, hoping that she can find a way to get her powers back. When she encounters a strange boy who seems to catch her every time she needs some help, she is curious about him. But regardless of his charm, Penelope has bigger problems, such as passing the Enforcer exam without magic and finding out more about the mystery that ruined her life so long ago.

So I had wanted to read this book forever ago but I was put off at the time due to the negative reviews I saw for the book. Well, just a few weeks ago I stumbled across a very pretty cover and was lured into reading the book, without even realizing that this was the same book I cast a side a few years ago but with a cover-lift. Well, I am ever so glad that I picked this book up to read because I really enjoyed the story. It was full of well developed characters, a whole new side to witches, intense action scenes with danger and fighting, an incredible complicated mystery and a swoon worthy romance (that Penelope totally fights against). I enjoyed every minute of this story, even when I started it with trepidation.

See the pretty new cover that lured me in?

Not that there is anything wrong with the old cover, but this one is more eye catching (to me), but as a side note neither cover really describes what the book is actually about, but oh well.

I actually think that this image summed up the dynamic between Penelope and Carter the best

Sooo, to say the least, it was a very antagonistic volatile relationship, but like they say, there is passion where there is hate/violence. From the moment they first meet to all the accidental encounters along the way, they two of them had sparks shooting every time they interacted. I really enjoyed their dynamic, to say the least.
But as a side note, the romance was not the main focus of the story, instead it was something that did not even become a real idea until at least half way through the book. Instead, the story was more about the complexities of the magical world building as well as the danger and mystery surrounding Penelope's past.

Overall this was a dark interesting read that kept me engaged right from the start and I feel invested in these characters. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this story and now I now need to get my hands on the second book in the series ASAP to see what will happen next.

I received this title in return for my honest review.
For more reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ ...more

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Dec 09, 2016 Cassie rated it really liked it

This book kept me on the edge of my seat and although I predicted what would happen, I thought it was a pretty good book overall.

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Jul 29, 2018 Alex Latham rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Book 49 complete.

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Jan 08, 2014 Mutmainna rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed, arcs-i-received, fantasy, romance, ya, kuttush-the-kindle, 2014-review-challenge, paranormal-and-supernatural, series-books

First of all, I had liked the book cover that made me choose the book. But compared to the cover, the storyline and narration do not meet my expectations to that level. I mean, I can clearly see the talent of the author and the potentials in the book to mark it as a 4 or 5 star read, but sometimes the story lacked the amount of convincibility (did I coin that or such a word really exists?) and finesse required for deserving such a rating.

The plot is not bad, really. As I said, it has potentials. First of all, I had liked the book cover that made me choose the book. But compared to the cover, the storyline and narration do not meet my expectations to that level. I mean, I can clearly see the talent of the author and the potentials in the book to mark it as a 4 or 5 star read, but sometimes the story lacked the amount of convincibility (did I coin that or such a word really exists?) and finesse required for deserving such a rating.

The plot is not bad, really. As I said, it has potentials. The main theme is witch and witchcraft, talking about the witches' powers and their world where they fight against the demons to protect them as well as the human kind. Penelope, the female lead, is also a witch. Here the storyline takes quite a similar turn as Harry Potter in the sense that Penelope's parents are also murdered by a demon in her childhood and she is left with no witch powers of her own. She is a 'Static' witch, having lost her witch powers like that.That must be kept a secret because otherwise, pretty obviously, she'll be banished from their world for being one. I feel that as a lead, Penelope lacks the weight at times and there are moments when all I wanted to do is smack her in the head or at least give a mild punch to her face. Sometimes she seemed so over-obsessed with herself! I'm not being a misogynist, but I don't know why it's so hard for me to like the heroines of a book in general. Well, I definitely have a list of heroins I can fangirl all day about, but seriously, that list is like, one-fifth compared to the one I have for my favorite kickass heroes:( She's really enthusiastic to be an Enforcer (the witches who fight the demons) but her over-enthusiasm often leaves her prone to situations, and sometimes she clearly lacks the providence needed for a heroine. Also, I could have liked her a little bit more if she hadn't shown her sense of humor at all, because I understand, some people are not good at some things :p

Then there was Carter, who could have been a swoon-worthy hero if he wasn't shown as being predictable at times. I have a thing for fictional heroes you see:D So no matter how cool or hot, how good guy or badass or rockstar-ish or geeky they are, I seem to love them anyway. For Carter, I really wish I could connect to him on that level. He was not a bad character after all, but needed a little more development.

The thing I liked about these two main characters is there chemistry. I mean, though it was really very predictable and not very unique, I did enjoy their banter most often (excluding Penelope's attempts at humor). Another thing that makes the two interesting together is Penelope's ability to use her powers around Carter. Overall, they are a nice couple together, but there were rooms for making them even nicer I believe.

Another thing that disappointed me was the supporting characters. I always believe that a good story is made of good characters, meaning successful character portrayals. So when reading a book, I look forward to knowing the supporting characters with the same amount of interest. For this book, the supporting characters are vague, not having developed properly. Even Penelope's best friend Ric, a character I might have liked, looks less like a best friend and more like a neighbor or some friendly classmate of Penelope. Best friends are supposed to have more limelight right? They should be in your ups and downs, and most, if not all, chapters should have some references to them (without making in repetitive and boring) And apart from that, all other characters seem to have no standing ground of their own. It's like they were introduced, they appeared and soon forgotten.

The one part I really liked though was the action. The action element of the book is what kept me going. Then there is the ending, which actually made me wait for the second book. So even though it's not on my must-read list, I may still wait and give the second book a try, hoping for further developments and changes in the storyline. ...more

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Dec 14, 2013 Amy Fournier rated it liked it

Shelves: ebook, arc

I am always up for a good witch book, add in some demons, and elite demon hunting... sounded awesome!! Well, though I did enjoy it, it wasn't quite as fabulous as I wanted it to be. It was very predictable and the whole hot and cold thing with Penelope and Carter started to get old. I did like the story though. I just wished it had moved along better. I found myself getting bored of Penelope constantly thinking about wanting to kiss Cater, but being mad at him, or needing to focus on her I am always up for a good witch book, add in some demons, and elite demon hunting... sounded awesome!! Well, though I did enjoy it, it wasn't quite as fabulous as I wanted it to be. It was very predictable and the whole hot and cold thing with Penelope and Carter started to get old. I did like the story though. I just wished it had moved along better. I found myself getting bored of Penelope constantly thinking about wanting to kiss Cater, but being mad at him, or needing to focus on her mission. I mean, it was obvious that she should just get a little hot and heavy with him since it was all she thought about anyways. Moving on though, I thought that her trying to figure out the mystery of everything was pretty fun. I saw things coming from a mile away, but it doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy seeing them figure things out.

Penelope tragically lost her magic when her parents died. A demon stole her essence, which should have killed her, but didn't. She can still use magic, but only if she pulls it from a family member. Or from Carter as she learns. She has a very sassy attitude that is really entertaining most of the time. I liked that she was tough and even without magic she mostly can take care of herself. She comes across a bit as a damsel in distress since someone is always coming to her rescue, but she fights like crazy to try to save herself from bad situations until she inevitably has someone who she can pull magic comes to the rescue. Outwardly she seems like she is perfectly happy, but her secret that she has no magic really takes a toll on her. She is different, and that puts her whole family in danger. If anyone else knew she would be taken away. I think she handles it pretty well. Plus, she has some pretty motivated goals to get her magic back.

Carter is the type that is both charming and frustrating. He is also a bit of a stalker. I can understand that he wants answers though, so I let it slide. He has his own secrets too, and a mission that is just as dangerous, if not more, than Penelope's. The thing that I loved about him was that he really just wants to be seen for who he is, kind of like Penelope does. They are very similar in that way. He also really cares about her and will do anything to protect her or help her. There is much more to him than just good looks, and superior Enforcer skills.

That brings me to the romance. Can you say Insta-love? Yes, it totally is. I knew it was going to be. I pretty much figured that out right from when they met. I think I am getting a bit desensitized to it now though since it seems to occur more often than not. It was a short book, so they had to fall in love quick, right? Anyways, their little romance was a bit annoying with the whole almost get together, then fight, then almost get together, then Penelope wants nothing to do with him. (And everything to do with him at the same time.) It's more circumstance than anything that keeps throwing them together and making them decide that they are in fact going to fall in love. Okay, so maybe that's a bit harsh, but that was how it seemed to me. It wasn't natural or believable in my eyes. I found it to be more lust than anything. And the fact that they need each other for their magical purposes.

So now that I have made this sound a little negative without meaning to, I did enjoy it. I thought it was a bit cheesy, but cute. Predictable, but still entertaining. I liked some of the side characters, and I thought the story was interesting even though I knew where it was going. I liked how the demons and the witches were done and how the history of everything came out. I do wish that there had been a little more background in the end, but overall it was a good book and I think that there will be a lot of people who enjoy it.

*An advanced copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation. ...more

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