Marked Beauty

by S.A. Larsen

Uncovering hidden secrets can sometimes kill you . . . or worse, steal your soul.

Anastasia Tate has a secret. She can feel the emotions of others through their life energy auras. Not a welcome gift for a teenager. Especially when a sinister presence begins stalking her.

Viktor Castle also has a secret. He’s tasked with protecting humanity yet cursed by an ancient evil to destroy it.

After Viktor saves Ana’s life, her abilities grow stronger. Drawn together, she senses Viktor has answers to lifelong questions. Only he shuns her at every turn, knowing he has saved her only to put her in more danger. As Ana struggles with her attraction to Viktor, he tries everything to bury his unexpected feelings for her. But they must find a middle ground. For only together can they combat the dark forces threatening both their lives . . . and their souls.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy

305 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2017

About the author

S.A. Larsen is an award-winning author,childhood apraxia of speech advocate, and Maine-iac ice hockey fan, who has watched more hockey games than she could ever count. She also has a soft spot for the strange and misunderstood, which might explain her love for dipping plain chips in ketchup. Her favorite stories push the boundaries of our world and open harbored emotions to inspire and challenge the heart. She's the author of Motley Education: The URD Saga Book I (Ellysian Press, 2019; second edition),a fantasy-adventure for middle grade readers and Marked Beauty-her debut young adult fantasy-romance (Ellysian Press, 2017). When she's not chasing her characters around a cemetery or antagonizing them with the wonders of young love, she lives in the land of lobsters and snowy winters with her husband and four children. Visit her cyber home at salarsenbooks.com, find her on Twitter @SA_Larsen and Instagram sa.larsen, or on spookymiddlegrade.com, where she does most of her spookiness brewing up all sorts of creepy ideas with a group of #SpookyMG authors. Stop by for a visit . . . if you dare.

S.A. Larsen also publishes under Sheri Larsen

Reviews

[Annika]

DNF

Ugh. No.
Only 15% in and already I despise Ana. She's judgemental, whiny and petulant, and I just... can't.

No rating for obvious reasons.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kayla Silverss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got sent this book in exchange for a honest review, all my opinions are my own and thank you so much to the publishers for sending me this book!

Paranormal romances are my thing so I had to read this.
In this book we follow Ana, who can sense auras of people so she can sense their emotions. She is then in a car accident with her friend only to be miraculously rescued by a handsome stranger. Ana starts to feel drawn this mysterious guy and her auras are stronger than ever.

So I requested for this arc because it's paranormal romance, I was gonna read it. It's nothing unique in the genre but it's enjoyable and fun.

Ana was an okay character, I didn't have a problem with her. I found her a basic heroine but she wasn't too whiny.
Viktor was a cool love interest, definitely was not my favrouite mysterious boy in a book but he's definitely swoon worthy.

The two characters had a lot of chemistry, the author definitely knew how to build up their relationship and have it develop throughout the story.

So I'll definitely be picking up the sequel if there is one. If you are interested in picking this one up, the release date is 17th October 2018 so hopefully you Paranormal Lovers will pick it up.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

MARKED BEAUTY -- what a page-turner YA contemporary fantasy! I could not put this one down. MARKED BEAUTY is full of interesting mythology and an exciting cast of characters that feel just as real as the world they live in. Perfect for fans of YA paranormal romance. I can’t wait for everyone to read it :D

[Beverly McClure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystery. Adventure. Romance. Danger. Curse. Family. Surprises. Auras. Life energy. Another world. These are words I think of to describe Award-Winning Author S. A. Larsen’s latest novel, MARKED BEAUTY, and they’re not nearly enough.

Told from alternating points of view, we meet Ana, a girl with special powers on a quest to save the life of her friend Katee, who’s in a coma after a car wreck that Ana survived but left Katee in a coma. Viktor, who Ana meets in her search and the other point of view character, has problems of his own. He has pledged to save Ana’s life for reasons that unfold a little at a time. He also has feelings for Ana that he can’t admit.

The author has created great characters, some that sent chills up my spine and others, like Ana and Viktor, that I hoped would settle their differences and get together. I also adored Josh.

Vivid descriptions in each scene made me almost feel as though I were there, with the characters, experiencing their fear and/or their happiness. S. A. Larsen has written a beautiful story with characters I either loved or hoped got what they deserved. Looking forward to learn what happens next. A lovely story to add to your library. Recommended.

[C. McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marked Beauty is a journey through a complex labyrinth that traces an ancient curse, an irresistible attraction, and a feisty, empathic heroine.

Set in a modern teen world, the story of Anastasia and Viktor unfolds like a fearsome and intriguing fairytale, one you have to read until you see The End.

Readers riding the wave of fantasy will enjoy this one.

[Dorothy Dreyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marked Beauty is a beautifully written tale, laced with depth, action, and romance, propelled by an intriguing dark mythology that will keep readers enthralled. I loved the aura aspect of the story, which Larsen revealed with rich, descriptive tones. Definitely looking forward to the next book.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of secrets to be uncovered. Totally amazing read that was impossible to stop reading.

[Maddy Martinelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would first like to thank Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours for including me in this blog tour (My date was on October 18,2017 - head on over to my blog to check it out!), and providing me with a review copy for an honest review - I am so glad to be back once again on another blog tour! I absolutely loved how the author started out the book - it was strong and immediately threw you into the world of Ana and Viktor and the conflicted pasts that haunt them. We are presented with Josh, Viktor, and Sebastian as possible love interests for Ana right off the back, a solid 30% into the book, which I for one loved. Complicated love lives are my weakness in the Young Adult world, and as soon as I sensed the tension between these three boys, I knew I would be in for a treat. I also really enjoyed all of Ana and Viktor's interactions throughout the book, especially in the beginning, such as when they were in the woods together or when they ran into each other at the bookstore. It's these little moments between them that make their relationship progress in such interesting ways. The author does a fantastic job in building the world that our main character lives in as well as creating the unique personalities of each character, distinguishing between the characters and their actions. I have to say that I absolutely fell in love with this book and the world that the characters lived in - it was exciting and suspenseful until the very end. I will definitely be reading more of S.A. Larsen's books in the future! I highly recommend this novel to fans of Hush, Hush and Fallen.

** You can find all of my reviews here, on my Goodreads page; add me as a friend!, as well as on my blog: www.thepaperworlds.blogspot.com and can find me on Instagram and Twitter as @thepaperworlds and on my Tumblr: www.thepaperworlds.tumblr.com **

[Kanyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me on a rollercoaster ride full of emotions. I started out this book not really expecting to love it, just seemed like a good book right up by alley. However, about a quarter of the way through I was sucked into the story and ended up staying up half the night to try and finish it. The story follows Ana and her journey of learning about herself and trying to find someone who can help her save her best friend. Instead she finds a steamy love, with a guy who would do anything to protect her. I loved the intimate moments and wished it didn’t take so long for Viktor to finally tell her everything. I also really liked the background story of Viktor’s family/life and enjoyed all the twists the two encountered before the epic ending. To be honest though, I love this book and really, really hope their story continues!

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read young adult paranormal romance. The story keeps up a good pace full of action, romance and a troublesome curse.

I voluntarily received and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Final Rating: 5 Stars

[Pat Esden · Rating 5 out of 5]

MARKED BEAUTY was a fabulous read. It’s a YA contemporary fantasy with tons of exciting and dangerous otherworldly happenings, romance, and a large cast of varied and interesting characters. Ana, the main character, can feel the emotions of others through their life energy auras. This gift is not only powerful, but it’s overwhelmingly difficult for her to live with. Her situation becomes even more difficult after the mysterious Vicktor saves her life. As they are drawn together romantically, powerful forces threaten to destroy not only their relationship, but the lives of their friends and the world as they know it.

Simply put, MARKED BEAUTY is beautifully written and compulsively readable. Perfect for readers who love YA fantasy and paranormal romance.

[Nicole Strand · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge thank you to the author for allowing me to review her book! 

I actually really enjoyed this one. It starts off strong and continues to build up and get better. With most books, t takes me a bit to get into them. But this one wasn't like that. 

The main character can be a bit annoying and melodramatic at times, but it's only occasional so it doesn't get super annoying, and it was really only in the beginning. I really liked Josh, wish he was a bigger part of the story. And Viktor was pretty awesome too. Highly recommend this read!

[Alexia ✨]

[I was given a copy from NetGalley for an honest review]
DNF'd it.

I couldn't finish this. I'm sorry, I had a different thought of a story when I got the book from NetGalley and I really did try and stick it through but I couldn't get past it and it was taking me ages to read and making me get into a reading slump. The writing is well done and very well written and the story has tons of potential but the characters... I don't think they're well developed. Viktor reminds me of Edward Cullen but with no vampiresque-thing. It's just not my type of reading and I couldn't finish it.

[Kai Strand · Rating 5 out of 5]

SA Larsen did a great job unfurling this story. The pacing and emotion were strong throughout. Peppered with enough mystery to keep you turning pages and wondering who you could or should trust. But what I loved the most about this story was the unique fantasy world. The Lynceus, the Rifters, the hybrids, the Sixth, the blooprint – it was all very intriguing.

[Natalie Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS BOOK! It's amazing! S.A. Larsen has a beautiful way of pulling you into Ana's world and keeping you there. You feel for her struggling with her ability to deal with her powers of being able to see, read, and tap into other's auras. There's also the very swoony character Viktor. I love this story!

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Larsen’s Marked Beauty is a lovely story with magic, mystery, and love. I found myself lost in the wonder of the world she created existing within our own. Lots of lush imagery, well-rounded characters (I just love Viktor.), and plenty of danger to keep you turning the pages. Keep an eye out for this author—I really think she’s one to watch.

[Carrie Pack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book
Ana has a strange pull over Victor it isn't until disaster stricks that he realizes that there is more to Ana then he first thought Victor trys to stay away from her but seem to keep being drawn to her. The secrets and that they discover and the love they share will it be enough to save Victor's soul and keep Ana Alive in the process

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lush writing and vivid descriptions set the scene in Marked Beauty. Larsen's world-building is superb, her characters are well-rounded and easy to root for, and the romance is both suspenseful and satisfying. All in all this is the perfect YA read for fans of paranormal romance and fantasy!

[Darby Karchut · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a page turner! This rich blend of mythology and romance will appeal to fans of THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS and Holly Black’s TITHE series. Enthralling from start to finish!

[Sarah Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was on the fence on whether to give this a 3 or 4 rating. I really enjoyed the first part of the book but in the last 100 pages or so, I felt it lost a bit of steam. There was a lot bein* crammed into 1 little book. I’m also not sure whether or not I like the main characters and I’m not a huge fan of the ending.
I’m curious to see what other people think. I’d say give it a shot and see where you land.

[Topsues · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author, and I don’t leave spoilers. I’ve got to admit it was good. It had everything you would want from a paranormal/ fantasy novel. The writing was seamless between the characters own chapters, and boy did my heart ache for the two main characters, an innocent love story ran alongside the main storyline filled with Magic, supernatural elements, insecurities, sacrifices, loyalty, friendships, jealously, betrayal, suspicions and so much more. Each emotion was easy to feel and own. I was able to envisage the plots easily, they wasn’t over described to deter from the storyline but just enough. The story was easy to follow and well defined so you always knew where you was. I will admit some of descriptive talk of the characters abilities did at times leave me a bit ugh? But in no way distracted me from the main moments. This author has a good imagination and a talent for translating that into the written word then creating a story from it. I would definitely recommend, and without doubt has encouraged me to read any further book this author has written

[Ciaran Mealer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A great quote in the book: “Sometimes accepting our journey is even more difficult than traveling it...”

Books like this are the reason why I usually stick to traditionally published novels rather than giving self-published books a chance. So often they are disappointing, poorly written, and even more poorly edited.

The Good- The design and layout were beautifully done. There were a few really well written scenes in the book, but they were very few and far between. The author has shimmering, mirage-like moments of talent that shine through at unlikely moments throughout the book. I found the characters themselves to be decent at first. Finally, the dialogue was pretty well-done. Good dialogue is hard to write, so I applaud the writer being able to pull it off in her first novel.

The Bad- Almost everything that is wrong with this book could have been taken care of by a great editor who wasn't afraid to tell the author what didn't work and what needed improvement. As I said above, the author had these flashes of talent throughout but they got lost and were easily overlooked because they were so few and far between. The main things that I took issue with, in no particular order:
*The author tried too hard to do something "new" and "creative" with existing material. This is one of my least favorite things that authors, especially new authors, do. They try to reinvent the wheel. In this example, the author uses auras and chakras but tries to twist them and then add her own mythology to the mix. It just doesn't work. What's worse, she tries to re-name them: Chakras become energy portals. Honestly it would have been much better if she had stuck to creating her own mythology entirely and left out established ideas. I feel like she could have possibly excelled at that. I like unique novels, new takes on old tropes, and original mythologies in general, but these things require a skilled and deft hand which was not applied here.
*The descriptions and vernacular needed a lot of work. They sound very old-fashioned and out of style. I was reminded of when older people try to relate to teens without having any understanding of how young people talk to one another. A few examples: tizzy, two-cents, stinking (instead of freaking or stupid), spankies-high (what even is this?). It just didn't sound natural or relatable for a teen to say or think these things.
*So. Many. Wordy. Run-on. Sentences! Less is more.
*Many of the descriptions were way too wordy and confusing. There were a lot of mixed and invented metaphors, as well as references, that just didn't work.
*The worst scenes were the introspective scenes where not a lot of action was happening. Which were the majority of the scenes.
*The done-to-death teen love triangle trope. Take one average, clumsy, shy girl with some cool ability, add a puppy-dog loyal best guy friend who is totally in love with her, finish it pff with a dark, mysterious bad-boy soulmate and mix. Seriously, I'm just so tired of seeing this.
*The pacing of the novel and timing of events are way off. The timing of events was really jerky and made very little sense most of the time. The pacing was just all over the place.
*By the time I finished the book I hated everyone, especially the two main characters. They started off alright, but by page 50 they were already unbearably irritating.

In closing, I hope the author keeps writing. Like I said, there were sparks of brilliance in there. I also hope she gets a better editor for her next novel, this one did not do her job very well.

[Kathleen Burkinshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

MARKED BEAUTY is about a teenager, Ana, who realizes that she has powers beyond being an empath. She is involved in a car accident that leaves her best friend in a coma, yet somehow Ana was miraculously saved. She has an inkling that there is an evil force at work, but just doesn’t know what or how. But, Ana does know that she must be the one to save her best friend. A young man, Viktor seems to pop up whenever Ana needs saving. However, only he knows that no matter how many times he may try to protect her-he is the ultimate reason she’s in danger. Ana senses that their connection is deeper than just “pure chemistry” between them. 😊

One night secrets along with evil forces are revealed. Ana must accept and harness her true powers by using her inner strength as well as her heart. Therefore, she must decide how far she is willing to go to save her friends, her family, and any chance at a relationship with Viktor. All the while knowing what she will lose if she fails to act in time.
I loved S.A. Larsen’s first book, MOTLEY EDUCATION, so I knew I was in for a fantastical adventure with MARKED BEAUTY. She did not disappoint!

Some favorite lines:

“So instead she buried the incident along with her other unwanted thoughts and feelings in her imaginary mental graveyard labeled “Unwanted Life Memories and Other Yucky Stuff” …nothing sent to that place should ever be thought of again.” (I really could relate to this!)

“…but surreal emotions hidden in the depths of his soul, dormant for so long.”

“Her sincerity squeezed his heart.”

“Being aware of her feelings was worse than sensing other’s emotions.”

“She was afraid of everything-memories…; basically, living in general.”

“The sweet sounds of innocent laughter bathed her in joy.”

“Remorse clawed her heart and the empty space insider her had returned full force”

“Her past pains and his failures vanished. In this moment, they were redeemed.”

[Kris · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so disappointed with this book. The premise sounded pretty good… I mean… A girl that can see/feel life energies and has a mysterious past? Yes please! Erm… no….

From the start I felt the writing was at times rushed or messy and confusing. There were a few times I almost gave up, but once I passed the halfway mark I figured I may as well finish it. Now, the main character, Ana, is the one redeeming feature. She is actually quite likeable. But I felt her character drowned in the world around her. The other characters felt flat and perfunctory to me. Ana falls in love with a guy far too forceful for my liking, so the romance was a big no-no for me. There was a standard urban fantasy trope concerning the romance that bothers me as well, but I will not expand on that, as it would be a spoiler of sorts.

At times I felt it was about to pick up, only to let me down. I did not enjoy the writing and I did not really get into the flow of the story being told.

There are plenty of positive reviews on this book, so obviously a lot of people do like it, but it really was not for me. Maybe I missed something?

[Tammy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate to say it but I had trouble with this one. Had a hard time with picturing all the supernatural happenings. Was confused most of the time as to what was going on and why. I didn't connect with any of the characters and wasn't invested in the romance between Ana and Viktor. The supernatural groups were pretty vague in the beginning which didn't help with the story. Overall this book was hard to keep interested and I found myself wandering. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5.0

A tale that will take the reader on a wild ride, "Marked Beauty" follows Ana as she struggles to embrace her abilities and fight off a villain she does not quite understand, all while juggling the antics of high school.

Read full review in the 2017 November issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ecopy of Marked Beauty via Netgalley.

3.75 rounded up to 4

I really enjoyed reading Marked Beauty, I found the world it was set in really interesting and I could not wait to find out more through the eyes of Ana and Viktor. I really loved the dual POV and I found myself looking forward to Viktor's chapters.

I did find Ana a little judgmental in the beginning of the book but as I read on I realised that it seemed that she was ever harder on herself. And as the book went on I did find myself warming a little to Ana. The second half of the book really picks up and I found myself unwilling to put the book down once I hit the 60% mark as it was just so interesting.

I really can't wait to find out more about The Realm and about Viktor and his family, and maybe even Ana's mother in the later books. Although the book did kind of wrap things up there was a lot left open.

It was a little difficult to get past Ana's character and I found her a unlikable, but the interesting world and lore of the book made up for that and meant I wanted to keep reading. I would love to find out more about more of the side characters mention in the book and hopefully this is something future books might explore.

[Arin Barry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book and I think my expectations might have been too high, because I couldn’t even bring myself to finish it. So this is my first DNF of 2018...

I couldn’t bring myself to care about the romance between Ana and Viktor and once Viktor said he “owned” Ana due to the bloodprint. This is an extremely problematic relationship and one of the main reasons I did not finish the book.

The author used existing concepts such as chakras, but then calls them energy portals... This constantly confused me as the descriptions I was reading clearly pointed to chakras, but then the author had to go and name it something else.

The book gave me nothing new and chose to revolve around a love triangle. So some of the people that read my reviews know that NOTHING irritates me more than a book that focuses solely on a love triangle and this was no exception.

The book had a lot of great ideas and some beautifully written pieces, there are even some less brilliant pieces that could easily have been fixed if the never ending run on sentences were removed.

So sadly this is a 2 star from me

*I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marked Beauty is a very gripping book. The writer does a good job at reeling you into the story. The world the writer has created is amazing: the many storylines about Ana, her missing mother and her abilities and Viktor and his strange past are captivating. Especially the parts where Ana is finding out what she is and how she is trying to cope with her gifts.

At times, though, it feels very fast paced. I would have liked it if she had elaborated a little bit more about "the Realm, the Rifters or Energy Portals", because it is confusing at times.
So a little more detail for me, would've made the story more understandable. The on-again-off-again relationship between Ana and Viktor bothers me. It isn't very clear if they are involved or not throughout the book.

All in all, if you like a fantasy novel where the magical characteristics are not about fairies, werewolves or vampires, I recommend this book.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ana has the ability to see (via colors) and feel peoples emotions. Viktor is tasked with protecting the human world, but is also trying to find a way to break a curse that is on him.
When Viktor saves Ana from an accident, their lives are connected in more ways that either of them realize.

This is told from the POV of Ana and Viktor, and there are so many more characters in this book that we get to meet.
I loved all the characters and thought they just all flowed together so perfectly. All the different banter between them, I felt like I was right there watching it rather than just reading.
And the descriptions of the auras and the fantasy world were just so vivid. I could picture myself there.

Everything flowed so smoothly, there was never a spot where it dragged or got dull. I was fully engrossed my entire time reading. Especially the end, which I don't want to say anything about. But Wow! the descriptions were so vivid, I could just see and feel everything going on.

[yorkshirebooknerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marked Beauty is a YA paranormal romance.

I enjoyed the book and found the idea of reading auras and being sensitive to people’s emotions a good one. Ana possesses this power and it becomes much stronger after she meets Viktor.

The romance between Viktor and Ana was a little predictable and not at all unique in the YA world. It was your typical girl meets boy, boy pushes girl away to protect her. Girl perseveres and won’t stay away from boy. They fall in love and save each other. Boy and girl get their HEA. As I said not very original.

Marked Beauty is perfect for fans of paranormal fantasy that like to know what they are getting from a book in that genre.

For me nothing about this story blew me away but it was a fun read!
I’ve rated it 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.