Thank you Netgally and Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins for granting me the chance to read the ARC of Unblemished by Sara Ella.
Eliyana can’t bear to see her own reflection. In this world perfection is beauty. What if another world exists where her blemish could become her strength?

Eliyana has a birthmark covering half her face. Currently, a high school student, her desire is to just graduate unscathed. She didn’t expect to encounter Joshua. Joshua changes her perspective. No one, aside from her mother, has ever treated her like he does: normal. Maybe even beautiful. Because of Joshua, Eliyana finally begins to believe she could be loved.

One night, Eliyana’s mother doesn’t come home, and that’s when everything gets really strange.

Weirdly, Joshua is now her legal Guardian. Enter a hooded stalker and a Central Park battle and you’ve gone from just weird now to otherworldly.

Eliyana’s new world is much larger and more complicated than she’s ever known. A world enslaved by a powerful and vile man. Eliyana holds the key to defeating him. The big question, reader, can an ordinary girl, a blemished girl, become a savior when she can’t even save herself?

It will help to know that Unblemished is written in first-person point-of-view as you begin reading. The story took me back to when I also was a confused and a not so perfect 17-year-old girl trying to figure out what’s happening in life.

If you enjoy descriptive writing, her descriptions paint detailed pictures, making it easy to envision these imaginary places.

Sara Ella’s writing quickly engaged me and held my attention. This is a young adult spec-fic novel. That stands for speculative fiction, my first read in this genre. I look forward to Ella’s next book.

Dnf at 18%. I need a book that will keep me addicted and invested and as I have a rather large tbr I don't want to be wasting my time and forcing myself.

Simply when it comes down to it, the narrative voice wasn't for me. It reminds me of something like 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt' which is a children's book! There's onomatopoeia's thrown in like "fwip fwip fwip", "tap tap tap,"... Just not for me. And I didn't enjoy the inner monologue.

*This book was received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I was really excited to read this book and for the most part I wasn't disappointed. El was quite a strong character and I appreciated that although there were love interests and lots of shocking things happening in El's life, she kept her goal of rescuing her mother in the forefront of her mind. The relationship between El and Ky was also quite realistic and believable as they get to know each other before suddenly declaring they are head over heels in love.

Similarly, the plot was quite interesting with the concept of the Reflected world quite well developed. I did, however, find the plot quite complex and it was hard to keep track of as well as remember all the different abilities.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a well-developed romance and a good plot.

This story was okay. I felt Eliyana acted younger than 17, and struggled with that throughout most of the story, that said I did enjoy the story overall enough to overlook her age for the most part.

I am torn with this one a little bit. While the premise was really intriguing I feel like the execution was really lacking and found myself forcing to finish. I honestly couldn't stand El half the time she acted to me more like a 14 or 15 year old not really someone on the verge of turning 18. I wanted to slap her in the face 90% of the time. I was way more interested in background characters than I was in the main characters.

Sara Ella has caused me great distress! Unblemished is a great book. My problem? It's the first in a series! So I have broken a vow to never start a series that is incomplete! Now! Now, I have to wait for the next, and the next and the next, ect!!! I mean, really, how DARE you Sara Ella! I digress!

Unblemished is a fantasy novel that takes place in multiple teams called Reflections. Our heroine is a seventeen years old girl who has her world torn apart and put back together with extra pieces which she needs to figure out how to place in her life. There is love and grief and adventure. And hello poly twist!!!! This novel is well rounded and essentially perfect.

I have a little trouble with a couple names but I think I got it figured out. I hope it doesn't turn into one of those Hermione things 😉. In the Reflections there is a source of good and light, the Verity, and of evil and darkness, the Void (aptly named). Though there are always battles between good and evil, and often they are two sides of the same coin, I wish that the names Verity and Void were a little more different. It's almost a tongue twister in my brain!

Along the awesomeness that is this book, t here are plenty of references to modern advances and current events and cultures that makes this story feel completely relevant.

I am thrilled and honored to have been given the chance to review this book and look forward to a future with the Reflection Chronicles. Congratulations Sara Ella on a great piece of work.

So my little booklings, fantasy loves especially, I highly recommend Unblemished by Sara Ella.

I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

What an exquisite story! Sara Ella knows how to keep you hooked.
Plus, it's pretty cool when an author creates their own world that still feels realistic and palpable.
El is a very self-conscious character that is a pleasure to watch blossom.
I feel like there's more to see her overcoming, but the author has put lovely characters around her to help her through the journey.
I am looking forward to the second one.

This book is a little something different from my usual fare but I think of it as the perfect palette cleanser. It's a fun read with perhaps less substance than I'd normally like but enjoyable nonetheless.

When El finds out her mom has been keeping secrets about their past, It leads to kidnapping, transportation between worlds and maybe love. A fun teen read for everyone who has felt as if they were meant for more in life.

This book just was not for me. There is a good message here, but I could feel the religious tones seeping out of this novel.. I'm sure that people who are okay with that sort of thing will enjoy it. I mean no disrespect to the publisher or the author.

*More like a 3.5/5*

This is a YA urban fantasy with serious fairy tale vibes. If you are a fan of the show Once Upon A Time, I think you will wholly enjoy this novel. The world of this novel was very unique - it features 7 parallel worlds. I love the development of those places / worlds. There were several places where it felt quite "info-dumpy", and that coupled with how the love story seemed forced sometimes made me feel like a 3.5 rating was accurate. I do think this is a fun book though, and totally worth checking out!

I loved this cover. I was enthralled by it and was thrilled I was able to get a copy via Netgalley.

This is a YA fantasy book.... filled with adventure, romance and the unique writing style kept me interested from start to finish.

3.5 stars from me.

Book Talk…10/13/17
Traci Kenworth

“Sara Ella’s debut novel is a stunning journey into a fascinating new world of reflections. Intricately plotted, the story is complex, but not difficult to follow. Eliyana is a strong heroine, yet also has a vulnerable side that readers will definitely identify with. The other characters are also well-developed and have many hidden secrets revealed throughout the course of the tale. Good vs. evil is the overarching theme, and it’s easy to draw parallels with faith. The book is set up for further installments, and it will be fascinating to see where the author takes the characters next.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars, TOP PIC
Eliyana can’t bear to look at her own reflection. But what if that were only one Reflection—one world? What if another world exists where her blemish could become her strength?
Eliyana is used to the shadows. With a birthmark covering half her face, she just hopes to graduate high school unscathed. That is, until Joshua hops a fence and changes her perspective. No one, aside from her mother, has ever treated her like he does: normal. Maybe even beautiful. Because of Joshua, Eliyana finally begins to believe she could be loved.
But one night her mother doesn’t come home, and that’s when everything gets weird. Now Joshua is her new, and rather reluctant, legal Guardian. Add a hooded stalker and a Central Park battle to the mix and you’ve gone from weird to otherworldly.
Eliyana soon finds herself in a world much larger and more complicated than she’s ever known. A world enslaved by a powerful and vile man. And Eliyana holds the answer to defeating him. How can an ordinary girl, a blemished girl, become a savior when she can’t even save herself?

Eliyana’s mother has died leaving her alone except for her guardian, Joshua, a boy hardly older than her. Eli’s had a crush on Joshua ever since she could remember but something’s happened and he’s been distant with her for months now. She hopes to figure out why and convince him of her feelings for him but then she overhears him and another talking about other worlds and her importance in them. She follows the other guy only to lose him and find herself in another’s shadow.
When he uses paralysis on her, she finds herself captive. Joshua and the other guardian fight to get her back but she is injured and winds up in the hands of the rebels whom her captor warns her have motives of their own. Can she solve the puzzle of who she is and safe a kingdom? Or will she fall under the weight of it all?

I LOVED this story! The world is so well drawn and the characters all shine! I loved Kye and maybe even Joshua. El is so much more important than she gives herself credit for! I think the author took her time with each of these characters and it shows. Even the minors brook notice. I would hope there’s not a villain as dastardly somewhere out there in other reflections of our worlds, though it seems even he must pay a price. I will definitely look out for the next books in this trilogy!
*****

I was really impressed by this book. The characters and the world were really well done. I felt the story lagged in a few chapters but other than that I really enjoyed this one!

El's birthmark. It's an issue, like being overweight when you just can't loose it, her mark makes her so self-conscious. Then things start to change, dramatically. What if your worst issue becomes your best asset?
I read these books out of order, but loved them! The romance is good and I love that it's a clean read as well. Come on third book in the series, I'm waiting for it.

My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

Unblemished by Sara Ella is a wonderful sci-fi, fantasy novel full of romance, alternate realities, action, adventure, faith, heartache, joy and redemption.

Ms. Ella did a wonderful job of world building in this engaging novel. The twists and turns in this plot were exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole story. Her characters were well developed, unique to the world and story she built. Her imagery was inspiring ~ it left me feeling as if I was actually there!.

All in all, Unblemished is a GREAT read and I can't wait to dive into the next book in this series, Unraveling. 4.5 Stars!

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Ms. Sarah Ella, Thomas Nelson publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is another book where I wasn't so fond of the main character, in this case it's Eliyana. It isn't because she's a bad character, just not much there that made me that invested in her. I did have a few favorites that kept me reading on, such as Makai and Kyaphus (which I adore). Not only that, but I loved the world in Unblemished, always something different and new (or old depending on how you see it). 

There are different worlds in this novel; through reflections other realms can be found and in each world every soul is unique. Eliyana is special though, and is very valuable, extremely bad if she falls in the wrong hands. The first few chapters of this novel were a little hard to get into, but once all that information got added into it and all the mystery of it kept coming into the pages, I just couldn't help but enjoy this read that much more. 

It's not just the realms that were interesting in this book, it was the many different beings that filled the pages. There were those that shifted into things like Wren whose main choosing is a griffin, and Robyn who is at one time seen as Bengal tiger. Then there are those who are called Physics like Nathaniel, but is so much more than just that. 

So many characters and places fill this novel and that's part of what kept me from finishing this book sooner. I enjoyed several parts of this book and was fascinated by all the fantastical things in it, but sometimes it just felt a little overwhelming. There was so much packed into each chapter that I ended up taking breaks at times just to try and recap every single thing that happened in it. Not that I didn't enjoy a lot of it, but it did drag a little.

Another thing that was a little vexing in this novel was the love triangle that didn't have a place in this book. Joshua only seemed part of it in the beginning, then it felt forced throughout the rest of the novel. I didn't mention him earlier for a reason and that's because I didn't care for his character as much as I came to enjoy Ky's (Kyaphus) and it's a shame because the earlier chapters with him seemed very promising, especially when her mother left him as Eliyana's guardian. 

Even with those not so good bits, I was still left enjoying many things, several I mentioned above. I don't like things left unfinished, even more when there is more than one character I really care for, so I'm definitely going to be reading the next book in the series and hoping for an even better outcome. If it was anything like this one, I know there will be more enchanting places and people to look forward to. 

***I received this copy from Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***

My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson--FICTION for an eARC of this book to read and review.

All I can say is that this book, the first 25 pages and the bits I skipped ahead to and read, were a big ball of confusion for me. Now, please keep in mind, I read an ARC, not a finished copy, so maybe that makes a bit more sense, but this did not.

This book has the dreaded, to me, trope of "parent and child are hiding, unbeknownst to the child, from a group trying to hunt them down and hurt them. The parent refuses to tell the child the truth to "protect them", when not telling the child , usually a teenager, results in them being caught". Hate it. I can see not telling a small child the truth, but a teenager? They really should know who to look out for and why they are in danger.

Also, the blurby talks about how this girl only has two people who treat her normally despite the weird birthmark on half of her face, her mom and this guy, talks about this guy over a fence, yadda yadda yadda, yet the book starts off with her mother's memorial ceremony. The mom has been missing for TWO WEEKS, no body, yet EVERY assumes she is DEAD? Say WAAAAT???

And the female MC has a "BFF" she terms as her frenemy. So other females are shown in a bad light to illustrate how schpecial our MC is. She's also a vegetarian and can't stop going on and on AND ON about how meat is gross and murder, etc., whenever food is brought up in the book.

Also, TSTL MC. She overhears two people talking about how she is in danger and needs to be moved that night somewhere else that is safer, so she evades her guardian to go out into the night of NYC to follow a stranger she thinks may be her father for answers. And strange figures follow her and when her guardian finds her, she's going to go partying with her frenemy and even though he is invited, he doesn't go with them?!? Isn't he supposed to PROTECT her?!? How can he do it when not WITH her?!?

So despite only reading about 25 pages of this book, I had to throw in the towel and call it a day. It was painful picking it up. For this reason and the reasons listed above, I had to give it 1 star.

I don't consider any of this spoiler territory, as it's all in the first 25 pages of the book and no further.

Not a book I enjoyed, but if you like contemporary YA with a twist and special snowflake of a female MC and an alternate Earth with magic, you may enjoy this.

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).

(This review may contain spoilers).

I found this book to be a really engaging read. Even though a lot of young adult books can be a bit hit and miss with me, I thought this book definitely fell in the former category.

El's character was one I could easily empathise with, though I felt there was a little too much telling rather than showing when it came to her history with characters like Quinn and Joshua. I found her interactions with Ky came across as far more sincere.

I thought that the book started at a good point, but it meant I didn't really have an opportunity to see the people El knew before she lost her mother.

I did think it was intriguing to see the Reflections, but I would have liked to learn a bit more about the relationships between the worlds. Even by the end of the book, I was left with quite a bit of confusion in regards to how the worlds all fit together.

I would have liked the opportunity to get to know the other characters in the other world. Robyn and Wren were two examples of that. It was implied that the two sisters were different, but the only differences came from how they treated and viewed El. I would have liked to see more of both of them.

It was interesting to learn about the relationship between the Verity and the Void, but I found myself getting a bit lost at times. I did feel a lot of sympathy for Ky... but I would have liked some more background with Jasyn. It was interesting to read some of the diary entries from El's mother, but they didn't really provide very much insight into the bad guys.

I did think there were some good elements of foreshadowing in this book and I really liked learning about the different kinds of abilities, although I did think there were some elements of information dumping there.

I would have liked it if this book had been longer and I could have learned more about the background of the worlds and how the characters knew each other. I would read more books by this author in the future, though... and I would like to see more of the characters and the world in future books.