Book Review: Elixir by Hilary Duff with Elise Allen

Title: Elixir

Author: Hilary Duff with Elise Allen
Series: Elixir #1

Publisher: Simon and Shuster Children's Publishing

Release Date: October 12 2010

My Source: Read at Pulse It

My Rating: 3.5/5

Goodreads Summary:

As the daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington D.C. politician, Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. And though she dreads the paparazzi who track her every move, she herself is a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a career that allows her to travel to the most exotic parts of the world.

But after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, eerie, shadowy images of a strange and beautiful young man begin to appear in Clea’s photos—a man she has never seen in her life.

When Clea suddenly encounters this man in person she is stunned—and feels an immediate and powerful connection. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance and discover the centuries-old truth behind their intense bond.

Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fate, together they race against time to unravel their past in order to save their future—and their lives.

My Review:

Yes, this book was written by a celebrity (Yes, THE Hilary Duff, the singer/actress). I know that might turn some people away from reading it, and it might make others more curious. I would have to say I'm part of the latter group- I couldn't help but be curious what one of my favorite childhood actresses had written! I was impressed. But I'm also crediting Elise Allen, who is listed as co-writer. She has her YA debut novel Populazzi coming out next year, which I hope to read considering I enjoyed reading this novel.

Thoughts of the author aside, Elixir was a romance/fantasy YA book that I enjoyed reading. The book revolved heavily around the plot. Clea- the protagonist- was constantly trying to find out answers to questions surrounding her dad's disappearance and a strange man that appears in all her photographs. It doesn't take long for the book to get going when she meets the man- his name is Sage- and falls in love with him. Her two best friends- Ben and Rayna- are two great supporting characters. Ben, of course, is Clea's other love interest, besides Sage. Yes, we have a love triangle here.

Something that might make sense to those who have read the book (no spoilers though!): I found myself liking Ben a lot more than Sage. Clea could've simply had a normal life with Ben if Sage wouldn't have been there. Plus, I felt virtually no connection between Sage and Clea. I still didn't trust him by the end of the book. Some of his actions, paticularly a scene that transpired between Sage and Clea shortly after they met- it was way too soon and I did not like it! It made me so mad at Sage! I don't want to give anything away to those of you who haven't read it, so I won't say anything else.

Getting back the story- the plot, though terribly unoriginal (I know I've read books with almost the same idea as the key plot), was well developed and I found myself not disliking it. I've read another series that I was reminded of constantly (once again, I won't mention because of spoilers). You'll know what I mean if you've read the book. I think the plot was much more developed here than in that other case- there was a lot of be revealed and we figured out just enough by the end of the book, though it still left me curious for a sequel.

The writing was good, pacing good, and overall I enjoyed it. Sure, there were a few flaws and people are complaining about the plot and the things left unexplained, but I thought it was a nice job. The characters were less believable for me, especially Sage. I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. It's the first in a series and I will probably check out the second one when it's published.

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Author Info:

Hilary Duff

Elise Allen