Review: Salt by Danielle Ellison

Salt

(Salt #1)

Danielle Ellison

1/7/14

Entangled Teen

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.

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I received a galley of this book in exchange for my honest review

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.

MY RATING

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Danielle Ellison is from a small town in West Virginia. She spent her childhood pretending to fly and talking to imaginary friends. When she grew up, she finally flew away (in an airplane) and started traveling the world. She hasn’t stopped yet, but someday she may decide to settle in one place. Her real life friends would definitely like that; they would probably also like if she stopped talking to her characters out loud. 

SALT comes out in January 2014, and then it's sequel. In October 2014, FOLLOW ME THROUGH DARKNESS (book one of the BOUNDLESS Trilogy) comes out. She's got a busy few years!