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.

Goodreads / Amazon / B&N 

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!

Cover Reveal: SALT by Danielle Ellison

I'm thrilled to be participating in the cover reveal for Danielle Ellison's upcoming book, SALT...

SALT

Author: Danielle Ellison

Release Date: January 7, 2014

Publisher: 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.

Find the book: Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iTunes

 “Jealousy is cute on you, Pen.”

“Don't call me that,” I snap, pushing my coffee away from me. “And I'm not jealous.”

He leans back on the chair. "Sure. And I don’t think you’re adorable." I jerk my eyes up. He’s smiling. Screw this—this is so frustrating. I tap my foot under the table.

"We're stating the facts, right?" he says.

“Right,” I say.

I don’t have time for this. And what is wrong with this coffee? I feel like I swallowed a fire and it’s all just burning at my stomach.

“You look sick again,” he says.

The poorly—or perfectly—timed waitress comes back with Carter's coffee and a whole tray of drinks. Carter, obviously, flirts again. I don’t know if he’s doing it to get a reaction out of me, but I’m not going to give him one. I watch him and say nothing, but the whole time it feels darker inside my head and my stomach whirs. It’s more empty, and more full, and unsettled at once. The waitress turns to leave a when it happens.

The waitress coughs, as if she suddenly can’t breathe, and trips. She flies across the air. The tray spills all over a table of four. I gasp, horrified. Another waitress grabs her by the waist, trying to give her the Heimlich. The waitress coughs out the gum. She’s crying hysterically, apologizing to the customers dripping with water.

The weirdest part? As soon it happens, all the fury that was building up inside of me disappears. It’s calm again, normal. The change is so sudden that my fingernails dig into the table. All I can hear is the waitress’s cry. 

"I don't know what happened," she sobs over and over again. I close my eyes. Everything inside me is completely still. No storm, no clawing, no emptiness or fullness. In fact, I’m suddenly starving.

Carter's looking at me when I open my eyes. There's something unsettling in his gaze, something suspicious.

“I gotta go,” I say. He starts to say something. I don't stay long enough to find out what it is.

Somehow I just did magic.

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 Jan. 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! 

Website/Blog/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

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Cover Reveal: The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

Today I'm participating in the cover reveal for Leah Rae Miller's 

The Summer I Became a Nerd 

from Entangled Teen...

ADD ON GOODREADS

On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Leah Rae Miller: Website / Twitter / Facebook

Born and raised in northern Louisiana, Leah Rae Miller still lives there on a windy hill with her husband and kids. She loves comic books, lava lamps, fuzzy socks, and Cherry Coke. She spends most of her days reading things she likes and writing things she hopes other people will like.

Cover Reveal and Exclusive Excerpt: All The Broken Pieces

Hey Cupcakes!

Today I'm joining a gaggle of other bloggers sharing the cover of All The Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen plus an exclusive excerpt....

What if your life wasn’t your own?

Liv comes out of a coma with no memory of her past and two distinct, warring voices inside her head. Nothing, not even her reflection, seems familiar. As she stumbles through her junior year, the voices get louder, insisting she please the popular group while simultaneously despising them. But when Liv starts hanging around with Spencer, whose own mysterious past also has him on the fringe, life feels complete for the first time in, well, as long as she can remember.

Liv knows the details of the car accident that put her in the coma, but as the voices invade her dreams, and her dreams start feeling like memories, she and Spencer seek out answers. Yet the deeper they dig, the less things make sense. Can Liv rebuild the pieces of her broken past, when it means questioning not just who she is, but what she is?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

EXCERPT

Olivia reached up, feeling the tender spots on her head. Her fingers brushed across a row of—were those little ridges made of metal?

“Careful. The staples are almost ready to come out, but it’s still going to be sore for a while.”
Staples?!Her stomach rolled. I have staples in my head? She lowered her now-shaking hand. “Can I get a mirror?”
Mom looked at Dad, then back at her. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Not until you’ve healed a little more.”
Mom patted Olivia’s leg. “You just relax. We’ll be back in a few minutes.”
The two of them left the room, but when Mom swung the door closed, it didn’t latch. Olivia could hear their voices in the hall.
“I still think we should…” She couldn’t make out the rest of Dad’s muffled words. “…know if I can do this.”
“…late for that,” Mom said. “We’d lose everything, including…” Her voice faded as they got farther away. “…have to move.”

Olivia could tell the conversation was tense, but the words were impossible to decipher now. Holding a hand in front of her face, she turned it back and forth. A plastic tube ran from her arm to a machine next to her bed. She peeked into her nightgown and stared in horror at the long red stripe running down her chest.

Sick.
You’re alive. You shouldn’t be thinking about looks.
Lowering her hand, she scanned the room. I wonder how my face looks. From the way Dad stared at me, plus the fact Mom won’t let me see a mirror, it must be bad.
Brains are more important than looks.
That’s what ugly people say.
Olivia put her hands on her head and squeezed. “Stop it,” she whispered to her arguing thoughts, hysteria bubbling up and squeezing the air from her lungs. What was happening to her? Why didn’t she recognize her parents or know where she was? Who she was? Tears ran warm trails down her cheeks. “Just make it all stop.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Imprint:Entangled Teen; Audience: Young Adult; Novel length: 304 pages; Format: Trade paperback and eBook; Publication Date: December, 2012. 

All the Broken Pieces, by Cindi Madsen is available for pre-order on:

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 Be sure to add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! 

Find Cindi: Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

Cindi Madsen sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children.