Unblemished (Unblemished Trilogy, #1)

by Sara Ella

“A breathtaking fantasy set in an extraordinary fairy-tale world, with deceptive twists and an addictively adorable cast who are illusory to the end. Just when I thought I’d figured each out, Sara Ella sent me for another ride. A wholly original story, Unblemished begins as a sweet melody and quickly becomes an anthem of the heart. And I’m singing my soul out. Fans of Once Upon a Time and Julie Kagawa, brace yourselves.” —Mary Weber, award-winning author of the Storm Siren Trilogy

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?

“Lyrically written and achingly romantic—Unblemished will tug your heartstrings!” —Melissa Landers, author of Alienated, Invaded, and Starflight

“Self-worth and destiny collide in this twisty-turny fantasy full of surprise and heart. Propelled into a world she knows nothing about, Eliyana learns that the birthmark she despises is not quite the superficial curse she thought it was—it’s worse, and the mark comes with a heavy responsibility. Can she face her reflection long enough to be the hero her new friends need? With charm and wit, author Sara Ella delivers Unblemished, a magical story with a compelling message and a unique take on the perils of Central Park.” —Shannon Dittemore, author of the Angel Eyes trilogy

“Unblemished is an enchanting, beautifully written adventure with a pitch-perfect blend of fantasy, realism, and romance. Move this one to the top of your TBR pile and clear your schedule—you won't want to put it down!” —Lorie Langdon, author of the Amazon bestselling DOON series

“Unblemished had me from the first chapter—mystery, romance, and mind-blowing twists and turns that I SO did not see coming! The worlds Sara Ella builds are complex and seamless; the characters she creates are beautifully flawed. Readers are sure to love this book and finish it, as I did, begging for more!” —Krista McGee, author of the ANOMALY trilogy

• ISBN10: 0718081013
• ISBN13: 9780718081010
• Publish Date: 17 November 2016 (first published 11 October 2016)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Out of Print: 31 January 2024
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Thomas Nelson Publishers
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[bookishzelda]

Unblemished is one of those books that I found the synopsis interesting so I was like okay, I’ll pick it up. Then was blown away by how completely it entranced me. I really loved the story and the characters. One of my favorite things about it was the love triangle, which sounds insane but it’s true!


I actually really adored the love triangle in Unblemished. That sounds crazy but it was so perfectly executed I’m not sure how to even explain it. The whole thing felt very natural and surprising at times. It had this very organic progression to it. Very much like being a teenager sometimes you fall out of love an into love with someone else and even sometimes back again. It never felt like El was leading anyone on or using either guy. Which I feel happens to often in other books.


The story is so fast paced. I was absorbed and even though I had a long work week. I was stealing moments and reading on my phone when I could. The action was non-stop, it felt like El could not get a break but it also kept it interesting. There were things I suspected but then things that I had no clue.


I also liked the world building. It takes New York and creates an alternate reflection. Which are called reflections. It was easy to picture where they were in my mind. I also felt like the callings were very interesting and well explained without going overboard. We get bits and pieces as we go so it’s not all info dumped at once.


I liked Eliyana. Sometimes I got annoyed with her, I’m like why can’t she stop be obsessed with saving her mom. Then I’m like wait I would totally be obsessed with that too. I wouldn't care what people are saying to me either. Especially because nobody was really filling her on information. Except for the person that she is supposed to not trust.


It was a great ending but also one that I’m like ohhh I want a short story or something. It’s perfect the way it is but still.


This is a definite recommended read.