The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
tellie's review against another edition
4.0
Not bad at all. Definitely an interesting concept that I haven't seen in many books.
brii_brii's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
readermeetsbook's review against another edition
1.0
'Hilary Duff wrote a book?!' That was the reaction most people had when they realized what I was reading. To be honest, my reaction was the same when I first found out she was writing a YA novel. But when I read the summary, I was pleasantly surprised. It actually sounded promising. After finishing it though, I had problems with the execution of the plot and the characters.
One, Clea's background. Okay, so she's the daughter of a famous surgeon and a politician that has felt the spotlight her whole life. I might buy that she grew up kind of famous, but not to the extent portrayed in the novel. The America I know is more obsessed about the children of actors, models and the like. Unless you're the president or vice-president, most of America probably won't know who their politicians' kids are. I like to think of myself as sort-of politically savvy and I don't know who my senator's kids are, much less the kids from a senator from another state.
Two, Clea's characterization. Clea is rich, smart, famous, etc. Which probably won't be relatable to many readers. However, her sense of loss from her father's death, her drive for independence from her celebrity parent, and her strong friendship with Rayna does bridge the gap between her character and the reader's. That's a plus. However, Clea never felt completely fleshed out to me. She never becomes a three-dimensional person in my mind. I feel like with Clea and all the other characters is that Duff was just skimming the surface. There was so much to explore with these characters. But Rayna is the stock best friend. Ben is the boy who secretly crushes on her. And Sage is the mysterious boy who Clea is drawn to.
Three, Sage and Clea's relationship. I didn't buy it. It was one of those typical YA cliché where they have an instant connection and fall in love in a span of a couple days. Yea, that didn't sit well with me. I like my romances to build up. And it's not really about the days, but the fact that you barely know anything about him.
Four and last point, the plot. The premise was oh so promising. But there were so many plot holes. A lot of the plot seemed forced and engineered to get to where the author wanted it to be. Nothing felt natural. The home schooling is mention a continuous amount, but that was seemed like a way to explain all the jet setting all the time. And the two groups after the Elixir. They never really get explained. They become convenient villains. And a web forum?! For groups that sound like secret cults, a web forum?! Way to broadcast your not-so-secret group to the rest of the world. And the climax, a complete dud.
I really wanted to like this book. But there were so many problems. It's an easy read, if you can get pass the undeveloped plot and 2-D characters. I couldn't.
One, Clea's background. Okay, so she's the daughter of a famous surgeon and a politician that has felt the spotlight her whole life. I might buy that she grew up kind of famous, but not to the extent portrayed in the novel. The America I know is more obsessed about the children of actors, models and the like. Unless you're the president or vice-president, most of America probably won't know who their politicians' kids are. I like to think of myself as sort-of politically savvy and I don't know who my senator's kids are, much less the kids from a senator from another state.
Two, Clea's characterization. Clea is rich, smart, famous, etc. Which probably won't be relatable to many readers. However, her sense of loss from her father's death, her drive for independence from her celebrity parent, and her strong friendship with Rayna does bridge the gap between her character and the reader's. That's a plus. However, Clea never felt completely fleshed out to me. She never becomes a three-dimensional person in my mind. I feel like with Clea and all the other characters is that Duff was just skimming the surface. There was so much to explore with these characters. But Rayna is the stock best friend. Ben is the boy who secretly crushes on her. And Sage is the mysterious boy who Clea is drawn to.
Three, Sage and Clea's relationship. I didn't buy it. It was one of those typical YA cliché where they have an instant connection and fall in love in a span of a couple days. Yea, that didn't sit well with me. I like my romances to build up. And it's not really about the days, but the fact that you barely know anything about him.
Four and last point, the plot. The premise was oh so promising. But there were so many plot holes. A lot of the plot seemed forced and engineered to get to where the author wanted it to be. Nothing felt natural. The home schooling is mention a continuous amount, but that was seemed like a way to explain all the jet setting all the time. And the two groups after the Elixir. They never really get explained. They become convenient villains. And a web forum?! For groups that sound like secret cults, a web forum?! Way to broadcast your not-so-secret group to the rest of the world. And the climax, a complete dud.
I really wanted to like this book. But there were so many problems. It's an easy read, if you can get pass the undeveloped plot and 2-D characters. I couldn't.
lexmoore's review against another edition
2.0
I've had this book on my bookshelf for 10+ years and finally read it before getting rid of it. I was a Hilary Duff super fan as a child but this book missed the mark for me... hated the romance aspect and all of the paranormal, soulmate, and transcending life stuff. It was a quick read since it's YA and the font is large but other than that I did not enjoy
gabydeppe's review against another edition
4.0
It was a great book, easy to read even if English isn't your native language. I loved the characters, though the kind of open ending surprised me. I would have thought we get a real answer to everything, but I'm still left behind with a lot of questions. I'm kind of hoping there will come a sequel, just to have those questions answered. But further, I loved it!
ellenpenleysmith's review against another edition
3.0
I will admit, when I read the authors name, Hilary Duff, I checked Google and a whole heap of other things to double check. And yes, it is true: Hilary Duff is not only an actor, singer, has her won clothes line, jewellery line, and a perfume; but she is also a novelist. :/ very sketchy, but I'll give it a go.
http://books.simonandschuster.com/Elixir/Hilary-Duff/9781442408531/excerpt_with_id/16958?custd=435132&mcd=ea&view_pc_site=1
-Excerpt
26th Sep 2010
http://books.simonandschuster.com/Elixir/Hilary-Duff/9781442408531/excerpt_with_id/16958?custd=435132&mcd=ea&view_pc_site=1
-Excerpt
26th Sep 2010
narniaxisxhome's review against another edition
5.0
This book actually surprised me. I've always been a Hilary fan, but upon hearing she was writing a book I just went ummm, okay... However, when I actually read it I could not put it down! I just had to know what happened to Clea, Sage, and Ben next, and I am DYING for the sequel! Elixir is becoming one of my favorite books. (I don't think Elise Allen is getting enough credit for co-authoring though. If the big picture of Hilary Duff on the back cover is any indication...)
The plot is actually very original in a genre where vampires, werewolves, and angels/fallen angels are pretty much it. The concept of the Elixir of Life and a soulmate due to the consequences of the Elixir...this plot is like a breath of fresh air in a genre where everything is more-or-less the same now!
I've read this book multiple times now, and although I still love it just as much, can I just say Clea is super idiotic and annoying? Gosh.
The plot is actually very original in a genre where vampires, werewolves, and angels/fallen angels are pretty much it. The concept of the Elixir of Life and a soulmate due to the consequences of the Elixir...this plot is like a breath of fresh air in a genre where everything is more-or-less the same now!
I've read this book multiple times now, and although I still love it just as much, can I just say Clea is super idiotic and annoying? Gosh.
theawkwardbookw's review against another edition
2.0
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCferU-BCL2dlFjWdD0rS75Q
2.5/5 Stars
After the sudden disappearance of her father, Clea will stop at nothing in finding him. She notices a strange man in all of the pictures she's taken recently. With the help of her friend, Ben, she begins to investigate who this person could be and if he has any connection to her father's disappearance.
I'm not going to lie... I only bought this book because my girl Hilary was the author. I mean I wouldn't say this book was GOOD, but I had a good enough time reading it. I do think the concept was fun, but the whole idea of the Elixir of Life could have been excecated better. I just found it so predictable, it took away from my enjoyment of the overall story. I wasn't the biggest fan of the love triangle, nor either relationship overall. It all just felt very forced, and rushed. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, and wish it had been different.
2.5/5 Stars
After the sudden disappearance of her father, Clea will stop at nothing in finding him. She notices a strange man in all of the pictures she's taken recently. With the help of her friend, Ben, she begins to investigate who this person could be and if he has any connection to her father's disappearance.
I'm not going to lie... I only bought this book because my girl Hilary was the author. I mean I wouldn't say this book was GOOD, but I had a good enough time reading it. I do think the concept was fun, but the whole idea of the Elixir of Life could have been excecated better. I just found it so predictable, it took away from my enjoyment of the overall story. I wasn't the biggest fan of the love triangle, nor either relationship overall. It all just felt very forced, and rushed. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, and wish it had been different.
1uniquek8's review against another edition
4.0
At first I didn’t think I would like the book. It jumped right in with Clea freaking out about her father with no real explanation whatsoever. I didn’t think it would go well. Then, once the themes, mystery, plot, and story picked up pace, it turned into one of the best books I’ve ever read.
Elixir was published in 2010 and is the first book in a trilogy. Hilary Duff wrote alongside Elise Allen. Duff is obviously recognized as the actress on Lizzie McGuire, but she’s a good writer too! Granted, I guess I don’t really know how much of the story was her idea and was truly written by her, but the book was fantastic. It’s simplistic yet all interconnected, and it’s really well done.
The book begins as a realistic fiction, shrugging off any supernatural elements as weird conspiracy theories and crazy thoughts that Clea’s father was obsessed with. However, once Clea starts seeing a guy constantly reappear in the photos she has taken and the photos her father has taken all through her life, Clea realizes that maybe something unnatural is going on. It all connects back to the infamous Elixir of Life. Clea takes her best friend to Brazil to find clues to her father’s disappearance the year before and while in Brazil, Clea sees the man who continued to reappear in the photos and her dreams. Eventually, she finds out that this man, named Sage, is her soulmate, her partner in crime, and her lead in her father’s death. She, him, and her best friend, Ben, travel the clues her father left behind the solve a 500 year old mystery.
The characters develop the more you learn about their pasts. Clea’s soul continues to be reincarnated through the centuries to be with Sage. Ben is constantly in love with Clea. I don’t want to give too much away, but a gruesome pattern emerges over centuries and that is part of what the three main characters have to fix. Their interactions with each other are very reasonable once you understand why they act the way they do. Every single character wants to protect another. However, that’s what causes the problems.
I really like this story. I’ve read a lot of fantasy books about destiny and whatnot, but this book is so original I couldn’t really predict anything. I couldn’t see the twists coming, and sometimes that’s a downfall of a book. I felt this novel was so mysterious and murky while being so crystal clear, and I loved that. I’ve never read anything like this before, and even though Hilary Duff is known as an author, I think some professionally published writers should take tips from her! This is by far my favorite fantasy book.
There’s nothing really difficult to understand or to swallow during this book. Honestly, it’s just a story. There doesn’t seem to be any obvious societal issues to be aware about or any that are obvious. I genuinely feel like Duff wrote this book to be entertaining. I don’t think she was trying to prove anything.
However, I feel like she wanted to warn her audience. One of her recurring themes is that your actions do have consequences, whether they are good or bad. Also, I think she wanted to tell people to never give up looking for the people you love. Clea is constantly searching for her father, never knowing if her research will lead her anywhere.
I want everyone who has a taste for adventure and mystery to read this book. It’s so fantastic and easy to read and I didn’t want to put my book down. Anyone in middle school and beyond can read this book and enjoy it. It’s a good book to take a break with. It’s not too thought provoking, but you still have to pay attention to the details.
Elixir was published in 2010 and is the first book in a trilogy. Hilary Duff wrote alongside Elise Allen. Duff is obviously recognized as the actress on Lizzie McGuire, but she’s a good writer too! Granted, I guess I don’t really know how much of the story was her idea and was truly written by her, but the book was fantastic. It’s simplistic yet all interconnected, and it’s really well done.
The book begins as a realistic fiction, shrugging off any supernatural elements as weird conspiracy theories and crazy thoughts that Clea’s father was obsessed with. However, once Clea starts seeing a guy constantly reappear in the photos she has taken and the photos her father has taken all through her life, Clea realizes that maybe something unnatural is going on. It all connects back to the infamous Elixir of Life. Clea takes her best friend to Brazil to find clues to her father’s disappearance the year before and while in Brazil, Clea sees the man who continued to reappear in the photos and her dreams. Eventually, she finds out that this man, named Sage, is her soulmate, her partner in crime, and her lead in her father’s death. She, him, and her best friend, Ben, travel the clues her father left behind the solve a 500 year old mystery.
The characters develop the more you learn about their pasts. Clea’s soul continues to be reincarnated through the centuries to be with Sage. Ben is constantly in love with Clea. I don’t want to give too much away, but a gruesome pattern emerges over centuries and that is part of what the three main characters have to fix. Their interactions with each other are very reasonable once you understand why they act the way they do. Every single character wants to protect another. However, that’s what causes the problems.
I really like this story. I’ve read a lot of fantasy books about destiny and whatnot, but this book is so original I couldn’t really predict anything. I couldn’t see the twists coming, and sometimes that’s a downfall of a book. I felt this novel was so mysterious and murky while being so crystal clear, and I loved that. I’ve never read anything like this before, and even though Hilary Duff is known as an author, I think some professionally published writers should take tips from her! This is by far my favorite fantasy book.
There’s nothing really difficult to understand or to swallow during this book. Honestly, it’s just a story. There doesn’t seem to be any obvious societal issues to be aware about or any that are obvious. I genuinely feel like Duff wrote this book to be entertaining. I don’t think she was trying to prove anything.
However, I feel like she wanted to warn her audience. One of her recurring themes is that your actions do have consequences, whether they are good or bad. Also, I think she wanted to tell people to never give up looking for the people you love. Clea is constantly searching for her father, never knowing if her research will lead her anywhere.
I want everyone who has a taste for adventure and mystery to read this book. It’s so fantastic and easy to read and I didn’t want to put my book down. Anyone in middle school and beyond can read this book and enjoy it. It’s a good book to take a break with. It’s not too thought provoking, but you still have to pay attention to the details.