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Sacred #2
Splendor
Splendor, the stunning sequel to Sacred, is a story about changing friendships, family, romance, passion, the study of Kabbalah, and self-discovery.
Sometimes the answers we seek aren’t ours to find. . . .
Scarlett loves her boyfriend, the dashing, mysterious Will Cohen. But now he’s gone east for college, and Scarlett is stuck home on Catalina Island. Senior year should be a breeze, but between dealing with her parents’ separation and her wild best friend, Lily, things are off to a rocky start. And then there’s Gunner. Dangerous, dark, ferociously attractive Gunner. Lily’s potential boyfriend, Gunner . . .
Scarlett distracts herself by spending time with her horse and delving into ecstatic mysticism, a way to practice Kabbalah. Through this practice, she hopes to learn to control her emotions, and begin to make sense of her place in the world. But Scarlett’s world is increasingly unrecognizable.
Are Lily and Scarlett becoming too different to stay friends? Is Will still the love of Scarlett’s life, even though she has feelings for Gunner? Does being in love mean only being attracted to one person? The more Scarlett questions, the fewer answers there seem to be.
Praise for Splendor:
"As in Arnold’s earlier Sacred, teens will gravitate toward Scarlett and her problems. Arnold has painted a very realistic picture of teenage girls and their conflicting emotions. . . . Fans of the first novel will appreciate continuing Scarlett’s story and finding some closure with this sequel. Readers unfamiliar with Sacred will still be able to enjoy Splendor.”—VOYA
Praise for Sacred:
"Will appeal to many teens, especially fans of the Twilight series."--Booklist
"Filled with tension and angst. . . . Readers will be looking for the next installment."--School Library Journal
"A poignant novel of loss and grief, but also of hope."--VOYA
From the Hardcover edition.
Sometimes the answers we seek aren’t ours to find. . . .
Scarlett loves her boyfriend, the dashing, mysterious Will Cohen. But now he’s gone east for college, and Scarlett is stuck home on Catalina Island. Senior year should be a breeze, but between dealing with her parents’ separation and her wild best friend, Lily, things are off to a rocky start. And then there’s Gunner. Dangerous, dark, ferociously attractive Gunner. Lily’s potential boyfriend, Gunner . . .
Scarlett distracts herself by spending time with her horse and delving into ecstatic mysticism, a way to practice Kabbalah. Through this practice, she hopes to learn to control her emotions, and begin to make sense of her place in the world. But Scarlett’s world is increasingly unrecognizable.
Are Lily and Scarlett becoming too different to stay friends? Is Will still the love of Scarlett’s life, even though she has feelings for Gunner? Does being in love mean only being attracted to one person? The more Scarlett questions, the fewer answers there seem to be.
Praise for Splendor:
"As in Arnold’s earlier Sacred, teens will gravitate toward Scarlett and her problems. Arnold has painted a very realistic picture of teenage girls and their conflicting emotions. . . . Fans of the first novel will appreciate continuing Scarlett’s story and finding some closure with this sequel. Readers unfamiliar with Sacred will still be able to enjoy Splendor.”—VOYA
Praise for Sacred:
"Will appeal to many teens, especially fans of the Twilight series."--Booklist
"Filled with tension and angst. . . . Readers will be looking for the next installment."--School Library Journal
"A poignant novel of loss and grief, but also of hope."--VOYA
From the Hardcover edition.
352 pages, Library Binding
First published November 12, 2013
7 people are currently reading
818 people want to read
About the author
Elana K. Arnold
42 books1,077 followersELANA K. ARNOLD writes books for and about children and teens. She holds a master’s degree in Creative Writing/Fiction from the University of California, Davis where she has taught Creative Writing and Adolescent Literature. Her most recent YA novel, DAMSEL, is a Printz Honor book, Her 2017 novel, WHAT GIRLS ARE MADE OF, was a finalist for the National Book Award, and her middle grade novel, A BOY CALLED BAT, is a Junior Library Guild Selection. A parent and educator living in Huntington Beach, California, Elana is a frequent speaker at schools, libraries, and writers’ conferences. Currently, Elana is the caretaker of seven pets, only three of which have fur. Sign up for her newsletter here: https://elanakarnold.us10.list-manage...
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 30 reviews
November 3, 2018
Oh my I’m in love with Elana’s writing. Both books in this series were so beautifully written.
In the beginning of ’Splendor’ I very much hated Scarlett but I’m very happy with her character development and now I kinda love her.
This book was so heartbreaking but at the same time a great survival story.
In the beginning of ’Splendor’ I very much hated Scarlett but I’m very happy with her character development and now I kinda love her.
This book was so heartbreaking but at the same time a great survival story.
November 11, 2013
I love Elana K. Arnold’s books. Her writing is understated, beautiful, and vivid. Burning is my favorite, but I also really liked Sacred, the first book in this duology, along with Splendor. When I first finished Sacred I was surprised to see there was going to be a sequel. I felt like the story left off in a good place and it wasn’t necessary to keep going, but since I love Elana’s writing and I enjoyed the story I was happy for the opportunity to read more.
Even after I started reading I remained skeptical. There’s a lot going on in this book. There’s Will going away to college, Scarlett’s parents splitting up, Scarlett’s friend Lily going through a rebellion, Scarlett’s Kabbalah practice, the mysterious new guy who moves to Catalina island, and the pregnancy of Scarlett’s mare. For a while I thought I was going to have to write a review, of one of my favorite author’s books, an author who seems like a really nice person, saying I just didn’t get this one.
Eventually I settled into the story and I came to like all the different parts. I didn’t love that Will was all the way on the other side of the country at college, but I appreciated that it gave Scarlett room to be her own person and do her own thing. At first I was taken aback by the storyline about Scarlett’s parents splitting up. At the end of Sacred they seemed to be a really good place. Part of me wishes that storyline would have been explored a little more, but as I’ve said, this was a pretty packed book. The Lily storyline I really liked. In Sacred, when Scarlett is struggling to move on after her brother’s death, I loved what a good friend Lily was; it was interesting to see a less confident, more rebellious side of Lily. Scarlett’s Kabbalah practice I had mixed feelings about. Some parts of it, like the explanation of Sukkot, I already knew about so I was a little bored. Other parts of it, like the mystical gifts people are given and the ways we are all connected, I found really fascinating. Gunner, the mysterious Brit who moves to Catalina Island, I hated personally, but I liked the storyline. He drove a wedge between Scarlett and Lily, which upset me, and I was so afraid he would drive a wedge between Will and Scarlett. And the pregnant horse, I learned way more than I ever wanted to know about how a horse gets pregnant, and I felt kind of bad for the horse, but I thought it was an interesting decision on Scarlett’s part and I wish we would have learned more about why she made it.
See? A lot of things were happening. Elana had told me that this is her favorite ending of all her books, so the bar was set pretty high, but even 50 or 60 pages from the end I wasn’t sure how it was all going to come together and wrap up. But then it did, and I really loved it. It’s a bittersweet ending, but I really appreciated how everything converged and how things said earlier in the book came around and connected. And I will agree with Elana, this is also my favorite ending out of her books.
“The thing about life, I thought as Star drank his mother’s warm milk, is that you have to choose it. And then you have to keep choosing it, again and again.
You can choose it by staring out at the vast horizon. By focusing on the smallest stone. By feeling humbled by the greatness of others. By claiming victory in a challenge. By judging. By loving. Through balance. Through knowledge. In wisdom. In grace.”
Bottom Line: If this wasn’t already established before I am an Elana K. Arnold fangirl all the way. I adore her writing and her stories and I am so sad I have to wait until next year to read another book by her. If you like smart, well written, different, but not too different YA, you have to give her books a shot. Even though it took me a little to while to settle into what she was doing with this one, I still loved her writing and when it all came together it was just lovely.
I received an ARC of this book from a friend who used to work at Random House. All opinions are my own.
This review first appeared on my blog.
Even after I started reading I remained skeptical. There’s a lot going on in this book. There’s Will going away to college, Scarlett’s parents splitting up, Scarlett’s friend Lily going through a rebellion, Scarlett’s Kabbalah practice, the mysterious new guy who moves to Catalina island, and the pregnancy of Scarlett’s mare. For a while I thought I was going to have to write a review, of one of my favorite author’s books, an author who seems like a really nice person, saying I just didn’t get this one.
Eventually I settled into the story and I came to like all the different parts. I didn’t love that Will was all the way on the other side of the country at college, but I appreciated that it gave Scarlett room to be her own person and do her own thing. At first I was taken aback by the storyline about Scarlett’s parents splitting up. At the end of Sacred they seemed to be a really good place. Part of me wishes that storyline would have been explored a little more, but as I’ve said, this was a pretty packed book. The Lily storyline I really liked. In Sacred, when Scarlett is struggling to move on after her brother’s death, I loved what a good friend Lily was; it was interesting to see a less confident, more rebellious side of Lily. Scarlett’s Kabbalah practice I had mixed feelings about. Some parts of it, like the explanation of Sukkot, I already knew about so I was a little bored. Other parts of it, like the mystical gifts people are given and the ways we are all connected, I found really fascinating. Gunner, the mysterious Brit who moves to Catalina Island, I hated personally, but I liked the storyline. He drove a wedge between Scarlett and Lily, which upset me, and I was so afraid he would drive a wedge between Will and Scarlett. And the pregnant horse, I learned way more than I ever wanted to know about how a horse gets pregnant, and I felt kind of bad for the horse, but I thought it was an interesting decision on Scarlett’s part and I wish we would have learned more about why she made it.
See? A lot of things were happening. Elana had told me that this is her favorite ending of all her books, so the bar was set pretty high, but even 50 or 60 pages from the end I wasn’t sure how it was all going to come together and wrap up. But then it did, and I really loved it. It’s a bittersweet ending, but I really appreciated how everything converged and how things said earlier in the book came around and connected. And I will agree with Elana, this is also my favorite ending out of her books.
“The thing about life, I thought as Star drank his mother’s warm milk, is that you have to choose it. And then you have to keep choosing it, again and again.
You can choose it by staring out at the vast horizon. By focusing on the smallest stone. By feeling humbled by the greatness of others. By claiming victory in a challenge. By judging. By loving. Through balance. Through knowledge. In wisdom. In grace.”
Bottom Line: If this wasn’t already established before I am an Elana K. Arnold fangirl all the way. I adore her writing and her stories and I am so sad I have to wait until next year to read another book by her. If you like smart, well written, different, but not too different YA, you have to give her books a shot. Even though it took me a little to while to settle into what she was doing with this one, I still loved her writing and when it all came together it was just lovely.
I received an ARC of this book from a friend who used to work at Random House. All opinions are my own.
This review first appeared on my blog.
November 23, 2013
I read Sacred, the book that comes before Splendor, way back in January and I thought it was just an okay read. So when Splendor showed up in my mailbox, I went back and forth on wether I wanted to read it. I finally decided to give it a try and I'm pleased to say the sequel was much, much better!
With her boyfriend Will off to college all the way across the country, Scarlett is stuck at home dealing with even more problems than before. After having to recover from losing her brother the year before, Scarlett has to now deal with her parents' separation and her best friend Lily's wild out lashes. Not to mention the mysterious, and British, Gunner shows up and Scarlett feels things for him she shouldn't be feeling with Will in the picture. Scarlett tries to find solace with her horse and studying ecstatic mysticism to learn more about her emotions and Will's supernatural situation, but life keeps on throwing more curveballs her way. Scarlett's life is changing and she has to figure out just exactly who it is she wants to be now.
I'm so, so happy that the problems I had with the first book were not at all present in this one. First, I really loved Scarlett's character now that she has finally gotten control of herself after her brother's death. While you would think finally having Will as a boyfriend would make her completely dependent on him, she's really not. Instead, Elana K Arnold has created a very realistic relationship where, when Will goes off to college, they know that they love each other but aren't sure if they're really going to be together forever. That being said, both of them discover new things about themselves and have attractions for other people, and they have to deal with their own relationship as well as their feelings for others. I was relieved they didn't become obsessed with each other when Will went to school, and really had lives apart from their relationship with each other.
What kind of put me off of this one, though, was Scarlett's attraction to Gunner. I get that she's supposed to be confused about her emotions and relationship with Will now that he's not there, but I did not get her attraction to Gunner at all. It seems like he showed up and everyone fell in love with him. Including Scarlett. I feel like there should have been either more attraction on both of their parts, or a growing to like him as she go to know him. Instead, she seemed to hate him, yet become more attracted to him, as she spent more time with him. I think his character was just really weird and I wasn't a fan of his smoking and drug use. I get what the author was trying to do with his character, I just don't think the chemistry in Scarlett's attraction to him was really there.
Other than Gunner, though, this book was fantastic. I loved the new characters Scarlett meets, and I loved how both Will's dad and Lily's family become more involved in Scarlett's life. The whole religious aspect with Will's dad was much more toned down, and I liked how that was inserted into the story with their friend Sabine. And Will. Oh Will. I loved him so much in this book, but I remember not really caring for him in the first one. While he isn't in a whole lot of this book, his presence is still there and I really liked the moments where he actually was a part of the story.
So overall, Splendor was a really great sequel to Sacred. The characters were great and Scarlett grows even more than she did in the first book. There is a huge plot twist nearish the end of the book, and I was like, "What!?" Totally wasn't expecting that! So that definitely held my attention and kept me reading. My only problem was the whole Gunner aspect, but I really enjoyed the rest of Scarlett's story. If you read Sacred, I'd definitely recommend picking up the sequel. You get an even better novel and really grow to love all of the characters you might not have been all that connected to the first time around.
With her boyfriend Will off to college all the way across the country, Scarlett is stuck at home dealing with even more problems than before. After having to recover from losing her brother the year before, Scarlett has to now deal with her parents' separation and her best friend Lily's wild out lashes. Not to mention the mysterious, and British, Gunner shows up and Scarlett feels things for him she shouldn't be feeling with Will in the picture. Scarlett tries to find solace with her horse and studying ecstatic mysticism to learn more about her emotions and Will's supernatural situation, but life keeps on throwing more curveballs her way. Scarlett's life is changing and she has to figure out just exactly who it is she wants to be now.
I'm so, so happy that the problems I had with the first book were not at all present in this one. First, I really loved Scarlett's character now that she has finally gotten control of herself after her brother's death. While you would think finally having Will as a boyfriend would make her completely dependent on him, she's really not. Instead, Elana K Arnold has created a very realistic relationship where, when Will goes off to college, they know that they love each other but aren't sure if they're really going to be together forever. That being said, both of them discover new things about themselves and have attractions for other people, and they have to deal with their own relationship as well as their feelings for others. I was relieved they didn't become obsessed with each other when Will went to school, and really had lives apart from their relationship with each other.
What kind of put me off of this one, though, was Scarlett's attraction to Gunner. I get that she's supposed to be confused about her emotions and relationship with Will now that he's not there, but I did not get her attraction to Gunner at all. It seems like he showed up and everyone fell in love with him. Including Scarlett. I feel like there should have been either more attraction on both of their parts, or a growing to like him as she go to know him. Instead, she seemed to hate him, yet become more attracted to him, as she spent more time with him. I think his character was just really weird and I wasn't a fan of his smoking and drug use. I get what the author was trying to do with his character, I just don't think the chemistry in Scarlett's attraction to him was really there.
Other than Gunner, though, this book was fantastic. I loved the new characters Scarlett meets, and I loved how both Will's dad and Lily's family become more involved in Scarlett's life. The whole religious aspect with Will's dad was much more toned down, and I liked how that was inserted into the story with their friend Sabine. And Will. Oh Will. I loved him so much in this book, but I remember not really caring for him in the first one. While he isn't in a whole lot of this book, his presence is still there and I really liked the moments where he actually was a part of the story.
So overall, Splendor was a really great sequel to Sacred. The characters were great and Scarlett grows even more than she did in the first book. There is a huge plot twist nearish the end of the book, and I was like, "What!?" Totally wasn't expecting that! So that definitely held my attention and kept me reading. My only problem was the whole Gunner aspect, but I really enjoyed the rest of Scarlett's story. If you read Sacred, I'd definitely recommend picking up the sequel. You get an even better novel and really grow to love all of the characters you might not have been all that connected to the first time around.
November 13, 2013
4.5 Stars
'Splendor' is a beautifully written young adult novel full of hope, faith and love. It continues to follow lead character Scarlett Wenderoth as she deals with life's obstacles and struggles. Her boyfriend, Will, has headed east for college; she started her senior year of high school; her parents have separated; and her best friend Lily is being wild as always. On top of all that, there's Gunner - the handsome and dangerous guy that might become Lily's boyfriend. Gunner has Scarlett questioning her love for Will and what exactly it means to be in love with someone. To clear her head and think things over, Scarlett turns again to her horse and also to Kabbalah - a form of mysticism - to help clear her mind and harness her emotions. But the more answers Scarlett attempts to find, only more questions seem to appear in their place.
This was a enchanting young adult novel that revolves around several deep issues such as friendship, loss, grief, family, self discovery, faith, and love. The characters continued to be incredibly realistic and unique. Scarlett continued to be a great lead character with her flaws and obvious issues, but she showed more character growth in the novel and continued to search for answers to life's many questions and problems. There were new issues in the romance department with the introduction of Gunner's character, which I felt made things more interesting and yet more complicated at the same time. I enjoyed watching how Scarlett dealt with her feelings for both Will and Gunner and how things played out between them. I felt that the setting was again perfect for the novel - Catalina, a small island off the coast of California, provided the perfect sense of familiarity for the reader as well as the characters and it was also a beautiful backdrop to the story as a whole. The plot had a lot of difficult situations and questions that needed answered, but it was filled with hope, faith and love as we continue to watch Scarlett grow into the young woman she's meant to be. The novel's writing was beautifully done so much so that I was immediately drawn into the lyrical prose and the vivid details and descriptions. The pace was natural and flowed effortlessly throughout the book. I'm eagerly awaiting the next novel to see what Scarlett will have to face next and how she'll get through it. Highly recommended for fans of YA fantasy and contemporary fiction!
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
'Splendor' is a beautifully written young adult novel full of hope, faith and love. It continues to follow lead character Scarlett Wenderoth as she deals with life's obstacles and struggles. Her boyfriend, Will, has headed east for college; she started her senior year of high school; her parents have separated; and her best friend Lily is being wild as always. On top of all that, there's Gunner - the handsome and dangerous guy that might become Lily's boyfriend. Gunner has Scarlett questioning her love for Will and what exactly it means to be in love with someone. To clear her head and think things over, Scarlett turns again to her horse and also to Kabbalah - a form of mysticism - to help clear her mind and harness her emotions. But the more answers Scarlett attempts to find, only more questions seem to appear in their place.
This was a enchanting young adult novel that revolves around several deep issues such as friendship, loss, grief, family, self discovery, faith, and love. The characters continued to be incredibly realistic and unique. Scarlett continued to be a great lead character with her flaws and obvious issues, but she showed more character growth in the novel and continued to search for answers to life's many questions and problems. There were new issues in the romance department with the introduction of Gunner's character, which I felt made things more interesting and yet more complicated at the same time. I enjoyed watching how Scarlett dealt with her feelings for both Will and Gunner and how things played out between them. I felt that the setting was again perfect for the novel - Catalina, a small island off the coast of California, provided the perfect sense of familiarity for the reader as well as the characters and it was also a beautiful backdrop to the story as a whole. The plot had a lot of difficult situations and questions that needed answered, but it was filled with hope, faith and love as we continue to watch Scarlett grow into the young woman she's meant to be. The novel's writing was beautifully done so much so that I was immediately drawn into the lyrical prose and the vivid details and descriptions. The pace was natural and flowed effortlessly throughout the book. I'm eagerly awaiting the next novel to see what Scarlett will have to face next and how she'll get through it. Highly recommended for fans of YA fantasy and contemporary fiction!
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
November 19, 2013
Splendor by Elana K Arnold is a fantastic YA book with a very interesting story that had my attention from the very beginning.
Scarlett Wenderoth is a beautiful young girl whose life has been turned upside down when her older brother, Ronny passed away. It was a very emotional rollercoaster ride for Scarlett and her family and things were never the same since. Scarlett still lives with her father on Catalina Island in a Bed & Breakfast that they own, while her mother lives on the main land. Will Scarlett be able to forgive her mother for leaving them? Is there a chance of Scarlett and her mother reconciling their mother and daughter relationship?
This is the beginning of Scarlett’s life journey. She will be a senior in high school when school starts and her boyfriend, Will Cohen, will be leaving to go to College on the East Coast. She will try to go on with her life the best way she can with everything that has happened. There will be a lot of changes in Scarlett’s life. She will have a new interest in Kabbalah that she doesn’t know a whole lot about but is willing to learn. She will meet new people that will help teach her and help her understand it. Will their love for each other be enough to keep their relationship together and survive the long distance from each other? What will Scarlett think about Kabbalah and will she stay with it to learn more?
As I was reading, I could feel all the emotions that Scarlett was feeling about what has happened in her life, her relationship with her mother and with her boyfriend Will.
Elana K Arnold has done a fantastic job. Splendor is the sequel to Sacred. It is the first book that I have read by Elana and I am looking forward to reading Sacred to find out how Scarlett’s story began. It is a must read and I definitely recommend my friends to check it out.
Scarlett Wenderoth is a beautiful young girl whose life has been turned upside down when her older brother, Ronny passed away. It was a very emotional rollercoaster ride for Scarlett and her family and things were never the same since. Scarlett still lives with her father on Catalina Island in a Bed & Breakfast that they own, while her mother lives on the main land. Will Scarlett be able to forgive her mother for leaving them? Is there a chance of Scarlett and her mother reconciling their mother and daughter relationship?
This is the beginning of Scarlett’s life journey. She will be a senior in high school when school starts and her boyfriend, Will Cohen, will be leaving to go to College on the East Coast. She will try to go on with her life the best way she can with everything that has happened. There will be a lot of changes in Scarlett’s life. She will have a new interest in Kabbalah that she doesn’t know a whole lot about but is willing to learn. She will meet new people that will help teach her and help her understand it. Will their love for each other be enough to keep their relationship together and survive the long distance from each other? What will Scarlett think about Kabbalah and will she stay with it to learn more?
As I was reading, I could feel all the emotions that Scarlett was feeling about what has happened in her life, her relationship with her mother and with her boyfriend Will.
Elana K Arnold has done a fantastic job. Splendor is the sequel to Sacred. It is the first book that I have read by Elana and I am looking forward to reading Sacred to find out how Scarlett’s story began. It is a must read and I definitely recommend my friends to check it out.
January 16, 2015
Tragic but beautifully written.
December 9, 2013
Review will be posted here after it posts at its place of origin.
October 21, 2019
This book was partly a religious book and partly a teen drama, just like the previous book. And the plot wasn't much different from that of the previous book.
The main character had a boyfriend, but there was some distance between them: emotional one in the first book; physical one in this book. Then, a new guy came to the island, and her school. She was attracted to him; he took an interest in her.
Except that in this book, the main character's best friend was involved in the romance drama, and that the focus was more on the main character's relationship with her boyfriend instead of that with the new love interest.
Meanwhile, the main character's family was rather dysfunctional. Her mother "abandoned" her family. Her father was distracted, or not capable of taking care of his family. And the main character was drawn to another family she came to know which seemed to be functioning well. Also, she was introduced to religious thinking or rituals she had been unfamiliar with through a member of that family.
I didn't particularly like the main character or the story in the first book. And it was the same with this book. This book was slightly better than the previous one concerning supernatural elements, though. They were more explored.
Yet, I liked this book less because
I really dislike this incident, the author's decision to make it happen, that I took out a star.
The main character had a boyfriend, but there was some distance between them: emotional one in the first book; physical one in this book. Then, a new guy came to the island, and her school. She was attracted to him; he took an interest in her.
Except that in this book, the main character's best friend was involved in the romance drama, and that the focus was more on the main character's relationship with her boyfriend instead of that with the new love interest.
Meanwhile, the main character's family was rather dysfunctional. Her mother "abandoned" her family. Her father was distracted, or not capable of taking care of his family. And the main character was drawn to another family she came to know which seemed to be functioning well. Also, she was introduced to religious thinking or rituals she had been unfamiliar with through a member of that family.
I didn't particularly like the main character or the story in the first book. And it was the same with this book. This book was slightly better than the previous one concerning supernatural elements, though. They were more explored.
Yet, I liked this book less because
I really dislike this incident, the author's decision to make it happen, that I took out a star.
September 27, 2018
I'm not entirely sure why the first book needed a sequel, other than to satisfy a need for a happy ending on behalf of the author or the fans of the first book. Scarlett goes from a character who is unlikable to someone you wish you didn't know. She's inexplicably more moneyed in this book, after the first mentions her barely having 20 bucks to stick in her pocket to being a UC Davis student who will have absolutely no problem financing the bordering of her 2 horses. (The college community around UCD is famously known for having a 1-3% vacancy rate, which in turn raises the overall cost of living for the area. I know people from there who struggle to live on decent wages, let alone someone who would be a student and need to pay about $2K PER MONTH to board a couple of horses.)
There were some interesting points regarding religion, especially that of Hasidic Judaism, but for the life of me, I could not understand the correlation between that reality and the Harry Potter mysticism that imbues both Scarlett & Will's "powers." The vacillation between this being a realistic story and a fantasy is aggravating and tiresome.
I really glad Arnold moved away from this CW suspend-your-disbelief nonsense and into writing that had a stronger hold on reality because her prose is still strangely compelling, even when her story here was utter shite.
Also - I have a daughter the same age as Scarlett. TEENAGERS DO NOT TALK/ACT LIKE THEY DO IN THIS BOOK. Far moreso than any of the cleverer-than-thou speech that some YA novels have, which is really saying something.
There were some interesting points regarding religion, especially that of Hasidic Judaism, but for the life of me, I could not understand the correlation between that reality and the Harry Potter mysticism that imbues both Scarlett & Will's "powers." The vacillation between this being a realistic story and a fantasy is aggravating and tiresome.
I really glad Arnold moved away from this CW suspend-your-disbelief nonsense and into writing that had a stronger hold on reality because her prose is still strangely compelling, even when her story here was utter shite.
Also - I have a daughter the same age as Scarlett. TEENAGERS DO NOT TALK/ACT LIKE THEY DO IN THIS BOOK. Far moreso than any of the cleverer-than-thou speech that some YA novels have, which is really saying something.
May 21, 2020
I wish there was another book!! Love this series!!!
December 7, 2013
This book both broke my heart and gave me a sense of peace and calm. Splendor by Elana K. Arnold broke my heart because the author throws this twist near the end that I honestly didn’t even see coming. I believe my jaw dropped and I whispered a panicked “what?”
Will is off to college, and Scarlett is still on Catalina Island finishing her senior year. But a new school year also brings new students…and in this case it’s a British bad boy, Gunner, who favors his clover cigarettes, and is the desire of every girl at school, including Lily and, surprisingly enough, Scarlett.
This is the year where ties are tested. Lily and Scarlett’s friendship due to Gunner, Will and Scarlett due to …Gunner, and Scarlett and her father due to…here’s a hint…it’s not Gunner.
So how does Scarlett deal with all her drama? Spending time with her newly pregnant horse, Delilah, and spending time with some newly made friends and studying Kabbalah. But it’s with these studies that Scarlett learns something completely new about herself…and whether she accepts this new found gift or ignores it, one thing is certain. Scarlett is seeing things in a new light, but also seeing other parts in a darker shade of grey.
Just like in book 1, Sacred, there is again an element of something semi-supernatural in Splendor by Elana K. Arnold. We witness another event with Will where his need to protect those who cannot protect themselves, but this time, things become darker. And Scarlett finds out something about herself that I honestly, didn’t quite understand. That, in itself, was what I found intriguing. Being able to learn about this ability in the same way that Scarlett learns about it.
There was quite a lot of talk about religion during Scarlett’s lessons in Kabbalah, which I know should have been interesting to readers, but for myself, I found that it had me losing interest. I wanted more of the interactions with the characters. More conversation, more…something. But instead, I found myself drowning in talks of spirituality and religion.
But apart from that, it still had the same elements that Sacred had, and that was enough to keep my attention. We see Scarlett struggle with her feelings for Will while trying to fight her attraction to Gunner. We see just how important her best friend Lily is to her, and we witness just how much of an impact and how important Lily is to Scarlett.
Fans of book 1 will come to enjoy the Splendor by Elana K. Arnold. Those who are interested on learning more about Kabbalah, will really appreciate the information provided in this book.
Will is off to college, and Scarlett is still on Catalina Island finishing her senior year. But a new school year also brings new students…and in this case it’s a British bad boy, Gunner, who favors his clover cigarettes, and is the desire of every girl at school, including Lily and, surprisingly enough, Scarlett.
This is the year where ties are tested. Lily and Scarlett’s friendship due to Gunner, Will and Scarlett due to …Gunner, and Scarlett and her father due to…here’s a hint…it’s not Gunner.
So how does Scarlett deal with all her drama? Spending time with her newly pregnant horse, Delilah, and spending time with some newly made friends and studying Kabbalah. But it’s with these studies that Scarlett learns something completely new about herself…and whether she accepts this new found gift or ignores it, one thing is certain. Scarlett is seeing things in a new light, but also seeing other parts in a darker shade of grey.
Just like in book 1, Sacred, there is again an element of something semi-supernatural in Splendor by Elana K. Arnold. We witness another event with Will where his need to protect those who cannot protect themselves, but this time, things become darker. And Scarlett finds out something about herself that I honestly, didn’t quite understand. That, in itself, was what I found intriguing. Being able to learn about this ability in the same way that Scarlett learns about it.
There was quite a lot of talk about religion during Scarlett’s lessons in Kabbalah, which I know should have been interesting to readers, but for myself, I found that it had me losing interest. I wanted more of the interactions with the characters. More conversation, more…something. But instead, I found myself drowning in talks of spirituality and religion.
But apart from that, it still had the same elements that Sacred had, and that was enough to keep my attention. We see Scarlett struggle with her feelings for Will while trying to fight her attraction to Gunner. We see just how important her best friend Lily is to her, and we witness just how much of an impact and how important Lily is to Scarlett.
Fans of book 1 will come to enjoy the Splendor by Elana K. Arnold. Those who are interested on learning more about Kabbalah, will really appreciate the information provided in this book.
November 20, 2013
MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT
Scarlett has grown up on Catalina Island right off the coast of California surrounded by nature and a small knit community. After a troubling summer , she has just started her senior year and kissed her first boyfriend, Will, good by as he heads off to Yale. They text and talk, but is getting the feeling that the distance may become a problem. On top of this, her parents have separated, with her mother moving to Los Angeles to take up her career as a lawyer since the Bed and Breakfast they run has fallen onto hard times from the neglect of the past year. Her older brother has recently died from an aneurysm and it has torn the family apart. Her best friend, Lily, has returned from a trip to Amsterdam a changed person, and more wild than Scarlett could ever image.
With all of these changes, Martin, Will's father, has directed her to a friend that practices Kabbalah in hopes that she will find some peace. Will also has a secret that might be driving the pair apart: he can see horrible things before they happen and is driven to prevent them. This is a gift that cost his own mother her life. So along with this insight, a new boy starts to pay attention to Scarlett and now she is questioning if her love for Will is really true. Newly transplanted from the UK, Gunner is present and doesn't have the problems that she and Will must now face. As Scarlett tries to answer questions about her feelings, she also is trying to find the answer to the meaning of life.
This story is filled with beautiful descriptions as well as perfectly balanced dialogue. The bits of paranormal are woven in so naturally that the gift Will has just seems natural. The small town vibe of Catalina is a perfect background to Scarlett's own struggles with growing up in a now broken family. I really enjoyed the mysticism and how it all worked in the plot. These characters all seem like kids I know with all of the flaws and accomplishments they should have. I look forward to reading more about them.
LOVED IT
Scarlett has grown up on Catalina Island right off the coast of California surrounded by nature and a small knit community. After a troubling summer , she has just started her senior year and kissed her first boyfriend, Will, good by as he heads off to Yale. They text and talk, but is getting the feeling that the distance may become a problem. On top of this, her parents have separated, with her mother moving to Los Angeles to take up her career as a lawyer since the Bed and Breakfast they run has fallen onto hard times from the neglect of the past year. Her older brother has recently died from an aneurysm and it has torn the family apart. Her best friend, Lily, has returned from a trip to Amsterdam a changed person, and more wild than Scarlett could ever image.
With all of these changes, Martin, Will's father, has directed her to a friend that practices Kabbalah in hopes that she will find some peace. Will also has a secret that might be driving the pair apart: he can see horrible things before they happen and is driven to prevent them. This is a gift that cost his own mother her life. So along with this insight, a new boy starts to pay attention to Scarlett and now she is questioning if her love for Will is really true. Newly transplanted from the UK, Gunner is present and doesn't have the problems that she and Will must now face. As Scarlett tries to answer questions about her feelings, she also is trying to find the answer to the meaning of life.
This story is filled with beautiful descriptions as well as perfectly balanced dialogue. The bits of paranormal are woven in so naturally that the gift Will has just seems natural. The small town vibe of Catalina is a perfect background to Scarlett's own struggles with growing up in a now broken family. I really enjoyed the mysticism and how it all worked in the plot. These characters all seem like kids I know with all of the flaws and accomplishments they should have. I look forward to reading more about them.
July 18, 2014
After Scarlett's brother dies, and her mother leaves the small island of Catalina, where they live, to live in Los Angeles, the only people that Scarlett has is her new boyfriend, Will and her best friend, Lily. Through Kabbalah, Will has gained these powers, where he can sense when a violent crime is about to happen. Scarlett fears that Will will find himself in a dangerous situation, because he feels like he must stop these crimes from happening. When Will goes to school in Conneticut, and Lily gets mad at Scarlett over a boy, Scarlett starts to study Kabbalah as a way to fill her time and find out more about her boyfriend's powers.The more Scarlett learns about Kabbalah, the more she starts to have dreams about Will. But these dreams aren't just about Will, they are memories from Will's point of view. Wanting to know more about her boyfriend's mysterious past, Scarlett starts to study Kabbalah more and more. Through Kabbalah, she learns about Will, but also discovers the person she is and how much she has grown since Ronnie's death.
Splendor focuses a lot on the Kabbalah religion and history. And while some of it is was necessary to further the story, a lot of it did not seem worthwhile. Scarlett is faced with a lot of tough decisions throughout this book, and she turns to Kabbalah as a way to cope with it. Scarlett's journey through Kabbalah is a large part of this book, but nothing ever comes of it, rendering most of the information given throughout the book useless. Sometimes they would mention a part of the Kabbalah that you assumed would show up later in the book having to do with another character, and then nothing ever came of it. The ending of the book seemed as if the author was on a deadline and needed to finish the book quickly. It just didn't seem to flow as nicely as the first book did.
Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Recommendation: Recommend as Optional Purchase
Level: High School
Splendor focuses a lot on the Kabbalah religion and history. And while some of it is was necessary to further the story, a lot of it did not seem worthwhile. Scarlett is faced with a lot of tough decisions throughout this book, and she turns to Kabbalah as a way to cope with it. Scarlett's journey through Kabbalah is a large part of this book, but nothing ever comes of it, rendering most of the information given throughout the book useless. Sometimes they would mention a part of the Kabbalah that you assumed would show up later in the book having to do with another character, and then nothing ever came of it. The ending of the book seemed as if the author was on a deadline and needed to finish the book quickly. It just didn't seem to flow as nicely as the first book did.
Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Recommendation: Recommend as Optional Purchase
Level: High School
April 11, 2015
Scarlett lives on Catalina Island in a B&B with her dad and her horse. Her mom moved to LA after the sudden death of Scarlett’s brother. Scarlett’s in love with Will, a Jewish boy who has visions that allow him to rescue people in trouble. When Will heads off to college and Scarlett’s best friend Lily falls for a mysterious exchange student, Scarlett starts to study the Kabbalah in order to better understand and cope with the odd dreams she is having.
Confused? Me too. I had not read Sacred, so perhaps that’s the missing link, but this book seems to be a random collection of thoughts/events/issues that might have each made for a good story. Together it’s just too much. There’s a great deal of talk about the Kabbalah, lots of detail about insemination of horses and fetal development, quite a bit of sex – or rather almost sex, and (SPOILER!) finally a death from alcohol and Ecstasy. Ultimately a story of a young girl dealing with death and growing up, but seems like this could have been done better.
Confused? Me too. I had not read Sacred, so perhaps that’s the missing link, but this book seems to be a random collection of thoughts/events/issues that might have each made for a good story. Together it’s just too much. There’s a great deal of talk about the Kabbalah, lots of detail about insemination of horses and fetal development, quite a bit of sex – or rather almost sex, and (SPOILER!) finally a death from alcohol and Ecstasy. Ultimately a story of a young girl dealing with death and growing up, but seems like this could have been done better.
January 23, 2016
I read this all in one sitting, from about 10pm until 3am! That does not always happen for me, but I couldn't put this book down. It's not a 'fast, light' read - it's deep, mystic, emotional, and above all, the characters are so believable that one almost wonders if they're living real lives out there somewhere. This book is immensely enjoyable - we learn more about Scarlett and Will's relationship, get to know Scarlett more as a person, and explore the darker side of teenage life.
Elana K. Arnold handles a few 'big' themes, such as death and the different types of love simultaneously, and does it well. I am an unpublished writer, and every time I read one of her books my technique improves, especially the aspects of writing believable characters and handling deep emotions while writing. Highly recommended.
Elana K. Arnold handles a few 'big' themes, such as death and the different types of love simultaneously, and does it well. I am an unpublished writer, and every time I read one of her books my technique improves, especially the aspects of writing believable characters and handling deep emotions while writing. Highly recommended.
October 30, 2014
This is an interesting realistic fiction story with a touch of mysticism included. While still rocked by the death of her brother, Scarlet is beginning to heal in both mind and spirit. Will has gone off to college in the east coast and a new foreign exchange student comes to the island. Scarlett starts to study a different aspect of Kabbalah. The ending isn't wrapped up in a neat and tidy bow and is definitely not happy ever after, but while shocking, it seems realistic. On the page sex keeps this novel squarely at the high school level.
January 28, 2014
What started out as a story with paranormal elements seemed to turn into a story about kids in high school with absolutely no adult supervision, and what adults are around end up being completely blind to what is going on with them. A lot of the story sounded like the main character was being introduced to a cult and made no sense as to where it was supposed to connect to the rest of the story. The ending doesn't really make sense since it seems a lot of things were abandoned along the way. I don't know what happened with this story.
June 2, 2014
I love love loved Sacred so I was very excited to read Splendor. However, I was pretty disappointed and found myself having to force myself to finish it.
Splendor went way too far into the Jewish background and Kabbalah than I found necessary. I felt like that overtook the storyline at quite a few spots.
I also feel like there was a lot of loose ends left untied by the end if the book. A prologue would have been nice.
Splendor went way too far into the Jewish background and Kabbalah than I found necessary. I felt like that overtook the storyline at quite a few spots.
I also feel like there was a lot of loose ends left untied by the end if the book. A prologue would have been nice.
July 24, 2015
At first I was very hesitant to read this but I'm so happy that I did. Even though i did cry during some parts (I'm a very emotional reader) I can say I honestly loved this book. The only thing that i didn't like ( stop reading if you don't want any spoilers) is how in the end of the book i didn't know where Scarlett and Will's relationship stood, If anyone can enlighten me about it please go for it but other than that great read.
July 13, 2014
I cried at the end when Lily died, I honestly feel that Elana shouldn't have killed her off at the end, it was so unfair despite the fac that it adds more realism to the book. Sighhhh I liked the foal part though.
I found that the book went too far into Kabbalah and practices and religion and it really got very boring thus I skipped some parts. Still, five stars because Lily.
I found that the book went too far into Kabbalah and practices and religion and it really got very boring thus I skipped some parts. Still, five stars because Lily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2015
These books make me sad. Not because they are bad, but because death is hard to deal with, and this book captures it pretty well. Like not in a drama-y way, but like how it actually feels. Also, the characters are so lifelike, and their problems so, well, normal, that the presence of "super powers" cropping up in the characters seem almost absurd.
April 28, 2016
A worthy sequel to Sacred (which I gave top-rating): an eloquent story, with deft subtlety in the story, and I really enjoyed the philosophical/religious/mysticism discussion. Some authors/books have more depth, and, this is one of them.
March 2, 2014
I was debating in between a 3.5 or a 4 because I honestly had to skip some pages because I would have ended up confusing myself.
April 12, 2014
I like the writing in this book but didn't love the story.
July 28, 2014
*Review to come later*
Adequate sequel. Continues to show me why Arnold is one of my favorite authors.
Adequate sequel. Continues to show me why Arnold is one of my favorite authors.
February 26, 2014
I don't know if I would be satisfied if this was the conclusion. The twist at the end was great!
September 10, 2016
actual rating 3.5
January 14, 2016
Just as good as the first one. Very sad, but very real.
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