YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

Eliyana has always recoiled from her own reflection in the mirror. But what if that were only one Reflection—one world? What if another world existed where her blemish could become her strength?

Eliyana is used to the shadows. With a hideous 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 as 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?

Read the first chapter last night. Will get to more today.

I found the prologue gripping! Very mysterious.

I loved the writing! I was very impressed with all the music metaphors... colorful!

After Chapter 1 (3%) I have all kinds of questions.
(view spoiler)[
How did Eliyana's mother die? Did she know she was going to die or be in danger? Why did she recruit Joshua to be responsible for her daughter? There clearly must be more to this than meets the eye.

Interesting tid-bit: Eliyana's mother, Elizabeth, was 34 when she died -- so she must have been 17 years old when she had Eliyana, who is now 17.
(hide spoiler)]

I do think this is very well written so far, but I'm not a hige fan of the style.

Through chapter 4. (view spoiler)[What's going on with Joshua? And why does she even talk to Quinn? That relationship seems weird. It makes it seem like they've known each other a while and then like they just met. It's a little confusing.

And what's with Ky? He can paralyze you with a look? (hide spoiler)]

I'm enjoying this, but I really prefer high fantasy to urban. I just can't connect as well with the story, though the pop culture references are fun.

Oh, and I've read through chapter 9. :) Still have plenty of questions, but a few answers have been given.

I was finishing up my buddy read for Fate of Flames -- I really liked it (also urban fantasy). Now I can concentrate on Unblemished...

Great, TJ! Glad you enjoyed it. :)

I just won the goodreads giveaway for this, so I might wait just a little while and see if it comes so I can finish it in physical form. If it doesn't come soon though I'll just finish my Netgalley copy.

C P wrote: "Great, TJ! Glad you enjoyed it. :)

I just won the goodreads giveaway for this, so I might wait just a little while and see if it comes so I can finish it in physical form. If it doesn't come soon though I'll just finish my Netgalley copy. "

Great! It will give me a chance to catch up! ;)

Chapter 2 (5%)
(view spoiler)[
So I suspect that El's putting her mother's picture in the paper is what got her killed...
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4 (10%)
C P wrote: "I do think this is very well written so far, but I'm not a hige fan of the style.

Through chapter 4..."
(view spoiler)[
C P wrote: "What's going on with Joshua? And why does she even talk to Quinn? That relationship seems weird. It makes it seem like they've known each other a while and then like they just met. It's a little confusing. "

I suspect that Quinn brought El to this party and ditched her so that Ky could pick her up. I don't trust Quinn at all. And I don't understand why Joshua didn't react when El took off with Quinn. I get that he doesn't like the role of "being responsible" for El -- he'd rather be her friend (or perhaps boyfriend), but it seems that he knows that she is in danger. Danger that likely got her mother killed, and he seems not to trust Quinn, so he's a bit nonchalant about their waltzing off to a party in the middle of the night.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5 (12%)
I'm finding this very exciting. I also like the switchbacks between memories and current action.
(view spoiler)[
El's mom is alive? Well, yay! But what the heck is going on?
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 8 (21%)
(view spoiler)[
I'll bet Quinn is a troll. Related to the woman on the bridge. I don't think Joshua is dead. Or Makai.
(hide spoiler)]

23%
Lots of fun NYC metaphors and references:
(view spoiler)[
"My crawl onto her silky back is slower than service at McDonald’s in Times Square on New Year’s."

"A stranger just smiled at me. Definitely not New York."
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 15 (40%)
(view spoiler)[
Okay. The new phraseology is more than a bit annoying for me. How does a teenager who grew up in NYC suddenly start thinking and blurting out phrases like:

Not that I wouldn't love to know what in the Reflections mirrorglass is, but there are more pressing questions on my mind...

"Like the Void you thought I knew."

How in the Void did El pick up such terms? I didn't hear anyone else using them, although that would actually make more sense. Someone who lived with the "Reflections" and "Void" would use such terms, but not a NYC teenager. So what in the Reflections was the author thinking?! Does El have these phrases inherently inside of her because of her mark? I certainly hope an explanation is given, because I am at a loss...
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 16 (41%)
(view spoiler)[
I am so over hearing about El's "love affair" (infatuation) with Joshua, the development of which I didn't experience and which I have zero interest in. I haven't been given enough information about their relationship to have any stake in it at all.

I'm guessing that's the point. El is only 17 and I guess I'll just have to tolerate her obsessing about her very first infatuation (over and over and over!)...

I'm expecting that we, the readers, are supposed to be getting sick of it, so that a space can open up in our hearts for Ky, who I suspect is the real love interest. If that's the author's purpose, then kudos! I'm absolutely and unequivocally sick and tired of El's obsession with Joshua.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 17 (43%)
(view spoiler)[
El's behavior is frustrating. She's been complaining to no end that no one will tell her what's going on, and now here's someone, Ky, who is offering to give her some answers and she turns him down?!
How idiotic! Now we will have to wait to find out why Ky has been calling El "princess" (not because she's Jasyn's granddaughter), and why her precious Joshua and the others are fighting so hard to protect El, and what dirty little secrets they've been hiding, etc., etc. etc.

Whether or not she wants to believe Ky or trust him is an entirely different story, but please at least hear him out, for Verity's sake!
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 21 (55%)
(view spoiler)[
Okay, okay. I know I've been complaining that I want answers, but the last 2 chapters feel like information dumping to me.

I like to discover information through clues along the way, along with (or sometimes before) the main character, rather than having information told to me in the form of a narrative.

What's more, I don't get the answers I'm looking for, and El doesn't ask.

Like what makes El so special? What does the mark mean? Why did Ky call her princess before? Why is everyone, including Joshua, trying to protect her and what is Joshua's agenda? And what are Jasyn's plans for El? These are all things Ky insinuated that he had answers to back when El didn't trust him enough to hear them.

We do get to know a little bit more about how things work across the Reflections, so... there's that. And, of course, we get to know about Ky and how he came to be how he is, what he's had to endure, and what he still struggles with. That's all useful information.

And, on the other hand, some of the information El (and we) are getting from Ky could be incorrect, especially the assumptions El makes upon hearing this information.

Kiernan doesn't sound like a man El's mother would fall for. Maybe he is not El's father after all.

"So this is my late husband's unfaithfulness incarnate," Isabeau says about El. So who is El's father?

Kiernan was married to Ky's mom, who is now dead. Was Kiernan married twice? Was Kiernan with Elizabeth, Ky's mom, and Isabeau? Ky's description of him doesn't make him sound like a charming, ladies' man at all, but a brutal wife killer and child abuser.

Could El's father be someone else? El said she doesn't look like her mother. Could it be that Elizabeth is not her real mother? Elizabeth was only 17 when El was born. She didn't even know her calling yet. I suspect Elizabeth is a Scrib, though it would be strange that El has never seen a tattoo.

I still suspect that El is a Mirror -- and the mark on her face is the conglomeration of all the seven symbols, which is why it looks a mess...

(hide spoiler)]

You'll probably finish before I get started back! Are you still enjoying it?

C P wrote: "You'll probably finish before I get started back! Are you still enjoying it?"

Don't worry -- I'm a slow reader... ;). I'm reading 4 other books concurrently... :D

I am enjoying it... again. I had a few moments of frustration as you'll read in my spoilers above when you get to them. I've just been privy to a whole slew of new information... unfortunately not the questions I wanted answered, but I'll take what I can get! ;)

I'm reading another book that has a lot of similarities...

Chapter 33 (86%)
(view spoiler)[
I expected that King Aidan and his wife were dead. I also suspected that the Vessel of the Verity was someone close to El -- either her mother or Joshua. I was leaning toward her mother, though, ever since I learned about the kiss of infinity. I asked myself who would sacrifice everything, the good of everyone in the reflections, and stay hidden, not even trying to imprison the Void, all to protect one person? I suspected El's mother (especially because Joshua was only a little kid when El got her mark). I was, however, toying with the idea -- off and on -- that it could be Joshua. I thought that his distancing himself from El had to have a deeper purpose. Now that I know what it is, I totally get it. I was also happy to have gotten a bit of background information about El and Joshua's first meeting (as adults anyway) and the development of their relationship.

Ky's being pulled into the circle offers an interesting twist.

I am totally interested in discovering how this all plays out. (I suspect Ky will be the one to sacrifice himself. Maybe even take on the Void himself. I don't know why, but I just have a feeling).
(hide spoiler)]

I got my copy in the mail, so I've started back up!

Through chapter 16. (view spoiler)[I'm not really a fan of Joshua at this point. And while I think the world building is well done and interesting, I don't feel like I really know any of the characters. (hide spoiler)]

TJ wrote: "Chapter 15 (40%)"

I completely agree about this! I had the exact same thoughts with all of the (view spoiler)[Use od Reflections and Void. It just doesn't work. I don't think a single other character has used either word in this context. (hide spoiler)]

TJ wrote: "Chapter 17 (43%)"

Ugh. I know. (view spoiler)[I'm not really sure who is the "real" love interest. Sara seems to like both of them a lot in all of her info I've known about. And I don't really care about any of the characters at this point. :( (hide spoiler)]

Through chapter 21. (view spoiler)[I'm not a huge fan of Joshua. Not really sure how I feel about any of the characters though. I'm kind of mixed up as to who has done what and when. But Joshua is way too moody. If I knew anything else about him, maybe I would like him better. But all I know is he plays guitar, he's a Guardian, he's an Ever, and Eliyanna is super obsessed with him. Nothing about him. (hide spoiler)]

For the most part I really like the writing. It has some good pop culture references and great metaphors.

Through chapter 26. (view spoiler)[Not a fan of the obsession she has with Joshua still. And I'm not sure where the love story aspect will lead. At this point I care about Ky a lot more, but I don't know what might happen with that. Not sure Eliyana really needs to be with anyone at this point.

And all the mixing of families is a bit confusing. Plus, who is Joshua's family?

The fact that she had an Infinity Kiss from the Vessel of the Verity is interesting, but who is the vessel really? (hide spoiler)]

TJ wrote: "Chapter 21 (55%)"

(view spoiler)[I'm also questioning what's going on. It seemed like Ky knew stuff and now it seems like he doesn't...And the father thing! It's so jumbled that I'm really confused. You're right, how many of these women was the man really with? And why? (hide spoiler)]

Just finished. Trying to sort out my thoughts. (view spoiler)[I kind of wish that the Verity wasn't housed in Eliyana. I thought that would have been more unique. And are Ky and Joshua both housing the Void? I'm still not entirely sure. What does his letter say?

As far as the love triangle, I'm for Ky at this point. I don't know how to feel about Joshua. But honestly I have no idea where she might take this.

Still a bit confused about some of the world building and talents. But it was interesting. (hide spoiler)]

C P wrote: "TJ wrote: "Chapter 17 (43%)"

Ugh. I know. [spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[
C P wrote: "I'm not really sure who is the "real" love interest. Sara seems to like both of them a lot in all of her info I've known about. And I don't really care about any of the characters at this point. :("

lol! Sorry, I had to laugh. I had the same reaction around the half-way point -- luckily I was parallel-reading other books, so I could switch when my interest started to fade. But you don't even care enough about the characters to note that the main character's name is Eliyana and not Sara! lol!

(hide spoiler)]

C P wrote: "Through chapter 21. [spoilers removed]

For the most part I really like the writing. It has some good pop culture references and great metaphors."

Totally agree!

C P wrote: "TJ wrote: "Chapter 21 (55%)"
[spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[
C P wrote: "Not a fan of the obsession she has with Joshua still. And I'm not sure where the love story aspect will lead. At this point I care about Ky a lot more, but I don't know what might happen with that. Not sure Eliyana really needs to be with anyone at this point.

And all the mixing of families is a bit confusing. Plus, who is Joshua's family?

The fact that she had an Infinity Kiss from the Vessel of the Verity is interesting, but who is the vessel really?"


This is where my interest was peaked again. I really like the kiss of infinity thing. I was intrigued and wanted to know who gave it to El and why.

(hide spoiler)]

87%
Seriously? Are you kidding me?

(view spoiler)[
I can't let Makai take on the Void. Mom deserves some happiness for once in her life. Which means I have to figure out how to convince Joshua he truly loves me.

That's ridiculous! Is Eliyana so shallow and self-centered that she can't put herself into someone else's shoes for just one moment? Does she seriously think that her mother can have her happily ever after with her prince after Eliyana undoes everything Elizabeth (with the help of Makai) has spent half her life trying to achieve? Namely protecting her daughter and preventing her from having to take on the Void? Is El really shallow enough to think her mother will have even one moment of happiness knowing that she failed her life's task?

Okay, I can understand El wanting to be the hero and take on the Void. Kudos to her! But she needs to be aware of what she is doing. She will be crushing -- absolutely crushing -- her mother with this action. Still, she may want to do it, but she can not be stupid enough to claim that she is doing it so that her mother can be happy... come on!

She needs to say: to Void what my mother wants! I don't give a Void what my mother wants and what she has sacrificed! I don't care if this kills my mother, crushes her very being, but I'm going to do this anyway. I won't let her carry this burden. I am going to sacrifice myself and to Void with the consequences!

It's just not believable in my eyes that El, who has been rather on the smart side so far, would suddenly become so one-sidedly stupid...

(hide spoiler)]

TJ wrote: "C P wrote: "TJ wrote: "Chapter 17 (43%)"

Ugh. I know. [spoilers removed]"
C P wrote: "I'm not really sure who is the "real" love interest. Sara seems to like both of them a lot in all of her info ..."


Oh, no. I was referring to the author when I said Sara. :)

Ha ha ha! ...and here I thought you had lost touch with the characters! -- that would be so not good... ;)

...almost done...

Haha, definitely not. Though they weren't developed enough until the middle. I inderstand why, but it didn't work that well for me. I need more of the characters! Still, I am excited for Unraveling. :)

Finished.
C P wrote: "Just finished. Trying to sort out my thoughts. [spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[
C P wrote: "I kind of wish that the Verity wasn't housed in Eliyana. I thought that would have been more unique. And are Ky and Joshua both housing the Void? I'm still not entirely sure. What does his letter say?

As far as the love triangle, I'm for Ky at this point. I don't know how to feel about Joshua. But honestly I have no idea where she might take this.

Still a bit confused about some of the world building and talents. But it was interesting."


I liked that Eliyana was willing to take on the Void -- yay her! I think it is an interesting twist that both Joshua and Ky had the Verity and now they share the Void. It will make it easier on them that it is split, but... now El can't choose one of them. If she chooses one and the other's heart becomes broken, the broken-hearted one will not have the strength to contain the Void. The whole point of having the Vessel of Void be the one the Vessel of the Verity loves the most ensures that the Vessel of the Verity will never hurt or betray the Vessel of the Void -- if that love is abandoned, the Vessel of the Void may become too weak to hold the Void and let it go. The Vessel of the Void needs all his/her strength and will-power and he/she gets that through his/her love for and from getting love from the Vessel of the Verity.

I also am rooting for Ky, but I have been during most of the book.

It's interesting to see that Joshua is not this perfect (though a bit shallow and selfish for not taking on the Void sooner) love interest, but he's conniving and secretive in his handling with Ky at the end. Was he always that way and we were not let to see this negative side of him because of El's blind infatuation with "Mr. Perfect"? Or did he just become this way because he took on the Void? Either is possible. He already was too weak to save his people and take on the Void because of his love for one person, which seems selfish. On the other hand, he had the Verity in him all those years -- all that positive life force -- and has no experience with evil. Ky, on the other hand has been exposed to and fighting off the Void for a long time. Ky is likely better and more experienced at that task. But Ky is clearly not willing to be manipulative toward Eliyana, and Joshua is.

One question. How did both Joshua and Ky get to be the Vessels of the Verity? Ky said he was adopted -- was he Aidan and Ember's other child? How did the Verity get passed on to him? I guess the Void got passed on to them because Eliyana loves them both equally, but how did Ky get the Verity in the first place?

(hide spoiler)]

I am definitely looking forward to reading the next installment, Unraveling.

Great observations! I also have the same question, that wasn't very clear to me. So we shall see. Now we just have to wait until July for Unraveling!

C P wrote: "Great observations! I also have the same question, that wasn't very clear to me. So we shall see. Now we just have to wait until July for Unraveling!"

Buddy read in July? :D

Yes! Haha. Hopefully we can get a copy from Netgalley a little earlier. :)

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Reading from the 23rd of September 2017

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Date changed. Restarting July 7th 2023. Happy Reading ☺

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Starting

Act one

(view spoiler)[So far I'm really confused. I'm trying to figure out who everyone is and what is actually going on. Kind of bored at the moment... (hide spoiler)]

41%

(view spoiler)[So her mom's pictures are of real places. Hmmmm. Probably tells where Nathaniel is hiding. (hide spoiler)]

End of Act 2

(view spoiler)[Interesting info on Kiss of Accord... (hide spoiler)]

Finished

(view spoiler)[This was okay. Not a fan of the romance. (hide spoiler)]

Melanie wrote: "Act one

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I'm confused too, but I feel like we're supposed to be at this point. Hoping Act two will clear some things up. Really spooky how Ky can freeze you if you look in his eyes. (hide spoiler)]

Melanie wrote: "41%

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I was surprised by this and agree it probably does. (hide spoiler)]

Melanie wrote: "End of Act 2

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[It is interesting.

After learning about the different abilities I think Eliyana will be a mirror. (hide spoiler)]

Megan wrote: "Melanie wrote: "End of Act 2

[spoilers removed]"

It is interesting.

After learning about the different abilities I think Eliyana will be a mirror."

Interesting to see your guess.