Elixir by Hilary Duff

Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. The daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington DC politician, she has grown to be a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a career that allows her to travel to the most exotic parts of the world. But after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, Clea’s photos begin to feature eerie, shadowy images of a strange and beautiful man—a man she has never seen before.

When fate brings Clea and this man together, she is stunned by the immediate and powerful connection she feels with him. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance, and they discover the centuries old truth behind their intense bond. Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fates, together they race against time to unravel their pasts in order to save their lives—and their futures.



Are you thinking what I'm thinking??

Hilary Duff WROTE a book? Seriously?

I was a bit intrigued, I'll admit. The description actually sounded pretty good, so why not?

My immediate reaction as I began reading this book was that is wasn't relatable. Really-- how many seventeen year old girls do you know have an unlimited supply of cash to travel anywhere in the world on a whim with no parental supervision and not a care in the world? And what parent would allow it, even if their teenager had the means?

BUT...

As I started reading, I actually really liked the idea of the story. Most of it was pretty predictable, but it flowed well. My complaints are few, but you be the judge of how major they are-- First, I felt like it was slow in the beginning, and all the significant happenings were crammed into the last few chapters. There was a certain "turn of events" that felt forced and I was surprised it was even thrown in, to be honest. And then there was the ending....Oh, Hilary. You have so much to learn.

Now, I am not a writer by any stretch of the imagination, but I read more than I breathe, and I know what good writing is. I know what a set-up for a sequel looks like and how cliffhangers work but I am sad to report that Ms. Duff has been poorly informed on these points. The ending was an explosion of chaos that didn't make much sense, and by the last page, I was so lost. Nothing made sense, there was no real set-up for the next book (which I'm sure there will be--otherwise I'm going to have to revise my review and give Elixir a big, fat "thumbs down" for wasting my time), and I closed the book wondering what in the world had just happened??

THAT SAID, I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.

I really did like the concept for the book. I just didn't care for the ending. I was mostly impressed by this first attempt at writing from Hilary Duff. I went in with low expectations, and they were exceeded by far. Read this-- and if you can make sense of the ending, let's talk. :)

Happy Reading!