Review: The Vangeretta Curse: Elementris

Title: The Vangeretta Curse: Elementris
Author: Christina Mobley
Genre: YA Paranormal
Grade/Rating: 3 out of 5

We live in a world where magic doesn’t exist. We’ve done everything in our power to deny it, living in ignorant bliss, or have we? Imagine if a few special people existed that did have magic and were able to cast spells and control the elements. These gifted people could either be descended from magic or spontaneously born into it; five born on the exact day and time, each able to harness one of the elements: earth, wind, fire, water, and spirit. On their 18th birthday, these magic users would have to choose to either accept these gifts or refuse them. What would you do? Would you accept the strangeness that you may see a curse, or accept it as a blessing? Then add some evil magic users, a teen love triangle, the Bermuda Triangle, a friend in an abusive home, and you have the set up for the book The Vangeretta Curse: Elementris.

The Vangeretta Curse: Elementris is a young adult paranormal romance by Indie author, Christina Mobley. The story opens with a prologue in which a little fiery-haired, five-year-old girl is abandoned by her mother because of her gift i.e. magic. The little girl’s name is Avalene Vangeretta. The story begins with Avalene in her high school classroom, cute guy, and cute guy’s girlfriend; think you’ve read this book before? Think again as this book has surprises in store. I found the story unique in its concepts for the use of magic, and a heroine that isn’t too sure she really wants magic in her life, as it being the cause of her childhood abandonment. In addition, it stops her from feeling that she is normal. Feeling normal for a teen is hard enough without magic. Ava, as she prefers to be called, has a trustworthy, plucky friend in Brea, who knows all about her unique gifts. Ava and Brea met as young girls along the banks of the St. Mary River in Florida, where Ava has lived since her abandonment. Ava has had limited contact with her mother in the years since coming to live with Aunt Avalene and has not seen her in ten years. This abandonment sets up the back-story, which is touched upon in the book. This isn’t your typical teen romance as cute high school guy is not the only one who is drawn to Ava. A mysterious “warrior boy” shows up in the beginning of chapter two, right after Ava uses her powers. These powers come to be revealed as those that would be characterized as being witchcraft. She uses them during a full moon, which ends up putting her in danger. Where the powers come from is also explained by the author along with a history of witches i.e. elementris/elementors. In author Mobley’s tale not only spells are used but also elements of Water, Wind, Fire, Earth, and Spirit are the major parts of the gift. Ms. Mobley does a good job in explaining the back-story of this race of magic users. The book details how unique each gift is to the person and how the elementris and elementor are connected in a group of five, representing all five elements. As the book unfolds, we come to understand that Ava is unique in that she was born without the other four, and she is a “True Elementris.” She has the power to control all the elements, which puts her in vast danger. The Queen of the elements is evil and does not want Ava to live because there can only be one true elementris. Ava is pulled in several emotional directions in the story, being an abandoned child, a good friend, savior, and falling in love can be hard on a girl who isn’t quite grown but has the weight of the world on her shoulder. The cost of destiny is a theme that is set to be explored in the sequels to this book. Can one girl have it all?

I found the book to be an enjoyable young adult paranormal read. I give this book a solid 3 out of 5 stars. I will be interested in where this series goes, and I will read the follow ups.

Now for the point I will not enjoy, the constructive criticism. I found that the tense in the book changed on several occasions, which made reading difficult. The secondary bad guy was too easy to identify. Some plot points I didn’t understand why they were included; but since they were, they should have been fleshed out more.

A copy of the book was provided to LLL for the purpose of this review.