Review: The Elementals by Saundra Mitchell

It feels like I just read The Vespertine and The Springsweet. But it's been many months. Been dying for this third and final book ever since then. While it doesn't come out until June 2013, I was lucky enough to get an review copy of it from the publisher via NetGalley. <3 And I'm so happy about that. My review won't be spoilery, but you probably shouldn't read it unless you have read the first two books in this series. Which you really must.

I have read a lot of great books. And this series is some of the bests. These books are just amazing. The writing is stunning, the characters amazing, and the plot is just so incredibly good. I also very much love the time these books are set in. It's very interesting to read about, and I loved it very much. Everything is so different in these books. So perfect. There wasn't anything not to love. Well, okay, maybe this ending :D

The Elementals is an amazing book. A perfect sequel. A perfect ending. Even if it did break my heart many times. And it was pretty sad. But it's also happy and full of sweet moments, and I kind of liked the ending while I was hating it. If that makes sense. I'm so glad to have read these books. Didn't re-read the first two before reading this, but I know I will have to do so very soon. I can't wait.

I don't know how to express my feelings for this book. There is a lot of love. But also some heartbreak. And a tiny bit confusion. Maybe. I also thought it was perfect. The Elementals is still about the same characters from the first two books. Sort of. It's about the main characters kids. And I kind of loved that. I really did. Even if I did wish it had just been Amelia and Nathaniel.. <3 Yeah. I very much want another book about just them, all the time. But I was happy with this book. I really was.

We get to read more about Amelia and Nathaniel. And I loved that so so so much. It's been many years since we last saw them. For a few pages in the beginning of this book we get to see some of the years passing for them. And it's perfect. And so sweet. But also so heartbreaking, because I want so many books with just them. I adore Amelia and Nathaniel. They are just perfect together. This book is about their child. Her name is Kate. She's now sixteen, and she wants a different life for herself.

She's lived her whole live moving around with her parents, never living in one place for long. It has been perfect. At least, it sounds so perfect. But she wants more. She wants to be a director for a motion picture. She loves filming with all her heart. And I loved that about her. She's just so amazing. Even if I did think that she should have cared much more for her parents.. Still. I adored her. And especially loved her raven; Handsome. He was pretty cool. He could even talk! Yeah. I want one of those too :)

Kate has a power as well. Like Amelia has the power of seeing the future, if she wants to. But she hasn't done that for years, ever since all the tragedy that happened in the first book. Sniffs. And Nathaniel. With his powers. He can walk on the wind. And omg. I just adored that about him so much. Made it easy for them to move, to go places, to see things. I loved that so much. Sigh. Nathaniel is still the most perfect character. Heh. And I did like that they now have a kid. Their love for each other is perfect.

Then there is Zora and Emerson. Who lives in the desert. Sort of. And oh. I loved reading about them in The Springsweet so much. They were just adorable. Sniffs. We get to see some of their life as well. And I loved it so much. They also have children. Four boys. And oh. They were adorable. I loved Charlie so much. He was just so kind and perfect. Biggest love for Julian, though. The youngest brother. He's amazing. But oh. He had polio as a child, and now his leg is mostly crippled. Still loved him a whole lot.

I do love a broken boy. And Julian was very broken. Just made me love him so much more. He's kind and sweet and loving. They live a good life. Then things start changing, of course. Three of their boys have to go to war. Oh, how I wish to know how that ended. Julian then realizes that he doesn't want to stay there, since he can't help out at the farm, he can't really do much of anything. So he just leaves. Like that. And it kind of broke my heart. It was a bit cruel. But I couldn't really dislike him for doing it.

I loved reading about Julian. He's just so broken, but also so strong and sweet. I hated what happened between him and this girl he was in love with back home. It was cruel. And I didn't want to read about it. But it was also very real, and I couldn't really help but loving it. Julian is an amazing character. I loved his relationship with Charlie and the rest of his brothers. Didn't really like Sam much, though :\ But yeah. They are all such an amazing family and I couldn't have loved it more. Such perfection.

Julian has a power as well. Okay, I should probably have called it a gift. But I do like the sound of power. I won't say what it is, just like I won't say what Kate's power is :) But oh. I loved reading more about Zora's water power, and Emerson's earth power. They are just amazing. And their love it so strong and I loved reading about it all. I loved that we got romance from them all. Zora and Emerson. Amelia and Nathaniel. It made this book perfect. Sigh. I cannot get over how much love there is in this book.

It isn't all just love, though. There is a lot of heartbreak and evil people. We get to read about this one character from book one as well. A total asshole. I won't say who it is, but yeah. Cruel. Cruel. Cruel. But also so good. Kate runs away from home as well. Both she and Julian goes to Los Angeles. But not together. Kate goes with this girl called Mollie. Her big movie star. And omg. I hated her so much. She was just so awful and not very nice at all. I didn't like her. Wish I had known more about her, though ;p

The plot in The Elementals is perfect. I won't spoil it, or talk too much about it because the book isn't so long. And oh. How I wish it had been longer.. never ending. But I still thought it ended perfectly. Maybe. I hope. The story is just amazing. And I loved every part of this book. I loved reading about everything that happened. Even this one thing near the end that was so cruel. Wish it had ended a bit differently. This book is just so good. The writing. The plot. The characters. The love. The romance. Everything.

There isn't really that much romance in this book. There is between Amelia and Nathaniel and between Zora and Emerson. But not much between Kate and Julian. They do meet. But very late. And I just wished it had been longer, with even more romance. But I loved everything there was. I just don't know how to describe the ending of this book. It's awful. It's perfect. It's beyond heartbreaking. The ending is evil. But I loved it. I just very much want another book. Pretty please? I need more. Really, truly do.

Because I felt like it ended too soon, with many loose ends still there. And I need to know something that happens next with some characters. I need to know. I really do. Sigh. Still, this book was perfect, and I'm so happy I was able to read and review it early. Cannot wait to read it again. It's just that perfect. <3 Thank you so much to Houghton Children's Books for letting me read this early :)

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