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The Young Elites by Marie Lu

“Be true to yourself. But that's something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to be the version of yourself that they like.” 


Synopsis
I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

My Rating: ⭐⭐

Sadly this book wasn't for me. I know I am in the minority when I say this and I really tried to enjoy this but I just couldn't. I went into this book blind with maybe too many high expectations which I believe has downgraded my reading experience on this book. 

Adelina along with her sister, Violetta had survived the blood fever which spread across the country 10 years ago. She is outcast by her father and treated poorly by her community due to them believing she is a malfetto, someone with the mark and powers of the demon, well rumoured to be. A group they call the young elites. When I began reading this really caught my eye, a girl with a dark, violent past who may or may not have powers. I started to get really excited as books similar to this that I have read in the past I have enjoyed. 

While overhearing her father talking to one of his clients about potentially selling her to him, Adelina decides to pack her bags and run away. On her attempt at running away, her father catches her and as Adelina can not control her anger she kills him. How? She does not know, confused as all she could see were shadows swarming around her. My thoughts: oh how villainous, an antihero in the making?

After Adelina kills her father, she is captured and sent to prison where she is sentenced to death. The day of her death she is saved by a young elite, Enzo who is part of the Dagger Society planning to overrule the king. This beginning showed so much potential but once we got to the part of meeting the Dagger Society, the book was going nowhere for a while and was a complete bore. 

Throughout the entirety of the novel, I found Adelina always complaining and whining or telling us there is darkness inside of her, well.... SHOW IT TO US! When Adelina wasn't complaining, I found her interesting and thought she could become a good antihero I loved.  She didn't become someone I rooted for and loved to hate. *inserts sad face*

This book was anticlimactic and in the end, I felt nothing for any of the characters. The ending wasn't a shock because I really didn't care. Throughout reading the book, I was constantly distracted which doesn't usually happen often to me.

The point of views were annoying as Adelina was first person and the rest of the characters were third person. I'm not a big fan when authors do this so this definitely put a damper on my reading experience along with the other issues I had.

Will I be reading the sequel? Probably not unless someone tells me a good enough reason that 'The Rose Society' is worth it. It is a shame though that I didn't enjoy this as I have recently read one of Lu's other books, Warcross which was fantastic. 

Purchase book | Amazon | Book Depository | Dymocks |

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