Sacred

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Author(s)

Elana K. Arnold

Publisher

Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Age Range

14+

Release Date

November 13, 2012

ISBN

0375990429

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Growing up on Catalina Island, off the California coast, Scarlett Wenderoth has led a fairly isolated life. After her brother dies, her isolation deepens as she withdraws into herself, shutting out her friends and boyfriend. Her parents, shattered by their own sorrow, fail to notice Scarlett's pain and sudden alarming thinness. Scarlett finds pleasure only on her horse, escaping to the heart of the island on long, solitary rides. One day, as she races around a bend, Scarlett is startled by a boy who raises his hand in warning and says one word: "Stop."

The boy—intense, beautiful—is Will Cohen, a newcomer to the island. For reasons he can't or won't explain, he's drawn to Scarlett and feels compelled to keep her safe. To keep her from wasting away. His meddling irritates Scarlett, though she can't deny her attraction to him. As their relationship blossoms into love, Scarlett's body slowly awakens at Will's touch. But just when her grief begins to ebb, she makes a startling discovery about Will, a discovery he's been grappling with himself. A discovery that threatens to force them apart. And if it does, Scarlett fears she will unravel all over again.

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2 reviews

Overall rating

3.7

Plot

3.5(2)

Characters

4.0(2)

Writing Style

3.5(2)

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My Sacred Review

May 15, 2013

Overall rating

2.3

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The story was well written, but I just could not find myself drawn into the story line. The story centers around Scarlett who has suffered a terrible loss. Her brother recently passed away from a brain aneurysm. She has emotionally detached herself from the world and struggles day to day to just appear normal. Her parents have become a shell of themselves, and their home feels like a torture house full of pain and suffering. The only things keeping her sane are her horse, Delilah, and Will. Will is a new comer to their island of the coast of Los Angeles, Catalina. He appears out of no where one day while she is out for a ride with Delilah and permanently makes a place in her life from that moment forth. He is a very troubled boy with a very special gift. Scarlett fells drawn to him, and when Will spills his secret she begins to understand why. Their love brings about obstacles that they will have to face throughout the book. This is a story filled with jealousy, romance, tragedy, and life’s lessons. It is a heart wrenching story about what becomes of people when they are faced with tragedy, and the difficulty of picking up their lives afterwards. Although the ending left me wondering about what the new book will offer, I am not sure if I will continue with the series.

Ashley Rogers Top 500 Reviewer 32 reviews

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Sacred by Elana K. Arnold

December 25, 2012

Overall rating

5.0

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“…Since coming to the island, Scarlett, I’ve felt pulled closer and closer to you…like you’re the earth, and I’m the moon caught in your orbit. I can’t pull away, I don’t want to pull away.” -Elana K. Arnold, Sacred

Sacred is a roller coaster of emotions. From the being the story is marked with tragedy. Scarlett and her family live on a small island off the coast of California, called Catalina. Scarlett’s family was a regular family, but everything change when her brother Ronny died. Now her family is a husk of what it used to be.

Scarlett is lost and cannot find her way back to herself. She isn’t eating or hanging out with her friends. The only time she really ever forgets the pain is when she rides her horse, Delilah. Those close to her notice that she is skinner, with dark circles under her eyes, but Scarlett blocks out their voices. She does not want to be helped, she wants to feel anything, even if it is only discomfort and pain.

One day there is a new arrival to the island-Will Cohen. With his brilliant green eyes, and dark curly hair, even in her grief shrouded world, Scarlett notices him. He seems to pop up at the times she needs him the most.

It does not take long for Scarlett and Will to acknowledge the connection they have toward one another, and to act on it. Scarlett is crazy about Will, and even though her mother is locked in her own grief stricken mind forsaking everyone else and her father is lost without her mother, she is happy! She is gaining weight back, she is smiling and laughing-she is living.

Scarlett learns that Will has a secret-a mystifying and impossible secret. Will this secret take Will away from her? What will she do to be with him. Will love conquer all?

Sacred is a complex story that sets the reader right in the middle of a grief stricken family. The reader is shown how each member deals with the lost of their loved one-and how that choice impacts others in the family. Elana K. Arnold writes a moving tale of a girl who is lost and how she deals with her emotions and pain. The rough climb out of her anguish and suffering motivates the reader to cheer and urge Scarlett onward in her journey. The strength of the human spirit and it’s thirst to survive-to move forward really shines through in this incredible story!

Good Points

The mystical aspect of this story is very unique and there are not a lot of stories that incorporate Jewish Mysticism.