Review: Devoted by Hilary Duff

Publisher: Simon and Schuster 

Pages: 368

Source: Publisher

Life has drastically changed for seventeen-year-old photojournalist Clea Raymond. Once a jet setting, carefree teenager, she is now a lost girl seeking to find her soulmate and uncover the secret to her father’s disappearance. An impossible, immortal elixir was once a fable but has now been revealed to be true. Sage was given the elixir against his will and has been hunted and chased by powerful forces hoping to benefit from immortal life. Clea and Sage have been coming together year after year, and her untimely death has always gotten in the way. Clea is determined to have a different outcome this time. Sage has been kidnapped but she knows he is still alive. His image is still appearing in her photos, but she must find him before it is too late.  After shunning Ben for weeks, Clea turns to him for help, he’s let her down in other lifetimes but he is determined to make it up to her and Clea can’t find Sage on her own. After unlikely visits from a young girl named Amelia, Clea tries to put the pieces together. Amelia, her parents, and grandfather have all taken the elixir of life but at this time they seek to use Sage to strengthen their dwindling powers. Amelia is afraid that they will hurt Sage, and use the power to strengthen people who want to wreck havoc on the world. Afraid, and confused Amelia gives clues to Clea to help her along, but remain loyal in her parents eyes. Time is running out, and Clea must decide if it is time to let Sage go. Does she fight till the end, take up an unlikely and deadly alliance or does she walk away?

Devoted picks up right after Elixir ends, and the action continues. Hilary Duff really strengthens her story, and introduces strong characters with a tight backstory. If you liked Elixir, you will love this one. Devoted is much more detail oriented, and action packed. New characters, and more of a backstory creates an original, entertaining read. While Elixir was more simple, Devoted is very detailed and creative, with more of an intensity. It took me awhile to understand how Amelia and her family would play into the story but once I began to understand, I was very impressed with the original and well thought out plot. I liked Elixir, but I didn’t know what to expect from this one, and I was pleasantly surprised. I felt like Duff really grew as a writer. I’m excited to see what the next book will entail, the ending is not exactly happily-ever-after. Duff really progressed with this one, and I’m now impressed with her as an author. I recommend this one to any reader who is looking for a new YA storyline.