Amazing book by Hilary Duff. With a story that is easy to imagine the words just fly from the pages with characters that you like from the moment you meet them. Overall great storyline with a want to see what happens next type of attitude. ( )

Oh goodness I don't even know quite where to begin. First off the characters / plot is way too unbelievable. I understand that it is a supernatural teenage thriller but some of the basic elements are simply ridiculous. Clea is a seventeen-year-old, secret photojournalist who is apparently home-schooled while traveling the world. Yet somehow her mother is a senator. That alone is laughable. Can you imagine a woman running for politic office and winning while her daughter is galavanting around who knows where? That simply doesn't happen, even in the more liberal states. That sort of stuff makes news. Secondly, it makes zero sense to me for her father to be considered a world renowned surgeon when he seems to do very little surgery and a whole lot of treasure hunting. Maybe having him be an archeologist would be more believable?
The writing is weak enough to make me believe that Hilary probably did contribute to the writing. I found it funny to see such weak sentence structure combined with such a strange word choice. The word of the day appears to be reverie which was used about three times during the novel. Also, who says "I felt my gorge rise." Seriously? Gorge?
I appreciated her reference to "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Coleridge however the simile fell slightly flat to me.
"I was furious, imagining a brainless meathead of a bodyguard who'd hang like an albatross around my neck."
The albatross wasn't really weighing the mariner down or cramping his style. The albatross was more bad luck than anything. While I didn't particularly think the simile worked, I appreciate that one of the writers is clearly well read.
Overall, I think Elixir is a silly, rushed story and I will most likely not be reading the second novel.
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I think the idea had good potential I just couldn't connect with a jet setting teenager who's mom allows her to head off to Rio, Paris and Tokyo without parental influence. It was written in the first person making it feel almost like a YA UF and the book does set up to have a continuing story line with the same characters which also made me think UF. The main character is written in a way that we are to believe she is deeper than she really is but I wasn't fooled. The addition of a weird love triangle proved that she is really nothing more than a silly girl. Haven't been a teenage girl in sometime but is it common for a teenage girl to think how much she loves a guy but then mentally takes it back so as to not ruin her chances with a second guy? I honestly don't know. Also the addition of a sexual encounter (a fade to black type...not graphic) made the book feel more 20-something rather than high school.

The non verbal communications between Clea and her best friend Reyna were almost ridiculous. Reyna would look at Clea and next thing the reader knew Clea would interpret the look as a full on conversation between the two of them which was spelled out for the reader's benefit.

I think what prevented me from giving this book less than 2 stars is because the idea was actually pretty good. I don't think the follow through did it justice. I'm also curious as to why the author "helper" of Hilary Duff, Elise Allen, merited a mention on the title page (it's listed as Elixir by Hilary Duff with Elise Allen) but doesn't get her name on the cover. With all the collaborations happening now it makes me wonder if someone was cashing in on a star's name or the star herself refused to share top billing. ( )

My first reaction to hear that Hilary Duff wrote a book was surprise and delight! I love this girl! She is fun, elegant and she led a great life so of course she is going to be creative as a writer. The book is amazing; every page has an iris in the corner, so cute! I am looking forward to start reading and giving my review! ♥ HD!
This book is so good, I might've brought it today, but I guess I am gonna finish it before you say tomorrow!
The Title of the book 'Elixir' comes from Clea's father research to the Elixir of Life (elixir of immortality).
Amazing Book!!! I want more!!! The way it ended is killing me!! ( )

Clea Raymond, a talented young photojournalist who has spent her life in the spotlight, and her best friends Rayna and Ben travel the globe trying to unravel a centuries-old mystery that could reveal her soulmate's identity and the secret of her father's disappearance.

My first reaction to hear that Hilary Duff wrote a book was surprise and delight! I love the girl! She is fun, elegant and has led a great life so of course she is going to be creative as a writer with many adventures and travels. I saw this book upon it's release in a local bookstore and when I touched the velvety purple cover I forgot about what I was going to buy; when you open the book you will find this beautiful quote :"in dreams and in love there are no impossibilities."

The book was amazing; every page has an iris in the corner indicating Clea's necklace, which is so cute! The story was so good, I might've brought that day, but I guess I finished it on the spot. The Title of the book 'Elixir' comes from Clea's father research of the Elixir of Life (elixir of immortality). What an amazing Book!!! I wanted more the second the finished the last page!!! The way it ended is killing me!! A cruel cliffhanger. ( )