Review: it was definitely not my favorite of the series
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 2, 2014
I've been marathon reading Paranormal Public these past few weeks, and I read Elemental Earth faster than any of the others. That said, it was definitely not my favorite of the series. We were at a new setting, Golden Falls University, and the vast difference in educational structure makes it seem as if Charlotte and friends are studying abroad instead of at another American university. We did have some cool creepy scenes where the girls tried to uncover the secrets of Golden Falls, and we got some redeeming moments for a pixie. But I missed Paranormal Public.There was one point getting toward the end where something horrible happens with one of Charlotte's relationships, and I found myself wondering, "What is wrong with all these paranormals? Why is everyone so disjointed? Why can't everyone see that the darkness is bad and needs to be fought against? In real life..." And then I thought about real life, and how real people and factions respond to evil. And suddenly I realized. PARANORMAL PUBLIC IS A SCATHING INDICTMENT OF AMERICAN SOCIETY. Okay, I don't know if that's true, or at least if it's intentional on the part of Maddy Edwards. But it could be. It's as muddled as real life, and Charlotte is the one saying, "Wait. Evil is EVIL. We need to stop this." And she can't do anything, because she is a lowly college student.Though, really, I've kind of reached the point where I want Charlotte to be awesome. I've been through seven books, and I feel like she should have learned something to be better. But she has a shining moment or two every book, and then she's back to not shining. Lisabelle has always been awesome, and now we're learning that Sip is awesome. And Charlotte.... Well, she's still more awesome than Lough, though Lough gets an awesome moment in this one.Elemental Earth is not in any way a bad novel. It's a good and interesting addition to the Paranormal Public series. And some truly momentous and important things happen in it that are sure to impact other books. It was just not my favorite. But as I write this, I'm already 50% through Elemental Darkness, and I'm liking it a lot more. So, you know, series have their preferred and less preferred books for different readers. For me, this was a less preferred.