Review: Touch by Jus Accardo

Book: Touch by Jus Accardo
Series: Denazen #1
Genre: Young Adult / Science Fiction(?) / Paranormal Romance
Buy A Copy: Amazon | Book Depository
Available Formats: Ebook / Paperback
Publication Date: November 1st, 2011 (Entangled Publishing)
First Sentence: "I couldn't see them, but I knew they were there, waiting at the bottom."
How Did I Get This Book: From Publisher, For Review
Description: When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there's something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she'll turn to dust if he touches her.

It's not until Dez's father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there's more to this boy, and her father's "law firm," than she realized. Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation -- an organization devoted to collecting "special" kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons -- his entire life.

And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills.

The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they're caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.

 I do not really know how to put this delicately, so I am going to just come out with it. Touch by Jus Accardo was in a word (or two), freaking amazing. The characters, the plotline, the pacing; everything was just spot-on.

Kale is quite literally starved for touch. He has never been able to touch a person without killing them. When he discovers that he can in fact touch Dez, he cannot seem to get enough. He’s extremely affectionate with her and it’s just so incredibly priceless. He’s not only been starved for touch, he has spent his life basically in isolation from the outside world. He doesn’t understand things; he doesn’t quite have a grasp on the social norms and customs. In a sense he kind of reminded me of Brendan Frasier’s character in Blast From The Past. He’s ignorant when it comes to social interactions – especially those with women. I particularly love this little scene.


Then, making a spur of the moment decision, I brushed the lightest of kisses on his left cheek.
He sat up straight, eyes wide, and touched the tip of his index finger to his cheek. "What was that?" I blushed. "A kiss."
"That's what a kiss feels like?"
"Well, technically. There are a lot of different types of -"
"Show me."
"Show you what?"
"Show me some of the other kinds."
"You're asking me to kiss you?"
He nodded, hands curled around the edge of the bed. "is that not right?"



The internal dialogue used as she narrates situations like this just killed me. When she is forced to describe why people hold hands to Kale, I nearly died. Deznee just has such a spark; it’s impossible not to love her. The same goes for her relationship with Kale. Their connection is fierce, exciting and absolutely adorable all at the same time. There were a number of moments between the two that just melted me into a pile of goo.

The storyline itself is packed to the brim with action. Accardo grabs your attention from the very first page and never relinquishes control again. I was completely enthralled by Touch; it has action, excitement and an incredible romantic storyline as well.

I simply could not put it down. I read the entire thing in one sitting and then went back through my favorite parts and read them again. I still am flipping back through my favorite quotes and rereading them. You need to give this book a shot, because believe me, you won’t be sorry.

Favorite Quotes

Buzzed or not, I was still pretty sharp. Whoever those guys yelling in the woods were, they were after him. Drug deal gone south? Maybe he'd gotten caught playing naked footsie with someone else's girlfriend?

Mr. Mime didn't seem like he was rocking a sense of humor.

Stay calm? Was he crazy? He was pointing a gun in my general direction! If anything about that situation said calm, I was missing something.

He reached for me, hesitating for a moment before pulling his hand back. "Can... can I touch you again?"

"You're a human being, not a weapon. You don't belong to anyone."

I didn't know how to respond. Imagine that. Me. Speechless. Glaciers were probably popping up all over hell.

I sighed. If I had to have the sex talk with a guy my own age, I was going to die. Baseball analogies wouldn't work. He probably didn't even know what baseball was.

If possible, the rain fell even harder now. We were soaked almost instantly. Fantastic. Now on top of homeless chic, I'd be rocking the drowned rat look.

The guy who'd tumbled down the embankment, landing at my feet - the Six who'd tried to kill me, was more than that now. I didn't know when it happened, or how, but there it was.

I'd had a lot of guys look at me like I was a fun vacation on the beach, but the way Kale's ice blue eyes devoured every inch of me, full of heat and hope, I felt like Christmas morning. Timeless and perfect.

I understand now, Dez," he whispered sleepily. "I understand the hand thing."

Just you wait. Payback's a bitch, Daddy.

I waited a few minutes for them to get it out of their system - testosterone and all that. It took longer than I'd hoped, but eventually they'd settled for menacing glares and silent seething.

When we finally came up for air, he was smiling at me. It seemed to come easier to him now, smiling. It did funny things to my stomach.

"Just you. Only you. Always you."

"For me.," he said. It came out as a cross between a choked growl and a whimper. It was shocked, and it was possessive. Full of pain and laced with joy. "You were made for me."

A chair. Someone had thrown a chair at me. What the hell was this, WWE?

Review: Solid by Shelley Workinger

Book:  Solid by Shelley Workinger

Stand-Alone or Series: Series, Solid #1
Pages: 223

Genre: Young Adult / Science Fiction
Purchase A Copy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
Publication Date: July 9th, 2010

How Did I Get This Book: from the author

Description: Eighteen years ago, a rogue Army doctor secretly experimented with a chromosomal drug on unknowing pregnant women. When he was killed not long after the children were born, any knowledge and evidence seemed to die with him - except the living, breathing, human products of his work.

Almost two decades later, the newly self-proclaimed “open-book” military unearths the truth about the experiment, bringing Clio Kaid and the other affected teens to a state-of-the-art, isolated campus where they soon discover that C9x did indeed alter their chromosomes - its mutations presenting as super-human abilities. The military kids, who come from across the nation and all walks of life, come into their own as lighter-than-air ‘athletes’; ‘indies’ as solid as stone walls; teens who can make themselves invisible and others who can blind with their brilliance.

While exploring her own special ability, forging new friendships and embarking on first love, Clio also stumbles onto information indicating that the military may not have been entirely forthcoming with them and that all may not be as it seems…

Solid was a fun read with a rather exciting and unique premise. It is obviously a science fiction story – it’s got the whole “mad scientist” thing going on and is about a group of teens with genetic mutations. But it’s a sci/fi that isn’t overtly science fiction – it will appeal to a wide range of readers who aren’t normally fans of the genre. It’s the sort of book that is wonderful for testing the waters of a new genre because it heavily relies on the characters themselves. While they do have special abilities, the book really focuses more on the relationships, interactions and feelings amongst them, rather than their powers. Workinger roots the majority of the book in reality, which makes it easy for readers to accept and champion the characters.

There is an interesting collection of characters with a major variety of personalities amongst them. Because they vary so much, it allows for a lot of different interactions & plotlines to form. The main group of friends consists of Clio, Jack, Bliss, Garrett and Miranda – although Miranda is a bit of the odd girl out. Like I said before, all of the characters have distinct personalities and they all bring something different and interesting into the mix. Clio is a wonderful character – she is an extremely nice person but she doesn’t let herself get walked on. She stands her ground when needed and protects her friends when necessary. Bliss is shy, caring and loyal. Jack is always the man with a plan and the one who calms everyone down. Garrett is the clown of the group and Miranda… well Miranda isn’t really much of a people person. 

My only real complaint with the book is the length. I just feel like the story was a bit crammed; you didn’t really get a chance to settle into it. Everything is so bing-bang-boom that you have a hard time connecting with it. The ending in particular was extremely rushed. I really would have liked to see it drawn out a bit more. When you discover who the “bad guy” is the reveal, climax and explanation are all just kind of shoved at you – things don’t have a chance to stew properly. 

But, all in all I honestly enjoyed Solid. It was a tremendous series opener and I cannot wait to see where the gang takes things from here! I am a bit skeptical about how Workinger is going to keep all the characters together, I hope that they are all included in the sequel.

 

Favorite Quotes:

"High school and teenage life were tricky enough to navigate without looking for some random deformity in me to make things even harder"

"...proving he was not just ridiculously cute but also intriguingly literary - a combination much more thrilling than the expected gorgeous face painted on a hallow rock."

"I was briefly tempted to throw out a panic attack of my own to garner some of his valiant reassurance, but I knew I could never believably pull off the damsel in distress bit."

"I couldn't help thinking he'd be a great J. Crew model, but before my thoughts drifted too far to images of him gazing broodingly from a cliff along the rocky coastline, I yanked myself back to the present."

"All I felt was the pull of him - a call to my heart to come out and join him in the mutual center." 

"I am thinking Covert-Op Tuesday should be an inker on our social calendar from now on."

"Bliss flushed like a rescued - and smitten - damsel."

"I tried to do some math - five kids and a middle-aged man against two looney-toons with guns - and found the outcome incalculable."

 "There'd been a lot of talk about trust circles from the counslers brought in to work with us, those looking for signs of PTSD as if we were soldiers returning from war, but this six-sided circle was all any of us needed."

Review: I Am Number Four

Book: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
Series or Stand-Alone: Lorien Legacies #1
Pages:  440
Genre: Young Adult / Science Fiction
Purchase A Copy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Publication Date: August 4th, 2010
How I Got This Book: Library
Description (From Goodreads): In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorian. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now.

The Nine had to separate and go into hiding. The Mogadorian caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next.

I AM NUMBER FOUR is the thrilling launch of a series about an exceptional group of teens as they struggle to outrun their past, discover their future—and live a normal life on Earth.

I AM NUMBER FOUR.
I AM NEXT.

I will be honest; I did not really have any interest in reading this book before I saw the movie trailers. Shameful, know. But, I am Number Four surprised me, in a number of ways.

I am Number Four is an absolute riot. The plotline is packed full of action – which is to be expected. However, there was a surprising almost of emotional storyline woven throughout the story as well. John’s relationships are given a great deal of attention, which allows for the reader to actually connect with him. In a lot of action books, I have a difficult time relating to the characters. The plotlines are enjoyable, but I don’t get that emotional connection with the characters. Right from the get-go you are introduced to the characters of Henry and John together. They have always been a team and it is obvious how much they rely on one another. Henry has been assigned to care for John and has basically filled the role of father.  Therefore, John’s character is extremely attached to him – he’s been the only constant in John’s life.

When the duo moves to Ohio, John makes his first real friends in Sam and Sarah. I loved his relationship with both of these characters. Sam is certainly quirky, but he is an extremely loyal friend to John. Sarah, who is the romantic interest for John, is an awesome character. She has incredibly sweet nature and accepts other for what they are. The relationship between John and Sarah was adorable; I loved watching it unfold.

There is also a tremendous amount of character development throughout the book. When we are first introduced to John, he is extremely timid and very much a little boy.  As the story goes on, he comes into his own and starts relying on himself. He not only begins to develop his powers, but he gains a great deal of courage as well.  

As to be expected the plotline was incredible and simply out of this world. There is a great deal of action and a handful of different aliens. The overall pacing was fast, but that is to be expected in an action adventure book – you are supposed to stay on your toes. 

There were some predictable elements to the story, but that is to be expected. Honestly, sometimes you can only take a storyline a few ways. The writing was also, how should I say this… sparse. Things were very direct, and I can understand why – it is meant to be a fast paced action story. However, I can’t help but feel like the writing could have included a bit more flourish; better visual descriptions and just richer text in general.

Overall, I really enjoyed I am Number Four. There was a surprising amount of emotion within the storyline, which made John easy to connect to and champion. I am interested to see how the next books play out – will there be a I am Number Five? I want to see more of the alien kids, but I hope we stay with John. Now that I’m emotionally invested in his story, I want to see it to the end!

 Favorite Quotes

"When you have lost hope, you have lost everything. And when you think all is lost, when all is dire and bleak, there is always hope." 

"I'll come back to you," I say, "If it's the last thing I do, I'll come back to you."  

Review: Hush Money by Susan Bischoff

Book:  Hush Money by Susan Bischoff
Series or Stand-Alone: Series (Talent Chronicles #1)
Pages: 192
Genre: Young Adult

Publication Date: September 25^th, 2010

Description (From Goodreads): Be normal, invisible. Don’t get close to anyone. Kids with psychic abilities tend to mysteriously disappear when they get noticed. Joss has spent years trying to hide. Now she has an unasked-for best friend, who is the victim of an extortion plot by the school bully, who used to like Joss, who is best friends with her long-time crush, who is actually talking to her. Life just got more complicated.

With Hush Money Susan Bischoff creates a fascinating world where some people are born with superpowers. These people, the ones with “talents” live in fear of being rounded up and taken away from their families. Joss, a quiet teenager is of these individuals.

Joss does her best to go unnoticed. She and her family are afraid that she will be identified as a talent and therefore taken away. She doesn’t have any friends; she avoids contact with anyone and everyone. 

I have to say, I was really disappointed with Joss’s character. I did not particularly take to her; her personality simply did not rub we well. She didn’t have much of a backbone and she never stood up for herself. I really was put off when she stood by idly and watched something terrible happen to another girl. I understand that she did not want to draw attention to herself, but I cannot believe some of the decisions she made.

I also did not like Joss’s love interest – Dylan. Dylan was also a huge pushover, he let his idiotic friend Marco walk all over him. I never was really able to connect with him because he did not get much time as the narrator. This made it difficult to see his motivations, or at least to sympathize with his decisions.

Now, I loved the premise for this book and it started out fabulous. The way that Bischoff introduces the talents immediately draws you in, making you want to see what happens next. The idea of it was reminiscent of the T.V. Heroes, especially with the way the organization was rounding people up.  

My favorite part of the book was when a group of teen “talents” band together and save one of their own. It’s a great action scene and I hope to see more of this kind of thing in the upcoming books. They have the whole “us against the world” thing going on and it gives them an easy bond. I do wish that the rest of characters (those others with talents) were a bit better described. We are given basic descriptions of their talents, but not much else. I was interested to know more about them all, but unfortunately it didn’t happen.

 I did enjoy the plot overall, but parts of it were a little unbelievable for me – especially concerning the book’s main villain, Marco. Marco was incredibly stereotypical, which made him into an extremely flat character.  He was horrible all the time and never really gave much of a reason for being so terrible. I like when you can feel some sympathy for a villain, or at least understand their motivations, but that was not the case with Marco.

Although I had a lot of issues with this book, I did enjoy it. It was a quick, entertaining read that kept me on my toes. I will probably continue with the next book, but I certainly hope some things change. For one, I hope that all of the characters are fleshed out better. I did not connect to anyone in Hush Money, so hopefully that will change in the next book.

Review: The Candidates by Inara Scott

Book: The Candidates (Inara Scott)
Stand-Alone or Series: Series - Delcroix Academy #1)

Pages: 293
Genre: Young Adult
Description (From Goodreads):

Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that's not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia's mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just...happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to anyone, belieiving this way she can supress her powers and keep them hidden.

But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room to offer her a full scholarship, Dancia's days of living under the radar may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for diplomats' kids and child geniuses--not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. So why are they treating Dancia like she's special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make Dancia feel welcome.

And then there's her mysterious new friend Jack, who can't stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the Academy and wants Dancia to help him figure out what. But Dancia isn't convinced. She hopes that maybe the recruiters know more about her "gift" than they're letting on. Maybe they can help her understand how to use it...But not even Dancia could have imagined what awaits her behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.

 After reading the book description I was eagerly anticipating reading The Candidates. While I enjoyed the idea of the story, the characters seemed a bit off to me. As a reader, characters are what really sell me on book and unfortunately in the case of the Candidates, I was not all that impressed.  


Dancia, the book's protagonist, has the potential to be a great character. She is empathetic and possess some wicked awesome powers. There were certain parts of the book in which I enjoyed Dancia's character but I did have a few problems with her as well. First of all, her characters personality isn't really defined in the book. Sure, she is empathetic to those around her, but she really just goes along with what other people are saying. She never really makes her own decisions, just follows what either Jack or Cam tells her. It bothered me that she relied on what Cam said to make her decisions. This brings me to my second major problem with her; she was kind of a terrible friend to Jack. He obviously needed her and she just dropped him because Cam was "worried" about her. Jack was a tremendous friend to her; he was always there when she needed him; he definitely got the short end of the stick on that one.


Another character I had mad issues with was Cam. I just do not like him or trust him. In fact, I think he is kind of a sleaze bucket. He straight up lies to Dancia and pushes her away from Jack. Then, she catches him in a lie and calls him on it, and then forgives him. I don't know if she was just stupid or if he was using his powers on her. Honestly, I think his powers are creepy. I would not want anything to do with that guy. I don't want to give away what his powers are, but I just would not trust my feelings around him anymore.


Obviously, I felt Dancia's love interest should have been Jack. Jack was a far more interesting character and I felt like he actually cared about her. I am afraid we won't see much of him in the next book, which would really disappoint me. Because honestly, I think the rest of the characters are rather boring. 


However, like I said before, the storyline has a lot of potential. I am really digging the whole X-men boarding school vibe and I think the books could progress nicely. I am hoping that in the next book Dancia will stand on her own two feet and develop a little more personality.

Review: Hunger

Book: Hunger (Michael Grant)
Stand-Alone or Series:  Series, Gone #2
Pages: 590 
Genre: Young Adult
Preview on Amazon
Description (From Goodreads):

 It's been three months since everyone under the age of fifteen became trapped in the bubble known as the FAYZ. Things have only gotten worse. Food is running out, and each day more kids are developing supernatural abilities. Soon tension rises between those with powers and those without, and when an unspeakable tragedy occurs, chaos erupts. It's the normals against the mutants, and the battle promises to turn bloody.

But something more dangerous lurks. A sinister creature known as the Darkness has begun to call to the survivors in the FAYZ. It needs their powers to sustain its own. When the Darkness calls, someone will answer -- with deadly results.

 I recently read the first book in this series, Gone, and was instantly propelled into the story. The same thing happened to me once I started Hunger. All of your favorite characters from book one are back, including - Sam, Astrid, Edilio, Quinn, Lana, Albert, Cookie, Brianna, Dekka, Jack, Little Pete and Orc. Also back for round two are those characters you love to hate, Caine, Drake and Diana. This time around Sam and his gang are dealing with a constant wave of problems - they are still dealing with Caine, but they now have to face off against the ever creepy "darkness". The town, in which Sam acts as mayor/father, is also dividing and everyone is taking sides - the Freaks vs. the normals. In short there is a lot going on in this book.

Now, normally, this isn't an issue for a book containing nearly 600 pages, but this did pose a problem for Hunger. It is the exact same problem I had with book one, there are just to many to many different point-of-views. The book is constantly switching narratives, and the reader has to follow about twenty different stories. Granted, all the stories tie together, but I feel like it takes away from the book. Not only do you follow all of the characters I mentioned above (a total of 15), but there are also new characters added into the mix. You spend time, Hunter, Duck, Zil, Orsay and Brittany, who are all new to the book. There are also more minor characters that made appearances in book one, like Mary, Howar and John who also do some narrating.With all of these different narrators, I found myself drifting from the plot. I just simply stopped caring about things that didn't directly concern my favorites, Astrid, Sam and Edilio.   

 However, all the narration problems aside, I really enjoyed this book. Once again, there is plenty of excitement packed into the pages and tons of terrifying drama. Kids are pushed to their limits by their hunger and you see a lot of people snapping. There is also plenty of interaction between Astrid and Sam, who are quickly becoming one of my favorite lit couples. They play off each other brilliantly, and Grant does an amazing job keeping their relationship realistic. 

All in all, like Gone, when Hunger is good, its great. Due to an overwhelming amount of narrators, the pacing is sometimes slow, but if you stick it out, you will not be disappointed. Its an action packed book with plenty of excitement and plot twists to keep you turning the pages. I did not enjoy it quite as much as Gone, but it was still a great read!

  It's been three months since everyone under the age of fifteen became trapped in the bubble known as the FAYZ. Things have only gotten worse. Food is ...mor

Review: Gone

Book: Gone by Michael Grant
Series or Stand-Alone: Gone Series, Book #1
Pages: 558
Preview on Amazon
Description:  
In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE.

Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day.
It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

I have heard a lot about this series from other bloggers, and I was eager to get my hands on a copy of Gone.  Overall, I enjoyed the book. The plot was extremely exciting and the storyline was well developed.  The book begins with and is centered around (for the most part) Sam Temple. Once the blink happens, it is Sam who kind of gets everyone calmed down and safe. Sam’s sort of a local hero and everyone looks to him, which he is completely uncomfortable with. I love the character of Sam; he’s humble and unsure of himself, which makes him a great hero. From here, the story progresses quickly; which is great, especially with a 500+ page book.

While Sam is obliviously the main character, there are a lot of secondary characters. This posed a problem, at least for me, because at some point in the time, the novel changes to each of their perspectives. There is Sam, who you read most of the novel through, but then there is also Astrid, Sam’s friends Quinn and Edilio, Lana, Albert, Mary, Cookie and Dahra. Then, there are the bad guys - Caine, Diana, Howard, Orc, Computer Jack and Drake.  I am sure there are more peppered throughout the book, but I can’t remember them all. That’s a lot of different perspectives to read through. I understand that the author wants the reader to see the whole picture, but we are constantly changing perspectives and when the story is intense it can get annoying.  I found myself just wanting to stay with Sam and Astrid, but the story kept taking me elsewhere.

Also, this book dealt with some pretty gruesome mental images. I did not really bother me, but it is a book about children under 14. So I am going to assume a lot of readers will be under 14 and without spoiling too much, there are lots of dead bodies (including a baby in a garbage bag) and lots of icky bone breaks and just overall nasty injuries.  Just wanted to  warn everyone!

But, honestly, the perspective thing is the only gripe I have with this book. I thought all the characters were well written, and I quickly rallied around Sam, Astrid, Edilio and Little Petey. I was, and still am rather skeptical about Quinn, but I think that is to be expected. There are plenty of twists and turns throughout the book and it certainly keeps you on your toes. I would highly recommend this book!