Review: Touch (Denazen #1) by Jus Accardo

Touch (Denazen #1)
by Jus Accardo

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.

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Publication Date: Nov 1st 2011

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Format: e-book, 400 pages 

Series: yes

Source: My Kindle

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My Review

"Is he... hum, special?"

Imagine you're walking home late from a super awesome party that is sure to piss off your dad, only to be accosted by a extremely peculiar, though very hot, guy who asks (not very nicely) for your shoes because he leaves strange black marks in his path. Oh, and when you take him home (all the more to piss your dad off) to fix the wounds afflicted by the men following him (I wonder why? Nevermind, dad will hate this), you find out your dad is there (Yay! ooops...) and that he is a super secret evil agent from a super secret evil organization called Denazen, and that the guy with you, Kale, is their assassin, and can kill with the slightest touch of his skin. Oh, except that when he touches you, nothing happens. Yup. And then you go and run off with this strange stranger (see what I did there? :P ) straight into a lot of trouble. Not that you care much, because he is very cute, if sort of weirdo.

Touch is the kind of book I'd like to see more of. It's fast-paced, it's funny, it really messes with your emotions, and, best of all, has a pure-hearted virgin, who also happens to be a killer, as a hero. I mean, come on!!! Perfection, right? Enough with the experienced bad boys and the super pure young girls. It's time to switch those silly roles, people! 

I LOVED to see Deznee explaining the simplest things ('this is a tv', 'you eat that like this', 'this is called a leather jacket', and so on) and then trying to explain to most difficult to Kale ('this is a kiss', 'they hold hands because they like each other. No, not just like... have feelings for. No, love is... hum'). Just priceless!!! *-*

I laughed out loud so many times my mother demanded to know what I was reading. 

I also felt a bit torn when Deznee's ex showed up. Sure, I was pissed off with him right along Dez, at first, but when we find out what really happened... I felt a bit sorry for him. Only to be pissed off again at the end of the book. LOL. I love when stuff like that happens. 

Man, and what about those more, hum... steamy scenes? Wooo-hooo!!! I really need to get me a virgin. Yup, I said it. Surely I'm not the only one with this sort of fantasy. Honestly, I blame Miss Jus Accardo. It's all your fault, missie. :P 

I know some people have trouble with sex in YA books, but I definitely don't. It's a normal thing, and there's nothing to ashamed of! Teens do it all the time, we can't stop them, just try to make them understand how important it is to use protection! Have you guys seen how many teenage girls say they 'wouldn't mind getting pregnant?'. COME ON! But I digress here... Kale was hot, Deznee was kick-ass and the chemistry between them was tremendous! When they were together it was beautiful and lovely and sweet. Nothing dirty or shameful here. Congrats to the author!

Now, where is a copy of Untouched when you need one? XD

Early Review: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Defiance (Defiance #1)
by C.J. Redwine

Expected publication: August 28th 2012 by Balzer + Bray

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Publication Date: August 28th 2012

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Format: eARC, 416 pages 

Series: yes

Source: Edelweiss

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My Review

First line: The weight of their pity is like a stone tied about my neck.

Favorite quotes: "I never thought it was fair that anatomy decided what my brain was fit for."

"His knives are nice. Mine is better."

"Besides, what do I know about being a wife? There are much more important qualities to have than a docile disposition."

"I love how you still think if you tell me to do something, I'll just check my brain at the door and do it."

Sixteen year-old Rachel Adams is not like the other girls from Baalboden. She is not obedient, subservient and submissive. Nope, she can read,write, think, and, best of all, fight. But even though she's so special, it doesn't matter much, because, in the end, she still needs a male Protector to walk her to places and make any and all decisions for her. At least for show. And that was almost acceptable... until her father never came back from his last courier mission and was pronounced dead by the tyrant Commander... and his will required that cutie nineteen year-old Logan, his apprentice, and not sweet Oliver, her almost grandfather, would become her new Protector.

Rachel never quite forgave Logan for turning her down when she declared her undying love to him a year ago, so how can she ever go live with him as her Protector? Especially when she is certain her father can't be dead. Now she needs Logan's help to try and escape over the Wall and into the Wasteland, to look for him. But the Commander won't make things easy for them. He know her father had something important in his possession when he went missing. Something that can help strengthen his already very solid tyranny. Something that has to do with the Cursed Ones, terrible beasts that know only destruction and death.

Written with alternate POVs, Defiance is a lovely tale of adventure, action, mystery and budding romance. I love male POVs, so this was a real treat. Logan was such a great character. Smart, corageous, strong and confident, but at the same time, uncertain of his worth and of making the right decisions... in particular the ones involving his beautiful, innocent and stubborn new ward, Rachel. He needs to constantly save her from herself and her impulsive reactions, and, at the same time, think of how he can get her out of the wall safely and, also, find her father along with the highly sought-after mysterious package.

All the 'women are weak and need to shut up and stop thinking and just rely on their men, 'cause they know what's best for them' did annoy me quite a bit, but Rachel was always trying to rebel and show-off her strength, so that made things much better. Even if she could be a bit too reckless for my taste, sometimes. She had so much stress, sadness, anger and despair building up inside her... I almost could feel it, myself. She really grew during the book. She was forced to 'harden up' and do things that changed her forever, but she never strayed fom her path. Some people might not like their heroines with so much blood and vengeance and anger, but it fit her very well.  The romance wasn't thrown in there very often, but when it was... oh, man. Sparks flew. LOL.

There is just one thing that bothered me. Okay, I get it that it's very 'in' now to write series, but this is the kind of book that could have been a stand-alone. Everything could have been explained and wrapped up in one go... if only the author wanted to.  It was a good book, sure, but it irritated me a bit at the 'end'. This one really shouldn't have been made into a series. I liked it, but there's nothing that really makes me look forward to the next one. A lot has already been explained and what hasn't, I can certainly imagine. 

Anyway, if you like strong heroines, cute heroes and fast-paced books, then give this one a go! :D

* I received an eARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.*

Have you read Defiance? What did you think of it?