[Review] & Promo! The Touched by Jennifer Weiser

THE TOUCHED by Jennifer Weiser

Series: The Descendants # 1

Genre: YA Dystopian

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

- SYNOPSIS -

The first sixteen years of Arabella Penthallow’s life have been a lie…
In a world where deception is the key to survival, Ara has kept up the charade of being a perfect Legion Leader’s daughter. But a darkness stirs, and she discovers she is Touched, a mortal gifted by the Gods. The Touched are as rare as they are feared, and Ara is forced to leave Union City for neighboring Midnight City to protect herself and those she loves, leaving Tove Thorn, the boy who has always known her heart, behind.
Carter Decker has vowed to burn Union City to the ground…
Midnight City’s cocky, infamous bad boy always gets what he wants, and he wants Union City to pay for burning his mother alive because she was Touched. When Carter meets Ara, she is everything he’s been taught to hate. Then he learns she is Touched—just like him—he isn’t sure who he hates more…the Touched girl whose father killed his mother, or himself for being tempted by someone he’s sworn to kill.
They are told they’re fated to be soul mates…and they each wish the other never existed.
When Midnight City is attacked by Union City, Carter and Arabella will do the unthinkable…even if it means falling for the enemy. The truth lies in Arabella’s home nation, and Tove is waiting. Soul mates or not, he has an advantage Carter doesn’t, fated souls be damned.
War is coming…and Ara is the prize.

- PURCHASE -

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | PAPERBACK

- EXCERPT -

ARABELLA —

 “I’m not lying.”

Carter’s lips pull into a small smile. My heart flutters wildly in my chest with the sight of it. I want to loath myself for the feelings he’s causing. The confusion that has begun to occur. This isn’t Carter or me. We can’t stand one another, yet I can’t help the way my mind has sometimes wandered in the last few days, playing curious images of him pulling me close, his lips becoming lost on mine.

“You are,” Carter says, closing the gap I opened between us. The tips of his black boots touch my own. “You can’t lie to me. Or to anyone in this room for that matter. I know what you’re feeling.”

“You don’t know a thing about me or what I may be feeling.”

Carter snorts and shakes his head, his hair falling lazily over his forehead. He drops his head, moving within inches of my lips. I inhale sharply, the corset constricting. Damn him. I keep my eyes locked with his, refusing to look away. Too many emotions course through my body and I can’t decide which ones overrule the rest.

Carter licks his lips, jumpstarting my pulse. “I do, princess,” Carter whispers, “everyone does.”

“No…no they don’t.”

Carter purses his lips, his eyes smoldering slightly. “Oh, little Arabella, they do. Your emotions are staining this entire room. I can feel everything you feel for me. Taste every last one.”

I suck in a deep breath, pushing back from him.

Carter smiles darkly. “The one that tastes the most appealing is that white-hot lust you have coursing through you.”

For weeks Rob has been pushing me to block my emotions from the rest. To harness them in, keep them hidden. I have succeeded in some accounts, but when Carter is around, the defense that I’ve built comes crashing down. Which infuriates me.

Carter winks as he takes in my expressions and what I can only gauge as new emotions that rage inside me. “Though I have to say, the revulsion is a nice change for me. I’ve never had a taste of that one.”

“I can intensify it, if you want.”

“I want a lot from you, princess, but I think we both can agree that you would much rather have me feel and taste your lust.” Slowly he pushes his body against mine as he leans in close to my ear. Never in my life have I wanted to throttle someone as much as I do Carter. But that’s not all I would do if given the chance. He drives me crazy, in more ways than I want him to know. “I promise to be gentle,” he whispers.

The warmth of his breath against my ear has the pit of my stomach coiling tightly. My body tensing. Carter pulls himself from me. The scent of sweet spices I can’t place and lavender fill my nose. It’s distracting and enticing. I desperately want to wrap myself around him, feel his hands touch every inch of my skin, taste his lips. I swallow pitifully as my lips begin to ache with desire. Temptation can be cruel.

Cruel. In an instant, I remember his comments and the smugness that was laced in his tone. Carter doesn’t want me because he is attracted to me, he only wishes to prove his point. My jaw clenches. Instantly, I want to break his own. Carter takes a cocky step back, winking at me once more.

“All in due time,” he promises as he spins on his heels and crosses the training room, slamming the door behind him.

I’m not sure what he means. That in time I will come to him like every other girl has, or in time I will finally wipe that grin right off his face. 

Review

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5 stars 

The Touched tells the story of Arabella, or Ara, who lives in a world where those who are 'Touched', while blessed by the gods, are cursed to be hated by men. Ara herself finds out she's Touched, and now has to come to terms with her newfound powers, as well as having to cope with living in Midnight City, a place where the Touched are respected, and even rule. One of the Touched, and the Leader's son, Carter Decker, both antagonizes her and attracts her. 

With this conflict of romance, the conflict of politics, and the conflict of her powers, it'll either make or break Ara, and I'm happy to see that it was the former for her. Other heroines, or well weak-willed ones, would cry after being tormented by an attractive yet irksome love interest, or take the propaganda spewed about the Touched to heart, but Ara did the opposite. When she needed to break up with Caleb, she did it. When Carter was being too much, she shot back. When Leader Thorn was accusing her of assisting the rebels, she brought him down. Even her display of powers, though uncontrolled, showed how strong and passionate she was. 

Carter was also a pleasure to read. It's usually from a girl's perspective that I hear them waxing eloquently about how beautiful the girl is, and this time hearing it from Carter is a fresh new surprise. He certainly has an instant attraction to Ara, and his womanizing ways/inner monologue were entertaining, too.

Caleb, by far, was a character I loved to hate. In a good way, of course. After his memories of Ara were wiped, his character does a complete 180, and we see his true face, an extremely zealous brother loyal to his parents (esp. his father) and his city. He's unaware of the power Ara has, and ironically is strongly against the Touched. 

Now my favorite parts - two scenes in particular stand out. First, admitting to Tove she's a Touched, and then exploding at his initial response. Now, this could have gone in a way where Tove is extremely disgusted by her, and goes against her, but instead they talk it out and he's now helping her. This trope breaker is a brownie point from me. Also, powerful Ara was epic. Second, was the ending scene. Keeping spoilers out of here for the most part, but it makes me wonder what lies next for Ara now that Everett and Heatherly have caught her. How do they play a role with the two cities? Are they against or for The Touched? Are they the rebels? It raises all these questions, and our answers only lie in the next book, hopefully. 

Speaking of trope breaking, the love triangle (or square, depending on how you look at it), was a rather fragmented triangle, and all the attraction to Ara by numerous suitors is duly noted. It was more like a the various types of love, in one book. The unreciprocated love, the young love, the true love. Plus point!

What I disliked about this book - Maybe I'm just dissatisfied with romance as of late. I'm a picky romance reader, but I found that the whole romance between Carter and Ara was rushed, and lacked development. He provoked her a few times, he realizes he's genuinely attracted to her, she realizes vice versa, wishy-washy romance back and forth, they finally kiss, etc. It seemed like such a short time for them to get on this romance train, even when Ara was the daughter of the Leader who... well, you'll read it, won't you? 

Also, there was a lot of redundancy, particularly with the word corset. So many corsets. Couldn't tell what era fashion this was going for - a combo of modern/1900s, but girls should be able to not need corsets all the time.

Regardless, I recommend reading to get a taste of what strong plot-developed heroine is like, and to appreciate a new side of YA, one that actually breaks some tropes! Also, if you're a sucker for romance and hot guys. 

— ABOUT THE AUTHOR — 

JENNIFER WEISER

Jennifer Weiser is a young adult author who has always been a book nerd and a bit chocolate obsessed. Writing has always been a favorite escape, but quickly became a passion not long after the birth of her daughter. When she isn't combing the shelves of her local book stores or blogging about newest book obsessions, you can find her nestled in her nook creating worlds she hopes that one day will inspire her daughter, who not only has given her the courage to follow her dreams--but offers the inspirations that help color their worlds together.

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/JenniferWeiser

WEBSITE: http://www.jenniferweiser.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/authorjenniferweiser

PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/skittle01x/

New York Comic Con 2015 Recap

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go to New York Comic Con this year, for the first time ever. Although I was only able to go for one day due to college, it was still quite awesome!

I caught an early bus on Friday in order to come to the city (thankfully my fall break fell the weekend of NYCC), and I was so tempted to go pick up my badge at the Javits Center before I went home but I was super tired and figured I'd just go early on Saturday. 

On Saturday, as soon as I stepped onto the subway, I saw a bunch of people in cosplay and I knew right away they were going to NYCC. This was my first time so I was so giddy and excited! I was immediately reminded of BEA/BookCon (except with a lot more people, as if that's possible) as soon as I stepped into the Javits. My first stop, obviously, was the publishing booths and the first thing I did was play the Epic Reads Endgame treasure chest where we selected a random key from a jar and tried to open the lock - and I was the first winner of the day - I got a gift card! I wandered around the other publishing booths but honestly, there wasn't much going on around them. It was completely different from BEA in that everything was being sold and all the giveaways were for swag/samplers/etc. and the publishing booths didn't have a lot of traffic.

The Shadowhunters Team

After wandering around some more, I ate lunch and then headed to the Shadowhunters press junket, which was the main reason why I was there. I participated in a round table interview with the fabulous (and gorgeous!) cast, Cassie Clare, Showrunner Ed Decter, and Executive Producer McG. I was so nervous as this was the first time I've done something like this, but everyone was pretty friendly. Although everyone was hilarious and extremely pleasant, I'd have to say Alberto Rosende (Simon Lewis) had the biggest personality - he's just so fun to be around! (FYI - you can check out the interviews on TheFandom.net)

After the interview, I again just wandered around the show floor, checking out random booths and all the cosplay and costumes. The last thing I did was the NOVL dice giveaway and won an ARC of The Witch Hunter even though this book came out three months ago - I guess they had extras? 

The one thing I wish I did was branch out a little bit and visit more booths other than publishing ones, and I also wish I could have gone for more than a day, but hey, it was quite an experience to remember.

[Review] Awakening: The Dark Rituals by Catrina Burgess

Awakening by Catrina Burgess

Rating: 3.5 stars 

Series: The Dark Rituals #1

Version: NetGalley ARC

Release Date: October 7th 2015

Goodreads Synopsis:

In Awakening, the first installment in the Dark Rituals series, a former healer turns to the Death Arts to seek revenge.

Seventeen-year-old Colina was born a healer. But after a horrific event forces her to leave her clan, she becomes desperate to learn the dark magic of the death dealers, mages who draw their power from the spirits of the dead. Colina was taught to fear and hate death dealers, but becoming one of them is the only way for her to get the revenge she seeks—and the only way for her to survive.

Colina asks a young death dealer named Luke to help her, but he’s reluctant to train her in the Death Arts. Little does she know convincing him to teach her will be the easiest part of her journey. To become a death dealer, Colina will need to undergo three dark rituals, each more terrifying than the last. At the same time, she’ll have to deal with her growing feelings for her mentor. Too bad the first ritual involves him strangling her to death.

As Colina undergoes the trials, she discovers an untapped darkness within herself. If she survives the horrific rituals and gains dark power, what will she become?

Catrina Burgess’ Dark Rituals series originally appeared on Wattpad with over three million reads. Awakening is the first book of four and was named Wattpad’s Best Suspense Story of 2014.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Warning - I'm also going to reference games and shows and you may or may not know what I'm talking about. 

Awakening isn't your normal "I'm-going-to-avenge-my-dead-family" by "doing-whatever-it-takes" sort of book. You're introduced to Colina, who was originally a healer, but now wants to become a death dealer to seek revenge against the ones who killed her family. She meets Luke and Darla, siblings who are a part of a death dealer clan, and eventually has Luke teach her, bargaining with more than what she asked for to turn into the very being her clan of healers hates. 

Now the author leaves very small clues here and there of the kind of world they're in, and this is something new/cool. It's very similar to our modern day world, but with magic. There are cars and cell phones and your day-to-day jean and shirt wearers. Hospitals have their healers/doctors. And there are of course, your everyday troublesome gangs. It reminded me of the first few episodes of Legend of Korra, with Republic City having a very Brooklyn-feel to it. But the more I read into it, the more it reminded me of some of the rpg's I played/heard of. You join a guild, you do quests, you have a goal in mind. That itself was really cool! 

Bending and technology
Magic and technology
Did anyone see the similarity?

The Dark Arts in this book were darker than expected, too. I enjoy the darkness. "Experiencing death" and coming back, possessing a spirit, and binding a spirit - Did anyone think of the Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim or was it just me? 

The pace in the beginning was slow at first, but gradually picked up in the middle-end. It's really become a habit of mine to find books pretty great in the end. If you read like me, you'll think that there is going to be a really happy ending with Colina, Luke, and Darla and everything will be amazing again, but it didn't end like that. It took me for a loop just how desperate Colina was to avenge her family, to the point of risking her life (and the lives of other people who care for her - pssst spoilers!). But everything in the end comes full circle and makes you wonder - where can Colina go from here? Is she ever going to get her revenge? Or is everyone going to end up hunting her down? 

The only really negative thing I can say is, as a critic of trope (if you notice my TTT post), the romance. It felt rushed, and occasionally unnecessary. Luke was hot, but did I need to know every chapter? Didn't this happen in a matter of days? There was also a back-and-forth of the romance - "Should we be together? Should we not be together?" But... Darla needed to be saved? Colina's family had to be avenged? Ya' know, other more important things at hand?

But this time - instead of brushing their actions merely aside, Colina acknowledges what's wrong about the situation, instead of jumping Luke without any consideration. Towards the end, I really liked Colina (I may or may not be in the minority), but self-aware heroines are a plus in my book!

Aside from the romance and at-first slow pace, it was a good read. As a trope critic full of expectations, I walked away surprisingly pleased with how the book ended, and I can't wait to read the sequel.

[Blog Tour] Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics

Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics Blog Tour

Welcome to the Daughters Unto Devils blog tour! Today we have a guest post from Amy about horror in Young Adult literature.

We don't see a lot of horror in YA literature, what made you want to write horror?

I write horror fiction because it's my favorite genre to read. While there may not be a ton of YA horror out there, there's certainly enough to show how fun, awesome, and scary the genre can be. I've loved seeing the list get bigger and bigger as more deals are announced and more titles are released, but regardless of its current status in the market, I'd want to continue writing horror for as long as I could.

The challenge of writing something that would scare myself as a reader is what makes the experience appealing and fun. When I was writing Daughters unto Devils, I would set up my laptop on the kitchen table, turn off all the lights, and draft to candlelight and the soundtrack for things like Alien (one of my favorites) or A Haunting in Connecticut (I wasn't wild about the movie, but the soundtrack is TERRIFYING.) Making myself feel uneasy and nervous totally translated into the text, in my opinion. Being a horror writer isn't about writing what you think will scare other people, it's about best showing what scares you and why.

It seems simple, but figuring out exactly what scares you is easier said than done. The best way to figure it out, in my opinion? Read as much horror fiction as you can get your hands on. Ask yourself why you did or didn't like the story—doing so will naturally strengthen your ability to come up with your own. Never try to recreate an experience by imitating what you've already read; instead, strive to put your own original spins on your favorite tropes or ideas. Have faith in your ability—if you love reading horror, you're qualified to start writing it.

Three cheers for YA horror!  

​ABOUT DAUGHTERS UNTO DEVILS:

When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner's family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly Ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries. 

When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn't right on the prairie. She's heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBook | The Book Depository

ABOUT AMY LUKAVICS:

Ever since she was little, Amy was especially intrigued by horror books and movies. Raised in a small mountain town in Arizona, she sustained herself on a steady diet of Goosebumps, Fear Street, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books before discovering Stephen King in her mother's bookshelf. Amy lives with her husband, their two precious squidlings, and an old gentleman cat by the name of Frodo. When she isn't writing, she enjoys cooking, crafting, and playing games across many platforms. 

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Tumblr

Now onto the giveaway!

3 Finished Copies of DAUGHTERS UNTO DEVILS for 3 winners (US/Canada)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE:

Week 1:

Oct. 5: The Irish Banana Review - Review

Oct. 6: Wonderland Novels - Guest Post

Oct. 7: Once Upon A Twilight - Review

Oct. 8: Kelly Vision - Top 10

Oct. 9: Such A Novel Idea - Review

Week 2:

Oct. 12: Kimberly Faye Reads - Q&A

Oct. 13: Don't Fold the Page - Review

Oct. 14: Beauty and the Bookshelf - Guest Post

Oct. 15: Pretty Deadly Reviews - Review

Oct. 16: No BS Book Review - Guest Post

Top Ten Tuesday (9) - Ten Bookish Things I Want to Quit!

Top Ten Tuesday is a an original feature/ weekly meme that was created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new topic is presented and this week's is:

Ten Bookish Things I Want to Quit

To be more specific, it'll be the

Top Ten YA Tropes I Don't Want to Read Anymore

(in no specific order)

I've read many books in the almost twenty years I've been alive. I was in a bit of a book slump during high school, but I noticed, when I picked up books again this year, that there are some things that never change in books. For instance, the many tropes I can't seem to get enough of in YA. They're predictable, sort of annoying, but they're in YA for a reason, amirite? And I've been saying for awhile I wanted to make a list of all the tropes I can't stand in a book. So, without further ado, here is my list. 

(Note - I couldn't reach 10 tropes by myself, so Yiling and Sarah have shared their ideas!) 

1. Perfect Male Protagonist. 

When you start a book with your female character immediately having insta-sparks of attraction to this mysterious new guy, you know you're in for a hell of a ride. Especially with the male protagonist. He's got everything. He has the brooding, dark, bad boy persona that no one, not even our goody-two shoes heroine can resist. He has smoldering long eyelashes and really kissable lips. The lips are really kissable (you see what I'm going for here?). To further emphasize his attractive features, his physical appearance is remarked upon every single time they meet. So basically every chapter, you'll get a great, long winded description of this gorgeous (and this is the key word here!) beauty, which means you'll be unlikely to forget him as you read along. You'll only remember him for his looks, and his brooding/grunting, because really, who said your male protagonist needed to have personality?

2. Insta-Romance

Speaking of the powers of attraction, your male protagonist's beauty will cause anyone, but especially the heroine of our story, to fall weak in the knees! In the first few chapters, they're already clearly madly in love, but have not confessed their feelings. Give it a few more chapters, and we've already moved into the boyfriend/girlfriend territory. But hold onto your horses, because I'm pretty sure they're planning on running off to elope in the wilderness where no one can disrupt their happiness. If you're lucky, you'll even hear of how many children they're planning to have before the sequel.

Example: Awake

3. Love Triangles/Other Geometric Figures

The only way for above insta-romance to be ruined is with another equally perfect guy (or girl, but usually a guy), who wants to steal the stage for himself (or herself!) That girl/guy clearly deserves him/her! I'm so much better than his/her current love interest, and I'm going to prove it by creating unnecessary tension and dragging out the book longer than it needs to be. The book will be even longer if said guy/girl they're vying for can't simply make up their mind.

Example: Twilight

4. Imperfections are Actually Perfections 

I've been reading a lot of these recently. The protagonist is the only one in her family with black hair, compared to their dominant red hair, but she's the most beautiful one of all. The protagonist has eyes that sparkle like the deep blue sea (is that even possible)? The protagonist is a plain-Jane and is unnoticeable to the general public, but one lucky male protagonist will take interest in her.
Example: Ruby Red (I actually liked this book, just not the constant mentions of her beauty)

Sarah

5. Vampires vs. Werewolves 

Many of us have read Twilight, right? (I'm in the minority here, and my only knowledge of Twilight is Cinema Sins). Upon further research (and I did do my research) - Twilight did not create the trope. See Dracula, Ghostbusters, etc. But what makes a Vampire vs. Werewolves even better is a love triangle plot. Imagine, a super attractive vampire and an equally attractive (more or less, depending on your preference), werewolf, fighting for a human girl's affections? The vampires and werewolves are no longer grotesque and scary, but sparkling beautiful beings! They have the magnetic force to attract everyone.

Also, there are other mythical beings that need some more representation. Er-hem, banshees or wraiths anyone?

The obvious example - Twilight

6. Bad Boy with the Troubled Past 

We're so drawn to this character, and to expand upon the perfect male character trope (1), he runs from a past that haunts him. Did he murder anyone? Did he steal from the poor? Did he abandon his brother? Whatever is behind that guilty conscience, he'll be automatically forgiven by his female love interest, and they're drawn closer together.

Example: Abandon

7. Perfect Girl, Perfect Life, Cue Mysterious Boy

So there's all this talk about novel and their cliches regarding guys, but there are a ton of Mary-Sues out there too. This girl has everything, let me tell you. She has a boyfriend, a penthouse in the Upper East Side, a pet poodle, the best grades, everything. But yet... something is incomplete! Her suddenly perfect boyfriend isn't enough. All the apparent imperfections are pointed out when mysterious boy walks into town!

Example: Reawakened

Yiling

8. Love at First Sight

Does that even exist? According to some (many) books, it does! And let me tell you, it falls under the same formulaic style of purple prose writing. Here are some examples.

The moment our eyes met, I couldn't see anyone else but him. It was like we were destined to be. 

His hand lightly grazed mine, and in the millisecond we touched, I felt the sparks between us. 

She stared straight into my eyes, into my very soul. My heart stopped, and only a kiss upon her lips would be able to start it again.

Honestly, if sparks were meant to be taken literally, I'd be electrocuted by the time I finished reading said purple prose literature.

Example: Remembrance

9. Everyone is awful and I'm perfect AKA the Whiners 

Why is everyone so mean? Why won't he fall in love with me? Why is the sky blue? I'm not sure, whiny protagonist. I'm really not sure. If you're complaining about everyone else, there isn't anything wrong with you, right? Note: These protagonist spend most of the novel complaining, and not actually doing anything.

Example: Spellbound

We all had similar ideas on what tropes we disliked... But one common ground we share is -

10. Lack of Diversity 

Your white straight female meets your white straight male. They fall in love. They encounter obstacles to their love. Love prevails. The end. 

That's the plot of many books, folks. 'But... not everyone is straight, and not everyone is white...?' You say. 

Well, that's why we need more diversity in books! 

So, did you agree or disagree with this list? Agree/Disagree with the examples? Think we're missing a couple of tropes here and there? Have any examples? Let us know in the comments below!