Tiffany Truitt

Chosen Ones is a book that's been on my radar for some time, so when I was asked to review it as part of the pre-release tour for The Naturals, I immediately jumped at the chance. And while it did take a while for me to warm up to our main character, and get completely engrossed in the story, I ultimately came away from Chosen Ones quite satisfied, and eager to see what comes next.

As with most dystopian books, Chosen Ones tells the tale of a US that's been decimated by a third World War. show more Instead of one large country, we instead have two separate factions on each of the coasts, with a sort of wasteland where the Midwest once was. Not only is the country suffering under immense poverty, but women have lost the ability to bring forth life. Because humanity is too tired to fight its own battles, scientists have engineered so-called Chosen Ones, who are able to fight without remorse or feeling, making them the perfect killing machines. Tess, our main character, lives on a Compound where the Chosen Ones are engineered, and is forced to work at the actual facility that houses them after her sister's death. It's here that she meets James, and the book really starts to take off.

"No wonder the council had outlawed books. Stories enabled you to forget your life and your limits. They urged you to reach for a world that was never meant to be yours. There was nothing more dangerous than imagination." - 33%

I do want to commend the author on her world-building. The background and history interspersed into the story via Tess' memories and her father's letters really helps the reader figure out what's going on. At times the book was quite frightening, because it's not completely implausible to see something like this eventually occurring in the (hopefully not near) future. I do wish we'd gotten to experience a bit more of the world, but considering that Tess is confined to the compound and Templeton, that's not really feasible. I hope - considering the events at the end of this book - that we WILL get a chance to dive more into the unknown world in the second installment.

"There's more to this life than what you have settled for. You've crawled so deep inside yourself I wonder if you even know you have a self to save." - 19%

The romance between Tess and James was really well done, and I loved how he slowly got Tess out of her shell. She, understandably, pushes people away and keeps herself closed off, because she's lost pretty much everything in her young life and wants to keep herself from the pain of more loss. This makes her a bit difficult to warm up to, as she's not only detached from her surroundings and the people around her, but also the reader. I loved how, the more time she and James spent together, the more it became quite obvious that she needed him to remember her humanity, and he, likewise, needed her to remember that he was more than just a killing machine. Forbidden romance can so easily go wrong, but I'm happy to report that, in this case, it's really done quite perfectly and I enjoyed every moment.

While a bit slow to get started, and having a main character that takes a while to warm up to, Chosen Ones is ultimately a solid dystopian book worthy of addition to your shelves. There is a bit of cliffhanger at the end of the book, which nicely sets up the sequel. I can't wait to see what comes next not only for Tess and James, but all the others she cares about as well!

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. show less

I enjoyed Chosen Ones, but can easily say that Naturals is better. You can certainly tell that this is Ms. Truitt's second book. The plotting and pacing are better, and the characters more relatable. I found Tess, especially, to be extremely strong in this installment. She was much more willing to confront her feelings and think about how her upbringing impacted her. I liked her strength of character and her conviction that what she was doing was right. For me, the main draw of this book is show more Tess, and I was really pleased to see her growth.

I also liked that this book helped further establish the dystopian world used in this series. Tess is away from the compound, out in the so-called "wilds", and you really got a better sense of what the world was like through her journey to the Isolationists' camp. It was interesting to see the stark contrast between compound life and the life these people chose to live away from everyone. It was very much reminiscent of the pioneers' journey out west back in the early days of the United States, when food was not in abundance and everything had to be gained through physical work of some sort. Since Tess was "pampered" for most of her life, she finds the transition difficult, and I found her journey to be extremely realistic and well done.

"I can't help but wonder if there has ever been a place where freedom truly existed. I think freedom is what mankind fears most in the world. When you're free, you can't blame anyone or anything for who you become." - 81%

This book is much more action-packed, even though a large portion of it is taken up by Tess' learning to fend for herself and work to keep herself and the community alive and thriving. Even though she is supposedly safe, there is a definite sense of threat underlying everything, and this is ratcheted up when she becomes ill. I was really pleased that we got to see James again, even though Henry's actions leading up to their reunion really rubbed me the wrong way. He is such an angry character, and while I suppose some of it is warranted, I can't get behind his actions or thoughts, and really found myself not liking him at all. Like the contrast between Tess' previous life and the one at the camp, James and Henry are so different from each other. I like that James really seems to respect Tess' decisions and is willing to let her lead, whereas Henry wants to be the one in control and do what he feels is best for her, regardless of her feelings on the subject. I will be interested to see how their relationship progresses with the events at the end of the book.

Naturals is a much faster read than its predecessor. Tess is more likable, and the reader is really able to get inside her head and understand her feelings and where she's coming from. I loved seeing her personal growth, and can only hope that continues, even with the reveal at the end. I like how she still struggles to not be the girl the Council turned her into, and the steps she's taking to ensure she lives her life according to her own rules. If you liked Chosen Ones, you definitely need to pick up Naturals, as it is an extremely solid continuation of the series. Just be forewarned that the ending will leave you extremely anxious and impatient for the as-yet-unnamed final installment!

An e-galley was provided by the publisher for blog tour purposes. show less

Chosen Ones is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the United States has become divided after a great war, one of the after effects being that few if any women are able to give birth to children and if they become pregnant, it is pretty much a death sentence for them. Tess knows the rules, "Emotional entanglements only lead to physical trespasses. We humans, were weak. We couldn't be trusted with our emotions. The female is dangerous because of her natural tendency to embrace humans' show more emotional side and her ability to elicit and encourage sexual activity.....Sex equates full and utter dependence on someone else both physically and emotionally. There is a brutal war going on right outside our home; we can't afford to be distracted." Forced to recite these rules after her sister's death in front of the whole compound, Tess is branded, and sent to take her sister's place a Templeton, as is the duty of the firstborn female in each family.....sent to serve the "Chosen Ones."

The "Chosen Ones" are beings created by "The Council," and their purposes is to protect the humans or "naturals." Genetically engineered, these males are considered to superior to the naturals in every way. They fight the wars and supposedly offer hope for continuation of the species. Templeton is the training center for the Chosen Ones. This is where Tess will serve in her sister's place. She has vowed never to love, not to allow herself to feel, her heart hardened in a world with little hope. The things she sees and learns at Templeton cause Tess to question everything she has been taught, and when she meets James, a Chosen One who is unlike any other she has ever met, her whole belief system is challenged and put to the test. Love, which was something Tess vowed never to partake in, blossoms in her heart as she and James spend more time together. Their's is relationship that is forbidden, something that wasn't supposed to happen, but yet it does and they must face the consequences. When something is discovered about Tess, about how she is different from all the other females, it forces a plan to be put in motion by "The Resistance," a covert group that is opposes what the Council is doing, but this plan is dangerous, not everyone will survive, and not everyone can be trusted.

Chosen Ones is a dystopian novel set in a bleak world where little hope is given to the human race. It portrays a dark future, one devoid of love, but also one where love will find a way when it seems there isn't one. There is also a science fiction element, that being the creation of the Chosen Ones, a superior race of beings, but they are not as easily "controlled" as their creators intended them to be. The story is filled with conspiracy, murder, betrayal, revolution, and romance in a dark futuristic setting where things and people are not always what they seem. I enjoyed the relationship between Tess and James, and I look forward to seeing where that goes in the next installment of the series. There were several other interesting characters that we get to meet, Henry, a human who was Tess's best friend when she was younger. Then there is Robert, who was her sister's husband, and also the evil George, who is the kind of guy you love to hate. Overall this was an interesting and intriguing story with dystopian, science fiction, and romantic elements, and if you are a fan of these types of stories, then Chosen Ones is something you might want to check out. show less

I think the easiest way to describe Tiffany Truitt’s “Chosen Ones” is to simply say that it is fantastic. Seriously, if you haven’t pre-ordered this one yet, you need to do so. Immediately.

The story is about Tessa, a sixteen year old girl, who lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States. Tessa’s world is far from pleasant. In her world, women are considered to be dangerous because they want, because they give into their emotions. With women unable to successfully show more give birth, due to a genetic mutation, the creators looked to artificial life, creating the chosen ones. The chosen ones (who, of course, are only men), are supposed to fight the war that the naturals lost the will to fight so long ago. But when Tessa is forced to complete her sister Emma’s service at Templeton (after she dies during childbirth), her life will become forever changed.

At first, Tessa comes off as cold and unlikable – which is to be expected when Tessa has been brought up to believe that emotions are a weakness. But as the story moves along and we are able to see Tessa understand herself, as well as the world she lives in, it is nearly impossible to dislike her character. She is tough and she is willing to fight when it seems as though no one else is. Considering all of the loss she has experienced, it would’ve been easy for Tessa to continue to allow herself to shut down. But she doesn’t. She becomes the hope that is needed, and I admire that about her character.

The romance in “Chosen Ones” is so well done. The relationship between Tessa and James is a slow burn. He is a chosen one, and she is a Templeton girl. While Templeton doesn’t care what the chosen ones do to the Templeton girls, actual relationships are unheard of. But Tessa and James are different. He isn’t like the other chosen ones, and Tessa isn’t like the other servant girls. Their relationship isn’t an insta-love situation, something which I am incredibly thankful for. As two outcasts among their own kind, Tessa and James find exactly what they need in one another. It’s an honest relationship that develops between the two characters, and it is wonderful.

But what makes “Chosen Ones” truly amazing isn’t just the strong heroine, or the wonderfully done romance. Its Truitt’s writing. I will gladly read anything that she puts out. With the way that she writes, it is quite easy to lose yourself in her words.

If you’re looking for a new dystopian novel to dive into, look no further than “Chosen Ones”.

This book is absolutely fantastic. show less