Touch

I was approached by the publisher to review Touch and thought it sounded interesting, so I agreed, but the summary was a little vague and I was not quite sure what to expect from it. After reading it, I know that the summary is vague for good reason and this book was nothing like I expected it to be. I thought it was going to be just another typical unmemorable YA paranormal, I was totally wrong. Touch is anything but typical and I know this story is going to stay with me.

From the moment Dez meets Kale they are on the run. Dez discovers her dad is not who she thought he was and he spends most of the book hunting her down or treating her like dirt. He rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning and I cannot imagine what it would be like show more to have someone who is supposed to protect you, use you for personal gain and cut you down at every opportunity. Dez does try to take it in stride though and fights back against her dad to try and help Kale. The two of them go on an action packed journey attempting to save the others like Kale and keep him hidden from the men trying to track him down.

Dez and Kale are so alive and vibrant, Jus has written them brilliantly and their enthusiasm for their mission and each other was addicting. Dez is extremely rebellious and will try almost anything once. She loves to skateboard, party and pretty much anything that will piss off her dad. She is not your average cookie cutter teenage girl. She is a dare devil who is rough around the edges and I instantly fell in love with her passion for life. Kale on the other hand, has been locked up his whole life and knows almost nothing about the outside world. Every experience is new and exciting for him. He asks Dez questions all the time about what he is seeing and his fresh outlook on things we would consider ordinary, was fascinating. It was also hilarious at times. For example, he does not know what holding hands means, or even what a kiss is. Dez tries to explain things to him, but ends up getting all tangled up in the words and embarrassed about having a “birds and the bees” talk with a cute guy. It was one of my favorite scenes in the book and it had me laughing out loud for a while.

While the plot did have many suspenseful moments, it also had an intense romance laced throughout. So many young adult novels skirt around this issue, keeping the characters actions vague which leaves the reader frustrated, but not Jus. She writes her characters so they react like any hot-blooded teenager would. They are going to act on their feelings, not sit there and mull them over for a couple of months. Kale being able to touch Dez adds another layer of sizzle to their relationship. Normally he kills anything he touches, so when he discovers he can touch Dez without killing her, he can’t seem to stop touching her. Dez doesn’t really mind though because she does not want to keep her hands off him either. Kale is so cute when her asks her to explain why he is feeling the way he does.

"Reaching out, he grabbed my hand and placed it on his chest, over his heart. “Why does my heart pump faster when we’re close? How is it you do that to me?” Under my fingers, his heart hammered a rhythm that matched my own. I smiled. “Nerves, excitement, fear. Could be a lot of things.” "

So sweet isn’t it? Dez does hesitate to let Kale into her heart completely though, because she is nervous he only likes her since he can touch her. She is afraid if he ever can touch someone else he will want to date other people. Instead of keeping this fear from him Dez does confront Kale about it and I was so happy Jus let this happen. Here is how Kale reacts,

"He pulled my hand up to his chest and placed it over his heart. “I don’t know how you feel, or understand exactly what you mean by date other people, but if it’s this”—he squeezed my hand to his chest— “then you’re wrong.” Then he kissed me."

Kale had me right there. We all have our insecurities and I completely understand why Dez is nervous, but I hate it when characters keep things bottled up in books just so tension can build. Jus did not have to play any games in Touch. There were already so many other things going on and interesting plot twists to keep us occupied, that Kale and Dez romance could evolve without unnecessary drama. That does not mean they did not have problems, because they did. However, they all developed out of realistic places. Their relationship, while raw and new, grew organically and I appreciated Jus writing it this way.

Overall, Touch is a stunning debut to a new series. The world Jus created sucked me in from the beginning and consumed my thoughts while I was in it. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us in future installments and will be eager to catch up with Kale and Dez again. show less

Touch is one of my favorite books of 2011. There I said it. So don’t be surprised in December when Touch shows up on those lists! I have pre-ordered a paperback copy and I bought it for my Kindle. CRAZY!

I’m writing this review with my heart beating out of my chest and my hands shaking. I have plans to re-read all of this awesomeness again as soon as I’m finished writing this gushing review!

After the above paragraph, you are probably wondering what all the fuss is about. From the first chapter, we are sent on a roller coaster into what I could only describe as a young adult novel with characters who have superhero type powers, but at the same time…entirely different. This seems to be the most fitting way for me to put into words show more the general theme of this book. Anything I say after the first chapter or so could contain TONS of spoilers, so I’m leaving anything related to this aspect of the story hush, hush.

Our main character Dez is totally bad a*#!!! I’m in love with every single thing about her! She is what a young adult female character should be! She’s rebellious and stands up for what she knows is right.

This book has more layers than a seven-layer dip! Seriously! Once I thought my brain had finally wrapped itself around what was happening, something new was in my face! I had no time to guess any major or even minor plot points! So many twists! The plot was face paced! I can’t believe the author shoved that much action and plot into only 2xx pages! Tons of action! I was wanting to devour every single word. Some action scenes can put me to sleep, not these!

ROMANCE! Dez & Kale! I won’t be able to say enough about these two, but it is one of the best romances in a book I’ve personally read about and enjoyed. Kale is sweet, cute, but more! You just need to read about him for yourself, I’m serious!

The ending was pretty freaking EPIC! Everything came together perfectly, so many different ties that we needed information about. No cliffhanger! That is a total plus, I was reading expecting to throw my e-reader out the window, but Jus Accardo saved us from having to endure torture waiting for book number two. She set the story up brilliantly for another book by adding new elements at the end…she’s just brilliant! Many first books in a series, I can easily pass up reading the subsequent books, but not with the Denazen series!

I will close this review saying I was left with a book high (yep HIGH as a kite!) once I finished that final sentence. If only every book left me and everyone with that same feeling…more people would be avid readers! If the summary didn’t convince you to pick up this book, hopefully my review has done it for you! show less

There are a lot of things to admire about TOUCH, the first book in Accardo's Denazen books. Our main character, Deznee Cross is a sassy, quick-witted girl who takes no gruff and gives (almost) as good as she gets. Dez is brassy and just this side of reckless, just mature enough to make you believe (most of) her actions, but still with that hint of vulnerability that teenagers often have. Dez wants everything the world is offering, that's pretty much how you can sum up her character. She has her problems with it, but by in large she wants to experience everything life has to offer with very little worry about the future.

Kale, the catalyst for everything, by comparison was very inexperienced. He didn't understand some pretty common sense show more things and genuinely found interest in the ordinary, everyday things we take for granted (DVD's, pictures, music). Their juxtaposed ideas about life make for an intriguing and engaging way to understand the book's world.

Action is never in short supply either. Accardo gives a definite feeling of energy and urgency, though there comes a point when I started feel exhausted and wondered where Dez and Kale got their energy from. Every stumbling block they overcome is hiding an even bigger one which inevitably is hiding an even bigger one. Dez's judgement at times also seemed atypical for her. Not quite out of character or extraordinarily weird, but definitely worth pausing over and wondering if given a bit more time she would have come to a better solution. The tense pace of the plot also left me sometimes overwhelmed trying to keep up. During a scene between Dez and her father I swept right by it without really seeing it. It was only after I re-read it I realized how important the interaction was the central plot of the series.

I appreciated that Accardo kept the romance age-appropriate, especially given Dez's experience vs. Kale's inexperience. This never strays into the squick area or tries to emulate the bodice-ripper romances without the explicitness; the romance feels genuine, feels like a natural progression. There's a little competition for Dez's affection, but Accardo makes it pretty obvious how things are meant to end up.

In the end I enjoyed the novel and I'm looking forward to reading the next adventure Dez goes through, though I sincerely hope that the intensity of the novel dials down a bit. I'm not used to having to catch my mental breath at the end of a novel.

(originally this review appeared on Night Owl Teen) show less

I looked at the sign-up page for this tour maybe four or five times before I decided to join. Yes the book looked interesting but I just wasn’t sure it was going to be for me. I saw the word Denazen and my first thought was…huh. Well fast forward a few weeks later after I received my copy, following a very strange opening paragraph, I was immediately hooked. Word after word, page after page, TOUCH consumed me, held me under a spell of charismatic writing and terrific pacing. There was never a dull second in this book. From the moment I meet our strong-willed, sarcastic, adrenaline junkie heroine Deznee, I knew I was in for a treat. And Accardo did not disappoint.

When I finally made it to the last sentence of TOUCH I was terribly show more upset. I did not what the book to be over. I was having so much fun sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what Accardo was going to throw at our characters next. Each twist brought something new and exciting into the mix. At one point I literally screamed “OMG I KNEW IT” and at another I was in tears from laughing so hard at Dez’s internal dialogue and her constant snide remarks. FABULOUS writing Jus, job well done.

Given everything that happens to our main characters (and believe me they were tested to the extreme) we are still able to see well thought out character development. Between Dez and Kale readers were introduced to two characters on completely opposite ends of the social spectrum. Dez with her spunky, no-nonsense attitude and Kale with his humble killer instincts, I couldn’t have asked for two better MC’s. I genuinely wanted these two to fall in love. Every time Kale held Dez’s hand to his chest I melted like a silly school girl with her first crush. It was a very innocent and intimate love affair. Something we don’t get to see that often anymore. It made me appreciate simple wonders such as a kiss and holding hands. As Deznee pointed out “I felt like Christmas morning”, and what girl doesn’t want to feel that way? *Sighs*

Overall, TOUCH is a SUPER-EPIC-FANTASTICAL-WIN (yes I made that into one long word with a lot of dashes ). Thoroughly engrossing, jammed packed with elements of mystery and betrayal, TOUCH is a novel that is worth your time. Accardo is definitely an author to watch out for, and with the Denazen series she can only go onward and upward from here. But don’t take my word for it, find out for yourself! Oh, and did I mention there is an evil corporation trying to take over the world?

Originally Reviewed on: MotherGamerWriter.com show less

Seventeen-year-old Deznee Cross’ soul-purpose in life is to piss off her father any way she can. When a hot guy stumbles through the woods and falls at her feet as she is walking home from a party, she sees this as the perfect opportunity to annoy her father. She’ll take mister HotStuff home with her, let him use their shower and maybe let him stay the night. The guy’s name, she learns, is Kale, and to say he is odd is an understatement. He freaks out when she tries to touch him, and he is completely enamored with simple things such as vases and DVD’s.

The reaction Deznee gets from her father is not exactly what she expected. Rather than being annoyed, her father pulls a gun on Kale and demands that Deznee get away from the boy show more as he is dangerous. What Deznee will soon learn is that her father isn’t really a lawyer. He works for the Denazen Corporation, and Kale recently escaped. Denazen collects people they call Sixes. Sixes have extraordinary abilities due to an anomaly in the sixth chromosome. Kale just so happens to be one of the more powerful sixes – he can disintegrate any living thing just by touching them. It’s now up to Deznee to help Kale escape, but what she soon learns is that her father hides even more secrets than she ever could have expected, and eluding he and his cronies is no easy task.

I absolutely loved this book. It reminded me a lot of the first season of Heroes. The writing is very fast-paced, and Ms. Accardo does an excellent job of giving the reader just enough time to catch their breath before she sends them spiraling into more action. I loved the characters and the rich, vivid descriptions. While the story had the potential to move into the absurd, or even worse, a clichéd super hero novel, I never felt it did. Everything about it felt fresh and well-organized. I can’t wait to read the next installment!

(Review based on an Advanced Reader’s Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley) show less

I sat down to write this review the moment I finished reading Touch. There are so many things floating around in my head--especially that last, awesome sentence that made me giggle erratically and left hungry for more.

But before we get to the ending, there are many more good things to say about Touch. It starts head-first, bursts into action on page one and keeps the adrenaline level on highest volume till the very end. There's definitely not a single dull moment in this book. I found myself sucked into it from the opening scene and during breaks I longed to be back in this mysterious world full of intrigues. As the story unfolds and the stakes get higher, the characters open up layer by layer. Kale is a particularly interesting chap. show more As he learns about the world outside, he also learns how complicated it is and what love feels like. Though he's a lethal weapon, at points I wanted to ruffle his hair and give him a bear hug, followed by hot chocolate and cookies. A boy who could turn you to dust simply by touching you, at the same time he's so wonderfully broken and vulnerable...

Deznee is just as lovable as Kale. When the cracks in her seemingly impenetrable armor started to show, I loved her even more. Jus Accardo did a great job on character development there. Every so often she throws in bits that make you see Dez from a different perspective. I especially loved the past relationship that returns to haunt her. (I'm avoiding spoilers here).

This is a perfect addition to your YA bookshelf if you like X-men or prefer your YA reads to be exploding with action and romance. show less

This book was a bit of a slow starter for me, but once I got a little further I really got into it. It turned out to be a fast paced, action packed, and awesome read. When I first started reading TOUCH, I was sure that I really liked Dez. She seemed a little too brash and unrelatable, but as I got to know her better, I realized that wasn't all there was to her. Fictional characters can have defense mechanisms, too. I definitely got to appreciate her sarcastic personality, but I also really liked the parts of her that shone through when she was with Kale. Oh, Kale. He's hot and mysterious, so obviously he's the perfect male lead. My favorite things about him, though, were his complete cluelessness and utter lack of common courtesy. The show more life he'd lived, before meeting Dez, wasn't really conducive to living in the real world. I absolutely adored the scenes where Dez had to explain the most basic things to Kale. Things you would never really have to explain in daily life.

I am a huge fan of books, movies, or tv shows that have an evil corporation as the big bad. I don't know why exactly, but I just really love the inner workings and how they are trying to take over the world or destroy humanity. Denazen was such a cool evil corporation. Whenever I spend a lot of time in a fictional place like this, I end up dreaming of going on
elaborate rescue missions and saving all the prisoners. I would love to rescue the captives at Denazen, they are definitely the people you want on your side in a fight. Dez's dad was the big man at Denazen and he definitely fit in. Heartless doesn't even begin to describe that guy. Ick.

This was a fantastic beginning for this series and I cannot wait for the next book. I'm dying to know what comes next for all of my favorite characters and where Jus takes this world to next. If you like a book with great characters, an awesome premise and fantastic writing, then this is one to add to your to read list. show less