Review: Touch by Jus Accardo

Touch

(Denazen # 1)

By: Jus Accardo

Pub. Date: November 1, 2011

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Pages: 251

Source: Purchased

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.

This book is fantastic and amazing and awesome. I loved everything about it. From the writing, to the characters, to the plot-everything was perfect and it all came together for a wonderful story! It reminded me a lot of the TV show Heroes. But even with that similarity, Touch was still a very unique and original read!

The main character is Dez. She is an adrenaline junkie and will do anything to get her father's attention, who basically ignores her. She would rather her father think she is a slut that sleeps around, because at least she is getting a response from him. One night on her way home she runs into a young man named Kale. He looks terrified and is obviously on the run from someone. She decides to help him, because if her father comes home and sees a guy in her room, she will get a rise out of him. What happens next is intense and the rest of the story is never-ending action.

I loved Kale and my heart broke for him. He spent his entire life being a prisoner at the Denazen Corporation basically being tortured. He's been through so much and forced to do some very horrible things, but he was still so innocent and loving.

Dez was hilarious. I loved her! My absolute favorite quote in Touch is from Dez:

I wonder what the FML post would look like- Today, when my father tried to shoot me, I found out he was an assassin monger who's been keeping my mom locked away in a secret facility for freaky killers. FML.

How can you not love that she created her own FML post. I think it's hilarious!

I found the romance between Dez and Kale very sweet. Dez had to explain basic romance to Kale, from holding hands, to kissing, to sex. I love the questions Kale asked and the explanations Dez gave him. It was so cute and innocent. Kale sees the world in a completely different and refreshing way and I loved it. His innocence is just adorable.

The entire story was terrific. There was never a dull moment and you never knew where Jus Accardo was going to take us next. You never knew what was going to happen, and you never knew who to trust. The ending was completely satisfying, and while it didn't really end on a cliffhanger, the story is still open for a second book, and I can't wait to read about Kale and Dez again!