Touch

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.

The Denazen series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order:
Book #1: Touch
Book #1.5: Untouched (novella)
Book #2: Toxic
Book# 2.5: Faceless (novella)
Book #3: Tremble

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Jun 26, 2012
• ISBN: 9781620610145

Book preview

For Kevin…

Every miracle in my life is because of you.

1

I couldn’t see them, but I knew they were there, waiting at the bottom. Bloodthirsty little shits—they were probably praying for this to go badly. What do you think—about a fifteen-foot drop?

Easily, Brandt said. He grabbed my arm as a blast of wind whipped around us. Once I was steady on my skateboard, he tipped back his beer and downed what was left.

Together, we peered over the edge of the barn roof. The party was in full swing below us. Fifteen of our closest—and craziest—friends.

Brandt sighed. Can you really do this?

I handed him my own empty bottle. They don’t call me Queen of Crazy Shit for nothing. Gilman was poised on his skateboard to my left. Even in the dark, I could see the moonlight glisten off the sweat beading his brow. Pansy. You ready?

He swallowed and nodded.

Brandt laughed and tossed the bottles toward the woods. There were several seconds of silence, then a muted crash, followed by hoots and hysterical laughter from our friends below. Only drunk people would find shattering bottles an epic source of amusement.

I dunno about this, Dez, he said. You can’t see anything down there. How do you know where you’re gonna land?

It’ll be fine. I’ve done this, like, a million times.

Brandt’s words were clipped. Into a pool. From a ten-foot-high garage roof. This is at least fifteen feet. Last thing I want to do is drag your ass all the way home.

I ignored him—the usual response to my cousin’s chiding—and bent my knees. Turning back to Gilman, I smiled. "Ready, Mr. Badass?"

Someone below turned up one of the car stereos. A thumping techno beat drifted up. Hands on the sill behind me, drunken shouts of encouragement rising from below, I let go.

Hair lashed like a thousand tiny whips all along my face. The rough and rumbling texture of the barn roof beneath my board. Then nothing.

Flying. It was like flying.

For a few blissful moments, I was weightless. A feather suspended in midair right before it fluttered gracefully to the ground. Adrenalin surged through my system, driving my buzz higher.

The crappy thing about adrenalin highs, though? They never last long enough.

Mine lasted what felt like five seconds—the time it took to go from the barn roof to the not-so-cushy pile of hay below.

I landed with a jar—nothing serious—a bruised tailbone and some black and blues, maybe. Hardly the worst I’d ever walked away with. Stretching out the kink in my back, I brushed the hay from my jeans. A quick inspection revealed a smudge above my right knee and a few splotches of mud up the left side. All things the washing machine could fix.

Somewhere behind me, a loud wail filled the air. Gilman.

Never mix tequila and peach schnapps with warm Bud Light. It makes you do stupid things. Things like staying too long at a party you were told not to go to or making out in the bushes with someone like Mark Geller.

Things like skateboarding off the roof of a rickety barn…

Well, that’s not entirely true. I tended to do these things without the buzz. Except kissing Mark Geller. That was all alcohol.

You okay? Brandt called from the rooftop.

I gave him a thumbs-up and went to check on Gilman. He was surrounded by a gaggle of girls, which made me wonder if he wasn’t faking it—at least a little. A scrawny guy like Gilman didn’t warrant much in the way of female attention, so I’d bet all ten toes he’d run his mouth tonight to attract some.

You are one crazy ass, Chica, he mumbled, climbing to his feet.

I pointed to the pile of hay I’d landed in—several yards farther than where he’d crashed. "I’m crazy? At least I aimed for the hay."

Wooooo! came Brandt’s distinctive cry. A moment later, he was running around the side of the barn, fist pumping. He stopped at my side and stuck his tongue out at Gilman, who smiled and flipped him off. He punched me in the arm. That’s my girl!

"A girl who needs to bail. Ten minutes of kissy face in the bushes and Mark Geller thinks we’re soul mates. So don’t need a stalker."

Brandt frowned. But the party’s just getting started. You don’t want to miss the Jell-O shots!

Jell-O shots? Those were my favorite. Maybe it was worth…no. I’m willing to risk it.

Fine, then I’ll walk with ya.

No way, I told him. You’re waiting for Her Hotness to show, remember? He’d been trying to hook up with Cara Finley for two weeks now. She’d finally agreed to meet him at the party tonight, and I wasn’t ruining his chances by having him bail to play guard dog.

He glanced over his shoulder. In the field under the moonlight, people were beginning to dance. You sure you’re okay to go alone?

Of course. I gestured to my feet. No license needed to drive these babies.

He was hesitant, but in the end, Cara won out. We said good-bye, and I started into the dark.

Home was only a few minutes away—through the field, across a narrow stream, and over a small hill. I knew these woods so well, I could find home with my eyes closed. In fact, I practically had on more than one occasion.

Pulling my cell from my back pocket, I groaned. One a.m. If luck was with me, I’d have enough time to stumble home and tuck myself in before Dad got there. I hadn’t meant to stay so late this time. Or drink so much. I’d only agreed to go as moral support for Brandt, but when Gilman started running his mouth… Well, I’d had no choice but stay and put up so he’d shut up. I had a rep to worry about, after all.

By the time I hit the halfway point between the field and the house—a shallow, muddy stream I used to play in as a child—I had to stop for a minute. Thumping beats and distant laughter echoed from the party, and for a moment I regretted not taking Brandt up on his offer to walk home with me. Apparently, that last beer had been a mistake.

I stumbled to the water’s edge and forced the humid air in and out of my lungs. Locking my jaw and holding my breath, I mentally repeated, I will not throw up.

After a few minutes, the nausea passed. Thank God. No way did I want to walk home smelling like puke. I shuffled back from the water, ready to make my way home, when I heard a commotion and froze.

Crap. The music had been too loud and someone must have called the cops. Perfect. Another middle-of-the-night call from the local PD wasn’t something Dad would be happy about. On second thought, bring on the cops. The look on his face would be so worth the aggravation.

I held my breath and listened. Not sounds coming from the party—men yelling.

Heavy footsteps stomping and thrashing through the brush.

The yelling came again—this time closer.

I crammed the cell back into my pocket, about to begin what was sure to be a messy climb up the embankment, when movement in the brush behind me caught my attention. I whirled in time to see someone stumble down the hill and land a few feet from the stream.

Jesus! I jumped back and tripped over an exposed root, landing on my butt in the mud. The guy didn’t move as I fumbled upright and took several wobbly steps forward. He’d landed at an odd angle, feet bare and covered in several nasty looking slices. I squinted in the dark and saw he was bleeding through his thin white T-shirt in several places as well as from a small gash on the side of his head. The guy looked like he’d gone ten rounds with a weed whacker.

Somewhere between eighteen and nineteen, he didn’t look familiar. No way he went to my high school. I knew pretty much everyone. He couldn’t have been at the party—he was cute. I would have remembered. I doubted he was even local. His hair was too long, and he was missing the signature Parkview T-shirt tan. Plus, even in the dark it was easy to make out well-defined arms and broad shoulders. This guy obviously hit the gym—something the local boys could’ve used.

I bent down to check the gash on the side of his head, but he jerked away and staggered to his feet as the yelling came again.

Your shoes! he growled, pointing to my feet. His voice was deep and sent tiny shivers dancing up and down my spine. Give me your shoes!

Buzzed or not, I was still pretty sharp. Whoever those guys yelling in the woods were, they were after him. Drug deal gone south? Maybe he’d gotten caught playing naked footsie with someone else’s girlfriend?

Why—?

Now! he hissed.

I wouldn’t have even considered giving up my favorite pair of red Vans if he hadn’t looked so seriously freaked. He was being chased. He thought having my shoes would somehow help? Fine. Maybe as a weapon? Rocks would have worked better in my opinion, but to each his own.

Against my better judgment, I took several steps back and, without turning away from him, pulled them off. Stepping up, I tossed him the sneakers—and teetered forward. Instead of trying to catch me, he took a wide step back, allowing me to fall into the mud.

My frickin’ hero!

I struggled upright and flicked a glob of mud from my jeans as he bent down to snatch the shoes—without moving his gaze from mine. His eyes were beautiful—ice blue and intense—and I found it hard to look away. He set the sneakers on the ground and poised his right foot over the first one. A giggle rose in my throat. No way he’d be jamming his bigass feet into them.

He proved me wrong. Cramming his toes in, heels poking obscenely over the edges, he wobbled with an odd sort of grace to the embankment and wedged himself between a partially uprooted tree and a hollowed-out log. He teetered slightly as he walked, and I remembered the nasty gashes on his foot. Great. Now on top of borrowing my kicks, he was going to bleed all over them.

My gaze dropped to the spot he’d been standing. It was dark and the moon had tucked itself behind the clouds so I couldn’t see very well, but something about the ground didn’t look quite right. The color seemed off—darker than it should be.

I squinted, bending to brush my fingers along the dark spot, but more rustling in the woods had my gaze swinging hard left, heartbeat kicking into high gear. The next thing I knew, a group of four men exploded from the brush and came storming down the embankment like ravers on crack. Dressed in dark blue, skintight body suits that covered them from fingertips to toes, little was left to the imagination. Mimes. They reminded me of mimes.

Mimes with what looked a lot like Tasers.

You! The one in the front called out as he skidded to a stop. Looking at the ground, he surveyed the trail leading to the shallow water. Has anyone been past here?

From the corner of my eye I saw the boy, face pale, watching us. All the men would have had to do was turn to the right and they’d surely see him.

Some punk came barreling through a few minutes ago. I stomped my sock-clad foot. Mud sloshed through the material and oozed between my toes. Ick! Stole my damn shoes!

Which way did he go?

Was he serious? I was about to make a joke about not being allowed to talk to strangers, but the look on his face made me think twice. Mr. Mime didn’t seem like he was rocking a sense of humor. I threw my hands up in surrender and pointed in the direction opposite the one I planned on going.

Without another word, the men split into two groups. Half of them heading the way I’d directed, the other half taking off opposite. Huh. Guess they didn’t trust a semi-drunk chick with a nose ring and no shoes.

I waited till they were out of sight before making my way over to where the boy crouched, still hidden behind the brush. They’re gone. I think it’s safe to come out and play now.

He held my gaze and maneuvered out of the hiding spot. When he made no move to remove my sneakers, I nodded to his feet. Planning to give my kicks back anytime soon?

He shook his head and folded his arms. I can’t give them back to you.

"Why the hell not? Because seriously, dude, red is not your color."

He looked at the ground for a moment, then let his gaze wander over the path he’d traveled earlier. I’m hungry. He was staring again. Do you have any food?

He gets my shoes then asks for food? The guy had some serious nerve.

The gash on his head still oozed a little and the faint bluish-purple of a bruise was beginning to surface across his left cheek, but it was the haunted look in his eyes that stood out above everything else like a flashing neon sign. He kept flicking his fingers, one at a time. Pointer, middle, ring, and pinky—over and over.

An owl hooted and I remembered the time. Dad would be home soon. This might work to my advantage. I knew bringing the guy home would royally piss him off. He’d have puppies if he found a stranger in the house. Hell, he might even have a llama.

But while the thought of pushing Dad closer to the edge gave me warm tingles, it wasn’t my only motivation. I kind of wanted a little more time with the guy. Those arms… Those eyes. We were all alone out in the middle of the woods. If he’d wanted to go serial killer on me, he would have made a move by now. I didn’t believe he was dangerous. My house isn’t far from here—Dad went to the grocery store the other day. Lots of junk food if that’s your thing.

The look in his eyes made me think he didn’t trust me—which I didn’t get. I’d given him my shoes for crap’s sake. I don’t know who your friends were, but they might double back. You’ll be safe at my place for a while. Maybe they’ll give up.

He looked downstream and shook his head. They are not the type of men who give up.

2

It was a straight path through the woods and across to Kinder Street. The small cul-de-sac bordered the Parkview Nature Preserve and was home to five houses, all painfully similar except for their color. As we walked, I tried to get the guy to talk a few times, but all I got were simple, one-word answers that told me jack-shit. Eventually, I gave up and settled on counting the heavy fall of my shoes—still on his feet—as they clomped against the earth.

By the time the house came into view, I was dying of curiosity.

So, ready to fill me in yet? Who were those guys in the fruity leotards? I fought with the front door lock. Damn thing always stuck. Did you piss off a herd of male ballet dancers?

Silence.

The door finally gave way and I stepped aside, waving him in. He didn’t move. Well?

You first.

Alrighty then. Someone had a serious case of paranoia. I stepped in and waited. It took a few moments, but finally, he crossed the threshold.

Can you at least tell me your name?

He wandered the room, running his fingertips along the edge of the couch and over some of Mom’s old knickknacks. Sue calls me Kale, he mumbled after a minute of hesitation. He picked up a small crystal horse, held it to his ear, then shook it several times before setting it back down and continuing on.

Kale what?

The question halted his inspection and earned me a funny look. In his hand was the tile ashtray Mom made at an arts and crafts fair the week before I was born. It was cheesy and cheap looking, but I was still afraid he might drop it.

As in your last name?

I don’t need one, he said, and returned to his surveillance. It was like he was searching for something. Picking apart each item in the room as if it might contain the clues to a mass murder—or maybe he was looking for a breath mint.

How very Hollywood of you. I hefted the laundry basket off the floor, set it on the couch, and rummaged through it till I found a pair of Dad’s sweatpants and an old T-shirt. Here. The bathroom is upstairs—second door on the right. There should be clean towels in the closet on the first shelf if you want a shower. Take your time. Please take your time.

This would be the perfect payback for the ass-chewing Dad gave me for sneaking out last week. That, and it didn’t hurt that Kale was a total hottie.

He made no move to take the clothes from me.

Look, no worries, all right? Dad isn’t due home for awhile and you’re covered in mud and gunk. I set the clothes down on the seat in front of him and took a step back to grab a pair of my jeans from the basket.

Without taking his eyes from me, he gathered the clothes in his arms and stared. His expression was so intense I had to remind myself to keep breathing. Something about the way he watched me caused my stomach to do little flips. The eyes. Had to be. Crystalline blue and unflinching. The kind of stare that could make a girl go gaga. The kind of stare that could make this girl go gaga—and that was saying a lot. I wasn’t easily impressed by a pretty face.

He seemed to accept this because he gave a quick nod and slowly backed out of the room and up the stairs. A few minutes later the shower hissed to life.

While I waited, I changed out of my muddy clothes and started a pot of coffee. Even if Dad didn’t find a strange guy in the house when he got home, he’d be pissed about the coffee. I couldn’t count the times he’d told me the El Injerto was strictly hands off. He even tried to hide it—as if that would have worked. If he wanted me to leave his coffee alone, he should go back to drinking the Kopi Luwak. No way—no matter how much I loved coffee—would I drink anything made from a bean some tree rat crapped out.

I’d almost finished folding the laundry when Kale came down the stairs.

Much better. You look almost human. The pants were a little baggy—Kale was a few inches shorter than Dad’s six three—and the shirt was a bit too big, but at least he was clean. He still had his feet crammed into my favorite red Vans. They were soaked. Had he worn them in the shower?

Your name? he asked once he’d reached the bottom, the sneakers sloshing and spitting with each step. He had worn them in the shower!

Deznee, but everyone calls me Dez. I pointed to the soggy Vans. Um, you ever gonna take my sneakers off?

No, he said. I cut myself.

Maybe something wasn’t screwed on right. There was a mental facility in the next town—it wasn’t unheard of for patients to get out once in a while. Leave it to me to find the hottest guy in existence and have him be a total whack job. Oh. Well, that explains it all then, doesn’t it…?

He nodded and began wandering the room again. Stopping in front of one of mom’s old vases—an ugly blue thing I kept only because it was one of the few things still in the house that belonged to her—he picked it up. Where are the plants?

Plants?

He looked underneath and inside, before turning it over and shaking it as though something might come tumbling out. This should have plants in it, right?

I stepped forward and rescued the vase. He jerked away. Easy there. I carefully placed the blue monstrosity back on the table and stepped back. He was staring again. You didn’t think I was going to hit you or something, did you?

In eighth grade I’d had a classmate who we later found out was being abused at home. I remembered him being skittish—always twitching and avoiding physical contact. His eyes were a lot like Kale’s, constantly darting and bobbing back and forth as though attack was imminent.

I expected him to avoid the question, or deny it—something evasive. That’s what abused kids did, right? Instead, he laughed. A sharp, frigid sound that made my stomach tighten and the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up.

It also made my blood pump faster.

He crossed his arms and stood straighter. You couldn’t hit me.

You’d be surprised, I countered, slightly offended. Three summers in a row at the local community center’s self-defense classes. No one was hitting this chick.

A slow, devastating smile spread across his lips. That smile had probably ruined a lot of girls. Dark, shaggy hair, tucked behind each ear, still dripped from the shower, ice blue eyes following every move I made.

You couldn’t hit me, he repeated. Trust me.

He turned away and wandered to the other side of the room, picking up things as he went. Everything received a quizzical, and almost critical, once-over. The trio of Popular Science magazines sitting on the coffee table, the vacuum I’d left leaning against one wall, even the TV remote sticking between two cushions on the couch. He stopped at a wall shelf full of DVDs, pulling one out and examining it. Is this your family? He brought the box closer and narrowed his eyes, turning it over in his hands several times.

You’re asking me if—I stood on my tiptoes and looked at the box in his hands. Uma Thurman glared at me from the cover, wearing her iconic yellow motorcycle suit—"Uma Thurman is a relative?" Maybe he wasn’t loony. Maybe he had been at the party. I’d missed the Jell-O shots, but obviously he hadn’t.

Why do you have their photograph if they’re not your family?

Seriously, what rock did you crawl out from under? Pointing to a small collection of frames on the mantle, I said, Those are pictures of my family. Well, except my mom. Dad didn’t keep any pictures of her in the house. I nodded to the DVDs and said, Those are actors. In movies.

This place is very strange, he said, picking up the first picture. Me and my first bike—a powder-pink Huffy with glitter and white streamers. Is this you?

I nodded, cringing. Pink sneakers, Hello Kitty sweatshirt, and pink ribbons tied to the end of each braid. Dad used it on a daily basis to point out how far I’d fallen. I’d gone from fresh-faced blonde with perky pigtails—his sunshine smile girl—to pierced nose and eyebrow with wild blonde hair highlighted by several chunky black streaks. I liked to think if my mom were alive, she’d be proud of the woman I’d become. Strong and independent—I didn’t put up with anyone’s crap. Including Dad’s. That’s how I imagined her when she was alive. An older, more beautiful version of

Reviews for Touch

[andreat78_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In One Word ~ BoldBold is the best description I have for TOUCH, the debut novel from Jus Accardo. From the opening scene, featuring a daredevil stunt from main character, Dez, to the very last scene in the book, TOUCH manages to keep pace as an thrilling, funny, and daring book.The concept behind TOUCH isn't completely new, but the author manages to add enough clever twists to the notion to make it refreshing and fun. I thought Dez and Kale were a treat to read. I enjoyed Dez's bold personality and experiencing the world for the first time through Kale's eyes. And, there was another character, someone I really shouldn't like, but I couldn't help getting excited during his scenes. I love when a secondary character surprises me in that way. The special abilites some of the characters had felt well-developed and the author managed to make use out of all them. Sometimes those abilites led to complicated, awkward and funny situations. I have to admit, my favorite part of the book is the deepening of the relationship between Dez and Kale. I'm a sucker for a love story. Kale and Dez both come from troubling, complicated situations. The both are trying to navigate their feelings, all of the revelations about their lives and just normal teenage feelings and physical reactions. TOUCH ends with not exactly a cliffhanger, but a very, very cool revelation. I can't wait to see what the next book in the series will bring for these characters!Favorite Quote ~ " 'This can't be real,' he hissed. 'I don't deserve-' 'You do,' I insisted. Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes as I silenced further protests with a fierce kiss.' "*I received a copy of Touch from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.*

[itsbookishme · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An unbelievably amazing read. Fast paced and action packed. Very intriguing concept with surprising villains, not the expected bad guy found in a PNR book. Great characters too, Dez is my kind of heroine, she's brave, extremely secure in herself, and kind of a bad ass. Love Kale, it was so fascinating to see things through his eyes. I think he brought a lot to the story and I hope he doesn't change too much as he learns more about life and the world outside. Very cool story can't wait to devour more of this series.

[celeste.harrington · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

**The books were received from the publisher but that did not influence the review**

I reviewed this with Ana on The Book Hookup

♥ Initial thought after finishing:
Ana: Really enjoying this series! So many twists and turns…such evil bad people…and a great romance!

Celeste: 4.5 stars! Loved! Holy double crossing!! Fast paced with a great romance full of sparks (lol).

♥ The story:
Ana: I liked the adventure of these stories. There was lots of action and unexpected twists that kept the stories moving along quickly. The premise of the books, one where there’s an evil organization using people with special powers, may not be new but the level of evil the Denazen corporation is capable of is quite different. The appearance of Kale at the very beginning of Touch meant that the mystery started immediately, it was a book that captured me right from the start.
Celeste: I really, really really enjoyed it. I devoured the book-read in one day. Deznee, or Dez as she prefers, lives with her cold, unemotional father. She’ll do anything to get a rise out of him. One day she runs across Kale who is fleeing for his life. She doesn’t know what to make of him, but soon starts to learn her life with her “lawyer” father isn’t what it seemed. There’s evil to fight and people to save!


♥ The Characters:
Ana: Dez was such a spunky, smart character. Her ability to figure out situations and face danger head on was great. She had a sarcastic inner voice that had me laughing at times. Although I couldn’t relate to her dislike of her father, I was still on her side and admired her sass. She was strong and good with “weird” which worked for her because her life is full of weird! Kale is a great mystery at the beginning of this story and goes through lots of growth as the book progresses. His curiosity had me smiling and his straightforwardness was refreshing. He was simultaneously innocent and fierce. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he was also sweet and dreamy but didn’t seem to know it! The villains in this book were indeed evil and I didn’t have any trouble disliking them.

Celeste: I flip flopped a lot with many of the secondary characters because their loyalties were not clear. Personally, I loved the mystery of trying to decide which side of the fence so many were really on. However, there were solid main characters in this book that definitely had their side and were consistent the whole way through.

Dez = a great heroine. At first look she is a typical rebellious teen, just looking for attention and not afraid to get it. She will defy her father in any bold way – even I was impressed with the lengths she would go.
Marshall Cross (her father) = not at all what he seemed. The more I read the more absolutely evil he was. He doesn’t seem to have a single ounce of humanity in him, even for his daughter. He seems to use her as a pawn in his game as well. Truly awful.
Kale = I loved him! Yes, maybe a bit silly since he has been kept on the “inside”, but his personality was still kind. He spirit never got destroyed. Then let’s talk about his perfect physique and ice blue eyes and shaggy hair that could tuck behind both ears…..rawr!

♥ The Relationship:
Ana: As with many YA books, the relationship takes off pretty quickly. The difference here is that the character with the life experience is the girl, not the boy. The innocence that Kale brings into the relationship made it all that much sweeter. It was a slow smolder in many ways while still moving along quickly enough for the reader. I liked the way that Dez handled the relationship in almost a delicate way considering she was so worldly. Because of Kale’s special power, I was concerned that the relationship couldn’t be real (trust me, this will make sense once you read the book) but he was ultimately able to convince me of his feelings and I jumped on board of the Dez/Kale train.

Celeste: Yup, I’m on board this train! While Dez was no innocent teen, it was all for show. Her previous relationship with Alex had been (in my opinion) just something that made her feel loved since it seemed like she had no affection in her life. Almost as soon as she meets Kale there is a connection, and not just because he is gorgeous and she is resistant to his ability. It is sweet and sexy because Kale was just going on his feelings and pure physical reactions.

♥ Overall feelings:
Ana: I found Touch more enjoyable than Untouched because, in truth Touch is where the character building happened and where we had the opportunity to get immersed in the story. Untouched, being a novella, was just a short “episode”…almost too quick to fall into. I did enjoyed the fact that Untouched was actually written in Kale’s POV. It was good to see what his feelings were about this world and understand the range of emotions he felt both for his past as well as Dez. But, in reality, it was Touch that won me over. Overall, the books were well written and the stories moved along smoothly. I liked the characters and routed for them from the very beginning.

Celeste: I thoroughly enjoyed Touch. It jumped right into the story from the first chapter. Of course many secrets were uncovered and revealed as we went along. It was well written and I was sold. Honestly, my biggest complaint is that I hated the name Deznee “Dez”. I understood later kind of why she was given that name, but still. terrible choice. It could easily have been something else. However, it didn’t make me like her or the story any less.

[iris0boekenplank · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Originally Reviewed at Witchmag's BoekenplankThis book has everything this girl could ever want. It has a terrific story, interesting and amusing characters, fantastic world-building, paranormal activities and a great protagonist in the form of a real down-to-earth girl. The cherry on the top was the totally adorable male protagonist. Kale is just too adorable for words and so innocent. The way he looks at the world, like he’s never seen it before, it makes you think twice about every day stuff. He’s also capable of asking the most embarrassing questions, without realizing. I really pitied Dez at the moment, cause how will you explain? And don’t forget the joy with which he discovers new things! *sigh* I was a puddle of goo after only a few pages in and ready to hurt anybody who dared hurting him. This bond only grew deeper as I got to know him more. *sigh* May he be always be this innocent, cute and funny!I liked Dez a lot too. Not as much as Kale (sorry, but who can win against an innocent handsome guy with a trauma?), but she, too, has her good points. Mainly being a kick-ass heroine. Something I don’t see that much in YA. Sorry, let me phrase this a bit better: a kick-ass heroine who DOESN’T do the most idiotic things I’ve ever seen. Indeed a are sight to behold! Even though I’d preferred she beat a bit more through the bush and has a bit more patience, she’s capable of seeing the consequences of her actions. To think what will happen if she acts like an idiot. And she has a great sense of humor to boot!The story itself was also a delight to read! Exactly the right amount of suspense, alternated with humor and surprising discoveries. At times the book really kept me on the edge of my seat! Mainly because time and time again it was hard to gauge the true motives of the characters in the book. Are they truly helping Dez and Kale? Or are they just pretending too? This made the story so more exciting and intriguing…And then there was the world-building: fantastic! A world full of people with paranormal powers. An evil society bend on using those powers for their own gain. Oh what a great set up! I especially liked the detailed way the powers were depicted. There were lots of familiar powers, but also ones I’ve never heard of before. Like the man who could turn into a panda or the boy who ate fire! It was a true delight to discover all of them. What a well-thought world this was!Conclusion4 HEARTS. It was an amazing book with one of the most adorable and innocent guy I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. There’s also a kick-as heroine, a story that will keep you on edge and a wonderful world to discover. So what more could you want? I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves paranormal or romance and it’s a must read for lovers of both ;)

[thelittlebookworm · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Little BookwormWhile I found this book to be a quick read, it reads like a checklist of an action-adventure/science-fiction movie. Plucky heroine? Check. Brooding guy with a dark secret? Check. Evil organization with an agenda? Check. But despite the cliches involved, it is a fun book and an easy read. I wasn't a huge fan of Deznee throughout the book. She rubbed me the wrong way and I kept wondering what it was about her that made all the boys fall over themselves. Because she is, frankly, fairly abrasive. And Kale is so blank. There is very little to his character except to growl menacingly at anyone who threatens his woman and to become fascinated at everything about Dez or the world in general. A little more character development would not have been amiss for anyone in this book. The action never stalled though and that was good. Because really this is an action based book. Dez moves from scenario to scenario trying to figure out how to save Kale and her mom from Denezen and how to deal with her bad guy dad. She does a great job figuring out what to do next. And she really does kick ass in her own right. The book ends with a typical cliffhanger and while I enjoyed reading it, I doubt I will continue on with the series.

[gigisiriereads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An unbelievably amazing read. Fast paced and action packed. Very intriguing concept with surprising villains, not the expected bad guy found in a PNR book. Great characters too, Dez is my kind of heroine, she's brave, extremely secure in herself, and kind of a bad ass. Love Kale, it was so fascinating to see things through his eyes. I think he brought a lot to the story and I hope he doesn't change too much as he learns more about life and the world outside. Very cool story can't wait to devour more of this series.

[kvhardy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Starting out as a light, action-based tale (perfect when you are waiting endlessly for your own, real-life angst-filled teenagers), it becomes mighty predictable. Even I could guess most of it, and I'm usually a "tourist" when I read, and don't really try to guess what happens. Point in it's favor - the heroine is the one who usually saves the hottie guy's butt instead of the other way around, and doesn't wait around for someone to rescue her. Thumbs way up for that. Unfortunately, the REALLY weak plot kind of discourages me from continuing. Too connect-the-dot for me.

*Very slight spoiler (not really a spoiler but just in case)* There is one memorable scene that stays in my mind (cuz I'm superficial that way...) where Dez is being interviewed by Mercy for her new "employment". Dez's smartass replies could have been over the top and silly, but they weren't. I COMPLETELY enjoyed that scene.

[tanat-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Touch (Denazen # 1) by Jus Accardo

This is the first book I’ve read by Jus Accardo and I have to say that I am so glad that I had the chance to read it. Jus writing is excellent this story started off with a bang, the plot is great, character development excellent and all I can say is Jus Accardo has me hooked into the Denazen Series. This story is easy to read, fast paced and I couldn’t stop reading it till I was at the end.

We meet Dez, who is leaving a party and cuts through the woods, trying to get home before her father. In the woods she bumps into Kale who is running from something and she can see he needs her help so she offers to bring him to her house to get him away from whoever is chasing him. Dez knows this may cause some problems at home with her father but that doesn’t stop her. Dez is used to being in trouble acting out is typical behavior for her…… skateboarding, drinking pretty much doing whatever she wants all just trying to get her father’s attention.

As Kale and Dez get to know each other Kale is shocked he can touch Dez as his touch usually kills….but to make matters worse Kale and Dez end up on the run from Dez’s father when they realize he is not a lawyer like she thought but the head of the company that has been using Kale and keeping him locked up. They end up on the run and both agreeing they have to stop the Denazen Corp.

Touch is the first book in this series and it is a fantastic read, full of action, lies, secrets and of course romance. I have rated Touch a 4 star rating and I cannot wait to read more in this series.

[shayanasha · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Hmmm.....

I liked this book - I think. Dez was cool. Kale was swoonworthy, mostly. The plot was nothing original though - people with X-Men like powers, a big evil corporation capturing them and using them for their own evil deeds.. meh, where I have seen it all before? I still found Kale's wonder at everything cute and adorable, albeit a bit stupid - especially with the hand-holding thing. I didn't have urges to flung the book towards the wall but I didn't have excess love for it too.

It was an okay book with enough elements of romance, suspense and action, but I didn't find anything new or remarkable about it.

3 Stars

[cynthiae77 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wasn't really sure I would like this book very much when I realized it had that whole X-Men kinda vibe. I'm not into the X-Men, mutant thing. However, once I started reading Touch, I got totally sucked in!I really like the characters Accardo created. Deznee is a bad-ass chick that can hold her own. She lives to piss her father off, and could care less of what others think of her. The only problem I had with this story (and the reason I didn't give it 5 stars) is as smart as Dez is, she never had one suspicion her dad was up to no good. For 17 years she believed her father was a lawyer and not the mutant (Sixes is what they call them in this book) harboring scum he was. Was there really NEVER ONE CLUE?Okay, anyways, her love interest in Touch is the hot escapee from Denazen (her father's company), Kale. He was taken as a child and raised within Denazen as an assassin. He hasn't had much experience with the outside world and is completely out of his element once he escapes. As he's being chased by the men from Denazen, he and Dez cross paths. This is the opening scene in the book.Touch is fast paced, entertaining, and a really fun (MUST) read.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Very action packed YA Paranormal with some fun characters and steamy romance.Opening Sentence: I couldn’t see them, but I knew they were there, waiting at the bottom.The Review: Denzee Cross is your all around party girl. She doesn’t have a care in the world and she would do anything to piss off her father. So one night when she is walking home from a party she runs into a mysterious boy that is running for his life. He happens to be gorgeous and what would make her father madder than finding a boy in his house in the middle of the night. So Dez takes the boy home and her world turns upside down. Turns out her mystery boy has just escaped from Denazen Corporation and he is special and very dangerous. His name is Kale and his touch is lethal to anyone he touches except for Dez. Dez’s father works for Denazen Corporation and all these years she thought he was a lawyer but it turns out he runs a special program for people with special abilities like Kale, these people are known as sixes. Denazen captures all these people and forces them to do what they want or they will terminate them. Dez was told that her mother was killed during labor but it turns out she is a six and she has been detained in Denazen all these years. Dez decides that she wants to save her mother and Kale is the only person to have ever escaped from Denazen, so Dez will need his help. While on the run with Kale she has to confront her past, her future, and the secrets she has kept from everyone.Dez is a very spunky, wild girl. She has a pretty feisty personality which makes her a fun heroine to read about. She is also very caring even though she has a hard time showing it at times. She used to have a great relationship with her father but one day he just seemed to stop caring about her and from then on she did everything in her power to defy him. She turned into a big time partier and fooled around with different boys. When she was 15 she meets her first love Alex, but he broke her heart and she has never really given another guy the time of day until she meets Kale.Kale is an interesting character. He has been in Denazen all his life so he doesn’t really know how to be normal. He has never been able to touch anyone but Dez without killing them. Everything he experiences is for the first time, and he finds it all very fascinating. He agrees to help Dez try to free her mother. Kale is very protective, sweet and a total hottie. He and Dez start to develop feelings but Dez is very hesitant to let him in. She has been hurt in the past and Kale has never really known any other girls before her. They have great chemistry and some steamy scenes throughout the book. Then there is Alex, the boy that broke Dez’s heart a year ago when he cheated on her. She needs his help to try and find someone that might be able to help her mother. She hasn’t talked to him in a year but she can’t help but still have some feelings for him.This book is a very action packed, fast moving story. I was hooked from the first page. There were times when I got a little lost because so much was going on, but by the end I felt that everything came together nicely. I really enjoyed the characters and the plot kept me very interested the whole way through. The book flowed really well and had a great ending. There are more books to come in this series and I am very excited to see where the next book goes. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that likes YA Paranormal or YA Sci-Fi.Notable Scene:Heavy footsteps stomping and thrashing through the brush.The yelling came again – this time closer.I crammed the cell back into my pocket, about to begin what was sure to be a messy climb up the embankment, when movement in the brush behind me caught my attention. I whirled in time to see someone stumble down the hill and land a few feet from the stream.“Jesus!” I jumped back and tripped over and exposed root, landing on my butt in the mud. The guy didn’t move as I fumbled upright and took several wobbly steps forward. He’d landed at an odd angle, feet bare and covered in several nasty looking slices. I squinted in the dark and saw he was bleeding through his thin white T-shirt in several places as well as from a small gas in the side of his head. They guy looked like he’d gone ten rounds with a weed whacker.Somewhere between eighteen and nineteen, he didn’t look familiar. No way he went to my high school. I knew pretty much everyone. He couldn’t have been at the party – he was cute. I would have remembered. I doubted he was even local. His hair was too long, and he was missing the signature Parkview T-shirt tan. Plus, even in the dark it was easy to make out well-defined arms and broad shoulders. This guy obviously hit the gym – something the local boys could’ve used.FTC Advisory: Entangled Publishing provided me with a copy of Touch. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[pollywannabook · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyTOUCH is the first book in a new paranormal YA series that blends the mythology of Heroes with the romance and action packed storytelling of a summer blockbuster. The pace is slamming right from the first chapter. I can’t remember the last time I read a book with this much action. And the romance was just as strong. Kale has a childlike innocence about him when we first meet him. He had been raised inside the Denazen Corporation and had little to no knowledge of how the real world works. And because of his ‘gift’ he’s never been able to touch another living thing…until Dez. It was super sweet when she had to explain what a kiss was, and then super sexy when she had to show him.Sweet and sexy aside, TOUCH is not a flawless book. The chain of events—even in this supernatural world—were a little hard to believe at times. The Denazen Corporation was evil with a capital ‘E’ with endless resources and uparalleled security, yet Dez was able to get in and out fairly easily, and without spoiling anything, it didn’t really make sense that Dez was given the special treatment she was. There were also a few too convenient moments and every lead they followed paid off. I actually think TOUCH could have been even better with an extra hundred pages or so. The action is relentless, in a good way, but if it had been stretched out just little more, I think the depth and believability I was hoping for would have been there. One heads up regarding the sexual content, it’s on the heavy side for a YA. While the language is not exactly graphic, there is one sex scene that is highly sensual and doesn’t fade to black. Bottom line, TOUCH was a really fun, superfast paced book with lots of potential to get even better as the series progresses. The next book in the Denazen series is called TOXIC and will be published in May 1, 2012. I’m already looking forward to it.Sexual Content:Scenes of sensuality. One sex scene

[yabotd · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was excited to read Touch by Jus Accardo because it seemed dark and sexy, two amazing qualities in a book if you ask me. ;) Unfortunately, I didn't end up liking it as much as I hoped I would.Now, I'll preface my review by saying that I think there are readers who will really enjoy this book. There are definitely some good qualities to Touch. For example, the characters. Dez has a straightforward, tells-you-exactly-what-she's-thinking voice that helps the reader understand her immediately. The voice pulled me into the story right away. Definitely good stuff. Plus, Dez isn't a typical YA female heroine. She drinks, skateboards, and (gasp!) isn't a virgin. I love that she's different.There were a lot of other cool characters too. Dez's cousin Brandt is another of my favorites, though he doesn't play a huge role. Alex is interesting. Can't say he's a favorite because of his relationship with Dez, but he was pretty intriguing. Anyway, I think you get the point, characters = goodness.The plot is interesting too, even if the basics are pretty common in YA fiction. Big evil corporation/government is doing big evil things to people who happen to have special abilities. (Which, FYI, can sum up the plot for the story I'm writing too, so I clearly don't have anything against it.)I think my biggest problem is that the story and writing didn't seem developed enough to me. I'm having a hard time being more specific than that, but I can comment on one part of this: Kale. For some reason, Kale didn't resonate as realistic (as realistic as a sheltered person who's touch kills people could be). There was just something about his character that didn't feel well-rounded. I still liked him, but it irked me that he didn't seem complete.Overall, I'd say check out the summary, the first few pages, and some other reviews to decide whether or not Touch is for you. It wasn't my favorite book, but I wouldn't say it was bad either.Final thoughts: Borrow, if interested.

[summerskris_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

TThe cover told me that there would be plenty of action and that, well, there would be a hot, dangerous guy involved in all this. The book was just as exciting as I thought it would be. From the beginning, Accardo intrigues you with mystery and constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat. There is definitely a lot of action what with the main characters always being on the run and making dangerous plans... and getting involved in killer fight scenes.I love the characters. Dez is a strong female lead who won't be overshadowed by the guys, though she does get involved with a couple of them. She is tough, determined, and keeps her place. Kale, on the other hand, is a bit naïve, but he is a cool guy overall. He isn't afraid to say what's on his mind, and he is always there for Dez. Plus, there is some sizzling chemistry in this book!I've always been fascinated by superpowers. Accardo takes the concept of super-powered humans and adds her own twist to it. The concept of Sixes is exciting and contributes much to the overall plot of the story. Add to that secrets, betrayal, and loss.Dez grows from a girl who does things just to annoy her father to a young woman who will stand up for those she loves. She may be the adrenaline junkee, but Accardo may have turned me into one while reading touch. I could not put down this book. I was that hooked. In fact, Accardo still has me hooked and waiting to pounce on the second installment in the Denazen series!

[momgamerwriter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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 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

[tvaleros_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As an opener I'd like to say that 'Touch' by Jus Accardo is for the older (mature) young adults. There are at least 3 vivid steamy scenes especially for those whose imagination easily gets away from them =) and the 'Sh*t' word is also thrown here and there. It took me awhile in the beginning to get into the book because the style is much different than what I'm use to reading. Don't expect 'TOUCH' to be sugar coated and gum drops. This is not to say that I didn't like it because I DEFINITELY did! It was AWESOME! I enjoyed it! The characters all have strong personas and you can easily connect with each one. Each character will have you on a up and down emotional spiral with their own individual life story. Deznee is so not your usual typical heroine/protagonist. She is one kick-butt, take no crap, sarcastic, and adrenaline junky kind of girl! In the beginning I felt like she was taking things a little too over board with the whole "what can I do to piss-off dad". But in the end I empathized for her and for the reasons she has for her madness. Kale is the most adorable, innocent, but at the same time lethal kind of guy. He puts a whole new twist to devotion/possessiveness and just makes it sexy and appealing. The ending was like a breathe of fresh air because it didn't leave me hanging or disappointed, but the last paragraph did leave me a bit confused. Hopefully 'TOXIC' Book #2 will clear that up for me. Jus Accardo did an excellent job in mixing gut wrenching suspense, romance, and action pack scenarios into 'TOUCH' that I'm dying to read what happens next. A DEFINITE MUS READ! Thank you Entangled Publishing for TOUCH!!

[damarisgcr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you are a fan of X-Men or Heroes, then you are going to love Touch by Jus Accardo!Touch brought out so many emotions in me while reading it. I finished reading it in one sitting and loved everything about it. Putting it down was not an option for me. I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next, and how it ended. The characters were super funny, especially Dez. Her life was completely turned upside down by bringing a stranger home as a joke to her father. By doing that she opened a box of pure craziness. Things that she wasn’t quite prepared to deal with. Now all Dez has are questions and she wants to get to the bottom of everything. Her whole life was a lie and everything that never made sense before, now does. She also has a secret of her own that she is keeping. Trying to get to the bottom of everything while trying to keep her secret safe, Dez realizes that she is walking across a very dangerous line. There is just so much more I want to say about Touch, but then I would give away spoilers. Let’s just say Touch is full of betrayal and secrets, lots of action, a little bit of romance, and a group of people who are different and have a very unique power. It is unpredictable and had me at the edge of my seat. The characters are fearless and everything about the story was very believable. I would love to see Touch become a TV series or a movie. A MUST READ!5 out of 5 Stars!

[read_ivana · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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. 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.

[booktwirps · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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 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)

[jacindahinten · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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 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!

[abookwormshaven · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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 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.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I can tell you that right from the start this book had me extremely engaged and would not put it down. I just fell in love with it the moment I started to read it! So much innocence yet danger around every corner, Touch is a book so enticing that you have no choice but to finish! I loved the plot line of this book. It always intrigues me when a character can not touch anything, and hidden from the world. The aweness of Kale and everything he was learning had me laughing. I loved that the plot delve deeper than what I expected. It open doors to betrayals, secrets were exposed, but also new ones were made. The characters of this book really held on to me. I like that Ms. Accardo made it easy for the reader to step right into the story. Everything as I read, felt fresh, alive, and unique. I can say that once I started this book, I was no longer in my world, but running to fight for my life in the one she created! I loved that for the short moment in time, Ms. Accardo gripped me with her writing and took me somewhere wonderful. Now the love interest was definitely unique and beautiful. Unique well cause just the situation their in made it so much more fun to see develop. Beautiful cause with all of their struggles, the manage a peaceful love, a love that is strongly bonded and can not be broken. Touch is a great novel of action and adventure. Learning of what the government does, the hiding, the killing, had me reader the book faster. Over all, Touch is a beautiful touching book with a dark history spewing out of the pages. *There is cursing/sex scene*

[kr15tina · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What I LovedCharactersKale: I absolutely love him!! He is now one of my favorite boys of the YA genre. He is completely naive in the ways of our society and it is so cute when he discovers something new to him. Kale is also very fierce, protective and the perfect wounded bad boy. I completely fell in love with his character and especially those intense ice blue eyes.Deznee aka Dez: She is an decent character, I typically don't care much for slutty reputation characters but she does have a fierce rebellion streak. She did come really close to pissing me off, but she snapped out of it just in time to right her almost worst mistake of her life. I do give Dez major points for being stubborn and not giving up when the situation gets bad. The SixesThis book has all the different type of powers with the ones with powers trying to escape from those who would use, abuse and control the Sixes. I love books (and movies) that have this theme of the power wielders and the ones wanting to control them, it always makes for great entertainment and I was entertained throughout the entire book.Pushing the YA GenreI do love it when a YA books push the content to be for the more mature young adult audience (like the VA series, you can tell Mead writes adult books as well) and Touch pushes the content boundaries. The door isn't completely thrown open, but it has the perfect amount of romantic passion that is more mature. Top of the ListThis book easily made it on a few favorites list. Kale is now my favorite YA male and I would easily put him with some of my favorite adult males as well. He competes with All of Kendra Leigh Castle's boys, Curran, Adam from Mercy Thompson series and Camille's husbands from the Otherworld series by Yasmine Galenorn. Touch is also on the favorite YA list now.What I Didn't LikeWriting this review, I didn't do the book justice. The book was AMAZING!Recommendation GET IT NOW! Don't argue with me just get it.InformationDenazen seriesTouchToxic out Spring 2012Book 3& 2 novellas will also be written within this series

[zoey_talbon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

WELL. I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. Not because I'd heard bad reviews or anything, I just thought that it was going to be full of plot holes the size of craters. Why? I don't know.Dez is an interesting character. She's easy to relate to most of the time, and she wasn't weak and never whined. She did whatever she had to do to save Kale and the others she loved. My only problem with her was that I would have liked to seen a little more vulnerability in her, or maybe a hobby that didn't involve an adrenaline rush. It would have made her easier to connect with.I loved the concept of Sixes. Sixes are a person with a special power - some can control fire, some can kill with a touch, some can see the future, etc. I really liked how all of them had different powers. It was interesting to see how they all worked together.And Kale. I loved that boy. He was so innocent about some things, but at the same time, he was strong and fierce. And even if he was kind of a killer, he was still adorable ;DEven if I loved the book and its plot, there were still a few things I had problems with. The pacing, for one thing. The pacing of Dez and Kale's relationship seemed fine, but the pace of the book in general seemed a little too fast for me. Also, I would have liked to know a little more of Denazen, the corporation running the entire shebang, stealing Sixes off the street and forcing them to kill others, basically. I want to know how it was started. Most of all, I want to understand Dez's dad's motives for doing what he did. Of course, this is only the first book in a series, so maybe some of that will be explained later, but so far, all I've got is "He did it because he's evil."As for the writing style, I have no idea what I think of it. It wasn't beautiful, but it wasn't choppy and amateur. It wasn't ridiculously simple or complicated. I really didn't think about it at all while I was reading the book. There were quite a few mistakes, but since what I read isn't a finalized copy, I can't really complain about that, can I? :POverall: Touch is an intriguing novel full of suspense and amazing characters. While I was left with a few too many questions, it was an awesome read. 4 stars.

[nlsobon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I bought “Touch” after reading great things about it (mainly from “Half Blood” author, Jennifer L. Armentrout), and I’m glad that I took a chance on this book. “Touch” is an absolutely thrilling story full of wonderful characters. This is one of those books where you need to lock yourself away from the world for a few hours because you’re not going to want to put it down.The story is about Deznee Cross, who uses every opportunity to piss off her father, and Kale, a strange boy she meets one night after leaving a party. From the get go, you can see that there’s something different about Kale. But you don’t really know just what it is until Dez brings Kale home and finds out that her father knows him. Her entire life unravels in that moment. Everything she thought she knew about her father, her mother, and even herself, Dez finds herself questioning. But to find answers, she’ll find that this – Denazen and the Sixes – is much bigger than anything she could’ve possibly thought.I really love Dez and Kale, they are absolutely wonderfully written characters. It’s nice to see a romance unfold, rather than have one appear magically. Denazen was well thought out – the levels, the treatments of the Sixes. Accardo has crafted a wonderful start to a new series, one which I’ll continue to follow through to the end.“Touch” is addicting and I’d recommend you buy it. Immediately.

[mrsboswellbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I feel like I'm out of the norm after looking on Goodreads and seeing all of the 5 star reviews. I kept thinking to myself, "Did I miss something?" Someone even questioned my 3.5 star rating, asking what I didn't like about the book because they thought it was AMAZING! 3.5 isn't a bad rating, by any means! Technically, on the Goodreads scale, it is between "liked it" and "really liked it". There were just a few things that rubbed me the wrong way. Anyway, moving on from this rating rant.Touch came highly recommended by one, Jennifer Armentrout. After reading her fantastic Half-Blood, I was pretty much willing to pick up anything that she wrote or recommended. Not to mention that the synopsis sounded really intriguing. It made me think of an X-Men type of story. Secret organizations rounding up children with special abilities to use for their own means... sounds thrilling.Deznee does pretty much anything she knows, or remotely thinks, will piss her father off. This list includes bringing home Kale, the strange boy she found in the woods. When her father comes home and pulls a gun on them, Dez realizes there is a lot she doesn't know about her father... and herself. Suddenly, Dez is on the run with Kale fighting for both of their lives.Jus Accardo's Touch has a truly promising premise. The storyline took so many twists and turns, I was continually surprised. I really enjoyed reading about all of the special abilities that each person had. I honestly think that that is what gave Touch such a unique and interesting foundation. Each character was entirely different instead of the cast being full of the usual angels, vampire, demons or werewolves.The lack of character depth and development was what really threw me. These characters had so much promise, there just wasn't much growth with some of them. Dez's father was pure evil from the get-go. I had a hard time believing that he wouldn't at least pretend to care for his daughter, as least as a cover. No, he showed his annoyance and disgust for Dez on a daily basis. Dez was pretty much the same character throughout the entire story. She leaps headfirst into things without really considering the consequence, seemingly quite the daredevil. The one character who made the most growth was Kale. Growing up sheltered from most things outside of Denazen Corporation, he was like a newborn experiencing things for the first time. While his reactions should be understandable, I found it the slightest bit unbelievable that he was THAT oblivious to things outside of Denazen. I mean, after all, he worked on missions for Denazen outside of their walls so he had to have some kind of information of interaction with some things. I'm hoping there will be more character building in the next book.Small side note: There is a bit of language in this book. Normally, my brain can censor about 95% of language in books and I never realize it's there. This time around, I picked up on most of it. Just an FYI to those who are expletive sensitive.Overall, Jus Accardo's Touch went beyond what I expected. Full of mystery, suprise and unexpected twists and turns, Touch had me on edge waiting to find out what happened next. I'm interested in seeing what Jus does with her characters and the Denazen Corporation in the next installment.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What an exciting story! And what an interesting beginning to a series! Dez is a daredevil and adrenaline junkie. Her only goal in life seems to be trying to get her father's attention. One night, on the way home from a party, she discovers a strange boy and helps him escape from the men who are chasing him. Kale is unusual because everything seems strange to him. It is like he is a visitor from another planet. He has been raised in the Denazen compound and used as a weapon by them. His touch can kill any living thing -- except Dez.Dez quickly learns that what she believed about her father is a lie. He isn't a distant, workaholic, corporate lawyer. He is the distant, workaholic, head of a secret organization that kidnaps and coerces people with talent - Sixes - to work for them. He is a murderer. Kale was one of his subjects until he managed to escape. Now, Kale and Dez are on the run from Denazen.But, when Dez learns that the mother she thought was dead is also a Six and held prisoner to guarantee Dez's safety, Dez is determined to free her. So determined that she reveals that she has an ability that she has been keeping secret since she was seven. She has the ability to turn one object into another as long as they are about the same size. But changing things isn't cost-free. It costs pain and energy to change things. When Kale is recaptured by Denazen, Dez goes to her father and offers to join them. Her goal is to get Kale and her mother out. The story has lots of twists and turns. Quite a number of the people in the town where it takes place have special powers. The story has the usual (these days) romantic triangle. Dez's ex-boyfriend Alex wants her back. Choosing between Kale and Alex is not a tough decision for Dez. After all, he betrayed her with another girl. But Alex will do anything and betray anyone to get her back. Too bad she needs him in her plan to free the people she loves.This was an exciting and entertaining story. The romance between Kale and Dez was very sweet (and hot too.) The adventures kept me on the edge of my seat wondering how they were going to ever get to a happy ending. I look forward to more books in this series.

[angelscryhavoc · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Exciting thrill ride. That's the first thought that comes to mind when I think of Touched and how compelling it was. The Author surprised me with the quick paced and action packed movement of this young adult novel I fel as if I was thrown into the adventure and journey with the main character Dez and kept on the whirlwind of chaos that rips through her life as she knows it and turns her world upside down. Kale the young man she meets keeps her on a rush that she is unsure of how she feels pulling her between family, friends, and past loves. Kale brings news to Dez that she never would expect after he realizes that his special touch isn't enough to kill her not only is Deznee taken for the ride of her life but Kale gets the first glimpses of a life worth living outside of the tortured , captivity he has always known and that there may be a chance at living. The writer truly knows how to captivate their audience be it from the ones of young to even old ones like me. I eagerly await the next work and hunger for more.