{Review} The Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt

The Chosen Ones
by Tiffany Truitt
Series: The Lost Souls #1
Published: June 12th 2012
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
ISBN: 1620610000 (ISBN13: 9781620610008)
Pages: 400
Source: Bought Myself
Reading Level: 17 and up
Shelf Award: Original, 2012 Favorites
Rating:  5 Stars

Where To Buy: TBD ChaptersIndigo

Goodreads Summary:

Life is bleak but uncomplicated for sixteen-year-old Tess, living in a not-too-distant future where the government, faced with humanity's extinction, created the Chosen Ones, artificial beings who are extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.
When Tess begins work at Templeton, a Chosen Ones training facility, she meets James, and the attraction is immediate in its intensity, overwhelming in its danger. But there is more to Templeton than Tess ever knew. Can she stand against her oppressors, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

My Thoughts: 

Cover Love: I admit it. I first fell in love with the cover. It has a beautiful desperation feel to it. 5 out 5 cover stars!

Review: I went into this book with high hopes! And I was not disappointed! I mean, finishing any book in a single day is an ode to it's awesomeness!
In The Chosen Ones we meet Tess who at first seems like an emotionless bitter young woman who's forced into a life of servitude to the Chosen Ones (genetically engineered supermen), but as I read on I realized it was a mask, an identity Tess puts up so she doesn't follow in her sister's footsteps, fall in love, get pregnant then ultimately die. She is a perfectionist and likes to think she is a logical and rational person but really she is a sweet and caring young woman. Not once did her behaviour annoy me because I was able to connect deeply with her early on in the book and so I understood why she sometimes acted cold and distant.
Plot-wise, it was one of the most awe-inspiring books I had the chance to read in 2012. It was wonderfully executed with twists and turns you couldn't have seen coming from a foot away!
The world building was also flawlessly done! In this world humans/naturals are cast aside so the Chosen Ones can save their world. But with the birth rate of Naturals virtually at a 0 the Chosen Ones are taking over, rendering the Naturals irrelevant.
Locally; Templeton is a chilling world, the place were the Chosen Ones are created, educated and housed Templeton is a compound shrouded in mystery some of which light starts to be shed upon during the book.
And of course no dystopia would be complete without a resistance of some sort... But I don't want to give up too much so read this book if you haven't already!

Bottom Line:

A wonderful dystopian thriller fuelled by individuality, freedom and of course, love.

{Review} The Mephisto Kiss by Trinity Faegen

The Mephisto Kiss
by Trinity Faegen
Series: The Mephisto Covenant #2
Published: September 25th 2012
Publisher: EgmontUSA
ISBN: 1606841718 (ISBN13: 9781606841716)
Pages: 448 (ARC)
Source: Received from Author in exchange for honest interview
Reading Level: 17+
Shelf Award: All Time Fave, Deserves Its Own Shelf
Rating:  5 Stars

Where To Buy: TBD ChaptersIndigo

Goodreads Summary: 

The eyes never lie. No one’s eyes are darker than Eryx. Not even the Devil’s.
When Jax and Sasha first see Jordan Ellis, they know she is no ordinary teenager. She’s the daughter of the President after all, but she’s also Anabo – a descendant of Eve.
What they don’t know is that Eryx plans to kidnap Jordan and force President Ellis to pledge his soul. If Eryx’s plot succeeds, the consequences would be catastrophic.
But the Mephisto brothers do know about Jordan’s secret identity. And for one of them, she could be the match that leads to their soul’s salvation.
Now it’s a desperate race against time to save Jordan and prevent Eryx’s haunting eyes from discovering her true identity.
A thrilling story of romance, danger, and intrigue, THE MEPHISTO KISS continues the marvelous mythology that began in THE MEPHISTO COVENANT.

My Thoughts:

Cover Love: I am a confirmed "Girl In Dress" book cover lover. So of course I swooned over this one! As much as there are flagrant similarities to book #1 the colour scheme and softness of the cover delivers an altogether different albeit strong message. (Yes that's right, I used "albeit"!)

Review: With The Mephisto Kiss, Trinity Faegen has cemented herself on my "Will Always Read From This Author" category. First off, she knows how to make your heart start pumping at the first page. Then you turn to the next and BOOM! You have HEART-PUMPING INTESITY! It is honestly much different from so many YA novels. The characters are truly three-dimensional, meaning that you can easily connect with each of them. While reading I found myself thinking how sad I'll be once I am done because I don't want the characters to leave me!
Jordan Ellis, our heroine, is lovable, loyal, selfless and dutiful! All that without feeling like you are reading a flawless, little-miss-perfect type character. She can be naive but you just love her for it. Key is a Man's Man and if it weren't for the darned ponytail I'd be all over him like flies on sugar. In the mean time I remain a Jax Girl! The alternate POV's were flawlessly executed and also had me reconsider my stance on male POV. Thank you Trinity!
It's a book that follows very nicely with the first one (you get some sort of closure and reunite with the story from the first book. It's so nice to see Jax and Sasha!) but is its own book in a way since the main characters are new. In this way it makes me think of J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
Then the plot... It was more heart pumping (What with explosions and intense fight scenes that gets you to the edge of your seat) and more fast paced than the first book. Which just adds to Trinity Faegen's author level. Reading The Mephisto Kiss made me realize how versatile the author can be. She'll always keep her readers on their toes and that is AWESOME!
OK... I am starting to write an Author Review, back to the book.
All along the way I was making my own (predictable) theories on where the story would go but I was wrong almost every time! A wonderful ride!
Now the only downside... If you read the first one you'll know of the controversy about the infamous "Sex Scene". And I think (I am making an unbased assumption here) the controversy may have intimitaded the author into omitting one in this book. Now I am not saying "Oh lets read about teen sex" only that I had first admired Trinity for it and I think the pre-conceived taboo of teen sex is being taken too far. Now, it's not like it was a flagrantly visual scene, It simply depicted the importance of it WITHIN the story. Which, honestly, is not a big deal. Not even a deal to begin with!
Rant over. Read This Book. Thank God for This Book!
Give 5 Stars because it's worth it.

Bottom Line:

 It's a book that will surprise you from start to finish. PUT ON YOUR TBR PILE NOW!!