TOXIC BLOG TOUR - REVIEW, Q&A, and GIVEAWAY

 

Welcome to The Bookish Babe's stop on the Toxic Blog Tour. Toxic is book two in the Denazen Series by Jus Accardo. You can find the complete tour schedule here. My stop includes a review of Toxic, a fun Q&A with Jus, and a giveaway!

 

When a Six saved Kale's life the night of Sumrun, she warned there would be consequences. A trade-off. Something taken for the life they gained. But Dez never imagined she'd lose the one thing she'd give anything to keep... And as if it's not enough Dez finds her immunity to Kale fading, the Six brought in to help Kale learn to control his killer touch starts drooling on him the moment they meet. Worse than that? Jade can touch Kale. But bimbo Barbie is the least of Dez's problems.

After Dez and Kale got away at Sumrun, her father lost not only his most powerful weapon but an important piece of the Supremacy project. Forced by Denazen to remedy the situation, he poisons Dez and offers her a choice--surrender to Denazen for the cure...or die. Determined to find a solution that doesn't involve being bagged and tagged--or losing someone she loves--Dez keeps the poison a secret. But when a rash of Denazen attacks hit a little too close to home, Dez is convinced there's a traitor among them. Jade.

Sacrifices, broken promises, and secrets. Dez will have to lay it all on the line if there's any hope of proving Jade's guilt before they all end up Residents of Denazen. Or worse, dead...

*This review does not include spoilers for Toxic.**

Toxic, book two in the Denazen Series, begins much the same as book one - with heroine Dez on the verge of pulling off a crazy dangerous stunt. That aspect to the series, the fearlessness, particularly on Dez's part, is what makes it stand apart from the rest.

Amid the action, we have Dez dealing with an uncertain future, and the question of her own sanity. Combine that with a power hunger father who will kill to get what he wants, and a hot, new chick who can touch Kale and live to gloat about it, and you can see why Dez is a little on edge these days. But, the girl always manages to hang tough. I admire that about her.

In all this, we still have Kale, who is adapting well to life on the outside. I really enjoyed his and Dez's interactions at the beginning of Toxic. Their chemistry was smokin' and I could really see myself getting behind what a lot of other readers see in him. What keeps me from truly loving Kale is his personality, or lack thereof. This makes me a big meanie because his naive, unsure personality is well-explained and makes perfect sense. I just prefer my leading men with a ton of personality. Still, though, I do like him. His sense of loyalty and kindness is admirable.

I felt that Toxic got off to a really great start. Kale and Dez are in a great place, the development that forces them to take a step back made sense. I get really antsy, though, when a third character is brought into the fold who, for some reason, has a special connection to one or the other. Then, the odd man (or girl) odd has to sit there and take it, because of the connection. (For example, Kaylee/Nash/Sabine) So in this case, we have Kale and Dez as the couple. Then, Jade comes in and gets in between the two because she can touch Kale without becoming ill, or dying. This is a very logical conflict, and I completely get why it is employed. But, it is one conflict that makes me a little crazy.

Despite my gripe, I did enjoy Toxic. With its crazy, action-packed plot and a heroine who can kick some tail, the Denazen Series is one that many fans of Paranormal Young Adult will enjoy.

 

Favorite Quote:

  "My heart gave a little squeeze. Deep, dark voice. Check. Soulful eyes. Check. Well-muscled arms that could make a girl's legs go rubbery - and a penchanct for the dangerous. Check frigging plus. Could any guy be more perfect?"  (eARC, 4%)


  " 'Okay, stomp the brakes and back the hell up,' I said. 'You're giving my boyfriend a redhead as a gift? That's uncool - not to mention illegal.' "   (eARC, pg 41)


You can purchase Toxic at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository

 

The Denazen Series

(click on cover for my review)

Q&A with author Jus Accardo

 

Print Books or Ebooks?
Jus: Print. All the way. There’s nothing like holding a physical book in your hands! And as awesome as tech is, the covers never look the same. With some books, you miss out on all that pretty raised foil lettering…

Movies or Television?
Jus: Hmm… A few months ago I would have said movies, but there’s a few things on TV ATM that have my attention. How bout an even mix of the two? :D

Drama or Comedy?
Jus:  Funny drama? :P

Snacks: Salty or Sweet?
Jus:  Sweet!

Book Boys: Broody or Funny?
Jus:  No fair making me pick! I guess if I have to go with one, it’d be broody…

Coffee or Tea?
Jus:  COFFEE!!!! *ahem* Yes. Coffee.

Music: Rock or Country?
Rock

Vampires or Shifters?
Jus:  Shifters. Nothing against vamps, but I’m a sucker for shifters.

 

Favorite Holiday?

Jus:  I think it’s a toss up between Christmas and Thanksgiving, mainly because they’re food/family holidays. I love getting everyone together in the cooler weather to hang by the fire!

 

**Thanks to Jus for taking the time to answer my questions**

 

JUS ACCARDO spent her childhood reading and learning to cook. Determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps as a chef, she applied and was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America. At the last minute, she realized her path lay with fiction, not food, and passed on the spot to pursue writing. Jus is the author of YA paranormal romance and urban fantasy fiction. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and sometimes guard bear, Oswald. Her first book, Touch was released in November 2011 from Entangled Publishing. She is currently working on the next book in the Denazen series.

Give Jus a yell on Twitter, or visit her on Facebook, and her website.

GIVEAWAY

 

 

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POPULAZZI by ELISE ALLEN ~ REVIEW, Q&A and GIVEAWAY

Today is a great day here at The Bookish Babe. Populazzi, by Elise Allen recently released in paperback. To celebrate, I'm hosting a review of the book, a Q&A with Elise and a giveaway, courtesy of SparkPointStudio. So lets' get to it!

Series: Stand alone
Publisher: Graphia (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Publication Date: August 7, 2012
Format: Paperback
Pages: 400
Source: Received form publicist for review.

Cara has never been one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and always ready with the perfect thing to say. A girl at the very top of the popularity tower. One of the Populazzi.

Now, junior year could change everything. Cara’s moving to a new school, and her best friend urges her to seize the moment—with the help of the Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms into the perfect girlfriend for guys ever-higher on the tower, she’ll reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi.

The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment, a straight climb up, but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.

Cara Leonard doesn't want to be invisible at her new school. She doesn't even want to simply fit in. Cara wants to shine, to sit at the top of the social heap. Cara wants to be Supreme Populazzi, and she's determined to do whatever it takes to make her way to the top. But popularity isn't always what it seems, and Cara must decide if she's willing to hurt those who help her climb the social Ladder.

So...I'm going to be "dating" myself here, but my one of my very favorite movies ever is Can't Buy Me Love. It's a movie that I feel is required watching if you want to be my friend. Can't Buy Me Love features Patrick Dempsey, pre-Dr.McDreamy, as Ronald Miller, an uber-nerd who uses a popular girl to buy his way to the top of the school's social scene. In the movie, Ronald changes everything about himself in order to fit in. He drops his friends, becomes a gigantic douche and ends up losing everything when he lets it go to his head. The story is by turns sad and funny as you watch the inevitable train wreck, and there are lesson to be learned about the value of being true to yourself. My point? With it's misguided protagonist and hilarious scenarios, Populazzi reminded me very much of Can't Buy Me Love. And that makes this book a total win.

Author Elise Allen did a super job of conveying the emotional turmoil of being a  teen. The need to be recognized, to even be seen, is a feeling any person can relate to. My teen years are so long gone, but I was sent right back to those moments of sadness, longing, and angst.

Populazzi is an extremely funny book. Extremely. The situations Cara got herself into were humiliating and priceless. The dialogue, particularly between Cara and Claudia, her BFF, and Archer, a potential BF was witty and sharp.

In reading, not much makes me happier than a funny story with a lot of heart, laughs and character growth. Populazzi delivers on all accounts. I had such a blast reading it and can safely recommend it to all Contemporary Young Adult fans.


Favorite Quote:

" 'Great show, right? he shouted over the music, then turned back to the stage.
  Great show? Did he not know I'd just been wrestled across the room and nearly scalped by a midget with biceps as big as her boobs?" (pg. 137)



You can purchase Populazzi at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository

Q&A With Elise Allen
 

Describe Populazzi, Twitter-style

Elise: The plan: transform into perfect girl 4 guys higher and higher on Popularity Tower 2 prove misfit can B popular.  The problem: chaos ensues.

Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?

Elise: There’s no one place, really.  Often my characters start as an amalgam of people I know, have met, or maybe have only heard of.  I pluck traits from these people like entrees off a Chinese menu: one from column A, one from column B…
That’s how I begin, then during the writing process the characters grow from these cherry-picked traits into their own, fully-fleshed out people.  By the time the book’s complete, it’s rare that the final characters have anything in common with their early inspirations – they’ve developed far beyond that point.  I know the characters are coming into their own when they balk at the plot I have planned for them because there’s no way they’d say or do what I imagined they would when I didn’t know them as well.  That’s the most exciting part – when I have to completely alter my plan to suit these suddenly strong-willed people who refuse to make false choices just because I have an outline I’d hoped to follow.

I know; it sounds psycho… but it’s pretty spectacular.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Elise: Anything athletic and outdoorsy.  I love hiking, bike riding, running (I’ve done 15 marathons)… and while I don’t do it very often, I’m head-over-heels for stand-up paddleboarding.  It feels like walking on water.

Do you have a routine that you use to get into the right frame of mind to write?

Elise: I really don’t.  Usually I can snap into that place, but sometimes I’m just not there and if I’m smart, I give into it.  When I fight upstream to write, it’s very rare that I accomplish anything worthwhile.  At those times, I’m best off taking a break and working out or paying bills or doing something else as unlike writing as possible.  Then I can come back to the computer and everything will flow much better.

What are you reading right now?

Elise: Two books: Anne Lamott’s Grace (Eventually), which is her memoir about faith; and David B. Agus’ The End of Illness, a non-fiction book about all the ways we can keep ourselves healthy decade after decade.  I’m on a major non-fiction kick right now, and have several more non-fiction tomes in my TBR pile.

Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

Elise: I have many, but Anne Lamott is certainly among them.  Her non-fiction is beautifully honest and compelling; and her fiction is breathtaking in its rich, layered characters and remarkably keen observations about the choices we make and why we make them.

What book, if any, do you read over and over again?

Elise: I’m actually very bad about reading books over and over.  There are only so many hours in a day, and I want to explore as many books that are new to me as possible.  That said, I’ve been going back and reading all my favorite kids’ books to my daughter.  That means I’ve had the joy of re-experiencing favorites like From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Judy Blume’s Peter Hatcher/Fudge books, Beverly Cleary’s Ramona books, and of course the entire Harry Potter series.

Thanks so much for having me on the blog!

 

**Huge thanks to Elise for taking the time to answer my questions.**

About Elise Allen

POPULAZZI is Elise Allen’s first solo novel but she previously co-wrote the bestselling novel ELIXIR with author and actress Hilary Duff and is at work on the next book in the series with Hilary. She's written for several television shows from the Cosby to Muppets to Dinosaur Train, which recently garnered her two Daytime Emmy Awards. Elise has a sick penchant for running marathons, and can’t seem to stop even though fifteen really should be enough already. She lives in L.A. with her husband, daughter and insatiable food-hound of a dog, Riley. For more, visit www.eliseallen.com or follow Elise on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EliseLAllen.

Giveaway

I have one paperback copy of Populazzi to give away, courtesy of Spark Point Studio.
The Rules:

•  Must be a US Resident to enter. (Due to shipping costs.)
• Must be 17+ years of age to enter:
• Must fill out the Rafflecopter form.

Giveaway ends September 16, 2012 at 11:59 pm.


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