What do you think?
Rate this book
The Token: A Breed Apart
Callie Michaels isn’t pretty or popular, but her singing more than makes up for all she lacks. And as long as she focuses on what’s really important, she can survive high school. But how can she focus with all the drama? Between her best friend’s odd issues and a daily dose of weirdness from the social elite, she’s starting to wonder if she’s the only normal one around.
He pulled the front door open. “That’s how it’s done.”
I rolled my eyes and made my way through the crowd that had spilled into the hall, muttering. “That’s how it’s done. Yeah? Where? In the jungle?”
“Yeah.” James’ breath on my nape sent a chill down my spine. “Something like that.”
Just as her life begins spiraling out of control, the answer comes to her in a dream. In exchange for a token of blood, a demon will give her everything she desires. She says “yes.” From that point on, she finds herself changing, becoming something far from normal. Something dangerous.
No one is what they seem—least of all her. While the supernatural creatures around her struggle to maintain their humanity, Callie slowly loses hers. She doesn’t even know what’s important anymore. Friendship, the future, love? And is there anyone who can make her care?
He pulled the front door open. “That’s how it’s done.”
I rolled my eyes and made my way through the crowd that had spilled into the hall, muttering. “That’s how it’s done. Yeah? Where? In the jungle?”
“Yeah.” James’ breath on my nape sent a chill down my spine. “Something like that.”
Just as her life begins spiraling out of control, the answer comes to her in a dream. In exchange for a token of blood, a demon will give her everything she desires. She says “yes.” From that point on, she finds herself changing, becoming something far from normal. Something dangerous.
No one is what they seem—least of all her. While the supernatural creatures around her struggle to maintain their humanity, Callie slowly loses hers. She doesn’t even know what’s important anymore. Friendship, the future, love? And is there anyone who can make her care?
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2011
1 person is currently reading
37 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 13 reviews
abandoned
May 28, 2015*Thanks to the publisher for giving me a free digital ARC via Netgalley for an honest review.*
DNF AT 20%
I'm sorry but this is just all too confusing. The voodoo just sprung up on me on the second chapter without any explanation. I think the author was trying for mysterious but there was no subtlety in it. I was guessing what's actually happening and I was pretty sure my hunch was correct. There was obvious paranormal involved but the transition from the first chapter to the preceding chapters was just not working for me. The main character was pretty much confused as I was by what's happening around her but SHE'S NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT! Is she even intrigued or curious?
I tried my best but I' m really sorry I can't finish this.
DNF AT 20%
I'm sorry but this is just all too confusing. The voodoo just sprung up on me on the second chapter without any explanation. I think the author was trying for mysterious but there was no subtlety in it. I was guessing what's actually happening and I was pretty sure my hunch was correct. There was obvious paranormal involved but the transition from the first chapter to the preceding chapters was just not working for me. The main character was pretty much confused as I was by what's happening around her but SHE'S NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT! Is she even intrigued or curious?
I tried my best but I' m really sorry I can't finish this.
December 9, 2014
Callie Michaels isn’t pretty or popular, but her singing more than makes up for all she lacks. And as long as she focuses on what’s really important, she can survive high school. But how can she focus with all the drama? Between her best friend’s odd issues and a daily dose of weirdness from the social elite, she’s starting to wonder if she’s the only normal one around.
Just as her life begins spiraling out of control, the answer comes to her in a dream. In exchange for a token of blood, a demon will give her everything she desires. She says “yes.” From that point on, she finds herself changing, becoming something far from normal. Something dangerous.
No one is what they seem—least of all her. While the supernatural creatures around her struggle to maintain their humanity, Callie slowly loses hers. She doesn’t even know what’s important anymore. Friendship, the future, love? And is there anyone who can make her care?
At first I thought, demon in the book along with other supernatural stuff - yay! But when I started the book, two things became apparent - one, Callie is unreliable as a narrator because she has no idea what's going on around her and two, this book would have been much better with a dual POV, preferably in James' or Ethan's. As far as heroines go, Callie is pretty passive. She is a plaything between the Hale siblings (hey, Tammy was stupid to keep things from her) and a source of conflict between James and his family. It seemed to me like she was the entire reason for almost all the problems in the book and boy, she did absolutely nothing to solve it. I thought maybe her shining moment will come in the ending at the very least, but nope - someone else saves the day.
First half of the book - I was as confused as Callie as to what was going on. As I said, she is not a good narrator and half of the time she was either unconscious or being told to go away so the others can have a secret chat. Which means basically no clue as to what was going on. Maybe it was to give it an air of mystery but it supremely failed there and only served to confuse the poor reader, that is, moi. If not for the fact that I already knew James and his family were shifters (thanks to the blitz excerpt), I probably would have thought them to be misogynistic idiots too. I had enough of the alpha dominance thing in this book, by the way. The males asserting their territory over and over, even in case of females was annoying, to say the least. I wanted to even smack Amy up her head for being stupid, and creating unnecessary girl drama for the first half.
Second half was focused on Callie being taken over by the demon to such extent that her panther-in-shining-armor James has to come to the rescue. Ethan becomes less of an asshole, and people are unreliable and suspicious all around. Who exactly wanted to hurt her - we do not know because the ending basically negates everything that happened. I did not forgive Nick, though - any guy influencing a girl to date him via shitty means is a douche - no question. Callie - I don't even know why she was stupid enough to make a deal with the demon. There was no clear motivation as to why she did so.
Coming down to the technicalities, the writing was good. The scenes were well-written and eloquent, but the plot was just pulling the book down. Secondly, character construction was poor, and most times their emotions or reactions were unclear. And let's not even begin with world-building. I was excited over the blend of supernatural elements, but because Callie does not know anything, we also don't get to know much. I had a lot of questions by the end of the book - and none were explained. If we at least had a second POV, it would make things clearer. Hell, I would have even not minded Nick's POV. So, in the end, though the story had potential and good writing, it was shadowed by the lack of clear characterization and direction. I do not even know if there will be a sequel, so I just feel this book was inadequate and not satisfying.
Received an ARC from Fido Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Just as her life begins spiraling out of control, the answer comes to her in a dream. In exchange for a token of blood, a demon will give her everything she desires. She says “yes.” From that point on, she finds herself changing, becoming something far from normal. Something dangerous.
No one is what they seem—least of all her. While the supernatural creatures around her struggle to maintain their humanity, Callie slowly loses hers. She doesn’t even know what’s important anymore. Friendship, the future, love? And is there anyone who can make her care?
At first I thought, demon in the book along with other supernatural stuff - yay! But when I started the book, two things became apparent - one, Callie is unreliable as a narrator because she has no idea what's going on around her and two, this book would have been much better with a dual POV, preferably in James' or Ethan's. As far as heroines go, Callie is pretty passive. She is a plaything between the Hale siblings (hey, Tammy was stupid to keep things from her) and a source of conflict between James and his family. It seemed to me like she was the entire reason for almost all the problems in the book and boy, she did absolutely nothing to solve it. I thought maybe her shining moment will come in the ending at the very least, but nope - someone else saves the day.
First half of the book - I was as confused as Callie as to what was going on. As I said, she is not a good narrator and half of the time she was either unconscious or being told to go away so the others can have a secret chat. Which means basically no clue as to what was going on. Maybe it was to give it an air of mystery but it supremely failed there and only served to confuse the poor reader, that is, moi. If not for the fact that I already knew James and his family were shifters (thanks to the blitz excerpt), I probably would have thought them to be misogynistic idiots too. I had enough of the alpha dominance thing in this book, by the way. The males asserting their territory over and over, even in case of females was annoying, to say the least. I wanted to even smack Amy up her head for being stupid, and creating unnecessary girl drama for the first half.
Second half was focused on Callie being taken over by the demon to such extent that her panther-in-shining-armor James has to come to the rescue. Ethan becomes less of an asshole, and people are unreliable and suspicious all around. Who exactly wanted to hurt her - we do not know because the ending basically negates everything that happened. I did not forgive Nick, though - any guy influencing a girl to date him via shitty means is a douche - no question. Callie - I don't even know why she was stupid enough to make a deal with the demon. There was no clear motivation as to why she did so.
Coming down to the technicalities, the writing was good. The scenes were well-written and eloquent, but the plot was just pulling the book down. Secondly, character construction was poor, and most times their emotions or reactions were unclear. And let's not even begin with world-building. I was excited over the blend of supernatural elements, but because Callie does not know anything, we also don't get to know much. I had a lot of questions by the end of the book - and none were explained. If we at least had a second POV, it would make things clearer. Hell, I would have even not minded Nick's POV. So, in the end, though the story had potential and good writing, it was shadowed by the lack of clear characterization and direction. I do not even know if there will be a sequel, so I just feel this book was inadequate and not satisfying.
Received an ARC from Fido Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2011
The book was extraordinary! Those who can follow a good storyline will realize that instantly. Callie is the perfect example of the bullied, unpopular teen. We've all had people we were good friends with in elementary school, then after hitting high school, you think, 'What happened to us?'. This allows readers to put themselves in the characters' shoes, allows them to understand her point of view.
December 31, 2014
**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
Demons, magi and shape-shifting giant cats is most certainly a unique combination! I enjoyed the first half of this book more than the latter, because it was rather confusing because all the supernatural aspects were bombarded in one go. Callie might be able to accept it with few questions, I on the other hand, found it harder to digest!
Another thing that semi-annoyed me was that the bad guys changed like the weather, one minute it was Nick, then Tammy, Callie’s mother and even James’ ‘pack’ weren’t the friendliest bunch. Come to think of it, wasn’t part of the demon inside Callie at one point too? So many villains, so much strange drama...
Callie’s trust in Tammy, considering everything that happened, was highly unrealistic. The girl was supposed to be her best friend and had been using Callie for god knows how many months, keeping life-threatening secrets and making deals with demons; it doesn’t exactly scream ‘trustworthy’ to me.
On the plus side, Callie and James’ chemistry was sort of cute, a little too soppy towards the end but that was to be expected. They had a jokey relationship and I did question how quickly everything returned to normal after years of not speaking to each other, but maybe these things aren’t as foreign as I thought.
The Token had an interesting concept, and although it was unrealistic many a time, it wasn’t difficult to finish reading.
Favourite Quotes:
Into the basement. Down steps. Grab hammer. Drink a little more. Get nails. Convince self that plank is sturdy. Another drink.
Nail door shut.
Hope I die quickly.
James held me away from him and took my chin in a firm grip. “You listen to me. The thing that tore my throat out was not you. It is the thing we are going to find and kill, so that we can get your life back. I am not giving up on you, so don’t you dare, because if you do, you’re giving up on us both.”
Will went very still. “Or what?”
“Oh god, not again.” I moved to step between them and then just threw up my hands and turned away. “I don’t know where I signed up for a lifetime supply of testosterone, but I’d like to take myself off the list.”
Ethan made a sound of disgust and muttered under his breath. “Not sure if you two are brave, or brain-dead.”
Demons, magi and shape-shifting giant cats is most certainly a unique combination! I enjoyed the first half of this book more than the latter, because it was rather confusing because all the supernatural aspects were bombarded in one go. Callie might be able to accept it with few questions, I on the other hand, found it harder to digest!
Another thing that semi-annoyed me was that the bad guys changed like the weather, one minute it was Nick, then Tammy, Callie’s mother and even James’ ‘pack’ weren’t the friendliest bunch. Come to think of it, wasn’t part of the demon inside Callie at one point too? So many villains, so much strange drama...
Callie’s trust in Tammy, considering everything that happened, was highly unrealistic. The girl was supposed to be her best friend and had been using Callie for god knows how many months, keeping life-threatening secrets and making deals with demons; it doesn’t exactly scream ‘trustworthy’ to me.
On the plus side, Callie and James’ chemistry was sort of cute, a little too soppy towards the end but that was to be expected. They had a jokey relationship and I did question how quickly everything returned to normal after years of not speaking to each other, but maybe these things aren’t as foreign as I thought.
The Token had an interesting concept, and although it was unrealistic many a time, it wasn’t difficult to finish reading.
Favourite Quotes:
Into the basement. Down steps. Grab hammer. Drink a little more. Get nails. Convince self that plank is sturdy. Another drink.
Nail door shut.
Hope I die quickly.
James held me away from him and took my chin in a firm grip. “You listen to me. The thing that tore my throat out was not you. It is the thing we are going to find and kill, so that we can get your life back. I am not giving up on you, so don’t you dare, because if you do, you’re giving up on us both.”
Will went very still. “Or what?”
“Oh god, not again.” I moved to step between them and then just threw up my hands and turned away. “I don’t know where I signed up for a lifetime supply of testosterone, but I’d like to take myself off the list.”
Ethan made a sound of disgust and muttered under his breath. “Not sure if you two are brave, or brain-dead.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2015
3.5 Crowns
This is a standalone paranormal novel.
This is the story of Callie Matthews an unpopular high school student with low self esteem. When she finally decides, (with the backing of her best friend Tammy) to approach her childhood friend, crush and the most popular boy in school James; her life changes and it might never be the same again.
This is a complex story about making deals without really thinking of the repercussions.
This book is high on drama. Unique in that instead of the usual Vampires and Werewolves, this book is a tale of Demons, Shape-shifting big cats and Magi. The story twists and turns and the characters have both good and bad within them.
The change in Callie really is dramatic, and you along with Callie will love James and his need to protect his soul mate. It was however Tammy and Ethan's characters that I found most interesting. Tammy is forced to keep her powers on the down low as well as well as trying her best to help her best friend with a darkness that she has no control over. Ethan, well he was 2 characters rolled into one hot package. Scary and tougher than nails, he also has this hidden softer side to him that you can't help but love.
So I have to say at this point that I don't read Paranormal books (apart from the twilight series - but that's main stream so does it even count?) In all honesty I did find it confusing at times and immediately so. There was no warming up to the paranormal element, it just comes at you full force. Having no real knowledge of these type of stories, it was just a little difficult to get my head around. What I would highlight though is that the writing in terms of phrasing and the connections between characters is great. For fans of this type of storyline, I have no doubt that this is a book you will enjoy and that Natasha Rogue will be a author that you will want to read more from because of her talented penmanship.
A well crafted paranormal book with lots of drama, but one that isn't for novices of this genre.
This is a standalone paranormal novel.
This is the story of Callie Matthews an unpopular high school student with low self esteem. When she finally decides, (with the backing of her best friend Tammy) to approach her childhood friend, crush and the most popular boy in school James; her life changes and it might never be the same again.
This is a complex story about making deals without really thinking of the repercussions.
This book is high on drama. Unique in that instead of the usual Vampires and Werewolves, this book is a tale of Demons, Shape-shifting big cats and Magi. The story twists and turns and the characters have both good and bad within them.
The change in Callie really is dramatic, and you along with Callie will love James and his need to protect his soul mate. It was however Tammy and Ethan's characters that I found most interesting. Tammy is forced to keep her powers on the down low as well as well as trying her best to help her best friend with a darkness that she has no control over. Ethan, well he was 2 characters rolled into one hot package. Scary and tougher than nails, he also has this hidden softer side to him that you can't help but love.
So I have to say at this point that I don't read Paranormal books (apart from the twilight series - but that's main stream so does it even count?) In all honesty I did find it confusing at times and immediately so. There was no warming up to the paranormal element, it just comes at you full force. Having no real knowledge of these type of stories, it was just a little difficult to get my head around. What I would highlight though is that the writing in terms of phrasing and the connections between characters is great. For fans of this type of storyline, I have no doubt that this is a book you will enjoy and that Natasha Rogue will be a author that you will want to read more from because of her talented penmanship.
A well crafted paranormal book with lots of drama, but one that isn't for novices of this genre.
January 6, 2016
The Token is a fantasy novel intertwined with romance, a classic mix for YA fiction. The main character, Callie, labels herself as a typical sixteen year old apart from her one true talent for singing. She gets caught up in a love triangle involving a childhood friend and her best friend's brother (let the screaming drama begins). But, nothing is all as it seems as Callie starts to notice suspicious behaviour from almost all her peer students at school including her best friend, Tammy.
I loved reading this. I would have given it five stars but I'm not sure I would read it again as one of the great things about the narrative is the mystery of who all the characters are. At first, I thought it would be another okay-ish read but honestly? I could not stop reading! There are so many plot twists but not enough to overwhelm you. As you read through the story, the person who we think is the villain is suddenly the good guy and another person takes his/her place.
There were some points where I thought the story dragged slightly whilst the characters wait for something to happen. A lot of time is spent in Callie's bedroom anticipating arrivals or news for other characters. Although, some of this time did allow us as the readers to discover information about the supernatural element of the story.
If you enjoyed reading the Hush Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick then I am sure you will enjoy reading The Token for the development of romance that both narratives share. It also shares a few similarities with The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare such as the theme of demonic activity is encountered in both stories. Another similarity this shares with TMI is the idea of there being this 'other-world' but rather than it having Shadowhunters and Downworlders it's made up of five races including Humans, the Breed, and Magi.
Overall, I strongly recommend The Token to anyone searching for a quick but compelling read jam-packed with a road full of twists and turns.
Review written at http://cupofteaandapen.blogspot.co.uk/
I loved reading this. I would have given it five stars but I'm not sure I would read it again as one of the great things about the narrative is the mystery of who all the characters are. At first, I thought it would be another okay-ish read but honestly? I could not stop reading! There are so many plot twists but not enough to overwhelm you. As you read through the story, the person who we think is the villain is suddenly the good guy and another person takes his/her place.
There were some points where I thought the story dragged slightly whilst the characters wait for something to happen. A lot of time is spent in Callie's bedroom anticipating arrivals or news for other characters. Although, some of this time did allow us as the readers to discover information about the supernatural element of the story.
If you enjoyed reading the Hush Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick then I am sure you will enjoy reading The Token for the development of romance that both narratives share. It also shares a few similarities with The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare such as the theme of demonic activity is encountered in both stories. Another similarity this shares with TMI is the idea of there being this 'other-world' but rather than it having Shadowhunters and Downworlders it's made up of five races including Humans, the Breed, and Magi.
Overall, I strongly recommend The Token to anyone searching for a quick but compelling read jam-packed with a road full of twists and turns.
Review written at http://cupofteaandapen.blogspot.co.uk/
March 21, 2015
I gave Token: A Breed Apart 4 stars because it captivated me enough I couldn’t put it down when I was at the gym – yes, any book that keeps my interest so that suddenly 50 minutes flies by without my notice deserves at least 4 stars. That said? I really didn’t like the characters. The story? Fascinating. The characters themselves? Let me put it this way – someone should drop a bomb on their high school. None of the kids would be missed. In fact, their parents would be better off if it happened. (If you read the book, you’ll understand.)
Okay, so I did like one student – James. But the rest of them? So not worth saving. Callie was okay at first. I liked her. Until she gave in and it changed her. Tammy, her supposed best friend? With friends like her, Callie doesn’t need any enemies. And yet, she’s got them. Nick, Tammy’s brother, who wants revenge on his sister and Amy, the quintessential queen bee, was so stereotyped I quickly lost interest in her.
What did keep my interest? The unique paranormal twists in the story. I liked the author’s unique take on shifters, demons, and magi. I’m still of the belief that bombing that school off the planet would be the best thing someone could do for this fictional world, but it was captivating. How captivating? I’ll be waiting for the next book from Ms. Rogue.
Reviewed by a-nony-mouse for Crystal’s Many Reviewers
**Copy provided for review**
Okay, so I did like one student – James. But the rest of them? So not worth saving. Callie was okay at first. I liked her. Until she gave in and it changed her. Tammy, her supposed best friend? With friends like her, Callie doesn’t need any enemies. And yet, she’s got them. Nick, Tammy’s brother, who wants revenge on his sister and Amy, the quintessential queen bee, was so stereotyped I quickly lost interest in her.
What did keep my interest? The unique paranormal twists in the story. I liked the author’s unique take on shifters, demons, and magi. I’m still of the belief that bombing that school off the planet would be the best thing someone could do for this fictional world, but it was captivating. How captivating? I’ll be waiting for the next book from Ms. Rogue.
Reviewed by a-nony-mouse for Crystal’s Many Reviewers
**Copy provided for review**
November 28, 2014
The Token was a very interesting book. It is one of the most well-written YA books I have read in a few months and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's take on paranormal went beyond the typical werewolves and vampires that seems to be in everyone's books these days and used demons and witches and big cats. Using the demon as the motivation for Callie and James to come together worked really well. The dynamic between Tammy and Nick was also well written. Nick's character was one of the best in this story because you couldn't decide whether to like him or hate him. I would love to read more in this series. Great read!
November 25, 2014
From the cover to the words, it drew me in and kept me within the pages. hard to put down, even when you eyes are slowly drifting shut. great story line, good characters, many little clues at the start to help you put in your thought of why and who and what not.
I thought this book was written very well and I enjoyed the plot line. I got confused at some points because I didn't understand the whole nick situation. but apart from that, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend if wanting a light but mysterious read.
overall, a excellent read.
March 13, 2015
The beginning of the book may seem a little confusing at first, and may put you off but I promise if you just keep reading it all comes together.
The confusion ties into the story perfectly, and adds a special twist to the novel.
The confusion ties into the story perfectly, and adds a special twist to the novel.
March 13, 2015
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley, for a fair and honest review. I did enjoy this book, however, I found it hard to follow at times. I would have enjoyed it more if I had understood the different species involved and if they had been explained more fully.
never-finished
January 6, 2015This book is confusing and something about it is just bugging me. I don't know exactly what but it makes me not want to read more, sorry but I can't finish this.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 13 reviews