Les Êtres artificiels

The Lost Souls #1

by Tiffany Truitt, Guillaume Labbé (Translator)

La vie est morne et simple à la fois pour Tess, qui vit dans un futur assez rapproché où le gouvernement, confronté à l’extinction de l’humanité, va de l’avant avec la création des élus, des êtres artificiels qui sont extraordinairement beaux, incroyablement forts et imperturbablement mortels.

C’est alors qu’elle commence à travailler à Templeton, un centre d’entraînement pour les êtres artificiels, que Tess fait la con-naissance de James. Ils sont aussitôt attirés intensément l’un par l’autre, et cette attirance est terriblement dangereuse. Tess sera également exposée à plus de choses qu’elle ne s’attendait à Templeton. Pourra-t-elle tenir tête à ses oppresseurs, même si cela doit lui faire renoncer à la seule joie que la vie lui apporte ?

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Post Apocalyptic

391 pages, Paperback

First published June 12, 2012

About the author

Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of one McDonalds and Banana Rats (don't ask), she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book).

Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie Series. First book she read in one day? Little Woman (5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered "low brow" or outside the "classics."

Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom. She currently teaches the following novels: The Outsiders, Speak, Night, Dystopian Literature Circles: The Hunger Games, The Giver, The Uglies, and Matched.

Reviews

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chosen Ones brings us into a dark, dreary future where humans are near extinction, and these perfectly crafted humans, genetically enhanced for war and protection, have all the power. Almost.

When you create a dystopian or post-apocalyptic future, details, explanation, showing AND telling, can make a big different to allow readers to suspend disbelief. I found the future of the world in Chosen Ones imaginative and alarmingly foreseeable. However, I found myself a bit dissatisfied with the lack of elaborations when it came to actually showing us this unique world. We're told about the strict government control, about the compounds, about the constricted living choices, but we don't actually experience a lot of this with instances. Although I wouldn't go as far as saying it's not a well-built world, it's just not emphasized by letting us see the bleakness of the current living situations - only by the small bubble of Tess's perspective. We're also left wondering until almost the end about this apparent difficulty to have babies. Reading the synopsis afterwards, I think it's meant to give a heads up on it being a "mysterious lost ability to bring forth life", so from one who hadn't read this synopsis in months, I was left confounded as to why or how her pregnant sister had died, let alone why there was talk of extinction. Despite these qualms, what we do encounter is brutal, it's haunting, and it involves clear helplessness that left me terrifyingly entranced.

Chosen Ones is one of those post-apocalyptic stories that has romance at its core. Growing up in a society where emotions are seen as a sign of weakness, reproduction means death, thus falling in love is foolish - Tess never realized what falling in love meant. Meeting James - a beautiful, but surprisingly flawed, and remarkably human Chosen One - shows her what she's missing. While I recognize the romance as a tad insta-lovey and predictable, I would never have thought that I would find it so appealing. I always fall pray to cases of forbidden love: Feeling the longing for, yet impossibility, of a happy ending grips me emotionally. It also helps when the male character is likeable - kind, sweet, but with a dark edge. Besides, even though it begins quickly, their relationship growth is realistically filled with ups and downs that leave us emotionally frayed.

The roller coaster ride is not unique to the romance; we're also taken on quite the exceptional ride inside a plot that is brimming with unforeseeable turns. Although the pacing at the start is light, but steady, the second half of the book is exhilarating. Just when you think everything is gonna be settled for a bit... BAM. Instead of becoming overwhelming as I've seen happen, in this case, it's very well balanced with just the right amount of intense excitement layered with sweet moments. Another aspect I found enticing, and an effective way to give us glimpses into the inner workings without impeding the flow of the story, - in fact it encourages it - is the inclusion of the letters written by Tess's father. The emotions in those written words are prominent, setting the right mood by showing us the gravity of the situation.

No one and nothing can be trusted in Tiffany Truitt's Chosen Ones. Betrayals, lies, cruelty, matched with a sexy, lustful romance - you can find it all inside this gorgeous cover.

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Courtney Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dismal dystopia that will appeal to anyone who enjoyed the stifling sterility of Matched as well as social inequality and injustice of The Hunger Games. By no mean take this to mean that I'm trying to compare Chosen Ones to those other popular series or suggest it's a knock off in anyway, I'm merely hoping to give readers and enthusiasts of the genre an overview to consider coming into this book.

Chosen Ones isn't trying to sell any fantasy about dystopia. There's no pretty face hiding an uglier story. The seamy underbelly is there from the start and the protagonist, Tess, is already damaged from it. It's a broken world featuring the fractured dregs of humanity being gradually replaced by the genetically superior pretty boys - the titular Chosen Ones.

The romantic plot featured in this novel truly appealed to me because it was sincere, awkward and fits well into the repressed premise while remaining engaging.

[Diana Stormblessed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kind of blew me away. In truth, at the beginning I didn't expect anything special. The book started a little slow, but it quickly picked up.

The heroine of this dystopian series is Tess, who has had so much stripped from her life that she's turned herself into an emotional shell to help herself cope. That is until she meets someone she shouldn't be associating with. A chosen one, but one that's different. Eventually she is forced to question everything. Her relationships with everyone around her: her older sister, her younger sister, her father, her old best friend Henry, and most importantly, her new friend, the chosen one James.

What initially won me over what the writing style. This book is so emotional. The author really captures every thought, every feeling that goes through Tess in such a beautifully gut-wrenching way. The set up of the world, of the powerlessness of the people, the cruelty of the council, were written so beautifully. This book portrayed each side showing you that nothing is as simple as black and white. You could see the background of every thought; put yourself into so many sets of shoes.

The book is written to show you a twist of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, letting you decide what is really a monster. If you were put into the situation, would you blindly follow as you were told, or would you stand up for what you believed to be right? But I couldn't read this book without thinking Hunger Games like thoughts through the whole of the book. I hate comparing books to other popular "trend" books, but this one was hard to deny. The cold, closed off heroine. The best friend/possible love interest. The evil government twisting the people's beliefs to what they want them to see. The possible resistance movements, and the need for a person to be the people's symbol of hope. But unlike Hunger Games, I loved this heroine so much more. She was so much more relatable, among many other differences. Basically, I saw similarities, but I would still consider this book a fully original work of art.

Lastly, I want to say how much I adored James. He was different, and he knew it. He was questioning everything, but he never seemed weak. He was just kind and gentle, even though he was created to be violent and self caring. The boy totally won me over. The dark curls, mismatched eyes, and perfect face didn't hurt either.



Overall, I really loved this book and will be looking forward to the next one.

For more reviews check out nightlyreading.wordpress.com

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chosen Ones, is deep, beautiful and intoxicating. Tiffany Truitt has a gift to communicate an emotional written story. This book was nothing short of AMAZING!

When I started chapter 1, my first thought was “disturbing.” They actually pulled out a branding iron to mark an innocent girl. She would be the one to carry out the term of servitude at Templeton. I immediately understood why Tess was the way she was. Any expressed emotions would result in some sort of discipline. I couldn’t ever imagine that sort of life.

The chosen ones were supposed to protect the naturals and yet they were the very reason for their demise. The council wanted bigger and better. The naturals were simply pawns, pieces to achieve their own personal glory.

When I was reading chapter 3, I felt a sense of relief. There was a flicker of hope when she found the piano and connected her fingers to those keys. She finally caved to her resistance, and opened up. I thought this was a pivotal turning point and a bonding of sorts between Tess and James. As a reader, I was drawn to that moment and felt the need for more.

I’m glad Tiffany added Tess’ father’s letters into the story. They were relevant and added an extra understanding of what the naturals were facing. In the first letter, there was a paragraph that hit home. One that really made me thing about what our future holds.

“We fought with other lands across the sea. Faraway lands that hated us for reasons that seemed ancient and ever pestering. But as we squandered away our money, we found it difficult to fight the enemy, and people became disillusioned. Why sign up to fight a war across the sea when one’s own family was starving? Why fight for a country that could not take care of its own people?”

This rings so true to what is happening today. Is this what will become of us, our world in the future. It was powerful. A touching and scary realization of what could be our future, our government and our people.

The story flowed well and kept me wanting to learn more. Just when I was in need of something, action maybe? It picked up. The execution was spot on.

The developing relationship between James and Tess, was set at a steady pace, which was refreshing. The heated moments were great, but I appreciated the self control and realism of it.
I seriously could go on and on. I wrote notes for each and every chapter, and that is no joke.
At times, I felt angry…I felt hope… This book has the ability to stir a whirlwind of emotions not touched by so many YA reads. This book leaves an imprint on your soul. When I finished this, I couldn’t fathom the idea of picking up another book. I needed time to unwind and marinate on the overall effect of such an amazing story.

This debut instantly takes Tiffany Truitt to the top of the Dystopian top reads list. You won't want to miss out on this ambitious story.

[Cristina Buzoianu · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finishing a book like “Chosen Ones”, it’s extremely hard to gather my thoughts and place them in order. This is the kind of book that makes you forget your words when you try to write about it, or describe it to your friends, because the action and the descriptive scenes you’ll find in its pages are absolutely shocking!

At the end of the first two chapters I wanted to put the book down and completely stop reading it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s neither bad nor boring, but I couldn’t understand at all what was happening, and some of the scenes were so vividly depicted, that they left me breathless and actually shaking.

"Didn’t they know this thing was pointless? I couldn’t understand why anyone got married anymore. It wasn't a commitment. It was murder."

Yes, “Chosen Ones” is a dark story, and if you wonder what I eventually did after reading the first two chapters, well… NO, I haven’t been able to put it down. I continued because it managed to captivate me entirely and to raise a lot of questions that I could only answer by reading further.

Tess is marked with an iron and sent to work at Templeton, as a punishment for what her sister, Emma, had done. Initially I didn’t understand why Tess wasn’t at all affected by this, why she was so cold and calculated, as if nothing could affect her, not even Emma's death. But as I discovered more of the story, I managed to understand her actions, and even sympathize with her.

“Maybe it's better to live in a world you don't understand, because if you understand it, it becomes unbearable.”

When she arrives at Templeton, Tess becomes a slave of the Chosen Ones – a new, perfect race of humans, physically stronger and faster than humans, created by the Council to protect the naturals – the normal people, those who survived World War IV. But slavery and humiliation of the human race is not, in my opinion, the appropriate form of protection, so I had to question the actions of The Council from the start.

-“What does allegiance mean? Should allegiance be to your family first? To God? To your homeland? What about yourself? I am choosing myself Tess. Please forgive me.”

“Chosen Ones” is a story about love. Even if Tess is born in a society where emotions are seen as a sign of weakness, women can no longer have children, and nobody wants to fall in love – when she meets James, a not so perfect Chosen One, everything changes for her.

I liked this book and I’d recommend it to those who like a dark, dystopian tale. You won’t be disappointed!

" I had allowed myself to feel and hope. And this was my punishment."

Happy reading!

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great dystopian novel! I would love to see it made into a movie! Tess tries to be tough and unfeeling, but her walls start to crumble after she meets James. She is a Natural, and he is a Chosen One. While the powers-that-be don't discourage contact between the Chosen Ones at Templeton and the Naturals working there, it is understood that any contact they may have is simply a physical relationship. That there can be no true feelings between the two. But let me back up.

When war has taken the life out of the Naturals, they decide to create a race to fight for them, so the Chosen Ones are created. They are all male, no emotions, fighting machines. For the first years of their life, when emotional attachments are generally formed, they are kept alive on machines with only videos looped over and over to educate them - to tell them how insignificant the Naturals were and how they are unbeatable. Women especially are viewed as insignificant and what caused the downfall of the human race. For the most part, they are now sterile and if they try to have children, both they and the child die in childbirth. This is how Tess comes to be at Templeton.

The oldest female child is forced to serve a term at Templeton. If for some reason, they cannot fulfill that term, then the next female child must finish it. Tess's older sister Emma, foolishly got pregnant and died in childbirth, so Tess had to finish her obligation at Templeton. She meets James the first day there and there is immediately a strange attraction between the two. They know it is dangerous and that they must keep it hidden, as theirs is not a physical relationship, but one of trust and caring. If it is found out, they can both be in danger.

I love how you see and feel their relationship build from the beginning. How you want to see them together, but you don't know who you can trust. The author slowly reveals the secrets of Templeton to you and begins to reveal the power of the Chosen Ones. You learn right along with Tess, so her shocks are your shocks as well.

I am so happy that I already have book two, Naturals, to read! It is being released in April, so watch for my review then!

[Tamara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why couldn't this be a better written book?

[Rimsa Ivashkov · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

It was an interesting idea for a book, but personally i dont think it was delivered in the best way. I though it was pretty unique and i havent really read anything else like it, so it was intriguing. I liked the world she created and the plot was interesting enough with a few twists and turns that i didnt see coming. The chosen ones were pretty cool and i enjoyed learning about them and all the secrets of their creation and the council.

However, i think it was some of the characters and their relationship developments that put me off. I, personally, wasnt the biggest fan of Tess because to me she came across as quite dull and pessimistic. I like my heroines to be a bit more witty and have some life in them, but Tess was pretty boring. Also, at the start she is quite skeptic about love, but as soon as she meets James, its like she forgets everything she thought before. It was insta-love (which was a defenite negative) and i just didnt find it believable because of her previous attitude towards love.

James was a good character, he was likeable and i enjoyed his scenes with Tess. None of the other characters particualarly stand out to me, but they were all okay. I liked this book, but i think if Tess's character has been more interesting then the book would have held my attention more. The pace could have also been speeded up a bit because it dragged at times.BUT, it was a good first novel, and i will probably read the sequel.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stark and powerful. You won't forget this book.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Rating* 4.0
*Genre* Dystopian

*Review based on the ARC*

"You must face your fears in order to conquer them."

An interesting story with such a dark premise that it makes books like the Hunger Games seem tame in comparison. Here you have a society that has all but destroyed itself in an East vs West Civil War and a so called Fourth World War between nations that killed millions via nuclear bombs. The US survivors have all but given up their freedom and are living in so called compounds because there are those out there who want to do them harm. Or, so they are told.

In a rush to avoid further killing of human on human, they created the Chosen Ones who were meant to protect and guide humanity (naturals) after women stopped having the ability to breed. The Chosen are genetically engineered super-humans capable of incredible strength, durability, and speed. Some of them express hatred for humans by arbitrarily raping and killing them, especially the women.

"Emotional entanglements only led to physical trespasses. We, humans, were weak. We couldn't be trusted with our emotions."

According to the Council, humans were too weak and can't be trusted with their own safety or emotions. Each human is branded a number, in this case Tess, our main protagonist is 258915. (sounds like Nazi Germany to me.) In this society, books and music are banned. Every family is required to offer up their eldest daughter as a servant for 3 years starting at age 16. Many young women are sterilized at the first sign of menstruation.

For Tess, things change, or fall apart, when her eldest sister Emma dies during childbirth. A childbirth she was warned against having for fear that she would die in the midst of it. Thanks to Emma's demise, Tess is sent to work at Templeton the place where the chosen are created and taught how humanity destroyed itself with weakness and unwillingness to fight their own battles.

In the process, Tess meets James, a chosen who is beautiful as he is unique in his love of music and books. At first, Tess is as emotionless as you will find in any character. She seems almost nonchalant in her ability to interact with others. She's even a cold fish when it comes to dealing with her younger sister. This is, afterall, a society that scorns emotions of any sort as weakness.

"He had saved my life twice, and beyond that, he's made me realize that I had a heart and soul that still lived inside me. He showed me that love existed in a world full of darkness, something I long thought was impossible."

Then, things start to change when her relationship with James, a Chosen, starts to heat up and they find a connection among the banned books and music of their forefathers. Eventually, this leads to Tess being labeled as a troublemaker, and designated for death. Her only safe haven seems to be in the letters her own father left for her before he disappeared 10 years before.

This book will catch your attention right from the first chapter when Tess is branded on the back of her neck and then ends up at Templeton as a slave. Her emotional rollercoaster will not turn readers off, nor will her relationship with James sway anyone from continuing to read the entire book.

"I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create."

Readers will definitely find themselves wondering what happens next, and when will the next book in the series come out! Overall the world building is amazing and disturbing all at the same time. For a first time writer, Chosen One's has hooked my attention and now I patiently await the second installment of this series.

ARC recvd 04/08/2012 from Entangled Publishing. Expected publication: June 12th 2012 by Entangled Publishing, LLC

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say that when I read the synopsis for Chosen Ones, I thought this was going to be some sort of typical Marxist text. Meaning, the obvious bourgeois would be overthrown by the proletariat, because what good dystopian novel doesn’t have this element within its plot? I was wrong.

In many ways this novel can be compared to The Hunger Games in its basic structure: an overpowering controlling Capitol or Council, an obsession with perfection and vanity, and the restriction of luxurious items for the lower class despite its obvious abundance with the upper class. Again, I could use all of these elements to argue a Marxist literary interpretation of this novel (did I mention I love using Marxist theory?), but since this is a review and not a paper for graduate school I will restrain myself.

The basic premise of this novel is fascinating. In the wake of war amongst the human race, the leaders of Tess’ society turn to artificial life known as Chosen Ones to help fight their war in order to preserve the natural humans still alive. However, a genetic mutation becomes widespread amongst the female naturals still living that causes pregnancy and childbirth to be an automatic death sentence. Therefore, the Chosen Ones (which are all Males, btw) will eventually inherit the Earth. So the naturals are considered lower class citizens in respect to their protectors: the Chosen Ones. Whew, I think I covered most of the basic aspects.

Tess is an extremely strong character, and she holds fast to her convictions. Tess is enticed by the luxury in Templeton going against protocol and sitting to play the piano in a room she was supposed to be cleaning for use by the Chosen Ones. This leads to her meet cute with James, a Chosen One with a small scar on his chin, which separates him from his overwhelmingly perfect brethren.

Did I mention that love is somewhat forbidden or frowned upon because it can lead to the act of procreation that can lead to the woman’s death? The relationship that buds between Tess and James is taboo based on his status as a Chosen One and hers as a natural, but also because it could consequently lead to other sexual things (i.e. Julia).

Overall, Chosen Ones was a well-developed, quick read. I identified with both Tess and James as characters, and the story world was completely believable. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

My only problem with this text is the blurred concept of time. The fact that Tess is sixteen (and her younger sister is thirteen) doesn’t account for the amount of time that a genetic defect would evolve to cause death by childbirth in EVERY instance. In fact, there isn’t a clear timeline at all during the course of this novel which can be a very palpable weakness. I also want to point out that since the timeline is so weak, everything seems to happen all at once toward the end. In fact, everything snowballs into a final scene that has a small revelation concerning another main character. I want to argue that this novel could have been longer. It is only 260 pages long, and while a fast paced ending can incite more interest in a sequel, I still think that these characters could have been given a more proper send off for the sequel.

Based on my enjoyment of this novel, and its strengths minus the timeline, I want to give Truitt’s debut novel 4 Stars. I’m leaning toward 4.5, but the time issues are holding Chosen Ones back. Be sure to pick up a copy when it is released on April 10, 2012.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

World war 4 has decimated the United States. Tess lives in a compound in the West with a group of naturals. The Easterners and Westerners are constantly at war due to disagreements in the way to re-establish the country. Women can no longer have children and men are being killed at war. The government begin a Council of Creators to build a new race who will live on when the human race has died out. They are physically stronger and faster than humans (naturals), and they are trained to fight against the Easterners. They are only creating men, no women.

When the oldest girl in each family reaches the age of 16, she must go to work at Templeton, the training centre of the Chosen Ones, as a slave for three years. When Tess' older sister Emma dies in childbirth, Tess must take her place.

Tess has had a hard, sad life. She watched her father be taken away by Chosen Ones and he never returned. Her mother was an alcoholic who killed herself. Her childhood friend Henry, stopped talking to her one day and she doesn't know why. Now she only has her younger sister Louisa, who she was never really close to, and Robert, Emma's husband, who she can barely stand to look at.

Tess has always stuck to the rules of the Council and plans to never fall in love. She buries her emotions deep and doesn't show her feelings on the outside. But everything changes when she goes to Templeton. She discovers that the Chosen Ones have everything. They are treated like Gods compared to the naturals, who have lost almost everything; books, music and education. The naturals food is rationed. Tess can't remember the last time she had butter and at Templeton she is serving foods she has never even heard of, along with champagne.

She has always been taught that the Chosen Ones are there to protect the naturals but she realises that this is not the case. The Chosen Ones are taught to hate the naturals and they see them as being beneath them. Life is dangerous for the girls at Templeton. Tess meets James and discovers he is different to the others. They share a love of music and books and spend a lot of time together. But they must be careful not to show their feelings in front of anyone else.

Tess feels that she can't just stand by and watch what the Council are doing. There must be someone or something who can help them. When Tess' life is in danger, she discovers the Resistance.

The ending of this book shattered my heart and I am really anxious for the next instalment.

I really, really liked this. It has to be my favourite dystopian. It is so well written and easy to read even though there is a lot of information involved. Tiffany did a great job at the world building, I could totally envision it. Tess is given letters that her dad had written to her when she was a little girl. Through these, her dad gives us an insight into what was going on with the Council and that he was against it.

This is a fantastic story of discord, courage and love in the face of adversity. I strongly recommend it.

"The female is dangerous because of her natural tendency to embrace humans emotional side and her ability to elicit and encourage sexual activity."..."Sex equates full and utter dependence on someone else both physically and emotionally. There is brutal war going on right outside our home; we can't afford to be distracted."

[Jaime (Two Chicks on Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was so good! I need book 2 now. Omg I'm totally crying! Review to come.

[Brenna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Chosen Ones is a rather ambitious book as it seeks to tackle a number of questions and ideas, while introducing readers to an unfamiliar, disturbing future world. This is an ugly, bitter place to live in, particularly for women. And in this setting, Tiffany sets out to explore some fascinating concepts.

But I found the book to be perhaps TOO ambitious, so that it fell short for me as the first book in a series. I had really hoped for a stronger presentation in regards to themes and dangerous adventure, and found it lacking in a few too many areas and its strengths didn't make that up for me.

Reasons to Read:

1.An incredibly twisted, unique post-apocalyptic world:

The setting of Chosen Ones truly horrified me, as it was supposed to. It's in the midst of complete transformation, as "real" humans are gradually dying off with no means to reproduce, and have become inferior to the "new and improved" humans (a.k.a. chosen ones) who are essentially manufactured people, created by scientists and extremely advanced technology. Books like these are everywhere, but this is a world that I found to stand out among the rest as a very unique (and scary) idea. And because women are unable to reproduce, intimacy of any form between males and females is looked down upon and almost shunned to an extent. So the girls (like Tessa) seem to be fairly naive, which leads to some really creepy and disturbing moments.

2.Challening ideas and thoughts:

There are so many struggles within this world, and I was pleased to find that many of them are ideological struggles. It's a battle of IDEAS primarily, and I can tell that Tiffany is very intelligently trying to present some thoughtful questions and to challenge her readers. Humanity versus science. Creator versus the created. Freedom versus choice. What does faith mean? How do you challenge the norms and those in power? How far are you willing to go to fight for what you believe in? These are just as applicable to us even now, and there are no easy answers.

But this is what I mean by the book really being too ambitious; there was so much potential with where this book could have gone, and I didn't feel that it got there. It seemed like we were trying to have this strong, opinionated and thoughtful book with questioning ideas, and adventure and drama, and some good, tragic romance. And while trying to cover all these bases, I ended up feel like each area was lacking.

I had a very hard time following most of what was happening in Chosen Ones. The world was so far off and so detailed (yet riddled with secrets) that it was hard to follow what was happening and why it was happening. And nobody really seemed to question any of this; it's glossed over that, in Tessa's lifetime, women were suddenly unable to reproduce anymore. They just stopped. And I'm not clear on this, but it doesn't appear to be a generational thing either and yet no one really questions it. No one seems to find it suspicious or beyond odd- they just accept it and realize that life sucks, and so during Tessa's lifetime women are suddenly blamed for everything. There are a lot of IDEAS but they come across so forcefully instead of being subtlely woven within the story itself. And it seemed like the setting and character were being used as tools to promote an idea, rather than show the implications and results of an idea.

My friend Christa @ Hooked on Books wrote a very thoughtful blog post discussing why it seems that in future worlds, most books seem to feature a society that looks down on and even hates women. I'm sure for most it's a plot device to feature strong, brave heroines but I had a hard time buying into this idea that within the span of 12 years, women went from having children, and families were there, to suddenly being unable to reproduce and so they're taught that they're weak and emotional and will all seduce men if they're not careful and die because they'll end up pregnant. And birth control is black market, apparently. I just couldn't follow this without more background information, and I'm fairly certain we're being set up for a big reveal later on in the series. But it doesn't make sense for this book.

The other problem I had wtih this book were the characters. It seemed like there were so many, and they weren't very well fleshed out so I kept forgetting who a person was when a name was mentioned. The story itself is really about Tessa, and it seemed like the secondary characters were there as decoration more than anything. And the dynamics between them reminded me far too much of The Hunger Games in a number of ways. The story itself is drastically different, but the relationships in it? Definitely more than a few similarities. You have a cold and jaded heroine, who distances herself from just about everyone (who is also very important for the political struggle, for some reason). A younger sister she, at times, feels the need to protect from this ugly world (now, that one's usually a given in any sibling relationship). Two boys the heroine is close to - one a childhood friend with a strong desire to fight back agains the establishment, at just about any cost, and a new one who wants to protect her. Plus, a dead father and a useless mother. And I likely wouldn't have picked up on this at all, except that there's a scene where Tessa is watching another character be punished for a crime and she ends up screaming out that she volunteers to take on some of said punishment. That part really reminded me of the Reaping. But the character dynamics just weren't strong enough to make me really care. Without understanding Tessa's motivation, she's just a very aloof character that I couldn't connect with or understand why she acted in certain ways.

The book is also pretty heavy on the romance, which I didn't entirely buy into. It's far too on and off, and Tessa is such reacts so immaturely and just doesn't learn from the past at all. It felt a little too rushed and chaotic for someone as cynical and cautious as Tessa. And the story really does revolve around the love story. But I do have to say there are a couple of really sweet, totally moving scenes between the two characters. VERY touching moments at times, that I couldn't help but love a little bit. So much swoon!

There are some pretty great twists by the end too, although the action was completely ignored unfortunately. But I predict more great twists and reveals in the later books.

But ultimately, I found myself far too frustrated with the majority of the story. I was hoping for there to be something to shine through, but ended up left with very little to show for itself.

E-galley received from publisher for review.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 to 4 Stars!
Even though this one sort of gives off vibes of the Delirium Series by Lauren Oliver it pulled me right into the story and after a few pages I could tell that while yes, there were some similarities, this really was its own beast. Completely different.

I don't know what I was expecting but an epic love story was not one of them. I loved Tess. She was so strong and brave and even a little bit fierce not to mention lonely, confused and struggling so much with her inner self. I couldn't help but feel for her and that is something I really wasn't expecting.

The whole concept behind this one is rather chilling just because you can see it happening. You can see the world becoming the one Tess has grown up in. A world so lost and far (but not that far) from the one we live in it is hard to recognize. The world building was pretty fabulous too. We get exactly how the government came about, how things got to where they are as the story begins and you can feel the desperation of the people. A people that very much want to believe in what they are being told. A people that want to feel safe even though in reality they all have so much to lose, Chosen or Natural, are all far from safe of the creators and council members that decide the fate of what is left of the world. The eastern sectors versus the west. Sound familiar? Sound like something our own country once went through, only north versus south? Like I said, chilling.

What we don't get, why woman can no longer have healthy babies does stay a mystery up until the very end but it works, it is part of the mystery of the story and why we see what makes Tess, well, Tess.

I loved James and while I really was intrigued with Henry, I loved James from the beginning. And while I wouldn’t say this is a love triangle, I can see it being one in the works further on in the series and I am not sure if that bothers me or not because both boys are great in there own way but I can see my heart always belonging to James.


So much happens towards the end, so much is revealed, so much is said and so much is discovered. Tess really starts to become the girl I think she was always meant to be. So much stronger and surer of herself. I can't wait to see where the next book will take her.

[Damaris (GoodChoiceReading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book with an awesome kick ass character! The world that Truitt has created is dark and intense. Humans are basically slaves to the Chosen Ones, who were created to help humans. But somewhere along the way the Chosen Ones took over and want to make sure humans do not rise above them. When Tess is sent to Templeton to work there, she learns and witnesses what The Chosen Ones are really like. There were some scenes that left me with my mouth open. Some were raw and extreme. Tess stood strong every step of the way though. I really liked that her character stayed consistent throughout the whole book.

From reading the blurb you would think that this story has an insta-love, but rest easy when I say it does not. The relationship between James and Tess develops at a very nice pace and it was heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time. James was a confused Chosen One. Everything he has ever been taught about his kind and the naturals (aka Humans) no longer makes any sense to him, and the same goes for Tess. It was nice watching these two grow throughout the book. Every time they were together I was at the edge of my seat thinking “this it, O-M-G they are going to get caught.” I love it when a book does this to me.

The only issue I had was the ending of the book and I felt there were some parts that could have been explained a little bit better. The ending felt way too easy and there is a scene (and I can’t really go into details because then it would be a spoiler) where James tells Tess something that I thought would be revealed towards the ending, but it wasn’t and I was left with questions. I know there is going to be a sequel, or at least I hope there is, but I just felt that scene sort of became pointless.

Overall, I am so happy I got the chance to read this book and I am really looking forward to the next in the series, or any book by Truitt. It reads at a nice pace, has awesome characters, and it’s very unpredictable, which was a huge plus for me! It was also very suspenseful at times. I really enjoyed it.

4 out 5 stars!

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh this was ok. Started off good and I was expecting greatness, but then it sort of turned into a mediocre run-of-the-mill dystopia storyline. Tess is born into a world where humans are artificially created to be stronger and better than naturally born humans, so as to protect humanity from "the enemy". It was never even explained who the enemy was, or any details given on the war that was supposed to be raging on. These artificial humans - known as Chosen Ones - are the upper class elite, while humans (who have somehow lost the ability to procreate naturally) are their servants and slaves. Tess then falls in love with a Chosen One and her world changes.

This story just didn't add up. No explanation was given as to why women suddenly couldn't give birth without dying themselves, as a reader we were just expected to swallow this as fact. Also, why would the Chosen Ones have any sexual desire, when the purpose of sexual desire is procreation? Wouldn't the creators just somehow underbind the sexual urges of Chosen Ones to make them more into robotic machines made for war? Then there wouldn't be any issue with them possibly getting any natural women pregnant. The love story was kind of cheesy as well, I mean reading Jane Eyre means you fall in love with something? *eyeroll*

About two thirds of the way in the book just got really frustrating and dragged on, and I was ready for it to end. Then it did and wow - what a let down. What a cliche ending that we've read in pretty much every other dystopian trilogy. I think there were so many different elements in this book that weren't properly developed - all the characters and their histories, the Rebellion, the talents and purpose of the Chosen Ones, the War, etc. It's like the author couldn't decide what to focus on so she brought in so many things but none of them had any major significance to really affect the plot.

Overall it was ok, but nothing really unique about this dystopian tale.

[Jilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the book, Exceptional, and this story reminds me of it. We have Tess, a lowly human, and even worse, a woman, who gets thrown into the clutches of James, the "Chosen One" - meaning a superman, clone created to save the world, but is better than the humans. Love is forbidden and considered a weakness. Women are stricken with a disease that causes them and their babies to die if they get pregnant, so sex is looked down upon. Humans and Chosen Ones cannot have relationships. Of course they are going to fall in love!

This is a fun dystopia with many different paths available for the storyline to go. The main character is likable and is growing through the story, but I am more intrigued by her love interest, James, who is a Chosen One who had a rebellious creator.

[Nereyda (Nick & Nereyda's Infinite Booklist) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book months ago for this blog tour. Unfortunately, the book release date and blog tour got pushed back and so I put off reading it until closer to the blog tour date. Now after reading this book, I really wish I would have read it as soon as I got my hands on it! Dystopias used to be one of my favorite genres, unfortunately a big problem I had with them was that they were at times too bleak and depressing and most of them didn’t focus on a love relationship (which is a huge thing for me). Because of this, I was in a bit of a dystopia funk and the last dystopia I attempted to read was a DNF for me (The Lost Code). I was a little bit nervous going into this book, but I was immediately intrigued with the 1st paragraph and I knew this book was going to be different.

Women have lost the ability to give birth and are dying along with their unborn babies. As a solution for the dying race, the council as created the chosen ones, artificial beings with special abilities. But the council and the chosen ones are keeping secrets. Will these secrets help the dying human race or will it only succeed in further destroying them?

Although Tess comes off as cold and heartless at first, I can understand why she feels this way. After losing her sister she feels that love equals a death sentence and she vows to never let herself get close to anyone or care for them. When she begins working at Templeton, she meets James who is a chosen one. Tess is normally afraid by the chosen ones because they are not natural beings and they are too perfect. But when she notices that James has a scar on his chin, she is immediately intrigued by him. She wants to know why he isn’t perfect like the others and what he did to get the scar. James isn’t like the other chosen ones, he actually acts like a human which leaves him feeling conflicted and at times is hot/cold towards Tess. Soon, all of Tess’s reservations about love go out the window as she and James start an intense and dangerous relationship.

While this is a dystopian story, Tiffany does an amazing job of balancing the problems in society with a beautiful romance. I have to admit that certain aspects of this book reminded me of Partials by Dan Wells but with its own unique twist. Although the beginning starts immediately pulls you in, it slows down a bit the first couple chapters but really picks up after that and leaves us with a shocking cliffhanger that puts its sequel, Naturals, one of my most anticipated sequels of 2013. Chosen Ones is a fascinating new dystopia world full of secrets, lies, and betrayals all mixed in with a hot and intense romance!

4.5 out of 5 sparkly stars!

Some of my favorite non-spoiler quotes from Chosen Ones:
-To feel was beyond dangerous.

-Didn’t they know this thing was pointless? I couldn’t understand why anyone got married anymore. It wasn't a commitment. It was murder.

-Death was expected. There were no exceptions.

-The illusion of choice was all-important. Some people just didn’t realize that choice doesn’t necessarily mean freedom.

-Stories enabled you to forget your life and your limits. They urged you to reach for a world that was never meant to be yours. There was nothing more dangerous than an imagination.

-Maybe it's better to live in a world you don't understand, because if you understand it, it becomes unbearable.

***
http://www.mostlyyabookobsessed.com/2...

[Pixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can also find my review at The Bookaholic

When I first participated in the cover reveal of Chosen Ones and read the blurb for this upcoming YA Dystopian, I had a deep sense that I was going to like it--it was just a gut feeling, I guess you could say, and it held high expectations from that point on while I eagerly awaited to read.

It did not disappoint. Not only did it meet my high expectations that I had established from the blurb and excitement for wanting to read this story, but it went above and beyond them. I’m completely speechless as to how I’m going to go into this review to be honest without sounding like a giddy fan girl…Okay, so maybe I already do, it’s cool though, I should get that right after having read something so fantastic.

I haven’t exactly been secretive about my disappointments with a lot of my reads so far this year. At best, most have just been average--not quite memorable--with only one or two exceptions. Thanks so much to Tiffany Truitt and Chosen Ones for finally turning that around and giving me one that I can say I will remember for sure come the end of the year and it was such an amazing read that had me turning the pages so fast, my ereader didn’t have the need to recharge before I finished the book. This is what I deem “un-put-down-able.”

When is the sequel coming? Agh, I’m already craving it!

It’s not short on the details at all--allowing easy visuals, sometimes a bit gruesome--and an intriguing backstory to the world building. How the chosen ones came to be were an interesting piece of information to story and I really liked the author’s take on the ideas. What also particularly struck me was that while it does play around with the whole “forbidden romance” theme, it’s not cheesy in the slightest and executed in a nicely done manner. I like the romance that builds between them. I adore it. I found myself smiling like a goofball in a few places. The character growth in Tess is developed with grace and dignity--after starting out so cold-hearted and shy. By the end, I was near in tears at her devotion and courage.

Chosen Ones packs a powerhouse of emotions and eerie intrigue. It stole my heart.

Seriously, when is the sequel?!


<3
Pixie

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was sad. But then, how many dystopians can you actually say were happy. This is a story that felt hopeless most of the way through, until about a quarter left and then the resistance wasfinally came out. The resistance that was in the story was the one thing I was not sure about. I couldn't tell for sure who was in it, what they were doing, and if they would even appear in this book. But they finally did, and that is what made me excited for the sequel.

Tess is a 16 year old girl that seems to suffer in silence. She is strong and stubborn, but also came across as not having much hope. In her world the oldest natural(real humans) has to work as a servant for the Chosen Ones for a few years as a sort of payment or debt settlement for all the things the council and the Chosen Ones had done for them. After her sister dies while giving birth she is stuck covering the rest of the serving years. And she is going to do this in her own stubborn , rebellious way. She is pretty much angry. Angry at her father and mother. Angry at her sister for marrying and thinking she should try for a baby. And angry at the world really. But she locks her feelings away. Until she meets James, a Chosen One that chnges her world. She finally lets someone get close to her, and learns that all is not as it seems. Her eyes are slowly opened, and she gets to the point of desperation, almost.

This book was the beginning to a rebellion. A people that has been suppressed and turned almost to extinction. And finally the story was about a revolution and rebellion that is to come. I thought this book was kind of slow, yet still enjoyable. Sometimes it dragged and I would put it down, and other times, especially the last quarter, I found myself unable to put it down. I loved Tess and James' relationship and hope found myself pulling for them and hoping for it to work out. There story is still unfinished, and maybe Tess will go in a different direction, but I look forward to finding out.

[Kinga · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this one. I'd say more like a 3 stars because despite I loved it I can't deny its flaws.
Plot
I love dystopians. The world each author creates is unique. I have to say that I felt a Cassandra Clare influence on this one. The names, music, the books. Whatever, in narrating its quite different so those little details don't matter. This kind of futures described in books scare more than I care to admit. When I read, I let the story absorb me into its endless abyss and I lose myself. I start feeling what the main does and soon I find myself incapable of distancing myself from the action. So I live through their life. It's scary. Okay, back. Sometimes it felt like nothing is happening, the pace was quite slow. I had some problems with the storytelling because flashbacks would start popping up when conversations were held and it interrupted moments I started to enjoy. The action felt to be split up from time to time. It's like the author wrote the chapters separately and then glued them.
Characters
Tess is weird. She gives off a strong vibe but sometimes I found her irresponsible just like any typical ya heroine. She accepted death too soon and it bothered me. She gave up love too soon and then changed her mind. Urghhhh. I liked James. He understood the changes he was forced to take, his emotions came out raw, he took risks. I prayed many times that Tess won't be raped (by some nasty testosterone ball) or anything but after a time the author stopped the flow of violence and it became soft. I knew that Robert and Henry would play a bigger part but man, that was some nasty thing to reveal on the last page. I think a love triangle is coming up and I already fear it. I was beginning to have some hope for those two but BANG! the all mighty God aka the author decided otherwise. Has it become mandatory for the main couple to separate during the second book? So it seems, and I hate it when I find the same cliches in every book.

[Tee Loves Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really just okay for me. I don't know how well this series will do, because I feel like I've read so many dystopians similar to it and I didn't connect with the heroine at all. This was kind of like a cross between Delirium, Exceptional, and Unwind, with concepts from all three present and making me feel like I've read this already. Elite beings are made to fight a war for the humans (that I'm still not clear on the details of, even after reading the book), and everyday humans, who are taught that their feelings of love and lust are shameful, are left to suffer and serve these special ones in silence. It's just nothing new, unfortunately, and I feel detached from this story because too many points of the plot weren't given enough time to develop.

I really tried to keep an open mind about the heroine, reminding myself that she's raised in a hellish place, but she was frigid and lacked that spark or memorable personality that made me care for her. I think James was my saving grace on this one, because I really liked him. He was sweet and played a decent hero when all was said and done. I'm bummed because this sounded good and the cover is gorgeous, but I won't be reading on in this series.

[Trisha Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m still kind of reeling over that ending. Wow. It definitely left me craving more, and I’m looking forward to where Truitt takes this series. The first chapter completely took me by surprise. I’ve read many, so so many Dystopians, and I’m always prepared for the bleak, dreary world and oppressors which govern it. But the raw and gruesome display of power by the Chosen Ones in the first chapter gripped me, and I was sucked into this hellish world where emotions are signs of weakness and humans have little if not hope.

Tess is a fantastic and strong heroine. I loved how her mind worked, how she reasoned situations, and figured things out for herself. She’s very relatable. Her relationship with James was powerful and passionate, and at times, tender. I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough as I anxiously devoured every scene with them, wondering if this would be the moment they got caught. A tense, thought provoking, highly evocative read that stirs every emotion, Chosen Ones is un-put-downable, and a must for Dystopian lovers.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mehhh. This book was so meh I don't even have quippy insults to throw at it.

It's just... kinda forgettable? It had a good premise, too, with these cylons coming around and saving things, and then the whole world is all "OMG ROBOTS FOREVER, DIE HUMANS!" and such. But instead we just get this meh book that has a really unpleasant treatment of women. I mean, obviously that's the point, but it still just creeps me out.

I'm not sure what it is, but lately every time I pick out a book without reading any reviews or anything, it ends up having some weird treatment of women in it. Especially this "women = cattle" thing, which has popped up WAY TOO MANY books that I've read lately. I guess it's because they're all these books where humans are on the edge of destruction, but I'm not actively seeking this out, I'd be glad to get onto another topic right now.

Anyway. Yeah. Boring.

[Danielle Barclay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a coming of age story for Tess. As I read it I felt like I was waking up from a dream. This one made my heart skip a beat a few times. It was intense and powerful. I'm still mulling over how to describe it. It does have that Hunger Games premise but it's not flashy; it's darker, haunting. This is a fantastic debut that will appeal to a broad audience, I can't wait for more!

[Valia Lind · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seriously would like book 2 now!

[Kayleigh {K-Books} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chosen Ones Review on K-Books

"Emotional entanglements only led to physical tresspasses. We, humans, were weak. We couldn't be trusted with our emotions."


Chosen Ones completely blew me away. The debut novel from Tiffany Truitt just made me fall in love with this new dystopian society and I could not stop reading. When I saw the cover to this book I instantly fell in love and couldn't wait to read it. Who wouldn't looking at that cover? It's beautiful. When I read the blurb and found out it was a dystopian novel I just got even more excited and couldn't wait to delve into this book. So you can imagine my excitement when I got a review copy from Entangled. I was not disappointed, this book is incredible and without a doubt one of the best debut's I have ever read.


Tess lives in a world where emotions are a weakness. You shouldn't care about anything or anyone. It will only get your killed. Humans can no longer carry their offspring and pregnancy leads to death. In order to survive the Chosen Ones were created. Like humans but stronger and better, they are there to take orders and protect. They do not have feelings. But then Tess meets James, a Chosen unlike any other she has met, he is kind, has feelings and loves all of the things she does. But can she really trust a Chosen One? And what happens when she starts to realise that this society may not be only there to protect? Will her growing feelings endanger her life? Tess is about to find out in a journey that will leave you breathless and our heart pounding for more.


I cannot praise this book enough. It was just incredible and amazing. I've been looking forward to reading it ever since I received it for review a few months ago and once I started I couldn't put it down. Tiffany's incredible narrative drew me in from the first page and I was drawn into this dystopian society where feelings are a weakness. Chosen Ones is unlike any other dystopian I have read and I loved how original it was. No matter what I needed to do I couldn't put the book down and read over half of it in one sitting.


Tess is such an amazing character and I love her. She is strong and will do whatever it takes to protect herself and her family. She refuses to feel anything and look weak and she is good at hiding what is really going on inside. I really admired her and I felt like she went on such a huge journey throughout the book and she really grew as a character. I loved seeing the world from Tess' eyes and it really makes you see just how barbaric this supposed 'protected' community can be. Everything that happens to Tess makes you see things differently and it's like you are living this story with her. I really felt like she discovered a lot about herself throughout the book and I completely loved that.


Now for James. Every girl reading this book will love James. I sure did. He is such a fantastic character and although you don't see his feelings much with the story being told from Tess' point of view I felt like you really see his character grow and see him going through his own journey of discovery throughout the book. He is a 'Chosen One' he's supposed to be stoic with no feelings but he's unlike the other Chosen Ones. Especially when he meets Tess, he can't explain his feelings and you really see all his conflicting emotions as he tries to make sense of them. I loved that about him and I loved how similar he and Tess are even though they are technically different 'species'.


This book just completely blew me away. I knew from the first chapter I would adore this book and I was right. I got this feeling when I started it that I would love it and that the story would be an emotional rollercoaster that would stay with me for a long time. I have only had that feeling with one other series which is The Hunger Games, my favourite books so this ranks right up there with those. I was blown away and left breathless and hungry for more with this book. It's an incredible heart-wrenching series that will blow you away. You feel like you are living through every moment with Tess and you feel her confusion and her reluctance growing into her acceptance that everything is not as it seems in this world.


I will definitely be buying the paperback of this series when it comes out and I am just left hanging waiting for the next book in this series. It's incredible and breath-taking and in my opinion one of the best, most unique dystopian novels out there. This is a must-read for any fan of dystopian and I would recommend it to everyone. A definite re-read quality book.


It was Phenomenal, breath-taking, heart-pounding and Epic! The storyline will leave you speechless and the romance will leave you breathless! Amazing!


"He had saved my life twice, and beyond that, he's made me realise that I had a heart and soul that still lived inside me. He showed me that love existed in a world full of darkness, something I long thought was impossible."

[Merin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars.

Chosen Ones is a book that's been on my radar for some time, so when I was asked to review it as part of the pre-release tour for Naturals, I immediately jumped at the chance. And while it did take a while for me to warm up to our main character, and get completely engrossed in the story, I ultimately came away from Chosen Ones quite satisfied, and eager to see what comes next.

As with most dystopian books, Chosen Ones tells the tale of a US that's been decimated by a third World War. Instead of one large country, we instead have two separate factions on each of the coasts, with a sort of wasteland where the Midwest once was. Not only is the country suffering under immense poverty, but women have lost the ability to bring forth life. Because humanity is too tired to fight its own battles, scientists have engineered so-called Chosen Ones, who are able to fight without remorse or feeling, making them the perfect killing machines. Tess, our main character, lives on a Compound where the Chosen Ones are engineered, and is forced to work at the actual facility that houses them after her sister's death. It's here that she meets James, and the book really starts to take off.

"No wonder the council had outlawed books. Stories enabled you to forget your life and your limits. They urged you to reach for a world that was never meant to be yours. There was nothing more dangerous than imagination." - 33%

I do want to commend the author on her world-building. The background and history interspersed into the story via Tess' memories and her father's letters really helps the reader figure out what's going on. At times the book was quite frightening, because it's not completely implausible to see something like this eventually occurring in the (hopefully not near) future. I do wish we'd gotten to experience a bit more of the world, but considering that Tess is confined to the compound and Templeton, that's not really feasible. I hope - considering the events at the end of this book - that we WILL get a chance to dive more into the unknown world in the second installment.

"There's more to this life than what you have settled for. You've crawled so deep inside yourself I wonder if you even know you have a self to save." - 19%

The romance between Tess and James was really well done, and I loved how he slowly got Tess out of her shell. She, understandably, pushes people away and keeps herself closed off, because she's lost pretty much everything in her young life and wants to keep herself from the pain of more loss. This makes her a bit difficult to warm up to, as she's not only detached from her surroundings and the people around her, but also the reader. I loved how, the more time she and James spent together, the more it became quite obvious that she needed him to remember her humanity, and he, likewise, needed her to remember that he was more than just a killing machine. Forbidden romance can so easily go wrong, but I'm happy to report that, in this case, it's really done quite perfectly and I enjoyed every moment.

While a bit slow to get started, and having a main character that takes a while to warm up to, Chosen Ones is ultimately a solid dystopian book worthy of addition to your shelves. There is a bit of cliffhanger at the end of the book, which nicely sets up the sequel. I can't wait to see what comes next not only for Tess and James, but all the others she cares about as well!

***

To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a futuristic dystopian world where women are no longer able to have children the human race is facing extinction. This isn't helped by the constant war that rages between the survivors. The Council have created a race of Chosen Ones who are powerful and deadly beings that are supposed to protect the remaining humans and take their place as soldiers in the war. But everything isn't what it seems and the protectors aren't always looking out for our best interests. When Tess is sent to work at a training facility for the Chosen Ones she starts to realise the depth of corruption among those who should be protecting her but who can be trusted and how much is she prepared to pay to stand up for those who need her help?

I was really intrigued with the premise of the story so have been looking forward to reading this book for ages. Unfortunately although I enjoyed it I didn't find that it wowed me as much as I was expecting it to. Having said that I'm still interested enough in the world that the author has created that I will definitely want to pick up the sequel when it is released. I felt the beginning of the book was a little slow and I found it hard to follow the world building in places, sometimes you were given so much information in a short period of time that it made it hard to get my head around things. Once I'd got to grips with the world and the story got going the pace really picked up and the book became much more enjoyable.

Tess was an interesting character but one that wasn't particularly easy to identify with at the beginning. She starts off quite cold and emotionless, especially considering the events occurring in the opening scenes of the book and I didn't think I was going to like her at all. However, the more you get to know her the more you realise that she is putting on an act because it is expected of her. In the world she lives in women have been given the blame for the problem humanity is having reproducing, they are considered over-emotional and it is said that they have made the men weak because of this. Therefore, anyone who shows any kind of emotion is considered a trouble maker and in the world Tiffany Truitt has created the last thing you want to do is draw attention to yourself. As you get to know Tess you can't help but admire her, particularly when she stands up for someone she doesn't even know very well at a great cost to herself. I did find her a bit of a contradiction at times though - in parts of the book she was incredibly naive and slow to put two and two together whereas at other times she showed a knowledge you didn't expect her to have considering her previous actions.

I enjoyed the romance between her and James but I never felt that we got to know him as well as I needed to for things to be completely believable. Things happen just a little too quickly for my taste but I think anyone who enjoys forbidden relationships will like them. The concept of the Chosen Ones is fascinating, the idea of these children being created in laboratories and not being woken up until they are physically like teenagers was creepy and quite frankly scared me. The world that the author has created certainly isn't a comfortable one for the natural humans - it isn't meant to be.

After events in the last third of the book I'm really curious to see how events play out in the next book. I'm not quite sure how I see things resolving in the future so it will be interesting to see what happens. Although Chosen Ones wasn't my favourite book of the year it is certainly unusual in it's premise and well worth a try if you like this kind of dystopian world.