Interview, Give-away+ Review of Toxic by Jus Accardo

Do we have a treat for you!! Not only do we have an interview with the fantastic Jus Accardo, One lucky winner will receive this fantastic swag pack! Be sure to fill out the Rafflecoptor form below for your chance to win! This includes: Touch post card signed
Toxic postcard signed
Touch magnet
Untouched magnet
Toxic magnet
Toxic bookmark
signed bookplate
Team Kale sticker

Interview with Jus Accardo

1. You definitely wrote one of the most irritating secondary characters
to date. How did you channel in Jade's character while writing her?
Jade is like that girl in high school who has to be the best and the prettiest and have all the attention. The scheming, manipulative girl who will plow over anyone to get her way. I knew a lot of girls in high school like that. Jade is one big mash up of all the mean girls, lol.

2. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, do you listen to
different bands/artists to capture different moods?
I do! I’d be lost without music. I have a playlist for each book, then a different one for each character. It never fails to get the wheels turning if I get stuck on something.

3. If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?
This is a tough one, but I kind of love Elena Michaels from Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld. I have a mega crush on Clay… :D

4. What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love to bake and be outdoors. Our property backs up to a nature preserve and I love to go hiking with the dogs. I’m also a huge World of Warcraft fanatic.

5. What was your favorite chapter in Toxic (or part) to write and why?
Hmmm. Well I love the Jade/Dez scenes. They rub each other a lot like Alex/Kale and I’m a sucker for that kind of back and forth. There’s one scene in particular that takes place at a party—I can’t say much without giving it away—but I giggle every time I think about it!

6. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What
has been the best compliment?
I think the toughest to hear was not long after TOUCH came out, someone went out of their way to email me, stating I should kill myself and put the world out of its misery because the book was just stupid on every possible level. I laugh about it now because, well, come on! Really? But at the time, I pretty much cried.
As for the best, I’ll be totally honest—and you’ll probably think I’m a goober—but any time someone tells me they like my books, it’s a huge high. Like, goofy smile and chair dancing all the way. And really, now that I’ve gotten those first few bad reviews out of the way, those are kind of awesome, too. Think about it. If someone—we’ll use the emailer for example—hates my book that much, then obviously I’ve evoked a strong emotion. As a writer, that’s really all I can ask for. Emotion.

Thanks Jus for stopping by to answer a few questions for us.  

Toxic by Jus Accardo
Release Date: October 16, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen

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

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

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

My thoughts:

Toxic is the second book in the Denezen series, and one of my most anticipated sequels, so I was so excited to dive right into it without hesitation. I just love Dez and Kale, and their unique world. This installment has a different tone to it than Touch.   Dez is up to her old shenanigans; thriving off adrenaline, but her world is turned upside down when Kale’s touch begins to affect her. There were so many twists thrown into Toxic. And, I don’t say that lightly. I think they were well executed and the plot was great. My only complaint was that Dez wasn’t the kick-butt heroine she was in Touch. She still maintains her snarky attitude, which I love by the way, but her insecurities got the better of her when Jade was able to touch Kale. Jade has a special gift that ground harmful gifts within a fifteen-foot radius. Not only did that tick off Dez, but Jade was impervious to harm and, she had her sights set on Kale.

I think Jus wrote Jade as the most irritating secondary character ever!!! Just thinking about her gets me all fired up. She was always getting in Dez and Kale’s way. Seriously folks, when I say this girl is annoying, I so am not kidding.

There were many facets to the story that really brought it to life. The unique gifts the characters have as well as new characters that were introduced were just great. There were a lot of relationship developments throughout Toxic. One in particular was Dez and her mom.

Dez wasn’t used to answering to anyone, so when her mom began showing parental authority, it didn’t sit well with Dez, but she really tried to take it in stride. I think that Dez had so much going on in her life that she began to feel defeated in a way.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I loved all the twists thrown in. The ending was a big opener for the next installment and I really can’t wait to see what Jus will pull on us next. I just hope that she gives Jade what’s coming to her!

3.5 Snowflakes

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