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Touched
Nick Cross always listens to the voice in his head. Because if he doesn't? Things can go really, really wrong. Like the day he decided to go off script and saved a girl from being run over . . . and let another one drown. Trying to change the future doesn't work.
But this summer at the Jersey Shore, something's about to happen that Nick never could have predicted. He meets a girl named Taryn and finds out about the Book of Touch. Now the path that he thought he was on begins to shift . . . and there's no way to stop things from happening. Or is there?
In a life where there are no surprises, nothing has prepared Nick for what he's about to discover--or the choice he will be forced to make. . . .
But this summer at the Jersey Shore, something's about to happen that Nick never could have predicted. He meets a girl named Taryn and finds out about the Book of Touch. Now the path that he thought he was on begins to shift . . . and there's no way to stop things from happening. Or is there?
In a life where there are no surprises, nothing has prepared Nick for what he's about to discover--or the choice he will be forced to make. . . .
309 pages, Hardcover
First published August 14, 2012
27 people are currently reading
4783 people want to read
About the author
Cyn Balog
16 books876 followersCyn Balog is a normal, everyday Jersey Girl who always believed magical things can happen to us when we least expect them. She is author of young adult paranormals FAIRY TALE (2009), SLEEPLESS(2010), STARSTRUCK (2011), TOUCHED (2012), and her most recent release: DEAD RIVER (2013).e. She lives outside Allentown, Pennsylvania with her husband and daughters.
She also writes under the pen name Nichola Reilly. Nichola Reilly is Cyn Balog's post-apocalyptic fantasy-writing alter-ego. The first book in her series, DROWNED, will be releasing from Harlequin TEEN sometime in 2014, followed by a sequel, BURIED, in 2015.
She also writes under the pen name Nichola Reilly. Nichola Reilly is Cyn Balog's post-apocalyptic fantasy-writing alter-ego. The first book in her series, DROWNED, will be releasing from Harlequin TEEN sometime in 2014, followed by a sequel, BURIED, in 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
April 2, 2012
I am used to reading bad books. I try very hard not to, I pick every one very carefully, but I often end up with something I’d been doing my best to avoid. And it’s okay. It’s the same for all of us. But when a book starts out great and I get my hopes up, only to become formulaic and focused on all the wrong things later on, I feel more than just disappointed. I feel cheated.
Touched had a very promising beginning. Ever since he was born, Nick Cross’ head has been filled with what he calls memories, but what are really visions of his future. His best hope is to pick a future he likes and stick to the script, but any deviation, no matter how little, can change everything, and when it does, it’s usually for the worse. If he ignores the script he’s currently following or makes a mistake, his head is instantly filled with so many possible futures that he is unable to function until he chooses a new one and gets back on course. Because he’s always trying to follow some script (or ignore it if he doesn’t like the future it leads to), it’s very hard for him to pretend that he’s normal.
I felt like I’d gone ten rounds of a heavyweight title match. I couldn’t tell if it was because of the cycling or because the new memories would prove too horrifying to bear. I could change them. I could change the bad things, sometimes, by going off script. The problem was, changing the bad things usually took away the good things, too. And there always seemed to be more bad things to replace the ones I managed to escape.
Nick has lived several versions of a normal life through ‘memories’ of his future. He has seen a wife he adored, children and grandchildren, jobs, houses and everything else he could have if he would just stay on the right script. Sometimes his ‘memories’ are so real that he is unable to separate them from reality, which causes him to mention his wife or an event that never actually happened to other people. But when a beautiful, angelic-looking girl Taryn enters his life and causes him to change course, every single future that lies ahead becomes downright disastrous.
The future I’d given up was a one- in- a- thousand future. I went to college, married Sue, who understood me as well as anyone could, had children and grandchildren. It wasn’t anything awesome, but it was normal, and that was all I wanted.
Sounds pretty great, right? It was for a while, but as soon as a girl entered the picture, it all went downhill pretty fast. Touched was too focused on romance end not nearly enough on Nick’s very interesting ability. Perhaps the book should have been written from his girlfriend Taryn’s point of view considering that the second half revolved almost entirely around her… which leads me to my next problem, Nick’s voice.
We’ve had many examples of female authors successfully writing male protagonists. Just think of Holly Black and Cassel, Lish McBride and Sam or even Kendare Blake and Cass, but I’m sorry to say that we cannot count Cyn Balog and Nick among them. For the most part, Nick had the voice of a thirteen-year-old girl, maybe even younger, one still not old enough to be completely ruled by hormones. A lot could be written off as lack of experience since he spent his entire life focusing too much on the future and not enough on the present, but I doubt even inexperienced seventeen-year-old boys think and behave like whiny little girls. There was something missing in his character that I can’t quite put my finger on, but he never came alive for me and I didn’t care about what happens to him at all.
Cyn Balog’s prose is not very immersive. I was never really invested in her story, I never felt like I was part of it. It was more like watching something happen from a great distance, something that is of little concern to you. I knew exactly when Balog was aiming for my emotions, but she never quite reached me, never even came close.
If you’re in the mood for a YA paranormal story that has ‘wasted potential’ written all over it, I’d say go for it. If not, find something else to read.
Also posted at The Nocturnal Library
Touched had a very promising beginning. Ever since he was born, Nick Cross’ head has been filled with what he calls memories, but what are really visions of his future. His best hope is to pick a future he likes and stick to the script, but any deviation, no matter how little, can change everything, and when it does, it’s usually for the worse. If he ignores the script he’s currently following or makes a mistake, his head is instantly filled with so many possible futures that he is unable to function until he chooses a new one and gets back on course. Because he’s always trying to follow some script (or ignore it if he doesn’t like the future it leads to), it’s very hard for him to pretend that he’s normal.
I felt like I’d gone ten rounds of a heavyweight title match. I couldn’t tell if it was because of the cycling or because the new memories would prove too horrifying to bear. I could change them. I could change the bad things, sometimes, by going off script. The problem was, changing the bad things usually took away the good things, too. And there always seemed to be more bad things to replace the ones I managed to escape.
Nick has lived several versions of a normal life through ‘memories’ of his future. He has seen a wife he adored, children and grandchildren, jobs, houses and everything else he could have if he would just stay on the right script. Sometimes his ‘memories’ are so real that he is unable to separate them from reality, which causes him to mention his wife or an event that never actually happened to other people. But when a beautiful, angelic-looking girl Taryn enters his life and causes him to change course, every single future that lies ahead becomes downright disastrous.
The future I’d given up was a one- in- a- thousand future. I went to college, married Sue, who understood me as well as anyone could, had children and grandchildren. It wasn’t anything awesome, but it was normal, and that was all I wanted.
Sounds pretty great, right? It was for a while, but as soon as a girl entered the picture, it all went downhill pretty fast. Touched was too focused on romance end not nearly enough on Nick’s very interesting ability. Perhaps the book should have been written from his girlfriend Taryn’s point of view considering that the second half revolved almost entirely around her… which leads me to my next problem, Nick’s voice.
We’ve had many examples of female authors successfully writing male protagonists. Just think of Holly Black and Cassel, Lish McBride and Sam or even Kendare Blake and Cass, but I’m sorry to say that we cannot count Cyn Balog and Nick among them. For the most part, Nick had the voice of a thirteen-year-old girl, maybe even younger, one still not old enough to be completely ruled by hormones. A lot could be written off as lack of experience since he spent his entire life focusing too much on the future and not enough on the present, but I doubt even inexperienced seventeen-year-old boys think and behave like whiny little girls. There was something missing in his character that I can’t quite put my finger on, but he never came alive for me and I didn’t care about what happens to him at all.
Cyn Balog’s prose is not very immersive. I was never really invested in her story, I never felt like I was part of it. It was more like watching something happen from a great distance, something that is of little concern to you. I knew exactly when Balog was aiming for my emotions, but she never quite reached me, never even came close.
If you’re in the mood for a YA paranormal story that has ‘wasted potential’ written all over it, I’d say go for it. If not, find something else to read.
Also posted at The Nocturnal Library
July 12, 2012
Initial reaction: This is one of those times when the method with which a writer tells the story completely ruins the way the story comes across, along with harboring so many cliches in the genre, it's hard to read past them. Balog's "Touched" never managed to have a resonating character to connect with me. While the ability that Nick Cross comes from a compulsion that exists inside his mind - telling of his future, he's often too much inside his mind, and the narrative jumps back and forth without much flow.
Suffice to say, this was a disappointing story on more than one level.
Full review:
"Touched" is the first Cyn Balog book I've had the opportunity to read. I was initially intrigued by the cover and the concept of a boy who hears voices in his mind that will tell him of his future, and controls his life in such a way that it makes it difficult for him to live and cope if he deviates from it. Yet despite having a premise of due merit in the YA paranormal spectrum, "Touched" makes many pedestrian writing errors that prevented me from enjoying the novel in its entirety. This is going to be a tough review because I'm not one to say that any author should abide by a certain spectrum or set of standards to write his or her story - that's usually up to the technique and stylistic of the writer. There have been people who break a lot of writing tried and true rules and manage to tell a compelling story with doing so.
However, "Touched" is neither compelling nor original in its progressive story - it's an insta-love story that drops the ball on its premise quite hard, and leans away from what one would consider an interesting mystery/ability story with due conviction. Much of the tension established in this book was broken by too much telling of the narrative, and plot threads that seemed strewn every which way without much flow. Very jarring chapter transitions that felt choppy at best. Granted, there were moments of insight that I liked seeing about Nick Cross's life that were worth merit, but it felt so expository that I never gained a sense of intimacy with his character - I never knew who he was as a person nor did I get a sense of who the people were around him. I often felt annoyed that Nick was not only too much into his head and angst-ridden, but the other characters didn't really speak for themselves as much as Nick spoke for them, and he really doesn't sound like a strong, male protagonist of his due age. It annoyed me even that he kept referring to his former friend whom he had a falling out with as "Sphincter" when he could've just said Eric and allowed his frustration to show in other measures.
The way the story's told is an alternation between the first person narrative account of Nick as he deals with the voices in his mind, and second person with a bunch of "You Will" statements that showcase future things he would do, see, or feel. Nick would often try to fight against these voices, but when it results in the death of a girl, he's tormented over it. That would've had greater weight if it were presented in a way that was more sympathetic and not repeated over and over again to the point of overstatement. And while I wish I could've gotten to know Nick and Taryn more, the narrative kept me at arms length from their accounts for much of, if not all, the book. Nick was too much in his own head. While I can understand that being somewhat necessary for an introverted character tormented by problems within to focus internally - the way this story was told doesn't give a compelling enough narrative to keep me engaged with those particular problems and to understand where the character's coming from. I think a better balance of the internal and external dimensions could've made it stronger than what it was.
I honestly tried and wanted to like this story, I really wanted to, but there were so many issues with it that it was a miss - I didn't care for the characters, the love connection, the humor - quite much of it fell flat for me.
I don't know yet if I'll read more of Balog's work, but I firmly believe this could've been a stronger story with better technique and structuring of the actual story, with greater intimacy to the characters and their plights, particularly with Nick and his respective ability. Unfortunately, it fell apart at the seams and never recovered in its duration.
Overall score: 1/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Random House/Delacorte BYFR.
Suffice to say, this was a disappointing story on more than one level.
Full review:
"Touched" is the first Cyn Balog book I've had the opportunity to read. I was initially intrigued by the cover and the concept of a boy who hears voices in his mind that will tell him of his future, and controls his life in such a way that it makes it difficult for him to live and cope if he deviates from it. Yet despite having a premise of due merit in the YA paranormal spectrum, "Touched" makes many pedestrian writing errors that prevented me from enjoying the novel in its entirety. This is going to be a tough review because I'm not one to say that any author should abide by a certain spectrum or set of standards to write his or her story - that's usually up to the technique and stylistic of the writer. There have been people who break a lot of writing tried and true rules and manage to tell a compelling story with doing so.
However, "Touched" is neither compelling nor original in its progressive story - it's an insta-love story that drops the ball on its premise quite hard, and leans away from what one would consider an interesting mystery/ability story with due conviction. Much of the tension established in this book was broken by too much telling of the narrative, and plot threads that seemed strewn every which way without much flow. Very jarring chapter transitions that felt choppy at best. Granted, there were moments of insight that I liked seeing about Nick Cross's life that were worth merit, but it felt so expository that I never gained a sense of intimacy with his character - I never knew who he was as a person nor did I get a sense of who the people were around him. I often felt annoyed that Nick was not only too much into his head and angst-ridden, but the other characters didn't really speak for themselves as much as Nick spoke for them, and he really doesn't sound like a strong, male protagonist of his due age. It annoyed me even that he kept referring to his former friend whom he had a falling out with as "Sphincter" when he could've just said Eric and allowed his frustration to show in other measures.
The way the story's told is an alternation between the first person narrative account of Nick as he deals with the voices in his mind, and second person with a bunch of "You Will" statements that showcase future things he would do, see, or feel. Nick would often try to fight against these voices, but when it results in the death of a girl, he's tormented over it. That would've had greater weight if it were presented in a way that was more sympathetic and not repeated over and over again to the point of overstatement. And while I wish I could've gotten to know Nick and Taryn more, the narrative kept me at arms length from their accounts for much of, if not all, the book. Nick was too much in his own head. While I can understand that being somewhat necessary for an introverted character tormented by problems within to focus internally - the way this story was told doesn't give a compelling enough narrative to keep me engaged with those particular problems and to understand where the character's coming from. I think a better balance of the internal and external dimensions could've made it stronger than what it was.
I honestly tried and wanted to like this story, I really wanted to, but there were so many issues with it that it was a miss - I didn't care for the characters, the love connection, the humor - quite much of it fell flat for me.
I don't know yet if I'll read more of Balog's work, but I firmly believe this could've been a stronger story with better technique and structuring of the actual story, with greater intimacy to the characters and their plights, particularly with Nick and his respective ability. Unfortunately, it fell apart at the seams and never recovered in its duration.
Overall score: 1/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Random House/Delacorte BYFR.
March 31, 2012
Touched pulled me in from the start and didn't let go until the very end. With a fast and flawless pace, this story offers one amazing twist after another. I was left breathless. I love Cyn's voice and her unique contributions to the young adult paranormal/fantasy genre. Touched is my favorite Balog book to date.
In full disclosure, I am one of Cyn Balog's crit partners/beta readers. It has been several months since I read this story, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about Crazy Cross. I can't wait to read it again!
In full disclosure, I am one of Cyn Balog's crit partners/beta readers. It has been several months since I read this story, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about Crazy Cross. I can't wait to read it again!
March 31, 2012
Man, this book was really hard to read. It wasn't difficult to understand. The beginning was so chaotic, and the whole book was really choppy. I just really struggled to go through it.
And the summary really had me intrigued. I thought it sounded similar to Sherilynn Kenyon's Infinity - hey we even have a Nick, and touching the girl makes the voice go away - and thought it might be better attempt at a really cool concept. But the voice wasn't what I thought it was going to be, and I hadn't realized the "script" was actually a pre-written (well spoken) set of instructions for Nick to follow. Yeah, not so cool anymore. And even the "demonstrations" to Taryn were really cliche and dumb.
I didn't really care for Nick. For a boy, he sure did think a lot. I know that we're getting a glimpse of his mind and with the script, it gets pretty crowded in his head, but geez, he gave me a headache.
And the dialogue was pretty bad. If someone yelled out loud associating me with STD in anyway - even if it saves me from being unwillingly hit on - I would be really angry, not shrug and smile at the person. And this part was especially bad.
I guess the story was okay, but with it being the way it was written and with characters I did not care for, I was just ready for it to be over, which is sad because it wasn't very long to begin with.
And the summary really had me intrigued. I thought it sounded similar to Sherilynn Kenyon's Infinity - hey we even have a Nick, and touching the girl makes the voice go away - and thought it might be better attempt at a really cool concept. But the voice wasn't what I thought it was going to be, and I hadn't realized the "script" was actually a pre-written (well spoken) set of instructions for Nick to follow. Yeah, not so cool anymore. And even the "demonstrations" to Taryn were really cliche and dumb.
I didn't really care for Nick. For a boy, he sure did think a lot. I know that we're getting a glimpse of his mind and with the script, it gets pretty crowded in his head, but geez, he gave me a headache.
And the dialogue was pretty bad. If someone yelled out loud associating me with STD in anyway - even if it saves me from being unwillingly hit on - I would be really angry, not shrug and smile at the person. And this part was especially bad.
I guess the story was okay, but with it being the way it was written and with characters I did not care for, I was just ready for it to be over, which is sad because it wasn't very long to begin with.
August 28, 2016
For Nick, memories work both ways-- he can see his own future. Well, a hundred versions of it, becuase every time he goes "off script", his memories cycle and change, showing him new futures a dozen times a day, resulting in piercing headaches and his nickname of CRAZY CROSS.
The opening chapter of TOUCHED grabs a hold of you, and the book keeps you going through twist after twist, not letting go until the final page. This book marks a departure for Cyn Balog, who has to date written paranormal romances with female main characters, and it's a book to eagerly anticipate-- I know I did!
The opening chapter of TOUCHED grabs a hold of you, and the book keeps you going through twist after twist, not letting go until the final page. This book marks a departure for Cyn Balog, who has to date written paranormal romances with female main characters, and it's a book to eagerly anticipate-- I know I did!
December 23, 2015
One of my least favorite books like.... ever.
November 8, 2012
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Touched started out promising, but the focus is all on Nick’s romance, and his voice sounds more like a whiny girl than a hero.
Opening Sentence: It had taken years, but finally, I had everything down.
The Review:
Nick’s mind is filled with memories — of things that haven’t happened yet. He calls them memories, but they’re really visions of his future. Every deviation from his script changes everything. He sees hundreds of different futures every time and has to pick the one he likes before he can even function. Because he always knows what’s about to happen, it’s pretty much impossible for him to be normal — he’s always this close to slipping up and talking about something that either never happened, or hasn’t happened yet. Which is why his classmates call him Crazy Cross.
Through his memories, Nick’s lived a lot of great, normal lives — a wife he adored (adores? Tenses are hard when discussing this book!), children, grandchildren. If he could just stay on the right script, he could have it all. Then enters Taryn. Beautiful and distracting, she takes him off course so far that every single future ahead of him leads to disaster. Taryn needs to find a way to break her family’s “curse” and, finding a kindred soul in Nick, wants his help to do it.
Really, really great premise, right? Except the moment Taryn steps on stage, the whole thing deviates and degenerates to revolve around her. If the book had been written from her POV, this wouldn’t be so bad. Which leads me to Nick — I couldn’t reconcile the narrator with a guy. Every time I reverted to thinking of him as a girl. A weak one, at that. It made it impossible for me to invest in his character.
I loved their family’s secrets, the ways they’ve changed the characters and how wrong the characters were about 1) the secrets and 2) their family. It made for both great plot development, but also added to the characters. Not enough to make me care about them, but the effort was definitely there. When Taryn reveals to Nick exactly where his powers come from, we learn how his curse ties him to her. I expected more characters or world-building to happen here, something to complicate what’s otherwise a straight-forward mystery.
Cyn Balog’s writing style isn’t anything special — which might have contributed to the less than dynamic narrative voice — though it does read easily. The conversation is stilted and the humor is super forced, but I bring all that back onto the characterization that lacks here. What I really liked about this novel was the premise, even if it didn’t manage to follow through. If you had a choice, would you want to know? To choose between futures is a burden, not a gift. And if you had one wish — would you regret what you wished for?
Notable Scene:
I shook my head. “I can only see my own future. And I don’t even see that very well. Like I said.”
“Oh.” She bit her lip, another one of the cutest little mannerisms I’d ever seen on a girl. “She’s not a fortune-teller, anyway. She’s a bibliomancer.”
“A what?”
“She can tell a person’s future by passages in certain books.”
“Passages in books? Sounds shady.”
“It’s an ancient practice,” Taryn said. “Dates back to medieval times, or so my grandmother says.”
I raised my eyebrows. “So, like, what does she do? Open a book and just tell a person’s future from it?”
FTC Advisory: Delacorte Press/Random House provided me with a copy of Touched. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Touched started out promising, but the focus is all on Nick’s romance, and his voice sounds more like a whiny girl than a hero.
Opening Sentence: It had taken years, but finally, I had everything down.
The Review:
Nick’s mind is filled with memories — of things that haven’t happened yet. He calls them memories, but they’re really visions of his future. Every deviation from his script changes everything. He sees hundreds of different futures every time and has to pick the one he likes before he can even function. Because he always knows what’s about to happen, it’s pretty much impossible for him to be normal — he’s always this close to slipping up and talking about something that either never happened, or hasn’t happened yet. Which is why his classmates call him Crazy Cross.
Through his memories, Nick’s lived a lot of great, normal lives — a wife he adored (adores? Tenses are hard when discussing this book!), children, grandchildren. If he could just stay on the right script, he could have it all. Then enters Taryn. Beautiful and distracting, she takes him off course so far that every single future ahead of him leads to disaster. Taryn needs to find a way to break her family’s “curse” and, finding a kindred soul in Nick, wants his help to do it.
Really, really great premise, right? Except the moment Taryn steps on stage, the whole thing deviates and degenerates to revolve around her. If the book had been written from her POV, this wouldn’t be so bad. Which leads me to Nick — I couldn’t reconcile the narrator with a guy. Every time I reverted to thinking of him as a girl. A weak one, at that. It made it impossible for me to invest in his character.
I loved their family’s secrets, the ways they’ve changed the characters and how wrong the characters were about 1) the secrets and 2) their family. It made for both great plot development, but also added to the characters. Not enough to make me care about them, but the effort was definitely there. When Taryn reveals to Nick exactly where his powers come from, we learn how his curse ties him to her. I expected more characters or world-building to happen here, something to complicate what’s otherwise a straight-forward mystery.
Cyn Balog’s writing style isn’t anything special — which might have contributed to the less than dynamic narrative voice — though it does read easily. The conversation is stilted and the humor is super forced, but I bring all that back onto the characterization that lacks here. What I really liked about this novel was the premise, even if it didn’t manage to follow through. If you had a choice, would you want to know? To choose between futures is a burden, not a gift. And if you had one wish — would you regret what you wished for?
Notable Scene:
I shook my head. “I can only see my own future. And I don’t even see that very well. Like I said.”
“Oh.” She bit her lip, another one of the cutest little mannerisms I’d ever seen on a girl. “She’s not a fortune-teller, anyway. She’s a bibliomancer.”
“A what?”
“She can tell a person’s future by passages in certain books.”
“Passages in books? Sounds shady.”
“It’s an ancient practice,” Taryn said. “Dates back to medieval times, or so my grandmother says.”
I raised my eyebrows. “So, like, what does she do? Open a book and just tell a person’s future from it?”
FTC Advisory: Delacorte Press/Random House provided me with a copy of Touched. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
May 18, 2012
Guys POV always rock! There are tons of Girls POV's out there, which makes the Boys even more stand out. This in combination with this gorgeous cover made me pick up this book with enthusiasms.
In addition, the premise was intriguing. A Guy with voices in his head?
Nick was an awesome hero - although we might not call him a hero yet. Nick and his mom are different, they hear voices and see the future and all the possibilities this a certain future holds in her heads. Constantly! Even the tiniest details like walking down a street.
It's hard to explain and truthfully I had some difficulties understanding this concept in the beginning. We jump right in Nick's characters and for him, these voices are normal. But we need some time to fully comprehend Nick's ability, or ... curse.
It is easy to understand why Nick is considered an outside, why he is the perfect loner. No friends and no girlfriend. I felt sorry for him and it was actually heartbreaking to see how this curse manages slowly to ruin his life. He's very closed up of course, not eager to let someone in. I highly enjoyed his voice, he was easy to like and he's one of those hero's you will cheer for - hoping he will get the girl, change his life and just come out stronger.
Taryn is the girl that changes everything and for some reasons also seems to know about his curse and even more, together with her he can finally have a little peace. Taryn was a girl that was just a little too nice, and a little too perfect - trying to get close to Nick even though he was a jerk more often than he was nice. It might be just her being able to see behind the facade but it sometimes didn't make sense for me.
The story was nice, but not ground breaking and although the pace quickened towards the end I was never completely emotionally invested. I realized exactly this, when something terrifying happened in the last pages. Normally, with me being me, I would have cried yet I didn't.
Bottom Line: Touch by Cyn Balog was a compelling read with a fantastic protagonist. Nick was awesome, he was such a genuine character is a character who struggled hard with his ability, yet never seemed to give up! I can recommend this book to all fans of Boy POV's with a nice paranormal twist in the story!
The ending was phenomenal and one of the best features of this book!
In addition, the premise was intriguing. A Guy with voices in his head?
Nick was an awesome hero - although we might not call him a hero yet. Nick and his mom are different, they hear voices and see the future and all the possibilities this a certain future holds in her heads. Constantly! Even the tiniest details like walking down a street.
It's hard to explain and truthfully I had some difficulties understanding this concept in the beginning. We jump right in Nick's characters and for him, these voices are normal. But we need some time to fully comprehend Nick's ability, or ... curse.
It is easy to understand why Nick is considered an outside, why he is the perfect loner. No friends and no girlfriend. I felt sorry for him and it was actually heartbreaking to see how this curse manages slowly to ruin his life. He's very closed up of course, not eager to let someone in. I highly enjoyed his voice, he was easy to like and he's one of those hero's you will cheer for - hoping he will get the girl, change his life and just come out stronger.
Taryn is the girl that changes everything and for some reasons also seems to know about his curse and even more, together with her he can finally have a little peace. Taryn was a girl that was just a little too nice, and a little too perfect - trying to get close to Nick even though he was a jerk more often than he was nice. It might be just her being able to see behind the facade but it sometimes didn't make sense for me.
The story was nice, but not ground breaking and although the pace quickened towards the end I was never completely emotionally invested. I realized exactly this, when something terrifying happened in the last pages. Normally, with me being me, I would have cried yet I didn't.
Bottom Line: Touch by Cyn Balog was a compelling read with a fantastic protagonist. Nick was awesome, he was such a genuine character is a character who struggled hard with his ability, yet never seemed to give up! I can recommend this book to all fans of Boy POV's with a nice paranormal twist in the story!
The ending was phenomenal and one of the best features of this book!
September 20, 2012
Nick Cross is a truly amazing character. He, not unlike many, has a voice in his head, but his voice actually tells him the future - every step that will occur that takes someone else’s life. However, if Nick plays hero, listens to the voice, yet decides to veer off course to save someone different, then he dooms another.
Example: Nick Cross is working as a lifeguard at the Jersey Shore. On his way to work one day, the voice tells him all about a young woman who will be killed. As he heads to work, he sees a truck about to back into a girl and kill her. Veering off the ‘path’ the voice laid out for him, by the time Nick gets to his lifeguard’s chair, a little girl by the name of Emma, who he was supposed to save, has drowned.
In essence, when Nick hears the voice he can either save or ignore the voice completely. However, once he lives the future and makes his decision, his brain basically shuffles the cards and a new future is dealt for Nick Cross. He’s not the only one who has this gift that’s basically a nightmare for him. His mother is also cursed with it and has made her into a recluse, never going outside, barely coming downstairs, and issuing moans constantly. Nick doesn’t want to end up like that and because of his ‘save,’ perhaps he won’t have to.
Even though he is devastated by the young child drowning, the girl Nick does save is named Taryn and most definitely has a ‘place’ in his future. You see, Taryn’s grandmother has a book of some truly crazy spells. A bibliomancer by trade, it was in the past when Taryn’s grandmother brought this curse down upon Nick’s head and only he and Taryn together - going through a seriously odd and exciting adventure - can perhaps change the past and hopefully stop Nick from heading down his new path which the voice in his head claims is his absolute death.
This author has written such a spectacular tale that you will be wishing Nick Cross is a name that appears in the world of fiction yet again.
Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy
Example: Nick Cross is working as a lifeguard at the Jersey Shore. On his way to work one day, the voice tells him all about a young woman who will be killed. As he heads to work, he sees a truck about to back into a girl and kill her. Veering off the ‘path’ the voice laid out for him, by the time Nick gets to his lifeguard’s chair, a little girl by the name of Emma, who he was supposed to save, has drowned.
In essence, when Nick hears the voice he can either save or ignore the voice completely. However, once he lives the future and makes his decision, his brain basically shuffles the cards and a new future is dealt for Nick Cross. He’s not the only one who has this gift that’s basically a nightmare for him. His mother is also cursed with it and has made her into a recluse, never going outside, barely coming downstairs, and issuing moans constantly. Nick doesn’t want to end up like that and because of his ‘save,’ perhaps he won’t have to.
Even though he is devastated by the young child drowning, the girl Nick does save is named Taryn and most definitely has a ‘place’ in his future. You see, Taryn’s grandmother has a book of some truly crazy spells. A bibliomancer by trade, it was in the past when Taryn’s grandmother brought this curse down upon Nick’s head and only he and Taryn together - going through a seriously odd and exciting adventure - can perhaps change the past and hopefully stop Nick from heading down his new path which the voice in his head claims is his absolute death.
This author has written such a spectacular tale that you will be wishing Nick Cross is a name that appears in the world of fiction yet again.
Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy
August 14, 2012
This story hits the ground running as the reader is put into Nick's head realizes he can see his future. He can see the big things, like marriage and children, as well as the little things, like tripping over the cat or spilling water. All of these things crowd his head every second of every day. If he deviates from the "script" as he calls it, his future furiously realigns itself as it works through the millions of possibilities that one small act can change. The way this world is built for you as a reader is very detailed and discombobulating. I felt as if I really understood the constant need to listen to the voice telling him what to do and how awful it must be when you are seeing these possibilities while trying to interact with others. Nick's life is exhausting and even in his own family, he sometimes feels alone. When he meets Taryn, he begins to discover where this ability comes from and he also discovers how his curse is tied to hers. He wants so badly to have normal things like a girlfriend, but his ability to see into the future makes any kind of relationship very difficult, especially with Taryn.
This was such a wonderful and unique idea. I thought that this view of being able to see the future really gave you a unapologetic look into the downside of knowing everything that will happen to you. This story has romance, spell-casting, mystery and a good dose of bittersweet that makes the happiness all the more satisfying. I think that anyone who reads this will really feel for Nick and everything he has had to do to cope with his abilities and just reading about it was exhausting. I loved the idea that something that seems like a gift can really be a curse; that for every good thing, there is a consequence. The story seemed to ask the question: if you had a choice. would you really want to know? If anything, this book will make you appreciate the surprises that life can bring and perhaps not knowing what's next is a gift, after all.
This was such a wonderful and unique idea. I thought that this view of being able to see the future really gave you a unapologetic look into the downside of knowing everything that will happen to you. This story has romance, spell-casting, mystery and a good dose of bittersweet that makes the happiness all the more satisfying. I think that anyone who reads this will really feel for Nick and everything he has had to do to cope with his abilities and just reading about it was exhausting. I loved the idea that something that seems like a gift can really be a curse; that for every good thing, there is a consequence. The story seemed to ask the question: if you had a choice. would you really want to know? If anything, this book will make you appreciate the surprises that life can bring and perhaps not knowing what's next is a gift, after all.
May 21, 2012
(More like 4.5 stars.)
Nick was born Touched, able to see his own future and he's been trying to stick to the "script" as much as possible; at least he was until he met Naryn, a girl who knows about the Book of Touch, what Nick's Touch is, and maybe, just maybe there's a way to undo everything.
I know you've heard me say it before, but for the record, I'm usually not someone who reads books told in first person, male perspective. Why? Because I can't always get into them and let's face it, that can be annoying. However, Touched flows along nicely and as such, it was no hardship to keep reading--that, and I loved the idea of the Touched. I can't actually tell you too much about being Touched as it gets explained in the book and by now you should know my stance on serious spoilers. Let's just say that you should learn everything that you want to know about what it means to be Touched and the consequences as well.
As for Nick and his Touch, it makes for a very interesting first person read--he starts off trying to stick to his "script" as much as possible. But honestly? Asides from Naryn, I loved Nan--who is Nick's grandmother. Why? Because she's the one keeping the household together. His mother has cut herself off from the world due to the Touch and well, things definitely are not easy for Nick. The kids at school call him Crazy Cross and Naryn is probably the only girl nice enough--and new enough--to give him a chance. However, I don't think he expected that she'd have such an effect on his life--that's about all I can hint at.
Would I recommend Touched to you? Definitely! (Granted that you like the idea of a boy being able to see his own future.) I loved the idea behind Touched and although the ending definitely threw me--you'll see what I mean--I'd recommend this to you.
Nick was born Touched, able to see his own future and he's been trying to stick to the "script" as much as possible; at least he was until he met Naryn, a girl who knows about the Book of Touch, what Nick's Touch is, and maybe, just maybe there's a way to undo everything.
I know you've heard me say it before, but for the record, I'm usually not someone who reads books told in first person, male perspective. Why? Because I can't always get into them and let's face it, that can be annoying. However, Touched flows along nicely and as such, it was no hardship to keep reading--that, and I loved the idea of the Touched. I can't actually tell you too much about being Touched as it gets explained in the book and by now you should know my stance on serious spoilers. Let's just say that you should learn everything that you want to know about what it means to be Touched and the consequences as well.
As for Nick and his Touch, it makes for a very interesting first person read--he starts off trying to stick to his "script" as much as possible. But honestly? Asides from Naryn, I loved Nan--who is Nick's grandmother. Why? Because she's the one keeping the household together. His mother has cut herself off from the world due to the Touch and well, things definitely are not easy for Nick. The kids at school call him Crazy Cross and Naryn is probably the only girl nice enough--and new enough--to give him a chance. However, I don't think he expected that she'd have such an effect on his life--that's about all I can hint at.
Would I recommend Touched to you? Definitely! (Granted that you like the idea of a boy being able to see his own future.) I loved the idea behind Touched and although the ending definitely threw me--you'll see what I mean--I'd recommend this to you.
August 6, 2012
As much as I love this author, I could not get into the book. I did managed to finished it, with the ending getting much better.
I had a hard time getting into the book cause of the confusing beginning. There was too much going on with out much explanation. I had to continuously flipped back pages and re-read passages. After about a hundred pages in, I was finally able to understand. I could see what the bigger picture was so I continued reading.
There is a love interest that kept me reading. I adored their time together as well as the bond that it is between them. They each carried a key to their past and who they are. I'm glad that despite the confusing beginning, this love came together nicely.
The ending had a great end. Now, had the book been the way the ending was, I could have gotten into it much faster. The ending redeemed the book from the confusing beginning leaving me intrigued.
Overall, this book is okay. Touched has magical elements in it that I enjoyed. Completely different, Touched is good.
I had a hard time getting into the book cause of the confusing beginning. There was too much going on with out much explanation. I had to continuously flipped back pages and re-read passages. After about a hundred pages in, I was finally able to understand. I could see what the bigger picture was so I continued reading.
There is a love interest that kept me reading. I adored their time together as well as the bond that it is between them. They each carried a key to their past and who they are. I'm glad that despite the confusing beginning, this love came together nicely.
The ending had a great end. Now, had the book been the way the ending was, I could have gotten into it much faster. The ending redeemed the book from the confusing beginning leaving me intrigued.
Overall, this book is okay. Touched has magical elements in it that I enjoyed. Completely different, Touched is good.
August 9, 2012
When I saw the book cover for Touched by Cyn Balog, I was intrigued. I had to find out what those dark sinister looking streamers were coming off of the person. Once I read the description, I was hooked and had to read this YA novel. Obviously every choice we make does determine our future. So, what if you knew your future and could see how every choice you make alters that future? What would you do? Read the rest of my review at http://popcornreads.com/?p=4398.
May 5, 2018
Going into this I wasn't sure how it would be. Thankfully it ended up being an enjoyable read. In the beginning and at the end I was confused thankfully it was all cleared up. I did feel bad for Nick. I can't imagine living with that and then having the town treat you poorly. If the ending hadn't worked out good for him in the end this would have had a lower rating.
August 13, 2012
Oh boy. I really, really wanted to like this one - the premise was awesome. Future "memories" of one's life, changing at any possible moment, along with the emotional baggage that comes with losing potential partners, children, and grandchildren. But I felt like the execution was poor, and the book as a whole needed at least two more drafts for it to really feel "finished". I was really excited about it but ultimately, for me, "Touched" failed to deliver.
While I love the fact that this has a male protagonist, it really didn't feel like an authentically YA male voice. Holly Black with Cassel from the "Curse Workers" series or Kendare Blake with Cas from her "Anna" duology - those are very intensely written very successful YA male voices coming from female writers. I think the problem was the behavior - Nick just didn't seem to behave like a real teen boy. It wasn't that he felt feminine - he felt asexual, had no drive like a teenage boy would in that area, and the way he handles his "lost futures" makes him look as if he's mourning like a girl would, or in some instances, more robotic than anything else.
The gender problem doesn't really stop there - there's also the huge problem of telling versus showing. All at once, from the first page on we're hit with Nick's narration of how his "future memories" work, and there's really no mystery or build-up into how this happens, or how the process may work. We're straight-up told. I really hate it when authors do this, because it takes the mystery and ultimately, the hook away from this book for me. We saw so very little compared with how much we were told, and this is always a problem for me when this happens in books, regardless if it's YA or adult. Had this had more mystery and danger built into it so the hook might have snagged a little harder, I think it might have been averted. Thus, another two drafts at least would have really helped this book, I think.
There's also the problem of stakes - stakes are what make us care about the characters, makes us invested in their story. All I saw was a guy with a future memory problem who was whining about losing his ultimate "perfect future". There were no huge stakes - a typical one would be saving the world or the universe, etc. There was no huge plot item to make this character important to me, and therein lies the biggest problem of all with this book. It felt a lot like stream of consciousness of a guy talking about his life, but not a lot of action within it to back it up.
Overall? Very disappointing, compared to a lot of the YA male protagonists we've had this year, and disappointing in general with such a cool idea behind the plot. I wish this could have been a better experience for me, but it just wasn't.
"Touched" is out from Delacorte/Random House on August 14, 2012 in North America, so be sure to check it out then and make your own decision on how Balog handled the YA male voice.
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
While I love the fact that this has a male protagonist, it really didn't feel like an authentically YA male voice. Holly Black with Cassel from the "Curse Workers" series or Kendare Blake with Cas from her "Anna" duology - those are very intensely written very successful YA male voices coming from female writers. I think the problem was the behavior - Nick just didn't seem to behave like a real teen boy. It wasn't that he felt feminine - he felt asexual, had no drive like a teenage boy would in that area, and the way he handles his "lost futures" makes him look as if he's mourning like a girl would, or in some instances, more robotic than anything else.
The gender problem doesn't really stop there - there's also the huge problem of telling versus showing. All at once, from the first page on we're hit with Nick's narration of how his "future memories" work, and there's really no mystery or build-up into how this happens, or how the process may work. We're straight-up told. I really hate it when authors do this, because it takes the mystery and ultimately, the hook away from this book for me. We saw so very little compared with how much we were told, and this is always a problem for me when this happens in books, regardless if it's YA or adult. Had this had more mystery and danger built into it so the hook might have snagged a little harder, I think it might have been averted. Thus, another two drafts at least would have really helped this book, I think.
There's also the problem of stakes - stakes are what make us care about the characters, makes us invested in their story. All I saw was a guy with a future memory problem who was whining about losing his ultimate "perfect future". There were no huge stakes - a typical one would be saving the world or the universe, etc. There was no huge plot item to make this character important to me, and therein lies the biggest problem of all with this book. It felt a lot like stream of consciousness of a guy talking about his life, but not a lot of action within it to back it up.
Overall? Very disappointing, compared to a lot of the YA male protagonists we've had this year, and disappointing in general with such a cool idea behind the plot. I wish this could have been a better experience for me, but it just wasn't.
"Touched" is out from Delacorte/Random House on August 14, 2012 in North America, so be sure to check it out then and make your own decision on how Balog handled the YA male voice.
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
May 23, 2012
TOUCHED (YA) by Cyn Balog
TOUCHED is the August 2012 new release Young Adult paranormal fiction novel from Cyn Balog.
17year old Nick Cross (aka Crazy Cross by his fellow students) can see the future. Not just the few minutes or hours ahead, but a lifetime of memories. And the continuous script that runs through his head takes on epic proportions each time he changes his course of action. The ‘cycling’ of events results in mind-blowing headaches and he must stick to the script or suffer further pain and anguish. But when he is unable to prevent the death of a young child, Nick’s life begins to spiral further out of control and the future he sees does not bode well for Nick and his family. Yet the touch of a beautiful angel will stop all of the pain and the cycling of events, if only for a few minutes at a time.
Taryn’s family is new to the Jersey Shore. Moving in with her eccentric grandmother, Taryn must face the reality that will be her future. A family secret, one shared by both Taryn and her grandmother, must be addressed before Taryn’s 17th birthday. As the youngest female grandchild, the power of the Touch will be gifted to Taryn, but it is a gift that Taryn does not want to receive. Hoping to find a way to remove the family ‘curse’, Taryn soon finds a kindred spirit in Nick Cross- a boy she claims has been Touched. But when Nick sees their future, his only recourse is to push Taryn away before they both have no future to tell.
Taryn’s grandmother is a bibliomancer, with the ability to bring The Book Of Touch to life. But a Touch that went horribly wrong almost 18 years earlier, has forced Taryn’s grandmother to leave that part of her life behind. And with Taryn’s 17th birthday only days away, the Book of Touch must once again be addressed. The only problem-the remaining Touches will bring death and destruction to those who use it unwisely or for purposes of revenge.
Throughout his life, Nick has blamed his father for the sins of the son, but his friendship with Taryn has revealed his own family secret that has caused his mother years of guilt and pain. And his grandmother Nan will be the one to bring everything back to the future.
TOUCHED is a story of one young man’s journey to find the truth. But when the truth is revealed, Nick knows that all of the pain and suffering could have been avoided. A mistake made long ago, will force one family member to change history and inevitably the future of everyone they meet at the Jersey Shore. A wonderful storyline, that will make you sit up and think—if you were granted just one wish—would you regret what you wished for.
Touched provided by Netgalley.
see all of my reviews at: thereadingcafe.com
TOUCHED is the August 2012 new release Young Adult paranormal fiction novel from Cyn Balog.
17year old Nick Cross (aka Crazy Cross by his fellow students) can see the future. Not just the few minutes or hours ahead, but a lifetime of memories. And the continuous script that runs through his head takes on epic proportions each time he changes his course of action. The ‘cycling’ of events results in mind-blowing headaches and he must stick to the script or suffer further pain and anguish. But when he is unable to prevent the death of a young child, Nick’s life begins to spiral further out of control and the future he sees does not bode well for Nick and his family. Yet the touch of a beautiful angel will stop all of the pain and the cycling of events, if only for a few minutes at a time.
Taryn’s family is new to the Jersey Shore. Moving in with her eccentric grandmother, Taryn must face the reality that will be her future. A family secret, one shared by both Taryn and her grandmother, must be addressed before Taryn’s 17th birthday. As the youngest female grandchild, the power of the Touch will be gifted to Taryn, but it is a gift that Taryn does not want to receive. Hoping to find a way to remove the family ‘curse’, Taryn soon finds a kindred spirit in Nick Cross- a boy she claims has been Touched. But when Nick sees their future, his only recourse is to push Taryn away before they both have no future to tell.
Taryn’s grandmother is a bibliomancer, with the ability to bring The Book Of Touch to life. But a Touch that went horribly wrong almost 18 years earlier, has forced Taryn’s grandmother to leave that part of her life behind. And with Taryn’s 17th birthday only days away, the Book of Touch must once again be addressed. The only problem-the remaining Touches will bring death and destruction to those who use it unwisely or for purposes of revenge.
Throughout his life, Nick has blamed his father for the sins of the son, but his friendship with Taryn has revealed his own family secret that has caused his mother years of guilt and pain. And his grandmother Nan will be the one to bring everything back to the future.
TOUCHED is a story of one young man’s journey to find the truth. But when the truth is revealed, Nick knows that all of the pain and suffering could have been avoided. A mistake made long ago, will force one family member to change history and inevitably the future of everyone they meet at the Jersey Shore. A wonderful storyline, that will make you sit up and think—if you were granted just one wish—would you regret what you wished for.
Touched provided by Netgalley.
see all of my reviews at: thereadingcafe.com
April 28, 2012
This is not your stereotypical Jersey shore story. In Touched, a boy named Nick has the crazy-painful ability to see the future. If he doesn’t do what his mind shows him, he has terrible headaches and struggles to focus. But sometimes he can’t help going off “script,” as he calls it. Sometimes life and death get in the way.
At the start of the story, Nick makes a choice to save one girl (Taryn) which causes the death of another young girl. It turns out that Nick and the girl are connected, that she knows he is “touched” by a curse, and that she knows HOW he was cursed. Their lives become intertwined as Nick unravels the truth behind his touch and its connection to Taryn.
I really liked this story. Nick has this curse that seems like a good thing from the outside—who wouldn’t want to know what the future holds?—but instead, knowing the future, is more like a debilitating disease. I really felt for him as he struggled to move through each day. Once he connects with Taryn, he can’t seem to leave her alone even though the future shows him tragedy is connected to any relationship with her. The horrible future forecast doesn’t change no matter how hard Nick tries to stay away from Taryn, and so he often finds himself giving in to their connection. Will this lead to the tragedy predicted in his future script OR will he and Taryn find a way to be together?
I will share with you all that I loved Nick’s grandmother as a character in this story. She creates balance and calm in Nick’s world. She loves and supports Nick, even when it comes to his desire to be with Taryn. She is an amazing secondary character who plays an important role in Nick’s future. Loved her!
At the start of the story, Nick makes a choice to save one girl (Taryn) which causes the death of another young girl. It turns out that Nick and the girl are connected, that she knows he is “touched” by a curse, and that she knows HOW he was cursed. Their lives become intertwined as Nick unravels the truth behind his touch and its connection to Taryn.
I really liked this story. Nick has this curse that seems like a good thing from the outside—who wouldn’t want to know what the future holds?—but instead, knowing the future, is more like a debilitating disease. I really felt for him as he struggled to move through each day. Once he connects with Taryn, he can’t seem to leave her alone even though the future shows him tragedy is connected to any relationship with her. The horrible future forecast doesn’t change no matter how hard Nick tries to stay away from Taryn, and so he often finds himself giving in to their connection. Will this lead to the tragedy predicted in his future script OR will he and Taryn find a way to be together?
I will share with you all that I loved Nick’s grandmother as a character in this story. She creates balance and calm in Nick’s world. She loves and supports Nick, even when it comes to his desire to be with Taryn. She is an amazing secondary character who plays an important role in Nick’s future. Loved her!
April 29, 2014
What a strange and interesting book. I saw this book sitting at my library bookmobile and grabbed it based on the cover and the author name. Cyn Balog is an author I have seen while scanning books but have never read before. This book had a pretty cover and so I grabbed it. I knew nothing before reading it.
With that being said lets get on with this review shall we :) Nick Cross was born with a curse. He can see the future. The future isn't set and can be changed if he falters in doing exactly want the "You Will's" say. The "You Will's" or "script" is Nick's current future. The future he hopes will happen, but like I said if he deviates from this chosen path he can change it and will get a whole new future.
What a very horrific way to live your life. I thought this story was very thought provoking. Nothing extreme, just more of the 'what if's'. What if I could see the future how would I go about it. Would I be just as paranoid as the main character?
Let's get back to Nick, so Nick meets Taryn and well his world explodes around him. Pretty much immediately. Everything changes. The script, his future. EVERYTHING.
Touched was super easy to read. Very quick. It kept me wanting. Wanting to know what happens to Nick and his family. I really cared about poor Nick and the twist at the end was definitely not what I expected at all. I was completely confused and well exactly that. I was glad the twist came about, but at the same time... I just couldn't believe it. I mean I understand what happened and how it came about but if it was me that this happened to. I don't know if I would be able to carry on. I would have gone a little crazy.
This book has definitely got me interested in reading more from Cyn Balog.
With that being said lets get on with this review shall we :) Nick Cross was born with a curse. He can see the future. The future isn't set and can be changed if he falters in doing exactly want the "You Will's" say. The "You Will's" or "script" is Nick's current future. The future he hopes will happen, but like I said if he deviates from this chosen path he can change it and will get a whole new future.
What a very horrific way to live your life. I thought this story was very thought provoking. Nothing extreme, just more of the 'what if's'. What if I could see the future how would I go about it. Would I be just as paranoid as the main character?
Let's get back to Nick, so Nick meets Taryn and well his world explodes around him. Pretty much immediately. Everything changes. The script, his future. EVERYTHING.
Touched was super easy to read. Very quick. It kept me wanting. Wanting to know what happens to Nick and his family. I really cared about poor Nick and the twist at the end was definitely not what I expected at all. I was completely confused and well exactly that. I was glad the twist came about, but at the same time... I just couldn't believe it. I mean I understand what happened and how it came about but if it was me that this happened to. I don't know if I would be able to carry on. I would have gone a little crazy.
This book has definitely got me interested in reading more from Cyn Balog.
August 9, 2012
This was a very interesting premise, but I thought the novel, overall, was somewhat predictable. The idea of knowing the future has always intrigued me, and I know it intrigues authors as well, because I’ve read a few other novels that follow this same premise. Thus, the idea, sadly, isn’t knew. However, I found Balog’s explanations behind the Book of Touch to be completely unique, and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. Though I hate to say it, the beginning of this novel didn’t grab my attention as, like I just said, others have been down this road before, and Nick is really not an interesting character. However, Taryn’s appearance and disclosure of her family’s curse, finally, renewed my interest in the novel. While Taryn shows up rather quickly within the novel, I truly felt like it took forever for her to explain how she and Nick were connected, and how he came to be the way he was. Perhaps she disclosed it rather quickly, I didn’t note the page number, but, for me, it felt like a very long time in getting to the main purpose of the story. However, once Balog gets there, the story becomes very intriguing, and I enjoyed it through to the end.
If you haven’t read any novels out there about a character being able to see and change the future, then I suggest picking up this novel. Balog is a very good writer and I think you’ll probably enjoy the read from start to finish.
To see my full review:
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
If you haven’t read any novels out there about a character being able to see and change the future, then I suggest picking up this novel. Balog is a very good writer and I think you’ll probably enjoy the read from start to finish.
To see my full review:
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
September 19, 2012
Wouldn't it be great if you could know the future? What a fabulous power, right? Not so fast. What if every one of the myriad decisions you made each day changed your future? Even something as small perhaps as which side of the street you walk down might change something. You might try, as Nick does, to stay "on script" in the hopes of holding onto a future that seems to be wonderful.
But, what if every time you changed something all the new possible futures ran constantly through your head? Life would be pretty rough and that is where this story starts.
Nick was born with the ability to see the future, his future. He gets glimpses of the distant future, but what is coming in the next few minutes are all that is clear to him. He has learned to deal with this as best he can and far better than his mother, who also sees the future, but spends her days alone in her room trying to block it all out or moaning from the pain of what they call "cycling" when the futures appear so fast that it causes a massive headache. Nick has been raised since birth by his loving grandmother, Nana.
All is going okay until Nick goes off script and things go from bad to worse to possibly the end of his life.
There are many different threads winding through the story and every one of them is tied up by the end. There wasn't anything left to which I thought, "hey, what about this? Or, "hmmm, she forgot about that."
The ending is beautifully done.
I'm glad Cyn Balog is still writing and sharing her stories with us.
But, what if every time you changed something all the new possible futures ran constantly through your head? Life would be pretty rough and that is where this story starts.
Nick was born with the ability to see the future, his future. He gets glimpses of the distant future, but what is coming in the next few minutes are all that is clear to him. He has learned to deal with this as best he can and far better than his mother, who also sees the future, but spends her days alone in her room trying to block it all out or moaning from the pain of what they call "cycling" when the futures appear so fast that it causes a massive headache. Nick has been raised since birth by his loving grandmother, Nana.
All is going okay until Nick goes off script and things go from bad to worse to possibly the end of his life.
There are many different threads winding through the story and every one of them is tied up by the end. There wasn't anything left to which I thought, "hey, what about this? Or, "hmmm, she forgot about that."
The ending is beautifully done.
I'm glad Cyn Balog is still writing and sharing her stories with us.
July 8, 2017
This book started off really well, with strong characters, and an easy-to-follow plot-line. I was about three quarters in and totally preparing for a five-starred review.
But sadly, everything kind of went to hell.
The story got more boring, confusing, and the peak (you know, the great, crazy, spectacular part of the book before the end) kind of sucked. It wasn't even really a peak at all.
Also, at one point the whole thing just got a little old. It was like the story moved along at a snail's pace while repeating the same old things over and over. But I didn't notice and of this before now!
I'm pretty sure I just didn't like the ending. I t was just kind of weird and flat. And the whole story should have been a little shorter.
And the kiss! We're waiting through the whole book for a kiss, and all it said was "He kissed her."
Literally.
I had to go back and reread it like two times before I actually saw it because I missed it.
Like, what?? All that excitement!
Anyways, this wasn't exactly a bad book. Like, I don't exactly regret reading it. I mean, it was written pretty well, and the basic storyline is pretty cool. But, a little warning: It says that one of the genres of the book is "faeries". Don't believe that. It's compeltely false.
Okay! Anyways, maybe you'll like this more than I did, so if you're in search of a well-written and unique story with chill romance, this may be the book for you!
But sadly, everything kind of went to hell.
The story got more boring, confusing, and the peak (you know, the great, crazy, spectacular part of the book before the end) kind of sucked. It wasn't even really a peak at all.
Also, at one point the whole thing just got a little old. It was like the story moved along at a snail's pace while repeating the same old things over and over. But I didn't notice and of this before now!
I'm pretty sure I just didn't like the ending. I t was just kind of weird and flat. And the whole story should have been a little shorter.
And the kiss! We're waiting through the whole book for a kiss, and all it said was "He kissed her."
Literally.
I had to go back and reread it like two times before I actually saw it because I missed it.
Like, what?? All that excitement!
Anyways, this wasn't exactly a bad book. Like, I don't exactly regret reading it. I mean, it was written pretty well, and the basic storyline is pretty cool. But, a little warning: It says that one of the genres of the book is "faeries". Don't believe that. It's compeltely false.
Okay! Anyways, maybe you'll like this more than I did, so if you're in search of a well-written and unique story with chill romance, this may be the book for you!
April 19, 2012
Loved it! For me, this was Time Traveler's Wife meets Thinner (Stephen King)!
I am a big fan of Cyn Balog. Full disclosure: I live in Jersey and love Seaside Heights. So, reading Touched was like visiting some old friends. Beyond that, this is one of the coolest novels I have read in a while. First, the premise is amazing. Nick can see his own future-constantly! Any little thing he does to stray from the set path makes the future change. In addition, his mother has the same power and the power can feel like a curse as well. The book begins with Nick straying from the path (for a good reason) and everything is up in the air from there.
Nick is a great character, as is Mom (who is rather unique), but my fave was Nan. Who wouldn't want a Nan like that?
This is a great read and I have always liked Balog's writing, but I think she has improved into great storyteller status. My only teeny tiny gripe was that I did not buy the "bad guy" and his extreme anger toward Nick (Pedro, maybe, Nick, no). It really does not matter. The point of the whole story was that every thing you do has a ripple effect on the future.
And the ending-Wow. I loved and hated it at the same time. Very clever.
I will recommend this highly to my teens at the library.
I am a big fan of Cyn Balog. Full disclosure: I live in Jersey and love Seaside Heights. So, reading Touched was like visiting some old friends. Beyond that, this is one of the coolest novels I have read in a while. First, the premise is amazing. Nick can see his own future-constantly! Any little thing he does to stray from the set path makes the future change. In addition, his mother has the same power and the power can feel like a curse as well. The book begins with Nick straying from the path (for a good reason) and everything is up in the air from there.
Nick is a great character, as is Mom (who is rather unique), but my fave was Nan. Who wouldn't want a Nan like that?
This is a great read and I have always liked Balog's writing, but I think she has improved into great storyteller status. My only teeny tiny gripe was that I did not buy the "bad guy" and his extreme anger toward Nick (Pedro, maybe, Nick, no). It really does not matter. The point of the whole story was that every thing you do has a ripple effect on the future.
And the ending-Wow. I loved and hated it at the same time. Very clever.
I will recommend this highly to my teens at the library.
May 10, 2012
I am a big fan of Cyn Balog - have enjoyed all her books, until now. Let me amend that - I didn't hate the book, I just didn't enjoy it as much as I did her other ones.
The main character, Nick (aka Crazy Cross), can see his own future. Any little thing he does to stray from the set path makes the future change, which also gives him a massive headache. In addition, his mother has the same ability. In her case, it's forced her to hole up in her room for the past ten years. Nan, Nick's grandmother, cares for both of them. The book begins with Nick straying from the path (for a good reason) and everything is up in the air from there.
As in all Cyn's books, the characters are well-crafted and believable. I especially liked Nan. Even the world building was well-done. What I had trouble with was the story - I found it confusing at times. But I will say that I did like the ending. That worked well for me. I just had a problem following the entire story.
recommendation: If you liked "Time Traveler's Wife", you will like this book. The writing is well done and the characters well-crafted. But be forewarned that it can be confusing at times.
The main character, Nick (aka Crazy Cross), can see his own future. Any little thing he does to stray from the set path makes the future change, which also gives him a massive headache. In addition, his mother has the same ability. In her case, it's forced her to hole up in her room for the past ten years. Nan, Nick's grandmother, cares for both of them. The book begins with Nick straying from the path (for a good reason) and everything is up in the air from there.
As in all Cyn's books, the characters are well-crafted and believable. I especially liked Nan. Even the world building was well-done. What I had trouble with was the story - I found it confusing at times. But I will say that I did like the ending. That worked well for me. I just had a problem following the entire story.
recommendation: If you liked "Time Traveler's Wife", you will like this book. The writing is well done and the characters well-crafted. But be forewarned that it can be confusing at times.
March 17, 2013
It’s been a while since I’ve read this book, and I’ve been meaning to review it, but I just haven’t had the chance lately.
Nick has the ability to see his future. He knows that if he listens to the voice in his head, his future will be exactly as he envisions. But when Nick makes the grave mistake of not listening to that voice, the outcome of his future has consequences. He must uncover why he is the way he is, what started it all, and how to stop the terrible psychic curse before tragedy prevails.
Overall, I loved the premise; however, I found myself pretty bored while reading this. There wasn’t a lot of action, and the romance aspect was so-so. I also wasn’t sure about the ending, but it worked out for the best. So if you’re looking for a paranormal story with a dash of romance, and something a little different, I’d recommend picking up this book.
**ARC courtesy of publisher via NetGalley
Nick has the ability to see his future. He knows that if he listens to the voice in his head, his future will be exactly as he envisions. But when Nick makes the grave mistake of not listening to that voice, the outcome of his future has consequences. He must uncover why he is the way he is, what started it all, and how to stop the terrible psychic curse before tragedy prevails.
Overall, I loved the premise; however, I found myself pretty bored while reading this. There wasn’t a lot of action, and the romance aspect was so-so. I also wasn’t sure about the ending, but it worked out for the best. So if you’re looking for a paranormal story with a dash of romance, and something a little different, I’d recommend picking up this book.
**ARC courtesy of publisher via NetGalley
July 17, 2017
This book surprised me. I didn't really have any expectations going into it but I actually really enjoyed the story. The middle did drag on a bit and Nick was very repetitive in his descriptions of his thoughts and feelings about certain people/subjects. However, despite these issue, I was delighted to read about something totally different from other typical YA works. Also the fact that it is a stand alone was a huge plus.
The writing was good enough and didn't bother me (except the repetitious nature at times) and I'm glad I read it. The ending was a bit unexpected but I can't say I didn't enjoy that either.
The writing was good enough and didn't bother me (except the repetitious nature at times) and I'm glad I read it. The ending was a bit unexpected but I can't say I didn't enjoy that either.
November 24, 2012
This book was a great read. It had an interesting twist at the ending that I honestly never expected. It got a little depressing for me during a few parts, but the ending really made it all better for me. The romance between Nick and Taryn was interesting as well. They had a really strong relationship and it made me want to read more.
October 27, 2015
This book is about Nick Cross, a teenager that can see his future. I loved this book until the end. The end was sudden. Everything you discover about the book changes. The characters change drastically. If the change would've been more subtle, it'd be one of the best books I've read.
August 31, 2012
it gets you interested and intrigued since the second you start reading till the very end! the twists are very well done and the ending was the biggest twist of all
August 31, 2012
Fantastic book, a pretty sad ending, but yeah, really enjoyed reading it!!
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