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The Paranormals #1
Jenny Pox
Jenny's touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague. She can't control her power, so she devotes her life to avoiding contact with other people in her small Southern town. Her senior year of high school, she meets the one boy she can touch...but if she's going to be with him, Jenny must learn to use the horrific power inside her to confront his devious, manipulative girlfriend, who secretly wields the most wicked power of all.
Not recommended for readers under sixteen due to mature content.
***
Winner of a Red Adept Indie #1 in Horror for 2010.
Selected by Geeks of Doom for Top 10 Urban Fantasy and Horror Books of 2010.
Chosen by the Bewitched Bookworms as one of the top books of 2010.
BONUS Contains an excerpt of Glimpse by Stacey Wallace Benefiel.
***
Tommy Nightmare , the sequel to Jenny Pox, is now available!
Not recommended for readers under sixteen due to mature content.
***
Winner of a Red Adept Indie #1 in Horror for 2010.
Selected by Geeks of Doom for Top 10 Urban Fantasy and Horror Books of 2010.
Chosen by the Bewitched Bookworms as one of the top books of 2010.
BONUS Contains an excerpt of Glimpse by Stacey Wallace Benefiel.
***
Tommy Nightmare , the sequel to Jenny Pox, is now available!
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 22, 2010
About the author
J.L. Bryan
51 books1,029 followersJ.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on English Renaissance and Romantic literature. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He lives in the metro Atlanta sprawl with his wife and son. He is the author of the Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper books and some other assorted novels like Inferno Park, The Unseen, Jenny Pox, and basically a lot of supernatural stories, some of it dark, some of it very dark, some of it less dark than that.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 935 reviews
October 5, 2010
It's like Stephen King's "Carrie" meets Alyson Noel's "Evermore," but it's not like that either, and it's much better than "Evermore." I'd even go so far as to say it's better than "Carrie." It's Mean Girls, and YA, and romance, but it's much more than the sum of it's parts. It tells a story that feels real and honest without falling into the cliches of any of the genres. It does the things you WISH would happen in other books.
The point is: You should read this book.
The point is: You should read this book.
March 22, 2012
When I first came upon this book months ago, I thought it was a paranormal romance based on the few reviews I had read. It's only recently that I was told it's actually more horror, comparable to Carrie, and aimed at 18+. This brought it right up my reading list because I love horror novels, Carrie was one of my favorite movies, and this premise screams at me (really!)! As promised, Jenny Pox is horrifically awesome with a deadly touch, a sweet romance, and a brilliantly wicked villain!
Jenny has never been able to touch anyone without causing them to break out in oozing boils, or at worse - die. Consequently, she has grown up without any friends, getting mocked for her "covering up" fashion and loner status. From the get-go, I wanted to take Jenny and hug her. She has such a sweet personality that, because of her touch, people never got to know. She also deals extremely well under her circumstances. It makes it easy to sympathize with her, besides rooting for her to kill everyone. What? For real!
A masterfully written villain, Ashleigh is quite the character. I loathed her; she is manipulative, she is malevolent, and she literally wants to rule the world. It's not hard to guess that she is the one making Jenny's life a living hell. As far as villains go, this one really gets under your skin. I thought her role was ingeniously crafted; you can easily imagine how, if something is not done soon, she can, and will, become unstoppable.
We do have quite the sweet romance woven into this horror novel as well. At first I wasn't too keen on Seth. I didn't understand why he was so open to cheating, or why he was with Ashleigh in the first place, however that was before I realized how much power she had over him. Afterwards, I warmed up to him and was positively rooting for him and Jenny to be together. They make an awesome team along with having great chemistry.
Comparing it to Stephen King's Carrie is not misleading. The plot is clearly different, but it has the same feel with plenty of deaths and gory descriptions. The ending: if you guess it, I will give you a million dollars! No kidding! In a way it's really different than what I was expecting, completely changing the bigger plot of the story, however it's so well thought of, taking me so much by surprise, that I think I loved it! I'm absolutely looking forward to reading the rest of this series and I definitely recommend it to fans of horror novels - although take note that in no way do I consider this a YA novel. Even though the characters are in their teens, there is sex, drugs, gore, violence, death - really, a whole lot of awesome!
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Jenny has never been able to touch anyone without causing them to break out in oozing boils, or at worse - die. Consequently, she has grown up without any friends, getting mocked for her "covering up" fashion and loner status. From the get-go, I wanted to take Jenny and hug her. She has such a sweet personality that, because of her touch, people never got to know. She also deals extremely well under her circumstances. It makes it easy to sympathize with her, besides rooting for her to kill everyone. What? For real!
A masterfully written villain, Ashleigh is quite the character. I loathed her; she is manipulative, she is malevolent, and she literally wants to rule the world. It's not hard to guess that she is the one making Jenny's life a living hell. As far as villains go, this one really gets under your skin. I thought her role was ingeniously crafted; you can easily imagine how, if something is not done soon, she can, and will, become unstoppable.
We do have quite the sweet romance woven into this horror novel as well. At first I wasn't too keen on Seth. I didn't understand why he was so open to cheating, or why he was with Ashleigh in the first place, however that was before I realized how much power she had over him. Afterwards, I warmed up to him and was positively rooting for him and Jenny to be together. They make an awesome team along with having great chemistry.
Comparing it to Stephen King's Carrie is not misleading. The plot is clearly different, but it has the same feel with plenty of deaths and gory descriptions. The ending: if you guess it, I will give you a million dollars! No kidding! In a way it's really different than what I was expecting, completely changing the bigger plot of the story, however it's so well thought of, taking me so much by surprise, that I think I loved it! I'm absolutely looking forward to reading the rest of this series and I definitely recommend it to fans of horror novels - although take note that in no way do I consider this a YA novel. Even though the characters are in their teens, there is sex, drugs, gore, violence, death - really, a whole lot of awesome!
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
January 25, 2012
What's this? A man writing paranormal YA better than a woman can? I'm shocked. Shocked!
I really hope you can pick up on my sarcasm, because I'm attempting to lay it on pretty thick.
Let's see, did this book have all the requirements for paranormal YA?
Paranormal phenomena - check
Outcast protagonist - check
Hunky romantic interest - check
Vile villain - check
Looks like J.L. Bryan covered all the bases. To sweeten the deal, however, he threw in a few more bases we aren't normally treated to, the biggest one being reality. These are not your chaste, blushing, eye-fucking teens who censor their "swears" and try desperately to garner their (often undeserving) parents' respect. These kids drink, smoke, swear, and have sex, and they do it all with the flippant, self-absorbed zeal that only teenagers can muster. Gotta love 'em. And heaven help me for liking this as much as I did. I can't help it! God wads might take offense at its thinly disguised swipes at their religion...but my heathen ass is halfway through the second book in this series and loving every minute of it.
Oh, the best part? People actually die! I know, right? A girl who spreads plague and yeah, there are actual consequences! Blows my fucking mind.
I really hope you can pick up on my sarcasm, because I'm attempting to lay it on pretty thick.
Let's see, did this book have all the requirements for paranormal YA?
Paranormal phenomena - check
Outcast protagonist - check
Hunky romantic interest - check
Vile villain - check
Looks like J.L. Bryan covered all the bases. To sweeten the deal, however, he threw in a few more bases we aren't normally treated to, the biggest one being reality. These are not your chaste, blushing, eye-fucking teens who censor their "swears" and try desperately to garner their (often undeserving) parents' respect. These kids drink, smoke, swear, and have sex, and they do it all with the flippant, self-absorbed zeal that only teenagers can muster. Gotta love 'em. And heaven help me for liking this as much as I did. I can't help it! God wads might take offense at its thinly disguised swipes at their religion...but my heathen ass is halfway through the second book in this series and loving every minute of it.
Oh, the best part? People actually die! I know, right? A girl who spreads plague and yeah, there are actual consequences! Blows my fucking mind.
May 6, 2022
Sooooo ..... after being locked out of my Kindle app I've decided to have a bit of a clean up in my various "Books Read" lists. I'm onto my Couldn't-Get-Into-It-May-Try-Again pile now, which is where I will, in the future, slot books that I couldn't get through first read for whatever reason. I'll then go back to the list after a good length of time and either DNF it or put it into a new list.
As of 7th May 2022 I was prepared to give this another go but for some reason I have deleted it from my Kindle. I can't justify the $$ for a repurchase just for a re-review, so I'm moving this book to a new list of It's-Not-You-It's-Me pile. I've also changed my rating to 2.5 🌟 instead of 3, which I think will be my standard rating for all books that come under that list.
Original Review:
I don't know whether it's me or the book, but I just can't be getting on with it. Great, if not gross, premise for a YA urban fantasy novel but, GEE, it was like trying to swim upstream! A hell of a lot of effort for not much gain. It's wonderfully written but I need something a little pacier. (?)
As of 7th May 2022 I was prepared to give this another go but for some reason I have deleted it from my Kindle. I can't justify the $$ for a repurchase just for a re-review, so I'm moving this book to a new list of It's-Not-You-It's-Me pile. I've also changed my rating to 2.5 🌟 instead of 3, which I think will be my standard rating for all books that come under that list.
Original Review:
I don't know whether it's me or the book, but I just can't be getting on with it. Great, if not gross, premise for a YA urban fantasy novel but, GEE, it was like trying to swim upstream! A hell of a lot of effort for not much gain. It's wonderfully written but I need something a little pacier. (?)
March 12, 2011
Jenny Pox by J.L. Bryan is a self-published young adult that has a great deal of buzz behind it, so much so that Amanda Hocking has praised the book. I also have seen many positive reviews of this book on the blogs I visit. With that in mind, I purchased a copy of Jenny Pox, expecting to read greatness. Unfortunately disappointing isn’t a good enough word to describe Jenny Pox.
Jenny Pox suffers from an incredible concept that cannot deliver, as well as a major lack of depth, one-dimensional characters and motivations that don’t make sense and had me going, “huh?” most of the time. Plus, by having some disturbing and shocking scenes where sex and a large amount of drug use is shown for no reason to further along the story, I can’t help but wonder if the author is trying too hard to keep readers interested. At one point I had to stop reading and almost gagged over a very sexually wretched scene that turned me off where I came close to DNFing. But I carried on, hoping the story would be redeemed. It didn’t happen and I ended up DNFing Jenny Pox regardless.
The title is very appropriate and the only positive thing about this tale. The heroine Jenny is an outcast, not only because she’s poor and has an alcoholic father, but she can’t touch anyone. She has the plague and ended up killing her mother and the doctors and nurses that touched her when she was born. We see early on what Jenny is capable of by handling a snake that dies a violent death.
Years later, Jenny has come to terms with her ability. She wears gloves and long sleeves even in the brutal heat to protect anyone who may come in contact with her. Jenny is an overall sweet girl, although at times rages at the injustice of her life. She has a bully, or more of an enemy, with the very popular, seemingly wholesome and self-righteous Ashleigh. Everyone adores Ashleigh, who teaches abstinence and the Lord’s good word to her fellow students. Ashleigh’s boyfriend Seth, another popular boy who comes from a very rich family that rules of the town, isn’t cruel, but since he’s aligned with Ashleigh, he’s admired. Jenny dislikes Ashleigh as much as she hates Jenny, and makes Jenny’s life miserable at school by calling her the nickname- Jenny Mittens.
Jenny doesn’t really like Seth, until her beloved dog is run over. Seth comes to her aid and heals her dog by placing his hands on it. Seth has the power of healing and can counteract Jenny’s power of sickness and death. Seth is the only one she can touch without gloves, and because of that they fall in love.
Ashleigh finds out that Seth and Jenny have grown close, and since she can’t stand to lose in any situation, she will steal Seth back. Ashleigh also has a power at her fingertips- the power of love. But, she wields this power in evil ways. With one touch she can drug people with love and in turn they end up loving Ashleigh. Since Seth and Jenny know what Ashleigh is capable of, they team up together and try to show their friends and others that Ashleigh is evil. But since Ashleigh is great at being manipulative, she figures out a way to turn everyone against Seth and Jenny. Jenny has had enough, and the girl who has been put down and ridiculed most of her life is sick and tired and decides to show the world what she’s made of.
Jenny Pox has a strong element of Stephen King’s Carrie as well as the movie X-Men. You have characters who have amazing powers that if known about, would most likely be experimented on and used as a weapon. That’s the only highlight of Jenny Pox. Other than that, this is a story that’s so very lacking from beginning to end. The biggest problem is the characters. They come across as flat with no real motivation. Jenny has some spirit and initiative, but her attraction to Seth is laughable. There isn’t enough between them to build upon it. Seth comes in and out of each scene like a soft breeze and one that is very forgettable. As for Ashleigh, can we say cartoonish? Her actions had me rolling my eyes more than a few times. We see her as spoiled, a maniacal bad seed. She has a major lack of well-rounded character traits. At one point I wished Jenny would just give her a hug with no clothes on and take her out so the story would be over sooner than later.
Jenny Pox also suffers from what I call, “everything but the kitchen sink” syndrome. This is when an author will write in as many shocking acts as they can think of from to keep the reader interested. Not only do we have massive amounts of drug use, (oh look! The teens do coke and smoke pot while drinking wine. Tsk tsk.) but the sexual situations are so out there. The one scene I mentioned earlier is so sudden and out of left field that it had WTFckery written all over it. It simply made no sense being there other than to jolt the reader’s sensibilities. And because I couldn’t sympathize or connect with any of the characters, including Jenny, I felt uninvolved and distant by everything that was occurring.
Some may call this supernatural horror that walks a fine line since it’s a young adult, but even with the small town mentality and religious matter than is close to fanatical; I was more dumbed down if anything.
I couldn’t say if the ending was where Jenny gave all those people who were cruel to her their just desserts, but I have the feeling if I made it that far, I’d just end up rolling my eyes again like I did the entire time I read. Jenny Pox is one forgettable read that could have been a winner.
Jenny Pox suffers from an incredible concept that cannot deliver, as well as a major lack of depth, one-dimensional characters and motivations that don’t make sense and had me going, “huh?” most of the time. Plus, by having some disturbing and shocking scenes where sex and a large amount of drug use is shown for no reason to further along the story, I can’t help but wonder if the author is trying too hard to keep readers interested. At one point I had to stop reading and almost gagged over a very sexually wretched scene that turned me off where I came close to DNFing. But I carried on, hoping the story would be redeemed. It didn’t happen and I ended up DNFing Jenny Pox regardless.
The title is very appropriate and the only positive thing about this tale. The heroine Jenny is an outcast, not only because she’s poor and has an alcoholic father, but she can’t touch anyone. She has the plague and ended up killing her mother and the doctors and nurses that touched her when she was born. We see early on what Jenny is capable of by handling a snake that dies a violent death.
Years later, Jenny has come to terms with her ability. She wears gloves and long sleeves even in the brutal heat to protect anyone who may come in contact with her. Jenny is an overall sweet girl, although at times rages at the injustice of her life. She has a bully, or more of an enemy, with the very popular, seemingly wholesome and self-righteous Ashleigh. Everyone adores Ashleigh, who teaches abstinence and the Lord’s good word to her fellow students. Ashleigh’s boyfriend Seth, another popular boy who comes from a very rich family that rules of the town, isn’t cruel, but since he’s aligned with Ashleigh, he’s admired. Jenny dislikes Ashleigh as much as she hates Jenny, and makes Jenny’s life miserable at school by calling her the nickname- Jenny Mittens.
Jenny doesn’t really like Seth, until her beloved dog is run over. Seth comes to her aid and heals her dog by placing his hands on it. Seth has the power of healing and can counteract Jenny’s power of sickness and death. Seth is the only one she can touch without gloves, and because of that they fall in love.
Ashleigh finds out that Seth and Jenny have grown close, and since she can’t stand to lose in any situation, she will steal Seth back. Ashleigh also has a power at her fingertips- the power of love. But, she wields this power in evil ways. With one touch she can drug people with love and in turn they end up loving Ashleigh. Since Seth and Jenny know what Ashleigh is capable of, they team up together and try to show their friends and others that Ashleigh is evil. But since Ashleigh is great at being manipulative, she figures out a way to turn everyone against Seth and Jenny. Jenny has had enough, and the girl who has been put down and ridiculed most of her life is sick and tired and decides to show the world what she’s made of.
Jenny Pox has a strong element of Stephen King’s Carrie as well as the movie X-Men. You have characters who have amazing powers that if known about, would most likely be experimented on and used as a weapon. That’s the only highlight of Jenny Pox. Other than that, this is a story that’s so very lacking from beginning to end. The biggest problem is the characters. They come across as flat with no real motivation. Jenny has some spirit and initiative, but her attraction to Seth is laughable. There isn’t enough between them to build upon it. Seth comes in and out of each scene like a soft breeze and one that is very forgettable. As for Ashleigh, can we say cartoonish? Her actions had me rolling my eyes more than a few times. We see her as spoiled, a maniacal bad seed. She has a major lack of well-rounded character traits. At one point I wished Jenny would just give her a hug with no clothes on and take her out so the story would be over sooner than later.
Jenny Pox also suffers from what I call, “everything but the kitchen sink” syndrome. This is when an author will write in as many shocking acts as they can think of from to keep the reader interested. Not only do we have massive amounts of drug use, (oh look! The teens do coke and smoke pot while drinking wine. Tsk tsk.) but the sexual situations are so out there. The one scene I mentioned earlier is so sudden and out of left field that it had WTFckery written all over it. It simply made no sense being there other than to jolt the reader’s sensibilities. And because I couldn’t sympathize or connect with any of the characters, including Jenny, I felt uninvolved and distant by everything that was occurring.
Some may call this supernatural horror that walks a fine line since it’s a young adult, but even with the small town mentality and religious matter than is close to fanatical; I was more dumbed down if anything.
I couldn’t say if the ending was where Jenny gave all those people who were cruel to her their just desserts, but I have the feeling if I made it that far, I’d just end up rolling my eyes again like I did the entire time I read. Jenny Pox is one forgettable read that could have been a winner.
October 25, 2011
I have been wanting to read this series for a while. Everyone around me loved it...couldn't get enough of it. So when I started this I was beyond excited to sink my teeth into this book!
Unfortunately...it kind of stopped there. I have to say, for me, this is really more of a 2.5 stars. It's better than a 2, but not quite a 3. And if I am being perfectly honest with you, there were times when I just didn't want to finish.
So let me tell you why...
I think this book could have been a piece of awesometastic wonderment with about 20,000 less words. Yes, yes I know! Me saying that the book was to wordy? Who would have thought?! But please before you lynch me, hear me out. I kept getting lost in the filler. Every book has, and needs filler, but with Jenny pox there was too much in my opinion. When we were in the middle of the crazy plot line, right at the heart of it, when everything was going down...I was captivated by it. But all the parts in between just felt odd and out of place. Just not so necessary, and that kept pulling me back out of the story.
So one minute I'm gripping the Kindle...
The next, I'm starting to yawn...
Overall I did really like Jenny & Seth. I loved their relationship together. Even though at times I had to question if this was YA. There are a few erotic scenes mixed in where any mother of a teenager would be yelling Fade to black! FADE TO BLACK!!! But on the other hand it was kind of nice to read a story about teens, actually acting like teens. Drinking, drugs, sex...not so much rock-n-roll *winks* All of these are in there. Oh and don't forget the conniving popular princess. Yes, yes this book had all of the elements to potentially make a great YA story...unfortunately for me I just found it a bit out there. And NO I'm not talking about the paranormal aspect of it. In fact I LOVED the paranormal parts. It was the mundane regular bits and pieces that ruined it for me.
As a mom would I let my child read this book?
Well I can tell you that at the age of 16 if I were to read this book nothing in here would be news to me. Then again I wasn't the best kid at 16. But as a mom of a potentially good kid would I want them to read a book with verging on explicit sex? Probably not. For all the parents out there reading this I would also like to tell you there is some pretty detailed pot & cocaine use as well in this book.
Overall...
As much as it pains me to say this...I guess this book just isn't for me. But don't take my word for it. There are a ton of great reviews out there for this whole series and I think you should definitely try it out for yourself. Even all my online besty bookworms loved this book. SO you might too!
Unfortunately...it kind of stopped there. I have to say, for me, this is really more of a 2.5 stars. It's better than a 2, but not quite a 3. And if I am being perfectly honest with you, there were times when I just didn't want to finish.
So let me tell you why...
I think this book could have been a piece of awesometastic wonderment with about 20,000 less words. Yes, yes I know! Me saying that the book was to wordy? Who would have thought?! But please before you lynch me, hear me out. I kept getting lost in the filler. Every book has, and needs filler, but with Jenny pox there was too much in my opinion. When we were in the middle of the crazy plot line, right at the heart of it, when everything was going down...I was captivated by it. But all the parts in between just felt odd and out of place. Just not so necessary, and that kept pulling me back out of the story.
So one minute I'm gripping the Kindle...
The next, I'm starting to yawn...
Overall I did really like Jenny & Seth. I loved their relationship together. Even though at times I had to question if this was YA. There are a few erotic scenes mixed in where any mother of a teenager would be yelling Fade to black! FADE TO BLACK!!! But on the other hand it was kind of nice to read a story about teens, actually acting like teens. Drinking, drugs, sex...not so much rock-n-roll *winks* All of these are in there. Oh and don't forget the conniving popular princess. Yes, yes this book had all of the elements to potentially make a great YA story...unfortunately for me I just found it a bit out there. And NO I'm not talking about the paranormal aspect of it. In fact I LOVED the paranormal parts. It was the mundane regular bits and pieces that ruined it for me.
As a mom would I let my child read this book?
Well I can tell you that at the age of 16 if I were to read this book nothing in here would be news to me. Then again I wasn't the best kid at 16. But as a mom of a potentially good kid would I want them to read a book with verging on explicit sex? Probably not. For all the parents out there reading this I would also like to tell you there is some pretty detailed pot & cocaine use as well in this book.
Overall...
As much as it pains me to say this...I guess this book just isn't for me. But don't take my word for it. There are a ton of great reviews out there for this whole series and I think you should definitely try it out for yourself. Even all my online besty bookworms loved this book. SO you might too!
April 14, 2011
Fantastic opening, fast-paced story...but gets a little nuts at towards the end. The sex is probably a little more explicit than it needs to be for YA, too.
September 14, 2011
Where do I start? I guess with "WOW!!!"
I'm wasn't too sure what to expect from this book. It was highly recommended by the Bookish Brunette Blog and I was intrigued by the premise. There is a glut of books out there with teenagers with special powers, so I was a little leery. But this novel is something altogether different and refreshing.
I would not define it as a young adult novel, or paranormal romance in any way. I wouldn't call it Urban Fantasy either. Honestly, it reminded me of Stephen King in his heyday. I'm sure people would compare it to the novel CARRIE, but I like this book so much more. It resonated with me in a very deep way, whereas CARRIE never really did.
The lead character's power is terrible and devastating, not only to her own life, but the lives of others. Seeing her suffering and struggling to survive the pitfalls of her life AND high school was quite painful at times. Anyone who has dealt with bullies will sympathize with her immediately. She not only suffers from her gift, but also the isolation caused by it. Her father, though a loving man, is also an alcoholic, so Jenny's life is not ideal in anyway. Her character development was very well done and I enjoyed how she evolved from a girl who tried to disappear from view, to someone who stands up for herself and the people she loves.
Though the villain of the piece is the popular girl in school, she is not a cookie cutter creation. Ashleigh has a power of her own and wields it with cruel intentions while hiding behind the guise of a beautiful, perfect, angelic Christian girl. I knew a few girls just like her growing up, so I found Ashleigh particularly frightening. She so effortlessly plays those around her while using them it is quite disturbing. I liked her as a villain and I never felt her character was a cliche.
Seth, the boy both girls fall for, was a little more difficult for me to connect with at first. But as the book progressed I came to understand why as he broke away from Ashleigh's influence and began to show his true character. Seth suffers from being manipulated by Ashleigh and it alters his personality significantly at times. There is one particular scene where she uses her power to ensnare him that was chilling and disturbing. But Seth does show his true colors and by the end of the book, I really did like his character.
The supporting cast of characters in the book are also well-defined. The description of the town, the school, and the people that surround Jenny was very well done. I was completely engrossed in the narrative and reluctantly put the book aside a few times when I needed to eat, sleep, or take care of my own writing. I finally gave up reading the book in increments and devoured it in one big reading marathon. It was worth it.
Though the book does feature teenagers, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 17. There is drug usage, sexual content, and graphic language along with some very intense, violent, and horrific scenes that stole my breath away. This book is a powder keg of vivid imagery, wonderfully drawn out characters, and superb plotting.
I highly recommend it.
I'm wasn't too sure what to expect from this book. It was highly recommended by the Bookish Brunette Blog and I was intrigued by the premise. There is a glut of books out there with teenagers with special powers, so I was a little leery. But this novel is something altogether different and refreshing.
I would not define it as a young adult novel, or paranormal romance in any way. I wouldn't call it Urban Fantasy either. Honestly, it reminded me of Stephen King in his heyday. I'm sure people would compare it to the novel CARRIE, but I like this book so much more. It resonated with me in a very deep way, whereas CARRIE never really did.
The lead character's power is terrible and devastating, not only to her own life, but the lives of others. Seeing her suffering and struggling to survive the pitfalls of her life AND high school was quite painful at times. Anyone who has dealt with bullies will sympathize with her immediately. She not only suffers from her gift, but also the isolation caused by it. Her father, though a loving man, is also an alcoholic, so Jenny's life is not ideal in anyway. Her character development was very well done and I enjoyed how she evolved from a girl who tried to disappear from view, to someone who stands up for herself and the people she loves.
Though the villain of the piece is the popular girl in school, she is not a cookie cutter creation. Ashleigh has a power of her own and wields it with cruel intentions while hiding behind the guise of a beautiful, perfect, angelic Christian girl. I knew a few girls just like her growing up, so I found Ashleigh particularly frightening. She so effortlessly plays those around her while using them it is quite disturbing. I liked her as a villain and I never felt her character was a cliche.
Seth, the boy both girls fall for, was a little more difficult for me to connect with at first. But as the book progressed I came to understand why as he broke away from Ashleigh's influence and began to show his true character. Seth suffers from being manipulated by Ashleigh and it alters his personality significantly at times. There is one particular scene where she uses her power to ensnare him that was chilling and disturbing. But Seth does show his true colors and by the end of the book, I really did like his character.
The supporting cast of characters in the book are also well-defined. The description of the town, the school, and the people that surround Jenny was very well done. I was completely engrossed in the narrative and reluctantly put the book aside a few times when I needed to eat, sleep, or take care of my own writing. I finally gave up reading the book in increments and devoured it in one big reading marathon. It was worth it.
Though the book does feature teenagers, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 17. There is drug usage, sexual content, and graphic language along with some very intense, violent, and horrific scenes that stole my breath away. This book is a powder keg of vivid imagery, wonderfully drawn out characters, and superb plotting.
I highly recommend it.
January 11, 2011
All sorts of people recommended this book to me-friends, writers, book bloggers, people on Goodreads. I have no idea what took me so long to finally get to it, because it is just the kind of book I like. I couldn't read Jenny Pox fast enough!
This book is a lot of different things, not just another YA paranormal/supernatural romance. There are plenty of grusome images and vivid descriptions to delight a horror lover, plenty of high school antics and cliqueishness for people who like contemporary. There's Southern charm, rednecks, Jesus freaks, old money, mythology, religion,difficult parent/child relationships and yes, a very sweet romance.
The writing was descriptive without being annoyingly so. The dialogue was natural for both teens and people from the South. The characters well-defined.
I just really dug this book and will be first in line for the sequel!
This book is a lot of different things, not just another YA paranormal/supernatural romance. There are plenty of grusome images and vivid descriptions to delight a horror lover, plenty of high school antics and cliqueishness for people who like contemporary. There's Southern charm, rednecks, Jesus freaks, old money, mythology, religion,difficult parent/child relationships and yes, a very sweet romance.
The writing was descriptive without being annoyingly so. The dialogue was natural for both teens and people from the South. The characters well-defined.
I just really dug this book and will be first in line for the sequel!
February 29, 2012
That was fucking ridiculous.
Yet, I still liked it.
*Thoughts to come at a normal hour*
12 hours later....
OK. It's kind of a normal hour.
So let's start out by saying I liked this book. I'd actually give the first half of it 5 stars and the second half 2 stars...evens out to be about 3.5 stars. Or something. Still too early for math.
But, you know, that's quite a large jump from 5 stars to 2. So let me explain what the hell happened:
Things I liked (nee, LOVED) about the first half of the book
- Jenny was a refreshingly realistic heroine (considering her powers). She had a range of ups and downs but kept on trucking despite the way she was treated by Ashleigh (ugh) and the townspeople. But I liked you Jenny Mittens and I would be your friend.
- Jenny's relationship with her father was sweet and strained but supportive nonetheless
- Teens were portrayed realistically - sex, drugs, drinking, swearing. I liked that they were not sugarcoated (though there's a difference between having sex in the book because it's realistic and having sex just for the sake of having sex - but more on that later).
- Bryan's prose was simplistic but charming. It had a very quaint feel at times, in going with the quaint theme of the town
- Ashleigh is the most vile villain I have ever read. This - at times - bordered on being a bad thing, but the fact that the manipulative bitch made me so mad and got under my skin so much, means that she works. She gets to you. GAAAAAHHHH! I'm still mad.
- I liked Bryan's humour and the world he created. He thinks outside the box and I liked that this was VERY original. It made me want to check out his other work (I just bought Fairy Metal Thunder)
Things I hated about the last half of the book
- Gratuitous sex. OK, I didn't hate this. I didn't mind reading it per se...but I didn't understand why the threesome scene was so graphically explained. It wasn't necessary. You can still tell the reader what is going on without going into details. I mean, I get it was a somewhat important scene, but it threw me out of the book for a second and it kind of reeked of exploitation. Not in a bad way, but just in the "I'm going to throw in a scene out of every guy's fantasy" - a man wrote the book, yes, but most readers are female...ANYWAY the point is, why did THAT scene get so many pages and the actual important (emotionally, for Seth and Jenny) love scene kind of get skimmed over? That scene meant more and fit the flow of the story more organically.
- This book needed an editor. The writing was lovely, charming even, and the grammar and spelling were good - couldn't find fault there. It's really well done. But editors also tighten up the book and make the writer cut erroneous scenes, and Jenny Pox could have really benefited from that. I mean, Ashleigh's trip to New York, Seth showing Jenny the graveyard, the long description of valentine's day, THE GHOST ON THE THIRD FLOOR - why were these scenes even in the book? They had no purpose and had me skimming pages upon pages. Not good. An editor would have also tightened the plot and kept it from meandering at times...it was like somethings were given too much attention, and at other times, it was like the main point of the story was lost.
- Seth is kind of an idiot. I'm sorry Jenny, he is sweet but he's not very bright. Guess he's just not my type.
- This book was WAY too long. Again, an editor would have helped. The pace suffered because of it and it was at the half-way mark that I thought "WHY IS THERE SO MUCH LEFT?"
- The ending. OMG. The ending. It was fucking ridiculous, pardon my language. I don't want to spoil it but it had me sighing LOUDLY, IN ANGER while I was reading in bed. I get that Bryan was probably being satirical with the small town personas, hence why so many jabs at right-wing Christians and African Americans, but you still have to have SOME realism.
The whole idea of Jenny, Seth and Ashleigh is fantastical and outrageous, but in order to make that work, you have to ground that in realism. The end was out of character for the town and its people - small-minded bigots or not. I bought the supernatual stuff but not THAT.
- And Jenny. Oh, Jenny. I understand your rampage but I was disappointed to see that you lost all your remorse and feeling for humanity. Revenge is great and a few people did deserve it (in fact, I think you could have done even worse...make them REALLY suffer), but, I don't know. Everyone? Even those that weren't really at fault? Kinda harsh, no? But then again Carrie wasn't very understanding either.
- And then the very end. It was actually interesting to learn about what Jenny and Seth are, and I appreciated that it happened at the end... a nice tease into a sequel, if there was one, but I thought some things were overlooked. Such as, what the hell is going to happen next? The town is, um... also, Jenny's dad. That can't be fun for him. And Mrs. Sutland and Merle and the other nice people.
Well anyway, I didn't think I would have so much to say but this novel has severely polarized me. I loved it, then felt bored, then hated it.
But I'd still recommend it and that's why I'm giving it 3.5 stars. Aside from the moments where I was bored and skipping chapters, it held my interest, kept me entertained, made me laugh, made me cringe (it can be really gross - but I like that), made me think about it. And made me mad. That might not sound good but I think it means I care...nothing is worse than meh, and this book as a whole, isn't "meh."
I will be reading Bryan's books from now on.
Yet, I still liked it.
*Thoughts to come at a normal hour*
12 hours later....
OK. It's kind of a normal hour.
So let's start out by saying I liked this book. I'd actually give the first half of it 5 stars and the second half 2 stars...evens out to be about 3.5 stars. Or something. Still too early for math.
But, you know, that's quite a large jump from 5 stars to 2. So let me explain what the hell happened:
Things I liked (nee, LOVED) about the first half of the book
- Jenny was a refreshingly realistic heroine (considering her powers). She had a range of ups and downs but kept on trucking despite the way she was treated by Ashleigh (ugh) and the townspeople. But I liked you Jenny Mittens and I would be your friend.
- Jenny's relationship with her father was sweet and strained but supportive nonetheless
- Teens were portrayed realistically - sex, drugs, drinking, swearing. I liked that they were not sugarcoated (though there's a difference between having sex in the book because it's realistic and having sex just for the sake of having sex - but more on that later).
- Bryan's prose was simplistic but charming. It had a very quaint feel at times, in going with the quaint theme of the town
- Ashleigh is the most vile villain I have ever read. This - at times - bordered on being a bad thing, but the fact that the manipulative bitch made me so mad and got under my skin so much, means that she works. She gets to you. GAAAAAHHHH! I'm still mad.
- I liked Bryan's humour and the world he created. He thinks outside the box and I liked that this was VERY original. It made me want to check out his other work (I just bought Fairy Metal Thunder)
Things I hated about the last half of the book
- Gratuitous sex. OK, I didn't hate this. I didn't mind reading it per se...but I didn't understand why the threesome scene was so graphically explained. It wasn't necessary. You can still tell the reader what is going on without going into details. I mean, I get it was a somewhat important scene, but it threw me out of the book for a second and it kind of reeked of exploitation. Not in a bad way, but just in the "I'm going to throw in a scene out of every guy's fantasy" - a man wrote the book, yes, but most readers are female...ANYWAY the point is, why did THAT scene get so many pages and the actual important (emotionally, for Seth and Jenny) love scene kind of get skimmed over? That scene meant more and fit the flow of the story more organically.
- This book needed an editor. The writing was lovely, charming even, and the grammar and spelling were good - couldn't find fault there. It's really well done. But editors also tighten up the book and make the writer cut erroneous scenes, and Jenny Pox could have really benefited from that. I mean, Ashleigh's trip to New York, Seth showing Jenny the graveyard, the long description of valentine's day, THE GHOST ON THE THIRD FLOOR - why were these scenes even in the book? They had no purpose and had me skimming pages upon pages. Not good. An editor would have also tightened the plot and kept it from meandering at times...it was like somethings were given too much attention, and at other times, it was like the main point of the story was lost.
- Seth is kind of an idiot. I'm sorry Jenny, he is sweet but he's not very bright. Guess he's just not my type.
- This book was WAY too long. Again, an editor would have helped. The pace suffered because of it and it was at the half-way mark that I thought "WHY IS THERE SO MUCH LEFT?"
- The ending. OMG. The ending. It was fucking ridiculous, pardon my language. I don't want to spoil it but it had me sighing LOUDLY, IN ANGER while I was reading in bed. I get that Bryan was probably being satirical with the small town personas, hence why so many jabs at right-wing Christians and African Americans, but you still have to have SOME realism.
The whole idea of Jenny, Seth and Ashleigh is fantastical and outrageous, but in order to make that work, you have to ground that in realism. The end was out of character for the town and its people - small-minded bigots or not. I bought the supernatual stuff but not THAT.
- And Jenny. Oh, Jenny. I understand your rampage but I was disappointed to see that you lost all your remorse and feeling for humanity. Revenge is great and a few people did deserve it (in fact, I think you could have done even worse...make them REALLY suffer), but, I don't know. Everyone? Even those that weren't really at fault? Kinda harsh, no? But then again Carrie wasn't very understanding either.
- And then the very end. It was actually interesting to learn about what Jenny and Seth are, and I appreciated that it happened at the end... a nice tease into a sequel, if there was one, but I thought some things were overlooked. Such as, what the hell is going to happen next? The town is, um... also, Jenny's dad. That can't be fun for him. And Mrs. Sutland and Merle and the other nice people.
Well anyway, I didn't think I would have so much to say but this novel has severely polarized me. I loved it, then felt bored, then hated it.
But I'd still recommend it and that's why I'm giving it 3.5 stars. Aside from the moments where I was bored and skipping chapters, it held my interest, kept me entertained, made me laugh, made me cringe (it can be really gross - but I like that), made me think about it. And made me mad. That might not sound good but I think it means I care...nothing is worse than meh, and this book as a whole, isn't "meh."
I will be reading Bryan's books from now on.
August 28, 2012
1.5 stars. The first chapter should have been the whole book, left it as an AMAZING creepy little short story. I would have given it 5 stars then, but no...it just kept going on and on and on and on and...well you get the idea. It starts with a weird little girl who kills anyone she touches. Then we meet the class cool girl, who cliche enough is a complete B, who likes to be in charge of everything and everyone. Oh ya and the cool girl she likes to drug people without them knowing and start orgies..ya you heard right. Seems in this remote town there is also a boy with weird powers he can heal anyone of any injury and the popular girl..oh she has powers too seems she can make people lustful and doped up as easily as Aphrodite. Not completely insane enough? Okay well lets add in reincarnation, lots of drugs and heavy drinking nonstop, and even more crazy power usage all in a small hick town. I really insist readers stop reading as soon as the main heroine (if she can be called that...she does a ton of drugs, underage drinking, boyfriend stealing, and killing) gets to school.
August 15, 2011
Ugh, I really wish I had the time for writing a proper review for this but I just don’t. So the following will have to do:
This was so different from everything I’ve read recently. Interesting concept, some cute romance and surprising twists and turns. Whenever I thought I had it figured out the story would go in an entirely different direction and I would have never in a million years guessed how everything played out in the end.
I definitely recommend this, though I want to warn you that some of you might be bothered by the very explicit sexual content and the fact that the story gets pretty gruesome (zombie bookish gruesome) at times. Still, I had fun with this one.
This was so different from everything I’ve read recently. Interesting concept, some cute romance and surprising twists and turns. Whenever I thought I had it figured out the story would go in an entirely different direction and I would have never in a million years guessed how everything played out in the end.
I definitely recommend this, though I want to warn you that some of you might be bothered by the very explicit sexual content and the fact that the story gets pretty gruesome (zombie bookish gruesome) at times. Still, I had fun with this one.
February 16, 2021
I have been trying out more self-published fiction lately and am happy to report that this is one of the good ones. This was J.L. Bryan's first novel and I am glad to see how his prior education in literature and screenwriting translated into writing fiction. Jenny Pox is a bit of a genre-blender, but generally classifiable as supernatural young adult fiction. Beyond that's it's little bit horror, a little superhero fiction, and a little urban fantasy except rural.
The writing is tight. Either the author employed some high-quality sentence-level editing or has an excellent handle on his wordcraft.
I thought the setting and characters were authentic. The author appears to be a Southerner and it shows in this tale set in rural Georgia, in some slowly decaying town pop. 9000. I found Jenny believable as a teenage daughter of an alcoholic and lifelong bullying target in a small town. Jenny was born cursed with the involuntary power to transmit disease and death to any living creature through skin contact. Naturally, she grows to avoid social interaction as much as possible and covers herself fully with clothing and gloves at all times. You can guess how well that goes over in public school, where she is starting her senior year. Her prime antagonist, Ashleigh, is a one-sided villain, but a deliciously diabolical one, conceivable as an amalgam of characters from the movies Mean Girls, Election, and maybe Drop Dead Gorgeous. The two come head to head over rich boy Seth, but the story is much broader than just a love triangle. It tuns out that Jenny is not the only one in town with hidden abilities.
The characters and story often straddles the line between archetypal and over the top. It certainly veers towards the ridiculous in its caricatures of right-wing personalities and conservative christianity, but at the same time, I found the sometimes over-simplified or exaggerated villainy fit well with the cosmology working subtly behind the story.
There were some awkwardly written moments, the first notable one a major confrontation at a Christmas party at the book's midpoint. During a major horror scene, I was unsure if the author was going for straight horror or intentional silliness with phrases like, "[character] opened her mouth and pulled away, and thick strings of dissolving flesh came with her, clinging to her lips like hot mozzarella." or, "[character]'s acne began swelling and bursting, with a sound like popcorn." My only other complaint is that I felt both the opening and closing chapters over-explained. The former, in scenes from Jenny's childhood, it was just a little too heavy-handed in showing that her father was an alcoholic; it was possible to trust the reader more and tone down the indicators. At the end, for the sake of the book and the series, I felt there was too thorough an explanation given for the supernatural aspects. A lighter touch here would leave the reader with more wonder and imagination to carry into the following books.
Overall, very enjoyable and refreshing.
The writing is tight. Either the author employed some high-quality sentence-level editing or has an excellent handle on his wordcraft.
I thought the setting and characters were authentic. The author appears to be a Southerner and it shows in this tale set in rural Georgia, in some slowly decaying town pop. 9000. I found Jenny believable as a teenage daughter of an alcoholic and lifelong bullying target in a small town. Jenny was born cursed with the involuntary power to transmit disease and death to any living creature through skin contact. Naturally, she grows to avoid social interaction as much as possible and covers herself fully with clothing and gloves at all times. You can guess how well that goes over in public school, where she is starting her senior year. Her prime antagonist, Ashleigh, is a one-sided villain, but a deliciously diabolical one, conceivable as an amalgam of characters from the movies Mean Girls, Election, and maybe Drop Dead Gorgeous. The two come head to head over rich boy Seth, but the story is much broader than just a love triangle. It tuns out that Jenny is not the only one in town with hidden abilities.
The characters and story often straddles the line between archetypal and over the top. It certainly veers towards the ridiculous in its caricatures of right-wing personalities and conservative christianity, but at the same time, I found the sometimes over-simplified or exaggerated villainy fit well with the cosmology working subtly behind the story.
There were some awkwardly written moments, the first notable one a major confrontation at a Christmas party at the book's midpoint. During a major horror scene, I was unsure if the author was going for straight horror or intentional silliness with phrases like, "[character] opened her mouth and pulled away, and thick strings of dissolving flesh came with her, clinging to her lips like hot mozzarella." or, "[character]'s acne began swelling and bursting, with a sound like popcorn." My only other complaint is that I felt both the opening and closing chapters over-explained. The former, in scenes from Jenny's childhood, it was just a little too heavy-handed in showing that her father was an alcoholic; it was possible to trust the reader more and tone down the indicators. At the end, for the sake of the book and the series, I felt there was too thorough an explanation given for the supernatural aspects. A lighter touch here would leave the reader with more wonder and imagination to carry into the following books.
Overall, very enjoyable and refreshing.
December 8, 2014
The beginning was absolutely fantastic with the girl realizing for the very first time how deadly her touch was, but after that it didn't hold my attention for too long (even though I read 50% of it). I have many complains (plot, characters, dialog, etc), but I am not in the mood to talk about them.
If you have it on your to-read list, you should give it a try, it might work for you better :)
PS: the ebook might still be $0.00 on Amazon.
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January 12, 2013
Jenny Morton cannot touch anyone - because the moment she does, the other person breaks out in lesions. Her birth caused the death of her mother; an incident at elementary school scars her forever as "Jenny Pox".
Fast forward to high school. Jenny just tries to make it through a school day and avoid nemesis, Ashleigh Gooding. But she can't keep her eyes off Ashleigh's hot boyfriend, Seth. And then through tragic circumstances, Jenny and Seth meet...
I liked bits and pieces of this a lot, and pretty much the rest made me wonder what the hell I was reading.
The first chapter was amazing. Jenny as a child first learning about her deadly power - wow!! This was brilliantly written! If only the entire book had been that way. There are also some great lines from Jenny about how badly she wants to be able to touch another soul. As I read this, I ached for Jenny, I ached for her longing to touch someone. Again, great stuff - this is what Shatter Me could have been in the hands of a different author. We don't see females getting horrible powers like this; a lot of times, it ends up being something like "healing" or "making people like you", so I like the idea of a teenaged girl getting such a powerful, dark power.
The other part I really liked was Chapter 24. Chapter 24 is the major showdown; it's pretty darned dark - an almost lynching, a MAJOR CHARACTER dying, and another MAJOR CHARACTER causing multiple murders ON PURPOSE. There is tons of blood and gore and violence, lots of anticipation and excitement (is that person gonna escape???), and it even ends on a perfect, tragic, dark note (and usually I'm the "happily ever after" type of girl, but this book could have totally pulled off a darker ending).
However...the rest of this book made me want to tear my hair out in clumps.
Firstly, we have how the book degenerates into yet another high school drama. I get that high school is an important milestone in a teenager's life, even for paranormal teenagers, but I REALLY wanted more of Jenny's strange ability, not all the politics of the high school. Probably the worst, though was Ashleigh Gooding and how unbelievable she was as a character. At first, she was just your regular "rich b***h". But then she became more and more and more cliched, until she was basically carrying a pitchfork and wearing a red tail. Being an evil person to Jenny? Okay, I get it. Taking over the school? Huh? And then why the hell does she even bother to act like a Christian/right-winger? There were plenty of ways she could have been a devout Christian AND STILL been an awful person (they're everywhere). I just hate to see yet another person who dawns the Christianity banner just to use it for deception. And adding racism, hypocrisy (Ashleigh has her boyfriend finger her, but she's "still a virgin"), drug and alcohol usage, and a heap of other negative attributes just makes me feel sorry for her. Even evil characters aren't 100% evil!! And really, Ashleigh's only motivation is lust for power. Seriously, she can't have a better motivation than that?
SIDE NOTE: In fact a lot of the "right-winger" speech sounded fake. And I would know; I used to be in that far right-wing camp and still talk to a lot of people who are still stuck in that camp.
That already made the book a struggle to get through. But at the point that Ashleigh SOMEHOW gives these teenagers a "horny" drug (apparently something from a witch???) during a Halloween party-turned orgy, I lost all willing suspension of disbelief. So now there is witchcraft in this world? Spells and potions can make teenagers horny? Even worse, ONE NIGHT causes OVER 90 girls to get pregnant??? PUH-lease!!
And during this absolutely insane, off-the-wall, out-of-left-field plot change (and this book goes through several - from horror, to generic teenaged drama, to crazy paranormal WTF back to horror and finally to "I gave up"), we get the most boring, irrelevant scenes ever. Jenny's dad's giving up alcohol. Jenny, her dad, and Seth going to Lowe's to fix up the house (yes, this is in the book). Jenny's dad getting a girlfriend (yes, this is in here!!). Ashleigh schmoozing up to some hyperbole right-wing talk show guy (who, of course, smacks Ashleigh on the @$$). Two characters having sex in a "haunted bedroom" - for NO REASON (the "ghost" never makes an appearance in the book). Seth and Jenny wandering a cemetery. The filler in this book was so frustrating. Some of it - such as the ghost story parts - could have been an amazing story by themselves. But they were brought up and dropped. I felt so deflated and disappointed and wondered WHY my time was wasted with them.
But the last two chapters made me want to hang myself. Spoilers, so ye be warned.
This book also made me upset because at one point, Ashleigh basically uses a "drug" to make a girl give a boy head, and a boy to pleasure her - against both of their wills. The way Ashleigh uses her abilities in general are very "rapey" and made me VERY uncomfortable.
This book had quite a bit of violence, drug/alcohol use, and explicit sex. I understand that teenagers use drugs and have sex, but the scenes in this book went way, way over the top. Reading about teeangers feel each other up? Yeah, that sounds about right. Getting the raw details about a threesome (the basically rape scene I discussed above)? Can we say "startling" (particularly since I was not expecting it)? Having teenagers use marijuana? Yeah, that doesn't sound too unlikely. Having teenagers use coke? That's a whole different ball of wax. And then the number of times the teenagers would drink! I thought it was pretty bad for Jenny, who saw what alcohol did to her father, and yet still she drank quite a bit. I definitely do not recommend this book to younger teenagers, no one under the age of 16 (my opinion: no one under the age of 18).
To the author's credit, the writing is very decent. Jenny was a relatable character; her ability was well-detailed, and her struggle with it well-defined. I also liked how Jenny and her Love Interest actually were friends before they started hopping in the sack.
I feel kinda like I'm missing something; so many people have given this glowing reviews, and here I am picking at this thing to death. I really wanted to like it; I think it was a great concept. There were just so many things that just tweaked me - the Evul, Horrible, Awfulness of Ashleigh, how the story seemed to change every few chapters, how one event led to almost 90 girls getting pregnant, and those final two chapters, which ruined what could have been a nice, dark ending to a dark book.
Maybe it's just me; maybe I'm too cynical. If this sounds like something up your alley, I do hope you enjoy. It wouldn't be something I necessarily recommend, but I have read much, much worse.
Fast forward to high school. Jenny just tries to make it through a school day and avoid nemesis, Ashleigh Gooding. But she can't keep her eyes off Ashleigh's hot boyfriend, Seth. And then through tragic circumstances, Jenny and Seth meet...
I liked bits and pieces of this a lot, and pretty much the rest made me wonder what the hell I was reading.
The first chapter was amazing. Jenny as a child first learning about her deadly power - wow!! This was brilliantly written! If only the entire book had been that way. There are also some great lines from Jenny about how badly she wants to be able to touch another soul. As I read this, I ached for Jenny, I ached for her longing to touch someone. Again, great stuff - this is what Shatter Me could have been in the hands of a different author. We don't see females getting horrible powers like this; a lot of times, it ends up being something like "healing" or "making people like you", so I like the idea of a teenaged girl getting such a powerful, dark power.
The other part I really liked was Chapter 24. Chapter 24 is the major showdown; it's pretty darned dark - an almost lynching, a MAJOR CHARACTER dying, and another MAJOR CHARACTER causing multiple murders ON PURPOSE. There is tons of blood and gore and violence, lots of anticipation and excitement (is that person gonna escape???), and it even ends on a perfect, tragic, dark note (and usually I'm the "happily ever after" type of girl, but this book could have totally pulled off a darker ending).
However...the rest of this book made me want to tear my hair out in clumps.
Firstly, we have how the book degenerates into yet another high school drama. I get that high school is an important milestone in a teenager's life, even for paranormal teenagers, but I REALLY wanted more of Jenny's strange ability, not all the politics of the high school. Probably the worst, though was Ashleigh Gooding and how unbelievable she was as a character. At first, she was just your regular "rich b***h". But then she became more and more and more cliched, until she was basically carrying a pitchfork and wearing a red tail. Being an evil person to Jenny? Okay, I get it. Taking over the school? Huh? And then why the hell does she even bother to act like a Christian/right-winger? There were plenty of ways she could have been a devout Christian AND STILL been an awful person (they're everywhere). I just hate to see yet another person who dawns the Christianity banner just to use it for deception. And adding racism, hypocrisy (Ashleigh has her boyfriend finger her, but she's "still a virgin"), drug and alcohol usage, and a heap of other negative attributes just makes me feel sorry for her. Even evil characters aren't 100% evil!! And really, Ashleigh's only motivation is lust for power. Seriously, she can't have a better motivation than that?
SIDE NOTE: In fact a lot of the "right-winger" speech sounded fake. And I would know; I used to be in that far right-wing camp and still talk to a lot of people who are still stuck in that camp.
That already made the book a struggle to get through. But at the point that Ashleigh SOMEHOW gives these teenagers a "horny" drug (apparently something from a witch???) during a Halloween party-turned orgy, I lost all willing suspension of disbelief. So now there is witchcraft in this world? Spells and potions can make teenagers horny? Even worse, ONE NIGHT causes OVER 90 girls to get pregnant??? PUH-lease!!
And during this absolutely insane, off-the-wall, out-of-left-field plot change (and this book goes through several - from horror, to generic teenaged drama, to crazy paranormal WTF back to horror and finally to "I gave up"), we get the most boring, irrelevant scenes ever. Jenny's dad's giving up alcohol. Jenny, her dad, and Seth going to Lowe's to fix up the house (yes, this is in the book). Jenny's dad getting a girlfriend (yes, this is in here!!). Ashleigh schmoozing up to some hyperbole right-wing talk show guy (who, of course, smacks Ashleigh on the @$$). Two characters having sex in a "haunted bedroom" - for NO REASON (the "ghost" never makes an appearance in the book). Seth and Jenny wandering a cemetery. The filler in this book was so frustrating. Some of it - such as the ghost story parts - could have been an amazing story by themselves. But they were brought up and dropped. I felt so deflated and disappointed and wondered WHY my time was wasted with them.
But the last two chapters made me want to hang myself. Spoilers, so ye be warned.
This book also made me upset because at one point, Ashleigh basically uses a "drug" to make a girl give a boy head, and a boy to pleasure her - against both of their wills. The way Ashleigh uses her abilities in general are very "rapey" and made me VERY uncomfortable.
This book had quite a bit of violence, drug/alcohol use, and explicit sex. I understand that teenagers use drugs and have sex, but the scenes in this book went way, way over the top. Reading about teeangers feel each other up? Yeah, that sounds about right. Getting the raw details about a threesome (the basically rape scene I discussed above)? Can we say "startling" (particularly since I was not expecting it)? Having teenagers use marijuana? Yeah, that doesn't sound too unlikely. Having teenagers use coke? That's a whole different ball of wax. And then the number of times the teenagers would drink! I thought it was pretty bad for Jenny, who saw what alcohol did to her father, and yet still she drank quite a bit. I definitely do not recommend this book to younger teenagers, no one under the age of 16 (my opinion: no one under the age of 18).
To the author's credit, the writing is very decent. Jenny was a relatable character; her ability was well-detailed, and her struggle with it well-defined. I also liked how Jenny and her Love Interest actually were friends before they started hopping in the sack.
I feel kinda like I'm missing something; so many people have given this glowing reviews, and here I am picking at this thing to death. I really wanted to like it; I think it was a great concept. There were just so many things that just tweaked me - the Evul, Horrible, Awfulness of Ashleigh, how the story seemed to change every few chapters, how one event led to almost 90 girls getting pregnant, and those final two chapters, which ruined what could have been a nice, dark ending to a dark book.
Maybe it's just me; maybe I'm too cynical. If this sounds like something up your alley, I do hope you enjoy. It wouldn't be something I necessarily recommend, but I have read much, much worse.
October 4, 2012
“Four stars: An anxiety packed book that culminates with a terrifying end!
Jenny is an unusual girl. No one can touch her skin or they will become infected with a deadly pox and die if they are overly exposed. Her mother died during her birth and her father does the best he can, but never being able to touch someone without fear is a lonely existence. Jenny somehow manages to muster through school by ducking her head and remaining aloof, until an incident on the playground in first grade. Jenny tangles with the school's resident mean girl. A scratch and a sudden illness earn Jenny the nickname Jenny Pox. Time marches on and the event is nearly forgotten. Jenny is starting her senior year, wondering how she can survive one more year of torture. Yet, she is in for a surprise. Suddenly she is not alone, she has a friend and ally, but it is at a terrible price. Jenny has once again crossed the mean girl, Ashleigh. Now it turns out that Jenny isn't the only one with a secret power. Trouble is brewing and years of torture and resentment are about to come to a head!
What I Liked:
*I was taken by surprise with this one. This book seemed to be following the typical tortured shy girl who endures years of unrelenting cruelty at the hands of the mean girl, but things suddenly take a whole new direction. Especially with the added additions of the pox and the other two individuals with their own powers. What ensues is a twisted storyline full of manipulative plotting,treachery, and a tender romance, which all builds into a stunning, terrifying ending that will blow your mind. Not only are the final scenes filled with an exacting revenge, but there is a great twist that explains everything that was totally unexpected. I admit, I was fully expecting the revenge pay out, but the final revelations were amazing! Read the book to experience it for yourself!
*I enjoyed the three POVs in this one. The majority of the story is told through Jenny's eyes, but we also get to experience Seth's view point and then endure the manipulative, cruel Ashleigh. Seeing everything through each character's eyes added depth to the story and I liked seeing how everything was coming together on the three different fronts.
*Wow! Does this book ever have a mean girl. I usually detest mean girls, but Ashleigh is so much more than the typical mean girl. She is cold, calculating and totally manipulative. With each chapter I was more and more horrified and terrified of this girl. I absolutely abhorred and detested her, and I so wanted her to get what she deserved, but yet on the other hand, I was eager to see how far she could take things and how thick she spun her web. Needless to say, she doesn't disappoint. This girl is out for world domination, and I loathed her and loved her at the same time. She is so evil and vile and she elicited such a strong feeling of revulsion in me that I couldn't help but to be impressed. I love when a character can bring out such strong emotions!
*I thoroughly enjoyed that this book builds and builds until you are on the edge of your seat with anxiety just waiting for the hammer to drop! All I will tell you is that the end is one chaotic ride. Strap in and have fun!
*The absolute best part about his book is that right now you can get it for free on Amazon, so I highly suggest you get your copy now!
And The Not So Much:
*I was a bit befuddled at first by the lack of explanation for Jenny's condition and how her father managed to rear her all by himself and work and support her, this is not mentioned and in reality it would probably be impossible, but for the sake of fiction and a good story it is easily overlooked. I also wished that there was just touch more information on Jenny's mother and what kind of person she was.
*As in a lot of YA books, the parents tend to vanish and not play an adequate role in their kids' lives. This is the case in this story as well, except that Jenny's father and Seth's parents are around in the beginning and mysteriously out of the picture at the end. Seth's circumstances were especially weird. One minute his father is there lecturing him on who he can date and laying down the law, and then he is gone to Florida for the remainder of the book, which is over the course of several months. I just found it a little hard to believe he wouldn't keep closer tabs on his son.
*This book has mature themes and there are some sex scenes, drug usage and drinking, so a word of caution if you prefer to keep that content away from your reader. This one is best suited for older readers. To be fair though, the book description advises this is best suited for eighteen and older.
*Finally, after the big showdown and surprising revelations at the end, I wanted a bit more closure, but I am guessing that the aftermath to the town and the citizens will be explained in the sequel Tommy Nightmares.
Jenny Pox is a thrilling and terrifying read that manages to notch up the suspense until the gritty end. If you like books that follow a down trodden character who rises up and gets her revenge, this is a read for you. I was truly blown away by the characters and the story! You can download this for free, so don't hesitate, go get your copy! I can't wait to jump into book two!
Favorite Quotations:
"Eventually the kids grew up and stopped believing what they'd seen, and over the years the tale of "Jenny Pox" had gone the way of cooties, boogeyman, and the neighbor who hides razors in apples on Halloween."
"We was trying to teach our children!" she screamed. "We hope y'all proud of yourselves! Your fault if they turn out butt-humpers."
"The trees could make you sad and hopeful at the same time. You knew winter was coming, but you knew it came every year, and it passed and there would be spring again. All the dying should make you appreciate life more."
"She'd always imagined life would get better as she grew older. She would get wiser, discover things, make friends, find the way to her own happiness and out of the misery."
"Ashleigh doesn't have any special power. Just money, tits and an endless supply of bitch."
"Though her dad wasn't quite fifty, he looked shockingly like them, going gray and his face worn down with care, just reaching for that next drink to get you through that next hour of being alive and alone."
"The thing about money was that it really gave you a chance to express your insanity."”
Originally posted@ Rainy Day Ramblings.
Jenny is an unusual girl. No one can touch her skin or they will become infected with a deadly pox and die if they are overly exposed. Her mother died during her birth and her father does the best he can, but never being able to touch someone without fear is a lonely existence. Jenny somehow manages to muster through school by ducking her head and remaining aloof, until an incident on the playground in first grade. Jenny tangles with the school's resident mean girl. A scratch and a sudden illness earn Jenny the nickname Jenny Pox. Time marches on and the event is nearly forgotten. Jenny is starting her senior year, wondering how she can survive one more year of torture. Yet, she is in for a surprise. Suddenly she is not alone, she has a friend and ally, but it is at a terrible price. Jenny has once again crossed the mean girl, Ashleigh. Now it turns out that Jenny isn't the only one with a secret power. Trouble is brewing and years of torture and resentment are about to come to a head!
What I Liked:
*I was taken by surprise with this one. This book seemed to be following the typical tortured shy girl who endures years of unrelenting cruelty at the hands of the mean girl, but things suddenly take a whole new direction. Especially with the added additions of the pox and the other two individuals with their own powers. What ensues is a twisted storyline full of manipulative plotting,treachery, and a tender romance, which all builds into a stunning, terrifying ending that will blow your mind. Not only are the final scenes filled with an exacting revenge, but there is a great twist that explains everything that was totally unexpected. I admit, I was fully expecting the revenge pay out, but the final revelations were amazing! Read the book to experience it for yourself!
*I enjoyed the three POVs in this one. The majority of the story is told through Jenny's eyes, but we also get to experience Seth's view point and then endure the manipulative, cruel Ashleigh. Seeing everything through each character's eyes added depth to the story and I liked seeing how everything was coming together on the three different fronts.
*Wow! Does this book ever have a mean girl. I usually detest mean girls, but Ashleigh is so much more than the typical mean girl. She is cold, calculating and totally manipulative. With each chapter I was more and more horrified and terrified of this girl. I absolutely abhorred and detested her, and I so wanted her to get what she deserved, but yet on the other hand, I was eager to see how far she could take things and how thick she spun her web. Needless to say, she doesn't disappoint. This girl is out for world domination, and I loathed her and loved her at the same time. She is so evil and vile and she elicited such a strong feeling of revulsion in me that I couldn't help but to be impressed. I love when a character can bring out such strong emotions!
*I thoroughly enjoyed that this book builds and builds until you are on the edge of your seat with anxiety just waiting for the hammer to drop! All I will tell you is that the end is one chaotic ride. Strap in and have fun!
*The absolute best part about his book is that right now you can get it for free on Amazon, so I highly suggest you get your copy now!
And The Not So Much:
*I was a bit befuddled at first by the lack of explanation for Jenny's condition and how her father managed to rear her all by himself and work and support her, this is not mentioned and in reality it would probably be impossible, but for the sake of fiction and a good story it is easily overlooked. I also wished that there was just touch more information on Jenny's mother and what kind of person she was.
*As in a lot of YA books, the parents tend to vanish and not play an adequate role in their kids' lives. This is the case in this story as well, except that Jenny's father and Seth's parents are around in the beginning and mysteriously out of the picture at the end. Seth's circumstances were especially weird. One minute his father is there lecturing him on who he can date and laying down the law, and then he is gone to Florida for the remainder of the book, which is over the course of several months. I just found it a little hard to believe he wouldn't keep closer tabs on his son.
*This book has mature themes and there are some sex scenes, drug usage and drinking, so a word of caution if you prefer to keep that content away from your reader. This one is best suited for older readers. To be fair though, the book description advises this is best suited for eighteen and older.
*Finally, after the big showdown and surprising revelations at the end, I wanted a bit more closure, but I am guessing that the aftermath to the town and the citizens will be explained in the sequel Tommy Nightmares.
Jenny Pox is a thrilling and terrifying read that manages to notch up the suspense until the gritty end. If you like books that follow a down trodden character who rises up and gets her revenge, this is a read for you. I was truly blown away by the characters and the story! You can download this for free, so don't hesitate, go get your copy! I can't wait to jump into book two!
Favorite Quotations:
"Eventually the kids grew up and stopped believing what they'd seen, and over the years the tale of "Jenny Pox" had gone the way of cooties, boogeyman, and the neighbor who hides razors in apples on Halloween."
"We was trying to teach our children!" she screamed. "We hope y'all proud of yourselves! Your fault if they turn out butt-humpers."
"The trees could make you sad and hopeful at the same time. You knew winter was coming, but you knew it came every year, and it passed and there would be spring again. All the dying should make you appreciate life more."
"She'd always imagined life would get better as she grew older. She would get wiser, discover things, make friends, find the way to her own happiness and out of the misery."
"Ashleigh doesn't have any special power. Just money, tits and an endless supply of bitch."
"Though her dad wasn't quite fifty, he looked shockingly like them, going gray and his face worn down with care, just reaching for that next drink to get you through that next hour of being alive and alone."
"The thing about money was that it really gave you a chance to express your insanity."”
Originally posted@ Rainy Day Ramblings.
June 9, 2011
I read this book when I was in search of some lighter fare in the young adult genre, which was probably mistake #1. I had seen Jenny Pox pop up in the same lists as some of my favorite YA books like the Hunger Games and the Mortal Instruments series.
I finished this book...and all I have to say is, well, gross.
It's hard to enjoy a book when every single character is unsympathetic. Jenny suffers from what I like to call Twilight-syndrome - she's a female with no spine and zero personality, and I cannot fathom for the life of me why Seth almost instantly falls in love. Not to mention she's pus-sy (pun intended). Seth's not really a catch either - he lacks ambition and is not particularly bright, and let's not forget he cheats on his girlfriend of four years without remorse, takes advantage of Jenny while she's drunk and lacks any sort of willpower to resist sexual advances from his ex and her friends. Mean girl Ashleigh is also completely one-dimensional.
And the ending...wtf? Don't want to give away any spoilers, but the last few chapters of the book go off on a nonsensical tangent, and then the author wraps it up with a ridiculous deus ex machina.
Side note - other than the fact that the main characters are "young adults" in age, not sure this book should be classified as YA. There is graphic sexual content, and while I'm not in the least bit squeamish (please, I've read all of J.R. Ward's BDB series), the sex scenes in this book can only be described as yucky.
I finished this book...and all I have to say is, well, gross.
It's hard to enjoy a book when every single character is unsympathetic. Jenny suffers from what I like to call Twilight-syndrome - she's a female with no spine and zero personality, and I cannot fathom for the life of me why Seth almost instantly falls in love. Not to mention she's pus-sy (pun intended). Seth's not really a catch either - he lacks ambition and is not particularly bright, and let's not forget he cheats on his girlfriend of four years without remorse, takes advantage of Jenny while she's drunk and lacks any sort of willpower to resist sexual advances from his ex and her friends. Mean girl Ashleigh is also completely one-dimensional.
And the ending...wtf? Don't want to give away any spoilers, but the last few chapters of the book go off on a nonsensical tangent, and then the author wraps it up with a ridiculous deus ex machina.
Side note - other than the fact that the main characters are "young adults" in age, not sure this book should be classified as YA. There is graphic sexual content, and while I'm not in the least bit squeamish (please, I've read all of J.R. Ward's BDB series), the sex scenes in this book can only be described as yucky.
March 22, 2013
Overall Score: 4 Stars
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REVIEW MAY INCLUDE SOME SPOILERS
SUMMARY. Jenny Morton has lived her whole life in fear of hurting someone. If someone touches her, they will have the “Jenny Pox”, a term that kids her age made up in kindergarten where she had her first “accident”. Jenny Pox is like a plague that spreads through a person’s body and if she pushes the energy hard enough, she can even kill someone. Because of this she was forced to wear gloves so that she wouldn’t touch anyone. Little did she know that she was not the only one with powers that were similar to hers. Ashleigh, her worse enemy, used her powers to manipulate people and wanted to rule the country and raise a little army of her own. Seth, who at first was Ashleigh’s boyfriend, could heal people and was the only one Jenny could touch because he was her opposite. One day Ashleigh goes too far and the whole town has to suffer for it.
THOUGHTS. First of all: WHAT THE HELL??? From the beginning this book was very slow paced and then BAMM! All hell breaks loose and Jenny goes crazy. But I guess I can’t blame her, especially when something like this happens to the love of her life. Carnage! Blood! Death! Revenge!
This was a romantic horror gore fest. Do love. The last 20% of the book or so has been insane and I’m still trying to recover from it. The detailing, the horror is just so insane, I can’t believe what I just read. This is one of the books that you cannot just forget that easily. I thought that this was going to be a romantic, high-school story but honestly, the author surprised me. If you do read it, make sure you know that the story is VERY slow paced until you reach about 80%. Be patient and I’m sure you’ll get the same reaction as I did.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REVIEW MAY INCLUDE SOME SPOILERS
“Will you keep me safe?” she whispered.
”I promise.”
”Then I’ll go anywhere with you.”
SUMMARY. Jenny Morton has lived her whole life in fear of hurting someone. If someone touches her, they will have the “Jenny Pox”, a term that kids her age made up in kindergarten where she had her first “accident”. Jenny Pox is like a plague that spreads through a person’s body and if she pushes the energy hard enough, she can even kill someone. Because of this she was forced to wear gloves so that she wouldn’t touch anyone. Little did she know that she was not the only one with powers that were similar to hers. Ashleigh, her worse enemy, used her powers to manipulate people and wanted to rule the country and raise a little army of her own. Seth, who at first was Ashleigh’s boyfriend, could heal people and was the only one Jenny could touch because he was her opposite. One day Ashleigh goes too far and the whole town has to suffer for it.
THOUGHTS. First of all: WHAT THE HELL??? From the beginning this book was very slow paced and then BAMM! All hell breaks loose and Jenny goes crazy. But I guess I can’t blame her, especially when something like this happens to the love of her life. Carnage! Blood! Death! Revenge!
This was a romantic horror gore fest. Do love. The last 20% of the book or so has been insane and I’m still trying to recover from it. The detailing, the horror is just so insane, I can’t believe what I just read. This is one of the books that you cannot just forget that easily. I thought that this was going to be a romantic, high-school story but honestly, the author surprised me. If you do read it, make sure you know that the story is VERY slow paced until you reach about 80%. Be patient and I’m sure you’ll get the same reaction as I did.
October 22, 2010
When I was a teenager, I constantly wanted to go to the R rated horror movies. My friends and I would sneak in and loved every minute of it. Usually the movie consisted of teenagers dealing with some evil entity/ creature/evil mad man, lots of gratuitous sex, and drugs (usually lots of alcohol or weed). We would cover our eyes at the scary part, act as if we were not staring at the sex parts, and were overly curious on the drug parts. This book could easily be made into one of the horror movies I loved as a teen.
While I am supposed to say that it is not “appropriate” content for a teenager, the average teen will love this book. It has a great story line, has supernatural elements, lots of gross bloody gore (especially at the end), sex, drugs, and a sweet romance.
I did think the story did drag especially Ashleigh’s point of view. While she makes a wicked villain, she also is annoying and near the end, I not only wanted her dead but I did not want to read anything about her.
While I am supposed to say that it is not “appropriate” content for a teenager, the average teen will love this book. It has a great story line, has supernatural elements, lots of gross bloody gore (especially at the end), sex, drugs, and a sweet romance.
I did think the story did drag especially Ashleigh’s point of view. While she makes a wicked villain, she also is annoying and near the end, I not only wanted her dead but I did not want to read anything about her.
October 11, 2011
You know after you hear about some one rave & rave & rave about how good a book is, and you just feel like you HAVE to buy it. That is what happened with me. I heard it was horrific yet beautiful. So I added it to my October TBR. After I started this book I found it very hard to stop reading it. I literally made the *robot voice* on the Kindle read to me. So I could walk around with it all day. Really.
I had never heard of Jenny Pox before. But, I tell you what I will never forget her. I was very intrigued by this book for page 1. Seriously. This book starts off when Jenny Morton is a little girl. Very young. She is playing outside of her house. She hears this rattling. Wondering what it is. Jenny craws over to the tree looking for the noise. Later, after some searching Jenny finds her new "toy". Jenny has made friends with a rattle snake. A FREAKING rattle snake.
The snake is no match for Jenny. She kills it. Not realizing this of course until showing her father.
Jenny killed the snake just by simply touching it.
Jenny's touch equals death.
Jenny is an outcast. When Jenny was in Kindergarten she is confronted on the playground by Ashleigh and her gang of followers.
After Ashleigh starts trouble with Jenny, she is forced to defend herself. By placing her hands on little Miss Ashleigh Goodling breaks out in oozing boils that spread over the side of her face.
Leaving the Teachers and Students terrified & confused about what had just occurred. Branding Jenny with the new name. Jenny Pox
Jenny had no one. Her mom died. Leaving her with a father that drowns his sadness in a bottle. The only things close to a friend is Rocky. Jenny's 3 legged dog. But even there she cannot pet him. It seems to me that rocky has an understanding of this. But they need each other.
Rocky is hit by a car, and left in the road. Jenny has no way of saving Rocky. She would only make matters worse, by killing him.
Seth, a fellow student at Jenny's High School, stops to help Jenny with Rocky. And by helps I mean Seth lays his hands on Rocky and after some cracks and pops.
Rocky is alive, and better than before...
What the hell just happened?
Seth has the touch of Life.
Jenny has the touch of Death.
Now Jenny knows Seth's secret & Seth knows Jenny's. They are now Bonded. In Secret.
With a fire burning between these two, it is so hard to hide the feelings that they have for each other. This is a big problem with Seth's girlfriend... you guessed it... Ashleigh.
[I did not like Ashleigh. She is a manipulator of love. She will stop at nothing to get what she wants and the power that comes along with it. She doesn't care who she destroys in the end.]
With the hate that Jenny and Ashleigh have for each other this is bound to not end good.
The ending of this book will leave you.... speechless. It is so prefect & gratifying that I found it jaw dropping. Amazing!
Do not let this book pass you by. You will laugh, cry, scream, be at your highest level of anxiety and anticipation while reading this book.
Epic
I had never heard of Jenny Pox before. But, I tell you what I will never forget her. I was very intrigued by this book for page 1. Seriously. This book starts off when Jenny Morton is a little girl. Very young. She is playing outside of her house. She hears this rattling. Wondering what it is. Jenny craws over to the tree looking for the noise. Later, after some searching Jenny finds her new "toy". Jenny has made friends with a rattle snake. A FREAKING rattle snake.
The snake is no match for Jenny. She kills it. Not realizing this of course until showing her father.
Jenny killed the snake just by simply touching it.
Jenny's touch equals death.
Jenny is an outcast. When Jenny was in Kindergarten she is confronted on the playground by Ashleigh and her gang of followers.
After Ashleigh starts trouble with Jenny, she is forced to defend herself. By placing her hands on little Miss Ashleigh Goodling breaks out in oozing boils that spread over the side of her face.
Leaving the Teachers and Students terrified & confused about what had just occurred. Branding Jenny with the new name. Jenny Pox
Jenny had no one. Her mom died. Leaving her with a father that drowns his sadness in a bottle. The only things close to a friend is Rocky. Jenny's 3 legged dog. But even there she cannot pet him. It seems to me that rocky has an understanding of this. But they need each other.
Rocky is hit by a car, and left in the road. Jenny has no way of saving Rocky. She would only make matters worse, by killing him.
Seth, a fellow student at Jenny's High School, stops to help Jenny with Rocky. And by helps I mean Seth lays his hands on Rocky and after some cracks and pops.
Rocky is alive, and better than before...
What the hell just happened?
Seth has the touch of Life.
Jenny has the touch of Death.
Now Jenny knows Seth's secret & Seth knows Jenny's. They are now Bonded. In Secret.
With a fire burning between these two, it is so hard to hide the feelings that they have for each other. This is a big problem with Seth's girlfriend... you guessed it... Ashleigh.
[I did not like Ashleigh. She is a manipulator of love. She will stop at nothing to get what she wants and the power that comes along with it. She doesn't care who she destroys in the end.]
With the hate that Jenny and Ashleigh have for each other this is bound to not end good.
The ending of this book will leave you.... speechless. It is so prefect & gratifying that I found it jaw dropping. Amazing!
Do not let this book pass you by. You will laugh, cry, scream, be at your highest level of anxiety and anticipation while reading this book.
Epic
April 2, 2012
I was expecting less-than-nothing from this book and got a book that distracted me from doing my chores! This is definitely a mature young adult read and I recommend it to the 16+ crowd. Parents that are concerned with realistic but mature themes should read this book first or disallow younger teens from reading it. That said, it is not a gratuitous read and was well done and insightful from the perspective of the teenage mind.
The story centers around Jenny and grabs a reader from page one. We feel nothing but empathy for Jenny Morton, aka Jenny Mittens as she is relegated to a touch-less life, without friends and isolated because of her extraordinary paranormal gift of spreading death through touch. And not just any death *rubbing my hands together in undisguised glee* but pestilence-type demise. It was a brilliant precept and one I never tired of during the entire read. Creepy, disarming, disconcerting and engaging, we root for Jenny because she gets by with so little and protects so many. Life gets complicated when Jenny develops a crush on the coolest boy in the school. Of course, he is dating the coolest girl (who turns out to be anything but). As the story unravels, and many pop up during the story as other than what we thought they were, we learn that Jenny is not the only one who has a special ability; there are more and they don't always play well with others!
What I loved: wow! Bryan knows how to command a page. Every page felt like it was conveying information in an infused capsule of intrigue and creeping terror and foreshadowing that completely blasted my schedule. I wanted to blow off everything else and just read this book! He is a captivating writer: he possesses that rare narrative voice that I love coupled with snazzy dialogue with naughty underplay and the nastiness of humanity that is absolutely truthful, edgy and honest. Bravo! The concept. I read a lot and haven't read anything quite like this and I was pleased by the unique premise. I liked the flawed heroine that is actually less attractive than her nemesis. It was put together wonderfully. The ending just rocked! It was an unexpected turn of events that was at once disquieting and satisfying. I know, a paradox, right? Well, in many ways, this tale reads as one, with the ending firmly cementing the desire to enter this riveting world fashioned by Bryan.
What I wasn't as keen on: the parallels. I'm a huge King fan and thought some undertones of the book echoed those of, CARRIE. I tried to talk myself out of this but couldn't quite get past it all the time. A girl with an extraordinary power comes full circle in a way that is eerily reminiscent of that almost-forty-year old work. But... I believe this book is better, less extreme (sorry, Stephen!). The soft edges that Bryan threw in there definitely balanced the rawness of the story and that made it better for me.
A terrific book for mature YA, horror, intrigue and paranormal lovers. I did download a free copy via Amazon but would have paid, It's that great!
The story centers around Jenny and grabs a reader from page one. We feel nothing but empathy for Jenny Morton, aka Jenny Mittens as she is relegated to a touch-less life, without friends and isolated because of her extraordinary paranormal gift of spreading death through touch. And not just any death *rubbing my hands together in undisguised glee* but pestilence-type demise. It was a brilliant precept and one I never tired of during the entire read. Creepy, disarming, disconcerting and engaging, we root for Jenny because she gets by with so little and protects so many. Life gets complicated when Jenny develops a crush on the coolest boy in the school. Of course, he is dating the coolest girl (who turns out to be anything but). As the story unravels, and many pop up during the story as other than what we thought they were, we learn that Jenny is not the only one who has a special ability; there are more and they don't always play well with others!
What I loved: wow! Bryan knows how to command a page. Every page felt like it was conveying information in an infused capsule of intrigue and creeping terror and foreshadowing that completely blasted my schedule. I wanted to blow off everything else and just read this book! He is a captivating writer: he possesses that rare narrative voice that I love coupled with snazzy dialogue with naughty underplay and the nastiness of humanity that is absolutely truthful, edgy and honest. Bravo! The concept. I read a lot and haven't read anything quite like this and I was pleased by the unique premise. I liked the flawed heroine that is actually less attractive than her nemesis. It was put together wonderfully. The ending just rocked! It was an unexpected turn of events that was at once disquieting and satisfying. I know, a paradox, right? Well, in many ways, this tale reads as one, with the ending firmly cementing the desire to enter this riveting world fashioned by Bryan.
What I wasn't as keen on: the parallels. I'm a huge King fan and thought some undertones of the book echoed those of, CARRIE. I tried to talk myself out of this but couldn't quite get past it all the time. A girl with an extraordinary power comes full circle in a way that is eerily reminiscent of that almost-forty-year old work. But... I believe this book is better, less extreme (sorry, Stephen!). The soft edges that Bryan threw in there definitely balanced the rawness of the story and that made it better for me.
A terrific book for mature YA, horror, intrigue and paranormal lovers. I did download a free copy via Amazon but would have paid, It's that great!
April 5, 2012
I picked this up after reading Tamara Rose Blodgett's fantastic review of the book. So glad I did. It was fabulous. From the first to last page I was sucked into Jenny's story.
Jenny is inflicted with a curse that causes people to break out into the plague whenever she touches them. I would love to say that she tries to lead a "normal" life but she doesn't. How could she even attempt to. She goes on because she knows her dad (her only family) needs her. Not only can she never touch anyone, she is tormented for her shyness and social awkwardness by an evil hag named Ashleigh Goodling. Ashleigh has her own power of touch and her boyfriend Seth can heal with his touch. When Jenny steals Seth from Ashleigh all hell breaks loose in thier small town.
What I loved:
Jenny- I see a lot myself in her. I was a completely shy socially awkward teenager. I endured my fair share of teasing for ridiculous reasons that I couldn't change. She is a character that I think alot of young and old girls (like me) can identify with.
Jenny and Seth have crazy chemistry. The scenes they are together are my favorite parts of the whole book.
Ashleigh- love to hate her. She was great and JL Bryan gave her alot of depth.
The ending was amazing. I thought I might just read this as a stand alone novel and pass on the rest of the series. Needless to say half way through this book I downloaded the other two on my kindle.
What I didn't:
I really don't have a lot that I didn't like about the book. Other reviewers have commented that it rings of CARRIE by Stephen King. I have never read the book or watched the movie so I can't really fault the book for that. I do know the general concept of CARRIE so I do see how people can see the similarities.
I think some readers will be put off by the back and forth chapters that are split between Ashleigh and Jenny. Often, time overlaps and you see the story from both sides. It could get confusing, I guess. I'm an old pro at this type of style. I've managed to make it through all of George RR Martins' Game Of Thrones series. The back and forth of characters and timelines is nothing compared to those books. Also don't let that comparison scare you off. Martin gives very tedious description of landscapes, food and goes off on tangents about rugs. No such problems in this book. Bryan flawlessly flows from character to character. It's really a beautifully executed book.
Really the book deserves FIVE freaking HUGE STARS.
This book is really intened for older YA readers. It has lots of sex, some violence and drug use. At the very least it needs to be read by a teen whose parents have taken the time to discuss these issues with them. I think there a lot of hot topics in this book and possibly reading this book with your teen might be a good way to bridge those topics.
*As Rhianon Frater points out JL Bryan does not endorse this book as a YA novel* That was my error and not his.
Jenny is inflicted with a curse that causes people to break out into the plague whenever she touches them. I would love to say that she tries to lead a "normal" life but she doesn't. How could she even attempt to. She goes on because she knows her dad (her only family) needs her. Not only can she never touch anyone, she is tormented for her shyness and social awkwardness by an evil hag named Ashleigh Goodling. Ashleigh has her own power of touch and her boyfriend Seth can heal with his touch. When Jenny steals Seth from Ashleigh all hell breaks loose in thier small town.
What I loved:
Jenny- I see a lot myself in her. I was a completely shy socially awkward teenager. I endured my fair share of teasing for ridiculous reasons that I couldn't change. She is a character that I think alot of young and old girls (like me) can identify with.
Jenny and Seth have crazy chemistry. The scenes they are together are my favorite parts of the whole book.
Ashleigh- love to hate her. She was great and JL Bryan gave her alot of depth.
The ending was amazing. I thought I might just read this as a stand alone novel and pass on the rest of the series. Needless to say half way through this book I downloaded the other two on my kindle.
What I didn't:
I really don't have a lot that I didn't like about the book. Other reviewers have commented that it rings of CARRIE by Stephen King. I have never read the book or watched the movie so I can't really fault the book for that. I do know the general concept of CARRIE so I do see how people can see the similarities.
I think some readers will be put off by the back and forth chapters that are split between Ashleigh and Jenny. Often, time overlaps and you see the story from both sides. It could get confusing, I guess. I'm an old pro at this type of style. I've managed to make it through all of George RR Martins' Game Of Thrones series. The back and forth of characters and timelines is nothing compared to those books. Also don't let that comparison scare you off. Martin gives very tedious description of landscapes, food and goes off on tangents about rugs. No such problems in this book. Bryan flawlessly flows from character to character. It's really a beautifully executed book.
Really the book deserves FIVE freaking HUGE STARS.
This book is really intened for older YA readers. It has lots of sex, some violence and drug use. At the very least it needs to be read by a teen whose parents have taken the time to discuss these issues with them. I think there a lot of hot topics in this book and possibly reading this book with your teen might be a good way to bridge those topics.
*As Rhianon Frater points out JL Bryan does not endorse this book as a YA novel* That was my error and not his.
April 8, 2012
This story started out promising, but somewhere along the line it devolved into a weird combination of standard YA contrived romance and an attempt to gross out the reader.
Jenny begins as a sympathetic character, and her characterization and backstory are genuinely touching at times. In addition to her inability to touch others without hurting or killing them, she's the poor girl in a town where most of the people seem fairly well-off. Her father is a drunk and her mother, predictably, is dead. Jenny keeps her ability a secret, but when she discovers that bully Ashleigh's boyfriend Seth both has an ability and is immune to her "Jenny pox"... well... the story starts to fall apart.
Once the unconvincing romance between Jenny and Seth begins, Jenny's characterization starts to change. At first it seems like she's starting to stand up for herself, which is great, but eventually Jenny becomes a completely different character. By the end of the book, shy, gentle Jenny, who has taken great pains her entire life to avoid touching anyone so as not to harm them,
Jenny begins as a sympathetic character, and her characterization and backstory are genuinely touching at times. In addition to her inability to touch others without hurting or killing them, she's the poor girl in a town where most of the people seem fairly well-off. Her father is a drunk and her mother, predictably, is dead. Jenny keeps her ability a secret, but when she discovers that bully Ashleigh's boyfriend Seth both has an ability and is immune to her "Jenny pox"... well... the story starts to fall apart.
Once the unconvincing romance between Jenny and Seth begins, Jenny's characterization starts to change. At first it seems like she's starting to stand up for herself, which is great, but eventually Jenny becomes a completely different character. By the end of the book, shy, gentle Jenny, who has taken great pains her entire life to avoid touching anyone so as not to harm them,
November 4, 2012
Oh my heavens that was SO bad. I cannot even comprehend any good reviews! I really shouldn't have even continued with it, but I could see my hold coming in at the library and I didn't want to start something new. I knew I'd be able to put this down!
There are spoilers below ...
This book presents as a YA read, the storyline itself presents that way with teenagers, the cover, the paranormal popularity. I did NOT notice the disclaimer "not recommended for under 18" (My bad! Pay attention to that.) Now I'm ok with sex in books, I like my historical romance "bodice rippers" and even read 50 Shades of Grey. But THIS ... disturbed me. Maybe that it was teenagers, maybe that is was just crass, maybe men just write sex different than women. It was SO bad.
... in addition there was the profanity, drinking and drug use ... add in magical orgies and my, these girls were fertile! Just one time and 90 girls are pregnant! Add in the Abercrombie and Fitch Abstinence program and then the haunted house run by religious fanatics (a room where a pregnant girl who wants and abortion is attacked by devils with a hacksaw, then another room where one boy temps another to "just try being gay with me" until they too are attacked by devils) ... Now, the main characters ARE rolling their eyes at this, but the entire book is just eye rolling for the reader!
And THEN ... it turns into this HORRIBLE B-movie straight to DVD clearance rack horror movie, one of those that you don't know if they are trying to be serious because it's just SO bad it makes you laugh instead.
And THEN ... I don't even know WHAT to call that little twist at the ending, completely out of the blue, unrelated to anything, stupid ...
Seriously, this was SO SO SO bad! I noticed that some people who hated Twilight or 50 Shades and ranted and raved in reviews about them went on to read the sequels ... NO WAY would I put myself through that here. I'm just going to TRY and forget, but it's SO bad I don't know if I can, it's like I'm infected with the Jenny Pox, and it's TERRIBLE!
There are spoilers below ...
This book presents as a YA read, the storyline itself presents that way with teenagers, the cover, the paranormal popularity. I did NOT notice the disclaimer "not recommended for under 18" (My bad! Pay attention to that.) Now I'm ok with sex in books, I like my historical romance "bodice rippers" and even read 50 Shades of Grey. But THIS ... disturbed me. Maybe that it was teenagers, maybe that is was just crass, maybe men just write sex different than women. It was SO bad.
... in addition there was the profanity, drinking and drug use ... add in magical orgies and my, these girls were fertile! Just one time and 90 girls are pregnant! Add in the Abercrombie and Fitch Abstinence program and then the haunted house run by religious fanatics (a room where a pregnant girl who wants and abortion is attacked by devils with a hacksaw, then another room where one boy temps another to "just try being gay with me" until they too are attacked by devils) ... Now, the main characters ARE rolling their eyes at this, but the entire book is just eye rolling for the reader!
And THEN ... it turns into this HORRIBLE B-movie straight to DVD clearance rack horror movie, one of those that you don't know if they are trying to be serious because it's just SO bad it makes you laugh instead.
And THEN ... I don't even know WHAT to call that little twist at the ending, completely out of the blue, unrelated to anything, stupid ...
Seriously, this was SO SO SO bad! I noticed that some people who hated Twilight or 50 Shades and ranted and raved in reviews about them went on to read the sequels ... NO WAY would I put myself through that here. I'm just going to TRY and forget, but it's SO bad I don't know if I can, it's like I'm infected with the Jenny Pox, and it's TERRIBLE!
November 13, 2012
Ugh, awful on so many levels. Utterly unbelievable plot points (even after adjusting for the fact this is paranormal fiction). The author drew antagonists that were stereotypical cartoon caricatures of Christians (and I couldn't help but wonder if I saw little bias seeping through). But the worst of all was all the adult content masquerading as a YA book.
It's always a shame when a book with such a great premise winds up being a dud, but take my word for it, the best part of this novel was the blurb.
It's always a shame when a book with such a great premise winds up being a dud, but take my word for it, the best part of this novel was the blurb.
December 12, 2011
Rating: 4.9 out of 5
The teen years. A time of awkwardness and confusion, of inner turmoil and the search for one’s self. Throw into this the pressures of school, the chaos of personal and family relations, and the conflicting messages when discovering of one’s own sexuality, and the stress multiplies. This is hard enough on a normal child, but imagine being someone who has a problem – a real problem such as a deformity, mental handicap, or social deficiency. Then the stress involved with simply growing up becomes that much more difficult.
In a lot of ways, this is the root of the conflict J.L. Bryan explores in his amazing horror yarn, Jenny Pox. He takes the pressures and cruelties of youth, adds in a dash of the supernatural, and what comes out on the other side is beautiful in its viciousness and odd innocence.
Jenny is a lonely child, growing up without a mother, with her alcoholic, depressed father the only loving adult in her life. Jenny is a troubled child, born with a striking physical deficiency – she can’t touch any living thing, lest they die a horrible death as a bane of sickness infuses their bodies…the Jenny pox. So she grows up in solitude, left to imagine what life would be like if she could only be like normal kids, playing, holding hands, kissing, knowing at least the first budding flutter of love.
Her life is spent avoiding people at all costs, and she at all times wears clothes that cover up the majority of her body – including gloves for her hands – that make her an object of ridicule. And when, as a younger child, she has a run-in with the ironically named Ashleigh Goodling, the daughter of the local preacher and a girl who will grow up to be her main foil, the resulting confrontation leads to her being an object of ridicule and fear.
For her part, Ashleigh is the mirror image of Jenny. Strong where Jenny is weak, outgoing where Jenny is introverted, Ashleigh embodies everything Jenny sometimes wishes she could be. Once they reach high school, Ashleigh becomes (of course) the head cheerleader, leader of the student body, and mouthpiece for abstinence and virtue. And this is where the not-so-subtle brilliance of the story lies, for though Ashleigh seems to embody all of the cherished Christian values, her purity is purely surface-level; a disguise to hide her quest for power and domination.
It seems Ashleigh has a “special talent” just as Jenny does – the ability to make people love her. As does Ashleigh’s boyfriend Seth, who can heal most any wound, superficial or mortal. It is in Seth that Jenny eventually finds a like-minded soul, and when she is able to get him out of Ashleigh’s scope of influence, she is allowed to grow as a character, to experience the exhilaration of physical contact and the joy of finally belonging.
The novel is set up much like Stephen King’s Carrie, with the cruel school children – and the rest of the townsfolk – pushing Jenny’s buttons until the final confrontation, when Jenny pretty much loses her mind. The carnage that follows is disturbing yet understandable, not the least of which reason being that Bryan successfully entrenches us in Jenny’s brain, allows us to feel her longing, pain, happiness, and confusion. So when she flips the switch and the story takes a turn down the path of ultimate darkness, though we scream out, no, don’t do that, we completely get why the poor girl goes down the path she does.
Jenny is the perfect metaphor for the everyday lost soul. Even those of us who were in places of popularity in our youths can relate to her much more than the malevolent Ashleigh. Yet this is not the only metaphorical device the author uses. His portrayal of Christian morality as a means of control and subterfuge is inspired; in a way, he’s saying that experimenting while growing up is natural, and that placing false restrictions on ourselves is done not by the ones experiencing the growth, but those wishing to capitalize on the confusion of youth, a way of building an army of likeminded individuals sympathetic with a certain cause, complete with all the prejudices, hatred, and influence that have been passed down through generations. Given the state of our culture today, this is downright frightening.
I think this aspect of the plot may be misconstrued by readers. In presenting us with the iniquity of fanatic belief, Bryan isn’t saying Christianity in itself is bad, but that the way the doctrine is warped and beaten into the heads of our children is dangerous. As a reader I appreciated the message, as a human I wished more people would take a deeper look and understand that diversity and individuality are what drives culture to accomplish great things.
Jenny Pox takes all the tropes of young adult fiction, tosses them in a pot, shakes them up, and then reorganizes them into something meaningful, a novel written for adults using children to explore the deeper reasoning behind our own intolerance. The kids are kids, acting in a way we all did in our youths, not presented as ideals but real people. You will find no damsels in distress here, no characters that derive their meaning from the opinions of the ones they’re infatuated with. Abusive relationships aren’t puffed up as being more than what they are, each character is in charge of their own self-discovery, and misogyny isn’t glorified. Even Jenny, in her weakest state, is a strong individual, one we all can sympathize and grow along with. Even the mystical aspects at the end of the book that set up the rest of the series, and the somewhat clunky execution of the final confrontation (the only reason this book didn’t get a perfect score) don’t take away from this.
Pick up this book. Read it. Enjoy it. Think on it. It’s a great example of horror with heart, of a story that goes against the norm and uses the fantastic to heighten real events, real emotions, real experiences. Yes, I will say that I adore J.L. Bryan’s writing. This is the second book of his that I’ve read, and it seems with each experience, my enjoyment and appreciation for his style and message only grows along with the dazzling characters he’s created. He’s a writer to watch out for, to dive into, to explore.
This certainly won’t be the last book of his I’ll read, and it shouldn’t be for you, either.
The teen years. A time of awkwardness and confusion, of inner turmoil and the search for one’s self. Throw into this the pressures of school, the chaos of personal and family relations, and the conflicting messages when discovering of one’s own sexuality, and the stress multiplies. This is hard enough on a normal child, but imagine being someone who has a problem – a real problem such as a deformity, mental handicap, or social deficiency. Then the stress involved with simply growing up becomes that much more difficult.
In a lot of ways, this is the root of the conflict J.L. Bryan explores in his amazing horror yarn, Jenny Pox. He takes the pressures and cruelties of youth, adds in a dash of the supernatural, and what comes out on the other side is beautiful in its viciousness and odd innocence.
Jenny is a lonely child, growing up without a mother, with her alcoholic, depressed father the only loving adult in her life. Jenny is a troubled child, born with a striking physical deficiency – she can’t touch any living thing, lest they die a horrible death as a bane of sickness infuses their bodies…the Jenny pox. So she grows up in solitude, left to imagine what life would be like if she could only be like normal kids, playing, holding hands, kissing, knowing at least the first budding flutter of love.
Her life is spent avoiding people at all costs, and she at all times wears clothes that cover up the majority of her body – including gloves for her hands – that make her an object of ridicule. And when, as a younger child, she has a run-in with the ironically named Ashleigh Goodling, the daughter of the local preacher and a girl who will grow up to be her main foil, the resulting confrontation leads to her being an object of ridicule and fear.
For her part, Ashleigh is the mirror image of Jenny. Strong where Jenny is weak, outgoing where Jenny is introverted, Ashleigh embodies everything Jenny sometimes wishes she could be. Once they reach high school, Ashleigh becomes (of course) the head cheerleader, leader of the student body, and mouthpiece for abstinence and virtue. And this is where the not-so-subtle brilliance of the story lies, for though Ashleigh seems to embody all of the cherished Christian values, her purity is purely surface-level; a disguise to hide her quest for power and domination.
It seems Ashleigh has a “special talent” just as Jenny does – the ability to make people love her. As does Ashleigh’s boyfriend Seth, who can heal most any wound, superficial or mortal. It is in Seth that Jenny eventually finds a like-minded soul, and when she is able to get him out of Ashleigh’s scope of influence, she is allowed to grow as a character, to experience the exhilaration of physical contact and the joy of finally belonging.
The novel is set up much like Stephen King’s Carrie, with the cruel school children – and the rest of the townsfolk – pushing Jenny’s buttons until the final confrontation, when Jenny pretty much loses her mind. The carnage that follows is disturbing yet understandable, not the least of which reason being that Bryan successfully entrenches us in Jenny’s brain, allows us to feel her longing, pain, happiness, and confusion. So when she flips the switch and the story takes a turn down the path of ultimate darkness, though we scream out, no, don’t do that, we completely get why the poor girl goes down the path she does.
Jenny is the perfect metaphor for the everyday lost soul. Even those of us who were in places of popularity in our youths can relate to her much more than the malevolent Ashleigh. Yet this is not the only metaphorical device the author uses. His portrayal of Christian morality as a means of control and subterfuge is inspired; in a way, he’s saying that experimenting while growing up is natural, and that placing false restrictions on ourselves is done not by the ones experiencing the growth, but those wishing to capitalize on the confusion of youth, a way of building an army of likeminded individuals sympathetic with a certain cause, complete with all the prejudices, hatred, and influence that have been passed down through generations. Given the state of our culture today, this is downright frightening.
I think this aspect of the plot may be misconstrued by readers. In presenting us with the iniquity of fanatic belief, Bryan isn’t saying Christianity in itself is bad, but that the way the doctrine is warped and beaten into the heads of our children is dangerous. As a reader I appreciated the message, as a human I wished more people would take a deeper look and understand that diversity and individuality are what drives culture to accomplish great things.
Jenny Pox takes all the tropes of young adult fiction, tosses them in a pot, shakes them up, and then reorganizes them into something meaningful, a novel written for adults using children to explore the deeper reasoning behind our own intolerance. The kids are kids, acting in a way we all did in our youths, not presented as ideals but real people. You will find no damsels in distress here, no characters that derive their meaning from the opinions of the ones they’re infatuated with. Abusive relationships aren’t puffed up as being more than what they are, each character is in charge of their own self-discovery, and misogyny isn’t glorified. Even Jenny, in her weakest state, is a strong individual, one we all can sympathize and grow along with. Even the mystical aspects at the end of the book that set up the rest of the series, and the somewhat clunky execution of the final confrontation (the only reason this book didn’t get a perfect score) don’t take away from this.
Pick up this book. Read it. Enjoy it. Think on it. It’s a great example of horror with heart, of a story that goes against the norm and uses the fantastic to heighten real events, real emotions, real experiences. Yes, I will say that I adore J.L. Bryan’s writing. This is the second book of his that I’ve read, and it seems with each experience, my enjoyment and appreciation for his style and message only grows along with the dazzling characters he’s created. He’s a writer to watch out for, to dive into, to explore.
This certainly won’t be the last book of his I’ll read, and it shouldn’t be for you, either.
November 18, 2011
When i saw how many good reviews Jenny Pox had, i thought it would be a good idea to try it as well. Unfortunately, it was not what i was expecting.
The writing style us simple but still alive, and every scene you read is close to you and you can feel the scenes and the atmosphere like you are other. The main story idea with the girl who couldn't touch anyone and the various secrets powers that exist while it's ordinary, it flows in different and really original way which make the story really different than others of the same style.
But I did find more things that i wasn't fan of, and at the end they were the ones that stayed.
>The characters. To start with Jenny, while at the first chapters i really liked her as a person and i could connect with her, later she became shallow. She lost everything she was before when she started touching people, and she became a person i did not like. Yes at some point, i could see why she acted the way she acted but she was now mean, harsh, one dimensional with nothing to keep you interested in her.
Then we have Seth, who i found a bit stupid. He was so like those dump guys they use in the movies for the popular guys and while he had his moments as a person, he was boring. He was also one the boys, who cheat and might take advantage of other girls so that did not help either.
And as for Ashleigh, i never hated a character more in my life. Well, she is the bad guy of the story but i did not even respect her. Her parts, created a discomfort to me. She was mean out of the limits and really selfish. I don't feel that the "evil" character of the book has to be so disgusting and mean to do his evil tricks. Her role was just so out of place...so wrong. It didn't make sense as a person.
>I really liked how the powers thing was something in the city, so when at the end became something different and more, entirely i was kinda disappointed. I just don't feel that all the books in the world have to be with big and "holy shit" events than stay more close to reality, when they don't have to be.
>After some point the story didn't feel real. I know that nothing of those fantasy worlds etc is fake (or not? :P) but when the writer can explain and describe the world and don't lose control, you are into it and it feels like you belong to it. Here, after half the books the events are just not believable. I understand that Ashleigh, can manipulate people. Okay. But the fact the an entire room of people in a party, who happened to have sex at the same time and at least half of those girls (and other girls) were pregnant then at the same time and of course exactly when Ashleigh wanted, just can't get into my mind. It's just too much. And that is an example of something that happened.
>Another thing is how they boys were portrayed so stupid and how the girls controlled them with sex. It was like the key to everything. I don't say that can't happen, but hey! Not everyone is like that. And there are other things, like how Asleigh uses her Christianity to do what she wants, that many may find it offensive.
>And lastly, there are some sex scenes and almost sex scenes in. As you may know by now, i'm not fan of that kind of thing in books. Yet, i have admit in other books, that the scenes did not bother me. Here...i found it disgusting. I just stopped reading for the day after i read the scenes because it was like i was watching porn in a way.
For me the book, just did not work out. I for once, don't find it YA. At Goodreads it's full of 4-5 star reviews but only review (1 star) actually mentions the same things with me. I really don't know what to say...when a friend asked me about it, i said to him not to read it and forget it. I can not say that to you, but just keep in mind some of the things above when you decide if you want to read or not.
The book was received for review by the author.
The writing style us simple but still alive, and every scene you read is close to you and you can feel the scenes and the atmosphere like you are other. The main story idea with the girl who couldn't touch anyone and the various secrets powers that exist while it's ordinary, it flows in different and really original way which make the story really different than others of the same style.
But I did find more things that i wasn't fan of, and at the end they were the ones that stayed.
>The characters. To start with Jenny, while at the first chapters i really liked her as a person and i could connect with her, later she became shallow. She lost everything she was before when she started touching people, and she became a person i did not like. Yes at some point, i could see why she acted the way she acted but she was now mean, harsh, one dimensional with nothing to keep you interested in her.
Then we have Seth, who i found a bit stupid. He was so like those dump guys they use in the movies for the popular guys and while he had his moments as a person, he was boring. He was also one the boys, who cheat and might take advantage of other girls so that did not help either.
And as for Ashleigh, i never hated a character more in my life. Well, she is the bad guy of the story but i did not even respect her. Her parts, created a discomfort to me. She was mean out of the limits and really selfish. I don't feel that the "evil" character of the book has to be so disgusting and mean to do his evil tricks. Her role was just so out of place...so wrong. It didn't make sense as a person.
>I really liked how the powers thing was something in the city, so when at the end became something different and more, entirely i was kinda disappointed. I just don't feel that all the books in the world have to be with big and "holy shit" events than stay more close to reality, when they don't have to be.
>After some point the story didn't feel real. I know that nothing of those fantasy worlds etc is fake (or not? :P) but when the writer can explain and describe the world and don't lose control, you are into it and it feels like you belong to it. Here, after half the books the events are just not believable. I understand that Ashleigh, can manipulate people. Okay. But the fact the an entire room of people in a party, who happened to have sex at the same time and at least half of those girls (and other girls) were pregnant then at the same time and of course exactly when Ashleigh wanted, just can't get into my mind. It's just too much. And that is an example of something that happened.
>Another thing is how they boys were portrayed so stupid and how the girls controlled them with sex. It was like the key to everything. I don't say that can't happen, but hey! Not everyone is like that. And there are other things, like how Asleigh uses her Christianity to do what she wants, that many may find it offensive.
>And lastly, there are some sex scenes and almost sex scenes in. As you may know by now, i'm not fan of that kind of thing in books. Yet, i have admit in other books, that the scenes did not bother me. Here...i found it disgusting. I just stopped reading for the day after i read the scenes because it was like i was watching porn in a way.
For me the book, just did not work out. I for once, don't find it YA. At Goodreads it's full of 4-5 star reviews but only review (1 star) actually mentions the same things with me. I really don't know what to say...when a friend asked me about it, i said to him not to read it and forget it. I can not say that to you, but just keep in mind some of the things above when you decide if you want to read or not.
The book was received for review by the author.
June 27, 2011
*takes a deep breath* What a ride!!!!! For the last 10 % I was holding my breath and ... was trying to shield my eyes from what I'm reading there. You know, how you do it with a horror movie.. duh! But the end was totally worth it.. The ending was phenomenal and a perfect round up and left me breath much easier...
Poor Jenny cannot touch you without killing you. That's horrible and makes her a very lonely girl that just would love to have a little bit of normal. But nothing is normal in her life. Her father devastated from her mothers dead is drinking and doesn't see that his little girl would need some love. It's not like her father doesn't love Jenny, he does and I was reliefed to find out he does. But he lives in his own sad world...
Since she cannot touch, she's also the weirdo in school and has no friends. The school's queen Ashleigh especially hates Jenny and wouldn't allow anyone to be a little bit nice to her.
Then something happens (of course I won't say what..) which brings Jenny closer to Seth, the super charming, handsome and wealthy boyfriend of Ashleigh... They discover that they have something in common and that she can touch him, really touch him without killing him. This turns her life upside down. But of course Queen Bee Ashleigh wants revenge - and her revenge is horrific!!!
Seeing Jenny grow up, sad and lonely breaks your heart... I would have loved to take her in my arms and tell her everything will be good. Then seeing her come to live when she falls in love with Seth was beautiful! JL described this girl in a very deep and very rich way and made you easy to connect with her.
Also Ashleigh was described and portrayed pretty perfect in her super vicious way. It is incredible how JL managed to describe this girl and makes her such a strong character in her own devil way.
The only character that I would have loved to see more deeper developed was Seth, although I have to say I also fell for him together with Jenny.
Towards the end it get's really morbid and straight into the horror genre which I normall don't read. But since so many of my friends were telling me how awesome this book is I had to get it finally read. And... I wasn't at all disappointed!!!
It plays with small town prejuctice and the deepest desires of humans (..?) perfectly woven into a love story that shines through beautifully. With it's horror elements and sex and drug part it is more for older YA than for the younger generation. But since I'm old enough to deal with it I very much enjoyed this.
The closure JL provides made totally up for the morbid last 10% and left me breath again normally. I didn't expect this end to satisfy me so much, but it did! This story sucks you in once you started and you won't be able to put it down! *breath out in relief* Now I need some sunshine and flowers (maybe some pretty winged Faeries) before I will get to the next one Tommy Nightmare from which I heard must be fantastic as well!!
(See JL? after month... I finally read it and loved it, now I go and get Tommy Nightmare!!)
Poor Jenny cannot touch you without killing you. That's horrible and makes her a very lonely girl that just would love to have a little bit of normal. But nothing is normal in her life. Her father devastated from her mothers dead is drinking and doesn't see that his little girl would need some love. It's not like her father doesn't love Jenny, he does and I was reliefed to find out he does. But he lives in his own sad world...
Since she cannot touch, she's also the weirdo in school and has no friends. The school's queen Ashleigh especially hates Jenny and wouldn't allow anyone to be a little bit nice to her.
Then something happens (of course I won't say what..) which brings Jenny closer to Seth, the super charming, handsome and wealthy boyfriend of Ashleigh... They discover that they have something in common and that she can touch him, really touch him without killing him. This turns her life upside down. But of course Queen Bee Ashleigh wants revenge - and her revenge is horrific!!!
Seeing Jenny grow up, sad and lonely breaks your heart... I would have loved to take her in my arms and tell her everything will be good. Then seeing her come to live when she falls in love with Seth was beautiful! JL described this girl in a very deep and very rich way and made you easy to connect with her.
Also Ashleigh was described and portrayed pretty perfect in her super vicious way. It is incredible how JL managed to describe this girl and makes her such a strong character in her own devil way.
The only character that I would have loved to see more deeper developed was Seth, although I have to say I also fell for him together with Jenny.
Towards the end it get's really morbid and straight into the horror genre which I normall don't read. But since so many of my friends were telling me how awesome this book is I had to get it finally read. And... I wasn't at all disappointed!!!
It plays with small town prejuctice and the deepest desires of humans (..?) perfectly woven into a love story that shines through beautifully. With it's horror elements and sex and drug part it is more for older YA than for the younger generation. But since I'm old enough to deal with it I very much enjoyed this.
The closure JL provides made totally up for the morbid last 10% and left me breath again normally. I didn't expect this end to satisfy me so much, but it did! This story sucks you in once you started and you won't be able to put it down! *breath out in relief* Now I need some sunshine and flowers (maybe some pretty winged Faeries) before I will get to the next one Tommy Nightmare from which I heard must be fantastic as well!!
(See JL? after month... I finally read it and loved it, now I go and get Tommy Nightmare!!)
January 7, 2013
Jenny's biggest enemy is a girl named Ashleigh. Ashleigh is also 18, she is active in her church, running an abstinence program, is captain of the cheerleaders, is running for class president, and is generally loved by everyone who comes into contact with her. When it comes to Jenny, however, Ashleigh has a dark and cruel side, which is helped not at all by the fact that Jenny isn't madly in love with her like the rest of the town.
Things get a little better for Jenny when she's going for a run, and meets up with Seth, Ashleigh's boyfriend, over the broken body of her dog - which had been hit by a car. Jenny discovers that she can touch Seth and they strike up a friendship. The obvious happens, and they fall in love, leading Ashleigh to hate Jenny even more. This "school girl rivalry" is brought to an epic height in the ending of the novel, but you'll just have to read it to find out what that is.
One of the best parts of this novel? People actually die. We're not talking tame-ass young adult, "oh no they died, we're so sad," kind of death. We're talking people melting and exploding and bleeding profusely. They die horribly, and it is wonderful. It's a story about a girl who brings death with her touch, it's nice that the author doesn't shy away from the kind of reality that it would bring. It's actually one of the only times in the novel that the gender of the author shines. It's strange to find a male author that does YA fantasy like this well. Fuck, it's strange to find a female author that does YA fantasy of this sort well. There's something about the "Paranormal" genre (which I think was made up for marketing piss-poor fantasy romances, but that's a whole different rant) that usually drives me crazy. It was really, really, nice to read one that was not only a good novel, but a good novel where the romance is secondary to the meat of the mythology created for the series. I love a good Fantasy YA novel, and I think this was it.
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