Tuesday, April 2, 2013

NATURALS BLOG TOUR [REVIEW] Chosen Ones (The Lost Souls #1) by Tiffany Truitt



Naturals 
Ripped away from those she loves most, Tess is heartbroken as her small band of travelers reaches the Isolationist camp in the mysterious and barren Middlelands. Desperate to be reunited with James, the forbidden chosen one who stole her heart, she wants nothing to do with the rough Isolationists, who are without allegiance in the war between the Westerners and Easterners. But having their protection, especially for someone as powerful as Tess, may come at a cost.

When James returns, Tess’s world once again feels complete—until she discovers her sister, Louisa, has taken up her old post at Templeton, the dangerous chosen ones training center and the site of Tess’s loss of innocence. Tess will do anything to protect her loved ones—but will the price be more than she can give?

This second book in Tiffany Truitt’s dystopian series is a thought-provoking, thrilling story that asks who the true enemy really is—the chosen ones who are different, or the naturals…who are just like us.




Chosen Ones 
Life is bleak but uncomplicated for sixteen-year-old Tess, living in a not-too-distant future where the government, faced with humanity's extinction, created the Chosen Ones, artificial beings who are extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

When Tess begins work at Templeton, a Chosen Ones training facility, she meets James, and the attraction is immediate in its intensity, overwhelming in its danger. But there is more to Templeton than Tess ever knew. Can she stand against her oppressors, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?


I was on a journey. I didn’t know where it would take me or who I would become. All I knew was I could become someone. And it was sublime.

The United States, separated and destroyed by war, Tess is living in a world where scientists are creating humans in a test tubes that are super human. Trained to fight the war for the humans or the "Naturals", who are slowly going extinct. Women are barren and getting pregnant means death. They are used as slaves in more ways than just working for the "Chosen Ones".

Tess, one of the main protagonists, seemed really shallow at points. In the beginning, she was strong yet unsure of everything. Tess was easy to identify with. She had become hardened by the death of her father, her mothers drinking, and most recently the death off her sister, who in her opinion had been stupid to fall in love, get married, and then pregnant  After her sister died in childbirth, like most woman in the compound, Tess has to take her place serving the "Chosen Ones". This is where she meets James, one of the Chosen One. Tess's relationship with James was sweet and innocent. Sometimes passionate but you could tell they cared deeply for each other through everything they went through.

Tiffany did a great job of helping us get to know the characters and to see what world they were living in. Her writing was both beautiful and addicting. I kept wanting to turn the page. Never knowing what might happen next. Every time Tess went to the training center I was holding my breathe. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book!

And WOW! What an ending! I'm still taken back by the twist thrown in at the end. Great Job Tiffany! Now I have got to grab the second one!! :)

4 Stars!!


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

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

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

Tiffany is proud to call herself an educator and Young Adult author. Her first book will be published by Entangled Publishing.
Where you can find her:

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2 comments:

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

I'm definitely looking forward to reading Naturals!