Review: Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Pages: 312
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: ARC
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Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows. Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he’s a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she’s more than interested. There’s just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she’s willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't? But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not've been an accident at all, she’s not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Ember died in a car accident and was brought back to life by her sister, Olivia. But ever since she was brought back two years ago everything she touches dies, the plants, and even her cat. :-(  Her dad died during the crash and now her mom isn't the same. Ember has to take care of Olivia and try to survive high school where she is now known as the freak. She notices a new boy named Hayden hanging around, then after making a deadly mistake, she comes home to find out they plan to kidnap her family.

Cromwell helps gifted children. He is the mayor and has a mansion and many other gifteds living with him. Ember does not trust him and I really can't blame her because he did kidnap her! That doesn't exactly instill trust. Cromwell handled things horribly so I could understand the caution. I liked how even though sometimes you did guess what was happening, there was suspicion thrown on all the characters. Right along with Ember I was very cautious. I felt horrible for Ember because she is forced into this new life. The one friend that accepted her and Cromwell took that away from her. Also it seems maybe the car accident that killed her wasn't an accident after all. Maybe someone wanted Olivia and her gifts all for themselves and that someone might just be Cromwell, the collector of gifted children.

I found the mystery a bit predictable. I called the baddie the moment I met them. But there were little mysteries along the way and like Ember I was not trusting anyone. I loved the romance and the struggle for Ember to take control of her power and self-confidence. Hayden is sweet and understanding. The only boy that can touch her. I read this right after reading Unravel Me which might have been a mistake on my part since these books have similar themes. Ember trains with Hayden to learn to control her powers and they slowly fall for each other. A nice friendship built first with no insta love or love triangle. I also really loved the secondary characters that Ember lives with. Pheobe who feels emotions, Parker who can get inside minds, and Gabe who can move things. Each one was dealing with rejection and fitting in and feeling different although I hated that they all gave Ember such a hard time! Meanies! lol Hayden was the only understanding one. He fought to make sure Ember was safe and happy. Swoons! This was my first JLA book.

"I know you do, because I wouldn't want to...to kiss you if you didn't have a soul."
I froze. "You...you want to kiss me?"
His gaze lifted as he learned in, placing his mouth an inch from mine.
The air was sucked right out of the room, and I felt dizzy again.
"Ever since I first saw you." He moved so that his mouth was angled with mine.
"And right now I want to so badly it hurts. You have no idea, Em, but I don't want to hurt you."

Rating: 4/5