Chosen Ones (The Lost Souls, #1)

Apr 28, 2012 Sam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic, romance, dystopian

Despite the countless number of dystopian books I have read this year, not many have intrigued me with their premise as much as Chosen Ones. The concept of creating artificial beings that are, in a sense, super humans, both fascinates and excites me. A premise like that is enough to encourage me to pick up this book, but, unfortunately, the bar was perhaps set a little too high. Although Chosen Ones was a fairly enjoyable read, it wasn’t as brilliant as I had hoped.

Tess, our main character, is...more Despite the countless number of dystopian books I have read this year, not many have intrigued me with their premise as much as Chosen Ones. The concept of creating artificial beings that are, in a sense, super humans, both fascinates and excites me. A premise like that is enough to encourage me to pick up this book, but, unfortunately, the bar was perhaps set a little too high. Although Chosen Ones was a fairly enjoyable read, it wasn’t as brilliant as I had hoped.

Tess, our main character, is one of the remaining ‘Naturals’ – those left after the effects of the World War – and a teenage girl faced with the responsibility of taking her sister’s place at Templeton. Emma, Tess’s older sister, was, in the eyes of nearly everybody including Tess, foolish enough to fall in love. This resulted in her death while giving birth as Naturals are no longer able to reproduce like they once had. At Templeton, the training facility for new Chosen Ones, Tess begins her work and soon discovers disturbing truths about the labour involved in creating the Chosen Ones. Along the way, she meets James, a Chosen One who stands out for one unexpected imperfection. The scar on his face.

There was a lot of promise for this book and some of the time, it delivered. Tiffany Truitt has an easy to follow writing style and her words set things in motion at a comfortably careful pace. The characters were generally interesting to read about, though perhaps lacking a little depth, and the plot a solid one. What I was waiting for was just a little more. The content present was fairly engaging, but not engaging enough. More often than not, I found myself drifting into day-dream land, only to blink and remember I had a book before me to concentrate on. For instance, the world-building – a crucial aspect of most books in this genre – was monotonously explained. There was a bit too much telling and not enough showing, which was disappointing as the ideas were unique and had the potential to draw more of a response from me.

Having said that, the book did pick up soon and proved to be more of an engaging read. Maybe the issue lay with my initial lack of connection with the main character, because as I began to appreciate her almost emotionless exterior (and the reasons why), I found myself investing more interest in both Tess and the unravelling of the plot around her. There were aspects of this book that I thoroughly appreciated, such as the integration of letters from Tess’s father. This particular feature was superbly handled and cleverly woven into the story in a way which further aided the journey following the storyline. A lot is revealed during these letters and brought a welcomed change from the rest of the writing.

Another aspect I sometimes enjoyed was the romance. Admittedly, there was a slight dusting of, dare I say it, insta-love, and a few clichéd tribulations of forbidden love, but I managed to convince myself to get over the slight moments of frustration I had and actually focus on the appealing parts. It was sweet. It was interesting. There was a good helping of steamy scenes, and James was, for the most part, worthy of the ‘good love interest’ title. Again, I would have liked to see a smidgen more development and a better emphasis on reasons behind the attraction between them so as not to question the validity of their feelings, but I was mostly happy with what was there.

Chosen Ones, although not as astounding as I had hoped it might be, was a generally enjoyable read that stands out for its unique premise. Despite being a little disappointed that this didn’t completely meet my expectations, I am most definitely curious enough to follow the story into the sequel. Hopefully it will be slightly more rewarding to read than book one.

(This review also appears on my blog)
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Jun 16, 2012 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic

Chosen Ones brings us into a dark, dreary future where humans are near extinction, and these perfectly crafted humans, genetically enhanced for war and protection, have all the power. Almost.

When you create a dystopian or post-apocalyptic future, details, explanation, showing AND telling, can make a big different to allow readers to suspend disbelief. I found the future of the world in Chosen Ones imaginative and alarmingly foreseeable. However, I found myself a bit dissatisfied with the lack of...more Chosen Ones brings us into a dark, dreary future where humans are near extinction, and these perfectly crafted humans, genetically enhanced for war and protection, have all the power. Almost.

When you create a dystopian or post-apocalyptic future, details, explanation, showing AND telling, can make a big different to allow readers to suspend disbelief. I found the future of the world in Chosen Ones imaginative and alarmingly foreseeable. However, I found myself a bit dissatisfied with the lack of elaborations when it came to actually showing us this unique world. We're told about the strict government control, about the compounds, about the constricted living choices, but we don't actually experience a lot of this with instances. Although I wouldn't go as far as saying it's not a well-built world, it's just not emphasized by letting us see the bleakness of the current living situations - only by the small bubble of Tess's perspective. We're also left wondering until almost the end about this apparent difficulty to have babies. Reading the synopsis afterwards, I think it's meant to give a heads up on it being a "mysterious lost ability to bring forth life", so from one who hadn't read this synopsis in months, I was left confounded as to why or how her pregnant sister had died, let alone why there was talk of extinction. Despite these qualms, what we do encounter is brutal, it's haunting, and it involves clear helplessness that left me terrifyingly entranced.

Chosen Ones is one of those post-apocalyptic stories that has romance at its core. Growing up in a society where emotions are seen as a sign of weakness, reproduction means death, thus falling in love is foolish - Tess never realized what falling in love meant. Meeting James - a beautiful, but surprisingly flawed, and remarkably human Chosen One - shows her what she's missing. While I recognize the romance as a tad insta-lovey and predictable, I would never have thought that I would find it so appealing. I always fall pray to cases of forbidden love: Feeling the longing for, yet impossibility, of a happy ending grips me emotionally. It also helps when the male character is likeable - kind, sweet, but with a dark edge. Besides, even though it begins quickly, their relationship growth is realistically filled with ups and downs that leave us emotionally frayed.

The roller coaster ride is not unique to the romance; we're also taken on quite the exceptional ride inside a plot that is brimming with unforeseeable turns. Although the pacing at the start is light, but steady, the second half of the book is exhilarating. Just when you think everything is gonna be settled for a bit... BAM. Instead of becoming overwhelming as I've seen happen, in this case, it's very well balanced with just the right amount of intense excitement layered with sweet moments. Another aspect I found enticing, and an effective way to give us glimpses into the inner workings without impeding the flow of the story, - in fact it encourages it - is the inclusion of the letters written by Tess's father. The emotions in those written words are prominent, setting the right mood by showing us the gravity of the situation.

No one and nothing can be trusted in Tiffany Truitt's Chosen Ones. Betrayals, lies, cruelty, matched with a sexy, lustful romance - you can find it all inside this gorgeous cover.

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Jun 15, 2012 Amber rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, for-review, favorites

Chosen Ones, is deep, beautiful and intoxicating. Tiffany Truitt has a gift to communicate an emotional written story. This book was nothing short of AMAZING!

When I started chapter 1, my first thought was “disturbing.” They actually pulled out a branding iron to mark an innocent girl. She would be the one to carry out the term of servitude at Templeton. I immediately understood why Tess was the way she was. Any expressed emotions would result in some sort of discipline. I couldn’t ever imagine...more Chosen Ones, is deep, beautiful and intoxicating. Tiffany Truitt has a gift to communicate an emotional written story. This book was nothing short of AMAZING!

When I started chapter 1, my first thought was “disturbing.” They actually pulled out a branding iron to mark an innocent girl. She would be the one to carry out the term of servitude at Templeton. I immediately understood why Tess was the way she was. Any expressed emotions would result in some sort of discipline. I couldn’t ever imagine that sort of life.

The chosen ones were supposed to protect the naturals and yet they were the very reason for their demise. The council wanted bigger and better. The naturals were simply pawns, pieces to achieve their own personal glory.

When I was reading chapter 3, I felt a sense of relief. There was a flicker of hope when she found the piano and connected her fingers to those keys. She finally caved to her resistance, and opened up. I thought this was a pivotal turning point and a bonding of sorts between Tess and James. As a reader, I was drawn to that moment and felt the need for more.

I’m glad Tiffany added Tess’ father’s letters into the story. They were relevant and added an extra understanding of what the naturals were facing. In the first letter, there was a paragraph that hit home. One that really made me thing about what our future holds.

“We fought with other lands across the sea. Faraway lands that hated us for reasons that seemed ancient and ever pestering. But as we squandered away our money, we found it difficult to fight the enemy, and people became disillusioned. Why sign up to fight a war across the sea when one’s own family was starving? Why fight for a country that could not take care of its own people?”

This rings so true to what is happening today. Is this what will become of us, our world in the future. It was powerful. A touching and scary realization of what could be our future, our government and our people.

The story flowed well and kept me wanting to learn more. Just when I was in need of something, action maybe? It picked up. The execution was spot on.

The developing relationship between James and Tess, was set at a steady pace, which was refreshing. The heated moments were great, but I appreciated the self control and realism of it.
I seriously could go on and on. I wrote notes for each and every chapter, and that is no joke.
At times, I felt angry…I felt hope… This book has the ability to stir a whirlwind of emotions not touched by so many YA reads. This book leaves an imprint on your soul. When I finished this, I couldn’t fathom the idea of picking up another book. I needed time to unwind and marinate on the overall effect of such an amazing story.

This debut instantly takes Tiffany Truitt to the top of the Dystopian top reads list. You won't want to miss out on this ambitious story.(less)

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Mar 14, 2012 Suzanne (Paranormal Pages) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-read, dystopian

World war 4 has decimated the United States. Tess lives in a compound in the West with a group of naturals. The Easterners and Westerners are constantly at war due to disagreements in the way to re-establish the country. Women can no longer have children and men are being killed at war. The government begin a Council of Creators to build a new race who will live on when the human race has died out. They are physically stronger and faster than humans (naturals), and they are trained to fight agai...more World war 4 has decimated the United States. Tess lives in a compound in the West with a group of naturals. The Easterners and Westerners are constantly at war due to disagreements in the way to re-establish the country. Women can no longer have children and men are being killed at war. The government begin a Council of Creators to build a new race who will live on when the human race has died out. They are physically stronger and faster than humans (naturals), and they are trained to fight against the Easterners. They are only creating men, no women.

When the oldest girl in each family reaches the age of 16, she must go to work at Templeton, the training centre of the Chosen Ones, as a slave for three years. When Tess' older sister Emma dies in childbirth, Tess must take her place.

Tess has had a hard, sad life. She watched her father be taken away by Chosen Ones and he never returned. Her mother was an alcoholic who killed herself. Her childhood friend Henry, stopped talking to her one day and she doesn't know why. Now she only has her younger sister Louisa, who she was never really close to, and Robert, Emma's husband, who she can barely stand to look at.

Tess has always stuck to the rules of the Council and plans to never fall in love. She buries her emotions deep and doesn't show her feelings on the outside. But everything changes when she goes to Templeton. She discovers that the Chosen Ones have everything. They are treated like Gods compared to the naturals, who have lost almost everything; books, music and education. The naturals food is rationed. Tess can't remember the last time she had butter and at Templeton she is serving foods she has never even heard of, along with champagne.

She has always been taught that the Chosen Ones are there to protect the naturals but she realises that this is not the case. The Chosen Ones are taught to hate the naturals and they see them as being beneath them. Life is dangerous for the girls at Templeton. Tess meets James and discovers he is different to the others. They share a love of music and books and spend a lot of time together. But they must be careful not to show their feelings in front of anyone else.

Tess feels that she can't just stand by and watch what the Council are doing. There must be someone or something who can help them. When Tess' life is in danger, she discovers the Resistance.

The ending of this book shattered my heart and I am really anxious for the next instalment.

I really, really liked this. It has to be my favourite dystopian. It is so well written and easy to read even though there is a lot of information involved. Tiffany did a great job at the world building, I could totally envision it. Tess is given letters that her dad had written to her when she was a little girl. Through these, her dad gives us an insight into what was going on with the Council and that he was against it.

This is a fantastic story of discord, courage and love in the face of adversity. I strongly recommend it.

"The female is dangerous because of her natural tendency to embrace humans emotional side and her ability to elicit and encourage sexual activity."..."Sex equates full and utter dependence on someone else both physically and emotionally. There is brutal war going on right outside our home; we can't afford to be distracted."(less)

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Feb 21, 2012 Jaime (Two Chicks on Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-dac

That was so good! I need book 2 now. Omg I'm totally crying! Review to come.

5 likes · like · see review

Jul 18, 2012 Linsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopians, my-favorites

I just want to say that I am a huge fan of dystopian novels. Like some other people I will read just about anything that flows into this genre. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.I was so into this book I actually had a dream about when Tess had to clean up the blood in the basement from the young chosen one...totally got in my head. In my opinion the story was well thought out and well executed. However, the last couple of chapters I thought that maybe the author kind of rushed the...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Olivia--Porcrastinator Extraordinaire rated it 4 of 5 stars

This one was not at all what I expected. I'm kind of burnt out on the whole dystopian thing, like so many other people I know are, but this one was pretty special.

Tess has it tough. After the death of her older sister, she is forced to take over her sister's obligatory eldest daughter servitude to Templeton, a school or training center for genetically enhanced, superhuman boys. When I read a synopsis I didn't gather that these "chosen ones" were all boys, because within this realm of futuristic...more This one was not at all what I expected. I'm kind of burnt out on the whole dystopian thing, like so many other people I know are, but this one was pretty special.

Tess has it tough. After the death of her older sister, she is forced to take over her sister's obligatory eldest daughter servitude to Templeton, a school or training center for genetically enhanced, superhuman boys. When I read a synopsis I didn't gather that these "chosen ones" were all boys, because within this realm of futuristic shit hole, girls/women are wanton, harlots who seduced the human race into near extinction with their sexuality and eventual utter inability to give birth, so the new race of human being that is literally grown in a pod consists of men only.

Now this is interesting. It sets up the reader for all kinds of Margaret Atwood-esque nightmares of the naturally feminist mind, which makes for a beautifully crafted darkly fascinating horror story that is gripping as well as believable. Well, mostly believable. There is definitely a part of me that was a little annoyed at the utter lack of actual science involved in all of this genetic hoo-ha, but whatever. If Ridley Scott says we can birth aliens, who is to say that Tiffany Truitt can't say we can't birth jack shit?

What also made this one particularly good, is the characters. Tess was complexly confused about what it is she really needs to expect from the life she's given, and it is so entertaining to see how she evolves as a young teen who just doesn't really know what she wants. James is also not at all what I expected. I was totally prepared for the stereotypical YA drop dead gorgeous, oober cool hero, who just happens to be into Tess for some inexplicable reason, but he wasn't. He had his own voice, his own personal dilemma, and his own fears for the future and what he was. He was also shy and quite awkward, which was refreshing after all of the suave coolness so often seen in YA these days. By the end of the book, I was pretty ready to see what happens next, so I'd definitely recommend it. If you're persnickety about the science being fool proof, I wouldn't go for it, but if you want something that is a step above your typical YA dystopian with a somewhat heavy hand of plausible and subtle romance, go for it. (less)

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Mar 31, 2013 Merin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, read-in-2013

3.5/5 stars.

Chosen Ones is a book that's been on my radar for some time, so when I was asked to review it as part of the pre-release tour for Naturals, I immediately jumped at the chance. And while it did take a while for me to warm up to our main character, and get completely engrossed in the story, I ultimately came away from Chosen Ones quite satisfied, and eager to see what comes next.

As with most dystopian books, Chosen Ones tells the tale of a US that's been decimated by a third World War...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Amy Fournier rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-authors-2012, arc

Right now dystopians are one of my favorite genres so I will read almost anything and everything dystopian. I try to go into them with no expectations, but sometimes I just can't. I have been really excited about Chosen Ones so my expectations were pretty high going into it. It didn't let me down. I enjoyed the setting and that the chosen ones are artificially created beings. All male, because the council believes that women are weak. The chosen ones are made to not have emotions, and be strong...more Right now dystopians are one of my favorite genres so I will read almost anything and everything dystopian. I try to go into them with no expectations, but sometimes I just can't. I have been really excited about Chosen Ones so my expectations were pretty high going into it. It didn't let me down. I enjoyed the setting and that the chosen ones are artificially created beings. All male, because the council believes that women are weak. The chosen ones are made to not have emotions, and be strong and fast. They are built to be soldiers. There are no books or music allowed anymore. The naturals (or the actual real humans) are living in poverty. The women are essentially slaves. I was totally drawn into this story. I enjoyed the darker feel of this book. There are lots of secrets, some violence, and romance. All balanced really well.

I really liked Tess. She is emotionally fragile, but she really keeps strong. She puts up such a solid wall to protect herself. She ends up having to take her sisters place working at Templeton and we get to see her wall breaking down. She starts to do things she knows aren't allowed, and she starts to fall for James who is a Chosen One which is totally not allowed. She starts to discover a lot of secrets that change how she thinks of the world they live in. She begins to realize that it doesn't have to be so black and white. I love the strength that she is able to find within herself.

I really didn't know what to think of James. I didn't know whether to trust him or not. He was absolutely swoon worthy, but also being a Chosen One, I didn't know if he could really have emotions and feel the way he did. I really wanted him to be sincere and I wanted for him and Tess to be together. I really wanted to figure him out. Find out why he seemed so different from the other Chosen Ones.

I think that the appeal of dystopians for me is that they tend to be darker and have a mentally chilling feel to them. You can really imagine these things happening. This book was so like that to me. I could see the government trying to make artificial people to be better than real humans and phase out all of us. We get sick, we have emotions, we have a conscience. If they could create a perfect new race, I have no doubt they would try to. They already have control over so much so it's not too far fetched to think that they could keep controlling more until it would be similar to what this book is. I was very wrapped up in the whole thing. There were a few surprises thrown in that I was totally not expecting too. This is a fantastic book and I can't wait for more of this series. Tiffany Truitt has written an awesome debut that has me pining for more.(less)

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May 15, 2012 Carina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, from-publisher, ebooks-egalleys-etc-for-review

My Rating: 4.0 / 5

First thoughts:
Set in a unique dystopian world, Chosen Ones captivated me right from the beginning and makes me wish to get to read the sequel as soon as possible. With its intriguing storyline it was hard to put down and even though I wished that some questions were answered earlier, my need to find out more about Tess' world made me turn the pages as fast as possible. If you're looking for a dystopian novel with intriguing science-fiction-elements, you should give this a chan...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Juhina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books, blog-tour, ebook, entangled

The Chosen Ones is another great dystopian that centers more around the romance of the book. However the dystopian elements are not overshadowed and we get a great deep plot with twist and turns that keep you reading to find out what happens next. The dystopian world is one where humans are becoming extinct because stronger, smarter, and better 'engineered' beings that are created to win the war that the humans couldnt win. In this world humans can't marry and the fate of a woman who gets oregna...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Kayleigh {K-Books} rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: entangled-teen

Chosen Ones Review on K-Books

"Emotional entanglements only led to physical tresspasses. We, humans, were weak. We couldn't be trusted with our emotions."

Chosen Ones completely blew me away. The debut novel from Tiffany Truitt just made me fall in love with this new dystopian society and I could not stop reading. When I saw the cover to this book I instantly fell in love and couldn't wait to read it. Who wouldn't looking at that cover? It's beautiful. When I read the blurb and found out it was a...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Donna {Book Passion for Life} rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, for-review, from-publishers, kindle, ya-dystopian-scifi-thriller

Chosen Ones is a story about a young girl named Tess who lives in a hard world after the fourth World War has hit. She lives in a compound where there are Naturals and Chosen Ones. Natural’s are born but Chosen Ones are created. Chosen Ones were created to carry on the world after Natural’s start becoming extinction because most natural women are unable to bring fourth life and die during child birth. When Tess starts working amongst the Chosen Ones, it is there she meets James – a Chosen One, w...more Chosen Ones is a story about a young girl named Tess who lives in a hard world after the fourth World War has hit. She lives in a compound where there are Naturals and Chosen Ones. Natural’s are born but Chosen Ones are created. Chosen Ones were created to carry on the world after Natural’s start becoming extinction because most natural women are unable to bring fourth life and die during child birth. When Tess starts working amongst the Chosen Ones, it is there she meets James – a Chosen One, who goes against everything he has been trained to believe and feel. It is with him that Tess feels like she really belongs but how can they really be together when there are bigger forces at work that are trying to keep them apart?

Tiffany Truitt has created a very unique and interesting read with Chosen Ones – one that definitely stands out from all the other dystopian novel’s I’ve read for it’s uniqueness. From page one it was easy to imagine the world that Tess lived in because it was so descriptive and the narrative was so good. It is such a hard, cold and harsh world that you really couldn’t help but feel for the characters. Not only that but it was very easy to connect to the characters because they are so likable.
Tess is a strong girl, one that will do her job without getting emotionally attached but while she tries to not get emotionally attached, she also doesn’t experience much about life. She’s almost naïve in how to act around people and how to act around boys but this is one of her charms because through out this book, we get to watch her grow.
James, in some sense is the same as Tess, they both have the same qualities but because he’s a Chosen One he has different views on the world. But to watch them come together over the simplest things as a piano or a book really was beautiful.

Now while I did enjoy this, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have hoped. I felt the story started off really strong but then slowed down towards the middle and I was kind of just waiting for something to happen. And the ending felt slightly rushed but despite this, I still enjoyed it and would definitely pick up book two in the series.

All in all, Chosen Ones is a unique and thrilling read – although not a favourite but still worth a read.

A huge thank you to the publishers for allowing me to review this book.(less)

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Apr 02, 2013 Jennifer Bielman (Reading and Writing UF and PNR) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, young-adult, reviewed, romance

From http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....

At A Glance
I was surprised by how much I liked Chosen Ones. The concept is original and hauntingly feasible. I am dying to read book two, like right now!

The Good
This book kept surprising me over and over again. It started out with a bang, then drifted a bit, then the second half was like a whole bunch of punches in the face. And the world Tiffany created was horrifying and chilling. I could easily see this as our future with the right tragedies and ev...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Farrah rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

A lovely read! Chosen Ones was a unique YA dystopian that went deeper. A mix of romance, secrets, and a questioning about the reaches of science, this book was brilliant.

I like the idea for this book. It was very interesting-a totalitarian government manufacturing new human and letting the old ones die out to make way for the more advanced "chosen ones." The world building for this book was well done, though I do wish...more This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

A lovely read! Chosen Ones was a unique YA dystopian that went deeper. A mix of romance, secrets, and a questioning about the reaches of science, this book was brilliant.

I like the idea for this book. It was very interesting-a totalitarian government manufacturing new human and letting the old ones die out to make way for the more advanced "chosen ones." The world building for this book was well done, though I do wish I had gotten more information about why the council turned against women. But, everything else was perfectly explained.

Tess was a difficult heroine to figure out. At first, she seemed rather selfish and cold-hearted. For a while, I didn't like her. But, as she began to slowly grow as she discovered the extend of the council's deception, she proved herself. She became a strong, determined heroine. By the end, I really liked her.

James was amazing right from the beginning. He was so sweet. Though the chosen ones were taught to hate naturals and be obedient tools for the council, James kept from becoming like the others. I just adored him. I mean, he's an incredibly attractive guy who loves music, plays the piano, and sneaks books like Shakespeare and Jane Eyre into his room to read. What's not to adore.

Tess and James' relationship developed realistically. Because of the way their world works, it took a lot for them to be able to just trust each other. They were a lovely couple, though they had quite a few obstacles to overcome. However, I could see from the start that they were going to have some love-triangle drama. So, we'll see how it works out for them.

The plot moved steadily. I was kept hooked the entire time, especially with all the secrets that were being revealed about the council. And the ending came with a surprise that I never saw coming. Now, I'm really curious to see what happens next.

Chosen Ones was a wonderful YA dystopian with touches of romance, thrills, secrets, and betrayals. Any lovers of the genre should definitely give it a read.

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review(less)

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Mar 26, 2013 Cristina (Bibliophile Mystery) rated it 4 of 5 stars

After finishing a book like “Chosen Ones”, it’s extremely hard to gather my thoughts and place them in order. This is the kind of book that makes you forget your words when you try to write about it, or describe it to your friends, because the action and the descriptive scenes you’ll find in its pages are absolutely shocking!

At the end of the first two chapters I wanted to put the book down and completely stop reading it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s neither bad nor boring, but I couldn’t understan...more After finishing a book like “Chosen Ones”, it’s extremely hard to gather my thoughts and place them in order. This is the kind of book that makes you forget your words when you try to write about it, or describe it to your friends, because the action and the descriptive scenes you’ll find in its pages are absolutely shocking!

At the end of the first two chapters I wanted to put the book down and completely stop reading it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s neither bad nor boring, but I couldn’t understand at all what was happening, and some of the scenes were so vividly depicted, that they left me breathless and actually shaking.

"Didn’t they know this thing was pointless? I couldn’t understand why anyone got married anymore. It wasn't a commitment. It was murder."

Yes, “Chosen Ones” is a dark story, and if you wonder what I eventually did after reading the first two chapters, well… NO, I haven’t been able to put it down. I continued because it managed to captivate me entirely and to raise a lot of questions that I could only answer by reading further.

Tess is marked with an iron and sent to work at Templeton, as a punishment for what her sister, Emma, had done. Initially I didn’t understand why Tess wasn’t at all affected by this, why she was so cold and calculated, as if nothing could affect her, not even Emma's death. But as I discovered more of the story, I managed to understand her actions, and even sympathize with her.

“Maybe it's better to live in a world you don't understand, because if you understand it, it becomes unbearable.”

When she arrives at Templeton, Tess becomes a slave of the Chosen Ones – a new, perfect race of humans, physically stronger and faster than humans, created by the Council to protect the naturals – the normal people, those who survived World War IV. But slavery and humiliation of the human race is not, in my opinion, the appropriate form of protection, so I had to question the actions of The Council from the start.

-“What does allegiance mean? Should allegiance be to your family first? To God? To your homeland? What about yourself? I am choosing myself Tess. Please forgive me.”

“Chosen Ones” is a story about love. Even if Tess is born in a society where emotions are seen as a sign of weakness, women can no longer have children, and nobody wants to fall in love – when she meets James, a not so perfect Chosen One, everything changes for her.

I liked this book and I’d recommend it to those who like a dark, dystopian tale. You won’t be disappointed!

" I had allowed myself to feel and hope. And this was my punishment."

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Jan 28, 2013 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

There are many dystopian novels in the YA market fighting for that top spot, and “Chosen Ones” by Tiffany Truitt is definitely a contender. In a world where humans are no longer capable of reproducing, the Chosen Ones, genetically engineered males trained to fight the wars the natural-born no longer believe in, are the only chance the human species have of surviving. In a world full of Chosen Ones, naturals are no longer needed. But are the Chosen Ones really the enemy?

Readers learn of this worl...more There are many dystopian novels in the YA market fighting for that top spot, and “Chosen Ones” by Tiffany Truitt is definitely a contender. In a world where humans are no longer capable of reproducing, the Chosen Ones, genetically engineered males trained to fight the wars the natural-born no longer believe in, are the only chance the human species have of surviving. In a world full of Chosen Ones, naturals are no longer needed. But are the Chosen Ones really the enemy?

Readers learn of this world through Tess, a sixteen-year-old girl who has learned that the key to surviving is not to feel. Her older sister, Emma, allowed herself to feel for Robert, and all it got her was pregnancy and death. Now that Tess has to serve her sister’s sentence in Templeton, a training facility for the Chosen Ones, she knows that keeping her emotions in check is of utmost importance.

But working at Templeton is not what Tess expected it to be. She is learning more and more about the world she lives in, learning that a lot of secrets are being kept from her and the other naturals. It was very clever of Tiffany Truitt to have her narrator be just as in the dark about the Chosen Ones and their creators as her readers were. I enjoyed learning about the world as Tess did. My curisoity mirrored her curisoity; my shock mirrored her shock.

And then there’s James, the boy who makes it even harder for Tess to keep herself from feeling. James is a Chosen One, but he is not like the rest. He comes to her rescue when the other Chosen Ones want to harm her. He shares books and music, which have been banned for the naturals but are allowed for his kind, with her. And he doesn’t force her to do anything that he knows could harm her.

Together, Tess and James begin to learn that the what they thought they knew is not the truth. Tess has been taught to fear the Chosen Ones, but they might not want her and the other naturals dead as much as another group of people do. James has been taught to loathe the naturals for their weakness, but the weaknesses don’t seem as bad once he learns that humans are capable of much more than weakness. The true enemy is the Creators, the elderly naturals who created the Chosen Ones. Will Tess and James be able to survive in a world controlled by the Creators?

From what I’ve described above, you can see why it’s not surprising that I was always interested in this novel’s story. That said, I was not hooked until a little past halfway through. Until that point, I found myself flipping to see how many pages were left in a chapter, and it was easy for me to the put the book down. It never got close to the point where I did not want to finish the book, but I am still puzzled as to how a book with this plot and these characters and such excellent world building could be so slowpaced.

If you like dystopian novels, then you need to read “Chosen Ones” by Tiffany Truitt. As the first book in The Lost Souls series, it is an excellent start to a series that contends with the best of the best in the YA dystopian market.(less)

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Jan 18, 2013 Psyreads rated it 3 of 5 stars

Chosen Ones is a good debut novel. The world reminded me of Children of Men and the Hunger Games (without the games).

I won't bore you with a synopsis which was already done by legions of other reviewers.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to a sequel. The only issues I have with the novel are the heroin and the climax.

Although Tess shows glimpses of altruism - which I hope becomes a more developed trait in her personality - she is for the most part selfish, self-centered, and re...more Chosen Ones is a good debut novel. The world reminded me of Children of Men and the Hunger Games (without the games).

I won't bore you with a synopsis which was already done by legions of other reviewers.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to a sequel. The only issues I have with the novel are the heroin and the climax.

Although Tess shows glimpses of altruism - which I hope becomes a more developed trait in her personality - she is for the most part selfish, self-centered, and reckless, making one bad decision after the next. The male characters either suffer to protect her or have to continuously guide her as she appears incapable of running her own life. Her character arc is seriously lacking.

The climax delivers a couple of interesting twists. However, the author does not build enough tension in preparation for it. The reader is suddenly thrust in the midst of the final battle, left wondering what happened. It seems as if the author, after working hard to deliver the first 2/3 of the book, suddenly grew tired of the story and wanted out as soon as possible. As a result the ending feels rushed and contrived, and it was a disappointment in what otherwise would have been a satisfying read.

Now the good:
Political and religious themes are strategically interspersed with the story, making it even more colorful and interesting. There are parallels with our current political and economic climate, and it is not difficult to make extrapolations/inferences (or even warning against possible futures) from not-so-subtle passages such as "We fought with other lands across the sea ... but as we squandered away our money, we found it difficult to fight the enemy and people became disillusioned... (p.69) " Sounds familiar?

The 'suppressed feminine' theme also appears throughout the novel. In Tess' world, there is no room for emotions and feelings. Matriarchal roles are slowly and painfully ending and women are on the brink of extinction. The feminine is a synonym for danger, and women are considered expendable.

However, despite this grin reality, revolution does not occur by the hands of a powerful woman; a leader or savior, but instead by a handful of men who once more must lead Tess toward a safer path. In fact, there is not even one strong female character in the novel, which is surprising. While romances often involve partners with either similar attributes or complementary ones, Tess and James are mismatched in both abilities and maturity.

Still, I recommend the Chosen Ones as a very entertaining novel.
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Apr 23, 2013 Miss Amby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Chosen Ones takes place in one of the most horrifying and oppressive dystopian worlds I've ever read. The awfulness of the world gives the reader a feeling of urgency, and I could not put this novel down. Truitt does a fantastic job of building this terrifying world, creating believable characters and allowing them to evolve over the course of the novel, and writing an intriguing plot. This book is wonderful, and I can't wait to read the sequel, Naturals.

Tess is a bit of a "negative Nancy" for...more Chosen Ones takes place in one of the most horrifying and oppressive dystopian worlds I've ever read. The awfulness of the world gives the reader a feeling of urgency, and I could not put this novel down. Truitt does a fantastic job of building this terrifying world, creating believable characters and allowing them to evolve over the course of the novel, and writing an intriguing plot. This book is wonderful, and I can't wait to read the sequel, Naturals.

Tess is a bit of a "negative Nancy" for a good portion of the book, but as awful as her life is, I actually couldn't blame her. Nothing she says or does is overly dramatic or uncalled for, in my opinion. She also grows a lot and becomes stronger as the narrative progresses. I didn't necessarily like her or relate to her, but I tolerated her just fine and cared what happened to her. I kind of liked James, but he isn't swoon-worthy in my opinion. I mean sure, he's pretty and the knight in shining armor and all that, but he's also broken. I liked that about him, though. I hope I get to know him better in the next novel. He's an extremely complex character. The other characters aren't as well-developed as the main two, but they have their own distinct personalities, and I have a feeling that we'll get to see more of them and learn more about them in the next installment.

The plot, writing, and world-building are fantastic. I really love how Truitt uses various works of Classical Literature as a way to help her tell the story. For example, Frankenstein helps us understand James better. As I mentioned before, the world Truitt created is horrific. Women are so oppressed and hated upon that the oldest girls in the family are forced into three years as a sex slave, more or less, for the chosen ones. Also, women are taught to hate their bodies and to fear sex (because for some reason the women have become infertile and having babies now kills them). Education is withheld from them, except for the propaganda videos that teach the girls to hate themselves, and books and music are outlawed. It's repulsive, and I really hate the Counsel. One thing I don't feel was explained very well is how the Counsel will remain in power after the founding members die. If they are dead set on eliminating all naturals, then those specific naturals who formed the Counsel can't pass down their legacy. Therefore, I don't get why they want to commit genocide against their own people. I'm sure the why will come out in time, but I felt that it could have been explained a bit better without giving everything away.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a unique Dystopian. Chosen Ones stands out in an over-saturated genre, and I have high hopes for this series.
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Apr 02, 2013 Reeka (BoundbyWords) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: in-a-dystopian-world, to-read-2013, ya-fiction

As seen on my blog:

3.5 STARS
THIS BOOK WRECKED MY HEART. I was torn between wanting to pet it lovingly, and throwing it against my bedroom wall. The angst, the pain, the forbidden pleasures, the longing for simple joys.. Chosen Ones expressed each of those to a heart, my heart, that wouldn't stop breaking for the world and characters within it. The ideas were somewhat far-fetched, but by no means impossible. It's one of those books you really need to experience for yourself.

Tess is serving her p...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Gladys rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: cliff-wankers

This type of book is what I'd like to call "what most teens need therapy for" ...

That world was hopeless for the humans/scary as hell.
In the story the council (the big world heads ) took advantage of the wars and started creating their own army of genetically modified children (who are all boys) and declared pregnancy illegal (because there was some virus that killed mother and child)
All the left human's stay in compounds and the biggest girl in each family has to serve for 3 years in the place...more

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Jun 13, 2013 Rosie rated it 1 of 5 stars

I decided to read this book after winning the second book in this series from a giveaway by Justine magazine.

LONG STORY SHORT, I REALLY DIDN'T LIKE IT.
The beginning was really confusing and so boring and took me forever to get through and the ending was a little bit better but not by much. It was so difficult to read when facts just kept bouncing around like Tess's little sister is apparently the youngest one in the compound that they live in at age 13, but at one point she describes a "little...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Nicole Sobon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

Originally posted on Nicole's YA Book Haven:

Review from April 2nd:

I think the easiest way to describe Tiffany Truitt's "Chosen Ones" is to simply say that it is fantastic. Seriously, if you haven't pre-ordered this one yet, you need to do so. Immediately.

The story is about Tessa, a sixteen year old girl, who lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States. Tessa's world is far from pleasant. In her world, women are considered to be dangerous because they want, because they give in...more Originally posted on Nicole's YA Book Haven:

Review from April 2nd:

I think the easiest way to describe Tiffany Truitt's "Chosen Ones" is to simply say that it is fantastic. Seriously, if you haven't pre-ordered this one yet, you need to do so. Immediately.

The story is about Tessa, a sixteen year old girl, who lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States. Tessa's world is far from pleasant. In her world, women are considered to be dangerous because they want, because they give into their emotions. With women unable to successfully give birth, due to a genetic mutation, the creators looked to artificial life, creating the chosen ones. The chosen ones (who, of course, are only men), are supposed to fight the war that the naturals lost the will to fight so long ago. But when Tessa is forced to complete her sister Emma's service at Templeton (after she dies during childbirth), her life will become forever changed.

At first, Tessa comes off as cold and unlikable - which is to be expected when Tessa has been brought up to believe that emotions are a weakness. But as the story moves along and we are able to see Tessa understand herself, as well as the world she lives in, it is nearly impossible to dislike her character. She is tough and she is willing to fight when it seems as though no one else is. Considering all of the loss she has experienced, it would've been easy for Tessa to continue to allow herself to shut down. But she doesn't. She becomes the hope that is needed, and I admire that about her character.

The romance in "Chosen Ones" is so well done. The relationship between Tessa and James is a slow burn. He is a chosen one, and she is a Templeton girl. While Templeton doesn't care what the chosen ones do to the Templeton girls, actual relationships are unheard of. But Tessa and James are different. He isn't like the other chosen ones, and Tessa isn't like the other servant girls. Their relationship isn't an insta-love situation, something which I am incredibly thankful for. As two outcasts among their own kind, Tessa and James find exactly what they need in one another. It's an honest relationship that develops between the two characters, and it is wonderful.

But what makes "Chosen Ones" truly amazing isn't just the strong heroine, or the wonderfully done romance. Its Truitt's writing. I will gladly read anything that she puts out. With the way that she writes, it is quite easy to lose yourself in her words.

If you're looking for a new dystopian novel to dive into, look no further than "Chosen Ones".

This book is absolutely fantastic. (less)

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Mar 26, 2013 Kathryn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, ya, sci-fi, favorites, dystopian

As I dove in to the book, I couldn't really guess where it was going to take me. When I met Tess and heard about the life she led, you automatically feel the oppression, depression, and loathe the government for what has come to pass.
Chosen Ones paints a world for us that has suppressed humans and elevated the lab creations called the chosen ones. The chosen ones are beings manufactured by scientists to ultimately be on the front lines of the battles/wars going on in the world. They are referred...more As I dove in to the book, I couldn't really guess where it was going to take me. When I met Tess and heard about the life she led, you automatically feel the oppression, depression, and loathe the government for what has come to pass.
Chosen Ones paints a world for us that has suppressed humans and elevated the lab creations called the chosen ones. The chosen ones are beings manufactured by scientists to ultimately be on the front lines of the battles/wars going on in the world. They are referred to many times as soulless creatures and the humans have no interaction with them. Yet, at one of the training facilities, Templeton, we get a first hand experience of what is really going on.
As you know, I don't like to give anything that will spoil the book for you, the reader. Going in to details of events and scenes from Chosen Ones, I am afraid I may just end up doing that.
So, I am going to give as little as possible and see if I can relay exactly what I thought....
Our two main characters are Tess and James. Tess is a human girl that is struggling with being who she wants to be and being who she has to be to conform to the government. So many events have taken place in her life that has brought her to where she now has to work in the training facility, Templeton. She has become uncaring, numb to what is going on around her. Believing that closing off the emotions will be the best and ultimately get her through her life. But, don't all do that from time to time? Is it really so bad of a life to live? Tess begins to see things and starts to reflect on information that has been handed down to her. And, not only is it the information, but she has now witnessed inexcusable actions at Templeton that has caused her to finally stir and wake up to who she really is...
But, she doesn't really do this all on her own. While in Templeton, she is befriended by a chosen one. With meeting James, she finds solace and understanding from the one person she would never have thought possible. I really enjoyed all their moments together. I was always rooting that this would be the love story of two people, not destined to be together, finding their soul mate.
There are so many times with Chosen Ones that I wanted to shake Tess and say "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Or grab a hold of James and say "OPEN UP TO HER". The struggles kept you on your toes, waiting to see what was going to happen. The suspense literally sucks you in and forces you to hold your breath....dying to find out what is going to happen.
Do these two genuine, scarred, individuals fall in love? Do they rise up and rebel? Do they just cut their losses and go their separate ways? These were things I HAD TO KNOW!!!
So, I forged on and as some of my questions were answered, more developed and BAM...here we are on a twisted and crazy trip. The secrets that are held til the end drive you to insanity with wanting to read the next book that very instant. Of course, I am pulling my hair out because I HAVE TO WAIT!!! *begins sobbing*
Ok, ok, I am better now....*takes a deep breath* Anyways, from start to finish, I was totally engrossed in Chosen Ones. Wonderfully written, with a unique and intriguing storyline propelled by a dynamic, well developed cast of characters, I highly recommend you pick this book up and begin reading it today!! If you start now, in no time...like April 2nd, book two, Naturals, will be released and you won't have to wait as long as me to continue this fabulous tale!
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Jan 19, 2013 Jennifer Lee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: futuristic, ya, dystopian, cyborg-goodness

I'm gonna get the things I didn't like about it over with first.

Hmm, I'm not sure why I didn't like this one that much. I really wanted too, I mean machine people? How cool is that. But they weren't really machine people I guess eh.. More like genetically enhanced people. I'm ashamed to admit it took me AGES to figure out they weren't machines, I kept wondering how that chosen one got that girl pregnant, I was like WTF they made machines that could ejaculate real semen? And about more than half...more I'm gonna get the things I didn't like about it over with first.

Hmm, I'm not sure why I didn't like this one that much. I really wanted too, I mean machine people? How cool is that. But they weren't really machine people I guess eh.. More like genetically enhanced people. I'm ashamed to admit it took me AGES to figure out they weren't machines, I kept wondering how that chosen one got that girl pregnant, I was like WTF they made machines that could ejaculate real semen? And about more than half way through a light bulb went off and I realized they weren't machines at all. And than I QQ'ed a bit. I was pretty dead set on machine people that I completely overlooked all the information about them just being genetically engineered haha.

I think the thing that bothered me the most is the fact that it followed the same formula that majority of dystopian novels have. It's almost like there certain guidelines that need to be followed and authors arent allowed to veer off from it.

There's a scene at the end of the novel that just made me literally want to throw the book. I'm going to put it into spoilers so I don't ruin anything for others, although I feel like it was something that I could totally see coming. (view spoiler) That's another thing, I seen shit coming from a mile away.

The things I did like were the MC. To me she felt very real, albeit a little cold at times, but I guess living in that kind of world would make you hard. I also really liked the world that she created, as well as pretty much the whole premise of the story. I also really loved the connection between Tess and James, although there was some insta-love, I was able to overlook it and genuinely enjoy it.

James was actually a really thought provoking character. For me, I found him to to be the most dimensional one. The things that he struggled with, I really did feel for him and all his inner demons he was battling.

Maybe I'm just being too hard, I might yet come back and give it a higher rating, just right now I'm not sure how I feel about it. It was an enjoyable read, I may have been a little disappointed, but doesn't mean you, reader, won't enjoy it. =]

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Aug 24, 2012 Carien rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, ya

This was a nice read.

I really liked the Dystopian setting of this book. It was grim and for most parts believable enough. There were some minor things that bugged me, but not enough to make me lose interest.

I did have some problems with Tess. For someone who's introduced as a cynical and disillusioned teen, she's awfully naive and slow to catch on to what's going on at times. Near the end of the book something is revealed that would have me run screaming for the hills if I was Tess, but she does...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Jenea Whittington rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Chosen Ones not only has a beautiful cover, but an intriguing plot as well. Humans are almost to the point of extinction, and then there are those who have been artificially created with incredible abilities. You have two types of people. Naturals which are the humans, and the Chosen Ones that are bred and trained to be bigger and better. There were so many questions, and I was hooked from the beginning.

Tess is a 16 year old girl, who has been placed at Templeton with her sisters. One thing abou...more

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Jul 13, 2012 MissChievous rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, young-adult

Eh this was ok. Started off good and I was expecting greatness, but then it sort of turned into a mediocre run-of-the-mill dystopia storyline. Tess is born into a world where humans are artificially created to be stronger and better than naturally born humans, so as to protect humanity from "the enemy". It was never even explained who the enemy was, or any details given on the war that was supposed to be raging on. These artificial humans - known as Chosen Ones - are the upper class elite, while...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Rnassor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian

amazing book! this book completely suprised me. from the synopsis i was almost regreting my choice in books. the discovery of a soul was an amazingly thought out aspect of the book. through the discovery of james' and tess's relationship they found a part of themselves that had been covered by something they had labeled monstrous. i also enjoyed how james seamed to have a kind heart through the book, sometimes even more human then tess's. although i don't agree with all the choices she had made,...more

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May 29, 2013 7706augie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book was amazing! This takes place in what I imagine to be a futuristic mess. A great war has swept throughout the world and the woman have become weak. A disease has come upon them ensuring that the women were too weak for childbirth so the human race is dying out. In response to this, the council takes control and bans all the things that supposedly made the "naturals" weak- such as books and music. Tess was brought up in this entertainment-depriven world where people live together in co...more

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Chosen Ones (The Lost Souls #1)

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