Jenny Pox (The Paranormals, #1)

by J. L. Bryan

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.

• ISBN10: 146096523X
• ISBN13: 9781460965238
• Publish Date: 24 July 2010
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 316
• Language: English

Reviews

[chymerra]

Jenny was an outcast in her town. She learned at an early age not to touch people. Why can't she touch people? Because her touch at the best injures people and at the worst kills them.

Then she finds a kindred spirit, Seth, who's touch heals. She also finds out that he can touch her. That his power cancel's hers out. Unfortunately, he has a girlfriend, her name is Ashleigh and she is Jenny's worse enemy.

This was a really good book and Jenny was a very sympathetic character. From the first chapter where Jenny's daddy has to put a "Snuggle Mask" on himself and Jenny to comfort her after a frightening incident to the day she meets, and makes an enemy of Ashleigh, to being beat to down to the point of contemplating suicide, I felt bad for her.

I couldn't stand Ashleigh or her friends, which is what I am going to guess that the author wanted us to feel. I was surprised when it was revealed that she had a power. I thought that she was leeching off of Seth's.

The ending was a bit weird. But, the people in that town got what they deserved, in my opinion. I am looking forward to reading book#2.

Will I reccomend this book to family and friends? Yes

Will I read this book again? Yes.

[Kelsenator]

Originally posted on my blog Kelsey's Cluttered Bookshelf

(4.5)

I had quite a few recommendations to read this book, and I was so glad I listened! It’s definitely for more mature readers and not so much young adult, there’s some sexual themes and such in here.

Jenny lives with her dad, as she lost her mother when she was younger. They’re not the wealthiest, but they manage to get by. He is a bit of an alcoholic though, but he tries his best to be the father she needs.

Jenny has this ability where she can infect a person just by touching them. It’s like she has the plague, called Jenny Pox, and it passes by touch. If she holds on she can end up killing someone. She has grown up keeping her distance from everyone and making sure not to touch anyone. An incident happened when she was younger where she touched someone, and she doesn’t want her fellow students to remember it. She always wears gloves to cover her hands, which has earned her the nickname Jenny Mittens. She is constantly mocked and teased at school, especially by Ashleigh. Growing up alone like that, with only her father to love her and not being able to touch anyone was so heartbreaking, I felt so bad for her.

When she does realize she can touch Seth, she develops a crush on him, thinking that she can finally have someone. And of course he’s Ashleigh’s boyfriend. But that doesn’t stop her, she still goes for it by talking to him and hanging out. The romance between the two was cute, I think their powers definitely match them well and they seem so happy.

There are two other characters in this book that have powers, different from Jenny’s plague, but still very strong. I’ve already mentioned Seth, but Ashleigh has it as well. Ashleigh shows what such powers can be like in the wrong hands, of someone who wants to rule all. She’s definitely a wicked person, even getting girls pregnant just to prove a point. She was the perfect bad character in this, giving you someone to hate, and I still couldn’t believe what she actually did to those around her and all the plotting and destruction she managed to cause.

This book was so awesome, and like I mentioned it’s more recommended for mature readers. But if you’re up for it, pick this book up! I started recommending it to people before I even finished it.

[Kim Deister]

Jenny Pox opens with an intense and disturbing scene that introduces us to Jenny as a toddler, playing with a dangerous snake. It is soon evident that Jenny is no normal little girl when she inadvertently kills the snake in her fear. When she runs into the house to show her father her now-dead "toy", it is quickly established how much of an outsider Jenny is, even in her own house. In order to comfort her, her father has to don his "cuddle suit" just to be able to hold her. That inability to touch another living creature sets the tone of the story from the very beginning. Jenny has grown up with certain rules that normal little girls don't have. She can never touch anyone without risking their lives, and she can tell no one about her power. She has been bullied her entire life, with no friends and no life apart from her father and her beloved pottery. When she meets Seth, the one person with whom she can share her secret, her life changes irrevocably. He understands, because he has a secret power of his own, one that no one in his life knows about. The only problem is that he already has a girlfriend, Ashleigh, who is controlling, manipulative, judgemental, and completely self-centered. Those traits, combined with a power of her own, make her the biggest threat to everyone around her.

From the moment I began this book, I was enthralled! The writing quality was exceptional, drawing you in from the very beginning and making you feel as if you were in Fallen Oaks with the characters. Jenny Pox has a little bit of everything in it: teenage drama, dysfunctional families, bigotry, religious struggle, sex, drugs, and even some rock 'n roll. The unexpected twists and turns throughout the story kept it fresh and exciting. I was enchanted with the development of the characters as the story progressed. The minor characters were just as well-developed as the main characters of Seth, Jenny, and Ashleigh. In fact, one of my favorites was Jenny's father. Despite his obvious shortcomings, the love and acceptance he had for his daughter was beautiful. Jenny was the most relatable; her personal story evoking some strong emotions of sympathy from the reader. Seth was equally engaging as a character, as he struggled between choosing Jenny from his heart or Ashleigh because of family expectation. Ashleigh was perfectly fleshed out as the evil nemesis, a combination of seductress and sorceress.

Everything came together at the end, but it did leave me with some unanswered questions. I am truly hoping that this means that there will be a sequel, more of Jenny, Seth, and Ashleigh. I literally couldn't put this book down!