Jenny Pox by J.L. Bryan

Title: Jenny Pox
Author: J.L. Bryan
Series: Perhaps? 
Source: From author for review
Format: E-book 
Genre: Speculative Fiction - Paranormal

Synopsis (from author's page):

Jenny is a quiet, small-town girl in South Carolina whose touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague. Jenny can't control her power. Her life is friendless and lonely until she meets a boy, who possess power of his own. Her love for him brings the wrath of his beautiful and immensely popular girlfriend Ashleigh. Jenny must master her own deadly power to free Seth from Ashleigh's control. Then she must defeat Ashleigh before Ashleigh can destroy her.

What if you were born with supernatural power? Not just a mere kind, but one that is formidable enough that it can cause death on another person. What does it feels like living your life knowing you cannot touch anyone for fear that you might end up killing them? This is the destiny that Jenny Morton has to face every single day of her life. Knowing that her skin, her condition, her power – whatever term one might called it – killed her own mother when she was born is painful enough but understanding and accepting the bitter fact that she is going to be lonely, friendless her whole life is even harder to bear. However, when a tragedy happened and she learnt the secret kept by Seth, the boyfriend of her #1 enemy Ashleigh, a glitter of hope enters her life. To win Seth, she will have to confront Ashleigh and to learn controlling her "curse". What is it about Seth that drawn Jenny to him? Is Jenny the only one in this small county that has supernatural ability? If not, what is the connection between them and what brings them all here?

Jenny Pox is indeed a novel which is full with surprises. The author, J.L. Bryan, has successfully manoeuvred this book from a somewhat cliché storyline into something utterly different. He weaves three intricate elements – paranormal, mystery and romance – together making this book a little complex at the beginning but nonetheless, a very interesting read. Bryan is definitely the kind of author who does not dump information to his readers. In fact, he takes time building his story, giving away answers little by little while at the same time, making readers crave for more. The story starts off with little Jenny who is still clueless about her own power but as she grows older and understand how dangerous she really is, self-hatred starts to bloom inside of her. The way the author portrays the emotional burden that Jenny bears on her shoulders is remarkable to the point where readers cannot help but feel sad and mourn for Jenny. Bryan also goes all out when he describes the disturbing and gory details in his book that truly make me squirm whilst reading.

Bryan also did a great job in depicting the real life of teenagers in a small town and this make it a lot easier for readers to feel connected to the characters. Jenny is a very likeable protagonist with a very strong heart but her difficult life makes it hard for her to realise how much she really worth. The moment friendship buds between her and Seth, I’ve start to root for them to be together. At first it seems rather unrealistic for someone to fall in love very quickly but knowing how desperate Jenny is to find a true friend and love, it all just seems possible. Plus, it is better to see Seth with Jenny rather than the manipulative, power-craze, two-faced antagonist, Ashleigh. There is something more that correlate these three characters but you definitely need to read the book to find out. Another character that I love in Jenny Pox is Jenny’s father, who acts as a strong pillar for Jenny despite the demons that he has to fight within himself too. Even though Jenny grows up without a mother, having a father that love her unconditionally truly make things somewhat bareable for her.

In the nutshell, Jenny Pox is a bittersweet, original book that completes with a little bit of everything – from delicious romance, to gory paranormal stuffs and also some actions. With its engaging writing, well-structured and simple plotlines along with its comfortable, effective pace, the book is definitely something that readers, especially those who love paranormal romance should not missed. While some might say that this is a Young Adult book, I personally think that it fits more under adult due to some explicit and gory scenes and also some contents that might be considered offensive by certain group of people. However, if you don’t mind all these, Jenny Pox is a paranormal book with a great twist that totally worth it.

Favourite Quote: Jenny lifted one small, fuzzy-pink gloved hand and looked at her fingers. "I'm poze-nuss," she said.

Jenny Pox is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It deals with some paranormal issues and contemporary ones, like obsession to gain power, extremism and difficulties to be an outsider. A page turner and an original book with great plotlines and characters that I highly recommend.