Every touch has its priceLayla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.
But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…
Title: Stone Cold Touch (The Dark Elements #2)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
Brooke's Review:
I want to thank Harlequin Teen for providing me with a copy of this book at BEA to read and give an honest review. Receiving the book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.
I am a huge JLA fan. I read anything she puts out there. So it should be no different that I have picked up this series. And since I liked the prequel and first book so much, it should be no surprise that I wanted to continue on. After all, I needed to know what happened.
WARNING: IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST BOOK THERE WILL BE SPOILERS SO STOP HERE.
This book picks up pretty much where the first book left off. Layla is without Roth, as he's been pulled to the depths of hell. So it's no surprise she starts to lean on Zayne more than ever. And slowly things begin to unravel between them. The tension rises as they realize there is more than just the friendship they have always sort. Not a big surprise since Layla has always had a thing for Zayne. And, while Zayne has always acted as a big brother to her, you could tell there was more th his feelings than what he let on. So watching their new relationship blossom was nice.
What? You say. How can they possibly be together? You say. She'll suck the life out of him. You say. Well, yes, you would think so. But oddly enough, it doesn't happen and there's a reason for it (which I won't reveal because then that would spoil it all). Needless to say, things get a bit convoluted and turned upside down. And Layla becomes a bit of an enemy to those around her. But she is saved by someone we've all grown to love and hate at the same time (I won't reveal who).
As per Armentrout's usual, she keeps you on your toes with this one infusing tension and intensity throughout. There's action, romance, and humor. It's an easy flow of words. I will say this was a slower read for me than the first one which I tore through. I just didn't see this as a page turner, but I think that made it better because I got to savor it for a longer time. I still can't really decide which team I'm on, either. Both boys give Layla something she needs. I wish they could be fused into one!
I definitely want to know what happens in the final installment of this series. I'd also love to see novellas from both Zayne and Roth. I need to be in their heads and see what they are thinking! Especially Zayne. I think Layla really gets Roth, so her presentation of him seems spot on. But Zayne is so much more closed off. He certainly reminds me of Aiden from Armentrout's Covenant series (and we did get a chance to see things from Aiden's POV in a novella).
My one issue with this book is that I feel like the lines between Armentrout's different paranormals are blurring. I feel like the characters are very similar and the catchphrases are often overused. But overall it doesn't take away from how much I love this series and how much I want to have the final installment NOW!
All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true.
Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.
She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen.
Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins
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