A Touch of Gold
Author: Annie Sullivan
Release Date: August 14, 2018
Genre: YA Mythology/Retelling
Publisher: BLINK
SYNOPSIS:
King Midas once had the ability to turn all he touched into gold. But after his gift—or curse—almost killed his daughter, Midas relinquished The Touch forever. Ten years later, Princess Kora still bears the consequences of her father’s wish: her skin shines golden, rumors follow her everywhere she goes, and she harbors secret powers that are getting harder to hide.
Kora spends her days locked in the palace, concealed behind gloves and veils, trying to ignore the stares and gossip of courtiers. It isn’t until a charming young duke arrives that Kora realizes there may be someone out there who doesn’t fear her or her curse. But their courtship is disrupted when a thief steals precious items from the kingdom, leaving the treasury depleted and King Midas vulnerable. Thanks to her unique ability to sense gold, Kora is the only one who can track the thief down. As she sails off on her quest, Kora learns that not everything is what it seems—not thieves, not pirates, and not even curses. She quickly discovers that gold—and the power it brings—is more dangerous than she’d ever believed.
Midas learned his lesson at a price. What will Kora’s journey cost?
BOOK LINKS:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36575823-a-touch-of-gold
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KS9xYY
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-touch-of-gold-annie-sullivan/1127456128#/
Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Touch-of-Gold-Annie-Sullivan/9780310766353
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=A+Touch+of+Gold
A Touch of Gold is a thrilling mythological retelling of the story of King Midas and will leave readers desperate for more. I'm personally a big fan of mythology and folklore, and the YA trend of doing retellings is fascinating and something I really enjoy. This was definitely in that category. I generally remembered the tale of King Midas and how everything he touched turned to gold. But the author picks up after the so called "happily ever after" and tells a different version of the story - one that centers around King Midas' daughter, Kora. She's a fantastic main character and I really loved getting to know her throughout the book. She's incredibly realistic, even for a cursed girl with golden skin. She's smart, brave, determined - but she's human and has flaws like the rest of us. She feels useless and unloved by her father, she's been feared by almost everyone who has ever met her, and knows the stories people tell about her. Her past and her father's curse has crushed her and kept her hidden both physically and emotionally. But (of course) there has to be a handsome "prince charming" to help her and fall in love. I normally hate when a big romantic aspect is put into a novel that isn't based on that because it always seems to overshadow the actual story line. This time it didn't bother me at all and I actually found it rather sweet as Kora and Aris got to know each other. I liked watching their romance begin and then bloom during the course of the book.
The plot was a fascinating one right from the beginning and I loved the new spin the author put on this old myth. I was instantly pulled into Kora's world from the very beginning and I didn't leave it until I had finished the book - which ended up being a few hours in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. There's great use of detailed descriptions and vivid imagery to bring this world to life in front of the reader's eyes. I felt like I was right beside Kora during the entire story. One other aspect I have to mention because it's always a huge deal to me is the writing style. The author chose to write the story in the first person point of view from Kora's perspective - and I'm so incredibly happy that she did. I almost always prefer first person over any other style because it lets the reader really get to know and connect on a deeper level with the narrator. I always lost inside book that are written this way and I have the best time reading this style. It was definitely the same with this book and I loved that we see the story through Kora's eyes. This is just the first book in the series, which I'm so excited about because I can't wait to see where the author and the story will take us next. I highly recommend this novel to fans of YA, action, adventure, mythology, fairy tales, retellings, and romance.
Annie Sullivan is a Young Adult author from Indianapolis, Indiana. Her work has been featured in Curly Red Stories and Punchnels. She loves fairytales, everything Jane Austen, and traveling and exploring new cultures. When she’s not off on her own adventures, she’s teaching classes at the Indiana Writers Center and working as the Copy Specialist at John Wiley and Sons, Inc. publishing company, having also worked there in Editorial and Publicity roles. You can follow her adventures on Twitter and Instagram (@annsulliva).
Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annsulliva
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annsulliva/
(5) BLINK Summer Reading Tour Book Bundles (A Touch of Gold, Meet the Sky, No Place Like Here, Pretty In Punxsutawney, and Swing by Kwame Alexander) (USA)
Starts: 7/22/19
Ends:8/9/19
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