Book Review: Untouched by Robert J. Crane {Book 2- The Girl in the Box}

Title: Untouched
Series: The Girl in the Box book # 2
Author: Robert J. Crane
Publisher: Self Published
Date of Publication: Aug 19, 2012
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: received copy from author for my honest opinion
Get it here: Amazon   / Barnes and Noble


Goodreads Summary:
Still haunted by her last encounter with Wolfe and searching for her mother, Sienna Nealon must put aside her personal struggles when a new threat emerges – Aleksandr Gavrikov, a metahuman so powerful, he could destroy entire cities – and he's focused on bringing the Directorate to its knees.



My Thoughts:

I am a huge fan of this author.  It seems like every story he writes, he puts his heart and soul into it and you get this work of pure creativity with some very hefty world building.  
Ya'll know I do like book covers(even if I am reading it on a digital device) and if one stands out for me I love to point out the reasons why.  
Obviously fire is a pretty metaphorical element in a story.  It is hot, it burns everything around, but it also brings something new from the ashes.  Like a Phoenix if you will.  This is a powerful cover that it really stands out for the symbolism to the plot of the story.

The story is told from Sienna's point of view, which I actually enjoy because we get to see this world through her eyes and she is still learning about everything.  She is weary but still excited to see new things that make her happenstance seem a little less gloomy.  I don't want to give anything away if you haven't read the first book yet, but let's just say Sienna has a lot going on in her head right now, especially where her true loyalties should lie.  
Not only is that going on but she also has found a new power that seems to make her seem even more cut off from the world she so desperately wants to be a part of.  
Sienna is a strong smart kick ass heroine.  She has this attitude with the wittiest comebacks that will keep you laughing your butt off, especially at who is directed at the most.  
But in this book, we will see a softer side to Sienna that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and I think Crane hit it on the nail what a 17 year old superhuman would be feeling.  
We also finally get to meet the famous M-Squad, but the only one that really sticks out in my mind is Clary.  He reminded me of the Thing from Fantastic Four but he wasn't as smart.  I do feel like Clary will play an even bigger role in the upcoming book(s).  
There are a lot of other new characters introduced in this book, good and bad, and each has a unique perspective that comes into play.  I loved Dr. Zollers !  He was the one that helped Sienna the most and I am so glad he is here!
The plot lines were very strong in the story as well.  You have so much going on but it doesn't get crowded or confusing, but instead seems to run well among everything else.  We get a huge cliff hanger at the end(that made me want to scream) that throws a whole another WTH moment in this roller coaster ride.
Again, Crane didn't disappoint with these action packed fight scenes.  It's like watching a movie playing inside your head, while you read.  The details aren't very gory but they are graphic, which will make you feel like you are really there, smelling the blood being shed.  
And for those of us that like to have a little romance with our bloodletting, there is a certain love interest for Sienna.  Remember ,though, this isn't a romance, so don't be expecting that to be the main focus.  It isn't, but there is just a few teasing lines to get you excited for what might be in store for these two characters.  

There was certain areas that seemed to become repetitive.  Mostly, it was when Sienna would talk about her past to herself, or the trust issues she has with the Directorate.  It was only during her monologue that it seemed to get repeated a lot.  
I think it is great to have some background info for the readers but you don't need too much.  This is definitely not a stand alone novel, so there is no reason to go over the past history too deeply.  That is the beauty of a series: we get to experience the creativity in stages. 

Overall, Untouched, is a strong solid story that would be a great read for men or women.  It has a super intelligent, strong, and independent female heroine that is trying to come to terms with her new found abilities, her abuse, and who she can trust in this strange and scary world.  And on top of that, it is non-stop action packed with very cool gifted humans (Metas), a few psychotic killers mixed in, and some of the wildest fight scenes written.  These could make even the most hard to impress  guys sit up and take notice.  I love this book and I love this series. I cannot wait to get into the third book, Soulless .
This is definitely an author you should keep your eyes on because his story telling abilities just keep improving with every book he writes. 
I give Untouched five hearts.

Favorite Quote:

Every single bit of the flame that Aleksandr had thrown at him had bounced off, hitting the walls of my dormitory room.  The drywall had begun to blaze in four places and the carpet was beginning to catch fire.

"You're gonna burn the girl's stuff up, Gavrikov!" Clary shouted at him.

I was coughing, but I managed to get out, "I don't own much of anything."

"Well you're gonna burn the girl up, and she's already hot enough without your help!"

63% Untouched (by Robert J. Crane)