Addicted

Touched #2

by S.A. Archer

Addicted
Touched #2)

Suffering from the addiction to the Sidhe Touch, London is obsessed with finding a source of magic that can ease her curse. Unfortunately, premium magic like the Touch comes with one a heck of a high price tag. Working off the debt she’s racked up to the dealer may well terminate her addiction once and for all, because nothing’s more dangerous than doing a Changeling’s dirty work.

Genres: Urban Fantasy

50 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Urban fantasy author. Chronicler of the fey. Addicted to Sidhe magic and vampire bites.
Fey Cast The story behind the story and fun stuff like music videos, casting calls, and excerpts.
The Sidhe Touch website Character profiles, series reading order, and other goodies.
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Reviews

[Katherine McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since Part 2 includes Champion of the Fey, Addicted and Scars of Silver, I have reviewed them together.

Part 2 Should be read in this order:
1) Champion of the Fey (Champion of the Sidhe #2)
2) Addicted (Touched #2)
3) Scars of Silver (Rise of the Seelie #2)

This review will include spoilers if you haven’t read The Sidhe World – Part 1. Also, my review of Part 1 includes story world information and how the series is structured so you may want to have a read through that first. Just click here to read.
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My Thoughts
The Series Part 2…
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In Part 2 of the series, we read about Lugh & Donovan’s separate and differing attempts at trying to cope after the destruction of the Mounds and London’s struggles with dealing with her new addiction. Life is perilous for the Sidhe on the surface world and the lengths people will go for greed and power is astonishing.

Lugh is focused on rebuilding what the Fey once had. He discovers that magic artifacts exist on the earth realm that can be used to restore their magic and power. That is if enough of them are found. His search leads him to the first artifact and recovering it isn’t as easy as he originally thought it would be. He discovers that magic does indeed exist on the earth realm and not all if it pure. He also gets a taste of the cruelty possible within humans when it comes to greed for power.
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While Lugh attempts to recover what the Fey once had, Donovan’s focus is to rebuild on surface world by seeking out other fey that migrated from the Mounds years ago and those that were earthborn, and creating a place among humans.

He discovers that many earthborn are not taught what it is to be Sidhe making them incredibly susceptible to the evils that exist. Vampires will do anything and pay any price for a taste of Sidhe blood. Humans cursed with The Touch are even worse.

Malcolm is one of these young earthborn Sidhe. His naivety exposes him to the dangers and he pays a very high price for his gullibility. He’s held captive and used for his blood and special Sidhe powers he didn’t even know he had.

Appalled to find out a Sidhe is responsible for Malcolm’s enslavement, Donovan is livid. He expected it from vampires, changelings and humans, but to find out that another Sidhe would do this to their own is unbelievable. It will be very interesting to see how he will deal with this new threat.

I’m very divided as to which way to rebuild is best. On one hand, Donovan seems more forward looking and seemingly caring by focusing on the here and now and protecting the fey right now. However, life on the surface world is a very dangerous place and with the displacement of more fey, it’s even worse. Perhaps Lugh is right to try and get a secure world back for the fey to live in safety and relative peace as they did before.
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After being inflicted with the Touch against her will, London is trying to figure out how to live with the addiction. The curse is life-long and without the energy release from a Sidhe, a human can die. It’s comparable to a heroin addiction except there’s no way out. London is now under the total control of the Sidhe.

Now that the effects of her first Touch is wearing off, London is becoming desperate for another. Since Rico is dead, she searches desperately for a lead on a new source. Unknowing as how to deal and at this point uncaring, London finds herself involved with an underground operation that will give her that fix. Sacrificing her morals and turning a blind eye to things she knows are wrong but cannot help is just the start.

London is very angry that this happened to her and wants to take back control. She gets a lead on a Sidhe leader named Donovan that may be able to help. It will be very interesting to see how things go when she meets Donovan.
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Bottom Line
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Things are heating up in the Sidhe world! The plot is thickening, we’re starting to see more dimensions to the characters, and we’re seeing how the storylines are starting to move towards the same events. Archer & Ravynheart have delivered another great chapter and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I do!

Happy Reading!


4 Bad Boys – Really Enjoyed It!!!!

[Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

From: http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....

At A Glance
This is not a stand alone type of novella. You have to start this series from the beginning, and if you do, you will be hooked.

The Good
London has been cursed with the Sidhe Touch. It's like a drug addiction, you can only function so long without another hit. London will do anything to get her magic fix through the touch of a sidhe. She will even leave her morals at the door and become a hired gun to a not so nice Changeling. But London might find she has bitten off more than she can chew this time around.

I was sucked in from the beginning. I am obsessed with London's journey. The injustice of the curse that has taken away most of her free will is unbearable. I both hate and love the sidhe. They treat London like trash, like a thing to play around with, and all I want her to do is get her revenge. But in the other two series that intertwine with this one, I find myself cheering on the sidhe. I am so conflicted.

There was a great mixture of action, sex, and conflict. Like always, the writing drew me in and never let go. I'm interested in seeing how far London will go to feed or rid herself of her curse. I consider her one of the good guys so I only hope she doesn't fall too far, but she does deserve her revenge.

I liked the addition of Joe. He is hard and merciless, as well as a well trained fighter. He's almost like a darker version of London. Now that they are helping each other find more sidhe, I'm hoping they can work together to find a cure or some kind of solution. But I think there is more than meets the eyes when it comes to Joe. I guess we will see.

I can't wait to see where this story goes. I get excited every time the next book comes out, this book was no different.

The Bad
The only thing I can complain about is that the book ended. It's hard to read these novellas when they are a part of a series because they end way to fast. I just want to keep reading. Then again, this could be considered a good thing.

The Snuggly
There is definitely a steamy moment that will make you blush but nothing is overdone.

Overall
If you are looking for a complex urban fantasy that intermingles the lives of a few people in a supernatural world that is falling apart, this is the series for you. The writing is descriptive and engaging, and the storyline just gets better and better with each novella. A recommended read.

Quote
Her hands moved and she could have sworn it was either by their own accord or because they followed the unspoken summoning of the Sidhe’s lure. London brushed the brunette locks from his face without touching the skin of his forehead, just fingering aside the soft silk of his hair so nothing blocked her view of those amazing eyes that drew her in with unnatural magnetism. With trembling hands, she cupped his smooth face, intending for it to be an introductory contact, something small and nearly innocent. Instead, London jolted as her palms locked into place as if by electricity. Her entire body jerked with the instantaneous pleasure of the Touch. The Sidhe’s magic flooded through her hands, up her arms, and burst through the rest of her body so violently that she cried out. No build up at all, just immediately intense and utterly shattering.

[Melissa Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

London is feening terribly for the Sidhe Touch, and Sidhe are rare to come across, almost impossible to find. London is addicted and will pay any price for the touch. She meets with four newbie vampires who think they know of a Sidhe, when London mentions the magic she see a response the tells her they know where one is. But to see the Sidhe could cost London more than just money. Could the next Sidhe be worse than the first one, the one that cursed her?

This novella was a slower start for me. But in that I will also say it's setting up London's addiction, to make us aware of her condition since we left Cursed which was before she became to bad in her addiction. Also, it draws the world of creatures of night for use too. We see vampires with fey in this side of the Sidhe series'. The Touch Series is definitely, thus far of the three series', has more sensual and sexual nuances to it.

We meet a few new characters here. Rand, I can't say much other than he's not really a good guy but one for the money. And we meet Joe Lansing. Now I kind of like Joe, and I'm hoping we have future contacts with him. He could be a potential strong character to work with London, yet has his opinion on things that might not agree with her too.

London keeps trying to survive with this curse in the "right" way, or as close to it as she can. London is starting to see that might not be an option, any way she goes. One thing that stuck with me was no reason or goal was given for a "mission" London was sent on, as her payment, but I'm thinking this is what addiction does to you and you don't have to or want to know.

After reading this one, I'm looking forward to London potentially crossing paths with Donovan from the Rise of the Unseelie series.

[Debbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever heard the adage, "If you're digging yourself into a hole, the first thing you need to do is stop digging?" What if you couldn't stop? What if you HAD to keep digging because your very life depended on it?

I am totally digging on this author, pun completely intended. S. A. Archer makes me crave his next story like a human addicted to the Touch of the Sidhe. Hmmm… how ironic that that is very much what the story Addicted is about. In this second story in the Touched series, we catch up with London, a kick-ass private investigator heroine who has been Touched by a sexy Unseelie Sidhe named Rico. But Rico is gone now and London finds herself desperate to find another Sidhe to Touch her. And herein lies her problem. How does she go about finding her next fix when it's not like there's a Sidhe to be found on every street corner?

London thinks she may have found an answer to her little problem; she has heard rumors of a changeling that can take her to a Sidhe and help her get the fix she so desperately needs and craves. The problem is, in order to pay for a little party with the Sidhe, she will find herself indentured in service to the changeling! I loved seeing this side to London- gritty and determined with her eye on the prize so to speak. But the question remains, "How long will she be able to keep up trying to stay one step ahead of that nagging monkey of addiction on her back that refuses to be satisfied?"

There were so many dark, sexual undertones in this story. I loved it! London's reactions are so very believable and the action scenes on her "mission' were brilliant. I couldn't get enough! It's as if I've been Touched simply by reading these stories. Archer! Hurry up and write more--I'm addicted!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. When London was first cursed (oddly enough in Cursed) it was fairly obvious it was going to be a pretty grueling ride for her. I mean, being Sidhe cursed would be bad enough without having the source of your drug tragically killed not long after he cursed you. Which is kind of a douche-y thing to do, by the way. I mean, he addicts her and then jaunts off and ends up dead? Rude much.

Now London is out trolling the mean streets, looking for a Sidhe to fill her up with magic-y goodness. Boy, oh, boy, does she get in a pickle when she finds one. Bad stuff, people. She's doing things that she never thought she'd be doing and it's starting to eat away at her. And all because one Sidhe sought to use her and got her addicted to the Touch. That sucks. Big time.

As usual, S.A. Archer has created incredible characters that grab you and drag you into their world. London's problems look like they're only beginning and I'm heard pressed to see how she's going to get herself out of this.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Kate Anders · Rating 4 out of 5]

To read this review and others like it check out my site at www.ufreviews.com

Disclaimer- this is a review of all three shorts in this Part, Champion of the Fey, Addicted, and Scars of Silver.
First off it's hard to review these without giving a lot a way of the prior stories. So much of what is the basis of these stories comes from the others, and so I obviously don't want to ruin them for you. Each one of these little short stories, is a super easy and fast read, I think they are all around 20 pages, so it's not a bad read if you are short on time.

The world is pretty complex so if you are jumping into the stories in the middle you may need some time to catch up with everyone, or you may be slightly confused, although the author does a good job of contextualizing.

Each story tackles on small subplot of the bigger picture, and you quickly notice how interconnected they are. For instance, London has the Touch, and Malcolm being an Earthborn Sidhe would be highly desirable to people who have the Touch. And that is just one example.

The characters are coming more and more into their own, each with their own paths to take and growing into themselves more and more as things progress. I think this series is a fun read and it will be interesting to see how things evolve in the next round of stories.

[The Reading List (Megan) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addicted delves deeper into the darker side of London's curse and the very real fact that she might not find a cure. There are also more adult themes - sex, guns, violence - in this novel.

What is interesting in Addicted is the obvious change we see in London as the curse begins to consume her. Despite the captured fey being drugged and tortured she can only think about getting her own fix and not about helping the fey. She quickly begins to compromise some of her morals and beliefs.

Despite it's slow start I am curious about this sort of regression in London's character. It will be interesting to see if she will continue on the path she's currently on or try to help the fey race. One thing is clear by the end of the book that she will probably interact with them very soon.

Read this review and others on The Reading List: http://readinglist-m.blogspot.com/201...

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

main thing I would like to say is make sure you read these in the correct order They make much more sense this way !!