Touched by Gold

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Her cousin, Hettie, might have been my favourite of the characters. She is amazing and so much fun but also super passionate and stubborn. I'd read a novel from her perspective. I loved the rest of the cast and all their different quirks too and this also had some complex and interesting concepts for the villain. Overall I had an amazing time reading this book. If you like books set on sea, this is for you.

While the crew were following is not exactly pirates, they definitely behave like it for a lot of the time, so if that's your thing, you're in the right place. Aug 03, Dani - Perspective of a Writer rated it really liked it Shelves: Check out more reviews Perspective of a Writer What happened after King Midas relinquished his ability to turn all he touched into gold?

Add in a charming young duke, a sea adventu Check out more reviews Perspective of a Writer Add in a charming young duke, a sea adventure, superstitious sailors and thieving pirates and we have a retelling full up with the power of gold. King Midas is a fairy tale that I have long admired! It's a fable about family and the importance of it over economic concerns.

So a retelling or rather a continuation of the story AFTER the whole turning to gold sounded like an adventure I wanted to be in on. After reading another retelling last month that I didn't enjoy nearly as much as this one I am happy to report it is fun and full of pirates and treasure! Kora is my kind of girl She is also a bit naive being a princess that her people are frightened of and thus isolated.

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She lives in the classic European world where you would expect there to be Kings, treaties, pirates and old world sailing ships with cannons and swords. There is a touch of magic that empowers Kora and gives a touch of whimsy to the story. A Touch of Gold isn't a perfect book You may see a twist coming from a mile away but that's really quite okay There is friendship, empowerment and learning to see things as they really are to fuel the story and urge you to witness how Kora fares from her adventure in the end.

Upon further reflection it is quite odd how the hand is cut off and that an odd plant like thing rests in the palm. A coin would be more appropriate at the very least. Why may you enjoy reading A Touch of Gold? Hettie is Kora's cousin who doesn't fit in any more than Kora does!

She is a testament to friendship and is a great foil for Kora who is more restrained than Hettie could ever be. I found her relationship with Rhat to be quite fun! This is a favorite part of the book for me No protection and a LOT of danger and possibly more curses. I won't give it away more but its a wild part of the entire adventure! I loved this commentary on what it means to be cursed and how others don't understand and see you as someone to avoid rather than accept. This was quite a relatable part of the book even though Kora was too naive for me at times.

The world building in this book relied quite heavily on already established worlds that we have read quite a lot already. This was perhaps the most disappointing part of the book besides Kora. I wanted to see Kora's world take on a life of its own! Since this was a retelling we don't need to stick with the same old boring kingdom, with only a touch of magic. I'm not reading this to get a feel for history and what it meant to live back in historical times.

Expanding on other ways to add fantasy elements would have really made this story POP! I also struggled with Kora in the first half of the book. Just because a girl only reads books and doesn't actually experience things themselves doesn't mean they have to be naive! I would have liked to seen her suspicious and doubting Today girls need to know that when an alarm is blaring in their head, especially about a guy that it may very well be for a reason!

To have Kora so placid at this point in the story felt contrived. A Touch of Gold expands on King Midas' fairy tale in a delightfully fun and pirate filled way! I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!! It has not influenced my opinions. See my special perspective at the bottom of my reviews under the typewriter Sep 06, Melissa Souza rated it liked it Shelves: I'm a huge sucker for Greek mythology and YA fantasy. So I was pretty pysched to get into this novel and I would say that I really liked this retelling of the King Midas story.

However, there were many aspects of the story that just didn't pique my interest enough to give it a 5 star rating. Firstly, there was a lack of worldbuilding. The story wasn't immersive enough for me. From the descriptions, I had the sense that our characters lived in a medevial sort of setting where there were 3 stars!!! From the descriptions, I had the sense that our characters lived in a medevial sort of setting where there were kingdoms and fantastical creatures. We got the idea that magic played an integral part of the world but it wasn't explained or delved into too deeply.

The descriptions and imagery used painted a picture without becoming lyrical or whimsical. Personally, I love novels that are wrought with emotive language as it lends a sense of escapism. This just played out like a story that needed to be told. Secondly, I liked the MC Kora. She was fiesty enough and rather independant.

However, she was quite the usual YA protagonist who was misunderstood and was looking to change people's opinions of her. She has a tragic past and a special ability which I honestly found to be very cliched. Moreover, the romance aspect was just bland. I didn't like the so-called love triangle and I felt there was absolutely zero chemistry between any of the love interests for Kora. Plus, the idea of falling in and out of love so quickly with two guys is just so unrealistic. It made me laugh. I can't understand why authors make the girls so gullible and silly when it comes to love.

Although, I would have to admit I still did enjoy the story. I especially liked Hettie. I found her to be more relatable and unpredictable. In addition, the side characters were pretty well rounded to create an engaging story. I especially found that the inclusion of pirates in the plot made for an interesting read. Overall, the story wasn't so bad.

The structure flowed smoothly enough and the pacing was just right - not too fast or slow. There were enough action scenes to build up speed whenever the storyline was prone to lagging. I also liked the plot twists and revelations. They were surprising and I didn't expect them as much. The ending was not too predictable and had me raising my eyebrows. I liked how the author blended deceit, vulnerability, love and fantasy into the storyline.

Even though, the language was simplistic, the story wasn't lacking in entertainment per se. I would suggest this story as a good one time read and I guess for a standalone it made it's impact albeit in a not so showy way. Aug 21, Ashley rated it really liked it Shelves: This was a pretty good retelling and a quick read. The side characters were great and there was a pretty good twist that changed who I like and hated. Feb 17, Jackie rated it really liked it Shelves: Everything about this book and the language used draws you in to this world where you can all but smell the salt of the sea in the air and see the glow of the gold beneath the waves.

May 09, Lauren rated it really liked it. It was refreshingly different! I am a big fantasy reader and this was a nice break from what I have been reading lately. This is a retelling of King Midas and his golden touch. Kora has been locked up and hidden in her kingdom for years after suffering from the curse her father gave her. After a Duke arrives, she starts to believe that she may not be alone and starts to think there could be more out in the world for her.

While she is on this crazy adventure, she discovers that everything she has known her entire life, could all be a lie. This story is more beautiful than its cover! Annie Sullivan knows how to write! Even though the story wrapped up very well, I wish there could be a companion novel so I could continue exploring this world. This was a very fun and fast read that I highly recommend!! Please get it when it comes out this August!!

I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The story is a very, very well written kind-of sequel to the ancient Greek myth of King Midas, who wanted the power to turn anything he touched into gold. His greed had cost him his daughter and after praying to the gods, he was able to repent and get his daughter back.

She feels the power of gold and dreads what she can do. When a murder, causes the King's life to be put into grave danger, Kora will embark on a journey to save him. Many parts were equally amazing, the writing is fluid with lots of descriptions and the story never makes you feel bored.

If you enjoy myth retellings then this book is for you. Mar 17, Meghan rated it it was amazing Shelves: I received this book as an advanced reader's copy because the patrons in my library and myself included are die hard fans of modern versions of classic fairy tales. Sullivan examines a whole new range of conflict of the classic tale of King Midas battling his curse of the golden touch and how he turned his daughter into gold.

Now with a whole new twist and a new story line added, Sullivan does a tremendous job taking the reader away to a side of Midas that not everyone has seen before and this b I received this book as an advanced reader's copy because the patrons in my library and myself included are die hard fans of modern versions of classic fairy tales.

Now with a whole new twist and a new story line added, Sullivan does a tremendous job taking the reader away to a side of Midas that not everyone has seen before and this book reminded me a lot of Cinder and the Red Queen and how the books modernized the tales of Cinderella and Snow White. A wonderful read that is sure to leave the reader intrigued. Apr 08, Christina Ensconced in Lit rated it really liked it Shelves: I really enjoyed this book. I had no expectations, but what I found was a creative spin on the Midas story. It started with the myth but then expanded quickly from there, focusing on Midas' daughter who was turned to gold and now has mysterious powers because of the curse.

The book ended up being reminiscent of the daughter of the pirate king with its own spin. I enjoyed all the characters and the twists. While I called the twists early on, I still enjoyed how they played out. The characters wer I really enjoyed this book. The characters were three dimensional and the story was well told and paced. I'm definitely sticking around for the next book! Feb 17, Dana rated it really liked it Shelves: This was a fun YA fable reimagining and adventure story. Think Frozen with gold instead of ice. Aug 13, Katie Lost in Pages rated it really liked it.

It sounded like an adventurous pirate tale, and I was here for it. I knew the basics of the story going in, so I can't be a great judge on whether anything in this book is very accurate or not. Regardless, this story is about Kora, Midas's daughter, and her struggle with the aftermath of her father's curse. Her father's gold is stolen, and she teams up with some pirates to help get it back.

I liked the aspect of her being able to "track" the stolen gold through her connections with it and the curse, it made the story more unique. I'm happy to say that overall the book was quite enjoyable! I liked the twists and turns the plot took, even when some of it was slightly predictable.

Some characters come across as being too good to be true right from the start, so it wasn't a surprise to me at all when their true colors were shown. Despite that, I appreciated Kora's growth throughout the story. She starts as a timid recluse, scared to show her true self and her potential risk to others. By the end of the story, she's come into her own and accepted her powers, and it was great to see her with confidence.

I also enjoyed Royce and his journey. He seemed standoffish at first, but it was with good reason. I'm hoping there will be more to this world and Kora's story because I feel like I've barely dipped my toes in — which leads me to why I docked off a bit from the rating.

A Touch of Gold

As much as I was engaged throughout the story — which Sullivan's writing is good at doing — I felt like everything happened so quickly. Character relationships seemed to blossom from pure convenience, and plot twists were thrown at me so quickly, at times I had to reread parts to really understand what was happening. The ending wrapped up incredibly fast with a pretty drastic reveal occurring within the last 10 pages. Like I said before, I really hope there's a sequel or even a novella to continue this story because I do like the characters and the world, and I'd love to see more.

This is Annie's debut, so I definitely feel like she's got more coming for us! Aug 08, Jordan rated it it was amazing Shelves: And when I saw the cover it doubled my excitement. Our main character, Kora, shows her wit and strength right away, which she somehow maintains after being a virtual prisoner in her own home. Silently feared and judged by her own people, Kora is the unspoken shame of her father, King Midas. Even knowing that her notoriously golden skin is a result of his carelessness, King Midas punishes his daughter by neglecting her.

And boy, does Kora take her shot! We get to follow her through land and sea, love and betrayal, all while on a dire mission filled with twists. That aspect made the novel touching; adding individuality and uniqueness. With this book, it is easy to be reminded of how strong one can be when one is given the chance. Annie Sullivan wrote the type of story I love reading. This book is engaging and fun, while still maintaining a deeply powerful narrative.

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I am very glad I read this book. I also recommend this book to readers of ya retellings and fantasy. Aug 13, Lisa Mandina rated it really liked it. If you've followed my blog for very long, you know that I am a big fan of Fairy Tale retellings. And this book did not disappoint at all! It was quite a bit of a change in the story, maybe you could say an addition or expansion of the story and the characters in it. It was a pretty easy read, but had a lot of great world-building. I liked the ways the author changed or rewrote the whole curse of King Midas, as well as expanding it with the other curses often meted out by the Greek gods.

I liked If you've followed my blog for very long, you know that I am a big fan of Fairy Tale retellings. I liked Kora, Midas's daughter. You could see how hard it would be for her to be kept so isolated, when all she dreamed of was getting out and exploring the seas.

Touched by Gold

She has no hopes or dreams of actually finding a man and falling in love, not with how people react to her golden skin, and the fear of what her curse may be able to do. Then there is Aris, who comes along, and gives her hope that maybe someone could see past her skin, and potentially fall in love with her. When tragedy strikes, and they must go find the gold that has been stolen, Kora gets to realize part of her dream to travel the seas.

But things won't be all as they seem up front, of course. Those she thinks she can trust will not be truly reliable, and others that seem to not have her best interests at heart may actually be the ones to come through in the end. I really liked the story, and loved all the different aspects of mythology and other tales that were woven throughout the plot. And while it had an ending that was mostly resolved, I can see that there could be a sequel to this, unanswered questions and other issues.

I would say the characters would be good to read more about. Aug 26, Kasey Giard rated it really liked it. I can never resist an unusual myth or fairytale retelling, so when A Touch of Gold caught my eye, I knew I needed to get ahold of a copy. I found it to be a cool reimagining of a familiar tale. The prologue is long and kind of confusing. It kind of sets up the story by recounting the story of Midas and introducing Kora, but I think a lot of that information could have been included in the early chapters instead.

That would have mad I can never resist an unusual myth or fairytale retelling, so when A Touch of Gold caught my eye, I knew I needed to get ahold of a copy. That would have made the opening read more smoothly for me. Once I got into the story, though, I liked it a lot more. Eventually she finds some things to be happy about and even stops seeming quite so selfish, which was great.

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She definitely grew on me as the story progressed. I worried a little bit as I passed the halfway point, that A Touch of Gold was going to be a straightforward, boring story where it came to the romance. I loved the story even more after that point. A Touch of Gold proved to be a quick read and an entertaining one at that. Mar 19, Jennifer rated it it was amazing. I love that the main character, who is female, grows as a character throughout the book and in the end is able to gain confidence to save herself.

You can see my full review here! Plot twist, different aliases… new love interest… and it was great. Kora as the main character took some time to grow on me: The addition of her PTSD was also surprising. My biggest issue was the ending. I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I've always been a sucker for myth and fairytale retellings, so obviously I was excited to get my hands on this version of the Midas story. Princess Kora has been haunted by her father's touch ever since he accidentally transformed her into a gold statue. Thankfully, she's now a living, breathing human, but her skin has always held onto the golden sheen it once acquired.

Plus, she's got some magical powers, to boot. In ma I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. In many ways, this novel reminds me of that animated Sinbad movie. You know, the one with the snarky pirates and watery sirens? Imagine that movie, but with some extra mythology and a golden girl thrown in. You've got pirates, fight scenes, and plenty of stuff to keep you entertained. As great as the concept of this retelling was, there were a few things that bothered me.

First of all, the romance was one of the most predictable ones I've encountered in a while, which bored me and left the story lacking. Secondly, Kora is kind of I hate to say that, but truly, I just didn't see that much spirit or uniqueness in her character, other than the fact that she's been cursed since she was a small child.

Still, I wouldn't say I disliked this book. I was intrigued by Sullivan's take on the Midas legend and happy to see that she wove some character development into the various magical scenes. I certainly don't regret reading A Touch of Gold , but I just wouldn't label it as one of my favorite retellings. I've never read King Midas retelling and I quite enjoyed reading this book. The author did a great job on writing her own version of tale.

It has sea adventures, pirates, magical curses, gold, and sirens. The whole journey was a magical ride. Even though the plot was predictable for me, I really had fun reading this book. It was really a great debut and I'll definitely look forward to more books from Annie Sullivan. For now, it's a stand-alone novel but the ending felt like there might be a chance of another book in the future. King Midas has once had the ability to turn all he touched into Gold. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Thanks for telling us about the problem.

Return to Book Page. Preview — Touched by Gold by Kristen Kyle. Touched by Gold by Kristen Kyle.

Touched by Gold 3. The Promise of Gold On the heels of her greatest discovery, archaeologist Elysia Carlisle faced her most shattering betrayal. Her fiance absconded with the artifacts she had carefully collected, leaving her stranded and penniless. Gone was the map to an even greater treasure, a find she'd hoped would bring her glory before the imminent end of her career. Now Ellie was le The Promise of Gold Now Ellie was left with nothing but a mysterious stone talisman, her only clue to the treasure's location.

But someone possessed the talisman's mate -- Matt Devereaux, a handsome and infuriating gambler who also sought the lost fortune. The Perils of Passion Devereaux suggested they join forces, but Ellie feared trusting any man. Yet she needed his skills to pursue her quest on the rugged New Mexico frontier, where the wild animals weren't as dangerous as gold-crazed outlaws.

But even more treacherous to her was Devereaux himself. The reckless rogue aroused her long-denied desire, threatened her good sense, and was growing perilously close to unlocking the secrets of another closely guarded prize -- her heart. Paperback , pages. New Mexico , United States. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Touched by Gold , please sign up.

Lists with This Book. Harry Dresden's Love Slave rated it it was ok May 09, Melody Black rated it it was amazing Mar 01, Tricia Schneider rated it it was amazing Feb 17, Terri rated it liked it Oct 25, Eaudra rated it it was amazing Sep 30, Retroredux rated it liked it Apr 26, Genesis Kling rated it it was amazing Jun 08, Toni rated it really liked it Feb 20, Cindy Teague rated it liked it Apr 14,

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