Katharyn Blair crafts a fiercely feminist fantasy with a horrifying curse, swoon-worthy sea captains, and the power of one girl to choose her own fate in this contemporary standalone adventure that’s perfect for fans of The Fifth Wave and Seafire, and for anyone who has ever felt unchosen.For Charlotte Holloway, the world ended twice.The first was when her childhood crush, Dean, fell in love—with … was when her childhood crush, Dean, fell in love—with her older sister.
The second was when the Crimson, a curse spread through eye contact, turned the majority of humanity into flesh-eating monsters.
Neither end of the world changed Charlotte. She’s still in the shadows of her siblings. Her popular older sister, Harlow, now commands forces of survivors. And her talented younger sister, Vanessa, is the Chosen One—who, legend has it, can end the curse.
When their settlement is raided by those seeking the Chosen One, Charlotte makes a reckless decision to save Vanessa: she takes her place as prisoner.
The word spreads across the seven seas—the Chosen One has been found.
But when Dean’s life is threatened and a resistance looms on the horizon, the lie keeping Charlotte alive begins to unravel. She’ll have to break free, forge new bonds, and choose her own destiny if she has any hope of saving her sisters, her love, and maybe even the world.
Because sometimes the end is just a new beginning.
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After reading an ARC of The Beckoning Shadow by Katharyn Blair a couple years ago I was stoked when I heard her second novel was coming out in January of this year! After binge reading Unchosen in just a day, it quickly became one of my all-time favorite books. As always, please check out the trigger warnings on The StoryGraph before reading.
Basically, the novel revolves around Charlotte, who is surviving a plague that is transmitted by sight, alongside her older sister, Harlow, and her younger sister, Vanessa. Those left in the world that have not been infected carry all their hope with “The Chosen One,” that was named in the legend of Anne de Graaf, while those who are infected hunt down the curseclean with a harrowing singlemindedness. So, what’s the catch? Not only is Charlotte in love with her best friend, who happens to also be her older sister’s boyfriend, her younger sister is The Chosen One, and must be protected at all costs.
I adored so many aspects of this novel. Charlotte, the protagonist is definitely rough around the edges, but at the same time extremely likeable. Her development throughout the novel was fantastic and fun to read. Additionally, there was a charming romance between Charlotte and another character (I won’t spoil who it is!).
The tumultuous relationships Charlotte has with her sisters are both uncomfortable to read, but deeply endearing. Harlow doesn’t take a moment to see Charlotte as she is since she is too involved in running the militia of her community. While Charlotte pines away for Dean, Harlow’s boyfriend, Harlow is oblivious to Charlotte’s feelings and simply wants her to toughen up. On the other hand, Charlotte has an intense urge to protect her younger sister, Vanessa. She knows Vanessa is the key to ending the curse of the plague, but she believes keeping her safe in their small community is the best way to protect her.
My absolute favorite part of the novel is the feminist twist Blair added to it. The legend in the book really drove the story. Anne de Graaf’s ship was overtaken at sea and the captain of the ship that overtook Anne’s decided he was going to take her back with him. Knowing that a life with the captain would only be a life in a figurative cage, Anne climbed up on the bow of the ship and the captain yelled at her to look at him when he was speaking. Hence the plague caused by the curse is passed on through sight. Perhaps the most powerful parts of the novel are Anne’s last words before she jumps into the ocean: “You will not choose my end, for this heart is mine. Come find me in the depths! Write redemption on my bones. What bid my heart now turn to stone.” Truly powerful words that are relevant throughout the novel!
Overall, this book was definitely fantastic! There are so many YA novels about plagues, dystopian societies, The Chosen One, etc., but Blair crafted Unchosen in an especially unique way by focusing, not on The Chosen One, but on her sister and putting an emphasis on feminism. Honestly more YA books need themes of feminism in my opinion. I hope you get a chance to read Unchosen! Trust me, you won’t regret it!
Wow. This book…I just can’t even. This book amazed me to no ends! I had been curious to read it from the moment I received it, but put it off to finish other books and now I’m mad I waited so long to read it. Easily the best read of the year so far for me!
I loved how much this book take place at sea! That was an unexpected twist and made me think this book was like the Pirates of the Caribbean slash I Am Legend mixed together, with a villain who made me think of Moriarty immediately with the cursed zombie like people mixed with sci-fi and a hint of magical realism.
In this book we follow Charlotte, a girl who thinks she’s nobody, a coward, who has two other sisters that have such prominent places in the world. Harlow, her older sister is is fierce, brave and a commander of survivors. Her younger sister, Vanessa, is the Chosen One. They live in a world that has been exposed to a virus called the Crimson that turns people into basically zombies or cannibals, and the Chosen One is the only one who can save them. So, when their safe zone gets attacked, Charlotte decides the best way to protect her sister is to pretend to be the Chosen One and take her place. Charlotte does this to save her sister thinking she’s signing her own death warrant, but so much more happens once she’s taken away.
I LOVE Charlotte! I was rooting for her the whole time! She’s the most human and real person I’ve read about it in like ever. She’s probably more scared and afraid the entire book, and probably is wondering why the heck she’s doing the things she does or says, and yet, she does them! She’s so brave, she’s willing to do all she can to help save those she loves. And it’s okay to be scared. It’s a scary world out there, especially in this book, but you can be brave at the same time.
I loved the relationship between the sisters. So much like real sisters. They bicker and have their differences, but all they want to do is protect each other and prove to each other that they are capable of taking care of themselves and others. Then there’s the found family Charlotte finds. It was a rocky start, but ended up being such a beautiful thing she had in the end. She learned to help others, not just herself and her family.
And the romance oh the romance! I was swept off my feet. It was so sweet and beautiful especially during a time of such turmoil, it was just so heart-wrenchingly beautiful and gave me all the feels!
I’m telling you, if you’ve not read this, then go and read it! It’s so worth it, such a beautiful story set in such a gruesome and hopeless world.
How many times can the world end before it ends for good? Every time Charlotte Holloway thinks that she’s seen the worst, something worse happens. Now, she’s looking at the choice between saving her sisters and saving herself. Trouble is, none of them might make it through this alive.
Charlotte is a hot mess when all of this starts. She’s in love with her older sister’s boyfriend for starters. In addition, she feels like she’s forever in the shadow of her older sister, Harlow, a talented musician before the Crimson, and now a leader you don’t want to mess with. She also feels overshadowed by her younger sister, Vanessa, an adept gymnast and the Chosen One. As a middle child myself, I could fully relate to Char’s feelings regarding her sisters. Knowing what it’s like to be in her shoes (sort of), I was even happier as I watched her come into herself and fully grasp the person she was meant to be.
Harlow has a tendency as the older sister to be both overbearing and overprotective of her sisters. While this might be normal and natural, she kneecaps Char a bit with her rules and expectations. I think Char wouldn’t have taken so many risks if Harlow had given her more level footing to work from in the beginning. Vanessa isn’t given a whole lot of page time, which is a shame. She doesn’t get a chance to really develop as a character until near the end of the book.
The pirates were some of my favorite characters. Seth, of course, is the handsome, alpha captain, without many of the alpha hangups. Rielle, Lucia, and Thomas are his crew, each of which has their own endearing personalities. Rielle is sweet and funny and takes no time to warm up to you. Lucia is a bit gruffer, but you soon learn she’s a softie when she wants to be. Thomas was there to keep Rielle and Lucia from going off the rails, I think.
Probably the most interesting thing about this novel was the Crimson. It’s a deadly curse of sorts that’s spread via eye contact and, once you’ve caught it, you deteriorate into what’s basically a zombie. I thought that having it spread this way was a different sort of angle on the usual super flu or something similar. I also really adored the pirate angle. You have runners kidnapping those who haven’t been exposed and selling them off, and then the ones working against the runners to save their cargo. It made for some exciting reading.
Unchosen is a different sort of adventure story. One where the not-chosen takes on the role of the chosen in an attempt to save the true Chosen One. A true story of love, family, and determination against the odds.
I did not expect to love this as much as I did! It started off a little slowly but picked up and was a race to the finish. I read most of it in one sitting. It was hard to put down!!
I loved, loved, loved the theme of this book in choosing – especially choosing yourself.
Charlotte felt their was nothing special about herself. She has always been in the shadow of her sisters. Her best friend, Dean, who she is secretly in love with, is even dating one of her sisters.
Even this zombie apocalypse has not changed her being in the shadows. Harlow is a commander of survivors and Vanessa is the Chose One, who legend says, can cure the curse.
Charlotte becomes a prisoner in place of Vanessa to save her life. Its hard keeping up the lie as things start to unravel and Charlotte will have to choose her destiny if she wants to save the lives of those she loves.
The characters are wonderful, the story and action keeps you captivated and oh my goodness, the ending!!!!
Unchosen follows Charlotte through the apocalypse on the sea as she seeks to find her family, the boy she loves, and find an ending to the Crimson curse.
Captivating Storytelling
Blair did an incredible job of recreating the apocalypse for Unchosen. It is a horror story, but this is not just another zombie apocalypse. The story has a fantastical connection to a real historical figure of Anne de Graaf (aka Anne Dieu-le-Veut), an 18th-century female buccaneer. This added element of creating some fantasy out of history to tie together the horror and science fiction make the story engaging.
However, more so is the fluidity of Unchosen. The way Blair structures the story keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end. The story begins with Charlotte reliving the moment the world ended for her, both times. It is a captivating way to lure the reader into the story, setting up the stage for the rise of the Crimson, the curse spread through eye contact. That already is a unique way to spin this horror trope giving it a uniqueness that readers will appreciate.
Unchosen follows Char onto the ocean, where there are pirates in a modern-day age. The adventure, the various villains, and the horror element all balance each other to give the story a compelling edge.
Characterization
Blair worked hard to make the characters compelling. Charlotte is the middle sister and has always felt outshined by both her sisters. Now, while the sisterly dynamic is fantastic, it is not without tension. Harlow, her older sister, was in a popular band before the apocalypse and her sister was a rising star gymnast. Charlotte has always been Charlotte, the great supporter of her sisters fascinated in history and puzzles much like their father. However, with Harlow becoming a commander and her younger sister the Chosen One, Char feels inferior to both.
The insecurities that Char feels resonate with the reader. They give her humanity and allow her to have such significant character development. Seeing Char grow and find strength in her identity, in the things that make her unique, lend her strength.
Final Thoughts
Unchosen is, put, a fantastic novel. This novel is unique and focuses on building up a strong dynamic between sisters, even through the tough times, while giving the “zombie” horror trope a unique spin that keeps the story from being predictable and boring.
Thank you Katherine Tegen Books, MB Communications, and Netgalley for giving me an ARC copy of this book for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings expressed are my own.
I don’t know where to start. Some people will be surprised that I picked up this book to read since I do not like post-apocalyptic, dystopian, or zombie books. But this book…I loved it so much. What made me take such a huge chance on this book was solely based on one line when it was pitched:
“UNCHOSEN is a fiercely feminist story about finding freedom and being the hero in the way you’re meant to be. ”
Something about that line stuck with me for a few days and I just couldn’t shake the take a chance feeling that I had. I am so happy that this time I listened to that feeling.
The women in this book are some of the best female characters I have seen in forever. I loved how this book points out how each one is different and yet they are all strong in their own way.
Charlotte threw herself into danger to save her younger sister because she thought she was expendable only to learn throughout the story how strong she is.
This book is like a war cry for any girl that thought she wasn’t enough.
If anything about this book appeals to you I say pick it up! Take a chance.
Thank you Megan Beatie Communications and Katherine Tegen Books for an advanced copy and a finished copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
UNCHOSEN
By: Katharyn Blair
REVIEW
Always, I have loved dystopian stories, and I like pirates most of the time. On the flip side, I’m not a fan of zombie apocalypse stories at all because they have been done to death. UNCHOSEN is a combination featuring all of these things, and I had reservations initially. Fortunately, my doubts were unfounded.
First, though, let’s not overlook the amazing cover art because it’s awesome. To read this story a suspension of disbelief is required, so just go with it. Imagine this premise in reality. A curse virus type of thing (called The Crimson), spread through eye contact, turns people into flesh eating monsters. But, these are not your garden variety zombies. If they were, I wouldn’t have read this book because I hate those. No, this is different.
Three sisters are involved. Harlow, the oldest, most beautiful and a leader of survivors. Vanessa, the youngest, has been deemed the chosen one who will save humanity. And, Charlotte, the lackluster middle child and heroine of our story, who feels completely bland and unworthy of anything. But, seriously, who can live up to having a sister as the chosen one? Not me! (I have no sisters). One day, raiders come for Vanessa, but Charlotte convinces them that she is the chosen one so they will take her instead. And they do. Cue hot pirates and swashbuckling action and all that entails. But, no spoilers here!
I like the universal appeal of this story. Charlotte feels kind of invisible, useless and devoid of any purpose in life. Haven’t a lot of us felt like this at some point? I certainly have! In saving Vanessa, Charlotte also begins to save herself, although she doesn’t realize this at the time. She goes on a journey, both physically and emotionally and literally and metaphorically, that is life altering and affirming. A discovery of self, family and humanity that cements Charlotte as the person she was always meant to be. Additionally, the story is big on female bonds, and I think we need more of this in books today-female empowerment and place in the world-because it matters.
Finally, I was completely taken with UNCHOSEN and impressed with Katharyn Blair’s ability to take seemingly odd pairings and bizarre sounding elements and weave them into a beautiful tapestry. I was delightfully surprised by the whole thing! Although I am very happy to have read an excellent standalone story (I am not a fan of series), I actually wish this book would continue. Talk about irony! Anyway, just read it!
Unchosen is a fast-paced young adult fantasy about a girl who will do anything to protect those she loves. The Crimson is a virus that is spread through eye contact and turns people into zombie-like monsters. When Charlotte’s parents fall victim to the Crimson, Charlotte and her sister’s lives are forever changed.
Charlotte is determined to protect her younger sister, who is The Chosen One – the person who supposedly can stop the virus and save the world. When her sister’s life is threatened by raiders, Charlotte pretends to be the Chosen One. The raiders take her, which leads Charlotte on a danger-filled, epic odyssey filled with flesh-eating monsters, pirates, and fierce women who will do whatever it takes to protect those they love.
I loved Charlotte’s character and growth throughout the novel. She is the middle sister and often feels ordinary in comparison to the other girls. She loves her older, popular sister and her younger, talented sister but feels she pales in comparison. It takes an apocalypse and being on her own for Charlotte to find herself.
Charlotte is strong and resilient, a determined person who survives against all odds. Deadly viruses, flesh-eating monsters, pirates, and more threaten her at every turn. Charlotte’s character goes through so much throughout the story, which helps her realize just how fierce she really is. Charlotte examines what it feels like to be ordinary compared to others and finds out how truly extraordinary she is.
Though the ending felt a bit rushed and some of the characters weren’t as dynamically developed as Charlotte, I enjoyed this stand-alone coming-of-age story with its immersive world and dynamic protagonist. I think it will appeal to readers who like young adult apocalyptic fiction. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Katherine Tegen Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
What a decorated apocalyptic world that has such a fresh take that is new and different. It is full of great characters and a storyline that is like no other I’ve read before. Author Blair has created a scary new future with terrifying new zombie like monsters who can destroy the surviving world of humanity.
*****
They knew the end was coming but not exactly when; so when Charlotte, Harlow & Vanessa lose their parents, they are on their own.
They have taken refuge near where they lived with other survivors and have formed a settlement. This includes a childhood friend, Dean, that Charlotte has always crushed on, but saddened when her older sister Harlow begins dating him. Harlow also becomes the leader of their encampment that tries to defend themselves against the apocalyptic invading vessels also known as zombies.
These zombies were brought about because of a horrifying curse called Crimson. It is highly contagious and is spread by looking into eyes. There seem to be some of these monsters at varying stages and they are out to find the Chosen One to end the curse and will destroy anything in their path.
Charlotte puts forth her bravery by protecting her sisters and tries to outwit these deadly creatures. She does this because she values her sisters lives above her own. Soon she must forge out her own path against pirates of the high seas, a curse and the zombie apocalypse. It is a deeply resonating read that shows how far someone will go for family, loyalty and their own identity.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Charlotte’s world ended when a curse, called the Crimson, is unleashed on the world, turning people into flesh-eating monsters via eye contact with the infected. Charlotte is the middle child and often feels like she is in the shadow of her sisters. Harlow is her older sister and was extremely popular and in a band before the Crimson started but turned into a fearless warrior and now acts as the commander of the army of survivors. Vanessa is Charlotte’s younger sister and was on her way to becoming an Olympic gymnast when the Crimson hits, and is, as legend tells it, is the chosen one who can end the curse.
Things I liked about this book: I enjoyed the plot twists and the twist on the apocalypse. I love how the “zombies” are different than they normally are portrayed, and I loved the twist on how the curse is transmitted between the infected and the people who have not been infected yet. I also LOVED the character development of Charlotte throughout the book and could relate to her on a personal level as the middle child who is often overlooked. I also really enjoyed when she went from the unimpressive middle sister to the one that did whatever she had to do to protect her sisters and end the curse on the world.
Things I did not like: There were so many conflicts and obstacles in this story! There was a zombie-like curse that spreads through eye contact, magic, pirates / treasure hunt and a love triangle where Charlotte has been in love with her best friend, Dean but he is dating her sister, Harlow. It made the story interesting, but also convoluted.