Book Review: A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

Reading Level: Young Adult

Release Date: February 22, 2011

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Pages: 432

Source: Received from publicist/author for honest review

Summary: Eden didn't expect Az. Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings. Yeah. So long happily-ever-after. Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven. She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own. And that's only the beginning of the end.

My Review: You know what I love about debut authors sometimes? They have the ability to transform an overused concept into something new and fresh. This being said, Leah's novel, A Touch Mortal, did exactly that. Sometime last year, angels started becoming popular amongst the YA genre. So, when I heard about this angelic addition, I didn't know what to expect. Thankfully, A Touch Mortal contributed a vast approach to groundbreaking elements that didn't shy away from pushing the envelope. Eden's introduction started out with depth, considering her state of mind was filled with suicidal thoughts. However, the moment two figures stumble upon her with cheesy pick up lines, her true sarcastic nature shined through.

These two guys were Az and Gabe, a scrumptious pair of angels I wouldn't mind hanging out with. Az at first came off a little jerkish which eerily grabbed Eden's heart strings. A few might say the romance bloomed too fast but, being a believer of love at first sight, in this case it felt natural. However, she held her stubborn ground and never once turned into a naive girl. I liked the fact that she was witty with comebacks, and swore like a sailor. Now Gabe, was an overall delight, too bad he plays for the other team, or else I'd hit on him first. Did you just mention a gay angel? Yes, you heard right, how freakin' awesome is that! I've never seen it in YA and I'm happy to see Leah developed these realistic characters. Moving on, besides angels, I was presented with an innovative aspect surrounding the Siders. These beings were once humans with no paths. Their unfortunate escape was through committing suicide which in turn made them into immortal beings who have the touch to break another mortals psyche.

I know my description sounds a bit confusing, but I assure you Leah does a better job explaining. There are so many complex occurrences that I wouldn't be able to justify her writing ideas. But, I will say I have a feeling their will be a misconception surrounding the suicide aspect of the book. In my opinion, the overall execution for incorporating such a tragic incident with a supernatural spin was tastefully done. So, I recommend having an open mind while reading because, at the end of the day it's a thought provoking read with a supernatural vibe like no other. Finally, the whirlwind betrayals and unfortunate discoveries that Eden experienced controlled my attention from start to finish. My investment in the story remained strong until the end which left me drooling for the sequel! Oh Leah, you sure do know how to leave us hanging. Let's just say I gasped and then exclaimed, "No *beeeeeepin* way!"

• Good for ages: 14 and older
• Material contains: A lot of cursing
• Is the sequel worth reading? Hell freakin' yes!

My Rating: (4.5)

Author's Info:

Leah Clifford currently lives in Ohio with her (mostly) blind cat and her roommate, who she's been friends with since sixth grade. In her spare time she loves to travel and has been known to drive over two hours to get kickass quesadillas. So far for jobs she's sold corn at a roadside stand, been a pizza delivery girl, a camp counselor, an extreme cave tour guide, a flight attendant, a waitress (x3), a grocery store clerk and a writer. Out of all of them, writing has been the most fun. She's pretty sure she's gonna stick with it.

For more info on Leah, visit her sites:

-Website

-Blog

-Twitter

-Facebook

-GoodReads