A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: Feburary 22, 2011
Pages: 432
Source: library
Buy It: Amazon | Borders | Barnes & Noble

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. --Goodreads

A suicidal girl, Eden, falls in love with an angel, Az. When they are together, Eden loses sight of her path. Az and Gabriel, his friend, conducts an “illusion” to get her on the right path again. Now the two must save Eden from Luke, who catches the eye of all of Az’s pretty things.

Among Nevermore and Anna and the French Kiss, this book has earned a place in my favorites that I’ve read this year. This book was fantastic. Actually beyond fantastic, truly remarkable.

The plot was unique and original. Angels and Siders hanging out together? And Siders: siders are a type of people who commit suicide and seem to have no path, how cool does that sound. As soon as I read that in the first chapter or so, I was hooked, knowing that this might be the coolest book I’ve read all year. Or the coolest book with the most unique idea.

I loved how Gabe always watched his friends. He was like an Edward Cullen—I watch you when you sleep—sort of character, but Clifford never once made the fact seem creepy or stalker-ish, just part of Gabe’s protectiveness with his friends. Az was the boy I’ve been missing my whole life. He was adorable. Throughout the story, Az would show up occasionally and make the whole world brighter. Eden’s relationship with him seemed controlled. I know if I was faced with the choice to go back into Az’s arms or stay with my friends, I would have definitely chosen Az’s arms. Eden was stubborn, yet controlled and that made her a great main character. Adam was the best friend, the puppy dog following his master—no matter how I make that sound, these cast of characters are definitely not clichéd. Each one, in turn, gave a spin on the plot and I never stopped learning about their characteristics.

The end was so unbelievable. Without giving too much away, Libby was always my favorite in the group of Siders. She didn’t let me down, even though she did add that twist at the end. At the end of the novel, it felt like someone dumped a bucket of cold water on my head (that would feel great in this heat); that was how shocking this ending was. And those are the best kinds of endings.

Leah Clifford is a genius. Bringing this amazing idea to life is truly commendable. Her writing style was great. The chapter had a certain flow that no matter how hard you tried, you could never stop at just one. Whether you are a Supernatural fan or like paranormal romances such as The Vampire Diaries, you have to read A Touch Mortal because you are missing out!

First Sentence:

"Eden dug her hand into the damp sand, black polish chipping off the tips of her fingernails."

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford, p. 1

Rating:

Characters: 5
Plot: 5
Cover: 4
Writing Style: 5
Ending: 5
Overall: 5