A Touch Mortal (The Siders, #1)

by Leah Clifford

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

A Touch Mortal is a wonderfully written, heart pounding, well established novel that will leave reader's yearning for the next book to come in the series. Clifford's writing is beautifully poetic and hauntingly moving, it lends itself well to giving wonderful background knowledge and multi-layered depth to certain character's.

The cast of character's is vast, yet they are given strong multi-flavored personality characteristics that make them both likeable and relatable at best, in an attempt at giving the story strong purpose. Eden, the novel's main protagonist, is a strong-willed, intelligent, fiercely independent individual with quite a bit of spunk. She is easily likeable and reader's can and will find her character to be a bit sympathetic. Az and Gabe, are both interesting as well, and they come with their own set of choices, shouldered responsibility, and interesting plot twists that will leave reader's questioning them a bit, but still sympathetic to their own plight.

One of the best things about this book and this cast of wonderful character's, is that none of them are black and white. While some may appear to be good on the outside, are in truth wickedly dark and sinister on the inside, as well as mysteriously intriguing. Clifford does a lovely job at focusing not only on developing the plot and moving it along at a rapid pace, but also in taking great care where her character's are concerned and making sure there is constant focus on them. They simply do not fade into the background, while taking a backseat to the plot. They stay, pretty much in the forefront of the book and where they belong. It's their story, really. She just gets to tell it.

There are deeper meanings and moments, that are sprinkled through-out the book, that reader's will engaging, captivating, and moving at best. Along with many suspenseful twists and turns in plot and dynamic, that will keep reader's gasping for more. The ending, is something that they will absolutely not see coming, yet they will be left wanting more.

The world-building of this novel, is absolutely thrilling and fantastic. It is richly dark and compelling. Mysteriously filled with a gritty look at the underbelly of being touched mortal. The Sider's are an interesting aspect, interwoven in the plot and the references to both Heaven and Hell as Upstairs and The Basement are unique and fun in a darker sense of meaning. Clifford has this way of setting this dark eerie tone and blending it in so well that the atmosphere of her book is a bit chill-inducing. This isn't your typical novel involving angels swooping in to save the day. It's a much darker, grittier, bit of gory take on the other side. I'd say that I found it to be quite refreshing, that this novel was so uniquely and cleverly written, with brilliant character's and a wonderful suspenseful plot that was able to twist my stomach into knots with every twist and turn.

The only drawback or reservation that I personally have with this book, is what appears to be insta-love that happens quite quickly between Az and Eden. As lovely as they were to read, more and more I feel as if insta-love is being used a little too frequently for my tastes. I would much prefer a strong slow-buring build-up to a romanctic relationship between two cleverly written character's, than for any would-be relationship to appear to be this easy. I guess, I just don't personally understand the mechanics of insta-love or the appeal for it. Love isn't love in just a matter of seconds or a twenty-four hour timespan. It happens over a period of time, as one character gets to know another one, and proceeds to fall in love with them and then they go through a series of moments before they realize just how much the other character means in their life. I just wish it wouldn't have been so easy between Az and Eden in the beginning.

I found myself feeling a bit sorry for Adam, as he was falling love with Eden all the while she could never fully let him in or feel for him, what he felt for her because Az took up a great deal of her heart. That was a love triangle, that I found quite enjoyable, even though I was a touch more inclined to be sympathetic moreso to Adam than in Az's behalf. Though I never saw the plot twist coming as far as Adam or Libby were concerned, which plucky and genius Clifford gets definite bonus points for that.

A Touch Mortal is an action-packed, highly emotionally charged, thrilling, intensely amazing gothic novel that will take reader's breath away. I would recommend this book to fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen series or Kelly Creagh's Nevermore. They will love this series.