Review: A Human Element by Donna Galanti

A Human Element
by Donna Galanti
Publisher: Echelon Press
Published: March 10, 2012
Genre: Adult Science Fiction/ Paranormal
Source: Author in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*Barnes and Noble/Amazon
*purchases made through buy links support this blog

One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next. Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite–her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a mad man, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together. But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test. With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his and she has two choices–redeem him or kill him.

I was drawn to the synopsis of A Human Element by Donna Galanti and it's promise of a girl with healing powers and a serial killer who haunts her dreams.  Galanti delivered a dark, gritty tale with a science-fiction twist that was both fascinating and disturbing. Three word review: dark, suspenseful and hopeful.

The tale begins with a tragic event caused by a meteorite. We then follow the lives of two strangers; Laura Armstrong an adopted woman with the power to heal who is surrounded in tragedy and Ben Fieldstone an orphaned man who strayed and then pulls himself back together. Both are plagued by dreams/nightmares and seek closure and understanding from events in their past. He returns to the summer town where he and his parents vacationed and Lauren returns to her hometown after another tragic event has her reeling. The tale that unfolds was dark, violent, tender and suspenseful as together they must face a mad killer.

Laura is such a unique and refreshing character. She is naïve at times and eternally optimistic despite the cards fate has dealt her. She knows she is different and guards her secret. Plagued by tragedy she still manages to see the beauty in a sunrise. Ben is plagued by guilt, and tormented by events from his past. He was lost, and now lives as a nomad. With the exception of one close friend he keeps the world at a distance. They both have dreamed about the other and when they meet there is an instant connection. This had a little insta-love feel but the set up allowed me to accept it. A stranger has appeared throughout both of their lives and he fascinated me. I liked how the author kept his intentions shadowed. The killer's thoughts are shared with us.  His upbringing has made him dark, sinister and blood thirsty. He has unimaginable power and feels such pain. Mr. B an old hermit living on the mountainside was a lovable figure and I enjoyed his interactions with Laura and eventually Ben. Other characters help guide the duo and steer the tale.

Galanti’s tale is a unique one and was well paced. It is very dark and violent at times, even uncomfortable for the reader as she gives us a detailed account of the violence as it unfolds. Some of the subject matter is taboo and added to the suspenseful and sinister feel of the tales darker moments. I squirmed as I read some scenes and was both disturbed and disgusted by the evil perpetrated. Galanti also gives us light, love and hope within the pages that helped offset the dark and allowed me to catch my breath. There is a violent climactic scene and then the author makes us privy to hope, rebirth and a unique chance. I really liked the ending and loved how she took this book from such horrible darkness to brilliant light.

Fans of dark science-fiction, suspense and romance will enjoy A Human Element and it's unique paranormal tale. While at times disturbing the author held my attention and gave me one heck of a ride.

Three and half cups of espresso out of five 

Review: Imaginable by J. Meyers

Imaginable
by J. Meyers
Series: Intangible #2
Publication date: April 16, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: Author in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon
*purchases through buy links support this blog
My review of book one: Intangible 

Twins Sera and Luke Raine’s unusual abilities are growing. Sera is healing vampires now, making them human again. And, at times, Luke can actually change the future he Sees. But Sera’s healing has dangerous consequences, and though Luke is altering the outcome of more visions, he can’t control them yet. Now Sera is in danger as the dark creatures of the Realm seek to use her. As Luke struggles to master his gift in order to save his sister, he discovers even more about his powers. And what he learns just may put him in greater danger than Sera has ever been.

Last year I read and enjoyed Intangible the first book in J. Meyers Intangible series and I found it to be a refreshing tale filled with Fae, prophecy, vampires and danger, so I was excited to dive into Imaginable book two of the series.  Imaginable quickly drops us back into this exciting world as our protagonists confront danger and move towards stopping the prophecy.  Three word review: captivating, magical and action-packed.

From the previous book we know that twins Sera and Luke possess special gifts. Sera can heal and Luke can see the future. Meyers wasted no time diving back into the action and for those who haven’t read book one, I fear you will be lost and confused at the onset. It took me a minute to recall characters etc. Word has spread about Sera’s previous healings and the unintended consequences. Soon a group of paranormal creatures want Sera to heal them, and they will stop at nothing to get what they want. Action packed and filled with danger, suspense, and a little romance this tale kept me swept up in the never ending action.

The tale is told from the POV’s of Sera and Luke with a few POV’s from Fey and Jonas allowing us a closer look at the characters themselves.  I like the twins, despite the fact that they tend to react rather than think things through. Of the two Sera sometimes grated on my nerves as she repeatedly ignored warnings from others.  Fey and Quinn were ever present and I enjoyed them. We learned more about Fey and I love how her character is fleshed out. I really enjoyed some of the more tender moments she shared with Luke.  We meet a new light elf, who I am oh so curious about and see old enemies and friends.  Ooh, and my favorite character, Jonas is back with a lot of face time! He is loyal, super cute and oh so deadly!  I am enjoying the interaction between Sera and Jonas from their banter to the delicious courtship that is developing. I am anxious to see how it develops, despite being forbidden it feels genuine. We see growth in abilities and character growth. In book two we get a closer look at how the characters develop and see relationships forming. Of course we have plenty of villains who add to the suspense.

Meyers knows how to deliver a fast paced tale with characters you easily connect with. Luke and Sera’s abilities along with the paranormal world she has created offer up not stop action. Several twists and subplots kept me flipping the pages. The world-building is one aspect I enjoy as we travel between realms, and learned about the prophecy but I didn't feel like this advanced the plot and it fell into that middle book syndrome. The descriptions were beautiful and I could clearly see the scenes before me. I consumed this in a few hours and enjoyed it but felt the plot wavered a bit and would have liked to see it be more focused. The romantic aspects are served as a side dish to the tale itself and Meyers does a wonderful job of weaving all of the threads together and making them feel genuine. As I closed the book, I was left wanting more and feel we have come around full circle and are ready to discover what happens next. 

Fans of Intangible will enjoy Imaginable the second book in this action-packed series. Want more Jonas, read the novella, Indomitable. At this time there is no news on the third books expected publication.

Three and half coffee cups out of five

Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Born Wicked
by Jessica Spotswood
Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: February 7, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source : Purchase
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
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 Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave. Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

Born Wicked with its beautiful cover sat in my TBR pile for way too long but I am glad that I finally immersed myself into the dark world of the Cahill Witch series. Jessica Spotswood created a dangerous world for witches and woman. She introduces us to three eccentric sisters who are all witches. I quickly consumed this tale in a single day and cannot wait to continue the story. Three word review: suspenseful, dark and captivating.

The tale is set in the late 1900’s in a dark, deeply religious period about two days travel from New London at the home of the Cahill sisters. Cate Cahill is the oldest and approaching her seventeenth year. When she will have to do one of the following: accept a marriage proposal, join the sisterhood or allow the priests of the Brotherhood to select a husband for her. Cate lives with her two sisters and absentee father. The girls are getting a reputation as bluestockings but the truth is they are witches. This is a dark period where woman are regularly accused of witchcraft. The judgment is swift, often unfounded and they are shipped to the asylum, a prison camp or mysteriously disappear. Some suspect they are dead. The girl’s mother died and upon her death bed made Cate promise to keep their secret and protect her sisters. A mysterious note, a lost diary and a newly arrived governess are about to set Cate’s world upside down and the tale that unfolds held me spellbound as Spotswood took me into this world.

The Cahill girls were all interesting. Cate doesn't embrace her magic and is very over-protective of her sisters. She fears their discovery. She is dealing with uncertainty and doesn't know who to trust. Clues left by her mother, and threats all have her confused. I admired her, wanted to hug her and found her to be level headed and intelligent. Tess is the youngest and the magic flows from her. She is sweet and eternally optimistic. Maura is the middle child and desperate to be noticed. She loves to read romances and wants to escape the small-town doldrums. She is constantly at war with Cate and sees her as overbearing. While I didn't like her I certainly understood her. The relationship between Tess and Cate was more mother/daughter and sweet. We see typical sister dynamics and as the oldest of four children, the first three being girls all eighteen months apart I understood the bickering, and shenanigans. The father is absent for most of the story immersing himself in business after the loss of his beloved wife. He does share forbidden books with his girls and has educated them despite the unpopularity of it with the Brotherhood. We have a little love triangle, but the heroine doesn't lose her head over it and instead loses her heart. While it’s a big part of the story it really reflects more on the many obstacles effecting Cate’s decisions. What occurred felt genuine and my heart broke a little. Ooo the villains of this tale the Brotherhood and Sisterhood added to the dark, ominous suspense and gave me the willies!

Spotswood’s world building was fabulous and I really got a sense of the dark period the girl’s lives in. Through Cate’s discoveries we learn about the dynamics of this world, its history and about a prophecy that has all parties involved. The author intertwines the daughters of Persephone into the tale and it was cleverly done and set the tone. We are slowly given details and ultimately they affect every decision Cate must make. The tale was well paced, with a mix of light and dark scenes that offset each other giving me as a reader a chance to breathe against the dark world and events. The last part of the book flew at a dizzying pace, had my heart racing and ended with a cliffhanger that made me oh so glad I waited till closer to the release of book two to read this.

Fans of witchy tales will enjoy the dark, suspenseful tale Spotswood delivers in Born Wicked. Star Cursed the next book in the Cahill Witch Chronicles releases on June 18, 2013. Be sure and look for my release day review.

Four and half cups of coffee out of five

Release Day Review: The Night Is Watching by Heather Graham

The Night Watching
by Heather Graham
Series: Krewe of Hunters # 9
Publisher: Harlequin Mira 
Publication date: June 1, 2013
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Source: ARC in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases through buy links support this blog 

The dead of night. The Old West town of Lily, Arizona, is home to the Gilded Lily, a former theater...and bawdy house. These days, it offers theatrical productions geared to tourists, but the recent discovery of a skull, a real skull, among the props and costumes shakes everyone up.  So, who do you call? The Krewe of Hunters, a special FBI unit of paranormal investigators. In this case, it's agent Jane Everett. Jane's also a talented artist who creates images of the dead as they once were. But the Krewe always works with local law enforcement, and here that means Sloan Trent, former Houston cop and now sheriff. His great-great-grandmother was an actress at the Gilded Lily...and she's not resting in peace.  Then more remains appear in the nearby desert. As they search for answers, using all the skills at their disposal, Jane and Sloan find themselves falling into danger--and into love.

The Night is Watching is the ninth book in the Krewe of Hunters, but each of them can be read as a standalone. Each book in the series deals with a new case for the special paranormal unit of the FBI and focuses on one of member of their unit and their romance. In this tale the past and present intertwine as dead bodies from the past and present begin to appear. I quickly became swept up in the mystery. Three word review: ghost-town, suspense, legends.

The Night is Watching takes us to the Old West and a town called Lily in Arizona. The town’s claim to glory is the Gilded Lily a former theater and bawdy house. The main street of town has been preserved in its former glory and rumor has it ghosts haunt the buildings. The old jail is now a hotel where you can stay in famous cells and the Gilded Lily has rooms for you to stay in, a fine restaurant and puts on nightly theatrical shows. Sloan Trent is a former Houston cop, who left when his uncle became ill and accepted a job as the local Sheriff. He stayed on since the quiet life suits him just fine. When an old skull wearing a wig shows up in the theater he calls his old friend and former partner Logan. Logan is now working for the FBI and Sloan asks him for the name of a respectable forensic anthropologist. Logan sends a team member, Agent Jane Everett to reconstruct the skull. Ghosts, murder and mayhem ensue as Jane and Sloan must piece together the mysteries of the past to solve a present day case involving murder.

Sloan is an interesting character and we learn his ancestors go back to the town’s origins. While he misses the action of the big city, he is comfortable in his ancestral home with his horses and the spirit of his uncle. He is level headed, smexy and respected. Jane Everett an artist and trained FBI agent who loves her job. She is cautious, clever and confident. The chemistry between the two of them was interesting. While they both found each other attractive, things started off a little icy, but as the ice melted the tale began to burn. Graham provided a delicious cast of characters with the townsfolk of Lily. It was fun trying to decide whodunit. The ghosts and their stories were fascinating and was one of my favorite parts of the tale.

I loved the setting; it was like an episode on one of those haunted places TV shows. Lily, Arizona lives for its tourist and the colorful past Graham gave it was interesting. I thought she did a clever job of weaving past legends and unsolved mysteries into the present murders. While I had an idea of whodunit, I must admit I was a little shocked when the players were revealed. The romance was sweet, but sometimes I wanted to shoot Sloan for forgetting Jane is a trained professional and not a damsel in distress. When they connected it felt genuine. As always her tale was paced well and I quickly became caught up, I loved piecing things together and watching it all unfold.

Fans of romantic suspense mixed with a little paranormal woo-woo will enjoy The Night is Watching and the Krewe of Hunter series.

Three and half cups of coffee from the Gilded Lily out of five

Review: After Dark by Emi Gayle

After Dark
by Emi Gayle
Series: The 19th Year #1
Publisher: J. Taylor 
Publication date: October 1, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
Source: purchase
*purchases through links support this blog

What eighteen year old Mac Thorne doesn't know will probably kill her. In exactly eight months, five days, three hours and thirteen minutes, Mac has to choose what she'll be for the rest of her life. She has no choice but to pick. As a Changeling, it's her birthright. To Mac, it's a birthchore. Like going to school with humans, interacting with humans, and pretending to be human during the pesky daylight hours. Once darkness descends, Mac can change into any supernatural form that exists-which makes her as happy as she can be. That is, until Winn Thomas, the biggest geek in her senior class, figures out there's more to what hides in the dark than most are willing to acknowledge. In this first of the 19th Year Trilogy, Winn might know more about Mac than even she does, and that knowledge could end their lives, unless Mac ensures the powers-that-be have no choice but to keep him around.

After reading the synopsis for After Dark I was excited to get my hands on this new paranormal series and Emi Gayle started with a bang. It’s the story of a changeling who must determine by the end of her nineteenth year what type of supernatural creature she will be and take her rightful place on the council. Action-packed and filled with supernatural creatures I was immediately swept into the world and its characters.

The tale begins when we meet eighteen year old Mac Thorne as she rapidly approaches her nineteenth birthday. She is a changeling and has lived with her guardians a vampire and a witch as she hones her skills and chooses her destiny. Like any typical teen at this age she isn't sure what she wants to be when she grows up. By day she attends school with “humans” and at night she takes the form of all kinds of supernatural creatures. Things are about to heat up for her, as something is attacking her, she interacts with "humans" and the council begins to pressure her to choose her destiny. She meets Winn Thomas, a geeky, smexy senior who is carrying around an ancient book about her and she sets out to get it from him. The tale that unfolds was delightful. 

Mac is strong, stubborn and determined. She is also smart, snarky, and a total badass. We see tremendous growth in her as a character over the course of the first book and it was fun to watch. She is a changeling faced with selecting one creature but the author hints that Mac is more and I cannot wait to discover what. Winn is such a loveable guy, he is sweet, cute and believable.  He is a good guy and I found him to be charming, witty and bright. His little sister was interesting from the start and added to the tale. Her guardians were present, supportive and I loved the demon that interacted with them. The council was a hoot and they each had their own unique voice.

Gayle weaves an original tale that blended paranormal and urban fantasy. I quickly connected and slipped into that sweet spot I love when I am engaged in a good book. The world-building was well done, with suspenseful threads and foreshadowing throughout. I found the council and supernatural creatures  to be fascinating and am anxious to learn more about them. We see some intense action scenes that will leave you breathless, mixed in with funny, romantic and insightful moments. The author gave each character a distinct voice and steered away from the usual tropes in young adult. There is no insta-love, triangle or absentee parental unit. It was so refreshing. The romance that develops was sweet to watch unfold and built slowly out of trust. The tale ends without a cliffhanger and gives us a clear sense or expectation of where the next book will take us.

After Dark is a must read for those who enjoy young-adult paranormal and urban fantasy. Day After the next book in the series released May 6, 2013 and you can find my review here on the blog May 23^rd.  An awesome start to this trilogy and I will definitely be reading more of Gayle’s works.

Four and half cups of caramel macchiato coffee out of five

Coffee Pot Reviews: Wounded Angel by Stacy Gail and Sweet Soldier by Misty Evans

 
Welcome to Coffee Pot Reviews! These are short and sweet reviews done in the length of time it takes my coffee pot to brew! I have two yummy adult books to share from the Earth Angel and Kali Sweet series. 

Adult books contain mature content and are not intended for readers under 18 years of age.  

Wounded Angel
by Stacy Gail
Series: Earth Angels #3
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication date: May 27, 2013
Genre: Adult Paranormal
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon
ARC provided by author for unbiased review
My review of Nobody's Angel #1 & Savage Angel #2
*purchase through buy links supports this blog

A descendant of the Angel of Vengeance, Nate da Luca was gifted with an uncanny ability to find things. It made his job as a detective a breeze—until he learned the hard way that some things should remain hidden. After that, his powers vanished, along with his belief in himself. Which is going to make tracking down Gabriella Littlefield for his latest client a challenge. Personal trainer Ella Little paid a hefty price for her life—now all she wants is to live it in peace. Then a sexy hulk of a man turns up in her gym, reigniting desires she thought she'd left behind along with her real name and hair color. Desires she can't deny even after she discovers Nate's no stranger to her dark past. Before he can convince her the attraction is mutual, Nate's going to have to earn Ella's trust. But a demon is playing for keeps in the world of humans, using Ella as bait, and the last thing they have is time.

Wounded Angel the third installment in the Earth Angels series introduced us to Nate da Luca; a descendant of the the Angel of Vengeance. As a half-human angel his abilities make him a natural as a police detective. He can find anything he is looking for, but when his last case goes wrong and his powers fizzled he retires and starts his own private investigator firm. He is in Chicago looking for Gabriella Littelfield and something is hunting him. Each book in the Earth Angels series features a new angel their love interest and its all wrapped up in an action-packed mystery/case. I loved Nate, he is a well-toned, smexy, kind-hearted, swoon-worthy man who is deeply scarred by events from his past. Gabriella now known as Ella has done everything to put the horrors of her past behind her and for the first time in years she feels an unexpected attraction to a man. Ella is such a strong woman and her story survivor story is exceptional. The tale that unfolds was suspenseful and I loved how it tied into the overall ARC of this series. We learn more about the demons as the angels communicate with each other through a website and I loved the interaction between Nate and the previous characters. The relationship that developed between Nate and Ella was filled with sexual tension, denial and a sweetness that felt genuine. I laughed at some of their banter and loved the way they gave each other strength. While the tale was predictable I found myself turning the pages to see how it all worked out. This series is such a fun escape and each time I open a new book in the series I am rewarded. Fans of romantic suspense with a paranormal twist will adore this series.

Three and half cups of coffee out of five

Like my review? Want to win the first books in the series? I am hosting a giveaway today over at Nocturnal Book Reviews so be sure and stop by to enter! 

Sweet Soldier
by Misty Evans
Series: Kali Sweet # 3
Publication date: April 9, 2013
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon
ARC provided in exchange for unbiased review
*purchase through buy links supports this blog
My review of Revenge is Sweet #1 & Sweet Chaos #2 

Armageddon is coming and it’s up to me to stop the Four Horsemen and their heavenly army of angels. Unfortunately, one of the Horsemen happens to be my rock star boyfriend, Radison Beaumont. At least that’s what his ex-fiancée, Parker Burkett, claims. Parker wants revenge on me for stealing Rad and she’s working with my archenemy, Queen Maria, a succubus who wants me back in her court of supernaturals. The only way I can stop them and the coming biblical apocalypse is to recruit an army – an army led by the king of hell. Lucifer’s not about to help without getting something in return, and following anyone’s orders – even his – is not my style. I’m turning my inner demon loose on Parker, Maria, and the Horsemen – and saving the humans I love at the same time. But what price will I pay for dealing with the devil? Going to the dark side has never been so sweet.

Wow, Misty Evans brought us the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in Sweet Soldier the third installment in the Kali Sweet series and the action was not stop intense. Kali is up to her neck in chaos, her nemesis Queen Maria is back and so is Lucifer. We see growth in Kali especially in the romance department and I loved her little chat with Di. Rad is back and hotter than ever but he is one of the horsemen and Kali needs to decide if she can kill the man she loves. I love all the banter between the characters and Kali is such a snarky kicking-ass!  There is a softer side of her emerging that I loved discovering even if it makes her want to barf. Evans delivers a wonderfully paced tale, and skillfully fleshing out characters that I have come to adore. She rips one of my favorites away from us and it broke my heart. I am excited about some changes coming up in the series and cannot wait to read the next installment. Fans of action-packed urban fantasy with kick-ass, fleshed out characters, and well developed world-building this series is for you! 

Four cups of Italian coffee out of five

Clean Sweep Challenges

9am (EST) Kristen @ My ParaHangover
4pm (EST) Crystal @ Elegantly Bound Reviews

Review: Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini

Touching the Surface
by Kimberly Sabatini
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication date: October 30, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
ARC received in exchange for unbiased review
*purchase through buy links supports this blog

Experience the afterlife in this lyrical, paranormal debut novel that will send your heart soaring. When Elliot finds herself dead for the third time, she knows she must have messed up, big-time. She doesn’t remember how she landed in the afterlife again, but she knows this is her last chance to get things right. Elliot just wants to move on, but first she will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed…and people she’s killed. As she pieces together the secrets and mistakes of her past, Elliot must find a way to earn the forgiveness of the person she’s hurt most, and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever.

Touching the Surface first drew me in by its cover and then the synopsis with words like lyrical, afterlife and character growth had me hooked. Sabatini offered an interesting look at the reincarnated souls, finding forgiveness, personal growth and love.

The tale begins when Elliot bursts from the surface into the Obmil or afterlife. She discovers she has died again and is now a third timer to the Obmil. Here she will need to gain perspective and delve into her past life in search of answers and acceptance. Only when she reaches enlightenment will she moves on to her next life. The tale that unfolds was filled with mystery, painful memories, happy memories and characters that kept me enthralled.

I adored and appreciated the diverse and fleshed out characters Sabatini presented us with. On the surface Elliot can appear selfish but as we delve we see a complex soul in search of happiness, riddled with guilt, and in seeking forgiveness and understanding. I came to adore her, and loved the growth we see in her character as she interaction with the others. Her best friend through her past two lives is Julia and she chooses to delve in a separate group from Elliot. We get a fresh look at how a person’s life can be overshadowed by another. Oliver and Trevor are the two boys in Elliot’s life and I loved them each. Their relationship to her was fascinating. At first Oliver was the carefree boy, whom she seems to love and who makes her feel safe. Trevor is angry and lasses out. I loved his t-shirt as the slogans on it changed with his mood. Through delving their personalities unfold and we learn about their past connection to Elliot. It was completely fascinating and felt so genuine it left me breathless. Mel and David are counselors or guides and Freddie seems to help everyone. Each character impacts the tale and we learn something from them. I found myself emotionally connected with them and was so pleased the author did not include a love triangle but tied them all together. Their emotions felt raw and genuine. 

Not only do we get original and unique characters but then Sabatini builds a world in the afterlife that is absolutely breathtaking and completely original.  Think of a camp set deep in the woods by an enormous peaceful lake, but the setting changes for each person’s moods and needs.(rain, winter, fall, summer, landscape) So as a soul walks the world builds around them from lakes, to windmills to soaring mountain views. The whole concept of the Obmil and what it represents to souls was a fascinating look at reincarnation. This subject has always interested me, and I have often wondered if people who just seem to have all their shit together are really old souls, while numbskulls  are just floundering newbies.  Delving is an interesting aspect where souls fall back and view moments in their previous life. These delves are done as a group and the hope is that the others will help the soul reach enlightenment. When that is achieved the soul can move forward into a new life. I loved how all of the souls tied together from the experiences they shared in their previous lives and in the Obmil. This was a spectacular tale that followed seamlessly and I literally consumed it in two sittings. The scenes go between time in the Obmil and the characters previous lives and I liked how we experienced it along with the characters. We both emerged from each delve with more understanding regarding each character and their journey. The author used this landscape to address issues regarding suicide, the afterlife, child abuse, forgiveness, carelessness, love and friendship. As we gain understanding of their initial responses to each other we watch the characters grow, recognize that their attitudes and actions are really just protective mechanisms and as readers we can see how people in our daily lives uses these crutches. I truly believe people act like asshats because they have issues they need to address. It’s a cry for help and I try to look at their perspective of things to gain insight into what drives them. The author brilliantly reveals this. Am I rambling? Gads, just trust me, this book will make you think, and entertain you all at the same time. It’s a book you will think about long after you have closed it.

Touching the Surface was wonderful, lyrical and thought provoking. I cannot believe it’s not the most talked about book out there. As Sabatini’s debut novel I can tell you she writes like a seasoned author. I would pick up her next book sight unseen.

Five cups of coffee out of five