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Touched: The Caress of Fate
Touched: The Caress of Fate
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a great way to open the series. At first, I feared the book would consistently be confusing about the Angel of Death, Evan, but was pleasantly pleased that as the story went on that a lot of the confusion I had in the beginning was answered. I enjoyed learning about Evan and his brothers in arms and how they came about their particular gifts. I also enjoyed watching Evan transform from someone who doesn't have strong feelings or anything about his missions or anyone in particular to someone who cares very deeply and finds a reason for living and fighting against all odds.



At first, I was concerned about how Evan's past and being would interfere with his curiosity about Gemma and their blossoming relationship, even just as friends. As the story went on, I found myself being drawn deeper and deeper into the story. I can't say that I loved Evan and at times I even doubted his intentions, but I found how Gemma's view of him and her feelings for him made me root for him. I can't say how he seemed to play her in games she had no idea she was in, to be repulsive, but her way of understanding and the way he made her feel, made me smile. I found that the romance in this book, very clean and innocent, was refreshing and definitely helped curb the romance craving I had.



However, even with the romance, the action towards the end made it quite delightful. It helped explain more about the Angels of Death and a few things that were unclear. I also enjoyed learning about a different idea about how Heaven and Hell worked as well as a new view on Adam and Eve from the bible. With the different ideas the story presented, I found it to be amazingly refreshing. I found Amore to have beautiful details on the surroundings and the people in the story. It helped to draw in the reader and make it easy to actually visualize the scenery and practically feel like you were there and experiencing the scenes yourself.



I found the descriptions of the emotions felt to also be very realistic. We all know how it feels to be betrayed or like we don't have control over ourselves and to see these characters struggle with these emotions and these urges to be close to each other, helped remind us how much love can make you feel crazy and yet be amazing. I enjoyed how the description of their actions towards each other and how it made the other feel created my own thoughts of the first time my husband and I met and even held hands. I was thoroughly pleased with how well love was portrayed in this book. I have rarely found romance books that created that warm fuzzy feeling within my heart as this book has done for me. Most romance books can be slightly dirty, but this one wasn't so and that pleased me. I often find myself not wanting to read triple x rated scenes in books. It is a book I would even let my daughter read when she turned thirteen, unlike other romance novels.



I also enjoyed how that death wasn't the end but the final step for the soul to get to where it belonged and that lives are just borrowed time until your acceptance into Heaven, or Eden as it was called, or into Hell was made. It really makes you think about if it was true or just another idea created about the death. I found it truly exciting to think about and discuss with others around me. It was a new take and a delightful thought to have presented it to me in such a wonderful story.



Overall, I would recommend this book to those who love the paranormal and romance. I would rate this book four stars out of five stars. Even though I would love to have had a little more, I would definitely think its a good opening to the series and makes it so you want to read the rest of the five book series.
  
Insight (The Community #1)
Insight (The Community #1)
, Santino Hassell | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Insight (The Community #1) by Santino Hassell
Insight is the first book in The Community series, and we start off with Nate. He lives in a dead-end town, works a dead-end job, comes from a dead-beat family, and is going nowhere fast. However, his life changes when his twin dies. Now, don't get me wrong, there is no big lovefest with these twins - far from it. Theo is a drama queen of the nth degree and isn't above 'playing' for what he wants, no matter the cost to anyone, not even his brother. However, when Theo's death is ruled a suicide, Nate knows something is wrong. How does he know? Because he keeps getting visions in which he IS Theo and even shares his death. That's how he knows. With family drama nipping at his heels, he packs up and heads out to New York. Trent has already spoken with Nate, although Nate can't remember. When he drives past Nate hitchhiking, he can't just leave him, so he doesn't. This leads on to the romance part of the story, although it doesn't over run it. Once they get to NYC, it's full on and fast paced as the story progresses and Nate finds himself in the same danger as Theo.

This is the first book by Santino Hassell that I have read and I was thoroughly engrossed from the very beginning. I really felt for Nate and everything he was, and had been, going through. Trent is the perfect foil for him, and provides back up and sanity as and when Nate needs it. This isn't a romance book, although it has elements of romance within it. Primarily I would say this is a Paranormal Suspense. Either way, the story is gripping, the characters are well rounded (even those you don't particularly like), and you will keep turning those pages. I loved the epilogue that we got, right up until the major cliffhanger that you are left with. For something that is definitely different, I would have no hesitation in recommending this.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!