#BIR2011: A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

BIR2011 is almost finished, but that doesn't mean things are slowing down. Today's pick is a book that I read in two sittings, only because I started it at about 9 at night. It was more of a forced to go to sleep than wanting to put the book down kind of thing. Then I did much fangirling to the author. Well, while I read too. The  book?

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford.

I have always gravitated towards the darker stuff, and this one was perfect for me. A new take on suicide? I loved it. I loved the characters, and the writing. I loved the story. I might have hated the ending just a little, because it sort of punches you in the face, but still. So much love for this book. Add in the fact that Leah really and truly is one of the nicest people you will ever meet, and it's the icing on the already awesome cake.

But in so many ways, this book blew me away. Flaws that other people saw in it just weren't there for me. The reasons I loved it outshined everything else. Not to mention, there is more than one seriously hot boy in this one... a little something for everyone.

One of those supposed flaws, though, that I know people have disliked about this book is how fast Az and Eden fall for each other. Did that bother me when I read? No. If she had the option to go back and change it, would I want her to? No. And I am thinking maybe she wouldn't either, because instead of an interview today (which, I've already done one with her anyhow... and one with Luke...), Leah's giving her own little bit of: In Defense of Insta-Love.

Boy meets girl, girl meets boy. There’s a look exchanged and a single smile later, they’re ready to follow each other to the ends of the earth. It’s so cliché right? I mean, this never happens right? So why did I use it in A Touch Mortal?

In the first few pages of A Touch Mortal, we meet Eden. She’s alone, isolated from friends and family who are starting to forget her because of what she’s about to become—but she doesn’t know that. All she knows is that at her lowest, she’s alone on a beach. She has nothing. And then walking toward her is this gorgeous boy whose first action upon seeing her is to try to make her laugh. He even bets her a dinner date that he can get her to smile. Eden and the guy she meets—Az—catch each other off guard. They make each other feel good, feel different, feel NOT SAD. If you’ve ever been in a deep depression, one you’re fighting to escape, a single smile can be a lifeline.

Eden and Az fall for each other fast. They’re a summer whirlwind courtship and if they were a normal mortal couple, they might have even had a real shot at being happy. Of course, being a dark urban fantasy, that’s not exactly in the cards. A few weeks after they meet, they’re both dead (well…Eden’s more trapped between life and death) and their love is put to harder tests than it should ever have to endure.

So why am I such a fan of love at first sight? *g* Well, I can remember the exact place the guy I fell for was standing when I met him. Literally, my first thought when I set eyes on him was “Fuck, I’m in love with him.” Not that I was going to fall in love with him, that I WAS in love with him. The instant unexpected love wasn’t anything I wanted, that’s for sure. I was single and had just come home from traveling all summer. But once I saw him, it felt like everything clicked into place. Little did I know, he was feeling the same about me. I write about insta-love because it happened to me. I know it’s real. It led me to adventures and places I never dreamed of, and I hope one day it happens to you. Just try to make sure when it does, you’re not smitten with a half-Fallen angel. Then again, you can’t help who you love, right?


So there you guys have it, straight from the writer herself. And this really just makes me want to pull down my copy of A Touch Mortal and reread... and fall in love with these characters from page one all over again.

And in case you haven't yet read this one, now is your chance! I have one copy of the book for one lucky winner!

To enter, just fill out THIS form.

This contest is US only (No PO Boxes) and ends December 23.

And for even more 2011 awesomeness, head over to the BIR blog, where we are featuring the next up in our group picks of amazing books: Hereafter by Tara Hudson (man, I so love that book!)