Touch of Death

Touch of Death #1

by Kelly Hashway

Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know. After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendants of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins. Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Mythology, Fantasy, Romance, Zombies, Greek Mythology

235 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 23, 2012

About the author

Kelly Hashway fully admits to being one of the most accident-prone people on the planet, but that didn’t stop her from jumping out of an airplane at ten thousand feet one Halloween. Maybe it was growing up reading R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books that instilled a love of all things scary and a desire to live in a world filled with supernatural creatures, but she spends her days writing speculative fiction for young adults, middle graders, and young children. Kelly is also USA Today bestselling romance author Ashelyn Drake. When she’s not writing, Kelly works as an editor and also as Mom, which she believes is a job title that deserves to be capitalized.

Reviews

[Giselle · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I had the touch of death, I'd touch this book.

Did it start off good? When people started falling to their death after coming in contact with Jodi--that's a yes! I love the idea of this book. The inclusion of mythology and the newly discovered 13th sign in the premise are great touches. I loved how Kelly got into the lore of these necromancers and gave us a pretty complex backstory, which was both fascinating and strengthened the world building. This is the part that I liked, but unfortunately everything else about this book brought tears to my eyes; of boredom that is.

For one, if Jodi accidentally stabbed/scratched/cut/punctured herself one more time whenever she had a run-in with a person or dead animal I was going to spit on this book! I'm not a stupid reader, or rather, I am not Jodi, I don't need to see infinite examples until the point comes across. Especially when these consisted of forced "Oops, look a that! I'm bleeding again. Shucks!" right at the opportune time a dead animal happens to be right there! Oh and did I mention she just wipes it on the poor thing? Because you know, fur = paper towel. Honestly, it felt like a parody. The ones in slow motion with an "OH NOOOO, NOT AGAIN" bubble. Yeah. And maybe--just some passing advice--it would be a great idea to stop touching people when they start, like, dying, after you do. *shrugs*

And what is it with the lack of common sense in this book? Jodi waits until just about the whole world dies before she realizes the problem is her. Then these people who are apparently the rulers of their house/race have been living with a magic-hand Medusa statue for ages and you're going to tell me that no one has ever tried touching both of her hands at once? They were shocked that it actually did something. Yeah… duh! Even with this aside, these characters, man. O.M.G *snores*. They're too oblivious, too bland, too stereotypical, and with a love interest that starts out as a stalker--literally--and becomes increasingly annoying as the book progresses. He, himself, induced so many sighs that could have been oxygen otherwise used by my brain, thus I blame this book for a now decreased brain cellular activity.

This font on the cover: Shoo!

But honestly, nothing happens in this book. People die, *gasp* it's the protagonist's fault! Blah blah, more blah blah, the end.

The last page was good. The one where I saw it was over. I liked that part.

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Kayleigh {K-Books} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touch of Death Review on K-Books

"I want to help you, Jodi, but you have to let me."

WOW! I don't even know where to start with this review. This book is just so incredible and it surpassed all of my expectations. When I first heard about Touch of Death I instantly wanted to read it. I haven't really read many books about Necromancers and let's face it this one sounds amazing from the blurb. This book completely blew me away and I found it extremely difficult to put it down. It is just pure awesomeness.

Jodi has always been just a normal girl. Going to high-school and dating her boyfriend. But then something happens. Things start to get weird around Jodi. She brings back the dead with one drop of her blood. But they are not normal, no they come back weird... zombie-like. Soon Jodi learns that she is a powerful Necromancer, an Ophi, descended from Medusa. But she is unlike any other Ophi, she is more powerful and may be the one they have all been waiting for to save them. Can she fulfill her destiny and find out a way to use her new-found power to save her race?

I adored this book. Right from the start I found this positively one of the coolest books I've ever read. Right in the first few chapters we had zombie-deers, zombie-rats and zombie-squirrel's. There is only one this to describe that: Epic Awesomeness. Kelly's writing style is positively superb and I was pulled in right from the start unable to put the book down until I had devoured the entire thing. I was completely sucked right into this story and Jodi's zombiefied world and I absolutely loved every single second of it. I am honestly heartbroken that it is over as it was so incredible I just want to re-read it all over again.

Jodi is such an awesome character. I adored her right from the start. She goes through such a fantastic journey through this book and I really felt like she grew a lot throughout the book and we got to go on this journey and grow with her. She started as a normal typical high-school girl who didn't really know what was going on to taking control and embracing her destiny and I loved that about her. I really love that she's not one of these weak "Oh-I-must-have-a-guy-to-save-me" characters that you sometimes find in YA literature but she is a strong independent character who will fight for her friends and the people who she cares about and fight to do the right thing. I adore her.

Alex... Oh my Alex. It's official I am in love with yet another fictional character. I have a new book boyfriend and man is he a good one. So we really get off on the wrong foot with Alex, he's kinda creepy and stalker-y at first but as soon as she saw his piercing green eyes I was sold and in love. I didn't care if he was stalker-y, he was gorgeous and mysterious with green eyes. What more could you possibly want? The further I got into this book the more I completely and utterly fell in love with him. He is just so sweet and cute and really cares about Jodi and all he wants to do is help her. At one point in the book I actually giggled. I giggled!! I am so glad I was at home and not in a public place because that would have earned me some funny looks. He's just so swoon-worthy and HOT and did I mention the green eyes? I adore him and all the way through the book I was either sighing dreamily, giggling or swooning. I LOVE HIM!

Touch of Death is a very strong start to what I truly believe will turn out to be a phenomenal series. I absolutely adore mythology and zombies but I never imagined the two of them being brought together but Kelly fuses them together perfectly and has created an incredibly addictive and unique storyline. This book is full of heart-stopping action and breath-taking romance that will leave you begging for more. I love this book, I was fully prepared to give it a 4 star rating and then that ending happened that left my jaw on the floor. Touch of Death is phenomenal and it completely and utterly took my breath away. I am dying to read more and I cannot wait to find out what happens next. Kelly Hashaway is an author to look out for in the future. She is amazing and Touch of Death is one book that is not to be missed.

"You have me. You're not alone. I don't care what Victoria or Troy say. I'm here for you. I won't let you go through this alone."

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Update: To top it off, I've just discovered book 2 introduces a love triangle. I think that definitely made up my mind about reading it. I won't be, in case you hadn't guessed.

Unfortunately, the word that comes to mind to describe this book is "disappointing". Not that it was the worst, my expectations may have just been too high. This is a book I had been highly anticipating and early reviews I'd seen had been quite promising.

This book felt like it had two distinct halves. Before Jodi discovered what she was and was still living among the humans, and after she discovered she was ophi and went to live among her own kind. Besides Jodi, Alex is the only constant character in the book. And we get to know very little about him in the first half as he acts just like a weird stalker. But, even in the second half, I didn't feel his character developed any depth or that I managed to build up any real connection with him. Neither can I say I felt much of a connection with Jodi. The characters felt mostly to be one dimensional and tedious.

Also, there were a few things about this that bothered me, and a few that verged on the ridiculous. One being the ease with which Jodi managed to sever her relationship with her mother. I would have expected more tears, sleepless nights, a bout of depression etc. And no one has ever held both the statues hands before....in all those years...come on!!

Then there's Jodi's relationships, and yes, she had two in this short book. But neither of them captured my attention, there was no fire, no passion, just blandness.

The whole book had a kind of rushed feel to it. It was an easy read but I felt like a lot had been left out or not explained thoroughly enough. It was also quite predictable and nothing took me by surprise.

I couldn't say with any conviction that I will continue on with this series but I'll see how I feel when the time comes. Never say never!

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, but I just had too many problems with it. Warning: review does contain unmarked kinda-spoilers, but it's a predictable book so I'm not really ruining it.

What I Did Like: I thought the book had an interesting concept. I read "The 13th Sign" just a few days ago, and I was curious what this book was going to do with the story of Ophiuchus. I liked how Hashway incorporated the mythology with a paranormal story involving people with special gifts and zombies. But I'm not sure how much of that is that the myth itself is interesting, or the actual story. And that's as far as it went.

The first complaint, Jodi's gift. Can Hashway be more obvious with pointing us out a tear fell on someone or a drop of blood fell on something. And I just thought this started happening at a weird time two months after her birthday. It's not within that timeframe when she starts changing. And what annoyed me was how she was always pricking her finger or cutting her hand - conveniently when these deaths started until the time she finds out about herself. And I get if it was once or twice, but it happened TOO many times.

The other thing is I think Hashway was a bit over-the-top with the whole Alex being a stalker thing. Okay, I get it, a weird boy shows up at school and keeps following her everywhere - yeah, I get it, it's creepy. And after a while, it started really irritating me. And I'm sorry, but a student can't just pop into the office and give a lame excuse like that, and the office personnel just start giving information like that. And the other thing is Jodi had called the cops on Alex, so she is definitely on their radars. I find it a little unbelievable that they did not even question her involvement once in connection to everything that's been happening. If someone started calling the cops a lot within a short amount of time, I would think something is definitely up.

The story progression itself is way overdone. A girl finds out she suddenly has secret powers. She is shipped to a boarding school. There's a hot guy, and a jealous mean girl. She works on her powers. She discovers her lineage and that it's in her blood. She tries to defeat whatever obstacle she is faced with as she faces her destiny.

But I wouldn't have really complained if there had been some good packaging around the story. Instead, Hashway tried way too hard for us not to like the boy in the first place that we cannot trust him, nor do we even think it's remotely interesting when it comes to being the object of romance. We have the teachers who are just too smooth and too enthusiastic for us to not find something fishy in the whole situation - I mean, they were just gushing over her. And we have a mean girl that Hashway tried way too hard to make the bad person that you have to slap your forehead and think, there's no way it can be THAT obvious.

For me, the premise is so interesting, and this book really had potential to be really great. Unfortunately, I think Hashway tried a little too hard in many areas, which made the book just a little over-the-top for me.

Since JP made me read The 13th Sign, I thought I might try this one out...

[Lauren Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic!

[Annabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****FINAL RATING: 4.70 STARS*****

CATCHALL
I absolutely adored Touch of Death. A hot paranormal romance with memorable characters and a truly unique plot, it is definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time. I honestly could not put it down and basically ran out sharing it with everyone within reach. It was an awesome book, and deserves a lot of praise if you ask me.

THE HEROINE
JODI
Jodi is determined, powerful, and brave. At first, she seems like any normal high school girl. I loved that, and she was extremely relatable. She gets completely confused when strange things start to happen to dead animals around her, but she has no reason to believe that she is responsible. I also love that while she's smart and doesn't make stupid choices, she makes mistakes just like the rest of us.

THE LOVE INTEREST
ALEX
Alex is a fabulous romantic lead. At first, I really wasn't sure how to feel about him, since he is very mysterious and closed-off at first. But as we got to know him better, I got to see the sweetheart behind his tough facade. Raised throughout his life as he was by uncaring parents, it is a pleasant surprise that he turned out so wonderful.

THE PLOT
What I loved most about this book perhaps is the fact that the plot is original. Very much so. Greek mythology has obviously been explored before, but never in quite this way. I'd honestly never heard of the thirteenth sign of the zodiac, so that was really, really cool too. I loved the way Medusa is a central figure in the story as well.

Jodi is living a normal life until she discovers she's being stalked. After that, weird things start to happen to the dead in her presence. Particularly, she notices, when they touch her blood.

There was one death in the book that I have a difficult time being okay with. I know it was meant to show the seriousness and graveness of the situation, but I still somehow thought it was unnecessary. I get why it was put in, but I still really don't like it.

The pacing was fabulous. After reading too many books were it is erratic or simply doesn't exist at all, it was nice to read a book that moves quickly but steadily.

Overall, very lovely. It was honestly impossible not to love.

THE ROMANCE
At the beginning of the book Joci actually has a boyfriend who is not Alex and named Matt, but I chose not to mention him in this review and I will not mention their romance after this as it gets spoilery. I love the way the relationship forms between Alex and Jodi. It seems at first like there are thousands of factors vying to keep them apart, and it looks like they'll never get together. But love has a way of getting around these things.

THE WRITING
I adore Kelly's writing. I really and truly do. The story is told in first person from Jodi's point of view, and it is really awesome to see things through her eyes. Moreover, Kelly give Jodi an intelligent voice with thoughtful insights and doesn't try to hard to make her sound young. Everything obviously comes very naturally and isn't forced, which is awesome.

THE ENDING
I loved, loved, loved this ending, because it was completely an totally unexpected in the best way. I honestly did not see one of the major events coming at all, but it ended up working perfectly. There are certainly some people who I think we'll be seeing again despite their fate at the end of this book. It left it very open to more, but didn't drag things on either.

WRAPUP
Touch of Death was a phenomenal and truly a breath of fresh air in a genre where many books are beginning to sound the same. Jodi's world became mine, and I honestly was kept enthralled. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Jennifer Armentrout as well as anyone who is looking for a read that has real heroes and heroines. I will most definitely be joining Kelly's fan club and continuing this series.

FINE.

Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!

[Teresa Mary Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

More Reviews Here: Readers Live A Thousand Lives

Touch of Death was everything I expected it to be and so much more. It had a gripping story line, young romance, a fierce heroine, evil villains, and a swoon worthy hero. To put it simply, I really loved this book. It is a very fast and a very enjoyable read.

Our heroine Jodi is one that readers will really enjoy. She is strong, brave, and smart; but still manages to come across as a teen. She does not appear old for her age and I loved that. I love that she was strong despite her age and that on occasion her teenage side got the better of her. Jodi is the kind of character that tries to be responsible and truly cares about the people around her, but sometimes good intentions do not always have good outcomes. She had some great sarcastic moments and even when things freaked her out, she always rose above it.

The aforementioned swoon worthy hero is named Alex. Added to book boyfriend list: check. He is sweet, sarcastic, and funny despite his initial creeper tendencies. It is very clear how he feels about Jodi and I really liked that. There was no guesswork or mixed messages; for the most part the reader could clearly tell how Alex felt even if Jodi could not.

The romance between Jodi and Alex is very sweet and innocent. It really feels like two teens that are simply falling for each other and experiencing a lot of firsts together. Despite everything going on around them, the blossoming romance still shines through. I also loved that this book left a lot of the angst behind. While they still act like teens, there is no unnecessary angst going on in the story in terms of the relationship.

One of my favorite aspects of this story was the Greek mythology that was interwoven throughout. That is actually what initially caught my attention about this book; I am a sucker for Greek mythology. This book places a heavy emphasis on Medusa, but this is Medusa as you have never seen her before. The scary monster we all know as Medusa is nonexistent in this book. This Medusa is powerful and strong and nothing like you expect her to be. Just wait and see what I mean.

While I will admit to correctly guessing who the bad guys were, I also did not care that I did in the least. I really just enjoyed being along for the ride with Jodi and Alex. I loved watching the events unfold and seeing how each character dealt with the situations thrown at them. Also, we all know about my zombie obsession, so I was ecstatic when they popped in. However these are not your normal zombies and this storyline was much deeper than I initially expected it to be. I loved how Jodi handled this situation.

One of the biggest and best aspects of Touch of Death is the necromancy. It was intriguing and the way the powers work is so different from the norm. This power is double sided; it is not just about giving life but also about taking it. It shows how too much power in the wrong hands can have deadly consequences.

Touch of Death is a book that I recommend you read as soon as you are possibly able. You will conveniently forget everything else that you thought you had to do for the day and instead spend your time with Jodi and Alex. Touch of Death is deadly addictive and I dare you to put it down.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review

[Julianna Helms · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual, full review: Original is here on my blog. (Note: due to copy-and-paste, formatting and links have been lost.)

Now here we have something interesting.

Zombies + Greek mythology? Sounds like an epic tour de force, yeah? That's what I thought, too. But Touch of Death is about as deceptive as its cover--what at first seems like a gorgeous and dark tale is really about a girl, insta-love, plus predictive plots weaving the way. *cues drumroll*

It's not that the book was bad, rather that it was more... bland. It's interesting in the way that a rock might be in a sea of desert sand: cool compared to the unspeakable works of "literature", yet not necessarily a means by which one entertains oneself. A lot of people have geeked out over this book, so maybe it's just me, but let me explain why I wasn't such a big fan first:

1) Jodi Jodi Jodi--Oh, Jodi, where do I start? In the beginning, you were okay. But... WHY? WHY INSTA-LOVE WHEN YOU JUST- *headdesk* No spoilers, folks. Man! I saw this speech once, and the quote that comes to me right now is, "girl, you are so on a rebound." That doesn't even begin to describe the magnitude of her decision. I'm not the character, and I'm not going to say what she should/shouldn't do, but Jodi's actions and voice are often so childish that I just couldn't relate to her.

2) Twists--You're all book-lovers here, or otherwise ya probably wouldn't be reading my blog. I'm going to, therefore, assume that you've read a lot of books. You know how some books sound SO ORIGINAL and then you read it and you're just like, oh, that's great, didn't I just see the same situation happen in that book, that book, and that other one I read just last week? Same old, same old. There are definitely really cool plot elements in the story, but if you're someone who values unpredictability (like me), prepare to be disappointed by the lack of actual twists.

That said, I did finish the book, so it definitely has promise! It's intriguing in the way TNT is fascinating: you don't know whether or not everything will blow up in your face, and you're not sure whether or not you want it to. It's worth the investment of time, I think--lots of people have loved this book.

Just remember, though, that sometimes TNT short-circuits, and as much as you want something cool to happen... well, as the saying goes: "Life's full of disappointments!"

[Eunice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Touch of Death was a fun and quick read. It was easy to get with the flow of the story and with the characters and understand what was really happening. It offered interesting points especially in mythology plus adding some twist about zombies. I actually sped through this! However, comes with its fast-paced writing was the feel that everything was happening in a rush. Thus also makings some part predictable and a little unconvincing.

The main character, Jodi Marshall, was a character that is easy to like. She played a very special and powerful character in the story however I couldn't seem to find some distinctive trait and quality in her that would have compelled me to really really like her and admire her character. Making her a little bland for my taste. Having said that she wasn't really a bad case of a main character. She has good qualities and principle but nothing really powerful or unique.

Alex, the love interest, started as a very intriguing character. I liked the bad boy and wicked side he'd shown in the beginning. I would have loved it even more if it hadn't been that toned down that much around the middle of the book when he and Jodi are finally learning and knowing each other. Still he's probable my most favorite character in this story.

I liked how Hashway combined the idea of Mythology and zombies. Adding to that, the mythological side wasn't really that conventional since it put one of the most known villains in the mythology on the good side. The only problem I had was that it felt rushed and quite predictable. I wouldn't have mind it being a little longer if it would make everything more credible and thrilling.

Overall, Touch of Death is a pretty entertaining and interesting read albeit a little lacking with some elements that might have made it even better. Still, I really did enjoy the overall. If you're looking for a fun, quick and unique paranormal read but doesn't have that too complex and mind-boggling world and plot, this is the right book for you.

Thank you Spencer Hill Press for providing me a copy of this book.

This review is also posted at Book Overdose

[Patrice Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review comes from my blog, whimsicallyours.com:


As some of you might know, I’m a tad bit in love (*cough, cough – obsessed) with all things mythological. Since mythology seems to be quite the budding field right now, I’ve been having the time of my life. However as someone who knows a lot of myths from various cultures, it only takes so long for someone to get tired of the same myths being retold.


Where is she going with this? (you might be thinking), well, just in case you haven’t guessed it already, Kelly Hashway’s Touch of Death went above and beyond the typical myths. She took Medusa, a common yet, in my opinion, often looked down on way too much, figure in Greek mythology and found minor myths in order to give her book the most beautiful Medusa retelling I’ve read so far.


Aside from my own manuscript BLOOD OF ISIS, (which doesn’t really count since I wrote it) I haven’t loved a mythology retelling this much since Jessica Therrien’s Oppression.


Jodi is a strong girl, strong yet horribly stubborn, she drove me crazy throughout the first half of the book in fact Hashway weaved her story so well, I profusely yelling at Jodi. In fact at one point I was so into the book and attached to the characters that I threw it to the floor and started shrieking and crying (my roommate thought someone had died). But, like I was saying, Jodi is a very strong young woman and it was nice, for once, to have a strong female character who is trying to figure out what’s going on as opposed to one who is constantly pinning over a guy throughout the entire novel (I don’t mind romance, in fact I love it but when it’s unnecessary out of place, that’s THE END for me).


Oh and as for Alex…well, I LOVED him. I’ve never really been into the whole “team” thing (mostly because I always end up on the losing side…Team Gale anyone???) but well let’s just say by the end of the book, I was and am 100% Team Alex.


Thank you Kelly & Spencer Hill Press for giving me the chance to read this beautiful book. Please go and preoder your copy today, if your interests are anything similar to mine you’ll have this one finished within a few hours, in one sitting! I really should get on coming up with the name of that.



**This is a 100% honest review, I received the ARC from Spencer Hill Press to read and review**

[Lauren (Sugar & Snark) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this book was going to be great, the idea behind it is so original. No one as far as I know has written anything about the mythology behind the thirteenth sign of the zodiac and almost all the reviews have been glowing. It’s starting to worry me how often I am wrong!

And Good Lord, it was bad! Not in a badly written kind of way but that being said Hashways writing is by no means sophisticated or complex. She takes the simplest route from A to B with very little description. But what really got to me were the characters and the story line in general.

Jodi our MC must be the densest creature alive. Please be warned I am throwing out a bit of a spoiler here- She basically has “magical bodily fluids of doom/destiny.” There’s a whole bunch of mythology and junk behind it but mostly *gag*
But seriously, how many people/animals do you have to bleed/spit/cry on to realise that you are killing them/bringing them back to life! And how many times do you accidently bleed/drool/cry on people or animals?! Because it happens to Jodi a lot! It just makes no sense!

But that is not the only unsettling and unrealistic thing about thing book. Her whole persona seems a little bazaar and unrealistic to me. And she never seems to react to situations like a normal person. A perfect example of this is her realization that she is attracted to her stalker (can you say clichéd) moments after her boyfriend has died! Where’s the obligatory shock and horror?!

As for Alex he is another “dreamy” YA hero that is sighed over one too many times for my liking. But I found Jodi’s constant swooning a little hard to understand because his character came off as a bit strange and their romance was dull.

This is yet another YA Paranormal that had a great premise but was poorly executed. The plot is thin and the characters are one dimensional. But a least I liked the cover...

Is it just me or is it becoming increasingly difficult to find a truly good book within this genre?

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY MEDUSA AND HADES!

A HUGE THANK YOU to Spencer Hill for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Touch of Death. As anyone who knows me I absolutely love love love Mythology and Kelly Hashway has the corner market on a new spin to Mythology with this series.TOD is one of those books that grabs you right from the first sentence and keeps you reading until you finish. At the end I was screaming at the book because I wanted so much more. I kept thinking okay please don't end because I needed more of Jodi and Alex.

Jodi is not your typical teenage girl. She was home schooled her entire life and then she and her mother decided she could go to a regular school for high school. So as she starts her Junior year she is excited about being in school and making friends and getting a great boyfriend. Then things start to get weird for her and she realizes she is being stalked by this guy she has never seen before. As she and her boyfriend get closer the stranger starts to stalk her more and even tries to speak to her but she is leery of him because she does not know him and does not know what he wants.

Then a strange thing happens to Jodi and the stranger reveals himself to her. He explains that he is an Ophiuchus who are descendants of Medusa and were born under the 13th sign of the Zodiac. As Alex tells Jodi about himself and what she is she is in shock at first but then things start to fall in place. And when she accidentally hurts someone she loves she is ready to find out what she is and why she has these powers.

Come along for the greatest ride of a lifetime. You will love the mythology retelling and the cast of characters who will become family to Jodi. She will have to sacrifice somethings but in the end it is for the greater good. She will also come face to face with Hades and what he offers her she can not refuse. Kelly has done an excellent job with the beginning of this series and I am sure this series will be one people will talk about for years to come. Thank you Kelly for sharing a new world with us readers!

[Keren Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come on December 3rd 2012. But see my comments if you're interested :D

[Jessirae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life and death are always intertwined..

Touch of Death starts off with an ordinary girl who seemed to be accident prone, nearly killing everything and everyone she comes into contact with. This really blows for a girl like Jodi Marshall, even more so when she can’t even kiss the boy she likes. But Jodi is destined for greater things and not being able to a kiss a boy is the least of her problems. In this book, we are introduced to a whole new world full of necromancers and a twist in Greek mythology’s Medusa. Kelly Hashway creates one book that is pure excellence and will leave you with mind blown goodness.

Jodi was a fantastic character. I loved her immediately because I felt like I could relate to her easily. She was really cool, but was a powerful girl even before everything went down. Jodi was a little clumsy and awkward, but a believable and real character. She had a strong voice in the beginning, but even more so by the end of the book. Jodi was the type of person who was brave and thought ahead. She was definitely funny too. What I admired most about Jodi was how she takes everything with a mature and graceful manner, no matter how weird or unbelievable things felt to her. Jodi had a heart of gold and was an overall good person. She had morals and beliefs and with all the power at her fingertips, she doesn’t abuse it. She uses it for good and is never tempted. I loved how Jodi took into consideration of the feelings of the living and the dead. She truly cared for everything and everyone. Jodi doesn’t brush things off, but takes responsibility for her actions. She embraced her true identity and power and made sacrifices that left me in awe.

Even though Alex spooked Jodi out in the beginning, I knew he was going to be character I was going to fall hard for and boy was I right! Alex was a great guy. He saved Jodi from herself and taught and trained her all the things she needed to know. He helped her and he comforted her when she was feeling down. I loved how Alex continued to encourage and believe in Jodi, especially when she felt like she didn’t have confidence in herself. Alex was a charming, friendly guy and was just a total endearing sweetheart. He is not hard to love. His close relationship with Jodi was a joy to read. I loved seeing them together because they just had a deep connection and wonderful chemistry. Their romance will definitely make hearts flutter.

Kelly Hashway wrote an amazing novel. Her writing captured me and reeled me in. Her writing style was lively and appealed to all the senses. I loved her take on the mythology with Medusa, Ophiuchus and the Ophi. Medusa is usually seen as a bad character, but in Touch of Death, we see a whole new side of Medusa that I absolutely loved. Hashway made necromancers completely fascinating and alluring, but she also made them tough, powerful and extraordinary. I loved every aspect of the storyline that Hashway created and how she explained the powers, history and origin of the Ophi very well. The pacing was just right with the information trickling and dispersing through the story to keep one enticed. Hashway did a great job of keeping things hidden until they were revealed later in a way that you never saw coming. She brought the mystery and suspense at just the right moments and she made sure to keep things entertained so you felt like thing were always happening. The best parts are the plot twists and the dangerous, ominous feel of the whole book. The very last scenes become such a rush, it leaves you with no words.

Overall, Touch of Death was a novel that put me at the edge of my seat, made me swoon and had me itching and begging for more. Kelly Hashway is one spectacular writer and storyteller and I cannot wait to get my hands on more of her books!


More Reviews on my blog: Words, Pages, and Books

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

I'm not sure what to say. When I picked up this book I thought it had an interesting premise and reminded me of Jennifer Armentrout's Cursed (which if you like this premise, go check out that book!). At first I was digging the book, I was curious about Green Eyes and found the characters mildly interesting, however I really struggled as the book go on.

First, Jodi accidentally cuts herself and happens to bleed on something about five different times in a matter of a few days. And each time she does, something insane happens. So that was weird and not very well written, but I was still into the book. Then Jodi accidentally kills her doctor and she's freaking out and Alex tells her what she is and that she is a DANGER TO HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND NEEDS TO LEAVE. So here is the thing. Jodi believes him, but doesn't want to hurt her family's feelings by just disappearing. Even though Alex suggests they can call once she is safe, she wants time to say goodbye. Alex STRONGLY suggests she at least cancel her date so she doesn't accidentally hurt her boy by kissing him, however she refuses--deciding the right thing to do is to break it off. So what does boyfriend do? He dies and she brings him back as a zombie and he has to be put down for good. So that is horrific. And the writing in this scene is just oddly clumsy and hard to follow.

So after boyfriend dies, Alex tries AGAIN to get her to leave. But nope, she says she needs to say goodbye. Then accidentally bleeds(AGAIN!) and her mom touches her blood and dies. Luckily Alex is there to save the day.

It was at this point that Jodi annoyed me too much to continue this book. What is disappointing is that this book has RAVE reviews and I don't understand. The writing is juvenile and everything about the plot (through the first 50%) is completely contrived. I feel like I am being harsh and I try not to be so harsh when reviewing books, but I find myself beyond frustrated with the writing and plot.

I'm going to give the book the benefit of the doubt and say perhaps the ending rocks and that is why this book got such high reviews, however I cannot get past the first half of this book.

[Sarah]

SYNOPSIS: Jodi Marshall isn’t sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she’s in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she’s being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.
After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he’s not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she’s part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.
Jodi’s deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn’t difficult enough, Jodi discovers she’s the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can’t figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.


....................


Okay, where do I even start? First, blood doesn't WRITHE in veins. I can't even IMAGINE how blood could WRITHE in veins. Writhe means: "to twist or contort in pain." or "to squirm or to struggle." How do these people come up with retarded descriptive mishmashes, anyway? It's like in some YAs when the author uses "marble-like body" or "spicy scent" to describe sexy men. I mean, we have a marble floor at home, but I never thought of our floor as sexy. And garlic and onion are spices, but I don't think a garlic/onion-scented man would be having much luck with girls. I think an onion-scented man just plainly has BO.

AND LOOK AT HER ARM. Does it look like anything's WRITHING in there?

... I didn't think so.


With that said, I'm not being a snobby, looks-down-through-my-nose bitch here. I actually think that the flop is hilarious.

And I like reading just for the sake of reading, so I might read this too.

Ciao.

[ILoveBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy mythology zombies Batman! This book really blew me away. It starts with jam-packed action and really gets you into the storyline. If you read the first chapter, you’ll get sucked right in. Touch of Death is about a high school student named Jodi who has a normal life. She was home-schooled all her life, making high school new to her, but she’s having a great time there. Jodi gains friends and a boyfriend… life is looking up. Someone randomly starts stalking her, and after a while (and a few tries later) he finally introduces himself as Alex. She’s instantly attracted to him and they hit if off. Warning: this book has love at first sight. They literally have feelings for each other right off the bat. Alex tells her he’s a “Ophiuchus”. That means he’s a descendant of the goddess Medusa. If you’re not aware, Medusa is the goddess with snakes for hair and the ability to turn someone to stone with a glare.

I loved this book! I’m really into the instalove which this book has between Alex and Jodi. I don’t relate to falling in love with someone at first sight so I didn’t relate to Jodi as well, but it’s always nice to read. Otherwise, Jodi was a fun character! Besides the instalove, I really rooted for all her actions. She’s not stupid and learns from her mistakes, unlike some books I know *coughHushHushcough* so I didn’t end up wanting to slap her. When she finds out the truth to what she really is, there was a little bit of angst which was JUST fine. It didn’t go on for half the book… it was her being upset which was understandable, then she moved on. Which brings me to my next point: it had great pacing. The book wasn’t too slow or too fast. The action was great, nothing disappointing. You’ll end up being team Alex and Jodi. I recommend this book!

5/5

*Reviewed by Rachel*

[Kasia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well this book certainly has a touch of death, literary death, perhaps a good necromancer can bring some life into it but I was bored to tears and frankly, the whole set up sounded like child’s play, if you like the book to talk at you and tell you what is going on step by step versus the writing itself illustrating proper action and you don’t care for a concise logical plot then this is the book for you.

I will admit, like a sucker I fell for the cover which made me pick this up ( but I do read and love YA, its not just this one case) because it is beautiful so quarter into it I felt duped… most of the time authors don’t even get a big say about the cover, so there was nothing redeeming about Kelly’s creation, if anything it made me wonder if she’s someone who became enchanted by the idea that she too, can have a book with her name on it so she typed one up. This story made me feel again, how everyone out there is suddenly an author (especially with ebook boom and self publishing being so hot) so it felt like another hack self massage versus something that makes the world oblivious because I only want to read and nothing else. This was juvenile and felt like a chore, rarely do I pick up duds that are so painful that they require a heavy dose of skimming. Touch of Death did not have any true integrity of a real book, the unrealistic relationship and ridiculous scenarios felt like huge holes in a chunk of Swiss cheese… I’m sure that this book will find its fans, sadly though it was more than a touch Meh for me…

- Kasia S.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

*1st read in Nov 2012*
*Read in 2014*

2012 Review

Where do I start with how AMAZING Touch of Death is! From the very first page I was hooked, I couldn't put it down!

The story revolves around protagonist Jodi Marshall. Jodi goes from normal teenager, with a great best friend, an great boyfriend, to having all these strange things happen to her. To top it of there's a strange boy stalking her! Jodi soon discovers that she isn't a "normal" teenager. She is in a fact a descendant of Medusa. Her touch brings the dead back to life and her kiss kills!

Jodi is a strong protagonist. When Alex (the stalker guy who is in fact a Ophi like her) explains everything to her and takes her away from her life for the safety of her family and friends, for her own sanity and even though she is scared and freaking out she still remains strong which I loved.

Jodi is taken to a house where other Ophi's live to learn more about what/who she is and from there the journey of discovering takes of. Who can she trust, who is she really, what power does she have? Though this journey Alex is by her side. I loved their relationship. If felt real and Alex sounds just swoon worthy!

Overall I really enjoyed Touch of Death. I liked the characters, the storyline was great and was paced just right. I in particular liked the mythology in Touch of Death, which I am noticing more in YA. A great debut! I can't wait from the next book in the seres, Stalked to Death!

[Lea (Between fantasy and reality) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between fantasy and reality


I am seriously in love with this book. It has everything I need to find a book great. Interesting storyline, amazing characters, it is unpredictable and unique, full of fascinating mythology, with amazing writing and a believeable and heartwarmig romance. It also has a lot of blood, tears, pain and betrayal and death so it is frustrating until the end but I think that this book is a great start to what I am sure will be a wonderful series. I must compliment Hashway on the world she has built and also on the creativity with which she writes and the way she made this book amazing with her vision. I love all that I have learned in this book about Medusa and I hope to learn even more in the future books about mythology because that is one of the many reasons this book is now one of my top favorites of the year. I anxiously wait for the sequel, Stalked by death, that comes out in the summer of 2013.

[Sherry Ficklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. This book (which I recieved as an ARC) is AMAZING! If you had told me you could mix Greek myths and zombies, I'd have laughed at you. But this is so well done! I loved Jodi (especially toward the end) and I love ALEX! *maybe he will come stalk me? Sigh.

Great book. A must read!
13/up

[Rachel]

Cannot freaking wait for this one!!! :-)

[Keshia Swaim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. A full review will be posted closer to the release date at 1bookaddict.blogspot.com

[Hayden Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Near the beginning, I wasn't enchanted.

But then I fell in love.

Review to come in November!

[Michelle Sedeño · Rating 4 out of 5]

UPDATE! Review after this:

Spencer Hill Press surprised me with an ARC + swag(!) of this one last Monday on my doorstep. (Not really. I got a notification slip from the post office and I have to pick it up there.)

Anyway, I was SURPRISED. Because the last time I checked, I got declined. I don't know what happened. But it's a good thing. I'm just saying..thank you. THANK YOU!!!!

I can't wait to read it. I'll finish up my long tbr and read it then post my review on January. Please check it out for me, okay? :D

P.S I also loved the swag! (Bookmarks, stickers, book plate, temporary tattoo) Awesome.

Please bear with me. This is my first ARC (and swag) from a publisher.

:D

**********************

[REVIEW]

Read my full review on my blog, Michelle Shouts Random

***

*might contain little spoilers*

Seeing a package from Spencer Hill Press on my doorstep (not really doorstep because I picked it up in the post office XD) was a surprise. Because the last time I check, my ARC (Advance Reading Copy) request was declined. So you must know what I felt that day, especially that this is my first ARC from a publisher. Which, I have to thank them again. :D

Touch of Death has an interesting story. I was just reading the plot and thought, why not request this? I'm not even sure if I would be really interested in the book. I just tried it. And darn, that was an amazing try! It definitely exceed my expectations.

On the very first chapter, I have predicted that this is good and I'll like it. It showed a lot of potential and I was impressed. I thought that the first chapter told too much, though. It was just a few scenes but I already know her 'talent' and how and what does it do.

I also wished that Matt didn't have that much appearance or that Jodi didn't have that much feelings for him coz when Alex came, I didn't felt their connection. I am the one who can't get over yet. I needed more push or something to believe that they are really for each other. Though I think he's really cute. *winks exaggeratedly*

I liked the idea of Touch of Death. It is not your all-the-same-paranormal-or-mythology read, and the scenes are pretty exciting and mysterious--though it won't keep you guessing coz there are lots of hints. I really liked it and I'm looking forward in reading the sequel. I was hoping for more action, answers and romance.

(Oh, and I'd like to say hi to Kelly ((if ever she's reading this)). I met her in BookBlogs.ning and I believe we exchanged follows. I'm just not sure whether she remembers me. :D)

[Shy The WidowMaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review will also be up on my blog Doctor's Notes on 12/3/12. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.


I loved this book so much I don’t know where to begin with this review. I will start out by saying amazing, amazing, amazing as this sums up this book with those three little words. Kelly Hashway is an amazing writer and I was blown away with how much I loved this book. It was everything I expected and wanted in a great read. She gave us such a neat look into necromancy and zombies and combined them so well together to create quite possibly one of the best books I have read this year. I loved that the author created such a unique book with such a great concept. It was like nothing I have read lately and I loved that she had such a cool spin on an old tale.

Jodi was a great character so full of fire and such a strong heroine. She was what I like to see in books because she didn’t just sit around and wait on a guy to do things for her. She recognized she was different and came to grips with it pretty quickly. Jody learns she is a necromancer and not just any kind of necromancer. She is a pretty powerful one and she has to leave all she knows behind to keep them safe. Jodi gets help in the form of Alex a stranger that is there to help her learn more about who she is.
Alex was such a great male lead and I feel in love with him once I learned more about him and realized he wasn’t just a psycho. I loved how much he was willing to do to keep Jodi safe and loved to see them progressing and becoming more than to each other. They worked so well together and complemented each other so well. The author did a great job of showing us some of Alex’s flaws because it made me love him even more and understand some of his motives. I felt so bad for him at some points in the story and couldn’t believe some of what he went through.

Overall I loved this book. The world that the author created once Jodi went to the school to learn more about herself was spectacular. It was so cool seeing Jodi learn more about what necoromancing really was and to see what the zombies were dealing with. I loved that Jodi hated having to use the zombies and would have preferred to leave them in best. It showed such a human side that was still apparent to her. The author did a great job with this story and I can’t wait to read the next one as I have to know more about how Jodi’s story will progress. I loved all the research the author must have done too to get so in depth with the old folklore. I highly recommend this book and think everyone should read it asap as it is just that amazing of a read. Kelly Hashway is now on my list of author’s to watch out for.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's put it this way: I read this book in the span of a day. It was that good. The story was very well-paced, and I found myself flying through the pages.

Everyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am with mythology: Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Norse... it doesn't matter, I am fascinated by it all. Hashway did an amazing job tying Greek mythology in with her novel. From the summary above, "A branch of necromancers that are descendants of Medusa." How cool is that?!

I really did feel for Jodi, the book's protagonist. We are introduced to her and instantly all of these strange things start happening to her that she can't explain. Animals she thought to be dead, coming back to life. Healthy humans mysteriously dying. All after being in contact with her. Not to mention the fact that a random blonde haired boy with green eyes seems to be following her everywhere she goes.

I liked that Jodi was tough, but at the same time she was also sensitive. Hitting a deer at the beginning of the novel upset her. I like my protagonists to be real and believable. We have a 17-year-old girl who's life is turned upside down and it would be strange if she didn't show her emotions in regards to the death that is occurring every which way around her.

Alex, the blond haired 'stalker' is not a stalker at all, but actually is there to help Jodi get a grip on everything that's occurring. After finally getting her to listen to him, he tells her he can help her understand what's been happening to her and help her control her necromancy. He brings her to a 'school' with others who are descended from Medusa, where she will begin training. I ended up really liking Alex and I liked seeing him and Jodi interact. Alex ended up being Jodi's rock, seeing as no 'school' could be complete without your token mean girl! Abby takes an immediate dislike to her and becomes an adversary of Jodi's. Not to mention she also so happens to be crushing on Alex. (Who clearly isn't interested.)

However, Jodi now has a new set of problems to face. She is different from the others and there is a big battle brewing with Hades, who does not like the fact that these Ophi can raise the dead.

Betrayal, lies, and deceit all await Jodi. Can she overcome them and do what she was meant to do? Guess you'll have to read and find out!

The second book, Stalked by Death, will be released later this year. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Review can also be found at my blog

[Kyleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

So before I signed up to review this, I was a bit hesitant But I thought, hey I'll give it a shot, it could be really good. Well it's safe to say that I was correct in my initial estimate. It wasn't terrible, but it was far from a home run.

I feel like my biggest issue with this book was that the synopsis just gives so much away. There was no suspense or anticipation for trying to figure out just what Jodi was. You literally know EXACTLY what she is, so all the little cues for hinting at her true nature are glaringly obvious and in your face and it just annoyed me. I just prefer a bit more subtlety in regards to when a character has a hidden identity/past. I honestly think that if this one little thing was changed about this book I would have liked it a lot more. The lack of suspense and tension was just killing me to be honest.

Jodi as an MC was pretty decent. Little things bothered me about her, but overall I enjoyed her as a narrator. The fact that she jumped pretty quickly from two guys over VERY inappropriate circumstances just really annoyed me. Like seriously, it had been a day, now she's into another guy?! But I won't spoiler anything, so that's all I'll say on the matter. Jodi had a lot of traits that I admired, so overall I enjoyed her.

As far as the plotting of this, it kind of fell flat for me. It could have worked if the book was twice as long as it currently is. Then the pacing would have been acceptable. As it was, the plot just moved way too fast and had so little development that it just didn't work flow wise. And as far as conflict goes, it kind of fell flat too. It just lacked motive. They were evil for evil's sake and were terrible people just to be terrible people. I just can't accept that. Villains have MOTIVE. Otherwise the whole Medusa thing and being able to raise the dead was kind of cool. Historically wise, there actually is a 13th constellation so I like how the author pulled from that and the other mythology was pretty cool. Heaven knows I adore Greek Mythology so I really enjoyed that.

Overall, it was decent. It was just one of those mid-range books that I can't really say "don't read" or "definitely read it" so I don't know. I feel meh about it. I might read the sequel.

[Trisha Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mythology, zombies, necromancers, astrology, romance—looking at this lineup, you’d think it’d make a busy, confusing story. I’ll admit, going into Touch of Death, I was a bit hesitant, because as much as I love Greek mythology, I didn’t know how necromancers were going to fit into this world. But Kelly’s my girl, yo. So loving my bloggy and pub sister, I had faith that if anyone could pull it off, she could.

Touch of Death exceeded my expectations. Kelly’s smooth and clean writing pulled me right into Jodi’s life, and I was super stoked to meet a heroine that wasn’t whiny or unsure of herself. Jodi’s a realistic character. She battles teenage angst and learns from poor decisions, and that’s believable. But she’s also strong and caring, willing to accept her choices and confront what needs to be done in order to protect those she loves. Go, Jodi! I love strong, fierce heroines, and Jodi’s tough as nails.

Another thing I admired about Kelly’s story is how she painted Medusa. Most stories depict her as the villain, with crazy snake hair and glowing eyes. But in ToD, she’s not given a bad rap. I love how Kelly selected less popular myths and weaved them throughout the story seamlessly; creating a fantastic world that is somehow realistic. It could happen! As much as I enjoyed the characters and zombies (zombies rock!) I really loved learning about the 13th sign of the Zodiac. It’s just cool how Kelly ran with it, and created a race of necromancers under the Ophi who are related to Medusa. It still boggles my mind.

The romance between Jodi and Alex. Sigh. It’s sweet and swoony. They’re relationship started slow and built through the novel. It wasn’t rushed or awkward, and I appreciated the way it developed naturally. Packed with tension, action, and heart-melting romance, Touch of Death is a must read for zombie lovers and mythology lovers alike.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!
I have been fascinated with mythology for almost as long as I can remember. I love all the different variations on the lives of the gods. How they came about, their lives, their loves, their destruction, their betrayals, I just love it all and jump at any chance I get to read about them so it was no wonder the whole idea of Touch of Death appealed to me. Descendants of Medusa? Count me in!

I was really hoping that I would get something fun, different and completely unique and that is exactly what I got with an added bonus of a little love story thrown in for good measure and of course the ability to raise the dead. What more could a girl ask for?

There were a few cliches in this one, girl already has boyfriend, meets new guy, is attracted to him. Plain girl with special powers, mean girl hates her and wants her guy, that sort of thing, but honestly, it wasn't too bad and nothing that wasn't easily over looked because the rest of the plot line was so entertaining and original.


I loved all the spins on Medusa and her bloodline. About her not being a villain so much as a victim. I liked the almost motherly role she plays in Jodi's life and the fact that things are constantly happening in this doesn't hurt either. The ending does make me very curious about where the series will go from here but I would like to find out, I would like to see what happens and what adventures are in story for Jodi and Alex and I can't help bu be intrigued by Hades and must confess, that I would love to see more of him.