Touched, by Elisa S. Amore - starting May 18th, 2018

[Jennifer]

Description: Based on a Norwegian legend
A Sealed Fate
An Angel of Death
A Forbidden Love

What are you willing to sacrifice when the only person who can save you is the same one who has to kill you?

After vampires and werewolves, after wizards and fallen angels, a new breed of Angels is here to usher you into their dark world. An ancient, deadly, inescapable race.
No one can see them. They’re shadows of destiny. They’re knights of death. They’re the Subterraneans and they’re here to claim our lives.
Commanded by a mysterious congregation called the Màsala, the Angels of Death ensure that each man’s destiny takes its due course on Earth.
But what happens when love intervenes?
Can an Angel of Death deny his own nature and challenge destiny?
Can love rebel against fate?

When Gemma’s eyes first meet the dark, piercing gaze of Evan James, an ominous shadow creeps into her life, ultimately leading her to face her destiny. She doesn't realize Evan is one of Death's soldiers and that Death is summoning her.
Her time is up: Gemma must die . . . and Evan has been sent to kill her.
But what if she’s the only one who can truly see him?

Against every rule. Against fate itself. Against everything and everyone. A story of forbidden love and star-crossed destinies.

Dark. Romantic. Dangerous.

Touched combines devastating passion and unconfessable secrets, heartrending decisions and deep emotions, giving life to a love story as intense as the feelings that unite Evan and Gemma, as inescapable as the destiny that looms over them . . .

[Jennifer]

Ch 7 - (view spoiler)[ It's kind of sweet that she has this group of boys looking out for her and protecting Pete's claim. I feel bad for Pete - just another nice guy that's about to get the boot to make room for the bad boy. Is it just me or is Gemma a bit annoying? Her stream of consciousness about how "wild" Evan is was too long for my liking. I kept saying to myself, "enough already, move along!". (hide spoiler)]

Ch 18 - (view spoiler)[ I like Evan's POV so much better, you? I feel bad for his predicament, but we all know that he is going to find a way out of it, right? (hide spoiler)]

Ch 25 - (view spoiler)[ Well, I guess that was exciting. So, is she just going to be chased forever by other angels of death? Silly, but I just keep wondering where Pete was in all this? Is he still back at the gym? I was disappointed in his character taking her to prom and then immediately going off to pout. It didn't match with what I thought his character was like in the beginning. (hide spoiler)]

[Jennifer]

Ch 32 - (view spoiler)[ I don't get why he doesn't just kill her?? Isn't that his one and only goal? (hide spoiler)]

Finished - (view spoiler)[ Meh. Mixed feelings about this one. I liked Evan, but even he got a bit cheesy toward the end. Gemma remained annoying through most of it.

Do you ever get the feeling that too many authors are trying to mimic the characters from Twilight? I got that impression here, yet it fell very short. Gemma is a bit of an outcast even within her group of friends (just like Bella is the new kid at school, quiet and withdrawn). She's got her best friend (Pete is Jacob) that likes her and is protective of her, but she only has eyes for the dangerous guy that her instincts are warning her away from, etc. Evan is hiding a horrible secret and has to resist his own nature, but is mystically drawn to Gemma (as if her touch is "singing" to him like Bella's blood sang to Edward). He finally comes clean and it makes Gemma just want him more because only she can see into his soul. Now they are faced with the same problem as Twilight - Gemma is mortal and Evan isn't. Blah, blah, blah.

I don't know if I am going to continue the series. The second book has a much higher rating. What do you think? (hide spoiler)]