Billed as a paranormal romance for young adults, a missing person and a murder mystery theme sit centre stage, and actually friendship plays a key part in this novel. Elise can see how everyone she touches will die, the Veil sends vampire Claire to help Elise grow into her powers. Isabel Sterling has created a supernatural world championing LGBTQ characters, and it feels beautifully organic and straightforward, people (or vampires) are who they are. The two main characters narrate their own story ensuring a wider overview of thoughts and feelings. The vampire threat of compulsion is handled thoughtfully as is the theme of consent. Murder, violence, greed, and obviously death are major topics, the romance doesn’t exactly take a back seat, but it feels as though the author has so much to say, that there are times when the plot bubbles with all the different possibilities. I was fascinated by some of the supporting characters and wanted to know more about them. I felt as though there was still more to discover when I reached the end, is this the start to a new series? The Coldest Touch is a readable, engaging story perfect for paranormal loving older teens searching for LGBTQ centred characters.
Death drew them together. Life could tear them apart. Elise is cursed. Every time she touches someone, she experiences how they will die. And when she predicts, but is unable to prevent, her brother's death, Elise is desperate to escape her terrible gift. Then she meets Claire, a vampire tasked with helping Elise master her rare powers - and recruiting her to the Veil, a secret organisation determined to protect the paranormal world at all cost. At first, Elise is reluctant to work with a vampire, but when she predicts a teacher's imminent murder, she's determined to stop the violent death. As Elise and Claire grow closer, Elise begins to wonder - can she really trust someone tasked with securing her loyalty? Someone who could so easily kill her? Someone who might hold the key to unravelling her brother's mysterious death?
