The Coldest Touch

[I received an eARC from NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review].

TL;DR:
bi MC, sapphic LI/MC, non-binary & bi side characters. Witches & vampires & psychic-death-seeing-mortal. Alternating character views.

I should preface this review with the fact that I've read every other published book by Isabel Sterling before this & loved them and the writing style.

Overall, this book was so much more than I anticipated - I don't know what it was about the blurb of this book but it repeatedly just slipped out of my mind so I knew this had a wlw plot line but not much more.

One of the things that stood out big time was how unexpected the plot twist regarding the brother was. I'm usually a reader who constantly thinks forward to see 'what's going to happen??' but I was completely blindsided this time.

The chapters switch between being from Elise's perspective and Claire's perspective, which at the start I did find a bit confusing, but as I became more immersed it became easier to follow. It was nice to see the romance blossom from both perspectives, because they're both written as quite opposing characters personality wise.

The plot line was really well rounded, and
tidy. Each plot question was dealt with by the end of the novel, and I didn't find I was left with loads of unanswered questions.

I'd honestly recommend this to almost any YA reader who enjoys sapphic or witchy and supernatural fiction books.

I must admit, going into this book I wasn't sure it sounded like my cup of tea. However, I am thrilled to have been proved wrong!

Elise can see the death of anybody she touches, and has withdrawn into herself to try and avoid such a curse. Claire, a vampire, has been sent to help her master this power and use it for the leaders of the paranormal world.

The characters were easy to engage with, and the world building smart. There were twists and a hint of mystery that kept me hooked to the end! Definitely a book I intend to pick up again.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Coldest Touch is an excellent and fresh take on the YA vampire novel. The story follows Elise who can see how people die when she touches them. She meets Clare, a vampire tasked with training Elise to master her powers. Things get dicey when feelings get in the way. Prepare for sweet romance, strong supernatural elements, and an engaging plot. The characters are well-written and fun to read about. Be sure to check out The Coldest Touch today!

This book was absolutely incredible. It was fun and quirky and so divine. The writing was so beautiful and I loved the dynamic between characters.

Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Coldest Touch was one of my most anticipated reads this end of 2021 and it certainly did not disappoint. It is the first book that I have read by Isabel Sterling and I can without a doubt say that I absolutely love her writing style. The Coldest Touch is a YA f/f paranormal book following Elise, a girl cursed with being able to predict people’s death through touching them, and Claire, a Vampire tasked to help Elise embrace and use her power correctly.

I absolutely adored pretty much everything about this book. I loved the LGBTQIA+ representation, the found family aspect, and the addition of a murder mystery. It was such a quick and easy read, I didn’t feel like I was missing much and I didn’t become confused at any point. Due to it being fast-paced, I felt like a couple of things were rushed which left me wanting more so I really hope there’s a sequel!

I loved the characters and their relationship, especially the development of the relationship between Elise and Claire. It was just so cute and adorable. As for Elise’s father, whilst I understood he was processing what happened to their family in his own way, I still wanted to punch him so bad. I did want to see a bit more of other Vampires as well as other paranormal/fantasy beings mentioned in the book such as witches and fae.

The setting was pretty much consistent, there were no complicated places being mentioned I could picture the different settings quite well (i.e. the school and character’s houses) which is something I love in books.
Overall, this book is perfect if you’re looking for a fast-paced book with paranormal sapphics and a murder mystery.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing this eARC. I absolutely loved this book. It has mystery and paranormal elements and I really loved the hidden "The Veil" society. The writing style was really descriptive and I loved the dual povs. The cast of the book is diverse and really, really queer what I loved. The author did a phenomenal job. The book and its plot really surprised me. I had no clue where the story was headed, which I loved. I'm really looking forward to reading more books by this author. I recommend this book to people who love paranormal stories with a hint of romance.