Becky Moynihan

Shadow Touched

Nicole Lambert

NOTE: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Right from the start, this book had a very interesting premise. A girl only months shy of her eighteenth birthday wants nothing more than to escape her aunt's paranoid lifestyle. With no knowledge of the supernatural world and what she truly is, all she wants is a normal life with lasting relationships free of the burden of moving constantly. However, all the secrets that have been kept from her since birth soon catch up to her, starting with someone she dubbed only as the Shadow Man--a black, menacing figure with glowing, red eyes who seems to be stalking her.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. Vampires and witches are perhaps my favorite supernatural creatures, and this book had them and more. The romance was definitely swoon-worthy, as the author herself so eloquently put it in her About the Author section, and I loved the suspense leading up to the big reveal towards the end. I also really loved the ending and how it wasn't satisfying, providing an excellent lead-in for book two.

However, despite its strengths, I found myself wanting more, predominantly more darker encounters with the people who truly want to kill the main character, McKenna (and no, Lochlan, the love interest, doesn't count). I wanted to get to know Emmett more and wished the vampire king, who only had a brief mention, played a bigger part. And I also wanted to know more about the world. What other supernatural creatures are there besides vampires, werewolves, and witches? And how do each supernatural society interact with one another? Instead, what I got was...a lot of romance, and though romance isn't bad (I consider it a bonus, but it's not really what draws me to a book in the first place), I would've liked more of the other elements I've mentioned. Also, I thought Reid was supposed to play a bigger role in the book than he did, since he was heavily mentioned within the first half but very sparingly mentioned, if at all, in the second half.

Overall, I did enjoy the book and will probably continue the series. If you like vampire paranormal romance, then this book is definitely for you.

Maria Elena Vitale Zelaia

Has this become one of my new obsessions?

Yes.

It.

Has!

I was craving a good vampire story and that is exactly what Becky Moynihan delivered. From the moment she started sharing snippets, I knew I had to read this. The feeling only intensified when my eyes were blessed upon the reveal of this drop-dead gorgeous cover! Yet despite my excitement for this book, I didn’t expect to be so thoroughly destroyed by it in the best way possible. 

Shadow Touched is the first in the A Touch of Vampire series following Kenna, a nearly eighteen-year-old young woman who’s lived most of her life on the move. Her aunt never let them settle down for too long and never explained her reasons behind the constant moving around, causing Kenna to feel adrift and detached from everything and everyone. She has no close friends, no place she truly feels at home…until they move to Rosewood. For some reason, this place feels right, and she wants those friends to stay. She wants to stay. But despite her desire for a normal life, strange things happen that suck Kenna into a world of darkness and mystery in which she might play a bigger role than she realized. 

When I say this book destroyed me in the best way possible, I mean it. The description says it’s perfect for fans of Twilight, The Vampire Diaries and Beauty and the Beast and I’ve never felt something so strongly. I felt the glorious vampire romance with every fiber of my body. The romance is wonderful, addicting and so hawt that my ovaries were on fire. (My sister will confirm.) I need, want, desire more—especially after that ending! 

Add all that to a wonderful cast of characters and you have one obsessed reader. Kenna is an awesome protagonist with the right balance of smart and spunk. Lochlan is the classic broody character that intrigues you from his first appearance. Isla is witty and super fun to be around with. And Kade. Kade has my heart. Sassy, handsome, the kind of guy I could see myself marrying and call my best friend in sappy Instagram posts. I could read a whole book about him. If I imagine Kade bantering with his love interest and making love to them and being the precious soul he is… *combusts*

I wanted to write a review that sounded professional and polished, but it’s difficult to do when you have so many feelings. I feel so incredibly honored for having read this a little bit earlier than most. This was a truly wonderful read that I encourage readers who enjoy romance to pick up, so that they can die with me.

Shadow Touched

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