Review: Invisible Touch by Kelly Parra

Found another great book for all of ya. And you must be interested in this one because it got second place in my first ever "What should I review?" poll. :) Check it out:

Invisible Touch

by Kelly Parra

MTV Books (Simon & Schuster)

ISBN: 9781416563372

http://www.kellyparra.com/

Release Date: October 2008

from the publisher's website:

Kara Martinez has been trying to be "normal" ever since the accident that took her father's life when she was eleven years old. She's buried the caliente side of her Mexican heritage with her father and tried to be the girl her rigid mother wants her to be -- compliant and dressed in pink, and certainly not acting out like her older brother Jason. Not even Danielle, her best friend at Valdez High, has seen the real Kara; only those who read her anonymous blog know the deepest secrets of the Sign Seer.

Because Kara has a gift -- one that often feels like a curse. She sees signs, visions that are clues to a person's fate, if she can put together the pieces of the puzzle in time. So far, she's been able to solve the clues and avert disaster for those she's been warned about -- until she sees the flash of a gun on a fellow classmate, and the stakes are raised higher than ever before. Kara does her best to follow the signs, but it's her heart that wanders into new territory when she falls for a mysterious guy from the wrong side of town, taking her closer to answers she may not be able to handle. Will her forbidden romance help her solve the deadly puzzle before it's too late...or lead her even further into danger?

my thoughts:

I loved reading Invisible Touch; I scarcely wanted to put it down (but despite working in a bookstore my bosses tend to frown on reading during working hours). Kelly Parra did an excellent job of getting Kara's feelings and fears across. I was right there with Kara as she tried to solve the puzzle of the signs. A connection with the main character is one of the primary elements I look for while reading a book, and I was definitely connected to Kara throughout Invisible Touch.

Aside from the suspense of Kara trying to solve the mystery, there is Kara's romance with Anthony. The relationship felt real even though it seemed to move quickly. Kara's gift gives her an edge; Anthony comes out of nowhere, but Kara knows that she can trust him.

I also like the way the family issues were handled. Once again, things felt real, in fact they could almost be called frustratingly so. It was easy to feel Kara's frustrations with her mother and the lies she was forced to tell so her mother would believe she was a normal teenager.

I'm curious to see if Kelly Parra will write more with Kara and Anthony, but regardless I'm looking froward to reading more from her. Invisible Touch is a title I seriously recommend you check out. Kelly Parra is also the author of Graffitti Girl which I haven't read, but I'm going to be looking for a copy of it now.

PS -

Don't forget about the James Patterson Promo! Vote in any of the polls on the left sidebar and then leave a comment letting me know you voted. Either comment here or on the original promo post.