Invisible Touch

Reader reviewed by Amanda

Lots of the time if a book has a mystery I figure it out far before the main character. This time I was just as confused as Kara. I didn't put it together until she did. This kept me turning the pages frequently wanting more. I've learned that if the main character has some kind of "gift" they don't want it. They see this great thing as a burden. And I guess for some it really is. Like Kara's gift will cause her head to throb if she ignores the clues to the puzzle. But at least this makes her act on her gift instead of ignoring it. I liked how Kara was able to pursue a relationship even when her brother doesn't like it. The ending left my mouth hanging open in surprise. Once I thought I had it figured out everything changed. I was at the edge of my seat whenever Kara was in danger, which was often. Overall I think that Invisible Touch was an amazing read that was able to keep me bewildered.

Reader reviewed by Bookluver-Carol

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?

Invisible Touch was a pleasant, paranormal read.

The Latino culture described in this book was so vivid and real, and I related to it (I'm a Latina). The little Spanish words thrown here and there were accurate. The way the barrio was described made me feel as if I was back in California, right in that town.

Kara was a great character, but I did have a problem with her. She says that she finds it hard to trust people, yet she goes with the mysterious guy without knowing a lot about him. Other than that, Kara is a believable character with a strong voice who is still dealing with her father's death.

The way Kara's father died reminded me of the way Kelsey's father died in The Lifeguard by Richie Tankersley Cusick.

The dialogue between the characters was realistic and natural. The whole story was well-written. The author, Kelly Parra, gave little clues to what was happening but made sure not to give away the whole thing in the first few chapters.

The plot did remind me of Dream Girl by Lauren Mechling. Both girls get this small vision or sign, and then they try to figure out what's going to happen in a short amount of time. The plot of Invisible Touch was fast and fun. You don't even notice time passing as you're reading the book.
It had mystery, questionable romance (they just met, then they're dating), paranormal, and suspense.

Overall this was a truly enjoyable book with a few flaws, but I would still recommend it to fans of Dream Girl by Lauren Mechling, readers who like the paranormal and/or to other Latinas out there.

Reader reviewed by MelodyJM

When Kara was 11 she lost her father in a tragic boating accident. She also died. For eleven minutes. When she woke up, she found that she wasn't completely the same, she started seeing signs, clues she would see on a person's chest playing like a video. If she could figure them out in time, she could avert disasters (usually small ones). So when she sees a sign of a gun on a boy at school, she knows she HAS to figure this clue out before someone dies. In the process of trying to figure the mystery out she meets a cute boy from the "bad side" of town, who also presents yet another mystery. Will she be able Nancy Drew this case in time to save lives?
I LOVED this book. The character's are astonishingly real, and it's easy to relate to Kara even if you never had problems quite like hers. You want things to go well for her. The writer is so good you almost know how it feels to be in Kara's place. The Final Showdown was so good I am pretty sure I actually said the word "WOW", out loud, and the answer to the clues is nothing I ever would have guessed! I know I am going to read this book again and again, and would suggest you go out and buy this the day it comes out!