Introduction And Chapter One



Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Part One


Wow. This book definitely grabs you from the first few paragraphs of the story! The author is really creative in beginning the book with a cliffhanger. Something you would never have seen coming from the first page. These are some excerpts I think are super important to clue us in on some history of the two characters, Tristan and Ivy, who are introduced in this thrilling start. Also the author has a great way of foreshadowing something that could possibly end up to be sinister.
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“ ‘What if someone had come along and seen your father’s clergy sticker on the bumper?’… ‘I’d have told them I was with an angel.’” Pg. 2 Tristan and Ivy
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“ ‘Ivy, I love you… This isn’t some kind of game for me. I love you, Ivy Lyons, and one day you’re going to believe me.’” Pg. 2 Tristan and Ivy.
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These quotes show me that the two are obviously a couple with deep feelings for one another and I have to wonder, how long have they been together? Maybe it was love at first sight, or they could have been dating for years; either way they obviously have a strong bond.
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“ ‘You really don’t have to hurry,’ said Ivy. ‘I’m not hungry anymore.’”
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“ ‘I said, we don’t have to hurry.’ ‘That’s funny,’ Tristan murmured. ‘I wonder what’s-‘ He glanced down at his feet. ‘This doesn’t feel…’” PG 3-4 Tristan and Ivy
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“ ‘Slow down, okay? It doesn’t matter if we’re a little late-Oh!’ Ivy pointed straight ahead. ‘Tristan!’”… “ ‘Tristan!’… ‘Tristan, don’t you see it?’ Rushing still. ‘Ivy, something’s-‘. ‘A deer!’ she exclaimed. ‘Stop, why don’t you stop?’ she pleaded. ‘Tristan, stop!’” Pg 4-5 Tristan and Ivy.
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I had to read this part over twice. What the heck is going on! A deer has run out into the street ahead of them, Ivy sees it I can only imagine that Tristan does too but they don’t stop. It says, “Rushing still.” At first I totally thought Tristan was trying to prove something to Ivy and was just being an adrenaline-junkie. Then I re-read and I caught that Tristan had been trying talk the whole time but Ivy kept screaming at him and interrupting. From reading Tristan’s dialogue I have the feeling there was a problem with the brakes. Did they go out… or were they cut?
Part One ends with: “The windshield exploded. For days after, all Ivy could remember was the waterfall of glass.” From this I know that they did indeed hit the deer and that Ivy survived the wreck. My question is: What did Tristan see for days after?












Chapter One





Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Part Two



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“ ‘Tell me again,’ she said. ‘Which one is he?’” Pg. 5 Ivy
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“ ‘Tristan is the one in the center lane,’” Pg 5 Suzanne (Ivy’s friend)
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Either ivy had some serious head trauma or this is a flashback. At this point, I’m hoping Ivy had some head trauma, that way Tristan didn’t die at least! It sounds bad but it could be a story like The Vow! Except hopefully she remembers in the end…
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“He had been pointed out to her in January, that first snowy day when she had arrived at Stonehill High School.” Pg 8
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Okay, so this is a flashback… I have a bad feeling Tristan dies… But I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
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“Beth, who was round faced with shoulder-length frosted hair and clothes that ranged from flaky to dowdy, lived many incredibly romantic and passionate lives-in her mind.” Pg 8
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“Suzanne, with her magnificent long black mane of hair and dramatic eyebrows and cheek bones, also pursued and lived out many passions-in the classroom and hallways, leaving the guys of Stonehill High emotionally exhausted.” Pg 8-9
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“’Who’s that little brunette?’ Suzanne asked ‘I hate little petite types. Gregory doesn’t look right with someone petite. Little face, little hands, little dainty feet.’… ‘Ivy, come on,” Suzanne whined, and pulled on her arm. ‘Look and see if you know who that little brunette is.’ ‘Twinkie.’ ‘You’re making that up!’ Suzanne said. ‘It’s Twinkie Hammonds,’ Ivy insisted. ‘She’s a senior in my music class.’” Pg 12
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“Gregory Baines had a charming smile, dark hair, gray eyes, very cool gray eyes, Ivy thought. He was tall, but it wasn’t his height that made him stick out in a crowd. It was his self-confidence. He was like an actor, like the star of a movie who was part of it all, yet when the show was over, held himself apart from the others, believing he was better than the rest. The Baineses were the richest people in the wealthy town of Stonehill, but Ivy knew that it wasn’t Gregory’s money but his coolness, this aloofness, that drove Suzanne wild.” Pg 13
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So obviously Suzanne has the hots for Gregory, and who wouldn’t? He sounds like a hot rich guy, but he acts aloof to Suzanne creating the world’s oldest scenario. Humans like the chase… You want the person who doesn’t want you. I’ve never understood it, and I don’t think I ever will.
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“…Gregory would not acknowledge her presence. And as if bound by some silent agreement, neither he nor Ivy had advertised that his father was going to marry her mother.” Pg. 14
These are some quotes that I thought I should write down as I was reading. There are some pretty vivid descriptions of Ivy’s friends Suzanne and Beth. Also there is a very detailed break down of Mr. Gregory Baines. Also, I had to include the quote introducing Twinkie Hammonds. I laughed pretty hard after reading that, who in the heck would name their kid Twinkie?
Also, I picked up that Gregory and Ivy are going to be stepbrother and stepsister, I don’t know why but from the way the author describes the situation where Ivy and Gregory are introduced together I get an odd feeling about Gregory. Soon after Gregory leaves Ivy, Suzanne, and Beth start talking about how Ivy likes to talk her angels. This kind of gives some insight on Ivy, and I’m starting to believe she is the main character of the story. She talks to her angels, and she prays to them to protect her and help her in certain situations. From what I’ve read so far I know she has a water angel that she prayed to and now she’s terrified of water. I wonder what happened?

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‘“I heard that he is pretty smart,’ Beth said at another lunch in the cafeteria. ‘A total brain,’ Suzanne agreed. “Top of the class.” Ivy raised an eyebrow. ‘Or close enough.’ ‘Swimming is a subtle sport,’ Beth continued. ‘It looks as if all they’re doing is going back and forth, but a guy like Tristan has a plan, a complex winning strategy for each race.’ ‘Uh-huh.’ Ivy said.” Ivy, Suzanne, and Beth. Pg. 15
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This was a flashback to when Suzanne and Beth talked Ivy into going to the swim meet they’re at now to see Tristan. Since Ivy doesn’t really have a social life due to her playing the piano, trying to move everything to their new house, her little brother, and school work Suzanne and Beth are trying to hook Ivy up with Tristan because they think fate brought those two together when they accidentally bumped into each other in the hallway, twice.

Chapter One
Part Three


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“Now, in late March, Ivy watched Tristan shake out his arms and legs. He had a perfect build for a swimmer, broad and powerful shoulders, narrow hips. The cap hid his straight brown hair, which she remembered to be shortish and thickish. ‘Every inch of him hard with muscle,’ breathed Beth.” Pg. 17
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Even though Ivy says she doesn’t like Tristan it’s apparent there’s an attraction. Also, from the cliffhanger at the beginning we know that the two will get together and eventually tell each other they love one another. But then again, teenage relationships these days, it seems that people say they love you just because it sounds nice. How serious was their relationship? And what the heck happens after the wreck!
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“’You always use words that begin with h,’ Suzanne said. Beth nodded. ‘When you alliterate h, it sounds like heavy breathing. Hot, heady, Horton Hears a Who.’” Pg. 19
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Alliteration!! It is cool how if you alliterate with h it really does sound like heavy breathing. And the way she throws Horton Hears A Who in there is awesome, because I totally would have done the same!

Chapter Two And Three

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“I don’t want to marry her! I just want her to know I exist. I just want to go out with her. Once! If she doesn’t like me, well…’ Tristan shrugged as if it didn’t matter, as if the worst crush he’d ever had in his life might really disappear overnight.” Pg 22
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Awh! It’s so cute that Tristan got himself into being a waiter at Ivy’s mom’s wedding just so he could see her and talk to her. And the night ends up in total disaster when he throws caviar, vegetables, and Champaign all over the guests!
Eventually, when he gets fired for spilling a vegetable spread all over Ivy’s Mom’s wedding gown he hangs out in the freezer waiting for his friend to get done serving and meets up with Ivy’s brother, Phillip. It’s hilarious when Ivy walks in looking for Phillip and finds Tristan entertaining the 8 year-old by sticking vegetables in odd places!
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“Ivy froze. She was stunned by the sight of Tristan, celery stuck in his ears, salad shreds in his hair, something squishy and black on his teeth, and-hard as it was to believe that someone over eight would do this-shrimp tails sticking out of his nose.” Pg 35

After the wedding and honeymoon Ivy and Phillip move in with Andrew and Gregory into their huge lavishly furnished home. Ivy and Phillip were both gifted with two amazing rooms; in fact, Ivy got her own wing with a grand piano and extravagant music room.



Chapter Four, Five, And Six



As Gregory shows Ivy and Phillip through the house he gets disturbingly close to Ivy and totally gives me the Heebie Jeebies! He’s totally being a creep!
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“In the center of it all was a king-size waterbed. ‘Try it,’ Gregory urged. Ivy leaned down and jiggled it tentatively with her hand… ‘Lie back on it, Ivy,’ Gregory urged her, his voice low and silky. When she did, he lay down close to her.”
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Creeper alert! They’re newly related Gregory is being a weirdo by asking Ivy to lay down on his waterbed as he cuddles up close to her. This is really weird!
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“’Actually, the newest member of my act,’ he said, and turned to Ivy. ‘You’ve seen part of it-the carrot and shrimp-tail routine I do? I don’t know what it is. Eight-year olds find me irresistible.’ He glanced back at the kids. ‘Sorry, got to go now.”’ Tristan Pg 54
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Tristan happened to purchase an array of celebration supplies from the store Ivy works at, for a swim meet, including a huge blow-up balloon whale. After the incident at the wedding, Tristan is embarrassed and called in to see when Ivy was at lunch so he could avoid her but coincidentally ran into her on his way out.
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“’She’s afraid of water and she can’t swim!’ Suzanne blurted. … ‘Ivy.’ She turned her face at the sound of his voice, scraping her cheek on the board. Tristan had climbed the ladder and was standing at the other end. ‘Everything is going to be all right, Ivy.’… ‘I can help you. Trust me.’… ‘Listen to me, Ivy. You’re not going to be able to keep holding on that way. Roll on your side a little. Roll, okay? Get your right arm free. Come on. I know you can do it.’… ‘You got it. You got it.’… ‘Now inch up. Pull yourself all the way onto the board. That’s the way… Loosen up your right hand, then. And pull your right knee up, tuck it under you…. Now crawl to me… Come to me, Ivy… Okay, I’m right behind you now. We’ll take one step at a time. I’m right here.’” Pg. 63-67
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Ivy is doing a project for drama where they have to jump on the end of a diving board and present a piece of literature. Ivy is terrified of water and can’t swim so when she slips on the diving board and is holding on for dear life, Tristan is really an angel sent from above. He gently coaxes her into the right position and helps her slowly get down from the board. This is so sweet! I think this is where the author really begins to pull them together.

Chapter Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten.

In the next chapters Ivy has to give up her beloved cat Ella and Tristan speaks up to take her. While Ivy is dropping Ella off at Tristan’s house we get some interesting insight on why Ivy is so terrified of water.
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“I don’t even remember his name. One of my mother’s boyfriends. She had a lot of them and some of them were nice. But he was mean. He took us to a friend’s pool. I was four, I think. I didn’t know how to swim and didn’t want to go into the water. I guess I got annoying after a while, hanging onto Mom…
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Mom went inside for a few minutes, to help with sandwiches or something. He grabbed hold of me. I knew what he was going to do and started kicking and screaming, but Mom didn’t hear me. He dragged me over to the pool’s edge. ‘Let’s see if she will swim!’ he said, ‘Let’s see if the cat will swim!’ He picked me up high and threw me in…
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The water was way over my head. I floundered around, kicking and moving in my arms, but I couldn’t keep my face above water. I started choking on it, swallowing it. I couldn’t get up for air.” Pg. 82
After Ivy told Tristan about why she feared water he offered to teach her how to swim. This reminds me a lot of when I learned how to swim; to my instructor being patient and kind and making sure I know what I’m doing so that I can actually learn in a way that is enjoyable. However, I can really connect with Ivy in the fact that she’s afraid of water and that she faced her fears. I was terrified of water and still am, but last year in gym we had to swim and I was soo scared but I eventually got in the water and faced it.

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“’Ivy,’ he said. The word was like a kiss. ‘Ivy.’ The word became a kiss.” Pg 97
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Tristan and Ivy are together! Finally! I was wondering when they were going to get together!
Right when everything started to look better… Gregory’s mother committed suicide.
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“’What makes you think she killed herself.’ Gregory asked. ‘That doesn’t seem like her. It doesn’t seem like her at all. She was too strong a woman.’…
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‘No actual note, but photographs that were torn and scattered around the body.’ He glanced toward Maggie. (Ivy’s mom)…
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‘Photos of Mrs. And Mr. Baines… Newspaper photos from their wedding.’” Pg 107
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Wow… Maggie is feeling guilty right now, she thinks it’s her fault that Andrew’s ex-wife killed herself. And now she’s just making herself miserable with the idea.
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“The gun was still twisted around her thumb. There were powder burns on her fingers, the burns one gets from firing such a weapon. Of course, we’ll be checking the gun for prints and the bullet for a match, and we’ll let you know if we find something unexpected. But her doors were locked-no sign of forced entry-her air-conditioning on and windows secure, so…’” Pg. 109
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Wow…. I don’t know what else to say. The author throws an amazing curve ball.



Chapter Eleven, twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen

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“’What if someone had come along and seen your father’s clergy sticker on the bumper?’…. ‘I’d have told them I was with an angel.’” Pg 234
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And here we are…. Back to where the book began. This is a part in the story where I don’t know if I want to cry because I know what’s going to happen, put the book down and just never finish it, or read through. I guess I kind of have to read through since I have to write a report on the end… but the sense of dread and overwhelming sense of loss that haunts those lines is just… unbelievable. I feel like a book just shut close and that’s the end. We know he dies and she lives and the mystery of what happens is over.
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“His father couldn’t look his mother in the face. ‘Dead at the scene?’ he asked. ‘I’m sorry. We didn’t have a chance with him.’ The doctor replied.” Pg 242
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This is weird… This conversation is not happening from Tristan’s father’s point of view… but from Tristan’s. He’s a ghost! No… he’s an angel…

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“’When you love someone, it’s never over.’ Dr. Carruthers replied gently (Tristan’s Mom). ‘You move on, because you have to, but you bring him with you in your heart.’” Pg 256
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“When Tristan awakened, he tried to remember to which day of the week it was and what lessons he would be giving at the swim camp…Then it came back to Tristan: the accident, the ambulance ride, the paramedic’s words. He was dead. But he could think. He could watch over people.” Pg 278
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This story has so many ups and downs!
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Chapter Fifteen and Sixteen

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During the last chapters Tristan realizes that his death was not accidental. Now he’s on a mission to find out who put his and Ivy’s life in jeopardy and who is possibly still looking to hurt Ivy. He follows her around throughout the day wishing he could be with her.

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“’ So you’re a… a ghost,’ he said. ‘Excuse me?’ He wished she’d stop using that annoying tone. ‘Did you say ghost? You are recent. We’re not ghosts, sweetie.’ She tapped his arm several times with a long, pointed, purplish black nail.” Pg. 284
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Tristan meets another being after dying, named Lacey. She was an actress before she died and she informed him that they are not ghosts but angels. Angels who have missions on earth that need to be accomplished before they can officially move on to heaven.
While being followed unknowingly by Tristan, Ivy’s friends try to get her to move on and drag her on dates with them with Gregory, Suzanne, Beth, Erik, And Will.

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“But nothing would stop him. ‘Ivy has to believe again,’ Tristan said. ‘We have to reach her. She has to know that it wasn’t an accident. Somebody wanted me-or Ivy-dead!’” pg. 346
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And this is the end of the first book in the series, Kissed By An Angel.