Kissed By an Angel

Gr 7 Up—Ivy loves angels and prays to them for support, guidance, and help. Her collection of angel figurines is a prized possession. She also grows to love Tristan in Elizabeth Chandler's first book (Simon Pulse, 1998) in a trilogy. They are the perfect couple, until the terrible night when speed, broken brake cables, and a deer in the road lead to the tragic death of Tristan and injury to Ivy. Now Tristan is an angel with a mission. But what is it? And how can he help Ivy when she can't even hear him or feel his presence? The story ends very abruptly, with no resolution and little motivation for listeners to want to hear the next installment. There is way too much back story and too little action in this tale of life, death, and afterlife. Renee Raudman's narration lacks energy, causing the story to drag. Although the events take place in Connecticut, the narrator's accents are forced and sound as though they are from somewhere closer to South Philly. Her characterization of Ivy is weak, making her sound whiny and a bit weird.—Ann Brownson, Eastern Illinois University,