Kissed By A Great Read

Every summer, I lose myself in the relentless search for a book that changes my life. I found a few this summer that have moved me, but not to the extent I had hoped. Now that the summer is practically over, I did lose hope in finding that special feeling that comes with discovering a great book.

Guess what? I found it just in the nick of time!

Elizabeth Chandler has graced me with the breathtaking story of Tristan and Ivy in her series Kissed By An Angel. In a literary world drowning with bloodsuckers, this was a breath of fresh air for me. Not only is it a beautiful love story, but also a mystery and a thriller, all wrapped up in a compelling fantasy.

Tristan and Ivy's story begins like most teenage romances. Tristan is the beloved star swimmer at their school and admires Ivy from afar, while Ivy is much more accustomed to spending time with friends and praying to the angels she most certainly believes in. Once they decide to take those precious steps into each other's heart, it's easy to see their pure and undenying love. It makes it all the more tragic when Tristan is killed in a car accident, and Ivy is spared to take on the world alone.

Ivy believes she cannot go on without her true love, and even stops believing in her angels. If they were real, Tristan wouldn't be dead. But Ivy doesn't know that Tristan isn't gone at all. In fact, he has become her guardian angel. He sends her messages, shows her signs, but Ivy doesn't understand. She doesn't believe angels exist. While he struggles to contact her, Tristan comes to discover that the car accident wasn't an accident at all, but a planned murder attempt. Tristan was not supposed to die, and the killer is still after Ivy.

The trilogy follows Tristan in his attempt to convince Ivy to believe in him and to save her from his killer. However, if he fufills his mission in saving Ivy, he must leave earth and lose his love forever. The constant threat of Ivy's life and the uncertainty of who to trust is most evident in this story, but Tristan and Ivy's love is one of the most inspiring tales I have ever read.

When I read books, I want to feel everything. I want to feel like I'm involved, like I'm in love, like I'm in danger, and in Kissed By An Angel I feel all that and more. There's a little bit for everyone in the many genres the plot line touches, and it's another reason I admire Chandler's writing style. The suspense is thrilling, while the love is gentle and refreshing. The strong belief Ivy sees in her angels presses readers into believing they actually exist, and this belief hits home a little harder than vampires coming back from the dead.

I wouldn't be surprised if Ivy and Tristan's story is adapted into a film, but I wouldn't be thrilled about it, either. There are elements in the words on these pages that simply cannot be experienced the same way on screen. This is true for almost all book to movie adaptations, but it goes to show just how emotionally driven the story really is.

Most of all, after reading through Chandler's trilogy, I find that I look at life a little differently. She shows us that life is precious, and it shouldn't be taken for granted. She shows us the power of true love. She shows us that our belief is just as strong as all of it combined.

So go on, pick up the book and read the first page. If you're lucky like me, you'll be kissed by an angel.

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