Early Chapters: 1-9

[JosieKramer]

I realized I put this in First Impressions instead of here....so I am reposting...

Hi all.

I just re-read chapters 1 - 9 and since the schedule says this is the time post on those chapters here are my thoughts:

I have read a couple of posts where people say Patch is too confident and annoying.  While I do think this is true, I also think that is part of what being a teenager is all about.  Especially one who's physical appearance automatically draws people in.

The Coach in this story is relatable.  We have all had at least one teacher that either didn't treat us as individuals or had his priorities elsewhere. (in this case it's with his coaching job and he treats his bio students and athletes on the field)

The section where Vee keeps rambling about the whether "the deer" that Nora hit was still stuck on the headlights was utterly amusing to me.  Having recently hit a deer, this made me look at the lighter side of the situation.

The fact that the car was back intact when returned to Vee, propelled this book from an every day read about life in H.S., to one full of mystery and suspense. (For those of you who want to tell me the Prologue did this, please remember, I don't read prologues).

The reading in this book is very easy and free flowing.  Those of us out of high school get taken back to out days of mischief and the feeling that you MUST know everything about that guy or girl that no one seems to know anything about.

On Page 76 Patch calls Nora "Angel" while they were sitting in the restaurant.  At first look you would think nothing if little of it.  Having actually read this book's Prologue or even just looking at the cover, you know it has a deeper meaning.  I like that it was subtly put in. He continues to call Nora by this name several times in this chapter, and the act on having her ride the "Archangel" was nicely thought out.

During the roller coaster ride I liked how Patch manipulated the ride to make her think she had actually fallen out.  (remember, he said the Archangel meant the higher the Angel, the harder the fall)  I didn't realize it wasn't reality until once the ride stopped.  There is certainly no sense of "I expected that" in these first nine chapters.

[ErinRuns]

I think that Nora is very unhappy when she is paired with Patch because she doesn't want to work with someone other than her best friend.  I think you start to notice a shift when she decides to call him later that evening to meet up for the assignment - it shows that she has begun to become more interested in him and in knowing who he is.

It seems as though Patch has been following Nora and I think she is very frightened that he can speak directly to her mind.

I do not think Vee left Nora on her own - they seem like too good of friends for her to leave - I think there was just a misunderstanding.

[MissShopaholic]

i find the book fascinating.  I love it!

I think patch might have some kind of power like communicating telepathically and reading thoughts.  Yes i think he is spying on her but maybe to some extent.  I think the Elliot kid and Jules could be the enemy/nemesis.

I also believe that Nora was a lil upset about losing Vee as a partner but because she is into Patch she tries to put on a front... otherwise if she really didn't want to be Patch's partner she'd try harder at making an argument against it.  What i'm saying is that i feel her arguments are weak and even when coach says no, she doesn't go completely out of her way to continue the fight.  Towards the end of chapter nine, it shows how she's just trying to be "smart" or objective about the situation because for some reason probably doesn't want to get hurt and is being careful who she gives her heart to.

I'm not sure if Vee would have left her, especially since Elliot was involved he probably had something to do with her disappearance.

I think the two incidents may be mind tricks to scare her.  If patch can put words into her thoughts then maybe some other force can put visions into her thoughts (just a guess) or i've also considered other elaborate ideas that could possible occur but too unlikely.

we'll see.

[KateBrianIsAwe…]

Ok to start off I couldn't put the book down and now three days later I'm done with the book. I loved it, with it's twists and turns, romance and mystery. So I'm going to try best I can to remember how the beginning was for me.

How does Nora feel when she and Patch are paired up in Biology class?

 She seems to think Patch doesn't take anything serious everything is a joke to him. He irritates her.

When do you notice a shift in Nora's feelings? I can't remember exactly but she definitely actually started to flirt with Patch at the amusement park.

Does she share anything in common with Patch below the surface?

 Yes

What do you make of Nora feeling that she can hear Patch speak directly to her mind?

 That its cool.

Do you think Vee really left Nora on her own at the Delphic?

Yes and no

What do you make of the two incidents that Nora has had? The first, hitting a pedestrian who gets up and attacks her when

she's driving home on a foggy night, the second, falling from the ride "The Archangel" but finding her self safe and unharmed after each event? Is Patch somehow involved?

Someone wants to scare her and I don't believe Patch would do something like that.

[susan259]

I read the whole thing in one day!  You are right, once you get started you ahve to find out how it is going to end...

Susan

[susan259]

I would really like to know what you think of the book...I hope you decide to keep reading.  Not that it excuses the early behavior, but later we do find out more about Patch (was that vague enough for you?)

That being said, I am hated by many Twilight fans because I feel that Edward and Bella's whole relationship basically mirrors that of a battered wife/girlfriend.  (I don't know if I can stop my self from hurting you, I love you so much you can't see or be friends with anyone else, let me kidnap you and control you to save you from your self...)

Susan

PS I am susan259 on twitter and got the book and joined the discussion because you mentioned it!

[susan259]

I thought this was the case also.  Plsu we have no real sense of how long Nora has been gone from the rest of the group...

[Nikkayme]

How does Nora feel when she and Patch are paired up in Biology class?

When Nora is paired with Patch and introduces herself to him with no response, she realizes that the new seating arrangement is terrible. She is kind and puts herself out there, only to get a rude partner who (she feels) assumes he knows everything about her.

When do you notice a shift in Nora's feelings?

Nora's feelings seem to shift when she goes to see Patch at Bo's Arcade. Patch is in his element playing pool and Nora views him differently. Everything really changes then because Nora is more and more drawn to Patch. When she starts asking him the questions for the assignment and he gives her flirty responses, it only solidifies Nora's attraction to Patch.

What do you make of Nora feeling that she can hear Patch speak directly to her mind?

When Nora feels that she can hear Patch speaking into her mind she is definitely scared, but at the same time intrigued. It terrifies her that Patch can do speak into her mind and it makes her question her sanity, but she also wants to know more and understand it.

[DarkFaerieAssa…]

How does Nora feel when she and Patch are paired up in Biology class?

Nora is annoyed and upset because she wants Vee to be her partner. I think Nora is also nervous because she finds Patch attractive. She's curious about him.

When do you notice a shift in Nora's feelings?

I think once Nora runs into him at the Delphic Amusement Park and they ride the Archangel. Nora finds herself more attracted to him even though he annoys her at times, and he's cocky.

Does she share anything in common with Patch below the surface?

Yes, I believe that Nora has the mark of an Angel.

Has Patch been following Nora?

I don't want to spoil this since I read ahead of the schedule. 

What do you make of Nora feeling that she can hear Patch speak directly to her mind?

I think it freaks her out. She knows that there's something different about Patch. He scares her, yet she can't stop herself from wanting to be with him.

Do you think Vee really left Nora on her own at the Delphic?

No.

What do you make of the two incidents that Nora has had? The first, hitting a pedestrian who gets up and attacks her whenshe's driving home on a foggy night, the second, falling from the ride "The Archangel" but finding her self safe and unharmed after each event? Is Patch somehow involved?

I don't want to spoil this since I read ahead of the schedule.

[DarkFaerieAssa…]

How does Nora feel when she and Patch are paired up in Biology class?

Nora is annoyed and upset because she wants Vee to be her partner. I think Nora is also nervous because she finds Patch attractive. She's curious about him.

When do you notice a shift in Nora's feelings?

I think once Nora runs into him at the Delphic Amusement Park and they ride the Archangel. Nora finds herself more attracted to him even though he annoys her at times, and he's cocky.

Does she share anything in common with Patch below the surface?

Yes, I believe that Nora has the mark of an Angel.

Has Patch been following Nora?

I don't want to spoil this since I read ahead of the schedule. 

What do you make of Nora feeling that she can hear Patch speak directly to her mind?

I think it freaks her out. She knows that there's something different about Patch. He scares her, yet she can't stop herself from wanting to be with him.

Do you think Vee really left Nora on her own at the Delphic?

No.

What do you make of the two incidents that Nora has had? The first, hitting a pedestrian who gets up and attacks her whenshe's driving home on a foggy night, the second, falling from the ride "The Archangel" but finding her self safe and unharmed after each event? Is Patch somehow involved?

I don't want to spoil this since I read ahead of the schedule.

[lg4154]

How does Nora feel when she and Patch are paired up in Biology class? She is not too happy about it, but becomes intrigued by his mysteriousness

When do you notice a shift in Nora's feelings? When he answers the Coaches questions and it is directed as what he likes of her in a mate

Does she share anything in common with Patch below the surface? The birthmark & that they are both loners

Has Patch been following Nora? Yes he is almost like a stalker

What do you make of Nora feeling that she can hear Patch speak directly to her mind? That she is feeling very vulnerable due to the loss of her father

Do you think Vee really left Nora on her own at the Delphic? nope, I think it was her mind was playing tricks on her

What do you make of the two incidents that Nora has had? The first, hitting a pedestrian who gets up and attacks her when

she's driving home on a foggy night, the second, falling from the ride "The Archangel" but finding her self safe and unharmed after each event? Is Patch somehow involved? They both were pretty scary incidents. I am not too sure Patch is involved in the first incident. For sure he is involved in the second one.

[ras1513]

How does Nora feel when she and Patch are paired up in Biology class?

 She is initially very upset because she would not be partners with Vee anymore, however she tries to ask him questions about himself but Patch does not answer. Nora gets irritated with him fast mainly because she thinks he is a slacker. Later on in the chapters she is constantly dreading going to Bio just because she is paired up with Patch.

When do you notice a shift in Nora's feelings?

 I am not exactly sure when there is a shift in Nora's feelings however I feel it comes sometime during her date with Elliot, the Archangel ride and when Patch drives Nora home and makes taco's

Does she share anything in common with Patch below the surface?

 I think that they share something however I think we might find that out later in the book. Other than that I am not sure at this point.

Has Patch been following Nora?

 I want to say that he has been following Nora, however I do not think he is the one who is harassing her. I feel Patch is trying to protect her, in a way.

What do you make of Nora feeling that she can hear Patch speak directly to her mind?

 I find that to be awesome! I think it has to do with Patch, I feel he and Nora have this bond of some kind that we will find out later. However I still think it is so cool even if Nora does not like it.

Do you think Vee really left Nora on her own at the Delphic?

 I think that some one made Vee leave, like someone wanted to get Nora alone. Someone who wants to get Nora maybe the guy who Nora hit, or maybe Patch.

What do you make of the two incidents that Nora has had? The first, hitting a pedestrian who gets up and attacks her when she's driving home on a foggy night, the second, falling from the ride "The Archangel" but finding her self safe and unharmed after each event? Is Patch somehow involved?

I found these two incidents to be very interesting, I see Patch as being involved however I do not know how yet. I also think someone else might be involved on these incidents, I am thinking who ever is following Nora is up to something. Either way I am loving where this book is going and I loved the first 9 chapters!

Rachel =)

[Melissa_W Moderator]

I'm glad you joined the group   I'll probably come back to the book once I whip my Frankenstein group into shape and get some more reading done of The Naked and the Dead; Ryan_Groff and I were tweeting about this the other day and I think he would de-friend me if I didn't at least finish Hush, Hush.

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susan259 wrote:

I would really like to know what you think of the book...I hope you decide to keep reading.  Not that it excuses the early behavior, but later we do find out more about Patch (was that vague enough for you?)

That being said, I am hated by many Twilight fans because I feel that Edward and Bella's whole relationship basically mirrors that of a battered wife/girlfriend.  (I don't know if I can stop my self from hurting you, I love you so much you can't see or be friends with anyone else, let me kidnap you and control you to save you from your self...)

Susan

PS I am susan259 on twitter and got the book and joined the discussion because you mentioned it!

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[liisa22]

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deannafrances wrote:

I am in my 60's and although I was a substitute teacher it was for the elementary grades.   Can someone who is a teenager now

tell me if the depiction of the high school and the general informalness is the way schools are now.  When you watch TV and movies nowadays teachers do not appear to be very well respected.  Are schools as casual as they appear in this novel?

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As a HS teacher, I can say that teachers are not well-respected in many cases.  Of course, I do not blame it entirely on the students themselves; many come from parents (in my locale) that do not show the respect themselves to teachers- or to many people of authority.  This includes law enforcement.  Sad, but true.

That being said, there are exceptions, of course.  Many parents, and their children DO show respect.  In fact, most do.  It varies from teacher to teacher, and student by student.  There are some teachers that demand that students respect them, without showing the students any respect.   I find that deplorable.    

The informality of teachers to students, as portrayed by "Coach",  oh yeah  I see that.  Especially by some 'coaches'  that are in the classroom.  More interested in the next game, than the classroom.  It happens!

[hookedonbooks09]

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AliceLee428 wrote:

I was very disappointed in "Coach" too.  He was an incompetent teacher, in my opinion.

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Unfortunately, teachers/coaches being people, you are just as likely to run into them in that field as outside of it.  Of course, they should be wiser and more sensitive to this situation due to their training, but personalities sometimes overrule a person's better judgement.  I think this is Coach's personality.

Barb

[hookedonbooks09]

Oh, I don't think I missed anyone mentioning this, but...

What's with the feather on page 74?   I don't see any logic for it's presence!  Ideas?

Barb

[tato]

Has Patch been following Nora?

When I was reading these first chapters, I always had the impression that Patch was following Nora (I mean, he was everywhere!). At first, when he says he's at school because of her, I figured he was telling her that just to make her feel uncomfortable, but then, as the story unfolds, and with all those witty comments he was throwing at her, I realized he was, indeed, at school because of her and that, of course, there was a reason behind the lines for all of this.

What do you make of Nora feeling that she can hear Patch speak directly to her mind?

Actually, this surprised me a bit. She doesn't seem that shocked, which is odd. At the beginning she seems surprised, yes, but then, it's like "okay, I have this weird voice invading my head...hmmm, how weird" and that's it!

I think she should be more taken aback by it.

Do you think Vee really left Nora on her own at the Delphic?

It's obvious that she didn't leave her. The part when Nora notices that the battery of her cell phone is dead, even though she'd fully charged it, it's a huge pointer. We know that something is off.

What do you make of the two incidents that Nora has had?

The first one, with the guy in the ski mask, is really creepy. You cannot stop your heart from being accelerated and soaked in fear. The first idea that flashed into my mind was that the dark, mysterious guy was Patch, obviously (all the weird stuff that's been happening to Nora started since the day Patch walked into her life, so one wonders). As the scene unrolled, however, Patch's involvement seemed less obvious. The whole motion seemed too desperate and violent. It didn't look like something he would've done. Until this moment, we can see he likes games--taunting Nora is what he likes, and if he would've decided to strike, it wouldn't have been like that, less with a ski mask where she couldn't have seen him.

But mainly, since I like him so much, I just couldn't bring myself to think it was him.

The Archangel incident though, was revealing. I knew from the moment the ride stopped, when he was holding her tightly, arms wrapped around her protectively, that he'd saved her somehow, and that he wasn't there to harm her. Since that moment, I stopped doubting about his true intentions.

[tato]

Oh, I forgot to mention Elliot and Jules on my last post.

They are very nice addition to the story, bringing more mystery and question marks to the already mysterious and full of questions life of Nora. I knew, as everyone I think, that their arrival wasn't a coincidence, and that there was a hell lot more going on with them one the back, something weird lurking around them. Elliot, of course, seemed a really nice guy, and his interest in Nora seemed genuine. Jules aloofness though, was really suspicious from the beginning, and let's not talk about all his disappearances. This was the thing that led me to think that he knew Patch, and that Patch knew them. Since he first started wearing the cap, I got the feeling that he wanted to cover himself from Elliot (first at the softball game, then at Delphic). He wasn't using it before, but Elliot appears and...Bam! He starts hiding his face under the cap. So, there was something going on between them. That was obvious.

And let me say that the sexual tension between Patch and Nora sizzles in these chapters. The second day at Bio, is one of my favorite scenes. I could even feel myself blushing at Patch's witty comments. Great job!

[tabcat]

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hookedonbooks09 wrote:

Oh, I don't think I missed anyone mentioning this, but...

What's with the feather on page 74?   I don't see any logic for it's presence!  Ideas?

Barb

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Barb,

Glad you asked..I noticed the feather too.  I thought that it was a marker within a chapter to call attention to a shift in the story, but then looked back for others and didn't notice any.  I'd forgotten about it until reading your post. 

Tcat

[Rosei]

'Coach' disappoints me too. I know that we have so responsible and nice teachers at high schools, but unfortunately there are lots like him. I find him so authoritarian, rude and don't see any knowledge being really mediated among he and students. Being a teacher myself it's so very disappointing to see that at school. Unfortunately, that's not only fictional.

[tato]

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hookedonbooks09 wrote:

Oh, I don't think I missed anyone mentioning this, but...

What's with the feather on page 74?   I don't see any logic for it's presence!  Ideas?

Barb

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Actually, there are three more feathers. Look out for them! lol

[tato]

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hookedonbooks09 wrote:

Oh, I don't think I missed anyone mentioning this, but...

What's with the feather on page 74?   I don't see any logic for it's presence!  Ideas?

Barb

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Actually, there are three more feathers. Look out for them! lol