REVIEW: I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder

I Heart You, You Haunt Me

Author: Lisa Schroeder

Publisher: Simon Pulse 

Format: Paperback

Series: Stand alone novel  

(but loosely connected to Chasing Brooklyn)

Page Count: 227

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery, Romance 

Release Date: January 8, 2008

Girl meets boy. Girl loses boy. Girl gets boy back... ...sort of. Ava can't see him or touch him, unless she's dreaming. She can't hear his voice, except for the faint whispers in her mind. Most would think she's crazy, but she knows he's here. Jackson. The boy Ava thought she'd spend the rest of her life with. He's back from the dead, as proof that love truly knows no bounds.

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My Thoughts

I've been eyeing this book for months, yet I never picked it up.  Finally the perfect opportunity presented itself:  a book signing at my local B&N featuring Lisa Schroeder.  I bought 4 of her books that day and they have SO been worth it.  

I Heart You, You Haunt Me is a novel written entirely in verse, which is the first of it's kind that I've read. I was very skeptical at first about a verse novel, because I'm not a fan of poetry, but books like this could definitely turn me onto poetry.  I couldn't believe the beauty & the sadness that this book depicted, that I don't think could have been conveyed through any other type of compilation of words than verse.  The format of this novel really allows the characters emotions to show through so strongly, yet it maintains simplicity.  

One of the main themes in Ava's story is grief, and working through grief.  The simplicity of the story's verse is really important in conveying this theme, because even though things seem so simple, when you're grieving, it's all you feel & all you can think of.  It consumes you wholly, despite anything else in the world that may be right.  Ava is consumed this way.  

Ava's story is really touching.  I cried through the whole thing, but as Lisa Schroeder hoped, it was a "therapeutic cry." ;) I would recommend this story to anyone, the verse is well-thought out, the story is simple, powerful & meaningful.  This is a quick read, so it's a great book to pick up anytime & it's small, so it'll fit in even a small purse ;) 

I'm rating I Heart You, You Haunt Me: 

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