Back Cover of I Heart You, You Haunt Me

Girl meets boy.

Girl loses boy.

Girl gets boy back…

…sort of.

Ava can’t see 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’s spend the rest of her life with. He’s back from the dead, as proof that love truly knows no bounds.

Three Quick Points About I Heart You, You Haunt Me

• Point 1: It’s really written in verse. OK, I read that it was a verse novel, but I really didn’t know what to expect and true enough, the entire novel, all 200+ pages of it, is one long continuous verse.
• Point 2: So he’s a poltergeist? Sort of. Let me be upfront here and say I expected a creepier haunting (it’s filed under “Spine-Chilling Horror” at Amazon) and it was anything but. Overall though I couldn’t complain.
• Point 3: Short story in book form. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but once I finished the book, I realized it could easily be translated into a short story.

Full Review of I Heart You, You Haunt Me

Before reading the full review, please note that there may be some spoilers. I tried to keep it vague enough not to spoil the entire story, but be warned. If you’d rather not take any chances, skip the synopsis and go straight to the final thoughts.

I Heart You, You Haunt Me Synopsis

I Heart You, You Haunt Me is told, in verse, from the perspective of fifteen year old Ava who’s mourning the death of her boyfriend Jackson. The story begins at his funeral and as we follow the thread, we learn how he and Ava met, about their relationship, and ultimately how he died.

During this grieving period, Jackson comes back to Ava as a ghost. Although he can’t be with her like he used to, he invents creative ways to get her attention and make his presence known.

Ava is afraid to tell her parents and friends about Jackson because they would call her crazy, so she decides to keep him all to herself. Of course, dating a ghost is tricky; a lesson that Ava learns the hard way and she’s forced to make a decision that could change her life forever.

Final Thoughts On I Heart You, You Haunt Me

I Heart You, You Haunt Me was not anything like I expected. I was expecting something a bit more on the creepier side of things, but “Spine-Chilling Horror” it was not; there wasn’t anything that made me want to flick on the lights or sleep with one eye open when I was finished.

That doesn’t mean I didn’t like the story. In fact, I really enjoyed it and it haunted me a bit after I finished reading.

It was a quick read, and it brings you through all the stages of Ava’s grief in quick bursts. I would have liked to know more about Jackson and the details surrounding his death. Not to say that glimpses aren’t given, but sometimes I found myself wondering if he was abusive in life (eventually, that was cleared up and, as far as I can tell, he wasn’t).

Toward the end, a character named Lyric was introduced. While I understand why he was introduced (from an analytical standpoint), something about its development stuck out like a throbbing red thumb.

When Ava first met him, I was looking forward to seeing how the relationship would develop, but it was too rushed and the problem it presented was resolved far too easily. I don’t want to say much more than that for fear of giving up too big a spoiler.

That section should have been stretched out, possibly through another interlude that transitions their relationship. And even though I yearned to know more about the characters, I didn’t feel as though I didn’t know enough.

What I believe is so beautiful about this book is the message of healing it imparts with the resolution of Ava and Jackson. Again, I’ll hold my tongue, but suffice to say that anyone who has ever lost love (whether through a break up or death) could relate and, I hope, gain something from this book.

Rating: Worth every penny (?)

I’d also like to add that I can definitely see myself re-reading this book in the future. It’s quite sensitively written, and has an ethereal quality. You can also read an excerpt online.

Get I Heart You, You Haunt Me at Amazon