I Heart You, You Haunt Me [Paperback]

Lisa Schroeder (Author)

Book Description

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.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lisa Schroeder is the author of the teen verse novels The Day Before; I Heart You, You Haunt Me and its companion novel, Chasing Brooklyn; Far from You; and the teen prose novel Falling for You. She is also the author of the middle grade prose novels It’s Raining Cupcakes, Sprinkles and Secrets, and Frosting and Friendship. She lives in Beaverton, Oregon. Find out more about Lisa and her books at LisaSchroederBooks.com or on Twitter at @Lisa_Schroeder.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse; Original edition (January 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416955208
• ISBN-13: 978-1416955207
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.6 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (82 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #385,400 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lisa Schroeder is the author of four teen verse novels including I Heart You, You Haunt Me and its companion, Chasing Brooklyn, Far From You, and the Oregon Book Award finalist, The Day Before. Her latest contemporary novel for teens, titled Falling For You, is a unique combination of prose and poetry. She's also the author of the middle grade novels It's Raining Cupcakes, Sprinkles and Secrets and the forthcoming Frosting and Friendship. Her books have been translated into several languages and have been selected for a number of state reading lists. When she's not writing, you will probably find Lisa reading, walking the dog, or baking yummy treats. Lisa is a native Oregonian and lives in Beaverton with her husband and two sons.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too January 3, 2008

By TeensReadToo

Format:Paperback

He's here, in this room, right now. Jackson. Ava knows he's dead, and that it's impossible, but that doesn't stop her from being able to smell his unique, sandalwood aftershave. Or seeing his image in her mirror, hearing his words in her head,and finding him in her dreams. Her boyfriend is a ghost, and it's Ava's fault he's dead to begin with.

So now what?

Ride the waves of Ava's emotions, sometimes rippling, sometimes crashing, in this haunting book. Written in verse for maximum impact, the book grips readers and keeps them turning page after page, waiting for a release that never comes. I know, because I'm still waiting to be released from the clutch of feelings invoked by Ava's tale.

That's why I'm nominating this one for the Gold Star Award for Excellence in the TeensReadToo Hall of Fame. This award is reserved for books that we'll read again and again. A definite for me in this case.

Reviewed by: Julie M. Prince

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars For Anyone Who Has Ever Lost Love January 16, 2010

By Ann-Kat @ todayiread.com

Format:Paperback

THREE QUICK POINTS:
* 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 (I found it filed under "Spine-Chilling Horror" at Amazon) and it was anything but.

* 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.

SHORT SYNOPSIS:
The story 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 his death.

During this grieving period, Jackson comes back to Ava as a ghost. 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.

MY THOUGHTS:
The book was not what I expected. I expected something creepier, but nothing in it made me want to flick on the lights or sleep with one eye open. That doesn't mean I didn't end up liking it. In fact, the opposite and it haunted me a bit after I finished reading.

It was an easy read, bringing you through all the stages of Ava's grief in quick bursts; sometimes too quick. 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.

I'd also like to add that I can definitely see myself re-reading this book in the future. It's sensitively written with an ethereal quality.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I Heart You, You Haunt Me January 9, 2008

By Anidori-Isilee

Format:Paperback

Fifteen-year-old Ava knows it's her fault that her boyfriend Jackson is dead, and that makes his death all the more difficult to bear. But then one day she's home and the room goes cold and she knows that Jackson's there with her. But can she have a ghost as a boyfriend or must she move on with her life?

I don't think I've ever read a verse novel before this one, so I'm not sure how this one compares to other verse novels. As it is, I have somewhat mixed feelings. It was very emotional, and I think that's because of the verse. I don't think this book would have been as good in prose. That being said, the story seems sort of incomplete, like there could have been more. In a way, I'm not completely satisfied because I feel like the book's missing something, and I'm not sure if all verse novels are like that or just this one. But I did love this book regardless and can't give it anything less than five stars.