Review - I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder

Title: I Heart You, You Haunt Me

Author: Lisa Schroeder

Series: Stand Alone

Pages: 226

Published: October 27th 2009 by Simon Pulse

ISBN: 9781416955207

Source: Personal Copy

Description: 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. 

I Give This ...

 

I've had this sitting on my shelf for quite some time.  After two wonderful books by Lisa Schroeder, I intended on reading sooner rather than later.   I'm so glad I did!  

It continues to amaze me that a story can be told so beautifully in so little words.  I never would have thought that a verse novel could make me feel so much.  Even though I have no personal experience with what Ava is going through, I instantly connected to her.  Her grief and guilt jump off the pages.  At first I was afraid that she wasn't going to let go of Jackson, and this was going to be a downward spiral into depression.  But I should know better.  Schroeder has a knack for taking these situations and having a light at the end of a dark tunnel.  I was happy to see that life will go on for Ava.

What was strange for me, was I initially read Jackson completely wrong.  I thought he was a controlling boyfriend in some of the flashbacks.  And he came across that way in death as well.  I think I took that differently than was intended.  Especially in the end when I realized the reasons Jackson actually came back to Ava.  It made me rethink my entire approach to the book.

An enjoyable read that I would recommend to anybody, particularly those who are hesitant to try verse.   I look forward to what Schroeder produces next!  And I will seek out Far From You, it's the only one I haven't read!