I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder

Ava can't see or touch him, unless she's dreaming. She can't heart 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. - book cover

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My first novel in verse was Song of the Sparrows by Lisa Sandell. Oh, how I loved the idea of how it looked like a poem, but didn't rhyme. How it was fun and fast to read, yet it was poetic just the same. I Heart You is my second novel in verse. Now this book is a lot closer to an actual poem. Each page has a heading and a short scene of what Ava is feeling or doing.

I must say it was hard to put down, and for a moment, just one eerie moment, I thought Jackson--her deceased boyfriend--would never leave her alone! Like it was a knock-off of Rebecca or something. As I read on, it turns out it wasn't Jackson's intension to haunt her. The only thing that I felt that I didn't care for with this book is the headings above each verse. It kind of slowed you down because you just want to keep flipping the pages and not stop and read the heading; other than that though, it is a great read. Schroeder has written two novels in verse since I Heart You: Far From You and Chasing Brooklyn which was released last month (Jan.). Reluctant readers would find this novel "easy to read" and perfect read in between school hours, so make sure your library has a copy!

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|Pages: 226|Published: 2008|Publisher: Simon & Schuster (Pulse)|
|Genre: Teen romance, ghost stories, novels in verse|
|Age Group: YA, ages 13+|Content: Some sensuality|
|Buy or Borrow? Borrow, not exactly something you'd read again|
|Enjoyed It: 4/5|Content: 4/5|Cover: 5/5|
|Overall|

Tombstone Tea by Joanne Dahme

In order to be accepted by the “in crowd” at her new high school, Jessie accepts a dare to spend one night in a local cemetery collecting rubbings from ten gravestones. Once inside the gate of the dark and frightening burial ground, Jessie meets Paul, a handsome boy who works as a caretaker at the cemetery. Paul explains to Jessie about Tombstone Tea: a fund-raising performance in which actors impersonate the people buried in the cemetery. The actors are supposedly rehearsing on this particular evening, but Jessi quickly discovers that they aren’t actors at all but the ghosts of men and women buried in the cemetery. When one woman decides to adopt Jessie to replace her lost daughter, our heroine fears she may never escape the cemetery. - book jacket

*****

I’m not quite sure I liked Tombstone Tea very much. It is suspenseful and mysterious, but I couldn’t help but feel creeped out about Paul and Jessie being able to talk to dead people or that they liked cemeteries. What was even weirder was that one of the ghosts is just insane.

I understand that Dahme is trying to incorporate history into her book, but you don’t have to talk to “ghosts” to learn about or respect history and you sure don’t have to go to cemeteries!

Tombstone Tea takes on two different dialogues: Jessie’s (present day) and Paul’s (early 20th century). Jessie’s side of the story was okay with me, but Paul’s was confusing and eerie. I mean, he use to do seances and worked as a grave digger. What a life right? Then there is this one ghost who is just downright evil and that really turned me off. I like ghost stories, but this one just went too deap into the world of the "supernatural", spirits, and death.

Although Tombstone Tea is written extremely smoothly and has well developed characters, I'm not sure every teen would enjoy such a dark story. I mean is it really enjoyable to read about stuff like that?

Dahme is a good writer however, and I want to read her historical fiction novel, The Plague; but I still think that Dahme could do better with history and not supernatural stories.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend Tombstone Tea (unless you absolutely love strange graveyard stories). There are plenty of other "creepy" books out there that are much more fun to read.

|Pages: 223|Year Published: Sept. 2009|Publisher: Running Press|

|Genre: Ghost stories, paranormal fiction, suspense|

|Age Group: YA, ages 13+|Content: supernatural themes|

|Enjoyed It: 2/5|Content Rating: 3/5|Cover: 4/5|

|Overall|

Ruined: A Ghost Story by Paula Morris + GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

When Rebecca Brown goes to New Orleans to stay with her voodoo-obsessed aunt, she finds the beautiful city haunted by the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Rebecca is also startled to discover a haunting of a different kind: near a graveyard one night, amid the Spanish moss and beneath the moonlight, she meets a ghost girl named Lisette, who has been dead for 150 years. Lisette helps Rebecca unearth an ancient mystery in her aunt’s house, along with some troubling historical truths. Meanwhile, Rebecca must juggle adjusting to her snooty new prep school, developing a serious crush on a handsome boy, and dealing with an elite group of popular girls who may be linked to the ghostly mystery themselves. - from book jacket

******

Ruined is a great book. I can’t remember the last I actually loved, no wait....LOVED this book!! Why did I enjoy it so much? First all it takes place in New Orleans. I’ve “heard” of New Orleans for as long as I can remember. To me it’s a place of mystery, history, and dark secrets. New Orleans is the capitol of authentic vood-doo (besides Haiti), grave-yards, and parties. What could be more forbidden and dark? Remember The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (Nancy Drew)? Spooky.

New Orleans been “ruined” several times in the past and since Madri-Gra is held there every year, some say it’s the evilest city in the Americas since the days of Port Royal.* [Arrr, ahoy there mateys!]

Second of all, this book is a “ghost story”. I mean, who could resist, right?

The characters of Ruined are just as mysterious and exciting as the story itself. Rebecca is a great character and reminded me of myself. Okay so, maybe I wouldn’t go snooping around in the cemetery at night, but hey, I love adventure.

The “old-line” or elite families of New Orleans is another mysterious addition to the book. I don’t doubt at all that there is a really are clicks like these in New Orleans or even the “krewes” who participate in the Madi-Gra parades. On top of the all neat characters and ghosts of New Orleans, there’s a curse. Feel the excitement yet?

The only thing I am unhappy with about Ruined is that it ended way too fast! I wanted to know what happened to Rebecca after-oops, can’t say. You get the picture though.

Overall, Ruined is a breathtaking story of a wronged murder in the dark, magical city of New Orleans. I highly recommend to any teen looking for adventure with a dash of romance and, of course, ghosts. Just one question. When Morris’s next book out?!

* Port Royal was a city located on Jamaica. It was a popular hang-out with pirates and served as a major trading and slave port for the British Empire. In 1692, shortly after Henry Morgan’s reign as governor, Port Royal was destroyed by a huge hurricane/storm and was never re-built.

Paula Morris is orginally from New Zealand and has lived in various different cities around the world, including New Orleans. She teaches creative writing at Tulane University in New Orleans. Paula has written several YA novels and short stories; Queen of Beauty was her first novel.

|Pages: 315|Year Published: Aug. 2009|Publisher: Point|

|Genre: Ghost story, suspense, mystery, teen romance|

|Age Group: YA, ages 12+|Content: None|

|Enjoyed It: 5/5|Content Rating: 5/5|Cover: 5/5| (NEW!)

|Overall Rating|

Special thanks to Dina at Point with Big Honcho Media!

Contest for Ruined

Not sure about Ruined ? Don't take my word for it, read it yourself! Here's your chance to win a copy of Ruined!

The What - 5 copies of Ruined

The Who - US residents ONLY

The When - Ends October 12th, 12pm EST.

The How - Since Ruined takes place in the famous city of New Orleans, to enter, leave a comment telling me about what your hometown is "famous" for.

Extra Entries - +2) if you start following

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Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell

Where y'at, Iris?

There is nothing to do in Odine, Louisiana, except maybe hang out at the cemetery, listen to ghosts, and cast pretend spells. The summer Iris and and her friend, Collette, turn fourteen, that's just what they do. It's all fun and games until Iris truly sees and hears a "ghost" at the cemetery. After an incident with a Ouija board (witchboard), the ghost reveals himself as Elijah, the boy who mysteriously disappeared several years before Iris was born. With the help of Ben-Colette's latest crush- and Collete, Iris must find out what really happened that night in 1989 and why her dad is so hesitant in shedding some light on the subject. It seems all of Odine wants to forget "The Incident with the Landry Boy", all that is, except Iris and of course Elijah's restless ghost.

*****

Shadowed Summer was a short read and after 3 hours and a severe adrenaline rush, I can only say that this book not only made your skin crawl but was written quite well for a first time thriller writer.

The combination of a ghost story, friendship, and growing up made the story even more unforgettable. The characters were very well developed and there was more background than just the ghost haunts. The end really caught me off guard, I literally yelled, "What!" so loud it scared my poor cat. I even found myself re-reading the end just in case I missed something. (Personally I think the whole reason for Elijah's ghost to go haunting was a bit weird, but that's a physiological thriller for you).

Whew. I'm glad I'm done reading and writing the review for it. (Can you hear my heart beating?) Now I'm off to prepare the final resting place of Shadowed Summer-where else do you hide the boogie monsters?-in the closet. Yeah, it was that spooky.

Mitchell does in fact have a knack for storytelling, but I don't think I could handle another ghost story. I would not recommend this book to you if you get scared easily or, better yet-to take care of the recommendation-read if you dare.

Pages: 180 Year Published: 2009 Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Age Group: YA (ages 14+) Content: Horror

Enjoyed It: 4/5 Rating: