Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: Underworld by Meg Cabot

First paragraph: "Pierce keeps having the most terrible nightmares." My mom used to say this to all the doctors we saw right after the accident. "She talks in her sleep–sorry, sweetheart, but you do–about a boy following her. Sometimes she even wakes up crying. It doesn’t seem normal. I’ve never had dreams that vivid."

Initial thoughts: I literally squealed like a little fangirl when this arrived on my doorstep. And I love that cover—it’s much shinier in person. Thank goodness I keep a book summary journal* because I only remember a few bits and bobs of Abandon, but I remember enough to know I enjoyed it**, so I’m looking forward to reading the continuation of Pierce and John’s story.

Book description:

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead. Not this time.

But she’s been taken by John Hayden, lord of the Underworld, to the dim, twilit place between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

John claims it’s for her own safety, to protect her from the Furies who yearn for vengeance against him. But John may have reasons of his own for wanting to keep Pierce close…

And soon she learns that while she might be safe from the wrath of the Furies in the Underworld, the people she loves back on earth are not. Can Pierce convince John to release her in order to save the life of someone in her family–or will the price he asks her to pay for her freedom turn out to be too high?

Book Details: 336 pages; Point; Pub. May 8, 2012

* Book summary journal: After I finish reading a book (usually immediately afterward unless I’m feeling lazy), I’ll write a 5-10 page summary of all the major plot points, character list, and other relevant notes so I can reference it later. This system has been working out well—except for the books I didn’t get around to summarizing.

** I’m such a dork. I wrote the review for Abandon, but never edited or published it. I thought I did, but didn’t. Expect that soon-ish.

Title: The Clearing
Author: Heather Davis
ISBN: 978-0-5472-6367-0
Story Length: 228 pages
Genre: Young Adult Light Paranormal Romance

Back Cover of The Clearing

Every single night that summer I lay awake wishing my life were different. And then one day it was…but not in the way you probably think.

"Different" for Amy was moving from the city to her aunt’s trailer in the country–starting her senior year at a new high school, putting the pain of a broken relationship behind her, starting fresh.

"Different" was Henry, a teenage boy Amy meets in the clearing behind Aunt Mae’s. Henry dresses differently, talks differently, and treats her better than any guy she’s ever known. And she’s starting to fall for him.

But Amy is stunned when she finds out just how different Henry really is. Because on his side of clearing, it’s 1944. By some miracle, Henry and his family are stuck in the past, staving off the tragedy that will strike them in the future. Amy’s crossing over to Henry’s side brings him more happiness than he’s ever known–but her presence also threatens to destroy his safe existence.

In this touching tale about falling in love, finding strength, and having the courage to make your own destiny, two teens living decades apart form a bond that will change their lives forever…and learn that true love can be truly magical

Three Quick Points About The Clearing

• Point 1: Ultra-sweet. This is a book for true romantics at heart.
• Point 2: Melding two generations. Through beautiful prose, Davis paints a lovely portrait of the idyllic life of a bygone generation.
• Point 3: A few tiny holes. Some inconsistencies (and stupidities) pricked tiny holes in an otherwise beautiful story and made me wince.

Short Synopsis of The Clearing

After leaving an abusive relationship, sixteen-year-old Amy moves in with her great-aunt Mae. While in her care, Amy discovers a mist lining the forest and through it a clearing where she meets the eighteen-year-old Henry. Over time, the two fall in love, but there’s one problem: Henry (and his mother and grandfather) are stuck in 1944. It’s then up to the two of them to decide if and how they will be together.

My Thoughts on The Clearing

I hardly know where to begin with this one. The prose was beautiful; I especially love the descriptions of Henry’s side of the mist. I could almost feel the sun on my face and the honey-laden homemade biscuits melting in my mouth. And although the pacing was leisurely, it was so smooth and easy to read that I finished it in a day.

Then there is the romance, which is the cornerstone of the book. Its progression and development was old-school: Heavy on the courting with compliments and consideration. Although it was ultimately Amy’s story, I wanted to jump right in and sure enough, I would have married Henry had he proposed. It was absolutely sweet.

Not only did it show love in a different light than many contemporary young adult books, it inadvertently (and inconspicuously) touched on the topics of faith and purpose. Nothing preachy, but it did a nice job of reminding us that everyone has a purpose and that we are stronger than we often realize.

There were, however, three things that I didn’t care much for:

1. The character development of Jackson. He was made out to be a nice modern boy who was interested in Amy, but there was a scene which brought his chivalry into question along with his intentions with Amy. I wish there was another scene to clear it up.

2. There was a scene where Amy invites her ex-boyfriend—the abusive one—into her home while she was alone. And when a third party arrives, she turns him away so she can once again be alone with the abusive ex-boyfriend. It’s commendable that she wishes to deal with the situation head-on, but how she went about it was idiotic.

3. The ending was far too abrupt. I understood the intended effect, but in a messy situation (which was the entire foundation of the story) it was far too neat.

Although I’m not usually in the habit of saying books need to be longer, in this instance I feel it fits. The above problems certainly could have benefited from a few more scenes to smooth them out. Still, even with those flaws, this was a beautifully told story of love (romantic love, not lust).

Rating: Worth Every Penny [TPB] [B+] (?)

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